HealthAssociated PressDominant coronavirus mutant contains ghost of pandemic past
The coronavirus mutant that is now dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its omicron predecessors, is adept at escaping immunity and might possibly cause more serious disease. Because it combines properties of both omicron and delta, the nation's dominant variant in the middle of last year. A genetic trait that harkens back to the pandemic's past, known as a “delta mutation," appears to allow the virus "to escape pre-existing immunity from vaccination and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the omicron wave," said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas.
U.S.Belleville News-DemocratMan points gun at TV reporter during live segment on gun violence, Illinois station says
Illinois police are looking for a man that was shown on video pointing what appears to be a gun at a news anchor and her crew while she was filming a live segment on gun violence. A FOX32 reporter and her crew on May 25 were filming a segment in Chicago on gun violence, FOX2 reported. While the reporter was speaking on camera, a man walked behind her and quickly pointed a gun in her direction, footage from FOX2 showed.
U.S.QuartzWe ordered the same gun used in Uvalde. Here’s how easy it was.
After Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas left 19 children and two adults dead, we wondered how difficult it was to order a DDM4V7, one of the two rifles the gunman bought a few days after turning 18 years old, according to reports. The AR-15-style weapon, made by Georgia-based Daniel Defense, sells online for $1,870, plus tax. Shipping to a local gun shop is free.
U.S.Associated PressTrump loses appeal, must testify in New York civil probe
Former President Donald Trump must answer questions under oath in the New York attorney general's civil investigation into his business practices, a state appeals court ruled Thursday, rejecting his argument that he be excused from testifying because his answers could be used in a parallel criminal probe. A four-judge panel in the appellate division of the state's trial court upheld Judge Arthur Engoron's Feb. 17 ruling, which enforced subpoenas requiring that Trump and his two eldest children — Ivanka and Donald Jr. — give deposition testimony in Attorney General Letitia James' probe. “The existence of a criminal investigation does not preclude civil discovery of related facts, at which a party may exercise the privilege against self-incrimination," the appellate panel wrote, citing the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and other legal protections for witnesses.
U.S.The Daily BeastTed Cruz Storms Out on British Interviewer When Asked Why School Shootings Only Happen in America
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) abruptly walked off from a British journalist's questions about gun violence in America two days after an elementary school massacre in his state left 19 children and two adults dead. Cruz, who is due to appear at a National Rifle Association convention this weekend, became incensed when pressed on gun laws and why mass shootings “only happen in America.”
- PoliticsThe El Paso Times
Beto O'Rourke confront Gov. Greg Abbott during Texas shooting update
Beto O'Rourke confront Gov. Greg Abbott during Uvalde, Texas shooting update.
U.S.ReutersNew York subway shooting suspect charged with second-degree murder
A man suspected in the fatal weekend shooting of a New York City subway rider, less than two months after a mass shooting on the transit system, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, authorities said. Andrew Abdullah, 25, was arrested at his lawyer's offices for the slaying of Brooklyn resident Daniel Enriquez, 48, who was fatally shot in his chest while he rode in a subway car on Sunday morning, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a news conference.
U.S.INSIDERSwitzerland has a stunningly high rate of gun ownership — here's why it doesn't have mass shootings
In 2016, the NRA said on its blog that the European country had one of the lowest murder rates in the world while still having millions of privately owned guns and a few hunting weapons that don't even require a permit. Video: Inside a factory that makes untraceable 'ghost guns' But the Swiss have some specific rules and regulations for gun use. Insider took a look at the country's past with guns to see why it has lower rates of gun violence than the US, where gun death rates are now at their highest in more than 20 years, and the leading cause of death for children and adolescents.
U.S.Milwaukee Journal SentinelWe may not want to admit it, but there’s truth in what the ESPN crew said about Milwaukee. So what are we going to do about it?
When ESPN's "First Take" discussed the possibility of traveling to Milwaukee for the NBA Finals on Tuesday, Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman, Molly Qerim Rose and Damien Woody quickly dissed the city. Woody, a former NFL player, asked Smith if he really wanted to travel to Milwaukee and Smith responded with “hell no.”
U.S.Yahoo NewsNewly released video shows moment Jalen Randle was fatally shot by Houston cop
Newly released body camera footage shows the moment a police officer in Houston fatally shot Jalen Randle, a 29-year-old Black man, in the back of the neck last month. The video, shared on Tuesday by attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Randle's family, shows what happened after Randle was pulled over on April 27 after a chase for what cops said were three felony warrants. Before he can finish saying “hands,” a shot rings out and the police officer yells, “Oh, shit!” As Privette continues to point his weapon, another officer handcuffs Randle as he lies face down on the ground.
BusinessBusiness InsiderDelta says it will cancel about 100 flights a day in July and August to try to get ahead of a potential summer meltdown
Delta Air Lines is reducing its summer flight schedule, canceling about 100 flights daily from July 1 to August 7. JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines have also cut summer flying due to surging demand and staffing challenges. Delta Air Lines is taking proactive measures to improve reliability ahead of the busy summer travel season.
ScienceBBCAncient DNA reveals secrets of Pompeii victims
Researchers studying human remains from Pompeii have extracted genetic secrets from the bones of a man and a woman who were buried when the Roman city was engulfed in volcanic ash. This first "Pompeian human genome" is an almost complete set of "genetic instructions" from the victims, encoded in DNA extracted from their bones. Ancient DNA was preserved in bodies that were encased in time-hardened ash.
WorldReutersTanks, but no ammo – Germany's Ukraine pledges show military muddle
Four weeks ago, Germany agreed to send dozens of anti-aircraft tanks to help defend Ukraine from Russia's invasion, part of what it called a turning-point after decades of military restraint. Berlin says it can deliver the first Gepard tanks in July. That's too slow, a Ukrainian parliamentarian said on Tuesday, as Russian forces launched an assault on the country's east.
U.S.QuartzBritain ended the horror of school shootings after one single massacre
His attack came before school shootings had become something schools prepared for with drills and plans—and before they were routinely carried out by other students. In that innocent time, when the Dunblane school principal heard loud bangs from another part of the school, he thought it was building work that he hadn't been told about. After a teacher burst into his office and told him what was happening, he he ran to the gym, where he witnessed “a scene of unimaginable carnage, one's worst nightmare,” he told the inquiry later.
BusinessFortuneBig oil consultant resigns with scathing email to 1,400 executives asking them all to ‘look in the mirror’
In her resignation email—which was sent to 1,400 employees and contractors at Shell—she said despite warnings from the U.N. and the International Energy Agency that there was no safe level of new oil and gas extraction, Shell was planning to explore and extract “much more. I can no longer work for a company that ignores all the alarms and dismisses the risks of climate change and ecological collapse,” Dennett said. I want Shell execs and management to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they really believe their vision for more oil and gas extraction secures a safe future for humanity.
WorldAssociated PressChina wants 10 Pacific nations to endorse sweeping agreement
China wants 10 small Pacific nations to endorse a sweeping agreement covering everything from security to fisheries in what one leader warns is a “game-changing” bid by Beijing to wrest control of the region. A draft of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press shows that China wants to train Pacific police officers, team up on “traditional and non-traditional security" and expand law enforcement cooperation. China also wants to jointly develop a marine plan for fisheries — which would include the Pacific's lucrative tuna catch — increase cooperation on running the region's internet networks, and set up cultural Confucius Institutes and classrooms.
BusinessBusiness InsiderThe wild life of billionaire Twitter founder and 'Block Head' Jack Dorsey, who's officially left the social network's board, eats one meal a day, and takes ice baths
After cofounding Twitter on March 21 2006, he was booted as the company's CEO two years later, but returned in 2015 having set up his second company, Square — which he rebranded as Block in 2021. He led Twitter through the techlash that has engulfed social media companies, testifying before Congress multiple times. Related video: Elon Musk on Twitter fame, loneliness and the future of AI And Dorsey announced on November 29, 2021, he had stepped down as the CEO of Twitter.
U.S.Florida TodayFire breaks out on Carnival Freedom while Port Canaveral-based ship was in Grand Turk
A fire broke out Thursday morning in the funnel area of the Carnival Freedom cruise ship while it was docked in Grand Turk. The Port Canaveral-based Carnival Freedom was carrying about 2,500 passengers and a crew of about 1,100, according to Matt Lupoli, senior manager of public relations at Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival Freedom left Port Canaveral on Monday on a five-day cruise.
BusinessReuters'Pay more attention' Ethereum co-founder says of crypto crash
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Ethereum's co-founder Gavin Wood said cryptocurrency investors need to be more aware of what is backing their holdings after a market rout which wiped more than $800 billion off their value. "I would hope that people pay more attention to what is belying the currency name when they get involved in a community, ecosystem, economy," Wood told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos. Crypto and blockchain firms have been highly visible at this year's gathering of business and political leaders, despite the market plummeting in value in the weeks leading up to the event, with the eighth-largest coin Luna becoming virtually worthless.
U.S.HuffPostTucker Carlson Cooks Up Absurd New Scapegoat For Texas School Massacre
Australia hasn't had a mass shooting since 1996, when a gunman opened fire at a tourist resort in Port Arthur, killing 35 people. The government responded by enacting strict gun control legislation, including banning all semi-automatic rifles. In New Zealand, all semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles were banned after a gunman killed 51 people in Christchurch in 2019.
U.S.The Daily BeastSchool Drop-Out Gave Warning on Facebook Minutes Before Uvalde Massacre
But Ramos legally bought two AR-style rifles just after his 18th birthday this month and appeared to grow angry and isolated after he failed to graduate high school, friends and family members said. Although Ramos was described as “quiet” by numerous people who knew him, a young woman who worked with him at Wendy's until March detected an aggressive streak. Several former friends said he had stopped showing up at school and was not going to graduate with the senior class this year.
U.S.Associated PressReality TV’s Josh Duggar gets 12 years in child porn case
Former reality TV star Josh Duggar was sentenced Wednesday to about 12 1/2 years in prison after he was convicted of receiving child pornography. Duggar was also convicted of possessing child pornography in December, but U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks dismissed that conviction after ruling that, under federal law, it was an included offense in the receiving child pornography count. Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks to give the maximum term of 20 years to Duggar, whose large family was the focus of TLC's “19 Kids and Counting.”
U.S.The RootClipper’s Norman Powell Records White Woman Harassing Him at Gym
Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell shared a video of a white woman bothering him at the boxing gym, reported TMZ. The situation escalated resulted in Las Vegas police getting involved and charging her with a misdemeanor. Tuesday, Powell began an Instagram live video to explain how he was interrupted while working out at the local gym.
PoliticsPoliticoTrump hits back at Kellyanne Conway for admitting that he lost in 2020
Former President Donald Trump is denying a key anecdote in a former aide's new book, saying he would have banished Kellyanne Conway from his inner circle if she had ever told him he lost the 2020 presidential election. In a Thursday morning post on his social media network, Truth Social, Trump refuted Conway's assertion that she “may have been the first person Donald Trump trusted in his inner circle who told him that he had come up short this time.” For all their years working together, Trump has seldom criticized Conway even as he's attacked her husband, attorney George Conway, who helped start the anti-Trump organization the Lincoln Project and has been an outspoken critic of the ex-president.
- BusinessReuters Videos
Russia prepares to seize exiting Western firms
STORY: The golden arches are coming down in Russia as McDonald's heads for the exit. It's just one of countless western firms that have decided to quit the country. That's angered Moscow, which now has a response in the works.
“It could give millions a chance to finally buy a house or start their business or help their kids get an education, too.”
“You signed a contract…If you don’t want to deal with the financial pressure of debt, don’t take out the loan.”
“Without action from Biden, Black student debt will hinder his agenda with respect to eliminating racial inequities.”
“Blanket relief could end up routing too much relief to those who do not need it and too little to those who do.”
“Unlike a number of other policy issues, student debt relief doesn’t need to be pushed through a narrowly controlled Congress.”