PoliticsThe IndependentMarjorie Taylor Greene adds ‘TWO genders’ sign to office door in escalation of anti-Equality Act attack
Marjorie Taylor Green has escalated her attacks against the Equality Act by installing a sign outside her Congressional office saying that male and female are the only two genders. In came in response to Congresswoman Marie Newman placing a transgender flag outside Ms Taylor Greene's office after the Georgia Republican motioned to adjourn a vote on the anti-discrimination bill. "Our neighbour, @RepMTG, tried to block the Equality Act because she believes prohibiting discrimination against trans Americans is 'disgusting, immoral, and evil'," Ms Newman said in a video tweet.
PoliticsAssociated PressGOP rallies solidly against Democrats' virus relief package
Republicans rallied solidly against Democrats' proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill as lawmakers awaited a decision by the Senate's parliamentarian that could bolster or potentially kill a pivotal provision hiking the federal minimum wage. Despite their paper-thin congressional majorities, Democratic leaders were poised to push the sweeping package through the House on Friday. They were hoping the Senate, where changes seem likely, would follow quickly enough to have legislation on President Joe Biden's desk by mid-March.
WorldThe TelegraphExclusive: Northern Ireland Protocol must be abolished, demands European Research Group
The Northern Ireland Protocol must be abolished rather than tweaked, the European Research Group will urge the Government on Thursday. The hardline Tory Brexiteers will publish a report, seen by The Telegraph, urging Boris Johnson to overhaul the problematic protocol rather than work with the EU to amend it. It comes amid a growing outcry over bureaucracy and checks, required under the protocol, hampering the inward flow of some goods to Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
- WorldAssociated Press
Turkish police nab Iraqi IS suspect, rescue Yazidi girl
Turkish police have detained a suspected Iraqi Islamic State group militant and rescued a 7-year-old girl from Iraq's Yazidi religious minority he had allegedly been holding captive, the state-run news agency reported Wednesday. The man, identified by his initials S.O., was detained in an early morning raid in the capital Ankara, the Anadolu Agency reported. The suspect had once served as an officer in the Iraqi army, the agency said, adding that police and the country's intelligence agency had been monitoring his moves.
PoliticsLA TimesHow far will Biden go to fix the climate crisis? Pay attention to this gas project
A few days after Joe Biden claimed victory in the presidential election, a San Diego company quietly asked federal officials for permission to send 5 million tons of natural gas each year across the U.S.-Mexico border to an export terminal the company hopes to build along the Gulf of California. The facility would be Sempra Energy's second fossil fuel export plant in Mexico. The Biden administration's decision could offer an early preview of how aggressively it will confront the climate crisis.
PoliticsThe WeekMitt Romney and Tom Cotton divide conservatives over their new minimum wage plan
Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Tuesday unveiled a plan to gradually raise the minimum wage to $10, rather than the $15 their Democratic colleagues are targeting. The reaction among conservatives was mixed. Brad Polumbo, writing in The Washington Examiner, called the plan an "abandonment" of fiscal conservatism, likening it to "something out of" Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) office.
WorldThe TelegraphHong Kong's freedoms threadbare as China removes last vestiges of political opposition
China's Communist Party wields much, if not all, of the political power in Hong Kong, having chipped away at the “one country, two systems” model meant to guarantee the former British colony's unique freedoms after being returned to mainland rule. Four elected opposition lawmakers were ousted last year and those remaining resigned in protest, further skewing the city legislature toward Beijing loyalists. Outsized political influence has allowed Beijing the ability to exercise its will over Hong Kong, often thinly disguising it as 'process' – for instance, passing a law last June through city legislature making it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem.
- WorldAssociated Press
Pakistani couple's appeal of blasphemy sentence postponed
A Pakistani court Wednesday adjourned without hearing a much-awaited appeal from a Christian couple facing the death penalty for the last seven years after being convicted of blasphemy, a defense lawyer said. Lawyer Saiful Malook said the couple's appeal wasn't heard before the court's session ended. He is seeking the release and overturning of death penalty sentences for Shagufta Kausar and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel.
BusinessBBCHyundai to replace 82,000 electric-vehicle batteries over fire risk
Hyundai is to replace the electric batteries in nearly 82,000 of its electric vehicles worldwide because of a fire risk. Most of the affected vehicles are Kona cars built between 2018 and 2020, thousands of which have been sold in the UK, vehicle-registration data suggests. The recall is expected to cost Hyundai about £640m ($900m).
PoliticsReutersU.S. Senator Manchin to back Biden pick for interior secretary
Democratic Senator Joe Manchin will throw his support behind Congresswoman Deb Haaland to lead the Biden administration's Interior Department, he said in a statement on Wednesday, likely securing her confirmation to become the first Native American in a cabinet position. Manchin's "yes" vote is seen as crucial to Haaland's confirmation because he is a supporter of fossil fuel development who wields significant power in a U.S. Congress split 50-50 among Democrats and Republicans, meaning every Democratic backer counts. "While we do not agree on every issue, (Haaland) reaffirmed her strong commitment to bipartisanship, addressing the diverse needs of our country and maintaining our nation's energy independence," Manchin said in a statement.
- NewsYahoo News Video
No charges against police officers involved in Daniel Prude's death
Police officers shown on body camera video holding Daniel Prude down naked and handcuffed on a Rochester, N.Y., street last winter until he stopped breathing will not face criminal charges, according to a grand jury decision announced Tuesday.
BusinessAssociated PressNissan ex-CEO tells Japanese court Ghosn's pay was too low
Former Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa told a Japanese court Wednesday he believed the compensation for his predecessor Carlos Ghosn was too low “by international standards,” and so he supported Ghosn's retirement packages to prevent him from leaving. “Mr. Ghosn had outstanding abilities and achievements,” Saikawa said, testifying in Tokyo District Court in the criminal trial of Greg Kelly, a former senior executive at Nissan Motor Co. “We needed to prepare for Mr. Ghosn's eventual retirement to keep him motivated and to have him continue to work for Nissan,” he said in answer to a prosecutor's questioning.
U.S.BBCSouth Dakota seeks to remove attorney general involved in deadly crash
South Dakota lawmakers have launched a bid to remove the state's attorney general from office after authorities say he fatally hit a man with his car. Jason Ravnsborg has said he thought he had struck a deer and did not know it was a man until one day later. Newly released video shows agents telling Mr Ravnsborg the victim's glasses were found in his car, and that "his face was in your windshield".
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden news - live: Trump Jr deposed over inaugural funds as White House defends migrant camp after AOC attack
President Joe Biden has backed his Office of Management and Budget director nominee Neera Tanden after a vote confirming her appointment has been delayed. Ms Tanden - who previously worked for President Barack Obama - has faced criticism from Republicans over her previous comments on social media and statements about Mitch McConnell. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the administration didn't see it as a setback, and that they were continuing to fight for her nomination.
WorldAssociated PressSanctions prompt Venezuela to expel head of EU delegation
Venezuela's government on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of the chief European Union diplomat in the South American nation following the bloc's decision to impose sanctions on several Venezuelan officials accused of undermining democracy or violating human rights. Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa was given 72 hours to leave the troubled country. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Brilhante Pedrosa was declared persona non grata by decision of President Nicolás Maduro.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestNo Need to Call an Architect—These 9 Room Dividers Elegantly Get the Job Done
From ornate to subtle, these beautiful screens double as functional art Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
WorldAssociated PressImran Khan invites Sri Lankan Buddhists to visit Pakistan
Visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has proclaimed his Muslim-majority nation a choice destination for religious tourism by Sri Lankans, most of whom are Buddhists. In talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday, Khan highlighted Buddhist heritage sites in Pakistan and stressed the building of cultural ties, the Pakistan Embassy said in a statement. “Pakistan probably has one of the greatest Buddhist heritages in the world and we invite people from Sri Lanka to visit them,” Khan said a day earlier after meeting with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
PoliticsThe IndependentMarjorie Taylor Greene’s race for reelection in 2022 will be a ‘bloodbath’
Marjorie Taylor Greene will encounter a “bloodbath” reelection contest against candidates from both parties, according to interviews with local political leaders' about 2022. David Boyle, a Democratic Party chairman, said the 2022 Republican primary for Georgia's 14th congressional district seat, which Ms Greene won in November, was going to be a “bloodbath”. "The middle-of-the-road traditional Republicans are tired of all of this craziness,” Mr Boyle told Insider of recent controversies.
WorldAssociated PressRecent drone attack on Saudi royal palace launched from Iraq
Explosive-laden drones that targeted Saudi Arabia's royal palace in the kingdom's capital last month were launched from inside Iraq, a senior Iran-backed militia official in Baghdad and a U.S. official said. Speaking to The Associated Press this week, the militia official said three drones were launched from Iraqi-Saudi border areas by a relatively unknown Iran-backed faction in Iraq and crashed into the royal complex in Riyadh on Jan. 23, exacerbating regional tensions. Attacks on the Saudi capital have been sporadic amid the kingdom's yearslong war against neighboring Yemen's Houthi rebels.
HealthReutersIn 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.
WorldAssociated PressThousands celebrate reinstatement of Nepal's Parliament
Thousands of anti-government protesters threw confetti and chanted slogans in Nepal's capital on Wednesday to celebrate Parliament's reinstatement by the Supreme Court. The court order was major blow to troubled Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who dissolved the legislature in December because of a feud within the governing Nepal Communist Party. The jubilant demonstrators applauded the court's decision and demanded Oli's immediate dismissal.
WorldAssociated PressPakistan, India agree to halt cross-border firing in Kashmir
Pakistan and India pledged Thursday to halt cross-border firing in the disputed region of Kashmir, promising to adhere to a 2003 accord that has been largely ignored, officials from both sides said. If implemented, the move would be a major step in defusing tensions in the highly militarized Himalayan region, which is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety, and opens the possibility of a broader detente between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
WorldAssociated PressIsraeli DM moves to halt plan to share virus vaccines
Israel's defense minister on Thursday called for an immediate halt in plans to ship surplus coronavirus vaccines to a group of allied nations, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of acting without oversight or transparency. In a letter to the prime minister, Benny Gantz said the decision to share vaccines was taken without “discussions in the relevant forums.” “We are talking about a significant diplomatic and security decision, and in accordance with that, it needs to be approved according to procedures established by law,” Gantz said.
U.S.Business InsiderA judge dismissed claims by a Capitol riot suspect that he shouldn't be held responsible because Trump put him up to it
Lawyers for a suspected Capitol rioter have argued that he was merely following Trump's orders. "The American head of state directed a specific action," said lawyers for William Chrestman. The judge rejected the logic, asking if that would excuse murder if Trump instructed it.
WorldAssociated PressHungary rolls out China's Sinopharm jab amid lagging trust
Doctors in Hungary on Wednesday began administering a COVID-19 vaccine developed in China, making the country the first European Union nation to use a Chinese jab as officials aim to bolster trust in its safety and effectiveness. General practitioners around the Central European country were instructed to administer the shots, developed by Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm, to elderly patients. The Sinopharm jab brings the number of vaccines currently in use in Hungary to five including the Russian-developed Sputnik V, more than in any other country in the 27-nation EU.
“How about we skip ‘he won’t win’ cycle and not do 2016 all over again. Trump can absolutely win another presidential election.”
“With independents deserting him, there is simply no path for Trump to get back into the White House — except as a tourist.”
“They might as well cancel the 2024 primaries...because there is no way he can lose.”
“The next Republican presidential primary will be heavily shaped by Trump — whether or not he decides to run again.”
“Donald Trump will not be running for president again. He will, however, continue to tease the possibility of a 2024 run.”