Friday, 31 July 2020

NASA's Perseverance Rover Is Headed to Mars. Now Comes the Hard Part.



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FBI says errors discovered in more than two-dozen wiretap applications were mostly minor

FBI says errors discovered in more than two-dozen wiretap applications were mostly minorThe agency said its review of 29 applications to obtain wiretaps on U.S. citizens had only minor, mostly typographical errors.




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House Democrats subpoena Pompeo for documents on Biden's son

House Democrats subpoena Pompeo for documents on Biden's sonThe House Foreign Affairs Committee has subpoenaed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for documents he turned over to a Senate panel that is investigating Hunter Biden, a son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Committee Chair Eliot Engel said Friday he had issued the subpoena as part of an investigation into Pompeo's “apparent use of Department of State resources to advance a political smear of former Vice President Joe Biden.”




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Job-hunting: 'I apply everywhere - few firms reply'

The pandemic has created a desperate hunt for jobs in an increasingly competitive market.

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Jet2 to refund customers returning early from Spain

The airline says it will refund cancelled return flights from Spain and unused holiday dates.

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BA staff and plane fanatics hunt for 747 souvenirs

The retirement of British Airways' fleet of 747s has triggered a bout of nostalgia from its fans.

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Why a new generation of Thais are protesting against the government

A new political divide in Thailand has emerged between the country's youth and its older generation.

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US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mate

Senator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress.

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India coronavirus: Gold rush as pandemic roils country's economy

As Covid-19 worsens the economic slump, Indians are returning to a trusted asset: gold.

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Belarus: The mother challenging an authoritarian president

Political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya rallies protesters in a battle with Alexander Lukashenko.

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Trump news: President threatens Portland protesters with ‘strong offensive force’ as White House condemns delay of Hong Kong elections

Trump news: President threatens Portland protesters with ‘strong offensive force’ as White House condemns delay of Hong Kong electionsDonald Trump has threatened Portland protesters with "very strong offensive force" as the federal government and residents continue to clash in the liberal city. The president warned he might send the National Guard to stop the "terrorists" in the city.In Albuquerque, meanwhile, activists vowed to meet federal agents with peaceful protests and civil disobedience as Trump said the government's response would expand to more cities, including Detroit, Cleveland and Milwaukee.




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UK puts lockdown-easing on hold as virus spread accelerates

UK puts lockdown-easing on hold as virus spread acceleratesPrime Minister Boris Johnson put some planned measures to ease the U.K.'s lockdown on hold Friday, just hours before they were due to take effect, saying the number of new coronavirus cases in the country is on the rise for the first time since May. Under the new restrictions, people from different households in Greater Manchester, England’s second largest metropolitan area, have been asked to not meet indoors.




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'You're putting words in my mouth': Fauci and Rep. Jim Jordan clash over police-brutality protests at House coronavirus hearing

'You're putting words in my mouth': Fauci and Rep. Jim Jordan clash over police-brutality protests at House coronavirus hearingOhio Rep. Jim Jordan repeatedly tried to corner Dr. Anthony Fauci into saying the government should limit protests, but Fauci refused to do so.




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For Biden's running mate, the safest pick might be the safe bet

For Biden's running mate, the safest pick might be the safe betFirst Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.




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Are Pap smears 'obsolete'? There's a better option for cervical cancer screening, American Cancer Society says

Are Pap smears 'obsolete'? There's a better option for cervical cancer screening, American Cancer Society saysThe American Cancer Society released new guidelines on cervical cancer screenings Thursday, recommending that people with a cervix start testing at age 25.




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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos had to be told to unmute his microphone to answer a question during the big tech antitrust hearing

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos had to be told to unmute his microphone to answer a question during the big tech antitrust hearing"Mr. Bezos, I believe you're on mute," one lawmaker told Bezos as the pandemic forced all four CEOs to dial into the inquiry virtually.




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Alan Dershowitz calls Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre a 'serial liar' while once again denying he ever had sex with her

Alan Dershowitz calls Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre a 'serial liar' while once again denying he ever had sex with herVirginia Giuffre claims that Dershowitz, a Harvard Law professor, had sex with her when she was underage in Jeffrey Epstein's residences.




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Poll puts Biden over Trump in 6 swing states

Poll puts Biden over Trump in 6 swing statesFormer Vice President Joe Biden is still looking good in key swing states across the country.In May, a poll from the British consulting firm Redfield & Wilton Strategies put Biden ahead of President Trump in six states Trump won in 2016: Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Redfield & Wilton Strategies' July poll shows Biden still has a lead in all of those states, and even widened it in three of them.While Biden had a 4 percent lead over Trump in Arizona, a 2-point lead in Florida, and an 8-point lead in Michigan in May, he has an 8, 7, and 12 percent lead, respectively, in those states as of July. Biden maintained his 10-point lead in Wisconsin over the past two months. Meanwhile Biden lost traction in North Carolina, where he had a 45-43 lead over Trump in May but has a 43-42 lead as of July, and Pennsylvania, where his margin fell from 48-39 to 48-41.Redfield & Wilton surveyed anywhere from 742 to 1,121 registered voters in each of the states, with larger populations corresponding to larger sample sizes. The polls were conducted from July 19-24.More stories from theweek.com The White House reportedly scrapped a national testing plan because the virus was mostly hitting blue states Josh Hawley's good idea to stop modern slavery New Lincoln Project video imagines what it's like to wake up from a coma in 2020




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Dr. Fauci and Rep. Jordan have a tense exchange over limiting protests because of the coronavirus

Dr. Fauci and Rep. Jordan have a tense exchange over limiting protests because of the coronavirusDuring the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Friday, Rep. Jim Jordan pressed Dr. Anthony Fauci about limiting protests to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.




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Venezuela supreme court approves extradition request to Italy for ex-oil czar

Venezuela supreme court approves extradition request to Italy for ex-oil czarVenezuela's supreme court said on Friday it had approved a request to Italy for the extradition of Rafael Ramirez, a once powerful oil minister and former head of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, on corruption charges. Authorities opened a probe into Ramirez over alleged graft in late 2017 and sought an Interpol red alert for him in early 2018, shortly after he left his later post as Venezuela's United Nations ambassador and began publicly criticizing President Nicolas Maduro's handling of the economy, which remains in freefall.




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Family of Black college student killed by white police officer draws support from Jay-Z, Rihanna and Amy Schumer in bid to reopen case

Family of Black college student killed by white police officer draws support from Jay-Z, Rihanna and Amy Schumer in bid to reopen caseCollege football standout Danroy "DJ" Henry Jr., 20, was shot and killed by a white police officer outside a New York bar on Oct. 17, 2010, as he drove away from a disturbance he was not involved in. Nearly 10 years later, celebrities join the victim’s family to demand that the case be reopened.




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Letters to the Editor: Portland protesters, it's time to stop. You're playing into Trump's hands

Letters to the Editor: Portland protesters, it's time to stop. You're playing into Trump's handsGod forbid President Trump gets another four years in office because of average voters' disgust with violent protests.




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US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mate

US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mateSenator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress.




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Thursday, 30 July 2020

Colorado restaurant owners who defied COVID lockdown orders and reopened forced to close business for good

Colorado restaurant owners who defied COVID lockdown orders and reopened forced to close business for goodJesse and April Arellano, co-owners of the C&C Breakfast and Korean Kitchen in Castle Rock, join Tucker Carlson with insight on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'




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Why some Americans say they'll never wear a mask — and what that says about the U.S.

Why some Americans say they'll never wear a mask — and what that says about the U.S.While the vast majority of public health experts now agree that wearing face masks could halt the worsening coronavirus pandemic in its tracks, some Americans continue to resist that guidance.




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Former Taiwan president dubbed 'Mr Democracy' dies aged 97

Former Taiwan president dubbed 'Mr Democracy' dies aged 97Taiwan's former president Lee Teng-hui, who defied China and earned the nickname "Mr Democracy" for the part he played in the island's transition away from authoritarian rule, died Thursday aged 97. Lee's 12 years in office from 1988 to 2000 were marked by growing cross-strait tensions as he pitched himself against Beijing, infuriating Chinese authorities for daring to carve out a separate identity for Taiwan. Despite being self-ruled since 1949, Taiwan has never formally declared independence from the mainland and Beijing has vowed to react with force if it ever does.




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Covid-19: Why Hong Kong's 'third wave' is a warning

Until recently, the city was seen as a poster child in its handling of the pandemic. What went wrong?

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What exactly is a 'Karen' and where did the meme come from?

To many the Karen meme - and its male equivalent Ken - sums up a specific type of white privilege.

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The 'real' threat to Russia’s former doping mastermind

The ex-mastermind of Russian sports doping, Grigory Rodchenkov, now only appears in disguise. Matt Majendie explains why.

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Bollywood's 'warts and all' biopic on 'human computer'

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan plays Shakuntala Devi who dazzled the world with her skill with numbers.

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The middle-css Pakistani students fighting for a homeland dream

Shahdad Mumtaz died for his beliefs. Could a missing student end up waging war on the Pakistani state?

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CNN host says Trump loyalist owes broadcaster an apology over video played at Barr hearing

CNN host says Trump loyalist owes broadcaster an apology over video played at Barr hearingCNN host Jake Tapper has demanded that Republican congressman Jim Jordan apologise for playing an edited video that misleadingly showed reporters describe the George Floyd protests as “peaceful”.On Tuesday, attorney general William Barr took part in his first congressional hearing since he took the role, and faced questions on topics including his response to the protests and the subsequent deployment of federal law enforcement agents to cities such as Portland, Oregon.




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A key federal appeals court will reexamine case on Michael Flynn's guilty plea

A key federal appeals court will reexamine case on Michael Flynn's guilty pleaThe full panel of judges' decision to review Flynn's case could result in a reversal of a three-judge panel's decision to dismiss the case last month.




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Spoiler alert? Kamala Harris outed as Biden's VP pick -- maybe

Spoiler alert? Kamala Harris outed as Biden's VP pick -- maybeJoe Biden's vice presidential pick has been one of Washington's best kept secrets but a supposedly accidental news publication and Biden's own teasingly displayed notes are raising expectations that the winner is Kamala Harris. Speculation over the choice of VP is a parlor game played every four years in Washington, but this time the stakes are unusually high. Biden would be 78 on taking office -- the oldest US president ever -- and he has hinted that he might not seek a second term, making his deputy the prime candidate to take on the party's nomination.




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Chicago Deputy Police Chief Shoots Himself, Latest in Long History of Suicides at the Department

Chicago Deputy Police Chief Shoots Himself, Latest in Long History of Suicides at the DepartmentThe Chicago Police Department's new deputy chief of criminal networks was found dead on Tuesday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the latest in a history of suicides at the department.Dion Boyd, 57, was sworn into his new post on July 15 after 30-years on the force. Superintendent David Brown urged officers to keep an eye out for colleagues who could be in distress."Let's always remember to take care of ourselves and each other," Brown said at a press conference.The national suicide rate among police officers is about 18 per 100,000 as of 2017, however the rate in Chicago is 60 percent higher."One of the shocking statistics for me was that cops kill themselves at a higher rate than bad guys kill the police.  And when you put it in those numbers, you realize that there’s a real problem," Phil Cline, executive director of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, told WBBM radio.  “And it’s not something the just sprung up in the last year or so. It’s been a problem for a while."Boyd's body was found at the department's Homan Square facility, a secretive site that houses the anti-gang and bomb and arson squads. Various abuses allegedly occurred at the site, including reports of excessive force used in interrogations uncovered by The Guardian in 2016.Chicago police are currently attempting to clamp down on shootings that have plagued the city since Memorial Day weekend.While shootings typically rise in the city throughout the summer months, this year has seen a particularly sharp uptick. Chicago has recorded about 2,000 shooting victims so far this year, compared to roughly 1,400 over the same period in 2019.The seasonal rise seems to have been exacerbated by the impact of coronavirus lockdowns on inner city neighborhoods, as well as anti-police sentiment stemming from the George Floyd protests roiling the U.S.




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What Pullout? Feds Gas Moms in Fresh Portland Crackdown

What Pullout? Feds Gas Moms in Fresh Portland CrackdownPORTLAND—With roughly two-dozen federal officers in riot gear marching towards her, Demetria Hester linked arms with two other mothers in yellow shirts. “Hands up!” she chanted. “Don’t shoot!” responded the crowd, warily watching a line of federal agents coming towards them from behind a cloud of tear gas and smoke from munition fire. Though the number of protesters in downtown Portland had dwindled to about 100 shortly after midnight Thursday, the number of federal agents out on the streets was larger than ever. Hours after Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced the gradual removal of federal law enforcement officers from Portland, more than 200 of those officers were clashing with protesters outside the federal courthouse, using tear gas to clear the surrounding streets.Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and President Donald Trump had disputed the governor’s announcement, the former tweeting that federal officers would “remain in Portland until the violent activity toward our federal facilities ends.” And if the scene in Portland early Thursday morning was any indication, the unrest there isn’t close to finished.The line of federal agents, holding shields and riot shotguns, shoved a wall of protesters back from the front of the courthouse. Then came the tear gas, lobbed into the crowd by U.S. Marshals and officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. ‘It’s Spooky Right Now’: Inside the Creepy Federal Crackdown on Portland ProtestersProtesters frantically dodged the flying thick metal canisters and backed away from the rising smoke. With her hands still in the air, Hester pulled down a respirator mask over her mouth. “Hands up!” she kept chanting through her mask, and then slid on a pair of goggles. “Don’t shoot!” came the crowd’s reply, muffled by the sting of tear gas and the sound of jostled bodies.  After tackling and arresting a protester, federal officers continued throwing tear gas into the crowd to clear the area. Her bloodshot eyes tearing up, Hester backed away from the heavy volley of teargas and munitions, coughing into her respirator.  “We weren’t doing anything wrong,” she told The Daily Beast between coughs. “We were just peacefully protesting.” Indeed, before officers closed in, Hester and the other demonstrators standing in front of the courthouse had been peacefully chanting. “George Floyd.” “Breonna Taylor.” “Black Lives Matter.” Earlier in the night, however, a small number of protesters had become violent: shining lasers at officer’s faces and chucking fireworks at the federal courthouse. Now it appeared police officers were targeting specific people for arrest, and tear gassing anyone else in the way. Another demonstrator dressed in yellow—the designated color of the so-called “Wall of Moms,” a group of mothers focused on defending Black lives from police brutality—offered Hester a moist towelette to rub across her stinging eyes. Though Hester came out Wednesday night to protest police brutality alongside other yellow-shirted moms, the 45-year-old mother of two and grandmother of three has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement since May 2017. It was then Hester was assaulted by convicted killer Jeremy Christian the day before he killed two men on a Portland commuter train following a racist tirade. In her testimony, Hester said she interrupted Christian as he was screaming about minorities, after which he hit her in the face with a bottle, badly bruising her right eye. The next day, Christian directed another racist tirade at a small group of young girls, and fatally stabbed two men who interfered. The trial ended late last month with a sentence of life in prison without parole. “It was really after that trial that I started coming down here,” Hester said of the protest site, where a final burst of intense clashes were coming to an end. Hester and a few other mothers asked me where my car was and insisted on walking me there, because “that’s what moms do.” Hester, alongside several other Black activist mothers, has helped take charge of the Wall of Moms alongside a group called Moms United for Black Lives after the former’s original founder was accused of “anti-blackness.”Amid the chaos on the street, Hester recounted the day she was attacked by Christian, when she approached an officer with the Portland Police Bureau and pointed her attacker out. Christian was not arrested.“That white supremacist got special treatment from the police. That’s not acceptable,” she said, pausing to spit out the taste of tear gas. “And that’s what we’re here fighting for today.” So even if the feds did pull out of her city, it was hard to imagine activists like Hester would be satisfied.“It won’t make a difference if they leave or stay,” Hester said, referring to the federal officers. “It all comes down to white privilege in this country.” 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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Millions of people undertake the Hajj every year. These photos show how different the yearly Muslim pilgrimage is this year because of the pandemic.

Millions of people undertake the Hajj every year. These photos show how different the yearly Muslim pilgrimage is this year because of the pandemic.This year's Hajj pilgrimage looks a little different, with holy water in pre-packaged water bottles and socially distanced prayer lines.




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US hits Poland, others in Europe over Holocaust claims

US hits Poland, others in Europe over Holocaust claimsThe United States is criticizing a number of eastern and central European nations, including Poland, for failing to compensate Holocaust victims and their families and communities for property seized during Nazi occupation in World War II as the numbers of survivors dwindles due to age. In a report issued Wednesday, the State Department called out Bosnia, Belarus, Ukraine and particularly Poland for not having acted on restitution claims. Croatia, Latvia and Russia were also taken to task in the report, which is likely to draw angry responses from the governments identified.




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The 11-carrier US Navy is mocking Iran as 'experts' at making a dummy aircraft carrier to shoot at

The 11-carrier US Navy is mocking Iran as 'experts' at making a dummy aircraft carrier to shoot atThe US Navy posted a photo on social media ridiculing Iran after it fired missiles on a mock-up of a US flattop on Wednesday.




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Chicago Black Disciples gang leader among 23 charged in federal investigation, officials say

Chicago Black Disciples gang leader among 23 charged in federal investigation, officials say A federal drug and gun trafficking investigation has led to the arrest and indictment of 23 men, including a leader of the Chicago Black Disciples street gang.




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Alabama Republican celebrates KKK member's birthday as state remembers civil rights hero John Lewis

Alabama Republican celebrates KKK member's birthday as state remembers civil rights hero John LewisA Republican senator in Alabama celebrated a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) member’s birthday at the same time hundreds were honouring the life of civil rights hero John Lewis.State Representative Will Dismukes took part in an event marking the KKK grand wizard and former Confederate Army General, Nathan Bedford Forrest, as Alabama honoured the late Georgia Democrat this weekend.




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'Umbrella Man' who broke windows in initial George Floyd protests a white supremacist, police say

'Umbrella Man' who broke windows in initial George Floyd protests a white supremacist, police sayThe man, police said, “wanted to sow discord and racial unrest by breaking out the windows." His identity has not been released.




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Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has died after being hospitalized with the coronavirus

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has died after being hospitalized with the coronavirusCain tested positive for the novel coronavirus 11 days after attending President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.




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Hong Kong bans Joshua Wong and 11 more pro-democracy campaigners from legislative council elections

Hong Kong bans Joshua Wong and 11 more pro-democracy campaigners from legislative council electionsHong Kong yesterday banned 12 pro-democracy campaigners from standing in forthcoming elections to the city’s parliament as China stoked tensions by re-iterating its threat to refuse up to three million residents eligible for British travel documents the right to leave. Carrie Lam’s Hong Kong administration, operating under Chinese rule, said the campaigners could not “genuinely” uphold the former UK colony’s mini-constitution because they oppose the imposition of Beijing’s draconian national security law. Those barred include Joshua Wong, founder of the now disbanded Demosisto Party, and Lester Shum. It came as Liu Xiaoming, China’s ambassador to the UK, re-affirmed that China was considering not recognising the British National (Overseas) passport. Up to three million Hong Kong residents are eligible for the document, and Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, has promised holding one would pave the way for residency in the UK. Beijing imposed new legislation a month ago to introduce possible life sentences for ‘secession, subversion, terrorism, and foreign collusion’. The move threatens the ‘one country, two systems’ approach agreed when Britain handed control of Hong Kong back to China in 1997. Mr Raab’s made the residency offer after new laws came into force. He later indefinitely suspended Britain’s extradition treaty with Hong Kong, and instituted an arms ban. Ms Lam is suspected of wanting to cancel September’s elections to the legislative council. On Wednesday, she raised the prospect of postponing them because of s second wave of coronavirus, which, she said, threatened to overwhelm the territory’s hospitals. Pro-democracy candidates, like Nathan Law, have previously been stopped taking up their seats in the council, but only after they have been elected. Mr Law is now in exile in London, opening up a new front in the pro-democracy strategy. Mr Wong, a close ally of Mr Law, issued a defiant response. “I’m a bit surprised how they disqualified candidates without any notification. The Hong Kong legislature should not be the place to gather Beijing loyalists, but, right now, the pro-Beijing camp are just trying all their ways and tactics, hoping to kick us out from the election. But no matter what happens, I still have faith and trust in Hong Kong people.” He shared on twitter an 18-page long letter from electoral officer Alice Choi, who said his resignation from Demosisto “was to avoid being caught under the newly passed national security law”. Mr Wong said: “The excuse they use is that I describe the national security law as a ‘draconian law’, which shows that I do not support this sweeping law.” Dennis Kwok, another banned candidate, said: “They try to drive fear and oppression into our hearts and for this, we must not let them succeed. Do not give up.” The Hong Kong authorities said in a statement: “There is no question of any political censorship, restriction of the freedom of speech or deprivation of the right to stand for elections as alleged by some members of the community.” More candidates may be banned.




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Israel says it arrested Hamas militant who fled strip by sea



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Wednesday, 29 July 2020

The Tanned Man Has a Green Monster


By BY CHARLES M. BLOW from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/3168Wts

Lawmakers, United in Their Ire, Lash Out at Big Tech’s Leaders


By BY CECILIA KANG AND DAVID MCCABE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2DfEeFN

As Trump Undercuts Aid Talks, White House Says Extra Jobless Benefits Will Lapse


By BY EMILY COCHRANE AND JIM TANKERSLEY from NYT Business https://ift.tt/39PSGkh

AG Barr: DOJ had been drawn into 'political maelstrom'; department used as 'political weapon'

AG Barr: DOJ had been drawn into 'political maelstrom'; department used as 'political weapon'The hearing, billed as an oversight of the Justice Department, will touch on a long list of grievances, including federal deployments to Portland.




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Biden's notes on display: 'Do not hold grudges' against Sen. Kamala Harris

Biden's notes on display: 'Do not hold grudges' against Sen. Kamala HarrisHarris' name was scrawled across the top of his notes, followed by five talking points: “Do not hold grudges.” “Campaigned with me & Jill.” “Talented.” “Great help to campaign.” “Great respect for her.”




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Chicago Deputy Police Chief Shoots Himself, Latest in Long History of Suicides at the Department

Chicago Deputy Police Chief Shoots Himself, Latest in Long History of Suicides at the DepartmentThe Chicago Police Department's new deputy chief of criminal networks was found dead on Tuesday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the latest in a history of suicides at the department.Dion Boyd, 57, was sworn into his new post on July 15 after 30-years on the force. Superintendent David Brown urged officers to keep an eye out for colleagues who could be in distress."Let's always remember to take care of ourselves and each other," Brown said at a press conference.The national suicide rate among police officers is about 18 per 100,000 as of 2017, however the rate in Chicago is 60 percent higher."One of the shocking statistics for me was that cops kill themselves at a higher rate than bad guys kill the police.  And when you put it in those numbers, you realize that there’s a real problem," Phil Cline, executive director of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, told WBBM radio.  “And it’s not something the just sprung up in the last year or so. It’s been a problem for a while."Boyd's body was found at the department's Homan Square facility, a secretive site that houses the anti-gang and bomb and arson squads. Various abuses allegedly occurred at the site, including reports of excessive force used in interrogations uncovered by The Guardian in 2016.Chicago police are currently attempting to clamp down on shootings that have plagued the city since Memorial Day weekend.While shootings typically rise in the city throughout the summer months, this year has seen a particularly sharp uptick. Chicago has recorded about 2,000 shooting victims so far this year, compared to roughly 1,400 over the same period in 2019.The seasonal rise seems to have been exacerbated by the impact of coronavirus lockdowns on inner city neighborhoods, as well as anti-police sentiment stemming from the George Floyd protests roiling the U.S.




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Postcard helps Van Gogh family reveal exact spot where artist painted hours before his death

Postcard helps Van Gogh family reveal exact spot where artist painted hours before his deathAn art expert has pinpointed the exact spot where Vincent van Gogh was painting just hours before he shot himself, museum officials announced on Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating the 130th anniversary of his suicide. The picture, Tree Roots, was identified as the Dutch post-impressionist painter’s last work a few years ago. Now, an early postcard has made it possible to locate the scene it depicts in Auvers-sur-Oise, a village north of Paris. Willem van Gogh, the great-grandson of the artist’s brother Theo, and Emilie Gordenker, director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, unveiled a plaque at the spot, which will soon be opened to the public. It is a short walk from the Auberge Ravoux, the former inn where Van Gogh spent his last 70 days before dying in his garret room on 29 July 1890.




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Head of China CDC gets injected with experimental vaccine

Head of China CDC gets injected with experimental vaccineThe head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention says he has been injected with an experimental coronavirus vaccine in an attempt to persuade the public to follow suit when one is approved. “I’m going to reveal something undercover: I am injected with one of the vaccines,” Gao Fu said in a webinar Sunday hosted by Alibaba Health, an arm of the Chinese e-commerce giant, and Cell Press, an American publisher of scientific journals. Gao did not say when or how he took the vaccine candidate, leaving it unclear whether he was injected as part of a government-approved human trial.




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ACLU asks U.S. court to sanction agents for targeting journalists at Portland protests

ACLU asks U.S. court to sanction agents for targeting journalists at Portland protestsU.S. civil liberties advocates on Tuesday asked a federal court in Portland, Oregon, to hold federal agents in contempt for violating a temporary court order barring attacks on journalists and legal observers monitoring protests in the city. The filing by the American Civil Liberties Union came during a wave of protests against police violence and racism in Portland in which federal agents have clashed with protesters who have lit fires and thrown objects at the federal courthouse.




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When Black Lives Matter protests turn violent, Donald Trump gets just what he wants

When Black Lives Matter protests turn violent, Donald Trump gets just what he wantsCivil rights and Democratic leaders must do what they can to end the chaos in the streets. This is not the time to give ammunition to Trump and the GOP.




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Don't settle: Woman in arranged marriage reflects on colorism, misogyny in 'Indian Matchmaking'

Don't settle: Woman in arranged marriage reflects on colorism, misogyny in 'Indian Matchmaking'An Indian woman who had an arranged marriage in her early 20s says the new Netflix series reveals some hard truths about the way women are objectified.




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Police investigating Madeleine McCann disappearance start digging up allotment in Germany, near to where suspect lived

Police investigating Madeleine McCann disappearance start digging up allotment in Germany, near to where suspect livedGerman police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have begun digging up land close to a former home of the prime suspect. Detectives using heavy equipment, including an excavator, started work early on Tuesday examining an allotment just outside Hannover, the city where Christian Brückner lived temporarily in 2017. Julai Meyer from the prosecutor's office in nearby Braunschweig told the Telegraph: "I can confirm that the search is being carried out in connection with the investigation into the Maddie McCann case and is still ongoing. I can't disclose any further details about the operation.” Brückner, a convicted paedophile, who was living in the Algarve when Madeleine went missing in May 2007, was named as the prime suspect in her disappearance last month. German authorities have said they are convinced she is dead and claim to have evidence linking Brückner to the case.




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States resist mask rules as Midwest virus uptick stirs alarm

States resist mask rules as Midwest virus uptick stirs alarmThe baseball season descended deeper into crisis Tuesday, states like Mississippi and South Carolina cast about for more hospital beds, and governors in some of the hardest-hit places staunchly resisted calls to require masks, despite confirmed cases of the coronavirus soaring. Major League Baseball suspended the Miami Marlins’ season through Sunday because of an outbreak that has spread to at least 15 of the team's players, and a series of games this week between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies was called off as a precaution. States like Florida, Arizona and Texas are in dire condition, and the virus also has been spreading farther north in recent days, causing alarm among public health officials who fear states are not doing enough to avoid catastrophic outbreaks like those in the Sun Belt.




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McConnell draws red line on liability protection in coronavirus bill

McConnell draws red line on liability protection in coronavirus billMcConnell also said that he would leave negotiating with Democrats to Mark Meadows and Steven Mnuchin.




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Democrats Make Mockery of Barr ‘Hearing’

Democrats Make Mockery of Barr ‘Hearing’If it’s a “hearing,” Bill Barr asked with an irked tongue in cheek, “aren’t I the one who’s supposed to be heard?”His frustration was more than justified. Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) and the other Democrats who control the House demanded for months that Barr come to a “hearing” and “testify.” But of course, it wasn’t anything like an actual hearing, and they didn’t want him to testify -- as in actually answer questions. The session was a coveted election-year opportunity for Democrats to berate the attorney general of the United States in five-minute installments, accusing Barr of corruption, perjury, violating his oath, betraying the Constitution -- at one point, even of killing thousands of COVID-19 victims (apparently, by being attorney general during a pandemic).Especially at the beginning of the hearing, Barr easily parried the hostile questions -- soliloquies with question-marks at the end. He picked apart their misstatements and disingenuous premises, and answered with aplomb. Democrats thus dropped the threadbare pretense that this was a hearing. In the main, the rest of the afternoon was devoted to raging, mock-anguished perorations about how Trump is a dictator and how Barr is helping him destroy our democracy.These were punctuated by the occasional petulant demand that Barr answer “yes or no” a question that was either loaded or incoherent. When Barr would begin to answer, there would be foot-stomping, indignant, “I’m reclaiming my time” interruptions, claims that there was no question pending (usually after a question had just been posed), and then more Democrat filibustering about how the American people could clearly see that Barr was afraid to answer their questions . . . that they wouldn’t let him answer.It was an embarrassing spectacle.Some days, it just feels like we’re doomed. Today is one of those days. And not simply because this should have been an important oversight hearing featuring an important witness -- one whom a serious committee would have wanted both to hear out and to challenge. It is, after all, the nature of the Justice Department’s work that there are many tough judgment calls; no one gets them all right.What happened on Capitol Hill Tuesday was a debacle to despair over because Democrats do not act this way because they are preternaturally rude. They act this way because their voters expect and demand that they act this way.It is not hard to understand, even if it is hard to accept. Democrats do not merely disagree with Donald Trump. They abhor him. Their supporters and media friends so loathe him that each “hearing,” each issue, becomes a contest of who can be the most indecorous and contemptuous. Who among us can spew the most bile?Barr brings out the worst in them, which is saying something. He is learned and quick, he is prepared, and he doesn’t get rattled. Unlike many government officials, he thrives in the give-and-take of civil discourse.So then we obviously must not permit civil discourse.The pols are becoming indistinguishable from the ends of the spectrums where they draw their support. In the Democrats’ case, these include people who see America as a despicable, incorrigibly racist force for imperialism and exploitation. They see Republicans and their “deplorable” supporters, Trumpists in particular, as the instantiation of these abominations.Again and again, Barr explained that in Portland, a federal courthouse is under siege. The executive branch of the federal government has a duty to protect such installations. The very Congress to which Barr was trying to testify has enacted law that obliges the executive branch to safeguard federal courthouses. It is simply a fact that, had the Trump administration not acted to send more law enforcement agents -- not “troops” as Democrats claim, not “stormtroopers” as House speaker Nancy Pelosi slanderously put it, but law enforcement officers -- the courthouse would now be destroyed. And the taste of destroying it would have whet the anarchic appetite for more destruction.It is impossible that Democrats do not know the difference between peaceful protesters and rioters, but they mulishly pretend the latter are the former. They either turn a blind eye toward the ongoing mayhem or maintain, straight-faced, that the destruction is a righteous reaction to Trump. That is the deal: No stratagem that paints the president and his administration as deserving of anything more than contempt is beyond the pale.The transparent point is a cynical political one: Don’t engage the opposition, don’t talk out our disagreements. Portray the opposition as such anathema that voting for the incumbent president in November would be too monstrous to contemplate.At a minimum, it means there is no point in having congressional hearings. What it portends, though, is far more dire than that. It doesn’t matter how you feel about Donald Trump or Bill Barr. A faction that would rather delegitimize than debate its opposition can do that to anyone or anything. At that point, it’s about power, not policy or progress. Anyone who wants power that badly shouldn’t be anywhere near it. A Haven for the Sane If you think there should be a corner of our journalistic and intellectual life that defends right reason and is an alternative to the unhinged mainstream media, and if you have been alarmed at the sound of the American mind slamming shut at so many institutions recently, please lend National Review your support. SUPPORT NR TODAY




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U.S. coronavirus deaths top 150,000, among highest in deaths per capita globally

U.S. coronavirus deaths top 150,000, among highest in deaths per capita globallyOnly the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Peru and Chile have a higher per capita rate, the tally shows, with U.S. deaths making up nearly 23% of the global total of just over 661,000. The increase of 10,000 COVID-19 deaths in 11 days is the fastest in the United States since early June. The pace of infections has accelerated since the U.S. death toll passed 100,000 on May 27.




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