In his February 4 speech at the State Department, the leader of the free world added: “America is back. Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy.” President Biden went on to emphasize: “America’s alliances are our greatest asset, and leading with diplomacy means standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies.” For Bahrain–a country of 1.5 million people situated perilously in the Arabian Gulf–these were welcomed words. When the world’s preeminent superpower retreats from the global stage, concerns rise in countries such as mine....

The first two weeks of the Russian invasion have been deadly for all parties involved. Putin is likely surprised and angry about the Ukrainian army’s heroic resistance and his own military’s bumbling performance. While exact numbers are hard to verify, hundreds, if not thousands, of Russian troops have died on the battlefield. Russia’s dependence on large convoys and armor have provided Ukrainian soldiers with targets of opportunity, even more so when the tanks and personnel carriers are stuck in the mud or out of gas....

American Airlines announced plans keep Boeing 737 Max planes off flight schedules until December. The 737 Max jets were removed from the airline’s schedule after a combined 346 people were killed in two separate crashes involving the aircraft. President Donald Trump ordered the Max 8 and Max 9 planes to be grounded back in May, while the Federal Aviation Administration worked to determine what led an Ethiopian Airlines flight to crash within five months of a Lion Air crash involving the newest 737 Max models....

So when the call came–from the same friend who had informed me two months ago that the World Trade Center, visible from my window, was on fire–I could hear in her voice that something was very wrong. It’s a tone of voice that New Yorkers–once so unshakeable–are hearing more and more. “There’s another plane crash!” she screamed, practically sobbing, the same voice she used two months ago after the second plane hit and confirmed that the first plane was no accident....

That may not sound like the best way to determine the president’s vulnerability–after all, summer blockbusters typically concern themselves with high body counts rather than high approval ratings–but this time, the summer blockbuster is “The Day After Tomorrow,” a rabidly pro-environment, anti-Bush lecture released by Twentieth Century Fox. Let’s put that another way: when conservative media magnate Rupert Murdoch releases a movie that depicts President Bush as little more than a vapid pawn of Vice President Dick Cheney and decries him for, of all things, his environmental policies, you know the president is in trouble....

“People used to write songs about T-Birds and Corvettes,” he said ominously. “Today, they write regulations.” But frankly, I don’t know what Bill Ford is talking about; I’ve been writing love songs to cars for years, albeit not the kind of songs that Bill Ford wants to hear. Instead of the tributes to muscle cars and huge sport utility vehicles that Ford seems to crave, my songs tend to be tributes to small cars (my song, “Little Brown Chevette” was an ode to Chevrolet’s ill-fated effort in the 1980s to take on Honda and Toyota) and the unbridled joy of fuel efficiency (“Fun, Fun, Fun (‘Cause Her Daddy Bought a Hyundai Excel)....

Husam El-Qoulaq told Fox 5: “I can’t really begin to describe how it feels to have lost 22 members of our extended family.” Relatives killed during the fighting reportedly included Qusai Sameh Fawaz al-Kolak, a six-month-old baby, Adam Izat Muin al-Kolak, aged three, and Rula Muhammad Muin al-Kolak, who was six. The others who died ranged in age from eight to 90 and extended to four generations. “Taher was 23 and had just graduated in engineering,” he said, recounting the personal story of just one of the victims....

The 73-year-old man, whose name was not released by police, fell 361 feet during a hike on Jenner Mountain at the northern end of Konigsee Lake in Bavaria at around 2:30 p.m. Jenner Mountain, 6,148 feet tall at the summit, is part of the Göll massif in the Berchtesgaden Alps. Popular hiking trails there lead to the Hohes Brett and Scheibstein peaks, and to Berchtesgaden National Park in the south....

About one-third of Americans in 2018 said they were very happy in response to the same poll questions, but over the past two years, that number has been cut in half. The latest General Social Survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago drew on a half-century of data, including people’s responses to the coronavirus pandemic this year. The fewest amount of Americans reported being happy since polling began in 1972, and the 2020 survey reflects the first time that fewer than 29 percent of U....

Such foods are associated with higher risk of several chronic diseases, and a scientist involved with the research thinks the increased intake of ultra-processed foods may be driving obesity. Processed food refers to any food that has been changed from its natural state, such as by adding salt, sugar, or other substances. Some foods are more processed than others and thus fall into the ultra-processed category. These might contain things like artificial colors or flavorings and examples include frozen meals, fast foods and soft drinks, according to Harvard Medical School....

The Associated Press reported that the money will come from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, or American Rescue Plan. The package will provide $4.5 billion for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a significant increase from its usual $3-4 billion annual funding. This program is meant to help people in state, local and tribal communities faced with high heating bills this winter who might not have access to or be eligible for other programs....

The value of Facebook Inc. fell by $56 billion Friday, amid a growing list of advertisers both large and small announced they would boycott the social network throughout the month of July. Zuckerberg personally addressed employees via town hall Friday following reports of the massive withdrawal of ad revenue from companies including Verizon, Unilever, Coca-Cola and The North Face. About 100 brands have joined the “#StopHateForProfit” campaign, which protests “Facebook’s repeated failure to meaningfully address the vast proliferation of hate on its platforms....

Some LGBTQ+ advocates say the report is reflective of a larger “organized national attack on LGBTQ youth.” Book bans have been on the rise in the U.S. over the last few years, according to the report PEN America released on Monday. While some data indicates classroom censorship efforts have increased by about 250 percent over the last year, the trend appears to be widespread, with the American Library Association reporting an “unprecedented” number of book ban requests in 2021....

Debts will be bought out by a municipal credit bank, which will then offer recipients a loan which is to be paid back in amounts that are in line with the recipient’s income. More of the debt could be canceled or bought out by the bank if the person receiving the loan seeks employment or a course of education. Creditors will receive a payment of $831 for cooperating with the bank and participating in the program....

And for most Americans, they are. But sadly, for a number of prominent figures on the Left, these virtues are targets of attacks—reasons for vicious ridicule and scorn. She has too many children, they say. Vanessa Grigoriadis, a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and Vanity Fair, tweeted: “I guess one of the things I don’t understand about Amy Comey [sic] Barrett is how a potential Supreme Court justice can also be a loving, present mom to seven kids?...

As abortion rights continue to be debated around the country, Barrett said in early December that women with unwanted pregnancies with no access to abortions do not necessarily have to be forced to raise the child. Instead, she argued, the mother could give birth to the child and then place the child up for adoption. However, both abortion and adoption activists say that it is not that simple. For those who advocate adoption as an alternative method to childbirth, they say that the act of childbirth is inherently bonding....

Trump has said he will not automatically accept the outcome having cited, without clear evidence, a potential for widespread fraud due to the increased use of universal mail-in voting. He has also been questioned on his stance over the potential transfer of power. A dispute to the outcome could tee-up a Supreme Court battle, with Trump having suggested it is a necessity to have nine justices on the court in order to facilitate a clear decision being made in such a situation....

Klobuchar’s remarks came after President Joe Biden said social media giants like Facebook were “killing people” by allowing virus misinformation to circulate. “Look, the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated,” Biden said, after his administration announced it would flag content to Facebook as part of a campaign to tackle COVID misinformation. During an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Klobuchar, a Democrat representing Minnesota, backed the president’s condemnation of social media platforms over the issue....

Clinton knows he needs a justice who can stand up to Scalia. He also wants somebody who can wheel and deal in the style of Brennan. That is one important reason, say White House aides, why Clinton may look for a public figure with real-world experience to replace Byron White. Traditionally, justices have been chosen from the federal bench or academe. Clinton would rather find an Earl Warren-the former California governor who as chief justice would cut through the legal niceties to ask, “Is it fair?...