WorldYahoo NewsPutin critics cite Sputnik V vaccine debacle as attempt to further divide Europe
On a chilly Monday morning, the first day of March, airport workers in Košice, Slovakia, unloaded crates marked “Sputnik V” and stamped with the accompanying boast “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine,” from a military cargo plane that had just landed from Russia. Slovakia's Prime Minister Igor Matovič, a media mogul in office for only a year who had earned a reputation as a showman while heading the anticorruption Ordinary People and Independent Personalities party, staged a press conference in front of the plane to unveil the surprise that he'd negotiated in secret with Russian President Vladimir Putin's government: 200,000 doses of Sputnik V — with another 2 million doses on order. Telling reporters that Slovakia couldn't afford to wait for more vaccines from the European Union, the bloc to which Slovakia belongs and usually procures anti-COVID drugs from, Matovič thanked Moscow for “its correct approach,” adding that the delivery proved that Russia is “a stable partner we can rely on in these hard times.”
WorldAssociated Press1 killed, 12 wounded in market explosion in Iraq's capital
An explosion rocked a market in east Baghdad on Thursday, killing one person and injuring 12 others, according to Iraq's military. The military said the blast in the capital's Sadr City, in the Habibiya neighborhood, was caused by a car laden with highly explosive materials that blew up while passing through a popular used furniture market. Iraq's president condemned the attack, calling it a “shameless" attempt by terrorist groups to destabilize the country during the holy month of Ramadan.
PoliticsAssociated PressUS expels Russian diplomats, imposes sanctions for hacking
The Biden administration has announced the U.S. is expelling 10 Russian diplomats and imposing sanctions against dozens of people and companies, holding the Kremlin accountable for interference in last year's presidential election and the hacking of federal agencies. The sweeping measures announced Thursday are meant to punish Russia for actions that U.S. officials say cut to the core of American democracy and to deter future acts by imposing economic costs on Moscow, including by targeting its ability to borrow money. The sanctions are certain to exacerbate tensions with Russia, which promised a response, even as President Joe Biden said the administration could have taken even more punitive measures but chose not to in the interests of maintaining stability.
WorldReutersEU, UK step up Northern Ireland talks as EU continues legal action
The European Union insisted on Friday that Britain not change trading rules in Northern Ireland on its own and said it would continue legal action against unilateral British action in the province for as long as necessary. European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic hosted UK negotiator David Frost for talks on Thursday evening and said that only agreements by joint bodies established by the Brexit divorce deal could provide stability in Northern Ireland. The British-ruled province is in the EU single market for goods to ensure an open border with EU member Ireland and so requires checks on goods coming from other parts of the United Kingdom.
PoliticsAssociated PressAs Biden improves with vets, Afghanistan plan a plus to some
Patrick Proctor Brown says the war in Afghanistan was lost within a year of its start. The suburban Milwaukee lawyer, who was an infantry captain in Iraq, said the trillions of dollars spent and the thousands of lives lost, including a lieutenant he trained with, make it “a tragedy.” Brown supports President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, and by voting for the Democrat, he represents a subtle but potent shift in the voting behavior of some in the military.
BusinessThe TelegraphExclusive: Priti Patel was warned about Heathrow queues crisis last year
Priti Patel's officials were repeatedly warned last year about the growing crisis over queues at Heathrow forcing passengers to wait for hours. The airport wrote twice to the Home Office – in August and December – to say urgent action was needed, including more Border Force staff to tackle lengthening queues that meant planes had to be delayed and passengers held on board jets. The disclosure follows a warning on Wednesday by Chris Garton, Heathrow's chief solutions officer, that the situation had become "untenable" as passengers faced queues of up to six hours despite arrivals being more than 80 per cent below normal.
WorldBBCUS imposes sanctions on Russia over cyber-attacks
The US has announced sanctions against Russia in response to what it says are cyber-attacks and other hostile acts. The measures, which target dozens of Russian entities and officials, aim to deter "Russia's harmful foreign activities", the White House said. The statement says Russian intelligence was behind last year's massive "SolarWinds" hack, and accuses Moscow of interference in the 2020 election.
WorldReutersCastro era in Cuba to end as Raul confirms he's retiring
HAVANA (Reuters) -Raul Castro confirmed he was handing over the leadership of the all-powerful Cuban Communist Party to a younger generation at its congress that kicked off on Friday, ending six decades of rule by himself and older brother Fidel. Castro had said at the last party congress in 2016 it would be the last one led by the "historic generation" who fought in the Sierra Maestra to topple a U.S.-backed dictator in the 1959 leftist revolution. "I believe fervently in the strength and exemplary nature and comprehension of my compatriots, and as long as I live I will be ready with my foot in the stirrups to defend the fatherland, the revolution and socialism," Castro told hundreds of party delegates gathered at a convention center in Havana.
- U.S.Christian Science Monitor
Slavery’s ‘lingering’ effects, reparations, and a hope of reconciliation
She said that 10 of the first 12 U.S. presidents had been slave owners. That's true, but the full list is longer. Among the first 12, Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, and Zachary Taylor were slave owners, eight of them while in office.
- WorldYahoo News Video
Chicago releases video of fatal police shooting of 13-year-old boy
Body camera footage of a Chicago police officer fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy last month shows the officer yelling “Drop it! at the teen right before he opens fire.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestThe 9 Best Wireless Headphones for Every Kind of Use
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WorldBBCJimmy Lai: Hong Kong's rebel mogul and pro-democracy voice
The billionaire media mogul Jimmy Lai is one of the most prominent supporters of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Mr Lai was 12 years old when he fled his village in mainland China, arriving in Hong Kong as a stowaway on a fishing boat. Like a number of the city's famed tycoons, he went from a menial role, toiling in a Hong Kong sweatshop, to founding a multi-million dollar empire.
U.S.Business InsiderBiden says gun violence 'stains our character and pierces the very soul of our nation' in response to Indianapolis mass shooting
Biden said gun violence "stains our character" after the latest mass shooting in Indiana. A gunman killed eight people and injured others after opening fire in a FedEx facility. The Indianapolis massacre is the latest in a string of mass shootings in 20201.
CelebrityThe TelegraphPrinces William and Harry to be reunited before Prince Philip's funeral
The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex will be reunited behind closed doors at Windsor Castle on Saturday before laying their beloved grandfather to rest. Members of the Royal family including Prince William and Prince Harry will gather in the State Entrance Hall before the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin emerges from the State Entrance at 2.41pm. In an apparent sign of ongoing tensions between the brothers, they will not walk shoulder to shoulder in the funeral procession but will be separated by their cousin Peter Phillips, the Queen's eldest grandchild.
U.S.The State5th SC man arrested on federal charges in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A fifth South Carolina man has been arrested on charges connected to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in which hundreds of pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol. Nicholas Languerand faces various charges, including violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, assaulting an officer using a dangerous weapon, theft of government property and knowingly entering and remaining in restricted government area. An “individual resembling Languerand is throwing a variety of objects at the law enforcement officers defending the entrance to the Lower West Terrace tunnel (of the Capitol),” according to a complaint in the case.
WorldBBCIndia's Kumbh festival attracts big crowds amid devastating second Covid wave
But the government of Uttarakhand state, where Haridwar is located, is facing heavy criticism for allowing the Kumbh Mela festival to go ahead amid a sharply worsening Covid picture. On Thursday, India reported more than 200,000 Covid cases for the first time since the pandemic began. One influential Hindu congregation decided to opt out of the massive festival.
PoliticsLA TimesCan Democrats really expand the Supreme Court?
Democrats have introduced a bill to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court from nine to 13. Such a move could allow President Biden to swing the current 6-3 conservative majority in favor of liberals. The effort, condemned by Republicans, faces long odds and has raised questions about why the issue is being raised now and what Congress can actually do.
U.S.The IndependentNorth Carolina teacher killed in shoot-out after trying to rob Mexican drug cartel
A North Carolina teacher was killed during an “old Western shootout” when he and his brother-in-law tried to rob members of a Mexican drug cartel. Barney Harris, 40, was found dead inside a mobile home that authorities say was a stash house for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the state. Police say that Mr Harris and Steven Alexander Stewart had entered a mobile in Alamance County to wait for cartel member Alonso Beltran Lara to arrive so they could rob him of drugs and cash.
ScienceBBCNasa chooses SpaceX to build Moon lander
Nasa has chosen Elon Musk's company SpaceX to build a lander that will return humans to the Moon this decade. This vehicle will carry the next man and the first woman down to the lunar surface under the space agency's Artemis programme. The lander is based on SpaceX's Starship craft, which is being tested at a site in southern Texas.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGOP Reps. Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene were the only 'no' votes on a bill reauthorizing the National Marrow Donor Program
GOP Reps. Greene and Boebert voted against a bill that would renew the National Marrow Donor Program. "Nothing in this bill prevents the funding of aborted fetal tissue," a spokesman for Greene said. GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado were the only members of Congress to vote against a bill that would provide patients who suffer from leukemia or other blood diseases access to potentially life-saving bone marrow transplants.
PoliticsLexington Herald-LeaderBlackford, other writers, wrong about McConnell and the filibuster
Ms. Blackford seems to think that McConnell got huge amounts of money from corporations – however, before criticizing him she should do some research. The Center for Responsive Politics, through www.opensecrets.org shows that 'DARK MONEY,” donors topped $1 billion in 2020, with approximately $400 million to the Dems, and $200 million to Republicans. These corporations are not insignificant in what they expect from their “contributions.
U.S.The IndependentBLM activist arrested for anti-Asian hate crime in Seattle
A man identified as a Black Lives Matter activist has been charged for anti-Asian hate crime, according to reports. Christopher Hamner, of Seatac, Washington, appeared in court on 9 April facing hate crime charges for chasing Asian-American women in Seattle. In one of the incidents, the 51-year-old allegedly called a woman an “Asian b****” while she was driving with her children, who were in the vehicle.
EntertainmentArchitectural DigestShop Troye Sivan’s Eclectic Home Style
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PoliticsBusiness InsiderBiden is running out of time to dodge Trump's traps with Iran
Despite calling for a return to the Iran nuclear deal, President Joe Biden has yet to do so while in office. The window of opportunity to revive the deal is closing, and Biden needs to act quickly and boldly to clear the political traps set by Trump. The future of the Iran nuclear deal hangs in the balance, and with it the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran or another Middle East war to stop it.
WorldThe IndependentBiden expels Russian diplomats and announces new sanctions in retaliation for hacking
US president Joe Biden has announced sanctions against a number of Russian officials and ordered the immediate expulsion of ten diplomats from the country, following allegations of election interference and hacking. The US government said for the first time on Thursday that that the hack, which affected at least 100 private-sector businesses and nine federal agencies, was carried out by Russia. The US has also alleged that Russian president Vladimir Putin authorised attempts to swing the 2020 US presidential election in favour of Donald Trump.
“There’s no ‘both sides of the debate’ when it comes to active voter suppression.”
“Companies that do this ooze contempt for their own customers and employees who are not in the leftmost quarter of opinion.”
“The truth is that Fortune 500 companies were never taking moral stances from the goodness of their corporate hearts.”
“The truth is, the companies hold the cards…If companies stick to their guns, Georgia is likely to back down as well.”
“When a company folds to the unfounded outrage of a few misinformed nuts, they are forever at the mob’s beck-and-call.”