Government Shuts Down Cellphone Data to Squash Political Unrest

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Government Shuts Down Cellphone Data to Squash Political Unrest

(Headline USA) Senegal’s government suspended mobile phone data on Sunday as the country reels from days of deadly clashes between police and supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.

The ministry of communication, telecommunications and digital economy said that because of the diffusion of “subversive messages in a context of public disorder in certain localities,” cellphone internet data would be suspended during certain time periods.

The statement comes after days of deadly clashes throughout the West African nation between Sonko’s supporters and police. The official death toll is unclear. The government says that 15 people, including two members of the security forces, have been killed, while the opposition says 19 people have died.

The clashes first broke out on Thursday, after Sonko was convicted of corrupting youth but acquitted on charges of raping a woman who worked at a massage parlor and making death threats against her. Sonko, who didn’t attend his trial in Dakar, was sentenced to two years in prison. His lawyer said that a warrant hadn’t yet been issued for his arrest.

Sonko came third in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election and is popular with the country’s youth. His supporters maintain that his legal troubles are part of a government effort to derail his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election.

Sonko is considered to be President Macky Sall’s main competition and has urged Sall to state publicly that he won’t seek a third term in office. Sonko hasn’t been seen or heard from since the verdict.

The international community has called on Senegal’s government to resolve the tensions.
The government had already suspended access to some social media sites, such as

Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, which it said was being used to incite violence.

At a news conference on Saturday evening, the government said it would take all necessary measures to secure the country.

“I would like to reassure the Senegalese people that whatever attacks we have, the state will face them,” Interior Minister Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome said. Around 500 people have been arrested across the country, including those belonging to political parties as well as those who are just trying to scare people, he said.

Rights groups have condemned the government crackdown, which it says has included arbitrary arrests.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Bill Cosby Accused of Sexually Assaulting a Woman in 1969

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Bill Cosby Accused of Sexually Assaulting a Woman in 1969

(Headline USA) A former Playboy model who alleges Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her and another woman at his home in 1969 sued him Thursday under a new California law that suspends the statute of limitations on sex abuse claims.

In her lawsuit, Victoria Valentino, 80, says she was an actress and singer 54 years ago, when she met Cosby, now 85.

The comedian and actor allegedly later approached her at a Los Angeles café, where he spotted her crying over the recent drowning death of her 6-year-old son.

She alleges that Cosby offered to pay for a spa treatment for Valentino and a friend, and then sent a chauffeured car to pick the women up for dinner. That evening at a steakhouse, Cosby gave them each a pill, she said in the court filing.

“Here! Take this!” the lawsuit alleges Cosby said to them. “It will make you feel better. It will make us ALL feel better.”

Cosby then drove the women to his house, where Valentino passed out on a couch, and later woke up and witnessed him sexually assaulting her unnamed friend, according to the lawsuit. The court documents allege Cosby then “engaged in forced sexual intercourse” with Valentino while she was incapacitated from the drug.

Valentino’s allegations come on the heels of lawsuits last year by six Cosby accusers in New York under a similar provision known as a “lookback” law that allows adults to file sexual abuse cases for allegations that had fallen outside the statute of limitations.

The former “Cosby Show” star, who has been accused of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment by at least 60 women, has denied all allegations involving sex crimes. He was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era — and spent nearly three years at a state prison near Philadelphia before a higher court threw out the conviction and released him in 2021.

His spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, said Thursday that Valentino’s lawsuit lacks “any proof or facts” and that so-called lookback laws violate constitutional rights aimed at protecting crime victims and “those that are accused of a crime.”

“What graveyard can Mr. Cosby visit, in order to dig up potential witnesses to testify on his behalf?” Wyatt asked in a statement.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Cable News Loses Another Host as Chuck Todd Leaves NBC

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Cable News Loses Another Host as Chuck Todd Leaves NBC

(Headline USA) Chuck Todd said Sunday he’ll be leaving “Meet the Press” after a near-decade of moderating the NBC political panel show, to be replaced in the coming months by Kristen Welker.

Todd, 51, told viewers that “I’ve watched too many friends and family let work consume them before it was too late” and that he’d promised his family he wouldn’t do that.

Todd has often been an online punching bag for critics during a polarized time, and there were rumors that his time at the show would be short when its executive producer was reassigned at the end of last summer.

It’s unclear when Todd’s last show will be, but he told viewers that this would be his final summer.

“I leave feeling concerned about this moment in history,” Todd said.

Welker, a former chief White House correspondent, has been at NBC News in Washington since 2011 and has been Todd’s chief fill-in for the past three years.

Rebecca Blumenstein, NBC News president of editorial, praised her new host’s talents in a memo announcing Welker’s elevation on Sunday.

Now Welker, 46, will be thrust into what promises to be another contentious presidential election cycle.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

The Metaverse Nears: Apple Expected to Unveil ‘Augmented Reality Headset’

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The Metaverse Nears: Apple Expected to Unveil ‘Augmented Reality Headset’

(Headline USA) Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumored headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world.

Apple is expected to unveil a pair of goggles — perhaps called “Reality Pro,” according to media leaks — at Apple’s annual developers conference in Cupertino, California, on Monday.

Apple’s goggles are expected to be sleekly designed and capable of toggling between totally virtual or augmented options, a blend sometimes known as “mixed reality.”

That flexibility also is sometimes called external reality, or XR for shorthand.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been describing these alternate three-dimensional realities as the metaverse.

Apple executives seem likely to avoid referring to the metaverse, given the skepticism that has quickly developed around that term, when they discuss the potential of the company’s new headset.

In recent years, Apple CEO Tim Cook has periodically touted augmented reality as technology’s next quantum leap, while not setting a specific timeline for when it will gain mass appeal.

“If you look back in a point in time, you know, zoom out to the future and look back, you’ll wonder how you led your life without augmented reality,” Cook, who is 62, said last September while speaking to an audience of students in Italy. “Just like today you wonder how did people like me grow up without the internet. You know, so I think it could be that profound. And it’s not going to be profound overnight.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Obama Judge Recuses Himself in Disney Suit Against DeSantis

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Obama Judge Recuses Himself in Disney Suit Against DeSantis

(Andrew Powel, Center Square) New details have emerged about the legal battle between the state of Florida and the Walt Disney Company after the presiding judge recused himself from the case. 

U.S. Judge Allen Winsor (appointed by former President Donald Trump) will take over the case after U.S. Judge Mark Walker (a former President Barak Obama appointee) recused himself on Thursday. On Friday, Winsor issued an order setting a deadline for June 26 for the state of Florida to file a motion to dismiss the case and gave a deadline of July 26 for Disney to file a counter filing. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis has been engaged in the heated battle with the media behemoth since early 2022, after Disney publicly opposed House Bill 1557. It was called by opponents the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” which banned sex education, including gay and transgender issues, from kindergarten to eighth grade. 

DeSantis stated that the Legislature was working to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, established in 1967, which gave Disney self-governing powers along with a plethora of tax breaks that include using tax-free municipal bonds for infrastructure improvements. 

After Disney development deals were nullified by actions of the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (which replaced the Reedy Creek board), Disney filed legal proceedings against the state of Florida. 

On May 19, the state filed a motion to disqualify Walker, citing that the judge would be unable to maintain impartiality in the case after DeSantis and his administration had been accused of retaliating against the company for having a different viewpoint. The filing further alleged that in two unrelated cases, the judge had used Disney as an example of “state retaliation.” 

According to the filing, this would imply that the court had already passed judgment on whether or not the state had retaliated against Disney for opposing legislation. 

Disney counted with its own filing on May 25, alleging that the “defendants’ (DeSantis) motion to disqualify is premised on a misapprehension of the law and a misstatement of the facts,” further adding that the court recently ruled in favor of DeSantis and other state officials in cases cited by DeSantis as evidence of potential bias against them. 

On Thursday, Walker officially recused himself, however, he denied that it was for the reasons stated in the state’s original recusal request and instead offered his own explanation for doing so. 

The reason that Walker is disqualifying himself, he says, is because he recently found out that a close relative owns 30 shares (worth around $2,700) in the Walt Disney Company, which is enough reason to disqualify himself. 

“The size or dollar amount of the third-degree relative’s financial interest is irrelevant.” Walker wrote, adding “Even though I believe it is highly unlikely that these proceedings will have a substantial effect on The Walt Disney Company, I choose to err on the side of caution which, here, is also the side of judicial integrity — and disqualify myself.”  

Walker said that the motion to disqualify him by DeSantis was without merit and that his use of hypothetical questions which referenced facts related to the Disney case, dealt with the same motivations of “political actors.”  

Walker also stated that DeSantis is using convenient language and judge-shopping. 

“Sadly, this practice has become all too common in this district,” Walker stated in the court filing.

‘This Isn’t Fair’: Even Liberals Want Biden Out After Disturbing Fall

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‘This Isn’t Fair’: Even Liberals Want Biden Out After Disturbing Fall

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Several Democrats are raising the alarm about President Joe Biden’s visible decline in health following his unsettling fall during a public appearance.

The incident, captured in a now-viral video, took place at a graduation ceremony held at the U.S. Air Force Academy. As reported by Headline USA, this fall was not an isolated event for the embattled president, as he has experienced multiple falls in peculiar circumstances.

The age of Biden, 80, has become the subject of controversy within the Republican Party and conservatives since he was first elected in 2021. These concerns had led to suggestions that the president is too senile and old to run the country, with some worrying that Vice President Kamala Harris may soon become the president. 

Even members of Biden’s own political party have voiced concerns about his physical and mental faculties. Alex Thompson, a reporter for Axios, revealed that “some top Democrats have privately been saying for months that they’re nervous about Biden tripping again on the trail. Today he did.”

One of the Democrats expressing concerns is former presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She acknowledged that “people have every right to consider” Biden’s age for the 2024 campaign.

The fall prompted a response from Jack Dorsey, former owner of Twitter, who said, “Open the Democrat primaries and debates. This isn’t fair to anyone.”

It’s worth nothing that Dorsey played a role in electing Biden in 2020, when, under his leadership, Twitter suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. This action, according to a poll by the Media Research Center, influenced the outcome of the election in favor for then-candidate Biden. Dorsey has since expressed regret for blocking the story.

Biden is facing challenges from several individuals, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marianne Williamson. An April poll by the Associated Press and NORC showed that most Democrats do not want Biden to run again but would vote for him anyway.

As reported by the Daily Caller, Leftist journalist Jordan Chariton also commented to the fall. “The GOP campaign ads are going to BRUTAL and effective. Still time for more progressives to jump into race against Biden or run as independent,” said Chariton in a tweet on Thursday.

Host of the leftist Young Turks Cenk Uygur laughed at the mainstream media’s attempt to downplay the fall, saying, “MSNBC reporting this as a big win for Joe Biden.”

The Biden White House downplayed the fall, claiming Biden got “sandbagged.”

Five MS-13 Illegal Aliens Charged with Savage Murder of Teen

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Five MS-13 Illegal Aliens Charged with Savage Murder of Teen

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Five illegal immigrants have been arrested and charged with the brutal murder of a minor from Frederick County, Maryland, whose remains were uncovered two months after he went missing.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday the arrest of Alexis Alfredo Ayala Lopez, Jose Roberto Ramos-Lopez, Ismael Ivan Rivera-Canales, Ismael Lopez-Lopez and Elmir Bladimir Reyes-Reyes in connection with the death of 15-year-old Limber Lopez Funez.

The five accused individuals are reportedly members of the notorious criminal gang MS-13 and have all been charged with first-degree murder, law enforcement announced.

Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that these individuals are residing in the U.S. illegally and that they had faced deportation charges in addition to the criminal charges tied to the brutal murder of the teen, reported the Frederick’s Daily Voice on Saturday.

“Once they have satisfied their local criminal charges, ICE will take over custody of all identified suspects,” announced the Sheriff’s Office.

According to Fox 5, distraught family members reported the teen missing on February 25. Local law enforcement then found evidence of an assault near the location where the 15-year-old went missing.

“Since Mr. Lopez Funez was first reported missing back in late February, we have had officers and detectives working tirelessly, investigating this case,” said Police Chief Jason Lando. “Our team spent countless hours following leads and conducting searches all over the county. We were all hoping to find Limber alive and well, but sadly that did not happen.”

Chief Lando added, “On behalf of the entire team at FPD, our hearts go out to the victim’s family. While we know it will not bring Limber back, we hope the arrests in this case will offer some closure to the Lopez Funez family.”  

The brutal murder has intensified the ongoing debate about the border chaos and the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Just last month, Jose Roberto Hernandez-Espinal, a 20-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was charged with the brutal rape of a 15-year-old girl who was enjoying lunch with a friend at a Maryland park.

In a similar but unrelated case, Geovani Grevi Rivera-Zavala, a 29-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras was arrested in connection with the rape of a teen in a restaurant bathroom. According to Breitbart, Ribera-Zavala had been released by the Biden Department of Homeland Security’s catch-and-release policy.

‘Extra Trumpy’ CNN CEO Cedes Control Amid Internal Turmoil

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‘Extra Trumpy’ CNN CEO Cedes Control Amid Internal Turmoil

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former President Donald Trump’s highly anticipated CNN town hall continues to stir controversy among leftist journalists within the network, as a number of them express their dismay with CEO Chris Licht’s plans to shift the network towards a more centrist stance.

Licht’s willingness to engage with Republicans after years of CNN constantly tarnishing the entirety of the conservative movement has triggered outrage among these employees, leading to a series of surprising revelations this week.

In an apparent response to mounting criticism, Licht has ceased his authority over business operations at the far-left outlet to David Leavy, who now serves as CNN’s chief operating officer. Puck News reported on Friday that confidence in Licht’s leadership has “wavered considerably.” According to Mediaite, Licht told his employees that he would no longer be involved in managing business operations.

After joining CNN, known for its anti-Trump commentary, Licht took charge following the controversial ousting of Jeff Zucker, CNN’s former network executive who came under for a relationship with a subordinate. In a scathing report by The Atlantic‘s Tim Alberta, Licht accused Zucker of undermining the network and alienating conservatives by consistently criticizing Trump.

Licht was reportedly responsible for the firing of “diva-like” Don Lemon and Brian Stelter, a disgruntled former host who now spends most of time on Twitter attacking his former employer.

Despite facing resistance, Licht approved a town hall featuring Trump and CNN host Kaitlan Collins, a former blogger for the Daily Caller. However, the event did not unfold as planned, with Trump’s forceful policy positions overshadowing Collins’ performance, according to both Trump supporters and critics alike.

Alberta reported that Collins struggled to “match” the environment she was “thrust into.” Albert also added, “Squaring off one-on-one against the country’s most accomplished trickster is difficult enough, but this was 300-on-one. The result was a campaign infomercial: Trump the populist champion, slaying his old nemesis and asserting to televised fanfare his claim to the presidency.” 

Throughout the town hall, Trump vehemently criticized fake news and received enthusiastic applause from the audience in response to his policy proposals.

Instagram Bans RFK from Creating New Campaign Accounts, Twitter Helps

Dmytro "Henry" Aleksandrov
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Instagram Bans RFK from Creating New Campaign Accounts, Twitter Helps

(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Instagram banned Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from creating new campaign accounts and Elon Musk‘s Twitter saved the situation by giving him the platform.

RFK Jr. revealed on Thursday in his series of Twitter posts that when his campaign uses the TeamKennedy email address to set up accounts on Instagram, the platform automatically bans them for 180 days.

“Interesting… when we use our TeamKennedy email address to set up @instagram accounts we get an automatic 180-day ban. Can anyone guess why that’s happening?”

After that, RFK Jr. praised and thanked Twitter for allowing him to campaign on the platform.

“@instagram still hasn’t reinstated my account, which was banned years ago with more than 900k followers,” RFK wrote.

He then said that social media platforms are supposed to allow political candidates to speak.

“To silence a major political candidate is profoundly undemocratic. Social media is the modern equivalent of the town square. How can democracy function if only some candidates have access to it?” RFK Jr. wrote.

Musk, the owner and CEO of Twitter, responded to RFK Jr.

“Would you like to do a Spaces discussion with me next week?”

After Musk and RFK Jr. agreed upon the date of Twitter Spaces, Chet Long, Founder and Senior Partner of Web360 Global, announced that he would be the host of the event that will happen on Monday at 2 p.m.

“Honored to welcome US Presidential candidate @RobertKennedyJr to the 1st Presidential Town Hall on Twitter Spaces ever. Join me, @brockpierson and @jen_k_usa next week for this historic event,” he wrote.

“Thank you @elonmusk for providing this access for US voters to become better informed.” 

According to the Post Millennial, Elon Musk expressed his disappointment last month with the Democratic party for not holding primary debates.

“We will do our best to support candidates from all parties, so that the public may make the most informed choice. Far too much backroom dealing seems to be happening,” he said.  

Parents Protest ‘Pride Month’ Assembly Outside L.A. Elementary School

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Parents Protest ‘Pride Month’ Assembly Outside L.A. Elementary School

(Headline USA) Police officers separated groups of protesters and counterprotesters Friday outside a Los Angeles elementary school that has become a flashpoint for ‘pride’ month events across California.

People protesting a planned Pride assembly outside the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Saticoy Elementary School wore T-shirts emblazoned with “Leave our kids alone” — and carried signs with slogans such as “Parental Choice Matters” and “No Pride in Grooming.”

Tensions at the school have been rising since last month, when a social media page was created to urge parents to keep their children home Friday, the day of the planned assembly.

Outside the school, protesters against the assembly outnumbered those who were there in support. Some protesters identified themselves as parents of students in the district but would not give their full names during interviews, saying they had agreed not to, as a group, citing safety concerns.

Broadly, they said they felt elementary school was too young to discuss LGBTQ+ issues.

Arielle Aldana, whose 6-year-old son attends Saticoy, said she didn’t know about the assembly until she dropped him off at school Friday morning.

She joined the protest against the assembly and said it was “frustrating” that the school didn’t tell parents about the topic ahead of time.

An Instagram page called Saticoy Elementary Parents called Pride “an inappropriate topic for our kids!”

In one post, the page says that Christian families and those who “share conservative values don’t feel this material is appropriate to teach to the children and believe it’s a parents’ right to choose.”

It’s not clear who started the page, which also includes phone numbers and email addresses for district and school officials, urging parents to call them to protest the event.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

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