730,000 Americans filed initial jobless claims during the week ending 20 February, in what was a significant drop from the 841,000 in the 7 days prior.

According to a release from the Labor Department on Thursday, last week was the first time in close to two months that initial claims were below 800,000.

Although claims have fallen from the record 6.8 million that were recorded in March 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, last week’s figures still remain higher than the 665,000 peak during the 2007-09 recession.

The figure has been higher than during the recession for 49 weeks in a row now, as the pandemic has shuttered several industries.

A new Pentagon report on extremism has revealed that several white supremacists have been active in the US military.

The report, obtained by Roll Call, which was commissioned by Congress and dated October 2020, details instances of former military personnel speaking openly about their white supremacist views while serving.

One example featured in the report was a former National Guardsman, who has ties to a neo-Nazi group, bragging about openly espousing his white supremacist views while serving in the military.

The former guardsman did this in the extremist “Iron March” online forum in 2016, telling another member: “I was 100 per cent open about everything with the friends I made at training. They know about it all. They love me too cause I’m a funny guy.”

James Crump has the full story:

Joe Biden has rescinded a ban on thousands of illegal immigrants and their families from entering the United States though the visa application process.

The ban was originally introduced by the Trump administration last year, and blocked a number of green card applicants and their immediate families from entering the country.

The US president, rescinding the ban on Wednesday, said he believed his predecessor’s reasoning was wrong and that the ban on certain visa applicants was preventing families from reuniting in the United States and harmed businesses.

“To the contrary, it harms the United States, including by preventing certain family members of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents from joining their families here,” Mr Biden wrote. “It also harms industries in the United States that utilise talent from around the world.”

Gino Spocchia has the full story:

Barack Obama backed the reparation of Black Americans for the first time, calling it “justified” but blamed “politics of white resistance and resentment” as the reason for not being able to push it during his presidency.

Shweta Sharma has the full story

President Joe Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill is unlikely to get any Republican votes, but the Democrats are poised to push the sweeping package through the House on Friday.

By late Wednesday, not one Republican in either chamber had publicly said he or she would back the legislation.

“I haven’t seen a Republican yet that’s found something in there that they agree with,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

“I think all Republicans believe in three simple things: They want a bill that puts us back to work, back to school and back to health. This bill is too costly, too corrupt and too liberal.”

The hardening opposition suggested that Biden’s first major legislative initiative could encounter unanimous GOP opposition, but Democrats showed no signs of backing down.

“If congressional Republicans want to oppose all that, my response is: Good luck,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor.

Additional reporting by AP

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) opens today in Orlando, Florida, with former president Donald Trump expected to take to the stage on Sunday for the first time since leaving the White House.

The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has compiled everything you’ll want to know about the four-day event.

A Kentucky couple has been arrested for their alleged involvement in last month’s Capitol riots after the woman boasted in a TV interview that she would have no hesitation doing it again.

Lori Ann Vinson and Thomas Roy Vinson were arrested on Wednesday on charges of entering the building, demonstrating and disruptive conduct in the Capitol on the day of riots.

Ms Vinson told 14News on 14 January, according to the criminal complaint: “I would do it again tomorrow. I felt like I’ve done nothing wrong and I wouldn’t change it.”

California has become the first state to pass 50,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to reports from NBC News.

The Sunshine State also has the largest number of infections in the country, with 3.5 million people having been afflicted with the virus.

It comes after the nation passed the grim 500,000 death toll milestone on Sunday, with President Biden making it clear that dealing with Covid was one of his top priorities when coming into office.

Johns Hopkins University put California’s overall coronavirus death toll at 50,890.

The government has launched a new “It’s Up to You” campaign to try and encourage reticent Americans to get a Covid-19 vaccine.

The ad-campaign backed by $50 million (£36 million) in donated funds will be unveiled Thursday across TV and digital video, social media and audio platforms like Pandora and Spotify.

Dan Diamond has the details

A US intelligence dossier compiled by the CIA and others is likely to conclude that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to reports.

The file, expected to be released later on Thursday, examines the killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey in 2018, writes The Independent’s Tom Batchelor.