Survivors still being found as quake death toll tops 28,000
Five days after two powerful earthquakes hours apart caused thousands of buildings to collapse, killing more than 28,000 people and leaving millions homeless, rescuers were still pulling unlikely survivors from the ruins. Although each rescue elicited hugs and shouts of “Allahu akbar!” — “God is great!” — from the weary men and women working tirelessly in the freezing temperatures to save lives, they were the exception in a region blanketed by grief, desperation and mounting frustration. More than a dozen survivors were rescued Saturday, including a family of five and a 7-month-old boy.
Pence subpoena could set up fight over executive privilege
The subpoena to former Vice President Mike Pence is a milestone moment in a Justice Department special counsel investigation. But that doesn’t guarantee he’s going to be testifying before a grand jury anytime soon. Pence is the latest former Trump administration official to be subpoenaed as part of the investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. But he’s also the highest-ranking official known to have been summoned and the action, sets the stage for a potential clash over executive privilege that could test or at least delay the Justice Department’s ability to get from Pence the testimony it believes it needs.
Bickering bogs down Capitol riot trial of Proud Boys leaders
The seditious conspiracy trial of five Proud Boys leaders charged in the Capitol riot has been going on for a month now in federal court in Washington, and bickering between lawyers and the judge has bogged things down. There have been plenty of fireworks, but mostly when the jury wasn’t in the courtroom. At least 10 times, defense lawyers have argued in vain for U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly to declare a mistrial. The tension in the courtroom reflects the high stakes for the Justice Department and the far-right extremists on trial. Their case is one of the most serious to emerge from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
US blacklists 6 Chinese entities over balloon program
The United States has blacklisted six Chinese entities it says are linked to Beijing’s aerospace programs as part of its retaliation over an alleged Chinese spy balloon that traversed U.S. airspace. The economic restrictions announced Friday came after the Biden administration pledged to consider broader efforts to address China’s surveillance activities. It will make it difficult for five companies and one research institute to obtain American technology exports. The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security said the six entities were being targeted for “their support to China’s military modernization efforts, specifically the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aerospace programs including airships and balloons.”
Gas pipeline to Vegas resumes operating after shutdown
The operator of a pipeline facility in California that was forced to shut down deliveries of gasoline and diesel from the Los Angeles area east to areas including Las Vegas and Phoenix due to a leak says it resumed operations on Saturday afternoon. Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan said Saturday that the source of the leak was isolated within its Watson Station in Long Beach, California, and that it began to deliver fuel later in the day. The company says the amount and cause of the leak are under investigation. Clark County officials say they believe supplies would not be affected by the leak.
Union: Fired EMTs didn’t get enough info in Nichols response
The head of a union representing most of the Memphis Fire Department said three employees who were fired after the death of Tyre Nichols weren’t given enough information as they responded to the call for medical help. Memphis Fire Fighters Association President Thomas Malone also wrote Friday to city councilmembers that information was withheld from those first responders by people on the scene. The Daily Memphian reported on the letter. Three fire department employees were fired in Nichols’ death three days after the Jan. 7 beating. Thirteen police officers have either been disciplined or are under investigation. Six were fired, and five are charged with murder. Two sheriff’s deputies were also suspended.
Russian spacecraft leaks coolant, station crew reported safe
The Russian space corporation and NASA say a coolant leak has occurred on an uncrewed Russian supply ship docked at the International Space Station. However, the incident didn’t pose any danger to the station’s crew. Roscosmos said the hatch between the station and the Progress MS-21 had been locked so the loss of pressure didn’t affect the orbiting outpost. The initial statement from Roscosmos left it unclear whether the entire cargo ship or just some of its systems lost pressure, but Sergei Krikalev, head of Roscosmos’ crewed programs, later clarified that there was depressurization of the craft’s coolant loop.
After a 2-year decline, suicide rates rose again in 2021
A two-year decline in yearly suicides ended in 2021, as rates rose among younger Americans and people of color, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For decades, suicide rates among Black and Hispanic Americans were around a third the rate among white Americans. But a shift is underway, as suicide rates rise in populations most affected by the pandemic. Between 2018 and 2021, the suicide rate among Black people increased by 19.2%, from 7.3 to 8.7 per 100,000. The swiftest rise took place among Black people ages 10-24. The rate in that group rose by 36.6%, from 8.2 to 11.2 per 100,000.
By wire sources