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Florida Phoenix
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Republicans are celebrating in Florida and Washington, D.C., tonight, after two more of their ranks are going to Congress to pad the Republicans’ narrow lead over Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the Congressional District 6 race in Northeast Florida, former state Sen. Randy Fine from Brevard County has defeated Democrat Josh Weil, […]

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Florida Phoenix
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Republicans are celebrating in Florida and Washington, D.C., tonight, after two more of their ranks are going to Congress to pad the Republicans’ narrow lead over Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the Congressional District 6 race in Northeast Florida, former state Sen. Randy Fine from Brevard County has defeated Democrat Josh Weil, […]

'Impossível trabalhar calado', afirmou motoboy; trabalhadores lutam por aumento da taxa mínima por corrida O post ‘Tem três anos que a taxa não aumenta’: entregadores protestam em Brasília apareceu primeiro em Brasil de Fato.

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Brasil de Fato
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'Impossível trabalhar calado', afirmou motoboy; trabalhadores lutam por aumento da taxa mínima por corrida O post ‘Tem três anos que a taxa não aumenta’: entregadores protestam em Brasília apareceu primeiro em Brasil de Fato.

(The Center Square) - Los Angeles County adopted a $1 billion sales tax increase to use on homelessness spending just weeks after a court-ordered audit found the city of Los Angeles poorly tracked or did not properly track $2.3 billion in homeless program spending. Prominent Democrats and Republicans have questioned Los Angeles’ homelessness programs, leading to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to consider terminating the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority that has a multibillion-dollar budget from the city and county of Los Angeles for providing homeless services. The tax increase, which went into effect on April 1, was passed by voters in November and is expected to produce an extra $1 billion in revenue each year. The tax revenue will be allocated based on point-in-time homelessness counts for cities within the county, with 60% going to homeless services, 35.75% for price-controlled affordable housing and homelessness prevention, which generally takes the form of rent vouchers. Three percent would go toward funding housing production, while 1.25% would go to the county for “Accountability, Data and Research.” The funding is flexible, with the 60% toward homeless services that could be spent on anything from housing subsidies to price-controlled affordable housing projects, mental health and substance abuse programs, and subsidized employment. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing while expecting different results,” said Los Angeles Republican Party Chairwoman Roxanne Hoge to The Center Square. “We cannot keep electing people who view our pocketbooks as their own personal piggy bank for enriching NGOs and increasing criminal vagrancy in Los Angeles.” LAHSA CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum earns $430,000 per year, or more than Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. She recently was found to have “inadvertently” signed millions of dollars of contracts to the nonprofit her husband works at, violating the organization’s conflict-of-interest policy and sparking outrage.

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The Center Square
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(The Center Square) - Los Angeles County adopted a $1 billion sales tax increase to use on homelessness spending just weeks after a court-ordered audit found the city of Los Angeles poorly tracked or did not properly track $2.3 billion in homeless program spending. Prominent Democrats and Republicans have questioned Los Angeles’ homelessness programs, leading to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to consider terminating the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority that has a multibillion-dollar budget from the city and county of Los Angeles for providing homeless services. The tax increase, which went into effect on April 1, was passed by voters in November and is expected to produce an extra $1 billion in revenue each year. The tax revenue will be allocated based on point-in-time homelessness counts for cities within the county, with 60% going to homeless services, 35.75% for price-controlled affordable housing and homelessness prevention, which generally takes the form of rent vouchers. Three percent would go toward funding housing production, while 1.25% would go to the county for “Accountability, Data and Research.” The funding is flexible, with the 60% toward homeless services that could be spent on anything from housing subsidies to price-controlled affordable housing projects, mental health and substance abuse programs, and subsidized employment. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing while expecting different results,” said Los Angeles Republican Party Chairwoman Roxanne Hoge to The Center Square. “We cannot keep electing people who view our pocketbooks as their own personal piggy bank for enriching NGOs and increasing criminal vagrancy in Los Angeles.” LAHSA CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum earns $430,000 per year, or more than Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. She recently was found to have “inadvertently” signed millions of dollars of contracts to the nonprofit her husband works at, violating the organization’s conflict-of-interest policy and sparking outrage.

1 hour

Colorado Newsline
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans hope to approve a budget resolution this week that would clear the way for Congress to enact an extension of expiring tax law as well as sweeping cuts to federal spending later this year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday the chamber will likely vote on the House-passed […]

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Colorado Newsline
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans hope to approve a budget resolution this week that would clear the way for Congress to enact an extension of expiring tax law as well as sweeping cuts to federal spending later this year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday the chamber will likely vote on the House-passed […]

More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that […]

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Tennessee Lookout
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More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that […]

1 hour

The Public Record
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Local businesses concerned by plan to lift gates on a park structure that's been a magnet for illegal activities

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The Public Record
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Local businesses concerned by plan to lift gates on a park structure that's been a magnet for illegal activities

After months of bitter Republican political infighting, the Legislature appears likely to end its session Wednesday without passing a $7 billion budget to fund state agencies, potentially threatening a government shutdown if they don't come back and adopt one by June 30. The post Feuding GOP lawmakers prepare to leave Jackson without a budget, let governor force them back appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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Mississippi Today
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After months of bitter Republican political infighting, the Legislature appears likely to end its session Wednesday without passing a $7 billion budget to fund state agencies, potentially threatening a government shutdown if they don't come back and adopt one by June 30. The post Feuding GOP lawmakers prepare to leave Jackson without a budget, let governor force them back appeared first on Mississippi Today.

WASHINGTON — The White House Tuesday defended the deportation of a national from El Salvador to a notorious mega-prison in that country, despite Trump administration officials admitting in court filings that the removal was a mistake. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia of Beltsville, Maryland, was ordered in 2019 to be removed from the United States by […]

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Alaska Beacon
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WASHINGTON — The White House Tuesday defended the deportation of a national from El Salvador to a notorious mega-prison in that country, despite Trump administration officials admitting in court filings that the removal was a mistake. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia of Beltsville, Maryland, was ordered in 2019 to be removed from the United States by […]

1 hour

Prensa Comunitaria
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Tiempo de lectura: 2 minutos  El dirigente comunitario recibió mensajes de amenaza desde el Facebook oficial de la diputada de Vamos, Thelma Ramírez. La parlamentaria dijo que es un equipo que se encarga de sus redes sociales y que investigará. El ciberacoso se ha vuelto una práctica de hostigamiento. Por Juan Bautista Xol El dirigente comunitario Abelino Chub Caal ... Read more

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Prensa Comunitaria
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Tiempo de lectura: 2 minutos  El dirigente comunitario recibió mensajes de amenaza desde el Facebook oficial de la diputada de Vamos, Thelma Ramírez. La parlamentaria dijo que es un equipo que se encarga de sus redes sociales y que investigará. El ciberacoso se ha vuelto una práctica de hostigamiento. Por Juan Bautista Xol El dirigente comunitario Abelino Chub Caal ... Read more

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker broke the record for longest floor speech in the history of the Senate on Tuesday, surpassing the 24-hour and 18-minute record set in 1957 when South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond attempted to prevent passage of the Civil Rights Act. Booker, a Democrat who began his remarks Monday at 7 p.m. saying he […]

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Arizona Mirror
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U.S. Sen. Cory Booker broke the record for longest floor speech in the history of the Senate on Tuesday, surpassing the 24-hour and 18-minute record set in 1957 when South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond attempted to prevent passage of the Civil Rights Act. Booker, a Democrat who began his remarks Monday at 7 p.m. saying he […]

A coalition of Democratic state officials sued the Trump administration Tuesday over plans to cut more than $11 billion in grants by the Department of Health and Human Services, on the same day thousands of HHS workers reportedly found they’d been swept up in a mass layoff. In Washington, the Republican chairman and top Democrat […]

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Wisconsin Examiner
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A coalition of Democratic state officials sued the Trump administration Tuesday over plans to cut more than $11 billion in grants by the Department of Health and Human Services, on the same day thousands of HHS workers reportedly found they’d been swept up in a mass layoff. In Washington, the Republican chairman and top Democrat […]

A bipartisan bill would restructure the vacancy committee process to replace members of the Colorado Legislature based on when a vacancy occurs, such as when a member resigns. House Bill 25-1315 was introduced on Monday, about three months into a lawmaking session that has seen a handful of vacancy committee appointments. It would have vacancy-appointed […]

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Colorado Newsline
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A bipartisan bill would restructure the vacancy committee process to replace members of the Colorado Legislature based on when a vacancy occurs, such as when a member resigns. House Bill 25-1315 was introduced on Monday, about three months into a lawmaking session that has seen a handful of vacancy committee appointments. It would have vacancy-appointed […]

More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that […]

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Kansas Reflector
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More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that […]

WASHINGTON — American business owners and consumers are bracing as President Donald Trump teases, with few details, the announcement of sweeping tariffs expected Wednesday afternoon. Trump has dubbed April 2 “Liberation Day,” his self-imposed deadline to fulfill his campaign promise of taxing imported products from around the globe. The White House confirmed Tuesday that Trump […]

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Kansas Reflector
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WASHINGTON — American business owners and consumers are bracing as President Donald Trump teases, with few details, the announcement of sweeping tariffs expected Wednesday afternoon. Trump has dubbed April 2 “Liberation Day,” his self-imposed deadline to fulfill his campaign promise of taxing imported products from around the globe. The White House confirmed Tuesday that Trump […]

2 hours

Wisconsin Examiner
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More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that […]

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Wisconsin Examiner
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More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that […]

2 hours

Wisconsin Examiner
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans hope to approve a budget resolution this week that would clear the way for Congress to enact an extension of expiring tax law as well as sweeping cuts to federal spending later this year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday the chamber will likely vote on the House-passed […]

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Wisconsin Examiner
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans hope to approve a budget resolution this week that would clear the way for Congress to enact an extension of expiring tax law as well as sweeping cuts to federal spending later this year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday the chamber will likely vote on the House-passed […]

2 hours

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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The US military has announced a second aircraft carrier group will deploy to the Middle East to respond to regional threats to stability as US forces continue to hit Iran-linked Huthi fighters in Yemen from its ships in the Red Sea.

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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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The US military has announced a second aircraft carrier group will deploy to the Middle East to respond to regional threats to stability as US forces continue to hit Iran-linked Huthi fighters in Yemen from its ships in the Red Sea.

Na sua 14ª edição, encontro reuniu cerca de 600 mulheres em Salvador, na Bahia O post ‘Terra para os que nela trabalham’: luta em defesa dos territórios marca acampamento de mulheres na Bahia apareceu primeiro em Brasil de Fato.

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Brasil de Fato
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Na sua 14ª edição, encontro reuniu cerca de 600 mulheres em Salvador, na Bahia O post ‘Terra para os que nela trabalham’: luta em defesa dos territórios marca acampamento de mulheres na Bahia apareceu primeiro em Brasil de Fato.

Ўзбекистон Хитой экспансиясига дош бера оладими, у қудратли давлатнинг “иқтисодий қопқон”ига тушиб қолмайдими?

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Озод Европа/Озодлик радиоси
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Ўзбекистон Хитой экспансиясига дош бера оладими, у қудратли давлатнинг “иқтисодий қопқон”ига тушиб қолмайдими?

NicoElNino/Shutterstock More than five years since COVID was declared a pandemic, we’re still facing the regular emergence of new variants of the virus, SARS-CoV-2. The latest variant on the rise is LP.8.1. It’s increasing in Australia, making up close to one in five COVID cases in New South Wales. Elsewhere it’s become even more dominant, comprising at least three in five cases in the United Kingdom, for example. So what is LP.8.1? And is it cause for concern? Let’s look at what we know so far. An offshoot of Omicron LP.8.1 was first detected in July 2024. It’s a descendant of Omicron, specifically of KP.1.1.3, which is descended from JN.1, a subvariant that caused large waves of COVID infections around the world in late 2023 and early 2024. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated LP.8.1 as a variant under monitoring in January. This was in response to its significant growth globally, and reflects that it has genetic changes which may allow the virus to spread more easily and pose a greater risk to human health. Specifically, LP.8.1 has mutations at six locations in its spike protein, the protein which allows SARS-CoV-2 to attach to our cells. One of these mutations, V445R, is thought to allow this variant to spread more easily relative to other circulating variants. V445R has been shown to increase binding to human lung cells in laboratory studies. The proportion of COVID cases caused by LP.8.1 has been rising in New South Wales. NSW Health Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don’t appear to be any more severe than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low. What’s more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern. In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic. That doesn’t mean cases won’t rise COVID as a whole is still a major national and international health concern. So far this year there have been close to 45,000 new cases recorded in Australia, while around 260 people are currently in hospital with the virus. Because many people are no longer testing or reporting their infections, the real number of cases is probably far higher. COVID is still around. Hananeko_Studio/Shutterstock In Australia, LP.8.1 has become the third most dominant strain in NSW (behind XEC and KP.3). It has been growing over the past couple of months and this trend looks set to continue. This is not to say it’s not growing similarly in other states and territories, however NSW Health publishes weekly respiratory surveillance with a breakdown of different COVID variants in the state. Sequences of LP.8.1 in the GISAID database, used to track the prevalence of variants around the world, increased from around 3% at the end of 2024 to 38% of global sequences as of mid March. In some countries it’s climbed particularly high. In the United States LP.8.1 is responsible for 55% of cases. In the UK, where LP.8.1 is making up at least 60% of cases, scientists fear it may be driving a new wave. Will COVID vaccines work against LP.8.1? Current COVID vaccines, including the most recently available JN.1 shots, are still expected to offer good protection against symptomatic and severe disease with LP.8.1. Nonetheless, due to its designation as a variant under monitoring, WHO member countries will continue to study the behaviour of the LP.8.1 variant, including any potential capacity to evade our immunity. While there’s no cause for panic due to LP.8.1 variant at this stage, COVID can still be a severe disease for some. Continued vigilance and vaccination, particularly for medically vulnerable groups, is essential in minimising the impact of the disease. Thomas Jeffries does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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The Conversation
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NicoElNino/Shutterstock More than five years since COVID was declared a pandemic, we’re still facing the regular emergence of new variants of the virus, SARS-CoV-2. The latest variant on the rise is LP.8.1. It’s increasing in Australia, making up close to one in five COVID cases in New South Wales. Elsewhere it’s become even more dominant, comprising at least three in five cases in the United Kingdom, for example. So what is LP.8.1? And is it cause for concern? Let’s look at what we know so far. An offshoot of Omicron LP.8.1 was first detected in July 2024. It’s a descendant of Omicron, specifically of KP.1.1.3, which is descended from JN.1, a subvariant that caused large waves of COVID infections around the world in late 2023 and early 2024. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated LP.8.1 as a variant under monitoring in January. This was in response to its significant growth globally, and reflects that it has genetic changes which may allow the virus to spread more easily and pose a greater risk to human health. Specifically, LP.8.1 has mutations at six locations in its spike protein, the protein which allows SARS-CoV-2 to attach to our cells. One of these mutations, V445R, is thought to allow this variant to spread more easily relative to other circulating variants. V445R has been shown to increase binding to human lung cells in laboratory studies. The proportion of COVID cases caused by LP.8.1 has been rising in New South Wales. NSW Health Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don’t appear to be any more severe than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low. What’s more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern. In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic. That doesn’t mean cases won’t rise COVID as a whole is still a major national and international health concern. So far this year there have been close to 45,000 new cases recorded in Australia, while around 260 people are currently in hospital with the virus. Because many people are no longer testing or reporting their infections, the real number of cases is probably far higher. COVID is still around. Hananeko_Studio/Shutterstock In Australia, LP.8.1 has become the third most dominant strain in NSW (behind XEC and KP.3). It has been growing over the past couple of months and this trend looks set to continue. This is not to say it’s not growing similarly in other states and territories, however NSW Health publishes weekly respiratory surveillance with a breakdown of different COVID variants in the state. Sequences of LP.8.1 in the GISAID database, used to track the prevalence of variants around the world, increased from around 3% at the end of 2024 to 38% of global sequences as of mid March. In some countries it’s climbed particularly high. In the United States LP.8.1 is responsible for 55% of cases. In the UK, where LP.8.1 is making up at least 60% of cases, scientists fear it may be driving a new wave. Will COVID vaccines work against LP.8.1? Current COVID vaccines, including the most recently available JN.1 shots, are still expected to offer good protection against symptomatic and severe disease with LP.8.1. Nonetheless, due to its designation as a variant under monitoring, WHO member countries will continue to study the behaviour of the LP.8.1 variant, including any potential capacity to evade our immunity. While there’s no cause for panic due to LP.8.1 variant at this stage, COVID can still be a severe disease for some. Continued vigilance and vaccination, particularly for medically vulnerable groups, is essential in minimising the impact of the disease. Thomas Jeffries does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.