World news in brief
Five officers charged over motorist’s death
Five Memphis police officers were charged yesterday with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, 29, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop on 7 January. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith, who are all Black, are in custody.
All five are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. Second-degree murder is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law. Evidence from an autopsy commissioned by Nichols’s family and their attorney found that he had suffered “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating”.
Nichols’s family and their attorneys have seen police video of the arrest, but the video has not been released to the public, although authorities said they will release it this week or next. Memphis police chief Cerelyn Davis said that the upcoming release of police body camera footage would probably make watchers feel “outraged by the disregard for basic human rights”. AP
Populist billionaire vies with ex-general for top Czech post
A retired army general who backs military support for Ukraine and a Eurosceptic billionaire who has questioned Nato’s collective defence clause are contesting the ceremonial but high-profile post of Czech president in a runoff starting today. Former Gen Petr Pavel and Andrej Babis advanced to a second round of voting because none of the eight initial candidates received an absolute majority in the first round two weeks ago.
Polls favor Gen Pavel, who came a narrow first in the first round with 35.40 per cent. Mr Babis followed at 34.99 per cent. Three other candidates pledged their support for Gen Pavel ahead of the two-day ballot starting today. The winner will succeed Milos Zeman, whose second and final term expires in March. He was the first president elected by popular vote. Lawmakers elected the previous two presidents, Vaclav Havel and Vaclav Klaus.
Dead salmon makes flowers more beautiful, study finds
Nutrients from salmon carcasses can cause some flowers to grow bigger and more plentiful, researchers at a Vancouver university have found. Scientists have demonstrated a connection between salmon and coastal plant growth and reproduction. The work
extends what has previously been known about a nitrogen isotope found in some plants and animals and has been generally attributed to the nutrients from salmon.
FBI hacked hackers to bust $130m ransomware gang
The FBI announced yesterday that it has hacked and disrupted the operations of a prolific hacking group called Hive, stopping the group from collecting $130m in ransom demands from more than 300 entities. Attorney general Merrick Garland, FBI director Christopher Wray, and deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco announced the news at a triumphant press conference, with Ms Monaco telling reporters that the government “hacked the hackers”. Mr Garland has made cracking down on hacking groups and ransomware a priority for the Justice Department, with ransom attacks beginning to pose major problems to the country’s security.
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