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1. Stimulus
The Senate passed the $ 1.9 trillion aid bill on Saturday, but it must return to the House for another vote before it reaches President Biden’s office and is put into action. That House vote is set for tomorrow and is expected to cross the party line once again. Biden signed it shortly, and people could start receiving stimulus checks in a few days. If all goes according to plan, it would be a big win for Biden, especially since the president had to master the dramatic drama on the hill and convince moderate Democrats, like Senator Joe Manchin, to stay in line. More importantly, lawmakers hope it will be a great gain for the American people. When it comes to these $ 1,400 incentives, recipients with information registered with the IRS will likely see the payments first. Others may receive paper checks or prepaid debit cards in the mail.
2. Coronavirus
The United States could be in the “eye of the hurricane,” according to one expert, instead of leading a steady decline in the pandemic. Cases have stopped declining and now stand at a very large number, with the country averaging about 60,000 new cases a day in the last week. Loose restraints and mass spring break events just around the corner could be a serious danger. In addition, variant B.1.1.7, first found in the UK, could fuel several infections in the next six to 14 weeks. It is also important to note that the pandemic is still severe in many places. Brazil has just had the highest number of coronavirus cases in two months, with 80,000 new infections in a single day.
3. Russia
Online platforms run by Russia’s secret services are spreading misinformation about two coronavirus vaccines used in the US, a State Department spokesman confirmed. The agency’s Global Employment Center has identified three Russian points of sale that face risks and doubts, including one that shares exaggerated reports that Pfizer and Moderna shootings have a high risk of rare side effects. The GEC also found that the outlets looked like more misinformation about military conflicts, protests and “any divisive issues they can exploit.” Experts say the reason for the anti-vaccine misinformation is the promotion of Russian vaccine rival Sputnik V. The Kremlin has denied that its intelligence services have led the disinformation campaign.
4. South Korea
The US and South Korea have reached an agreement with a cost-sharing agreement for US forces based in South Korea. Negotiations on the deal severely strained the alliance during the Trump administration after President Trump then asked Seoul to pay 400 percent more for the presence of the peninsula’s 28,500 troops. The new benchmark is part of President Biden’s goal of returning to the “usual order”, namely repairing alliances and engaging with them through established structures. One of the next items on the agenda with South Korea will be to decide on a common strategy for managing North Korea – it is not an easy task. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make his first international trip as a top American diplomat to South Korea and Japan next week.
5. The royal interview
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah for a highly anticipated interview, which now threatens to open a racist scandal around Buckingham Palace. Meghan, who is half black, told Oprah that the “concern” was raised by an unnamed family member while she was pregnant about how dark their baby’s skin would be. Harry confirmed the conversation, saying he was a little “shocked” by it. Meghan also said that her life as a British king was so isolating that, at one point, “she didn’t want to be alive anymore.” The accusations come at a delicate time for the royal family, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip, recovering from a heart procedure. How to get help: In the US, call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
ANSWER TO BREAKFAST
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has remarried
Wedding bells are just as sweet to repeat.
The LeBron team won the NBA All-Star game, but the real winner was HBCU
The league generated $ 3 million for black colleges and universities.
Here is a complete list of Critics Choice Award winners
Did the critics understand correctly? Judge away.
2021 Grammy performers will include Taylor Swift, BTS and Billie Eilish
The full list contains virtually every artist you’ve ever heard of (and certainly some you’ve never heard of).
You can buy the first tweet. Current bid: $ 2.5 million
Hmmm, we’ll keep doing them for free.
IT HAPPENS LATER
A reference case goes forward
The jury’s selection will begin today in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, one of the officers accused of killing George Floyd in May.
TODAY’S NUMBER
$ 27 billion
This is how much money Elon Musk lost last week, as technological stocks were hit and Tesla’s staggering rise in shares quickly fell apart. Musk did it with Jeff Bezos on Bloomberg’s list of the richest people in the world in January and is now a second away from Bezos’ fortune.
TODAY’S PRESENT
“(Hope is) stronger than hatred and peace stronger than war.”
Pope Francis, while leading the prayer in the middle of the rubble of the Iraqi city of Mosul. The Pope’s trip marks the first papal visit to Iraq and the Pope’s first visit outside Italy since the pandemic began.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check the local forecast here >>>
AND FINALLY
Meet the smallest owl in the world
Let’s all be as hardworking this week as this elf owl. (Click here to view.)