News roundup: Sept. 13 – 30

Texas:

Killings by border patrol agent: United States Border Patrol agent Juan David Ortiz confessed to killing four individuals after a ten-day string of violence in Laredo, Texas. The primary suspect has been apprehended and charged after a confession. “In our opinion, he is the sole person responsible for this horrific serial killing spree,” said District Attorney Isidro Alaniz. While these murders were being reported, Ortiz was attending work as scheduled and committing the crimes between shifts.

Cody Wilson: The founder of Defense Distributed, the company which published open-source 3D-printed gun designs is being charged with sexually assaulting an underage girl. After leaving the country prior to being charged, Wilson was apprehended in Taiwan and transported back to Texas to face charges. Wilson has since stepped down from his position and posted a $150,000 bail in Harris County to be released from jail on Sept. 23.

Robot sex brothel: “KinkySDolls,” a company which specializes in building life-like dolls from silicon for sexual purposes was slated to set up shop in Houston until their efforts were thwarted by Mayor Sylvester Turner. “It’s not the sort of business that we advertise for, or we seek to attract,” said Turner. The business was also evicted by their property manager for misrepresenting themselves as an art gallery. The owner of the business has yet to give a statement, while Houston’s city council is working to regulate their business.

United States:

White Supremacists use YouTube to spread message: A recent report written by Rebecca Lewis suggests that White Supremacists are establishing alternative media networks through Youtube in order to spread their ideology. Some suggest that YouTube rewards these influencers. “Based on [alternative media networks’] trust and influence, they sell products,” said Lewis. “We see people using those tactics in this network — but what they’re selling their audience is reactionary ideologies.” Youtube has yet to make any official statement regarding this matter.

Supreme Court Justice: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27. Ford shared her experience and Justice Kavanaugh refuted her claims before the committee. After the testimony, the committee called for an FBI investigation into the allegations to be conducted.

Vermont representative resigns: Kiah Morris, representative in the state of Vermont, has resigned from her position after a series of racially motivated harassment directed at her and her family. Morris received racist messages from white supremacists, vandalism and even home invasions. “The Attorney General’s Office will work with the Vermont State Police and appropriate computer forensic experts to ensure a thorough and complete investigation of this matter,” said Attorney General T.J. Donovan in an official statement. 

International:

China: China has amended regulations for counterterrorism efforts to allow “vocational skills training centers” as a means of “de-radicalizing” those suspected of extremism after denying that it participated in such practices. However, some allege that these centers are more than the government lets on. Leaders in the United States Congressional Executive Commission on China have urged the current administration to make sanctions against China for their involvement in these practices.

Russia: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for a global response to Russian cyberwarfare. “There is a global cyber war of Russia against (the) whole world, there is lots of evidence. This is a global danger and the world should be together to fight this danger,” said Poroshenko. He also did a Q&A with the Washington Post regarding Russia’s interference in Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry of Russia has continually denied their involvement in cyber warfare since 2016 and called these new claims “yet another stage-managed propaganda campaign.”

Toronto: The annual Toronto International Film Festival occurred from Sept. 6-16. Screened films such as Bradley Cooper’s “A Star is Born,” “First Man” and Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” left a variety of impressions on attendees, as Oscar buzz for “A Star is Born” and Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” heats up. Other outlets praised the festival for its “new inclusion initiative for film critics, to take a step towards addressing [racial] discrepancy.” In light of the “#OscarsSoWhite” campaign, some called this year’s festival “uncommonly great” amid successful screenings of diverse and critically-acclaimed films. 

On the bright side:

Mary Poppins: After 54 years, the character of Mary Poppins will once again be on the silver screen and played by Emily Blunt. The film “Mary Poppins Returns” will feature an ensemble cast including Manuel Lin-Miranda, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, and Dick Van Dyke. Disney released the official trailer for its upcoming “Mary Poppins Returns” which releases Dec. 19.