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Footage emerged on Wednesday of a previous altercation between Alex Pretti and federal agents, 11 days before federal officers fatally shot the ICU nurse in Minneapolis.
A video published on Wednesday by the digital news outlet the News Movement shows an incident on 13 January in Minneapolis in which officers appear to grab Pretti and bring him to the ground during community protests against the crackdown in the city.
It is unclear what happened before the incident in the video, but the footage shows Pretti shouting at agents in an unmarked vehicle and kicking the tail light of the car as they move away. A heavily armed agent then gets out of the car and tackles him, while others crowd around.
Jacob Frey, the Minneapolis mayor, said he did not consider the new footage relevant to Pretti’s fatal shooting 11 days later.
Trump administration officials initially claimed Pretti was “brandishing” a gun when he was killed – is that true? No, video evidence directly contradicts this claim. Footage from his killing on 24 January shows Pretti holding a phone, not a gun. Pretti, who state officials have confirmed had a license to carry his firearm, had been disarmed before the first shots were fired.
Did he have a gun on 13 January? There appears to be a gun in his waistband, but Pretti does not touch it during or after the altercation.
Iran accused of ‘revenge’ as doctors arrested for treating protesters
Doctors are being arrested in Iran for helping to save some of the tens of thousands of people injured in Iran’s brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests. At least one surgeon is at risk of being sentenced to death.
The arrests and death sentence are part of a campaign of revenge, human rights groups say, after healthcare workers and doctors treated protesters shot or stabbed during the crackdown.
An Iranian surgeon, Alireza Golchini, 52, from the central city of Qazvin, has been charged with “moharebeh” (waging war against God), which can carry the death penalty, according to the Norway-based rights group Hengaw.
How many have been killed in the crackdown? Estimates vary significantly. The US-based Human Rights Activists news agency, whose figures have been reliable during previous crackdowns, says it has verified more than 6,000 dead and is investigating more than 17,000 further recorded deaths.
ICE thwarted from entering Ecuador’s consulate in Minneapolis by employee
Ecuador has officially complained to the US after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent attempted to enter its consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday morning, only to be turned back by an employee.
In response to the incident, Ecuador’s foreign minister “immediately submitted a note of protest to the US embassy in Ecuador so that acts of this nature would not be repeated at any of Ecuador’s consular offices in the United States”.
What was said during the incident? Video verified by Reuters showed an employee at the consulate telling the agent: “This is the consulate of Ecuador, you are not allowed to enter.” The agent replies: “Relax, relax, I didn’t enter,” before telling the staffer: “If you touch me, I will grab you.” The agent leaves soon after.
In other news …
Elon Musk announced on Wednesday that Tesla would end production of its Model X and S cars, in the clearest sign so far that it is pivoting away from vehicles and towards robotics.
Several crew members of a ship that crashed into a bridge in Baltimore almost two years ago are still being detained by federal authorities despite no criminal charges being brought against them.
Russia has hit cities across Ukraine with drones and a missile, killing a couple near Kyiv, before peace talks at the weekend.
Millions of people globally are creating and sharing deepfake nudes on the secure messaging app Telegram, a Guardian analysis has shown.
Stat of the day: Weak dollar drives gold over $5,500 an ounce for first time
The price of gold has continued to soar, rising above the $5,500 an ounce level this morning, just three days after hitting $5,000 for the first time. Its gains so far this year are almost at 30%, as investors rush into safe-haven assets owing to geopolitical and economic uncertainty and a weak dollar.
The Filter recommends: The 20 best things to wear to stay warm this winter, tested in snow, rain and wind
As temperatures plummet, the Filter team spoke to experts, including people living in some of the coldest places around the world, to create the ultimate guide to cold-weather apparel.
Don’t miss this: Is this the end of gentle parenting?
At least online, the backlash against gentle parenting is well and truly here, and the “Fafo” method appears to be taking its place. (Read the piece to learn what that acronym stands for – but examples include a mother throwing a misbehaving child’s iPad out of the window.) Critics say it relies on children’s fear and erodes trust, while advocates say it teaches children their actions have consequences. Emine Saner looks at the changing mentalities around parenting: “This is online-influenced child rearing, where extremes are pushed, nuance is out and polarisation is in.”
Climate check: A year of Trump’s EPA – prioritizing big business over public health
Under the second Trump administration, in just a single year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has abandoned its role as an environmental regulator, instead backing coal, gas-guzzling cars and artificial intelligence. While it was expected that the agency would shift in Trump’s second term, in recent weeks it has gone much further, accused of placing “zero value on human life” when setting air pollution regulations.
Last Thing: Is the potato bed the ultimate sleep solution?
There is a hot new sleep trend making the rounds on TikTok: the potato bed. It involves creating a cocoon-like setup to allow you to sleep on top of a pile of pillows, blankets and duvets. Probably not great for your spine, but ideal for hiding away from the harshness of the world.
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