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Trump faced issues with Asian Americans even before virus
Sonny Vinuya hasn’t decided if he’ll vote again for Donald Trump in the battleground state of Nevada. The Filipino American businessman in Las Vegas is personally offended by the president's use of a racist slur at recent re-election rallies, where he mocked China and the COVID-19 pandemic’s origins in Asia. The Pew Research Center recently declared Asian Americans to be the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the U.S. electorate, but they are also arguably the least competitive voter block for Trump when considering where they live and how they relate to the Republican party.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 17:24:30 GMT

Russia arrests governor over murders, sparking party fury

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 17:19:13 GMT

Fear of disaster if UN cuts aid entering rebel-held Syria
In Syria's opposition-held enclave, a new kind of panic is setting in. Already living in fear of frequent government attacks, the nearly 3 million people crowded into the country's northwest corner now risk losing vital aid as Russia threatens to shut down border crossings with Turkey. Residents and aid groups say partially or totally shutting down two border crossings through which U.N. aid is brought may cost lives and will increase poverty, disease and unrest in the opposition-held parts of Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 17:18:46 GMT

AP source: Feds feared Epstein confidante might kill herself
Federal officials were so worried Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell might take her own life after her arrest that they took away her clothes and sheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The steps to ensure Maxwell’s safety while she’s locked up at a federal jail in New York City extend far beyond the measures federal officials took when they first arrested her in New Hampshire last week. The Justice Department has implemented additional safety protocols and federal officials, outside of the Bureau of Prisons, have been specifically tasked with ensuring there’s adequate protection and the prisons protocols are being followed, the official said.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 17:15:20 GMT

Tucker Carlson Finds Tammy Duckworth ‘Unimpressive.’ So Who Does He Find ‘Impressive’?
Nearly all of the attention is focused on Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson calling Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth—an Iraq War veteran who lost both of her legs in combat—a “coward” and a “fraud” who “hates America,” but don’t forget: He also called her an “unimpressive person.”If you have the unfortunate brain rot that comes with working in, regularly covering, or watching cable news then you likely recognize “unimpressive” as one of the insults most frequently deployed by Carlson in his nightly unhinged-paleoconservatism-but-with-boyish-charm diatribes. A common setup during Carlson’s rants about various Fox News bogeymen and women—Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Joe Biden, James Comey, various CNN anchors, take a guess and you’re probably right—is to tell viewers that they are “expected” to find this villain “impressive” but, Carlson assures you, they are “not impressive.” The barb is sometimes airdropped, almost like a tic, into the middle of sentences (“Gov. Gretchen Whitmer—not impressive—has imposed…”). Immigrants, whom Carlson has made a career of terrifying the Fox audience over, are frequently divided into two camps: those who “impress” Tucker Carlson and those who are “unimpressive.” Pro-immigration activists, the Fox host repeatedly tells his audience, will “lecture” you that all immigrants “are so much more impressive than you are,” but, alas, Carlson sneers, many are not.Schools (Northwestern University), generalized groups (“the ruling class,” “U.S. intel agencies,” “college administrators,” a nebulous “they” after a long, labyrinthian tirade that only loosely identifies some possible targets), and newspapers (The New York Times) have also been “unimpressive” to King Tucker, the prep-school educated son of a former media executive and a frozen-dinner fortune heiress. Some people are categorized with a damning modifier: “Formerly impressive.”In fact, the act of being “unimpressive” in Tucker Carlson’s eyes is so often used as an insult that it’s safe to assume that somewhere in the Fox star’s life someone told him he was “not impressive” and it was the most withering critique he’d ever heard.But the perennial cable-news star has never given any standard of what actually constitutes impressiveness or who the people he finds so deeply unimpressive are actually supposed to impress. And so one can’t help but wonder: Who or what does the perpetually unimpressed Tucker Carlson actually find impressive?Oftentimes Carlson finds people “impressive” as a form of mockery, usually delivered with his trademark shit-eating grin—snarking that Michael Bloomberg is just “so impressive,” or deadpanning that Chelsea Clinton is “more impressive than you are” for having attended Stanford. And, of course, there was the time in 2017 when he trollishly joked that Trump staring at the solar eclipse without protective eyewear was “perhaps the most impressive thing any president has ever done.”But believe it or not, some animals, places, and people not named Tammy Duckworth have managed to impress him. Based on a review of his show’s transcripts, here are the many things that Tucker Carlson has declared “impressive,” broken down and categorized into a guide for how you, too, could one day impress him.The least surprising way to impress Tucker Carlson is to be his friend or ideological ally: * Rush Limbaugh. * Mike Lindell, the MyPillow guy and pretty much the only remaining advertiser on Carlson’s show. * Peter Thiel. * Brett Kavanaugh. * Ryan Cleckner, a columnist for The Federalist. * Ayaan Hirsi Ali. * Michigan GOP Senate candidate John James. * Mike Rowe, the Dirty Jobs guy and frequent Fox News guest. * Charles Krauthammer, the late conservative commentator. * Harry Kazianis, head of the Council for the National Interest, an anti-Zionist foreign-policy advocacy group. * Daniel Turner, head of a dark money anti-environmentalist group called Power the Future. * Ret. Gen. John Kelly (in June 2018; no word on how Carlson feels about him now that Trump hates him). * The Harvard Law School Class of 1991, which included Justice Neil Gorsuch. * Ryan Wolfe, a conservative Wake Forest student who said he was harassed at school for his views. * Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, for organizing “the largest conservative rally in the history of Portland” in 2017 (Gibson and some other far-right activists were charged last year in a violent altercation outside a cidery).You can also impress Tucker Carlson by being a Fox News colleague who does something neat: * Fox anchor Bret Baier, for writing a book about Reagan’s 1988 speech at Moscow State University. * Dion Baia, a Fox News audio technician, for writing a detective novel. * Fox reporter Mike Tobin, for hiking to the summit of Mount Aconcagua. * Now-former Fox host Ed Henry’s mom, for being a good cook.You could even be a political foe who does something Tucker Carlson finds impressive but, in the end, his admiration feels more like the setup for an insult: * Dr. Anthony Fauci, an “impressive person,” to be sure, but also “wrong.” * Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for being “bold” against the Democratic establishment (but elsewhere, he says, “she’s not impressive, she’s awful”). * Elizabeth Warren’s 2003 book, The Two-Income Trap, “was impressive,” he admits, but she got “infected with a virulent strain of identity politics” and “like tertiary syphilis, it drove her insane.” * Nancy Pelosi, for managing “to hold Democrats together for the health-care vote.” * Vladimir Putin, for “playing ice hockey at whatever age he is.” * Hartford’s Mayor Luke Bronin, who, according to Carlson, “seems” to suck less than the usual Democratic mayors. * Madeleine Albright, “impressive” by being a “great bureaucrat.” * Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s “speaking Norwegian and playing piano.” * Ronan Farrow’s act of taking his Harvey Weinstein reporting away from liberal NBC. * David Campos, a Santa Clara County official, who Carlson notes is among the “impressive” immigrants.Or you could be a collection of people or a species that does something that manages to impress him: * Iran, “in some ways,” because it is sophisticated, unlike “the chintzy prefab capitals of the Arab world like Riyadh or Dubai.” * The state of New Hampshire, for its high SAT scores and low crime rate. * The American cigar industry, “which is vibrant and impressive.” * The U.S. women’s national soccer team’s record-setting 13-0 victory over Thailand. * Raccoons, “one of the most impressive and underrated animals.” * Dandelions, for being a completely edible superfood, from flower to root.But it seems there is only one surefire method to achieve instant “impressive” status in the eyes of Tucker Carlson. You must be a Fox News star who is good at trivia: * Fox host Greg Gutfeld, for handily defeating Jesse Watters in a trivia segment. * Fox host Lou Dobbs, for correctly answering which NFL jersey Garth Brooks fans mistook for a liberal political endorsement by the country singer. * Fox host Jesse Watters, on several nights, for winning multiple trivia segments. * Fox host Kennedy, for beating colleague Janice Dean in a trivia segment. * Sean Spicer, for correctly answering what title Gov. Gavin Newsom bestows upon his spouse instead of “first wife.” * Fox host Carley Shimkus, for correctly answering the limit to how many kids Prince Harry plans to have. * Fox anchor Martha MacCallum, for correctly answering what type of food the Biden campaign spent more than ,000 on. * Fox correspondent Lauren Blanchard, for correctly naming the dog that won the 2019 Westminster Dog Show. * Fox reporter Mike Emanuel, for correctly answering how many hot dogs Joey Chestnut ate in the 2018 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.Read 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.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:51:21 GMT

Russian investigators search homes of Kremlin critics
Russian investigators on Thursday searched the homes of several Kremlin critics who have urged supporters to protest against President Vladimir Putin's rule, activists said. The latest searches of members of the opposition came after Putin, who has been in power for two decades, this month oversaw a controversial vote that allows him to extend his hold on power until 2036. Investigators targeted the home of Yulia Galyamina, a Moscow city councillor, who helped organise mass opposition protests last summer, the activists said.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:29:28 GMT

AP Explains: Confederate flags draw differing responses
Public pressure amid protests over racial inequality forced Mississippi to furl its Confederate-inspired state flag for good, yet Georgia’s flag is based on another Confederate design and lives on. The Confederacy used more than one flag while it was fighting the United States to preserve slavery, and most of the designs are largely forgotten more than 150 years after the Civil War ended. Here are some facts about the flags of the Confederacy and how those symbols are viewed today.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:05:17 GMT

US sanctions Chinese officials over repression of minorities
The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on three senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party, including a member of the ruling Politburo, for alleged human rights abuses targeting ethnic and religious minorities that China has detained in the western part of the country. The decision to bar these senior officials from entering the U.S. is the latest of a series of actions the Trump administration has taken against China as relations deteriorate over the coronavirus pandemic, human rights, Hong Kong and trade. “The United States will not stand idly by as the Chinese Communist Party carries out human rights abuses targeting Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, to include forced labor, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control, and attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:02:07 GMT

Judge orders Brazil to protect Indigenous people from ravages of COVID-19
Brazil must take emergency measures to protect its Indigenous communities from the novel coronavirus, the Brazilian Supreme Court ruled on July 8.Justice Luis Roberto Barroso gave the Brazilian government just three days to establish a crisis response team. The team must get check points installed on Indigenous lands - with military support if necessary - to prevent outsiders from entering without permission and to test for COVID-19. Within a month, the government must issue a comprehensive pandemic plan to stop trespassing on Indigenous territory – which potentially exposes residents to the virus – and provide health care for all Indigenous peoples. The order responded to a June 29 petition filed by a Brazilian indigenous rights organization and six political parties asserting that COVID-19 could lead to a “genocide” of Brazil’s already at-risk Indigenous population.Data from the pandemic shows that Indigenous Brazilians are getting sick and dying at higher rates than the general population. Most of Brazil’s roughly 896,000 Indigenous people live in the Amazon region, where the nearest hospital may be days away by boat and offer limited care. Indigenous Brazilians also have high rates of malnutrition, anemia and obesity \- risk factors for severe COVID-19. As of July 8, Brazil’s Health Ministry reported 8,098 COVID-19 infections among Indigenous people and 184 deaths. The National Committee for Indigenous Life and Memory, an advocacy group for Indigenous people during the pandemic, estimates more than 12,000 infections and 446 deaths. For Native communities with just a few hundred or thousand members, that’s an existential threat. At current rates of infection, 5,600 Indigenous Yanomami people – or 40% of their entire population – could get COVID-19, according to Brazil’s Indigenous Environmental Institute. What is genocideBrazil’s uncontained coronavirus outbreak is just the latest deadly threat to Indigenous people under President Jair Bolsonaro, who recently tested positive for COVID-19. Since taking office in January 2018, Bolsonaro has dismantled environmental protections for the Amazon, allowing deforestation and wildfires to spike. He has also curtailed the land rights of Indigenous people and turned a blind eye to illegal mining, logging and farming operations on their territory. The president’s policies and rhetoric toward Indigenous Brazilians are so hostile that they essentially amount to an extermination campaign, our research finds. In late 2019, two leading Brazilian human rights organizations argued to the International Criminal Court of the United Nations that the right-wing leader was “inciting genocide” against Indigenous people.That case is still pending, but under international law, the crime of genocide requires “intent to destroy, in whole or in part,” a group based on their nationality, ethnicity, race or religion – not explicit mass killing. Causing serious harm to a population and destroying their way of life can constitute genocide. [Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]As scholars of mass atrocity prevention and Indigenous rights, we have watched with alarm the warning signs that a slow genocide was underway in Bolsonaro’s Brazil. Then came COVID-19, which is killing Indigenous people by the hundreds. Warning signsIn theory, many Brazilian Indigenous people should be able to escape COVID-19 exposure. An estimated 10,000 live in voluntary isolation across the Amazon, separated from broader Brazilian society. Many others have only limited contact with the outside world. Their rights to self-determination and isolation are confirmed by two international agreements on indigenous rights, both of which Brazil signed. In recent years, however, loggers, miners and farmers have aggressively violated these land rights and begun operating in the Amazon, sometimes with the Bolsonaro government’s explicit endorsement. The illegal land grabs have worsened during the pandemic, as the world’s attention turned away from the Amazon. The number of non-Indigenous gold miners working on Indigenous lands in Brazil increased from 4,000 in 2018 to over 20,000 so far in 2020. Beyond bringing the coronavirus into isolated communities, such incursions endanger the very survival of Indigenous Brazilians.Indigenous people have lived in the Amazon for centuries, protecting the rainforest in a manner that not only supported their traditional way of life but also protected this global natural resource. Historically, they could count on at least minimal government regulations intended to defend the Amazon rainforest, though deforestation has long been a challenge.Bolsonaro does not believe in defending the Amazon or its inhabitants. One of his first acts in office was to slash environmental protections. Deforestation of the Amazon has increased 34% since 2018, according to the Brazilian Amazon monitoring program. On Indigenous lands it is up almost 80%.Illegal property seizure and rights violations like those experienced by Indigenous Brazilians are known warning signs of genocide. So is the physical destruction of a persecuted group’s homeland. According to the UN, “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part” constitutes genocide. Denying the humanity of a group is another frequent precursor to genocide, history shows. Before the Holocaust, for example, Nazis referred to Jews as rats. Bolsonaro has not gone so far as to characterize Indigenous Brazilians as vermin. But he refers to them using derogatory language. “The Indians do not speak our language, they do not have money, they do not have culture,” he told Campo Grande newspaper in 2015, when he was still a congressman. Earlier this year, Bolsonaro said Indigenous people exposed to the outside world are “increasingly becoming human beings, like us.” A preventable atrocityLand grabs, insufficient health care, deforestation and stigmatization all threatened Indigenous Brazilians before the pandemic. Genocides can happen that way: They are processes, not sudden, isolated events. Risk factors and warning signs can smolder for years in a country. Then a “trigger” like COVID-19 ignites them, resulting in mass death. The Supreme Court’s 40-plus page emergency ruling makes no mention of genocide. However, its quick issuance and strict deadlines acknowledge the urgency of the situation facing Brazil. Compliance is not guaranteed. The Bolsonaro administration has ignored past court rulings related to Indigenous rights, with only occasional fines as a consequence. But by ordering emergency protections, Justice Barroso demonstrated that at least one branch of Brazil’s government accepts its responsibility to protect its people - all of them - from a preventable atrocity. This is an updated version of an article first published on July 7.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro has coronavirus – what it could mean for him politically * Indigenous people may be the Amazon’s last hopeThe authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:56:31 GMT

Woman arrested in hit-and-run at Indiana protest
An Indiana woman was arrested in a hit-and-run crash that sent one woman to the hospital and caused minor injuries to a man during a southern Indiana protest over the assault of a Black man by a group of white men, sheriff's officials said Thursday. Christi Bennett, 66, was booked into the Monroe County Jail early Thursday on preliminary charges of criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of an accident, Deputy Barry Grooms said. Authorities expect prosecutors to file formal charges later, and Bennett is scheduled to appear in court on July 17.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:13:50 GMT

Justices rule swath of Oklahoma remains tribal reservation
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a large chunk of eastern Oklahoma remains an American Indian reservation, a decision that state and federal officials have warned could throw Oklahoma into chaos. The court's 5-4 decision, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, means that Oklahoma prosecutors lack the authority to pursue criminal cases against American Indian defendants in parts of Oklahoma that include most of Tulsa, the state's second-largest city. Forced to leave their ancestral lands in Georgia and Alabama, the Creek Nation received assurances that their new lands in the West would be secure forever.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:09:31 GMT

Pompeo says U.S. continuing to work to establish dialogue with North Korea

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:00:25 GMT

Expert sees "new level of repression" in Russian journalist's arrest
Many see detention of former defense reporter Ivan Safronov as the latest example of the Putin regime's efforts to silence independent journalists.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:55:05 GMT

VIRUS DIARY: In Saudi Arabia, a photographer finds new focus
I moved to Saudi Arabia from Egypt last year, eager to photograph a national awakening that was once unimaginable in a country so beholden to ultraconservative mores. It jolted this nation of 34 million — almost half of whom are under 30 years old — into a nation of budding movie theaters, concerts and raves, a place where women could dine alongside men, drive without fear of arrest, travel without permission and enter stadiums. As a photographer, I was for the first time welcomed to document far-flung parts of the country.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:39:33 GMT

EXPLAINER-Who's WHO? The World Health Organization under scrutiny

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:22:54 GMT

Arrests and police raids follow Russia's vote to let Putin rule for life
An opposition governor was detained and several activists had their homes raided by the police on Thursday as Russia’s latest crackdown on dissent gathers momentum. The flurry of arrests and criminal inquiries follow last week’s vote in which nearly 78 percent endorsed constitutional amendments allowing Vladimir Putin to stay as president at least until 2036 when he turns 83. Sergei Furgal, the governor of the Khabarovsk region in Russia’s Far East who beat a Kremlin candidate at the 2018 election, was arrested by camouflaged agents of Russia’s top investigative body on Thursday morning and put on a plane to Moscow. The popular governor whose landslide win at the polls embarrassed the pro-Kremlin party, is accused of organising two contract killings as well as an attempted murder 15 years ago, according to the Investigative Committee, Russia's main federal investigating authority. Mr Furgal has not been charged with any crime. An unnamed source claiming to be linked to Mr Furgal says he has denied the allegations. Mr Furgal had been in Russian parliament for more than a decade before he won the Khabarovsk election in 2018, which has raised questions about the timing of the charges brought against him.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:10:02 GMT

Lebanon not planning to negotiate with Iran on fuel imports -minister

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 12:46:46 GMT

With prizes, food, housing and cash, Putin rigged Russia's most recent vote
When Russians voted in early July on 200 constitutional amendments, officials rigged the election to create the illusion that President Vladimir Putin remains a popular and powerful leader after 20 years in office. In reality, he increasingly relies on manipulation and state repression to maintain his presidency. Most Russians know that, and the world is catching up.At the center of the changes were new rules to allow Putin to evade term limits and serve two additional terms, extending his tenure until 2036. According to official results, Putin’s regime secured an astounding victory, winning 78% support for the constitutional reform, with 64% turnout. The Kremlin hailed the national vote as confirmation of popular trust in Putin. The vote was purely symbolic. The law governing constitutional change does not require a popular vote. By March 2020, the national legislature, Constitutional Court and Russia’s 85 regional legislatures had voted to enact the proposed amendments. Yet, the president insisted on a show of popular support and national unity to endorse the legal process. The Kremlin’s goal was to make Putin’s 2024 reelection appear inevitable. Given the stakes, the outcome was never in doubt – but it did little to resolve uncertainty over Russia’s future. Declining social supportWhy hold a vote if a vote isn’t needed?As a scholar of Russian electoral competition, I see the constitutional vote as a first step in an effort to prolong Putin’s 20-year tenure as the national leader. The Kremlin’s success defined the legal path to reelection and the strategy for securing an electoral majority in the face of popular opposition.Its effect on societal attitudes is less clear. A recent poll by the independent polling organization the Levada Center showed that while 52% of respondents supported Putin’s reelection, 44% opposed. At the same time, 59% want to introduce a 70-year-old age cap for presidential candidates. This change would bar the 68-year-old president from running again. [Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]The government’s disorganized and weak response to COVID-19 highlighted the inefficient and corrupt system and produced an unprecedented drop in Putin’s public approval ratings. Growing signs of popular discontent in Russia suggest this polling data underestimates demand for change. Local protest against pollution, trash incineration and state reforms continue to grow across the Federation. Focus group data reveals that ordinary Russians are concerned about state repression and civil rights violations. In the leadup to the constitutional vote, internet influencers read the public mood and refused payments for their endorsement, fearing a backlash from followers and advertisers. A new Putin majorityDeclining popular support highlights the difficulty of building a new voting coalition. Manufacturing a demonstration of national unity was the first step in reinventing Putin’s links to core supporters in the runup to the next national election cycle. By 2012, Putin’s first coalition, forged in the economic recovery of the early 2000s, was eroded by chronic economic stagnation punctuated by crisis. In the mid-2010s, Putin’s new majority was based on aggressive foreign policy actions. That coalition declined, as conflicts in Ukraine and Syria dragged on, and public support for expensive foreign policy adventures decreased.The constitutional vote marks Putin’s third attempt to reconstruct electoral support rooted in patriotism, conservative values and state paternalism that echoes the Soviet era. Fixing the voteThe constitutional reform campaign focused on state benefits rather than the Putin presidency. Putin offered something for everyone in the 200 amendments. As an antidote to unpopular pension reforms, a new provision guarantees pensioners annual adjustments linked to inflation. Other amendments codified existing policies guaranteeing housing and a minimum wage. New clauses codify Putin’s version of conservative values, with measures that add a reference to God, a prohibition against same-sex marriage and support for patriotic education. Other provisions take aim at corruption, by prohibiting state officials from holding offshore accounts.A massive PR campaign framed starkly different appeals to different voter groups. For those concerned with international security, ads depicted apocalyptic visions of Russia’s future after a NATO invasion. For younger voters, appeals depicted happy families voting to support a bright future. State television featured supportive cultural icons and artists, including Patriarch Kirill, who is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Putin himself argued that participation was a patriotic duty. No one mentioned the controversial loophole that would allow Putin to run again. The campaign foretold the outcome: The regime would stop at nothing to secure success. Officials coerced employees of government agencies and large businesses to turn out. Voters were offered prizes, food and chances to win new housing and cash for participating. Ostensibly in response to COVID-19, the Electoral Commission altered voting procedures to evade observation, developing a flawed online voting system and creating mobile polling stations in parks, airports and outside apartment blocks. There is overwhelming evidence that the Kremlin resorted to falsification to produce the desired outcome. Most Russians understand that the manufactured outcome does not accurately reflect attitudes about Putin’s reelection. Limits of disinformationThere is growing evidence that the public is no longer persuaded by disinformation and political theater such as the rigged constitutional vote. Trust in state media, the president and the government are declining precipitously.The realities of sustained economic stagnation and the Kremlin’s anemic response to COVID-19 stand in sharp contrast to its all-out approach to the symbolic national vote. It can rig a vote, but it can’t control a virus.The Kremlin’s pandemic response raises doubts about its ability to fulfill new constitutional mandates. Widely publicized efforts to reform the Soviet-era health care system still left hospitals unprepared to manage the pandemic. The state proved incapable of delivering bonuses to first responders and medical workers. The Kremlin refused to use its substantial emergency fund to support entrepreneurs, families with children and the unemployed. Given these realities, upcoming elections will test the illusion of a new pro-Putin majority defined by this rigged vote. And if the voters abandon Putin, the new Constitution provides a final path to remain in office: the unelected chairmanship of the powerful new State Council.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * Russia’s cabinet resigns and it’s all part of Putin’s plan * Vladimir Putin’s lying gameRegina Smyth does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 12:17:58 GMT

U.S. officials say intel on Russian bounties was less than conclusive. That misses the big picture.
A growing chorus of American officials have said in recent days that the intelligence suggesting Russians paid "bounties" to induce the Taliban to kill American service members in Afghanistan is less than conclusive. U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed for years that Vladimir Putin's Russia is supporting America's enemies in Afghanistan with cash and weapons.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 12:07:00 GMT

Back clean energy post-virus, UN chief urges leaders
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday urged world leaders to favour clean energy solutions as they pour money into their economies to save them from a coronavirus-induced meltdown. Governments should exit coal, stop subsidising other fossil fuels, and pressure polluting industries to clean up their act in exchange for bailing them out, the UN Secretary-General told an International Energy Agency conference by video link. "Today I would like to urge all leaders to choose the clean energy route for three vital reasons -- health, science and economics," Guterres said.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:52:49 GMT

Gorillas in Nigeria: World's rarest great ape pictured with babies
The sighting of young Cross River gorillas in Nigeria eases fears they will soon die out.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:30:18 GMT

Missing Seoul mayor's body found after massive search
The missing mayor of South Korea’s capital, reportedly embroiled in sexual harassment allegations, was found dead early Friday, more than half a day after giving his daughter a will-like message and then leaving home, police said. Police said they located Park Won-soon’s body near a traditional restaurant in wooded hills in northern Seoul, more than seven hours after they launched a massive search for him. Choi Ik-su, an officer from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, told reporters there were no signs of foul play and no suicide note had been found at the site or in Park’s residence.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:47:17 GMT

UN: World could hit 1.5-degree warming threshold by 2024
The world could see annual global temperatures pass a key threshold for the first time in the coming five years, the U.N. weather agency said Thursday. The World Meteorological Organization said forecasts suggest there's a 20% chance that global temperatures will be 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) higher than the pre-industrial average in at least one year between 2020 and 2024. The 1.5 C mark is the level countries agreed to cap global warming at in the 2015 Paris accord.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:37:54 GMT

Serbia bans mass gatherings after virus lockdown protests
Serbia's government crisis team said the restriction was intended to prevent the virus' further spread following the clashes, during which social distancing was barely observed and few people wore face masks. In addition to limiting gatherings, businesses in closed spaces, such as cafes, shopping malls or shops, were ordered to operate shorter hours. “The health system in Belgrade is close to breaking up,” Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:09:46 GMT

The Mysterious Link Between COVID-19 and Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Sherry H-Y. Chou, Aarti Sarwal and Neha S. Dangayach, The ConversationThe patient in the case report (let’s call him Tom) was 54 and in good health. For two days in May, he felt unwell and was too weak to get out of bed. When his family finally brought him to the hospital, doctors found that he had a fever and signs of a severe infection, or sepsis. He tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infection. In addition to symptoms of COVID-19, he was also too weak to move his legs.When a neurologist examined him, Tom was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes abnormal sensation and weakness due to delays in sending signals through the nerves. Usually reversible, in severe cases it can cause prolonged paralysis involving breathing muscles, require ventilator support and sometimes leave permanent neurological deficits. Early recognition by expert neurologists is key to proper treatment.We are neurologists specializing in intensive care and leading studies related to neurological complications from COVID-19. Given the occurrence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in prior pandemics with other coronaviruses like SARS and MERS, we are investigating a possible link between Guillain-Barré Syndrome and COVID-19 and tracking published reports to see if there is any link between Guillain-Barré Syndrome and COVID-19.Some patients may not seek timely medical care for neurological symptoms like prolonged headache, vision loss and new muscle weakness due to fear of getting exposed to virus in the emergency setting. People need to know that medical facilities have taken full precautions to protect patients. Seeking timely medical evaluation for neurological symptoms can help treat many of these diseases.‘Truly Disturbing’: Third NY Child Dies From Rare Syndrome Linked to COVID-19Guillain-Barré syndrome occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks and injures the nerves outside of the spinal cord or brain—the peripheral nervous system. Most commonly, the injury involves the protective sheath, or myelin, that wraps nerves and is essential to nerve function.Without the myelin sheath, signals that go through a nerve are slowed or lost, which causes the nerve to malfunction.To diagnose Guillain-Barré Syndrome, neurologists perform a detailed neurological exam. Due to the nerve injury, patients often may have loss of reflexes on examination. Doctors often need to perform a lumbar puncture, otherwise known as spinal tap, to sample spinal fluid and look for signs of inflammation and abnormal antibodies.Studies have shown that giving patients an infusion of antibodies derived from donated blood or plasma exchange—a process that cleans patients’ blood of harmful antibodies—can speed up recovery. A very small subset of patients may need these therapies long-term.The majority of Guillain-Barré Syndrome patients improve within a few weeks and eventually can make a full recovery. However, some patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome have lingering symptoms including weakness and abnormal sensations in arms and/or legs; rarely patients may be bedridden or disabled long-term.Which COVID-19 Treatments Work—and Which Were a BustAs the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, many neurologic specialists have been on the lookout for potentially serious nervous system complications such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome.Though Guillain-Barré Syndrome is rare, it is well known to emerge following bacterial infections, such as Campylobacter jejuni, a common cause of food poisoning, and a multitude of viral infections including the flu virus, Zika virus, and other coronaviruses.Studies showed an increase in Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases following the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, suggesting a possible connection. The presumed cause for this link is that the body’s own immune response to fight the infection turns on itself and attacks the peripheral nerves. This is called an “autoimmune” condition. When a pandemic affects as many people as our current COVID-19 crisis, even a rare complication can become a significant public health problem. That is especially true for one that causes neurological dysfunction where the recovery takes a long time and may be incomplete.The first reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in COVID-19 pandemic originated from Italy, Spain and China, where the pandemic surged before the U.S. crisis.Though there is clear clinical suspicion that COVID-19 can lead to Guillain-Barré Syndrome, many important questions remain. What are the chances that someone gets Guillain-Barré Syndrome during or following a COVID-19 infection? Does Guillain-Barré Syndrome happen more often in those who have been infected with COVID-19 compared to other types of infections, such as the flu?The only way to get answers is through a prospective study where doctors perform systematic surveillance and collect data on a large group of patients. There are ongoing large research consortia hard at work to figure out answers to these questions.Coronavirus and Cancer Act Alike. That Could Be a Good Thing.While large research studies are underway, overall it appears that Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare but serious phenomenon possibly linked to COVID-19. Given that more than 10.7 million cases have been reported for COVID-19, there have been 10 reported cases of COVID-19 patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome so far—only two reported cases in the U.S., five in Italy, two cases in Iran and one from Wuhan, China.It is certainly possible that there are other cases that have not been reported. The Global Consortium Study of Neurological Dysfunctions in COVID-19 is actively underway to find out how often neurological problems like Guillain-Barré Syndrome are seen in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Also, just because Guillain-Barré Syndrome occurs in a patient diagnosed with COVID-19, that does not imply that it was caused by the virus; this still may be a coincident occurrence. More research is needed to understand how the two events are related.Due to the pandemic and infection-containment considerations, diagnostic tests, such as a nerve conduction study that used to be routine for patients with suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome, are more difficult to do. In both U.S. cases, the initial diagnosis and treatment were all based on clinical examination by a neurological experts rather than any tests. Both patients survived but with significant residual weakness at the time these case reports came out, but that is not uncommon for Guillain-Barré Syndrome patients. The road to recovery may sometimes be long, but many patients can make a full recovery with time.Though the reported cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome so far all have severe symptoms, this is not uncommon in a pandemic situation where the less sick patients may stay home and not present for medical care for fear of being exposed to the virus. This, plus the limited COVID-19 testing capability across the U.S., may skew our current detection of Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases toward the sicker patients who have to go to a hospital. In general, the majority of Guillain-Barré Syndrome patients do recover, given enough time. We do not yet know whether this is true for COVID-19-related cases at this stage of the pandemic. We and colleagues around the world are working around the clock to find answers to these critical questions.Sherry H-Y. Chou is an associate professor of critical care medicine, neurology, and neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Aarti Sarwal is an associate professor of neurology at Wake Forest University. Neha S. Dangayach is an assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.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.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:56:24 GMT

25 years on, Srebrenica dead still being identified, buried
SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — A quarter of a century after they were killed in Europe’s worst massacre since World War II, eight Bosnian men and boys will be laid to rest Saturday in a cemetery just outside of Srebrenica — their marble gravestones joining thousands more, each with the same month and year of death. Over 8,000 Bosnian Muslims perished in 10 days of slaughter after the town was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces in the closing months of the country's 1992-95 fratricidal war. When the remains are identified, they are returned to their relatives and reburied in the Potocari memorial cemetery.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 07:41:25 GMT

Is it safe to visit the dentist during the pandemic?
Is it safe to visit the dentist during the COVID-19 pandemic? Dentists can’t eliminate all risk, but they are taking steps to minimize the chances of spreading the coronavirus. You'll likely notice changes as soon as you enter the office.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 07:32:30 GMT

S Korea asks senior US envoy to try to revive N Korea talks
South Korea on Thursday asked a visiting senior U.S. envoy to try to revive stalled nuclear diplomacy with North Korea, which has refused to resume talks because of what it calls hostile U.S. policies. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, the top U.S. official on North Korea, has been in Seoul for talks since Tuesday.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 06:27:40 GMT

Virus projects renew questions about UAE's mass surveillance
Efforts by the United Arab Emirates to fight the coronavirus have renewed questions about mass surveillance in this U.S.-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms. Experts believe the UAE has one of the highest per capita concentrations of surveillance cameras in the world. From the streets of the capital of Abu Dhabi to the tourist attractions of skyscraper-studded Dubai, the cameras keep track of the license plates and faces of those passing by them.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 06:10:04 GMT

Business Deals May Give Netanyahu an Excuse Against Annexation
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Two of Israel’s largest defense companies have signed a historic agreement with Group 42 Inc. in Abu Dhabi, to work on technology solutions for the coronavirus pandemic. Group 42 specializes in cloud computing and artificial intelligence; Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd are best known for military technology; both were involved in the development of the Iron Dome missile-defense system.All three companies are already involved in fighting the pandemic in their respective countries. Group 42 has offered the use of its supercomputers to researchers working on solutions for the disease. In Israel, the government mobilized defense companies against the outbreak.The agreement is being portrayed as a joint effort against a global pandemic, born of necessity and for the greater good, but it is also part of pattern of deepening ties between Israel and the Gulf Arab states, catalyzed by their shared concern about the Iranian threat and about extremist groups across the region. Israel and the UAE have strong economic reasons for collaboration, as well: the former is a high-tech hub, and the latter aspires to the same status.Israel and the UAE do not have formal relations, but there has been increasing outreach from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Emiratis over the past few years. Israeli cabinet members have visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The UAE has also been involved in the Trump administration’s effort to develop a new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan; an Emirati envoy attended its unveiling in Washington earlier this year.The agreement between the three counties signals the importance Israel attaches to relations with the UAE. IAI and Rafael, both rooted in Israel’s government history of creating local national defense giants, stand at the apex of Israel’s most sensitive security needs.For the UAE, an eagerness for mutually-beneficial ties with Israel is somewhat offset by concerns about Netanyahu’s plan to annex large portions of the West Bank. In early June, the UAE’s ambassador to Washington wrote an op-ed in an Israeli newspaper, arguing that annexation would imperil “improved security, economic and cultural ties with the Arab world and the United Arab Emirates.”The op-ed seemed to underline an important shift in Emirati policy. Previously, the UAE’s precondition for relations with Israel—based on the 2002 Saudi-led Arab peace initiative—was complete withdrawal from the territories seized in 1967. Now, it appears the Emiratis will be satisfied with the maintenance of the current status quo in the West Bank.In this context, the timing of the announcement of the agreement is especially significant: It came after the July 1 deadline for the start of the annexations had passed without any effort by Netanyahu to follow through on his promises, potentially signaling he had listened to international—and Arab—voices calling on him to desist.Maintaining the status quo may also be a necessary condition for the two countries to take their relations to the next level. Economic and commercial opportunities abound. A top executive at the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co. recently called on Israeli venture capitalists to invest in start-ups to in Gulf Arab countries. Israel will have a pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai, which was originally scheduled to start in October, but has been postponed because of the pandemic.For his part, Netanyahu appears to be seeking a way out of his promise to annex territory. The coronavirus crisis was a good excuse for delay, but strong economic ties may be a more lasting motivation. The prime minister has long boasted that he has helped build bridges to the Arab world; burning them now would tarnish that legacy. Business deals between Israeli and Arab companies, on the other hand, would burnish it.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Seth J. Frantzman covers Middle East affairs for the Jerusalem Post. He is the author of "After ISIS: America, Iran and the Struggle for the Middle East" and executive director of the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 05:00:30 GMT

Burial traditions clash with coronavirus safety in Indonesia
The mob of over 150 people who forcefully took Muhammad Yunus’ cadaver from a hospital in eastern Indonesia thought it was impossible that the 49-year-old Islamic preacher could have died from the coronavirus. This has led to increasing incidents of bodies being taken from hospitals, rejection of COVID-19 health and safety procedures, and what some experts say is a lack of communication from the government.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:43:54 GMT

Schools or bars? Opening classrooms may mean hard choices
President Donald Trump insists that schools reopen this fall. A growing chorus of public health experts is urging federal, state and local officials to reconsider how they are reopening the broader economy, and to prioritize K-12 schools — an effort that will likely require closing some other establishments to help curb the virus spread and give children the best shot at returning to classrooms. “We need to think about what our priorities are as a society, and some other things may just have to wait,” said Helen Jenkins, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Boston University.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:15:33 GMT

Esper defends use of National Guard in helping with unrest
Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Thursday defended using National Guard soldiers to support law enforcement agencies in handling civil unrest triggered by the killing of George Floyd, saying it was a better alternative than using active-duty forces as President Donald Trump had threatened. Esper's stance is at odds with Trump, who had spoken of invoking the Insurrection Act in order to use active-duty forces on the streets of the nation's capital during protests in late May and early June that included limited acts of violence, such as setting a fire in St. John's Episcopal Church near the White House.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:12:21 GMT

Bolsonaro now 'poster boy' for dubious COVID-19 treatment
After months of touting an unproven anti-malaria drug as a treatment for the new coronavirus, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is turning himself into a test case live before millions of people as he swallows hydroxychloroquine pills on social media and encourages others to do the same. Bolsonaro said this week that he tested positive for the virus but already felt better thanks to hydroxychloroquine. “I trust hydroxychloroquine,” he said, smiling.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:02:58 GMT

Ivory Coast PM Amadou Gon Coulibaly dies after cabinet meeting
Amadou Gon Coulibaly was a favourite to succeed Alassane Ouattara as president in October's elections.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 03:33:04 GMT

Secluded Arctic region rejects Putin in rare protest
Lyudmila Laptander, an activist advocating autonomy for her mineral-rich Nenets region in the Russian Arctic, worries authorities are planning to sacrifice its traditions for the promise of economic enrichment. The autonomous region on the edge of the Arctic Ocean was gripped by protests in May against the government's plans to integrate it with neighbouring Arkhangelsk. The initiative, which aimed to streamline the extraction of the vast region's mineral wealth, was buried after its 44,000 inhabitants voiced opposition to the move in a rare protest vote against President Vladimir Putin's rule.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 03:05:56 GMT

Moscow push to reduce UN cross-border aid to Syria fails
A Russian bid to get the United Nations to reduce cross-border humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria was voted down by the Security Council Wednesday, an official said. Authorization for the aid, which comes through two crossing points on the Turkish border -- at Bab al-Salam, which leads to the Aleppo region, and Bab al-Hawa, which serves the Idlib region -- expires Friday. Russia needed nine votes and no veto from a permanent member of the Council to get its resolution passed -- but received only four votes, announced the President of the Security Council, German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 01:58:35 GMT

Jawar Mohammed: The Ethiopian media mogul taking on Abiy Ahmed
Opposition politician Jawar Mohammed has been detained after being accused of inciting violence.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 01:23:18 GMT

Brexit talks end early for second week running as EU warns of 'significant divergence'
Britain faces 'reckoning' of tax rises – but not until 2022, senior economist says Indoor gyms to reopen on July 25 and beauty salons get all clear HMRC's top civil servant warned Rishi Sunak against £9.4 billion furlough bonus scheme Where the jobs axe is falling across the UK Tom Harris: Keir Starmer isn't offering statesmanship, but overly cautious and mushy opposition Subscribe to The Telegraph, free for one month Brexit talks have finished early for a second week running, despite “constructive” conversations taking place in London. Although the latest round was due to run until Friday, things were brought to a halt yesterday, it has emerged. Last week negotiations ended a day earlier than expected. July had been ear-marked as a period in which “intensified” discussions would take place as both sides seek an end to the impasse on fisheries and the level playing-field. However German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday told the EU to prepare for a no trade deal Brexit on Wednesday, after Boris Johnson told her Britain was "ready" to walk away without an agreement. There remain "significant divergences" between the European Union and the UK in attempts to seal a post-Brexit trade deal, the European Commission said. The Prime Minister’s spokesman today insisted the London talks were an “informal round” of discussions. He said David Frost and Michel Barnier both said they had “constructive discussions” earlier in the week. Read more below.

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 00:53:00 GMT

Bolsonaro becomes 'poster boy' for unproven virus treatment
After months of touting an unproven anti-malaria drug as a treatment for the new coronavirus, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is turning himself into a test case live before millions of people as he swallows hydroxychloroquine pills on social media and encourages others to do the same. Bolsonaro said this week that he tested positive for the virus but already felt better thanks to hydroxychloroquine. “I trust hydroxychloroquine,” he said, smiling.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 23:59:49 GMT

CIA Kept Giving Intel to Russia, Got Nothing Back
Not long before Christmas in 2017, Vladimir Putin, the former KGB officer turned Russian leader, did something uncharacteristic. He praised the CIA. Russian security officials had arrested people on suspicion of plotting terrorist attacks on St. Petersburg sites that included the majestic Kazan Cathedral. Intelligence warning of the allegedly imminent assault attacks came not from Russian sources, but from Langley. “The information received from the CIA was sufficient to search for and detain criminals,” the Kremlin announced. Putin asked President Trump to convey “words of thanks to the director of the CIA,” at the time Mike Pompeo, now the secretary of state. That information reached Russia in response to an administration directive that troubled many in the intelligence community, according to a former senior CIA official. They didn’t have a problem with preventing innocent Russians from possibly dying. Instead, their problem was that the Trump administration, like several of its predecessors, had pushed the agency into a counterterrorism relationship that was nowhere near reciprocal.According to Marc Polymeropoulos, who until July 2019 oversaw clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia, the White House instructed a skeptical intelligence community to share counterterrorism intelligence with Russia, in pursuit of a great-power rapprochement that its predecessors in the Bush and Obama administrations had similarly tried. The effort began at the dawn of the administration. “As expected, the U.S. got absolutely nothing in return,” said Polymeropoulos, who first discussed the channel on Wednesday with Ryan Goodman of Just Security. “But there was a lot of focus on this from the White House and it came to naught.” It is not unusual for the agency to share intelligence, particularly intelligence on imminent threats, even with hostile intelligence agencies. Intelligence agencies maintain liaison relationships in part to ensure their operations don’t escalate into open conflict. Pompeo, as well as his predecessor in the Obama administration, John Brennan, have both acknowledged working with Russia on shared counterterrorism goals.But after the Russians’ 2016 election interference, and then the 2018 Sergei Skripal poisoning, the counterterrorism-sharing effort appeared egregious to some in the intelligence community. That’s a renewed concern given recent and unconfirmed intelligence that the Russians paid Taliban elements to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The order to share intelligence was a standing directive, Polymeropoulos said, encouraging the intelligence agencies to share whenever possible. “You roll your eyes, you shrug, but you gotta do this,” he said. He did not believe the intelligence-sharing harmed U.S. interests; instead, it appeared naive. Pushing back on it would not have been appropriate: “It would feed into the ‘Deep State’ narrative” of security services going rogue to shank Trump, he said. But agency leaders, both Pompeo and his successor, current CIA Director Gina Haspel, knew of internal dissatisfaction. “Leadership was well aware of the unanimity in view that this was a waste of time,” Polymeropoulos said, “but it doesn’t matter, because it’s [administration] policy. We had to still go through with it.” A CIA official who retired during the Trump administration was familiar with the channel. The ex-official characterized top agency officials explaining it as “counterterrorism is the only common enemy we have [with the Russians] and we want to maintain that linkage.” Another former intelligence official said he didn’t feel pressure from the White House to engage the Russians on counterterrorism, and so didn’t consider it a priority. The ex-official, who declined to be named, corroborated that the Russians typically do not share intelligence. “The last time we got anything from the Russians was around the Sochi Olympics, and it was not much,” the former intelligence official said. In 2011, before Sochi, Russia told the FBI that U.S. resident Tamerlan Tsarnaev had jihadist associates; Tsarnaev and his younger brother Dzokhar bombed the Boston Marathon in 2013. Steve Hall, who retired from the CIA in 2015 after overseeing operations concerning Russia, noted that “there is always an inclination for a new administration to reset with Russia.” Since 9/11, counterterrorism has been an obvious theater for cooperation, in order to see what further detente might result. Russian Bounties for Killing Americans Go Back Five Years, Ex-Taliban ClaimsBut Hall said going beyond typical liaison interaction with the Russians was a dead end. After beginning the outreach, “the guys you expect the Russians to show up with, counterterrorism experts, turn out to be counterintelligence experts,” he said – meaning they were less equipped to target terrorist suspects than they were to target CIA officers. The CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.The intelligence sharing instruction drew new scrutiny after reports of unconfirmed intelligence reports holding that the Russians paid Taliban elements to attack U.S. troops. Since 2014, the Russians have sidled up to the Taliban as the U.S. has drawn its forces and attention away from a war that Washington has not ended. “The Russians paying U.S. dollars—it’s not odd for the Taliban,” Mullah Manan Niazi, the former spokesman for deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar, recently told The Daily Beast. Sponsoring attacks, however, would mark a qualitative change in the Russian approach to the war. Several U.S. diplomatic and security veterans, in interviews, expressed puzzlement over why Russia would escalate in Afghanistan as the U.S. seeks to get out. More likely to them is that the Russians intensified their outreach to the Taliban as a hedged bet for a post-American Afghanistan. The senior U.S. general for the Middle East told the AP on Tuesday he saw no “causative link” between any Russian bounties and any dead U.S. troops. One retired senior diplomat said that “intelligence has become so politicized that someone leaked this to slow down the troop withdrawal.” In any event, the intelligence-sharing instruction to the intelligence agencies dovetailed with an effort from Trump’s first national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, to expand a military channel to prevent U.S.-Russian conflict over Syria into an active path for counterterrorism cooperation. A highly skeptical military, which is barred from such cooperation by law, stopped Flynn, The Daily Beast reported in 2017. To Flynn, who has deep experience in the war on terror, the point of rapprochement with Russia was to yield collaboration against what he viewed as “Radical Islamism.” Flynn, who had visited the FSB in Moscow when he ran the Defense Intelligence Agency, believed that the U.S. and Russia were jointly threatened by an enemy Flynn tended to view in dire civilizational terms. It was something Flynn raised on his phone calls with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, that ultimately led to his downfall and legal jeopardy. Polymeropoulos said he did not encounter that perspective from the White House – but did encounter it from Russian intelligence officials, who were eager for the counterterrorism assistance. “The Russian intelligence officers that we’d meet with, these are incredibly xenophobic and racist individuals,” he said. “Totally Islamophobic.”While agreeing that U.S. intelligence has to talk with its adversaries, Polymeropoulos said that the “routine” intelligence-sharing felt “gross and nasty.”“The U.S. intelligence community has proven, right or wrong, willing to cooperate on counterterrorism with a lot of unsavory folks,” Polymeropoulos said. “There was disdain for doing this [with] the Russians – their track record is terrible, the Russians never come through on this. It’s a complete waste of time and resources, but policymakers wanted this. There was never a single U.S. life saved in the provision of Russian information. Nothing of value was ever given.” The 2017 episode was not the last time the U.S. provided intelligence of value to Russia. In late February, Putin thanked the FBI “for their support and professional solidarity” in unraveling another St. Petersburg plot, one that Russia unraveled ahead of the New Year, that he attributed to the so-called Islamic State. “We will naturally respond in kind,” Putin assured.—with additional reporting by Asawin Suebsaeng Read 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.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 23:02:58 GMT

Biden-Sanders task forces unveil joint goals for party unity
Political task forces Joe Biden formed with onetime rival Bernie Sanders to solidify support among the Democratic Party's progressive wing recommended Wednesday that the former vice president embrace major proposals to combat climate change and institutional racism while expanding health care coverage and rebuilding a coronavirus-ravaged economy. The groups, formed in May to tackle health care, immigration, education, criminal justice reform, climate change and the economy, sought to hammer out a policy road map to best defeat President Donald Trump.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 21:21:38 GMT

Pompeo hints at Iran links in killing of Iraq expert
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday demanded justice over the killing of a prominent Iraqi jihadism expert and highlighted threats against him by Iran-linked groups. Hisham al-Hashemi, an internationally known scholar whose vast contacts inside Iraq made him a mediator among rivals, was gunned down outside his Baghdad home late Monday by masked assailants on motorcycles. "In the days leading up to his death he was repeatedly threatened by Iran backed armed groups," Pompeo told a news conference in Washington, without explicitly blaming Tehran.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 20:57:17 GMT

UN Council rejects Russia bid to limit Syrian aid deliveries
The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected a Russian resolution that would have cut back the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria’s mainly rebel-held northwest to just one crossing point from Turkey. Western countries that voted against the resolution have insisted on keeping the two current crossings from Turkey, with strong backing from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and humanitarian groups.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 20:25:52 GMT

How Powerful Is Your Passport In A World Facing A Pandemic?
As air travel begins to resume and parts of the globe cautiously begin to re-open, travel freedom and mobility has rapidly changed for many citizens in the time of the coronavirus. Premium Passports Lose Their Shine: The Henley Passport Index ranks passport power based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without a visa. An extraordinary shift in passport power has occurred due to temporary pandemic-related bans.Japan Holds No. 1 Spot: Without taking the various travel bans and restrictions into account, Japan continues to hold the No. 1 spot on the Henley Passport Index. Singapore remains in second place, while Germany and South Korea rank jointly in third. Both Japan and South Korea have been included on the EU's list of safe countries, while Singapore has been excluded.This means Singaporean passport holders have far less travel freedom than their closest competitors on the index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association. EU Bans American Visitors: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. passport usually ranked within the top 10 on the Henley Passport Index in the sixth or seventh place, with American citizens able to access 185 destinations around the world without an advance visa. Last week, the EU released a list of countries whose residents would be allowed entry into the bloc after July 1 based on coronavirus-related health and safety criteria.The list includes Australia, Canada, Japan and South Korea, all of which have traditionally scored highly on the Henley Passport Index.The Henley Passport Index says that, in a move perceived as a stinging rebuke for its poor handling of the pandemic, the U.S. has been excluded from the list, as were Brazil and Russia.This could eventually change if the countries come to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic and manage to control the spread, or a vaccine is found. U.S. nationals now have roughly the same level of travel freedom as citizens of Uruguay , which is included on the EU's list of welcome countries and ranks 28th on the Henley index. In another striking inversion, the U.S's dramatic decline in passport power means that Americans find themselves with a similar level of travel freedom usually available to citizens of Mexico, which is 25th on the index. "As we have already seen, the pandemic's impact on travel freedom has been more drastic and long lasting than initially anticipated," says Christian Kaelin, chairman of investment migration firm Henley and Partners. The EU's recent decision will have far-reaching effects, he says. International Mobility Restricted: The Henley Passport Index says that as premium passports lose their privileges, experts suggest that the crisis is likely to make international mobility more restricted and unpredictable in the longer term."Even as countries open their borders, it is expected that numerous governments will use epidemiological concerns as a justification for imposing new immigration restrictions and nationality-targeted travel bans that will mainly be aimed at citizens of developing countries," says Yossi Harpaz, assistant professor of sociology at Tel Aviv University."The passports of both developing and developed nations stand to decrease in value, at least temporarily. In such uncertain times, global demand for dual citizenship and investor visas is expected to increase."See more from Benzinga * Martini Tax: US Considering .1B In New Tariffs On UK, European Goods * Bank Of England Boosts Bond Buying By 4B, Maintains Bank Rate * UK Formally Confirms To EU That It Won't Extend Brexit Transition(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 19:21:00 GMT

Despite risks, Trump invests big in attacks on Biden's age
President Donald Trump has accused his Democratic rival Joe Biden of having connections to the “radical left” and has pilloried his relationship with China, his record on criminal justice, his plans for the pandemic and even his son's business dealings. With Election Day less just four months away, Trump has spent more money on one television ad claiming that Biden lacks “the strength, the stamina and the mental fortitude to lead this country” than any other single ad this year. The firm noted a shift in recent days toward an unrelated Trump attack accusing Biden of supporting the far-left push to defund police departments, although he said he doesn't.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:57:53 GMT

UN chief warns foreign interference in Libya `unprecedented'
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that foreign interference in Libya’s war has reached “unprecedented levels” and urged key players and their backers to unblock the political stalemate and agree to a cease-fire and peace talks. Calling the current situation “gloomy,” the U.N. chief said Wednesday that the United Nations political mission in Libya is undertaking de-escalation efforts, “including the creation of a possible demilitarized zone,” to try to reach a negotiated solution and spare lives.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:52:56 GMT

Trade secretary concerned that Brexit border plans could lead to smuggling, leaked letter reveals
Liz Truss, the Trade Secretary, has warned that Boris Johnson's Brexit border plans could result in smuggling and the breaking of international rules in a leaked letter. The Government announced last month that full border controls will not be applied on goods until July 2021, despite Britain leaving EU trading and customs rules at the end of 2020. Business groups fear the delay risks a "disaster" for firms trading with the EU. In an explosive letter to Cabinet ministers on Wednesday, Ms Truss warned that the new regime risks the UK's international credibility. The leaking of the letter to Business Insider has raised suspicions that she may be moved from her post in a mooted summer reshuffle. In the private correspondence to Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, and the Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove, Ms Truss highlighted four "key areas of concerns" about the Government's border plans, which are due to be published on July 13. Saying that the proposals would create a series of logistical, political and reputational risks for the Government, the letter demands "assurances that we are able to deliver full control at ports by July 2021 and that plans are in place from January to mitigate the risk of goods being circumvented from ports implementing full controls". Suggesting that a lack of preparedness could lead to smuggling from the EU if UK ports are not ready to carry out checks, she said the UK could "be vulnerable to WTO challenge". This is because Britain plans to temporarily give the EU preferential treatment, which could breach WTO rules if there is no UK-EU free trade agreement in place.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:49:27 GMT

Iran-backed militia says PM's actions could bring escalation
A powerful Iran-backed militia said Wednesday there would be “escalation” if Iraq's prime minister continues to clamp down on armed groups, as tensions spiked following the killing of a prominent analyst, pitting the state against rogue elements. Hostilities have flared as Iraq reels from the assassination of Hisham al-Hashimi, 47, who was gunned down by unknown assailants on motorbikes outside his Baghdad home Monday. Al-Hashimi's killers are still unknown but many point to the timing of the assassination, coming just two weeks after a raid on the headquarters of the Kataib Hezbollah militia south of Baghdad.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:31:15 GMT

Health official: Trump rally 'likely' source of virus surge
President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa in late June that drew thousands of participants and large protests "likely contributed" to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday. Although the health department’s policy is to not publicly identify individual settings where people may have contracted the virus, Dart said those large gatherings “more than likely" contributed to the spike. “In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots," Dart said.

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 18:27:36 GMT

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