Friday, April 15, 2022

Wake-Up Call: Russia Confirms Loss Of Fleet Flagship


The warship Moskva, which was the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, sank yesterday as it was being towed to port, a day after suffering heavy damage under circumstances disputed by Moscow and Ukraine. Russia claims that ammunition on board the guided-missile cruiser detonated due to a fire, the cause of which it didn't name, while Ukraine says it hit the ship with missiles. Western officials couldn't confirm the cause of the fire. Russia says the crew abandoned the vessel, but it wasn't clear if there were any casualties. The ship's loss is a symbolic defeat for Russia, and the Moskva was also reportedly the ship that in the inital days of the war called on Ukrainian soldiers stationed on Snake Island to surrender, and a soldier answered, "Russian warship, go f*** yourself."

Meanwhile, Russian authorities accused Ukraine yesterday of sending two military helicopters some seven miles across the border into Russia and firing on residential buildings in the village of Klimovo, saying that seven people, including a toddler were wounded. It was the latest Russian allegation of cross-border attacks by Ukraine. Earlier in the day, Russia’s state security service claimed that Ukrainian forces fired mortar rounds at a border post in Bryansk as refugees were crossing, forcing them to flee. AP said the reports couldn't be independently verified.
 

Zelenskyy Praises Ukrainian People: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his nation's people for their resolve since Russia's invasion in his nightly video address yesterday, and for making, quote, "the most important decision of their life -- to fight." He said Ukrainians should be proud of having survived 50 days since the late February attack when the invaders, quote, "gave us a maximum of five."

➤SUBWAY ATTACK SUSPECT JAILED WITHOUT BAIL:
Frank James, the 62-year-old suspect in Tuesday's shooting attack in a Brooklyn subway car in which 10 people were wounded, was jailed without bail Thursday after a federal court apperance. James is facing a federal terrorism charge that applies to mass transit systems. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara K. Winik told the judge, "The defendant’s attack was premeditated, was carefully planned and it caused terror among the victims and our entire city." James' attorney later cautioned outside court against a, quote, "rush to judgment." Authorities say there's currently no evidence linked James to any terrorist organizations, and that they're still trying to determine a motive. Investigators are examining ranting videos on his YouTube channel in which he railed about topics including racism, violence in the U.S., his complaints about mental health care he received in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and conditions on the subway, including homeless people on trains.

➤117 PALESTINIANS, 3 ISRAELI POLICE WOUNDED IN CLASH AT HOLY SITE: At least 117 Palestinians and three Israeli police officers were wounded in a clash at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a site in Jerusalem that's sacred to Jews and Muslims, early Friday. Israeli security forces entered the compound before dawn as thousands of Palestinians were gathered for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, setting off clashes, with Israel saying they went in to remove rocks that had been gathered in anticipation of violence. The police said they waited until prayers were over, and that crowds starting throwing rocks toward the Western Wall, a Jewish holy site, forcing them to act, and also said they didn't enter the mosque itself. AP said videos online showed Palestinians throwing rocks and fireworks and police firing tear gas and stun grenades. Tensions are already high after a series of attacks by Palestinians in Israel in recent weeks that left 14 people dead, and Israel carrying out a wave of arrests and military operations across the West Bank in response.

Daily Mail 4/15/22


➤BIDEN LEFT EMPTY HANDED: President Joe Biden was left empty-handed following an address at a North Carolina university Thursday. Biden, 79, had just finished delivering a nearly 40-minute speech at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro when he turned towards stage right with his paw outstretched in a handshake position.

There was no one else on stage and no one from the applauding crowd approached the president to exchange the pleasantry, according to footage of the event. The Democrat did press some flesh at the start of the speech, shaking hands with Malcolm Hawkins, the electrical engineering student who introduced him. His remarks were aimed at pressuring Congress to increase funding for semiconductors production as proposed in the Bipartisan Innovation Act.

➤OHIO MAN WHO CLAIMED ACTING ON TRUMP'S ORDER FOUND GUILTY IN JAN. 6TH TRIAL: A 38-year-old Ohio man who claimed he was following Donald Trump's "presidential orders" when he took part in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol was found guilty of six charges by a federal jury Thursday. The charges against Dustin Byrton Thompson included obstructing Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s presidential victory, the only felony of the six, with a potential sentence of 20 years. Jurors rejected Thompson's defense that blamed Trump and members of the then-president's inner circle for his actions. Thompson has testified that he believed Trump's false claim that the election was stolen and he was trying to stand up for him, stating, "If the president is giving you almost an order to do something, I felt obligated to do that." Thompson’s case was the third related to January 6th to go to trial. In the first two cases, jurors also convicted the defendants of all charges.

🐶DOGS ON VEGAN DIET MIGHT BE HEALTHIER, SURVEY SUGGESTS:  Dogs are known for loving meat, but a new survey suggests dogs that follow a vegan diet might be a bit healthier. British and Australian researchers found dogs on vegan diets (no animal products or byproducts) tended to have fewer health problems, based on their guardians’ reports, than those who ate “conventional” meat-based products. Owners in the vegan group reported lower rates of obesity, digestive troubles, arthritis and issues with eye and ear health. Still, veterinary nutritionists who reviewed the findings say none of this proves vegan diets are healthier for dogs. Dr. Julie Churchill, a professor of veterinary nutrition at the University of Minnesota, says, “This is really a study of owners’ perceptions.” She notes the “pet parents” who feed their dogs a vegan diet are very likely vegans themselves, which complicates the survey results for a number of reasons. Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, a professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, adds that in general, evidence is lacking that vegan dog foods actually help dogs live longer, healthier lives. Both veterinarians agreed that those caveats aside, it’s possible for dogs to get the nutrition they need on a vegan diet, but it’s critical that they eat high-quality commercial products that are formulated to meet their nutrient requirements. Both agreed you should consult your vet about dog food products in general—vegan or not—as they are not all equal in quality.

😋3 KEY RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN EATING AT RESTAURANTS, ACCORDING TO A LAWYER WHO REPRESENTS FOOD POISONING VICTIMS:  Getting food poisoning is no fun, but there are some ways to avoid it. Bill Marler is an attorney who specializes in foodborne illness cases, and has spent nearly three decades representing people who have experienced illnesses caused by ingesting E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, among other pathogens. He says in general, it’s best to eat at home to minimize your risk of consuming undercooked or contaminated food. He says, “A lot of it has to do with being able to control your own environment: washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, cooking the ones that need to be cooked.” He adds that the majority of outbreaks he’s litigated on in recent decades stemmed from foods that were technically prewashed. He explains, “Even in the best restaurants, it’s usually pretty packaged salads that they use. They may or may not cut them up themselves and wash them themselves.” He says for this reason, he usually orders cooked vegetables to play it safe in a restaurant. Also, he is sure to order his meat well done when dining out, as raw meat can contain bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter—the most common culprits of food poisoning. He also says you should avoid ordering raw seafood like oysters or sashimi in restaurants. Since they’re not cooked they have no defense against harmful viruses and bacteria. He adds he’s seen an uptick in foodborne illnesses linked to shellfish in the past decade, in part due to warming waters.

🏀FINAL NBA PLAY-IN GAMES TONIGHT FOR LAST TWO PLAYOFF SPOTS: The final two NBA Play-in Tournament games will be held tonight for the two remaining playoff spots. The Atlanta Hawks will face off against the Cavaliers in Cleveland for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and the New Orleans Pelicans will take on the Clippers in L.A. for the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The first round of the playoffs begin on Saturday.

⚾GUERRERO STRIKES OUT FOUR TIMES DAY AFTER HITTING THREE HOMERS: The Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. showed just how much things can change in a day last night, when he struck out four times for the first time in his career against the New York Yankees, one day after hitting three home runs against the team. Yankees starter Luis Severinio also became the first pitcher to strike out Guerrero three times in New York's 3-0 win.

 

🏈USFL TO KICK OFF SATURDAY: The new version of the USFL will kick off its inaugural season on Saturday, the latest spring football league to make a run at being successful. The first game will be Saturday night in Birmingham, Alabama, between the Birmingham Stallions and the New Jersey Generals, and it will air on both Fox and NBC. That will be followed by three games on Sunday. There are eight teams in the USFL, which is owned by Fox Sports, who will play a 10-game schedule during the regular season, with the top two teams in the North and South divisions advancing to the playoffs. The championship game will be a matchup of division winners. The original USFL lasted three seasons, from 1983 to 1985.

🏀HORNETS' BRIDGES FINED $50K FOR THROWING MOUTHPIECE INTO CROWD: The NBA fined the Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges $50,000 Thursday for throwing his mouthpiece into the crowd after he was ejected from Wednesday night’s play-in game that Charlotte lost to the Atlanta Hawks. Bridges, who got two technical fouls for arguing a call, was heckled by a male fan as he walked in the tunnel toward the locker room and he threw his mouthpiece toward him, but hit a teenage girl instead. Bridges apologized after the game and again Thursday, saying, "I lost my cool . . . I normally don’t act like that and that was an embarrassment on my part and for the organization."

🏌DECHAMBEAU MAY MISS PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER WRIST SURGERY:
U.S. golfer Bryson DeChambeau revealed on Instagram that he had surgery on his left wrist Thursday to repair a fracture, saying he hopes to return to the PGA Tour within the next two months. DeChambeau said he'd tried to play through it at three recent events, including the Masters, but said, "it has caused me to alter my grip and swing, resulting in my inability to compete at golf's highest level." The 28-year-old missed the cut at last weeks' Masters, and has fallen to 19th in the world ranking. His ability to play in the next major, the PGA Championship, from May 19th to 22nd, remains up in the air.



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