Here in the United States, a new study finds life expectancy dropped for the second year in a row in 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to take a heavy toll on public health. Overall, U.S. life expectancy has decreased by nearly two-and-a-half years since 2019 — by far the biggest decrease since World War II.

On Thursday, a federal appeals court reversed a lower court ruling and reinstated a White House requirement that most federal workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports major cities in California spent large portions of their federal COVID relief money on police departments. About half of the $640 million Los Angeles received under the American Rescue Plan went to the LAPD.