Today's Liberal News

The Fourth Surge Is Upon Us. This Time, It’s Different.

Across the United States, cases have started rising again. In a few cities, even hospitalizations are ticking up. The twists and turns of a pandemic can be hard to predict, but this most recent increase was almost inevitable: A more transmissible and more deadly variant called B.1.1.7 has established itself at the precise moment when many regions are opening up rapidly by lifting mask mandates, indoor-gathering restrictions, and occupancy limits on gyms and restaurants.

Photos: The Great Vaccination Campaign

As of today, more than 565 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered around the world, at a rate of about 14 million doses a day. Shots are being given at mass-vaccination sites, hospitals, small clinics, and in people’s homes, as governments and organizations work to reach everyone currently eligible. The work has only just begun, though; despite encouraging early numbers, only 4 percent of the global population has received at least one dose so far.

The Mortifications of Beverly Cleary

The childhood memories we retain most searingly tend to involve shame. When I was 6, after being chided twice for talking too loudly during lunch, I was made to stand in the cafeteria by myself until the other kids finished their food. I can’t even type that sentence without flushing at how conspicuously bad I felt, and how alone.

“Crisis of Capitalism”: Roberto Lovato on How U.S. Policies Fuel Migration & Instability

We speak with Salvadoran American journalist Roberto Lovato about how decades of U.S. military intervention in Central America have contributed to the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the border. Some 18,000 unaccompanied migrant children are now in U.S. custody, according to the latest figures, and more than 5,700 are in Customs and Border Protection facilities, which are not equipped to care for children.

Derek Chauvin Defense Blames “George Floyd Himself for His Own Death,” Not the Police “Blood Choke”

As the murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin continues, we speak with Minneapolis civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong, who says prosecutors in the case clearly established that “the actions of Derek Chauvin played the most critical role in cutting off the air supply of George Floyd,” leading to his death, while the defense appears to be resorting to a strategy of victim-blaming.

9 Minutes, 29 Seconds: Derek Chauvin Trial Opens with Full Video of George Floyd’s Killing

The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin has begun in Minneapolis, where Chauvin is charged with second- and third-degree murder, as well as manslaughter, for killing George Floyd in May 2020 by kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes. The death of Floyd, who was a 46-year-old Black man and father originally from Houston, Texas, sparked international protests calling for racial justice.

Evanston, Illinois, to Pay Reparations to Black Families Harmed by Decades of Racist Housing Policies

Evanston, Illinois, has become the first city in the United States to make reparations available to its Black residents for past discrimination and the lingering effects of slavery. The Chicago suburb’s City Council voted 8 to 1 to distribute $400,000 to eligible Black households, with qualifying residents receiving $25,000 for home repairs or down payments on property.

News Roundup: Eviction moratorium extended; Biden shores up DACA; insurrection probes continue

In today’s news: Biden makes a move to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Centers for Disease Control extended the federal moratorium on evictions during the pandemic, and still more evidence shows organizers of the Jan. 6 insurrection did indeed intend to overthrow the government. Here’s what you may have missed. Oh, and that boat? Not stuck anymore.

The COVID-19 ‘It wasn’t my fault’ tour begins in earnest

The “It wasn’t my fault” tour is in full swing. We heard from Robert Redfield, former director of the CDC and one of Trump’s prime stooges during the COVID-19 pandemic, venturing that if only China had been a little more forthcoming, the U.S. response under Trump would have been so, so drastically different.

Dr. Birx now tries to say she was a victim. No, she was deadly complicit

CNN is airing a special where all of these doctors in the Trump administration are finally speaking out about the abuse and chaos that reigned when the pandemic first hit America one year ago. These people include Dr. Deborah Birx, Dr. Brett Giroir, Dr. Stephen Hahn, Dr. Robert Kadlec, and Dr. Robert Redfield.