Exclusive: U.S. airline CEOs to meet with White House on cutting carbon footprint

The chief executives of major U.S. airlines are set to meet virtually with two key White House advisers on Friday about efforts to reduce carbon emissions and use renewable fuels, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters. The CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines are among those who have been invited to meet with White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy and economic adviser Brian Deese to discuss environmental issues related to air travel, including using greener fuels to power air travel. The White House and a spokeswoman for a group representing the airlines declined to comment.

GOP rallies solidly against Democrats' virus relief package

Republicans rallied solidly against Democrats' proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill as lawmakers awaited a decision by the Senate's parliamentarian that could bolster or potentially kill a pivotal provision hiking the federal minimum wage. Despite their paper-thin congressional majorities, Democratic leaders were poised to push the sweeping package through the House on Friday. They were hoping the Senate, where changes seem likely, would follow quickly enough to have legislation on President Joe Biden's desk by mid-March.

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  U.S. senators weigh paring back Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid plan

  Reuters
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  GOP Senate leaders sound off on COVID relief bill

  Associated Press Videos

Deputies say gangs exist within Los Angeles Sheriff's Department

A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. Current deputies out of the East Los Angeles station say the existence of gangs within law enforcement has been a problem in the area. The deputies, who do not want to be identified for fear of reprisal, claim the most prevalent are called the Banditos — comprised of mostly Latino deputies who serve predominantly African American and Latino neighborhoods.

No Need to Call an Architect—These 9 Room Dividers Elegantly Get the Job Done

From ornate to subtle, these beautiful screens double as functional art Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

Lockdown for Dunkirk, other areas under watch as French COVID-19 cases spike

France's government on Wednesday ordered a weekend lockdown in the Dunkirk area to arrest an "alarming" rise in COVID-19 cases, signalling extra curbs might also be needed elsewhere as daily cases nationwide hit their highest since November. Unlike some of its neighbours, France has resisted a new national lockdown to control more contagious coronavirus variants, hoping a curfew in place since Dec. 15 can contain the pandemic. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said the national situation was deteriorating, and "a source of worry in about 10 regional departments".

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  French COVID-19 intensive care patients at a 12-week high

  Reuters
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  EU leaders meet to speed up vaccine rollout in race against variants

  Reuters

Angry Democrat Gerry Connolly tells Trump ally he ‘will not be lectured’ by someone who tried to overturn election

Virginia Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly blasted Ohio Republican Representative and staunch Trump ally Jim Jordan, telling him during a hearing on the postal service that he "will not be lectured" about partisanship by people who voted to overturn the election. The hearing before the House Oversight Committee included questioning of the president of the American Postal Workers Union Mark Dimondstein and the Postmaster-General, Trump appointee Louis DeJoy. Mr Jordan defended Mr DeJoy who he argued had been unfairly criticised by Democrats during the lead-up to the 2020 election, saying: "They accused you of things, they said you were restricting overtime - False.

Biden is already backtracking on his promises to provide student debt relief

Biden absolutely has the legal authority to use executive power to cancel all federal student debt. Congress granted this authority decades ago as part of the Higher Education Act. It's even been put to the test: in response to the Covid pandemic, Donald Trump and his former education secretary, Betsy DeVos, used that authority three times to suspend payments and student loan interest.

Indonesia presses regional effort to resolve Myanmar crisis

Regional diplomatic efforts to resolve Myanmar's political crisis intensified Wednesday, while protests continued in Yangon and other cities calling for the country's coup makers to step down and return Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government to power. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi visited the Thai capital, Bangkok, and held three-way talks with her Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai and Myanmar's new foreign minister, retired army colonel Wunna Maung Lwin, who also traveled to Thailand. The meeting was part of her efforts to coordinate a regional response to the crisis triggered by Myanmar's Feb. 1 military coup.

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  Indonesia says it holds intensive talks with both sides of Myanmar crisis

  Reuters
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  Elephant-riders join Myanmar coup protests

  Reuters Videos

Biden says U.S., Canada to work toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to work toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050. "We're launching a high-level, climate-ambition ministerial and to align our policies and our goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050," Biden said in a speech following a bilateral meeting with the Canadian leader. U.S. Special Climate Change Envoy John Kerry and his Canadian counterpart, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, will host the ministerial.

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  U.S., Canada aim for net zero emissions by 2050

  Reuters Videos
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  RBC targets net-zero emissions by 2050, commits C$500 billion to sustainable financing

  Reuters

Who is Heidi Cruz? The high-powered Goldman Sachs executive and wife to ‘disgraced’ Texas senator Ted Cruz

Heidi Cruz, the wife of Texas senator Ted Cruz, is reportedly on the hunt for the neighbour who leaked her text messages about their much criticised trip to Cancun during a snow-storm that left thousands without heat or electricity. “Ritz Carlton Cancun $309 plus tax,” she allegedly wrote in messages passed to The New York Times last week, that demonstrated the family was planning to violate government guidelines and the recommendations of her own husband. In 2000, when the pair met whilst working on George W Bush's presidential campaign before marrying the next year and moving into government positions, Heidi Nelson wasn't necessarily destined to be window dressing to someone else's ambitions.

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  Former Bush Strategist Responds To Ted Cruz Calling Critics 'A**holes': 'Buy A Mirror'

  HuffPost
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  Ted Cruz says wife Heidi is ‘pretty pissed’ about Cancun text message leak

  TheGrio

North Korea enslaved South Korean prisoners of war in coal mines

Generations of South Korean prisoners of war are being used as slave labour in North Korean coal mines to generate money for the regime and its weapons programme, according to a report released by a human rights organisation. Mr Choi (not his real name) said he continued to work in a mine in North Hamgyeong province alongside around 670 other prisoners of war (POWs) until his escape, 40 years later.

Singapore's first Chinese COVID-19 vaccines arrive ahead of approval

Singapore received its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinovac Biotech on Tuesday, its health ministry said, although the shot is still awaiting approval for use in the city-state. Sinovac has started submitting initial data but the Health Sciences Authority is currently awaiting all the necessary information to carry out a thorough assessment, the ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday. Singapore is the only wealthy country considering the use of Sinovac's vaccine, which has been found to have an efficacy rate ranging from about 50% to 90% in studies.

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  China approves two more domestic COVID-19 vaccines, increasing number to four

  Reuters
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  Thailand receives its first coronavirus vaccines

  Reuters

An ex-girlfriend tipped off the FBI about an alleged US Capitol rioter after he called her a 'moron'

Richard Michetti has been charged with entering restricted grounds at the US Capitol. The Pennsylvania man was turned in by his ex-girlfriend after he called her a 'moron'. A Pennsylvania man was outed by his ex-girlfriend after trying to stop Congress from recognizing President Joe Biden's election victory, according to court documents.

Biden nominee Neera Tanden’s tweet about Joe Manchin’s daughter may come back to haunt her

Neera Tanden, Joe Biden's nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, previously criticised Democratic Senator Joe Manchin's daughter, a slight that might factor into whether or not she is confirmed for the position. Ms Tanden tweeted an image of an article about Mr Manchin's daughter, Heather Bresch, taking aim at a significant increase in her pay while she was CEO of Mylan. In the tweet, Ms Tanden pointed out that the company's board was justifying the pay raise by saying Ms Bresch had "contributed significantly to the company's growth in recent years".

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  Joe Biden's Nominees Of Color Are Facing Outsize Opposition

  HuffPost
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  White House: No 'Plan B' on Neera Tanden nomination

  Associated Press Videos

Malaysia's king says parliament can convene during emergency

Malaysia's King Al-Sultan Abdullah said on Wednesday parliament can convene during a state of emergency, a move that could open the door for the opposition to launch a fresh confidence vote to challenge Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Last month, the king declared a nationwide state of emergency that could last till Aug. 1, as Malaysia struggled to control a jump in coronavirus cases after managing to contain infections for most of last year. But the opposition accused Muhyiddin of using the emergency to retain control during a power struggle, especially after it appeared he may have lost his majority when two government lawmakers said they no longer backed him.

Covax vaccine-sharing scheme delivers first doses to Ghana

Ghana has become the first country to receive coronavirus vaccines through the Covax vaccine-sharing initiative. The Covax scheme aims to reduce the divide between rich countries and poorer nations unable to buy doses. The programme is planning to deliver about two billion vaccine doses globally by the end of the year.

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  Moderna expands vaccine production, sets 2022 target of 1.4B doses

  Yahoo Finance
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  Oxford COVID vaccine 'has better protection the longer second dose is delayed'

  Yahoo News UK

JPS worked to get COVID-19 vaccines out during winter storm, but hundreds expired

More than 300 COVID-19 vaccines in Tarrant County went to waste due to the winter storm that left millions in the state without electricity. As temperatures dropped and power went out in North Texas, John Peter Smith Hospital hustled to get as many shots in arms as possible. At the Diamond Hill Health Center, an outage left hundreds of doses at risk of squandering.

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  Answers to common COVID-19 vaccine questions

  KTRK – Houston
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  Tarrant County Public Health getting fewer COVID-19 vaccines as federal sites open

  Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Christopher Cantwell, known as 'The Crying Nazi,' sentenced to 41 months in prison on extortion charges

Christopher Cantwell, known as "The Crying Nazi," was convicted on a felony charge. The Keene, New Hampshire, man was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Christopher Cantwell, who was dubbed the "The Crying Nazi" following the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally, was sentenced to 41 months in prison on Wednesday after being convicted on charges of extortion and threatening rape.

U.S. aims to return to U.N. rights body, shield Israel

U.S. President Joseph Biden's new administration said on Wednesday it would continue its international re-engagement by seeking election to the U.N. Human Rights Council where it will press to eliminate a "disproportionate focus" on ally Israel. Under former President Donald Trump's more isolationist approach, Washington quit the council in 2018 but the Biden government has already returned as an observer. "I'm pleased to announce the United States will seek election to the Human Rights Council for the 2022-24 term," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the council by video.

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  U.S. aims to return to U.N. rights body

  Reuters Videos
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  US to seek seat on UN human rights body, after Trump pullout

  Associated Press

Fox anchor suspended after saying he was ‘annoyed’ at obese people getting Covid vaccine

A Fox news station suspended its anchor following social media outrage for his tweet expressing annoyance over obese people getting the Covid-19 vaccine on priority. Blake McCoy made the controversial remark on Tuesday afternoon and later deleted his tweet, issuing an apology for his “insensitive and offensive” comment. “I'm annoyed obese people of all ages get priority vaccine access before all essential workers,” he said in the now-deleted tweet.

The Best Dishwasher Models, According to Interior Designers

The designer-approved dishwashers look good—and perform even better Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

Texas Lt. Gov. says that people getting huge energy bills 'gambled on a very, very low rate' - but suggests they won't have to pay the full amount

Texas Lt. Gov, Dan Patrick said that Texans getting huge energy bills took a gamble and lost. In Texas, some energy deals are linked to wholesale prices, exposing consumer to sudden spikes. After last week's devastating storm, some Texans faced energy bills as high as $16,000.

Pandemic aid to poorest countries critical to U.S. interests: Treasury nominee Adeyemo

Wally Adeyemo, President Joe Biden's nominee for the No. 2 job at the U.S. Treasury, said it was critical to end the COVID-19 pandemic everywhere around the globe and doing so would require providing resources to some of the poorest countries. Adeyemo made the comment at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee when asked about a possible new allocation of the International Monetary Fund's own currency, or Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), that would allow rich countries to provide additional resources to poorer countries.