cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54001364

Donald Trump’s lawyers will try to persuade a New York appeals court Thursday to throw out his hush money conviction, two years after it made history.

The conviction, on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to obscure a $130,000 payment to adult film performer Stormy Daniels, continues to nettle Trump enough that he denounced it on social media as recently as September. The president denies any wrongdoing, and he has turned to state and federal courts in hopes of unwinding the verdict.

He is not expected to attend Thursday’s court session.

An ICE-watch observer who witnessed the incident unfold on 21 October told the Guardian that masked ICE agents approached Zepeda from behind, pinned him face-down on the ground and put him in a car. The agents then drove the student around for a while before letting him out. With a black eye and his wrist in severe pain, Zepeda walked the remaining half mile to his school, where staff called an ambulance.

The observer, who volunteers with a local rapid response network to document ICE activity, asked not to be named due to fears of retaliation from federal officials. To independently verify the observer’s account, the Guardian reviewed dashcam and phone videos that the observer recorded of the incident.

Local activists and US lawmakers are calling the ordeal the latest example of ICE brutality.

“ICE’s assault and wrongful detainment of Erik Zepeda was grotesque and heartbreaking,” said Adam Schiff, a Democratic US senator from California, in a statement to the Guardian. “There must be accountability for what happened to Erik.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54019437

Guess not only the Brazilian election had one sided "bugs" happen on Meta products.

Billionaire Leon Black on Wednesday filed a federal defamation lawsuit against California Rep. Robert Garcia for public comments the Democratic congressman made tying him to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The court filing comes less than two months after the House approved a resolution holding Black in contempt of Congress for defying the Oversight Committee’s subpoenas in its investigation into Epstein.

In June, Black appeared for a voluntary interview at the committee during which he denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking network.

Weeks later, Garcia said during a TV interview that “Leon Black is at the center of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes” and that Black “was one of the last people to actually interact” with Epstein before he committed suicide in prison.

An ICE-watch observer who witnessed the incident unfold on 21 October told the Guardian that masked ICE agents approached Zepeda from behind, pinned him face-down on the ground and put him in a car. The agents then drove the student around for a while before letting him out. With a black eye and his wrist in severe pain, Zepeda walked the remaining half mile to his school, where staff called an ambulance.

The observer, who volunteers with a local rapid response network to document ICE activity, asked not to be named due to fears of retaliation from federal officials. To independently verify the observer’s account, the Guardian reviewed dashcam and phone videos that the observer recorded of the incident.

Local activists and US lawmakers are calling the ordeal the latest example of ICE brutality.

“ICE’s assault and wrongful detainment of Erik Zepeda was grotesque and heartbreaking,” said Adam Schiff, a Democratic US senator from California, in a statement to the Guardian. “There must be accountability for what happened to Erik.”

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/12297570

The Russian “Matryoshka” bot network has launched a campaign on social media promoting claims that Ukraine operates “secret prisons” where military personnel and foreigners are tortured. Researchers with the Antibot4Navalny project, which tracks pro-Russian bot activity on social media, provided The Insider with information on more than 10 fake videos and posts.

...

The main fabricated narratives include:

• Azov fighters allegedly kidnapped Europeans for ransom and then killed them. A video bearing the logo of Polish broadcaster TVP World claims that two Polish citizens may have been among those held in the “secret prison.” The kidnappers allegedly demanded 30,000 euros for their release, but contact with the hostages was lost after the money was handed over. The video also claims that two French volunteers who fought on Ukraine’s side may have been kidnapped.
• A video styled as a Human Rights Watch report claims that hundreds of secret prisons operate in Ukraine. Citing the rights organization, it alleges that hidden basements are used for torture, killings, and blackmail.
• French publication Franc-Tireur is falsely presented as reporting that a mass grave containing the bodies of 64 people was discovered on the grounds of a purported secret prison in the Kyiv Region.
• A video designed to look like a Euronews report claims that Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, knew of the existence of secret prisons in the country. Its creators allege that European partners repeatedly warned Kyiv that disclosure of information about torture could undermine support for Ukraine among EU countries.
• Another video, styled as material from the UN initiative “Stop Rape Now — UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict,” claims that the supposedly “freed” 14-year-old boy was also subjected to sexual violence. The creators allege that such crimes were routinely committed in “secret prisons” and that people in France now intend to demand that President Emmanuel Macron’s government stop funding Ukraine.

...

Archived

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54019640

Give us all your data, but: “no automated system is perfect,” the company admitted, advising users to “review Muse’s activity and only grant the access you’re comfortable with.”

The speaker of Tehran’s parliament jabbed the U.S. vice president for his 614-word missive on X.

A senior Iranian official mocked JD Vance on Thursday for a lengthy social media post in which the U.S. vice president conceded that the American-Israeli war on Iran caused the Republican Party’s midterm election meltdown this week.

“Losing gambler energy, can’t walk away from the table. Boss is prepping the next war phase while America teeters on an Israel-First cliff. Skip the TED talk. Why not say this to your boss?” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, shot back at Vance.

In his screed on X, published less than 24 hours after the Republicans suffered an election wipeout, Vance pointed to four things that needed to happen for voters to return to the party in future ballots.

“1) End the war. 2) Focus on cost of living/inflation. 3) Put America First. 4) Change our relationship to Israel,” Vance argued, in a missive that he personally drafted and which marked his first post-election attempt to distance himself from a war that Donald Trump has repeatedly defended.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damian_Dr%C4%83ghici

Interesting guy, and the music is good.

If I’m out walking around and I see a small beetle flipped over on its back, should I give him a nudge or let it be? I feel bad for the little dudes. But they got themselves into this situation so maybe they deserve to be a quick bird snack? But if I were stuck I would hope for some help and not being eaten. Plus the more stupid ones I save will keep the stupid genes going and the longer before we have to compete with sentient beetles. But then again, like, nature. I’m torn. Dziękuję

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54019640

Give us all your data, but: “no automated system is perfect,” the company admitted, advising users to “review Muse’s activity and only grant the access you’re comfortable with.”

I'm calling this: Starry November Skies a part of lets get comfortable in the dark series 😁

@outdoor@fedigroups.social @nature@fedigroups.social @photography@fedigroups.social @hiking@fedigroups.social @photography@lemmy.world @Nature@lemmy.world @hiking@lemmy.world

#OC #NaturePhotography #Nature #LandscapePhotography #Photography #Photo #November #Finland #Archipelago #AlandIslands #Åland #Hiking #InMy #Autumn #Wonderland

Big interview today and I'm a bit scared my life is gonna get better. Gonna join a union for HVACR my best chance to get started finally provide for my family and make a future in this crumbling empire.

cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/76089701