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The White House defended Joe Biden’s criticism of Republican governors for lifting state mask restriction, after the governor of Texas hit back. Plus, migrants in border camps finally cross to US

After several 11th-hour delays, people are now starting to depart camp to argue their asylum cases in the USA dusty soccer ball lay idle and forgotten a few days ago at an empty dwelling that had been knitted together from billowing, fraying plastic tarps tied to dead trees in the Mexican city of Matamoros.The vignette of the abandoned shelter is expected to replicate across the makeshift migrant camp in the coming weeks, wedged between the edge of the city and the swirling Rio Grande, across the border from south-east Texas. Continue reading...

Hundreds of people have gotten shots thanks to a partnership between the Arkansas health department and historically Black social groupsSoon after Arkansas began allowing people over 70 to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in January, Wanda King heard from her aunt and cousin, who fell in that age group, that they were struggling to get their shots. They live in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, a rural town in the eastern part of the state with a population of about 650. The town has a medical clinic, but no pharmacy.Related: US racial inequities in vaccination raise risk of new Covid hotspots and variants Continue reading...

In the wake of the 2005 hurricane, many New Orleanians settled in Houston – and nearly two decades later they feel let down by infrastructure failuresTerrence Veal spent the better part of last week without water. After the pipes in his Houston home froze during the winter storm, he and his family quickly ran out of bottled water. Then the pipes burst, collapsing the ceiling and flooding the living room of the apartment he shares with his wife and two children and causing several thousand dollars’ worth of damage.Related: Long road to recovery: effects of devastating winter freeze to haunt Texas for years Continue reading...

The Serb was an afterthought when he was drafted in 2014. Since then he has helped evolve a position that some thought was becoming obsoleteEarlier this week the Denver Nuggets visited the Milwaukee Bucks for a dog-day NBA clash that few could have predicted would leave fans panting. On one side there was reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, aka the Greek Freak; on the other, a supremely talented Serbian named Nikola Jokić. But in today’s NBA, Jokic, a center who still plays with his back to the basket, is the real freak.In the era of positionless basketball, Jokić doesn’t just stand his ground; he holds the line for the generations of big men who preceded him. While Antetokounmpo picked-and-rolled his way to a respectable 27 points and eight rebounds, it was Jokić who ultimately grabbed headlines with his 37-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist night. It was the ninth triple-double for Jokic this season and the 50th of his career. The only center who has more is Wilt Chamberlain, not the easiest numbers-to-numbers comparison these days – especially not in the decades since big men have drifted farther and farther from the paint as the NBA has evolved from a bruising battle into a run-and-gun game. Continue reading...

Tackling the most powerful social media accounts – such as Donald Trump’s – could be key to halting false narratives, researchers say

Families of celebrities can face additional pain after a tragedy: the circulation of photos of the death of their loved onesThis past weekend, Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, called on the Los Angeles county sheriff’s department to reveal the names of people who took or shared photos of the helicopter crash site where nine people, including her husband and daughter, Gianna, died. Bryant is suing the sheriff’s department, claiming in a lawsuit that “faced with a scene of unimaginable loss, no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies at the crash site pulled out their personal cell phones and snapped photos of the dead children, parents and coaches. The deputies took these photos for their own personal gratification.”It has been more than a year since the crash and yet there are parallels to another high-profile sports tragedy. In February 2001, Nascar superstar Dale Earnhardt was coming on in the final lap of the Daytona 500 when his car became caught up with another vehicle and shot up the side of the track and into the surrounding wall. A third car then impaled Earnhardt’s and together they spun around and slid in a T-formation through the other cars on the track and onto the infield. Continue reading...

Police say a man told investigators that he kidnapped and killed two people at officer Bryan Riser’s instructionA Dallas police officer was arrested Thursday on two counts of capital murder, more than a year and a half after a man told investigators that he kidnapped and killed two people at the officer’s instruction in 2017, authorities said.Bryan Riser, a 13-year veteran of the force, was arrested Thursday morning and taken to the Dallas county Jail for processing, according to a statement from the police department. Riser was not listed in online jail records Thursday evening and a lawyer for him couldn’t immediately be identified. Continue reading...

Texas governor Greg Abbott, who lifted face covering requirement, said it was ‘not the type of word a president should be using’The White House has defended Joe Biden’s criticism of the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi, after the president called their decisions to end mask mandates “Neanderthal thinking”.Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, emphasized that the president was comparing the governors’ actions to “the behavior of a Neanderthal, just to be very clear, the behavior”. She also said Biden’s comments were “a reflection of his frustration” about Americans not following public health guidance to limit their risk of contracting coronavirus. Continue reading...

White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended Joe Biden's comments comparing Republican governors to Nearnderthals for lifting mask mandates in Mississippi and Texas. Biden's remarks were 'a reflection of his frustration' about Americans not following public health guidance during the pandemic, Psaki said.

The Biden administration is set to officially recognize a Native Hawaiian government. That may sound positive, but it isn’t

Move raises hopes of post-Brexit trade deal and relates to dispute over state support for Boeing and AirbusThe White House has agreed to suspend retaliatory US tariffs on UK exports including scotch whisky, raising hopes of improved relations as talks continue about a post-Brexit transatlantic trade deal.In 2019, then US president Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on a range of EU exports, as part of a 16-year trade dispute over state support for aerospace rivals Boeing and Airbus. Continue reading...

While millions of women lost their jobs, higher-income women desiring more space have benefitted from low mortgage ratesThe number of single women buying homes has grown during the pandemic, according to a report released yesterday, a surprising trend as Covid’s economic effects have disproportionately impacted the same group.Compared with the same time last year, single women bought 8.7% more homes in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to a report from real estate company Redfin. In comparison, single men saw an uptick of 4.6% in home buying during the same time period. Continue reading...

Mark Russo accused of carving slogan and his Twitter handle into stone at New Hampshire siteAfter a months-long investigation, a suspect has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing a stone tablet believed by some to be thousands of years old at a site in New Hampshire known as “America’s Stonehenge”.For nearby residents the charges of felony criminal mischief against Mark Russo of New Jersey, an apparent adherent of the QAnon conspiracy theory, come as a welcome answer to a lingering local mystery. But for everyone else it has created a new one: wait, there’s an American Stonehenge? The answer to that is: eh, yes and no. Continue reading...

The reforms being pushed could not have even saved George Floyd’s life. We need much more than thisOn Wednesday night, the House of Representatives voted to pass the George Floyd Act, named after the Black man killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin last summer. Among many reforms, the act seeks to ban racial profiling, overhaul qualified immunity for police, and ban the use of chokeholds. While these seem like good measures, they are woefully insufficient to stop police violence. These reforms could not have even saved George Floyd’s life.To be clear, Floyd did not die from a chokehold. A police officer put his knee to Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. A medical examiner’s autopsy reported “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression”. Floyd also had blunt force trauma to his head, face and shoulders. Banning chokeholds is important, as we should reduce the number of tactics that the police can employ to be dangerous. However, the problem with policing is precisely that – they can kill people using a diverse number of tactics. Shooting, kneeling, punching, suffocating, Tasing. Congress banned one practice, and not even the one responsible for the homicide. Continue reading...

After record turnout in the 2020 election, the state legislature is considering sweeping voting restrictionsHappy Thursday, Continue reading...

Report finds fatality rate spiked due to reckless behaviors, including speeding and increased use of alcohol and drugsPandemic lockdowns and stay-at-home orders kept many drivers off US roads and highways last year. But those who did venture out found open lanes that only invited reckless driving, leading to a sharp increase in traffic-crash deaths across the country.The non-profit National Safety Council estimates in a report issued on Thursday that 42,060 people died in vehicle crashes in 2020, an 8% increase over 2019 and the first jump in four years. Continue reading...

The league now has eight female coaches and 12 scouts. The results are a product of putting candidates in rooms with those in powerJennifer King sat in her office prepping for one of the Washington Football Team’s final regular season games when head coach Ron Rivera popped in to pass along some news. King’s promotion from season long intern to full-time assistant running backs coach was official.King said a quick thanks, then in true coach form went right back to work. Continue reading...

Like many people, my father feels politically homeless – unable to stomach toxic Trumpism, but too conservative for the Democratic party

Joe Biden strongly criticised states for lifting mask-wearing mandates, as the CDC warned ‘now is not the time’. Plus, Washington security has been ramped up amid possible Capitol attack plansGood morning.Joe Biden sharply criticised the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi over their decision to end their state mask-wearing mandates, describing the move as a “big mistake” and accusing them of “Neanderthal thinking”. Speaking at the White House yesterday, Biden said the US was on the “cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease” due to the vaccine rollout, but warned that “the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine”. Continue reading...

The app is basically a giant conference call where you can invite people to join, listen and talk with – a great place to build a network or find a new audienceIf you’re a small business owner and you’re not aware of Clubhouse, it’s time to start paying attention.The iPhone-only app (an Android version is under development) has been exploding in popularity. Launched just last year, the app now has millions of members and has drawn celebrities from Elon Musk to Mark Zuckerberg and Malcolm Gladwell. Continue reading...

People unaffiliated with organized movements fuel a ‘diverse and fractured domestic extremist threat’, researchers sayNearly 90% of the people charged in the Capitol riot so far have no connection with militias or other organized extremist groups, according to a new analysis that adds to the understanding of what some experts have dubbed the “mass radicalization” of Trump supporters.A report from George Washington University’s Center on Extremism has analyzed court records about cases that have been made public. It found that more than half of people facing federal charges over the 6 January attack appear to have planned their participation alone, not even coordinating with family members or close friends. Only 33 of the 257 alleged participants appear to have been part of existing “militant networks”, including the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers anti-government militia. Continue reading...

In 2019 Thierry Baudet looked like a plausible contender for power. Now, as the Netherlands heads for the polls, he’s reduced to mimicking TrumpOn 20 March 2019, Thierry Baudet provided Dutch television viewers with two surprises. The first was news of his landslide victory in that day’s senate elections. Baudet’s far-right Forum for Democracy (FvD) was a newcomer in parliament, holding just two seats out of 150 in the lower house. But that day, from scratch, Forum gained 12 of the senate’s 75 seats, putting it on a par with the governing liberal party (the VVD) led by prime minister Mark Rutte.The second surprise was Baudet’s victory speech. “The owl of Athena spreads her wings as evening falls,” he started, and across the country, jaws dropped and drinks were spilled. The Netherlands is not a country noted for oratory. Our politicians would rather downplay their intellectual prowess than borrow from Greek mythology. Continue reading...

Digging through archives, White Feminism author Koa Beck found records of racist and exclusionary tactics used against people of colour that had eerie echoes with todayIn 1969, the Black American feminist Frances Beal published a pamphlet titled Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female. In it, Beal argued that the idea of two separate genders acting in distinctly gendered ways was a concept shaped by commerce, motivated by a need to sell products that enhance or distinguish gender even more. The version of womanhood seen in popular magazines such as Ladies’ Home Journal – middle class, affluent, and with disposable income – she pointed out, was not an aspirational reality for Black women, given the arduous and low-paying domestic work that they are often tasked with; such is the nature of the US economy.I found Beal’s pamphlet in the digital archives of a university library, 50 years after it was published, while researching for my book, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind. That this pamphlet still existed, preserved through generations of editors, librarians, and readers is a testament to the endurance of the archive. Continue reading...

Joseph Rodríguez’s images of car crashes and drug busts were taken more than 25 years ago – yet they relate to current debates around police violence and incarceration Continue reading...

Voting legislation, which also targets gerrymandering and campaign finance, needs 60 votes in Senate to become law

A program, financed by private donations, gave $500 per month for two years to Stockton residents who earned less than the median incomeAfter receiving $500 per month for two years without rules on how to spend it, 125 people in California paid off debt, got full-time jobs and had “statistically significant improvements” in emotional health, according to a study released Wednesday.The program was the nation’s highest-profile experiment in decades of universal basic income (UBI), an idea that gained national attention when it became a major part of Andrew Yang’s 2020 campaign for president. Continue reading...

The US House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the most ambitious police reform effort in decades. The legislation changes would ban chokeholds and 'qualified immunity' for law enforcement and create national standards for policing in a bid to bolster accountability. California congresswoman Karen Bass, who authored the bill, cited the beating of Rodney King in 1991 and Floyd's death as the catalyst for the ambitious reform while House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said the bill was 'legislation which will fundamentally transform the culture'

Since coming out as bisexual/pansexual, the US national silver medalist has delivered a series of career-best performances and thrust herself into the conversation for next year’s Olympics“What is your sexuality?”Amber Glenn looked up from the questionnaire at her therapist sitting across from her in a brown leather chair, immersed in her legal pad. Glenn thought back to all the times she and the other figure skaters had huddled together at one end of the rink, chattering about the boys they saw gliding past. Glenn wondered why she thought some of the girls that passed were just as beautiful? Why did she her stomach flip-flop when certain girls were around her? Was it OK that she felt this way? Continue reading...

George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would ban chokeholds and qualified immunity for law enforcement, but faces tough road in the Senate

Joe Biden sharply criticized the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi, who announced yesterday that they were rescinding their mask mandates, despite public health experts’ concerns about another surge in coronavirus cases. 'We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we are able to get vaccines in people’s arms,' Biden said. 'The last thing we need is neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine,' Biden said. 'It still matters.' Continue reading...

Now a Republican congressman, Ronny Jackson also made sexual comments about a female co-worker, Pentagon report says

California city, which was among the first to impose a lockdown, has seen some of the lowest case and death rates in the USSan Francisco will begin reopening more of its economy amid declining Covid-19 case rates, hospitalizations and deaths.Starting on Wednesday, restaurants can start serving limited indoor dining and movie theaters, gyms and museums can reopen at restricted capacity. Continue reading...

Andrew Cuomo made clear that he would not quit in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct allegations against him. ‘I’m not going to resign,’ the New York governor said at his press conference. ‘I’m going to do the job the people of the state elected me to do.’The Democrat apologised for engaging in behaviour that made anyone feel uncomfortable, but insisted he had never touched anyone inappropriately. A number of lawmakers of both parties have called on the Democratic governor to resign as the state attorney general investigates the allegations against him.‘I’m sorry for whatever pain I caused anyone. I never intended it, and I will be the better for this experience,’ Cuomo said.

New York governor apologizes for ‘acting in a way that made people feel uncomfortable’ but insists he will not step downAndrew Cuomo said on Wednesday he would not resign as New York governor following the emergence of sexual harassment allegations.Related: Andrew Cuomo apologizes over sexual harassment reports but insists 'I'm not going to resign' – live Continue reading...

President said US ‘on the cusp’ of being able to change nature of Covid but ‘the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking’Joe Biden criticized Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi on Wednesday, calling their decisions to end state-wide mask mandates “a big mistake”.The US president said the country was on the “cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease” with the distribution of vaccines and added: “The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine.” Continue reading...

Security beefed up after authorities obtain intelligence about apparent threat to ‘breach the Capitol by an identified militia group’Federal authorities on Wednesday warned that people associated with identified militia groups have been discussing plans for another attack on the US Capitol with the aim of removing Democratic politicians on or about 4 March.The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the US Capitol police department has obtained intelligence pointing to a possible plot to “breach the Capitol by an identified militia group” on Thursday, the agency said on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Joe Biden’s nominee for budget director faced Republican opposition over old tweets but had also clashed with progressivesNeera Tanden’s decision to withdraw from consideration to serve as Joe Biden’s budget director marks the first major loss for the still young Biden administration, and sets off a scramble between various political factions to push through a new nominee. Continue reading...

The USA full-back is attracting the attention of clubs across Europe after his transfer to Portugal. The move across the Atlantic has also made him reflect on homeThere is no hesitation from Reggie Cannon when he considers whether his view of America has changed since moving to Europe. “One hundred million percent,” the US full-back explains from his Porto home. “Looking at the insurrection, Texas freezing over right now … explaining to my teammates what is going on in the country is baffling to me. Explaining the America I have lived in to those who don’t live in America, it feels like I am describing medieval times.”On and off the pitch, however, there are increasing reasons for optimism for the 22-year-old defender who swapped MLS for Boavista last summer. Cannon has impressed in the shop window that is the Portuguese league, already attracting interest from the Bundesliga, La Liga and Premier League, all while the election of Joe Biden at least symbolically ended a tumultuous four years in his homeland. Continue reading...

Republican senators, and one Democrat, cited Tanden’s tweets in opposing her nomination for director of the budget officeJoe Biden’s pick to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, has withdrawn her nomination after she faced opposition from key Democratic and Republican senators over her past controversial tweets.Her withdrawal marks the president’s first failure as he seeks Senate confirmation for his cabinet nominees. Continue reading...

President says he will direct states to prioritize teachers with a goal of vaccinating all educators by end of MarchJoe Biden has said that the US expects to have enough coronavirus vaccines for all adults by the end of May, two months earlier than anticipated, as his administration announced that the drugmaker Merck would help produce Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved shot.With the bolstered supply, Biden also announced he would be using the powers of the federal government to direct all states to prioritize vaccinating teachers and said the government would provide the doses directly through its pharmacy program. Continue reading...