CLG: Weapons shipped to Syrian 'rebels' by the CIA and Saudi Arabia were used to kill Americans, New doubts on Zika as cause of microcephaly; researchers investigating role of pesticide pyriproxyfen, FitzPatrick nuclear plant, the source of lake oil spill, shut down suddenly Friday,

 News Updates from CLG
28 June 2016

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All links are here:http://www.legitgov.org/#breaking_news

 

Previous edition: Brexit: UK votes to leave EU in historic referendum

 

Weapons shipped to Syrian 'rebels' by the CIA and Saudi Arabia were used to kill Americans | 26 June 2016 | Weapons shipped into Jordan for Syrian rebels [aka I-CIA-SIS] by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, the New York Times reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, according to a joint investigation by the New York Times and Al Jazeera. A Jordanian officer shot dead two U.S. government security contractors, a South African trainer and two Jordanians at a U.S.-funded police training facility near Amman before being killed in a shootout, Jordanian authorities had said in November.

 

Australian navy cadets 'forced to rape each other in training' as 'rite of passage' | 23 June 2016 | A Royal Commission into abuse within the Australian Navy has heard graphic claims that cadets were forced into sexual abuse including raping each other and details of a teenage girl who committed suicide following a sexual relationship with an instructor...The commission was launched in 2012 following 2,4000 complaints and has since heard from 111 people who has experienced sexual, physical and mental abuse within the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

 

What are military UN trucks doing in Virginia? Motorists spot white 'combat vehicles' on the interstate | 27 June 2016 | Military U.N. vehicles have been spotted in Virginia, shocking motorists and sparking conspiracy theories. The white trucks, equipped with large off-road tires, were seen being transported on Interstate 81 on Friday. They appear to be Alpine Armoring's Pit-Bull VX SWAT Truck models. Jeff Stern posted photos of the vehicles on Facebook, writing: 'Can't begin to tell you how many of these I passed today on 81 near Lexington VA. Interesting times ahead!' Bobby Wayne Guinn posted on Facebook that he had witnessed similar scenes in Texas. He wrote: 'Wondering why 30 United Nations vehicles, fully loaded with combat-prepared troops, were driving down our highway in Dallas, Texas.'

 

FBI, Cleveland police 'door knock' activists expected to protest RNC | 23 June 2016 | With less than a month to go before the Republican National Convention, Cleveland police are teaming up with FBI agents to conduct so-called "community outreach." The activists they're visiting, however, call it "intimidation." To ensure a "safe and secure" Republican National Convention, scheduled for July 18 to 21 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is collecting intelligence on and from potential activists, the FBI's Cleveland division spokeswoman, Donna Sullivan, toldthe Cleveland Plain Dealer. Teams of federal and local law enforcement officers started the reconnaissance this week, inquiring into activists’ previous addresses, affiliations and future plans for the RNC.

 

2016 Presidential Candidate Found Dead at Cleveland Motel | 24 June 2016 | A "fearless advocate for liberty" who sought the Libertarian Party's nomination for president has been found dead. Dr. Marc A. Feldman, 56, of Cleveland, was found dead Wednesday at the Americas Best Value Inn near the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. No official cause of death has been released. Feldman lost the Libertarian nomination in May to former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.

 

FBI investigators say they have found no evidence that Orlando shooter had gay lovers | 23 June 2016 | Since the shooting at an Orlando nightclub last week that left 49 people dead, reports have emerged that gunman Omar Mateen frequented the gay club, used gay dating apps and had gay lovers. But the FBI has found no evidence so far to support claims by those who say Mateen had gay lovers or communicated on gay dating apps, several law enforcement officials said. Mateen, 29, told police negotiators he had carried out the shooting that began at 2 a.m. June 12... He claimed the shooting was carried out in allegiance to the militant group Islamic State, as a message to halt U.S. bombing in Iraq and Syria.

 

Clash at California capitol leaves at least 10 injured | 26 June 2016 | At least 10 people were injured at a rally outside the California state capitol in Sacramento on Sunday as members of a white supremacist group [Traditionalist Worker Party] clashed with counter-protesters, authorities said. The Sacramento Fire Department said 10 patients were treated at area hospitals for multiple stabbing and laceration wounds. None of the injuries were life-threatening and there were no immediate reports of arrests, Granada said. The building was placed on lockdown.

 

Multiple People Stabbed During Rally at California State Capitol | 26 June 2016 | Authorities say multiple people were stabbed during a rally in front of the Capitol building on Sunday. The Sacramento Fire Department says they are treating five patients. Some victims have suffered critical stab wounds, Sac Fire says. A rally by the Traditionalist Worker Party was to take place on Sunday.

 

FitzPatrick nuclear plant, the source of lake oil spill, shut down suddenly Friday | 27 June 2016 | (Scriba, NY) The FitzPatrick nuclear plant, the source of a visible oil slick on Lake Ontario, had to be shut down manually Friday after a loss of power caused water pumps to stop working. The plant remains in cold shutdown today, according to federal regulators. The problems Friday started when a circuit breaker tripped at 12:15 p.m., according to a report filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. A pump in the reactor cooling system also tripped offline, forcing operators to manually shut the reactor down at 12:36 p.m., the report said.

 

New doubts on Zika as cause of microcephaly; researchers investigating role of pesticide pyriproxyfen | 24 June 2016 | Brazil's microcephaly epidemic continues to pose a mystery -- if Zika is the culprit, why are there no similar epidemics in other countries also hit hard by the virus? In Brazil, the microcephaly rate soared with more than 1,500 confirmed cases. But in Colombia, a recent study of nearly 12,000 pregnant women infected with Zika found zero microcephaly cases... In light of this evidence, New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI) says the cause of microcephaly in Brazil should be reconsidered. One possibility that has been raised is the pesticide pyriproxyfen, which is applied to drinking water [!] in some parts of Brazil to kill the larvae of the mosquitoes that transmit Zika.

 

Stocks crash after UK's Brexit vote to quit EU shocks investors | 24 June 2016 | Stock markets crashed, oil prices tumbled and the pound fell to a 31-year low on Friday as Britain's unprecedented vote to leave the European Union shocked investors and dragged the region, the world's largest economic bloc, into a new era of uncertainty... Investors rushed to dump European shares as soon as markets opened, following earlier drops in Asia, and Wall Street was set to fall sharply amid concerns about the economic consequences of the vote. The move could drain confidence among companies and business in Britain and the wider EU, which some fear could even face more defections.

 

The pound is crashing on U.K. vote for Brexit | 24 June 2016 | The British pound crashed to its lowest levels in 31 years as the country voted to leave the European Union in a historic referendum. The pound dropped below $1.35 for the first time since 1985. The currency fell as much as 11% and was on course for its biggest one-day fall ever. It was down against all major world currencies.

 

David Cameron resigns after UK votes to leave European Union --PM announces resignation following victory for leave supporters after divisive referendum campaign --Cameron promised to remain in post until the autumn | 24 June 2016 | David Cameron has announced his resignation after the British public rejected his personal entreaties and voted to leave the European Union. "The will of the British people is an instruction that must be delivered," the prime minister said, his voice breaking with emotion, and his wife Samantha standing at his side in Downing Street. He revealed that he had already spoken to the Queen to make his plans clear; but would not yet trigger article 50, the clause in the EU's Lisbon treaty that kicks off a two-year withdrawal process.

 

1.25 million people are destitute in the UK | 27 April 2016 | The first comprehensive study into destitution in the UK has revealed that 1.25 million people, including over 300,000 children, are destitute, the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation announced today...The total number of destitute people in the UK, including UK citizens, is not currently measured by the Government. The report was commissioned by JRF in response to perceptions that extreme poverty had risen in recent years. It has been conducted by experts at Heriot-Watt University with advice from a wide range of experts and service providers across the UK, and has taken two years to complete.

 

West Virginia flood was 'one in a thousand year event,' Weather Service says; more heavy rain forecast | 27 June 2016 | The torrential rain that inundated parts of southern and central West Virginia on Thursday was truly an exceptional meteorological event that has had devastating consequences. In Greenbrier County, W.Va., where some of the worst flooding occurred, the National Weather Service described the responsible rainfall as "historic" and "extremely rare." "Return period data suggest this would be nearly a one in a thousand year event," it said. At least 23 people are confirmed dead from the floodwaters across West Virginia, including 15 in Greenbrier County, which was hardest hit.

 

Bernie Sanders demands Democratic platform contain plank against 'disastrous' TPP trade deal after Clinton backers oppose tough language --Notes that 'Hillary Clinton's representatives' opposed the move at platform meeting | 27 June 2016 | Bernie Sanders continued to quarrel with Hillary Clinton over the Democratic Party's platform Monday even as he has scaled back other elements of his political 'revolution,' demanding a clear vote against a Pacific trade bill corporate giveaway. The Vermont senator, who has yet to formally endorse Clinton, said in a statement urged the Democratic platform committee to 'take a stand' against the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiated by President Obama, a deal Sanders called 'disastrous.' Over the weekend, the platform committee rejected a move by Sanders appointee Minnesota Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison to come out against the trade deal. Instead, it put in mushy language stating there are 'a diversity of views in the party' on the trade deal and said Democrats "must protect workers and the environment' – boilerplate language with which any Democrat would agree.

 

Sanders says would vote for Clinton to stop Trump | 24 June 2016 | U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders said on Friday he would vote for Hillary Clinton to stop Republican Donald Trump from winning the White House, a lukewarm show of support that his campaign said was not a formal endorsement...Sanders's comments come after weeks of pressure from Democratic party officials to throw his weight behind Clinton, the presumptive nominee. She locked up the required number of delegates this month with a string of wins in state-by-state primary contests.

 

U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturns former Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell's corruption convictions | 27 June 2016 | The U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion Monday vacating former Gov. Bob McDonnell's corruption convictions and sent the case back to the lower appeals court... The unanimous opinion means that the convictions don't stand, but the opinion is not an acquittal. It means the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals must conclude whether evidence - under the Supreme Court's explanation of federal bribery law - is sufficient to allow a retrial. If the appeals court concludes that it is, federal prosecutors would then decide whether to retry McDonnell.

 

Supreme Court strikes down Texas abortion clinic restrictions | 27 June 2016 | The Supreme Court on Monday struck down Texas abortion restrictions that have been widely duplicated in other states, a resounding win for abortion rights advocates in the court's most important consideration of the controversial issue in 25 years. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy joined the court's liberals in the 5 to 3 decision, which said Texas's arguments that the clinic restrictions were to protect women's health were cover for making it more difficult to obtain an abortion. The challenged Texas provisions required doctors who perform abortions at clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and said that clinics must meet hospital-like standards of surgical centers.

 

Volkswagen to Pay $14.7 Billion to Settle Diesel Claims in U.S. | 27 June 2016 | Volkswagen has agreed to pay up to 14.7 billion to settle claims stemming from its diesel emissions cheating scandal, in what would be one of the largest consumer class-action settlements ever in the United States. The proposed settlement involving the federal government and lawyers for the owners of about 475,000 Volkswagen vehicles, includes a maximum of 10.03 billion to buy back affected cars at their pre-scandal values, and additional c-sh compensation for the owners, according to two people briefed on the settlement's terms.

 

Oh-but-another reason to *never donate* to the corporatist frauds aka American Red Cross: Red Cross apologizes for 'super racist' pool safety poster that shows black children misbehaving while white kids obey the rules | 26 June 2016 | A Red Cross sign designed to teach children how to behave in a swimming pool has instead been blasted for being 'super racist'. The poster - entitled 'Be Cool, Follow the Rules' - was spotted in two pools in Colorado and showed children playing in a pool with signs pointing to the 'cool' and 'not cool' children, indicating who were acting correctly. But the majority of the 'not cool' kids were black, causing one bemused tweeter to open a dialogue with the organisation about what message they were trying to send out.

 

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