More than 20 major cities have reduced police budgets in some form, and activists are fighting to ensure that is only the startAfter “defund the police” became the rallying cry of protests last summer, Democratic leaders spent months criticizing the slogan and worrying about its impact on elections. While party infighting was dominating headlines, local activists were campaigning to make the catchphrase a reality in cities across the US.Since the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor prompted unprecedented uprisings, some racial justice groups have successfully pressured municipal lawmakers to cut police funds and reinvest the money in services. And with reformed 2021 budgets coming into effect, cities are slowly beginning to redistribute law enforcement money to housing, mental health programs, food access and other programs. Continue reading...

Former first lady, 57, says the pivot will allow more time for her and her husband, Barack, to ‘be with each other’Michelle Obama, the former first lady, hinted at plans for a graceful step out of the limelight and towards retirement, in a recent interview with People Magazine. She shared that the pivot would allow more time for her and husband, Barack, to “be with each other”.Since leaving the White House, the pair has taken on multiple, selective projects, from campaigning for Joe Biden to securing deals with Netflix and Spotify. Continue reading...

Sarah Everard’s disappearance has crystallised the fears that many women experience as a background humThe disappearance of Sarah Everard while she walked through Clapham, south London, at 9pm on 3 March gives horrific shape to the hum of fear that women constantly feel in public spaces. My social media timelines are full of women who are distressed by Sarah’s disappearance, and terrified that it could have been them. Men have asked what they can do to help women feel safer. But what’s needed beyond the education of individuals are urgent political solutions to counter men’s attempts to claim public spaces as their exclusive domain.The fear that we feel in public places is so common that many women consider it a fact of life. In a 2008 US survey of 811 women, 99% reported having experienced street harassment, of which men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators. While out running, I’ve been chased by men, and it’s rare that a week passes without random male passersby shouting derogatory comments or making noises at me. The joy I find in running is diminished by fear. Continue reading...

Republicans in the state legislature voted to make mail-in voting harder while the leading Democrat in the US House warned senators to find a way to pass voting rights legislationHappy Thursday, Continue reading...

Evanston city council to vote on the issue on 22 March for an initial disbursement of about $400,000 for housing needsA suburb of Chicago is set to become the first place in the US to provide reparations to its Black residents for housing through a tax on marijuana sales, with a plan to distribute $10m over the coming decade.Evanston, which sits on the shores of Lake Michigan north of downtown Chicago, is set for an initial disbursement of about $400,000 for housing needs, with a vote on the issue set to take place at the city council on 22 March. Continue reading...

State will become first to enact such a ban, saying ‘push for kids to adopt transgenderism is just wrong’Tate Reeves, the Republican governor of Mississippi, is set to sign a bill on Thursday that will ban transgender athletes from competing on girls’ or women’s sports teams.Mississippi will become the first state this year to enact such a ban, after a federal court blocked a similar Idaho law last year. Mississippi’s senate bill 2536 is set to become law on 1 July, although a legal challenge is possible. Continue reading...

Governor Greg Abbott lifted the mask mandate on 2 March but not everyone in the state is ready to embrace the changeThe parking lot was packed at The Shops at La Cantera, a partially outdoor mall in north-west San Antonio, on the day that Texas officially ended mandatory mask wearing. But it was clear not everyone was ready to embrace the change, with most people who wandered in and out of stores still donning face coverings, and many shops requiring customers to wear one before entering.Related: Texans scramble to get vaccinated after Republican governor says no more masks Continue reading...

Palm Beach county election marks the third instance of the former president voting by mail since 2019Donald Trump requested a mail-in ballot for Palm Beach county’s municipal election in Florida earlier this week, despite a long record of attacks against what he has labeled a “fraudulent” voting method. Continue reading...

The party risks a dead end with its ‘Little Britain’ thinking, in marked contrast to the bolder path taken by Joe BidenWhat a difference power makes.The past 18 months saw political defeats for the left on both sides of the Atlantic. Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party came to an end after a resounding Conservative victory. The Bernie Sanders campaign went down at the hands of the Democrat establishment. And yet the bitter irony of 2020 was that just as the political hopes of the left were dashed, the strategic analysis of the Green New Deal – the centrepiece of its policy vision – was spectacularly vindicated. Continue reading...

The trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed Floyd, has begun - and Minneapolis looks like a police state

Almost 6,000 Amazon employees are about to decide whether to unionize their warehouse. This could change everything

Workers struggle to keep up with surge in imports brought on by a pandemic-induced buying boom while parts of their workforce are recovering from the coronavirusThere were 48 ships laden with goods destined for store shelves across the United States sitting at anchor in southern California’s San Pedro Bay on Wednesday.In normal times, these massive cargo ships would have made their way from factories in China and other Asian nations directly to a dock at the ports of Los Angeles or Long Beach, the busiest seaport complex in the US. Continue reading...

US president’s first major legislative victory will see up to 85% of households receive $1,400 stimulus payments. Plus, a serious sixth allegation has been made against Andrew Cuomo

This week’s roundup includes big six-hitting from Kieron Pollard and a desperate last-ditch challenge1) It’s the north London derby this weekend and no one has a clue which Arsenal or Tottenham will turn up at the Emirates. What is known is that there will be no fans, meaning there will be no atmosphere. Hopefully there will be some of this sort of thing, a bit of this and potentially even plenty of this. Either way, it’s definitely worth a quick reminder of Paul Gascoigne’s genius.2) Trying to skate on ice at high speed, while an opponent waves a stick in your face would result in mere mortals hitting the deck. Mat Barzal, however, kept his balance, before bamboozling the netminder and flicking the ball into the net with his stick reversed between his legs. For those who are not NHL fans, there is plenty more Barzal to witness. Continue reading...

HistoryMiami’s collection includes Grim Reaper costume worn by attorney protesting Ron DeSantis’s refusal to close beachesFrom months of lockdown to seemingly endless mask wearing, homeschooling and the tedium of Zoom meetings, there are few aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic that those living through it will want to remember.But in Miami, at least, it is going to be impossible to forget. Artifacts and memories of the deadliest global pandemic in a century are on display at what is probably the nation’s first comprehensive coronavirus museum exhibition, forming an enduring testament to an unprecedented era. Continue reading...

The quarterback believes the team he has been a part of for his entire career is holding him back. If he wants out, now is the time to strikeRussell Wilson is the latest franchise star to put himself forward for this offseason’s game of quarterback musical chairs.Wilson, his agent has been at pains to point out, has not officially demanded a trade from Seattle, but he has – in a delightfully passive-aggressive, Wilson-esque way – made it clear to the team’s decision-makers that he is unhappy with the direction of the franchise and that he would prefer to leave. Continue reading...

When photographer Pascal Greco discovered neon, he became fascinated with how they brought poetry and magic to the city’s architecture. But now they’re fading away Continue reading...

The US president has pledged surplus vaccines will be shared with the rest of the world, after he announced the purchase of an additional 100m Johnson & Johnson doses. ‘If we have a surplus, we’re going to share it with the rest of the world,’ he said. ‘This is not something that can be stopped by a fence no matter how high you build a fence or a wall. So we’re not going to be safe until the world is safe. And so, we’re going to start off making sure Americans are taken care of first, but we’re then going to try and help the rest of the world.’ The president reiterated plans to have all American adults vaccinated by the end of May and revealed the country hit a record of 2.9m vaccinations in one day on Saturday

Xavier Becerra’s justice department has denied access to data used to evaluate firearms laws and policiesFor decades, America’s gun violence researchers fought an uphill battle against the National Rifle Association to obtain the data and funding they need to study the effects of US gun laws. But researchers in California say they are now facing a different, unexpected hurdle: the state’s outgoing Democratic attorney general.Under Xavier Becerra, who has been nominated to serve as Joe Biden’s health secretary, California’s department of justice started to deny researchers access to firearms data used to evaluate a wide range of gun laws and policies. Continue reading...

11 March 1933: As well as reopening banks, a proposed “peace-time army” of 500,000 unemployed will help rebuild the countryNew York, March 10

New York Democrat has been accused of harassment by five other women and is under investigation by state attorney generalAn aide to Andrew Cuomo says the New York governor groped her in the governor’s residence, marking the most serious allegation among those made by a series of women against the embattled Democrat, according to a report published in a newspaper Wednesday.The Times Union of Albany reported that the woman, who was not identified, was alone with Cuomo when he closed the door, reached under her shirt and fondled her. The newspaper’s reporting is based on an unidentified source with direct knowledge of the woman’s accusation. The governor had summoned her to the Executive Mansion in Albany, saying he needed help with his cellphone, the newspaper reported. Continue reading...

The Ohio congresswoman will lead the housing agency while Regan, North Carolina’s top environmental regulator, will head the EPAThe Senate on Wednesday confirmed Marcia Fudge to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Michael Regan to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, picking up the pace for confirmations in Joe Biden’s cabinet.Related: Merrick Garland confirmed as attorney general, turning page on Trump era Continue reading...

The bill passed by the House includes sweeping measures to try to tackle deep-rooted racial, gender and class inequalities in the USThe US House on Wednesday passed the huge $1.9tn coronavirus relief and economic stimulus package that represents Joe Biden’s first major legislative victory.Related: Biden poised for first major legislative victory with House vote on $1.9tn Covid relief – live Continue reading...

Number increased to levels not seen since before the pandemic as president works to undo Trump’s hardline immigration policies

The House of Representatives gave final approval on Wednesday to one of the largest economic stimulus measures in US history, a sweeping $1.9tn Covid-19 relief bill that gives Joe Biden his first major victory in office. The measure provides $400bn for $1,400 direct payments to most Americans, $350bn in aid to state and local governments, an expansion of the child tax credit, and increased funding for vaccine distribution. ‘This is the most consequential legislation that many of us will ever be a party to,’ the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said at a ceremony to sign the bill before it goes to the White House

Final tally was 220 to 211, with one Democrat and all Republicans voting against the measure

Jamie Raskin calls on FBI director to brief Congress on longstanding issue after police officers were involved in Capitol attackThe FBI must develop a strategy to respond to white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement agencies and address its past failures to take the issue seriously, a prominent Democratic congressman has argued in a letter to the FBI director, Christopher Wray.Multiple internal FBI reports over the past 15 years have labeled white supremacist infiltration of police departments as a serious threat. But last year, FBI officials refused to testify in a hearing about the topic, repeatedly telling congressional staffers that “it did not believe that this threat was supported by evidence” and “that there would not be any utility in the bureau offering testimony”, the Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin wrote in a letter to Wray on Tuesday. Continue reading...

A boost for Joe Biden’s drive against racial discrimination in the criminal justice systemMerrick Garland has been confirmed as America’s top law enforcement officer, a boost for Joe Biden’s drive against racial discrimination in the criminal justice system.Garland’s rise to attorney general, approved 70-30 by the US Senate in a strongly bipartisan vote, turns the page on former president Donald Trump’s harsh “law and order” rhetoric and efforts to bend the justice department to his will. Continue reading...

Analysis: Reagan’s presidency undermined faith in government. The stimulus package helps restore FDR’s legacyJoe Biden reflected recently on the last time a Democratic administration had to rescue an economy left in tatters by a Republican president.“The economists told us we literally saved America from a depression,” Biden told the House Democratic Caucus last week. “But we didn’t adequately explain what we had done. Barack was so modest; he didn’t want to take, as he said, a ‘victory lap’. I kept saying, ‘Tell people what we did.’ He said, ‘We don’t have time. I’m not going to take a victory lap.’ And we paid a price for it, ironically, for that humility.” Continue reading...

Vital decisions about Wales and Scotland are being unilaterally taken in Westminster, fuelling the arguments for devolutionIt is often rightly claimed that Boris Johnson is determined not to lead the United Kingdom out of the European Union only to preside over the UK’s own breakup. Johnson is not as indifferent to the UK’s survival as some around him. The problem is that his chosen UK survival strategy is increasingly having the opposite effect. It is threatening to aid the breakup of the UK not to prevent it.The problem goes far beyond Johnson’s Marmite personality. It even goes beyond the facts that he is a Conservative and led the break with Europe. Johnson’s centrifugal destructiveness to the UK rests increasingly on the particular kind of unionism he embraces and on the measures that he takes to promote it. Continue reading...

Move came after heavy rains and dam overflowed on island of Maui, forcing evacuations and destroying homesHawaii’s governor, David Ige, declared an emergency in the US state after heavy rains brought floods, landslides and fear of dam failures, and authorities ordered the evacuation of several thousand people from communities threatened by rising waters.The move came after a dam overflowed on the island of Maui, forcing evacuations and destroying homes, with the dam’s “unsatisfactory” condition leading to it being scheduled for removal this year, the land department has said. Continue reading...

Greg Abbott says state can ‘open 100%’ without masks – but millions remain unvaccinated and navigating the state’s vaccine bureaucracy is fraughtIn Houston, a long line of cars wraps around a cluster of white tents in the parking lot of NRG Stadium – a Texas-sized vaccination hub. Texans roll up to the drive-through, hang an arm out of the window to get their shot, and leave as if the vaccination site were one of many fast-food restaurants sprawled across the state.Men and women in army green and face shields direct traffic, scan QR codes and administer shots containing the ticket to a renewed social life and some peace of mind. Continue reading...

Far from Oprah’s masterclass of empathy with Harry and Meghan, the ITV presenter’s chastising response is the latest chapter in a long, self-destructive cycleJust before 10am today, Piers Morgan finally posted the tweet of which he has surely long dreamed: “Good Morning Britain beat BBC Breakfast in the ratings yesterday for the first time.”The ITV show’s Tuesday figure was almost three times the average of when the former Daily Mirror editor and CNN host joined the programme six years ago. But his peak performance was also his last. Ratings had rocketed this week, as viewers tuned in to watch Morgan implode. Continue reading...

One buyer says he bought statue of former US president on Taobao as reminder not to be ‘too Trump’Donald Trump is not known for his calm and peaceful demeanour, but that hasn’t stopped one entrepreneurial furniture-maker in China from casting a statue of the former US president in a pose more readily associated with the Buddha.The Trump Buddha statue, listed on the Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao, is priced at 999 Chinese yuan (£110 GBP/$150 USD) for the small version, which measures 1.6 metres tall. A larger version, listed as 4.6 metres tall, is available for 3,999 yuan (£440/$610). Continue reading...

Marmite references came thick and gloopy but Good Morning Britain’s aim after Morgan’s exit was to fill timeYou are not supposed to be able to avoid having an opinion about Piers Morgan, and on the first edition of Good Morning Britain after his exciting departure, the references to Marmite were thick and gloopy. “Unique is the word to describe Piers Morgan,” his esrtwhile co-host Susanna Reid said. “You either loved him or, you know, in some cases, people hated him.”Whenever in doubt, she returned to the binary: “Some of you may cheer and others may boo … He has been a voice for many of you and a voice that many of you have railed against … He has many critics, and many fans.” Continue reading...

Viewers like me are quite familiar with the royals’ passive-aggression. As former ‘subjects’, we know all too well the damage they’ve doneIn Oprah Winfrey’s much-awaited interview with Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the couple detailed their unfavorable treatment by the British monarchy and tabloid press. That experience ultimately influenced their decision to relinquish official duties from the British royal family. Responses via live tweeting from people of color around the world were of course funny and meme-worthy, but also intense and nuanced. They revealed layered reflections on race, power and the enduring legacy of colonialism.Many dismissed the entire interview as “rich people’s business” and claimed not to be invested. To them, Meghan and Harry’s plight seemed a luxury. Others hailed Meghan’s royal marriage as an American celebrity fairytale – one certainly enhanced by her biracial identity and simultaneous proximity to whiteness – while recognizing that fairytale as crown sympathizers’ source of disdain for her. Meanwhile, viewers like me from former British colonies were quite familiar with the British monarchy’s systemic passive-aggression. As former subjects of the crown, we know all too well the damage they’ve done. Continue reading...

The government decided early on that rather than influencing our citizens’ behaviour by making laws, we would issue recommendations

South Africa’s former president calls for the pandemic to be a turning point in strengthening the rule of law and empowering survivorsViolence and sexual assault have surged across the globe since the onset of Covid-19, in what the UN has called a “shadow pandemic”. Even before the pandemic, one in three women experienced physical or sexual assault globally, the World Health Organization reported this week.In Africa, the impact has been particularly acute. In the first half of 2020, a rise in reported cases prompted Liberia’s President Weah to declare rape and all forms of gender-based violence a national emergency. Continue reading...

The new DA, George Gascón, wants to undo ‘the machine of mass incarceration’. Powerful law enforcement groups are fighting to stop himGeorge Gascón was elected Los Angeles district attorney after promising to end “tough on crime” prosecutions, free people from overcrowded prisons and hold police accountable for misconduct.But three months into his tenure, law enforcement leaders across California have launched an aggressive campaign to thwart his signature reforms. Gascón is facing court challenges and a rightwing backlash, and some are now pushing to recall him from office. Continue reading...

Owners want to create a safe environment, instead they encounter animosity and clashes with customers who don’t complyI spent a few weeks in Florida this past January, right in the middle of the pandemic. Florida has no mask mandate. Although there are city and county-level requirements, the state’s governor suspended all fines and penalties associated with non-compliance back in September. So people are free to do what they want.I’m not going to argue whether this is good policy or not. I wear a mask, but no one is ever going to fully agree on whether governments should require their citizens to wear one. One thing is for certain: not having a state mask mandate makes it tougher for small businesses in that state. Continue reading...

Pelosi hails $1.9tn plan ahead of final House vote on bill on Wednesday. Plus, Buckingham Palace breaks silence on Meghan and Harry claimsGood morning.President Joe Biden’s stimulus plan is on the verge of being cleared by the House of Representatives in a vote on Wednesday morning, providing a lifeline for millions of American families and businesses. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has hailed the $1.9tn Covid relief bill as “transformative”, and Biden said he would rubber-stamp the sweeping bill – which, if it passes, will be the president’s most significant early legislative achievement – as soon as it lands on his desk. Continue reading...

Marshall said he would ‘examine my blindspots’ after endorsing a book by controversial US commentator Andy NgoWinston Marshall, the banjo player and lead guitarist with Mumford and Sons, has said he is “taking time away from the band” after his praise for far-right agitator Andy Ngo prompted a backlash.On 7 March, Marshall tweeted of Ngo’s book Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy: “Finally had the time to read your important book. You’re a brave man.” The tweet was soon deleted as criticism mounted. Continue reading...

The Covid-19 pandemic has only added to the burnout felt by US physicians but many fear losing their career if they seek helpDr Mary Dinh, 31, described her medical training during the pandemic as a soul-crushing experience. She constantly feared that she would bring home the virus from lack of PPE, used one N95 mask until it disintegrated and saw 13 patients die in one day at her Pennsylvania hospital. Dinh felt hopeless seeing unprecedented death, her colleagues struggle with depression and a fellow resident attempt suicide.“Residency is already one of the most difficult and challenging times in a physician’s life,” Dinh said, referring to the three to four years of training after medical school. “Throw a pandemic on top of that, a shortage of doctors, and residents are essentially slave labor for the hospital.” Continue reading...

The news that the AfD is now under observation is a vital step towards dealing with an endemic problem of fascist tendenciesSince the anniversary of the killings in Hanau, which took place a little over a year ago, my Berlin neighbourhood has been plastered with posters featuring simple but compelling line drawings of Ferhat Unvar, Gökhan Gültekin, Hamza Kurtović, Said Nesar Hashemi, Mercedes Kierpacz, Sedat Gürbüz, Kalojan Velkov, Vili Viorel Păun and Fatih Saraçoğlu, the nine victims of the far-right terrorist attack that continues to shape German discussions of rightwing extremism. The posters have been part of a broader campaign committed to drawing attention to and naming the victims of these crimes.The campaign came to mind when news broke on Wednesday 3 March that the Verfassungsschutz, Germany’s internal state security service, has placed the entirety of the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) under observation. More than an empty formality, the step has concrete consequences for Germany’s largest opposition party in parliament, which must now expect to be monitored by confidential informants, and have its mail intercepted and its phones tapped. It’s a radical step, and is unsurprising that it’s been met by a series of legal challenges. Continue reading...