PoliticsYahoo NewsDemocrats move reparations bill out of committee in historic vote
On Wednesday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend the creation of a commission to consider reparations for the Black descendants of U.S. slaves. First introduced in Congress in 1989 by the late Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, H.R. 40 had never made it out of committee until this week. “This legislation is long overdue,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the Judiciary Committee chairman, said Wednesday.
HealthYahoo News'You will be just fine,' says surgeon general of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, though pause continues
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy had a message Friday afternoon for the 6.8 million Americans who have received the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine and who, in recent days, have read concerning reports about blood clotting: “The vast and overwhelming likelihood is that you will be just fine,” Dr. Murthy said during a briefing of the White House COVID-19 response team. He added that the response team was quite confident in that assertion, which is in keeping with what scientists know about the vaccine. The Biden administration told states on Tuesday to stop using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six reports of blood clotting, including one death.
WorldAssociated PressSenate Democrats urge Biden to condition aid to Brazil
More than a dozen Senate Democrats sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday complaining of a woeful environmental track record by his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro, and urging him to condition any support for Amazon preservation on significant progress reducing deforestation. The letter was signed by senators including Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and Bob Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. It comes just days before Biden is expected to meet with Bolsonaro and other foreign leaders at a U.S.-organized climate summit that was a major plank of his campaign pledge to more aggressively fight climate change.
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 PressChicago police critics call for charges in shooting of boy
Newly released video that shows a Chicago police officer fatally shoot a 13-year-old will be key evidence when prosecutors consider a case against the officer and are confronted with both the emotions surrounding the chilling footage and legal precedent that makes it difficult to bring charges against law enforcement. It shows Officer Eric Stillman shooting Adam Toledo less than a second after the boy drops a handgun, turns toward Stillman and begins raising his hands. Whether Stillman is charged will be up to the Cook County state's attorney's office, which will get the Civilian Office of Police Accountability's report after the independent board completes its investigation.
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
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.
- WorldYahoo News Video
Daunte Wright's mother calls for accountability
On Thursday, Katie Wright, the mother of Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man shot and killed by police in Brooklyn Center, Minn. expressed her grief and called for accountability for her son's death.
PoliticsLA TimesCan Democrats really expand the Supreme Court?
Democrats have introduced a bill to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court from nine to 13. Such a move could allow President Biden to swing the current 6-3 conservative majority in favor of liberals. The effort, condemned by Republicans, faces long odds and has raised questions about why the issue is being raised now and what Congress can actually do.
WorldAssociated PressUN warns COVID-19 is `roaring back' as Yemen faces famine
The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Thursday that the world's largest humanitarian crisis in Yemen is getting even worse with the COVID-19 pandemic “roaring back” in recent weeks as the Arab world's poorest country faces a large-scale famine. In a grim update to the U.N. Security Council, Mark Lowcock said tens of thousands of people already are starving to death, with another 5 million just a step behind. Lowcock added that March was also the deadliest so far this year for civilians, with more than 200 killed or injured as a result of hostilities -- a quarter of the casualties in the oil-rich central province of Marib where Houthi rebel forces are pressing a military offensive.
U.S.The TelegraphPreviously unseen Prince Philip photos show his early sailing prowess
The Duke of Edinburgh's early nautical prowess was captured in photographs from his school days that have never previously been seen. Taken in 1937, Prince Philip is seen sitting confidently at the helm of Diligent, one of the sailing boats belonging to the boarding school in Scotland where he was educated, Gordonstoun. The teenage Duke was also pictured in a pose that belied the splendour of the years ahead, as he washed up dishes onboard the boat while grinning at the camera.
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.
PoliticsAssociated PressEqual pay bill passed by House but faces long odds in Senate
House Democrats approved legislation Thursday that they say would help close the gap between what men and women are paid in the workplace, though the measure faces little chance of overcoming Republican opposition in the Senate. The bill, which is supported by President Joe Biden's administration, passed 217-210 on a mostly party-line vote. Despite their past efforts, including the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 signed into law by President Barack Obama, Democrats say there is still more that needs to be done to close a gap in pay, where white women make on average 82 cents to every dollar earned by men.
WorldBusiness InsiderRussia is expelling 10 US diplomats in retaliation to Biden's latest sanctions and amid Ukraine tensions
Russia is expelling 10 US diplomats in response to new US sanctions. Meanwhile, Russia has amassed 80,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, sparking fears of an invasion. The Kremlin is expelling 10 US diplomats in response to the Biden administration's latest sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday, per the Associated Press.
WorldReutersFactbox-Details of funeral service planned for Britain's Prince Philip
LONDON (Reuters) -Following are details of the funeral on Saturday of Britain's Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband, who died on April 9 aged 99. The funeral, which will be broadcast live, will take place at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle at 3 p.m. (1400 GMT). As planned, it will be a ceremonial royal funeral, rather than a state funeral, with most of the details in keeping with Prince Philip's personal wishes.
U.S.The State5th SC man arrested on federal charges in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A fifth South Carolina man has been arrested on charges connected to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in which hundreds of pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol. Nicholas Languerand faces various charges, including violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, assaulting an officer using a dangerous weapon, theft of government property and knowingly entering and remaining in restricted government area. An “individual resembling Languerand is throwing a variety of objects at the law enforcement officers defending the entrance to the Lower West Terrace tunnel (of the Capitol),” according to a complaint in the case.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBiden is running out of time to dodge Trump's traps with Iran
Despite calling for a return to the Iran nuclear deal, President Joe Biden has yet to do so while in office. The window of opportunity to revive the deal is closing, and Biden needs to act quickly and boldly to clear the political traps set by Trump. The future of the Iran nuclear deal hangs in the balance, and with it the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran or another Middle East war to stop it.
BusinessReutersWall Street Week Ahead: Tech retakes market lead as investors eye yields, earnings
U.S. technology and growth stocks have taken the market's reins in recent weeks, pausing a rotation into value shares as investors assess the trajectory of bond yields and upcoming earnings reports. Big tech-related growth stocks in other S&P 500 sectors such as Amazon Inc, Tesla Inc and Google-parent Alphabet Inc have also charged higher. The gains have followed a months-long rotation in which tech stocks were outpaced by shares of banks, energy companies and other economically-sensitive names that have surged since breakthroughs in COVID-19 vaccines late last year.
CelebrityThe TelegraphMike Tindall pays tribute to Prince Philip with photograph of Duke with great-granddaughter Mia
Mike Tindall has paid tribute to his grandfather-in-law, the Duke of Edinburgh, calling him a "devoted family man who we will forever miss but always love." The former England centre who married the Queen and Prince Philip's granddaughter, Zara Phillips paid a personal tribute on Instagram, sharing a photo of his eldest daughter Mia enjoying a picnic at a log cabin with the Duke. "It's been a very sad week but it has given us time to reflect on great memories and stories both personal and shared," Mr Tindall said.
- NewsKFSN – Fresno
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.
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.
PoliticsBusiness Insider'Bring it up now!' Biden demands action in the Senate on guns during wide-ranging press conference with the prime minister of Japan
President Biden called on the Senate to address gun control "now" at a Friday press conference. Following another mass shooting Thursday, Biden called the uptick in gun deaths a "national embarrassment." The president reaffirmed his support for universal background checks and a ban on assault rifles.
ScienceBBCNasa chooses SpaceX to build Moon lander
Nasa has chosen Elon Musk's company SpaceX to build a lander that will return humans to the Moon this decade. This vehicle will carry the next man and the first woman down to the lunar surface under the space agency's Artemis programme. The lander is based on SpaceX's Starship craft, which is being tested at a site in southern Texas.
U.S.The Daily BeastTexts Show D.C. National Guard Celebrating as They Intimidated George Floyd Protesters With Helicopters
Last summer, one week after the killing of George Floyd, the D.C. National Guard horrified human-rights groups by intimidating protesters in the capital by flying helicopters 50 feet above their heads on the city's streets. On Wednesday, a redacted investigative U.S. Army report into the incident not only condemned the flights as a misuse of medical aircraft—it also showed Guard troops celebrating their overly aggressive tactics, which witnesses said created a deafening noise and sent shards of glass through the air. The investigation, reported by The Washington Post, uncovered texts between Brig. Gen. Robert K. Ryan, who oversaw the controversial mission, and an unnamed subordinate on June 1 as videos of the low-flying choppers spread on social media and cable news.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestJesse Tyler Ferguson Buys Encino Mansion For $8.7 Million
New dads Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita are moving their family of three into a new home. Shortly after putting their Spanish Colonial in L.A.'s Los Feliz neighborhood on the market for $6.995 million, the couple has purchased a place in Encino, in the San Fernando Valley, for $8.7 million, Dirt reports. With seven bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, and 9,081 square feet, their newly built (in 2020) house has plenty of room for the Modern Family star, his lawyer husband, and their nine-month-old son, Beckett Mercer Ferguson-Mikita.
“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.”