U.S.The IndependentCarjacking suspect guns down three police officers in Chicago police station shoot out
A carjacking suspect who had already been arrested shot three Chicago police officers as they attempted to escort him into custody on Thursday morning, authorities said. The gunman was being taken out of a patrol van and walked into Northwest Side police station at around 9.30am when he opened fire, hitting the officers. It was not immediately clear whether the suspect used his own gun or took a weapon from one of the police officers.
PoliticsThe WeekJim Jordan tries and fails to get Fauci to say protesters should be arrested for gathering during pandemic
Dr. Anthony Fauci wants to make it clear he's got nothing to do with the justice system. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appeared before Congress on Friday for a hearing on the federal government's coronavirus response. Because science indicates crowds exacerbate the spread of coronavirus, Jordan asked Fauci on Friday if the government "should limit the protests."
PoliticsThe GuardianWhy is a Silicon Valley billionaire trying to get an immigration hawk elected to the US Senate?
That's because in the Democratic primary the Kansas state senator Barbara Bollier is the heavy favorite to win her party's nomination and then run a competitive general election campaign fueled by a large war chest of cash. That prospect is sharpened because Republicans are having to go through a bloody primary between the Kansas congressman Roger Marshall and former Kansas secretary of state Kris Kobach, the immigration hardliner and former Republican nominee for governor whose unpopularity – should he win the nod – could hand the Democrats a vital Senate seat they would never normally hope to win.
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COVID-19 patient who had double transplant didn’t recognize body
A Chicago woman who became the nation's first COVID-19 patient to undergo a double lung transplant said, "I looked at myself and couldn't recognize my body."
WorldReutersThousands march in Berlin against coronavirus curbs
Thousands marched in Berlin on Saturday to protest against measures imposed in Germany to stem the coronavirus pandemic, saying they violated people's rights and freedoms. The gathering, estimated by police at 17,000, included libertarians, constitutional loyalists and anti-vaccination activists. There was also a small far-right presence with some marchers carrying Germany's black, white and red imperial flag.
WorldAssociated Press260 Chinese boats fish near Galapagos; Ecuador on alert
Some call it a floating city, a flotilla of 260 mostly Chinese fishing vessels near the Galapagos archipelago that is stirring diplomatic tension and raising worries about the threat to sharks, manta rays and other vulnerable species in waters around the UNESCO world heritage site. Yet the vast fleet is in international waters, outside a maritime border around the Galapagos and also outside coastal waters off Ecuador, which controls the archipelago. That means the fleet, one of the biggest seen in years off South America's Pacific coast, is likely to fish with minimal monitoring until its holds are full.
LifestyleTimeSen. Tammy Duckworth: America's Moms Are Running on Empty. We Need to do More to Support Them.
Too many can't take paid leave when they're sick or don't have the option of working remotely. Too many aren't paid enough at work to afford the childcare they need to actually go to work. With all the privileges I have, if I still feel such an overwhelming fear that I'm letting down my daughters, how can we as a nation possibly expect those who don't have those same advantages to shoulder these burdens without any help?
LifestyleBusiness InsiderA hotel in Australia had to ban a pair of 6-foot emus for overstepping their guest privileges
Courtesy Chris Gimblett Yaraka Hotel & Pub in Queensland, Australia, has banned two long-time hotel visitors for "bad behavior." The guests are two local emus named Kevin and Carol. Last week, Kevin and Carol learned to walk up the stairs.
U.S.The Daily BeastThe Horrifying ICE Documentary Trump Doesn’t Want You to See
In 2017, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in their infinite wisdom, granted a pair of filmmakers unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to their officers and facilities. According to Clusiau and Schwarz, ICE—who were contractually allowed to review cuts of the series but to only request edits for privacy violations or factual errors—demanded that the series' release be held until after the 2020 election, and that the request came from “all the way to the top,” reported The New York Times. Despite governmental pressure, the resulting 6-part docuseries, Immigration Nation, is hitting Netflix on Aug. 3.
U.S.NBC NewsWoman who filmed Florida police officer drawing gun during pullover arrested after failing to return vehicle
A woman who last month filmed a Florida police officer drawing his weapon during a pullover was arrested for failing to return the car seen in that viral video, authorities said Friday. Joneshia Wilkerson, 23, was arrested Tuesday and booked on suspicion of failure to return a leased vehicle and fraudulent use of a credit card, according to to a Pinellas County Sheriff's statement. "The credit card number Wilkerson used belonged to a victim in Indiana who was still in possession of their original card," according to the sheriff's statement.
HealthNY Daily NewsDr. Anthony Fauci issues strong warnings to 4 states experiencing 'slight increase' in percentage of positive tests
Dr. Anthony Fauci warned the governors of four U.S. states that they need to get new infections under control. If they don't, they could experience a situation similar to what has happened to some states in the South that are battling a dramatic new surge in infections. Speaking about an “alarming” increase in COVID-19 cases in states like Florida, Texas, California and Arizona — which came as a result of the reopening of the country's economy — Fauci said that the nation's health experts are focusing on “a bunch of other states” that have started to show a “very subtle increase in percent positives,” or the percentage of total tests that turned out with positive results.
PoliticsAFPPompeo warns of UN sanctions if Iran arms ban ends
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday gave his clearest indication yet that the United States would seek to force UN sanctions on Iran if an arms embargo lapses. Russia and China, two of the Permanent Five nations that enjoy veto power on the Security Council, want the UN embargo on selling conventional weapons to Iran to end on October 18 as laid out under a 2015 resolution. Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the United States would introduce a resolution to extend the embargo "in the near future" which "we hope will be met with approval from other members of the P5."
PoliticsUSA TODAYFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ popularity plummets amid widely panned coronavirus response
In the span of a few months, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has gone from one of the most admired state leaders in America to one of the most disparaged, with an approval rating that has dropped precipitously as coronavirus cases surged. A pair of recent polls indicate more Floridians now disapprove of the job DeSantis is doing than approve. It shows that 49% of Florida voters disapprove of the governor's job performance, compared with 45% who approve.
U.S.CBS NewsArmy sergeant says he's the one who shot a protester dead in Austin
A U.S. Army sergeant says he's the person who shot and killed a Black Lives Matter protester in downtown Austin, Texas Saturday night and he did it in self-defense, according to the law firm representing him. The disclosure comes as Austin police seek the public's help to learn more about the events that led to the shooting. What's clear is that 27-year-old Garrett Foster was shot by a motorist who had just turned onto the avenue where the demonstration was being held.
- WorldReuters
Dutch court casts doubt on Polish judiciary in drug case
A Dutch court cast doubt on the independence of Poland's legal system on Friday in a request for a ruling from the top European Union tribunal over the possible extradition of a suspected Polish drug trafficker. Polish rule of law has become an increasing matter of dispute within the EU, as critics say the ruling nationalist government has undue influence over judicial appointments. The International Chamber of Amsterdam's District Court said it did not believe Polish courts were independent of government and it would not extradite the suspect until the EU Court of Justice told it to.
U.S.Associated Press'Into the Wild' bus likely lands a home at Fairbanks museum
An infamous bus appears headed to a new home at a museum in Fairbanks after being removed from Alaska's backcountry to deter people from making dangerous, sometimes deadly treks to visit the site where a young man documented his demise in 1992. The state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that it intends to negotiate with the University of Alaska's Museum of the North to display the bus, which was popularized by the book “Into the Wild” and a movie of the same name and flown from its location near Denali National Park and Preserve last month. The bus became a beacon for those wishing to retrace the steps of Christopher McCandless, who hiked to the bus in 1992.
U.S.Business InsiderMike Pence's motorcade has had two crashes in one unfortunate day
The motorcade carrying Vice President Mike Pence was involved in two crashes on Thursday, according to White House pool reports. It has been a challenging day for Vice President Mike Pence as he visits western Pennsylvania and its rural roads. Various vehicles in Pence's motorcade got into two minor crashes on Thursday, according to pool reports.
BusinessBBCIndia coronavirus: Gold rush as pandemic roils country's economy
Indians are returning to one of their oldest assets amid a raging pandemic that was preceded by a banking crisis, reports the BBC's Nidhi Rai. According to a World Gold Council estimate from last year, total gold reserves across Indian homes were about 25,000 tonnes - the largest in any country. This time-tested investment has regained popularity as India's economy reels from the devastating effects of a global pandemic.
EntertainmentThe Daily BeastDid the CIA Torture an Undercover DEA Agent for a Mexican Drug Cartel?
Narcos: Mexico's first two seasons revolve around the 1985 murder of undercover DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was abducted, tortured and slain by the Guadalajara Cartel he was investigating. Mining thrilling drama from reality, the Netflix series is a true story about bravery and villainy that's overflowing with larger-than-life figures, be it the bold Camarena, the ruthless cartel kingpins Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and Rafael Caro Quintero, or the resolute DEA agents intent on bringing to justice those responsible for their comrade's killing—the latter group led by Walt Breslin, a take-no-prisoners American tasked with leading the retaliatory mission against the drug lords.
U.S.NBC NewsTwo pilots killed when air tankers collide
Two pilots were killed Thursday when their air tankers collided in midair as they were helping to fight a large wildfire in southern Nevada, federal officials said. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management suggested in a statement that the deceased were "contract pilots." "Recovery operations are currently underway and initial notifications are still being made," it said.
WorldThe GuardianMexican president Amlo says he will wear mask 'when there is no corruption'
Mexico's president has said he will only wear a mask when the country eradicates corruption – a pledge made the day after Mexico surpassed the United Kingdom in total Covid-19 deaths. When there is no corruption. Like his populist counterparts Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump, the president, popularly known as Amlo, has appeared skeptical over masks since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S.USA TODAYFBI says errors discovered in more than two-dozen wiretap applications were mostly minor
WASHINGTON – The FBI said a review of more than two-dozen applications to obtain warrants to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens contained only minor errors that did not undermine the legal justification for the wiretaps. A statement issued Thursday came a few months after the Justice Department's internal watchdog said in a memo that it found errors and lack of documentation in nearly all 29 surveillance applications it is reviewing as part of a broader audit of the FBI's practices. The FBI and the Justice Department have since reviewed the 29 applications and found that the errors are mostly typographical, such as misspellings and wrong dates, the FBI said in the statement.
U.S.CBS NewsU.S. to hike fees for immigration benefits
The Trump administration is hiking the fees for a range of immigration benefits, including an 83% increase for petitions from green card holders seeking to become U.S. citizens and the first ever charge for asylum requests. Set to be published in the federal government's journal of regulations on Monday, the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fees will take effect on October 2. Roughly 97% of USCIS' budget is funded by application fees, unlike most other federal agencies, whose funds are appropriated by Congress.
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Democrats reject $600 benefit extension from White House, push for more
Democrats rejected a short-term extension of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit proposed by the White House on Thursday.
- WorldAssociated Press
Lawyer: Yemeni rebels free 6 Baha’i prisoners held for years
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Thursday freed six prominent members of the Baha'i religious minority whose years-long incarceration on charges of espionage and heresy had drawn worldwide condemnation, their lawyer said. The release of the six came four months after the Shiite Houthis, who control most of northern Yemen and the capital, Sanaa, announced they had commuted the death sentence of Bahai leader Hamed bin Haydara and ordered his release, as well as that of the other five detainees. The six men were flown out of Yemen to Ethiopia late on Thursday, said bin Haydara's wife, Alham.
“He’s not a radical. But he is running on the most liberal policy platform of any Democratic candidate in modern history.”
“Public opinion has been shifting leftward, and Biden’s thinking has shifted with it.”
“Biden shows that he’s more moderate than some in his party.”
“Biden has always been a creature of his time, and the COVID-19 crisis could force him to veer further left.”
“Liberal activists have lauded the campaign’s outreach to progressives.”