World

Associated Press
UN: Violence in Sudan’s Darfur killed 250, displaced 100,000
Tribal clashes in Sudan’s Darfur region have killed at least 250 people and displaced more than 100,000 people since erupting earlier this month, the U.N. refugee agency said. The violence in the provinces of West Darfur and South Darfur has posed a significant challenge to the country’s transitional government. Among those displaced were some 3,500 people, mostly women and children, who fled into neighboring Chad, according to Boris Cheshirkov, a spokesman for the UNHCR said Friday.
Business Insider
Iran blames 1600 Bitcoin processing centers for massive blackouts in Tehran and other cities
Cryptocurrency has become a way to bypass US sanctions in Iran and is being blamed for straining the country's electricity grid.
Associated Press
Saudi TV says missile or drone intercepted over Riyadh
Saudi Arabia said Saturday it intercepted an apparent missile or drone attack over its capital, Riyadh, amid the kingdom's yearslong war against neighboring Yemen's Houthi rebels. Saudi state TV quoted authorities in the kingdom acknowledging the interception. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge launching a missile or a drone toward Riyadh.
The Telegraph
Clashes as protests in support of Navalny sweep across Russia
Thousands of people took to the streets in Russia’s Far East and Siberia on Saturday in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny as Moscow braced for its own demonstrations. Seven time zones east of Moscow, about 3,000 people marched across the city of Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean, chanting “Navalny!” In Novosibirsk, chants “Putin is a thief” rang out in freezing minus 19 C temperatures as opposition supporters walked across the city to the main square. Riot police were deployed to most of the protesting cities, with local media reporting violent detentions in Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. OVD-Info, a citizen project that collects information on protesters’ detentions, reported over 130 arrests across Russia by late Monday morning. The protests were triggered by the arrest of Mr Navalny who returned to Russia last Sunday for the first time since he was poisoned and airlifted to Germany for treatment.
Associated Press
Russia arrests 350 protesters demanding Navalny's release
Russian police on Saturday arrested hundreds of protesters who took to the streets in temperatures as low as minus-50 C (minus-58 F) to demand the release of Alexei Navalny, the country’s top opposition figure. Navalny, who is President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent and durable foe, was arrested on Jan. 17 when he returned to Moscow from Germany, where he had spent five months recovering from a severe nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Authorities say his stay in Germany violated terms of a suspended sentence in a criminal conviction in a case that Navalny says was illegitimate.
Associated Press
Biden's early approach to virus: Underpromise, overdeliver
President Joe Biden, in his first three days in office, has painted a bleak picture of the country's immediate future, warning Americans that it will take months, not weeks, to reorient a nation facing a historic convergence of crises. In addition, it is an explicit rejection of President Donald Trump’s tack of talking down the coronavirus pandemic and its economic toll. Chris Lu, a longtime Obama administration official, said the grim tone is aimed at “restoring trust in government” that eroded during the Trump administration.
BBC
Uganda's Yoweri Museveni overcomes Bobi Wine challenge - for now
President Yoweri Museveni sees off another challenger despite the expectation surrounding Bobi Wine.
Associated Press
Opposition leader urges UN to halt Belarus media crackdown
The main opposition challenger in Belarus’ disputed presidential election urged the United Nations on Friday to call for a halt to “violence and lawlessness” in the country, including media censorship, internet shutdowns, website blockages and cancellation of accreditation for journalists. Former presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council that since September the situation in her nation “has only worsened” and the media remain under assault from President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
Associated Press
VIRUS TODAY: Barriers slow efforts to vaccinate immigrants
— Advocacy groups are warning that immigrants in the U.S. may be some of the most difficult people to reach during the national drive to vaccinate the population against the virus. It is unclear when the proposal will be introduced.
Reuters
Jailed Kremlin critic Navalny, on protest eve, says has no plans to commit suicide
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Friday he wanted it known that he had no plans to commit suicide in prison, as he issued a message of support to his followers on the eve of protests the authorities say are illegal. Navalny was detained on Sunday after flying home for the first time since being poisoned with what the West says was a military-grade nerve agent that Navalny says was applied to his underpants by state security agents. The 44-year-old lawyer, in a Moscow prison pending the outcome of four legal matters he describes as trumped up, accuses President Vladimir Putin of ordering his attempted murder.
AOL Associated Press
Twitter suspends Iran top leader's account over Trump threat
Twitter said on Friday that it had permanently banned an account connected to the office of Iran’s supreme leader, shortly after the account posted a photo showing former President Donald Trump playing golf in the shadow of a giant drone. In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press, a Twitter spokesman said that the tweet had violated the company's “abusive behavior policy,” and that the account had violated its “manipulation and spam policy, specifically the creation of fake accounts,” without elaborating. Other accounts thought to be tied to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office remained active.
Axios
Schiff asks new intel chief Avril Haines to declassify Jamal Khashoggi report
House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff on Friday formally asked Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines to declassify a report on the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Why it matters: The Washington Post has reported that the CIA concluded with a high degree of confidence that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — a close ally of the Trump administration — ordered Khashoggi's assassination. The Trump administration never released the report to the public.Be smart: sign up FREE for the most influential newsletter in America. * A 2019 United Nations investigation into Khashoggi's death also concluded that he was murdered by associates of MBS. * Haines, who was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, vowed in her confirmation hearing to release the report. What they're saying: "The brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an assault on human rights," Schiff tweeted. "But for a year the Trump Admin refused to make public an unclassified report on Saudi Arabia's culpability. I have asked Director Haines to declassify this report. There must be accountability and justice."Support safe, smart, sane journalism. Sign up for Axios Newsletters here.
Associated Press
Brexit leader to head Mississippi public policy center
A leader of the Brexit movement and newly appointed government trade adviser in the United Kingdom is now the head of a conservative think tank in the American South. Douglas Carswell, 49, started working this month as the new CEO and president of Mississippi Center for Public Policy. Carswell, a libertarian and former member of Britain’s governing Conservative Party, was a member of Parliament for 12 years and a co-founder of Vote Leave, the campaign that pushed the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Associated Press
Kansas advances anti-abortion measure on Roe anniversary
Republicans on Friday pushed a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the Kansas Constitution through the state House, a bitter reminder of election setbacks for abortion rights Democrats on the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide. The vote was 86-38 on a measure that would overturn a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision that declared access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights. The measure would add language to the state constitution declaring that it grants no right to abortion and that the Legislature can regulate abortion in line with U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
Associated Press
Twitter bans suspect Iran account after post threatens Trump
Twitter said Friday it has permanently banned an account that some in Iran believe is linked to the office of the country’s supreme leader after a posting that seemed to threaten former President Donald Trump. In the image posted by the suspect account late Thursday, Trump is shown playing golf in the shadow of a giant drone, with the caption “Revenge is certain” written in Farsi. In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press, a Twitter spokesman said the account was fake and violated the company's “manipulation and spam policy," without elaborating how it came to that conclusion.
Associated Press
Venezuela power struggle impedes delivery of COVID vaccine
Venezuela’s political conflict has claimed another casualty: relief from the coronavirus pandemic. The socialist government of Nicolás Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition are accusing each other of playing politics with proposals to finance United Nations-supplied vaccines — so far blocking any option from going ahead. The cash-strapped government, shut out from western banks by U.S. sanctions, has proposed selling a small part of the $2 billion Venezuela's central bank has sitting frozen in the U.K. Lawyers for Venezuela's central bank warn a “humanitarian disaster, and a potentially large loss of life" could result if the U.K. funds aren't freed up.
Refinery29
A Week On Unemployment In Los Angeles, CA
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar. Do you identify as a man and have you always wanted to write a Money Diary? While now is your chance! Send us an email to moneydiary@refinery29.com with your age, location, job title, and salary for a chance to be featured in an upcoming series.Today: an unemployed product manager who spends some of her money this week on a Fjallraven hip pack. Occupation: Product Manager (currently unemployed)Industry: TechAge: 30Location: Los Angeles, CASalary: $0 (previously $90,000) Net Worth: $10,000 (Savings:~$27,000, 401k: ~$19,000, Stocks: ~$4,000 minus debt)Debt: $40,000 (Student loans and car loan)Paycheck Amount (biweekly): $900Monthly ExpensesRent: $900 for my half of a one-bedroom apartment I share with my fiancéStudent Loans: $200 (on pause during COVID)Car Loan: $141 (My fiancé is taking over these payments until I get a job)Gym: $103Netflix: $12.99Hulu: $5.99Phone: $99 (I pay for my mom and me)Internet: $32.50 for my halfUtilities: ~$50 for my half every other monthUber Pass: $10 Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?There wasn’t really a huge expectation for me to get a higher education, the pressure to go mostly came from me. I always knew that if I wanted to get out of my house, I would have to pursue higher education and become self-sufficient. I got my bachelor’s degree after high school and started working after that. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?I grew up knowing that we didn’t have a whole lot of money since my parents would mention how we couldn’t afford things. My parents never taught me about finances and I figured out most things on my own. I did pick up a saving habit from watching my mom hide money so that my dad wouldn’t spend it and she would use it for emergencies. He would spend money as quickly as he got it and it would leave us in bad situations sometimes. What was your first job and why did you get it?My first job was when I was 15 and got hired by a local theatre to write a play for them. I took after-school classes there and they developed a program to have a teen write a story every year and I was selected as one. After that, I became an intern and continued to make money there. Did you worry about money growing up?All the time. Most of the arguments at home were about money or how my dad spent it all. Growing up, I tried to ask for as little as possible or pay for things on my own. I paid for my prom ticket, field trips, and for going out with friends. I didn’t get my senior portrait taken because I couldn’t afford it and didn’t want to ask my parents for it. You can’t find me in the yearbook in the senior section but you can find me as the winner for the “Most Artistic” category. Do you worry about money now?Yes. I’m constantly worried about not saving enough and struggled for a while with big purchases that I needed, like a laptop for college. I am much better at it now but I worry a lot about not being able to sustain myself. Therapy helps. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?I mostly paid for things on my own starting at age 15. When I got into college, my dad bought me a car and gave me a monthly stipend of $300. This was one of the first times that I realized that we could actually afford things, my dad just has a huge problem with spending. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.Yes, the stipend I got during college from my dad. Day One 9 a.m. — Get out of bed after laying around for the past hour. Make myself some toast and grab a cookie with black coffee and make sure to feed my pet bird. I get a text from my fiance, U., who is spending the next couple of weeks isolating with his mom back home in Europe since she hasn’t been taking the loneliness of the pandemic too well. After replying, I turn on Seinfeld to watch an episode. 10 a.m. — Take my medication (Lexapro and Wellbutrin) for depression and anxiety. I’m kind of worried because I lost my job due to COVID and my insurance runs out at the end of the month. I don’t know how I can access therapy and my medications without insurance. I’m waiting for a letter from COBRA to see what I can do. I have an interview this afternoon so I do additional research on the role before the call. 12:30 p.m. — Finish up the interview and I think it went well. Tbh, I’m a bit burned out from interviews since the role I’m applying for (product manager in tech) usually consists of five or six rounds of interviews plus a project before an offer. I’ve made it to the final round several times only to be told that they are passing, so it’s been exhausting. Since I’m done, I wrap up a produce calendar that I’ve been making and selling on Etsy for some extra cash. 1:30 p.m. — Go to the pharmacy to pick up extra medication in case I don’t figure out insurance for the next month ($12.46) and drop off my Etsy packet at a mailbox. There is a really good wine store next door that sells curbside, so I pick up a bottle of rosé ($18.07). Once home, I eat leftover cauliflower tacos, turn on RHONY (I’m new to it this year), and frantically text my friend about Luann showing up in black face at a Halloween party. $30.53 3:15 p.m. — I finish a therapy session ($20) that is a little intense. I’m doing EMDR for trauma/PTSD since “regular” therapy wasn’t working. She mentions that after a session my brain does a lot of processing so to stay off anything negative like the news or violent movies and instead do soothing things like eating cookies and relaxing. I’m here for it. I called my fiancé and no response, but it’s midnight in his timezone. $20 5 p.m. — Wake up from a nap. My therapist mentioned I might feel tired and sleepy after the session and she was right. I decide to watch a cute rom-com and settle on Love, Guaranteed. Browse through ordering apps to get a pizza and wow, they are pricey. It’s cheaper if I buy more pizza but I only want a small individual one. Stuck between getting two pizzas or an individual with a side of potatoes both at the same price — I go with the individual because that’s too much pizza for one person. Toppings are pineapple, jalapeno, basil, and red pepper. I’m not vegetarian but I’m trying to reduce eating meat because of climate change. U. offers to pay for it with his credit card saved on his Caviar account. 7 p.m. — I do yoga while waiting for my food. When it arrives, I take out some prosecco to enjoy during the movie. I fix a small plate for my bird with seeds and potatoes because he usually tries to eat off my plate so this way he feels like he has his own. Love, Guaranteed is actually a cute movie and I text a few friends about how Damon Waynes Jr. went through some kind of glow up because he’s looking good. Halfway through the movie, my friend, T., surprisingly arrives at my door to drop off some baked goodies for Christmas. This is seriously so sweet and I can’t wait to dig into them. 10:15 p.m. — Brush my teeth and wash my face with CeraVe then apply toner, Curology, and Biossance serum cream. I usually like to read my book in bed, but this one is about North Korea so there is violence in it. I skip reading and reply to my friend who is live-texting me while she watches The Bachelorette finale from yesterday. Lights out by 11:30. Daily Total: $50.53 Day Two 7:30 a.m. — It’s Christmas Eve. I’m woken up by my bird — he likes to cuddle under the blankets in the morning. FaceTime with U. My severance hits my bank account today and I’m excited. I originally thought it would be $8,800, but and after taxes, it’s down to $5,566. I hope to use the money towards insurance and healthcare. I shower and get ready. 9:45 a.m. — I meet up with my friend, C., in Chinatown. We have a tradition of getting coffee early in the morning on Christmas Eve and we didn’t want to skip it this year so we agreed on a walk with masks instead of sitting inside. I bring the baked goods from last night to share with him. We order coffee ($6) and thankfully Chinatown is a ghost town so everything feels peaceful. We talk about this year’s sad holiday. U. had suggested that I make myself a nice lobster dinner for Christmas Day so C. and I go into a seafood market in the neighborhood. They only have live lobster and after staring at them, I decide I don’t want to buy them, it’s too sad. I head home. ($2 for parking). $8 2 p.m. — I fall asleep while watching TV, which is unusual. I head to my mom’s which is 20 minutes away to drop off gifts. The drop off turns into a visit. I eat and play cards with her. She got COVID in the first wave and thankfully hasn’t gotten it again, I hear it’s rare to get it again, but who really knows. I text my dad Merry Christmas and call my brother who lives in another state. 7:15 p.m. — I leave my mom’s and head to my car. Her street has tons of fruit trees that her neighbors grow. On the way to my car, we spot a lemon tree and I pick three so I can make lemon shrimp pasta tomorrow. Score! Once home, I change into my PJs, light up my Christmas tree, and watch A Charlie Brown Christmas with chamomile tea and look for memes to send to my brother. 10:30 p.m. — Fall asleep again so I wash my face and go to sleep. 1:15 a.m. — I wake up and can’t get back to sleep so I grab my phone and see that U. has texted me. We chat for a little bit and update each other on our days — I really miss him. I check my email and see that my friend sent me a $25 REI gift card and that my COVID results are back and negative. I go back to sleep around 3 a.m. after taking a melatonin pill. Daily Total: $8 Day Three 9:30 a.m. — It’s Christmas. I wake up and have a Nespresso with a dark chocolate muffin I made earlier this week and a piece of toast. My dad calls to wish me a Merry Christmas and asks if I can stop by to pick up my gift. I tell him I’ll stop by later. I put on Schitt’s Creek and kind of space out, I’m feeling a bit low this morning. 12 p.m. — Quickly look for a gift for my dad. I have a pile of backup gifts that I keep for gift emergencies. I find a nice set of wine glasses and put them into a gift bag. I’ve stopped giving him thoughtful gifts because growing up, whenever I gave him a gift, he would tell me he didn’t like it and ask to return it. As a kid, it would devastate me every time, so I stopped putting thought into it to protect my feelings. I stop for gas ($27.88) and head over. We chat outside for 15 minutes. I tell him I’m engaged and he says he’s happy for me. When I get home I open my Christmas card from my dad and it has $50 in it. For some reason, I begin to cry. $27.88 1:30 p.m. — I decide that I’m going to clean my apartment and halfway through U. calls me. We talk about our days and he really makes me feel better. Afterward, I go into the kitchen to defrost the shrimp and…. there’s no shrimp! I seriously thought we had some. Annoyed, I go for a walk to get some air. 4 p.m. — Scroll through food apps to see what’s available and I find a bougie pizza spot that looks really good. It’s about $35 for one pizza which is ridiculous so I decide to just walk down the street to the grocery store for shrimp. As expected, the store is hectic and the guy serving seafood is in a bad mood and I don’t blame him. I buy cereal, shrimp, parsley, almond milk, and two lemons ($11.77). Once home, I put on RHONY and get to cooking while drinking my rosé. I send U. a couple of videos of what I’m making. $11.77 6 p.m. — Finished cooking and buzzed, I serve my meal and turn on Last Christmas. Not to brag but the meal is on point. I text C. to let him know that I have a lot of pasta and that I can put some in a Tupperware for him to pick up tomorrow. My friend, D., FaceTimes me and we scroll through Airbnbs we would like to stay in someday. 10:30 p.m. — Get ready for bed and lights out around 12. Daily Total: $39.65 Day Four 8 a.m. — Wake up, eat cereal, and make myself a Nespresso. I watch Schitt’s Creek and browse through REI, where I find a coffee holder for my bike. I pay with my gift card. I also become obsessed with a Fjallraven hip pack but it’s $55. I dig deep into the internet and manage to get it for $45 total including shipping. I used my dad’s gift to pay for it. $45 12 p.m. — After cleaning, I scroll through Instagram. I see a lot of posts of people having big celebrations with families and my heart sinks. I’ve been struggling with loneliness for a while and don’t know what the point of skipping out on the holiday with my family was for since everyone seems to have been together and spreading the virus anyway. I text D. about feeling low and he suggests we get an Airbnb and isolate together for a while which I think could help with the loneliness I’ve been feeling. I tell him I’ll think about it. Depression sets in and I start ugly crying when U. texts me he can’t call and unfortunately I take it out on him via text. I feel a panic attack coming and don’t want to take a Xanax so I try and calm myself down. 3:15 p.m. — Talk to U. after all and I apologize for being mean. He suggests we do a doodle challenge together so we feel more connected while he is gone. I go for a walk and text D. that I’m in and we agree to get tested to make sure we are negative a few days before. Once home, I reheat leftover posole from my mom and watch Seinfeld. 5:30 p.m. — I get an email saying that my coffee holder is ready at REI. I realize that C.’s place is on the way so I send him a quick text that I’ll be dropping off the pasta. Once I get to REI, I look in the camping section to see if I can buy U. a camping pillow. We love camping and I always bring my pillow and find myself lending it to him on some days. Pillows are $40-$89 and I decide I need to do research before dropping that amount of cash. 7:45 p.m. — Once I’m home, I test out the holder to see if it can hold my coffee and water bottle. It only works for the coffee. I pour myself cereal and watch more of Schitt’s Creek. 8:45 p.m. — D. sends me a bunch of Airbnb options and we settle on one in Palm Springs with a hot tub, pool, and fire pit. One of the baths also has a caddy and I’m excited to use it for reading and bath bombs. It turns out to be $750 each, yikes! I make calculations and decide to bite the bullet and use some of my severance for it. He mentions I can pay him later so really hoping for a job soon. I set the money aside anyway. 10 p.m. — My bird is perched on my leg sleeping and I don’t want to disturb him. I browse through Target for a little bit until he wakes up. Once he’s awake, I get in bed. Daily Total: $45 Day Five 8 a.m. — Wake up and order acai bowls from UberEats. I order two for it to reach my minimum for free delivery with Uber Pass. I’ll just freeze one and have it for another day. When it arrives, I realize I got the wrong order so I reach out to UberEats. They are going to give me a full refund so this turns out to be free. I make myself a coffee and turn on a Korean drama I’ve been watching on Netflix called Startup. It’s v. dramatic and I can’t stop watching it. 11:15 a.m. — Do small maintenance on my bike and add the coffee holder. I decide to ride to a bakery called Proof and take the L.A. river bike trail to it. On my way there, a truck almost hits me and I get rattled. Once on the trail, I take out my phone and put on This American Life to calm down. 12:45 p.m. — I get to Proof and order an iced oat milk latte, an almond croissant, and a small ham sandwich ($18.25). I put the food in my backpack and try out my coffee holder. It works great! I bike back to the trail and find a spot by the river to sit and eat my sandwich with the latte. I turn on the podcast The C-Word and chill for a bit. $18.25 3:30 p.m. — Head home with no incidents and put my almond croissant away for tomorrow. Talk to U. for a bit and then make a small fix to my coffee holder so that it balances better. Shower and foam roll my legs since I did about 14 miles on the bike today. 6 p.m. — Go down a rabbit hole on Instagram looking up old high school friends. We’ve lost touch over time and some of them built really interesting lives. One became a well-known/successful model, another opened up an art gallery that gets written about a lot, and another is a photographer in New York who has become a mini-celebrity since I’ve seen him on TV playing himself. Being unemployed right now, this has made me feel pretty bad about my career trajectory. I order some bougie pizza with a code and take out my leftover rosé in hopes of feeling better. I don’t know why I opened up that can of worms. $16.20 8 p.m. — Pizza arrives and it’s basil, sausage, and spinach. It’s so good! I put on 20th Century Women, but because I’m a bit buzzed, I can’t follow. I pause it to finish it up tomorrow. The pizza is for two so I save the rest for leftovers. I draft an email to a recruiter who was supposed to let me know about a final answer last week and didn’t. I’ll email it out tomorrow if I don’t hear back by mid-day. Continue looking online for a gift for U. 10 p.m. — I find a nice place setting on West Elm that is on sale and buy it for our white elephant in a couple of weeks ($13.16). I also find a pie/casserole tote on Anthropologie that I know U. would like. He loves cooking and always has trouble carrying his dishes when we do potlucks. It was $40 but is on super sale ($16.39). I head to bed and listen to the thunderstorm outside until about midnight. $29.55 Daily Total: $64 Day Six 8:30 a.m. — Wake up, make coffee, and eat my croissant while watching Seinfield. I’m still hungry so I warm up a slice of pizza. I check my email and decide to just send out my follow up to the recruiter now. I cc her coordinator in case she is out of the office and add a tool to get a read receipt to see if it’s opened. I get an OOO message from both of them and am annoyed. I sent my last email asking if I should expect an answer after the holidays and a yes/no response would’ve been nice. I do get a notice saying that my email has been opened twice, so don’t know if they will respond. 12:15 p.m. — It’s still raining hard so I can’t go out on a walk. I email the hiring manager I interviewed with to see if she has an update. C. suggests I print out more calendars to sell so I look online to see how much it would be to print more but am not that confident with it. A bookstore recently took an order from me so I want to wait and see how that goes first. 1:30 p.m. — My friend, T., texts me that she’s engaged! I’m so excited for her and her boyfriend. Their picture is so cute — I send her all the gifs. I decide to eat the last slice of pizza with another cup of coffee then snuggle with my book. 3:30 p.m. — Talk to U. and let him know that the loneliness and lack of work are making me feel sad and crazy. We try to come up with things I can do to keep busy. 7 p.m. — I finish my book while cuddled up in blankets. It’s definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I grab a bowl of cereal and turn on Schitt’s Creek while doing research on insurance. If I stick with COBRA, my insurance will be $530 a month. Wow. I calculate how much it would be if I paid for therapy and my prescriptions out of pocket instead, and it comes to about the same. I’m in the middle of EMDR treatment and don’t want to start all over again if I were to switch to a different insurance company. I make a note to reach out to HR tomorrow. 9:30 p.m. — Go to bed and play with my phone for a while. Lights out by 11. Daily Total: $0 Day Seven 8 a.m. — The sun is out today and I am excited to go outside. I take my acai bowl out of the freezer and put it in warm water for it to thaw. While I wait, I text with U. and email HR about COBRA. Make myself a coffee and watch Seinfeld while I eat. 11 a.m. — Put on pants, take salmon out of the freezer to thaw, and head out for a walk. I go to one of my favorite neighborhoods and sightsee pretty houses. I walk over to the bookstore that bought my calendars. They are closed today, so I peek inside to see if there are any calendars left. I don’t see any but don’t know if they’ve been moved or are sold out. 1:15 p.m. — Get home and sit down to find U. a gift on Food52. I go with a multi-purpose dish mat and a sprout terrarium grower. I use a code for $10 off which really only covers shipping ($75.54). I wonder if I should get him something else or if I’m overdoing it since I also have two other gifts as well. I get really anxious with gift-giving. I think we all know why I feel that way. I put my computer away and wash the dishes. $75.54 2:30 p.m. — OMG I got an email from my old company saying they might have a position opening up and if I’m interested in coming back. I call U. because I’m a little freaked out and don’t know what to do but he doesn’t answer. I go ahead and reply that I would be interested in a conversation. When U. calls back he tries to calm me down and advises me to keep my expectations grounded. I have too much adrenaline and am afraid it could turn into an anxiety attack so I reserve an open slot for a gym session. I change and head out the door. 5 p.m. — After 10 minutes of lifting weights at the gym, I decide to go on a run instead. On the way back I pick up a chicken salad from Chipotle ($7.75) and get home to watch Schitt’s Creek. $7.75 6:45 p.m. — I shower and feel a lot more level headed. I’m trying to fight off negative thinking, i.e. “they are only going to reject me” or “no one wants to hire me” etc. I bake salmon and potatoes as a meal prep for the rest of the week and take a Xanax to further calm down. 9:30 p.m. — Log onto my library’s catalog and place a hold on a book that I want to read during my getaway at the Airbnb. I make a list of books I enjoyed this year to post on Instagram since the last time I did people really appreciated it. 10:30 p.m. — Head to bed and lights out by 11:30. Daily Total: $83.29 Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.Do you have a Money Diary you’d like to share? Submit it with us here.Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here or email us here. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?A Week In San Jose, CA, On A $72,000 SalaryA Week Unemployed In Washington, D.C.A Week In Dallas, TX On A $35,000 Salary
Associated Press
Ballot count confirms Laschet as leader of Merkel's party
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right party said Friday that Armin Laschet, the governor of Germany’s most populous state, has been confirmed as its new leader. The 59-year-old centrist came first in an online vote by party delegates Saturday, ahead of conservative rival Friedrich Merz. Under German law the election had to be officially endorsed with a postal ballot.
Reuters
German CDU confirms Laschet as new leader in postal ballot
Germany's Christian Democrats confirmed centrist Armin Laschet as their new party leader on Friday after a postal ballot, which was required to legally uphold his election by delegates in a digital vote on Saturday. Laschet, premier of Germany's most populous state, won 83.35% of the valid postal votes cast by 1,001 delegates, the CDU said. Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe's predominant politician and a consistent winner with German voters since taking office in 2005, has said she will not run for chancellor again in September's federal election.
BBC
Africa's long wait for the Covid-19 vaccine
Africa will have to wait "weeks if not months" before getting WHO-approved vaccines, officials say.
BBC
Central African Republic declares emergency as rebels surround Bangui
Central African Republic, two-thirds controlled by rebels, is "at grave risk" the UN envoy says.
The Telegraph
Iran's president to sue state TV after guest called him 'opium user'
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani plans to sue the country’s state broadcaster for defamation after a hardline cleric accused him of being an opium user on national television, the president’s office of legal affairs said Friday. Speaking during a debate on President Rouhani’s legacy, Ahmed Jahan Bozorgi, a senior member of an Islamic think tank that advises the government, asked whether a man who stays home smoking opium and cannot be reached by his cabinet ministers is a responsible official. Mr Bozorgi’s institute later disavowed the comments, as did the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB), which broadcast the programme, but the incident highlights growing efforts by hardliners to discredit Mr Rouhani and his moderate allies ahead of presidential elections in June. IRIB is controlled by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and has been increasingly critical of the Rouhani administration in recent months. A spokesman for the president demanded a further apology. “What was broadcast last night was sadly just shameless insult, slander and foul language against the president,” Alireza Moezi wrote. Hardliners have increased pressure on President Rouhani and his cabinet in recent weeks, with one radical member of parliament even suggesting “it is time to impeach him” now that former US president Donald Trump is out of office. Having failed to install their preferred candidates in Iran’s last two presidential elections, hardliners are looking to capitalise on gains made during heightened tensions with the US during the Trump administration. On Wednesday, hardliners summoned Rouhani allies Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and the Communications Minister Mohammad Azari Jahromi for questioning in parliament, where they were respectively accused of “being a friend of Biden” and “too liberal towards social media”. President Rouhani meanwhile said Wednesday he is hopeful that US sanctions on Iran will be lifted following the inauguration of President Joe Biden, further angering hardliners, who oppose adopting a softer tone towards the US. If the US lifts sanctions and returns to the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Mr Trump, this could give Iranian moderates the edge in presidential elections. Mr Rouhani however is ineligible to run again, having served two terms. Hardliners meanwhile oppose returning to the deal. "We do not need the nuclear deal anymore. Our strength comes from the fact that we have kept our existence without it," said Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Placing a candidate from IRGC to the top civilian post in Tehran would cement the position of conservative hardliners in the republic, who dominated parliamentary elections last March and control the country’s powerful unelected bodies, including the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts.
Christian Science Monitor
Navalny wants to take on the Kremlin. Are Russians listening?
Alexei Navalny is back in Russia and calling for protests against Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. But his sway with the Russian public remains modest.
The Telegraph
Twitter suspends Iran's Supreme Leader after tweet threatening Trump
Twitter suspended an account linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday after it made a post apparently threatening former US president Donald Trump. Earlier on Friday, the @khamenei_site account shared an image of a golfer resembling Mr Trump under the shadow of an aircraft. The accompanying message threatened vengeance for the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, whose assassination Mr Trump ordered in a US drone strike in Iraq last January. The tweet in Farsi repeated comments Ayatollah Khamenei made last month that “those who ordered the murder of General Suleimani as well as those who carried this out should be punished. This revenge will certainly happen at the right time.” The tweet prompted calls for Twitter to suspend the Iranian leader's account, after the social media platform permanently suspended Mr Trump’s account earlier this month for posts inciting violence. A Twitter spokesperson said the account @khamenei_site “violated our platform manipulation and spam policy, specifically the creation of fake accounts, and has been permanently suspended, and the Tweet was in violation of our abusive behaviour policy.” Earlier this month Twitter removed a tweet by Ayatollah Khamenei questioning the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines from the US and the UK, saying the post violated its rules against coronavirus misinformation. "Importing vaccines made in the US or the UK is prohibited. They're completely untrustworthy," said the post in English on the unverified account @khamenei_ir, which shares the Supreme Leader's statements. That account, which has over 884,000 followers, and others associated with Ayatollah Khamenei are still online. Twitter briefly suspended several accounts belonging to Ayatollah Khamenei last March, after mistakenly identifying them as spam content.
Miami Herald
Venezuelan ‘envoy’ wanted in Miami on money-laundering charges challenges indictment
Although he is under house arrest and awaiting extradition to Miami, a Colombian businessman claiming to be a Venezuelan envoy to Iran has taken the unusual step of trying to dismiss his U.S. money-laundering indictment without being in custody here.