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TOP STORY
TOP STORY
Biden goodbye rallies support for Harris
President Joe Biden told the Democratic National Convention that serving as president had been the “honor of a lifetime” for him.
“I love this job, but I love my country more,” he said, as he continued by further endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz to represent the Democratic Party in the presidential election.
Biden emphasized democratic values, labor union support, and his administration’s economic and infrastructure achievements in his speech.
Harris and Walz would “continue to lead America forward, creating more jobs, standing up for workers, growing the economy and lowering costs for American families,” Biden said.
Biden is not expected to attend any other convention activities. Instead, he is set to travel to Santa Ynez, California, for a summer vacation with his family.
Biden has reportedly directed his White House staff to devote the remaining five months of his term to completing his administration’s work and burnishing his legacy.
Running Stories
Texas
Jury finds school shooter's parents not liable for violence.Oil refinery
Ghana begins construction of $12 billion petroleum hub.Doctor murder in India
Protesters clash with cops in Kolkata.WORLD
WORLD
Israel accepts US bridging proposal on Gaza
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted a US “bridging proposal.”
Commenting on a Gaza ceasefire deal, Blinken told reporters: “It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same,” and with the help of mediators to “come together and complete the process.”
Mirette Mabrouk at the Middle East Institute commented: “There's a lot of wishful thinking going on … because the stakes are now so high … there is a potential for this conflict to escalate."
An Israeli government spokesperson said Netanyahu “stands firmly by the principle” that the Israel Defense Forces will maintain a physical presence on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt to prevent the resupply of Hamas’ weapons.
Sami Abu Zuhri, a member of Hamas' political bureau, dismissed claims that signs of progress after two days of talks in Doha were “an illusion.”
There is increased urgency to reach a deal amid fears of broader escalation if Hezbollah and Iran retaliate against Israel for recent assassinations in Beirut and Tehran.
Bubbling Under
Nord Stream explosions in 2022
Russia criticizes German progress in Nord Stream sabotage inquiry.Search for missing passengers
How sinking of luxury yacht off Sicily unfolded.Airline merger
Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines merger moves forward as key deadline passes.Subscribe to our newsletter
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LAW
LAW
Santos guilty of wire fraud, identity theft
Former New York Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Santos, 36, a Republican, had been set to begin trial next month. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7.
Santos faces up to 22 years in jail for filing fraudulent FEC reports, embezzling funds from campaign donors, charging credit cards without authorization, stealing identities and obtaining unemployment benefits that he was not entitled to.
As part of his guilty plea, Santos must pay nearly $373,750 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000. Santos’ victims included donors, family members, and state and federal officials.
Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives in Dec. by a vote of 311 to 114. He was the first member in modern history to be expelled without first being convicted of a federal crime.
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Jackson Hole may provide Fed rate-cut clue
Federal Reserve officials are increasingly confident in taming inflation but express concern over the job market's health.
Chair Jerome Powell may offer insights into the Fed's economic outlook in a key speech Friday at the Jackson Hole conference.
With inflation nearing the 2% target, the Fed may cut its benchmark interest rate next month. Analysts say the speed of rate cuts will depend on the job market and hiring trends.
Economic data will signal that. This month, the government reported the jobless rate reached 4.3%, and stock prices plunged due to fears the US might enter a recession.
But healthier economic reports last week, including another decline in inflation and a robust gain in retail sales, have largely dispelled those concerns.
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Illinois bans corporal punishment in schools
Illinois will become the fifth state in the nation to prohibit corporal punishment in all schools this school year.
Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law this month banning physical punishment in private schools while reiterating a prohibition on the practice in public schools implemented 30 years ago.
When the ban takes effect in January, Illinois will join New Jersey, Iowa, Maryland and New York in prohibiting paddling, spanking or hitting in every school.
In 1990, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child established an obligation to “prohibit all corporal punishment of children.”
Sarah A. Font, associate professor of sociology and public policy at Penn State University, said Americans “rely on their own experience of, ‘Well, I experienced corporal punishment. I turned out fine.’ They disregard the larger body of evidence.”
Seventeen states technically allow corporal punishment in all schools, although four prohibit its use on students with disabilities.
SCIENCE
SCIENCE
First private spacewalk for Polaris crew
Members of the Polaris Dawn mission landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Monday in preparation for their spacewalk mission.
Polaris Dawn is the second privately crewed SpaceX mission funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman and the first of at least three launches he hopes to fly under the “Polaris” program.
Isaacman views Polaris as a way to pioneer private spaceflight and demonstrate the scientific return of flying non-commissioned astronauts to space.
The mission is poised to launch no earlier than Aug. 26 from KSC's Launch Complex-39A. Isaacman, the mission's commander, will ride a Falcon 9 rocket to orbit.
Alongside him will be the pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, a retired lieutenant colonel, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, lead space operations engineers at SpaceX serving as mission specialists.
Polaris Dawn will spend five days in space at a maximum altitude of 870 miles from Earth. Around 40 tasks are planned, including a spacewalk and testing SpaceX’s new spacesuit.
OFFBEAT
OFFBEAT
Ship gag awarded festival’s funniest joke
A witty pun about a sailing trip has been crowned the funniest joke told at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Thousands of performers flock to Scotland’s capital each year to entertain and delight crowds at the Fringe.
British entertainment channel U&Dave, owned by British broadcaster UKTV, has handed out the “Funniest Joke of the Fringe Award” for the last 15 years.
Despite the vast competition, comedian Mark Simmons won with his gag: “I was going to sail around the globe in the world’s smallest ship, but I bottled it.”
A shortlist of anonymized jokes was presented to 2,000 members of the British public, who were asked to vote on the one that evoked the most laughter.
“I’m really chuffed to win U&Dave’s ‘Funniest Joke of the Fringe,’” Simmons said. “I needed good news, as I was fired from my job marking exam papers—I can’t understand it. I always gave 110%.”
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