Founder of Punjabi Devils motorcycle club indicted in Calif., feds say

The founder of the Punjabi Devils, a San Francisco Bay Area motorcycle club with ties to the Hells Angels, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on a slew of weapons-related charges after investigators found a small arsenal of guns and explosives in his home, officials said.

Jashanpreet Singh, a 26-year-old Lodi, California, resident, will face charges of dealing firearms, unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered rifle after he allegedly attempted to sell weapons to an undercover police officer in June, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of California.

Along with the rifle, revolver, three assault weapons and machine gun converters that he allegedly tried to sell to an undercover agent, federal prosecutors said a subsequent search of Singh's residence uncovered a variety of lethal weaponry — including another machine gun, a silencer, what appeared to be a Claymore mine and a hand grenade.

Singh was originally slated to face charges in San Joaquin County on July 21, but he failed to appear in court. Two days later, he booked a flight from San Francisco to India that was scheduled on July 26, according to a news release. On that day, FBI agents met him at the airport and arrested him before he could board his flight.

—Los Angeles Times

Captain of barge that hit sailboat wasn't impaired, officials say

MIAMI — The captain of the tugboat pushing a barge that slammed into a Miami Yacht Club summer-camp sailboat Monday morning in Biscayne Bay — killing two young girls and critically injuring two others — was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the Coast Guard said.

Capt. Frank Florio, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, previously said the sobriety test included a blood draw and is part of his agency’s investigation into the tragic collision.

Another person on the barge — as well as the 19-year-old camp counselor operating the sailboat — were also tested for alcohol and drugs. Those results, too, came back negative. Mila Yankelevich, 7, and Erin Ko Han, 13, were killed after the 60-foot barge collided with the 17-foot Hobie Gateway just after 11 a.m in Biscayne Bay. The boat, part of a sailing camp at the Miami Yacht Club on Watson Island, capsized after the barge ran over the sailboat between Hibiscus and Monument islands off Miami Beach.

There were several sailboats in the water at the time and the counselor and girls on the Hobie were yelling and waving for the barge to stop. Three roofers working at a home on Hibicus Island who witnessed the collison and the moments leading up to it told the Herald they, too, were screaming to get the barge to stop.

—Miami Herald

Texas House could vote on GOP redistricting plan as soon as Tuesday

AUSTIN, Texas — An overwhelming majority of witnesses who registered to speak at Friday’s Texas House redistricting panel showed up to speak against the newly proposed map that would shift five congressional districts to Republicans’ favor.

Of the more than 520 individuals who signed up to speak at Friday morning’s hearing in the Texas Capitol, almost 500 of them were registered to speak against the map that was released Wednesday morning.

Friday’s hearing would likely be the only opportunity for the general public to speak about the map that has angered Texas congressional and state Democrats. GOP Rep. Cody Vasut of Angleton, who is overseeing the House committee, told the other 14 members of the panel they should be prepared to vote on the map by Saturday.

Vasut added the map could be on the Texas House floor as soon as Tuesday.

—The Dallas Morning News

El Salvador approves law removing limits on presidential reelection

MEXICO CITY — El Salvador's parliament has approved a constitutional reform lifting a ban on presidents to run for reelection and extending the presidential term from five to six years.

The measure was passed Thursday by 57 lawmakers from President Nayib Bukele's ruling Nuevas Ideas party in a fast-tracked vote. Only three opposition members voted against it.

A second vote is required in the next session, but approval is considered certain.

"Thank you for making history," said Legislative Assembly President Ernesto Castro in a post on social media platform X. Opposition lawmaker Marcela Villatoro countered: "Today, democracy died."

The reform also abolishes presidential runoffs and ends the current presidential term on June 1, 2027 — two years earlier than previously scheduled, to align presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections.

—dpa

______