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The $1.9 trillion covid relief bill has gotten one step closer to law and almost ready for stimulus checks.

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third stimulus check: what happens next with the covid relief bill - cnnpolitics

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What happens next with the Covid relief bill (and when you could see another stimulus check)

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Senate passage of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill on Saturday brought the massive legislation one step closer to law.

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Billionaire calls for artists to join him in SpaceX mission

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japanese billionaire invites 8 people to join spacex mission around the moon - cnn

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Japanese billionaire invites 8 people to join SpaceX mission around the Moon

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Japanese fashion mogul Yusaku Maezawa, who first announced his intention in 2018 to take a group of artists with him on a six-day trip around the Moon, said Tuesday that he's inviting the public to apply to fill eight open seats on the mission now slated to take off in 2023.

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Dr Seuss books pulled for racist imagery.

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Dr. Seuss's books seem more popular than ever amid the controversy over a small selection of titles that will no longer be sold because they were deemed to have "insensitive and racist imagery."

Copies of the beloved children's author's most popular books were virtually flying out of Amazon and Barnes and Noble's warehouses, with his most popular books making up 9 out of the top 10 bestsellers on both companies' lists as of Thursday evening.

"The Cat in The Hat," "Oh, The Places You'll Go" and "Green Eggs and Ham," three of Seuss's best-known works, were all out of stock on Amazon but still available at a higher price on Barnes and Noble's website as of Thursday evening.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which preserves the author's legacy, announced this week six books - "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "If I Ran the Zoo," "McElligot's Pool," "On Beyond Zebra!," "Scrambled Eggs Super!," and "The Cat's Quizzer" - would no longer be printed.
6 DR. SEUSS BOOKS TO STOP BEING PUBLISHED BECAUSE OF RACIST IMAGERY
"These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong," Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press in a statement that coincided with the late author and illustrator's March 2 birthday.

"Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises' catalog represents and supports all communities and families," it said.

Used copies of the now out-of-print books were being priced by independent sellers on Amazon for hundreds of dollars.

One seller had priced a "good" hardback copy of "The Cat's Quizzer" at $900.

Online marketplace eBay Inc. said it is working to prevent the resale of the six out-of-print books, although hundreds of listings were still on the website as of Thursday. Many of the listings referenced the books being "banned."

One listing was offering four of the books for $2,000.
DR. SEUSS BOOKS DEEMED OFFENSIVE WILL BE DELISTED FROM EBAY
Examples of the problematic drawings include an Asian person wearing a conical hat and holding chopsticks in "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" and two bare-footed African men wearing what appear to be grass skirts with their hair tied above their heads in "If I Ran the Zoo."

The National Education Association, which hosts the "Read Across America Day," once partnered with Dr. Seuss Enterprises for the literary promotion event that lands on his birthday, but has recently become "independent of any one particular book, publisher, or character" because of the need to promote diverse books, according to its website.

The stepdaughter of Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, told the New York Post this week "There wasn't a racist bone in that man's body - he was so acutely aware of the world around him and cared so much."

Lark Grey Dimond-Cates said she understood the decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprises and said people need to be "very gentle and thoughtful and kind with each other" because of the "painful times" we live in.

President Biden stirred some Seuss-related controversy about conservatives when he didn't utter the author's name in his "Read Across America" proclamation - a break from his two immediate predecessors.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden's statement had been written by the NEA.

Seuss remains hugely popular, making an estimated $33 million before taxes in 2020, up from just $9.5 million five years ago, the company said. Forbes listed him No. 2 on its highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only the late pop star Michael Jackson.
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Within hours of Tuesday's announcement, Dr. Seuss books filled more than half of the top 20 slots on Amazon.com's bestseller list. "Mulberry Street" and "If I Ran the Zoo" were on the list, along with "Oh, the Places You'll Go!", "Green Eggs and Ham" and others still being published.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Dr. Seuss book sales soar after 6 titles canceled for 'racist' imagery

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Dr. Seuss's books seem more popular than ever amid the controversy over a small selection of titles that will no longer be sold because they were deemed to have "insensitive and racist imagery."

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Two Senate clerks, John Merlino and Mary Anne Clarkson, and other members of the secretary of the Senate's office took shifts reading the bill

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At least 7 students die from falling from 4th floor.

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At least seven students died and five others were seriously injured when they fell on Tuesday (2) from the fourth floor of a university in the city of El Alto, Bolivia, Health Minister Jayson Auza said.

The victims were between 20 and 24 years old, authorities said.

The crash happened as students attempted to enter an assembly on the fourth floor of the El Alto Public University (UPEA) building on the outskirts of the capital, La Paz.

According to videos posted on social media, dozens of students crowded onto the balcony that gives access to the site and, in the midst of the stampede, the metal gate gave way.

Police said they would open an investigation.

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At least 7 students die falling from 4th floor university in Bolivia - 03/03/2021 - Worldwide - KSU | The Sentinel Newspaper

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At least seven students died and five others were seriously injured when they fell on Tuesday (2) from the fourth floor of a university in the city of El Alto, Bolivia, Health Minister Jayson Auza said. The victims were between 20 and 24 years old, authorities said.

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The Tik Top app seems to be silencing influencers. Many videos of plus size and curvy creators were taken down right after tik tok were promoting them.

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then took down some of their posts. they still don't know why - cnn

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TikTok empowered these plus-sized women, then took down some of their posts. They still don't know why

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After losing her marketing job due to the pandemic and then gaining 40 pounds, Remi Bader, 25, began spending more time on TikTok. She built up a following by posting about clothing items not fitting her correctly and her struggle to find larger sizes in New York City stores.

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Detroit mayor declines the Johnson & Johnson covid vaccine

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Detroit mayor declines Johnson & Johnson allotment, saying the other vaccines are better | CNN

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Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan declined an initial allocation of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine this week even as nationwide demand continues to outpace available supply.

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The Biden administration has been saying it's been working on these guidelines for weeks. They were widely expected to come out Thursday, but they're still in the works, according to an official involved in the drafting process.Vaccines offer really good protection for the vaccinated, research shows, and there's good evidence they help prevent the spread of Covid-19, but the vaccines are not total "armor," Schaffner said. People still need to make informed decisions about risk.

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What CDC guidelines will likely say (and not say) to do if you’re vaccinated | CNN

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The CDC will soon issue guidelines for what the fully vaccinated can and cannot do. They will not be prescriptive, and people will still need to take precautions, but they should give the vaccinated some freedom.

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The sentate is currently trying to pass the stimulus relief bill, which will give money to families struggling with financial issues due to covid.

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What you need to know

A deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon, after being at a standstill for hours, a source says.

Moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin stalled the passage as Republicans urged him to support a less generous unemployment benefits plan.

If the bill passes, it will have to go back to the House before Biden can sign it into law because it has undergone major changes in the Senate after the House passed it last week.

The Senate is voting into Saturday morning, follow our live coverage of the vote .

9:57 p.m. ET, March 5, 2021
There's a deal to move forward with the Covid-19 bill in the Senate. Here's where things stand now.

A deal has been reached in the Senate to pave the way forward on President Joe Biden's Covid-19 relief bill after activity in the chamber ground to a halt for hours tonight.
Here's a look at what's happened so far - and what happens next in the process:

About today's standstill: Moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin earlier today stalled passage of the bill over an impasse on unemployment benefits, with Republicans urging him to sign on to an amendment they had crafted.

What's in the deal: A Democratic aide told CNN that Senate Democrats plan to offer an amendment to extend the enhanced unemployment insurance program through Sept. 6 at a rate of $300 per week as part of an agreement that Manchin has accepted. The aide said that the agreement will make the first $10,200 in benefits nontaxable in a provision that applies to households making less than $150,000.

The Senate had already been bracing for a long night: The Senate had braced for a series of politically tough amendment votes that will stretch late into the night and into Saturday, the last major hurdle senators face before voting on Biden's top legislative priority. The long series of amendment votes, known as a vote-a-rama, is a Senate tradition that the minority party uses to put members of the majority on the record on controversial issues in an effort to make changes to a bill that they oppose.

So what happens now? The Senate now needs to gavel closed the minimum wage vote which has been open since 11:03 am. ET. Once that is done, the Senate will move into the vote-a-rama. This is a free-flowing process, so we are uncertain which amendments will be first.

The Senate vote isn't the final stop: Even if the Senate approves the bill, it will have to go back to the House of Representatives for another vote next week before it can proceed to Biden's desk to be signed into law. That's because the bill has undergone some major changes in the Senate after the House passed the it last week.

In a statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to tonight's compromise on unemployment insurance in Democrats' Covid-19 relief package.

She wrote President Biden "supports the compromise agreement, and is grateful to all the Senators who worked so hard to reach this outcome."

Here's the full statement:

"The President supports the compromise agreement, and is grateful to all the Senators who worked so hard to reach this outcome. It extends supplemental unemployment benefit into September, and helps the vast majority of unemployment insurance recipients avoid unanticipated tax bills. Most importantly, this agreement allows us to move forward on the urgently needed American Rescue Plan, with $1400 relief checks, funding we need to finish the vaccine rollout, open our schools, help those suffering from the pandemic, and more."

Sen. Joe Manchin was the only Democratic senator who did not sign off on the jobless benefits deal at the beginning of the day, prompting a furious lobbying effort from the Democratic leadership, the White House and rank-and-file senators to get him on board.

Moments ago, two Democratic aides with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN that a deal has been reached.

Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through Sept. 6 at $300 a week.

The main things that Manchin got: A cap on who is eligible to write off $10,200 in jobless benefits. Under the deal, Democrats agreed to ensure that households with incomes under $150,000 were only eligible to deduct that amount from their taxes.

The latest Senate version calls for providing a $300 a week federal enhancement, rather than the $400 passed by the House last week - but the extra cash will run until Sept. 6, rather than ending Aug. 29.

A source familiar tells CNN that a deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon.

The process had been stalled for several hours today as moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin was urged by Republicans to support a less generous plan extending enhanced benefits for the unemployed.

Under a final agreement accepted by Manchin, Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through Sept. 6 at $300 a week, according to a Democratic aide with knowledge of the negotiations.

So what come next? The Senate will have to gavel closed the minimum wage vote - which has been open since 11:03 a.m. ET.

Once that is done, the Senate will move into vote-a-rama, meaning that senators can offer as many amendments as they want. This is a free-flowing process so we are uncertain which amendments will be first and come after.

But the deal Manchin struck will be part of an amendment - likely offered by Sen. Tom Carper. Also, Republicans will have a competing amendment on jobless benefits offered by Sen. Rob Portman, who has been lobbying Manchin all day to get on board. It's unclear if Manchin will support this.

Many more amendments to come, and unknown how late it will go.

Moments ago, two Democratic aides with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN that Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through Sept. 6 at $300 a week. The House-passed bill would have provided the benefit through Aug. 29.

The final agreement was accepted by Senator Joe Manchin, who stalled the passage as Republicans urged him to support a less generous plan extending enhanced benefits for the unemployed.

Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer is expected to announce the deal soon on the Senate floor.

Before Schumer took to the floor to announce the deal, Manchin's office released a statement:

"The President has made it clear we will have enough vaccines for every American by the end of May and I am confident the economic recovery will follow. We have reached a compromise that enables the economy to rebound quickly while also protecting those receiving unemployment benefits from being hit with unexpected tax bill next year. Those making less than $150,000 and receiving unemployment will be eligible for a $10,200 tax break. Unemployment benefits will be extended through the end of August."

A source familiar tells CNN that a deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon.

Under a final agreement accepted by Sen. Joe Manchin, Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through September 6 at $300 a week, according to a Democratic aide with knowledge of the negotiations.

The House-passed bill would have provided the benefit through August 29.

The Senate has been at a standstill for hours after Manchin, a moderate Democrat, signaled he could back a GOP plan on jobless benefits.

This agreement also provides tax relief to workers who received unemployment insurance compensation by making the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits non-taxable for the first time to prevent surprise bills for the unemployed at end of year, which was not in the House-passed legislation. This provision applies only to households with incomes under $150k.

The agreement also extends tax rules regarding excess business loss limitations for one additional year, through 2026.

9:43 p.m. ET, March 5, 2021
Remember: Even if the Senate passes the bill, it will have to go back to the House before Biden can sign it

The Senate has been stalled for hours as lawmakers consider President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus package.

Republicans are urging moderate Democrat Joe Manchin to support their less generous plan on jobless benefits, and his party leaders urged Manchin to support the amendment backed by the White House.

But even if the bill eventually passes in the Senate, it will have to go back to the House of Representatives for another vote next week before it can proceed to Biden's desk to be signed into law.

That's because the bill has undergone some major changes in the Senate after the House passed the it last week.

While much of the Senate legislation largely mirrors the package approved by the House and laid out by President Biden in January, lawmakers made several changes throughout the legislation. Two were particularly notable - narrowing eligibility for the stimulus checks and nixing an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Sen. Joe Manchin - who was assigned to preside in the Senate from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET - was just suddenly replaced with Sen. Patty Murray.

He then headed directly to Sen. Chuck Schumer's office where he was greeted by senior staffers to the majority leader and brought inside.

The Senate has been stalled for hours after Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, signaled to Republicans he could support a less-generous GOP plan extending enhanced benefits for the unemployed.

Senate Democrats have been working to pass President Biden's massive $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill.

Sen. Joe Manchin repeatedly refused to comment on where things stood when asked by CNN moments ago.

"No comments, no comments. No comments. No comments, guys," he said.

The Senate - which is working to pass a Covid-19 stimulus bill - has been at a standstill for hours after Manchin signaled he could back a GOP plan on jobless benefits.

Manchin today wouldn't comment on whether President Biden has called him - or why the White House didn't know his position ahead of time.

He also wouldn't say if he would vote for both the Democratic amendment and the GOP amendment, or if there was a third amendment they were working on. Manchin also would not comment on if he supports the idea of allowing the first $10,200 of jobless benefits to be deducted from an individual's taxes - a key sticking point.

"There's too much good negotiation, guys," he said.

A Democratic senator separately told CNN that Biden has spoken with Manchin today.

What you need to know

A deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon, after being at a standstill for hours, a source says.

Moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin stalled the passage as Republicans urged him to support a less generous unemployment benefits plan.

If the bill passes, it will have to go back to the House before Biden can sign it into law because it has undergone major changes in the Senate after the House passed it last week.

The Senate is voting into Saturday morning, follow our live coverage of the vote .

9:57 p.m. ET, March 5, 2021
There's a deal to move forward with the Covid-19 bill in the Senate. Here's where things stand now.

A deal has been reached in the Senate to pave the way forward on President Joe Biden's Covid-19 relief bill after activity in the chamber ground to a halt for hours tonight.
Here's a look at what's happened so far - and what happens next in the process:

About today's standstill: Moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin earlier today stalled passage of the bill over an impasse on unemployment benefits, with Republicans urging him to sign on to an amendment they had crafted.

What's in the deal: A Democratic aide told CNN that Senate Democrats plan to offer an amendment to extend the enhanced unemployment insurance program through Sept. 6 at a rate of $300 per week as part of an agreement that Manchin has accepted. The aide said that the agreement will make the first $10,200 in benefits nontaxable in a provision that applies to households making less than $150,000.

The Senate had already been bracing for a long night: The Senate had braced for a series of politically tough amendment votes that will stretch late into the night and into Saturday, the last major hurdle senators face before voting on Biden's top legislative priority. The long series of amendment votes, known as a vote-a-rama, is a Senate tradition that the minority party uses to put members of the majority on the record on controversial issues in an effort to make changes to a bill that they oppose.

So what happens now? The Senate now needs to gavel closed the minimum wage vote which has been open since 11:03 am. ET. Once that is done, the Senate will move into the vote-a-rama. This is a free-flowing process, so we are uncertain which amendments will be first.

The Senate vote isn't the final stop: Even if the Senate approves the bill, it will have to go back to the House of Representatives for another vote next week before it can proceed to Biden's desk to be signed into law. That's because the bill has undergone some major changes in the Senate after the House passed the it last week.

In a statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to tonight's compromise on unemployment insurance in Democrats' Covid-19 relief package.

She wrote President Biden "supports the compromise agreement, and is grateful to all the Senators who worked so hard to reach this outcome."

Here's the full statement:

"The President supports the compromise agreement, and is grateful to all the Senators who worked so hard to reach this outcome. It extends supplemental unemployment benefit into September, and helps the vast majority of unemployment insurance recipients avoid unanticipated tax bills. Most importantly, this agreement allows us to move forward on the urgently needed American Rescue Plan, with $1400 relief checks, funding we need to finish the vaccine rollout, open our schools, help those suffering from the pandemic, and more."

Sen. Joe Manchin was the only Democratic senator who did not sign off on the jobless benefits deal at the beginning of the day, prompting a furious lobbying effort from the Democratic leadership, the White House and rank-and-file senators to get him on board.

Moments ago, two Democratic aides with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN that a deal has been reached.

Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through Sept. 6 at $300 a week.

The main things that Manchin got: A cap on who is eligible to write off $10,200 in jobless benefits. Under the deal, Democrats agreed to ensure that households with incomes under $150,000 were only eligible to deduct that amount from their taxes.

The latest Senate version calls for providing a $300 a week federal enhancement, rather than the $400 passed by the House last week - but the extra cash will run until Sept. 6, rather than ending Aug. 29.

A source familiar tells CNN that a deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon.

The process had been stalled for several hours today as moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin was urged by Republicans to support a less generous plan extending enhanced benefits for the unemployed.

Under a final agreement accepted by Manchin, Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through Sept. 6 at $300 a week, according to a Democratic aide with knowledge of the negotiations.

So what come next? The Senate will have to gavel closed the minimum wage vote - which has been open since 11:03 a.m. ET.

Once that is done, the Senate will move into vote-a-rama, meaning that senators can offer as many amendments as they want. This is a free-flowing process so we are uncertain which amendments will be first and come after.

But the deal Manchin struck will be part of an amendment - likely offered by Sen. Tom Carper. Also, Republicans will have a competing amendment on jobless benefits offered by Sen. Rob Portman, who has been lobbying Manchin all day to get on board. It's unclear if Manchin will support this.

Many more amendments to come, and unknown how late it will go.

Moments ago, two Democratic aides with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN that Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through Sept. 6 at $300 a week. The House-passed bill would have provided the benefit through Aug. 29.

The final agreement was accepted by Senator Joe Manchin, who stalled the passage as Republicans urged him to support a less generous plan extending enhanced benefits for the unemployed.

Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer is expected to announce the deal soon on the Senate floor.

Before Schumer took to the floor to announce the deal, Manchin's office released a statement:

"The President has made it clear we will have enough vaccines for every American by the end of May and I am confident the economic recovery will follow. We have reached a compromise that enables the economy to rebound quickly while also protecting those receiving unemployment benefits from being hit with unexpected tax bill next year. Those making less than $150,000 and receiving unemployment will be eligible for a $10,200 tax break. Unemployment benefits will be extended through the end of August."

A source familiar tells CNN that a deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon.

Under a final agreement accepted by Sen. Joe Manchin, Senate Democrats will now offer an amendment to extend the enhanced Unemployment Insurance program through September 6 at $300 a week, according to a Democratic aide with knowledge of the negotiations.

The House-passed bill would have provided the benefit through August 29.

The Senate has been at a standstill for hours after Manchin, a moderate Democrat, signaled he could back a GOP plan on jobless benefits.

This agreement also provides tax relief to workers who received unemployment insurance compensation by making the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits non-taxable for the first time to prevent surprise bills for the unemployed at end of year, which was not in the House-passed legislation. This provision applies only to households with incomes under $150k.

The agreement also extends tax rules regarding excess business loss limitations for one additional year, through 2026.

9:43 p.m. ET, March 5, 2021
Remember: Even if the Senate passes the bill, it will have to go back to the House before Biden can sign it

The Senate has been stalled for hours as lawmakers consider President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus package.

Republicans are urging moderate Democrat Joe Manchin to support their less generous plan on jobless benefits, and his party leaders urged Manchin to support the amendment backed by the White House.

But even if the bill eventually passes in the Senate, it will have to go back to the House of Representatives for another vote next week before it can proceed to Biden's desk to be signed into law.

That's because the bill has undergone some major changes in the Senate after the House passed the it last week.

While much of the Senate legislation largely mirrors the package approved by the House and laid out by President Biden in January, lawmakers made several changes throughout the legislation. Two were particularly notable - narrowing eligibility for the stimulus checks and nixing an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Sen. Joe Manchin - who was assigned to preside in the Senate from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET - was just suddenly replaced with Sen. Patty Murray.

He then headed directly to Sen. Chuck Schumer's office where he was greeted by senior staffers to the majority leader and brought inside.

The Senate has been stalled for hours after Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, signaled to Republicans he could support a less-generous GOP plan extending enhanced benefits for the unemployed.

Senate Democrats have been working to pass President Biden's massive $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill.

Sen. Joe Manchin repeatedly refused to comment on where things stood when asked by CNN moments ago.

"No comments, no comments. No comments. No comments, guys," he said.

The Senate - which is working to pass a Covid-19 stimulus bill - has been at a standstill for hours after Manchin signaled he could back a GOP plan on jobless benefits.

Manchin today wouldn't comment on whether President Biden has called him - or why the White House didn't know his position ahead of time.

He also wouldn't say if he would vote for both the Democratic amendment and the GOP amendment, or if there was a third amendment they were working on. Manchin also would not comment on if he supports the idea of allowing the first $10,200 of jobless benefits to be deducted from an individual's taxes - a key sticking point.

"There's too much good negotiation, guys," he said.

A Democratic senator separately told CNN that Biden has spoken with Manchin today.

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By Melissa Macaya, Meg Wagner and Melissa Mahtani, CNN

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March 5, 2021 Covid-19 stimulus bill updates

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What you need to know A deal about the path forward on the Covid-19 stimulus bill is coming soon, after being at a standstill for hours, a source says. Moderate Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin stalled the passage as Republicans urged him to support a less generous unemployment benefits plan.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is opening up about his decision to end the state mask mandate, stressing that he still urges residents to take precautions, but Texans "no longer need government running our lives."

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On March 10, the mask order will end and businesses can reopen at full capacity.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is opening up about his decision to end the state mask mandate, stressing that he still urges residents to take precautions, but Texans "no longer need government running our lives."

On March 10, Texas' mask order will end and businesses can reopen at full capacity, Abbott announced Tuesday.

In a Thursday interview with ABC Houston station KTRK, Abbott said the decision "was a product of the data that we have seen."

Thursday marked the lowest positivity rate and number of hospitalizations since October, Abbott said. Over 50% of Texans ages 65 and older have received at least one vaccine shot, he added.

"All the metrics are moving in the right direction," he told KTRK. "The numbers are adequate for people to be able to go back to work, open up and get back to a sense of normalcy, especially for our kids and schools, while at the same time making sure that people do follow the best practices."

"We are still urging people to continue to wear the mask," Abbott said.

In the face of backlash over his decision, including from President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Abbott conceded, "There's never going to be a uniform agreement on this."

The governor added, "If businesses don't feel safe opening, they should not be required to."

Abbott stressed, "We no longer need government running our lives. Instead, everybody must continue to assume their own individual responsibility to take the actions that they have already mastered to make sure that they will not be contracting COVID-19."

Biden on Wednesday called Abbott's ruling "Neanderthal thinking."

"I hope everybody has realized by now these masks make a difference," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office.

"The last thing we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, 'Everything's fine, take off your mask,'" Biden said.

Fauci said Abbott's decision was "quite risky."

"If you look at the amount of infection that is in the community right now, even though the slope is coming down sharply, if you look at the last seven day average, it's plateaued," Fauci said Wednesday in a livestream with United Food and Commercial Workers International Union President Marc Perrone.

"That's a dangerous sign because when that has happened in the past, when you pull back on measures of public health, invariably you've seen a surge back up," Fauci said.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also said Tuesday that county mask mandates would be lifted and businesses could "operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules." Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey took a more conservative approach, announcing Thursday that she was extending the state's mask mandate until April 9.

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Texas governor on ending mask order: 'We no longer need government running our lives'

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On March 10, the mask order will end and businesses can reopen at full capacity. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is opening up about his decision to end the state mask mandate, stressing that he still urges residents to take precautions, but Texans "no longer need government running our lives."

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The unemployment rate raised to 6.2% last week after 379,000 jobs were added by employers.

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U.S. employers added 379,000 jobs last month, pushing the unemployment rate for February down by a fraction of a percentage point to 6.2%, the Department of Labor said Friday.

Friday's jobs report highlights how the pace of the labor market's recovery remains hampered by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The pre-pandemic unemployment rate in the U.S. was 3.5%.

Notable job gains last month occurred in leisure and hospitality (which saw an uptick of 355,000) that the DOL linked to easing pandemic-related restrictions. Employment declined last month in state and local government education (which saw a loss of 69,000 jobs) and construction (which shed 61,000 jobs).

"The labor market continued to reflect the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," the DOL said.

Julia Pollak, a labor economist for the jobs site ZipRecruiter, told ABC News ahead of the report's release that hiring figures last month remain "disappointing" and "not consistent with a robust recovery."

"I think in the winter it was really just hard for the economy to recover much, given the fact that it's now so sensitive to weather with outdoor services beings the only show in town," she said.

"We also had this winter surge in COVID cases that led to renewed restrictions," Pollak added. "So it was a difficult time for employers to get back to business at full steam."

The DOL said in its release Friday that "severe winter weather across much of the country may have held down employment in construction," which saw some of the highest job losses last month.

A man walks past a "Now Hiring" sign on a window at Sherwin Williams store, Feb. 26, 2021, in Woodmere Village, Ohio.

Still, Pollak said that she holds some optimism for the labor market going forward, citing recent falling case counts across the country and a vaccine rollout that is "finally accelerating."

While it may not be captured in February's jobs report, Pollak said employers "really started expanding capacity and posting jobs in February, and that will translate into hiring in March."

Friday's data also highlighted the uneven recoveries for workers when broken down by racial groups. The unemployment rate last month for Black workers was 9.9% and for Hispanic workers was 8.5%. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for white workers was 5.6%.

Pollak also noted that the pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on women in the workforce, who have borne the brunt of child care responsibilities amid school closures and remote learning.

"For all the progress that women have made in the labor force in the last few years, it's often mothers who have to stay home and are forced out of their careers," she said.

Citing Census Current Population Survey data, she added, "It's women with children who had the largest decline in labor force participation."

Pollak said some threats to the recovery still lurk, including the concerning spread of new COVID-19 variants even amid the vaccine rollout.

"We can't possibly know what what's going to happen in the future; there's still tremendous uncertainty," she said. "But the news right now is overwhelmingly positive on the vaccine front and on the decline in cases."

And at a time when "the economy's never been so tied to the weather," Pollak added, the coming of spring also offers a bright spot for restaurants and other industries.

White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese reacted to February's jobs report on Friday in an interview with MSNBC.

"Let's put this jobs number in perspective. One, we are 9.5 million jobs behind where we were a year ago, that's a bigger jobs hole than any point in the Great Recession," he said. "Number two, the unemployment rate, the measured unemployment rate, is 6.2%, but that doesn't capture the fact that we've seen historic reductions in the labor force."

This means "millions of people, many parents and mostly women, have left the labor force because they've been forced to take care of their kids or take care of a loved one in the pandemic situation," he said.

While Deese acknowledged the job growth, "we still have a long way to go" on the recovery, he argued.

Finally, Deese said President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan is aimed in part at addressing the major job losses seen in state and local government education last month.

The "plan's provisions to provide relief to states and localities" will ensure state and local governments don't have to choose between funding the fight against COVID-19 or their educators' jobs, he said.

ABC News' Molly Nagle contributed to this report.

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Employers added 379,000 jobs last month, pushing unemployment rate to 6.2%

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U.S. employers added 379,000 jobs last month, pushing the unemployment rate for February down by a fraction of a percentage point to 6.2%, the Department of Labor said Friday. Friday's jobs report highlights how the pace of the labor market's recovery remains hampered by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

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With printing presses no longer in service, Kansas City Star building goes up for sale.

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There's a new real estate listing for one of Kansas City's most recognizable buildings. For sale or for lease, it's the building formerly used to print The Kansas City Star newspaper.

The giant building is located at 1601 McGee Street. The newspaper still uses office space at the location but has previously announced its intentions to vacate the building by the end of 2021.

Certain things have already changed. For example, Kansas City Star newspapers are now printed in Des Moines and trucked in to subscribers early in the morning. The last newspaper printed at the building covered Super Bowl Sunday.

Previously reported by the Kansas City Star, the printing transition means 68 full-time and 56 part-time employees were planned to be laid off. These changes came as the Star's parent company McClatchy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection one year ago.

The building is the result of a $200 million investment. It was completed in 2006, according to the real estate listing.

Greg Swetnam, principal and director of office brokerage for Kessinger Hunter Commercial Real Estate, said to sell the space there will likely need to be changes to the property.

"With a 400,000-square-foot facility and the way that it's designed because it's free span in certain areas, maybe you go inside and create a building-in-a-building. Or an office where you float floors in the property as office space or a corporate headquarters scenario," Swetnam said.

"This will be dismantled and sold or it will be left in place for someone who wants to print with it," Dan Jensen said while pointing to the four printing presses that span two city blocks. Jensen is a principal and director of industrial brokerage and development, also at Kessinger Hunter.

"You have to look at it as a blank palate. it could be anything you want it to be," Jensen said.

That is how the space is being marketed. It could be a data center. It could be apartments. It could be grocery store. Or it could be all of those things.

"People who are looking at mixed use development who value the presence in the central business district area and believe that by adding their investment beside the T-Mobile center and across from the entertainment center, that there's value that they can create," Jensen said.

"It clearly is going to be a 'reuse' because it's probably not going to be a newspaper operation again. Correct," Swetnam said.

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With printing presses no longer in service, Kansas City Star building goes up for sale

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There's a new real estate listing for one of Kansas City's most recognizable buildings. For sale or for lease, it's the building formerly used to print The Kansas City Star newspaper. The giant building is located at 1601 McGee Street.

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doctor suess books are being pulled

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In this lesson, students will explore the debate over whether and how an author's works should be posthumously curated to reflect evolving attitudes.

"If I Ran the Zoo," "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "On Beyond Zebra!" and "McElligot's Pool" were among the six Dr. Seuss books that his estate said "portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong." Credit... Christopher Dolan/The Times-Tribune, via Associated Press

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.
Featured Article: "Dr. Seuss Books Are Pulled, and a 'Cancel Culture' Controversy Erupts" by Alexandra Alter and Elizabeth A. Harris
Dr. Seuss is one of the world's most beloved and popular children's book authors, known for his memorable rhymes and fantastical characters. This week, his estate said it would stop selling six of his books because they contained offensive imagery. Although the author's most famous books, like "Green Eggs and Ham" and "Cat in the Hat," were untouched, his estate's decision has ignited a debate over what to do with outdated and insensitive depictions of racial, ethnic, cultural and gender differences in children's literature.

In this lesson, you will learn about the Seuss estate's decision and the debate over how an author's works should be posthumously curated, if at all, to reflect evolving attitudes. In a Going Further activity, you will consider and assess the work and legacy of Dr. Seuss.

Children's books were an important part of my childhood.

Children's books can have a deep and long lasting effect on a child - both good and bad, depending on the material.

If a children's book contains offensive material - such as outdated and insensitive depictions of racial, ethnic, cultural and gender differences - it should no longer be sold or read.

Classic children's books, even if outdated or offensive, should continue to be sold because they are now an important part of history and childhood tradition. It should be up to parents and schools to decide whether to read or teach them to children.

Note to teachers: Ideally, you might do this as a Barometer activity. Here is an option for doing it online. However, if you are teaching in person and have limited space in your socially distanced classroom, you might simply ask students to stand if they agree and remain seated if they disagree.
Before reading the featured article, write and share your views on the four statements below.

For each statement, decide whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree. Then discuss your thoughts with your classmates or explain in writing why you think the way that you do.

Read the article and then answer the following questions:
1. What reasons did Dr. Seuss Enterprises give for its decision to discontinue six lesser-known books, including "If I Ran the Zoo" and "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street"? How did the organization come to this decision?

2. The article says that Dr. Seuss is "one of the world's most enduringly popular children's book authors." Understand the scope of his appeal by finding some numbers in this article: What year was his first book published? How many books did Dr. Seuss go on to publish? How many total copies have his all of his books sold worldwide? How many copies of "Green Eggs and Ham" were sold in the United States last year? Following the recent controversy, how many of his books are on the top of Amazon's print best-seller list? Taken together, what do these numbers tell us about Dr. Seuss's popularity?

3. What has been the public response to the Seuss estate's decision? Why do some critics see this as another example of "cancel culture"?

4. According to the article, in recent decades, librarians and scholars have led a push to re-evaluate children's classics that contain stereotypes and caricatures. Give two examples from the article of children's books that have been revised, updated, taken out of libraries or even out of circulation.

5. What previous scrutiny and criticism has Dr. Seuss faced? Which of these charges do you find most persuasive, if any?

6. What is your reaction to the article? How does it affect your views on Dr. Seuss and his books? Does reading the article change any of your views from the warm-up activity? How do you think we - the public, book publishers, libraries, educators - should respond, if at all, to classics that some argue are "out of step with current social and cultural values"?
Option 1: Share your thoughts and opinions.
Choose one or more of the following writing prompts:

Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book? What do you think accounts for their enduring appeal?The playful rhymes? The fantastical characters? The positive themes and messages, such as in "The Lorax," about protecting the environment, or "The Sneetches," about prejudice and acceptance? Do you have a memorable childhood memory of reading or being read Dr. Seuss?

Ms. Alter and Ms. Harris write, "For many people, regardless of their politics, there is a disconnect between books that feel cozy and familiar from their childhood, and accusations that they could be offensive or hurtful." What do they mean by that statement? Have you ever seen a book you loved as a child come under scrutiny for being offensive or hurtful? If so, how did it feel? Did your childhood feelings affect how you critically re-evaluated the book?

In 2019, before the current controversy, Gabriel Smith wrote for Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance): "Two things can be true at the same time: Dr. Seuss is a prolific children's book author and global icon. And Dr. Seuss has a history of racial baggage that educators should understand when introducing his writing to their students." Do you agree with either or both of these statements? How should educators, parents and siblings talk to younger children about Dr. Seuss? How would you describe Dr. Seuss's legacy? Do you think you would read his books to your own children one day?

To learn more about Dr. Seuss's work and legacy and the charges of stereotyping, visit The Times's Theodor Seuss Geisel topic page or read some of these articles from beyond The Times:
Option 2: Explore the impact of stereotypical and offensive children's books on readers.
In " Six Seuss Books Bore a Bias," Charles Blow, a Times Opinion columnist, writes about the insidious and harmful affects of racism in children's books and culture:

As a child, I was led to believe that Blackness was inferior. And I was not alone. The Black society into which I was born was riddled with these beliefs.

It wasn't something that most if any would articulate in that way, let alone knowingly propagate. Rather, it was in the air, in the culture. We had been trained in it, bathed in it, acculturated to hate ourselves.

It happened for children in the most inconspicuous of ways: It was relayed through toys and dolls, cartoons and children's shows, fairy tales and children's books.

At every turn, at every moment, I was being baptized in the narrative that everything white was right, good, noble and beautiful, and everything Black was the opposite.

It concludes:

Racism must be exorcised from culture, including, or maybe especially, from children's culture. Teaching a child to hate or be ashamed of themselves is a sin against their innocence and a weight against their possibilities.

Read the entire piece and then tell us what you think: What aspects of Mr. Blow's essay resonate with you? Have you seen or experienced that children's books and popular culture can have a harmful impact on young minds - especially about what it means to be Black or white? Do you agree with his contention that "racism must be exorcised from culture, including, or maybe especially, from children's culture"? Why or why not?

Which children's books, if any, have you read that you found problematic, offensive or hurtful? Do you believe that any children's books had a negative impact on you? If so, explain why.
Option 3: Read a children's book aloud to someone.
Read Across America Day was March 2, the same day as Dr. Seuss's birthday. Started in 1998 by the National Education Association, Read Across America Day was created as a way to encourage children to read. Did you participate?

This year, the N.E.A. is focusing on diverse children's books and has provided a list of recommended reading for the year.

If you could choose any children's book to read aloud to a young child, what would you choose and why? Consider the N.E.A.'s goal of diversity in children's literature. Will children of different races, genders and cultural backgrounds see themselves in a positive light in this book? Does this book perpetuate harmful stereotypes or disrupt them? What messages and values will your book choice teach young children?

Now that you have a good children's book selected and have made a strong case for your choice, find a child you know - a younger brother, sister, cousin or neighbor - and read it to them!
About Lesson of the Day
* Find all our Lessons of the Day in this column.
* Teachers, watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to use this feature in your classroom.

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Lesson of the Day: 'Dr. Seuss Books Are Pulled, and a "Cancel Culture" Controversy Erupts'

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In this lesson, students will explore the debate over whether and how an author's works should be posthumously curated to reflect evolving attitudes. Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

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Dr. Suess books sales have gone up since the controversy of the "racist imagery" in some of the books. Some schools have banned Dr.Suess books from their school.

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Dr. Seuss's books seem more popular than ever amid the controversy over a small selection of titles that will no longer be sold because they were deemed to have "insensitive and racist imagery."

Copies of the beloved children's author's most popular books were virtually flying out of Amazon and Barnes and Noble's warehouses, with his most popular books making up 9 out of the top 10 bestsellers on both companies' lists as of Thursday evening.

"The Cat in The Hat," "Oh, The Places You'll Go" and "Green Eggs and Ham," three of Seuss's best-known works, were all out of stock on Amazon but still available at a higher price on Barnes and Noble's website as of Thursday evening.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which preserves the author's legacy, announced this week six books - "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "If I Ran the Zoo," "McElligot's Pool," "On Beyond Zebra!," "Scrambled Eggs Super!," and "The Cat's Quizzer" - would no longer be printed.
6 DR. SEUSS BOOKS TO STOP BEING PUBLISHED BECAUSE OF RACIST IMAGERY
"These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong," Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press in a statement that coincided with the late author and illustrator's March 2 birthday.

"Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises' catalog represents and supports all communities and families," it said.

Used copies of the now out-of-print books were being priced by independent sellers on Amazon for hundreds of dollars.

One seller had priced a "good" hardback copy of "The Cat's Quizzer" at $900.

Online marketplace eBay Inc. said it is working to prevent the resale of the six out-of-print books, although hundreds of listings were still on the website as of Thursday. Many of the listings referenced the books being "banned."

One listing was offering four of the books for $2,000.
DR. SEUSS BOOKS DEEMED OFFENSIVE WILL BE DELISTED FROM EBAY
Examples of the problematic drawings include an Asian person wearing a conical hat and holding chopsticks in "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" and two bare-footed African men wearing what appear to be grass skirts with their hair tied above their heads in "If I Ran the Zoo."

The National Education Association, which hosts the "Read Across America Day," once partnered with Dr. Seuss Enterprises for the literary promotion event that lands on his birthday, but has recently become "independent of any one particular book, publisher, or character" because of the need to promote diverse books, according to its website.

The stepdaughter of Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, told the New York Post this week "There wasn't a racist bone in that man's body - he was so acutely aware of the world around him and cared so much."

Lark Grey Dimond-Cates said she understood the decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprises and said people need to be "very gentle and thoughtful and kind with each other" because of the "painful times" we live in.

President Biden stirred some Seuss-related controversy about conservatives when he didn't utter the author's name in his "Read Across America" proclamation - a break from his two immediate predecessors.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden's statement had been written by the NEA.

Seuss remains hugely popular, making an estimated $33 million before taxes in 2020, up from just $9.5 million five years ago, the company said. Forbes listed him No. 2 on its highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only the late pop star Michael Jackson.
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Within hours of Tuesday's announcement, Dr. Seuss books filled more than half of the top 20 slots on Amazon.com's bestseller list. "Mulberry Street" and "If I Ran the Zoo" were on the list, along with "Oh, the Places You'll Go!", "Green Eggs and Ham" and others still being published.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Dr. Seuss book sales soar after 6 titles canceled for 'racist' imagery

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Dr. Seuss's books seem more popular than ever amid the controversy over a small selection of titles that will no longer be sold because they were deemed to have "insensitive and racist imagery."

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Pope Francis makes first papal trip ever to Iraq.

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IRBIL, Iraq - Pope Francis has touched down in Iraq for the first-ever papal visit to the predominately Muslim country, beginning a four-day visit in Baghdad, where yellow Vatican flags and likenesses of the pontiff flutter above hastily weeded traffic circles.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi welcomed Francis at Baghdad International Airport. He was greeted with fanfare as he stepped onto the red carpet, and then by a choir as he entered the airport.

Crowds of people waved Iraqi and Vatican flags as he passed on his way to sit and speak with the prime minister in a reception area of the airport. The conversation was not broadcast. As Francis left the airport, he passed people dancing and singing, few of whom were wearing masks.

The pope is set to cross the capital to the golden-domed presidential palace on the banks of the Tigris River and meet President Barham Saleh later Friday.

During the trip, Francis will meet leaders from Iraq's dwindling Christian community and hold an inter-religious meeting at the ancient site of Ur, traditional birthplace of the biblical Abraham, revered by three faiths as the founder of monotheism.

On Saturday, Francis will be hosted by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the leader of Iraq's Shiite Muslims. Sunday will see him travel to the north of the country, including to Mosul, and lead prayers in areas retaken from Islamic State extremists.

"I come as a pilgrim, as a penitent pilgrim to implore forgiveness and reconciliation from the Lord after years of war and terrorism," he said in a video message before the trip. "To ask God for the consolation of hearts and the healing of wounds."

For Iraqi Christians, who trace their history almost back to the time of Jesus, the visit is long-awaited. Pope John Paul II had wanted to visit Iraq in 2000, but negotiations with former dictator Saddam Hussein fell through.

"It is a happiness and a blessing," says Tony Fawzi, a day-laborer, after attending Mass at a Chaldean Catholic church recently in Baghdad. "And it is not only a visit to Christians but to Iraq in general."

Church leaders have been preparing intensely for the visit, particularly in the town of Qaraqosh, near Mosul, where a Syriac Catholic church was burned and gutted in 2014 when militants from ISIS blazed through the Nineveh Plains.

"We started rebuilding the church in the end of 2019," says Rev. Ammar Yako, of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh. They had hoped to finish the renovation in time for Easter Mass this year, "but when we hear that the pope will visit Iraq, especially this church, we start working quickly to finish it," he says.

"Really now the church, it's so beautiful," he says. "And the first one to pray in it after the renovation will be the Holy Father."

Yako says a few years ago he could never have imagined such a thing. After the town was retaken from ISIS in 2017, the houses were charred shells and the people were gone. Now, a little under half the residents are back, he says, and maybe the papal visit will inspire more to return.

"This is what we hope that this visit will give us in the future," he says.

In Najaf, by contrast, the pope's meeting with Sistani will be a private audience in the reclusive cleric's modest home, which for decades he has rarely left.

The visit is considered historic by the clerical establishment in Najaf, says Hayder al-Khoei, director of international relations at an institute run by his family. His grandfather, Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, was Sistani's predecessor and teacher.

"Both the Shiite Islamic establishment and the Catholic Church have consistently condemned violence being committed in the name of religion," says Khoei. "And I think that's one thing that will be a topic discussed between the pope and Sistani."

He adds that, as it happens, he has met both men. "And it's striking how similar their personalities are. So even as individuals, in terms of their calmness, their piety, they're going to see eye to eye on a personal level, not just philosophical."

The visit is going ahead despite a recent uptick in rocket attacks on military bases and the U.S. Embassy, which American officials have blamed on Iran-backed militias. U.S. airstrikes hit buildings used by those militias just over the border in Syria last week, killing one militant.

Public health experts have raised concerns about the visit's timing: vaccinations against COVID-19 are just beginning in Iraq, and case numbers have ticked up sharply in recent weeks.

Officials insist social distancing measures will be in place at all events, but some are likely to involve large numbers of people. The Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Irbil, the Most Rev. Bashar Warda, tweeted that 10,000 people will attend a Mass on Sunday, in a stadium that can hold 40,000.

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Pope Francis Begins Historic Visit To Iraq - 'I Come As A Pilgrim'

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IRBIL, Iraq - Pope Francis has touched down in Iraq for the first-ever papal visit to the predominately Muslim country, beginning a four-day visit in Baghdad, where yellow Vatican flags and likenesses of the pontiff flutter above hastily weeded traffic circles. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi welcomed Francis at Baghdad International Airport.

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After The Washington Football team's quarterback Alex Smith won comeback player of the year the team decided to release him. Alex Smith led the team to winning their division and getting into the playoffs. The team decided to release him.

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Dr. Sylvia sets the world record for the farthest depth a women has dived in the ocean.

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As International Women's Day approaches on March 8, we're celebrating Women's Month and the achievements of women throughout history and across the globe. From the pages of The Explorers Journal, we're spotlighting four women who broke boundaries in exploration, research, and science. First up, let's dive in with Dr. Sylvia Earle.

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Watch worth 500000 dollars was stolen in a shooting

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A woman was shot Thursday during a robbery at a famed Beverly Hills restaurant, officials said.

Authorities said the woman was eating with two other people at Il Pastaio, a high-end Italian eatery, when three robbers demanded property from a man at the establishment, according to police and reports.

Police believe the man who was robbed was targeted for his high-end watch, a law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times.

TMZ r eported that a $500,000 Richard Mille watch was stolen.

"One of the suspects shot the female and the three suspects fled on foot," the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a news release.
HOUSTON MAN FATALLY SHOT WHILE TRYING TO GET STOLEN CAR BACK: POLICE

The woman was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. A second victim -- who was not shot -- suffered a physical injury during the incident and was treated at the scene, authorities said.

Il Pastaio is located in the city's high-end Canon Drive dining row and is a favorite of many in Hollywood, reports said. The eatery opened in 1994 and is one of several high-end Italian restaurants owned by chef Celestino Drago.

Users on social media posted photos and videos of yellow tape and a large police presence at the restaurant after the shooting.
FLORIDA BANK ALLEGEDLY ROBBED BY WOMAN IN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR: REPORT
The incident occurred as robberies have been on the upswing in recent weeks in some of the West L.A. neighborhoods that border Beverly Hills, authorities said.

Investigators said many of the recent robberies took place in broad daylight, with criminals targeting people "wearing high-end jewelry, specifically Rolex watches," the paper reported.

The Los Angeles Police Department, in a release last month, said thieves "used multiple types of vehicles and appear to follow victims from restaurants and stores in the area."
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"In most instances, the suspects wait for victims to walk to their vehicles and reach an isolated area before they attack them at gunpoint," the department wrote.

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Beverly Hills shooting: Robbers take off with $500G watch, report says

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A woman was shot Thursday during a robbery at a famed Beverly Hills restaurant, officials said. Authorities said the woman was eating with two other people at Il Pastaio, a high-end Italian eatery, when three robbers demanded property from a man at the establishment, according to police and reports.

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Mask mandates have been dropped in a few states.  Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota all have dropped the guideline. Now we have 16 total states with no mask guidelines. Alabama is now following in about a month. The governor of Alabama has said that wearing a mask is..."a matter of personal responsibility and not a government mandate."

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Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota lifted mask requirements.

Five states -- Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota -- have ended, or soon will end, statewide mask mandates, despite the looming threat of COVID-19 and highly transmissible variants.

They're joining 11 other states -- Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee -- that never required face coverings statewide.

Alabama will lift its mandate in about a month, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Thursday. She said that beginning on April 9, wearing masks will be "a matter of personal responsibility and not a government mandate."

Texas and Mississippi announced Tuesday they'd shortly be ending requirements for masks and allowing businesses to operate at full capacity, decisions President Joe Biden slammed as "Neanderthal thinking."

Ending requirements for face coverings defies Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that encourages everyone public to continue wearing masks in public and maintaining proper social distancing.

"Cases in the country are leveling off at rates just on the cusp of potential to resurge," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a Wednesday briefing on the reopenings. She added the COVID-19 variant that first emerged in the UK, known as B.1.1.7, "looms ready to hijack our successes to date."

She stressed it is "critically important" that "individuals wear a mask, socially distance and do the right thing to protect their own health."

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that "Texas is OPEN 100%" and the mask mandate, in effect since July, would expire March 10. He cited lower COVID-19 hospitalizations and a virus positivity rate that has been declining for two months straight.

The Lone Star State has recorded more than 2.3 million cases of COVID-19 -- with nearly 5,000 new cases Wednesday -- and more than 43,500 fatalities since the start of the crisis, according to state data. The state is averaging 297 deaths a day, according to The Covid Tracking Project's seven-day average.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced the end of his state's mask mandate starting on March 3, citing plummeting hospitalization and case numbers and ramped up vaccine distribution.

Cases have fallen in the state since January and the percent positivity rate for the last month is 10.96%, according to Johns Hopkins University. Only 7.63% of the state's population has been vaccinated.

"Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules," Reeves said in a Facebook post. "Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!"

Iowa adopted a mask mandate in November, but in February Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted it saying, "We know what we need to do and it doesn't require a government mandate to do it."

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte allowed the state's mask rule to expire in February but said local authorities could enforce their own mandates.

North Dakota issued a mask mandate in November 2020 that expired in January. Officials didn't renew it due to a drop in cases and hospitalizations, while allowing for local safety protocols to be enacted.

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Which states have dropped mask mandates and why

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Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota lifted mask requirements. Five states -- Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota -- have ended, or soon will end, statewide mask mandates, despite the looming threat of COVID-19 and highly transmissible variants.

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Regarding the Coronavirus, scientists are debating over the type of administration people should recive. By reciving two does (Pifzer/Moderna) of the vaccine taken a few weeks apart is 95% effective at preventing symptomatic infection. Leaving the J&J new vaccination up for questioning on it's effectiveness.

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covid-19 vaccines: two doses of pfizer and moderna's vaccines are necessary

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Two doses of Pfizer and Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine are necessary, officials say, but questions still linger

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The United States is holding firm to the strategy to administer two doses of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines a few weeks apart. Still, the idea of expanding the supply by dispensing only one dose hasn't faded away.

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Myanmar authorities kill at least 38 peaceful protesters in bloodiest day since coup

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LONDON and HONG KONG -- At least 38 protesters were killed by authorities in Myanmar on Wednesday, marking the bloodiest day since the military seized power in an apparent coup last month, according to the United Nations' special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener.

Peaceful demonstrations have been taking place in cities across the Southeast Asian country since its de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained by the military on Feb. 1. The protest movement has been growing and the military junta, which calls itself the State Administration Council, has become increasingly violent in its response as weeks of internet shutdowns, threats and mass arrests have not stopped thousands of people from voicing their opposition.

Schraner Burgener said she believes the junta is "very surprised" by the protests against the coup.

"Today, we have young people who lived in freedom for 10 years. They have social media and they are well organized and very determined," Schraner Burgener told reporters in New York City on Wednesday. "They don't want to go back in a dictatorship and in isolation."

Police and security forces in Myanmar are now using live ammunition on protesters. Since Feb. 1, more than 50 people have been killed there and over 1,200 others -- some of whom remain unaccounted for -- have been arbitrarily arrested and detained, mostly without any form of due process, according to Burgener.

Sunday was previously the deadliest day in Myanmar since the bloodless coup. Authorities confronted peaceful protesters in several locations across Myanmar and fired live rounds into the crowds, killing at least 18 people and wounding over 30 others, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which cited "credible information" that it had received.

Despite the escalation, the United States did not announce any new actions against Myanmar's military on Wednesday.

"We are appalled and repulsed to see the horrific violence perpetrated against the people of Burma for their peaceful calls to restore civilian governance," U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said during a press briefing at the White House, using Myanmar's former name under British colonial rule. "We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people and to promote accountability for the military's actions that have led to the loss of life of so many people in Burma."

Price said U.S. sanctions against Myanmar's military have a "significant impact" on its "ability to wield power and influence," but that the junta has virtually ignored them as well as financial penalties from Canada and the United Kingdom. Other "policy measures" are being evaluated, both unilaterally from the U.S. and with allies and partners in the region, according to Price.

"We are not going to do anything that worsens the suffering, the humanitarian suffering of the Burmese people," he told reporters in Washington, D.C.

Schraner Burgener said she has had conversations in recent weeks with the deputy commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces, Vice-Senior Gen. Soe Win, to warn him that the military will likely face strong measures from some countries as well as isolation in retaliation for the coup.

"The answer was: 'We are used to sanctions, and we survived,'" she told reporters in New York City. "When I also warned they will go in an isolation, the answer was: 'We have to learn to walk with only few friends.'"

The military previously ruled Myanmar for nearly 50 years before appearing to slowly transition to democratic rule a decade ago and holding its first general elections in years in 2015, which was a landslide victory for the NLD. Suu Kyi had spent 15 years under house arrest while leading the struggle for democracy against the Burmese junta and was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her "nonviolent" efforts.

Suu Kyi is understood to have had a tentative shared power agreement with the military since she was named state counsellor in 2016, offering the government a veneer of democratic legitimacy as they embarked on a decade of reforms. The role of state counsellor, akin to a prime minister or a head of government, was created because Myanmar's 2008 constitution barred Suu Kyi from becoming president, since her late husband and children are foreign citizens.

The Nov. 8 general election was meant to be a referendum on Suu Kyi's popular civilian government but her party expanded their seats in Parliament, securing a clear majority and threatening the military's tight hold on power. The constitution guarantees the military 25% of seats in Parliament and control of several key ministries.

The new civilian-led government was supposed to convene for the first time on Feb. 1 but power was instead handed over to Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces, who is already under U.S. sanctions for his role in the military's atrocities against the Rohingya Muslim minority. An order signed by the acting president granted full authority to Hlaing to run the country and declared a state of emergency that will last for at least one year, citing widespread voter fraud in the November election.

Hlaing's office said in a statement that the military would hold a "free and fair general election" after the state of emergency ends. Voter rolls will be checked and the nation's election commission, which last week rejected the military's allegations of voter fraud, will be "re-established," according to the statement.

Suu Kyi is still revered in Myanmar despite losing some of her international luster for her refusal to condemn the human rights against the Rohingyas. She has not been seen in public since she was ousted and is believed to be under house arrest at her residence in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw.

The Nobel laureate appeared in a Naypyitaw court via videoconference on Monday to face two more charges: one under a section of a colonial-era penal code prohibiting publication of information that may "cause fear or alarm" or disrupt "public tranquility," and the other under a telecommunications law stipulating licenses for equipment, relating to her alleged ownership of the walkie-talkies, one of her lawyers told Reuters.

Suu Kyi was initially charged with illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and later charged with violating a natural disaster law by breaching COVID-19 protocols while campaigning during last year's elections.

She has her next court appearance scheduled for March 15, her lawyer told Reuters. If she is found guilty of any of the charges, the resulting prison sentence will likely overlap with the election the junta has promised would take a place in a year.
ABC News' Conor Finnegan contributed to this report.

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Myanmar authorities kill at least 38 peaceful protesters in bloodiest day since coup

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LONDON and HONG KONG -- At least 38 protesters were killed by authorities in Myanmar on Wednesday, marking the bloodiest day since the military seized power in an apparent coup last month, according to the United Nations' special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener.