| Inmates behind Brazil deadly prison riot transferred: official Posted: 30 Jul 2019 11:54 AM PDT  Forty-six inmates involved in one of Brazil's deadliest prison riots were being transferred to other jails Tuesday, an official said. At least 57 people were killed on Monday when fighting broke out between rival drug gang factions in the Altamira Regional Recovery Centre in the northern state of Para. Sixteen were decapitated in the hours-long battle, but most died in a fire that engulfed part of the overcrowded facility that used converted shipping containers to house some of the inmates.
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| Trump dismisses Baltimore backlash: 'I am the least racist person anywhere in the world' Posted: 30 Jul 2019 08:23 AM PDT  President Trump on Tuesday tried to defend his most recent attack on a lawmaker of color, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Baltimore, claiming the city's African-American residents "really appreciate what I'm doing."
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| 'I hope they'll come back to me next time': Marianne Williamson speaks up during the debate Posted: 30 Jul 2019 06:13 PM PDT  'Everything we are talking about is what's wrong with American politics,' Williamson said
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| India Almost Sank Its Own $2.9 Billion Submarine by Leaving a Hatch Open Posted: 30 Jul 2019 11:00 PM PDT  Water "rushed in as a hatch on the rear side was left open by mistake while [the Arihant] was at harbor" in February 2017, shortly after the submarine's launch, The Hindu reports. The modern submarine is not a simple machine. A loss of propulsion, unexpected flooding, or trouble with reactors or weapons can doom a sub crew to a watery grave.Also, it's a good idea to, like, close the hatches before you dive.(This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. This article first appeared in 2018.)Call it a lesson learned for the Indian navy, which managed to put the country's first nuclear-missile submarine, the $2.9 billion INS Arihant, out of commission in the most boneheaded way possible.The Hindu reported yesterday that the Arihant has been out of commission since suffering "major damage" some 10 months ago, due to what a navy source characterized as a "human error" — to wit: allowing water to flood to sub's propulsion compartment after failing to secure one of the vessel's external hatches.
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| Tim Ryan: Democrats will 'lose 48 states' on a 'Medicare for All' platform Posted: 31 Jul 2019 08:20 AM PDT  Ryan called the "Medicare for All" proposals a "potential disaster" for the party.
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| Deadly Heatwave Kills 11 and Hospitalizes Thousands in Japan Posted: 31 Jul 2019 02:46 AM PDT  Nearly 6,000 people have been hospitalized with heat-related conditions
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| Can Someone Please Vote CNN Off the Stage? Posted: 30 Jul 2019 09:49 PM PDT  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Ten of the Democrats debated on Tuesday night. But the debate was dominated by Jake Tapper, Dana Bash and Don Lemon – CNN's moderators. Norm Ornstein got it right:It's not just that the time allocations were harsh. (The candidates were constantly being cut off, sometimes after being given all of 15 seconds to make their points.) And not just that the time allocation seemed somewhat arbitrary. No, it was the questioning that really fell short – very, very short. The CNN moderators, again and again, employed the very worst types of questions. One style that Tapper used repeatedly early on was interrupting to insist that the candidates stick to a portion of a topic that he found interesting (such as whether their health care plans would involve increases in taxes for the middle class) rather than what they wanted to talk about. The night also featured too many gotcha questions, in which a candidate is challenged about something they said.(1) But even worse was a constant theme of asking one candidate to fight with another. Candidate X, what do you think of Candidate Y's plan? Those questions have superficial appeal because they appear to get to what separates the candidates. And they promise fireworks, with candidates forced to argue. But in reality, invitation-to-fight questions tend to emphasize the differences that the moderators select, which may or may not be substantively important ones. It leads the debate to focus on areas of internal candidate differences, leaving policy areas where they agree irrelevant – even if those areas are important, and contain real disputes with the other party. So for example late in the debate we had an extended exchange on nuclear no-first-use. Is that an important policy? Sure. Is it the most important thing to talk about in national security and foreign policy right now? I don't think many experts would say so. It also created a frame of moderates squaring off against Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren that worked well for the candidates running as self-professed moderates, especially John Delaney, and much less well for the candidates who straddle that divide (and, one might argue, therefore are best positioned to unify the party): Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg and Beto O'Rourke. Buttigieg and perhaps to a lesser extent Klobuchar got in a few good lines anyway, but the debate was stacked against them by the way the moderators thought about the candidates.What's more to the point is that the framing wasn't very good for the party as a whole. It pushed both the moderates and the more progressive candidates away from the center of the party, because they were all cast that way. All of that raises the question of how much longer parties will go along with it.Once upon a time, in the 1970s and 1980s especially, presidential nomination debates were fully decentralized: Some organization (usually from the news media, including local news media, but sometimes other groups) would invite candidates to debate, and if enough of them accepted, the debate was on. They weren't necessarily televised nationally, and the sponsor would decide who to invite, what rules to use, and everything else – with the main constraint only whether candidates were willing to show up for whatever conditions were set. We still have plenty of group forums or town halls or whatever that work that way.Over the last four or five cycles, however, the parties have been taking over. This year the Democratic Party has decided a lot of the whens, wheres, hows and whos. After Tuesday night's event, I have to believe that there are plenty of people at the Democratic National Committee – and plenty of candidates and their staff – who are fed up with debates that put the TV stars first. I wouldn't be surprised, especially if things go badly over the rest of the cycle, if both parties start thinking seriously about running their own shows in 2024. Now, there would be plenty of pitfalls, just as there have been when the parties took over the scheduling and the invitations. It's certainly possible the parties, if they did take over the debates, might come to regret it. But could they? Yup. Sure, the networks want to promote their own talent by having them moderate, but the events would still be excellent for them even without that, and the parties could still arrange some sort of limited MC role for network anchors. And while party-sponsored debates would presumably stick to topics that the party wants to talk about, I'm not sure – especially after watching what CNN just did – that voters would be worse off. So I don't know who won tonight's debate, but I'm pretty sure that CNN, and perhaps in the future the media in general, were the losers.(1) Gotcha questions may have their place in interviews, although even there they tend to substitute for substance, but they're almost always a mistake in debates, where the candidates have each other to keep them honest.To contact the author of this story: Jonathan Bernstein at jbernstein62@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Philip Gray at philipgray@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| See Photos of the New Pagani Huayra BC Roadster Posted: 31 Jul 2019 06:00 AM PDT |
| Iranian women defy prison threats by sending veil videos - activist Posted: 31 Jul 2019 10:05 AM PDT ![Iranian women defy prison threats by sending veil videos - activist]( "Iranian women defy prison threats by sending veil videos - activist") Iranian women are sharing videos of themselves flouting laws forcing them to wear headscarves in public, despite a ruling they could face up to ten years in jail for doing so, a prominent activist said on Wednesday. Masih Alinejad, a U.S.-based Iranian journalist, started a social media campaign in 2014 encouraging women in Iran to share self-portraits without the Islamic veil, which she then shares on her Facebook page, "My Stealthy Freedom". "Today I have received lots of videos from inside Iran.
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| Muslim Virginia lawmaker heckles Trump at Jamestown speech Posted: 30 Jul 2019 04:27 PM PDT  A heckler who interrupted a speech by President Donald Trump during Tuesday's commemoration of 400 years of American democracy is a new Muslim lawmaker from Virginia angered by the president's race-related rhetoric. After Samirah stood and held up his signs, he was led out of a tent where Trump was speaking at a museum near the site of the original Jamestown colony.
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| Gunman in 4 Wisconsin deaths may have imitated abduction of Jayme Closs Posted: 31 Jul 2019 08:40 AM PDT  Ritchie German Jr., 33, killed his mother, brother and nephew and later killed a 24-year-old woman at another home before killing himself, police say.
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| 10-year-old girl's quick action saved 3-year-old during Gilroy Garlic Festival mass shooting Posted: 31 Jul 2019 10:11 AM PDT  A 10-year-old girl is being hailed a hero for her quick thinking that may havesaved a toddler from the gunman who opened fire at the annual Gilroy GarlicFestival in California on Sunday
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| Hong Kong Train Disruptions Show Protests Becoming Daily Affair Posted: 30 Jul 2019 06:05 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Fresh train disruptions by Hong Kong protesters Tuesday show how unrest once confined to weekend marches through downtown streets is spreading across the Asian financial hub and affecting daily life.Train services were slowed on the centrally located Island Line and the Kwun Tong Line across Victoria Harbor after black-clad protesters blocked doors and requested emergency assistance during the morning rush. There was yelling and confusion as commuters found themselves stuck in large crowds on subway platforms for the second time in less than a week.Although rail operator MTR Corp. said trains were resuming their normal schedules as of 11:30 a.m., such problems are expected to spread as protesters try to keep their grievances in the headlines and force a response by the city's China-appointed government. The incident follows a weekend of rallies that saw a peaceful sit-in at Asia's busiest international airport and sometimes rowdy mass protests that prompted police to fire tear gas in residential areas.The movement has proved surprisingly resilient more than eight weeks after as many as 1 million people took to the streets to oppose Chief Executive Carrie Lam's now-suspended proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China. Authorities in Beijing have so far maintained their support for Lam, who has rejected demands that she resign, formally withdraw the bill and appoint an independent inquiry into the police's use of force.Lam's approval rating slipped another 2 percentage points over the past month to a record low 21%, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, formerly the HKU Public Opinion Programme. The share of people satisfied with the local government's performance remained at an all-time 18%, unchanged from the previous survey.Authorities were set to charge 44 out of 49 people arrested during Sunday's clashes with police with rioting, the South China Morning Post reported Tuesday, citing an unidentified police source. The violence had erupted as officers fired volleys of tear gas at demonstrators in Sai Ying Pun, a residential and business area where the Chinese government's liaison office is located. The people were expected to be brought to court on Wednesday, the newspaper said.China warned Monday that political unrest in the former British colony had gone "far beyond" peaceful protest, underscoring concern of more direct intervention. The demonstrations ultimately stem from anxiety that China has been eroding the rights and freedoms promised to Hong Kong before the end of colonial rule in 1997.Read more about the protests' latest impact on Hong Kong stocksDuring Tuesday's protests, services at the Lam Tin, Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng stations were suspended. At Tin Hau station on the Island Line, dozens of passengers were queuing up for refunds as train services were suspended.MTR Corp. shares added 0.1% as of 2.47 p.m. in Hong Kong trading, erasing earlier losses."We understand some people want to express their view but we regret that their actions affected train services and other passengers," Alan Cheng, MTR's chief of operating, told reporters. He said platform safety devices had been activated 76 times during the morning, while train emergency buttons were triggered another 47.Protesters argue that they've been driven to guerrilla tactics because the former British colony's unelected government is ignoring historic protests and the police are withholding protest permits and increasing their use of force. Since last month, different groups in the largely leaderless movement have surrounded police headquarters, mobbed government buildings and ransacked the city's legislature."Every confrontation between the protesters and the police has exacerbated their mutual hostility," Hong Kong political commentator Joseph Cheng told Bloomberg Television in an interview on Tuesday. "It is difficult that there are no solutions in sight, no reconciliation process going on and it has become a test of wills."While such tactics risk alienating the general public and causing further damage to the economy, the movement has also received support from the business community. The American Chamber of Commerce's Hong Kong chapter on Monday urged an "internationally credible" independent inquiry into all aspects of the protest movement, saying action was needed to preserve the city's strength as a global financial center.Earlier: AmCham Urges Hong Kong Action to Quell Growing Business ConcernsThe city's otherwise model railway system has born the brunt of several recent incidents, including shocking mob attacks last week on protesters and other train passengers at a railway station in the northern suburb of Yuen Long. Protesters subsequently decided to disrupt train services to highlight the slow police response to the incident.The rail operator on Monday pledged a review of its safety procedures, a move the South China Morning Post newspaper said was prompted by strike threats and internal anger over criticism of a female train driver related to the Yuen Long incident. Last week, MTR chairman Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen endorsed calls for an inquiry into police action."Hong Kongers only want police to do their jobs fearlessly in an unbiased manner and not serve their bosses in Beijing," Max Chung, the organizer of the Yuen Long march, said Tuesday night after being released on bail. Chung had been arrested for inciting others to participate in an unlawful assembly, the city's Now TV reported Sunday.(Updates with Max Chung comment in final paragraph.)\--With assistance from Sheryl Tian Tong Lee, Fion Li, Dominic Lau, Sofia Horta e Costa and Colin Keatinge.To contact the reporters on this story: Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at imarlow1@bloomberg.net;Simon Fuller in Hong Kong at sfuller37@bloomberg.net;Natalie Lung in Hong Kong at flung6@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Karen LeighFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| 'Everything changed,' says woman forced to be a child bride in America Posted: 31 Jul 2019 10:58 AM PDT  Ashley Duncan got married on what started out as a typical school day school. She said she didn't realize "how big of a commitment I was making" when her aunt took her to the courthouse.
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| Guatemalan villagers recognize viral photo of mother pleading at U.S. border Posted: 30 Jul 2019 01:13 PM PDT  Lolinda Amaya cried last week when she saw a viral photograph of a Guatemalan mother imploring Mexico's National Guard to let her enter the United States. It was her niece, Ledy Perez, who had borrowed money weeks earlier and fled her village under cover of night, seeking a better life for her only child. The widely shared photo https://widerimage.reuters.com/story/guatemalan-mother-begs-soldier-to-let-her-enter-us showed her crouched meters away from Mexico's border with the United States, clinging to her young son Anthony Diaz as she looked up at an armed member of the newly formed Mexican military police force.
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| Trump has a ‘dark psychic force’ says Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson Posted: 31 Jul 2019 12:46 AM PDT  Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson has warned that Donald Trump's "dark psychic force" will not be defeated by detailed policy discussions.The celebrity spiritual adviser, who was the most searched for candidate on Google during the second Democratic debate, had a surprisingly successful night for her long-shot 2020 campaign with a series of unconventional soundbites.While her opponents battled over the details of healthcare and immigration policy, Ms Williamson deployed sweeping and at times bizarre language to share her message.On the issue of the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan, she received one of the night's biggest reactions from the studio audience."We have communities, particularly communities of colour and disadvantaged communities all over this country who are suffering from environmental injustice," Ms Williamson said."I assure you, I lived in Grosse Pointe [a wealthy Michigan coastal area] – what happened in Flint would not have happened in Grosse Pointe. This is part of the dark underbelly of American society."Then Ms Williamson turned to her fellow Democratic candidates."If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivised hatred that this president is bringing up in this country then I'm afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days," she told them.Although Ms Williamson's use of spiritual language in a presidential debate was unusual, the problem she raised – over whether Democrats should focus on policy or message to defeat Mr Trump – is a more widely-acknowledged issue.The debate on Tuesday night highlighted a clear divide between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party, as liberal candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders clashed with candidates, such as John Delaney, who are attempting to beat Mr Trump from the centre ground.In a fiery exchange, Ms Warren took on Mr Delaney, when the former congressman suggested that her policies were unrealistic."I don't understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can't do and shouldn't fight for," Ms Warren replied.However, despite a largely successful debate performance, Ms Williamson is unlikely to become a serious candidate in the Democratic race.All polls have shown her campaign way behind the Democratic frontrunners (polling at 1 per cent at best, compared to Joe Biden at about 33 per cent), even though she has occasionally polled ahead of more established candidates, such as Bill De Blasio, Kirsten Gillibrand and Mr Delaney.Ms Williamson has also faced criticism as her campaign has received more attention and scrutiny.In June, she was criticised for calling vaccine mandates too "draconian" and "Orwellian" – although she later denied that she was anti-vaccination.More generally, she has been accused of encouraging unfounded New Age philosophy in her self-help books, which promote love, peace and positive thinking as solutions to the world's ills.When asked after Tuesday's debate how successful her performance was, Ms Williamson reportedly told CNN journalist Sarah Mucha: "I'll tell you later when I see the memes."The second Democratic debate, which will feature Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, will take place on Wednesday 31 July.
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| Sanctions-hit Iran to cut zeros and rename plunging currency Posted: 31 Jul 2019 04:34 AM PDT  The government in sanctions-hit Iran on Wednesday approved a plan to remove zeros from the rial and rename the currency -- something its people have long been doing to simplify transactions. "The cabinet today agreed on a bill to eliminate four zeros from the currency and that 'toman' will be our national currency," government spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters in Tehran. The value of the Iranian rial has hit low after record low since last year.
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| New York Extends Gun Background Checks, Bans Bump Stocks Posted: 30 Jul 2019 07:52 AM PDT  New York gun buyers may wait up to 30 days for background checks under a new law signed Monday by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.Cuomo signed legislation to extend the background check waiting period from three days to as much as 30 for gun buyers who are not immediately approved, as well as a ban on bump stocks, the governor's office announced."By signing these measures into law we are strengthening our nation-leading gun laws — banning devices whose sole purpose is to create the most bloodshed in the shortest timeframe and providing law enforcement the tools they need to stop firearms from falling into dangerous hands." Cuomo said in a statement.The legislation passed both houses in January, according to the New York Post.New York gun dealers are required to perform National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks on potential gun buyers, resulting in notifications to "proceed," "denied," or "delayed."The review typically took three days before the dealer could move forward or refuse the sale, a judgment they could make even if the background check came back "delayed."
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| Ancestry will let you search online for relatives who were displaced by the Holocaust Posted: 31 Jul 2019 10:19 AM PDT  Ancestry is digitizing millions of Holocaust persecution records and making them searchable online for free.
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| Russian Instagram influencer, medical school graduate Ekaterina Karaglanova found dead in apparent murder Posted: 30 Jul 2019 07:38 AM PDT  Authorities are investigating after Ekaterina Karaglanova was found dead in a suitcase Friday in the hallway of her Moscow apartment building.
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| Canada police shift manhunt for teen slaying suspects Posted: 30 Jul 2019 04:18 PM PDT  Canadian police said Tuesday they have pulled out of a remote northern town after an intensive search turned up no sign of two fugitive teenagers suspected of killing three people — a college professor, a North Carolina woman and her Australian boyfriend. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police used dogs and drones, helicopters, boats and even a military Hercules aircraft to scour the area around York Landing, Manitoba, but were unable to confirm a possible sighting of the two men reported by members of a neighborhood watch group. Nineteen-year-old McLeod and 18-year-old Schmegelsky have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Leonard Dyck, a University of British Columbia professor whose body was found last week in British Columbia.
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| Gensler's Temporary Structure for Notre-Dame Has Just Been Unveiled Posted: 30 Jul 2019 03:13 PM PDT  The Pavillon Notre-Dame, which could be situated next to the historic church, allows visitors a temporary place for worship and reflection
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| 500 Beers of Summer Posted: 30 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT |
| Sign of the times: China's capital orders Arabic, Muslim symbols taken down Posted: 30 Jul 2019 10:48 PM PDT ![Sign of the times: China's capital orders Arabic, Muslim symbols taken down]( "Sign of the times: China's capital orders Arabic, Muslim symbols taken down") Authorities in the Chinese capital have ordered halal restaurants and food stalls to remove Arabic script and symbols associated with Islam from their signs, part of an expanding national effort to "Sinicize" its Muslim population. Employees at 11 restaurants and shops in Beijing selling halal products and visited by Reuters in recent days said officials had told them to remove images associated with Islam, such as the crescent moon and the word "halal" written in Arabic, from signs. Government workers from various offices told one manager of a Beijing noodle shop to cover up the "halal" in Arabic on his shop's sign, and then watched him do it.
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| Israel approves hundreds of Palestinian homes in West Bank amid reports of US peace plan rollout Posted: 31 Jul 2019 10:02 AM PDT  Israel has made an unusual move to approve hundreds of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank amid reports the US is preparing to roll out its long-awaited peace plan. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, granted permits for 700 Palestinian houses but tried to appease his Right-wing base by also approving 6,000 housing units for Jewish settlers. Israel rarely grants building permits to Palestinians and the move was seen as a potential concession to the White House, which is trying to convince Palestinians and Arab states to back its peace initiative. Jared Kushner, Mr Trump's son-in-law and top aide on Israeli-Palestinian issues, is expected in Jerusalem this week to discuss the plan with Mr Netanyahu. The plan remains secret but Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Mr Trump intends to unveil it at a summit with Arab leaders at Camp David in the coming weeks. A White House official denied that planning for a summit was underway and said Mr Kushner's team would report back after their trip to Israeli and Arab states before deciding their next move. "No summit has currently been planned," the official said. The US unveiled the less controversial economic side of the plan at a conference in Bahrain in June but has not given a timeline for releasing the political side of the plan. Mr Trump enjoys the pageantry of high-profile international meetings and Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, has often been the site of peace talks between Israel and its neighbours. Expectations for Mr Trump's peace effort are low. The Palestinians have preemptively rejected the plan, arguing that Mr Trump is heavily biased towards Israel and is not an honest broker. David Friedman, the US ambassador to Israel, signaled that the White House opposed the idea of an independent Palestinian state, which has long been a demand of both Palestinians and America's Arab allies. Mr Friedman instead endorsed Mr Netanyahu's position that the Palestinians can be granted autonomy but not a state of their own. "We believe in Palestinian autonomy," he told CNN. "We believe that autonomy should be extended up until the point where it interferes with Israeli security."
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| The Arctic’s On Fire (You Can Even See It From Space). It Will Get Worse. Posted: 30 Jul 2019 03:05 AM PDT  Europe's historic heat wave is heading north this weekend, to the relief of the continent, but its path will send it right towards the Arctic — where it could speed up the melting of sea ice and coincide with devastating wildfires.Unprecedented wildfires are currently raging across the Arctic Circle, with some the size of 100,000 football fields — so big they can be seen from space. Arctic sea ice is moreover already running at a record low this year; scientists worry a heat wave will only further exacerbate the area's problems.One week after the United States saw record-shattering high temperatures, the same fate befell Europe. On Thursday, Paris saw temperatures of 108.7 degrees Fahrenheit (42.6 degrees Celsius), a record high, with Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands also facing their own record days. The sweltering weather is the result of a heat dome that has allowed hot air to come north from the Sahara Desert, all while blocking cooler air from reaching people.July is typically a warm month in much of the northern hemisphere, but climate scientists have connected the uptick in dangerously hot temperatures to global warming, with future years set to be much worse.Scorching temperatures can be deadly for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, in addition to anyone without access to cooling systems. In Europe, where air-conditioning is less common than the United States, many residents faced grueling heat without an easy mechanism for cooling off. London, for example, does not have air conditioning in its crowded subway system.
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| 'Very biased': Tulsi Gabbard campaign criticizes CNN ahead of Wednesday's debate Posted: 31 Jul 2019 04:55 PM PDT  "If tonight's debate on CNN is as biased/unfair as last night, the DNC needs to reconsider CNN hosting future debates," Tulsi Gabbard's campaign tweeted.
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| UK warship commander says Iran trying 'to test' Britain in Gulf Posted: 31 Jul 2019 02:13 AM PDT  The commander of a British warship accompanying UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran said Wednesday that Tehran appeared to be testing the Royal Navy's resolve. William King, commander of HMS Montrose, said during 27 days patrolling the flashpoint entrance to the Gulf he had had 85 "interactions with Iranian forces", which had often led to "an exchange of warnings" over radio. Montrose, on a three-year deployment in the region since April based at a British naval hub opened in Bahrain last year, began the escorts through the world's busiest oil shipping lane earlier this month.
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| Rand Paul offers to send Ilhan Omar to Somalia so she will 'appreciate America more' Posted: 30 Jul 2019 12:54 PM PDT  Republican Sen. Rand Paul said he would offer to buy Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar a ticket to Somalia so she would "appreciate America more."
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| Mom of slain Navajo girl urges tribes to use Amber Alerts Posted: 30 Jul 2019 05:30 PM PDT  The mother of a Navajo girl who was kidnapped and killed in 2016 urged tribal officials and children's advocates Tuesday to take advantage of tools and funding under a law that expands access to the nation's Amber Alert system. Pamela Foster spoke during a training at Isleta Pueblo, south of Albuquerque, for tribes seeking to implement the alert system. Despite a 2007 pilot project, it was not in place on the Navajo Nation when her daughter Ashlynne Mike was abducted near Shiprock, a town in northeast New Mexico.
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| Wake Schools parent sued after criticizing math curriculum Posted: 30 Jul 2019 05:41 PM PDT  A parent whose child goes to a high school in the Wake County Public School System has been sued after criticizing the math curriculum used in the district. "That's kind of scary that this would happen," said another parent.
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| 'Please stay with me,' kidnapped Romanian girl begged police Posted: 31 Jul 2019 01:41 PM PDT !['Please stay with me,' kidnapped Romanian girl begged police]( "'Please stay with me,' kidnapped Romanian girl begged police") The family of a 15-year-old Romanian girl kidnapped earlier this month and now presumed dead has released recordings of her desperate calls for help to authorities whose handling of the case has caused public outrage and dismissals of officials. A mechanic from Caracal in south Romania has confessed to killing Alexandra Macesanu, who went missing on July 24, and another 18-year-old girl last seen in April. With authorities taking 19 hours to locate Macesanu after she made three calls to the emergency number 112, the case has sparked street protests, the interior minister's resignation, and the firing of some local officials.
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| Christian leaders are warning of 'Christian nationalism," which they say 'provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation' Posted: 30 Jul 2019 12:21 PM PDT  Christian leaders argue that Christian and American identities must remain separate, to not jeopardize both US democracy and their Christian faith.
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| Fox News Proves Pete Buttigieg Right That All Democrats Will Be Called Socialists Posted: 31 Jul 2019 09:14 AM PDT  REUTERSDuring Tuesday night's Democratic presidential primary debate, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg declared that it is time for Democrats to "stop worrying about what the Republicans will say" because no matter what agenda they embrace, "they're going to say we're a bunch of crazy socialists."Following the debate, a number of conservatives and Republicans on Fox airwaves have already gone out of their way to prove the mayor right.Discussing the debate Tuesday evening on The Ingraham Angle, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani suggested that former Vice President Joe Biden—who is participating in Wednesday's debate— may have gotten a boost from the debate before, of course, painting the Democratic field as socialist."I think Biden probably gains tonight if he can have a decent performance tomorrow night," he told host Laura Ingraham. "He is the one that naturally people would think of as a moderate, but Biden has been running to pretend that he can out-socialist all of them."The following hour, Fox News anchor Shannon Bream welcomed Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to weigh in on the debate. It didn't take long for the RNC head to invoke socialism."What you saw from the Democrats tonight is the total socialist plan, takeover of all of our health care with this proposal from Medicare for All," she groused. "They didn't know how to pay for it. They were dishonest about the fact that it was would raise taxes on every single American."The following morning, meanwhile, Fox Business Network anchor Stuart Varney kicked things off on Varney and Co. by mockingly brushing off the notion that there were any centrist candidates on the stage the night before."Now, the political story of the day, very obviously, the debates," he declared. "The socialists, Sens. Warren and Sanders, emerged as the clear front-runners, at least for last night. So-called moderates, Klobuchar, Mayor Pete, Delaney, Bullock and Ryan, had very little impact. Beto all but disappeared. Last night, socialism rules!"Later on in the program, Fox News contributor Doug Schoen agreed with Varney that the party is "moving hard left and socialists rule the day," adding that self-described Democrats like himself traditionally "don't share socialist principles" and he can't support Sanders, Warren or "their ilk."The most glaring example, however, was a Wednesday morning interview with Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) during Fox News' America's Newsroom.Speaking with anchor Bill Hemmer, Kennedy fully rejected any notion that Tuesday's debate was between progressives and moderates before fully proving Buttigieg's prophecy correct."I would remind you that the lesser of two socialists is still a socialist," the Republican senator exclaimed. "And what I heard last night even from the so-called less liberal candidates—I'm not impugning their integrity—even from the less liberal candidates, I heard a job-killing, soul-crushing socialist agenda."He added: "The only thing missing was the Cuban national anthem."Hemmer, meanwhile, ended the brief segment by joking with the Republican lawmaker: "I don't know how it played in Havana," he said with a smile. "But I appreciate you coming back today."There was one die-hard Fox News viewer who was thrilled over Kennedy's on-air remarks, making sure to amplify them immediately."'The lesser of two Socialists is still a Socialist!' Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana," President Trump tweeted minutes after Kennedy's appearance.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Why the U.S. Marines Might Totally Hate Their New Sniper Rifle Posted: 30 Jul 2019 12:33 AM PDT  "The M110A1 was never intended to replace the M40A6, but to replace the M110," Hamby told Task & Purpose. "The bolt action M40A6 has a different purpose from the semi-automatic M110A1, which is used for rapid engagement … The M40A6 remains a program of record for the Marine Corps."The Marine Corps is throwing down cash to test-drive the same compact sniper rifle the Army has pursued in recent months. But while its 7.62mm rounds pack the punch required by scout snipers facing increasingly protected enemies downrange, its effective range falls well short of the sniper systems used by both foreign militaries and militants — a limitation that makes it unclear just what the Corps could do with this new weapon.(This first appeared last year.)The Army's proposed fiscal 2019 budget includes $46.2 million to field 5,180 M110A1 Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) rifles for infantry, scout, and engineer squads, with the goal of eventually buying as many as 8,711 of the lightweight 7.62mm arms. PEO Soldier told Task & Purpose in January 2018 that the Marine Corps also was "committed" to adopting the CSASS.And lo and behold: The Marine Corps' $40.8 billion proposed fiscal 2019 budget includes just under $1 million for the service to procure just 116 CSASS rifles. The Marines' line item says the CSASS, based on the Heckler & Koch G28E sniper rifle with a baffle-less OSS suppressor, could replace the venerable M110 with "enhanced shooter ergonomics and increased operational availability time" and "improve the sniper's ability to rapidly engage multiple, moving targets."
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| Lyft driver fatally shot on 52nd wedding anniversary. He had just called his wife to celebrate Posted: 31 Jul 2019 09:24 AM PDT  Harold Treadwell, 71, was driving for Lyft around 12:30 a.m. Sunday when someone outside of the vehicle shot him, Phoenix police said.
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| George W. Bush paintings to go on display at Kennedy Center Posted: 31 Jul 2019 12:53 PM PDT  Paintings of wounded US military veterans by former president George W. Bush are to go on display this year at a Kennedy Center gallery, the Washington-based national cultural center said Wednesday. "The Kennedy Center is proud to share these works -- painted by a living president -- that honor the men and women who defend our freedom," its president Deborah Rutter said in a statement.
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| Hong Kong protesters in court as US warns troops massing on China border Posted: 31 Jul 2019 04:17 AM PDT ![Hong Kong protesters in court as US warns troops massing on China border]( "Hong Kong protesters in court as US warns troops massing on China border") Hong Kong police hauled dozens of protesters through court yesterday to face draconian charges of rioting in a move likely to further stir violent unrest. Charges were read against 23 people on Wednesday, accusing them of setting up road blocks, breaking fences, damaging street signs, and attacking police officers with "lethal weapons," such as bricks. It was the first time authorities have formally accused protesters of rioting - a charge that carries a possible 10-year prison sentence - since mass demonstrations broke out early June, plunging Hong Kong into its worst political turmoil since the former British colony was returned to Beijing. The charges came amid reports that Chinese armed forces are mobilising on the border with Hong Kong. The White House is monitoring the military build up, sources told Bloomberg. Protesters defied the lashing wind and rain of an incoming typhoon to gather outside court where demonstrators appeared before the judge to be formally charged with rioting. The indicted included a teacher, a nurse, an airline pilot, a barber, a chef, an electrician, a construction worker and unemployed people, according to their charge sheets. A 16-year-old girl was also among the group. The eldest was 41. Braving the weather, protesters chanted: "Release the righteous... There are no rioters, only tyranny... reclaim Hong Kong, the revolution of our times." Violent clashes ending in injuries and arrests are occurring nearly every day now in the former British colony as protesters angry with the government continue to go head-to-head with the police. Hong Kong protests On Tuesday spontaneous violent protests broke out outside the police headquarters as the new rioting charges were announced for the first time. Clashes between police and demonstrators took an extraordinary turn when crowds were targeted with fireworks shot from a moving car. At least six people were injured in the drive-by captured on video and shared widely on social media. The attacks are likely to sow further confusion amid the escalating crisis in Hong Kong, after protesters were targeted last week by a mob linked to triad gangs. Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested three men on criminal damage and common assault, and said they will "spare no effort in investigating all illegal and violent acts". The charges formally levelled at protesters are likely to further enrage demonstrators, who first demanded the formal withdrawal of an extradition bill that would send suspects to face trial in mainland China, where Communist Party control of the courts contributes to a 99.9 per-cent conviction rate. Protesters have since expanded their demands to include the resignation of Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam, the convening of an independent commission to investigate police brutality against the protesters, and the release of those arrested – at least 170 people so far. Continuing unrest is fuelling concerns that China's central government in Beijing might deploy the military,which would be reminiscent of the 1989 bloody crackdown in Tiananmen Square. In comments to Bloomberg on Wednesday, an anonymous US government official said the White House is monitoring a congregation of Chinese forces along the border to Hong Kong, though the nature of the build-up isn't clear. China's ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday she wasn't aware of a situation on the border. The Chinese central government reiterated earlier this week that it supported Hong Kong's leader and police in cracking down to maintain order, and that Beijing would only send troops at the request of city officials. China has also accused Western nations of sowing discord in the city as a way to destabilise China. "If the turbulence continues, the whole of Hong Kong society will pay the cost," said Yang Guang, a spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs office, which reports to China's cabinet. The Hong Kong government estimates the PLA maintains a garrison of 8,000 to 10,000 troops in Hong Kong, along with a naval squadron and a helicopter regiment; more troops are stationed in neighbouring Shenzhen. Demonstrations are planned through to late August.
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| Alabama sued in transgender driver's license case Posted: 30 Jul 2019 01:33 PM PDT  U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson held a hearing in the 2018 lawsuit filed by three transgender women seeking to change the gender of their state license. The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the plaintiffs, said the requirement to show proof of sex-altering surgery is an unconstitutional violation of privacy and a person's ability to make their own medical decisions.
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| Three tourists found dead in frigid waters of Alaskan lake Posted: 30 Jul 2019 10:27 PM PDT ![Three tourists found dead in frigid waters of Alaskan lake]( "Three tourists found dead in frigid waters of Alaskan lake") Three tourists were found dead on Tuesday in a boating accident in the glacial waters of an Alaskan lake, famous for its spectacular views, police said. The victims, all in their 60s, appeared to have been paddling a single inflatable boat on Valdez Glacier Lake, about 120 miles east of Anchorage, police in Valdez said. The lake is known for its spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, and chunks of ice that have broken off from the Valdez Glacier float on its surface, according to tour guides.
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| Lou Dobbs Lashes Out at Fox Business Host Who Confronts Him About Trump’s Exploding Debt Posted: 31 Jul 2019 12:37 PM PDT  The Fox Business Network got extremely heated Wednesday afternoon when hosts Lou Dobbs and Neil Cavuto got into it over exploding national deficits and debt under President Trump's watch.Moments after the Federal Reserve announced it will cut its interest rate by .25 points —the first drop in the interest rates since the Great Recession—Cavuto groused on-air to a panel of several Fox Business hosts that both political parties had abandoned "any hint of fiscal restraint." Furthermore, Cavuto bashed the Trump administration for having "not done a good job containing" federal spending rates."Well, somebody has done a good job and that is President Trump," Dobbs, a rabidly pro-Trump primetime host, shot back. "And it is this economy."Cavuto then directly confronted Dobbs, asking him if he truly believes Trump has done a good job "reining in spending," prompting Dobbs to dismissively tell his colleague that he has to "work this thing out with the president.""Fact, fact, do you think this president has done anything to contain the deficits and the debt that had spiraled, still, from what levels he had from Barack Obama?" Cavuto fired back."Uh-huh. I do, indeed," Dobbs said in response, prompting Cavuto to demand specifics. Dobbs attempted to point to deregulation and low unemployment (with an assist from fellow pro-Trump colleague Maria Bartiromo), leading Cavuto to further press for answers on spending rates.Dobbs ended up lashing out at Cavuto instead."Forgive me, I didn't interrupt you, Neil, you've done it to me twice," the Lou Dobbs Tonight host huffed. "Thirdly you're looking at an unemployment rate that is closing a gap in the unemployment rate between minorities and whites in this country which is the exact direction—"Cavuto, however, still wanted to know what exactly such Trumpian talking points had to do with the debt, adding: "I asked you a question about the debt! Do you worry about that or not? If you don't, that's fine!"Later on in the segment, following the Dobbs-Cavuto clash, Bartiromo insisted that Trump would absolutely "take a knife to spending" if he gets a second term in office. "Mark my words."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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| Army Soldiers Will Use Special M-2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle to Control Robots Posted: 30 Jul 2019 12:08 PM PDT  U.S. Army soldiers riding in a specially-modified M-2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle will control a platoon of ground robots during an upcoming exercise in Colorado.The planned 2020 test "moves beyond the basic 'robotic wingman' pursuits that have so far led how the mechanized community of the Army is getting at using semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles," Army Times reporter Todd South explained.Army officials intend for the month-long exercise at Fort Carson to gather data for the service's Ground Vehicle Systems Center. The soldiers in the exercise will operate the unmanned ground vehicles from inside upgraded Bradleys that the Army refers to as "Mission Enabler Technologies-Demonstrators."The upgrades include a remotely-operated turret for the vehicle's 25-millimeter gun, extra sensors for 360-degree awareness and new crew stations with touchscreens, according to an Army release.The Colorado war game will involve two of the special Bradley controlling a total of four UGVs, South reported.The U.S., British and Russian militaries, among others, quickly are moving to integrate armed robots into their ground forces.
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