Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper. 
 
The latest arrest came after police froze assets of companies linked to the newspaper and arrested five executives last week, moves that are likely to force the newspaper to shut down this week. 
 
Police have said dozens of Apple Daily pieces may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media articles under the legislation. 
 
Rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the government's actions and expressed concern over freedom of the press and other rights in the Chinese-ruled city. 
 
Police, who typically do not disclose the names of those arrested, said they had arrested a 55-year-old man on the national security charges. A senior executive at Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, said a lead writer for editorials and a reporter were arrested, without identifying them. It was unclear why the reporter was arrested. 
 
A police representative said they had no immediate information on a second arrest. 
 
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of last week's raid and arrests at Apple Daily amounted to attempts to 'beautify' acts that endangered national security. 
 
Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since its tycoon owner and staunch Beijing critic, Jimmy Lai, was arrested last year under the contentious legislation. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the security law, is already serving a prison sentence for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. 
 
According to an internal staff memo, the tabloid, which employs about 600 journalists, looks set to close for good by Saturday. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper.

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper. The latest arrest came after police froze assets of companies linked to the newspaper and arrested five executives last week, moves that are likely to force the newspaper to shut down this week. Police have said dozens of Apple Daily pieces may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media articles under the legislation. Rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the government's actions and expressed concern over freedom of the press and other rights in the Chinese-ruled city. Police, who typically do not disclose the names of those arrested, said they had arrested a 55-year-old man on the national security charges. A senior executive at Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, said a lead writer for editorials and a reporter were arrested, without identifying them. It was unclear why the reporter was arrested. A police representative said they had no immediate information on a second arrest. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of last week's raid and arrests at Apple Daily amounted to attempts to 'beautify' acts that endangered national security. Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since its tycoon owner and staunch Beijing critic, Jimmy Lai, was arrested last year under the contentious legislation. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the security law, is already serving a prison sentence for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. According to an internal staff memo, the tabloid, which employs about 600 journalists, looks set to close for good by Saturday. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily columnist under security law

Five&nbsp;police&nbsp;officers were injured, two seriously, and a&nbsp;partygoer lost his hand when security forces tried to break up an illegal&nbsp;rave&nbsp;of some 1,500 people in western France, local officials said on Saturday.

TV images showed gendarmes using tear gas and&nbsp;ravers throwing firecrackers, projectiles and petrol bombs as&nbsp;clashes broke out when around 400&nbsp;police&nbsp;officers moved in an effort to disperse the&nbsp;party.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/discovered-footprints-of-the-very-last-dinosaurs-to-walk-on-uk-ground-392626">Also Read |&nbsp;Discovered; Footprints of the very last Dinosaurs to walk on UK ground</a>

According to Emmanuel Berthier,&nbsp;police&nbsp;chief for the Ile-et-Vilaine area, a 22-year-old person lost a hand amid the "extreme violence".&nbsp;Clashes lasted for about seven hours, the national gendarmerie said on its Twitter account.

As of Saturday morning, about 1,000 people remain at a horse racing track near Redon in Brittany where the&nbsp;rave&nbsp;was held and officials said they hoped to regain control over the weekend.

"Those present were not there to&nbsp;party, but to fight with the&nbsp;police," Pascal Duchène, the mayor of Redon, told BFM TV.

Five police officers were injured, two seriously, and a partygoer lost his hand when security forces tried to break up an illegal rave of some 1,500 people in western France, local officials said on Saturday.

Five police officers were injured, two seriously, and a partygoer lost his hand when security forces tried to break up an illegal rave of some 1,500 people in western France, local officials said on Saturday. TV images showed gendarmes using tear gas and ravers throwing firecrackers, projectiles and petrol bombs as clashes broke out when around 400 police officers moved in an effort to disperse the party. Also Read | Discovered; Footprints of the very last Dinosaurs to walk on UK ground According to Emmanuel Berthier, police chief for the Ile-et-Vilaine area, a 22-year-old person lost a hand amid the "extreme violence". Clashes lasted for about seven hours, the national gendarmerie said on its Twitter account. As of Saturday morning, about 1,000 people remain at a horse racing track near Redon in Brittany where the rave was held and officials said they hoped to regain control over the weekend. "Those present were not there to party, but to fight with the police," Pascal Duchène, the mayor of Redon, told BFM TV.

French police clash with partygoers at unauthorised rave party

Five police officers in Savannah, Georgia, have been fired after a Black man hanged himself while in custody in April, a death that three of them mocked in a text message exchange that contained a crude GIF, officials said this week.

The officers’ dismissal was announced by the Savannah Police Department on Monday. That same day the city’s police chief and mayor met with the family of William Harvey, who officers said hanged himself with his shoelaces on April 3 after officers questioned him at police headquarters as part of an investigation into an aggravated assault.

Harvey, 60, was found unresponsive in an interview room where he had been left alone. His death was ruled a suicide by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

But his family has faulted the police over the actions of officers leading up to and after his death. They said the police had neglected the warning signs that Harvey had been in distress, failed to activate all of the cameras that were in the room and later made light of the tragedy in a group text message exchange.

Roy W. Minter Jr., the Savannah police chief, said at a media briefing Tuesday that Harvey’s death could have been prevented if not for missteps of officers.

“I don’t think any of these officers had any malicious intent in what they did, but they made some poor decisions and didn’t follow department policy and procedure,” Minter said.

The punishment of the officers, who have not been charged with any crimes, came as police departments across the nation are facing intense scrutiny over misconduct and complaints of institutional racism after the death of George Floyd while in custody in Minneapolis.

“When you’re in the care custody of the police, you should be able to enter an interrogation room and emerge alive,” Francys Johnson, a lawyer for the Harvey family, said at a news conference Monday.

Harvey’s relatives said they would not rest until there was full transparency about what happened in the interview room and until justice was served.

“We’re not going to stop until we get all our questions answered,” Harvey’s son Michael Harvey said at the news conference. “Because we just want to know the truth.”

Two of the officers — Cpl. Silver Leuschner and Sgt. Michael Kerr — were fired over their response to the situation, the Savannah Police Department said. A third officer was suspended.

Officials said that Leuschner had breached the department’s conduct policy and had failed to turn on cameras during the encounter. They said that Kerr had breached his responsibilities as a supervisor. The officials did not elaborate.

Leuschner said in an email Tuesday night that at the time of Harvey’s death she was 15 minutes from headquarters at a hospital checking on a victim and that Kerr was also not in the building. She said that two patrol officers who had been sitting outside the interview room for 40 minutes and did not check on Harvey kept their jobs. A camera system in the interview room, she said, was not working properly.

“I was told, ‘This is political, so someone has to go,’ ” said Leuschner, who called herself a scapegoat.

Kerr could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday night.

It was not immediately clear if he and the other officers had lawyers. The Southern States Police Benevolent Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

The three officers fired over the text message exchange mocking Harvey’s death were identified by the Savannah Police Department as Sgt. Christopher Hewett, Cpl. Erica Tremblay and Officer David Curtis.

In the text message exchange, obtained by the television station WSAV, one of the officers shared a GIF that showed a Black man hanging himself from a noose.

A person responding from an email address listed for Curtis declined to comment Tuesday night. Hewett and Tremblay could not be immediately reached for comment.

Minter said Tuesday that he had reviewed some of the officers’ body camera footage from the encounter with Harvey and that it was tough to watch.

“It’s been extremely heartbreaking to see the impact this particular situation has had on the Harvey family,” he said. “I hope and pray that they find some type of comfort knowing that the Savannah Police Department did what we had to do to hold members of our organization accountable.”

Five police officers in Savannah, Georgia, have been fired after a Black man hanged himself while in custody in April, a death that three of them mocked in a text message exchange that contained a crude GIF, officials said this week.

Five police officers in Savannah, Georgia, have been fired after a Black man hanged himself while in custody in April, a death that three of them mocked in a text message exchange that contained a crude GIF, officials said this week. The officers’ dismissal was announced by the Savannah Police Department on Monday. That same day the city’s police chief and mayor met with the family of William Harvey, who officers said hanged himself with his shoelaces on April 3 after officers questioned him at police headquarters as part of an investigation into an aggravated assault. Harvey, 60, was found unresponsive in an interview room where he had been left alone. His death was ruled a suicide by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But his family has faulted the police over the actions of officers leading up to and after his death. They said the police had neglected the warning signs that Harvey had been in distress, failed to activate all of the cameras that were in the room and later made light of the tragedy in a group text message exchange. Roy W. Minter Jr., the Savannah police chief, said at a media briefing Tuesday that Harvey’s death could have been prevented if not for missteps of officers. “I don’t think any of these officers had any malicious intent in what they did, but they made some poor decisions and didn’t follow department policy and procedure,” Minter said. The punishment of the officers, who have not been charged with any crimes, came as police departments across the nation are facing intense scrutiny over misconduct and complaints of institutional racism after the death of George Floyd while in custody in Minneapolis. “When you’re in the care custody of the police, you should be able to enter an interrogation room and emerge alive,” Francys Johnson, a lawyer for the Harvey family, said at a news conference Monday. Harvey’s relatives said they would not rest until there was full transparency about what happened in the interview room and until justice was served. “We’re not going to stop until we get all our questions answered,” Harvey’s son Michael Harvey said at the news conference. “Because we just want to know the truth.” Two of the officers — Cpl. Silver Leuschner and Sgt. Michael Kerr — were fired over their response to the situation, the Savannah Police Department said. A third officer was suspended. Officials said that Leuschner had breached the department’s conduct policy and had failed to turn on cameras during the encounter. They said that Kerr had breached his responsibilities as a supervisor. The officials did not elaborate. Leuschner said in an email Tuesday night that at the time of Harvey’s death she was 15 minutes from headquarters at a hospital checking on a victim and that Kerr was also not in the building. She said that two patrol officers who had been sitting outside the interview room for 40 minutes and did not check on Harvey kept their jobs. A camera system in the interview room, she said, was not working properly. “I was told, ‘This is political, so someone has to go,’ ” said Leuschner, who called herself a scapegoat. Kerr could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday night. It was not immediately clear if he and the other officers had lawyers. The Southern States Police Benevolent Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night. The three officers fired over the text message exchange mocking Harvey’s death were identified by the Savannah Police Department as Sgt. Christopher Hewett, Cpl. Erica Tremblay and Officer David Curtis. In the text message exchange, obtained by the television station WSAV, one of the officers shared a GIF that showed a Black man hanging himself from a noose. A person responding from an email address listed for Curtis declined to comment Tuesday night. Hewett and Tremblay could not be immediately reached for comment. Minter said Tuesday that he had reviewed some of the officers’ body camera footage from the encounter with Harvey and that it was tough to watch. “It’s been extremely heartbreaking to see the impact this particular situation has had on the Harvey family,” he said. “I hope and pray that they find some type of comfort knowing that the Savannah Police Department did what we had to do to hold members of our organization accountable.”

5 police officers are fired after a man in custody hangs himself

A shooting in a popular nightlife district in downtown Austin, Texas, early Saturday left 14 people injured, with two of them in critical condition, police said.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired around 1:25 a.m. in a district known for drawing large crowds to its bars and restaurants.

Joseph Chacon, the interim chief of the Austin Police Department, said at a news briefing Saturday afternoon that the shooting appeared to have started as “some kind of disturbance between two parties.”

He said that there was no information to indicate the victims were intentionally targeted, and that most were “innocent bystanders.”

The police revised the number of victims to 14, from 13. The chief said it was possible there are still others who were hurt who have not sought medical help or reported their injuries to police.

The police said on Saturday afternoon that a suspect was in custody and a second suspect remained at large. The person in custody was not identified.

The police said in a statement that the victims had been wounded or injured, but the chief said all of them had been shot. Two victims were in critical condition and 12 were in stable condition, police said.

Chacon said that police officers used first aid gear they carry, such as chest seals and tourniquets, to provide lifesaving help and that responding officers had exhausted all of their supplies at the scene.

He said that the downtown area was filled with people at the time of the shooting and that the neighborhood was drawing pre-pandemic crowd sizes.

A shooting in a popular nightlife district in downtown Austin, Texas, early Saturday left 14 people injured, with two of them in critical condition, police said.

A shooting in a popular nightlife district in downtown Austin, Texas, early Saturday left 14 people injured, with two of them in critical condition, police said. Officers responded to a report of shots fired around 1:25 a.m. in a district known for drawing large crowds to its bars and restaurants. Joseph Chacon, the interim chief of the Austin Police Department, said at a news briefing Saturday afternoon that the shooting appeared to have started as “some kind of disturbance between two parties.” He said that there was no information to indicate the victims were intentionally targeted, and that most were “innocent bystanders.” The police revised the number of victims to 14, from 13. The chief said it was possible there are still others who were hurt who have not sought medical help or reported their injuries to police. The police said on Saturday afternoon that a suspect was in custody and a second suspect remained at large. The person in custody was not identified. The police said in a statement that the victims had been wounded or injured, but the chief said all of them had been shot. Two victims were in critical condition and 12 were in stable condition, police said. Chacon said that police officers used first aid gear they carry, such as chest seals and tourniquets, to provide lifesaving help and that responding officers had exhausted all of their supplies at the scene. He said that the downtown area was filled with people at the time of the shooting and that the neighborhood was drawing pre-pandemic crowd sizes.

14 people are hurt in shooting in downtown Austin, police say

The protesters who gathered in the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota came from across the country — Native American tribes and their supporters, environmentalists and religious leaders — all to fight an expansion of Line 3, a $9 billion pipeline operated by Canadian company Enbridge, that would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil through Minnesota’s delicate watersheds and tribal lands.

Some said they had come ready to risk arrest by lying down in the path of construction. Others said they were here to support tribes that have been battling oil and gas pipelines for years, including the highly contentious Dakota Access Pipeline.

Late Monday, police began making arrests after dozens of activists used an old fishing boat, bamboo and steel cable to blockade the road to a construction site off Highway 71 north of Park Rapids. Several hundred others scaled the&nbsp;fence at the site and occupied it, some climbing atop diggers and transformer boxes or chaining themselves to construction equipment.

Police in riot gear “broke through the steel fences and they just began arresting everyone,” said Tara Houska, a tribal attorney and member of the Couchiching First Nation Anishinaabe along the Canadian border. “This is an act of violence on tribal land,” she said.

Police later escalated their attempts to end the protest, using what appeared to be a crowd-dispelling sonic device known as an LRAD, or Long Range Acoustic Device, on the protesters, and using bolt cutters and saws to cut people loose from the equipment they had chained themselves to.

Near midnight, representatives of the legal aid nonprofit National Lawyers Guild, who were present at the protest, said more than 100 people had been arrested. As the last of the police closed in, a core group of protesters made a stand at the boat. A lone voice shouted in the dark, “Water is life.”

Local police had earlier dispatched a helicopter to try to disperse the crowd at the pump station, kicking up clouds of dust.

Earlier in the evening, Cory Aukes, sheriff of Hubbard County, had said that arrests would be continuing through the evening, and that because there would not be enough room at the local county jail to house the detainees, they would be transferred to other counties as well. “We’ve arrested a lot of people,” he said. “And it’s up to them how long this gets drawn out.”

Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. More than 100 protesters pitched tents to settle in for the night at another site near the Mississippi River’s headwaters, and some said they would camp out indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging there.

Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. Near La Salle Lake, a small group of protesters late in the day began setting up about half a dozen tents, saying they would camp there indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging into the Mississippi River’s headwaters nearby.

“Taking care of the water is our responsibility, and we take that responsibility seriously,” said Winona LaDuke, executive director and a co-founder of Honor the Earth, a Native environmental advocacy organization that is a lead group opposed to the pipeline. “We’ve been at this fight against Enbridge for seven years already. It’s like an invasion.”

Behind the scenes, Native lawyers have been urging the Biden administration to intervene. They are trying to flex a newfound political clout among tribal nations — Native Americans now hold important positions within the Biden administration — and say they intend to hold President Joe Biden to his campaign promises on racial equity, particularly for their communities.

The project, which received its final approvals under President Donald Trump, is a 340-mile rerouting of a wider pipeline network. Once completed, it would carry 760,000 barrels of tar-sands oil a day from Alberta, Canada, across northern Minnesota and into Wisconsin to the tip of Lake Superior.

In April, Enbridge’s CEO, Al Monaco, said Line 3 was on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. Native American tribes see the construction as a violation of their tribal sovereignty, an issue that Biden explicitly pledged to prioritize during his campaign.

The pipeline would pass through treaty-protected tribal lands, they stress, including watersheds that support wild rice, a staple food and important cultural heritage of the Ojibwe people. And in the event of a spill, the heavy oil traveling through the pipeline could sink to the bottom of rivers and streams, complicating a cleanup, environmental groups warn.

In recent years, protesters in Minnesota and across the country have faced a growing number of local bills, backed by the oil and gas industry, that in many cases would make trespassing on or impeding the operation of pipelines and other infrastructure a felony. Minnesota has not yet passed such a bill, but since construction began at Line 3 in December, the Northern Lights Task Force — a police force funded by Enbridge, as mandated under the state's approval of the pipeline project — have arrested more than 70 protesters since construction began on Dec. 1, according to a task force tally.

The Line 3 expansion also tests the Biden administration’s commitment to climate policy.

In his first week as president, Biden signed an executive order vowing to address climate change, rejoined the Paris climate agreement among the nations of the world, and canceled another pipeline, the Keystone XL, which would also have brought tar-sands oil, one of the dirtiest forms of energy, from Canada. He also recently suspended oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

At the same time, the Biden administration has defended a huge Trump-era drilling project and has taken other actions that could guarantee the drilling and burning of oil and gas for decades. And the president has so far stayed silent on Line 3, which would carry enough oil that, when burned, would add nearly 200 million tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year during the pipeline’s lifetime, according to the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. That’s the equivalent impact of annual emissions from 45 coal-fired power plants, or 38 million cars.

“Particularly from a climate standpoint, the case for a brand-new, massive tar-sands pipeline is extremely thin and frankly nonexistent,” said Moneen Nasmith, an attorney with the environmental legal organization, EarthJustice, which is challenging the pipeline.

“We respect everyone’s right to peacefully and lawfully protest, but trespass, intimidation, and destruction are unacceptable,” Michael Barnes, a spokesperson for Enbridge, said in an email. He said 44 workers had been evacuated from the site, including employees of a Native-owned contractor.

The project employed more than 500 Native workers and had brought more than 5,000 construction jobs to the region overall, he said. “We hoped all parties would come to accept the outcome of the thorough, science-based review and multiple approvals of the project. Line 3 has passed every test through six years of regulatory and permitting review,” he said.

So far, protests have had little effect on construction, which began in December and was 60% complete, he said.

Built in the 1960s, the current crude oil pipeline has been beset with corrosion, leaks and spills, forcing Enbridge in 2008 to reduce its capacity by half, to 390,000 barrels a day. In 2015, Enbridge cited corroding pipes and future oil demand to say it would reroute Line 3, a move that would allow it to restore its original capacity.

Opponents have tried a number of legal challenges. A decision is expected this month in one case, filed in Minnesota state court by tribes and environmental groups, which has focused on whether Enbridge carried out an adequate environmental review.

Two other cases challenge the project’s permits, issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, under the Clean Air Act. Opponents argue that the Army Corps failed to fully consider how an oil spill would affect the Lake Superior watershed.

Native lawyers and lobbyists have also been working their Washington connections. Late last month, Houska, the tribal attorney, pressed top Biden officials on what she saw as policy hypocrisy: Having canceled Keystone XL, how could the administration then allow Line 3 to go forward?

“This is a huge project with huge climate implications,” Houska said she told Gina McCarthy, the White House domestic climate adviser, and David Hayes, who advises Biden on land and water use policy. “You can’t cancel Keystone and then build an almost identical tar sands pipeline,” she said.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting.

Tribal leaders are hoping that Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who made history as the first Native American Cabinet member, will also be influential in Biden’s decision on the Enbridge pipeline.

Haaland’s public views on oil pipelines are well known: In 2016, Haaland joined the Standing Rock Sioux protesters in North Dakota who camped out for months in opposition to the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to comment on the role that Haaland might play in determining the fate of Line 3.

Meanwhile, one of the most senior officials with authority to determine whether pipeline permits could be reviewed or rescinded is Jaime Pinkham, the Army Corps of Engineers’ acting assistant secretary of civil works, who is a member of the Pacific Northwest’s Nez Perce Tribe. In 2016, Pinkham co-wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune opposing the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline.

A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers said Pinkham is scheduled to meet with tribal members later this month at their request.

“The point has been for a long time to get to at least where we had the ear of those who were making decisions of consequence on tribal sovereignty,” said Julian Brave NoiseCat, a Native activist who played a key role in the campaign urging Biden to nominate Haaland. “Hopefully that means that more of these decisions will be made to the benefit and with respect for tribal sovereignty.”

The protesters who gathered in the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota came from across the country — Native American tribes and their supporters, environmentalists and religious leaders — all to fight an expansion of Line 3, a $9 billion pipeline operated by Canadian company Enbridge, that would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil through Minnesota’s delicate watersheds and tribal lands.

The protesters who gathered in the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota came from across the country — Native American tribes and their supporters, environmentalists and religious leaders — all to fight an expansion of Line 3, a $9 billion pipeline operated by Canadian company Enbridge, that would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil through Minnesota’s delicate watersheds and tribal lands. Some said they had come ready to risk arrest by lying down in the path of construction. Others said they were here to support tribes that have been battling oil and gas pipelines for years, including the highly contentious Dakota Access Pipeline. Late Monday, police began making arrests after dozens of activists used an old fishing boat, bamboo and steel cable to blockade the road to a construction site off Highway 71 north of Park Rapids. Several hundred others scaled the fence at the site and occupied it, some climbing atop diggers and transformer boxes or chaining themselves to construction equipment. Police in riot gear “broke through the steel fences and they just began arresting everyone,” said Tara Houska, a tribal attorney and member of the Couchiching First Nation Anishinaabe along the Canadian border. “This is an act of violence on tribal land,” she said. Police later escalated their attempts to end the protest, using what appeared to be a crowd-dispelling sonic device known as an LRAD, or Long Range Acoustic Device, on the protesters, and using bolt cutters and saws to cut people loose from the equipment they had chained themselves to. Near midnight, representatives of the legal aid nonprofit National Lawyers Guild, who were present at the protest, said more than 100 people had been arrested. As the last of the police closed in, a core group of protesters made a stand at the boat. A lone voice shouted in the dark, “Water is life.” Local police had earlier dispatched a helicopter to try to disperse the crowd at the pump station, kicking up clouds of dust. Earlier in the evening, Cory Aukes, sheriff of Hubbard County, had said that arrests would be continuing through the evening, and that because there would not be enough room at the local county jail to house the detainees, they would be transferred to other counties as well. “We’ve arrested a lot of people,” he said. “And it’s up to them how long this gets drawn out.” Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. More than 100 protesters pitched tents to settle in for the night at another site near the Mississippi River’s headwaters, and some said they would camp out indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging there. Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. Near La Salle Lake, a small group of protesters late in the day began setting up about half a dozen tents, saying they would camp there indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging into the Mississippi River’s headwaters nearby. “Taking care of the water is our responsibility, and we take that responsibility seriously,” said Winona LaDuke, executive director and a co-founder of Honor the Earth, a Native environmental advocacy organization that is a lead group opposed to the pipeline. “We’ve been at this fight against Enbridge for seven years already. It’s like an invasion.” Behind the scenes, Native lawyers have been urging the Biden administration to intervene. They are trying to flex a newfound political clout among tribal nations — Native Americans now hold important positions within the Biden administration — and say they intend to hold President Joe Biden to his campaign promises on racial equity, particularly for their communities. The project, which received its final approvals under President Donald Trump, is a 340-mile rerouting of a wider pipeline network. Once completed, it would carry 760,000 barrels of tar-sands oil a day from Alberta, Canada, across northern Minnesota and into Wisconsin to the tip of Lake Superior. In April, Enbridge’s CEO, Al Monaco, said Line 3 was on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. Native American tribes see the construction as a violation of their tribal sovereignty, an issue that Biden explicitly pledged to prioritize during his campaign. The pipeline would pass through treaty-protected tribal lands, they stress, including watersheds that support wild rice, a staple food and important cultural heritage of the Ojibwe people. And in the event of a spill, the heavy oil traveling through the pipeline could sink to the bottom of rivers and streams, complicating a cleanup, environmental groups warn. In recent years, protesters in Minnesota and across the country have faced a growing number of local bills, backed by the oil and gas industry, that in many cases would make trespassing on or impeding the operation of pipelines and other infrastructure a felony. Minnesota has not yet passed such a bill, but since construction began at Line 3 in December, the Northern Lights Task Force — a police force funded by Enbridge, as mandated under the state's approval of the pipeline project — have arrested more than 70 protesters since construction began on Dec. 1, according to a task force tally. The Line 3 expansion also tests the Biden administration’s commitment to climate policy. In his first week as president, Biden signed an executive order vowing to address climate change, rejoined the Paris climate agreement among the nations of the world, and canceled another pipeline, the Keystone XL, which would also have brought tar-sands oil, one of the dirtiest forms of energy, from Canada. He also recently suspended oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. At the same time, the Biden administration has defended a huge Trump-era drilling project and has taken other actions that could guarantee the drilling and burning of oil and gas for decades. And the president has so far stayed silent on Line 3, which would carry enough oil that, when burned, would add nearly 200 million tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year during the pipeline’s lifetime, according to the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. That’s the equivalent impact of annual emissions from 45 coal-fired power plants, or 38 million cars. “Particularly from a climate standpoint, the case for a brand-new, massive tar-sands pipeline is extremely thin and frankly nonexistent,” said Moneen Nasmith, an attorney with the environmental legal organization, EarthJustice, which is challenging the pipeline. “We respect everyone’s right to peacefully and lawfully protest, but trespass, intimidation, and destruction are unacceptable,” Michael Barnes, a spokesperson for Enbridge, said in an email. He said 44 workers had been evacuated from the site, including employees of a Native-owned contractor. The project employed more than 500 Native workers and had brought more than 5,000 construction jobs to the region overall, he said. “We hoped all parties would come to accept the outcome of the thorough, science-based review and multiple approvals of the project. Line 3 has passed every test through six years of regulatory and permitting review,” he said. So far, protests have had little effect on construction, which began in December and was 60% complete, he said. Built in the 1960s, the current crude oil pipeline has been beset with corrosion, leaks and spills, forcing Enbridge in 2008 to reduce its capacity by half, to 390,000 barrels a day. In 2015, Enbridge cited corroding pipes and future oil demand to say it would reroute Line 3, a move that would allow it to restore its original capacity. Opponents have tried a number of legal challenges. A decision is expected this month in one case, filed in Minnesota state court by tribes and environmental groups, which has focused on whether Enbridge carried out an adequate environmental review. Two other cases challenge the project’s permits, issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, under the Clean Air Act. Opponents argue that the Army Corps failed to fully consider how an oil spill would affect the Lake Superior watershed. Native lawyers and lobbyists have also been working their Washington connections. Late last month, Houska, the tribal attorney, pressed top Biden officials on what she saw as policy hypocrisy: Having canceled Keystone XL, how could the administration then allow Line 3 to go forward? “This is a huge project with huge climate implications,” Houska said she told Gina McCarthy, the White House domestic climate adviser, and David Hayes, who advises Biden on land and water use policy. “You can’t cancel Keystone and then build an almost identical tar sands pipeline,” she said. A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting. Tribal leaders are hoping that Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who made history as the first Native American Cabinet member, will also be influential in Biden’s decision on the Enbridge pipeline. Haaland’s public views on oil pipelines are well known: In 2016, Haaland joined the Standing Rock Sioux protesters in North Dakota who camped out for months in opposition to the Dakota Access oil pipeline. A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to comment on the role that Haaland might play in determining the fate of Line 3. Meanwhile, one of the most senior officials with authority to determine whether pipeline permits could be reviewed or rescinded is Jaime Pinkham, the Army Corps of Engineers’ acting assistant secretary of civil works, who is a member of the Pacific Northwest’s Nez Perce Tribe. In 2016, Pinkham co-wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune opposing the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline. A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers said Pinkham is scheduled to meet with tribal members later this month at their request. “The point has been for a long time to get to at least where we had the ear of those who were making decisions of consequence on tribal sovereignty,” said Julian Brave NoiseCat, a Native activist who played a key role in the campaign urging Biden to nominate Haaland. “Hopefully that means that more of these decisions will be made to the benefit and with respect for tribal sovereignty.”

Police make mass arrests at protest against oil pipeline in US

The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has started investigations into the alleged abduction of absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi to neighbouring Dominica on a complaint filed by his lawyers, Prime Minister Gaston Browne told a local media outlet.

Browne said that Choksi's lawyers gave the names of people involved in the alleged abduction to the police commissioner in a complaint, the Antigua News Room reported.

The Antigua and Barbuda prime minister also said that if the claims are true, then it is a serious matter. Browne said police are taking the complaint seriously, the report said.

<img alt="Mehul" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3be56e0b-a41d-458b-8a61-d0e98aeb77e8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mehul%20Choksi%201.jpg" />

"Choksi has filed a complaint with the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda to the extant that he was abducted. He made a formal claim through his attorneys that he was abducted from Antigua and taken to Dominica so it is a report that police is taking seriously and they are currently investigating the abduction," Browne said.

Another report in the Associates Times poked holes in the theory of Dominica opposition leader Lennox Linton, who had reportedly claimed that Choksi was brought to Dominica in the Yacht Calliope of Arne around 10 pm on May 23.

The family of Choksi had claimed that he was in Antigua till 5 pm on May 23, which makes it impossible to cover a 120-mile distance in four to five hours, which approximately takes about 12-13 hours, the publication said.

The report said that according to Customs document, the boat had left Antigua at 10 am on May 23, whereas Choksi's domestic staff had said that he was in his residence till 5 pm, which indicates that Choksi did not travel by the boat which Linton is claiming.

It quoted unnamed doctors of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, where Choksi is admitted, that a nail injury cited by his lawyers is an old one while other bruises could be new and could have been caused by even by a "slight push".

Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen. He was detained in the neighbouring island country, Dominica, for illegal entry after a possible romantic escapade with his rumoured girlfriend.

His lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped from Jolly Harbour in Antigua by policemen looking Antiguan and Indian and brought to Dominica on a boat.

Choksi was brought before a Roseau magistrate, on the orders of the Dominica high court, to answer charges of illegal entry where he pleaded not guilty but was denied bail.

He was admitted in the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. The Dominica High Court has adjourned the hearing of the habeas corpus petition filed by his lawyers.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi had fled India in the first week of January 2018 weeks before Rs 13,500 crore scam in Punjab National Bank (PNB) rocked the Indian banking industry.

The duo allegedly bribed the officials of the state-run bank to get Letters of Undertaking (LoU) on the basis of which they availed from overseas banks which remained unpaid.

The allegedly corrupt officials did not enter these LoUs in the core banking software of PNB, thus evading any scrutiny. The non-payment of these LoUs or bank guarantees worth Rs 13,500 crore resulted in default and became a liability on bank.

Modi escaped to Europe and was finally held in London where he is contesting his extradition to India while Choksi took citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 where he had been staying since his escape from Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has started investigations into the alleged abduction of absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi to neighbouring Dominica on a complaint filed by his lawyers, Prime Minister Gaston Browne told a local media outlet.

The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has started investigations into the alleged abduction of absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi to neighbouring Dominica on a complaint filed by his lawyers, Prime Minister Gaston Browne told a local media outlet. Browne said that Choksi's lawyers gave the names of people involved in the alleged abduction to the police commissioner in a complaint, the Antigua News Room reported. The Antigua and Barbuda prime minister also said that if the claims are true, then it is a serious matter. Browne said police are taking the complaint seriously, the report said. "Choksi has filed a complaint with the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda to the extant that he was abducted. He made a formal claim through his attorneys that he was abducted from Antigua and taken to Dominica so it is a report that police is taking seriously and they are currently investigating the abduction," Browne said. Another report in the Associates Times poked holes in the theory of Dominica opposition leader Lennox Linton, who had reportedly claimed that Choksi was brought to Dominica in the Yacht Calliope of Arne around 10 pm on May 23. The family of Choksi had claimed that he was in Antigua till 5 pm on May 23, which makes it impossible to cover a 120-mile distance in four to five hours, which approximately takes about 12-13 hours, the publication said. The report said that according to Customs document, the boat had left Antigua at 10 am on May 23, whereas Choksi's domestic staff had said that he was in his residence till 5 pm, which indicates that Choksi did not travel by the boat which Linton is claiming. It quoted unnamed doctors of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, where Choksi is admitted, that a nail injury cited by his lawyers is an old one while other bruises could be new and could have been caused by even by a "slight push". Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen. He was detained in the neighbouring island country, Dominica, for illegal entry after a possible romantic escapade with his rumoured girlfriend. His lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped from Jolly Harbour in Antigua by policemen looking Antiguan and Indian and brought to Dominica on a boat. Choksi was brought before a Roseau magistrate, on the orders of the Dominica high court, to answer charges of illegal entry where he pleaded not guilty but was denied bail. He was admitted in the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. The Dominica High Court has adjourned the hearing of the habeas corpus petition filed by his lawyers. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi had fled India in the first week of January 2018 weeks before Rs 13,500 crore scam in Punjab National Bank (PNB) rocked the Indian banking industry. The duo allegedly bribed the officials of the state-run bank to get Letters of Undertaking (LoU) on the basis of which they availed from overseas banks which remained unpaid. The allegedly corrupt officials did not enter these LoUs in the core banking software of PNB, thus evading any scrutiny. The non-payment of these LoUs or bank guarantees worth Rs 13,500 crore resulted in default and became a liability on bank. Modi escaped to Europe and was finally held in London where he is contesting his extradition to India while Choksi took citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 where he had been staying since his escape from Delhi. (With inputs from agencies)

Antigua police has started investigating Choksi's 'abduction': PM Gaston Browne

There were 'armed attacks on security forces' on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital of Amman on Saturday, state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry, and witnesses said the attacks were triggered by tribal supporters of a lawmaker, who was banned from Parliament. 
 
The lawmaker, Osama al Ajarma, was banned from Parliament for a year last week for insulting the body in a speech, inciting calls for protests by members of his tribe. 
 
In a separate statement published by state news agency Petra on Saturday, Jordan's Police said four members of a security force 'dealing with the riots in the Naour area were injured and they are under treatment'. 
 
The police media spokesman said the security force had been dealing on Saturday evening with riots and burning vehicles in the Naour. 
 
The Interior Ministry said on Saturday that it would not allow any gatherings that breached the law governing public gatherings. 
 
Clashes between some unruly members of Jordan's powerful frequently take place in a country where tribes are the backbone of the security forces and the army. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

There were 'armed attacks on security forces' on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital of Amman on Saturday, state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry, and witnesses said the attacks were triggered by tribal supporters of a lawmaker, who was banned from Parliament.

There were 'armed attacks on security forces' on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital of Amman on Saturday, state media reported, citing the Interior Ministry, and witnesses said the attacks were triggered by tribal supporters of a lawmaker, who was banned from Parliament. The lawmaker, Osama al Ajarma, was banned from Parliament for a year last week for insulting the body in a speech, inciting calls for protests by members of his tribe. In a separate statement published by state news agency Petra on Saturday, Jordan's Police said four members of a security force 'dealing with the riots in the Naour area were injured and they are under treatment'. The police media spokesman said the security force had been dealing on Saturday evening with riots and burning vehicles in the Naour. The Interior Ministry said on Saturday that it would not allow any gatherings that breached the law governing public gatherings. Clashes between some unruly members of Jordan's powerful frequently take place in a country where tribes are the backbone of the security forces and the army. (With inputs from agencies)

Jordanian police attacked; witnesses cite anger over banned lawmaker

A large search operation involving elite forces and helicopters was underway in France's southern Dordogne region on Saturday after a man was reported having shot at police officers, France Info reported. There was no report of casualties.

"The man, a former member of the army, is armed and on the run as we speak (...) A police operation is taking place to avoid things get out of control," the prefect of Dordogne, Frederic Perissat, told BFM television.

The Dordogne prefecture on Twitter urged inhabitants of Le Lardin-Saint-Lazare to stay at home until further notice.

A large search operation involving elite forces and helicopters was underway in France's southern Dordogne region on Saturday after a man was reported having shot at police officers, France Info reported.

A large search operation involving elite forces and helicopters was underway in France's southern Dordogne region on Saturday after a man was reported having shot at police officers, France Info reported. There was no report of casualties. "The man, a former member of the army, is armed and on the run as we speak (...) A police operation is taking place to avoid things get out of control," the prefect of Dordogne, Frederic Perissat, told BFM television. The Dordogne prefecture on Twitter urged inhabitants of Le Lardin-Saint-Lazare to stay at home until further notice.

Police operation in France after reports of armed man on the run

London's oldest police station converted into museum-cum-hotel

A team of forensic specialists on Thursday took out the remains of at least 14 people murdered and buried in the home of a former police officer who became a gang leader in western El Salvador.

Clad in full biosafety gear, the team entered the home of ex-cop Hugo Ernesto Osorio Chavez for their grisly work in the town of Chalchuapa.

Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said that at least 14 bodies had been found buried separately at Osorio Chavez's home.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-expresses-concern-over-el-salvador-vote-to-remove-judges-382492">US expresses concern over El Salvador vote to remove judges&nbsp;</a>

The ex-cop was detained on May 8 as the main suspect in the murder of a woman and her daughter, after neighbors alerted the authorities.

This led to police entering his home, where they began uncovering bodies.

Villatoro said that DNA samples were being collected from area residents who had a missing relative to see if it matched with any of the bodies.

The ex-police officer's home, which faces a sugar cane field, was blocked off by police, preventing reporters from entering the area.

Forensic criminologist Israel Ticas told AFP that digging will continue in other parts of the property, and estimated that the task could take more than a month.

On Wednesday a local judge ordered the arrest of 11 people linked to Osorio Chavez. The accomplices were accused of aggravated femicide and aggravated homicide.

In 2020 tiny El Salvador, population 6.5 million, ended the year with 1,322 homicides -- an average of 20 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The figure is nevertheless significantly lower than 2019, and the lowest since the end of the country's bitter civil war in 1992, according to official figures.

A team of forensic specialists on Thursday took out the remains of at least 14 people murdered and buried in the home of a former police officer who became a gang leader in western El Salvador.

A team of forensic specialists on Thursday took out the remains of at least 14 people murdered and buried in the home of a former police officer who became a gang leader in western El Salvador. Clad in full biosafety gear, the team entered the home of ex-cop Hugo Ernesto Osorio Chavez for their grisly work in the town of Chalchuapa. Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said that at least 14 bodies had been found buried separately at Osorio Chavez's home. Also read | US expresses concern over El Salvador vote to remove judges The ex-cop was detained on May 8 as the main suspect in the murder of a woman and her daughter, after neighbors alerted the authorities. This led to police entering his home, where they began uncovering bodies. Villatoro said that DNA samples were being collected from area residents who had a missing relative to see if it matched with any of the bodies. The ex-police officer's home, which faces a sugar cane field, was blocked off by police, preventing reporters from entering the area. Forensic criminologist Israel Ticas told AFP that digging will continue in other parts of the property, and estimated that the task could take more than a month. On Wednesday a local judge ordered the arrest of 11 people linked to Osorio Chavez. The accomplices were accused of aggravated femicide and aggravated homicide. In 2020 tiny El Salvador, population 6.5 million, ended the year with 1,322 homicides -- an average of 20 per 100,000 inhabitants. The figure is nevertheless significantly lower than 2019, and the lowest since the end of the country's bitter civil war in 1992, according to official figures.

El Salvador former cop-turned gangster had 14 victims buried at his home

A suspected armed robber died and seven others were arrested Wednesday following spectacular firefights with dozens of Dutch police officers who chased them along roads and across a meadow near Amsterdam, police said.

The drama began in the afternoon when armed hooded men dressed in black allegedly opened fire at a vehicle transporting goods from or near a precious metals business north of the Dutch capital.

Police said the suspects then fled in at least two vehicles toward the small village of Broek in Waterland, with dozens of police officers wearing armoured vests in hot pursuit.

Several Dutch media said the vehicle contained gold or diamonds worth up to 50 million euros.

"It's a situation that does not happen every year," a police spokesman said during a press conference.

Video from witnesses shared on Dutch media showed a car smash into a garden behind a home and the suspects, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, jump out and head to a neighbouring meadow.

The images also showed helicopters hovering overhead as the suspects and police exchanged fire at the start of the evening.

Smoke rose into the dark skies from a car that was ablaze.

A police spokesman confirmed that the officers had used their firearms.

The police said that two suspects were wounded, including one who died, though it was not clear whether he had been shot by a policeman.

None of the witnesses was hurt in the firefights, the mayor of Amsterdam said.

A suspected armed robber died and seven others were arrested Wednesday following spectacular firefights with dozens of Dutch police officers who chased them along roads and across a meadow near Amsterdam, police said.

A suspected armed robber died and seven others were arrested Wednesday following spectacular firefights with dozens of Dutch police officers who chased them along roads and across a meadow near Amsterdam, police said. The drama began in the afternoon when armed hooded men dressed in black allegedly opened fire at a vehicle transporting goods from or near a precious metals business north of the Dutch capital. Police said the suspects then fled in at least two vehicles toward the small village of Broek in Waterland, with dozens of police officers wearing armoured vests in hot pursuit. Several Dutch media said the vehicle contained gold or diamonds worth up to 50 million euros. "It's a situation that does not happen every year," a police spokesman said during a press conference. Video from witnesses shared on Dutch media showed a car smash into a garden behind a home and the suspects, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, jump out and head to a neighbouring meadow. The images also showed helicopters hovering overhead as the suspects and police exchanged fire at the start of the evening. Smoke rose into the dark skies from a car that was ablaze. A police spokesman confirmed that the officers had used their firearms. The police said that two suspects were wounded, including one who died, though it was not clear whether he had been shot by a policeman. None of the witnesses was hurt in the firefights, the mayor of Amsterdam said.

One suspect dead after the shoot-out, high-speed chase near Amsterdam: Police 

Amazon said on Tuesday, it is extending its ban on the use of its facial recognition tools for law enforcement, amid persistent concerns of bias in the technology.&nbsp;

The tech giant in last June announced, it was implementing a one-year moratorium on police use of its technology, saying the pause could give Congress time to enact safeguards against misuse of facial recognition.&nbsp;

The company confirmed on Tuesday an extension of that ban 'until further notice' without elaborating.&nbsp;

Last year's move came amid widespread protests over police brutality and concerns that facial recognition technology is flawed, especially in analysing features of African Americans.&nbsp;

Activists also say the technology tools may use algorithms, which discriminate, intentionally or not, against Black people.&nbsp;

Activists have targeted Amazon Web Services cloud computing unit's 'Rekognition' facial recognition technology and Ring surveillance cameras used for home security. It was not clear the degree to which police have used the systems.&nbsp;

Amazon last year called for governments to put in place ‘stronger regulations to govern the ethical use of facial recognition technology’.&nbsp;

Its ban was followed by Microsoft and IBM, which made similar announcements.&nbsp;

Last week, a coalition of activist groups called for Amazon to permanently stop selling its Rekognition system and on Tuesday said, the company should commit to scrapping the system.&nbsp;

"Facial recognition technology is too dangerous for it to be implemented at the whims of corporations like Amazon," said Evan Greer of the activist group, Fight for the Future, one of the groups in the coalition.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Amazon said on Tuesday, it is extending its ban on the use of its facial recognition tools for law enforcement, amid persistent concerns of bias in the technology.

Amazon said on Tuesday, it is extending its ban on the use of its facial recognition tools for law enforcement, amid persistent concerns of bias in the technology. The tech giant in last June announced, it was implementing a one-year moratorium on police use of its technology, saying the pause could give Congress time to enact safeguards against misuse of facial recognition. The company confirmed on Tuesday an extension of that ban 'until further notice' without elaborating. Last year's move came amid widespread protests over police brutality and concerns that facial recognition technology is flawed, especially in analysing features of African Americans. Activists also say the technology tools may use algorithms, which discriminate, intentionally or not, against Black people. Activists have targeted Amazon Web Services cloud computing unit's 'Rekognition' facial recognition technology and Ring surveillance cameras used for home security. It was not clear the degree to which police have used the systems. Amazon last year called for governments to put in place ‘stronger regulations to govern the ethical use of facial recognition technology’. Its ban was followed by Microsoft and IBM, which made similar announcements. Last week, a coalition of activist groups called for Amazon to permanently stop selling its Rekognition system and on Tuesday said, the company should commit to scrapping the system. "Facial recognition technology is too dangerous for it to be implemented at the whims of corporations like Amazon," said Evan Greer of the activist group, Fight for the Future, one of the groups in the coalition. (With inputs from agencies)

Amazon to extend ban on police use of face recognition tech 

Malaysian police said on Tuesday five suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group were killed in a shootout in the state of Sabah on the Malaysian portion of Borneo, state news agency Bernama reported.&nbsp;

The Abu Sayyaf group, whose members pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014, is based in the southern Philippines and is notorious for bombings, beheadings, extortions and kidnap-for-ransom activities.&nbsp;

Authorities in Malaysia have stepped up efforts to crack down on militant activity in recent years after an attack linked to Islamic State in the capital Kuala Lumpur in 2016 and others in neighbouring countries.&nbsp;

The five men killed in a Monday night shootout in a squatter area included Mabar Binda, an Abu Sayyaf sub-commander on the Philippine government's wanted list, the Sabah state police commissioner Hazani Ghazali said.&nbsp;

Hazani said police responded with gunfire after one of the suspects opened fire during the raid. Officers found two pistols, 20 rounds of ammunition and three machetes.&nbsp;

"With the fall of these five, the police are confident we have crippled one Abu Sayyaf cell hiding out in Sabah," Hazani was quoted as saying in the report.&nbsp;

The police had detained 83 people in Sabah between 2014 and 2020 for suspected links to Islamic State, Hazani said.&nbsp;

Sabah has long grappled with the threat of armed kidnappers taking advantage of the proximity and porous maritime borders between the southern Philippines and the Malaysian state.&nbsp;

The Philippines military said in March troops killed an Abu Sayyaf leader and rescued four Indonesian hostages held for a year since they were kidnapped from Sabah.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Malaysian police said on Tuesday five suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group were killed in a shootout in the state of Sabah on the Malaysian portion of Borneo, state news agency Bernama reported.

Malaysian police said on Tuesday five suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group were killed in a shootout in the state of Sabah on the Malaysian portion of Borneo, state news agency Bernama reported. The Abu Sayyaf group, whose members pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014, is based in the southern Philippines and is notorious for bombings, beheadings, extortions and kidnap-for-ransom activities. Authorities in Malaysia have stepped up efforts to crack down on militant activity in recent years after an attack linked to Islamic State in the capital Kuala Lumpur in 2016 and others in neighbouring countries. The five men killed in a Monday night shootout in a squatter area included Mabar Binda, an Abu Sayyaf sub-commander on the Philippine government's wanted list, the Sabah state police commissioner Hazani Ghazali said. Hazani said police responded with gunfire after one of the suspects opened fire during the raid. Officers found two pistols, 20 rounds of ammunition and three machetes. "With the fall of these five, the police are confident we have crippled one Abu Sayyaf cell hiding out in Sabah," Hazani was quoted as saying in the report. The police had detained 83 people in Sabah between 2014 and 2020 for suspected links to Islamic State, Hazani said. Sabah has long grappled with the threat of armed kidnappers taking advantage of the proximity and porous maritime borders between the southern Philippines and the Malaysian state. The Philippines military said in March troops killed an Abu Sayyaf leader and rescued four Indonesian hostages held for a year since they were kidnapped from Sabah. (With inputs from agencies)

Five suspected Abu Sayyaf militants killed in raid: Malaysian police  

The head of Colombia's National Police Force General Jorge Luis Vargas has said that officers who are responsible for abuses or acts of violence amid ongoing protests will be punished to the full extent of the law.

No impunity for police officers responsible for abuse says Colombia's top cop

Venezuela&nbsp;on Saturday condemned what it said was the "kidnapping" of&nbsp;eight&nbsp;soldiers&nbsp;by&nbsp;armed&nbsp;groups&nbsp;operating on the&nbsp;Colombian&nbsp;border, where clashes have been ongoing for nearly two months.

'During the fighting,&nbsp;eight&nbsp;professional&nbsp;soldiers&nbsp;were captured and on May 9 we received proof of life,'&nbsp;Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said in a televised statement.

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'We denounce before the international community... the appalling&nbsp;kidnapping&nbsp;of these&nbsp;soldiers,'&nbsp;he said.

Venezuela's&nbsp;armed&nbsp;forces have engaged in clashes with&nbsp;Colombian&nbsp;armed&nbsp;groups&nbsp;along the border since March 21, displacing thousands of civilians who fled to Colombia.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Venezuela government wants to use funds frozen in US to pay for vaccines ">Venezuela government wants to use funds frozen in US to pay for vaccines&nbsp;</a>

Venezuela&nbsp;does not name the&nbsp;armed&nbsp;groups&nbsp;it blames for the unrest, apart from calling them 'terrorists'&nbsp;or linking them to drug trafficking or to&nbsp;Colombian&nbsp;President Ivan Duque.

However, security sources in Colombia say they are likely dissidents of the now-disbanded Revolutionary&nbsp;Armed&nbsp;Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group, an analysis Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has conceded was possible.

'We will spare no effort and we will exhaust all possible ways to recover them safe and sound,'&nbsp;Padrino said of the&nbsp;soldiers, surrounded by members of the country's military brass.

Last Monday, Fundaredes, an NGO that is critical of Maduro, published documents from alleged FARC dissidents detailing how the&nbsp;eight&nbsp;soldiers&nbsp;were 'captured as prisoners of war,'&nbsp;in clashes with&nbsp;Venezuela.

In the documents, the dissidents appealed to the Red Cross to act as an intermediary for handing over the captives.

The Red Cross told AFP it was aware of the text, but would not comment on it at present.

According to Padrino,&nbsp;Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with the Red Cross to 'serve as a link in the delivery'&nbsp;of the&nbsp;soldiers.

'We have established the necessary contacts for an early release,'&nbsp;he said.

A total of 16 members of the Venezuelan&nbsp;armed&nbsp;forces have died since the clashes began, according to an official report by the Venezuelan Ministry of Defense.

Venezuela&nbsp;and Colombia, which share a 2,200-kilometer (1,370-mile) border, severed ties in January 2019, after Duque's government recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the leader of&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;over Maduro.

Venezuela on Saturday condemned what it said was the "kidnapping" of eight soldiers by armed groups operating on the Colombian border, where clashes have been ongoing for nearly two months.

Venezuela on Saturday condemned what it said was the "kidnapping" of eight soldiers by armed groups operating on the Colombian border, where clashes have been ongoing for nearly two months. 'During the fighting, eight professional soldiers were captured and on May 9 we received proof of life,' Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said in a televised statement. Also read: Colombians in Madrid march to support protests in home country 'We denounce before the international community... the appalling kidnapping of these soldiers,' he said. Venezuela's armed forces have engaged in clashes with Colombian armed groups along the border since March 21, displacing thousands of civilians who fled to Colombia. Also read: Venezuela government wants to use funds frozen in US to pay for vaccines Venezuela does not name the armed groups it blames for the unrest, apart from calling them 'terrorists' or linking them to drug trafficking or to Colombian President Ivan Duque. However, security sources in Colombia say they are likely dissidents of the now-disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group, an analysis Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has conceded was possible. 'We will spare no effort and we will exhaust all possible ways to recover them safe and sound,' Padrino said of the soldiers, surrounded by members of the country's military brass. Last Monday, Fundaredes, an NGO that is critical of Maduro, published documents from alleged FARC dissidents detailing how the eight soldiers were 'captured as prisoners of war,' in clashes with Venezuela. In the documents, the dissidents appealed to the Red Cross to act as an intermediary for handing over the captives. The Red Cross told AFP it was aware of the text, but would not comment on it at present. According to Padrino, Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with the Red Cross to 'serve as a link in the delivery' of the soldiers. 'We have established the necessary contacts for an early release,' he said. A total of 16 members of the Venezuelan armed forces have died since the clashes began, according to an official report by the Venezuelan Ministry of Defense. Venezuela and Colombia, which share a 2,200-kilometer (1,370-mile) border, severed ties in January 2019, after Duque's government recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the leader of Venezuela over Maduro.

Venezuela denounces 'kidnapping' of eight soldiers by Colombian armed groups

A tiger that frightened residents after it was last seen briefly wandering around a Houston neighbourhood has been found after a nearly week-long search and appears to be unharmed, police announced on Saturday evening. &nbsp;

In a short video tweeted by Houston police, Cmdr Ron Borza can be seen sitting next to the tiger, petting the animal and saying it has been a long week searching for it. &nbsp;

"But we got him, and he's healthy," Borza said as the wife of the man police allege is the animal's owner sat next to him and fed the tiger with a baby bottle. The tiger was being held at BARC, the city of Houston's animal shelter, but was expected to be taken on Sunday morning to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, an animal sanctuary in Murchison, Texas, located southeast of Dallas. &nbsp;

Authorities had been searching for the tiger, a 9-month-old male named India, since it was spotted on May 9 in a west Houston neighbourhood. At the time, it was nearly shot by an off-duty deputy before being whisked away in a car by Victor Hugo Cuevas, who police allege is the owner. &nbsp;

At a news conference later on Saturday evening, Borza said that Cuevas' wife, Giorgiana, turned over the tiger to police on Saturday after a friend of hers reached out to officials at BARC. &nbsp;

"It is Victor's tiger. That's what I was told by (Giorgiana Cuevas) ... She says they've had that animal for nine months," Borza said. He alleged that the tiger was passed around to different people but that Cuevas' wife knew where the tiger was at all times this week as authorities searched for it. &nbsp;

Police are still trying to determine where exactly the tiger was held this week and if any charges related to having the tiger will be filed. Tigers are not allowed within Houston city limits under a city ordinance unless the handler, such as a zoo, is licensed to have exotic animals. &nbsp;

But Cuevas' attorney, Michael W Elliott, on Saturday night continued to insist his client doesn't own the tiger, saying, "I am not sure it makes any difference, who technically owns India as he does not have a birth certificate or title."&nbsp;

"Victor was not the primary owner of India nor did India stay with him the majority of the time," Elliott said. "Victor was, however, involved in the caretaking of India often. Victor loves India as anyone else would love a favorite pet... He treated India with love and fantastic treatment in all respects."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A tiger that frightened residents after it was last seen briefly wandering around a Houston neighbourhood has been found after a nearly week-long search and appears to be unharmed, police announced on Saturday evening.

A tiger that frightened residents after it was last seen briefly wandering around a Houston neighbourhood has been found after a nearly week-long search and appears to be unharmed, police announced on Saturday evening. In a short video tweeted by Houston police, Cmdr Ron Borza can be seen sitting next to the tiger, petting the animal and saying it has been a long week searching for it. "But we got him, and he's healthy," Borza said as the wife of the man police allege is the animal's owner sat next to him and fed the tiger with a baby bottle. The tiger was being held at BARC, the city of Houston's animal shelter, but was expected to be taken on Sunday morning to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, an animal sanctuary in Murchison, Texas, located southeast of Dallas. Authorities had been searching for the tiger, a 9-month-old male named India, since it was spotted on May 9 in a west Houston neighbourhood. At the time, it was nearly shot by an off-duty deputy before being whisked away in a car by Victor Hugo Cuevas, who police allege is the owner. At a news conference later on Saturday evening, Borza said that Cuevas' wife, Giorgiana, turned over the tiger to police on Saturday after a friend of hers reached out to officials at BARC. "It is Victor's tiger. That's what I was told by (Giorgiana Cuevas) ... She says they've had that animal for nine months," Borza said. He alleged that the tiger was passed around to different people but that Cuevas' wife knew where the tiger was at all times this week as authorities searched for it. Police are still trying to determine where exactly the tiger was held this week and if any charges related to having the tiger will be filed. Tigers are not allowed within Houston city limits under a city ordinance unless the handler, such as a zoo, is licensed to have exotic animals. But Cuevas' attorney, Michael W Elliott, on Saturday night continued to insist his client doesn't own the tiger, saying, "I am not sure it makes any difference, who technically owns India as he does not have a birth certificate or title." "Victor was not the primary owner of India nor did India stay with him the majority of the time," Elliott said. "Victor was, however, involved in the caretaking of India often. Victor loves India as anyone else would love a favorite pet... He treated India with love and fantastic treatment in all respects." (With inputs from agencies)

Police: Missing Texas tiger has been found safe, healthy 

A Supreme Court justice called on Friday for&nbsp;Brazil's top prosecutor to investigate&nbsp;Rio&nbsp;de Janeiro's deadliest&nbsp;police&nbsp;raid&nbsp;in over a decade, which has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and local activists.

The shootout killed a&nbsp;police&nbsp;officer and 24 others in&nbsp;Rio's Jacarezinho neighborhood on Thursday.&nbsp;Police&nbsp;said it was the deadliest operation in&nbsp;Rio&nbsp;state since a 2005&nbsp;raid&nbsp;on the city's northern outskirts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon">Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon</a>

"The facts reported seem grave and, in one of the videos, there are indications of acts that, in theory, could amount to arbitrary execution," said&nbsp;Judge&nbsp;Edson Fachin.

Last year, Fachin issued an order for&nbsp;Rio&nbsp;police&nbsp;to suspend operations during the coronavirus pandemic in the informal shantytowns known as favelas - "except in absolutely exceptional cases" that had been pre-approved by prosecutors.

The United Nations human rights office called on Friday for an independent probe of the latest deadly operation in a history of "disproportionate and unnecessary"&nbsp;police&nbsp;force.

Rio's&nbsp;police&nbsp;are among the most deadly in the world, but right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has argued that if anything they need fewer restrictions on lethal force.

Asked about those killed in Jazarezinho on Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao said they were "all bandits."

Jacarezinho residents and activists marched outside a&nbsp;police&nbsp;station on Friday with a banner demanding, "Stop killing us."

"They would have surrendered, but the&nbsp;police&nbsp;came in to kill, kill, kill. Twenty-five mothers crying. I want my son," said Adriana Santana Araújo, 36, mourning the loss of her 23-year-old son.

Daniele dos Santos said her 32-year-old husband had gone out to buy bread and was caught in the crossfire.

"He got a bullet in the leg and the cop ended up executing him. He was alive. He wasn't armed. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said.

Police&nbsp;said everyone killed but the officer were suspected drug traffickers reacting violently to&nbsp;police&nbsp;presence.

A Supreme Court justice called on Friday for Brazil's top prosecutor to investigate Rio de Janeiro's deadliest police raid in over a decade, which has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and local activists.

A Supreme Court justice called on Friday for Brazil's top prosecutor to investigate Rio de Janeiro's deadliest police raid in over a decade, which has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and local activists. The shootout killed a police officer and 24 others in Rio's Jacarezinho neighborhood on Thursday. Police said it was the deadliest operation in Rio state since a 2005 raid on the city's northern outskirts. Also read | Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon "The facts reported seem grave and, in one of the videos, there are indications of acts that, in theory, could amount to arbitrary execution," said Judge Edson Fachin. Last year, Fachin issued an order for Rio police to suspend operations during the coronavirus pandemic in the informal shantytowns known as favelas - "except in absolutely exceptional cases" that had been pre-approved by prosecutors. The United Nations human rights office called on Friday for an independent probe of the latest deadly operation in a history of "disproportionate and unnecessary" police force. Rio's police are among the most deadly in the world, but right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has argued that if anything they need fewer restrictions on lethal force. Asked about those killed in Jazarezinho on Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao said they were "all bandits." Jacarezinho residents and activists marched outside a police station on Friday with a banner demanding, "Stop killing us." "They would have surrendered, but the police came in to kill, kill, kill. Twenty-five mothers crying. I want my son," said Adriana Santana Araújo, 36, mourning the loss of her 23-year-old son. Daniele dos Santos said her 32-year-old husband had gone out to buy bread and was caught in the crossfire. "He got a bullet in the leg and the cop ended up executing him. He was alive. He wasn't armed. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. Police said everyone killed but the officer were suspected drug traffickers reacting violently to police presence.

Brazil judge sees signs of 'arbitrary execution' in Rio police raid

Three Afghan security forces lost their lives and nine Taliban terrorists were killed in a clash that erupted between them in southern Zabul province on Sunday.&nbsp;

Head of Provincial Council, Ata Jan Haqbayan said the clash erupted when the Taliban attacked a security checkpoint in Qalat, the capital city for Zabul. &nbsp;

According to him, two security forces were injured, reported Afghanistan Times.&nbsp;

After US President Joe Biden's announcement of withdrawing all American service members from Afghanistan, a significant number of security forces as well as civilians suffer casualties on a daily basis.&nbsp;

According to some findings, 226 people including 157 security forces and 69 civilians were killed in 24 of 34 provinces since Biden announced the exit of troops, reported Afghanistan Times. &nbsp;

The Taliban have intensified violence across the country by carrying out targeted killings against journalists, civil activists and massive car bomb blasts, inflicting heavy casualties on civilians and the security forces. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Three Afghan security forces lost their lives and nine Taliban terrorists were killed in a clash that erupted between them in southern Zabul province on Sunday. Head of Provincial Council, Ata Jan Haqbayan said the clash erupted when the Taliban attacked a security checkpoint in Qalat, the capital city for Zabul.

Three Afghan security forces lost their lives and nine Taliban terrorists were killed in a clash that erupted between them in southern Zabul province on Sunday. Head of Provincial Council, Ata Jan Haqbayan said the clash erupted when the Taliban attacked a security checkpoint in Qalat, the capital city for Zabul. According to him, two security forces were injured, reported Afghanistan Times. After US President Joe Biden's announcement of withdrawing all American service members from Afghanistan, a significant number of security forces as well as civilians suffer casualties on a daily basis. According to some findings, 226 people including 157 security forces and 69 civilians were killed in 24 of 34 provinces since Biden announced the exit of troops, reported Afghanistan Times. The Taliban have intensified violence across the country by carrying out targeted killings against journalists, civil activists and massive car bomb blasts, inflicting heavy casualties on civilians and the security forces. (With inputs from agencies)

3 cops, 9 Taliban terrorists killed in clash in Afghanistan's Zabul 

French Prime Minister Jean Castex paid tribute in a nationally televised ceremony on Friday to an administrative police worker stabbed to death last week at a police station, saying she was victim of "Islamist terrorism".

The killing of Stephanie Monferme, a 49-year-old mother of three, by a Tunisian national who was then shot dead by police was the latest in a string of Islamist-inspired attacks on French soil in recent years.

France faces a presidential election next year where issues such as militant Islam, immigration and violent crime are expected to dominate the agenda.

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"Stephanie was murdered because she represented the French police and the authority of the state. She was murdered because she served France," Castex told a ceremony attended by top government and police officials.

"Islamist terrorism has declared war on us but it is a war led by cowards. Only a coward could attack a woman who, because of her job, did not carry a weapon," he said.

Castex ended the ceremony by posthumously awarding Monferme France's highest medal, the Chevalier de La Legion d'Honneur. A minute of silence was followed by the Marseillaise national anthem.

On Wednesday, draft legislation was submitted to President Emmanuel Macron's government to strengthen counter-terrorism laws by permitting the use of algorithms to detect activity on jihadist and other extremist websites.

The official investigation had shown that Stephanie Monferme's assailant had watched religious videos glorifying acts of jihad just before carrying out his attack on the police worker in the Paris commuter town of Rambouillet.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex paid tribute in a nationally televised ceremony on Friday to an administrative police worker stabbed to death last week at a police station, saying she was victim of "Islamist terrorism".

French Prime Minister Jean Castex paid tribute in a nationally televised ceremony on Friday to an administrative police worker stabbed to death last week at a police station, saying she was victim of "Islamist terrorism". The killing of Stephanie Monferme, a 49-year-old mother of three, by a Tunisian national who was then shot dead by police was the latest in a string of Islamist-inspired attacks on French soil in recent years. France faces a presidential election next year where issues such as militant Islam, immigration and violent crime are expected to dominate the agenda. Also read | France reports first cases of coronavirus variant first detected in India "Stephanie was murdered because she represented the French police and the authority of the state. She was murdered because she served France," Castex told a ceremony attended by top government and police officials. "Islamist terrorism has declared war on us but it is a war led by cowards. Only a coward could attack a woman who, because of her job, did not carry a weapon," he said. Castex ended the ceremony by posthumously awarding Monferme France's highest medal, the Chevalier de La Legion d'Honneur. A minute of silence was followed by the Marseillaise national anthem. On Wednesday, draft legislation was submitted to President Emmanuel Macron's government to strengthen counter-terrorism laws by permitting the use of algorithms to detect activity on jihadist and other extremist websites. The official investigation had shown that Stephanie Monferme's assailant had watched religious videos glorifying acts of jihad just before carrying out his attack on the police worker in the Paris commuter town of Rambouillet.

France pays tribute to woman police worker stabbed to death in Islamist-inspired attack

The Washington DC&nbsp;police department's server has been hacked, US&nbsp;media quoted it as saying, in an attack that news agency AP reported&nbsp;had been claimed by a Russian-speaking ransomware group.

The department said it was still assessing the extent of the unauthorised access.

"While we determine the full impact and continue to review activity, we have engaged the FBI to fully investigate this matter," the district`s Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement cited late on Monday by outlets including AP and NBC News.

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The statement did not identify suspects for the attack, according to the reports. The department did not immediately respond to Reuters'&nbsp;request for comment.

AP said there was no indication of any police operations being affected, though it added that ransomware group Babuk had claimed responsibility, and to have stolen sensitive data, including on informants, that it had threatened to share with criminal gangs.

Ransomware groups hold files and networks hostage unless a payment is made.

The Department of Homeland Security's Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last month that dealing with such groups had become his department's top priority.

The Washington DC police department's server has been hacked, US media quoted it as saying, in an attack that news agency AP reported had been claimed by a Russian-speaking ransomware group.

The Washington DC police department's server has been hacked, US media quoted it as saying, in an attack that news agency AP reported had been claimed by a Russian-speaking ransomware group. The department said it was still assessing the extent of the unauthorised access. "While we determine the full impact and continue to review activity, we have engaged the FBI to fully investigate this matter," the district`s Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement cited late on Monday by outlets including AP and NBC News. Also read: US will 'immediately' send vaccine components, medical supplies to India, says Biden The statement did not identify suspects for the attack, according to the reports. The department did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. AP said there was no indication of any police operations being affected, though it added that ransomware group Babuk had claimed responsibility, and to have stolen sensitive data, including on informants, that it had threatened to share with criminal gangs. Ransomware groups hold files and networks hostage unless a payment is made. The Department of Homeland Security's Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last month that dealing with such groups had become his department's top priority.

Washington DC police server hacked, Russian-speaking group claims responsibility: Reports

Even as the Derek Chauvin case was fresh in memory, the reading of the verdict in a Minneapolis courtroom, the shackling of the former police officer, the jubilation at what many saw as justice in the death of George Floyd, even then, blood flowed on America's streets.&nbsp;

And even then, some of that blood was shed at the hands of law enforcement.&nbsp;

At least six people were fatally shot by officers across the United States in the 24 hours after jurors reached a verdict in the murder case against Chauvin on Tuesday. The roll call of the dead is distressing: A 16-year-old girl in Columbus, Ohio. An oft-arrested man in Escondido, California. And a 42-year-old man in eastern North Carolina.&nbsp;

The deaths, in some cases, sparked new cries for justice. Some said they reflect an urgent need for radical changes to American policing, a need that the Chauvin verdict cannot bring over. For others, the shootings are a tragic reminder of the difficult and dangerous decisions law enforcement face daily.&nbsp;

An unidentified man in San Antonio. Another man, killed in the same city within hours of the first. And a 31-year-old man in central Massachusetts.&nbsp;

The circumstances surrounding each death differ widely. Some happened while officers investigated serious crimes. Police say some of the people were armed with a gun, knife or a metal pole. One man claimed to have a bomb that he threatened to detonate. In several cases, little is known about the lives of those killed and what happened in their final moments.&nbsp;

The deadly encounters are only a small snapshot of the thousands of interactions between American police officers and civilians every day, most of which end safely. Uneventful encounters between the police and the populace, however, are not an issue.&nbsp;

It's a very different story when a weapon is drawn and a life is ended.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Even as the Derek Chauvin case was fresh in memory, the reading of the verdict in a Minneapolis courtroom, the shackling of the former police officer, the jubilation at what many saw as justice in the death of George Floyd, even then, blood flowed on America's streets.

Even as the Derek Chauvin case was fresh in memory, the reading of the verdict in a Minneapolis courtroom, the shackling of the former police officer, the jubilation at what many saw as justice in the death of George Floyd, even then, blood flowed on America's streets. And even then, some of that blood was shed at the hands of law enforcement. At least six people were fatally shot by officers across the United States in the 24 hours after jurors reached a verdict in the murder case against Chauvin on Tuesday. The roll call of the dead is distressing: A 16-year-old girl in Columbus, Ohio. An oft-arrested man in Escondido, California. And a 42-year-old man in eastern North Carolina. The deaths, in some cases, sparked new cries for justice. Some said they reflect an urgent need for radical changes to American policing, a need that the Chauvin verdict cannot bring over. For others, the shootings are a tragic reminder of the difficult and dangerous decisions law enforcement face daily. An unidentified man in San Antonio. Another man, killed in the same city within hours of the first. And a 31-year-old man in central Massachusetts. The circumstances surrounding each death differ widely. Some happened while officers investigated serious crimes. Police say some of the people were armed with a gun, knife or a metal pole. One man claimed to have a bomb that he threatened to detonate. In several cases, little is known about the lives of those killed and what happened in their final moments. The deadly encounters are only a small snapshot of the thousands of interactions between American police officers and civilians every day, most of which end safely. Uneventful encounters between the police and the populace, however, are not an issue. It's a very different story when a weapon is drawn and a life is ended. (With inputs from agencies)

One verdict, then six police killings across America in 24 hours 

A terror probe has been launched after a man attacked and killed a female police officer on Friday with a knife at a police station in a Paris suburb. Her attacker was shot and killed by officers on the scene.

France: Officer stabbed in police station

Police clashed with thousands of protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as the German parliament passed an amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures.&nbsp;

With Germany buckling under a third wave of the pandemic, the new law allowing for nationwide curbs including school closures and night curfews aims to end a political tug-of-war between the federal government and the 16 regional states over virus restrictions. &nbsp;

Around 8,000 protesters gathered in the German capital as the amendment was debated in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, with more than 2,000 police officers deployed to the scene.&nbsp;

Demonstrators were carrying placards with slogans such as "Merkel &amp; Co = high treason" and chanting "Wir sind das Volk" ("We are the people") -- a common refrain in the run-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.&nbsp;

Police said some 150 people were detained for throwing bottles, attacking officers and failing to comply with rules on mask wearing and distancing. Three officers were injured.&nbsp;

Tear gas was fired as police attempted to drag protesters from the streets, according to an AFP video journalist at the scene.&nbsp;

Dubbed the "emergency brake", the amended law prescribes tough measures including sweeping shutdowns and overnight curfews in regions with incidence rates of more than 100 new infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days.&nbsp;

It will also force schools to revert to virtual teaching in areas where the incidence rate exceeds 165.&nbsp;

Only one state had an incidence rate below 100 on Wednesday, while seven topped 165, including the two most populous of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.&nbsp;

Police clashed with thousands of protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as the German parliament passed an amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures.

Police clashed with thousands of protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as the German parliament passed an amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures. With Germany buckling under a third wave of the pandemic, the new law allowing for nationwide curbs including school closures and night curfews aims to end a political tug-of-war between the federal government and the 16 regional states over virus restrictions. Around 8,000 protesters gathered in the German capital as the amendment was debated in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, with more than 2,000 police officers deployed to the scene. Demonstrators were carrying placards with slogans such as "Merkel & Co = high treason" and chanting "Wir sind das Volk" ("We are the people") -- a common refrain in the run-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Police said some 150 people were detained for throwing bottles, attacking officers and failing to comply with rules on mask wearing and distancing. Three officers were injured. Tear gas was fired as police attempted to drag protesters from the streets, according to an AFP video journalist at the scene. Dubbed the "emergency brake", the amended law prescribes tough measures including sweeping shutdowns and overnight curfews in regions with incidence rates of more than 100 new infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days. It will also force schools to revert to virtual teaching in areas where the incidence rate exceeds 165. Only one state had an incidence rate below 100 on Wednesday, while seven topped 165, including the two most populous of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Police clash with protesters as Germany passes virus law 

Brandon Hole, the 19-year-old man who the police say fatally shot eight people at a FedEx facility Thursday night, legally purchased two semi-automatic rifles he used in the attack just a few months after the police seized a shotgun from him, the chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Saturday.

In March 2020, the police seized a shotgun from Hole after his mother raised concerns about his mental state, records show. But, Chief Randal Taylor said, the fact that Hole was legally able to make the more recent gun purchases indicated that — despite his mother’s warning and the police seizure of a gun — the authorities had not deemed him subject to Indiana’s so-called red flag law, which bars people from possessing a firearm if they are found by a judge to present a dangerous risk.

The revelation came as Indianapolis mourned the deaths of workers at the sprawling FedEx facility near the edge of city limits. The deaths, and the gunshot wounds sustained by at least seven others during a shift change on a chilly night, jolted a nation where mass killings have become commonplace.

At least four of the victims were members of the Sikh community, and the attack renewed the fears among American Sikhs, who have over the years been accosted for wearing turbans and attacked in a house of worship.

“The shock wave went through the entire Sikh community,” said Kanwal Prakash Singh, who has watched the Indianapolis-area Sikh population grow from a handful of individuals to thousands since he arrived in the late 1960s. “Why would a 19-year-old,” he asked, “do that to these innocent people?”

The family of Hole, who was said to be a former worker at the facility, released a statement Saturday that apologized to the victims and said, “We tried to get him the help he needed.” He killed himself after the attack, the authorities said. They have not said whether hate or bias might have played a role in the attack.

Under Indiana’s red flag law, the authorities have two weeks after taking someone’s weapon to argue before a judge that the person is unstable and should be barred from possessing a gun for a period of time. Taylor said he was unsure whether a hearing like that ever took place in the case of Hole, although the police never returned the shotgun they had seized last year.

“I don’t know how we held onto it,” Taylor said in an interview Saturday night. “But it’s good that we did.”

However, the chief added, Hole went on to “legally purchase a much more powerful weapon than a shotgun.” On Saturday night, the Police Department announced that the two assault-style rifles that Hole used in Thursday’s attack were bought in July and September 2020.

Those purchases, the chief suggested, would have been possible only if a red flag determination had never been made. Red flag laws, which exist in more than a dozen states, moved to the center of the national conversation about gun regulation after a massacre at a Florida high school in 2018.

It remains uncertain whether a judge ruled against a red flag determination in Hole’s case or whether prosecutors took his case before a judge at all.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office did not respond to questions about whether they pursued a red flag ruling against Hole. A search of online court records did not reveal any such case associated with his name.

Under Indiana’s law, a person is considered dangerous if he “presents an imminent risk” to himself or others, or if he fits certain other criteria, including a documented propensity for violent conduct.

The seizure of weapons under these laws is often temporary. If the judge decides the person is so unstable they should not be permitted to have guns, the seizure stands and the person is unable to possess a firearm for a period of months.

Even if a judge decides that someone should not be allowed to possess firearms, that determination lasts for only a year. After that, prosecutors must again prove that the person is unfit to possess firearms, or the ruling is lifted.

As vigils took place Saturday across Indianapolis, flags atop the Indiana Statehouse were at half-staff. In the parking lot of a Baptist church on the city’s west side, activists whose families had been affected by gun violence gathered to express their support. And for the Sikh community, which has grown in numbers in Central Indiana in recent decades, the size of the losses were overwhelming.

Members of the Sikh community still recall the painful aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, when, in a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment, some Americans also targeted Sikhs with taunts of “Go home” or “Osama bin Laden.” And Sikhs continue to mourn the killing of six people by a white supremacist at a Wisconsin temple in 2012.

“We don’t know whether this was targeted or a coincidence,” said Dr. Sukhwinder Singh, 29, a leader at his gurdwara, or Sikh temple, southeast of Indianapolis. “We are all so numb. This is something that will take weeks to process.”

At Sikh temples across Indianapolis, members gathered Saturday to mourn, pray and reflect on the circumstances of the shooting. Many of them described the victims from their community as hard workers, dedicated to their families and committed to their faith, which is known for its tradition of service, including supporting victims of natural disasters and organizing food drives during the coronavirus pandemic.

Many Sikhs were among the 875 employees at FedEx’s 300,000-square foot sorting facility near Indianapolis International Airport where parcels are whisked away into an automated system where they are digitally scanned, weighed and measured, shuttled around by conveyor belt and sorted. A current job posting for package handlers at the facility promises up to $17 per hour.

Jaswinder Singh, a new hire at FedEx who was excited to receive his first paycheck, was a daily presence at a temple in Greenwood, just outside Indianapolis, where he would cut vegetables for temple visitors, mop the floors and serve food. He sometimes stopped by the temple before heading to work.

“He was a simple man,” said Harjap Singh Dillon, whose sister was married to one of Jaswinder Singh’s sons. “He used to pray and meditate a lot, and he did community service.”

John Weisert, who at 74 was the oldest victim, had once been a mechanical engineer and liked to play country and western and bluegrass music on his guitar, said his son, Mike. He had been considering retirement.

“He was hunched and arched over with his back,” Mike Weisert said. “The job was killing him by inches, slowly. His career had been winding down, and some of us were worried.”

Matthew Alexander, 32, had once attended Butler University. He loved to watch St. Louis Cardinals baseball and had worked at FedEx for several years, according to a friend, Ryan Sheets. He had recently bought a home in Avon, an Indianapolis suburb, Sheets said.

“Matt was someone who was the perfect friend,” Sheets said. “Not a jealous bone in his body; he was generous.”

Samaria Blackwell, 19, had worked as a lifeguard and dreamed of becoming a police officer, her parents said.

“On the court or the soccer field, she had a tough game face, but that quickly turned to a smile outside of competition,” Blackwell’s parents said in a statement provided by a family friend. “Samaria loved people, especially those of advanced age. She always found time to invest in the older generation, whether it was by listening or serving.”

Karli Smith, also 19, was a softball player and fan of hip-hop music who graduated from high school last year. “She was the kind of girl that if she saw someone having a bad day, she’d go out of her way to make them smile,” said her brother, Brandon Smith.

Amarjit Sekhon, who had two teenage sons, was a regular at Sikh services, where she prepared lentils and served food to visitors, said Jigna Shah, who got to know Sekhon through their temple. “She was a very sweet person,” Shah said. “She was like an aunt to our family.”

Rimpi Girn said Sekhon, her aunt, had moved to Indiana from Ohio to be closer to family. Sekhon began working at FedEx about six months ago on an overnight shift from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m., Girn said, and had two sons, ages 14 and 19.

“We can’t even think of what to tell him,” Girn said of the younger son. “All of a sudden last night, his mom went to work, and she never came back today.”

Girn also knew Jasvinder Kaur, the mother of her sister-in-law. She said Kaur had planned to make a yogurt recipe that she had perfected for her granddaughter’s second birthday on Saturday and hoped to soon get a driver’s license.

“And today we’re gathering to plan a funeral,” Girn said.

As the Sikh population in Indianapolis grew over the past few decades, as many as 10 temples opened across the city and its suburbs. A Sikh Day parade became part of the city’s social calendar. New community members continued to come to Indiana, some directly from India, but many others from states on the East and West coasts.

Amarjeet Kaur Johal, another of the victims, was a grandmother in her 60s who loved to watch Indian soap operas. The matriarch of her family of 25, she followed that path to Indiana. Like many others in the community, she moved to the United States decades ago to be closer to her children and their families, part of a broader wave of Sikh migration to North America that began in earnest in the 1980s. She lived for a time in California before coming to Indianapolis.

Johal, a FedEx employee for about four years, had worked a half-shift Thursday and was planning to celebrate a relative’s birthday when she got home that night. She was waiting for her car pool outside the building when she was shot, a grandson said.

“We all told her there was no need for her to work,” said Komal Chohan, 25, a granddaughter. “She could stay home and live leisurely, spending time with her grandchildren. But she wanted something of her own, she wanted to work, and she was great at her job. She built a community at FedEx.”

Brandon Hole, the 19-year-old man who the police say fatally shot eight people at a FedEx facility Thursday night, legally purchased two semi-automatic rifles he used in the attack just a few months after the police seized a shotgun from him, the chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Saturday.

Brandon Hole, the 19-year-old man who the police say fatally shot eight people at a FedEx facility Thursday night, legally purchased two semi-automatic rifles he used in the attack just a few months after the police seized a shotgun from him, the chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Saturday. In March 2020, the police seized a shotgun from Hole after his mother raised concerns about his mental state, records show. But, Chief Randal Taylor said, the fact that Hole was legally able to make the more recent gun purchases indicated that — despite his mother’s warning and the police seizure of a gun — the authorities had not deemed him subject to Indiana’s so-called red flag law, which bars people from possessing a firearm if they are found by a judge to present a dangerous risk. The revelation came as Indianapolis mourned the deaths of workers at the sprawling FedEx facility near the edge of city limits. The deaths, and the gunshot wounds sustained by at least seven others during a shift change on a chilly night, jolted a nation where mass killings have become commonplace. At least four of the victims were members of the Sikh community, and the attack renewed the fears among American Sikhs, who have over the years been accosted for wearing turbans and attacked in a house of worship. “The shock wave went through the entire Sikh community,” said Kanwal Prakash Singh, who has watched the Indianapolis-area Sikh population grow from a handful of individuals to thousands since he arrived in the late 1960s. “Why would a 19-year-old,” he asked, “do that to these innocent people?” The family of Hole, who was said to be a former worker at the facility, released a statement Saturday that apologized to the victims and said, “We tried to get him the help he needed.” He killed himself after the attack, the authorities said. They have not said whether hate or bias might have played a role in the attack. Under Indiana’s red flag law, the authorities have two weeks after taking someone’s weapon to argue before a judge that the person is unstable and should be barred from possessing a gun for a period of time. Taylor said he was unsure whether a hearing like that ever took place in the case of Hole, although the police never returned the shotgun they had seized last year. “I don’t know how we held onto it,” Taylor said in an interview Saturday night. “But it’s good that we did.” However, the chief added, Hole went on to “legally purchase a much more powerful weapon than a shotgun.” On Saturday night, the Police Department announced that the two assault-style rifles that Hole used in Thursday’s attack were bought in July and September 2020. Those purchases, the chief suggested, would have been possible only if a red flag determination had never been made. Red flag laws, which exist in more than a dozen states, moved to the center of the national conversation about gun regulation after a massacre at a Florida high school in 2018. It remains uncertain whether a judge ruled against a red flag determination in Hole’s case or whether prosecutors took his case before a judge at all. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office did not respond to questions about whether they pursued a red flag ruling against Hole. A search of online court records did not reveal any such case associated with his name. Under Indiana’s law, a person is considered dangerous if he “presents an imminent risk” to himself or others, or if he fits certain other criteria, including a documented propensity for violent conduct. The seizure of weapons under these laws is often temporary. If the judge decides the person is so unstable they should not be permitted to have guns, the seizure stands and the person is unable to possess a firearm for a period of months. Even if a judge decides that someone should not be allowed to possess firearms, that determination lasts for only a year. After that, prosecutors must again prove that the person is unfit to possess firearms, or the ruling is lifted. As vigils took place Saturday across Indianapolis, flags atop the Indiana Statehouse were at half-staff. In the parking lot of a Baptist church on the city’s west side, activists whose families had been affected by gun violence gathered to express their support. And for the Sikh community, which has grown in numbers in Central Indiana in recent decades, the size of the losses were overwhelming. Members of the Sikh community still recall the painful aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, when, in a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment, some Americans also targeted Sikhs with taunts of “Go home” or “Osama bin Laden.” And Sikhs continue to mourn the killing of six people by a white supremacist at a Wisconsin temple in 2012. “We don’t know whether this was targeted or a coincidence,” said Dr. Sukhwinder Singh, 29, a leader at his gurdwara, or Sikh temple, southeast of Indianapolis. “We are all so numb. This is something that will take weeks to process.” At Sikh temples across Indianapolis, members gathered Saturday to mourn, pray and reflect on the circumstances of the shooting. Many of them described the victims from their community as hard workers, dedicated to their families and committed to their faith, which is known for its tradition of service, including supporting victims of natural disasters and organizing food drives during the coronavirus pandemic. Many Sikhs were among the 875 employees at FedEx’s 300,000-square foot sorting facility near Indianapolis International Airport where parcels are whisked away into an automated system where they are digitally scanned, weighed and measured, shuttled around by conveyor belt and sorted. A current job posting for package handlers at the facility promises up to $17 per hour. Jaswinder Singh, a new hire at FedEx who was excited to receive his first paycheck, was a daily presence at a temple in Greenwood, just outside Indianapolis, where he would cut vegetables for temple visitors, mop the floors and serve food. He sometimes stopped by the temple before heading to work. “He was a simple man,” said Harjap Singh Dillon, whose sister was married to one of Jaswinder Singh’s sons. “He used to pray and meditate a lot, and he did community service.” John Weisert, who at 74 was the oldest victim, had once been a mechanical engineer and liked to play country and western and bluegrass music on his guitar, said his son, Mike. He had been considering retirement. “He was hunched and arched over with his back,” Mike Weisert said. “The job was killing him by inches, slowly. His career had been winding down, and some of us were worried.” Matthew Alexander, 32, had once attended Butler University. He loved to watch St. Louis Cardinals baseball and had worked at FedEx for several years, according to a friend, Ryan Sheets. He had recently bought a home in Avon, an Indianapolis suburb, Sheets said. “Matt was someone who was the perfect friend,” Sheets said. “Not a jealous bone in his body; he was generous.” Samaria Blackwell, 19, had worked as a lifeguard and dreamed of becoming a police officer, her parents said. “On the court or the soccer field, she had a tough game face, but that quickly turned to a smile outside of competition,” Blackwell’s parents said in a statement provided by a family friend. “Samaria loved people, especially those of advanced age. She always found time to invest in the older generation, whether it was by listening or serving.” Karli Smith, also 19, was a softball player and fan of hip-hop music who graduated from high school last year. “She was the kind of girl that if she saw someone having a bad day, she’d go out of her way to make them smile,” said her brother, Brandon Smith. Amarjit Sekhon, who had two teenage sons, was a regular at Sikh services, where she prepared lentils and served food to visitors, said Jigna Shah, who got to know Sekhon through their temple. “She was a very sweet person,” Shah said. “She was like an aunt to our family.” Rimpi Girn said Sekhon, her aunt, had moved to Indiana from Ohio to be closer to family. Sekhon began working at FedEx about six months ago on an overnight shift from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m., Girn said, and had two sons, ages 14 and 19. “We can’t even think of what to tell him,” Girn said of the younger son. “All of a sudden last night, his mom went to work, and she never came back today.” Girn also knew Jasvinder Kaur, the mother of her sister-in-law. She said Kaur had planned to make a yogurt recipe that she had perfected for her granddaughter’s second birthday on Saturday and hoped to soon get a driver’s license. “And today we’re gathering to plan a funeral,” Girn said. As the Sikh population in Indianapolis grew over the past few decades, as many as 10 temples opened across the city and its suburbs. A Sikh Day parade became part of the city’s social calendar. New community members continued to come to Indiana, some directly from India, but many others from states on the East and West coasts. Amarjeet Kaur Johal, another of the victims, was a grandmother in her 60s who loved to watch Indian soap operas. The matriarch of her family of 25, she followed that path to Indiana. Like many others in the community, she moved to the United States decades ago to be closer to her children and their families, part of a broader wave of Sikh migration to North America that began in earnest in the 1980s. She lived for a time in California before coming to Indianapolis. Johal, a FedEx employee for about four years, had worked a half-shift Thursday and was planning to celebrate a relative’s birthday when she got home that night. She was waiting for her car pool outside the building when she was shot, a grandson said. “We all told her there was no need for her to work,” said Komal Chohan, 25, a granddaughter. “She could stay home and live leisurely, spending time with her grandchildren. But she wanted something of her own, she wanted to work, and she was great at her job. She built a community at FedEx.”

FedEx gunman bought 2 rifles after police seized his shotgun, chief says

Hundreds of people marched through the Logan Square neighborhood in Chicago on Friday evening, calling for overhauls to the city’s police department after the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo by a police officer in March.

Holding signs reading “Justicia Para Adam” and “We are Adam, defund the police,” a large crowd listened as speakers denounced the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Adam was shot and killed by a police officer, Eric E. Stillman, 34, in the early hours of March 29. In video of the shooting, released Thursday by an independent city agency that investigates police conduct, Adam is chased down an alley by a white police officer, who orders him to stop and show his hands. An analysis of the video, slowing down events that took place in the space of a second, shows the boy then appearing to toss a handgun nearby and raising his hands in the air, just before the officer shoots him in the chest.

Jasmin Cardenas, who attended the march with her two small children, cried as she stood holding a sign supporting Adam and his family. She lives in Little Village, the predominantly Latino neighborhood where Adam was killed, and runs an after-school arts program that once worked with children at Gary Elementary, where Adam was a student.

The neighborhood is sorely lacking in services for children and teenagers, she said, and needs nurses in the schools and more art programs to keep young people busy.

“I’m just in shock at how many of us made mistakes and we’re still here,” Cardenas said. “He did all the right things. He put his hands up, and he still got shot.”

With renewed national attention on police conduct amid the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis, demonstrations also took place beyond Chicago on Friday night.

In the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, protests continued in front of that city’s police department for a sixth straight night following an officer’s fatal shooting of a 20-year-old motorist, Daunte Wright.

Protesters occasionally threw bottles of water and pushed up against a fence in front of the Police Department. Police fired a volley of pepper spray, rubber bullets and grenades that made a loud bang into the crowd, injuring several people and briefly setting the umbrella that one protester had used to block pepper spray on fire. There was no curfew Friday, but police declared the assembly unlawful before running at the crowd just after 10 p.m., making dozens of arrests.

In Chicago, speakers addressed a crowd in a large neighborhood park at the beginning of the rally, calling for defunding of the police and for measures like rent control to be enacted. At the mention of Lightfoot by one of the speakers, the crowd booed loudly.

“Our goal is to not let people forget and keep being active,” said Maximo Rodriguez, who said he had been involved in social justice causes since 1985, when he was a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “The problem isn’t us, it’s the police. Whenever they’re around, there’s a chance for violence.”

Evelene Certa, 13, of suburban Berwyn, has been going to protests with her family her entire life, she said. “This one, it’s a kid my age,” she said, before pausing to gather herself. “It could’ve happened to me. It really changes my point of view.”

Hundreds of people marched through the Logan Square neighborhood in Chicago on Friday evening, calling for overhauls to the city’s police department after the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo by a police officer in March.

Hundreds of people marched through the Logan Square neighborhood in Chicago on Friday evening, calling for overhauls to the city’s police department after the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo by a police officer in March. Holding signs reading “Justicia Para Adam” and “We are Adam, defund the police,” a large crowd listened as speakers denounced the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Adam was shot and killed by a police officer, Eric E. Stillman, 34, in the early hours of March 29. In video of the shooting, released Thursday by an independent city agency that investigates police conduct, Adam is chased down an alley by a white police officer, who orders him to stop and show his hands. An analysis of the video, slowing down events that took place in the space of a second, shows the boy then appearing to toss a handgun nearby and raising his hands in the air, just before the officer shoots him in the chest. Jasmin Cardenas, who attended the march with her two small children, cried as she stood holding a sign supporting Adam and his family. She lives in Little Village, the predominantly Latino neighborhood where Adam was killed, and runs an after-school arts program that once worked with children at Gary Elementary, where Adam was a student. The neighborhood is sorely lacking in services for children and teenagers, she said, and needs nurses in the schools and more art programs to keep young people busy. “I’m just in shock at how many of us made mistakes and we’re still here,” Cardenas said. “He did all the right things. He put his hands up, and he still got shot.” With renewed national attention on police conduct amid the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis, demonstrations also took place beyond Chicago on Friday night. In the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, protests continued in front of that city’s police department for a sixth straight night following an officer’s fatal shooting of a 20-year-old motorist, Daunte Wright. Protesters occasionally threw bottles of water and pushed up against a fence in front of the Police Department. Police fired a volley of pepper spray, rubber bullets and grenades that made a loud bang into the crowd, injuring several people and briefly setting the umbrella that one protester had used to block pepper spray on fire. There was no curfew Friday, but police declared the assembly unlawful before running at the crowd just after 10 p.m., making dozens of arrests. In Chicago, speakers addressed a crowd in a large neighborhood park at the beginning of the rally, calling for defunding of the police and for measures like rent control to be enacted. At the mention of Lightfoot by one of the speakers, the crowd booed loudly. “Our goal is to not let people forget and keep being active,” said Maximo Rodriguez, who said he had been involved in social justice causes since 1985, when he was a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “The problem isn’t us, it’s the police. Whenever they’re around, there’s a chance for violence.” Evelene Certa, 13, of suburban Berwyn, has been going to protests with her family her entire life, she said. “This one, it’s a kid my age,” she said, before pausing to gather herself. “It could’ve happened to me. It really changes my point of view.”

Hundreds march in Chicago, protesting police shooting of Adam Toledo, 13

A man in the US has sued the Detroit Police Department for arresting him after he was falsely accused of shoplifting based on a faulty facial recognition match.&nbsp;

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Williams, The Verge reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Williams' experience was the first case of wrongful arrest due to facial recognition technology to come to light in the US, according to the ACLU.&nbsp;

"I came home from work and was arrested in my driveway in front of my wife and daughters, who watched in tears, because a computer made an error," Williams said in a statement.&nbsp;

"This never should have happened, and I want to make sure that this painful experience never happens to anyone else."&nbsp;

After a shoplifter allegedly stole several watches at a Shinola store in Detroit in 2018, Detroit police officers tried to identify the thief by using a blurry image from the store's surveillance camera video and feeding it through facial recognition technology.&nbsp;

The lawsuit cites studies that show that facial recognition technology is poor at accurately identifying Black people, especially in cases like this one when the photo is grainy, the lighting is poor, and the suspect is not looking at the camera.&nbsp;

Williams was held for 30 hours in a Detroit detention centre where he was forced to sleep on a raised cement slab due to overcrowding.&nbsp;

"We know that facial recognition technology threatens everyone's privacy by turning everybody into a suspect," said Phil Mayor, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Michigan.&nbsp;

"We've repeatedly urged the Detroit Police Department to abandon its use of this dangerous technology, but it insists on using it anyhow."&nbsp;

The lawsuit seeks damages and policy changes to stop the abuse of facial recognition technology.&nbsp;

A man in the US has sued the Detroit Police Department for arresting him after he was falsely accused of shoplifting based on a faulty facial recognition match. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Williams, The Verge reported on Tuesday.

A man in the US has sued the Detroit Police Department for arresting him after he was falsely accused of shoplifting based on a faulty facial recognition match. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Williams, The Verge reported on Tuesday. Williams' experience was the first case of wrongful arrest due to facial recognition technology to come to light in the US, according to the ACLU. "I came home from work and was arrested in my driveway in front of my wife and daughters, who watched in tears, because a computer made an error," Williams said in a statement. "This never should have happened, and I want to make sure that this painful experience never happens to anyone else." After a shoplifter allegedly stole several watches at a Shinola store in Detroit in 2018, Detroit police officers tried to identify the thief by using a blurry image from the store's surveillance camera video and feeding it through facial recognition technology. The lawsuit cites studies that show that facial recognition technology is poor at accurately identifying Black people, especially in cases like this one when the photo is grainy, the lighting is poor, and the suspect is not looking at the camera. Williams was held for 30 hours in a Detroit detention centre where he was forced to sleep on a raised cement slab due to overcrowding. "We know that facial recognition technology threatens everyone's privacy by turning everybody into a suspect," said Phil Mayor, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Michigan. "We've repeatedly urged the Detroit Police Department to abandon its use of this dangerous technology, but it insists on using it anyhow." The lawsuit seeks damages and policy changes to stop the abuse of facial recognition technology.

US man sues police for wrongful facial recognition-based arrest 

Police shooting of Black man sparks fresh protests in US

One person was shot dead and another injured on Monday in front of a hospital in Paris, a police source told Reuters, adding that the attacker had then fled on a motorcycle. &nbsp;

The source said the injured person was now being treated inside the hospital, the Henry Dunant, which is also a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The motive for the shootings remains unknown.&nbsp;

BFM television said the person killed was a man and the injured person was a woman, who worked as a security official at the hospital, which is located in the upmarket 16th arrondissement.&nbsp;

The vaccination centre at the hospital was operating at the time of the shootings.&nbsp;

Television stations showed dozens of police officers securing the area.&nbsp;

One person was shot dead and another injured on Monday in front of a hospital in Paris, a police source told Reuters, adding that the attacker had then fled on a motorcycle.

One person was shot dead and another injured on Monday in front of a hospital in Paris, a police source told Reuters, adding that the attacker had then fled on a motorcycle. The source said the injured person was now being treated inside the hospital, the Henry Dunant, which is also a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The motive for the shootings remains unknown. BFM television said the person killed was a man and the injured person was a woman, who worked as a security official at the hospital, which is located in the upmarket 16th arrondissement. The vaccination centre at the hospital was operating at the time of the shootings. Television stations showed dozens of police officers securing the area.

One person shot dead in front of Paris hospital, says police source 

A man in the Philippines has died after being forced by police to do 300 squat-like exercises as punishment for breaking the country's strict Covid curfew rules.&nbsp;

Darren Manaog Penaredondo was allegedly collared by hardline officers after he popped out to buy some water from the local shops.

"There is no physical punishment for those found violating curfew rules, only lectures from officers. He told local media that if officers were found to have enforced the punishment, it would not be tolerated," said Marlo Solero, police chief of General Trias City.

"He went home on Friday at 8 am and he couldn't walk properly," his brother Adrian Lucena wrote on Facebook.

"After Saturday morning he had a convulsion." Peñaredondo died at 10 pm on Saturday. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A man in the Philippines has died after being forced by police to do 300 squat-like exercises as punishment for breaking the country's strict Covid curfew rules.

A man in the Philippines has died after being forced by police to do 300 squat-like exercises as punishment for breaking the country's strict Covid curfew rules. Darren Manaog Penaredondo was allegedly collared by hardline officers after he popped out to buy some water from the local shops. "There is no physical punishment for those found violating curfew rules, only lectures from officers. He told local media that if officers were found to have enforced the punishment, it would not be tolerated," said Marlo Solero, police chief of General Trias City. "He went home on Friday at 8 am and he couldn't walk properly," his brother Adrian Lucena wrote on Facebook. "After Saturday morning he had a convulsion." Peñaredondo died at 10 pm on Saturday. (With inputs from agencies)

Filipino man dies after the police force him to do 300 squats for breaking Covid curfew

More than a dozen San Jose, California, police officers walked through the white arches of the Grand Century Mall in ‘Little Saigon’ to reassure a Vietnamese-American community fearful over the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States.&nbsp;

The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons. They then conducted a similar tour of San Jose’s Japantown, where a citizen patrol group was formed following the deadly attacks on Asian spas in the Atlanta area on March 16.

"We know that there is a lot of angst, fear with our Asian community," said San Jose’s police chief, Anthony Mata, during his visit to Little Saigon. "It’s important for us to have that dialogue, engage with them and see how we can help."

Across the United States, law enforcement agencies are scrambling to better protect Asian communities amid a wave of violence targeting them since lockdowns to cope with the coronavirus pandemic began about a year ago. A recent report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, showed that while hate crimes overall in the United States had fallen slightly in 2020, crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had jumped by 145%.

A vicious assault last week in which a man kicked a 65-year-old immigrant from the Philippines in New York City multiple times was captured on video and went viral, further stoking fears about anti-Asian hate crimes.

New York City has deployed a team of undercover Asian police officers. Other major cities, from San Jose to Chicago, have boosted patrols in Asian neighborhoods and sought to forge closer ties with communities, some of which have sought to fill gaps the police can’t fill.

Leanna Louie, who has organised residents to patrol San Francisco’s Chinatown, said the city’s police force of about 2,000 doesn’t have the resources. "It’s impossible," she said.&nbsp;

Paul Luu, chief executive officer of the Chinese American Service League, welcomed the ‘revved up’ police presence in Chicago’s Chinatown, which he said built on an already supportive relationship that includes Chinese-speaking officers on the beat. His group is focused on educating the community on hate crimes and encouraging victims, many reluctant due to language barriers or wariness of the police, to come forward.

(With inputs from agencies)

More than a dozen San Jose, California, police officers walked through the white arches of the Grand Century Mall in ‘Little Saigon’ to reassure a Vietnamese-American community fearful over the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States.

More than a dozen San Jose, California, police officers walked through the white arches of the Grand Century Mall in ‘Little Saigon’ to reassure a Vietnamese-American community fearful over the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States. The officers walked through the arcade of hair and nail salons, restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine, and herbal medicine shops on Saturday, talking to business owners and patrons. They then conducted a similar tour of San Jose’s Japantown, where a citizen patrol group was formed following the deadly attacks on Asian spas in the Atlanta area on March 16. "We know that there is a lot of angst, fear with our Asian community," said San Jose’s police chief, Anthony Mata, during his visit to Little Saigon. "It’s important for us to have that dialogue, engage with them and see how we can help." Across the United States, law enforcement agencies are scrambling to better protect Asian communities amid a wave of violence targeting them since lockdowns to cope with the coronavirus pandemic began about a year ago. A recent report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, showed that while hate crimes overall in the United States had fallen slightly in 2020, crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had jumped by 145%. A vicious assault last week in which a man kicked a 65-year-old immigrant from the Philippines in New York City multiple times was captured on video and went viral, further stoking fears about anti-Asian hate crimes. New York City has deployed a team of undercover Asian police officers. Other major cities, from San Jose to Chicago, have boosted patrols in Asian neighborhoods and sought to forge closer ties with communities, some of which have sought to fill gaps the police can’t fill. Leanna Louie, who has organised residents to patrol San Francisco’s Chinatown, said the city’s police force of about 2,000 doesn’t have the resources. "It’s impossible," she said. Paul Luu, chief executive officer of the Chinese American Service League, welcomed the ‘revved up’ police presence in Chicago’s Chinatown, which he said built on an already supportive relationship that includes Chinese-speaking officers on the beat. His group is focused on educating the community on hate crimes and encouraging victims, many reluctant due to language barriers or wariness of the police, to come forward. (With inputs from agencies)

Police, communities across US fight back against anti-Asian hate crimes

Thai police on Monday vowed to arrest more people participating in anti-government protests after detaining nearly 100 at a demonstration a day earlier, citing a law restricting gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.&nbsp;

Another protest demanding the release of jailed activists is planned for late Monday afternoon, raising prospects for another confrontation, with activists calling for an end to military dominance of politics and reform of the powerful monarchy.&nbsp;

"We have prepared troops to maintain order," Piya Tavichai, deputy head of the Bangkok police, told reporters.&nbsp;

Piya said 99 people were arrested on Sunday in front of Government House, saying the arrests were necessary under a law forbidding large public gatherings to prevent coronavirus spread.&nbsp;

The mostly student-led movement has taken aim at the military for entrenching its role in civilian politics, especially since Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power in a 2014 coup when he was army chief.&nbsp;

The activists say elections held in 2019 were under rules designed to cement Prayuth's hold on power. Prayuth and his coalition government allies say the vote was free and fair.&nbsp;

Prayuth on Monday told reporters the weekend arrests were justified.&nbsp;

"You have to look at the law. If I don't take action, there will be disruption in traffic. We are just taking back space. There have been many warnings," said Prayuth.&nbsp;

Dozens of people have been detained at protests in recent months under disease control and public order laws, but Sunday's protest represented one of the largest number of arrests at a single rally.&nbsp;

Additionally, at least nine leaders of the movement are jailed pending trial under a law against insulting the Thai monarchy, which carries a maximum 15-year penalty.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Thai police on Monday vowed to arrest more people participating in anti-government protests after detaining nearly 100 at a demonstration a day earlier, citing a law restricting gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Thai police on Monday vowed to arrest more people participating in anti-government protests after detaining nearly 100 at a demonstration a day earlier, citing a law restricting gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Another protest demanding the release of jailed activists is planned for late Monday afternoon, raising prospects for another confrontation, with activists calling for an end to military dominance of politics and reform of the powerful monarchy. "We have prepared troops to maintain order," Piya Tavichai, deputy head of the Bangkok police, told reporters. Piya said 99 people were arrested on Sunday in front of Government House, saying the arrests were necessary under a law forbidding large public gatherings to prevent coronavirus spread. The mostly student-led movement has taken aim at the military for entrenching its role in civilian politics, especially since Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power in a 2014 coup when he was army chief. The activists say elections held in 2019 were under rules designed to cement Prayuth's hold on power. Prayuth and his coalition government allies say the vote was free and fair. Prayuth on Monday told reporters the weekend arrests were justified. "You have to look at the law. If I don't take action, there will be disruption in traffic. We are just taking back space. There have been many warnings," said Prayuth. Dozens of people have been detained at protests in recent months under disease control and public order laws, but Sunday's protest represented one of the largest number of arrests at a single rally. Additionally, at least nine leaders of the movement are jailed pending trial under a law against insulting the Thai monarchy, which carries a maximum 15-year penalty. (With inputs from agencies)

After detaining nearly 100, Thai police vow more protest arrests  

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