Rachael Ostovich earned a measure of revenge for her UFC loss to Paige VanZant two years ago, winning a unanimous decision in their bare-knuckle brawl on Friday night in a result which sent ’12 Gauge’ storming out of the ring. A fight which was billed as “come for the boobs, stay for the violence” between the two pin-up punchers certainly delivered on the latter, as ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ alum Ostovich displayed superior striking to VanZant, shuddering her foe with a series of clubbing overhand rights en route to a reasonably clear-cut win on the judges’ scorecards. The result was a hard […]
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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has pushed back against calls to reveal the number of administration staff members who have been infected with Covid-19 despite being vaccinated. During a press conference on Friday, Psaki was questioned about the lack of details on the revelation this week that there have been “breakthrough cases” among White House staff members – namely, the exact number of cases. “I think, first, we’re in a very different place than we were six to seven months ago, as it relates to the virus,” Psaki said, adding that, despite more and more cases of vaccinated individuals getting […]
A Houston man has been charged over his alleged role in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, after boasting about being there and sending pictures to a potential match on the dating app Bumble, who reported him to the FBI. Andrew Quentin Taake, 32, was arrested on Friday and charged with five federal offenses, including assaulting officers, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds. ALERT: Feds charge Texas man with assaulting police with *metal whip* and chemical spray outside Capitol on Jan 6Court filings say federal agents used […]
A South Korean TV station has issued an apology after using “inappropriate” graphics to represent nations at the Tokyo Olympics, including a photo of riots for Haiti and the deadly Chernobyl meltdown for Ukraine, baffling viewers. The Seoul-based Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) turned heads with its questionable image choices as the games kicked off in Tokyo on Friday. While some countries were represented with more innocuous items – a tantalizing pizza pie was used for Italy, and a juicy hunk of salmon for Norway – others were more controversial. Haiti, for example, was portrayed with a photo apparently captured during a […]
China’s Yang Qian has won the women’s 10-meter air rifle competition just ahead of Russian shooter Anastasiia Galashina, bagging the first gold medal up for grabs in Tokyo, while the bronze went to Switzerland’s Nina Christen. The Chinese shooter set a new Olympic record of 251.8 points, with a small lead over the Russian, who scored 251.1. Galashina’s last shot was also her worst, at a strikingly low 8.9, which allowed Yang to seal her victory with a mediocre but sufficient enough 9.8. Christen was eliminated with a score of 230.6, but nevertheless took the first bronze for Switzerland. The women’s […]
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has urged employers to be as aggressive as possible in mandating that workers get vaccinated against Covid-19, marking the latest sign the US jab campaign is shifting to force from cajoling. “I’m calling on all New York City employers, including our private hospitals, to move immediately to some form of mandate,” de Blasio said on Friday in a radio interview. He called on employers to impose “whatever the maximum you feel you can do.” De Blasio’s comments come amid rising US Covid-19 infections, as the reportedly highly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreads […]
Washington, DC’s police chief took both the justice system and the media to task after another shooting in broad daylight this week, saying local courts are allowing violent criminals to run free as the press turns a blind eye. Briefing reporters on a brazen daytime shooting in an upscale DC district the day prior, Metropolitan Police chief Robert Contee decried an “unacceptable” wave of violence gripping some of the city’s neighborhoods, arguing that a dysfunctional court system is failing to keep dangerous offenders off the streets. “We could take the political route and talk about all of this fluffy stuff, but […]
The Biden administration has decided not to investigate the Democrat governors of Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York over claims that their Covid-19 policies led to deaths of thousands of vulnerable people in nursing homes. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joe Gaeta informed House Republicans on Friday that the Justice Department has decided not to open an investigation into any public nursing facilities in the three states “at this time.” 🚨🚨 BREAKING—Biden’s DOJ just said they’re refusing to investigate the massive nursing home COVID death scandals in New York, Michigan, & Pennsylvania.Absolutely shameful.They’re complicit in these Democrat governors’ cover ups.Families who lost loved […]
Bizarre footage from London showed a man dressed as Spider-Man kicking and punching a female worker in an Asda supermarket. Police arrested five people after the brawl, as reports pointed to a group of violent “pranksters.” The video, apparently filmed on Thursday night, shows a man wearing a Spider-Man outfit bursting through a door and kicking a female staff member in the chest at an Asda supermarket in Clapham, London. He then punches her in the face, leaving her sprawled out on the floor. A separate video shows a massive brawl in the supermarket, where the costumed hooligan can be seen […]
Though the country and wider world may be preoccupied with Covid-19, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned of a highly transmissible and drug-resistant new strain of fungus spreading in American hospitals. Candida auris may not be the household name that Covid-19 is, but that doesn’t mean scientists aren’t concerned about it. In a report released on Friday, the CDC noted that clusters of Candida auris cases have been reported in hospitals in Texas and Washington, DC since January, originating in healthcare facilities. The fungus is highly transmissible, and “leads to invasive infections, including bloodstream infections” in 5%-to-10% […]
One of Algeria’s top Olympic medal hopes in judo has quit before a battle even began, to avoid a likely second-round matchup with an Israeli, saying he won’t “get his hands dirty” by competing with a citizen of the Jewish state. Fethi Nourine, the gold medal winner in this year’s African Judo Championships, withdrew from the Olympics after seeing that the draw set him up to face Israel’s Tohar Butbul in the second round if he won his first match. Butbul has a bye in the first round of the 73-kilogram class, while the 30-year-old Nourine was slated to face Mohamed […]
Mourners reportedly scrambled for cover amid gunshots at the funeral of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. With the motive for Moïse’s assassination still unclear, protests raged as the deceased leader was laid to rest. Foreign dignitaries, including a US delegation led by UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, were rushed to their vehicles during a funeral service for Moïse on Friday, Reuters reported. Witnesses at the service described smelling tear gas and hearing what sounded like gunshots outside the auditorium in Cap-Haitien, where the Catholic funeral was held. Miami Herald reporter Jacqueline Charles also described the noises as “gunshots.” According to Reuters’ sources, […]
Cleveland’s baseball team has changed its name from the Indians to the Guardians. Critics have long called the old name racist, but the rebrand is now dividing fans. The team announced the change on Friday, releasing a slick video in which actor Tom Hanks declares “we are all Guardians.” The name itself is a reference to a pair of Art Deco statues located on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge between downtown Cleveland and the Ohio City neighborhood, known as the Guardians of Traffic. The team went by the name Indians since 1915, supposedly in honor of Native American outfielder Louis Sockalexis, who played […]
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have formally begun with one of the most unusual opening ceremonies the Games are ever likely to see, attended by the Emperor of Japan and the first lady of the US at a largely empty Olympic Stadium. The 32nd edition of the games, which is expected to cost a total of around $16 billion, launched with only around 1,000 invited spectators at the 60,000-capacity Olympic Stadium. Jill Biden, the wife of new US president Joe Biden, was at the ceremony in her first solo international trip as US first lady, alongside games honorary patron Emperor Naruhito, Queensland premier […]
As a heatwave scorched the UK in temperatures as high as 32 degrees Celsius (nearly 90F), at least 17 people drowned while trying to cool off in the country this past week, with agencies warning Brits to avoid getting into water. While many Brits flocked to the nearest water source in an attempt to stay cool in the high temperatures, over a dozen did not come out, with at least 17 drownings recorded in reservoirs, canals, lakes, and other bodies of water in just a few days, according to reports. Many of the victims were teenagers, with the body of the […]
The UK government views people who were given placebos during Covid-19 vaccine trials as fully inoculated, Britain’s vaccines minister has said, adding that they would enjoy all the privileges granted by the NHS Covid Pass. In remarks given before Parliament on Thursday, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi touted the country’s controversial NHS Covid Pass as having an “important role to play in slowing the spread of the virus,” and urged certain businesses and large venues to adopt the domestic health certificate in order to “keep their clients or their customers safe”. The NHS app can be used to show proof of vaccination […]
A Russian Olympic starlet who collapsed in a heatwave in Tokyo has reassured worried fans that she is recovering from her ordeal, adding that she will continue to compete while bosses pledged the scare would not happen again. Staff and team-mates put bags of ice on Svetlana Gomboeva’s head after rushing to help the archer, with her coach, Stanislav Popov, acknowledging that their training in the Russian city of Vladivostok had not been able to replicate the humidity of Japan. The 23-year-old took to her Instagram account, which she suggested she had not been planning to monitor before her Olympics campaign began, to tell […]
A capsule version of the Covid-19 vaccine could be a “game changer” in countries with a low immunization rate, its developer has said. Jerusalem-based Oramed Pharmaceuticals has received approval from the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center to start a clinical trial on 24 unvaccinated volunteers for a single-dose capsule version of a vaccine that is being developed by Indian firm Premas Biotech. Oramed announced in March that it had tested its pill on pigs and the animals had produced antibodies after being administered it. The company, which specializes in creating oral versions of drugs that are usually administered via an injection, […]
The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is headed for yet another week of lockdown, as it announced a “national emergency” on the heels of 136 new coronavirus infections – a daily record so far for 2021. “There is no doubt that the numbers are not going in the direction we were hoping they would at this stage,” New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday as she reported the spike in cases. She added that, while the new restrictions were currently set to end on July 30, they could be extended, should the need arise. The record of […]
A panel of experts with the US’ top health org has given tentative support to third vaccine doses for those with compromised immune systems, a policy already in place in Israel, where Pfizer’s jab is reportedly losing efficacy. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said on Thursday that booster shots for the immunocompromised could be the right move, as vulnerable patients continue to fall ill even after being fully vaccinated. However, the panel did not offer a full-fledged recommendation for third doses, maintaining that more data is needed, as well as […]
An apparent drive-by shooting in a crowded area of Washington, DC has left at least two men injured, police told local media, with reports of more than a dozen shots erupting on one of the city’s busiest streets. The shooting unfolded on DC’s Northwest 14th Street on Thursday, reporters on the scene said, some noting the area includes a number of high-end restaurants. Police told a journalist with a local Fox affiliate that the two men wounded are “conscious and breathing,” while another DC-based reporter noted that one victim was hit in the arm, the other in the chest. Video footage […]
Texas Democrat legislators aren’t slinking away quietly after their mask-less, charter-jet junket to DC became a Covid-19 “super-spreader” event. One is arguing that the group broke no rules and didn’t know cases were surging. “TSA exempts private, non-commercial flights from the mask requirement,” state Representative Donna Howard said on Thursday in a Twitter post. The lawmakers “had been meeting at the Capitol without masks for several months, and we continued that practice, as we had been fully vaccinated.” Unfortunately, the spike in infections from the delta variant became apparent immediately after our flight. Had we known at the time, we would have worn […]
Decades after first placing Cuba under embargo, Washington has warned Havana that its number is up. US President Joe Biden has slapped sanctions on several Cuban officials, declaring “this is just the beginning.” Biden has sanctioned the Cuban minister of defense Alvaro Lopez Miera and the “Boinas Negras” or black berets, a Special National Brigade within the Ministry of the Interior, citing their alleged role in repressing “peaceful, pro-democratic protests” starting July 11. The Biden administration warned it will continue to impose sanctions as punishment “to hold them accountable for their actions.” “This is just the beginning – the United States […]
German television reporter Susanna Ohlen was caught on video apparently trying to muddy herself before going on camera to report from a town devastated by last week’s deadly flooding, prompting her suspension by news outlet RTL. Videos posted Thursday on social media showed Ohlen in the town of Bad Munstereifel, appearing to wipe mud on herself as her camera crew stood by. An online RTL report, which has since been deleted, said, “Numerous prominent helpers also lend a hand and actively support local people. One of them is Susanna Ohlen.” The broadcaster issued a statement on Thursday afternoon saying that Ohlen […]
The Moroccan government is reportedly suing Amnesty International and a French NGO for defamation after the groups claimed Rabat’s agents used Israeli malware to spy on French politicians, including President Emmanuel Macron. “The Moroccan state… wants all possible light cast on these false allegations from these two organizations, who make claims without any concrete or demonstrative evidence whatsoever,” Olivier Baratelli, a lawyer for Morocco, said in a statement on Thursday, AFP reported. According to data reviewed by Amnesty and Forbidden Stories, a French investigative organization, Moroccan intelligence agents used ‘Pegasus’ malware – developed by Israeli firm NSO – to spy on […]
Israelis who refuse the Covid-19 vaccine will soon be barred from any indoor or outdoor public venue holding 100 or more people, including synagogues, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has announced. Those who refuse to get vaccinated “are undermining the efforts of all of us,” Bennett announced on Thursday, as the number of new coronavirus cases in Israel continued to rise. If everyone gets the vaccine, life can return to normal, but if a million people refuse the other eight million will have to endure lockdowns, he said. “There’s a time when this discussion has to stop,” Bennett told the nation. “Science […]
British pole vaulter Harry Coppell will be hoping that the tooth fairy is kind enough to deliver him a gold medal under his pillow after he smashed his FRONT TEETH while training for the pole vault event in Tokyo. The 25-year-old is among the contenders to bring home a medal in the pole vault in this summer’s Games – and he will be hoping that he has exhausted all of his bad luck ahead of the start of the event after coming off worse for wear when the bar landed square on his face on Wednesday while in training. Coppell documented […]
Video games, travel, web streaming services, banking, and shipping are among the industries affected by a problem with cloud provider Akamai Technologies, which appears to have taken thousands of websites offline worldwide. Google, AT&T, Amazon Web Services, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and GoDaddy domain services were among the companies that started reporting outages on Thursday morning. Akamai is experiencing a service disruption. We are actively investigating the issue and will provide an update in 30 minutes. — Akamai Technologies (@Akamai) July 22, 2021 Gaming platforms Steam and PlayStation Network, travel services Expedia and Airbnb, shipping giants UPS and FedEx, and banking and […]
A group of six major NGOs, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, has launched a massive class-action lawsuit against the French police, accusing the force of practicing “discriminatory identity checks.” The 450-page lawsuit was filed on Thursday by the group of international and French rights groups with the Council of State, the highest administrative court in France. The NGOs threatened the class-action back in January, giving the country’s government four months to end the ethnically charged profiling, which is allegedly widely used by the nation’s police force. “France has failed to take the necessary steps to prevent and remedy ethnic […]
Britain’s Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has warned that the government is “very concerned” about potential food shortages, as supermarkets and hauliers are impacted by record numbers forced to self-isolate as Covid cases rise. Reporting on the situation on Thursday, UK newspapers showed empty shelves in supermarkets throughout the country, as the number of individuals forced to self-isolate due to the spread of Covid begins to impact the supply chain and the ability of shops to operate. While the business secretary urged people to avoid “panicking” about the prospect of empty shelves in shops, he admitted that the government is “very concerned […]
Conor McGregor’s spite-filled post-fight interview with Joe Rogan at UFC 264 should not have been allowed to happen, according to the Irishman’s friend and training partner Artem Lobov, who described it as a “mad situation.” Propped up against the cage and receiving medical treatment after snapping his lower left leg, McGregor vented at rival Dustin Poirier after the American was declared the winner of the pair’s trilogy bout via doctor’s stoppage TKO. McGregor’s invective-laden rant into the microphone held by UFC pundit Rogan included insults directed at Poirier’s wife Jolie, whom ‘The Notorious’ tauntingly invited to his afterparty. Poirier labeled McGregor […]
The West’s favorite Belarusian opposition figurehead, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, has been in Washington, asking lawmakers to impose sanctions on her country, in a bid to overthrow its embattled veteran leader, Alexander Lukashenko. “I think it’s high time for democratic countries to unite and show their teeth,” she told politicians, articulating her dreams for her own country in pro-American terms. That has undoubtedly won her supporters in the West, and fits with Washington’s classic regime-change template – hijacking popular protests to redraw the geopolitical frontlines of the world. Tikhanovskaya appears to be the latest in a line of marginal opposition figures who are […]
The Russian General Prosecutor’s Office has announced that it intends to bring a case against the Ukrainian government in Europe’s top rights court, over a range of issues stemming from the 2014 Maidan and the country’s civil war. In a statement released on Thursday, officials in Moscow revealed that they had applied to the European Court of Human Rights with an inter-state complaint for the first time. According to the release, they are requesting that justices look into “the responsibility of the Ukrainian authorities for the death of civilians, illegal imprisonment and cruel treatment of people,” in both the Maidan and […]
Beijing has put the brakes on its involvement in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) investigation into the origins of Covid-19, citing its disapproval of any inquiries into the possibility that the virus came from a lab. The Chinese government will not take part in a second phase of the WHO’s probe into what caused the pandemic, Zeng Yixin, deputy head of China’s National Health Commission, said on Thursday. The senior health official said at a press conference in Beijing that he was “surprised” to see research into the lab leak theory – which was initially dismissed by the WHO as highly […]
While US Army General Mark Milley ducked questions about his past comments on such politically polarizing topics as “white rage” and critical race theory (CRT), he wanted to make one thing clear: the military is “apolitical.” Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing on Wednesday, Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined when pressed to elaborate on his congressional testimony last month linking the US Capitol riot to “white rage” and defending the military’s teaching of CRT. “I’m not gonna address specifically white rage or black rage or Asian rage or Irish rage or English rage or German rage […]
The director for the opening ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics, comedian Kentaro Kobayashi, has been terminated just a day before the games kick off, after a 1998 comedy sketch surfaced in which he joked about the Holocaust. Olympic Organizing Committee president Seiko Hashimoto announced the move during a press conference on Thursday, saying Kobayashi had been fired and that officials would undertake a last-minute “review” of the opening and closing ceremonies, both of which were meant to be directed by the comedian. “It has come to our notice that Mr. Kobayashi used comments that made fun of a tragic fact in […]
The CIA has tasked a veteran officer involved in the decade-long hunt for Osama Bin Laden to investigate the so-called “Havana syndrome” afflicting US spies and diplomats overseas, the Wall Street Journal reported. CIA Director William Burns recently selected the intelligence officer, who has not been identified, to lead a task force probing the unexplained symptoms, the Journal reported on Wednesday, citing “current and former officials familiar with the matter.” The agency reportedly launched the task force in February, while a separate State Department initiative also got underway in March, led by Pamela Spratlen, a former ambassador to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan […]
The Arkansas state government cannot enforce a law banning doctors from providing gender-confirming treatments to transgender minors, a federal judge ruled, temporarily striking down the ban as an ACLU lawsuit proceeds against it. US District Judge Jay Moody granted a preliminary injunction against the law on Wednesday, siding with the ACLU in a suit launched in May. The court ruled that depriving patients of the treatments in question “midstream” would cause “irreparable harm.” “Arkansas’s trans health ban has been BLOCKED by the court. We won’t rest until this cruel and unconstitutional law has been struck down for good,” the ACLU’s Arkansas […]
Dr. Anthony Fauci has raised the volume of his Covid-19 alarm bells, warning that vaccinated Americans should wear masks indoors, as local mandates force the unvaccinated to get jabbed if they want to participate in society. “I don’t think you’re going to see a central mandate,” Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said in a CNBC interview on Wednesday. “I think there will be a reflex pushback on that.” But what I do see in the future are local mandates, local businesses, local universities and colleges, so that if people want to do things and be able to participate […]
An Ohio man has been charged with attempting to commit a hate crime and possessing a machine gun. The man reportedly posted on “incel” forums and planned a “slaughter” of women “out of hatred, jealousy and revenge.” Tres Genco, 21, of Hillsboro was arrested by federal agents and charged by a grand jury on Wednesday, according to an indictment published by the Justice Department. He is accused of plotting to commit a hate crime and illegally possessing a machine gun, with the hate crime charge carrying a possible life sentence and the weapons charge a sentence of 10 years in prison. […]
US pharmaceuticals giant Johnson & Johnson and the nation’s three biggest drug distributors have agreed to pay a combined $26 billion to end the legal liability for their alleged roles in spurring the nation’s opioids crisis. Attorneys general from seven states announced the deal on Wednesday, saying that Johnson & Johnson will pay $5 billion and distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen will pay about $21 billion combined. The money will be paid out over time – nine years for Johnson & Johnson and 18 years in the case of the distributors – and will go to states that agree to […]
Police in Athens have broken up a protest outside the Greek parliament, using tear gas and water cannon to scatter the demonstrators. The protest was a response to the government’s announcement of compulsory vaccination for some. A crowd of more than 3,500 protesters gathered in Syntagma Square, outside the Hellenic Parliament in Athens on Wednesday. After being asked to leave, some of the protesters threw bottles and other projectiles at police officers, Greek news outlet Kathimerini reported. The police responded with tear gas, flash grenades, and a truck-mounted water cannon. Videos shared on social media captured the crackdown. #BREAKING⚠️❗The tense situation […]
An ESPN headline has come back to bite after the US women’s national soccer team were hammered by Sweden in their opening Tokyo 2020 Olympics clash on Wednesday. The reigning World Cup champions and Olympic pre-tournament favorites went down 3-0 to the Swedes in their group-stage game at Tokyo Stadium, snapping a remarkable 44-game unbeaten streak for the Americans. Four-time gold medalists, the US team were strongly fancied to make it another Olympic title this summer – although some may be reassessing that after a double from Stina Blackstenius and a goal from Lina Hurtig meant Sweden were the ones who […]
Spain’s National Police have arrested a UK citizen after the US requested their detention on multiple charges linked to a July 2020 hack that compromised over 130 Twitter accounts as part of a Bitcoin scam. The US Justice Department (DOJ) announced on Wednesday that 22-year-old Joseph O’Connor has been detained in Estepona, Spain on multiple charges over the hacking. Some of the Twitter accounts reportedly compromised included ones belonging to US President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and Tesla founder Elon Musk. O’Connor will be arraigned in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, the DOJ said, […]
Prime Minister Jean Castex has warned that France is in the middle of a fourth wave of the pandemic as the Delta variant spreads through non-vaccinated citizens, with that cohort of the population comprising 96% of new cases. Speaking on French television on Wednesday, Castex raised concerns about the Delta variant, referring it to as “the majority one” in the country, due to its “more contagious” nature. Defending the decision to roll out a Covid health pass across France, Castex cited how 96% of new infections recorded on Tuesday were people who had not yet been fully vaccinated against the virus. […]
The Olympic Games formally open in Tokyo on Friday but Russians will be struggling to identify their compatriots at this summer’s sporting spectacular, according to a recent poll. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) surveyed the population about the upcoming showpiece, which has its Opening Ceremony on Friday and runs to August 8. According to the results, 77% of Russian know that the Games will be taking place – which is a promising start – while almost two-thirds (61%) are planning to follow the action to some extent. The most interest will be geared towards athletics, with 33% of Russians who […]
The wildfires in Russia’s Yakutia region are caused by climate change, which has led to abnormally hot weather and ‘dry thunderstorms.’ That’s according to Aysen Nikolayev, the head of the vast republic located in eastern Siberia. Speaking to the local TV Channel Yakutia-24, Nikolayev noted that the region’s average temperature in June was 20C – far higher than it should be. His statement comes as many Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, have upped their rhetoric on fighting global warming in recent months. “Global climate change is happening,” the head explained. “This year is the driest and hottest summer that Yakutia […]
The Chinese foreign ministry has backed calls for an investigation into the Fort Detrick biolab as an origin of the Covid-19 pandemic after 4.7 million Chinese petitioned the WHO to send experts to the Maryland facility. Speaking on Wednesday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the Chinese people had delivered a clear message in signing a petition, created by state-run news agency The Global Times, calling for a World Health Organization (WHO) investigation into the Fort Detrick biolab. “In less than five days, about five million people participated. The rising numbers represent the aspirations of the Chinese people and show […]
Emergency workers responding to vast forest fires in a remote region of Russia have revealed they’ve been using climate engineering technology to trigger rainclouds and help fight the inferno spreading over thousands of hectares. The regional emergency services headquarters in Yakutia, a Far Eastern region larger in size than countries like Argentina or Mexico, said on Wednesday that they were doing everything possible to tackle the blazes from the air. “For almost a month, 800 rescuers equipped with parachutes… have been providing assistance in extinguishing the fires,” officials said. According to the authorities, these operations have also involved the use of […]
A British MP has said the government needs to send a clear message to those seeking refuge in the UK, encouraging them to apply for asylum in the European Union, rather than travelling through safe countries to reach Britain. Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said it was clear that people arriving on British shores to claim asylum had passed up the opportunity to apply for asylum in other safe countries, notably in the EU. Atkins stated that migrants should be applying for asylum in the first safe country they came to, adding that the movement patterns the Home Office had observed didn’t show this happening. […]
Adult entertainment empire Pornhub wants you to know that it’s getting some – culture, that is. Several museums are now reportedly suing the company for hiring fans’ beloved talent to re-enact erotic scenes from famous paintings. Titillating images from some of the world’s best-known art museums are brought to life in ‘Show Me the Nudes,’ a smartphone-based artistic scavenger hunt featuring some of the art world’s best-known nude paintings. Equipped with maps of the real-life artifacts in their museum layout, newly minted art enthusiasts can get off on hunting down the paintings – or just zoom in and out on the […]
A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced sweeping reforms for executive war-making authority, as well as rules governing arms sales and national emergencies, looking to claw back congressional powers from the White House. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) put forward the National Security Powers Act on Tuesday, the latest effort to curtail presidential war powers, which have steadily accrued to the executive branch over several decades. “I believe that we have become far too comfortable with the United States engaging in military interventions all over the world, and the time is long overdue for […]
The Tokyo Olympics will mark a “celebration of hope” and show what can be accomplished from international cooperation amid Covid-19, said WHO head Tedros Ghebreyesus, though he warned the world is “failing” to resolve the crisis. “The Olympics have the power to bring the world together, to inspire, to show what’s possible,” the World Health Organization director-general said on Wednesday, during the second day of meetings of the International Olympic Committee. He added that the games would be a much-needed “celebration of hope” for those worn down by the pandemic. May the rays of hope from this land illuminate a new […]
Several of the men accused of planning to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer say they were entrapped by the FBI, with government documents suggesting that at least 12 undercover informants played major roles in the scheme. A lengthy investigation by BuzzFeed News – published on Tuesday and based on court filings, text and audio transcripts and more than two dozen interviews with sources close to the case – claimed that the 12 informants and undercover agents “played a far larger role” in the kidnapping plot than was previously known. “Working in secret, they did more than just passively observe and report […]
An off-duty US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent who allegedly flashed his badge and gun while standing outside the Capitol during the January 6 riot has been arrested for entering a restricted area with a firearm. The agent, Mark Sami Ibrahim of Orange County, California, also stands accused of making a false statement to Department of Justice investigators because he denied displaying his badge or pistol at the Capitol, according to an indictment filed against him earlier this month. He was arrested on Tuesday in Washington. Ibrahim was charged despite the fact that he’s not accused of participating in the riot […]
While some observers may have pondered the wonder of a billionaire flying into space, the suborbital venture by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos triggered US Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) to call for taxing such travel. “Space exploration isn’t a tax-free holiday for the wealthy,” Blumenauer, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement on Tuesday. Just as normal Americans pay taxes when they buy airline tickets, billionaires who fly into space to produce nothing of scientific value should do the same, and then some. Blumenauer’s statement came just before Bezos and three other passengers took part […]
Thomas Barrack, a California billionaire who organized Donald Trump’s 2017 presidential inauguration, was charged in New York with acting as an agent of the United Arab Emirates and making false statements to federal agents. Barrack, 74, is accused of “acting and conspiring to act” as an agent of the UAE between April 2016 and April 2018, as well as obstruction of justice for falsely claiming otherwise in a June 2019 interview with federal authorities, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday. BREAKING: The head of former President Trump’s inaugural committee is arrested on charges that he acted as an agent […]
As floods wreak havoc on China’s Henan province, the military has been dispatched to prevent a dam from collapsing. Floodwaters have already washed away two dams elsewhere in China this week. Heavy rain and rising floodwaters overwhelmed Henan province in central China on Tuesday, flooding subway stations in the city of Zhengzhou and washing vehicles off the road. By Tuesday night, however, the nearby city of Luoyang and its seven million inhabitants faced an even more sobering threat: the collapse of the Yihetan Dam, which holds back the waters of the Yellow River from the city. Also on rt.com Chinese subway […]
In scenes that may infuriate former US President Donald Trump, his successor Joe Biden and legendary quarterback Tom Brady joked with one another about the 2020 election as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visited the White House. NFL icon Brady has explained in the past that he is a friend of Trump’s but refused to openly endorse the tycoon on the campaign trail, claiming it made him “uncomfortable”. Since 78-year-old Biden became the oldest president in US history by beating Trump at the ballot box last November, Brady made similar history with the Bucs as, at 43, the oldest QB to lift […]
The world heavyweight title showdown between Anthony Joshua and mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk has been confirmed for September 25, with the Brit boxer scaling the heights of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the announcement. “Look at this amazing stadium. On the 25th September this place will be rocking,” said WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF champion Joshua from atop the stadium where he will face his Ukrainian challenger later this year. “I can’t wait, I’m going to be defending my heavyweight championship belts. Let’s go. Let’s get it on. Imagine, 60,000-80,000 people in there making this place bounce.” “September 25th I will step […]
The president of Mexico has vowed to open an investigation into reports that members of the previous government had bought Israeli spying software and had used it to spy on the country’s current socialist leader, among others. In a speech on Tuesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador labeled allegations that the previous administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto spied on him and his associates as “shameful.” “They had sophisticated equipment to listen to all phone calls, not only from the person who was the target, but from everyone around them,” he claimed, adding that it wasn’t just him they allegedly spied […]
Data released by the UK government has revealed more than one million children in England were absent from school on July 15 due to coronavirus-related reasons – the highest number reported since pupils returned in March. The Department of Education published findings on Tuesday which show that 1.05 million children – approximately one in four pupils – in state-funded schools were absent on July 15. The absence rates from mid-July are the highest ever reported since schools welcomed children back in March 2021. The figures showed a 3% increase of pupils off of school from the previous week and an almost […]
Polish swimming officials are in the running for a gold medal for blundering after belatedly realizing they had sent too many athletes to the Tokyo Olympics, resulting in six of them having to return home. Twenty-three Polish swimmers packed their bags for Tokyo in the hopes of chasing Olympic glory, only for the president of the nation’s swimming federation (PZP) to announce that the number would need to be trimmed to 17 based on the qualifying rules imposed by governing body FINA. “I express great regret, sadness and bitterness about the situation related to the qualification of our swimmers for the […]
Forces from Uzbekistan will stage major drills later this month on their country’s border with troubled Afghanistan, with Russia sending a contingent of peacekeepers to assist and accompany troops from the Central Asian nation. The Russian Central Military Command told journalists on Tuesday that its soldiers would be joining colleagues from Uzbekistan for military exercises on the frontier, starting on July 30 and running until August 10. Around 200 Russian units of military hardware, including air support, as well as peacekeeping personnel, will take part in the drills, designed to ensure the country’s territorial integrity. “The practical actions of the exercise […]
South Australia has entered a snap lockdown of seven days, joining neighboring Victoria and New South Wales as the third state to implement stay-at-home orders, with half of the country’s population now under restrictions. South Australia entered a week-long lockdown to quell a spike in coronavirus cases at 6pm local time on Tuesday. Premier Steven Marshall defended the decision to impose harsh measures, stating that “we hate to put these restrictions in place, but we have just one chance to get this right” to avoid an extended lockdown period and cases spiraling out of control. Under the new rules, all South […]
The Netherlands has ordered an Italian drug maker to cough up nearly 20 million euros ($23.58 million), after the pharma firm inflated the price of one of its medications by an eye-watering 30,000%. In a decision issued on Monday, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) said that the drug manufacturer, Leadiant, had charged “far too high a price” for a prescription medication used in the treatment of patients with a rare hereditary metabolic disorder known as cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis. Around sixty patients in the country suffer from the disorder, which requires life-long treatment, the ACM said in its statement. The […]
Several explosions were heard in central Kabul, Afghanistan on live TV while President Ashraf Ghani and other top officials were offering prayers to mark the beginning of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. A live television broadcast on Tuesday morning showed a number of officials, including President Ghani, continuing on with their prayers even as the blasts rocked the area. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or injuries. At least three rockets were fired from the north of the capital and “landed in areas near the Presidential Palace,” Afghanistan’s TOLOnews reported, adding that security forces rushed to cordon off […]
Twitter has slapped Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene with a temporary suspension, saying the Georgia Republican ran afoul of the site’s Covid-19 misinformation policy. Greene rejected the move as state-backed censorship. Greene was given a 12-hour suspension on Monday night over at least two “misleading” posts, the New York Times reported, citing a Twitter spokesperson. “We took enforcement action on the account @mtgreenee for violations of the Twitter Rules, specifically the Covid-19 misleading information policy,” the spokesperson said. In the offending posts, shared on Sunday and Monday, Greene voiced a number of opinions and claims related to the pandemic, saying that “no […]
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is calling for children over 2-years-old to wear face coverings at school, even if they’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19, exceeding US CDC guidelines as some states ban mask mandates. “Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean-hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone,” Dr. Sonja O’Leary, chair of the AAP’s Council on School Health, said in a statement on Monday. The recommendation goes further than the updated guidance that was issued earlier this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, saying students and school employees who are […]
Haiti’s acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph has agreed to resign. While both the US and UN backed his rule soon after President Jovenel Moise’s assassination, Western diplomats recently changed course and endorsed Joseph’s rival. The interim PM – who has also filled in as president since Moise was shot dead by gunmen earlier this month – told the Washington Post on Monday that he would step down from leadership. He said after several meetings he agreed to make way for neurosurgeon Ariel Henry, whom Moise tapped to be premier just days before his July 7 murder. “Everyone who knows me knows […]
Pacific Gas & Electric seems to have once again helped ignite a deadly wildfire in California, contributing to the carnage in the most populous US state for the fourth year in a row, according to a report posted on its website. Documents posted to the utility’s website on Monday and filed with the California Public Utilities Commission indicate that a PG&E employee saw “blown fuses in a conductor on top of a pole, a tree leaning into the conductor, and a fire at the base of the tree” when he responded to a reported circuit outage around 7am local time last […]
Compelling Indiana University students to take Covid-19 vaccines or face stringent rules isn’t coercion that violates the US Constitution but a legitimate public health interest, a federal judge in South Bend has ruled. Eight students at the state’s largest university sought to block the requirement that everyone returning to campus in August must be fully vaccinated, including staff. US District Judge Damon Leichty denied their motion late on Sunday. Vaccine mandates have been upheld by US courts, Leichty wrote in his 100-page opinion, adding that the university is pursuing “a reasonable and due process of vaccination in the legitimate interest of […]
Canada’s government plans to start allowing non-essential US travelers to cross its border for the first time since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, beginning August, as long as they’re fully vaccinated against the virus. The border will open to Americans on August 9, but they must have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before travel, Ottawa said in a statement on Monday. Vaccinated travelers from other countries will be able to enter the country starting on September 7, “provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favorable,” according to the statement. The only Covid-19 vaccines that will be accepted […]
Between the government of Belize, the 2008 financial crisis, predatory lawsuits, and 49 children all over the world, software guru John McAfee went from millionaire to penniless and died before he could rebound, his widow says. McAfee’s net worth was estimated at $100 million in 1994, when he left the antivirus company he founded. What was left of it following the 2008 financial crisis perished after the government of Belize seized his assets in 2012, his widow Janice said in a tweet on Monday. “When I met John, which was the day after he was deported from Guatemala to Miami, he […]
A tourist area in Spain’s resort city of Marbella turned into a scene of horror as a car veered into a pedestrian area, plowing through sidewalk cafes and reportedly injuring about a dozen people. Graphic footage from Monday’s crash site shows wounded people along the sidewalk, overturned chairs and tables, and a small white sedan that apparently came to a stop when it hit a building. Waiters tried to assist some of the victims on the ground. A clip taken from the front side of the car shows tourists standing and watching the shocking scene after police and paramedics arrived on […]
A large white cross that stood on a popular mountaintop lookout point on Canada’s Vancouver Island for decades was cut down and removed at some point in the last week – and some have called for it to be replaced by a totem pole. Over the weekend, photos circulated on social media showing only the concrete base and a small lump of metal remaining at the cross’ site on the summit of Mount Tzouhalem, which overlooks the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island near the province of British Columbia. The 40-hectare site, which has belonged to the Nature Conservancy of Canada since […]
Welsh journalist Guto Harri has reportedly resigned as a presenter at GB News, a day after accusing the station of becoming an “absurd parody” and pandering to the far right over his suspension for taking the knee while on air. Defending himself in the Sunday Times newspaper, Harri blasted his former employer for “rapidly becoming an absurd parody of what it proclaimed to be” after he was suspended for breaching its editorial standards by taking the knee live on air. Rather than defending free speech and confronting cancel culture, [GB News] has set out to replicate it on the far right. […]
France’s president has spoken of the creation of a new South Pacific coastguard network to counter “predatory” behavior, aimed primarily at preventing illegal fishing, without naming China specifically. Speaking on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said partners, including the US, France, Japan, Australia and New Zealand would step up their activities in the South Pacific amid increasing Chinese assertiveness. Without mentioning China, Macron said that a South Pacific coastguard network would be launched “to better cope with the predatory logic we are all victims of.” He said that the group would be launched around three main objectives: “information sharing, operational cooperation […]
Healthcare workers should don some form of label identifying their Covid vaccination status, the head of Switzerland’s centrist Green Liberal Party has argued, while stressing that inoculation should remain voluntary. Swiss politicians have begun to explore ways to “incentivize” vaccine uptake, citing a decrease in the number of people lining up for the shot. Around 43% of Switzerland’s population is fully vaccinated, while 52% have received at least one dose of the drug. However, it appears the other half of the country is not in any rush to roll up its sleeves. Juerg Grossen, president of the Green Liberals, told local […]
19 Jul, 2021 11:18 Follow RT on Criminal hackers backed by China’s Ministry of State Security are responsible for a massive ransomware attack exploiting Microsoft Exchange email servers earlier this year, the Biden administration has alleged, the media reports. The cyber breach announced by Microsoft in March affected tens of thousands computers worldwide, with the company pointing finger at “a group assessed to be state-sponsored and operating out of China.” The US believes that the the Ministry of State Security used the group, which was otherwise motivated by profit, to achieve its own ends, an official in the Biden administration told […]
Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan has appeared to dispel the “myth” that Olympic bosses designed cardboard beds to dissuade athletes from getting up close and personal at this year’s Covid-hit Games in Tokyo. Rumors have swirled online that the flimsy-looking beds in Tokyo are a way to prevent famously randy athletes from bonking at the Olympic Village when they are meant to be social distancing. The theory of the ‘anti-sex’ beds was cranked up a notch when US distance runner Paul Chelimo posted a viral tweet in which he claimed the sleeping arrangements were aimed at “avoiding intimacy among athletes.” Beds to […]
The Taiwanese government has approved the use and production of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Taiwan-based Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp, marking another major step in the island’s fight against the virus. On Monday, the Taiwanese Health Ministry stated that phase-two clinical trial results showed the vaccine developed by Medigen to be “no worse than” those created by AstraZeneca and that the jab had been approved for use and production. They added that there were no major safety concerns, but Medigen would be required to present a monthly safety report as its MVC-COV1901 is administered. The two-shot vaccine is designed for […]
Former US Army Special Forces operative Michael Taylor and his son Peter have been sentenced to jail by a Tokyo court for helping former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn flee Japan to avoid prosecution for alleged financial crimes. The veteran received a two-year sentence for his role in Ghosn’s escape, while his son was given 20 months behind bars. During their sentencing on Monday, Chief Judge Hideo Nirei said that the American father-son duo had helped Ghosn, who was accused of “serious” crimes, to “escape overseas.” “One year and a half has passed, but there is no prospect of the trial being […]
Donald Trump has been accused by critics of embracing the anti-Covid-19 vaccine movement with a statement claiming Americans’ refusal to get inoculated comes down to a lack of trust in the White House. Trump once again gave credit for the development of the vaccines to his administration’s Operation Warp Speed and accused President Joe Biden of being “way behind schedule.” Biden previously announced a goal of having 70% of American adults receive at least one shot of a vaccine before July 4, an objective that ultimately was not reached. Also on rt.com Facebook says 85% of US users are pro-vaccine as […]
Partygoers all across England flocked to freshly reopened nightclubs to mark what has become known as the “freedom day” as the bulk of Covid-19 restrictions was lifted at the stroke of midnight. Footage shared on social media showed long queues forming up outside of London’s night venues ahead of the much-anticipated reopening at midnight on Monday, when most of the remaining coronavirus restrictions, including mask mandates and social distancing, became moot. People are queuing down the road to get into this nightclub as soon as it’s legally allowed to open at midnight, when England’s covid restrictions are lifted. More on @BBCBreakfast […]
Kabul has called back its ambassador and senior diplomats from its embassy in Islamabad, citing security threats days after the Afghan ambassador’s daughter was briefly kidnapped and tortured by unknown assailants. “The Leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan called back Afghanistan’s Ambassador and senior diplomats from Pakistan until all security threats are addressed including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of abduction,” the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement on Sunday. An Afghan delegation will be sent to Pakistan to monitor the investigation of the kidnapping, the ministry said, without specifying the day when the delegation will […]
The British Foreign Office has backed Venezuela’s opposition figurehead Juan Guaido in his battle for the country’s gold reserves. A court ruled earlier that London may have recognized Nicolas Maduro as de-facto president. While the European Union no longer formally recognizes Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president after he was ousted as head of parliament last year, the British government continues to throw his weight behind the opposition politician even after the UK Court of Appeals ruled back in October that such a stance may not reflect the reality on the ground. Guaido, who vies for access to Venezuela’s $1 billion worth […]
The Australian government has said it will be sending Katie Hopkins back to the UK as soon as logistically possible after the TV personality claimed to have breached lockdown rules, sparking backlash and calls for deportation. Hopkins, who had already been booted from the upcoming season of Australia’s Big Brother VIP show for allegedly breaching Sydney’s strict quarantine, will be getting home in no time, this is according to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews. In an interview to ABC News Breakfast’s Michael Rowland on Sunday, Adrews confirmed that the Australian Border Force, tasked with investigating Hopkins’ alleged transgressions, “acted quickly” […]
Most Americans, including people fully vaccinated, are growing concerned about the Delta variant of the coronavirus, according to a new poll. Over 60% of Americans have concerns about the Delta variant, according to a CBS/YouGov poll published on Sunday. The mutation recently became the dominant variant in coronavirus cases in the US. White House health officials have used the Delta variant in their push for Americans to get vaccinated, arguing it is more transmissible and deadly. Fully vaccinated individuals have turned out to be more worried in the poll over the variant, with 72% saying they are concerned about the Delta […]
Cricket clumper Liam Livingstone hit two sixes over the towering roof of UK stadium Headingley to help England thump Pakistan in their T20 match, although not everyone was completely convinced by the scale of his achievement. Heavy hitter Livingstone had shown Pakistan warning signs in the first Twenty20 earlier in the week, breaking records as he smashed a century despite England slipping to defeat at Trent Bridge. His side earned revenge on Sunday, leveling the series with an emphatic 45-run win that included two eye-catchingly colossal strikes from the Lancashire batsman that soared over the roof of the Yorkshire cathedral of […]
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) has argued people in his state are not getting vaccinated because of “partisan comments” on Covid-19 from the White House, but his governor has pointed to “bad information” as the reason. “People are surprised when citizens don’t trust [the] government,” Cassidy told Fox News on Sunday when asked about the low vaccination rate in Louisiana, which has also seen a spike in Covid-19 cases. Cassidy cited comments from the current administration “regarding the next Jim Crow laws” – a reference to President Joe Biden’s opposition to new state voting laws – and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) […]
22-year-old Tadej Pogacar has become the youngest person to win the Tour de France twice and the first to win two editions of the iconic race within a year, sealing victory at the Champs-Elysees on Sunday. Prodigy Pogacar cemented his place as arguably the brightest star in the sport by winning the title again, taking victory by more than five minutes after dominating much of the race with a performance to silence anyone laboring under the illusion that his initial triumph last September could have owed much to good fortune. Ten months ago, Pogacar swept to glory after countryman and overnight […]
Despite being in maskless contact with two Texas House Democrats who tested positive for Covid-19, US Vice President Kamala Harris does not plan to self-isolate, her aide told the media. Harris’ spokesperson Symone Sanders confirmed in a statement over the weekend that Harris met with members of the Texas state legislature this week after they ‘fled’ to Washington, DC to avoid voting on an elections integrity bill in their home state. Three have since tested positive for Covid-19 and will need to quarantine for 10 days. Images of Harris speaking with the Democrats in an indoor setting showed no one appeared […]
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies have agreed to boost oil supply starting in August, since prices have reached a three-year high as economies recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. The cartel members and their allies, including Russia, Mexico, and Bahrain, will increase their output by 400,000 barrels a day from August. Production is expected to be raised until all of the previously halted output is restored. The deal is expected to see the OPEC+ countries ramping up their total output by some two million barrels by the year’s end. The monthly production increases would then continue […]
As Ted Cruz praised the bravery of anti-government protesters in Cuba on Fox News on Tuesday, little did he know that the channel was showing footage from a pro-government rally in Havana alongside his remarks. After opponents of the Cuban government staged mass protests last week, the unrest became a focus of national news in the US. Ted Cruz, who comes from a family of Cuban refugees and counts many Cuban exiles among his Florida voters, minced no words in denouncing the evils of communism and dunking on the Democrats, who would argue that the US was contributing to the hardships […]
Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente set up and surprised his girlfriend by dragging her to the Wanda Metropolitano under the guise of a tribute video before romantically proposing to her and asking for her hand in marriage. Social media sensation Patricia Noarbe, who is Llorente’s partner and is said to be studying law and administration, thought she was accompanying 26-year-old Llorente to club’s 68,000-capacity home to watch a video tribute to the playmaker. After the couple were first shown a clip of Llorente’s last year representing club and country on the video scoreboard, an Atleti representative suggested they watch one “about the things […]
Khabib Nurmagomedov offered Islam Makhachev guidance from outside the octagon as the man tipped as his successor earned a late submission win over Thiago Moises – leading to calls for him to brutalize former champ Conor McGregor. Former lightweight king Nurmagomedov could be seen providing guidance on how to implement his ‘father’s plan’ – the masterplan previously overseen by his late father, revered coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov – as Russian Makhachev continued his long winning streak in the division once dominated by the Dagestani. Brazilian Moises scored a takedown that Makhachev swiftly escaped from, and the 29-year-old, who has now won nine of […]
Some 114,000 people have rallied across France to denounce what they see as government intrusion into their private lives. The protests were in response to the rollout of Covid-19 certificates and mandatory vaccination plans. Thousands-strong protests took place in major French cities on Saturday, with a total of 137 protest events reported by the Interior Ministry. The biggest march in Paris drew about 18,000 people. The activists were chanting “Liberty!” and carrying signs protesting the policies of President Emmanuel Macron and demanding his resignation. The eruption of public anger came in response to the measures that Macron’s government is taking to […]
Three unnamed Olympians have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the final days leading up to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The upcoming event has been plagued with Covid-19 restrictions and concerns over health safety. Out of the infected athletes, two tested positive in the Olympic Village, the Japan Times reported on Sunday, citing officials. Five Olympic Games staff members, a contract worker and a journalist also tested positive on Sunday. The news comes after a South Korean member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ryu Seung-min, tested positive for the virus after landing at Narita International Airport on Saturday. […]