https://twitter.com/CBSThisMorning/status/1366744763920179203
CBS This Morning @CBSThisMorning

#BREAKING: Civil Rights activist & former adviser to Pres. Clinton, Vernon Jordan has died at 85, @CBSMMiller confirms.

His daughter, Vickee Jordan Adams, tells @CBSNews: "My father passed away last night around 10p surrounded by loved ones his wife and daughter by his side."

Embedded video

8:38 AM · Mar 2, 2021

https://twitter.com/andrewrsorkin/status/1366741549720207362
Andrew Ross Sorkin @andrewrsorkin

Sad to report Vernon Jordan has passed away. One of the great civil rights leaders of our time. Adviser to @BillClinton and many other leaders.

8:25 AM · Mar 2, 2021

https://twitter.com/andrewrsorkin/status/1366742558144135168

Andrew Ross Sorkin @andrewrsorkin

I have known Vernon for nearly 20 years. There was something almost magical about him. He was a towering presence when he entered a room and he always would make you smile.

Andrew Ross Sorkin@andrewrsorkin

Statement from Vickee Jordan: "Vernon E. Jordan Jr. passed away peacefully last evening surrounded by loved ones. We appreciate all of the outpouring of love and affection."

8:29 AM · Mar 2, 2021

https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1366742045646331907
Michael Beschloss @BeschlossDC

The great Vernon Jordan (1935-2021) with Hank Aaron, 2015:



8:27 AM · Mar 2, 2021

https://apnews.com/article/paris-trials-nicolas-sarkozy-france-jacques-chirac-6ee89cb03ba8f3888ac64447ebf61f28


Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives at the courtroom Monday, March 1, 2021 in Paris. The verdict is expected in a landmark corruption and influence-peddling trial that has put French former President Nicolas Sarkozy at risk of a prison sentence if he is convicted. Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012, firmly denied all the allegations against him during the 10-day trial that took place at the end of last year. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

By SYLVIE CORBET
13 minutes ago

13 minutes ago

PARIS (AP) — A Paris court on Monday found French former President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling and sentenced him to one year in prison and a two-year suspended sentence.

The 66-year-old politician, who was president from 2007 to 2012, was convicted for having tried to illegally obtain information from a senior magistrate in 2014 about a legal action in which he was involved.

The court said Sarkozy is entitled to request to be detained at home with an electronic bracelet.

This is the first time in France’s modern history that a former president has been convicted of corruption.

Sarkozy’s co-defendants — his lawyer and longtime friend Thierry Herzog, 65, and now-retired magistrate Gilbert Azibert, 74 — were also found guilty and given the same sentence as the politician.

-/snip-

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/24/politics/pentagon-report-white-supremacists/index.html

By Ellie Kaufman and Oren Liebermann, CNN

Updated 10:10 PM ET, Wed February 24, 2021

White supremacists are active in the military and offers recommendations to better identify domestic extremists and prevent them from serving.

It details an instance of a former National Guardsman who is a member of a dangerous neo-Nazi group bragging about openly discussing extremist views while serving and separately describes service members describing how they recognize fellow White supremacists by their fascist tattoos and T-shirt logos.

While the report, commissioned by Congress and dated October 2020, concluded that extremist views were not widespread and identified "a low number of cases in absolute terms," it underlines the urgency of the problem because "individuals with extremist affiliations and military experience are a concern to U.S. national security because of their proven ability to execute high-impact events."

Roll Call was first to report on the Pentagon's findings.

-/snip-

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/24/politics/kfile-marjorie-taylor-greene-close-ally-in-capitol-mob/index.html

By Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck, CNN

Updated 5:25 PM ET, Wed February 24, 2021

(CNN)A close ally of Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took part in the January 6 mob at the Capitol and said he was among those who eventually made their way into the building.

Greene, a freshman congresswoman with a history of promoting dangerous and violent conspiracies and comments, encouraged the big lie that the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump by voting to object to the election certification and fanned the flames of the insurrection by telling her supporters to "fight for Trump."

-snip-

In fact, Anthony Aguero, a conservative livestreamer, activist and associate of Greene, said on video following the January 6 assault on the Capitol that he had been among those who entered and attacked those who falsely claimed it was done by "Antifa."

"We were all there. It was not Antifa and it was not BLM. It was Trump supporters that did that yesterday. I'm the first to admit it, being one myself," said Aguero in a video posted on January 7.

-snip-

Greene and Aguero have worked closely together over the years on causes such as immigration and the border wall and have attended pro-Trump rallies together. In many since-deleted videos saved by CNN's KFile, Greene repeatedly calls Aguero "amazing" and a "friend." On social media, Aguero has called Greene "one of my closest friends."

-/snip

https://news.yahoo.com/thomas-jefferson-statue-james-madison-223042952.html

Thomas Jefferson statue, James Madison portrait among artifacts damaged in Capitol riot, officials say


Damage is seen inside the US Capitol building early on January 7, 2020 in Washington, DC, after supporters of US President Donald Trump breached security and entered the building during a session of Congress

Nicholas Wu
Tue, February 23, 2021, 5:30 PM

WASHINGTON – Chemical damage to presidential statues and paintings, the destruction of the inauguration platform, and the lasting impact on staff are among the damage top Capitol administrative officials are set to detail to lawmakers on Wednesday as they probe the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot.

In prepared testimony for a key panel overseeing funding for legislative operations Wednesday morning, House of Representatives Curator Farar Elliott will tell lawmakers her department needs at least $25,000 for the emergency repairs and conservation of historical artifacts in the Capitol – including potential chemical damage to statues and paintings of past U.S. presidents like Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and James Madison.

The portraits and statues were among those outside the House chamber on Jan. 6, Elliott said, and they were "covered in a fine powder, likely residue from a chemical spray." She noted various sprays were used in the building on Jan. 6, including bear mace and fire extinguishers.

"Courageous staffers" spared other artifacts like a historic inkstand and the Mace of the House during the riot, Elliott says.

-/snip-

https://twitter.com/JonLemire/status/1364327105044111360
Jonathan Lemire @JonLemire

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — No criminal charges against Rochester, NY, officers who restrained Daniel Prude, a Black man, until he stopped breathing.

4:31 PM · Feb 23, 2021

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/edinburgh-woman-bit-off-mans-tongue-in-street-brawl-before-seagull-swooped-down-and-ate-it-3141625

A man who had a large chunk of his tongue bitten off by a female thug was left horrified when a seagull swooped down and ate it.

By Alexander Lawrie

Monday, 22nd February 2021, 12:21 pm

James McKenzie spat out a piece of his tongue onto the street after Bethaney Ryan, 27, had ripped it off with her teeth during an incident in Edinburgh.

The gull then flew down and grabbed the muscle, making off before the injured man could retrieve it.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told about the grisly incident - which left the victim maimed for life - when Ryan appeared in the dock to plead guilty to the attack last Thursday.

Prosecutor Susan Dickson said the pair clashed as they passed each other on Leith Walk at around 8pm on August 1, 2019.

Ms Dickson said the pair were strangers but “an argument developed” between them.

-/snip- 🦅

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dad-killed-gender-reveal-device-explodes-police/story?id=76048770

The father-to-be was killed and the uncle-to-be was injured.

By Emily Shapiro

February 22, 2021, 2:57 PM

A 28-year-old father-to-be was killed when a device he was building for his baby's gender reveal party exploded, authorities said.

The deadly incident took place shortly before noon on Sunday in Liberty, New York, the New York State Police said.

The explosion killed the father-to-be, Christopher Pekny, and injured his brother, 27-year-old Michael Pekny, police said.

The New York State Police and their Bomb Disposal Unit are investigating, police said.

-/snip-

https://twitter.com/NASAPersevere/status/1363937474276335616

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover @NASAPersevere

Now that you’ve seen Mars, hear it. Grab some headphones and listen to the first sounds captured by one of my microphones. 🎧

https://soundcloud.com/nasa/first-sounds-from-mars-filters-out-rover-self-noise/s-rnjGarHQjxB

#CountdownToMars

Sounds From Mars: Filters Out Rover Self-Noise
Explore the universe and discover our home planet with NASA through a collection of our sounds from historic spaceflights and current missions. You can hear the roar of a space shuttle launch or Neil
soundcloud.com

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover @NASAPersevere

More sounds of Mars:
Mars Audio Recordings
Gallery of audio clips captured by the Mars Perseverance rover.

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/multimedia/audio/

2:43 PM · Feb 22, 2021

https://twitter.com/TheWhitneyBrown/status/1363571235788107777
AWhitneyBrown @TheWhitneyBrown

Everyone I know now has friends or family that have been killed by Republican governance. Gene froze to death after 5 days without heat.

Pleasant Gehman @PleasantGehman1

RIP Gene Taylor 🖤
He was an incredible piano player; we met years ago through The Blasters; he also played with Canned Heat, The Fabulous Thunderbirds & many more.
He was talented, hilariously funny & kind.
Journey well, old friend 🖤

2:28 PM · Feb 21, 2021