A large number of states across the US are reeling from a heatwave that has seen above-average temperatures in at least a dozen states. The mercury is breaking records and it is estimated that about 130 heat records will be broken for temperatures at this time of the year.

The heatwave which previously affected states in the south and west of the country is now moving east. Temperatures are 20 to 30F above average in mid-Atlantic and north-east.

More than 120 million Americans are facing the heatwave. This has raised the spectre of health risks for vulnerable people and those who work outdoors. Even those who do not have access to indoor cooling are said to be at risk.

USA's National Weather Service has issued a special statement in light of the heatwave. It has cautioned citizens to remain on guard to observe any signs of heat illnesses among family. The NWS has recommended that people take breaks inside when possible and stay hydrated.

The heatwave has resulted in increased demand for power in some states.

On Thursday, power consumption in the state of Texas hit a monthly record on Thursday as consumers keep air conditioners cranked up to escape a lingering spring heatwave. 
&nbsp; 
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for most of the state, said conditions were normal early Friday.

At the start of the current heat, ERCOT was forced to ask customers to conserve energy on May 13 after several power plants shut unexpectedly, causing real-time prices to soar to over $4,000 per megawatt hour (MWh).

(With inputs from agencies)

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A large number of states across the US are reeling from a heatwave that has seen above-average temperatures in at least a dozen states. The mercury is breaking records and it is estimated that about 130 heat records will be broken for temperatures at this time of the year.

A large number of states across the US are reeling from a heatwave that has seen above-average temperatures in at least a dozen states. The mercury is breaking records and it is estimated that about 130 heat records will be broken for temperatures at this time of the year. The heatwave which previously affected states in the south and west of the country is now moving east. Temperatures are 20 to 30F above average in mid-Atlantic and north-east. More than 120 million Americans are facing the heatwave. This has raised the spectre of health risks for vulnerable people and those who work outdoors. Even those who do not have access to indoor cooling are said to be at risk. USA's National Weather Service has issued a special statement in light of the heatwave. It has cautioned citizens to remain on guard to observe any signs of heat illnesses among family. The NWS has recommended that people take breaks inside when possible and stay hydrated. The heatwave has resulted in increased demand for power in some states. On Thursday, power consumption in the state of Texas hit a monthly record on Thursday as consumers keep air conditioners cranked up to escape a lingering spring heatwave. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for most of the state, said conditions were normal early Friday. At the start of the current heat, ERCOT was forced to ask customers to conserve energy on May 13 after several power plants shut unexpectedly, causing real-time prices to soar to over $4,000 per megawatt hour (MWh). (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US heatwave moves east, power consumptions increase

Raging wildfires destroyed over 60 homes in Texas. Red Flag warning has been issued in 16 counties of Texas. Officials said neighbouring regions also vulnerable to wildfires.

Extreme heat fuels Texas wildfires, destroy over 60 homes

A video of an Indian-American teen being bullied at a Texas school is going viral. What's worse, is that the school staff has reportedly suspended the victim for 3 days, the aggressor was given a 1-day suspension. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Indian-American teen bullied in Texas school

Three major mass shooting events in the United States have left 13 people dead and several injured. One was at a super market in New York, another at a flea market in Texas and third at a church in California.

At least 3 killed in 3 deadly shooting in New York, Texas & California

Earthquakes have become a regular occurrence in America's Texas. Experts are blaming the state's oil industry for triggering tremors. Is Big Oil to blame for man-made earthquakes? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: How Texas became America's earthquake capital

A massive tornado tore through the town of Fort Stockton in Texas. Eyewitnesses recorded footage that showed the destruction caused in the region.

Central US faces severe storms and tornadoes

On Thursday, the Oklahoma state legislature passed a bill that lays a ban on abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy.

The bill was passed in the Oklahoma House by a large majority, and even as it includes exceptions for medical emergencies, it has no provisions for cases involving rape and incest.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/even-as-us-introduces-gender-neutral-passports-these-states-still-have-archaic-anti-transgender-laws-470479">Even as US introduces gender-neutral passports, these states still have archaic anti-transgender laws</a>

It has already passed the Senate and is now on its way to Republican governor Kevin Stitt, who is expected to sign it.

This bill is modelled on a similar bill by Oklahoma’s neighbouring state Texas, which unveiled the controversial law that triggered many protests last year.

Popularly known as the "Heartbeat Bill", the Texas law bans abortions after a foetal heartbeat can be detected, which is typically around 1.5 months or sex weeks of gestation period. It also allows members of the public to sue abortion providers and seekers, as a way of enforcing the law.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Plus: Why are women being denied the Right to abortion?

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The Oklahoma bill is similar and it threatens to cause further problems for women from the neighbouring state of Texas.

Since the heartbeat law came into force in September last year, Texan neighbour states like Oklahoma have seen a flood of patients seeking abortions. This has led to long wait times and maxed out clinic capacities.

Now, with a similar law in Oklahoma, these patients would have to go farther and farther.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texas-abortion-law-creates-a-kind-of-bounty-hunter-heres-how-it-works-412647">Texas abortion law creates a kind of bounty hunter. Here’s how it works</a>

"Oklahoma is a critical state for abortion access right now, with many Texans fleeing to Oklahoma for abortion care," the Center for Reproductive Rights' Nancy Northup said in a tweet announcing her organisation’s plan to legally challenge the law.

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“Oklahoma is a critical state for abortion access right now, with many Texans fleeing to Oklahoma for abortion care. These bans would further decimate abortion access across the South.” —Nancy Northup, Center president and CEO
— Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReproRights/status/1519791901523726341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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What needs to be noted is that Oklahoma is only the latest Republican-controlled state to take this step. Earlier, not only Texas but also Mississippi and Florida passed laws restricting abortion. The question that poses itself: Why is America retreating into the past as the world moves toward equality?

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(With inputs from agencies)

On Thursday, the Oklahoma state legislature passed a bill that lays a ban on abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. The bill was passed in the Oklahoma House by a large majority, and even as it includes exceptions for medical emergencies, it has no provisions for cases involving rape and incest.

On Thursday, the Oklahoma state legislature passed a bill that lays a ban on abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. The bill was passed in the Oklahoma House by a large majority, and even as it includes exceptions for medical emergencies, it has no provisions for cases involving rape and incest. Also read | Even as US introduces gender-neutral passports, these states still have archaic anti-transgender laws It has already passed the Senate and is now on its way to Republican governor Kevin Stitt, who is expected to sign it. This bill is modelled on a similar bill by Oklahoma’s neighbouring state Texas, which unveiled the controversial law that triggered many protests last year. Popularly known as the "Heartbeat Bill", the Texas law bans abortions after a foetal heartbeat can be detected, which is typically around 1.5 months or sex weeks of gestation period. It also allows members of the public to sue abortion providers and seekers, as a way of enforcing the law. Watch | Gravitas Plus: Why are women being denied the Right to abortion? The Oklahoma bill is similar and it threatens to cause further problems for women from the neighbouring state of Texas. Since the heartbeat law came into force in September last year, Texan neighbour states like Oklahoma have seen a flood of patients seeking abortions. This has led to long wait times and maxed out clinic capacities. Now, with a similar law in Oklahoma, these patients would have to go farther and farther. Also read | Texas abortion law creates a kind of bounty hunter. Here’s how it works "Oklahoma is a critical state for abortion access right now, with many Texans fleeing to Oklahoma for abortion care," the Center for Reproductive Rights' Nancy Northup said in a tweet announcing her organisation’s plan to legally challenge the law. “Oklahoma is a critical state for abortion access right now, with many Texans fleeing to Oklahoma for abortion care. These bans would further decimate abortion access across the South.” —Nancy Northup, Center president and CEO — Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) April 28, 2022 × What needs to be noted is that Oklahoma is only the latest Republican-controlled state to take this step. Earlier, not only Texas but also Mississippi and Florida passed laws restricting abortion. The question that poses itself: Why is America retreating into the past as the world moves toward equality? Watch WION LIVE HERE: (With inputs from agencies)

First Texas, now Oklahoma: Republican-led state passes law banning abortion after 6 weeks

Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14, was scheduled to be executed on April 27 following a contentious trial for the 2007 murder of her two-year-old daughter. But now, a Texas judge has postponed her execution.

Lucio, who was pregnant with twins at the time, was immediately suspected by authorities after her daughter Mariah's body was discovered covered with bruises at the family home.

None of Lucio's children have&nbsp;ever accused her of being violent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/by-2030-humanitys-spiral-of-self-destruction-will-cause-15-disasters-every-day-473868" hreflang="en">By 2030, Humanity’s ‘spiral of self-destruction’ will cause 1.5 disasters every day: UN</a>

"This is a first step to obtaining a new trial, but a new trial has not been granted," Lucio's lawyer Vanessa Potkin said at a press conference, adding that Lucio is still on death row despite the ruling.

Lucio, 53, claims that police pressured her into confessing during a five-hour questioning and that the toddler died as a result of an accidental fall down a staircase.

The Innocence Project, which works for the wrongfully convicted, has backed her case, as has reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who has pushed Texas Governor Greg Abbott to grant her clemency.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Woman charged with manslaughter after suffering miscarriage

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"Best news ever!!!" said Kim Kardashian in a tweet.

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Best news ever! 🙏🏼 Melissa Lucio has been on death row for over 14 years for her daughter’s death that was a tragic accident. She is getting a hearing on her claims for her case &amp; has been granted a stay of execution by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. <a href="https://t.co/NuCv4vOgJl">https://t.co/NuCv4vOgJl</a>
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1518746091377676288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Lucio, who was scheduled to die by lethal injection, said "I am grateful the court has given me the chance to live and prove my innocence. Mariah is in my heart today and always."

According to Lucio's defence, Mariah had a physical impairment that made her unsteady when walking, which could have contributed to her fall. They also claim that a blood circulation problem could have produced the bruising.

Given her long history of drug addiction, financial insecurity and her life stained by both physical and sexual violence, Lucio was instantly accused by police and questioned for long hours.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-the-world-welcomes-twitters-new-owner-twitterati-have-something-to-say-about-donald-trump-473955" hreflang="en">As the world welcomes Twitter's new owner, Twitterati have something to say about Donald Trump</a>

According to Sabrina Van Tassel, director of the popular documentary "The State of Texas vs. Melissa," which was released in 2020, Lucio made a coerced confession at 3:00 a.m. after insisting "that she hadn't done it nearly a hundred times."

"It would have been a historic injustice for her to be executed for a crime that she didn't commit -- a crime that, in fact, never happened," said Burke Butler, executive director of the non-profit Texas Defender Service, while speaking to AFP.

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(With inputs from agencies)

Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14, was scheduled to be executed on April 27 following a contentious trial for the 2007 murder of her two-year-old daughter. But now, a Texas judge has postponed her execution.

Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14, was scheduled to be executed on April 27 following a contentious trial for the 2007 murder of her two-year-old daughter. But now, a Texas judge has postponed her execution. Lucio, who was pregnant with twins at the time, was immediately suspected by authorities after her daughter Mariah's body was discovered covered with bruises at the family home. None of Lucio's children have ever accused her of being violent. Also read | By 2030, Humanity’s ‘spiral of self-destruction’ will cause 1.5 disasters every day: UN "This is a first step to obtaining a new trial, but a new trial has not been granted," Lucio's lawyer Vanessa Potkin said at a press conference, adding that Lucio is still on death row despite the ruling. Lucio, 53, claims that police pressured her into confessing during a five-hour questioning and that the toddler died as a result of an accidental fall down a staircase. The Innocence Project, which works for the wrongfully convicted, has backed her case, as has reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who has pushed Texas Governor Greg Abbott to grant her clemency. Watch | Gravitas: Woman charged with manslaughter after suffering miscarriage "Best news ever!!!" said Kim Kardashian in a tweet. Best news ever! 🙏🏼 Melissa Lucio has been on death row for over 14 years for her daughter’s death that was a tragic accident. She is getting a hearing on her claims for her case & has been granted a stay of execution by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. https://t.co/NuCv4vOgJl — Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 26, 2022 × Lucio, who was scheduled to die by lethal injection, said "I am grateful the court has given me the chance to live and prove my innocence. Mariah is in my heart today and always." According to Lucio's defence, Mariah had a physical impairment that made her unsteady when walking, which could have contributed to her fall. They also claim that a blood circulation problem could have produced the bruising. Given her long history of drug addiction, financial insecurity and her life stained by both physical and sexual violence, Lucio was instantly accused by police and questioned for long hours. Also read | As the world welcomes Twitter's new owner, Twitterati have something to say about Donald Trump According to Sabrina Van Tassel, director of the popular documentary "The State of Texas vs. Melissa," which was released in 2020, Lucio made a coerced confession at 3:00 a.m. after insisting "that she hadn't done it nearly a hundred times." "It would have been a historic injustice for her to be executed for a crime that she didn't commit -- a crime that, in fact, never happened," said Burke Butler, executive director of the non-profit Texas Defender Service, while speaking to AFP. Watch WION LIVE HERE: (With inputs from agencies)

Mother of 14 or a toddler's murderer? Court stays execution of Texas woman who claims confession was coerced

Virtual casinos in the United States, maily&nbsp;located in Texas and Alabama, are defrauding the public as per the securities regulators in the states.

They were also reportedly selling non-fungible tokens and illegally offering unregistered securities.

According to the Texas Securities Board, in a "high-tech fraudulent securities offering" co-founders of the Sand Vegas Casino Club, Martin Schwarzberger and Finn Ruben Warnke allegedly conducted fundraisers to build virtual casinos.

"We are coordinating among states to investigate the offerings and plan enforcement actions if necessary," said the enforcement director at the board, Joe Rotunda.&nbsp;

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People who own virtual objects with provable authenticity use blockchain technology for the trading of NFTs.

The same technology is used for purchasing and selling cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

However, calculating the ownership of NFTs is a tricky process. It is authenticated through complex mathematical puzzles. It requires computers that can occupy almost entire several wharehouses.

"We are absolutely confident we can solve this situation and possibly even lead the way for other NFT projects," told news agency Reuters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/clipart-rock-nft-worth-1-million-accidentally-sold-for-less-than-a-penny-461884">Also read |&nbsp;Clipart rock NFT worth $1 million accidentally sold for less than a penny</a>

NFTs generate several hundred million dollars in transactions every month according to&nbsp;the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several big auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's are selling NFTs at massive prices. But they all are wary of scams and duplicates.

NFTs gained traction last year when virtual entities peaked during the coronavirus pandemic. Its biggest marketplace OpenSea, has stopped trading Sand Vegas tokens.

It issued a statement saying the 11,111 NFTs offered by Sand Vegas were in violation of the platform's service terms. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Virtual casinos in the United States, maily located in Texas and Alabama, are defrauding the public as per the securities regulators in the states. They were also reportedly selling non-fungible tokens and illegally offering unregistered securities.

Virtual casinos in the United States, maily located in Texas and Alabama, are defrauding the public as per the securities regulators in the states. They were also reportedly selling non-fungible tokens and illegally offering unregistered securities. According to the Texas Securities Board, in a "high-tech fraudulent securities offering" co-founders of the Sand Vegas Casino Club, Martin Schwarzberger and Finn Ruben Warnke allegedly conducted fundraisers to build virtual casinos. "We are coordinating among states to investigate the offerings and plan enforcement actions if necessary," said the enforcement director at the board, Joe Rotunda. People who own virtual objects with provable authenticity use blockchain technology for the trading of NFTs. The same technology is used for purchasing and selling cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, calculating the ownership of NFTs is a tricky process. It is authenticated through complex mathematical puzzles. It requires computers that can occupy almost entire several wharehouses. "We are absolutely confident we can solve this situation and possibly even lead the way for other NFT projects," told news agency Reuters. Also read | Clipart rock NFT worth $1 million accidentally sold for less than a penny NFTs generate several hundred million dollars in transactions every month according to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several big auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's are selling NFTs at massive prices. But they all are wary of scams and duplicates. NFTs gained traction last year when virtual entities peaked during the coronavirus pandemic. Its biggest marketplace OpenSea, has stopped trading Sand Vegas tokens. It issued a statement saying the 11,111 NFTs offered by Sand Vegas were in violation of the platform's service terms. (With inputs from agencies)

Virtual casinos in Texas, Alabama are defrauding public

A Texas local prosecutor will drop criminal charges against Lizelle Herrera, a 26-year-old woman who was detained for conducting a self-induced abortion, in a case that drew national interest and also prompted abortion rights supporters to take to the streets in her support, US News reported.

Lizelle Herrera was arrested on Thursday by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office after a grand jury indictment on March 30, according to Valley central.com and her bond was set at $500,000.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-foetuses-found-at-the-home-of-an-anti-abortion-activist-467382">&nbsp;Five foetuses found at the home of an anti-abortion activist</a>

Gocha Allen Ramirez, the Starr County District Attorney, on Sunday announced his office would file a motion to dismiss charges against her.&nbsp;

Sheriff’s deputies were right to arrest her, said Ramirez, since to overlook the situation would have been a failure of their duty. He also said that the district attorney has prosecution discretion and that his job is to “do justice.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oklahoma-house-passes-near-total-abortion-ban-with-threat-of-prison-for-providers-468826">Oklahoma House passes near-total abortion ban with threat of prison for providers</a>

The prosecutor said, "Following that oath, the only correct outcome to this matter is to immediately dismiss the indictment against Ms Herrera.” However, the prosecutor did not specify which legal criteria he used instead indicated. Rather, he pointed out how the indictment has ‘taken a toll’ on Lizelle and her family.

This decision once again sparked the debate over Texas abortion legislation which the US Supreme Court has also affirmed. It&nbsp;prohibits abortion beyond six weeks of pregnancy and does not even exempt women who are pregnant as a result of rape.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Texas local prosecutor will drop criminal charges against Lizelle Herrera, a 26-year-old woman who was detained for conducting a self-induced abortion, in a case that drew national interest and also prompted abortion rights supporters to take to the streets in her support, US News reported.

A Texas local prosecutor will drop criminal charges against Lizelle Herrera, a 26-year-old woman who was detained for conducting a self-induced abortion, in a case that drew national interest and also prompted abortion rights supporters to take to the streets in her support, US News reported. Lizelle Herrera was arrested on Thursday by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office after a grand jury indictment on March 30, according to Valley central.com and her bond was set at $500,000. Also read | Five foetuses found at the home of an anti-abortion activist Gocha Allen Ramirez, the Starr County District Attorney, on Sunday announced his office would file a motion to dismiss charges against her. Sheriff’s deputies were right to arrest her, said Ramirez, since to overlook the situation would have been a failure of their duty. He also said that the district attorney has prosecution discretion and that his job is to “do justice.” Also read | Oklahoma House passes near-total abortion ban with threat of prison for providers The prosecutor said, "Following that oath, the only correct outcome to this matter is to immediately dismiss the indictment against Ms Herrera.” However, the prosecutor did not specify which legal criteria he used instead indicated. Rather, he pointed out how the indictment has ‘taken a toll’ on Lizelle and her family. This decision once again sparked the debate over Texas abortion legislation which the US Supreme Court has also affirmed. It prohibits abortion beyond six weeks of pregnancy and does not even exempt women who are pregnant as a result of rape. (With inputs from agencies)

Prosecutor to drop charges against woman charged with murder for 'self-induced abortion’

An African flamingo, who is numbered 492, has been living the life of a fugitive. Well, not literally. Around 17 years ago, the bird had made a daring escape from a zoo in the US state of Kansas and now it has resurfaced in Texas, which is around 700 miles (1,100 kilometres) to the south. &nbsp;

In 2005, the bird, which was nicknamed Pink Floyd by Texas officials, fled the Sedgwick County Zoo when keepers failed to clip its wings, a New York Times report said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/insect-borne-viruses-may-trigger-next-pandemic-warn-health-experts-467388" hreflang="en">Insect-borne viruses may trigger next pandemic, warn health experts</a>

The survival of the flamingo in the wild was highly unlikely. Another flamingo, No 347, had also fled. It hasn’t been seen yet. No 492 was spotted by a fishing guide David Foreman this month. &nbsp;

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Pink Floyd has returned from the dark side of the moon. 
 
The flamingo escaped from a Kansas zoo in 2005 and is often spotted on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasCoast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasCoast</a>. 
 
📷David Foreman<a href="https://twitter.com/TPWDfish?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TPWDfish</a> <a href="https://t.co/cjrevByDhm">pic.twitter.com/cjrevByDhm</a>
— TX Parks &amp; Wildlife (@TPWDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPWDnews/status/1508434039992160265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Foreman, who was out for fishing with a friend in Port Lavaca on Texas’s Gulf coast, told the Guardian, “I was expecting to see a bunch of white pelicans from the east coast, coming down here for the wintertime.”

Watch | A story of hope: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia

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Instead, what he saw looked like “a poof-ball sitting on a leg”. Soon the bird began “running back and forth. I kind of got the impression that it was just trying to get away from us without having to actually fly off.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

After catching the bird on video, Foreman posted it online. “That’s when people started telling me, ‘Oh, that’s probably that escaped flamingo,’” he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Then, Foreman tagged the Texas parks and wildlife department, which confirmed it on Twitter. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

An African flamingo, who is numbered 492, has been living the life of a fugitive. Well, not literally. Around 17 years ago, the bird had made a daring escape from a zoo in the US state of Kansas and now it has resurfaced in Texas, which is around 700 miles (1,100 kilometres) to the south.

An African flamingo, who is numbered 492, has been living the life of a fugitive. Well, not literally. Around 17 years ago, the bird had made a daring escape from a zoo in the US state of Kansas and now it has resurfaced in Texas, which is around 700 miles (1,100 kilometres) to the south. In 2005, the bird, which was nicknamed Pink Floyd by Texas officials, fled the Sedgwick County Zoo when keepers failed to clip its wings, a New York Times report said. Also Read: Insect-borne viruses may trigger next pandemic, warn health experts The survival of the flamingo in the wild was highly unlikely. Another flamingo, No 347, had also fled. It hasn’t been seen yet. No 492 was spotted by a fishing guide David Foreman this month. Pink Floyd has returned from the dark side of the moon. The flamingo escaped from a Kansas zoo in 2005 and is often spotted on the #TexasCoast. 📷David Foreman@TPWDfish pic.twitter.com/cjrevByDhm — TX Parks & Wildlife (@TPWDnews) March 28, 2022 × Foreman, who was out for fishing with a friend in Port Lavaca on Texas’s Gulf coast, told the Guardian, “I was expecting to see a bunch of white pelicans from the east coast, coming down here for the wintertime.” Watch | A story of hope: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia × Instead, what he saw looked like “a poof-ball sitting on a leg”. Soon the bird began “running back and forth. I kind of got the impression that it was just trying to get away from us without having to actually fly off.” After catching the bird on video, Foreman posted it online. “That’s when people started telling me, ‘Oh, that’s probably that escaped flamingo,’” he said. Then, Foreman tagged the Texas parks and wildlife department, which confirmed it on Twitter. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: After 17 years and 1100 km, flamingo named Pink Floyd resurfaces in US

Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have predicted that the US state is going to be hit hard by a killer fungus.

It comes after crazy and invasive ants rolled into new parts of Texas. They are called "crazy" because of their erratic, jarring movements,&nbsp;unlike the orderly marches of their cousin species.&nbsp;

While they don't have the venomous bite of fire ants, they secrete formic acid that shields them against fire ant venom, and incapacitates native animals.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-centre-for-disease-control-and-prevention-reports-outbreak-of-superbug-fungus-400406/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Like fire ants, whom they have displaced in parts of Texas, tawny crazy ants are native to Argentina and Brazil and came to the United States via ships.&nbsp;

The “superbug” outbreaks were reported in two hospitals at Dallas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. A handful of the patients had invasive fungal infections that were impervious to all three major classes of medications.

“This is really the first time we’ve started seeing clustering of resistance” in which patients seemed to be getting the infections from each other, said the CDC’s Dr. Meghan Lyman.

The fungus, Candida auris, is a harmful form of yeast that is considered dangerous to hospital and nursing home patients with serious medical problems. It is most deadly when it enters the bloodstream, heart or brain. Outbreaks in health care facilities have been spurred when the fungus spread through patient contact or on contaminated surfaces.

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Researchers believe a naturally occurring fungus-like pathogen can be used to reverse their rampant spread across the southeastern United States, where they have wrought havoc for the past 20 years.&nbsp;

Ecologist and lead author Edward LeBrun said that the fungus had already driven pockets of the invaders to extinction, and would soon be tested at environmentally-sensitive sites to protect endangered species.

"It's kind of a horror show," said LeBrun, who described apocalyptic rivers of ants swarming trees at an infestation site he visited at the Estero Llano Grande State Park, which had lost native ants, insects, scorpions, snakes, lizards and birds to the invaders.

Not only are they destroying ecosystems, "they're miserable to live with" for humans, said LeBrun. The ants seek out electrical systems to nest in, causing shorts in breaker boxes, AC units and sewage pumps.&nbsp;

Pesticides are highly toxic and serve only to slow their progress, leading to snowdrift piles of dead ants that have to be cleared, and the ants eventually break through anyway.

Health officials have sounded alarms for years about the superbug after seeing infections in which commonly used drugs had little effect. In 2019, doctors diagnosed three cases in New York that were also resistant to a class of drugs, called echinocandins, that were considered a last line of defense.

In those cases, there was no evidence the infections had spread from patient to patient — scientists concluded the resistance to the drugs formed during treatment.

The new cases did spread, the CDC concluded. Investigators reviewed medical records and found no evidence of previous antifungal use among the patients in those clusters. Health officials say that means they spread from person to person.

Microsporidians commonly hijack an insect's fat cells, turning them into spore factories. The pathogen's origins aren't clear -- perhaps it came from South America or perhaps from another insect.&nbsp;

Whatever the case, scientists found it cropping up across Texas. They observed 15 populations for eight years, finding that every population harboring the pathogen declined, and 60 percent of the populations went completely extinct. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have predicted that the US state is going to be hit hard by a killer fungus. It comes after crazy and invasive ants rolled into new parts of Texas.

Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have predicted that the US state is going to be hit hard by a killer fungus. It comes after crazy and invasive ants rolled into new parts of Texas. They are called "crazy" because of their erratic, jarring movements, unlike the orderly marches of their cousin species. While they don't have the venomous bite of fire ants, they secrete formic acid that shields them against fire ant venom, and incapacitates native animals. Like fire ants, whom they have displaced in parts of Texas, tawny crazy ants are native to Argentina and Brazil and came to the United States via ships. The “superbug” outbreaks were reported in two hospitals at Dallas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. A handful of the patients had invasive fungal infections that were impervious to all three major classes of medications. “This is really the first time we’ve started seeing clustering of resistance” in which patients seemed to be getting the infections from each other, said the CDC’s Dr. Meghan Lyman. The fungus, Candida auris, is a harmful form of yeast that is considered dangerous to hospital and nursing home patients with serious medical problems. It is most deadly when it enters the bloodstream, heart or brain. Outbreaks in health care facilities have been spurred when the fungus spread through patient contact or on contaminated surfaces. Also read | Meet Indian jumping ants, who can shrink and re-grow their brains Researchers believe a naturally occurring fungus-like pathogen can be used to reverse their rampant spread across the southeastern United States, where they have wrought havoc for the past 20 years. Ecologist and lead author Edward LeBrun said that the fungus had already driven pockets of the invaders to extinction, and would soon be tested at environmentally-sensitive sites to protect endangered species. "It's kind of a horror show," said LeBrun, who described apocalyptic rivers of ants swarming trees at an infestation site he visited at the Estero Llano Grande State Park, which had lost native ants, insects, scorpions, snakes, lizards and birds to the invaders. Not only are they destroying ecosystems, "they're miserable to live with" for humans, said LeBrun. The ants seek out electrical systems to nest in, causing shorts in breaker boxes, AC units and sewage pumps. Pesticides are highly toxic and serve only to slow their progress, leading to snowdrift piles of dead ants that have to be cleared, and the ants eventually break through anyway. Health officials have sounded alarms for years about the superbug after seeing infections in which commonly used drugs had little effect. In 2019, doctors diagnosed three cases in New York that were also resistant to a class of drugs, called echinocandins, that were considered a last line of defense. In those cases, there was no evidence the infections had spread from patient to patient — scientists concluded the resistance to the drugs formed during treatment. The new cases did spread, the CDC concluded. Investigators reviewed medical records and found no evidence of previous antifungal use among the patients in those clusters. Health officials say that means they spread from person to person. Microsporidians commonly hijack an insect's fat cells, turning them into spore factories. The pathogen's origins aren't clear -- perhaps it came from South America or perhaps from another insect. Whatever the case, scientists found it cropping up across Texas. They observed 15 populations for eight years, finding that every population harboring the pathogen declined, and 60 percent of the populations went completely extinct. (With inputs from agencies)

After invasive ants, Texas to be hit hard by a killer fungus

Idaho has passed a draconian abortion ban modeled on controversial Texas law that prohibits abortions after 6 weeks.

Bounty Hunter law: Idaho bans abortion after six weeks

A 13-year-old boy was driving a pickup truck that collided with a van carrying a college golf team in west&nbsp;Texas, killing nine people, officials said Thursday.

Six members of the New Mexico-based University of the Southwest golf team were killed in Tuesday night's crash along with their coach, according to police.

The 13-year-old boy and his 38-year-old father who was riding in the pickup truck also died in the accident, which occurred near Andrews,&nbsp;Texas.

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According to the&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;Department of Public Safety, the Dodge 2500 pickup veered into the oncoming lane, colliding head on with the van.

Both vehicles caught fire.

Bruce Landsberg, the vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, was quoted by KWES TV in Odessa,&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;as saying the minor was behind the wheel of the pickup truck at the time of the accident.

The 13-year-old was violating&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;law. A resident may obtain a learner's permit in the state beginning at the age of 15 which allows them to drive with a licensed adult over 21.

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Landsberg was also quoted by KWES TV as saying the pickup's left front tire appears to have blown out before the crash, which occurred with both vehicles traveling at high speed.

Two University of the Southwest students, both Canadians, are in hospital in critical condition.

A 13-year-old boy was driving a pickup truck that collided with a van carrying a college golf team in west Texas, killing nine people, officials said Thursday. Six members of the New Mexico-based University of the Southwest golf team were killed in Tuesday night's crash along with their coach, according to police.

A 13-year-old boy was driving a pickup truck that collided with a van carrying a college golf team in west Texas, killing nine people, officials said Thursday. Six members of the New Mexico-based University of the Southwest golf team were killed in Tuesday night's crash along with their coach, according to police. The 13-year-old boy and his 38-year-old father who was riding in the pickup truck also died in the accident, which occurred near Andrews, Texas. Also read | Australian watchdog sues Facebook-owner Meta over scam advertisements According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Dodge 2500 pickup veered into the oncoming lane, colliding head on with the van. Both vehicles caught fire. Bruce Landsberg, the vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, was quoted by KWES TV in Odessa, Texas as saying the minor was behind the wheel of the pickup truck at the time of the accident. The 13-year-old was violating Texas law. A resident may obtain a learner's permit in the state beginning at the age of 15 which allows them to drive with a licensed adult over 21. Also read | Emmanuel Macron vows tax cuts, benefits shake-up in election manifesto Landsberg was also quoted by KWES TV as saying the pickup's left front tire appears to have blown out before the crash, which occurred with both vehicles traveling at high speed. Two University of the Southwest students, both Canadians, are in hospital in critical condition.

A 13-year-old was driving truck in Texas crash that killed nine people

Jeffery Younger fought for years with his ex-wife, a pediatrician, over the gender identity of one of their twins. While she followed the advice of their children’s doctor to affirm the child’s desire to dress as a girl, grow long hair and be known as Luna, Younger steadfastly objected.

He resisted the new name, insisting instead on boys’ clothes, short haircuts and the name the couple had chosen at birth.

What began in a single household in a small community outside Dallas became a very public custody battle between Younger and Dr. Anne Georgulas, transforming him into a folk hero among conservatives and amplifying a growing effort to roll back transgender protections in statehouses across America.

It paved the way, too, for an order late last month by Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas to investigate parents for child abuse if they provide certain medical treatments to their transgender children.

The abuse investigations ordered by Abbott, the first of their kind, represent the peak of a new round of action in state capitals aimed at transgender Americans, the most significant push by groups opposed to transgender rights since the national campaign to limit bathroom access foundered in 2017 and 2018. On Tuesday, a bill passed the Idaho House that would make medical treatments for transgender youth a felony, punishable by life in prison.

But few predicted that it would go as far as it has in Texas. The directive by Abbott very quickly resulted in investigations by the Department of Family and Protective Services, prompted a major Houston hospital to restrict its care for transgender children and raised fears among civil rights advocates of copycat efforts in other states. President Joe Biden has condemned the action and asked federal authorities to step in if cases of discrimination arise.

“This is actually the first time that they’ve succeeded in getting something that looks like a success,” said Kasey Suffredini, the CEO of Freedom for All Americans, a national gay and transgender rights group. “It’s incredibly painful. It is devastating.”

A court battle is underway to stop the investigations across Texas, with a hearing scheduled for Friday.

The fight over transgender issues, waged on several fronts in recent years, has increasingly focused on medical treatments for children.

Major medical groups — along with transgender advocates — back what is known as gender-affirming care, which involves supporting a child’s gender identity and social transition, often through clothes or a name. Such care can also eventually include puberty blockers or hormone treatments, though surgery is not recommended for children. While acknowledging some uncertainty and risk, they cite evidence that the approach can improve children’s mental health and reduce suicide.

Opponents — including some large conservative organizations — argue that children are too young to decide for themselves and must be shielded from potentially life-altering treatments that have only recently gained broader acceptance among the medical community.

Those at the center of the conservative push for new state laws include a coalition of familiar groups — the Heritage Foundation, Family Policy Alliance and Alliance Defending Freedom — that came together in the last two years.

Then last month, a newer player on the right, American Principles Project, took up the cause in Texas, spending more than $600,000 to run a series of highly produced ads on cable television featuring the case of Younger, who has become an outspoken supporter of restrictive legislation on transgender issues. The ads directly targeted Abbott during a hard-fought Republican primary, accusing the governor of not taking steps to “protect our children.”

By that point, Younger, 57, had testified repeatedly at the Capitol in Austin on measures to restrict transgender medical treatments. After the bills failed, he entered the Republican primary for an open seat in the Texas House of Representatives.

Last week, Younger came in second place, qualifying for the May runoff.

For conservative activists, the legislative push has been part of a broader national struggle over social issues, including legislation in Florida to ban teaching about gender identity in schools. Some of the same activists who defend the rights of parents in battles over school curriculum argue that, on the question of transgender treatment, children need protection from their own parents.

“Parents make all sorts of decisions with their kids,” said Craig DeRoche, the CEO of the Family Policy Alliance, part of the coalition helping legislators draft new transgender laws. “And as a community, we chime in as to which decisions should or shouldn’t be available to parents.”

But for many families in Texas, the threat of an investigation by the state has introduced new fears into an already challenging set of medical decisions. Children now worry that classmates or teachers could report their parents for possible abuse. Some families have taken steps to leave the state.

“We’re kind of looking over our shoulder a little bit,” said Autumn Tupper, 43, of Frisco, Texas, a Dallas suburb. Because of the governor’s directive, her son, Orion, 17, who came out as transgender over the past year, decided to delay gender-affirming hormone treatment until he turns 18 this summer.

The deeper roots of the current fight over transgender rights in Texas can be traced to a 2015 battle in Houston over a local anti-discrimination ordinance, which would have applied to a range of protected classes, including race, age and gender identity.

Opponents rallied around the notion that the bill would put women in danger by allowing men to enter women’s bathrooms, dubbing it the “bathroom ordinance.” Its defeat helped clear the way for a national conservative push to enact so-called bathroom bills aimed at transgender people.

But the bathroom effort stumbled. The one measure that passed, in North Carolina, was later repealed. In Texas, many social conservatives were angered at the state’s failure to pass such a law.

“This issue is not going to go away,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a firebrand former talk radio host, said at the time, in 2017.

By the next year, the custody case between Younger and Georgulas, in the Dallas suburb of Coppell, began to attract notice in conservative circles.

There have been other such cases of parents fighting over the gender identity of their children. But Younger sought attention with a website and a campaign that featured the birth name of his child. Among the first articles on the case appeared in The Federalist in 2018. Younger sat for many interviews, including with Infowars.

“You cannot understand the political situation in Texas without understanding my political advocacy,” Younger said in a 16-minute call with The New York Times in which he refused to answer questions. “You work for an evil and wicked organization,” he said. “I think you’ll use accuracy against my own values.”

A lawyer for Georgulas declined a request for comment, citing a gag order put in place by the judge in the case.

The couple fought bitterly in court for years. Their marriage was annulled by a court on the grounds of fraud by Younger, who had misrepresented his employment and marital history.

In court transcripts, Georgulas said she had followed the lead of her transgender child, who is now 9, and the determinations of doctors. She has denied forcing her child to identify as a girl as Younger has claimed. She has not provided any puberty blockers or hormones, though she supports their use, if recommended. She filled out intake papers for Genecis, a Dallas clinic specializing in transgender care, but had not yet begun treatment when it shut down last year amid pressure from Abbott.

“Everything that she did was on the basis of professional guidance,” said Karen Hirsch, a friend of Georgulas’s.

A court in August gave Georgulas custody of the children, including control of all medical decisions and the sole right “to make decisions concerning the children’s haircuts.” But it barred her from providing any puberty-blocking drugs, hormones or surgery without a court order.

The case’s growing public profile coincided with broadening medical acceptance of gender-affirming care — and a backlash. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2018 issued its first policy statement on the approach, which urges parents to support the identity expressed by their child and provides guidance for treatment, including medications that delay puberty.

In 2019, the Heritage Foundation, along with the Family Policy Alliance, hosted discussions in Washington on transgender athletes and transgender children, including a panel on the “medical harms” of hormonal and surgical interventions. The groups formed a coalition, known as Promise to America’s Children, and pressed for new laws.

Soon, bills were introduced on restricting transgender athletes and, in more than 20 states, legislatures considered prohibitions on gender-affirming medical care, including in Texas last year.

The bill, which passed in the Senate, failed in the House. And although a measure further restricting transgender athletes passed, some Texas conservatives were angry that the medical treatment bill had stalled.

The governor took note. Then the attorney general, Ken Paxton, facing a tough primary fight, issued an opinion that puberty-blocking drugs or hormone treatments could be considered child abuse under existing law in Texas.

Abbott, who was facing his own primary in days amid a barrage of American Principles Project ads, quickly directed the child protection agency to begin investigations. Among the first to be investigated was an employee of the agency.

The investigation was temporarily halted by a court in Austin last week.

“People don’t understand the treatment; they think it’s always surgery and it’s happening on children,” said Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice at the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued to stop the investigations along with Lambda Legal. Opponents, he added, have been “weaponizing the confusion.”

Abbott’s office did not respond to a request for comment. But his top campaign strategist told reporters last week that the issue of “genital mutilation” was a political winner.

“There’s this sense, especially among conservatives, that they’re losing their country,” said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project. “It was just a few years ago that we were debating gay marriage, and now we’re debating sex changes for minors. I mean, that’s exponential movement in terms of culture.”

Jeffery Younger fought for years with his ex-wife, a pediatrician, over the gender identity of one of their twins. While she followed the advice of their children’s doctor to affirm the child’s desire to dress as a girl, grow long hair and be known as Luna, Younger steadfastly objected.

Jeffery Younger fought for years with his ex-wife, a pediatrician, over the gender identity of one of their twins. While she followed the advice of their children’s doctor to affirm the child’s desire to dress as a girl, grow long hair and be known as Luna, Younger steadfastly objected. He resisted the new name, insisting instead on boys’ clothes, short haircuts and the name the couple had chosen at birth. What began in a single household in a small community outside Dallas became a very public custody battle between Younger and Dr. Anne Georgulas, transforming him into a folk hero among conservatives and amplifying a growing effort to roll back transgender protections in statehouses across America. It paved the way, too, for an order late last month by Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas to investigate parents for child abuse if they provide certain medical treatments to their transgender children. The abuse investigations ordered by Abbott, the first of their kind, represent the peak of a new round of action in state capitals aimed at transgender Americans, the most significant push by groups opposed to transgender rights since the national campaign to limit bathroom access foundered in 2017 and 2018. On Tuesday, a bill passed the Idaho House that would make medical treatments for transgender youth a felony, punishable by life in prison. But few predicted that it would go as far as it has in Texas. The directive by Abbott very quickly resulted in investigations by the Department of Family and Protective Services, prompted a major Houston hospital to restrict its care for transgender children and raised fears among civil rights advocates of copycat efforts in other states. President Joe Biden has condemned the action and asked federal authorities to step in if cases of discrimination arise. “This is actually the first time that they’ve succeeded in getting something that looks like a success,” said Kasey Suffredini, the CEO of Freedom for All Americans, a national gay and transgender rights group. “It’s incredibly painful. It is devastating.” A court battle is underway to stop the investigations across Texas, with a hearing scheduled for Friday. The fight over transgender issues, waged on several fronts in recent years, has increasingly focused on medical treatments for children. Major medical groups — along with transgender advocates — back what is known as gender-affirming care, which involves supporting a child’s gender identity and social transition, often through clothes or a name. Such care can also eventually include puberty blockers or hormone treatments, though surgery is not recommended for children. While acknowledging some uncertainty and risk, they cite evidence that the approach can improve children’s mental health and reduce suicide. Opponents — including some large conservative organizations — argue that children are too young to decide for themselves and must be shielded from potentially life-altering treatments that have only recently gained broader acceptance among the medical community. Those at the center of the conservative push for new state laws include a coalition of familiar groups — the Heritage Foundation, Family Policy Alliance and Alliance Defending Freedom — that came together in the last two years. Then last month, a newer player on the right, American Principles Project, took up the cause in Texas, spending more than $600,000 to run a series of highly produced ads on cable television featuring the case of Younger, who has become an outspoken supporter of restrictive legislation on transgender issues. The ads directly targeted Abbott during a hard-fought Republican primary, accusing the governor of not taking steps to “protect our children.” By that point, Younger, 57, had testified repeatedly at the Capitol in Austin on measures to restrict transgender medical treatments. After the bills failed, he entered the Republican primary for an open seat in the Texas House of Representatives. Last week, Younger came in second place, qualifying for the May runoff. For conservative activists, the legislative push has been part of a broader national struggle over social issues, including legislation in Florida to ban teaching about gender identity in schools. Some of the same activists who defend the rights of parents in battles over school curriculum argue that, on the question of transgender treatment, children need protection from their own parents. “Parents make all sorts of decisions with their kids,” said Craig DeRoche, the CEO of the Family Policy Alliance, part of the coalition helping legislators draft new transgender laws. “And as a community, we chime in as to which decisions should or shouldn’t be available to parents.” But for many families in Texas, the threat of an investigation by the state has introduced new fears into an already challenging set of medical decisions. Children now worry that classmates or teachers could report their parents for possible abuse. Some families have taken steps to leave the state. “We’re kind of looking over our shoulder a little bit,” said Autumn Tupper, 43, of Frisco, Texas, a Dallas suburb. Because of the governor’s directive, her son, Orion, 17, who came out as transgender over the past year, decided to delay gender-affirming hormone treatment until he turns 18 this summer. The deeper roots of the current fight over transgender rights in Texas can be traced to a 2015 battle in Houston over a local anti-discrimination ordinance, which would have applied to a range of protected classes, including race, age and gender identity. Opponents rallied around the notion that the bill would put women in danger by allowing men to enter women’s bathrooms, dubbing it the “bathroom ordinance.” Its defeat helped clear the way for a national conservative push to enact so-called bathroom bills aimed at transgender people. But the bathroom effort stumbled. The one measure that passed, in North Carolina, was later repealed. In Texas, many social conservatives were angered at the state’s failure to pass such a law. “This issue is not going to go away,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a firebrand former talk radio host, said at the time, in 2017. By the next year, the custody case between Younger and Georgulas, in the Dallas suburb of Coppell, began to attract notice in conservative circles. There have been other such cases of parents fighting over the gender identity of their children. But Younger sought attention with a website and a campaign that featured the birth name of his child. Among the first articles on the case appeared in The Federalist in 2018. Younger sat for many interviews, including with Infowars. “You cannot understand the political situation in Texas without understanding my political advocacy,” Younger said in a 16-minute call with The New York Times in which he refused to answer questions. “You work for an evil and wicked organization,” he said. “I think you’ll use accuracy against my own values.” A lawyer for Georgulas declined a request for comment, citing a gag order put in place by the judge in the case. The couple fought bitterly in court for years. Their marriage was annulled by a court on the grounds of fraud by Younger, who had misrepresented his employment and marital history. In court transcripts, Georgulas said she had followed the lead of her transgender child, who is now 9, and the determinations of doctors. She has denied forcing her child to identify as a girl as Younger has claimed. She has not provided any puberty blockers or hormones, though she supports their use, if recommended. She filled out intake papers for Genecis, a Dallas clinic specializing in transgender care, but had not yet begun treatment when it shut down last year amid pressure from Abbott. “Everything that she did was on the basis of professional guidance,” said Karen Hirsch, a friend of Georgulas’s. A court in August gave Georgulas custody of the children, including control of all medical decisions and the sole right “to make decisions concerning the children’s haircuts.” But it barred her from providing any puberty-blocking drugs, hormones or surgery without a court order. The case’s growing public profile coincided with broadening medical acceptance of gender-affirming care — and a backlash. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2018 issued its first policy statement on the approach, which urges parents to support the identity expressed by their child and provides guidance for treatment, including medications that delay puberty. In 2019, the Heritage Foundation, along with the Family Policy Alliance, hosted discussions in Washington on transgender athletes and transgender children, including a panel on the “medical harms” of hormonal and surgical interventions. The groups formed a coalition, known as Promise to America’s Children, and pressed for new laws. Soon, bills were introduced on restricting transgender athletes and, in more than 20 states, legislatures considered prohibitions on gender-affirming medical care, including in Texas last year. The bill, which passed in the Senate, failed in the House. And although a measure further restricting transgender athletes passed, some Texas conservatives were angry that the medical treatment bill had stalled. The governor took note. Then the attorney general, Ken Paxton, facing a tough primary fight, issued an opinion that puberty-blocking drugs or hormone treatments could be considered child abuse under existing law in Texas. Abbott, who was facing his own primary in days amid a barrage of American Principles Project ads, quickly directed the child protection agency to begin investigations. Among the first to be investigated was an employee of the agency. The investigation was temporarily halted by a court in Austin last week. “People don’t understand the treatment; they think it’s always surgery and it’s happening on children,” said Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice at the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued to stop the investigations along with Lambda Legal. Opponents, he added, have been “weaponizing the confusion.” Abbott’s office did not respond to a request for comment. But his top campaign strategist told reporters last week that the issue of “genital mutilation” was a political winner. “There’s this sense, especially among conservatives, that they’re losing their country,” said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project. “It was just a few years ago that we were debating gay marriage, and now we’re debating sex changes for minors. I mean, that’s exponential movement in terms of culture.”

How medical care for transgender youth became 'child abuse' in Texas

A Texas man who joined the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump was found guilty for his role in the attack on Tuesday (March 8), a milestone victory for federal prosecutors in the first such case to go before a jury.

The defendant,&nbsp;Guy&nbsp;Reffitt, was found guilty on all five of the felony charges he faced, including bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding.

Reffitt's trial was seen as an important test case as the U.S. Justice Department attempts to secure convictions from the hundreds of defendants who have not taken plea deals.

The federal jury in Washington returned the unanimous verdict after just two hours of deliberation.

Reffitt, who is currently in custody, will learn the length of his prison sentence at a court hearing scheduled for June 8.&nbsp;Reffitt&nbsp;faces up to 20 years in prison, although defendants rarely get the maximum sentence.

Reffitt&nbsp;never entered the Capitol, but the video showed him egging on the crowd and leading other rioters up a set of stairs outside the building.

Reffitt, who wore a bulletproof vest and a helmet, persisted up the staircase even as police officers pelted him with pepper balls and doused him with chemical spray.

Some 200 defendants have already pleaded guilty to charges relating to the attack, which sent lawmakers running for their lives.&nbsp;Reffitt's trial was seen as an important test case as the U.S. Justice Department attempts to secure convictions from the hundreds of defendants who have not taken plea deals.

A Texas man who joined the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump was found guilty for his role in the attack on Tuesday (March 8), a milestone victory for federal prosecutors in the first such case to go before a jury.

A Texas man who joined the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump was found guilty for his role in the attack on Tuesday (March 8), a milestone victory for federal prosecutors in the first such case to go before a jury. The defendant, Guy Reffitt, was found guilty on all five of the felony charges he faced, including bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding. Reffitt's trial was seen as an important test case as the U.S. Justice Department attempts to secure convictions from the hundreds of defendants who have not taken plea deals. The federal jury in Washington returned the unanimous verdict after just two hours of deliberation. Reffitt, who is currently in custody, will learn the length of his prison sentence at a court hearing scheduled for June 8. Reffitt faces up to 20 years in prison, although defendants rarely get the maximum sentence. Reffitt never entered the Capitol, but the video showed him egging on the crowd and leading other rioters up a set of stairs outside the building. Reffitt, who wore a bulletproof vest and a helmet, persisted up the staircase even as police officers pelted him with pepper balls and doused him with chemical spray. Some 200 defendants have already pleaded guilty to charges relating to the attack, which sent lawmakers running for their lives. Reffitt's trial was seen as an important test case as the U.S. Justice Department attempts to secure convictions from the hundreds of defendants who have not taken plea deals.

Texas man guilty for role in assault on US Capitol in landmark win for prosecutors

A state court in Texas on Wednesday temporarily halted the child abuse investigation of a family providing medical treatment for its transgender 16-year-old, but allowed other investigations to continue under a contentious policy initiated last week by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Soon after, President Joe Biden issued his first comments on the Texas policy, calling it “a cynical and dangerous campaign targeting transgender children and their parents.” He said he had directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take steps “to keep transgender children in Texas and their families safe — putting the state of Texas on notice that their discriminatory actions put children’s lives at risk.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-texas-transgender-minors-and-their-parents-face-probes-harassment-at-the-hands-of-republican-governor-458016">In Texas, transgender minors and their parents face probes, harassment at the hands of republican governor</a>

The intervention by the court in Austin, the state capital, came in response to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal on behalf of the parents of a transgender child who were being investigated for abuse by the Department of Family and Protective Services.

That inquiry immediately followed a directive by Abbott to conduct child abuse investigations when medically accepted treatments — including hormones or puberty-suppressing drugs, which doctors describe as gender-affirming care — are prescribed to transgender adolescents.

But the ruling Wednesday, a temporary restraining order by Judge Amy Clark Meachum, fell short of what the groups had asked the court to do: stop such child abuse investigations altogether. They argued that the governor’s directive and the investigations by the agency broadly violated the Texas Constitution and the constitutional rights of transgender youth, as well as of their parents, and were improperly issued under state law.

The court is set to consider those arguments March 11 and will decide whether to block the governor’s directive statewide, which would stop all related investigations or prosecutions.

Abbott’s directive followed an opinion by the state attorney general, Ken Paxton, that certain medical treatments for transgender children could be considered child abuse. The moves have had an immediate and chilling effect on the families of transgender youth in Texas, forcing some to consider halting recommended courses of medical treatment or even to leave the state. Investigations into other families have already begun, lawyers said.

The court’s ruling applied only to the family that brought the suit — identified as John and Jane Doe, the parents, and Mary Doe, their daughter — and a licensed psychologist in Houston, Dr. Megan Mooney, who is required to report suspected child abuse under Texas law. Mooney has a practice that includes transgender patients.

The court found that the family would “suffer irreparable injury” unless the state was immediately restrained from enforcing the governor’s directive. Jane Doe, an employee of the family protective agency, was placed on administrative leave after Abbott’s order. Investigators have already interviewed the family at home and sought medical records related to Mary.

The family members, Meachum wrote, “face the imminent and ongoing deprivation of their constitutional rights, the potential loss of necessary medical care, and the stigma attached to being the subject of an unfounded child abuse investigation.” She blocked the state from taking any adverse employment action against Jane Doe.

And in the case of Mooney, the judge wrote that, if she followed the governor’s directive, she would have been forced to choose between criminal prosecution for not reporting abuse, or potential civil liability for not treating patients “in accordance with professional standards and loss of licensure for failing to follow her professional ethics.”

Though the ruling was limited, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the message had been clear: The state’s investigation had “put the Doe family at incredible harm,” said Karen Loewy, senior counsel for Lambda Legal. “It would be pretty unconscionable for the agency to continue investigations when that’s the assessment,” she added.

Loewy said she thought the state was unlikely to appeal the temporary restraining order given its limited scope. “It would be extraordinary, and incredibly punitive for the state to appeal when at the moment the only relief is to the parties,” she said Wednesday evening.

Soon after, the state, represented by the attorney general’s office, appealed the ruling.

A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But in a call with reporters earlier Wednesday, the top strategist for Abbott’s reelection campaign, David Carney, said that being against medical treatment for transgender children, and treating it as child abuse, was a “winning issue” for the governor. Abbott is running for a third term in November.

“That is a 75 to 80% winner,” Carney said. “This is why the Democrats across the country are out of touch.”

A state court in Texas on Wednesday temporarily halted the child abuse investigation of a family providing medical treatment for its transgender 16-year-old, but allowed other investigations to continue under a contentious policy initiated last week by Gov.

A state court in Texas on Wednesday temporarily halted the child abuse investigation of a family providing medical treatment for its transgender 16-year-old, but allowed other investigations to continue under a contentious policy initiated last week by Gov. Greg Abbott. Soon after, President Joe Biden issued his first comments on the Texas policy, calling it “a cynical and dangerous campaign targeting transgender children and their parents.” He said he had directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take steps “to keep transgender children in Texas and their families safe — putting the state of Texas on notice that their discriminatory actions put children’s lives at risk.” Also read | In Texas, transgender minors and their parents face probes, harassment at the hands of republican governor The intervention by the court in Austin, the state capital, came in response to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal on behalf of the parents of a transgender child who were being investigated for abuse by the Department of Family and Protective Services. That inquiry immediately followed a directive by Abbott to conduct child abuse investigations when medically accepted treatments — including hormones or puberty-suppressing drugs, which doctors describe as gender-affirming care — are prescribed to transgender adolescents. But the ruling Wednesday, a temporary restraining order by Judge Amy Clark Meachum, fell short of what the groups had asked the court to do: stop such child abuse investigations altogether. They argued that the governor’s directive and the investigations by the agency broadly violated the Texas Constitution and the constitutional rights of transgender youth, as well as of their parents, and were improperly issued under state law. The court is set to consider those arguments March 11 and will decide whether to block the governor’s directive statewide, which would stop all related investigations or prosecutions. Abbott’s directive followed an opinion by the state attorney general, Ken Paxton, that certain medical treatments for transgender children could be considered child abuse. The moves have had an immediate and chilling effect on the families of transgender youth in Texas, forcing some to consider halting recommended courses of medical treatment or even to leave the state. Investigations into other families have already begun, lawyers said. The court’s ruling applied only to the family that brought the suit — identified as John and Jane Doe, the parents, and Mary Doe, their daughter — and a licensed psychologist in Houston, Dr. Megan Mooney, who is required to report suspected child abuse under Texas law. Mooney has a practice that includes transgender patients. The court found that the family would “suffer irreparable injury” unless the state was immediately restrained from enforcing the governor’s directive. Jane Doe, an employee of the family protective agency, was placed on administrative leave after Abbott’s order. Investigators have already interviewed the family at home and sought medical records related to Mary. The family members, Meachum wrote, “face the imminent and ongoing deprivation of their constitutional rights, the potential loss of necessary medical care, and the stigma attached to being the subject of an unfounded child abuse investigation.” She blocked the state from taking any adverse employment action against Jane Doe. And in the case of Mooney, the judge wrote that, if she followed the governor’s directive, she would have been forced to choose between criminal prosecution for not reporting abuse, or potential civil liability for not treating patients “in accordance with professional standards and loss of licensure for failing to follow her professional ethics.” Though the ruling was limited, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the message had been clear: The state’s investigation had “put the Doe family at incredible harm,” said Karen Loewy, senior counsel for Lambda Legal. “It would be pretty unconscionable for the agency to continue investigations when that’s the assessment,” she added. Loewy said she thought the state was unlikely to appeal the temporary restraining order given its limited scope. “It would be extraordinary, and incredibly punitive for the state to appeal when at the moment the only relief is to the parties,” she said Wednesday evening. Soon after, the state, represented by the attorney general’s office, appealed the ruling. A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in a call with reporters earlier Wednesday, the top strategist for Abbott’s reelection campaign, David Carney, said that being against medical treatment for transgender children, and treating it as child abuse, was a “winning issue” for the governor. Abbott is running for a third term in November. “That is a 75 to 80% winner,” Carney said. “This is why the Democrats across the country are out of touch.”

Texas court halts investigation of parents over care for transgender youth

Texas conservative Governor Greg Abbott is investigating parents of transgender kids under a controversial new order, according to a complaint filed Tuesday.

Governor Greg Abbott has called gender transition procedures for such minors "child abuse." &nbsp;

"Sex change procedures" constitute child abuse under existing Texas law according to Abbott's letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), published in the middle of an election campaign.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texas-attorney-general-calls-gender-affirming-surgeries-child-abuse-sparks-outrage-456164">Texas attorney general calls gender-affirming surgeries ‘child abuse’, sparks outrage</a>

Gender reassignment surgeries, he says, can result in sterilization and mastectomies. He also mentions puberty blockers, which slow the body's changes during adolescence.

The Republican governor wrote&nbsp;that the Department of Family and Protective Services has a duty to "investigate the parents of a child who is subjected to these abusive gender-transitioning procedures".

According to the court document, the mother of a transgender teen was suspended by her employer -- a Texas family services agency -- and visited by a Child Protective Services investigator who wanted to know whether her 16-year-old daughter was "currently transitioning from male to female."

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The family, supported by the influential US civil rights organization ACLU, sought to block Abbott's investigation and in general to invalidate his directive from February 22.

In their petition against the initial investigation, the unidentified plaintiffs claim that their family has suffered anxiety and fear and that their daughter has been "traumatised" by the prospect she could lose "access to the medical treatment that has enabled her to thrive."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: US senators want FDA to allow gay people to donate blood

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-senators-want-fda-to-allow-gay-people-to-donate-blood-446306/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In addition to the family, a licensed psychologist with many LGBT and transgender clients joined the complaint, expressly worried about being forced to report those clients to authorities by the Abbott directive.

Transgender minors' care, as well as their participation in sports competitions and use of public restrooms according to their gender identity, is a hotly debated issue in the United States, where many conservative states have taken steps to adopt restrictive regulations.

(With inputs from agencies)

Texas conservative Governor Greg Abbott is investigating parents of transgender kids under a controversial new order, according to a complaint filed Tuesday. Governor Greg Abbott has called gender transition procedures for such minors "child abuse.

Texas conservative Governor Greg Abbott is investigating parents of transgender kids under a controversial new order, according to a complaint filed Tuesday. Governor Greg Abbott has called gender transition procedures for such minors "child abuse." "Sex change procedures" constitute child abuse under existing Texas law according to Abbott's letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), published in the middle of an election campaign. Also read | Texas attorney general calls gender-affirming surgeries ‘child abuse’, sparks outrage Gender reassignment surgeries, he says, can result in sterilization and mastectomies. He also mentions puberty blockers, which slow the body's changes during adolescence. The Republican governor wrote that the Department of Family and Protective Services has a duty to "investigate the parents of a child who is subjected to these abusive gender-transitioning procedures". According to the court document, the mother of a transgender teen was suspended by her employer -- a Texas family services agency -- and visited by a Child Protective Services investigator who wanted to know whether her 16-year-old daughter was "currently transitioning from male to female." Also read | After Canadian Freedom Convoy, US 'People's Convoy' protests pandemic restrictions The family, supported by the influential US civil rights organization ACLU, sought to block Abbott's investigation and in general to invalidate his directive from February 22. In their petition against the initial investigation, the unidentified plaintiffs claim that their family has suffered anxiety and fear and that their daughter has been "traumatised" by the prospect she could lose "access to the medical treatment that has enabled her to thrive." Watch | Gravitas: US senators want FDA to allow gay people to donate blood In addition to the family, a licensed psychologist with many LGBT and transgender clients joined the complaint, expressly worried about being forced to report those clients to authorities by the Abbott directive. Transgender minors' care, as well as their participation in sports competitions and use of public restrooms according to their gender identity, is a hotly debated issue in the United States, where many conservative states have taken steps to adopt restrictive regulations. (With inputs from agencies)

In Texas, transgender minors and their parents face probes, harassment at the hands of republican governor

The Texas attorney general’s remark that gender-affirming surgeries among minors are cases of "child abuse" has triggered an outrage among trans rights groups who see it as an attack on transgender children.

In a legal opinion released this week, Ken Paxton argued that medical care such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgeries "must be halted."

He said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) "has a responsibility to act accordingly."

"There is no doubt that these procedures are "abuse" under Texas law and thus must be halted," Paxton said in a statement.

"I'll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans," he said.

In response to the opinion, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed DFPS Commissioner Jaime Masters "to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of any reported instances of these abusive procedures in the State of Texas."

It's unclear how much legal standing the order and opinion will have, reported CNN.

The views expressed by the highest officials in Texas were met with condemnation by the trans rights group, who said that "deliberately attacking children and making life harder for them is shocking and un-American."

"Every major medical association in the country supports healthcare for transgender youth, but Republican Gov. Abbott is ignoring experts on children's issues to cruelly and viciously target transgender young people," CEO and president of the LGBTQ non-profit GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis, said in a statement.

Texas government has increasingly taken socially conservative stands in recent years, even as&nbsp;its population's political leanings have drifted away from being a Republican state.

The actions come after a series of anti-trans bills that failed to materialise in recent years, some of which would have included preventing transgender Texans from using bathrooms according to their gender identity rather than their biological sex in government buildings and public schools and universities.

According to a study from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, the state has&nbsp;the second highest number of trans people&nbsp;in the US, with some 125,350 adults in Texas identifying as transgender.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Texas attorney general’s remark that gender-affirming surgeries among minors are cases of "child abuse" has triggered an outrage among trans rights groups who see it as an attack on transgender children.

The Texas attorney general’s remark that gender-affirming surgeries among minors are cases of "child abuse" has triggered an outrage among trans rights groups who see it as an attack on transgender children. In a legal opinion released this week, Ken Paxton argued that medical care such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgeries "must be halted." He said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) "has a responsibility to act accordingly." "There is no doubt that these procedures are "abuse" under Texas law and thus must be halted," Paxton said in a statement. "I'll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans," he said. In response to the opinion, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed DFPS Commissioner Jaime Masters "to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of any reported instances of these abusive procedures in the State of Texas." It's unclear how much legal standing the order and opinion will have, reported CNN. The views expressed by the highest officials in Texas were met with condemnation by the trans rights group, who said that "deliberately attacking children and making life harder for them is shocking and un-American." "Every major medical association in the country supports healthcare for transgender youth, but Republican Gov. Abbott is ignoring experts on children's issues to cruelly and viciously target transgender young people," CEO and president of the LGBTQ non-profit GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis, said in a statement. Texas government has increasingly taken socially conservative stands in recent years, even as its population's political leanings have drifted away from being a Republican state. The actions come after a series of anti-trans bills that failed to materialise in recent years, some of which would have included preventing transgender Texans from using bathrooms according to their gender identity rather than their biological sex in government buildings and public schools and universities. According to a study from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, the state has the second highest number of trans people in the US, with some 125,350 adults in Texas identifying as transgender. (With inputs from agencies)

Texas attorney general calls gender-affirming surgeries ‘child abuse’, sparks outrage

A butterfly sanctuary in Texas was forced to shut down after threats from the supporters of former US president Donald Trump who accused the facility of helping illegal immigrants enter the US.

A conspiracy was doing the rounds that the National Butterfly Center in Texas, located on the banks of the Rio Grande that separates the United States from Mexico, has been helping immigrants enter America illegally.

Several US media reported that a far-right group, QAnon, was responsible for perpetuating the lies. It is being reported that the group was trying to target the facility after the latter filed a complaint against the construction of the border wall, citing the threat&nbsp;to the butterfly habitat.

The construction of a wall along the Mexico border was one of the poll planks of Trump.

The facility was already closed between January 28 and 30 because of “credible threats” related to an event held by supporters of the former president in nearby McAllen.

Photos purporting to be from the centre had been circulating along with messages accusing the organisation of helping smugglers bring migrants to the United States.

Several right-wing activists have posted videos on social media of themselves in front of the sanctuary.

"We don't think the threat has passed," the sanctuary's executive director Marianna Trevino Wright told AFP on Wednesday, citing repeated "provocations" from these individuals.

The private sanctuary's gardens are home to more than 200 species of butterfly as well as bobcats, coyotes, peccaries, armadillos and Texas tortoises.

The QAnon far-right conspiracy movement began in 2017 with claims that the Democrats ran a satanic child-kidnapping sex-trafficking ring, and it has been blamed for fuelling a riot at the US Capitol on January 6 last year.

(With inputs from agencies)

A butterfly sanctuary in Texas was forced to shut down after threats from the supporters of former US president Donald Trump who accused the facility of helping illegal immigrants enter the US.

A butterfly sanctuary in Texas was forced to shut down after threats from the supporters of former US president Donald Trump who accused the facility of helping illegal immigrants enter the US. A conspiracy was doing the rounds that the National Butterfly Center in Texas, located on the banks of the Rio Grande that separates the United States from Mexico, has been helping immigrants enter America illegally. Several US media reported that a far-right group, QAnon, was responsible for perpetuating the lies. It is being reported that the group was trying to target the facility after the latter filed a complaint against the construction of the border wall, citing the threat to the butterfly habitat. The construction of a wall along the Mexico border was one of the poll planks of Trump. The facility was already closed between January 28 and 30 because of “credible threats” related to an event held by supporters of the former president in nearby McAllen. Photos purporting to be from the centre had been circulating along with messages accusing the organisation of helping smugglers bring migrants to the United States. Several right-wing activists have posted videos on social media of themselves in front of the sanctuary. "We don't think the threat has passed," the sanctuary's executive director Marianna Trevino Wright told AFP on Wednesday, citing repeated "provocations" from these individuals. The private sanctuary's gardens are home to more than 200 species of butterfly as well as bobcats, coyotes, peccaries, armadillos and Texas tortoises. The QAnon far-right conspiracy movement began in 2017 with claims that the Democrats ran a satanic child-kidnapping sex-trafficking ring, and it has been blamed for fuelling a riot at the US Capitol on January 6 last year. (With inputs from agencies)

Texas butterfly sanctuary shuts down after threats from Trump supporters

Former US President Donald Trump teased on Saturday (local time) that he may run to become US president in the 2024&nbsp;US Presidential Election and said that if he becomes president, he would pardon those facing criminal charges over the Capitol Hill attack.

In the aftermath of the US Presidential Election 2020, Trump had repeatedly claimed that the election was rigged against him. After his rally in Washington on January 6, his supporters had attacked US Capitol Building in which US Congress was in the process to certify Joe Biden's election victory.

On Saturday, Trump was speaking at a rally in Conroe, Texas.&nbsp;

"If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly," Trump said to applause. "We will treat them fairly. And if it requires pardons we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly."

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Thousands of Trump supporters had stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This was considered the worst assault on US Congress since the War of 1812.

One police officer who responded to the scene died the day after the attack, while four others who guarded the Capitol died later by suicide. About 140 police officers were injured during the hours-long attack. Four rioters also died. More than 700 people have been charged with joining in the assault.

Trump's rally has come just when Joe Biden's approval ratings were plummeting. A recent Pew survey revealed that Biden's support among African-American voters was diminishing as well.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump teased on Saturday (local time) that he may run to become US president in the 2024 US Presidential Election and said that if he becomes president, he would pardon those facing criminal charges over the Capitol Hill attack.

Former US President Donald Trump teased on Saturday (local time) that he may run to become US president in the 2024 US Presidential Election and said that if he becomes president, he would pardon those facing criminal charges over the Capitol Hill attack. In the aftermath of the US Presidential Election 2020, Trump had repeatedly claimed that the election was rigged against him. After his rally in Washington on January 6, his supporters had attacked US Capitol Building in which US Congress was in the process to certify Joe Biden's election victory. On Saturday, Trump was speaking at a rally in Conroe, Texas. "If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly," Trump said to applause. "We will treat them fairly. And if it requires pardons we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly." × Thousands of Trump supporters had stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This was considered the worst assault on US Congress since the War of 1812. One police officer who responded to the scene died the day after the attack, while four others who guarded the Capitol died later by suicide. About 140 police officers were injured during the hours-long attack. Four rioters also died. More than 700 people have been charged with joining in the assault. Trump's rally has come just when Joe Biden's approval ratings were plummeting. A recent Pew survey revealed that Biden's support among African-American voters was diminishing as well. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump teases presidential run, says would pardon Capitol Hill attack accused

A man in Texas named Zachary Taylor Blood has admitted that he was trying to smuggle two people into the United States in a coffin, as per the US Department of Justice's Southern District of Texas. &nbsp;

The justice department revealed on Wednesday (January 26) that the 33-years-old used coffin draped with an American flag, just like those carry soldiers killed in combat.&nbsp;

It has also been understood that those two men in the coffin were Mexican nationals, who admitted to having crossed the Rio Grande river into the US and paying a man to take them to the Texas city of San Antonio.&nbsp;

The suspect was caught when in October he drove a van "modified to transport caskets" to a checkpoint near the US-Mexico border in Texas, federal prosecutor Jennifer Lowery's office said in a statement.

When asked by agents what he was transporting, Blood responded "dead guy, Navy guy," according to the statement. "However, the coffin was in poor condition and the American flag was taped to the top with packing tape," the Justice Department said.&nbsp;

As per the reports, Blood faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.&nbsp;

According to official statistics, the United States recorded nearly two million migrant apprehensions for illegal entry into the country along its southern border with Mexico in 2021.&nbsp;

Migrant arrivals to the United States declined markedly during the initial phase of the Covid-19 pandemic but began to pick up later in 2020, before surging since President Joe Biden took office in January last year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A man in Texas named Zachary Taylor Blood has admitted that he was trying to smuggle two people into the United States in a coffin, as per the US Department of Justice's Southern District of Texas.

A man in Texas named Zachary Taylor Blood has admitted that he was trying to smuggle two people into the United States in a coffin, as per the US Department of Justice's Southern District of Texas. The justice department revealed on Wednesday (January 26) that the 33-years-old used coffin draped with an American flag, just like those carry soldiers killed in combat. It has also been understood that those two men in the coffin were Mexican nationals, who admitted to having crossed the Rio Grande river into the US and paying a man to take them to the Texas city of San Antonio. The suspect was caught when in October he drove a van "modified to transport caskets" to a checkpoint near the US-Mexico border in Texas, federal prosecutor Jennifer Lowery's office said in a statement. When asked by agents what he was transporting, Blood responded "dead guy, Navy guy," according to the statement. "However, the coffin was in poor condition and the American flag was taped to the top with packing tape," the Justice Department said. As per the reports, Blood faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. According to official statistics, the United States recorded nearly two million migrant apprehensions for illegal entry into the country along its southern border with Mexico in 2021. Migrant arrivals to the United States declined markedly during the initial phase of the Covid-19 pandemic but began to pick up later in 2020, before surging since President Joe Biden took office in January last year. (With inputs from agencies)

A man in Texas admits he was trying to smuggle migrants to US in coffin draped in American flag

A British Pakistani took hostages in America's Texas this weekend. The terrorist was the brother of "Lady Al-Qaeda" - a woman who is serving an 86-year-long jail term in the US. Is Britain the new laboratory for radical Islam? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: United Kingdom: A new launchpad for terror attacks?

The man who held four people hostage at a Texas synagogue has been identified by the FBI as Malik Faisal Akram, he was a 44 year old British citizen. Now an hour's long standoff began in Colleyville, Texas when a man took over services at congregation the man could be heard ranting on a live stream he was demanding the release of a Pakistani neuroscientist.

FBI identifies Texas synagogue hostage-taker, who demanded Pak terrorist's release

US authorities identified as a British citizen the gunman who, on Saturday (January 15), held four people as hostages at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas.&nbsp;

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) named the 44-year-old British citizen Malik Faisal Akram from Blackburn. Although, there was not sufficient information on why he&nbsp;had targeted the synagogue.&nbsp;

Akram had interrupted a morning service at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in the suburb of Dallas. He was shot dead after a 10-hour standoff with police in Colleyville.&nbsp;

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A man identifying himself as Akram's brother Gulbar said in a Facebook post that the suspect had suffered from mental health problems.

"We would like to say that we as a family do not condone any of his actions and would like to sincerely apologize wholeheartedly to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident," Gulbar said in the post to a Muslim community Facebook page.&nbsp;

An FBI Hostage Rescue Team stormed the synagogue on Saturday night to free the remaining three hostages; one other hostage had been freed earlier.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-crisis-us-ready-ready-either-way-says-biden-aide-445278">Ukraine crisis: US 'ready either way', says Biden aide</a>

In the aftermath, UK police have arrested two teenagers as part of the investigation in relation to the Texas synagogue situation.&nbsp;

"Two teenagers were detained in South Manchester this evening. They remain in custody," the Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.&nbsp;

Although, the FBI's field office in Dallas had earlier said there was "no indication" that anyone else was involved in the attack on the synagogue.&nbsp;

Biden condemns the synagogue attack

The US President Joe Biden condemned the attack and called it an act of terror. He said, "This was an act of terror; it was an act of terror," Biden said on Sunday (January 16) in a visit to Philadelphia.&nbsp;

Biden was in Philadelphia to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a visit to the Philabundance food bank, the same stop he made last year.

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&nbsp;

US authorities identified as a British citizen the gunman who, on Saturday (January 15), held four people as hostages at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) named the 44-year-old British citizen Malik Faisal Akram from Blackburn.

US authorities identified as a British citizen the gunman who, on Saturday (January 15), held four people as hostages at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) named the 44-year-old British citizen Malik Faisal Akram from Blackburn. Although, there was not sufficient information on why he had targeted the synagogue. Akram had interrupted a morning service at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in the suburb of Dallas. He was shot dead after a 10-hour standoff with police in Colleyville. ALSO READ | Russia cannot have NATO creeping into Ukraine anymore, Putin spokesman says A man identifying himself as Akram's brother Gulbar said in a Facebook post that the suspect had suffered from mental health problems. "We would like to say that we as a family do not condone any of his actions and would like to sincerely apologize wholeheartedly to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident," Gulbar said in the post to a Muslim community Facebook page. An FBI Hostage Rescue Team stormed the synagogue on Saturday night to free the remaining three hostages; one other hostage had been freed earlier. ALSO READ | Ukraine crisis: US 'ready either way', says Biden aide In the aftermath, UK police have arrested two teenagers as part of the investigation in relation to the Texas synagogue situation. "Two teenagers were detained in South Manchester this evening. They remain in custody," the Greater Manchester Police said in a statement. Although, the FBI's field office in Dallas had earlier said there was "no indication" that anyone else was involved in the attack on the synagogue. Biden condemns the synagogue attack The US President Joe Biden condemned the attack and called it an act of terror. He said, "This was an act of terror; it was an act of terror," Biden said on Sunday (January 16) in a visit to Philadelphia. Biden was in Philadelphia to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a visit to the Philabundance food bank, the same stop he made last year. ×

US authorities identify Texas hostage-taker as British citizen; UK police arrest two teens

The man who died after holding four people hostage at a Texas synagogue was identified by the FBI as a 44-year-old British citizen named Malik Faisal Akram. US President Joe Biden has called this incident an “act of terror”.

FBI identifies Texas hostage-taker as British citizen named Malik Faisal Akram

Man who took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue has died. The captives who were held inside a Synagogue were rescued unharmed.

Texas synagogue standoff ends with all of the hostages rescued unharmed

An unidentified man in Texas had taken hostage four people at a synagogue, demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, dubbed as the “Lady Qaeda”, who is currently lodged in US jail.

After a 10-hour stand-off, all the people were freed unharmed and the gunman was killed, Colleyville Police Chief Michael Miller said at a news conference.

The FBI said they have confirmed the identity of the gunman but had not yet disclosed it.

During the stand-off, the man claimed to be Siddiqui’s brother, which was later found to be false.

Even though the FBI declined to confirm the cause of his death, saying it was still under investigation, the relationship between the attacker and Aafia Siddiqui is yet to be ascertained.

Who is Aafia Siddiqui?

Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist who studied in the United States at prestigious institutions — Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

She lived in the United States from roughly 1991 to June 2002.

After the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001, she was said to be radicalised came and subsequently, came under the FBI’s radar for making donations to Islamic organisations and was also linked to the purchase of $10,000 worth of night-vision goggles and books on warfare.

The US suspected she joined Al-Qaeda from America, returning to Pakistan where she married into the family of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed —an architect of the 9/11 attacks.

Siddiqui then disappeared around 2003, along with her three children, in Karachi.

She resurfaced five years later in Afghanistan where she was arrested on the suspicion of trying to attack the governor of Afghanistan's Ghazni province.

When she was captured, Siddiqui was carrying notes detailing a “mass casualty attack” on New York City sites, including the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge, according to prosecutors and&nbsp;court&nbsp;records.&nbsp;

When she was brought for interrogation, Siddiqui grabbed the M-4 military rifle of a chief warrant officer and opened fire, wounding few members of US special forces unit.

Subsequently, Siddiqui was detained and flown to the United States.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hostage-crisis-at-us-synagogue-ends-everyone-out-alive-safe-445112">Hostage crisis at US synagogue ends: Everyone out alive, safe</a>

On February 3, 2010, a federal jury found her guilty of all counts related to the attack, including attempting to kill U.S. nationals outside the United States; attempting to kill U.S. officers and employees; and armed assault of US officers and employees.

Who else is seeking her release?

For long, her release has been sought by militant Islamists, including ISIS, and even many US Muslim groups who have said that she is innocent and should be freed.

Al-Qaeda had even called on Muslims to “avenge” the decision to jail her.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst, tweeted, “Siddiqui isn’t well known in the US, but in Pakistan, she's a big name —many view her as an innocent victim.”

During his election campaign, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, an open critic of the US-led “war on terror”, vowed to get her released.

In a previous article, he described her as a cause celebre among terrorists, and said she was viewed as a "powerful symbol of how poorly Americans treat innocent Muslims in the global campaign against terror".

What’s the latest on Siddiqui’s imprisonment?

Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year sentence, is being held at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

She was attacked in July by another inmate at the facility and suffered serious injuries, according to court documents.

A lawyer representing Siddiqui, Marwa Elbially, told CNN in a statement the man was not Siddiqui’s brother. He implored the man to release the hostages, saying Siddiqui’s family condemned his “heinous” actions.

(With inputs from agencies)

An unidentified man in Texas had taken hostage four people at a synagogue, demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, dubbed as the “Lady Qaeda”, who is currently lodged in US jail.

An unidentified man in Texas had taken hostage four people at a synagogue, demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, dubbed as the “Lady Qaeda”, who is currently lodged in US jail. After a 10-hour stand-off, all the people were freed unharmed and the gunman was killed, Colleyville Police Chief Michael Miller said at a news conference. The FBI said they have confirmed the identity of the gunman but had not yet disclosed it. During the stand-off, the man claimed to be Siddiqui’s brother, which was later found to be false. Even though the FBI declined to confirm the cause of his death, saying it was still under investigation, the relationship between the attacker and Aafia Siddiqui is yet to be ascertained. Who is Aafia Siddiqui? Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist who studied in the United States at prestigious institutions — Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She lived in the United States from roughly 1991 to June 2002. After the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001, she was said to be radicalised came and subsequently, came under the FBI’s radar for making donations to Islamic organisations and was also linked to the purchase of $10,000 worth of night-vision goggles and books on warfare. The US suspected she joined Al-Qaeda from America, returning to Pakistan where she married into the family of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed —an architect of the 9/11 attacks. Siddiqui then disappeared around 2003, along with her three children, in Karachi. She resurfaced five years later in Afghanistan where she was arrested on the suspicion of trying to attack the governor of Afghanistan's Ghazni province. When she was captured, Siddiqui was carrying notes detailing a “mass casualty attack” on New York City sites, including the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge, according to prosecutors and court records. When she was brought for interrogation, Siddiqui grabbed the M-4 military rifle of a chief warrant officer and opened fire, wounding few members of US special forces unit. Subsequently, Siddiqui was detained and flown to the United States. Also read | Hostage crisis at US synagogue ends: Everyone out alive, safe On February 3, 2010, a federal jury found her guilty of all counts related to the attack, including attempting to kill U.S. nationals outside the United States; attempting to kill U.S. officers and employees; and armed assault of US officers and employees. Who else is seeking her release? For long, her release has been sought by militant Islamists, including ISIS, and even many US Muslim groups who have said that she is innocent and should be freed. Al-Qaeda had even called on Muslims to “avenge” the decision to jail her. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst, tweeted, “Siddiqui isn’t well known in the US, but in Pakistan, she's a big name —many view her as an innocent victim.” During his election campaign, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, an open critic of the US-led “war on terror”, vowed to get her released. In a previous article, he described her as a cause celebre among terrorists, and said she was viewed as a "powerful symbol of how poorly Americans treat innocent Muslims in the global campaign against terror". What’s the latest on Siddiqui’s imprisonment? Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year sentence, is being held at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. She was attacked in July by another inmate at the facility and suffered serious injuries, according to court documents. A lawyer representing Siddiqui, Marwa Elbially, told CNN in a statement the man was not Siddiqui’s brother. He implored the man to release the hostages, saying Siddiqui’s family condemned his “heinous” actions. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Aafia Siddiqui, the Pak prisoner at the centre of Texas hostage situation?

An ancient rock art at the Big Bend National Park has been vandalised and ''irreparably damaged'' in Texas.

The National Park Service said, ''A panel of ancient petroglyphs in the Indian Head area of Big Bend National Park was irreparably damaged when vandals chose to boldly scratch their names and the date across the prehistoric art.''

The antique art was between 3,000 and 8,500 years old as per Tom VandenBerg, chief of interpretation and visitor services with Big Bend National Park.

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"The particular style of rock art that was damaged in this instance is classified by archeologists as the 'Pecked Abstract Tradition," VandenBerg said. "It is characterized by abstract, complex, geometric shapes and lines."

"Park managers have seen an increase in vandalism and graffiti in the area, and ask anyone with information about these incidents, or the persons involved, to contact the law enforcement staff of Big Bend National Park," officials said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/trump-hollywood-star-vandal-charged-with-marilyn-monroe-statue-theft-230200">Also read |&nbsp;Trump 'Hollywood star' vandal charged with Marilyn Monroe statue theft</a>

“Big Bend National Park belongs to all of us. Damaging natural features and rock art destroys the very beauty and history that the American people want to protect in our parks,” aid the park’s superintendent, Bob Krumenaker.

“With each instance of vandalism, part of our Nation’s heritage is lost forever.”

“Trained staff will attempt to mitigate the damage as quickly as possible, using highly specialized techniques,” read a statement from the park team.

“Staff have already treated the most recent vandalism at Indian Head, but much of the damage is, unfortunately, permanent.”

Big Bend National Park includes the entire Chisos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

An ancient rock art at the Big Bend National Park has been vandalised and ''irreparably damaged'' in Texas. The National Park Service said, ''A panel of ancient petroglyphs in the Indian Head area of Big Bend National Park was irreparably damaged when vandals chose to boldly scratch their names and the date across the prehistoric art.

An ancient rock art at the Big Bend National Park has been vandalised and ''irreparably damaged'' in Texas. The National Park Service said, ''A panel of ancient petroglyphs in the Indian Head area of Big Bend National Park was irreparably damaged when vandals chose to boldly scratch their names and the date across the prehistoric art.'' The antique art was between 3,000 and 8,500 years old as per Tom VandenBerg, chief of interpretation and visitor services with Big Bend National Park. Also read | JK Rowling's handprint vandalised with red paint amid 'transphobic' row "The particular style of rock art that was damaged in this instance is classified by archeologists as the 'Pecked Abstract Tradition," VandenBerg said. "It is characterized by abstract, complex, geometric shapes and lines." "Park managers have seen an increase in vandalism and graffiti in the area, and ask anyone with information about these incidents, or the persons involved, to contact the law enforcement staff of Big Bend National Park," officials said. Also read | Trump 'Hollywood star' vandal charged with Marilyn Monroe statue theft “Big Bend National Park belongs to all of us. Damaging natural features and rock art destroys the very beauty and history that the American people want to protect in our parks,” aid the park’s superintendent, Bob Krumenaker. “With each instance of vandalism, part of our Nation’s heritage is lost forever.” “Trained staff will attempt to mitigate the damage as quickly as possible, using highly specialized techniques,” read a statement from the park team. “Staff have already treated the most recent vandalism at Indian Head, but much of the damage is, unfortunately, permanent.” Big Bend National Park includes the entire Chisos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert. (With inputs from agencies)

'Irreparably damaged': Ancient rock art that was thousands of years old has been vandalised

A school teacher from Texas state in US has been arrested for allegedly locking her Covid positive son in a car trunk to protect herself from contracting the disease while driving to a testing centre.

Sarah Beam, 41, has been reportedly charged with endangering her 13-year-old child, according to local media reports.

The incident is said to have taken place earlier this week on Monday when Beem was taking her son to a drive-thru Covid testing centre.

According to reports, an official at the testing centre heard voices coming from the trunk. When inquired, the teacher reportedly opened the boot, revealing the boy lying inside.

According to click2houston.com, Beam told authorities that she locked her 13-year-old son inside to protect herself from the exposure. She was taking her son for another test to confirm the result.

A health worker at the site reportedly told Beam that no test would be done until the boy was allowed to sit in the back seat of the car, according to ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.

Beam has been working as a teacher at Cypress Falls High School since 2011, but is now on administrative leave, according to local media.

In a statement, Cy-Fair ISD Police Department said, “CFPD was alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru Covid-19 testing site earlier this week.

"Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. Thankfully, the child was not harmed."

(With inputs from agencies)

A school teacher from Texas state in US has been arrested for allegedly locking her Covid positive son in a car trunk to protect herself from contracting the disease while driving to a testing centre.

A school teacher from Texas state in US has been arrested for allegedly locking her Covid positive son in a car trunk to protect herself from contracting the disease while driving to a testing centre. Sarah Beam, 41, has been reportedly charged with endangering her 13-year-old child, according to local media reports. The incident is said to have taken place earlier this week on Monday when Beem was taking her son to a drive-thru Covid testing centre. According to reports, an official at the testing centre heard voices coming from the trunk. When inquired, the teacher reportedly opened the boot, revealing the boy lying inside. According to click2houston.com, Beam told authorities that she locked her 13-year-old son inside to protect herself from the exposure. She was taking her son for another test to confirm the result. A health worker at the site reportedly told Beam that no test would be done until the boy was allowed to sit in the back seat of the car, according to ABC affiliate KTRK-TV. Beam has been working as a teacher at Cypress Falls High School since 2011, but is now on administrative leave, according to local media. In a statement, Cy-Fair ISD Police Department said, “CFPD was alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru Covid-19 testing site earlier this week. "Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. Thankfully, the child was not harmed." (With inputs from agencies)

US mom locks Covid positive son in car trunk to avoid contracting virus, arrested

While criticising US President Joe Biden's immigration policies, Texas Governor inaugurated the first stretch of border barrier.

Amid the ongoing migrant crisis, Texas starts constructing its own border wall with Mexico

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