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☆ Autopsy Shows Tyre Nichols Died of Head Injuries From Police Beating
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Emily Cochrane | Jessica Jaglois | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An autopsy report released on Thursday confirmed that Tyre Nichols died as a result of blunt force injuries to his head after a group of Memphis police officers brutally kicked and bludgeoned him. Shelby County medical examiners formally declared his death on Jan. 10 a homicide, describing severe injuries to Mr. Nichols’s head and neck as well as bruises and cuts all over his body. The report also found that on the day of the beating, Jan. 7, Mr. Nichols had a blood alcohol concentration of .049 percent — well below the legal limit for driving in Tennessee — despite insinuations from the police that he had been pulled over for driving while intoxicated. The formal assessment of what killed Mr. Nichols, about four months after a routine traffic stop turned violent, comes as prosecutors are continuing to investigate the beating. The brutality of the attack captured on body camera and surveillance footage, fueled a national outcry and drew scathing criticism over how frequently law enforcement in Memphis used excessive force and intimidation tactics.

☆ Lots of sporting buzz in Miami but can F1 deliver?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Once again in a league of their own, Red Bull have won every grand prix this season, with three of the four races one-two finishes. While Miami can deliver plenty of Monaco like pizzazz, the action on the track could also be similar to Monte Carlo with precious little overtaking. Double world champion Max Verstappen (93) leads Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez (87) in the drivers standings and a resurgent Alonso a distant third on 60 points. Hamilton's team mate George Russell had a tongue-and-cheek solution, forget about Red Bull and dive into the battle for third place. Reporting by Steve Keating in Miami, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"We're not endorsing what happened, but we do not believe that criminal charges are appropriate," Mulroy told reporters. An autopsy will be available soon and is expected to confirm that Nichols died of injuries from the beating, Mulroy added. Police video of the incident showed officers kicking, punching and beating Nichols with a baton on Jan. 7. Hemphill, along with those accused of murder and a seventh officer, were relieved of their duties by the Memphis Police Department. Prosecutors will not charge any other officer who arrived after the beating but are still investigating fire department staff, Mulroy said.

☆ Half the F1 calendar could become sprint races, says Steiner
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Half the Formula One calendar could be turned into sprint weekends if changes to the format are given the go-ahead and prove a hit in Baku next week, according to Haas team boss Guenther Steiner. MotoGP has already turned its whole calendar into two-race weekends, with a sprint on Saturday and the main event on Sunday. "I don’t know if we will do it every race weekend. But the F1 promoter will know what to do," Steiner told Reuters in an interview through team sponsor MoneyGram. Steiner said there would still be a need for some race weekends with three practice sessions and just a Sunday grand prix but the current Saturday sprint format needed changing.

☆ Tyre Nichols’s Mother Sues Memphis, Police Chief and Officers Involved in Son’s Death
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Cameron Mcwhirter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: Brandon Dill/Associated PressThe mother of Tyre Nichols, the Memphis man who died in January after being beaten by police during a traffic stop, on Wednesday sued the city of Memphis, its police chief and others, including the former officers now facing murder charges in Mr. Nichols’s death. In the 139-page complaint, RowVaughn Wells said her 29-year-old son was killed in “a gruesome, barbaric display of police brutality on the streets of a quiet neighborhood in Memphis.” The complaint stated that Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis exercised poor training and oversight of officers and fostered an attitude among officers that they were above the law.

☆ Tyre Nichols’s Mother Sues Memphis, Police for at Least $500 Million After Son’s Death
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Cameron Mcwhirter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

April 19 (Reuters) - Lawyers for Tyre Nichols' family filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court seeking damages from those responsible for the beating death of the 29-year-old Black man at the hands of Memphis police. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a tweet that the lawsuit would seek to hold the Tennessee city, the Memphis Police Department and individual officers accountable for Nichols' death in January. Nichols' death on Jan. 10 came three days after his beating by police during a traffic stop and triggered a nationwide outcry and protests, leading to the arrest and indictment for second-degree murder of five police officers. Police and fire department responders left a mortally wounded Nichols on the ground, his hands cuffed behind his back, and intermittently propped him against a patrol car. Besides seeking damages for wrongful death, Crump's legal team is also suing Memphis police for intentional infliction of emotional distress for lying to his mother.

☆ Volkswagen calls for delay in implementation of new EU emissions standards to 2026
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Volkswagen AG FollowBERLIN, April 13 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) called on Thursday for the implementation of new EU emissions standards to be pushed to at least autumn of 2026, slightly over a year later than planned, with the aim of all new cars meeting the standards by autumn 2027. Still, the Commission argues the measures are needed as soon as possible to cut harmful emissions while combustion engine cars remain on the road. Other aspects of the regulation like limitations on the tiny particulates from braking and tyre wear should be delayed, Volkswagen said, without providing a date. "Several years of lead time are needed," the statement said, pointing to a lack of suppliers or industrialised production of tyres meeting the new requirements. Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Editing by Friederike Heine and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Memphis council suspends extra police reforms after protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Andrew Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 11 (Reuters) - Memphis' city council voted on Tuesday to indefinitely postpone extra police reforms in response to Tyre Nichols' beating death after protests the proposals watered down ordinances passed in March. "It is in the best interest to allow previous ordinances on criminal justice reform advocated for by Council members and constituency groups to stand alone," Council Vice Chair JB Smiley told the council. Audience members cheered and chanted "Justice for Tyre" after the council approved Smiley's motion to indefinitely table consideration of the proposed reforms. The death of Nichols, 29, prompted outrage and calls for change. Reporting by Andrew Hay, additional reporting by Dan Trotta; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Israeli strikes target Hamas in Lebanon and Gaza after rocket attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

GAZA CITY - Flames rise from the area after Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on the central part of the Gaza Strip, on April 07, 2023. "We strongly condemn the blatant Zionist aggression against Lebanon in the vicinity of Tyre at dawn today," Hamas said. The strikes came in response to rocket attacks from Lebanon towards northern Israeli areas, which Israeli officials blamed on Hamas. As the Israeli jets struck in Gaza, salvoes of rockets were fired in response and sirens sounded in Israeli towns and cities in bordering areas. An Israeli military spokesman said the Israeli operation was over for the moment.

A youth, later identified as Martin, was asleep in the driver's seat of the parked vehicle when officers arrived, police said. One of the Park Police officers jumped into the back seat and yelled, "Police, don't move. Jade Mathis, an attorney for the Martin family, told the Washington Post that their initial reaction to the footage was tears that quickly turned to anger. The attorney said the family wants the officer who shot Martin to be identified, prosecuted and terminated. Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Frank McGurty and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU car data access rules in progress but no timeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Data ownership, however, is not clearly defined in EU law, resulting in the current dispute between carmakers and those who want to access it. "The Commission is working on the preparation of a sector-specific proposal on in-vehicle data. It will aim to complement the proposal for a Data Act, published in February 2022," a spokesperson for the EU executive told Reuters in an email. "At this stage we cannot prejudge the content of the final impact assessment and subsequent timeline for adoption." ($1 = 0.9188 euros)Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Verstappen wins Australian Grand Prix after red flag chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Verstappen wins his second race of the seasonHamilton finishes runner-up ahead of AlonsoRace interrupted by red flags, crashesMELBOURNE, April 2 (Reuters) - Max Verstappen was crowned Australian Grand Prix winner on Sunday after two late red flags and a slew of crashes threw the race into chaos before the Red Bull driver was allowed a processional victory lap around Albert Park. That allowed Verstappen to claim his second win of the season ahead of Hamilton with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso third. Red Bull have now claimed all three grand prix wins in the new season, a record for the team, resuming their dominance after their runaway success in 2022. The Dutchman now has 69 points in the championship race, 15 ahead of team mate Sergio Perez. Verstappen opened up a big gap before the late red flags saw the race turn from procession to drama and back again.

☆ Team by team analysis of the Australian Grand Prix
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ASTON MARTIN (Fernando Alonso 3, Lance Stroll 4)Alonso's third third-place finish in three races for the team he joined this season from Renault-owned Alpine. The Spaniard started fourth, dropped to fifth but was third by the second red flag. Russell pulled up with his car flaming at the rear on lap 18, triggering a virtual safety car. He had fought back from 11th after pitting during the second safety car period, just before the first red flag. The German was fourth at the final red flag but the positions were reset to the previous grid because no sector had been completed.

☆ Alex Marquez battles fire and damp track to take pole at Argentina GP
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 1 (Reuters) - Alex Marquez overcame a crash and fire on his Gresini Ducati machine in the first qualifying session to take his maiden pole position in MotoGP at the Argentina Grand Prix on Saturday, on a damp track where his tyre gamble paid off. "I did my best with the wet tyres. Later on I go in I thought there was no time to change the tyres. But we changed the tyres... and it was working, so really happy for that and looking forward to the sprint and the race." Maverick Vinales of Aprilia, who dominated Friday practice, was fifth fastest while Johann Zarco of Pramac Racing completes the second row.

☆ Car services groups warn of unfair competition as EU data plan stalls
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, March 31 (Reuters) - Car services groups on Friday warned a stalled EU proposal to ensure fair access to valuable vehicle data could pave the way for unfair competition from U.S. and Chinese tech companies. Car services groups are already concerned about the small number of players in the industry with access to the data, said Benjamin Krieger, secretary general of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA). Unfair access could soon mean the sector "will be dominated by players from the United States and China", he told reporters. Car makers in turn said the Commission's proposed Data Act gives users control over data generated by vehicles, providing third parties fair and non-discriminatory access to the data. Last month, Mercedes Benz (MBGn.DE) teamed up with Google to offer traffic information and automatic rerouting in its cars.

The EU has progressively tightened limits since "Euro 1" in 1992. The Commission's proposal widens real-driving emissions (RDE) testing and adds continuous testing of emissions via an on-board monitoring system. Euro 7 would take effect in mid-2025 for cars and in mid-2027 for trucks and buses. The European Commission estimates Euro 7 could add up to 150 euros to car prices and 2,600 euros for trucks and buses. A Commission spokesperson declined to comment on executives' statements, but said Euro 7's real-driving emissions tests were important because of "scandals in the past about cheating devices".

☆ Marquez apologises for Oliveira crash at Portuguese GP, accepts penalty
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PORTIMAO, Portugal, March 26 (Reuters) - Honda's Marc Marquez apologised for his mistake and accepted a penalty after a collision with local favourite Miguel Oliveira saw both riders crash out of season-opening Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday. loading"First of all I'm very sorry to Oli, his team, to his fans at the Portuguese GP. I did a big mistake," Marquez told MotoGP. Sometimes these kind of things happen in races and I understand I made a big mistake," he added. Honda team manager Alberto Puig said it was 'impossible' for Marquez to avoid the crash.

☆ Bagnaia wins first ever MotoGP sprint at Portuguese Grand Prix
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 25 (Reuters) - Reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia won the first ever MotoGP sprint with a last-lap overtake at the season-opening Portuguese Grand Prix on Saturday to earn 12 points and move to the top of the rider's standings ahead of the race on Sunday. On the final lap, Martin looked set to take the chequered flag but the Spaniard went wide on a turn, opening the door for Bagnaia to storm ahead and win the sprint. "It was fun, but it was difficult for the win," said Bagnaia, who had dropped to third midway through the sprint. Sunday's race will have the same grid order after the qualifying session with Marquez on pole. Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis and Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

March 21 (Reuters) - Virginia sheriff deputies and medical staffers wrestled with a handcuffed Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man, for several minutes at a state mental hospital before he died, video surveillance shows. Police have arrested and charged three former employees of the mental health hospital and seven sheriffs deputies of Henrico County, Virginia, with second-degree murder in Otieno's death. Most of the deputies and hospital employees involved in the case are also Black. The video, a download link of which was made available in court documents, shows about six officers carrying Otieno into a room. At times as many as 10 deputies and hospital workers held him down while his legs were shackled and his arms were held behind his back.

☆ At least 19 killed in bus accident in Bangladesh
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DHAKA, March 19 (Reuters) - A speeding bus veered off a major expressway in central Bangladesh and plunged into a ditch, killing at least 19 people and injured dozens, police said. The death toll could rise further as some of the injured passengers are in critical condition, said Anowar Hossain, police official of Shibchar, where the crash occurred. The bus, carrying more than 40 passengers, fell about 9 metres (30 feet) into a roadside ditch after breaking through the railing of the newly-built Padma river bridge expressway, Hossain said. The driver, who was killed, appeared to have lost control of the vehicle after the tyre of the bus burst, he said, adding that the cause of the accident was under investigation. Road accidents are common in Bangladesh, often blamed on reckless driving, old vehicles and poor safety rules, and killing thousands each year.

☆ Lieutenant in Tyre Nichols' death retired before termination hearing, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 18 (Reuters) - A lieutenant with the Memphis Police Department involved in the traffic stop that led to the killing of Tyre Nichols in January filed for retirement before a disciplinary hearing to fire him, according to media reports. The former lieutenant submitted his retirement on March 1, a day before officials at a hearing held in his absence determined he should have been fired, according to the reports. Disciplinary charges against Smith alleged he did not provide Nichols with appropriate medical care even as he heard the man say "I can't breathe." Five officers, all Black, have been criminally charged with second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and oppression for Nichols' death. A total of 13 officers have come under investigation for their conduct in Nichols' arrest, authorities have said.

REUTERS/Karen Pulfer FochtMarch 17 (Reuters) - The family of a Black man who died while in a Memphis jail on Friday called on authorities to identify the correctional officers involved in the altercation that killed him and to hold them accountable. Gershun Freeman, 33, died on Oct. 2 at the Shelby County, Tennessee, jail after being beaten by guards and held prone on the ground with a knee on his back for more than five minutes while handcuffed. More than five months after his death, the family is still seeking answers and justice, his mother, Kimberly Freeman, said at a press conference outside the county jail where her son was held. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident, while the Shelby County District Attorney office handed the case over to the Nashville District Attorney Office to avoid a conflict of interest. Released earlier this month, 14 minutes of video show the violent altercation between jail guards and Freeman that ended with his death.

☆ DOJ Probe Sparked by Breonna Taylor’s Death Faults Louisville for Illegal Policing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Sadie Gurman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A memorial to Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death during a botched police raid, in Louisville, Ky., in September 2020. The Justice Department on Wednesday faulted the Louisville Metro Police Department for widespread unconstitutional practices in a probe launched after the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor and said it would examine the role of special police units following the deadly January beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, underscoring the Biden administration’s focus on overhauling local law enforcement. A sweeping, two-year investigation following Ms. Taylor’s killing found officers routinely used excessive force, made illegal arrests and discriminatory traffic stops, and unlawfully executed search warrants without knocking and announcing their presence, among other civil-rights violations that had a disproportionate impact on Black people.

☆ Tyre Nichols death: Memphis mayor and police chief requested DOJ's review of the police department
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Michelle Mark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Justice Department is reviewing the Memphis Police Department after Tyre Nichols' beating death. The review was requested by Memphis' mayor and police chief, the Justice Department said. The investigation was prompted by the death of Tyre Nichols, who was severely beaten by Memphis police officers. It will also review specialized street crime units like the SCORPION Unit, which the department deactivated after Nichols' death. The review was requested by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn J. Davis, according to the DOJ.

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