Dec 23 Joan Didion, revered author and essayist, dies at 87 By Colleen Long, Associated Press Joan Didion, the revered author and essayist whose provocative social commentary and detached, methodical literary voice made her a uniquely clear-eyed critic of a uniquely turbulent time, has died. Continue reading
Dec 23 Omicron less likely than delta to result in hospitalization, studies say By Laura Ungar, Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Two new British studies provide some early hints that the omicron variant of the coronavirus may be milder than delta. Continue reading
Dec 22 WATCH: Jury deliberates in trial of Kim Potter, former officer who killed Daunte Wright — Day 12 By Scott Bauer, Amy Forliti, Associated Press Jurors on Thursday convicted a suburban Minneapolis police officer of two manslaughter charges in the killing of Daunte Wright, a Black motorist she shot during a traffic stop after she said she confused her gun for her Taser. Continue reading
Dec 22 Watch 6:03 News Wrap: Nearly $100B in COVID relief was stolen, Secret Service says In our news wrap Wednesday, the U.S. Secret Service says nearly $100 billion has been stolen from pandemic relief funds intended to help struggling businesses and unemployed workers. A record number of Americans are signing up for health insurance through… Continue watching
Dec 22 Watch 6:28 Rep. Bowman on the progressive response to Manchin's Build Back Better backtrack By Yamiche Alcindor, Ebony Joseph, Matt Loffman In the three days since Sen. Joe Manchin threw up a massive roadblock on the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better agenda, Democrats have begun the scramble to salvage the bill or at least its key priorities. For progressives, the breakdown… Continue watching
Dec 22 Watch 7:23 What you need to know about the extended student loan payment pause, child tax credit By Stephanie Sy, Karina Cuevas American graduates and their families may be feeling relief Wednesday after the Biden administration extended a pause on student loan payments. Payments will not be required before May 1, and the extension will help around 41 million borrowers. Meanwhile, millions… Continue watching
Dec 22 Watch 10:43 Frustrated health workers dread expected rise in COVID hospitalizations: 'We're exhausted' A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found 2020's death toll was worse than previously reported — finalized at nearly 3.4 million people. It also forewarned that 2021 is expected to surpass 2020's record number of deaths by… Continue watching
Dec 22 Watch 8:56 What Hartford has learned in its fight to raise Black vaccination rates By Jason Kane and Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News About 72 percent of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. During much of the vaccine rollout, Hispanic and Black Americans have been less likely to get vaccinated. The gap between white and Hispanic Americans has… Continue watching
Dec 22 $475 million settlement proposed in longest-running U.S. oil spill By Janet McConnaughey, Associated Press Sixteen wells off Louisiana have been leaking since September 2004, when a subsea mudslide caused by Hurricane Ivan knocked over a Taylor Energy Co. production platform. Continue reading
Dec 22 Trucker's 110-year sentence draws calls for clemency By Colleen Slevin, Associated Press The family of a trucker sentenced to 110 years in prison after an explosive brake-failure accident that left four people dead is planning to rally in Denver Wednesday to plead for clemency. Continue reading