Uvalde families denounce new report clearing police officers of blame: 'It's disrespectful'

This is beyond obscene. It's a cowardly cover-up. Police response to the shooting was criminal incompetence and neglect:

Uvalde families denounce new report clearing police officers of blame: 'It's disrespectful' Parents, family members, and Uvalde residents let out tearful and impassioned cries rejecting the city-commissioned report's conclusion on Thursday. www.usatoday.com

An investigation commissioned by Uvalde city leaders, presented during a city council meeting Thursday, defended the response by local police in the deadly 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School, prompting several family members to walk out of the meeting and denounce conclusions of the report.

The police behaved like cowards:

Incredulous parents could not believe Prado's defense for a failed police response when he said officers acted in good faith. Prado said officers lacked rifle-rated shields to counter the bullets from the killer's AR-15 assault rifle — even though no active shooter training requires any type of shield, but rather mandates officers act immediately to stop a mass killer.

Executions on the Rise under Saudi Ruler MBS

This is Biden's friend, and Trump. Just like Putin and Netanyahu, Mohammed Bin Salman has no respect or fear of the occupant of the White House. This is giving the Saudi ruler a green light to increase his barbarous rule:

Brutal executions are on the rise in Saudi Arabia under the reign of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with human rights activists calling the score of beheadings and crucifixions a 'relentless killing spree'.

The Saudi authorities have killed hundreds in capital punishments since the Crown Prince's tenure started in 2015, hitting a new milestone that Amnesty International said reveals the kingdom's 'chilling disregard for the right to life'. 

Despite bin Salman promising he would limit the use of capital punishments, the number nearly doubled since he took the throne, according to NGO Reprieve. From 2010 to 2014 there was an average of 70.8 executions per year but from 2015 to 2022 there was an average of 129.5 executions per year – a rise of 82 per cent.

Oil is thicker than blood. And the U.S. government won't do anything to prevent the free flow of Saudi crude. Human life be damned. 

 

The son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid got his prison time reduced for a DWI crash that left a child with a brain injury

It's good to have connections in high places. And if you are the son of one of the most famous people in Missouri you get a out of jail free card:

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday shortened the prison sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a 5-year-old girl.

Parson's commutation converted the remainder of Reid's three-year prison sentence to house arrest, subject to several conditions. Reid had been sentenced in November 2022 after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. He is the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid.

Doesn't matter the sentence for driving drunk and almost killing a child gets 3 years is outrageous. 

Oh, this is the same governor who pardoned a couple that pointed guns at peaceful protestors. Parsons, a Republican, who is a former Sheriff, you would think he'd be a law and order guy. That's only for show, obviously. GOP hypocrisy is built in with the job. Especially after Trump became president.

U.S. Serviceman Sets himself on Fire to Protest Genocide in Gaza

This was a horrific act of self-sacrifice for an important cause. There have been others of throughout history taking such drastic action to bring attention to a important issue. It is always done to bring peace. It was a similar act in Tunisia that led to the Arab Spring Uprising in that country over a decade ago.

🚨BREAKING: US ARMED FORCES MAN SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE.

More footage released of Aaron Bushnell, 25, showing a blurred version of Bushnell’s protest today against genocide in Palestine at Israel’s embassy in Washington DC.

Consent and footage was provided to: taliaotg. https://t.co/mlBvdfsU1C pic.twitter.com/uXfv6T2zum

— Suppressed Voice. (@SuppressedNws) February 26, 2024

 

HORRIBLE: A protestor (claimed to be an active duty member of the US Air Force) committed an act of self-immolation (burning himself alive) in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC today. He shouted:

“I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to… pic.twitter.com/e7YTqatTrE

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 25, 2024

Absolutely heartshattering.

May the memory of 25 year old Aaron Bushnell be a blessing. May his sacrifice be a call to action for those with the ability to do something and a haunting reminder for those who refuse to change course. https://t.co/CQQ2MhxC4W pic.twitter.com/9wGAv5LJQr

— Mai El-Sadany (@maitelsadany) February 26, 2024

'Heartless dictator-sympathizer': Fox News guest turns on Trump over 'murderous' Putin

 There are some on the right who are patriotic enough to call out Trump:

National Review reporter Caroline Downey faulted Donald Trump after the former president declined to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

During a Sunday Fox News panel discussion about Trump's remarks, Downey said Trump made a mistake by omitting Putin's role in Navalny's death. Instead, Trump compared himself to the dead opposition leader.

 

Source: Raw Story

What We Know About the Death of a Nonbinary Student in Oklahoma

 Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old student, died one day after an altercation with classmates in a school bathroom in Oklahoma, renewing scrutiny over the state’s strict gender policies.

Source: NY Times

Thousands of protestors in DC demand Israel to face accountability for genocide charges in ICC

Who's Helped by Raising the Minimum Wage?

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Millions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Could Be Released in Florida

Scientists could release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys in an attempt to kill off insects that spread the diseases dengue and chikungunya — if their proposal wins regulatory approval. 

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What if we cared about those living in poverty as much as we care about celebrities?

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Op-Ed The Trans-Pacific Partnership won't deliver jobs or curb China's power

This article comes from someone who is an expert on the subject and worked for Reagan and Clinton:

As counselor to the secretary of Commerce in the Reagan administration, I was involved in a number of trade negotiations, including the so-called MOSS (market-oriented sector-selective) talks. Some veteran negotiators waggishly renamed those negotiations — to paraphrase in family friendly terms — “more of the same old stuff.” And that's what President Obama called for in his State of the Union proposal for completion and adoption of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement, or TPP, for the Asia-Pacific region.

The president, unfortunately, doesn't know much about the history of U.S. trade deals, but his proposals are being touted by many who do and who should know better about this one.

Analysis: Secret Israeli-Saudi ties likely to continue despite Abdullah's death

 This kind of article wouldn't appear in the U.S. press. There is no debate about our relationship with Israel in America. Any paper that wrote an article like this might be accused of being anti-Israel, or worse:

The tacit security and intelligence cooperation that has come to characterize Israel’s clandestine relationship with Saudi Arabia is likely to remain intact even as the House of Saud undergoes a transition of power following Thursday’s passing of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

“The changes that the Middle East has experienced in recent years have created a set of joint interests between the two countries,” said Dr. Michal Yaari, an expert on Saudi foreign policy and a lecturer at the Open University.

Barrett Brown Conviction Part of Reign of Terror Against Hacktivists

While the U.S. government is free to break into computers and networks--illegally--all others who do the same are treated like al Qaeda terrorists. It's all about power. We don't have it and the government does. And if you complain about it you will go to jail. Thank goodness that there are those--like Brown and Edward Snowden--willing to risk their lives so that we live free:

...Barrett Brown is nonetheless the latest victim of what advocate and lawyer Gráinne O’Neill has dubbed “the nerd scare”: Over the past couple of years, scores of hackers have been arrested in a single, unprecedented, cohesive swoop—and largely in direct retaliation to politically motivated hacks, such as those organized by the collective Anonymous. These hacks are not about getting rich—they are digital direct action intended to increase transparency and to protest censorship and corruption.

Man Acquitted of Stabbing a Police Officer, Juror says he Was “Protecting his Family

When have you seen this? Some justice for someone is a victim of police violence. But it's still a rare event, unfortunately:

A Texas man has been acquitted after being accused of stabbing a police officer during a violent confrontation with six “amped up” police officers.

A jury of seven women and five men cleared Shane French, 38, of four counts of assaulting a peace officer and three counts of resisting arrest. After the incident in February, French was originally charged with attempted murder.

Pope Francis Wants All Annulments To Be Free

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Pope Francis on Friday (Jan. 23) warned the Vatican’s top marriage judges that they should not “lock the salvation of persons within the straits of legalism” and indicated he wants the church to no longer charge for the sometimes onerous and expensive annulment process.

“This is a point I want to emphasize: the sacraments are free,” Francis told jurists of the Roman Rota, the church’s final court of appeals for annulments.

“The sacraments give us grace,” he said. “And a marriage proceeding” — like an annulment — “touches on the sacrament of marriage.”

“How I wish all marriage proceedings were free of charge!” he added.

Netanyahu 'spat in our face,' White House officials said to say

This demonstrates what little respect foreign leaders have for this President. And that's very dangerous. It's also shows that Republicans will do anything to attack Obama. There whole agenda is to attack this President. If the Democrats had done the same thing to a Republican President they would be screaming "treason."

Conservatives At Iowa Freedom Summit Would Rather Not Talk About Gay Marriage

This shows what frauds politicians are--of either party:

Many topics animated GOP officials, activists and operatives that gathered at Saturday's Iowa Freedom Summit, which marked the unofficial start of the 2016 presidential primary.

But an issue that once faced vehement opposition within the party -- gay marriage -- remained conspicuously absent from the lips of many speakers who took the stage, demonstrating how dramatically politics around the issue has shifted in just a few years.

More homeless camps are appearing beyond downtown L.A.'s skid row

 

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Over the last two years, street encampments have jumped their historic boundaries in downtown Los Angeles, lining freeways and filling underpasses from Echo Park to South Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, a city-county agency, received 767 calls about street encampments in 2014, up 60% from the 479 in 2013. 

Some residents believe the city is exporting its downtown homeless problem to their neighborhoods. But social service agencies and volunteers say it isn't that simple. They say that although downtown development and skid row cleanups are squeezing out some homeless people, many camps are filled with locals.

These videos from Mariupol show life under Russian bombardment

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Remove the masks that blind you.