Biden heads to hometown to advance economic agenda
President Joe Biden will travel to his hometown of Scranton, Pa. On Wednesday and deliver remarks “promoting his bipartisan infrastructure deal and rebuilding a better agenda,” according to his official schedule. The visit comes after Biden hosted nine members of the left-wing caucus for more than two hours on Tuesday, and separately met with a group of moderate House members and senators, including recalcitrant Sens. Krysten Sinema, D-Ariz., And Joe Manchin, DW .Va., As the White House pushes “the emergency” to pass Biden’s economic agenda. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Caucus chair for the House Progressive Caucus, said her members had a “really good and productive meeting” with Biden as he struggled to get his wings apart. party to accept legislation for its climate and social safety net program. Jayapal said Biden was sticking to revenue of between $ 1.9 trillion and $ 2.2 trillion, down from his initial proposal of $ 3.5 trillion Build Back Better, in an effort to gain the support of moderate Democrats.
FDA May Approve Mixing and Pairing Booster Injections, Report Says
The Food and Drug Administration could give approval to administer different recalls of the original COVID-19 vaccine to recipients by Wednesday, The New York Times reported. The move would respond to demands from state health officials, who are seeking increased flexibility in vaccine administration. Pfizer boosters were approved for certain populations last month. The Moderna and J&J boosters are expected to be cleared by Wednesday night, the Times said, and that could be the timing of the boosters’ announcement as well. Some studies have found benefits in combining different vaccine injections as part of the initial protocol, but there is not yet a uniform consensus on the practice.
Gunman in Parkland School massacre pleads guilty to murder
The gunman who killed 14 students and three staff at a high school in Parkland, Fla., Is expected to plead guilty to their murders, more than three years after the attack. Lawyers for Nikolas Cruz, 23, told a judge he would plead guilty to 17 counts of first degree murder in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The guilty plea would set up a phase of sanction, decided by jury, where Cruz would request life imprisonment without parole and not the death penalty. In the aftermath of the shooting, student activists from Parkland formed March for Our Lives, a group that brought together hundreds of thousands across the country for tougher gun laws.
Ahead of workers’ scheduled walkout for Chappelle special, Netflix executive speaks out
Controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle’s transphobic remarks in his latest stand-up special “The Closer” escalated on Tuesday night, as Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos admitted to “screwing up” his response to staff, but reiterated his support for the show. Although Sarandos allowed the storytelling to have a negative impact on society, he said he didn’t think Chappelle’s special needed a warning. Her comments came hours before a virtual walkout scheduled for Wednesday by Netflix trans employees. The protest stems from complaints about Chappelle’s jokes about trans people and her realignment with those who believe a person’s gender at birth is immutable. Employees expressed concern that such rhetoric could lead to violence against marginalized communities. “First and foremost, I should have acknowledged in these emails that a group of our employees were suffering and really felt hurt by a business decision we made,” Sarandos told The Hollywood Reporter.
Fall sky show: Orionid meteor shower peaks tonight
Astronomers who venture from Wednesday night until dawn Thursday will receive an added treat: Peak Orionids, typically the best meteor shower of fall. The Orionids occur when Earth passes through the debris of the famous Halley’s Comet. (Meteors are remnants of comets that leave a glowing trail when they burn in the atmosphere.) This year, meteors must compete with a full moon, so many of them will not be visible. Even so, experts say you should still be able to see meteors if you’re patient. A few tips: use a lounge chair or blanket so you don’t have to crouch your neck; let your eyes adjust to the dark; and plan to spend at least an hour outdoors.
