PoliticsWashington ExaminerHarris forced to remind Biden to talk about deadly Miami apartment collapse
Vice President Kamala Harris had to remind President Joe Biden at the White House Thursday to talk about the deadly building collapse in South Florida. Harris whispered, "Florida, yeah," in Biden's ear as he prepared to walk away from his lectern after delivering remarks on the bipartisan infrastructure agreement at the White House. "I've spoken with, coincidentally, the mayor of Miami-Dade, was in my office yesterday — not about that, obviously — but I had a long discussion with her today," Biden stated.
U.S.NextSharkWoman Caught on Camera Spewing Racist Insults at Asian Uber Driver in North Carolina
A white woman was captured on video yelling racial slurs at an Asian Uber driver at a gas station in Charlotte, N.C. Rude passengers: Outhay Chokbengboun, a 46-year-old Laotian American, said he picked up a small group of passengers who argued with him as he was driving, WSOC reported. An argument ensued and escalated into one of the passengers offering to bribe him, and another insulting him.
U.S.The WeekAnthony Fauci was hosed down, naked, 'in what looked like a kiddy pool' after being mailed mysterious white powder
Last summer, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Anthony Fauci was reportedly sent mail containing white powder that "literally blew up in his face," Politico writes, per a preview of the new book Nightmare Scenario by Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta. Luckily, chemical testing came back negative for both anthrax and ricin, but not before Fauci was hosed "down to his skivvies in a chemical lab," standing "naked in what looked like a kiddy pool" while his team awaited results, per Politico. Previously reported excerpts of Nightmare Scenario revealed Trump once joked he hoped COVID-19 would "take out" former National Security Adviser John Bolton, and had even proposed the U.S. house COVID-19 patients at Guantanamo Bay.
PoliticsWashington ExaminerLos Angeles Times pins partial blame on voting rights bill failure on Harris, suggests she's ineffective as vice president
The liberal-leaning Los Angeles Times published an article Thursday suggesting Vice President Kamala Harris has been ineffective during her tenure in the White House thus far. The article, penned by staff writer Noah Bierman and headlined "Essential Politics: Failure of elections bill shows limits of Kamala Harris' influence," dinged Harris for the lack of impact she has made over the past few months, specifically when it comes to the failure of the Democratic-supported “voting rights bill” in the Senate. "She served only four years there, a good portion of that time running for president,” Bierman wrote.
U.S.AxiosDeSantis signs law requiring college faculty, students to take surveys on beliefs
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation requiring state colleges and universities to annually survey their students, faculty and staff about their beliefs to ensure "viewpoint diversity and intellectual freedom." Why it matters: The legislation doesn't specify for what the survey results will be used, but at a press conference on Tuesday DeSantis said that schools found to be "indoctrinating" students aren't "worth tax dollars" and are "not something we're going to be supporting going forward." The big picture: The survey will assess the "extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented" and determine whether students, faculty and staff "feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom," per the legislation.
WorldAssociated PressIndonesian cleric gets 4 years for concealing COVID-19 test
An influential firebrand cleric was sentenced to another four years in prison in Indonesia on Thursday for concealing information about his coronavirus test result. The three-judge panel at East Jakarta District Court, which was under heavy police and military guard, ruled that Rizieq Shihab had lied about his COVID-19 test result, which made contact tracing more difficult. Shihab has been detained since Dec. 13.
WorldNextSharkSan Jose Dad Allegedly Asked to Leave Amusement Park Over Pinoy Pride ‘Gang-Related’ Tattoo
A man spending time with his son on Father's Day was allegedly asked to leave an amusement park in San Jose, Calif., after security accused him of having "gang-related" tattoos. What happened: Mark Devera was recording his son on a Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk ride when amusement park security guards confronted him about his "Pinoy Pride" tattoos on Sunday, according to KPIX5. One of the guards allegedly told Devera he was not allowed on the premises, citing “gang-related” tattoos are against their policy.
- PoliticsThe Week
The infrastructure spotlight shifts stage left
Is Infrastructure Week finally here? Like the burst of smoke announcing the election of a new pope, President Biden emerged from the West Wing Thursday to announce a $1.2 trillion bipartisan deal. "We made serious compromises on both ends," he said as he thanked the group of Republican and Democratic senators.
- WorldKGO – San Francisco
CHP chase ends in crash near Fremont Auto Mall; suspect arrested
The suspect "will be booked at the Alameda County Jail to include charges of attempted murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon (firearm), felony evading, felony hit and run, and resisting arrest," CHP said.
PoliticsWashington ExaminerTrump says Giuliani suspension from practicing law in NY is part of 'Witch Hunt'
Former President Donald Trump rallied to the defense of his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who was suspended from practicing law in New York after a court determined he made false statements in challenging the results of the 2020 election. A tweemail sent Thursday afternoon described the decision, which leaves Giuliani facing the possibility of disbarment, as being part of a partisan campaign to attack Trump and people in his orbit. "Can you believe that New York wants to strip Rudy Giuliani, a great American Patriot, of his law license because he has been fighting what has already been proven to be a Fraudulent Election?” Trump said.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanVideos show tragic aftermath of condo collapse near Miami. ‘Like a bomb went off’
Images and video shared on social media early Thursday morning show the devastating aftermath of a partial collapse of a building in Surfside, Florida. The 12-story oceanfront condo tower near Miami collapsed around 2 a.m. Thursday, leaving at least 10 people injured and one person dead, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told the Miami Herald. The collapse of Champlain Towers South Condo was shown in surveillance video obtained by WSVN.
U.S.Washington ExaminerTeacher goes viral for lamenting she can't teach critical race theory but is required to say Pledge of Allegiance
An Iowa teacher has gone viral after posting a series of TikTok videos where she slammed the state's recent ban on teaching critical race theory. My governor has put into place some ridiculous legislation that many governors across the country have put into place, such as I can't teach anything divisive, I can't teach critical race theory, and I can't teach about racial equity,” Megan Geha, a special education teacher at Des Moines East High School, said in one of the videos. In subsequent videos, Geha complained that she, as a teacher, can no longer be an activist like she could “in the past.
WorldThe TelegraphMalta and Balearics could make green list as No 10 faces mounting pressure to open up
Ministers were coming under intense pressure on Thursday to lift quarantine for holidaymakers returning from "safe" destinations including Malta and the Balearic Islands. They were due to meet on Thursday afternoon to consider advice from scientific advisers that the two popular holiday destinations were safe enough to be added to the Government's quarantine-free "green" list. Travel industry chiefs and MPs believe the decision on the Balearic islands of Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca will be a critical test of the Government's appetite for opening up foreign travel this summer.
U.S.The WeekTrump advisers reportedly hoped he'd be 'a changed man' after his COVID-19 battle. They were quickly disappointed.
Advisers to former President Donald Trump were reportedly hoping his battle with COVID-19 last year would give him a "newfound appreciation for the seriousness" of the virus — only for it to ultimately become clear he "hadn't changed at all." A new excerpt from the book Nightmare Scenario published Thursday in The Washington Post describes the "extraordinary effort to get Trump lifesaving drugs" when he contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized in October 2020. According to the book, Trump's medical advisers hoped during this time that his illness "would inspire him to take the virus seriously."
U.S.Raleigh News and ObserverVandals deface George Floyd statue with black paint and graffiti, NYPD says
A statue honoring George Floyd that was unveiled during a Juneteenth rally in Brooklyn last week was found vandalized early Thursday, multiple outlets report. The graffiti was discovered just before 7:20 a.m., according to PIX 11. Photos and video show the 6-foot sculpture, which features Floyd's likeness, scrawled with black spray paint while the pedestal was defaced with a web address reportedly affiliated with a white supremacist group, the station reported.
PoliticsThe GuardianMichigan Republicans find no voter fraud and say Trump claims ‘ludicrous’
An investigation into the Michigan election by state Republican lawmakers has concluded that there is no evidence of widespread fraud and dismissed the need for an Arizona-style forensic audit of the results. The news comes amid a broad push by many Republicans – from Donald Trump to state parties – to push unfounded lies about Joe Biden's victory, often promoting baseless conspiracy theories and evidence-free accusations of fraud. The Michigan Republican report released on Wednesday followed 28 hours of legislative hearings starring local and national pro-Trump conspiracy theorists such as former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.
U.S.USA TODAYMom of biracial teen seen on video being shocked with Taser by state trooper plans to sue
Kris Rodeman finally got to see her son Wednesday. The mother of the 16-year-old was beside herself with worry, angry and concerned that her son, currently in the Southwest Florida Juvenile Justice Center, is in pain. At issue is the shocking a week ago of her son with a Taser stun gun in the San Carlos Park neighborhood where his girlfriend lives.
WorldBBCCanada Goose to end the use of all fur on coats
Canada Goose, the maker of luxury-priced winter coats, has announced it will no longer use animal fur on its clothing. The firm said it will cease buying fur by the end of this year and stop using it on its products by the end of 2022. Humane Society International said the decision was a "momentous step in the demise of cruel fur fashion".
WorldMiami HeraldCuba says two of its vaccines are effective against COVID-19. But where is the data?
Cuba said its Soberana 02 and Abdala coronavirus vaccines, two out of its five candidates, have shown high efficacy rates against COVID-19 as the island's bet on a homegrown solution begins to bear fruit. BioCubaFarma, the government-owned pharmaceutical company, said late Monday that its three-dose Abdala vaccine candidate had an efficacy rate of 92.28% in phase III of clinical trials, while the state-run Finlay Institute of Vaccines said its Soberana 02 had completed phase III trials with an efficacy rate of 62% after two out of three recommended shots. The vaccines are already being administered even before receiving certification from local authorities, after a spike in cases led the government to launch an emergency intervention last month.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBiden mocked gun-rights advocates who say they need assault weapons to fight the government: 'You need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons'
President Joe Biden joked about people who say they need to own weapons to "take on the government." In the speech, Biden outlined his administration's plan to tackle gun violence in the US. President Joe Biden joked that people who think they needed guns to take on the US government would actually need nuclear weapons.
U.S.INSIDERVideo captures the moment a high-rise condo building partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida
Video captured the moment a wing of a high-rise condo in Florida collapsed on Thursday. Shocking footage captured the moment a wing of a high-rise condo in Florida collapsed on Thursday. Video posted to Twitter by Andy Slater, a Fox Sports 640 radio host, reportedly shows part of the 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside suddenly plummet to the ground at around 1:30 a.m.
BusinessLA TimesBuzzFeed plans to go public through SPAC
The New York-based firm, which launched in 2006, said Thursday that it plans to merge with a special purpose acquisition company, 890 Fifth Avenue Partners Inc. The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, will give BuzzFeed a valuation of $1.5 billion and the ticker symbol "BZFD." As part of the transaction, BuzzFeed will acquire Complex Networks, a youth network that features fashion, food, music and sports content, for $300 million.
U.S.The Daily Beast‘He Wouldn’t Just Leave’: Mom Recounts ‘Surreal’ Hunt to Find Son Allegedly Murdered by Ex
Later, Hall would be informed her suspicions of Mark Redwine were correct after prosecutors allege the 59-year-old killed his son inside his Durango, Colorado, home on Nov. 18, 2012, after the teen discovered photos of him in women's underwear eating feces from a diaper. During Redwine's second-degree murder and child abuse trial currently underway, Hall recounted in painstaking detail the moment she learned her son was missing the day after she sent her son to her ex's for a court-ordered visit.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams the lack of diversity in an all-white group of lawmakers who drafted a bipartisan infrastructure deal
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the bipartisan group of lawmakers who negotiated an infrastructure deal. President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that the group reached a deal. The New York lawmaker called out the group for its lack of diversity.
- PoliticsReuters Videos
The moment a UK warship meets Russian forces
The Russian government says that it will bomb British navy vessels if there are any further provocations in the Black Sea, after the confrontation between a British navy destroyer Russian forces there on Wednesday (June 23). This is video of incident filmed by a BBC news team as it played out. It starts with HMS Defender in disputed waters near Crimea, claimed by Russia but recognized by the West as belonging to Ukraine.
“The pandemic has unequivocally proven the public health value of masks. And they should stick around in certain situations.”
“With the steady thrum of anti-mask sentiment in the U.S., it’s highly unlikely that they will continue to be a ubiquitous sight.”
“Wearing masks on airplanes or other modes of transit ... can help keep everyone safe.”
“Just because masks are common in many other nations ... is hardly a reason to emulate the practice.”
“The fact that the flu all but vanished ... is not evidence alone that masks were responsible.”