At the G20 meeting in India, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a brief discussion. Blinken made three points to Lavrov, including support for Ukraine in the conflict, urging Russia to reverse its decision to suspend the New START nuclear treaty, and asking Moscow to release political prisoners. The New START treaty is a key nuclear arms control treaty between the two countries, and the meeting comes at a time of heightened tensions between them.
News Mash
The Republican Party is facing a divide as it prepares for the 2024 presidential nomination process, with former President Donald Trump headlining the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis skipping the event for the Club for Growth's private donor retreat. Adding to the turmoil is a lawsuit filed against Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, which organizes the CPAC. These events will likely provide further insight into the party's future.
In 1894, the Ironton cargo vessel collided with a grain hauler in the Thunder Bay area of northern Lake Huron, sinking both ships and taking the lives of the Ironton's captain and six sailors. In 2019, the wreckage of the Ironton was located by a team of historians and underwater archaeologists. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is now working to document and preserve the Ironton and other shipwrecks in the area, as well as educate the public about the history of the Great Lakes.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held their first high-level meeting in months on Thursday, discussing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Blinken made three points to Lavrov, including support for Ukraine, reversing the decision to suspend the New START nuclear treaty, and addressing Russia's destabilizing actions. The meeting is a sign of progress in the two countries' relationship, and they will continue to work together to address the conflict in Ukraine and other issues of mutual concern.
Michael Konschak, 61, of Carmel, New York, is facing criminal charges for killing and skinning two dogs he mistook for coyotes. The courtroom was filled with the dogs’ owners and animal rights advocates, and the incident has sparked a debate about the ethics of hunting and animal rights. Konschak is due back in court next month, and the outcome of the case will determine the future of hunting regulations in Connecticut.
On March 1, 2023, Maurice Hastings was declared factually innocent by a judge in Los Angeles after spending 38 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The decision was made at the request of prosecutors and his lawyers from the Los Angeles Innocence Project, and his conviction was vacated in October of the same year. His lawyers expressed their gratitude for the judge’s decision, noting the importance of the work of the Innocence Project and the need for reform in the criminal justice system.
After 40 years, a suspect has been arrested in the murder of Patricia Carnahan at a South Lake Tahoe campground in 1979. Harold Carpenter, 63, was identified after a rape kit from a 1994 sexual assault in Spokane, Washington, was tested and his DNA matched evidence collected from the victim's body. This arrest is a major breakthrough in a cold case, thanks to the power of DNA technology and the dedication of law enforcement.
Key takeaways: The White House’s new cybersecurity strategy calls for comprehensive regulation of the nation’s vital services and for software makers to be held liable…