Cuomo probe looks at vaccine czar’s phone calls to county leaders
NEW YORK — Investigators looking into sexual harassment allegations against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo interviewed county officials about his “vaccine czar” calling them to assess their support for the embattled governor.
The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that investigators with the state attorney general’s office interviewed at least three Democratic county executives who say Larry Schwartz called to gauge their loyalty to the governor and whether they would urge him to resign.
One county executive was disturbed by the call and complained to the state attorney general’s office, according to reports published in March in The New York Times and The Washington Post. The executive, who hasn’t been named, feared the county’s vaccine supply could suffer if the executive did not indicate support for Cuomo, the Post reported.
Another county executive, Mark Poloncarz of Erie County, told the Journal he spoke with investigators on March 30 and told them that he didn’t feel Schwartz was trying to pressure him.
Investigators also spoke with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. He has said publicly that he told Schwartz he favored an independent investigation into Cuomo’s conduct and that Schwartz did not talk about vaccines during their conversation.
The New York Times previously reported investigators’ interest in the calls.
Schwartz has acknowledged making calls to county executives but said he “did nothing wrong” and denied discussing vaccines during those conversations.
The state attorney general’s office declined comment. Cuomo’s office referred to a statement that Beth Garvey, acting counsel to the governor, issued on the matter in March. In it, she said that allegations Schwartz acted unethically or against the interests of New Yorkers was “patently false.”
Pfizer gets extension: The European Union cemented its support for Pfizer-BioNTech and its novel COVID19 vaccine technology Saturday by agreeing to a massive contract extension for a potential 1.8 billion doses through 2023.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said her office has approved a contract for a guaranteed 900 million doses with the same amount of doses as a future option.
The new contract, which has the unanimous backing of the 27 EU member nations, will entail not only the production of the vaccines but also making sure that all the essential components are sourced from the EU.
The European Commission currently has a portfolio of 2.6 billion doses from half a dozen companies. PfizerBioNTech had an initial contract of 600 million doses with the EU.
Saturday’s announcement also underscores the confidence the EU has shown in the technology behind the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is different from how the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine works.
Neanderthal remains found:
Italian archaeologists have uncovered the fossilized remains of nine Neanderthals in a cave near Rome, shedding new light on how the Italian peninsula was populated and under what environmental conditions.
The Italian Culture Ministry announced the discovery Saturday, saying it confirmed that the Guattari Cave in San Felice Circeo was “one of the most significant places in the world for the history of Neanderthals.” A Neanderthal skull was discovered in the cave in 1939.
The fossilized bones include skulls, skull fragments, two teeth and other bone fragments. The oldest remains date from between 90,0000 and 100,000 years ago, while the other eight Neanderthals are believed to date from 50,000-68,000 years ago, the Culture Ministry said in a statement.
The excavations, begun in 2019, involved a part of the cave that hadn’t yet been explored, including a lake first noted by the anthropologist Alberto Carlo Blanc, who is credited with the 1939 Neanderthal skull discovery.
Deadly avalanches: Seven people died Saturday in two
separate avalanches in the Savoie region of the French Alps, according to local authorities.
The prefecture of Savoie said an avalanche took place around noon in the area of Valloire ski station, killing four hikers between the ages of 42 and 76.
Three people were killed in a second avalanche in the afternoon on Mont Pourri, according to the prefecture.
The prefecture of Savoie, which neighbors Italy, urged hikers, skiers and others to be very careful.
New king’s claim disputed:
A new Zulu king was named in South Africa amid scenes of chaos after members of the royal family questioned Prince Misuzulu Zulu’s claim to the title following his father’s death, and bodyguards suddenly whisked him away from the public announcement at a palace.
The controversy over the next king, a largely ceremonial role but one with great significance for South
Africa and its 12 million Zulu people, has arisen after the death in March of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who had reigned since 1968.
Zwelithini apparently named one of his six wives, Queen Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini Zulu, as the “regent of the Zulu kingdom” in his will, but she died after holding the title for only a month, throwing the royal succession into turmoil.
The commotion broke out Friday night at the reading of Queen Mantfombi’s will and hours after a memorial service for her. The queen’s will named 46-year-old Prince Misuzulu, her eldest son with King Zwelithini, as the heir and next king.
But another prince objected and interrupted the announcement at the KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. Two princesses also have questioned whether the late king’s will gave Queen Mantfombi the right to nominate a successor
upon her death.
Maldives blame extremists:
A top official in the Maldives said Saturday that Islamic extremists were responsible for an explosion that critically wounded former President Mohamed Nasheed earlier this week, as police said they arrested two of four suspects.
Hospital officials said Saturday that Nasheed, 53, was conscious and no longer needed breathing support, but remains in an intensive care unit after initial life-saving surgeries to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs.
They told reporters that shrapnel from the blast damaged his intestines and liver, and that a piece of shrapnel broke his rib and came within an inch of his heart.
Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem told reporters that investigators still don’t know which extremist group was behind Thursday’s attack.