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  • Turkey plans to shut down pro-Kurdish opposition party: ruling party official

    Turkey's government plans to shut down the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the ruling AK Party's deputy parliament chairman was quoted as saying on Tuesday, the most senior official to endorse nationalist demands for its closure. President Tayyip Erdogan's government and its nationalist MHP allies accuse the HDP of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), accusations that escalated after Ankara said Turkish captives were killed by the PKK in Iraq last month. The MHP have repeatedly called for the HDP's closure over links to the PKK, which Turkey, the European Union, and United States designate a terrorist organisation.

  • EU imposes sanctions on four Russians over Navalny jailing

    The European Union imposed sanctions on four senior Russian officials close to President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, a move agreed by EU foreign ministers last week in response to the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The United States also imposed sanctions on Russian individuals and entities in a move coordinated with the EU, senior officials in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden said. The EU sanctions will affect four individuals including Alexander Bastrykin, whose Investigative Committee handles investigations into major crimes and reports directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

  • Biden calls Mexican president an ‘equal’ partner amid surge in border crossings

    President’s warm tone towards Mexico has translated to substantial policy changes

  • Joe Biden just yanked away stimulus checks from 17 million Americans

    During the campaign for the two Georgia Senate races, Joe Biden repeatedly promised to pass $2,000 stimulus checks if the Democrats won. After they did, the administration argued that $2,000 really meant $1,400 in addition to the $600 that had already gone out in the December rescue package. Whether that is true or not, now Biden is inarguably breaking his promise. Under pressure from moderate Senate Democrats, he has reportedly agreed to cut down the formula under which the checks will be sent out. In the previous packages, the amount started phasing out at $75,000 in income for individuals and $150,000 for joint filers, and vanished entirely at $100,000 and $200,000 respectively (as of 2019). Now the phase-out will start start in the same place but end at $80,000 for singles and $160,000 for couples. The $1,400 promise clearly implied at least that the checks would go out according to the previous formula used under Trump. But now singles making between $80,000-100,000 and couples making between $160,000-200,000 will get nothing. The Washington Post's Jeff Stein reports that roughly 17 million people who previously got checks now will not. The supposed justification here is that moderates want the aid to be more "targeted." In fact this formula is horribly inaccurate, because the income data the IRS uses is from the year before the pandemic (unless people have already filed their taxes — and by the way, if your income decreased in 2020, you should do that immediately). This formula is therefore doubly wrong — there are no doubt millions of people who have lost jobs and should qualify but won't, and a smaller number that have gotten raises and shouldn't qualify but will. And this change will only save a pitiful $12 billion. The survival checks are one of the most popular government programs in American history. Polls have them at something like 4-1 approval. "Moderation," for Senate Democrats, apparently means breaking their party's promises in the service of unpopular, pointless actions that make their president seem less generous than Donald Trump. More stories from theweek.com7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's CPAC appearanceMike Pence comes out of hiding to nod towards Trump's election liesCapitol Police warn militia group may be planning to breach the Capitol on Thursday

  • The Trumps are trying to sell a Florida home for $49 million after buying it from the former president's sister for $18 million in 2018

    Eric Trump tweeted a listing for a home that the family is trying to sell through a limited liability company for more than twice its 2018 value.

  • NFL MOCK DRAFT: What the experts are predicting for all 32 first-round picks

    Trevor Lawrence is widely expected to be selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. After that, things get interesting.

  • An MMA fighter suffered a double leg fracture because of a brutal kick during a first-round knockout loss

    Watch Randall Rayment score a bone-breaking knockout so brutal, his opponent will be injured for three to six months. Ouch.

  • Prince Harry and Meghan's 2018 tour was 'stressful' for staff and left one aide visibly upset

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s autumn 2018 tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga was “stressful” for staff, with at least one aide visibly upset after a discussion with the Duchess. One engagement in particular has long been shrouded in mystery, with no credible explanation given as to why the Duchess was abruptly whisked from a market in Fiji’s capital Suva, cutting short the visit. At the time, even palace aides appeared confused about what had happened, with a succession of contradictory briefings. The engagement was organised to allow Meghan to learn more about a UN Women's project called Markets for Change, which promotes women's empowerment in marketplaces throughout the Pacific. Sources have now claimed that the Duchess was upset when she saw branding for UN Women, an organisation she had worked with before. Meghan had allegedly said she would only go to the market if there was no branding for the organisation, a source told the Times, although the reason behind it is unknown.

  • Schumer says Senate will take up relief bill as early as Wednesday

    The Senate majority leader said that the Senate will take up President Biden's $1.9 trillion relief bill as early as Wednesday night.

  • Pence breaks silence to condemn Democrats' sweeping voting reform bill

    In some of his most extensive remarks since Jan. 6, former Vice President Mike Pence wrote an op-ed Wednesday condemning House Democrats' sweeping election and anti-corruption proposal as an "unconstitutional power grab" by "leftists."Why it matters: Pence has largely stayed quiet since the Capitol insurrection, during which rioters were heard chanting "hang Mike Pence" after former President Trump promoted the claim that the vice president could block the certification of the Electoral College.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.The big picture: Writing in The Daily Signal, Pence repeated dubious claims that the 2020 election was "marked by significant voting irregularities."Be smart: While some irregularities occur in every election, state and federal officials have vouched for the election's security and integrity.Lawsuits challenging election results have been rejected by courts across the country, including the Supreme Court.What they're saying: "Polling shows that large numbers of Democrats did not trust the outcome of the 2016 election and that large numbers of Republicans still do not trust the outcome of the 2020 election," Pence wrote.Pence called the Democrats' reform bill, which the House will pass on Wednesday, "an unconstitutional, reckless, and anti-democratic bill that ... could permanently damage our republic." "Leftists not only want you powerless at the ballot box," wrote the former vice president, "they want to silence and censor anyone who would dare to criticize their unconstitutional power grab."Details: The Democrats' "For the People Act" first introduced in 2019, has provisions to restore voting rights for felons, expand early and absentee voting, set national standards for early voting and voter registration, allow voters to register online or on Election Day and prevent voter purges.Pence argued that the bill would undercut efforts to reform elections at the state and local levels. He wrote that the bill "mandates the most questionable and abuse-prone election rules nationwide, while banning commonsense measures to detect, deter, and prosecute election fraud."The bottom line: Pence called the events of Jan. 6 "tragic" and said they "deprived the American people of a substantive discussion in Congress about election integrity in America." He did not once mention the name "Trump."Go deeper: Democrats' sweeping reform bill Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

  • Which activities are safe once you're fully vaccinated? Experts say movies, travel, and family gatherings are on the table

    Public-health experts say it's probably safe for vaccinated people to meet for dinner or gather together indoors.

  • Police uncover ‘possible plot’ by militia to breach Capitol

    Capitol Police say they have uncovered intelligence of a “possible plot” by a militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, nearly two months after a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the iconic building to try to stop Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden's victory. The threat appears to be connected to a far-right conspiracy theory, mainly promoted by supporters of QAnon, that Trump will rise again to power on March 4. The announcement comes as the Capitol police and other law enforcement agencies are taking heat from Congress in contentious hearings this week on their handling of the Jan. 6 riot.

  • OnPolitics: How Biden is erasing Trump's immigration legacy

    President Biden has started to unwind several of Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies.

  • Suspect Nabbed Decades After Hitchhiking Women Were Gunned Down in Colorado

    Colorado Bureau of InvestigationAfter almost four decades, a 70-year-old Colorado man has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of two women who were most likely hitchhiking when they disappeared.Alan Lee Phillips was arrested on murder charges for the 1982 deaths of Annette Schnee, 21, and Barbara “Bobbi Jo” Oberholtzer, 29. Authorities say both women, who didn’t know each other, had been working in Breckenridge, Colorado. They went missing on Jan. 6, 1982 after hitchhiking.Oberholtzer was found less than a day after she went missing but it took authorities six months to find Schnee. Authorities found an orange bootie sock near the crime scenes of both women, according to local media reports.While authorities have not formally charged Phillips, he remains in custody at the Park County Jail. Court records show he’s also facing charges of kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon with offense dates that match both cases. Park County Combined Court confirmed that Schnee and Oberholtzer are the victims.It wasn’t immediately clear what new information led investigators to Phillips in a case that has remained cold for almost a decade. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is expected to hold a briefing on Wednesday afternoon.“I have no problem working it to the bitter end,” private investigator Charlie McCormick, who has been working on the case since 1989, told Denver 7 last year. “You can’t walk away from it, or I can’t. Haven’t wanted to. Tomorrow's another day, and you got stuff to do, and you see what might happen.”Georgia Man Charged With Killing His Girlfriend, Their Unborn Child, and Her Parents—18 Years LaterAuthorities say Oberholtzer was last seen at 7:50 p.m. on the day she vanished, leaving a local pub after having a drink with coworkers. The next afternoon, she was found lying on her back in a snow bank near the Hoosier Pass summit, which is over 11,000 feet in elevation.The 29-year-old was shot in the chest and right breast, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated. “The shooting occurred outside in a rural, isolated, mountain area next to Colorado Highway 9. It would have been dark, possibly snowing, and very cold (-20 degrees F),” the bureau added.Investigators found her backpack and purse about 20 miles from the crime scene, along US Highway 285. Nearby Oberholtzer’s body, authorities found her key chain with a hook and an orange bootie sock, according to Denver7. The murder weapon, a .38/.357 handgun using a Remington/Peters copper jacketed hollow point bullet, was never recovered.Six months later, a young boy found Schnee near Fairplay—about 30 minutes away from where she was last seen leaving a store in Park County. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation said she was found face down in a small stream and was most likely shot outside in a rural “isolated mountain valley area where there would be no witnesses.”“The area where Schnee was found, you'd almost have to have known it was there,” Jim Hardtke, an agent with the bureau, told Denver7 last year. “You'd have to be a local of some sort.”While she was found fully clothed, her clothing was in disarray, authorities said. According to Hardtke, Schnee was also wearing an orange bootie sock on her left foot. Authorities never recovered a weapon but concluded she died from a gunshot wound to the back.Items from her backpack were also found near Breckenridge, including a photograph of a man that has never been identified.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

  • Patrick Mahomes' fiancée reveals when they'll marry 1 week after welcoming daughter

    The couple welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Sterling, a little over a week ago.

  • With J&J's vaccine, the US will have enough coronavirus shots for every adult in May, Biden says. Here's your vaccination timeline.

    The US could distribute 500 million doses by the end of May - enough to vaccinate all of its adult population.

  • 'School of Rock' child star says their role led to bullying and becoming 'a raging addict'

    Rivkah Reyes said that while Jack Black and their castmates were all still in touch, the role as Katie led to self-harm and addiction for Reyes.

  • $1,400 checks in COVID-19 relief bill would phase out at $80,000 instead of $100,000, according to deal between Biden and Democrats

    The House's version of the bill phased coronavirus relief checks out at $100,000 of income.

  • Trump Served With Civil Rights Suit After Capitol Riot

    Michael Reaves/GettyAttorneys for Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and the NAACP have served former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club with a lawsuit filed against him in February. Thompson and the NAACP filed suit against Trump alleging that his incendiary rhetoric and false claims of a “stolen” election amounted to a conspiracy to interfere with civil rights by inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.The suit names Trump alongside his attorney Rudy Giuliani and the right wing extremist groups, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, as co-defendants and builds off the 1871 “Ku Klux Klan Act,” which was “intended to protect against conspiracies, through violence and intimidation, that sought to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their official duties,” according to a complaint.If Jan. 6 Was ‘Domestic Terror,’ Who Was the Terrorist in Chief?“The Defendants conspired to prevent, by force, intimidation and threats, the Plaintiff, as a Member of Congress, from discharging his official duties to approve the count of votes cast by members of the Electoral College following the presidential election,” the lawsuit alleges.It accuses the defendants of acting “in concert to incite and then carry out a riot at the Capitol” that “created grave danger of harm” to Thompson and other lawmakers. Similar to the case laid out by Democrats in Trump’s impeachment trial last month, the suit lays out a timeline of Trump’s “concerted campaign” to retain power at any cost, from his refusal to commit to a peaceful transition before the election, through to his explicit endorsement of efforts to overturn the election result, to his fiery rally speech on January 6.Trump “solicited the support of, and endorsed the belligerent and violent actions of, organizations such as the Proud Boys that expressed support of his reelection,” the suit alleges.Trump advisers did not immediately provide comment on who, if anyone, at this point is representing the former president for this lawsuit. When Trump was served, it was merely signed for by a “Ricky,” according to the court document.Several Trump attorneys who The Daily Beast asked about this said they had no involvement. As of Tuesday, Alan Dershowitz, a member of the Trump legal defense for the ex-president’s first Senate impeachment trial, said “nobody [on the Trump team] has reached out to me yet” regarding this suit, but added that he personally believes Trump’s rhetoric on Jan. 6 is “protected by the First Amendment” and that “I would hope that the ACLU would take on a case like this.”The suit adds to a growing list of legal troubles now facing former President Trump, his family, and his associates, since leaving office.After a victory at the Supreme Court in February, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance obtained copies of Trump’s tax returns. The paperwork is reportedly part of a city fraud investigation looking into whether the former president lied about the value of his assets in order to gain financial advantages.It’s unclear who will represent Trump, the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers in the latest suit but court records show that Austin, Texas-based attorney Joseph D. Sibley IV accepted service of the suit on behalf of Giuliani. Sibley, a graduate of Harvard Law school, is a former U.S. Army Ranger.“I am representing Mayor Giuliani in the Thompson lawsuit, and I will also be representing him in the Smartmatic and Dominion cases,” Sibley told The Daily Beast on Wednesday afternoon.Orange Is the New Orange: Trump Just Might Go to JailSibley handles breach of contract, intellectual property, and other commercial law cases but has also represented clients in defamation cases and provided expert commentary for The Washington Post on defamation suits.He represented far-right blogger Charles Johnson in a 2020 libel lawsuit that was originally filed against Verizon, The Huffington Post, and reporter Andy Campbell for a 2019 article which labeled Johnson a “Holocaust-Denying White Nationalist”—a description Johnson strongly denies. Johnson dismissed the suits against Campbell and Verizon but has appealed a federal judge’s dismissal of his suit against The Huffington Post.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

  • Yankees manager Aaron Boone taking leave to get pacemaker

    Yankees manager Aaron Boone is taking a leave of absence from the team to get a pacemaker and intends to return to work in a few days. New York said the procedure was likely to be performed later Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida. The 47-year-old is entering his fourth season as Yankees manager.