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One major event that happened in the past year was the arise of Covid-19. At one point in this pandemic cases just continued to rise and rise. But recently Vaccines has been created and we are now slowing down case rates tremendously.
- This is positive news as everybody is ready to get back to normal. With cases going down we can slowly start opening things up again.
- As covid-19 cases continue to lower we will also see lower death rates which is extremely good news.

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Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, said the new 7-day average of daily COVID-19 cases has dropped to 15,600, a 30% decrease from last week and a 94% decrease from the pandemic peak in January.

She also said that the United States confirmed 9,358 new coronavirus cases reported on Wednesday, the lowest daily total since March 2020. "This is the kind of news I like to deliver," she said.

The CDC COVID Data Tracker shows that 366,977,535 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been delivered in the United States, and 296,912,892 have been administered, with 136,155,250 Americans fully vaccinated.

US to share 25 million vaccine doses globally

As the United States turns the corner on the pandemic, the White House also announced in a press briefing that it will share 25 million vaccine doses with countries in need of supply. That represents 75% of the country's unused vaccines.

About 19 million of those vaccines will be distributed through COVAX, the World Health Organization's initiative to get vaccines to low- and middle-income countries. Another 6 million will be shared through regional partnerships the United States has already established with countries such as Canada, Mexico, and Korea.

Officials said the United States will keep 25% of its unused vaccine stockpile in case of emergency.

"We will continue to donate additional doses across the summer months as supply comes available," said Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 coordinator, during the briefing. "But at the same time, we know that won't be sufficient. So the second part of our approach is working with U.S. vaccine manufacturers to vastly increase vaccine supply for the rest of the world in a way that also creates jobs here at home."

Zients said the US government will withdraw the Defense Production Act priority ratings for the AstraZeneca, Novavax, and Sanofi vaccines, which will allow those manufacturers to distribute vaccines to priority countries.

The global sharing of vaccines, Zients said, is already under way, with 1 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine en route to Korea today.

Other US developments

COVID-19 deaths in US nursing homes now account for 31% of all COVID-19 deaths in the country, down from 43% a year ago, according to the New York Times. Since late March, nursing homes have reported fewer than 300 deaths a week, down from 5,000 a week in early December through mid-January.

With many Americans traveling and most pandemic restrictions loosened, epidemiologists and public health officials are looking at the Memorial Day weekend as the first major test of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, said the new 7-day average of daily COVID-19 cases has dropped to 15,600, a 30% decrease from last week and a 94% decrease from the pandemic peak in January.

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After reading this article and a couple of others, I believe that we should make D.C a state in the United States. There is 712,000 people that live in D.C and cannot vote because they are not officially a state. This to me feels as if we are not giving the people who live in D.C their rights that everybody else has.

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WASHINGTON - House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday that would make Washington, D.C., the 51st state.

The measure was reintroduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., in the House and its companion has been unveiled by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., in the Senate. As of Tuesday evening, Norton said that she had more than 200 co-sponsors in the House.

"There's never been a time when statehood for the District was more likely," Norton said in a statement, adding the bill was passed by the House last year for the first time and now has a "record" 202 cosponsors. With the Senate companion bill also gaining cosponsors, "we're ready to achieve voting representation and full local self-government for the 712,000+ residents of the District of Columbia," she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., have committed to bringing the bill to the floor for a vote, Norton said. She added that with Democrats in the majority in the House and the Senate, and with with President Joe Biden's support, "This is the time we can finally correct this historic injustice and give D.C. residents the same rights as other taxpaying Americans."

While the bill could pass again in the House, which remains in Democratic control, its chances of clearing the Senate are nil. Democrats control the 50-50 split Senate because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast tie-breaking votes. But Democrats would need to overcome a filibuster, requiring 60 votes, for the legislation to pass, meaning they would need at least 10 Republicans to join them. Many GOP lawmakers have expressed opposition to statehood for D.C. because its congressional representation would almost certainly be Democratic.

Carper, however, said in a statement that D.C. statehood isn't "a Republican or Democratic issue."

"It's an American issue because the lack of fair representation given to the residents of D.C. is inconsistent with the values on which this country was founded," he said. "It is therefore incumbent upon all of us who enjoy the right and the privilege of full voting rights and representation to take up the cause of our fellow citizens in the District of Columbia."

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser applauded the move Wednesday.

"Generations of Washingtonians have been denied the right to participate in our democracy - to have their voices and votes heard in Congress, to help shape the future of our nation, and to have a say on Supreme Court justices," she wrote on Twitter.

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Democrats introduce bill to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state

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WASHINGTON - House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday that would make Washington, D.C., the 51st state. The measure was reintroduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., in the House and its companion has been unveiled by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., in the Senate.

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In the year 2020, Donald J Trump made a decision to withdrawal troops from Afghanistan. This event was a major turning point in 2020 as U.S troops have been in Afghanistan for many years. This has brought hope into ending the middle eastern war that the U.S has been in for so long.

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The president's decision to move to about 5,000 troopsfrom 8,600 was the Pentagon's preferred option of those proposed, defense officials said. The effect of the coronavirus pandemic has already greatly restricted U.S. military operations in the country, making some troops already deployed there next to useless because many of their roles require in-person training with Afghan forces.

As part of the February agreement, the U.S. military cut its numbers in Afghanistan to about 8,600 from 12,000 and closed several bases. Negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban were supposed to start months ago but have been held up over a prisoner exchange between the two sides.

Also part of the deal is a public declaration from the Taliban to denounce and split from Al Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and a longtime ally of the insurgent group. There has been little indication that has changed after the agreement, according to military officials.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on Monday with the Taliban's chief negotiator, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, regarding the prisoner exchange, Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban spokesman, said on Twitter.

Both sides "emphasized that the release of the remaining prisoners are essential for commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations," Mr. Shaheen said.

The U.S.-Taliban deal called for the Afghan government to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for 1,000 Taliban-held members of the Afghan security forces. While the Taliban has released the Afghan prisoners, Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, has been reluctant to release 400 Taliban prisoners accused of serious crimes.

On Sunday, militants stormed a prison in eastern Afghanistan, leaving 29 people dead. The attack, in the waning hours of a brief cease-fire between the Taliban and the Afghan government, was claimed by the Islamic State affiliate in the country.

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More U.S. Troops Will Leave Afghanistan Before the Election, Trump Says

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The president's decision to move to about 5,000 troopsfrom 8,600 was the Pentagon's preferred option of those proposed, defense officials said. The effect of the coronavirus pandemic has already greatly restricted U.S. military operations in the country, making some troops already deployed there next to useless because many of their roles require in-person training with Afghan forces.

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- Borden was caught with a pistol in a traffic stop, Borden pleaded guilty.
- The government recommended to sentence Borden as an Armed Career criminal.
- Borden is fighting the case stating that one of his convictions does not qualify as a clause to become an (ACCA).
- Decision has not been made yet it is still pending.

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- Brown fought against the school district that denying a person of color into their school broke the 14th amendment right.
- Verdict came to a decision in the year 1954.
- The case is important because it allowed people of color to go to the same school with white people.
- The court ruled that "separate is not equal"

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The issue presented here is also Gun control laws. This article is from the prospective of a Liberal. Liberals want to create stricter Gun control laws. I know this because in the article they talk about new law ideas to tighten these Gun control laws.

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Democrats in New York are making a new push for stronger gun control laws in the remaining days of this year's legislative session, including a provision that would allow individuals to sue gun manufacturers in the aftermath of a crime.

Lawmakers rallied in Albany Tuesday to support the package, which aims to restrict gun ownership in certain cases, while adding additional requirements for those seeking a firearm.

"We have seen New York state move swiftly in other crises, and now we are looking for this state Legislature to do the same in this critical month," said Assemblymember Diana Richardson, a Democrat from Brooklyn.

Part of the package would create more hurdles for individuals seeking to purchase a gun, which Democrats said would help cut down on unlawful gun ownership while protecting firearm users who obtain their weapon legally.

One bill would require those seeking to purchase a gun to clear a mental health evaluation and pass a drug test - both of which would have to be certified by a doctor.

The legislation would also require prospective gun owners to undergo a five-hour gun safety course, and complete a live firing test with at least 90% accuracy at a shooting range using the type of firearm they intend to purchase.

That bill would also require individuals to apply for a hunting license before they purchase a gun, and provide proof that they've bought a safe storage depository for the firearm.

Assemblymember Demond Meeks, a Democrat from Rochester who sponsors that bill, said it's intended to prevent guns from falling into the hands of those who may choose to use them unlawfully, and that the issue isn't going away on its own.

"We had a school shooting two weeks ago, outside the school, students weren't involved. Then, just this past week, we had two individuals who were shot while worshipping in their church," Meeks said. "Enough is enough."

Some of the bills included in the package are targeted at gun manufacturers, rather than those seeking to purchase a firearm.

One bill would allow individuals in New York to sue gun manufacturers that don't take steps to prevent their products from being sold and purchased illegally. Those lawsuits would be brought when someone claims the industry has caused harm to the public.

That legislation is intended to put pressure on gun manufacturers to beef up safety measures that could prevent firearms from being trafficked into New York, said Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Democrat from Brooklyn who sponsors the bill.

"I again ask this industry: what are you going to do about your products that are killing our people?" Myrie said. "You have experienced record profits this past year ... and while you make record profits, we experienced record death.

Republicans in the state Legislature were critical of that bill Tuesday, saying at a separate press conference that it wouldn't address the broader problem of gun violence in New York.

"The idea that you're going to hold gun manufacturers responsible ... I don't see how that changes anything," said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara.

Ortt, and other Republicans, said they'd prefer to see stronger enforcement of the state's current laws on illegal gun possession in communities prone to violence instead.

Democrats are also seeking a series of other changes in their gun control package, including a new funding stream to research gun violence, programs geared toward gun violence education in public schools, and a liability insurance requirement for gun owners.

Lawmakers are seeking to garner support for the package before the end of this year's legislative session, which is scheduled to conclude late next week.

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Democrats Seek New Gun Laws in New York to Curb Shootings

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Democrats in New York are making a new push for stronger gun control laws in the remaining days of this year's legislative session, including a provision that would allow individuals to sue gun manufacturers in the aftermath of a crime.

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The Issue that is presented here is gun control laws. This article is from the perspective of a conservative. I know this from the words and evidence that they provide in this article. The article quotes the Senator Ted Cruz saying "They want to take our guns away"

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Texas' Republican leaders are responding to the recent back-to-back mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado with commitments to protect gun ownership in the state.

They're doubling down against President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats who are pushing for stronger gun laws, including an assault weapons ban, after eight people were killed in Atlanta last week and 10 more in Boulder this week.

"They are gonna come to get your guns," said Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking at a Texas Young Republicans dinner in the Austin area on Tuesday evening, just a day after a gunman went on a rampage in a Colorado grocery store.

The renewed commitment from GOP leaders to protect gun owners comes as the first Texas legislative session is underway since 2019's mass shootings in El Paso and Midland-Odessa, where a total of 30 people were killed and 50 more were injured. After the 2019 massacres, Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick struck a softer tone regarding gun control legislation, hinting at potential common ground with Democrats as they raised concerns about state laws allowing private gun sales between strangers without background checks.

At the dinner, Abbott said there is an even greater urgency this legislative session to pass laws expanding gun rights because of Biden's presidency.

"Yes, what Beto said turned out to be true," Abbott said, in a reference to the former El Paso Congressman Beto O'Rourke's comment during his bid for president that, "Hell, yes," he wanted to take away people's AR-15s and AK-47s.

"All I've gotta say to Beto is, 'Hell no, Beto, you're not gonna come get our guns in the Lone Star State,'" Abbott said.

The political winds have completely shifted since the Texas shootings, and Democrats now control Congress and the Oval Office. Biden, a longtime supporter of gun control laws, reinvigorated the decadeslong battle surrounding federal gun laws this week when he called for an assault weapons ban and stronger background checks for gun purchases.

"This is not and should not be a partisan issue - it is an American issue," Biden said Tuesday. "We have to act."

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was quick to push back on Democrats.

"Every time there is a shooting, we play this ridiculous theater where this committee gets together and proposes a bunch of laws that would do nothing to stop these murders," Cruz said Tuesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence. His comments quickly drew criticism from prominent gun control advocates.

"After sixteen people were killed in a hot air balloon in Lockhart, Texas, Ted Cruz authored and passed federal legislation improving safety rules," tweeted Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. "I guess that's not because laws don't work, but because there's no hot air balloon lobby funding his Senate seat."

Cruz's spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday, "It is clear from their rhetoric Democrats aren't interested in actual solutions. They just want to take guns away from law abiding citizens while making Americans less safe."

State Sen. César Blanco, D-El Paso, who has advocated for stronger gun laws in the state after the massacre at a Walmart in his city, fired back at Cruz.

"I quite frankly don't need to hear anything from Sen. Cruz. He has said enough. I think his actions or inaction speak louder than words," Blanco said in an interview. "He chalked it up to theater when people are looking for real solutions to save lives. I think that hurts people."

Texas Republican lawmakers have been key opponents of attempts to revive a federal ban on assault weapons that was passed in 1994 and expired in 2004. Cruz led the fight against an effort to reintroduce an assault weapons ban in 2012 following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Critics point to studies that say the original ban had little effect on overall criminal activity and firearm homicides. However, gun control advocates say there is evidence that suggests the legislation was successful at decreasing the number of mass shootings in the nation.

Now Abbott and GOP state lawmakers are laying a groundwork to block Texas from federal gun regulation through legislation that could make Texas a "Second Amendment sanctuary state," prohibiting state agencies and local governments from enforcing new federal gun laws or rules.

"We need to erect a complete barrier against any government official anywhere from treading on gun rights in Texas," Abbott said during his annual State of the State address in February.

Abbott did not respond to a request for comment.

Dozens of gun measures have been filed on both sides of the aisle this year, including a slate of bills by El Paso's statehouse delegation aimed at preventing future mass shootings by restricting assault weapons and keeping guns out of the hands of people who should not possess them, among other changes.

As of Wednesday, none of the at least seven "Second Amendment sanctuary state" bills had been scheduled for a committee hearing.

Other proposals would make it easier for Texans to carry guns. On Thursday in the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, lawmakers will consider a group of controversial bills that would allow Texans to carry handguns - openly or concealed - without a permit.

Despite growing support in recent years from both Republican and Democrat voters for stricter gun control measures, state and federal lawmakers remain split along party lines.

In the February 2020 University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, 61% of Texans strongly supported background checks on all gun purchases, while only 15% either somewhat or strongly opposed such a measure. Texas Democrats were the most supportive, with 91% of those polled saying they strongly or somewhat supported the measures, along with 68% of Republicans.

That Texas would consider loosening gun laws in light of the recent shootings is "disturbing," "insensitive and operates in its own reality," said Ed Scruggs, spokesperson and board member for Texas Gun Sense, a group that advocates for gun control.

"But then again, I'm not really surprised, because that seems to be what our Legislature does in times of gun violence," Scruggs said.

Meanwhile, gun rights groups are applauding Abbott's efforts to defend Texas from what they see as federal attacks on gun ownership and possession.

"The Biden administration has declared war on the entire law-abiding shooting community," said Andi Turner, legislative director for the Texas State Rifle Association. "I am very proud of our governor and the steps he is taking to protect law-abiding gun owners."

Blanco said he's optimistic this session that lawmakers can pass stricter gun rules, especially with support from federal leaders and growing bipartisan support from voters.

"It's important for our community to let folks know that communities like El Paso and Boulder and others that we've not forgotten about these tragedies and that we're actively working towards solutions," he said.

For state lawmakers from El Paso, Blanco said the shootings hit close to home.

"Every time I see another mass shooting my heart breaks, and I can't help recall all the feelings of the deep sadness and the frustration and the confusion that I felt and my fellow El Pasoans felt," Blanco said. "Atlanta and Boulder are feeling the same thing."
Patrick Svitek contributed reporting.

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After Atlanta and Colorado mass shootings, Texas GOP leaders double down on protecting gun owners

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Texas' Republican leaders are responding to the recent back-to-back mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado with commitments to protect gun ownership in the state. They're doubling down against President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats who are pushing for stronger gun laws, including an assault weapons ban, after eight people were killed in Atlanta last week and 10 more in Boulder this week.

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The age limit to owning a fire arm should be raised to 21. With more shootings arising in the U.S we will need to tighten Gun control laws. Raising the age limit could be a solution to tightening the gun laws.

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One Issue that I feel needs more attention is depression. Many people can fall into depression and it is very hard to come out of it. Depression can lead to suicide, or other harmful health effects.

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President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were hardly cordial in their final debate - but both candidates seem to have taken to heart the largely negative reaction to their vicious first showing.

There was less fury and more urgency in the 90-minute debate in Nashville on Thursday night, just 12 days out from Election Day.

The moderator, NBC News' Kristen Welker, kept a tight lid on the Republican president and the Democratic nominee as she peppered them with questions about the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and foreign interference in the election, as well as the candidates' finances.

Compared with the first debate - which was defined by furious crosstalk and personal insults - the final face-off was an almost staid affair. But despite the clearer delivery, neither candidate pulled punches, and the volume started to rise later in the evening.

"He doesn't want to talk about the substantive issues," Biden said at one point after a lengthy exchange with Trump, in which each candidate shot accusations at the other about money they had allegedly received.

"It's not about his family and my family. It's about your family," Biden said, speaking into the camera.

"That's a typical political statement," Trump responded. "'Let's get off the subject of China, let's talk around sitting around the table.' Come on, Joe, you can do better."
Here are the highlights:
Biden warned that the U.S. is headed for a "dark winter" as it continues to grapple with the coronavirus, but Trump maintained that he had taken quick action to respond to the pandemic.

Asked how he could boost Americans' confidence to take a vaccine if and when it arrives, Biden said he would "make sure it's totally transparent."

"We're about to go into a dark winter," Biden said. "And [Trump] has no clear plan and there's no prospect that there's going to be a vaccine available for a majority of the people until the middle of next year."

Trump pushed back: "I don't think we're going to have a dark winter at all. We're opening up our country, we've learned and studied and understand the disease, which we didn't at the beginning."

The president also took his first shot of the night at Biden, noting that the former vice president criticized him in January when he put restrictions on travel from China.

"Now he's saying, 'Oh, I should have moved quicker.' But he didn't move quicker, he was months behind me," Trump said.

Trump claimed Biden makes money from Russia, China and Ukraine, an allegation the former vice president strongly denied before mocking Trump for failing to publicly release his income tax returns and for having a bank account in China.

"Joe got $3.5 million from Russia that came through [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin because he was friendly with the mayor of Moscow," Trump said. "I never got any money from Russia."

"Russia was paying you a lot of money, and they probably still are," Trump claimed. "I think you owe an explanation to the American people."

Biden replied, "I have not taken a penny from any foreign source in my life."

"We learned this president does business in China, has a secret bank account in China and is talking about me taking money? I have not taken a penny from a single country whatsoever," Biden said.

"No. 2 ... I released all my tax returns - 22 years, go look at them. You have not released a single solitary year of your tax return," Biden said. "What are you hiding? Why are you unwilling?"

Trump then said, as he has for years, that he can't release his tax returns because they are under audit by the IRS.

If the Supreme Court rules the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, Biden said his next move would be to "pass Obamacare with a public option: Bidencare."

Biden said that under his plan, the public option would mean that "if you qualify for Medicaid and you do not have the wherewithal in your state to get Medicaid, you are automatically enrolled."

Additionally, the Democrat said his plan would reduce premiums and allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices with insurance companies.

Biden also pushed back on Trump, who beforehand called Biden's health-care proposal "socialized medicine."

Trump said, "I'd like to terminate Obamacare, come up with a brand new beautiful health care ... Come up with better health care, always protecting people with preexisting conditions."

Biden responded by attacking Trump for not having a clear health-care plan, despite promising that he would unveil it.

"There's no way he can protect preexisting conditions. None. Zero," Biden said. "You can't do it in the ether."

Trump and Biden differed sharply on the question of a national minimum wage.

The current national minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, and Trump argued that the minimum wage should be left to the states. Biden backed a nationwide $15 minimum wage.

"Small businesses, by raising the minimum wage - that is not helping," said Trump. "It should be a state option. Alabama is different from New York. New York is different from Vermont. Every state is different. We have to help our small businesses."

The question of whether raising the minimum wage contributes to unemployment on a macro level is still hotly debated by economists.

Welker pressed Trump on his previous suggestion that he'd consider raising the minimum wage. "I would consider it to an extent," Trump said. "But not to a level that is going to put all these businesses out of business. It should be a state option. Different places are all different. Some places, $15 is not so bad. In other places, $15 [is good]."

Biden jumped in. "These people are working two jobs, because one job is below poverty," Biden said. "People are making $6, $7 an hour. These first responders, we clap as they come down the street ... They deserve a minimum wage of $15. Anything below that puts you below the poverty level. And there is no evidence that when you raise the minimum wage, businesses go out of business."

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Here are the key moments from the final Trump-Biden presidential debate

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President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were hardly cordial in their final debate - but both candidates seem to have taken to heart the largely negative reaction to their vicious first showing. There was less fury and more urgency in the 90-minute debate in Nashville on Thursday night, just 12 days out from Election Day.

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California is moving forward with a dramatic reopening of the economy on June 15 that will remove nearly all of the restrictions residents have been living with for more than a year.

The move comes as daily coronavirus cases have plummeted and vaccinations have increased in the state.

What are the key points?

Under new guidance released Friday, here's what the lay of the land will be, come June 15:

No more physical distancing requirements for attendees, customers and guests at almost all businesses and other institutions.

No more coronavirus-related capacity limitations.

California will generally align with mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Restrictions at restaurants, open bars and buffets will go away.

Organizers of indoor events with more than 5,000 people, such as a basketball game, will be required to verify that attendees are either fully vaccinated or have tested negative within 72 hours of the event's start time.

Organizers of outdoor events with more than 10,000 attendees will be recommended, but not required, to do the same, though venues in those instances will have the option of allowing unvaccinated and untested attendees, provided those people wear a mask at all times.

The requirement/recommendation for testing and vaccine verification will remain in effect through Oct. 1, though state officials will assess conditions prior to that to determine how, or whether, to update or extend that guidance.

California's travel advisory will be loosened. Currently, nonessential unvaccinated travelers returning or entering California are still recommended to get tested for the virus before travel and after arrival. They're also asked to quarantine themselves for seven days, even if they test negative. By June 15, the state will likely loosen quarantine recommendations for unvaccinated people who are traveling within the U.S.

How does this move match up with federal guidance?

California will generally accept the CDC's recommendations on masking, starting June 15. The California Department of Public Health may offer more detailed guidance for specific settings, but it will be generally aligned with the CDC.

Here are the key points of what California can probably expect starting June 15, although details will come out later:

Fully vaccinated people by June 15 are expected to no longer need to wear masks in almost all settings, according to expected state rules, although they will still need to wear masks in airports, airplanes, buses, trains and transit stations. Currently, people who are fully vaccinated are still required by the state to wear masks in most indoor public settings and only in outdoor settings that are crowded, such as at live performances, parades, fairs, festivals, sports events or other similar settings.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people will still be required to wear masks in almost all settings outside the home where they're in close contact with other people. One exception includes if only members of one unvaccinated household are present and are attending a small outdoor or indoor gathering where everyone else is vaccinated.

What about workplaces?

A California occupational safety and health standards board will meet June 3 to review new loosened standards that will be made public no later than May 28. If approved, looser rules would go into effect June 15.

For now, workers must continue to wear masks and practice physical distancing unless they're alone - either in a room or outside. Workers can remove masks when eating or drinking, but must physically distance themselves from others.

Why are state officials making this move?

All signs suggest that California is clearly headed out of the pandemic as long as vaccination rates remain steady.

COVID-19 hospitalizations are now at their lowest level since the first few weeks of the pandemic. The per capita average daily rate of coronavirus cases in California is among the lowest in the nation. Statewide, 52% of Californians have received at least one dose of vaccine.

The supply of vaccine is abundant.

What do officials still need to do before June 15?

Officials still need to make progress in getting vaccines into the arms of Californians who have been disproportionately less likely to get a shot.

Statewide, only about 35% of Latino and 36% of Black residents are at least partially vaccinated, while 52% of white, 48% of Native American and 62% of Asian American residents are at least partially vaccinated.

Some people say they still haven't gotten vaccinated because they're worried or unable to take time off work if they suffer from side effects, such as a sore arm, fever and fatigue that might require a vaccinated person to stay home for a day after getting the shot. Others lack transportation to vaccine sites and are more likely to get the shot if clinics are offered close by and don't require an appointment.

What about vaccine passports?

A general centralized state "vaccine passport" system, which would provide regularly accessible records of immunization status, remains off the table at the moment, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California health and human services secretary. That's not to say that businesses/venues can't - or won't - require some kind of verification, he added, but "that isn't something that's going to be driven from the state necessarily."

"We know that technology is being privately developed, we understand that certain business sectors, certain specific operators, may have some requirements on a vaccine passport and our intention is to provide some guidance, some guidelines, so that those who do implement it do it in a way with ultimate integrity, responsibility, in a way that doesn't discriminate," Ghaly said.

Will vaccinated people be at risk if unvaccinated people violate the rules and stop wearing masks?

There's increasing evidence that fully vaccinated people are extraordinarily well-protected against getting COVID-19.

A recent L.A. County analysis found that of the 3.3 million county residents fully vaccinated as of May 7, only 933 - or 0.03% - later tested positive for the coronavirus, including people who showed no symptoms but were tested anyway because of workplace requirements.

Furthermore, only 71 fully vaccinated residents, or 0.002%, were later hospitalized with so-called breakthrough infections. Twelve residents, or 0.00036% of fully vaccinated people, died.

Of the 12 who died, four had severely weakened immune systems, according to the analysis. In such people, vaccinations may not produce the kind of immune system response needed to adequately protect against COVID-19.

As a result, some experts say people with compromised immune systems should speak with their doctor before deciding to take off their mask.

What about the variants?

There's increasing evidence that available vaccines are effective against the known variants.

Will unvaccinated people be at greater risk if other unvaccinated people break the rules and stop wearing masks?

That is a concern, especially for people who work in settings where they're around a lot of people.

That's why now is the time for anyone who has been putting off getting vaccinated to do so, Ghaly said.

"Today, it gives them a chance to say: This is the right time, let me get vaccinated," he said.

There will probably be some increase in coronavirus transmission among unvaccinated people once mask mandates are lifted, but Ghaly said it probably won't significantly affect hospitals because there are so many people who have either been vaccinated or have prior immunity to the coronavirus because they've survived an infection.

(People who have survived COVID-19 should still get the vaccination, experts say, because the vaccine provides better immunity than simply surviving a natural infection.)

Can you still wear a mask if you want?

Yes. In fact, Cal/OSHA rules ban companies from forcing workers to take off a mask if they choose to wear one.

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How life in California will change with June 15 reopening

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California is moving forward with a dramatic reopening of the economy on June 15 that will remove nearly all of the restrictions residents have been living with for more than a year. The move comes as daily coronavirus cases have plummeted and vaccinations have increased in the state.

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It should be mandatory for High schools to teach students about the Environment so that we can prevent further damage to our planet. Everyone should have at least an understanding of things that harm our environment.

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My most important value that I live by is honesty. Without Honesty no one will trust you and you won't even believe in yourself no more.

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Texas Winter Storm: What to Know (Published 2021)

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Power outages and no running water have left Texas and other parts of the South still feeling the effects of a deep freeze that swept the region earlier this week.

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The congressional endeavor of certifying the presidential winner in the Electoral College is typically a banal ritual.

But on Wednesday after weeks of mounting emotions, lawsuits to overturn the results, and an insistence from President Trump and his supporters that the election was stolen, the ceremonial duty became a jaw-dropping event pockmarked by a raid of the Capitol, shots ringing out, tear gas and lives lost.

So what happened?

According to one U.S. military veteran heavily involved in the planning of Wednesday's protests, attendees came from across the country.

"Whether it was Veterans for Trump or Bikers for Trump or Latinos for Trump, we were all there together. We came together by action and the call of our president," the source, who spoke on background, told Fox News. "Our commander-in-chief had requested our assistance, and any veteran with honor listens to the commander-in-chief. That is the spirit in which we live."

In the days leading up to Wednesday, Trump supporters started "pouring in," the source said.

"Everything was booked; you couldn't get a room. People were camping out in the cold," the organizer said, explaining that buses brought supporters from out-of-state. "It was a call to action. We knew this was going to be a big day and an important point in time."
NEW FBI WANTED POSTERS IN CAPITOL RIOT MANHUNT
Jan. 6, the date for certification of the Electoral College, began with small crowds of Trump supporters filtering into designated areas around the Ellipse for permit-approved rallies.

Around 10 a.m., in bone-chilling cold, Trump's sons and his longtime lawyer spoke to the growing crowds, and after the president's speech, in which he said he would never concede, thousands marched toward the Capitol after he suggested that they should.

"We're going to walk down to the Capitol and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and Congressmen and women," Trump said.

Meanwhile, many more protesters accumulated by the White House lawn.

But shortly after 1 p.m., demonstrators started clashing with law enforcement on the steps of the Capitol. Less than 30 minutes later, representatives inside the building were being evacuated amid reports of a bomb outside. And at about 2:10 p.m., rioters managed to blow past police lines and scale the walls around the building.
BLM ACTIVIST INSIDE CAPITOL CLAIMS HE WAS 'DOCUMENTING' RIOTS, ONCE SAID 'BURN IT ALL DOWN'
Within another 40 minutes, the barricades ruptured and thousands headed into the chambers with anger, exhilaration, determination and confusion. After the initial scuffle and breach, word spread quickly through social media forums and scores followed each others' footsteps inside.

From the one insider's point-of-view, the "doors were already open to them, and the barricades had been pulled down already." People simply "wanted to be heard in the chambers," they "wanted their voices heard," and were "sick and tired of what had been going on."

Trump eventually urged backers to protest "peacefully and patriotically," but the chaos continued.

But whether or not detailed plans to overrun the federal building had been set in motion earlier was subject to debate. One Washington security employee connected to the White House told Fox News that it's likely 95% of the attendees were there to protest non-violently. Still, there was likely a sub-section of attendees with more violent intentions.

"Many of the attackers appeared dressed for a riot - suggesting some element of planning," said Jordan Strauss, managing director of business intelligence and investigations at Kroll, a division of New York-based risk consultancy Duff & Phelps. "But I suspect that it was a combination, with some individuals having announced themselves as having come to storm the Capitol or incite some sort of revolution. It would surprise me if some otherwise peaceful protesters were not swept up in the fever of the moment and decided to cross the threshold from peaceful protesters to criminals on the spot."

Nonetheless, the drawing in of MAGA devotees and Trump loyalists for the coveted date had long been in the works, mostly through Facebook pages and online groups - many of which are above-board, registered non-profit 501c3s.

According to a number of those who attended Wednesday's events, the big push began after Trump tweeted on Dec. 19: "Big protest in D.C. on January 6. Be there, be wild!"

Flyers, pinpointing three locations to meet, quickly appeared under the headline "Trump Wants to See You in D.C." Open-source discussions about flight costs and places to stay grew. Some prepared to bring bulletproof clothing and weapons for protection, expressing concern over countering Antifa activists.

"There's often little sophistication to how these events are planned," said Ryan Schonfeld, founder & CEO, RAS Security Group. "The ability to respond in a coordinated manner is possible with the right combination of people and technology making sense of the available data. An exacerbating factor is misinformation, often spread through the use of fake social media and online accounts and profiles."

Momentum, augmented heavily by Trump's rhetoric, continued to gather as the reckoning day to "stop the steal" neared. Several already well-established contingencies supporting the president continued to encourage backers to show up, and new Facebook groups echoing the rallying cry surfaced. While less-regulated social media sites such as Gab and Parler have become common platforms for protest discussions, several of those involved told Fox News that most communication was not underground or via encryption, but open-source.

"We augment and push out our events through social media messaging, and we have direct coordinators and influencers (with large followings) who help in letting our supporters know event times and locations," the source continued. "The point was to be there for the president. All of these patriot groups wanted to be there. We don't want to see the theft of America or a banana republic."

Last Friday, the first day of 2021, after a surprise early departure from his Florida's Mar-a-Lago residence before ringing in the New Year with his most ardent donors, Trump tweeted that the "BIG Protest Rally" would begin at 11 a.m. on Jan. 6.

The rally was set against a backdrop of failed lawsuits advocated by Lin Wood, Sidney Powell and others to overturn Joe Biden's November victory. And Trump supporters' hopes that he would remain in the White House were revived by the Jan. 2 declaration by 12 Republican senators including Josh Hawley of Missouri and Texas' Ted Cruz to lodge objections to the Electoral College certification.
TRUMP SAYS HE 'WILL NOT BE GOING' TO BIDEN'S INAUGURATION
But how and why the Capitol was so easily breached remains a sore point many security experts are piecing together. Officials have contended that despite weeks of planning between federal and local law enforcement agencies, which also entailed social media monitoring, there was no intelligence to indicate the historic chaos.

The "lack of intel" line sparked further conspiracies by those at the rally.

Some involved in Wednesday's breach still maintain that it was never their intention -- and rather, that anti-Trump agitators initiated it.

Another pro-Trump activist vowed that there were "different anarchists involved," some of whom took advantage of "trying to get patriotic, emotionally charged people to do something stupid" -- like following the leader into the Capitol.

Nonetheless, the whole episode shook the Washington security apparatus to the core.

As Chris Edwards, director of Tax Policy Studies at the libertarian-leaning CATO Institute, said it would be hard for the Capitol Police to complain about underfunding.

"The force has 2,300 officers and a $516 million budget to defend two square miles," Edwards said.

Spending on the police force increased from $115 million in 2000 to an estimated $516 million for 2021, he said.

"That equals an annual average growth rate of 7.4 percent, much faster than the 2.1 percent average annual inflation over the period, Edwards said. "The Capitol Police budget is more than the police budgets of Atlanta and Detroit."

In the end, at least five people -- including a police officer defending the Capitol, and military veteran and Trump adherent Ashli Babbitt, who was shot as she entered through a window -- died. So far, police have made more than 68 arrests, 41 of them on Capitol turf and only one identified as Washington resident, authorities have said.

And yet, for many Americans who still stand by the unfounded notion of a fraudulent 2020 election, in the aftermath of Wednesday's bloodshed and with Biden's inauguration just 12 days away, they are still firmly committed to the pro-Trump cause.
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One on-the-ground, pro-Trump leader who is in the process of gathering video and content to dispel the "false narratives that (they) are the terrorists or insurgents."

"People were being funneled into one direction; how do we know it wasn't a deliberate tactic to target us?" the supporter said. "An unarmed combat veteran was shot. Police could have easily used a non-lethal tactic. "We will always honor our fallen, and we are not going to go away. We want to follow our commander-in-chief, and we are watching and waiting for his next action."

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How Wednesday's Capitol riot came to fruition and who made it happen

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The congressional endeavor of certifying the Presidential winner in the Electoral College is typically a banal ritual. Only this year - following weeks of mounting emotions, filed lawsuits to overturn the results and insistence from President Trump and his supporters that the election was stolen - it became a jaw-dropping event pockmarked by thousands storming the Capitol building, shots ringing out, tear gas deployed, and lives lost.

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Biden signs $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, clearing way for stimulus checks, vaccine aid

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The plan will send stimulus checks to most Americans, extend unemployment aid, expand the child tax credit and put money into Covid-19 vaccinations.