A democratic model

February 23, 2016 - Daily News Briefing

Only a small number of countries are true democracies. They must be an example to others.

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The United States and Russia have agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect Saturday, even as major questions over enforcing and responding to violations of the truce were left unresolved. Syria's warring government and rebels still need to accept the deal. The timeline for a hoped-for breakthrough comes after the former Cold War foes, backing opposing sides in the conflict, said they finalized the details of a "cessation of hostilities" between President Bashar Assad's government and armed opposition groups after five years of violence that has killed more than 250,000 people.

The lawsuit against a Virginia statute that requires voters to show photo identification was heard Monday in federal court. While defenders of the 2013 Virginia law say that it is designed to prevent voter fraud, Democrats and other activists say the Virginia Board of Elections is discriminating against poor, minority, and younger voters because they are less likely to have driver’s licenses or passports – and are more likely to vote Democrat.

In one of the most exhaustive reports on diversity in Hollywood, a new study finds that the films and television produced by major media companies are "whitewashed," and that an "epidemic of invisibility" runs top to bottom through the industry for women, minorities and LGBT people. A study released Monday by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism offers one of the most wide-ranging examinations of the film and television industries, including a pointed "inclusivity index" of 10 major media companies — from Disney to Netflix — that gives a failing grade to every movie studio and most TV makers.

Famous for its cheap prices and double decker look, a Megabus bound for Minneapolis caught on fire outside of Chicago on Sunday. Although no one was injured, the accident gave riders a shock and stoked existing concerns about the safety of bargain buses. The incident took place near the Illinois-Wisconsin border on Route 41 Sunday afternoon, according to fire officials. The driver and roughly 40 passengers were all able to exit the vehicle before firefighters arrived, but most of their luggage was lost. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the vehicle sustained severe damage.

A Michigan man who worked as an Uber driver was denied bail at an arraignment on Monday for the fatal weekend shootings of six people in Kalamazoo as police searched for a motive in a case that raised questions about how the car service vets its drivers. Jason Dalton, 45, who faces 16 charges, including six of murder, which can bring up to life in prison, made his first court appearance via video link and did not enter a plea. Kalamazoo County prosecutor Jeff Getting says Jason Dalton waived his right against self-incrimination and admitted "his involvement in these incidents."

To revive interest in smartphones, Samsung and LG are improving their cameras and embracing the nascent world of virtual reality. And Samsung is being backed by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, who said Sunday the companies are teaming up to push VR in mobile phones and social networking.

In a second highly publicized run-in between humans and sea creatures in the last couple of weeks, the Internet has erupted over a video that shows a Florida man dragging a small shark out of the Atlantic Ocean to take pictures with it. The video was posted on social media by a local TV news anchor. It shows a beachgoer dragging a writhing shark by its tail away from the water in Palm Beach, pinning it down on the sand, and posing for a few photos in front of a small group of people wielding their smartphones. The video then shows another man dragging the shark back into the water to release it.

The American Kennel Club, a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States, has released its annual list of the country’s favorite dog breeds, finding for the 25th year in a row that the Labrador retriever is America's favorite dog breed in 2015. Following the Lab, in the top 10 breeds, is the German shepherd, golden retriever, bulldog, beagle, french bulldog, yorkshire terrier, poodle, rottweiler, and boxer, according to the AKC’s list. The AKC’s rankings include pure-bred puppies and other newly registered, pure-bred dogs. Some animal-rights advocates are critical of the pursuit of purebreds, suggesting that they encourage puppy mills and make it harder to find homes for mixed-breed dogs in shelters. The AKC says breed characteristics help people find the appropriate dog for their home.

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