Israel moves to legalize settlements
A committee is formed to legalize Jewish settlements in the West Bank that international law currently calls unlawful. Israel’s Justice Minister Shaked says she wants to help establish the legal status of Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
There are many areas in Judea and Samaria where the status is unregulated. The time has come to dispel the legal fog and to enable the residents of Judea and Samaria—most of them in settlements set up by generations of Israeli governments—to stop worrying about the constant threat to the very ownership of their homes.
Visits Gabon
Messi visits Gabon and is driven around the country’s capital city Libreville by the president himself before heading to Port-Gentil to lay a foundation stone for the stadium. The government denies it paid him around $3.8 million to visit the country.
The Gabonese Republic strongly denies having paid, or having pledged to pay any amount of money to the international Argentine soccer player, Lionel Messi. Mr. Messi visited Gabon from the 17th to the 18th of July 2015 after having been invited by President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Gabon’s opposition party, the Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG) criticizes Messi’s shorts and t-shirt attire for a meeting with President Ondimba.
The messiah of football arrived in Gabon like he were going to a zoo: dirty, unshaven and his hands in his pockets, looking for peanuts to throw to them!
Self-defense claim
Reagan claims self-defense in the killing of his girlfriend Nesci. He claims that she came after him with a knife and was trying to disarm her when he fatally wounded her. If convicted, he will spend a maximum of 26 years to life in prison. His lawyer:
While defending himself against her assault with a deadly weapon, Robert tried to disarm her, and in the intense struggle that ensued, she tragically suffered a fatal wound. Robert is not guilty of committing any criminal offense.
Campares self to Picasso
Madonna says says she still has things to talk about and compares herself to Picasso.
I like to compare myself to other kinds of artists like Picasso. He kept painting and painting until the day he died. Why? Because I guess he felt inspired to do so. Life inspired him, so he had to keep expressing himself, and that’s how I feel…I don’t think there’s a time, a date, an expiration date for being creative. I think you go until you don’t have any more to say.
Singapore police freeze bank accounts
Singapore police freeze two bank accounts as part of an investigation linked to Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB, which is being probed by authorities in Malaysia for financial mismanagement and graft. Singapore Police Force:
We understand that the Malaysian authorities have launched investigations into certain matters related to 1MDB. Singapore will continue to provide our full assistance and share information with the relevant authorities in Malaysia, within the ambit of our laws and international obligations.
People interview
Delevingne talks to People magazine about her sexuality:
I like to be spontaneous and live in the moment…I haven’t made a concrete decision about anything…Every day, I change. Every day, I’m discovering new things about myself.
Calls on journalists to tell Africa’s story
Mugabe calls on African journalists to tell the African story and stop being used by Western powers to despise the continent’s heads of state. Mugabe tells journalists at the end of the Ebola Conference Equatorial Guinea that they should not allow the West to dictate to them what to write.
They don’t do that to their own leaders. But they make you despise us, they make you destroy our images in the press and when you do that, are you being an African?,
Earth-like world discovered
NASA’s Kepler mission discovers Kepler-452b, the first near-Earth-size planet in the habitable zone around a sun-like star. 425b is located about 1,400 light years away in the Constellation Cygnus, orbiting a star slightly brighter than the sun. The planet is about 60% larger than Earth and about 1.5 billion years. There is no evidence that it has an atmosphere.
We can think of Kepler-452b as an older, bigger cousin to Earth, providing an opportunity to understand and reflect upon Earth’s evolving environment. It’s awe-inspiring to consider that this planet has spent six billion years in the habitable zone of its star; longer than Earth. That’s substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet.
Turkey lets U.S. use base
Turkey agrees to let the U.S. use a base on Turkish soil to launch airstrikes against the Islamic state. This indicates a significant change in Turkish policy, as previously Turkey was reluctant to get drawn to far into the war against the Islamic state. The base that will be used is Incirlik air base in southern Turkey. A White House statements says that the leaders of the U.S. and Turkey had discussed
deepening our ongoing cooperation in the fight against ISIL, as well as common efforts to bring security and stability to Iraq and a political settlement to the conflict in Syria.
Threatens third party run
Trump says he may launch a third-party White House run if the Republican National Committee is unfair to him during the 2016 primary season.
The RNC has not been supportive. They were always supportive when I was a contributor. I was their fair-haired boy. The RNC has been, I think, very foolish…I’ll have to see how I’m being treated by the Republicans,” Trump said. “Absolutely, if they’re not fair, that would be a factor.
Trump says the GOP establishment in Washington dislikes him because he’s not part of the political class.
I’m not in the gang. I’m not in the group where the group does whatever it’s supposed to do. I want to do what’s right for the country — not what’s good for special interest groups that contribute, not what’s good for the lobbyists and the donors. I’m not surrounded by all sorts of pollsters and PR people. I speak the truth. Our country is in big trouble, and I know how to turn it around.
Trump: Stewart ‘begging’ me to appear on final show
Trump claims Stewart wants him to appear on the final show of The Daily Show on August 6:
They have invited me. I like Jon Stewart — I think he’s good. They’re begging me to go on. I would do it … the problem is it looks like pandering. It looks so false and so phony if I do it.
On Obama appearing on the show:
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with President Obama having done it. I know he took a lot of heat, you know, because they said, ‘What are you doing on a comedy show?’ I think it’s OK. It would’ve been better if he had Stewart come over to the White House, because it would’ve cost nothing. Stewart would’ve loved it, and you’d have saved a lot of money.
Expresses Turkey attack condolences
President Obama expresses condolences on behalf of the American people over the recent terrorist attacks in Turkey attributed to the Islamic State. These included one attack that killed over 30 people in Suruc near Syria’s border. White House statement:
The two leaders affirmed that the United States and Turkey stand united in the fight against terrorism. The leaders also discussed efforts to increase cooperation to stem the flow of foreign fighters and secure Turkey’s border with Syria.
Will direct, produce Netflix film
Netflix strikes a deal with Jolie to direct and produce First They Killed My Father, based on a memoir of the same name by Ung. This is the latest example of investing in their own quality programming online, instead of streaming other studios’ programming. Jolie, deeply affected by the book, is determined to turn it into a movie:
Films like this are hard to watch but important to see. They are also hard to get made. Netflix is making this possible, and I am looking forward to working with them and excited that the film will reach so many people.
No ‘root cause’ for anthrax shipments
A Pentagon report about how anthrax was sent accidentally sent to labs in the U.S. and foreign countries says no root cause is identified. The report blames:
…insufficient technical information in the broader scientific community about how to make sure the potentially deadly substance was no longer live before it was disseminated to 86 labs in 20 states, the District of Columbia and seven foreign countries over the last several years.
The report does say that potential causes might include possible contamination of the samples, how much radiation was used to render the samples inactive, and the quality of the testing procedure. The Pentagon says there are no suspected or confirmed cases of anthrax infections as a result of the mistakenly shipped samples.
Defends Planned Parenthood
Clinton defends Planned Parenthood, which has faced recent criticism for a video made by anti-abortion activists that alleges the group’s clinics are illegally selling tissue from aborted fetuses for profit, a charge the group denies. Clinton condemns the recent backlash as another effort to chip away at a woman’s right to a legal abortion. She calls the video footage, which shows an official from the group discussing the price of providing fetal parts, the latest effort of a years-long “concerted attack” against “a woman’s right to choose.”
Planned Parenthood has apologized for the insensitivity of the employee who was taped. And they will continue to answer questions for Congress and others.
Passes final reforms
Parliament overwhelmingly approves new reforms centered around creditor-demanded debt. These reforms to the judiciary and banking systems were the last ones Greece was obligated to solve before being able to begin talks with creditors on a third bailout agreement. Without the new bailout money worth around $93 billion Greece could wind up financially ruined. Prime Minister Tsipras:
We have chosen a compromise that forces us to implement a program in which we do not believe, and we will implement it because the alternatives are tough. We are summoned today to legislate under a state of emergency.
Speaks at Stop Iran rally
Prior to the rally, Pataki accuses President Obama of violating his oath of office — under the law Obama should have taken the agreement to Congress to allow them to review it before taking it to the United Nations Security Council. Congress has 60 days to review the agreement.
That showed tremendous disrespect for the US Congress and it was an active betrayal of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East…In no way does this deal change Iran’s attitude to America. During the negotiations it was calling for ‘Death to America’. There are dozens of legitimate reasons to reject this deal. It allows for hundreds of billions in [sanctions] relief, the lifting of sanctions on conventional arms, all while Iran keeps supporting terror around the world.
At the rally:
This isn’t a bad deal, it’s a God-awful deal, it must be rejected. Congress must do its job and stand up for the American people, stand up for our safety and say ‘no’ to this Iranian deal.
Claims Leahy law aids Boko Haram
Buhari says the US Leahy Law, which prohibits the US Department of State and Department of Defence from providing military assistance to foreign military units that violate human rights, aids Boko Haram. He says that the blanket application of the Leahy Law by the US on the grounds of unproven allegations of human rights violations levelled against the Nigerian Armed forces denies the country access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the insurgents.
In the face of abduction of innocent school girls from their hostels, indiscriminate bombings of civilians in markets and places of worship, our forces have remained largely impotent because they do not possess the appropriate weapons and technology, which they could have had, had the so-called human rights violations not been an obstacle. Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the Leahy law amendment by the US government has aided and abetted the Boko Haram terrorist group in the prosecution of its extremist ideology and hate, the indiscriminate killings and maiming of civilians, in raping of women and girls, and in their other heinous crimes. I believe this is not the spirit of the Leahy Laws. I know the American people cannot support any group engaged in these crimes.
Responds to Buhari
Senator Leahy, in a statement titled, Buhari’s Mis-Directed Criticism of the Leahy Law on Human Rights, says President Buhari should clean up military units allegedly implicated in atrocities in order to get more military support from US instead of rebuking the Leahy Law. He charges Buhari to direct his attention to and clean up the units implicated in such atrocities.
It is well documented by the State Department and by respected human rights organisations that Nigerian army personnel have, for many years, engaged in a pattern and practice of gross violations of human rights against the Nigerian people and others, including summary executions of prisoners, indiscriminate attacks against civilians, torture, forced disappearances and rape. Rarely have the perpetrators been prosecuted or punished. This abusive conduct not only violates the laws of war, it creates fear and loathing among the Nigerian people whose support is necessary to defeat a terrorist group like Boko Haram. President Buhari ignores the undisputed fact that most Nigerian army units have been approved, under the Leahy Law, for U.S. training and equipment. Only those particular units against which there is credible evidence of the most heinous crimes are ineligible for U.S. aid. And even those units can again become eligible if the Nigerian Government takes effective steps to bring the responsible individuals to justice.
I strongly agree with President Buhari about the need to defeat Boko Haram, and I have supported tens of millions of dollars in U.S. aid to Nigeria for that purpose. But rather than suggest that the United States is at fault for not funding murderers and rapists in the Nigerian military, he should face up to his own responsibility to effectively counter Boko Haram.
Says Dubose was dragging him
In a police incident report Tensing claims that Dubose was dragging him with his car and he feared he would be run over when he fired a single shot that killed him. Another officer, Phillip Kidd, said he witnessed Dubose’s 1998 Honda Accord dragging Tensing and Tensing firing one shot, Another officer, who wrote the report, Eric Weibel, said he observed Tensing after the incident and said Tensing complained of pain in his left arm:
I could see that the back of his pants and shirt looked as if he had been dragged over a rough surface.