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  • Phone Records Prove House Sergeant-at-Arms DID Ignore Pleas for Backup: Capitol Police Chief

    Erin Schaff/ReutersThe acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police just came with the receipts.Testifying before a House Appropriations subcommittee about the catastrophic breakdown that allowed thousands of MAGA rioters to breach the Capitol, Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman revealed that her predecessor called the House sergeant-at-arms, Paul Irving, at 12:58 p.m. to request the National Guard as rioters breaching the building and forced lawmakers into hiding.Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who resigned after the riot, called Irving again seven minutes later, according to phone records pulled by Pittman—and then called him at least three more times until 1:45 p.m.“When there’s a breakdown you look for those commanders with boots on the ground to provide that instruction,” Pittman said. “That did not happen, primarily because those operational commanders at the time were so overwhelmed, they started to participate and assist the officers… versus providing that guidance and direction.”First Capitol Riot Hearing Only Raised More Questions About Jan. 6The receipts–which support the narrative that a series of unanswered calls, withheld information, and conflicting orders led to complete malfunction—directly contradicted Irving’s testimony.On Tuesday, Sund testified that he asked for National Guard backup just after 1 p.m. But Irving insisted that was wrong. He said he did not remember the conversation with Sund and claimed he didn’t get an official request until “shortly before 1:30 p.m.” Troops were not approved to help overwhelmed officers at the Capitol until 2:10 p.m.“Mr. Irving stated that he was concerned about the ‘optics’ of having the National Guard present and didn’t feel that the intelligence supported it,” Sund said Tuesday. Irving, who resigned in the wake of the riot, said that was “categorically false.”On Tuesday, Irving said that if Sund, Senate sergeant-at-arms Michael Stenger, or any other leaders concluded ahead of Jan. 6 that unarmed National Guardsmen were needed, he “would not have hesitated” to ensure the reinforcement was ready.Pittman’s testimony—and her insistence that Capitol Police did everything possible to contain the insurrection—was just the latest twist in a series of finger-pointing between the top law enforcers in charge of securing the Capitol. During hearings before lawmakers this week, officials have blamed one another for the widespread failures.One failure, Pittman conceded on Thursday, was that nobody in law enforcement knew the mob would be so violent.She told lawmakers that they were prepared for militia groups, white supremacists, and other extremists to be present, but the small organization was not prepared for thousands of “everyday” Americans “who took on a mob mentality.” (Acting D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee revealed on Tuesday that the FBI intel consisted merely of an email sent on Jan. 5.)Officials believe over 10,000 demonstrators were at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and that 800 breached the building. About 1,200 police officers responded, Pittman said.She also made the stunning admission that since Jan. 6, Capitol Police have maintained heightened security because they learned that militia groups have chatted about plans to “blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible” in connection with the State of the Union, which has no scheduled date yet. “We know that the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol weren’t only interested in attacking members of Congress and officers. They wanted to send a symbolic message to the nation as [to] who was in charge of that legislative process,” Pittman said. On Tuesday, Irving insisted that Capitol Police were privy to intelligence provided by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security that “did not support” the likelihood of a coordinated assault at the Capitol.An NYPD Cop’s Road From Terror ‘Victim’ to Capitol Rioter“The department was not ignorant of intelligence indicating an attack of the size and scale we encountered on the sixth. There was no such intelligence,” Pittman said Thursday. “Although we knew the likelihood for violence by extremists, no credible threat indicated that tens of thousands would attack the U.S. Capitol. Nor did the intelligence received from the FBI or any other law enforcement partner indicate such a threat.”Pittman added that because officers at the Capitol were not prepared for a violent mob, lockdown procedure was not properly executed. She added that some officers were also not sure when to use lethal force, and that radio communications between law enforcers were not robust.Five individuals died during the violent riots. Four were pro-Trump protesters, including Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a police officer after attempting to break into the Speaker’s Lobby. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died after allegedly clashing with rioters. In the days after the siege, at least two officers died by suicide.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

  • 8 movies leaving Netflix you have to watch before February ends

    There's something for any mood you're in right now from comedies ("Easy A") and gangster movies ("Goodfellas") to documentaries ("LA 92").

  • After oil spill, Israel's fishermen net catch despite ban

    JISR AL-ZARQA, Israel (AP) — After weathering a year of the coronavirus pandemic, the fishermen of an Arab village in central Israel have been dealt another blow by a mysterious oil spill in the Mediterranean. Grappling with its worst ecological disaster in years, the government this week ordered a precautionary ban on selling seafood. Despite the ban, Jisr al-Zarqa's fishermen went to sea Thursday to bring in their catch.

  • Every single Emma Watson movie, ranked

    The "Harry Potter" star may be best-known for playing Hermione Granger, but critics also enjoyed her roles in "Ballet Shoes" and "Little Women."

  • 16 little-known facts about the Weasley family that 'Harry Potter' fans may not know

    The Weasleys are the largest family in the series, so even the biggest fans may not have heard all these fun facts and hidden secrets about them.

  • China's ships are getting bigger and more aggressive, and Japan is scrambling to keep up

    China's massive Coast Guard and a new law expanding what it can do have worried its neighbors, maybe none of them more so than Japan.

  • Brit Awards change rules thanks to pop star Rina Sawayama

    Pop star Rina Sawayama protested after being told she was "not British enough" for UK music awards.

  • Georgia counties are suing Trump for legal fees following his failed voter fraud lawsuits

    Two counties in Georgia want Donald Trump to pay for the cost of his failed lawsuits alleging voter fraud in the election.

  • Israeli DM moves to halt plan to share virus vaccines

    Israel’s defense minister on Thursday called for an immediate halt of plans to ship surplus coronavirus vaccines to a group of friendly nations, suggesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using vaccines to wield international influence “behind the backs of relevant bodies." Netanyahu's plan has illustrated how at a time of global shortages, the vaccine has become an asset that can be used for diplomatic gain. It also has raised questions about Israel's decision to help far-flung nations in Africa and Latin America at a time when the neighboring Palestinian territories are struggling to secure their own vaccine supplies.

  • Texas Lt. Gov. says that people getting huge energy bills 'gambled on a very, very low rate' - but suggests they won't have to pay the full amount

    Texans on variable-rate energy deals were faced with enormous bills as the wholesale price of electricity spiked 10,000% during the storms.

  • China vows five-year plan dedicated to climate, but growth, security concerns weigh

    China has promised to dedicate its new "five-year plan" to tackling climate change, but concerns about economic growth and energy security are expected to temper the country's green ambitions. Vice premier Han Zheng said in October that the 2021-2025 plan, due to be delivered to parliament in March, would be "dedicated to addressing climate change" and "focus on the country's new vision" to bring emissions to a peak before 2030 and achieve "carbon neutrality" by 2060. But experts said Beijing is still likely to give regions leeway to focus on growth and build new coal-fired power stations to head off energy shortages.

  • An ex-girlfriend tipped off the FBI about an alleged US Capitol rioter after he called her a 'moron'

    Richard Michetti was arraigned Tuesday in Philadelphia over his alleged participation in the January 6 insurrection.

  • In boost for COVID-19 battle, Pfizer vaccine found 94% effective in real world

    The first big real-world study of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be independently reviewed shows the shot is highly effective at preventing COVID-19, in a potentially landmark moment for countries desperate to end lockdowns and reopen economies. Up until now, most data on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines has come under controlled conditions in clinical trials, leaving an element of uncertainty over how results would translate into the real world with its unpredictable variables. The research in Israel - two months into one of the world's fastest rollouts, providing a rich source of data - showed two doses of the Pfizer shot cut symptomatic COVID-19 cases by 94% across all age groups, and severe illnesses by nearly as much.

  • Promising new data for Johnson and Johnson vaccine

    There is promising new data today on Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine. If approved, it would add a third option to the vaccine rollout in the United States.

  • Biden news - live: Trump Jr deposed over inaugural funds as White House defends migrant camp after AOC attack

    Follow all the latest news from the White House

  • Kaley Cuoco thought she was meeting with her 'Big Bang Theory' costars to discuss a 13th season - instead she found out the show was ending

    The actress said she was "in a state of shock" when Jim Parsons said he wanted to leave the series, which ended the popular CBS sitcom.

  • GOP Rep. Somehow Blames Mail Slowdown on Antifa and Black Lives Matter

    Twitter/@NicoleGoodkindRep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) on Wednesday ludicrously faulted the recent slowdown in post office deliveries on the antifa and Black Lives Matter movements, claiming that the destruction of property during last year’s summer protests was the actual cause of current United States Postal Service issues.The House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to look into the continuing delays in delivering the mail, grilling Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on plans and strategies for reversing the trend. Democrats, meanwhile, have called for the ouster of DeJoy, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump last year.Since DeJoy was made postmaster general, the USPS has been besieged with delivery service shortcomings, something Democrats have suggested was purposeful on DeJoy’s part during last year’s election in an effort to appease Trump, who obsessively railed against mail-in voting throughout the campaign. The former president, in fact, even openly acknowledged last August that he was starving the USPS of cash to make processing the pandemic-related surge of mail-in ballots more difficult.Biggs, a Trump loyalist who was reportedly involved with organizing the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded last month’s Capitol insurrection, used his time on Wednesday to blame the mail delays solely on the racial-justice protests that emerged after the police killing of George Floyd.Here's the video pic.twitter.com/vzhzSZUDTy— Nicole Goodkind (@NicoleGoodkind) February 24, 2021 “I want to discuss some of the 2020 events that affected the postal service’s ability to deliver the mail in a timely fashion,” he noted. “And, no, they don’t have to do with COVID-19.”“Last year, my Democratic colleagues turned a blind eye to nationwide mayhem, destruction, rioting, and looting conducted by Black Lives Matter and antifa activists,” the far-right lawmaker continued. “Many businesses and government agencies—including the postal service—saw their entities burn and operations halted because of the persistent, violent riots.”He went on to cite a handful of instances in which post office locations were damaged or burglarized to make his case that left-wing protesters were apparently the root cause of the ongoing mail delivery delays.Contrary to the congressman’s claims, only two post office buildings were burned down during the George Floyd protests, months before mail slowdowns began, as Washington Post reporter Dave Weigel noted.The postal service delays began after DeJoy implemented a series of sweeping changes ostensibly to cut costs last July. Included among the widely criticized moves he enacted were scheduling mandates on mail trucks, ordering mail handlers to depart routes sooner even if mail hadn’t yet arrived, a crackdown on overtime, and the removal of hundreds of high-speed mail sorting machines.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

  • Bahrain: Crown prince calls Israel PM on Iran nuclear talks

    Bahrain’s crown prince spoke with the Israeli prime minister on Thursday about the return to nuclear talks with Iran, Bahrain’s state-run news agency reported, as the U.S. administration tries to revive the tattered 2015 nuclear accord. Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, also the country’s prime minister, stressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “the importance of the participation of regional countries in any negotiations on the Iranian nuclear file” to support “security and stability in the region,” according to the official Bahrain News Agency.

  • NASA just unveiled a high-def, 360-degree panorama of Mars from the Perseverance rover. It's made from 142 photos.

    The Perseverance rover wasted no time snapping photos on Mars. NASA scientists stitched together 142 of them to create a high-definition panorama.

  • China's Mars craft enters parking orbit before landing rover

    China says its Tianwen-1 spacecraft has entered a temporary parking orbit around Mars in anticipation of landing a rover on the red planet in the coming months. The China National Space Administration said the spacecraft executed a maneuver to adjust its orbit early Wednesday morning Beijing time and will remain in the new orbit for about the next three months before attempting to land. During that time, it will be mapping the surface of Mars and using its cameras and other sensors to collect further data, particularly about its prospective landing site.