- PoliticsYahoo News
Bernie Sanders unloads on Joe Biden as Super Tuesday makes it a two-man race
ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. — Sen. Bernie Sanders took aim at former Vice President Joe Biden, his chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, at a rally here, as Super Tuesday results trickled in from across the country. Sanders did not utter Biden's name, but the senator predicted that he would win the nomination and defeat President Trump, because the race would become a “contrast of ideas.” Sanders continued attacking Biden, who scored numerous victories in Tuesday's contests and cemented his status as a leading contender for the Democratic nomination.
- U.S.Yahoo News
EPA administrator criticizes inspector general's conclusions on Scott Pruitt's alleged abuses
Scott Pruitt, the onetime administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, was once a potent symbol of corruption within the Trump administration, as well as of its push to roll back environmental protections. With his penchant for first-class flights and other reported excesses — including, most infamously, an ill-fated search for a used mattress from the Trump International Hotel — Pruitt became an increasing problem for a White House that had promised to hold public officials accountable. Trump fired Pruitt just a day after Ingraham's second call for him to do so.
- U.S.Reuters
U.S. opposes releasing a dying Bernard Madoff from prison early
The U.S. government opposed Bernard Madoff's request to be freed from prison even if he is close to death from kidney failure, saying he has never accepted responsibility for his massive Ponzi scheme or shown compassion for victims. In a Wednesday night court filing, prosecutors said denying the 81-year-old Madoff's request would uphold victims' and public faith in the justice system. They said Madoff should continue serving his 150-year sentence, to ensure that "one of history's worst fraudsters" faces the consequences of his crimes.
- U.S.Business Insider
A California man who self-quarantined after returning home from China amid the coronavirus outbreak said he is '100x more concerned' for his health in the US than he was in China
A Bay Area resident visited Kunming, in China's Yunnan province — about 1,000 miles southwest of Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak originated — on January 25. Seeing how differently the Chinese and US governments handled the outbreak convinced him that he felt safer in China than he does on American soil. A 36-year-old US citizen from Cupertino, California, visited Kunming, China, almost 1,000 miles southwest of Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak originated, on January 25.
- PoliticsThe Week
Rand Paul says he'll 'stay here all weekend' to get foreign aid cut included in coronavirus bill
Congress agreed to put a bipartisan emergency spending package to curb the spread of COVID-19 up for a House vote Wednesday, but it may get held up by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who wants to include an amendment to the bill. Paul, a deficit hawk, wants to ensure the U.S. has some way to fund the COVID-19 package, so he's trying to sneak a foreign aid cut in there. Paul is confident he'll get a vote, but he's prepared to stick around in Washington all weekend either way.
- LifestyleUSA TODAY
College student brings llama in tuxedo to his sister's wedding, keeping years-old promise
A Cleveland college student pulled a stunt for the ages at his sister's wedding, beginning with a promise made nearly half a decade ago. Mendl Weinstock, 21, a student at the University of Akron, made a peculiar proposal to his sister, Riva, during a 2015 road trip from Ohio to Indiana: He would only attend her wedding – whenever it would be – with a llama in tow. He told USA TODAY that he was peeved that his sister was talking about her wedding "as if it was going to happen the next day."
- WorldTime
Should You Cancel Travel Plans Amid COVID-19 Concerns? Here's What to Consider
Airlines have suspended operations to certain airports and a growing number of companies are restricting business travel amid concerns over COVID-19, raising questions about whether people should cancel their upcoming international and domestic trips. Several airlines have suspended or reduced service to countries with some of the highest number of cases, such as China, and grounded flights to South Korea, Iran and parts of Italy, where more than 2,000 cases have been reported in each country. Roger Dow, U.S. Travel's president, says that although businesses are warning people away from traveling, members of the public should heed notices from health agencies while deciding on travel plans.
- WorldThe National Interest
South Korea Is Getting An 'Aircraft Carrier' To Compete With China And Japan
Key point: Seoul for years has mulled a purchase of F-35Bs to complement the country's land-based F-35As. South Korea is getting an aircraft carrier. The vessel could help Seoul's navy to compete with its main rivals, the Chinese and Japanese fleets.
- U.S.Popular Mechanics
The Best Mowers for Big Lawns
If you have too much lawn for a standard push mower but not enough for a riding mower, consider these capable machines. From Popular Mechanics
- PoliticsYahoo News
Warren weighs her options. Endorsing Sanders is probably No. 1.
And even in the state where Warren did best, she still lost to both Biden and Sanders. The fact that it was her home state of Massachusetts added insult to injury. All told, Warren emerged from Super Tuesday — a day when 1,357 delegates were up for grabs — with a gain of just 36 delegates, for a total of around 60, compared with more than 500 for both Sanders and Biden.
- U.S.National Review
Chief Justice John Roberts Scolds Schumer for ‘Dangerous’ Threat Directed at Conservative Justices
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Wednesday criticized Senator Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) over comments the minority leader made in reference to an abortion case currently being debated by the court. “For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing's deliberate misinterpretation of what Senator Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsberg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes,” a spokesperson for Schumer responded. Earlier Wednesday, Schumer appeared to threaten Republican justices.
- U.S.Associated Press
Chicago cops in station shooting stripped of police powers
Chicago's interim police superintendent on Wednesday stripped two officers of their police powers pending the outcome of the investigation into their roles in the non-fatal shooting of an unarmed suspect inside of a downtown train station last week. Superintendent Charlie Beck made the decision hours after the head of the agency that investigates officer-involved shootings in Chicago, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA, recommended that he take that step. The officers, whose names haven't been released, were placed on desk duty after Friday's shooting, in keeping with the department's policy in cases in which officers shoot people.
- ScienceYahoo News Video
Large asteroid will fly close to, but won't hit, Earth next month: NASA
A large asteroid will fly close to, but won't hit, Earth next month, according to NASA data. CNN reports that the asteroid, predicted to be between 1.1 and 2.5 miles wide, is scheduled to fly past Earth on April 29.
- WorldBusiness Insider
8% of Iran's parliament has the coronavirus, and it released 54,000 prisoners as the country descends into chaos
Eight percent of Iran's parliament — 23 out of 290 members — has been infected with the coronavirus. At least seven government officials also have it, including one of Iran's vice presidents, and a key adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died from the virus. Iran is descending into chaos amid the coronavirus outbreak, with the government seemingly incapable of handling the scale of the crisis and going as far as to threaten the death penalty to those who hoard necessary materials or equipment.
- WorldThe Daily Beast
Dubai’s Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed, Abducted and Imprisoned Daughters, Says London Court
LONDON—Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the ruler of Dubai, ordered his henchmen to abduct two of his daughters and force them into captivity after they tried to flee from his controlling grasp, according to a British court. One of the women was subjected to inhumane treatment amounting to torture in the view of a British High Court judge, whose findings about the 70-year-old leader were unsealed in London on Thursday. Sir Andrew McFarlane, the most senior family judge in England, published his findings as part of a case that was brought to protect two of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's younger children, who currently live in the U.K. Their mother is the daughter of Jordan's late King Hussein.
- WorldReuters
With North Korea border shut, China warns citizens to keep away, or else
SINGAPORE/SEOUL (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have told people to stay away from the border with North Korea, which has banned people from China to keep out the coronavirus, or risk being shot by North Korean guards, residents of the area said. Residents said the warning came in a printed notice that Chinese authorities in the area issued this week, the latest indication of how seriously North Korea takes the threat of the virus. Close allies China and North Korea share a 1,400-km (880-mile) frontier that is especially porous in winter, when rivers separating the countries freeze, allowing people to cross.
- PoliticsPolitico
Trump to talk Dreamers protections with Senate Republicans
President Donald Trump is expected to host Republican senators at the White House Thursday to discuss offers to give legal status to people who came to the country illegally as children, according to a person familiar with the plans. The group will include Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally who is pushing a proposal to protect the so-called Dreamers, an offer that would open up a contentious debate on immigration in an election year. Dreamers currently have temporary legal protections under an Obama-era program that Trump has tried to undo.
- PoliticsThe National Interest
Progressives Want To Take Down The Electoral College
It seems that there isn't a prominent progressive left in America who hasn't come out in favor of abolishing the Electoral College. The latest is Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who called for an end to our 200-plus-year-old presidential election system on Twitter earlier this month. Sanders didn't explain why he wanted to ditch the Electoral College (it was a tweet after all), but it's interesting that as a senator from a small state, he has benefited enormously from the supposedly “undemocratic” nature of the American political system.
- PoliticsThe Week
Sanders finds out Bloomberg dropped out of the 2020 race hours later: 'First I heard about that'
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) apparently hasn't been keeping a close eye on the news today. Sanders spoke to reporters in a post-Super Tuesday press conference on Wednesday afternoon, hours after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he was bowing out of the 2020 race. "Has he stepped out?" Sanders asked the reporter.
WorldAFPKim Jong Un offers South Koreans 'comfort' over virus: Seoul
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a personal letter to "comfort" South Koreans fighting the novel coronavirus epidemic just a day after his sister condemned Seoul as a "frightened dog barking", the South's presidential office said Thursday. Pyongyang has imposed strict restrictions and closed its borders to try to prevent an outbreak and insists it has not had a single case of the novel coronavirus which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has since spread around the world. The South has reported the largest number of cases in the world outside China and its total passed 6,000 Thursday.
- U.S.Associated Press
Mormon-owned BYU: Same-sex romantic behavior still banned
Brigham Young University in Utah reiterated Wednesday that “same-sex romantic behavior” is not allowed on campus — dashing the hopes of LGTBTQ students who thought they could be more open after the college previously revised its code of conduct. The university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints posted a letter online, saying it was clarifying a misinterpretation after it dropped a section of the code banning behavior that reflected “homosexual feelings." “Same-sex romantic behavior cannot lead to eternal marriage and is therefore not compatible with the principles included in the honor code,” wrote Paul V. Johnson, commissioner of the church education system.
- U.S.The Independent
'Serial stowaway' beaten in jail after she was imprisoned, despite calls for her to be treated in community
The “serial stowaway”, Marilyn Hartman, has been beaten up inside a Chicago jail. Ms Hartman is currently serving time in Cook County Jail for violating her probation. CBS 2 reports that she was assaulted on Tuesday and that the offending inmate may have been having some kind of mental health episode at the time.
- PoliticsBusiness Insider
Tulsi Gabbard may have just qualified for the next Democratic debate thanks to American Samoa
Associated Press Under the most recent rules, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii may have qualified for the next televised debate by snagging a delegate in American Samoa's primary. Later on Tuesday night, a DNC official said the delegate threshold "will go up" to qualify for future debates. Gabbard is the fifth major candidate remaining in the race despite not qualifying for the debate stage recently and failing to crack the top five in any of the first four states.
- U.S.Yahoo News Video
California cruise ship held for coronavirus screening after 20 passengers ill
A California cruise ship is being held offshore after two passengers who previously stayed on the vessel contracted coronavirus, and around 20 people onboard fell ill.
- BusinessBloomberg
Nigeria Senate Approves President’s $23 Billion Loan Request
Lawmakers gave their endorsement to the government during Thursday's proceedings in the capital, Abuja, to seek the funding expected from the Islamic Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the World Bank and creditors in China, Japan and Germany. The government will use the money to expand the railways, build a new hydro power dam and fund special intervention projects across the West African nation, according to a letter sent to the parliament in November. While Nigeria's outstanding loans amount to about about a quarter of its economic output, Africa's largest oil producer spends more than half of its revenue servicing debts.
"No Democrat this cycle did more to boost his political career."
"Yes, Buttigieg will almost certainly run for president again."
"At some point, the fact that a presidential candidate is LGBT will be a footnote rather than a headline."
"Those close to Mr. Buttigieg see no obvious political next step in Indiana."
"Buttigieg could run for president 40 years from now, but likely will not have to wait that long."
