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Texas Deputy Attorney General Apologizes for Calling Simone Biles a “National Embarrassment”

CBS News is reporting that Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz is apologizing to Simone Biles for calling the Olympic champion a “national embarrassment,” CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reports.

The superstar gymnast, who lives in Spring, just north of Houston, has pulled out of two competitions in the Tokyo Games, saying she needs to focus on her mental health. It’s still not clear if she’ll participate in next week’s individual events.

In a now-deleted tweet, Reitz quote-tweeted video from Kerri Strug’s 1996 Olympic performance on an injured ankle then said, “Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles.”

Late Wednesday afternoon, Reitz tweeted again about Biles. But this time, he did an abrupt about-face, saying he owed her “an apology. A big one”:

 

https://twitter.com/aaron_reitz/status/1420517242031194114
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Canada Featured Nelson Mandela

Mayor Rob Ford Votes Against Nelson Mandela and Olympic Athletes

What could be controversial about the city of Toronto congratulating Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes?

Ask Rob Ford. The Toronto mayor on Wednesday cast the sole ‘no’ vote on a City Council motion to offer the athletes kudos. Minutes earlier, he also was the only council member to vote against a proposal to name a Toronto street after the late Nelson Mandela.

Ford asked for a re-vote on both motions a half-hour later but was denied.

‘We all make errors,’ said Ford, who claimed he was stretching a sore back and voted quickly. ‘I guess I pushed the wrong button. Of course I support Nelson Mandela.’

The mayor also said he supports Olympic athletes.

Ford is seeking re-election this year despite a record of erratic behavior. After he acknowledged last year that he had smoked crack, the City Council voted to strip him of most of his mayoral powers.

Ford is known for often casting the lone dissenting vote, but his votes on Wednesday drew gasps in the council chamber. City councilor Adam Vaughn said Ford knew exactly what he was doing.

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murder News

Paralympic Gold Medalist To Be Charged With Murder

South African police on Thursday said they would charge Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius with murder after his girlfriend was shot and killed at his home earlier Thursday morning.

The circumstances of the incident are still unclear but police in South Africa said they would oppose bail when the Paralympic gold medalist appears in court Friday. The hearing was scheduled for Thursday afternoon but was delayed to give forensics investigators time to do their work, the Associated Press reported.

Police in South Africa do not name suspects in crimes until they have appeared in court but police spokesperson Brigadier Denise Beukes said that Pistorius was at his home after the death of the victim and that “there is no other suspect involved,” The Associated Press reported.

Britain’s Sky News first named the woman as Reeva Steenkamp, a model and recent contestant onTropika Island of Treasure 5, a South African reality TV show. A talent agent for Steenkamp said she was the victim. However, police have yet to confirm the woman’s relationship with the Olympic and Paralympic athlete.

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