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I take no joy in sounding the alarm, but I do so as a proud Democrat who has won three statewide races in a rural, red state — the Democrats are in trouble in rural America, and their struggles there could doom the party in 2022.

The warning signs were already there in 2020 when Democrats fell short in congressional and state races despite electing Joe Biden president. I know because I was on the ballot for U.S. Senate and lost. In the last decade and a half, we’ve seen Senate seats flip red in Arkansas, Indiana, North Dakota, and more. Democrats have lost more than 900 state legislative seats around the country since 2008. And in this year’s governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, we saw the Democratic vote in rural areas plummet, costing the party one seat and nearly losing us the other. It was even worse for Democrats down ballot, as Democrats lost state legislative, county, and municipal seats.

The core problem is a familiar one — Democrats are out of touch with the needs of the ordinary voter. In 2021, voters watched Congress debate for months the cost of an infrastructure bill while holding a social spending bill hostage. Both measures contain policies that address the challenges Americans across the country face. Yet to anyone outside the Beltway, the infighting and procedural brinkmanship haven’t done a lick to meet their needs at a moment of health challenges, inflation and economic struggles. You had Democrats fighting Democrats, letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, and desperately needed progress was delayed. It’s no wonder rural voters think Democrats are not focused on helping them.

I was re-elected as Montana’s governor in 2016 at the same time Donald Trump took our state by more than 20 points. It’s never easy for Democrats to get elected in Montana, because Democrats here are running against not only the opponent on the ballot, but also against conservative media’s (and at times our own) typecast of the national Democratic brand: coastal, overly educated, elitist, judgmental, socialist — a bundle of identity groups and interests lacking any shared principles. The problem isn’t the candidates we nominate. It’s the perception of the party we belong to.

To overcome these obstacles, Democrats need to show up, listen, and respect voters in rural America by finding common ground instead of talking down to them. Eliminating student loans isn’t a top-of-mind matter for the two-thirds of Americans lacking a college degree. Being told that climate change is the most critical issue our nation faces rings hollow if you’re struggling to make it to the end of the month. And the most insulting thing is being told what your self-interest should be.

Get out of the cities and you will learn we have a libertarian streak, with a healthy distrust of government. We listen when folks talk about opportunity and fairness, not entitlements. We expect government to play a role in our having a fair shot at a better life, not solve all our problems.

We need to frame our policies, not in terms of grand ideological narratives, but around the material concerns of voters. Despite our differences and no matter where we live, we generally all want the same things: a decent job, a safe place to call home, good schools, clean air and water, and the promise of a better life for our kids and grandkids.

For me, that meant talking about Obamacare not as an entitlement, but as a way to save rural hospitals and keep local communities and small businesses afloat. It meant talking about expanding apprenticeships, not just lowering the costs of college. It meant framing public lands as a great equalizer and as a driver for small business. It meant talking about universal pre-K not as an abstract policy goal, but being essential for our children and for keeping parents in the work force. It meant talking about climate change not just as a crisis, but as an opportunity to create good jobs, preserve our outdoor heritage, and as a promise not to leave communities behind.

These lessons apply broadly, not just to swing states. We need to do the hard work of convincing voters that we are fighting for every American, regardless of party or where they live, or it’ll only get worse for us in the 2022 midterms and beyond.

It’s in the void of inaction and failure to solve problems real people face that racially tinged cultural fights, like we saw in Virginia, take hold. My children are in high school and have never heard of critical race theory — nor have their teachers. What voters want to know is that Democrats will fight for racial justice and to improve the lives of rural Americans, no matter the color of their skin. After all, that’s what we’ve always done.

In the parts of America that are completely rural, there are nine infants and toddlers for every day care slot, one in eight lacks health insurance, and for one in four, over half of income goes to rent. High-speed internet has eluded many parts of our country. Voters in my state may have grown cynical about the legislative process, infighting and eye-popping price tags in Washington, but enacting the Build Back Better bill, along with the bipartisan infrastructure bill, gives Democrats something to run on: proof that we have voters’ backs, including those who live in rural America.

It’s time for Democrats to get uncomfortable and go beyond friendly urban and suburban settings to hear directly from folks in small towns who are trying to run a business, pay the bills, and maintain access to health care. They have stories to tell and ideas to share, and we should listen. When then-candidate Barack Obama spent the Fourth of July 2008 in Butte, Mont., he didn’t go there because Butte was suddenly key to winning in November, but showing up there sent a loud and clear message to places like Butte all across our country that he gives a damn about us.

Butte and Scranton may be a long way from each other geographically, but they’re not that far apart in terms of working-class roots, values and attitudes. President Biden can help rural Americans know and believe Democrats are tackling the challenges they face. Democrats need to get off the polling and consultant calls, get into the community and engage voters directly: Do you have a decent job that covers the bills and leaves a little left over? Can you afford your home and pay for health care? Do you feel safe? Do you believe we are doing right for your kids, educationally, environmentally and economically? Do you see a path forward toward a better life for you and your family?

Fighting for every American means that, whether you live in Manhattan, N.Y. or Manhattan, Mont., you have an opportunity to climb the economic ladder and a temporary safety net to catch you if you stumble. Too often the Democratic Party comes off as a buffet line of policies, each prepared for a different group of voters. If we talk about — and work to address — the issues that people discuss around their kitchen table or at the fence line, the issues that fill endless hours of cable television become a hell of a lot less relevant. Our kitchen tables might look and feel different, but we need to learn to talk in a way that makes sense around everyone’s table.

Voters are facing real challenges — and so is our country. They need to know that Democrats are listening, working, and fighting for them. The voters deserve that level of respect and need to know we have their back.

I take no joy in sounding the alarm, but I do so as a proud Democrat who has won three statewide races in a rural, red state — the Democrats are in trouble in rural America, and their struggles there could doom the party in 2022.

I take no joy in sounding the alarm, but I do so as a proud Democrat who has won three statewide races in a rural, red state — the Democrats are in trouble in rural America, and their struggles there could doom the party in 2022. The warning signs were already there in 2020 when Democrats fell short in congressional and state races despite electing Joe Biden president. I know because I was on the ballot for U.S. Senate and lost. In the last decade and a half, we’ve seen Senate seats flip red in Arkansas, Indiana, North Dakota, and more. Democrats have lost more than 900 state legislative seats around the country since 2008. And in this year’s governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, we saw the Democratic vote in rural areas plummet, costing the party one seat and nearly losing us the other. It was even worse for Democrats down ballot, as Democrats lost state legislative, county, and municipal seats. The core problem is a familiar one — Democrats are out of touch with the needs of the ordinary voter. In 2021, voters watched Congress debate for months the cost of an infrastructure bill while holding a social spending bill hostage. Both measures contain policies that address the challenges Americans across the country face. Yet to anyone outside the Beltway, the infighting and procedural brinkmanship haven’t done a lick to meet their needs at a moment of health challenges, inflation and economic struggles. You had Democrats fighting Democrats, letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, and desperately needed progress was delayed. It’s no wonder rural voters think Democrats are not focused on helping them. I was re-elected as Montana’s governor in 2016 at the same time Donald Trump took our state by more than 20 points. It’s never easy for Democrats to get elected in Montana, because Democrats here are running against not only the opponent on the ballot, but also against conservative media’s (and at times our own) typecast of the national Democratic brand: coastal, overly educated, elitist, judgmental, socialist — a bundle of identity groups and interests lacking any shared principles. The problem isn’t the candidates we nominate. It’s the perception of the party we belong to. To overcome these obstacles, Democrats need to show up, listen, and respect voters in rural America by finding common ground instead of talking down to them. Eliminating student loans isn’t a top-of-mind matter for the two-thirds of Americans lacking a college degree. Being told that climate change is the most critical issue our nation faces rings hollow if you’re struggling to make it to the end of the month. And the most insulting thing is being told what your self-interest should be. Get out of the cities and you will learn we have a libertarian streak, with a healthy distrust of government. We listen when folks talk about opportunity and fairness, not entitlements. We expect government to play a role in our having a fair shot at a better life, not solve all our problems. We need to frame our policies, not in terms of grand ideological narratives, but around the material concerns of voters. Despite our differences and no matter where we live, we generally all want the same things: a decent job, a safe place to call home, good schools, clean air and water, and the promise of a better life for our kids and grandkids. For me, that meant talking about Obamacare not as an entitlement, but as a way to save rural hospitals and keep local communities and small businesses afloat. It meant talking about expanding apprenticeships, not just lowering the costs of college. It meant framing public lands as a great equalizer and as a driver for small business. It meant talking about universal pre-K not as an abstract policy goal, but being essential for our children and for keeping parents in the work force. It meant talking about climate change not just as a crisis, but as an opportunity to create good jobs, preserve our outdoor heritage, and as a promise not to leave communities behind. These lessons apply broadly, not just to swing states. We need to do the hard work of convincing voters that we are fighting for every American, regardless of party or where they live, or it’ll only get worse for us in the 2022 midterms and beyond. It’s in the void of inaction and failure to solve problems real people face that racially tinged cultural fights, like we saw in Virginia, take hold. My children are in high school and have never heard of critical race theory — nor have their teachers. What voters want to know is that Democrats will fight for racial justice and to improve the lives of rural Americans, no matter the color of their skin. After all, that’s what we’ve always done. In the parts of America that are completely rural, there are nine infants and toddlers for every day care slot, one in eight lacks health insurance, and for one in four, over half of income goes to rent. High-speed internet has eluded many parts of our country. Voters in my state may have grown cynical about the legislative process, infighting and eye-popping price tags in Washington, but enacting the Build Back Better bill, along with the bipartisan infrastructure bill, gives Democrats something to run on: proof that we have voters’ backs, including those who live in rural America. It’s time for Democrats to get uncomfortable and go beyond friendly urban and suburban settings to hear directly from folks in small towns who are trying to run a business, pay the bills, and maintain access to health care. They have stories to tell and ideas to share, and we should listen. When then-candidate Barack Obama spent the Fourth of July 2008 in Butte, Mont., he didn’t go there because Butte was suddenly key to winning in November, but showing up there sent a loud and clear message to places like Butte all across our country that he gives a damn about us. Butte and Scranton may be a long way from each other geographically, but they’re not that far apart in terms of working-class roots, values and attitudes. President Biden can help rural Americans know and believe Democrats are tackling the challenges they face. Democrats need to get off the polling and consultant calls, get into the community and engage voters directly: Do you have a decent job that covers the bills and leaves a little left over? Can you afford your home and pay for health care? Do you feel safe? Do you believe we are doing right for your kids, educationally, environmentally and economically? Do you see a path forward toward a better life for you and your family? Fighting for every American means that, whether you live in Manhattan, N.Y. or Manhattan, Mont., you have an opportunity to climb the economic ladder and a temporary safety net to catch you if you stumble. Too often the Democratic Party comes off as a buffet line of policies, each prepared for a different group of voters. If we talk about — and work to address — the issues that people discuss around their kitchen table or at the fence line, the issues that fill endless hours of cable television become a hell of a lot less relevant. Our kitchen tables might look and feel different, but we need to learn to talk in a way that makes sense around everyone’s table. Voters are facing real challenges — and so is our country. They need to know that Democrats are listening, working, and fighting for them. The voters deserve that level of respect and need to know we have their back.

Democrats are in trouble in rural America. But there’s a way out

Researchers in Nebraska had just finished sequencing six samples of the omicron variant, the most discovered anywhere in the United States. They just didn’t know it yet.

In a closet-size room with two chairs and no windows, the scientists had extracted the genetic information from 64 new coronavirus samples, as they do every day, to determine whether any of those patients might have the worrisome new variant. Hours later, Dr. Baha Abdalhamid opened an email and saw the results.

“This batch, I was waiting for it,” said Abdalhamid, assistant director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory. “Once I downloaded the results as an Excel sheet, I screened the 64 samples right away, and sure enough, six of them were omicron.”

Nebraska officials announced the six cases, the state’s first, on Friday.

Around the world, scientists are racing to understand how widespread omicron is and how severe a threat it may pose. That has placed labs such as Abdalhamid’s on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Underscoring growing concerns about omicron, scientists in South Africa said Friday that the variant appeared to spread more than twice as quickly as delta, until now the most contagious version of the virus. It is still unclear whether or to what degree omicron may evade protection from the current vaccines.

In the United States, a hunt for the variant began last week when South African researchers announced omicron’s array of worrisome mutations. The search has intensified in recent days, with at least 12 states identifying cases. Researchers are combing through wastewater samples for any sign of the variant. Contact tracers are ramping up efforts in places where cases have emerged.

And at sequencing labs such as the one in Nebraska, a state where case rates are already high and hospitals are already strained, scientists have sped up the screening of samples from international travelers to see if omicron has arrived.

Local health officials in rural southeastern Nebraska said that among the cases Abdalhamid found, one person had recently traveled to Nigeria and was believed to have passed the virus on to the five others in the same household after returning to Nebraska. None of the patients has had severe symptoms; only one had been vaccinated.

“The concern is what might start showing up if it starts coming in here,” Peter Iwen, director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, said Thursday before the local cases had been found. “Are we going to see the same wave? Or where this one falls out and this other one starts to take off?”

As word spread on Thanksgiving about the discovery of omicron in Africa, scientists in the United States diverted from their holiday weekends and began searching for clues about whether the variant was here, too. They looked back through old virus samples to see if omicron had been spreading quietly. They took a closer look at recent positive tests. They began studying omicron’s mutations so they could detect it manually in the genetic code if their sequencing software did not.

Experts say knowing where and how extensively omicron is circulating is the best way to understand and respond to the level of threat it poses. Scientists have expressed concern about omicron’s mutations and the impact they could have on transmissibility, disease severity and the ability to dodge prior immunity.

So far, there is limited real-world data to confirm those concerns, but it is increasingly clear that omicron is already present in much of the United States. On Wednesday, scientists in California announced a case. Then on Thursday came an announcement in Minnesota about a person who tested positive after attending an anime convention in New York. Within hours, five cases had been found in New York, as well as one in Colorado and another in Hawaii.

On Friday, more cases emerged, including one each in Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Utah and three in Maryland. Many, but not all, of the cases had been linked to travel.

All that adds urgency to the work in the Omaha lab, situated behind locked doors in a research building at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each day, researchers there extract RNA from 64 nasal swabs sent in from across the state and run that material through two machines that, after about 18 hours, produce a genetic sequence for each infection.

They focus on the highest-risk cases: those involving large outbreaks or children or international travelers. The results, which are uploaded into a global database, show them which variants are present in the state and whether individual cases are linked to one another. When a New York Times reporter and photographer visited the lab Thursday, the scientists had just finished sequencing the samples that included the six omicron cases but had not yet examined the results.

“If we have a cluster of people, like 10, 15, 20 people — one of them is detected with omicron. The others, do they have omicron or not? If they have omicron, how related are those omicron viruses to each other? Are they the same?” Abdalhamid said, explaining some of the questions he would try to answer when the variant turned up in his lab. “Are they one clone, one cluster? Or more than one cluster?”

That level of detail, largely unavailable before this pandemic, can then inform the response of public health officials.

“It’s amazing that we’re able to do that because it used to be really all you had to go on was asking questions,” said Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director in Douglas County, which includes Omaha. “It just helps us be a lot more targeted in the recommendations and the mitigation efforts that we’re putting in.”

At the beginning of this year, American researchers were publishing the sequences of a few thousand virus samples each week, leaving the United States far behind other countries in its ability to identify and respond to variants. Since then, sequencing capacity has ramped up considerably, to about 80,000 virus samples a week and 14% of all positive PCR tests.

For the past few months, almost every sample that researchers have examined has shown the highly transmissible delta variant, which drove up case totals in the South over the summer and is fueling ongoing surges in much of the Midwest and Northeast.

“It was kind of getting boring, quite honestly, because it was 100% delta,” said Richard Michelmore, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who examines the lineage of coronavirus samples in his area.

In recent days, as word of omicron spread, Michelmore said his lab revived a program to acquire and examine samples from underserved populations. Although it is too early to know just how dangerous omicron is, Michelmore has little doubt that it will soon turn up in his lab.

“It’s a matter of when,” Michelmore said. “My prediction: We will have seen it probably by Christmas.”

The introduction of omicron comes at a precarious moment in the country’s virus fight. Although infection and hospitalization levels remain far lower nationally than they were a year ago, before vaccines were available, some states in the Upper Midwest and Northeast are overrun with the delta variant and are enduring their worst case surges of the pandemic.

Federal medical teams have been sent to bolster staffing at hospitals in Minnesota and Michigan. Case rates have soared to record levels in Vermont and New Hampshire. And in Nebraska, hospital officials have held news conferences this week to issue warnings about limited capacity and pleas to get vaccinated.

“It’s serious: Our hospitals, they’re out of resources at this point in terms of beds,” said Huse, the Douglas County health director.

It has been almost two years since the virus began to emerge in the United States — including in overseas travelers who quarantined on the same Omaha campus where the six omicron cases were detected this week. Unlike then, omicron has so far not brought a push to impose lockdowns or sweeping restrictions on everyday life. Instead, as Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts put it in a statement Friday after the state’s new cases were announced, there is a sense that “coronavirus will be with us forever.”

“Nebraska has maintained one of the lowest coronavirus death rates and protected our hospital capacity all without lockdowns, without mask mandates and without vaccine mandates,” Ricketts, a Republican, said in a statement.

He pledged that those policies would continue.

Researchers in Nebraska had just finished sequencing six samples of the omicron variant, the most discovered anywhere in the United States. They just didn’t know it yet.

Researchers in Nebraska had just finished sequencing six samples of the omicron variant, the most discovered anywhere in the United States. They just didn’t know it yet. In a closet-size room with two chairs and no windows, the scientists had extracted the genetic information from 64 new coronavirus samples, as they do every day, to determine whether any of those patients might have the worrisome new variant. Hours later, Dr. Baha Abdalhamid opened an email and saw the results. “This batch, I was waiting for it,” said Abdalhamid, assistant director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory. “Once I downloaded the results as an Excel sheet, I screened the 64 samples right away, and sure enough, six of them were omicron.” Nebraska officials announced the six cases, the state’s first, on Friday. Around the world, scientists are racing to understand how widespread omicron is and how severe a threat it may pose. That has placed labs such as Abdalhamid’s on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Underscoring growing concerns about omicron, scientists in South Africa said Friday that the variant appeared to spread more than twice as quickly as delta, until now the most contagious version of the virus. It is still unclear whether or to what degree omicron may evade protection from the current vaccines. In the United States, a hunt for the variant began last week when South African researchers announced omicron’s array of worrisome mutations. The search has intensified in recent days, with at least 12 states identifying cases. Researchers are combing through wastewater samples for any sign of the variant. Contact tracers are ramping up efforts in places where cases have emerged. And at sequencing labs such as the one in Nebraska, a state where case rates are already high and hospitals are already strained, scientists have sped up the screening of samples from international travelers to see if omicron has arrived. Local health officials in rural southeastern Nebraska said that among the cases Abdalhamid found, one person had recently traveled to Nigeria and was believed to have passed the virus on to the five others in the same household after returning to Nebraska. None of the patients has had severe symptoms; only one had been vaccinated. “The concern is what might start showing up if it starts coming in here,” Peter Iwen, director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, said Thursday before the local cases had been found. “Are we going to see the same wave? Or where this one falls out and this other one starts to take off?” As word spread on Thanksgiving about the discovery of omicron in Africa, scientists in the United States diverted from their holiday weekends and began searching for clues about whether the variant was here, too. They looked back through old virus samples to see if omicron had been spreading quietly. They took a closer look at recent positive tests. They began studying omicron’s mutations so they could detect it manually in the genetic code if their sequencing software did not. Experts say knowing where and how extensively omicron is circulating is the best way to understand and respond to the level of threat it poses. Scientists have expressed concern about omicron’s mutations and the impact they could have on transmissibility, disease severity and the ability to dodge prior immunity. So far, there is limited real-world data to confirm those concerns, but it is increasingly clear that omicron is already present in much of the United States. On Wednesday, scientists in California announced a case. Then on Thursday came an announcement in Minnesota about a person who tested positive after attending an anime convention in New York. Within hours, five cases had been found in New York, as well as one in Colorado and another in Hawaii. On Friday, more cases emerged, including one each in Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Utah and three in Maryland. Many, but not all, of the cases had been linked to travel. All that adds urgency to the work in the Omaha lab, situated behind locked doors in a research building at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each day, researchers there extract RNA from 64 nasal swabs sent in from across the state and run that material through two machines that, after about 18 hours, produce a genetic sequence for each infection. They focus on the highest-risk cases: those involving large outbreaks or children or international travelers. The results, which are uploaded into a global database, show them which variants are present in the state and whether individual cases are linked to one another. When a New York Times reporter and photographer visited the lab Thursday, the scientists had just finished sequencing the samples that included the six omicron cases but had not yet examined the results. “If we have a cluster of people, like 10, 15, 20 people — one of them is detected with omicron. The others, do they have omicron or not? If they have omicron, how related are those omicron viruses to each other? Are they the same?” Abdalhamid said, explaining some of the questions he would try to answer when the variant turned up in his lab. “Are they one clone, one cluster? Or more than one cluster?” That level of detail, largely unavailable before this pandemic, can then inform the response of public health officials. “It’s amazing that we’re able to do that because it used to be really all you had to go on was asking questions,” said Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director in Douglas County, which includes Omaha. “It just helps us be a lot more targeted in the recommendations and the mitigation efforts that we’re putting in.” At the beginning of this year, American researchers were publishing the sequences of a few thousand virus samples each week, leaving the United States far behind other countries in its ability to identify and respond to variants. Since then, sequencing capacity has ramped up considerably, to about 80,000 virus samples a week and 14% of all positive PCR tests. For the past few months, almost every sample that researchers have examined has shown the highly transmissible delta variant, which drove up case totals in the South over the summer and is fueling ongoing surges in much of the Midwest and Northeast. “It was kind of getting boring, quite honestly, because it was 100% delta,” said Richard Michelmore, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who examines the lineage of coronavirus samples in his area. In recent days, as word of omicron spread, Michelmore said his lab revived a program to acquire and examine samples from underserved populations. Although it is too early to know just how dangerous omicron is, Michelmore has little doubt that it will soon turn up in his lab. “It’s a matter of when,” Michelmore said. “My prediction: We will have seen it probably by Christmas.” The introduction of omicron comes at a precarious moment in the country’s virus fight. Although infection and hospitalization levels remain far lower nationally than they were a year ago, before vaccines were available, some states in the Upper Midwest and Northeast are overrun with the delta variant and are enduring their worst case surges of the pandemic. Federal medical teams have been sent to bolster staffing at hospitals in Minnesota and Michigan. Case rates have soared to record levels in Vermont and New Hampshire. And in Nebraska, hospital officials have held news conferences this week to issue warnings about limited capacity and pleas to get vaccinated. “It’s serious: Our hospitals, they’re out of resources at this point in terms of beds,” said Huse, the Douglas County health director. It has been almost two years since the virus began to emerge in the United States — including in overseas travelers who quarantined on the same Omaha campus where the six omicron cases were detected this week. Unlike then, omicron has so far not brought a push to impose lockdowns or sweeping restrictions on everyday life. Instead, as Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts put it in a statement Friday after the state’s new cases were announced, there is a sense that “coronavirus will be with us forever.” “Nebraska has maintained one of the lowest coronavirus death rates and protected our hospital capacity all without lockdowns, without mask mandates and without vaccine mandates,” Ricketts, a Republican, said in a statement. He pledged that those policies would continue.

Inside a sequencing lab on the front lines of America’s search for Omicron

Republican lawmaker Ted Cruz wants Texas to secede "if things become hopeless". Can "Texit" become a reality? A surprising share of American citizens wants to break up the country. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Texit after Brexit? Why some Texans want to leave the US

For long, speculation has been rife on whether Kamala Harris, America's first woman Vice President was fit for her role at the White House. In Washington's highest corridors of power her focus, drive and overall competence for the key position was clouded by doubt. In the latest,CNN has come out with an exhaustive piece detailing Washington's lack of confidence in Kamala Harris' leadership.

Does Washington doubt Kamala Harris' leadership?

America's second senior-most general John Hyten has revealed more details about China's recent test of a hypersonic missile. The general has warned that China one day might be able to launch a surprise nuclear attack on America.

Can China mount a hypersonic missile attack on America? Senior US general sounds alarm

It's official, America is a climate hypocrite. Days after Joe Biden promised to 'lead by example', his administration is selling oil & gas fields. The new leases are expected to release 600 million tonnes of planet-heating gases. Palki Sharma gets you the details.

Gravitas: It's official! America is a Climate Hypocrite | US to sell gas fields in 'Gulf Of Mexico'

A woman in America was charged with manslaughter and jailed for 4 years because she suffered a miscarriage. Since when did miscarriage become the same as manslaughter? Why is the US punishing grieving mothers for losing their babies? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Woman charged with manslaughter after suffering miscarriage

US media reports say Pakistan and America are set to sign a deal for using Pakistani airspace. Why is Joe Biden trusting Pakistan again after their betrayal in Afghanistan? What's in it for Islamabad? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Will Pakistan let America use their airspace?

US President Joe Biden on Monday appointed Indian-American former diplomat Vinai Thummalapally as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the federal agency dealing with trade and related issues.

Prior to this appointment, Thummalapally, 66, served as the Executive Director of SelectUSA, a US Department of Commerce initiative that facilitates job-creating business investment into the United States, from 2013 to 2017.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-canada-colluded-to-provoke-trouble-says-china-after-warships-sail-through-taiwan-strait-421574">US, Canada colluded to provoke trouble, says China after warships sail through Taiwan Strait</a>

"President Biden has appointed Vinai Thummalapally as USTDA's Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer. Thummalapally assumes the role of Acting Director of USTDA until a Director is confirmed by the Senate,&nbsp;USTDA said.

He also served as US Ambassador to Belize from 2009 to 2013, when he became the first Indian American ambassador in United States history.

"The US Trade and Development Agency has a global reputation for excellence, results, and setting the standard for American economic engagement overseas,&nbsp;said Thummalapally.

"It is an honour to lead this Agency and its exceptional team of professionals. I share their commitment to USTDA's mission of creating US jobs through exports, supporting the economic growth of the United States, and facilitating the development of sustainable infrastructure overseas using the best of what US industry has to offer,&nbsp;he said in a statement.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/first-world-problems-us-army-general-trolled-for-complaining-about-french-manicure-421301">First world problems? US Army General trolled for complaining about French manicure</a>

USTDA, in a statement said, Thummalapally has more than 30 years of experience in the private sector, including most recently as the Executive Chairman of Red Fort Strategies, a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs and government relations firm, and as the President of MAM-A Inc., a US manufacturer and distributor of archival recordable optical discs.

"His civic leadership experience includes service as a board member of the Indian American Impact Project, a non-profit promoting Indian Americans to run for public office, and as an advisor to the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Victory Fund. He has also served as a board member for Cyient, a global digital engineering and technology company,&nbsp;USTDA said.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Monday appointed Indian-American former diplomat Vinai Thummalapally as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the federal agency dealing with trade and related issues.

US President Joe Biden on Monday appointed Indian-American former diplomat Vinai Thummalapally as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the federal agency dealing with trade and related issues. Prior to this appointment, Thummalapally, 66, served as the Executive Director of SelectUSA, a US Department of Commerce initiative that facilitates job-creating business investment into the United States, from 2013 to 2017. Also Read | US, Canada colluded to provoke trouble, says China after warships sail through Taiwan Strait "President Biden has appointed Vinai Thummalapally as USTDA's Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer. Thummalapally assumes the role of Acting Director of USTDA until a Director is confirmed by the Senate, USTDA said. He also served as US Ambassador to Belize from 2009 to 2013, when he became the first Indian American ambassador in United States history. "The US Trade and Development Agency has a global reputation for excellence, results, and setting the standard for American economic engagement overseas, said Thummalapally. "It is an honour to lead this Agency and its exceptional team of professionals. I share their commitment to USTDA's mission of creating US jobs through exports, supporting the economic growth of the United States, and facilitating the development of sustainable infrastructure overseas using the best of what US industry has to offer, he said in a statement. Also Read | First world problems? US Army General trolled for complaining about French manicure USTDA, in a statement said, Thummalapally has more than 30 years of experience in the private sector, including most recently as the Executive Chairman of Red Fort Strategies, a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs and government relations firm, and as the President of MAM-A Inc., a US manufacturer and distributor of archival recordable optical discs. "His civic leadership experience includes service as a board member of the Indian American Impact Project, a non-profit promoting Indian Americans to run for public office, and as an advisor to the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Victory Fund. He has also served as a board member for Cyient, a global digital engineering and technology company, USTDA said.

Indian American Vinai Thummalapally named to top USTDA post

The United States has offered to pay unspecified compensation to relatives of 10 people in Afghanistan including seven children who were killed by mistake in a US drone strike as American forces were completing their withdrawal from the country.

United States offers to compensate victims of US drone strike in Afghanistan

United States offers to pay compensation to drone attack victims

Amid the boom in cyber-extortion in America, the payment to hackers is going through the roof. In the first half of 2021 alone, ransomware-related payments of 590 million dollars were reported to U.S. authorities. There are strong indicators the true cost could be in the billions.

Payment to hackers accelerates amid boom in cyber-extortion in America

For at least one year now, a small group of American soldiers have been stationed in Taiwan. What's their mission? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: What are American soldiers doing in Taiwan?

One of America's top diplomats, the deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman was in Pakistan for a two-day visit and during her brief tour, she reiterated America's concerns about Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Speaking at the American embassy Sherman said that Washington would continue its engagement with Islamabad on counter-terrorism efforts.

Wendy Sherman in Pakistan for a two-day visit

Amid China's rising threats against Taiwan, America's special operations forces have been quietly training Taiwanese troops for nearly a year. While Taiwan is an ally of the United States this extended military support and strategic assistance stands at risk of infuriating China.

America's special operations forces quietly train Taiwanese troops

American scientists David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian won the 2021 Nobel Prize for Physiology or medicine for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch.

American scientists David Julius, Ardem Patapoutian win 2021 Nobel Prize for Physiology or medicine

Democrats are racing against time to avoid a government shutdown and credit default. At this rate, the US Treasury could run out of money by October 18. What does a US default mean for the world economy? Molly Gambhir tells you.

Gravitas: Will America run out of money?

In the summer of 2020, America burnt in the flames of racial inequality. Millions rallied to tell the world that 'Black Lives Matter' Today, a memorial near the White House serves as a symbol of that movement. Here's a Ground Report by Palki Sharma

Gravitas US Edition: Black Lives Matter Movement: A WION Ground Report

Gun violence has plagued America for centuries. More than 100 Americans are killed every day by guns. WION's Palki Sharma travelled through Washington D.C. to find out why America has failed to rein in gun terror. Here's a Ground Report.

Gravitas US Edition: Gun Terror in America: A WION Ground Report

America's botch-up in Afghanistan has derailed the fight against terrorism. How will South Asia deal with an unstable Afghanistan? Palki Sharma discusses with a special panel of guests.

Gravitas US Edition: How should South Asia deal with an unstable Afghanistan?

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in America this week. Who will he meet? What's on the agenda? What can India expect? WION has the biggest team on the ground, covering all developments as they happen. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas US Edition: PM Modi's America visit: What to expect?

September glimmered in the distance. As a hopeful spring gave way to summer, this was to be the month when pandemic restrictions and government aid would fully cease, and when a new season of live gatherings, face-to-face schooling and office work would begin.

But events spilled out in unpredictable ways. Several New York Times photographers around the United States spent the past six months documenting the coronavirus economy as plot lines shifted, fractured and diverged.

Many of their images echoed the pervasive isolation of the previous year, while the springtime economy also showed that progress was real. More than a half million jobs were created in May, nearly double the previous month. As COVID-19 vaccinations accelerated, maskless crowds jostled at markets and restaurants. Subway cars teemed with activity. People gathered, hugged, kissed.

Then in the summer, a more contagious and insidious variant of the virus emerged, and the recovery teetered. Job creation shrank from more than 1 million in July to 235,000 in August. Commuter hubs that normally throbbed with activity experienced unchanging bouts of desolation. Disputes over the necessity of masks, restrictions and vaccinations turned uglier.

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When September arrived, the finish line still felt elusively out of reach.

SPRING

The availability of the vaccines in early spring delivered an exhilarating jolt of hope. Distribution, however, was slow and uneven at the start, and precious doses were initially rationed. Nabbing an appointment at times felt akin to finding a golden ticket in a Willy Wonka chocolate bar.

Then eligibility widened and the pace of immunisations picked up. By mid-April, half of all adults had received at least one shot, and the number of new cases reported dropped sharply. The economy was slowly making its way back from the disastrous COVID-19 recession that threw 22 million people out of work last year.

But progress was fitful, and fear of infection still loomed, keeping many from venturing out again.

In many places, restrictions remained — on restaurants, theaters and indoor gatherings. Throughout the country, city centers, train cars, classrooms and day care centers sat empty.

All the while, an army of essential workers — often in low-paying jobs — continued showing up even through the dark days. They delivered groceries and heating oil, repaired fiber optic cables and disinfected public buses, stocked warehouses and cleaned windows.

As caseloads plunged in late spring, people began to emerge from last year’s paralyzing confinement. Finally, here was a chance to indulge the deep, pent-up hunger for in-person contact and unfettered mobility. It was all a little bit heady. It felt like victory.

SUMMER

With summer, a joyful and luxurious sense of freedom burst open. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to work and the economy chugged forward. Roughly three-quarters of the jobs that vanished when the pandemic first hit had returned.

People flocked to restaurants, bars, stores, hotels, museums, markets, theaters and stadiums, clogging sidewalks, parks, ferryboats, tourist attractions and beaches. Businesses — particularly in the hospitality, tourist and retail sectors — returned to or even sailed ahead of their pre-pandemic levels.

In other corners of the economy, though, the recovery has been halting, tenuous or nonexistent. Stubborn supply chain issues hampered production, deliveries and sales. Prices of cars and homes surged. Store owners and restaurant managers complained of unanswered help-wanted ads, leaving them to ask waiting customers to be patient or to close early because of staff shortages.

Some of the snags were a natural byproduct of a hibernating economy suddenly waking up and workers reassessing their priorities and prospects. But a more wily and persistent problem lurked.

Assumptions that the pandemic was nearing its end were premature. Deep-rooted suspicions and myths, fueled by worms of misinformation and mistrust of pharmaceutical companies and the government, led many to reject COVID vaccines as well as preventive measures like masks and quarantines.

The virus’s more contagious delta variant gained a foothold among the unvaccinated populations and spread like wildfire. Now, more than 150,000 new cases are being reported each day, 10 times the tally earlier this year. The daily death toll has risen above 1,500, rivaling March’s figures. Ideological divisions, political maneuvering and varying tolerance of risk cracked hopes of a coordinated government response.

WHAT NOW?

The pullback has rippled through the labor market. Last month, employers grew more cautious about expanding. Workers stayed home often because they lacked child care or feared risking infection.

Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Starbucks, along with a growing number of companies, also postponed reopenings of their offices that had been scheduled for September.

Those decisions, in turn, mean no return of customers for the nearby salad and sandwich shops, boutiques, restaurants, nail salons, shoeshine stands and liquor stores. Some stores that had scraped by for months may no longer survive.

Here again, the impact has been uneven: In Georgia, for instance, the unemployment rate dropped below 3%. In other states, particularly those with large metropolises and tourist economies, including California, New York and Illinois, it remained above 7%. Across the country, the greatest job losses have been among Black and Latino women, and those at the lower end of the education ladder.

Masks have become common sights again, and there is a growing sense that we should stand just a little farther apart from one another. Reservations at restaurants, hotels and airlines have dipped. Fewer people are popping into stores.

Yet there are signs of hope amid the anxiety and a powerful craving for normalcy. After the late-summer surge, caseloads and hospitalizations have started to decline.

People may have to show vaccination cards, but they are still going to museums, sports events, bars and theaters. They are visiting friends and family at home and toasting birthdays and anniversaries.

Fall is finally arriving. It’s just that instead of reassuring predictability, we are returning to a season of disquiet and uncertainty, with little choice but to muddle through.

September glimmered in the distance. As a hopeful spring gave way to summer, this was to be the month when pandemic restrictions and government aid would fully cease, and when a new season of live gatherings, face-to-face schooling and office work would begin.

September glimmered in the distance. As a hopeful spring gave way to summer, this was to be the month when pandemic restrictions and government aid would fully cease, and when a new season of live gatherings, face-to-face schooling and office work would begin. But events spilled out in unpredictable ways. Several New York Times photographers around the United States spent the past six months documenting the coronavirus economy as plot lines shifted, fractured and diverged. Many of their images echoed the pervasive isolation of the previous year, while the springtime economy also showed that progress was real. More than a half million jobs were created in May, nearly double the previous month. As COVID-19 vaccinations accelerated, maskless crowds jostled at markets and restaurants. Subway cars teemed with activity. People gathered, hugged, kissed. Then in the summer, a more contagious and insidious variant of the virus emerged, and the recovery teetered. Job creation shrank from more than 1 million in July to 235,000 in August. Commuter hubs that normally throbbed with activity experienced unchanging bouts of desolation. Disputes over the necessity of masks, restrictions and vaccinations turned uglier. Also read | US and EU pledge 30 per cent cut in methane emissions When September arrived, the finish line still felt elusively out of reach. SPRING The availability of the vaccines in early spring delivered an exhilarating jolt of hope. Distribution, however, was slow and uneven at the start, and precious doses were initially rationed. Nabbing an appointment at times felt akin to finding a golden ticket in a Willy Wonka chocolate bar. Then eligibility widened and the pace of immunisations picked up. By mid-April, half of all adults had received at least one shot, and the number of new cases reported dropped sharply. The economy was slowly making its way back from the disastrous COVID-19 recession that threw 22 million people out of work last year. But progress was fitful, and fear of infection still loomed, keeping many from venturing out again. In many places, restrictions remained — on restaurants, theaters and indoor gatherings. Throughout the country, city centers, train cars, classrooms and day care centers sat empty. All the while, an army of essential workers — often in low-paying jobs — continued showing up even through the dark days. They delivered groceries and heating oil, repaired fiber optic cables and disinfected public buses, stocked warehouses and cleaned windows. As caseloads plunged in late spring, people began to emerge from last year’s paralyzing confinement. Finally, here was a chance to indulge the deep, pent-up hunger for in-person contact and unfettered mobility. It was all a little bit heady. It felt like victory. SUMMER With summer, a joyful and luxurious sense of freedom burst open. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to work and the economy chugged forward. Roughly three-quarters of the jobs that vanished when the pandemic first hit had returned. People flocked to restaurants, bars, stores, hotels, museums, markets, theaters and stadiums, clogging sidewalks, parks, ferryboats, tourist attractions and beaches. Businesses — particularly in the hospitality, tourist and retail sectors — returned to or even sailed ahead of their pre-pandemic levels. In other corners of the economy, though, the recovery has been halting, tenuous or nonexistent. Stubborn supply chain issues hampered production, deliveries and sales. Prices of cars and homes surged. Store owners and restaurant managers complained of unanswered help-wanted ads, leaving them to ask waiting customers to be patient or to close early because of staff shortages. Some of the snags were a natural byproduct of a hibernating economy suddenly waking up and workers reassessing their priorities and prospects. But a more wily and persistent problem lurked. Assumptions that the pandemic was nearing its end were premature. Deep-rooted suspicions and myths, fueled by worms of misinformation and mistrust of pharmaceutical companies and the government, led many to reject COVID vaccines as well as preventive measures like masks and quarantines. The virus’s more contagious delta variant gained a foothold among the unvaccinated populations and spread like wildfire. Now, more than 150,000 new cases are being reported each day, 10 times the tally earlier this year. The daily death toll has risen above 1,500, rivaling March’s figures. Ideological divisions, political maneuvering and varying tolerance of risk cracked hopes of a coordinated government response. WHAT NOW? The pullback has rippled through the labor market. Last month, employers grew more cautious about expanding. Workers stayed home often because they lacked child care or feared risking infection. Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Starbucks, along with a growing number of companies, also postponed reopenings of their offices that had been scheduled for September. Those decisions, in turn, mean no return of customers for the nearby salad and sandwich shops, boutiques, restaurants, nail salons, shoeshine stands and liquor stores. Some stores that had scraped by for months may no longer survive. Here again, the impact has been uneven: In Georgia, for instance, the unemployment rate dropped below 3%. In other states, particularly those with large metropolises and tourist economies, including California, New York and Illinois, it remained above 7%. Across the country, the greatest job losses have been among Black and Latino women, and those at the lower end of the education ladder. Masks have become common sights again, and there is a growing sense that we should stand just a little farther apart from one another. Reservations at restaurants, hotels and airlines have dipped. Fewer people are popping into stores. Yet there are signs of hope amid the anxiety and a powerful craving for normalcy. After the late-summer surge, caseloads and hospitalizations have started to decline. People may have to show vaccination cards, but they are still going to museums, sports events, bars and theaters. They are visiting friends and family at home and toasting birthdays and anniversaries. Fall is finally arriving. It’s just that instead of reassuring predictability, we are returning to a season of disquiet and uncertainty, with little choice but to muddle through.

America’s grand reopening, postponed

For years, innocent civilians have been paying the price of America's war on terror. Failures have led to the killing of an aid worker and his family members including children.

Innocent civilians pay the price of America's war on terror

- 4 hijacked commercial planes - 3 high profile Targets - Thousands of deaths - Countless lives affected - After 4 crashes, blaze, smoke, ashes & wreckage - The iconic twin towers were gone. - 9/11 changed the world forever All in a span of 180 minutes

The 9/11 terror attacks: 3 hours that changed the world

America is paying tribute to those who were killed on 11 September 2001. 20 years ago the United States witnessed the worst terrorist attack on its soil. Three planes crashed into landmark American buildings. The fourth hijacked plane was bravely diverted by the people on board crashing into an abandoned stripmine in Pennsylvania. That day, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives.

America remembers 9/11 on 20th anniversary

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