PoliticsAxiosBiden says $1,400 stimulus payments can start going out this month
President Biden said Saturday that the Senate passage of his $1.9 trillion COVID relief package means the $1,400 direct payments for most Americans can begin going out later this month. Driving the news: The Senate voted 50-49 Saturday to approve the sweeping legislation. The House is expected to pass the Senate's version of the bill next week before it heads to Biden's desk for his signature.
PoliticsReutersU.S. blacklists Ukraine's Kolomoisky over alleged corruption
The U.S. State Department on Friday said it designated former Ukrainian public official Igor Kolomoisky as ineligible to enter the United States, accusing him of involvement in significant corruption during his time in office. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement accused Kolomoisky, once the governor of the province of Dnipropetrovsk, close to the border with Russia, of using his office as a governor for personal benefit. "While this designation is based on acts during his time in office, I also want to express concern about Kolomoyskyy's current and ongoing efforts to undermine Ukraine's democratic processes and institutions, which pose a serious threat to its future," Blinken said, using another spelling of the Ukrainian's name.
WorldAssociated PressSatellite photos show aftermath of strike in northern Syria
A suspected missile strike on an oil-loading facility used by Turkey-backed opposition forces in northern Syria appears to have sparked a massive fire across a large area where oil tankers are normally parked, satellite images show. Syrian opposition groups and at least one war monitor blamed Russia for the strike Friday night near the towns of Jarablus and al-Bab, near the border with Turkey. In a report, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, said Russian warships in the Mediterranean had fired three missiles that struck primitive oil refineries and tanker trucks in the region.
WorldReutersChina at least 30 years away from becoming manufacturing 'great power': former minister
China is at least 30 years away from becoming a manufacturing nation of "great power", a former industry minister said on Sunday, despite boasting the world's most complete industrial supply chains. In recent years, China has become the world's top manufacturing nation, accounting for over a third of global output, driven by domestic demand to produce everything from motor vehicles to industrial machinery. "Basic capabilities are still weak, core technologies are in the hands of others, and the risk of 'being hit in the throat' and having 'a slipped bike chain' has significantly increased," said Miao Wei, who was Minister of Industry and Information Technology for a decade before stepping down last year.
PoliticsBBCWho truly was the most dishonest president?
While it has never been established that Bush knew the incubators story he repeatedly told was unfounded, the White House is generally expected to verify claims made by the president - especially one so horrifying. American journalists failed to debunk the Nayirah testimony until after the war. The controversy was omitted from a recent admiring biography of Bush, and from glowing coverage of his presidency when he died in 2018.
WorldReutersBrexiteer Nigel Farage steps down as leader of Reform UK
Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said on Saturday he would step down as the leader of Reform UK, the rebranded Brexit Party he launched two years ago to campaign for what was commonly known as "no deal Brexit". Farage, who as leader of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP) applied pressure on the government to hold the 2016 EU referendum, said the Brexit Party had helped the Conservatives "come to their senses" and chose Boris Johnson as their leader with a pro-Brexit agenda. "The final outcome (of Brexit) has cut off Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK and treated our fisherman terribly, but we are out and there is no going back," he said in a statement.
U.S.Associated PressAnother ex-aide calls Cuomo's office conduct inappropriate
Another woman who worked for Gov. Andrew Cuomo is describing conduct she felt was inappropriate for the workplace. Ana Liss, 35, told The Wall Street Journal in a story published Saturday that when she worked as a policy aide to the governor between 2013 and 2015, Cuomo called her “sweetheart,” once kissed her hand and asked personal questions, including whether she had a boyfriend. Liss told the Journal she initially thought of Cuomo's behavior as harmless, but it grew to bother her.
PoliticsThe IndependentTed Cruz ‘traitor’ billboards go up in his Texas neighbourhood
The group took aim at Mr Cruz after he voted against the congressional certification of the electoral college votes despite the ransacking of the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on 6 January. In a 17 January statement, the group said that “Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley deserve the most blame for firing up the violent mob of Trump supporters that attacked the U.S Capitol and killed five people”. On the fundraising page for the billboard campaign, the group adds that “rioters who broke into the Senate were quoted as saying Cruz 'would want us to do this.
WorldReutersIndian farmers block highway outside Delhi to mark 100th day of protest
Indian farmers began gathering on Saturday to block a six-lane expressway outside New Delhi to mark the 100th day of protests against deregulation of agriculture markets, to add pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Farmers young and old headed in cars, trucks and tractors to the highway for a five-hour roadblock to oppose three farm laws enacted in September 2020 they say hurt them by opening up the agriculture sector to private players. Modi has called the laws much-needed reforms for the country's vast and antiquated agriculture sector, and painted the protests as politically motivated.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 7 Best Refrigerators on the Market, According to Kitchen Designers
Quality food preservation, storage space, and good-looking design are priorities among kitchen designers when it comes to refrigerators Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
- PoliticsYahoo News Video
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.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramHere’s why Gov. Abbott’s order on masks won’t make Texas the ‘Wild West’ of COVID-19
Last week, after Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley renewed the county mask order and told me he hoped he'd be in a position to lift it by July 4th, I doubted that many Texans would wait that long. Less than a week later, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the “re-opening of Texas” by lifting state capacity limits on businesses and the masking requirement, effective March 10. Whitley's move may have been in part because Abbott removed local authorities' ability to penalize mask or capacity-limit violators; however, Abbott's order allows local authorities' ability to impose some restrictions when the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients exceeds 15 percent of total hospital capacity.
TechnologyAFPIsraeli 5-minute battery charge aims to fire up electric cars
From flat battery to full charge in just five minutes -- an Israeli start-up has developed technology it says could eliminate the "range anxiety" associated with electric cars. Ultra-fast recharge specialists StoreDot have developed a first-generation lithium-ion battery that can rival the filling time of a standard car at the pump. "We are changing the entire experience of the driver, the problem of 'range anxiety'... that you might get stuck on the highway without energy," StoreDot founder Doron Myersdorf said.
U.S.INSIDERA Texas middle school student said he was forced to drink urine by teammates at a sleepover. His mom called the bullying racially motivated.
Florida police are investigating allegations of a student being bullied at a Texas middle school. In a viral video, Summer Smith posted on Facebook that other students forced her son to drink urine. Florida police are investigating allegations of a student being bullied at Haggard Middle School in Plano, Texas.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBiden says Americans will start receiving their $1,400 stimulus checks 'this month'
President Joe Biden vowed to start sending out stimulus checks "this month." Senate Democrats just passed Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package. Individuals earning up to $80,000 will receive $1,400 direct payments.
U.S.INSIDER'Lesson fully received': An 18-year-old charged in the Capitol riot says he was 'wrong' and begged a judge to release him
The youngest suspect charged in the Capitol riots wrote a letter begging a judge to release him. Bruno Joseph Cua, 18, previously boasted on Instagram of storming the Capitol and fighting inside. Bruno Joseph Cua, 18, faces a slew of federal charges related to the January 6 insurrection, including assault on a federal officer, engaging in physical violence, violent entry or disorderly conduct, and civil disorder.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderMore than 70 percent of Americans back Biden's pandemic response, but many are unhappy with the economy, poll finds
More than 70 percent are in support of President Biden's pandemic response, an AP poll has found. More than 70 percent of Americans approve of President Joe Biden's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll published by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research on Friday. Biden has been making the pandemic his focus since he was sworn into office two months ago and there are now some signs the numbers of COVID-19 deaths and cases are plateauing across the country.
CelebrityThe TelegraphMeghan, Duchess of Sussex 'called all the PR shots', say royal sources despite Oprah interview claims she was gagged
The Duchess of Sussex “called all the shots” when it came to managing her own media, royal sources have said, casting doubt on her claim she could not be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey three years ago. Multiple royal sources have told The Telegraph the 39-year-old former actress “had full control” over her media interviews and had personally forged relationships not only with Ms Winfrey, but other powerful industry figures including Vogue editor Edward Enninful. In a teaser clip released from the Sussexes's interview with the US chat show host, due to be aired in the US on Sunday, the Duchess said it felt “liberating” to be able to speak and accused the Royal family of effectively gagging her and taking away that choice.
U.S.NBC NewsNYC woman discovers empty apartment behind bathroom mirror
A woman in New York City went viral on TikTok Wednesday after posting a video series documenting her journey to discover a secret unoccupied apartment behind her bathroom mirror. In the first video of her four-part saga, Samantha Hartsoe said she was trying to find the source of cold air that was blowing into her Manhattan apartment. When she discovered that the air was coming from behind her bathroom mirror, Hartsoe said she removed it from the wall.
PoliticsCBS NewsJohnson & Johnson vaccines come with uplifting messages
President Joe Biden's promise, that 100 million Americans would be vaccinated in his first 100 days in office, is close to completion. At McKesson, the company distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the first shipments on Monday delivered hope and a message. Brown and the other supervisors, including Kristi Larson, signed the very first box.
U.S.INSIDERA Missouri pastor is reportedly seeking 'professional counseling' after he told women to lose weight and strive to be like Melania Trump for their husbands
Missouri pastor Stewart-Allen Clark in a February sermon encouraged women to stay slim for their husbands. Clark used first lady Melania Trump as an example during his sermon before warning, "don't let yourself go." Local outlet KCTV reported he has taken a leave of absence and is seeking counseling.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderSenate shatters record with longest vote in history as Democrats negotiated the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill
A Friday vote on Capitol Hill became the longest vote in the Senate's modern history. The vote on a Sanders-backed minimum wage amendment was held open for 11 hours and 50 minutes. The extended open vote was attributed to a Democratic scramble to get votes for future amendments.
U.S.USA TODAY'Let kids be kids': California considers bill requiring gender-neutral children's sections at large retailers
Retail stores in California may be required to become more gender-neutral under proposed legislation. State lawmakers are debating a new bill that would prohibit department stores with more than 500 employees from dividing products for children by gender. The restriction would ban separate areas and signage and mandate online retailers that have a physical location in the state use gender-neutral terms to label children's items in a section of their websites.
U.S.Business InsiderAmerica's oldest college debate society votes to strip Ted Cruz of a prestigious Princeton honor for public service
Princeton's American Whig-Cliosphic Society voted to strip Sen. Ted Cruz of a public service award. Cruz is facing criticism for his role in the insurrection on January 6 and an ill-timed Cancun trip. America's oldest collegiate debate society has voted to strip Sen. Ted Cruz of its highest honor, according to The Daily Princetonian.
PoliticsThe IndependentKayleigh McEnany mocked for claiming Trump finds Twitter ban ‘freeing’
Kayleigh McEnany was mocked for claiming that former President Donald Trump finds his permanent ban from Twitter "freeing". Ms McEnany was recently hired as a Fox News contributor and appeared on Fox Business Friday morning, telling host Stuart Varney that Mr Trump "said it was kind of freeing not to have Twitter," claiming that he's “doing just fine”. Her statement comes despite repeated releases of long fiery statements from the office of the former president which read quite a lot like some of his Twitter threads of yore, suggesting that he may not be all too happy about having to quit social media cold turkey.
“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.”