AUTHORITIES IN TEXAS HAVE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY THE DRIVER OF AN SUV THAT CRASHED INTO A CROWD OUTSIDE A MIGRANT SHELTER ON SUNDAY, MAY 7, KILLING EIGHT PEOPLE AND INJURING AT LEAST 10 OTHERS. AND MORE THAN 100 WILDFIRES RAGING IN WESTERN CANADA HAVE FORCED ABOUT 29,000 PEOPLE TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES, AS OFFICIALS IN ALBERTA DECLARED A PROVINCE-WIDE STATE OF EMERGENCY. THESE STORIES AND MORE HIGHLIGHT THE DAILY RUNDOWN FOR MONDAY, MAY 8, 2023. 

DRIVER IN DEADLY TEXAS CRASH ARRESTED

MULTIPLE PEOPLE WERE KILLED SUNDAY, MAY 7, AFTER AN SUV REPORTEDLY RAN UP THE CURB AND HIT A CROWD OF PEOPLE NEAR A BUS STOP OUTSIDE THE BISHOP ENRIQUE SAN PEDRO OZANAM CENTER FOR MIGRANTS IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS.

ACCORDING TO VICTOR MALDONADO, DIRECTOR OF THE MIGRANT SHELTER, WITNESSES STOPPED THE DRIVER AS HE ATTEMPTED TO RUN AWAY FROM THE SCENE AND DETAINED HIM UNTIL POLICE ARRIVED.

1. MARTIN SANDOVAL OF THE BROWNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE DRIVER WAS CHARGED WITH RECKLESS DRIVING AND COULD FACE ADDITIONAL CHARGES. SANDOVAL ADDED THAT AN INVESTIGATION IS NOW UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE DRIVER WAS “INTOXICATED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT” AND IF THE CRASH WAS INTENTIONAL.

INVESTIGATORS REVEAL MORE DETAILS ABOUT TEXAS MALL SHOOTER

FOLLOWING THE SECOND-DEADLIEST U.S. MASS SHOOTING OF THE YEAR, WHICH LEFT EIGHT VICTIMS DEAD AT ALLEN PREMIUM OUTLETS ABOUT 25 MILES NORTH OF DALLAS, INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING INTO THE GUNMAN’S POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS TO RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM.

AUTHORITIES HAVE DISCOVERED THE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE OF 33-YEAR-OLD SHOOTER MAURICIO GARCIA, INCLUDING NEO-NAZI AND WHITE SUPREMACIST-RELATED POSTS AND IMAGES HE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE SHARED ONLINE. MEANWHILE, POLICE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING AN OFFICIAL MOTIVE FOR THE KILLINGS.

CHINA SAYS RELATIONS WITH U.S. ARE ON ‘COLD ICE’

QIN GANG, CHINA’S FOREIGN MINISTER, SAID MONDAY THAT RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. ARE NOW ON “COLD ICE” FOLLOWING WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS “SERIES OF ERRONEOUS WORDS AND DEEDS” BY THE AMERICANS, BUT ADDED THAT A STABILIZATION OF TIES TIES REMAINS A “TOP PRIORITY.”

“THE AGENDA OF DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION AGREED BY THE TWO SIDES HAS BEEN DISRUPTED, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAS ONCE AGAIN HIT THE COLD ICE,” QIN SAID, ACCORDING TO A CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT.

QIN MADE THE COMMENTS DURING A MEETING IN BEIJING WITH U.S. AMBASSADOR NICHOLAS BURNS, THE PAIR’S FIRST SINCE THE DISPUTE OVER A CHINESE SURVEILLANCE BALLOON EARLIER THIS YEAR.

OVER 500,000 COVID-19 TEST KITS RECALLED OVER CONTAMINATION

A MANUFACTURER IS RECALLING MORE THAN HALF A MILLION COVID-19 TEST KITS AFTER IT WAS DISCOVERED THEY THEY MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH STRAINS OF BACTERIA THAT CAN CAUSE ILLNESS OR PRODUCE FALSE RESULTS, ACCORDING TO THE FDA.

THE TEST KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED BY ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS IN QUANTITIES OF ABOUT 500,000 TO CVS AND 16,000 TO AMAZON. THE FDA IS WARNING CONSUMERS TO STOP USING AND THROW OUT ANY TEST KITS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL.

WILDFIRES IN CANADA DISPLACE ABOUT 29,000 PEOPLE

AS OF LATE SUNDAY, MAY 7, FIREFIGHTERS IN ALBERTA, CANADA, WERE TRYING TO CONTAIN 106 WILDFIRES THAT HAVE FORCED ABOUT 29,000 PEOPLE TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES. OFFICIALS IN THE REGION ARE STILL WORKING TO “FULLY ASSESS PROPERTY LOSS” AMID A PROVINCE-WIDE STATE OF EMERGENCY.

“OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS PROTECTING LIVES AND DEALING WITH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE,” COLIN BLAIR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALBERTA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, SAID. “THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVENT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF YOUR HOME AS A RESULT OF A WILDFIRE.”

CALIFORNIA PANEL CALLS FOR BILLIONS IN REPARATIONS TO SLAVE DESCENDANTS

THE CALIFORNIA REPARATIONS TASK FORCE FORMALLY VOTED SATURDAY ON ITS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMPENSATING BLACK RESIDENTS OVER “LONGSTANDING RACIAL DISPARITIES AND INEQUALITIES.”

THE NINE-MEMBER COMMITTEE GAVE FINAL APPROVAL DURING A MEETING IN OAKLAND ON A LIST OF PROPOSALS THAT WILL NOW BE SENT TO STATE LAWMAKERS FOR CONSIDERATION REGARDING REPARATIONS LEGISLATION. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED THE CREATION OF A NEW AGENCY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO DESCENDANTS OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE AND CALCULATIONS ON WHAT THE STATE OWES THEM IN COMPENSATION.