Three people have been killed and two injured in a shooting at a gun outlet in the US state of Louisiana. The local sheriff said an “initial shooter” opened fire, striking two people, which prompted several others at the shop to fire their own weapons. The two people and the initial gunman were killed. They have not been publicly identified. Officials said investigations into the shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet, in a New Orleans suburb, were ongoing. “It appears that several individuals ended up engaging that original suspect,” Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto told reporters. “From what I understand I have multiple shooters here at this location that were either customers, employees or individuals here at the location itself,” he said. “We’re trying to put it all together, piece it together.” Tyrone Russell was at the store when the shooting happened on Saturday afternoon.”We heard the gunshots and the screaming,” he told the Associated Press news agency. “When the police came, they escorted us out. I could see glass everywhere… It was just like a really scary scene.“(BBC)…[+]
english news
Russia’s stray dogs with bright-coloured fur – pictures
First there were bright blue stray dogs, then bright green ones. Russia is trying to solve the mystery of these dogs, which appeared in industrial areas hundreds of miles apart. Seven dogs with blue fur were found roaming near a derelict glass factory in Dzerzhinsk, an industrial city near Nizhny Novgorod, 370km (230 miles) east of Moscow. The pictures went viral after local media reported the strange pack of dogs on 11 February.
The factory had been producing acrylic glass and prussic acid. It is suspected that the dogs rolled around in powdered blue dye at the plant. On 13 February the dogs were brought to a vets’ clinic in Nizhny Novgorod, where blood and faeces samples were taken. Traces of Prussian blue dye were found in their fur. Russian media report that the dogs appear healthy and are eating well. But there are still concerns that a toxic chemical, such as copper sulphate, might have caused the colour change.(BBC)…[+]
Texas weather: Water shortages continue to plague storm-hit south
Power is returning to Texas in the wake of a major winter storm, but some 13 million Texans are still facing difficulties accessing clean water. With boil water advisories affecting nearly half the state, Texas’ water supply has also dropped amid damage to systems from the historic cold snap. At least 24 people have died, and officials expect that number to rise. Several other southern states hit by snow and ice storms this week have also reported water service outages. Winter weather has also cut off water in the city of Jackson, Mississippi – home to around 150,000 people – as well as the largest county in Tennessee that includes the city of Memphis, with over 651,000 residents. Across the US South, a region unaccustomed to such frigid temperatures, people whose pipes have frozen have taken to boiling snow to make water.(BBC)…[+]
Harry and Meghan not returning as working members of Royal Family
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not return as working members of the Royal Family, Buckingham Palace has said. The Queen confirmed the couple would not “continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service”. A statement from the palace added Prince Harry and Meghan “remain much loved members of the family”. The couple said “service is universal” and offered to continue supporting the organisations they have represented. The duke and duchess said last January they would step back as “senior” royals and work to become financially independent. The couple, who now live in California, formally stepped down in March, with a plan to review the arrangements after 12 months. The confirmation means Prince Harry and Meghan will return their honorary military appointments and royal patronages, which will be redistributed to working members of the Royal Family.(BBC)…[+]
DR Congo’s mysterious metal monolith destroyed by mob
A metal structure that mysteriously appeared on a roundabout in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been destroyed over fears about its origins. People in the capital, Kinshasa, stoned and torched the 12ft (3.7m) triangular prism that looked like other metal monoliths that have cropped up around the world over the last few months. It had begun to draw selfie-takers, which fuelled rumours on social media. Some feared it was satanic or put there by aliens or by a secret cabal. “We woke up and saw this metallic triangle… We were surprised because it is a triangle that we often see in documentaries about freemasons or illuminati,” local resident Serge Ifulu is quoted by Reuters as saying. Speculation over the pillar, which appeared in the Bandal neighbourhood over the weekend, became frenzied by Wednesday.(BBC)…[+]
Prisoner exchange after Israeli woman enters Syria
Israel and Syria have carried out a prisoner exchange with Russian mediation after an Israeli woman crossed the border and was detained. Two shepherds held in Israel were returned, the Israeli military announced on Thursday. The woman reportedly entered Syria near Quneitra about two weeks ago. She is now on her way back to Israel. Israeli media say a plane was sent to collect her from Russia, where she had been transferred from Syria. Russia has strong links with the Syrian government and mediated the return of an Israeli soldier’s remains in 2019. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and effectively annexed it in 1981. The move has not been recognised internationally. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convened a full meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday evening to discuss the exchange.(BBC)…[+]
Facebook Australia: Tech giant faces growing criticism over news ban
Facebook is facing mounting criticism after it blocked news content in Australia amid a dispute with the government over a planned law. The law will force tech giants to pay for news content on their platforms.
Facebook says the legislation “fundamentally misunderstands” its relationship with publishers. But politicians, publishers and rights groups in several countries have accused it of bullying, and raised concerns over access to information. Under Facebook’s new rules, Australian users are blocked from viewing and sharing local and international news, while local publishers are restricted from sharing or posting any links on their pages.Several government health and emergency pages were also blocked, but Facebook later said this was a mistake and many of these pages are now back online.(BBC)…[+]
Covid-19: World’s first human trials given green light in UK
Healthy, young volunteers will be infected with coronavirus to test vaccines and treatments in the world’s first Covid-19 “human challenge” study, which will take place in the UK. The study, which has received ethics approval, will start in the next few weeks and recruit 90 people aged 18-30. They will be exposed to the virus in a safe and controlled environment while medics monitor their health. The UK has given doses of a Covid vaccine to more than 15 million people. Human challenge studies have played a vital role in pushing the development of treatments for a number of diseases, including malaria, typhoid, cholera and flu. The trials will help scientists work out the smallest amount of coronavirus needed to cause infection, and how the body’s immune system reacts to it. This will give doctors a better understanding of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, which will feed into the development of vaccines and treatments.(NU)…[+]
Captain Sir Tom Moore: ‘Horrific’ trolling hidden from Army veteran
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s family shielded him from “pretty horrific” internet trolling that would have “broken his heart”, his daughter said. The 100-year-old Army veteran, who raised almost £33m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden, died in Bedford Hospital on 2 February. Hannah Ingram-Moore said they had faced some “outrageous negativity” after a trip to Barbados in December. But she said her father left an “incredible legacy”. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mrs Ingram-Moore said Capt Sir Tom’s death had left a “deafening silence”. He had been determined to continue raising funds, his daughter said, and was “really excited about coming out for steak and chips and getting his frame back outside”. She spoke about some of the “trolling” the family received over the past year, which culminated after the family holiday to Barbados. “That trip to the Caribbean was a holiday of a lifetime for him. He sat outside in 29 degrees, in shorts, short-sleeve shirts and sandals,” she said. He read novels, the newspapers, ate fish on the beach and talked with his family.(BBC)…[+]
Amazon sued by New York over ‘deficient’ Covid-19 response
New York’s top prosecutor has accused Amazon of falling short of health and safety laws in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a lawsuit, Attorney General Letitia James said Amazon had displayed a “flagrant disregard” for the rules and illegally retaliated against workers who raised concerns. Amazon last week attempted to block the lawsuit with its own legal action. It said Ms James was applying “an inconsistent and unfair” standard. “We care deeply about the health and safety of our employees, as demonstrated in our filing last week, and we don’t believe the Attorney General’s filing presents an accurate picture of Amazon’s industry-leading response to the pandemic,” spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said in a statement.Amazon faced criticism from workers around the world last year over its response to the coronavirus pandemic. In France and Spain, officials forced the firm to make changes after unions filed complaints.(BBC)…[+]
