WorldYahoo NewsBiden response to Khashoggi investigation 'shocking,' U.N. official says
The United Nations official who investigated the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi sharply criticized President Biden's response to the killing, saying his administration's failure to sanction Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a “dangerous” message to world leaders that they could kill dissidents and journalists with impunity. I found it to be shocking,” Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur for extrajudicial killings, said in a Wednesday interview with Yahoo News. I thought Joe Biden had made a commitment during his campaign regarding truth telling and accountability, so I was expecting certainly more.
WorldAssociated Press4 Hong Kong activists given bail as prosecutors drop appeal
Four of 47 pro-democracy activists charged under Hong Kong's tough national security law were released on bail Friday after prosecutors dropped an appeal of an earlier court decision. The 47 activists were charged Sunday with conspiracy to commit subversion under the security law over their involvement in an unofficial primary election last year, which authorities say was a plot to subvert state power and paralyze the government. The four activists — Clarisse Yeung, Lawrence Lau, Hendrick Lui and Mike Lam — appeared in court on Friday prior to being released.
WorldReutersChina says will deter Taiwan independence but seek peaceful ties
China will resolutely deter any separatist activity seeking Taiwan's independence but is committed to promoting the peaceful growth of relations across the Taiwan Strait and China's "reunification", Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday. China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has increased its military activity near the island in recent months, responding to what it calls "collusion" between Taipei and Washington, Taiwan's main international backer and arms supplier. Speaking at the opening of the annual meeting of China's parliament, Li said Beijing stands by the "one China" principle, which states that Taiwan is part of China.
U.S.The WeekDetroit's mayor rejected a shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Experts say that's nuts.
Experts feared the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's slightly lower efficacy rate would lead to an impression of a two-tiered system. That has been exactly the case in Detroit, where the mayor just rejected a shipment of the company's vaccine. CNN reports that Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D) declined an allocation of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine this week, saying the other available vaccines are better.
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Official: Israel upgrading contingency plans for Iran attack
Israel's defense minister said his country is upgrading contingency plans to strike Iranian targets if Tehran shows signs of nuclear escalation, the latest sign of rising tensions between the two archenemies. Benny Gantz told the American cable network Fox News that Israel is still working on its plans, but that “we have them in our hands of course. His comments came as President Joe Biden considers re-joining a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers to limit Iran's nuclear program, with some changes to toughen curbs on Tehran's activities.
WorldReutersChina's parliament to delay Hong Kong legislative vote, overhaul electoral system
Elections for Hong Kong's legislature will likely be deferred for a second year to September 2022 as Beijing plans a major overhaul of the city's electoral system, a severe blow to remaining hopes of democracy in the global financial hub. The delay, which the South China Morning Post and other local media reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources, would be in line with a new effort by Beijing to ensure "patriots" are in charge of all public institutions in the former British colony. The National People's Congress, China's rubber-stamp parliament, will pass the changes at its annual session which opened on Friday and will last a week.
BusinessThe TelegraphRishi Sunak leaves door open to future stealth tax raid as National Insurance pledge left out of Budget
Rishi Sunak has left the door open to another stealth tax raid after a Conservative manifesto commitment to raise the national insurance contributions (NICS) threshold to £12,500 was left out of the Budget. On Wednesday the Chancellor confirmed that personal allowances on income tax, pensions, inheritance tax and capital gains tax would be frozen until 2026, netting the Treasury an additional £21bn as more people are dragged into higher tax rates over time. However, in the Budget Red Book, he has also kept open the option to change a number of NICs thresholds at future budgets, handing the Exchequer the ability to raise billions of pounds in additional revenues if required.
U.S.Associated PressTeacher vaccinations go untracked amid school reopening push
The national rush to vaccinate teachers in hopes of soon reopening pandemic-shuttered schools is running into one basic problem: Almost no one knows how many are getting the shots, or refusing to get them. States and many districts have not been keeping track of school employee vaccinations, even as the U.S. prioritizes teachers nationwide. Vaccines are not required for educators to return to school buildings, but the absence of data complicates efforts to address parents' concerns about health risk levels and some teachers unions' calls for widespread vaccinations as a condition of reopening schools.
PoliticsThe WeekFBI: Trump appointee arrested in connection with Capitol riot
Federico Klein, a former State Department aide who worked on former President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, was arrested Thursday on charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the FBI announced Thursday night. This is the first known instance of a Trump appointee facing prosecution in connection with the attack, Politico reports. An FBI Washington Field Office spokeswoman told Politico that Klein, 42, was taken into custody in Virginia, but did not release any information on the charges against him.
WorldReutersExclusive: Oxford study indicates AstraZeneca effective against Brazil variant, source says
Preliminary data from a study conducted at the University of Oxford indicates that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca PLC is effective against the P1, or Brazilian, variant, a source with knowledge of the study told Reuters on Friday. The data indicates that the vaccine will not need to be modified in order to protect against the variant, which is believed to have originated in the Amazonian city of Manaus, said the source, who requested anonymity as the results have not yet been made public. The source did not provide the exact efficacy of the vaccine against the variant.
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California serial killer dubbed the 'I-5 Strangler' was strangled, autopsy says
A California serial killer who authorities say strangled and raped at least seven women was fatally choked himself in a state prison, officials said Wednesday.
WorldAssociated PressAnger in Lebanon as currency, prices spiral out of control
Protesters in Lebanon burned tires and closed several major roads on Thursday as the severe economic crisis gripping the country continued to spiral out of control with no progress on the formation of a new Cabinet. In a new low, a fistfight broke out inside a supermarket in Beirut, apparently over the purchase of subsidized powdered milk. The Beirut supermarket issued a statement later saying the fistfight broke out when a shopper attacked a branch manager who told him he cannot buy large amounts of subsidized milk and oil without considering the restrictions.
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden news: White House defends ‘Neanderthal’ slur of GOP states, as Trump shifts blame for Senate loss
The White House defended Joe Biden accusing Texas and Mississippi of having "Neanderthal thinking", saying he was talking about their "behaviour" and not calling them actual Neanderthals. It comes as Donald Trump tried to shift the blame for the Senate race defeats in Georgia, saying Mitch McConnell only offering $600 stimulus checks led to the defeats of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. On the US Mexico border, child migrants detained by authorities have increased 583 per cent under Joe Biden, according to internal documents from the Department of Health and Human services reported by Axios.
WorldReutersTravel industry bets on vaccine passports to draw Brits to the Mediterranean
The race to roll out vaccination passports is spurring competition among travel companies and tourist destinations for the large number of Britons set to receive COVID-19 shots before the summer. Thanks to its swift vaccine deployment https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps, Britain is the only major European country likely to inoculate a large share of working-age adults by the peak season. Airlines such as easyJet saw outbound bookings from Britain surge last week as the government raised the prospect of a return to quarantine-free summer travel, and the European Union agreed to develop vaccine passports under pressure from tourism-dependent southern countries.
WorldReutersHungary PM says Fidesz in talks with Italian, Polish parties on new European Parliament grouping
Hungary's ruling Fidesz party is in talks with conservative political forces including Italian populist Matteo Salvini as it seeks a new group in the European Parliament, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told radio on Friday. On Wednesday, Orban's Fidesz left the largest centre-right political group in the parliament after the faction moved towards suspending it in a tug-of-war over Orban's democratic record. Nationalist Orban said that in the wake of Wednesday's departure from the European People's Party group, there have been talks with political allies in Poland, without naming the party.
PoliticsAssociated PressHouse impeachment manager sues Trump, allies over riot
Rep. Eric Swalwell, who served as a House manager in Donald Trump's last impeachment trial, filed a lawsuit Friday against the former president, his son, lawyer and a Republican congressman whose actions he charges led to January's insurrection. The California Democrat's suit, filed in federal court in Washington, alleges a conspiracy to violate civil rights, along with negligence, inciting a riot and inflicting emotional distress. It follows a similar suit filed by Rep. Bennie Thompson last month in an attempt to hold the former president accountable in some way for his actions Jan. 6, following his Senate acquittal.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 29 Best Bar Carts Under $500
Guaranteed to look great in your Zoom happy hours Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
PoliticsBusiness InsiderFederal investigators are zeroing in on potential communications between lawmakers and Capitol mob in lead-up to the insurrection
Federal investigators are deepening their investigation into the January 6 riot, according to CNN. Feds are said to be looking at potential connections between lawmakers and riot suspects. If connections are established, lawmakers and staff may have to turn over personal communications.
U.S.Associated PressSupreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivers 1st opinion
Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered her first Supreme Court majority opinion Thursday, ruling against an environmental group that had sought access to government records. President Donald Trump's third nominee wrote for a 7-2 court that certain draft documents do not have to be disclosed under the federal Freedom of Information Act. The case was the first one Barrett heard after joining the court in late October, and it took four months for the 11-page opinion to be released.
LifestyleINSIDERStop using the phrase 'womxn' to be trans-inclusive. It can be offensive to trans women and non-binary people.
The problem is that using "womxn" to refer specifically to trans women and non-binary people does more to exclude and single out trans people than it does to include them. Womxn implies trans women aren't real women and non-binary people are women, so it's best to avoid using it if you want to make a space safe for trans people. Why people started re-spelling 'women' Re-spellings of "women" became popular in the 1970s.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBiden supports Congress scrapping post-9/11 laws that led to 'forever wars'
Biden to work with Congress to repeal post-9/11 laws that gave presidents a blank check to wage war. The White House said they aim to replace the laws with a "narrow" framework that protects the US. There's been growing bipartisan support in Congress to rein in presidential war powers.
PoliticsThe Daily BeastJeanine Pirro Accuses Immigrants of Bringing ‘All Kinds of Diseases’ Into U.S.
During a shouting match with Geraldo Rivera on Fox News on Thursday night, Judge Jeanine Pirro went on a tirade that was shocking in its blatant racism—even for her. “We've got people being released at the border right now who've got COVID,” Pirro screamed at Rivera, who was attempting to push back on her argument. The host's comments were reminiscent of ones made by Fox News' Tucker Carlson that set off a major firestorm and advertiser boycott in late 2018.
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Civil war within the GOP continues as Trump fires back at strategist Karl Rove
Former President Donald Trump intensified his war with the Republican establishment on Thursday by attacking Karl Rove, a longtime Republican strategist who criticized Trump's first speech since leaving office for being long on grievances but short on vision.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderRudy Giuliani, who helped lead Trump's bogus election-fraud conspiracy theory, is being mocked after warning of the dangers of misinformation
Rudy Giuliani warned of "the dire consequences of misinformation on social media." Giuliani has long promoted right-wing misinformation on social media. Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's former personal attorney, was pilloried on Wednesday after he warned in a podcast of the dangers of online misinformation.
SportsAssociated PressRacing in 36th America's Cup cleared to begin next week
Racing in the 36th match for sailing's America Cup between defender Team New Zealand and Italian challenger Luna Rossa will begin next Wednesday after the relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown regulations in host city Auckland. The Cup Match was due to begin Saturday but was pushed back to Wednesday when Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, moved to alert level 3 after a small community outbreak. The outbreak is now thought contained and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced Auckland will move to alert level 2 from Sunday.
“Taking humans to Mars would require an investment astronomically out of kilter with the possible benefits.”
“Can a Mars settlement be a freer society than we enjoy on Earth? Maybe.”
“What we learn...may spark the next revolution that will make life in 2071 beyond anything we can imagine right now.”
“Our presence on Mars could jeopardize one of our main reasons for being there — the search for life.”
“The future of geologic investigation of other worlds lies with highly improved versions of our Mars rovers.”