PoliticsReutersA day after forcing marathon bill reading, Johnson says 'preference' to leave Senate
The day after he single-handedly delayed the U.S. Senate's debate on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill for 11 hours, Republican Senator Ron Johnson said on Friday that he could retire from office when his term expires. The two-term Republican told Wisconsin media outlets that he has not decided whether to run for reelection in 2022 but added that not seeking another term is "probably my preference now." Johnson, a Trump ally, recently drew widespread criticism by peddling a debunked conspiracy theory that leftists posing as Trump supporters played a role in the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
U.S.NBC NewsAsians were thought to be the 'model minority.' Then came 'receipt culture.'
In another video recorded last July, a tech CEO taunted an Asian American family at an upscale Northern California restaurant, calling them an “Asian piece of s---.” Fueled by former President Donald Trump's anti-China rhetoric, the Covid-19 pandemic has unleashed an onslaught of hate incidents against Asian American and Pacific Islanders. In 2020, the group Stop AAPI Hate received more than 2,800 self-reports of coronavirus discrimination nationwide, from verbal harassment to physical assault.
PoliticsThe WeekA shocking number of Democrats voted against a $15 minimum wage
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has long been on a crusade to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour. After being blocked by the Senate parliamentarian on the question of whether the minimum wage increase could be included in the pandemic relief package working its way through the chamber, Sanders filed it on Friday as an individual item to get all senators on the record. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) were already assumed to not support the $15 mark.
WorldReutersNepal rebel group agrees to abandon violence under deal with government
A splinter group of former Maoist rebels has agreed to abandon violence and enter the political mainstream under a deal signed with Nepal's Communist government on Thursday, a joint statement said. Under the deal, the government agreed to lift a ban on the group, which resumed fighting after the main rebel group signed a peace deal in 2006 to end a decade-long Maoist insurgency in which more than 17,000 people were killed. More than 100 jailed members of the group are set to be freed and legal charges against them will be dropped under the deal, government officials said.
U.S.TODAYSenate bill narrows who can receive $1,400 stimulus checks. Here’s who’s eligible
A third stimulus bill will be debated today, but a last-minute change to the relief package means that about 7 million families may not receive a $1,400 check. Initially, the $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which is known as the American Rescue Plan, included $1,400 checks for people who make an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less, or couples who earn up to $150,000. The checks would have phased out as income increased, and individuals earning more than $100,000 a year and couples earning over $200,000 a year would not receive a check at all.
ScienceAssociated PressNASA's new Mars rover hits dusty red road, 1st trip 21 feet
NASA's newest Mars rover hit the dusty red road this week, putting 21 feet on the odometer in its first test drive. The Perseverance rover ventured from its landing position Thursday, two weeks after setting down on the red planet to seek signs of past life. The roundabout, back and forth drive lasted just 33 minutes and went so well that more driving was on tap Friday and Saturday for the the six-wheeled rover.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramKentucky man — and a motorcycle — found after 465-foot Grand Canyon fall, officials say
A missing Kentucky man was found dead after a 465-foot fall from the Grand Canyon, according to the National Park Service. A motorcycle was also found beside the body of John Pennington, a 40-year-old man from Walton, officials say. He was believed to have entered the Grand Canyon around Feb. 23 and abandoned his vehicle at Yaki Point, a scenic overlook, officials say.
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden secretly limits drone strikes, amid congressional scrutiny over war powers
The Biden administration secretly put temporary limits on the use of drone strikes and commando raids outside of traditional battlefield settings like Afghanistan or Syria, part of a larger national security review of whether to alter use of force rules from the Trump administration. The changes, which the administration put in place on Mr Biden's first day in office, were first reported on Wednesday by the New York Times, and come as the Biden administration recalibrates the sprawling US footprint across the Middle East, and Congress pushes to rein in the president's war-fighting powers and scrutinises a recent strike in Syria.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 7 Best Refrigerators on the Market, According to Kitchen Designers
Quality food preservation, storage space, and good-looking design are priorities among kitchen designers when it comes to refrigerators Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
U.S.The WeekDetroit's mayor rejected a shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Experts say that's nuts.
Experts feared the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's slightly lower efficacy rate would lead to an impression of a two-tiered system. That has been exactly the case in Detroit, where the mayor just rejected a shipment of the company's vaccine. CNN reports that Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D) declined an allocation of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine this week, saying the other available vaccines are better.
WorldThe TelegraphHigh Court orders Mail on Sunday to publish Duchess of Sussex’s legal victory statement on front page
The Mail On Sunday has been ordered by a High Court judge to publish a front-page statement about the Duchess of Sussex's legal victory over its publication of a letter to her father. Meghan's lawyers sought an order requiring Associated Newspapers to publish a statement about her win on the front page of The Mail On Sunday and the home page of MailOnline “to act as a deterrent to future infringers”. Lord Justice Warby agreed that the newspaper needed to carry a story about the legal victory that was in line with the prominence it afforded its original story about the letter.
PoliticsAssociated PressHouse impeachment manager sues Trump, allies over riot
Rep. Eric Swalwell, who served as a House manager in Donald Trump's last impeachment trial, filed a lawsuit Friday against the former president, his son, lawyer and a Republican congressman whose actions he charges led to January's insurrection. The California Democrat's suit, filed in federal court in Washington, alleges a conspiracy to violate civil rights, along with negligence, inciting a riot and inflicting emotional distress. It follows a similar suit filed by Rep. Bennie Thompson last month in an attempt to hold the former president accountable in some way for his actions Jan. 6, following his Senate acquittal.
HealthThe StateDoes restaurant dining lead to rises in COVID case and death rates? CDC finds out
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Friday found that community requirements that support mask use during the pandemic play a large role in county-level COVID-19 case and death growth rates, particularly when it comes to restaurant dining. An analysis of mask mandates and restaurant reopenings in all U.S. counties from March to December 2020 found that significant drops in daily coronavirus cases and death growth rates occurred within 20 days of implementing mask use. Meanwhile, jumps in daily COVID-19 case growth rates were observed starting 40 days after restaurant dining reopened — in which people do not wear masks — while daily death growth rates spiked 60 days after allowing on-site dining.
BusinessFort Worth Star-TelegramTexas regulators will not correct $16 billion in electricity ‘overcharges.’ Why?
At its Friday meeting, the Public Utility Commission of Texas declined to adjust prices that resulted in $16 billion in overcharges to the electricity market during the February winter storm. The governor-appointed regulatory commission, which oversees the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, met with just two members after the resignation of chairperson DeAnn Walker. Commissioners Arthur D'Andrea and Shelly Botkin addressed the Potomac report, which found that ERCOT kept electricity prices too high for at least 33 hours after most outages ended on late Feb. 17.
PoliticsThe IndependentBiden news: White House defends ‘Neanderthal’ slur of GOP states, as Trump shifts blame for Senate loss
The White House defended Joe Biden accusing Texas and Mississippi of having "Neanderthal thinking", saying he was talking about their "behaviour" and not calling them actual Neanderthals. It comes as Donald Trump tried to shift the blame for the Senate race defeats in Georgia, saying Mitch McConnell only offering $600 stimulus checks led to the defeats of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. On the US Mexico border, child migrants detained by authorities have increased 583 per cent under Joe Biden, according to internal documents from the Department of Health and Human services reported by Axios.
- PoliticsYahoo News Video
Civil war within the GOP continues as Trump fires back at strategist Karl Rove
Former President Donald Trump intensified his war with the Republican establishment on Thursday by attacking Karl Rove, a longtime Republican strategist who criticized Trump's first speech since leaving office for being long on grievances but short on vision.
U.S.The Daily BeastTrump State Dept. Aide Accused of Beating Cops During Riot Is Already Hating Prison
A Trump appointee, who was still employed at the State Department when he allegedly bashed police at the U.S. Capitol with a riot shield and egged on a crowd of insurrectionists, has been arrested for his role on Jan. 6. Federico Klein, a 42-year-old State Department staff assistant with top security clearance, is facing a slew of charges, including unlawful entry and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, according to a criminal complaint first obtained by The New York Times. Prosecutors allege Klein, who also worked on Trump's 2016 campaign, “physically and verbally engaged with the officers holding the line” before assaulting one officer with a riot shield—and using that stolen police equipment to wedge open a door into the Capitol to allow insurrectionists inside.
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramSkier narrowly survives avalanche by jumping off 100-foot cliff in California
A California man said he managed to survive an avalanche when he was skiing last month by jumping off a 100-foot cliff. Kyle Johnston was skiing with his cousin John Daiek on Feb. 12 in South Lake Tahoe near Blue Lakes, Tahoe Daily Tribune reported. The pair had come up with an escape route in case of trouble but when the avalanche was triggered, Johnston was forced to go off a cliff, according to the publication.
PoliticsThe Independent‘Always up for a fight’: Mike Pompeo refuses to rule out presidential run on Hannity
Mike Pompeo has refused to rule out a presidential run for 2024, causing speculation the former US secretary of state will throw his hat into the ring. Speaking on Fox News on Wednesday night, Mr Pompeo said he would consider running for president if former President Donald Trump does not. It follows Mr Trump's suggestion on Sunday that he may be considering another run for office in 2024, in a speech delivered to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida.
U.S.The Daily BeastLake of the Ozarks Realtor Offered $1.5K to Have Her Former Mother-in-Law Killed: Prosecutors
She was reportedly concerned about the woman causing problems with her relationship with her kids. Bauman was recorded discussing the scheme, according to a press release from the Camden County prosecutor's office. She was given multiple opportunities to change her mind when asked by a witness-turned-informant if she was sure she wanted to carry out the killing, prosecutors said, but she moved ahead with it, at one point acknowledging that she was a Christian but noting she could always ask for forgiveness later.
PoliticsThe IndependentQAnon predicted Trump’s re-inauguration on 4 March. Congress braced for an assault. Neither happened
It was a government sting operation, “fake news”, a way for congressional Democrats to skip work, or Donald Trump's supporters trolling Joe Biden's administration. A post on the former president's fan forum The Donald reads “HEY FBI WE ARE ATTACKING THE CAPITAL ON THIS DATE”. Adherents to the cult-like delusion of the QAnon movement, the former president's supporters, and MAGA true believers – not all necessarily in the same right-wing ideological camp – arrived at different conclusions as to why an insurrection, let alone Mr Trump's second inauguration, did not happen on 4 March, as some of the QAnon faithful and far-right memes anticipated.
PoliticsUSA TODAYBiden's relief bill isn't getting bipartisan support like previous stimulus bills. What do Republicans dislike so much?
Republican Senators have described President Joe Biden's COVID-19 stimulus plan as a "clunker," "bad politics" and “wildly expensive." The legislation, dubbed the American Rescue Plan, which the Senate started debating Thursday, is getting a partisan reception in Congress. Democrats want it passed soon, but little to no Republican members of Congress have so far voiced support.
U.S.INSIDERA man in jail tried to hire a hitman to kill the witnesses in his court case but the guy was actually a federal informant
A Virgin Islands man tried to hire a hitman from prison to kill witnesses. Delroy Thomas, 30, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and must pay a $3,000 fine. In his attempt to hire a hitman, Thomas was unaware that the person he was speaking to was actually a DEA informant.
WorldThe IndependentBolsonaro tells Brazilians to ‘stop whining’ after daily record Covid death toll
President Jair Bolsonaro has told Brazilians to “stop whining” about Covid-19, and criticised measures to curb the virus as cities impose their own restrictions in the face of record new cases. The comments come as Brazil faces its worst phase of the pandemic yet while the country's health system is on the “verge of collapse.” On Thursday, Brazil saw its second-highest daily raise in cases on record, with a further 75,102 cases of coronavirus recorded.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderThe 8 Senate Democrats who voted against raising the minimum wage are collectively worth over $43 million
Eight Senate Democrats broke from the majority of their party on Friday to vote against a proposal from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to raise the minimum wage to $15, joining all 50 Republicans in the upper chamber to reject it. Their defections put the measure on course to fail. Sanders' proposal defied a ruling from the Senate parliamentarian that a minimum wage increase could not be included in President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package.
“Taking humans to Mars would require an investment astronomically out of kilter with the possible benefits.”
“Can a Mars settlement be a freer society than we enjoy on Earth? Maybe.”
“What we learn...may spark the next revolution that will make life in 2071 beyond anything we can imagine right now.”
“Our presence on Mars could jeopardize one of our main reasons for being there — the search for life.”
“The future of geologic investigation of other worlds lies with highly improved versions of our Mars rovers.”