Americans borrowed more than ever to buy homes in 2021. Mortgage lenders issued $1.61 trillion in purchase loans in 2021, according to estimates by the Mortgage Bankers Association. That is up slightly from $1.48 trillion in 2020 and above the previous record of $1.51 trillion in 2005. Many of...
Michigan Paid up to $8.5 Billion in Fraudulent Jobless Claims During the Pandemic
The state of Michigan paid up to $8.5 billion in fraudulent unemployment assistance claims during the pandemic, a new audit has found. Other states have reported billions of dollars were also lost to fraudulent claims. In October, Ohio's jobless agency reported it paid out more than $3.8 billion from April 1, 2020,...
The Goal: At Least 40% Vaxxed in All Nations by Year-End. This Map Shows How We Stand
In September President Joe Biden proposed a global goal of vaccinating at least 70% of the world's population by autumn of 2022. The United Nations and the World Health Organization argued the target should be met even sooner – by mid-2022 – and that by the close of 2021...
India Restricts Foreign Funding for Mother Teresa’s Charity
India has moved to cut off foreign funding to a charity founded by Mother Teresa, saying the Catholic organization did not meet conditions under local laws, dealing a blow to one of the most prominent groups running shelters for the poor. The move came after several right-wing Hindu groups disrupted...
Israel Says Will ‘Double Settlements’ in Occupied Golan Heights
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has said the country intends to double the number of settlers in the occupied Golan Heights with a multimillion-dollar plan meant to further consolidate Israel’s hold on the territory it captured from Syria more than 50 years ago. Bennett said the new investment in the region was...
Why Americans Are Rethinking Where They Want to Live
“People are asking deep questions about how and where they want to live,” says Richard Florida of the University of Toronto, who observes a “great unmooring” in Americans’ thinking about their location. Migration is following two trends, both of which existed before the pandemic. First, people have been leaving large,...
These Food Items Are Getting More Costly in 2022
Everything from coffee to mustard is getting more expensive next year. Many food manufacturers say they plan to raise prices in 2022 for a range of products from macaroni-and-cheese to snacks, the latest sign that consumers will continue to face higher costs at the supermarket. Read more from The Wall...
How Myanmar’s Military Razed Villages to Crush a Growing Resistance
Facing armed resistance after it seized power, the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, has escalated its use of force against civilians using tactics honed during past atrocities. A Washington Post analysis of more than 300 videos and photos, some not previously made public, as well as satellite imagery, eyewitness...
U.S. Consumer Confidence Improves Further in December
U.S. consumer confidence improved further in December, suggesting the economy would continue to expand in 2022 despite a resurgence in COVID-19 infections and reduced fiscal stimulus. Read more from Reuters
Judge Rules the NY Times Must Destroy Documents and Not Publish Reporting on Conservative Group
The New York Times must return memos it obtained that were written by an attorney for the conservative activist group Project Veritas, a judge in New York ruled Friday. The developments prevent The New York Times from reporting on memos written years ago by Project Veritas' attorney Benjamin Barr, which...