U.S.Yahoo News7 key takeaways from the Chauvin trial as the prosecution rests its case
The prosecution rested its case Tuesday against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer standing trial for murder in the death of George Floyd, arguing that Chauvin's use of force to subdue Floyd was excessive and unjustified and ultimately killed him. The state wrapped up its case Monday with testimony from Dr. Jonathan Rich, a cardiologist at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago, use-of-force expert Seth Stoughton and Philonise Floyd, the victim's younger brother. In his emotional and brief testimony, Philonise Floyd talked about his brother's childhood, his talent for basketball and football and his close relationship with his mother.
WorldYahoo NewsBiden's top intelligence officials won't rule out lab accident theory for COVID-19 origins
President Biden's top intelligence chiefs have yet to determine how people first became infected with COVID-19, but they say they haven't ruled out the possibility that it escaped from a lab in Wuhan, China. “It is absolutely accurate that the intelligence community does not know exactly where, when or how the COVID-19 virus was transmitted initially,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers Wednesday during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing. “That is where we are right now, but we're continuing to work on this issue, and collect information, and do the best we can essentially to give you greater confidence in what that scenario is,” Haines said.
WorldBBCBenin election: The fight for a democratic future
Early indications show voter turnout was low in Benin's presidential election, where polling stations have now closed. In the run-up to the election, protests over President Patrice Talon's broken promise to serve only one term in office left two people dead. After voting himself, President Talon called on his fellow citizens to come out and vote.
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverMysterious goat appears in Death Valley National Park. That’s bad news, rangers say
A tourist at Death Valley spotted something within the park that shouldn't be there: a mysterious goat. The visitor reported seeing a domestic goat in a canyon near Stovepipe Wells within the park. The goat could be bad for native bighorn sheep and the park's ecosystem, rangers said Wednesday on Facebook.
U.S.Associated PressOfficer wounded in school wasn't shot by student's gun
A Tennessee police officer wounded during a confrontation with a student inside a high school bathroom was not shot by the student's gun, authorities said Wednesday, contradicting earlier law enforcement reports that the teenager fired and hit the officer. The new report appears to indicate that the officer was shot by police during a struggle. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released updated details of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville on Monday that left the student dead and a school resource officer wounded.
WorldReutersEuropean powers warn Iran over 'dangerous' uranium enrichment move
PARIS (Reuters) -The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord. But in an apparent signal to Iran's arch-adversary Israel, which Tehran blamed for an explosion at its key nuclear site on Sunday, European powers Germany, France and Britain added that they rejected "all escalatory measures by any actor". Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the incident at Iran's Natanz site, which appeared the latest twist in a long-running covert war.
WorldReutersBattle-hardened and better funded, Ukraine's army knocks on NATO's door
At the outbreak of the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, the Ukrainian army was so poorly equipped that ordinary citizens were knitting socks, donating scrap metal and even crowdfunding a tank for soldiers at the front line. The government that took over after the Maidan street protests said it had only 5,000 combat-ready ground troops and did not put up a fight when Russian forces seized and annexed the Crimea peninsula in March that year. But the Crimea annexation and seven years of fighting Russian-backed forces in the eastern Donbass region drove Ukraine to overhaul its military, combining a huge increase in defence spending with aid and training from Western allies.
WorldThe TelegraphGovernment defeated by Lords over bid for prosecution limit on soldiers for war crimes
The Government has been defeated in the House of Lords over a bid for a prosecution limit on soldiers for war crimes. The Overseas Operations Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, which has already cleared the Commons, seeks to limit false and historical allegations arising from deployments by introducing a statutory presumption against prosecution, which would make it exceptional for personnel to be prosecuted five years or more after an incident. However the Lords backed by 333 votes to 228, moved to ensure the most serious of offences are not covered by legislation aimed at protecting service personnel from vexatious battlefield claims.
- PoliticsReuters Videos
Israel made 'very bad gamble' on Natanz: Iran FM
Speaking during a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Iran's top diplomat said the incident enabled Iran to use all of its options at Natanz legally and legitimately. "Israel played a very bad gamble if it thought that the attack will weaken Iran's hand in the nuclear talks," Zarif said. Tehran has said an explosion on Sunday (April 11) at its key nuclear site was an act of sabotage by arch-foe Israel and vowed revenge for an attack that appeared to be latest episode in a long-running covert war.
U.S.ReutersMinnesota officer who shot Black man after traffic stop charged with manslaughter
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) -The white suburban police officer who fatally shot a young Black motorist during a traffic stop in Minnesota, igniting three nights of civil unrest, was charged with manslaughter on Wednesday, a day after the officer turned in her badge. Daunte Wright, 20, was pulled over on Sunday in Brooklyn Center, just outside Minneapolis, for what police said was an expired vehicle registration, then struggled with police and was shot to death by officer Kimberly Potter, 48, who drew her handgun instead of a Taser in what officials called an accident. The shooting escalated tensions in a region already on edge over the ongoing trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the use of deadly force last May against George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was suspected of passing a bogus $20 bill.
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverBiden team believes Austin Tice, journalist missing in Syria, is alive
Biden administration diplomats and intelligence officers are operating “with the sincere belief” that Austin Tice is alive, two U.S. officials told McClatchy on Wednesday, and the group is working daily to free the American journalist who went missing in 2012 while covering the war in Syria. “We operate with the sincere belief that Austin is alive and waiting for us to come get him,” Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said. The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, a team of experts from different government agencies that gathers diplomatic leads and intelligence information together in one place, is pursuing the Tice case.
WorldThe TelegraphCameron-Greensill lobbying scandal: the facts, explained
Ministers, Whitehall mandarins and a former prime minister have become embroiled in a major lobbying scandal after it emerged that David Cameron had been quietly pushing for a beleaguered finance company to receive Covid bailouts from the Treasury. After leaving office in 2016, Mr Cameron took on a job with Greensill Capital, a “supply chain finance” company that offers short term credit to firms to help them pay invoices more quickly. The company is run by Lex Greensill, who worked in Government during Mr Cameron's time in office and was awarded a CBE for his work on a similar finance scheme for government departments.
U.S.The StatePopular NC teacher killed trying to rob Mexican drug cartel member, sheriff says
A popular Union County teacher described by family and friends as a devoted dad, teacher and coach was fatally wounded in a shootout when he and his brother-in-law tried to rob members of a Mexican drug cartel, Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson said Wednesday. Barney Dale Harris, 40, taught Spanish and was head coach of the boys' varsity basketball and track teams at Union Academy Charter School in Monroe, according to his family and the school. He was found dead last Thursday in the bedroom of an Alamance County mobile home that Johnson called a drug “stash house” for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the sheriff said.
BusinessReutersSotheby’s sale of digital-only artwork fetches $16.8 million
An online sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) by the digital artist Pak fetched a total of $16.8 million at Sotheby's, including an image of a single pixel which sold for $1.36 million, the auction house said on Wednesday. A non-fungible token is a form of blockchain-based digital asset which has exploded in popularity in 2021, with prices soaring as collectors and enthusiasts rush to buy the items which only exist in digital form. Last month, an NFT artwork sold for $69.3 million at Christie's, in the first sale ever by a major auction house of a piece of art that does not exist in physical form.
- U.S.Associated Press
Admin who didn't report OSU doc's misconduct cedes license
A former Ohio State University student health director has surrendered his medical license after being accused of failing to report several complaints in the mid-1990s about sexual misconduct by Richard Strauss, the university doctor now accused of abusing young men for two decades. The state medical board citation against former director Ted Grace made him the first person to face potential discipline in relation to Ohio State's failure to stop misconduct by Strauss, who died in 2005. A hearing was scheduled for next week, but Grace permanently surrendered his Ohio license under an agreement that was approved and confirmed but not released Wednesday by the medical board.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramThese Fort Worth mayoral candidates say voter restriction laws are bad for business
Texas should avoid voting laws that may hurt businesses, candidates for Fort Worth mayor said Wednesday in a forum, though some wanted to have a more hands-on approach to advocating for voting laws. Many companies have spoken out against Republican efforts to make voting more difficult in Texas, so the forum focused on Fort Worth's business environment led with the question of what role the mayor should play. It was also the question where candidates D.C. Caldwell, Mattie Parker, Deborah Peoples and Ann Zadeh seem to diverge from each other the most.
U.S.Business InsiderPelosi says she thinks Chauvin trial is 'disappointing': 'Maybe my disappointment springs from my expectation that these are our protectors'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reflected on the Chauvin trial Wednesday, calling it "so disappointing." Pelosi said she still respects law enforcement and stamped down calls to "defund the police." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday she finds the trial of ex-Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin "so disappointing."
U.S.The WeekFauci shoots down Tucker Carlson's 'crazy' COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theory as 'not helpful'
Dr. Anthony Fauci is pushing back against the "crazy" COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theory Fox News host Tucker Carlson floated on his highly-rated show. In a Tuesday night segment, Carlson questioned why those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are still advised to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, proceeding to baselessly suggest of the vaccines, "Maybe it doesn't work and they're simply not telling you that." Asked to comment on these remarks on CNN on Wednesday, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, dismissed them as "crazy."
PoliticsUSA TODAYAfghanistan withdrawal draws strong Capitol Hill reactions, making some strange alliances
President Joe Biden drew swift support and harsh warnings from politicians in both parties for his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan at the 20-year mark of that war. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pulled no punches in responding to Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in September. "Precipitously withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan is a grave mistake.
PoliticsAssociated PressSenate OKs tough former regulator as market watchdog chief
The Senate has approved President Joe Biden's choice of Gary Gensler to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, signaling an emphasis on investor protection for the Wall Street watchdog agency after a deregulatory stretch during the Trump administration. The vote Wednesday was 53-45, mostly along party lines in the narrowly Democratic-controlled Senate, to confirm Gensler, an expert with experience as a strong markets regulator during the 2008-09 financial crisis. Gensler had a two-decades-long career as a Wall Street banker and later, as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, he tightened oversight of the $400 trillion worldwide market for complex financial transactions that helped cause the Great Recession.
U.S.INSIDERCharges against Daunte Wright before his death have sparked anger and disinformation - here are the documents that explain what happened
Daunte Wright was killed on Sunday while he had an outstanding arrest warrant, the police said. Insider reviewed legal documents that shed light on what happened. Daunte Wright's killing by a police officer not far from Minneapolis sparked renewed debates about racism and policing in the US.
U.S.The StateMississippi dad suffers stroke after Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Here’s what happened.
A 43-year-old father of seven from Ocean Springs suffered a stroke hours after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Brad Malagarie was otherwise healthy before he suffered the stroke April 6 while at work. Malagarie had the most common form of stroke, an ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blood clot in an artery leading to the brain.
PoliticsUSA TODAYBiden set to give first formal address to Congress just before he marks 100 days in office
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is set to deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, April 28, just before he marks his 100th day in office. Biden accepted an invitation Tuesday night from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address a joint session on that date, the White House confirmed. The speech will allow Biden to claim progress during his first 100 days, a benchmark historically for the presidency.
BusinessReutersWorld stocks dip after new highs, dollar falls
Major global stock indexes scaled new peaks on Wednesday before shedding gains that anticipated a strong recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, while the dollar dipped to three-week lows as Treasury yields held below recent highs. High-flying growth stocks declined on Wall Street, sending the benchmark S&P 500 and Nasdaq lower, while underpriced value stocks rose, lifting the Dow to a new record. U.S. import prices increased more than expected in March, fueled by higher costs for petroleum products and tight supply chains in the latest data to show inflation heating up as economies reopen.
U.S.The Independent‘It should be murder’: Brooklyn Center reacts to manslaughter charges against Daunte Wright shooting officer
Earlier on Wednesday, Kim Potter, 48, a white police officer with the Brooklyn Center Police Department, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, over the shooting of Mr Wright, after a traffic stop on Sunday afternoon turned fatal. “Certain occupations carry an immense responsibility and none more so than a sworn police officer,” Imran Ali, Washington County assistant criminal division chief, said in a statement. “[Potter's] action caused the unlawful killing of Mr Wright and she must be held accountable.”
“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.”