Policing on native american reservations

SINGAPORE: A new species of orchid native and endemic to Singapore was discovered last year by researchers from the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The species, Nervilia singaporensis, was found in July 2019 at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, said the National Parks Board (NParks) in a news release on Friday (Jun 19). The genus Nervilia was, until recently, thought to be locally extinct in Singapore, with the last sighting in 1889. With this discovery, Singapore now has five species of endemic plants, with four existing only in the nature reserves. The Nervilia singaporensis has a unique flower shape that is oblong with a truncate tip and flowers that never open. This means it must self-pollinate in order to reproduce. This species, which grows up to 9cm tall, is "considered highly endangered at national and global levels" because it only produces a low quantity of seeds, making it difficult to propagate, said NParks. READ: NParks to give packets of vegetable seeds to … [Read more...] about New species of orchid native to Singapore discovered in Bukit Timah Reserve

MINNEAPOLIS: The family of an African American man killed by Minneapolis police while handcuffed in custody demanded on Wednesday (May 27) that the officers be charged with murder. After a night of angry protests over the death of George Floyd, with law enforcement firing tear gas and rubber bullets in the northern US city, his sister Bridgett Floyd demanded the arrest of the four white police officers involved in his death. READ: Four Minneapolis policemen fired after death of unarmed black man "I would like those officers to be charged with murder, because that's exactly what they did," she said on NBC television. "They murdered my brother ... They should be in jail for murder." 'I CAN'T BREATHE' Outrage at the latest example of police brutality against African Americans spread across the country, after a shocking bystander video showed a police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck on Monday for at least five minutes while he was pinned to the ground after being … [Read more...] about Family demands murder charges after police killing of African American

GENEVA: Relatives of victims and activist groups called on Monday (Jun 8) for the top United Nations human rights body to launch an investigation into "police violence and repression of protests" in the United States. The joint letter calling for a special session of the UN Human Rights Council was sent to its 47 member states. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), and World Organisation against Torture (OMCT) were among some 600 groups that signed. The Geneva forum, which is due to meet from Jun 15, can hold a special session if requested by one-third of its members. The United States quit the forum two years ago alleging an anti-Israel bias. The letter was endorsed by the brother and son of George Floyd, the unarmed African American who died in handcuffs on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The police officer, who appeared in court on Monday, has been charged with … [Read more...] about Rights groups urge UN to investigate US ‘police violence’

WASHINGTON, DC: US President Donald Trump said on Monday (Jun 15) he will sign an executive order on police reform and hold a news conference on Tuesday, after several weeks of nationwide protests sparked by the death of African-American George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. In comments to reporters, Trump also said the shooting by police of a black man in Atlanta was a terrible situation and very disturbing. READ: Another police killing of a black man stokes US tension, debate An Atlanta police officer was fired and the police chief resigned after the killing of Rayshard Brooks on Friday night. No details on Trump's executive order on police reform have been released. Democrats and Republicans in Congress are working on separate proposals on the issue. … [Read more...] about Trump says he will sign police reform executive order on Tuesday

MEXICO CITY: The governor of a Mexican state roiled by clashes between security forces and demonstrators on Saturday (Jun 6) apologised for police abuses and pledged to track down a number of people reported missing after the disturbances. Enrique Alfaro, governor of the western region of Jalisco, said he was appalled that police in the state capital Guadalajara had on Friday beaten people who were demonstrating over the death of man in police custody last month. "It embarrasses me, it distresses me, it greatly pains me as a man from Jalisco, and as governor," Alfaro said in a video posted on Twitter. After Friday's clashes, local media reported more than a dozen people were missing after being abducted by armed men. Alfaro said he had given orders for the missing people to be tracked down. "We're checking one by one," he said, "one by one in their homes." The disappearance and apparent massacre of 43 student teachers in Mexico in 2014 sparked outrage and did lasting damage … [Read more...] about Mexico governor apologises for police abuses, searches for missing people