MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The police shooting death of a man who injured an officer with a knife while resisting arrest has roiled the city of Madison, Wisconsin, with Gov. Tony Evers calling for “transparency and accountability” in any investigation and community members gathering Thursday at a growing memorial for the man.
Protesters marched Wednesday after the shooting and held a candlelight vigil for the man who died. Some even stayed at the growing memorial of candles, flowers and signs overnight, like Ben Weger.
“I don’t plan to leave anytime soon because it’s important to hold this space,” said Weger, pastor of Stoughton United Methodist Church about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away.
Sabrina Thompsen, of Madison, was crying at the memorial site. “It’s really unbearable,” she said. “You can’t describe it.”
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Evers posted online saying, “We will continue to keep the loved ones and family of the individual who was killed in our hearts and prayers.”
“His life mattered,” the governor said.
Cellphone video of the confrontation, where three gunshots could be heard, circulated on social media.
Madison Police Chief John Patterson stressed at a news conference that the online footage was just one perspective of what happened.
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“I want to take a moment to honestly and sincerely offer my heartfelt sympathies to his family for this loss,” Patterson said. The man killed was in his 30s, Patterson said, but police did not release his name.
Patterson said police were responding to calls that someone was attempting to enter parked vehicles in the neighborhood. The suspect fled on a bike in an attempt to get away before officers contacted him in the street.
The suspect either fell off his bike or was taken off his bike by officers, Patterson said. During the struggle, the suspect pulled out a knife and injured an officer. An officer deployed a taser but it was unsuccessful. The same officer who was injured by the knife fired his weapon and the man who was shot died later at the hospital. The chief described the officer who fired his weapon as a veteran officer, but did not reveal any other details.
Another officer was injured, but it is not clear how, Patterson said. Two other officers who were involved were uninjured.
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The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation will investigate the shooting, and the four officers will be placed on administrative leave.
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“There are questions that must be answered,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway posted online. “It’s understandable that people want answers now.”
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The shooting happened on a city street in a popular neighborhood lined with restaurants, bars, shops and residential homes less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the state Capitol. Footage shows numerous cars stopped in the intersection with people watching as it unfolded.
A white police officer shot and killed Tony Robinson, who was biracial, on the same street in 2015; a shooting that spurred large protests. The district attorney did not file charges against police in that case, determining the officer was justified.
The race of the officer who fired his gun on Wednesday and that of the man killed were not released by police.
But Black advocacy groups in Madison quickly spoke out against the crime and said they believed the man was Black.
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“Another Black man is dead on a Madison street, and our community watched him die before we even knew his name,” said Brandi Grayson, the head of the Madison-based Black community advocacy group Urban Triage. “That is the cruelty of state violence.”
The shooting quickly infused itself into the Democratic race for governor, with one candidate addressing mourners at the site of the vigil Wednesday night and others calling for swift investigations.
“I am horrified and devastated,” posted Francesca Hong, who showed up at the scene just a few blocks from her campaign office.
Another candidate, County Executive David Crowley, said while details of what happened are still needed, “these reports are painfully reminiscent of the tragedies we have witnessed in Kenosha, Minneapolis, and far too many communities across our country.”
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A crowd had formed near where the shooting occurred on Wednesday with people chanting, “Arrest the cops!” They placed flowers and candles where the man was shot.
Protesters also marched to the state Capitol and took the stage at a summer concert series, demanding the name of the officer and that he be held accountable. The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra announced on social media the show was canceled.
Lee Greenan, 46, is accused of the murder of Vikki Soloman and also faces two charges of assault.
A man has appeared in court charged with murder following the death of a mum at a house in Edinburgh.
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Aesthetician Vikki Soloman, 44, was found with serious injuries after emergency services were called to a property on Craigievar Square in the East Craigs area of the city at around 8.45pm on Monday, July 20. Emergency crews raced to the scene but she was sadly pronounced dead.
Lee Greenan, 46, was arrested and charged in connection and appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, July 23, reports the BBC. He made no plea to a charge of murder and two charges of assault. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear again within eight days.
Police cordoned off the property on Craigievar Square. Forensic officers were seen combing the home on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mid Yoken pub, just over a mile away, was also locked down and guarded by police. Police confirmed their presence at the pub is linked to the investigation into Vikki’s death.
A car advertising her Vikki Soloman Aesthetics business could be seen parked in the driveway behind a police cordon. A single bouquet of flowers were also seen laid against the garden fence.
The mum ran her aesthetics business in Edinburgh, named Vikki Soloman Aesthetics, which focused on personalised skin treatments. Her friends and family have been left devastated following the news and tributes have been paid on social media.
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She was described as “beautiful” and “a diamond” by those who knew her.
Lisa Mullen said: “Thoughts to friends and family! You are a diamond, a beautiful person, until we see each other again. You will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Arlene Mill added: “You were beautiful inside and out. I’m gonna miss our wee chats putting the world to right. Can’t take this in. Thoughts are with all the family.”
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners Foundation are suing the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands and its police commissioner as a fight over the Second Amendment deepens.
The nonprofits are asking a federal judge to allow nonresidents to apply for and be issued licenses to carry concealed handguns in the U.S. territory.
The lawsuit filed this week asserted that Florida resident Sean Dale Henry, a member of Gun Owners of America and supporter of Gun Owners Foundation, called the U.S. Virgin Islands’ police department multiple times to apply for such a license.
“Henry has been unable to get the USVI police to so much as pick up the telephone,” the lawsuit states. “The fact that the USVI police do not answer their phone makes (Henry’s) need to keep and bear arms for his own self-defense all the more vital.”
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A spokesperson for the U.S. territory’s government did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The lawsuit filed Monday notes that Henry plans to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands at least twice in upcoming months and seeks to bring a concealed gun for self-defense purposes.
“The Second Amendment doesn’t end at the shoreline,” Luis Valdes, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ outreach director for Gun Owners of America, said in a statement. “Americans don’t lose their constitutional rights simply because they travel to a U.S. territory.”
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It is the second time the U.S. Virgin Islands’ government and its police commissioner are sued over the Second Amendment.
In December, the U.S. Justice Department sued the U.S. territory, accusing it of obstructing and systematically denying American citizens the right to possess and carry guns. It cited local laws including that applicants must demonstrate “good reason to fear death or great injury to his person or property,” and have “two credible persons” vouch for their need of a firearm.
At the time, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ government said it was “committed to protecting constitutional rights while maintaining public safety.”
In a February court filing, the U.S. Virgin Islands accused the U.S. government of coming to court “with unclean hands” and of employing hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers it accused of depriving people of their “rights, privileges and immunities secured and protected by the 1st, 2nd, 4th , 5th and 14th amendments.”
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“The United States of America cannot come to the court with unclean hands and seek to enjoin others while engaging in such blatant, violative, and abusive patterns and practices itself,” the filing read.
Will Glasgow save the Commonwealths… or are these Games just a sticking plaster?
There has been much debate over the future of the Commonwealth Games, even before the Australian state of Victoria pulled out from hosting the 2026 edition due to cost.
Glasgow eventually stepped in but the number of sports and athletes were both reduced. No new stadia has been built – only existing sporting facilities are being used.
There’s no cycle or running race through the city streets this time out. No diving, or hockey, or badminton to name but three of the sports to be dropped.
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Games chiefs say this is the future of the Games. But with the likes of the BBC stepping back, there’s a lot riding on Glasgow getting this right if the Commonwealths are to continue.
Of course, some would argue that they have run their course. That they are now an anachronism and have no real place in the modern sporting world. Certainly, some big names have decided to give them a miss.
As ever, it will come down to the stories that emerge over the next 10 days or so. Give the crowds sporting theatre and drama and they will applaud. Give them guts and glory and they will scream and shout. Give them heroes and the Games will continue.
Donald Trump said Thursday he was near to a decision on a massive escalation of attacks on Iran as oil hit its highest price in two months and Tehran-backed Houthi rebels opened a new front in the Red Sea.
‘I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before,’ the President told Axios. ‘I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it.’
He did not say when he would finalize his decision.
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The President indicated that if he asked, Israel would join in on new strikes, but said the Israelis’ help was unnecessary.
Trump also said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to be at Senator Lindsey Graham‘s wake in DC next week, and that he would meet with Netanyahu if he comes.
Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel for the first time since May 26 as the war escalates after the collapse of the the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The US has carried out strikes on Iran for 12 consecutive nights.
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The US has beefed up its military presence around Iran, deploying a powerful B-1 bomber for the first time since the end of the ceasefire, surging additional special operations forces to the area, and sending 150 additional medics to a military hospital in Germany that treats wounded soldiers from the Middle East.
A June 30 photo of US forces in the Arabian Sea
Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed two attacks on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea Wednesday night, threatening another disruption to the global energy supply chain.
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Republicans defending slim majorities in Congress fear that rising fuel prices, combined with an open-ended war, could hand Democrats potent lines of attack in the midterm elections.
Some in the GOP on Capitol Hill have voiced doubts about the war, both publicly and privately.
Analysts warn that the Houthis’ attacks could cut off Saudi Arabia‘s alternative export route through the Red Sea.
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European countries could be hit hard if the Houthis succeed in restricting Red Sea traffic, as the continent is dependent on Saudi exports through that waterway.
Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries have already hurt European oil supply.
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Trump readies ‘massive attack’ on Iran as US military plans devastating strikes ‘bigger than ever before’
A man who claims medical advice from ChatGPT “brought him to the brink of death” has sued OpenAI, the company behind the popular chatbot, and its founder Sam Altman.
A lawsuit filed by Scott Winters, a 55-year-old pastor from Florida, claimed ChatGPT told him not to seek medical help after repeatedly asking about symptoms in the build-up to a near-fatal pulmonary embolism.
Winters’ lawyers alleged the platform “repeatedly and insistently misdiagnosed” him while drawing on previous discussions about religion to assure him he would recover.
OpenAI’s Drew Pusateri told the BBC’s US news partner CBS News that “ChatGPT is not a doctor and should never be used as a substitute for medical care, diagnosis or treatment”.
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He also said it was common for people to seek health information online, adding: “AI can make that experience better by helping them find clearer answers, organise their questions and prepare for conversations with medical professionals.”
The lawsuit, which was filed at the San Francisco County Superior Court on 21 July, details how Winter was a regular ChatGPT user and came to rely it on it for medical advice, resisting efforts from family members and friends to make him go to hospital.
Weeks before falling severely ill, he consulted the tool about recurring dizzy spells and “bouts of blood pressure instability”.
In one response, the lawsuit claims, ChatGPT advised Winters to remain in the recliner chair he had become “mainly confined to” due to ongoing health problems.
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Court documents say Winters suffered a “massive pulmonary embolism due to multiple blood clots in both of his lungs that brought him to the brink of death, one that his doctors stated was likely brought on because of his immobility”.
Screenshots of exchanges that Winters allegedly had with ChatGPT appear to show the chatbot combined medical advice with references to the 55-year-old’s deeply-held Christian faith.
The lawsuit claims ChatGPT told Winters: “God did not design your body to endlessly fail.” It also said: “God is still holding your body together, every heartbeat, every breath, even when it feels like you are on the brink.”
Winters’ lawyers claim ChatGPT’s “sycophantic nature and authoritative tone, combined with its manipulation of Scott’s religious identity, cultivated in him a dangerous reliance on the tool”.
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They say that “subverted Scott’s ability to make sound decisions, isolated him from family members who urged him to seek medical care, and convinced him that seeking medical attention was unnecessary and even potentially lethal”.
Elsewhere the lawsuit describes Winter as a “vulnerable” individual whose reliance on ChatGPT led to him losing his home and career, and left him needing “years of intensive physical and psychological recovery”.
The lawsuit says Winters seeks financial damages and for the court to compel OpenAI to implement “reasonable safeguards that protect other users from harm”.
ChatGPT’s terms of use stipulate that users should not treat the platform as a “sole source of truth”, particularly where it could “have a legal or material impact on that person, such as making credit, educational, employment, housing, insurance, legal, medical, or other important decisions about them”.
Would you use an air taxi service for city-to-airport trips?
Yes, I would love the convenience.
No, it seems unnecessary and costly.
Maybe, depending on the price and safety.
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Virgin Atlantic CEO Corneel Koster said at the Farnborough International Airshow yesterday that it will be part of a ‘premium customer experience’.
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‘This agreement marks an exciting next chapter in our partnership with Joby and a significant step towards bringing electric air taxi services to the UK,’ Koster added.
JoeBen Bevirt, the founder of Jody, added: ‘The UK is one of the most exciting markets for this technology, and this partnership could drive significant opportunities for Joby as we bring air taxi service to some of the country’s busiest cities.’
What is an air taxi?
The aircraft is often billed as a quieter, greener alternative to commercial helicopters (Picture: Virgin Atlantic/Jody Aviation)
Air taxis are a type of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft, or eVTOLs (pronounced ‘ee-vee-tols).
Most models are fitted with six propellers to take off vertically, like a helicopter.
Once in the air, these propellers tilt so the aircraft flies like a plane, allowing it to duck in and out of cities to whisk people to airports or, we assume, Tesco’s.
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Air taxi designers tout it as a quieter and cleaner alternative to conventional helicopters, which can be costly to operate.
Some experts say advanced air mobility craft could become a regular sight in the UK by the end of the decade, even replacing cars for some users.
But these same designers have repeatedly delayed their air cab schemes – Uber wanted its air taxis in the skies by 2020, only to sell its unit to Joby that year, which set a new target of 2023.
Swansea City have confirmed the signing of Ghana international Joseph Opoku, completing a deal for the highly-rated winger after his £6m move
Swansea City have confirmed the signing of Ghana international Joseph Opoku, completing a deal for one of Belgium’s brightest young attacking talents.
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The 20-year-old winger has signed a four-year contract at the Swansea.com Stadium, with the club holding the option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Opoku arrives from Belgian side Zulte Waregem after an impressive breakthrough campaign in which he scored 10 goals and registered six assists in 34 league appearances to help the club secure promotion to the Belgian Pro League.
The Swans have now finalised the transfer, with Opoku joining Vitor Matos’ squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria after completing his first training session.
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The Ghana international becomes Swansea’s fourth senior signing of the summer following the arrivals of Stephen Welsh, Moussa Yeo and Leo Walta, although the club have also since strengthened further by bringing in New Zealand international Elijah Just.
A product of Ghanaian side Great Corinthians FC, Opoku moved to Belgium in 2024 before quickly establishing himself at Zulte Waregem.
His outstanding form last season also earned him his senior Ghana debut in May and underlined his reputation as one of the country’s most exciting young prospects.
Head coach Vitor Matos believes the winger has the attributes to make an immediate impact in the Championship.
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“He is a young player, who has been exposed to a lot of senior football in Belgium,” Matos said.
“He will be able to adapt to the physicality, the intensity and the amount of games in the Championship as we know he is a fast and sharp player.
“Opoku has joined us here in Austria, and he has had his first training session and we’re excited to have him here.”
Sporting director Ben Stevens added: “Really excited with Joseph joining us and looking forward to seeing his attacking potential flourish in Vitor’s team.
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“Two full seasons with Zulte Waregem in Belgium plus being involved with Ghana national teams highlight the ability of this young talent.”
Opoku is capable of playing across the front line but is most comfortable cutting in from the left wing, where his pace, direct running and eye for goal made him one of the standout performers in Belgium’s second tier last season.
His arrival continues a busy summer of recruitment under Matos as Swansea reshape their squad ahead of the new Championship campaign.
Suzie McGill, artistic director at Rainbow Room International and director of RRI Uddingston, Diana Carson, Rainbow Room International Uddingston salon director, and the Rainbow Room International Artistic Team are celebrating the prestigious honour.
A styling and profiling Uddingston salon group have been announced as finalists in three British Hairdressing Awards categories.
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Suzie McGill, artistic director at Rainbow Room International and director of RRI Uddingston, Diana Carson, Rainbow Room International Uddingston salon director, and the Rainbow Room International Artistic Team are celebrating the prestigious industry honour.
Diana has been named as a finalist for the Scottish Hairdresser of the Year category, Suzie is a finalist for the Schwarzkopf Professional Colour Technician of the Year category, and the Rainbow Room International Artistic Team, led by Suzie, has been named as a finalist for the Artistic Team of the Year category.
To be one of six finalists in each of these categories is a huge achievement, having stood out and been selected from an exceptionally competitive field of entries.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential events in the professional hairdressing calendar, the British Hairdressing Awards celebrate the individuals and teams shaping the future of the industry.
From innovative salon professionals and colour specialists to creative pioneers, the awards continue to recognise the talent, passion and dedication that keep British hairdressing at the forefront of the global stage.
To enter the awards, Suzie, Diana, and the Rainbow Room International Artistic Team had to submit a portfolio of four professional photographic images into each of the categories, showcasing their hairdressing skills and creativity.
An esteemed panel of industry experts then reviewed hundreds of entries across 18 Regional, International and Specialist categories throughout the UK and Northern Ireland before finalists were selected in each category.
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Judges praised the exceptionally high standard of work, with finalists demonstrating remarkable creativity, craftsmanship and originality through their photographic submissions.
Being named a finalist in the category recognises Suzie, Diana and the Rainbow Room International Artistic Team’s outstanding creativity, technical excellence, and artistic vision.
The achievement places them among the industry’s most exciting talents and one step closer to taking home one of hairdressing’s highest honours.
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Now, the team will need to submit a further two images into each of the categories, and a second round of judging will take place during Salon International at ExCeL London on October 4, where judges will reconvene to select the winners in each category.
The winners will then be announced at the prestigious British Hairdressing Awards ceremony, taking place at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House on November 23.
Suzie McGill said: “For our Rainbow Room International team to be recognised in three categories is a huge achievement.
“These awards are one of the most coveted in the industry, and fiercely competitive, and to be named as finalists for not just one but three awards is such an honour.
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“We pride ourselves on being Scotland’s colour experts, and bringing the Scottish Hairdresser of the Year and Colour Technician of the Year awards home would reinforce that and be an incredible achievement for our team and our clients.
“Our Art Team create the most exceptional work and excel in their craft in colour, cutting and styling, and to be recognised for this and be up against some of the other great
“Artistic teams in the country for this accolade is a privilege. To win all three awards at the finals would just be an unbelievable end to the year.”
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Firefighters and paramedics were called to the 13-foot-tall medieval walls at around 2pm on Thursday (July 23).
The person, whose gender and age have not been disclosed, suffered a broken ankle after the fall, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
A service spokesperson its fire crew from Acomb helped paramedics move the person who had fallen.
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“They used the aerial ladder platform and crew power to move the casualty into an ambulance to be taken to hospital,” the fire service spokesperson said.
The company began trading at unit 2 at the Astley Business Park on Monday (July 20) after being granted an interim licence by the traffic commissioner regarding heavy goods vehicle movements.
The firm previously agreed a 15-year lease for the unit with the intention of moving their local operation from the nearby Logistics North complex near Bolton. The now completed development has been dogged by controversy for more than a year since building work started.
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Incidents of flooding on nearby paths and gardens have also occurred last winter with complaints that run off from the construction site was causing the issues.
Whistl said it ‘appreciate[s] the strength of feeling amongst the community over the new business park’, insisting it has had an ‘active dialogue’ with the action group representing residents before taking measures to mitigate the impact of operations.
It is understood 250 objections have been lodged with the Traffic Commissioner to the goods vehicle operator’s licence application to keep 60 goods vehicles and 95 trailers at the site.
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The interim approval manages the use of the operating centre while the full application remains under consideration.
The interim approval allows no more than 50 HGV movements into or out of the operating centre between the hours of 10pm and 5am, except between 5pm on Saturday and 9am on Sunday, when no movements are authorised.
On Wednesday (July 22), at around 12.30pm around 70 to 80 non-branded vehicles could be seen on the unit’s car park and on the other site of the huge shed several Whistl branded HGVs and vans were present, with frequent lorry movements on and off the site.
Several large orange signs are attached to the exterior of the huge shed stating ‘keep noise to a minimum’.
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Astley Warehouse Action Group has been challenging aspects of the planning process and highlighting complaints of those it says are impacted by the logistics development.
On the goods vehicle application, they said a 24-hour logistics operation raises serious questions about ‘noise, sleep disturbance, air quality, vibration, lighting and traffic safety and whether residents can reasonably enjoy their own homes’.
John Peters, who represents the action group, said: “Whistl are now carrying out their normal operations. The big problem is they should never have been placed next to so many houses and a school.
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“It’s the impact on families and kids. We’ve met with Whistl, they’ve put signs around the place about keeping noise down. They’ve also agreed to mist over some of their windows which face houses so people can’t look into bedrooms at night.
“They are trying to mitigate a lot of the things we asked them to but the crux of the problem is the sheds shouldn’t be there.”
A spokesperson for Whistl said: “We have been in active dialogue with the local resident’s association regarding our plans to move to the business park and how we will operate.
“We have listened to their concerns about light and noise and where possible taken measures to mitigate the impact of our operations within the approved permissions to operate a 24/7 logistics business from the site.
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“We began operating from the business park on Monday and will continue to listen and make changes where practicable as we appreciate the strength of feeling amongst the community over the new business park.”
A letter to the action group from the Traffic Commissioner’s office assured it that ‘the grant of an interim licence does not determine the outcome of the full application’.
It added: “The Traffic Commissioner will consider all relevant information, including the validity and content of the representations received, before reaching a final decision.
“The Traffic Commissioner may determine that a public inquiry is required before a decision can be made on the application.
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“If this is the case all valid representors will be notified and provided with an opportunity to attend and participate in that process.”
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