“Millions of Americans are facing evictions Monday after the federal freeze on evictions expired Saturday . Landlords successfully challenged the moratorium in court, arguing they also had bills to pay and suggesting that tenants could access nearly $47 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rent. But advocates for tenants said the distribution of the money had been too slow to be able to pay landlords on time. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who were behind on their rents. As recently as July 5, roughly 3.6 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.” Read more at USA Today
The seaside town of Provincetown, Massachusetts, is the site of a recent Covid-19 outbreak.
“To understand why the CDC changed its face mask guidance for vaccinated people, just look at what happened in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The town, which attracts thousands of visitors for the Fourth of July, saw a Covid-19 outbreak in the weeks around the holiday -- and about 75% of cases were among fully vaccinated people. That suggests that even those who got the shot can spread the virus. Still, CDC data shows 99.99% of fully vaccinated Americans haven't had a breakthrough case that resulted in hospitalization or death. It's the unvaccinated who are currently filling up hospitals.” Read more at CNN
“After months of negotiation, a bipartisan group of senators has finalized the text of a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill. The more than 2,000-page legislation includes federal funding for roads, bridges, passenger and freight rail, and the electric grid, among other projects. The Senate could still make amendments to the bill before voting, but Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he expects the legislation to pass the chamber in a matter of days. It would then need approval from the House -- where it could face pushback from progressives who feel it doesn't go far enough -- before making its way to President Biden's desk.” Read more at CNN
“There were 91 large wildfires burning across the US as of yesterday. The blazes have burned more than 1.8 million acres, with more than 400,000 acres burned in Oregon by the Bootleg Fire alone. Monsoon rains moving into the West could stomp out some of the fires, but lightning and gusty winds could contribute to new ones. The US isn't alone: More than 100 blazes have swept Turkey in the past week, too. In Lagos, Nigeria -- Africa's most populous city -- residents are facing a different climate change problem: destructive floods and rising seas. Experts warn it could soon be unlivable.” Read more at CNN
“Several Democrats are calling on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to apologize or resign after he said it would ‘be hard not to hit’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) with the gavel if he becomes speaker.
McCarthy, who was the keynote speaker for the Tennessee GOP’s annual Statesmen’s Dinner on Saturday, was presented at the event with an oversize gavel. He then told members of the crowd that they would be invited to his swearing-in as House speaker if Republicans won back the House majority in 2022.
‘More importantly, I want you to watch Nancy Pelosi hand me that gavel,’ McCarthy said to cheers. ‘It will be hard not to hit her with it.’
A Washington Post reporter who was covering the dinner confirmed McCarthy’s remarks. Main Street Nashville reporter Vivian Jones also posted audio of McCarthy’s comment on Twitter.” Read more at Washington Post
“Hundreds of climate scientists left the government during the Trump administration. Many of their jobs are still vacant, slowing President Biden’s climate agenda.” Read more at New York Times
“Simone Biles will give it another go at the Tokyo Olympic , as USA Gymnastics announced that she will return to compete in the women's balance beam final, scheduled for Tuesday at 4:50 a.m. ET. It will be Biles' first competition since she withdrew from the women’s team final July 27, citing concerns for her mental health and physical safety. The announcement of Biles' return came shortly before teammate Jade Carey won a gold medal in the women's floor exercise final. Elsewhere at the Olympics, the U.S. women's soccer team was dealt a stunning 1-0 loss to Canada, and Team USA will look to claim gold medals in the women's long jump, scheduled for Monday at 9:50 p.m. ET, and the men's 400-meter hurdles, scheduled for 11:20 p.m. ET.” Read more at USA Today
Nichelle Prince of Canada, left, and Julie Ertz of the U.S. in a women’s soccer semifinal.Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
“Canada beat the U.S. women’s soccer team, 1-0, in a semifinal.
Jade Carey of the U.S. won gold on the floor exercise. Simone Biles is planning to compete in the balance beam tomorrow.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico won the women’s 100-meter hurdles. And here’s how Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy won gold in the men’s 100-meter dash.
Poland offered asylum to a Belarusian sprinter who sought protection out of fear of being jailed at home after criticizing her coaches.
A bronze for $3,750, a gold for $83,000: Some former Olympians have sold their medals.” Read more at New York Times
“The Taliban is threatening to seize its first of Afghanistan's provincial capitals. Fighting between the Taliban and the Afghan government intensified over the weekend, and US airstrikes have been hitting Taliban targets in three cities considered to be ‘endangered’ by Taliban advances. The clashes have been especially heavy in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province. Local journalists say the Taliban now controls several districts of the city, which sits on strategic routes in all directions. This comes as the US is in its final stages of withdrawing from Afghanistan. Since American troops started pulling out in May, the Taliban has rapidly gained control of large parts of the country. The speed at which it has gained on the government has shocked many and prompted concerns that Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, could be next to fall.” Read more at CNN
“Myanmar's military ruler has declared himself prime minister of the country. In a speech yesterday, he announced a newly formed caretaker government and pledged to hold elections by 2023. The move comes exactly six months after Myanmar's military seized power in a coup and detained the country's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, military authorities have faced months of protests and responded with deadly force. The strikes have brought cities to a standstill and sparked armed conflicts in borderlands.” Read more at CNN
“Iran tensions | The U.S. formally blamed Iran for a deadly attack on an Israel-linked oil tanker off Oman, though it provided no direct evidence, and warned of an ‘appropriate response.’ The latest incident complicates efforts by world powers to restore the 2015 nuclear pact with Tehran, and comes before hardliner Ebrahim Raisi is officially confirmed tomorrow as the Islamic Republic’s new president.” Read more at Bloomberg
“The number of college graduates in China rose by 73 percent in the past decade, a stunning achievement for a country that had fewer than 3.5 million university students in 1997.” Read more at New York Times
“Europe’s heat dome. Europe could see new record-high temperatures today as a heat dome continues to drive a heatwave across the continent’s southeast. The dry conditions have already contributed to wildfires in Greece and Italy, while in Turkey at least 8 people have died in fires that have blazed since last Wednesday. Turkey has seen an unusually high number of wildfires this year—133 in total. From 2003 to 2020 Turkey averaged 43 wildfires per year, according to EU data.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Israel rules on Sheikh Jarrah. Israel’s Supreme Court will today decide whether to evict Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem in a controversial case that contributed to a new round of fighting between Israel and Hamas in May. If the Palestinian appeal is rejected, legal avenues still remain to prevent evictions that would further inflame tensions. The Israeli government reportedly tried to have today’s hearing postponed by six months, in part to placate U.S. President Joe Biden ahead of a likely White House visit in August.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Food insecurity. Ethiopia’s Tigray region, southern Madagascar, Yemen, South Sudan, and northern Nigeria, were all named by both the U.N. World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization as the most at risk of ‘catastrophic’ food insecurity in the next three months. Six countries have been added to the list of ‘hunger hotspots’ since the two agencies last assessed global hunger in March: Chad, Colombia, Kenya, Myanmar, Nicaragua, and North Korea.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Square acquires Australian installment-payment firm for $29 billion. The American company said a key attraction of its all-stock deal for Afterpay was a growing wariness toward traditional credit among younger consumers. It illustrates how fintechs are seeking scale to challenge banks for a bigger slice of the payments industry.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Rapper DaBaby is taking the consequences of recent homophobic remarks he made . The six-time Grammy-nominated artist, 29, came under fire for derogatory remarks referencing HIV/AIDS made during a show in Miami last Sunday. Days later, he made similar remarks after releasing his NSFW song and music video ‘Giving What It's Supposed to Give.’ On Sunday, the Lollapalooza music festival dropped him from his scheduled set in Chicago. His comments, and subsequent apology, have been met with backlash from fellow musicians, including Madonna, Questlove, Elton John and Dua Lipa.” Read more at USA Today
“Lives Lived: Frenchy Cannoli spent nearly two decades wandering the globe to master the secrets of making hashish, and taught others what he learned. He died at 64.” Read more at New York Times
“Kathy Griffin is revealing that she has lung cancer.
The comedian, 60, took to social media to share the news Monday, adding that she has never smoked.
‘I’ve got to tell you guys something. I have cancer. I’m about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed,’ Griffin wrote. ‘Yes, I have lung cancer even though I’ve never smoked!’
She added that her cancer, which is ‘contained to my left lung,’ is in Stage 1 and her doctors are ‘very optimistic.’
‘Hopefully no chemo or radiation after this and I should have normal function with my breathing. I should be up and running around as usual in a month or less. It’s been a helluva 4 years, trying to get back to work, making you guys laugh and entertaining you, but I’m gonna be just fine.’” Read more at USA Today
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