WorldAssociated PressIran names suspect in Natanz attack, says he fled country
Iran named a suspect Saturday in the attack on its Natanz nuclear facility that damaged centrifuges there, saying he had fled the country “hours before” the sabotage happened. While the extent of the damage from the April 11 sabotage remains unclear, it comes as Iran tries to negotiate with world powers over allowing the U.S. to re-enter its tattered nuclear deal and lift the economic sanctions it faces. Already, Iran has begun enriching uranium up to 60% purity in response — three times higher than ever before, though in small quantities.
WorldReutersMyanmar releases prisoners for New Year, though likely not dissidents
Myanmar's junta released 23,184 prisoners from jails across the country on Saturday under a New Year amnesty, a Prisons Department spokesman said, though few if any democracy activists arrested since a Feb. 1 coup were thought to be among them. Saturday is the first day of the traditional New Year in Myanmar and the last day of a five-day holiday that is usually celebrated with visits to Buddhist temples and rowdy water throwing and partying in the streets. Pro-democracy activists called for the cancellation of the festivities this year and instead for people to focus on a campaign to restore democracy after the military's ouster of the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
U.S.National ReviewJudge: Minnesota Officers Can’t Arrest, Use Force against Reporters Covering Daunte Wright Protests
The ruling is the result of a restraining order filed by an international labor union for news media workers and a freelance journalist against Minnesota Department of Public Safety commissioner John Harrington and Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matthew Langer. Journalists claimed in court that they were “directed by law enforcement to vacate the protest area, physically grabbed, struck by less-lethal projectiles and rubber bullets, and pepper sprayed. While journalists were not subject to curfews, they had been required to vacate areas where dispersal orders were given.
U.S.Associated PressUS West prepares for possible 1st water shortage declaration
The man-made lakes that store water supplying millions of people in the U.S. West and Mexico are projected to shrink to historic lows in the coming months, dropping to levels that could trigger the federal government's first-ever official shortage declaration and prompt cuts in Arizona and Nevada. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released 24-month projections this week forecasting that less Colorado River water will cascade down from the Rocky Mountains through Lake Powell and Lake Mead and into the arid deserts of the U.S. Southwest and the Gulf of California. Water levels in the two lakes are expected to plummet low enough for the agency to declare an official shortage for the first time, threatening the supply of Colorado River water that growing cities and farms rely on.
PoliticsBBCAfghanistan war: US spies doubt reports of Russian 'bounties' for troops
It comes amid new sanctions on Russia and US plans to leave Afghanistan. US imposes sanctions on Russia for cyber-attacks US: Putin pushed pro-Trump 'influence' campaign The intelligence assessment was first reported last June by the New York Times, and was cited by Mr Biden on the 2020 presidential campaign trail to accuse then-President Trump of not standing up to Russia. Mr Trump at the time called it "fake news" and a "fake issue".
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 9 Best Wireless Headphones for Every Kind of Use
From the most comfortable pair to the best value buy, these headphones will carry you through the spring, summer, and beyond Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
U.S.The ConversationSikhs in America: A religious community long misunderstood is mourning deaths in Indianapolis mass shooting
I have sat with families from our community and so many others at the Holiday Inn Express as they wait to hear the fates of their loved ones,” said Maninder Singh Walia, a member of the Indianapolis Sikh community. These kinds of violent attacks are a threat to all of us. Our community has a long road of healing – physically, mentally, and spiritually – to recover from this tragedy.
WorldThe WeekCuba's new leaders won't have 'historical legacy' as a shield in post-Castro world, scholar says
For the first time in 60 years, Cuba will soon be without a Castro in a formal, day-to-day leadership position. Raúl Castro, the younger brother of the late Fidel Castro, confirmed Friday that he's stepping down from his role as the leader of the country's Communist Party, with President Miguel Diaz-Canal expected to take on double duties, as the Castro brothers did before him. The next generation of leadership could allow for more free-market activity, a path that's not completely new for Cuba; Raúl, who is considered more pragmatic than his brother, began the process of implementing some reforms following Fidel's death in 2011, but it's been a slow grind.
- WorldAssociated Press
Tunisia divers find another body from migrant boat; 22 dead
Navy divers recovered another body on Saturday from a migrant boat that floundered and sunk off the coast of eastern Tunisia, bringing to 22 the number of known dead, including nine women and a baby, as police searched for the smuggler. An estimated 40 people were aboard the boat which sank Friday off the coast of Sfax in the Mediterranean Sea and the search for the missing continued, according to Ali Ayari, spokesman for the port city's National Guard. Also sought is a Tunisian said to have been the main smuggler and two others from sub-Saharan Africa, Ayari told The Associated Press.
PoliticsMiami HeraldUniversal background checks for gun buyers a modest step, but Republicans still reject it | Opinion
The latest mass shooting at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis makes me wonder once again who is crazier: the gunmen who carry out these murders or the millions of Americans who vote for politicians who oppose laws that could prevent these tragedies. Shamefully, Republicans in the U.S. Senate are blocking a recently passed House bill that would require stricter background checks. The mass shooting that left eight dead and at least seven wounded in Indianapolis was the 45th mass shooting during the past month, according to a CNN count.
CelebrityThe TelegraphHow Meghan ensured she had a part in Prince Philip's funeral – with a handwritten note on wreath
The Duchess of Sussex wrote the card attached to the wreath sent by her and Prince Harry to ensure that, in a small way, she played a part in the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral service. Meghan, who is heavily pregnant with the couple's second child, had hoped to attend the ceremony but was advised against travelling by her doctor. The 39-year-old was watching the funeral on television at home in Montecito, California.
U.S.Associated PressAs mask mandates end, Oregon bucks trend with permanent rule
As states around the country lift COVID-19 restrictions, Oregon is poised to go the opposite direction — and many residents are fuming about it. A top health official is considering indefinitely extending rules requiring masks and social distancing in all businesses in the state. The proposal would keep the rules in place until they are “no longer necessary to address the effects of the pandemic in the workplace.”
CelebrityThe TelegraphNo uniforms, but Royal family show military ties with medals at Prince Philip's funeral
The Queen decreed that the men should wear morning suits with black ties and the women day dresses amid concerns that the Duke of Sussex could have ended up being the only senior royal not in uniform after relinquishing his royal and military ties last year. The Duke of York had also sparked ructions by demanding to go dressed as an Admiral, despite his promotion to that rank in the Royal Navy being deferred after he stepped down from public duties in November 2019 over his relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of Kent, 85 – the oldest member of the Royal family taking part in the walking procession – wore, among his other medals, the King George Coronation Medal, while those present for the Queen's Coronation in 1953, including the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Gloucester, wore the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.
PoliticsThe IndependentFrom Asian hate crime to a minimum wage: 25 things Ted Cruz has voted against this year
The 'No' vote was criticised for being another controversial rejection of the Biden administration agenda, and follows voting against almost every Cabinet secretary of Mr Biden's in recent weeks – although the efforts, in the end, failed. All the bills Mr Cruz has voted 'No' to in the US Senate so for this year, are listed below: The US 2020 election results Not a bill, but infamous for coming in the hours after supporters of former president Donald Trump – wrongly citing election fraud – stormed the US Capitol in events that killed five people, including a Capitol Police officer.
U.S.BBCGeorge Floyd: Timeline of black deaths and protests
Here's a timeline of major incidents since 2014 involving police officers which resulted in the deaths of black Americans. Eric Garner died after he was wrestled to the ground by a New York police officer on suspicion of illegally selling cigarettes. While in a choke hold, Mr Garner uttered the words "I can't breathe" 11 times.
PoliticsThe IndependentMarjorie Taylor Greene launches ‘America First’ platform to promote ‘Anglo-Saxon traditions’
A policy pamphlet for a group of pro-Trump House Republicans explicitly calls for respecting white traditions, according to a document obtained by Punchbowl News. “America is a nation with a border, and a culture, strengthened by a common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions,” the document, titled the “America First Caucus Policy Platform,” says. A group of pro-Trump Republicans are working to form the new caucus, led by representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona.
U.S.Charlotte ObserverCatawba Indians declared victor in NC casino court fight, clearing way for construction
The Catawba Indian Nation said a federal court has ruled in its favor in a lawsuit that tried to stop its planned North Carolina casino. In a Facebook post Friday evening, tribal leaders said they “were excited to announce” that they'd “just received word” of the court victory. The lawsuit brought by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was the final major hurdle to the Catawbas' opening their $273 million Two Kings Casino Resort off Interstate 85 in Kings Mountain, tribal leaders have said.
- NewsKFSN – Fresno
Clovis police searching for shooting suspect
Clovis police are searching for 36-year-old Troy Clowers, who they say shot his sister's girlfriend at her Harlan Ranch home during an argument on Thursday night.
U.S.The New York TimesWhy Police Can Stop Motorists With Air Fresheners Hanging in Their Cars
In places where air fresheners have been treated as a primary offense, the traffic stops have faced legal challenges with various outcomes. On an April evening in 2008, Benjamin Garcia-Garcia was driving a minivan along Interstate 55 near Springfield, Illinois, when a state trooper who had been parked in the median moved onto the freeway and pulled him over. According to court records, the trooper claimed he had seen the pink air freshener hanging from Garcia-Garcia's mirror and believed it violated the state statute prohibiting objects that could obstruct the driver's view.
U.S.BBCHow George Floyd's death changed a small Iowa town
George Floyd's death, and the trial of Derek Chauvin, has shone a light on racial issues in small towns. The Iowa town seemed idyllic. The officer had gotten a call, and was told "someone who didn't look like they belonged in the neighbourhood was walking around the house", Nave recalls.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderLauren Boebert says adding Supreme Court judges is an 'act of political terrorism'
Rep. Lauren Boebert said adding Supreme Court justices was "political terrorism." The Republican lawmaker criticized a move by House Democrats to add four judges to the bench. This comes weeks after she tweeted her support of guns right after the King Soopers mass shooting.
CelebrityThe TelegraphPrince Philip's close friend Countess Mountbatten attends funeral on behalf of ill husband
They became so close during the course of their nearly 30-year friendship that she was known as “and also” on account of her name always appearing on the Duke of Edinburgh's guest list. So it was hardly a surprise when the Countess Mountbatten of Burma was included in the 30-strong congregation for Prince Philip's funeral, handpicked by the Queen. Also known as Penny Knatchbull, later Lady Romsey and Lady Brabourne, the 68-year-old mother of three was the Duke's carriage driving partner and one of his closest confidantes.
U.S.The IndependentNorth Carolina teacher killed in shoot-out after trying to rob Mexican drug cartel
A North Carolina teacher was killed during an “old Western shootout” when he and his brother-in-law tried to rob members of a Mexican drug cartel. Barney Harris, 40, was found dead inside a mobile home that authorities say was a stash house for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the state. Police say that Mr Harris and Steven Alexander Stewart had entered a mobile in Alamance County to wait for cartel member Alonso Beltran Lara to arrive so they could rob him of drugs and cash.
ScienceBBCNasa chooses SpaceX to build Moon lander
Nasa has chosen Elon Musk's company SpaceX to build a lander that will return humans to the Moon this decade. This vehicle will carry the next man and the first woman down to the lunar surface under the space agency's Artemis programme. The lander is based on SpaceX's Starship craft, which is being tested at a site in southern Texas.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderTrump rape accuser adds to former president's legal woes by asking court to keep defamation lawsuit alive
In 2020, E. Jean Carroll published an account accusing Trump of raping her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. The former Elle columnist sued Trump for defamation after he made comments denying sexually assaulting her. A judge ruled that Trump was not acting in a presidential capacity when he made the comments.
“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.”