Four Broward County deputies alleged to have “taken tactical positions” outside the Florida school building during murder rampage. “The deputies had their pistols drawn and were behind their vehicles, the sources said, and not one of them had gone into the school.” http://myfox8.com/2018/02/24/several-broward-deputies-waited-outside-during-florida-school-shooting-as-suspect-killed-students-inside-report-says/ Trump claims he would have charged inside the school, even if unarmed. “You don’t know until you’re tested but I think, I really believe, I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon…” http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-florida-school-shooting-20180226-story.html Broward County Sheriff’s Office reportedly received 45 calls over 10 years about Nikolas Cruz and his brother. “Records obtained from the sheriff’s office by CNN show the law enforcement agency received at least 45 calls for service relating to Cruz or his brother from 2008 to 2017…” http://www.wnem.com/story/37598495/sheriff-says-he-got-23-calls-about-shooters-family-records-show-more
Death row inmate’s lawyer says botched execution was torture. “An Alabama execution team left a death-row inmate with more than a dozen puncture marks in his legs and groin and may have penetrated his bladder and femoral artery before the lethal injection was called off, the prisoner’s attorney said Sunday.” https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/lethal-injection/lawyer-calls-aborted-execution-attempt-doyle-lee-hamm-torture-n851006
Journalist sues St. Louis police for using excessive force during protest arrest. “One of the Defendant Doe Police Officers… placed his boot onto Mr. Faulk’s head and used his weight to press Mr. Faulk’s head into the asphalt of the street…. Faulk was then directly pepper sprayed in the face…” https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mike-faulk-st-louis-police-protest-crackdown_us_5a90784de4b03b55731c11f0
Warren Buffet says Trump tax cuts will boost his investment firm’s income by $29 billion. “The one-time benefit comes from savings on future taxes the company would have to pay if it sold about $170 billion in equities, which run from American Express to Apple to the Coca-Cola Company.” http://triblive.com/usworld/world/13346240-74/buffett-29b-tax-cut-windfall-boosts-berkshire-hathaway
U.N. imposed ceasefire being ignored in Syria. “The main rebel factions, the Army of Islam and the Rahman Corps, contend that the government and its allies are using the presence of small numbers of fighters with links to Al Qaeda as a pretext to continue their campaign against the last major rebel stronghold near the capital.” http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-syria-fighting-20180225-story.html
Chinese government to drop term limits for officials, censors critics. “…online commenters wrote, “Attention, the vehicle is reversing” — an automated announcement used by Chinese delivery vehicles — suggesting that China is returning to the era of former dictator Mao Zedong or even imperial rule.” https://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=235&sid=46268940&title=china-removes-online-criticism-of-plan-to-extend-xis-rule
Thousands march in Moscow in memory of slain opposition leader. “For the third year running on Sunday afternoon, the disparate political movements in opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin came together — if only for a brief few hours — to march in the memory of murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov.” https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russia-opposition-leaders-come-together-briefly-in-nemtsov-march-60624
West Virginia’s state-wide teachers’ strike enters Day 4. “West Virginia ranked 48th in the nation for average teacher pay in 2017.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/26/west-virginia-historic-statewide-teacher-walkouts-head-fourth-day
Second federal appeals court rules that law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. “Today’s opinion is a huge victory in the fight for equality and fairness for all LGBT workers.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/26/repudiating-trump-doj-court-delivers-victory-lgbtq-advocates-workplace
One more vote needed to save “net neutrality”. “There are 50 U.S. senators who have a decision to make: are they going to listen to lobbyists who are paid to lie to them, or are they going to listen to their constituents and small businesses in their district?” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/26/operation-onemorevote-future-net-neutrality-stake-major-websites-mobilize-internet
North Pole 54 F, 30 C warmer than usual. “The northernmost permanent weather station in the world, just 440 miles from the North Pole, has warmed to 43°F today — in the middle of months-long darkness during what is normally the coldest time of the year.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/26/these-climate-scientists-tweets-about-unusually-warm-arctic-might-scare-your-pants
Insiders say Trump often talks about executing drug dealers. “According to five sources who’ve spoken with Trump about the subject, he often leaps into a passionate speech about how drug dealers are as bad as serial killers and should all get the death penalty.” https://www.axios.com/exclusive-trump-privately-talks-up-executing-all-big-drug-dealers-1519595170-402cc386-8729-4684-a7ef-a5bf31876afa.html What about Big Pharma? Naw, they give politicians big campaign contributions. “Kapoor and other company executives were allegedly part of a conspiracy to bribe practitioners in several states to get them to prescribe the fentanyl-based Subsys nasal spray, which is ‘extremely dangerous and addictive’.” http://www.newsweek.com/big-pharma-opioid-crisis-bribery-arrest-694154
Progressive candidate upsets long-time Democratic incumbent at California state convention. “Conservative Democrat (Dianne) Feinstein won just 37 percent of the 2,775 delegates’ votes, versus 54 percent for her challenger, state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/25/california-democrats-shock-dianne-feinstein-favor-challenger-54-37 Progressive group releases bold economic program. “If the Democrats don’t start talking about a fundamental restructuring of the economy, either they will lose, or when they win, they will fail.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/23/demanding-fundamental-restructuring-economy-progressives-embrace-bold-new-agenda Hmmm, looks amazingly similar to the Green Party’s platform….
Koch groups take credit for Trump administration “achievements”. “The document highlights environmental issues that the Koch brothers have long worked to undo, such as the EPA Clean Power Plan, which is currently under the process of being formally repealed, and Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, among their major accomplishments.” https://theintercept.com/2018/02/25/koch-brothers-trump-administration/
3M funded scientist accused of influencing what research was published on PFCs. “While some of 3M’s history will remain secret as a result of the settlement deal, documents already made public in the Minnesota case point to one critical tool the Minnesota-based company used to defend itself — a scientist named John Giesy, who helped 3M spin the science on PFCs in the company’s favor even as he presented himself as an independent scientist.” https://theintercept.com/2018/02/23/3m-lawsuit-pfcs-pollution/
Feds can now crack any iPhone according to journalists. “The breakthrough reportedly came in the last few months and (Cellebrite) has been advertising its new capabilities to law enforcement agencies around the world.” http://www.ibtimes.com/cellebrite-iphone-hack-company-can-reportedly-crack-any-iphone-law-enforcement-2657747
Judge dismissed legal petition claiming federal marijuana rules “lack a rational basis”. “For decades, marijuana has been under the Schedule I category of the Controlled Substances Act, the highest level of drug classification making it on par with dangerous drugs like heroin.” http://www.ibtimes.com/marijuana-stay-schedule-i-drug-federal-judge-denies-reclassification-2657890
State Department accused of setting up its own “troll farm”. “On Monday, the US State Department announced that it had obtained $40 million from the Pentagon to fund a new propaganda and disinformation campaign through the ‘Global Engagement Center’.” https://news.antiwar.com/2018/02/26/state-dept-gets-40-million-to-fund-troll-farm/