NIH study: Moderna, Pfizer shots are most effective Covid boosters
People who originally received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine benefited significantly more from a messenger RNA booster than a second J&J dose.
Today's Liberal News
Ridley Scott’s New Film Plays a Masterly Trick
The Last Duel introduces Jean de Carrouges (played by Matt Damon), its ostensible hero, with the gritty fanfare expected from a Ridley Scott epic. Much like the valiant former Roman general Maximus of Gladiator or the stouthearted Crusader Balian of Kingdom of Heaven, Jean proudly charges into battle, sword in hand, hacking at the enemy with no regard for his own life.
When the Place You Live Becomes Unlivable
“New Orleans is the only ship I’d go down with,” my friend Ben wrote on Facebook in the hours before Hurricane Ida upended southeast Louisiana. He rode out the storm in the city—“hunkering down,” in standard hurricane parlance. Anxious but safe, I read his post at a splash pad in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Jon Gruden Just Put It in Writing
Updated at 12:04 p.m. ET on October 13, 2021Jon Gruden’s resignation as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders is just the beginning of a long-overdue reckoning for the NFL, and it underscores the basic problem: The NFL is full of Jon Grudens.Gruden made racist, homophobic, and misogynistic comments in emails for nearly a decade, but he was forced out only when some of those reprehensible statements became public.
“Missing in Brooks County”: Thousands of Migrants Denied Due Process at Border Have Died in Desert
We continue to look at the humanitarian crisis along the border, where more people are dying trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border than ever before, as President Biden has increased funding for border enforcement and militarization even as he vowed not to expand Trump’s border wall. We go to Brooks County in South Texas, which has recorded at least 98 migrant deaths so far this year, nearly triple the number from 2020.
Family Searching for Migrant Father Who Went Missing in Texas Desert as Border Deaths Hit Record
Armando Alejo Hernández went missing in the desert after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in May of 2021, but not before sending several last audio messages to his eldest son describing the difficult terrain and asking for help. “He wasn’t feeling so good, and he was out of water and food,” says Hernández’s 17-year-old son Derek. “The group got ahead, and then he lost the group.
As Covid trends down, Fauci warns not to ‘declare victory’
“If you look at the history of the surges and the diminutions in cases over a period of time, they can bounce back,” the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director said.
A global fight looms over Kratom, a possible opioid alternative
The U.S. government has twice tried to classify kratom as a controlled substance, but public outcry and pushback from Congress thwarted those efforts.
Wall Street’s wild party in jeopardy as Fed threatens aid cutoff
The central bank plans to begin yanking back assistance to the economy as early as next month, and many Fed officials are open to increasing interest rates next year.
Americans’ fortunes soared during the pandemic. Some lawmakers see lasting lessons.
Key aspects of the economy are doing better than before the pandemic, which supporters say shows how government spending can help.
Why Biden isn’t hitting the panic button on the debt ceiling — yet
With the deadline looming, the White House is starting to ramp up pressure on Republicans.
Fed signals plan to pull back economic support even as virus looms
The central bank said it’s making progress toward its goals of averaging 2 percent inflation over time and reaching maximum employment.
Biden hails ‘strong’ economic recovery despite disappointing jobs numbers
Biden laid blame for the sluggish growth of U.S. jobs on the “impact of the Delta variant” of the coronavirus.
Katrina vanden Heuvel on Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dmitry Muratov’s Fight for Press Freedom in Russia
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Russian independent journalist Dmitry Muratov and Filipina journalist Maria Ressa for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.” Muratov runs the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which has lost more journalists to murder than any other Russian news outlet.
Southwest, American Airlines Rebuff Texas Gov, Will Comply With Biden Vaccine Mandates
The airlines said federal law “supersedes” any state action, a blow to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Military archbishop says Catholic troops can refuse Covid vaccines on religious grounds
Archbishop Timothy Broglio has expressed support for President Joe Biden’s mandate for service members in the past.
News Roundup: Debt ceiling hiked; DeSantis pays for bad advice; TX wants to control private business
Welcome to Tuesday, everybody! The legislative branch of the government was able to take time away from not getting anything done to lift the debt ceiling, so that’s something. Centrist—or more honestly, conservative—Democrats continue to hide behind their even more cowardly Republican counterparts. Corruption pays in Florida. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the blinding hypocrisy of Texas Gov.
Donald Trump’s need for Hollywood acceptance the only reason Ivanka not president of World Bank
At the start of 2019, Jim Yong Kim “made the surprise announcement” that he would be stepping down at the end of January after six years as the president of the World Bank. Kim was not due to leave until 2022, and that institution’s leadership has always been something the United States—and more specifically the acting president of the United States—gets to choose.
‘The last straw’: Latino civil rights group ends ties with Facebook following whistleblower report
The largest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S. announced last week that it’s cutting off ties with Facebook, following a recent whistleblower report confirming the social media giant intentionally puts profits over combatting the lies and hate speech rampant on its platforms. The group calls the report “the last straw.
Hold him accountable: Coup plotter Jeffrey Clark shouldn’t just be disbarred; he belongs behind bars
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s recently released interim report on Donald Trump’s efforts to take over the Department of Justice to help overturn the 2020 election results contains damning new details about a stormy Jan. 3 Oval Office meeting. There, the former president considered replacing acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen with a lackey loyal to Trump: Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark.
High schoolers given mere verbal warning after wearing Confederate flag attire to class
At Norwin High School, a public high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area, two students decided to celebrate the school’s “Merica Day” by wearing Confederate flag attire to school. Yes, really. Apparently, Merica Day is part of a themed week the school puts on to celebrate homecoming. Merica Day, according to the superintendent, encourages students to wear red, white, and blue to school to show support for the United States.
Progressives Resist Nancy Pelosi’s Plan For ‘Fewer Things’ In Budget Bill
“We are not going to negotiate with ourselves,” progressives say as Democrats contemplate what to cut from Biden’s Build Back Better proposal.
Divided Supreme Court considers who can defend abortion restrictions
Tuesday’s arguments marked the first abortion case to be argued in full before the court’s 6-3 conservative majority.
By Attacking Me, Justice Alito Proved My Point
Last month, Justice Samuel Alito insisted that the Supreme Court’s critics are wrong. The Court is not “a dangerous cabal” that is “deciding important issues in a novel, secretive, improper way, in the middle of the night, hidden from public view,” he said. Reading aloud from a piece I wrote in the aftermath of the Court’s recent ruling on an abortion law, Alito insisted that it was “false and inflammatory” to say that the 1973 Roe v.
How to Know You’re Lonely
Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google PodcastsThe irony in loneliness is that we all share in the experience of it. In this episode of How to Build a Happy Life, we sit down to discuss isolated living and Americans’ collective struggle to create a relationship-centric life. As we continue along our journey to happiness, we ask: How can I build my life around people?This episode features Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general.
Hillary Clinton Takes A Not-So-Subtle Jab At Donald Trump In Debut Thriller
There’s a very familiar character in “State of Terror.
As CIA Warns China “Most Important” Threat to U.S., Is Biden Pursuing a “New Cold War”?
We look at growing tensions between China and Taiwan as China’s military said Monday it had conducted beach landing and assault drills in the province across from Taiwan. Taiwan’s president responded on Sunday saying Taiwan would not bow to pressure from China. This comes as The Wall Street Journal has revealed a small team of U.S.
Iraqi Journalist: Amid Low Election Turnout, “Iraq’s Streets Littered with the Memories of Our Dead”
Voter turnout at the fifth parliamentary election in Iraq hit an all-time low, with many Iraqis refusing to vote as widespread faith in the democratic process and politics falters. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has been a vocal opponent of foreign invasion, won the most seats. He has also been accused of kidnapping and killing his critics.
Donald Trump Told Racist Joke Before Meeting Vietnam’s Prime Minister, New Book Claims
Trump asked if the visiting leader’s name was like “Fook You,” according to Ted Osius, the former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.
Dayton Police Dragged Paraplegic Man Clifford Owensby from His Car; NAACP Says Arrest Was “Unlawful”
Clifford Owensby says Dayton police violently arrested him last month even though he is paraplegic and repeatedly told them he could not use his legs to get out of the car during a traffic stop. New police bodycam video shows the officers dragging Owensby out of his car and yanking him by his hair as he shouted for help. Owensby had his 3-year-old child in the car at the time of arrest. He has now filed a complaint with Dayton’s branch of the NAACP.