Will the withdrawal of U.S. troops enable the Taliban? Three Afghanistan experts weigh in

Judy Woodruff speaks with three experts on Afghanistan. Retired Lt. Gen. Doug Lute served in both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations focusing on Afghanistan. Annie Pforzheimer was acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Afghanistan until 2019. And David Sedney was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia during the Obama administration.
— (PBS) (April 14)   (Pocket)

Veterans React to Biden's Afghanistan Troop Pullout Announcement

President Biden’s decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 is met with relief and anguish, frustration and regret among those who served there.
— (New York Times) (April 15)   (Pocket)

Biden to announce withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan

President expected to say that remaining forces will return home by September 11
— (Financial Times) (April 13)   (Pocket)

Blinken makes unannounced trip to Kabul to reassure Afghan leaders on troop withdrawal

Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Thursday to meet with the nation's president, Ashraf Ghani, and Abdullah Abdullah, who is representing the Taliban in negotiations, per the Washington Post.Why it matters: Blinken sought to reassure the pair that the U.S. will maintain support for the country, despite President Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan starting May 1 and concluding in full by Sept. 11.Driving the news: Blinken told Ghani at the presidential palace in Kabul he “wanted to demonstrate with my visit the ongoing to commitment of the United States to the Islamic Republic and the people of Afghanistan," per the Post. “The partnership is changing, but the partnership itself is enduring," Blinken said.Ghani told Blinken: “We respect the decision and are adjusting our priorities."The U.S. secretary of state told Abdullah their respective parties "have a new chapter, but it is a new chapter that we’re writing together.” Abdullah said he was grateful for the American people and administration. Worth noting: The sudden meeting comes after Blinken met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who announced the alliance's ...
— (Axios) (April 15)   (Pocket)

Will the withdrawal of U.S. troops enable the Taliban? Three Afghanistan experts weigh in

Judy Woodruff speaks with three experts on Afghanistan. Retired Lt. Gen. Doug Lute served in both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations focusing on Afghanistan. Annie Pforzheimer was acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Afghanistan until 2019. And David Sedney was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia during the Obama administration.
— (PBS) (April 14)   (Pocket)

NATO Is Expected to Confirm Its Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan

The alliance’s mantra has always been “in together and out together,” so with the U.S. leaving, the pullout would not come as a surprise.
— (New York Times) (April 14)   (Pocket)

Biden to announce withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan

President expected to say that remaining forces will return home by September 11
— (Financial Times) (April 13)   (Pocket)

How Could a COVID Vaccine Cause Blood Clots?

The very rare occurrence of a mysterious blood-clotting disorder among some recipients of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has researchers scrambling to uncover whether and how the inoculation could trigger such an unusual reaction.
— (Scientific American) (April 12)   (Pocket)

EU finds possible link between the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and rare blood clots

The European Medicines Agency said a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is "unusual blood clots with low blood platelets." That's a blow to low- and middle-income countries because the vaccine is inexpensive, easier to transport and store and is also 79 percent effective at preventing infections. Boston University's Dr. Nahid Bhadelia joins Nick Schifrin to discuss.
— (PBS) (April 7)   (Pocket)

EU regulator finds "possible" link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded Wednesday that "unusual blood clots with low blood platelets" should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, but that the benefits of the shot still outweigh the risks.Why it matters: The AstraZeneca vaccine is the centerpiece of the global COVAX initiative, and one of the very few vaccines that is available, affordable and easy to store for many developing countries.The concerns about AstraZeneca in Europe have already spread to countries in Africa, some of which have delayed their rollouts and warned of increased vaccine hesitancy.The vaccine has been administered to over 20 million people in Europe and has played a key role in Britain's world-leading vaccine rollout.U.K. health officials said at their own press briefing Wednesday that due to the rare cases of blood clots, Britons under the age of 30 will be offered alternative vaccines to AstraZeneca when possible.What they're saying: "EMA is reminding healthcare professionals and people receiving the vaccine to remain aware of the possibility of very rare cases of blood clots combined with low levels of blood platelets occurring within 2 weeks of va...
— (Axios) (April 7)   (Pocket)

@Varun_Jhaveri:In June 2020, India had a COVID death rate of ~ 3%. For the current wave, it's ~ 1%. This is a result of rapid health system strengthening. PPEs, beds, vaccines, testing kits - the country worked on every front. Salute to the tiredless efforts of millions involved in this!

Russia Beat the World to a Vaccine, so Why Is It Falling Behind on Vaccinations?

Last August, Russia became the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for public use. In a televised announcement, Vladimir Putin praised the scientists responsible: “We owe our gratitude to those who have taken this first, very important step for Russia and the entire world.” Eight months later, the country has administered at least one dose of its vaccine, known as Sputnik V, to fourteen million people, about six per cent of its population. The United States, which first approved a vaccine in December, has vaccinated over a third of its population; more than twenty countries in Europe—including France, Germany, and the Netherlands, which have faced criticism for their slow and inefficient vaccine rollouts—have managed to inoculate more people in per-capita terms than Russia. So what happened? How did Russia go from being first out of the gate with a registered COVID vaccine to sixty-fifth place in the world for vaccinations?
— (The New Yorker) (April 12)   (Pocket)

How New Mexico Became The Country's Unlikely Vaccination Star

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham talks with National Guardsmen after receiving her Pfizer vaccine during a vaccination event held in the gym at Desert Sage Academy in Santa Fe on March 26.
— (Politico) (April 13)   (Pocket)

Chinese health official says country's COVID vaccines "don't have very high protection rates"

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's director said Saturday authorities are considering mixing COVID-19 vaccines because the country's domestically made doses "don't have very high protection rates," per AP.Why it matters: The remarks by the Gao Fu at a news conference in the southwestern city of Chengdumark mark the first time a Chinese health official has spoken publicly about the low efficacy of vaccines made in China.China has sent millions of doses of its coronavirus vaccine around the world.Driving the news: Gao said officials were looking at two options designed "to solve the problem that the efficacy of
— (Axios) (April 11)   (Pocket)

Coronavirus Update: Global COVID-19 case tally above 134 million as more countries impose restrictions on AstraZeneca vaccine

The global tally of confirmed cases of the coronavirus-borne illness COVID-19 climbed above 134 million on Friday and the death toll edged closer to 3 million, as controversy continued to swirl around the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca PLC and Oxford University that one regulator said could cause blood clots in very rare instances.
— (Market Watch) (April 9)   (Pocket)

COVID-19 equitable vaccine scheme reaches more than 100 countries and economies

As #COVID19 vaccines are rolling out & immunity is building, it is important to continue to1⃣ #WearAMask 2⃣ #WashYourHands 3⃣ keep physical distance 📏4⃣ cough/sneeze away into your elbow 💪5⃣ open windows as much as possible 🪟More info 👉https://t.co/LOhHjCWsLE pic.twitter.com/95nn8P2uwi
— (United Nations) (April 8)   (Pocket)

@kylegriffin1:It's official: House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, Sen. Ed Markey, and Reps. Hank Johnson and Mondaire Jones have introduced the Judiciary Act of 2021 to expand the United States Supreme Court by adding four seats, creating a 13-justice Supreme Court.

Congressional Democrats Want To Vote Themselves Into a Supreme Court Majority

"The number of justices on the court, which is set by Congress, has fluctuated throughout the course of the nation's history, reaching as many as 10 seats before settling on nine in 1869," notes The Intercept. So, it would be perfectly legal, and not unheard of, for Congress to shift the number of justices.
— (Reason) (April 15)   (Pocket)

By 5-4 Vote, Supreme Court Lifts Restrictions on Prayer Meetings in Homes

The court shifted direction in cases on Covid-related limits on religious services after Justice Amy Coney Barrett replaced Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
— (New York Times) (April 10)   (Pocket)

Group to study more justices, term limits for Supreme Court

President Joe Biden has ordered a study of adding seats to the Supreme Court, creating a commission that will spend the next 180 days examining the incendiary political issues of expanding the court and instituting term limits for its justices.
— (PBS) (April 9)   (Pocket)

Biden announces commission to study expanding the Supreme Court

President Biden will sign an executive order Friday that creates a bipartisan commission to study a number of Supreme Court reforms, including expanding the number of seats on the court, the White House said.Why it matters: The six-month commission, promised by Biden throughout the 2020 election, will provide an analysis of the principal arguments surrounding the divisive subject. Progressives are pushing for more seats after former President Trump appointed three justices to the court.Context: Biden has not said definitively whether he supports adding seats to the court, though his congressional allies — including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — have advocated for additional seats as a response to Republicans quickly filling former Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat during an election year.Democrats also advocated for additional seats after the confirmation of Trump's first appointee, Neil Gorsuch.The backlash came after Senate Republicans refused to hold a confirmation hearing for President Obama's nominee Merrick Garland in 2016, arguing that it was an election year.The big picture: The 36-member commission, comprised of law professors, constitutional scholars and former ...
— (Axios) (April 9)   (Pocket)

@JonErlichman:Microsoft’s biggest acquisitions: Linkedin: $26.2 billion Nuance: $19.7 billion Skype: $8.5 billion ZeniMax: $7.5 billion GitHub: $7.5 bilion Nokia phone unit: $7.2 billion aQuantive: $6.3 billion Mojang (Minecraft): $2.5 billion Visio: $1.5 billion Navision: $1.5 billion

Microsoft will acquire speech-tech giant Nuance for $19.7 billion

Microsoft has today announced that it has entered into an agreement to buy Nuance Communications for around $19.7 billion. The deal is designed to bolster Microsoft’s cloud, AI and healthcare businesses, using Nuance’s know-how in those fields to improve the software giant’s own products. In the announcement, Microsoft specifically singles out Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, which Nuance was already involved with, as a key beneficiary of the deal.
— (Engadget) (April 12)   (Pocket)

Nadella's acquisitions: How Nuance stacks up

Microsoft just made its second biggest acquisition in corporate history with Nuance Communications. How does Nuance compare and contrast with the nearly 80 other acquisitions made during Satya Nadella's tenure as CEO?
— (ZDNet) (April 12)   (Pocket)

Microsoft confirms acquisition of AI company Nuance Communications

Microsoft has agreed to acquire AI and speech company Nuance Communications in a deal valued at nearly $20 billion, the tech giant confirmed in blog post on Monday. The Burlington, Massachusetts-based
— (CNET) (April 12)   (Pocket)

: Microsoft in talks to buy Nuance Communications for around $16 billion: reports

Bloomberg News, Reuters and CNBC each reported Microsoft could pay $56 a share, a 23% premium as of Friday’s closing stock price. If successful, the acquisition would be Microsoft’s second-largest ever, behind 2016’s $24 billion purchase of LinkedIn. All three reports said an announcement may be made in the coming days.
— (Market Watch) (April 11)   (Pocket)

Microsoft nears deal to buy voice tech pioneer Nuance for $16bn

Tech giant eyes AI company in what would be its second-largest acquisition to date
— (Financial Times) (April 11)   (Pocket)