Jul 13, 2017

Obama's DOJ granted Russian lawyer access to U.S.

Kommersant Photo via AP

Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian attorney who met with Donald Trump Jr. in June 2016, was initially granted special access into the U.S. by President Obama's Justice Department, according to a report from The Hill.

How it happened: Veselnitskaya was granted limited "special immigration parole" by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch to defend Russian businessman Denis Katsyv in a federal forfeiture case. The Hill confirmed she was in the country from October 2015 to early January 2016, but officials "could not immediately explain" how she was still in the U.S. for her meeting with Trump Jr.

The Magnitsky Act, a 2012 human rights law against Russia, was Veselnitskaya's primary focus during most of her time in the U.S. Both she and Trump Jr. said this was the main topic of their meeting in June, despite the original pretense of discussing information on Hillary Clinton.

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Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Rashaan Ayesh

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd updates

Protesters gather north of Lafayette Square near the White House during a demonstration against racism and police brutality, in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been rallying in cities across the U.S. and around the world to protest the killing of George Floyd. Huge crowds assembled in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago for full-day events on Saturday.

Why it matters: Twelve days of nationwide protest in the U.S. has built pressure for states to make changes on what kind of force law enforcement can use on civilians and prompted officials to review police conduct. A memorial service was held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born. Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all flags to fly at half-staff to honor him until sunset.

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Axios

Updated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 6,889,889 — Total deaths: 399,642 — Total recoveries — 3,085,326 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 1,920,061 — Total deaths: 109,802 — Total recoveries: 500,849 — Total tested: 19,778,873 — Map.
Public health: Why the pandemic is hitting minorities harder — Coronavirus curve rises in Florida — How racism threatens the response to the pandemic — Some people are drinking and inhaling cleaning products in attempt to fight the virus.
Tech: The pandemic is accelerating next-generation disease diagnostics — Robotics looks to copy software-as-a-service model.
Business: Budgets busted by coronavirus make it harder for cities to address inequality — Sports, film production in California to resume June 12 after 3-month hiatus.
Education: Students and teachers flunked remote learning.

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Rashaan Ayesh, Rebecca Falconer

Updated 7 hours ago - World

In photos: People around the world rally against racism

Despite a ban on large gatherings implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters rally against racism in front of the American Embassy in Paris on June 6. Photo: Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people have continued to rally in cities across the world against racism and show their support this week for U.S. demonstrators protesting the death in police custody of George Floyd.

Why it matters: The tense situation in the U.S. has brought the discussion of racism and discrimination onto the global stage at a time when most of the world is consumed by the novel coronavirus.

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