| Protesters tear through D.C. after National Guard troops and Secret Service keep them from the White House Posted: 31 May 2020 05:50 AM PDT  Downtown Washington, D.C., was filled with flames and broken glass in the early hours of Sunday morning as large groups of protesters moved through the city for the second straight night.
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| 2 Atlanta police officers were fired and 3 were placed on desk duty for their use of force in arresting 2 college students during a Saturday night protest Posted: 31 May 2020 07:56 PM PDT  Mark Gardner and Ivory Streeter, who were both members of the department's fugitive unit, were terminated from the Atlanta Police Department.
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| George Floyd: Anonymous hackers re-emerge amid US unrest Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:27 AM PDT  As the US is engulfed in civil unrest, the masked hackers are being credited with new action.
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| Iran says it is ready to continue fuel shipments to Venezuela Posted: 31 May 2020 11:52 PM PDT  Iran will continue fuel shipments to Venezuela if Caracas requests more supplies, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, despite Washington's criticism of the trade between the two nations, which are both under U.S. sanctions. "Iran practises its free trade rights with Venezuela and we are ready to send more ships if Caracas demands more supplies from Iran," Abbas Mousavi told a weekly news conference broadcast live on state TV.
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| Supreme Court upholds Puerto Rico's financial oversight board Posted: 01 Jun 2020 08:00 AM PDT  The decision comes in response to a legal challenge by hedge funds who questioned the composition of the board's members.
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| Hong Kong blocks Tiananmen vigil; rush on for UK passports Posted: 01 Jun 2020 04:42 AM PDT  It would be the first time in 30 years that the vigil, which draws a huge crowd to an outdoor space, is not held in Hong Kong. The vigil commemorates China's deadly military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. The decision follows a vote by China's ceremonial parliament to bypass Hong Kong's legislature and enact national security legislation for the semi-autonomous territory.
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| Cuomo: "Don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" in virus fight Posted: 01 Jun 2020 11:00 AM PDT  Cuomo warned New Yorkers gathering in ongoing protests that "we don't know the consequences of the COVID virus in mass gatherings."
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| ‘Unhinged’ Trump Demands Mass Arrests, Flag-Burning Laws Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:57 AM PDT  President Trump lashed out at state governors Monday, saying that those who did not mass arrest protesters "for long periods of time" would end up looking like "a bunch of jerks." "You have to dominate. If you don't dominate—you're wasting your time," Trump said on a private conference call with governors and national security officials. "They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks."The president, who is hunkered down in the White House, added during the call that local officials have to put protestors and looters in prison "for long periods of time" in order to assert control amid nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd. Curfews and Soldiers Can't Contain the Nation's Chaos"It's a movement, if you don't put it down it will get worse and worse," Trump said. "The only time it's successful is when you're weak and most of you are weak." A source on the call, who shared it with The Daily Beast, called Trump's talk "unhinged" noting that it often veered off in various directions. At one point, the source said, the president brought up flag burning and encouraged states to pass laws banning it. "Flag burning is a disgrace... We have a different court. And i think that It's time to review that again," he said. "They wanted to climb up flag polls in Washington in order to burn flags, but we stopped them... If you wanted to try and pass a very powerful flag burning statute, anti-flag burning, I hope you do it because we will back you 100 percent, all the way. I hope some of you do it."At another, he blurred legal lines when discussing the needs for prosecution. "When someone is throwing a rock, that's like shooting a gun. What's the difference?" Trump said. "You have to do retribution in my opinion."Some of the call was constructive. The president expressed support for governors who had not seen violence in their states, signaling out Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.), saying he had done a "very good job" in responding to the protests. Trump has previously praised Murphy publicly for his efforts containing the coronavirus.The call came days after the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged Derek Chauvin, who held his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes during a violent May 25 arrest, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Chauvin—along with Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and Alexander Kueng—were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department on May 26, one day after an explosive footage incident spurred a national outcry and demands for a federal investigation.Over the last six days, residents in over 40 cities took to the streets have engaged in chaotic and destruction protests, where demonstrators were seen burning police cars, looting, and clashing with authorities in the fight against police brutality. The national guard was deployed in almost half the states in the nation, plus Washington, D.C., after officials found local cops were insufficient to contain the outrage alone.Emphasizing his belief that the "radical left" is the cause of the riots and violence across the country, Trump warned that the law enforcement presence in Washington D.C. is set to infestify on Monday. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bower said Monday she is instituting a city-wide 7 p.m. curfew until Wednesday."Washington was under good control, but we're going to have it under much more control," the president said. "We're going to pull in thousands." Later he added: "We're going to clamp down very, very strong."At one point in the call, Trump focused his critiques on Minneapolis, stating that "the whole world is laughing" at the city where the "police state is getting burned." On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tom Walz announced he will extended the curfew in the city and St. Paul until Wednesday, after the state's Department of Public Safety announced nearly 500 protesters were arrested over the weekend. Praising the National Guard, who stepped in to help local Minnesota law enforcement over the weekend and flung teargas, flash bangs, and rubber bullets to protesters and journalists alike who broke curfew, Trump said "they went in and dominated.""Those guys walked through that stuff like it was butter," Trump said. "The big numbers knock them out so fast it was like bowling pins." About halfway through the call, Gov. Janet Mills of Maine, a Democrat, told President Trump that she was concerned about his possible trip to the state later in the week."Mr. President I am very concerned quite frankly that … we understand you might be coming to the state of Maine later this week. I am very concerned that your presence may cause security problems for our state," she said. Trump said he would look into the issue. "We have a tremendous crowd of people showing up as you know," the president said. "And I think most of them are very favorable. They like their president."During the call, Trump urged governors to use their "greatest resource"—the National Guard—to help local law enforcement quell the ongoing violence. "You have every one of these guys on tape," Trump said. "Why aren't you prosecuting them? Now, the harder you are, the tougher you are, the less likely you're going to be hit."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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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| The coronavirus is disappearing in Italy, according to Italian doctors Posted: 01 Jun 2020 05:08 AM PDT  Italian doctors said the coronavirus was not as potent now as it was at the beginning of the pandemic.
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| Israeli forces shot and killed an autistic Palestinian man in Jerusalem as he walked to special needs school Posted: 31 May 2020 09:57 AM PDT  Israeli forces shot and killed an unarmed autistic Palestinian man on his way to a special needs school in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, prompting comparisons to the police violence in the US and accusations of excessive force by Israeli forces. In a statement, Israeli police said they spotted a suspect "with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol" and opened fire on 32-year-old Iyad Halak, when he failed to stop. No weapon was found on him. Israel's Channel 12 news station said members of the paramilitary border forces fired at Mr Halak's legs and chased him into an alley. A senior officer was said to have called for a halt to fire as they entered the alley, but a second officer ignored the command and fired six or seven bullets from an M-16 rifle. Mr Halak's father told AP that police later came and raided their home, but didn't find anything. The shooting has caused widespread outcry on social media with many comparisons to the racially charged death of George Floyd in the US last week. Benny Gantz, Israel's 'alternate' prime minister and defence minister apologised for the death of Mr Halak in a cabinet meeting on Sunday morning. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, made no mention of the incident in his opening remarks. Both officers were taken into custody and interrogated for several hours and an investigation has been opened. "We must resist the expected cover-up and make sure that the police will sit in jail," Ayman Odeh, the leader of the main Arab party in parliament, wrote on Twitter. "Justice will be done only when the Halak family, their friends and the rest of the Palestinian people know freedom and independence." Mr Halak had been on his way to the school for students with special needs when he was shot and killed, a trip that he made every day. According to the Times of Israel, his father told public broadcaster, Kan, that he suspected Mr Halak had been carrying his phone when he was spotted by the police. "We tell him every morning to keep his phone in his hand so we can be in contact with him and make sure he has safely arrived at the educational institution," his father reportedly said. In west Jerusalem, about 150 protesters, some pounding drums, gathered to demonstrate against police violence on Saturday. "A violent policeman must stay inside," they chanted in Hebrew. At a smaller protest in Tel Aviv, one poster read "Palestinian lives matter."
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| Police across the country draw outrage for excessive force against protesters and media Posted: 30 May 2020 10:29 PM PDT  Videos circulated online showing instances of police officers using excessive force, both against demonstrators and members of the media.
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| Protesters in some cities target Confederate monuments Posted: 31 May 2020 04:06 AM PDT  Monuments in Virginia, the Carolinas and Mississippi were targeted.
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| Reuters camera crew hit by rubber bullets as more journalists attacked at U.S. protests Posted: 30 May 2020 11:17 PM PDT  Two members of a Reuters TV crew were hit by rubber bullets and a photographer's camera was smashed in Minneapolis on Saturday night as attacks against journalists covering civil unrest in U.S. cities intensified. Footage taken by cameraman Julio-Cesar Chavez showed a police officer aiming directly at him as police fired rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse about 500 protesters in the southwest of the city shortly after the 8 p.m. curfew. "A police officer that I'm filming turns around points his rubber-bullet rifle straight at me," said Chavez.
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| Most voters plan to cast early ballots in presidential race Posted: 01 Jun 2020 02:00 AM PDT  A new survey by TargetSmart + Dynata found more Democrats and independents would take care of business before Election Day than Republicans.
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| Gingrich on George Floyd unrest: This is a war against American civilization Posted: 01 Jun 2020 05:02 AM PDT  Former House speaker and Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich says the anger over George Floyd's killing is justified but the violence is not.
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| Tiananmen: Police ban Hong Kong vigil for victims of 1989 crackdown Posted: 01 Jun 2020 04:28 AM PDT  Authorities say the decision was taken due to public health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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| Minnesota Guard Carrying Guns and Ammo in Response to 'Credible Threat,' General Says Posted: 01 Jun 2020 06:11 AM PDT  The FBI is reporting the threat, the Minnesota Guard adjutant general said.
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| Coronavirus began spreading in the US in January — predating President Trump's travel restrictions and the detection of community transmission, CDC says Posted: 30 May 2020 11:55 AM PDT  CDC Director Robert Redfield said that the virus first circulated at low levels in the US so diagnostic tests would've missed it.
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| Israeli police probe false claims in case against PM's wife Posted: 31 May 2020 11:59 AM PDT  Israeli police on Sunday said they were investigating whether two employees at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence gave false testimony in a civil case against his wife, Sara Netanyahu — reportedly in order to help her fend off accusations of mistreating a housekeeper. Sara Netanyahu faces a civil lawsuit from former employee Shira Raban, who claims the premier's wife mistreated her during a brief stint working at the residence. Israeli police confirmed an investigation "is being conducted with the approval of the Attorney General and the supervision of the State Attorney's Office."
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| Joe Biden issues emotional plea calling for an end to riots: ‘We are a nation enraged’ Posted: 31 May 2020 01:42 PM PDT  The former vice president, Joe Biden, has called for an end to the violent riots and looting, which were sparked by major demonstrations throughout the United States over the death of George Floyd, in an emotional new statement.The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee posted a lengthy message to his Medium page during the weekend titled "We are a nation furious at injustice".
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| UK taxpayers may be funding research for China’s defence project Posted: 31 May 2020 04:05 PM PDT  Experts fear British taxpayers could inadvertently be contributing to funding the Chinese defence programme, after millions of pounds of public funds were poured into technology research undertaken in collaboration with controversial Chinese universities known for their military links. The UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council distributed more than £6.5 million to British universities including Manchester for technology studies that were undertaken with these controversial Chinese institutions, according to disclosures on academic papers. While the research programmes focused on technologies that could be used for civilian purposes, experts have warned that they also have the potential to be used for military applications, prompting fears that taxpayer-funded research by British universities could be exploited by Beijing. In two cases, researchers even stated on their grant application forms that the technologies they were looking at could have "both civilian and military applications" or be used for "military controlling". The disclosure comes days after The Telegraph revealed that Huawei has also backed a string of research projects linking British universities with Chinese defence institutions, which focused on these so-called "dual use" technologies. Huawei denies any wrongdoing. Experts have now warned that the studies funded by the EPSRC may be part of a worrying pattern of partnerships between British universities and Chinese universities that are known for their strong military ties – and that they could be used to fuel both China's controversial surveillance regime and its declared ambition to become the world's most powerful military force by 2049. On Sunday night, Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith said the collaborations were "tantamount to transfer of technologies to the Chinese government" and accused the EPSRC and British universities of "living in a naïve world". "You cannot say that there is any [Chinese] institution that is safe from the reach of that government… If they take technology as part of a market position, they can use it for other things." His warning comes as Beijing faces growing international hostility over its handling of the coronavirus crisis and attempts to crush dissent in Hong Kong. The EPSRC defended the payments. Executive chairwoman Professor Dame Lynn Gladden said: "These grants were fully consistent with government policy. All UK funding was directed to fund research by UK universities." A spokesman added that it allocates funding to research projects rather than individual papers "through the lens of the quality of academic research", and that it is for individual universities to decide who they work with as long as there is no legal breach and the other universities cover their own costs. A Telegraph investigation identified seven papers that were undertaken by British institutions in partnership with Chinese universities, as part of research programmes that accessed EPSRC grants totalling £6,637,875. The funding body is one of nine organisations that make up UK Research and Innovation, which states on its website that it is "principally funded" by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Two of the papers were co-authored by researchers at China's so-called "Seven Sons of National Defence", universities tasked with developing China's defence programme, and six were undertaken with the in-house academy for the People's Liberation Army. Of the money dished out by the EPSRC, £305,891 went to the University of Manchester for research it undertook with Beihang University – an institution sanctioned by America for its work on rockets and drones. The grant application to EPSRC boasted that it would could be used for "environmental monitoring or military controlling". A spokesman for the University of Manchester said: "We carry out due diligence on all research collaborations and we have clear ethical and intellectual property polices and guidelines which all our researchers, overseas and domestic, must adhere to as part of their professional contracts." Six of the papers were also funded by Huawei, and the remaining one was worked on by its researchers. The company has insisted that they all focused on "common areas of research for telecoms equipment suppliers", and that it has strict rules to ensure the research it backs is not used for military purposes. "We do not conduct military research either directly, or indirectly, nor do we work on military or intelligence projects for the Chinese government or any other government," a spokesman said.
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| Truck seen driving into protesters in Minneapolis Posted: 31 May 2020 10:03 PM PDT  Officials said they have had no reports of injuries. The truck driver was pulled from the cab and has been arrested.
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| Iran's new parliament speaker says talks with US 'futile' Posted: 31 May 2020 12:08 AM PDT  Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said any negotiations with the United States would be "futile" as he delivered his first major speech to the conservative-dominated chamber on Sunday. Ghalibaf, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards' air force, was elected speaker on Thursday after February elections that swung the balance in the legislature towards ultra-conservatives. The newly formed parliament "considers negotiations with and appeasement of America, as the axis of global arrogance, to be futile and harmful," said Ghalibaf.
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| Hong Kong's Tiananmen commemoration banned by police for first time in three decades Posted: 01 Jun 2020 05:54 AM PDT  Hong Kong police on Monday banned an upcoming vigil marking the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary citing the coronavirus pandemic, the first time the gathering has been halted in three decades. The candlelight June 4 vigil usually attracts huge crowds and is the only place on Chinese soil where such a major commemoration of the anniversary is still allowed. Last year's gathering was especially large and came just a week before seven months of pro-democracy protests and clashes exploded onto the city's streets, sparked initially by a plan to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland. But police rejected permission for this year's rally saying it would "constitute a major threat to the life and health of the general public", according to a letter of objection to organisers obtained by AFP. Hong Kong has managed to keep the virus mostly in check, with just over 1,000 infections and four deaths. Bars, restaurants, gyms and cinemas have largely reopened in recent weeks. In the last two days five local infections were reported, breaking nearly two weeks of zero tallies. Organisers accused police of using the virus as an excuse to ban the rally. "I don't see why the government finds political rallies unacceptable while it gave green lights to resumption of schools and other services ranging from catering, karaoke to swimming pools," said Lee Cheuk-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance which has organised every vigil since 1990.
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| Coronavirus: South Africans cheer as alcohol goes back on sale Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:22 AM PDT  People were banned from buying it as part of efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus.
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| BAE successfully tests ground-launched APKWS rockets for first time Posted: 01 Jun 2020 07:00 AM PDT  A ground-to-ground test of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System was successfully conducted at Yuma Proving Ground.
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| Trump tweets do little to calm a nation on edge, as more violent protests rock cities Posted: 30 May 2020 09:02 PM PDT  President Trump's tweets over the past week have continued to raise questions about his leadership.
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| Tear gas, fires outside White House Posted: 31 May 2020 11:16 PM PDT 
Video obtained by Reuters showed clouds of tear gas being deployed just outside the White House as protesters gathered ahead of a curfew in the city, which was set to begin at 11pm local time (0300 GMT). "Most (of the protesters) dispersed as the police started using flashbangs and pushed protesters back due to several buildings on fire," said Kyle McFadden, who was at the scene close to Lafayette Park. The police deployed tear gas several times during the protests, according to McFadden. Widespread protests have occurred across major U.S. cities over the death of Floyd, which has sparked outrage that has swept a politically and racially divided nation.
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| One dead in Louisville after police and National Guard 'return fire' on crowd Posted: 01 Jun 2020 06:28 AM PDT  Louisville authorities did not specify who fired the fatal shot, and authorities have not released information about the victim
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| Egyptians largely follow law on wearing masks, some worry about cost Posted: 01 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT  Most Egyptians appear to be following a new law that says they must wear face masks in public, the latest move by the authorities to slow the spread of the coronavirus as reported cases rise. The law, which came into effect on Saturday, adds to measures including closing airports to international travel, shutting restaurants and suspending school classes. Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, has registered nearly 25,000 cases of the coronavirus and reported 959 deaths.
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| Supreme Court upholds composition of Puerto Rico oversight panel Posted: 01 Jun 2020 08:41 AM PDT  The decision was unanimous.
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| Factbox: China's numerous diplomatic disputes Posted: 01 Jun 2020 02:43 AM PDT  China is engaged in diplomatic disputes on numerous fronts, from acrimony with the United States to a backlash over its clampdown on Hong Kong, a border dispute with India and criticism over its handling of the novel coronavirus. From disputes over trade and technology, to U.S. criticism over the coronavirus outbreak and China's accusation of U.S. backing for protests in Hong Kong, ties between the world's two biggest economies are at their lowest point in decades.
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| Advice changes for shielding people 'not rushed', claims Matt Hancock Posted: 31 May 2020 10:42 PM PDT  Coronavirus latest news: Matt Hancock reveals lowest daily death toll since lockdown began Police cannot go into homes to check if lockdown rules are being breached Nicola Sturgeon threatens legal travel limit after thousands of Scots flout new lockdown rules UK to demand British judges have right to reject EU extradition requests in next round of Brexit talks Half a million children stuck at home as councils defy ministers Subscribe to The Telegraph, free for one month Advice for people who have spent the last 10 weeks shielding was not "rushed through", Matt Hancock has said today, fending off criticism from anxious patients. During the daily briefing the Health Secretary was twice asked about the changes, which were announced at the weekend and came into being today - including from a member of the public. Under the new guidelines, people shielding are now allowed to venture outdoors once per day, either with members of their household or one person from another household - as long as social distancing and strict hygiene is maintained. But responding to reports of GPs being inundated by calls from patients worried about the speed of changes, Hancock said: "It hasn't been rushed through, far from it. "We've worked for some time to make sure that any changes that we make and these are small, cautious changes, can benefit people in a safe way. "We announced it at the weekend and I think that being able to make changes like this is important for people. It's important for - especially for those who are shielded." He added: "Absolutely once we made the decision, including and in collaboration with all of the Government bodies, we then communicated that decision and this was the right time to be able to change that advice." Mr Hancock used the briefing to urge people who have symptoms to get tested, as he championed the initial success of the Government's Test & Trace programme, with people showing a "willingness" to isolate when asked. But neither he nor the testing tzar John Newton were able to confirm how many people have been asked so far. The Cabinet minister confirmed that 111 people have died with coronavirus in the last 24 hours - the lowest number since lockdown began on March 23.
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| Philippine police arrest 90 Chinese for illegal gambling Posted: 31 May 2020 12:41 AM PDT  Philippine police have arrested 90 Chinese for allegedly running an online gambling hub without permits and for violating quarantine restrictions, officials said Sunday.
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| White supremacists attending George Floyd protests, Minnesota officials believe Posted: 01 Jun 2020 12:13 AM PDT  Officials in Minnesota believe that white supremacist "agitators" were inciting chaos at protests against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd.The Minnesota state corrections department said on Sunday that white supremacists were thought to be attending demonstrations in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and making chaos.
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| ‘It could have a chilling effect’: why Trump is ramping up attacks on mail-in voting Posted: 01 Jun 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Trump is sowing doubt about mail-in voting at a time when it may be the safest way for people to cast their ballotsDonald Trump is escalating baseless attacks on mail-in voting in what appears to be an obvious effort to sow doubt about the fairness of the 2020 election.The president has long made false accusations about voter fraud, claiming without evidence that 3-5 million Americans voted illegally in the 2016 election. But his barrage against mail-in voting is particularly alarming ahead of an election during the Covid-19 pandemic, where there is likely to be severely limited in-person voting and many Americans will probably vote by mail for the first time. Advocates worry voters who don't want to risk their health and vote in person could also be swayed by Trump's rhetoric, not feel comfortable voting by mail, and simply choose not to vote at all.Trump's menacing rhetoric could discourage some people, particularly minority groups, from casting mail-in votes, said Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which advocates on behalf of Hispanic Americans."It could have a chilling effect and I think that's the intent," he said. "President Trump is using his bully platform to try to discourage people from voting and to try to stop people from voting by mail."Trump's tweets on mail-in voting in recent weeks have been a mix of unsubstantiated claims and outright falsehoods. Trump absurdly suggested on Thursday that children could steal ballots out of people's mailboxes and distribute them to voters. Attacking a plan to mail-ballots to registered voters in California earlier this week, he also lied, saying the state was sending ballots to "anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there". He also said mailboxes would be robbed and that voting by mail would lead to fraudulently printed and signed ballots (California allows voters to track their ballot and verifies the voter's identity using their signature). > MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE. IT WILL ALSO LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE CAN NEVER LET THIS TRAGEDY BEFALL OUR NATION. BIG MAIL-IN VICTORY IN TEXAS COURT TODAY. CONGRATS!!!> > — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020Last week, Trump falsely accused Michigan of planning to send absentee ballots to registered voters; the state is actually sending mail-in ballot applications to voters, a measure Republicans elsewhere have endorsed. Meanwhile, voter fraud, including fraud in mail-in voting, remains extremely rare.Trump has openly talked about the political upside of having fewer people vote. In a March interview, he dismissed Democratic efforts in Congress to make it easier to vote by mail during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying: "If you'd ever agreed to it, you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again."> President Trump is using his bully platform to try to discourage people from voting and to try to stop people from voting by mail> > Domingo GarciaMany people are used to brushing off Trump's rhetoric about voter fraud, said Cliff Albright, a co-founder of the Black Voters Matter. But Albright said Trump's comments were worrisome in a larger context of aggressive Republican efforts to police voting.In Georgia, Albright noted, Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state, has encouraged absentee voting but also created an "absentee ballot fraud taskforce" stacked with prosecutors to monitor mail-in voting. In Texas, which severely restricts absentee voting, Ken Paxton, the attorney general, warned of possible "criminal sanctions" for anyone who advised a voter they could use Covid-19 as the basis for requesting a mail-in ballot."That one-two punch is what makes it very intimidating," Albright said. "It does influence people and does intimidate people and makes some folks feel like this is not something they want to engage in."The Republican National Committee is also seeking to recruit up to 50,000 volunteers to monitor voting this fall, the first time in nearly three decades when they won't be under a federal court order barring them from engaging in poll-watching activity. There is growing alarm that Trump's rhetoric will lay the groundwork to contest the results of the presidential election once the ballots are counted. Unlike past elections, America is unlikely to know the winner of the presidential race on election night as officials count ballots coming in (some states allow ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked by election day).The candidate who appears to be ahead on election day may ultimately end up losing as more ballots are counted. And a candidate could use the gap in getting official results to claim widespread fraud, said Nathaniel Persily, a law professor at Stanford University who closely studies elections. "That's where the disinformation and the polarizing rhetoric and questioning of the legitimacy of elections could come in. You say there's something fishy with the mail ballots if they are not reflective of the percentage that has not been revealed up to that point." Republicans offered a preview of this in 2018, when they suggested there was something amiss as Democrats in California congressional races picked up votes as the state continued to count mail-in ballots after election day. In Florida, Trump and Rick Scott, then the state's governor, baselessly accused election officials of fraud as they counted ballots in a US Senate race Scott was running in. To shore up confidence in the results of the election, a consortium of experts recommended last month that states and media organizations make it clear they expect a delay in reporting official results well ahead of election night.Accepting the legitimate transfer of power is crucial to the foundation of American democracy. If there isn't a belief the election is fair, that pillar is gone, Garcia said."I'm concerned that we could have a constitutional crisis if we have the same president saying that the election was somehow tainted because people voted by mail," Garcia said. "That could lead to a possible huge crisis in America's democracy."
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| This high-tech Embraer private jet design seamlessly blends sustainability and technology. Take a look at Praeterra. Posted: 31 May 2020 05:26 AM PDT  The design is featured on the Praetor 600, the newest super-midsize private jet from Embraer that boasts a range of over 4,000 nautical miles.
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| Family of Grand Princess passenger who died of coronavirus files suit against Carnival Posted: 31 May 2020 12:39 PM PDT  The family of a California cruise ship passenger who died of coronavirus has sued Princess Cruises and its parent company Carnival in federal court.
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| In Sudan, traced Bashir regime assets 'tip of iceberg' Posted: 31 May 2020 08:59 AM PDT  Sudanese authorities have begun to recover billions of dollars of real estate illegally amassed by deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir's regime, but other assets will be difficult to seize, experts say. "Initial estimates indicate that the real estate and properties owned by the former regime... range (in value) from $3.5 to $4 billion," said Salah Manaa, a spokesman for a committee tasked with fighting corruption and dismantling the old regime. "This is only the tip of the iceberg", in terms of the total assets illicitly accumulated and hidden under Bashir's rule, Manaa told AFP.
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| As Australia clashes with China, the European Union lays low Posted: 31 May 2020 07:52 AM PDT  A trade war with Beijing is no fun for anyone, but it's especially problematic for Canberra.
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| Malta to reopen its airport on July 1 Posted: 31 May 2020 03:33 AM PDT  Malta will reopen its airport to passenger flights on July 1, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Sunday, as the Mediterranean island rolls back restrictions introduced in March to halt COVID-19 infections. Tourism accounts for almost a quarter of Malta's economy and hoteliers have been pressing the government to reopen the airport or risk mass unemployment. The southern Mediterranean island has recorded some 600 coronavirus cases and nine deaths, having carried out an intensive testing and contact tracing program.
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| New York mayor Bill de Blasio defends daughter after protest arrest Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:42 AM PDT  Chiara de Blasio would never "ever commit any violence" and insisted she followed police instructions, her father said.
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| Omaha Bar Owner Held in Shooting of Black Protester Has History of Gun Arrests Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:45 AM PDT  The Omaha bar owner suspected of killing a black protester this weekend has been arrested several times in the past, including for gun offenses, public records show.Jake Gardner, 38, was reportedly in custody but had not been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of James Scurlock, 22, in a confrontation outside his nightspots, The Hive and The Gatsby.The Saturday night shooting took place as the Nebraska city was engulfed in chaos amid nationwide demonstrations against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.An ex-Marine and self-described Libertarian, Gardner has been arrested on criminal charges at least four times, the state's public records portal shows.Black Protester Shot to Death Outside Omaha BarIn 2013, police picked him up on assault and battery charges, and also hit him with a count of failing to tell an officer he had a concealed handgun. The gun charge was dismissed in a plea deal that saw him pay $200 in fines.In 2011, after being nabbed for alleged reckless driving, he was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon, which was downgraded to disturbing the peace in a plea deal that resulted in a $200 fine.Gardner's record also includes two arrests from 1998 and 1999, one for reckless driving and one for third-degree assault, and a number of traffic offenses.Court records that would provide details of each arrest were not available. Gardner's family has declined to comment, and refused to provide The Daily Beast with the name of his attorney.He was taken into custody shortly after the 11 p.m. shooting but not booked. Omaha police said the county attorney would make the decision on whether to charge him based on evidence that included video of the incident.By Monday, Scurlock's death had started to draw national attention with Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts tweeting a Daily Beast story about it, and actress Gabrielle Union tweeting: "Again and again and again and again. It never ends. Last night in my hometown of Omaha Nebraska JamesScurlock BlackLivesMatter."Scurlock's family demanded charges, while also appealing for calm."Last night I lost a son, my wife lost a son, my kids lost a brother. His daughter lost a father. All because he decided to protest against racism," Scurlock's father, who is also named James, said."There's a lot of speculation and rumors about how this happened. I don't really care to be honest. My family wants closure and peace... What we want is for this to go to court and get a full prosecution. We want this to go with justice and go peacefully."Scurlock also had a criminal record—which would almost certainly not have been known to whoever shot him. It included a one-day jail sentence for misdemeanor assault in 2019 and 90-day sentence for misdemeanor domestic assault in in February. A 2014 armed robbery charge was downgraded to burglary, public records show.But even before Scurlock's shooting, Gardner and his bars had been a source of controversy in Omaha.In 2016, he caused a furor when he wrote on Facebook that transgender women should have had their "appendage" removed if they want to use female bathrooms."I'm asking transgender folk to use the unisex... bathroom," he told the World-Herald at the time. "I don't think it's a big ask."The Hive had been the target of several complaints on social media that it discriminated against black patrons, with one person tweeting that Gardner personally refused entry to her black husband while letting her white brother go in.Last year, the State Liquor Authority issued a warning to Gardner for failing to cooperate with police who were investigating a possible assault on site. He was up front about his political and philosophical views. In 2017, while in Washington to attend President Trump's inauguration, he was interviewed about the Women's March then underway."Everyone has a right to speak their mind," he said, wearing a Trump sweatshirt, with his dog Bron in a MAGA vest. "Everyone loves the dog until they see the vest," he said of the marchers. He posted a photo in 2017 of himself and Bron posing with Donald Trump Jr. with the caption: "Here's a guy who returns my emails 100 percent of the time, every time. FAKENEWS BRONANDDON."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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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| Semi-truck appears to try to drive through protesters on Minneapolis interstate Posted: 31 May 2020 04:59 PM PDT  As thousands of people were on the bridge of Minneapolis Interstate 35W protesting the death of George Floyd, a large tanker truck driving at a high speed appears to try hitting protesters. CBSN Minnesota reports.
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| Fox News reporter attacked, chased from demonstration Posted: 30 May 2020 12:54 PM PDT  A Fox News reporter was pummeled and chased by protesters who had gathered outside the White House early Saturday as part of nationwide unrest following the death of George Floyd. For several journalists across the country, the demonstrations were taking an ominous, dangerous turn. A television reporter in Columbia, S.C., was hurt by a thrown rock Saturday and a journalist in Minneapolis was shot in the thigh by a rubber bullet.
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