World News

[Diesel59]

Post and discuss any news stories here. There's lots of things worth discussing that don't need their own threads.

 

[APOPHIS]

CLIFFS: Earlier this year, Georgia Governor Kemp signed a bill into law that made it possible for Atlanta's GOP led legislature to remove persecutors that they did not deem fit. Dems immediately said the sole purpose of this law was to remove Fani Willis so she couldn't go after Trump. The GOP said that was not possible because the bill would not go into effect until 2025. Well, right before the bill went to the floor they changed it so it would go into effect this year. Now, that law is being use to begin the process to remove Willis from her position.

Several Republican lawmakers are seeking ways to sanction Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis after she brought criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and 18 allies.

Trump backers are going after Willis using a new state law approved by Gov. Brian Kemp that creates a state commission with power to sanction or oust prosecutors found to be neglecting their duties or responsible for an array of other violations.

State Sen. Clint Dixon said Monday that he would file a complaint against Willis in October when the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission begins its proceedings, saying the indictments were sparked by Willis’ “unabashed goal to become some sort of leftist celebrity.”

“Once the Prosecutorial Oversight Committee is appointed in October, we can have them investigate and take action against Fani Willis and her efforts that weaponize the justice system against political opponents,” the Buford Republican said in a social media post.

“This is our best measure,” Dixon added, “and I will be ready to call for that investigation.”

This scenario is what a coalition of opponents, including Willis and Democratic leaders, warned about during debate over the legislation. It passed this year, mostly along party lines, at the urging of Kemp and Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Trump supporter whose candidacy last year was backed by the former president.

Kemp and Republican sponsors said it was designed to pursue “rogue prosecutors” who were ignoring their duties or flouting the law, avoiding overt mention of Willis. Even so, Democrats warned it would inevitably be used to target her for investigating Trump.

Among them was state Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, who cautioned during debate that Republicans could try to use the new law as a “prosecutorial overthrow” bill against Willis. She said Monday that she wasn’t surprised by Dixon’s move.

“The irony, as I see it, is that DA Willis has to do her very best to prosecute those involved in the interference case on Georgia,” Kendrick said Monday. “Otherwise, she may be subject to removal by this commission.”

 

[APOPHIS]

Bodycam Footage Shows intense Moments as Gunman Fires on Fargo Police Officers​

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Body camera footage of a shooting ambush last month in Fargo shows the surprise nature of the chaotic attack that left one police officer dead and two others and a bystander wounded, as the only officer left standing called for help and engaged the heavily armed shooter in a barrage of gunfire along a busy street.

North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski on Thursday presented the July 14 video footage taken from Officer Zach Robinson’s body camera of the attack that left North Dakota’s biggest city shocked at the unusual violence.

Clearly audible in the footage is gunman Mohamad Barakat’s rapid fire from a .223-caliber rifle, modified with a binary trigger, that took down the three officers before a breathless Robinson stopped him after a nearly 2-minute confrontation.

The video also illustrates what authorities have said was likely part of a planned, larger attack, with an arsenal of guns and explosives found in Barakat’s vehicle.
The attack began as the four officers were responding to a routine traffic crash. Gunfire erupted as three of them were standing or walking near Barakat’s vehicle in a lot. Barakat was not part of the crash, and he came upon the scene by happenstance, using it as an opportunity to stage an attack, Wrigley has said.


Robinson takes cover behind a vehicle in the road and tells dispatchers that “a man with an AK-47” is “shooting at us,” before another barrage of gunfire erupts.

Robinson returns fire, striking Barakat, who moves around on the ground next to his vehicle. Wrigley previously said Robinson shot and disabled Barakat’s rifle, though the gunman then waved around a handgun, one of two he had on him.

Video shows Barakat continuing to move around on the ground as sirens wail and Robinson calls for him to put his hands up and drop the gun, then shoots at him. Wrigley said Robinson fired 31 rounds, 21 striking Barakat and ultimately killing him and preventing what authorities said could have been a much bigger attack with summer festivities occurring in the area at the time.

Barakat, 37, shot and killed Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin, 23, and wounded officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes, authorities said. Barakat also wounded a bystander, Karlee Koswick, who was involved in the fender bender, as she tried to flee.

Wallin was able to near Barakat’s vehicle, unholster his gun and fire one round before Barakat struck him with a single round, Wrigley said.

Neither Dotas nor Hawes saw the attack coming, Wrigley said. Dotas was hit with multiple rounds, and struggled to his feet at one point but went back down, Wrigley said.

Hawes also was hit multiple times, shot through his right arm and unable to stand up to walk, but crawled to Dotas’ side, “to be at his side, to be holding his hand, to be calling his name, to be willing him to live,” Wrigley said.

Video shows the three officers lying motionless on the ground as Robinson nears Barakat’s vehicle.

Wrigley and Zibolski commended Robinson’s composure and training in his actions in the shootout, such as reloading after his gun emptied and changing positions around Barakat’s vehicle.

“A very chaotic situation, a very tremendous job on his part,” Zibolski said.

Wrigley last month said Robinson’s use of deadly force “was reasonable, it was necessary, it was justified, and in all ways, it was lawful.”

The Fargo Police Department found no use of force violations in Robinson’s actions in the shooting, Deputy Chief Joe Anderson said. Robinson is back on the job.

Police are conducting a training review of the entire incident, including the officer response in the aftermath, he said.

The shooting investigation remains active and is “proceeding to its logical conclusion,” Wrigley said. Investigators are awaiting information from FBI interviews as well as firearms testing to ensure Barakat’s weapons aren’t connected to other illegal activity, the attorney general said.

Authorities will eventually release video footage from the other officers’ body cameras, but “there is a very significant amount of distress going on, life-saving care being provided” in the recordings, Wrigley said.

After the shooting, investigators found numerous guns, 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a homemade grenade and explosives in Barakat’s vehicle.

However, authorities had no new information Thursday as to what was Barakat’s motive.

Authorities have said Barakat’s internet queries over the past five years included “kill fast,” “explosive ammo,” “incendiary rounds,” “mass shooting events,” and one for “area events where there are crowds,” which brought up a news article with the headline, ”Thousands enjoy first day of Downtown Fargo Street Fair,” a day before the shooting.

Police visited Barakat’s home and interviewed him at least twice in recent years due to concerns related to his guns, though authorities say he appeared to have acquired the weapons legally.

Barakat was a Syrian national who came to the U.S. on an asylum request in 2012 and became a U.S. citizen in 2019, Wrigley has said.

Dotas and Hawes recovered enough to leave the hospital earlier this month. Koswick left the hospital about a month ago.

 

[Yano]

Wild otter attack leads to woman being airlifted to hospital, 2 others treated for injuries

Three women were injured, with one woman needing to be airlifted to hospital, after an otter attacked them while they floated down a river on inner tubes.

abcnews.go.com

 

[PZT]

We had some stupid fkin kids cry wolf on active shooters today. Hope them little shits get fkin beat tonight lol

 

[Gibsonator]

Brian Shaw retires as the strongest Man on Earth..that is all.

 

[Diesel59]

Bodycam Footage Shows intense Moments as Gunman Fires on Fargo Police Officers​

Wow, that's some intense footage.

Interesting first person account of a cop in an intense situation. I was surprised to see him firing warning shots and screaming "drop the gun" even after the shooter gunned down those 3 people.

I thought the gloves were off at that point and he'd kill him ASAP.

Wild otter attack leads to woman being airlifted to hospital, 2 others treated for injuries

Three women were injured, with one woman needing to be airlifted to hospital, after an otter attacked them while they floated down a river on inner tubes.

abcnews.go.com

And to think, they look so cute and the friendly.

 

[6FeetFromTheEdge]

Happy ending. All of the children were rescued from the dangling cable car.

Students and teacher trapped in cable car 900 feet above ravine in Pakistan rescued

The seven students and one teacher were traveling to school in a remote mountainous area in Battagram when a cable line snapped.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Nimrod]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1694334673596367027

 

[Diesel59]

@Nimrod

That's a big accomplishment for India and their space program. I never thought much about the lunar poles, but it'll be interesting to see if this fuels a rush back to the moon.

 

[Kraken]

I love it that India pulls off a lunar landing just a few days after Russia goes splat in the lunar dust.

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

@Nimrod

That's a big accomplishment for India and their space program. I never thought much about the lunar poles, but it'll be interesting to see if this fuels a rush back to the moon.

Whatcha mean BACK to the moon? Lol!

 

[APOPHIS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1694453545498563006

 

[Diesel59]

@APOPHIS What a crazy timeline that guy has had since his days of being viewed as a national hero following 9/11.

 

[Diesel59]

We've still got 4 months to go, but 2023 is already the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005.

Over 200 Palestinians Killed in Occupied West Bank in 2023

The U.N.’s Middle East envoy briefed the U.N. Security Council on the deadliest year for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since 2005. By Peoples Dispatch The U.N.’s Middle East envoy, Tor Wennesland, told the U.N. Security Council in a special briefing on Monday that Israeli occupatio

consortiumnews.com

The U.N.’s Middle East envoy, Tor Wennesland, told the U.N. Security Council in a special briefing on Monday that Israeli occupation forces have killed over 200 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank this year, surpassing the total number of deaths last year (167). This year’s death toll is already the highest since 2005, Wennesland noted.

[Wennesland said nearly 30 Israelis have been killed so far this year.]

More than 200 Palestinians, nearly 30 Israelis killed so far this year: UN

UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland says deaths from violence so far this year are the highest recorded since 2005.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[JeffGoldblumLips]

We've still got 4 months to go, but 2023 is already the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005.

Over 200 Palestinians Killed in Occupied West Bank in 2023

The U.N.’s Middle East envoy briefed the U.N. Security Council on the deadliest year for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since 2005. By Peoples Dispatch The U.N.’s Middle East envoy, Tor Wennesland, told the U.N. Security Council in a special briefing on Monday that Israeli occupatio

consortiumnews.com

More than 200 Palestinians, nearly 30 Israelis killed so far this year: UN

UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland says deaths from violence so far this year are the highest recorded since 2005.

www.aljazeera.com

What's the deal with isreal?

 

[Diesel59]

What's the deal with isreal?

In what type of way?

 

[JeffGoldblumLips]

In what type of way?

Seems like a terrible place to put the Js. Or is that the point?

 

[Diesel59]

Seems like a terrible place to put the Js. Or is that the point?

It's a terrible place and the situation pretty much guarantees violence and tension with no end in sight. The Jewish people of course view it as their "historical homeland" so neither side is willing to back down. Both sides have desires that are unrealistic at this time.

At this point we know that when Israel seizes territory, they don't give it back. On the contrary, they run people out of their homes to build new settlements on lands that were never supposed to be part of Israel.

The return of an ultra nationalist government in Israel is heightening tensions. No doubt that has a huge role to play in why it's the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005.

That's just my two cents though.

 

[Diesel59]

The situation in Sudan is getting worse:

Sudan: UN warns of hunger, disease, displacement – DW – 08/25/2023

The UN urged donors who had pledged aid to deliver on their promised contributions. Meanwhile, Sudan's military ruler left the capital to visit army bases on a rare trip since the start of the fighting.

www.dw.com

"This viral conflict, and the hunger, disease and displacement left in its wake, now threatens to consume the entire country," said the United Nations' humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths. He added that the conflict was "fueling a humanitarian emergency of epic proportions."

Thousands have died since the start of the war, with millions more displaced, both within Sudan and in neighboring countries. The UN estimates the number of those displaced to be around 4.6 million.