| Trump defense on Russian bounty story falls flat, even with Republicans Posted: 30 Jun 2020 04:42 PM PDT  White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has defended the president over reports that Russia offered Taliban fighters a bounty on U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
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| `You broke my wrist!' Police sued for taking down wrong man Posted: 30 Jun 2020 10:12 PM PDT  Body camera video shows Antonio Arnelo Smith handing his driver's license to a Black police officer and answering questions cooperatively before a white officer walks up behind him, wraps him in a bear hug and slams him face-first to the ground. "Oh my God, you broke my wrist!" the 46-year-old Black man screams as two more white Valdosta officers arrive, holding him down and handcuffing him following the takedown. One eventually tells Smith he's being arrested on an outstanding warrant, and is immediately corrected by the first officer: They've got the wrong man.
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| Italian police seize record amount of amphetamines shipped from Syria Posted: 01 Jul 2020 03:32 AM PDT  Italian police said on Wednesday they had seized about 14 tonnes of amphetamine pills worth around 1 billion euros ($1 billion) arriving from Syria, in what they described as the world's single largest operation of its kind. The shipment was hidden among counterfeit clothing items.
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| Study finds asteroid impact, not volcanoes, made the Earth uninhabitable for dinosaurs: 'Only plausible explanation' Posted: 30 Jun 2020 12:09 PM PDT  A new study found what happened to the Earth's dinosaurs. An asteroid strike blocking out the sun for years and causing permanent winters was cause.
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| McConnell warns Democrats about changing Senate rules to kill the filibuster Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:36 PM PDT  The Senate GOP leader spoke as some experts believe there's a fair chance his party could lose control of the chamber in November.
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| Coronavirus: What's behind alarming new US outbreaks? Posted: 01 Jul 2020 09:53 AM PDT  Cases are rising in Texas, Florida, Arizona and California - here's a look at the data and the theories.
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| More than 400 US Army paratroopers flew almost 5,000 miles to practice a long-range Pacific island invasion Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:23 PM PDT  The drill "demonstrated that we are capable of deploying anywhere in the US Indo-Pacific Command area at a moment's notice," a commander said.
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| Officials: Russian bounty reports follow years of Kremlin support to Taliban Posted: 30 Jun 2020 10:10 AM PDT  As early as 2016, U.S. intelligence officials were receiving credible reports that the Russian government was funding the Taliban. Now those reports have taken on new relevance.
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| Ex-Atlanta officer who killed Rayshard Brooks granted bond Posted: 30 Jun 2020 07:07 AM PDT  The former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks can be free on bond while his case is pending, a judge ruled Tuesday. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick set a bond of $500,000 for Garrett Rolfe, who faces charges including felony murder in the killing of Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man. Appearing via teleconference because of the coronavirus, lawyers for Rolfe argued that he is a native Georgian with strong ties to the community who is not at risk of fleeing or failing to show up for court and is not a danger to the community.
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| Top Trump aide says president is 'eager to return to the campaign trail' amid reports a planned rally was scrapped Posted: 30 Jun 2020 01:59 PM PDT  Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh held a press conference call with reporters on Tuesday where he said the president is "eager to return to the campaign trail and to keep campaigning and keep connecting with Americans."
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| Martin Gugino, the Buffalo protester pushed to the ground and injured by police, released after nearly a month in hospital Posted: 30 Jun 2020 05:38 PM PDT  The 75-year-old man who fell to the ground after being pushed by Buffalo police officers in a viral video was released from the hospital Tuesday.
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| Ex-Canada PM Mulroney calls for revised relations with China Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:43 AM PDT  Canada must have an "urgent rethink" of its relationship with China, former prime minister Brian Mulroney said Wednesday as tensions build over the possible extradition to the United States of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Conservative Mulroney backed his Liberal successor Justin Trudeau's rejection of any exchange of Meng, who was arrested in Vancouver in December 2018, for two Canadians who were detained in China in apparent retaliation. Mulroney said Canada's hope that China would emerge as a constructive partner in international relations had been proven wrong, referring in particular to Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea.
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| Photos show how protesters in New York City are occupying City Hall, demanding the police budget be cut before the July 1 deadline Posted: 30 Jun 2020 03:31 PM PDT  Hundreds of protesters have set up camp inside City Hall Park in Manhattan to demand at least $1 billion be cut from the NYPD before July 1.
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| Dr. Fauci says drinking inside bars is one of the most dangerous things you can do right now Posted: 30 Jun 2020 10:44 AM PDT  "I think we need to emphasize the responsibility that we have both as individuals, and as part of a societal effort to end the epidemic," Fauci said.
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| Intel Proves ‘Russian Bounties’ Were No Hoax, House Dems Say Posted: 30 Jun 2020 07:37 AM PDT  A group of House Democrats left a classified briefing at the White House Tuesday morning, on reports that Russia paid Taliban fighters bounties on U.S. soldiers, with complaints that Trump administration officials were not more forthcoming about the intelligence. And they also left with lots of questions about why the president—who has dismissed the story as another "Russia hoax"—is not being more forthcoming with criticism for Russian president Vladimir Putin."The president called this a hoax, publicly," said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the number two House Democrat, at a Capitol Hill press conference after returning from the White House. "Nothing in the briefing we just received led me to believe it's a hoax. There may be different judgments as to the level of credibility… there was no assertion that the information we had was a hoax.""We did not," said Hoyer, "receive any new, substantive information."And Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said that the "right people to give the briefing were not in the room," noting the absence of intelligence agency leaders. Schiff also addressed the question of whether or not Trump himself was briefed on the intelligence, as the initial report in The New York Times alleged and Trump denies. "There may be a reluctance to brief the president on things he doesn't want to hear," he said. The Daily Beast reported on Tuesday that top White House officials did not want to brief Trump on the Russia bounty intelligence for fear he'd resist or ignore the information. Schiff also questioned why the Trump administration has not addressed how it will respond to Russia. "I find it inexplicable in light of these public allegations that the president hasn't come before the country and assured people that he'll get to the bottom of whether Russians are putting bounties on the heads of troops," said Schiff, who said that U.S. officials should be considering sanctions on Russia, not inviting them to multilateral talks like those in the G7.The Democratic lawmakers said they were unable to elaborate on why the intelligence was not, as Trump claimed, a "hoax." They are requesting an all-member briefing from intelligence officials soon. But a key focus going forward, said Hoyer, is learning more about what Trump knew about the matter, and when. If Harry Truman said the "buck stops with me," quipped Hoyer, "Trump says, I didn't see the buck."Trump Officials Didn't Want to Tell Him About the 'Russian Bounties'The lawmakers' tone was a stark departure from what House Republicans had to say when they left a briefing on the matter at the White House yesterday. A GOP attendee, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), tweeted that White House officials had debunked what he called The New York Times' "hit piece," and blamed the paper for reporting details about the alleged bounty system. "Now it's impossible to finish the investigation," said Banks. "Many in the media & Congress rushed to judgment before learning the whole story."Democrats were not present at that meeting, which Banks said featured Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and "top intelligence officials." Spokespeople for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) all told The Daily Beast on Monday they had not been invited. On Tuesday, Hoyer said that Meadows called him on Sunday night about setting up a briefing for a small group of Democratic lawmakers. The Democrats' calls for additional briefings are likely to set up a showdown with the White House, which the lawmakers say has not taken the Russia intelligence seriously enough to warrant the all-member briefing they believe is necessary. Schiff said his committee has also requested additional documents to review as it investigates the matter.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Nicola Sturgeon and her husband will have to give evidence under oath to Alex Salmond inquiry Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:00 AM PDT  Nicola Sturgeon and her husband will be forced to give evidence under oath to a Scottish Parliament inquiry into the mishandling of misconduct claims against Alex Salmond, it has been announced. The specially-convened Holyrood committee tasked with examining the Scottish Government's handling of harassment complaints made against the former First Minister confirmed it will take the unusual step when questioning witnesses. Some MSPs on the committee argued taking sworn evidence under oath was necessary given the seriousness of its inquiry and to maximise the accuracy of witness evidence amid "conflicting" claims. Refusing to take an oath is an offence punishable by up to three months in jail or a £5,000 fine. Giving false evidence could attract a five-year prison sentence.
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| Amid surge in coronavirus cases and mounting criticism, GOP leaders do about-face on masks Posted: 30 Jun 2020 12:14 PM PDT  As the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage large swaths of the U.S., leading Republicans and even some right-wing TV personalities have come out in favor of wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus.
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| With a pen stroke, Mississippi drops Confederate-themed flag Posted: 30 Jun 2020 09:22 AM PDT  With a stroke of the governor's pen, Mississippi is retiring the last state flag in the U.S. with the Confederate battle emblem — a symbol that's widely condemned as racist. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed the historic bill Tuesday at the Governor's Mansion, immediately removing official status for the 126-year-old banner that has been a source of division for generations. "This is not a political moment to me but a solemn occasion to lead our Mississippi family to come together, to be reconciled and to move on," Reeves said on live TV just before the signing.
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| Prosecutor launches investigation after white couple seen pointing guns at St. Louis protesters Posted: 30 Jun 2020 06:29 PM PDT  The Circuit Attorney for St. Louis said Monday that her office is investigating a confrontation between protesters and an armed couple.
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| Hong Kong security law: Minutes after new law, pro-democracy voices quit Posted: 30 Jun 2020 12:33 AM PDT  "The law marks the end of Hong Kong that the world knew before," one activist said as he quit.
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| Beijing asks some U.S. media to submit information about their China operations Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:32 AM PDT  China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the Chinese government has asked some U.S. media outlets present in the country to submit information about their China operations. Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian named the Associated Press, National Public Radio, CBS and United Press International news agency as companies asked to submit the requested information in writing within seven days. The AP has requested more information about the Chinese government's requirements and "will review them carefully," a spokeswoman for the outlet said.
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| Iran police question four after deadly Tehran blast Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:53 AM PDT  Iranian police on Wednesday questioned four people as part of investigations into a powerful explosion that killed 19 people at a Tehran clinic the night before, state media reported. The blast at the Sina At'har health centre in the upmarket northern neighbourhood of Tajrish caused damage to nearby buildings and sent a plume of thick black smoke into the sky. It was the second such incident to hit Tehran within days, after a gas tank explosion near a military complex east of the capital late last Thursday that authorities said caused no casualties.
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| 'It is historic': Women of color dominate Joe Biden's list for vice president Posted: 01 Jul 2020 05:00 AM PDT  Joe Biden is coy about his vice president list, but his consideration of women of color is a milestone. Experts say it shows progress and the need for more representation.
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| See How One Modern Family Restored Its Ancestral Family Estate in England Posted: 30 Jun 2020 11:23 AM PDT |
| Trump Says Coronavirus Will Just ‘Disappear,’ Brags He Looks Like ‘Lone Ranger’ in Mask Posted: 01 Jul 2020 01:18 PM PDT  With coronavirus cases surging to all-time highs and states reversing reopening plans, President Donald Trump once again claimed on Wednesday that the deadly virus would eventually just "disappear." At the same time, the president appeared to change his tune on face-coverings, telling Fox Business that he's "all for masks" while boasting about the single time that he was spotted wearing one, claiming he thought he "looked OK" and that he resembled the "Lone Ranger."Speaking to Fox Business host Blake Burman from the White House, the president bragged that the economy is recovering in a "very strong fashion" as states reopen businesses and public spaces following stay-at-home orders. "And I think we are going to be very good with the coronavirus," Trump continued. "I think that at some point, that it's going to sort of just disappear, I hope."Rand Paul's Coronavirus Fix: 'We Just Need More Optimism'Burman, meanwhile, wondered aloud that Trump "still believes" that the disease will just go away, as he's asserted many times in the past. "I do. I do. Yeah," the president said. "Sure. At some point. I think we will have a vaccine very soon, too."Since February, the president has repeatedly assured the public that the virus would "disappear" in the near future. For instance, in early February, the president claimed that it would "go away by April." Later that month, when the nation's cases were still in double-digits, he confidently declared that it would be "close to zero" in a couple of days. Even in recent weeks, after deaths had already exceeded 100,000, the president insisted it will fade away even without a vaccine.Burman eventually moved on to recent studies and models that show that mandatory mask-wearing not only would have a health benefit to the public, but would also be a net positive economically as it would help prevent lockdown. Furthermore, in recent days, some of Trump's top allies at Fox have urged the president to wear a mask."So if there is an economic benefit, sir, and there is a public health benefit, sir, why not go forward and say there should be mandatory masks all across this country?" Burman asked.Trump replied that he didn't think a mandatory order was necessary because "many places" in the country feature people living "very long distances" from each other. Then the president, who has openly mocked his political opponents for wearing masks and has avoided publicly wearing face coverings, claimed he was "all for masks.""I think masks are good," he stated, prompting the Fox host to press whether he'd wear one."I would—I have. I mean, people have seen me wearing one," a rambling Trump responded. "If I'm in a group of people where we're not, you know, ten feet away but usually I'm not in that position and everyone's tested because I'm the president, they get tested before they see me but if I were in a tight situation with people, I would absolutely."North Carolina's Top Two Officials Are at War Over CoronavirusBurman, meanwhile, asked whether the public would see the president wear one at some point. The only instance of the president having been spotted with a face mask occurred during a May trip to a Ford plant, where Trump briefly donned a mask away from the press in a back area while viewing some classic cars."I mean, I have no problem. Actually, I had a mask on," Trump said, referencing the Ford plant moment. "I sort of like the way I looked, OK? I thought it was OK. It was a dark black mask and I thought it looked OK. Looked like the Lone Ranger. But no, I have no problem with that. I think—if people feel good about it they should do it."The Lone Ranger, for the record, wore a domino mask over his eyes.Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar Shut Down Meghan McCain's COVID OutburstRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| McGrath defeats Booker in Kentucky Senate Democratic primary, NBC News projects Posted: 30 Jun 2020 03:06 PM PDT  She will go up against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November.
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| As ties fray, Turkey accuses France of bias over Libya Posted: 01 Jul 2020 05:50 AM PDT |
| New York expands list of states subject to COVID-19 quarantine Posted: 30 Jun 2020 08:48 AM PDT  New York on Tuesday doubled to 16 the number of US states whose residents must go into quarantine if they visit, Governor Andrew Cuomo said amid surging coronavirus infection rates. Cuomo said visitors from California, Nevada, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee must now quarantine for 14 days if they travel to New York. This expands a travel advisory he and the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut announced last week which related to virus hotspots Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Utah and Texas.
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| Stonewall Jackson removed from Richmond's Monument Avenue Posted: 01 Jul 2020 11:45 AM PDT  Work crews wielding a giant crane, harnesses and power tools wrested an imposing statue of Gen. Stonewall Jackson from its concrete pedestal along Richmond, Virginia's famed Monument Avenue on Wednesday, just hours after the mayor ordered the removal of all Confederate statues from city land. Mayor Levar Stoney's decree came weeks after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the removal of the most prominent and imposing statue along the avenue: that of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which sits on state land.
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| Hong Kong: Mike Pompeo threatens China with new measures after Beijing enacts draconian security law Posted: 30 Jun 2020 07:29 PM PDT  The United States has threatened Beijing with new countermeasures after China imposed draconian national security laws on Hong Kong. Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State called the enactment of the sweeping measures a "sad day for Hong Kong, and for freedom-loving people across China" and reiterated the White House's commitment to abolishing the city's special status under US law. "Per President Trump's instruction, we will eliminate policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment, with few exceptions," Mr Pompeo said. "The United States will not stand idly by while China swallows Hong Kong into its authoritarian maw," he warned. Read more: What does the new security law mean for Hong Kong?
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| America's M2 Carbine: The Rifle That Made the U.S. Military Great on the Battlefield Posted: 30 Jun 2020 09:30 AM PDT  Small numbers of M2s made their way to the troops in the closing engagement of World War II in the Pacific, particularly in the brutal Battle for Okinawa. However, they saw wider-scale action five years later in the Korean War.
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| Hickenlooper rolls to victory in Colorado Senate primary Posted: 30 Jun 2020 06:40 PM PDT  On Colorado's Western Slope, GOP Rep. Scott Tipton was ousted by a conservative primary challenger.
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| Warren Introduces Nationwide Eviction Moratorium Bill Posted: 30 Jun 2020 07:03 AM PDT  Senator Elizabeth Warren on Monday introduced a bill that would extend a nationwide eviction moratorium as the current eviction protections in response to the coronavirus pandemic near expiration."Renters who have lost their job or had their income reduced shouldn't have to fear losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic," Warren said in a statement announcing the bill. "Housing is a human right and an absolute necessity to keep families safe during this crisis, and Congress must step in now to help keep people in their homes."The Massachusetts Democrat's bill, the Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act, would extend eviction protections until March 27 of next year and would apply to nearly all renters and landlords. The measure would also prohibit fees, fines, and extra charges due to non-payment of rent and require landlords to give tenants a 30-day eviction notice after the moratorium expires.The bill extends and expands the current 120-day eviction moratorium that was included in the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, a massive spending package intended to buoy the flagging economy amid the pandemic. Those eviction protections are set to expire on July 25 and applied to only renters in federally assisted housing.An even larger $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus package, the HEROES Act, which passed the House but has stalled in the Senate, includes an eviction moratorium similar to the one in Warren's bill.Warren is introducing the legislation in tandem with Representatives Jesús García, an Illinois Democrat, and Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, who are introducing a similar measure in the House."My district consists principally of immigrant and working class communities, and more than half of my constituents are renters," Garcia told Vox. "As our country faces historic levels of unemployment and with another first of the month around the corner, people in my district are hurting — the last thing they should worry about is having a roof over their head."Warren's bill comes as low-income renters in many states struggle to pay rent on time after months of layoffs and reduced income due to business closures during the lockdown and stay-at-home orders.
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| Target customer confronts employee in Black Lives Matter mask Posted: 01 Jul 2020 10:01 AM PDT  The customer said she asked the Target employee, "Don't you think all lives matter?" which started an argument. She was told to leave the store.
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| People are concerned that an $88 baseball sold on the Trump Organization's merch page could be a secret message to white supremacists Posted: 01 Jul 2020 03:04 PM PDT  The latest in series of alleged dog whistles and outright white nationalist messages from Trumpworld comes in the form of an $88 baseball.
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| If Americans keep ignoring COVID-19 safety precautions, we'll have to shut down. Again. Posted: 30 Jun 2020 07:16 AM PDT  A contagious virus is not a subject for a debate over personal choice. The only thing to discuss is what public health measures we need to control it.
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| U.S. Senator Grassley backs plan to block EPA nomination over biofuel waivers Posted: 30 Jun 2020 08:09 AM PDT  U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said on Tuesday he supported a plan by one of his Senate colleagues to block the nomination of an Environmental Protection Agency official until the agency makes clear how it would handle requests from oil refiners for retroactive exemptions from their biofuel blending mandates. Grassley and Senator Joni Ernst, both from Iowa, spoke last week with EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to discuss the waivers, which biofuel advocates in their state claim hurt farmers by undermining demand for corn-based ethanol, Grassley said on a call with reporters.
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| Fire kills 1, ruins 40 homes in Calif. desert town Posted: 29 Jun 2020 10:13 PM PDT  A brush fire killed one person and destroyed about 40 homes in a remote desert town near the shrinking Salton Sea, California's largest lake, authorities said Monday. (June 30)
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| Dem climate plan would end greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 Posted: 30 Jun 2020 08:45 AM PDT  House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a plan to address climate change that would set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, while pushing renewable energy such as wind and solar power and addressing environmental contamination that disproportionately harms low-income and minority communities. The election-year plan backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leaders is less ambitious than a sweeping Green New Deal that a group of progressive Democrats outlined last year to combat climate change and create thousands of jobs in renewable energy. The Green New Deal, championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., calls for dramatic steps to virtually eliminate U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 with a goal of meeting "100% of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources," including nuclear power.
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| Meet the Douglas B-66 Destroyer: A Tactical Light Bomber and Recon Aircraft Posted: 30 Jun 2020 09:00 PM PDT  How well did it perform?
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