Mark Memmott

Syrian intelligence agencies have established at least 27 detention facilities — an "archipelago of torture centers scattered across the country" — according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch.

The international watchdog group says it has documented "systematic patterns of ill-treatment and torture that ... clearly point to a state policy of torture and ill-treatment and therefore constitute a crime against humanity."

Update at 11:45 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reports that "the military says six Air Force tankers are resuming firefighting flights after a deadly crash of one tanker over the weekend. U.S. Northern Command says the flights will resume Tuesday."

As you'll see in our original post below, earlier today seven such tankers had been grounded. It's not yet clear why one plane apparently isn't being put back into use fighting the wildfires in western states.

7:40 a.m. ET. Some important updates on the wildfires out west:

As the day gets started, about 1.8 million homes and businesses in states stretching from Indiana east through the mid-Atlantic are still without power because of the enormous damage caused by Friday's derecho. That's the huge wall of severe storms that swept across towns and cities from Indiana east to the Atlantic coast.

"The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud."

That's CNN's Anderson Cooper in an email to The Daily Beast's Andrew Sullivan, which Sullivan posted this morning.

Why say that now? As Cooper says in the email, he's been asked "the gay question" before about what had been an open secret for years and not publicly addressed it.

Now, he says in the email:

There will be no runoff today between sprinters Jeneba Tarmoh and Allyson Felix to determine which athlete is eligible to run for Team USA in the 100-meter sprint for women at the London Olympics.

Just before 1:30 p.m. ET, USA Track & Field confirmed in an email to reporters that Tarmoh "has withdrawn herself from consideration." The association says that:

For the first time since July 2009 a gauge of how U.S. manufacturers are doing is signalling shrinkage in the factory sector.

The Institute for Supply Management says its June "PMI" index stood at 49.7, down from 53.5 and the first time in nearly three years that it wasn't above 50 — the line between growth in manufacturing (an above 50 reading) and contraction (below 50).

A subcategory of ISM's report — its measure of new orders — also fell below 50, to 47.8.

Good morning.

Our early headlines:

-- No Power? No A.C.? You Don't Have To Tell Us About It (But We Hope You Do).

-- Finally, 'Some Good News' About Colorado Springs Wildfire.

We learned a new word on Saturday, thanks to Korva's post about the devastating storm that has left millions without power from Ohio east through the mid-Atlantic states:

Derecho.

"Mexico's old guard sailed back into power after a 12-year hiatus Sunday," The Associated Press writes, "as the official preliminary vote count handed a victory to Enrique Pena Nieto, whose party was long accused of ruling the country through corruption and patronage."

As we said earlier, millions of people in mid-Atlantic states and Ohio are starting a third day without power because of damage from Friday's "land hurricane."

But in Colorado Springs, "it's nice to finally have some good news," Steve Cox, chief of economic vitality and innovation for the city, tells the local Gazette.

For about 2.7 million people across mid-Atlantic and west to Ohio it's Day 3 without power.

Friday's "land hurricane" — technically known as a derecho — may be long gone, but it is certainly not forgotten. Crews, many brought in from states well outside the affected region, continue to work on restoring power. But utilities are warning it could be next weekend before everyone is back on the grid.

Conservative critics who say that Chief Justice John Roberts is some kind of traitor to their movement because he was the deciding vote in favor of upholding the Obama administration's Affordable Care Act "don't understand how these judges are supposed to discharge their responsibilities," Bush-era Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told NPR this morning.

The city of Stockton, Calif., has officially filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, The Stockton Record writes.