Recommended Stories
- Business Insider
Israel accuses Iran of deliberately spilling oil to pollute its shores, calling it 'environmental terror'
More than 90% of Israel's 120-mile Mediterranean coastline was covered in an estimated 1,000 tons of black tar due to the spill.
- Associated Press
Washington replacing cheerleading team with coed dance team
Washington will not have cheerleaders for the first time since the NFL’s longest-running cheerleading team was founded in 1962, with a coed dance team taking its place. The move is part of the organization's rebranding effort and not related to a confidential settlement reached with members of the 2008 and 2010 cheerleading teams. Lawyers for the team and those cheerleaders told The Associated Press last month that “the matter has been resolved” but would not say when the settlement was reached.
- Reuters
EU, under pressure over vaccine rollouts, considers switch to emergency approvals
The European Commission said on Tuesday that it was considering emergency approvals for COVID-19 vaccines as a faster alternative to more rigorous conditional marketing authorisations which have been used so far. The move would mark a big shift in approach to vaccine approvals, as it would entail using a procedure that the EU had considered dangerous and that before the COVID-19 pandemic had been reserved for exceptional authorisation at national level of drugs for terminally ill patients, including cancer treatments. The potential change comes as the EU executive and the bloc's drug regulator come under increasing pressure for what some consider slow vaccine approvals, which have contributed to a slower rollout of COVID-19 shots in the 27-nation union, compared to the United States and former EU member Britain.
- BBC
Angelina Jolie sells Winston Churchill painting for record £7m
The Tower Of The Koutoubia Mosque, owned by the actress, is sold to an unidentified buyer.
- Reuters Videos
German exports to UK slump after Brexit
The numbers are coming in on post-Brexit trade in Europe. And they don't make pleasant reading for either side. Germany said Tuesday (March 2) that its exports to the UK fell 30% on the year in January. The country's statistics office blamed the fall on Brexit effects. Though it said the global health crisis hadn't helped either. The related economic slump means the UK economy is smaller than it was a year ago. The International Monetary Fund says it and other European economies won't return to pre-crisis levels until next year. Brexit raised barriers to trade, but the flow of goods was slowing even before Britain finally left the EU's orbit. Over all of 2020, German exports to the UK fell 15.5%. That was the biggest year-on-year drop since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Trade going the other way also took a hit. UK exports to Germany fell almost 10%.
- INSIDER
At least 15 people were killed in an SUV crash with a semi in Southern California, hospital authorities say
Officials from the El Centro Regional Medical Center in Imperial County said 27 passengers were in the SUV that crashed into a truck carrying gravel.
- Reuters
Venezuela to weigh oil law reform to allow 'new models,' Maduro says
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday that the National Assembly would consider reforms to oil legislation that he said would allow for "new business models" in the crisis-stricken South American country's crucial oil industry. Maduro did not provide details about what changes might be made by the congress, controlled by allies of his ruling socialist party after a December vote widely boycotted by the opposition. Venezuela's crude output has plunged in recent years due to under-investment and mismanagement, and more recently due to U.S. sanctions aimed at ousting Maduro, labeled a dictator by Washington.
- BBC
What is Biden doing differently at US border?
Democrat Joe Biden has promised to undo the 'cruelty' of Donald Trump's immigration policies.
- Reuters Videos
Dutch COVID center blast appears intentional
Dutch police are investigating an explosion at a coronavirus testing center north of Amsterdam and say that it appears to have been intentionally targeted.The blast occurred in the town of Bovenkarspel, about 35 miles north of the capital and shattered windows, but caused no injuries to the one security guard reported to have been inside.Metal remains of a small explosive device were found at the front of the building. A police spokesman told Reuters that they were investigating exactly what exploded, but said "something like that doesn't just happen by accident, it has to be laid."The region around the rural town, is currently suffering one of the Netherlands' worst COVID-19 outbreaks. At least one hospital has been forced to send patients to other provinces, due to lack of space in its intensive care units.The incident also comes shortly before national elections on March 17 widely seen as a referendum on the government's handling of the pandemic.Wednesday (March 4) marks the first day in several months in which lockdown measures in the Netherlands have been slightly eased, although a night-time curfew from 9 p.m. remains in place.
- 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.
- Business Insider
10 Senate Democrats tell Biden to implement recurring stimulus checks after $1.9 trillion bill is passed
A group of senators thinks direct payments should be sent out regularly as the US economy gets back on its feet.
- The Independent
5,000 National Guard troops remain in DC amid QAnon frenzy that Trump will be inaugurated again this week
QAnon followers believe that on 4 March, which was once the inauguration date of US presidents, Donald Trump will become president again
- USA TODAY
Biden budget pick Neera Tanden drops out of nomination process after confirmation process unravels
As OMB director, Neera Tanden would have become the first woman of color and first South Asian person to lead the powerful executive office.
- Reuters
U.S. House to consider $15 minimum wage in 'near future,' leader says
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday the U.S. House of Representatives will take up legislation soon to raise the minimum wage to $15 over five years, after Senate rules blocked including the proposal in a COVID-19 relief bill before Congress. Democrats and some Republicans have voiced support for the idea of raising the federal minimum wage, now at $7.25 an hour, for the first time since 2009, although they disagree on how much. Raising the hourly wage to $15 was a campaign promise of Democratic President Joe Biden.
- Business Insider
A wealthy Florida Keys community received vaccines before the rest of the state. A month later, one resident sent $250,000 to the governor.
The Miami Herald report came amid criticism of Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who has been accused of playing favorites with vaccine distribution.
- TheGrio
Michelle Obama: Barack and I ‘can’t get a word in’ with Sasha, Malia
During a recent interview on Good Morning America with host Robin Roberts, former First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about how she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, have open communications with their two young-adult daughters. “I always have wanted them to start practicing the power of their voices very early on,” Mrs. Obama shared of Sasha, 19, and Malia, 22.
- Associated Press
Canada vaccine panel recommends 4 months between COVID doses
A national panel of vaccine experts in Canada recommended Wednesday that provinces extend the interval between the two doses of a COVID-19 shot to four months to quickly inoculate more people amid a shortage of doses in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed optimism that vaccination timelines could be sped up. The current protocol is an interval of three to four weeks between doses for the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines.
- INSIDER
QAnon influencers are attacking their movement's hyped March 4 event, calling it a false flag conspiracy theory
QAnon planned for March 4 as its next big date. The movement's influencers are already looking forward to the next goal post.
- NBC News
U.S. issues warning after Microsoft says China hacked its mail server program
All federal government agencies have until noon Friday to download the latest software update to block the perpetrator.
- Business Insider
Biden cuts 16 million people off from stimulus checks after striking deal with moderate Senate Democrats, study says
Biden approved phasing out direct payments entirely for individuals making above $80,000 a year and married couples earning more than $160,000.