WorldYahoo News'High probability' Biden's decision to pull U.S. troops from Afghanistan will cause its government to fall, expert says
Former White House adviser Richard Clarke said that there is a “high probability” that President Biden's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 will result in the collapse of the Afghan government and a takeover of that country by the Taliban. “It's a very courageous move and it's not going to be politically great for him,” Clarke said in an interview on the Yahoo News “Skullduggery” podcast.
PoliticsYahoo NewsU.S. government formally blames Russian spies for SolarWinds breach
The White House Thursday morning accused the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, of orchestrating the recent massive breach that affected private sector networks and U.S. government agencies through the popular IT monitoring software made by SolarWinds. The statement linking the SVR's hacking group, also known as “Cozy Bear,” to the “broad-scope cyber espionage campaign” is the most concrete connection the Biden administration has made between the hack and Russia. “The SVR's compromise of the SolarWinds software supply chain gave it the ability to spy on or potentially disrupt more than 16,000 computer systems worldwide,” according to the White House statement, which also included a number of measures directed against the Russian government for a range of malign activities in addition to the SolarWinds breach.
U.S.AxiosMike Pompeo and his wife misused State Department resources, federal watchdog finds
The State Department's independent watchdog found that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo violated federal ethics rules when he and his wife asked department employees to perform personal tasks on more than 100 occasions, including picking up their dog and making private dinner reservations. Why it matters: The report comes as Pompeo pours money into a new political group amid speculation about a possible 2024 presidential run. What they're saying: "OIG found evidence of over 100 requests to Department employees that are inconsistent with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch or raised questions about the proper use of Department resources," the State Depa...
WorldReutersFood prices soar in West Africa amid conflicts and COVID, WFP says
Food prices in West Africa have jumped more than 30% since last year to their highest levels in nearly a decade due to coronavirus lockdowns and a decline in cereal production, the World Food Programme (WFP) said Friday. More than 31 million people are expected to become food insecure between June and August, raising the risk of a health emergency as the region contends with conflicts and COVID-19, the U.N. organisation said in a statement. "Soaring prices are pushing a basic meal beyond the reach of millions of poor families who were already struggling to get by," said Chris Nikoi, WFP's Regional Director for West Africa.
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.
WorldAssociated PressFrance asks citizens to leave Pakistan amid violent protests
The French embassy in Pakistan on Thursday advised all of its nationals and companies to temporarily leave the country after anti-France violence erupted in the Islamic nation over the arrest of a radical leader. Saad Rizvi was arrested Monday for threatening the government with mass protests if it did not expel French envoy Marc Baréty over the publication depictions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes Von Der Muhll said about 400 to 500 French nationals live in Pakistan and they will be able to leave via commercial flights.
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.
WorldReutersOpponents of Myanmar military rule hold 'silent strike'
Opponents of military rule in Myanmar observed a "silent strike" on Friday, with many people staying home to mourn the more than 700 people killed in protests against a Feb. 1 coup and others wearing black held small marches in several cities and towns. Many Myanmar citizens, infuriated by the return of military rule after five years of civilian government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, have been taking to the streets day after day with activists thinking up new ways to show opposition as the security forces step up their suppression. "Let's make the roads silent," protest leader Ei Thinzar Maung posted on her Facebook page.
PoliticsAssociated PressA look at new Biden administration sanctions against Russia
The Biden administration on Thursday rolled out a sweeping set of sanctions on Russia over its election interference, hacking campaigns and other malign activity. The Treasury Department sanctioned 16 people and 16 entities related to Russia's election interference efforts. Additionally, the department took new action to sanction Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a backer of the Internet Research Agency, which carried out Russia's election interference campaign in 2016, and Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian intelligence agent who falsely claimed Ukraine was behind the 2016 interference effort.
WorldAssociated PressUN agrees to deploy cease-fire monitors in Libya
The U.N. Security Council has authorized international monitors to watch over a nearly six-month-old cease-fire agreement in Libya as the country heads toward December elections after a decade of fighting and upheaval. In a vote announced Friday, the council unanimously approved Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recent proposal for up to 60 monitors to join an existing political mission in Libya. The measure also urges all foreign forces and mercenaries to get out of the country, as was supposed to happen months ago.
WorldAssociated PressJapan, US showcase alliance, resolve in dealing with China
President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga showcased the alliance between their two countries as well as their shared resolve in dealing with China as they met at the White House on Friday in Biden's first face-to-face talks with a foreign leader as president. The talks featured unusually frank warnings from a Japanese leader against any effort by China to dominate the Indo-Pacific region by “force or coercion.” Suga said the visit was meant to “reaffirm the new and tight bond between us” as the U.S. and Japan deal with challenges in the region.
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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.
U.S.INSIDERA heavy metal guitarist who stormed the Capitol as part of the Oath Keepers militia has agreed to flip for prosecutors
Oath Keepers militia member Jon Schaffer has agreed to flip for prosecutors. Schaffer is the first known riot participant to cooperate with prosecutors. A member of the extremist Oath Keepers militia who stormed the US Capitol on January 6 agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, making him the first known participant in the insurrection to flip.
WorldBBCWashington seeks to expose Russian intelligence activity
In a flurry of statements, the US published a vast trove of information about Russian intelligence activities, including naming front organisations and individuals who have worked with Moscow in recent years. The aim of the measures was to send a signal and to impose costs, making it harder for Russia to operate and deter future activity. One Russian tech company which supports the Federal Security Service (FSB) but also does work for foreign governments and international companies was accused of hosting "large-scale conventions that are used as recruiting events" for two Russian intelligence services.
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- WorldChristian Science Monitor
Hosting Japan’s leader first, Biden signals new global priorities
It was former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo who first promoted in 2007 the idea of what has become the Quad countries of the Indo-Pacific – the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India – as the emerging center of democratic governance and free and open economies fostering regional development, says Ms. Curtis, now director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. The recent first-ever summit President Biden held with the Quad leaders signaled not just the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific to Washington,” she says, “but also how highly Washington values its partnership with Tokyo and the particular strengths Japan brings not just to the ...
BusinessReutersWall Street Week Ahead: Tech retakes market lead as investors eye yields, earnings
U.S. technology and growth stocks have taken the market's reins in recent weeks, pausing a rotation into value shares as investors assess the trajectory of bond yields and upcoming earnings reports. Big tech-related growth stocks in other S&P 500 sectors such as Amazon Inc, Tesla Inc and Google-parent Alphabet Inc have also charged higher. The gains have followed a months-long rotation in which tech stocks were outpaced by shares of banks, energy companies and other economically-sensitive names that have surged since breakthroughs in COVID-19 vaccines late last year.
CelebrityThe TelegraphPrince Philip funeral: Royal Family has 'not been able to say goodbye to Duke of Edinburgh in the way they'd hoped or planned'- latest updates
Prince Philip obituary 1921-2021 Minute-by-minute: The funeral timings How to watch Prince Philip's funeral What to expect at the ceremony Prince Philip's custom-made Land Rover hearse design unveiled The Order of Service: follow from home What the funeral tells us about Prince Philip The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the Royal Family have not been able to say goodbye to Prince Philip "in the way they'd hoped or planned". Justin Welby said the public will "never fail to admire" the Queen's composure in the wake of her husband's passing.
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.
WorldBBCMasterChef winner: Tom Rhodes crowned 17th champion
A former Nando's worker has become the latest winner of BBC One's amateur cookery series MasterChef. Tom Rhodes was crowned champion after cooking a five-course lunch for lockdown heroes and serving up a dish at renowned restaurant Le Gavroche. The 31-year-old from Newcastle saw off competition from fellow finalists Mike Tomkins and Alexina Anatole.
PoliticsUSA TODAYBiden to lift Trump-era refugee cap in May amid pushback from Democrats, advocates
The White House said Friday President Joe Biden plans to increase the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the United States next month, hours after facing public outcry over a surprise decision to keep a Trump-era cap in place. The administration said earlier Biden would sign an emergency determination that would maintain the fiscal year's target of 15,000 refugee admissions – a historically low number set by former President Donald Trump. The order instead lifted refugee admission restrictions on regions previously blocked by the Trump administration, including Africa and the Middle East, and said the president would consult with Congress "should we need to increase the number of admissions to further address the unforeseen emergency situation."
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Daunte Wright's mother calls for accountability
On Thursday, Katie Wright, the mother of Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man shot and killed by police in Brooklyn Center, Minn. expressed her grief and called for accountability for her son's death.
CelebrityINSIDERMakeup brand Morphe is parting ways with beauty YouTuber James Charles amid reports he sent sexual messages to minors
Cosmetics brand Morphe is parting ways with beauty YouTuber James Charles. The move comes in light of allegations that Charles exchanged sexual messages with minors. Charles has said he did not know the teens were underage.
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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“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.”