Smart Digital Khabar: January 2023

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Biden plans to end the Covid public health emergency this spring in a major shift to federal response

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The Biden administration in May plans to end national and public health emergencies tied to the coronavirus, signaling a new approach to how the federal government views Covid almost three years after the pandemic started.

Existing emergency declarations would be extended until May 11 and then expire, the White House said in a statement Monday. The advance notice is designed to give states, health care providers and hospitals enough time to adjust to the changes.

The move to wind-down the emergency status, first implemented during the Trump administration, was announced in response to a pair of bills in the Republican-controlled House that would immediately end the declarations.

The White House said it opposed the GOP timeline, arguing that ending the emergency programs and policies now would “create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty” within the country’s health system and government operations, which extend to hospitals, doctors’ offices and patients.

The World Health Organization, which declared the global pandemic in 2020, said Monday that Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged a WHO committee’s “views that the COVID-19 pandemic is probably at a transition point.”

Thousands of people in the U.S. continue to die from the coronavirus virus each week, but the figure has dropped significantly over the past two years.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last week 3,756 people died due to Covid, compared with roughly 22,500 people in the last week of January 2021 and about 17,000 in the same period last year.

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from https://www.thetimesofbengal.com/international/biden-plans-to-end-the-covid-public-health-emergency-this-spring-in-a-major-shift-to-federal-response/
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Trump sues Woodward for publishing audio recordings of interviews

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Former President Donald Trump sued Bob Woodward on Monday, claiming the veteran journalist did not get his consent to release audio recordings of interviews conducted during the last two years he was in office.

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Florida, focuses on the October release of “The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward’s Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump.” It seeks nearly $50 million in damages and alleges efforts to “capitalize upon President Trump’s voice.”

In the suit, Trump says he consented to being recorded only for the purposes of Woodward’s book “Rage,” which was published in 2020, and that Woodward broke his promise to Trump by later using the interviews for an audiobook.

“President Trump told Woodward numerous times that the Interviews were to be used by Woodward—and Woodward only—for the sole purpose of accurately quoting President Trump for the ‘written word,’ i.e., Rage, and not for any other purpose, including providing, marketing, or selling the Interviews to the public, press, or the media, in any way, shape, or form,” court documents say.

“Woodward decided to exploit, usurp, and capitalize upon President Trump’s voice by releasing the Interview Sound Recordings of their interviews with President Trump in the form of an audiobook,” the lawsuit say.

From December 2019 to July 2020, Woodward conducted a series of interviews with Trump at the White House, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and by phone. They drew national attention when excerpts showed Trump privately acknowledging the dangers of the Covid pandemic while publicly downplaying its threat.

Trump’s lawyers claim that the audio collected in the interviews was “protected material” and subject to limitations on use and distribution.

Defendants named in the lawsuit include Simon & Schuster and its parent company, Paramount Global, as well as Woodward.

Woodward and his publisher fired back at Trump in a joint statement.

“Former President Trump’s lawsuit is without merit and we will aggressively defend against it. All these interviews were on the record and recorded with President Trump’s knowledge and agreement. Moreover, it is in the public interest to have this historical record in Trump’s own words. We are confident that the facts and the law are in our favor,” the statement said.

Trump, who launched a third White House bid in November, sued Woodward after the recent withdrawals of other lawsuits filed in Florida, one of them against New York Attorney General Letitia James, after a federal judge hit Trump and his lawyer with $1 million in sanctions for pushing a different “frivolous” suit.

NBC News has asked a Trump spokesperson for comment.

Zoë Richards

Zoë Richards is the evening politics reporter for NBC News.

Lindsey Pipia, Chloe Atkins and Daniel Barnes contributed.

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from https://www.thetimesofbengal.com/international/trump-sues-woodward-for-publishing-audio-recordings-of-interviews/
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3 Memphis paramedics fired for their response to the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols

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Three paramedics who responded to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were terminated Monday after an internal investigation, the Memphis Fire Department said.

Robert Long, JaMichael Sandridge, and Lt. Michelle Whitaker were found to have violated multiple department policies in their patient response to Nichols on Jan. 7, the department said in a statement.

“Their actions or inactions on the scene that night do not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department and are not reflective of the outstanding service the men and women of the Memphis Fire Department provide daily in our community,” it said.

The department was dispatched to the scene of Nichols’ traffic stop at 8:31 p.m. after police had called due to a “person pepper sprayed” at the scene, the department noted. Long, Sandridge, and Whitaker were dispatched to a second location and arrived to find Nichols leaning against a police vehicle 10 minutes after the call.

From left, Robert Long, JaMichael Sandridge, and Michelle Whitaker.Memphis Fire Dept via Twitter

Long and Sandridge responded to Nichols, while Whitaker and a driver remained in the vehicle, the department said.

“Our investigation has concluded that the two EMT’s responded based on the initial nature of the call (person pepper sprayed) and information they were told on the scene and failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols,” the department said.

Video released from the Nichols traffic stop showed officers exerting multiple uses of force against him, including pepper spray. The officers also appeared to punch, strike a baton and seemingly kick Nichols in the face while he was detained, the videos released Friday showed.

Nichols was transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he died three days later. A cause of death has not yet been released.

Police initially said Nichols was pulled over in a reckless driving stop, but Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis said her office has found no proof to substantiate the claim. Officers ordered Nichols on the ground, giving him conflicting commands before he ran away.

Officers pursued Nichols, deploying a stun gun on him as he fled from the officers, according to the videos. He was repeatedly pepper sprayed before being beaten an estimated 80 yards from his mother’s home. Nichols died three days later.

Preliminary findings in an autopsy conducted by a forensic pathologist for Nichols’ family show he was severely beaten before he died, the family’s attorneys have said. The Shelby County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released an official cause of death.

Five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were fired on Jan. 20 after an administrative investigation found they had violated department policy on the use of force. A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, was “relieved of duty,” police said Monday.

Bean, Haley, Martin, Mills and Smith were charged with second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of official oppression and one count of aggravated assault, prosecutors announced last week.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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from https://www.thetimesofbengal.com/international/3-memphis-paramedics-fired-for-their-response-to-the-fatal-police-beating-of-tyre-nichols/
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Justice Department denies GOP request on Biden classified docs

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The Justice Department on Monday denied a request from House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan for sensitive information involving its probe into classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s home and a former office.

In a letter obtained by NBC News, a top Justice Department official said the department would cooperate as much as it could but would not disclose nonpublic information about the probe.

“The Department’s longstanding policy is to maintain the confidentiality of such information regarding open matters,” Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Carlos Uriarte wrote to Jordan, R-Ohio.

“Disclosing non-public information about ongoing investigations could violate statutory requirements or court orders, reveal road maps of our investigations, and interfere with the Department’s ability to gather facts, interview witnesses, and bring criminal prosecutions where warranted. Maintaining confidentiality also safeguards the legal rights, personal safety, and privacy interests of individuals implicated by, or who assist in, our investigations,” he added.

Jordan on Jan. 13 demanded information about the discovery of Obama-era documents that had been in Biden’s possession, including all records and communications regarding the Justice Department’s investigation.

A spokesperson for Jordan ripped the response.

“It’s concerning, to say the least, that the Department is more interested in playing politics than cooperating,” Russell Dye said in a statement.

A House Democratic aide said the Justice Department’s response should not have been a surprise to Jordan. “Jim Jordan knew all along that he wasn’t entitled to disrupt ongoing criminal investigations. The question is whether he will clutch his pearls and pretend to be outraged or actually sit down and work with a department that seems willing to give him at least some of the information he has requested,” the aide said.

Uriarte notified Jordan this month about the Justice Department’s policy regarding ongoing investigations.

“Longstanding Department policy prevents us from confirming or denying the existence of pending investigations in response to congressional requests or providing non-public information about our investigations,” Uriarte wrote at the time.

In a separate letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee obtained Sunday by NBC News, Uriarte said the Justice Department was working with the intelligence community to provide some insight into the national security assessments that were underway in the Biden case and a separate investigation into documents former President Donald Trump had withheld from the Justice Department.

“We are working with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to support the provision of information that will satisfy the Committee’s responsibilities without harming the ongoing Special Counsel investigations,” he wrote, adding that “prosecutors on both matters are actively working to enable sharing information with the Committee.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner, D-Va., told reporters Monday that the Justice Department letter did “not give us any additional guidance of when” panel members are going to get a substantive response.

Senators on the committee fumed last week after National Intelligence Director Avril Haines declined in a closed-door briefing to show them copies of the classified documents discovered at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and Biden’s office and his Delaware home.

Dareh Gregorian

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Haley Talbot

Haley Talbot is an associate producer in the NBC News Washington bureau.

Julie Tsirkin

Julie Tsirkin is a producer and reporter for NBC News’ Capitol Hill team.

Liz Brown-Kaiser contributed.

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from https://www.thetimesofbengal.com/international/justice-department-denies-gop-request-on-biden-classified-docs/
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With double-double effort, SMB’s six-time MVP smoothens transition from Austria to Gallent

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San Miguel star June Mar Fajardo had no problems adjusting to life without “Pops,” producing 19 points and 13 rebounds against Phoenix. —PBA IMAGES

San Miguel Beer took the first leap into its new world without seasoned tactician Leo Austria at the coaching helm and the team seemed okay with the new setup—at least, on Sunday night.

The Beermen kicked off their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup campaign on a high note with a bevy of players chipping in to smother Phoenix, 114-93, but the more important thing that emerged from the Ynares Center in Antipolo City was the comfort level of the team’s stars regarding the coaching change.

Most notably, one very important star.

“How we played the game was OK so far,” the club’s cornerstone, June Mar Fajardo, told the Inquirer after the game. “Practices have been OK as well. I just hope we can sustain this.”

Fajardo, who truly blossomed under Austria, didn’t seem to mind no longer having “Pops” hollering instructions from the sidelines.

“As with ‘Pops,’ he’s still with the team, so we still get to see him. I’m happy for him. He gets to relax and I think he gets to play more [recreational] basketball at his place,” added the soft-spoken center, who turned into a six-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a nine-time champion under the tutelage of the affable Austria.

Key players

Aside from Fajardo’s 19 points and 13 rebounds, four more players proved key for the Beermen. CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, new guy Allyn Bulanadi, and eventual player of the game Simon Enciso all had twin-digit scores in the victory.

Cameron Clark, the import who last played in the PBA for the NLEX franchise, top-scored with 23 points that went with seven rebounds, playing well alongside Fajardo, the perennial starting point of San Miguel’s attack.

The performance could have been an offshoot of the minimal transition it took to play under new coach Jorge Gallent, who has already called the shots in seven of the club’s games—counting two playoff games—during the previous Commissioner’s Cup.

Whatever the reason was, that fine collective outing muted the speculations hovering over Austria’s appointment to a less hands-on role.

However, there are still cracks that need to be paved over.

“Not yet. Maybe in a few weeks or in a few days,” Gallent said during the postgame interview when asked whether he has reached out to his predecessor.

Polishing needed

For now, San Miguel is focusing on polishing its game in its bid to annex a second crown this season. And they have every reason to do so especially after letting a 33 point-cushion shrink into just 10 in the payoff period.

“That’s common with teams once they’re up huge,” Fajardo said. “I’m just glad that we were able to pick up the intensity and still managed to get the win. That’s something nice for us.”

San Miguel gets back to work against Blackwater on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said he has slapped Magnolia deputy Johnny Abarrientos a P10,000 fine for flipping the middle finger on Converge import Jamaal Franklin during Sunday’s curtain-raiser.

“He was remorseful when we talked about [the incident] earlier this morning. He was saying sorry several times,” the league chief told the Inquirer over the phone.

For his part, Franklin isn’t one to make a mountain out of a molehill. The NBA veteran said he was unfazed by the gesture that was caught on national television.

“Me and the coaches have no problems,” he told reporters after a 26-point, 13-rebound performance that helped Converge to a 111-109 win. INQ

Your weekly sports analysis

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from https://www.thetimesofbengal.com/uncategorized/with-double-double-effort-smbs-six-time-mvp-smoothens-transition-from-austria-to-gallent/
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Ice storm to hit the South as NYC continues its snowless streak

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A long-duration ice storm will impact a large swath of the South through Wednesday, with the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area at the center of the threat.

The slow-moving storm system is expected to bring freezing rain and accumulating ice to parts of the country extending from Texas to West Virginia.

About 50 million people were under winter alerts Monday, including Dallas and Austin, Texas; Oklahoma City; Little Rock, Arkansas; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; and St. Louis.

A light, freezing rain is expected to break out across portions of the central and the southern Plains on Monday, and a wintry mix is expected in parts of the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio river valleys. It will be enough to glaze roadways, leading to treacherous travel.

A heavier round of freezing rain is expected to develop Tuesday over central Texas and up through Arkansas into Tennessee.

Wednesday will bring a third round of wintry precipitation across much of the area and could be the worst and most impactful, because the rain will be the heaviest and temperatures the coldest.

Ice accumulations could be as high as 0.25 inches, which could lead to near-impossible travel conditions and a high likelihood of power outages.

Freezing rain is the most dangerous type of winter precipitation because it looks like rain when it falls but instantly turns to ice when it lands on below-freezing ground.

Coldest since Christmas

Arctic cold moving down from Canada is causing the frigid conditions. As many as 16 million people were under wind chill alerts from the Canadian border to the Texas Panhandle on Monday, with temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Montana and Wyoming and minus 40 degrees in the Dakotas.

It was minus 59 degrees in Peter Sinks, Utah, the coldest temperature recorded in the state in 21 years. The last time the state came close to this was minus 62 degrees Jan. 20, 2002.

The arctic air mass causing temperatures to drop to 40 degrees below average will spread south and east through the week, eventually making it to the Northeast by Saturday, when morning temperatures are expected to hit single digits and wind chills in the minus 10 to minus 20 degree range.

As parts of the South struggle with the winter storm, several cities in the Northeast will continue to wait for snow. New York City set a record Monday for the latest first measurable snow, the previous record being Jan. 29, 1973.

With no measurable snow in the short-term forecast, the city could break the record for its longest “snowless streak,” which is 332 days set in 2020. As of Monday, it was sitting at 327 days.

Some other notable snowless stats

Philadelphia is quickly approaching its latest first snow on record, which is Feb. 3.
Washington, D.C., averages 13.8 inches of snow a year and should have received half of that amount by now. The four latest first snowfalls on record all occurred in February.
Syracuse, New York, one of the nation’s snowiest cities, averages more than 120 inches of snow annually but has received just 25 inches this winter, putting it 3 feet behind the average for the season to date.
Erie, New York, has had just 39.5 inches of snow this season, more than 2 feet below where it should be. It should have had 65 inches by now.

Why no snow for the East?

Several factors can be blamed for the lack of snow in the East, the first being a lack cold air and an unfavorable storm track that is typical of La Niña winters.

The second is related to the warming climate. Winter is the fastest-warming season, leading to a trend in less snow overall. The East is also seeing more “yo-yo” winters of very snowy versus no snow at all because of extremes related to the warming atmosphere.

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