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At least two people were killed after a fire broke out Friday at the Nohoch Alfa oil platform at the Bay of Campeche, in the Gulf of Mexico, the state-owned Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) said in a statement.

The US on Friday announced it had completed the more than three-decade process of destroying its chemical weapons stockpiles. “Today—as we mark this significant milestone—we must also renew our commitment to forging a future free from chemical weapons,” Joe Biden said in a statement. “I continue to encourage the remaining nations to join the Chemical Weapons Convention so that the global ban on chemical weapons can reach its fullest potential,” he added. “Russia and Syria should return to compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and admit their undeclared programs, which have been used to commit brazen atrocities and attacks.” The US and Soviet Union agreed in 1989 in principle to destroy their stores of the deadly weapons, condemned following their widespread use in wartime atrocities in conflicts like World War I. Later, in 1997, the US Senate ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention. The US chemical weapons stock included cluster bombs and land mines with verve agent, mustard gas artillery shells, and poison that could be sprayed via jet, according to the New York Times. The effort to destroy the weapons was decades behind schedule and cost an estimated $42bn, according to the paper. “Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement, the AP reports. “Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil. The news of the destruction of the stockpile comes as the US offloaded some of its other controversial weapons to Ukraine. The US will be sending cluster munitions to the country as part of a $800m aid package to help its beleagured armed forces fend off the Russia invastion. More than 120 countries, including numerous US allies in Europe, have joined a convention banning the use of such rounds, because they can cause a high number of civilian casualties. Read More U.S. destroys last of its declared chemical weapons, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says Global chemical weapons watchdog says it found no evidence to back Syrian claim of 2017 gas attack US will provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, White House says The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin announced Friday that he will not run for Senate in 2024, instead choosing to seek reelection to the House.

The Master Musicians of Joujouka have been performing for generations - and recently opened Glastonbury.

Former President Donald Trump went after his main rival for the Republican presidential nomination Friday on an issue

Republican presidential hopeful Tim Scott expressed confidence that he will meet his party’s eligibility requirements to participate in

A disciplinary committee in Washington DC has recommended Rudy Giuliani be disbarred in the nation’s capital for his spurious efforts to overturn the results for the 2020 presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump. Mr Giuliani had “no factual basis, and consequently no legitimate legal grounds” to challenge the results of the election in states that Mr Trump lost, while his “frivolous” pursuit to undermine the outcome and disenfranchise voters “seriously undermined the administration of justice,” according to the committee’s report. “He claimed massive election fraud but had no evidence of it,” the committee wrote on 7 July. “By prosecuting that destructive case Mr Giuliani, a sworn officer of the Court, forfeited his right to practice law. He should be disbarred.” The preliminary report from a committee with the DC Bar Association, which follows a misconduct hearing in December, is not final; his case will be considered by DC’s Board on Professional Responsibility and by the DC court of appeals. Mr Giuliani – who repeatedly and baselessly asserted that the election was fraudulent while pushing lawsuits to subvert the outcome in states that Mr Trump lost – is facing other professional sanctions, investigations and lawsuits tied to his efforts to overturn election results and sow doubt about the outcome of the 2020 election. The latest report specifically criticises Mr Giuliani’s “calculated” attempts to undermine trust in US elections, after he falsely stated in a federal court in Pennsylvania that fraudulent election results in the state would overturn Joe Biden’s victory. “Mr Giuliani has not acknowledged or accepted responsibility for his misconduct,” the committee wrote. “To the contrary, he has declared his indignation ... over being subjected to the disciplinary process. ... We are convinced that a sanction must be enhanced to ensure that it adequately deters both [Mr Giuliani] and other attorneys from acting similarly in the future.” The committee, composed of two attorneys and a member of the public, which unanimously recommended his disbarment, considered “in mitigation” Mr Giuliani’s previous work – including his terms as mayor of New York City, including during the chaos of the September 11 attacks and their aftermath. “But all of that happened long ago,” the report stated. “The misconduct here sadly transcends all his past accomplishments. It was unparalleled in its destructive purpose and effect. He sought to disrupt a presidential election and persists in his refusal to acknowledge the wrong he has done,” the committee added. “For these reasons, we unanimously recommend that Mr Giuliani be disbarred.” Ted Goodman, a spokesperson for Mr Giuliani, said in a statement shared with The Independent that the committee is “persecuting” the former mayor “on behalf of the permanent corrupt regime in Washington.” “This is also part of a larger effort to deny President Trump effective counsel by persecuting Mayor Giuliani – objectively one of the most effective prosecutors in American history,” he added. “I call on rank-and-file members of the DC Bar Association to speak up in defense of Mayor Giuliani and against this great injustice.” Mr Giuliani’s law license was suspended in New York in 2021 for “demonstrably false and misleading statements” surrounding the election. Voting machine company Dominion Voting Systems also filed defamation lawsuits against Mr Giuliani as well as Trump-allied attorney Sidney Powell, conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell and Fox News for amplifying false claims that the company argues have severely damaged its reputation, compromised integrity in US elections and fuelled harassment and death threats against its employees. Mr Giuliani also is wrapped up in a lawsuit filed by Georgia election workers who have accused right-wing conspiracy theorists of fuelling threats against them. The former mayor of New York City also could face federal charges connected to a sprawling investigation under US Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith into the dubious and far-reaching efforts to undermine election results leading up to the attack on the US Capitol on January 6. Mr Giuliani reportedly participated in a voluntary interview with prosecutors working under the supervision of Mr Smith, a meeting that Mr Goodman told The Independent last month “was entirely voluntary and conducted in a professional manner,” though he declined to elaborate on the current status of Mr Giuliani’s discussions with the Justice Department. Read More Rudy Giuliani grilled by prosecutors about 'shouting match' in fight to overturn election Ex-Trump aide reportedly joins Giuliani in cooperating with special counsel in 2020 election probe The Trumpworld attorneys facing professional sanctions over spurious lawsuits and election lies

David Simon says no good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old for Michael K Williams' death.

The United States will provide Ukraine with cluster-style artillery rounds for use on their own territory to repel Russian invading forces, the White House has said. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Friday that Kyiv has “provided written assurances” that it would use the controversial weapons “in a very careful way that is aimed at minimising any risk to civilians”. He said the Defence Department would provide further details on the next arms package that will be sent to Ukraine, but he pointed out that Kyiv’s forces are “firing thousands of rounds a day to defend against Russian efforts to advance and also to support its own efforts to retake its sovereign territory”. The national security adviser suggested the decision to provide Ukraine with cluster weapons already in US stocks was necessary to keep up a steady flow of arms for Kyiv’s defence. “We have provided Ukraine with a historic amount of unitary artillery rounds and we are ramping up domestic production of these rounds. We’ve already seen substantial increases in production, but this process will continue to take time, and it will be critical to provide Ukraine with a bridge of supplies. While our domestic production is ramped up,” he said. “We will not leave Ukraine defenceless at any point in this conflict period”. Mr Sullivan noted that Russia has been using their own version of cluster munitions, which are antipersonnel weapons that make use of small “bomblets” to maximise their effectiveness against massed troops, and pointed out that the Russian weapons have a high rate of failure which leaves the battlefield littered with unexploded ordinance. He added that the US-made shells that will be provisioned to Kyiv’s defence forces have a much lower failure rate, and said Ukraine’s government has committed to post-war de-mining that would prevent civilians from being harmed by unexploded submunitions, which in past conflict zones have lingered for years. While a 2008 treaty, the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions, has been signed by more than 100 nations which have agreed to ban the use of such weapons, neither the US, Russia or Ukraine are signatories to the treaty. He also contrasted Russia’s use of the weapons on Ukraine’s territory with Ukraine’s desire to use them to defend their own land. “When we look at what Ukraine would be doing with these weapons, as opposed to what Russia is doing with these weapons, we see a substantial difference. It doesn’t make it an easy decision, and I’m not going to stand up here and say it is easy,” he said, adding that the US had deferred a decision on providing cluster munitions for quite some time because it “required a real hard look at the potential harm to civilians”. “When we put all of that together, there was a unanimous recommendation from the national security team, and President Biden ultimately decided — in consultation with allies and partners and in consultation with members of Congress — to move forward on this step,” he said. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Three federal agencies are looking into potentially predatory practices in medical-payment products such as credit cards and installment

A top Oklahoma education official prompted swift criticism on Thursday by falsely claiming the 1921 Tulsa race massacre wasn’t about race. Ryan Walters, who took office as superintendent of public instruction, mades the comments during a forum at the Norman Public Library on Thursday, after he was asked how accurately teaching about the infamous white supremacist massacre which killed as many as 300 Black people wouldn’t violate a state ban on teaching critical race theory. “I would never tell a kid that because of your race, because of the color of your skin, or your gender or anything like that, you are less of a person or are inherently racist,” Mr Walters said in response. “That doesn’t mean you don’t judge the actions of individuals. Oh, you can. Absolutely, historically, you should. ‘This was right. This was wrong. They did this for this reason.’ But to say it was inherent in that because of their skin is where I say that is critical race theory. You’re saying that race defines a person.” “Let’s not tie it to the skin colour and say the skin colour determined it,” he added. The Tulsa race massacre is considered one of the worst acts of white supremacist terror in US history. During the 1921 massacre, rumours about a young Black man’s encounter with a white woman prompted a mob of white vigilantes, in some cases armed and deputised by Tulsa officials, to raze the thriving Greenwood district, a bustling centre of Black business in the city. The violence killed as many as 300 Black people, injured more than 800, and left tens of thousands of people homeless, according to the Tulsa historical society. After the massacre concluded, nearly all residents of Greenwood were arrested en masse, and could only be released on the application of a white person. No one was ever prosecuted for the violence. The state official’s coments attracted swift condemnation. “No matter what anyone says or does, Tulsa will continue teaching a full, honest, and complete history of our city, state, country, and world,” Tulsa superintendent Deborah Gist wrote on Twitter. “After 100 years we have an Oklahoma elected official still fighting the Tulsa Race Massacre,” Oklahoma congressional candidate and former FBI agent Dennis Baker added on Twitter. “MAGA State Superintendent Ryan Walters believes the Tulsa Race Massacre wasn’t about race. The Klan hide behind a white robe – Walters proudly displays his red cap.” Many were incredulous that Mr Walters didn’t see the role of race in the mob violence. “I’m sure in his opinion, the Civil War and the Holocaust had nothing to do with race either,” state representative Monroe Nichols tweeted. “[Ryan Walters] is a notorious sympathizer of the darkest moments of history and all those who perpetuated them.” The Independent has contacted Mr Walters for comment. The Tulsa controversy isn’t the first time the education official has provoked controversy. Last month, he called on Oklahoma schools to promote Christianity and display the Ten Commandments to encourage “Western heritage.” Read More Tulsa race massacre survivors are fighting for justice 102 years after catastrophic attack Scientist: Progress in identifying Tulsa massacre victims Indiana school board candidate under fire for saying “all nazis weren’t bad” Kansas attorney general sues to prevent transgender people from changing driver's licenses Toby Keith's shows at his Oklahoma music venue mark return to stage after revealing cancer diagnosis Viola Ford Fletcher, oldest living Tulsa Race Massacre victim, publishes memoir

The attacker may still face the death penalty if convicted for murder charges in state court.