Boy, 15, who was 'targeted' in Arkansas school shooting dies after two days in hospital, officials say

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — A 15-year-old boy shot at an Arkansas junior high school earlier this week died Wednesday, officials said.

Lt. David DeFoor, Pine Bluff police spokesman, confirmed the death Wednesday night, citing the Pulaski County Coroner's Office in Little Rock. A deputy at the coroner's office referred inquiries back to Pine Bluff police.

The boy, identified by his family and the Watson Chapel School District as Daylon Burnett, died after two days under intensive care at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. 

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House cancels Thursday session after police warn of 'possible plot to breach the Capitol'

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives canceled its Thursday session after receiving information about a possible security threat at the Capitol on March 4.

The United States Capitol Police said Wednesday they were aware of a “possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group,” and a notice sent to all congressional offices said the agency was bolstering its security presence on Capitol Hill. 

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'I am better mom': After quitting their jobs during the pandemic to care for family, here's how it changed these women

NEW YORK — More than 2.2 million women left the U.S. workforce since the start of the pandemic. Last fall, there were 1.6 million fewer mothers in the labor force than would be expected without COVID-19-related school closures, according to an analysis by Ernie Tedeschi, an economist at the investment banking advisory firm Evercore.

Working mothers have long faced "the second shift" – coming home to unpaid work that includes household labor and child care – and the pandemic has heightened the caregiver burden with children learning at home instead of returning to school. 

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Andrew Cuomo was riding high during COVID. Now he's facing scandal of his own making.

The decision by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration to withhold the true COVID-19 death toll at nursing homes faces new scrutiny as a self-inflicted political wound that is contributing to the Democratic governor’s potential downfall.

Political observers suggested Cuomo should have acted sooner to release the number of nursing home residents who died of COVID-19 at hospitals last year as requested by lawmakers and reporters, thus avoiding the scandal of undercounting the deaths to seemingly boost his popularity and fend off political attacks from the Trump administration. 

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'Not forgotten': 150 missing Tennessee children recovered in Operation Volunteer Strong, officials say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A coordinated effort led to the recovery of 150 missing children across Tennessee, the state's Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday. 

Operation Volunteer Strong launched Jan. 4 after 240 missing children were identified in the state. A series of "two-week blitzes" led to the recovery of 150 of those children, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a news release. 

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Tucker Carlson: School closures show triumph of equity over equality in America

Six weeks into the Biden administration and there still has been no solo press conference from the president. That is the longest stretch of silence from any new president in at least a century. By refusing to speak directly to the media, Joe Biden is attacking our most cherished democratic norms. Even CNN is complaining about it.

We would echo those complaints if we really cared, but we’re happy to listen to Joe Biden’s flacks and mouthpieces explain why he bombed Syria, why he blocked the passage of a $15 minimum wage, and why Dr. Seuss is racist. 

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White House cuts virtual event feed after Biden says he's 'happy to take questions' from House Democrats

The White House raised eyebrows on Wednesday when it suddenly cut the feed of a virtual event after President Biden said he was "happy to take questions" from Democratic lawmakers. 

Accompanied by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and the House Democratic Caucus, Biden addressed lawmakers on the topics of COVID relief and the ongoing vaccine rollout. He closed his remarks by calling on Democrats to help "restore faith" in government. 

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Two SUVs breached US-Mexico border in California – then crashed, burned in separate accidents: reports

Two SUVs involved in separate accidents in California on Tuesday entered the U.S. from Mexico through a 10-foot gap in a border barrier, federal authorities said Wednesday, according to a report.

One of the SUVs, said to have 25 illegal immigrants crammed inside, soon became involved in a deadly crash at State Highway 115 and Norrish Road in Holtville that killed 12 of the vehicle’s occupants at the scene and a 13th a short time later, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

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