| | | NATO says Russia has not pulled back any troops from the Ukrainian border, contrary to earlier statements. Ottawa police are preparing a crackdown on truckers incensed over vaccine requirements as protests move to Parliament. COVID-19 cases are declining worldwide, prompting many governments to ease restrictions. And the federal hate crime trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers yields disturbing new evidence. All this and more in today’s PDB. | | |
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| IMPORTANT | 1 - Secrets and Lies NATO Chief Says No Sign of De-escalation of Russian Troops There are no signs as of yet that Moscow has followed through on its claims that it has begun pulling troops from the Ukraine border, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed yesterday. American officials were stronger in their criticism, accusing Russia of outright lying. The Kremlin countered by insisting troops would be withdrawn after it completes military drills. Russia’s defense ministry also published images yesterday that seemed to show tanks leaving Crimea. Stoltenberg asked NATO military planners to consider fortifying its eastern flank, setting up self-sufficient military units in Romania and the Black Sea region that could act as a deterrent. (Sources: BBC, NYT) |
| 2 - Truckers' Last Stand Police Crack Down on Protesters at Ottawa’s Parliament Almost three weeks of protests against Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions have left Ottawa police at wit’s end. For the first time in weeks, all U.S.-Canada border crossings were opened after protesters abandoned their last truck blockade yesterday. But the movement seems to be making its final stand outside Parliament. Police spent the day handing out leaflets to truck drivers informing them they could lose their licenses and vehicles and be prosecuted under Canada’s Emergencies Act, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implemented this week. The city’s interim police chief promised to clear protesters out “in the coming days.” (Source: AP) |
| | | 3 - Time to Breathe Easy? COVID-19 Cases Decline Worldwide as Governments Ease Restrictions The World Health Organization’s latest report says it all: In just the past week, global COVID-19 cases have dropped 19%. While WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was clear that the pandemic is not over and it is premature to move on, several nations are starting to act on the good news. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced his country will remove restrictions in a step-by-step process, while Switzerland and Austria also announced an easing of most COVID-19 rules. In the U.S., CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the Biden administration is considering changes to its mask guidance in the coming weeks. (Sources: Al Jazeera, AP, Time) |
| 4 - Arbery Trial Horrors Two of Three Men in Arbery Case Have History of Racism As Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan undergo their second trial, this time for federal hate crimes in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a consistently racist picture is emerging. An FBI intelligence analyst testified yesterday that Travis, Greg’s son, and Bryan had dozens of conversations that included racial slurs. In texts and messages to friends, Travis frequently used the N-word and disparaged Black people. In his social media posts, he talked of violence against Black people and praised vigilantism. Bryan, in a similar history, mocked MLK Day and was furious over his daughter dating a Black man. (Source: The Guardian) |
| 5 - Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: President Joe Biden allowed the House committee investigating Jan. 6 to receive former President Donald Trump’s White House visitor logs. The National Archives has 15 days to turn over the documents. (Source: The Guardian) Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. reached a record high last year. The CDC said that 104,288 people died of an overdose last year, a 16% increase with 14,000 additional deaths. (Source: The Hill) Investigation concludes former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke abused power. The Trump Cabinet member used his position to advance a development project in his hometown, a fact he failed to disclose when questioned by ethics officials. (Source: NPR) |
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| INTRIGUING | | | 1 - Not Broken, Don’t Fix New Zealand Outlaws Conversion Therapy in Win for LGBT Community A ban on conversion therapy, the dangerous and debunked practice of trying to change or stifle a person’s sexuality, gender or gender expression, passed with overwhelming support in New Zealand yesterday in a 112-8 vote. The new law makes it illegal to use conversion therapy on anyone younger than 18 or lacking decision-making capacity. Anyone who “causes serious harm to the individual” through the practice will face up to five years in prison, regardless of the victim’s age. The law will also provide a pathway for people to raise complaints about conversion practices starting in August. (Source: NPR) |
| 2 - Vaccine Joy Study Shows Mental Health Boost After COVID Vaccination The Understanding America Study, which routinely interviewed Americans between March 2020 to June 2021, has found that those who received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine reported a 7% decrease in mental distress. That population also showed a 6.9% decrease in perceived risk of hospitalization and an almost 5% decrease in perceived risk of death. These numbers varied notably by race, with the largest declines in psychological distress observed in American Indian and Alaska Native populations. In a pandemic that has significantly raised anxiety levels worldwide, these findings seem to buttress arguments in favor of vaccination. (Source: The Hill) |
| 3 - Fear Stalks a City Horrific Murder in NYC Leaves Asian American Women on Edge On Sunday, Christina Yuna Lee, 35, became the second Asian American woman to be brutally murdered in New York City in a month. Lee, allegedly silently followed home by a man who entered her apartment, was found by police stabbed to death and the man under her bed. Anti-Asian hate crimes have skyrocketed during the pandemic, with Asian women disproportionately targeted. In New York, many Asian women live in fear and feel the city has not prioritized their safety. Although city officials promised to take action to curb the violence, 2021 saw a 361% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes. (Source: NBC News) |
| 4 - Less-Than-Presidential Beginnings Biden Put Dead Dog on Woman’s Doorstep in Younger Days In a speech earlier this week, the U.S. president jokingly recalled a prank played on a Republican constituent during his time in county government in his 20s. One night, Biden received a call from a wealthier Republican woman asking him to remove a dead dog from her lawn. Biden replied that he'd ask the county to remove the dog in the morning. But she insisted it be done immediately, saying her taxes paid his salary. So, taking her literally, Biden moved the dog from her yard to her front doorstep. “I’ve gotten much better since then,” he added. (Source: The Guardian) |
| 5 - Silver on Irving NBA Commissioner Questions Fairness of NYC Vaccination Mandate Commissioner Adam Silver questioned the New York City rule that has kept Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving from playing at his home court because he’s unvaccinated. According to the city mandate, visiting players can play at Barclays Center even if they’re unvaccinated, prompting Silver to note the rule “doesn’t quite make sense to me” in an interview yesterday. While almost 98% of NBA players are vaccinated, and as restrictions begin to ease across the nation, Silver would still rather wait for the vaccination mandate to be repealed instead of changing the rule. (Source: ESPN) |
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