A Harvard study finds that official death certificates in the U.S. failed to count more than half of the people killed by police in 2015—and the problem of undercounting is especially pronounced in lower-income counties and for deaths that are due to Tasers
journals.plos.org
Catalan leader signs document declaring independence from Spain
Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and other regional politicians signed a document declaring Catalonia’s independence from Spain, but it was unclear if the document would have any legal value.
reuters.com
Catalonia: Spain takes step towards direct rule
Mariano Rajoy said his government had asked the regional government to clarify whether or not it had declared independence.
bbc.com
‘Champagne stayed in the fridge’: European independence movements react to Catalan ‘anticlimax’
Representatives of the Scottish and Flemish independence movements have told RT the suspension of Catalonia's independence from Spain is an “anticlimax,” but the decision is understandable because of “huge pressure” from Madrid and the “risk of violence.”
rt.com
China could shatter petrodollar by compelling Saudi Arabia to trade oil in yuan
Beijing is likely to “compel” Saudi Arabia to sell crude oil in yuan, and others will follow, according to the chief economist and managing director at High Frequency Economics Carl Weinberg. This will hit the US dollar, he says.
rt.com
Death by overwork: Another Tokyo Olympics worker kills himself after clocking 190 hours of overtime
Japan's brutal working culture has come under scrutiny once again after claiming yet another life.
ibtimes.co.uk
Three quarters of Americans favor higher taxes for wealthy: Reuters/Ipsos poll
As President Donald Trump promotes a tax plan critics say would raise the federal deficit by slashing corporate rates and eliminating some taxes paid by the rich, some three quarters of Americans believe the wealthiest should pay more, Reuters/Ipsos polling shows.
reuters.com
U.S. warship sails near islands Beijing claims in South China Sea - U.S. officials
A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Tuesday, three U.S. officials told Reuters, prompting anger in Beijing, even as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks Chinese cooperation in reining in North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs.
reuters.com
Ebay paid UK corporation tax of £1.6m in 2016
The UK arm of eBay paid only £1.6m in corporation tax last year, even though its US parent had total revenues from its UK operations of $1.32bn (£1bn).
bbc.com
Utah policeman fired for arrest of nurse who was doing her job
A US police officer who forcibly arrested a nurse for refusing to take a blood sample from an unconscious patient has been fired.
bbc.com
Trump Threatens NBC’s TV Licenses After Report That He Wanted More Nukes
President Donald Trump questioned whether FCC licenses should be taken from NBC television stations after the network published a story on Wednesday saying he had sought a large increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
bloomberg.com