Trump Had Planned to Kill Syrian Pres. Assad; Due to Assad's Gas Attacks, But Swayed Not to

A former adviser to President Trump has revealed that Trump had to be talked down from ordering the assassination of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the Independent website reports today (February 14, 2021).

KT Macfarland, former deputy national security adviser, said that weeks after he took office in 2017, the former president insisted that he would "take him out" after seeing pictures of a sarin gas attack on civilians. 

Trump finally agreed not to have Assad killed after several defense department officials convinced him that killing the Syrian dictator would be an act of war.

Trump Thanks GOPs for Impeachment Acquittal; Says Pol. Movement for Future "Only Just Begun"

Donald Trump thanked Senate Republicans -- most of them -- for his impeachment acquittal today (February 13, 2021), and proclaimed that the political movement he began with his 2016 election  has "only just begin," the USA Today website reports. 

The final Senate vote was 57 to 43. The Senate needed 67 votes to convict Trump.

"We have so much work ahead of us, and soon we will emerge with a vision for a bright, radiant, and limitless American future, Trump said.  

While thanking GOP allies, Trump -- who is considering another presidential run -- attacked Democrats by saying, "It is a sad commentary on our times that one political party in America is given a free pass to denigrate the rule of law."

Gov. Cuomo Ripped for COVID Death Cover-Up; Many Want Him Impeached for Cutting True No.

Top Republicans and some Democrats in New York are blasting Gov. Andrew Cuomo after the New York Post reported one of his top aides privately apologized to Democratic lawmakers for withholding the real number of nursing home deaths from COVID-19, saying they feared the Trump administration would use those numbers against them, the CBN website reports today (February 12, 2021). 

The disclosure came as the Democratic governor and his administration were already facing backlash over their handling and reporting of outbreaks in nursing homes. 

Some Republicans want Cuomo impeached or investigated for the alleged cover-up.

Fauci:All Americans Could Get Vaccines by April; April Is "Open Season" for General Public's Shots

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser for COVID-19, said today (February 11, 2021) that most members of the general public could become eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine as soon as April, according to the NY Times website. 

States have so far been prioritizing vaccines for older people and health care and essential workers, as well as residents of long-term care facilities.  

"I would imagine by the time we get to April, that will be what I would call, for better wording, 'open season,'" Dr. Fauci said today. "Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category could start to get vaccinated."

CDC:Double-Masking Cuts COVID Spread by 95%; Study Conveys Importance of Good-Fitting Masks

Double-masking or wearing a cloth face covering over a medical procedure mask, increases a person's protection against exposure to COVID-19 virus particles by more than 90%, according to an analysis released today (February 10, 2021) by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the UPI website reports. 

In addition, when two people in close contact are both double-masking or wearing properly fitted medical procedure masks over their nose and mouth,  protection against coronavirus transmission increases more than 95%, the data showed.  

The findings highlight the importance of good fit to maximize overall mask performance, the agency researchers said. 

Cath.Schools Have Least Students in 50 Years; Study: COVID Pandemic Caused Student Loss

A new study finds that Catholic schools in the U.S. face the sharpest decline in enrolment of students in nearly 50 years, the Catholic Herald website reports today (February 9, 2021).

The study -- published by the National Catholic Education  Association (NCEA) -- found that following the COVID-19 pandemic, enrolment figures at Catholic schools had fallen fastest since 1972/73.

Since 2019/20, there has been an overall decline of over 110,000 students (6.4%) across Catholic schools. 

Cath.Priests to Sprinkle Ashes on People's Heads; Will Sprinkle Ash Wed.Instead of Forehead Cross

 Roman Catholic priests around the world will take COVID-19 precautions when they distribute ashes on Ash Wednesday next week, including sprinkling ashes on top of people's heads rather than using them to make a cross on their foreheads, the Catholic News website reports today (February 8, 2021).

The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments issued a note on the "distribution of ashes in time of pandemic," directing priests to say "the prayer for blessing the ashes" and then sprinkle "the ashes with holy water, without saying anything."

"Then he addresses all those present and only once says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general: 'Repeat and believe in the Gospel' or 'Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.' "