On July 13, 2014, authorities discovered the body of 18-year-old Conrad Roy III in his pickup truck, parked outside a Kmart in Fairhaven, Massachussetts.The honor roll student, who struggled with social anxiety and depression, had killed himself by attaching a hose from a portable generator and filling his car’s cab with carbon monoxide.

In the weeks leading up to his suicide, Roy exchanged several texts with his 17-year-old long-distance girlfriend, Michelle Carter, who encouraged him to end his life. “You keep pushing it off and say you’ll do it but u never do. It’s always gonna be that way if u don’t take action,” she reportedly texted him on the day he died.

HBO documentary, i love you, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter, took an in-depth look at the now-infamous case, which raised national questions about mental health—and whether one teen can be held responsible for the suicide of another. It featured interviews with Roy’s family, Carter’s lawyer, key witnesses, and journalists who covered the story and ensuing trial.

Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2017. She was released early from prison, after serving only 11 months of her 15-month sentence at the Women’s Center at the Bristol County House of Corrections.

Carter, now 23, began serving a 15-month sentence in February, but she earned time off her sentence for good behavior, according to Jonathan Darling, spokesman at the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office.”Ms. Carter has been a model inmate here at the Bristol County House of Corrections. She has participated in a variety of programs, held a job inside the jail, has been polite to our staff and volunteers, has gotten along with the other inmates, and we’ve had no discipline issues with her whatsoever,” Darling said.

The case drew widespread attention for its focus on teenage suicide, digital romance, and the legal gray area of whether someone can be convicted for another person’s suicide.

To Michelle,

Keep strong in tough times. You taught me how to be strong and carry on. This life has been too challenging and troublesome to me but I’ll forever be in your heart and we will meet up someday in Heaven. Put your best foot forward and your chin held up high. Our songs. Listen to them and remember me. Take anything from my room at my moms/dads to remind you of me. You’ll get there, I’m sorry about everything. I am messed up I guess. I wish I could express my gratitude but I feel brain dead. I love you and greatly appreciate ur effort and kindness towards me. Keep your heart beating, and keep pushing forward. Go on YouTube type in Rocky Balboa quote, and let the light guide you.

Tavinya k

The Squad Victory Fund will allow Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib to help raise money for their campaigns and other progressives.

The ongoing row between US President Donald Trump and four non-white Democratic congresswomen has continued to escalate following a controversial campaign rally.

During a speech in North Carolina, Mr Trump took aim at Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley as well as Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born lawmaker who he focused much of his criticism on

It was a clarifying moment for American politics. Trump, with his ugly attack on four women of color, had exposed a vein of racism running through the Republican Party

“The ‘Squad’ is a very Racist group of troublemakers who are young, inexperienced, and not very smart,” the president tweeted earlier this summer, after telling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley to “go back” to the “crime infested places from which they came.”

They broke barriers on the way into Congress. They’ve been in Washington for less than a year. And they’ve already attracted more celebrity, controversy and conflict than many lawmakers see in a lifetime

Omar, along with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan (the squad), recently announced they are creating the Squad Victory Fund. They’ll use it to back their re-election campaigns and political action committees, which can provide support to other candidates.

Sri Lanka is not a manufacturer of illicit drugs, with the exception of cannabis. However it is a nub for international drug trafficking including opium and heroin. This is mainly a result of the country’s strategic location, especially
on important maritime and aviation shipping routes, for drugs originating mainly in India and Pakistan. Recently sri Lanka’s navy has seized $65 million worth of crystal methamphetamine and ketamine. It is the country’s biggest drugs bust. authorities raided a flagless vessel in the country’s southern waters and arrested nine Pakistani men suspected of smuggling the drugs.

Fighting against illicit drug trafficking is a challenge for Sri Lanka because
of its lack of resources, both financial and human. The government needs to allocate more money to the rehabilitation of drug users and reintegration programs for the victims of drugs.According to the NDDCB, around 20 percent of illicit drug users in Sri Lanka are between the age of 19 and 25, and 38 percent are between the age of 26 and 35. It is also a widely known that large-scale drug dealers evade the law with the support of politicians and other influences.

Awareness programmes on prevention of drugs organized in parallel with drug
prevention week by Sri Lanka Navy, in line with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, organized a series of programmes to further strengthen drug prevention activities.
The week long events included awareness programmes on drug addiction and prevention as the major component drive was to enlighten naval personnel in naval bases belonging to Northern and North Central Naval Commands, pursuant to the national theme of drug prevention week “Drug Free Nation – Prosperous Country”.
The events had been held under the guidance of Deputy Chief of Staff and Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Kapila Samaraweera and Commander North Central Naval Area, Rear Admiral Lalith Dissanayake. The efforts were well supported by
medical officers attached to both commands.These worthy drives covered some notable elements such as identification of drugs,their effects on human body, family and society, reasons for addiction and means of getting rid of drugs. Further, the awareness sessions were held in conformity with the
health guidelines and measures to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has emphasized that crimes operated by underworld kingpins and drug mafia from prisons must be put to an end without delay.

With the final forewarn received from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to make prisons free of corruption, the newly appointed Commissioner General of Prisons, Thushara Upuldeniya said he and his team of officials would take strict measures to curb deep-rooted corruption to overhaul the 200-years-old prison system to give it a new look.

“Nothing could prevent us who are doing the right thing to prevent corruption in the system that has threatened the country’s national security,” he said

In an interview (with defence.lk) he stated that when we compare statistics from other countries, there is not much difference with Sri Lanka’s re-conviction rate, which is 39 %. Out of it, 80% are drug addicts, which make Sri lankan re-conviction rate high. And the officials are proposing to separate drug addicts from other prison inmates and to have separate rehabilitation centres for them. On the other hand, their officials are well trained to handle criminals but not drug addicts as it is a special area that needs counseling.The drug addicts are sent for three-month imprisonment and released back to the same society. Then within two weeks, they re-enter for the same drug-related offenses. This is the reason Sri Lanka records a high-reconviction rate.He also said that currently, two rehabilitation centres – Ambepussa and Kandakadu- for drug addicts are functioning under the Prison Department and they are planning to have another centre at Weerawila to increase facilities to rehabilitate drug addicts and also to ease congestion in prison.

On June 28th The police have arrested five residents near the Welikada and
Magazine prisons in Colombo for allegedly providing drugs, mobile phones and other equipment to the inmates.The police media unit stated that the suspects were arrested during operations conducted by the Borella police.Special team of Borella police has conducted a raid on residences near the Magazine Prison and recovered several parcels prepared to be thrown over the prison wall.Investigations have revealed that the suspects had tried to deliver banned items including mobile phones, phone chargers, batteries and drugs including heroin and ICE as well as tobacco to the inmates.

Drug abuse has a pervasive effect on an entire community. Understanding drug use risk fac and spreading the word through prevention programs is the best defense against drug abuse. The government’s strategies on prevention of corruptions in prisons and eradication tactics of drugs in Sri Lanka is greatly appreciated.

Tavinya k

“You announced recently that the official policy of Facebook now allows politicians to pay to spread disinformation in 2020 elections and in the future. So I just want to know how far I can push this in the next year”

Facebook’s political ads policies have come under heavy scrutiny. Most of the arguments came out when President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign was allowed to run an ad on Facebook and multiple other platforms, making false claims about former Vice President Joe Biden. Many politicians, members of the media, and others have criticized Facebook and other social media platforms for refusing to take down fake political ads.

New York. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez interrogated Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the social media controversial advertisement policy.

During a tense exchange, Ocasio-Cortez pushed Zuckerberg about Facebook’s decision to not fact-check political ads, which essentially gives politicians almost total control of the content they post online.

During this interrogation zuckerberg said the company would “take that content down” if it included a call for violence, could risk imminent harm or encouraged voter suppression.

However, when Ocasio-Cortez asked whether she could run an ad targeting Republicans running for re-election and falsely say they voted for the Green New Deal, Zuckerberg told that he did not know the answer “off the top of his head.”

“Do you see a problem here with a complete lack of fact-checking on political advertisements?” Ocasio-Cortez asked, continuing, “So you will take down lies or you won’t take down lies? I think this is a pretty simple yes or no.”

Facebook unveiled the refinements to its policy that it had been promising. But restrictions on targeting were nowhere to be found. Instead, the company double down on its current policy, and said the only major change in 2020 would be to allow users to see “fewer” ads. (Fewer than what? It didn’t say.)

The move is rooted in ideas of personal responsibility — if you want to see fewer political ads and remove yourself from campaigns, that’s on you.

“Facebook isn’t only tolerating disinformation in political advertisements, it’s facilitating it”

–Tavinya k

“Nassar left scars on my psyche that may never go away”

Lawrence Gerard Nassar is a former USA Gymnastics national team doctor and osteopathic physician at Michigan State University, and convicted sex offender.

Nassar’s cumulative sexual assault crimes were the basis of the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal, in which he was accused, beginning in 2015, of assaulting at least 250 young women and girls, dating back to 1992.

His victims included numerous Olympic and United States women’s national gymnastics team gymnasts,and he has admitted to 10 of those accusations.

Tavinya k.

“The Taliban could take our pens and books, but they couldn’t stop our minds from thinking.”

When the Taliban took control of the swat valley, one girl fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday 9 October 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price when she was shot in the head at point blank range.

Malala yousafzai’s extraordinary journey has taken her from remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations. She has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and is the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala yousafzai’s, the educational campaigner from swat valley, Pakistan, came to public attention by writing for BBC Urdu about life under the Taliban. Using the pen name ‘Gul Makai’, she often spoke about her family’s fight for girls’ education in her community.

In October 2012, Malala was targeted by the Taliban and shot in the head as she was returning from school on a bus. She miraculously survived and continues her campaign for education.

In recognition of her courage and advocacy, Malala was awarded the Nobel prize in 2014, she was also honoured with the National Peace Prize in Pakistan in 2011 and the International children’s peace prize in 2013, and she was shortlisted for Time Magazine Person of the Year.

Malala continues to promote universal access to education through the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization investing in community-led education programmes and supporting education advocates around the world.She’s an inspiration to all. She shared her wisdom with this years’ high school graduates with a motivational and uplifting speech.

“To all the graduates of 2020 — like all of you, I’m also missing my graduation ceremony this year — and we are not alone,” she began, referencing her final semester at Oxford University. “Across the world, COVID-19 has forced one billion students out of school but for most of us, this is temporary and we will continue our education and follow our dreams
“But many girls, especially in developing countries, will never return to the classroom. Because of this crisis, they will be forced into early marriages or low paying jobs to support their families, and when schools re-open, their desks will be empty,” Malala sadly continued. “They are our peers. They have the same right to education as we do. So I ask you to remember them today as you out and change the world, don’t leave them behind,” she urged.

The class of 2020 won’t be defined by what we lost to this virus, but how we responded to it,” she concluded, poignantly adding, “The world is yours now, and I can’t wait to see what you make of it.”

As a young girl, she may have thought that there was nothing she could do or that no one would listen to her message but even a small action such as writing a blog entry led to bigger and bigger platforms for her to advocate for equal educational opportunities for all children.

Malala Yousafzai’s story proves that anyone and everyone has the power to fight for change and inclusive freedom for all over the world.

“Today I looked at myself in a mirror and thought for a second. Once I had asked God for one or two extra inches in height, but instead he made me as tall as the sky, so high that I couldn’t measure myself.
I love my god.i thank my Allah. By giving me this height to reach people, he has also given me great responsibilities. Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country.This is my dream.

Education for every body and every girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish.I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not.”

“The girl who stood up for Education and was shot by the Taliban”

From the book “I am malala”

” When you step outside every day knowing you’re twice as likely to be killed by someone sworn to protect you just because of the color of your skin, you’re dealing with a different type of fear.”

Racism has existed throughout human history. It may be defined as the hatred of one person by another or the belief that another person is less than human because of skin colour, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. It has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations and legal codes.

People often associate racism with acts of abuse or harassment. However, it doesn’t need to involve violent or intimidating behaviour. Take racial name-calling and jokes or consider situations when people may be excluded from groups or activities because of where they come from. Racism can be revealed through people’s action as well as their attitudes. It can also be reflected in systems and institutions. But sometimes it may not be revealed at all.

Everyone started talking about this issue a lot recently because of the death of George Floyd. Taking a knee down and ignoring social distancing measures, the outraged protesters kicked off global rallies against racism and police brutality.

George Floyd was an unarmed black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on 25th may after maltreated by a police officer. The video footage showed the white police officer Derek kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes while he is pinned to the floor.

The white male officer Derek Chauvin has been dismissed and charged with murder and three other officers who were at the scene has also been sacked and charged with aiding and abetting. As the national anger over the death of George Floyd showed little sign of abating, from coast to coast demonstrators marched in cities across the country.

Trump’s response to police violence was a marked departure from the Obama administration’s. Since Michael Brown’s death, which began a nationwide reckoning and rejuvenated the Black Lives Matter movement, Obama had used his authority to target problematic police departments, including those in Ferguson, Chicago and Baltimore, with justice department investigations.

Thousands gathered in Washington D.C. to protest both Floyd’s death and President Donald Trump’s use of military personnel in response to largely peaceful demonstrations. Marchers also filed across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, while others walked the boulevards of Hollywood and a Nashville, Tennessee.

Seattle police also said projectiles had been thrown and several officers were hurt by “improvised explosives”. Earlier in New York, crowds crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, while in San Francisco demonstrators briefly shut the Golden Gate Bridge. In Chicago, about 30,000 people rallied in Union Park, and a Hollywood intersection was blocked by protesters in Los Angeles.

The anti-racism marches and rallies in Europe, energized by demonstrations in the United States in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, have led to the destruction of statues linked to slavery and demands for a reckoning with racial discrimination. The European protesters have denounced the bigotry within their own countries and demanded that the authorities address it.

What “abolish the police” means by Sean illing

In the aftermath of nationwide protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, a slogan has emerged: “Abolish the police.

The phrase, predictably, has created plenty of controversy.And it even sounds a tad extreme for people on the left who believe that our way of policing is broken but shudder at the thought of doing away with cops entirely.

Yet there are different ways to think about a slogan like “abolish the police.” You can think of it as a literal policy proposal. Or you can think of it as a rhetorical device designed to shift the overton window on what’s politically feasible. If it’s the latter, then the real goal isn’t to terminate the police so much as frame the discussion in a way that makes radical change possible.

One thing is clear: The movement is hardly monolithic. Yes, the thinkers and activists involved with the movement all see the phrase as a serious call to completely rethink the very concept of law enforcement in this country. But they don’t all agree on the meaning of “abolish the police” — they see it as the distillation of a whole host of changes that go well beyond what is typically considered “realistic.” It is, in that sense, an attempt to think big in a moment that cries out for root-and-branch transformation.

Justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahamaud Arbery, Araliana Jefferson, Aura Rosser, Stephon Clark, Botham Jean, Philando Castille, Alton Sterling, Michelle Cusseaur, Freddie Gray, Janisha Fonville, Eric Garner, Akai Gurley, Gabriella Nevarez, Tamir rice, Michael Brown, Tanisha Anderson. #blm