In report on LGBT, Human Rights Watch urges Malaysia to end state-funded conversion camps

In a report on the discrimination against the LGBT in Malaysia, Human Rights Watch

 said public funds were being used on the camps that even attempt to convert 

schoolchildren perceived as queer or gender nonconforming, via methods 

that were psychologically damaging. — AFP pic

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By R. Loheswar

Wednesday, 10 Aug 2022 7:00 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — Malaysian authorities should stop “conversion” programmes involving the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community including mukhayyam camps, said Human Rights Watch.

In a report on the discrimination against the LGBT in Malaysia, the rights advocacy group said public funds were being used on the camps that even attempt to convert schoolchildren perceived as queer or gender nonconforming, via methods that were psychologically damaging.

Such camps were conducted by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department and state religious authorities.

“LGBT Malaysians report that pressure to change contributes to harms including bullying and suicidal ideation. The officially sanctioned discourse on the need to ‘change’ or return to ‘the right path’ contributes to discrimination, restricted access to justice, vigilante violence and imprisonment.

“The state’s insistence that being LGBT is unacceptable, its funding of conversion practices, and its failure to respond to harmful conversion practices by non-state actors, all harm LGBT people.

“The Malaysian government should immediately stop sponsoring, funding and otherwise supporting conversion practices and should, in consultation with LGBT community groups, educate public officials, including police, judges, and government staff, on gender, diversity, and human rights,” they said in a report titled “I Don’t Want to Change Myself”.

According to the report, Jakim in 2018 noted that 1,450 LGBT people had “recovered” from the “disease” through mukhayyam since the programme was initiated in 2012. By June 2021, the government reported that 1,733 LGBT people had attended these programmes.

The group also asked for more acceptance in the workplace, noting a Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) report where 57 out of 100 people were denied employment at least once because of their gender identity.

Such experiences discouraged the revelation of gender identities for fear of discrimination, the HRW said in the report when noting the lack of access to legal gender recognition in Malaysia.

“No law in Malaysia explicitly prohibits gender recognition for trans people, but almost all transgender people who are known to have approached the National Registration Department to request such changes have been rejected. In Suhakam’s study of 100 trans women in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, 86 said they would like to change their gender marker on their documents, but only 20 had tried, and only four had succeeded in doing so,” the group said.

HRW also urged the government to repeal laws that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

These included Sections 377A and 377B of the Penal Code, which criminalise “carnal intercourse against the order of nature,” and 377D that criminalises gross indecency.

The government should further review Section 377 of the Penal Code pertaining to “unnatural offences,” together with Sections 375 and 376 to develop a comprehensive law against sexual violence,” HRW said.

It also asked that Parliament reject the proposed law increasing allowable Shariah criminal punishments under the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355.

DAY FIVE

Cuba: Firefighters, helicopters battle to contain fuel depot blaze

Helicopters and firefighters battled Tuesday to contain a days-old blaze at a fuel depot in Cuba that has already destroyed four tanks and was threatening four more.

AFP
Updated Aug 10, 2022 | 



Cuba fuel fire
Photo : AP

Havana: Helicopters and firefighters battled Tuesday to contain a days-old blaze at a fuel depot in Cuba that has already destroyed four tanks and was threatening four more. The fire, which started on Friday after lightning struck one of the tanks, left a 60-year-old firefighter dead and 14 colleagues missing, according to authorities.

More than 100 people were reported injured, with 22 still hospitalized. About 5,000 people have been evacuated from around the disaster zone on the outskirts of Matanzas, an industrial city of 140,000 people some 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Havana.

As teams prepared Tuesday to try and douse the fire with foam, fears were rising that the blaze could threaten the fuel supply to thermoelectric plants at a time Cuba is already battling electricity outages. Four military helicopters flew repeated sorties over the depot, dropping sea water on the blaze.

"The firefighting teams continue to clear a path to the flames so the teams charged with applying the foam can get to the place," Matanzas governor Mario Sabines said on Twitter. He added that smoke from the fire had reduced visibility to near zero, and drones were deployed to provide a better view.

- Help arrives -

Four of the eight tanks on site have already collapsed in the blaze, have spilled their contents, and were still burning, according to deputy fire chief Alexander Avalos Jorge. Water was being sprayed on the remaining four tanks, clustered just 150 meters (about 492 feet) from the other four tanks, in a bid to keep them cool.

The tanks each have a capacity of some 50,000 cubic meters or 50 million liters of fuel. The Matanzas depot, built in the 1980s and modernized several times, supplies the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the largest in the communist nation.

Also Read: 77 injured, 17 fire fighters missing after massive fire breaks out in crude oil tank in Cuba's Matanzas

The plant features five docks to receive ships of up to 180,000 tonnes, and can handle 40,000 barrels a day. The big question now is "the supply of fuel to thermoelectric plants," said Jorge Pinon, a Cuban expert in energy policy at the University of Texas.

"The problem with (electricity generation) has not been the lack of fuel, but the plants are very old and have maintenance problems. Now they will also have a lack of fuel," he said. "If they lose Matanzas, they lose the ability to supply the power plants," said Pinon.

The disaster comes at a time when the island -- with an outdated energy network and persistent fuel shortages -- has faced mounting difficulties in meeting energy demands. Since May, authorities have imposed energy blackouts of up to 12 hours a day in some regions -- sparking protests around the nation of 11 million people.

Thirteen flights have arrived from Mexico and four from Venezuela with technicians, firefighters and equipment, including fire retardant foam, fire hoses, helicopter water buckets, spray pumps and medicines. A Mexican Navy logistics support ship also arrived at Matanzas Bay Tuesday with a helicopter on deck.

And Cuba's deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, thanked the United States -- which has maintained six decades of sanctions against the communist nation -- for an offer of "technical advice."

The Day Nelson Mandela Conquered America | Your Enemy Is Not My Enemy | Mandela In America

Africa Web TV

Nelson Mandela showing he would not take lectures on human rights and the fight for racial equality and justice in South Africa. Mandela made his mark during his first visit to The USA after his release from jail. Watch as he puts veteran America journalist Ted Koppel in his place! Every day is Mandela day!

COVERED UP LIKE PORN SHOPS
Alberta pot shops now allowed to take down window coverings after robberies

EDMONTON — Alberta's cannabis regulator will allow pot shops to take down window coverings after a spate of robberies.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) says it has removed portions of its retail cannabis store handbook that prohibit pot products from being visible from the exterior of shops.

In a letter sent to retailers today, the AGLC says the move was prompted by a "significant rise" in robberies at licensed pot retailers in recent months, in particular in the city of Calgary.

It says use of violence and weapons has occurred in some of the robberies and the AGLC was concerned for the safety of staff, customers and responding police officers.

The letter says its new policy ensures it is not inadvertently contributing to stores being targeted due to a lack of visibility and warned shops against using the change to replace window coverings with outward-facing promotions.

High Tide Inc., which owns pot shop chain Canna Cabana, says it welcomes the policy change.

"Complying with this regulation meant that most licensed cannabis stores in the province have been forced to black out exterior window’s making them prime targets for criminal elements," said senior vice president of corporate and public affairs Omar Khan.

"Today’s news is a win for our employees safety, and our ability to continue pushing back against illicit market operators.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2022.

The Canadian Press

As Vancouver begins removing tent encampment, residents wonder where they should go

VANCOUVER — A resident of a street encampment in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside watched Tuesday as workers began removing some people's belongings after the city handed out notices advising that tents and other structures will be dismantled.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

The woman, who didn't want to be identified because of personal security concerns, said she was unsure whether to stay or leave, even as she organized her belongings outside her tent.

There was a heavy police presence as city staff set to work, handing out bags and lining up garbage bins beside several tarp-covered structures in front of an abandoned building.

But other residents of dozens of tents lining several blocks along East Hastings Street were staying put.

The encampment resident said occupants haven't been offered any housing options as part of the process.

"It's really tough because, like, I don't know what to do. I don’t know if I should stand my ground and not move or if I should, you know, just give up and go," the woman said through tears.

"I actually do have a home, but my living conditions are so horrendous that I can’t even go there," she said.

Vancouver fire Chief Karen Fry issued an order last month requiring the tents be cleared, saying they posed an extreme fire safety hazard, and a statement from the city on Tuesday said the removal process is expected to continue for weeks.

The woman's tent was set up near the Overdose Prevention Society where she works, opposite to where city staff were focusing their efforts on what the city has deemed the "highest risk" areas.

She said she agrees the city needs to address concerns, including the risk of fire in certain areas, but she and her neighbours keep their side of the street clean.

"Across the street, it's gotten absolutely out of hand," the woman said.

"Baby on the block!" she shouted, as a passerby pushed a stroller by her tent. She explained that residents put the word out whenever children are around in order to ensure their safety.

Later Tuesday, Vancouver police released a statement saying several officers were assaulted after a man was arrested near the area that was being cleared.

Staff at a nearby community centre called police to report a man throwing computers and behaving erratically, police said.

They said he resisted arrest, and "a large crowd gathered, and became hostile and combative with the officers."

Vince Tao, who works with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, said clearing the tents violates a memorandum of understanding between the city, the B.C. government and Vancouver's park board signed in March last year after previous encampments were cleared.

The agreement is aimed at connecting unsheltered people to housing while preserving their dignity.

It commits the province to respond to encampments by providing outreach through BC Housing, the Crown corporation responsible for managing subsidized housing. It also commits the city to working with provincial, federal and community partners to connect residents with housing options.

The agreement said the city may enforce its bylaws that prohibit structures on sidewalks "when suitable spaces are available for people to move indoors."

The city isn't following that protocol with the cleanup now underway, Tao said in an interview as police vehicles blocked traffic access to the street.

"Even if they're successful in doing this, people still have nowhere to go. So, they're either going to come right back, or they're going to be a block down," he said.

City parks have been closed off to so-called "tent cities" as well, he added.

It's an "endless cycle" until people have access to affordable housing, Tao said.

The woman whose tent was pitched near the Overdose Prevention Society said she pays to rent a room indoors but doesn't feel safe or comfortable there. A friend sitting nearby said the space was “infested” with insects.

The city has offered to store people's personal belongings, but the woman said items have been stolen or gone missing in similar situations in the past.

A statement from the advocacy group Pivot Legal Society said the city created the deteriorating conditions in the encampment along Hastings Street by failing to provide promised storage, hygiene facilities and garbage disposal, and it's now citing those same safety and health concerns as the reasons for the forced removal.

Pivot called on Vancouver to provide "livable, dignified, and accessible housing," and for the fire department to acknowledge the needs of encampment residents by creating a harm reduction approach to fire safety that accounts for challenges ranging from toxic drugs to police violence and trauma due to colonization.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2022.

Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

Study: Tinnitus is widespread, deserves more attention from researchers



Tinnitus -- persistent ringing in the ears that's a potential side effect of COVID-19 vaccination for some people -- affects more than 740 million adults globally. 

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chelsea A. Radford

Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Tinnitus -- persistent ringing in the ears that's a potential side effect of COVID-19 vaccination for some people -- affects more than 740 million adults globally, a new study says. And it is perceived as a major problem by more than 120 million people.

Given the sometimes debilitating condition's widespread impact on the population, "greater effort should be devoted to boost research" on tinnitus, concludes the research paper published Monday in JAMA Neurology.

According to the meta-analysis, 14.4% of adults experienced some type of tinnitus. while 2.3% experienced a severe form of the condition.

The estimates of tinnitus' prevalence, while not significantly differing by sex, increased with age: steadily rising from 10% of young adults to 14% of middle-aged adults and 24% of older adults, the researchers paper said.

RELATED Over-the-counter pain relievers may increase tinnitus risk, study finds

Data are important in trying to get a firmer handle on the issues surrounding tinnitus, Dr. Gregory Poland, professor of medicine and infectious diseases and director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, told UPI in a phone interview.

Poland developed tinnitus, which he describes as a "life-altering event," after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.

"It started about an hour and a half after my second dose. I was driving home ... and I almost veered into the next lane" when the steady noise began, he said.

RELATED COVID-19 could make ringing in the ears worse, study says

He pushed it into the background, got his first booster dose, "and it got significantly louder and higher pitched." He said it's like "loud humming from a fluorescent light."

Poland said can't go back to sleep if he awakens during the night, or go to restaurants with loud music or conversation. And he saddens when thinking he might never know silence again.

Poland said that while he's been able to put the noise in the background at times, he knows people unable to do this may become anxious and depressed, and the condition may become intolerable to them.

RELATED  Internet-based therapy reduces tinnitus

He's heard this from them -- people who have seen news accounts of his condition -- and tried to offer encouragement that new research will bring hope.

Poland said he understands his situation is "laughably ironic" and stresses he thinks people must get protection for COVID-19.

"In no way do I want to dissuade people from getting COVID vaccination." But people want to know the risks to make informed choices.

"You want to make decisions based on data, not fear," he said.

Even he backed off when his first booster shot made the tinnitus worse, not returning for his second booster.

"I can't take the risk of this becoming intolerable," he said.

A year ago, the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency added tinnitus as a potential side effect of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

The World Health Organization is also reviewing reports of sudden hearing problems as well as dizziness following COVID-19 vaccination.

But U.S. regulators didn't find a causal relationship between tinnitus and vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, which use messenger RNA technology.

And, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vaccine Safety Office "jumped all over" investigating myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, Poland said, "we have not been able to get [the CDC] interested" in tinnitus.

He added: "There's almost no research because it's not something you can measure, it's not something you can image. There are no biomarkers and no evidence-based treatment for it."

85-year-old message in a bottle found inside New Zealand monument


A message in a bottle was found inside the concrete poured in 1937 for the Citizens' War Memorial in Christchurch, New Zealand. The message listed the names of the stonemasons who originally constructed the monument. Photo courtesy of the Christchurch City Council


Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Officials in Christchurch, New Zealand, said a crew demolishing an old monument made an unusual discovery: a message in a bottle from the original stonemason team.

The Christchurch City Council said the crew working to dismantle the Citizens' War Memorial found the glass bottle when they cracked the concrete in exactly the right spot to reveal the hidden object.

"It was a fluke discovery," Brent Smith, the council's head of vertical capital delivery, said in a news release. "The contractor was working on dismantling the concrete core of the memorial when a big chunk of concrete broke off, revealing the glass bottle. If the concrete had not broken in that exact spot, we would never have found it."

The damaged note inside the bottle was dated February 1937 and contained a list of names of the stonemasons who originally constructed the monument.

"The note is a bit worse for wear but it is an amazing link to the past that could easily have laid undiscovered," Smith said.

The mason team that deconstructed the memorial to transport it to its new home in Cathedral Square said the discovery was meaningful to them.

"This discovery is a reminder of the rich history and tradition we're helping to preserve. It is humbling to be working on such an important memorial," said Goldfield Stone stonemason Regan Shanks.

Smith said officials are planning to include a photo of the original note in a time capsule to be buried at the memorial's new site.

After FBI raid, former staffer says Trump mishandled classified documents

Jack Birle - Yesterday - Washington Examiner


Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham reacted to the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago on Monday by saying that former President Donald Trump mishandled classified documents while in office.

TRUMP SAYS FBI 'RAIDED' MAR-A-LAGO

"The former president of the United States did not handle classified documents properly. I watched him do it. I sat in an airplane with him, watched him go through documents — throw some away, rip some up, and put some in his pocket," Grisham said in an appearance on CNN Monday evening. "Because I remember specifically thinking, 'I wonder why those go in his pocket.' So I think this is going to be really interesting."

The former White House press secretary also said she believes the documents the FBI is searching for will be substantial because of the nature of document preservation in the Trump administration.

"I think that something big is there. I don’t think it’s going to be just letters. I think it could be about military operations. This is me speculating — I want to be clear. But I can see the former president thinking those were cool or fun, and we were not a White House that followed the rules. And I will tell you that handling classified information was not something that was really pressed upon us on a daily basis or weekly or monthly," Grisham said.

The Monday evening FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago, which was announced by Trump, is reportedly related to presidential materials requested by the National Archives, including the handling of classified documents.

Grisham was the White House press secretary from 2019 to 2020 and then became the chief of staff to first lady Melania Trump. She resigned in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Later, she published a tell-all book about her time in the White House, I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw at the Trump White House.

The Mar-A-Lago Raid Proves the U.S. Isn’t a Banana Republic

David A. Graham - Yesterday -The Atlantic

Donald Trump would have you believe that Monday’s surprise FBI raid on his Florida estate was, like so many things he disdains, un-American.


© John Roca / NY Daily News Archive / Getty

Not much is known about the operation as of this writing. The FBI has not commented, and much of what is public comes from a statement by Trump, a notoriously unreliable source of information. Trump wrote, “My beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” who he said arrived unannounced and broke into a safe.

Reporting from The Washington Post and The New York Times indicate that the raid appears to be connected to Trump’s removal of records from the White House at the end of his administration, in what critics have said was a clear violation of federal public-records law.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before,” Trump wrote. “Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.”

Trump is right that nothing like this has ever happened to a former president of the United States before—he always omits the former, a way of refusing to acknowledge that he lost the 2020 election—but he’s wrong about what it means about the rule of law in the United States.

Related video: Watch: Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Surrounded As FBI Raid Property

View on Watch

Trump was always more banana republican than Reagan or Lincoln Republican. Unlike his presidential predecessors, and despite his open disdain for Latin America and Latin Americans, he often styled himself as a sort of caudillo, trying to rule with an iron fist, circumvent the Constitution and legislature, enlist the military into his schemes, and use the power of the state to further his own electoral and personal fortunes. Just today, Susan Glasser and Peter Baker reported on how Trump pushed the military to conduct the sort of garish parades that, as one general put it, characterize foreign dictatorships, and complained that U.S. generals were not as loyal to him as Hitler's top brass was to the führer. And at the end of his term, Trump retired to a palatial estate fringed by palm trees to plot his next moves.

In a real banana republic, he might have hoped to live with impunity—as long as he could outwit his political opponents’ schemes. Instead, Trump has found himself beset on many sides. He was impeached, a second time, after leaving office; a district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, continues to investigate his meddling in vote-counting after the election; the New York attorney general is investigating his company, and will soon depose him; and a House committee is probing his attempt to overturn the election and pressuring the Justice Department to bring charges against him related to that. (DOJ has refused to comment on any related investigations.)

Trump is not the victim of political persecution. A bedrock principle of American law is that no one—not even the president, much less the former president—is above the law, and if they commit crimes they must answer for them. “What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee?” Trump asked in his statement. But this question is simple enough that any AP U.S. History student could easily manage it: Watergate was an illegal break-in conducted by a team of political operatives, not law-enforcement agents with judicially approved warrants, working for an FBI director appointed by Trump.

For all Trump’s bluster, he hasn’t been charged with any crimes. If he is, he will have every opportunity to defend himself in court. (Contrast that with his own disdain for due process for other people accused of crimes.) Some legal scholars are nervous about the precedent set by potentially prosecuting a former president. But the precedent set by giving him a free pass by virtue of his electoral history would be even more troubling.

The raid seemed to come out of nowhere, a sign that the federal government is handling this investigation—whatever it is—with great secrecy and delicacy. In the coming days, the public is likely to learn more, including whether White House documents are really the sole or main factor behind the “siege” of Mar-a-Lago.

Even though Trump’s rise to the White House in 2016 owed much to “her emails”—Hillary Clinton’s sloppy handling of classified records—his administration was particularly brazen about not maintaining records from the start. Trump ripped up documents at will, leaving teams to comb through the scraps and literally tape them together. On Monday, Axios published photos that appeared to show notes in a toilet. In recent weeks, news reports have brought attention to the destruction of records by the Secret Service, Pentagon, and Department of Homeland Security relating to the January 6 insurrection.

Over four years in office, Trump’s behavior was often egregious. He courted Russia in 2016, was impeached for extorting Ukraine, and topped things off by trying to steal the election. But he largely escaped consequences for these offenses, other than losing in 2020. Could his downfall really be about something as mundane as proper handling of sensitive documents? Justice in the U.S. is still blind, despite his protestation, but that doesn’t mean it lacks a sense of humor.

Trump House Raid Rocks MAGA World: 'Smash the FBl Into a Million Pieces'

Jake Thomas - Yesterday 

Allies of Donald Trump are likening the U.S. to a "third-world country" and calling for the FBI and Justice Department to be dismantled in response to a raid on the former president's home.


© Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images

Allies of former President Donald Trump denounced the FBI and Justice Department after his home was searched. Supporters of former President Donald Trump hold flags in front of his home at Mar-A-Lago on August 8, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida. The FBI raided the home to retrieve classified White House documents.

Trump on Monday evening confirmed that FBI agents had searched his residence on his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. While the reason for the raid remains unclear, Trump denounced it as politically motivated in a lengthy statement. Trump's defenders swiftly took to social media to echo the former his claims while attacking Attorney General Merrick Garland and federal law enforcement agencies.

Video Shows Law Enforcement Vehicles Outside Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club

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"The FBI and the DOJ have ruthlessly violated the Constitution and law in America," conservative political commentator Lou Dobbs said in a tweet. "Joe Biden and Merrick Garland are no more than Marxist thugs, not public servants. They're an outrage against decency, judgment, a former President, and the American people."

In a statement posted to his Truth Social network, Trump said the raid was part of a long history of being politically targeted by federal law enforcement. Trump described his home as "under siege, raided, and occupied" despite what he said was his cooperation with "Government agencies." Trump said FBI agents even "broke into my safe!"

A judge would need to sign off on a search warrant for Trump's home after the FBI presented evidence that a crime had been committed. The DOJ has not issued a public statement on the raid and the FBI declined comment to Newsweek.

But Trump's defenders were already deeply skeptical of any evidence the FBI might have used to justify the search.

Republican Representative Don Bishop of North Carolina said in a tweet that the FBI and DOJ are "acting as the political enforcers of the Democrat Party." Bishop demanded that the FBI hand over the information used to obtain the search warrant to the House Judiciary Committee, of which he is a member, and that Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray testify.

"Republicans must smash the FBl into a million pieces," he said.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said in a tweet that "using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships. But never before in America."

Related video: FBI search warrant executed at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home

Duration 2:36  View on Watch

"The FBI raid on President Trump's home is an unprecedented political weaponization of the Justice Department," South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said in a tweet. "They've been after President Trump as a candidate, as President, and now as a former President. Using the criminal justice system in this manner is un-American."

The raid comes after months of pressure on Garland to prosecute Trump for his actions regarding the attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. But the reason for the raid may be for a lower-profile issue.

The National Archives and Records Administration earlier this year requested assistance from the FBI in recovering boxes of classified documents that Trump allegedly took to his resort in violation of the Presidential Records Act, according to a report from The Washington Post.

Fox News personality Brian Kilmeade said in a tweet that Eric Trump, son of the former president, said FBI agents were acting on behalf of the National Archives.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy issued an ominous warning to Garland in a tweet, repeating Trump's accusations that the DOJ had become politicized.

"When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned," he said. "Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar."

Other allies of Trump, such as Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, suggested the raid was intended distract from an investigation concerning Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden. Specifically, the probe is looking into alleged foreign influence peddling, tax evasion and other charges.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a tweet that the raid is "another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime's political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves."

Newsweek has reached out to Trump for comment.

Mexico considers banning beer production in the north of the country due to water shortage

Daniel Stewart - Yesterday 

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has raised the possibility that breweries in the north of the country may stop production due to the water shortage emergency in the area.

© Provided by News 360Archive - Beer Bottles - EUROPA PRESS

The Mexican leader has thus announced that concessions will be reviewed and incentives will be given for them to set up in the south of the country, where there is sufficient water to allow them to maintain production levels, mostly destined for export.

López Obrador has thus highlighted the agreement reached at the time with the Constellation Brands brewery in Mexicali, where the permit was revoked because it even endangered the water for domestic use. Based on a consultation with the population, an agreement was promoted and the company accepted to relocate to the south of the country.

"We have to do something similar and try not to leave the breweries without a permit. Mexico is the country that produces the most beer in the world. Investment, foreign currency, because beer is being exported," said López Obrador, according to the Mexican press.

The Mexican president explained that "it is not to say that we are no longer going to produce beer, (but) that beer will not be produced in the north".

The president said that it is not possible to reach the extreme that was reached in La Laguna, with milk production, where due to the scarcity of water, deeper wells were drilled, where there is water with arsenic and now plants are needed to eliminate this mineral from the water.

People In BC Can Now Claim Up To $9K For Buying An Electric Vehicle & Here's How

Morgan Leet - 

The B.C. government just boosted the maximum rebate amount that someone can get when they buy an electric vehicle (EV) to make them more accessible options.


© Provided by Narcity

With the increase and existing federal incentives, people in B.C. could take home up to $9,000 when they buy an EV, so if you were on the fence, this might just be your sign to do it.

In a press release on August 2, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation said the maximum provincial rebate for buying or leasing battery-electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles and long-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles has now increased from $3,000 to $4,000.

For lower-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, the maximum rebate increased from $1,500 to $2,000.

The release said in order "to ensure that EV rebates are available for people and families who need them most, eligibility for a rebate will be based on individual or household income levels."

Someone who earns up to $80,000, or has a household income of $125,000, is eligible for the maximum rebate amounts.

People with annual incomes between $80,001 and $100,000 and those with household incomes between $125,001 and $165,000, are eligible for rebates ranging from $500 to $2,000. The amount of the rebate will vary based on the income level and what kind of EV is bought.

Someone who makes more than $100,000, or with a household income over $165,000, is not eligible for the provincial electric vehicle rebates.

In addition to the increased rebates, the province has expanded what vehicles are eligible for them.

For full-size and compact cars, the price cap for rebate eligibility is still at a maximum of $55,000 but for larger electric vehicles like minivans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks, the release said the cap has been set at a maximum retail price of $70,000.

On top of being able to get up to $4,000 from the provincial government rebates, British Columbians can also take home up to $5,000 from the federal government through the iZEV rebate.

Battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and longer-range plug-in hybrid vehicles are eligible for the $5,000 incentive from the federal government. Shorter-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are eligible for $2,500.

To qualify for the federal incentives, passenger cars must cost less than $55,000, but higher-priced versions of some vehicles are also eligible.

According to the Canadian government, "the incentive will be applied at the point-of-sale by the dealership."

For the B.C. government rebate, you can apply online, and then the rebate can be applied at the dealership when you purchase a vehicle.