John Randolph Thune
Republican negotiators and members of leadership believe Schumer is trying to jam them and warn that they won’t vote to start debate Wednesday even on a shell bill that the Democratic leader is intending to use as a vehicle for the bipartisan deal once it’s finalized. “It’s a bad idea if the bill’s not ready. ... Our guys aren’t going to vote for a bill they haven’t seen,” said Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican.
Trump denies coup attempt in latest attack on Milley
“If I was going to do a coup, one of the last people I would want to do it with is General Mark Milley,” the former president said in a statement.
www.politico.com
Trump blasts Milley after book suggested former president sought post-election coup
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday blasted Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after excerpts from a book reportedly revealed the general fretted over a potential coup attempt in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
GOP fumes over Schumer hardball strategy
Republicans are bristling over Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) hardball strategy to try to force them to finalize a bipartisan infrastructure deal in a matter of days.Republican n…
thehill.com
Fed Chair Powell grilled by grouchy senators over inflation and climate change, even as economy rebounds
An economic rebound, rising wages and declining unemployment weren't enough to spare Fed Chairman Jerome Powell from gripes in the Senate.
Rupert Murdoch-funded Fox Corp. PAC contributes to Democrat Joe Manchin's campaign
The Fox News parent company's PAC donated money to moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's reelection campaign, a new filing shows.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger calls for firing of Fulton County election officials
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Thursday called for the firing of two Fulton County election officials, citing "continued failures."
www.usatoday.com
Georgia legislator seeks investigation into Raffensperger over 2020 election 'failures'
A Georgia state legislator considering a bid for statewide office urged an investigation into Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to testify over the "numerous and documented failures" related to the 2020 election.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Treasury Secretary Yellen says the Federal Reserve has done a 'good job' under Powell
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen offered praise for the Federal Reserve during the Covid-19 crisis under the direction of Chairman Jerome Powell.
Trouble: IRS funding snags bipartisan infrastructure deal
A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators is looking to replace a proposal to provide $40 billion in new funding for the Internal Revenue Service, which is projected to net $100 billion in new …
thehill.comBiden sees U.S. child tax credit as 'giant step' to counter poverty
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Some 35 million American families have received their first monthly payout from the U.S. government in an expanded income-support program that President Joe Biden said on Thursday could help end child poverty. Under the Child Tax Credit program that was broadened under...
After days of protests, White House slams Cuba's 'failed' communist leaders
The White House condemned Cuba's communist government as a crackdown on protesters continued into the week.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Garland reverses another Trump-era order about immigration
The move will cut the ballooning backlog of 1.3 million immigration cases in the U.S. It is Garland's third such reversal of Trump policy.
www.nbcnews.com
Facebook blocks highly targeted Iran-linked hacking campaign
After posing as recruiters or fellow industry professionals, the hackers convinced victims to visit malicious websites that mimicked familiar domains.
www.politico.com
Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty arrested at voting rights demonstration
Capitol Police said in a Twitter statement that nine people were arrested. Beatty later tweeted "#GoodTrouble," a motto of the late Rep. John Lewis.
www.usatoday.com
The moon's natural wobble alters Earth's tides. With climate change, that's bad news.
By the mid-2030s, the lunar cycle will be set to amplify Earth’s tides. When combined with rising sea levels, the cumulative result is a significant increase in high-tide flooding, researchers found.
www.nbcnews.com
Manchin meets with Texas Dems and says he wants pared-down voting rights bill | CNN Politics
Sen. Joe Manchin, a key vote in the effort to pass federal voting rights legislation, on Thursday said he and a group of Texas House Democrats, who have fled their state in an effort to block restrictive voting bills, have come to a “total agreement” on what they want, which is “basically to...
www.cnn.com
'He's not going to sit in silence': How the nation's top general found himself caught up in Trump's political wars | CNN Politics
In December 2018, then-President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he would nominate Gen. Mark Milley as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Milley was not the consensus pick, and then-Defense Secretary James Mattis objected to his selection. But Trump wanted the square jawed...
www.cnn.com
Democrats launch immigration reform Hail Mary
The party has a prime opportunity to go around Republicans, but it involves another battle with the Senate rulebook.
www.politico.com
Sen. Rubio calls on Biden to immediately provide uncensored internet to Cubans
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., outlined steps that the Biden administration can immediately take in order to provide Cubans access to uncensored internet, amid ongoing unrest between anti-communist protestors and supporters of the country's regime.
Black caucus chair arrested at Capitol during voting rights protest
Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) led a group of pro-voting rights protesters into the Hart Senate Office Building Thursday afternoon, resulting in her being taken into custody…
thehill.com
Democrats look to infrastructure as last chance on immigration reform | CNN Politics
After months of fruitless bipartisan talks, Democrats are turning their last hopes for immigration reform to an infrastructure bill and a complicated budget plan that has never before been tested.
www.cnn.com
Top Intel Senators urge Biden to move faster on Afghans in peril
Sens. Mark Warner and Marco Rubio: "abandoning these individuals ... would be a stain on our national conscience.”
www.politico.com
US to end large, old-growth timber sales in Alaska forest
The Biden administration says it's ending large-scale, old-growth timber sales in the country’s largest national forest and will focus on forest restoration, recreation and other noncommercial uses.
apnews.com
Families Are Receiving A Child Tax Credit. Janet Yellen Says It Should Be Permanent
In an interview with NPR, the Treasury secretary calls to permanently expand the child tax credit being paid out to American families starting this week.
www.npr.org
An influencer's death became a joke on Twitter. Here's why trolls love to hate influencers.
Blogs and accounts whose sole purpose is to mock influencers often target women. However, many of the people lobbing the criticisms are women themselves.
www.nbcnews.com
U.S. regulator sues Amazon to force recalls of dangerous products
Consumer Product Safety Commission wants e-commerce giant to accept responsibility for removing unsafe merchandise.
www.cbsnews.com
GOP lawmakers slam 'Marxist' Black Lives Matter for statement blaming US for Cuban unrest
Republican lawmakers are slamming Black Lives Matter after the organization posted a statement that appeared to back Cuba’s communist government rather than the Cubans currently in the streets protesting.
Texas Democrats press Joe Manchin on voting rights. It's a tall order given his deep support of the filibuster
Some 50 Texas Democrats have been in Washington since Monday. Their absence from Austin stops Republicans from passing sweeping voting restrictions.
www.usatoday.com
Biden sees U.S. child tax credit as 'giant step' to counter poverty
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Some 35 million American families have received their first monthly payout from the U.S. government in an expanded income-support program that President Joe Biden said on Thursday could help end child poverty. Under the Child Tax Credit program that was broadened under...
Western wildfires rage across 12 states, U.S. at highest alert level
The Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., has torched an area bigger than New York City. Meanwhile, a wildfire near Paradise, California, is rapidly growing.
www.nbcnews.com
Opinion | Cuban Leaders Have Long Relied on Anti-Imperialist Anger. This Time, It’s Not Working.
Many of today’s protesters lack the earlier generations’ loyalty to the revolutionary project — and increasingly have no one but the government to blame for their woes.
www.politico.com
Microsoft says it blocked spying on rights activists, others
Microsoft says it's blocked tools developed by an Israeli hacker-for-hire company that were used to spy on more than 100 people around the world, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics and political dissidents.
apnews.com
Porsches, Gucci rings and billions of robocalls: Inside the PAC operation that raised millions by impersonating Donald Trump | CNN Politics
At first glance, “Matte Nox” looks like your typical thirty-something wannabe Internet influencer, flaunting a lavish lifestyle on his public Instagram and TikTok accounts.
www.cnn.comThe Curious Case of the Quirky Mortgage Ads Boosting Biden Online
The single biggest advertiser in Facebook’s political advertising database in recent months is not President Joe Biden, the Democratic or Republican parties or even any of the hundreds of candidates angling for advantage in the 2022 midterms. Instead, it is an obscure mortgage-related firm...
Jury Finds Capital Gazette Gunman Responsible And Rejects His Mental Illness Plea
Jarrod Ramos, who carried out the attack on the Capital Gazette, admitted to five murders. On Thursday, a jury found he understood what he was doing.
www.npr.org
Liberals struggle with Breyer's refusal to retire | CNN Politics
Justice Stephen Breyer’s latest signal, in comments made exclusively to CNN, that he is not yet ready to retire from the Supreme Court is angering progressive advocates and leading legal observers to wonder whether the left’s pressure campaign on Breyer backfired.
www.cnn.com
Parts Of The Amazon Rainforest Are Now Releasing More Carbon Than They Absorb
New research published in the journal Nature suggests that mass deforestation and fire have dramatically undercut the Amazon's ability to absorb heat-trapping carbon emissions.
www.npr.org
Trump says Gen. Milley ‘last person’ he’d want to start a coup with
Former President Trump in a statement Thursday denied that he ever threatened or spoke about taking part in a government coup after his election loss, adding that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. …
thehill.com
Facebook says Iranian hackers targeted U.S. military personnel
The group, known as "Tortoiseshell" in the security industry, targeted nearly 200 individuals associated with the military as well as defense and aerospace companies in the U.S.
www.cbsnews.com
Biden bids Merkel farewell: Friends — with disagreements
President Joe Biden has renewed his concerns to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about a major, nearly complete Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline
apnews.com
Nike seeks $856,162 in reduced restitution from disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti for extortion scheme
Nike asked a judge to order fallen lawyer Michael Avenatti to pay more than $856,000 in restitution for his botched attempt to extort millions from the company.
Can Britney Spears’ father be charged with ‘conservatorship abuse'?
The pop star would have to prove that Jamie Spears is misappropriating her money, diverting it for his own benefit or taking her assets, one lawyer said.
www.nbcnews.com
POLITICO Playbook PM: Schumer plays hardball — and Breyer talks
And Dems start selling the child tax credit.
www.politico.com
This girls school in peril as the Taliban sweep across Afghanistan
"When I walk to school, I take every step with immense fear and worry — I'm not sure I will return home safely," said Principal Lailuma Khaliqyar.
www.nbcnews.com
Garland overturns Sessions opinion, allows immigration judges to pause deportation proceedings
Attorney General Merrick Garland issued an opinion Thursday recognizing the ability of immigration judges to administratively close a removal proceeding, which effectively removes a deportation case from the docket without technically disposing of the case.
1st female sailor completes Navy special warfare training
For the first time, a female sailor has successfully completed the grueling 37—week training course to become a Naval Special Warfare combatant-craft crewman.
apnews.com
'Squad' member Pressley donates to bail fund group that supports abolishing police
"Squad" member Rep. Ayanna Pressley's, D-Mass., campaign donated over a thousand dollars to a bail out group that supports defunding and abolishing police, according to the latest filing with the Federal Election Commission.
Miraculous brain implant enables man to ‘speak’ for the first time in a decade
The brain-computer technology sends tiny electrical signals from the brain to be transfigured into speaking words or text.
thehill.com
GOP wants answers on missing and wiped Mueller team phones
Two Republican senators are pressing for answers about apparently missing phones belonging to special counsel Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigative team that the Justice Department cannot locate, per its watchdog.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Angela Merkel and four US presidents
The German chancellor, who first took office in the Bush era, makes a farewell visit to Washington DC.
www.bbc.com
Trump Wishes He’d Lowered the Flag for Slain Rioter
Joe Raedle/GettyFormer President Donald Trump has spent the last few weeks full of regret about Jan. 6—but not because of the riot he inspired.Instead, Trump has complained that he should have ordered the White House flag flown at half-staff for Ashli Babbitt, the U.S. Capitol rioter and QAnon...
Merkel and Biden chart a course for the future of US-German relations in White House meeting | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Washington on Thursday in what was likely the European leader’s final appearance at the White House before she steps down from her long-held position this fall.
www.cnn.com
U.S. Senate scrambles to finish infrastructure bill ahead of vote
The U.S. Senate majority leader pressed lawmakers on Thursday to make progress on President Joe Biden's agenda, setting up a vote on a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and demanding Democrats back a larger $3.5 trillion budget blueprint.
What’s a Clean Energy Standard? Democrats try carrots and sticks on climate change
Lacking the Republican support needed, Democrats are trying to make changes to climate policy in their $3.5 trillion spending bill.
www.nbcnews.com
Rep. Hinson moves amendment to stop $50 million program to pay for lawyers for migrants
Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, on Thursday offered an amendment to stop a $50 million pilot program that would use taxpayer money to pay for lawyers to represent migrants who had crossed the southern border – but it was voted down in the House Appropriations Committee.
AG revives immigration judges' power to postpone deportation cases
Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a ruling on Thursday restoring the ability of immigration judges to postpone deportation cases while awaiting rulings in related proceedings, which had been eliminated by Trump-era AG Jeff Sessions.
Top Senate Dem sets infrastructure vote, pressures lawmakers
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pressuring lawmakers to reach agreement by next week on a pair of massive domestic spending measures.
apnews.com
Authoritarianism advances as world battles the pandemic
LONDON (AP) — Here’s some of what happened while the world was distracted by the coronavirus: Hungary banned the public depiction of homosexuality.
apnews.com
Schumer strong-arms negotiators on infrastructure and budget deal inspiring Republican revolt | CNN Politics
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set a key deadline next week to force his caucus to agree on a $3.5 trillion budget package and to pressure a bipartisan group of negotiators to finalize an infrastructure deal, a high-stakes gambit that has huge implications for President Joe Biden’s agenda...
www.cnn.com
Justice Stephen Breyer says he hasn't decided when he'll retire from Supreme Court
Breyer has been under pressure from liberal groups to step down and allow President Biden to name a successor.
www.cbsnews.com
Pigs fly: McConnell weighs giving Biden a bipartisan win
The self-appointed Senate GOP "Grim Reaper" has aired remarkably little criticism of the physical infrastructure deal that his members helped negotiate.
www.politico.com
Cheney reportedly told Jim Jordan ‘you f—— did this’ during Jan. 6 riot
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) told Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) that he was responsible for the Capitol riot while the scene was evolving on Jan. 6, according to a new book.In “I Alone Can Fix It,”&nbs…
thehill.com
Biden shifts from Obama when it comes to Senate
President Biden is handling the Senate in a vastly different way than his former boss, President Obama. The different tactics were on display Wednesday as Biden took a trip to his old stomping…
thehill.com
$10 million rewards bolster White House anti-ransomware bid
The State Department will offer rewards up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of anyone engaged in foreign state-sanctioned malicious cyber activity, including ransomware attacks, against critical U.S. infrastructure.
apnews.com
President Biden celebrates "life-changing" monthly Child Tax Credit payments as first checks go out
Democrats push for payments to extend beyond 2021 as the first checks hit bank accounts July 15
www.cbsnews.comKremlin papers appear to show Putin’s plot to put Trump in White House
Kremlin papers appear to show Putin’s plot to put Trump in White House. Exclusive: Documents suggest Russia launched secret multi-agency effort to interfere in US democracy
New Trump revelations underscore his undimmed danger | CNN Politics
The most chilling implication from new reports that America’s top military officer feared Donald Trump would try to order the armed forces to stage a coup is not how close the nation came to a post-election disaster last year.
www.cnn.com
Halfway through 2021, 5 senators mum on if they're running for reelection in 2022
As the 2022 battle for the evenly divided Senate heats up, five senators have not spelled out if they're running for reelection next year.
Biden sees U.S. child tax credit as 'giant step' to counter poverty
Some 35 million American families have received their first monthly payout from the U.S. government in an expanded income-support program that President Joe Biden said on Thursday could help end child poverty.
Watchdog files FEC complaint against super PACs linked to congressional leaders
The Campaign Legal Center on Thursday accused political action committees with close ties to congressional leaders of violating election laws.The nonpartisan watchdog group filed a Federal Election…
thehill.com
Afghanistan's neighbors wary as US seeks nearby staging area
American diplomats are escalating a charm offensive with Central Asian leaders as they work to secure a spot to respond to any resurgence of outside militants in Afghanistan after the U.S. military withdraws.
apnews.com
This isn't the first time Texas House Democrats have gone on the lam
In 2003, during a bitter fight over a controversial redistricting proposal, Texas House and Senate Democrats left the state on two separate occasions.
www.cbsnews.com‘It sends a message’: cheers in Austin for Texas Democrats who fled state
Lawmakers’ bid to bar Republicans from passing voting restrictions energizes activists Demonstrators join a rally to protest against voting restrictions on the steps of the Texas capitol on Tuesday. Photograph: Eric Gay/AP Happy Thursday, I’m writing from Austin, where I arrived on Sunday night...
GOP senators invite Yellen to brief them on debt ceiling expiration, inflation
A group of Senate Republicans has invited Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to brief them at a private lunch meeting on the looming expiration of the federal debt ceiling on July 31 and on signs of r…
thehill.com
Haiti assassination suspects once trained by US military: Pentagon
Suspects linked to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse received U.S. military training, the Pentagon said Thursday.
House committee on January 6 attack to hold first hearing with law enforcement
The committee's first hearing at the end of the month will feature testimony from law enforcement officers.
www.cbsnews.com
Texas Democrats meet with Senators on voting rights bills
Texas Democrats are meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill after fleeing their state to stall the passage of a Republican-led voting rights bill. NBC News’ Jane Timm breaks down who Texas lawmakers are meeting with and what to expect from those meetings.
www.nbcnews.com
Republican Mo Brooks' Senate campaign paid over $25,000 to Trump's Mar-a-Lago
GOP Rep. Mo Brooks' U.S. Senate campaign paid just over $25,000 to former President Trump's private club for catering and event space.
A Texas Democrat explains why he called out Fox News on Fox News
Something unusual happened during the 7 p.m. hour on Fox News on Tuesday night. Host Pete Hegseth was pressing Texas state representative James Talarico about his decision to flee Austin with dozens of other Democratic lawmakers this week - a procedural gambit intended to block Republicans from...
Trump rages over post-presidential books he did interviews for
The avalanche of coming books has caused recriminations. And there is anxiety about what’s to come.
www.politico.comU.S. seeks to speed rooftop solar growth with instant permits
(Reuters) -The Biden administration on Thursday will roll out a tool that enables instant local permitting of rooftop solar installations, addressing a major source of industry delays and possibly lowering costs for homeowners, the Energy Department said. The Solar Automated Permit Processing...
Donald Trump and Kevin McCarthy meet in Bedminster as 1/6 committee hearing looms | CNN Politics
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy met with Donald Trump on Thursday at the former President’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, as the California Republican is considering which members of his conference to appoint to a special committee tasked with investigating the deadly January 6 riot at the...
www.cnn.com
Cybersecurity bills gain new urgency after rash of attacks
Bipartisan bills aimed at strengthening U.S. cybersecurity after a string of major attacks are making headway in both the House and Senate.The rare cooperation between Democrats and Republicans is …
thehill.com
Death toll rises to 97 in Surfside condo collapse; judge approves sale of site
The number of confirmed deaths in the collapse of a condominium building in Surfside, Florida, climbed to 97 as a judge approved the sale of the site.
State Department defends Cuba policy official after Rubio blames her for admin's 'weak' response
The State Department defended its head of Cuba policy, saying both the U.S. and Cuba are better for her service despite Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., claiming she was responsible for the Biden administration's "weak" response to how the Cuban government is treating its people.
Breyer enrages liberals after deciding not to retire
Justice Stephen Breyer said on Wednesday that his newfound seniority on the Supreme Court has kept him from deciding when he will retire, enraging many liberals who are calling for him to step aside.
www.washingtonexaminer.comScoop: HHS launches ad blitz to bolster ACA sign-ups before Aug. 15 deadline
The Biden administration plans to launch a massive campaign Thursday to get more Americans to sign up for the Affordable Care Act — 30 days before the Aug. 15 deadline to do so.Driving the news: Administration officials announced Wednesday more than 2 million people have signed up for health...
How the expanded child tax credit payments work
The Biden administration is beginning to distribute expanded child tax credit payments, giving parents on average $423 this month, with payments continuing through the end of the year.
apnews.com
‘Still not over’: Emotions high 5 years after failed Turkey coup
In total, 251 died and more than 2,200 were wounded resisting rogue military units in the attempted coup.
US military trained 'small number' of the Colombian suspects in Haiti assassination, Pentagon says
Colombia has been a major beneficiary of U.S. military assistance for decades, with billions of U.S. dollars going to train and equip the country's armed forces.
www.usatoday.com
China accuses US of threatening global trade with Xinjiang measures
China is accusing the U.S. of threatening global trade after warnings were sent out to companies about doing trade with the Xinjiang province.Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng said on Thursda…
thehill.comFederal aid mostly flowed to big restaurants in Colorado, analysis shows
The majority of federal relief dollars for Colorado restaurants went to only a fraction of the state's applicants, a new Axios Denver analysis finds.Why it matters: The $28.6 billion program administered by the Biden administration — and championed by Colorado U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper — ran...
Lebanon’s PM-designate Saad Hariri resigns as crisis escalates
The cash-strapped country has been without a full-fledged government for more than eight months.
Acclaim, fundraising spread unevenly among Black colleges
Some HBCUs are receiving unprecedented levels of grant money, while others struggle to stay afloat.
www.nbcnews.com
Cuba's president, while blasting U.S. embargo, takes some blame amid protests
“We also have to make a critical analysis of our own problems so we can act, so we can overcome," President Miguel Díaz-Canel said.
www.nbcnews.com
U.S. to restore protections for Alaska's Tongass forest
President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday said it would propose to restore environmental protections to Alaska's Tongass National Forest, the world's largest temperate old growth rainforest.
Pentagon: Colombians arrested in Haiti leader’s killing had US training
Some of the former Colombian servicemen who have been arrested in connection with the assassination of the Haitian president had received U.S. military training, the Pentagon confirmed Thursday.“A …
thehill.com
Trump to host House GOP leader McCarthy at N.J. resort
Trump said there will be "much to discuss" with the California Republican.
www.politico.comStocks, yields slip as investors await next catalyst
A measure of global equity markets slid from near record highs, the dollar edged up and bond yields fell on Thursday as investors mulled the Federal Reserve's benign inflation outlook and upbeat assessment of the U.S. economy. The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits...
GETTR explodes, passing 1.5 million users in just 11 days
The new social media platform GETTR, created by former Trump spokesman Jason Miller and allies, has passed 1.5 million users in record time and is poised for "substantial growth," according to a new survey.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Top generals mobilized on fears Trump wanted military post-election coup, book details
That’s according to a new book by Washington Post reporters Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig, "I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year."
www.nbcnews.comMerkel and Biden chart a course for the future of US-German relations in White House meeting | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Washington on Thursday in what was likely the European leader’s final appearance at the White House before she steps down from her long-held position this fall.
www.cnn.com
Schumer: Marijuana legalization will be a Senate priority
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Thursday announced on the floor that he will use his clout to make legislation ending the federal prohibition on marijuana a top priority.Marijuan…
thehill.com
Thousands protest, dozens arrested, 1 dead: What we know about the Cuba protests
Answering your questions, from what's behind the rare Cuban protests to MLB stars' hats with saying “SOS CUBA” and “Patria y Vida."
www.usatoday.com
Biden urged to focus on long-neglected Latin America as chaos erupts
China and Russia have gained influence in the region as the U.S. military prioritized the Middle East.
www.politico.com
'If you don't leave, you're dead': Oregon wildfire forces hundreds from homes
A swiftly spreading wildfire raged through drought-parched timber and brush in south-central Oregon for a ninth day on Wednesday, threatening nearly 2,000 homes and displacing hundreds of residents with little sign of slowing, officials said.
How It Went Down: Authors Go Deep Into Doomed 2020 Trump White House
By haranguing all who will listen, in interviews or rally rants, Donald Trump even now is demonstrating his abiding and preternatural confidence in his own persuasiveness.
www.npr.org
A Study Predicts Record Flooding In The 2030s, And It's Partly Because Of The Moon
Researchers say high tide flooding in U.S. coastal regions will become more frequent in the mid-2030s because of climate change, amplified by a routine wobble in the moon's orbit.
www.npr.org
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush sues Biden administration for ending border wall construction
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush on Wednesday announced a lawsuit against the Biden administration over its controversial decision to end construction of the border wall.
‘Fearless’ Dutch reporter Peter R de Vries dies after shooting
Peter R. de Vries reported on the biggest Dutch crime cases and showed compassion for the relatives of murder victims.
Black Lives Matter blames 'cruel and inhumane' US embargo for Cuban unrest
Black Lives Matter blamed the "cruel and inhumane" U.S. embargo on Cuba for the country's crisis as its citizens protest President Miguel Diaz-Canel's authoritarian regime.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Orioles-Rays game will be first time MLB broadcast has all-women on-air crew
Tuesday’s baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays from St. Petersburg, Fla., will be Major League Baseball’s (MLB) first time broadcasting a game with an all-female on-ai…
thehill.com
Biden's Census nominee promises independence, transparency
President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the U.S. Census Bureau has told a Senate committee that he'd bring transparency and independence to the nation’s largest statistical agency.
apnews.com
After Trump-era turmoil, ICE may finally get a permanent leader | CNN Politics
After four years and a rotating cast of temporary leaders, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is inching toward a confirmed head to helm the agency, which came under mounting scrutiny during the Trump administration and continues to face criticism from immigrant advocates.
www.cnn.com
Black Lives Matter calls for end of Cuba embargo
Black Lives Matter (BLM) is calling on the U.S. government to end the decades-long embargo on Cuba amid a growing wave of anti-government protests in the island nation, arguing that the ban on comm…
thehill.com
Seventeen Republican-led states defend Arkansas outlawing 'experimental' transgender procedures
Seventeen Republican-led states have backed Arkansas's decision to ban "experimental" transgender procedures for minors, according to a statement from the Alabama Attorney General's Office.
www.washingtonexaminer.com'If you don't leave, you're dead': Oregon wildfire forces hundreds from homes
A swiftly spreading wildfire raged through drought-parched timber and brush in south-central Oregon for a ninth day on Wednesday, threatening nearly 2,000 homes and displacing hundreds of residents with little sign of slowing, officials said.
Cuba's President Has Made A Rare Mea Culpa, Admitting To Failures That Fueled Unrest
In a televised address Wednesday night, President Miguel Díaz-Canel said that failings by the state have played a role in the protests that roiled the island nation this week.
www.npr.org‘Get off our duff’: In race to outer space, China is closing fast
www.politico.com
Lead investigator of eco-terrorist plot involving Biden nominee says she was the 'nastiest of the suspects'
The lead Forest Service investigator of the ecoterrorist plot involving President Biden's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) director nominee is pushing back against Tracy Stone-Manning's testimony.
Senate nears pivotal vote on bipartisan infrastructure deal that’s still unwritten
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday he will tee up a vote on the agreement as its authors race to turn a framework into text.
www.politico.com
EXCLUSIVE: Buckhead secession group calls for emergency hearings over plan to leave Atlanta
ATLANTA — Eliana Kovitch knows danger.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Schumer working to unify Democrats ahead of infrastructure fight
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is working to hold Democrats together as he faces the biggest test of his tenure — navigating a massive infrastructure and spending package, the part…
thehill.com
Bezos donates $200M to Smithsonian for Air and Space Museum
Amazon founder and soon-to-be-space traveler Jeff Bezos is donating $200 million to the Smithsonian Institution to boost its National Air and Space Museum.
apnews.com
On Twitter, bad news spreads faster than good
Most social media content is positive, but the negative stuff is what captures people's attention, research shows.
www.cbsnews.com
‘What choice do we have?’ US farm workers battle deadly heatwave
As high temperatures engulf the West Coast of the US, farm workers must often choose between wages and their health.
Germany floods: Dozens killed after record rain in Germany and Belgium
The two countries and the Netherlands experience widespread devastation after record rainfall.
www.bbc.com
What university tenure battles teach us about the White world of academia | CNN Politics
A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Race Deconstructed newsletter. To get it in your inbox every week, sign up for free here.
www.cnn.com
Torrential Rain And Flooding Are Wreaking Havoc Across Western Germany
More than 30 people have died and dozens remain missing in some of the worst flooding that Germany has seen in recent memory. A state of emergency has been declared and the army has been deployed.
www.npr.org
Instagram star plunges to her death taking waterfall selfie
Sofia Cheung was a Hong Kong Instagram influencer.
thehill.com
South Africa looting: Government to deploy 25,000 troops after unrest
Days of widespread violence and looting prompt the biggest deployment since the end of apartheid.
www.bbc.com
Chrissy Teigen laments being in 'cancel club,' says she's 'depressed'
"Cancel club is a fascinating thing and I have learned a whollllle lot," she wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.
www.nbcnews.com
The single most revealing fact in the new Trump books | CNN Politics
There are all sorts of explosive new revelations in the three new books detailing the final months and days of Donald Trump’s car-crash presidency. But the most revealing part of all three has nothing to do with their contents. It’s that, for each book, the former President sat for extended...
www.cnn.com
Democrats curb spending appetite in bid to win key centrists
After weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, Senate Democrats announced a $3.5 trillion budget plan that outlines their spending wish list for the next decade.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Pelosi feared Trump would launch nuclear weapons in final days, book claims
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was fearful former President Trump would launch nuclear weapons in his final days in the White House, according to a new book.Washington Post journalists Carol …
thehill.com
White House set for whack-a-mole among jittery Democrats: The Note
The debate from here over Democrats' $3.5 trillion spending plan will, once again, be an exercise in securing party loyalty for President Joe Biden's White House.
POLITICO Playbook: McCarthy’s big Jan. 6 decision
And Mitch McConnell considers handing Biden a bipartisan win.
www.politico.com
EU court rules employers can limit religious symbols
The European Union’s top court has ruled that employers may forbid the wearing of visible symbols of religious or political belief, such as headscarves
Cuba musicians support protests, government softens stance
Cuba’s musicians have long supported the state but many are speaking out in favour of protesters.
Who Is Mathew Rosengart, Britney Spears' New Lawyer?
The lawyer whom Britney Spears has chosen to represent her is a former federal prosecutor turned high-profile Hollywood lawyer. His celebrity clients have included Steven Spielberg and Sean Penn.
www.npr.org
25,000 troops deployed to quell South Africa riots, 117 dead
South Africa’s army has begun deploying 25,000 troops to assist police in quelling weeklong riots and violence sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma
First child tax credit payments have been sent. Here's what you need to know | CNN Politics
Tens of millions of families have been sent the first payment of the expanded child tax credit, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department said Wednesday night. The beefed-up credit will provide them with extra funds each month through the end of 2021 along with a tax break next year.
www.cnn.com
Miami security firm faces questions in Haiti assassination
A small private security company in Miami faces questions about its role in the assassination of Haiti's president.
apnews.com
Rents Are Out Of Reach For Most Americans Earning Minimum Wage, A Study Says
Workers simply don't earn enough money to keep up with skyrocketing rental rates across the country, the National Low Income Housing Coalition found in its latest Out of Reach report.
www.npr.org
Calls grow to stop US deportations to Haiti amid political crisis
Rights groups urge Joe Biden to freeze deportations of Haitian migrants after assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Ikea kids' furniture may be tied to illegal Russian logging, report says
The report criticized an international green organization that gave its seal of approval to a Russian logging firm with a record of flouting forestry laws.
www.nbcnews.com
Child tax credit starts hitting US families' bank accounts
The U.S. government is starting to deposit child tax credit money into the accounts of more than 35 million families.
apnews.com
Woman held captive since May rescued after leaving notes in public restrooms
“If I don’t make it, tell my family I love them,” one of her notes read.
www.nbcnews.com
Over 60 dead, dozens missing as severe floods strike Europe
More than 60 people have died and dozens are missing as severe flooding in Germany and Belgium turned streams and streets into raging, debris-filled torrents that swept away cars and toppled houses.
apnews.comFact 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.
Tennessee controversy shows how anti-vax beliefs are bursting into GOP's mainstream | CNN Politics
Tennessee Republicans’ actions this week to halt efforts to inform teenagers about the coronavirus vaccine have showcased how vaccine distrust and misinformation – increasingly prevalent in right-wing media set on denying President Joe Biden any political victories – is bursting into the party’s...
www.cnn.com
Covid vaccines for kids under 12 expected midwinter, FDA official says
After emergency use authorization, the agency hopes to move quickly to full approval.
www.nbcnews.com
Dwindling hospital space in Missouri prompts officials to request alternate COVID site
The Springfield, Missouri, health department is requesting funding for an alternative COVID-19 care site in response to a spike in infections and hospitalizations there.
WHO warns of 'strong likelihood' of new, possibly more dangerous variants
As cases surge worldwide, more variants are likely to emerge.
Surgeon general warns misinformation an 'urgent threat' to public health
The surgeon general is warning Americans about the "urgent threat of health misinformation" amid the government's current push to boost stalling vaccination rates.
Surgeon general urges US fight against COVID misinformation
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is urging technology companies, health care workers and everyday Americans to do more to stop the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines.
apnews.com
Vaccine deliveries rising as delta virus variant slams Asia
As many Asian countries battle their worst surge of COVID-19 infections, the slow flow of vaccine doses from around the world is finally picking up speed, giving hope that inoculation rates can increase and help blunt the effect of the rapidly spreading delta variant.
apnews.com
GOP vaccine resistance poses growing challenge in pandemic fight
Growing GOP resistance to COVID-19 vaccines is raising alarms among public health experts and creating a major challenge as the U.S. tries to move past a pandemic that has lasted almost a year and …
thehill.com
Haiti receives 1st COVID-19 vaccines but political unrest could delay distribution
Haiti is no longer the last country in the Americas without a COVID-19 vaccine.
America’s vaccination divide didn’t happen by accidentBen
First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.
www.nbcnews.comSurgeon general warns misinformation an 'urgent threat' to public health
The surgeon general is warning Americans about the "urgent threat of health misinformation" amid the government's current push to boost stalling vaccination rates.
Ohio bans schools from requiring students be vaccinated
The measure applies to vaccines that have yet to receive full federal approval, which includes COVID-19 vaccines.
thehill.com
Back to school as COVID worsens
Some 56 million kids will return to the classroom in the coming weeks amid a backdrop of rising COVID cases and hospitalizations. Here are three things to know.
Can you get long-haul Covid if you're fully vaccinated? Here's what doctors say
It is theoretically possible for a fully vaccinated person to get long Covid. But doctors contend that it doesn't appear to be a significant risk.
www.nbcnews.com
Virus spreads in S. Korean regions with lighter restrictions
South Korea has reported a near-high in coronavirus infections as a weekslong surge extends beyond the capital region and the country’s toughest pandemic restrictions
Covid's high toll: Over half of Latinos had someone close die or be hospitalized
The coronavirus robbed about half of Latinos of jobs or wages, a new survey found. “You’re not prepared, so you’re just kind of like, what am I going to do next?” a widow said.
www.nbcnews.com
US is 'losing time' in vaccination race as Delta variant becomes more pervasive, expert says | CNN
Covid-19 vaccination rates are down and cases are on the rise, exacerbated by the more transmissible Delta variant – and an expert says the key to winning the race against the spread is getting more Americans vaccinated.
www.cnn.com
Booster shots: COVID-19 versus the seasonal flu
While a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may eventually be recommended, don’t expect to be getting one on a regular basis, as many do with the flu vaccine.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Why a Covid-19 vaccine isn't available for kids yet | CNN
Americans 12 and older can get a Covid-19 vaccine, but investigators are still studying how they will work in younger children. Younger people may need different doses or a different number of them. “Children are not just little adults,” one doctor said.
www.cnn.com
WHO chief says it was 'premature' to rule out COVID lab leak
The head of the World Health Organization has acknowledged it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak.
apnews.com
Will COVID-19 vaccines work if I have a weak immune system?
COVID-19 vaccines probably won't work as well if you have a weakened immune system, but the shots should still offer some protection.
apnews.com
EXPLAINER: Are we going to need COVID-19 booster shots?
Experts around the globe are watching closely to determine if and when people might need another a COVID-19 booster shot
Why COVID-19 vaccine incentives didn't really work: Experts
After two months of cash offers and other incentives, states across the country are still struggling to get their vaccine doses up.
Cases surge to 6-month high in Tokyo a week before Olympics
New daily coronavirus cases have surged above 1,300 in Tokyo, a six-month high, as fears rise of a possible dramatic increase that could flood hospitals during the Olympics that start in eight days
State Department to require all contractors in Afghanistan to get Covid-19 vaccination | CNN Politics
The State Department is now requiring all contractors in Afghanistan “to ensure” that all their personnel are fully vaccinated for Covid-19, according to a department memo sent to contractors this week that was reviewed by CNN.
www.cnn.com
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