| India hails 'historic' Kashmir rule as Pakistan, China slam move Posted: 06 Aug 2019 11:00 AM PDT  India's Hindu nationalist government on Tuesday hailed "historic" legislation to bring Kashmir under its direct control but Pakistan and China challenged the divisive move, sending tensions soaring between the nuclear neighbours. New Delhi stripped Kashmir of its seven-decade-long autonomous status via a presidential decree on Monday, hours after imposing a massive security lockdown in the state to quell any unrest. "Together we are, together we shall rise and together we will fulfill the dreams of 130 crore (ten million) Indians," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted late Tuesday after parliament approved the move to turn India's only Muslim-majority state into administrative territories controlled by his government.
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| Body found in ravine in search for British scientist missing on Greek island Posted: 07 Aug 2019 08:38 AM PDT  Greek police searching for a missing British scientist on the island of Ikaria have found a body at the bottom of a ravine. A police source said it was likely to be that of Dr Natalie Christopher, 34, who disappeared on Monday. Police, firefighters and volunteers had been scouring the island in the Aegean since Monday when Dr Christopher's disappearance was reported by her 38-year-old Cypriot boyfriend. The corpse was found by a volunteer involved in the search. "The body was found in a ravine, a small canyon, between 600 metres and a kilometre from the hotel where the couple were staying," Theodoros Chronopoulos, a Greek police spokesman, told The Telegraph. Asked whether the body had fallen into the ravine or been pushed, he said it was too early to tell. "We have to await the report from the coroner, which will take two to three days, in order to have the answers. This is crucial. At this point we don't know how she died." Oxford-educated Dr Christopher, a keen runner, rock climber and hiker, was spending a few days on Ikaria with her boyfriend. Dr Christopher is a keen runner, climber and mountain racer He said that when he woke on Monday morning, she was not in the hotel. He called her on her mobile phone and she told him she was running. He became worried a few hours later when she did not return and called again, but she did not answer. The couple, who live in Cyprus, were staying in the town of Kerame, on the north coast of Ikaria. Police are investigating spots of blood that were found on bed sheets in the hotel room where the couple were staying. The linen has been sent to a laboratory in Athens for testing. Her boyfriend reportedly told police that the blood was from a nosebleed that Dr Christopher suffered the night before her disappearance. Natalie Christopher was last seen on Monday on the Aegean island of Ikaria There were also blood spots in front of a mirror, according to the owner of the hotel. Police are also investigating reports that the couple may have slept in separate rooms the night before the British woman's disappearance. A cleaner at the hotel told Greek media that she found sheets spread out on a sofa in the hotel suite "which may indicate the couple was sleeping in separate rooms." Dr Christopher, who grew up in London, has a Masters in Physics from Durham University and did her PhD at Linacre College, Oxford. Her disappearance follows the rape and murder last month of an American scientist who went for a jog on Crete. Suzanne Eaton's body was found dumped inside a Second World War bunker a week after she went missing. A 27-year-old local man has allegedly confessed to the murder of the 60-year-old molecular biologist, who had been attending a conference on Crete. She worked for the Max Planck Institute at Dresden University in Germany.
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| Texas Police Apologize for Viral Photo of Mounted Officers Leading Black Man by Rope Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:37 AM PDT  TwitterThe Galveston, Texas police department is under fire after photos surfaced over the weekend showing two horse-mounted white police officers leading a black man in handcuffs down a street with a rope. The two officers, identified by police as P. Brosch and A. Smith, arrested Donald Neely, 43, on Saturday for criminal trespass after several warnings, according to the Galveston Police Department. But instead of waiting for a transport vehicle to take Neely back to where the other officers were stationed, the cops on horseback tied a rope around his handcuffs and forced him to walk behind their horses for several blocks. "We understand the negative perception of this action and believe it is most appropriate to cease the use of this technique," the Galveston Police Department wrote in a Monday Facebook post. "The practice was not used correctly in this instance."Galveston Police Chief Vernon Hale also issued a statement apologizing to Neely, who was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing. Hale added that the two officers were "familiar" with Neely.He said that Neely was in the controversial position for about two blocks as they made their way to "where the Mounted Patrol Unit was staging from," and insisted the officers "did not have any malicious intent."The technique, he said, is usually used in volatile situations, such as for crowd control. Black Woman Sues Miami PD After Violent Arrest: 'I Don't Feel Safe Calling the Police'"My officers did not have any malicious intent at the time of the arrest, but we have immediately changed the policy to prevent the use of this technique and will review all mounted training and procedures for more appropriate methods," Hale said. "We understand the negative perception of this action and believe it is most appropriate to cease the use of this technique."The chief's statement did not say whether the two officers, whose body cameras were activated during the incident, have faced disciplinary action. A police spokesperson declined The Daily Beast's request for comment on Tuesday. The image, which was taken by an onlooker on Saturday, has since gone viral and sparked outrage.James Douglas, president of Houston's NAACP chapter, told The Daily Beast the photo shows a lack of respect for the black community and "poor judgment."Florida Cops Under Fire for Violent Incidents With Black Women"This is 2019 and not 1819," he said in an email. "Even though the chief indicated that the technique would be discontinued, he failed to address the lack of respect demonstrated by the officers in the episode."Adrienne Bell, a Texas Democratic congressional candidate, tweeted the photos on Monday and said the scene "invoked anger, disgust, and questions from the community.""Swift action is needed to ensure that no one is demeaned in this manner again, and arrest procedures are fair, just, and humane," Bell wrote on Monday. Neely is free on bond, a police spokesperson said Tuesday. Cop Charged With Assault After Video Shows Him Slamming Suspect's Head Into PavementRead 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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| Spirit Airlines do's and don'ts: Don't freak out about the seats, do sign up for deals Posted: 07 Aug 2019 05:09 AM PDT  Spirit Airlines' business model of low fares and a flurry of fees can be confusing for travelers. The discount airline with the bright yellow planes
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| An Ohio state lawmaker blamed everything from gay marriage and drag queens to marijuana for 2 recent mass shootings Posted: 05 Aug 2019 11:20 AM PDT  State Rep. Candace Keller of Ohio blamed mass shootings on drag queens, recreational marijuana, video games, and President Barack Obama.
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| Canadian police find evidence of teen fugitives on banks of river Posted: 06 Aug 2019 03:40 PM PDT  The pair, Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, both of Port Alberni, British Columbia, have been on the run for nearly three weeks with no confirmed sightings since July 22. The evidence, details of which were not revealed, was found on the banks of the Nelson River, 9 km (5.59 miles) along the shore near Gillam, Manitoba, the tiny northern community that was the center of the search last week, before the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) scaled back the manhunt.
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| How immigrants became the target of white nationalists Posted: 06 Aug 2019 02:19 PM PDT  The influx of Latino immigrants was part of a larger trend that had emerged across much of the southern United States toward the end of the last century and particularly in North Carolina, which saw a 110 percent increase in Latinos between 1990 and 1998.
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| HBO drama looks at killings of teens that ignited Gaza war Posted: 07 Aug 2019 09:05 AM PDT  HBO's new docudrama series about the killings of four Israeli and Palestinian teenagers, violence which set off a cascade of events leading to the 2014 Gaza war, is set to air next week and is likely to reopen wounds on both sides of the conflict. "Our Boys," co-created by Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, presents a dramatized rendition of the chaotic events of that June following the abduction of three Israeli teens in the West Bank. In June 2014, Gilad Shaer, Naftali Fraenkel, and Eyal Yifrah, three Israeli teenagers aged 16 and 19, were abducted and killed by Palestinian militants outside a West Bank settlement.
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| Saudi prepares for hajj as Gulf tensions persist Posted: 06 Aug 2019 07:06 PM PDT  More than 2.5 million Muslims will on Friday begin the annual hajj pilgrimage in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, against a backdrop of tensions in the Gulf. Crowds of worshippers have already begun to gather in Mecca in the days ahead of the hajj, the focal point of the Islamic calendar. The pilgrims will undertake religious rites that have remained unchanged since the founding of Islam 14 centuries ago.
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| Trump quietly used regulations to expand gun access Posted: 07 Aug 2019 02:03 AM PDT  The president said he has taken tough action on guns. His administration has mostly focused on expanding gun access through little-noticed regulatory moves.
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| Almost 45 years later, case finally closed for one Ted Bundy victim in Colorado Posted: 06 Aug 2019 06:22 PM PDT  Denise Oliverson went missing in Grand Junction on April 8, 1975. Just minutes before his 1989 execution, Ted Bundy confessed to murdering Oliverson.
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| NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, whose wife Gabby Giffords was shot in the head, still owns guns. He says Congress could do a lot more to keep people safe. Posted: 06 Aug 2019 12:09 PM PDT  NASA astronaut Mark Kelly is running for Senate in Arizona. He supports stronger federal background checks and more red-flag laws.
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| Armed robbers in Mexico steal $2.5 million in gold coins Posted: 06 Aug 2019 12:44 PM PDT  Armed robbers broke into a Mexican government coin manufacturer on Tuesday and filled a backpack with more than $2 million worth of gold coins from a vault that had been left open, security officials said. The daylight robbery was the latest high-profile crime to hit Mexico City, where crime has increased during record lawlessness plaguing the country. Two people, one wielding a firearm, broke into a "Casa de Moneda" branch in the morning after throwing a security guard to the ground and taking his gun, Mexico City police said.
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| Hong Kong Leader Warns of ‘Ruin’ as Strike Snarls City, Airport Posted: 05 Aug 2019 12:39 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam warned of a "very dangerous situation" as protesters moved to shut down the Asian financial hub with a general strike on Monday after a ninth straight weekend of unrest in opposition to China's tightening grip.Demonstrators hampered the financial hub's busy morning commute with actions that left traffic snarled, subway lines inoperable and airport operations disrupted. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said it canceled more than 140 flights coming to and from the city, while Hong Kong Airlines Ltd. scrapped 30 flights.Thousands of black-shirted protesters rallied Monday in various locations across the city, chanting "strike!" and blocking roads. Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds, while mob violence broke broke out in some areas between residents and protesters. The government condemned demonstrators for attacking at least two police stations and setting fire to various objects."We have seen some behavior from protesters that is challenging 'one country, two systems' and threatening national sovereignty," Lam told reporters earlier on Monday, flanked by senior members of her administration. "And I could even dare to say some are trying to ruin Hong Kong and completely destroy the livelihood of seven million citizens."The protest movement that began in June to oppose a bill that would've allowed extraditions to the mainland has morphed into a broader challenge to China. Authorities in Beijing have continued to back Lam, who has resisted demands to withdraw the bill completely and step down from her position.Officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office in Beijing plan to speak to the media on Tuesday and announce something new, the South China Morning Post reported, citing an official familiar with the matter who didn't provide more details. A commentary read on state-run media outlets Monday reiterated Beijing's "unflagging support" for Lam and warned of a "most dangerous phase," the newspaper said.The MSCI Hong Kong Index slumped as much as 3.5% on Monday in a ninth day of declines, matching the longest streak since the city's 1997 handover from British rule.The unrest has hit the city's economy, denting tourism and retail sales to worsen the pain from the U.S.-China trade war. The IHS Markit PMI for Hong Kong sank to 43.8 in July from 47.9 a month earlier. That's its lowest reading since March 2009, when the fallout from the global financial crisis was still raging. Financial Secretary Paul Chan warned Monday that the city risks a recession as protests continue.'No Real End in Sight'"The problem now is there is no real end in sight as to what the end game is for the protests," said Sean Darby, global equity strategist at Jefferies Hong Kong. "The disruptions that are occurring now both to travel and the people shopping or even coming into Hong Kong are starting to make quite a big impact on the economy."Lam on Monday didn't make any new concessions to protesters, saying she didn't think her resignation -- one of their key demands -- would provide a resolution to the unrest. She also called them a threat to national security, hours after they interrupted service on nearly all of the city's metro lines -- though it resumed by early afternoon."Such extensive disruptions in the name of certain demands or uncooperative movement have seriously undermined Hong Kong's law and order and are pushing our city -- the city we all love, and many of us helped to build -- to the verge of a very dangerous situation," she said.Hong Kong police recently began slapping protesters with colonial-era rioting charges in a bid to deter large numbers of protesters, and anxiety is growing that Beijing might call in its army, which released a video last week showing troops practicing riot control. Senior Superintendent Kong Wing-cheung said Monday he believes there's no chance that Chinese troops would be deployed.Still, senior police officials alleged that "radicals" were planning to attack or even kill officers. Kong said 82 people had been arrested Monday and a total of 420 had been detained since June 9, when an estimated 1 million people hit the streets. Police have also deployed 1,000 rounds of tear gas since June, Kong said. Another official, Yolanda Yu, said the age of the protesters arrested Monday ranged from 14 to 76."I came here to support the young people," said C.F Tse, who works in accounting and said he asked for sick leave in order to protest in Tamar Park on Monday. "It's heartbreaking to see them being beaten up and getting tear gassed."On Monday afternoon in China, searches for "Hong Kong strike" and "strike" brought up zero results on popular messaging app WeChat, though the phrase "Hong Kong violent incident" did show articles on the protests. All three searches were available on Weibo, China's other main social media platform.Ahead of the strike, some banks -- including Citigroup Inc. and UBS Group AG -- told local employees it was possible to arrange flexible working arrangements as protests continued. It's the last of consecutive demonstrations that began with a "flash mob" by financial professionals on Thursday.While some commuters shouted expletives at the protesters on Monday, many also expressed sympathy with the cause."I am fine with the disruptions though I don't think the government cares as much," said Peter Lee, who works for a brokerage, after he failed to get a train from Sham Shui Po station and instead hopped a 30 minute bus ride to the Star Ferry. "The strikes will have little impact to force the government make moves, but I am still supportive."(Updates with strike details from third paragraph.)\--With assistance from Alfred Liu, Sebastian Chau, Natalie Lung, Enda Curran, Cathy Chan, Sheryl Tian Tong Lee and Sharon Chen.To contact the reporters on this story: Shawna Kwan in Hong Kong at wkwan35@bloomberg.net;Jinshan Hong in Hong Kong at jhong214@bloomberg.net;Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at imarlow1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net, ;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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| Kellyanne Conway is 'mad' media downplays Dayton shooter's liberal views, although no link is seen to massacre Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:26 AM PDT  Unlike the El Paso massacre, which is being treated by the FBI as a possible hate crime, there is no indication at this point that the mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, was racially or politically motivated.
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| Ohio gunman's ex-classmates decry missed chances to stop him Posted: 05 Aug 2019 06:37 PM PDT  High school classmates of the gunman who killed nine people in Dayton, Ohio, say he was suspended years ago for compiling a "hit list" and a "rape list," and questioned how he could have been allowed to buy the military-style weapon used in this weekend's attack. The accounts emerged after police said there was nothing in the background of 24-year-old Connor Betts that would have prevented him from purchasing an AR 15-style rifle with an extended ammunition magazine that he used to open fire outside a crowded bar early Sunday. The former classmates told The Associated Press that Betts was suspended during their junior year at suburban Bellbrook High School after a hit list was found scrawled in a school bathroom.
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| Chicago gun violence leaves seven dead Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:33 AM PDT  Seven people were killed and 46 wounded in Chicago last weekend, including in two multiple shootings on the West Side. The first of the shootings, in the Douglas Park neighborhood early on Sunday, left seven wounded. The second shooting, in Lawndale, wounded another seven and killed one.
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| Mitch McConnell campaign posts photos of tombstones with Democrat names on hours after El Paso shooting Posted: 05 Aug 2019 03:14 PM PDT  Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has been criticised after his re-election campaign team posted a photo of gravestones bearing the names of various Democrats and their policies – hours after the deadly mass shooting in El Paso on Saturday. Alongside a picture of a grinning Senator McConnell, the tweet shows a tombstone reading "RIP Amy McGrath, November 3rd 2020", who is running to unseat him in the Kentucky senate race.The other gravestones include socialism, the Green New Deal and Merrick Garland, a Democratic Supreme Court nominee who Mr McConnell refused to bring to the Senate floor for a vote in 2016.The tweet was posted on Saturday evening, just hours after the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that has so far left 22 people dead. Democrat Amy McGrath has responded to the post, saying: "Hours after the El Paso shooting, Mitch McConnell proudly tweeted this photo. I find it so troubling that our politics have become so nasty and personal that the Senate Majority Leader thinks it's appropriate to use imagery of the death of a political opponent (me) as messaging."> The Grim Reaper of Socialism at FancyFarm today. FancyFarm139 pic.twitter.com/KMKJifu3b5> > — Team Mitch (@Team_Mitch) > > August 3, 2019Ms McGrath then added: "It's symptomatic of what is wrong with our system. I'm fine with the ordinary rough and tumble of politics, but this strikes me as beyond the pale."Mr McConnell previously spoke out against violent political rhetoric, slamming Democrats for engaging in "toxic behaviour" leading up to the 2018 midterm elections.Patrick Crusius, the suspected shooter in the El Paso attack, is believed to have posted a four-page message online calling the Walmart attack "a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas".The repeated use of the word "invasion" was one of many rhetorical devices in common with President Trump's stance on the issue of immigration, which Mr McConnell has amplified in his role as Senate Majority Leader.Senator McConnell's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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| Every Angle of the 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:44 AM PDT |
| 5 people were bitten by sharks at the same Florida beach over 9 days. Experts share tips for minimizing your risk of a shark attack. Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:32 AM PDT  Five people have been the victims of shark attacks in Florida recently. Experts share advice about what to do if there's a shark in the water.
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| China rare earths group supports counter-measures against U.S. 'bullying' Posted: 07 Aug 2019 05:53 AM PDT ![China rare earths group supports counter-measures against U.S. 'bullying']( "China rare earths group supports counter-measures against U.S. 'bullying'") China's rare earths association said it would support Chinese counter-measures in the escalating trade row with the United States, which it accused on Wednesday of "bullying". The Association of China Rare Earth Industry issued a statement after a special working meeting on Monday to discuss the "guidance" given by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to a rare earth plant in Jiangxi in May. Xi's visit stoked fears China would use its dominance over production of rare earths, a group of 17 chemical elements prized for their use in consumer electronics and military equipment, in the escalating trade war, although no restrictions on supplies have so far been announced.
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| Man allegedly tries to rob bank in Cleveland, gets caught after leaving a note with his name, address Posted: 05 Aug 2019 01:40 PM PDT  An Ohio man accused of robbing a bank was caught by police last week after hemade a pretty unfortunate mistake
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| Protests, no-shows, and a Baby Trump blimp greet the president in two grief-stricken cities Posted: 07 Aug 2019 09:03 AM PDT  It took only 24 hours for two organizers to raise more than $3,000 to bring the Baby Trump blimp to Dayton Wednesday to be on hand as a sign of protest for President Donald Trump's visit aimed at remember the victims of a devastating weekend shooting.
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| The Latest: Family of Ohio shooter, sister release statement Posted: 06 Aug 2019 05:57 PM PDT  The family of the Ohio shooter and his sister who was among the nine killed has released a statement saying they are devastated, and cooperating with law enforcement's investigation. The family offered "their most heartfelt prayers and condolences" to the victims killed by 24-year-old Connor Betts, who opened fire early Sunday in Dayton's Oregon entertainment district. Twenty-two-year-old Megan Betts was killed by her brother.
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| In Iraqi holy city, row over female violinist at soccer match shows social rift Posted: 07 Aug 2019 03:23 AM PDT ![In Iraqi holy city, row over female violinist at soccer match shows social rift]( "In Iraqi holy city, row over female violinist at soccer match shows social rift") At the opening ceremony last week for the West Asia Football Federation Championship, a tournament of Arab countries hosted by Iraq, a Lebanese woman violinist not wearing the Islamic headscarf and with uncovered arms played Iraq's national anthem. Many Iraqis were elated that such a ceremony, typical of international football tournaments, could finally take place on their soil after football governing body FIFA last year partially lifted a ban largely in place since 1990 on Iraq hosting competitive matches over security concerns.
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| Peter Pan Bus Driver Arrested After Allegedly Locking Passenger in Vehicle's Luggage Compartment Posted: 06 Aug 2019 12:45 PM PDT  Peter Pan Bus Driver Arrested for Locking Passenger in Luggage Area
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| Utah State Student Killed Herself After Eight Months of Racist Attacks—and the School Did Nothing, Suit Claims Posted: 05 Aug 2019 10:24 AM PDT  Courtesy Anderson and Karrenberg Law Firm"Every day I dread going to class now because I sit three feet from my white bully," a Malaysian student at Utah State University texted her friend months before she killed herself, according to a federal lawsuit filed last week on her family's behalf.After eight months of racist bullying by classmates, 24-year-old Ph.D. candidate Jerusha Sanjeevi ended her life in April 2017, the 91-page complaint states. Sanjeevi was of Chinese and Indian heritage but was born and raised in Malaysia.The lawsuit, filed by Sanjeevi's boyfriend, Matthew Bick, names as defendants Utah State University, the head of the psychology department, some of the students who were in her cohort, and professors. The complaint alleges negligence, wrongful death, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It contends that the university's lack of action—even after Sanjeevi complained about the alleged bullying to professors and a department chairperson—violated her civil rights. The Herald Journal first reported on the lawsuit Friday.Sanjeevi graduated from Minnesota State University with a Master's degree in clinical psychology and then enrolled in Utah State's psychology Ph.D. program in fall 2016. Eighty-three percent of students at the school are white, the lawsuit claims. The department "knowingly allowed one of its students to be verbally abused, intimidated and subjected to cultural and racist discrimination by favored students over the course of eight months, when she was rendered so emotionally devastated and hopeless that she committed suicide," the lawsuit claims.Other students in her cohort spread rumors about Sanjeevi, made fun of her "weird" Asian name, told her she smelled like Indian food, and derided her darker skin color as making her less deserving of a research position, according to the lawsuit.One of the students repeatedly made derisive comments about Asians, including that "Asian researcher names are so weird" and "Asians only want to please their parents," the complaint alleges. Members of the cohort told Sanjeevi's attorneys that this other student "was tormenting [Sanjeevi] daily."During an email conversation between professors excerpted in the lawsuit—about the tension between Sanjeevi and one of her alleged bullies—one wrote: "This is getting messy and ugly.""I'm going to leave my lab because I can't take it anymore," Sanjeevi told a friend, according to the lawsuit. "She knew that I've been struggling with the fear of getting deported since the election. She knew that I have no power here as a foreign student. And she did this to me on top of all of that. I don't understand how a person can be so cruel."In an essay assignment, Sanjeevi wrote that "[e]ncountering racism even in graduate school in psychology reinforced a powerful lesson that I learned my entire life: that I can put a nice suit on, but I can never take my skin off."By December, Sanjeevi had a meeting with the head of the department to report that she felt bullied and was "afraid" of at least one member of her cohort. But the department head labeled the issue as "a conflict between students" and declined to investigate the multiple reports of bullying and racism by specific students, even after Sanjeevi's death, according to the lawsuit.Eventually, other students began describing Sanjeevi as "despondent," "withdrawn," and "defeated and tired," the complaint states. Over those eight months, Sanjeevi reported the alleged bullying to at least five faculty members, in addition to a member of the school's counseling center, a representative of the student conduct office, and another individual at the affirmative action department, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.Just days before she killed herself, Sanjeevi told a friend that she was overwhelmed by the department's apparent apathy, the complaint states."I just don't understand why I matter so little to them," she said. "I haven't been feeling like living and this just confirms that I don't want this life anymore."On April 22, 2017, she died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Her body was found two days later."When something like this happens, people ask why," Sanjeevi wrote in a note before her death. "So I'm about to tell you why, and spare you the wondering.""I have lived with depression for over half my life, and somehow survived each episode. But each wave of sadness grew darker and longer," she wrote. "I looked and looked for a lifeline. Until I realized that I didn't deserve one. Because [the Department] succeeded at teaching me what poverty, violence, rape, and hunger somehow never did… When you dismissed the bullying report, you provided a final confirmation that I did, in fact, not matter.""The innocence of blonde hair and blue eyes could deny, with toxic ease, the 'crazy' ramblings of this dirty brown skin," Sanjeevi continued. "Watching the department not only choose to not enact consequences, but to give an award to the sick person who bullied me, was the last nail in my coffin. My heart was broken."Amanda DeRito, a spokeswoman for the university, told The Daily Beast on Monday that Sanjeevi's suicide was "a tragic event that had a huge impact on the psychology department and on our entire university" and said the university "strongly" disputes the allegations in the complaint."We believe Utah State took all appropriate action to address interpersonal issues between students in the department," DeRito said, declining to comment further on the details of the case, citing the pending litigation.The complaint seeks unspecified punitive and compensatory damages for Sanjeevi's family in Malaysia."Please be kinder in the future," Sanjeevi wrote in her suicide note. "Please send my ashes to my parents."If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.Death-Obsessed Missouri Frat Brother's 'Advice' Pushed Five People to Kill Themselves, Lawsuit ClaimsNYPD Officer Dies of Suicide, the Third Self-Inflicted Death in Less Than Two WeeksRead 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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| Here's why the pilot of Enola Gay had no regrets about dropping the first atom bomb Posted: 06 Aug 2019 06:57 AM PDT  On August 6, 1945, US bomber the Enola Gay launched the world's first nuclear attack, dropping an atom bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
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| China Warship Collision Led to Standoff, Freighter Captain Says Posted: 07 Aug 2019 02:29 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The Taiwanese coast guard intervened to end an hour-long standoff between a freighter and an unidentified Chinese warship after the two vessels collided in the contested Taiwan Strait last week.The Taiwanese-registered bulk carrier Yutai No. 1 collided with a Chinese naval vessel around 20 nautical miles southeast of Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Island late on July 31, Fu Shih-hour, the cargo ship's captain, told Bloomberg News on Tuesday. Fu said he had called the Taiwanese coast guard for assistance after the captain of the Chinese warship tried to persuade him to divert to the mainland port of Xiamen."When they arrived, the coast guard told the Chinese captain very clearly that we were in international waters and that we were under no obligation to follow their orders," Fu said in a telephone interview from the southern Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung. "It's not as if we were in Chinese waters and had to listen to them. The other captain wasn't happy about it, but had to begrudgingly accept it."The crash underscored the potential for diplomatic flare-ups in the Taiwan Strait, a busy shipping lane through one of the world's great geopolitical flash points. As the People's Liberation Army rapidly expands its navy, both China and the U.S. have increased the frequency of military transits through the strait and around democratically run Taiwan.Mystery ShipThe identity of the Chinese ship has been a topic of debate since the incident. The Taipei-based China Times reported last Friday it may have been the Longhushan, China's newest amphibious transport dock. The vessel is designed to transfer helicopters, hovercraft and several hundred troops to shore during an attack.China's Taiwan Affairs Office and ministries for national defense and foreign affairs didn't return faxed requests for comment on the incident.Fu said he was unable to clearly identify the ship in the dark and it didn't appear to have its automatic identification system (AIS) turned on. He said only it was definitely a military ship and was traveling very fast. He estimated the ship to be at least 100 meters (330 feet) in length.The Longhushan, with a length of about 210 meters, is the largest domestically designed amphibious warfare ship operated by China, according to Chinese media. The Global Times, a newspaper published by China's Communist Party, hailed it as offering the People's Liberation Army an advantage in a potential invasion of Taiwan.China has increased its military and economic pressure on Taiwan since the island's independence-leaning president, Tsai Ing-wen, came into power in 2016. In its first defense white paper since 2015, Beijing reiterated last month its determination to halt through any means Taiwan from pursuing formal independence.Fu, 72, was keen to play down any potential political ramifications from the incident."This was just a simple incident at sea. It shouldn't be blown out of proportion. Neither of us meant to collide with each other," he said. "I don't blame the other captain for not having the AIS turned on because navy ships don't usually use it. It wasn't on purpose."\--With assistance from Dandan Li.To contact the reporters on this story: Samson Ellis in Taipei at sellis29@bloomberg.net;Adela Lin in Taipei at alin95@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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| Shark feeding frenzy near shore at Myrtle Beach stuns visitors Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:18 AM PDT  A group of sharks engaged in a feeding frenzy close to the shore at Myrtle Beach, S.C., treated visitors to a wild spectacle Monday afternoon.
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| Polls show top tier 2020 Democrats widening lead over rest of presidential field Posted: 06 Aug 2019 02:03 PM PDT  In the first polls after the second Democratic debate, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders are the top contenders.
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| Two Iran Revolutionary Guards killed in clash with militants Posted: 07 Aug 2019 01:14 AM PDT ![Two Iran Revolutionary Guards killed in clash with militants]( "Two Iran Revolutionary Guards killed in clash with militants") Two members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have been killed in clashes with militants in a northwestern region near the border with Turkey, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday. "The governor of Maku said two Guards were martyred in a clash with terrorists while defending the fatherland," the television reported. Iranian Kurdish militant groups mostly based in neighboring Iraq, including the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), accused by Tehran of links to Kurdish PKK insurgents in Turkey.
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| Texas Speaker gives vague apology for 'hurtful' things said Posted: 06 Aug 2019 03:21 PM PDT  The Texas House speaker offered lawmakers a vague apology Tuesday for "embarrassing" and "hurtful" things he said on a secretly-recorded conversation with a hardline conservative activist in a scandal that has rocked state Republicans. The apology from first-term Speaker Dennis Bonnen didn't detail what was said, and it notably avoids mention of an alleged "hit list" of Republican lawmakers to target in the upcoming 2020 primary. Activist Michael Quinn Sullivan has said he recorded his June meeting with Bonnen, and that it includes an offer from the speaker to give the media arm of Sullivan's Empower Texans lobbying group press credentials to the House chamber if Empower Texans would attack a specific group of Republicans in the primary.
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| FBI Uncovers List of Other Possible Targets for Gilroy Garlic Festival Gunman Posted: 06 Aug 2019 02:44 PM PDT  The FBI opened the investigation after finding a list of organizations that might have been possible targets.
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| Evidence of 'Herculean' parrot found in New Zealand Posted: 06 Aug 2019 09:14 PM PDT  The remains of a super-sized parrot that stood more than half the height of an average human and roamed the earth 19 million years ago have been discovered in New Zealand. Judging by the size of the leg bones, the bird would have stood about one metre (39 inches) tall and weighed up to seven kilograms (15.5 pounds), according to a report by an international team of palaeontologists published in the latest edition of Biology Letters. "It could have flown but we're putting our money on it being flightless," Paul Scofield, the senior curator of natural history at Canterbury Museum, told AFP Wednesday.
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| Chernobyl's 'sarcophagus,' which helped contain the spread of radiation, is being dismantled because it's teetering on collapse Posted: 06 Aug 2019 01:43 PM PDT  The Ukrainian company that manages the Chernobyl plant will tear down its protective "sarcophagus," which is surrounded by a 32,000-ton shell.
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| Founder of site linked to mass shootings says he created 'a monster' Posted: 06 Aug 2019 06:51 AM PDT  The creator of a far-right online message board connected to three mass shootings that killed dozens of people has described himself as "naive and ignorant", likening the platform 8chan to Frankenstein's monster, with no limit to its extremism. Fredrick Brennan, 25, who lives in the Philippines, said the free-wheeling web board he created in 2013 had become a hive of white supremacy, anonymous hate, and Neo-Nazism since he sold it to a fellow American, and said he felt a sense of guilt, "sometimes". "If I could go back and not create 8chan at all, I probably would," he told Reuters in an interview.
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| Kim Jong Un Says North Korean Missile Test Sends Warning to U.S. Posted: 06 Aug 2019 09:19 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Kim Jong Un said North Korea's latest missile tests were intended as a warning against ongoing U.S.-South Korea military exercises, while President Donald Trump's new defense chief defended the training as necessary to maintain readiness.North Korean state media said Wednesday that Kim personally oversaw what allied military officials said was a pair of short-range ballistic missile launches a day earlier -- the fourth such volley in two weeks. "The demonstration fire clearly verified the reliability, security and actual war capacity of the new-type tactical guided weapon system," the official Korean Central News Agency said.North Korea has taken escalating steps in recent weeks to show its frustration with the U.S.'s refusal to meet its demands in nuclear talks. The regime also has specifically accused Trump of breaking a pledge during a June 30 meeting to suspend all joint drills -- the latest of which started Monday."Kim Jong Un noted that the said military action would be an occasion to send an adequate warning to the joint military drill now underway by the U.S. and South Korean authorities," KCNA reported.The so-called Alliance 19-2 exercises were instituted after Trump unilaterally agreed to Kim's request last year to suspend larger, live-fire Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills that North Korea long denounced as an effort to prepare for an invasion. Trump administration officials say the current "command post" exercises are largely computer-driven and don't constitute a breach of the president's commitments to Kim.U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters Tuesday while en route to Tokyo that the allies were "still abiding" by the adjustments made after Trump and Kim's historic first meeting in Singapore last year. "At the same time, we need to maintain our readiness and making sure that we're prepared," said Esper.KN-23Weapons experts have said all of the tests in the past two weeks were of the same solid-fuel, ballistic missile known as the KN-23, which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has a range to strike all of South Korea and perhaps parts of Japan.North Korea Warns U.S. Talks at Risk After Latest Missile TestsKim Dong-yub, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the regime appeared to be trying to balance foreign and domestic pressures. "Externally, it's trying not to break the platform of dialogue," he said, adding that Kim must also shield "himself from criticism from the North Korean people who feel insecure over national security concerns."Esper said he would also press allies Japan and South Korea to keep their escalating trade feud from affecting cooperation. Seoul has warned that the dispute, rooted in disagreements over Japan's 1910-45 colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula, could cause it to reconsider an intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo."My message to -- in both Seoul and Tokyo -- will likely be, look, we have really big challenges in the near term, threats, challenges if you will in North Korea in the longer term, bigger one of China, we should focus on those two things," said Esper, who will also visit South Korea. "So, I'd ask them to both resolve this issue quickly, and let's really focus on North Korea and China."That may prove easier said than done. Japan followed through with a plan to remove South Korea from a list of trusted export destinations Friday, despite a personal appeal for restraint by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.To contact the reporters on this story: Jihye Lee in Seoul at jlee2352@bloomberg.net;Isabel Reynolds in Tokyo at ireynolds1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Jon HerskovitzFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Tourist plummets to death near Yosemite waterfall after slipping off rock Posted: 06 Aug 2019 09:30 AM PDT  A 21-year-old Romanian tourist fell to his death near a waterfall at YosemiteNational Park after he slipped off a rock, KCRA reports
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| Taliban suicide blast in Kabul kills 14 people, 145 wounded Posted: 07 Aug 2019 05:56 AM PDT  A Taliban car bomb aimed at Afghan security forces ripped through a busy Kabul neighborhood on Wednesday, killing 14 people and wounding 145 — most of them women, children and other civilians — shortly after the extremist group and the United States reported progress on negotiating an end to Afghanistan's nearly 18-year war. The bombing during morning rush hour was one of the worst attacks in Kabul this year, and it again raised fears among Afghans about what will happen once the estimated 20,000 U.S. and NATO troops in their country go home. The explosives-packed car detonated at a security checkpoint outside police headquarters in a minority Shiite neighborhood in western Kabul, police spokesman Firdaus Faramarz said.
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| How a Green Beret’s Hazing Led to Murder Charges for Elite Troops Posted: 06 Aug 2019 10:30 AM PDT  Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyNORFOLK, Virginia—The killing started out as a joke.None of the Navy SEALs or Marine Raiders based in Mali in 2017 took seriously the idea of getting a prostitute or even the suggestion that one of the local guards sexually assault their Army Special Forces teammate as payback for ditching them. At least not until all four were all lined up outside Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar's door with two rolls of duct tape and a sledge hammer.At that point, "Operation Toss Salad"—as they called it—was a go.Now, two years later, Marine Raider Gunnery Sgt. Mario Madera-Rodriguez, 34, and Navy Special Operations Chief Tony DeDolph, 40, face charges including murder in the strangulation death of Melgar, a Green Beret. Both appeared Monday at a hearing at Naval Station Norfolk to determine if they will face a court martial. The hearing comes in the wake of several high-profile incidents that have exposed issues in the SEAL culture. A SEAL platoon from SEAL Team 7 was sent home from Iraq after allegations of drinking and sexual assault last month. Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher, a former member of SEAL Team 7, faced a court martial for war crimes charges including murder, but was only convicted of posing for a picture with a dead body. Last year, six SEALs tested positive for cocaine.Rear Adm. Collin Green, head of Naval Special Warfare Command, sent a memo to his command last month declaring the whole SEAL community has a problem."Some of our subordinate formations have failed to maintain good order and discipline and as a result and for good reason, our NSW culture is being questioned," Green wrote in the July 25 memo. "I don't know yet if we have a culture problem, I do know that we have a good order and discipline problem that must be addressed immediately."Monday's hearing exposed some of the issues facing not only SEAL culture, but special operations in general. There was widespread alcohol use, partying, and prostitutes, according to sources familiar with the investigation."It was like a frat house," one source said, when asked to describe what the safe house in Bamako was like.But one of the more damning admissions during the hearing was when former Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Matthews, who was only in Mali for a few days on temporary duty, said he felt it was his duty to haze Melgar—on DeDolph's recommendation—to teach him a lesson about ditching his teammates.Melgar, assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group, was nearing the end of his deployment when he was killed in the West African nation of Mali in June 2017. He was part of an intelligence operation in Mali supporting counterterrorism efforts against al Qaeda's local affiliate, known as al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.Former Staff Sgt. Kevin Maxwell, a Marine Raider, and Matthews, testified during Monday's hearing. Both have already pleaded guilty in exchange for plea agreements with prosecutors. Matthews, 33, pleaded guilty to hazing and assault charges and attempts to cover up what happened to Logan. He was sentenced in May to one year in military prison. Maxwell, 29, was sentenced to four years of confinement after pleading guilty in connection with Logan's death in June. Both men Monday offered detailed retellings of what happened in the Bamako safe house the night Melgar died. Slain Green Beret's Widow Speaks: 'I Knew They Were Lying'Maxwell testified when Melgar ditched the team in Mali's capital city of Bamako on his way to a party at the French embassy, they hatched a plan to haze him. For the rest of the night, the SEALs and Marines—including one who didn't take part in the attack—seethed about the perceived slight. They concocted wild scenarios, including hiring a prostitute to assault Melgar to get back at him. But after a long night of drinking and partying, they settled on using one of the local guards hired to protect the safe house instead. Nicknamed "Big Man," they stripped him to his waist and put a leash on him. He was told to lie next to Melgar so they could shoot video and pictures to embarrass him.After picking up a sledge hammer and duct tape at the Marine's safe house, Maxwell, Matthews, DeDolph, and Madera-Rodriguez went to the house shared by Melgar and the SEALs. Matthews told DeDolph to speak with Sergeant First Class James Morris, Melgar's supervisor, about the plan to haze Melgar."Yeah, do what you got to do," Morris said, and went back to bed.Madera-Rodriguez was at the head of the stack with a sledge hammer as the men lined up outside of Melgar's door. The four men counted down from three and then he smashed the lock and Maxwell switched on the light as a startled Melgar got to his feet."Oh, it's you guys," Matthews recalled Melgar saying as they rushed in. "Come on fuckers."DeDolph and Matthews grappled with Melgar. While DeDolph applied a choke hold on Melgar from behind, Matthews pulled out his legs forcing both men to fall on the bed. Matthews and Maxwell then duct taped Melgar's arms and legs. Mathews said Monday when he went to secure Melgar's hands, he realized Melgar was unresponsive."The overall intent wasn't to hurt him," Matthews said.Matthews ordered DeDolph off of Melgar, whose face was pressed into the mattress of his bed, and they tried to resuscitate Melgar with CPR and opened a hole in his throat. Prosecutors charged DeDolph, a medic, with obstructing justice alleging he performed the technique to cover up Melgar's injuries. When they couldn't revive him, the SEALs took Melgar to a French medical facility, where he was pronounced dead. At the clinic, DeDolph reportedly admitted to an embassy official he choked Melgar.Phil Stackhouse, DeDolph's civilian attorney, and Colby Vokey, Madera-Rodriguez's civilian attorney, tried to discredit Matthews by pointing out how his first statement to prosecutors was light on details. His subsequent statement, given after being warned he'd lose his plea deal, was more detailed. Logan Melgar's wife, Michelle, sat in the front row of the courtroom behind Madera-Rodriguez clutching her husband's green beret in her hands. She told The Daily Beast last month she agreed to Matthews' and Maxwell's plea deals in exchange for the truth."I was just thankful that somebody had come forward to talk and tell the truth about what happened, which meant nobody was getting away with his murder, or with his death," she said in an exclusive interview.Stackhouse and Vokey also attacked the investigation, questioning the validity of information obtained by Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent Ethan Pickett. Pickett was assigned to investigate Melgar's 2017 death in Mali. While there, Pickett met Collette Roberts—who worked in the embassy's regional affairs office—and engaged in a romantic relationship. When Pickett's misconduct came to light, NCIS pulled him from the investigation."He has created taint in the evidence that is inexcusable to us," Stackhouse said.Both Vokey and Stackhouse admitted during their separate closing statements that all four men were guilty of some misconduct like hazing and obstruction of justice, but not murder and burglary.Monday's hearing, called an Article 32, is like a civilian preliminary hearing mixed with a grand jury. Capt. Warren Record, the preliminary hearing officer, will now make a recommendation to Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Commanding Officer Rear Adm. Charles Rock. The admiral will ultimately determine if DeDolph and Madera-Rodriguez will face a court martial."Clearly what happened is a horrible, tragic accident," Stackhouse said. "Based on all the facts in this case, nobody went into that room to kill Staff Sgt. Melgar."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. 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