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- The Independent
Trump served with lawsuit accusing him of breaking ‘Ku Klux Klan’ laws on day of Capitol riot
NAACP accuses Trump of disenfranchising Black voters and trying to ‘destroy democracy’
- Business Insider
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasts Democrats' last-minute compromise on stimulus checks as an 'own-goal'
Other progressives criticized "Senate silliness." Biden struck a deal with Senate Democrats pushing to lower income thresholds for direct payments.
- Reuters
Modi's ministers choose 'Made in India' vaccine over AstraZeneca
Government ministers and officials were following Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead by opting on Tuesday for an Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine approved without late-stage efficacy data, instead of the AstraZeneca one. India's health, foreign and law ministers, and state governors, all flocked to Twitter to express support for the much-criticised Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN vaccine, after it was administered to Modi on Monday.
- The Independent
‘Always up for a fight’: Mike Pompeo refuses to rule out presidential run on Hannity
‘I’m always up for a good fight,’ says Trump ally
- INSIDER
Meghan Markle paid tribute to Princess Diana by wearing her bracelet during her interview with Oprah
The Duchess of Sussex wore three sparkly bangles while filming her Oprah interview, one of which belonged to Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana.
- Associated Press
Police request 60-day extension of Guard at US Capitol
The Capitol Police have requested that members of the National Guard continue to provide security at the U.S. Capitol for another two months, The Associated Press has learned. Defense officials say the new proposal is being reviewed by the Pentagon, and negotiations between the department, the police and congressional authorities are ongoing. The request to keep as many as 2,200 Guard troops in D.C. underscores the continuing concerns about security and the potential for violence at the Capitol, two months after rioters breached the building in violence that left five people dead.
- The Independent
How police are warding off threats from QAnon and militias threatening violence on 4 March
Analysis: US Capitol Police trying a measure of transparency for a change
- BBC
Covid: Biden says ‘Neanderthal thinking’ behind lifting of mask rules
President Biden criticises moves to relax Covid restrictions in the southern state and Mississippi.
- USA TODAY
Police bolster security at US Capitol as QAnon theory claims Trump will become president March 4
It's unclear how many QAnon supporters believe the March 4 inauguration theory. The House canceled its Thursday session as a precaution.
- The Independent
‘Textbook voter suppression’: How Trump’s stolen election lies are shaping the future of democracy
Republicans in 43 states have introduced more than 250 bills restricting voting rights, underscoring urgency in Congress to pass sweeping elections legislation, Alex Woodward reports
- Reuters
Hong Kong democracy campaigners kept in custody after marathon bail hearing
A Hong Kong judge kept 47 pro-democracy activists in custody on Thursday after four days of bail hearings in a case that has drawn global concern that Beijing is using a national security law to crush dissent. Thirty-two defendants were denied bail by chief magistrate Victor So, while 15 were granted bail but still kept in custody after government prosecutors said they would appeal against that decision. The case is the most sweeping use yet of the city's new national security law, which imposes punishments of up to life in prison for serious charges including subversion.
- Reuters Videos
Myanmar security forces, protesters face off
Wearing yellow and white construction helmets, some holding home-made shields made out of wood, others with a satellite dish, Myanmar's protests against the military coup showed no sign of letting up on Wednesday.Security forces fired rubber bullets, stun gun grenades and tear gas to break up the protests and local media reported several people were hurt. Later, there were reports of live ammunition fired and at least nine people were killed. It comes a day after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - or ASEAN - urged restraint but they failed to unite behind a call for the military to release ousted government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and restore democracy.Meanwhile inside the country, a prominent activist called for sanctions on businesses linked to the military.Across the nation on Wednesday, nine people were hurt and at least two people were killed when police fired rubber bullets in the second largest city Mandalay, that's according to the Myanmar Now news agency.In Yangon hundreds of people were detained including several protest leaders, an activist said. As well as local media reports of firing and deaths in the central towns of Myingyan and Magway.Media also reported five people were wounded in the town of Monywa.The military has justified the coup saying its complaints of voter fraud in the Nov. 8 elections were ignored.Nearly 1,300 people who have been detained, according to activists, including six journalists in Yangon.
- BBC
Covid-19: San Diego zoo apes given experimental vaccine
The vaccinations were carried out in February after an outbreak among gorillas at the zoo.
- Reuters
Civil War: Trump attacks Republican strategist Rove, who fires back
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. "He’s a pompous fool with bad advice and always has an agenda," Trump complained in a statement issued by his office in Palm Beach, Florida. Rove, the architect of Republican George W. Bush's presidential victories in 2000 and 2004, wrote in an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that Trump's speech last Sunday to the Conservative Political Action Conference was wanting.
- INSIDER
Fox Sports reportedly gave Skip Bayless a $32 million contract to keep him from going back to ESPN
Skip Bayless is reportedly staying at Fox Sports for a reported $8 million per year after ESPN pursued him with offers in the same salary range.
- The Daily Beast
Report: Ten Aides Ready to Testify in Meghan Markle Bullying Investigation
Charles McQuillan/Getty ImagesAt least ten former staffers who worked for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are “queuing up” to cooperate with an investigation ordered by the queen into allegations that Meghan bullied her staff, it was claimed Thursday evening.The claim was made in the British newspaper the Mirror and is likely to be taken seriously as it was made by well-sourced royal reporter Russell Myers.Sources connected to the group, who have been assured of confidentiality as the investigation continues, said the staffers were considered to be “hugely professional and proud of their efforts” while working at Kensington Palace.One source told The Mirror, “A group of people are queuing up to be involved. They have been silent for too long and there is much to talk about.”Meghan Markle Dismisses Bullying Allegations as Pre-Oprah ‘Calculated Smear Campaign’It came after a report in the Daily Mail said that some alleged victims of workplace bullying by Meghan dub themselves the “Sussex Survivors Club” and are believed to be suffering a form of post-traumatic stress.The paper’s royal reporter Rebecca English said that during a royal tour in Fiji, “I witnessed Meghan turn and ‘hiss’ at a member of her entourage, clearly incandescent with rage about something, and demand to leave. I later saw that same—female—highly distressed member of staff sitting in an official car, with tears running down her face. Our eyes met and she lowered hers, humiliation etched on her features.”A bombshell report in The London Times Tuesday said that Meghan systematically bullied members of the staff and that her head of communications, Jason Knauf, was so appalled by Meghan’s behavior that he put his concerns in writing to his superiors. That email was leaked to The Times.Buckingham Palace responded by ordering a full investigation into the bullying claims.Meghan’s camp has been keen to point out that the complaints raised by Knauf were dropped. However, the Mirror’s source said, “The complaint was considered and those members of staff were spoken to and given the option of taking it further. For whatever reason, they decided not to, possibly because they were still in their job and they were worried about the implications.”A source close to the Sussexes told the Mirror of the palace probe: “The first we heard about this was via the press—this is a whole tit-for-tat scenario. It’s not a complaint we haven’t heard anything but it’s very hard to know what the process is. If this was a private company, we’ve effectively already been fired and I’m not entirely sure what any process could be.”A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry declined to comment to The Daily Beast.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.
- INSIDER
A New Orleans police officer groomed and raped a 14-year-old girl he was assigned to take to a rape kit exam, a lawsuit alleges
The lawsuit alleges the officer began grooming the girl as they sat in the waiting room of a New Orleans children's hospital.
- Associated Press
By slimmest of margins, Senate takes up $1.9T relief bill
The Senate is beginning debate on a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, after Democrats made eleventh-hour changes aimed at ensuring they could pull President Joe Biden’s top legislative priority through the precariously divided chamber. Democrats were hoping for Senate approval of the package before next week, in time for the House to sign off and get the measure to Biden quickly. After the Senate voted by the slimmest of margins Thursday to begin the debate, Democrats were encountering opposition from Republicans arguing that the measure’s massive price tag ignored promising signs that the pandemic and wounded economy were turning around.
- INSIDER
Devin Booker says he's learned from having WNBA 'Greatest of All Time' Diana Taurasi, Mercury stars 'right in your backyard'
"Having the greatest of all time in Diana right in your backyard, I obviously took advantage of that opportunity and went to many games," Booker said.
- Business Insider
Biden supports making a temporary $3,000 payment to parents in the stimulus bill permanent going forward
Senate Democrats want to make the larger tax credit permanent and give families an option to receive monthly checks. Biden wants a permanent one too.