RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/July 2019

July 2019
A Russian asset complains when exposed. At the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, three people are killed (not counting the gunman) and a dozen more are injured in a mass shooting. The gunman was (wait for it) a young white supremacist who, before the massacre, posted in praise of Might is Right on his Instagram page. Apparently, he acquired his rifle legally in Nevada weeks before the shooting. In environments with extreme temperatures, covering crops with solar panels improves the performance of both crops and solar panels [https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2019/07/26/flexibleelectronics Printing circuits on the surface of Jello? Why not.] Joshua Harris, a former Christian pastor and author of Christian relationship book I Kissed Dating Goodbye (which warned against kissing or holding hands or spending time alone together before marriage), has announced his marriage is over and said he's lost his faith and apologised to the LGBTQ+ community. Another pastor shows his commitment to Christian, conservative family values. Bill Sanderson, an anti-LGBT Republican state representative in Tennessee, gets Larry Craig'd. Trump Justice Department to resume federal executions The Department of Homeland Security has published a new rule that expands ICE authority to expedite deportation to any alien (previously only within 100 miles of the border) unable to prove to the officer they've been in the country for 2 full years (previously 2 weeks). It's a guilty-until-proven-innocent system without judicial review, giving the power to impound and deport anyone to an agency that's already illegally impounded over 1500 US Citizens (supposedly out of ICE's jurisdiction) Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rico’s Governor, Resigns After Protests Surprising no one, US gun lobby creates and spreads fake news about New Zealand gun buyback scheme Transgender people gain the right to use the bathrooms that they identify with in landmark new settlement. Boris Johnson will be the UK's next prime minister. In the wake of the March 15 Mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand introduces a 2nd tranche of firearm law changes, including a firearms register, shorter licensing period, increased background checks and automatic "red flags". Carl Beech convicted of perverting the course of justice after making up claims about a vast conspiracy of powerful alleged-pedophiles (including ex prime minister Edward Heath and other politicians) abusing and killing children in the UK. Armed leftist groups provide security for protests and marches against fascist thugs. Anti-vaxxers preach parental choice.......... unless they disagree with your choice Unlicensed “health coach” claims her holistic health advice is free speech, however federal court disagrees. Apollo 11 moon landing: photos from 50 years ago. A quantitative summary of ways science news stories report scientific research inaccurately Dozens arrested as Native Hawaiian protesters block road to proposed observatory construction site on sacred mountain Mauna Kea The Trump administration continues to showcase its utter lack of any fucks about child welfare when it refused to ban a pesticide linked to childhood brain damage House approves bill raising minimum wage to $15 per hour Celebrated Japanese animation studio Kyoto Animation is targeted for arson in the 2nd worst criminal massacre in Japanese history. 33 are dead, 36 more injured. (Update: Death toll now at 35. 29 July.) Data shows that drug makers flooded market with billions of opioid pills, thereby surging the opioid epidemic Donald Trump goes on another insanely racist rant against Ilhan Omar during his latest rally, and the crowd proceeds to repeatedly chant "send her back" Christchurch terrorist attacks survivor burdened with PTSD, thanks Trump for his "humanity" Rand Paul blocks Senate from approving 9/11 victim compensation fund German politician and Merkel ally Ursula von der Leyen will become the President of the European Commission on 1 November, succeeding Jean-Claude Juncker Christian family who argued taxes 'against God's will' ordered to pay $2.3m bill Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens dies at 99 50 years ago, Apollo 11 launched to the moon: a look back at the epic day. Border agent asked toddler to pick parent to stay with in US in attempted family separation Proto-lunar disc found orbiting exoplanet, this find can help confirm or dispel key theories on moon formation, including that of our own moon. Italian police seize a cache of automatic weapons and an anti-aircraft missile from terrorists. Why isn't this the main news item everywhere? Oh, it's not Muslim extremists, just common or garden fascists with links to Russia... Alan Turing, the father of computer science who helped to save the world from Nazism before being punished for the crime of being gay, is to appear on the new fifty pound note that will go into circulation in 2021. UK-Iranian relations have been fierce for the past week. Beginning with the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker, Iran has made threats to hijack British tankers in the Gulf, prompting an increase in Royal Navy coverage. Turkey has agreed to purchase the S-400 anti-air missile defence system from Russia. Consequently, they will no longer be a customer to the F-35 program. The Northern Ireland Office has been put under the spotlight after an aide obtained a £10,000 compensation payment for being offended by portraits of the Queen. Labor secretary Alex Acosta has resigned over his connections with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump administration abandons citizenship question in 2020 census. Republican gubernatorial candidate in Mississippi refuses to travel with female reporter without a chaperone, citing the Billy Graham rule. Worldwide, crops are becoming increasingly dependent on pollinator insects, but providing an insufficient diversity of crops to keep the pollinators fed throughout the year. Coupled with increasing climate stress on insects, and shrinking natural plant biodiversity, this represents a major risk to crops around the world. Tommy Robinson has been jailed for nine months over contempt of court Milan's public prosecutor is opening a investigation about revelations revealed by L'Espresso and BuzzFeed, over links between the governing far-right Lega party and Russia. Earliest modern human found outside Africa Transgender Belgian Green MEP has been appointed as the new chair of one of the European Parliament’s most notable committees, the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. This position would make her one of the highest positioned officials who is transgender. New 150 million year old bird relative found in Wyoming, thus creating 2 new missing links that evilutionists can't provide evidence of. At least 15 women and children murdered in what has been called the "worst tribal massacre in recent PNG history." Ross Perot dies at 89 The House of Commons has passed a bill which would require Northern Ireland be under the same rules as the British mainland in terms of abortion and same-sex marriage, effectively legalising it. The condition on the bill being acted, is that if the Northern Irish Assembly doesn’t reconvenes by 21st October. ICE has access to millions of Americans' IDs and driver's licenses without needing a warrant Jeffrey Epstein arrested for sex trafficking of minors Congolese warlord Bosco "The Terminator" Ntaganda convicted of war crimes Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has been found in contempt of court after breaching a media blackout during a series of trials. Surprising nobody, Donald Trump uses his July 4th Speech to laud the Continental Army for taking over airports during the revolution. Representative Justin Amash quits the Republican Party The main party in the Dutch coalition government the liberal VVD, has proposed to make it a crime to rescue migrants from drowning at sea, despite international treaties making it an obligation. Plant biologists from the UK and Germany have rubbished the idea of "plant neurobiology", the idea that plants have a conscience with "feelings", as pure quack science. Transphobic parade organizers glitterbombed Fox News' Tucker Carlson goes full Nazi in defense of Trump meeting Kim: "You’ve got to be honest about what it means to lead a country; it means killing people." The European Council has forwarded; the German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen as the new Commission President, current IMF chief Christine Lagarde as Central Bank President, former Belgian prime minister Charles Michel as European Council President and former Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell Fontelles as Foreign Affairs Commissioner and High Representative. Now they have to be approved by the other European bodies, such as the Parliament, and that is not going to be easy. British mainland MPs have forward a cross-party private members' bill to extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland if the Stormont assembly doesn't re-convene. Japan resumes commercial whaling for the first time since the 1980s. [https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3015620/protesters-ram-legislature-hong-kong-marks-tense-handover Anti-extradition protesters have raided and graffitied the Hong Kong Legislative Council Complex in Central. This is happening on the auspicious date of the 22nd anniversary of the handover from the UK to China.]