Manifesting our $1,400
Hospitals are reporting that the worst of the pandemic's third wave is over. Mississippi's capital city is in Week 4 of a water crisis. And the queen's response to the Meghan and Harry interview? Four sentences.
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One. More. Day.
The only thing between you and another round of COVID-19 relief is one House vote and President Joe Biden's signature. The House of Representatives is poised to pass Biden's $1.9 trillion relief plan on Wednesday with $1,400 checks, billions for vaccines and money to reopen schools. The Senate passed the bill over the weekend after a marathon session. Once the House has passed the legislation and Biden's signed it, stimulus checks will start to go out in a matter of weeks. Could the bill not pass? It's possible, but unlikely.
Where's Joe?: The latest batch of stimulus checks will look a little different from the two previous rounds. The president’s signature will be missing. “This is not about him,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “This is about the American people getting relief.”
The queen has spoken
Two days after Oprah Winfrey's jaw-dropping interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Buckingham Palace (finally) clapped back, saying the couple's accusations of racism and lack of support are taken "very seriously" and will be addressed by the royal family "privately." The statement from the palace, issued Tuesday on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother, said: "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning." The message was typical of palace statements on behalf of the queen: calm and anything but profuse.
- Black Britons never trusted the royal family. Meghan and Harry's interview made that easier.
- What is 'The Firm' that Meghan mentioned in her Oprah Winfrey interview?
What everyone’s talking about
- The Biden family dogs, Major and Champ, are in Delaware while Jill Biden travels, amid a report of an aggressive incident.
- Is Tom Brady no longer the GOAT in his own family? Meet his niece, UCLA softball player Maya Brady.
- Kansas and football coach Les Miles mutually agreed to part ways amid probe into inappropriate behavior at LSU.
- Dems and Republicans finally agree on something: Hating the Capitol fence.
- Katie Couric is getting mixed reviews as "Jeopardy!" guest host.
How will Chauvin's trial have an impartial jury?
Jury selection was underway Tuesday in the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd (possibly third-degree murder, too). Millions of people watched George Floyd take his last breath while pinned under Chauvin's knee. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest police killings of Black men like him, chanting his last words: "I can't breathe." Now, lawyers must find 12 people in and around Minneapolis who haven't made up their minds about what happened. In such a high-profile case, we expect that won't be easy.
The worst of the pandemic's third wave is over
Promising news on the COVID-19 front: Hospitals are reporting that the worst of the pandemic's third wave is over. Detailed data released this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services illustrates just how much the nation's hospitals have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic's third wave. Although more than 1,500 Americans are dying of COVID-19 every day, the share of COVID-19 patients make up a decreasing share of hospital admissions around the country. The number of hospitals with more than half of patients infected with COVID-19 has dropped from 193 to 10 since early January. Intensive care units have become less strained as well.
- Do I have to wear a mask? Can I visit my grandparents? Questions about the CDC guidelines for vaccinated people, answered.
- America could soon be swimming in COVID-19 vaccines: The shift from scarcity to surplus could bring its own problems.
Real quick
- "It still feels surreal": BTS makes Grammy history, whether they win on Sunday or not.
- "Fireball" meteorite that landed in U.K. driveway could hold clues to solar system's formation.
- Facebook vs. Apple: Why your iPhone privacy is at the center of their data showdown.
- Self-decapitating sea slugs regenerate brand-new bodies, according to a new study.
- "I'm just doing my job": Jurors hear witness testimony, view bodycam footage in trial of Iowa journalist Andrea Sahouri.
There is a water crisis in Mississippi
Imagine having to lug gallons of water home from a distribution site — just to flush the toilet. Water pressure so low that it’s difficult to take a shower or wash dishes. And even if there were water flowing from the faucets, it wouldn't be safe to drink. That’s what thousands of people in Jackson, Mississippi, are facing nearly a month after a brutal winter storm passed through and knocked out water pressure. Officials said early this week that the pressure was being restored, but the situation there still isn’t resolved: The water in Jackson is unsafe to drink – and has been since a boil water notice was issued Feb. 16.
- How did this happen? What we know about the crisis in Mississippi's capital city.
A break from the news
- Retirement battle royale: 401(k) vs. IRA vs. Roth.
- 7 woman-owned restaurants to support this month.
This is a compilation of stories from across the Paste BN Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.