WorldThe TelegraphHow Hamas pierced Israel's famous Iron Dome shield
Israel's military was facing questions on Wednesday as to whether its Iron Dome missile defence system needed an upgrade, after five Israeli civilians were killed by rocket strikes. The system, which Israeli officials say has a 90 per cent interception rate, has already avoided heavy loss of life in Tel Aviv, Ashkelon and other cities which became a focal point for Hamas as it sought to overwhelm air defences. But on Wednesday, Israeli analysts said that for some time intelligence sources had been warning that Hamas had significantly improved its weaponry, to the extent that it could "pierce the Iron Dome shield."
U.S.Miami HeraldMiami man who bought Lamborghini with COVID-19 relief money sentenced to six years
A Miami businessman was sentenced to more than six years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to fleecing millions from a federal COVID-19 relief program and buying luxury items with the money, including a $318,000 Lamborghini Huracán Evo. David T. Hines, 29, arrested last July, was ordered by a Miami federal judge to turn over the luxury Italian sports car and $3.4 million that he received in government loans. Hines, who owned South Florida moving businesses, applied to the Bank of America for seven loans under a Small Business Administration program.
PoliticsAxiosFormer Trump White House counsel Don McGahn agrees to House panel interview on Russia report
Former White House counsel Don McGahn agreed Wednesday to speak with the House Judiciary Committee about former President Trump's alleged attempts to obstruct the Russia investigation — with certain conditions, per a court filing. Why it matters: The agreement ends a two-year standoff after McGahn, a key player in former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, repeatedly refused to agree to a subpoena for testimony — resulting in the matter being taken to court. Of note: One of the conditions is that the committee conducts a "transcribed interview" to happen behind closed doors, rather than calling for McGhan to testify at a public hearing, according to the filing.
WorldAxiosOver 70 dead in worst bombardments between Israel and Hamas for years
Photo: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Israeli firefighters and security forces inspect damage at a house in Yehud, near Tel Aviv, after rockets were launched toward Israel from Gaza Strip on May 12. Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images A fire rages at sunrise in Khan Yunish following an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza on May 12. Photo: Youssef Massoud/AFP via Getty Images Smoke billows on May 12 at Ashkelon's refinery, hit by Hamas rockets the previous day in southern Israel, near the Gaza Strip.
U.S.Architectural DigestHouse Call: This Is the Comfort You Need
In support of plump, fluffy, puffy furniture Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
U.S.TheGrioBlack Dunkin’ Donuts manager charged after fatally punching man who called him slur
When a Dunkin' customer hurled racist slurs at an employee, he was met with a punch to the head that proved to be fatal. This is when he began arguing with the store's Black manager, Corey Pujols. Pujols, 27, told police that the man was being “extremely rude” and called him a racial slur.
PoliticsThe WeekGeorge P. Bush applauds Liz Cheney's ouster, claims she doesn't 'stand up for conservative Republican ideology'
George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), applauded House Republicans on Wednesday for ousting Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from her position as the No. 3 House GOP leader. Bush tweeted that "we need leaders in Congress that stand up for conservative Republican ideology, and Liz Cheney is not that leader," over a quote in which he says Cheney should be "reigning [sic] fire" down on Biden, not "the president," presumably referring to former President Donald Trump.
HealthReutersDelaying second COVID-19 vaccine doses can help reduce deaths - study
Giving a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine but delaying a second dose among people younger than 65 could lead to fewer people dying of the disease, but only if certain conditions are met, a predictive modelling study showed. For example, Pfizer has said there is no clinical evidence to support Britain's decision to extend the gap between doses of its vaccine to 12 weeks, but data from the rollout in England shows protection against death of around 80% from one dose, with a 70% decline in infections. The U.S. study, published in the BMJ British medical journal, used a simulation model based on a "real-world" sample of 100,000 U.S. adults and ran a series of scenarios to forecast potentially infectious interactions under different conditions.
- PoliticsReuters Videos
Miller: Trump wanted troops to protect his supporters on Jan. 6
EDITOR'S NOTE: VIDEO QUALITY AS INCOMING Former Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller told a House of Representatives panel that he spoke with Trump on Jan. 3, three days before the now-former president's fiery speech that preceded the violence and led to his second impeachment. According to Miller's testimony, Trump asked during that meeting whether the District of Columbia's mayor had requested National Guard troops for Jan. 6, the day Congress was to ratify Joe Biden's presidential election victory. Trump told Miller to "fill" the request, the former defense secretary testified.
WorldLA TimesCasualties mount as continued Israeli strikes, Palestinian militants' rocket fire raise specter of all-out war
The escalating violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants pressed into Wednesday with an Israeli airstrike killing a senior Hamas commander in Gaza and rocket fire from the enclave causing the death of a person in Israel. The bloodshed added to a spiraling casualty toll — more than 40 people dead in Gaza, including a number of children, and at least six in Israel — and further pushed the two sides toward outright war as the United Nations, the U.S. and other nations called for calm. Hamas confirmed that its Gaza City commander, Bassem Issa, died in an airstrike Wednesday — the group's highest-ranking military figure to be killed by Israel since 2014.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanTwo planes collide in Colorado sky — but no one was injured, officials say. How?
A single-engine plane collided with a jet in the Colorado sky, officials said. The planes collided in midair above Cherry Creek State Park at about 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office officials said during a news briefing. The single-engine Cirrus SR-22 plane crashed in a field, officials said, but it deployed a parachute before hitting the ground.
PoliticsThe WeekRepublican congressman defends Capitol rioters, says Ashli Babbitt was 'executed'
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) claimed that Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot by police during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, was "executed." CLIP: @RepGosar at January 6th U.S. Capitol Attack hearing: "The DoJ is harassing peaceful patriots across the country." During Wednesday's House Oversight Committee hearing, Gosar asked former Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, "Who executed Ashli Babbitt?" He made sure to first mention that "Babbitt was unarmed," and then "referred to her death as a homicide," reports Vice News.
WorldReutersIndian health agency chief says most of country should remain locked down for 6-8 weeks
The head of the main Indian health agency responding to the coronavirus has said districts reporting a high number of infections should remain locked down for another six to eight weeks to control the spread of the rampaging disease. Dr. Balram Bhargava, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said in an interview that lockdown restrictions should remain in place in all districts where the rate of infection is above 10% of those tested. Currently, three-fourths of India's 718 districts have what is known as a test-positivity rate above 10%, including major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai and the tech hub of Bengaluru.
U.S.Associated PressJudge dismisses NRA bankruptcy case in blow to gun group
A federal judge dismissed the National Rifle Association's bankruptcy case Tuesday, leaving the powerful gun-rights group to face a New York state lawsuit that accuses it of financial abuses and aims to put it out of business. The judge was tasked with deciding whether the NRA should be allowed to incorporate in Texas instead of New York, where the state is suing in an effort to disband the group. Judge Harlin Hale said in a written order that he was dismissing the case because he found the bankruptcy was not filed in good faith.
HealthThe TelegraphPfizer asks UK regulator to approve vaccinations in teenagers following approval in the US
Pfizer has asked the UK regulator to approve its vaccine for use in young teenagers, as US watchdogs signalled their approval. The pharmaceutical giant has formally asked the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for permission to use the jab in 12- to 15-year-olds, one of the age groups most responsible for spreading the virus. Given the organisation's fast-track review process, it is likely the vaccine would be approved well before the end of July, the point at which the Government aims to have offered a jab to all adults.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGOP Rep. Paul Gosar said police 'executed' Ashli Babbitt during the Capitol riot and that the feds are 'harassing peaceful patriots'
The House Oversight Committee held a hearing Wednesday about the January 6 Capitol attack. GOP Rep. Paul Gosar said the rioter who died was "executed" and that others were "peaceful patriots." Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz accused him of downplaying the actions of "violent insurrectionists."
U.S.Associated PressJim Klobuchar, columnist and US senator's father, dies at 93
Jim Klobuchar, a longtime Minnesota newspaper reporter and columnist and the father of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, has died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Klobuchar died Wednesday at the Emerald Crest care facility in Burnsville, a Twin Cities suburb, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Amy Klobuchar, the Minnesota senator, said that throughout his life her father was “a champion of those on the outside" and used his words to stand up for people.
BusinessBBCTravel firms warned over summer holiday refunds
The Competition and Markets Authority said it had reminded package holiday firms of their legal obligations. The others were Teletext Holidays, LoveHolidays, Lastminute.com and Virgin Holidays. The UK government has said people can travel abroad again from 17 May, but destinations will be ranked for safety under a traffic light system and there are fears their status could change unexpectedly.
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden sends envoy to Israel to defuse tensions as protests break out across US
The Biden administration is sending a top State Department official to help de-escalate the violence between Israel and Hamas. Hady Amr, the department's top official for Israeli-Palestinian issues, will travel to the war-torn region to help defuse the conflict, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday. “I've asked Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Hady Amr to go to the region immediately to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders,” Mr Blinken said at a press conference.
PoliticsAssociated PressHearing on Jan. 6 violence exposes stark partisan divisions
Republicans sought to rewrite the history of the Jan. 6 insurrection during a rancorous congressional hearing Wednesday, painting the Trump supporters who attacked the building as mostly peaceful patriots and downplaying repeatedly the violence of the day. Democrats, meanwhile, clashed with Donald Trump's former Pentagon chief about the unprepared government response to a riot that began when hundreds of Trump loyalists bent on overturning the election broke through police barriers, smashed windows and laid siege to the building. The House Oversight Committee hearing unfolded just after Republicans in the chamber voted to remove Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership post for rebuking Trump for his false claims of election fraud and his role in inciting the attack.
U.S.Tribune PublishingMurder charge: Gunman shot woman in back of head in downtown Minneapolis as she tried to flee
A Brooklyn Center man was charged with murder on accusations that he followed a woman into a parking garage in downtown Minneapolis over the weekend and shot her in the back of the head. Otis T. Givens, 45, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Ariana M. Bradley, who had no permanent address. Givens was arrested Monday and remains jailed in lieu of $1 million ahead of a court appearance Thursday.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramHere’s how Fort Worth’s mayoral candidates differ on wages, workforce and transit
After advancing out of the crowded mayoral field, Mattie Parker and Deborah Peoples are differentiating themselves on more than just political backgrounds, including at a forum Wednesday where they were divided on transit, wages and the best way to grow business. Parker, a lawyer who spent five years as chief of staff for Mayor Betsy Price and is now a nonprofit executive, and Peoples, a retired AT&T vice president and outgoing Tarrant County Democratic Party chair, spared in a forum that focused on Fort Worth's workforce and business climate. While the candidates appear to agree on unifying the city and moving away from partisan politics, the forum, hosted by the Star-Telegram and the city's three chambers, was one of the first times the pair contrasted clearly on policies.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderRight after 'Big Four' meeting with Biden, Pelosi says an infrastructure bill will 'absolutely' be ready by July 4
Biden met with McCarthy, Pelosi, Schumer, and McConnell to discuss a bipartisan infrastructure plan. After the meeting, Pelosi told reporters a bill will "absolutely" be ready by July 4. Republicans are not so optimistic and are unwilling to compromise on tax hikes to fund the plan.
U.S.Kansas City StarWill Biden regulate religious colleges out of existence? This Ozarks case warns of it
The College of the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri speaks for many such religious institutions in suing the Biden administration following a Feb. 11 memo from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that — in a landmark ruling of its own — declares it illegal to take gender identity into consideration in housing. While the directive is both well-intentioned and eminently defensible in the secular world, officials at the Christian college believe it directly conflicts with their faith-based policy of separate dorm buildings for women and men. Forcing the college to ditch its doctrine, it says, is essentially regulating it out of existence.
WorldArchitectural Digest31 Glass Coffee Tables for Any and Every Living Room
Could we be any clearer? Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
“If Facebook lets Trump back on Facebook and Instagram, he'll assuredly restart his assault on democracy.”
“Facebook should have known better than to believe that it could limit speech on its platform without setting a terrible precedent.”
“Providing a microphone and an amplifier for deceit isn't fighting the good fight for free speech.”
“It’s no defense of Mr. Trump’s conduct to say that the digital public square shouldn’t suppress speech by political leaders.”
“The former president no longer gets the ‘head of state’ exception to terms of service.”