Ashraf’s Recent Stories
Nation Jan 21
As Supreme Court weighs Roe, nation’s largest anti-abortion protest in a celebratory moodThousands of anti-abortion protesters are rallying in the nation's capital Friday with a growing sense of momentum about the prospects this year of a sweeping rollback of abortion rights.
Arts Jan 19
Jon Stewart to receive Mark Twain lifetime achievement awardComedian, talk show host and political influencer Jon Stewart has been named the 23rd recipient of the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Award for lifetime achievement in comedy.
World Dec 24
U.S. to lift travel ban on 8 southern African countriesThe White House says the U.S. will lift travel restrictions to eight southern African countries on New Year's Eve.
Nation Dec 15
Child tax credit benefit launched during COVID nears lapseWASHINGTON (AP) — It’s one of the most far-reaching of all the federal aid programs launched during the COVID-19 pandemic — up to $300 per child going directly into the bank accounts of families on the 15th of every month.
Health Nov 16
D.C. to drop most indoor mask requirements next weekThe District of Columbia will lift its indoor mask requirement starting next week, as local COVID infection cases continue to trend downward. Starting Monday, Nov. 22, masks will no longer be required in many indoor spaces.
Economy Oct 12
Food bank use down, but need still far above pre-pandemic levelsAn Associated Press review of bulk distribution numbers from hundreds of food banks across the country revealed a clear downward trend in the amount of food handed out across the country, starting in the spring as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout…
Politics Aug 16
Food stamp benefits to increase by more than 25 percent in OctoberThe Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families. It's the largest single increase in the program's history.
Nation Aug 13
D.C. military base briefly locked down amid report of gunmanA military base in the nation's capital was locked down for about an hour and a half Friday, after an armed man ran onto the grounds following a report of gunfire on local streets surrounding the base.
Arts Jul 21
Bette Midler, Berry Gordy among new Kennedy Center honoreesThe Kennedy Center Honors will return in December with a class that includes Motown Records creator Berry Gordy, "Saturday Night Live" mastermind Lorne Michaels and actress-singer Bette Midler.
Education Jul 10
With Harris and Hannah-Jones, Howard University is on a rollThis past week's hiring of Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ta-Nehisi Coates serves as confirmation that Howard intends to dive neck-deep into America’s divisive racial debate.