WorldYahoo News'High probability' Biden's decision to pull U.S. troops from Afghanistan will cause its government to fall, expert says
Former White House adviser Richard Clarke said that there is a “high probability” that President Biden's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 will result in the collapse of the Afghan government and a takeover of that country by the Taliban. “It's a very courageous move and it's not going to be politically great for him,” Clarke said in an interview on the Yahoo News “Skullduggery” podcast.
PoliticsThe WeekMarjorie Taylor Greene is leading an 'America First Caucus' that wants to uphold 'Anglo-Saxon political traditions'
In an effort to "follow in President Trump's footsteps," a new America First Caucus led by far-right lawmakers is seeking to protect "Anglo-Saxon political traditions." The new caucus is recruiting members, reports Punchbowl News, and is appealing to a "common respect for Anglo-Saxon political traditions," including pushing for infrastructure that "befits the progeny of European architecture." Punchbowl described the materials being distributed as "some of the most nakedly nativist rhetoric we've ever seen."
U.S.AxiosMike Pompeo and his wife misused State Department resources, federal watchdog finds
The State Department's independent watchdog found that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo violated federal ethics rules when he and his wife asked department employees to perform personal tasks on more than 100 occasions, including picking up their dog and making private dinner reservations. Why it matters: The report comes as Pompeo pours money into a new political group amid speculation about a possible 2024 presidential run. What they're saying: "OIG found evidence of over 100 requests to Department employees that are inconsistent with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch or raised questions about the proper use of Department resources," the State Depa...
WorldAssociated PressIran names suspect in Natanz attack, says he fled country
Iran named a suspect Saturday in the attack on its Natanz nuclear facility that damaged centrifuges there, saying he had fled the country before the sabotage happened. While the extent of the damage from the April 11 sabotage remains unclear, it comes as Iran tries to negotiate with world powers over allowing the U.S. to re-enter its tattered nuclear deal with world powers and lift the economic sanctions it faces. Already, Iran has begun enriching uranium up to 60% purity in response — three times higher than ever before, though in small quantities.
WorldReutersGlobal officials urge rich countries to donate excess COVID-19 vaccines, money to help end pandemic
Top U.N., financial and vaccine officials on Thursday urged rich countries to donate excess COVID-19 vaccine doses to a program supplying lower income countries in a bid to end the pandemic and get the global economy back on track. At an event organised by the Gavi Vaccine Alliance to boost support for the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative, the officials appealed for another $2 billion by June for the programme, which aims to buy up to 1.8 billion doses in 2021. COVAX has shipped more than 38 million vaccine doses to 111 countries in seven weeks, most of them AstraZeneca's shot.
WorldBBCWashington seeks to expose Russian intelligence activity
In a flurry of statements, the US published a vast trove of information about Russian intelligence activities, including naming front organisations and individuals who have worked with Moscow in recent years. The aim of the measures was to send a signal and to impose costs, making it harder for Russia to operate and deter future activity. One Russian tech company which supports the Federal Security Service (FSB) but also does work for foreign governments and international companies was accused of hosting "large-scale conventions that are used as recruiting events" for two Russian intelligence services.
WorldReutersOpponents of Myanmar military rule hold 'silent strike'
Opponents of military rule in Myanmar observed a "silent strike" on Friday, with many people staying home to mourn the more than 700 people killed in protests against a Feb. 1 coup and others wearing black held small marches in several cities and towns. Many Myanmar citizens, infuriated by the return of military rule after five years of civilian government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, have been taking to the streets day after day with activists thinking up new ways to show opposition as the security forces step up their suppression. "Let's make the roads silent," protest leader Ei Thinzar Maung posted on her Facebook page.
WorldBBCHong Kong: Jimmy Lai sentenced to 14 months for pro-democracy protests
Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after being found guilty of unauthorised assembly. Mr Lai, 73, was one of several activists in court who were earlier found guilty of charges relating to pro-democracy protests in 2019. The founder of the Apple Daily tabloid is a fierce critic of Beijing.
U.S.Associated PressPublic comment period extended for border surveillance plan
The Department of Homeland Security has agreed to reopen the public comment period on plans to build a number of high-powered surveillance towers along Vermont's border with the Canadian province of Quebec, Vermont's congressional delegation said Friday. U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch said in a statement that they have heard from many Vermonters in border communities with privacy concerns about the towers proposed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
WorldLA TimesBiden and Japan's prime minister meet, reaffirming their alliance amid China's rise
President Biden welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the White House on Friday, his first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader and a clear signal to an increasingly aggressive China about the shared commitment to strategic cooperation between the United States and Japan. "Our cooperation is vital in my view — and I think in both our views — to meeting the challenges that face our nations and ensuring the region remains free and open and prosperous," Biden said to Suga as reporters briefly were allowed in the room where the leaders met across a long table flanked by top advisors. Suga expressed gratitude for being Biden's first foreign visitor and condolences for the victims of the deadly shooting overnight at a FedEx plant in Indianapolis.
WorldReutersWHO chief says COVID-19 infection rate approaching highest of pandemic so far
GENEVA (Reuters) -The number of new COVID-19 cases per week has nearly doubled globally over the past two months, approaching the highest rate seen so far during the pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. "Cases and deaths are continuing to increase at worrying rates," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing focused on Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the western Pacific region. He said he was very worried about the potential for a much larger epidemic in PNG, and it was vital the country received more COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible.
U.S.BBCGeorge Floyd: Timeline of black deaths and protests
Here's a timeline of major incidents since 2014 involving police officers which resulted in the deaths of black Americans. Eric Garner died after he was wrestled to the ground by a New York police officer on suspicion of illegally selling cigarettes. While in a choke hold, Mr Garner uttered the words "I can't breathe" 11 times.
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Clovis police searching for shooting suspect
Clovis police are searching for 36-year-old Troy Clowers, who they say shot his sister's girlfriend at her Harlan Ranch home during an argument on Thursday night.
TechnologyAssociated PressAustralian judge rules Google misled Android users on data
Google broke Australian law by misleading users about personal location data collected through Android mobile devices, a judge found Friday. The Federal Court decision was a partial win for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the nation's fair trade watchdog, which has been prosecuting Google for broader alleged breaches of consumer law since October 2019. Justice Thomas Thawley found that Google misled Android mobile device users about personal location data collected between January 2017 and December 2018.
PoliticsThe IndependentFrom Asian hate crime to a minimum wage: 25 things Ted Cruz has voted against this year
The 'No' vote was criticised for being another controversial rejection of the Biden administration agenda, and follows voting against almost every Cabinet secretary of Mr Biden's in recent weeks – although the efforts, in the end, failed. All the bills Mr Cruz has voted 'No' to in the US Senate so for this year, are listed below: The US 2020 election results Not a bill, but infamous for coming in the hours after supporters of former president Donald Trump – wrongly citing election fraud – stormed the US Capitol in events that killed five people, including a Capitol Police officer.
CelebrityThe TelegraphPoet laureate marks Prince Philip's death: 'To eulogise one man is to pipe up for a whole generation'
Simon Armitage, the poet laureate, has written a poem to mark the Duke of Edinburgh's death. It describes the incredible achievements of the Duke's wartime generation, but includes subtle nods to his own personal experiences and military endeavours. "On such an occasion to presume to eulogise one man is to pipe up for a whole generation,” Armitage writes, setting out his stall in the first stanza.
U.S.The IndependentNorth Carolina teacher killed in shoot-out after trying to rob Mexican drug cartel
A North Carolina teacher was killed during an “old Western shootout” when he and his brother-in-law tried to rob members of a Mexican drug cartel. Barney Harris, 40, was found dead inside a mobile home that authorities say was a stash house for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the state. Police say that Mr Harris and Steven Alexander Stewart had entered a mobile in Alamance County to wait for cartel member Alonso Beltran Lara to arrive so they could rob him of drugs and cash.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 9 Best Wireless Headphones for Every Kind of Use
From the most comfortable pair to the best value buy, these headphones will carry you through the spring, summer, and beyond Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
HealthThe StateWill Pfizer COVID vaccine need a third dose? Company CEO explains why that’s ‘likely’
As more contagious coronavirus variants continue to spread in the U.S., vaccine developers are racing to test and determine if their shots will eventually require an extra dose or booster shot to maintain protection against COVID-19. Based on the latest data, it seems “likely” that people who received the Pfizer vaccine — the first to be authorized for emergency use in the U.S. — will need a third dose sometime after they get their two doses, according to company CEO Albert Bourla. The comment was made during a discussion about how the Pfizer vaccine performed when put up against the coronavirus variant that was first discovered in South Africa.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGOP Reps. Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene were the only 'no' votes on a bill reauthorizing the National Marrow Donor Program
GOP Reps. Greene and Boebert voted against a bill that would renew the National Marrow Donor Program. "Nothing in this bill prevents the funding of aborted fetal tissue," a spokesman for Greene said. GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado were the only members of Congress to vote against a bill that would provide patients who suffer from leukemia or other blood diseases access to potentially life-saving bone marrow transplants.
EntertainmentArchitectural DigestShop Troye Sivan’s Eclectic Home Style
Take a page out of the stylish young star's book, from must-have splurges to affordable accessories Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
CelebrityINSIDERMakeup brand Morphe is parting ways with beauty YouTuber James Charles amid reports he sent sexual messages to minors
Cosmetics brand Morphe is parting ways with beauty YouTuber James Charles. The move comes in light of allegations that Charles exchanged sexual messages with minors. Charles has said he did not know the teens were underage.
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Police: Shooter was former employee of FedEx
Authorities say police seized a gun last year from the suspected shooter at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, killing eight. Deputy Police Chief Craig McCartt also confirmed the gunman's identity as Brandon Scott Hole, 19, a former employee. (April 16)
U.S.The IndependentLatina grandmother assaulted on LA bus in anti-Asian attack
A 70-year-old Latina woman who was mistaken for Asian was savagely beaten on a Los Angeles bus, her son says. The assailant then dragged Becky to the other end of the bus and brutally battered her, her son Pete told The Eastsider. Pete says he and his family are often mistaken for Asian Americans, but they're actually of Mexican heritage.
U.S.Business InsiderA prisoner was 'covered in filth and barking like a dog' after 600 days of solitary confinement in a Virginia jail
Tyquine Lee, 28, spent over 600 days in solitary at Red Onion prison in Virginia from 2016 to 2018. Red Onion is a supermax prison treated as an 'end of the line' facility within the penal system. adults and children are held in segregation in US prisons, according to the most recent data.
“There’s no ‘both sides of the debate’ when it comes to active voter suppression.”
“Companies that do this ooze contempt for their own customers and employees who are not in the leftmost quarter of opinion.”
“The truth is that Fortune 500 companies were never taking moral stances from the goodness of their corporate hearts.”
“The truth is, the companies hold the cards…If companies stick to their guns, Georgia is likely to back down as well.”
“When a company folds to the unfounded outrage of a few misinformed nuts, they are forever at the mob’s beck-and-call.”