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Nine Arrested as Pro-Palestine Protesters Shut Down Los Angeles Freeway During Rush Hour

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Drivers try to remove protesters blocking traffic on the 110 Freeway to demand a ceasefire and an end to U.S. support for Israel's attack on Gaza, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 13, 2023. REUTERS/David Swanson

LOS ANGELES, California – A group of pro-Palestine activists staged a bold demonstration on Tuesday morning by shutting down the busy 405 Freeway during rush hour, bringing traffic to a standstill as they called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and demanded that the United States impose an arms embargo on Israel. The protest lasted for about an hour before law enforcement intervened, resulting in the arrest of nine individuals.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the protest caused significant disruption to one of the city’s main arteries, pausing traffic and leading to delays during one of the busiest times of the day. The protesters were detained without injury and subsequently charged with various offenses.

The demonstration was organized by the progressive Jewish activist group If Not Now LA, which has been vocal in its opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel. The group took to social media shortly after the protest to explain their actions, stating, “Today, American Jews risked their bodies to demand a lasting ceasefire and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel.”

The group’s statement continued, “Joe Biden’s administration cannot provide 14 billion dollars in unconditional aid to Israel, consigning the unbridled murders of Palestinian civilians. A call for a lasting ceasefire is only meaningful if there will be no more funds given to the Israeli military.”

During the protest, activists carried signs demanding an arms embargo and urging fellow Jews to reject the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobbying group that heavily influences U.S. congressional races.

The protestors highlighted recent political developments, including the defeat of Representative Cori Bush, a critic of U.S. aid to Israel, as evidence of AIPAC’s significant impact on American politics.

The Los Angeles protest is part of a broader wave of similar demonstrations that have taken place across the country. In April, another group of activists blocked the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to call for a ceasefire, mirroring Tuesday’s actions in Los Angeles.

This week, 26 individuals involved in the demonstration were charged with offenses including malicious mischief, conspiracy, trespassing, unlawful assembly, and obstructing a public highway.

The protests reflect growing discontent among certain American groups regarding U.S. policy in the Middle East, particularly in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

As tensions continue to escalate overseas, domestic demonstrations like the one in Los Angeles underscore the divisive nature of the issue within the United States.

Janet Jackson Reveals ‘Insane’ Family Tree: Claims Connection to Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, and Samuel L. Jackson

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LONDON, UK – Janet Jackson, the iconic pop star known for hits like “Rhythm Nation” and “Together Again,” has made startling revelations about her family connections, claiming ties to several other legendary figures in the entertainment industry.

During an appearance on BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show on Tuesday, August 13, Jackson disclosed her familial links to Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, and Samuel L. Jackson, surprising both the host and listeners.

While speaking with Scott Mills, who was filling in for Zoe Ball, Jackson dropped the bombshell that her family tree extends beyond the famous Jackson clan, which includes her late brother Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Mills, evidently taken aback, asked, “Now someone told me this earlier, are you related to Stevie [Wonder]?”

“He’s our cousin,” Janet confirmed. “Not a lot of people know that. He’s our cousin on my mother’s side. So is Tracy Chapman.” This unexpected revelation left Mills stunned, prompting him to exclaim, “That’s blown my mind!”

Janet went on to add that Samuel L. Jackson, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in films like Pulp Fiction and The Avengers, is also part of her extended family. “So is Samuel Jackson,” she said, further explaining that all three stars are her cousins.

However, it’s worth noting that Samuel L. Jackson has previously denied being related to the Jackson family. In a 2017 interview with Wired, when asked if he was related to Michael Jackson, Samuel simply replied, “Nope.”

Janet Jackson is the youngest of 10 siblings born to the famous Jackson family. Five of her brothers, including the late Michael Jackson, formed the legendary music group The Jackson 5, which rose to global fame in the 1970s.

Michael Jackson tragically passed away in 2009 at the age of 50 due to acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, a loss that deeply affected his family and fans worldwide.

In a recent interview, Janet reflected on her career and her relationship with Michael, particularly discussing the collaborative track “Scream,” which the siblings recorded together in 1995.

The song, featured on Michael’s album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, was seen as a response to the intense media scrutiny and allegations Michael faced during that period.

Janet’s revelations about her extended family ties have certainly added another layer to the already fascinating legacy of the Jackson family, further intertwining their history with some of the most influential figures in music and film.

Simone Biles’ Biological Mother Speaks Out on Adoption: ‘I Would Just Ask Her to Forgive Me’

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The mother of Simone Biles, Shanon Biles stands outside her Columbus,OH home.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, USA – Shanon Biles, the biological mother of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, has spoken out about the difficult decision she made years ago to put Simone and her siblings up for adoption.

The mother of Simone Biles, Shanon Biles stands outside her Columbus,OH home.

Shanon, now 52, expressed her hope that one day her famous daughter might be able to forgive her for that decision, which was made during a tumultuous period in her life.

Shanon Biles struggled with drug and alcohol addiction at the time, challenges that ultimately led to her children being placed in foster care. “It was hard to give up my kids, but I had to do what I had to do. I wasn’t able to care for them.

I was still using and [my father] didn’t want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn’t right,” Shanon explained in an interview with The Daily Mail.

Simone Biles was only six years old when she and her sister Adria were adopted by their grandparents, Ronald and Nellie Biles, in Houston, Texas. Meanwhile, Simone’s other siblings were placed with their aunt in Cleveland.

The separation marked a significant turning point in Simone’s life, one that has been widely discussed as she rose to become one of the greatest gymnasts in history.

Now sober and working as a grocery store cashier, Shanon Biles hopes to reconnect with her daughter. “I would like to make amends with Simone personally – I’m just waiting for her [younger sister] Adria,” Shanon shared in her interview.

“I speak to Adria more than I speak to Simone. I would just ask her to forgive me. Can we move forward? Don’t judge me on my past. Let’s move forward.”

Shanon has not been a part of Simone’s recent life events, including her wedding and her record-breaking performance at the Paris Olympics. However, she did host a viewing party in Columbus, Ohio, to watch her daughter compete in Paris, expressing pride in Simone’s accomplishments from afar.

Shanon Biles’ emotional plea comes as she waits for Simone to make contact, hoping that time and distance will eventually give way to healing and reconciliation.

Attempts to reach Simone Biles for comment by The Daily Mail were unsuccessful.

Sergi Roberto Bids Barcelona Farewell After 18 Glorious Years

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BARCELONA, Spain – Sergi Roberto, a long-standing figure at FC Barcelona, has announced his departure from the club after 18 remarkable years. The 32-year-old, who joined Barcelona’s academy at the age of 14, made his first-team debut in November 2010 and has since become a key part of the club’s history.

Over his illustrious career at Barcelona, Roberto made 373 appearances, winning 21 major trophies, including two Champions League titles (2011 and 2015) and seven La Liga titles. His contributions on the field have been instrumental in the club’s success over the past decade.

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2023-24 season, during which he served as club captain, Roberto took to social media to share an emotional farewell video with fans and teammates.

“The time has come to say thank you for all this journey we’ve made together,” Roberto said in his heartfelt message. “In the first team, it has been 11 years full of unique moments and experiences, from the debut to being the captain and winning all the possible titles.”

Reflecting on his time at the club, Roberto expressed his pride in having shared the dressing room with some of the greatest players and coaches in the world. “I have shared the dressing room with my idols and with the best players and coaches in the world – a true privilege,” he added.

Roberto concluded his message by expressing his gratitude and pride in having given his all for the club. “I leave proud: proud to have given everything for 18 years, to have always put the interests of the team and the club above my own, and proud to have been the captain of the club of my life.”

Roberto’s departure marks the end of an era for Barcelona, as the club bids farewell to a player who has been synonymous with its recent successes.

Uganda Court Convicts LRA Rebel Commander Thomas Kwoyelo of War Crimes

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FILE PHOTO: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) Colonel Thomas Kwoyelo is assisted by Ugandan army upon arrival at Entebbe air force base March 4, 2009. REUTERS/James Akena (UGANDA)/File Photo

A Ugandan court on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, found Thomas Kwoyelo, a commander in the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), guilty of dozens of war crimes. This marks the first time a senior member of the LRA has been tried and convicted by Uganda’s judiciary.

The LRA, founded in the late 1980s under the leadership of Joseph Kony, terrorized Ugandans for nearly 20 years in its attempt to overthrow the government. The group was known for its brutal tactics, including rapes, abductions, and mutilations.

Kwoyelo, who denied more than 70 charges against him including murder, rape, enslavement, torture, and kidnap, was found guilty on 44 counts. The court, presided over by Justice Michael Elubu and three other high court judges, dismissed 31 charges as duplications and acquitted Kwoyelo on three.

The Ugandan military captured Kwoyelo in 2009 in northeastern Congo. He has been in pre-trial detention since then, with his case slowly progressing through the Ugandan court system.

FILE PHOTO: Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) Colonel Thomas Kwoyelo is assisted by Ugandan army upon arrival at Entebbe air force base March 4, 2009. REUTERS/James Akena (UGANDA)/File Photo

The court will begin pre-sentencing hearings next week before setting a date for Kwoyelo’s sentencing.

LRA leader Joseph Kony remains at large, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). In 2021, the ICC convicted another senior LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen, of war crimes and sentenced him to 25 years in jail.

This conviction represents a significant step in Uganda’s efforts to bring LRA leaders to justice for crimes committed during the group’s long-running insurgency.

Baby Twins Killed in Gaza Airstrike as Father Registers Their Births

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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – A tragic airstrike in Gaza claimed the lives of newborn twins and their family on the very day their father was registering their births at a local government office.

The father, Mohammed Abu-Qumsan, had gone to collect the birth certificates for his twins, Asser, a boy, and Ayesa, a girl, who were just four days old when the devastating news reached him that his home in Deir al-Balah had been bombed.

The Israeli airstrike not only killed the twins but also claimed the lives of their mother and grandmother. “I don’t know what happened,” Abu-Qumsan said in shock. “I am told it was a shell that hit the house. I didn’t even have the time to celebrate them,” he added, reflecting on the brief and tragic lives of his children.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 115 infants have been born and subsequently killed during the conflict, illustrating the devastating impact of the ongoing violence on the most vulnerable civilians.

Reports from the Associated Press indicate that the family had evacuated to Gaza City in the early weeks of the Israel-Gaza war, seeking shelter in a central part of the strip as instructed by the Israeli army. Despite following these orders, their lives were abruptly ended by the strike.

The BBC has reached out to the Israeli army for comment on the airstrike but is still awaiting a response.

Israel maintains that it strives to avoid harming civilians and places the blame for civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing the group of using residential areas and civilian buildings as cover. However, Israeli officials rarely comment on specific strikes.

The incident adds to the mounting number of civilian casualties in Gaza, where shelters, hospitals, and even schools have been attacked in recent weeks. On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City, which was sheltering displaced Palestinians, killed over 70 people, according to the director of a local hospital.

The Israeli military later claimed the school was being used as an active Hamas command and military facility, a charge Hamas denied. Due to restricted access, the BBC could not independently verify the claims from either side.

As the conflict intensifies, the human cost continues to rise. Approximately 1,200 people were killed in an attack on Israel on October 7, with hostilities escalating in response, leaving Gaza’s civilian population caught in the crossfire.

bbc.com

Mpox Declared Public Health Emergency in Africa Amid Rapid Spread Across Multiple Countries

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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Mpox, the highly infectious disease formerly known as monkeypox, has been officially declared a public health emergency across Africa by the continent’s leading health authority, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Health experts have expressed growing concern over the rapid spread of a new, more virulent strain of the virus.

Since the start of the year, more than 13,700 cases and 450 deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo alone. The virus, which causes painful lesions across the body, has now spread to several other African nations, including Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya, and Rwanda.

The declaration of a public health emergency is aimed at coordinating government responses across the continent and facilitating the swift movement of medical supplies and aid to the hardest-hit regions.

Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning that the outbreak could spiral out of control if immediate action is not taken. “This declaration is not merely a formality. It is a clarion call to action. It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat,” Kaseya stated.

The Africa CDC will be closely monitoring the outbreak to assess the ongoing risk of the virus spreading further. Health officials outside of Africa have also been alerted, as the situation poses a potential global health threat.

On July 29, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assessed the risk of Mpox spreading in Europe as “very low,” but cautioned against complacency.

Mpox primarily spreads from animals to humans and can also be transmitted through close contact with an infected individual. Transmission methods include skin-to-skin contact, respiratory droplets, and touching contaminated objects.

Symptoms of Mpox include fever, muscle aches, and the characteristic lesions that can appear across the body. While most cases have been reported in Africa, milder strains of the virus have been detected in Europe, Australia, the U.S., and other regions.

Health officials are particularly concerned about the emergence of this new strain, which appears to be more severe than the previously known versions of the virus. The situation remains fluid, with health authorities around the world on high alert to prevent further spread.

bbc.com

Russia Accuses Ukraine Allies of Silence on Kursk Incursion at UN Meeting

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Russia criticized Western allies of Ukraine at the United Nations on Tuesday for not condemning Kyiv’s incursion into the Russian region of Kursk. During an informal UN Security Council gathering convened by Russia, Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy accused Ukrainian forces of killing civilians and questioned the goals of the cross-border assault.

Ukraine’s allies on the Security Council, including the United States, France, and Britain, maintained their support for Kyiv and did not address the Kursk offensive. Slovenian diplomat Klemen Ponikvar stated, “We will not recognize the aggressor as the victim.”

The surprise attack by thousands of Ukrainian soldiers began a week ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the offensive aimed to improve Kyiv’s negotiating position and slow the advance of Russian forces along the front.

Ukraine’s Western backers said they had no prior warning of the offensive that has claimed a portion of Russian territory. They have been cautious to avoid escalating the conflict into a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.

Polyanskiy told the council, “We haven’t heard a word of condemnation of these actions from the Western sponsors of the Kyiv regime who continue to cover up the abhorrent crimes of their puppet.” He questioned how targeting civilians could serve the goal of disrupting attacks on Ukrainian territory, asserting there were no military objects or infrastructure in the area.

The Russian and Ukrainian militaries have barred journalists from the battlefield, making it impossible to independently verify claims made by either side.

US Approves $20 Billion Weapons Package for Israel, Including Advanced Fighter Jets

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WASHINGTON, D.C., USA – The United States has approved a substantial $20 billion weapons package for Israel, including advanced F-15 fighter jets and other military equipment, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday. The Pentagon confirmed the approval in a statement, highlighting the strategic significance of the deal amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The package includes F-15 jets and associated equipment valued at approximately $19 billion, alongside a significant supply of tank cartridges worth around $774 million and army vehicles valued at $583 million. According to the Pentagon, the tank rounds are expected to be ready for almost immediate delivery, while the production and delivery of the F-15 fighter jets could take several years.

The U.S. has been a staunch ally of Israel, providing military support as the nation continues to face ongoing conflicts in the region. The approval of this weapons package comes as Israel prosecutes a war in the Gaza Strip, which was triggered by the militant group Hamas’ October 7 attack in southern Israel.

While reinforcing Israel’s military capabilities, the U.S. has also been working diplomatically to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, aiming to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East. However, the situation remains tense, especially following the recent killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, both of which have heightened the threat of retaliation against Israel.

The arms deal underscores the U.S.’s commitment to Israel’s security, even as it navigates the complex geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, balancing military support with efforts to de-escalate violence in the region.

Manchester United Offloads Wan-Bissaka to West Ham, Eyes Mazraoui and De Ligt as Reinforcements

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MANCHESTER, England – Manchester United has confirmed the sale of right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Premier League rival West Ham United, as the club prepares for the imminent arrival of two new defenders. The transfer, completed on Tuesday, sees Wan-Bissaka move to London for a reported fee of £15 million ($19 million), ending his five-year tenure at Old Trafford.

Wan-Bissaka, known for his exceptional one-on-one defending, will now compete with Vladimir Coufal for the starting right-back position at West Ham. The 25-year-old returns to London, where he began his professional career with Crystal Palace.

Manchester United, meanwhile, has been busy in the transfer market, with reports indicating that they are close to securing replacements for Wan-Bissaka. Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui is reportedly on the verge of joining United from Bayern Munich, alongside Dutch center-back Matthijs de Ligt.

Footage surfaced on Monday showing De Ligt arriving in Manchester, fueling speculation that the transfer is nearly complete. De Ligt, who has been one of Europe’s most sought-after defenders, is expected to bolster United’s backline significantly.

In addition to Mazraoui and De Ligt, United has already strengthened its defense by signing 18-year-old center-back Leny Yoro from Lille for €62 million ($68 million) earlier in the transfer window.

The departure of Wan-Bissaka marks a significant change in United’s defensive setup, with the club focusing on bringing in top-tier talent to solidify their backline for the upcoming season.

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