U.S.The TelegraphMembers of religious cult in court after 'corpse of leader found decorated with Christmas lights'
Seven members of a religious cult who authorities say kept the mummified remains of their leader at a home in a remote Colorado town festooned with Christmas lights and glitter made an initial court appearance on Wednesday. The four men and three women (Ryan Kramer, Christopher Royer, Sarah Rudolph, Karin Raymond, Jason Castillo, John Robertson and Obdulia Franco, ranging in age from 30 to 52 years old, are each charged with one count of abusing of a corpse and two counts of misdemeanour child abuse. The child abuse charges stem from two children who were living in the house where the body was found.
PoliticsAxios"Greatest tool in the Democrats' arsenal": Pollster says Trump may cost GOP the House in 2022
Former Republican pollster Frank Luntz tells Kara Swisher on her New York Times podcast "Sway" that Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election "could cost the Republicans the majority in the House in 2022." Why it matters: The former president is still the most popular figure in the Republican Party, but his baseless claims about the election have alienated moderates and key GOP leaders — including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). Luntz: "More than two-thirds of Republicans believe that the election was stolen."
WorldReutersFormer Ugandan rebel commander Ongwen sentenced to 25 years in prison
AMSTERDAM/KAMPALA (Reuters) -The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday sentenced a former Ugandan child soldier who became a commander of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to 25 years in prison for crimes including rape, sexual enslavement, child abduction, torture and murder. Dominic Ongwen, who was taken into ICC custody in 2015, was convicted in February of 61 out of 70 alleged crimes. Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt said the panel had considered sentencing Ongwen to life imprisonment, the court's harshest punishment, but decided against it due to his own suffering.
HealthThe WeekMore studies show Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines protect against worrisome variants
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is extremely effective against two dangerous variants of the coronavirus, the B.1.1.7 strain first found in the United Kingdom and the B.1.351 variant discovered in South Africa, researchers reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet. Moderna also reported Wednesday that, according to early results from its booster shot trial, a third dose of its vaccine given six to eight months after the first two doses boosted antibodies to protect against the South African B.1.351 variant and other worrisome strain found in Brazil. Moderna is testing its original vaccine and a version modified to target the B.1.351 variant.
PoliticsBBCChild migrants: Massive drop in children held by border officials
The number of unaccompanied migrant children being kept in cramped government-detention facilities on the US southern border with Mexico has fallen sharply, after a 20-year high influx of border crossings led to overcrowding. The massive influx of children left US immigration officials scrambling earlier this year for facilities to house the children. The number of children being held in by US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) has dropped 88% between late March and late April, according to government officials.
U.S.NBC NewsHusband of Colorado woman, missing for nearly a year, arrested on murder charge
The husband of a Colorado woman missing for nearly a year has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, according to the Chaffee County sheriff. Barry Morphew was arrested without incident Wednesday morning, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze said at a news conference Wednesday. "Today is not the day for celebration, nor does it mark the end of this investigation.
U.S.Kansas City Star‘My soul left my body.’ Shark startles 6-year-old playing in surf, Hawaii video shows
An ordinary day at the beach turned into terror Sunday for a 6-year-old Hawaii girl who spotted a shark beside her in the surf. Sheri Gouveia was shooting a video of her daughter playing in the ocean at Kalama Beach on Oahu at the time, Hawaii News Now reported. Gouveia told Hawaii News Now her daughter has “angels to keep her safe.”
U.S.Los Angeles Times OpinionOpinion: A bear walked into a news conference. That should not have happened
So, a Kodiak bear walked into a politician's campaign news conference in Sacramento on Tuesday, and I don't know whom to pity more — the bear or the politician. I'll go with the bear. Tag, as the 9-year-old bear is called, had no choice but to be rented out for the kickoff of Republican John Cox's longshot bid to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom should the recall campaign succeed.
PoliticsArchitectural DigestHouse Call: What Do Your Water Glasses Say About You?
A selection of drinkware to make the best first impression Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
WorldThe GuardianIndia is hiding its Covid crisis – and the whole world will suffer for it
A few years ago, as Narendra Modi came into power, I worked on an investigative report about India hiding its malaria deaths. In traveling from tribal Odisha to the Indian national health ministry in New Delhi, my colleague and I watched thousands of cases disappear: some malaria deaths, first noted in handwritten local health ledgers, never appeared in central government reports; other malaria deaths were magically transformed into deaths of heart attack or fever. The discrepancy was massive: India reported 561 malaria deaths that year.
WorldThe Telegraph'Depressed' MH370 pilot made ‘series of deliberate turns and speed changes’ to avoid radar detection
The pilot of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 made a series of deliberate turns and speed changes to avoid radar detection before plunging into the Indian Ocean, new research suggests. The plane took an unexplained U-turn from its planned flight path and headed back across the Malay Peninsula and the Malacca Strait before vanishing. Mr Godfrey said the plane's final movements could be mapped out using data from Weak Signal Propagation (WSPR), a global network of radio signals that can trace the movement of planes as they cross signals and set off invisible "electronic trip-wires".
- NewsCBS LA - KCBS
One Killed In Big-Rig Wreck On 210 Freeway In Fontana
At least one person was killed in a crash involving an overturned semi-truck in Fontana Wednesday morning.
BusinessBBCPeloton recalls treadmills after child's death
Peloton has recalled treadmills in the US and UK over a series of safety issues following investigations by a US watchdog. In the US, 125,000 Tread and Tread+ machines are being recalled after the death of a six-year-old child. The watchdog said they could cause injury or death to adults, children and pets if they get pulled underneath.
U.S.Associated PressEx-49ers player Hayne to spend nearly 4 years in jail
Jarryd Hayne, a rugby league star who also played briefly in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, has been sentenced to at least three years and eight months in jail for the sexual assault of a woman in 2018. Hayne was found guilty in March of two counts of sexual assault. A judge ruled on Thursday that Hayne should be jailed for five years, nine months with a non-parole period of three years and eight months.
ScienceBBCJeff Bezos sets date for space sightseeing flight
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos is now ready to take people into space. The US entrepreneur's Blue Origin company says it will launch a crew aboard its New Shepard rocket and capsule system on 20 July. The astronauts are likely to include company personnel, but one seat is being auctioned online.
PoliticsThe IndependentDC police officer slams ‘disgraceful’ political indifference in wake of 6 January Capitol riot
It has barely been four months since a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol and tried to overturn the election results, but a “disgraceful” feeling of political “indifference” to what happened that day has set in, according to an emotional letter a Washington DC police officer sent members of Congress on Wednesday. “As the physical injuries gradually subsided in crept the psychological trauma,” wrote officer Michael Fanone, who has served with the Metro police for nearly two decades. During the 6 January riots, five people were killed and more than 100 officers were injured, the culmination of weeks of baseless conspiracy theories about a stolen election spread by Mr Trump and adopted by his Republican allies in Congress.
LifestyleIdaho StatesmanBoise chain to open 5th, 6th, 7th restaurants. Expansion goal? 50. ‘People are loving us.’
Paddles Up Poke owner Daniel Landucci raised eyebrows when he revealed his expansion hopes last year. Adding to four Treasure Valley locations — two launched during the pandemic — Landucci plans to open two more in Boise and one in Caldwell. Serving customizable rice bowls filled with chunks of marinated raw fish, the rafting-themed chain has been embraced in the Boise area.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderA GOP-backed auditing group in Maricopa County is burrowing through ballots in search of bamboo fibers and Chinese paper to prove a far-fetched theory votes were flown in from Asia
Workers at the Maricopa County recount are investigating an absurd theory that 40,000 Biden ballots were smuggled in from Asia. The recount is partially funded by a lobbyist group, which raised over $1.5 million for the effort. The Maricopa County vote recount has taken a surprising turn, with UV lights and high-tech cameras being deployed as workers comb through ballots, checking for traces of bamboo fibers in the paper.
U.S.The IndependentMaryland woman accused of setting home on fire and watching it burn from a lawn chair
Police in Elkton, Maryland, have accused a woman of setting her house on fire while someone was still inside and sitting in a deckchair to watch it burn. Witnesses said Gail Metwally, 47, of Elkton in Cecil County allegedly set “multiple” fires in a home last month and then sat on a chair on the front lawn and “watched the fire engulf the home”, the Office of the State Fire Marshal said. As the house was enveloped in flames local residents heard a woman in the basement shouting for help and managed to help her from the blaze through the house's window, officials said.
U.S.The StateUSC promises transparency but will begin charging to release public records
After being sued at least twice in recent years for withholding public records, the University of South Carolina says it will now charge to gather, review and release public documents. The university will charge $25 per hour to search and retrieve records, unless the requested documents include emails or texts, in which case USC will charge $40 per hour. It will cost $20 per hour to redact records and $.10 per page to print the documents, according to USC's website.
U.S.Business InsiderEddie Gallagher says he and other Navy SEALs used a dying enemy fighter for medical practice with no intention of saving him
Eddie Gallagher said he and other SEALs practiced medical procedures on a prisoner of war. Retired Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was found not guilty of murder in a high-profile war-crimes trial nearly two years ago, said in a podcast that aired Tuesday that he and his team practiced various medical procedures on an enemy combatant until he died, with no intention of saving him. After the trial, President Donald Trump restored Gallagher's rank and personally intervened when the Navy attempted to take away Gallagher's SEAL trident.
U.S.USA TODAY'My heart breaks for our student': 4 people killed after small plane crashed into Mississippi home
A ssmall plane crashed into a Mississippi home, killing one of the home's four occupants and three Texas residents who were flying to a university graduation ceremony, authorities said Wednesday. Gerry Standley, 55, was a resident of the home where the plane crashed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Also killed were the pilot, 67-year-old Louis Provenza, 23-year-old Anna Calhoun and 2-year-old Harper Provenza, according to Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict.
PoliticsThe IndependentAOC uses ‘ogre’ emojis to troll Cruz over Trump meeting: ‘Nothing like reminiscing about attempted coups’
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has clearly still not forgiven Senator Ted Cruz for backing Donald Trump's attempts to fraudulently overturn the 2020 election and the Capitol riot that resulted from those efforts. On Wednesday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at Mr Cruz after he posted a photo of himself dining with Mr Trump. "Had a great dinner tonight with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago," Mr Cruz tweeted.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBiden launches a fiery defense of his tax hikes: 'This is about making the average multimillionaire pay just a fair share'
In a Wednesday address, President Joe Biden gave an impassioned defense of his proposed tax hikes. While answering questions after a Wednesday address on the impact of the American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden doubled down on his tax proposals and the need for wealthier Americans and corporations to pay their fair share - and took aim at prior Republican tax cuts. "My Republican friends had no problem voting to pass a tax proposal - it expires in 2025 - that costs $2 trillion," Biden said, adding that none of that was paid for.
U.S.The IndependentBiden vows to prioritise issue of murdered or missing Native American women and girls
Joe Biden has vowed to prioritise the growing issue of murdered or missing Native American women and girls in his latest presidential proclamation. Released one day before Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day on 5 May, it vows to address the problem of thousands of Native American women being kidnapped or murdered throughout the United States. "Our failure to allocate the necessary resources and muster the necessary commitment to addressing and preventing this ongoing tragedy not only demeans the dignity and humanity of each person who goes missing or is murdered, it sends pain and shockwaves across our Tribal communities," Mr Biden said in his proclamation.
“Every college has a public health responsibility to require its students to be vaccinated.”
“While the vast majority of students will likely get the vaccine, schools should honor the decisions of the few who object.”
“A vaccinated campus could be the step toward normality that college leaders are seeking.”
“College students are mobile and spread COVID-19 with them whenever they travel.”
“There almost certainly are going to be legal challenges because the anti-vaccine movement is already preparing for them.”