WorldAFPIran's top diplomat warns US is 'playing with fire'
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Monday that the United States is "playing with fire," echoing remarks by President Donald Trump as the two sides are locked in a standoff over Tehran's nuclear program. The United States quit an international deal aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program last year, hitting Tehran with crippling sanctions. Tensions have since soared, with the US calling off air strikes against Iran at the last minute after Tehran downed an American drone, and Washington blaming the Islamic republic for a series of attacks on tanker ships.
- NewsThe Independent
ICE raids: Top immigration official admits he ‘does not know details’ of controversial arrests
The acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services has said he does not have details about the ICE raids targeting undocumented immigrants, even though he has spoken about the operation in recent days. Ken Cuccinelli said during a CNN appearance on Monday he did “not have operational details”, including how many arrests were made during the operation that began on Sunday. Last week, Mr Cuccinelli discussed the operation and said there were approximately one million people in the US with removal orders.
- NewsAssociated Press
Indiana police officer who fatally shot black man resigns
A white Indiana police officer who fatally shot a black man, sparking protests and roiling the presidential campaign of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, has resigned, the local police union announced Monday. The Fraternal Order of Police said Sgt. Ryan O'Neill's resignation from the South Bend Police Department was due to stress and media attention given to last month's shooting of Eric Logan. The union also pointed to "hateful things said on social media."
- NewsUSA TODAY
Northern California town of Paradise lost 90% of its population after Camp Fire, data shows
The development came the same day lawmakers approved a bill changing how the state pays for wildfire damage caused by utilities. Newsom signed it Friday, approving the creation of a fund of up to $21 billion that could help pay out claims related to blazes sparked by Pacific Gas & Electric Corp, such as through downed power lines. As wildfire season kicks off again, supporters of the bill cited a need to provide financial certainty to the state's investor-owned utilities, including PG&E, which declared bankruptcy amid lawsuits related to wildfires.
- PoliticsThe Daily Beast
Michael Flynn’s Ex-Business Partner Points the Finger at Him in Court
If there is a question of who worked on behalf of the Turkish government to influence the 2016 Donald Trump campaign, then the court should look no further than former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, lawyers for Bijan Kian, the Iranian-American businessman and former Flynn partner, told jurors in the Eastern District of Virginia Monday. Kian is charged with two felonies—illegally lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government and conspiring covertly to influence U.S. politics about Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric who is now living in Pennsylvania. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted.
- PoliticsThe Guardian
Kamala Harris might be surging – but her record will soon catch up with her
Biden might have stood out with his relatively conservative stances on healthcare, the environment, financial regulations and other issues that the Democratic base cared about – but at least he seemed like a safe bet to take on Trump. But now with the former vice-president crumbling under debate pressure and committing a seemingly endless string of gaffes, his electability may now be in question. The Biden team is constantly talking about “Obama-Biden” accomplishments, trying to inexorably tie him to the first black president's legacy, but the more people find out about his own record, the more they're turned off by it.
- LifestylePopular Mechanics
All the Best Amazon Prime Day Tech Deals to Shop (So Far)
Get yourself a new smartwatch, an Amazon Alexa device, or a 4K television. From Popular Mechanics
- WorldBloomberg
Susan Rice Calls Chinese Diplomat a ‘Racist Disgrace’ on Twitter
Sign up for Next China, a weekly email on where the nation stands now and where it's going next. Former U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice sparred with a senior Chinese diplomat on Twitter in an unusual and heated dispute over race in Washington. In a series of Tweets apparently aimed at making a broader point about diplomatic divisions over the mass detention of Muslims in China's Xinjiang province, Lijian Zhao, a diplomat posted in Islamabad, said on Sunday that if “you're in Washington, D.C., you know the white never go” to the southeastern part of the U.S. capital.
- NewsINSIDER
Louisiana officials warn of snakes and other creatures fighting to escape Hurricane Barry floodwaters
Gerald Herbert/AP First responders in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana posted a warning on Saturday for areas with Hurricane Barry flooding. "If the area you live in has high water, watch out for snakes and other critters who are trying to escape the flood waters as well," reads the Facebook post from St. Tammany Fire Protection District #1. The message had a collection of images attached, which show snakes on porches and fences.
- PoliticsBusiness Insider
Billionaire Tom Steyer's entrance into the 2020 Democratic race is the perfect example of the rot at the core of the US political system
Tom Steyer entered the 2020 Democratic presidential race on Tuesday, pledging to spend $100 million on his campaign. Steyer adds nothing to the 2020 race, but he can stick around because of his wealth. That is a problem and an indictment of the US political system.
- NewsThe Independent
JetBlue flight evacuated at Newark Airport after suicide vest photo AirDropped to passenger iPhones
A plane was evacuated after someone sent a photograph of a suicide vest to passengers and flight attendants on board. The unknown sender used Apple's AirDrop feature, which allows users to easily and anonymously transfer files to other iOS devices using Bluetooth. Authorities say the Florida-bound plane was about to take off from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey when the image was widely shared on board.
NewsAFPPolice officer who killed Ethiopian-Israeli released on bail
A police officer who shot dead a 19-year-old Ethiopian-Israeli, sparking nationwide protests, was freed on bail from house arrest on Monday, Israel's justice ministry said. The officer, who was off-duty and said he felt his life was in danger at the time of the June 30 shooting, will be subject to a series of restrictions while the investigation continues. The bail amount was not made public by the ministry following the closed-door court hearing over the shooting of Solomon Teka in Kiryat Haim near the northern port city of Haifa.
- WorldAssociated Press
Some Iranian women take off hijabs as hard-liners push back
The hijab debate has further polarized Iranians at a time when the country is buckling under unprecedented U.S. sanctions imposed since the Trump administration pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers last year. It's unclear to what extent the government can enforce hijab compliance amid an economic malaise, including a currency collapse and rising housing prices. There's anecdotal evidence that more women are pushing back against the dress code, trying to redefine red lines as they test the response of the ruling Shiite Muslim clergy and their security agencies.
- WorldReuters
U.N. concerned by U.S. curbs on Iranian foreign minister while in New York
The United Nations told the United States it is concerned by tight travel restrictions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during his visit to New York this week, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said on Monday. Zarif arrived in New York on Sunday after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed off on the visit amid heightened tensions between the two countries. But Zarif is only allowed to travel between the United Nations, the Iranian U.N. mission, the Iranian U.N. ambassador's residence and New York's John F. Kennedy , a U.S. State Department official said.
- U.S.KGO – San Francisco
Landmarks renamed: dispute over Yosemite trademarks resolved
Many of the landmarks around Yosemite National Park will soon get their historic names back.
- NewsThe Daily Beast
Russia’s Election Hackers Are Back—and Targeting George Soros
The Russian intelligence agency behind 2016's election attacks is training its sights on billionaire financier George Soros, The Daily Beast has learned. The move comes hot on the heels of a surge in U.S.-focused hacking by Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate with similarities to 2016 in targeting and methodology. Laura Silber, chief communications officer for Soros' Open Society Foundations, confirmed the hack attempt, but couldn't provide additional details over the weekend.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Egypt's 'bent pyramid', a 4,600-year old landmark in ancient construction, opens to visitors
Egypt on Saturday opened to visitors the 4,600-year-old “bent” pyramid, a 101-metre tall structure located just south of Cairo considered a landmark in the evolution of pyramid building. The pyramid was built in Dahshur around 2,600 BC by the fourth dynasty pharaoh Sneferu. The bent pyramid and the nearby “red” pyramid, also built by Sneferu, mark a transition from “step” pyramids, whereby the ancient tombs were constructed in several tiers, to the more well-known smooth-sided pyramids.
- WorldUSA TODAY
Chernobyl is set to become an official tourist attraction, but is it safe?
Last week, he announced that he wants it to become a legitimate tourist attraction, saying, “Chernobyl has been a negative part of Ukraine's brand. Interest in Chernobyl and the surrounding ghost town of Pripyat, located near Ukraine's northern border with Belarus, has spiked 30% since April, when HBO aired its popular, five-part miniseries about the explosion and the Soviet Union's handling of its aftermath. Tour operators forecast the number of tourists visiting Chernobyl may double this year, reaching 150,000 visitors.
- PoliticsBusiness Insider
Joe Biden worried in 1977 that certain de-segregation policies would cause his children to grow up 'in a racial jungle'
Old comments from 1977 resurfaced, quoting Biden as saying that non-"orderly" racial integration policies would cause his children to "grow up in a racial jungle." He then said: "Unless we do something about this, my children are going to grow up in a jungle, the jungle being a racial jungle with tensions having built so high that it is going to explode at some point." Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
- NewsThe Independent
Land crabs infest Florida man's house after heavy rainfall
Heavy rain fall in south Florida forced hundreds of land crabs, which burrow underground, out of their holes and into the property of Dan Skowronski, a resident of of Port St Lucie. In a video shared to Facebook, the Florida man witnessed the home invasion with a surprising calm. Florida saw heavy rainfall as Hurricane Barry geared up in the Gulf Coast throughout last week, before making landfall in Louisiana on Saturday.
- NewsBloomberg
Keep Jeffrey Epstein in Jail, Alleged Victims Say, as Feds Find Cash, Diamonds
As two alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein urged a judge to keep him locked up, prosecutors said they had found piles of cash, dozens of diamonds and an expired foreign passport, with Epstein's picture and a different name, in a safe in his Manhattan mansion. He's a scary person to have walking the street,” Courtney Wild, who claims Epstein sexually abused her at 14, said at his bail hearing Monday in Manhattan. She asked U.S. District Judge Richard Berman to deny bail to the 66-year-old money manager and keep him locked up “for the safety of any other girls who are going through what I'm going through.
PoliticsAFPNew Zealand PM 'utterly' disagrees with Trump tweets
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday joined international condemnation of US President Donald Trump's xenophobic tweets about progressive Democrat congresswomen. Ardern, the charismatic young leader who has been hailed as "the anti-Trump" by US media, said she proudly celebrated her country's diversity. "Usually I don't get into other people's politics, but it will be clear to most people that I completely and utterly disagree with him," Ardern told Radio New Zealand.
- WorldAssociated Press
Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in the South China Sea, the location of several territorial conflicts in the region. DUTERTE CRITICIZED FOR SHELVING RULING AGAINST CHINA Former Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte's failure to seek Chinese compliance with an arbitration ruling has resulted in "more unlawful acts of intimidation and bullying in the South China Sea." Justice Antonio Carpio added that Duterte's recent statement that he had a verbal agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that effectively allows Chinese to fish in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone will "substantially diminish the arbitral award...
- PoliticsPolitico
Kellyanne Conway defies subpoena, skips Oversight hearing
White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway on Monday defied a congressional subpoena, refusing to show up for testimony to the House Oversight and Reform Committee about her violations of the Hatch Act and prompting House Democrats to threaten to hold her in contempt of Congress. In a letter to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md. the chairman of the panel, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone asserted the Trump administration's long-standing view that current and former presidential advisers are “absolutely immune” from congressional testimony, writing: “Ms.
- TechnologyBGR News
This crazy Samsung design with a pull-out screen might hint at a big overhaul for the Galaxy S11
Samsung is on the cusp of several major announcements at the moment, including the unveiling of the Galaxy Note 10 series set for next month at the Unpacked event as well as the new release date supposedly coming any day now for the company's second try at a foldable phone. Early next year, meanwhile, we'll see the next high-end Galaxy phone, the Galaxy S11, about which the rumor mill is already starting to crank out intriguing tidbits. There's been some chatter that the handset may get an all-new design in a break from previous iterations in the series — and now, a new Samsung patent that's been spotted could offer an additional hint at what's to come.
