Jul 01 'I'm all for masks,' Trump says in interview By Aamer Madhani, Darlene Superville, Associated Press Trump's comments came a day after Republican lawmakers suggested that the president should wear a mask in public to set a good example for Americans. Continue reading
Jul 01 Background checks, a metric for gun sales, hits an all-time high By Lisa Marie Pane, Associated Press Historic numbers of background checks to purchase or possess a firearm have been conducted in June. It's just the latest month with record-breaking numbers since the system was created in 1998. Continue reading
Jul 01 Trump supports new round of direct coronavirus payments By Darlene Superville, Associated Press Trump also said he wants payments larger than the $1,200 the government sent to most individuals earlier this year. He did not say how big he'd like the payments to be. Continue reading
Jul 01 Watch 3:19 Businesses struggle to adjust to quickly changing reopening plans By Amna Nawaz The U.S. epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic has shifted to the South and West, where cases have ballooned to record highs. At least 14 states are now pausing their reopening plans or moving back toward lockdown, and the national death… Continue watching
Jul 01 U.S. House approves $1.5 trillion plan to fix crumbling infrastructure By Matthew Daly, Associated Press The bill also authorizes more than $100 billion to expand internet access for rural and low-income communities and $25 billion to modernize the U.S. Postal Service. Continue reading
Jul 01 Trump, top officials defend response to Russia bounty threat By Mary Clare Jalonick, Matthew Lee, James Laporta, Associated Press President Donald Trump and his top national security officials are stepping up their defense of his response to intelligence assessments that suggested Russia had offered bounties for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Continue reading
Jul 01 AP-NORC poll shows significant shift in how white Democrats view police brutality By Kat Stafford, Hannah Fingerhut, Associated Press A majority of white Democrats say police officers are more likely to use deadly force against a Black person than against a white person. Continue reading
Jul 01 Masks will be optional when Trump speaks at Mt. Rushmore for Independence Day weekend By Stephen Groves When President Donald Trump speaks at Mt. Rushmore before the first fireworks show there in years, he'll stand before a crowd of thousands who won't be required to socially distance or wear masks. Continue reading
Jul 01 Richmond mayor orders removal of Confederate statues on city land By Denise Lavoie, Associated Press Work crews began removing a statue of Gen. Stonewall Jackson early Wednesday afternoon. Flatbed trucks and other equipment were also spotted at several other Confederate monuments along Richmond's famed Monument Avenue. Continue reading
Jul 01 Mississippi retires former state flag to museum By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press Mississippi officials are having a ceremony to relegate the former state flag to history. The gathering Wednesday comes a day after Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed a new law removing official status from the last state banner in the U.S. Continue reading