The Senate Passed a $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill. Here’s What’s In It

The Senate on Saturday afternoon narrowly passed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, a key milestone for President Joe Biden to ink his first legislative priority into law. The avalanche of federal dollars, which clock in at approximately 9% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), includes $1,400 checks for middle- and lower-income Americans,...

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Myanmar Crisis Heightens With Police Raids and Strike Call

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar careened deeper into crisis, as police occupied hospitals and universities and reportedly arrested hundreds of people involved in protesting last month’s military seizure of power, while a coalition of labor unions called a strike for Monday. Tension was high Sunday in the country’s biggest city, Yangon, where for a second...

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Biden Marks ‘Bloody Sunday’ By Signing Executive Order to Promote Voting Access

WASHINGTON — A new executive order from President Joe Biden directs federal agencies to take a series of steps to promote voting access, a move that comes as congressional Democrats press for a sweeping voting and elections bill to counter efforts to restrict voting access. His plan was being announced during a recorded address on the 56th commemoration...

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Golden Globes Vows Reform Amid Scrutiny on Diversity

Facing heightened scrutiny arounds its membership and practices, the group behind the Golden Globe Awards says that it is committed to immediate “transformational change” and reforms. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association said in a statement Saturday that it would focus on adding Black and other underrepresented members to its organization in addition...

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Biden Marking ‘Bloody Sunday’ By Signing Executive Order to Promote Voting Access

WASHINGTON — A new executive order from President Joe Biden directs federal agencies to take a series of steps to promote voting access, a move that comes as congressional Democrats press for a sweeping voting and elections bill to counter efforts to restrict voting access. His plan was being announced during a recorded address on the 56th commemoration...

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Why This Insurance Company’s Employees Say It’s Been One of the Best Places to Work During the Pandemic

In listing the benefits of working at Acuity, a relatively small midwestern insurance firm with 1,500 employees, CEO Ben Salzmann sounds less like an executive and more like some kind of benevolent adult daycare provider. “We give out a lot of chocolate,” says Salzmann, 64. “Our employees get chocolate at least once every two weeks.” Then there’s the...

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After the Pandemic: Are You Ready for the Old Normal?

Well hello! I’m so glad you’re here. If you’re having trouble viewing this in email, see the TIME.com version here.   How stir crazy am I after many weeks alone with the dog and my thoughts? Just ask my dentist. And everyone who works in her office. I assaulted those good people with many, many words today. It was so exciting to talk with other...

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Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill

WASHINGTON — An exhausted Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Saturday as President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies notched a victory they called crucial for hoisting the country out of the pandemic and economic doldrums. After laboring through the night on a mountain of amendments — nearly all from Republicans and rejected...

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Amanda Gorman Says She Was Racially Profiled Near Her Los Angeles Home

NEW YORK — Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old poet who captured hearts at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, posted to social media that she was followed home by a security guard who demanded to know where she lived because she “looked suspicious.” “I showed my keys & buzzed myself into my building,” she tweeted of the incident Friday night....

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Pope Francis and Top Iraq Shiite Cleric Hold Historic Meeting

PLAINS OF UR, Iraq — Pope Francis and Iraq’s top Shiite cleric delivered a powerful message of peaceful coexistence Saturday, urging Muslims in the war-weary Arab nation to embrace Iraq’s long-beleaguered Christian minority during a historic meeting in the holy city of Najaf. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said religious authorities have a role in...

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