17 WASHINGTON (AP) — From the inaugural platform, President Joe Biden saw American sickness on two fronts — a disease of the national spirit and the one from the rampaging coronavirus — and he saw hope, because leaders always must see that. “End this uncivil war,” he implored Americans on Jan. 20, 2021. Of the pathogen, he said: “We can overcome this deadly virus." Neither malady has abated. For Biden, it's been a year of lofty ambitions grounded by the unrelenting pandemic, a tough hand in Congress, a harrowing end to a foreign war and rising fears for the future of democracy itself. Biden did score a public-works achievement for the ages. But America’s cracks go deeper than pavement. In this midterm election year, Biden confronts seething divisions and a Republican Party that propagates the delusion that the 2020 election, validated as fair many times over, was … [Read more...] about After Biden’s first year, the virus and disunity rage on
By the numbers: Stats that tell story of Biden’s first year
11 WASHINGTON (AP) — By some counts, President Joe Biden can lay claim to a banner first year in office. But numbers also reveal plenty of setbacks. Most in the United States got their COVID-19 vaccines, but other countries fared better. Economic growth surged; so did inflation. America exited Afghanistan, but the war ended with a chaotic evacuation and a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. troops. Pandemic aid and infrastructure bills passed. Pricey legislation to advance Biden's social and climate proposals shrunk and then stalled. Some notable numbers from Biden's first year: —63.5% vaccination rate. Most Americans got jabbed. Countries with higher vaccination rates: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. —3.9% jobless rate. The low unemployment rate is a big highlight of … [Read more...] about By the numbers: Stats that tell story of Biden’s first year
At many churches, pandemic hits collection plates, budgets
5 Biltmore United Methodist Church of Asheville, North Carolina, is for sale. Already financially strapped because of shrinking membership and a struggling preschool, the congregation was dealt a crushing blow by the coronavirus. Attendance plummeted, with many staying home or switching to other churches that stayed open the whole time. Gone, too, is the revenue the church formerly got from renting its space for events and meetings. “Our maintenance costs are just exorbitant,” said the Rev. Lucy Robbins, senior pastor. “And we just don’t have the resources financially that we used to have to be able to do the kind of ministry work that we would like.” Biltmore is just one of an untold number of congregations across the country that have struggled to stay afloat financially and minister to their flocks during the pandemic, though others have managed to weather the storm, often with help from the federal government’s Paycheck … [Read more...] about At many churches, pandemic hits collection plates, budgets
South Korean president visits UAE, showcasing deep ties
23 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — On a trip to the United Arab Emirates, the president of South Korea on Sunday reportedly reached a preliminary multibillion-dollar deal to sell Seoul’s surface-to-air missiles to Abu Dhabi and pledged deeper cooperation with the Gulf Arab federation. After South Korean President Moon Jae-in met Emirati Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Dubai, the countries signed a memorandum of understanding for the UAE's purchase of a South Korean mid-range missile defense system valued at some $3.5 billion, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. There were no further details on the deal announced during the visit nor immediate comment from the UAE. But during Dubai's weeklong aviation trade show last November, the Emirati Ministry of Defense tweeted it planned to acquire South … [Read more...] about South Korean president visits UAE, showcasing deep ties
Austria tweaks vaccine mandate plan, to come in next month
8 BERLIN (AP) — The Austrian government on Sunday presented revised plans for its proposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which it said will now apply to all residents age 18 and over, rather than 14 as originally intended. Officials said that a phased introduction will give people plenty of opportunity to comply. The government announced nearly two months ago that it would implement a general vaccine mandate early this year, becoming the first European country to do so. In early December, it produced a first draft, calling for the measure to be introduced in February and foreseeing fines of up to 3,600 euros ($4,100) for people who flout it. Key aspects of the plan remain in the final version, which the government aims to have parliament approve on Thursday, but officials said consultations with two opposition parties and others showed the need for significant changes to details. Chancellor Karl Nehammer said there had been … [Read more...] about Austria tweaks vaccine mandate plan, to come in next month
Pilot of crashed medical helicopter released from hospital
3 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The pilot of a medical helicopter that crash-landed without loss of life next to a church in a residential area of suburban Philadelphia last week expressed gratitude to his crew and first responders as he was released from a hospital Sunday. The pilot, whose name has not been officially released, was wheeled out of the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center emergency room Sunday morning to applause from police and first responders and spoke to reporters before being taken home by ambulance with a police escort. “I’m just feeling fortunate, you know — I had God as my co-pilot that day and we took care of the crew and we landed in his front yard, so that was kind of nice," he said. The Eurocopter EC135 medical helicopter owned by Denver-based Air Methods, part of the LifeNet program based in Hagerstown, Maryland, was also transporting an infant girl and two other crew members when it came down at about 1 p.m. Tuesday next to Drexel … [Read more...] about Pilot of crashed medical helicopter released from hospital
Rising costs add to pandemic pain for small businesses
3 NEW YORK (AP) — In just two weeks, the cost of pecans for the pies at Peggy Jean’s Pies in Columbia, Missouri, has surged nearly 40%, perplexing co-owner Rebecca Miller and adding to the cost of doing business. Miller will soon have to bump up the price of her Southern Pecan, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan, and German Chocolate pies by $2 to $24. While pecans have risen the most, Miller is seeing price increases across the board, from blackberries to condensed milk and eggs. She consults with three food brokers weekly to source the lowest prices for ingredients. But she still needs to charge more for the nut pies. “We can’t absorb that cost and still meet wage demands, increased cost of goods in our tins and boxes, and afford to live as a family,” she said. Sharply higher costs are yet another challenge thrown at business owners by the global pandemic. The unpredictability of shipping, labor and the coronavirus itself have created an environment where … [Read more...] about Rising costs add to pandemic pain for small businesses
Youngkin: Liberals Obfuscating on Critical Race Theory — Its ‘Tenets’ Are Being Taught
Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) said on this week’s broadcast of “Fox News Sunday” that when liberals say Critical Race Theory is not taught in school, it was an obfuscation of the fact because its “tenets” were being taught. Host John Roberts said, “Critics of your position, including former President Obama, say, look, Critical Race Theory is not being taught in schools and that this was merely a trumped-up, phony culture war. What do you say to that? And what does your executive order actually do in terms of Critical Race Theory?” Youngkin said, “Anyone who thinks that the concepts that underpin Critical Race Theory are not in our schools hasn’t been in our schools. The curriculum has moved in a very opaque way that has hidden a lot of this from parents. And so we, in fact, are going to increase transparency so that parents can actually see what’s being taught in schools.” He continued, “We’re not going to teach our children to view everything through a lens of race. Yes, we … [Read more...] about Youngkin: Liberals Obfuscating on Critical Race Theory — Its ‘Tenets’ Are Being Taught
TPWD wants help tracking Texas’ bald eagle population via this app
January is prime bald eagle nesting time in Texas, with typically one to three baby eaglets in each nest. A new project with Texas Nature Trackers is helping scientists examine and collect information on the status of Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle nesting sites across Texas. Texas Nature Trackers, a contingent of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , is a citizen monitoring effort that connects nature lovers all of ages. The organization calls on those who are able to observe a given nest through breeding season to submit weekly photo updates to the project on the app iNaturalist . The information will provide "valuable data on nest status," according to the project's page. Though they are not eagles, Osprey nest updates are also accepted. A 2021 report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed that U.S bald eagle populations have quadrupled since 2009. Once on the brink of extinction in the 1960s, the species is now growing thanks to conservation efforts. The … [Read more...] about TPWD wants help tracking Texas’ bald eagle population via this app
Who is Aafia Siddiqui? Texas synagogue hostage-taker allegedly sought release of ‘Lady al-Qaida’
The man who took hostages at a Dallas-area synagogue Saturday night was apparently motivated by his anger over the U.S. imprisonment of Aafia Siddiqui, 49, a Pakistani woman being held in federal prison in Fort Worth for trying to kill American soldiers. That's according to a law enforcement official speaking under condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, who also told The Washington Post that early in the standoff, the hostage-taker said he wanted a rabbi in New York to know that he was taking the hostages because he wanted Siddiqui freed. The standoff ended Saturday night with law enforcement freeing the hostages and the suspect dead. While very little is publicly known about the suspect - including his identity or what moved him to capture four people, including the rabbi, at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, with a gun and explosives during Saturday services - Siddiqui has long been a cause celebre in Islamist militant circles, with … [Read more...] about Who is Aafia Siddiqui? Texas synagogue hostage-taker allegedly sought release of ‘Lady al-Qaida’
