Good Wednesday morning. Happy mid-week.
Also, Happy Bastille Day! (AKA, the National Day of France, or Fete nationale, if you prefer to be technical about it).
This day marks the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille (a medieval fortress and prison) in 1789, which was a major milestone in the French Revolution, and also the Fête de la Fédération that celebrated the unity of the French people and establishment of the country as a constitutional monarchy on this day in 1790.
Despite plans to demolish the building in the late 18th century, the Bastille had come to represent the Bourbon monarchy and the harsh acts carried out by them.
On July 14, 978, a mob approached the Bastille to demand the arms and ammunition stored there. When the forces guarding the structure resisted, the attackers captured the prison and released its seven prisoners. This signaled the beginning of the French Revolution, and subsequently became a symbol of the end of the ancient monarchical régime.
It’s traditional for celebrations to be held across France on this day, one of which is reportedly the oldest and largest military parade in Europe, which is on the grand Champs-Élysées in Paris in front of the president and other dignitaries.
Last year, that parade was cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic – the first time it had not been held annually since 1880, except during World War II.
This year, it is being held despite the threat of the delta variant, though inclement weather might put a damper on the usual fireworks ceremonies that go along with the holiday.
So, rain. Actually, scattered thunderstorms, to be exact. And they might contain strong, gusty winds. Temperatures will be in the mid-to-low 80s, ditto the humidity.
In the headlines…
Senate Democrats have reached a budget agreement envisioning spending $3.5 trillion over the coming decade, paving the way for their drive to pour federal resources into climate change, health care and family-service programs sought by President Joe Biden.
If the budget resolution can clear both chambers with lockstep party support, it will unleash the power to circumvent a GOP filibuster using the so-called reconciliation process.
To push the package — and the reconciliation bill — through the evenly divided Senate, Democrats will have to hold together every member of their party and the independents aligned with them over what promises to be unified Republican opposition.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the agreement after emerging from a late-night meeting flanked by Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders and others on the committee – a sign of unity among members of the Democratic caucus.
Democratic leaders want a Senate vote on a major infrastructure bill as soon as next week, but Republicans are struggling to deliver the 10 votes needed to beat a filibuster.
Schumer will reportedly be releasing a discussion draft of a long-awaited bill to federally legalize cannabis today.
In a fiery speech in Philadelphia, Biden took aim at former President Donald Trump and his unfounded claims that his loss in the 2020 election was due to widespread voter fraud.
“In America, if you lose, you accept the results,” Biden said. “You don’t call facts ‘fake’ and then try to bring down the American experiment just because you’re unhappy. That’s not statesmanship…That’s selfishness. That’s not democracy; it’s the denial of the right to vote.”
“Help prevent this concerted effort to undermine our election and the sacred right to vote,” the president said in remarks at the National Constitution Center. “Have you no shame?”
Biden will participate in a CNN town hall on Wednesday, July 21 in Cincinnati, Ohio – a little more than six months after being sworn into office.
The Texas state Senate approved a sweeping election reform bill last night, one day after dozens of House Democrats fled the state to prevent the chamber from taking up the legislation.
The upper chamber voted along party lines to green-light the elections bill.
The Justice Department has charged a Texas couple and three of their children in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, largely aided by videos, photos and other content posted to social media showing the family members at the Capitol during the attack.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings filed a lawsuit against Florida’s surgeon general in an effort to prevent the state from carrying out its so-called “vaccine passport” ban barring businesses from requiring customers to provide proof of vaccination.
The cruise operator is sticking with its policy to require full vaccinations for all crew and passengers, including children, for initial sailings through Oct. 31 after more than a yearlong hiatus and billions of dollars in losses.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike says the medical system is ready as Japan prepares to host the Olympics in ten days.
The day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson set England on course for “freedom day” next week, Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, outlined more cautious plans to relax virus rules and said face masks would still be required for “some time to come.”
Thailand’s protesters are intensifying their pressure on the government to expand its much-criticized vaccine program in the latest push to widen their support base amid a surging Covid-19 outbreak driven by the delta variant.
J&J, AstraZeneca and University of Oxford, along with outside scientists, are conducting early-stage research into whether potential modifications of their Covid-19 vaccines could reduce or eliminate the risk of rare but serious blood clots associated with the shots.
New Covid-19 cases are on the rise in a number of states across the U.S., worrying health officials and epidemiologists as many Americans remain unvaccinated and the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads.
With nearly half of California residents still not fully immunized against COVID-19 and the highly infectious delta variant in wide circulation, the state could be facing a surge up to two-thirds the size of last summer’s wave of infection.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said that health experts don’t have enough data yet to determine whether and when to recommend extra protection for those who have already been vaccinated.
Tennessee plans to end its outreach promoting vaccines for adolescents against all diseases, including COVID-19, after criticism over immunization efforts directed toward minors.
Tennessee officials have fired the state’s top vaccination official, who had been facing scrutiny from Republican state lawmakers over her department’s outreach efforts to vaccinate teenagers against Covid-19.
Roughly one-fifth of Americans were initially hesitant about or squarely against getting the Covid-19 vaccine but have since gotten their shots, according to polling released by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo coming under fire for allegedly undercounting COVID-19 fatalities in his state, a discrepancy still remains, with the federal government’s tally being about 11,000 higher than what Cuomo’s administration has publicized.
The discrepancy in death counts continued to widen this year, according to an AP review, even as the Democrat has come under fire over allegations that his office purposely obscured the number of deaths of nursing home residents to protect his reputation.
As of this week, New York publicized a COVID-19 death toll of roughly 43,000, compared to the Centers for Disease Control public tally of about 54,000.
As the CDC relaxes mask guidelines for schools, California and New York are sticking with their rules.
Cuomo signed legislation repealing an outdated and rarely enforced Empire State law prohibiting barbers and salons from operating on Sundays.
“This is the very definition of an archaic and meaningless law that makes little to no sense in the 21st century,” Cuomo said. “…I’m more than happy to sign this repeal into law and allow these businesses to determine what days they choose to operate.”
A state law approved by Cuomo will expand the definition of telemarketing in New York to include text messages in an effort to crackdown on what consumer advocates have called a loophole in existing regulations.
Assemblymember Monica Wallace is sponsoring a bill in the state Legislature that would legally require members of the clergy to report instances of child abuse and mistreatment.
State Sen. Todd Kaminsky began his campaign for Nassau County district attorney by raising more than $425,000 in the past two weeks.
Jeffrey Epstein’s newly discovered 1997 address book, published by Insider, connects dozens of new names to Epstein and traces previously known relationships back to the 1990s – including Chris Cuomo’s wife, Cristina.
With Eric Adams’ win, Black candidates are poised to occupy some of New York’s top elected offices, including those of mayor, public advocate and two of the city’s five district attorneys.
Incoming members of the Council’s likely first-ever female majority vowed to pick a woman as speaker next year in what would mark a groundbreaking power shift for the historically male-dominated body.
New York City’s plan to move 8,000 homeless people out of hotels and into barracks-style shelters was disrupted when a federal judge ruled that officials were not adequately considering the health of those being moved.
An Iranian American journalist living in Brooklyn who has been a sharp critic of the Iranian government was the target of an international kidnapping plot orchestrated by an intelligence network in Iran, federal prosecutors said.
An online petition signed by 40,000 people demands that the Queens District Attorney’s office review the conviction of Chanel Lewis, who was convicted of the 2016 murder of Howard Beach jogger Karina Vetrano.
The pandemic and a hiring freeze have led to a shortage of train operators, conductors and workers in New York City, forcing thousands of subway trips to be canceled and long wait times.
As concern grows over the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, some parts of New York City are seeing an uptick in Covid-19 cases.
A new Siena College Research Institute poll examined how 809 state residents experienced the pandemic, their attitudes toward joining public life again and what they think might happen with the virus over the next few months.
The Capital District Transportation Authority is bringing a fully electric scooter share program to the Capital Region in the coming weeks, CDTA announced at an open house.
Local and state health officials are reporting significant increases in cases of a sometimes deadly and once-rare tick-borne disease in the Capital Region.
The Albany Common Council is looking at an alternative proposal to an outright ban on tear gas use in the city.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan continued to address the problem of gun violence in her city, responding to the issue of bail reform as it relates to recent shootings.
Schenectady’s Daily Gazette newspaper is acquiring The Leader-Herald in Gloversville and plans to end the daily newpaper’s tradition of afternoon publication.
Even from federal prison, Clare Bronfman is still footing the legal bill for NXIVM leader Keith Raniere.
A new initiative will start with subsidized housing to identify where the weaknesses are across affordable housing in the state when it comes to broadband service.
Kyle Van De Water, the Republican candidate who failed to win the NY-19 congressional seat last year, announced a 2022 House bid. But with redistricting on the horizon, he’s not yet sure which seat he might be running for.
Binghamton Mayor Richard David announced his candidacy for New York’s 52nd District Senate seat. Incumbent Sen. Fred Akshar is running for Broome County sheriff in 2022 rather than seeking re-election.
For the third time in four weeks, the Cambridge school board changed its mind regarding the school’s mascot.
Britney Spears deserves more “autonomy” and the right to select her next lawyer, the American Civil Liberties Union said after filing an amicus brief in the pop star’s conservatorship case.
Three weeks after Spears ‘ dramatic comments in court condemning the conservatorship that has controlled her life for 13 years, a Los Angeles judge and others with legal power over the pop star will convene for a hearing today to deal with the aftermath.
The language of law is full of arcane terminology, but even legal novices should grasp the focus of an upcoming New York State Bar Association event: The #FreeBritney movement.
Bowen Yang has sealed his second season on “Saturday Night Live” with an Emmy nomination, making him the first featured player to be nominated for an acting award.
Here’s the full list of this year’s Emmy nominations. More here.
“Inside Edition” tested the much-discussed tuna used in Subway sandwiches, salads and wraps and found, for the second time in five months, that the fast food chain does in fact use real tuna in its offerings.
Charlie Robinson, the veteran actor whose best-known role was Mac, the good-natured and pragmatic court clerk, on the long-running NBC sitcom “Night Court,” died on Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 75.
