Turkish association in Germany receives racist death threat letter

COLOGNE, Germany A Turkish cultural center in the German town of Neuss received a racist letter with death threats, the head of the center said Tuesday. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Tansel Ciftci said the Neuss Turkish Cultural Center was the target of racists for the second time in two weeks. "A letter came in the mail today. It was signed with a swastika and ‘NSU 2.0’ and included racist statements like 'We will burn down your mosques and kill you Turks,’" said Ciftci, noting that members of the cultural center as well as locals of Turkish descent in Neuss are in fear and anxiety over the recent incidents. NSU 2.0 refers to the National Socialist Underground, a neo-Nazi extremist group uncovered in 2011 that murdered 10 people and planted three bombs. "Two weeks ago, the windows of our building were broken in an attack on our association. Due to the frequency of these events, our members and those living here began to feel uneasy. We want the authorities to arrest those responsible and impose the necessary punishment," Ciftci added. He further emphasized that they are living in the middle of Europe with death threats and called it "unacceptable." Ciftci also noted that the police, to whom they filed a criminal complaint, had begun an investigation into the incidents. Germany has witnessed growing racism and Islamophobia in recent years, fueled by the propaganda of neo-Nazi groups and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. With a population of over 84 million people, the country has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Among the country’s nearly 5.3 million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin. Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.

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Rapper stabbed to death as London's Notting Hill Carnival returns

London’s Notting Hill Carnival was marred by the murder of a young rapper and hundreds of arrests, police said on Tuesday. Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv The 21-year-old man died after being stabbed on Monday, the latest in a wave of knife-crime incidents in the British capital this year that have sparked growing concern. The victim was later identified as a rapper from Bristol, western England, who performed under the name TKorStretch. “He came from Bristol to simply have a good time at the London carnival and this is the end result,” his manager Chris Patrick wrote on Instagram.

Related – VIRAL: Elderly woman confronts thieves with broomstick video

“TK was a good kid, a good guy and what has happened breaks my heart,” he added. London’s Metropolitan Police said officers were called at about 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Monday, the final day of the carnival, to reports of a stabbing in Ladbroke Grove and administered emergency first aid. “He was taken to a west London hospital where, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead,” the force added. London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “sickened” by the stabbing. “Violence has no place on our streets and we are doing everything in our power to root it out,” he added. Related – After Sidhu Moosewala, another rapper shot dead after his show London police recorded 11,122 knife-crime offences in the year until March 2022, a 9.8 percent increase compared to last year, according to official figures. At the carnival, officers made 209 arrests, including 46 for assault, 33 for possession of an offensive weapon and eight sexual assaults, said the force. Alison Heydari, Commander of Local Policing, said early on Tuesday that “the atmosphere over the past two days has been largely positive” but that on Monday evening “we saw a number of violent incidents”. The Notting Hill Carnival — one of the world’s largest street festivals — was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The three-day celebration of British-Caribbean culture traces its roots back the 1950s after the first surge in arrivals from former British colonies post-World War II. Feathered dancers, steel bands and earth-shaking sound systems feature in the vibrant celebration held over the August bank holiday weekend.

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New police body camera footage following Jayland Walker's death sparks outrage from family

Jayland Walker's family is outraged, according to the family's attorneys, after newly released body camera footage of Walker's death shows the moments following the fatal police shooting.

"After they shoot and end the life of Pam Walker's son, they turn off their mics. They turn off their cameras. What did they say? What did they do?" Walker family attorney Bobby DiCello said at a press conference on Tuesday. "They'll come up with a reason why they could turn off the cameras. But probe, ask those questions. In the face of this insult, we're still here."

According to the body camera footage acquired by the Akron Beacon Journal and reviewed by ABC News, an officer can be heard yelling, "Did anyone see the gun?" as officers continued to point their lights on Walker's body on the ground. Other officers chime in, saying they "can't see it," or "don't know" where the gun is.

Police approach Walker as he's on the ground, examining the body and calling for medical attention, according to the footage.

Jayland Walker is pictured in an undated family photo. Walker Family

One officer orders all the officers who shot at Walker to separate themselves from the scene. Several officers then tell each other to "go blue," prompting officers to shut off the audio being recorded from the officers' body cameras, the footage showed.

The officers can be seen standing in a circle, but their discussion cannot be heard because the audio was shut off, according to the footage.

The Akron Police Department did not respond to ABC News' request for comment.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation's probe into the incident is ongoing.

"Why didn't we hear that microphones were turned off? ... This was all known. This was all known to the people who put on that press conference," Ken Abbarno, a family attorney for the Walkers, said at the press conference. "How unfair is that? How unfair is that to you? How unfair is that to the Walker family?"

The attorneys also called for a public apology to the family from the department.

"Do you guys understand that every time I come up, and our team gathers, [Walker's mother] Pam goes through a living nightmare?" DiCello said.

Activists called for civil disobedience in the wake of the fatal police incident, asking for the Akron Police Department to end violence against protestors, as well as implement an independent citizen oversight board for the police.

Walker was unarmed when police fatally shot him on June 27 after a traffic stop turned into a pursuit. He was running away when eight officers opened fire on him, body camera footage released by the city showed.

Officials said they attempted to pull Walker over for a traffic and equipment violations with his car. He allegedly refused to stop, which set off a chase that ended in his death.

In this July 8, 2022, file photo, a demonstrator holds a sign during a vigil in honor of Jayland Walker in Akron, Ohio. Walker was shot and killed by members of the Akron Police Department on July 3, 2022. Angelo Merendino/Getty Images, FILE

Officials said a flash of light seen in body camera footage appeared to be the muzzle flash of a gun coming from the driver's side of Walker's car.

In a second body camera video, officers are heard radioing that a shot was being fired from Walker's car. The footage shows an officer following Walker's Buick off Route 8 and continuing the pursuit on side streets.

At one point, Walker slowed down and jumped out of the passenger side door before it came to a complete stop, according to the footage. As Walker ran away from police, several officers simultaneously fired at him, fatally shooting him.

Walker had 46 gunshot wounds to his body, a July autopsy report revealed.

A gun was later recovered inside the car, but Walker was unarmed when he was shot.

Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett has said he is reserving further comment and judgment on the incident until the Ohio Bureau of Investigation completes its probe.

In this July 2, 2022, file photo, Akron police officers watch a group protesting the death of Jayland Walker outside the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center, in Akron, Ohio.

Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal via USA Today Network, FILE

In an earlier statement, Akron police officials said, the "actions by the suspect caused the officers to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them. In response to this threat, officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect."

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Millions affected as death toll from Pakistan's monsoon rains soars

At least 119 people have died in Pakistan in the previous 24 hours as heavy rains continue in parts of the south Asian country.

The annual monsoon is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing lakes and dams across the Indian subcontinent, but each year it also brings a wave of destruction. (Reuters)

The death toll from monsoon flooding in Pakistan since June has reached 1,033. Figures released by the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday said 119 people had died in the previous 24 hours as heavy rains continued to lash parts of the country. The annual monsoon is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing lakes and dams across the Indian subcontinent, but each year it also brings a wave of destruction. Officials say this year's monsoon flooding has affected more than 33 million people – one in seven Pakistanis – destroying or badly damaging nearly a million homes. The NDMA said more than two million acres of cultivated crops have been wiped out, 3,451 kilometres (2,150 miles) of roads destroyed, and 149 bridges washed away. READ MORE: Pakistan's rain deaths near grim milestone, millions left without shelter

Thousands of livestock had been killed and 1.7 million fruit trees destroyed, raising concerns over how families would feed themselves going into the cooler months while the country deals with an economic crisis. (Reuters)

International help sought Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in northern Pakistan  after a fast-rising river destroyed a major bridge, as deadly floods cause devastation across the country. Powerful flash floods in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caused the Kabul River to swell, sweeping away a large bridge overnight, cutting off some districts from road access.  Downstream, fears of flooding around the river banks prompted around 180,000 people in the district of Charsadda to flee their homes, according to disaster officials, with some spending the night on highways with their livestock. Historic monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people over the last few weeks, the country's climate change minister said, calling the situation a "climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions".  The military has joined the country's national and provincial authorities in responding to the floods and Pakistan's army chief on Saturday visited the southern province of Balochistan, which has been hit heavily by the rains. "The people of Pakistan are our priority and we won't spare any effort to assist them in this difficult time," said army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Pakistani leaders have appealed to the international community for help and plan to launch an international appeal fund. The foreign affairs ministry said Turkey had sent a team to help with rescue efforts. "The magnitude of the calamity is bigger than estimated," said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a tweet, after visiting flooded areas.

The NDMA said more than two million acres of cultivated crops have been wiped out, 3,451 kilometres (2,150 miles) of roads destroyed, and 149 bridges washed away. (Reuters)

Afghanistan floods In neighbouring Afghanistan, the Taliban administration also appealed for help after flooding in central and eastern provinces.  The death toll from floods this month in Afghanistan had risen to 192, disaster authorities said.  "We ask the humanitarian organisations, the international community and other related organisations and foundations to help us," Sharafudden Muslim, the deputy director of Afghanistan's disaster ministry, said at a press conference, adding more than a million families required assistance. READ MORE: Dozens more die as Pakistan blames 'horrors' of climate crisis for floods Source: AFP

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Shaky calm returns as death toll from Libya clashes mounts

Rival factions battle across capital Tripoli, leaving 23 people dead and damaging six hospitals, as UN-backed Dbeibah government condemns "war crimes" by rival administration led by Fathi Bashagha.

damaged vehicle is pictured in a street in the Libyan capital Tripoli on August 27, 2022, following clashes between rival Libyan groups. (AFP)

Clashes between backers of Libya's rival sides have killed at least 23 people and damaged six hospitals in Tripoli, sparking fears that a political crisis could spiral into a major new armed conflict. Small arms fire and explosions rocked several districts of the capital overnight and into Saturday when smoke could be seen rising from damaged buildings. But cautious calm appeared to have returned on Saturday night, the AFP news agency correspondent said. UN-backed Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah in the capital Tripoli posted a video of himself surrounded by bodyguards and greeting fighters supporting him. In an updated toll, the Health Ministry said 23 people had been killed and 140 wounded in the fighting. Six hospitals were hit and ambulances were unable to reach areas affected by the clashes, the ministry had said earlier, condemning "war crimes". Fighting after talks fail The Government of National Unity (GNU) of Dbeibah said fighting had broken out after negotiations to avoid bloodshed in the western city collapsed. Dbeibah's government, formed as part of a United Nations-led peace process following a previous round of violence, is challenged by a rival administration led by former interior minister Fathi Bashagha. Bashagha, who is backed by eastern-based warlord Khalifa Haftar, says the GNU's mandate has expired. But he has so far been unable to take office in Tripoli, as Dbeibah has insisted on only handing power to an elected government. Dbeibah's government accused Bashagha of "carrying out his threats" to seize Tripoli by force. In July, clashes between rival groups in Tripoli left 16 people dead, including a child. Saturday's was the deadliest violence to hit the Libyan capital since Haftar's ill-fated attempt to seize it by force in 2019 and 2020. Source: AFP

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Japan police chief to resign over Abe shooting death

TOKYO -- Japan's national police chief said Thursday he will resign to take responsibility over the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a campaign speech last month.

National Police Agency Chief Itaru Nakamura's announcement came as his agency released a report on how it failed to protect Abe's life on July 8 when he was assassinated in Nara in western Japan.

The police report found holes in Abe's police protection that allowed the attacker to shoot him from behind.

Nakamura said he took the former prime minister's death seriously and that he submitted his resignation to the National Public Safety Commission earlier Thursday.

“In order to fundamentally reexamine guarding and never to let this happen, we need to have a new system,” Nakamura told a news conference as he announced his intention to step down.

Nakamura did not say when his resignation would be official. Japanese media reported that his resignation is expected to be approved at Friday's Cabinet meeting.

The alleged gunman, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested at the scene and is currently under mental evaluation until late November. Yamagami told police that he targeted Abe because of the former leader's link to the Unification Church, which he hated.

Abe sent a video message last year to a group affiliated with the church, which experts say may have infuriated the shooting suspect.

Abe's family paid tribute to him in a private Buddhist ritual Thursday marking the 49th day of his assassination.

In Nara, prefectural police chief Tomoaki Onizuka also expressed his intention to step down over Abe's assassination.

The church, which was founded in South Korea in 1954 and came to Japan a decade later, has built close ties with a host of conservative lawmakers, many of them members of Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party on their shared interests of anti-communism.

Since the 1980s, the church has faced accusations of problematic recruiting and religious sales in Japan, and the governing party’s church ties have sent support ratings of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet into a nosedive even after its recent shuffle.

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Foot found in Yellowstone hot spring linked to July death

HELENA, Mont. -- Part of a human foot found in a shoe floating in a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park earlier this week is believed to be linked the death of a person last month, park officials said Friday.

The July 31 death is being investigated but officials do not suspect foul play, park officials said in a statement. The statement did not disclose details about how the death is believed to have happened, identify the person who died or say why officials do not suspect foul play.

The shoe was recovered from the park's Abyss Pool on Tuesday after an employee spotted it, park officials said.

News of that discovery led a man from Maryland to contact the National Park Service to report that he and his family had spotted a shoe, floating sole up, in the hot spring on the morning of Aug. 11.

Chris Quinn of Pasadena, Maryland, said in an interview that he sent a photo of the shoe to the park service.

Park spokesperson Linda Veress said in an email that officials could not confirm whether the shoe that was found was the same type of shoe in Quinn's photo.

Abyss Pool, west of the West Thumb area of Yellowstone Lake, is 53 feet (16 meters) deep and the temperature is about 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 Celsius), park officials said.

Park visitors are warned to stay on the boardwalks and trails in thermal areas, where some of the pools and springs have a thin, breakable crust covering the scalding and sometimes acidic water.

At least 22 people are known to have died from hot spring-related injuries in and around the 3,471-square-mile (9,000 square kilometer) national park since 1890, park officials have said.

The most recent death happened in June 2016 when a man from Portland, Oregon, left a boardwalk in the the park's Norris Geyser Basin, slipped on gravel and fell into a boiling, acidic spring. No significant human remains were recovered.

The nation's first national park has drawn more than 4 million visitors annually in recent years, with the exception of 2020, when it was briefly closed due to the pandemic.

Historic flooding forced the closure of the entire park for part of June. The park's northern and northeastern entrances are still closed to vehicles.

———

Peipert reported from Denver.

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TRS Leader Stabbed to Death in Broad Daylight; Probe On, Section 144 Imposed

A ruling TRS functionary was reportedly stabbed to death at a village in Khammam district of Telangana on Monday. The incident happened when the deceased, Tammineni Krishnaiah, was returning from an Independence Day flag hoisting function.

Authorities have imposed section 144 in the area following the killing.

Four unidentified persons in an auto chased and stopped Krishnaiah’s bike near Teladurapally village before stabbing him and fleeing the scene, police told PTI. Special teams have been formed to nab the culprits.

Meanwhile, supporters of the deceased tried to pelt stones on the house of a man belonging to another political party, who was absconding, on the suspicion of his involvement. The house of the absconding man is close to the scene of incident. However, police brought the situation under control, an official told PTI.

There are allegations about the involvement of the absconding man and the facts, including motive for the murder, would be known after investigation, the official added.

In another incident in Telangana on Independence Day, two persons suffered injuries when a clash broke out between the supporters of the ruling TRS and the BJP during state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s ongoing ‘padayatra’ in Jangaon district.

The clash, including stone-pelting, occurred at Devaruppala in the district and two persons suffered minor injuries, police said. Both sides are expected to lodge complain with the police on the incident, they said. Kumar, who resumed his ‘padayatra’ after the incident, alleged that “TRS goons” pelted stones leaving two BJP activists injured.

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John Bolton was the target of Iranian murder plot in 'likely' retaliation for general's death: Prosecutors

The Justice Department on Wednesday unsealed charges against an Iranian national and member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps whom prosecutors say allegedly tried to arrange the murder of Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton in "likely" retaliation for the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani when Trump was president.

The criminal complaint against 45-year-old Shahram Poursafi, who remains at large abroad, accuses him of attempting to pay various individuals in the U.S. $300,000 to kill Bolton, beginning in October.

Poursafi is charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and with providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot.

In a statement after the case was unsealed Wednesday, Bolton said, in part: "I wish to thank the Justice Department for initiating the criminal proceeding unsealed today; the FBI for its diligence in discovering and tracking the Iranian regime’s criminal threat to American citizens; and the Secret Service for once again providing protection against Tehran’s efforts."

"While much cannot be said publicly right now, one point is indisputable: Iran’s rulers are liars, terrorists, and enemies of the United States. Their radical, anti-American objectives are unchanged; their commitments are worthless; and their global threat is growing," Bolton said.

The complaint and supporting law enforcement affidavit further allege how the Tehran-based Poursafi and the person he wanted to hire in the U.S. to arrange the killing -- identified by the FBI as a confidential human source -- conducted months of video and photo surveillance of Bolton at his home and office, in the Washington area, in late 2021 and early 2022.

According to the affidavit's timeline, on Oct. 22 Poursafi asked an unnamed U.S. resident to take photographs of Bolton while claiming it was for a book that Poursafi was writing. The resident later introduced Poursafi to the FBI's confidential source and Poursafi offered this person money to hire someone to "eliminate" Bolton, adding he had another "job" for which he would pay $1,000,000, the affidavit claims.

Investigators also said that Poursafi appeared to have private information about Bolton's routine and schedule, though the source of his information was not clear.

Shahram Poursafi is wanted for his alleged involvement in criminal activities to include material support to terrorism and the attempted murder for hire of a former high-ranking United States Government (USG) official.

FBI

At one point Poursafi allegedly suggested Bolton be killed by car or in the parking garage at his work and later said he should be shot -- either while he was alone or, if he was in a group, without harming anyone else -- the FBI said in the complaint affidavit.

The source whom Poursafi allegedly worked with told Poursafi they were working with a third individual who had ties to a cartel, the affidavit states.

The complaint affidavit also documents extensive communications between Poursafi and the confidential source. At one point, according to the complaint, he advised the source that killing someone "was like crossing the street; it was better not to spend too much time looking in one direction, but just to do it."

Poursafi also told the FBI's source that his “group” would require video confirmation of the target’s death, according to the affidavit. Poursafi repeatedly made further contact with the source, stating he was under pressure from his "group" or "his people" to have the killing carried out.

National Security Adviser John Bolton attends a meeting with President Donald Trump as he meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-7 summit in Biarritz, France, Aug. 26, 2019.

Andrew Harnik/AP, FILE

In January, the FBI alleged in the affidavit, Poursafi told the source he had a second "job" once Bolton was killed and he suggested that someone working for the Revolutionary Guard Corps was conducting surveillance on an unnamed second target in the U.S.

"This is not the first time we have uncovered Iranian plots to exact revenge against individuals on U.S. soil and we will work tirelessly to expose and disrupt every one of these efforts," Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said in a statement Wednesday.

In a statement later Wednesday, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said: "The Biden Administration will not waiver in protecting and defending all Americans against threats of violence and terrorism. Should Iran attack any of our citizens, to include those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences. We will continue to bring to bear the full resources of the U.S. Government to protect Americans."

ABC News' Adam Carlson, Sarah Kolinovsky and John Santucci contributed to this report.

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Death toll rises from flooding in South Korea, torrential rains lessen

At least nine people were killed and seven others missing in South Korea after intense downpours flooded major roads, metro stations and homes in the heaviest rainfall the country has ever recorded.

At least 17 people have been injured, and seven are missing. (Reuters)

Torrential rains that slammed South Korea's capital have diminished after killing at least nine people and damaging about 2,800 homes and other buildings.

More rain was forecast for Wednesday, but less than the heavy downpours on Monday and Tuesday that submerged some streets and buildings, trapping people in flooded apartments and stranding cars.

At least five people had been killed in Seoul as of early Wednesday, as well as three in the neighbouring Gyeonggi Province and one in Gangwon Province, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

At least 17 people have been injured, and seven are missing.

Flooding in some buildings around the glitzy Gangnam district continued on Tuesday, while subway stations and several roads there had been blocked.

READ MORE: In pictures: Record rainfall floods South Korean capital, several dead

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=false[/embed]

Widespread damage

Data showed at least 2,800 public and private facilities had been damaged across South Korea, and more than 1,100 households had been displaced. 

Most highways and subway lines had been cleared by Wednesday.

The accumulated rainfall in Seoul since midnight on Monday stood at 52.5 centimetres as of Wednesday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). 

In neighbouring Yangpyeong County, total rainfall hit 53.25 centimetres.

The KMA expects rain to continue in most parts of the country, with especially heavier rain in Chungcheong Province.

However, the agency predicted rainfall would gradually subside in many parts of the greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will preside over a meeting on Wednesday to discuss damage and countermeasures against flooding. 

Separately, the government and the ruling People Power Party are expected to hold an emergency meeting to discuss fiscal support for damage recovery.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

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Men face sentencing for hate crimes in Ahmaud Arbery's death

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Months after they were sentenced to life in prison for murder, the three white men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in a Georgia neighborhood faced a second round of criminal penalties Monday for federal hate crimes committed in the deadly pursuit of the 25-year-old Black man.

U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood scheduled back-to-back hearings to individually sentence each of the defendants, starting with Travis McMichael, who blasted Arbery with a shotgun after the street chase initiated by his father and joined by a neighbor.

Arbery's killing on Feb. 23, 2020, became part of a larger national reckoning over racial injustice and killings of unarmed Black people including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky. Those two cases also resulted in the Justice Department bringing federal charges.

When they return to court Monday in Georgia, McMichael, his father Greg McMichael and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan face possible life sentences after a jury convicted them in February of federal hate crimes, concluding that they violated Arbery's civil rights and targeted him because of his race. All three men were also found guilty of attempted kidnapping, and the McMichaels face additional penalties for using firearms to commit a violent crime.

Whatever punishments they receive in federal court could ultimately prove more symbolic than anything. A state Superior Court judge imposed life sentences for all three men in January for Arbery's murder, with both McMichaels denied any chance of parole.

All three defendants have remained jailed in coastal Glynn County, in the custody of U.S. marshals, while awaiting sentencing after their federal convictions in January.

Because they were first charged and convicted of murder in a state court, protocol would have them turned them over to the Georgia Department of Corrections to serve their life terms in a state prison.

In a court filings last week, both Travis and Greg McMichael asked the judge to instead divert them to a federal prison, saying they won’t be safe in a Georgia prison system that’s the subject of a U.S. Justice Department investigation focused on violence between inmates.

Arbery’s family has insisted the McMichaels and Bryan should serve their sentences in a state prison, arguing a federal penitentiary wouldn’t be as tough. His parents objected forcefully before the federal trial when both McMichaels sought a plea deal that would have included a request to transfer them to federal prison. The judge ended up rejecting the plea agreement.

A federal judge doesn’t have the authority to order the state to relinquish its lawful custody of inmates to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, said Ed Tarver, an Augusta lawyer and former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. He said the judge could request that the state corrections agency turn the defendants over to a federal prison.

The McMichaels armed themselves with guns and jumped in a truck to chase Arbery after spotting him running past their home outside the port city of Brunswick on Feb. 23, 2020. Bryan joined the pursuit in his own truck, helping cut off Arbery's escape. He also recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range as Arbery threw punches and grabbed at the shotgun.

The McMichaels told police they suspected Arbery had been stealing from a nearby house under construction. But authorities later concluded he was unarmed and had committed no crimes. Arbery's family has long insisted he was merely out jogging.

Still, more than two months passed before any charges were filed in Arbery's death. The McMichaels and Bryan were arrested only after the graphic video of the shooting leaked online and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local police.

During the February hate crimes trial, prosecutors fortified their case that Arbery's killing was motivated by racism by showing the jury roughly two dozen text messages and social media posts in which Travis McMichael and Bryan used racist slurs and made disparaging comments about Black people. A woman testified to hearing an angry rant from Greg McMichael in 2015 in which he said: “All those Blacks are nothing but trouble.”

Defense attorneys for the three men argued the McMichaels and Bryan didn’t pursue Arbery because of his race but acted on an earnest — though erroneous — suspicion that Arbery had committed crimes in their neighborhood.

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Gaza death toll from Israeli strikes continues to rise as tensions escalate

Fresh Israeli strikes came a little more than a year after an 11-day war between Israel and Palestine in May 2021, which killed at least 250 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 in Israel.

The Israeli attacks are the worst in Gaza since a war last year that devastated the impoverished territory home to some 2.3 million Palestinians. (Reuters)

At least 29 people, including six children, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza.

Earlier on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry put the number of people killed at 32, but a further ministry statement brought the number down to 29, including six children and four women.

The ministry said that the victims had been killed since Friday in Israeli strikes that also wounded 253 people. 

Israeli authorities deny blame and say the children were killed on Saturday by a rocket fired by Palestinian fighters towards Israel that fell short. The claim could not be independently verified.

In response, the Islamic Jihad group said it had fired rockets at West Jerusalem from Gaza on Sunday. Witnesses report hearing rocket sirens and explosions in Israeli communities.

The group said in a statement they had "fired rockets" at the city, marking the first time West Jerusalem was targeted in this round of violence.

READ MORE: Palestine's death toll climbs as Israel continues bombarding Gaza

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BbVpNMdfYY[/embed]

Rising tensions 

Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday citing an "imminent threat of attack" by the Islamic Jihad group.

At least seven people, including a child, were killed in one attack on Rafah in south Gaza, local authorities said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Al-Quds Brigades said in a statement that Khaled Mansour, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad group, was killed in the attack on Rafah.

The attacks came amid rising tensions across Palestinian territories since Monday, when Israeli forces detained Bassam al-Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad, in a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

The Israeli army said on Sunday that twenty members of the Islamic Jihad group were arrested overnight by security forces in the occupied West Bank.

READ MORE: 'It was a catastrophe': Israel gives Gaza locals 15 minutes to flee homes

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

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Gaza death toll rises to 24 from Israeli attacks

203 Palestinians injured in airstrikes since Aug. 5, says Health Ministry
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Republicans, Democrats react to Rep. Walorski's tragic car crash death: 'Just the worst news'

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Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle shared their condolences after the tragic deaths of Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., her district director, and her communications director.

Walorski, 58, and her staffers, communications director Emma Thompson, 28, and district director Zachary Potts, 27, were all killed in a Wednesday head-on collision in Elkhart County, Indiana.

"It is with a heavy heart that I am sharing this statement from the Office of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., wrote on Twitter.

INDIANA GOP CONGRESSWOMAN JACKIE WALORSKI KILLED IN CAR CRASH

"Dean Swihart, Jackie’s husband, was just informed by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s office was killed in a car accident this afternoon," the statement from Walorski’s office shared by McCarthy read. "She has returned home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please keep your family in her thoughts and prayers. We will have no further comment at this time."

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said he was devastated "to hear the horrible news of the passing of Jackie Walorski and her two staffers."

"She was a dear friend who loved serving the people of Indiana in Congress," Scalise wrote. "My prayers are with her loving husband Dean, the rest of her family, and the families of the two staffers."

Prominent Democrats also shared their condolences following the deaths of Walorski and her two staffers, including Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who said the news of the deaths was "the worst news."

"Just the worst news. Rest In Peace Jackie, a 2012 classmate, and her loyal staff Zachary r[and] Emma," Swalwell wrote. "Our office is praying for the families of Rep. Walorski, Zachary Potts, and Emma Thomson."

"I'm shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote. "My thoughts and prayers are with her family and the other victims of this terrible crash."

The news of the deaths saw an outpouring of thoughts, prayers, and condolences from Walorski’s colleagues in Congress and beyond, across the political spectrum.

Walorski represented Indiana’s 2nd District since 2013 and was known as a bridge-building moderate.

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"On August 3, 2022 at approximately 12:32 PM the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two vehicle crash on SR 19 south of SR 119," the sheriff's office told Fox News Digital.

"A northbound passenger car traveled left of center and collided head on with a southbound sports utility vehicle. All three occupants in the southbound vehicle died as a result of their injuries: Jackie Walorski, 58, Elkhart, Indiana Zachery Potts, 27, Mishawaka, Indiana Emma Thomson, 28, Washington, DC The sole occupant of the northbound vehicle, Edith Schmucker, 56, Nappanee, Indiana was pronounced deceased at the scen," the office continued. "The Elkhart County Coroner’s Office and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office are conducting the investigation. No additional information will be released at this time."

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed reporting.

Houston Keene is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital.  Story tips can be sent to Houston.Keene@Fox.com and on Twitter: @HoustonKeene 

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Al Qaeda leader’s death leads Rep. Mike Waltz to question why bin Laden successor was in Kabul

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Details surrounding the United State's killing of of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri raises new questions, Rep. Mike Waltz, a former Special Forces officer who served in Afghanistan, told Fox News.

The U.S. killed al-Zawahiri in a drone strike in Afghanistan over the weekend, President Biden announced Monday night. al-Zawahiri took control over al Qaeda after Usama bin Laden was killed.

"Number one, what was the leader of al-Qaeda doing in Kabul?" Waltz asked. "And from what I'm hearing from a number of folks, both in Afghanistan and in the intelligence community, he's been there for some time. So, what did the Taliban promise him?"

"Why did he feel so comfortable to really be out in the open?" the Florida Republican continued, noting that al-Zawahiri had been in hiding for years.

US TAKES OUT AL QAEDA LEADER AYMAN AL ZAWAHIRI IN ‘SUCCESSFUL’ AFGHANISTAN COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATION

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri speaks on the 11th Anniversary of Usama bin Laden's death. (AP Photo/Mazhar Ali Khan, File)

Biden, while defending his decision to withdrawal U.S. troops from Afghanistan, said al Qaeda was no longer in Afghanistan.

"We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al Qaeda in Afghanistan, as well as — as well as getting Osama bin Laden," Biden said in August 2021. "And we did."

Biden said in a White House address Monday evening: "The United States continues to demonstrate our resolve and our capacity to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm. You know, we make it clear again tonight that no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out."

WHO IS AYMAN AL ZAWAHIRI? AL QAEDA LEADER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

Waltz also praised the strike.

"This is just a great day for peace and for freedom and for stability around the world," he told Fox News.

But Waltz, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also questioned whether the Taliban was warned of the strike.

Rep. Mike Waltz speaks on Fox News. (Fox News)

US DRONE STRIKE KILLS TOP SYRIAN ISIS LEADER MAHER AL-AGAL

"Did we notify them with the threat of it leaking and him escaping?" Waltz asked. "On the other hand, not notifying the Taliban would threaten this fragile relationship the Biden administration has crafted."

The Taliban condemned the attack in a tweet, noting that the strike hit a residential house.

al-Zawahiri served as bin Laden’s deputy during the 9/11 attacks and is considered a key plotter.

"al-Zawahiri continued to pose an active threat to U.S. persons, interests and national security," a senior administration official said Monday.

Usama bin Laden and al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri sitting side by side. (Hamid Mir/Editor/Ausaf Newspaper for Daily Dawn/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo)

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Waltz told Fox News it's unclear how al-Zawahiri’s death will affect al Qaeda's operation. 

"There are a lot of people that really didn’t think [al-Zawahiri] had very much of an operational role," Waltz said. "What I do think we need to be aware of is that terrorism is absolutely still a threat."

"We have to keep our foot on the necks of these terrorist organizations," he continued. "While this strike was successful, and I certainly applaud it, that means we still have to stay vigilant, and we can't start letting down our guard just because these two have been taken out."

Matt Leach is a Fox Digital Originals reporter based in Tampa, FL.

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/al-qaeda-leaders-death-leads-rep-mike-waltz-to-question-why-bin-laden-successor-was-in-kabul/?feed_id=5398&_unique_id=62e892d92a6ff

Republicans join Democrats in praising Biden for death of al Qaeda leader Zawahiri

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Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praised the White House on Monday after it was announced that the leader of al Qaeda, Ayman al Zawahiri, had been killed by a drone strike in Afghanistan. 

Republicans and Democrats, alike, were quick to commend President Biden for taking action against the 71-year-old terrorist. Zawahiri, a one-time surgeon, had led al-Qaeda since the 2011 death of Osama bin Laden. 

BIDEN ADMIN WARNED NOT TO WITHHOLD AFTER-ACTION REPORTS ON BOTCHED AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL

"Congratulations to the Biden Administration and all those brave Americans involved in the successful counterterrorism operation against al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "This is a significant event in the War on Terror. All those involved have delivered a strong message that America never forgets." 

FILE - Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks during a news conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, April 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Zawahiri, who helped plan the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was killed on Saturday by a drone strike in Kabul. 

"The news of the successful hit on Ayman al-Zawahiri stopped me in my tracks," said Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. "Targeting one senior leader does not end the capacity of an organization to attack, but it does send a message that, while it may take years, we do not forget those who attack us. I commend the President for making the tough call and the national security team for this success.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, echoed the sentiment in a statement released to the public. 

"All Americans will breathe easier today knowing Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of Al-Qaeda, has been eliminated," said Cruz. "This strike should be a message to terrorists near and far: if you conspire to kill Americans, we will find and kill you."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the Leadership Forum at the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting at the George R. Brown Convention Center Friday, May 27, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Although much of the response was positive, it was still not totally devoid of partisanship. 

Some Democrats were quick to use the moment to score political points against Republicans, particularly former President Donald Trump. 

"Trump recently hosted a Saudi-backed golf tournament and ridiculously said that nobody has gotten to the bottom of 9/11," said Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. "Under Joe Biden, the United States killed Ayman al Zawahiri, one of the master planners of 9/11." 

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A few Republicans, meanwhile, called the "victory lap" being taken by Biden and lawmakers ridiculous. 

"Zawahiri is credited in planning 9-11 …. but most Americans don’t know or have forgotten who he is, but once they know they will be glad he’s dead," said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA. "But Joe’s victory lap is ridiculous." 

Haris Alic covers Congress and politics for Fox News Digital. You can contact him at haris.alic@fox.com or follow him on Twitter at @realharisalic.

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Jon Stewart: It's a matter of life and death

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Jon Stewart discussed his time advocating for burn pit toxin victims and his disgust regarding the delay for healthy funding to the cause on "Special Report."

FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON SAYS SHE EXPECTS CHINA TO RAMP UP AGGRESSION IN THE COMING MONTHS

JON STEWART: Oh, I don't think it's a matter of life and death. It is a matter of life and death. The people, the brave and valuable people that went overseas and fought for our freedoms, came home, exposed to burn pit toxins and all kinds of other toxins. They're sick. They're dying. Look, we've had friends of ours, Kate Hendricks, Thomas, Sergeant Wesley Black, that have advocated with us, who are no longer with us, whose disease has caught up to them. And these are individuals that could have spent their last remaining precious moments just with their families, and they chose to still go out and advocate for their brothers and sisters so that what happened to them would never happen to another soldier. I mean, it's incredibly hard. 

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This article was written by Fox News staff.

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Death toll in Balochistan rains jumps to 102: PDMA

QUETTA: The death toll in Balochistan rain-related incidents has jumped to 102,  the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Monday.

Detailing the losses incurred during heavy rainfall in the province, the PDMA said that women, children and men were among 102 people killed in recent heavy rainfall in the province.

“Overall 6,063 houses were demolished while 550-kilometer road track along four major highways in the province also got damaged during the rainfall,” it said.

The authority further shared the livestock losses said that 712 animals also died during the heavy downpour. There is a flood like situation in Nasirabad, Jhal Magsi, Muslim Bagh, Pashin, KHuzdar, Bolan, Qalat and other cities.

The PDMA is carrying out relief and rescue activities and providing essential items to the affectees, while in some areas people are still waiting for aid.

The Balochistan government has already imposed section 144 in the province amid forecasts of more heavy rains. According to the notification, under section 144, people will not be allowed to go for picnic at rivers, dams and other water bodies.

Swimming in rivers and water streams will also be banned, it said, adding that the ban will remain in place for a period of one month.

Moreover, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has provided relief goods to the province.

Amongst the items, family tents and de-watering pumps have been included to assist the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan in providing relief to the rain affectees.

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