| Trump's response to the weekend massacres show he is an ethical black hole Posted: 05 Aug 2019 12:37 PM PDT  Trump is playing the country like he's a conductor of a symphony of racist violence'Under this president, people are now afraid to go the hospital or to go the police.' Photograph: Susan Walsh/APDonald Trump continues to play his cynical game of dodging responsibility, shifting blame and exploiting tragedy. In a press conference called to address the horrors of two mass shootings in the United States over the past weekend, the president said nothing about his pivotal role in stoking fear and racism among certain segments of the population, said nothing about the fact that five of the 10 deadliest shootings in American history have happened since 2016, the fact that he has become a figurehead in the dark underground of the global white nationalist movement.Instead, Trump blamed the internet, blamed video games, blamed Congress and blamed "mental health issues". By tying legislation for tougher gun laws to immigration reform, as he tweeted earlier, Trump also and by extension blamed immigrants, who themselves are the victims of the very racism that has been unleashed by this president.With this ethical black hole of leadership and narcissistic exploitation of other people's tragedy, Trump proves once again – as if we needed any more proof – that he is unfit for the office he occupies. But the tragedy is larger than his job. It's also what he's doing to our country.How are we, the ordinary people of this country, supposed to go about our daily lives in this country any more? The victims in Ohio were doing nothing but enjoying themselves before they were gunned down. The killed and wounded in El Paso were doing nothing but back-to-school shopping.Nor does it stop there. Last April, people were terrorized in Poway, California, when a shooter entered their synagogue as they were celebrating Passover and began firing. And at least since last March, when a suspected white supremacist stormed two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51 people, American Muslims have congregated more nervously, increasing security at their mosques around the country. If you think the New Zealand connection is far afield from the American context, note that both the alleged Poway and El Paso shooters referenced the New Zealand shooter directly and favorably in their own manifestos."In general, I support the Christchurch shooter and his manifesto," the alleged El Paso shooter's manifesto says. "This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. They are the instigators, not me." The rhetoric here sounds suspiciously like the president's, who for months, had been tweeting and shrieking about the so-called caravan being "an invasion of our country". Trump even laughed at the suggestion that migrants should be shot.Such is the world of ideas that circulate dangerously and freely today. Hispanics are invaders, says the suspected El Paso shooter. Muslims want to "replace" white people, according to the accused Christchurch shooter. Jews are determined to "enslave" all the other races, proclaims the alleged Poway shooter. All of these notions are as ridiculous as they are noxious.But while such ideas can be easily dismissed, their real-world consequences cannot. When will the next shooting happen? And who will be its target? The world of the rightwing extremist is populated by too many enemies. Muslims, Latinxs, Jews, immigrants, African Americans, refugees, women. And who will the president blame next?Probably those with mental disabilities, but the idea that mass shooter phenomenon is "a mental illness problem" is another Trumpian sleight of hand. Not only does such a notion deflect responsibility from his own racist statements and actions (and not only does it conveniently forget that in 2018 Trump himself made it easier for people with mental illness to buy guns), but it also advances a dangerous falsehood. In fact, there is no scientifically discernible link between gun violence and mental illness. But with Trump making the link loudly and publicly, those with mental disabilities become even more vulnerable.In fact, Trump is playing the country like he's a conductor of a symphony of racist violence. Each of us has come to know a particular fear under him, and he draws it out of us when he wants. Muslims have learned to prepare for violence against them when the president tweets or retweets Islamophobic content. Immigrants – including legal permanent residents, for God's sake – are being told to live in constant fear of Ice raids and immigration detention. Jewish Americans worry about attending their synagogues. Refugees are told they will be sent back.Trump waves his baton, and the racism sings.Nor is this just a matter of perception or limited to the violent acts of the extreme fringe. Reports in El Paso indicate that some people avoided seeking medical care or approaching authorities to find their loved one because of their immigration status, leading the West Texas wing of the Customs and Border Protection to tweet: "We are not conducting enforcement operations at area hospitals, the family reunification center or shelters. We stand in support of our community."Under this president, people are now afraid to go the hospital or to go the police. We are being taught to be afraid of the very institutions that have been created to protect us.Enough of this bloody, miserable and discordant concert of death and hatred. The basic answers are not difficult. We need fewer guns. We need less racism. We need a different president. * Moustafa Bayoumi is the author of the award-winning books How Does It Feel To Be a Problem? Being Young and Arab in America. He is professor of English at Brooklyn College, City University of New York
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| A hero grandmother persuaded her 19-year-old grandson to check into a hospital when she learned he was planning a mass shooting Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:12 AM PDT  The US Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Texas announced on Friday that William Patrick Williams, from Lubbock, Texas, had been arrested.
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| RPT-El Paso shopper, recently arrived from Mexico, took a bullet for his wife Posted: 05 Aug 2019 04:00 AM PDT ![RPT-El Paso shopper, recently arrived from Mexico, took a bullet for his wife]( "RPT-El Paso shopper, recently arrived from Mexico, took a bullet for his wife") Juan de Dios Velazquez had only moved to El Paso, Texas, with his wife Estela Nicolasa from Ciudad Juarez, just across the border in Mexico, six months before they were caught in Saturday's mass shooting at a Walmart store. Juan de Dios, 77, and Estela, 65, were about to enter the store to buy groceries, just like any normal day, when shots rang out, according to their niece Norma Ramos. "He was arriving at the store when he was shot at close range and the bullet passed through him and hit my aunt Estela," Ramos told Reuters in a phone interview from Ciudad Juarez, where she lives.
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| So Much for Suez: What Britain's Tanker Crisis with Iran in the Gulf Really Means Posted: 04 Aug 2019 03:01 PM PDT  Last week's seizure of a British tanker in the Persian Gulf is nothing short of shocking.The Swedish-owned and British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero was intercepted en route to Saudi Arabia when it was attacked. The daring raid as captured, if not choreographed, by Iranian state television saw soldiers of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps rappel from helicopters to the deck, with fast attack ships running circles around the vessel.Yet the most interesting detail is that the British frigate HMS Montrose was in the Gulf, arriving "ten minutes too late" to prevent the attack. Moreover, the crew of the Montrose contacted the Iranians, warning them to stand down, words that were completely ignored by Iranian forces.So much for a robust deployment East of Suez.An Unprepared PowerIt appears that, in the short term, this crisis is the result of a convergence of factors spurred on by the unsolved national predicament that is Brexit.Functionally, Britain was leaderless as Iranian forces boarded the vessel. Prime Minister Theresa May was a lame-duck, unable to act as the Conservative Party elected a successor. Tuesday, they chose Boris Johnson as the next prime minister, but his first priority is Brexit, not Iran.
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| Cellmate uses toilet to drown convicted Florida pedophile Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:41 AM PDT  Paul Dixon has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of David Oseas Ramirez. The death allegedly occurred after the cellmates got into an argument.
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| Cadillac CT6-V Shows Off New Blackwing V-8 Posted: 05 Aug 2019 06:00 AM PDT |
| Ohio governor stopped mid-speech at vigil for Dayton shooting victims: 'Do something' Posted: 05 Aug 2019 02:58 PM PDT  During a vigil to remember the dead killed in Dayton, Ohio, on Sunday, the Republican governor of the state was stopped mid-speech with demands that he "do something" about the kind of violence that had left at least nine people dead less than 24 hours earlier.Mike DeWine had just remarked on the size of the crowd in Dayton's Oregon District, when he was confronted with pleas for action."Do something!" a member of the crowd yelled, prompting echoes from the others in the crowd that built into chants that disrupted the event, which was being held around the corner from the site of the deadly shooting.The moment quickly went viral on social media,, as a frustration with a lack of action on the gun violence epidemic spread.It echoed sentiments across the US following other mass shootings, including at the vigil following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last year, when a mourning crowd chanted "no more guns!""We are tired of vigils!" the crowd in Ohio chanted.Soon after the vigil, the hashtag "DoSomething" took off on Twitter, with impassioned statements being posted by users in favour of gun control action.Mr DeWine's position on gun control appears to hew closely to the positions of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and he announced on the campaign trail last year that he supported "red flag" laws that could allow law enforcement to take firearms from individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others, so long as there is "due process".That position is similar to the one taken by the NRA.
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| Double shootings heighten fears of 'white terrorism' in US Posted: 04 Aug 2019 03:08 PM PDT  Armed with assault rifles and clad in combat gear, two white men methodically gunned down nearly 30 people over the weekend, underscoring fears that "white terrorism" is now the main threat in the United States. Amid rising grief and a clamor for action after the shootings in Texas and Ohio, and earlier in several other cities, politicians of both parties called for the federal government to take that threat more seriously, with some Democrats accusing President Donald Trump of dangerously fanning racial tensions. "It is very clear that the loss of American life in Charleston, in San Diego, in Pittsburgh and by all appearances now in El Paso, too, is symptomatic of the effects of white nationalist terrorism," Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said Sunday, naming the scenes of mass shootings that targeted blacks, Jews and, apparently, Hispanics.
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| Mass Shooting Kills 20 at El Paso Walmart: Gunman ‘Started Shooting Everyone, Aisle by Aisle,’ Witness Says Posted: 04 Aug 2019 07:33 PM PDT  Justin Hamel/The Daily BeastEL PASO—A lone gunman killed at least 20 people inside a crowded Walmart on Saturday morning, according to eyewitnesses and officials. "A day that would've been a normal day for someone to leisurely go shopping, turned into one of the most deadly days in the history of Texas. Lives were taken who should still be with us today. Twenty innocent people from El Paso have lost their lives, and more than two dozen more are injured," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at an evening press conference. At least 22 people were transported to area hospitals, including a 4-month-old girl. At least nine people were in critical condition at Del Sol Medical Center, where three of them were said to be in "life-threatening" condition. The victims there ranged in age from 35 to 82, but no further details were immediately available. Gilroy Mass Shooting Victim Stephen Romero Is at Least the Sixth Young Child Killed by Guns This MonthPolice have not yet identified those killed, seven Mexican nationals were reportedly among the dead. Police said one person is in custody and they have ruled out multiple shooters. The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius of Allen, Texas, according to a senior law-enforcement source. Authorities are investigating a purported manifesto posted online shortly before the attack.Justin Hamel/The Daily Beast"Right now we have a manifesto from this individual, that indicates to some degree, it has a nexus to potential hate crime," El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said at a press conference. Allen said authorities were still working to "validate" that the manifesto was penned by the alleged gunman. "We will seek the death penalty," El Paso Country District Attorney Jaime Esparza said at a press conference Sunday morning. John Bash, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, said his office was "seriously considering" hate crime and federal firearms charges": "We are treating it as a domestic terrorism case, and we're gonna do what we do to terrorists in this country, which is deliver swift and certain justice.""Technically," said El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen, Crusius "was in the realm of the law" until the moment he opened fire, since Texas is an open-carry state. More than a thousand people were inside the Walmart near the Cielo Vista Mall when the shooting started around 11 a.m. A woman named Karina, who declined to give her last name, said she was driving in the parking lot with her 7-year-old daughter when she saw a white man in his twenties in front of the store's main entrance, dressed in all black and carrying a long rifle. Karina said she heard what sounded like "balloons popping" and saw the gunman shoot another man at "point-blank" range.Then the gunman entered the store, as captured by surveillance footage.Miguel Rodriguez said he was shopping for a toy for his 7-year-old son when he heard gunshots and ducked to the ground. He said a person "started shooting everyone, aisle by aisle, with rage." Justin Hamel/The Daily BeastBritney, a 19-year-old who declined to give her last name, said she was with her 16-year-old brother and her mother in the store's underwear aisle when she heard shooting. The family dropped to the ground. Then Britney said she grabbed her mother and brother's hands and they ran out of the store. Dozens of people from inside the mall who were evacuated lined a nearby street. A man carrying a Bible went from group to group, asking people to pray with him. Justin Hamel/The Daily BeastHours after the shooting on Saturday night, as authorities continued the grim task of sifting through the scene of the carnage, many El Paso residents chose to come together at a vigil just a couple miles from the attack. "I didn't have to lose someone to hurt," Ashley, one of the residents at the vigil at the St Pius X Church, told The Daily Beast. She said El Paso, which ordinary feels so safe, felt like chaos today. Another attendee, Victor Lopez, said he'd been at Walmart with his family on Saturday morning but left before the gunfire erupted. He decided to attend the vigil, he said, to honor the 20 people who weren't so lucky. Other residents said some people affected by the attack in the predominantly Hispanic city were afraid to go to hospitals or the reunification center designated by authorities for fear that their immigration status would come under scrutiny. The El Paso shooting is the latest in a series of deadly attacks on public places. On Monday, a disgruntled employee killed two people in a Walmart store in Mississippi. Last Sunday, a gunman killed three people and injured 15 at the Gilroy Garlic Festival near San Jose, California. In May, a gunman killed 12 people at a municipal building in Virginia Beach. The month before, on the last day of Passover in April, a vocal anti-Semite allegedly attacked a synagogue in Poway, California, killing one person. Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooter Posted About Far-Right Book Moments Before ShootingRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| A United Airlines flight from Scotland to New York was canceled after 2 pilots were arrested on suspicion of drinking before they were meant to fly Posted: 05 Aug 2019 05:01 AM PDT  Scottish police arrested the pilots on suspicion of "carrying out pilot functions or activity while exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol."
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| Police Fire Tear Gas to Protect China Office: Hong Kong Update Posted: 04 Aug 2019 05:41 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong police once again used tear gas against protesters trying to attack China's main representation office, capping a weekend of violent demonstrations across the city that mark the ninth week of civil unrest in the Asian financial capital.Riot police used gas to deter hundreds of black-clad protesters, many wearing hard hats, goggles and gas masks, from approaching the China liaison office in Sai Wan on Sunday. Protesters then migrated to Causeway Bay, a bustling shopping and dining area, and set up barricades that were blocking one of the busiest roadways in the city.Earlier marchers massed in Tseung Kwan O, in the city's New Territories, and surrounded the district police station, pelting it with projectiles and breaking windows.On Saturday, thousands converged in Kowloon, where police used tear gas to try to disperse crowds and re-open blocked roads. Police stations came under attack there as demonstrators hurled projectiles at them and set fires.The violence, including arson and blockading major roads, "crosses the line" of peaceful and rational protests and cannot be tolerated, the Hong Kong government said in a statement Sunday. The city is reaching a "very dangerous" point, the statement said. The government also urged people not to join a planned general strike on Monday, saying it would hurt the economy and increase the risk of a recession.China's official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary on Sunday that China's central government would not sit back and let the situation continue.The protest movement that began as weekend marches has shifted form and become a part of daily life, with disquiet growing in the Asian financial hub. Dozens of people appeared in court last week on a colonial-era rioting charge that carries a 10-year prison term -- signaling the city's Beijing-backed government is heeding calls for a stronger response, bolstered by support from Chinese authorities.Demonstrations began nearly nine weeks ago over opposition to legislation easing extraditions to China, and demands have since widened to include Chief Executive Carrie Lam's resignation, the release of people detained at previous protests and an inquiry into the police's use of force.Sunday marches kick off (6 p.m.)Two marches kicked off on Sunday afternoon, one on the western side of Hong Kong island and the other in the New Territories district of Tseung Kwan O.The New Territories attracted thousands who moved directly to the local police station. Some protesters hurled projectiles at the building, breaking windows and drawing a warning from police that the crowd would be dispersed. Police issued a statement advising the public to leave the area immediately.The island march started at the expat-friendly residential neighborhood of Kennedy Town and was scheduled to end at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park in Sai Ying Pun.One of the protesters in Kennedy Town, 61-year-old church secretary Danny Yuen, said he was worried that the clashes could lead to serious injuries or death, which would "affect society's stability.""I don't like to see the violence, I'd like to see a peaceful way to engage with the government, but the government is forcing this way onto people," he said. "If the government would retract the bill, it would reduce tensions."China won't sit back (11 a.m.)Police said in a statement Sunday that at least 20 vehicles were damaged and officers' safety was put at risk when protesters hurled bricks and other objects into the station with "large catapults." When police dispersed the crowd some protesters hurled petrol bombs and other objects at officers, who fired tear gas to try to quell the violence, police said.At least 20 people were arrested for offenses including unlawful assembly and assault, according to the statement.Xinhua said in a commentary that the central government would not sit back and let the situation continue, while reiterating that it's sticking to the one country, two systems regime. The news agency warned "evil forces which are trying to challenge the central government's authority, to destroy the one country, two systems bottom line" that they will be judged by history.The report accused protesters of throwing a Chinese national flag into the sea in an act that is an insult to all Chinese nationals including Hong Kong residents.Two marches are planned for Sunday afternoon, one in the western side of Hong Kong island, ending in the area near China's liaison office; the other in the New Territories neighborhood of Tseung Kwan O.Government Condemns Acts of Protesters (2:16 a.m.)The Hong Kong government in a statement expressed regret over what it termed protesters' "violent" and "radical" actions, including barricading major roads in the Yau Tsim Mong district and the entrance to the Cross Harbor Tunnel. It said the actions went beyond what a "civilized society" considers freedom of expression. "We express regret over such behaviors which are illegal and disregard the public order and the needs of other members of the public." Acts that defaced the national flag were also condemned.Wong Tai Sin residents tear-gassed (Sunday, 12:05 a.m.)Police fired tear gas in Wong Tai Sin, a residential area with mostly public housing named for the nearby temple of the same name. Many were apparently local residents without gas masks or hard hats. They were angry at riot police who made arrests earlier on, including of at least one elderly person. Many remained on the streets as confrontations continued. Hundreds of protesters returned and encircled a police station in the Prince Edward neighborhood.Police use tear gas in Mong Kok (Saturday, 10:38 p.m.)Police fired tear gas in the densely populated neighborhood of Mong Kok for the first time since the start of the protests seven weeks ago. Lines of riot police faced off against demonstrators who had blocked Nathan Road, a main commercial thoroughfare. Police made progress in clearing many of the demonstrators, though some appeared to have entered into other neighborhoods with a thinner police presence.A large number of protesters remained in neighboring Tsim Sha Tsui, even after police fired several rounds of tear gas there to try dispel the demonstrators.Tear gas fired in Tsim Sha Tsui (Saturday 9:15 p.m.)Police fired tear gas to dispel protesters who had surrounded a police station in the Tsim Sha Tsui area, a shopping district that attracts many Chinese tourists. Protesters had set a fire near the station and hurled bricks at the outpost. Demonstrators had also blocked Nathan Road, the main thoroughfare in Kowloon, from Tsim Sha Tsui to Mong Kok. Riot police were also out in number trying to clear protesters from the Mong Kok district.Cross-Harbour Tunnel barricaded (Saturday 7 p.m.)Marchers from a rally in Mong Kok broke up into groups with some heading toward the shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui, where they took over the waterfront Canton Road. Some protesters set up barricades blocking the entrance to the Cross Harbor Tunnel, a busy route for vehicles, TV footage showed. Authorities cleared the barricades but traffic was backed up in a huge jam on the Hong Kong Island side of the tunnel.Organizers said 120,000 people attended the anti-government march, while police estimated that 4,200 were on the originally agreed route for the rally.One city, two rallies (Saturday 3 p.m.)Anti-government protesters gathered in a park in the Kowloon area for a 1.5 kilometer (about 1 mile) march to the Mong Kong district on a route approved by police. The park was overflowing with thousands of demonstrators spilling into the streets as police kept a low profile.In Causeway Bay, across the harbor on the Hong Kong Island side, thousands protesters congregated in Victoria Park in support of the police. Organizers said 90,000 people took part, while the media reported police as saying 26,000 attended.One of the demonstrators, who would only give her name as Ms Fung, accused the media of supporting protesters."If the news is beneficial to the people clad in black, they report it," she said. The protesters don't realize the harm they're inflicting on the economy, she said. "The police are very good compared to other countries."Lam Attends Event (Friday 8:50 p.m.)Hong Kong's embattled leader attended a cocktail reception celebrating the upcoming 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China at the Hong Kong Cultural Center. Some 20 black-clad protesters waited for her, Radio Television Hong Kong reported. Afterward, she didn't answer questions from protesters and media about the civil servants' rally as she was escorted away by bodyguards. People called out to her: "Have you ever responded to us?" "You are ignoring public opinion." "Do you agree you are hiding?"'To Voice My Opinion' (8:15 p.m.)"I am worried about the future of Hong Kong. We are being China-fied after all, despite the promise of 'one country, two systems.' I will keep coming out because I am so worried," said Ms Fung, a 60-year-old retired civil servant who worked as a clerk in the police commissioner's office for more than 20 years and declined to give her first name. "I want to come out and show that it's not just the young people and the people who are protesting that are against Carrie Lam, the extradition bill, and the police violence."Earlier in the evening, organizers played a video on a jumbo screen that summarized weeks of protests. When it came to July 21 attacks on marchers by unidentified white-shirted men at a train station in the suburb of Yuen Long, some people wept.My department "serves Hong Kong people," said Alan Cheung, 28, who works for the city's fire services department and came to the protest in a black shirt. "What happened in Yuen Long station and the police, what they do, is injustice.""I come to this protest to voice my opinion," Cheung said.Civil Servant Rally (7:30 p.m.)Thousands of people poured into centrally located Chater Garden after work for a planned civil servants' protest, some of them chanting the popular Chinese saying "add oil," a refrain of this movement that means to add fuel. The crowds flooded onto adjoining Chater Road as black-shirted demonstrators continued to join the gathering.Anticipating the rally, the government on Thursday night released a statement saying its civil servants must uphold their "political neutrality."Protesters' Next PlansA general strike and seven accompanying rallies called for Monday across the city are gaining traction in protester forums. They call for peaceful "non co-operation actions" at three busy metro stations at 7:30 a.m., as rush hour kicks off: Lai King, Diamond Hill and Fortress Hill. The strike begins hours later, at 1 p.m., with gatherings in Tuen Mun, Tseun Wan, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Mong Kok, Wong Tai Sin and Admiralty, which houses government offices and has been ground zero for weeks of mass marches.About 450 employees from both Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Hong Kong Airlines Ltd. said they will take part in Monday's strike, Apple Daily reported Saturday, citing unidentified people.More than 300 Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon employees, including pilots, flight attendants and support staff, and about 150 from Hong Kong Airlines have expressed support for the civil action, the paper said. The employees who want to take part may take leave or call in sick, Apple Daily reported.(Updates with tear gas being fired near China liaison office.)\--With assistance from Sheryl Tian Tong Lee, Kari Lindberg, Alfred Liu, Anjali Cordeiro and Natalie Lung.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Karen Leigh in Hong Kong at kleigh4@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Brian Wingfield, James AmottFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| German minister: We will not join U.S.-led naval mission in Strait of Hormuz Posted: 05 Aug 2019 04:33 AM PDT  German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday reiterated that Germany would not join a U.S.-led naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Berlin favored a European mission but warned it was rather difficult to make progress on that. "At the moment the Britons would rather join an American mission. "We want a European mission," he said, adding that the issue was not off the agenda but it would take time to convince the European Union to carry out such a mission.
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| Malaysian police looking for missing 15-year-old London girl Posted: 05 Aug 2019 06:47 AM PDT  Police in Malaysia said Monday they are investigating the disappearance of a 15-year-old London girl, but there were no initial indications of foul play. The family of Nora Quoirin says her father discovered her missing from her bedroom Sunday morning at a resort hotel in a nature reserve 63 kilometers (39 miles) south of Kuala Lumpur, with the window left open. The Lucie Blackman Trust, a British charity supporting people during a crisis overseas, quoted the girl's aunt as saying the family considers her disappearance a criminal matter.
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| How Jack Daniel's and 34 volunteer firefighters protect the world's supply of its whiskey Posted: 05 Aug 2019 03:04 PM PDT  Jack Daniel's spent millions to protect their product from the destructive fires like the blaze at Jim Beam. Its volunteer fire brigade is full time.
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| Poll shows Germany still divided 30 years after fall of Berlin Wall Posted: 04 Aug 2019 07:35 AM PDT  Almost 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a new poll has exposed the enduring political divisions in Germany. The nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has surged to first place in the former communist east, with 23 per cent support. But it has failed to make a similar breakthrough in the former west, where it is in fourth place with just 12 per cent. The figures for the Green Party, which is in second place in the national polls, are almost a mirror image of the AfD's. In the former west, the Greens have 25 per cent support, but in the east it is they who are mired in fourth place with just 13 per cent. Just three months ahead of national celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, the findings of the poll for Bild am Sonntag newspaper have laid bare the deep divide that persists across the old Cold War border. The AfD looks set to dominate the headlines in the run-up to November's anniversary, with the polls suggesting it could come first in regional elections in three eastern states this autumn. The party's anti-migrant platform has proved highly effective in the former communist east, where the city of Chemnitz saw violent protests last year. But the east accounts for less than a fifth of Germany's population, and the party has failed to make the sort of inroads in the west it would need to challenge for power. Current polls suggest the AfD could come first in three regional elections in eastern Germany this autumn Credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg The poll's findings suggest Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) are the only party that can claim nationwide support. They are first in the west with 27 per cent, and second in the east with 22 per cent — a single point behind the AfD. Support for Germany's other traditional main party has collapsed: the centre-Left Social Democrats (SPD) are third in the west on 13 per cent and a dismal fifth in the east with just 11 per cent. While the AfD is unlikely to win a majority in any of this autumn's regional elections, and will probably be kept out of power by a coalition of rival parties, coming first would be a shot across the bows of Mrs Merkel's government. The latest poll findings come as a new academic study claimed to show how the AfD distorts public perception of migrant crime figures. Researchers at Hamburg and Leipzig universities found AfD press statements blamed migrants for crimes in 95 per cent of cases last year, while police figures show they were only responsible for 35 per cent. "It's surprising how consistently this happens," Prof Thomas Hestermann and Prof Elisa Hoven, the study's authors, said.
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| If foreign terrorists attacked Dayton, El Paso and Gilroy, would America do nothing? Posted: 05 Aug 2019 11:14 AM PDT  America harbors no greater culture of violence, mental illness or racial animosity than other nations; it just has more guns: Our view
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| Outrage in Gambia over claims ex-president ordered killings Posted: 05 Aug 2019 03:54 AM PDT  Baba Hydara was in his car, listening to the radio, when he heard a former hitman of ex-president Yahya Jammeh coldly describe how his dad was murdered. Baba's father, Deyda Hydara, co-founder of The Point newspaper and AFP's correspondent in The Gambia for 30 years, was revered among journalists in this small west African country. Baba Hydara, 42, has fought for years for his father's murderers and those who ordered them to be brought to book.
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| India shut off the internet and ordered tourists to leave the hotly contested Kashmir region, in a risky bid to end its quasi-independence Posted: 05 Aug 2019 07:30 AM PDT  India on Monday revoked constitutional provisions that allowed Kashmir, the disputed region between India and Pakistan, to make its own laws.
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| View Photos of the New 2020 Nissan Versa Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:04 AM PDT |
| Shep Smith Soberly Notes We’ll Soon Offer More ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ for Another Mass Shooting Posted: 05 Aug 2019 01:30 PM PDT  Fox NewsFox News anchor Shepard Smith began his Monday afternoon news broadcast by observing that all the offerings of "thoughts and prayers" in the wake of two horrific mass shootings over the weekend will be tossed out "soon yet again" after another similar tragedy occurs in the near future."Yet again in America," Smith soberly noted. "Yet again in America, innocent families are slumped to their knees in grief living an unimaginable weight, to retrieve the bullet-riddled bodies of their children. Yet again in America, we search our souls for answers, beg our leaders for solutions that thus far have not come."Explaining that, per one measurement, the massacres in El Paso and Dayton brought the number of American mass shootings this year to 251, the Fox News anchor said this was a "uniquely American" problem before describing the scenes at both shootings.Smith went on to highlight several other notorious public mass shootings, pointing out that this has now become "sadly routine" in this country."After all, the Gilroy Garlic Festival was just last week," Smith emotionally declared. "Remember that? Remember the details of that one? They do in Gilroy. Or Las Vegas or the Pulse nightclub. The synagogue in Pittsburgh. The Sikh temple in Wisconsin. The Baptist church in Texas. The Bible study in Charleston."Telling viewers that they may remember some of the details of some of these events, Smith explained that the survivors will say that they "never forget.""You can't forget ever," he said, adding: "Each time we hear kids cry, parents pray and politicians promise. Then it happens yet again in America."After noting that these most recent survivors will remember the gory moments of the shootings, Smith then concluded by suggesting that nothing will likely change in this nation."Now, gun laws," he said. "Regulations. Background checks. Soft targets. Body armor. Death penalty. Mental health. Time for action. I promise. Thoughts and prayers. We hear you. We heard you last time. And the time before that. We will likely do it all soon yet again in America."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| More than 175 killed worldwide in last eight years in white nationalist-linked attacks Posted: 04 Aug 2019 12:58 PM PDT  At least 16 high-profile attacks have been motivated by white nationalist conspiracy theoriesProtesters against gun violence dressed in white march in Times Square in response to recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, on Sunday in New York City. Photograph: Go Nakamura/Getty ImagesIn the past eight years, more than 175 people around the world have been killed in at least 16 high-profile attacks motivated, or apparently motivated, by white nationalist conspiracy theories, including the far-right racist belief that nonwhite immigrants and refugees are "invaders" who pose an existential threat to the white race.The targets of deadly attacks have included Muslim worshippers at mosques in Canada, Britain and New Zealand; black Americans in church, including during Bible study at a historic black church in South Carolina; Jewish Americans in synagogues across the United States; and leftwing politicians and activists in the US, UK, Greece and Norway.Now, law enforcement officials in the United States are investigating two more mass shootings with potential links to white nationalist radicalization.An attack on Saturday at a Walmart superstore in El Paso, Texas, a majority-Hispanic city, which left 22 people dead and more than two dozen wounded, and a shooting the previous weekend at a garlic festival in Gilroy, California, packed with families with young children, which left three people dead and 15 wounded.Many of the white male perpetrators or suspects in these attacks have explicitly described immigrants and refugees as "invaders" or an "invasion" online, and have cited previous white nationalist killers as the inspiration for their attacks.Several of these deadly attacks have also been closely linked to mainstream political debates over refugees and immigration. Here are the prominent cases prior to this August 2019 shooting: April 20191 killed in mass shooting targeting a synagogue in Poway, California, US.The alleged shooter, 19, from California, opened fire in a synagogue during Passover services, killing a 60-year-old woman and injuring three others. An "open letter" posted on the 8chan extremist message board before the attack included white nationalist conspiracy rhetoric and said the shooter was inspired by the gunman who had opened fire on Muslims at two mosques in New Zealand the month before. March 201951 killed in mass shootings targeting two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.The alleged shooter, a 28-year-old white man from Australia, posted on 8chan before the attack, and then live-streamed himself shooting unarmed people in and around two Christchurch mosques. The manifesto posted before the shooting paid tribute to previous white nationalist attacks, including Anders Breivik's 2011 bomb and shooting attack in Norway, as well as historic acts of violence against Muslims. October 201811 killed in a mass shooting targeting the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.The alleged shooter, a 46-year-old white man, reportedly shouted "All Jews must die!" during the attack. After he was taken into custody, he told a law enforcement official that he believed Jews "were committing a genocide to his people", a central white nationalist conspiracy theory. The gunman, who is awaiting trial and has pleaded not guilty, apparently had an active profile on an extremist social media site, where he accused Jewish people of trying to bring "evil" Muslims into the US, and wrote that a refugee aid organisation "likes to bring invaders in that kill our people". October 2018Man attempted to enter black church before allegedly killing two black people in a supermarket in Kentucky, US.A witness said that during the attack, the alleged shooter said: "Whites don't kill whites." His two victims, Maurice Stallard, 69, and Vickie Lee Jones, 67, were both black. Shortly before the shooting he had attempted to enter a nearby, predominantly black church, which was locked. The suspect was charged with hate crimes. August 2017Heather Heyer was killed and dozens injured after a car ploughed into anti-Nazi protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, US.After authorities shut down a violent white supremacist and neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, one of the men who had been photographed with a white supremacist group drove his car into a crowded street full of counter-protesters. Heather Heyer, 32, who was there protesting the far-right supporters, was killed. Dozens more were injured, many seriously. The killer had been obsessed with Hitler as a teenager, according to a former teacher. He was sentenced to life in prison. June 2017A man called Makram Ali was killed and 12 people injured after a van ploughed into worshippers outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, United Kingdom.The killer, who has been jailed for life, shouted: "I want to kill all Muslims – I did my bit," after the van attack, according to witnesses. He had been radicalised online and over Twitter, a judge concluded, and avidly consumed anti-Muslim propaganda from prominent rightwing figures. May 2017Two men stabbed to death after intervening in an anti-Muslim rant, Portland, Oregon, US.Two men were killed and one injured after they tried to intervene to protect young women on a public train who were being targeted with an anti-Muslim tirade. Their alleged killer shouted "Free speech or die" later in a courtroom, and "Death to Antifa! You call it terrorism, I call it patriotism!" The suspect is awaiting trial. March 2017Timothy Caughman stalked and killed by a white supremacist with a sword, New York, US.The alleged killer later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life behind bars.Caughman, a 66-year-old "can and bottle recycler", had lively social media accounts full of photographs with celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey. His killer, an American military veteran, said he targeted a random black man on the street in New York City as a "practice run" for a bigger attack. January 2017Six people killed during evening prayers at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada.One of the victims, Azzeddine Soufiane, was killed as he attempted to tackle the gunman. Nineteen people were also injured in the shooting, which the convicted gunman said was prompted by Justin Trudeau's tweet that refugees were welcome in Canada, and that "diversity is strength". Those comments from the Canadian prime minster followed US president Donald Trump's travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority countries. The shooter, who said he feared refugees would kill his family, had previously been known as an aggressive online troll . June 2016Labour MP Jo Cox shot and stabbed to death, UK.Cox was a supporter of Britain staying in the European Union. She was attacked a week before the EU referendum vote in 2016. The man convicted of killing her was a white supremacist obsessed with the Nazis and apartheid-era South Africa. He shouted: "This is for Britain," "Keep Britain independent" and "Britain first" as he killed her. October 2015Three killed in attack on school in Trollhättan, Sweden.The attacker targeted a local high school with a high percentage of immigrant students. Police said students and teacherswith darker skinwere targeted. Three died, including 15-year-old Ahmed Hassan, who was born in Somalia and had recently moved to Sweden. June 2015Nine people killed during Bible study at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, US.The nine victims included elderly longtime church members at the Mother Emanuel AME church, and Clementa Pinckney, a state senator. The shooter, a self-avowed white supremacist, said he wanted to start a race war, and that he was concerned about "black-on-white crime". He has been convicted of murder and hate crimes. April 2014Three killed at Jewish centre and retirement home in Overland Park, Kansas, US.A former Ku Klux Klan leader shot and killed three people, one of them just 14 years old. He was later convicted of murder. He said he believed Jews were destroying the white race, and that diversity was a kind of genocide. None of his victims were Jewish, but he said he considered two of them to be accomplices to Jewish people. September 2013Rapper and anti-fascist activist Pavlos Fyssas stabbed to death in Piraeus, Greece.A senior member of Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party was imprisoned after confessing to the killing. August 2012Six worshippers killed in a shooting targeting a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.The dead included the temple president, Satwant Singh Kaleka. The shooter, a "frustrated neo-Nazi" who had played in white power bands, was a regular on racist websites, and died in the attack. He had previously talked to one colleague in the US military about a "racial holy war that was coming" and told another he was a "race traitor" for dating a Latina woman. July 201177 people killed in attacks on Utøya island and in Oslo, Norway.A bomb attack, followed by a shooting that targeted the island summer youth camp of Norway's Labor party. The shooter, who was convicted and is in prison, wanted to prevent an "invasion of Muslims" and deliberately targeted politically active young people who he saw as "cultural Marxists" and proponents of multiculturalism. More than half of the dead were teenagers.
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| Probe: No bias by TSA supervisor, but profiling concerns Posted: 05 Aug 2019 01:15 PM PDT  Investigators were unable to corroborate specific allegations that a Transportation Security Administration supervisor instructed air marshals to racially discriminate against passengers at Florida's busiest airport. The Office of Inspector General launched the investigation a year ago at the request of U.S. lawmakers after three air marshals went public with the discrimination allegations about the supervisor.
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| FBI's haunting warning about 'lone offenders' paints a grim picture Posted: 05 Aug 2019 08:20 AM PDT  Series of deadly shootings highlight a simmering threat within the USA, a risk nearly on par with the international terror threat
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| India gold prices hit record high on global cues, weak rupee Posted: 05 Aug 2019 03:21 AM PDT  Gold prices in India jumped over 2% on Monday to record levels, following gains in overseas markets and as the rupee fell to a five-month low, dampening demand further in the world's second-biggest consumer of the precious metal. Local gold futures hit an all-time high of 36,990 rupees ($524.70) per 10 gram, taking their gains to more than 17% in 2019. Dealers were offering a discount of up to $36 an ounce over official domestic prices, the highest since August 2016.
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| Furious Trump denounces 'major violation' as China intensifies trade war and markets plunge Posted: 05 Aug 2019 02:50 PM PDT  US stocks suffered their worst day of the year as China devalued its currency in a move condemned as a "major violation" by a furious Donald Trump.The Dow closed down 767.27 points, or 2.9%. The S&P 500 dropped about 3%, its biggest one-day decline since December, representing a paper loss of $766 billion, according to Refinitiv data. The Nadaq Composite was down 278.03 points, or 3.47%.It came as the yuan was weakened to its lowest level in 11 years, in what was interpreted as an escalation in the trade war between China and the US.At the same time, China's commerce ministry said companies had stopped buying US agricultural products and that Beijing would not rule out imposing tariffs on American farming products purchased after August 3.China's actions follow President Trump's announcement of 10% tariffs on an extra $300 billion of Chinese imports.Mr Trump tweeted that the devaluation represented a "currency manipulation" and a "major violation".The treasury department said that China was manipulating its currency and said it would engage with the International Monetary Fund to eliminate unfair competition from Beijing.The last time the US named China as a currency manipulator was in 1994.Steven DeSanctis, equity strategist at Jefferies in New York, said: "It's the escalation of the trade war. The dollar strengthening presents another issue. For companies that do a lot of business outside the US, it all adds up."Apple Inc shares dropped 5.2% as analysts warned that the newly proposed tariffs may hurt demand for the iPhone, while the Philadelphia semiconductor index dropped 4.4%.The dollar fell to a two-week low against the euro following the treasury statement.Agencies contributed to this report
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| Is Manila Worth American Lives? Posted: 04 Aug 2019 03:00 PM PDT  Washington policymakers treat allies like Facebook friends, the more the merrier. Montenegro or the United Kingdom, allies are viewed as much the same. Administrations routinely ink another "mutual" defense treaty and pretend the result is a real military alliance, designed to make America more secure.In fact, most U.S. "allies" are nothing of the sort. During the Cold War Washington's principal objective was to prevent weak, war-torn, and/or failed states from falling under the control of the Soviet Union, and later China and North Korea. Although General and then President Dwight Eisenhower warned against turning the Europeans into security dependents, successive administrations ignored his advice. The U.S. inevitably took the lead and didn't worry much about what its nominal allies did. They lagged behind the United States, failed to fulfill their commitments, and not too subtly took a very cheap if not quite free ride at Washington's expense. U.S. officials whined on cue about the unfairness, but otherwise did nothing.The allies eventually recovered economically, with Japan, Germany, the UK, France, and South Korea becoming important international players. Nevertheless, Washington continues to be overwhelmingly responsible for national and regional as well as global security. The presumption is that its alliances are essentially costless. All Washington needs to do to deter impudent adversaries is make an occasional threat or issue a pertinent demand. There's really no need for allies to even possess weapons.
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| Frenchman achieves 'dream' of first hoverboard Channel crossing Posted: 04 Aug 2019 01:49 AM PDT  A Frenchman who has spent years developing a jet-powered hoverboard zoomed across the English Channel on Sunday, fulfilling his quest just 10 days after failing in a first attempt when he fell into the water while trying to refuel. Franky Zapata set off on his "Flyboard" from Sangatte on the northern coast of France at 8:17 am (0617 GMT) for the 35-kilometre (22-mile) trip to St. Margaret's Bay in Dover, on England's south coast. "Everything went great! Even though it was still tricky," Zapata said after the flight, referring to a complex landing manoeuvre on a boat around three-quarters of the way across to pick up a fresh backpack full of kerosene.
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| Utah State Student Killed Herself After Eight Months of Racist Attacks—and the School Did Nothing, Suit Claims Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:24 AM PDT  Courtesy Anderson and Karrenberg Law Firm"Every day I dread going to class now because I sit three feet from my white bully," a Malaysian student at Utah State University texted her friend months before she killed herself, according to a federal lawsuit filed last week on her family's behalf.After eight months of racist bullying by classmates, 24-year-old Ph.D. candidate Jerusha Sanjeevi ended her life in April 2017, the 91-page complaint states. Sanjeevi was of Chinese and Indian heritage but was born and raised in Malaysia.The lawsuit, filed by Sanjeevi's boyfriend, Matthew Bick, names as defendants Utah State University, the head of the psychology department, some of the students who were in her cohort, and professors. The complaint alleges negligence, wrongful death, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It contends that the university's lack of action—even after Sanjeevi complained about the alleged bullying to professors and a department chairperson—violated her civil rights. The Herald Journal first reported on the lawsuit Friday.Sanjeevi graduated from Minnesota State University with a Master's degree in clinical psychology and then enrolled in Utah State's psychology Ph.D. program in fall 2016. Eighty-three percent of students at the school are white, the lawsuit claims. The department "knowingly allowed one of its students to be verbally abused, intimidated and subjected to cultural and racist discrimination by favored students over the course of eight months, when she was rendered so emotionally devastated and hopeless that she committed suicide," the lawsuit claims.Other students in her cohort spread rumors about Sanjeevi, made fun of her "weird" Asian name, told her she smelled like Indian food, and derided her darker skin color as making her less deserving of a research position, according to the lawsuit.One of the students repeatedly made derisive comments about Asians, including that "Asian researcher names are so weird" and "Asians only want to please their parents," the complaint alleges. Members of the cohort told Sanjeevi's attorneys that this other student "was tormenting [Sanjeevi] daily."During an email conversation between professors excerpted in the lawsuit—about the tension between Sanjeevi and one of her alleged bullies—one wrote: "This is getting messy and ugly.""I'm going to leave my lab because I can't take it anymore," Sanjeevi told a friend, according to the lawsuit. "She knew that I've been struggling with the fear of getting deported since the election. She knew that I have no power here as a foreign student. And she did this to me on top of all of that. I don't understand how a person can be so cruel."In an essay assignment, Sanjeevi wrote that "[e]ncountering racism even in graduate school in psychology reinforced a powerful lesson that I learned my entire life: that I can put a nice suit on, but I can never take my skin off."By December, Sanjeevi had a meeting with the head of the department to report that she felt bullied and was "afraid" of at least one member of her cohort. But the department head labeled the issue as "a conflict between students" and declined to investigate the multiple reports of bullying and racism by specific students, even after Sanjeevi's death, according to the lawsuit.Eventually, other students began describing Sanjeevi as "despondent," "withdrawn," and "defeated and tired," the complaint states. Over those eight months, Sanjeevi reported the alleged bullying to at least five faculty members, in addition to a member of the school's counseling center, a representative of the student conduct office, and another individual at the affirmative action department, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.Just days before she killed herself, Sanjeevi told a friend that she was overwhelmed by the department's apparent apathy, the complaint states."I just don't understand why I matter so little to them," she said. "I haven't been feeling like living and this just confirms that I don't want this life anymore."On April 22, 2017, she died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Her body was found two days later."When something like this happens, people ask why," Sanjeevi wrote in a note before her death. "So I'm about to tell you why, and spare you the wondering.""I have lived with depression for over half my life, and somehow survived each episode. But each wave of sadness grew darker and longer," she wrote. "I looked and looked for a lifeline. Until I realized that I didn't deserve one. Because [the Department] succeeded at teaching me what poverty, violence, rape, and hunger somehow never did… When you dismissed the bullying report, you provided a final confirmation that I did, in fact, not matter.""The innocence of blonde hair and blue eyes could deny, with toxic ease, the 'crazy' ramblings of this dirty brown skin," Sanjeevi continued. "Watching the department not only choose to not enact consequences, but to give an award to the sick person who bullied me, was the last nail in my coffin. My heart was broken."Amanda DeRito, a spokeswoman for the university, told The Daily Beast on Monday that Sanjeevi's suicide was "a tragic event that had a huge impact on the psychology department and on our entire university" and said the university "strongly" disputes the allegations in the complaint."We believe Utah State took all appropriate action to address interpersonal issues between students in the department," DeRito said, declining to comment further on the details of the case, citing the pending litigation.The complaint seeks unspecified punitive and compensatory damages for Sanjeevi's family in Malaysia."Please be kinder in the future," Sanjeevi wrote in her suicide note. "Please send my ashes to my parents."If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.Death-Obsessed Missouri Frat Brother's 'Advice' Pushed Five People to Kill Themselves, Lawsuit ClaimsNYPD Officer Dies of Suicide, the Third Self-Inflicted Death in Less Than Two WeeksRead more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Thousands evacuated after explosions at Russia ammo depot Posted: 05 Aug 2019 11:16 AM PDT  Massive explosions at a Russian military ammunition depot in Siberia injured at least eight people and prompted the evacuation of thousands Monday. Russia's Defense Ministry said a fire triggered the explosions at a storage facility for gunpowder charges near the city of Achinsk in eastern Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region.
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| Thousands take to Hong Kong streets as Beijing says protests must stop Posted: 04 Aug 2019 07:48 AM PDT  Thousands again took to the streets on Sunday in Hong Kong to call for broad political changes as Beijing warned that it would not let protests persist. A commentary run by Xinhua, China's official state news agency said the central government "will not sit idly by and let this situation continue." Two demonstrations snaked through Hong Kong, one close to China's liaison office in Hong Kong, now heavily guarded after it was vandalised by protesters a few weeks ago. Demonstrators called for people to join a citywide strike, an action that could paralyse the global financial hub of seven million. Volunteers distributed snacks like rice cakes and granola bars, as well as energy drinks and water to help the black-clad crowd fight the oppressive heat. A member of Hong Kong's medical sector attends a rally to support the anti-extradition bill protest in Hong Kong Credit: Reuters Some also stamped numbers for lawyers on protesters' arms, in case they get arrested. A group also besieged the police station in Tseung Kwan O, shouting expletives, giving police graphic gestures and calling them "dogs" - Cantonese slang for police. Weeks of demonstrations have left Hong Kong facing its most serious political upheaval since the former British colony was returned to Chinese Communist Party rule in 1997. Protesters first took to the streets against a now-suspended extradition proposal. But public anger has grown from protesters and residents alike over increasing police violence to disperse crowds. Demonstrators have also expanded their demands to call for a formal withdrawal of the extradition bill - which would put suspects on trial in China where Communist Party influence contributes to a 99.9 per cent conviction rate - as well as direct leadership elections. "After all these protests, I think it [a strike] will definitely put pressure on the central government," said Michelle Ng, 23, an office clerk. In response, Beijing has upped its rhetoric against protesters in recent days. China's Hong and Macao Affairs Office gave its first press conference ever last week, a sign that Beijing was under increasing pressure to respond to the continuing unrest after initially censoring mentions of it in the mainland. Anti-extradition bill demonstrators drag traffic cones to block the main road at Central during a march to call for democratic reforms, in Hong Kong Credit: Reuters The office warned, "if the turbulence continues, the whole of Hong Kong society will pay the cost." A few days later, the head of the Chinese military garrison condemned protesters and said their actions "should not be tolerated." A propaganda video was also released of the unit's troops practising anti-riot drills and charging at protesters amid a barrage of sniper fire, tear gas and water cannons. Sending in the military, however, would be a controversial move reminiscent of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 when the Chinese troops opened fire on students protesters. Hong Kongers remain unperturbed by the growing tenor of threats, with many calling Beijing's bluff. "The central government is just trying to show its power, telling everyone else that Hong Kong belongs to me," said Ringo Lo, 21, a university student. "We are not scared of the military."
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| Quiet Texas neighborhood stunned by connection to El Paso shooting suspect Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:16 AM PDT  Residents of Star Creek neighborhood are surprised the 21-year-old suspect in El Paso Walmart shooting was from their upscale Dallas suburb.
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| Britain joins US naval mission to protect international shipping in Gulf amid escalating security crisis with Iran Posted: 05 Aug 2019 08:40 AM PDT  Britain is joining the US in a naval mission in the Gulf to protect international shipping, following a series of tanker seizures by the Iranian military, in a move reflecting the escalating security crisis in the region.Two Royal Navy warships already in the area will be working alongside two American ships to accompany vessels through the Straits of Hormuz, which carries 20 per cent of the world's oil supplies.Whitehall officials insisted the mission will not remain under American control and, in time, will transition to one with European command in which the UK has offered to lead one of the Maritime Task Groups.The new government under Boris Johnson, ministers insisted, will not change its stance towards Iran and will back, not follow, Donald Trump's administration.London continues to stand by Tehran's agreement with international powers, they stressed, and will not follow the US in imposing sanctions against Iran.No other European power, however, has joined the American and British naval initiative so far and the only other European warship in the waters, a French frigate, will continue to operate autonomously.British government sources stated that talks have been held with a number of European allies and a number have expressed an interest in joining a future European commanded operation.But some Western states, including France and Germany, have expressed unwillingness to join a task force led by the Americans.The British decision to join the mission comes three weeks after a British flagged tanker, Stena Impero, was taken over by Iran's Revolutionary Guards. That followed the capture of an Iranian owned tanker, Grace 1, by Royal Marines off Gibraltar.Two British frigates in the Gulf, the destroyer HMS Duncan and frigate HMS Montrose, will continue to accompany UK-flagged and international shipping and two American cruiser-destroyers, stationed at each end of the Straits of Hormuz, will protect British ships when called upon.The two countries will, however, operate, for the time being, under different rules of engagement.Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, said: "The UK is determined to ensure her shipping is protected from unlawful threats and for that reason we have joined the new maritime security mission in the Gulf."The deployment of the Royal Navy assets is a sign of our commitment to our UK-flagged vessels and we look forward to working alongside the US and others to find an international solution to the problems in the Strait of Hormuz."Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, added : "It is vital to secure the freedom for all international shipping to navigate the Strait of Hormuz without delay, given the increased threat. This deployment will reinforce security and provide reassurance for shipping. Our aim is to build the broadest international support to uphold freedom of navigation in the region, as protected under international law."Our approach to Iran hasn't changed. We remain committed to working with Iran and our international partners to de-escalate the situation and maintain the nuclear deal."Iran has, however, repeatedly complained about the British seizure of Grace 1 and demanded the release of its crew and cargo.Speaking at news conference in Dubai, Mohammed Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, accused Britain of collaborating with the US in "economic terrorism".
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| Tumbling yuan, a new twist in US-China trade war Posted: 05 Aug 2019 08:55 AM PDT  The yuan plummeted Monday to an eleven-year low versus the dollar, adding fuel to the China-US trade war. - What determines the yuan's level? Ordinarily, the yuan's exchange rate is determined by the currency's supply and demand, a result of factors including China's trade balance and the country's interest and inflation rates.
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| In less than a minute, Ohio gunman kills nine people, including sister Posted: 04 Aug 2019 01:38 AM PDT  Police officers on routine patrol nearby were on the scene in less than a minute and shot the attacker dead moments after he opened fire, likely preventing a much higher casualty toll, authorities said. "Officers acted ... instantaneously and effectively ended this in 30 seconds," Police Chief Richard Biehl said during a news conference. Police named the gunman as Connor Betts, a 24-year-old white male from Bellbrook, Ohio, and said he was armed with an assault-style rifle fitted with an extended drum magazine that could hold 100 rounds.
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| Kamala Harris Has 1 Big Weakness That Won't Be Easy to Dismiss Posted: 05 Aug 2019 02:59 AM PDT  During Wednesday night's Democratic presidential debate, Tulsi Gabbard tore into Kamala Harris for her track record as a prosecutor in San Francisco and later as California's Attorney General. The attack was sharp and effective, earning Gabbard an outsize share of the post-debate commentary. Its thrust was entirely fair, too, as any number of articles have demonstrated, including Lara Bazelon's recent takedown in The New York Times titled Kamala Haris Was Not a Progressive Prosecutor.The real significance of Gabbard's critique, however, lies not in the proposition that Harris was a particularly unprofessional or malign prosecutor, but rather in the fact that she seems to have been a rather ordinary prosecutor who simply did her job the way most prosecutors do. And if that makes a former-prosecutor-turned-presidential-candidate look like a monster, then perhaps that says more about prosecutors in general than it does about Kamala Harris in particular.Gabbard's gut-punch underscores the difficult position that modern prosecutors find themselves in as the key players in a substantially immoral and increasingly indefensible criminal justice system. A near-universal blind spot of career prosecutors like Harris is their failure to appreciate the fact that law and morality can—and in our system frequently do—diverge.
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| Hidden camera catches husband trying to poison his wife's coffee Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:36 AM PDT  What she caught on film made her fall to her knees and sob
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| Joe Biden's brother and hedge fund manager accused of fraud Posted: 05 Aug 2019 02:05 PM PDT  A federal lawsuit accuses the brother of former Vice President Joe Biden, hedge fund manager Michael Lewitt, and others of attempting to defraud a Tennessee business. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that the defendants have until mid-August to respond to the lawsuit filed last month by Michael Frey and Dr. Mohannad Azzam. It says the plaintiffs founded Diverse Medical Management to reform failing rural hospitals, and Jim Biden promised to sell the health care plan to investors.
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| Talking to kids about El Paso, Dayton shootings? Use the 4 S's to discuss cruel violence Posted: 04 Aug 2019 02:00 PM PDT  More than two dozen people were killed this weekend in two separate shootings. The 4 S's help parents prepare for explaining the unfathomable.
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| Mitch McConnell campaign posts photos of tombstones with Democrat names on hours after El Paso shooting Posted: 05 Aug 2019 03:14 PM PDT  Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has been criticised after his re-election campaign team posted a photo of gravestones bearing the names of various Democrats and their policies – hours after the deadly mass shooting in El Paso on Saturday. Alongside a picture of a grinning Senator McConnell, the tweet shows a tombstone reading "RIP Amy McGrath, November 3rd 2020", who is running to unseat him in the Kentucky senate race.The other gravestones include socialism, the Green New Deal and Merrick Garland, a Democratic Supreme Court nominee who Mr McConnell refused to bring to the Senate floor for a vote in 2016.The tweet was posted on Saturday evening, just hours after the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that has so far left 22 people dead. Democrat Amy McGrath has responded to the post, saying: "Hours after the El Paso shooting, Mitch McConnell proudly tweeted this photo. I find it so troubling that our politics have become so nasty and personal that the Senate Majority Leader thinks it's appropriate to use imagery of the death of a political opponent (me) as messaging."> The Grim Reaper of Socialism at FancyFarm today. FancyFarm139 pic.twitter.com/KMKJifu3b5> > — Team Mitch (@Team_Mitch) > > August 3, 2019Ms McGrath then added: "It's symptomatic of what is wrong with our system. I'm fine with the ordinary rough and tumble of politics, but this strikes me as beyond the pale."Mr McConnell previously spoke out against violent political rhetoric, slamming Democrats for engaging in "toxic behaviour" leading up to the 2018 midterm elections.Patrick Crusius, the suspected shooter in the El Paso attack, is believed to have posted a four-page message online calling the Walmart attack "a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas".The repeated use of the word "invasion" was one of many rhetorical devices in common with President Trump's stance on the issue of immigration, which Mr McConnell has amplified in his role as Senate Majority Leader.Senator McConnell's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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| Libya airliner narrowly avoids airport bombing Posted: 05 Aug 2019 03:53 AM PDT  A Libyan airliner has narrowly escaped being hit by incoming fire as it landed at war-torn capital Tripoli's sole functioning airport, aviation officials said. "The crew on the flight from Benghazi, which was carrying 124 passengers, avoided being hit by bombing on Mitiga International Airport" on Sunday evening, the airport's management wrote on Facebook. The incident forced the airport to close to air traffic and re-route flights to Misrata, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) further east, until late Sunday night.
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| Dayton Shooter Murdered Sister in Attack, Officials Say Posted: 04 Aug 2019 08:36 AM PDT  Bryan Woolston/ReutersThe gunman who attacked a bar in Dayton, Ohio, on Sunday morning killed his sister in the massacre, officials said.Connor Betts, 24, of Ohio was identified as the deceased gunman by authorities during a Sunday afternoon press conference. Betts killed his sister, 22-year-old Megan, and eight other people, officials added. At least 26 other people were injured.Betts drove to the site of the shooting with his sister and an unidentified male companion, according to Police Chief Richard Biehl. Betts killed his sister and wounded the companion, who is now reportedly cooperating with police. According to two law-enforcement sources who spoke to CNN, authorities do not believe the companion knew about the attack in advance.Betts opened fire outside of a bar called Ned Peppers in the city's Oregon District, a downtown hub filled with bars, clubs, restaurants, and galleries. Authorities said police officers responded within one minute of the gunfire erupting and killed Betts as he attempted to enter the bar with a rifle, body armor, and a high-capacity magazine.The Mother Who Lost a Daughter to Her Son, the Mass Murderer"We will never know how many lives were saved," Gov. Mike DeWine said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. "The police department and the mayor gave me, my wife and I, the tour. The assailant was obviously very, very close to being able to kill dozens and dozens more people."Police searched Betts' home, where he reportedly lived with his sister. Authorities did not offer a motive for the shooting. However, high-school classmates of the gunman told the Associated Press that he had a history of violent ideation and was suspended in 2012 for compiling a "hit list" of those he wanted to kill and a "rape list" of females he wanted to sexually assault. Two former classmates at Bellbrook High School, a man and a woman who the AP granted anonymity out of their fear of harassment, said Betts was twice suspended for the threats. The woman said she had been contacted by the police at the time, as her name was on the "rape list." Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools officials declined to comment to the AP about the accounts, but confirmed that Betts attended schools in the district. The school's principal, Chris Baker, said he "would not dispute that information" when the Dayton Daily News asked him Sunday about the hit-list suspension.Bellbrook Police Chief Doug Doherty told reporters on Sunday that he has spoken to Betts' parents, describing them as "victims." "I've been in contact with the parents—victims—they're just asking for continued privacy and patience as they move forward with this horrific event," Doherty said. When asked how they are handling the situation, Doherty said they are "aware of everything that's happened... they are victims, and we're treating them as such." Initial reports by The Dayton Daily News indicate that Betts did not have a criminal record except for minor traffic violations. An initial sweep of his known social-media profiles show no obvious link to any extremist ideology. Betts' Facebook profile had been taken offline Sunday morning. The background check did also not show that Betts had a concealed-weapon license. According to what appears to be his LinkedIn page, he was a psychology student at Sinclair Community College who'd held jobs at a local gas station and a Chipotle. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Trump condemns white supremacy, vague on gun measures after U.S. shootings Posted: 05 Aug 2019 04:06 AM PDT  President Donald Trump on Monday proposed tighter monitoring of the internet, mental health reform and wider use of the death penalty in response to two mass shootings over the weekend that killed 31 people in Texas and Ohio. Trump, a Republican, whom Democrats have accused of stoking racial divisions, said Americans must "condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy," a day after Texas officials said racial hatred was a possible motive in the killings of 22 people in the southern border city of El Paso. Trump did not address accusations that his own anti-immigrant and racially charged comments have contributed to a rise in race tensions, nor did he call for broad gun control measures.
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