Senator Lindsey Graham Rips President Trump Again for Visa Ban – Claims It Has a Negative Impact on the Economy

A month ago Senator Graham joined with 8 other RINO Senators to offer work visas to foreigners. Yesterday Senator Graham was at it again.

A month ago in May, nine US Republican Senators wrote President Donald Trump telling him not to restrict work visas for foreigners.

Lindsey Graham was one of nine RINOs who wanted to bring in more foreign workers when there millions of Americans out of work due to the impact of the China coronavirus.

Lou Dobbs challenged any of these RINOs to come on his show and debate him on their proposal. Needless to say no RINO Senator accepted his offer.

Yesterday Senator Graham was back at it. Senator Graham ripped President Trump again for his ban on immigrant visas per Inside Scoop Politics:

The order is meant to be part of President Trump’s promise to put American workers first.

“The President is taking decisive action to put American families and workers first in the reopening of the economy and DHS is proudly partnering with him to implement this important executive action..American citizens must be first in line for American jobs.”

Graham says he thinks it’s a dangerous move and will have the opposite effect on our economy.

“This decision, in my view, will have a chilling effect on our economic recovery at a time we should be doing all we can to restore the economy.”

Rather than address the massive corrruption within the US Intel Community, State Department and Justice Department as a result of eight years of President Obama, Lindsey Graham attacks President Trump for standing up for the American worker. No one deserves a friend like Lindsey.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/senator-lindsey-graham-rips-president-trump-visa-ban-claims-negative-impact-economy/

Mexico City Police Chief Wounded In Daylight Assassination Attempt Using .50 Cal Rifles & Grenades

Amid Mexico's spiraling cartel and drug war violence, and the police and military's uphill battle to get a handle on surging crime especially in sprawling urban poor neighborhoods, a brazen and shocking assassination attempt has targeted Mexico's City's chief of police on Friday.

Mexico City’s public security chief, Omar Garcia Harfuch, survived the attack and his now considered "out of danger" according to Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. The top cop was wounded and is in the hospital, while at least two of his police bodyguards were killed.

Though details remain sparse, the attack appears to have been a major public street shootout scenario, akin to much of the cartel violence Mexican towns have been prone to, given the mayor also said an "undetermined number of people were killed" in the morning shootout.

"The police say that gunmen armed with .50 caliber sniper rifles and grenades exchanged fire with the chief’s security detail," AP reports. A woman who happened to be driving by was also shot and killed.

Local media says the attack occurred at around 6:30am, shocking the wealthy neighborhood district of Lomas de Chapultepec. Interestingly, such a violent scene is said to be extremely rare in the that part of the city. Gunshots were reportedly heard ringing out for several minutes as the streets erupted in chaos.

It's as yet unclear who the assassins or perpetrators were, however, Reuters described based on local officials that arrests have been made:

Separately, Ernestina Godoy, attorney general of Mexico City, said 12 people had been arrested.

Speaking at a regular government news conference, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attributed the outbreak of violence to the work of local officials to establish order in the city.

Residents said heavy gunfire rang out for several minutes during the attack in Lomas de Chapultepec, which is home to many wealthy residents and the location of ambassadorial residences.

Aftermath and massive police presence at the upscale Lomas de Chapultepec district:

And further police are now blaming a powerful cartel:

Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch blamed the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for attempting to assassinate him early on Friday when he was shot and injured in an attack in a wealthy part of the capital.

“This morning we suffered a cowardly attack by the CJNG, two colleagues and friends of mine lost their lives,” Garcia said in a post on Twitter.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/mexico-city-police-chief-wounded-brazen-daylight-shootout-assassination-attempt

DraftKings Insiders Dump $596 Million Of Stock On Unsuspecting Robinhood Daytraders

DraftKings Inc. filed several Form 4s with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week regarding insider selling by the president of the company, Paul Liberman, and others.

But wait, there are more insiders dumping stock: Director Steven Joseph Murray sold $40 million worth of shares, while directors Shalom Meckenzie and John Salter sold collectively around $125 million.

Howard Lindzon, the co-founder of StockTwits, recently noted the meteoric rise in DraftKings share price happened at a time when most sporting events were canceled because of the virus pandemic:

"The chart of the day is Draft Kings, which has quadrupled to $12 billion now since it reverses merged into a shell and then changed ticker to $DKNG…unbelievable outcome considering the long regulated road and the fact that NO SPORTS !? Face with tears of joy."

What goes up must come down: Robinhood traders will soon learn a painful lesson on gravity.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/draftkings-insiders-dump-596-million-stock-unsuspecting-robinhood-daytraders

Facebook Tumbles As Unilever Joins List Of Ad-Boycotting Virtue-Signalers

The growing number of companies that are pausing ads on Facebook in response to the social media giant’s handling of hate speech and violence is starting to have a notable effect on the company's share price.

Today's addition is perhaps a straw to break the camel's back as consumer-good giant Unilever joins Verizon as two major companies pausing ads on the social network in a grand virtue-signaling show.

"Based on the current polarization and the election that we are having in the U.S., there needs to be much more enforcement in the area of hate speech," said Luis Di Como, Unilever's executive vice president of global media, in an interview.

"Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society," the company said in a statement. Its Facebook ban also will cover Instagram.

Mr. Di Como said Unilever would like to see a reduction in the level of hate speech on the platforms and wants independent companies to measure and confirm that progress has been made. As Fortune reports, the movement was launched last week by advocacy groups including the Anti-Defamation League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Common Sense Media.

They asked businesses to pause their advertising on Facebook in July to send a “powerful message”:

“Your profits will never be worth promoting hate, bigotry, racism, antisemitism, and violence.”

So far, more than 10 companies, including REI, Patagonia, North Face, Eddie Bauer, Verizon, Upwork, and Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s, have joined the campaign.

“Facebook, Inc. must take the clear and unequivocal actions to stop its platform from being used to spread and amplify racism and hate,” Ben & Jerry’s tweeted on Tuesday after joining.

Analysts have claimed this virtue-signaling is a nothingburger from a financial perspective

“It’s not going to do anything to the company, financially,” said Brent Thill, an analyst at investment banking firm Jefferies.

“You have 8 million advertisers. If a handful leave, there’s a short-term air pocket, but it’s minor.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/facebook-tumbles-unilever-joins-list-ad-boycotting-virtue-signalers

Belgian parliament calls for EU SANCTIONS against Israel if it proceeds with West Bank annexation

The Belgian parliament has passed a non-binding resolution calling on the government to lead the way in implementing “counter-measures” against Israel if it goes ahead with its planned annexation of parts of the West Bank.

The resolution, passed on Friday morning with an overwhelming majority, urges the federal government to take steps to prevent the annexation of Palestinian territories. It says the Belgian government should “play a leading role” in drawing up a list of “effective countermeasures intended to respond proportionately” to Israel, if it proceeds with the plan.

The document also calls for Europe-wide punitive measures to potentially be taken against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. If there is no agreement on a response at the European level, however, Belgium should seek to form a “coalition between like-minded member states” to work out a common response, the resolution says.

Many EU countries have expressed strong opposition to Israel’s intention to annex up to 30 percent of the West Bank from July 1, yet the bloc needs a consensus of all 27 members to impose sanctions.

Last month, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he was working with EU partners on a potential “reprisal” against Israel. On Wednesday, more than 1,000 lawmakers from 25 European countries signed a statement opposing any unilateral Israeli annexation of the West Bank. However, the Belgian parliament is the first in the EU to officially call for sanctions over the planned annexation.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki welcomed the Belgian parliament’s resolution, saying that it came at a time of escalating international rejection of Israel’s plans. “We see every day indications of eroding support for Israel and the immunity that it has enjoyed for decades despite its continued violations,” al-Maliki said on Friday.

However, Israel’s ambassador to Belgium, Emmanuel Nahshon, condemned the move, arguing that Belgium should encourage the Palestinians to return to peaceful negotiations instead of applying “undue” pressure on Israel, the Times of Israel reports.

https://www.rt.com/news/493016-belgian-sanctions-israel-annexation/

China Warns US That "Crossing Red Lines" Puts Trade Deal At Risk

The US bill imposing mandatory sanctions on Chinese individuals and entities who “materially contribute to the contravention of China’s obligations” to Hong Kong’s autonomy - and banks that do “significant transactions” with them - was passed unanimously by the Senate on Thursday, with the House of Representatives working on its own version; the final bill gets passed to President Trump, who either signs it or vetoes it - in which case it has a veto-proof majority anyway. This, as Rabobank's Michael Every wrote, is the constitutional dynamic that has been described several times in the last 12 months for China-focused bills with serious consequences for not just international relations, but international business and finance.

"So far the results have not hit markets: but this bill cuts out the middleman and takes us straight to the biting sanctions", Every concluded.

But while we await the sanctions to kick in, moments ago we learned once again that China is hardly impressed by the latest developments, and in "quietly delivering a message" to Washington, Chinese leaders have "accused Washington of meddling in areas such as Hong Kong, where China is imposing a sweeping national-security law, and Taiwan."

According to a report in the journal, during a meeting between Mike Pompeo and China’s top diplomat last week in Hawaii, Yang Jiechi listed these actions as well as China’s “strong dissatisfaction” with a bill President Trump signed last week mandating sanctions against Chinese officials and entities deemed responsible for mass detention of Uighur Muslim in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.

While Yang reiterated Beijing’s commitment to carrying out the trade deal, he stressed that both sides had to “work together,” said people familiar with the conversations. A Chinese official said that meant "the U.S. side should refrain from going too far with meddling" and that "Red lines shouldn’t be crossed."

The report then notes that shortly after the meeting concluded, Vice Premier Liu He said that Beijing’s ability to carry out the trade deal required the U.S. to "ease off" pressure on other fronts.

"The two countries should create conditions and atmosphere, and eliminate interference, to jointly implement the Phase One agreement," Liu said in written remarks to a high-profile financial forum held in Shanghai on June 18.

“You can’t keep asking us to buy your stuff and at the same time keep beating up on us,” said Mei Xinyu, an analyst at a think tank affiliated with China’s Commerce Ministry. “That’s not how it works.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/china-warns-us-crossing-red-lines-puts-trade-deal-risk

Federal judge rules Cuomo, de Blasio cannot arbitrarily limit church gatherings due to COVID-19 while allowing mass protests

'Preferential treatment'

In a win for religious freedom advocates, a federal judge ruled that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) are wrong to limit religious gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic while at the same time supporting mass protests of racial injustice.

U.S. District Judge Gary L. Sharpe issued a preliminary injunction Friday prohibiting Cuomo, his attorney general, and de Blasio from ordering or enforcing any arbitrary limits on church gatherings.

In his decision, Sharp noted that "it is not the judiciary's role to second guess the likes of Governor Cuomo or Mayor de Blasio when it comes to decisions they make in such troubling times, that is, until those decisions result in the curtailment of fundamental rights without compelling justification."

The order effectively states that the New York officials cannot impose any limitation on outdoor gatherings and cannot impose limitations on indoor gatherings out-of-step with phases two and three of the New York's reopening plan.

Under the plan, "essential" businesses are granted 100% occupancy and "nonessential" businesses are granted 50% occupancy, but religious gatherings are confined to 25% occupancy.

"We are pleased that Judge Sharpe was able to see through the sham of Governor Cuomo's 'Social Distancing Protocol' which went right out the window as soon as he and Mayor de Blasio saw a mass protest movement they favored taking to the streets by the thousands," Thomas More Society Special Counsel Christopher Ferrara said in a news release.

The Thomas More Society, a conservative not-for-profit national law firm, represented the group of Catholic priests and Jewish congregants who brought the complaint.

"Suddenly, the limit on 'mass gatherings' was no longer necessary to 'save lives,'" Ferrara added. "Yet they were continuing to ban high school graduations and other outdoor gatherings exceeding a mere 25 people. This decision is an important step toward inhibiting the suddenly emerging trend of exercising absolute monarchy on pretext of public health. What this kind of regime really meant in practice is freedom for me, but not for thee."

Preferential treatment for protests

Limitations on mass gatherings due to COVID-19 seemingly went out the window as mass protests erupted across America following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis over Memorial Day weekend.

In New York, thousands of protesters flocked to the streets day after day without any pushback from Cuomo and de Blasio.

Instead, the aforementioned officials spoke openly in support of New York residents' freedom to protest while still enforcing limitations on other forms of public assembly.

Sharpe, in his ruling, pointed out the hypocrisy, arguing the double standard amounted to "preferential treatment" for the protesters.

"Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio could have just as easily discouraged protests, short of condemning their message, in the name of public health and exercised discretion to suspend enforcement for public safety reasons instead of encouraging what they knew was a flagrant disregard of the outdoor limits and social distancing rules," Sharpe wrote. "They could have also been silent. But by acting as they did, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio sent a clear message that mass protests are deserving of preferential treatment."

https://www.theblaze.com/news/judge-cuomo-de-blasio-church

Council advances plan to dismantle Minneapolis Police Dept

The Minneapolis City Council on Friday unanimously approved a radical proposal to change the city charter that would allow the police department to be dismantled, following mass public criticism of law enforcement over the killing of George Floyd.

The 12-0 vote is just the first step in a process that faces significant bureaucratic obstacles to make the November ballot, where the city’s voters would have the final say. And it came amid a spate of recent shootings in Minnesota’s largest city that have heightened many citizens’ concerns about talk of dismantling the department.

The Minneapolis force has come under heavy pressure since Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs, died May 25 after a police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes. Activists had long accused the department of being unable to change a racist and brutal culture, and earlier this month, a majority of the council proclaimed support for dismantling the department.

Doing so would first require amending the city charter. Draft language of the amendment posted online would replace the department with a Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention, “which will have responsibility for public safety services prioritizing a holistic, public health-oriented approach.”

The amendment goes on to say the director of the new agency would have “non-law-enforcement experience in community safety services, including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches.” It also provides for a division of licensed peace officers, who would answer to the department’s director.

Council members who support the change are looking to seize on a groundswell of support for significant policing changes following Floyd’s death. If they don’t get the charter change on the November ballot, their next chance won’t come until November 2021, they say.

“It is time to make structural change,” Council Member Steve Fletcher said. “It is time to start from scratch and reinvent what public safety looks like.”

The proposed amendment is expected to be approved Friday, but that’s just a first step. It goes then to a policy committee and to the city’s Charter Commission for formal review. The commission’s recommendation doesn’t bind the council, but it takes time.

Barry Clegg, chairman of the Charter Commission, said the process feels rushed.

“As I understand it, they are saying, ‘We are going to have this new department. We don’t know what it’s going to look like yet. We won’t implement this for a year, we’ll figure it out,’” Clegg said. “For myself anyway, I would prefer that we figured it out first, and then voted on it.”

https://www.breitbart.com/news/minneapolis-council-puts-plan-to-abolish-police-in-motion/

Washington sheriff suggests residents defy governor's statewide mask requirement: 'Don't be a sheep'

Gov. Jay Inslee wasn't thrilled

Texas and Florida ordered bars to stop serving alcohol on site Friday amid a record-breaking surge in COVID-19 cases in both states, as the White House coronavirus task force was set to hold its first public briefing in almost two months.

The two populous southern states, home to some 50 million people, were spared the worst of the outbreak in spring but are now being struck hard.

The United States, already the hardest-hit country in the world with close to 125,000 deaths, never fully emerged from its first wave. Following a weeks-long plateau, new cases are once again back to where they were in April.

“At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump.

As a result, bars will be required to close but may continue providing delivery and take-out services. Other measures include that restaurants can remain open with 50 percent capacity indoors, and outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more require local government approval.

Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June after months of lockdown. But the strategy has backfired: the state saw a record of 5,596 new coronavirus cases Thursday, a major jump from just 10 days ago, when the state had only 1,254 new cases in a day.

Lina Hidalgo, the chief executive of Harris County, the most populous in Texas which includes the city of Houston, issued a stay-at-home advisory and raised the threat level to “severe” or Level 1.

“This pandemic is like an invisible hurricane,” Hidalgo said. “This is a serious situation. The outbreaks are worsening.”

Hidalgo, who is affiliated with the Democratic party, does not have the authority to make the guidance mandatory.

Florida meanwhile reported a record breaking 8,942 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, as well as 39 new deaths and 212 additional hospitalizations.

“Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide,” the Florida government department tweeted Friday.

https://www.breitbart.com/news/texas-rolls-back-reopening-as-w-house-revives-virus-task-force/

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https://www.theblaze.com/news/washington-sheriff-defy-face-mask-order

Lewis County (Washington) Sheriff Robert Snaza apparently suggested that residents defy the face-mask mandate set forth by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee this week.

Inslee's order took effect Friday. Any violation of the new mandate is considered a misdemeanor, and is punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a maximum fine of $1,000.

What are the details?

Snaza encouraged locals residents gathered in church parking lot in Napavine, Washington, "Don't be a sheep."

In a now-viral video filmed earlier this week, Snaza tells the gathered residents, "In case you guys didn't hear, Gov. Inslee in his infinite wisdom has decided after over a hundred and some odd days that we should all wear face masks — inside and out. Here's what I say: Don't be a sheep."

The crowd — including some who waved American flags — erupted in cheers, pumping their fists and clapping.

Snaza can be seen shaking the hands of those in the crowd — none of which are masked — and even hugging some people.

During a Wednesday news conference, Inslee responded to Snaza's remarks.

"I think we have to be disappointed in any law enforcement officer who would encourage illegal behavior," Inslee said, and insisted that wearing a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic "is about demonstrating our respect and care for the other people around us."

Snaza said that he doesn't necessarily believe that mask-wearing reduces the spread of COVID-19 and added that he doesn't believe law enforcement should intervene in residents' lives if they do not want to wear the face mask.

"Yet we're telling people now to wear it and if you don't wear it, we're going to cite you for that," Snaza said.

Also on Wednesday, Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer blasted Inslee's order in an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting. Songer called the governor an "idiot" and said he's "overstepping his bounds, violating people's constitutional rights."

500,000 Users Sign Up For Parler In Three Days After Twitter Suspends Pro-Trump Accounts

500,000 people created accounts on the social media platform Parler after Twitter banned two conservative accounts Tuesday.

Parler’s user base increased by 50% this week, bringing the total number of users to over 1.5 million, Mediaite reported Thursday.

The surge comes after Twitter permanently banned the account of Carpe Donktum, and locked the account of The National Pulse Editor-In-Chief Raheem Kassam. Both accounts, which were locked Tuesday, have over 200,000 followers.

Conservatives, who were already frustrated with Twitter for what they say is arbitrary and unfair banning of right-wing accounts, flocked to Parler after the two accounts were suspended. Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz both joined the platform.

“The left wants to defund the actual police,” Gaetz said in his first post on Parler. “I would just like to defund the thought police in Silicon Valley.”

Parler, which brands itself as the free speech alternative to Twitter, does restrict certain content, but the platform uses broadcast standards, which censors things like pornography but not political speech, according to Mediaite.

Conservatives first started joining Parler when the site was created in 2018. Parler co-founder and CEO John Matze said in 2018 that “big tech is not too big to topple, in fact, they are blinded by their size/power and are hurting themselves by ideologically targeting groups.”

https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/25/sign-up-parler-3-days-twitter-suspends-pro-trump-accounts/

16 NBA Players Test Positive as Restart Nears

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association say 16 players tested positive for coronavirus in the first wave of mandatory tests done in preparation for the restart of the season.

Those 16 players were part of a pool of 302 tested on Tuesday. Tests are continuing for all 22 teams that will be participating in the restart at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida, next month. The player names were not disclosed; some, such as Malcolm Brogdon of Indiana and Sacramento teammates Jabari Parker and Alex Len have publicly acknowledged they have.

That was a 5.3% rate of positive tests leaguewide. The league did not announce results of testing on staffers and other members of team travel parties, all of whom are also part of the mandatory testing program.

The league and the union say that “any player who tested positive will remain in self-isolation until he satisfies public health protocols for discontinuing isolation and has been cleared by a physician.”

https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2020/06/26/16-nba-players-test-positive-as-restart-nears/

These 3 Republicans Voted For House Democrats’ Police Reform Bill

Three Republicans in the House voted with Democrats on their police reform legislation bill Thursday, one day after Senate Democrats shut down Republicans’ police reform bill.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi worked with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to come up with legislation on racial profiling and police brutality as protests continue across the country over the death of George Floyd. The bill passed with a vote of 236 to 181. The legislation was created by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and focuses on racial profiling and police brutality as protests continue across the country for George Floyd.

These Three Republicans Voted In Favor Of The Bill:

Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick

Texas Rep. Will Hurd

Michigan Rep. Fred Upton

This comes one day after Senate Democrats blocked a Republican police reform bill on a procedural vote Wednesday without debating the legislation.

The bill needed 60 votes in order for it to move forward to a debate. The vote was 55-45. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed cloture Monday on the Republican police reform legislation, setting up Wednesday’s vote.

Republicans needed seven or more Democrats to vote with them in order for the legislation to advance. Senate Republicans released their police reform legislation the previous Wednesday in response to the killing of Floyd.

https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/26/three-republicans-voted-for-house-democrats-police-reform-bill/

Khan’s London: Another ‘Street Party’ Devolves Into Riot, Police Attacked Again

For the second night in a row an illegal “street party” in London devolved into a riot, with police officers being bombarded with glass bottles as they attempted to disperse a raucous gathering in Colville Gardens, Notting Hill.

Police deployed extra units across London on Thursday night, following up on an outburst of violence against officers on Wednesday, at an event Britain’s established news outlets characterised as a “party”.

Scenes again turned ugly in the Notting Hill neighbourhood in the early hours of Friday morning, with widely-distributed social media footage showing officers slowly advancing down a street to clear revellers. Officers were pelted with glass bottles and stones. Kensington & Chelsea police said in a statement in the early hours of Friday morning: “Objects have been thrown at officers dispersing the crowd. Violence will not be tolerated & units are responding appropriately. This gathering is illegal & we ask anyone in attendance to leave”.

The force added the crowd had dispersed by 0200. There were no reports of “serious injuries” at the Notting Hill incident, according to Sky News.

The night before London’s police officers were attacked after a block party descending into chaos. Dramatic footage from the Brixton riot — which received relatively low-key coverage from the BBC and other mainstream broadcasters — showed a mob including one individual apparently wielding a sword chasing police officers from the scene, clambering over police vehicles, and violently smashing them with improvised clubs.

At least 22 officers were injured during the riots — comparable to some of the higher figures for the thousands-strong Black Lives Matter demonstrations which have turned violent in recent weeks — with two confirmed as requiring hospital treatment.

Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation which serves as something of a union for police officers in the capital, said there has been “an absolute volley of anger and hatred towards the police, and branded the violence “despicable”.

“My colleagues are human beings as well – and suddenly… they’re confronted by people who ultimately want to cause them grievous damage,” he said.

“You can’t prepare for that. It’s deplorable. We emphasise again that police officers are not punchbags. Colleagues should be going home to their families at the end of their shifts and not to hospital,” he insisted.

“My colleagues are faced with all sorts of trauma from these incidents.”

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it is increasing police presence on the streets “in direct response to concerns expressed by our communities, many of whom were scared and shocked by the events taking place outside their homes.”

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/06/26/khans-london-another-street-party-devolves-into-riot-police-attacked-again/

Microsoft is closing its physical retail stores

After 11 years, Microsoft is throwing in the towel on its physical retail stores and is refocusing its retail sales efforts around its online/digital store.

Microsoft is closing its physical retail stores, and instead will focus its retail efforts on digital sales. David Porter, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Store made the announcement on June 26 via a blog post on LinkedIn.

Microsoft will continue to employ retail salespeople but they will be focused on sales, training and support for consumers, small businesses and enterprise customers, Porter said. Microsoft already had been deploying its retail sales people remotely and in training roles during physical store closures resulting from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Microsoft isn't going to close its flagship stores in London, New York, Sydney and Redmond, however. Porter said the company will "reimagine" them as new spaces, which will serve more as experience centers. He didn't offer further details about how customers will be able to visit these centers.

Microsoft originally announced its plans to open Microsoft-branded retail stores in February 2009. Microsoft's strategy was to locate most of these stores as physically close to Apple retail stores as possible.

Microsoft's physical stores offered users a place to see and try out Windows PCs, Windows Phones (until Microsoft discontinued them), Xbox consoles, and a variety of third party PCs and phones (including some Android phones). The flagship stores, like the New York City store which Microsoft finally opened in 2015, also offered demo spaces for products like the Microsoft HoloLens and community/educational spaces.

Microsoft's retail stores never took off anywhere near the way Apple's did, however. Microsoft tried a number of tactics to get more physical stores open quickly by doing things like opening holiday pop-up stores in 2012 as part of its Windows 8 push. But Microsoft always lagged far behind Apple in terms of number of total stores and foot traffic in those stores.

Microsoft said the closing of its physical locations will "result in a pre-tax charge of approximately $450 million, or $0.05 per share," which it will record in the current quarter that ends June 30.

I've asked if today's announcement will result in layoffs and when the stores will start closing. Unofficially, I'm hearing no layoffs. But no official word back so far.

Update: A Microsoft spokesperson provided the official line: "All employees will have the opportunity to stay with Microsoft." (I've heard means they'll continue to work remotely as they have since March, and later, once Microsoft corporate facilities open, they'll still be working with Microsoft in various capacities.) And the store closings are basically already in effect, given all of Microsoft's retail shops closed because of the coronavirus and never re-opened.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-is-closing-its-physical-retail-stores/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=21735961543072688253262375158449&mid=12898496&cid=717936240

Mexican Organized Crime Boss Identified by Breitbart Apprehended

MONTERREY, Nuevo Leon – State authorities arrested the leader of a violent organization waging a fierce turf war against a faction of Los Zetas for control of the local street-level drug market. The arrest comes months after Breitbart Texas revealed the identity of the crime boss and exposed the existence of independent gangs fighting cartels.

On Thursday early morning, detectives with the Nuevo Leon State Investigations Agency (AEI) arrested Jonathan Enrique “El Totoy” Gonzalez Rivera with three of his trusted gunmen in the El Barro neighborhood. Authorities seized three assault rifles and several packages of drugs.

AEI detectives worked with investigative support from the Monterrey Municipal Police to track El Totoy’s stash houses in the city’s hillside area. On Wednesday night, El Totoy called for a meeting with some of his associates moments before the raid. According to a prepared statement from the AEI, the three arrested men were linked to murder, drug distribution, and other violent crimes in Nuevo Leon.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2020/06/25/exclusive-mexican-organized-crime-boss-identified-by-breitbart-apprehended/

Black Lives Matter activist 'lost a testicle after being shot in the groin with a rubber bullet fired by LAPD officers during protests in Los Angeles'

A Black Lives Matter activist was reportedly shot in the groin during a protest in Los Angeles, causing him to lose a testicle.

South African native Bradley Steyn, who was involved in anti-apartheid protests in South Africa when he was younger, claims the LAPD are responsible for his injuries, and he now plans to sue.

Steyn claims he was attacked by law enforcement during a May 30 George Floyd protest in Los Angeles' Fairfax district.

He has since started a GoFundMe page to cover his medical bills and legal funds, and is looking to raise $17,000.

On the page, describes the events of May 30. 'I was marching peacefully with at the Black Lives Matter march on Saturday the 30th May, here in Los Angeles, near Fairfax in memory of George Floyd and so many other black Americans that have been murdered in America. Apartheid-style,' he writes.

'At the march I was shot by a member of the LAPD with a rubber bullet in the testicles. One of which was ruptured and led to me almost bleeding out on the streets of Los Angeles.'

http://www.stationgossip.com/2020/06/black-lives-matter-activist-lost.html

Joe Biden says he would require face masks nationwide if elected president

Former Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he would use his executive power to require Americans to wear face masks in public to slow the spread of COVID-19, KDKA-TV reported.

Some localities have required masks in public, while many others recommend it without requiring it. President Donald Trump rarely wears a mask, and although the president has previously recommended the use of face coverings, he has not expressed any desire or intention to make it a federal mandate.

Biden was asked about a federal mask requirement by KDKA's Ken Rice.

"I would go back to making sure that everybody had masks, that you had PPE lined up, making sure we stockpile all the things that we need and we don't have now," Biden said. "The one thing we do know, these masks make a gigantic difference. I would insist that everybody in public be wearing that mask. Anyone to reopen, it would have to make sure that they walked into a business that had masks."

"Couldn't you use your federal leverage to mandate that?" Rice asked.

"Yes," Biden replied.

"Would you?" Rice pressed.

"Yes, I would from an executive standpoint, I would," Biden said.

"So you would, in effect, mandate the wearing of masks," Rice asked, seeking further clarification.

"I would do everything possible to make it required the people had to wear masks in public," Biden said, not providing any further specifics.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, Trump administration officials such as Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Dr. Anthony Fauci attempted to convince the public that they did not need to wear masks. That effort was apparently only a way to prevent the public from buying all the masks and leaving health care workers without the supply they needed.

As the pandemic worsened, the administration recommended the public begin wearing cloth face coverings in public, despite a lack of evidence that such coverings would be effective in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

http://www.scoopyweb.com/2020/06/joe-biden-says-he-would-require-face.html

Upcoming Hollywood film ‘Habit’ has Jesus depicted as a woman & homosexual, Christians are trying to cancel it

Paris Jackson will portray Jesus — yes, that Jesus — in the upcoming film Habit, it was announced just days after the end of Holy Week.

The actress and musician will star in the Janell Shirtcliff-directed indie opposite Bella Thorne, who plays a street-smart girl with a Jesus fetish who masquerades as a nun while trying to escape the consequences of a violent drug deal. Other confirmed cast members includes rocker Gavin Rossdale, singer Josie Ho, Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart from the Kills, model Andreja Pejic, and Libby Mintz, who produced and co-wrote the story with Shirtcliff.

It's no coincidence that there's plenty of musical talent in the ensemble, according to producer Donovan Leitch.

"Yes, we intentionally stacked the film with rock stars and will have a very rocking soundtrack," Leitch tells EW.

Habit was already wrapped when productions were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. EW has confirmed Jackson completed shooting her part at that time, and that the film was already in post-production.

Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, is a budding actress with a growing list of credits in Hollywood. In 2018 she played the role of Nelly in the film Gringo, and a year later she moved to television with a small part in MTV's Scream.

http://www.stationgossip.com/2020/06/upcoming-hollywood-film-habit-has-jesus.html