
Texas state Rep. Carl Sherman speaks during a "Good Trouble Candlelight Vigil for Democracy" at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington on Saturday.Alex Wong / Getty Images

The Texas Democrats who fled the state last week to block voting restrictions plan a week of events with national advocates and labor leaders, election officials and other Democrats as they seek to keep the pressure on Congress to pass federal voting legislation.

New ad hits Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin for 'peaceful' Jan. 6 claim
A coalition of progressive groups is spending $800,000 on a campaign criticizing the GOP senator for his comments about the Capitol riot.


Huge Oregon blaze grows as wildfires burn across western US
The largest wildfire in the U.S. has torched more dry forest landscape in Oregon. It's one of dozens of major blazes burning across the West as critically dangerous fire weather loomed in the coming days.


In Trump's Jan. 6 recast, attackers become martyrs, heroes
Months after Donald Trump’s supporters besieged the Capitol, the ex-president and his supporters are revising their account of that day.


Graham says he’d ‘leave town’ to stop $3.5T spending plan
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in a Sunday interview said he’d be willing to mimic the actions of Texas Democrats and “leave town” to prevent Democrats in Congress from passing thei…

Fact check: Biden doesn't want to monitor private texts for vaccine misinformation
Claims that President Joe Biden wants to monitor American citizens' private texts for COVID-19 vaccine disinformation are false.

Death toll in catastrophic European flooding: At least 199 dead, nearly 300 unaccounted for
Europe’s devastating flood death toll leaves at least 199 dead as of Monday, with west Germany and Belgium hit hardest.

Trump claims people refusing vaccine because they ‘don’t trust the Election results’ - Washington Examiner
Former President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that one of the reasons some people are unwilling to take the COVID-19 vaccine is because they "don't trust the Election results" from November 2020.The former president's comments come after President Joe Biden's administration failed to meet its...


Controversy equals cash for Greene, Gaetz
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) are among the top-ranked fundraisers in the House, according to new Federal Election Commission filings, with each bringing in more than…


Sen. Rob Portman says increased IRS enforcement dropped as way to pay for infrastructure plan
Portman, R-Ohio, said there would be additional talks later Sunday to reach a final agreement as Democrats watch the clock.


Merkel tours 'surreal' flood scene, vows aid, climate action
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has surveyed what she called a “surreal, ghostly” scene in a devastated village.


US surgeon general on tech companies’ steps to fight Covid misinformation: ‘It’s not enough’ | CNN Politics
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on Sunday said social media platforms must recognize that they played “a major role” in the spread of misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic and while they’ve taken some steps to fight back, it hasn’t been enough.


Texas Senate votes to nix teaching requirement calling white supremacy ‘morally wrong’
The Texas state Senate has passed legislation that would repeal requirements to teach the history of white supremacy and the ways “in which it is morally wrong,” among other lessons pertaining to p…


Who's in? California recall candidate list draws confusion
The official list of candidates hoping to unseat California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a recall election includes 41 people but remains unsettled.


Republican senators abandon stronger IRS enforcement for funding $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan - Washington Examiner
Republican senators working to negotiate a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill are ditching plans to strengthen enforcement at the Internal Revenue Service as a way to pay for the legislation, Sen. Rob Portman said Sunday.The Ohio GOP lawmaker is one of 22 senators working to negotiate...


Cruz accuses Biden of being 'in bed' with Big Tech amid vaccine misinformation controversy
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Sunday accused the Biden administration of being “in bed with Big Tech,” making the argument that comments made by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki last week have only strengthened former President Trump’s lawsuit accusing Facebook and Twitter of censorship.

Russia's mysterious campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses
Russia's mysterious campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses has resulted in hundreds detained.
GOP joins Dems in taking on Big Pharma
Senators working to keep the bipartisan infrastructure deal alive are zeroing in on Medicare prescription drug rebate formulas to offset up to $60 billion of the $1.2 trillion package, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.Why it matters: Targeting those funds puts the bipartisan...

Biden seeks to prove his skeptics wrong
President Biden is entering a critical stretch with momentum as he tries to get an ambitious $4 trillion economic agenda passed through Congress. Biden is rallying Democrats behind a $3.5 tril…

Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani could face criminal investigation in Arizona over their attempts to overturn the election
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs asked the attorney general to launch an investigation into Donald Trump over attempts to overturn the election.

California releases list of 41 recall election candidates, and it is now in dispute
Larry Elder wants to know why he isn't included. Others are fighting to have their name appear on ballot a certain way. Final list is out Wednesday.
www.usatoday.com

Klobuchar: Infrastructure bill could include voting measures
A key senator says congressional Democrats are exploring ways to include financial incentives for states to expand voting access as part of a multitrillion-dollar infrastructure bill.


Two more Texas Democrats test positive for COVID after fleeing election vote
Two more Texas Democrats have tested positive for coronavirus during the trip to Washington, D.C., just one day after three of their colleagues learned they had contracted the virus as well.
Republicans, so called party of family values, do not support needy families
The Child allowance payments are the biggest help in decades – but Republicans just see ‘welfare assistance’ Senate majority leader Democrat Chuck Schumer during a news conference held by Democrats to discuss child tax credit payments of the American Rescue Plan, on Capitol Hill in 15 July 2021...
Biden faces new threats to U.S. leadership as instability rises
Hot spots have mushroomed across the world in 2021, adding multiple international crises to President Biden's formidable domestic to-do list. Why it matters: Cracks in the global order, which had been presided over by unrivaled American influence since the end of the Cold War, are growing. The...

Sorting out Trump's comments on the Arizona audit
The former president has overstated what the analysts claimed.


Afghan rivals agree to meet again after inconclusive Doha talks
Taliban and Afghan government delegation say they will expedite peace negotiations as fighting rages in the country.

The future of cannabis is female: Gen Z women are fastest-growing consumers of legal weed
The new trend for marijuana products is clear labels, lab-tested ingredients, standardized dosing and modern branding that takes its design cues from traditional consumer brands.


NFL has 'steep hill to climb to make amends' for race-norming in concussion settlement program: Senator
A powerful lawmaker says efforts by the NFL to address alleged racial bias in its concussion settlement program are falling short of what is owed to Black former players.
These 5 key numbers are currently defining the Biden presidency from unemployment to vaccinations
Biden has been a Washington institution for decades, and as his presidency unfolds, his domestic agenda has been defined by his response to COVID-19.

Spyware used to target journalists and activists around the world, reports indicate
The investigation drew connections to murdered journalists.


Stelter, Michael Wolff battle over book claims
CNN media pundit Brian Stelter and author Michael Wolff on Sunday sparred over claims Wolff made in his book about election night 2020 and Fox News’s decision to call Arizona for President Bi…


Larry Elder not listed on California recall candidate roster
California on Saturday released a list of 41 candidates running in the recall election targeting Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that was striking for who wasn't on it: conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder.
U.S. appeals court blocks ruling that would have suspended CDC cruise ship rules
A U.S. appeals court late Saturday in a 2-1 ruling put on hold a lower-court decision that said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could not enforce its coronavirus cruise ship rules in the state. Last month, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday in siding with...
Fact check: Altered Hunter Biden photo falsely claims Trump won the 2020 election
A viral photo of Hunter Biden shared to Facebook by Eric Trump has been altered and makes false claims about the 2020 election.

More evacuations ordered after California wildfire jumps highway
A fire in the Lake Tahoe, Calif., area jumped a highway and forced additional evacuations and the cancellation of an intensive bike race, The Associated Press reported.The Tamarack Fire, just south…


Asian mother forced to undergo brain surgery after violent attack in NYC subway - Washington Examiner
An Asian woman was forced to undergo brain surgery over the weekend after she and her son were dragged down the stairs of a New York City subway station in an attempted robbery.The unidentified 58-year-old woman and her 23-year-old son were walking up the stairs of the Canal Street subway...


Players directed family, fans to safety during Nationals game
Washington Nationals manager Davey Martinez directed people to his team's dugout as they scrambled for safety.


Fact check: Arizona audit chief baselessly raises suspicion about 74,000 ballots | CNN Politics
Arizona’s Senate held a Thursday briefing on the ongoing Republican-initiated “audit” of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, where Joe Biden outperformed Donald Trump by enough of a margin to win the state.


Senator: Bipartisan infrastructure bill loses IRS provision
A Republican senator who helped negotiate a nearly trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure bill says a proposal to strengthen IRS enforcement to raise money to help pay for the bill's spending is officially off the table.


Israeli malware used to ‘spy on journalists, activists’ worldwide
Reports say ‘authoritarian governments’ abused software sold by a private Israeli firm to hack mobile phones worldwide.
Trump lashed out at the Open Championship for not using his Scottish golf club as a venue, saying its because he's 'too controversial'
Donald Trump's businesses face blowback from the controversy and conflict he stirred during his term in the White House.
Texas Democrats who fled state plan on staying in D.C., will host weeklong conference
A group of Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a GOP-led voting reform bill are not planning on returning anytime soon, and will instead hold a weeklong virtual conference as they up their fight against the Republican bill, the Washington Post reports. The big picture: Civil rights...

Pentagon announces removal of ‘stepchild’ designation on new IDs following complaints - Washington Examiner
The Pentagon will change the language on new plastic identification cards designating the children of some service members as a "stepchild" following complaints of insensitivity. Identification cards will be changed to replace the stepchild designation with "child" to identify relationships to...


Klobuchar urges limits on protections for Big Tech
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said Sunday that social media companies “greatly contributed” to misinformation over the coronavirus, adding that liability standards for those companies should be chan…


POLITICO Playbook: Apocalypse now
And Sen. Rob Portman says IRS enforcement is out of the bipartisan infrastructure proposal.


Hot, gusty winds fanning flames of massive U.S. wildfires
Gusty winds and dry, hot weather are increasing the size of dozens of wildfires scorching vast stretches of Oregon, California and other western states, authorities said on Sunday.

Mullen says reports post-election chaos within Trump White House are "incredibly disturbing"
New books detail the concerns General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had about Mr. Trump in the weeks after the presidential election.


Ex-Sen. Jones rips Mo Brooks over ‘irony’ remark on Texas Democrats getting COVID-19
Former Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) blasted Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) on Sunday regarding a tweet Brooks wrote poking fun at several Texas Democrats who tested positive for COVID-19 after they traveled t…


German candidate sorry for laughing scene in flood visit
The front-runner to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany’s September election has apologized for a scene in which he was seen laughing in the background as the country’s president delivered a statement on the devastating floods in western Germany

Don’t mess around with Texas — just move back to California
Many moved there in search of a better “quality of life.” You have to wonder how that’s working out for them.


EPA squeeze on aftermarket car part sellers hurts classic car industry, Lankford says - Washington Examiner
Raids on aftermarket auto part vendors by the Environmental Protection Agency for evidence of emissions violations standards are harming the classic car industry, says Sen. Jim Lankford.Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican and a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told the...


Fact check: Flood image of BMW with anti-Greta Thunberg sticker is a fake | CNN Politics
As deadly floods ravaged Germany and other parts of western Europe this week, an image began circulating on social media – among people speaking multiple languages.


Palestinians condemn ‘raiding’ of Al-Aqsa by Israeli forces
Palestinians accuse Israeli forces of using tear gas, rubber bullets at Palestinians as Israeli settlers enter Al-Aqsa.

Biden poses with ice cream cone on 'national ice cream day'
President Biden on Sunday celebrated national ice cream day by posting an image of himself grabbing a large cone and posing for a selfie.

Klobuchar 'concerned' about Supreme Court, says Breyer should retire 'sooner rather than later'
Sen. Amy Klobuchar has urged Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire "sooner rather than later" if he’s considering retirement at all.

Why some civil liberties advocates worry about crackdown on 'misinformation'
Why civil liberties advocates worry about crackdown on "misinformation."

Haiti faces uncertain future as mourning first lady returns
Martine Moïse did not make any public statement.


Indian boarding school investigation faces hurdles in missing records, legal questions
“The truth needs to be heard from the perspective of those who were harmed,” the leader of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition said.


Worries over racism, waterways inspire push to rename fish
What's in a name? When it comes to Asian carp, quite a lot. For decades, that term has been used to describe four fish species that have infested many U.S. rivers and threaten to invade the Great Lakes.


New Shepard rocket ready to boost Bezos and three crewmates into space
Two more passenger flights are planned before the end of the year as Bezos kicks off commercial flight operations.

MyPillow's Mike Lindell uses appearance at rightwing conference to baselessly claim Trump won 80 million votes at 2020 election
Mike Lindell made more baseless comments at the ReAwaken America tour, claiming former President Trump got substantially more votes than Biden.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II to meet Joe Biden in Washington
After a difficult relationship with Donald Trump, Jordan’s king has a warmer rapport with Biden.

Jury awards fired Walmart employee with Down syndrome $125M
An eight-person jury on Thursday determined that Walmart violated the Americans With Disabilities Act after it fired a sales associate with Down syndrome regarding changes to her work schedule.


Six Flags Texas water park evacuated after chemical spill sends dozens to the hospital
A chemical spill at a water park in Texas sent dozens of people to the hospital, according to officials.

What the megadrought means to the American West
Farmers dependent upon water from river systems in the American West are seeing massive cuts in their supply, as reservoirs drop to their lowest levels due to the worst drought to hit the region in 1,200 years.


Vehicle of interest wanted in triple shooting outside Washington Nationals game
The Nationals were playing the San Diego Padres Saturday night.

Britney Spears vows not to perform again while father oversees conservatorship - Washington Examiner
Britney Spears tore into her father and sister on social media over the weekend, vowing not to perform onstage again until she has full control of her life and finances.Spears took to Instagram to rant about her family just days after her new attorney, Mathew Rosengart, was approved by the court...


Amid fight over Texas voting restrictions, attorney wants Black parishioners to know church's historic role
Attorney Abdul Dosunmu said "the voting rights of Black Texans" are at stake.


Sen. Portman reveals bipartisan infrastructure bill will not include IRS reform, after GOP pushback
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, provided an update on negotiations for a bipartisan infrastructure bill, revealing that one item meant to help pay for the bill that some Republicans opposed will not be included.

Biden to welcome Super Bowl champion Buccaneers to White House | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden will welcome the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the White House on Tuesday, an official tells CNN, marking yet another return to normalcy after the coronavirus pandemic and years of tension between the NFL and Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump.

GOP lawmakers hold California protest after 3 cancellations
Republican House Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene held a protest Saturday after a third venue in California canceled their event. Instead, they held a protest outside City Hall in Riverside, where one of the events was canceled. “Here’s what they need to understand,” Greene told the...

Moon’s ‘wobble’ could lead to higher flooding on coasts, NASA says - Washington Examiner
People living in coastal areas may see record flooding caused by the moon in the next decade or so. Astronomical cycles, coupled with rising sea levels from climate change, may cause a surge in coastal flooding beginning in the mid-2030s, according to a study from NASA released on July 7. “Why...


Iraq protesters demand accountability after killings of activists
Hundreds protest in Baghdad demanding the end of impunity after the killings of dozens of pro-democracy activists.

"This conservatorship killed my dreams": Britney Spears posts about father and sister
"Look I'm not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think," she wrote in one post.


Olympics: Defying threats, Iranian athletes speak out to back ban
Olympics organisers are being urged to investigate allegations of threats, discrimination and abuse.


Full transcript of "Face the Nation" on July 18, 2021
On this week's "Face the Nation," Ken McClure, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Admiral Mike Mullen, Jill Schlesinger, Chris Krebs and David Becker.


Brazil's Bolsonaro leaves hospital after treatment for blocked intestine
The Brazilian president was treated for continuing complications after a near-fatal 2018 stabbing.


Genteel Thiel populists seek to capture Trump magic - Washington Examiner
When Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel spoke at the Republican National Convention, he made a policy-laden case for Donald Trump.“Instead of going to Mars, we have invaded the Middle East. We don’t need to see Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails: Her incompetence is in plain sight,” Thiel...


"She Rates Dogs" co-host Mat George killed in hit-and-run in Los Angeles
The 26-year-old was known for his brilliant personality, comedic wit and outspokenness and had co-hosted "She Rates Dogs" for just over a year.


Transcript: David Becker on "Face the Nation" on July 18, 2021
The following is a transcript of an interview with David Becker, the director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, that aired on Sunday, July 18, 2021, on "Face the Nation."


Transcript: Chris Krebs on "Face the Nation" on July 18, 2021
The following is a transcript of an interview with former CISA director Chris Krebs that aired on Sunday, July 18, 2021, on "Face the Nation."


Transcript: Springfield, Missouri, Mayor Ken McClure on "Face the Nation," July 18, 2021
The following is a transcript of an interview with Springfield, Missouri, Mayor Ken McClure that aired on Sunday, July 18, 2021, on "Face the Nation."



Vaccine inequity: Inside the cutthroat race to secure doses
PARIS (AP) — No one disputes that the world is unfair. But no one expected a vaccine gap between the global rich and poor that was this bad, this far into the pandemic.


Feds step up pressure on social media over false COVID-19 claims
Social media companies are facing new pressure from the federal government to crack down on health misinformation as the Biden administration makes a push to encourage reluctant Americans to get CO…


Zero risk? Virus cases test Olympic organizers' assurances
Two South African soccer players have become the first athletes inside the Olympic Village to test positive for COVID-19.


Gottlieb warns Delta variant will be "most serious virus" unvaccinated get in their lifetime
The Delta variant has fueled a rise in coronavirus cases, with the number of new infections rising in all 50 states.


Fauci says natural origins theory of coronavirus is still the most likely | CNN Politics
Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, on Saturday reiterated his belief that the natural origins theory of the novel coronavirus is still the most likely.


Reinstating mask mandate in LA 'not punishment, but prevention': Solis
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis appeared on ABC's "This Week," days after an indoor mask mandate was reinstated amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Appeals court sides with CDC on COVID-19 rules for cruise ships
A U.S. appeals court has issued an order temporarily blocking a ruling from a federal judge in Florida last month that barred the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from enforcin…


Biden nets positive marks for handling pandemic, but vaccine resistance, Delta concern remains - CBS News poll
Americans report that their finances are in good shape, but inflation looms.


'Spreading like wildfire': Fauci, surgeon general take aim at COVID misinformation online
Dr. Anthony Fauci speculates smallpox, polio would still exist if the efforts to vaccinate against those diseases had experienced similar pushback.
www.usatoday.com

New mask mandate unfortunate but necessary, Los Angeles official says
"I would say that it's not punishment, it's prevention," Hilda Solis said.


Poll: Unvaccinated Americans least concerned about Delta variant
Less that half of those who have not been vaccinated are worried about the contagious Covid variant.


Former surgeon general says CDC 'premature' to ease mask rules as delta variant spreads
Dr. Jerome Adams expressed regret over his dismissal of masks early in the pandemic and warned against repeating his mistake in the face of the highly transmissible variant.

US surgeon general: Covid misinformation ‘spreading like wildfire’ on social media
Vivek Murthy: rise seen ‘among the unvaccinated in particular’Biden administration renews attack on Facebook Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy during the daily White House Briefing in Washington on Thursday. Photograph: Samuel Corum/UPI/REX/Shutterstock Joe Biden’s administration renewed...

To Mask, Or Not To Mask: Epidemiologists Debate Rules For K-12 Students This Fall
The CDC says vaccinated students no longer have to wear masks indoors. But many students remain unvaccinated, leaving uncertainty about how schools should design -- and enforce -- new policies.

Harris visits Walter Reed for 'routine' doctor appointment days after meeting with infected Texas Democrats
Vice President Kamala Harris is going for what a White House official told Fox News is a "routine doctor's appointment" at Walter Reed Medical Center on Sunday.

Teen tennis star Coco Gauff tests positive for Covid, will sit out Tokyo Olympics
Gauff, 17, had been expected to lead Team USA in tennis in what was to have been her first Olympics this month.


Two Athletes Have Tested Positive For COVID-19 Inside The Olympic Village
With the Tokyo Games less than a week away, the positive tests are the first among athletes inside the Olympic Village.


With pandemic worsening in US, surgeon general worried
The U.S. surgeon general says he's worried about what lies ahead with cases of COVID-19 increasing in every state, millions still unvaccinated and a highly contagious virus variant spreading rapidly.


'Very reasonable' for local officials to reimplement mask mandates amid delta surge: Dr. Vivek Murthy
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy appeared Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

California truck rules facing a test — in New Jersey
New Jersey wants to follow California’s lead, making it the second state to push what truck makers claim are ill-advised, if not impossible plans.


In U-turn, UK's Johnson to quarantine after COVID-19 contact
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will spend 10 days self-isolating after contact with a confirmed coronavirus case

19 July: England Covid restrictions ease as PM urges caution
There is no limit on how many people can meet, nightclubs can reopen and large events can resume.


Los Angeles County reinstates mask mandate as Delta variant fuels COVID spike
New cases have spiked almost 70% in the U.S. over the past week with eight states plagued with rapidly rising infections.


Postponed Weddings, Stockpiled Insulin and Covid: The Bizarre Life of Texas Democrats in Exile
What the Democratic state legislators from Texas are really doing in Washington—and how they got here.


Transcript: Scott Gottlieb on "Face the Nation" on July 18, 2021
The following is a transcript of an interview with former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb that aired on Sunday, July 18, 2021, on "Face the Nation."


'He Left Me All Alone In The World': India's COVID Widows Struggle To Survive
These are women who have lost a spouse — often the sole breadwinner of the family — during the pandemic. Now they are faced with hospitals bills and daily living expenses. Who will help them?
