UNEWS, Top stories for U.S. Latinos in English

Emma Coronel, the wife of Mexican drug lord Joaquin Chapo Guzman, is arrested in Virginia; lawmakers grilled HHS nominee Xavier Becerra and Capitol Hill police in separate congressional hearings; a new study found that one dose of the Pfizer vaccine can reduce the risk of contracting covid-19; and an Argentinian engineer was part of Nasa’s team that designed the Rover Perseverance’s supersonic parachute.

President Biden announces plans to allow businesses with under 20 employees to apply for federal loans; a year into the pandemic the US reaches 500,000 deaths from coronavirus as nationwide cases drop by 73%; the Supreme Court declined to halt turn over of Trump’s tax records to NY prosecutor; and United Airlines halts 2 dozen planes after Hawaii-bound flight’s engine failure.

Power is now restored in Texas but millions are under boil water advisories; Texas hospitals and clinics already strained due to the pandemic are now stretched thin during severe weather crisis; Senator Ted Cruz under fire for abandoning constituents and flying to Cancun during winter weather crisis; Pfizer now testing vaccines on pregnant women; and Bad Bunny takes home Premio Lo Nuestro’s artist of the year award and Natti Natasha unveils her pregnancy.

Hundreds of thousands of homes in Texas remain without power and safe drinking water due to a historic winter storm and subsequent power failure; an 11-year-old boy who had recently immigrated from Honduras died in Texas after two nights of sleeping in freezing temperatures; the White House unveils a sweeping immigration reform bill which includes an 8 year pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants; covid variants are spreading across the country at an alarming rate but new studies found Pfizer and Moderna vaccines offer protection against them.

Millions of people are without power in Texas as more snow is on the way; President Biden says vaccines will be widely available by July during his first town hall since becoming president; FEMA is opening vaccination sites in California as the White House says it’s increasing weekly vaccine supply; Gov. Pierluisi of Puerto Rico told Axios he’s hopeful Congress could soon take up a statehood bill; and Chesca nominated for two Premio Lo Nuestro awards.

The central U.S. slammed by a massive winter storm leaving millions in the cold; the Biden administration issues new guidance on school reopenings as the Covid crisis continues; the Trump impeachment fallout for GOP senators; and stimulus obstacles facing Latino communities.

Trump’s lawyers begin their impeachment defense, they’re expected to wrap up today; President Biden announces the US has purchased 200 million more vaccine doses, enough to vaccinate everyone by July; Biden Administration to let in the country 25,000 asylum seekers waiting for a hearing in Mexico; Biden’s push to pass minimum wage legislation remains in limbo; and police in California facing accusations after a man who told them “I can’t breathe” died in custody.

House Democrats wrap arguments today in Trump’s impeachment trial, many Republicans saying they don’t see the direct connection between the former president and the rampage; CDC issues new guidelines urging double masking against the highly contagious variants; Asian-Americans facing violence and discrimination during the pandemic; and Los Angeles sets up a wage-theft task force to protect undocumented workers.

House managers present their case against former President Trump, arguing the Capitol Hill riot was the culmination of months of Trump’s conduct; confidence in covid vaccines is growing with the majority of Americans now saying they will get vaccinated; at the southern border migrants crossing from Mexico are getting tested for covid; and growing calls to cancel student debt after the Biden Administration announced plans to review steps to wipe out education debt for millions of Americans.

Summary:

Second impeachment trial of former President Trump starts today; President Biden is spending the day working on covid relief package and legislation to raise the minimum wage; covid cases and hospitalizations are dropping but new virus variants are concerning health experts; an undercover investigation captured disturbing footage at a Nebraska poultry farm that supplies Costco with its iconic rotisserie chicken.