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☆ Republicans Move to Block a Policing Change Made After Tyre Nichols’s Death
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Emily Cochrane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The NewsTennessee Republicans moved on Thursday to overrule a change to the policing of Memphis traffic laws that was a direct response to the death of Tyre Nichols, who was fatally beaten by officers last year during a traffic stop. A new Memphis law, supported by Mr. Nichols’s family and seen by many as a crucial reform in the weeks after his death, had prevented the police from intervening over more minor traffic offenses, such as a broken taillight. BackgroundThe legislation does not directly name Memphis or the law, which was overwhelmingly approved by the City Council after Mr. Nichols’s death last January. But the Memphis Republicans who led the push to override the ordinance explicitly criticized it as an impediment to controlling crime. It remains unclear why Mr. Nichols was stopped.

Persons: Tyre Nichols, Nichols’s, Bill Lee, Nichols Organizations: News Tennessee Republicans, Republican, Gov, City, Memphis Republicans, Police, Memphis Police Department Locations: Memphis

The measure requires ride-hailing companies to pay drivers at least $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute for the time spent transporting a rider — or $5 per ride, whichever is greater — excluding tips. Photos You Should See View All 60 ImagesCritics of the bill say costs will likely spike for everyone, including people with low incomes and people with disabilities who rely on ride-hailing services. Supporters say the services have relied on drivers who are often people of color and immigrants for cheap labor. “Today’s vote showed Uber, Lyft, and the Mayor that the Minneapolis City Council will not allow the East African community, or any community, to be exploited for cheap labor,” Osman added. Seattle and New York City have passed similar policies in recent years that increase wages for ride-hailing drivers, and Uber and Lyft still operate in those cities.

Persons: — Lyft, Uber, Lyft, ” Lyft, ” Uber, Jacob Frey’s, ” Jamal Osman, “, ” Osman, Tim Walz, ” Walz Organizations: Republicans, City Council, Minneapolis City, Democratic, Uber, Associated Press Locations: MINNEAPOLIS, Minneapolis, Seattle, New York City

☆ Uber and Lyft are threatening to leave Minneapolis over a ride-hailing proposal supporters say would guarantee drivers earn the city's minimum wage
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The conversation around ride-hailing driver pay has been heating up across the country over the past year. AdvertisementLoren Balazs, a full-time driver in Minneapolis, told BI he's worried the city council's proposal would hurt his ride-hailing business. The study estimated that a minimum pay rate of $1.21 per mile and $0.49 per minute would guarantee drivers earned the city's minimum wage. AdvertisementThe debate over minimum pay for ride-hailing drivers has been building in Minneapolis for over a year. Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would have established minimum pay standards for Uber and Lyft drivers.

Persons: —, Erin Hatton, Jacob Frey, Lyft, Lyft haven't, Uber, behemoths wouldn't, aren't, Axios, Alexandrea Ravenelle, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Austin, Avedian, Joe Pierce, he'd, Loren Balazs, Sheri Wegner, they'll, Mayor Frey, Tim Walz Organizations: Service, Business, University at Buffalo, Minneapolis City Council, Minneapolis, New, Seattle, Minnesota, University of North, Star Tribune, Minnesota Gov, Uber, Minneapolis City Locations: Minneapolis, Minneapolis ? Minnesota, New York City , Washington, California, Chicago and Massachusetts, Washington, Seattle, Minneapolis . Washington, Alexandrea, University of North Carolina, Minnesota, Twin Cities

☆ 'Love is Blind' fans are bashing the cookie-cutter Charlotte suburbs featured on the show. Here's how experts say they can be improved.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Why aren't we talking about the most terrifying part of Love is Blind: this Charlotte housing development," one viewer posted on X alongside an aerial image of the newly-built cookie-cutter rowhouses. I think my favorite part of this season of Love is Blind is how horrible it makes Charlotte look as a city. But you're still doing the wrong thing," Toderian said of Blu South. "Some folks estimate that before this went into effect, about 84% of the residential land in Charlotte was restricted to only single-family housing," Lallinger said. Editor's note: March 7, 2024 — This article was updated after publication to include a comment from Blu South.

Persons: —, Netflix's, what's, Charlotte, who've, there's, Stefan Lallinger, Yongqiang Chu, Chu, it's, Brent Toderian, Toderian, Charlotte's, UDO, Lallinger, quadruplexes, Stephanie Watkins, Cruz, Watkins, townhomes Organizations: Service, Business, University of North, Blu, North, North Carolina Housing Coalition Locations: Charlotte , North Carolina, Pineville, exurbs, Charlotte, University of North Carolina, they're, North Carolina

☆ He Cursed at a Police Officer. Now He’s Caught in a Free Speech Fight.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Tony Rupp didn’t intend to become a fighter for the First Amendment. He was really just out for some pasta. In December 2016, Mr. Rupp, a Buffalo-area lawyer, was leaving Chef’s Restaurant, a popular Italian place in the city’s downtown, when he said he saw a black SUV — its lights off — bearing down on two women crossing the street. The driver came to a halt just short of the women, and then, disaster averted, kept going as Mr. Rupp shouted, “Turn your lights on, asshole!”Little did the lawyer know that the driver was a Buffalo police officer, Todd C. McAlister, who turned into the parking lot, followed Mr. Rupp and told him that he was being detained. After about a half-hour, which Mr. Rupp spent arguing with the police in the parking lot, he was stunned when the police handed him a ticket for violating the city’s noise ordinance, despite the argument occurring on a nonresidential street near a buzzing freeway.

Persons: Tony Rupp didn’t, Rupp, Todd C, McAlister Organizations: Mr Locations: Buffalo

☆ Israel's Six-Week Drive to Hit Hamas in Rafah and Scale Back War
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +10 min

Gaza's ruling group can keep fighting and is prepared for a long war in Rafah and Gaza, said the official, who requested anonymity. A senior regional security official said Israel believed some Hamas commanders and hostages were in Rafah. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron also told lawmakers that Britain and its allies "will look at the issue of recognising a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations". Yet for Netanyahu and many other Israeli officials, talk of a two-state solution amounts to a betrayal of the people killed on Oct. 7. "I say clearly to anyone still stuck in October 6: We will never lend a hand to the creation of a Palestinian state," Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar said on social media last month.

Persons: Samia Nakhoul, Jonathan Saul, Humeyra Pamuk, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Avi Melamed, Yoav Gallant, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Biden, Gaza's, hasn't, Israel . Fighting, Khan Younis, Emad Joudat, Gallant, Israel, Yahya Sinwar, Antony Blinken, Washington, David Cameron, Britain haven't, Miki Zohar, Dan Williams, Nidal Al Mughrabi, Andrew Hay, Jeff Mason, Pravin Char Organizations: Humeyra Pamuk DOHA, Reuters, Military, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Israeli, America, . Senior, Palestinian Authority, State Department, Israel, United Nations Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Washington, Qatar, RAFAH, Hamas, Khan, Gaza City, Egypt, Cairo, U.S, Palestinian, Britain, Palestine, Doha, London, Jerusalem

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former CBS chief executive and president Les Moonves has agreed to pay a $11,250 fine to settle a complaint accusing him of interfering with a police investigation of a sexual assault case, according to documents released Friday by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. According to the documents, Moonves acknowledged working closely with then-Capt. Cory Palka of the Los Angeles Police Department in 2017 to obtain information about a sexual assault victim’s confidential police report against him. Moonves also met with Palka for an hour at a restaurant to discuss the complaint and ways to quash it. Los Angeles' Government Ethics Ordinance governs the conduct of city employees and forbids them from misusing or disclosing confidential information acquired through their work.

Persons: —, Les Moonves, Moonves, Cory Palka, Palka, didn’t, Weeks, Harvey Weinstein, Phyllis Golden, Gottlieb, Letitia James Organizations: ANGELES, CBS, Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Ethics, Los Angeles Police Department, LAPD, Hollywood Division, Lorimar Productions, New York, Moonves Locations: Los Angeles City, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County

☆ Russia may be replacing 100 tanks a month — but with older models which 'smacks of absolute desperation,' expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia is generating 100+ tanks a month, largely replacing its battlefield losses, UK intel said. Nicholas Drummond, a defense analyst, agreed, telling BI that Russia is relying on older models as its ability to produce new ones is limited. AdvertisementBut Drummond is skeptical that Russia can even make battle-ready 100 of the older tanks a month. Ramping up productionRussia has seemingly been increasing its output of new tanks, while still relying on older models. AdvertisementBut another expert said these older tanks can still create a problem for Ukraine.

Persons: —, William Alberque, Nicholas Drummond, DIMITAR DILKOFF, Drummond, George Barros, Russia's, Oleksii, It's, Alberque, Rajan Menon, Menon, it's Organizations: intel, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Getty, Institute for, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, Defense Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, AFP, Dmytrivka, Kyiv region, Getty Images Russia, Ukrainian

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee city must pay $500,000 as part of a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups over an ordinance designed to ban drag performances from taking place on public property, attorneys announced Wednesday. Eventually, a federal judge temporarily blocked Murfreesboro from enforcing the ordinance while the lawsuit proceeded. Photos You Should See View All 15 ImagesOn Wednesday, the ACLU announced the case had reached a settlement. Under the agreement, the city not only agreed to pay $500,000 but also to repeal the ordinance and process any upcoming event permit applications submitted by TEP. “The government has no right to censor LGBTQ+ people and expression," said attorneys for the ACLU, ACLU of Tennessee, Ballard Spahr, and Burr & Forman in a joint statement.

Persons: —, ” TEP, TEP, Ballard Spahr, Burr, Forman Organizations: —, American Civil Liberties Union, Murfreesboro, ACLU Locations: Tenn, Tennessee, Murfreesboro, Nashville

WHAT ARE LOCAL ‘CRIME-FREE’ OR ‘NUISANCE’ ORDINANCES? Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesAnti-crime and nuisance ordinances have been around for years and are widespread in their usage. More than 2,000 cities nationwide have enacted such policies since the 1990s, according to the Chicago-based Shriver Center on Poverty Law. Critical studies and lawsuits indicate enforcement of nuisance laws frequently occur in poorer neighborhoods and communities of color. Other area cities have rewritten their ordinances, including Faribault in 2022 as it agreed to pay $685,000 to settle a federal lawsuit over the law.

Persons: ”, Corey Bernstein, Devon Orland, “ We’ve, ” Orland, Louis, ___ Hanna Organizations: U.S . Department of Justice, Shriver, Poverty Law, Crime Free Association, DOJ, Housing, National Disability Rights, American Civil Liberties Union, New, New York Civil Liberties Union, U.S . Department of Housing, Urban Development, Louis Park Locations: Minneapolis, Chicago, Anoka , Minnesota, Hesperia , California, Georgia, New York, Rochester, Troy , New York, Peoria , Illinois, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Norristown , Pennsylvania, Maryland, California, Illinois, California , Illinois , Ohio, Pennsylvania, Golden Valley, St, Bloomington, Faribault, Topeka , Kansas

It allows the city to suspend a landlord’s rental license if police answer four or more “nuisance” calls in a year. Minnesota law meanwhile prohibits landlords from limiting or preventing calls for emergency services and also preempts local ordinances penalizing landlords over such calls. She later learned the calls ran afoul of Peoria’s nuisance ordinance. Last year, Maryland prohibited landlords from evicting tenants over the number of emergency calls to their addresses, as well as prohibited cities and counties from penalizing landlords for emergency calls. Jose Cruz Guzman, who serves on the board of Minneapolis’ Sky Without Limits Cooperative, said emergency calls to an apartment would prompt support from fellow residents.

Persons: ”, Elizabeth Sauer, Jeff Weaver, Sue Abderholden, Scott Baumgartner, Baumgartner, Tina Davies, Davies, they’re, “ I’m, Kate Walz, Jose Cruz Guzman, ___ Hanna, Steve Karnowski Organizations: U.S . Department of Justice, Central Minnesota Legal Services, City, FBI, DOJ, Anoka, National Alliance, Mental, Associated Press, Fair Housing, Peoria, American Civil Liberties Union, New, New York Civil Liberties Union, National Housing Law, Housing, Prevention Locations: Minneapolis, Anoka, Mississippi, ”, Minnesota, California , Ohio, Illinois, Peoria, New York, Hesperia , California, U.S, Maryland, California, Topeka , Kansas

☆ I'm a gig worker who argued for Seattle's new minimum pay laws. Now, I'm fighting for my Instacart job.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michelle Balzer, an Instacart driver in Seattle. Balzer was among those who advocated for PayUp, a series of bills meant to protect gig workers passed by Seattle's city council. One of the laws, which requires companies like Instacart to pay contractors the equivalent of the city's $19.97-an-hour minimum wage, took effect on January 13. An Instacart spokesperson told BI: "Due to new regulations imposed by the Seattle City Council, we're making several changes to how Instacart operates in Seattle. AdvertisementDo you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Walmart Spark, or another gig work app and have a story idea to share?

Persons: Michelle Balzer, Balzer, I've, Instacart, PayUp, It's Organizations: Service, PayUp, Business, Shoppers, Seattle, Seattle City Council, Safety, Walmart Locations: Seattle, Seattle's, Pacific Northwest, PayUp, Instacart, Washington, DoorDash

HONG KONG (AP) — Nicole Kidman's latest project is set in Hong Kong, but people who live there are blocked from seeing it, prompting speculation about censorship in a city where civil liberties are shrinking fast. The first two episodes of “Expats,” a six-episode drama about expat women, were released on Amazon Prime on Jan. 26. But when viewers in Hong Kong try to watch it, they instead get a message saying that “this video is currently unavailable to watch in your location.”The city has hardened its controls over political speech after 2019 anti-government protests rocked the city. In 2020, China passed a National Security Law that criminalized political activities, such as protesting for independence. On Tuesday, the Hong Kong government announced plans to enact a local version of the 2020 National Security Law.

Persons: — Nicole Kidman's, “, ” Organizations: Amazon Prime, Security Law, Walt Disney Co, Disney, ”, Amazon, Hong Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, China

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Standing or stopping is now banned on pedestrian bridges on the Las Vegas Strip where visitors often pause to take photos amid the glittery casino lights or to watch street performers. Violators of the ordinance that took effect Tuesday could face up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine. Clark County commissioners voted unanimously this month to approve the measure prohibiting people from “stopping, standing or engaging in an activity that causes another person to stop” on Strip pedestrian bridges. The ban doesn’t include standing or stopping if a person is waiting to use an elevator, stairway or escalator. The county said it planned to install signs on the Strip identifying locations where stopping or standing is prohibited.

Persons: Clark County Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Las, American Civil Liberties Union of Locations: Clark, American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada

☆ The golden age of working for Instacart, DoorDash, and other delivery apps is over, workers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-31 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

"2020 and 2021 were excellent, but things started to go downhill in 2022 and now 2023," Juan told Business Insider. AdvertisementSpokespeople for Amazon, DoorDash, and Grubhub confirmed to Business Insider that they put prospective delivery workers on waitlists in certain markets based on demand for deliveries. AdvertisementHere are some of the problems that delivery gig workers faced in 2023, varying from lower pay to greater competition to sudden deactivations. The companies that employ delivery workers oppose the laws. Do you work for Instacart, Walmart Spark, or another gig delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Juan, he's, He's, hasn't, they're, Grubhub, Greg F, Greg, Instacart, Alexia Hudson, Daniel Danker, Hudson, Uber, GeekWire, Shipt Organizations: Service, Amazon, Business, Instacart, Walmart, Hudson, Bank of America Institute, New, New York Post Locations: Instacart, Southern California, Utah, California, Texas, Charlotte , North Carolina, Seattle, New York City, Juan

☆ The horror of Henry Kissinger’s legacy in Southeast Asia goes on
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —Fifty years after Henry Kissinger drove American foreign policy in Southeast Asia, the region continues to live with the fallout from the bombing and military campaigns backed by the former secretary of state, who died last week. That’s more than the Allies dropped during World War II, according to an account by Yale University historian Ben Kiernan. Experts say the devastation – which is especially acute for people in rural areas – will go on for years to come. That’s Kissinger’s legacy,” said Bill Morse, president of the nonprofit Landmine Relief Fund, which supports organizations including Cambodia Self-Help Demining. They play catch with it and it blows up 10 year old children … (unexploded ordnance) are where the injuries are coming from now,” he said.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, Kissinger, Richard Nixon, ”, Youk Chhang, Chhang, Nixon, Vietnam –, CNN It’s, Gerald Ford, Suharto’s, “ Kissinger, Chong Ja Ian, Ben Kiernan, …, That’s, Bill Morse, Morse, Le Duc Tho, “, Barack Obama Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Center of Cambodia, CNN, National University of Singapore, ”, Yale University, Paris Peace Accords, MPI, Getty, NPR Locations: Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Khmer Rouge, Phnom Penh, Khmer, Laos, East Timor, United States, Missouri, destabilized, Paris, United Kingdom

☆ US Supreme Court is again asked to block Illinois assault weapons ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Andrew Chung | Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man examines an AR-10 for sale at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center Gun Show, after the state of Illinois passed its "assault weapons" ban into law, in Belleville, Illinois, U.S., January 14, 2023. The National Association for Gun Rights, Robert Bevis and his firearms store, Law Weapons & Supply, made the request after a lower court denied their bid for a preliminary injunction against the ban, as well as a similar ban enacted by another Chicago suburb, Naperville. The plaintiffs also asked the Supreme Court for an injunction at an earlier stage of the case, but were rebuffed in May. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has taken an expansive view of the Second Amendment, broadening gun rights in three landmark rulings since 2008. In 2022, the court recognized a constitutional right to carry a handgun in public for self defense, striking down a New York state law.

Persons: Kate Munsch, Robert Bevis, Democratic Illinois Governor J.B, Pritzker, Bevis, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: Belle, Clair Fairgrounds, REUTERS, Wednesday, U.S, Supreme, Democratic, National Association for Gun Rights, Weapons & Supply, Democratic Illinois Governor, AK, Circuit, Thomson Locations: Illinois, Belleville , Illinois, U.S, Highland Park, Chicago, Naperville, . Illinois, New York

The cities say they buy tickets only for migrants who want to travel and they do not coerce people to leave. The vast majority were bus tickets, but Denver also purchased about 340 tickets for flights and 200 for train rides. Ewing gave a similar message regarding El Paso’s busing of migrants to Denver, saying the two cities have been in communication. New York City and Chicago also are limiting migrants' shelter stays. “We have other Democratic cities, Denver, California, L.A., sending their people to Chicago, New York.

Persons: Mario Russell, ” Russell, Staff Mary Krinock, we’re, ” Jon Ewing, ”, Yoli Casas, “ There’s, We’re, Russell, Jared Polis, Lori Lightfoot, Eric Adams, Polis, “, Joe Biden, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Ewing, El, ” Ewing, ” El, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Andrew Mahaleris, Ron DeSantis, Maura Healey, ’ ” Alderman Anthony Beale, Sophia Tareen, ___ Organizations: DENVER, Democratic, Center for Migration Studies of New, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of, Staff, Denver Human Service, Vive Wellness, Denver, Center for Migration Studies, Colorado Democratic Gov, Chicago, New York City, Washington , D.C, Chicago Mayor, Democrat, Texas Gov, Democratic Gov, Chicago City, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Denver, U.S, Mexico, El Paso , Texas, New York, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Center for Migration Studies of New York, Chicago, Venezuela, Archdiocese of Chicago, . Texas, New, Cities, Denver , New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Washington ,, ” El Paso's, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Massachusetts, New York City, Denver , California, L.A, Chicago , New York

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City will hire overdose investigators as part the Missouri city's effort to lower the number of fentanyl deaths. An ordinance passed Thursday by the city council allows the city health department to hire two investigators and requires overdoses to be reported within 24 hours, the Kansas City Star reported. A Kansas City police official told the newspaper that the agency has confiscated more than 61,000 grams (about 134 pounds) of fentanyl so far this year, and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said there was a suspected overdose every day but one in 2022 in Kansas City emergency rooms. “Overdose deaths are at an epidemic level in Kansas City and fentanyl is driving the epidemic,” Lucas said.

Persons: Quinton Lucas, ” Lucas, Lucas Organizations: KANSAS CITY, Kansas City Star, Kansas City Locations: KANSAS, Mo, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas City

☆ Myanmar president: country at risk of breaking apart due to border violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - The president of military-ruled Myanmar has said the country is at risk of breaking apart due to ineffective management of recent violence in its border regions with China. As now is an important time for the State, the entire people need to support Tatmadaw (the military)." In the northeast, the junta has lost control of some border trade towns with China. The Chinese government also confirmed this week that there had been Chinese casualties due to military ordinance going over the border. Reporting by Reuters staff, Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kanupriya Kapoor, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Michael Perry Organizations: Administration Council, SAC, State, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Myanmar, China

☆ Myanmar President: Country at Risk of Breaking Apart Due to Border Violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The president of military-ruled Myanmar has said the country is at risk of breaking apart due to ineffective management of recent violence in its border regions with China. "If the government does not effectively manage the incidents happening in the border region, the country will be split into various parts," Myint Swe, president of the State Administration Council (SAC), told a national defence and security council meeting. As now is an important time for the State, the entire people need to support Tatmadaw (the military)." In the northeast, the junta has lost control of some border trade towns with China. The Chinese government also confirmed this week that there had been Chinese casualties due to military ordinance going over the border.

Persons: Kanupriya Kapoor, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, Administration Council, SAC, State Locations: Myanmar, China

☆ When Israel needs to fight Hamas in its tunnels, it turns to an elite band of commandos called the Yahalom unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Clearing out the Hamas tunnels is one assignment for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) amid its ongoing ground invasion of Gaza, now a little more than a week old. To effectively carry out this task, the military has a elite band of commandos who are trained for underground warfare and other subterranean operations known as the Yahalom unit. The unit was created in 1995 and doubled in size after the 2014 Gaza War — known in Israel as Operation Protective Edge — to deal with the growing threat posed by Hamas' tunnels. On Friday, for example, the IDF said Yahalom soldiers working in tandem with other units destroyed Hamas tunnels during "special operations" inside the strip. "Hamas views warfare underground just as it would aboveground, utilizing defense, offense, and retreat," he remarked.

Persons: —, Nir Elias, Krav Maga, Israel, they're, Yaron Beit, Yahalom, John Spencer, Spencer Organizations: IDF, Service, Israel Defense Forces, Combat Engineering Corps, REUTERS, Yahalom Foundation, Military, Telegram, West, Institute, US Locations: Gaza, Israel, Tel Aviv, Beit Hanoun

“We’re all a little star-struck, to be honest,” said Timothy Magner, the president of the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, who corrected himself to use the new “speaker” title to refer to Mr. Johnson. (Multiple friends and colleagues said he has a knack for impressions of politicians, which they cited as evidence of a sense of humor.) “He would tell you he’s never surprised by God’s ordinance,” she added. “And the thing about Mike is — he means that answer.”Some constituents said that they, too, were among the many Americans learning about Mr. Johnson this week. In Opelousas, in the southern slice of his district, Shawana Johnson, 43, said she heard of him for the first time through a canvassing text message on Wednesday.

Persons: “, ”, Timothy Magner, Johnson, Washington acclimates, Mary, Patricia Wray, he’s, Mike, Shawana Johnson Organizations: Greater, Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Locations: Greater Shreveport, Louisiana, Opelousas

☆ A gay Israeli soldier says he's going to fly the LGBTQ+ flag on his tank while fighting Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A gay Israeli soldier plans to take an LGBTQ+ flag to fight against Hamas. Atzmoni told Insider that he's worried that a Hamas victory could set Israel's progress on LGBTQ+ rights back several decades. Meanwhile, in Jordan, public opinion is overwhelmingly opposed to LGBTQ+ rights, according to the LGBTQ+ collaborative knowledge base, Equaldex . Under Hamas, LGBTQ+ Palestinians suffer "severe persecution and ostracism," per UN Watch's 2022 report. Nadav Yitzhaki and Yoav Atzmoni holding an Israeli flag with LGBTQ+ colors Courtesy of Yoav AtzmoniBut the progress has been hard-won, according to Azmotovi.

Persons: Yoav Atzmoni, —, Atzmoni, Nadav Yitzhaki, Azmotovi, Eytan Marmelstein, Omer Bauman, Yulav Shtaigel, Benyamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Yitzhak Pindrus Organizations: Hamas, Service, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza, Tel Avid Pride, Dignity, Israel's Defense Ministry, Torah Judaism Party, Hilltop, West Bank Locations: Israeli, Israel, Jerusalem, Gaza, Jordan, Egypt, Europe

☆ In Texas, Local Laws to Prevent Travel for Abortions Gain Momentum
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( J. David Goodman | More About J. David Goodman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In recent months, abortion opponents in Texas have succeeded in passing a growing number of local ordinances to prevent people from helping women travel to have abortions in nearby states that still allow the procedure. On Monday, Lubbock County, a conservative hub of more than 300,000 residents near the border with New Mexico, became the largest county yet to enact such a ban. The county commissioners court, after a public meeting that drew occasionally impassioned testimony, voted to make it illegal for anyone to transport a pregnant woman through the county, or pay for her travel, for the purpose of seeking an abortion. The county, which includes the city of Lubbock and Texas Tech University, joined three other far smaller counties — one along the New Mexico border and two others in the middle of the state — in passing ordinances that were drafted in part by the architect of Texas’s six-week abortion ban, adopted in 2021 even before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. The city of Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle, on Tuesday was set to consider a similar ordinance, which would apply to a network of roads and highways that pass through the city of 200,000 and lead toward New Mexico and Colorado, states where many Texas women have traveled for procedures.

Persons: Roe, Wade Organizations: Lubbock and Texas Tech University, U.S, Supreme, Texas Panhandle Locations: Texas, Lubbock County, New Mexico, Lubbock, Amarillo, Colorado

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