July 20th, 1977: CIA experiments in behavior control exposed
According to the US Central Intelligence Agency documents obtained for public usage under the 1966 Freedom of Information Act, the CIA conducted secret medical experiments from 1949 through the mid 1960s developing methods of controlling human behaviour through the use of chemical, biological & radiological agents.
July 21st, 1977: Thailand & Cambodia engage in major border clash
Battle between heavily armed Cambodian & Thai troops, in which 17 Thai soldiers & estimated 50 Cambodians were killed, erupted along the Thai-Cambodian frontier in the vicinity of Aranyaprathet, the main regional Thai town. The clash which involved Thai troops & air support, was described in the Royal Thai Armed Forces' military command as sharp escalation of the border skirmishes that had been almost daily occurrences since the communist takeover of Cambodia in 1975.
July 22nd, 1977:
BREAKING NEWS: Brazil terminates military treaty with the US; Sources hint Geisel was triggered by the US State Department report blasting military dictatorship's egregious human rights violations
Brazil cancelled the 25-year military assistance treaty with the United States because of a report from the US State Department criticizing the government of Brazilian President Ernesto Geisel over the country's human rights practices.
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry blasted the report which they viewed, constituted an intolerable interference in Brazilian affairs. Brazil also turned down more than $50 million in military aid credits that the Brown administration originally planned on seeking from Congress. The response won widespread approval from overwhelming majority of Brazilians, including members of the opposition Brazilian Democracy Movement Party, who agreed that human rights was an issue to be resolved internally.
Under the 1952 agreement, the United States extended credits & cash for the purchase of American military equipment & provided other assistance including training which had been taking place under previous US presidential administrations beginning with Harry S. Truman.
Brazil had been less dependent on US aid in recent years as the large South American country had been building its own arms industry. General Moacir Barcelos Potyguara, Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, said the rejection of US aid would cause no problems.
Guy Branodo, spokesman for the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, said the cancellation didn't mean that Brazil was no longer an ally of the United States according to a UPI report. "It doesn't change anything," Branodo said. "It simply ends an assistance agreement. Nothing more than that."
July 23rd, 1977: Domestic Policy initiatives of the Brown administration getting stuck in congressional gridlock
The Health Care Reform Act of 1977, which easily passed the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly back on May 16th, has been stuck in legislative gridlock over in the United States Senate due to staunch opposition from United States Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) ,who proudly called himself "The Number One Antagonist" of the Brown administration's legislative agenda.
US Secretary of Health, Education & Welfare Joseph Califano blasted Helms & other opponents of the Health Care Reform Act, accusing them of choosing lobbyists over the American people.
Gallup Polling Survey (July 24th, 1977)
Opinion of President Jerry Brown (D)
Approve: 21%
Disapprove: 62%
Undecided: 12%