Death toll in Texas' Kerr County rises to 59, sheriff says
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The Guardian
39 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Eric Adams accused of corruption by four former high-ranking NYPD officers
New York City mayor Eric Adams is being sued by four former high-ranking police officers who are accusing the embattled mayor of promoting corruption in the police department, the Associated press reports. In separate lawsuits filed on Monday, the former official described a culture of rampant corruption and cronyism inside one of the country's largest police forces. In his lawsuit, James Essig, the former chief of detectives and 40-year force veteran, claims that the former commissioner of the NYPD sold promotions to the tune of $15,000. Essig says he was forced to resign after objecting to the practice. Essig's suit adds that senior NYPD leadership often selected 'friends and cronies' of theirs and Adams's in hiring. 'They used the Police Department as their own little playground,' Essig told the New York Times. Each of the plaintiffs says that, with Adams's approval, they were either demoted or forced into retirement after raising concerns about the practices, according to their lawsuits. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion They claim that the practice began in 2023 with Jeff Maddrey, the former police chief and an ally of Adams, allegedly bypassing standard hiring protocol to bring 'unqualified friends' into positions to positions in the city's public safety apparatus. The lawsuits come amid New York City's mayoral race. Adams is running for re-election as an independent candidate although he ran as a Democrat in 2021. He was indicted on federal corruption charges last year – charges which were later dropped in an apparent deal with the incoming Trump administration – and has emphasized fall crime numbers under his administration in his campaign. Adams is expected to face off against democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who saw a decisive victory over former governor Andrew Cuomo in the city's Democratic primary last month. A spokesperson for Adams told the Times that his administration would review the lawsuits.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
AI scammer posing as Marco Rubio targets officials in growing threat
An unknown fraudster has used artificial intelligence to impersonate the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, contacting at least five senior officials. According to a state department cable first seen by the Washington Post and confirmed by the Guardian, the impostor sent fake voice messages and texts that mimicked Rubio's voice and writing style to those targets including three foreign ministers, a US governor and a member of Congress. The cable, dated 3 July, said the impostor 'left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals' and sent text messages inviting others to communicate on the platform. It's still a mystery who is behind the Rubio scam, but the cable reads that the goal had been 'gaining access to information or accounts' of powerful government officials. 'The state department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter,' said a senior state department official. 'The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents. For security reasons, and due to our ongoing investigation, we are not in a position to offer further details at this time.' The threat of AI impersonators has become increasingly common across government agencies. The state department cable included details that the actor impersonating Rubio created the account in mid-June and was similar to other activity in May when someone impersonated other senior US government officials. That is likely a reference to the impersonator who pretended to be White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and reached out to her personal contacts and one lawmaker. David Axelrod, who served as senior adviser to Barack Obama, said the AI scam using Rubio was 'only a matter of time' and urged urgent action to defend against such attacks. 'A Marco Rubio impostor is using AI voice to call high-level officials,' Axelrod wrote on X. 'This is the new world in which we live and we'd better figure out how to defend against it because of its implications for our democracy and the world.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Sweet little girl, 5, left seriously injured after two pit bulls attack her in friend's backyard
A five-year-old girl from Indiana is recovering from devastating injuries after two pit bulls mauled her in a friend's backyard. The attack in South Bend left her bloodied and permanently scarred in the brutal attack the occurred last month. Little Nylah Jones had only just stepped into her friend's backyard on S. Albert Avenue with her six-year-old brother when the two dogs lunged at her without warning sinking their teeth into her face and dragging her down as she cried for help. 'I just heard my son yelling "Mom! Mom!" said Jillquisha Jones, Nylah's mother to WNDU. 'I was like, "What's going on?" and he said, "The dog is on Nylah!"' The horrifying incident unfolded at around 7pm as neighbors ran outside to the sound of the youngster screaming. One neighbor, Angela, saw the child being carried in blood-soaked arms toward the street and said the scene was nothing short of horrific. 'She was bloody. She was carrying her,' Angela recalled. 'She met her mom and was like, "We've got to go to the hospital." It was just a really crazy scene.' Nylah's injuries were severe. She was rushed to the emergency room and is now left with dozens of deep cuts across her face - injuries that doctors say could leave her permanently disfigured. 'She has scars all over her face,' her mother said. 'They told me some of them might never go away.' The attack has left a lasting emotional imprint on Nylah's brother, who witnessed everything and now struggles to speak about it. 'Every time I look at her face, it just makes me really sad and cry,' he said told 21Alive. Nylah's family says the little girl is now afraid of going outside. 'My daughter almost died,' Jillquisha said. 'We could've lost her.' Her mother says she has since been stonewalled by local authorities and animal control, despite repeated attempts to get answers or action. 'At first, I just felt like they didn't care,' Jillquisha said. 'I'm calling them, I'm reaching out to animal control. Everybody from my friend's list on my social media tried to reach out, and they're not talking to me. They didn't say nothing. 'I don't care what kind of dog it is,' Jillquisha added. 'If it can do that to a child, something has to be done. 'There has to be more urgency. It shouldn't take a little girl being torn up for someone to care.' The two pit bulls were later voluntarily surrendered by their owners to the South Bend Animal Resource Center (SBARC), but no charges have been filed, and the city has yet to confirm what consequences the owners will face or whether the dogs will be euthanized. The City of South Bend said in a statement that all bite reports are reviewed 'on a case-by-case basis,' taking into account the source of the report, the severity of the bite, and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officials from SBARC have confirmed they are aware of the incident but declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. This attack has reignited longstanding fears about safety around pit bulls, particularly when it comes to children. Animal rights groups and breed-specific advocates have long debated the temperament and risk posed by the breed, with critics pointing to fatal maulings and defenders blaming poor training or negligent owners.
