Trump Claims Journalists ‘Slander’ All Veterans by Calling Out Racism in Independence Day Address

Fresh off an astonishingly incendiary speech at Mount Rushmore on Friday night, President Trump picked up where he left off on Saturday and took aim at the media—bizarrely claiming that journalists who call out racism somehow “slander” the entire country and all U.S. military veterans. “To those in the media, who falsely and consistently label their opponents as racists, who condemn patriotic citizens...When you level these false charges, you not only slander me, you not only slander the American people, but you slander generations of heroes who gave their lives for America,” he told the crowd gathered for the White House’s Salute to America celebration. Trump used most of his speech to dismiss the widespread anti-racism protests across the country as a leftist plot aimed at destroying the country, echoing his comments from a night earlier, when he rallied supporters against those taking part in the protests, who he described as “evil.” Protesters have torn down statues of Confederate leaders, Christopher Columbus, and other figures known for stoking racial oppression, acts Trump vehemently opposes.While he did not name names on Saturday, Trump repeatedly claimed protesters were seeking to erase the legacy of “great heroes.”“We will not throw away our heroes. We will honor them, and we will prove worthy of their sacrifice,” he said.But he seemed to save most of his ire for the journalists reporting on the current reckoning over the country's history of racism. By leveling the “false” accusation of racism, he said, “You slander people much braver and principled than you. You're slandering the young man who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. And those who perished fighting for freedom in the Civil War. You slander them.” He did not elaborate on which accusation in particular was false, who it was made against, or if he was flat-out dismissing the existence of racism in general. “We will not let the legacy of these heroes be tarnished by you. ... The patriots who built our country were not villains,” he said. He also gave details of his newly announced garden of monuments, enumerating figures whose statues would be erected there. He said George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom owned slaves, had been “unfairly mistreated” in the recent reframing of their legacies. In other parts of his speech, Trump said the United States had done well in combatting the coronavirus and was “close to extinguishing” it despite cases increasing at record-high rates across the country. He made no mention of the nearly 130,000 victims who have succumbed to the virus. 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.

3 police officers have been fired over a photo in which cops took a selfie reenacting the chokehold used on Elijah McClain

The photo featured officers Jaron Jones, Erica Marrero, and Kyle Dittrich, smiling by a memorial for Elijah McClain.

Biden narrows list of vice presidential contenders

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has narrowed his reported list of vice presidential contenders, with several black women in contention; Jacqui Heinrich reports on the latest.

Kim Jong Un urges North Koreans to keep up virus fight

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un urged officials to maintain alertness against the coronavirus, warning that complacency risked “unimaginable and irretrievable crisis,” state media said Friday. Despite the warning, Kim reaffirmed North Korea’s claim to not have had a single case of COVID-19, telling a ruling party meeting Thursday that the country has “thoroughly prevented the inroad of the malignant virus” despite the worldwide health crisis, the Korean Central News Agency said. Outsiders widely doubt North Korea escaped the pandemic entirely, given its poor health infrastructure and close trade and travel ties to China, where the coronavirus emerged late last year.

Kansas Governor Criticizes G.O.P. Official’s Cartoon Comparing Mask Order to Holocaust

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The One Reason Donald Trump Needs to Fear Joe Biden (And Could Lose)

Likeability matters. It’s not everything, of course, and Joe Biden has weaknesses. But the 2020 contest is not a race between two people with similar high negative ratings, and that may matter to the public in November — it certainly could help explain Biden’s lead in the polls.

Florida's new coronavirus cases break record, nearly tying New York's peak

Florida reported 11,458 new coronavirus cases Saturday, it highest daily tally yet, nearly tying New York's high of 11,571 in April.

Canada's strict border closures shut out Hong Kong asylum seekers even as interest spikes

Hong Kong's new security law has prompted a sharp uptick in inquiries from families looking to relocate to Canada, but Ottawa's strict COVID-19 border control measures are making it nearly impossible to get in, immigration lawyers said. Admissions of new permanent residents from Hong Kong jumped 75.7% in January and February 2020 compared to the previous year, as Beijing's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters escalated. Beijing imposed the legislation on Hong Kong this week despite protests from Hong Kongers and Western nations, setting China's freest city and a major financial hub on a more authoritarian track.

The Science Behind Your Favorite Fireworks

For nearly 160 years, St. George has been known as Utah's 'Dixie.' The name is all over the city. Is it time to change?

The word "Dixie" is everywhere in St. George, Utah. The controversy over its Confederate ties is back in the public eye — but it's not a new debate.

The best place for children during the pandemic? It may actually be in school

Data shows that children are at the lowest risk for catching or spreading COVID-19 so its time to get them back to school.

Cities around the US have already cut at least $1.19 billion from police budgets since George Floyd was killed

Cities including New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Boston have answered calls to reduce police funding as Black Lives Matter protests continue.

White Mich. couple charged after gun pulled on Black family

A white couple face criminal charges after one of them was captured on video pulling a handgun on a Black woman and her daughters in a restaurant parking lot in Michigan. Jillian Wuestenberg, 32, and Eric Wuestenberg, 42, were arrested after Wednesday night's confrontation and charged Thursday with felonious assault, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said in a release. As a condition of the bond they must turn over all firearms, not engage in “assaultive behavior” and not leave Michigan, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement.

NYC shootings: No end in sight to dramatic rise in gun violence

In all, 10 shootings occurred on Thursday, involving 14 victims.

239 Experts With 1 Big Claim: The Coronavirus Is Airborne

By BY APOORVA MANDAVILLI from NYT Health https://ift.tt/38vciZW

DNA Linked to Covid-19 Was Inherited From Neanderthals, Study Finds

By BY CARL ZIMMER from NYT Health https://ift.tt/3iyqTZe

Bettors Gamble With Their Money, and the Virus, As Atlantic City Reopens

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Terril Tate left his house an hour before dawn Thursday to be one of the first players at a craps table when the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino reopened at 6 a.m.He was hoping for a win and maybe a date. But Tate, 41, said he was also on a mission to pave the way for people who don't yet feel safe enough -- he called them "worry bots" -- to venture into indoor recreational and leisure spaces."There's got to be someone who goes into the fire first," said Tate, a truck driver from Toms River, New Jersey. "Once enough people see it's OK, they'll come back."As cases of the coronavirus surge in states that reopened earliest, New Jersey forged ahead Thursday with its plan to allow casinos in Atlantic City to begin operating for the first time since March 16.In the morning, workers vastly outnumbered bettors, but a mood of cautious celebration grew as the day wore on and long-dormant hotels began to fill with guests on the eve of a long holiday weekend.The reopening came several days after Gov. Philip D. Murphy, a Democrat, abruptly decided against permitting indoor dining based on troubling signs that spikes in the virus in other parts of the country were linked to crowds gathered in confined, indoor spaces like restaurants and bars. On Wednesday, New York also indefinitely suspended indoor dining.The difficulty in striking a safe balance between the still-real threat of the virus and the economic needs of a region crippled by the shutdown was on full display at casinos up and down Atlantic City's storied boardwalk.Masks were mandatory on the sprawling gambling floors, and food, drinks and smoking were forbidden. Plexiglass separated players at poker tables manned by dealers in face shields. Signs filled with catchy, cautionary phrases -- "A clean hand is a winning hand," "Have a heart, stay 6 feet apart"-- were as common as hand sanitizer.At the Hard Rock, as soon as a customer stepped away from a slot machine, cleaning crews dressed in lime-green "Clean Team" T-shirts descended with spray bottles and wipes.When Atlantic City's nine casinos shuttered, 27,000 workers were instantly thrust out of work, leaving many to rely on food banks as they struggled to access unemployment insurance through a system bogged down by delays and glitches. An analysis by the Brookings Institution found that the economy of Atlantic City could be the third hardest hit by the pandemic in the country.Casinos in Las Vegas reopened a month ago with fewer safety restrictions than are in place in Atlantic City. Last week, a union representing casino workers in Las Vegas filed a lawsuit claiming employees were not immediately told that co-workers had tested positive for the virus.Masks were initially optional in Las Vegas casinos but are now mandatory as the number of cases in Nevada increases.Early Thursday in Atlantic City's casinos, it was easy to maintain a safe social distance as crowds were sparse, which would not be unusual even in normal times.At 10 a.m., there were 109 people at the tables and slot machines of the Ocean Casino Resort, in a space with a maximum capacity of 14,000, according to Mike Donovan, the chief marketing officer."I feel less at risk than in the supermarket," said Virginia Hight, 71, of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, sweeping her arm toward Ocean's empty rows of slot machines and open floor space. "You could bowl in this place."Hight said she came to play the slots mainly to get out of her house and away from the constant reminders of her husband's recent death. His death was unrelated to COVID-19, she said, and any qualms she had about her own safety were outweighed by her need for a diversion. The oxygen tank she uses to help her breathe rested discreetly at her feet."Probably I shouldn't be here," she said. "But it was good to get a shower, do my hair, put on my mask and come out."Some of the earliest arrivals at the casinos wore gloves, or carried damp washcloths, to protect themselves from germs. Most spoke of simply needing a break from the monotony of the pandemic."Just to clear my head -- it's relaxing," said Rosetta Williams, 30, of Philadelphia. She was all smiles after winning $136 at a slot machine. And it was still only 6:15 a.m.Tate said he was reveling in the newfound freedoms."Just the freedom of doing what you want, when you want," he said. "Just back to the normal. Not 'don't do this, don't do that.' "Security precautions appeared to vary widely.At the Hard Rock, every person who entered the building had their temperatures scanned by thermal imaging monitors. At Ocean, only the temperatures of employees were taken.Another casino, the Borgata, decided not to reopen at all after the governor backtracked on indoor dining and drinking, limiting the nightlife that is so central to Atlantic City's character and profit margins.The chairman of Hard Rock International, James F. Allen, said he had also considered remaining closed."We probably are not going to make a lot of money," he said in an interview. "But it's just important to get people back to work."About 60% of the Hard Rock's employees were back on the job, he said.The casino, he said, decided early on to make an investment in imaging technology, given the likelihood that the coronavirus will be a prolonged threat in the United States."We just decided that this was not going to go away in a couple weeks, and it was important to invest in a long-term mindset for the safety of our employees and guests," Allen said.The temperature devices also provide a facial record of everyone who enters the building -- information that can be easily paired with surveillance cameras and the electronic cards most players use to place bets, creating an efficient contact-tracing system.The inability to reopen restaurants and bars did lead some customers to cancel reservations at Ocean's 1,400-room hotel, Donovan said."That's a pretty tough combination to overcome," he said. "But we'll get through it, and hopefully in a couple weeks we'll be able to have more expanded offerings."Still, he said the hotel expected to reach full occupancy by Friday night.The Hard Rock decided to book only 75% of its rooms. Of the rooms available, 90% were filled Thursday, and it was sold out for the weekend, said Tanya Scalisi, a spokeswoman.Joe Arnashus has the following of a celebrity as the founder of Everything A.C. Casinos, the largest gambling-related Facebook group of its kind on the East Coast.He was invited to play the first ceremonial round of cards at Ocean Casino after a ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured dancers festooned in feathers and sequined face masks.He said the safety precautions necessitated by the pandemic were a temporary inconvenience."We can live with it for a while," Arnashus said. "We do the best we can with what we're dealt."This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company

Cop who stopped Elijah McClain fired over response to photos

One of the white officers who stopped Elijah McClain was fired over photos showing colleagues reenacting the chokehold used on the Black man before he died last year, authorities said Friday. Police stopped McClain as he walked down the street in a ski mask last August for “being suspicious.” Aurora Officer Jason Rosenblatt tried to use a chokehold on the 23-year-old but couldn't because of his position, so another officer did, a report from prosecutors said.

Hillary Clinton says she 'would have done a better job' at handling the coronavirus pandemic

"I know I would have done a better job," the former secretary of state told a Hollywood Reporter podcast on Friday.

The surgeon general refused to give a yes or no answer when asked if he would advise people to attend large gatherings for the 4th of July

During an appearance on the "Today" show, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams didn't advise people not to attend large gatherings for the 4th of July.

Florida breaks record with 11,458 new virus cases. Miami-Dade and Broward hit highs, too

Saturday’s update on new confirmed COVID-19 cases from the Florida Department of Health reflected the state, Miami-Dade and Broward record new single-day highs, rocketing past previous peaks.

Indian man wears gold face mask to ward off coronavirus

An Indian man said he paid about $4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus raging in the country. The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams (two ounces) and took craftsmen eight days to make, said businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune. "I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions," he added.

Thomas Jefferson alongside Black great-grandson holds 'a mirror' to U.S.

Shannon LaNier, a TV host in Houston, is pictured in a photo in Smithsonian Magazine alongside his direct ancestor, Thomas Jefferson.

US tries to seize Iranian gas heading toward Venezuela

U.S. federal prosecutors are seeking to seize four tankers sailing toward Venezuela with gasoline supplied by Iran, the latest attempt to disrupt ever-closer trade ties between the two heavily sanctioned anti-American allies. The civil-forfeiture complaint filed late Wednesday in the District of Columbia federal court alleges that the sale was arranged by a businessman, Mahmoud Madanipour, with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. “The profits from these activities support the IRGC’s full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and a variety of human rights abuses, at home and abroad,” prosecutor Zia Faruqui alleges in the complaint.

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Group of protesters blocks Mount Rushmore access road ahead of Trump speech, fireworks display

07/03/20 5:41 PM

Kim Jong Un says North Korea prevented coronavirus from making inroads

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers Party the North had stopped the novel coronavirus from making inroads in the country, state news agency KCNA said on Friday. "We have thoroughly prevented the inroad of the malignant virus and maintained a stable anti-epidemic situation despite the worldwide health crisis, which is a shining success achieved," Kim Jong Un said in a statement carried by KCNA.

Black Lives Matter: Florida police officers laugh and brag on video about shooting rubber bullets at protesters

Florida police officers responding to a George Floyd protest have been caught on camera laughing and bragging about shooting protesters with rubber bullets.The video shows police forming a line against a group of protesters in Fort Lauderdale on 31 May and eventually tossing tear gas to drive them away. When protesters began throwing the cannisters back at the police, they responded by shooting at demonstrators with rubber bullets.

Sen. Scott on COVID-19 surge in Florida: We can beat this without the government taking away our rights

Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott says citizens can responsibly combat the virus by being given more information from the government instead of just being told what to do.

Supreme Court declines to hear Equal Pay Act case

WHO Quietly Changes COVID Timeline following Republican Questioning

The World Health Organization quietly changed its timeline of the coronavirus pandemic’s first days on Tuesday, clarifying that the Chinese Communist Party never informed the organization of the pandemic on December 31, despite previous claims to the contrary.In the new timeline, which the WHO says has been updated “in light of evolving events and new information,” the organization reveals that its Chinese Office “picked up” an online statement — which has since been deleted — made by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission describing cases of “viral pneumonia.” The WHO says it also received open-source intelligence suggesting there was “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan.The additions clarify the WHO’s previous timeline, which simply stated that on December 31, “Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan” — implying the report was made to the WHO. In its initial report on the outbreak, the WHO said its China office “was informed” of the unknown pneumonia cases, without clarifying that the information was not provided by the Chinese Communist Party.The lack of clarity led multiple outlets — including Axios, the Washington Post, and the BBC — to report that Chinese authorities told the WHO’s China office about the outbreak on December 31. But an interim report released last month by Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee scrutinized that claim, and argued the CCP never actually told the WHO about the outbreak.“I’m glad to see the WHO and the Chinese Communist Party have both read my interim report on the origins of the pandemic and are finally admitting to the world the truth — the CCP never reported the virus outbreak to the WHO in violation of WHO regulations,” HFAC Lead Republican and China Task Force Chairman Michael McCaul (R., Texas) told National Review. “The question now is whether the CCP will continue their false propaganda campaign that continues to claim they warned the world, or whether they will come clean and begin to work with the world health community to get to the bottom of this deadly pandemic.”The WHO did not respond to a request for comment.McCaul, along with China Task Force member Jim Banks (R., Ind.), have argued that China violated the WHO’s International Health Regulations by failing to be transparent about the origins of the pandemic.

One sole Russian region says 'nyet' to Putin, defying the Kremlin

Only one of Russia's 85 regions, a sparsely-populated patch of the Arctic known for reindeer herders, defied the Kremlin and voted against changes granting President Vladimir Putin the right to stay in power until 2036, results on Thursday showed. Discontent there has been brewing for some time and its rejection appeared to be a protest vote designed to signal anger over a local issue. Specifically, residents object to a plan put forward earlier this year by authorities to merge with neighbouring region Arkhangelsk, a move they believe would leave them poorer by stripping them of special financial support.

Pence: Florida can thank President Trump for being prepared to handle COVID cases

The coronavirus case numbers are worse than ever in Florida.

Sorting Out Canada’s Patchwork of Face Mask Rules

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Virus Surges in Arizona, but the Rodeo Goes On

By BY ELIZABETH WILLIAMSON from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3ivi8iz

Seattle police clear out protester-occupied zone

More than 30 people are arrested as officers disperse demonstrators from the "lawless" area.

2 Oklahoma police officers charged in death of man

North Korea's response to coronavirus has been a 'shining success', says Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un has said that North Korea has stopped the coronavirus making inroads in his country and his response to the pandemic has been a "shining success". According to state news agency KCNA, Mr Kim told a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers Party that North Korea had "thoroughly prevented the inroad of the malignant virus and maintained a stable anti-epidemic situation despite the worldwide health crisis, which is a shining success achieved." He warned against complacency or relaxation in the anti-epidemic effort and urged North Koreans to maintain "maximum alert", KCNA said in a statement. The politburo meeting on Thursday comes as many hard-hit countries are easing lockdowns, even as the world moves quickly past the grim milestones of 10 million confirmed infections and 500,000 deaths. North Korea has reopened schools but kept a ban on public gatherings and made it mandatory for people to wear masks in public places as part of its response to the coronavirus threat, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said on Wednesday.

Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina get best marks in Latin America for pandemic response - poll

Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina are the Latin American countries that earned the best grades for their response to the coronavirus, according to a poll conducted in the region and released on Friday, while Brazil was tagged as the worst performer. The survey by the consulting firm Trespuntozero, to which Reuters had exclusive access, shows that in eight of the 10 countries in which the study was conducted, the respondents considered Uruguay one of the best controllers of the pandemic. According to the poll, the performance of Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou against the pandemic had 77.8% approval in his own country; that of Paraguayan Mario Abdo, 76.7%; and that of Argentina's Alberto Fernandez, 68%.

Stonewall Jackson statue, other Confederate monuments come down along Richmond's Monument Avenue

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney ordered the removal of the Stonewall Jackson statue and other Confederate memorials along Monument Avenue

Afghan Contractor Handed Out Russian Cash to Kill Americans, Officials Say

KABUL, Afghanistan -- He was a lowly drug smuggler, neighbors and relatives say, then ventured into contracting, seeking a slice of the billions of dollars the U.S.-led coalition was funneling into construction projects in Afghanistan.But he really began to show off his wealth in recent years, after establishing a base in Russia, though how he earned those riches remained mysterious. On his regular trips home to northern Afghanistan, he drove the latest model cars, protected by bodyguards, and his house was recently upgraded to a four-story villa.Now Rahmatullah Azizi stands as a central piece of a puzzle rocking Washington, named in U.S. intelligence reports and confirmed by Afghan officials as a key middleman who for years handed out money from a Russian military intelligence unit to reward Taliban-linked fighters for targeting U.S. troops in Afghanistan, according to American and Afghan officials.As security agencies connected the dots of the bounty scheme and narrowed in on him, they carried out sweeping raids to arrest dozens of his relatives and associates about six months ago but discovered that Azizi had sneaked out of Afghanistan and was likely back in Russia. What they did find in one of his homes, in Kabul, was about half a million dollars in cash.American and Afghan officials for years have maintained that Russia was running clandestine operations to undermine the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and aid the Taliban.But U.S. officials only recently concluded that a Russian spy agency was paying bounties for killing coalition troops, including Americans, which the Kremlin and the Taliban have denied.According to officials briefed on the matter, U.S. intelligence officials believe the program is run by Unit 29155, an arm of the Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU that has carried out assassinations and other operations overseas.That a conduit for the payments would be someone like Azizi -- tied to the U.S. reconstruction effort, enmeshed in the regional netherworld but not prominent enough to attract outside attention -- speaks to the depth of Russia's reach into the increasingly complicated Afghan battlefield, exploiting a nexus of crime and terror to strike blows with years of deniability.The public revelation last week of that conclusion has touched off a political firestorm in Washington. White House officials said at first that President Donald Trump was never briefed on the matter, but it emerged that the intelligence assessment was included in a written briefing to the president in late February, if not earlier.As Democratic and Republican officials have expressed alarm at the news, and the administration's lack of action in response, the White House has insisted that the information was uncertain.Details of Azizi's role in the bounty scheme were confirmed through a dozen interviews that included U.S. and Afghan officials aware of the intelligence and the raids that led to it; his neighbors and friends; and business associates of the middle men arrested on suspicion of involvement. All spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation.U.S. intelligence reports named Azizi as a key middleman between the GRU and militants linked to the Taliban who carried out the attacks. He was among those who collected the cash in Russia, which intelligence files described as multiple payments of "hundreds of thousands of dollars." Those files were among the materials provided to Congress this week.Through a layered and complex Hawala system -- an informal way to transfer money -- he delivered it to Afghanistan for the missions, the files say. The transfers were often sliced into smaller amounts that routed through several regional countries before arriving in Afghanistan, associates of the arrested businessmen said.Afghan officials said prizes of as much as $100,000 per killed soldier were offered for American and coalition targets.Just how the money was dispersed to militants carrying out attacks for the Taliban, and at what level the coordination occurred, remains unclear. But officials say the network had grown increasingly ambitious and was in communication with more senior levels in Taliban military ranks to discuss potential targets.About six months ago, Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, raided the offices of several Hawala businessmen both in Kabul, the capital, and in Kunduz, in the north, who were believed to be associated with the bounty scheme, making more than a dozen arrests."The target of the operation was Rahmat, who was going back-and-forth to Russia for a long time and said he worked there, but no one knew what he did," said Safiullah Amiry, deputy head of Kunduz provincial council, referring to Azizi. But by the time the raid took place, "Rahmat had fled.""From what I heard from security officials, the money had come from Russia through Rahmat," he added.Russia was initially seen as cooperating with U.S. efforts after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, as its interests in defeating al-Qaida, an international Islamic terror group, aligned with those of the United States.But in recent years, as the two powers clashed elsewhere, the Kremlin grew wary of the prolonged U.S. presence and moved closer to the Taliban, hedging its bets on who would take power in a post-American Afghanistan.The Russians also saw an opportunity for long-awaited payback for the Soviet humiliation in Afghanistan in the 1980s, when the Red Army withdrew after being unable to defeat a U.S.-backed insurgency.Russia has walked a fine balance in recent years, eager to bloody the American nose but wary of Afghanistan collapsing into a chaos that could spill over its borders. Publicly, Russia has admitted only to information-sharing with the Taliban in fighting the Islamic State in Afghanistan, a common foe.The U.S. conclusion in 2019 that the Russians were sending bounty money to the Taliban came at a delicate time in the conflict, just as the United States was deep into negotiations with the insurgents over a deal to withdraw the remaining American troops from the country.Some of the attacks believed to be part of the bounty scheme were carried out around the time the Trump administration was actively reaching out to Russia for cooperation on those peace talks. Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special envoy leading the talks, repeatedly met with Russian officials to build consensus around the U.S. endgame.The Afghan battlefield is saturated with smaller terrorist groups in addition to the Taliban, who are still responsible for the majority of the violence. Criminal networks, profiteers and terror training experts also freelance their services -- often to several groups at the same time.Azizi, who neighbors and relatives said is in his 40s, thrived in that convoluted, murky environment.A friend who has known him since his early days in Kunduz, as well as later in Russia, said he had started off with smuggling small shipments of drugs into Iran in his 20s, but that venture was not very successful. He had returned to northern Afghanistan, and somehow won contracts from the U.S.-led coalition forces to build stretches of a couple roads in Kunduz, before making his way to Russia.None of those interviewed who know Azizi were surprised when his associates were raided about six months ago and one of his brothers taken into custody with the half-million dollars in cash. As one of his friends put it, he had gone from "not even having a blanket" to having multiple houses, fancy cars, and security escorts.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company

The world's largest Confederate monument faces renewed calls for removal

Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial, a nine-story-high bas-relief sculpture carved into a sprawling rock face northeast of Atlanta, is perhaps the South's most audacious monument to its pro-slavery legacy still intact. Despite long-standing demands for the removal of what many consider a shrine to racism, the giant depiction of three Confederate heroes on horseback still towers ominously over the Georgia countryside, protected by state law. The monument - which reopens on Independence Day weekend after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to close for weeks - has faced renewed calls for removal since the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died during an arrest by a white police officer who pinned his neck to the ground with a knee.

We’re so damaged that even if it ends well in November, all will not be well | Opinion

Even if this ends well, it will not end well.

Gov. Huckabee on Trump’s re-election strategy: President will face some challenges

Former Arkansas governor and Fox News contributor Mike Huckabee says Trump has ‘enough time to remind people the worst thing they can do is vote for Biden’ on ‘America’s Newsroom.’

Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested at a $1 million luxury 4-bedroom New Hampshire house that was bought last year in cash

Maxwell, a former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, is accused of helping him sexually abuse underage victims over the course of many years.

'We're not going anywhere': Seattle's Chop zone dismantled but cause lives on

The special police-free zone set up by protesters has now been cleared, but activists say they won’t stop the fight for justiceThe occupied protest zone near downtown Seattle known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest, or “Chop”, effectively came to a swift end early on Wednesday morning when officers largely cleared the area of people and encampments, despite some protests lingering overnight into Thursday.Now activists say the relationships built and lessons learned over the last three weeks in the self-proclaimed police-free zone have already had a lasting impact that will live on past the physical presence of Chop.“We won, we’re winning, we made history,” said Rick Hearns, who had become head of security at Chop. “Look what we did here. The world saw it.”But the protest area also became the location of a series of night-time shootings, which left a 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man dead and several others seriously injured.In a series of tweets on Wednesday afternoon, Seattle’s mayor, Jenny Durkan, highlighted the violence in the zone, saying “the recent public safety threats have been well documented” and “this violence demanded action”.She said: “Our conversations over the weekend made it clear that many individuals would not leave, and that we couldn’t address these critical public safety concerns until they did.”The autonomous zone emerged organically following a series of dangerous clashes between protesters and law enforcement during marches against police brutality sparked by the killing of George Floyd, and African American, by a white police officer, in Minneapolis in May.Officers in Seattle abandoned their east precinct building as demonstrations closed in, after which protesters camped out around it, with the intention of protecting the building from possible destruction that might be blamed on them.In the days that followed, hundreds more joined, and suddenly several blocks of the city’s streets were teeming with people of different ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, focused on calling for the defunding the city’s police department – echoing such protest cries emerging coast to coast, which can mean diverting money budgeted for police departments to social and education services, or even dismantling an entire department and restructuring the law enforcement system.And they wanted an end to police brutality against black people, explained Tarika Powell, an organizer with Seattle Black Collective Voice.> We’re going to organize sit-ins, we’re going to spam the city officials, we’re going to show up> > Jessie Livingston“It was a space where people came to learn. We screened documentaries, we put on people’s assemblies every day where people had the opportunity to speak and share their feelings and ideas … we put on educational events every single day,” she told the Guardian.“We had a space called the conversation cafe where people could come to learn about racism and to talk about it in ways they don’t get to do in their daily lives.”It spurred not only important conversations and learning, but also lasting bonds, which have since resulted in the organizing of anti-racist protests and the creation of social justice groups.The Seattle Black Collective Voice, for example, was formed after a group of organizers and protesters met in the Chop, explained Powell.Today, there are about 40 people involved with the collective, and they hold weekly educational events, and organize neighborhood cleanups and mental health outreach for people in the African American community.“We would have not been able to come together and engage in the work that we’re doing if it had not been for Chop,” she said.Pay the Fee Tiny Library was launched in a tent at the Chop, and now organizers have set up the library, which includes black, indigenous and people of color and LGBTQ literature, around the city and held events. And a garden started in the Cal Anderson Park is now expected to become a permanent addition to the neighborhood.Protesters have repeatedly stressed that the shootings and violence was not directly connected with Chop, and may have happened anyway . But it resulted in a dramatic decline in occupiers, it concerned local businesses and residents, and amplified officials calling on occupants to disperse.By the time police cleared Chop on Wednesday, following Mayor Durkan’s emergency executive order, the area had largely been reduced to a small number of activists and many homeless people, explained Powell.The truth is they “went in and did a violent sweep on homeless people, throwing away their tents and belongings”, she said.“Those homeless people had come into Chop to be safe from the sweeps. That is the vast majority of people that were in that space since the shooting started.”Officers reported on Twitter that they arrested 31 people during the sweep.Some activists have argued that the police precinct was needed as a bargaining chip in order to get their three main demands met, which involve defunding the police, using that money to invest in community health and services, and dropping criminal charges against protesters. Others say another occupation in the city could be a future possibility.Jessie Livingston, 36, a protester who has been camped at Chop almost every day since it was founded, said she didn’t know exactly the form the movement might take, but said: “We’re going to organize sit-ins, we’re going to spam the city officials, we’re going to show up to city council meetings, we’re going to do everything we know how to do.”She added: “We’re not going anywhere.”

Op-Ed: Could the racist past of Mt. Rushmore's creator bring down the monument?

What should be done with an accomplishment that features problematic men carved in a problematic location by a problematic sculptor?

Police officer filmed punching black woman at Miami International Airport

The police department in Miami-Dade has dismissed two officers after one punched a black woman at Miami International Airport.The department ordered an investigation into the incident on Wednesday night when a video – dated 1 July – was shared online.

California Gov. Enacts Further Reclosure of Some Businesses

Most counties are being ordered to immediately reclose indoor spaces, like restaurants and movie theaters, as the coronavirus spread grows.

These states still require travelers to self-quarantine or present negative COVID-19 test

States are opening back up, but some still require or recommend visitors self-quarantine for two weeks. Find out where.

Minnesota state senator reacts to city council members voting to disband police: ‘Hypocrisy’

Minnesota State Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka tells ‘America’s Newsroom’ it’s ‘hypocritical’ that the city council members want to defund the police, yet have their own protection.

Dead Suspect in Disappearance of Fort Hood Soldier Sexually Harassed Her: Lawyer

A military officer who died by suicide after being confronted about his involvement in Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen’s disappearance allegedly walked in on her showering, her family’s lawyer said Wednesday. The incident is one of two alleged instances of sexual harassment Guillen, a 20-year-old Private First Class stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, experienced at the hands of her superiors before she went missing from the base’s parking lot in April, Natalie Khawam, an attorney for the Guillen family, said at a Wednesday press conference. On Tuesday evening, authorities believe they located Guillen’s body, after finding partial remains in a shallow grave near Leon River. The remains are currently being identified by a medical examiner.This Utah Police Chief Was Promoted Even After His Racist Posts Were Exposed. Now Residents Want Him Out.Now her family is demanding a congressional investigation into the military’s handling of Guillen’s case, alleging the probe has been riddled with “lies.” “They lied to our faces every single day that passed for more than two months. My sister was sexually harassed and no one cared,” Lupe Guillen, the soldier’s younger sister, said at a Wednesday press conference. “My sister is a human too. If this can happen to my sister it can happen to anyone else. She deserves justice!”“I want Fort Hood Army base to shut down... They’re protecting one another,” she added. While details of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command’s probe remain under wraps, military officials revealed that a suspect involved in the case died by suicide on Tuesday after being confronted by officers about his involvement in the case. The suspect, who has not been identified, was a “junior soldier from Fort Hood who fled the post” shortly after human remains were found about 20 minutes away from where Guillen was last seen. The Army added that authorities also apprehended another suspect in Guillen’s disappearance—a female civilian who is the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier. The identified woman is currently in custody at Bell County Jail awaiting charges. “We have made significant progress in this tragic situation and are doing everything possible to get to the truth and bring answers to the family of Pfc. Vanessa Guillen,” Chris Grey, the spokesman for Army’s criminal investigative organization, said Wednesday.During a Wednesday press conference with Guillen’s family members and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Khawam slammed Fort Hood and Army investigators for being “evasive” and accused them of covering up for two other suspects that are currently in custody. “They falsely accounted for her at 3 p.m. the day she disappeared,” said Khawam. “What is the cover-up for? She was a soldier. Why aren’t they transparent with the family? This was mishandled from the start. It has to be investigated.”‘Bullies With Badges’: Colorado Takes Another Look at Elijah McClain’s Death in CustodyThe lawyer added that the suspect, who authorities said died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, worked with Guillen the day she vanished. Mayra Guillen, the 20-year-old’s other sister, also revealed Wednesday that she had spoken to that same suspect—claiming he was dismissive and “laugh[ed] at my face” when she went to the military base to ask about the ongoing investigation. “That subject, I met him, not knowing he had something to do with it. I felt he had something to do with it, and I wasn't wrong,” Mayra Guillen said. “He had the nerve to laugh in my face and apparently now he kills himself. Why? I don't know, but whoever is responsible has to pay.”Authorities say Guillen was last seen on April 22 at 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Regimental Engineer Squadron headquarters. Her family reported her missing hours later when she stopped answering their calls and friends could not find her on the base. Officials later found “her car keys, barracks room key, identification card, and wallet” in the armory room where she had been working earlier in the day. Before Guillen went missing, Khawam said Guillen told family members, friends, and colleagues she had been sexually harassed by her superiors on two separate occasions. The family said Wednesday Guillen’s sexual harassment allegations led the military base to “cover-up” her initial disappearance.“We need a congressional investigation as soon as possible. They lied to us since day one, Fort Hood. They’re hiding,” Mayra Guillen said. For months, the Guillen family pressed the Army and lawmakers to pay attention to the case, holding several rallies and garnering the support of community groups. Once the search received national attention, the family launched the “Find Vanessa Guillen” campaign. Several activists and celebrities ultimately joined the effort to find answers about the soldier’s disappearance. Army Officer Rushes Home to See Mom—Before She Is Deported to Mexico“Bring back Vanessa… We won’t stop until you come back,” actress Salma Hayek wrote on Instagram last month.Fort Hood officials stated that since April, hundreds of soldiers have been deployed on a daily basis to search for Guillen in and around Fort Hood, as well as drones, helicopters, and dogs. On June 18, the military also launched an investigation into the sexual harassment claims but later said in a statement they found no credible evidence Guillen was assaulted.Days later, the investigators said they suspected “foul play” was involved in the case—but Khawam said developments in the case have not been relayed to the 20-year-old’s family. “Imagine you lose your daughter and you’re finding out information from the media? The command doesn’t feel they owe this family anything. They’re savages! They’re dishonorable,” Khawam said, adding that she plans to ask lawmakers to propose legislation to protect U.S. soldiers from sexual harassment and sexual assault.Tim Miller, director and founder of Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit that assists in missing-person searches, told The Washington Post the breakthrough in the case hinged on witness accounts. According to Miller, a man was seen struggling with a heavy-duty Pelican transport case shortly after Guillen disappeared. A lid for a similar case was found burned in a mound search on June 20—and her remains were later found just a few feet away by Texas Rangers and cadaver dogs. Miller told the Post that concrete had been poured at the site and recent rainstorms had allowed the shallow grave where the remains were found to settle into the ground. On Tuesday, Miller said, a group of men building a fence nearby noticed a terrible smell and walked over to the gravesite—where they saw hair coming out of the ground. He added that in the nearly two decades he had helped authorities recover nearly 240 sets of remains, he has never seen the level of sophistication that was used at the Leon River site.   “This should never have happened and we will never know what happened until we get a congressional investigation because everything we were given was lies,” Khawam added on Wednesday. “We don’t know who's covering up for who, but it doesn’t matter. We lost a life. We lost a beautiful young soldier and it's time we fix our system.”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.

Hong Kong: Mike Pompeo threatens China with new measures after Beijing enacts draconian security law

The United States has threatened Beijing with new countermeasures after China imposed draconian national security laws on Hong Kong. Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State called the enactment of the sweeping measures a "sad day for Hong Kong, and for freedom-loving people across China" and reiterated the White House's commitment to abolishing the city's special status under US law. "Per President Trump's instruction, we will eliminate policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment, with few exceptions," Mr Pompeo said. "The United States will not stand idly by while China swallows Hong Kong into its authoritarian maw," he warned. Read more: What does the new security law mean for Hong Kong?

Seriously, Just Wear Your Mask

By BY JESSE WEGMAN from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/31DbNf1

Trump’s Re-election Message Is White Grievance

By BY MICHELLE GOLDBERG from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/31Bf7aJ