This week in history: February 22-28
21 February 2021
José Basulto in 2010
On February 24, 1996, Cuban fighter jets shot down two planes flown by the Miami-based anti-Castro exile group Brothers to the Rescue. It was the end result of a provocation calculated to induce US economic, political and military retaliation against Cuba.
The Clinton administration, the Republican Party and the big-business media had all presented the aerial confrontation over the Straits of Florida as an illegal and unprovoked act of “cold-blooded murder” and aggression. They cited international statutes prohibiting the use of military force against civil aircraft and touted the supposedly humanitarian mission of Brothers to the Rescue. The CIA insisted that Jose Basulto pilot of the aircraft which escaped and the other pilots were not paid US intelligence agents.
Third stimulus check update: Progressives defend $1,400 payments as House prepares to vote
Updated Feb 22, 2021;
Posted Feb 22, 2021
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., supports the $1,400 stimulus checks for individuals making up to $75,000 and $2,800 for couples making up to $150,000.
AP
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The head of the House Democrats’ progressive wing defended the $1,400 checks in President Joe Biden’s coronavirus stimulus bill on Sunday, while a GOP governor called for scaling back the package and the No. 2 House Republican dismissed polls showing strong support for the $1.9 trillion measure.
The comments came as the House prepared to vote this week on the stimulus bill under a process known as reconciliation that will prevent a Senate filibuster and allow the Democrats to pass the legislation by majority vote without any Republican support.
Third stimulus check update: Progressives defend $1,400 checks as House prepares to vote
Updated Feb 21, 2021;
Posted Feb 21, 2021
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., supports the $1,400 stimulus checks for individuals making up to $75,000 and $2,800 for couples making up to $150,000.
AP
Facebook Share
The head of the House Democrats’ progressive wing defended the $1,400 checks in President Joe Biden’s coronavirus stimulus bill on Sunday, while a GOP governor called for scaling back the package and the No. 2 House Republican dismissed polls showing strong support for the $1.9 trillion measure.
The comments came as the House prepared to vote this week on the stimulus bill under a process known as reconciliation that will prevent a Senate filibuster and allow the Democrats to pass the legislation by majority vote without any Republican support.
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) The two largest cities in New Jersey announced Friday that due to the high COVID-19 transmission rate, school buildings will stay closed to in-person learning through at least April.
Students enrolled in the Jersey City and Newark public schools will remain in Phase I of remote learning through April 21, 2021, officials said, with a decision forthcoming for after that date.
The districts are expected to release further information within the next week.
The decision comes amid heightened concerns from teachers and union officials regarding the continued spread of the coronavirus.
Earlier this week, the president of the Newark Teachers Union demanded that all teachers and at least the students from middle school and up be tested for COVID-19 before any in-school instruction happens.
New Jersey s Two Biggest School Districts Plan To Stay Remote Through April
arrow A coronavirus testing site in the Ironbound section of Newark. Seth Wenig/AP/Shutterstock
New Jersey’s two biggest cities are keeping their public schools on remote learning through at least April, at which time it will have been more than a year since their students set foot in a school building.
Newark will stay on remote learning until their spring break ends on April 12th, with the plan to return to hybrid learning afterwards, according to school officials. Jersey City will stay with remote learning until April 21st.