U.S.Yahoo NewsA deadly storm on top of a pandemic devastates vulnerable Texans: 'We've been living in a nightmare'
Just as José Loera and his family were beginning to assess the damage to his mother's home in Houston — a caved-in roof, a living room ruined by burst pipes, flooding throughout the house — the family received more devastating news. Loera's father, José Emilio, who had already been in the hospital for three weeks recovering from COVID-19 when last week's devastating winter storm hit Texas, had lost the ability to breathe on his own. “We got hit pretty hard, not only the winter storm that affected my mom's household but also with my dad,” Loera, 28, told Yahoo News on Monday.
- WorldAssociated Press
China says Iran nuclear issue at 'critical point'
Developments surrounding Iran's nuclear program are at a “critical point” and lifting sanctions on the country is key to breaking the deadlock, China's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's comments came a day after Iran officially began restricting international inspections of its nuclear facilities in a bid to pressure European countries and the U.S. into lifting crippling economic sanctions and restoring the 2015 nuclear deal. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, China is a party to the agreement known as the JCPOA, while also maintaining friendly relations and close economic ties with Tehran.
BusinessReutersU.S. audit report cites 'weaknesses' in FAA certification of Boeing 737 MAX
The U.S. Transportation Department's inspector general faulted "weaknesses" in U.S. government certification of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that was grounded for 20 months after two crashes killed 346 people, according to a report released Wednesday. The 63-page report said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not have a complete understanding of a Boeing Co safety system tied to both crashes and said "much work remains" to address outstanding issues. Boeing said it has "undertaken significant changes to reinforce our safety practices, and we have already made progress" on recommendations outlined in the report.
PoliticsNational ReviewRomney ‘Pretty Sure’ Trump Would Be Republican Nominee If He Runs in 2024
Senator Mitt Romney (R., Utah) said Tuesday that if former president Donald Trump were to run again in 2024 that he is “pretty sure” Trump would win the Republican nomination. “He has by far the largest voice and a big impact in my party,” Romney told the New York Times' DealBook. “I don't know if he's planning to run in 2024 or not, but if he does, I'm pretty sure he would win the nomination.”
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden 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".
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverMan cuts out woman’s heart, cooks it and tries to serve it to uncle, Oklahoma cops say
Disturbing details have emerged following the gruesome deaths of three people in an Oklahoma neighborhood. On Feb. 9, police received a 911 call from the Chickasha home of Leon Pye, 67, the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) said in a news release. Police busted through the door and found Pye and his 4-year-old granddaughter Kaeos Yates dead, the OSBI said.
U.S.Associated PressVilsack confirmed for 2nd stint as US agriculture secretary
The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary, his second run at the Cabinet post. The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same Department of Agriculture for former President Barack Obama's entire administration. “We're going to be a USDA that represents and serves all Americans,” Vilsack said after the vote.
U.S.The WeekCapitol Police leaders still haven't really explained why they were unprepared for the Jan. 6 siege
The top security officials at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 siege testified before the Senate on Tuesday about what went wrong before and during what they all agreed was a well-planned and coordinated armed insurrection by far-right extremists. Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, House sergeant-at-arms Paul Irving, and Senate sergeant-at-arms Michael Stenger "each sought to minimize their responsibility for the events on that violent and chaotic day," pointing instead to intelligence failures, The Washington Post reports. Sund, Iriving, and Stenger said they prepared for the pro-Trump demonstration their intelligence indicated was warranted, based partly on previous pro-Trump protests.
CelebrityThe IndependentWho 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.
WorldReutersVenezuela non-profit groups denounced harassment by Maduro government
Carlos Julio Rojas, 36, says he has been detained four times in the last five years for demanding that the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro improve basic services such as power and water in the capital. Rojas, who leads the non-profit group Front for Defense of Northern Caracas, last July spent 10 hours in a jail cell for joining a protest of retirees who were seeking better pensions. "There is legal intimidation ... or harassment by armed groups or state security forces that directly impede efforts to file complaints and to protest," Rojas said in an interview.
WorldAssociated PressSaudi Arabia says crown prince had 'successful' surgery
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman underwent a “successful surgery” to remove his appendix Wednesday, the royal court said, and he left the hospital soon after the operation. The 35-year-old prince had surgery for appendicitis at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Saudi capital of Riyadh in the morning, according to the royal court. Late Wednesday, Saudi state-run media published footage of the crown prince, surrounded by an entourage clad in traditional checkered headdresses, striding out of the fluorescent-lit hospital and into a waiting black Mercedes.
PoliticsThe IndependentAngry 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.
HealthReutersIn boost for COVID-19 battle, Pfizer vaccine found 94% effective in real world
The first big real-world study of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be independently reviewed shows the shot is highly effective at preventing COVID-19, in a potentially landmark moment for countries desperate to end lockdowns and reopen economies. Up until now, most data on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines has come under controlled conditions in clinical trials, leaving an element of uncertainty over how results would translate into the real world with its unpredictable variables. The research in Israel - two months into one of the world's fastest rollouts, providing a rich source of data - showed two doses of the Pfizer shot cut symptomatic COVID-19 cases by 94% across all age groups, and severe illnesses by nearly as much.
StyleArchitectural DigestThe Best Dishwasher Models, According to Interior Designers
The designer-approved dishwashers look good—and perform even better Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
- ScienceReuters Videos
Wild sheep freed from his own wool
This wild sheep had a much-needed shearing relieving him of over 78 lbs of fleece That's nearly half the weight of an adult kangaroo Baarack Location: Lancefield, Australia Rescuers say he used to have an owner but was found wandering in a forest Baarack is now settling in with other rescued sheep in a farm sanctuary
WorldAssociated PressAfghan peace talks resume, but path is anything but certain
With violence spiking, Afghanistan's warring sides have returned to the negotiation table, ending more than a month of delays amid hopes that the two sides can agree on a reduction of violence - and eventually, an outright ceasefire. Taliban spokesman Dr. Mohammad Naeem tweeted Monday night that talks had resumed in the Middle Eastern State of Qatar, where the insurgent movement maintains a political office. The priority for the Afghan government, Washington and NATO is a serious reduction in violence leading to a cease fire.
PoliticsThe IndependentAOC accuses Marjorie Taylor Greene of ‘trying to get out of work early’
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at Marjorie Taylor Greene on Wednesday, implying that the Georgia congresswoman was trying to take some undeserved time off. “You could just vote 'no' instead of trying to get out of work early,” the Democratic representative from New York tweeted at Ms Greene, a Republican who has praised the QAnon conspiracy and whose outrageous statements have seen her removed from committee positions. Rep Greene had earlier boasted on Twitter that she motioned to adjourn the House of Representatives rather than vote on the Equality Act, a bill that would ban discrimination in the United States based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
U.S.Business InsiderA judge dismissed claims by a Capitol riot suspect that he shouldn't be held responsible because Trump put him up to it
Lawyers for a suspected Capitol rioter have argued that he was merely following Trump's orders. "The American head of state directed a specific action," said lawyers for William Chrestman. The judge rejected the logic, asking if that would excuse murder if Trump instructed it.
HealthThe IndependentParents of child who died of Covid share the warning signs of the virus in kids
“It presents very differently [in children] than it does in adults, so it's hard to know what to look for,” Priscilla Morse told CNN. Gigi succumbed to the virus on August 4 last year in Tennessee. The Morses say Gigi seemed fine in the hours before she died, except for a few unusual ailments.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestNo 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
PoliticsThe Daily BeastPostmaster General Taunts Dems: You’re Stuck With Me for Good
Louis DeJoy had a defiant message on Wednesday for those craving to see him ousted as U.S. Postmaster General: “Get used to me. The comment came after Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) asked the embattled U.S. Postal Service chief how long he would remain as Postmaster General—“long time,” DeJoy spat back—during a Wednesday hearing in the House Oversight Committee. That exchange was indicative of the entire proceeding, which was frequently chippy, combative, and fueled by Democratic lawmakers' outrage over DeJoy's handling of the USPS at a time of worsening mail delays and difficult questions about the service's long-term viability.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump team denies he is refusing to share stage with Pence and insists they have spoken since Capitol riot
Donald Trump's senior adviser Jason Miller rubbished a report of the former president refusing to share a stage with Mike Pence at the conservative annual political conference in Florida and asserted that the two have talked after the riots at the US Capitol. Mr Miller hit out at the media on Tuesday, sharing an article from the conservative news website Washington Examiner which mentions a “feud” between Mr Trump and his former vice president. “This story is patently false, and these 'anonymously sourced' attacks designed to create division are why people distrust the media,” Mr Miller said.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGucci has reportedly extended its lease in the Trump Tower. Other companies, including Tiffany's, have pulled away from the former president.
Gucci has extended its lease in Trump Tower, where it's the biggest commercial tenant, the NYT reported. In 2020, the company extended its lease beyond 2026 and reduced its rent, sources told the publication. Gucci was paying $18.7 million in annual rent for the space in 2012, per an SEC filing.
PoliticsINSIDERThe White House has 132 rooms and its own restaurant. Here's what it's like inside Joe Biden's new home.
The six-story Executive Residence building is the White House's largest, consisting of two basement levels, a ground floor where building staff work, a state floor for events and receptions, and two floors where the first family lives and sleeps.
U.S.The Daily BeastTeen Accused of Killing Disabled Sister as Parents Slept
Claire Elaina Miller, 14, has been charged with homicide after calling authorities on Feb. 22 to admit she stabbed her older sister, 19-year-old Helen Miller, while her parents were asleep, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's office. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The Daily Beast, the Manheim Township Police Department arrived at the home just after 1 a.m. to find Miller, a ninth-grader at a local private school, standing in front of the house close to “what appeared to be blood on the snow near the driveway.”
“How about we skip ‘he won’t win’ cycle and not do 2016 all over again. Trump can absolutely win another presidential election.”
“With independents deserting him, there is simply no path for Trump to get back into the White House — except as a tourist.”
“They might as well cancel the 2024 primaries...because there is no way he can lose.”
“The next Republican presidential primary will be heavily shaped by Trump — whether or not he decides to run again.”
“Donald Trump will not be running for president again. He will, however, continue to tease the possibility of a 2024 run.”