PoliticsReutersA day after forcing marathon bill reading, Johnson says 'preference' to leave Senate
The day after he single-handedly delayed the U.S. Senate's debate on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill for 11 hours, Republican Senator Ron Johnson said on Friday that he could retire from office when his term expires. The two-term Republican told Wisconsin media outlets that he has not decided whether to run for reelection in 2022 but added that not seeking another term is "probably my preference now." Johnson, a Trump ally, recently drew widespread criticism by peddling a debunked conspiracy theory that leftists posing as Trump supporters played a role in the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
U.S.NBC NewsAsians were thought to be the 'model minority.' Then came 'receipt culture.'
In another video recorded last July, a tech CEO taunted an Asian American family at an upscale Northern California restaurant, calling them an “Asian piece of s---.” Fueled by former President Donald Trump's anti-China rhetoric, the Covid-19 pandemic has unleashed an onslaught of hate incidents against Asian American and Pacific Islanders. In 2020, the group Stop AAPI Hate received more than 2,800 self-reports of coronavirus discrimination nationwide, from verbal harassment to physical assault.
WorldThe TelegraphHigh Court orders Mail on Sunday to publish Duchess of Sussex’s legal victory statement on front page
The Mail On Sunday has been ordered by a High Court judge to publish a front-page statement about the Duchess of Sussex's legal victory over its publication of a letter to her father. Meghan's lawyers sought an order requiring Associated Newspapers to publish a statement about her win on the front page of The Mail On Sunday and the home page of MailOnline “to act as a deterrent to future infringers”. Lord Justice Warby agreed that the newspaper needed to carry a story about the legal victory that was in line with the prominence it afforded its original story about the letter.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramKentucky man — and a motorcycle — found after 465-foot Grand Canyon fall, officials say
A missing Kentucky man was found dead after a 465-foot fall from the Grand Canyon, according to the National Park Service. A motorcycle was also found beside the body of John Pennington, a 40-year-old man from Walton, officials say. He was believed to have entered the Grand Canyon around Feb. 23 and abandoned his vehicle at Yaki Point, a scenic overlook, officials say.
WorldAssociated PressGovernment, rebels formally sign peace agreement in Nepal
Nepal's government and a communist rebel group formally signed a peace agreement on Friday aimed at ending violent attacks, extortion and bombings by the rebels. Rebel leader Netra Bikram Chand, better known by his guerrilla name Biplav, emerged out of hiding on Friday after the government lifted a ban on his Nepal Communist Party group so it could take part in the public signing of the peace agreement. Nepal has entered a peaceful era.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 7 Best Refrigerators on the Market, According to Kitchen Designers
Quality food preservation, storage space, and good-looking design are priorities among kitchen designers when it comes to refrigerators Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
WorldReutersNew Zealand police charge man after threat against mosques attacked in 2019
New Zealand police said on Thursday they had charged a 27-year-old man after he threatened to attack two mosques that were the scene of mass murder by a white supremacist two years ago. Police said an online threat was made this week on the 4chan website against the Al Noor mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre, which were targeted in 2019 in New Zealand's most deadly shooting. Police provided no details on the nature of the threat, but New Zealand media said the threats had included setting off a car bomb on March 15 - the anniversary of the 2019 attack.
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden secretly limits drone strikes, amid congressional scrutiny over war powers
The Biden administration secretly put temporary limits on the use of drone strikes and commando raids outside of traditional battlefield settings like Afghanistan or Syria, part of a larger national security review of whether to alter use of force rules from the Trump administration. The changes, which the administration put in place on Mr Biden's first day in office, were first reported on Wednesday by the New York Times, and come as the Biden administration recalibrates the sprawling US footprint across the Middle East, and Congress pushes to rein in the president's war-fighting powers and scrutinises a recent strike in Syria.
U.S.The WeekDetroit's mayor rejected a shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Experts say that's nuts.
Experts feared the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's slightly lower efficacy rate would lead to an impression of a two-tiered system. That has been exactly the case in Detroit, where the mayor just rejected a shipment of the company's vaccine. CNN reports that Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D) declined an allocation of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine this week, saying the other available vaccines are better.
ScienceAssociated PressNASA's new Mars rover hits dusty red road, 1st trip 21 feet
NASA's newest Mars rover hit the dusty red road this week, putting 21 feet on the odometer in its first test drive. The Perseverance rover ventured from its landing position Thursday, two weeks after setting down on the red planet to seek signs of past life. The roundabout, back and forth drive lasted just 33 minutes and went so well that more driving was on tap Friday and Saturday for the the six-wheeled rover.
- PoliticsYahoo News Video
Biden's aid package reaches Senate, debate delayed after 628-page bill read in full
The Senate voted on Thursday to take up President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill, but put off the start of a contentious debate until the full text of the 628-page bill was read aloud.
PoliticsPoliticoSenate reaches unemployment benefits deal, ending logjam on Covid aid bill
Senate Democrats clinched a deal on Friday night over unemployment benefits that will smooth the upper chamber's passage of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill this weekend. After about a nine-hour delay following Sen. Joe Manchin's (D-W.Va.) resistance to an earlier agreement on jobless payments, party leaders announced a new accord with Manchin. The latest deal would provide $300 a week in extra unemployment benefits through Sept. 6, and up to $10,200 in tax relief for unemployed workers.
BusinessFort Worth Star-TelegramTexas regulators will not correct $16 billion in electricity ‘overcharges.’ Why?
At its Friday meeting, the Public Utility Commission of Texas declined to adjust prices that resulted in $16 billion in overcharges to the electricity market during the February winter storm. The governor-appointed regulatory commission, which oversees the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, met with just two members after the resignation of chairperson DeAnn Walker. Commissioners Arthur D'Andrea and Shelly Botkin addressed the Potomac report, which found that ERCOT kept electricity prices too high for at least 33 hours after most outages ended on late Feb. 17.
HealthThe StateDoes restaurant dining lead to rises in COVID case and death rates? CDC finds out
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Friday found that community requirements that support mask use during the pandemic play a large role in county-level COVID-19 case and death growth rates, particularly when it comes to restaurant dining. An analysis of mask mandates and restaurant reopenings in all U.S. counties from March to December 2020 found that significant drops in daily coronavirus cases and death growth rates occurred within 20 days of implementing mask use. Meanwhile, jumps in daily COVID-19 case growth rates were observed starting 40 days after restaurant dining reopened — in which people do not wear masks — while daily death growth rates spiked 60 days after allowing on-site dining.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump served with lawsuit accusing him of breaking ‘Ku Klux Klan’ laws on day of Capitol riot
Donald Trump has been served a civil rights lawsuit accusing him of inciting the Capitol riot along with Rudy Giuliani, the Proud Boys and other far-right groups, according to reports. Mr Trump was given the documents, filed by Democrat congressman Bennie Thompson and civil rights group the NAACP in mid-February, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It is unclear who will represent the former president in the case: it was merely signed for by a “Ricky”, according to The Daily Beast.
U.S.The Daily BeastLake of the Ozarks Realtor Offered $1.5K to Have Her Former Mother-in-Law Killed: Prosecutors
She was reportedly concerned about the woman causing problems with her relationship with her kids. Bauman was recorded discussing the scheme, according to a press release from the Camden County prosecutor's office. She was given multiple opportunities to change her mind when asked by a witness-turned-informant if she was sure she wanted to carry out the killing, prosecutors said, but she moved ahead with it, at one point acknowledging that she was a Christian but noting she could always ask for forgiveness later.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramSkier narrowly survives avalanche by jumping off 100-foot cliff in California
A California man said he managed to survive an avalanche when he was skiing last month by jumping off a 100-foot cliff. Kyle Johnston was skiing with his cousin John Daiek on Feb. 12 in South Lake Tahoe near Blue Lakes, Tahoe Daily Tribune reported. The pair had come up with an escape route in case of trouble but when the avalanche was triggered, Johnston was forced to go off a cliff, according to the publication.
PoliticsThe Independent‘Always up for a fight’: Mike Pompeo refuses to rule out presidential run on Hannity
Mike Pompeo has refused to rule out a presidential run for 2024, causing speculation the former US secretary of state will throw his hat into the ring. Speaking on Fox News on Wednesday night, Mr Pompeo said he would consider running for president if former President Donald Trump does not. It follows Mr Trump's suggestion on Sunday that he may be considering another run for office in 2024, in a speech delivered to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida.
U.S.The Daily BeastTrump State Dept. Aide Accused of Beating Cops During Riot Is Already Hating Prison
A Trump appointee, who was still employed at the State Department when he allegedly bashed police at the U.S. Capitol with a riot shield and egged on a crowd of insurrectionists, has been arrested for his role on Jan. 6. Federico Klein, a 42-year-old State Department staff assistant with top security clearance, is facing a slew of charges, including unlawful entry and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, according to a criminal complaint first obtained by The New York Times. Prosecutors allege Klein, who also worked on Trump's 2016 campaign, “physically and verbally engaged with the officers holding the line” before assaulting one officer with a riot shield—and using that stolen police equipment to wedge open a door into the Capitol to allow insurrectionists inside.
PoliticsUSA TODAYLive stimulus updates: Senate considering changes to Joe Biden's stimulus bill after long delay
The Senate will continue to consider changes to President Joe Biden's COVID-19 stimulus bill after Republicans failed to force the chamber to end Friday's proceedings and pick up Saturday. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell put forth a motion to adjourn the Senate to until 10 a.m. Saturday morning. The amendments process was delayed for nearly 12 hours Friday because Senate Democrats negotiated changes to an extension of unemployment benefits.
BusinessBusiness InsiderA California city gave some residents $500 per month. After a year, their unemployment rate had dropped, while the control group's rose.
The experiment's control group - residents who didn't receive monthly stipends - saw unemployment rise from 14% to 15% during that year. The results challenge one of the most common criticisms of universal basic income: that unconditional cash reduces the incentive for people to find jobs. "I remember telling people, 'I think that $500 will allow people to work more if they choose to do so,'" Michael Tubbs, the city's former mayor, told Insider.
PoliticsThe IndependentQAnon predicted Trump’s re-inauguration on 4 March. Congress braced for an assault. Neither happened
It was a government sting operation, “fake news”, a way for congressional Democrats to skip work, or Donald Trump's supporters trolling Joe Biden's administration. A post on the former president's fan forum The Donald reads “HEY FBI WE ARE ATTACKING THE CAPITAL ON THIS DATE”. Adherents to the cult-like delusion of the QAnon movement, the former president's supporters, and MAGA true believers – not all necessarily in the same right-wing ideological camp – arrived at different conclusions as to why an insurrection, let alone Mr Trump's second inauguration, did not happen on 4 March, as some of the QAnon faithful and far-right memes anticipated.
U.S.INSIDERA man in jail tried to hire a hitman to kill the witnesses in his court case but the guy was actually a federal informant
A Virgin Islands man tried to hire a hitman from prison to kill witnesses. Delroy Thomas, 30, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and must pay a $3,000 fine. In his attempt to hire a hitman, Thomas was unaware that the person he was speaking to was actually a DEA informant.
U.S.The Daily BeastFox News Turns to Tyrus, Currently Embroiled in Sexual-Harassment Lawsuit, for Thoughts on Cuomo
For thoughts on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's harassment scandal, Fox News daytime show Outnumbered on Friday turned to Tyrus, who is currently embroiled in a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit from his former Fox Nation co-host Britt McHenry. As far as, all women should be heard and respected, and then you need to have the investigation and then results of the investigation. Uhh, we need to respect those,” the Fox contributor said, when asked for his thoughts on the accusations against Cuomo, before quickly pivoting to the controversy over the governor's alleged cover-up of coronavirus-related nursing home deaths.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 29 Best Bar Carts Under $500
Guaranteed to look great in your Zoom happy hours Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
“Taking humans to Mars would require an investment astronomically out of kilter with the possible benefits.”
“Can a Mars settlement be a freer society than we enjoy on Earth? Maybe.”
“What we learn...may spark the next revolution that will make life in 2071 beyond anything we can imagine right now.”
“Our presence on Mars could jeopardize one of our main reasons for being there — the search for life.”
“The future of geologic investigation of other worlds lies with highly improved versions of our Mars rovers.”