Philippine police kill 9 in raids on suspected rebels

Philippine police backed by military forces killed nine people over the weekend in a series of raids against suspected communist insurgents, with authorities saying the suspects opened fire first. Others, however, said those killed were unarmed activists. Police said Monday that all of those killed were associated with “communist terrorist groups” and had shot at officers while being served search warrants.

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  Philippine leader's order to kill rebels 'legal', spokesman says

  Reuters
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  Rights groups call for investigation into killings of Philippine activists

  Reuters

India seeks funds from Quad alliance to match China's vaccine push: source

India has urged the United States, Japan and Australia to invest in its vaccine production capacity, an Indian government source told Reuters, as the so-called Quad alliance tries to counter China's growing vaccine diplomacy. Beijing has committed to provide at least 463 million doses of its home-made COVID-19 vaccines through exports and donations across the world from Asia to Africa, Europe and Latin America, according to Reuters calculations. Two senior Indian officials said the Quad alliance, grouping the United States, Japan, Australia and India, was stepping up efforts to expand global vaccination to counter China's growing soft power.

B-52s again fly over Mideast in US military warning to Iran

A pair of B-52 bombers flew over the Mideast on Sunday, the latest such mission in the region aimed at warning Iran amid tensions between Washington and Tehran. The flight by the two heavy bombers came as a pro-Iran satellite channel based in Beirut broadcast Iranian military drone footage of an Israeli ship hit by a mysterious explosion only days earlier in the Mideast. While the channel sought to say Iran wasn't involved, Israel has blamed Tehran for what it described as an attack on the vessel.

VIRUS TODAY: Massachusetts nurses go on strike over staffing

CASES: According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. decreased over the past two weeks, going from 66,162.4 on Feb. 21 to 57,971.5 on Sunday. DEATHS: According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. decreased over the past two weeks, going from 1,873 on Feb. 21 to 1,677.1 on Sunday. POSITIVITY RATE: The seven-day rolling test positivity rate in the U.S. decreased from 4.9% on Feb. 21 to 4.1% on Sunday, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.

Looming China extradition deal worries Uighurs in Turkey

Joining hundreds of women in Istanbul to protest at China's treatment of Uighurs, Nursiman Abdurasit tearfully thinks of her jailed mother in Xinjiang and fears that Uighurs like her in Turkey may one day be sent back under an extradition deal. Beijing approved an extradition treaty between the two nations in December and with the deal awaiting ratification by Ankara's parliament, activists among some 40,000 Uighurs living in Turkey have stepped up efforts to highlight their plight. Abdurasit came to Turkey to study in 2015 and lost contact with her family four years ago.

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  Uighurs: Chinese foreign minister says genocide claims 'absurd'

  BBC
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  China's foreign minister: Uighur genocide accusations a 'complete lie'

  The Week

Myanmar coup: The shadowy business empire funding the Tatmadaw

Critics argue that this lucrative network has made Myanmar's coup possible and put the military's accountability into free fall. Civilian businesses talk of an environment like "Sicily under the Mafia", while activists say that democratic reforms can only be possible only when "the military [is] back to barracks". Two conglomerates bankrolling the military Myanmar's military - the Tatmadaw - began its involvement in business after the socialist coup of Ne Win in 1962.

Thousands of women join Indian farmers' protests against new laws

Thousands of women joined protests by farmers on the outskirts of Delhi on Monday to mark International Women's Day, demanding the scrapping of new laws that open up agriculture produce markets to private buyers. Since December, many farmers accompanied by their families have camped at three sites on the outskirts of the Indian capital to oppose the biggest farm reforms in decades, which they say hurt them. Wearing bright yellow scarves representing the colour of mustard fields, the women took centrestage at one key site, chanting slogans, holding small marches, and making speeches through loudspeakers to target the laws.

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  Women take over farm protests in India

  Reuters Videos
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  Women turn out in huge numbers to support India’s farmer protests on International Women’s Day

  The Independent

Sunshine State dims for Dems amid election losses, cash woes

Democrats may delight in their brightening prospects in Arizona and Georgia, and may even harbor glimmers of hope in Texas, but their angst is growing in Florida, which has a reputation as a swing state but now favors Republicans and could be shifting further out of reach for Democrats. As the jockeying begins to take on Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022, Democrats' disadvantage against Republicans is deeper than ever, as they try to develop a cohesive strategy and rebuild a statewide party deep in debt and disarray. Former President Donald Trump's brand of populism has helped power a GOP surge in Florida, where Trump defeated now-President Joe Biden by more than 3 percentage points last fall — more than doubling the lead he had against Hillary Clinton.

A Trump appointee who was arrested over the Capitol riot asked a judge if he could be transferred to a cell with no cockroaches

A former State Department aide arrested over the Capitol riot has complained of his cell conditions. The former aide, Federico Klein, told a judge he felt "cockroaches crawling" all over him. Klein is believed to be the first Trump appointee arrested in connection to the Capitol riot.

The Best-Looking Dog Beds for Your Furry Best Friend

When it comes to buying furniture for your pet, please learn from my mistakes Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

White House says Biden does not favor changes to Senate filibuster rules

President Joe Biden does not want to make changes to Senate filibuster rules amid efforts from some Democrats to scrap the legislative roadblock, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday. Psaki told reporters that Biden's preference is not to change Senate rules which currently allow most measures to be effectively blocked without 60 votes in support. Instead, Psaki said Biden's preference is to continue to try and build bipartisan support on issues like infrastructure and immigration.

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  With virus aid in sight, Democrats debate filibuster changes

  Associated Press
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  White House Says Biden Opposes Changes to Filibuster

  National Review

Taiwan President Tsai visits naval base amid Chinese threats

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited a naval base on Monday to thank sailors and marines for their dedication to protecting the island amid renewed threats from China, vowing not to allow the loss of “any single inch" of territory. In remarks during her visit to the 131st Flotilla in the northern port of Keelung, Tsai said the bravery of servicemembers “demonstrated the determination of Taiwan's national armed forces to defend the sovereignty of our country.” “We can't yield any single inch of our land,” Tsai said.

A new lab study shows troubling signs that Pfizer's and Moderna's COVID-19 shots could be far less effective against the variant first found in South Africa

Pfizer's and Moderna's shots were at least 10 times less effective against variant in a new study. Researchers tested the vaccines on a variant first found in South Africa, which is now in 20 states. A mutation on the variant called E484K appeared to be a "major contributor," the study authors said.

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  Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine neutralizes Brazil variant in lab study

  Reuters
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  Is AstraZeneca Stock A Buy After Its Covid Vaccine Appears To Tackle Brazil Variant?

  Investor's Business Daily

China says hopes U.S. will remove 'unreasonable' curbs on cooperation

China urged the United States on Sunday to remove "unreasonable" curbs on cooperation as soon as possible and work together on issues like climate change, while accusing Washington of bringing chaos in the name of spreading democracy. Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden singled out a "growing rivalry with China" as a key challenge facing the United States, with his top diplomat describing the country as "the biggest geopolitical test" of this century. Speaking at his annual news conference, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, struck a tough line even as he outlined where the world's two biggest economies could work together.

Want to live where a supermodel lives? So do many others at this hot Miami Beach condo

The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Miami Beach reached $130 million in sales with 30 new buyers since January, proving the demand for high-rise living shows no signs of cooling. The buyers are from California, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, said developer Ophir Sternberg, CEO and founder of Lionheart Capital. Most work for a private equity firm, hedge fund or bank.

Iowa governor signs GOP-forced voting changes bill into law

We don't have to wait to have Democrats talking with their neighbors in rural and metropolitan areas in the state about how these harmful pieces of legislation are being forced through,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn. The law shortens the early voting period to 20 days from the current 29, just three years after Republicans reduced the period from 40 days. It also requires most mail ballots to be received by Election Day, rather than counting votes postmarked by Election Day that arrive by noon on the Monday following the election.

Biden hasn't held a news conference or been imitated on 'SNL' in his presidency. Why not?

No one saw this coming: Neither the real Joe Biden nor the fake Joe Biden has held a news conference since Inauguration Day. Over the past 100 years, no president has gone as long as Biden without conducting a formal session with White House reporters. The last time a Biden character appeared on "SNL" was back on Dec. 19, when Alex Moffat offered a tame impersonation of the president-elect.

The WHO said it still hasn't written off the 'extremely unlikely' theory that the coronavirus escaped from a Wuhan lab

A top WHO scientist said the theory that the coronavirus came from a lab is "extremely unlikely." The World Health Organization has still not ruled out the theory that the novel coronavirus had escaped from a Chinese laboratory. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, the lead scientist on the WHO's mission to Wuhan, said that a lab-accident theory is "definitely not off the table."

Former neo-Nazi says Fox News radicalizes people by saying the same stuff he used to say

A former neo-Nazi was interviewed by CNN's Pamela Brown Saturday about domestic extremism in the US. Frank Meeink said Fox News has radicalized Americans by saying the same stuff he used to say. Fox News has been accused in the past of using language that echoes white supremacists.

How plans to slim down monarchy have spiralled into racism row

Irrespective of who made the alleged comment about Archie's skin, the Duke and Duchess have put the Prince of Wales in the eye of the storm by claiming he ignored warnings of possible racist attacks on Archie when decisions were made about his security. A source close to the Sussexes said the couple had seen intelligence and security reports that suggested their son was at a heightened risk, partly because of his mixed race heritage. Security was paramount to them,” the source said.

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  Harry and Meghan Oprah interview: UK reaction after explosive claims

  The Telegraph
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  Last Night, People Learned For The First Time That The British Monarchy Is Bad

  Refinery29

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, says he will fight for Republicans to get a say in Biden's infrastructure bill and block it if they don't

Sen. Joe Manchin told Axios that he wanted bipartisan backing for Biden's infrastructure bill. Manchin, a Democrat, said he'd oppose a bill without tax hikes and GOP support being sought. Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat, said in an interview with Axios broadcast Sunday that he'd block President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill if it didn't attract Republican support.

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  Chris Wallace Asks Joe Manchin If He's 'Enjoying' His Power 'A Little Too Much'

  HuffPost
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  Joe Manchin Signals Openness To Filibuster Reform As Push For Abolishing It Grows

  HuffPost

RNC maintains right to use Trump's name in fundraising

The Republican National Committee is defending its right to use former President Donald Trump's name in fundraising appeals after he demanded they put an end to the practice. In a Monday letter to Trump attorney Alex Cannon, RNC chief counsel J. Justin Riemer said the committee “has every right to refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment-protected political speech" and said "it will continue to do so in pursuit of these common goals. But he maintained that Trump had also “reaffirmed” to the chair of the RNC, Ronna McDaniel, over the weekend "that he approves of the RNC's current use of his name in fundraising and other materials, including for our upcoming donor retreat...

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  RNC Responds To Trump’s Cease-And-Desist Demand With A Thanks, But We’re Good

  HuffPost
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  Republican Party says it will continue to use Trump name in fundraising appeals

  Reuters

USS Nimitz completes a 99,000-mile journey likely not done since WWII

At long last, the USS Nimitz returned home Sunday, close to a year after the aircraft carrier left Sinclair Inlet in Washington state. The 100,000-ton warship, in completing a deployment that included flying sorties against the Islamic State in the Middle East to navigating the disputed waters of the South China Sea, returns to Bremerton, Washington, having logged 99,000 miles. Most of its 3,000-plus sailors, roughly half of which were serving in their first-ever deployment, boarded the warship April 1, 2020 to quarantine for COVID-19.