| 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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| Engel subpoenas State Dept. for Biden documents given to Senate Republicans Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:22 AM PDT  Democrats view the Senate GOP probe as an effort to smear Biden on false corruption allegations related to his diplomacy in Ukraine.
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| Rodrigo Duterte: 'I'm not joking - clean masks with petrol' Posted: 30 Jul 2020 11:03 PM PDT  The Philippines' leader doubled down on earlier claims - despite officials saying he was wrong.
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| U.S. lets ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen publish book while serving sentence at home Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:46 AM PDT  The agreement between Cohen's lawyers and federal prosecutors also frees Cohen to engage with news organizations and use social media, as he serves the remainder of his three-year term for campaign finance violations and other crimes in home confinement. "There shall be no specific media provision" governing Cohen's activities, according to the agreement, which requires approval by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan. Cohen, 53, had served about one year of his prison term before being sent home to his Manhattan apartment in May, because of the risk of contracting COVID-19 behind bars.
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| Tammy Duckworth Wants to Know WTF Are We Supposed to Do With Our Kids During COVID? Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:27 AM PDT  Sen. Tammy Duckworth may be on Biden's VP shortlist. But when it comes to childcare during the pandemic, she's just as confused as the rest of us. "So my choice is five hours of homeschooling every day for my daughter and failing her, because I'm not a trained educator, or sending her to a school where she could very likely get this virus or bring it home and get her 2-year-old sister sick or my 79-year-old mom, who lives with us," Duckworth tells Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson on the latest episode of The New Abnormal. "That's the problem: impossible choices."Duckworth also opens up about just how hostile the Senate was to working moms until a hot second ago. One particularly ridiculous question stands out. "They want to know if you're gonna breastfeed on the floor. [And I said,] 'I'm not exactly planning on whipping one out in front of them. But if the baby is hungry, I'll feed her.'" Then Princeton's Sam Wang talks about how national polling works, what it means for Biden, and the out-of-the-way campaigns that could make a huge difference for decades to come. Oh, and the elephant in the room: the United States Postal Service."My biggest concern this year is the post office," he says.'Pretty Close to a Hundred' New Epstein AccusersPlus, a Trump ambassador goes to a Nazi cemetery—and gets all wistful. A Republican candidate swears "celebrities and Democrats catch COVID and magically heal." The Stephen Hawking of the U.S. House of Representatives displays his genius—at infecting everyone around him. And finally, Rick asks the big questions: Who's more popular, Zombie Bin Laden or Ron DeSantis? Was Tulsa Trump's Jonestown? And does Chuck Schumer realize that "he's got Mitch McConnell's balls in a bag for once?"Listen to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| 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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| 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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| A US Marine is dead and 8 service members are missing after an amphibious assault vehicle sank off the coast of California Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:59 PM PDT  The US Marine Corps said the accident took place during a routine training exercise near the island of San Clemente.
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| Carjacking suspect guns down three police officers in Chicago police station shoot out Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:25 AM PDT  A carjacking suspect who had already been arrested shot three Chicago police officers as they attempted to escort him into custody on Thursday morning, authorities said.The gunman was being taken out of a patrol van and walked into Northwest Side police station at around 9.30am when he opened fire, hitting the officers.
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| Two pilots killed when air tankers collide Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:00 PM PDT  The planes had been dispatched to help battle the Bishop Fire, a 14,000-acre blaze burning on federal land.
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| Fact check: Joe Biden didn't take a knee upon seeing a flag; he was talking to a child Posted: 30 Jul 2020 02:09 PM PDT  While visiting his childhood home this month, the presidential candidate kneeled to talk to a child. It's false to say he "took a knee" for the flag.
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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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| 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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| 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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| A key federal appeals court will reexamine case on Michael Flynn's guilty plea Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:42 AM PDT  The full panel of judges' decision to review Flynn's case could result in a reversal of a three-judge panel's decision to dismiss the case last month.
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| Staples customer who told woman to wear mask is thrown to ground, has broken leg Posted: 31 Jul 2020 11:20 AM PDT  Margot Kagan, who recently had a liver transplant and was walking with a cane, was thrown to the ground by another customer she had told to wear a mask.
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| Biden's running mate announcement pushed back, likely will not come next week Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:17 PM PDT  Former Vice President Biden previously said he would announce his running mate the first week of August. It looks like that date may be pushed back.
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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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| Russian jet fighter buzzes two U.S. spy planes over Black Sea Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:14 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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| 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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| Hong Kong bars 12 opposition candidates from election Posted: 30 Jul 2020 07:33 AM PDT  Opposition candidates had hoped to capitalise on anger over a controversial security law.
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| 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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| Trump did not attend John Lewis' funeral. Here are 4 other major funerals he missed while president. Posted: 30 Jul 2020 02:41 PM PDT  President Donald Trump has been MIA at a handful of funerals where former presidents and dignitaries attended and delivered eulogies.
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| Father, son with COVID-19 forced to quarantine in Hawaii Posted: 29 Jul 2020 08:20 PM PDT  Hawaii's public health director said a rarely used special health order was used to force them into isolation.
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| Former U.S. Ambassador Labels Pompeo Speech on China a ‘Psychotic Rant’ in Interview with Chinese Propaganda Outlet Posted: 31 Jul 2020 12:28 PM PDT  Charles "Chas" Freeman, a veteran U.S. diplomat who served in East Asia and as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, slammed a speech by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a "psychotic rant" in an interview Wednesday with a Chinese propaganda outlet.In his July 23 speech at the Nixon Presidential Library, Pompeo said, "Securing our freedoms from the Chinese Communist Party is the mission of our time, and America is perfectly positioned to lead it because our founding principles give us that opportunity."The U.S. is upping its hostility toward China "as outlined in Pompeo's psychotic rant of last Thursday," Freeman told Chinese state news agency Xinhua on Wednesday. "China policy is now made by notable anti-China elements, who will have agreed with the many falsehoods and distortions of Pompeo's rhetoric."Freeman has a long history of service in the State Department, and he was President Nixon's Chinese interpreter during his visit to China in 1972. The former diplomat drew controversy in 2009 when he was nominated to be chairman of the National Intelligence Council, after Freeman wrote in an email leaked to the Weekly Standard that China was too restrained in its crackdown of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests."The Politburo's response to the mob scene at 'Tian'anmen' stands as a monument to overly cautious behavior on the part of the leadership, not as an example of rash action," Freeman wrote at the time. "I do not believe it is acceptable for any country to allow the heart of its national capital to be occupied by dissidents intent on disrupting the normal functions of government, however appealing to foreigners their propaganda may be."
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| 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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| Family of Black college student killed by white police officer draws support from Jay-Z, Rihanna and Amy Schumer in bid to reopen case Posted: 30 Jul 2020 11:37 AM PDT  College football standout Danroy "DJ" Henry Jr., 20, was shot and killed by a white police officer outside a New York bar on Oct. 17, 2010, as he drove away from a disturbance he was not involved in. Nearly 10 years later, celebrities join the victim's family to demand that the case be reopened.
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| 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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| Judge bans Ghislaine Maxwell lawyers from identifying alleged victims for fear they may be harassed and drop out of case Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:47 AM PDT  The judge presiding over the Ghislaine Maxwell case has banned her lawyers from publicly naming abuse victims involved in the lawsuit.US District Judge Alison J Nathan ruled that Ms Maxwell's attorneys cannot reveal the names of the individuals accusing her of sexual crimes in the course of her work for infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
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| Trump, GOP soften on opposition to $600 jobless benefit Posted: 31 Jul 2020 08:58 AM PDT  The White House and its GOP allies appear to be retreating from their opposition to a $600-per-week supplemental unemployment benefit that has propped up the economy and family budgets but is expiring Friday. President Donald Trump is eager to extend the benefit, undercutting his GOP allies on Capitol Hill who have spent considerable effort devising an alternative that could unite Republicans. The unemployment insurance is a principal element as talks continue on a COVID-19 relief bill, which is expected to grow considerably from a $1 trillion-plus GOP draft released this week.
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| Kamala Harris is reportedly losing favorite status in the tumultuous Biden veepstakes. Here's why. Posted: 31 Jul 2020 02:09 PM PDT  Skepticism around Harris from Biden's inner circle of family and elder statesmen like Chris Dodd all goes back to her big debate moment.
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| Hurricane Isaias slams Puerto Rico, could hit Florida on weekend Posted: 30 Jul 2020 09:22 PM PDT  The storm will bring "potentially life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides" to Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean, forecasters said.
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| Dr. Fauci and Rep. Jordan have a tense exchange over limiting protests because of the coronavirus Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:33 AM PDT  During the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Friday, Rep. Jim Jordan pressed Dr. Anthony Fauci about limiting protests to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
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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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| 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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| 3 Georgia inmates are being praised for rescuing their guard after he fell unconscious and split his head open Posted: 30 Jul 2020 12:03 PM PDT  The story of the inmates' rescue drew attention on social media and prompted donations to the inmates' accounts, according to the sheriff's office.
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| Trump eyes student loan relief extension Posted: 30 Jul 2020 04:05 PM PDT  Congress has been debating how to address the expiration of benefits as part of the next coronavirus economic aid package.
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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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| EU extends ban on American travelers – again – with US COVID-19 cases far outpacing European countries Posted: 31 Jul 2020 09:03 AM PDT  For the second time this month, the European Union extended its travel ban on Americans on Thursday, as U.S. COVID-19 infections continued to rise.
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| China celebrates completion of rival sat navigation system Posted: 30 Jul 2020 10:41 PM PDT |
