WorldAssociated PressIran says nuke program testing newest advanced centrifuge
Iran said Saturday it has begun mechanical tests on its newest advanced nuclear centrifuge, even as the five world powers that remain in a foundering 2015 nuclear deal with Iran attempt to bring the U.S. back into the agreement. Iran's IR-9 centrifuge, when operational, would have the ability to separate uranium isotopes more quickly than the current centrifuges being used, thereby enriching uranium at a faster pace. The announcement carried on state TV came on Iran's 15th annual “Nuclear Day.
- U.S.The State
Black Army officer was pepper-sprayed after he told police he feared them, lawsuit says
Caron Nazario had his arms raised in fear from the window of his newly-purchased SUV when two police officers held the Army second lieutenant at gunpoint during a traffic stop in Windsor, Virginia. Nazario was confused as to why police were yelling for him to exit the car last December for not having a permanent rear license plate, according to a federal lawsuit filed this month. From there, body-cam footage shows police pepper-spraying, striking and handcuffing the 27-year-old Army officer, and using a slang term suggesting that he would face execution.
PoliticsThe WeekTexas GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw recovering from emergency eye surgery that will leave him blind for a month
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) revealed Saturday that he underwent emergency surgery on his left eye a day earlier after a doctor discovered his retina was detaching. It was a "terrifying prognosis" for Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, who was hit by an IED blast during a mission in Afghanistan's Helmand province in 2012. Crenshaw said "it was always a possibility that the effects of the damage to my retina would resurface, and it appears that is exactly what has happened."
WorldAssociated PressKremlin says it fears full-scale fighting in Ukraine's east
The Kremlin said Friday it fears a resumption of full-scale fighting in eastern Ukraine and could take steps to protect Russian civilians there, a stark warning that comes amid a Russian troop build-up along the border. The statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, reflected the Kremlin's determination to prevent Ukraine from using force to try to retake control over separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's military chief dismissed the Russian claims that the country's armed forces are preparing for an attack on the rebel east.
U.S.Associated PressProsecutors: Boy shot by police was with man who fired gun
A young man who was with a 13-year-old boy fatally shot by a Chicago police officer last month fired the rounds that drew the officer's attention, prosecutors said Saturday. Ruben Roman, 21, is seen on video firing the weapon that brought police to the Little Village neighborhood on the night of March 29. Roman was arrested as another officer chased Toledo, who was holding a gun when the officer shot him, prosecutors said.
WorldReutersSouth African variant can 'break through' Pfizer vaccine, Israeli study says
The coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa can "break through" Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to some extent, a real-world data study in Israel found, though its prevalence in the country is low and the research has not been peer reviewed. The South African variant, B.1.351, was found to make up about 1% of all the COVID-19 cases across all the people studied, according to the study by Tel Aviv University and Israel's largest healthcare provider, Clalit. But among patients who had received two doses of the vaccine, the variant's prevalence rate was eight times higher than those unvaccinated - 5.4% versus 0.7%.
BusinessThe WeekChina hit Alibaba with a record fine. Here's why the company may be relieved.
China's antitrust regulator doled out a record 18.2 billion yuan fine to e-commerce giant Alibaba on Saturday for abusing its market dominance. The figure is equivalent to $2.8 billion and 4 percent of the company's domestic annual sales. Additionally, Alibaba will have to revamp its operations and submit a "self-examination compliance report" within three years, per The Wall Street Journal.
ScienceThe TelegraphThe true story of how Prince Philip's DNA solved a Russian Romanov murder mystery
It was the mystery that captured the imagination of the world, as a Russian Imperial dynasty was ruthlessly executed before details of their disappearance obfuscated for decades. In 2018, the true story of how the Duke of Edinburgh helped piece together the murders of Tsar Nicholas II and his family was told by the Science Museum in an exhibition detailing how his DNA provided the key. The Duke, who offered a blood sample to experts attempting to identify bodies found in unmarked graves in 1993, provided a match with the Tsarina and her daughters, related through the maternal line, proving once and for all their fate.
U.S.Miami HeraldA Tesla speeding about 100 mph hits several parked cars, then slams into a Broward home
According to Sgt. Oscar Mendoza of the Miramar Police Department, the crash happened around 4:20 a.m. The “Tesla drove off the road, hitting several parked cars and a house,” he said. According to WPLG Local 10, neighbors who saw the Tesla speed by on their Ring surveillance cameras described the image as akin to “a flash of light” given how fast the car was driving. Estimates suggest the dark-colored Tesla was going over 100 mph but Miramar police are still investigating the crash.
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Lawyer says Matt Gaetz 'not feeling comfortable'
An associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz's is working toward a plea deal with federal prosecutors investigating a sex trafficking operation, potentially escalating the legal and political jeopardy facing the Florida congressman. (April 9)
WorldReutersVenezuela paid $64 million to receive vaccines through COVAX - vice president
Venezuela has paid $64 million, half of the required amount, for doses it is set to receive through the global COVAX program, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez announced Saturday on state television. "You know that the COVAX mechanism requires an advance - Venezuela has even doubled the required advance," said Rodriguez, adding that the government had deposited "59.2 million Swiss francs in the accounts of GAVI," a co-leader of the COVAX program that seeks to improve low-income countries' access to vaccines. Rodriguez did not specify what funds the government used to pay for the vaccines.
WorldReutersTurkey's Erdogan calls for end to 'worrying' developments in eastern Ukraine, offers support
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called for the "worrying" developments in eastern Ukraine's Donbass region to come to an end after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in Istanbul, adding Turkey was ready to provide any necessary support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held more than three hours of talks with Erdogan in Istanbul as part of a previously scheduled visit, amid tensions between Kyiv and Moscow over the conflict in Donbass. Kyiv has raised the alarm over a buildup of Russian forces near the border between Ukraine and Russia, and over a rise in violence along the line of contact separating Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists in Donbass.
U.S.Business InsiderVideo shows Virginia cops holding a Black Army officer in uniform at gunpoint and pepper-spraying him during a traffic stop
A Black Army lieutenant is suing Virginia police officers for assaulting him during a traffic stop last year. A US Army lieutenant is suing two Virginia police officers for holding him at gunpoint, pepper-spraying him, and throwing him to the ground during an illegal traffic stop that took place last year. Caron Nazario, a Black and Latino man who is a second lieutenant in the US Army Medical Corps, was driving home from his duty station on December 5, 2020, when police pulled him over, attorney Jonathan Arthur told The Associated Press on Friday.
WorldArchitectural DigestWhy We Love a Small Loveseat
Supremely versatile, loveseats work as standalone pieces in studio apartments and as part of a seating arrangement in sprawling living rooms Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
CelebrityThe TelegraphService with a smile: Prince Philip puts Land Rover hearse at heart of funeral he designed himself
The Duke of Edinburgh's coffin will be carried through the grounds of Windsor Castle in a modified Land Rover that he designed for the occasion himself. The funeral will take place next Saturday at 3pm, following a short procession in which the Prince of Wales and senior members of the Royal family will follow the coffin on foot as it is driven to St George's Chapel. The Queen will not take part in the procession.
PoliticsAssociated PressTrump addresses GOP as power to shape national debate wanes
Former President Donald Trump insists he's enjoying his life off Twitter. Since he was barred from Twitter and other platforms, Trump can no longer speak directly to large swaths of his audience and must now rely on his supporters and conservative and mainstream media to amplify his messages.
WorldReutersEgypt, Sudan reject Ethiopian proposal for data sharing on Renaissance dam
Egypt and Sudan on Saturday rejected an Ethiopian proposal to share data on the operations of its giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile after negotiations between the three countries in Kinshasa this week ended without progress. Ethiopia is pinning its hopes of economic development and power generation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Egypt fears will imperil its supply from the Nile. Sudan is also concerned about the impact on its own water flows.
BusinessBusiness InsiderMyPillow CEO Mike Lindell says he hired private investigators to find out why Fox News isn't letting him speak on air
Mike Lindell said he's hired investigators to find out why Fox News isn't letting him speak on air. Lindell told Steve Bannon on Friday that several entities are conspiring against him. Fox News and the MyPillow CEO have both been sued by Dominion Voting Systems for defamation.
PoliticsAssociated PressTrump in 2024? He says only that 'a Republican' will win
Former President Donald Trump plans to affirm his commitment to the Republican Party — and raise the possibility that someone else will be the GOP's next presidential nominee — in a closed-door speech to donors Saturday night. Trump's message, outlined in prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, comes as GOP officials seek to downplay an intraparty feud over Trump's continued leadership in Republican politics, his commitment to party fundraising and his plans for 2024. While Trump's advisers report he will emphasize party unity, he is famously known to go off script.
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverJohnston says no line for Johnson & Johnson vaccine at Saturday’s drive-thru clinic
Wait times for the COVID-19 vaccine at a Johnston clinic Saturday are minimal, according to a news release. The drive-thru clinic, hosted by the Johnston County Health Department, is providing the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis. The vaccine site is at the Brightleaf Flea Market at 2320 S. Brightleaf Blvd. in Smithfield, the county said.
PoliticsUSA TODAY OpinionCorporations don't like voter suppression, so McConnell wants them out of politics. Seriously?
What's more, the GOP has been filling its campaign coffers with corporate donations for years and has even encouraged and publicly supported companies such as Hobby Lobby in their free speech efforts surrounding divisive political issues such as birth control and LGBTQ rights. But when the tables turn and companies speak out against the Republican Party and legislation it backs, the hypocrisy is astounding. As Republicans nationwide are furiously working to enact voter suppression bills in statehouses, Democrats in Congress are trying to enact campaign finance reforms and broaden voter access to thwart the restrictive state measures.
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U.S. considering cash payments to stem migration
The U.S. is considering sending money to Central Americans in an attempt to stem the flow of migration. A senior White House official told Reuters the program would aim to address the economic woes pushing people to move. There's been a steady increase in arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months.
U.S.Miami HeraldTheir boy lived 8 days. They’ll spend the rest of their lives wondering what went wrong
Hospital staff brought the newborn over to his mother's bed to “introduce” him, James Johnson said. They took more pictures at bedside, and then brought Cooper over to the neonatal intensive care unit. As the staff rolled Cooper down the corridors, they tried to explain to the new father what was happening.
U.S.Business InsiderA Muslim advocacy group just sued Facebook for failing to remove hate-speech, and it's the latest example of the tech's patchwork polices that fail to crack down on Islamophobia
An advocacy group sued Facebook for allegedly misleading Congress regarding hate speech moderation. The suit claims Facebook failed to remove most anti-Muslim groups presented to them in 2017. A Muslim advocacy group this week sued Facebook for failing to curtail hate speech, part of tech's broader problem stopping Islamophobic speech.
WorldINSIDERMrs. World says she's 'ready to hand over the crown' after being arrested for snatching tiara off Mrs. Sri Lanka during beauty pageant
Mrs. World Caroline Jurie has given up her crown amid the Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant controversy. Jurie was arrested for allegedly injuring the winner of the Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant, Pushpika De Silva. Footage showed Jurie forcibly removing a tiara from De Silva's head moments after she was crowned.
“Without modern infrastructure, the US cannot create decent jobs, social justice or climate safety.”
“The plan itself is really a big bait-and-switch...A fraction of the spending is actually devoted to traditional infrastructure projects.”
“Focusing on the size of the investment is misleading when you consider the high cost of not making it.”
“Rather than spending $2 trillion, we should privatize infrastructure where feasible and cut taxes and regulations on the rest.”
“Public investment can also be a major source of jobs and growth, helping to pull us out of the stagnation trap.”