Lima Charlie’s U.S./D.C. Week in Review – July 02

 | 2ND of July – Lima Charlie’s U.S./Washington End-of-Week News Briefing:

#PrayForTurkey – On JUN30, #Turkey declared a day of national mourning after more than 40 people were killed in suicide attacks at Istanbul’s primary airport, Ataturk International Airport. This marked the deadliest and most high profile in a string of killings that have rocked the country in 2016. On JUN29, the official death toll rose to 44 killed and 239 injured. According to police sources, the attackers rented an apartment in Aksaray and took a taxi at 8:45pm local time to the airport. The attacks took place at 11:00pm Istanbul time. The three suicide bombers have been identified as citizens of Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyztan, according to Turkish officials.

On July 1, U.S. Congressman (Rep. Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security) claimed that the attack had been organized by a known Chechen extremist, Akhmed Chatayev. CNN reported on JUN30 that Turkish officials have “strong evidence” that ISIL leadership was involved in the planning of the attack, and that the attackers entered Turkey about a month ago from #Raqqa, Syria. As of this writing ISIL has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Among the dead identified as of now by country are: 23 (Turkey), 6 (Saudi Arabia), 2 (Iraq), 3 (Palestine), 1 (Iran), 1 (China), 1 (Jordan), 1 (Tunisia), 1 (Ukraine), 1 (Uzbekistan). By Wednesday, #PrayForTurkey was used by more than 300,000 Twitter handles alone, demonstrating the desire to show solidarity for the victims of the horrific attack. Landmarks from Europe to Australia to New York lit up in support of the victims, from Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate—Illuminated in Turkish national colors—to Paris’s Eiffel Tower—which shone in red-and-white—to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam to the lights atop the Empire State Building.

#BBC News and #CNN reported on some of the victim’s stories:

Istanbul airport attack: Who were the victims?

Istanbul terror attack: These are the victims

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#Dhaka #Bangladesh

Lima Charlie’s ongoing coverage of last night’s terror attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh can be found here:

Bangladesh Hostage Standoff: ISIS Claims Responsibility

Also follow MENA Bureau Chief John Sjoholm on Twitter @JohnSjoholmLC for the latest developments.

Tweets by JohnSjoholmLC

#Turkey / #Israel

The attack follows successful efforts of Turkey’s President #Erdogan to normalize diplomatic relations with #Israel after six years of animosity. According to Israeli media the deal with Turkey is “a strategic interest for Israel”. The deal means that the #Gaza blockade will remain, Turkey will work to prevent terror against Israel, and help return captive Israelis. Israel in return will provide $20 million in compensation to families of those killed onboard the Mavi Marmara ship in 2010.

U.S. / #Russia

On JUN27, #PresidentObama approved a new military partnership with #Russian forces to bolster cooperation between both nations in the fight against terrorist organizations in #Syria, particularly a coordinated bombing campaign against Jabhat al-Nusra, al Qaeda’s branch in Syria. The group is mainly fighting against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The proposal was sent to the Russian government on JUN27 after weeks of internal Obama administration deliberations and, although #SecretaryofDefense Ash Carter was initially opposed to the deal, he now supports it.

Under the agreement #POTUS and #SecretaryofState John Kerry will cooperate with the Russian military’s presence in Syria, in exchange for Russia putting pressure on the Assad regime to halt its bombing of US-backed rebel forces. According to reports, Defense Secretary Carter did not initially back the deal because it does not include penalties for Russia or the Assad regime if they renege, but it does mandate that the US provide highly classified information to #Russia and #Syria in the hopes that they do not exploit the information for their own objectives. While #CIA Director John Brennan remarked at the Council on Foreign Relations that Russia is “trying to crush” anti-Assad forces and that Moscow has not honored the current cease-fire in place, Brennan, still maintained that the US and Russia must work in coordination. The deal represents an unprecedented level of cooperation between the militaries of America and Russia.

Race to the #WhiteHouse

#POTUS2016: with just three weeks to go until the Republican National Convention, on JUN28 the #RNC unveiled a sneak-peek glimpse into the upcoming acceptance speech of presumptive GOP nominee #DonaldTrump. Trump has promised that the three-day convention, beginning on JULY18 in Cleveland, will be heralded with the Trump-style showmanship he has honed throughout the presidential primary season and as the host of The Apprentice. “It’s not going to be a ho-hum lineup of the typical politicians,” daughter Ivanka Trump mentioned Wednesday in a radio interview. “It’s going to be a great combination of our great politicians, but also great American businessmen and women and leaders across industry and leaders across really all the sectors, from athletes to coaches and everything in between.” Two sources say that Trump’s family members, especially his children, Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Jr. will have speaking time, as well as notable sports figures like Bobby Knight, former Chicago Bear coach Mike Ditka, and NASCAR Chief Brian France.

Despite news of notable companies and celebrities declining to attend or sponsor the event, major past attendees like Google, who will serve as the “official livestream provider,” Microsoft, Facebook, Coca-Cola, and The American Petroleum Institute are on board to attend. The set will feature a massive video backdrop and twin white staircases leading up to the stage within Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.

The #RNC officially began its fight to lock in the nomination of #DonaldTrump and put an end to the #StopTrump movement. On JUN30, delegates began circulating the first proposed rule for this year’s upcoming convention, a rule which would once and for all stop efforts to halt Trump’s nomination, freezing the 2012 rules so that no other options can go into effect. According to the released proposal, “any amendments” to the party rules will not “take effect” until the end of this year’s RNC Convention. Solomon Yue, a delegate for the state of Oregon on the convention rules committee, said, “This proposal would take politics out of the rule-making process,” and make the focus of the convention one of “unity [of the Republican Party].” For the proposal to pass, it would need a majority of delegates on the 112-member rules committee, leaving few viable paths for any nominee other than the real estate mogul to take his place as the Republican Candidate for POTUS 2016.

JUN31 – #Trump spoke at the Western Conservative Summit, the country’s largest gathering of conservatives outside of Washington. The event is widely seen as a dress rehearsal for the much-awaited Republican National Convention. The opportunity presented itself as a chance for unity, given that conservatives from both sides of the spectrum—from Sarah Palin to Erick Erickson to Ben Shapiro to Senator Tom Cotton—attended.

JUN28 – #Trump delivered an Economic Policy Speech at a metals-processing plant in Western Pennsylvania to further convey his stance on the country’s international trade deals, relations with #China, his contest with #HillaryClinton, and the economic grievances of the nation’s current standing. His speech included his most detailed account to date of his plans to raise trade barriers and maintain a tough standing in the face of negotiations with Mexico and China, in particular. “They get the expansion. We get the joblessness,” Trump said of trade deals with foreign countries. “That’s the way it works — not going to happen anymore.” The address opened his first swing-state tour of the general election race ahead, as he endeavors to carve his way to 270 electoral votes in the race for #POTUS2016.

JUN26 – Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee #HillaryClinton surprised participants in New York City’s pride parade by making an appearance on a crowded Greenwich Village Street. For four blocks, the former Secretary of State led Mayor de Blasio, Governor Cuomo, and a large group of reporters and security staff on a 15-minute stroll during an unannounced visit just two weeks after the Pulse nightclub massacre. Clinton’s first march in the New York pride parade was in 2000, during her first campaign for Senate and six years later, when she ran for re-election. Sunday marks the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges. The lead plaintiff in the case has endorsed Clinton’s bid for the presidency.

JUN24 – #SenatorBernieSanders said he will likely vote for #HillaryClinton, adding that he was focused on “[making] sure that the Democratic Party not only has the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party, but that that platform is actually implemented by elected officials.” Although the Senator has declined to say whether he will fully endorse the former Secretary of State, #VicePresident Joe Biden said, in an NPR interview on JUN30, “I’ve talked to Bernie. Bernie is going to endorse her.” For the time being, Sanders maintains that his focus is on fighting to strengthen the party’s platform. On JUN30, #FrenchPresident Francois Hollande endorsed #HillaryClinton in a newspaper article from France’s Les Echos newspaper.

#LegalNews

JUN27 – The U.S. Supreme Court #SCOTUS closed out its 2015-2016 term with three historic decisions, two of which are on the abortion issue and one of which centers on public corruption. In a 5-3 split in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the court ruled that Texas laws greatly restricting who can provide abortions are now off the books. The court agreed with Texans who argue that new requirements specifying who can administer the procedures and where they can be performed create an “undue burden” which the institution outlawed in its landmark Casey decision in 1992.

On the same day, SCOTUS unanimously overturned the corruption conviction of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. McDonnell was convicted of bribery and sentenced to two years in prison. The High Court’s decision to vacate his sentence makes it much harder to prosecute public officials for corruption, but the Court made it clear that McDonnell may be retried if evidence surfaces to demonstrate that he took official government action in exchange for the cash and gifts he received. Experts, however, say a retrial is unlikely.

The #IowaSupremeCourt ruled on JUN30 to uphold the state’s ban on voting by ex-felons unless their rights are reinstated by the governor, in a 4-3 decision. This makes Iowa one of only 3 states—amongst Florida and Kentucky—to maintain a lifetime voting ban for former felons, notwithstanding intervention from the governor. The appeal was brought by the #AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion, a major player in the fight to challenge bans on voting by ex-felons, a restriction which disenfranchises almost 6 million Americans. The question at hand in this case regarded the definition of “infamous crimes.” Until recent times, this was meant as any felony and some misdemeanors. In 2014, however, a case challenged the eligibility of drunk driving to fall under this label and the court ruled that, in order for a crime to qualify as “infamous” it must undermine the democratic process. The Supreme Court ruled that all felonies qualify as “infamous crimes,” but allowed for possible deferred judgment on the issue in the future. The ruling runs against the gradient of recent times, given that several states have made moves to limit bans on felons voting, including #Maryland, #Virginia, #Kentucky, and #Florida. The decision makes Iowa’s law one of the harshest in the nation regarding the rights of ex-felons to vote after they have completed their sentences.

A Baltimore judge has vacated the murder conviction of #AdnanSyed, the subject of the “Serial” podcast that documented his case, granting his request for a new trial on the afternoon of JUN30. Judge Martin Welch’s order for the new trial marks a twist in the previous sentence of Syed, serving a life sentence after his conviction in 2000 for killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. “The court finds that trial counsel’s performance fell below the standard of reasonable professional judgment when she failed to cross-examine the state’s cell tower expert regarding a disclaimer obtained as part of pre-trial discovery,” Welch’s opinion read. Today’s order represents a unique juncture between the criminal justice system and a phenomenally strong public interest caused by modern media,” Welch mentioned. “Regardless of the public interest surrounding this case, the court used its best efforts to address the merits of [Syed’s] petition for post-conviction relief like it would in any other case that comes before the court, unfettered by sympathy, prejudice, or public opinion.”

#Volkswagen reached a deal this week with US regulators to compensate owners of vehicles impacted by its massive diesel emissions cheating scandal. The deal earmarks almost 15 billion to repair or buy back affected vehicles. The settlement also involves the EPA and California Air Resources Board and sets aside almost 5 billion dollars for zero-emission R&D to undo the damage the company caused through over-pollution. Under a new corporate rule, the company announced plans to introduce 30 new electric vehicles into production by the middle of the upcoming decade.

In #EntertainmentLaw news, a federal jury in Los Angeles decided that music history will not be rewritten. On JUN23, after 5 hours of deliberation, a California jury decided that the intro to #StairwaytoHeaven was not copyright infringement by #LedZeppelin frontman #Robert Plant and legendary guitarist #JimmyPage .The proceedings centered on allegations that Zeppelin copied fundamental key note patterns in the first two minutes of the hit song by the 1960’s psychedelic band #Spirit. Their song, “Taurus,” was released four years before “Stairway to Heaven” and the suit was filed for partial song writing credit as well as compensation by the estate of deceased Spirit musician, Randy Craig Wolfe.

On JUN21, Robert Plant took to the stand to detail his days of songwriting with Page at a countryside retreat in Hampshire, England in 1971. When asked by his lawyer if he remembered the lyrics to the couplet he wrote with Page, Plant recited what has come to be one of the most well-known opening lines to the Zeppelin classic, “There’s a lady who knows all that glitters is gold and she’s buying a stairway to heaven.” The unanimous decision by the panel of eight men and women comes at a time when copyright cases continue to receive increased scrutiny in the music industry, especially for their potential monetary damages. It’s worth noting that Stairway to Heaven has earned upwards of 500 million in publishing royalties and recording sales since its 1971 release.

#Sports

In #Sports news, on JULY3, the day before America celebrates its 240^th Birthday, baseball history will be made. For the first time in history #FortBragg will play host to the first professional contest of any sport to be played on an active #Military base. The Atlanta Braves, who will play against the Miami Marlins, will be the home team on the newly constructed ball field, which will be converted into a permanent softball facility for those who serve at Fort Bragg as a gift from the MLBPA and the MLB. Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, “There are a lot of heroes there. Some have paid a heavy price. It’s just good to go and honor them and play there.” The 8 PM game will elevate the tradition of paying homage to members of the military on holidays like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day to a new level, and a new venue. Fort Bragg, located in North Carolina—home to the third largest military population in the US—is also the largest Army installation in the world, by population.

#USMilitary

On JUN30, the #USSenate confirmed the next Air Force Chief of Staff, Head of US Africa Command, and leaders of the National Guard and Air Force Reserve just before the legislative body plans to recess for the summer. Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph Lengyel will be the next Chief of the National Guard Bureau, moving up in the ranks from his current position as the Guard’s Vice Chief. Air Force Maj. Gen. Maryanne Miller will take over as the next head of the Air Force Reserve and will also be promoted to lieutenant general. Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force’s Vice Chief of Staff since August 2015, was confirmed as the leader of the service’s top military post. He has previously served as Command for the 49^th Fighter Wing, the 52^nd Fighter Wing, the 366^th Operations Group, and the Director of the Joint Staff. He has also flown combat missions during the NATO campaign in Kosovo and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser was selected as the newest commander of US Africa Command and will be promoted to the position of General. He currently serves as the Director for Joint Force Development, Joint Staff J7 and has had previous company grade assignments as platoon and company commander billets with both the 1^st and 2^nd Marine Divisions.

The #DepartmentofState has announced al Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 2019 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. The consequences of this designation include a prohibition against US persons engaging in transactions with AQIS and its leader Asim Umar and the freezing of all of their property and interests in the United States. “AQIS has also claimed responsibility for the murders of activists and writers in Bangladesh, including that of US citizen Avijit Roy, US Embassy local employee Xulhaz Mannan, and of Bangladeshi nationals Oyasiqur Rahman Babu, Ahmed Rajib Haideer, and A.K.M. Shafiul Islam,” the State notes in its report and press release on JUN30.

#Reykjavik and #Washington have signed a deal authorizing the occasional return of US forces to #Iceland—which does not have a military of its own but is a member of NATO—in the midst of increased friction with Moscow, according to Iceland’s foreign ministry. Since 1951, the US has guaranteed Iceland’s defense, a deal which was cemented in 2006 with the Joint Understanding. According to the Department of Defense’s release on JUN29, “Deputy Secretary Work and Minister Alfreðsdóttir agreed that the United States and Iceland will retain a resilient defense plan for Iceland, maintain reliable arrangements for timely and effective communications in times of emergency, continue senior-level and expert-level bilateral discussions, and explore additional options for increased cooperation.” Given that suspected Russian submarines have been observed off the coasts of Britain and Norway, and in the Baltic Sea, the need for military presence is growing. In Washington’s 2017 budget, the US allocated 21.4 million to upgrade the Keflavik base and to station P-8 reconnaissance planes on location. During WWII, the Keflavik military base was a key base for the US.

In #Space and #ArmyTech news, United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket has successfully completed the US Navy’s Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) constellation, following the launch of the fifth and final first-generation satellite from Cape Canaveral. The launch took place at the start of a 44-minute window beginning at 10:30 EST on JUN23. The constellation-building Atlas 5 rocket deployed the spacecraft to form a new rugged smartphone network for the #USMilitary. “MUOS is a revolutionary system in its infancy,” said Navy Commander Peter Sheehy, principal assistant program manager of MUOS. “Five years from now, we’ll be wondering how we ever operated without it.” Serving as cellphone towers from their geosynchronous parking locations above the equator 22,300 miles high, the satellites generate global coverage and reach just miles shy of the poles. “As a retired Army colonel who led soldiers in theater in Iraq, I can tell you firsthand that MUOS is a game-changer for our forces, establishing a global military cellular network through which they can reach out to each other — and exchange mission data — almost anywhere around the world,” said Mark Woempner, Lockheed Martin’s MUOS program director.

In #MilitaryTech news, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an agency of the US #DOD responsible for developing emerging technologies for the military, has created a virtual reality driven 3D technology which creates an environment in which the user can take a virtual walk through their surroundings before physically entering the space. The platform is called “camera agnostic” meaning it does not require special cameras and, on the battlefield, it could aid soldiers in looking for potential ambushes or booby traps. The technology can digitally map a room before soldiers enter, allowing soldiers to know roughly what they are getting into before actually entering. Using VirtualEye, a soldier with a laptop or tablet can throw a few cameras into a building to receive a 3-D view of what’s inside and use a controller to move around the space, without endangering himself.

#He #She

In #Military news the #Pentagon ended its ban on transgender individuals being able to openly serve in the US military. Transgender service members will also receive the same medical coverage and protocols as any other military member, and incoming service members must be “stable” in gender identity for 18 months before entering the military. During a news conference on JUN30, #DefenseSecretary Ash Carter laid out an amended timeline for each of the service branches to develop policies and procedures for incorporating openly transgender service members, starting a guidebook for commanders to complete within 90 days.

According to a RAND study as many as 2,500 transgender individuals currently serve in the military, with 1500 in the reserves. The ban’s repeal comes five years after the September 2011 repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, it follows the appointment of the first openly gay Army secretary, and the January 2013 decision by the Pentagon to allow women to serve in combat positions. Carter stood alone at the podium, mentioning, “This is my decision. However, we have arrived at it together, the senior leadership of the department. They support this timetable and this implementation plan.” Carter added, “We don’t want barriers unrelated to a person’s qualification to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, sailor, airman or marine who can best accomplish the mission. We have to have access to 100% of America’s population.”

On JUN30, the Marine Corps announced it will change 19 official job titles, including “basic infantryman” and “antitank missileman” to make them gender-neutral, as the military aims to integrate more women into combat roles. Some titles, however, will retain their original names, as the Marine Corps cites that terms like “rifleman” and “mortarman” are “steeped in Marine Corps history and ethos.”

#GunControl

House Speaker Paul Ryan reportedly told Republican lawmakers during a conference call on JUN30 that the #House will vote next week on a measure to restrict people on terrorist watch lists from acquiring guns. The announcement comes one week after the Democrats House sit-in in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida on JUN12. While the details of the proposed legislation have not yet been released, there are a number of GOP lawmakers likely to support a form of the plan, including support from Senators like Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Susan Collins (R-Maine), among others.

On JUN25, #Hawaii became the first state to put gun owners on a federal criminal record database and monitor them. Hawaii Governor David Ige signed the bill allowing police to enroll firearms applicants and individuals who are registering their firearms into “Rap Back,” a Federal Bureau of Investigation database which monitors criminal activities by people in positions of trust—such as school teachers and bus drivers—or under investigation. The law will take immediate effect.

#HumanTrafficking

On JUN30, the Obama administration listed Myanmar, Sudan, Haiti, and Uzbekistan as among the worst perpetrators in human trafficking, as part of the State Department’s yearly Trafficking in Persons Report. The designation came only weeks after the #TreasuryDepartment lifted a wide range of sanctions on Myanmar’s state-run banks and businesses. In another major shift, the State Department removed Thailand from the list of worse offenders, supporting the decision by pointing to the government’s efforts to crack down on the seafood industry’s forced labor incidents. Myanmar’s Tier 3 ranking places it in the company of Iran, North Korea and Syria, a level that describes the country’s government officials as “not fully meeting the minimum standards and not making significant effort to do so,” according to the State’s report. The Philippines was moved to the top tier, at the level of countries such as the US and Germany. The Secretary of State cited the report, adding, “There are some tough calls. In the end they come down to an element of discretion, but not much. It is a clarion call…to everybody in the world to do all we can to eradicate these horrors.”

On JUN30, also as part of the State Department’s Annual Trafficking in Persons report, the State listed 10 countries implicated in the use of child soldiers, including Syria, Iraq, Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria. The 2008 Child Soldiers Prevention Act prohibits forms of US military assistance to countries that either use child soldiers in national armed forces or support paramilitaries that recruit child soldiers.

#PR

On JUN29, the #USSenate passed a bill, approved by the House and backed by the President, allowing Puerto Rico to restructure its 70 billion dollar debt, just two days before the Caribbean territory was set to default on a 2 million dollar payment. According to Puerto Rico’s governor, Alejandro García Padilla, the government does not have the funds to pay the money and default was the sole option remaining. A primary factor in Puerto Rico’s financial situation is the investors who have money in the island and have filed lawsuits demanding that the island must pay them before purchasing things like medicine for hospitals, police cars, and fuel. The JUN29 bill temporarily halts these lawsuits until February 2017 and allows for restructuring which was previously impossible, given that Puerto Rico is a territory and not a state. Leaders in both parties in the House and Senate backed the bill, passed in the upper house in a 68 to 30 vote on Wednesday night.

#POTUS

On JUN30, the Obama Foundation, the non-profit in charge of constructing the Presidential library for the 44^th President, announced another monumental moment for #Chicago—specifically the city’s South Side. The Foundation revealed that Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architacts (TWBTA), joined by Chicago firm Interactive Design Architects (IDEA) have been chosen as the finalists to design the #ObamaPresidentialCenterandLibrary. The husband-and-wife architectural firm and the Chicago firm were selected from a talented list of respondents to the Foundation’s initial RFQ. In August, the Foundation received 144 responses and, by December, seven finalists were announced, a roster which represents the First Couple’s appreciation for contemporary architecture, including David Adjaye Associates, Snøhetta, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The Foundation hopes to complete the library, estimated to cost more than 500 million, by 2021 and is still deciding on both the design and the location within two historic South Side parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The library’s location in a major city has sparked speculation as to how its placement may function as a setting for Obama’s post-presidential work, despite the Obama family’s decision to stay in Washington D.C. after departing from the White House.

On JUN24, President Obama announced he will be designating the first ever national monument dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender rights, at Christopher Park adjacent to the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The Park has historically served as a hub for members of the LGBT community and the dedication ceremony will take place almost one year after the historic Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage.

“As one of the only public open spaces serving Greenwich Village west of 6th Avenue, Christopher Park has long been central to the life of the neighborhood and to its identity as an LGBT-friendly community,” President Obama wrote in the proclamation. The monumental event comes at a heavy time for the LGBT community in particular, in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The site of the monument however, has long served as a beacon of strength and resilience. Earlier in June, a vigil was hosted at Christopher Park for the Orlando terror attack victims and, in 1969, the Stonewall Inn was the location of the famous police and LGBT club attendees riots which arguably heralded the modern day LGBT rights movement.

In #MusicalTheater news, #Broadway will make history on JUN30 by live-streaming a show for the first time, featuring the acclaimed Tony-winning Broadway musical revival She Loves Me. The online streaming service Broadway HD will broadcast the show from the Studio 54 theater in New York City and marks the first time a live performance of a Broadway show will air via the internet. While a few Broadway shows have been broadcasted, notably “Memphis,” Orlando Bloom-led “Romeo and Juliet” and James Franco’s “Of Mice and Men” — a show has never been broadcasted live. As the theater industry takes a big step forward in experimenting with tapping into social media and online mediums, audiences worldwide may soon see more musicals following the internet suit and tapping into an international audience.

On JUN27, following the historic UK BREXIT Referendum resulting in the UK voting to leave the European Union, the US Dollar Index reached levels as high as 96.705, up from 93.019 before the BREXIT vote results. At 12:38 p.m. SIN/HK, the dollar index showed 96.042 on JUN27. By JUN28, US stock indexes mounted a broad comeback as investors began snapping up shares following a two-day rout.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded after knocking off nearly 900 points. It added 269 points, bolstered by a strong push for energy and technology stocks. Markets also received a boost from the US Commerce Department, which revised its first-quarter GDP from 0.8% to 1.1%. On JUN30, the US stock market kicked off the final day of a turbulent second quarter with major gains for a third straight session, as investors continue to downgrade the fallout of the Brexit Referendum vote. At 4PM EST on JUN30, the S&P 500 was up 1.4% higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which had posted its best back-to-back point increase since August 2015 following the Brexit-driven sell-off Friday and Monday, gained another 235 points, or 1.3%. The Nasdaq composite gained 1.3%. #Oil prices fell, with U.S. produced-crude down almost 2% to $49.01 per barrel.

Team Lima Charlie wishes you and your family a happy, healthy and safe 4th of July Weekend.

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