President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko signed a decree on Wednesday pardoning 30 individuals previously convicted of “protest-related crimes.”. Seven women and 23 men were pardoned. According to Prosecutor General Andrei Shved, as quoted by state news outlet Belta, “[T]hese individuals did not commit violent crimes against representatives of the authorities. They were convicted mainly for insult and slander in the internet space.” This is the third batch of individuals pardoned for crimes related to protests in the last month. On August 16, 30 more individuals were pardoned after having “admitted their guilt, sincerely repented their deeds, and undertaken to live their lives in line with the legislation.”

Belarus president pardons 30 individuals for crimes related to protests

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pardoned 57 Bangladesh nationals on Tuesday. As reported by WAM, the official news agency of UAE, the pardoned individuals had been convicted due to their involvement in trials in the country last month. UAE’s Attorney-General, Dr Hamad Al Shamsi, has also stopped the deportation process commenced against the individuals, on the order of the President.

UAE president pardons 57 Bangladesh nationals sentenced for protests

Georgia State

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Atlanta, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to over 28 years in prison for distributing significant amounts of fentanyl and other controlled substances to dealers in the Middle Georgia region. Authorities revealed that investigators uncovered evidence linking the drugs provided by the defendant, 40-year-old Lagary Williams, also known as "Frog," from Atlanta, to a fatal overdose.

Atlanta Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Supplying Deadly Fentanyl Linked to Fatal Overdose

Kentucky State

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Northern Kentucky Tribune

Starting in late September, the federal government will relaunch its at-home COVID-19 test program that makes every U.S. household eligible for four free COVID-19 tests to be sent directly to their home.

Every household can get four free COVID-19 tests by mail, starting late September

Salem, OH

Every day, 8-year-old Emma sits in a small garden outside her grandmother’s home in Salem, Ohio, writing letters to her mom and sometimes singing songs her mother used to sing to her.

Thousands of parents die of overdoses; advocates say their kids need more help

Maine State

Sagadahoc County, ME

Lewiston, ME

The Maine Monitor

Editor’s note: This story contains references to suicide. When a bill to strengthen Maine’s yellow flag law went into effect earlier this month, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said he felt a sense of relief.

Law enforcement officers can now get a warrant to take someone into protective custody

Denver, CO

David Heitz

An opinion piece appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA this week illustrates why the drug problem among people experiencing homelessness in Denver may be so severe. It's because many homeless people aren't addicted to just one drug, but two, according to the viewpoint's author, Benjamin A. Howell of Yale School of Medicine and colleagues.

Fentanyl-meth combo ravages homeless in Denver, so why aren't there better treatments?

New Jersey State

Jersey City, NJ

Morristown Minute

MORRISTOWN, NJ - Two members of a Jersey City gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their involvement in multiple shootings and other gang-related crimes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Gang Members Sentenced: 31 Years for Violent Crimes

Jefferson County, KY

Louisville, KY

Federal, state and local public health officials have confirmed the first case of the Oropouche virus in Kentucky and Jefferson County in a person who had returned to Louisville after traveling to the Caribbean.

Health officials report first case of Oropouche virus, aka ‘Sloth Fever,’ confirmed in Kentucky

Aurora, CO

The City of Aurora’s plan for a homeless navigation campus focusing on “work first” is coming together. The City Council will vote during its study session Monday on a resolution sponsored by council member Dustin Zvonek that spells out how the campus will operate. “The City of Aurora wishes to pursue an alternative to the ‘Housing First’ approach, by setting requirements and expectations for housing to include participation in addiction recovery, mental health, and job training programs to better address homelessness,” the resolution states. “It is inhumane and economically unwise to allow individuals experiencing homelessness to remain on the streets, or simply offer unconditional housing, rather than providing them with the necessary support services that offer a structured path to self-sufficiency and housing.”

Aurora’s ‘work first’ homeless plan: Instilling responsibility

Apache Junction, AZ

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Suzy Jacobson Cherry

When I studied Anthropology in college, I learned that teeth have been indicators of economic status just about forever. Archaeologists look at the teeth in ancient skeletons and know who the rich were based on their tooth decay. During the Renaissance period, it became fashionable for women to blacken their teeth to look like they were better off than they were, because the royals and aristocrats, who could afford sugar and sweets, had more rotten and missing teeth than the poor.

Opinion: Stop Stereotyping Bad Teeth as a Sign of Drug Addiction

Newark, NJ

NEWARK, N.J. – Kareem Green, also known as "Try Me," a 32-year-old member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang, has admitted to his involvement in a racketeering conspiracy, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

Rollin' 60s Crips Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering & Cocaine Charges

Los Angeles, CA

L.A. TACO

After Curtis Wallace was sentenced to 46-years-to-life in prison nearly two decades ago, for a shooting he has always maintained he did not commit, he made his family a promise: one day he would make it home in one piece.

‘I’m Innocent:’ He Was Stabbed In Prison After Nearly 20 Years, Will D.A. Gascón’s Policies Help Free Him Before It’s Too Late?

Lawrence Township, NJ

A couple from Lawrence Township, New Jersey, admitted in federal court to conspiring to submit fraudulent asylum applications on behalf of non-citizen clients, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

NJ Couple Guilty of Submitting Fraudulent Asylum Applications

Colorado State

Saturday, Aug. 31 is Overdose Awareness Day. Unfortunately, we are all too aware of overdoses at Fusion Studios, the homeless hotel run by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless where I live.

Opinion: Denver homeless hotel diary: Overdoses common here

The Hong Kong Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 majority, quashed the Communications Authority’s findings against Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) for breaching the media code on Wednesday. The court nullified the warning that had been issued as a sanction for the alleged violations of principles concerning accuracy and impartiality.

Hong Kong appeals court finds RTHK satirical show observes media code

According to officials with the Southern District of Georgia, two recently unsealed federal indictments have charged 23 defendants in a series of broad conspiracies involving the use of drones to smuggle methamphetamine, marijuana, and cell phones into state prisons in Georgia.

23 Defendants Charged in Federal Indictments for Drone-Smuggling Drug Operation in Georgia

Kansas State

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Missouri State

CJ Coombs

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), 1,467 children have been reported missing in the U.S. since January 1, 2024, a drop since the figure of 1,533 previously reported. That drop indicates 66 cases were resolved.

15 missing children in Missouri since June 2024: some cases resolved and more added

J. Souza

The debate over vaping and smoking on cruise ships isn't going away. While cigarette smoking rates have declined significantly, vaping has seen a surge. This has led to discussions about whether vaping should be treated the same as traditional smoking, especially onboard cruise ships.

"Sick of Being Treated Like Third Class Cruisers": Carnival Defends Vaping Policy

The British government announced Wednesday it will pass legislation to control 16 drugs that were not previously regulated. Among the soon-to-be-regulated substances was xylazine, a controversial veterinary medication known as a “zombie drug,” which causes exhaustion and skin lesions that resist healing. Caroline Copeland, the director of the National Programme on Substance Use Morality and a senior lecturer in Pharmacology and Toxicology at King’s College London, spoke on the government’s plans to crack down on the use of xylazine, describing the substance as a “potent synthetic drug [which is used as] an adulterant in other drugs.”

UK government criminalises ‘zombie-drug’ xylozine

NewsBreak

OHCHR: ‘Climate of fear’ in Venezuela after arrest warrant issued for opposition presidential candidate

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) described a continuing “climate of fear” in Venezuela on Tuesday after the issuing of...

OHCHR: ‘Climate of fear’ in Venezuela after arrest warrant issued for opposition presidential candidate

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