BusinessBusiness InsiderJuly's big jobs gain probably has no connection to GOP governors cutting unemployment aid, Biden's Labor Secretary says
July's jobs report brought promising figures, beating expectations with a gain of 943,000 payrolls. Marty Walsh says that's due to Biden initiatives on childcare and vaccines, not states cutting benefits. The Labor Secretary said it's too early to tell if the Delta variant will slow growth or require a UI extension.
LifestyleINSIDERI tried the signature pizzas in New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia, and the best slice was the one with no cheese
Every Friday night, my family would order a cheese pie from the local pizzeria. The hot cheese, the thin layer of sauce, and the thinner crust are all wrapped up in my childhood memories. But as I grew up, I wondered if my favorite New York slice would hold up against the other types of pizza across the US.
- HealthChicago Tribune
Health officials urge COVID tests for Lollapalooza goers. Crowds were ‘literally pressed against each other, maskless,’ says one attendee planning to get screened
If you were at LOLLAPALOOZA please go get tested for COVID on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday,” the Tazewell County Public Health Department in central Illinois said on its Facebook page on Wednesday. This will help us shut down any local outbreaks before they get started. The announcement sparked some debate on the social media site about whether the event should have been held in the first place.
SportsINSIDERThe captain of Sweden's soccer team had one penalty kick to win gold for her country and blew it over the crossbar
Canada defeated Sweden to win their first gold medal in women's soccer at the Olympics on Friday. Canada outlasted Sweden in a dramatic penalty shootout in order to win. Caroline Seger had a shot to win gold in the shootout but sent her attempt over the crossbar.
BusinessAxiosExxon kicked out of carbon tax group in wake of leaked lobbyist video scandal
The Climate Leadership Council and its advocacy arm, Americans for Carbon Dividends, has suspended Exxon's membership in the group. Why it matters: The move comes in the the wake of a leaked video in which senior Exxon lobbyist Keith McCoy says the oil giant has only come out in favor of a carbon tax for public relations reasons. “We continue to believe that we will establish lasting climate solutions by bringing together a broad and diverse group of stakeholders who can work together to address this enormous challenge," said CLC CEO Greg Bertelsen, in a statement.
U.S.Kansas City StarOfficer hit by his own stun gun shoots illegal dumping suspect, Missouri police say
A Missouri officer shot a suspect accused of using a Taser on him during a fight, police said. Two Webb City officers went to a field in the southwest Missouri city to stop illegal dumping and trespassing Thursday night, according to a news release. They found several people inside a truck with a trailer who appeared to have driven around a chain strung between two posts, police said.
EntertainmentTimeHere Are All the Upcoming DCEU Movies and TV Shows After The Suicide Squad
Just like we'll likely see multiple Spider-Men in Marvel's Spider-Man: No Way Home before the year is out, it's guaranteed we'll see multiple Batmen—one played by Ben Affleck, another by Michael Keaton—in DC's upcoming movie about The Flash. And you won't just see them on the big screen: DC is also rolling out more in-universe television series to tie into their films. And sorry Snydercut fans: While DC has announced dozens of projects in development, none of them seem to continue the future stories hinted at at the end of Zack Snyder's cut of Justice League.
U.S.USA TODAYFact check: Desigual backpack with sexual message is genuine
USA TODAY reached out to the poster for comment. The backpack in question is by the Spanish designer brand Desigual, which is known for its colorful designs. The backpack is not listed for sale among Desigual's current line of bags and backpacks on its website.
WorldWashington Examiner'Eyes gouged': Taliban seize trading center in milestone conquest of provincial capital
Taliban forces have taken a provincial capital near the border of Afghanistan and Iran, delivering the militants a milestone urban victory that brings control of an important link in regional trade routes. "Residents of the city spent the night in fear and panic, and this morning, 40% of Zaranj's residents crossed the border into Iran via the Pul-e Abrisham, [an Iranian-built bridge] which borders the Islamic Republic of Iran,” a provincial official told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Gandhara, a outlet backed by the United States that is focused on Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The rest of the city is under Taliban control.”
SportsAxiosCanadian soccer player Quinn becomes 1st openly trans athlete to win Olympic gold
Canadian soccer player Quinn made history on Friday, becoming the first openly transgender and nonbinary athlete to not only medal at the Olympic Games, but to win gold. Driving the news: Canada beat Sweden on Friday and earned its first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's soccer. Between the lines: Quinn won a bronze medal with Team Canada in the Rio 2016 Games, but came out publicly as trans and nonbinary in 2020.
U.S.NBC NewsArizona lawmaker arrested, accused of sexual conduct with a minor in 2019
An Arizona lawmaker was arrested Thursday and booked on suspicion of having sexual contact with a minor in 2019, authorities said. Phoenix police investigators only started looking at allegations against state Sen. Otoniel “Tony” Navarrete on Wednesday, Sgt. Andrew Williams said in a statement. After "detectives interviewed a juvenile victim and witnesses," they had "probable cause to arrest the suspect, Otoniel Navarrete," according to the police statement.
EntertainmentTheGrioLauryn Hill wows with rap verse on new Nas song, references her ‘lateness’
Lauryn Hill fans are rejoicing. On a track from Nas' new album, the hip-hop legend stuns with a rap verse on the song, “Nobody,” in which she raps about life, her career, and even her “lateness.” Frequently listed as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Nas is back with King's Disease II, a sequel album to his Grammy award-winning King's Disease (2020).
U.S.USA TODAYRise in US vaccinations as cases surge, White House says; Cincinnati hospitals mandate vaccines for employees: COVID-19 updates
Those in the briefing believe the uptick in people headed to get inoculated is because the states hardest hit by the virus are seeing how the delta variant poses a larger risk to people. In the states with the highest case rates, Zients said the number of people newly vaccinated each day over the past three weeks more than doubled. The comments come after President Joe Biden also reached his goal to vaccinate 70% of adults in the U.S. this week, one month past his initial deadline.
- SportsUSA TODAY
Little boys' backyard hurdle competition is the cutest
Two young brothers were so inspired by the Olympics, they created homemade hurdles. Their celebration afterward was the sweetest thing
PoliticsWashington ExaminerBorder Patrol picks up 834 migrant children illegally sent across border in one day, a record
The Border Patrol picked up a record number of unaccompanied children illegally sent into the United States from Mexico on Wednesday, a sign the border crisis is worsening. Federal data released Thursday evening said that 834 children were encountered by federal agents on the southern border the day before. Each child was alone and without a parent or guardian, according to a fact sheet shared by the Departments of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services.
SportsINSIDERCanada's longtime goalkeeper dominated penalty kicks and sudden death to win gold in her final major tournament
For the first time ever, Canada's women's soccer team has won gold at the Olympic Games. The Canadians bested Sweden in sudden death penalty kicks to stand atop the podium in Tokyo. Goalkeeper Steph Labbé, who was playing in her final major tournament, absolutely shined in PKs.
U.S.Associated PressMan whose case led to landmark ruling reconvicted by feds
An Oklahoma death row inmate whose legal challenge led to a historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling on tribal sovereignty has been convicted of murder and kidnapping in federal court. A federal jury in Muskogee on Thursday found Patrick Murphy, 52, guilty in the 1999 killing of George Jacobs in McIntosh County in eastern Oklahoma. Murphy faces up to life in federal prison when he is formally sentenced, but will avoid the death penalty.
EntertainmentNY Daily NewsDaniel Radcliffe reveals which ‘Harry Potter’ characters he would play in possible reboot
The British actor who brought to life the iconic boy wizard in the blockbuster movie franchise said if he were to do it all again in the form of a reboot, he'd take on a totally different role. “I would probably want to go with like, Sirius [Black] or [Remus] Lupin,” Radcliffe, now 32, revealed in an upcoming episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast. “Those were always the two characters that I was like, 'They're great,'” he added.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanLetters to the editor: Burning forests, voting rights, Giddings, COVID-19, funding education
Referencing the article regarding Governor Little's snub by the White House to discuss wildfire prevention, Western governors were now going to attend a virtual meeting with White House bureaucrats to discuss “...forest management activities such as prescribed burning and forest thinning...” There was a time, 40 or so years ago, when the West had a viable forest products industry that employed thousands of people that utilized the valuable resource for the benefit of mankind. Not only was the industry lost, the resource now goes up in smoke, smoke that is inhaled on a daily basis (probably far more than the average person would ever inhale due to cigarette smoke).
U.S.AxiosArkansas judge blocks statewide ban on mask mandates
An Arkansas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban on mask mandates, AP reports. Driving the news: Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox issued a preliminary injunction against a law signed in April by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson that banned governmental entities from implementing mask mandates. Driving the news: Fox's decision came hours after the state legislature upheld the state's mask mandate ban during a special session called by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
U.S.USA TODAYCalifornia's Dixie Fire explodes in size, now the nation's largest wildfire
California's Dixie Fire exploded in size overnight and is now the nation's largest wildfire, officials said Friday morning. The fire, which obliterated much of the small town of Greenville, California, on Wednesday, grew by 110 square miles overnight and is now 676 square miles in size. It's also now the third-largest wildfire in California history and is only 35% contained.
- WorldAssociated Press Videos
Museum in Russia claims largest Lego city
A museum in near Moscow claims to have the largest city made from Lego pieces in Russia; the "LEt'sGO" Museum includes manicured parks, streets filled with traffic. Aug.
U.S.USA TODAYUnregistered, untraceable ghost guns leave police investigations in the dark, report finds
Untraceable firearms known as ghost guns have been met by a largely disjointed local law enforcement response, which lacks crucial data to assess the broader risk, a police research group concludes in a report set for release Monday. The National Police Foundation found that agencies face “significant challenges” in identifying and tracking the homemade weapons – often assembled from kits purchased online. The firearms do not require the typical background checks for purchase and do not carry serial numbers, making them difficult to trace when recovered at crime scenes.
EntertainmentLA TimesThat 'Suicide Squad' post-credits scene explained, and what it means for the DC Universe
If you stuck around after the credits of James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" sequel (reboot?) you know there were not one but two post-credits scenes teasing the resurrections of two fallen members of the squad. First, following his untimely drowning in the opening scene of the film, Weasel is seen sputtering back to life in the mid-credits scene before running off, and presumably Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is still tracking him. Because the character is played by the director's brother Sean Gunn, it's likely we could see the Weasel again, particularly since the actor is a constant fixture in his older brother's films.
U.S.Miami Herald‘That’s a big hammer!’ See a huge, thrashing shark reeled in from the beach in Florida
Navarre Beach Shark Fishing, located in Northwest Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, caught and released a roughly 13-foot long hammerhead July 31. The fish was the largest shark in the land-based fishing company's history, it bragged on Facebook this past week. The video begins with three people taking turns on the sand of Navarre Beach breathlessly cranking and reeling in the gigantic silver fish in knee-deep water.
“If nothing else, Tokyo 2020 may end up being remembered as the wake-up call everyone needed.”
“Cancel the Olympics—for good.”
“Olympians haven’t really changed. These athletes still showcase extraordinary human achievement from around the world.”
“Delivering more excellence and less sideshow will probably require giving athletes a bigger voice in how the Olympics are run.”
“The Olympics were conceived in 1896 as a sporting event, and they’ve become a construction event.”