Today's Liberal News

California is releasing nearly $30 million to aid asylum-seekers recently allowed into U.S.

California is releasing tens of millions in funds to assist newly arrived asylum-seekers with food and transportation as they travel to sponsors, the Associated Press reports. The $28 million will go to San Diego Rapid Response Network member Jewish Family Service, and comes as the Biden administration is allowing into the U.S. a number of families blocked by the previous administration’s anti-asylum policy.

Here’s what you need to know about the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi

Between the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the recent storms and subsequent power and heat outages in Texas, and the seemingly endless hate spewing out of members of the GOP, it can be hard to keep track of stories that don’t always get the national media attention they deserve. One such case is a water crisis happening in Jackson, Mississippi. As reported by The Daily Beast at the end of February, thousands of people living in Jackson had been without water for almost two weeks.

Burmese Scholar: Military Junta Using Terror Against “Entire Population” to Keep Power After Coup

In Burma, mass protests continue after at least 18 people were killed in anti-coup protests, marking the deadliest day since the February 1 military coup which deposed and detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Police fired live ammunition into crowds as Burmese forces steadily escalated their crackdown. One local group says 1,000 people were arrested, including journalists and medical professionals.

Rep. Ro Khanna: Democrats Should Ignore the Senate Parliamentarian and Pass $15 Minimum Wage Hike

The House of Representatives has voted to pass President Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that includes an increase to the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, which could now be stripped out in the final bill after the unelected Senate parliamentarian found it does not comply with budget rules. Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have also said they’ll oppose the measure.

Biden “Illegally” Bombs Iranian-Backed Militias in Syria, Jeopardizing Nuclear Talks with Tehran

The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports at least 22 people died. The Pentagon called the assault a response to recent rocket attacks on U.S. forces in northern Iraq. Those attacks came more than a year after Iraq’s parliament voted to expel U.S.

U.S. Says Saudi Crown Prince MBS Approved Assassination of Khashoggi, But He Avoids Any Sanctions

The Biden administration has released a declassified report that finds Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, responsible for the assassination of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. But the U.S. does not plan to sanction the crown prince, though the administration has announced travel restrictions to dozens of other Saudi officials. The decision is being criticized by human rights groups and friends of the late Khashoggi.

The Sports League That Refuses to Court Certain Fans

The National Women’s Hockey League is just six years old, has only six teams, and, like many women’s professional sports leagues, has faced slow early growth. The players are part-time, often competing only on the weekends, and the salaries are small—just $7,500 a year on average. Their games are broadcast on Twitch, an online streaming platform usually used for video games. And the coronavirus pandemic ended last year’s season early.