| Portland protests: Trump's homeland security chief says federal police will stay – for now Posted: 31 Jul 2020 06:04 AM PDT  Federal police forces will remain in Portland until Trump administration officials determine the Oregon governor, a Democrat, has a plan that is working to quell protests and violence there, says Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf."Law enforcement officers that have been there over the past 60 days will remain there in Portland until we are assured that the plan that has been put in place by the governor and Oregon State Police will be effective night after night," Mr Wolf told Fox News on Friday morning.
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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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| 'You're putting words in my mouth': Fauci and Rep. Jim Jordan clash over police-brutality protests at House coronavirus hearing Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:13 AM PDT  Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan repeatedly tried to corner Dr. Anthony Fauci into saying the government should limit protests, but Fauci refused to do so.
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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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| Portland has become the focal point of Black Lives Matter protests in America, but it has a tortured history when it comes to race Posted: 30 Jul 2020 07:10 AM PDT  For years in Oregon's early history, white locals barred Black people from living in its borders. It's now one of the least diverse states in America.
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| Mexico to eclipse UK with third highest coronavirus death toll Posted: 31 Jul 2020 11:05 AM PDT  Mexico is poised to overtake Britain as the country with the third-highest coronavirus death toll as the pandemic reaches new milestones in Latin America and threatens to disrupt efforts to reopen the economy. The unwanted record will place Mexico behind Brazil, Latin America's largest and most populous nation, and the United States. More than 91,000 people have died in Brazil and the U.S. death toll has surpassed 152,000.
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| Hong Kong security law: Four students arrested for 'inciting secession' Posted: 29 Jul 2020 06:21 PM PDT  Those arrested include Tony Chung, the ex-leader of a group that called for Hong Kong independence.
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| NASA's Perseverance Rover Is Headed to Mars. Now Comes the Hard Part. Posted: 30 Jul 2020 08:00 AM PDT |
| COVID-19 patient who had double transplant didn’t recognize body Posted: 31 Jul 2020 05:33 AM PDT  A Chicago woman who became the nation's first COVID-19 patient to undergo a double lung transplant said, "I looked at myself and couldn't recognize my body."
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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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| 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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| 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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| Russian jet fighter buzzes two U.S. spy planes over Black Sea Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:14 AM PDT |
| 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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| 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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| House Democrats subpoena Pompeo for documents on Biden's son Posted: 31 Jul 2020 12:02 PM PDT  The House Foreign Affairs Committee has subpoenaed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for documents he turned over to a Senate panel that is investigating Hunter Biden, a son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Committee Chair Eliot Engel said Friday he had issued the subpoena as part of an investigation into Pompeo's "apparent use of Department of State resources to advance a political smear of former Vice President Joe Biden."
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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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| Democrats reject $600 benefit extension from White House, push for more Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:31 AM PDT  Democrats rejected a short-term extension of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit proposed by the White House on Thursday.
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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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| Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos had to be told to unmute his microphone to answer a question during the big tech antitrust hearing Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:29 AM PDT  "Mr. Bezos, I believe you're on mute," one lawmaker told Bezos as the pandemic forced all four CEOs to dial into the inquiry virtually.
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| A Louisiana woman who planted seeds from a mysterious package says she's not worried. But the USDA is, and it's asking people not to plant these unknown seeds. Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:10 PM PDT  "Then we saw the post saying don't plant them. I mean, I'm not scared about it, I'm not worried about it, but I guess people are," Aucoin told WAFB.
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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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| 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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| Gay officer who settled suit will resign from diversity unit Posted: 31 Jul 2020 04:12 PM PDT |
| 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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| Trump news: President threatens Portland protesters with ‘strong offensive force’ as White House condemns delay of Hong Kong elections Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:45 PM PDT  Donald Trump has threatened Portland protesters with "very strong offensive force" as the federal government and residents continue to clash in the liberal city. The president warned he might send the National Guard to stop the "terrorists" in the city.In Albuquerque, meanwhile, activists vowed to meet federal agents with peaceful protests and civil disobedience as Trump said the government's response would expand to more cities, including Detroit, Cleveland and Milwaukee.
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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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| Alan Dershowitz calls Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre a 'serial liar' while once again denying he ever had sex with her Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:12 PM PDT  Virginia Giuffre claims that Dershowitz, a Harvard Law professor, had sex with her when she was underage in Jeffrey Epstein's residences.
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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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| Fool's Gold Has a Purpose After All Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:06 AM PDT  Pyrite: not totally useless!
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| 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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| 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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| 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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| 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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| India scraps English as mandatory language in primary schools amid nationalist surge Posted: 31 Jul 2020 07:00 AM PDT  India will scrap the mandatory use of English in its primary schools, with subjects instead taught in Hindi or regional languages like Punjabi, for the first time since its independence in 1947. The controversial move is part of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the largest educational shake-up in India in 34 years, which was spearheaded by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Hindu-nationalist youth wing, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). As part of the reforms, school syllabuses will focus on "ancient Indian knowledge". Abolishing compulsory English is seen as a way to promote a united Indian identity from an early age. For much of the BJP's support base, English is associated with colonial times and the old corrupt ruling Indian elite which followed afterwards and its abolishment as a mandatory language fits Mr. Modi's wider policy of driving Indian nationalism. While only 0.02 percent of India's 1.38 billion citizens speak English as a mother tongue, it was seen as the vital bridge in a diverse country where 19,500 different languages and dialects are spoken. Parents took to social media to express their anger at the decision, saying it would reduce their children's future employment prospects, with fluent English considered essential for highly-coveted and well-paid jobs overseas. "Why would any progressive country want to eliminate [the] English language from primary school? India enjoys a global advantage for we have the highest English speaking workforce, we are heading towards disaster," wrote one user on Twitter.
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| Area Where George Floyd Died Becomes ‘Police Free Zone’ Plagued By ‘Constant’ Gunfire Posted: 30 Jul 2020 08:12 AM PDT  The area in Minneapolis around where George Floyd died in police custody has become the site of nightly shootings and drug overdoses as police avoid the area and local officials consider how to restore order.Residents say lawlessness reins at night in the four blocks in South Minneapolis near where Floyd died. Floyd was arrested on May 25 and later died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as he pleaded for air.In early July, a pregnant woman was fatally shot in the area after 9 p.m. and her newborn was delivered. Dr. Jackie Kawiecki, who set up a medic station for protesters right next to where Floyd was arrested, said she has administered to people with double gunshot wounds as well as people suffering from drug overdoses, the New York Times reported.City officials are weighing how to preserve Floyd's memory in the area, such as establishing a permanent memorial, and restore order without exacerbating the unrest."What people aren't recognizing is that people who live there are having a very, very challenging time from the unlawfulness that is occurring after the sun goes down," said City Council member Andrea Jenkins, whose district includes the area. "There are constant gunshots every night. Emergency vehicles can't get in. Disabled people are not able to access their medications, their appointments, their food deliveries, et cetera. It's a very challenging situation."June saw 75 shootings in Minneapolis up from 24 shootings during the same month last year. Some Minneapolis residents have started armed neighborhood patrols since the protests and riots began in May and the city saw a sudden uptick in violence. One community installed a gate that police approved to keep outsiders out.Meanwhile, the Minneapolis City Council last month announced that a veto-proof majority had voted to dissolve the department, a proposal opposed by both the mayor and police chief, and is working to get the issue onto the ballot for voters to decide in November.
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| A 17-year-old in Tampa, Florida, has been arrested in connection with the massive Twitter hack that hijacked dozens of high-profile accounts Posted: 31 Jul 2020 01:03 PM PDT  A prosecutor in Tampa filed 30 felony charges against the teen and said the Twitter scam netted more than $100,000 in its first day alone.
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| NASA astronauts get ready for a rare splashdown Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:39 PM PDT  Two U.S. astronauts are ready to make the first splashdown in 45 years. NASA plans to bring Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken back Sunday in the Dragon capsule. (July 31)
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