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The United States and Russia clashed again yesterday in a dispute between the West and President Vladimir Putin, who refuses to recall troops massed on the Ukrainian border. Across the pond, the UK may soon be seeking a new prime minister after a bombshell report detailed into secret parties in Downing Street at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. The hate crime trial of two of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers will continue after a US district court judge rejected a plea deal. And in Ecuador, an oil spill is threatening indigenous peoples and wildlife in the Amazon rainforest. All this and more in today’s APB.
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IMPORTANT
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1 – Words fly, bullets don’t
US and Russia clash again in UN debate
A tense debate held yesterday in the United Nations Security Council on the reinforcement of Russian troops once again ended in a stalemate. Moscow tried in vain to prevent the meeting – the first public session where all the major powers involved in the crisis spoke publicly. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia began by accusing the United States of bringing “nationalists, radicals, Russophobes and pure Nazis” to power in Ukraine. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield fired back sharply, accusing Russia of baselessly blaming the West in order to “manufacture a pretext to attack”. The Security Council took no action after the debate. (Source: PA)
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2 – PM in hot water
Long-awaited report on UK PM doesn’t mince words
It looks like Prime Minister Boris Johnson can finally face the music. Senior civil servant Sue Gray released her findings on Monday after investigating 16 separate gatherings in Downing Street – the Prime Minister’s residence – for breaching strict lockdown protocols in place at the time. The list includes now infamous gatherings, such as the ‘bring your own booze’ event in the Downing Street garden and Johnson’s birthday party, both held in the summer of 2020. While Johnson apologized For some of the events, the Conservative party could still end up ousting him if 54 Tory MPs submit letters of no confidence. (Source: BBC)
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3 – Plea dismissed, justice proceeds
Federal judge rejects plea deal reached by prosecutors in Arbery case
Travis and Gregory McMichael, two of the three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, had agreed to plead guilty to violating Arbery’s civil rights in exchange for committal to a federal prison rather than a US prison. State. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood rejected the deal after Arbery’s family asked the judge to block the appeal. The second trial will take place on February 7 as scheduled. Prior to the plea agreement, both McMichaels indicated they would plead not guilty to the hate crime charges. The judge gave the men until Friday to decide how they will plead. (Source: Axios, WaPo)
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4 – Rainforest Overflow
Oil spill in Ecuador reaches Amazon rainforest, endangering protected area
The oil spill, caused by the rupture of an oil pipeline belonging to the private oil company OCP Equateur, contaminated nearly five acres of protected forests and water reserves in the Cayambe-Coca National Park. The country is struggling to contain the spill, which has endangered wildlife and contaminated the Coca River, one of the largest rivers in the Ecuadorian Amazon that supplies water to indigenous communities. The spill follows a major oil spill in Peru in January, after an underwater volcanic eruption in Tonga caused 11,900 barrels of oil to seep into the ocean. (Source: AlJazeera)
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5 – Briefly
Right here are some things you should know today:
Marc Short, former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, testified before the House Select Committee investigating on Jan. 6. A promising sign that Pence staff are cooperating with the committee’s investigation. (Source: CNN) Bomb threats cause six historically black colleges and universities to cancel classes and go into lockdown on Monday. Within hours, most campuses had cleared the threat and lifted lockdowns. (Source: NPR) the The New York Times buys Wordle. The newspaper acquired the viral pun for a seven-figure sum. (Source: The Guardian)
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Watch Aari McDonald
Talk about the best shots and the difference off the court
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INTRIGUING
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1 – Rap Royalties Report
Two of the biggest names in global hip-hop await
International pop star and fashion icon Rihanna turned more heads than usual this weekend during a stroll through Harlem with boyfriend A$AP Rocky – prominent baby bump. Rihanna announced her pregnancy by revealing her clearly pregnant belly emerging from a bright pink vintage Chanel coat amid fresh New York snow. Photographs from their stroll show the stars strolling hand-in-hand, Rihanna’s build framed by a long, shimmering necklace. Both Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have been open about their desire to be parents. Typically for the often enigmatic icon, no further details about her pregnancy have been released. (Source: People)
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2 – Couch-Potato Nation
New report finds many Americans could be exercising
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released new survey figures that paint a grim picture of America’s exercise. Based on a nationwide, state-based telephone survey, the CDC found that 25% of American adults are physically inactive. But that number varied widely by state, race, and ethnicity: 20% of non-Hispanic Asian adults were physically inactive, compared to 32% of Hispanic adults and 30% of non-Hispanic Blacks. The CDC noted that the numbers could reflect socioeconomic factors that create barriers to physical activity, such as lack of access to parks or lack of time to exercise. (Source: The hill)
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3 – The sky is falling!
Or it could just be tumbling frozen Floridian iguanas
If you live in Florida, you’re probably used to some unusual public safety warnings. But after this weekend’s brutal winter storm, South Floridians received a message from the National Weather Service warning them to watch out for something a little stranger than usual – falling catatonic iguanas. When temperatures drop below the normal range for cold-blooded creatures they slow down, but when temperatures dip into the 40s they come to a complete halt, falling from trees and other heights until the weather heats. Luckily, the cold spell didn’t last long: most of the iguanas were back up and running a few hours later. (Source: BNC News)
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4 – The sailors rescuing the salmon
Four boats. 60 scientists. A mission: to make the salmon swim
Salmon are nearly extinct in the Pacific Northwest and no one really knows why. Step inside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its international team of scientists, who are heading deep into the Pacific Ocean to find out. Besides the dangers of warming waters due to climate change and man-made dams preventing fish from returning to the ocean, scientists know little about what happens to migrating salmon once they sink deep into the sea. dangerous. With this expedition, researchers hope to get to the bottom of this near-extinction in order to address the problem at its source. (Source: NPR)
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5 – Down for the account
Injury robs Utah Jazz of key player for remainder of season
Tests have revealed that forward Joe Ingles, 34, a key player for the Jazz for eight seasons, suffered a torn ACL, after his knee bent during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Salt Lake City on Monday. Tests showed no further structural damage, but left Ingles’ future in question. Ingles, who also played in four Olympics for Australia, is now in his final year of a $13million contract. Although it’s a blow for the team, the loss could still benefit the Jazz as they begin trade talks. Ingles is expected to undergo surgery in the coming weeks. (Source: ESPN)
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COMMUNITY
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