Month: February 2022

One woman was killed and five others injured during a shooting Saturday night in Portland. The Portland Police Bureau said that the woman was dead when officers arrived just after 8 p.m. at the scene near Normandale Park, a frequent hub for protests against racism and police killings. The wounded victims, two men and three women, were transported to hospitals. Authorities have not released information about their conditions and have not identified a suspect or those shot.

On Sunday, police said they believe the incident “started with a confrontation between an armed homeowner and armed protesters.” Officials have not publicly discussed a potential motive, saying the investigation is “very complicated,” and adding that witnesses were unwilling to talk to responding officers.  Department spokesperson Lt. Nathan Sheppard would not say whether police had made any arrests in connection to the shooting, telling reporters at a virtual briefing on Sunday afternoon that “things are changing constantly in this investigation. As we learn more, things change. At this point, it would be irresponsible of me to comment on arrests that were made, if any.”

According to information on social media, protesters were set to gather in the park at 7 p.m. Saturday, seeking to highlight the cases of Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer earlier this month during a no-knock raid, and Patrick Kimmons, a 27-year-old Black man killed by Portland police during a 2018 altercation.  An initial statement from Portland police said that homicide detectives were investigating the scene and that the Oregon State Medical Examiner would determine the cause and manner of the victim’s death.

In a statement. Portland police said the scene of the shooting “was extremely chaotic, and a number of witnesses were uncooperative with responding officers. Most people on scene left without talking to police. Detectives believe a large number of people either witnessed what happened, or recorded the incident as it unfolded. This is a very complicated incident, and investigators are trying to put this puzzle together without having all the pieces.”

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Buckingham Palace announced Sunday that Queen Elizabeth II, 95, has tested positive for coronavirus and is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms.” A palace statement read: “Buckingham Palace confirm that the queen has today tested positive for Covid. Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week. She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.”

Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. On Feb. 6, she reached her Platinum Jubilee at her country estate, Sandringham. The day earlier, she carried out her first major public engagement for more than three months, meeting with charity workers at Sandringham House. The Queen received her first vaccine in January 2021, and while it had not been officially released whether she received a second dose and a booster, the BBC reported it is believed she has received all follow-up vaccinations.

Nearly two weeks ago, Prince Charles, the 73-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus for a second time, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, confirmed Monday she had the virus. Queen Elizabeth had been in contact with her eldest son and heir.

According to Bloomberg tracking, Britain has vaccinated 78.3% of its total population with at least one dose. Currently in England, you are not legally required to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus. The prime minister will confirm all of England’s pandemic regulations will end when he lays out his “living with Covid” plan on Monday.

Queen Elizabeth II Tests Positive for COVID-19, Receiving Medical Attention

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The Florida House of Representatives approved a ban on abortions for women who have been pregnant for 15 weeks or longer without exceptions for rape or incest — a nine-week difference from current legislation. Lawmakers debated for five hours and 27 minutes on Wednesday night before passing the state’s most restrictive abortion law since 1973’s Roe vs. Wade decision early Thursday morning,

Florida law currently prohibits abortions for women who have been pregnant for 24 weeks or longer. The new bill — titled ‘CS/HB 5: Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality’ — was filed by Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, on Jan. 11 and cleared by two subcommittees.  The bill has no exceptions for rape, incest, coercion or mental health. It only allows abortions after 15 weeks as an emergency procedure to save the mother’s life or if there’s risk of physical impairment if the pregnancy is carried to full term. Physicians who perform abortions after 15 weeks would be guilty of a third-degree felony.

The bill now awaits approval from the Senate before its final stop at the governor’s desk.

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A New York judge ruled on Thursday that former U.S. President Donald Trump and two of his adult children, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr.,  must answer questions under oath within 21 days in the state attorney general’s civil probe into their family company. Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan ruled in favor of Attorney General Letitia James in directing Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr and his daughter Ivanka Trump to testify.

Judge Engoron said James had “the clear right” to issue her subpoenas and question the Trumps after having uncovered “copious evidence of possible financial fraud.”  He wrote that failing to issue subpoenas “would have been a blatant dereliction of duty (and would have broken an oft-repeated campaign promise).”  AG James said in a statement:  “Today, justice prevailed. No one will be permitted to stand in the way of the pursuit of justice, no matter how powerful they are. No one is above the law.”

The decision followed a two-hour hearing in which Trumps’ lawyers accused James of doing an end run around their clients’ constitutional rights by seeking testimony she could then use against them in a parallel criminal investigation. Last month, James said her nearly three-year investigation into the Trump Organization had uncovered significant evidence of possible fraud. She described what she called misleading statements about the values of the “Trump Brand” and six Trump properties, saying the company may have inflated real estate values to obtain bank loans and reduced them to lower tax bills.

Lawyers for Donald Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump, declined to comment. Washington D.C.’s attorney general is separately suing the Trump Organization and Trump’s inaugural committee over the alleged misuse of $1.1 million of charitable funds. A Sept. 26 trial date was set on Thursday.

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On Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a law ending mask mandates in schools throughout Virginia.  The law allows parents to opt-out their children from wearing masks, despite conflicting local mandates, without providing a reason or getting an exemption. It also bars online learning options, preventing schools from enacting hybrid systems, and requires schools be open for in-person learning five days a week.

Youngkin had signed an executive order barring mask mandates on the day he was inaugurated in mid-January, but several school districts challenged it in court.  The newly-elected governor was pushing to deliver on his campaign promises to end the mandates, and affirm what he said are ‘the rights of parents in education.’  The new law comes as school board meetings have become political battlegrounds over COVID mandates, and as an increasing number of states have let indoor mask mandates expire this month, including California, New York, Delaware and Nevada.  In addition, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut and Oregon will stop requiring masks in the next few weeks, leaving it up to individual school districts to decide if students should wear them or not — and Texas, Utah, Florida, and Oklahoma are banning requirements altogether at a state level.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends that all children ages two and older wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

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The U.S. military announced Wednesday that Russian military jets intercepted three U.S. Navy aircrafts over the weekend in an “unprofessional” manner.

U.S. Navy Capt. Mike Kafka, director of Defense Press Operations, said the intercepts happened while the U.S. aircraft were in international airspace over the Mediterranean Sea.  Captain Kafka said in a statement: “We can confirm that over the course of last weekend, three U.S. Navy P-8A aircraft experienced unprofessional intercepts by Russian aircraft. We have made our concerns known to Russian officials through diplomatic channels. While no one was hurt, interactions such as these could result in miscalculations and mistakes that lead to more dangerous outcomes. The U.S. will continue to operate safely, professionally and consistent with international law in international waters and airspace. We expect Russia to do the same.”

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia over the Moscow’s buildup of troops along the Russian border with Ukraine. The United States and its NATO allies have warned Russia against invading Ukraine, threatening to levy sanctions and other punishments against Moscow. Russia has said it condemns any attempts by Ukraine to join NATO and wants the military alliance to withdraw its deployment to its pre-1997 positions.

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