Satellite 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.

China 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.

Eric Swalwell sues Trump and allies for violating civil rights with Jan. 6 incitement

A Democratic congressman filed a lawsuit against former President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) on Thursday alleging that they and others are "responsible for the injury and destruction" of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Why it matters: The federal lawsuit filed on behalf of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who served as one of the House's impeachment managers, adds to the mounting legal exposure Trump has found himself facing since leaving office. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) was the first lawmaker to sue Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 riot, accusing the former president in a suit brought by the NAACP of violating the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act by trying to prevent Congress from carrying out its official duties.

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  Rep. Swalwell Sues Trump Over Civil Rights Violations In Capitol Riot

  HuffPost
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  House impeachment manager sues Trump, allies over riot

  Associated Press

Here’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.

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  Gov. Abbott, where’s the evidence that it’s safe to remove Texas’ mask mandate?

  Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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  Texas Is Lifting Its Covid-19 Mask Mandate. But Some Restauranteurs Are Keeping Them On.

  Robb Report

Brexiteer 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.

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  Nigel Farage ‘quits politics’ after resigning as Reform UK party leader

  The Independent
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  Exclusive: Nigel Farage quits politics - and this time he means it

  The Telegraph

Another 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.

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  Two More Former Aides Allege Uncomfortable Encounters With Andrew Cuomo

  HuffPost
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  Embattled Gov. Cuomo faces questions over scandals

  Associated Press Videos

A 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.

Israeli 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.

Who 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.

'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.

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  ‘I will not step one foot out of line’: 18-year-old charged in Capitol riot begs for release

  The Independent
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  Former Trump aide charged with beating a police officer with riot shield during siege of Capitol

  The Telegraph

Senate 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.

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  Senate passes Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package including $1,400 stimulus checks

  Yahoo Money
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  The $15 Minimum Wage Is Officially Dead In Democrats' COVID-19 Relief Bill

  HuffPost

A 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.

The 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

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's thumbs-down on minimum wage vote reminds some of John McCain

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat, sided with Republicans and seven other senators from her party to vote down a minimum wage increase amendment to President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. It was the way she did it that drew condemnation on social media and some comparisons to the late John McCain. Sinema stood on the Senate floor and flashed a thumbs down when her name was called to vote.

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  Sinema Slammed For Exaggerated Thumbs-Down On $15 Minimum Wage

  HuffPost
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  Senate begins vote on $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill

  Yahoo Finance Video

MSNBC host and former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough says there's 'no doubt' that the GOP is 'unsavable'

Joe Scarborough said on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" that the Republican Party was "unsavable." Scarborough, who served in the US House as a Republican, now identifies as an independent. "What issues does this guy share with conservatives?" Scarborough said of former President Trump.

NYC 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.

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  After a TikToker found a secret apartment behind her mirror, another person with the same bathroom started posting

  INSIDER
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  A TikTok user discovered an abandoned secret apartment behind her bathroom mirror

  INSIDER

A judge questioned the 'QAnon Shaman' about his '60 Minutes+' interview that was billed to the jail as a call with his lawyer

A federal judge questioned the "QAnon Shaman" and his lawyer over a "60 Minutes+" interview. The judge asked whether the lawyer attempted "subterfuge" in arranging the interview. A federal judge on Friday questioned the self-described "QAnon Shaman" and his lawyer following his appearance this week on 60 Minutes+, pressing them about whether they went through the necessary channels to set up an interview.

Biden 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.

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  Senate passes Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package including $1,400 stimulus checks

  Yahoo Money
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  Sen. Sherrod Brown: $1,400 stimulus check ‘puts money in pockets’ so get it done fast

  Yahoo Finance

'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.

Johnson & 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.

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  Johnson & Johnson vaccines come with messages of hope

  CBS News Videos
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  Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine helping vaccinate rural America

  CBS News Videos

Kayleigh 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.

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  Kayleigh McEnany: Donald Trump Finds It 'Kind Of Freeing' Being Off Twitter

  HuffPost
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  Kayleigh McEnany said Trump finds it 'kind of freeing' to be off Twitter since he was banned

  Business Insider

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman said a security guard followed her and told her she 'looked suspicious' when entering her own building

Amanda Gorman became an international sensation in January after performing at the Inauguration. Amanda Gorman said Friday that a security guard followed her home because he thought she looked "suspicious." The 22-year-old poet, who lives in Los Angeles, said she showed him her keys and buzzed herself into her building, prompting the security guard to leave without apologizing to her.

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  Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman Says She Was Racially Profiled Outside Her Home

  HuffPost
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  Amanda Gorman says she was racially profiled near her home

  Associated Press

More 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.

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  Breaking down how the pandemic has hurt working women

  Yahoo Finance Video
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  AP-NORC poll: Americans largely back Biden's virus response

  Associated Press