| Gov. Hogan condemns Trump's 'outrageous' tweet calling for election delay Posted: 30 Jul 2020 04:27 PM PDT  "I never cease to be amazed by things the president tweets, but even that one took me by surprise," Hogan said. "He can't postpone the election, he doesn't have the power to do it, and that's why it's an outrageous statement.
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| Two pilots dead after firefighting planes collide while battling Nevada Fire; NTSB investigating Posted: 30 Jul 2020 08:57 PM PDT  Two airplanes have collided while battling a 500-acre wildfire in southeastern Nevada, according to authorities.
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| Ghislaine Maxwell-Jeffrey Epstein emails revealed in new court papers Posted: 31 Jul 2020 07:44 AM PDT  In the papers, a key accuser also alleges the pair were equally involved in sex trafficking.
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| Two pilots killed when air tankers collide Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:00 PM PDT  The planes had been dispatched to help battle the Bishop Fire, a 14,000-acre blaze burning on federal land.
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| Tammy Duckworth Wants to Know WTF Are We Supposed to Do With Our Kids During COVID? Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:27 AM PDT  Sen. Tammy Duckworth may be on Biden's VP shortlist. But when it comes to childcare during the pandemic, she's just as confused as the rest of us. "So my choice is five hours of homeschooling every day for my daughter and failing her, because I'm not a trained educator, or sending her to a school where she could very likely get this virus or bring it home and get her 2-year-old sister sick or my 79-year-old mom, who lives with us," Duckworth tells Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson on the latest episode of The New Abnormal. "That's the problem: impossible choices."Duckworth also opens up about just how hostile the Senate was to working moms until a hot second ago. One particularly ridiculous question stands out. "They want to know if you're gonna breastfeed on the floor. [And I said,] 'I'm not exactly planning on whipping one out in front of them. But if the baby is hungry, I'll feed her.'" Then Princeton's Sam Wang talks about how national polling works, what it means for Biden, and the out-of-the-way campaigns that could make a huge difference for decades to come. Oh, and the elephant in the room: the United States Postal Service."My biggest concern this year is the post office," he says.'Pretty Close to a Hundred' New Epstein AccusersPlus, a Trump ambassador goes to a Nazi cemetery—and gets all wistful. A Republican candidate swears "celebrities and Democrats catch COVID and magically heal." The Stephen Hawking of the U.S. House of Representatives displays his genius—at infecting everyone around him. And finally, Rick asks the big questions: Who's more popular, Zombie Bin Laden or Ron DeSantis? Was Tulsa Trump's Jonestown? And does Chuck Schumer realize that "he's got Mitch McConnell's balls in a bag for once?"Listen to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.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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| Jim Jordan tries and fails to get Fauci to say protesters should be arrested for gathering during pandemic Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:45 AM PDT  Dr. Anthony Fauci wants to make it clear he's got nothing to do with the justice system.Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appeared before Congress on Friday for a hearing on the federal government's coronavirus response. That's where Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who's been skeptical of restrictions meant to stem the virus' spread, tried to get Fauci to distinguish between protests against racism in the U.S. and bans on businesses reopening amid the pandemic.Because science indicates crowds exacerbate the spread of coronavirus, Jordan asked Fauci on Friday if the government "should limit the protests." "I'm not in a position to determine what the government should do in a forceful way," Fauci responded. So Jordan kept pressing: "The government is stopping people from going to church," claiming that's something "the five liberals" on the Supreme Court had decided. But Fauci continued holding out, saying he does not "judge one crowd versus another crowd" and would not "opine on who should get arrested or not. That's not my position."Jordan then went so far as to claim Fauci had said "protests increase the spread" of coronavirus. "I said crowds, I didn't say specifically, I didn't say protests or anything, " Fauci firmly responded. "You're putting words in my mouth," Fauci continued before saying he had no data showing the nationwide protests had spread the virus. Watch the whole exchange below. > Rep. Jordan: So, you're allowed to protest, millions of people in crowds...but you try to run your business and you get arrested?> > Dr. Fauci: I don't understand what you're asking me, as a public health official, to opine on who should get arrested or not. That's not my position pic.twitter.com/fAZEqbLz5q> > -- CBS News (@CBSNews) July 31, 2020More stories from theweek.com The White House reportedly scrapped a national testing plan because the virus was mostly hitting blue states Josh Hawley's good idea to stop modern slavery New Lincoln Project video imagines what it's like to wake up from a coma in 2020
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| Teachers fearing in-person schooling make wills, retire or plan strikes Posted: 31 Jul 2020 01:15 AM PDT  Educators, worried about the potentially deadly risks they are being forced to take, say proper protections have not been implemented School districts around the US are set to begin reopening in August, many with in-person classes, five days a week, despite coronavirus cases rising in many parts of the country.But the school reopenings have teachers around the US fearful for the safety of themselves, students, staff and family members, with teachers and unions saying that proper protections and protocols have yet to be implemented.Some teachers have even drawn up wills ahead of classes beginning, others have retired from the profession and teachers unions have said they will sanction strike action for members who deem that they are being forced to take potentially deadly risks."Educators are afraid because proper policies are not being put in place to protect them," said Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education Association. The Oklahoma state board of education has only issued guidelines for school districts, and voted down a proposal on 23 July to issue a mask mandate in schools across the state."The OEA offers members through our personal legal services program a free will. The requests for those free wills are up over 3,000% in the last few weeks," Priest added.A report published by the Kaiser Family Foundation on 10 July found 1.47 million teachers in the US – some 24% of the profession – are at greater risk of serious illness if infected with coronavirus because they have conditions that make them vulnerable.Yet Florida has issued an order mandating all schools must open in August in-person, five days a week. The Florida teachers union responded to the order with a lawsuit."We are letting the community down by pretending we can open safely. The districts cannot do what is necessary according to CDC guidelines," said Stacy Rene Kennett, a kindergarten teacher in Immokalee, Florida, who is expected to begin attending in-person training for school reopenings on 4 August.Amy Scott, an IB language arts high school teacher in Miami, Florida for 44 years, decided to retire one year early due to the coronavirus pandemic and the instability of the upcoming school year."I dreaded it. I wanted to extend it as long as possible because I love kids and teaching," said Scott. "But then came coronavirus and I realized all the difficulties of holding brick-and-mortar classrooms and the danger involved to teachers, students and the community spread and I didn't want to end my 45 years of teaching in such a frustrating environment."In Arizona, which was designated a global pandemic hotspot in early July, reopening decisions have been left to individual school districts."There is no consistency across the state," said Marisol Garcia, a middle school teacher and parent in Phoenix who currently serves as vice-president of the Arizona Educators Association. "We are left to our own devices to figure out how to keep our families safe and ensure our students are safe"Garcia explained current class loads in Arizona make social distancing impossible in districts where in-person learning is permitted, as she had no less than 31 students in each class last school year, and it remains unclear if any schools will face repercussions for not following guidelines for coronavirus protections. She also warns many of her colleagues may retire early.In Georgia, state agencies have issued guidelines for school reopenings, deferring decisions to school districts on when and how schools reopen in the coming weeks.Several school districts outside of metro areas in Georgia are reopening in August with in-person classes, five days a week, leaving teachers there concerned over safety protections as coronavirus case rates have been rising around the state over the past several weeks."We're very concerned that when we're once again in school buildings, children, educators, and their family members will become sick and perhaps die," said Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Educators Association.According to Morgan, several school districts in Georgia that are reopening in person, five days a week, are not following CDC guidelines, with no mask mandates, large classroom sizes making social distancing impossible, and responsibility for extra cleaning measures placed on teachers to carry out.Even as schools are expected to reopen in the coming weeks around the US, school districts and teachers are scrambling to create plans for restarting schools, whether classes are conducted in person, virtually, or a hybrid of in-person and remote learning."The country is asking teachers and children to lead the way, yet no one seems to know what direction we're headed," said Angela McKeen, a high school science teacher in Clarksburg, West Virginia. "My concerns at this point are for my students. Can we prevent huge outbreaks? Can students effectively learn in such fluid situations? Can teachers effectively reach their students at not just their places academically, but also emotionally during this time?"Teacher unions have raised the possibility of walking off the job unless comprehensive safety plans are implemented for schools to reopen.The head of the Colorado Education Association recently said teachers may refuse to report to work as schools are set to reopen in the state in August if teachers' criteria for school reopenings aren't met.The union cited a survey of nearly 10,000 members, where about eight out of 10 teachers asserted they would be willing to refuse to work if teachers aren't provided a voice in how safety protocols are implemented, such as mask mandates and social distancing procedures."We don't want schools to be epicenters of outbreak in our community. It would crush any student or staff member if they brought coronavirus into school," said Ernest Garibay, a high school math teacher in Jefferson county, Colorado, and local union representative.
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| In attempt to discourage people from funding the Syrian regime, the US State Department sanctions Bashar al-Assad's son Posted: 29 Jul 2020 10:23 PM PDT  "Syria sanctions are not intended to harm the Syrian people....or hinder our stabilization activities in northeast Syria," the State Department said.
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| Austin, Texas, joins growing number of U.S. cities in declaring racism a 'public health crisis' Posted: 30 Jul 2020 12:18 PM PDT  Dozens of cities and counties have passed similar declarations in the wake of George Floyd's death.
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| Are Pap smears 'obsolete'? There's a better option for cervical cancer screening, American Cancer Society says Posted: 30 Jul 2020 08:12 AM PDT  The American Cancer Society released new guidelines on cervical cancer screenings Thursday, recommending that people with a cervix start testing at age 25.
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| Carjacking suspect guns down three police officers in Chicago police station shoot out Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:25 AM PDT  A carjacking suspect who had already been arrested shot three Chicago police officers as they attempted to escort him into custody on Thursday morning, authorities said.The gunman was being taken out of a patrol van and walked into Northwest Side police station at around 9.30am when he opened fire, hitting the officers.
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| Top Trump immigration enforcer announces retirement as election nears Posted: 31 Jul 2020 07:36 AM PDT  U.S. President Donald Trump's top immigration enforcement official on Friday announced he will retire from the agency, a staffing shakeup in a key policy area for Trump as he faces re-election in November. Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said in a statement that his plan to retire had been prolonged by the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has created challenges for ICE operations both in the field and in immigration detention centers, where nearly 4,000 immigrants have tested positive for the disease.
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| Did the CIA Torture an Undercover DEA Agent for a Mexican Drug Cartel? Posted: 31 Jul 2020 12:11 AM PDT  Narcos: Mexico's first two seasons revolve around the 1985 murder of undercover DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who was abducted, tortured and slain by the Guadalajara Cartel he was investigating. Mining thrilling drama from reality, the Netflix series is a true story about bravery and villainy that's overflowing with larger-than-life figures, be it the bold Camarena, the ruthless cartel kingpins Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and Rafael Caro Quintero, or the resolute DEA agents intent on bringing to justice those responsible for their comrade's killing—the latter group led by Walt Breslin, a take-no-prisoners American tasked with leading the retaliatory mission against the drug lords.Unlike most of those featured in Netflix's hit, Walt Breslin isn't a real person but a composite character based largely on DEA agent Hector Berrellez, the supervisor of the inquiry into Camarena's assassination. And in Amazon's new The Last Narc, Berrellez tells his own harrowing tale of taking on Guadalajara's kingpins—and in the process delivers revelations about the U.S. government's own culpability in the death of one of their own.Netflix Exposes Trump's Shady Mob Ties in 'Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia'The Nazi Hunter Taking On Mark ZuckerbergDirected by Tiller Russell, The Last Narc is a four-part docuseries (premiering July 31) about the vast conspiracy that fatally ensnared Camarena. In a dim, empty bar illuminated only by light streaming through a background doorway and window, the candid Berrellez recounts his own involvement in the War on Drugs. Brought up by a tarot card-reading mom (here seen plying her supernatural trade), and compelled to pursue a law-enforcement career after his brother became hooked on heroin at age 12, Berrellez is a bearded, weathered cowboy with a glint in his eyes that says he means business. Forthrightly reminiscing about pulling guns on suspects—and shooting down one dealer during an undercover bust gone awry—he instantly comes across as the real deal, and thus a fascinating tour guide into this sordid cartel milieu.Berrellez's career took off once he joined the DEA, and he was soon ordered to figure out who had done in Camarena. According to wife Geneva "Mika" Camarena and colleagues Mike Holm and Phil Jordan, Camarena was a daring and driven agent determined to take down the mighty Guadalajara Cartel, and he certainly put a dent in their empire when he discovered (and, with the help of pilot Alfredo Zavala, photographed from the sky) Rancho Búfalo, a sprawling marijuana plantation that was subsequently torched by Mexican soldiers, thereby costing the cartel billions. On its own, that blow was enough to put Camarena in Gallardo, Quintero and Carrillo's crosshairs. But worse still, it indicated that he was closing in on them, even though they had virtually everyone on their payroll, from local cops and politicians to Miguel de la Madrid, the then-current president of Mexico, as well as his predecessor, Jose Lopez Portillo.On February 7, 1985, the cartel struck, seizing Camarena as he left the office to meet Mika for lunch. At 881 Lope de Vega—a residence owned by Ruben Zuno Arce, a dealer and associate of Quintero—Camarena was horribly tortured, and kept alive (so he could suffer more) by doctor Humberto Álvarez Machaín. After 36 hours, he fell into a coma and was lethally bludgeoned with a piece of rebar by one of Quintero's gunmen. He was then buried in Arce's La Primavera forest (a de facto cartel graveyard), only to later be dug up so he could be "found" by authorities.Berrellez's knowledge of cartel culture and operations is extensive and compelling, as is his explanation of the investigative hurdles he faced while trying to take down his targets. His insights alone make The Last Narc an eye-opening non-fiction account of underworld mayhem. Russell's series, however, also benefits from the input of three cartel henchmen—Jalisco State Police officers Jorge Godoy and Rene Lopez, and their boss Ramon Lira—who relay their experiences as bodyguards for Gallardo, Quintero and Carrillo, as well as their direct participation in Camarena's kidnapping and murder, all before they switched sides and became informants for Berrellez. From describing that broad-daylight snatching of Camarena, to revealing how Carrillo and Quintero argued about how to deal with their prisoner (the former wanted him released; the latter wanted him offed), their commentary affords a window onto a clandestine world fueled by greed, mercilessness, substance abuse and a sense of invulnerability.Stunning first-person details abound in The Last Narc, provided by colorful characters led by Berrellez—a no-nonsense crime fighter who seems tailor-made for a big-screen action franchise, even in older age—and Godoy, who behaves in such a weird manner during his interview that it's not clear if he's drunk, mad, or some combination of the two. In a late scene, Godoy closes his eyes and brushes at his shoulders to dispel the spirits (of Camarena, and others) that haunt him. It's a sight that's all the more transfixing for being so weird, and it's in keeping with the general gonzo nature of the proceedings, which (as in Narcos: Mexico) eventually implicate the CIA and DEA as complicit in Camarena's execution. Led by Berrellez and others' testimony, the series contends that Cuban-born CIA agent Felix Rodriguez partially conducted Camarena's interrogation and torture, because the U.S. government feared that he had stumbled upon a much larger conspiracy—namely, that the CIA was in bed with the cartels, moving guns, drugs and cash through them in order to covertly fund Nicaragua's anti-communist Contras.That theory might not be new, but Berrellez's discussion about his primary role in exposing the scheme—and the personal and professional ramifications he suffered as a result—lends it persuasive credence. The Last Narc thus transforms from a simple murder-mystery into a wide-ranging expose about the entangled relationship between the CIA, the Mexican government, the DFS (Mexico's secret police, created by the CIA) and the cartels. In doing so, it renders Camarena a casualty of a war that was fundamentally unwinnable, since all interested parties had a stake in maintaining the status quo, regardless of the harm it caused the Mexican and American populations. Consequently, the lasting impression left by Russell's series isn't shock or outrage, but despair over a plague supported by a greedy many, and combated by a courageous few who, for their heroic efforts, received nothing but disgrace and death.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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| Father, son with COVID-19 forced to quarantine in Hawaii Posted: 29 Jul 2020 08:20 PM PDT  Hawaii's public health director said a rarely used special health order was used to force them into isolation.
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| China uses Hong Kong security law against US and UK based activists Posted: 31 Jul 2020 05:37 PM PDT  * Arrest warrant issued for campaigner and US citizen Samuel Chu * Four other exiles are in Britain wanted for 'incitement to secession'Hong Kong police have issued arrest warrants for six pro-democracy activists living in exile, the first time the city's authorities have used a sweeping new law to target campaigners living outside Hong Kong.They include Samuel Chu, an American citizen who lives in the US, Nathan Law, a prominent campaigner who recently relocated to the UK after fleeing Hong Kong, and Simon Cheng, a former British consular staffer who was granted asylum in the UK after alleging he was tortured in China.Chinese state media reported that the six men were wanted for "incitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces".The move comes a month after China introduced a controversial national security law in Hong Kong. China said the legislation targets the crimes of "secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces" and carries penalties as severe as life in prison.Critics warned that it would be used to target legitimate opposition, and highlighted the unusual decision to make the law applicable to both Hong Kong residents and non-residents. That apparently gives China jurisdiction beyond its own borders.Chu, who runs the Hong Kong Democracy Council, a Washington DC-based advocacy organization dedicated to furthering Hong Kong's freedom and democracy, is the first person targeted under this aspect of the law.He said China was sending a clear message to other activists by ordering his arrest."I would really emphasize how outrageous this really is," Chu told the Guardian. "I am the first non-Chinese citizen that essentially is being targeted. I think they do intend to try to make this an example."Several countries have since suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong, including the UK, Australia and Germany, as a possible safeguard against attempts to use the national security laws to round up activists abroad. The US ordered an end to Hong Kong's special economic status earlier in July.Chu, who has lived in the US as an American citizen since 1996, said the charges amounted to China "targeting a US citizen for lobbying my own government"."We always knew that when the national security law went into effect there was a very troubling and illogical, irrational idea that they were claiming jurisdiction over anyone who is not even a Hong Kong resident, who is anywhere in the world, doing anything that they deemed threatening," he said.> HK police is targeting a US citizen for lobbying my own gov't. I might be the 1st non-Chinese citizen to be targeted, but I will not be the last. If I am targeted, any American/any citizen of any nation who speaks out for HK can-and will be-too. > > We are all Hong Kongers now. pic.twitter.com/KQYGcStY1e> > — Samuel Chu 朱牧民 (@samuelmchu) July 31, 2020The other activists charged wereRay Wong, Wayne Chan and Honcques Laus.Wong, who is currently in the UK, told Reuters the charges showed that the Chinese government was afraid of the advocacy work of Hong Kong activists internationally."I think they want to cut off our connection with people in Hong Kong … it will make people fear that they may violate the national security law by contacting us," Wong said.
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| A hotel in Australia had to ban a pair of 6-foot emus for overstepping their guest privileges Posted: 31 Jul 2020 10:35 AM PDT  Emu siblings Kevin and Carol are frequent visitors of the Yaraka Hotel in Queensland, but reportedly got a little out of hand last week.
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| These 13 states need to lock down now, according to Harvard coronavirus experts Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:22 AM PDT  A report released by the Trump administration's coronavirus task force warns that 21 states are now in the "red zone" and need to take aggressive steps to slow the spread of COVID-19. But new guidelines from Harvard University show the task force's recommendations may be too weak to suppress the virus.
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| Nearly a third of Poland has declared 'LGBT-free zones.' The EU is denying funds to them. Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:44 AM PDT  "EU values and fundamental rights must be respected by Member States and state authorities," said Commissioner Helena Dalli in a tweet Tuesday.
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| Trump revisits his playbook for disastrous news: An explosive spectacle Posted: 30 Jul 2020 04:20 PM PDT  Minutes after the government announced the worst economic contraction on record, the president upended a day in Washington with his suggestion of delaying the election.
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| Russian jet fighter buzzes two U.S. spy planes over Black Sea Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:14 AM PDT |
| A key federal appeals court will reexamine case on Michael Flynn's guilty plea Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:42 AM PDT  The full panel of judges' decision to review Flynn's case could result in a reversal of a three-judge panel's decision to dismiss the case last month.
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| Hurricane Isaias slams Puerto Rico, could hit Florida on weekend Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:22 PM PDT  The storm will bring "potentially life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides" to Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean, forecasters said.
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| Hong Kong bars 12 opposition candidates from election Posted: 30 Jul 2020 07:33 AM PDT  Opposition candidates had hoped to capitalise on anger over a controversial security law.
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| South Korean general sacked over defector's return Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:10 PM PDT  The man's departure only came to light when Pyongyang -- which insists it has not had any coronavirus cases -- announced at the weekend that a "runaway" who had returned across the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone was suspected of having the disease. Inter-Korean relations have been in a deep freeze following the collapse of a summit in Hanoi between Kim and US President Donald Trump early last year over what the nuclear-armed North would be willing to give up in exchange for a loosening of sanctions.
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| Former U.S. Ambassador Labels Pompeo Speech on China a ‘Psychotic Rant’ in Interview with Chinese Propaganda Outlet Posted: 31 Jul 2020 12:28 PM PDT  Charles "Chas" Freeman, a veteran U.S. diplomat who served in East Asia and as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, slammed a speech by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a "psychotic rant" in an interview Wednesday with a Chinese propaganda outlet.In his July 23 speech at the Nixon Presidential Library, Pompeo said, "Securing our freedoms from the Chinese Communist Party is the mission of our time, and America is perfectly positioned to lead it because our founding principles give us that opportunity."The U.S. is upping its hostility toward China "as outlined in Pompeo's psychotic rant of last Thursday," Freeman told Chinese state news agency Xinhua on Wednesday. "China policy is now made by notable anti-China elements, who will have agreed with the many falsehoods and distortions of Pompeo's rhetoric."Freeman has a long history of service in the State Department, and he was President Nixon's Chinese interpreter during his visit to China in 1972. The former diplomat drew controversy in 2009 when he was nominated to be chairman of the National Intelligence Council, after Freeman wrote in an email leaked to the Weekly Standard that China was too restrained in its crackdown of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests."The Politburo's response to the mob scene at 'Tian'anmen' stands as a monument to overly cautious behavior on the part of the leadership, not as an example of rash action," Freeman wrote at the time. "I do not believe it is acceptable for any country to allow the heart of its national capital to be occupied by dissidents intent on disrupting the normal functions of government, however appealing to foreigners their propaganda may be."
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| Joe Biden's running mate - none will satisfy all sections of the party Posted: 30 Jul 2020 01:00 AM PDT  Kamala Harris? Val Demings? Democrats speculate but no single candidate will be able to satisfy all the interest groups and sectors of the partyIt doesn't matter who Joe Biden picks as his running mate – somebody will be disappointed.The former vice-president and de facto Democratic presidential nominee on Tuesday said he would make a selection in the first week of August.The selection process has largely been kept secret with as many as two dozen names floating around as potential running mates.Vice-presidential nominees rarely decide elections and the common rule among political operatives is that a candidate should pick someone who does no harm. But in the 2020 presidential cycle, Biden's selection has added importance. If he wins the 2020 presidential election, Biden has indicated that he may not run for re-election, immediately putting his vice-president into contention for 2024.Biden's public criteria for the role are that it be someone he feels "simpatico" with, and it be a woman. He recently said there were "four Black women" he was considering picking. Democrats close to Biden's inner circle believe Biden has narrowed his pool down to about six names but he is still very much undecided.But among the many candidates mentioned by Biden himself, or anonymous Democratic operatives in articles gaming out his choices, or pundits, there is no single person who would satisfy all the interest groups and sectors of the Democratic party, each of which has its favorites.Democrats hoping to elevate someone with law enforcement credentials would like to see the Florida congresswoman Val Demings, a former chief of the Orlando police department.But progressives and their affiliated groups have pushed for someone like the Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams or Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren."The campaign needs to show progressives across this country that he recognizes that the future of the party is with progressives and the only way to do that is by choosing a really strong progressive to be his vice-presidential candidate," said Charles Chamberlain, the executive director of the progressive Democracy for America outside group.At one point centrists in the party were hoping for the Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar before Klobuchar took herself out of the running. Meanwhile, mayors across the country would like to see one of their own get the nod – someone like Atlanta's Keisha Lance Bottoms.Democrats who think executive experience and a history of winning statewide elections want someone like the Michigan governor, Gretchen Whitmer, or the New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Others who think a military background would help Biden oust Donald Trump have pushed for the Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth.And in recent days the former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice has been a hot topic of political articles about Biden's potential running mate.But no single candidate fits the bill for everyone.Dorian Warren, the president of the progressive organizing group Community Change, who wants Biden to pick Abrams and said she would be disappointed if she were overlooked. "But it depends on who the pick ultimately is. But there would be disappointment, for sure. I think, second, is what could the Biden team imagine the next best use of [Stacey Abrams]?"The Abrams team have been aggressive in putting forward her candidacy. They eagerly set up interviews with reporters and Abrams surrogates like Warren. Abrams has also appeared at multiple fundraising events for Biden.Other groups have also been active in support of their choices. The Democratic veterans group VoteVets have released ads pushing for Duckworth."Tammy was kind of the only veteran out there that they were looking at," said Jon Soltz, the chairman of VoteVets. "The point of what we were trying to do was show what that would look like and that she should be considered."Mayors across the country enjoy a tight community. One of the more prominent mayors, Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, is on the committee charged with helping Biden make his pick. His counterparts in other cities have expressed their support for Bottoms or Demings."The Florida mayors particularly have been pushing for Demings," said the maor of Dayton, Ohio, Nan Whaley. "We have Keisha in the mix too which we're excited about as a mayor."It's possible Biden will infuriate varying sectors of the Democratic party depending on who he picks. If he picks a Caucasian women, Biden risks disappointing the African American community. If Biden picks a centrist he could disappoint the progressive wing of the party and depress turnout among activists in that wing. If Biden picks a progressive, he might turn off moderates and Republicans the campaign and its allies have been working to woo.If he picks a member of Congress, that could give pause to voters eager to see an executive join the former vice-president. A recent poll conducted for the liberal thinktank Data for Progress found that independent voters want Biden to put an emphasis on "governing effectiveness" in picking a running mate.And if he picks someone like Rice or Abrams, that could worry Democrats who think Biden's running mate needs a record of winning elections statewide. Neither Abrams or Rice have ever won elections statewide. And Rice has never run a federal campaign, although she took a serious look about challenging the Republican senator Susan Collins in Maine.In recent days a set of donors have warned Biden against picking Harris, according to a CNBC report. But Biden's peril only extends so far. More so than in past cycles, Democrats across the party say they just want to see Biden beat Trump."I would say that if Biden picks someone besides Tammy Duckworth we're still going to enthusiastically attack Donald Trump," Soltz said.
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| U.S. lets ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen publish book while serving sentence at home Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:46 AM PDT  The agreement between Cohen's lawyers and federal prosecutors also frees Cohen to engage with news organizations and use social media, as he serves the remainder of his three-year term for campaign finance violations and other crimes in home confinement. "There shall be no specific media provision" governing Cohen's activities, according to the agreement, which requires approval by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan. Cohen, 53, had served about one year of his prison term before being sent home to his Manhattan apartment in May, because of the risk of contracting COVID-19 behind bars.
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| Family of Black college student killed by white police officer draws support from Jay-Z, Rihanna and Amy Schumer in bid to reopen case Posted: 30 Jul 2020 11:37 AM PDT  College football standout Danroy "DJ" Henry Jr., 20, was shot and killed by a white police officer outside a New York bar on Oct. 17, 2010, as he drove away from a disturbance he was not involved in. Nearly 10 years later, celebrities join the victim's family to demand that the case be reopened.
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| 3 Georgia inmates are being praised for rescuing their guard after he fell unconscious and split his head open Posted: 30 Jul 2020 12:03 PM PDT  The story of the inmates' rescue drew attention on social media and prompted donations to the inmates' accounts, according to the sheriff's office.
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| Law firm representing Fort Hood soldier in fatal shooting Posted: 31 Jul 2020 04:11 PM PDT |
| Coronavirus: 10 die drinking sanitiser after Indian state shuts liquor shops Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:30 AM PDT  Local liquor shops were shut under a local coronavirus lockdown in a village in Andhra Pradesh.
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| FBI says errors discovered in more than two-dozen wiretap applications were mostly minor Posted: 30 Jul 2020 04:59 PM PDT  The agency said its review of 29 applications to obtain wiretaps on U.S. citizens had only minor, mostly typographical errors.
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| What Pullout? Feds Gas Moms in Fresh Portland Crackdown Posted: 30 Jul 2020 08:31 AM PDT  PORTLAND—With roughly two-dozen federal officers in riot gear marching towards her, Demetria Hester linked arms with two other mothers in yellow shirts. "Hands up!" she chanted. "Don't shoot!" responded the crowd, warily watching a line of federal agents coming towards them from behind a cloud of tear gas and smoke from munition fire. Though the number of protesters in downtown Portland had dwindled to about 100 shortly after midnight Thursday, the number of federal agents out on the streets was larger than ever. Hours after Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced the gradual removal of federal law enforcement officers from Portland, more than 200 of those officers were clashing with protesters outside the federal courthouse, using tear gas to clear the surrounding streets.Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and President Donald Trump had disputed the governor's announcement, the former tweeting that federal officers would "remain in Portland until the violent activity toward our federal facilities ends." And if the scene in Portland early Thursday morning was any indication, the unrest there isn't close to finished.The line of federal agents, holding shields and riot shotguns, shoved a wall of protesters back from the front of the courthouse. Then came the tear gas, lobbed into the crowd by U.S. Marshals and officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. 'It's Spooky Right Now': Inside the Creepy Federal Crackdown on Portland ProtestersProtesters frantically dodged the flying thick metal canisters and backed away from the rising smoke. With her hands still in the air, Hester pulled down a respirator mask over her mouth. "Hands up!" she kept chanting through her mask, and then slid on a pair of goggles. "Don't shoot!" came the crowd's reply, muffled by the sting of tear gas and the sound of jostled bodies. After tackling and arresting a protester, federal officers continued throwing tear gas into the crowd to clear the area. Her bloodshot eyes tearing up, Hester backed away from the heavy volley of teargas and munitions, coughing into her respirator. "We weren't doing anything wrong," she told The Daily Beast between coughs. "We were just peacefully protesting." Indeed, before officers closed in, Hester and the other demonstrators standing in front of the courthouse had been peacefully chanting. "George Floyd." "Breonna Taylor." "Black Lives Matter." Earlier in the night, however, a small number of protesters had become violent: shining lasers at officer's faces and chucking fireworks at the federal courthouse. Now it appeared police officers were targeting specific people for arrest, and tear gassing anyone else in the way. Another demonstrator dressed in yellow—the designated color of the so-called "Wall of Moms," a group of mothers focused on defending Black lives from police brutality—offered Hester a moist towelette to rub across her stinging eyes. Though Hester came out Wednesday night to protest police brutality alongside other yellow-shirted moms, the 45-year-old mother of two and grandmother of three has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement since May 2017. It was then Hester was assaulted by convicted killer Jeremy Christian the day before he killed two men on a Portland commuter train following a racist tirade. In her testimony, Hester said she interrupted Christian as he was screaming about minorities, after which he hit her in the face with a bottle, badly bruising her right eye. The next day, Christian directed another racist tirade at a small group of young girls, and fatally stabbed two men who interfered. The trial ended late last month with a sentence of life in prison without parole. "It was really after that trial that I started coming down here," Hester said of the protest site, where a final burst of intense clashes were coming to an end. Hester and a few other mothers asked me where my car was and insisted on walking me there, because "that's what moms do." Hester, alongside several other Black activist mothers, has helped take charge of the Wall of Moms alongside a group called Moms United for Black Lives after the former's original founder was accused of "anti-blackness."Amid the chaos on the street, Hester recounted the day she was attacked by Christian, when she approached an officer with the Portland Police Bureau and pointed her attacker out. Christian was not arrested."That white supremacist got special treatment from the police. That's not acceptable," she said, pausing to spit out the taste of tear gas. "And that's what we're here fighting for today." So even if the feds did pull out of her city, it was hard to imagine activists like Hester would be satisfied."It won't make a difference if they leave or stay," Hester said, referring to the federal officers. "It all comes down to white privilege in this country." Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. 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| Kamala Harris is reportedly losing favorite status in the tumultuous Biden veepstakes. Here's why. Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:09 PM PDT  Skepticism around Harris from Biden's inner circle of family and elder statesmen like Chris Dodd all goes back to her big debate moment.
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| David Duke: Former KKK grand wizard and white supremacist has Twitter account permanently banned Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:16 AM PDT  Notorious former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke has had his Twitter account permanently banned after previously being suspended – less than a month after he endorsed Donald Trump for re-election.A high-profile white supremacist campaigner and agitator who has unsuccessfully run for public office several times, Mr Duke is also known for his advocacy for outlandish conspiracy theories, including that the world is run by a Jewish cabal that controls politics, the media and even the internet.
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| Venezuela supreme court approves extradition request to Italy for ex-oil czar Posted: 31 Jul 2020 11:33 AM PDT  Venezuela's supreme court said on Friday it had approved a request to Italy for the extradition of Rafael Ramirez, a once powerful oil minister and former head of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, on corruption charges. Authorities opened a probe into Ramirez over alleged graft in late 2017 and sought an Interpol red alert for him in early 2018, shortly after he left his later post as Venezuela's United Nations ambassador and began publicly criticizing President Nicolas Maduro's handling of the economy, which remains in freefall.
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| Woman who filmed Florida police officer drawing gun during pullover arrested after failing to return vehicle Posted: 31 Jul 2020 01:58 PM PDT  Joneshia Wilkerson, 23, was arrested on suspicion of failure to return a leased vehicle and fraudulent use of a credit card.
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| GOP intransigence in Michigan could lead to a chaotic presidential election Posted: 30 Jul 2020 02:00 AM PDT  A top Michigan official warned that, unless the Republican-controlled state Legislature passes a law to speed up the reporting of election results, it would be responsible for a chaotic and destabilizing election this fall.
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| Does the Covid pandemic spell the end of public schools? Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:00 AM PDT  COVID-19 has become a threat to public schooling as parents begin to seek alternative schooling for the fall if public schools remain closed.
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| Fool's Gold Has a Purpose After All Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:06 AM PDT  Pyrite: not totally useless!
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| Boeing wins $265 million to build more special ops Chinook helos Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:24 PM PDT  Army has minted another deal with Boeing for more Chinooks for special ops.
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| Homeland Security gathered intelligence on journalists covering Portland protests Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:27 PM PDT  Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf ordered an investigation into agency's intelligence unit which assembled reports on journalists in Portland.
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| Ex-Weinstein Attorney Lisa Bloom Loses Money Grab in Autistic Kid’s Settlement Posted: 31 Jul 2020 01:45 PM PDT  A federal magistrate on Friday denied attorneys' fees to camera-ready victims' rights lawyer Lisa Bloom, who had tried to block a multimillion-dollar settlement for a sexually abused autistic teenager who was briefly Bloom's client.San Francisco-based U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler instead invalidated Bloom's lien on the settlement from the West Contra Costa Unified School District and awarded $2,250,000—a figure which includes costs and attorneys' fees—to "Brennon B.," a severely disabled student who was repeatedly sexually assaulted on school property by fellow special needs students and a staff member."In light of the benefits that the plaintiff has received in the litigation…the court finds that the settlement is reasonable and that the attorney's fees are reasonable and appropriate," Beeler ruled, while denying Bloom's request to maintain her lien on just the attorneys' fees.Former Harvey Weinstein Attorney Lisa Bloom, Angling for a Hefty Payday, Now Faces Fraud AllegationsBrennon B.'s longtime attorney, Micha Star Liberty, who had a joint venture agreement with Bloom to assist with the case for seven months until Bloom abruptly withdrew in late March 2020, had alleged in court filings that The Bloom Firm had violated terms of the agreement and forged documents and signatures in an unjustified money grab."My client and I are pleased with the court's ruling," Liberty told The Daily Beast, referring to Brennon B. and his mother and legal guardian, Bellinda B. "Lisa Bloom has shown once again that all she cares about is money, and will do anything to get it, including calling the mother of her own former client, a special needs sexual assault victim, a liar in a publicly filed document. Through her disparaging words and her attempt to profit by fraud, her lack of moral compass has yet again been revealed to the world through her own unethical actions." The Bloom Firm, in a statement that said it was "pleased that Brennon B. will receive his portion of the settlement and the justice he deserves," fired back: "This is and has always been an attorney's fees dispute between The Bloom Firm and Liberty Law, that should never have included the clients... Ms. Liberty has gone to great lengths to avoid paying money she is contractually obligated to pay, even using her own clients as pawns, despite knowing that The Bloom Firm's lien could not and would not affect the client's portion. Ms. Liberty also appears intent on using the media to defame and ridicule Ms. Bloom. The Bloom Firm will not stoop to Ms. Liberty's level and has no further comment on her or this matter."Friday's ruling—which is expected to cause the settlement payment to be disbursed by next week—is likely a bad omen for Bloom's attempt to collect a hefty slice of a second multimillion-dollar settlement, also won by Liberty.In that case, "I.V.," a 7-year-old autistic girl, sued the Vacaville Unified School District after her physical and emotional abuse by a school bus driver was caught on video and received intense media coverage.Bloom, whose feminist reputation suffered a massive blow with revelations that she had been secretly helping convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein trash his accusers, has until midnight Friday to file a motion to Sacramento-based U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller.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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| Marine Corps Plan to Ditch Tanks Could Burden the Army, Experts Say Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:07 AM PDT  Some Marine Corps tank companies have cased their colors, winding up decades-long missions.
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