1 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Has Died
South African equality activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu has passed away. Cyril Ramaphosa, South African's president, announced the news in a statement.They described the Nobel Peace Prize winner, saying, "a patriot without equal. A man of extraordinary intellect, integrity, and invincibility against the forces of apartheid, he was also tender and vulnerable in his compassion for those who had suffered oppression, injustice, and violence under apartheid, and oppressed and downtrodden people around the world." Tutu was well known for being behind the fight to end racial segregation in South Africa. He also worked alongside Mandela as the chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In a statement, the Nelson Mandela foundation said, "He was larger than life, and for so many in South Africa and around the world, his life has been a blessing. His contributions to struggles against injustice, locally and globally, are matched only by the depth of his thinking about the making of liberatory futures for human societies." Desmond Tutu was 90 at the time of death.
2 Federal Program Offers Reimbursements for Covid-19 Funeral Costs
Losing someone to Covid-19 is heartbreaking; covering funeral costs to those lost adds to the struggle. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has been offering reimbursements for people who have had to pay for hefty funeral costs brought on by Covid-19. To qualify for a reimbursement, payers must submit a death certificate for those who died after May 16, 2020, and confirm that Covid-19 was the cause of death. As of early December, FEMA has granted more than $1.5 billion in reimbursements.
3 Flight Cancellations Snarl Holiday Plans for Thousands
Almost a thousand flights were canceled over the holiday weekend, throwing off travel plans for many. According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, close to one thousand U.S. flights were canceled between Friday and Sunday. Airlines like Delta, Jet Blue, and United have cited staffing issues due to the omicron variant as the cause of the disruptions. FlightAware's data also revealed that more than six thousand flights globally were affected during the busy weekend.