“People who are fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus can gather privately in small groups without masks or physical distancing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, relaxing safety guidelines for inoculated individuals under some circumstances.
The CDC said Monday that fully vaccinated people should continue to take precautions in most circumstances to prevent the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. People who are fully immunized should continue to wear masks and keep their distance from others in public or while visiting unvaccinated people at higher risk for severe cases of Covid-19, the CDC said.
It is possible that vaccinated people could still get infected by the virus and transmit it to others who are at risk for severe disease, public-health experts say. But early research suggests that in addition to protecting against severe cases of Covid-19 that could lead to hospitalization or death, authorized vaccines likely also make people less vulnerable to infection and potentially less likely to spread the virus, the CDC said.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“House set for vote on Covid-19 aid bill after narrow Senate approval. The $1.9 trillion relief package faces what is expected to be a very close vote in the House after the Senate narrowly approved it over the weekend with concessions to accommodate centrist Democrats. The procedural vote on the bill is expected tonight, with final passage slated for Tuesday.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“President Biden will deliver a prime-time address on Thursday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the covid “shutdown" and to talk about the role ‘Americans will play in beating the virus,’ White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Monday.
The address is part of a busy week of events focused on the coronavirus as Congress nears final passage of a $1.9 trillion relief bill. On Monday, Biden is scheduled to visit a veterans’ medical center in Washington that is administering coronavirus vaccines.” Read more at Washington Post
“Jury selection was delayed Monday in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin while an appeal proceeds over the possible reinstatement of a third-degree murder charge.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd last May. Prosecutors contend Floyd, 46, was killed by Chauvin's knee, compressed against Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes while he was handcuffed and pinned to the pavement.
Legal experts say bystander video of the incident, as well as two autopsy reports, will play central roles in the trial. The question at the heart of the case is whether what people saw on the video was murder or a terrible tragedy.
Jury selection has been delayed until at least Tuesday. Twelve jurors and up to four alternates will be selected in a process that could take up to three weeks. Opening arguments are scheduled for March 29.” Read more at USA Today
Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions via AP
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle delivered a devastating indictment of the monarchy in their conversation with Oprah Winfrey: Both said unnamed members of the royal family had expressed concern about what the skin tone of their baby would be, Sara Fischer writes.
Why it matters: An institution that thrives on myth now faces harsh reality. The explosive two-hour interview on CBS gave an unprecedented, unsparing window into the monarchy: Harry said his father and brother ‘are trapped, ‘and Markle revealed that the misery of being a working royal drove her to thoughts of suicide.
The Times of London summed up the global reaction with the headline: ‘Revelations worse than Palace could have feared.’
Both said that before their son, Archie, was born, Harry was asked in family conversations about, as paraphrased by Winfrey, ‘how dark your baby is going to be.’
Harry said the conversation was: ‘What will the kids look like? ... At the time it was awkward and I was a bit shocked.’
In describing the treatment of Markle, whose mother is African American, Harry said: ‘Over 70 members of Parliament ... called out the colonial undertones of articles and headlines written about Meghan. Yet no one from my family ever said anything over those three years. ... That hurts.’
The prince spoke of what he said is described b’ehind closed doors’ as ‘the invisible contract’ between the family and U.K. tabloids — press access in exchange for better coverage.
Read key quotes from Oprah's interview. Read more at Axios
“Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri announced on Monday that he will not run for reelection in 2022, a surprise decision from the No. 4 GOP leader that comes amid a slew of retirements from top Senate Republicans.
Blunt, who was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and previously served for 14 years in the House, is the fifth Republican this cycle to announce his retirement.His decision is certain to set off a messy GOP primary in a state where former President Donald Trump remains popular.” Read more at POLITICO
“Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, a Republican, defended keeping his state’s mask mandate: ‘We know that this makes a huge, huge difference.’” Read more at New York Times
“The leader of the New York State Senate, a Democrat, called for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation. The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal have published more allegations that he mistreated former aides. ‘There is no way I resign,’ Cuomo said. Read more at New York Times
“Voters in Switzerland approved a ban on full facial coverings in public, prohibiting the veils some Muslim women wear. Several European countries have similar bans.” Read more at New York Times
“Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife have tested positive for the coronavirus, the president’s office said Monday, with both having only mild symptoms of the illness.
In a statement, Assad’s office said the first couple did PCR tests after they experienced minor symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 illness. It said Assad, 55, and his wife Asma, who is 10 years younger and announced her recovery from breast cancer in 2019, will continue to work from home where they will isolate between two to three weeks.” Read more at AP
“Schools across England are reopening to all students Monday, part of what Prime Minister Boris Johnson described as a plan to get the country to ‘start moving closer to a sense of normality.’ Students and staff in English secondary schools, colleges, and universities will have to wear face coverings indoors – including in classrooms – unless social distancing can be maintained. Twice-weekly COVID-19 tests will also be recommended – but not required – for those returning to in-person instruction. After a steep rise in cases over the holidays partially caused by the rise of the infectious B.1.1.7. COVID-19 variant in the U.K., daily new cases have fallen to pre-winter levels.” Read more at USA Today
“Online platforms directed by Russian intelligence are spreading disinformation about two coronavirus vaccines used in the US, a State Department spokesperson confirmed. The agency's Global Engagement Center identified three Russian outlets that are playing up risks and doubt, including one sharing exaggerated reports that the Pfizer and Moderna shots carry a high risk of a rare side effect. The GEC also found the outlets were sowing more disinformation over military conflicts, protests and ‘any divisive issue that they can exploit.’ Experts say the reason for the anti-vaccine disinformation is to promote Russia’s rival Sputnik V vaccine. The Kremlin denied that its intelligence services were spearheading the disinformation campaign.” Read more at CNN
“U.S. Capitol police should dramatically expand staffing, focus on intelligence gathering and coordinate better with the National Guard to prevent another attack like the Jan. 6 riot, according to a security review headed by retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré that is being presented to House members Monday.
The House and Senate will have to consider which recommendations to adopt and how to fund them. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who asked Honoré to lead the review, has called the report a draft that will require additional funding.” Read more at USA Today
“The US and South Korea have come to terms on a cost-sharing agreement for US forces based in South Korea. Negotiations over this deal had badly strained the alliance during the Trump administration after then-President Trump demanded Seoul pay up to 400% more for the presence of the 28,500 troops on the peninsula. The new benchmark fits into President Biden’s goal of returning to ‘regular order,’ namely repairing alliances and engaging with them through established structures. One of the next items on the agenda with South Korea will be deciding on a joint strategy to handle North Korea -- not an easy task. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make his first international trip as the top US diplomat to South Korea and Japan next week.” Read more at CNN
“The trial of Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri, who was arrested covering racial justice protests last summer, will be going to trial Monday in what experts say is a rare criminal prosecution of a journalist on assignment in the USA . Sahouri faces charges of interference with official acts and failure to disperse. If convicted, she could be sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $625 for each offense. In a video filmed from a police vehicle immediately after her arrest, Sahouri said she told officers she was a reporter and was leaving the area. I was saying, ‘I'm press, I'm press, I'm press,’ Sahouri said in the video, her eyes still burning from pepper spray. At least 126 journalists were arrested or detained in 2020, but only 13 still face charges, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.” Read more at USA Today
“MacKenzie Scott, one of the richest women in the world, is off the market. The very private billionaire, who divorced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos after 25 years of marriage, has quietly wed Seattle teacher Dan Jewett, according to a blog post from the groom.
It’s unclear when the newlyweds tied the knot; Scott could not be reached for comment. The news trickled out Saturday after Jewett posted on Scott’s Giving Pledge page, and was first reported in the Wall Street Journal.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“A pastor in Missouri is on leave after sexist and racist comments about women, calling former first lady Melania Trump ‘the epic trophy wife of all time. Read more at USA Today
“Lives Lived: He was the hockey dad who taught his son to ‘skate to where the puck’s going and not to where it’s been.’ And when an aneurysm robbed him of his memories, he rebuilt his life with family and friends. Walter Gretzky died at 82.” Read more at New York Times
“$310,000 — How much Konstantin Anikeev, an experimental physicist, reaped in credit-card rewards, by pocketing the difference between 5% rewards on his American Express card and lower fees on gift cards and money orders. After landing in tax court over the earnings, a judge last month largely affirmed that credit-card rewards are usually nontaxable rebates but also offered the IRS avenues for tougher enforcement.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
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