Though it started as a way to provide relief to middle class families, the child tax credit has also evolved into a bipartisan tool for lifting kids out of poverty. Now, President Joe Biden and congressional Democratic leaders want to overhaul the credit, turning it into a guaranteed income stream worth hundreds of dollars a
Continue ReadingGhana has suspended its parliament for three weeks due to a Covid-19 outbreak among Members of Parliament and staff. “I have, in consultation with the leadership, decided that the sitting of the house be suspended for three weeks,” said the speaker of the house, Alban Bagbin, on Tuesday. 17 members of parliament and 151 staff
Continue ReadingA California state legislator has introduced a bill aimed at empowering more workers to speak up about alleged discrimination and abuse by banning certain provisions in confidentiality agreements. State Sen. Connie Leyva, who was behind California legislation banning non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace sexual assault and harassment, is now hoping to prevent workers from
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The House impeachment managers begin their two-day presentation Wednesday looking to convince skeptical Republican senators that former President Donald Trump was responsible for the deadly January 6 riot at the US Capitol where insurrectionists attacked the Capitol and disrupted the peaceful transfer of power. House Democrats’ previewed their case against Trump on the trial’s opening
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The first day of the Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump was a perfect microcosm of the country’s partisan divide and what’s at stake in a post-Trump America. On one side are dedicated lawmakers trying to cobble a broken nation back together, taking their roles seriously and clearly acting with heavy hearts in the wake
Continue ReadingA version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. You can sign up for free right here. “Today stands alone in American history,” Anderson Cooper said at the top of “AC360” Tuesday night. “Only three presidents, as you know, have ever been impeached. Only one has been impeached twice. And today his
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For most people, international leisure travel is currently a thing of the past. Covid-19 travel restrictions mean that air passenger numbers remain very low around the world and that the routes that now qualify as being the world’s busiest are not those you might expect. Travel analyst OAG has been crunching the 2021 numbers to
Continue ReadingThere’s hardly any flu this year, and experts point to coronavirus restrictions as a reason. But, they warn, flu season isn’t over. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign
Continue ReadingIt’s the news that many feared: early data shows the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine may provide only “minimal protection” against mild to moderate illness caused by the coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. But this doesn’t mean governments should throw out their AstraZeneca stockpiles. Experts say it’s possible — and very likely — that the shot
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A psychologist and two nurses have been added to the investigation to determine if there was any malpractice in the death of soccer star Diego Maradona, a source with direct access to the legal file told CNN. There have been no charges filed in the wrongful death investigation of the legendary Argentinian forward, who died
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For nearly a year, most of our children have been navigating the new, difficult normal: social isolation; deeply stressed parents; the effects of financial uncertainty; school from home — or from WiFi-equipped school buses if they don’t have internet. While Covid-19 itself has largely been sparing of children’s physical health, studies have shown it has
Continue ReadingMembers of the Chicago Teachers Union have voted to return to in-person learning, according to a news release from the union. The CTU backed the tentative agreement after weeks of tense negotiations with Chicago Public Schools system. “This plan is not what any of us deserve. Not us. Not our students. Not their families. The
Continue ReadingDeep in the Himalayan mountains, Tuskar Singh Rana watched in disbelief as the avalanche roared his way. The deadly mixture of ice, rock and water approached at a furious pace from miles away, consuming nearly everything in its path. Rana was lucky. He saw the disaster unfold from above in the village of Raini, where
Continue ReadingTexas authorities are searching for a white tanker truck after disturbing 911 calls in which people pleaded for help in Spanish and claimed they were inside the vehicle, CNN affiliate KABB reported. “It’s heartbreaking to hear because clearly behind the caller, in the background, you can hear others in the car, in the trailer, and
Continue Reading There’s just no stopping Serena Williams at this year’s Australian Open so far. The American produced yet another omnipotent performance to see off the challenge of Nina Stojanovic, 24, on Wednesday, winning in straight sets 6-3 6-0 as Williams continues her hunt for a record-equaling 24th grand slam. Williams’ first-round match lasted less than an
Continue ReadingDoctors in Nigeria have criticized a mass national identification registration policy, involving tens of millions of citizens, as Covid-19 cases and deaths rise in the country. Nigeria — which has Africa’s largest population — has recorded about half of its more than 140,000 cases in the last 10 weeks, according to data from John Hopkins
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Covid-19 numbers are getting better. But letting your guard down could be an open invitation for highly contagious variants to trample the US — erasing the progress made. “We’re … seeing what happens in other countries when these variants take over,” emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen said. “There is (an) explosive surge, even when the
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Starting Friday, Deschutes County officially moves down from an Extreme Risk level to High Risk as COVID-19 case counts drop to their lowest level in months.
Continue ReadingAuthor Stephen King is giving back, by donating thousands of dollars to an elementary school in his home state of Maine so that a group of students can publish their own books. King will be donating $6,500 to Farwell Elementary School, located in Lewiston, Maine, so the students in its Author Studies Program can publish
Continue ReadingThe family of the late “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek has donated a significant portion of his wardrobe to charity as a way to honor his legacy. They gave the clothing to The Doe Fund, an organization that provides paid work, housing, vocational training, continuing education and comprehensive social services to underserved Americans with histories of
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