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Authorities claim that an explosive device detonated as a forensic examiner and a detective were inspecting a murder scene in northern Mexico.

Although Guanajuato state police have not confirmed it, the object looks to have been a booby trap.

Both of the injured agents conditions are stable, according to the state prosecutors office, which released a statement on Thursday. Police in the violent Guanajuato city of Irapuato reported previously finding plastic bags coated in blood inside a home.

A decapitated head was also reportedly discovered in the home, according to local media.

When the explosion happened, a local website, TVConsequencias, was capturing the crime scene. In the footage, which was uploaded on Facebook, agents can be seen approaching a home that has been cordoned off with police tape when a massive explosion breaks out inside the building.

Later in the footage, one of the injured agents can be seen being guided into a truck while a huge plume of smoke can be seen emanating from the residence. Vehicles from the National Guard are soon to arrive.

According to Guanajuato-based security specialist David Saucedo, the explosion was brought on by a door-connected booby-trapped grenade. When it was opened, it exploded.

The local Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco cartel have been engaged in a brutal drug cartel territorial war in Guanajuato for years.

Nemesio El Mencho Oseguera, the cartels boss in Jalisco, is one of the most sought-after assailants in the United States and has a $10 million bounty placed on his head. The cartel is one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world, according to the Department of Justice.

Booby traps arent very common in Mexico, but drug traffickers in the nearby state of Michoacan have started employing them to damage army vehicles on the roadways.

In the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez in 2010, a vehicle bomb intended for federal police officers exploded, killing three people and injuring nine more. The explosives-packed automobile was detonated by a drug cartel suspect using a cell phone, killing a federal police officer and two civilians while injuring nine others.

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Forensic examiner and detective wounded when an explosive went off during crime scene investigation in northern Mexico - TDPel Media

Brad Pitt may be the most famous member of Kickapoo High School's Class of 1982, but he's not the only alum to enjoy a long career on the silver screen.

Pitt, who headlines the action-packed "Bullet Train" that hits theaters Thursday, shared a graduation stage 40 years ago with friend and fellow thespian Sterling Macer Jr.

Macer recently enjoyed the July premiere of "Where the Crawdads Sing," a mystery drama that has since earned more than $53 million at the box office.

An adaptationof a book that sold more than 15 million copies, Macer plays the role of Jumpin, a man who periodically serves as a parental figure for the film's orphaned central character, Kya.

"I've never been part of a project that had such a big following before the movie was shot," said Macer, who now lives in Los Angeles. "Because the book was so popular."

Macer, who has dozens of TV and movie credits to his name since the early 1990s, has had several roles in prominent franchises.The sizable list includes "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Harts of the West," "NYPD Blue," "24," "JAG," "CSI: Miami," "Veronica Mars" and "LincolnHeights."

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"Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" was among Macer's earlier movies, which he also writes and produces. He starred in the 2020 psychological thriller "Double Down" and currently has his hand in several projects.

His creative reach goes beyond cinema.

"What I am most proud of is what I've been able to do is on a stage," said Macer, who has also performed in several popularplays. "But it's ephemeral. It has a short life span, a lot different than being in front of a camera, which I am also grateful for."

In the summer of 2020, at the height of the pandemic when most filming and production had come to halt, Macer packed up hiscamper van and ventured east.

Macer drove his television producer wife to Atlanta and stopped in Springfield on his way to back to Los Angeles. He had rare time on his hands and wanted to make the most of the trip.

It had been years since he last visited the Queen City, so he took advantage of the chance to go fly-fishing, a stop that evoked memories of his childhood as he soaked in the Ozarks.

"Brad (Pitt) was the one to teach me how to water ski back in high school," Macer recalled.

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Macer grew up in in the middle-class Shadowood subdivision, sandwichedbetween a pair of water slides Wet Willy's and another (HydraSlide) whose name he couldn't remember.

Known as Sterling "Bobby" Macer Jr., the former Kickapoo football standout played briefly at the University of Arkansas before finishing his injury-riddled career at Missouri State.

His performances weren't limited to football stadiums and he immediately thrived in Kickapoo's drama and speech and debate clubs.

Jack Tuckness, now the longtime speech and debate coach at Central High School, taught Macer and Pitt during his Kickapoo teaching stint.

"He was very confident and very well-liked," Tuckness recalledof Macer. "He was determined to get things right. He did the research and understood what his character going to to be."

Macer's athletic spirit often surfaced in debate.

"He didn't accept defeat very well," Tuckness said. "He wanted to absolutely give it his best."

Macer credits Tuckness and still keeps in touch with the longtime Springfield educator.

"He recognized something in me that I didn't even know was there," said Macer, who went on to University of San Diego's acting school after graduating from Missouri State. "Some of the best preparation, as far as auditioning goes, came from him."

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Throughout Macer's decades in the TV and movie industries, he has been in a perpetual state of audition.

He's felt the thrill of landing important roles and the sinking feeling of rejection from others.

"Sometimes it's yes, sometimes it's no,but you always have to push forward," he said. "I've been pretty fortunate to last this long."

Some of the most interesting anecdotes in Macer's journey involve the roles he didn't get.

Back in 1993, Macer auditioned for the voice of the adult Simba in Disney's "The Lion King." Macer said it came down to two finalists: Matthew Broderick and him.

Disney opted to go with Broderick, of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" fame.

"The funny thing about Hollywood is that everyone races to give you the good news, but nobody gives you the bad news," Macer said with a laugh.

As a younger man, Macer had a striking resemblance to "Star Trek:The Next Generation" and"Reading Rainbow" star LeVar Burton, which he said ultimately hurt him in an audition.

Macer, who played the role of a Klingon in the Star Trek TV series, auditioned for different role in the Star Trek movie. Macer said he heard a producer say "But he looks too much like LeVar" when he walked into an audition room.

He didn't get the part.

"It's all about opportunities," Macer said. "That's what actors who don't have careers like (Pitt) have to do, go out there and keep auditioning."

Before Macer made his bones in entertainment, Pitt helped him get his foot in the door.

"I am thankful for the friendship I had with Brad, and to come from that same Springfield background," Macer said.

The rest is here:
Kickapoo alum and veteran actor Sterling Macer enjoyed role in 'Where the Crawdads Sing' - News-Leader

Baghdad, 3 August 2022 - Eight years after facing an atrocious onslaught by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Yazidi community has still not achieved the peace and prosperity it truly deserves.

Thousands of Yazidis are yet to return to their families and loved ones. Their whereabouts remain unknown. Many continue to suffer mental anguish after years of captivity, torture, sexual violence and slavery, as well as profoundly inhumane treatment. Countless others are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of a beloved family member, if not the entire family. Meanwhile, many Yazidis remain displaced from their places of origin. Due to continuing tensions, their ancestral homeland in Sinjar is still deprived of the essential stability needed to rebuild their lives, free of fear and intimidation.

It must be clear that it is everyones responsibility to work relentlessly to ensure that the ongoing plight of the Yazidis ends now, and that every effort is made to provide the people of Sinjar with opportunities for a better future. The State is an umbrella for all, and its authority is the guarantor for every citizen of this country, irrespective of political affiliation, religion, or ethnic group. No Yazidi, nor any other Iraqi, should be a pawn in local or regional power competition.

This is why the Sinjar Agreement must be fully implemented, without further delay. Stable governance and security structures are vital. It will allow the displaced to finally return home, reconstruction efforts to be accelerated, and public service provision to be improved.

The United Nations will continue to promote accountability for ISIL crimes against the Yazidis to reinstate justice for all who have suffered from these heinous crimes. Freedom and justice go hand in hand with peace and development.

We salute the Yazidis resilience in preserving their culture and heritage despite ISIL attempts to erase them, and in spite of the countless challenges the community continues to face. We shall not forget those who were killed, injured or traumatized, nor those who remain missing: the search for them must continue until this painful chapter is closed.

As we commemorate this traumatic page of Iraqi history, we renew our commitment to peace and stability for the Yazidis and the people of Sinjar.

For more information, please contact: Mr. Samir Ghattas, Director of Public Information/SpokespersonUnited Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, Phone: +964 790 193 1281, Email: ghattass@un.orgor the UNAMI Public Information Office: unami-information@un.org

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UN Iraq on commemoration of 2014 atrocities against Yazidis in Sinjar: peace, development, and accountability key for the community to flourish...

By Anadolu Agency Staff

DUHOK, Iraq (AA) The Ezidi community, living in harsh conditions in camps for eight years and unable to return to their homes due to PKK terrorists in northern Iraq's Sinjar region, say the international community has abandoned them.

"We cant go back to our homes due to some forces (PKK) in Sinjar and the problems people are experiencing there," Saud Seydo, a resident of the Sharya Refugee Camp, told Anadolu Agency.

"International organizations give us no help going back to our homes," he added.

Seydo, another camp resident, said: "We have no income, our financial situation is not good, and we cannot return to Sinjar."

The Ezidis, are unable to return to their homes because of the terrorist group PKK, according to Suleyman Hidir, another refugee from the camp, who said that everyone wants to live in their homes if they are safe, but they cannot in the current situation.

They are afraid of returning to their houses, refugee Ali Hudada said, adding that if the Iraqi government officially declares Sinjar safe, then they can return.

In an Aug. 3, 2014 attack on the Sinjar district, where Ezidis live, Daesh/ISIS kidnapped and killed thousands of people, including women and children, or detained them in areas they hold.

Some 300,000 people lived in Sinjar before the attacks, two-thirds of them Ezidi and the rest Sunni Kurds and Arabs.

Daesh/ISIS has been active in the Iraqi provinces of Salahuddin, Anbar, Kirkuk, and Diyala, at a time when the federal government is struggling to contain attacks by the terrorist group by launching security and military operations in the countrys northern, western, and eastern regions.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, estimated to be about one-third of the countrys territory. But the PKK terror group remains active in the region.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Trkiye, the PKK listed as a terrorist organization by Trkiye, the US, and EU has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

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Northern Iraq's Ezidis say PKK terrorists, international neglect keeps them stranded in camps - Anadolu Agency | English

What's common to a traffic policeman in Djibouti, a healthcare worker in Malta, a manager at a Sports City in Jordan and a computer engineering student in Iraq? They're all now in Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, playing in the 44th Chess Olympiad.

The major headlines in chess usually deal with Russia, Norway, India, the USA and several other major global powers, but the charm of the Olympiad lies in meeting participants from non-traditional chess countries who've made it here to pit their wits. And, with 187 teams in the open section and 164 teams in the women's section, Mahabalipuram is a global village.

Abdallah Hussein Ali, who turns 30 next year, has made his first trip away from home. He introduces himself with a polite bow and says he's from Djibouti. He wants to share his story but says something you'd never hear anywhere else during a sporting event: "I'm actually playing a game right now. I quickly sneaked out for a bathroom break. Can I speak to you after my match?"

Off he strides, in his pistachio green overalls. True to his word, he shares his story after his game. "I trained very hard, for two years, for the Olympiad. I was getting stronger and was among the best in my country but when you come here you see...[the level of competition] but all is well," he says with a hearty laugh.

"The Japanese player [Kojima Shinya, his opponent] was so strong, wow. He was too good. He made the kill move when I came back from the bathroom break. I lost focus and he closed out the game," he laments while adding that he would have preferred to have started with white pieces.

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Ali, whose day job is as a traffic policeman, works for close to 20 hours a stretch and then has the next 20 hours off, before repeating the cycle. His free time goes in chess. "My wife gets annoyed with me because I play chess in whatever free time I get. She calls me and I say I am busy, I will call you back...I am with my other wife [chess!]," he says with a belly laugh.

"Meeting so many new people, trying out new food, the competition here...it's really opened my eyes. I'm so happy to be here," he says. He's planned a week-long vacation in Ethiopia with his wife and eight-month-old son to rejuvenate after the Olympiad.

Mansour Sameer (57), has played chess for the better part of 30 years, and is a Chess Olympiad veteran. And he's had a long-standing love affair with India.

"I am thrilled to finally be in the birthplace of chess. I'm convinced chess was founded in India because I've read about how the Indian military was set up back in the day - the cavalry, infantry, elephantry, and chariotry. Chess was called chaturanga in Sanskrit, while we called it shatranj in Arabic," he says.

"In fact, we don't even call it chess...we refer to chess as laeibah al hindi (the Indian game) back at home," he adds. Mansour is one of six International Masters from Jordan. His son, Loay Sameer, is also on the list, making it two International Masters in the same house.

"I've read so much about the civilisations in India and have studied about the great Ramanujan [Srinivas Ramanujan, the maths genius]. In fact, many people who study maths in Jordan know about Ramanujan. Is there a museum of his I can visit in Chennai?" he asks. He perhaps would have driven past the Ramanujan IT Park on his way to Mahabalipuram and is on the lookout for a museum now.

Uranchimeg Psaila, a Woman Candidate Master from Malta, isn't playing today. She's come to the venue to soak in the vibes and meet new people, she says. Uranchimeg, or Urna as she likes to be called, is Mongolian by birth and adopted Maltese citizenship after marrying Clarence Psaila, a FIDE Master from Malta.

She didn't know a move on the chessboard until she met Clarence, who convinced her to pick up the sport. "I picked up chess from my husband around 15 years ago, but I'm not very good at it," she says with a sheepish smile.

"Malta is a very small country, you can't just play chess you know. I work as a caretaker in an old people's home. I really like it, I like helping people," she says as Viswanathan Anand walks by. "I haven't met him but I've heard a lot about him."

Urna also knows of Andre Schembri, the former Maltese football captain who played for Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League two years ago. Malta's population is less than half of Chennai's population. Yet sport, being the true uniter it is, has somehow brought her to the shores of Chennai.

A little further away from Urna is Rabeea Sabah Nori, a 20-year-old from Iraq. He's the youngest player in his team by a good 15 years and enjoyed a win over Thomas Larry of Dominica. Rabeea, whose name means spring in Arabic, is a football savant - his favourite club is Barcelona. "Yeah, Messi has left but has to leave at some point," he says before he can be quizzed about it. He points to his tucked-in t-shirt and says "I picked that up from Karim Benzema." We proceed to speak about Benzema's stellar campaign last year and how Rabeea had a terrible Fantasy Premier League [FPL] season.

Rabeea, who is pursuing a course in computer engineering, hopes chess can be as popular as football in Iraq one day. "People are warming up to the sport, but of course, football is the most popular sport. There are a few more young players around my age, coming up now and that could help popularise chess," he says.

From Malta, Djibouti and Iraq, the Chess Olympiad has brought the global family to the board.

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From Malta, Djibouti and Iraq, Chess Olympiad brings the global family to the board - ESPN