| Man arrested on suspicion of setting fire to Democratic Party headquarters in Phoenix, police say Posted: 29 Jul 2020 02:15 PM PDT  Police have arrested a man in connection with a fire set at the Democratic Party Headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, last week.Officials announced on Wednesday that they had arrested 29-year-old Matthew Egler on arson charges that morning.
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| The 11-carrier US Navy is mocking Iran as 'experts' at making a dummy aircraft carrier to shoot at Posted: 29 Jul 2020 10:10 AM PDT  The US Navy posted a photo on social media ridiculing Iran after it fired missiles on a mock-up of a US flattop on Wednesday.
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| Spoiler alert? Kamala Harris outed as Biden's VP pick -- maybe Posted: 29 Jul 2020 02:07 PM PDT  Joe Biden's vice presidential pick has been one of Washington's best kept secrets but a supposedly accidental news publication and Biden's own teasingly displayed notes are raising expectations that the winner is Kamala Harris. Speculation over the choice of VP is a parlor game played every four years in Washington, but this time the stakes are unusually high. Biden would be 78 on taking office -- the oldest US president ever -- and he has hinted that he might not seek a second term, making his deputy the prime candidate to take on the party's nomination.
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| Colombia coronavirus quarantine to be extended until Aug 30 Posted: 28 Jul 2020 05:28 PM PDT  Colombia's national lockdown to curb infections of the new coronavirus will be extended by one month until the end of August, President Ivan Duque said on Tuesday. The Andean country has reported more than 267,300 coronavirus cases and 9,074 deaths. "Obligatory preventative isolation, as the general concept, will continue until August 30," Duque said in his nightly broadcast.
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| Minneapolis 'Umbrella Man' who smashed windows during George Floyd protests was a white supremacist trying to incite riots, police say Posted: 28 Jul 2020 12:18 PM PDT  Looting and rioting in the wake of his actions in Minneapolis caused about $500 million in damages and two deaths, the Star Tribune reported.
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| Kavanaugh reportedly tried to find middle ground in Louisiana abortion case, but other justices weren't having it Posted: 29 Jul 2020 07:58 AM PDT  Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh reportedly didn't want to be on the losing side of a major case.In late June, the court ruled 5-4 that a Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have "active admitting privileges" at a hospital within 30 miles was invalid. Chief Justice John Roberts joined with liberals to provide the pivotal vote in the case, but as people familiar with court discussions tell CNN, that's not how Kavanaugh wanted it to go down.Abortion rights were a big focus of Kavanaugh's 2018 confirmation hearing, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) saying Kavanaugh's promise to uphold Roe v. Wade was a big reason the pro-choice Republican overlooked a sexual assault allegation and cast a deciding vote to confirm him. The Louisiana ruling in late June brought Kavanaugh's stance into question, as he joined conservatives to claim the law protected women's health.But as CNN reports, "Kavanaugh wanted the justices to sidestep any ruling on the merits" of the law and avoid having to "put their own views on the line." In an internal memo and in conversations, Kavanaugh tried to convince the justices to return the case to a trial court judge to gather more facts on just how burdensome the law would be on abortion doctors, sources say. That would stop the law from going into immediate effect, but also spare the justices from making a clear determination on abortion restrictions. But even Roberts, who upheld a Texas law just like Louisiana's 2015, didn't go for it.Kavanaugh also reportedly tried a similar strategy in cases regarding subpoenas for President Trump's financial records, but ultimately sided with the majority to declare Trump wasn't absolutely immune to those subpoenas. Read more about Kavanaugh's attempt to keep the middle ground at CNN.More stories from theweek.com Pelosi to implement new order requiring all lawmakers wear masks on House floor Republicans' coronavirus aid bill is a joke. It might take a stock market crash to change their minds. The Pentagon wants a new nuke because it might fire off the old ones by mistake
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| Most view kneeling during anthem as acceptable form of protest Posted: 29 Jul 2020 04:00 AM PDT  Views on this are divided by political party and race.
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| Russia and China Are Catching Up on Hypersonic Missiles Amid US Neglect, Expert Says Posted: 29 Jul 2020 10:22 AM PDT  The U.S. is at risk of falling behind Russia and China on "game changer" hypersonic missile development.
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| Google's Sundar Pichai was immediately pounced on in the first question of the antitrust hearing, asking the CEO why Google steals content Posted: 29 Jul 2020 11:51 AM PDT  In his opening set of questions to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, David Cicilline revealed what the year-long investigation had found.
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| Sen. Cruz: Local officials should be held accountable for 'letting their cities burn' Posted: 28 Jul 2020 07:11 AM PDT  Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz introduces legislation to allow cities to be sued and federal funds to be denied over the riots.
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| Two women arrested for attacking senator filming Wisconsin protests Posted: 28 Jul 2020 02:13 PM PDT  Two women have turned themselves in to police after allegedly assaulting a Wisconsin state representative at a protest on 23 June.Samantha Hamer, 26, and Kerida O'Reilly, 33, were arrested Monday in Madison after turning themselves in to authorities.
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| National Guard major tells lawmakers he saw 'excessive' force used on protesters near the White House Posted: 28 Jul 2020 12:31 PM PDT  Major Adam DeMarco told lawmakers actions against peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square were 'deeply disturbing.'
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| Pakistani Muslim accused of insulting Islam killed in court Posted: 29 Jul 2020 02:14 AM PDT |
| Jim Jordan explodes when asked to put on a mask, pivots to 'unmasking' of Michael Flynn Posted: 29 Jul 2020 01:49 PM PDT  Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has successfully twisted a public health concern into a conservative conspiracy theory -- but not the one of the dozens of COVID-19 conspiracies one might expect.During a Wednesday hearing with the country's four biggest technology companies, Jordan used his questioning time to claim Google tried to help Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) was up next, and started her questioning by saying she would pivot from "fringe conspiracy theories" to anti-trust questions. Chaos predictably ensued."We have the email, there is no fringe--" Jordan interrupted before committee chair Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) cut him off. "Put your mask on," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) chimed in. Jordan then used Raskin's request to pivot to a favorite conspiracy: "You want to talk about masks? Why would the deputy secretary of the treasury unmask Michael Flynn's name?"> "Put your mask on!"> > Shouting breaks out among members of the House subcommittee during tech hearing, after Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon suggests Rep. Jim Jordan is pushing "fringe conspiracy theories" https://t.co/83sKht0bRx pic.twitter.com/E6fEZKT6tO> > -- CBS News (@CBSNews) July 29, 2020Jordan's outburst came just hours after Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) tested positive for COVID-19 and then walked around the House office building knowing he had it. Jordan was also reminded, albeit more gently, to put on his mask during a Tuesday hearing with Attorney General William Barr. Gohmert was also at that hearing, and one of his aides -- and other Republican staffers -- have since anonymously complained about the lack of mask compliance among their congressmembers. > Ever since PM came out, Ive gotten a flood of emails from republican staffers who say they too are being forced to come to the hill without a mask now. > > If you're one of those people, email me or dm me.> > -- Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 29, 2020More stories from theweek.com Pelosi to implement new order requiring all lawmakers wear masks on House floor Republicans' coronavirus aid bill is a joke. It might take a stock market crash to change their minds. The Pentagon wants a new nuke because it might fire off the old ones by mistake
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| Great white shark kills woman in rare attack in Maine, authorities say Posted: 28 Jul 2020 10:52 AM PDT  Maine has recorded only one shark attack since 1837, researchers say.
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| China's Mars probe photographs Earth en route to Red Planet Posted: 28 Jul 2020 08:00 PM PDT  China's first Mars probe has beamed back a photo of the Earth and the Moon as it heads toward its destination, the country's space agency said Tuesday. The image, which shows the two celestial bodies as small crescents in the empty darkness of space, was taken 1.2 million kilometres (746,000 miles) away from Earth three days after the Tianwen-1 mission was launched on Thursday, the China National Space Administration said. China joined the United States and United Arab Emirates this month in launching a mission to Mars, taking advantage of a period when Mars and Earth are favourably aligned.
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| Inside a Park Avenue Co-Op That Playfully Breaks With Convention Posted: 29 Jul 2020 09:44 AM PDT |
| Tesla quietly revealed it got a government coronavirus bailout after Elon Musk opposed another stimulus package Posted: 28 Jul 2020 08:32 AM PDT  Earlier this month, the billionaire said the government should only do direct stimulus payments to citizens because of "special interests."
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| Alabama Republican celebrates KKK member's birthday as state remembers civil rights hero John Lewis Posted: 29 Jul 2020 12:17 AM PDT  A Republican senator in Alabama celebrated a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) member's birthday at the same time hundreds were honouring the life of civil rights hero John Lewis.State Representative Will Dismukes took part in an event marking the KKK grand wizard and former Confederate Army General, Nathan Bedford Forrest, as Alabama honoured the late Georgia Democrat this weekend.
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| Trump COVID Task Force to Guvs: Make Masks Mandatory Before You Fall Into Red Zone Posted: 28 Jul 2020 04:36 PM PDT  As states in the South and Southwest grapple with how to control the spread of the coronavirus, officials on President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force cautioned the nation's governors Tuesday that a new set of states is beginning to experience an uptick in positive cases and recommended that local leaders implement mask mandates and close bars to contain the outbreaks.Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator for the task force, said the positivity rate in states such as Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Colorado was increasing and warned they should quickly take action before they fall into what she described as the "red COVID zones" category. Birx defined the red zones as those states with more than 100 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people and more than a 10 percent test positivity rate."By the time you see hospitalizations, your community spread is so wide that you've flipped into a red state incredibly quickly," Birx said, according to a recording of the call obtained by The Daily Beast. "By the time you see it, up to 80 or 90 percent of your county already has more than 10 percent positivity rate."The warnings from Birx and other task force officials come as the administration is pushing states across the country to reopen schools, a point Vice President Mike Pence reiterated on the call. Pence said the task force would support whatever decision state leaders make but that the team was beginning to see evidence that "encouraging masks," closing bars, and limiting indoor gatherings were slowing the spread in some of the hot spot states. Birx was more explicit with her advice, saying that the "100 percent mask mandates" played a significant role in containing the virus in those states.Trump in the past has resisted mask wearing and said in a Fox News interview this month that he would not impose a national mask mandate. On Monday, Trump retweeted a video shared by his son Donald Trump Jr. that featured a doctor saying masks were unnecessary. Twitter restricted Donald Trump Jr.'s account and removed the video from the platform.Trump Pushes Fake COVID Cure From Fringe Doctors, Banned by FacebookDr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top vaccine official, was also on the call with governors and said states should adhere to Birx's recommendations even if it wasn't politically expedient to do so. "You may be reluctant to do that because the general population is saying, 'Wait a minute, we're not that bad,'" Fauci said, referring to the advice of implementing mask mandates and restricting large gatherings of people. "You are worse than you think you are because where you are now is going to be reflected and what you are going to see… weeks from now. I know it may sound intrusive but it really isn't."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| Jeff Bezos' ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, gave 8-figure donations to 6 different HBCUs for their 'transformative' work against inequality Posted: 29 Jul 2020 01:18 PM PDT  Four of the presidents of these institutions highlighted that Scott's donations were the largest from a single individual in the schools' history.
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| Harvard professor accused of lying about China ties faces U.S. tax charges Posted: 28 Jul 2020 03:20 PM PDT  U.S. prosecutors brought tax charges on Tuesday against a Harvard University professor accused of lying to authorities about his ties to a China-run recruitment program and funding he allegedly received from the Chinese government for research. Charles Lieber, the former chair of Harvard's chemistry and chemical biology department, was charged in an indictment filed in federal court in Boston with failing to report income he received from Wuhan University of Technology in China. The four tax-related counts are in addition to two counts of making false statements to federal authorities that Lieber, 61, pleaded not guilty to in June.
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| 4 arrested under new Hong Kong security law for online posts Posted: 28 Jul 2020 10:13 PM PDT  Hong Kong police have signaled their intent to enforce a new Chinese national security law strictly, arresting four youths Wednesday on suspicion of inciting secession through social media posts. "Our investigation showed that a group has recently announced on social media that they have set up an organization for Hong Kong independence," said Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of a newly formed unit to enforce the security law. The central government in Beijing imposed the national security law on the semi-autonomous Chinese territory after city leaders were unable to get one passed locally.
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| India and China race to build along a disputed frontier Posted: 29 Jul 2020 04:05 PM PDT  The rival nuclear powers are trying to out-build each other along their disputed Himalayan border.
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| SpaceX crew prepares for splashdown Posted: 29 Jul 2020 03:58 PM PDT  The Crew Dragon capsule carrying two NASA astronauts is headed for the agency's first ocean splashdown in 45 years.
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| 'Put your mask on!': Lawmakers erupt after Jim Jordan throws a temper tantrum during the big tech hearing Posted: 29 Jul 2020 12:36 PM PDT  Lawmakers slammed Rep. Jim Jordan at the antitrust hearing after he interrupted a colleague accusing him of raising "fringe conspiracy theories."
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| Nadler to Barr: 'Shame on you' Posted: 28 Jul 2020 09:35 AM PDT 
"You really can't hide behind legal fictions this time," Nadler said. Half an hour before curfew on June 1, baton-swinging police fired smoke canisters, flashbang grenades and rubber bullets to drive protesters farther from the White House, enabling President Donald Trump to walk across Lafayette Park and hold up a Bible in front of St. John's Church, a house of worship visited by U.S. presidents for two centuries.
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| US imposes sanctions on teenage son of Syrian leader Assad Posted: 29 Jul 2020 10:49 AM PDT  The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on the 18-year-old son of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, vowing never to let the war-torn nation's regime enrich itself. Hafez al-Assad -- named after his grandfather, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for three decades -- will not be allowed to travel or maintain assets in the United States, the State Department said. The designation was part of a second set of sanctions under the Caesar Act, a US law that took effect in June and aims to prevent any normalization of Assad even as he wins back most of Syrian territory after a brutal nine-year war.
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| Ghislaine Maxwell files 'extraordinary' last-minute appeal to stop release of 'embarrassing' confidential documents Posted: 29 Jul 2020 12:59 PM PDT  Ghislaine Maxwell has filed a desperate last-minute appeal to stop "embarrassing" confidential documents from being released, claiming the government wrongfully used them to bring criminal charges. US District Judge Loretta Preska had ruled that the files must be unsealed and released to the public by Thursday, but Ms Maxwell's lawyers launched what they conceded was an "extraordinary request" for her to reconsider. The British socialite, 58, is currently answering a number of civil lawsuits brought by victims of associate Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier found dead in his prison cell last year. Her lawyers charged on Wednesday that prosecutors in a separate criminal case used confidential depositions she made in 2016 in the civil case that is now being consideration by Judge Preska. The defamation suit was filed in 2015 by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleges she was abused by Epstein and pimped out to powerful figures including Prince Andrew, and confidentially settled in 2017. The Duke of York has denied all allegations.
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| Georgia governor backs out of hearing on Atlanta mask order Posted: 27 Jul 2020 08:35 PM PDT  Georgia's governor said he's withdrawing a request for an emergency hearing in a lawsuit that aims to block the state's largest city from ordering people to wear masks in public or imposing other restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Brian Kemp earlier this month sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the City Council, but a spokesman announced late Monday that the governor wanted "to continue productive, good faith negotiations." As a result, the governor decided to withdraw the request for a hearing that was scheduled for Tuesday morning, spokesman Cody Hall said.
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| Carbon monoxide fumes from a generator killed 4 family members in Texas after Hurricane Hanna knocked out power Posted: 29 Jul 2020 09:36 AM PDT  Neighbors realized they had not seen the family in some time and could not spot their generator outside, so they grew alarmed and called police.
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| Revel suspends New York electric moped sharing service after second reported death Posted: 28 Jul 2020 10:48 AM PDT  Electric moped sharing service Revel said on Tuesday it was suspending service in New York after a string of accidents and reports of a second rider killed in the city in recent weeks. Revel said in a statement it was "reviewing and strengthening our rider accountability and safety measures and communicating with city officials, and we look forward to serving you again in the near future." New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told a Tuesday news briefing his office spoke to the company and made clear the situation was unacceptable.
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| Portland fining feds $500 an hour for fence erected around federal courthouse Posted: 29 Jul 2020 07:02 AM PDT  The city says the protective fence installed around the federal courthouse was done without a permit; William La Jeunesse reports from Portland with the latest.
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| Fact check: Expanded COVID-19 testing shows more cases, doesn't cause high positivity rate Posted: 29 Jul 2020 08:59 AM PDT  A spike in testing leads to a spike in cases isn't entirely true. More testing does not cause higher positivity rates; that is caused by viral spread.
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| More than 900 women and girls missing and feared dead in Peru since coronavirus crisis started Posted: 28 Jul 2020 06:58 AM PDT  More than 900 women and girls have gone missing and are feared to be dead in Peru since the country's coronavirus lockdown started, authorities have warned.Eliana Revollar, head of the women's rights department of the national ombudsman's office, said girls made up 7 per cent of the total figure.
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| The feds say they won't leave Portland until the violence stops. Privately, they concede they're fueling that violence. Posted: 28 Jul 2020 12:15 AM PDT  The top federal prosector in Oregon, U.S. Attorney Billy Williams, said Monday that the federal agents aggressively policing protesters in Portland would remain in the city until the "attacks on federal property and personnel" cease. Oregon officials say the presence and shock-and-awe tactics of the federal agents are the main fuel for those attacks, and federal law enforcement officials privately concede they have a point, Oregon Public Broadcasting reports.The nightly protests against racism and police violence in downtown Portland had dwindled to about 100 people before President Trump sent in federal agents over the July 4 weekend. The protests grew again after U.S. Marshals, ostensibly there to protect Portland's federal courthouse, shot 26-year-old protester Donavan La Bella in the head, fracturing his skull, and they exploded after news broke that anonymous militarized federal agents were detaining people on the street in unmarked vans. Thousands now gather nightly in Portland, and similar protests have been reinvigorated in other cities."Anytime you shoot someone in the face and beat them with a baton, it's going to be criticized," one federal law enforcement official told OBP. "That's not a controversial statement." Another told OBP, "Crowds were very small and the incident with La Bella." Still, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals confirmed Monday that about 100 new deputies have been lined up for deployment in Portland, either to bolster the current force or replace exhausted officers.The harsh crackdown and vilification of protesters in Portland may end up helping Trump politically, "but as a policing tactic, it has failed to suppress the protests," The Washington Post notes. "The escalation has been followed by larger, better-equipped, and more-aggressive crowds, and — as the new reinforcements showed — it exhausted federal resources before it exhausted the protesters.""Every time we go out into this, we get better at it," Gregory McKelvey, a community organizer in Portland, tells the Post. "When a flash bang first goes off in front of you, you run. But when you realize that one went off right in front of you and nothing happened to you, you're less likely to run the next time." In a bit of circular logic, law enforcement officials say they need even more people on the ground in Portland "to counter those increasingly sophisticated tactics" employed by protesters, OPB reports.More stories from theweek.com Trump: 'Nobody likes me' American Federation of Teachers supports strikes if schools don't reopen safely Even mild coronavirus cases can cause lasting cardiovascular damage, study shows
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| A San Francisco couple held a secret wedding against city rules. Then they tested positive for the coronavirus. Posted: 28 Jul 2020 03:26 PM PDT  At least 10 attendees, including the newlywed couple, tested positive for the coronavirus, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
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| Meat banned by council as part of 'climate change action plan', as critics say it shows no understanding of British farming Posted: 29 Jul 2020 08:30 AM PDT  Meat is to be banned by a local council as part of its 'climate change action plan', as critics say it has 'no understanding of British farming'. Enfield council will not be serving meat at any of its catered events from Christmas 2020 as it hopes to "influence the behaviour" of local businesses and suppliers. The local authority is understood to be the first in the UK to announce such a move. Ian Barnes, the deputy leader of the council, said it had already announced a climate emergency and this is one of the steps being taken to make sure the local authority is carbon neutral by 2030. Ensuring Enfield is carbon neutral in 10 years means "taking bold and sometimes unpopular action", he wrote in the council's climate report. The report added: "All events held by Enfield Council where catering is provided to offer only vegan or vegetarian options." The Labour controlled authority uploaded the extensive 'Enfield climate action plan 2020' online after holding a month-long consultation during the coronavirus lockdown. Countryside campaigners have said this ignores the ambitious efforts being put in by UK farmers to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. This is the target set by the National Farmers' Union. Farmers argue that banning meat in this way makes no differentiation between the industrial farming systems in countries like the US and Brazil and the mainly grass-fed systems in Britain. The ban follows similar moves taken at both Goldsmiths and Cambridge University, which saw red meat removed from campus menus. Commenting on the proposal, Mo Metcalf-Fisher of the Countryside Alliance said: "Banning meat is completely the wrong approach and demonstrates no understanding of how meat in this country is produced, which thanks to UK farming practices, is among the most sustainable in the world. That this ban has gone through with what appears to be very limited public consultation, is damning. Enfield Borough Council would do well to actually liaise with the farming community, properly consult their local residents and drop this proposed ban immediately."
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| Review: The lies and mistakes that led us into Iraq, laid out in a new book Posted: 28 Jul 2020 12:20 PM PDT  Robert Draper has written an authoritative account of the deceit and misjudgments that the George W. Bush administration used to lead America to a ruinous war.
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| US commander affirms US support for Japan on China dispute Posted: 29 Jul 2020 03:32 AM PDT  The United States supports Japan's protests over Chinese ships venturing into the economic waters near disputed East China Sea islands, the commander of the U.S. Forces in Japan said Wednesday. "The United States is 100% absolutely steadfast in its commitment to help the government of Japan with the situation in Senkaku," Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider said of the group of islands, which are controlled by Japan. China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu.
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| Dreamworld deaths: Theme park owner pleads guilty to safety breaches Posted: 28 Jul 2020 08:55 PM PDT  Dreamworld's owner pleads guilty to safety breaches, after a malfunctioning water ride killed four people.
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| CNN host says Trump loyalist owes broadcaster an apology over video played at Barr hearing Posted: 29 Jul 2020 09:39 AM PDT  CNN host Jake Tapper has demanded that Republican congressman Jim Jordan apologise for playing an edited video that misleadingly showed reporters describe the George Floyd protests as "peaceful".On Tuesday, attorney general William Barr took part in his first congressional hearing since he took the role, and faced questions on topics including his response to the protests and the subsequent deployment of federal law enforcement agents to cities such as Portland, Oregon.
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| Six months of Trump's Covid denials: ‘It'll go away … It’s fading’ Posted: 29 Jul 2020 02:27 PM PDT  Trump repeats his promise that the virus will disappear as US passes another somber milestone of 150,000 confirmed deathsSix months of coronavirus in the US, six months of Trump denials.As the US passed another somber landmark, with more than 150,000 confirmed deaths from Covid-19, the grim toll stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump's repeated promise that under his leadership the disease would simply disappear.Here are some of his starkest statements on the topic: 20 January: 'We have it under control'On 20 January the US recorded its first case of coronavirus. Two days later Trump told CNBC: "It's one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It's going to be just fine." 26 February: 'It's going to disappear'In late February, by which time the US had recorded 60 cases of infection, Trump told a White House press briefing: "When you have 15 people … within a couple of days it's going to be down to close to zero. That's a pretty good job we've done."The following day he returned to the theme, saying: "It's going to disappear. One day – it's like a miracle – it will disappear." 10 March: 'It will go away'By 10 March the coronavirus curve in the US was climbing steeply, with 37 official deaths and more than 1,000 confirmed cases.On that day, Trump emerged from a meeting with Republican senators to tell the media how well the US was doing. "We're doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away." 29 April: 'It's gonna be gone'Trump returned to the argument that the virus would just disappear at the end of April. The US had just notched up its millionth positive test for coronavirus, and reached 58,000 recorded deaths – an emotive figure given that it meant the virus had claimed more lives than the Vietnam war.On 29 April, the president told reporters: "This is going away. It's gonna go. It's gonna leave. It's gonna be gone. It's going to be eradicated … If you have a flare-up in a certain area – I call them burning embers – boom, you put it out." 11 May: 'We have prevailed'In a grandiose coronavirus briefing from the Rose Garden, Trump announced his administration was winning the fight against the virus. "We have met the moment, and we have prevailed. Americans do whatever it takes to find solutions, pioneer breakthroughs, and harness the energies we need to achieve a total victory."That day the death toll in the US hit 80,000. 17 June: 'It's fading away'Trump carried on predicting that the disease would disappear of its own accord through June, a time when the virus was in fact spreading fast through huge swaths of the country. In a radio call to Fox News he said: "It's fading away. It's going to fade away. But having a vaccine would be really nice." 19 July: 'I'll be right eventually'Earlier this month, Fox News Sunday played back to Trump his many claims that the virus would disappear. The president shot back: "I'll be right eventually. It's going to disappear, and I'll be right."The show's host, Chris Wallace, asked Trump whether dogged insistence that the virus would vanish, even while it proliferated, would discredit him. "I don't think so, you know why?" he replied. "Because I've been right probably more than anybody else."
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| Mormon Family Sues Mexican Cartel for ‘Coordinated’ Ambush That Killed 9 Posted: 29 Jul 2020 10:55 AM PDT  More than eight months after nine Americans from a prominent local Mormon family were killed in northern Mexico during a deadly ambush, their family members are suing the drug cartel allegedly responsible for the "coordinated assaults." The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of North Dakota Western Division last week, claims that the Juarez Cartel in Mexico "attacked" several family members of the LeBarón family because they were wealthy, vocal critics of the cartel who staged anti-cartel demonstrations. The lawsuit reveals horrific new details, including efforts by two children, including a 9-year-old girl shot in the arm, to walk miles and fend off snakes in order to find help. The LeBarón family belongs to a Mormon offshoot group that had settled in Bavispe in the Mexican border state of Sonora more than 50 years ago. Officials said three cars packed with mothers, kids, and babies were heading to the Mexican state of Chihuahua on November 4, 2019, when they came under heavy gunfire that left the vehicles burned out and riddled with bullets. Three women and six children, including 8-month-old twins, died in the horrific attack. The Mexican Cartels vs. a Mormon Sect: Behind the Horrific Massacre of American Moms and ChildrenThe victims, many of whom had dual Mexican-American citizenship, were Christina Marie Langford, 29; Dawna Ray Langford, 43, and her two children, Trevor Langford, 11 and Rogan Langford, 2; and Rhonita LeBaron, 30, and her four children—Howard Miller Jr., 12; Krystal Miller, 10; and 8-month-old twins Titus and Tiana Miller. Eight children survived the deadly attack, including Langford's 7-month-old daughter who was found alive in a car seat about 10 hours after the attack. "The November 4, 2019 attacks were the latest and perhaps most ruthless in the Juarez Cartel's decades-long struggle to intimidate the civilian population and influence the Mexican government and local governments not to act," the lawsuit states, adding that the cartel has been a terrorist force in the country since the '80s. The lawsuit was filed by several family members, including Rhonita LeBaron's widower, Howard Miller, and Christina Marie Langford's widower, Tyler Edward Johnson. It seeks a minimum of $75,000 in compensation and asks the court to triple whatever damages are deemed "appropriate" from the cartel, arguing that the LeBarón family has been previously targeted by cartel violence. "Members of the LeBarón family of Chihuahua... have been vocal, public critics of the Juarez Cartel, and they have staged anti-cartel marches and demonstrations," the lawsuit says.According to the lawsuit, the grisly slaughter began the morning of Nov. 4, when the three mothers and their children "formed a three-car caravan in La Mora, Sonora, Mexico for their travel to the United States and Colonia LeBaron, Chihuahua, Mexico." That same morning, "La Linea members took control of the road" the family planned to travel on, "establishing two outposts in the hills above."Rhonita LeBarón and her four children were traveling back to Phoenix to pick up her husband at the airport after his month-long stay in North Dakota's oil fields. Christina Marie Langford, the lawsuit states, was accompanying Rhonita "to the main highway" before heading to Colonia LeBaron in Chihuahua to meet her husband and five children while Dawna Ray Langford was planning to split off to attend a wedding. The lawsuit states that soon after the three cars departed La Mora, the bearing of the front passenger wheel failed in the third car in the line-up—a black Chevrolet Suburban carrying Rhonita and her four children. "After examining the vehicle and determining it could not be driven, Christina and Dawna helped Rhonita and her children exit the broken-down vehicle and Dawna drove Rhonita back to La Mora," the lawsuit states, adding that Christina continued her trip to Colonia LeBaron and that the cell phone towers were not operating. After dropping Rhonita and her children at her mother-in-law's home in La Mora to borrow another car, the lawsuit states Dawna again attempted her journey to Chihuahua. About 20 minutes later, Dawna returned to the scene of the broken down car but drove on. The first La Linea hit team allowed her and Christina's cars to pass, "knowing a second hit team was lying in wait further down the road," the lawsuit claims. Shortly after stopping at her broken-down car to pick up her belongings, Rhonita's car "came under heavy gunfire from the first hit team." "For at least 10 minutes, assailants repeatedly fired automatic and belt-fed machine gun rounds into this Suburban," the lawsuit states. But the ambush did not immediately kill the 30-year-old mother and her four children, the lawsuit adds. Evidence shows her 12-year-old son "tried to escape the vehicle" because his car door was found open and his legs "hung outside the passenger side door." Nearby bullet casings suggested that assailants had approached the car, it adds. A New Twist in the Horrific Massacre of American Moms and Kids in MexicoThe lawsuit states that a "member of the Juarez Cartel videotaped part of the assault," showing members as they approached the car. One hitman stated, "They're going to finish it off dude... they're still here," while another said, "Shoot him, don't trust... burn it." Near the end of the video, another man in the background can be heard saying, "It's in ruins now," the lawsuit states. The car was later engulfed in flames. About eight miles away and at approximately the same time, the cars carrying Christina and Dawna "also came under heavy gunfire." The lawsuit states that after "taking gunfire and being shot in the hip," Chistina exited her car with "her hands in the air to show the attackers that she was an unarmed and harmless woman.""The gunmen continued to fire, shooting her in the chest and murdering her," the lawsuit states, adding that a 7-month-old was in a back seat while several bullets penetrated the car. The infant was unharmed. Realizing her car was under fire, the lawsuit states Dawna tried to flee the scene, but her car would not restart. "Knowing she was trapped and under unceasing attack, Dawna told her children to 'get down right now,'" the lawsuit states, noting that seven children were in the car with her while "fifteen gunmen" continued to fire at them. Dawn and her two sons, aged 11 and 2, were killed during the attack. She was found "slouched over the steering wheel" with 13 bullet wounds. Authorities later found over 200 shell casings at the scene of the two cars. According to the surviving children, the attackers wore masks and forced the children out of the car and onto the ground before driving off—forcing them to walk until they "couldn't carry [the younger children] anymore." The oldest Langford, Devin, decided to walk for help because he had not been shot. He hid his six brothers and sisters in a bush near where the massacre happened. The 13-year-old walked about 14 miles back to La Mora, after hiding at the top of a ridge for an hour out of fear of another attack, to inform his family members of the attack and to get help for his injured siblings. Worried her older brother would not come back, 9-year-old Mckenzie Langford, who was shot in the arm, also went to look for help with the other children but got lost before she was found hours later with a missing shoe after using it to "fend off a snake.""In the days following the attacks, some members of the Juarez Cartel involved in the attacks fled to the United States, demonstrating the international nature of the Juarez Cartel," the lawsuit states. "Even after these murders, the Juarez Cartel continues to engage in repeated acts of terrorism." In January, Mexican prosecutors revealed seven suspects had been detained in connection to the massacre and three men had been charged with organized crime for drug offenses. It wasn't clear if any were charged with homicide. Fundamentalist Mormon communities in northern Mexico originated in the late 1880s and have long been unaffiliated with the mainstream church. Those communities moved to Chihuahua and Sonora to practice polygamy, which was forbidden by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They once included notable Mormon figures like Sen. Mitt Romney's great-grandfather, Miles Park Romney. Polygamy has largely faded from the off-shoot communities.In 1924, Alma Dayer LeBarón founded the Colonia LeBaron in the Mexican municipality of Galeana, Sonora—one of many family-run compounds created by Mormons excommunicated from the church. The mainstream church has more than 1 million members in Mexico, making it the church's largest population outside the U.S., a church spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast.While the Mormon church doesn't recognize Colonia LeBaron, many in the community—including more than 5,000 descendants of Alma Dayer LeBarón—still consider themselves Mormons, according to The Wall Street Journal. The LeBarón family's wealth has caught the attention of organized crime, making them targets of several tragic incidents, according to the BBC.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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