Trump said, “We need people to be afraid. Right now many Americans are surprised when protestors are killed, but they’ll get used to it.” Trump did add one suggestion: “Try not to kill white people. That gets too much attention. Stick to protestors of other colors.”   read more

The industry has been on the defensive since Gov. Edwards ended eight years of Republican leadership last November. Geologist Gagliano contends that extracting millions of barrels of oil and gas from below the surface has caused vast swaths of the coast to sink. "It's like an Atlantis oilfield," he said. "Abandoned production platforms now completely submerged. Oilfields developed on land are now under 5 or 10 feet of water. And that is happening all the way across the coast."   read more

The CIA tortured Rahim at one of their black sites. But that hasn't dampened his sense of humor. He mocked the Ashley Madison hack scandal, asking that his profile be quickly removed. "I'll stick with Match.com even though you say it is for old people. There is no way I can do Tinder in here," he wrote. The U.S. claims he had close ties with bin Laden, including knowledge of 9/11. "I am innocent and I was tortured," he says. "I thought I could prove my innocence in the U.S. I was wrong."   read more

Crystal cringes whenever a patrol car appears in her rear view mirror. Her personal experience with police, plus recent fatal shootings of unarmed black men by white officers, has led the mother of two to ask: Who are the good guys and who are bad? "You are the people I'm supposed to go to when I'm in trouble," Webb says of police. Two-thirds of young African-Americans and 4 in 10 Hispanics say that they or someone they know has experienced violence or harassment at the hands of the police.   read more

Hovhannissian put his Arab studies to use in 2001 as a team leader and emergency planner for the UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process. He joined Armenia’s Foreign Service in 2009 as his country’s Consul General in Los Angeles. There, he had to help clean up a mess made by one of his predecessors who was involved in an immigration documents sale scheme. In 2014, he was named Ambassador to Mexico, along with responsibilities for Panama, Cuba, Costa Rica and Guatemala.   read more

What would happen if the federal government ended its subsidies to companies that drill for oil and gas? Chances are, it wouldn’t do much. Metcalf’s conclusions suggest subsidies could be eliminated without causing much pain. And they could give some political muscle to those fighting climate change. They may not mobilize Republican politicians to join in the battle. But they help to undermine the case made by energy companies that drilling for fossil fuels merits federal support.   read more

A public defender office claims that the NYPD won't disclose how many millions of dollars it seizes in cash each year through civil forfeiture. A journalist reported in 2014 that the NYPD seizes and retains millions annually by civil forfeiture. Bronx Defenders filed a request with the NYPD, asking how much money and property was seized after arrests. NYPD responded 19 months later with "only two hard-copy documents and an electronic copy of the NYPD Patrol Guide."   read more

Ceccotti said it remains to be seen whether the ruling could be applied retroactively to the 13 men currently on Delaware's death row. "What we know for sure is that the scheme in Delaware is unconstitutional ... and that will have a direct impact on cases that are pending," he said. Ceccotti said all defendants in cases in which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty will have to be recharged. "With this decision, capital murder is no longer an option," he said.   read more

What could be scarier than a statue of Lucille Ball that was so hated it was dubbed "Scary Lucy"? Being the sculptor hired to replace it. "It was completely intimidating," said Carolyn Palmer, whose new Lucy is to be unveiled today in the actress's hometown. Dave Poulin's 2009 version was heavily panned for looking nothing like the comic actress. Poulin said he ended up receiving hundreds of angry emails and even death threats for his piece, blasted by critics for its zombie-like face.   read more

In 2007, Groser was accused by his by-now ex-wife of smoking marijuana while on the job as Ambassador in Jakarta. Groser denied the accusation and the controversy died down. Groser was being touted in 2013 to be the next Director General of the WTO. He was not given the post, but it was later found in documents leaked by Edward Snowden that New Zealand’s intelligence service had used U.S. National Security Agency facilities to spy on the other candidates for the position on behalf of Groser.   read more

The drones would look for questionable activity, scan faces of suspects and compare them against a database for prior criminal history. Drones already operate along the border but currently don't use facial recognition technology, which remains controversial. ``There can be questions about how accurate that is and legitimate questions about how someone's picture got into a database,'' said John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog. Donald Trump said he wants to expand drones' border use.   read more

For most algorithms, people are expected to read fine-print privacy policies to determine whether their data might be used against them in a way that they wouldn’t expect. “We urgently need more due process with the algorithmic systems influencing our lives,” says Kate Crawford. “If you are given a score that jeopardizes your ability to get a job, housing or education, you should have the right to see that data, know how it was generated, and be able to correct errors and contest the decision.”   read more

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in the voting-rights case, critics argue, the blatant efforts to keep minorities from voting have been supplanted by a blizzard of more subtle changes. Most conspicuous have been state efforts such as voter ID laws or cutbacks in early voting periods, which critics say disproportionately affect minorities and the poor. Less apparent, but often just as contentious, have been numerous voting changes enacted in towns across the South and elsewhere in the U.S.   read more

The latest rules took aim at a planned $152 billion merger of Pfizer with Ireland-based Allergan. Both Pfizer and Allergan are members of the Chamber of Commerce. By filing in Texas rather than in Washington, where the Chamber of Commerce is based, the business groups may be betting they have a better chance of finding a sympathetic judge. The lawsuit targets the Treasury’s multiple acquisition rule, which is aimed at serial inverters.   read more

The agency said it realized it might be an inconvenience for some people. The shift may create hurdles, especially for older Americans, who are less likely to use mobile phones. Comments were largely negative. “Please rethink this security change,” a woman posted. “So many of us can’t afford a cellphone... Please find another way..." Other comments suggested that older Americans do not want to pay for spam messages. Some privacy advocates question use of texted codes.   read more

Studies indicate the benefits of marijuana treatment could mean the difference between life and death in some instances, and even help control Medicare spending. Researchers concluded U.S. taxpayers could save more than $500 million a year in Medicare spending if medical marijuana was legal in every state. And states with medical marijuana laws had a 25% lower average annual opioid overdose death rate, while mortality rates improve each year after implementation of the laws.   read more

With an estimated 74.9 million baby boomers, the biggest market opportunity for startups is older Americans rather than hip millennials. As members of the generation that defined rock ‘n’ roll grow older, they are adding a wide range of goods and services to their lifestyles. New business ideas that cater to boomers are nearly endless, and include chefs, online dating sites and yoga instructors for people with health issues.   read more