“A giant heat wave is expected to spread across much of the continental U.S. this week, bringing temperatures at least 5 to 10 degrees higher than average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Blame it on a ‘heat dome’ – the result of a strong change in ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the preceding winter, says the National Ocean Service. The high temperatures won't help firefighters battling at least 88 major wildfires raging across 13 states, including one in Oregon that has burned through 640 square miles.” Read more at USA Today
“PARIS — French lawmakers early on Monday approved a controversial law that will provide vaccinated people with privileged access to restaurants, cafes, intercity transportation and other venues starting in August — and has drawn nationwide protests over the past two weeks.
Access to venues covered by the law will also be possible with a recent negative coronavirus test or proof of immunity through infection, while anyone who does not meet these qualifications may not legally enter.
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a speech laying out the changes two weeks ago, said the aim of what the government has described as a ‘health pass’ is to drive up vaccination rates, which had begun to plateau in recent weeks.
‘We must move toward the vaccination of all French people, because it is the only way to return to normal life,’ Macron said when he introduced the new rules.
France’s health pass already became mandatory in cinemas, museums and several other venues last week.” Read more at Washington Post
“‘Under active consideration’: Dr. Anthony Fauci says the CDC is weighing whether to recommend that even fully vaccinated people wear masks in public as COVID-19 cases climb.” Read more at USA Today
“Across the country, GOP lawmakers are rallying around the cause of individual freedom to counter community-based disease mitigation methods, moves experts say leave the country ill-equipped to counter the resurgent coronavirus and a future, unknown outbreak.
In some states, anger at perceived overreach by health officials has prompted legislative attempts to limit their authority, including new state laws that prevent the closure of businesses or allow lawmakers to rescind mask mandates. Some state courts have reined in the emergency and regulatory powers governors have wielded against the virus. And in its recent rulings and analysis, the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its willingness to limit disease mitigation in the name of religious freedom.” Read more at Washington Post
“Russia’s giving away snowmobiles. In West Virginia, lifetime hunting licenses are on offer. And in Hong Kong, gold bars, a Tesla or even an apartment can be won. As the delta variant rifles around the world, governments and businesses are trying a range of tactics to prod people to get vaccinated, from encouraging ads to imposing limits on access to public venues. As Emily Cadman and Felix Tam report, giveaways such as a $100,000 shopping spree are less politically fraught but still raise their own ethical questions.” Read more at Bloomberg
“Vaccine rules | Some of Germany’s most senior politicians have floated the possibility of tough restrictions for those who aren’t vaccinated against Covid-19, or even compulsory inoculation, echoing similar sentiment throughout Europe as the delta variant spreads. Italy will restrict many leisure activities, including dining indoors, for citizens who aren’t vaccinated or haven’t recently tested negative.
Some countries in Asia continue to battle rising cases, with a nighttime curfew in effect in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Thailand reporting a record 15,376 new infections today.” Read more at Bloomberg
“U.S. population growth is grinding to a halt.
In half of all states last year, more people died than were born, up from five states in 2019. Early estimates show the total U.S. population grew 0.35% for the year ended July 1, 2020, the lowest ever documented, and growth is expected to remain near flat this year. With the birthrate already drifting down, the nudge from the Covid-19 pandemic could result in what amounts to a scar on population growth, researchers say, which could be deeper than those left by historic periods of economic turmoil, such as the Great Depression and the stagnation and inflation of the 1970s, because it is underpinned by a shift toward lower fertility.” Read more at Wall Street Journal“Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed the country’s prime minister and froze parliament for 30 days on Sunday, posing a major test to the young democracy and escalating a political crisis that has built for months. Opponents condemned the move as an attempted coup.
Saied announced that he was firing Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and that he and a new prime minister, to be named in the coming hours, would take up executive authority. Under Tunisia’s 2014 constitution, executive power is shared by the president, prime minister and the parliament.
Saied also suspended lawmakers’ parliamentary immunity.
‘We have taken these decisions … until social peace returns to Tunisia and until we save the state,’ he said in a televised speech after an emergency meeting with security leaders.
The moves came on Tunisia’s Republic Day, traditionally a day of celebration andprotest across the North African country. This year, amid a floundering economy, a devastating coronavirus surge and widespread anger at the government, it was marked by displays of public rage.
Thousands of Tunisians across the country demonstrated on Sunday, reiterating the calls for the dissolution of parliament that have resounded at street protests in recent months, reflecting the deep dissatisfaction of many in the Arab Spring’s only lasting democracy. Scuffles between police and protesters broke out at several points. Police in Tunis, the capital, fired tear gas and made several arrests.” Read more at Washington Post
A police officer scuffles with protesters in Tunis.
Photographer: Hassene Dridi/AP
“A growing number of Republicans want House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and GOP leadership to punish Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for accepting a position from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve on the select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. Many seemed content to let Cheney serve on the committee without much of a fight, but things got more complicated when Pelosi announced yesterday that Kinzinger had also accepted her invitation. McCarthy and other House GOP members could strip Cheney and Kinzinger of their other committee assignments, but it’s not clear if McCarthy wants to fight that fight. He and Pelosi already locked horns last week when she rejected two of his chosen committee appointees. The GOP leader withdrew all five of his picks in response.” Read more at CNN
“A group of senators held a flurry of meetings over the weekend in hopes of getting a viable bipartisan infrastructure bill done today. The key is making sure key Democrats feel like their issues are represented, like Sen. Tom Carper, who has concerns over lack of funding for water projects, while appeasing as many Republicans as possible -- who are generally grumbling over the cost. The bipartisan effort is one part of a two-track strategy to advance the White House's sweeping economic agenda, as Democrats lay the groundwork to advance a $3.5 trillion package expanding the social safety net.” Read more at CNN
“Border Patrol agents in Texas are detaining thousands of migrants each day as illegal crossings hit record highs.” Read more at USA Today
“President Joe Biden welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to the White House Monday amid reports the two countries may be ready to announce the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the year. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week that discussions between the two governments ‘have been extremely constructive and are ongoing’ but would not say whether Biden is planning to announce a specific date. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, however, said he expected an agreement to be announced that U.S. fighting forces will not remain in Iraq. The U.S. still has about 2,500 troops in the country after a series of drawdowns in recent years.” Read more at USA Today
“Michigan is reeling on Monday from damage caused by heavy rains and tornadoes over the weekend. Detroit, still recovering from flooding over a week ago, accumulated another 1-2 inches of rain during a wave of storms Saturday that led to flooding in the area. The National Weather Service said tornadoes struck near Detroit and Flint on Saturday, where one person suffered minor injuries. The weather service also received reports of tornadoes in Port Austin, Armada and Oakland County. About 121,328 DTE customers were without power as of Sunday afternoon, according to the DTE outage center. “ Read more at USA Today
“TOKYO (AP) — Caeleb Dressel got started on his quest for six gold medals in swimming, while Katie Ledecky found herself in a very unusual position.
Second place.
Dressel led off a U.S. victory in the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay Monday at the Tokyo Olympics, easing a bit of America’s sting from Ledecky’s first Olympic loss.
Australian Ariarne Titmus — nicknamed the ‘Terminator’ — lived up to her billing when she chased down Ledecky in the 400 freestyle to win one of the most anticipated races of the Summer Games.
Titmus, who trailed by nearly a full body-length at the halfway mark of the eight-lap race, turned on the speed to touch in 3 minutes, 56.69 seconds. It was the second-fastest time in history, surpassed only by Ledecky’s world record of 3:56.46 from the 2016 Rio Games.
The defending Olympic champion settled for the silver this time in 3:57.36 -- the fourth-fastest time ever recorded and her best performance in three years.” Read more at AP News
Katie Ledecky of the U.S. and Ariarne Titmus of Australia in the women’s 400-meter freestyle final.Doug Mills/The New York Times
“The Tokyo Olympics resume Monday with Team USA aiming to build on its bounce back performances Sunday. Many eyes will be on the the men's gymnastics team final, where Team USA members Brody Malone, Sam Mikulak, Yul Moldauer and Shane Wiskus will look to earn a medal in the team competition for the first time since 2008 when they earned bronze. Later in the day, Katie Ledecky — who won the silver medal in the women's 400-meter freestyle — returns to the pool for a 1500-meter freestyle heat. Team USA will also be in action for women's basketball when they open their Olympic run against Nigeria.” Read more at USA Today
“Supply-chain woes are coming to school cafeterias.
Across the country, school cafeterias are preparing to welcome back students after running hybrid or remote learning operations for much of the past school year, when they offered prepackaged or to-go food. Many now find themselves at the center of supply-chain woes gripping the broader food industry: Manufacturers are cutting flavors or halting production because of capacity problems. Food distributors and school officials say they expect to run low on everything from canned fruit to lunch trays. Some cafeterias are cutting menu choices, and some worry that the lack of options will deter students from getting meals at school.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Americans are finally checking out on vacation (or trying to).
U.S. workers struggled with taking vacation time even before Covid-19 upended travel and tourism. Pre-pandemic, Americans didn’t use roughly a quarter of their annual paid time off, according to U.S. Travel Association research. Last year, workers gave up 33% of their vacation time. That may be changing this summer. With pandemic restrictions easing and plenty of offices still closed until after Labor Day, many employees say they aren’t just taking real breaks but attempting something they have rarely achieved before: checking out. In some cases, their employers are helping them by shutting workplaces down for a week.” Read more at Wall Street Journal“China came out swinging at face-to-face talks with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, blaming the U.S. for a ‘stalemate’ in relations and calling on America to change ‘its highly misguided mindset and dangerous policy,’ AP reports from Tianjin, China.
Why it matters: Sherman, America's No. 2 diplomat, is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit China since President Biden took office. The world's two largest economies are at odds over a host of issues, including technology, cybersecurity and human rights.
Axios between the lines: China continues to lecture Washington, like in Alaska in March, testing Biden’s mettle.
Clearly synchronized: Also this week, Secretary of State Blinken travels to India, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin becomes the first member of Biden's Cabinet to visit Southeast Asia. Austin, in a keynote speech in Singapore tomorrow and in meetings in Vietnam and the Philippines, ‘will call out aggressive Chinese behavior in the South China Sea,’” Reuters reports. Read more at Axios
“looding in India. At least 135 people have died in India following a weekend of catastrophic flooding and landslides after heavy monsoon rains. More than 130,000 people have been rescued from villages across Maharashtra state, while at least 100 are still missing. India’s Central Water Commission has warned of ‘isolated very heavy rainfall’ across the state, home to Mumbai, in the coming days. The rains follow similar downpours in Germany and China, as scientists warn that climate change could make India’s monsoons stronger.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“VATICAN CITY (AP) — A cardinal who allegedly induced an underling to lie to prosecutors. Brokers and lawyers who pulled a fast one over the Vatican No. 2 to get him to approve a disastrous real estate deal. A self-styled intelligence analyst who bought Prada and Louis Vuitton items with the Vatican money that she was supposed to send to rebels holding a Catholic nun hostage.
Vatican prosecutors have alleged a jaw-dropping series of scandals in the biggest criminal trial in the Vatican’s modern history, which opens Tuesday in a modified courtroom in the Vatican Museums. The once-powerful cardinal and nine other people are accused of bleeding the Holy See of tens of millions of dollars in donations through bad investments, deals with shady money managers and apparent favors to friends and family. They face prison sentences, fines or both if convicted.
The trial, which will likely be postponed for several months after the first hearings Tuesday and Wednesday, is the culmination of a two-year investigation into the Holy See’s flawed 350 million-euro London real estate venture. That operation exposed the Vatican’s once-secret financial dealings and its structural dysfunction, which allowed just a few people to do so much damage to the Vatican’s finances and reputation, with little expertise or oversight.” Read more at AP News
Bob Moses speaks with a classroom of student volunteers in Oxford, Ohio in 1964. Photo: Steve Schapiro/Corbis via Getty Images
“Bob Moses — a civil rights activist who was shot at and endured beatings and jail while leading Black voter registration drives during the 1960s, and later helped minority education in math — died at 86 in Florida, Axios' Russell Contreras, an AP alumnus, writes in this AP obit.
Moses worked to dismantle segregation as the Mississippi field director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and was central to the 1964 ‘Freedom Summer,’ in which hundreds of students went to the South to register voters.
The press-shy Moses, born in Harlem, started his ‘second chapter in civil rights work’ in 1982 by founding the Algebra Project, including a curriculum Moses developed to help struggling students succeed in math.
Former President Obama tweeted: ‘Bob Moses was a hero of mine. His quiet confidence helped shape the civil rights movement, and he inspired generations of young people looking to make a difference.’” Read more at Axios
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