People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
WASHINGTON (AP) — A nationwide eviction moratorium is set to expire Saturday night after President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress worked furiously but ultimately failed to align on a long-shot strategy to prevent millions of Americans from being forced from their homes during a COVID-19 surge.
Schumer: Senators will 'get the job done' on infrastructure
WASHINGTON (AP) — Unable to produce the final text of a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, the Senate wrapped up a rare Saturday session making little visible progress on the legislative package, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed the work would get done.
apnews.com
US bids 'do svidaniya' to Russian staff at Moscow embassy
MOSCOW (AP) — The United States said Friday it has laid off nearly 200 local staffers working for its diplomatic missions in Russia ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline set by the Kremlin for their dismissal.
apnews.com
The national eviction moratorium is set to expire. What happens next?
A scramble by Democrats in Congress to extend the nationwide rental eviction moratorium fell short Friday before the House adjourned for recess.
Biden's infrastructure win overshadowed by new virus surge
NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Biden wagered his campaign and now his presidency on the premise that government itself could still work, even at a time of fractious political division. When the Senate voted this week, with bipartisan support, to begin work on an infrastructure bill that Biden supported...
apnews.com
Biden urges local governments to stave off evictions
President Biden, in a late plea to prevent rental evictions as the federal government’s moratorium is set to expire this weekend, urged local governments on Friday to …
thehill.com
Fact-checking RNC false tweet about Surgeon General's masks comments | CNN Politics
The recent change of mask guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created some confusion and also ample opportunity for political attacks against President Joe Biden's administration, some of which rely on misinterpretations from partisan sources.
California Democrats warn of low turnout in recall election
California Democrats in Congress are keeping a close eye on polls that show Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) narrowly fending off a recall campaign amid concerns that Republican voters are disproportionately …
thehill.com
Justice Department says Russians hacked federal prosecutors
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Russian hackers behind the massive SolarWinds cyberespionage campaign broke into the email accounts of some of the most prominent federal prosecutors’ offices around the country last year, the Justice Department said.
apnews.com
Cryptocurrency industry fears big tax hit in infrastructure bill
Lawmakers want people facilitating trades in Bitcoin and other digital assets to be subject to reporting rules similar to those governing the sale of stocks and other securities.
www.politico.com
Rep. Madison Cawthorn tried to board plane with gun; could face fine, status loss
After an incident February at the Asheville airport, Republican Cawthorn will likely face fines and a loss of any special fast-track boarding status.
www.usatoday.com
$1 trillion infrastructure plan clears another Senate hurdle
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate further advanced a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure plan Friday with a bipartisan group of senators helping it clear one more hurdle and bracing to see if support can hold during the next few days of debate and efforts to amend it.
apnews.com
Sinema strikes big bipartisan infrastructure deal and suffers a Democratic backlash
When a group of 22 senators negotiates a $1 trillion bill, conversations can go off track. And when they did — "far too many (times) to recount," joked one senior staffer — Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema would urge them to finish the job, even if that required some liquid courage.
www.cnn.com
Cori Bush spends night protesting outside US Capitol, gets support from Squad allies Omar, Pressley
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush said late Friday she plans to spend the night on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to protest the impending end of the coronavirus eviction moratorium.
UN compound in Herat, Afghanistan attacked by 'anti-government elements'
The main UN compound in Herat, Afghanistan was attacked by "anti-government elements" on Friday and at least one security guard was killed, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA.
Biden administration resumes fast-track deportation flights
The administration announced plans to resume the expedited removals on Monday, responding to building pressure on the White House to increase enforcement at the Southern border.
www.politico.com
UN compound attacked as battle for Afghanistan’s Herat rages
Afghan guard killed in attack amid intense fighting between gov’t forces and Taliban on western city’s outskirts.
Arizona Senate liaison granted 'full access' to Maricopa audit
Ken Bennett will continue to serve as Arizona Senate liaison to the Maricopa County 2020 election audit after coming to an agreement that will allow him full access while a report is put together.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
US seizes tanker used to evade North Korea sanctions
2,734-tonne M/T Courageous seized in Cambodia after it transferred more than $1.5m worth of oil to a North Korean ship.
Biden administration sues Texas over plan to stop vehicles transporting migrants
Border Patrol holding facilities for unaccompanied children and families could become dangerously overcrowded due to Texas' order, the Biden administration argued in its lawsuit.
www.cbsnews.com
Congressional Democrats are on a renewed push to act on voting rights with a 'sword and shield' approach
Top House Democrat Jim Clyburn told reporters that lawmakers would unveil a long-awaited restoration of the Voting Rights Act by August 6.
The hopeless optimism of trusting the Taliban
www.politico.com
AP-NORC poll: Democrats optimistic but divided on compromise
WASHINGTON (AP) — Six months into Democrats’ unified control of Washington, most Democrats are on board with President Joe Biden and where he's trying to take the country — even if they're divided on how to get there.
apnews.com
Biles out of vault and uneven bars; beam and floor possible
TOKYO (AP) — Simone Biles is opting not to defend her Olympic vault title, pulling out of Sunday's event finals for both vault and uneven bars while she focuses on her mental health. The 24-year-old six-time Olympic medalist removed herself from competition during the team finals on Tuesday and...
apnews.com
US sets new Cuba sanctions as Biden meets Cuban-Americans
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced new sanctions on Friday against Cuba's national revolutionary police and its top two officials as the U.S. looks to increase pressure on the communist government following this month's protests on the island.
apnews.com
FTC’s economics witness out, in new blow to court fight with Facebook
Economics consultant Carl Shapiro, who hasn’t commented on why he left the case, has a history of ideological differences with agency Chair Lina Khan.
www.politico.com
These states will still have protections for renters when the federal eviction moratorium ends
Though the federal eviction moratorium ends Saturday, some states have their own rules to help struggling tenants.
www.cbsnews.com
Newsom predicts ‘profound consequences’ for Democrats nationwide if he loses recall election
California Gov. Gavin Newsom asserted on Thursday that his fellow Democrats underestimate the importance of what his recall election means for them.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
American Caeleb Dressel sets world record in 2nd individual win at Olympics
U.S. swimmer Caeleb Dressel set a world record in Tokyo.
Senate confirms Biden's pick to serve as US Citizenship and Immigration Services director | CNN Politics
The Senate confirmed Ur Jaddou to serve as US Citizenship and Immigration Services director on Friday, delivering the agency a permanent head -- and the first woman to hold that position -- after years of acting leadership.
Trump helped raise more than $56 million online in early 2021
Former President Donald Trump helped raise more than $56 million from online donors during the first six months of this year, a campaign finance disclosure showed on Friday in a sign of Trump's power within the Republican Party.
www.reuters.com
House fails to extend eviction moratorium ahead of 6-week recess
The measure was rejected by Republicans.
SolarWinds hackers accessed over two dozen federal prosecutors’ offices: DOJ
The Justice Department said Friday that the hackers behind the major SolarWinds hack compromised employee accounts in over two dozen federal prosecutors’ offices.
thehill.com
Invasive, wormlike amphibians found in Florida
A wormlike, invasive amphibian species was discovered in South Florida, scientists reported this week.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Russia stops Cubans trying to enter EU on air beds
Three Cubans caught trying to cross a river into Estonia are said to have been heading for Spain.
www.bbc.com
Newsom asks Biden to ensure Pentagon OKs use of satellite data for wildfire program
Newsom requests Biden urge Pentagon to continue providing sensitive satellite information to firefighters so they can spot and track wildfires.
Georgia GOP starts push for takeover of local election board
ATLANTA (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Georgia have started a process that could lead to a takeover of elections in the state’s most populous county. Many in the GOP continue to claim wrongdoing in reliably Democratic Fulton County had stolen the 2020 election from Donald Trump, even though an...
apnews.com
Chaotic waters: US stars win, but Dressel won't get 6 golds
TOKYO (AP) — Caeleb Dressel is pretty much invincible when he has a lane to himself. But give him a deficit of more than 8 seconds? Well, that’s too much for even the world’s greatest swimmer to overcome with two laps of the pool.
apnews.com
Eviction moratorium, enhanced unemployment: Here's when pandemic-related help is ending
Congress passed billions in aid amid the pandemic, but many of the programs end in the second half of 2021.
www.cbsnews.com
What’s behind far-right trend of using 3D tech to make guns?
Concern mounts over proliferation of 3D-printed weapons amid growing arrests across Europe.
Biden-Harris migration plan targets 'root causes' as border surge continues
The White House has unveiled its plan to address the root causes of migration, a long-term strategy that involves working with the private sector and foreign governments to bolster Central American countries, but it is expected to do little to stem the immediate surge of migrants arriving at the…
www.washingtonexaminer.com
DeSantis signs onto Supreme Court brief supporting Mississippi effort to toss out Roe v. Wade
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined ten other Republican governors Thursday in asking the Supreme Court to essentially let states ban abortion and regulate it in ways not currently allowed, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Why it matters: With the court’s newly-installed 6-3 conservative majority, this...
Biles out of vault and uneven bars; beam and floor possible
TOKYO (AP) — Simone Biles is opting not to defend her Olympic vault title, pulling out of Sunday's event finals for both vault and uneven bars while she focuses on her mental health. The 24-year-old six-time Olympic medalist removed herself from competition during the team finals on Tuesday and...
apnews.com
Israel accuses Iran over deadly oil tanker attack
The country's foreign minister blames "Iranian terrorism" for an attack that left two people dead.
www.bbc.com
Waiting for Garcetti: India evaluates its ties with a post-Trump U.S.
India was a favored nation under Trump. Will those ties change under President Biden and what role does ambassadorial nominee Eric Garcetti play?
US soccer team wins nail-biter against Netherlands with penalty kicks in Olympics quarterfinal
The U.S. faced off against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics, in a game that concluded with penalty kicks.
From Afghan interpreter to US homeless - the long road to the American dream
Thousands of Afghan interpreters have waited years to flee to the US. Arriving is a different story.
www.bbc.com
Republicans trigger review of election officials in Georgia
Georgia Republicans on Friday triggered a formal review of election officials in Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold that includes Atlanta, the first step in a process that could lead to their removal and allow the Republican-controlled state legislature to take control of local election...
www.reuters.com
Xi Jinping only wants the most devoted Chinese Communist Party members. His tough membership rules could backfire | CNN
Those who aspire to join China's Communist Party face tighter membership rules -- a move that Xi Jinping hopes that will leave only the most devoted members.
Was It 'Reasonable' To Ship 81 Million Opioid Pills To This Small West Virginia City?
As a landmark federal opioid trial nears completion, West Virginia communities are demanding $2.5 billion in compensation. Drug firms say they acted responsibly in shipping millions of pills.
www.npr.org
Judge erupts at Jan. 6 defendant who refused mask: ‘You don’t make the rules’
A federal judge on Friday told off a Capitol riot defendant who refused to wear a mask during his hearing, telling the defendant “You don’t make the rules.”
thehill.com
‘Racist’ raids: New Zealand to say sorry to Pacific Islanders
Prime Minister to apologise over early morning raids in 1970s on people of Pacific Island descent.
Philadelphia man convicted of murder is freed by evidence that was on file for more than 30 years | CNN
A Philadelphia man wrongfully convicted of murder is finally free after spending more than three decades behind bars.
All The Olympic Firsts That Happened In The First Week Of Competition
It's already been a historic Games and it's not over yet.
www.npr.org
US Olympic fencers wear pink masks to protest against teammate accused of sexual assault
Three fencers on the Men’s U.S. Olympic team donned pink masks during their match against Japan on Friday to protest a teammate accused of sexual assault.
thehill.com
U.S. judge tells lawyers in Ghislaine Maxwell case to watch what they say
The U.S. judge overseeing Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal case on Friday admonished lawyers not to make out-of-court statements that could butt area the British socialite's upcoming sex trafficking trial.
www.reuters.com
Close to 1,000 LGBT officials elected nationwide, report says
Close to 1,000 elected officials nationwide identify as LGBT, according to a report from the LGBTQ Victory Institute. The are currently 986 LGBT officials across the U.S. as of June, according to t…
thehill.com
Eric Trump’s Latest Whine Prompts People To Play The World’s Smallest Violin
Critics accused Donald Trump's son of hypocrisy and playing the victim with his complaint about the "weaponization of politics."
U.S. announces Cuba sanctions as Biden meets with Cuban American leaders
Biden said that the Cuban government’s crackdown on protesters amounted to a “brazen violation of the rights of the Cuban people."
www.nbcnews.com
Nevada Rep. Amodei discloses cancer on kidneys, esophagus
U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei of Nevada had three surgeries and an outpatient procedure over the past 10 months for cancerous tumors on his kidneys and a cancerous spot in his esophagus, the Republican congressman disclosed Friday. Amodei told The Associated Press that he he did not reveal the cancer...
Actor Bob Odenkirk reveals ‘small heart attack,’ says he’ll be back soon
Actor Bob Odenkirk took to Twitter on Friday to reveal what caused him to be rushed to the hospital this week after collapsing on set.”I had a small heart attack,” the “Better Cal…
thehill.com
As Medicare and Medicaid turn 56, let’s remember younger adults will need them in the future
Younger adults no doubt have other things to think about besides today’s 56th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. Earning a living wage, buying a home, raising children — or even pursuing adventu…
thehill.com
A photographer captured the contents of a note that an aide passed to Biden: 'Sir, there is something on your chin'
Biden proceeded to turn the card over to take notes during the meeting with seven governors to address wildfire prevention and response efforts.
New details on CDC's Provincetown investigation portray delta variant as serious threat
Newly published details of the Provincetown outbreak indicate that the now-dominant delta variant may be able to spread among fully vaccinated people.
The surge of Covid-19 infections for unvaccinated people is only beginning, experts warn | CNN
With the recent increase of Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations due to the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, health experts and officials expect the surge to worsen as long as large segments of the country remain unvaccinated.
Florida coronavirus cases jump 50 percent in one week
The number of coronavirus cases in Florida has jumped 50 percent over the past week, officials said Friday, as the state that already makes up a large chunk of the nation’s total cases s…
thehill.com
Biden's new vaccine requirement meets pushback from unions who helped elect him
President Biden's new mandate that federal workers get vaccinated is prompting pushback from some of the unions that helped put him in office, threatening his support.
White House frustrated with 'hyperbolic' and 'irresponsible' Delta variant coverage
A version of this article first appeared in the "Reliable Sources" newsletter. You can sign up for free right here.
Most COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts outbreak among vaccinated, says CDC
Three-quarters of people infected with COVID-19 at July public events in a town on Cape Cod in Massachusetts were fully vaccinated, a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed.
www.reuters.com
DOJ sues Texas over Abbott order on COVID-carrying migrants
The U.S. Justice Department on Friday filed a lawsuit against Texas and its governor, Greg Abbott, over an order the Republican governor signed barring ground transportation of migrants who could be carrying COVID-19.
Biden rolls dice by getting more aggressive on vaccines
President Biden’s new, more aggressive approach to pressure reluctant or unwilling people to get vaccinated is a risky political play for a president who put defeating the coronavirus at the center…
thehill.com
Ted Cruz says a vaccine mandate is 'authoritarianism,' but he supports them in Texas
The Republican senator from Texas suggests it's tyranny to require a COVID-19 vaccine. But he abandons the argument for other infectious diseases.
Vaccinated People With Breakthrough Infections Can Spread The Delta Variant, CDC Says
In an outbreak in Provincetown, Mass., three-quarters of cases occurred in fully vaccinated people. The study's findings suggest that vaccinated people infected with delta can transmit the virus.
www.npr.org
CDC chief says there will be no federal mandate on Covid-19 vaccine
Walensky clarifies comment she made in Fox interview, says "I completely understand the pushback" against a government requirement.
www.nbcnews.com
House Republicans stage protest in Capitol over new COVID-19 mask rules
A group of House Republicans marched to the Senate floor Thursday to protest the new House mask mandate imposed by the Capitol's attending physician.
www.usatoday.com
Trump testing czar warns lockdowns may be on table if people don’t get vaccinated
Former President Trump’s coronavirus testing czar Brett Giroir warned Friday that lockdowns may be on the table again if more people don’t get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Giroir made the co…
thehill.com
Here’s What’s Wrong With These Unions’ Vax Resistance
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesWhen Joe Biden followed the lead of local Democratic officials and announced this week that federal employees and contractors would have to be vaccinated or else tested constantly and barred from traveling, the reaction from union leadership was swift and largely...
New Orleans EMS can't keep up with calls due to the Covid-19 surge as mayor restores a mask mandate | CNN
Emergency medical responders in New Orleans have been hit so hard by the resurgence in Covid-19 cases that the city doesn't have the capacity to handle 911 calls, the mayor said Friday as she announced a new mask mandate and a contract to increase EMS resources.
Liberals from White House to Hawaii push for mask mandates but data is underwhelming
Democratic leaders from the White House down are mulling or enacting new coronavirus mask mandates following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – even as new infections vary widely in different areas.
Pentagon grappling with new vaccine orders; timing uncertain
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is vowing he “won't let grass grow under our feet” as the department begins to implement the new vaccine and testing directives. But Pentagon officials were scrambling at week's end to figure out how to enact and enforce the changes across the...
apnews.com
Could Bali’s unvaccinated visitors create a new COVID hotspot?
The resort island of Bali has rushed out vaccines so it can reopen to tourists, but not everyone is included.
Oregon mandates masks in schools, state buildings
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) announced on Friday that masks are now required in schools and state agency buildings effective immediately, The Associated Press reports.
thehill.com
U.S. commuters uneasy as Delta variant threatens return to workplaces
The fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus is worrying some U.S. commuters who are already back on crowded buses and subway cars as corporate America attempts a greater return to the workplace after more than a year of pandemic disruption.
www.reuters.com
Meghan McCain: Democrats ‘should give a little credit’ to Trump for COVID-19 vaccine
Meghan McCain said Friday that Democrats should give former President Trump “a little credit” for the COVID-19 vaccine. During Friday’s episode of “The View,” McCain said giving Trump credit for th…
thehill.com
'Steady increase' in vaccines in past month, White House says
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 197 million people worldwide and killed over 4.2 million of them.
West African health officials race to vaccinate amid spikes
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A resurgence of coronavirus cases in West Africa is hitting the region hard, inundating cemeteries where funeral numbers are rising and hospitals where beds are becoming scarce.
apnews.com
Pregnant people have higher risk of breakthrough COVID-19, data shows
The CDC has urged pregnant people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Biden says Americans should expect more COVID restrictions
President Biden warned Friday that increased COVID-related restrictions could again become a possibility as the U.S. sees spiking coronavirus cases nationwide.
Kenya's president criticises 'vaccine nationalism'
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta says vaccine nationalism is why he wants his country to move towards vaccine production.
www.bbc.com
