On the fateful day of&nbsp;August&nbsp;9, 1945, the Japanese city of Nagasaki, a major port for trade faced unfathomable devastation at the hands of the US, thus putting an end to Japan's participation in the Second World War.&nbsp;

Today's anniversary

76 years ago today, the Japanese city of Nagasaki was destroyed by an atomic bomb, and today, its mayor called on the global community to build on the new nuclear ban treaty.

With the rebuilding of Nagasaki post World War II, the city has become a spiritual centre for movements for the ban of nuclear weapons.

The ceremony is the first since an international treaty banning nuclear weapons went into effect last year.

"World leaders must commit to nuclear arms reductions and build trust through dialogue, and civil society must push them in this direction,"&nbsp;Nagasaki&nbsp;mayor Tomihisa Taue said.

<img alt="Doves fly during a memorial service for victims of the US atomic bombing at the Nagasaki Peace Park in Nagasaki on August 9, 2021, as the city marks the 76th anniversary of the bombing." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="55145c04-63df-4aa5-9d08-155d3ab2fdd9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-08-09T163231.004.jpg" />

Doves fly during a memorial service for victims of the US atomic bombing at the Nagasaki Peace Park in Nagasaki on August 9, 2021, as the city marks the 76th anniversary of the bombing.&nbsp;(Source:AFP)

"As the only country that has suffered atomic bombings during the war, it is our unchanging mission to steadily advance the efforts of the&nbsp;international community, step by step, towards realisation of a world free of nuclear weapons," Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at the ceremony.&nbsp;&nbsp;

So, what exactly happened that day?

Just three days earlier the city of Hiroshima had faced destruction, an atomic bomb code-named "Little boy" had brought devastation to the picturesque city resulting in the death of thousands.&nbsp;

On June 9th 1945, the city of Nagasaki faced the same fate, situated&nbsp;some 185 miles southwest of Hiroshima, at 11:02 am,&nbsp;another American bomber dropped its payload over Nagasaki. Between 60,000 and 80,000 people died in the bombing. Codenamed 'Fat Man'; it obliterated more than 30 per cent of Nagasaki.&nbsp;

<img alt="This file photo taken in 1945 next to the Urakami river in Nagasaki shows a wrecked brick wall and a &quot;Mitsubishi&quot; steel factory after a bombing by the US Air Force. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ebc9bed-014e-41b1-b656-d5a9f85741f0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-08-09T163648.829.jpg" />

This file photo taken in 1945 next to the Urakami river in Nagasaki shows a wrecked brick wall and a "Mitsubishi" steel factory after a bombing by the US Air Force.&nbsp;(Source:AFP)

Why did the US resort to atomic bombs?&nbsp;

Japan's surrender was America's immediate objective, followed by ending World War II and avoiding further casualties for the Allies.&nbsp;

It is also believed that the superpower wanted to demonstrate its new technology's incredibly destructive capabilities to the world, and in particular to the Soviet Union.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Why was Nagasaki targeted?

During the early 20th century, Nagasaki developed into a major shipbuilding city, which led the United States to target the city as a target for the atomic bomb dropped on Japan during World War II.

How many people actually died in this "massacre"?&nbsp;

<img alt="This filed photo dated 1945 shows the devastated city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped by a US Air Force B-29 on August 9, 1945." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0eb4d708-d7c9-4f87-86e4-7152c85de918" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-08-09T163637.586.jpg" />

This filed photo dated 1945 shows the devastated city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped by a US Air Force B-29 on August 9, 1945. (Source:AFP)

Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to calculate exact figures, as many records were destroyed by the bomb, and the destruction of the area prevented accurate counts of casualties. Nonetheless, they estimate some 40,000 people died within seconds of the attack, with many more dying from radiation exposure, burns, or injuries within months.

(With inputs from agencies)

On the fateful day of August 9, 1945, the Japanese city of Nagasaki, a major port for trade faced unfathomable devastation at the hands of the US, thus putting an end to Japan's participation in the Second World War.

On the fateful day of August 9, 1945, the Japanese city of Nagasaki, a major port for trade faced unfathomable devastation at the hands of the US, thus putting an end to Japan's participation in the Second World War. Today's anniversary 76 years ago today, the Japanese city of Nagasaki was destroyed by an atomic bomb, and today, its mayor called on the global community to build on the new nuclear ban treaty. With the rebuilding of Nagasaki post World War II, the city has become a spiritual centre for movements for the ban of nuclear weapons. The ceremony is the first since an international treaty banning nuclear weapons went into effect last year. "World leaders must commit to nuclear arms reductions and build trust through dialogue, and civil society must push them in this direction," Nagasaki mayor Tomihisa Taue said. Doves fly during a memorial service for victims of the US atomic bombing at the Nagasaki Peace Park in Nagasaki on August 9, 2021, as the city marks the 76th anniversary of the bombing. (Source:AFP) "As the only country that has suffered atomic bombings during the war, it is our unchanging mission to steadily advance the efforts of the international community, step by step, towards realisation of a world free of nuclear weapons," Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at the ceremony. So, what exactly happened that day? Just three days earlier the city of Hiroshima had faced destruction, an atomic bomb code-named "Little boy" had brought devastation to the picturesque city resulting in the death of thousands. On June 9th 1945, the city of Nagasaki faced the same fate, situated some 185 miles southwest of Hiroshima, at 11:02 am, another American bomber dropped its payload over Nagasaki. Between 60,000 and 80,000 people died in the bombing. Codenamed 'Fat Man'; it obliterated more than 30 per cent of Nagasaki. This file photo taken in 1945 next to the Urakami river in Nagasaki shows a wrecked brick wall and a "Mitsubishi" steel factory after a bombing by the US Air Force. (Source:AFP) Why did the US resort to atomic bombs? Japan's surrender was America's immediate objective, followed by ending World War II and avoiding further casualties for the Allies. It is also believed that the superpower wanted to demonstrate its new technology's incredibly destructive capabilities to the world, and in particular to the Soviet Union. Why was Nagasaki targeted? During the early 20th century, Nagasaki developed into a major shipbuilding city, which led the United States to target the city as a target for the atomic bomb dropped on Japan during World War II. How many people actually died in this "massacre"? This filed photo dated 1945 shows the devastated city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped by a US Air Force B-29 on August 9, 1945. (Source:AFP) Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to calculate exact figures, as many records were destroyed by the bomb, and the destruction of the area prevented accurate counts of casualties. Nonetheless, they estimate some 40,000 people died within seconds of the attack, with many more dying from radiation exposure, burns, or injuries within months. (With inputs from agencies)

Explainer: Nagasaki bombing, the history, and significance of "Fat Man"

After the month of negotiations, President Joe Biden's massive trillion-dollar infrastructure bill is inching its way to the White House.

United States: $1.2 TN bill waits final vote in senate

In a rare example of bipartisanship in Washington, a $1.2 trillion bill aimed at improving the US' roads, highways, bridges, and high-speed internet gained the support of 18 Republican senators and 49 Democratic senators.

With the addition of Republican senators to Democrats, on Saturday, the&nbsp;massive infrastructure bill&nbsp;passed a key procedural hurdle, ensuring its final passage in the upper chamber.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-senate-in-rare-saturday-session-on-1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-402098">US Senate in rare Saturday session on $1 trillion infrastructure bill</a>

Republicans including Mitch McConnell, the party's Senate leader, supported the measure which was&nbsp;deemed historic by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">US President Joe Biden</a>.

The bill needs 51 votes to clear senate passage. So, Saturday's vote greatly boosts its chances for passage, although fierce amendment arguments continue.

A second procedural step must be fulfilled before the bill can go to a final vote. The timing of this remained uncertain on Saturday evening, with the vote to be picked up again on Sunday.&nbsp;

The bill, which has been in development for months, calls for $550 billion in new federal spending to help the nation's ageing infrastructure, as well as to address climate change.

Totalling $1.2 trillion, the price tag equates to the 2020 GDP of Spain. This includes funds already approved but not yet spent.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/acknowledging-disagreements-biden-and-merkel-signal-warmer-us-german-ties-398544">Acknowledging disagreements, Biden and Merkel signal warmer US-German ties</a>

Making a last-minute plea for passage, Biden tweeted Saturday that the bill represented a "historic, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure."&nbsp;

"We can't afford not to do it," he added.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is a historic, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. It will create good-paying, union jobs repairing our roads and bridges, replacing lead pipes, and building energy transmission lines. 
 
We can’t afford not to do it.
— President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1424025037829464068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Vice President Kamala Harris was also dispatched by Biden to Capitol Hill to shore up support for the bill.

The plan will move forward if approved by the Senate.&nbsp;

Next, it will go to the House of Representatives, where it is not guaranteed to pass. Democrats hold a slim majority there, and the liberal and centrist wings of the party have clashed over the bill's content.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-infrastructure-biden-tests-the-limits-of-having-it-both-ways-393986">On infrastructure, Biden tests the limits of having it both ways</a>

Final passage by both houses would represent a major victory for the Democratic president, who has been betting his political legacy on economic recovery,&nbsp;as well as fighting the destruction caused by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

The Republican predecessor of Biden, Donald Trump, called the legislation "a disgrace" in a statement on Saturday.

While in office, Trump was unable to bring an infrastructure bill to passage. He&nbsp;stated that it was "very hard" for him to "endorse anyone foolish enough to vote in favor of this deal."&nbsp;&nbsp;

His position could make a final vote more problematic for Republicans looking ahead to the 2022 midterm elections.

In light of the 2022 midterm elections, his position could prove to be problematic during the final vote.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-lawmakers-strike-deal-on-infrastructure-393877">White House, lawmakers strike deal on infrastructure</a>

Despite this, Republicans know that the spending contained in the bill is very popular with voters.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a rare example of bipartisanship in Washington, a $1.2 trillion bill aimed at improving the US' roads, highways, bridges, and high-speed internet gained the support of 18 Republican senators and 49 Democratic senators.

In a rare example of bipartisanship in Washington, a $1.2 trillion bill aimed at improving the US' roads, highways, bridges, and high-speed internet gained the support of 18 Republican senators and 49 Democratic senators. With the addition of Republican senators to Democrats, on Saturday, the massive infrastructure bill passed a key procedural hurdle, ensuring its final passage in the upper chamber. Also read | US Senate in rare Saturday session on $1 trillion infrastructure bill Republicans including Mitch McConnell, the party's Senate leader, supported the measure which was deemed historic by US President Joe Biden. The bill needs 51 votes to clear senate passage. So, Saturday's vote greatly boosts its chances for passage, although fierce amendment arguments continue. A second procedural step must be fulfilled before the bill can go to a final vote. The timing of this remained uncertain on Saturday evening, with the vote to be picked up again on Sunday. The bill, which has been in development for months, calls for $550 billion in new federal spending to help the nation's ageing infrastructure, as well as to address climate change. Totalling $1.2 trillion, the price tag equates to the 2020 GDP of Spain. This includes funds already approved but not yet spent. Also read | Acknowledging disagreements, Biden and Merkel signal warmer US-German ties Making a last-minute plea for passage, Biden tweeted Saturday that the bill represented a "historic, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure." "We can't afford not to do it," he added. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is a historic, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. It will create good-paying, union jobs repairing our roads and bridges, replacing lead pipes, and building energy transmission lines. We can’t afford not to do it. — President Biden (@POTUS) August 7, 2021 × Vice President Kamala Harris was also dispatched by Biden to Capitol Hill to shore up support for the bill. The plan will move forward if approved by the Senate. Next, it will go to the House of Representatives, where it is not guaranteed to pass. Democrats hold a slim majority there, and the liberal and centrist wings of the party have clashed over the bill's content. Also read | On infrastructure, Biden tests the limits of having it both ways Final passage by both houses would represent a major victory for the Democratic president, who has been betting his political legacy on economic recovery, as well as fighting the destruction caused by COVID-19. The Republican predecessor of Biden, Donald Trump, called the legislation "a disgrace" in a statement on Saturday. While in office, Trump was unable to bring an infrastructure bill to passage. He stated that it was "very hard" for him to "endorse anyone foolish enough to vote in favor of this deal." His position could make a final vote more problematic for Republicans looking ahead to the 2022 midterm elections. In light of the 2022 midterm elections, his position could prove to be problematic during the final vote. Also read | White House, lawmakers strike deal on infrastructure Despite this, Republicans know that the spending contained in the bill is very popular with voters. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden-backed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passes key hurdle

Schools have begun reopening in the United States with most states leaving it up to local schools to decide whether to require masks.

United States: Schools reopen with masks optional in many US classrooms

The US will provide 'safe haven' to Hong Kong residents living on its soil. The Joe Biden administration has also approved its first arms sale to Taiwan. watch this report to know more.

United States to provide 'Temporary Safe Havens' to Hong Kongers

The US State Department has designated five leaders from three terrorist groups for "committing atrocities in Africa".

Bonomade Machude Omar of the Islamic State (IS)-Mozambique; Sidan ag Hitta, Salem ould Breihmatt and Ali Mohamed Rage of the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM); and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir of al-Shabaab have been designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224, as amended, the Department said in a statement on Friday.

According to the Department, Omar leads the Military and External Affairs Departments for IS-Mozambique and serves as the senior commander and lead coordinator for all attacks conducted by the group, as well as the lead facilitator and communications conduit.

Hitta is a senior leader and commander responsible for the Kidal region in Mali within JNIM. He was among the group responsible for the January 20, 2019, attack on the MINUSMA base in Aguelhoc, Mali.

He was also responsible for hostages in the Kidal Region, said the State Department.

Breihmatt is a JNIM senior leader and emir of Arbinda and Serma in the Mopti region of Mali. He is also charged with the oversight of the group in Burkina Faso and is an explosives expert and instructor.

Rage is al-Shabaab's spokesman and a senior leader of the group. He replaced Sheikh Mukhtar Robowas al-Shabaab`s top spokesman in May 2009.

Rage has been involved in attack planning that has targeted areas in Kenya and Somalia.

Abdikadir is a facilitator and operational planner. As of November 2019, Abdikadirwas an al-Shabaab senior leader and served as the Head of Operations and Logistics.

Taking to Twitter, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "Today, the State Department designated five leaders from IS-Mozambique, JNIM, and al-Shabaab, terrorist groups that have committed atrocities in Africa.

"The US is committed to disrupting terrorist financing, limiting their ability to conduct attacks against civilians."

The US State Department has designated five leaders from three terrorist groups for "committing atrocities in Africa". Bonomade Machude Omar of the Islamic State (IS)-Mozambique; Sidan ag Hitta, Salem ould Breihmatt and Ali Mohamed Rage of the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM); and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir of al-Shabaab have been designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224, as amended, the Department said in a statement on Friday.

The US State Department has designated five leaders from three terrorist groups for "committing atrocities in Africa". Bonomade Machude Omar of the Islamic State (IS)-Mozambique; Sidan ag Hitta, Salem ould Breihmatt and Ali Mohamed Rage of the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM); and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir of al-Shabaab have been designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224, as amended, the Department said in a statement on Friday. According to the Department, Omar leads the Military and External Affairs Departments for IS-Mozambique and serves as the senior commander and lead coordinator for all attacks conducted by the group, as well as the lead facilitator and communications conduit. Hitta is a senior leader and commander responsible for the Kidal region in Mali within JNIM. He was among the group responsible for the January 20, 2019, attack on the MINUSMA base in Aguelhoc, Mali. He was also responsible for hostages in the Kidal Region, said the State Department. Breihmatt is a JNIM senior leader and emir of Arbinda and Serma in the Mopti region of Mali. He is also charged with the oversight of the group in Burkina Faso and is an explosives expert and instructor. Rage is al-Shabaab's spokesman and a senior leader of the group. He replaced Sheikh Mukhtar Robowas al-Shabaab`s top spokesman in May 2009. Rage has been involved in attack planning that has targeted areas in Kenya and Somalia. Abdikadir is a facilitator and operational planner. As of November 2019, Abdikadirwas an al-Shabaab senior leader and served as the Head of Operations and Logistics. Taking to Twitter, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "Today, the State Department designated five leaders from IS-Mozambique, JNIM, and al-Shabaab, terrorist groups that have committed atrocities in Africa. "The US is committed to disrupting terrorist financing, limiting their ability to conduct attacks against civilians."

United States adds 5 terrorist commanders to global list for 'committing atrocities in Africa'

Hiroshima on Friday marked the 76th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing. The United States dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroying the city and killing 140,000 people. It dropped a second bomb three days later on Nagasaki, killing another 70,000. Japan surrendered Aug. 15, ending World War II and its nearly half-century of aggression in Asia.

Hiroshima marks 76 years of world’s first atomic bombing

As vaccines help quell <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> cases, millions of Americans have gone back to work, but fewer Black and Hispanic workers are being rehired, entrenching persistent inequalities in the United States.

The divides are fueled by long-running&nbsp;employment&nbsp;discrimination, experts say, worsened by unique, virus-related disruptions that have left many job seekers unable to find work they can get to, or feel safe doing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/social-inequities-explain-racial-gaps-in-pandemic-studies-find-348674">Social inequities explain racial gaps in pandemic, studies find</a>

"We haven't actually addressed those underlying power disparities in the&nbsp;economy," said Kate Bahn, director of labour market policy with the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

After skyrocketing to 14.7 per cent in April 2020 when business restrictions to stop the virus from spreading were at their tightest, the US&nbsp;unemployment&nbsp;rate dropped to 5.9 per cent in June, according to the Labor Department.

But the gains were not shared equally: the jobless rate for Black workers was 9.2 per cent and for Hispanics 7.4 per cent, compared with 5.2 per cent for whites.

The&nbsp;racial&nbsp;and ethnic&nbsp;employment&nbsp;gaps in the world's largest&nbsp;economy&nbsp;were present even when&nbsp;unemployment&nbsp;was at record lows before the pandemic.

In Washington, the issue is receiving renewed attention from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>, who has put forth massive spending plans he says will help reshape the&nbsp;economy&nbsp;and make it more inclusive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/classrooms-grapple-with-racial-slurs-in-classic-american-novels-394213">Classrooms grapple with racial slurs in classic American novels</a>

"When I started studying economics in 1963, the average Black family's wealth was roughly 15 percent of the average white family's," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday.

"What is surprising, however, is that it's almost six decades later, and the data point has barely changed. It's still 15 percent."

The Federal Reserve has also pledged to keep interest rates low for longer to increase the hiring of&nbsp;racial&nbsp;minorities, something that took nearly a decade following the 2008 global financial crisis.

"We all do better when the pie is bigger, and you get the pie bigger by being aggressive about this," William Spriggs, chief economist of the AFL-CIO trade union federation, told AFP.

'Fixed disparity'

The Labor Department is due to release the latest&nbsp;employment&nbsp;report on Friday, which some economists expect will show the&nbsp;economy&nbsp;gaining over one million jobs in July, lowering the&nbsp;unemployment&nbsp;rate to 5.6 per cent as more businesses reopen.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-protests-highlight-inequalities-and-endemic-racial-discrimination-un-rights-chief-michelle-bachelet-302667">US protests highlight inequalities and endemic racial discrimination: UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet</a>

The June data showed&nbsp;unemployment&nbsp;for white women was five per cent, despite losing jobs last year at about the same rate as Black workers, who have seen much slower rehiring. The trend is similar for Hispanics.

"There is a fixed disparity between Blacks and whites in terms of being rehired," Spriggs said.

A higher share of Black women are looking for jobs than white women, but large and small companies nationwide nonetheless complain they cannot find people to fill open positions, especially skilled workers.

"These employers are all yelling we can't find workers, we can't find workers. Black women are more available and yet they're not hiring them," Spriggs said.

"It's discrimination. Until we get serious about discrimination in hiring and discrimination in labor force, we just can't advance."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-lives-matter-activists-note-contrast-in-police-response-at-capitol-355386">Black Lives Matter activists note contrast in police response at Capitol</a>

Scholars blame the disparity on factors that push Black and Hispanic workers into jobs that pay less and often put them most at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Virus still a threat&nbsp;

Walter L. Simmons, president and CEO of nonprofit Employ Prince George's, which serves a mostly Black and Hispanic county outside Washington, said the ongoing pandemic disruptions are keeping some people from taking jobs, or even looking for work.

Bus and ride-sharing services have not yet returned to normal, meaning many jobseekers often cannot get to work. Childcare also has been curtailed, so working parents have to figure out what to do with their children.

Many people in Prince George's county live with extended family, and may be reluctant to take a job where they risk infection, Simmons said,&nbsp;a fear that has grown more acute as the highly infectious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">Delta variant</a> spreads.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pandemic-economic-crisis-racial-injustice-climate-crisis-threats-to-our-democracy-says-president-biden-from-lincoln-memorial-358219">Pandemic, economic crisis, racial injustice, climate crisis threats to our democracy, says President Biden from Lincoln Memorial</a>

"Those are three areas we're seeing that nobody really has an answer for. They're just saying come back to work," Simmons said in an interview.

For now, jobless workers are able to survive off of expanded&nbsp;unemployment&nbsp;benefits authorized by the federal government, which pay some low-wage workers more than their previous jobs.

About two dozen states ended these benefits, and in September, they expire nationwide.&nbsp;

Simmons fears what could happen after.

"Those who were struggling prior to the pandemic, they're really going to struggle," he said.

As vaccines help quell COVID-19 cases, millions of Americans have gone back to work, but fewer Black and Hispanic workers are being rehired, entrenching persistent inequalities in the United States.

As vaccines help quell COVID-19 cases, millions of Americans have gone back to work, but fewer Black and Hispanic workers are being rehired, entrenching persistent inequalities in the United States. The divides are fueled by long-running employment discrimination, experts say, worsened by unique, virus-related disruptions that have left many job seekers unable to find work they can get to, or feel safe doing. Also read | Social inequities explain racial gaps in pandemic, studies find "We haven't actually addressed those underlying power disparities in the economy," said Kate Bahn, director of labour market policy with the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. After skyrocketing to 14.7 per cent in April 2020 when business restrictions to stop the virus from spreading were at their tightest, the US unemployment rate dropped to 5.9 per cent in June, according to the Labor Department. But the gains were not shared equally: the jobless rate for Black workers was 9.2 per cent and for Hispanics 7.4 per cent, compared with 5.2 per cent for whites. The racial and ethnic employment gaps in the world's largest economy were present even when unemployment was at record lows before the pandemic. In Washington, the issue is receiving renewed attention from President Joe Biden, who has put forth massive spending plans he says will help reshape the economy and make it more inclusive. Also read | Classrooms grapple with racial slurs in classic American novels "When I started studying economics in 1963, the average Black family's wealth was roughly 15 percent of the average white family's," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday. "What is surprising, however, is that it's almost six decades later, and the data point has barely changed. It's still 15 percent." The Federal Reserve has also pledged to keep interest rates low for longer to increase the hiring of racial minorities, something that took nearly a decade following the 2008 global financial crisis. "We all do better when the pie is bigger, and you get the pie bigger by being aggressive about this," William Spriggs, chief economist of the AFL-CIO trade union federation, told AFP. 'Fixed disparity' The Labor Department is due to release the latest employment report on Friday, which some economists expect will show the economy gaining over one million jobs in July, lowering the unemployment rate to 5.6 per cent as more businesses reopen. Also read | US protests highlight inequalities and endemic racial discrimination: UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet The June data showed unemployment for white women was five per cent, despite losing jobs last year at about the same rate as Black workers, who have seen much slower rehiring. The trend is similar for Hispanics. "There is a fixed disparity between Blacks and whites in terms of being rehired," Spriggs said. A higher share of Black women are looking for jobs than white women, but large and small companies nationwide nonetheless complain they cannot find people to fill open positions, especially skilled workers. "These employers are all yelling we can't find workers, we can't find workers. Black women are more available and yet they're not hiring them," Spriggs said. "It's discrimination. Until we get serious about discrimination in hiring and discrimination in labor force, we just can't advance." Also read | Black Lives Matter activists note contrast in police response at Capitol Scholars blame the disparity on factors that push Black and Hispanic workers into jobs that pay less and often put them most at risk of contracting COVID-19. Virus still a threat Walter L. Simmons, president and CEO of nonprofit Employ Prince George's, which serves a mostly Black and Hispanic county outside Washington, said the ongoing pandemic disruptions are keeping some people from taking jobs, or even looking for work. Bus and ride-sharing services have not yet returned to normal, meaning many jobseekers often cannot get to work. Childcare also has been curtailed, so working parents have to figure out what to do with their children. Many people in Prince George's county live with extended family, and may be reluctant to take a job where they risk infection, Simmons said, a fear that has grown more acute as the highly infectious Delta variant spreads. Also read | Pandemic, economic crisis, racial injustice, climate crisis threats to our democracy, says President Biden from Lincoln Memorial "Those are three areas we're seeing that nobody really has an answer for. They're just saying come back to work," Simmons said in an interview. For now, jobless workers are able to survive off of expanded unemployment benefits authorized by the federal government, which pay some low-wage workers more than their previous jobs. About two dozen states ended these benefits, and in September, they expire nationwide. Simmons fears what could happen after. "Those who were struggling prior to the pandemic, they're really going to struggle," he said.

Racial employment divide continues in recovering US economy

A survey of data from 10 states shows that more than 1 million doses have gone to waste since the nation began administering <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> vaccines in December.

Much of the loss has come as demand for inoculations plummeted, with the daily rate of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccinations</a> now at less than one-fifth of its peak average of 3.4 million shots, reached in mid-April.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-seeks-international-help-as-covid-19-bites-401144">Myanmar seeks international help as COVID-19 bites</a>

More than 110,000 doses have been destroyed in Georgia, officials there said. Of the more than 53,000 doses wasted in New Jersey, nearly 20,000 were discarded in June, up from around 4,000 in April. In Ohio, more than 370,000 doses have been reported as unusable by state providers, while around 50,000 doses in Maryland were not used, officials said.

Reasons for vaccine wastage include breakage, storage and transportation problems, expiration, and shots that were prepared but not used after people did not show up for appointments, officials said. In many states, data shows that wasted or unusable doses are no more than 2 per cent of those received from the federal government and successfully administered.

In Georgia, more than 8.5 million doses have been administered; the state’s unused doses total just 1.4 per cent of that number, officials said. Idaho has wasted about 2 per cent of delivered doses, and New Jersey less than half of 1 per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/florida-breaks-record-with-more-than-21000-new-covid-19-cases-402176">Florida breaks record with more than 21,000 new COVID-19 cases</a>

Other states are likely to face some of the same issues as the 10 states whose data was reviewed by The New York Times, suggesting that the number of wasted doses in the country could be far higher. Other states, including North Carolina and South Carolina, did not respond to requests for information. State data does not include all doses that the federal government ships directly to chain pharmacies, so there could be an unaccounted-for waste.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks wasted doses, but did not respond to a request for that data, which would provide a broader national picture.

The rise in wasted vaccine doses reflects the challenge American health officials face in inoculating residents, even as the more contagious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">delta variant</a> of the coronavirus fuels outbreaks among the unvaccinated across the United States. Delta is also one driver of a rise in cases globally, and many countries are begging for vaccine doses.

Full vaccination offers strong protection against severe disease and death, including from the delta variant, and the CDC says breakthrough infections in vaccinated people are rare. However, recent data suggest that vaccinated people infected with the delta variant may transmit the virus to others, a finding that contributed to the CDC’s recent decision to advise vaccinated people in COVID hot spots to wear masks again in indoor public areas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-covid-19-variant-can-be-passed-on-even-by-those-vaccinated-us-top-health-body-402016">Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by those vaccinated: US top health body</a>

Vaccinations are now ticking upward in some states; more than 850,000 shots were recorded on Friday, raising the daily national average to more than 650,000 from about 500,000 three weeks ago. Still, more than half of the US&nbsp;population is not fully vaccinated, according to a Times database. That includes children younger than 12, who are not yet eligible.

“Early on, it was kind of a crisis because people wanted it and couldn’t get it, and now it’s a crisis because we’ve got it and people don’t want it,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, who represents state health agencies as the chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

Many states have asked about redistributing unused vaccines abroad, but once the doses are shipped out to states, federal regulations prohibit recalling them. And some countries, like Canada, have declined states’ offers of surplus vaccines.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-receives-four-million-vaccine-doses-from-us-402197">Nigeria receives four million vaccine doses from US</a>

“Here we are with loads of vaccine, and there are other countries in the world where people are desperate for vaccination,” Plescia said.

With vaccinations lagging, some state health officials have directed providers in recent months to open a new vial even if some of it goes unused.

“It’s better to give two doses and waste 12 than to leave 14 doses sitting in the freezer,” said Kristen Dillon, a director of the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 vaccine Planning Unit. Oregon has reported more than 78,000 doses as nonviable, the “vast majority” of which were unused doses from opened vials, officials said.

In Arkansas, where just 36 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated, nearly 55,000 doses had gone to waste by mid-July, up from around 580 in mid-March, as officials prioritized vaccinations over saving doses. “If we have the opportunity to give the vaccine, let’s go ahead and do it,” said Robert Ator, a retired National Guard colonel who runs the state’s vaccination effort.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-calls-on-states-localities-to-give-100-for-people-getting-vaccinated-401986/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Like officials in many other states, Ator said he stopped ordering additional doses in April as demand dropped, and he has since shifted to repackaging doses in smaller quantities for distribution to drugstores and doctors’ offices. The state’s stockpile has decreased from 550,000 doses in April to about 350,000 in late July, he said.

Despite his efforts, Ator projected that about 100,000 doses of the state’s stockpile could expire over the next three months.

A survey of data from 10 states shows that more than 1 million doses have gone to waste since the nation began administering COVID-19 vaccines in December. Much of the loss has come as demand for inoculations plummeted, with the daily rate of vaccinations now at less than one-fifth of its peak average of 3.

A survey of data from 10 states shows that more than 1 million doses have gone to waste since the nation began administering COVID-19 vaccines in December. Much of the loss has come as demand for inoculations plummeted, with the daily rate of vaccinations now at less than one-fifth of its peak average of 3.4 million shots, reached in mid-April. Also read | Myanmar seeks international help as COVID-19 bites More than 110,000 doses have been destroyed in Georgia, officials there said. Of the more than 53,000 doses wasted in New Jersey, nearly 20,000 were discarded in June, up from around 4,000 in April. In Ohio, more than 370,000 doses have been reported as unusable by state providers, while around 50,000 doses in Maryland were not used, officials said. Reasons for vaccine wastage include breakage, storage and transportation problems, expiration, and shots that were prepared but not used after people did not show up for appointments, officials said. In many states, data shows that wasted or unusable doses are no more than 2 per cent of those received from the federal government and successfully administered. In Georgia, more than 8.5 million doses have been administered; the state’s unused doses total just 1.4 per cent of that number, officials said. Idaho has wasted about 2 per cent of delivered doses, and New Jersey less than half of 1 per cent. Also read | Florida breaks record with more than 21,000 new COVID-19 cases Other states are likely to face some of the same issues as the 10 states whose data was reviewed by The New York Times, suggesting that the number of wasted doses in the country could be far higher. Other states, including North Carolina and South Carolina, did not respond to requests for information. State data does not include all doses that the federal government ships directly to chain pharmacies, so there could be an unaccounted-for waste. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks wasted doses, but did not respond to a request for that data, which would provide a broader national picture. The rise in wasted vaccine doses reflects the challenge American health officials face in inoculating residents, even as the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus fuels outbreaks among the unvaccinated across the United States. Delta is also one driver of a rise in cases globally, and many countries are begging for vaccine doses. Full vaccination offers strong protection against severe disease and death, including from the delta variant, and the CDC says breakthrough infections in vaccinated people are rare. However, recent data suggest that vaccinated people infected with the delta variant may transmit the virus to others, a finding that contributed to the CDC’s recent decision to advise vaccinated people in COVID hot spots to wear masks again in indoor public areas. Also read | Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by those vaccinated: US top health body Vaccinations are now ticking upward in some states; more than 850,000 shots were recorded on Friday, raising the daily national average to more than 650,000 from about 500,000 three weeks ago. Still, more than half of the US population is not fully vaccinated, according to a Times database. That includes children younger than 12, who are not yet eligible. “Early on, it was kind of a crisis because people wanted it and couldn’t get it, and now it’s a crisis because we’ve got it and people don’t want it,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, who represents state health agencies as the chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Many states have asked about redistributing unused vaccines abroad, but once the doses are shipped out to states, federal regulations prohibit recalling them. And some countries, like Canada, have declined states’ offers of surplus vaccines. Also read | Nigeria receives four million vaccine doses from US “Here we are with loads of vaccine, and there are other countries in the world where people are desperate for vaccination,” Plescia said. With vaccinations lagging, some state health officials have directed providers in recent months to open a new vial even if some of it goes unused. “It’s better to give two doses and waste 12 than to leave 14 doses sitting in the freezer,” said Kristen Dillon, a director of the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 vaccine Planning Unit. Oregon has reported more than 78,000 doses as nonviable, the “vast majority” of which were unused doses from opened vials, officials said. In Arkansas, where just 36 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated, nearly 55,000 doses had gone to waste by mid-July, up from around 580 in mid-March, as officials prioritized vaccinations over saving doses. “If we have the opportunity to give the vaccine, let’s go ahead and do it,” said Robert Ator, a retired National Guard colonel who runs the state’s vaccination effort. Like officials in many other states, Ator said he stopped ordering additional doses in April as demand dropped, and he has since shifted to repackaging doses in smaller quantities for distribution to drugstores and doctors’ offices. The state’s stockpile has decreased from 550,000 doses in April to about 350,000 in late July, he said. Despite his efforts, Ator projected that about 100,000 doses of the state’s stockpile could expire over the next three months.

US is wasting vaccine doses, even as cases rise

The huge increase in government aid prompted by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus pandemic</a> will cut poverty nearly in half this year from pre-pandemic levels and push the share of Americans in poverty to the lowest level on record, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of a vast but temporary expansion of the safety net.

The number of poor Americans is expected to fall by nearly 20 million from 2018 levels, a decline of almost 45 per cent. The country has never cut poverty so much in such a short period of time, and the development is especially notable since it defies economic headwinds — the economy has nearly 7 million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-pushes-37-million-people-into-extreme-poverty-gates-foundation-327805">Coronavirus pushes 37 million people into extreme poverty: Gates Foundation</a>

The extraordinary reduction in poverty has come at extraordinary cost, with annual spending on major programs projected to rise fourfold to more than $1 trillion. Yet without further expensive new measures, millions of families may find the escape from poverty brief. The three programs that cut poverty most — stimulus checks, increased food stamps and expanded unemployment insurance — have ended or are scheduled to soon revert to their prepandemic size.

While poverty has fallen most among children, its retreat is remarkably broad: It has dropped among Americans who are white, Black, Latino and Asian, and among Americans of every age group and residents of every state.

“These are really large reductions in poverty — the largest short-term reductions we’ve seen,” said Laura Wheaton of the Urban Institute, who produced the estimate with her colleagues Linda Giannarelli and Ilham Dehry. The institute’s simulation model is widely used by government agencies. The New York Times requested the analysis, which expanded on an earlier projection.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-report-warns-hunger-is-expected-to-rise-in-23-global-hotspots-401915">New report warns hunger is expected to rise in 23 global hotspots</a>

he finding — that poverty plunged amid hard times at huge fiscal costs — comes at a moment of sharp debate about the future of the safety net.

The Biden administration has started making monthly payments to most families with children through an expansion of the child tax credit. Democrats want to make the yearlong effort permanent, which would reduce child poverty on a continuing basis by giving their families an income guarantee.

Progressives said the new numbers vindicated their contention that poverty levels reflected political choices and government programs could reduce economic need.

<img alt="Graphic 1 (Source: The New York Times)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5006ff6b-8278-4f58-af83-0180ac52ccdf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-07-31T220041.401.jpg" />

Graphic 1 (Source: The New York Times)

“Wow — these are stunning findings,” said Bob Greenstein, a longtime proponent of safety net programs who is now at the Brookings Institution. “The policy response since the start of the pandemic goes beyond anything we’ve ever done, and the antipoverty effect dwarfs what most of us thought was possible.”

Conservatives say that pandemic-era spending is unsustainable and would harm the poor in the long run, arguing that unconditional aid discourages work and marriage. The child tax credit offers families up to $300 per child a month whether or not parents have jobs, which critics call a return to failed welfare policies.

“There’s no doubt that by shoveling trillions of dollars to the poor, you can reduce poverty,” said Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation. “But that’s not efficient and it’s not good for the poor because it produces social marginalization. You want policies that encourage work and marriage, not undermine it.”

Poverty rates had reached new lows before the pandemic, Rector added, under policies meant to discourage welfare and promote work.

To understand how large the recent aid expansion has been, consider the experience of Kathryn Goodwin, a single mother of five in St. Charles, Missouri, who managed a group of trailer parks before the pandemic eliminated her $33,000 job.

Without the pandemic-era expansions — passed in three rounds under both the Trump and Biden administrations — Goodwin’s job loss would have caused her income to plunge to about $29,000 (in jobless benefits, food stamps and other aid), leaving her officially poor.

<img alt="Graphic 2 (Source: The New York Times)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ecf827d3-8ead-4164-8943-d7cb2a3190eb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-07-31T220101.346.jpg" />

Graphic 2&nbsp;(Source: The New York Times)

Instead, her income rose above its prepandemic level, though she has not worked for a year. She received about $25,000 in unemployment benefits (about three times what she would have received before the pandemic) and $12,000 in stimulus checks. With increased food stamp benefits and other help, her income grew to $67,000 — almost 30 per cent more than when she had a job.

“Without that help, I literally don’t know how I would have survived,” she said. “We would have been homeless.”

Still, Goodwin, 29, has mixed feelings about large payments with no stipulations.

“In my case, yes, it was very beneficial,” she said. But she said that other people she knew bought big TVs and her former boyfriend bought drugs. “All this free money enabled him to be a worse addict than he already was,” she said. “Why should taxpayers pay for that?”

The Urban Institute’s projections show poverty falling to 7.7 per cent this year from 13.9&nbsp;per cent in 2018. That decline, 45 per cent, is nearly three times the previous three-year record, according to historical estimates by researchers at Columbia University. The projected drop in child poverty, to 5.6 from 14.2 per cent, amounts to a decline of 61 per cent. That exceeds the previous 50 years combined, the Columbia figures show.

In addition to there being nearly 20 million fewer people in poverty, the institute projects about 10 million fewer in “near poverty,” with incomes of 100 to 150&nbsp;per cent of the poverty line. Under the yardstick the Urban Institute used (the government’s Supplemental Poverty Measure), the poverty line for two adults and two children with typical housing costs is about $30,000.

“The decline in ‘near poverty’ is significant because families in that income range, like people in poverty, suffer high rates of food insecurity and other hardships,” said Elaine Waxman, an Urban Institute researcher.

Poverty fell across racial and ethnic groups but most for people who are Black and Latino, meaning the gap with white Americans narrowed. The Rev. Starsky Wilson, the president of the Children’s Defense Fund, credited the racial protests of the past year for prompting lawmakers to act. “It’s no coincidence that the effort at mobilizing resulted in investments that reduced poverty and narrowed disparities,” he said.

<img alt="Graphic 3 (Source: The New York Times)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="be777110-1106-44a1-b65f-9275d245b258" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-07-31T220120.026.jpg" />

Graphic 3&nbsp;(Source: The New York Times)

Poverty fell less among Asian Americans, leaving them more likely than Black Americans to be poor. The institute found that was partly because they tended to live in more expensive areas.

Jessica Moore of St. Louis said the expanded aid helped her make a fresh start.

A single mother of three, Moore, 24, lost work as a banquet server at the pandemic’s start but received enough in unemployment insurance and stimulus checks to buy a car and enroll in community college. She is studying to become an emergency medical technician, which promises to raise her earnings 50 per cent.

“When you lose your job, you don’t expect benefits that are more than you were making,” she said. “It was a pure blessing.”

The institute projected spending on core programs would more than double, to about $13,900 per family from $5,700 in 2018. The stimulus checks removed more than 12 million people from poverty. Food stamps ended poverty for nearly 8 million people and unemployment aid for nearly 7 million.

Critics said the aid was poorly devised, noting that many people received more from unemployment benefits than they had earned on the job.

“We spent like we’ve never spent before and we reduced hardship for most people quite dramatically,” said Bruce D. Meyer, an economist at the University of Chicago. “But this came at a very high and unnecessary cost.”

While Democrats and Republicans remain divided over future safety net spending, a bipartisan group of senators agreed Wednesday on about $550 billion in new spending for roads, bridges and physical infrastructure projects, and the Senate advanced the package in an initial vote.

Measuring poverty is contentious, and some conservatives accuse the left of exaggerating the recent poverty reduction to justify more spending. They say the government’s methodology undercounts the benefits people receive and overstates what it takes to meet basic needs. The Urban Institute modified the government’s approach to correct for undercounting, but Wheaton said methodological issues did not change the conclusion that poverty fell since “we are applying a consistent measure to both years.”

If there are biases in the institute’s methodology, they lean in offsetting directions. Using a 2018 baseline may modestly overstate the recent poverty reduction, since poverty was lower when the virus hit. But the study, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, also understated the poverty reduction by omitting several large new programs, including $45 billion in rental aid.

Robert Doar, the president of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, warned that the poverty numbers were being used to attack a successful social compact established a quarter-century ago with the overhaul of the welfare system. Under a new system of time limits and work requirements, payments to poor people without jobs fell, but subsidies for low-wage workers grew. Doar noted that while liberals warned child poverty would grow, by 2019 it had hit a prepandemic low.

“We required work, we rewarded work, and poverty rates were lower than had ever been,” he said. “The Democrats want to ignore all that and just send everybody a check.”

The huge increase in government aid prompted by the coronavirus pandemic will cut poverty nearly in half this year from pre-pandemic levels and push the share of Americans in poverty to the lowest level on record, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of a vast but temporary expansion of the safety net.

The huge increase in government aid prompted by the coronavirus pandemic will cut poverty nearly in half this year from pre-pandemic levels and push the share of Americans in poverty to the lowest level on record, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of a vast but temporary expansion of the safety net. The number of poor Americans is expected to fall by nearly 20 million from 2018 levels, a decline of almost 45 per cent. The country has never cut poverty so much in such a short period of time, and the development is especially notable since it defies economic headwinds — the economy has nearly 7 million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic. Also read | Coronavirus pushes 37 million people into extreme poverty: Gates Foundation The extraordinary reduction in poverty has come at extraordinary cost, with annual spending on major programs projected to rise fourfold to more than $1 trillion. Yet without further expensive new measures, millions of families may find the escape from poverty brief. The three programs that cut poverty most — stimulus checks, increased food stamps and expanded unemployment insurance — have ended or are scheduled to soon revert to their prepandemic size. While poverty has fallen most among children, its retreat is remarkably broad: It has dropped among Americans who are white, Black, Latino and Asian, and among Americans of every age group and residents of every state. “These are really large reductions in poverty — the largest short-term reductions we’ve seen,” said Laura Wheaton of the Urban Institute, who produced the estimate with her colleagues Linda Giannarelli and Ilham Dehry. The institute’s simulation model is widely used by government agencies. The New York Times requested the analysis, which expanded on an earlier projection. Also read | New report warns hunger is expected to rise in 23 global hotspots he finding — that poverty plunged amid hard times at huge fiscal costs — comes at a moment of sharp debate about the future of the safety net. The Biden administration has started making monthly payments to most families with children through an expansion of the child tax credit. Democrats want to make the yearlong effort permanent, which would reduce child poverty on a continuing basis by giving their families an income guarantee. Progressives said the new numbers vindicated their contention that poverty levels reflected political choices and government programs could reduce economic need. Graphic 1 (Source: The New York Times) “Wow — these are stunning findings,” said Bob Greenstein, a longtime proponent of safety net programs who is now at the Brookings Institution. “The policy response since the start of the pandemic goes beyond anything we’ve ever done, and the antipoverty effect dwarfs what most of us thought was possible.” Conservatives say that pandemic-era spending is unsustainable and would harm the poor in the long run, arguing that unconditional aid discourages work and marriage. The child tax credit offers families up to $300 per child a month whether or not parents have jobs, which critics call a return to failed welfare policies. “There’s no doubt that by shoveling trillions of dollars to the poor, you can reduce poverty,” said Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation. “But that’s not efficient and it’s not good for the poor because it produces social marginalization. You want policies that encourage work and marriage, not undermine it.” Poverty rates had reached new lows before the pandemic, Rector added, under policies meant to discourage welfare and promote work. To understand how large the recent aid expansion has been, consider the experience of Kathryn Goodwin, a single mother of five in St. Charles, Missouri, who managed a group of trailer parks before the pandemic eliminated her $33,000 job. Without the pandemic-era expansions — passed in three rounds under both the Trump and Biden administrations — Goodwin’s job loss would have caused her income to plunge to about $29,000 (in jobless benefits, food stamps and other aid), leaving her officially poor. Graphic 2 (Source: The New York Times) Instead, her income rose above its prepandemic level, though she has not worked for a year. She received about $25,000 in unemployment benefits (about three times what she would have received before the pandemic) and $12,000 in stimulus checks. With increased food stamp benefits and other help, her income grew to $67,000 — almost 30 per cent more than when she had a job. “Without that help, I literally don’t know how I would have survived,” she said. “We would have been homeless.” Still, Goodwin, 29, has mixed feelings about large payments with no stipulations. “In my case, yes, it was very beneficial,” she said. But she said that other people she knew bought big TVs and her former boyfriend bought drugs. “All this free money enabled him to be a worse addict than he already was,” she said. “Why should taxpayers pay for that?” The Urban Institute’s projections show poverty falling to 7.7 per cent this year from 13.9 per cent in 2018. That decline, 45 per cent, is nearly three times the previous three-year record, according to historical estimates by researchers at Columbia University. The projected drop in child poverty, to 5.6 from 14.2 per cent, amounts to a decline of 61 per cent. That exceeds the previous 50 years combined, the Columbia figures show. In addition to there being nearly 20 million fewer people in poverty, the institute projects about 10 million fewer in “near poverty,” with incomes of 100 to 150 per cent of the poverty line. Under the yardstick the Urban Institute used (the government’s Supplemental Poverty Measure), the poverty line for two adults and two children with typical housing costs is about $30,000. “The decline in ‘near poverty’ is significant because families in that income range, like people in poverty, suffer high rates of food insecurity and other hardships,” said Elaine Waxman, an Urban Institute researcher. Poverty fell across racial and ethnic groups but most for people who are Black and Latino, meaning the gap with white Americans narrowed. The Rev. Starsky Wilson, the president of the Children’s Defense Fund, credited the racial protests of the past year for prompting lawmakers to act. “It’s no coincidence that the effort at mobilizing resulted in investments that reduced poverty and narrowed disparities,” he said. Graphic 3 (Source: The New York Times) Poverty fell less among Asian Americans, leaving them more likely than Black Americans to be poor. The institute found that was partly because they tended to live in more expensive areas. Jessica Moore of St. Louis said the expanded aid helped her make a fresh start. A single mother of three, Moore, 24, lost work as a banquet server at the pandemic’s start but received enough in unemployment insurance and stimulus checks to buy a car and enroll in community college. She is studying to become an emergency medical technician, which promises to raise her earnings 50 per cent. “When you lose your job, you don’t expect benefits that are more than you were making,” she said. “It was a pure blessing.” The institute projected spending on core programs would more than double, to about $13,900 per family from $5,700 in 2018. The stimulus checks removed more than 12 million people from poverty. Food stamps ended poverty for nearly 8 million people and unemployment aid for nearly 7 million. Critics said the aid was poorly devised, noting that many people received more from unemployment benefits than they had earned on the job. “We spent like we’ve never spent before and we reduced hardship for most people quite dramatically,” said Bruce D. Meyer, an economist at the University of Chicago. “But this came at a very high and unnecessary cost.” While Democrats and Republicans remain divided over future safety net spending, a bipartisan group of senators agreed Wednesday on about $550 billion in new spending for roads, bridges and physical infrastructure projects, and the Senate advanced the package in an initial vote. Measuring poverty is contentious, and some conservatives accuse the left of exaggerating the recent poverty reduction to justify more spending. They say the government’s methodology undercounts the benefits people receive and overstates what it takes to meet basic needs. The Urban Institute modified the government’s approach to correct for undercounting, but Wheaton said methodological issues did not change the conclusion that poverty fell since “we are applying a consistent measure to both years.” If there are biases in the institute’s methodology, they lean in offsetting directions. Using a 2018 baseline may modestly overstate the recent poverty reduction, since poverty was lower when the virus hit. But the study, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, also understated the poverty reduction by omitting several large new programs, including $45 billion in rental aid. Robert Doar, the president of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, warned that the poverty numbers were being used to attack a successful social compact established a quarter-century ago with the overhaul of the welfare system. Under a new system of time limits and work requirements, payments to poor people without jobs fell, but subsidies for low-wage workers grew. Doar noted that while liberals warned child poverty would grow, by 2019 it had hit a prepandemic low. “We required work, we rewarded work, and poverty rates were lower than had ever been,” he said. “The Democrats want to ignore all that and just send everybody a check.”

Pandemic aid programs spur a record drop in poverty

Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday declared Tehran would not accept Washington's "stubborn" demands in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal and said the United States had failed to guarantee that it would never abandon the pact again. 
 
"The Americans acted completely cowardly and maliciously," state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying. 
 
"They once violated the nuclear deal at no cost by exiting it. Now they explicitly say that they cannot give guarantees that it would not happen again." 
 
A US&nbsp;State Department spokesperson said in a statement that President Joe Biden`s administration "has been sincere and steadfast in pursuing a path of meaningful diplomacy to achieve a mutual return to compliance" with the agreement. 
 
Since April 9, Tehran and six world powers have been in talks to revive the nuclear pact ditched three years ago by then US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, who argued it favoured Iran. 
 
The sixth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington adjourned on June 20, two days after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi was elected president of the Islamic Republic. Parties involved in the negotiations have yet to announce when the next round of negotiations will resume. 
 
The State Department spokesperson said the United States has made clear it is prepared to return to Vienna to resume negotiations. "We urge Iran to return to the negotiations soon so that we can seek to conclude this deal," the spokesperson said. 
 
Like Khamenei, Raisi has backed the revival of the nuclear pact but officials have said that his government might adopt "a hardline" approach. Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on Iran`s state matters, including the nuclear policy. 
 
Iranian and Western officials have said significant gaps remained to reinstate the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program to make it harder to obtain fissile material for a weapon in return for relief from tough sanctions. Iran says it has never sought nuclear weapons and never would. 
 
HARSH SANCTIONS 
 
Harsh sanctions reimposed by Trump since 2018 have prompted Tehran to violate the deal`s limits. However, Tehran says its nuclear steps are reversible if Washington lifts all sanctions. 
 
Biden seeks to reinstate and eventually broaden the pact to put more limits on Iran’s nuclear work and its missile development and constrain its regional activities. 
 
Khamenei again flatly rejected adding any other issues to the deal. 
 
"In the recent nuclear talks, the Americans staunchly insisted on their obstinate stance. When making promises and on paper they say they will remove sanctions, but in practice they have not and they will not," Khamenei said. 
 
Khamenei said Washington is "stubborn" and insists on adding a sentence to the existing nuclear deal. 
 
"By adding this sentence, they want to provide an excuse for their further interventions on the nuclear deal and (Iran`s) missile work and regional issues," Khamenei said. "Then if we refuse to discuss those issues, Americans will accuse Iran of violating the nuclear deal and they will say the agreement is over."

Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday declared Tehran would not accept Washington's "stubborn" demands in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal and said the United States had failed to guarantee that it would never abandon the pact again.

Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday declared Tehran would not accept Washington's "stubborn" demands in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal and said the United States had failed to guarantee that it would never abandon the pact again. "The Americans acted completely cowardly and maliciously," state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying. "They once violated the nuclear deal at no cost by exiting it. Now they explicitly say that they cannot give guarantees that it would not happen again." A US State Department spokesperson said in a statement that President Joe Biden`s administration "has been sincere and steadfast in pursuing a path of meaningful diplomacy to achieve a mutual return to compliance" with the agreement. Since April 9, Tehran and six world powers have been in talks to revive the nuclear pact ditched three years ago by then US President Donald Trump, who argued it favoured Iran. The sixth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington adjourned on June 20, two days after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi was elected president of the Islamic Republic. Parties involved in the negotiations have yet to announce when the next round of negotiations will resume. The State Department spokesperson said the United States has made clear it is prepared to return to Vienna to resume negotiations. "We urge Iran to return to the negotiations soon so that we can seek to conclude this deal," the spokesperson said. Like Khamenei, Raisi has backed the revival of the nuclear pact but officials have said that his government might adopt "a hardline" approach. Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on Iran`s state matters, including the nuclear policy. Iranian and Western officials have said significant gaps remained to reinstate the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program to make it harder to obtain fissile material for a weapon in return for relief from tough sanctions. Iran says it has never sought nuclear weapons and never would. HARSH SANCTIONS Harsh sanctions reimposed by Trump since 2018 have prompted Tehran to violate the deal`s limits. However, Tehran says its nuclear steps are reversible if Washington lifts all sanctions. Biden seeks to reinstate and eventually broaden the pact to put more limits on Iran’s nuclear work and its missile development and constrain its regional activities. Khamenei again flatly rejected adding any other issues to the deal. "In the recent nuclear talks, the Americans staunchly insisted on their obstinate stance. When making promises and on paper they say they will remove sanctions, but in practice they have not and they will not," Khamenei said. Khamenei said Washington is "stubborn" and insists on adding a sentence to the existing nuclear deal. "By adding this sentence, they want to provide an excuse for their further interventions on the nuclear deal and (Iran`s) missile work and regional issues," Khamenei said. "Then if we refuse to discuss those issues, Americans will accuse Iran of violating the nuclear deal and they will say the agreement is over."

Iran's Khamenei blames 'cowardly' United States for pause in nuclear talks

England will allow fully vaccinated visitors from the European Union and the United States to arrive without needing to quarantine from next week. Britain's travel industry has criticized the government for being too slow to open up, saying it has squandered its lead in the global vaccine rollout.

England to scrap quarantine rules for fully vaccinated visitors from EU, US

The Wuhan Virus is making a comeback in America. Daily average cases have reached 57,000. 97% of all hospitalisations are among unvaccinated people. WION's Palki Sharma asks: Should people acknowledge their disregard for norms & science before blaming governments?

Gravitas: Wuhan Virus is making a comeback in the United States

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed sensitive domestic issues with a group of Indian civil society leaders. Why is the US meddling in India's domestic affairs? Where will India draw the line? WION's Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Why is Blinken 'inspecting' Indian democracy?

During his first visit to India, US Secretary of State Antony sat down with Tibetan representatives, highlighted India's role in Afghanistan and discussed ways to boost cooperation for the QUAD and the pandemic. WION's Palki Sharma decodes the 5 big developments.

Gravitas: India and United States join hands to "shape the 21st century"

In a disturbing video posted by the nature conservation group Columbia Riverkeeper, sockeye salmon fishes&nbsp;can be seen with fuzzy-looking white patches on their body.

According to the group, the white spots are the result of fungal infection caused by stress-reaction to the recent heatwave.

Sadly, the fish in question, Snake River sockeye Salmon have been listed on the Endangered Species list and dangerously close to extinction. In 1991, they were listed for Federal protection.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/why-are-climate-mysteries-puzzling-worlds-leading-scientists-400037">Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists?</a>

The reason behind this intense heating up of water has been attributed to the heatwave that Canada and the US have been grappling with in recent days.

However, the NGO says that besides the heatwave, the dams on the rivers Columbia and Snake are also to blame.&nbsp;They contend that Dams on the Columbia and Lower Snake rivers create large, stagnant reservoirs that capture the sun's energy and make the water too hot for salmon.&nbsp;

<img alt="Columbia river basin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1cfe2e14-4b18-4b94-93a0-8dac33b3e148" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/map%20of%20columbia%20river%20basin.png" />

Map of the Columbia River Basin. Purple oval shows the mouth of the Little White Salmon River. Red stars show major sockeye spawning areas. Black dashes show large hydroelectric dams.&nbsp; (Image: columbiariverkeeper.org)&nbsp;

Don Sampson of&nbsp;Northwest Tribal Salmon Alliance calls it a "salmon crisis".

In another video posted by the conservation group while calling for Congress to take action, Sampson says that "the sockeye here are dying. They are suffocating. You can see they are in lethally hot water."

At 71 degrees Fahrenheit, current water temperatures in the Columbia River are much higher than the legal limit of 68 degrees F. Scientists set this limit to protect salmon from unsafe temperatures.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The salmon are dying. They’re suffering and suffocating in hot water created by dams. 
 
But we can stop this. We can remove the lower four Snake River Dams and restore cool, clean water. 
 
Share this video, sign the petition, save the salmon.<a href="https://t.co/qP2qsplWxS">https://t.co/qP2qsplWxS</a> <a href="https://t.co/cRUck3cQ48">pic.twitter.com/cRUck3cQ48</a>
— Columbia Riverkeeper (@ColumbiaRKeeper) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColumbiaRKeeper/status/1420066199744876545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

An earlier study found that eight major dams in the Columbia Basin fundamentally alter salmon temperature and flow.&nbsp;

The Columbia&nbsp;River is an important migratory route for salmon, which travel up the river&nbsp;to spawn in mountain lakes in the Okanogan, Yakima, and Snake River systems&nbsp;before returning downstream.&nbsp;

As noted by the National Wildlife Federation, 13 species of salmon and steelhead have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since the final construction of the Lower Snake River dams in the 1970s.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/many-leaders-slept-on-climate-crisis-will-they-act-on-what-they-feel-on-their-skins-now-398704" hreflang="en">Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now?</a>

According to a press release by Columbia riverkeepers, earlier in 2015, approximately 250,000 fish died in the Columbia and Snake rivers, due to hot water. Many of those fish sought refuge in the Little White Salmon River and nearby tributaries.&nbsp;

Researchers predict this type of fish kill will become more common if dams and climate change continue to warm the rivers. Sockeye will likely go extinct if the issue isn't addressed on time.

A number of fishing groups, tribal nations, and conservation organizations are calling on the Pacific Northwest congressional delegation to protect sockeye salmon by breaching the four lower Snake River dams.

In a disturbing video posted by the nature conservation group Columbia Riverkeeper, sockeye salmon fishes can be seen with fuzzy-looking white patches on their body.

In a disturbing video posted by the nature conservation group Columbia Riverkeeper, sockeye salmon fishes can be seen with fuzzy-looking white patches on their body. According to the group, the white spots are the result of fungal infection caused by stress-reaction to the recent heatwave. Sadly, the fish in question, Snake River sockeye Salmon have been listed on the Endangered Species list and dangerously close to extinction. In 1991, they were listed for Federal protection. Also read | Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists? The reason behind this intense heating up of water has been attributed to the heatwave that Canada and the US have been grappling with in recent days. However, the NGO says that besides the heatwave, the dams on the rivers Columbia and Snake are also to blame. They contend that Dams on the Columbia and Lower Snake rivers create large, stagnant reservoirs that capture the sun's energy and make the water too hot for salmon. Map of the Columbia River Basin. Purple oval shows the mouth of the Little White Salmon River. Red stars show major sockeye spawning areas. Black dashes show large hydroelectric dams. (Image: columbiariverkeeper.org) Don Sampson of Northwest Tribal Salmon Alliance calls it a "salmon crisis". In another video posted by the conservation group while calling for Congress to take action, Sampson says that "the sockeye here are dying. They are suffocating. You can see they are in lethally hot water." At 71 degrees Fahrenheit, current water temperatures in the Columbia River are much higher than the legal limit of 68 degrees F. Scientists set this limit to protect salmon from unsafe temperatures. The salmon are dying. They’re suffering and suffocating in hot water created by dams. But we can stop this. We can remove the lower four Snake River Dams and restore cool, clean water. Share this video, sign the petition, save the salmon.https://t.co/qP2qsplWxS pic.twitter.com/cRUck3cQ48 — Columbia Riverkeeper (@ColumbiaRKeeper) July 27, 2021 × An earlier study found that eight major dams in the Columbia Basin fundamentally alter salmon temperature and flow. The Columbia River is an important migratory route for salmon, which travel up the river to spawn in mountain lakes in the Okanogan, Yakima, and Snake River systems before returning downstream. As noted by the National Wildlife Federation, 13 species of salmon and steelhead have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since the final construction of the Lower Snake River dams in the 1970s. Also read| Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now? According to a press release by Columbia riverkeepers, earlier in 2015, approximately 250,000 fish died in the Columbia and Snake rivers, due to hot water. Many of those fish sought refuge in the Little White Salmon River and nearby tributaries. Researchers predict this type of fish kill will become more common if dams and climate change continue to warm the rivers. Sockeye will likely go extinct if the issue isn't addressed on time. A number of fishing groups, tribal nations, and conservation organizations are calling on the Pacific Northwest congressional delegation to protect sockeye salmon by breaching the four lower Snake River dams.

White patches: Heatwave causes unlivable water temperatures for salmon, claims NGO

The United States administration has advised its vaccinated citizens to resume wearing masks as the Delta Variant cases surge in the country. This is a major shift from the Coronavirus regulations that were relaxed earlier. Watch this report to know more.

United States: CDC advises fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks again

Iraq's prime minister is visiting Washington this weekend to demand that President Joe Biden withdraw all US combat troops from Iraq, announcing to Iraqi media that the visit would "put an end to the presence of combat forces."

United States troops to end combat role in Iraq, US forces to train and advice Iraqi troops

A high-level Chinese diplomat on Monday hit out at the United States, accusing it of creating an "imaginary enemy" in hopes of diverting attention from domestic issues in the country.

US Dy Secy of State meets Chinese Foreign Minister, both countries raise range of issues

US deputy state secretary visits China amid deeply strained ties and incessant rifts. Wendy Sherman is expected to hold talks with Chinese FM Wang Yi and other officials in Tianjin.

Diplomatic trip: US Deputy State Secretary visits China

Vaccine hesitancy has been solidifying into an outright vaccine refusal in the United States. Nearly 99 of unvaccinated Americans don't even plan to get the short at all. Nearly half of those who have rejected the jabs believe that the US government is using the vaccine to microchip the population.

Polls: 90% of unvaccinated Americans don't plan to get the jabs

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that the Afghan security forces' first job was to make sure they could slow the Taliban's momentum before attempting to retake territory. Austin added that he believed the Afghans had the capability and the capacity to make progress, but 'we'll see what happens'.

U.S. Defence Secy Lloyd Austin says first task is to slow Taliban's momentum

Listen in to WION's Susan Tehrani speak to Ex-Advisor Col. Christopher D. Kolenda on US' role in Afghanistan to conduct peace talks between Taliban forces and Afghan government.

Ex-US Defence Advisor Col. Christopher D. Kolenda speaks with WION

In a bid to facilitate a broader global tax deal, the European Union has agreed to delay a corporate tax plan for the bloc following pressure from the US administration, but EU member Ireland reiterated its criticisms of the wider reform.

World Business Watch: After US push, EU pauses tax plan but Ireland sticks to its guns

Thousands of fish were dropped from a plane into lakes near Bicknell in Utah, to repopulate them with marine life.

Plane dumps thousands of fish into Utah lake

The speed of Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan has stunned many, however, it's been four years since Washington gave up on forever wars and turned its attention to the traditional great power rivalries with China and Russia.

It was Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who came to office in 2017, with promises of quitting Afghanistan, calling the war there a "mess" and a "waste."

The 9/11 attacks shook up the US security establishment, forcing the government into launching a "War on Terror."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-do-not-trust-the-taliban-biden-declares-august-31-as-final-date-to-end-us-military-mission-in-afghanistan-396836">'I do not trust the Taliban': Biden declares August 31 as final date to end US military mission in Afghanistan</a>

Since then US security establishment has been occupied with combating stateless terror groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which has cost the country trillions of dollars in expenditures.

Conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq have been characterized by almost endless troop deployments, perpetually high levels of violence, and an inability to end the conflict, defeat the enemy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How did the endless war start?

Following the 9/11 attacks, the US and NATO allies invaded Afghanistan, with one aim; to get rid of Al-Qaeda's protectors, the Taliban government.&nbsp;

The then&nbsp;George W. Bush&nbsp;took advantage of that, to invade Iraq as well, hoping to topple Saddam Hussein and snuff out a wider threat in the middle east.

Both the attacks proved to be large successes, Al-Qaeda stood weakened, and on the run, Saddam unseated and captured in Iraq.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-wideangle-afghan-women-whats-next-397164/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, even after these initial successes, the troops had to stay on the ground. Thousands stood deployed in the two countries, hoping to rebuild them,&nbsp;

The initial assaults largely succeeded quickly, with Al-Qaeda fractured and on the run in Afghanistan, and Saddam taken down and captured in Iraq.

But in both cases, the United States and its allies remained on the ground, hoping to rebuild each country, and unable to withdraw with the risk of a return to the pre-9/11 situation hanging in the air.&nbsp;

The end of 'Forever wars'

As of 2020, Trump had overcome resistance and established the groundwork for removing the troops, leaving only 2,500 troops in each country.&nbsp;

Then came Biden. The new President accepted his predecessor's trajectory and promised that the withdrawal will be concluded by August 31, stating that rather than sacrificing another generation of Americans in an unwinnable conflict, the Afghan people must decide their own future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-achieved-its-goals-afghans-must-decide-own-future-president-joe-biden-396867">US achieved its goals, Afghans must decide own future: President Joe Biden</a>

What changed in the 20 years?

After Xi Jinping's aggressive military expansion, US security leaders began rethinking their views in 2013.

To counter and surpass US military power, China has started building armed bases around the world, including one in Djibouti and several in Asia and the Middle East.

Meanwhile, in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine's Crimea and backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine. Two years later Moscow waged a campaign to influence the US presidential election.

At the same time, Kim Jong Un in North Korea was embarking on the quest to create nuclear weapons capable of threatening the United States.&nbsp;

A pivot was confirmed by Trump's 2017 National Security Strategy and carried forward by Biden.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/staring-at-civil-war-how-bad-is-the-situation-in-afghanistan-397134">Staring at civil war: How bad is the situation in Afghanistan?</a>

"China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," it said.&nbsp;

"They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence."

In the Pentagon's view, counterterrorism doesn't end when the US pulls out of Afghanistan. Although it is turning more toward remote-directed attacks, using air and missile strikes from ships and bases in Afghanistan where Al-Qaeda still operates.

According to Biden, the US is just revising its counterterrorism posture and repositioning resources to meet the threats where they are now.

(With inputs from agencies)

The speed of Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan has stunned many, however, it's been four years since Washington gave up on forever wars and turned its attention to the traditional great power rivalries with China and Russia.

The speed of Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan has stunned many, however, it's been four years since Washington gave up on forever wars and turned its attention to the traditional great power rivalries with China and Russia. It was Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who came to office in 2017, with promises of quitting Afghanistan, calling the war there a "mess" and a "waste." The 9/11 attacks shook up the US security establishment, forcing the government into launching a "War on Terror." Also read | 'I do not trust the Taliban': Biden declares August 31 as final date to end US military mission in Afghanistan Since then US security establishment has been occupied with combating stateless terror groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which has cost the country trillions of dollars in expenditures. Conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq have been characterized by almost endless troop deployments, perpetually high levels of violence, and an inability to end the conflict, defeat the enemy. How did the endless war start? Following the 9/11 attacks, the US and NATO allies invaded Afghanistan, with one aim; to get rid of Al-Qaeda's protectors, the Taliban government. The then George W. Bush took advantage of that, to invade Iraq as well, hoping to topple Saddam Hussein and snuff out a wider threat in the middle east. Both the attacks proved to be large successes, Al-Qaeda stood weakened, and on the run, Saddam unseated and captured in Iraq. However, even after these initial successes, the troops had to stay on the ground. Thousands stood deployed in the two countries, hoping to rebuild them, The initial assaults largely succeeded quickly, with Al-Qaeda fractured and on the run in Afghanistan, and Saddam taken down and captured in Iraq. But in both cases, the United States and its allies remained on the ground, hoping to rebuild each country, and unable to withdraw with the risk of a return to the pre-9/11 situation hanging in the air. The end of 'Forever wars' As of 2020, Trump had overcome resistance and established the groundwork for removing the troops, leaving only 2,500 troops in each country. Then came Biden. The new President accepted his predecessor's trajectory and promised that the withdrawal will be concluded by August 31, stating that rather than sacrificing another generation of Americans in an unwinnable conflict, the Afghan people must decide their own future. Also read | US achieved its goals, Afghans must decide own future: President Joe Biden What changed in the 20 years? After Xi Jinping's aggressive military expansion, US security leaders began rethinking their views in 2013. To counter and surpass US military power, China has started building armed bases around the world, including one in Djibouti and several in Asia and the Middle East. Meanwhile, in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine's Crimea and backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine. Two years later Moscow waged a campaign to influence the US presidential election. At the same time, Kim Jong Un in North Korea was embarking on the quest to create nuclear weapons capable of threatening the United States. A pivot was confirmed by Trump's 2017 National Security Strategy and carried forward by Biden. Also read | Staring at civil war: How bad is the situation in Afghanistan? "China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," it said. "They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence." In the Pentagon's view, counterterrorism doesn't end when the US pulls out of Afghanistan. Although it is turning more toward remote-directed attacks, using air and missile strikes from ships and bases in Afghanistan where Al-Qaeda still operates. According to Biden, the US is just revising its counterterrorism posture and repositioning resources to meet the threats where they are now. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan pullout: An end to US 'forever wars'?

How US can counter china in South Asia? Retired US Army Colonel slams Pakistan's dual role in Afghanistan. Watch this report to know more.

Retired US Army Colonel slams Pakistan's dual role in Afghanistan

US troops in Eastern Syria came under rocket attack one day after the United States carried out airstrikes near the Iraq-Syria border against what the Pentagon said were facilities used by run-back militia groups.

United States Troops in Eastern Syria came under rocket attack

United States has the highest COVID-19 death toll in the world but that is not the only impact the pandemic has had in the country. It is also cause the biggest drop in the life expectancy in the US since WWII.

Pandemic leads to biggest drop in life expectancy in US since WWII

Legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen returned to Broadway on Saturday night (June 26). The show's first run finished on December 15, 2018, but Springsteen sought to re-open Broadway performances by restarting his show.

The Boss returns to Broadway

According to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, the COVID-19 pandemic might’ve caused the worst decline in US life expectancy, that too while disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic Americans. &nbsp;

The research collaboration between Woolf and researchers at the University of Colorado and the Urban Institute in Washington DC shows that in the most precipitous decline since World War-II, the pandemic caused American life expectancy to decline by 1.87 years which is around 8.5 times worse than the decline in 16 peer nations.

This decline is expected to worsen the gap in Life expectancy for the US compared to&nbsp;the other developed nations, some of which have experienced a rise even amid the pandemic. According to the researchers, this might be due to the disjointed American response to the pandemic.

The study’s lead author, Dr Steven Woolf says that “When the pandemic came, my naive assumption was that it would not have a big impact on the pre-existing gap between the US and peer countries."

“It was a global pandemic, and I assumed that every country would take a hit. What I did not anticipate was how badly the US would fare in the pandemic, and the enormous death toll that the US would experience,” said Woolf, director emeritus of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center on Society and Health.

Even with the ongoing vaccination efforts, more people are losing their life. Since 2020, in the US more than 600,000 people have died.

Figures show that with higher rates of infection and death, a disproportionate ratio of suffering is witnessed among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income people.

According to the authors, this research, “draws attention to the root causes of racial inequities in health, wealth and wellbeing. Foremost among these root causes is systemic racism”.

They add that, “extensive research has shown that systems of power in the US structure opportunity and assign value in ways that unfairly disadvantage Black, Hispanic, Asian, and indigenous populations, and unfairly advantage White people.”

According to the research compared to a decline of 1.36 years from the life of a white man, Black and Hispanic individuals lose 3.25 and 3.88 years respectively.

This dramatic decline has erased a decade worth of progress, in eliminating the racial gap in life expectancy. Now on par with their life expectancy in 1988, Black men in America can expect to live 67.73 years.

Even as this research presents these eye-opening facts and figures, it still falls short of a complete picture of the discrepancies that exist between America’s white population and its ethnic groups. As the National Researchers Center for Health Statistics does not collect data for native Americans, Pacific islanders or Asian people, the research was unable to estimate the pandemic’s impacts on the life expectancy of these groups.

Over the last year, researchers and experts have linked the longstanding and complex like unequal opportunities for people of colour and underinvestment in public health&nbsp;to the US’s extraordinary death toll. The botched effort under Donald Trump during the pandemic has also greatly contributed to the divide.

Authors note that an unknown yet considerable proportion of people infected with COVID-19 may have “long-haul” symptoms.

“The pandemic will have short and long term effects on the social determinants of health, changing living conditions in many communities, and altering life course trajectories across age groups,” wrote the authors. “Fully understanding the health consequences of these changes poses a daunting but important challenge for future research”.

The US government response to the pandemic under former president Donald Trump was also widely seen as botched with a too slow realisation of the pandemic’s seriousness and the promotion of unfounded conspiracy theories.

According to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, the COVID-19 pandemic might’ve caused the worst decline in US life expectancy, that too while disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic Americans.

According to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, the COVID-19 pandemic might’ve caused the worst decline in US life expectancy, that too while disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic Americans. The research collaboration between Woolf and researchers at the University of Colorado and the Urban Institute in Washington DC shows that in the most precipitous decline since World War-II, the pandemic caused American life expectancy to decline by 1.87 years which is around 8.5 times worse than the decline in 16 peer nations. This decline is expected to worsen the gap in Life expectancy for the US compared to the other developed nations, some of which have experienced a rise even amid the pandemic. According to the researchers, this might be due to the disjointed American response to the pandemic. The study’s lead author, Dr Steven Woolf says that “When the pandemic came, my naive assumption was that it would not have a big impact on the pre-existing gap between the US and peer countries." “It was a global pandemic, and I assumed that every country would take a hit. What I did not anticipate was how badly the US would fare in the pandemic, and the enormous death toll that the US would experience,” said Woolf, director emeritus of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center on Society and Health. Even with the ongoing vaccination efforts, more people are losing their life. Since 2020, in the US more than 600,000 people have died. Figures show that with higher rates of infection and death, a disproportionate ratio of suffering is witnessed among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income people. According to the authors, this research, “draws attention to the root causes of racial inequities in health, wealth and wellbeing. Foremost among these root causes is systemic racism”. They add that, “extensive research has shown that systems of power in the US structure opportunity and assign value in ways that unfairly disadvantage Black, Hispanic, Asian, and indigenous populations, and unfairly advantage White people.” According to the research compared to a decline of 1.36 years from the life of a white man, Black and Hispanic individuals lose 3.25 and 3.88 years respectively. This dramatic decline has erased a decade worth of progress, in eliminating the racial gap in life expectancy. Now on par with their life expectancy in 1988, Black men in America can expect to live 67.73 years. Even as this research presents these eye-opening facts and figures, it still falls short of a complete picture of the discrepancies that exist between America’s white population and its ethnic groups. As the National Researchers Center for Health Statistics does not collect data for native Americans, Pacific islanders or Asian people, the research was unable to estimate the pandemic’s impacts on the life expectancy of these groups. Over the last year, researchers and experts have linked the longstanding and complex like unequal opportunities for people of colour and underinvestment in public health to the US’s extraordinary death toll. The botched effort under Donald Trump during the pandemic has also greatly contributed to the divide. Authors note that an unknown yet considerable proportion of people infected with COVID-19 may have “long-haul” symptoms. “The pandemic will have short and long term effects on the social determinants of health, changing living conditions in many communities, and altering life course trajectories across age groups,” wrote the authors. “Fully understanding the health consequences of these changes poses a daunting but important challenge for future research”. The US government response to the pandemic under former president Donald Trump was also widely seen as botched with a too slow realisation of the pandemic’s seriousness and the promotion of unfounded conspiracy theories.

Study shows pandemic's disproportionate impact on US people of colour, decrease in life expectancy

united-states

United States, News on United States, stories on United States, articles on United States, United States stories at Wion, United States news, United States latest news

united states