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IMPORTANT
|  | Invisible | Is ‘Color of the Skin’ the Reason the World Forgot Ethiopia’s War? World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says so. Tedros, whose family is Tigrayan, noted the sharp discrepancy in the global community’s response to the crisis in Ethiopia, compared to that in Ukraine. It’s the “worst disaster on Earth,” he said, with more than 6 million residents caught in the crossfire with no access to basic amenities. Fighting in Tigray began in November 2020 after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered troops into the region to take on the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Humanitarian access was briefly possible following a cease-fire in March, but both sides have refused peace talks. (Sources: Reuters, AFP) |
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|  | ’Fessing Up | The CDC Says It Failed in Its Response to the Pandemic Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the agency should be overhauled. “For 75 years, CDC and public health have been preparing for COVID-19, and in our big moment, our performance did not reliably meet expectations,” she said in an internal video. “To be frank, we are responsible for some pretty dramatic, pretty public mistakes ...” Her words come after a review into the Center’s pandemic response was finalized. While yet to be made public, Walensky’s statements suggest the report is damning. The CDC needs to act faster, with less focus on compiling data, she said. (Sources: NYT, Al Jazeera) |
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| |  | Tragedy | Deadly Blast Rattles Kabul Mosque At least 21 people were killed in a bomb blast at a mosque in the Afghan capital Wednesday, police say. The explosion hit the building during evening prayers and the imam is believed to be among the dead. No group has yet taken responsibility, but intelligence services have noted Islamic State has re-emerged in the country as a challenger to the Taliban. “The murderers of civilians and perpetrators of similar crimes will soon be caught and punished for their actions, God willing,” Taliban deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi tweeted. A local health care organization said it’s treated dozens of victims, including children. (Sources: CNN, BBC) |
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|  | Testimony | Giuliani Appears Before Georgia Grand Jury Over Election Lies “We’re starting to live in a fascist state,” Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer to Donald Trump, said of the proceedings. Giuliani gave testimony behind closed doors, but has repeatedly maintained that any conversations between himself and Trump are covered by attorney-client privilege. Giuliani was initially considered a material witness to allegations that Trump and some in his inner circle attempted to influence results of the 2020 election in the state, but was informed this week that he is a target in the far-reaching inquiry. He has been disbarred in New York and is being sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems. (Sources: WaPo, Atlanta Journal-Constitution) |
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|  | Briefly | Here are some things you should know about today: They’re next. Just weeks after a U.S. visit to Taipei stoked fresh tensions in the Taiwan Strait, a Canadian delegation of lawmakers is planning a trip. The group said the visit has long been in the pipeline. (Source: Reuters) Raging. Fires across Algeria are roaring out of control, killing at least 26 people. Authorities say that the hot weather is to blame, but there are some instances of arson. (Source: France24) Rising waters. Communities in New Zealand’s North Island have been forced to evacuate as heavy rains plague the country. In the worst-hit areas roads have been cut off, while schools and businesses have shuttered. (Source: AP) |
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INTRIGUING
| | Pay Up | Ohio Hits Pharmacy Chains With Mammoth Bill for Opioid CrisisWalgreens, Walmart and CVS must pay $650.5 million to two Ohio counties, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. This follows a jury verdict in November which found the companies substantially contributed to the state’s opioid crisis, by continuing to dispense mass quantities of the drugs despite clear signs the prescription medication was being abused. The figure accounts for one-third of Lake and Trumbull counties’ expenses in dealing with the crisis. “We never manufactured or marketed opioids nor did we distribute them to the ‘pill mills’ and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis,” Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman said after the ruling. (Source: NYT) |
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| | Get Those Views | I’m Tweeting on the Top of Kilimanjaro Tanzania’s state-owned telecommunications firm installed Wi-Fi services on the slopes of world-famous Mount Kilimanjaro Tuesday. Information minister, Nape Nnauye, called it historic. “Previously, it was a bit dangerous for visitors and porters who had to operate without internet,” he said. The summit — a staggering 19,300 feet — is expected to be connected by the end of the year in a push to reinvigorate tourism in the area, which sees about 35,000 hopeful climbers visit annually. Other, more extravagant plans have been floated — including the construction of a cable car to the peak. Environmentalists and mountain climbers have slammed the idea. (Source: The Guardian) |
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| | Dynamite | BTS Smashes YouTube Records, Becomes Most-Viewed Artist Bieber fever has finally broken. K-pop sensation BTS sailed past Justin Bieber to hit 70 million subscribers and become the second-most subscribed artist on the platform — replacing the Canadian heartthrob with the most views at 26.7 billion. BTS still has some way to go to match fellow K-poppers BLACKPINK who take the number one spot with 78.5 million subscribers. But the boy band has added many firsts to their award cabinet, including the first Korean group to speak at the U.N. and to perform on U.S. television. Fans say it’s all proof of the dominance of K-pop. (Sources: Billboard, Yahoo) |
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| | | Kanpai! | Young People, Pick Up That Sake That’s the message from the Japanese government to the country’s younger population as tax revenue from alcohol sales dwindles. The Sake Viva! contest is tapping 20- to 39-year-olds for their business ideas to drum up demand among the cohort. Demand dropped off during the pandemic, while an aging population is seeing crowds at bars thin out. Critics have hit back at the plan saying it’s not a good idea to promote such an unhealthy lifestyle. But, tax authorities say, the numbers speak for themselves. Alcohol sales made up 5% of all tax revenue in 1980: this had dropped to 1.7% by 2020. (Source: BBC) |
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| | Game On | Britain’s Richest Man Wants Manchester United Sir Jim Ratcliffe will take it — if it’s for sale. Manchester United has so far refused to comment on rumours that the club will change hands soon. But Ratcliffe, who lost out on a bid for Chelsea, already has a plan in place including appointing longtime business partner, cycling great Sir Dave Brailsford as general manager. The speculation began when Elon Musk tweeted Wednesday that he would buy the club. Musk has since clarified the tweet was a joke, but the eager response suggests the end of the road may be nearing for current owners, the widely disliked Glazer family. (Sources: Sky, ABC) |
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