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Egyptian president rejects army’s ultimatum to meet demands of protesting crowds

"Egypt’s presidency on Tuesday rejected an army ultimatum threatening to intervene if Islamist President Mohamed Morsi did not meet the demands of the people, raising the stakes in the country’s political crisis. The army statement, read out on television Monday, had given Morsi 48 hours to comply with its call. 'If the demands of the people are not met in this period… (the armed forces) will announce a future roadmap and measures to oversee its implementation,' it said. But in a statement issued overnight, the presidency insisted it would continue on its own path towards national reconciliation." Continue reading →

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Vermont Marijuana Decriminalization Law Goes Into Effect

"Starting Monday, Vermonters will not be arrested for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana. The decriminalization law, signed by Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) last month, will remove criminal penalties on small amounts of cannabis and replace them with civil fines. According to the new measure, first-time offenders will not get more than a $200 fine for possession. The fine will increase for repeat offenders -- $300 for a second offense and $500 for every offense thereafter -- but, under the law, marijuana possession will no longer result in the creation of a criminal record." Continue reading →

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Colorado Gun Owners Display Blatant Defiance Of New Law

"Stores across Colorado are pulling high-capacity magazines off their shelves. A new law that took effect Monday limits magazines to 15 rounds and some people are already deliberately breaking the law. The law requires background checks on all gun sales, including private ones. 'We want to, today, to test how this law functions; demonstrate that it is not enforceable,' a demonstrator told the crowd. The new laws prompted about two dozen opponents of increased gun control to gather at the state Capitol on Monday at midday in protest. Many swapped and sold high-capacity magazines in plain view of police officers, daring them to make an arrest." Continue reading →

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Out-Of-Control Officers Find Comfort & $100,000′s In Back Pay In Arbitration

"Boston Police Officer David Williams is carving out an interesting career path for himself: He gets fired for using excessive force or lying to investigators, takes a breather from police work, and then gets reinstated with back pay by a labor arbitrator. Nice work if you can get it. Especially in Boston, where an officer gets credit for all of those lucrative hours of overtime and details he might have worked had he had stayed out of trouble in the first place." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOut-Of-Control Officers Find Comfort & $100,000′s In Back Pay In Arbitration

Pittsburgh police relations meeting ends with white officer arresting black teacher

"Officer Gromek handcuffed Henderson and an associate, freelance photographer Rossano Stewart, and forced them to sit on the ground. By that time, others attending the Community Empowerment Association meeting had come outside to witness the confrontation. Gromek then decided that the growing number of people posed a danger to his safety and called for backup. 'It was threatening to us, 15 police cars, four dogs, hands on the mace, hands on the guns,' Community Empowerment Association CEO Rashad Byrdsong told KDKA. 'We were the ones in fear of our life, not them.'" Continue reading →

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150 People Arrested In NAACP Protest Against NC Republicans

"Police estimated that roughly 1,000 people attended a rally late Monday afternoon behind the Legislative Building on Halifax Mall. Hundreds then entered the building. Upwards of 150 people were arrested outside the doors to the state Senate chambers, where demonstrators chanted, sang and delivered speeches decrying what they called a regressive agenda that neglects the poor. The NAACP has been holding weekly protests in Raleigh since mid-April, and what started with 17 arrests and tens of supporters back then has grown every week, bringing the total number of arrests to nearly 300 after five weeks of protests." Continue reading →

Continue Reading150 People Arrested In NAACP Protest Against NC Republicans

Texas Troopers forcibly arrest 72-year-old woman during Wendy Davis filibuster

"A 72-year-old woman who appeared to be doing nothing more than observing Texas Senate proceedings following state Sen. Wendy Davis’ (D) filibuster of an abortion bill was forcibly arrested and charged with assaulting an officer early Wednesday morning. Video captured by 23-year-old Austin resident Elizabeth Willmann shows two troopers surrounding Martha Northington as she sits in the gallery. One of the officers approaches from behind and yanks Northington’s arm to bring her to her feet. Arrest records published online showed that Northington was charged with 'assault by contact' and resisting arrest. Bond was set at $4,000." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas Troopers forcibly arrest 72-year-old woman during Wendy Davis filibuster

Woman jailed for late-night water purchase after anti-sexual assault rally

"A University of Virginia student was arrested on multiple felony charges and spent 24 hours in jail after she tried to flee a grocery store parking lot when agents attempted to arrest her for buying a case of La Croix water. According to the Charlottesville Daily Progress, 20-year-old Elizabeth Daly and her two roommates panicked when plainclothes Alcoholic Beverage Control officers surrounded their vehicle, flashing badges and weapons because the officers believed the women had purchased beer during dry hours. Daly was profusely apologetic when she realized that she wasn’t about to be abducted or killed. All charges against Daly were dropped." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWoman jailed for late-night water purchase after anti-sexual assault rally

New U.S. Sanctions Imposed on Iran to Halt Gold Trading

"The first American sanctions on Iran since a moderate cleric won the presidential election there on June 14 went into effect on Monday, expanding the number of penalized industries and imposing rules that theoretically could halt all gold and currency trade by the country. Bullion dealers in other countries who flout the prohibition risk severe American penalties, including expulsion from the United States precious metals market. Iran has increasingly traded its oil and gas for gold with countries like Turkey because of earlier financial sanctions that have prevented the Iranians from using conventional bank payment methods." Continue reading →

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Snowden Is Not the Story

"Deep Throat was not the story in 1972, and Edward Snowden is not the story today. The abuse of America’s intelligence agencies is. And yet, we are not having an open discussion. We are instead seeing a media circus. The messenger, Edward Snowden, has been made 'the story.' Keeping under safe political cover, President Obama is deferring to the Justice Department—the same Justice Department which seized the Associated Press’ phone records and criminalized Fox News reporter James Rosen to pursue a leak investigation into a former State Department contractor." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden Is Not the Story