A mayoral candidate has been shot dead at a campaign rally in Mexico’s southern Guerrero state, the latest in a string of attacks ahead of Sunday’s elections.( )

Alfredo Cabrera was murdered on Wednesday in the town of Coyuca de Benitez. A video published by local media showed a person approaching him at the campaign event, shooting him several times at point-blank range.( )

cal polls on June 2. The government said on Tuesday that at least 22 people running for local office had been murdered since last September.( )

On Tuesday, a mayoral candidate in the central state of Morelos was murdered while another one was shot and wounded in western Jalisco state, authorities said.( )

Cabrera belonged to an opposition coalition backing Xochitl Galvez, a centre-right senator and businesswoman with Indigenous roots, who is currently polling second in the presidential race.( )

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado condemned the “cowardly” murder, saying on X that she had asked the state prosecutor’s office to bring “the full weight of the law against the person or persons responsible”.( )

The alleged attacker was killed at the scene, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Security concerns

Drug cartels have often carried out political assassination attempts in a bid to control local police or extort money from municipal governments.( )

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador acknowledged in early April that the cartels often seek to determine who will serve as mayor – either by running their own candidates or eliminating potential rivals.

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Fourteen pro-democracy activists were convicted in Hong Kong’s biggest national security case on Thursday by a court that said their plan to effect change through an unofficial primary election would have undermined the government’s authority and created a constitutional crisis.( )

After a 2019 protest movement that filled the city’s streets with demonstrators, authorities have all but silenced dissent in Hong Kong through reduced public choice in elections, crackdowns on media and the Beijing-imposed security law under which the activists were convicted.( )

Those found guilty of conspiracy to commit subversion included former lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan, and they could face up to life in prison when sentenced later. The two defendants acquitted were former district councilors Lee Yue-shun and Lawrence Lau. But the prosecution said it intends to appeal against the acquittals.( )

The activists were among 47 democracy advocates who were prosecuted in 2021 for their involvement in the primary. Prosecutors had accused them of attempting to paralyze Hong Kong’s government and topple the city’s leader by securing the legislative majority necessary to indiscriminately veto budgets.( )

In a summary of the verdict distributed to media, the court said the election participants had declared they would “either actively use or use the power conferred on the (Legislative Council) by the (Basic Law) to veto the budgets.”

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OUCH! The worst team in MLB? It doesn't matter how bad your team is playing, you can't say that.

Lopez's emotions were obviously running high during this interview. Lopez had been ejected from the game for arguing a check swing call with the third base umpire. After the ejection, Lopez threw his glove into the stands in frustration, which manager Carlos Mendoza deemed "unacceptable."( )

Lopez ended the day having pitched just 0.1 innings, surrendering two earned runs on two hits and one walk.

What will happen to Lopez?

The Mets will DFA Lopez, according to multiple reports.( )

All things Mets: Latest New York Mets news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

While the decision makes sense given what Lopez did and said, it's still a little shocking considering the success Lopez has had this season. In 2024, Lopez has posted a 3.12 ERA. He is one of only two relievers on the team to have pitched at least 20 innings while maintaining an ERA under 3.50.( )

What does DFA mean?

When a player is DFA'd (Designated for Assignment), he is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster. The team then has seven days to either return the player to the 40-man roster, place them on waivers, trade them, release them, or send them down to the minor leagues.( )

Given Lopez's strong start to 2024, it would not be a shock for him to find a new team quickly should the Mets decide to place him on waivers or release him outright.( )

Are the Mets actually 'the worst team in baseball?'

Record-wise, no. The Mets have a better record than the Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, and Chicago White Sox, with the White Sox having the worst record in baseball at 15-41.

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The temporary pier that the U.S. military constructed and put in place to provide much-needed humanitarian aid for Gaza has broken apart in rough seas, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.( )

The latest calamity to befall the pier endeavor punctuated a particularly grim several days in Gaza, where Israeli forces have ramped up attacks on the city of Rafah just two days after carrying out a deadly strike that killed dozens of people.( )

“Unfortunately, we had a perfect storm of high sea states, and then, as I mentioned, this North African weather system also came in at the same time, creating not an optimal environment to operate,” Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon deputy press secretary, said at a news conference.

Army engineers are working to put the pier back together and Defense Department officials hope that it “will be fully operational in just a little over a week,” she said.( )

In early March, President Biden surprised the Pentagon by announcing that the U.S. military would build a pier for Gaza. Defense officials immediately predicted that there would be logistical and security issues.( )

In the days after the pier became operational on May 17, trucks were looted as they made their way to a warehouse, forcing the U.N. World Food Program to suspend operations. After officials beefed up security, the weather turned bad. American officials had been hoping that the sea surges would not start until later in the summer.

On Saturday, heavy seas forced two small American military vessels that were part of the pier operation to beach in Israel. On Sunday, part of the pier broke off completely, including a wider parking area for dropping off supplies transported by ship, officials said. That part will have to be reconnected.( )

The pier is now being removed from the coast of Gaza to be repaired after getting damaged in the rough seas, Ms. Singh said. Over the next two days, it will be pulled out and taken to Ashdod, in southern Israel, for repairs.

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A terrifying video being recorded by two women shows the moment a tornado crossed the road while they were driving near Valley View, Texas.( )

The terrifying video( )

In the video, one can hear the hail pelting the car. “(Expletive)’s flying everywhere,” Gill says in the clip, as chunks of debris flew past the headlights.

“Look at it,” Dance says. “My ears are popping.”

“My ears are popping, too, from the pressure,” Gill says. “Look at the sign shaking.”

Soon the road signs start flapping violently. As visibility out of the car window worsens, Gill stops the car.

“Oh my God,” one of the women can be heard repeating.

“We’re right in the middle of the tornado, Brenda. What do I do?” Gill shouts. “The car is shaking.”

The video shifts right, left and down as the horrifying tornado wildly rocks the car. The car, we’re in it (the tornado), Brenda,” Gill yells, with the movement making the video blurry. “I can’t do anything.”

Cover your head,” a distressed Dance says. “Cover your head.”( )

The sound of the wind in the video is frightening, and power flashes light up the roadway with the power poles being disassembled. “It’s got my car, I know,” Gill says. “We’re still shaking, my ears are popping.”

The wind seems to become slightly slower, but still loud enough to scare the women. “Okay, okay,” Gill said, sounding terrified. “I don’t want to go anywhere yet. I’m shaking, the car’s still shaking.”( )

In the background, one can hear the sirens or emergency vehicles. When a car pulls around them, a power line can be seen down across the street. As the car drives away, one of them says, shocked, “Are they going?”

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