U.S.NBC News'White Lives Matter' rallies flop as hardly anyone shows up
In semi-private, encrypted chats, neo-Nazis and other far-right extremists planned rallies in dozens of cities Sunday to promote their racist movements and spread their ideologies to larger audiences. Hyped by organizers as events that would make “the whole world tremble,” the rallies ran into a major problem: Hardly anyone showed up. The “White Lives Matter” rallies, the first major real-world organizing efforts by white supremacists since 2018, were planned on the encrypted app Telegram after many aligned groups were alleged to have taken part in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S Capitol.
U.S.The TelegraphArmy engineers began preparing Prince Philip’s Land Rover hearse after hospital stay
Army engineers worked around the clock to make sure the Duke of Edinburgh's specially-designed Land Rover hearse was ready in time for his funeral. A team from the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) was deployed to prepare the hearse after the Duke was admitted to hospital in February. His month-long stay at the age of 99 was the longest period Prince Philip had spent in a hospital.
U.S.Associated PressLas Vegas pushes to become first to ban ornamental grass
A desert city built on a reputation for excess and indulgence wants to become a model for restraint and conservation with a first-in-the-nation policy banning grass that nobody walks on. Las Vegas-area water officials have spent two decades trying to get people to replace thirsty greenery with desert plants, and now they're asking the Nevada Legislature to outlaw roughly 40% of the turf that's left. The Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates there are almost 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) of “nonfunctional turf" in the metro area — grass that no one ever walks on or otherwise uses in street medians, housing developments and office parks.
WorldReutersAustralia abandons COVID-19 vaccination targets after new advice on AstraZeneca shots
Australia has abandoned a goal to vaccinate nearly all of its 26 million population by the end of 2021 following advice that people under the age of 50 take Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine rather than AstraZeneca's shot. Australia, which had banked on the AstraZeneca vaccine for the majority of its shots, had no plans to set any new targets for completing its vaccination programme, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon. "While we would like to see these doses completed before the end of the year, it is not possible to set such targets given the many uncertainties involved," Morrison said.
U.S.Lexington Herald-LeaderMom dies in road-rage shooting with her young daughters in the car, Texas family says
One driver got out and started shooting at the other car, San Antonio police said, according to the outlet. The other driver tried to escape the gunfire, but drove into a fence, KENS reported She and a 14-year-old were shot, police said. A 7-year-old in the car was not injured, according to KABB.
CelebrityThe TelegraphWhy Prince Philip’s great-grandchildren shouldn't attend the Royal funeral
Of all the images that stood out during the televised funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, there was one that has endured in the collective consciousness longer than any other: that of two boys who had just lost their mother, walking in sombre procession behind her coffin, while the world looked in upon their most private moment. Almost a quarter of a century later, has there been a change of heart within the monarchy about the role of children at Royal funerals? It is understood that the Duke's 10 great-grandchildren, who include Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will not be in attendance at his funeral this Saturday.
U.S.INSIDERFlorida cops who responded to a noise complaint at house party 'cowered away' after finding out their boss was a guest
Florida cops backed off a noise complaint at a party after they found out their boss was a guest. The officers "cowered away" when partygoers told them the sheriff was inside the house. Florida police officers were in for a big surprise after responding to a noise complaint at a house party last Saturday, only to find that a guest at the event was their own boss.
U.S.INSIDERA 911 dispatcher in Louisiana was arrested after authorities say she refused to return $1.2 million that was accidentally deposited into her account
Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. A woman who worked for more than four years as a sheriff's dispatcher in Louisiana was fired and arrested after authorities say she refused to return more than $1.2 million that was accidentally deposited into her account. According to a report Thursday from nola.com, 33-year-old Kelyn Spadoni of Harvey, Louisiana, was arrested Wednesday and charged with theft valued over $25,000, bank fraud, and illegal transmission of monetary funds after she repeatedly evaded requests to return funds inadvertently transferred to her in February.
WorldThe TelegraphPalace reveals Prince Philip redesigned Balmoral Castle's notorious heating system
Prince Philip devised a special heating system to protect the paintings at Balmoral Castle, it has emerged as the Royal family paid tribute to his conservation work on its estates. The Palace revealed on Sunday that the Duke of Edinburgh was behind an initiative to install a heating system that responded to humidity rather than the outside temperature to create a less damaging atmosphere for the castle's many antiques. The Duke's fervent passion for horticulture and agriculture also led him to re-landscape many the Queen's estates and even get behind the wheel of a bulldozer to realise his vision.
ScienceBusiness InsiderNASA delays Mars helicopter flight after a crucial rotor-blade-spinning test ended abruptly
NASA has delayed the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars helicopter after a crucial test-spin of the drone's rotor blades abruptly stopped. This was the last major test to make sure the helicopter would be ready for its first flight, which was originally scheduled for Monday. Now NASA has delayed the historic liftoff - which would mark the first powered, controlled flight on another planet - to Wednesday.
SportsAxiosWorries mount that A-Rod could move Timberwolves to another city
News that Glen Taylor could sell the Wolves and Lynx to Alex Rodriguez and billionaire Marc Lore (who created Jet.com) has fans worried the teams could end up in Seattle or Las Vegas. The Wolves' lease at Target Center runs until 2035, but the cost to break it is a paltry $50 million. Go deeper: For more in-depth Minnesota Timberwolves coverage and breaking news, subscribe to our partners at The Athletic.
U.S.INSIDER'I hate this home now:' California couple finally changes the locks on their dream house after previous owner refused to leave for over a year
A California couple could finally get into their new home after the former owner refused to leave. Due to the state's eviction moratorium, the seller continued to occupy the property after the couple bought the home. Myles and Tracie Albert were able to change the locks of their home after 15 months.
CelebrityTODAYHugh Jackman and wife stun in 1996 wedding photos shared for their 25th anniversary
Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, are celebrating a milestone on Sunday. After 25 years of marriage, the couple has hit their silver wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion, Jackman, 52, gushed over Furness, 65, in posts on Twitter and Instagram, complete with a series of throwback photos from their wedding day.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderCorporate America is still dangerously delusional about what the GOP has become
The GOP corporate America used to know and love is gone. What we have now is an angrier GOP willing to punish companies that disagree with it. Corporations need to hear this, and probably a few half-hearted Republicans do too - former House Speaker John Boehner's GOP isn't coming back.
- U.S.Tribune Publishing
Frustrated residents push back as Hawaii tourism resurges
Apr. 11—Kai Nishiki and other frustrated Maui residents got up early Saturday and armed themselves with beach chairs, umbrellas and towels to storm Wailea Beach and push back the increasing ranks of tourists who have been flocking to the island, overtaking popular spots locals got used to having to themselves after COVID-19 virtually shut down the visitor industry. The faster-than-expected pace of the recovery is good for Hawaii's tourism-dependent economy, but it's also created a sense of urgency to improve tourism management, especially in pockets of the state that were already battling for balance before the pandemic hit. Angela Keen, a founder of Hawaii Kapu Quarantine Breakers, said she's getting complaints from hotel workers and activity providers who are concerned that some visitors "aren't sensitive to our ways and our culture and our willingness to wear masks to protect our neighbors."
CelebrityThe TelegraphQueen says Duke of Edinburgh’s death ‘has left a huge void’ in her life
The Queen has said that the death of her beloved husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, has “left a huge void in her life”. In the monarch's first reported comments on Prince Philip's death, she was also said to have described her husband's passing as a “miracle". Prince Andrew, 61, described the depth of his mother's grief as he spoke of how she had been coping in recent days.
- NewsKTRK – Houston
Man shot to death outside west Houston corner store
The victim and another person were in a car when the gunman walked up and fired one shot before taking off, police said.
HealthINSIDERWe could soon have vaccines for cancer and HIV thanks to COVID-19 vaccine discovery: report
Scientists are now applying that technology to other difficult-to-treat diseases like cancer and HIV. Scientists are experimenting with COVID-19 vaccine technology as a way to treat terminal illnesses like cancer and HIV, Inverse reported. It's an approach vaccine researchers have been studying for the past 25 years, Insider previously reported.
ScienceBusiness InsiderNASA shares breathtaking image of a wind-sculpted sea of blue dunes on Mars taken by the Odyssey orbiter
NASA shared an image of dunes surrounding Mars' northern polar cap. The false-color image shows a sea of blue dunes and yellow wind-sculpted lines on the red planet. The photo has been released to mark the 20th anniversary of the Mars Odyssey orbiter.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderTrump spent several minutes insulting 'dumb son of a b---h' Mitch McConnell during a rambling speech to GOP donors at Mar-a-Lago, say reports
Former President Donald Trump insulted Mitch McConnell during a speech to donors at Mar-a-Lago. Trump referred to the Senate Minority Leader as a "dumb son of a b—h," Politico reported. Former President Donald Trump derided Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell during a 50-minute speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Politico reported.
LifestyleBusiness InsiderCanadians are flocking to US border cities to take advantage of a travel loophole - and it's creating lucrative opportunities on both sides of the closed border
Canadian tourists are driving up business in US border towns to avoid strict quarantines in Canada. Transportation firms in cities like Buffalo, New York, are reaping the benefits with costly fares. Canadian tourists are once again stimulating the economies of American border cities and bringing back the "Buffalo shuffle" despite the border between the two countries remaining closed to non-essential travel.
SportsThe StateWill rain impact NASCAR again this weekend? Here’s the forecast for Martinsville
NASCAR's luck with weather doesn't appear to be improving this weekend. Rain is in the forecast Saturday near Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Va. The Cup Series is scheduled to race at 7:30 p.m. on FS1, but there's a 60 percent chance of precipitation after 5 p.m. and thunderstorms are likely to continue into the evening, according to the National Weather Service.
ScienceBusiness InsiderA legendary 3,000-year-old 'lost golden city' of the Pharaohs has just been discovered in Egypt
The archaeology team began excavating in September 2020, and have now found entire neighborhoods. Dated to the reign of Amenhotep III, the team expects to uncover further parts of the ancient city. Archaeologists have discovered what is believed to be the largest ancient city ever found in Egypt, hailing the discovery as one of the most important finds since Tutankhamun's tomb.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderA GOP congressman said so many Republican voters now believe in the QAnon conspiracy theory it could destroy the party
GOP Rep. Peter Meijer has warned that the QAnon movement could destroy the GOP from within. Meijer said "a significant plurality, if not potentially a majority" of GOP supporters believed in QAnon. Meijer is one of a small group of GOP lawmakers who've taken a stand against QAnon.
U.S.Business InsiderRichard Branson is leading a campaign to end the death penalty, along with other key business figures. The Virgin Group founder said there is an urgent need to abolish the practice.
Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has joined forces with other business leaders to launch a campaign to abolish capital punishment in the US and other countries. The 70-year-old billionaire announced the Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty Declaration in a virtual SXSW event in Austin, Texas, last month. The declaration was coordinated by the UK-based organization, Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, and has gained 21 signatories.
“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.”