Biden to take action on gun violence

Manchin won't vote to eliminate filibuster.

By Liza Hearon TOP STORIES   Thursday, April 8 BIDEN TO TAKE ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE President Joe Biden will issue a suite of executive orders today directing the Justice Department to limit the proliferation of guns and nominating a permanent head of the federal agency charged with battling illegal gun trafficking for the first time in years. The president has been pressured to act after two major mass shootings took 18 lives in March. [HuffPost]   MANCHIN SAYS NO TO ELIMINATING FILIBUSTER Pivotal Democratic moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) said there was "no circumstance" in which he would vote to eliminate the filibuster, likely imperiling many Democratic priorities. The filibuster requires 60 votes to pass most legislation in the Senate, meaning the votes of all Democrats and 10 Republicans are needed. [HuffPost]   COVID-19 STUDY FINDS ALARMING DISPARITIES  Black women died from COVID-19 at much higher rates than white men in Georgia and Michigan, according to a Harvard study. While other studies previously found that men overall are dying of the virus at higher rates than women, this study looked at how both race and gender intersect to create further disparities. [HuffPost]   CHAUVIN ATTORNEY CLAIMS FLOYD DRUG USE A short video clip taken by a Minneapolis police officer's body camera last spring became a flashpoint in the Derek Chauvin trial on Wednesday. A defense attorney and a witness suggested that George Floyd told cops he "ate too many drugs" shortly before his death. The same witness later amended his statement, saying he believed Floyd had really said, "I ain't do no drugs." [HuffPost] What to know about the AstraZeneca vaccine. Why everyone should get paid time off for the vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine card: What you need to know. Five handy hacks to make your face mask fit better. I'm a migrant. COVID means I don't know when I'll get to visit home. Get the latest coronavirus updates on our dedicated page GOV. KEMP: LET THEM EAT TAKEOUT Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said voters waiting in line in Georgia could order food from Grubhub or Uber Eats after a new state law criminalized offers of free food or water near polling stations. Meanwhile, a coalition of voting groups filed a lawsuit against Georgia's elections chief in response to the restrictions that include barriers to mail-in ballots. [HuffPost]   BIDEN DRAWS LINE ON INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN Biden said he is open to compromise on how much to pay for his infrastructure plan, but inaction is unacceptable. In a fiery speech, the president challenged the idea that low tax rates would do more for growth than investing in care workers, roads, bridges, clean water and other items. [AP]   WHAT'S BREWING   HOW TO TALK TO JUST ABOUT ANYONE Many of us are finding ourselves socializing more these days now that things are reopening in many places -- but we may be out of practice. HuffPost Life is here with a series of articles to help with everything from small talk to more difficult conversations. First up: How to talk to someone you find intimidating. [HuffPost]   KENTUCKY BUCKS VOTING TREND Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed a bipartisan bill aimed at expanding voting access, even as Republicans in other states continue to push for more voting restrictions. Kentucky "showed during this pandemic that we can vote in a safe way, that we can eliminate any concerns about fraud while expanding access so everyone can make sure that they can cast their ballot," Beshear said. [HuffPost]   HALF A MILLION SIGN UP FOR HEALTH CARE More than 500,000 Americans signed up for coverage on HealthCare.gov between mid-February and the end of March. Promoting enrollment in the federal online marketplace that the Affordable Care Act created seems to be paying off, HuffPost's Jonathan Cohn writes. [HuffPost]   SHERIFF: TIGER WOODS SPEEDING BEFORE CRASH Tiger Woods was driving 40 mph over the 45 mph speed limit when he crashed an SUV in Southern California less than two months ago, leaving the golf superstar seriously injured, authorities said. The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there is an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed. [AP]   GOP MACHINE LIES ABOUT COLORADO VOTING LAWS Last week, Major League Baseball said it was moving its All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver in response to Georgia's restrictive new voting law. This has prompted GOP politicians and conservative allies to go on the attack, claiming Colorado's and Georgia's voting laws are quite similar. Even the smallest amount of research exposes these claims as clearly false, writes HuffPost's Ryan Grenoble. [HuffPost]   PROGRESSIVES EYE BIDEN ON BANK RULE Antitrust crusaders and Wall Street watchdogs are closely watching how the Biden administration handles a new rule governing consumers' access to financial data. The rule should make it easier for them to switch between banks and other financial institutions. [HuffPost] THE BEST OF THE REST  Homeless in the shadow of Apple's $5 billion campus. A tiny particle's wobble could upend the laws of physics. Korean esports players speak out on racism in America. Myanmar ambassador says he's locked out of London embassy in "coup." Here's what it's like to work at Amazon. What it's like when everyone blames you for Suez Canal jam. BEFORE YOU GO Sheryl Underwood disputes Sharon Osbourne's "set up" claim. Zookeeper Jack Hanna diagnosed with dementia. Brooke Baldwin highlights male-dominated CNN leadership. Virginia becomes first Southern state to legalize cannabis. George Lucas originally wanted what to run before "Star Wars"!? Megan Rapinoe schools NBA star over gender pay gap remarks. What Leslie Odom Jr.'s "Hamilton" co-star told him about raising a Black son. This is what life is really like when you weigh over 400 pounds. Pence gets mocking chapter on Twitter over seven-figure book deal. Amanda Gorman is a literary "supernova" on Vogue cover. Here's a story to share? Or not? People who deleted their social media share what it's like. Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? — Subscribe here!   ©2021 HuffPost BuzzFeed, Inc 111 E 18th St, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost   Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe