Tuesday, February 1st, 2022
Russia, U.S. clash at U.N. over Ukraine Russia and the United States clashed over the Ukraine crisis during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday. Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya accused the U.S. of “provoking escalation” by falsely claiming Russia, which has massed 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border, is preparing to invade its neighbor. “You’re waiting for it to happen, as if you want your words to become a reality,” he said. Nebenzya directed his remarks at U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who accused Moscow of “attempting, without any factual basis, to paint Ukraine and Western countries as the aggressors to fabricate a pretext for attack.” Russia wants the U.S. and its allies to bar Ukraine from joining NATO as a condition for easing tensions, but the U.S. and NATO have ruled that out. THE WASHINGTON POST
Judge rejects Arbery hate-crime plea deal A federal judge on Monday rejected plea deals for Gregory and Travis McMichael, two of the three white Georgia men facing federal hate-crime charges for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man they chased through their neighborhood. Travis McMichael, 36, his father, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan were found guilty of murder in November, and the McMichaels were sentenced to life without parole. The McMichaels had agreed to plead guilty to the hate-crime charges, but Arbery’s family strenuously objected to the deal, which would have let them spend 30 years in federal prison instead of remaining in Georgia state custody in exchange for admitting the crime was racially motivated. Judge Lisa Godbey gave the McMichaels until Friday to decide whether to enter a guilty plea or go to trial. THE NEW YORK TIMES
FDA gives full approval to Moderna coronavirus vaccine The Food and Drug Administration on Monday gave full approval for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The drug, Spikevax, is the second coronavirus vaccine to become fully licensed in the United States. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine was the first, receiving full FDA approval in August. Also on Monday, Maryland-based Novavax submitted its long-awaited application for emergency use authorization for its vaccine. Novavax’s vaccine is made differently than the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which use messenger RNA to provoke an immune-system response to the virus. Novavax’s shot is a protein vaccine, delivering nanoparticles of the coronavirus spike protein to get the immune system to attack the infection. STAT NEWS
Spotify shares rebound after Rogan apology Spotify’s stock rebounded Monday from a plunge triggered by allegations that podcast host Joe Rogan was spreading COVID-19 misinformation. The shares had dropped from $193.56 per share on Jan. 24 to $173 per share as of Friday after singer Joni Mitchell and other artists joined folk-rock star Neil Young by removing their music from the streaming platform to protest Rogan’s inaccurate comments about coronavirus vaccines and treatments. The stock jumped back to $195.36 per share, rising 12 percent on Monday after Rogan apologized for his COVID comments and promised to “do better.” Spotify said it would add a content advisory to COVID-centered episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience, a key show in its bid to expand beyond music. REUTERS
U.K. ‘partygate’ report says Downing Street lockdown parties ‘difficult to justify’ A senior British civil servant, Sue Gray, released a long-awaited report on a series of Downing Street parties held while Britain was under coronavirus lockdown, saying they were “difficult to justify” and showed a serious “failure of leadership.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized Monday but rejected calls to resign over what has come to be known as “partygate.” Johnson promised reforms in the way his office operates. “I get it, and I will fix it,” Johnson said in Parliament after Gray published the interim findings. Gray’s report covered just four of 16 parties, held in 2020 and 2021, that she investigated. She withheld what she found on the other events at the request of London police to avoid “any prejudice” to a new criminal investigation. CNNTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
EPA reasserts authority to regulate mercury emissions at aging power plants The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday it would reassert its authority to restrict toxic mercury in emissions from coal-burning power plants, reversing a Trump-era rollback. The move against mercury, a neurotoxin that threatens brain development in children and fetuses, is the latest in a series of actions planned by the Biden administration to cut air and water pollution. President Biden has vowed to make U.S. electricity production carbon-neutral by 2035 as part of his effort to step up the nation’s efforts to fight climate change. “Regulations to require power producers to fully internalize the cost of their product are decades overdue,” said Thom Cmar, an attorney with the law firm AltmanNewman who represents environmental groups. THE WASHINGTON POST
Pence’s former chief of staff reportedly testifies to Jan. 6 committee Marc Short, former Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, testified before the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, CNN reported Monday, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Short reportedly testified before the committee last Wednesday, after receiving a subpoena. Short was with Pence at the Capitol during the riot, when some members of the crowd angry at Pence for saying he couldn’t overturn President Trump’s election loss shouted that the former vice president should be hanged. Short’s appearance was the most significant sign yet that Pence’s team is cooperating with investigators. Short participated in a critical White House meeting on Jan. 4, 2021, when then-President Donald Trump and attorney John Eastman tried to pressure Pence into overturning the election results. CNN
New York Times buys Wordle The New York Times announced Monday that it has purchased Wordle, the word game that went viral this year. Only 90 people played Wordle on Nov. 1. The number grew to 300,000 by mid-January. By the end of the month, millions of people were trying to solve the daily word puzzle. The game’s creator, software engineer Josh Wardle, created it in 2013 and released it in October, but its popularity exploded when he made it easy for players to share results on Twitter and Facebook. Wardle said the Times paid a price “in the low seven figures.” The purchase was part of the newspaper’s effort to use games to help in a push to boost digital subscriptions. Wordle will remain free for now, the Times said. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Tributes pour in for former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst after her death Mourners flooded social media on Monday with tributes to Extra correspondent and former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, who died in a fall from her New York City apartment building on Sunday. Kryst, 30, received a law degree from Wake Forest University after completing her undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina, where she ran track. Her death, which is being investigated as a suicide, left former colleagues, fans, and those who knew her for her charity work stunned and deeply saddened. “Cheslie was a remarkably gifted young lawyer,” USC Interim President Harris Pastides tweeted Monday. “My thoughts are with all who knew & loved her. For those who are struggling, please make your well-being a priority.” USC Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley tweeted the number for a suicide hotline. THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Sony to buy video-game developer Bungie for $3.6 billion Sony announced Monday that it would acquire video-game developer Bungie for $3.6 billion. Bungie is best known for creating the popular Destiny series and the original Halo games. Halo was available on Microsoft’s Xbox when the software maker owned the game, which has since moved to 343 Industries, but it couldn’t be played on Sony’s PlayStation. “This is an important step in our strategy to expand the reach of PlayStation to a much wider audience,” Sony Interactive Entertainment President Jim Ryan said. “We understand how vital Bungie’s community is to the studio and look forward to supporting them as they remain independent and continue to grow.” THE VERGE
Monday, January 31st, 2022
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are expecting their 1st child Baby, it’s cold outside — but that didn’t get in the way of Rihanna’s outdoor pregnancy reveal. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are expecting their first child together, and they confirmed the news via what People described as a “snowy walk outdoors” in New York City over the weekend. The two were photographed on a walk in Harlem, with Rihanna’s jacket partially unbuttoned to show her baby bump, despite NYC’s winter storm. “They weren’t out long, as it seemed pretty chilly out there, before heading back to their apartment,” TMZ wrote. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have been together since 2020, and she told British Vogue in 2020 she wanted to have “three or four” kids. Meanwhile, A$AP Rocky told GQ last year he hoped to become a father “if that’s in my destiny,” adding, “I think I’d be an incredible, remarkably, overall amazing dad. I would have a very fly child. Very.” PEOPLETMZ
Nick Cannon is expecting his 8th child There’s a lot of baby news to go around today, including from one of the usual suspects in that department. Nick Cannon has announced he’s expecting his eighth child, confirming the news on his talk show after a gender reveal party over the weekend. The “next mother,” as Cannon put it, is model Bre Ties, and the baby boy will be her first child. Cannon, meanwhile, has 10-year-old twins with his ex-wife Mariah Carey, a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old with Brittany Bell, and 7-month-old twins with Abby De La Rosa. He and Alyssa Scott also had a son, Zen, who died from cancer in December. “As everybody knows, I have a lot of children,” Cannon said. “I love them all dearly, sincerely.” Last year, Cannon confirmed he was “having these kids on purpose,” assuring fans, “Trust me there’s a lot of people that I could’ve gotten pregnant that I didn’t.” PEOPLEPAGE SIX
Thandiwe Newton blasts ‘jibbering fool’ Sean Penn: ‘You used to be sexy’ Thandiwe Newton isn’t having Sean Penn’s latest nonsense. The Westworld star took to Twitter to call out Sean Penn after the Licorice Pizza actor complained in an interview that men have become too feminized and that “cowardly genes” lead to them wearing skirts. “Dude what are you SAY-ING??” Newton tweeted in response. “Like for REAL? You’re a jibbering FOOL. MF you used to be sexy but now you’re just tragic.” Noting that Penn made his comments in an interview where his daughter was present, Newton also asked, “In front of your DAUGHTER!? That poor little mite.” Besides, Penn may have committed the greatest sin of all, Newton suggested: making it slightly more difficult to enjoy the new Paul Thomas Anderson movie. “Please stop ruining the brilliance of #LicoricePizza with this nonsense,” Newton begged. VARIETY
Rachel Zegler addresses ‘Snow White’ casting backlash Rachel Zegler and Andrew Garfield are teaming up to “educate” her Snow White haters. The West Side Story and tick, tick…Boom! stars were the latest to be paired for Variety‘s Actors on Actors series, and their conversation touched on the backlash Zegler received after being cast as Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake. “You don’t normally see Snow Whites that are of Latin descent,” Zegler said, recalling how many “people were angry.” Garfield described those people who spent days whining as the ones “we need to educate, the people that we need to love into awareness,” to which Zegler replied, “Love them in the right direction, exactly.” She added, “At the end of the day, I have a job to do that I’m really excited to do. I get to be a Latina princess.” Garfield was personally thrilled by the “perfect” casting, concluding, “You are Snow White. You are canon Snow White at this point in my imagination.” VARIETY
Leatherface is warned he’ll be ‘canceled’ in ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ trailer Perhaps the real way to prevent slasher villains from returning over and over is to dig into their old tweets. Netflix dropped the trailer for its new Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel on Monday, which according to filmmaker Fede Álvarez will see Leatherface take on “millennial hipsters.” The footage ends with an insane moment that’s either hilarious or deeply cringeworthy: Leatherface, a clearly deranged man, is seen standing in front of a group of people on a bus who proceed to pick up their phones and start filming him, with one guy warning, “Try anything and you’re canceled, bro!” Naturally, Leatherface immediately murders him. Finally, a film willing to take down entitled millennials for trying to cancel anyone just because they massacred dozens of people with a chainsaw! We look forward to the new Nightmare on Elm Street where Freddy Krueger is forced to step down from hosting the Oscars and complains about being censored on Joe Rogan’s podcast. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
The End Tuesday
Sunday, January 30th, 2022
Trump says he’ll pardon Jan. 6 rioters if he wins a 2nd term Former President Donald Trump said Saturday that, if he wins a second term as president, he plans to pardon those charged for their actions during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. “If I run, and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly,” Trump said at a rally in Conroe, Texas. “And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly.” Trump called the prosecutors who have charged more than 700 people with crimes for their role in the incident, “vicious, horrible people” and “racists.”THE NEW YORK POST
Biden visits Pittsburgh following bridge collapse Ten people were injured after a snow-covered bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Friday morning. Three people were taken to the hospital, and no fatalities have been reported. The bridge that collapsed is known as the Fern Hollow Bridge and is located in the city’s Point Breeze neighborhood. A driver and two passengers were on a bus that was on the bridge when it gave way. President Biden made a scheduled visit to Pittsburgh only hours after the collapse. “The idea that we have been so far behind on infrastructure, for so many years — it’s just mind-boggling,” Biden said. REUTERS
Global vaccine administration total surpasses 10 billion doses Over ten billion vaccine doses have now been administered globally, representing a new milestone in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In wealthy countries, 77 percent of people have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, versus less than 10 percent in low-income countries. Even as the U.S. and parts of Europe build out their booster campaigns to fight the Omicron variant, more than one-third of the world’s population is still waiting for a first jab. NEW YORK TIMES
Pennsylvania Democrats won’t endorse in Senate primary The Pennsylvania Democratic Party voted Saturday not to endorse a candidate in the primary race for the Senate seat currently occupied by retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.). Rep. Connor Lamb (D), a moderate from Western Pennsylvania, received 159 votes at the meeting in Harrisburg, falling 17 short of the two-thirds majority needed to secure the endorsement. Lamb, who trails progressive Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) in the polls, had campaigned aggressively for the endorsement, portraying himself as the candidate most likely to win in the November general election. Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz is currently the frontrunner in the state’s Republican primary. POLITICO
North Korea tests most powerful missile since 2017 North Korea launched a missile Sunday, ending a month that saw an unusually high number of weapons tests. Observers believe this latest launch to be the longest-range missile North Korea has tested since 2017. North Korea suspended nuclear and long-range ballistic missile testing in 2018, but this test likely marks the end of that self-imposed moratorium. The missile was launched at 7:52 a.m. local time and did not enter the airspace of any other country. NPR
North Korea launches an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) from its Chagang Province. The missile reached an altitude of 2,000km before landing in the Sea of Japan. It is North Korea’s first IRBM launch since 2017. South Korea’s National Security Council holds an emergency meeting in response to the launch. (BBC News)
U.K. may send troops to Eastern Europe as foreign secretary calls Russian invasion ‘highly likely’ British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Sunday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is “highly likely” but that it is “very unlikely” British soldiers would be deployed to fight the Russians directly. The U.K. has sent lethal weapons to Ukraine and is considering sending more troops to NATO member countries in Eastern Europe. Truss also said new sanctions against Russia, which the Foreign Office is expected to announce Monday, could target “any interest that has an impact on the Russian government.” BBC
Ukraine wants the U.S. to tone down the invasion rhetoric Ukraine would like foreign assistance from the United States and its allies in its standoff with Russia; but outside of providing defense weaponry, the country would prefer the U.S. just stay quiet. “When they start saying that tomorrow, you’re going to have war, just take into consideration that the first thing we do not need in our country is panic,” said Oleksii Danilov, leader of Ukraine’s security council. “Why? Because panic is the sister of failure.” He added, “That’s why we are saying to our partners, ‘Don’t shout so much.’ Do you see a threat? Give us 10 jets every day. Not one, 10. And the threat will disappear.” THE NEW YORK TIMES
‘Do it now,’ Marine Le Pen tells party members who want to defect French right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said Saturday that anyone who wants to leave her National Rally (RN) party should “do it now.” The announcement comes in the wake of several defections to rival candidate Éric Zemmour, whose overtly reactionary campaign stands in contrast to the traditionally far-right RN’s attempts to broaden its appeal by taking more moderate stances. On Friday, Le Pen reacted to news that her niece, Marion Maréchal, had declined to back her presidential campaign and had floated the possibility of “returning to politics” to support Zemmour. THE GUARDIAN
Trudeau flees after trucker convoy enters Ottawa As thousands of protesters entered Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family were moved from their home to an undisclosed location somewhere in the city on Saturday afternoon due to security concerns. A “Freedom Convoy” of truckers and other protesters entered the Canadian capital city of Ottawa Saturday to protest Trudeau’s COVID-19 policies. Law enforcement expressed concerns that violent “lone wolf” actors may have concealed themselves in the crowd, but the protests remained peaceful. THE INDEPENDENT
White House rebukes GOP senator who said SCOTUS pick will be ‘beneficiary’ of racial ‘quota’ White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement Saturday that President Biden’s pledge to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court reflects “the best traditions of both parties and our nation.” He pointed out that Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump both pledged to fill open SCOTUS seats with female justices. Bates was responding to comments Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) made Friday in which he pointed out the irony of using “affirmative racial discrimination” to put a Black woman on the Supreme Court while the court is hearing a major case on affirmative action in college admissions. He also said whoever Biden nominates would be the “beneficiary” of a racial “quota.” CNN
After seven inconclusive ballots, Sergio Mattarella is elected for a second term as President on the eighth ballot. (ANSA)
Italian President Sergio Mattarella elected to 2nd term Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who at age 80 had hoped to retire, has been elected to a second seven-year term after electors failed to agree on any other candidate. Italy’s president is elected not by popular vote, but by a group of 1,009 “great electors” comprising members of parliament and regional representatives. Mattarella received 759 votes on the eighth ballot. Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who asked Mattarella on Saturday to accept a second term, said the result is “fantastic news for Italians.” Right-wing leader Giorgia Meloni said Mattarella had been “forced” to remain in office by a parliament “not fit for Italians.” CNN
Manchester United F.C. and England player Mason Greenwood is arrested by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and assault after videos and images of alleged abuse of his partner were posted on social media. (BBC News)
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal defeats Russian Daniil Medvedev in five sets to win the men’s singles title at the Australian Open. The victory makes Nadal the men’s tennis player with the most number of Grand Slam titles (21), which is an all-time record. (The Guardian)
Tom Brady might not be retiring after all Despite ESPN’s announcement Saturday that quarterback Tom Brady, who many consider the greatest of all time, had decided to retire after 22 NFL seasons, other sources now say Brady has not yet made up his mind. Two anonymous sources say the seven-time Super Bowl winner told Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht he was still weighing his options. Brady’s father told a group of reporters the same thing. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
‘Aaron Rodgers’ stars in Russian propaganda in new SNL cold open In the most recent Saturday Night Live cold open, a military officer and two White House advisors (Kenan Thompson, Alex Moffat, and Ego Nwodim) assembled to brief President Biden (James Austin Johnson) on Russia’s disinformation campaign against Ukraine. The campaign included an ad starring NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Pete Davidson). “Oh no! I am American balltoss player Aaron Rodgers, and my car has broken down in Ukraine,” Davidson-as-Rodgers said in an Eastern European accent. To save himself, he sang a version of the State Farm jingle: “Like a good neighbor, Russia is there!” The company’s logo appeared on the screen, revealing State Farm’s Russian name to be Колхоз, a term referring to Soviet-era collectivized agriculture. CNN
Saturday, January 29th, 2022
France announces that it will deploy “several hundred” troops to Romania in order to support NATO’s eastern flank amid tensions with Russia. (Times of India)
Macron and Putin talk Ukraine French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in an attempt at persuading Moscow to de-escalate or pull back from the situation in Ukraine. It seems Macron was unsuccessful in securing any tangible concessions from Putin. Rather, Putin is said to have used the call to accuse the U.S. and NATO of ignoring Russia’s “fundamental concerns” as they relate to the conflict at hand. Per a Kremlin readout of the conversation, the Russian leader argued Western allies weren’t responding to his core demands — such as “lasting, legally binding security guarantees” that NATO will halt its expansion, among other things. Putin also claimed he has “no offensive plans.” POLITICO
Russia reports a record for the ninth consecutive day of 113,122 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.61 million. (The Moscow Times)
Turkey reports a record 94,783 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. (The Moscow Times)
South Korea reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 17,542 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 811,122. (The Korea Herald)
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney announces that the Russian Minister of Defence has agreed to his request that the exercises would be moved outside the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone. (RTÉ)
Participants in the convoy arrive at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to protest vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. (CTV News Ottawa)
Ottawa braces for trucker convoy protesting COVID restrictions A “Freedom Convoy” of some 2,700 trucks is expected enter the Canadian capital city of Ottawa Saturday to protest Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s COVID-19 policies. The convoy began as a protest against a vaccine mandate for Canadian truckers crossing into the United States. “These demonstrations are national in scope, they’re massive in scale,” Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly said Friday, expressing concern about the possibility of violent “lone wolf” individuals carrying out violent attacks. B.J. Dicher, an organizer of the convoy, urged the demonstrators to remain peaceful. “We cannot achieve our goals if there are threats or acts of violence,” he said. REUTERS
Trump praises Pennsylvania ruling against mail-in voting A Pennsylvania state law allowing any voter to cast their ballot by mail was struck down on Friday. “Big news out of Pennsylvania, great patriotic spirit is developing at a level that nobody thought possible,” former President Donald Trump, who has been critical of widespread mail-in voting, wrote online after the news broke. The law, known as Act 77 and passed by state Gov. Tom Wolf (D) in 2019, allowed for no-excuse absentee voting, among other things. In its 3-2 decision on Friday, the Republican-leaning state court ruled the legislature overstepped and would need a constitutional amendment to change voting laws so drastically. The decision will almost certainly be appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRERTHE NEW YORK TIMES
Australian tennis player Ashleigh Barty defeats American Danielle Collins in two sets, 6–3, 7–6,(7–2) to win the women’s singles title at the Australian Open. Barty is the first home player to win the title since Chris O’Neil in 1978. (AFP via France24)
Jan. 6 committee subpoenas 14 ‘alternate’ Trump electors The Jan. 6 Select Committee issued subpoenas Friday for 14 Republicans who had been chosen to serve as alternate electors from seven states President Biden won. The 14 people subpoenaed attempted to cast electoral votes for then-President Donald Trump in a move that, if then-Vice President Mike Pence had refused to certify the election results, could have propelled Trump to claiming victory in the 2020 election. “The Select Committee is seeking information about attempts in multiple states to overturn the results of the 2020 election, including the planning and coordination of efforts to send false slates of electors,” said Rep. Bennie tay in office “for the good and stability of the country.”REUTERS
Ashleigh Barty wins Australian Open women’s title Australian tennis player Ashleigh Barty defeated American Danielle Collins to win the Australian Open women’s title Saturday. Barty defeated Collins in three straight sets, winning the first set six games to three, and the second and third 7-6. Barty is the first Australian player to win the Australian Open since 1978. She won the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon last year, and has been the No. 1 ranked female player in the world for over 100 weeks. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Friday, January 28th, 2022
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that Russia is not interested in starting a war after U.S. President Joe Biden warned Ukraine that Russia may invade Ukraine in February. (NBC News)
At a special Pentagon press briefing, United States Army General Mark Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would be “horrific” and could result in “significant casualties”. (Reuters)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says that Belarus might go to war if they or Russia are attacked. Lukashenko also insists that his country does not want to go to war with Ukraine. (Politico EU)
The Federal Communications Commission votes unanimously to revoke the authorization of China Unicom to operate in the United States, citing national security and espionage concerns. The Chinese telecommunications operator must stop providing telecoms services in the U.S. within 60 days. (BBC News)
New South Wales reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2 sublineage. (The Guardian)
Australia reports a record 98 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, including a record 35 deaths in New South Wales. (SBS News)
Russia reports a record for the eighth consecutive day of 98,040 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 11.5 million. (ABC News)
The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States agree to suspend Burkina Faso‘s membership in the bloc in response to the coup d’état. (AFP via RFI)
The Rwandan foreign ministry announces the reopening of the country‘s border crossing with Uganda following political tensions between the two countries that led to the closure of the border crossing for three years. (AFP via Seychelles News Agency)
Ezra Miller randomly declares war on the KKK We need to talk about Ezra Miller’s latest Instagram video. Without any context, the Flash actor appeared to threaten to murder members of a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in Beulaville, North Carolina. “Look, if y’all wanna die, I suggest just killing yourselves with your own guns,” Miller said. “Okay? Otherwise, keep doing exactly what you’re doing right now, and you know what I’m talking about, and then we’ll do it for you if that’s really what you want.” Miller didn’t explain whether anything specific prompted this message or why it was directed at this particular chapter of the KKK. The video seemed to imply they have an established feud that we all missed, though, considering Miller began by telling the KKK, “It’s me.” Fans were confused, with one person commenting, “Are you okay? Are you literally in danger I’m not even being sarcastic when I ask this.” Others embraced the spontaneous death threats, dubbing it the new “gold standard for celebrity activism.” NEWSWEEK
Kanye West is reportedly falsely claiming Pete Davidson has AIDS Is Kanye West’s next album just going to be track after track of slanderous claims about Pete Davidson? The rapper has recently been trying to spread the rumor that Davidson, who’s dating West’s estranged wife Kim Kardashian, is gay and has AIDS, TMZ and Page Six report. DJ Akademiks claimed the same on Twitch, saying that Ye has “been telling everybody within earshot” the false claim about the Saturday Night Live star. “I’ve heard this from eight people,” he said. “He’s telling everybody!” There’s no truth to the claim, by the way, but TMZ says it’s “made for a few awkward phone calls” between Davidson and his mutual friends with West, “who are confused and disturbed by the childish behavior.” Hmm, disturbing and childish behavior? That definitely doesn’t sound like Kanye to us. TMZ
Jason Momoa is joining the ‘Fast & Furious’ family My man! Aquaman and Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa is in negotiations to join the Fast & Furious franchise for the upcoming 10th installment, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline report. Details about Momoa’s role weren’t revealed, but the Reporter said he might be playing a villain. The casting comes after Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson publicly rejected Vin Diesel’s offer to rejoin the family, announcing that despite Diesel insisting it’s his “destiny” to be in the film, there’s “no chance” he’ll return due to their ongoing feud. Meanwhile, Page Six reports that Momoa is currently living in his RV, which is “parked at a friend’s house,” after announcing his split with Lisa Bonet. Perhaps he and Dominic Toretto are preparing to race it into space?
Sean Penn complains men have ‘become quite feminized’ New terrible Sean Penn take just dropped. The actor complained to The Independent that men have allegedly “become quite feminized,” saying, “I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them. There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.” The comments reiterated his previously-shared belief that “I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.” He was being interviewed along with his daughter Dylan Penn, and the article seemed to throw some shade his way by noting the comments left Dylan “quiet, staring into space.” Penn quickly drew criticism for the remarks — including some from the very same outlet. “Penn’s latest comments are problematic in a whole host of ways,” wrote Leonie Cooper for The Independent, describing it as an example of “old-school misogyny” from the actor, who has had an “unnerving number of ‘yikes’ moments over the years.” THE INDEPENDENT
Simu Liu criticizes fact-free COVID opinions after Evangeline Lilly’s anti-vax protest Is Evangeline Lilly already getting some subtle shade from some of her Marvel co-stars? Lilly stirred up criticism on Thursday after revealing she recently attended a rally against vaccine mandates in Washington, D.C. — the same rally where Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made insane comments comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Without mentioning the Lilly news, Shang-Chi star Simu Liu revealed hours later that his grandparents died from COVID-19 last year. He also said he got COVID himself two weeks ago but that it “felt like a cold” because he was vaccinated. “The media needs to stop spotlighting opinions that are not rooted in facts or science,” the actor wrote. David Dastmalchian, who stars alongside Lilly in the Ant-Man films, also tweeted, without naming names, “It’s so unfortunate when people with a large platform use that platform to share irresponsible things.” BUZZFEED
The End Sunday
Friday, January 28th, 2022
Biden says Supreme Court ‘overdue’ for 1st Black female justice President Biden, reacting to liberal Justice Stephen Breyer’s plan to retire from the Supreme Court, reaffirmed his pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the high court, a milestone he said was “long overdue.” Breyer, 83, met with Biden at the White House, where the president praised him as a model public servant. Biden vowed to nominate a replacement by the end of February. He has already met with one of the potential nominees, Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, one of Breyer’s former clerks the president interviewed for her current job as an appeals court judge in the D.C. circuit. Breyer’s retirement before the fall midterms gives Biden the opportunity to pick a justice while Democrats control the 50-50 Senate. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Economy grew last year at fastest pace since 1984 The U.S. economy grew by 5.7 percent in 2021, its strongest growth since 1984, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. In 2020, it shrank by 3.4 percent, the largest drop in 74 years. The turnaround came after the federal government provided trillions of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Growth picked up in the fourth quarter as companies managed to partially restore inventories that had been depleted by supply-chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and strong demand. The recovery and supply problems have resulted in high inflation as well as strong job growth, which have made it possible for the Federal Reserve to map out plans to wind down its efforts to boost the economy with asset purchases and near-zero interest rates. REUTERS
Russia, U.S. push diplomacy despite stalemate in Ukraine crisis Russia and the United States said Thursday they remained open to diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine crisis, although Moscow said it was clear the U.S. and its NATO allies were not willing to address its security concerns. A day earlier, the U.S. and NATO submitted written responses rejecting Russia’s demand that Ukraine be barred from NATO membership. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia, which has massed 100,000 troops near its Ukraine border and raised fears it plans to invade, needed time for review the situation, but that the U.S. and NATO responses left little reason to be optimistic. President Biden reiterated to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday that there is a “distinct possibility” Russia could invade Ukraine in February. REUTERS
Affordable Care Act enrollments hit record 14.5 million A record number of Americans — about 14.5 million — have enrolled in health coverage through Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces this year, according to a report released Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services. The total smashed the previous enrollment high by nearly 2 million. The data marked a victory for President Biden, who has made expanding insurance access one of his domestic priorities. The White House responded with a statement in which Biden said he was proud to see “the highest numbers ever produced in an open enrollment period.” The 14.5 million included 10.3 million who picked health plans through HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace. Another 4.2 million signed up through in the District of Columbia and 17 states that run their own marketplaces. THE WASHINGTON POST
Judge cancels Biden administration’s offshore oil and gas leases A federal judge on Thursday invalidated a massive offshore oil and gas lease in the Gulf of Mexico, ruling that the Biden administration violated federal rules by relying on an analysis that didn’t fully take into account how the leases would affect the climate. In his first days in office, President Biden issued an executive order pausing new oil and gas drilling permits. Thirteen states filed a lawsuit, and a Louisiana judge blocked the order. The Biden administration, saying its hands were tied, offered 80 million acres for drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico, and sold 1.7 million acres of leases, netting nearly $192 million. Environmental groups sued over the sale, saying it was based on flawed assumptions from an outdated model, and U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras agreed. CNN
Coast Guard calls off search for migrants missing since boat capsized The Coast Guard said Thursday it was suspending its search for more than 30 people still missing after a suspected human-smuggling boat capsized last weekend off the Florida coast. The decision came after search crews recovered five bodies. “It does mean that we don’t think it’s likely that anyone else has survived,” Capt. Jo-Ann F. Burdian, the commander of the Coast Guard’s Miami sector, said in a news conference. The vessel reportedly capsized on the way to Florida after leaving the island of Bimini in the Bahamas, a country often used as a departure point for migrants from Haiti and Cuba. Only one survivor has been rescued — a man found clinging to the overturned vessel’s hull. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Apple reports record quarter despite supply bottlenecks Apple on Thursday reported record quarterly revenue and profit despite supply chain problems. The iPhone maker said revenue reached $123.9 billion in the last three months of 2021, and profit hit $34.6 billion. Both figures exceeded analysts’ expectations and smashed company records. CEO Tim Cook said supply chain constraints are expected to ease in the current quarter, although it was not possible to project when the bottlenecks would clear up for good. Apple predicted it would see year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2022. Apple shares rose 4 percent in after-market trading after the earnings report. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Report: Climate damage from gas stoves worse than previously known Gas stoves emit tiny methane leaks even when turned off, contributing more to climate change than previously believed, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Even when off, U.S. gas stoves emit 2.6 million tons of methane — in carbon dioxide equivalent units — per year, about as much as 500,000 cars, the California research team found. “They’re constantly bleeding a little bit of methane into the atmosphere all the time,” said the study’s co-author, Rob Jackson, a Stanford University climate scientist. The data on emissions around stoves in homes also raised concerns about indoor air quality and its impact on health due to high levels of nitrogen oxides. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MSNBC reveals Brian Williams replacement MSNBC President Rashida Jones confirmed Thursday in an internal memo that Stephanie Ruhle, who anchors the morning show Stephanie Ruhle Reports, will replace Brian Williams as host of The 11th Hour. “Stephanie has been a staple of our dayside anchor team and a trusted voice on topics at the intersection of politics, finance, and international business,” Jones said. Ruhle also will appear on the network’s other platforms as NBC News senior business analyst, Jones said. Williams announced in November that he would be leaving after nearly 30 years with NBC News, saying it was “the end of a chapter and the beginning of another.” Williams moved to MSNBC from the NBC Nightly News after a controversy over false statements he made about his experiences covering the Iraq War. AXIOS
Economy grew last year at fastest pace since 1984 The U.S. economy grew by 5.7 percent in 2021, its strongest growth since 1984, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. In 2020, it shrank by 3.4 percent, the largest drop in 74 years. The turnaround came after the federal government provided trillions of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Growth picked up in the fourth quarter as companies managed to restore inventories that had been depleted by supply-chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and strong demand. The recovery and supply problems have resulted in high inflation as well as strong job growth, which have made it possible for the Federal Reserve to map out plans to wind down its efforts to boost the economy with asset purchases and near-zero interest rates. REUTERS
Apple reports record quarter despite supply bottlenecks Apple on Thursday reported record quarterly revenue and profit despite supply chain problems. The iPhone maker said revenue reached $123.9 billion in the last three months of 2021, and profit hit $34.6 billion. Both figures exceeded analysts’ expectations and smashed company records. CEO Tim Cook said supply chain constraints are expected to ease in the current quarter, although it was not possible to project when the bottlenecks would clear up for good. Apple predicted it would see year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2022. Apple shares rose 4 percent in after-market trading after the earnings report. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Judge cancels Biden administration’s offshore oil and gas leases A federal judge on Thursday invalidated a massive offshore oil and gas lease in the Gulf of Mexico, ruling that the Biden administration violated federal rules by relying on an analysis that didn’t fully take into account how the leases would affect the climate. In his first days in office, President Biden issued an executive order pausing new oil and gas drilling permits. Thirteen states filed a lawsuit, and a Louisiana judge blocked the order. The Biden administration, saying its hands were tied, offered 80 million acres for drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico, and sold 1.7 million acres of leases, netting nearly $192 million. Environmental groups sued over the sale, saying it was based on flawed assumptions from an outdated model, and U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras agreed. FOX BUSINESS
Lowe’s to open mini-Petco shops inside its stores Lowe’s plans to open mini-Petco shops inside 15 of its stores in Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina starting in February. The Petco stores-within-a-store will offer staples like dog and cat food, leashes, and litter, and some will also have on-site groomers and veterinarians, CNBC reports. If the pilot program is a success, expect more to quickly open across the United States. Both companies got a boost early in the coronavirus pandemic as people spent more time at home, with many tackling home-improvement projects or adopting pets. But rising inflation is making customers warier about spending, and the two companies are hoping they can get a boost by offering one-stop shopping for pet-loving homeowners. CNBC
Thursday, January 27th, 2022
Evangeline Lilly went to a rally against vaccine mandates You have to log off, Kate! You have to log off! Evangeline Lilly, who plays The Wasp in Marvel’s Ant-Man, has sparked backlash after revealing she attended a rally against vaccine mandates in Washington, D.C. Yes, that would be the rally where Robert F. Kennedy Jr. compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust and suggested anti-vaxxers are worse off today than Anne Frank. On Instagram, Lilly said she went to “support bodily sovereignty,” writing that “nobody should ever be forced to inject their body with anything.” It’s the latest anti-vaxx mess for Marvel after Black Panther star Letitia Wright shared an anti-vaccine video and reportedly pushed anti-vaccine views on set. Lilly is a repeat offender in this area, though, after declaring she wasn’t self-isolating over COVID-19 because it’s just “a respiratory flu.” She’ll be back in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania next summer, though if it now opens with a title card reading, “Note: The Wasp died on the way back to her home planet,” don’t be shocked. THE WEEK
Kanye West claims ‘Donda 2’ drops next month Kanye West has announced a release date for his next album, and what reason could there possibly be to doubt it will drop on that date? Ye said Thursday that his follow-up album to Donda, which is apparently straight up called Donda 2, will be released on Feb. 22. He shared the news on Instagram along with a photo of his childhood home burning, also revealing the album will be produced by Future. We’d recommend not getting too attached to the date, though, considering Donda was repeatedly delayed last year as West just couldn’t stop holding listening events that were not followed by the album itself coming out. Whenever Donda 2 does release, keep an eye out for a possible Pete Davidson diss track after a recent collaboration with The Game included Ye rapping that he’ll “beat Pete Davidson’s a–.” VARIETY
A drunk Halle Berry accidentally tricked people into thinking she got married Halle Berry did not say “I do” over the holidays, despite what she drunkenly tricked the world into thinking. On The Tonight Show, Berry shared the story about how her Instagram post on New Year’s Day duped a bunch of stars into thinking she and her boyfriend Van Hunt tied the knot. They were celebrating the holidays on an island and having a “copious amounts of drinks,” she explained, when they passed a chapel and got the “crazy idea” of taking a photo there to “fool his mom” by texting her, “Guess what? We got married! Not!” Deciding they weren’t thinking big enough, Berry posted an Instagram photo of the two of them kissing in a chapel captioned “well…IT’S OFFICIAL!” The idea was that the post’s second photo would clarify they just meant the “official” start of 2022. Clearly, lots of famous people missed that, so congratulations poured in from Ava DuVernay, Taraji P. Henson, The Rock, and more. “Nobody got it,” Berry said. “After like 20 minutes went by, we were like, ‘We are such a—holes!’” ET
Nicole Kidman got Kristen Stewart walkie-talkies for Christmas when she was 10 Kristen Stewart may not have gotten to work with Nicole Kidman as planned, but at least she got a rad Christmas gift out of it. Stewart and Kidman — both vying for the Best Actress Oscar — chatted in Variety‘s latest Actors on Actors interview about nearly starring together in David Fincher’s Panic Room. Kidman was originally cast as Stewart’s character’s mom, but she ended up dropping out due to an injury and was replaced by Jodie Foster. But Stewart recalled that before that, they already rehearsed for a few weeks together. “Like, I know you,” Stewart, who was 10 at the time, told Kidman. “I was a little guy, but … it’s an interesting time to meet somebody.” Stewart recalls feeling like she was “buds” with Kidman, who was “so nice to me,” and Kidman even “gave me walkie-talkies for Christmas.” Cut to two decades later, Kidman said, “and thus we’re sitting here, and I get to be your bud.” VARIETY
‘Jeopardy!’ champions keep getting defeated by Chicago librarians If you’re on a Jeopardy! streak when Johnny Gilbert announces one of your competitors is a “librarian from Chicago, Illinois,” chances are, you’re toast. Amy Schneider’s epic Jeopardy! run finally came to an end on Wednesday night after 40 straight wins, and the giant killer to defeat her was Rhone Talsma, a librarian from Chicago. In a bizarre twist of fate, fans may recall James Holzhauer’s stunning 32-game Jeopardy! winning streak in 2019 was ended by Emma Boettcher, who was … a librarian from the University of Chicago. Holzhauer acknowledged the strange coincidence on Twitter with a meme of Wesley Snipes declaring, “Always bet on a librarian from Chicago, Il.” This wasn’t even the only freaky coincidence of Schneider’s last game — both she and recent super champion Matt Amodio lost after getting a Final Jeopardy! question wrong in the category of Countries of the World. We’ll take “time is a flat circle” for $1,000. THE WEEK
The United States rejects Russia’s demand that Ukraine be barred from joining NATO. (BBC News)
U.S. President Joe Biden, during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, says “the Russians could invade Ukraine in February”. (BBC News)
Jordanian troops kill 27 “armed smugglers” after they tried to cross the border from Syria with a large quantity of amphetamines. Several other smugglers, who were “supported by other armed groups”, were wounded, according to a statement from the military. (Reuters)
Five people are killed and five more are injured in a mass shooting at a Yuzhmash production facility in Dnipro, Ukraine, after a member of the Ukrainian National Guard opens fire. (The Straits Times)
Around six people are wounded near the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan after troops from both countries engage in a battle. (Eurasianet)
Germany reports a record for the second consecutive day of 203,136 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 9.2 million. (Anadolu Agency)
Russia reports a record for the seventh consecutive day of 88,816 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 11,404,617. (Azeri Press Agency)
Brazil reports a record for the second consecutive day of 228,954 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 24.7 million. (Business Standard)
South Korea reports a record for the third consecutive day of 14,518 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 777,497. (Asian News International)
Xiomara Castro is officially sworn in as the 56th President of Honduras, making her the country’s first female president. (AFP via NDTV)
The End Friday
Thursday, January 27th, 2022
U.S., NATO send responses rejecting Russia’s demands on Ukraine crisis The Biden administration and NATO on Wednesday sent written confirmation to Russia that they will not make concessions on Moscow’s main demands toward resolving the Ukraine crisis. Russia wants NATO to reduce military deployments in Eastern Europe and deny Ukraine membership in the Western defense alliance. The U.S. and NATO said both demands are out of the question and always have been. “There is no change, there will be no change,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. He also repeated the U.S. position that any Russian invasion of Ukraine would trigger a massive response and economic cost. Russia made no immediate response, but Russian officials have vowed to take “retaliatory measures” if its demands aren’t met. THE ASSOCIATED PRESSCNN
North Korea launches 2 missiles in latest weapons test North Korea on Thursday conducted what was believed to be its sixth weapons test this month, firing two suspected short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korea’s military. The missiles flew 118 miles and came down in the sea. The tests were seen as part of an effort to pressure the Biden administration into resuming long-stalled negotiations into lifting hard-hitting U.S.-led economic sanctions in exchange for limits on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Under international law, North Korea is not supposed to develop ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. The flurry of tests came as fallout from the coronavirus pandemic added to the economic damage caused by the sanctions. NPR
San Jose becomes 1st city mandating insurance for gun owners San Jose, California, has become the first city in the country to require gun owners to buy liability insurance. The San Jose City Council approved the measure in a lopsided Tuesday night vote over opposition from gun-rights advocates and gun owners, who said the ordinance would violate the Second Amendment. Critics of the policy vowed to challenge it in court. Supporters on the council, some of whom said they had friends killed by gunfire, said the requirement would help address gun violence, which Councilmember Sergio Jimenez called “a scourge on our society.” The insurance requirement will encourage the city’s 55,000 gun-owning households to use gun safes and trigger locks, and take gun safety classes, Mayor Sam Liccardo (D) said. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tesla beats expectations but said supply-chain problems persist Tesla on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter results that beat analysts’ expectations, but its shares struggled in extended trading after the electric-car maker said supply-chain problems could continue through 2022. The stock fell by as much as 5 percent before climbing back into positive territory. Tesla reported quarterly earnings of $2.52 per share, beating expectations of $2.36 per share among analysts surveyed by Refinitiv. Revenue came in at $17.72 billion, compared to expectations of $16.57 billion. Overall revenue was up by 65 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. Energy generation and storage revenue was down by 8 percent, but automotive revenue reached $15.97 billion, up 71 percent. CNBC
Boeing reports 3rd straight annual loss Boeing on Wednesday reported its third straight annual loss, and said 787 Dreamliner jet production problems and delivery delays would cost it another $4.5 billion. Factory defects and regulatory issues have slowed Dreamliner deliveries for more than a year. Boeing said it lost $4.3 billion in 2021, including 4.16 billion in the last quarter of the year. Boeing’s troubles came as airlines struggle to recover from damage caused by travel restrictions and other problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Boeing CEO David Calhoun said 2021 was a “rebuilding year for us.” The aircraft maker said it expects to resolve the problems this year, and increase deliveries of 737 MAX and Dreamliner jets. Boeing shares rose 2 percent overnight. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Fed officials signal rate hike in March The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that with inflation high and the job market strengthening it will “soon” be appropriate to start raising interest rates, which the central bank has kept near zero to boost the recovery during the coronavirus pandemic. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Fed leaders were keeping rates unchanged for now, but inclined to “raise the federal funds rate at the March meeting,” assuming current trends continue. “The economy no longer needs sustained high levels” of monetary policy support, he said. The Fed also is tapering the bond purchases it has used to further support the recovery, on track to end the program in March. The suggestion that the Fed could aggressively increase borrowing costs dragged down stocks. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Spotify removes Neil Young’s music after singer’s Joe Rogan objections Spotify on Wednesday removed Neil Young’s music from its streaming service after he posted a letter on his website saying he would not allow his catalog on the same platform as podcast host Joe Rogan’s “fake information” about coronavirus vaccines. “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young said in the letter to his manager and record label. He said people spreading bogus information about vaccines could be killing people who believe it. Rogan, who hosts one of the most popular podcasts on Spotify, has faced frequent criticism for his statements on the pandemic, including that healthy young people shouldn’t get vaccinated. “We regret Neil’s decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon,” a Spotify spokesperson told The Washington Post. THE WASHINGTON POST
Justice Stephen Breyer to retire, giving Biden a Supreme Court pick Justice Stephen Breyer will retire at the end of the Supreme Court’s current term, NBC News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with his plans. Breyer, 83, is the oldest justice, and one of just three liberals on the nine-member high court. His decision to step down now, while Democrats control the Senate, will give President Biden the opportunity to name his replacement. Liberal activists have been urging Breyer to retire before the midterm elections so Republicans won’t be able to block a Biden nominee if they regain control of the Senate. Despite similar liberal urging, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not retire during former President Barack Obama’s term, clearing the way for former President Donald Trump to seat Justice Amy Coney Barrett upon Ginsburg’s death in 2020 and expand the conservative majority to 6-3. NBC NEWS
Search continues but hope dims for 38 missing from capsized boat Coast Guard ships and planes on Wednesday intensified the search for 38 people who went missing off the coast of Florida four days ago when their boat capsized in a storm. Search crews have found the body of one passenger, and another was rescued by a merchant vessel that spotted him sitting alone on the overturned 25-foot boat. The survivor said nobody on board had a life jacket. Capt. Jo-Ann Burdian said the vessel sailed from the Bahamas in a suspected human smuggling voyage and was caught in the storm as it crossed the Gulf Stream on the way to Florida. Human smugglers frequently use the Bahamas as a stepping stone for migrants, particularly from Haiti and Cuba, hoping to reach the United States. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Capitol rioter sentenced to 44 months for throwing objects at police U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington, D.C., on Thursday sentenced Nicholas Languerand, who was arrested in South Carolina in April, to 44 months in prison for throwing objects at police during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Laguerand also took an officer’s riot shield. Languerand pleaded guilty, and will get credit for time served. Prosecutors had recommended a 51-month sentence, but Bates said he was granting a “modest reduction” due partly to Languerand’s “extremely difficult and chaotic upbringing.” When Languerand was a child, he nearly died when his father intentionally set fire to the trailer Languerand and his mother lived in. His defense lawyer had proposed a one-year prison sentence. REUTERS
Another figure in Gaetz investigation agrees to cooperate Florida radio host Joseph “Big Joe” Ellicott has agreed to plead guilty to fraud and drug charges and cooperate with the investigation into allegations against Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), including sexual contact with a minor, sex trafficking, and obstruction of justice, one of Ellicott’s attorneys, Joe Zwick, said Wednesday. Ellicott is only loosely acquainted with Gaetz, but he was good friends with former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, Gaetz’s “wingman” who is central to the investigation into whether Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old and then obstructed justice. Greenberg also is cooperating under a plea deal. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and has not been charged with any crimes. Zwick said his client already has met with investigators to discuss Gaetz. POLITICO
Charlie Brown voice actor Peter Robbins dies at 65 Peter Robbins, the voice actor who portrayed Charlie Brown in the 1960s Peanuts cartoons, has died from suicide, his family confirmed Wednesday. He was 65. Robbins voiced Charlie Brown from 1963 to 1969 in such classic TV specials as A Charlie Brown Christmas and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. He battled mental illness and addiction throughout his adult life. In 2013, Robbins pleaded guilty to threatening and stalking his ex-girlfriend and her cosmetic surgeon. Robbins reportedly suffered from bipolar disorder, and checked himself into a California mental hospital shortly after Christmas. He told his agent, Dylan Novak, “I really need your prayers,” according to TMZ. Hospital staff reportedly urged him to stay a few weeks, but he discharged himself on Jan. 18 and was found dead days later. NEW YORK POST
Wednesday, January 26th, 2022
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces the United States has given a written response to Russia, aimed at de-escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The response, coordinated with European allies and Ukraine, addresses Russia’s demands and actions. (CNN)
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces recapture a prison in al-Hasakah from Islamic State. (Al Jazeera)
The Malian junta demands that Denmark withdraw its forces from the country, saying they were never given authorization to participate in the ongoing European-led peacekeeping operations. (AP)
Germany reports a record 164,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. (Al-Arabiya)
Israeli Health ministry approves the second round of booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people aged above 18 years who have underlying medical conditions. (The Times of Israel)
South Korea reports a record for the second consecutive day of 13,102 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 762,983. (The Korea Herald)
Brazil reports a record 224,567 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 24.5 million. (Reuters)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces the extension of Operation Unifier for three years. Sixty more troops will also be deployed to Ukraine in the coming days. Trudeau’s government also announces a shipment of non-lethal equipment and intelligence sharing. (CTV News)
The National Assembly votes to criminalize conversion therapy, with violators facing three years in prison and up to €45,000 in fines. The bill will now be sent to President Emmanuel Macron to be signed into law. (BBC News)
Jonah Hill swears Baby Yoda didn’t give him a black eye Jonah Hill has a black eye, but he wants to clarify that it’s “from my surfboard” and definitely is “not from a fist fight I got into with Baby Yoda because of our falling out.” For those unfamiliar with our newest celebrity feud, Hill recently revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio made him watch The Mandalorian, and “it was like, Baby Yoda was so cute, but I just didn’t give a f— because I didn’t know anything that it was about.” After that quote went around, Hill found it hilarious the way news outlets presented the story as if he was in some sort of WWE-style feud with Baby Yoda. Hill insisted that “Baby Yoda and I are dear friends and text at least once a week,” and despite how things might now look with the black eye, he wrote on Instagram that Disney “definitely did NOT pay me off to protect the fact that one of their marquee stars has a big mouth and would definitely catch hands if he didn’t sucker punch me with his little baby green fist.” The Taylor Swift-Damon Albarn feud has got nothing on this. UPROXX
Ron Perlman goes off on ‘twisted’ criticism of ‘Don’t Look Up’ Just when you thought we might be able to look away from the Don’t Look Up discourse. Ron Perlman, who appears in Netflix’s climate change satire, didn’t mince words to The Independent about the mixed reviews, proclaiming to the people who wrote a negative review, “F— you and your self-importance and this self-perpetuating need to say everything bad about something just so that you can get some attention.” Some critics felt the movie’s satire was didactic and ineffective, but Perlman declared of the criticism, “It’s corrupt. And it’s sick. And it’s twisted.” He also suggested “journalism is trying to do everything they can to co-opt and maintain their importance” because the “internet has almost killed” it. It’s not often you see an Oscar campaign that largely involves proclaiming detractors sick human beings, but we’ll see how this one works out for them! VARIETY
‘West Side Story’ stars sort of address Ansel Elgort allegations The stars of West Side Story spoke with The Hollywood Reporter to address — or, more accurately, dance around — the allegations against their co-star Ansel Elgort. In June 2020, a woman accused the actor of sexual assault. “Only the people who were involved in that situation know what actually went down,” Ariana DeBose said, while Rita Moreno said it would be “absolutely horrendous and wrong for anyone to take sides in that matter,” adding, “It’s not for me to make those judgments.” Rachel Zegler also reflected that “there’s been a lot of awakening” since the film was shot, prior to the allegations against Elgort. “You just hope that the people involved are OK,” Zegler said. Elgort wasn’t interviewed for the article, but he previously said his relationship with the accuser was “brief, legal and entirely consensual.” THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Christina Ricci on babysitting: ‘I almost got the kids arrested’ Christina Ricci is perhaps not a top contender for the babysitter hall of fame. The Yellowjackets star on The Late Late Show reflected on working as a babysitter when she was 12, revealing the one time, she “almost got the kids arrested.” According to Ricci, she babysat kids just slightly younger than her, and they were all feuding with a girl down the street. “So I decided to take the kids out with me to egg her house,” Ricci said. She planned to egg the house and then, when the girl’s dad came out screaming, make a run for it and have Ricci walk back out with the dog as if she was just taking him on an innocent stroll. That alibi wasn’t totally foolproof, though, since “we had also been prank calling her and leaving horrible messages on her machine beforehand, so nobody believed me.” This was her last time babysitting, if that doesn’t go without saying. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Nicolas Cage: ‘I am a goth’ File this one under “keeping up with Nicolas Cage’s crow.” Cage chatted with the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday, and of course the subject of his pet crow Hoogan came up. “He has taken to calling me names … it’s comical, at least, it is to me,” Cage said of his crow. “When I leave the room, he’ll say, ‘Bye,’ and then go, ‘A—.’” “Crows are very intelligent,” Cage noted, “and I like their appearance, the Edgar Allan Poe aspect. I like the goth element. I am a goth.” Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that the actor is set to play Dracula. Oh, sorry, not actor — Cage is continuing his quest to get people to call him a “thespian” instead. “‘Thespian’ seems more like it’s about finding some truth within and then projecting it for others to get it,” Cage said. “At least, it does to me. But I’m not always on the same wavelength as everyone else.” LOS ANGELES TIMES
The End
artificial stupid 