WASHINGTON — There were less than a dozen documents with classified markings found in the office used by President Joe Biden while he was out of office, two sources familiar with the matter tell NBC News.
The White House on Monday confirmed a CBS News report that a “small number of documents” with classified markings that appeared to be from the Obama administration had been found at a think tank tied to Biden.
The acknowledgment launched a flurry of criticism from Republicans and former President Donald Trump, whose Florida home was raided last year in search of documents he had removed from the White House.
The sources who confirmed the number of documents found in the Biden office spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details about the ongoing investigation.
The documents were discovered on Nov. 2 in a locked closet by Biden’s attorneys as they prepared to vacate office space at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, Richard Sauber, special counsel to the president, said in a statement.
The University of Pennsylvania leased a suite of offices for the center in February 2018, including an office for Biden’s personal use when he was in Washington.
The documents in Trump’s possession were found in his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, and were obtained in part from requests from the National Archives and then, later, through a search warrant executed by the FBI.
In all, federal investigators recovered over 300 documents with classification markings from Trump.
Former Flint, Michigan, fire chief Raymond Barton filed a federal $10 million lawsuit against the city and its mayor alleging that he was terminated because he refused to help cover up a house fire that killed two young brothers.
Barton said in a lawsuit filed Monday that Mayor Sheldon Neeley tried to pressure him into covering up the alleged misconduct of then-firefighters Daniel Sniegocki and Michael Zlotek, who claimed that they had “thoroughly” searched a Pulaski Street home on May 28 after a fire broke out on the first floor.
Sniegocki and Zlotek said they found no one in the burning home and gave the “all clear” to other firefighters on the scene, the lawsuit said. A second group of firefighters later entered the home and found Lamar Mitchell, 9, and his brother Zyaire Mitchell, 12, in a second-floor bedroom.
The brothers, who were home alone, were alive and rushed to the hospital in critical condition, stated a news release from Barton’s attorney. They died about a week later due to smoke inhalation, the Detroit Free Press reported. In November, the boys’ family announced plans to file a separate lawsuit.
Raymond Barton at a town hall meeting in Flint, Mich., on March 17, 2016.Brett Carlsen / Getty Images file
Two firefighters gave the ‘all clear.’ Minutes later the boys were found
Sniegocki and Zlotek, who resigned, could not be reached at phone numbers listed for them. They denied any wrongdoing through their union, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The firefighters union, Neeley’s office and a city attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Six firefighters responded to the two-alarm electrical blaze. The lawsuit said that they were all informed that there were probably people inside the home.
Sniegocki and Zlotek entered the house. Sniegocki used a hose to fight the flames on the first floor and told Zlotek to go upstairs to conduct a search, according to the suit. Sniegocki eventually went upstairs to help Zlotek, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit said that both firefighters exited the home and said they “thoroughly” searched the second floor. Zlotek said he used infrared equipment and thermal imaging cameras to find people “who might not be visible to the naked eye.” They both told the other firefighters at the scene that the house was “all clear,” meaning no one was inside, the suit said.
“At that point, a second set of firefighters entered the home, went upstairs, and immediately found ZM , age 12, and LM , age 9, in a bedroom,” the suit stated. “The firefighters found LM on the floor in the doorway of their shared bedroom; ZM was lying in the bed in that room.”
The boys were found about seven minutes after Sniegocki and Zlotek said the house was clear, according to the lawsuit. The children were not covered by any objects and “were visible to the naked eye,” the lawsuit said.
After finding out what happened, Barton conducted an investigation and determined that Sniegocki and Zlotek lied in written reports about what they did to search the home for occupants “because, if they had conducted the search as they claimed, they would have found ZM and LM,” the suit stated.
“On the basis of Sniegocki’s and Zlotek’s dishonesty and failure to fulfill their duties, Chief Barton recommended that the two firefighters be suspended without pay pending a final investigation and that they be discharged at the conclusion of that investigation,” it said.
The lawsuit alleged that because Neeley was up for re-election at that time and needed the support of the firefighters union, he did not want Barton to terminate Sniegocki and Zlotek.
The mayor instead told Barton “to alter official reports to disguise the firefighters’ misconduct, suspend the firefighters with pay, and drop his recommendation that they be discharged,” the suit stated. NBC News has not independently verified this claim.
Former fire chief says termination feels like ‘dishonorable discharge’
Barton refused “to serve Mayor Neeley’s personal, political interests by lying to the public in a cover-up of gross malfeasance and fraudulent conduct by two firefighters,” the document said. Nine days after Neeley’s re-election on Nov. 8, the mayor fired him, according to the lawsuit.
In a Nov. 18 press release, the city announced Theron Wiggins as the interim fire chief. It did not say why Barton was no longer employed in that role.
At a news conference Monday, Barton was asked whether the children could have been hiding in the bedroom, came out and collapsed after Sniegocki and Zlotek left the home.
He said the bed frame sat on the floor and the only closet in the room was not big enough for both children to fit into. “There was no place for the children to be hiding,” he said.
Barton, who had worked with the fire department for more than three decades, said his firing felt like a “dishonorable discharge” from the military.
“The problem is I didn’t do anything wrong. All I did was tell the truth,” he said.
The lawsuit is seeking $10 million because of the way the situation was handled, Barton’s attorney, Arnold Reed, said at the news conference.
“It was completely unfair. It completely took Ray off guard for a person that has done what he has done for this community for so many years, consistently,” he said.
The Genesee County Prosecutor requested state police to investigate whether there was any criminal negligence on the part of the firefighters involved, a police spokesperson said Tuesday. The investigation is ongoing.
Video Of Women Dining With Python On Table Leaves Netizens Shocked. But Here’s Catch
Viral Video: As we all know, social media is full of numerous videos where people are constantly attempting bizarre things. Check the viral video of the day here.
Video Of Women Dining With Python On Table Leaves Netizens Shocked.(Photo Credit: Instagramilhanatalay_)
Viral Video: Internet – the digital space where you can find all of the world’s oddities, and while humans, animals, and natural events frequently appear in the field of strange oddities, horrifying snake videos have also become a subject of bizarreness. As we all know, social media is full of numerous videos where people are constantly attempting bizarre things. A video of two women dining with a python on a table has been added to the collection.
The video was shot in a restaurant, but the location was not revealed. The video has gone viral, shocking several internet users. However, there is a catch! If you look closely, you can see that the snake is not real. But it is computer animation/filters which is available on different social media apps.
Viral Video Explained
The women are seen having dinner with the enormous reptile in the video. They don’t appear to be bothered by the snake’s enormous size. It also appears that the people sitting behind or around them are unaffected by its presence. In the short clip, it even appears that the python is resting its head on the food plate. As the python moves forward, its mouth gets very close to the woman sitting on the right side.
CHECK THE SNAKE VIDEO HERE
The video was shared on Instagram by a user named Ilhan Atalay. Till now, the viral clip has received over 74,052 likes and many comments.”Never. Might be fake, but I ain’t eating anything infront of that thing…. Not in my present life,” wrote one Instagram user. “Still better CGI than MCU movies nowadays,” added another. “Sorry, it’s a no for me,” expressed a third user. A fourth user wrote, “Computer animation, not a real snake, look closer, its floating folks pay attention.”
FRANKFURT, Germany, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — SOFAR, the global leading supplier of PV and energy storage solutions reveals a new brand campaign in Shenzhen, China and Frankfurt, Germany, displaying the company’s commitment to innovation and its role in powering a net-zero future.
In line with two offline venues, SOFAR also launches a live streaming to reach global audience, which has been rebroadcast by 15 media platforms. Through the combination of physical event and live streaming, SOFAR emphasizes its commitment to posing a positive impact on building a more sustainable and low-carbon planet, making renewables accessible and available for all.
A new logo, with new implications
Simplified from ‘SOFARSOLAR’ to ‘SOFAR’, the company endows its new brand name with new implications. Each letter is taken from a relevant word, ‘S’ for sustainable, ‘O’ for net-zero, ‘F’ for future-proof, ‘A’ for affordable and ‘R’ for reliable, which emphasizes its ambition on reshaping the future energy structure with advanced digital energy solutions.
A new VI, a new look
The new wordmark has been modernized in both the color and the font. Adopting aurora green that stands for clean energy and cerulean blue that represents digitalization, the new brand image demonstrates a deep integration of these two elements.
A futuristic-look website, for better experience
SOFAR has upgraded its website with a futuristic look which is optimized to offer visitors smooth, user-friendly and more interactive experience. Employing horizontal switch for the homepage, the new website (https://www.sofarsolar.com/) is able to provide users with a more creative interface. Apart from presenting a comprehensive ecosystem of future digital energy, the new website makes it possible for visitors to see the dynamic product deconstruction and have a more vivid understanding of SOFAR system solutions.
Meet Xiaohang, SOFAR’s new avatar
To everyone’s surprise, SOFAR also unveils its new brand avatar – Xiaohang. Endowed with the characteristics of being lively, enterprising, honest and knowledgeable, this new avatar embodies the spirit of integrity, exploration and consideration of SOFAR, which helps build a brand image with affinity.
Stepping into the 10th anniversary of its rapid expansion, SOFAR leads the PV & Storage technology revolution as one of global TOP5 Hybrid Inverter Suppliers. In 2022, SOFAR launched the pioneering all-in-one residential solar + storage system SOFAR PowerAll, bolstering its leading position in PV and energy storage sector. By the end of 2021, SOFAR shipped over 1 million inverters to more than 100 countries worldwide, empowering global customers on the journey towards a more sustainable and low-carbon lifestyle.
“Upholding the mission of technology drives green energy, we are devoted to making contributions to green transition as the leading provider of digital energy solutions,” said Guy Rong, Senior Vice President of SOFAR. “In the future, we will keep focusing on renewable energy technologies, making investment in R&D and adhering to innovation-driven growth, thus bringing forth our sustainable, net-zero, future-proof, affordable and reliable solutions for more communities.” Rong concluded.
About SOFAR
SOFAR is a global leading supplier of solar PV and energy storage solutions and committed to be the leader of digital energy solutions. SOFAR has always insisted on independent innovation, established a global R&D network with three R&D centers. As the world’s fastest-growing solar energy brand, SOFAR compound annual growth rate reaches 86% and its annual production capacity reaches 10GW for PV & storage inverters and 1GWh for batteries. By the end of 2021, SOFAR had shipped over 1 million inverters to more than 100 countries, becoming the TOP5 Global Hybrid Inverter Suppliers.
The content is by PR NewsWire. DKODING Media is not responsible for the content provided or any links related to this content. DKODING Media is not responsible for the correctness, topicality or the quality of the content.
Outrage is simmering over the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old Black middle school student in Washington, D.C., by a man who suspected the teen was breaking into cars in his neighborhood.
Metropolitan Police identified the victim as Karon Blake of Northeast Washington.
Police responded to the 1000 block of Quincy Street, Northeast, just before 4 a.m. Saturday on a report of a shooting and found Blake with apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital and died after life-saving attempts, officials said.
Detectives determined that a man inside a residence at the scene said he had “heard noises and observed someone that appeared to be tampering with vehicles.”
He went outside with a registered firearm to investigate and had an “interaction” with Blake.
“During the interaction, the male resident discharged his firearm striking the victim,” police said.
The man who opened fire has not been identified or arrested.
Members of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences investigate the crime scene of a shooting in Washington, D.C.via WRC
Detectives are working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine any potential criminal charges.
Authorities said “two juvenile males” were allegedly seen running from the scene and at least two cars were damaged on the block of the shooting, NBC Washington reported. Police later said they found a stolen car, which they believe Blake had used, near the scene.
Neighbors said they heard four to five gunshots during the incident, the station reported.
MPD did not immediately respond to questions regarding the case Tuesday morning.
Blake was a ‘quiet and inquisitive scholar’
Blake was a student at Brookland Middle School.
The school’s principal, Kerry Richardson, said in a note to staff, obtained by NBC Washington, that Blake was a “quiet and inquisitive scholar who loved fashion and football.”
“Although he loved his neighborhood, he loved Brookland MS (the faculty & his peers) and the structure it presented to him even more,” Richardson wrote.
He leaves behind his mom and three younger siblings, according to the principal.
In a letter to the families of the Brookland Middle School community, Richardson wrote: “With great sadness, I share that a Brookland student tragically lost their life to gun violence in the early morning of January 7. Let us join in sending love and support to their family as they grieve this devastating loss. As a member of the Brookland family, we know our student will be missed by all who know them.”
The school is offering mental health resources and counseling to support students and staff.
‘Property is not greater than life’
In the days after the shooting, pressure has mounted for answers, with local lawmakers condemning the shooting and demanding that the name of the person who opened fired be made public.
D.C. Council member Christina Henderson tweeted Monday: “Property is not greater than life. Karon should be alive today.”
Ward 5 Council member Zachary Parker said in a statement Monday: “He was a son, brother, friend and student who should still be here. I am deeply saddened and outraged by Karon’s killing.”
“No car or material possession is worth a life — under any circumstances. I join Ward 5 residents in calling on the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold accountable the individual who took Karon’s life,” he continued.
A community meeting is scheduled to take place Tuesday evening to hear residents’ concerns and questions surrounding the case.
Community groups DC Safety Squad, Ward 5 Mutual Aid and Harriet’s Wildest Dreams are demanding the release of the shooter’s name and any visual evidence.
In a statement, DC Safety squad said: “Karon Blake was senselessly murdered. He was loved by his family, friends and community. We are calling on Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah to immediately have the name of Karon’s killer and any photo or video evidence collected released.”
In a statement, Appiah said: “As a government, we are committed to being as open and transparent as possible in all matters while also ensuring that we act in a manner that advances the fair and equitable administration of justice.”
She said the investigation is still underway, in consultation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday she was “incredibly saddened.”
“We would rather be talking about a 13-year-old going to school today than to talk about him being killed on one of our streets,” she said.
“If you feel that there is a public safety issue in or around your home, call 911. That is the appropriate thing to do, to call 911,” she added.
In the first week of the new year, six people were killed in D.C., including Karon, according to the MPD’s crime dashboard.
The 1,500 people include those formally arrested in the vandalism and those detained for questioning, Brazil Minister of Justice Flávio Dino said Monday at a news conference. Police stopped 40 buses as part of the response and broke down an encampment of pro-Bolsonaro supporters outside a military building.
Security forces arrest supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday after retaking control of the presidential palace in Brasilia.Ton Molina / AFP – Getty Images
Chaos erupted Sunday in Brasilia as mobs protesting the country’s presidential election vandalized Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court and presidential palace. It appeared they breached buildings by climbing rooftops and breaking windows.
The event was described as “coup-mongering violence” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was sworn in on Jan. 1, responded by authorizing federal intervention in the Federal District until the end of January.
Lula described the rioters as “fascists,” according to translations of his tweets.
“Whoever did this will be found and punished. Democracy guarantees the right to free expression, but it also requires people to respect institutions,” Lula tweeted. “There is no precedent in the history of the country what they did today. For that they must be punished.”
He also placed blame directly on Bolsonaro, tweeting Sunday, “this is also his responsibility and the parties that supported him.”
Workers mop the floor Monday, the day after a riot at Planalto Palace in Brasilia.Andressa Anholete / Getty Images
Bolsonaro, who has been seen in Florida recently, denied the accusations.
“I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil,” he tweeted. “Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined.”
Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle, said Monday that he was in the hospital, although she did not say where. In an Instagram story, she said Bolsonaro was under observation regarding “abdominal discomfort” from a 2018 stabbing incident.
Throughout his re-election campaign last year, Bolsonaro sowed seeds of doubt about election security to his supporters through misinformation. He repeatedly asserted that Brazil’s electronic voting machines were prone to fraud, with no evidence to support his unfounded claims.
When Lula won a narrow majority in a run-off election, Bolsonaro did not immediately concede. He and his party contested the results in a legal filing that was rejected by the Superior Electoral Court. The justice who made the ruling, Alexandre de Moraes, described the legal filing as bad faith litigation.
“Democracy is not an easy, exact or predictable path, but it is the only path and the Judiciary does not tolerate criminal and anti-democratic manifestations that attack the electoral process,” de Moraes wrote in his ruling.
An office in Brasilia was destroyed by radical supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro in a riot Sunday.Andressa Anholete / Getty Images
Bolsonaro’s party was fined about $4 million.
The former president’s supporters have been protesting Lula’s win since Oct. 30, blocking roads, setting vehicles on fire and gathering outside military buildings asking armed forces to intervene in the transfer of power.
Lula has received support from other world leaders, including Presidents Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico.
“I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil,” Biden tweeted. “Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined.”
UTS’s latest campaign is inspiring lifelong learnersto create a more human-centric, sustainable and resilient world as they enter the fifth industrial revolution.
SYDNEY, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The campaign, entitled ‘Where Creativity Meets Technology’, targets international students across a wide range of disciplines and industry interests. It positions UTS as a university where students meld creative and strategic thinking with emerging technologies.
“The skills that we develop and champion – such as communication, cross-cultural literacy, and critical analysis – will become even more important as our workplace settings merge with the incredible power of AI and Big Data,” says Associate Professor Susie Khamis, a lecturer from the School of Communication. “Our students will work with the awesome potential of digital technologies and assume a command position in their positive deployment.”
The fifth industrial revolution is a new era that will see humans leverage the gains of Industry 4.0, which was focused on automation, artificial intelligence, Big Data and the Internet of Things.
The campaign video highlights a variety of key initiatives led by university academics such as the partnership with Australian surf brand Piping Hot to develop sustainable fibres made from seaweed. It also features the university’s Climate Change Cluster (C3) initiative that aims to restore the Great Barrier Reef with in-house aquariums.
“By highlighting these key areas of research, we’re emphasising that Society 5.0 is no longer just a concept, it is already here. By joining a university that is responsive to these global shifts, UTS international students will graduate job-ready and equipped to drive positive change in Australia, their home country or the world,” says Iain Watt, Deputy Vice Chancellor, International at UTS.
Copywriters: Christina Miebach, Imogen Ross, Claire Thompson Neilsen
Producers: Imogen Ross, Rebecca Garofoletti
Director: Imogen Ross
DOP: Jefferson Grainger, Grainger Films
Makeup & Hair: Rosie Neyle
Editor & Colourist: Rebecca Garofoletti
Animation & VFX: Nathan Turner
Stylist & Hero Talent: Stella Morrison
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a leading university of technology and among the top 150 universities in the world. Located in Sydney’s technology precinct, UTS is minutes away from the city’s business district and some of Australia’s most innovative companies and startups. Learn more at uts.edu.au.
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