Analysis: Iran's powerful Guard faces scrutiny after attacks

The recent sabotage at Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility is just the latest setback for the country's Revolutionary Guard, though the paramilitary force is rarely publicly criticized due to its power. Its forces failed to stop both an earlier attack at Iran's Natanz facility and the assassination of a top scientist who started a military nuclear program decades earlier. In the wake of the attack, Iran announced Tuesday it would begin enriching uranium at 60% purity, the highest level its program has ever reached.

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  Official: Iran to enrich uranium to 60%, highest level ever

  Associated Press
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  Iran to begin 60% uranium enrichment after nuclear site incident

  Reuters

'Freedom of speech is a dangerous job': Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai writes to staff ahead of sentencing

Hong Kong's pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai has told his staff in a letter from jail that “freedom of speech is a dangerous job” and to “stand tall” just days before he is sentenced in two cases against him. It comes as fellow democracy activist Joshua Wong received a second jail sentence under the territory's strict new national security law. Mr Lai, the 72-year-old founder of Apply Daily, is in custody after prosecutors appealed successfully against a court decision to grant him bail on national security charges.

NTSB: Pilot error likely caused vintage bomber's fatal crash

The pilot, Ernest “Mac” McCauley, reported a problem with one of the engines shortly after takeoff, and the plane crashed into a maintenance building and burst into flames during a landing attempt. The NTSB said the flight data indicated that the landing gear was extended too early, adding drag that slowed the plane, and it was traveling too slow on its return to the airport. The B-17 could likely have overflown the approach lights and landed on the runway had the pilot kept the landing gear retracted and accelerated to 120 mph until it was evident the airplane would reach the runway,” the NTSB said.

John Boehner reveals he voted for Trump in 2020

Former House Speaker John Boehner revealed that in the 2020 election, he voted for former President Donald Trump, whom he would later blast for inciting a "bloody insurrection." Boehner has recently been promoting his new memoir On the House, and he told Time in an interview published Tuesday that he backed the former president for a second term last year, citing his Supreme Court picks and their agreement on policy issues. "I voted for Donald Trump," Boehner said.

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  Meghan McCain Tries But Fails To Get John Boehner To Attack Joe Biden

  HuffPost
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  John Boehner reveals he voted for Trump despite attacking him for spreading lies about the election

  Business Insider

Court rejects appeal of killer of 3 in home invasion

The Connecticut Supreme Court rejected the appeal of a man convicted of murder, sexual assault and other crimes in the killings of a woman and her two daughters, ages 11 and 17, in a 2007 home invasion. Justices issued a 7-0 decision Monday upholding the convictions against Joshua Komisarjevsky. Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes are serving life prison sentences for the killings of Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, and her daughters, 11-year-old Michaela and 17-year-old Hayley, in their Cheshire home.

Pope asks US bishop to resign after cover-up investigation

Pope Francis asked a bishop in the U.S. state of Minnesota to resign after he was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly interfering with past investigations into clergy sexual abuse, officials said Tuesday. The Vatican said Francis accepted the resignation of Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner on Tuesday and named a temporary replacement to run the diocese. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston said in a statement that the pontiff asked Hoeppner to resign following the Vatican probe, which it said arose from reports that the bishop "had at times failed to observe applicable norms when presented with allegations of sexual abuse involving clergy."

Alex Salmond 'stoking anti-English feelings with Braveheart video on breaking spines of oppressors'

Alex Salmond has been accused of pandering to extreme Scottish nationalists after his new party released a campaign video which spoke of breaking "the spine of English superiority” and he claimed the support of a King who died nearly seven centuries ago. The former First Minister's Alba Party on Monday broadcast a supposed endorsement from Robert the Bruce, who successfully led Scotland during the first War of Independence against England in the fourteenth century. In the clip, 'The Bruce', who actually died in 1329, predicts that Mr Salmond's new rival party to the SNP would “unite the clans”.

‘Unlike anything we’ve seen in modern history’: Attacks against journalists soar during Black Lives Matter protests

At least 50 journalists in the US have been arrested during Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the US, while dozens of others have also been injured by rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas. The US Press Freedom Tracker has collected nearly 500 incidents from 382 reports, from the unrest in Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd's killing by police in late May, to demonstrations in more than 70 cities across 35 states since. At least 46 journalists were arrested between the end of May and the beginning of June, according to data collected by the organisation.

4 killed in Pakistan in clashes between police, Islamists

Overnight clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan left three demonstrators and a police officer dead, officials said Tuesday, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist political party. The violence came as police clashed Monday and into Tuesday with supporters of Saad Rizvi, head of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party, who was arrested Monday in the eastern city of Lahore. Senior police officer Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said police were still trying to bring the situation in Lahore under control Tuesday.

Woman stabs boyfriend in the neck during argument in south Fort Worth, police say

A woman and her boyfriend were involved an argument in south Fort Worth early Tuesday when she stabbed him in the neck with a knife, police said. The officers determined the man and woman had gotten into an argument before the woman stabbed the man, police said. A police spokesman didn't immediately respond to a question about what charges the woman's facing, who made the 911 call or if police have any reason to believe the stabbing was accidental.

Sweden's COVID infections among highest in Europe, with 'no sign of decrease'

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -The rate of new COVID-19 infections in Sweden has jumped to the second-highest in Europe after land-locked San Marino, data showed on Tuesday, as the Scandinavian country which has shunned lockdowns throughout the pandemic faced a third wave of cases. Sweden had 625 daily new cases per million inhabitants in a rolling seven-day average, statistics from OurWorldInData showed on Tuesday, second only to San Marino, a small nation that is surrounded by Italy.

The World’s 9 Most Expensive Home Listings Currently on the Market

These fantastical houses range from a 64,000-acre Texas ranch to an oceanside estate in the south of France Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

Stone Mountain Park denies permit for Confederate event

The Stone Mountain Memorial Association has denied a gathering permit from the Sons of Confederate Veterans, who were looking to host their annual Confederate Memorial Day service at Stone Mountain Park outside Atlanta. The gathering was slated for Saturday but a March 31 letter from memorial association CEO Bill Stephens denied the necessary permit, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Stephens listed three reasons for the denial including safety concerns, specifically the pandemic and racial tensions.

Georgia lawmaker's legal work targeted again over voting law

Protesters are trying to get a Georgia state representative fired by cities and counties that pay him to be their attorney, citing his role in pushing through a voting law that adds restrictions. The Washington City Council voted 4-2 to ask Rep. Barry Fleming to resign Monday, WJBF-TV reports. It's not clear if the city can immediately fire the Republican from Harlem because Washington has a contract with Fleming's law firm.

Crumbling former home of Queen and Prince Philip in Malta undergoes multi-million pound restoration

The garden is overgrown, the walls are collapsing and the stonework is crumbling, but a dilapidated townhouse in Malta where a young Prince Philip once lived with the then Princess Elizabeth is undergoing a multi-million pound restoration. Villa Guardamangia, on the outskirts of the Maltese capital Valletta, is to be returned to how it looked when it was home to the royal couple in what they said was one of the happiest periods of their lives. The restoration, expected to take at least five years, will enable it to be opened as a museum and underscores the connection between the royal family and Malta, which gained independence in 1964.

Putin foe Navalny says he sues prison for withholding Quran

Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Tuesday he was suing his prison for withholding the Quran, which he intended to study while serving time in a prison outside Moscow. Navalny has been on a hunger strike for two weeks, protesting prison officials' refusal to let his physician examine him behind bars after he developed severe back and leg pain. But he said Tuesday in an Instagram post that his first lawsuit against prison officials had to do with the Muslim holy book.

Thailand records more than 900 cases for third day in a row

Thailand recorded a third day in a row with more than 900 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, as thousands of people swarmed to beaches on the first day of a long national holiday despite warnings from health officials. Dr. Opas Karnkavinpong, director-general of Disease Control Department, warned that possible lockdowns will be implemented next week when people return to the cities after the traditional New Year festival, known as Songkran. The government reported 965 new cases Tuesday to bring the totals since the pandemic began to 34,575 infections and 97 deaths.

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  Thailand reports record COVID-19 cases ahead of national holiday

  Reuters
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  Thailand sees record new infections ahead of major festival

  Associated Press

Black Army officer pepper-sprayed by police said he thought he could be murdered as officers gave quickly changing commands

A uniformed Black Army officer was held at gunpoint and pepper-sprayed during a traffic stop. Second lieutenant Caron Nazario filed a lawsuit against the 2 Virginia officers involved. In a complaint, Nazario said they gave conflicting orders and he was worried he would be murdered.

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  Town Fires Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Black Army Lieutenant During Traffic Stop

  HuffPost
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  Officer who pepper-sprayed U.S. Army officer fired

  Reuters Videos

Top GOP senator says it's 'an impossible sell' for Republicans to strike a deal on an infrastructure package that rolls back Trump tax cuts

Sen. Roger Wicker downplayed the odds of an infrastructure deal that included rolling back Trump's tax cuts. Wicker met with Biden to discuss his jobs plan along with other Republicans and Democrats. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, downplayed the prospect of a bipartisan deal on President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan that included rolling back the 2017 Trump tax cuts.

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  Biden wants infrastructure deal, but GOP doubts persist

  Associated Press
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  GOP willing to negotiate smaller infrastructure bill: Wicker

  Good Morning America

Minnesota mayor says police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright should be fired and face 'full accountability'

Daunte Wright, 20, was fatally shot by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on Sunday. Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott says the officer who shot Wright should be fired. Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Mayor Mike Elliott says the police officer who fatally shot 20-year-old Daunte Wright on Sunday should be fired and face "full accountability" in the shooting.

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  NFL players react to Minnesota police shooting of Daunte Wright

  Yahoo Sports
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  City Manager In Minnesota Fired In Response To Police Shooting Of Daunte Wright

  HuffPost

Trump mocks Mitch McConnell for being 'helpless' to stop Biden packing out the Supreme Court

Donald Trump mocked Mitch McConnell for being "helpless" to stop Joe Biden from expanding the Supreme Court. "With leaders like Mitch McConnell, they are helpless to fight," the former president said. It is Trump's second attack on the Senate Minority leader this week after labeling him a "dumb son of a b---h".

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  Senate Republicans gave a brand new award to Trump the same weekend he called Mitch McConnell a 'dumb son of a b----h'

  Business Insider
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  Trump receives award from Senate GOP campaign arm despite attacks on McConnell

  Axios