Nation hits 70 percent vaccination goal amid surging Delta variant
White House Covid-19 Data Director Cyrus Shahpar said on Twitter that at least 70 percent of adults have at least one shot.
Today's Liberal News
Poll: Slim majority in U.S. backs return of masking
The Monmouth survey found a strongly partisan divide, with 85 percent of Democrats supporting a return of mask rules but three-quarters of Republicans opposed.
I Was Part of the July Fourth Provincetown “Breakthrough” COVID Cluster. It’s Been a Sobering Experience.
My “hot vax summer” has cooled into a season of confusion and dread.
Dwayne Johnson Misunderstands His Own Star Appeal
Once upon a time, a broad-shouldered actor who started out in the brawny sporting world made a successful leap to Hollywood—first playing villains and quirky supporting roles, then becoming a star who could headline hyper-violent R-rated thrillers as easily as family comedies. Eventually, he parlayed this superstardom into political office.
How to Avoid the Worst Parenting Mistake
Emily Oster is a popular target for irrational hatred. When I was reporting a story on how progressive communities have approached COVID-19 lockdown restrictions this spring, she showed me an email she got from a random person who had written to all of her bosses at Brown University, accusing her of promoting genocide. To be clear, Oster does no such thing: She’s an economist who has become semi-famous for her books on data and parenting decisions.
“The Ants and the Grasshopper”: Raj Patel’s New Film Aims to “Decolonize” Climate & Health Solutions
We look at a groundbreaking new documentary on the climate crisis and the global food system, “The Ants and the Grasshopper,” which follows the journey of a Malawian farmer as she tries to end hunger and gender inequality in her village, and tackle climate change in the United States.
NIH director: ‘We want to avoid lockdowns at all costs’
Still, Francis Collins warned that “most of the projections say we’re in for a really tough August, September, October.
“Give Us the Moratorium”: Rep. Cori Bush Sleeps on Capitol Steps Demanding Eviction Protection
We speak with Missouri Congressmember Cori Bush, who is formerly unhoused, about why she has been sleeping on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with others since Friday night to protest her colleagues’ decision to adjourn for August recess without passing an extension to the federal eviction moratorium, which expired July 31, as millions are behind on rent.
“Inflamed”: Dr. Rupa Marya & Raj Patel on Deep Medicine & How Capitalism Primes Us for Sickness
As much of the world struggles to cope with the pandemic and its impacts, we speak with Dr. Rupa Marya and Raj Patel, co-authors of the new book, “Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice,” which examines the social and environmental roots of poor health. “Inflammation is the body’s appropriate response to damage, or the threat of damage,” says Marya, a physician and co-founder of the Do No Harm Coalition.
How to Show ‘Wise Compassion’ to Struggling Loved Ones
Editor’s Note: With Lori Gottlieb on book leave, Rebecca J. Rosen, the editor of “Dear Therapist,” is filling in as The Atlantic’s “Dear Therapist” archivist, pointing readers to some of Lori’s most beloved columns. Many of the letters Lori receives come from people who are in pain and struggling to understand a difficult episode in their life.
Dear Care and Feeding: My Kid Bites in Self-Defense. Is Stopping Him Really the Best Idea?
Parenting advice on biting, blurting, and being honest.
A Genius Plan to Improve Amtrak
What the beleaguered operator should do with $66 billion from Congress.
The Architect of Japan’s Olympic Stadium Thinks It Looks Just as Good Empty
It resembles a giant planter plopped in the middle of Tokyo. That’s on purpose.
You Don’t Care About the Infrastructure Bill, Which Is Why It Might Pass
The boring-Congress theory of getting things done.
My Parents Disowned My Brother After He Came Out. Do I Have to Split My Inheritance With Him?
He could use the money. But so could I.
Biden’s new mask guidance too little, too late for parts of the country, officials say
Health experts and local leaders in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Washington state told POLITICO they expect the latest recommendations will be brushed off by a crisis-weary public.
CDC under fire for decision to limit tracking of Covid-19 cases in vaccinated people
The agency’s decision to limit its reporting of breakthrough cases has prompted wide variation in how states keep tabs on them.
CDC releases data behind latest mask guidelines
The hotly anticipated study helped convince the agency to revise its guidance on mask-wearing earlier this week.
‘Sellout’: Anti-vax conservatives come for DeSantis
The GOP governor is urging people to get vaccinated as Florida’s Covid infections spike. But some in DeSantis’ base are openly questioning him.
Help! My Neighbor Has Let a Year’s Worth of Dog Poop Pile Up on His Lawn.
The smell is so bad my child can’t play outside.
Biden’s economic gains come with newer worries about the future
Some economists have already begun to ease back on forecasts for the rest of this year.
U.S. economy surpasses prepandemic size with 6.5% Q2 growth
The growth is another sign that the nation has achieved a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession.
Virus resurgence menaces economy just as rescue programs unravel
A new wave of cases followed by the looming expiration of enhanced jobless benefits, a ban on evictions and other rescue programs is sparking concern among lawmakers and economists.
The pandemic drove women out of the workforce. Will they come back?
Their absence could hurt the broader U.S. economy, so policymakers are weighing ways to help them return to work.
Fed’s Powell feels heat from all sides as inflation spikes
Both the Fed and the Biden administration have said rapid price increases are being stoked by temporary factors.
“People Are Outraged”: General Strike in Guatemala Denounces Corruption & Mishandling of Pandemic
We go to Guatemala to speak with an opposition lawmaker and a Maya K’iche’ leader who joined Thursday’s major national strike demanding the resignation of right-wing President Alejandro Giammattei and other government officials facing allegations of corruption.
Anti-BDS Jewish Orgs Back Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Sales Ban in Settlements Despite Israeli Pressure
Israel has launched what has been described as a maximum pressure campaign against Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company Unilever, after the iconic ice cream brand announced it would halt sales in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel has asked 35 U.S. governors to enforce state laws which make it a crime to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, or BDS.
Human Rights Watch Accuses Israel of Apparent War Crimes in Gaza Assault; Urges ICC Probe
Human Rights Watch is calling on the International Criminal Court to open a probe into apparent Israeli war crimes committed during its recent 11-day assault on Gaza that killed 260 Palestinians, including 66 children. We discuss a major report HRW released this week that closely examines three Israeli strikes that killed 62 Palestinians civilians in May. U.S.-made weapons were used in at least two of the attacks investigated.
“This Is Not a Climate Bill”: Leah Stokes on Why Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Senate Democrats have announced that they have joined with 17 Republicans to vote in favor of taking up a $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal. The plan includes new spending on climate and environment measures, but critics say it falls far short of what is needed. Democrats say they hope to include additional climate measures in a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package that could advance without being blocked by a Republican filibuster if it is backed by all 50 Democrats.