Why Trump's Flynn pardon could backfire

There's a chance President Trump's pardon of Michael Flynn could backfire some day. Trump on Wednesday pardoned Flynn, his first national security adviser. In 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contact with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Flynn's sentencing was delayed while he cooperated with former Special Counsel...

11h

America forgot the seasonality of COVID-19 — until it was too late

Early in the pandemic, we talked a lot about the potential seasonality of COVID-19. Other, more familiar coronaviruses (like those that cause the common cold) and respiratory infections (like the flu) have a seasonal cycle. That this virus could fluctuate seasonally as well has always been a strong possibility. I wrote about it myself, noting that perhaps...

12h

The daily gossip: Meghan Markle pens a must-read op-ed, Taylor Swift confirms a major fan theory, and more

1. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, revealed that she had a miscarriage over the summer in a remarkable New York Times op-ed published Wednesday. "Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few," she wrote, adding that "despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains...

12h

In pre-Thanksgiving address, Biden urges Americans not to 'surrender to the fatigue'

President-elect Joe Biden mixed messages of caution and hope in a pre-Thanksgiving, presidential-style address Wednesday. He urged Americans to hold out for a while longer as the coronavirus pandemic continues to worsen in the United States, telling them not to "surrender to the fatigue" and "remember we are at war with the virus, not one another."...

13h

More households are experiencing hunger in the U.S. than at any other point during the pandemic, analysis shows

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to surge, more Americans are reporting going hungry, a Washington Post analysis found. In data collected by the Census Bureau between Oct. 28 and Nov. 9, around 12 percent of all American adults reported not having enough food to eat, a figure higher than at any other point since the pandemic began earlier this...

13h

The Week contest: Bird fraud

This week's question: New Zealand's Bird of the Year contest was shaken by allegations of election rigging after judges discovered that 1,500 votes had been cast for Little Spotted Kiwi from a single IP address. Once the suspicious votes were discounted, the fat, flightless Kakapo emerged victorious. In seven words or fewer, please write a headline...

15h

Illinois is experiencing a 'dire' coronavirus situation

Illinois is experiencing a "dire" coronavirus situation that seems to mostly be flying under the national radar, says Youyang Gu, a data scientist who created a COVID-19 pandemic modeler. As Gu points out, Illinois last week recorded more cases in a single day than Florida ever has, though Florida has been considered a hot spot throughout much of the...

15h

Alabama coach Nick Saban tests positive for COVID-19 again

Alabama coach Nick Saban has again tested positive for COVID-19. The University of Alabama in a statement said Saban tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, and he has "very mild symptoms," ESPN reports. "He will follow all appropriate guidelines and isolate at home," the statement said. Saban had previously tested positive for the coronavirus...

15h

Argentina soccer legend Diego Maradona dies at 60

Diego Maradona, the Argentine soccer legend, has died after suffering a heart attack, his agent confirmed Wednesday. He was 60. Maradona is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, known for leading Argentina's national team to the 1986 World Cup title in Mexico. En route to the final, he scored a goal that has become known as the...

16h

Why European powers won't pressure Biden to re-enter Iran deal

President-elect Joe Biden will not receive pressure from his European counterparts to rush back into the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, The Wall Street Journal reports. Officials from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom told the Journal that their countries are still supportive of the deal, but they don't think it will be possible or even desirable to...

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