July 26, 2019

29 cats killed when 2 pit bulls escape from cages at Alabama animal shelter

Two pit bulls at an Alabama animal shelter escaped from their cages early Thursday morning and fatally mauled 29 cats, WTVY reported.

Workers at the Dothan Animal Shelter found the dead cats when they reported to work Thursday morning, the television station reported. “Those dogs forced their way out of a pen. Then, they pushed hard enough on galvanized bars to knock (the bars) out of their clamps,” shelter director Bill Banks told WTVY.That action enabled the dogs to push on the chain-link fencing and then attack the cats.

“These dogs were able to eat their way out, for lack of a better term, and attack these cats. That is horrible,” Dothan City Commissioner Beth Kenward told WTVY.Kenward said the shelter is outdated and believes the city should have helped to upgrade it a long time ago.Mayor Mark Saliba agreed, telling WTVY, “It's sad, and there is no doubt that (a new shelter) is overdue."

Banks said the pit bulls were brought to the shelter Wednesday. He told WTVY that no decision has been made about what to do with the dogs.

https://www.ajc.com/news/national/cats-killed-when-pit-bulls-escape-from-cages-alabama-animal-shelter/NY1BAv0KconXwjOgAGNH2L/

July 26, 2019

ASAP Rocky: President Trump demands Sweden free US rapper

Source: BBC

US President Donald Trump has demanded that Sweden "give ASAP Rocky his freedom" in a series of tweets. The musician, real name Rakim Myers, has been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm in Stockholm. He will remain in custody until a trial takes place. Mr Trump raged on Twitter that Sweden had "let our African American community down". ASAP was arrested on 3 July following a fight that was captured on video. Two other men who were with them at the time have also been charged with assault. The musician says that his group was being followed by a group of men and he acted in self-defence. Donald Trump said last week that he had spoken to Swedish prime minister Stefan Lofven about ASAP's case.

However on Thursday the president wrote that he was "very disappointed" in Mr Lofven for being "unable to act" and urged him to "treat Americans fairly". A spokesperson for Mr Lofven responded by saying that the Swedish judicial system, prosecutors and courts were independent, the government was not allowed to influence legal proceedings and "everyone is equal before the law".

Daniel Suneson, the Swedish prosecutor in charge of the case said that he had not spoken to any White House representatives or any representatives of the Swedish government while investigating the case. He added that there was "an obvious risk that these three suspects would leave the country if they were released".

On Wednesday, the rapper's mother pleaded for the release of her son. Renee Black told Swedish newspaper Expressen that ASAP "isn't really eating properly." Other celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West have also called for ASAP's release. More than 500,000, including fellow artists Nicki Minaj and Post Malone, have signed an online petition calling for the rapper to be released on bail.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49122557

July 14, 2019

The Next James Bond Film Is Getting Its First Black & Female 007

The internet may have wanted a Black Bond, or a female Bond, but it looks like we’re getting both. And neither.

Lashana Lynch has been tapped to play the new 007 in the upcoming Bond 25 film, the Independent reports. While Lynch, who recently played Maria Rambeau opposite Brie Larson in Captain Marvel, will reportedly be playing the new agent 007, the character James Bond is still expected to be portrayed by Daniel Craig.

“There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M [played by Ralph Fiennes] says, ‘Come in 007,’ and in walks Lashana who is Black, beautiful, and a woman. It’s a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman,” an insider told the Daily Mail.

This means that while Lynch will be taking on the agent number 007, James Bond is still Bond. Bond is expected to be in retirement at the start of the events of the upcoming film, essentially making the coveted agent number 007 open for Lynch’s taking.

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/07/237796/black-female-bond-lashana-lynch-007