Extreme heat, coronavirus hitting urban poor hardest, House committee finds

Environmental activists drew connections between the disproportionate impacts of the coronavirus and extreme heat on communities of color in a virtual hearing Tuesday of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Coronavirus roundup: Deaths pass 6,500, jobless rate rises, other developments

WASHINGTON —  There are now 257,773 cases of the coronavirus and 6,574 deaths due to the pandemic in the United States as of Friday afternoon, according to John Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering data dashboard. The White…

Coronavirus update: Deaths soar, supplies remain short, convention rescheduled

WASHINGTON —  The federal government offered increased financial aid to communities Thursday as states continued pleading for more medical equipment to address the novel coronavirus in preparation for the pandemic’s peak. Over 234,460 cases and almost 5,650 deaths were confirmed…

Coronavirus update: Deaths continue to mount in intensifying pandemic, other developments

WASHINGTON — The United States logged over 213,300 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and more than 4,750 deaths Wednesday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering data dashboard, as the pandemic continued spreading despite…

Coronavirus update: Rising cases and deaths, other developments in pandemic crisis

WASHINGTON — The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States hit almost 175,000 Tuesday afternoon and the death toll surpassed 3,400 as the country prepared for an anticipated peak in fatalities in the coming weeks. More Americans have…

Health insurers say they’ll waive coronavirus testing fees; Trump, Congress weigh payroll, industry aid

Major health insurance companies will waive copayments for novel coronavirus testing, Vice President Mike Pence said at a briefing with firm executives and President Donald Trump at the White House.

Affordable housing and political will can end U.S. homelessness, new book says

Almost 570,000 people sleep on the streets or in emergency shelters across the United States on any given night. The count rises to about 1.6 million over a full year. But who are they? What causes their homelessness? How does…

As Maryland reports three virus cases, officials seek to calm public and trace contacts

WASHINGTON – In the wake of three Maryland residents testing positive for coronavirus, officials sought to calm the public Friday as test kits were delivered across the country and more people in the state were being tested for possible exposure.…

As new cases are reported, senators question government’s coronavirus response

WASHINGTON — As new cases of the coronavirus surfaced Tuesday, some Democratic senators questioned the pace and effectiveness of the federal government’s response to the outbreak of the disease. The immediate risk to the general public remains low, principal deputy…

Honoring Emmett Till, House passes bill making lynching a federal hate crime

WASHINGTON — The House passed a bill Wednesday to make lynching a federal hate crime. The measure was named after Emmett Till, a black 14-year-old who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955.  The final vote was 410-4. Three Republicans and…