| Embattled at home, Pompeo and Barr lash out at foreign foe Posted: 11 Jun 2020 10:26 AM PDT  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the International Criminal Court as a "highly politicized" institution on Thursday as he announced new sanctions against it for its investigation into potential war crimes by U.S. forces during the conflict in Afghanistan.
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| Coronavirus infections appear to spike in U.S. even as they decline elsewhere Posted: 10 Jun 2020 01:19 PM PDT  While many countries are seeing a decline in COVID-19 cases, infections in the United States appear to be spiking, according to documents obtained by Yahoo News.
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| Mike Pence deleted a tweet showing dozens of Trump campaign staffers packed together without masks on, in clear violation of social-distancing orders Posted: 11 Jun 2020 07:54 AM PDT  The photo appeared to have been taken in the Trump campaign's Alexandria headquarters. But Pence didn't have any travel on his schedule on Wednesday.
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| Chicago Cops Hung Out Inside U.S. Rep’s Office as Protest Raged. They Made Popcorn, Drank Coffee, Napped. Posted: 11 Jun 2020 12:16 PM PDT  As protests across Chicago devolved into chaos last week and residents started to loot nearby stores, police officers were making popcorn and drinking coffee while "lounging" inside Congressman Bobby Rush's office, officials said in a stunning news conference on Thursday. Speaking alongside Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Rush said at least 13 Chicago Police officers were loitering inside his South Side campaign office in the early hours of June 1 and were "relaxing" while nearby stores were being looted and burned, and their fellow officers were clashing with demonstrators. "They even had the unmitigated gall to make coffee for themselves and to pop popcorn, my popcorn, in my microwave, while looters were tearing apart businesses within their sight and within their reach," Rush (D-IL) said. The incident, which Rush and Lightfoot said was captured on CCTV, showed the officers—and at least three supervisors—with feet up on desks. One officer "was asleep on my couch" while another "was on his cellphone," Rush said. "They were in a mode of relaxation and did not care about what was happening. They did not care. They absolutely did not care," Rush added.Rush's office is located in a strip mall that had been looted for several hours that night. While Lightfoot clarified that the officers were responding to a call that the campaign office had been broken into and burglarized, Rush said that when he finally got around to viewing the CCTV—he was horrified to see it filled with cops.The shocking news comes amid scrutiny of Chicago cops, who have been accused of using excessive force during protests and riots in the wake of George Floyd's death. The Cook County state's attorney's office and the FBI are reviewing allegations that one Chicago officer pulled a woman from a car by her hair before placing a knee on her neck—a move similar to how Floyd died at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Lightfoot, at times visibly angry and tearful during the Thursday press conference, said the officers "demonstrated a total disregard for their colleagues [and] for the badge" and should be held accountable. She said she and her team were "enraged" when they learned of the incident. None of the 13 officers has been identified, and she urged them to come forward before investigators find them. Calling it a "personal embarrassment," Lightfoot offered an apology on behalf of the city, saying the officers had "abandoned" their obligations to keep the city safe. She said she would push for the state to pass a law requiring police officers to be licensed. "We should all be disgusted, and we should all feel hurt and betrayed in this moment, of all moments," Lightfoot said, adding that the officers were inside Rush's office, located in a shopping plaza that had been looted for about "four to five hours."Chicago Police Supt. David Brown also condemned the officers' actions, stating that he planned to hold them accountable and "uphold the nobility of this profession." "If you sleep during a riot, what do you do during a regular shift when there is no riot?" Brown asked, before apologizing on behalf of the police department.Rush, the co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party, has been a member of Congress since 1993. The Democratic lawmaker has had a tense relationship with Lightfoot in the past, after Rush falsely accused her of being the Fraternal Order of Police's preferred candidate in 2019. While he was campaigning for a Cook County Board president last year, Rush said those who vote for Lightfoot would have "the blood of the next young black man or black woman who is killed by the police" on their hands. Seemingly alluding to their history on Thursday, Lightfoot said that, despite their differences, she would work together with Rush against misconduct during a historical period of reckoning for the police. "We haven't always agreed on every issue but today, we are in total alignment in our righteous anger and our steadfast determination, and I want to make sure that's very clear," Lightfoot said. "What I know of Congressman Rush is this—he has committed his life to calling out and fighting against injustice and this presents exactly one of those moments."Editor's note: This headline has been updated to reflect that the police officers are accused of loitering inside Congressman Bobby Rush's office after responding to a call there. They were not accused of burglarizing the office. 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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| Monuments deemed racist topple in wake of George Floyd's killing Posted: 10 Jun 2020 01:47 PM PDT  Tracking the statues that have been taken down by governments or protesters during the worldwide protests.
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| Adviser: China will honor trade deal, wants better US ties Posted: 11 Jun 2020 06:25 AM PDT  Beijing will honor its trade deal with the U.S. and wants to see better ties with Washington, senior Chinese officials said Thursday. Zhu Guangyao, a former finance minister and Cabinet adviser, said the two countries should "waste no time" in improving relations to help better coordinate a response to the coronavirus pandemic. "The close connection between the Chinese and U.S. economies is the result of four decades of hard work on both sides, and that is also the reflection of the wishes of consumers in China and the United States," Zhu said.
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| South Korean doctors find risk factors for severe COVID-19 cases Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:05 PM PDT  South Korean doctors have found certain underlying conditions that may make some COVID-19 patients more severely affected by the disease, a professor at Yeungnam University Medical Center said on Wednesday. The findings could help doctors identify and prioritise high-risk patients at an early stage of the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Ahn June-hong, professor of internal medicine, told Reuters. Medical experts and epidemiologists are investigating risk factors for patients who develop severe cases of the disease, which has killed more than 400,000 globally since it first emerged late last year in China.
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| Ethiopia seeks to limit outsiders' role in Nile dam talks Posted: 11 Jun 2020 02:45 AM PDT  Ethiopia said Thursday it wants to limit the role of outside parties in revived talks over its Nile River mega-dam, a sign of lingering frustration over a failed attempt by the US to broker a deal earlier this year. The Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam has been a source of tension in the Nile River basin ever since Ethiopia broke ground on it nearly a decade ago. Ethiopia sees the dam as essential for its electrification and development, while Sudan and Egypt see it as a threat to essential water supplies.
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| White House says Trump was merely 'raising questions' with baseless claim about Buffalo protester Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:01 AM PDT  Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the president's baseless claim suggesting that a 75-year-old man knocked to the ground by police in Buffalo, N.Y., last week was a member of antifa.
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| Tehran will execute an Iranian for spying for the United States and Israel Posted: 10 Jun 2020 11:29 AM PDT  Tehran said Tuesday it will execute an Iranian for spying for the United States and Israel after his conviction was upheld for helping the U.S. to locate a top Iranian general killed in a drone strike in January.
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| New data suggest Russia may have a lot more COVID deaths than it says Posted: 11 Jun 2020 08:19 AM PDT  Government data show Moscow had thousands more coronavirus-linked deaths than officially counted, as WHO calls Russia's numbers "difficult to understand."
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| Dr. Birx Says George Floyd Protests Have Resulted in the Destruction of 70 Covid-19 Testing Sites Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:14 AM PDT  Dr. Deborah Birx, President Trump's coronavirus response coordinator, warned the nation's governors on a conference call that 70 coronavirus testing sites had been destroyed amid widespread protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd.During the Monday call, a recording of which was obtained by the Daily Beast, Birx said governors should "scramble now to make sure there is testing available in urban areas." Vice President Mike Pence, the head of the White House coronavirus task force, said that spikes in cases stemming from the unrest are "an issue our team is following and there is a concern."Birx's comments mirror those of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has raised concerns that the protests could lead to a spike in cases. "It's a perfect set up for further spread of the virus in the sense of creating these blips which might turn into some surges," Fauci admitted on local D.C. radio station WTOP last week.Members of the Washington, D.C., National Guard have already tested positive for coronavirus since being deployed on May 31 to help deal with mass demonstrations and rioting in the nation's capitol.Data shows that Texas, California, Oregon, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Utah, Arkansas, and Arizona have all seen sharp increases in coronavirus hospitalizations since Memorial Day weekend, as states have begun to open up following months of lockdowns."There is active community spread in California, North Carolina, Utah, and Arizona," Birx said on the call, adding that her team had seen evidence of community spread in "metro Hispanic neighborhoods."
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| Minneapolis police chief ends negotiations with police union in a bid for reform Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:15 AM PDT  The move comes amid heightened awareness of the role police unions sometimes play in stifling reform efforts that aim to combat police brutality.
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| New video of a fatal 2019 arrest in Oklahoma shows a white officer respond 'I don't care' when Black man he is arresting says 'I can't breathe' Posted: 11 Jun 2020 06:30 AM PDT  Derrick Scott died an hour after he arrest in 2019. Footage was obtained much later after a push from Black Lives Mater protesters.
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| Trump administration sued over coronavirus-related border restrictions Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:31 AM PDT  The Trump administration on Wednesday faced its first legal challenge to a policy that has nearly halted the U.S. asylum system as well as admissions of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico. A 16-year-old Honduran boy awaiting deportation from the United States under a Trump administration order issued in March that curtailed immigration due to the novel coronavirus pandemic sued the U.S. government in federal court in Washington, D.C., late on Tuesday. A March 20 order by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allows agents to deport migrants apprehended at the border - including asylum seekers and unaccompanied children - without standard legal processes, arguing there is a risk they could spread the coronavirus in the United States.
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| Mnuchin considering additional direct payments in next coronavirus aid bill Posted: 10 Jun 2020 05:41 PM PDT  U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday he would consider more direct payments to individuals in the next phase of coronavirus rescue legislation. He added that funds should also be targeted to help sectors that are struggling to reopen, including hospitality and tourism.
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| Trump news – live: White House defends president's conspiracy theory about protester thrown to ground by police Posted: 10 Jun 2020 05:37 AM PDT  Republican senators on Capitol Hill have expressed their dismay at a Donald Trump tweet accusing 75-year-old Black Lives Matter protester Martin Gugino of being an "ANTIFA provocateur" and dismissing the viral video in which he is seen being shoved over by police at a George Floyd demonstration in Buffalo, New York, as "a set up"."It's a serious accusation which should only be made with facts and evidence", commented John Thune of South Dakota, as Utah's Mitt Romney branded the speculation from the president "shocking" and Alaska moderate Lisa Murkowski observed: "It just makes no sense that we're fanning the flames right at this time."
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| Dan Bongino Goes Full ‘All Lives Matter’ During Congressional Hearing on Police Brutality Posted: 10 Jun 2020 12:43 PM PDT  George Floyd's brother was among the witnesses invited by Democrats to speak at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on police brutality Wednesday morning. Republicans invited Fox News contributor Dan Bongino. Bongino, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has made several unsuccessful bids for Congress, used his opening statement to endorse the "few bad apples" theory of police misconduct. But by the time he was getting questioned by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), he was going full "All Lives Matter." Jeffries listed off the many familiar names of black men and women who have been unjustly killed by police officers. "But Mr. Bongino, the police are at times able to show restraint under very difficult circumstances, is that correct?" the congressman asked. After Bongino answered in the affirmative, Jeffries listed off some well-known mass shooters, like James Holmes and Dylann Roof, who were not killed by police despite being heavily armed."The police somehow arrested Dylann Roof without incident and even treated him to Burger King," Jeffries said. "Mr. Bongino, Dylann Roof is white, is that correct?" "I don't see where you are going with this," Bongino replied, adding: "It was an awful thing he did, whether he was white or black." After another similar example, Bongino said, "I don't know why you're making a racial thing out of it." "Because black lives matter, sir!" Jeffries told him."All lives matter, sir," Bongino shot back. "Every single life matters. White, black, Asian or otherwise." When Jeffries spelled out the point he was making, Bongino said, "I arrested those people, sir, you didn't," apparently referring to his stint as an NYPD officer in the late '90s.Turning to another witness, Jeffries said: "Innocent, unarmed African-Americans are repeatedly killed in police encounter after police encounter. Is it fair to say that the difference, which seems explicable, in police behavior, somehow relates at least in part to race?" As Georgetown Law professor Paul Butler answered: "In law and in police practices, black lives do not have the same value that white lives have." 'Fox & Friends' Forces Kayleigh McEnany to Defend Trump's Buffalo Protester ConspiracyRead 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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| Can China's Army Match the U.S. Army? For Now, the Answer Is 'No' Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:02 AM PDT  Here's how each country is preparing for a major land war.
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| India denies visas to U.S. panel on religious freedom, says it has no standing Posted: 10 Jun 2020 11:47 PM PDT  India has turned down a travel request for members of a U.S. government panel seeking to review its religious freedom, saying such foreign agencies had no standing to assess the constitutional rights of citizens. The call by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was made in an April report urging sanctions against officials of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government after it excluded minority Muslims from a new citizenship law. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the government firmly repudiated the surveys of the commission, which had little knowledge of the rights of Indian citizens, describing it as biased and prejudiced.
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| 'They committed treason': Pelosi pushes for removal of Confederate statues, military base names Posted: 11 Jun 2020 11:58 AM PDT  "The American people know these names have to go," Pelosi said. "These names are white supremacists that said terrible things about our country."
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| A customer is suing Apple for $1 trillion over claims that the company stole his iPhone after he brought it in for a repair Posted: 11 Jun 2020 06:45 AM PDT  A Missouri customer is claiming Apple stole his iPhone when he brought it in for repair and provided him with a replacement.
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| White House balks, again, at Bolton plan to publish memoir Posted: 10 Jun 2020 02:40 PM PDT  The White House has told former national security adviser John Bolton that the manuscript of his forthcoming memoir still contains classified material and could present a national security threat. John Eisenberg, a deputy White House counsel, wrote Bolton attorney Charles Cooper this week raising concerns that the manuscript for "The Room Where It Happened" still "contains classified information."
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| Marine V-22 Osprey Damaged After Being Hit by Civilian Plane on Runway Posted: 11 Jun 2020 08:07 AM PDT  The Class A mishap happened May 30 at Brown Field, a Marine Corps official told Military.com.
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| "A War Zone": Leaked Audio Reveals Chicago Mayor Clashing With Aldermen Over Riots Posted: 11 Jun 2020 02:00 AM PDT  Here are the 17 most jaw-dropping quotes.
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| Australian PM draws criticism for 'no slavery in Australia' comment Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:33 PM PDT  Australian officials warned Black Lives Matter supporters they could be arrested if they breach coronavirus restrictions to take part in public protests, as debate erupted over the country's own indigenous history. Prime Minister Scott Morrison drew strong criticism on Thursday after he said "there was no slavery in Australia" during a discussion of the early days of British settlement, which he acknowledged was "pretty brutal." "Slavery of indigenous, men, women and children is well documented," said Sharman Stone, a former federal lawmaker and now politics professor at Monash University.
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| Vote to disband Minneapolis police lets city council members 'pose as great reformers while doing absolutely nothing,' police brutality research group says Posted: 11 Jun 2020 10:48 AM PDT  The Communities United Against Police Brutality have been pushing for reform at the Minneapolis Police Department for decades.
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| US Air Force pilot becomes the first woman to fly the F-35A stealth fighter into combat Posted: 11 Jun 2020 03:02 PM PDT  "Being the first female, it's a pretty big honor," Capt. Emily Thompson, call sign "Banzai," said of the historic flight.
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| U.S. Response to COVID-19 is Worse than China’s. 100 Times Worse. Posted: 10 Jun 2020 04:00 AM PDT  The numbers make clear that the U.S. spectacularly failed to effectively fight COVID-19 when compared to most other countries in the world.
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| US general: Taliban not yet met conditions for US withdrawal Posted: 10 Jun 2020 11:36 AM PDT  The Taliban have not yet met conditions required for a complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by next May as envisioned in a U.S.-Taliban deal signed in February, the commander overseeing U.S. forces there said Wednesday. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said the U.S. is ahead of schedule for an initial drawdown by July to 8,600 troops. McKenzie stressed, however, that going to zero troops by May is dependent on conditions.
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| Fossil tracks left by an ancient crocodile that 'ran like an ostrich' Posted: 11 Jun 2020 09:23 AM PDT  Scientists are stunned to find that some ancient crocodiles may have moved around on two feet.
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| Malaysia ex-first lady's handbags damaged by police: lawyer Posted: 10 Jun 2020 03:15 AM PDT  Hundreds of handbags belonging to Malaysia's scandal-plagued former first lady have suffered serious damage after being seized by police, a lawyer grumbled Wednesday -- prompting mockery from graft-weary citizens. Rosmah Mansor became a lightning rod for public anger during the rule of her husband, prime minister Najib Razak, who was accused of plundering state coffers. In raids on properties linked to the pair, police seized more than 500 top-range handbags and over 12,000 pieces of jewellery allegedly purchased using stolen public money.
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| An abridged history of the Trump administration defending baseless claims Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:43 AM PDT  White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday sought to defend the president's baseless claim that a 75-year-old man who was seen knocked to the ground by police in Buffalo, N.Y., last week during a protest over George Floyd's death was a member of antifa and that the incident was "a setup." Watch an abridged history of instances of President Trump and his administration attempting to use a similar defense.
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| Russia detains three as wind complicates Arctic fuel clean-up Posted: 10 Jun 2020 05:03 AM PDT  Russian investigators on Wednesday detained three managers of an Arctic power station in connection with a huge fuel spill last month, as wind, rain and cold complicated the clean-up. The federal Investigative Committee said it was still examining the cause of the spill on May 29 at an Arctic power station in Norilsk, home to Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading nickel and palladium producer. Investigators said in statement that they had detained the head of the power station and the chief engineer and his deputy, whom they suspected of continuing to use an unsafe storage tank that had needed major repairs since 2018.
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| Yes, the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship Is Actually Getting Better Posted: 10 Jun 2020 12:40 PM PDT  Lots of upgrades have arrived.
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| I flew on a $2 million 'personal' private jet that needs only one pilot and saw why it could be among the most in-demand jets for post-pandemic travel Posted: 11 Jun 2020 11:34 AM PDT  The Cirrus Vision Jet is among the latest in a new category of aircraft, the personal private jet, and is perfect for post-pandemic travel.
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| Step Inside the Colorful Milan Home Posted: 11 Jun 2020 05:00 AM PDT |
| Los Angeles police officer accused of repeatedly punching man is charged Posted: 09 Jun 2020 08:09 PM PDT  Video shows a police officer repeatedly punching a man in April. The district attorney called the use of force illegal.
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