Category Archives: US News

Sheldon Silver, top New York lawmaker sentenced for corruption, dies aged 77

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Democrat spent two decades as speaker of state assembly before conviction over real-estate dealings

Sheldon Silver, one of the most powerful figures in New York state government for two decades before his conviction on corruption charges, has died in federal custody. He was 77.

Silver, who served as the speaker of the New York state assembly, died on Monday, the federal Bureau of Prisons said, adding that the official cause of death would be determined by the medical examiner. Silver’s supporters had said he was in failing health from multiple medical conditions.

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Joe Biden appears to mock Fox News reporter in hot mic moment – video

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Joe Biden has been caught on a hot mic apparently referring to a Fox News reporter as a 'stupid son of a bitch'. As journalists left a meeting, the Fox News White House reporter Peter Doocy asked whether Biden thought inflation was a political liability ahead of the midterms. 'No, it’s a great asset – more inflation,' Biden appeared to respond sarcastically over a din of reporters shouting questions, apparently not realizing his microphone was still on. 'What a stupid son of a bitch,' he added

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Joe Biden appears to insult Fox News reporter over inflation question

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President caught on mic seemingly swearing at Peter Doocy as journalists left a news conference

Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic appearing to insult the Fox News journalist Peter Doocy, seemingly calling him a “stupid son of a bitch” after Doocy posed a question about US inflation.

“Do you think inflation is a political liability in the midterms?” the reporter asked the president as journalists were leaving the room at the end of an event at the White House on Monday.

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Ukraine: US puts 8,500 troops on alert to deploy to bolster Nato – video

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The US military has put up to 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe, potentially at very short notice, should the Nato alliance activate a rapid response force. It's the latest sign of US resolve in the face of a Russian military buildup near Ukraine. The Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stressed that no decision had been made on whether to deploy the troops, and that any such deployment would separate from intra-European movements of US troops to Nato's eastern flank, to reassure nervous allies. The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, told US citizens in Ukraine that ‘now is the time to leave’

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Taylor Swift criticises Damon Albarn for saying she doesn’t write her own songs

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The singer tweeted that the Blur and Gorillaz frontman’s ‘hot take is completely false and SO damaging’ after comments in interview

Taylor Swift has called out Damon Albarn, lead singer of Blur and later of Gorillaz, on Twitter after the British musician told the LA Times she “doesn’t write her own songs”.

“I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this,” the American singer, 32, tweeted at Albarn. “I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really fucked up to try and discredit my writing. WOW.”

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Testing for fully vaccinated travellers to UK to be scrapped; new vaccine pass rules in France – as it happened

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UK transport secretary says testing rules for travellers into country will change from 4am on 11 February; new France rules come into force

That’s it from me, Helen Livingstone, for today. I’m handing you over to my colleague Martin Belam.

Before I go, here’s a roundup of what’s been happening over the past 24 hours:

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US and UK withdraw families from Ukraine embassies | First Thing

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Dependents of staffers have been told to leave Kyiv amid growing tensions over Russia’s military buildup. Plus, Jason Bateman on his lost decade

Good morning.

As fears of a Russian invasion are heightening in Ukraine, the US and UK are withdrawing diplomats’ families.

What’s happening in Ukraine? There are rising tensions about Russia’s military buildup on the Ukraine border that have not been eased during talks between the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, in Geneva.

What has the US embassy said? “Military action by Russia could come at any time,” a statement said. Officials “will not be in a position to evacuate American citizens in such a contingency, so US citizens currently present in Ukraine should plan accordingly”, it added.

What has the once popular lawyer said? After his arrest, Avenatti stated in Twitter posts that no money related to Daniels was ever misappropriated or mishandled and that he mostly worked unpaid for Daniels with an agreement that he would receive a proportion of any book proceeds. He said he looked “forward to a jury hearing the evidence”.

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Julian Assange wins first stage of attempt to appeal against extradition

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WikiLeaks co-founder is seeking to appeal against ruling that he can be sent to US to face espionage charges

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be able to go to the supreme court to challenge a decision allowing him to be extradited to the US.

However, the high court refused him permission for a direct appeal, meaning the supreme court will have to decide whether or not it should hear his challenge.

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Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of raping her on music video set

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In a new documentary premiered at Sundance, Wood claimed she was ‘coerced into a commercial sex act under false pretences’

The actor Evan Rachel Wood has accused the rock musician Marilyn Manson of raping her on the set of the music video for his 2007 single Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand).

In Phoenix Rising, a new documentary about her life and career which premiered at the 2022 Sundance film festival, Wood said that during a previously discussed “simulated sex scene”, Manson “started penetrating me for real” once the cameras were rolling.

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Rising Covid cases in US nursing homes prompts hospital warnings

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Omicron wave has led to staff shortages, meaning hospitals that would normally release patients into care homes are backed up

Covid cases are rising rapidly among US nursing home residents and staff, causing shortages in admissions, exacerbating bed shortages at hospitals in turn, and in some cases requiring the national guard to be called in.

The Omicron wave has sent many staff home sick at care facilities and rehabilitation centers that offer round-the-clock medical care. As a result, hospitals that would normally release patients into such stepped-down care are now holding off, creating a backlog of patients stuck in hospital.

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Capitol attack committee has spoken to Trump AG William Barr, chairman says

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The chairman of the congressional committee investigating the US Capitol attack and Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election revealed on Sunday that the panel has spoken to the former attorney general William Barr, a further indication that the inquiry has moved closer to the ex-president’s inner circle.

Bennie Thompson told CBS’s Face the Nation that Barr, who was accused of making the justice department Trump’s tool but who resigned before Trump left office, had spoken more than once with the panel.

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Big Sur wildfire burns near California highway – video

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Hundreds of people in California were told to evacuate because of a new blaze as authorities were forced to shut one of the state's main highways. Firefighters were battling the blaze that broke out in rugged mountains in Big Sur on Friday night and quickly spread toward the sea, fanned by strong winds of up to 50mph. The blaze burned at least 2.3 square miles of brush and redwood trees

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Fauci: US ‘confident’ Omicron will soon peak even as hospitals struggle

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US authorities are confident most states will soon reach and pass a peak in coronavirus Omicron variant cases, even as hospitals struggle to cope with the current surge, Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser said on Sunday.

“I think [we’re] as confident as you can be,” Anthony Fauci told ABC’s This Week. “You never want to be overconfident when you’re dealing with this virus, because it has certainly surprised us in the past.

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Big Sur wildfire causes evacuations as Harris visits state to tout federal plan

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The Colorado fire grew to more than 2.3 sq miles while, earlier in the day, the vice-president outlined a response to reduce risk

On the day Vice-President Kamala Harris visited California to highlight new funding for fighting wildfires, hundreds of residents in the Big Sur area in the north of the state were told to evacuate due to a new blaze.

The fire broke out on Friday night in a steep canyon, in the rugged mountains above Big Sur. Fanned by wind gusts of up to 50mph, it quickly burned at least 2.3 square miles of brush and redwood trees, said Cecile Juliette, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“The fire lined up with the wind and the terrain and that gave the fire a lot of energy to make a big run,” Juliette said.

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Ian Alexander Jr, son of actor and director Regina King, dies at 26

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Oscar-winner ‘devastated at the deepest level’ by death of ‘a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others’

Ian Alexander Jr, the only child of the Oscar-winning actor and director Regina King, has died. He turned 26 on Wednesday.

“Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian,” a statement shared by a spokesman for King said.

In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 800-273-8255 and online chat is also available. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

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Maine man carrying own severed arm saved by workers sanding sidewalks

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Public workers trained in use of tourniquets credited with saving life of man injured while operating band saw

A man who stumbled along a street in Maine carrying his own severed arm was saved by two public workers who saw him and happened to be trained in the use of tourniquets, authorities said.

“It had to be divine intervention because two of my best guys just happened to be there sanding sidewalks,” said Mary Ann Brenchick, director of Lewiston Public Works. “It couldn’t have been better guys for this kind of situation.”

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US embassy in Ukraine ‘requests staff evacuation’ amid war fears

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Report comes as arms deliveries promised by Joe Biden arrive in response to threat of Russian invasion

The US embassy in Ukraine has requested the evacuation of all non-essential staff amid increasing fears of an imminent Russian invasion and the arrival overnight of arms deliveries promised by President Joe Biden, according to a CNN report.

US evacuations are likely to start “as early as next week”, the US cable news network said, citing a source close to the Ukrainian government. It marks the embassy’s shift in focus towards “helping Ukraine bolster its defences in the face of growing Russian aggression”.

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China hires western TikTokers to polish its image during 2022 Winter Olympics

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Influencers told to extol country’s virtues on social media despite diplomatic boycotts of Beijing Games over human rights record

An army of western social media influencers, each with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok, Instagram or Twitch, is set to spread positive stories about China throughout next month’s Winter Olympics.

Concerned about the international backlash against the Beijing Games amid a wave of diplomatic boycotts, the government has hired western PR professionals to spread an alternative narrative through social media.

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Rudy Giuliani and Michael Flynn to see honorary university degrees revoked

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University of Rhode Island board votes unanimously to revoke degrees given to key allies of Donald Trump in 2003 and 2014

The University of Rhode Island will revoke honorary degrees given to Rudy Giuliani and Michael Flynn, key allies of Donald Trump in his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

The URI board of trustees on Friday voted unanimously to revoke the degrees, which were given to Giuliani in 2003 and Flynn in 2014.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger unhurt in four-vehicle Los Angeles crash

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Film star and California governor pictured at scene of accident in which police confirm one woman taken to hospital

Arnold Schwarzenegger has reportedly been involved in a multi-vehicle crash that resulted in a woman being taken to hospital.

The former bodybuilder and governor of California was pictured at the scene, in photos shared by the TMZ website, in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.

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