PoliticsNBC NewsRNC threatens Republicans will boycott 2024 presidential debates unless changes are made
The next presidential election is almost three and a half years away, and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is already warning that her party's nominee may not participate in debates. McDaniel told the Commission on Presidential Debates, which has staged debates since 1988, in a three-page letter that it “no longer provides the fair and impartial forum" that "the American people deserve.” The presidential debates became a contentious topic during the 2020 election.
U.S.NextSharkMan Who 'Specializes in Killing Asian People' Arrested After Assaulting Asian Cop in SF
A man who "specializes in killing Asian people" was arrested after attacking an Asian female police officer in San Francisco's Chinatown on Friday. What happened: The man came for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officer when she tried to detain him for his alleged claim. The incident, which was caught on surveillance video, occurred near Clay and Kearny Streets by Portsmouth Square just before 7 p.m.
HealthThe WeekCOVID-19 cases declined at 'virtually the same rate' after CDC mask guidance
Despite fears that the CDC's mask reversal could potentially lead to a COVID-19 spike, cases in the United States remain in decline. In the weeks since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated people mostly don't need to wear masks or socially distance anymore, new COVID-19 cases "have continued to decline at virtually the same rate as during the month before the" announcement, The New York Times' David Leonhardt wrote Wednesday. New COVID-19 cases have been down by almost 75 percent since the middle of April, the Times noted, and the seven-day average recently declined to less than 20,000 for the first time since March 2020.
WorldReutersU.S. agency not doing its job to halt tech to China's military -congressional report
The U.S. Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a U.S. congressional advisory report seen by Reuters. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, due to be published on Tuesday, said the Commerce Department had been slow to create a list of sensitive technology that should be scrutinized before export to China. The lag in developing the list of emerging and foundational technologies, as required by a 2018 law, may exacerbate national security risks, the report said.
U.S.NBC NewsRight-wing pastor gets Covid after saying vaccines were part of 'mass death campaign'
A right-wing Florida pastor was hospitalized with Covid-19, weeks after saying vaccination efforts were part of a "mass death campaign." Rick Wiles wrote Tuesday on TruNews.com, where he propagates homophobic, racist and other hateful conspiracy theories, that he had Covid-related pneumonia and difficulty breathing. At least three TruNews team members were also recovering from the virus, he wrote.
BusinessAssociated PressOPEC to boost oil output as economies recover, prices rise
The OPEC oil cartel and allied producing countries plan to restore 2.1 million barrels per day of crude production, balancing fears that COVID-19 outbreaks in some countries will sap demand against surging energy needs in recovering economies. Energy ministers made the decision during an online meeting Tuesday. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said recent market developments proved the agreement to gradually increase production, made in April and reconfirmed Tuesday, was “the right decision.
- WorldYahoo News Video
Wife of man in jail for killing alleged burglar at his business: ‘My heart is broken’
LaRue Bratcher, a 34-year-old Black Army veteran from Oklahoma, remains behind bars on a charge of first-degree murder more than a year after he shot and killed a white man for allegedly trying to break into his marijuana grow business. With his trial date delayed until later this year, Bratcher's family, friends and members of the Oklahoma City community are rallying behind him, saying the murder charge is unjust. I feel like this was an injustice for the simple fact that if the roles were reversed, if this was a white person inside the facility, he would not be in this situation,” Bratcher's wife, Vicky Bratcher, said.
- U.S.Raleigh News and Observer
Man shot stepfather in Wake County before 100 mph chase, arrest in Orange, sheriff says
A man was charged Wednesday with shooting his stepfather in Knightdale and then firing shots into an Orange County home before leading deputies on a 100 mph chase and a manhunt that ended with his arrest. Travis Dewayne Locklear, 36, was charged in Wake County with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, larceny of a motor vehicle, and discharging a weapon into occupied property, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Sheriff's officials have not said whether Locklear's stepfather received life-threatening injuries.
WorldCBS NewsBelarus activist stabs himself in neck on first day of trial
A Belarusian political activist stabbed himself in the neck on the first day of his trial Tuesday and was rushed to hospital, a rights group said. Following surgery, Stepan Latypov, 41, was returned to prison. Latypov rammed what appeared to be a pen into his neck as his trial got underway on several protest-related charges during a hearing seen by government critics as part of a sweeping crackdown on political opposition.
WorldReutersBitter pill: Lebanon's medical crisis set to get even worse
For Mira Hasbini, Lebanon's disastrous financial crisis came down to something very basic: surgeons couldn't find enough screws to fix her aged mother's broken bones. "Lebanon owes the pharmaceutical exporters around $600 million," Gebara said.
WorldArchitectural DigestNo Pets? No Problem. There's Decor For That
Everyday objects can be your animal companions too Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
U.S.The State9-year-old driving to California with younger sister crashes into semi, Utah cops say
A 9-year-old tried to drive to California for a vacation — with her little sister as a passenger, Utah police said. The 9-year-old got behind the wheel Wednesday until she ran into a semi truck, West Valley City Police told news outlets. The girl had sideswiped another car while driving on an on-ramp, KUTV reported.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramMan allowed to test ride a $6,374.73 bicycle, never came back, Southlake police say
A man asked REI employees if he could “test bike” a champagne-colored Cannondale Jekyll Carbon 129 bicycle. Authorities released a photograph of the suspect earlier this week taken from a business surveillance camera in hope that someone would recognize him and call police. Anyone with information should contact Southlake crime analyst Diana Smith at dsmith@cityofsouthlake.com or call 817-748-8915.
U.S.The Daily BeastLord Ashcroft’s Daughter-in-Law Moved to ‘Harsh’ Prison
The daughter-in-law of a politically influential British billionaire was marched out of a Belize jail—and past a shrine to the senior police officer she is accused of killing—for transfer to a prison known for its harsh conditions. Her face shadowed by a red hoodie, Jasmine Hartin concealed her shackled hands with a plastic bag as she was walked to a golf cart that would take her to a boat for the ride from San Pedro to Belize City—where she will appeal the decision to hold her without bail. Hartin, the wife of Lord Michael Ashcroft's youngest son, was charged Monday with manslaughter by negligence for last week's fatal shooting of Police Superintendent Henry Jemmott on a deserted pier.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderA new Senate ruling provides Democrats an opening to evade GOP filibusters and approve some bills themselves - but only in cases like an economic downturn
A new ruling from a top Senate official said there are limits to the number of times Democrats can embark on reconciliation in a given fiscal year. The parliamentarian ruling emphasizes that Democrats must argue there's a reason to start the process more than once in a year, such as in an economic recession. Biden is still negotiating with the GOP on his $4 trillion economic plans.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanAn Idaho farmer’s sheep kept dying. The culprit? Bald eagles nesting near his pasture
Eagle-related livestock deaths don't happen in large enough numbers to cause alarm, Snoddy said. Eagles are protected by multiple federal laws, including the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Penalties for killing a bald eagle can reach a maximum $100,000 fine and one year in prison for a first offense by an individual.
U.S.The Guardian‘Our society is totally nuts’: Fauci emails lift lid on life in eye of the Covid storm
As Anthony Fauci, the US's leading infectious diseases official, grappled with the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic last spring, he was pulled in many directions. Donald Trump's White House, which was downplaying the dangers, was demanding he portray the outbreak on their terms; the media was hungry for answers; and Fauci's email inbox was constantly full with officials, the public and celebrities offering advice and seeking information about the world's deadliest health crisis for a century. Insight into the pressure that was heaped upon Fauci, the head of the national institute for allergy and infectious diseases, comes from thousands of pages of his communication records obtained by the Washington Post and the BuzzFeed news site, separately, and published on Tuesday.
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverClergy rallies in Raleigh and 6 other NC cities to seek justice in Andrew Brown death
Church and civil rights activists held seven rallies across North Carolina Tuesday afternoon, calling for “spiritual warfare” as they seek justice and answers in Andrew Brown Jr.'s fatal shooting. In Raleigh, the clergy pressed for a special prosecutor to handle the case in Elizabeth City, noting that Pasquotank County District Attorney Andrew Womble is too close to deputies who shot Brown, working out of the same building and collaborating daily. They also continued to push for the full body-camera videos to be released to the public, arguing that the snippets shown so far contradict Womble on Brown's death being “justified.
PoliticsThe IndependentBernie Sanders renews call for action on voting rights bill after Texas legislature drama
Senator Bernie Sanders called for the Senate to pass S. 1, a landmark piece of voting rights legislation, on Tuesday while celebrating a walkout by members of the Texas state legislature that resulted in a GOP-led elections bill to be defeated. If passed, S. 1, commonly known as the “For The People Act”, would institute a number of nationwide provisions including automatic voter registration and early voting, and would also restore voting rights for federal elections to Americans who are released from prison after felony convictions. Congratulations to Democrats in Texas for protecting democracy and the right to vote.
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverNC Gov. Cooper to hold press conference with update on COVID relief. How to watch.
Cooper will appear with members of the Coronavirus Task Force, including N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, and members of the N.C. Office of Resiliency and Recovery. Today's press conference will be the governor's first to be attended in-person by members of the media since the start of the pandemic, more than a year ago. At least 1,003,243 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 13,101 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
PoliticsTimeIf You're Shocked by Michael Flynn's Call for a Coup, You Haven't Been Paying Attention
Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynn's comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election.
SportsAxiosKentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed drug test confirmed
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed drug test was confirmed on Wednesday by a second sample requested by trainer Bob Baffert, the New York Times reports. Why it matters: Medina Spirit could become the second horse in Kentucky Derby history to be disqualified for a failed drug test, the Times notes. Details: Clark Brewster, the lawyer who represents the horse's owner, Amr Zedan, told the Times that a laboratory confirmed that the drug betamethasone had been found at a prohibited level in Medina Spirit's system after the race.
U.S.The GuardianBoaters rescue group hurling anti-gay abuse at them after their boat explodes
It could be viewed as a dramatic demonstration of the concept of karma: a group of young boaters hurling homophobic abuse towards another vessel flying gay pride flags, then needing to be rescued by their intended victims when their own boat explodes into a ball of flame. Sunday's incident on Washington state's Lake Moses occurred two days before the start of June, which is known as gay pride month because of demonstrations and celebrations centered on the annual pride parades in cities around the world to commemorate the Stonewall uprising for LGBTQ equal rights in New York in 1969. Video of last weekend's happenings has gone viral on TikTok, amassing more than 8m views and prompting an investigation by the Grant county sheriff, Tom Jones.
U.S.Kansas City StarWidows of 3 men killed in Johnson County train crash sue property owners at crossing
The widows of three men killed when a train collided with a Jeep last October in Johnson County are suing the owners of the property where the crash occurred, accusing them of “maintaining a dangerous condition” on the private land. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed last month in Johnson County District Court by Jo Anna Corbin, Christine Hamlin and Jessica Moroney, says the property owners failed to lock their gate and clear vegetation around the crossing. The wreck was reported at 6:37 p.m.
U.S.TimeIn Unanimous Ruling, SCOTUS Affirms Authority of Native American Tribal Governments and Police Forces
In a broad ruling reaffirming the sovereignty of Native American tribes, the U.S. Supreme Court declared unanimously on Tuesday that tribal police officers have the power to temporarily detain and search non-Native Americans on tribal land if they're suspected of violating state or federal law. The case, United States v. Cooley, involved a 2016 incident on the Crow Reservation in Montana where the defendant, Joshua James Cooley, was arrested after a Crow Police Department officer searched his vehicle and found weapons and methamphetamine. Cooley was later indicted by a federal grand jury on drug and gun charges, but submitted a motion to suppress the drug evidence arguing that the tribal police officer lacked the authority to detain and search him because he is not Native American.
“It may seem desperate at this point, but I can’t be mad at any and all efforts to get people vaccinated.”
“I won’t get rich, but I will get to live my life. That seems like reward enough.”
“Offering incentives may encourage people who are not actively opposed to vaccination but may have put it off.”
“At some point, the government is simply rewarding irresponsible behavior.”
“Sure, people should do it without needing an incentive. But what’s the alternative? Not enough people get vaccinated.”