Stock markets rally, dollar drops in anticipation of US rate cuts

Wall Street stocks rose and the dollar fell Friday after a weak US jobs report bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve would soon cut interest rates.

New report reveals ISIS scheme to send terrorists into US through border with Mexico

What will it take for Congress to take action? Security Studies president Jim Hanson reacts.

Stonewall 50: Don’t Forget the Black & Brown LGBTQ Struggle

CarlosDavid.orgOn June 28th, 1969, the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village became a major catalyst in the movement for LGBTQ rights. Transgender activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera were among the boldest and most outspoken leaders who stood up against the ongoing police brutality and harassment that plagued the now landmark gay bar for months. Wilson Cruz on Stonewall 50: ‘I Am Inspired by All the LGBTQ People of Color Who Ignited the Revolution’The actions that occurred that night at Stonewall weren’t a protest, but a riot—violent, disruptive, and purposely resistant. The LGBTQ community had enough of the state-sanctioned discrimination and abuse. Blood was shed, fighting ensued, arrests were made—the police were not there to protect and serve, but to persecute and torture. Johnson, who was celebrating her 25th birthday that night, was the first to resist, followed by Rivera who threw one of the first bottles at the oppressive police. The revolution sent shockwaves across the nation as many other cities began to stand up and fight back against LGBTQ inequality.  Fifty years later, we owe our current progress to these two fearless black and brown transgender women who risked their lives in the fight for LGBTQ liberation. Today, we have marriage equality, a gay candidate running for president, mainstream media representation, and Congress just recently pushing to pass the Equality Act—a law that would extend civil rights and protections to all LGBTQ Americans nationwide. On Thursday, NYC Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill made an unprecedented apology on behalf of the Police Department for the conduct of the officers during Stonewall. “The actions taken by NYPD were wrong—plain and simple,” O'Neill said during a Pride event at police headquarters. His remarks were a long overdue apology for a major gross abuse of police force.Despite the diverse leadership it initially took for the movement to advance, many of the achievements since have benefited the most privileged within our community: white cisgender gay men. Browse through any disparity study on LGBTQ people, and black members of the community are often hit the hardest. Despite the public awareness of these setbacks, black and brown queer people continue to be underrepresented in LGBTQ leadership, media, and visibility. LGBT pioneer Sylvia Rivera leads an ACT-UP march past New York's Union Square Park, June 26, 1994.Justin Sutcliffe/APAnd while many had hoped for racial harmony within the LGBTQ community, I’ve learned first-hand that we still have a long way to go. As the former LGBTQ editor for Philadelphia magazine, I’ve spent the past three years covering racial discrimination in our own rainbow flag-waving backyard. From gay bar owners insulting black patrons with racial slurs, to white-led LGBTQ nonprofits being protested against by diverse community members, I’ve come to recognize that the fight for diversity and inclusion is not just happening outside of the LGBTQ community, but within it. But this is nothing new. History has already shown us that black queer and transgender people have always had to remind the rest of the community of our prominence—despite the fact that the movement was co-led by us since the beginning. While many people rightfully praise the late gay political icon Harvey Milk, our community doesn’t give as much respect to civil rights legend Bayard Rustin. Rustin, a black gay activist who openly embraced both his identities at a time when they were being federally marginalized, took on some tough battles. Throughout the 1940s until his death in 1987, Rustin was a steadfast revolutionary who was intersectional and strategic. He led the effort to get the historic 1963 March on Washington off the ground and advocated for equal legal protections for LGBTQ people before it was popular. “The only final security for all is to provide equal protection for every group under the law,” Rustin said while testifying before the General Welfare Committee of New York City Council in 1986.But Rustin was only one of several black LGBTQ activists who were ahead of their time. The Combahee River Collective Statement, formulated by a group of black queer women in 1974, was a groundbreaking manifesto that reshaped the way we now discuss feminism and intersectionality.Co-founded by acclaimed black lesbian activist Barbara Smith, the Combahee River Collective gave a voice to black queer women at a time when they were excluded from mainstream movements. Some of the intersectional values expressed by this trailblazing group can be seen in many movements today, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, whose founding leadership include black queer women.Such activism wasn’t just projected in policy and direct action, but through pop culture. The legendary James Baldwin and Alice Walker weren’t the only black queer writers who spoke truth to power—the 1986 anthology In the Life, edited by Joseph Beam, also redefined how we saw ourselves as well. At 27 years old, it never really dawned on me how much black queer culture has been highly consumed by society at large until I watched the groundbreaking 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning which spotlighted the immersive and deep history of New York City’s black queer ballroom drag scene. While many now freely use the colloquial phrases “throwing shade,” “read you for filth,” and “spill the tea,” it was impoverished black queer and transgender drag performers who originated those terms decades ago while facing a HIV/AIDS epidemic that still hasn’t gotten better for people like them. Fast-forward to now, and we’re still talking about the ballroom scene’s impact through the new hit show Pose on FX that includes a remarkable amount of diverse LGBTQ actors, writers, producers, and directors. Films such as the Oscar-winning film Moonlight, books such as Charles Blow’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones, and the rise of black LGBTQ voices from public figures such as Billy Porter, Lena Waithe, Roxane Gay, Janet Mock, Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, Sharron Cooks, Raquel Willis, Tre’vell Anderson, Don Lemon, and other countless activists and entertainers, give me hope. But again, we still have a long way to go. Right now, LGBTQ progress is being threatened under the presidency of Donald Trump. We have already witnessed ongoing federal setbacks to policies impacting the transgender community and those living with HIV. The unaddressed racial pitfalls that have unfairly crippled black and brown LGBTQ people have made matters worse in the very safe spaces we should be considering home.It hurts to see the lack of diversity and the erasure of black queer and transgender revolutionaries during Pride month, and to see companies that still lack our visibility in their offices take up space in our parades. Pride wouldn’t exist without the work of black and brown LGBTQ activists who risked their lives and reputations on behalf of a community that haven’t paid their proper respects. As we move into the next 50 years, let’s not continue to ignore and silence the accomplishments of black and brown LGBTQ community members. Give them a seat at the table and a mic at the podium. Pay them in equity and access, not tokenization and exploitation. It can’t be a true Pride celebration until we are all free. This is what Marsha P. Johnson would have wanted because she once said so herself: “As long as gay people don’t have their rights all across America, there’s no reason for celebration.”This Pride season, it’s time to put the rainbow flags and cocktails down and put our fists back up. The revolution is still not over; there’s plenty of work to be done.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.

Dems Give Biden Major Side-Eye Over Abortion Flip-Flop

The Asahi Shimbun via Getty ImagesJoe Biden’s announcement that he was reversing his long-held opposition to federally funded abortion was met with applause at a Democratic gala, but 2020 rivals and some women’s groups greeted it with barbed skepticism.His flip-flop ended a multi-day stumble over the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal spending on most abortion services. The former vice president has long supported it, though support for its repeal has fervent support among the Democratic base and even made it into the party’s 2016 platform.“I can’t justify leaving millions of women without the access to care they need,” Biden said Thurday, a day after being harshly criticized by fellow Democrats and abortion-rights advocates for his earlier stance.Biden Flip-Flops, Now Supports Federal Funds for AbortionRep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat running for the nomination, responded quickly, tweeting, “Bravo to @JoeBiden for doing the right thing and reversing his long-standing support for the Hyde Amendment. It takes courage to admit when you're wrong, especially when those decisions affect millions of people.”“Now do the Iraq War,” he added.Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, who was criticized for responding to Biden’s initial waffling by calling the former vice president “Dr. Jekyll,” manually retweeted a reporter’s timeline of Biden’s struggles with the issue, asking hopefully: “Now can I do the Dr. Jekyll tweet?”Other Democratic candidates were slightly more subtle in their digs, but made sure to let their supporters know that, unlike Biden, their support for repealing the Hyde Amendment has not wavered.“The Hyde Amendment limits women's access to safe, legal abortion—particularly women of color,” tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a mere three minutes after Biden tweeted that “I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone’s zip code.”Washington Gov. Jay Inslee quickly followed suit a few minutes later: “I opposed the Hyde Amendment in 1993. I oppose it today. I will never back down.”Some of the most high-profile women’s groups in the country—Emily’s List, Planned Parenthood, NARAL and others—issued statements condemning Biden’s initial support for Hyde on Wednesday. The National Organization of Women even called on Biden to rescind his support for the law or consider withdrawing from the race. On Thursday, several of these same groups issued muted statements thanking him for reversing his stance. NARAL President Ilyse Hogue noted that “leadership is often about listening and learning,” and Emily’s List President Stephanie Schriock called it “the right call.”Others, however, were less forgiving. Destiny Lopez, co-director of the All* Above All Action Fund, told The Daily Beast she appreciated Biden’s comments, but said he needs to prove his change of heart to voters. “It’s not as simple as saying, ‘Yes I support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment,'” she said. “We know that he has struggled with this issue over the course of his service to this country and we need to hear what that evolution really means, beyond a few talking points at a fundraiser.”Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of women’s rights group UltraViolet, said she was troubled by Biden’s explanation that he only recently realized “circumstances have changed” when it comes to abortion access. States have passed more than 400 restrictions on abortion in the last decade, according to the Guttmacher Institute, and nearly 40 percent of all U.S. women live in counties without an abortion provider.“This has been a reality for millions of people for a very, very long time and the fact that he didn't know that, didn’t understand that, and that it wasn't factoring into his original position is one of the problems with him wanting to be the candidate and wanting to lead the party,” Thomas said.Thomas and others believe initial Biden’s support of the Hyde Amendment was a ploy to appeal to middle-of-the-road voters. But a source inside a liberal political organization said the former VP’s waffling on the issue would hurt him with black women voters, who are disproportionately affected by restrictions on abortion access. “When candidates flip-flop on abortion they are blatantly ignoring voting blocs like black women who have consistently supported Democratic candidates,” she said. “We’re at a moment when playing those types of political games won’t work in the future, because black women are sick of being used as a pawn.”Thomas, however, said the speed with which Biden changed his stance showed the political power of women and their advocates.“It’s important that whether [politicians] are personally with us or not, that still have to take that position because it’s politically untenable not to do,” she said. “And that’s a reflection of the power we’re building.”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.

Ex-cop sentenced to 12.5 years for killing of Australian woman

A former Minneapolis police officer was sentenced Friday to 12 years and six months in prison for the fatal shooting of an unarmed Australian woman who had been trying to report a crime. Mohamed Noor, 33, was convicted in April of second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder in the 2017 death of Justine Damond, in a case that shocked the Midwestern city and sparked outrage in the victim's home country. Noor was responding to her late-night report of a possible sexual assault in an alley in Minneapolis.

Pentagon Condemns Russian Conduct after Warship’s Near-Collision with U.S. Cruiser

The Department of Defense on Friday condemned the near collision of a Russian destroyer and an American guided-missile cruiser and said the U.S. will file a formal demarcate against the Russians for their part in the incident.“The behavior's unsafe and unprofessional,” Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told reporters on Friday. "We’ll have military-to-military conversations with the Russians, and of course we'll démarche them.”On Friday morning, the Russian destroyer Udaloy came within 50 to 100 feet of the USS Chancellorsville in the Philippine Sea's international waters, executing "an unsafe maneuver" that put "the safety of her crew and ship at risk," according to Commander Clayton Doss, a Navy spokesman. "This unsafe action forced Chancellorsville to execute all engines back full and to maneuver to avoid collision," Doss said. The Navy also alleged that the Russian ship had violated the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.Like Doss and Shanahan, top Navy admiral John Richardson blamed Russia for the incident, saying in a statement that:> This unwise maneuver, combined with the unsafe maneuvers by the Russian aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean earlier this week, make it clear that these dangerous actions by Russian military forces across the globe do not match what the world expects from a responsible and trustworthy world power.“The U.S. Navy will not be deterred from supporting the free and open use of the seas and skies where international law clearly allows all to operate,” Richardson added.

Trump criticised for using D-Day interview next to war cemetery to launch fresh attack on Nancy Pelosi

Donald Trump has been criticised for using an interview on the anniversary of D-Day to attack Nancy Pelosi as "Nervous Nancy" and call her a "disaster".The US president made the detour into domestic politics during an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham taped at a cemetery in France just before a ceremony at Normandy American Cemetery.He called Ms Pelosi, the House speaker, a "nasty, vindictive, horrible person"."I think she's a disgrace," the president said. "I actually don’t think she’s a talented person, I’ve tried to be nice to her because I would have liked to have gotten some deals done.“She’s incapable of doing deals, she’s a nasty, vindictive, horrible person, the Mueller report came out, it was a disaster for them.”Mr Trump went on to say special counsel Robert Mueller, who is a Vietnam War veteran, had made "a fool out of himself" with his investigation of the president.When Ms Ingraham asked the president whether he cared if Mr Mueller would testify publicly about his report, he launched into another attack on Ms Pelosi.He said Mr Mueller had "made such a fool out of himself", then added: "Nancy Pelosi, I call her Nervous Nancy, Nancy Pelosi doesn’t talk about it. Nancy Pelosi’s a disaster, she’s a disaster."Ms Pelosi was also among the US politicians who had travelled to France to attend the D-Day commemorations.In an interview with MSNBC, she declined to criticise Mr Trump, and instead said she hoped he would "convey a renewed spirit of collaboration" with allies.Mr Trump and Ms Ingraham were criticised for the interview, which was staged in front of over 9,000 war graves, by conservative pundit Amanda Carpenter, who previously worked as communications director for Texas's Republican senator Ted Cruz.“You look at the shot and what I see, just as an American, is a draft-dodging president who is sitting down with a woman who regularly defends antisemites - like Paul Nehlen - espouses white supremacist talking points while using the graves of World War soldiers who saved the world from Nazis as a prop,” Ms Carpenter said during an interview with CNN.She was referring to how Ms Ingraham had recently spoken in defence of Mr Nehlen, a white supremacist and antisemite who she claimed was merely a "prominent voice".

Colorado school officials consider razing site of Columbine massacre

Public education officials in Colorado are considering a plan to tear down and rebuild Columbine High School, saying the site remains a "source of inspiration" for potential gun violence 20 years after a mass shooting there left 15 people dead. The idea was floated on Thursday in an open letter from the superintendent of Jefferson County public schools, Jason Glass, to Columbine staff, students, parents and members of the surrounding Denver suburb of Littleton, Colorado. Under the superintendent's plan, the new campus would still be called Columbine High School, "honoring the pride and spirit the community has with the name," and its school mascot and colors would remain unchanged.

Mom Wants Answers After Utah Officer Points Gun at Black Boy During Search for Shooting Suspects

A Utah mother wants answers after a police officer pointed a gun at her black 10-year-old son during a search for men suspected in a shooting.

2020 Vision: Biden’s 'flip-flop-flip' on abortion funding caps his bad week

Since launching his presidential campaign, the former vice president had largely avoided the types of unforced errors some were worried the self-proclaimed “gaffe-machine” might make. Until this week.

Mexico plans border 'unity' rally, nabs 2 migrant activists

Mexico's president said Thursday he will hold a "unity" rally on the border in Tijuana two days before the U.S. is set to impose tariffs on all Mexican imports. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that a demonstration will be held Saturday to defend Mexico's "dignity" amid a looming threat from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged to impose 5% tariffs on Mexican products unless the country prevents Central American migrants from traveling through its territory. López Obrador expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached as talks continued Thursday, but did not offer any specifics beyond rejecting the use of force against migrants.

The Latest: Lawyers disappointed for ex-cop sent to prison

Lawyers for a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman say they're disappointed that a judge sentenced him to 12½ years in prison. Noor now has 90 days to appeal his conviction for third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. After Noor was sentenced Friday, he was returned to Minnesota's maximum security prison at Oak Park Heights, where he has been held for his own safety since his conviction in April.

Biden reverses position on federal funding for abortion

Biden, the front-runner in the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination and a former vice president, said he had changed his long-held position on the Hyde Amendment because the right to an abortion was now under assault in many states and increasingly inaccessible for low-income women. "I can't justify leaving millions of women without access to the care they need and the ability to exercise their constitutionally protected right," Biden said in a speech in Atlanta. Biden's support for the Hyde Amendment, which was passed in 1976 and prohibits the use of federal funds for most abortions, put him out of step with much of the rest of the Democratic Party on an emotional issue.

American hunter in viral photo of dead giraffe says she's 'proud to hunt delicious' animal

An American whose 2017 shooting of a giraffe and posing for a photograph with its body sparked international outcry, has said she was proud of hunting the animal, which she said was “delicious” to eat.Texan Tess Talley, 38, triggered anger last summer when she posted the images of her exploits during a hunting trip the year before in South Africa. “Prayers for my once in a lifetime dream hunt came true today,” she wrote alongside the image. “Spotted this rare black giraffe bull and stalked him for quite awhile. I knew it was the one. He was over 18 years old, 4,000 lbs and was blessed to be able to get 2,000 lbs of meat from him.”Ms Tallley has now further defended her actions, appearing on CBS to say hunters such as herself contribute to the long term preservation of animals by managing populations and funding wildlife conservation. She also said the elderly male giraffe, the skin of which she had made into cushion covers and a rifle case, was delicious to eat. “It's a hobby, it's something that I love to do. I am proud to hunt. And I am proud of that giraffe,” she said, saying the shooting of the giraffe was part of a conversation hunt.When it was pointed out that she was clearly smiling in the images she posted with the animal, she said: “You do what you love to do. It's joy. If you don't love what you do, you're not gonna continue to do it.”She said even though she enjoyed hunting, there was an element of remorse.“Everybody thinks that the easiest part is pulling the trigger. And it's not,” she said. “That's the hardest part. But you gain so much respect, and so much appreciation for that animal because you know what that animal is going through. They are put here for us. We harvest them, we eat them.” In a statement, Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, said: “Trophy hunting of giraffe shows sheer and arrogant disregard for the imperilled status of an iconic species. “A 2015 estimate found that fewer than 100,000 giraffes remain in the wild in Africa, and our 2018 investigation revealed that nearly 4,000 giraffe-derived trophies were imported into the US over the last decade.”She said giraffes were facing “a myriad of threats including poaching and habitat fragmentation”.She added: “Their dire conservation status should not be further compounded by the horror of trophy hunters bent on killing them for senseless and gruesome trophies.”

West Point says cadet killed in rollover was from New Jersey

The 22-year-old cadet killed in a vehicle rollover during a summer training exercise was identified by the U.S. Military Academy on Friday as a standout wrestler who was studying law. Cadet Christopher J. Morgan of West Orange, New Jersey, died at the scene after a tactical vehicle carrying cadets overturned in wooded terrain Thursday morning. West Point officials said they don't know the cause of the crash .

Joe Biden Embraces Taxpayer-Funded Abortion

Democratic front-runner Joe Biden has twisted himself in knots on the issue of taxpayer funding of elective abortion over the past few weeks.After four decades of supporting the Hyde amendment, a measure that bans federal funding of abortion under Medicaid except in rare circumstances, Biden told an ACLU activist in May that it should be repealed.Then, on Wednesday, two weeks after the media publicized his change of heart, the Biden campaign issued a statement saying that he still supports the Hyde amendment, claiming that he had simply “misheard” the ACLU activist when he said otherwise.Yesterday, after 24 hours of being pummeled by his rivals, the media, and pro-abortion groups, Biden declared that he had decided after all to oppose the Hyde amendment because states such as Alabama and Georgia are now attempting to ban most abortions. “If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone's zip code,” Biden said at an event in Atlanta.As a matter of politics, all the flipping and flopping and flipping yet again is a particularly bad case of political malpractice. On June 5, the Biden campaign’s statement portrayed the candidate as a confused old man who couldn’t tell the difference between the words “Hyde amendment” and “Mexico City policy.” On June 6, Biden presented himself as a craven old man whose decades-long conviction on a matter of conscience couldn’t withstand a day of criticism.Biden managed to enrage pro-abortion and left-wing activists just before dashing the hopes of moderates. He raised the visibility of the issue of Medicaid funding of abortion — a policy American voters oppose 58 percent to 36 percent, according to a 2016 poll conducted for Harvard — before deciding to take the unpopular side. For all the confusion Biden caused about his own position, his caving sent a very clear message that pro-life Democrats and those with moderate views on abortion will not be tolerated in the Democratic party.As a matter of policy, Biden’s final decision to embrace extensive taxpayer funding for abortion is a moral disgrace. Before the passage of the Hyde amendment, Medicaid paid for an estimated 300,000 abortions annually. The Hyde amendment has saved the lives of more than 2 million human beings over the last four decades, according to a recent study by the Charlotte Lozier Institute. An earlier study from the Guttmacher Institute found that where states use their tax dollars to fund abortion under Medicaid, women on Medicaid had an abortion rate four times that of women not on Medicaid. (In states that do not fund abortion, women on Medicaid were 1.6 times as likely as women not on Medicaid to have abortions.)That poor women have abortion rates much higher than wealthier women is a good thing in the eyes of some on the left. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said she was surprised that the Supreme Court didn’t declare a right to taxpayer funding of abortion for Medicaid recipients in 1980 because “at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don't want to have too many of.”The phrase “populations we don’t want to have too many of” is a eugenicist euphemism for “poor Americans.” If you care to know what poor Americans think about the taxpayer funding of abortion, they don’t want it. While 45 percent of voters earning more than $75,000 support Medicaid funding of abortion, only 24 percent of those making $25,000 or less support it.When Biden and the rest of the Democratic presidential candidates portray repeal of the Hyde amendment as helping poor Americans, know that it is a lie. Our fellow Americans need our help. Government subsidies to abort their children is something they can live without.

Why the Battle of Midway Is a Bigger Deal than D-Day

Thursday, June 6th saw the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion at Normandy, the amphibious assault phase of Operation Neptune, or what we commonly remember as D-Day.  U.S. troops who landed at Normandy – particularly at Omaha Beach – waded ashore amidst a storm of chaos, a blizzard of machine gun fire, and a hail of plunging mortars.  Despite great confusion and casualties, at the squad level and below, the men at Omaha rallied and pressed forth with tenacity and nerve to breach sand-berms and barricades, neutralize enemy positions, and salvage their sectors.  Losses at Omaha were immense – but American resolve helped establish a foothold on the coast of France – and “the rest,” they say, “is history.”Without doubt, the enormous importance of D-Day as a logistical and operational undertaking – and the gallantry of Allied forces that June morning is unquestioned.  It rightfully exemplifies American character, courage, and commitment. However, it is important to note that as far as the battle’s strategic significance is concerned, a strong case can be made that other battles of World War II are more critical than D-Day.The Battle of Midway in 1942 is one.

Supreme Court rulings on gerrymandering set to shape elections for the next decade

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule this month on two gerrymandering cases that will have a massive impact on the partisan balance of American politics for the next decade.

Trump calls Nancy Pelosi 'nasty, vindictive, horrible person,' after prison remark

Trump told Fox News' Laura Ingraham that Pelosi is a "disgrace," and a "nasty, vindictive, horrible person."

Columbine High School may be torn down: 'It's a macabre source of inspiration for shooters'

Twenty years after the massacre that shocked America, officials are considering tearing down and replacing Columbine High School to stop copycat shooters drawing inspiration from the site.The potential decision was announced by the school district superintendent, who said the Colorado school has become “a macabre source of inspiration” for would-be shooters and troubled people around the world.Just months ago, as the 20th anniversary of the shooting approached, a woman flocked to the state with the intent to kill, for instance. Another shooting in a nearby Colorado STEM school also left one dead and eight injured that month.Superintendent Jason E Glass said in a letter sent to the community in Columbine, notifying them that the idea to replace the building is being kicked about.Mr Glass said in that letter that the project would require voter approval, and would cost some $70m “at some point”.“Since that time, school shootings have become all-too-familiar in our nation,” Mr Glass wrote.He continued: “From the horrors of the six and seven year olds taken at Sandy Hook, to last year’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, to the recent Douglas County STEM shooting in our neighbouring community – while still rare, school shootings are growing in frequency.”He also said that the high school in Littleton, Colorado, “serves as a point of origin for this contagion of school shootings”.

NYPD sorry for '69 raid at now-landmark Stonewall gay bar

Nearly 50 years after a police raid at the Stonewall Inn catalyzed the modern LGBT rights movement, New York's police commissioner apologized Tuesday for what his department did. "The actions taken by the NYPD were wrong, plain and simple," Commissioner James O'Neill said during a briefing at police headquarters. The New York Police Department was facing calls to apologize from organizers of what is expected to be a massive LGBT Pride celebration in the city this year — and from organizers of an alternative Stonewall anniversary march.

The World's Largest Automakers Asked Trump Not to Loosen a Climate Change Standard. Here's Why

The world's largest automakers called for the Trump Administration to rethink the scope of a rollback on limits on pollution.

US detaining hundreds of African migrants at border after 'dramatic rise' in arrivals

Hundreds of African migrants have been arrested in Texas after a “dramatic rise” in arrivals at the southern US border, according to patrol agents.More from 500 people from African countries were detained near the frontier city of Del Rio in the past week, said US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which warned of a “humanitarian crisis”.Most were families from the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.“The introduction of this new population places additional burdens on processing stations, to include language and cultural differences,” said Del Rio sector chief patrol agent Raul Ortiz.The recent arrivals included a group of 116 migrants detained after arriving at the southern US border late on 30 May.“This large group from Africa further demonstrates the complexity and severity of the border security and humanitarian crisis at our southwest border,” Mr Ortiz added.At least 300 African migrants have also travelled on to San Antonio, Texas, about 150 miles from Del Rio, with hundreds more expected in the next few days.San Antonio’s city government has opened two support centres for those travelling and is working with local charities to provide food and emergency shelter.The city is “in desperate need” of French-speaking volunteers, according to Jaleesa Irizarry, a reporter for local TV news station KENS 5.Speakers of Portuguese and Lingala, a Bantu language used across much of the Congo, are also needed to provide translation services.It is not clear exactly what routes the African migrants are taking the reach the US.But some have told NPR they flew from Nairobi, Kenya, to Brazil before heading north through Colombia and Central America on a journey that took several months.More than 4.5 million people have been displaced by multiple conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the United Nations Refugee Agency says there is "one of the most complex and challenging humanitarian situations worldwide".Refugees face months-long waits for asylum applications to be processed at the US border, with illegal crossings increasing after Donald Trump threatened the close the border with Mexico.So far this year more than 33,000 people have been arrested in the Del Rio area after entering the country, more than double the figure for the whole of the last financial year.About a fifth were migrants from Mexico, with the remaining 80 per cent originating from 38 other countries.

USMCA supporters look to protect NAFTA amid Mexico tariff fight

Business groups now worry that Trump’s unrelenting tariff threats could derail the USMCA.

Facebook to cut off Huawei to comply with US sanctions

Facebook said Friday it would stop allowing pre-installation of its social networking apps on Huawei devices to comply with US sanctions against the Chinese technology giant. The social media giant said it took the step after US President Donald Trump's order barring Huawei from US technology exports over concerns that it works with Chinese intelligence. "We are reviewing the Commerce Department's final rule and the more recently issued temporary general license and taking steps to ensure compliance," a Facebook spokesperson told AFP.

Trump allegedly considering declaring another national emergency to propose new tariffs on Mexico

Rush Limbaugh explains why D.C. swamp creatures are so against tariffs on Mexico.

D-Day: 17 stunning photos from 1944 show how hard the Normandy invasion really was

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, forever reshaping the war during D-Day.

'You're the pride of our nation,' Donald Trump tells veterans on 75th D-Day anniversary in Normandy

Donald Trump honors a tradition as he pays tribute to the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Normandy landings that changed the course of World War II.

Congress and Mueller need to step up and protect America from presidents like Trump

Congress should pass laws to prevent dangerous norm-smashing by Trump and potential like-minded successors. And Mueller must talk to counteract Barr.

Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski: ‘I Cannot Believe the Equality Act Is Even a Thing That Needs Debating In 2019’

Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast/Photos GettyIn this special series, LGBT celebrities and public figures talk to Tim Teeman about the Stonewall Riots and their legacy—see more here.Antoni Porowski is a TV personality, actor, chef and model, star of Queer Eye.When/how did you first hear about the Stonewall Riots, and what did you make of them?I learned about the Stonewall Riots during my first Pride in New York. I had already been living here for a few years and my friend Klaus was surprised to learn that I had never attended. He took me to the Stonewall Inn and explained its significance. I quickly felt embarrassed for my perception of Pride and its meaning which, prior to this moment of education, consisted of the idea that Pride was simply a loud party, with no basis in a historical event. I’m so grateful that he invited me that day.Want To Feel Gay Pride? Go HereWhat is the riots’ significance for you?The riots, along with the civil rights movement, helped shape the course for LGBTQIA visibility and a demand for equal rights. Fifty years later, we are still fighting, as shown with the Equality Act, to protect federal rights for all. The ability to feel equal to our cisgendered and/or heterosexual fellows affects the way we feel not only about ourselves but also how we navigate society and our feeling like we are truly a part of it. Life is challenging enough as it is. Equal rights and freedom of expression, in all its forms, should be a given. Especially during difficult times, we must remember Stonewall and respect what was done to pave the way to where we are today.How far have we LGBT people come since 1969?I’m conflicted with this question. In some ways I feel we’ve made tremendous progress, and in others I cannot believe the Equality Act is even a thing that needs debating in 2019. I’m also aware that the LGBTQIA experience in New York is not representative of the rest of the country or world, which is not to say that we are a utopia for our queer fellows. I will say that I do feel visibility is on the incline, which brings me hope. As a kid I had such limited LGBTQIA role models or people to look up to. As I grow older, that number has increased very much.What would you like to see, LGBT-wise, in the next 50 years?I haven’t quoted this book in a while, but I want us to treat fluidity, being gay, all of it, the way the characters do in Hanya Yanagihara’s book A Little Life. I want it to be normalized and not bring debate of whether it’s a choice or not. I want gender and sexual orientation to be embraced without judgment.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.

Former Bengal faces assault charges in American Samoa

Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Jonathan Fanene faces charges he used a pipe, golf club and broom handle to assault his wife and his sister over allegations he had an extramarital affair while on a trip to Hawaii, according to court documents filed this week. Fanene has been charged in the district court of American Samoa with eight felonies, including kidnapping and assault, and five misdemeanors. Defense lawyer Marcellus Talaimalo Uiagalelei, who declined to comment to The Associated Press on Thursday, will decide then if Fanene continues with a preliminary hearing at the district court level or opts to have the case heard in the High Court of American Samoa.

D-Day 75: Nations honor veterans, memory of fallen troops

Leaders, veterans, their families and the grateful from France, Europe and elsewhere were present for the solemn day that began under a radiant sun.

UK's May quits as party leader, starting succession race

Prime Minister Theresa May stepped down as leader of Britain's governing Conservative Party on Friday, formally triggering the race for a successor who will try where she failed to deliver Brexit. May, who quietly tendered her resignation in a private letter to the party, will remain prime minister until a new leader is chosen, likely in late July, but leaves Britain's tortuous departure from the European Union stalled. Brexit is still scheduled for October 31 but while 11 contenders thrash it out over the leadership, the project remains stuck, with the only divorce plan agreed with Brussels having been repeatedly rejected by parliament.

NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch weighs in on the alleged inaction of the Parkland school security officer

Dana Loesch says she is glad that former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson is being held accountable for his failure to take action during the Parkland school shooting.

Facebook to cut off Huawei to comply with US sanctions

Facebook said Friday it would cut off Huawei from its popular social networking apps to comply with US sanctions, further isolating the Chinese tech giant considered a national security threat by Washington. The social media giant said it took the step after President Donald Trump's order barring Huawei from US technology exports over concerns that it works with Chinese intelligence. The California company said people with existing Huawei smartphones with Facebook apps will continue to be able to use and download app updates provided by Facebook.

Nancy Pelosi tells impeachment meeting she wants to see Donald Trump ‘in prison’, report says

Nancy Pelolsi, the most powerful member of the Democratic Party, has reportedly told colleagues she wants to see Donald Trump “in prison”.At a meeting of senior members to discuss the possible impeachment of the president, the speaker of the House of Representatives was again urged to launch a censure investigation.But Ms Pelosi is said to have stood firm, telling colleagues: “I don’t want to see him impeached, I want to see him in prison.” According to Politico, Ms Pelosi remains insistent the best way to deal with Mr Trump is to defeat him at the 2020 election and then allow him to be prosecuted for any wrongdoings he may have done, once he loses the protection of presidential privilege.The reported comments from Ms Pelosi represent the latest episode in an increasingly emotional behind-the-scenes battle within the party on whether or not to press ahead with Mr Trump’s impeachment. House judiciary committee chairman Jerrold Nadler apparently urged Ms Pelosi to permit his committee to proceed with an impeachment inquiry, his second such report in recent weeks. Many in the party – especially the most recent intake of progressives Democrats – were elected on a vow to seek impeachment.Ms Pelosi is fearful impeachment would distract both the party and voters from the 2020 election. She fears it could rally his supporters and is mindful of the 1998 impeachment of Bill Clinton, when Republican speaker Newt Gingrich was forced to resign after his party lost five House seats in that year’s midterms, amid an apparent public backlash.Others say Ms Pelosi, now aged 79, is failing in her duty and misreading the mood of her party, if not the country at large.On Wednesday, Ms Pelosi told told reporters she felt no pressure to move towards impeachment“Make no Mistake. We know exactly what path we’re on….while that may take more time than some people want it to take, I respect their impatience,” she said.Mr Nadler told CNN he could push ahead with impeachment at a later date but that there was currently insufficient support among the party leadership. He is also pushing for a full, unredacted copy of Robert Mueller’s Russia report.“There does not appear to be support for it now. And we will see. The support may develop,” he said.Ms Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to enquires about her reported comments.However, a spokesperson, Ashley Etienne, told the New York Post the speaker and other party members “had a productive meeting about the state of play with the Mueller report”.She added: “They agreed to keep all options on the table and continue to move forward with an aggressive hearing and legislative strategy, as early as next week, to address the president’s corruption and abuses of power uncovered in the report.”

5 U.S. Tourists Have Died in the Dominican Republic Since April. Should You Cancel Your Trip?

Since the beginning of 2019, there have been multiple high-profile cases involving American tourists dying or being seriously injured while staying in the Dominican Republic.

Salvadoran migrants killed in Texas vehicle crash

Authorities in south Texas say six migrants from El Salvador have been killed and five critically injured when an SUV that earlier fled police crashed into a drainage ditch. (June 5)

'End where we began': Paradise teens graduate after wildfire

Paradise these days is surrounded by piles of crumpled garage doors and melted ovens. Of the 980 students at the school, about 900 lost their homes, Principal Loren Lighthall said. Paradise High School sits across the road from a cemetery, next to a church.

US, Russia blame each other as ships nearly collide in Asia

The U.S. and Russia accused each other of unsafe actions on Friday after an American guided-missile cruiser and a Russian destroyer came within 165 feet (50 meters) of each other in the Philippine Sea. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters that the U.S. will file a formal diplomatic complaint about the incident and will have military to military conversations with the Russians. The U.S. 7th Fleet said the Russian destroyer put the safety of the USS Chancellorsville and its crew at risk, forcing it to reverse all engines at full throttle to avoid a collision.

Robert Mueller could be subpoenaed in the next two weeks

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said publicly that he is “confident” Mueller will appear before his panel.

'Tachtouch' returns to Lebanon after monkeying around in Israel

A Lebanese monkey who breached the border with Israel was returned to its owner Friday by United Nations peacekeepers after cavorting for more than a week in enemy territory. Tachtouch escaped late last month, prompting its owner Beatrice Mauger who runs a peace project in southern Lebanon to launch an appeal on Facebook. "We have captured the Lebanese monkey in good health," the Yodfat Monkey Forest in northern Israel said on Facebook late Thursday.

German nurse who killed 85 patients gets life in prison

A former nurse was jailed for life on Thursday for murdering 85 of his patients - the worst killing spree in Germany's post-war history. Niels Hoegel injected people with lethal drugs and then played the hero by appearing to struggle to revive them, the district court in Oldenburg heard. "Your crimes are impossible to grasp," judge Sebastian Buehrmann told him, according to Der Spiegel.

Boeing delayed fix of defective 737 MAX warning light for three years: U.S. lawmakers

Boeing Co learned that a cockpit warning light on its 737 MAX jetliner was defective in 2017 but decided to defer fixing it until 2020, U.S. lawmakers said on Friday. The defective warning light alerts pilots when two sensors that measure the angle between the airflow and the wing disagree. Faulty "angle of attack" data is suspected of playing a role in two deadly crashes involving Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX in Indonesia in October and in Ethiopia in March.

The Bose soundbar everyone goes nuts over is cheaper right now than it was on Black Friday

Bose's products are typically quite expensive, though they're worth every penny if you want sound quality that'll knock your socks off. Of course, that's why people get so excited when Bose's most popular speakers and headphones go on sale at a discount. It doesn't get much more popular than the Bose Solo 5 TV Sound System, which flew off the virtual store shelves by the thousands on Black Friday when it dropped from $250 to $199. Well guess what: it's even cheaper right now than it was on Black Friday. This terrific compact sound bar is down to just $179.99 right now on Amazon, which is an all-time low. We doubt this deal will last much longer, so hurry and grab one before it's too late!Here are the highlights from the product page: * Single sound bar provides better sound quality compared to your TV.The Solo 5 TV sound system is an easy solution, with advanced technologies that deliver the clear audio your TV can't. * Dialogue mode to make every word and detail stand out * Bluetooth connectivity to wirelessly stream music from any of your devices * One connection to your TV. Optical audio input (digital); Coaxial audio input (digital); 3.5 mm aux input (analog) * Universal remote controls TV, bass, Bluetooth connections and more * Speaker:2.6 H x 21.6 W x 3.4 D (3.73 lbs), Remote control:4.1 H x 1.6 W x 0.4 D (5 oz)

Toyota and Subaru Will Build Two Electric SUVs on a Jointly Developed EV Platform

The new platform will be able to underpin both mid-size and large vehicles, including sedans and crossovers.

Biden support for abortion limits draws fierce party backlash

Presidential Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden came under spirited attack from White House rivals Wednesday after his campaign confirmed that he supports a ban on federal funding for abortions that many in his party want overturned. It highlighted the fault lines in a sensitive debate of the hot-button abortion issue in the run up to next year's elections between a Democratic nominee and President Donald Trump. The issue surged to the fore Wednesday when Biden's campaign confirmed to US media that he supported the Hyde Amendment, an existing law that prohibits expenditure of federal funds on abortions except in rare cases when a pregnancy endangers the life of the mother, or when the pregnancy results from rape or incest.

Dem rivals rebuke Biden for not backing abortion rule repeal

Joe Biden is under fire from his Democratic presidential rivals and women's rights advocates for his defense of a decades-old prohibition on federal money paying for abortions. Most Democratic White House hopefuls reflect their party's latest platform calling for the outright repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which traces back to a compromise made when Biden was a young Delaware senator in the years after the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling legalized abortion nationwide. The hedging prompted intraparty outcry, with top Democrats reaffirming their commitment to abortion rights and scrapping the Hyde Amendment.

Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski: ‘I Cannot Believe the Equality Act Is Even a Thing That Needs Debating In 2019’

Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast/Photos GettyIn this special series, LGBT celebrities and public figures talk to Tim Teeman about the Stonewall Riots and their legacy—see more here.Antoni Porowski is a TV personality, actor, chef and model, star of Queer Eye.When/how did you first hear about the Stonewall Riots, and what did you make of them?I learned about the Stonewall Riots during my first Pride in New York. I had already been living here for a few years and my friend Klaus was surprised to learn that I had never attended. He took me to the Stonewall Inn and explained its significance. I quickly felt embarrassed for my perception of Pride and its meaning which, prior to this moment of education, consisted of the idea that Pride was simply a loud party, with no basis in a historical event. I’m so grateful that he invited me that day.Want To Feel Gay Pride? Go HereWhat is the riots’ significance for you?The riots, along with the civil rights movement, helped shape the course for LGBTQIA visibility and a demand for equal rights. Fifty years later, we are still fighting, as shown with the Equality Act, to protect federal rights for all. The ability to feel equal to our cisgendered and/or heterosexual fellows affects the way we feel not only about ourselves but also how we navigate society and our feeling like we are truly a part of it. Life is challenging enough as it is. Equal rights and freedom of expression, in all its forms, should be a given. Especially during difficult times, we must remember Stonewall and respect what was done to pave the way to where we are today.How far have we LGBT people come since 1969?I’m conflicted with this question. In some ways I feel we’ve made tremendous progress, and in others I cannot believe the Equality Act is even a thing that needs debating in 2019. I’m also aware that the LGBTQIA experience in New York is not representative of the rest of the country or world, which is not to say that we are a utopia for our queer fellows. I will say that I do feel visibility is on the incline, which brings me hope. As a kid I had such limited LGBTQIA role models or people to look up to. As I grow older, that number has increased very much.What would you like to see, LGBT-wise, in the next 50 years?I haven’t quoted this book in a while, but I want us to treat fluidity, being gay, all of it, the way the characters do in Hanya Yanagihara’s book A Little Life. I want it to be normalized and not bring debate of whether it’s a choice or not. I want gender and sexual orientation to be embraced without judgment.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.

Swastika symbol in California man's front yard has some neighbors upset

A massive swastika in the front yard of a California man's home is upsetting some neighbors but he insists it's Tibetan symbol.