At the funeral for Tyre Nichols, a community – and the vice-president – call for sweeping reform

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View online February 02, 2023 1/ Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols as family calls on Congress to combat police violence Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols on Wednesday evening in a ceremony inside a Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis.   The 29-year-old Black man was fatally beaten by a group of Memphis Police Department officers last month, and horrific footage of the incident released last week has revived an urgent demand for reform.   Reflecting on the far-reaching shock of his death, those in attendance at his funeral included vice president Kamala Harris, filmmaker Spike Lee and members of Congress, with a eulogy from the Rev Al Sharpton. There was also a "call to action" from civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanding "swift justice" against police who commit violence against Black Americans.   In their remarks, faith leaders struck a delicate balance, urging support for a grieving family while reflecting on the sadness and anger of a nation just days after witnessing yet another attack against a Black American by police. 2/ FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog Richard Osthoff alleges lawmaker raised $3,000 for his sick dog but disappeared with the funds 3/ GOP takes first step towards removing Ilhan Omar from Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans have accused the Minnesota Democrat of antisemitism 4/ Hunter Biden threatens to sue Tucker Carlson and calls for probe of Giuliani over 'laptop from hell' claims President's son could face investigations of his own under Republican-controlled House of Representatives 5/ How Kyle Rittenhouse went from killing protesters in Kenosha to becoming a right-wing influencer Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people at a 2020 racial justice protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. A new lawsuit from one of his victims' families claims he's now profiting off his infamy, Josh Marcus reports Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our welcome offer when you join today. The Big Question How did Kyle Rittenhouse become a right-wing influencer? "I don't think my life is that interesting to be honest," a young man told a small crowd last week at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Conroe, Texas. "I was waiting back there and I was playing Minecraft before we came over here. I'm 20 years old. I don't know why the media is so focused on me."   This is a bit of theatrical understatement. Some in the crowd had paid $500 for VIP passes just to get extra facetime with him ahead of the main event, the 2023 Rally Against Censorship from Defiance Press, a conservative publisher. Because the 20-year-old is Kyle Rittenhouse.   And the reason the media, the right-wing political world and large parts of the US population at large have been so focused on him in recent years is both very simple and highly complicated. Read the full story > Watch/ Tyre Nichols' mother speaks of 'unimaginable' pain of losing son NUMBER OF THE DAY 500,000 – The number of troops Vladimir Putin has mobilised with a view to mounting a renewed offensive against Ukraine ahead of the one-year anniversary of the war, according to Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov. QUOTE OF THE DAY "This is sick sick sick. Is it legal to even invite this kind of stuff?" – Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans on the Democratic-led January 6 committee, reacts to Donald Trump reposting a message of support from a fan pledging to "physically fight for him" and be "Locked and LOADED". 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