Weekend Wrap-Up: Missiles Drop Over Libya and Miracles Found Under Japan

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Monday already? Yes, indeed. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in while you catch up on what you missed.

We hope you got more rest than the NewsFeed team did. It’s been a tireless weekend on the news front, but we’ve been tuned in all weekend. Here’s what you need to know to start your Monday off right.

Coalition Forces Commence Airstrikes on Libya: After a multinational summit in Paris Saturday, allied forces led by the U.S., U.K and France launched “Operation Odyssey Dawn” on Libya, committing aircraft and missiles in an effort to halt Col. Gaddafi’s ever-increasing violence toward the Libyan people. Gaddafi shacked up in a bunker and promised a “long drawn-out war” while the coalition of foreign powers attempted to take out Libyan military artillery. Bombings are frequent but reports note varied success. We’re sure to hear more about this in coming days. (via BBC, Al Jazeera)

Japan Nuclear Threat Subsides: Two reactors gained power back Saturday and proceeded to cool down Sunday, assuaging the fear of a meltdown and massive radiation release. But Japanese in the environs of Fukushima are not out of the woods just yet – radiation has been reported in milk and spinach in the area. Officials continue to dig through the quake wreckage, focusing primarily on cleanup rather than rescue. But miraculously, survivors are still emerging from the rubble, including an 80-year-old grandmother and her 16-year-old grandson, found on Sunday, who survived on leftovers in their fridge while trapped. (via TIME, New York Times)

AT&T-Mobile: In a $39 billion deal, the U.S.’s second-largest mobile phone carrier AT&T will purchase T-Mobile, America’s fourth-largest provider. No fancy math needed here: the conglomerate will easily become the dominant carrier in the country. With a reported 120 million subscribers, they’ll eclipse Verizon’s 94 million. And does this mean T-Mobile customers will finally get the iPhone? Sorry Sprint, looks like you’re the last ones to the party. (via Gizmodo)

Monday Must-Read – Starbucks’ Renaissance: It’s like the wheel: how do you reinvent a cup of coffee? Whether you love or hate Starbucks, the chain’s ubiquity is unmistakable. With that iconic green logo appearing on every corner – as it seems in New York, at least – who would have thought the coffee company went through a rough patch in the early 2000s? CEO Howard Schultz details the downward slope in his new book, Onward, to be released on March 29. (via Newsweek)

In Case You Missed It On NewsFeed: Knut, the utterly adorable polar bear who was raised exclusively by humans at the Berlin Zoo, passed away Saturday at the age of four. He was found floating in the water in his enclosure surrounded by hundreds of onlookers. Knut rocketed to fame when he appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2007. We’re not yet sure how we’ll fill the void of cuteness.  (via NewsFeed)

Viral Video: As of yesterday evening, spring has officially sprung. This joyous news means we can cast aside the fear of blizzards (do your worst, Mother Nature!) and start looking forward to the warmer temperatures of summer. But these red pandas are having just so much fun frolicking in the fluffy snow that we almost want to suit up and join them. Almost. Somehow it’s never quite as thrilling as they make it look.

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