The one-year anniversary of the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, comes amid an ongoing investigation into the response by law enforcement during the incident. And Netflix is implementing a password-sharing crackdown in the United States that is set to cost users allowing others “outside their household” on their account an extra $7.99 per month. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
Uvalde school shooting anniversary comes amid ongoing investigation
It has been one year since the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman took the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the release of security camera footage and police body cam footage from that day has prompted questions over the response by law enforcement.
The video footage captures the gunman carrying an AR-15-style rifle, wandering through the hallways after entering the school through an unlocked side door. He then enters a classroom where the victims were located, as nearly 400 law enforcement officers from 23 different agencies responded to the incident, with many seen in the hallways waiting. However, an hour passed before any action was taken by law enforcement. It was an off-duty Border Patrol agent who eventually took down the gunman after an hour and 14 minutes.
Steve McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety described the incident as a botched police response and an “abject failure,” stating that the gunman could have been confronted three minutes after entering the school instead of an hour passing. Several officials either resigned or were fired from their positions due to the failed response, including Pete Arredondo, the school district police chief. The school’s superintendent, Hal Harrell, also retired following the shooting.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice launched its own investigation, conducting interviews with over 200 individuals so far. The DOJ has stated that their findings will be released in the coming months, offering further insight into the incident.
DeSantis poised for potential presidential campaign announcement
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has generated significant buzz and speculation with a recent video posted on Twitter by his wife, Casey DeSantis. The caption, “America is worth the fight — every single time,” has fueled rumors that this may serve as a teaser for an upcoming official launch of his presidential campaign, expected to be announced today.
“Big if true,” tweeted Casey DeSantis on Tuesday in response to a Fox News article titled “Florida Gov Ron DeSantis to announce candidacy for president Wednesday on Twitter: sources.”
People close to the governor have suggested that an official bid for the White House is imminent, with the announcement anticipated to take place Wednesday evening, May 24, on Twitter. In a surprising twist, the social media platform’s CEO Elon Musk is expected to engage in a live audio conversation with DeSantis, adding an unexpected element to the highly anticipated announcement.
“If DeSantis runs against Biden in 2024, then DeSantis will easily win – he doesn’t even need to campaign,” Musk had tweeted back in July of last year.
If DeSantis does enter the race, he will join an already crowded field of Republican candidates vying for the party’s nomination. Among them is former President Donald Trump, who currently holds a prominent position as a frontrunner in the Republican primary race.
South Carolina Senate passes bill restricting abortions at six weeks
The South Carolina state Senate approved a bill that would impose significant restrictions on abortions, prohibiting most procedures after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. The bill’s passage sets the stage for South Carolina to join the ranks of Georgia and North Dakota, which have already implemented similar six-week abortion bans.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has already made a commitment to signing the bill into law, aiming to reinstate a ban that was previously deemed unconstitutional by the state’s highest court due to privacy concerns. McMaster said in a tweet after the vote that he looks “forward to signing this bill into law as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, shortly after the bill’s passage, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic said on Twitter, “We have just one thing to say to the state of South Carolina: We’ll see you in court.”
The decision by the South Carolina State Senate to advance this legislation reflects a broader trend across the United States, with approximately 20 states having implemented various forms of abortion restrictions or outright bans since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision was overturned nearly a year ago. Last week, North Carolina’s legislature also passed a 12-week abortion ban, further highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding reproductive rights in the country.
Target adjusts LGBTQ Pride Collection in response to safety concerns
Target, a major retail chain, has made the decision to remove certain items from its LGBTQ pride-themed line of clothing and products. The move comes as a response to reported confrontations from customers and concerns raised by employees regarding safety.
While Target did not specify which specific items would be removed from its collection, reports indicate that the company has taken steps to de-escalate potential conflicts with customers in some Southern states by relocating the pride collection from the front of its stores to the back.
The “Pride Collection” was introduced by Target earlier this month in anticipation of the upcoming Pride Month celebrations in June. However, the retail giant has encountered incidents involving customer confrontations, prompting them to take action to address safety concerns.
Julian Assange awaits extradition as Australian PM criticizes detainment
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remains in custody, awaiting extradition to the United States, where he faces potential imprisonment for up to 175 years in relation to the WikiLeaks scandal that brought to light classified U.S. military records. Assange’s father recently expressed optimism about the progress made in the efforts to secure his son’s release, stating that they are on the “cusp of success.”
Assange has already spent over 1,500 days in detention in Britain. However, his continued detainment has drawn criticism from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, having voiced concerns that the prolonged imprisonment of Assange, an Australian citizen, is excessive and that he is “concerned about Mr. Assange’s mental health.”
Netflix to implement password sharing fees in the US
Changes are coming to the popular streaming service Netflix, as it rolls out its password sharing fees in the United States. For those who have been sharing their Netflix account password with friends or family members “outside their household,” that practice will now incur an additional cost of $7.99 per month. The introduction of these fees has been expected for some time as Netflix takes steps to address account sharing practices.
“A Netflix account is for use by one household,” said Netflix in a statement. “Everyone living in that household can use Netflix wherever they are — at home, on the go, on holiday — and take advantage of new features like Transfer Profile and Manage Access and Devices.”
In recent weeks, Netflix has been notifying its customers about the upcoming changes via email. The streaming giant plans to identify shared accounts by tracking the Internet Protocol addresses associated with each user. By analyzing this data, Netflix aims to pinpoint instances of password sharing and charge the respective accounts accordingly.
