WorldThe TelegraphHundreds arrested and woman reportedly shot as police launch brutal crackdown in Myanmar
A woman was shot and hundreds arrested in Myanmar on Saturday in one of the most extensive crackdowns by the military junta since anti-coup demonstrations began. Police threw stun grenades, tear gas and used live ammunition, witnesses claimed, as they clashed with crowds in the main city of Yangon. A sea of demonstrators chanted and threw barricades across the street to block advancing authorities.
HealthReutersJ&J's COVID-19 shot gets CDC panel backing; vaccine near shipping
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 12-0 to recommend the vaccine from J&J as appropriate for Americans 18 and older. State and local public health authorities will use Food and Drug Administration and CDC guidance as they administer the first 4 million doses. CDC epidemiologist Dr. Sara Oliver said during a Sunday presentation that there are not yet any studies comparing J&J's vaccine directly to the other approved vaccines from Pfzier-BioNTech and Moderna Inc but that all vaccines were highly effective at reducing hospitalizations and deaths.
- WorldAssociated Press
On 1st anniversary of pandemic, Mexico has lost over 185,000
In the year since the first coronavirus case was identified in Mexico, the disease has killed at least 185,257 people and sickened almost 2.1 million. Mexico registered its first case on Feb. 26, 2020, in a man who had travelled to Italy. The Health Department reported just over 8,000 more confirmed infections and 783 more confirmed deaths Saturday, but because Mexico does so little testing the real number is certainly much higher.
PoliticsThe TelegraphJoe Biden calls for investigation after second woman accuses New York governor Cuomo of sexual misconduct
A second ex-employee of powerful New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo has accused him of sexual harassment, charges the governor denied on Saturday. This time the allegations came from 25-year-old former health adviser Charlotte Bennett, who told The New York Times that the governor sexually harassed her in the spring of 2020. According to Ms Bennett, the 63-year-old politician said in June that he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships, the Times reported.
PoliticsThe IndependentRepublicans cite ‘public health emergency’ for skipping Covid relief votes while speaking at maskless CPAC
Several Republican lawmakers said they could not attend Congress on Friday to vote for the coronavirus stimulus package due to the pandemic, but were due to appear in-person at the conservative conference taking place in Orlando, Florida, this weekend. According to CNN, the Republican lawmakers included those who were former US president Donald Trump's closest allies - some of whom were scheduled to speak at this weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida. The group of twelve House Republicans said they were unable to attend a number of votes in the House of Representatives that day "due to the ongoing public health emergency”, in a written letter seen by CNN.
PoliticsReutersTrump proposes new voting limits, rails against "monster" voting rights bill
Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday laid out a variety of election proposals, such as limiting absentee voting and days when Americans can vote, in his first public speech after his stinging Nov. 3 election loss. Democrats' nationwide push to register new voters, including Black voters and young people, and Trump's refusal to urge his Republican supporters to vote by absentee ballot are believed to have been factors in his 7 million vote loss to Joe Biden. At a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, Trump said Election Day should be only one day, not a number of days leading up to the actual voting day.
U.S.NBC NewsTeenage sledder partly paralyzed in accident on same hill that took girl's life
Two teenage girls were injured, one fatally, in separate sledding accidents on the same Ohio hill, both families said Saturday. Natalie Wilson, 17, has been hospitalized since last weekend after she crashed at Hinckley Reservation in Medina County, said her father, Jim Wilson. Wilson said in a phone interview that his daughter and a friend "were taking one last trip down the hill before going home" when their sled veered off course toward a tree line.
U.S.The TelegraphLady Gaga poised to hand over $500,000 reward to mystery woman after safe return of Bulldogs
Lady Gaga is poised to hand over a $500,000 reward to a mystery woman who returned her beloved French bulldogs kidnapped in a violent street robbery near her home in Hollywood. Koji and Gustav, thought to be worth up to $10,000 dollars each, were given in at a downtown LAPD Police Station by an unnamed woman late on Friday night. Authorities believe the woman who handed the dogs in was "uninvolved and unassociated" with the attack - but she is still eligible for the "unconditional" $500,000 and is said to be in contact with Gaga's representatives.
WorldAssociated PressReport: US wasted billions on cars, buildings in Afghanistan
The United States wasted billions of dollars in war-torn Afghanistan on buildings and vehicles that were either abandoned or destroyed, according to a report released Monday by a U.S. government watchdog. The agency said it reviewed $7.8 billion spent since 2008 on buildings and vehicles. Only $343.2 million worth of buildings and vehicles “were maintained in good condition,” said the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which oversees American taxpayer money spent on the protracted conflict.
PoliticsThe WeekTrump declares he has no interest in starting a new party
Just a few weeks after leaving office, former President Donald Trump was back in the spotlight on Sunday. At the beginning of his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, he asked the enthusiastic crowd if they missed him already before telling them that he'll "continue to fight right by your side." He then dismissed reports that he was thinking about breaking off from the Republican Party and striking out on his own.
U.S.CBS NewsInside the attack that almost sent the U.S. to war with Iran
The U.S. airstrike against Iranian-backed militias Thursday night was the latest chapter in the poisonous relationship with Iran President Biden inherited from the Trump administration. It began with an American drone strike which killed Iran's most powerful general and ended with an Iranian ballistic missile attack against U.S. troops in Iraq. A few hours after Army Major Alan Johnson recorded that message to his son, Iranian ballistic missiles began raining down on Al Asad Airbase in Iraq where 2000 U.S. troops were based.
U.S.INSIDERMinneapolis approved funding to hire social media influencers to spread information about ex cop Derek Chauvin's trial
Minneapolis city council approved funding to hire social media influencers for Derek Chauvin's trial, WCCO-TV reported. The influencers will be paid to provide the local community with information about the trial. Chauvin was charged in Floyd's death, and his trial is set to begin on March 8.
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U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi killing released, U.S. imposes visa restrictions
A U.S. intelligence report on the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was released. It concludes that "Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." The report could bring further strain on U.S.-Saudi relations.
WorldLA TimesOp-Ed: The U.S.-Taliban peace deal only whetted the insurgents' appetite for more violence
Since signing a much-vaunted U.S.-Taliban peace agreement on Feb. 29, 2020, the United States has put enormous pressure on the Afghan government to make concessions to fulfill the Taliban's preconditions for intra-Afghan negotiations — the talks that most matter to Afghans, for they will determine the shape of the country to come. At the price of numerous painful concessions wrested from a reluctant Kabul by the special representative for Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad — such as allowing the Taliban to bar almost all Afghan government officials from participation — those negotiations finally began in September in Doha, Qatar.
BusinessBusiness InsiderCustomers are boycotting Trader Joe's after the chain fired an employee who asked the CEO to enhance COVID-19 protections
People are calling for a boycott on Trader Joe's after one of its employees was fired. A New York man said he was fired from his job after asking the company to do more to protect its workers from COVID-19. Ben Bonnema shared his termination letter on Twitter.
U.S.The Daily BeastFauci Fires Back at Kristi Noem Saying He’s ‘Wrong’: ‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’
Biden's chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci hit back at South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's harsh criticism of him on Sunday, saying her comments about him at this weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) were “not very helpful” and “unfortunate.” Noem, who has received praise from conservatives for largely ignoring coronavirus restrictions and guidelines, got a standing ovation from the CPAC crowd when she boasted about ignoring the medical advice of experts and called out Fauci for supposedly being “wrong.” Appearing on CBS News' Face the Nation, Fauci was asked if that sentiment was an impediment to the nation's recovery.
WorldThe IndependentFar-right Proud Boys leader condemns Capitol rioters but says he 'won't cry' about politicians
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has condemned the rioters who besieged the US Capitol, but will not “cry” about lawmakers who came under attack on the day. Mr Tarrio, who was arrested two days before some members of the Proud Boys – and other Trump supporters – rioted at the US Capitol, told CNN that lawmakers did not need sympathy after the attack. The remarks come despite concerns among members of Congress that they were targets of those who broke into the complex on 6 January, citing baseless claims the 2020 election was “stolen”.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderThe Bidens, in a rare gesture, immediately greeted the White House residence staff upon entering the building on Inauguration Day, staffer says
The Bidens immediately greeted the White House staff upon entering the building on Inauguration Day. "Usually we meet them in the first days or first weeks, but never in the first minutes," a staffer said. Biden has publicly expressed some reservations about being waited on by residence staff.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump teases a 2024 run and commands GOP loyalty to his holy name in first signature post-presidency speech
It's been nearly six weeks since Donald Trump left the White House and appeared before a crowd to deliver a speech. And while the former Republican president was over an hour late on Sunday for his keynote remarks at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, he picked up right where he left off when he departed Washington, DC on 20 January. In a characteristically chaotic address that lasted roughly 90 minutes, Mr Trump teased a possible bid for president in 2024, repeatedly refused to acknowledge Joe Biden as his rightfully elected successor, and railed against the Biden administration's opening act on everything from immigration to gas and energy polic...
BusinessBBCThe influencer effect: 'Love Island star transformed my business'
Say the word "influencer" and you may well hear audible groans - they don't always enjoy the best of reputations. Nick Fisher's Hampshire-based furniture business Still & Bloom has suffered since Covid struck. Then one evening last month someone told him the Love Island star Olivia Bowen had posted a picture about a new purchase on an interior design Instagram account she ran, and it looked like his furniture, although he was not tagged in it.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderSenior Democrats ditch their backdoor proposal for a $15 minimum wage, throwing pay hike in doubt in $1.9 trillion stimulus package
Senior Democrats tossed out a backdoor plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, per a person familiar with the decision. The proposal was ditched as Democrats appeared reluctant to finalize a complex plan that could delay stimulus passage. Experts said the backup plan risked being inefficient at raising hourly wages.
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Low tide leaves Venice canals almost empty
Traditional gondolas and boats could be seen almost beached in the canals as water levels reached a peak of -48 cm, creating an unusual landscape in the lagoon city. Venice, beloved around the world for its canals, historic architecture and art, has always lived in a fragile balance between low and high tides, that usually create variations of around 50 cm in sea levels. Flooding is a constant enemy of the art city built on a collection of small islands within a saltwater lagoon off the north-eastern coast of Italy, with every new incursion damaging its medieval and Renaissance palaces.
U.S.CBS News"We are American, too": Hundreds in New York rally against anti-Asian hate
More than 300 people joined some of New York's top elected officials and community leaders on Saturday afternoon to speak out against the increase in anti-Asian violence in the city and nationwide. The Rise Up Against Asian Hate rally, organized by the Asian American Federation (AAF), took place at Foley Square in downtown Manhattan, two blocks from where a 36-year-old Asian man was stabbed on Thursday night. Among the speakers was a recent victim: 61-year-old Filipino-American Noel Quintana, whose face was slashed on the subway earlier this month.
PoliticsUSA TODAYCuomo apologizes amid harassment claims, says he was 'being playful,' never intended to offend or cause harm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo apologized Sunday for any comments that have made female aides feel uncomfortable after accusations of sexual harassment have upended his administration, fueling an investigation and calls that he resign. The comments came after his office acquiesced Sunday to calls that Attorney General Letitia James select someone to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations against the governor. Cuomo was first accused Wednesday by former economic-development aide Lindsey Boylan of kissing her on the lips during a private meeting in his office in 2018.
U.S.INSIDERThe California surgeon who dialed into a virtual court trial mid-operation is facing investigation
Dr. Scott Green is facing investigation after dialing into a virtual court trial while in the operating room. In a video of the trial posted to YouTube, Green can be seen in scrubs and a face mask — and at times bowing his head to tend to the patient. After the video went viral, a medical and licensing agency in California said it would investigate.
“How about we skip ‘he won’t win’ cycle and not do 2016 all over again. Trump can absolutely win another presidential election.”
“With independents deserting him, there is simply no path for Trump to get back into the White House — except as a tourist.”
“They might as well cancel the 2024 primaries...because there is no way he can lose.”
“The next Republican presidential primary will be heavily shaped by Trump — whether or not he decides to run again.”
“Donald Trump will not be running for president again. He will, however, continue to tease the possibility of a 2024 run.”