A memorial near the King Soopers store in Boulder, Colo.Theo Stroomer for The New York Times
“The victims of Monday’s mass shooting in Boulder, Colo., include a police officer with seven children and a ‘happy-go-lucky’ grocery store worker.” Read more at New York Times
“President Biden called on Congress to ban assault weapons and strengthen background checks for gun buyers.” Read more at New York Times
“Law enforcement officials and former associates of a 21-year-old accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket described the suspect as someone prone to sudden rage who was suspended from high school for a sudden attack on a classmate that left the student bloodied.
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, who is from the Denver suburb of Arvada, was booked into jail Tuesday on murder charges a day after the attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder. He was due to make a first court appearance Thursday.
Alissa had bought an assault weapon on March 16, six days before the attack, according to an arrest affidavit. Investigators have not established a motive, said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. It was not immediately known where the suspect purchased the weapon.
Among the dead was Boulder police Officer Eric Talley, 51, who was the first to arrive after responding to a call about shots fired and someone carrying a gun, said police Chief Maris Herold.
A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting said the suspect’s family told investigators they believed Alissa was suffering some type of mental illness, including delusions. Relatives described times when Alissa told them people were following or chasing him, which they said may have contributed to the violence, the official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
After the shooting, detectives went to Alissa’s home and found his sister-in-law, who told them that he had been playing around with a weapon she thought looked like a ‘machine gun’ about two days earlier, according to an arrest affidavit.” Read more at AP
“Asian Americans reported the single biggest increase in serious incidents of online hate and harassment as racist and xenophobic slurs blaming people of Asian descent for the coronavirus pandemic spread over the past year. Some 17% of Asian Americans reported sexual harassment, stalking, physical threats and other incidents , up from 11% last year, according to a new survey from anti-hate group ADL shared exclusively with USA TODAY.” Read more at USA Today
“A panel reviewing AstraZeneca’s vaccine trial data in the U.S. said the company had cherry-picked results to make the shot appear more effective. Dr. Anthony Fauci said it could undermine faith in what is ‘very likely a very good vaccine.’” Read more at New York Times
“Roughly one in four Americans has received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine.” Read more at New York Times
“At least a dozen states have eased coronavirus restrictions this month, and now Indiana and Virginia are about to join the list with expanded restaurant and venue capacities, among other measures. This is all despite continued warnings from experts that reopenings, combined with unpredictable Covid-19 variants, could spike case numbers again. The UK is taking a decidedly different tack: Under new regulations set to be voted on tomorrow, anyone taking nonessential vacations abroad while regulations are still in place could face a $7,000 fine. Need another reminder that the pandemic definitely isn’t over? India just reported its highest single-day death toll this year.” Read more at CNN
“Tightening up | Vaccine shipments from the European Union to the rest of the world may face severe disruption under tougher rules due to be unveiled today that would end guarantees of uninterrupted exports to some 90 countries. The move marks an escalation in the EU’s battle to secure supplies by potentially blocking all shipments to countries that do not reciprocate, with the U.K a prime target.
Brazil reported more than 3,000 Covid-19 deaths for the first time in a 24-hour period as the pandemic spreads unchecked across Latin America’s biggest economy.” Read more at Bloomberg
“Israeli parliamentary elections on Tuesday resulted in a virtual deadlock for a fourth time in the past two years, exit polls indicated, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an uncertain future and the country facing the prospect of continued political gridlock.
The exit polls on Israel’s three main TV stations indicated that both Netanyahu and his religious and nationalist allies, along with a group of anti-Netanyahu parties, fell short of the parliamentary majority required to form a new government. That raised the possibility of an unprecedented fifth consecutive election later this year.
The election was seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s polarizing leadership, and the initial results showed the country remains as deeply divided as ever, with an array of small sectarian parties dominating the parliament.
The results also signaled a continuing shift of the Israeli electorate toward the right wing, which supports West Bank settlements and opposes concessions in peace talks with the Palestinians. That trend was highlighted by the strong showing of an ultranationalist anti-Arab religious party.
After three previous inconclusive elections, Netanyahu had been hoping for a decisive victory that would allow him to form a government with his traditional ultra-Orthodox and hard-line nationalist allies and seek immunity from corruption charges.” Read more at AP
“The Senate is scheduled to discuss S.1 or the ‘For The People Act,’ on Wednesday before the Senate Rules Committee. The legislation, which the U.S. House passed along partisan lines earlier this month, would, among other things, expand same-day voter registration and early voting. The measure is a priority for Senate Democrats, but has no Republican co-sponsors. The bill also faces hurdles in the chamber, including the prospect of a GOP filibuster, a congressional tactic that essentially requires 60 Senate votes. A committee vote is expected in April.” Read more at USA Today
“The Biden administration is extending for three more months a special opportunity for people to sign up for government-subsidized health insurance. Instead of ending May 15, the special enrollment period will run through Aug. 15 to give people more time to take advantage of the expanded subsidies included in the recently passed $1.9 trillion stimulus package.” Read more at USA Today
“Three months after its count of the presidential election results set off a riot at the Capitol, Congress has plunged once again into a red-hot dispute over the 2020 balloting, this time weighing whether to overturn the results of a House race in Iowa that could tilt the chamber’s narrow balance of power.
At issue is the outcome of November’s election in a southeastern Iowa district, where state officials declared Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican, the winner in one of the closest contests in American history. Ms. Miller-Meeks prevailed by only six votes out of nearly 400,000 cast in the state’s Second Congressional District; in January, she took the oath of office in Washington.
But her Democratic opponent, Rita Hart, has refused to concede the race, pointing to 22 discarded ballots she says would have made her the winner if counted. Now Democrats, who hold the majority in the House and spent months pushing back on President Donald J. Trump’s falsehoods about a stolen election — including his claim that Congress had the power to unilaterally overturn the results — are thrust into the uncomfortable role of arbiters of a contested race.
Ms. Hart has appealed to the House, including in a new filing on Monday, to step in to overrule the state and seat her instead, sending Ms. Miller-Meeks back to Iowa.” Read more at New York Times
“Oregon State University’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday unanimously accepted President F. King Alexander’s offer to resign amid a cascade of outrage stemming from his role in Louisiana State University's sexual misconduct scandal.
Alexander’s resignation is effective April 1, but he will be on administrative leave until then. His resignation comes with a settlement agreement that will pay him an additional year’s salary, around $600,000.
Alexander was president of LSU from 2013 to 2019 during a time when the school systemically mishandled reports of sexual misconduct by students and by head football coach Les Miles, according to a report by law firm Husch Blackwell that was publicly released this month by LSU.
LSU hired Husch Blackwell in November after an investigation by USA TODAYfound that officials in the university’s athletic department and broader administration repeatedly ignored complaints against abusers, denied victims’ requests for protections and subjected them to further harm by known perpetrators.” Read more at USA Today
“The Biden family dogs, Major and Champ, are back at the White House after an incident in which Major caused a ‘minor’ injury to an undisclosed person.” Read more at USA Today
“Chip fight | Intel unveiled a bid to regain its manufacturing lead by spending billions of dollars on new factories and creating a foundry business that will make chips for other companies. The plan is a rallying cry for those who want Intel — and the U.S. — to reassert technology leadership as China invests heavily to develop its semiconductor industry and there are renewed calls for the U.S. government to support domestic production.
Many of the world’s biggest automakers are suspending operations at factories in Asia, Europe and North America with a persistent shortage of chips exacerbated by a fire at a key foundry over the weekend.
Beijing has proposed establishing a joint venture with local tech giants that would oversee the lucrative data they collect from hundreds of millions of consumers, sources say.” Read more at Bloomberg
“A giant container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal, blocking off one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes for everything from oil to consumer goods. Tugs are attempting to move the Ever Given after the 400-meter ship became wedged lengthways across the canal in Egypt yesterday, leaving at least 100 other vessels gridlocked as they tried to transit between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Analysts warned prolonged disruption could push up freight costs by forcing vessels to divert to longer routes.” Read more at Bloomberg
The container vessel MV Ever Given blocking the Suez Canal today.
Source: Planet Labs Inc./Planet Labs Inc. via AP Photo
“Parts of Australia got nearly a year's worth of rainfall in just six days. Read more at Axios
“The Senate will take up two bills focused on hate crimes, including one that addresses anti-Asian hate crimes and another focused on the threat of domestic terrorism and white supremacy.” Read more at Axios
“The White House said it would appoint an official to focus on Asian-American priorities after the Senate’s two Asian-American Democrats criticized a lack of representation at the Biden administration’s highest levels.” Read more at New York Times
“Dr. Vivek Murthy was confirmed as US surgeon general, a role he held in the Obama administration. Shalanda Young was confirmed as the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.” Read more at CNN
“At first, it was just the Silicon Valley tech giants embracing remote work forever. Now, firms in other industries are jumping on board, Axios' Erica Pandey reports.
Ford is offering permanent telework as an option to all of its white-collar workers who are able to complete the tasks of their jobs remotely. That's about 30,000 (16%) of its 186,000 employees.
Ford is the largest non-tech employer to double down on remote work.
Some of the companies that were quick to support telework are now calling workers back to the office.
Microsoft is inviting 57,000 employees back to HQ in Redmond, Wash., although they can choose to continue working from home.” Read more at Axios
“Lives Lived: George Segal began his career in serious drama but became one of America’s most reliable and familiar comic actors. Most recently he played ‘Pops’ on the sitcom ‘The Goldbergs.’ He died at 87.” Read more at New York Times
“Prince Harry takes on a new title: chief impact officer. The Duke of Sussex is going to work for BetterUp, a fast-growing coaching and mental health startup, in his latest foray into business. He is expected to have input into initiatives including product strategy decisions and charitable contributions.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“14 — The number of consecutive years during which the U.S. Postal Service has lost money, including a $9.2 billion net loss in its latest fiscal year. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has put forward a plan to overhaul the agency and avoid more than $100 billion in projected losses over the next decade. Proposed measures include raising prices on first-class mail, lengthening the first-class delivery window from three days to five and prioritizing ground transportation, which is cheaper than air transportation.
15 million — The approximate number of schoolchildren in Nigeria who have been kept out of school amid rising fears of kidnappings by armed gangs. In northern Nigeria, the kidnap-for-ransom business has become increasingly lucrative and schoolchildren are its hottest commodity, with gunmen having abducted more than 800 children from schools since December.
16.5% — The year-on-year drop in miles that Americans drove in the first half of 2020. Despite the decline, 2,957 pedestrians were killed in that period, six more than during the same stretch in 2019, for a roughly 20% increase on a per-mileage basis in the nationwide pedestrian death rate. State safety officials say anecdotal evidence points to speeding as a key factor.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“After months of being out of stock, the beloved crunchy cereal Grape-Nuts is shipping at full capacity to stores nationwide , parent company Post Consumer Brands told USA TODAY exclusively in a story published early Wednesday. The brand started experiencing shortages in late 2020 and its Grape-Nuts Flakes cereal also was affected. The shortage hit amid the coronavirus pandemic and production issues. Also, if you paid inflated prices on the black market to get a box, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Cereal fans who paid $10 or more for a box of Grape-Nuts Original cereal between Nov. 1, 2020, and March 15 are ‘eligible to submit a valid retailer or e-retailer receipt for a partial refund of up to $115 to help cover the difference between the amount paid and the suggested retail price of the Grape-Nuts Original cereal box purchased.’ Though, we advise those trying to get the refund to pay attention to the official rules/fine print.” Read more at USA Today
Dr. Mehmet Oz Jeopardy!
Dr. Oz? ‘Jeopardy!’ fans revolt
“This week, Dr. Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon and television personality, became the latest guest host of the game show ‘Jeopardy!’ after the death of Alex Trebek. The choice has angered some of the show’s fans, who argue that Dr. Oz’s history of promoting dubious medical treatments goes against the show’s emphasis on facts.
‘I’ve spent a lot of time talking to people in the ‘Jeopardy!’ community in the past few years,’ Claire McNear wrote in The Ringer. ‘I cannot remember outrage anything like the response’ to the decision. On Twitter, Seung Min Kim, a reporter for The Washington Post, wrote, ‘Dr. Oz on Jeopardy .’
An accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon in the 1990s, Dr. Oz gained attention on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ eventually starting his own talk show in 2009. Over the years, other doctors have criticized him for pushing weight-loss products and suggesting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid. In 2014, a British medical journal wrote that ‘no evidence could be found’ for about a third of the recommendations Dr. Oz had made on his show.
He defended himself in 2015, writing: ‘I bring the public information that will help them on their path to be their best selves.’
Upcoming hosts include Anderson Cooper, Savannah Guthrie and Dr. Sanjay Gupta.” Read more at New York Times
“The Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday overhauled its upcoming film release plans, postponing some of its biggest films and shifting Marvel’s ‘Black Widow,’ among other titles, to Disney+ the same time they arrive in theaters.
‘Black Widow,’ once planned to debut in May 2020, had been set to kickoff the summer movie season on May 7. It will instead premiere July 9. And it will do so simultaneously on the company’s streaming platform for a $30 early-access fee.
For theaters, which are beginning to reopen after punishing months of closure due to the pandemic, the announcement was a blow to hopes of an imminent recovery. While bigger and bigger films have turned to streaming and premium-on-demand in recent months, Marvel movies are Hollywood’s most bankable box-office behemoths.” Read more at AP
“Hundreds of Burmese citizens, including police officers, government officials and civilians, are fleeing Myanmar as violence over last month’s military coup worsens. Tens of thousands of people continue to protest across the country despite violent suppression by the junta's police and military forces. Reports of a 7-year-old girl killed in her father’s arms by police during a raid have further inflamed the rage and pain. Today, protesters are calling for a ‘silent strike,’ with businesses and shops set to close and people to stay in their homes with the aim of shutting down entire cities. Overall, at least 275 people have been killed since the coup, according to a Burmese nonprofit, and up to 2,400 people have been detained, the United Nations says.” Read more at CNN
“North Korea has conducted its first weapons test since President Biden took office, launching two projectiles last weekend. The test had been widely expected, and officials have downplayed the event as falling ‘on the low end of the spectrum’ of provocative actions the regime could carry out. The projectiles were reportedly not ballistic missiles, a designation that the Biden administration says does not qualify as a serious breach. This means the test won’t dissuade the US from further pursuing diplomacy with Pyongyang. Biden is still mulling his official policy on the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, and lawmakers and key US allies are eagerly awaiting details, which they expect will be announced publicly in the coming weeks.” Read more at CNN