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House passed $1.9T COVID relief package, President Biden is expected to sign this week, triggering $1,400 checks for many Americans.

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to approve the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, paving the way for President Joe Biden to sign his first top legislative priority into law later this week and deliver aid to most American households amid the pandemic.

The bill includes up to $1,400-per-person stimulus payments for house holds t$1,400 stimulus checks for Americans who make less than $75,000 or heads of households who make less than $112,500. For married couples who file their taxes jointly, both would qualify for the full amount if they make up to $150,000 jointly. (Couples would get $2,800.), $300-per-week jobless benefits through the summer, a child allowance of up to $3,600 for one year, $350 billion for state aid, $34 billion to expand Affordable Care Act subsidies and $14 billion for vaccine distribution.

The passage of the bill marks the first major legislative achievement of Biden administration and Congress that is now under full Democratic control, with narrow majorities in the House and Senate.

The changes made by the Senate include; narrowing eligibility for stimulus checks for individuals and families, trimming the federal boost to jobless benefits and eliminating an increase in the federal minimum wage and reducing the jobless benefits to $300 (from $400) and extending them slightly to Sept. 6, and also 100 percent of COBRA insurance coverage for jobless Americans, up from 85 percent.

The checks will phase out faster than in previous rounds, completely cutting off individuals who earn more than $80,000 a year and married couples earning more than $160,000 — regardless of how many children they have. The revisions made by the Senate will leave out about 7 million families, according to an estimate from the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

With the American Rescue Plan, lawmakers adopted their sixth major coronavirus relief package since the deadly pandemic first encroached on the country roughly a year ago.

The bill now heads to President Biden, who is expected to sign it Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. The signing comes a day after the president is set to deliver his first prime-time television address on the country’s response to the coronavirus.

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Andrea Meza from Mexico crowned Miss Universe

Miss Mexico Andrea Meza was crowned Miss Universe at the 69th annual pageant, Pageant was delayed due to Covid-19 last year.

“MÉXICO ESTO ES PARA TI,” Meza, 26, wrote in the caption of an Instagram post, which translates to “Mexico this is for you,” alongside a video of her after the win was announced.

The competition was held in Hollywood, Florida, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Mario Lopez of Access Hollywood and Olivia Culpo 2012 Miss Universe co-hosted the event, that also featured a performance by Luis Fonsi.

Meza won the title defeating 73 other women, including Miss Brazil Julia Gama, who was runner-up, and Miss Peru Janick Maceta Del Castillo, who was second runner-up.

“I am so honored to have been selected among the 73 other amazing women I stood with tonight,” Meza said in a news release from Miss Universe Organization. “It is a dream come true to wear the Miss Universe crown, and I hope to serve the world through my advocacy for equality in the year to come and beyond.”

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US Covid-19 guidance: CDC advises fully vaccinated people do not need masks outside

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced today that fully vaccinated Americans do not need a mask when they are outdoors. people who have received both doses or single dose vaccination can be without their face coverings if alone or in small groups of vaccinated people. Over 95 million Americans have been fully vaccinated thus far.

“Small- to medium-sized gatherings for people who are outside and vaccinated can done without a mask,” as per CDC director Dr Rochelle Wolensky including exercising or dining outdoors. She also stressed that determining whether to wear a mask in larger outdoor gatherings would depend on many other factors, like how ventilated the venue is and how much space is kept between people.

The guidelines are for the fully vaccinated – which means two weeks after a person’s final vaccination. Although Covid-19 infections can happen outdoors, the risk of transmission is very low.

“We really do want people who are unvaccinated to limit interactions with people, to go back to the basic principles of increased ventilation, spacing,” she said.

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India sets Covid-19 infection record for third straight day

India reported 346,786 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday — the third day in a row the nation has set a world record for infections during the coronavirus pandemic, in response to authorities and scientific tallies.

The associated death toll for the previous 24 hours hit 2,624 — additionally a each day record for India — for 189,544 whole fatalities.

The sky-rocketing Covid-19 infections are devastating India’s communities and hospitals. Every part of the country is in short supply of intensive care unit beds, drugs, oxygen and ventilators. Dead bodies are piling up in morgues and crematoriums.

Delhi recorded 24,331 new cases Friday, 348 deaths, according to the Covid-19 health bulletin issued by the Delhi authorities. Nationwide, India has now recorded more than 16.6 million.

State government and local authorities, in hard-hit Maharashtra, have been warning about the second wave and are getting ready. For a country where COVID numbers appeared to be dropping dramatically just a few weeks ago, the sudden surge is blamed at the variants, raising questions about what has gone so wrong in India?The Indian variant, known as B.1.617, is wreaking havoc in the country. Since April 15, India has reported over 200,000 cases of coronavirus every day, Delhi, recently announced a 7day g lockdown after a rise in cases is pushing for the collapse of the healthcare system.

Delhi’s highest court publicly criticized the central government and its approach to managing the country’s oxygen crisis. The court issued emergency order after hearing a petition filed by Max Hospitals seeking urgent help over the oxygen shortage. ” We are shocked and dismayed that government doesn’t seem to be mindful to the extremely urgent need of medical oxygen,” the Bench stated. “We direct Centre to provide safe passage…so that such supplies are not obstructed for any reason whatsoever,” order said.

Even to the cause of this surge has not been identified yet and why it happened in India, but it is suspected to be a direct result of crowded events organized for local elections – Prime Minister Modi addressed some of these rallies in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on March 30th, Large groups and social gatherings during religious festivals have also played a part.

Several US lawmakers have voiced their concerns and have exerted pressure on the Joe Biden administration to extend assistance to India. US secretary of State Anthony Blinkin Tweeted, ” We are working closely with our partners in Indian Government and will rapidly deploy additional support to people of India”

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Deaths Scale as India stumbles from Lethal Covid wave

Deaths have been steadily rising from India as crucial intensive care beds, medicines and oxygen are depleting in an unrelenting tide of Covid infections. India has reported more than 300,000 coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours and it continues to see record breaking single-day spikes, proof of a curve that’s a lot steeper than the original wave in mid-September. And the catastrophic effect is obvious from the pictures from crematoriums throughout the country – grieved families waiting for hours to do final rites, mass cremations as cities, crematoriums running out of room to house the bodies and constant plumes of smoke out of funeral pyres.

The second wave of coronavirus infections are blamed on a “double mutant” variant and “super-spreader” mass gatherings in political rallies and Kumbh Mela in the world’s second-most populous nation, recent surge has stretched country’s long-underfunded healthcare system to breaking point.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing sharp criticism for super spreader events, Mr. Modi addressed packed political rallies for local elections and allowing a Hindu festival to go ahead where millions gathered.

Delhi High Court on Wednesday night issued an emergency order, and directed the government to divert oxygen from industrial use to hospitals to save people’s lives. We cannot let people die due to lack of oxygen… you beg, borrow and steal but have to provide,” the judges said in response to a petition by a New Delhi hospital seeking its intervention.

The judges asked why the government is “not waking up to the gravity of the situation”, calling it “a national emergency”.

Many States across India have imposed restrictions and imposed curfew, with Delhi in a six-day lockdown, all non-essential businesses shut in Maharashtra state, and Uttar Pradesh set for a weekend shutdown.

In an address to the nation Prime minister Modi said on Tuesday night that “all efforts are being made” to boost the supplies of medical oxygen. Authorities have announced that vaccines will be available to anyone over the age of 18 from May 1

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Capitol attack leaves one Capitol police officer dead, raising fresh questions about security of US capitol

One Capitol Police officer was killed Friday after a man drove his car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol and was wielding a knife. Making it the second line-of-duty death this year for a department still struggling after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman told reporters. Authorities shot the suspect, who died at a hospital. “I just ask that the public continue to keep U.S. Capitol Police and their families in your prayers,” Pittman said. “This has been an extremely difficult time for U.S. Capitol Police after the events of Jan. 6 and now the events that have occurred here today.”

Police identified the slain officer as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran who was a member of the department’s first responders unit.