(Daily Beast) Several hundred Russian soldiers were forced to hastily withdraw from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine after suffering “acute radiation sickness” from contaminated soil, according to Ukrainian officials.

The troops, who dug trenches in a contaminated Red Forest near the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history, are now reportedly being treated in a special medical facility in Gomel, Belarus. The forest is so named because thousands of pine trees turned red during the 1986 nuclear disaster. The area is considered so highly toxic that not even highly specialized Chernobyl workers are allowed to enter the zone.

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“Not surprisingly, the occupiers received significant doses of radiation and panicked at the first sign of illness. And it showed up very quickly.”

Local reports suggest that seven buses with the zapped troops arrived in Gomel early Thursday. Journalists on the ground have also reported “ghost buses” of dead soldiers being transported from Belarus to Russia under the cover of dark.


(Read More) https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-troops-suffer-acute-radiation-sickness-after-digging-chernobyl-trenches

(Daily Beast) In the surreal world of Russian state television, Russia is about to prevail in its war against Ukraine, which is being presented as a battle against the United States and NATO. According to top Kremlin propagandists, it’s only a matter of time before the West admits its defeat and pays reparations to Moscow or risks a devastating nuclear strike.

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Reciting the list of Russia’s future demands during Soloviev’s show, Matveychev became even more brazen: “We should be thinking about reparations from the damage that was caused by the sanctions and the war itself, because that too costs money and we should get it back. The return of all Russian properties, those of the Russian empire, the Soviet Union and current Russia, which has been seized in the United States, and so on.”

The host chimed in to ask: “Are you including Alaska and Fort Ross?”

Matveychev nodded: “That was my next point.

As well as the Antarctic... We discovered it, so it belongs to us... Also, the return of all medals that have been unlawfully taken from our sportsmen during all Olympic games, as well as the extradition of [Grigory] Rodchenkov, along with the extradition of multiple other criminals we’ll want. I think we should start voicing all of that, so they understand what will be on the table. You didn’t want to talk to us about something small, like Ukraine’s neutrality, here’s what you get. And that’s not even all of it.”

Read More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/wild-kremlin-tv-hosts-threaten-the-us-with-nuclear-strikes-unless-sanctions-end-and-reparations-are-paid

(TMZ) Ukrainian President Zelensky is showing once again why he's being hailed as an exceptional leader at an impossible time for his country ... offering condolences to the family of a U.S. journalist killed during the conflict.

On Sunday, it was announced Brent Renaud, an acclaimed filmmaker and former NY Times journalist, was shot and killed in Ukraine after Russian forces allegedly opened fire on his vehicle. It's been reported he was gathering information for a report on refugees.

A letter, sent from Zelensky to Renaud's family reads, "A talented and brave journalist, Brent lost his life while documenting human tragedy, devastation and suffering of the millions of Ukrainians. With all his courage and determination, he traveled to the most dangerous war zones to film the unprecedented ruthlessness and evil, also inflicted upon our nation by the aggressor state."

Zelensky continues, "The people of Ukraine, who are fighting against the Russian regime to defend their Homeland and democracy in the world, are mourning with you."

Read more of article: https://www.tmz.com/2022/03/14/ukraine-russia-war-president-zelensky-sends-condolences-nyt-journalist-brent-renaud/

Link to Letter: https://dam.tmz.com/document/76/o/2022/03/14/766c711fbb914726bb1a0b262e652dfd.pdf

(Politico) A Texas judge on Friday ordered a statewide halt to a directive from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott that called for abuse investigations into the use of gender-affirming care for transgender children, handing a major victory to civil rights organizations that sued to block the order this month.

The decision from Travis County District Judge Amy Clark Meachum arrived the week after the advocacy groups joined the family of a transgender girl to sue Abbott and the state’s child protection agency after the governor’s orders prompted scorn from medical groups, local prosecutors and the White House.

After an hours-long hearing, Meachum granted a temporary restraining order to stop any state abuse investigations and potential prosecutions based solely on child abuse allegations related to the provision of gender-affirming care for transgender children — until courts fully resolve the legal issues at stake.

Meachum scheduled a trial to occur in July.

Read More: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/11/texas-judge-abbott-transgender-investigation-order-00016802

(Rolling Stone) Petito’s parents have sued Laundrie’s parents, alleging that they knew full well their son killed their daughter and ignored their pleas for answers.

The parents of Gabby Petito have filed a lawsuit against the parents of Brian Laundrie, claiming that they already knew their son had killed Petito while she was still missing and accusing the Laundries of helping Brian elude investigators. In the lawsuit, filed Thursday at a Sarasota County, Florida circuit court, Petito’s parents Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt accuse Christopher and Roberta Laundrie’s “shocking, atrocious and utterly intolerable” actions of causing them to “suffer pain and suffering, mental anguish” and the “loss of capacity for enjoyment of life.”

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However, the most damning accusation — and the basis for the lawsuit — is the Petito family’s claim that Brian informed his parents of Gabby’s death on Aug. 30, the day after it occurred. On Sept. 2, the lawsuit alleges, the Laundrie family put lawyer Steven Bertolino on retainer.

“While Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt were desperately searching for information concerning their daughter, [the Laundries] were keeping the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie secret, and it is believed they were making arrangements for him to leave the country,” the lawsuit alleges.

(Read More) https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/gabby-petito-parents-lawsuit-brian-laundrie-parents-1320303/

(ABC News) Four spring breakers who overdosed Thursday night in Wilton Manors, Florida, are cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point public affairs told ABC News Friday.

One of the cadets is on the West Point football team, according to the academy, which is located in Orange County, New York.

"The U.S. Military Academy is aware of the situation involving West Point cadets, which occurred Thursday night in Wilton Manors, FL," a West Point statement said.

Miami ABC affiliate WPLG reported the cadets were part of a group of college students from New York state at a short-term rental home where cocaine laced with fentanyl caused seven people to overdose.

(Read More) https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/west-point-cadets-spring-breakers-overdosed-florida/story?id=83397622

(Jerusalem Post) At least 1,582 civilians in Mariupol have been killed • Russian forces plan to fire on Belarus from Ukraine in order to draw them into war.

Ukraine's military accused Russian aircraft of firing at Belarusian border villages from Ukrainian air space on Friday to provide an excuse for an offensive.

"This is a PROVOCATION! The goal is to involve the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus in the war with Ukraine!," Ukraine's Air Force Command said in an online statement. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Air Force Command's statement.

The alleged attacks took place as Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, according to Ukraine's State Centre for Strategic Communications. The result of this meeting could be an attack by Belarus across Ukraine's northern border, the center said in statement.

"According to preliminary data, Belarusian troops may be drawn into an invasion on March 11 at 21:00 (1900 GMT)," it said.

(Read More) https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-700998

(CBS News) A car crashed into a Washington, D.C., restaurant around lunchtime on Friday, sending eight people to the hospital. One person, identified as an adult female, died and four others have life-threatening injuries, according to fire and police officials.

All of the victims, who have been identified as adults, were outside of the restaurant at the time of the crash. Three other people were assessed at the scene of the crash and were not taken to the hospital.News)

The car crashed into the outdoor seating section of the Parthenon Restaurant on Connecticut Avenue in Northwest D.C. just before 1 p.m. The driver — the sole occupant of the car — was an elderly man. Officials said he was traveling northbound when he lost control of his car.

Read More: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/washington-dc-parthenon-restaurant-car-crash/

(Local10News) MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – With ride-sharing crimes on the rise, one company decided to make it their mission to protect female passengers.

Two women were raped, by two different men, both attacks happened last month on Miami Beach. Police say the attackers were both Lyft drivers, one victim was allegedly raped in the car right before she was supposed to be dropped off.

Following these types of crimes, a new ride-sharing company was created. Anna Prince is the spokeswoman for “Trips4Women” a ride-sharing service designed just for women, female drivers pick up female passengers. The idea came after the company’s founder had a female relative sexually battered by a ridesharing driver.

“Horror stories, a lot of rapes. You have a lot of women who get intoxicated, go out so they get into a car, you get a man driver, you get raped. With us, no, it’s a woman driver,” Prince said.

The company has been in South Florida for nearly six months and for now the drivers will take you anywhere in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. They are looking to expand into Palm Beach county as well.

Read More: https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/03/09/a-ride-sharing-app-just-for-women-hopes-to-prevent-future-attacks-from-rideshare-drivers/

(CNN) Volodymyr Bondarenko spends most of his day holed up in his apartment in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Between listening for air-raid sirens and frantically messaging family for updates, he trades messages with a flurry of Airbnb guests booking his one-bedroom rental in the heart of Ukraine's capital. Sometimes, he sends a crying emoji. Other times, the praying hands emoji. It's his way of thanking those who are booking his apartment -- even though they have no intention of ever showing up at his door.

Airbnb hosts in Ukraine are being flooded with bookings from people all over the world who have no plans to visit. It's part of a creative social media campaign to funnel money to besieged Ukrainians who need financial assistance as Russian forces bombard their country and cut off services.

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People are leaving messages of support for their Ukrainian hosts. The call for guests to book Airbnbs in Ukraine started online, where supporters urged people to book rooms as close to a check-in date as possible to ensure hosts receive fees quickly. Airbnb typically issues a payout about 24 hours after a guest checks in.

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In her booking, Daniel included a message for the host:
"I hope that you, and your lovely apartment, are safe and that this horrible war is over ... and Ukraine is safe," it said. "I will come and see you one day, please count on it, and will stay with you when we visit. God bless you and God be with you, your city, your country."
Her host, Olga Zviryanskaya, soon responded.
"We will be glad to see you in the peaceful city of Kyiv and hug," she said.

Read More: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ukraine-airbnb-donations-cec/index.html