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Month: March 2021

Hong Kong court convicts Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy activists over 2019 protest

A Hong Kong court has convicted pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai and eight other prominent opposition activists over their roles in an unauthorized assembly at the height of the 2019 protests. The other defendants included “Hong Kong’s father of democracy” Martin Lee and veteran pro-democracy figures Albert Ho and Lee Cheuk-yan. They were charged with

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A former Oklahoma officer has been found guilty of murdering his police chief during a conference in Florida

A former Oklahoma police officer was found guilty Wednesday in the death of his police chief while they attended a law enforcement conference in Pensacola, Florida, in 2019. Michael Nealey was found guilty of second-degree murder by a Florida jury, according to CNN affiliate WEAR. Court records show his sentencing is scheduled for April 29.

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Multiple victims found at the scene of a deadly shooting in Orange, California, police say

Police found “multiple victims” at an office complex in Orange, California, after responding to a call of shots fired Wednesday night. “Officers arrived as shots were being fired and located multiple victims at the scene including fatalities. An officer involved shooting occurred,” the Orange Police Department said in a post on their Facebook page. The

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Two US Capitol Police officers sue Trump and say he should be held responsible for January 6 attack

Two US Capitol Police officers who say they were injured during the January 6 insurrection are suing former President Donald Trump for inciting the crowd. The officers — the first police to sue in court following the riot — say they suffered physical and emotional damages because Trump allegedly “inflamed, encouraged, incited (and) directed” the

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Multiple victims found at the scene of a shooting in Orange, California, police say

Police found “multiple victims” at an office complex in Orange, California, after responding to a call of shots fired Wednesday night. “Officers arrived as shots were being fired and located multiple victims at the scene including fatalities. An officer involved shooting occurred,” the Orange Police Department said in a post on their Facebook page. The

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Biden’s new plan is an unfocused spending spree

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced his massive infrastructure plan — his latest effort to expand government influence over our economy, laying out a two-part spending spree that will grow our national debt, make us less competitive with other countries and likely lead to job losses among working-class Americans. It’s hard to see how this

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Quality issue at Baltimore vaccine plant delays some of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Wednesday it had found a quality problem at a Baltimore plant helping manufacture its single-dose coronavirus vaccine under contract. The New York Times reported Wednesday. that workers at Emergent BioSolutions, the Baltimore plant that has been making Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, accidentally mixed up some of the ingredients, ruining

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Microsoft earns contract worth up to $21.9 billion to make AR devices for the US Army

Microsoft has scored another major government contract, this time to produce augmented reality devices for the US Army. The Army announced Wednesday that it had awarded Microsoft a contract to produce augmented reality systems based on its HoloLens 2 device called Integrated Visual Augmented Systems (IVAS). The devices are designed to help soldiers, “fight, rehearse

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‘Real Housewives’ star Jen Shah’s virtual court hearing experiences technical issues after more than 250 people called in

Reality TV star Jen Shah of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” was unable to participate in her own court arraignment on Wednesday due to technical issues caused by more than 250 people calling in to the virtual hearing. Shah and her assistant, Stuart Smith, were arrested and charged on Tuesday in connection with

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COVID-19 led to a global increase in stillbirths, maternal mortality, and depression, review finds

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant and negative impact on pregnant women and their infants, according to a global review of studies. The review, published Wednesday in the journal the Lancet, found that stillbirths and maternal deaths increased by nearly a third, according to pooled data from 40 studies that covered 17 countries. There was

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Justice Department charges Capitol rioter who allegedly tased and assaulted officer with flagpole

The Justice Department has charged a Capitol rioter who allegedly tased DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who later spoke out about how he pleaded with the pro-Trump mob to spare his life. In court documents unsealed Wednesday, federal prosecutors said Daniel Rodriguez used an “electroshock weapon” and a flagpole to assault an officer named

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Justice Department charges Capitol rioter who allegedly tased and assaulted officer with flag pole

The Justice Department has charged a Capitol rioter who allegedly tased DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who later spoke out about how he pleaded with the pro-Trump mob to spare his life. In court documents unsealed Wednesday, federal prosecutors said Daniel Rodriguez used an “electroshock weapon” and a flagpole to assault an officer named

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Biden officials urge states to ‘buckle down’ amid virus resurgence but avoid issuing federal guidance

Biden administration officials are increasingly urging governors and local officials to reinstate or avoid relaxing public health restrictions as coronavirus cases continue to rise and the US stares down the prospect of another surge. What they’re not doing is telling state and local officials which restrictions they should implement and when. Unlike its school guidelines

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Former Intelligence analyst pleads guilty to disclosing classified information to reporter

A former intelligence analyst and military service member has pleaded guilty to illegally obtaining classified national defense information and disclosing it to a reporter, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. Daniel Everette Hale, of Nashville, Tennessee, who previously served as an enlisted airman in the US Air Force, sent classified documents and material to a reporter

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Biden marks International Transgender Day of Visibility with first-ever presidential proclamation of its kind

President Joe Biden marked International Transgender Day of Visibility on Wednesday by issuing the first-ever presidential proclamation of its kind in recognition of the day, which aims to celebrate the achievements of trans rights activists and increase awareness about ongoing challenges transgender and gender-nonconforming people ​face. “Today, we honor and celebrate the achievements and resiliency

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Unemployment problems impacting mother’s everyday life

Click here for updates on this story     SAGINAW, Michigan (WNEM) — Thousands have spent months overwhelmed with frustration involving Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency. Some Michiganders are not receiving payments, while others had their payments stopped without warning. “Infuriating, frustrating. I don’t know if there’s enough words in the English dictionary,” said Erin Olson, mother. This

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Nickelodeon pulls virus-themed SpongeBob episode

Nickelodeon is pulling a virus-themed episode of “SpongeBob SquarePants” because of “sensitivities” linking it to the coronavirus pandemic. The episode, “Kwarantined Crab,” from the show’s 12th season, centers on a virus storyline. “We have decided to not air it due to sensitivities surrounding the global, real-world pandemic,” a spokesperson for Nickelodeon told CNN Business. In

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Biden promises ‘once-in-a-generation’ investment during pitch for $2 trillion infrastructure and climate plan

President Joe Biden unveiled a roughly $2 trillion jobs proposal focused on infrastructure and the climate crisis in a speech in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, stressing his support of labor unions and his hope the investment would lift the middle class. The President’s next major legislative push, the American Jobs Plan, would heavily invest in rebuilding

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Warming and Windy

We’ll begin to see increasing winds out of the southwest by Thursday afternoon. With those winds, we’ll see highs into the 60’s. Overnight: Clear with lows around 20°, with south winds around 10 MPH. Thursday: Sunny, with a high into the lower 60’s for the Snake River Plain. Northeast wind 10 to 15 MPH, becoming

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David Letterman Fast Facts

Here is a look at the life of former late-night talk show host David Letterman. Personal Birth date: April 12, 1947 Birth place: Indianapolis, Indiana Birth name: David Michael Letterman Father: Harry Letterman, a florist Mother: Dorothy (Hofert) Letterman Mengering Marriages: Regina Lasko (March 19, 2009-present); Michelle Cook (divorced) Children: with Regina Lasko: Harry Joseph,

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John Delaney Fast Facts

Here is a look at the life of John Delaney, a businessman, former US representative from Maryland and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. Personal Birth date: April 16, 1963 Birth place: Wood-Ridge, New Jersey Birth name: John Kevin Delaney Father: Jack Delaney, electrician Mother: Elaine (Rowe) Delaney, homemaker Marriage: April McClain-Delaney Children: Summer, Lily, Grace

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Pete Rose Fast Facts

Here’s a look at the life of former Cincinnati Reds player and manager Pete Rose. Personal Birth name: Peter Edward Rose Birth date: April 14, 1941 Birth place: Cincinnati, Ohio Father: Harry Rose, a bank clerk and semi-pro baseball and football player Mother: LaVerne Rose Marriages: Carol (Woliung) Rose, (April 11, 1984-2011, divorced); Karolyn (Englehardt)

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France risks ‘losing control’ over Covid-19 spread without stricter national measures — Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron announced tougher national coronavirus restrictions Wednesday, saying the country must take a “new direction” in its approach to fighting Covid-19 or risk “losing control” over the virus. The measures will start Saturday and last for at least a month, Macron said in a televised national address. Under the “limited lockdown,” curfews

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Taxpayers who already filed returns will automatically get stimulus break on unemployment benefits, IRS says

Americans who lost their jobs last year and have already filed their tax returns will have one less headache to deal with. The Internal Revenue Service will automatically recalculate their returns to account for the new stimulus tax break on the first $10,200 of unemployment compensation received in 2020, the agency said Wednesday. It will

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Black Lives Matter mural vandalized

Click here for updates on this story     PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Pittsburgh’s Black Lives Matter mural has been vandalized. The mural was painted last summer following the death of George Floyd. It features Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Antwon Rose Jr. and others. It’s located along the wall of the Allegheny River Warf across from PNC Park.

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Pentagon announces new policies to abolish Trump administration’s transgender military ban

The Pentagon has announced new policies to abolish the Trump administration’s ban on transgender troops serving in the US military following a 60-day review initiated after President Joe Biden signed an executive order repealing the ban shortly after he took office in January. On Wednesday, the department announced it has updated two internal polices to

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‘She will die without this medication’: Toddler’s life hangs in balance after ‘miracle’ drug discontinued

Click here for updates on this story     MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minnetonka family is fighting for the life of their 2-year-old daughter after the announcement that her “miracle” medicine will be discontinued. Doctors diagnosed Emma Peterka in September with an ultra-rare genetic disorder called Niemann Pick Type C, or NPC. “It was absolutely devastating,” said

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Black Fortune 500 executives want companies to fight Republican voting restrictions

Some of the nation’s most prominent Black business leaders are calling out their Fortune 500 peers for their muted response to new laws that restrict voting across the country. Merck chief executive Ken Frazier and Berkshire Hathaway director Kenneth Chenault were among the 72 Black executives who signed a letter released Wednesday challenging other corporate

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Transgender rights in the spotlight as Arkansas and Tennessee become latest states to pass anti-trans legislation

LGBTQ advocates are warning that the influx of anti-transgender legislation being proposed in many states will harm trans and nonbinary youth. Twenty-eight states are considering anti-trans bills, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The bills put forth this year predominantly fall into two categories: removing trans girls’ ability to participate in girls’ sports,

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South Dakota’s governor issues executive orders banning transgender athletes from women’s sports

South Dakota’s Republican Gov. Kristi Noem banned transgender girls and women from competing on women’s sports teams at public high schools and colleges via a pair of executive orders issued Monday. The move came after Noem angered conservatives by killing a bill that would have created a similar prohibition. In a news release explaining her

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DHS to propose ‘cyber response and recovery fund’ for state and local governments

The Department of Homeland Security is working on a proposal for a “cyber response and recovery fund” to provide additional cybersecurity assistance to state and local governments through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday. Mayorkas made the announcement during a speech outlining his vision for the department’s cybersecurity

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Dog groomer a hit on prime-time TV

Click here for updates on this story     MADISON, Wisconsin (madison.com/Wisconsin State Journal) — By decking out a Schnauzer with an expert coat carving and a sprinkle of rhinestones, a Madison-area dog groomer advanced Tuesday night to the next round of the new ABC-TV reality series “Pooch Perfect,” where top creative dog groomers are vying for

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