- PoliticsNational Review
New Disclosures Confirm: Trump Himself Was the Target of Obama Administration’s Russia Probe
Long-sought documents finally pried from U.S. intelligence agencies prove that the Obama administration used the occasion of providing a standard intelligence briefing for major-party candidates as an opportunity to investigate Donald Trump on suspicion of being a Russian asset. I say investigate Donald Trump advisedly. As I contended in Ball of Collusion, my book on the Trump-Russia investigation, the target of the probe spearheaded by the FBI — but greenlighted by the Obama White House, and abetted by the Justice Department and U.S. intelligence agencies — was Donald Trump.
- BusinessBBC
Egypt tells Elon Musk its pyramids were not built by aliens
Egypt has invited billionaire Elon Musk to visit the country and see for himself that its famous pyramids were not built by aliens. The SpaceX boss had tweeted what appeared to be support for conspiracy theorists who say aliens were involved in the colossal construction effort. The tombs discovered in the 1990s are definitive evidence, experts say, that the magnificent structures were indeed built by ancient Egyptians.
- BusinessBusiness Insider
The world's airlines say they won't recover until 2024, reflecting a new wave of pessimism as the pandemic rages on
Reuters The International Air Transport Association, which represents most of the world's major airlines, said it does not expect the airline industry to recover from the coronavirus pandemic until 2024. The timeline, along with recent comments from airline executives, reflects a new level of public pessimism about when business will return to normal. Industry analysts offered that timeline as early as April, when airlines were painting a rosier picture.
WorldAFPIndia bootleg alcohol death toll rises to 98 as families mourn
The death toll from a toxic bootleg alcohol scandal in the north Indian state of Punjab rose to 98 Sunday, officials and reports said. Police have arrested 25 people so far over the worsening tragedy, which starting coming to light late last week, the Press Trust of India news agency said. Hundreds of people die every year in India from illegal alcohol made in backstreet distilleries which sells for as little as 10 rupees (13 US cents) a litre, affordable for even the poorest.
- WorldAssociated Press
Afghan troops kill senior Islamic State militant
Afghanistan's intelligence service said the country's special forces killed a high-ranking official with the local Islamic State group affiliate in an operation in eastern Afghanistan. A statement late Saturday by the National Directorate of Security said the slain militant was Assadullah Orakzai, an intelligence leader for the IS affiliate in Afghanistan. Orakzai was suspected of being involved in several deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets in Afghanistan.
- U.S.INSIDER
A Florida couple has been charged after being caught getting groceries, washing their car, and walking their dog despite testing positive for the coronavirus
A Florida couple who was caught breaking quarantine rules despite testing positive for the coronavirus was jailed on Wednesday, according to state officials. Officials allege that Jose Antonio Freire Interian and Yohana Anahi Gonzalez repeatedly ignored orders to self-isolate after neighbors filmed them walking the dog, going for groceries, and washing their car. The couple was released from jail early on Thursday after posting a $1,000 bond.
- CelebrityThe Telegraph
Manchester-born 'wellness entrepreneur' revealed as Jeffrey Epstein's alleged ex-girlfriend
A Manchester-born publisher has been identified as the alleged former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein named in legal papers relating to Ghislaine Maxwell that were unsealed by a Manhattan court last week. A woman named as “Shelley” was allegedly named by Ms Maxwell as Epstein's girlfriend between 1999 and 2002, according to an email contained in papers released by US District Judge Loretta Preska. It has now been claimed that the woman is Shelley Ann Lewis, 43, a “wellness entrepreneur”, who runs a company called The Equanimity Expert.
- U.S.NBC News
Staples customer who told woman to wear mask is thrown to ground, has broken leg
A 54-year-old New Jersey woman suffered a broken leg after she was thrown to the ground in a Staples by another customer whom she had told to wear a mask, authorities said. Police have released surveillance video from the incident that occurred at about 3:19 p.m. Wednesday at a Staples in Hackensack. Margot Kagan, of Teaneck, told police she was using a fax machine at the store when a woman with a mask pulled down below her mouth approached a machine next to her.
- U.S.USA TODAY
Florida man once bitten by alligator is chomped by 8-foot shark while on vacation
Justin Stuller was looking forward to relaxing in the Florida Keys — fishing, lobstering and swimming with his wife, kids, extended family and friends. Stuller, 38, now sports two dozen stitches and a small limp after he tangled with an eight-foot lemon shark Wednesday. Stuller said he has encountered sharks before on similar trips.
- WorldThe Guardian
UK lobbies US to support controversial new nuclear warheads
The UK has been lobbying the US Congress in support of a controversial new warhead for Trident missiles, claiming it is critical for “the future of Nato as a nuclear alliance”. A letter from Britain's defence secretary, Ben Wallace, seen by the Guardian, urged Congress to support initial spending on the warhead, the W93. The letter, sent in April but not previously reported, draws the UK into a US political debate, pitting the Trump administration against many Democrats and arms control groups over whether the the $14bn W93 programme is necessary.
U.S.Yahoo News VideoConnie Culp, 1st US partial face transplant recipient, dies
Connie Culp, the recipient of the first partial face transplant in the U.S., has died at 57, almost a dozen years after the groundbreaking operation.
- PoliticsBusiness Insider
An Arizona congressman who tested positive for the coronavirus criticized Republican lawmakers for refusing to wear masks in the Capitol
Bonnie Cash/Pool via Reuters An Arizona congressman who tested positive for the coronavirus condemned Republican lawmakers for not wearing face masks in the Capitol. Democrat Rep. Raúl Grijalva tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday but is currently asymptomatic and "feeling fine," according to a spokesperson. Grijalva self-isolated out of pre-caution after attending a hearing with Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert, who has frequently not worn a face mask on the floor and tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
- WorldBBC
Crashed plane packed with cocaine was bound for Australia, police say
Police say a small plane that crashed shortly after take-off in Papua New Guinea had been overloaded with cocaine destined for the Australian market. In a statement, Australian police said the gang had been under surveillance for two years. The light plane had taken off from Mareeba in North Queensland on Sunday and flew at a low altitude to avoid radar detection before landing at a remote airfield at Papa Lea Lea, north of Port Moresby.
U.S.AFPPandemic an 'apocalypse' for restaurants in US
For Gabriel Gordon and his wife Lena, the small restaurant they opened 14 years ago in the coastal California town of Seal Beach was a dream project and the cornerstone of their future success. According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry -- the second largest private sector employer in the US -- is among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with losses projected to reach a staggering $240 billion by the end of the year. "It's such an apocalyptic time for this industry," Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of public affairs for the association, told AFP.
- U.S.INSIDER
Florida breaks weekly coronavirus death toll record with over 1,000 reported deaths
Joe Raedle/Getty Images Florida on Sunday reported 1,230 coronavirus fatalities, a record for the state's weekly reported deaths, the Orlando Sentinel reported. According to the newspaper, there were also 63,277 new cases and 3,086 hospitalizations this week. Last week, Florida had 73,808 new cases, 872 deaths, and 3,093 hospitalizations according to the report.
- PoliticsThe Telegraph
Joe Biden buries the hatchet and looks to bring in Kamala Harris as running mate
With so much on the line, the knives have been out for Ms Harris within the Democratic party. Anonymous briefings, some emanating from people in 77-year-old Mr Biden's own camp, have attempted to portray her as disloyal, ruthlessly ambitious, opportunistic, untrustworthy and intent on becoming president herself. As one Democrat donor put it: “She would be running for president the day of the [Biden] inauguration.
- U.S.The Daily Beast
Hurricane Heads for Florida—Just as Coronavirus Deaths Hit New Record
As Florida struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic that has killed at least 7,000 residents, state officials are now scrambling to deal with another dueling disaster gaining momentum: Hurricane Isaias. “It's just another thing to add to the torture,” Inez Cruz, a teacher in Palm Beach County, told the Washington Post. While Isaias weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said the natural disaster is expected to regain hurricane strength as it approaches Florida.
- WorldNBC News
Scientists and environmental groups 'alarmed' by huge rise in Amazon wildfires
Scientists and environmental groups have expressed alarm after new data revealed there were 28 percent more fires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest this July compared with the same time last year. Satellite images released by Brazil's space research agency INPE on Saturday revealed 6,803 fires in the Amazon last month. “I am super concerned," Erika Berenguer, an Amazon ecologist and a senior research associate at Britain's University of Oxford, told NBC News Sunday.
- WorldAssociated Press
Heavy rain hammers South Korea, leaving 6 dead, 7 missing
Torrential rain pounded most of South Korea over the weekend, leaving six people dead and seven others missing, officials said Sunday. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the heavy rainfall triggered landslides in dozens of places, flooded residential areas and roads, and damaged some riverside structures. The ministry said the six dead people were either buried by mud or destroyed building parts following landslides or swept away by swollen waters.
- U.S.Los Angeles Times Opinion
Editorial: California faces an eviction catastrophe. Newsom, lawmakers need to act now
At the beginning of the year, it looked like Jeremy Miller and his 9-year-old daughter were finally going to have a home of their own. Miller tried to find other work through a temp agency, but there were few jobs. In April, he got a notice threatening eviction if he didn't pay.
- U.S.Business Insider
Dr. Birx: Before schools can reopen, coronavirus outbreaks must get under control
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said that coronavirus outbreaks in the United States need to be slowed down before schools can reopen. Birx emphasized the importance of Americans following existing public health recommendations like avoiding large groups and distancing in public places to help with lifting reopening schools. Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said school reopenings shouldn't only take students' health into account, but "teachers need to be thought of as front-line workers."
- WorldLA Times
Mexico arrests 'El Marro,' gang leader at the center of a bloody cartel war
Mexican authorities on Sunday arrested the leader of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a gang known for stealing millions of dollars in fuel from government pipelines and for turning once-peaceful Guanajuato state into one of the most dangerous regions in the country. Videos show the predawn capture by federal and state authorities of José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, who is known by the alias "El Marro," which means "the Sledgehammer." The capture of Yépez Ortiz, one of the most high-profile arrests by the Mexican government in years, highlights the contradictory nature of the security policies pushed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
- WorldBBC
India toxic alcohol: Dozens die in Punjab poisoning
At least 86 people have died in recent days as a result of drinking illegally-made alcohol, officials in the northern Indian state of Punjab say. On Friday, Punjab's Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered an inquiry into the deaths. The case follows reports on Friday of the deaths of 10 people - said to have alcohol addictions - who drank hand sanitiser in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
- U.S.INSIDER
A Black Lives Matter mural is set to be removed in Tulsa after the city received a request for a pro-police painting
Tulsa City Council decided to remove the Black Lives Matter painting located in the Greenwood District after the mural was not granted city approval. Tulsa World reported that the painter and organizer of the mural, Ryan Rhoades, did not get city approval for the street painting. "I was like, with us having Black Wall Street here and Juneteenth and Trump coming to town, we just seem like the most likely city to do this next."
- WorldThe Telegraph
Chinese nuclear power plant near Battle of Britain tribute 'insensitive to war dead'
The Chinese takeover of a nuclear power station near a tribute to Battle of Britain pilots is “insensitive” to their memory, it has been claimed. China General Nuclear (CGN) and EDF want to build the Bradwell B site in Essex, covering around 500 hectares and producing enough electricity to power around four million homes. CGN is the largest constructor of nuclear power stations in the world and would hold a 66.5 per cent majority share in the project, which would take up to 12 years to complete.
