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Tuesday 08.10.21

The US had a record 10.1 million jobs available in June. That mismatch between worker demand and supply has been one of the more unusual aspects of the pandemic-era job landscape. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.
 

By AJ Willingham

A nurse prepares to treat a patient in an ICU Covid-19 ward in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Coronavirus

Covid-19 cases among kids have been on the rise in the US since early July. Almost 94,000 cases among children were added in the past week, the American Academy of Pediatrics said. The vast majority of child cases don't require hospitalization, but CDC numbers show that number is increasing. About 200 children with Covid-19 were admitted to US hospitals every day over the past week. In some hot spots, like Orlando, children's hospitals are busy with coronavirus patients and are bracing for worse waves once school restarts in more places. Meanwhile, China has punished dozens of officials for failing to control the Delta outbreak as the country struggles to contain the worst virus resurgence it's seen in over a year. And in Australia, the most populous state, New South Wales, extended its lockdown as the city of Sydney recorded its highest daily case count since the pandemic began.

Federal budget

Senate Democrats have released their $3.5 trillion budget resolution, charting the next steps in their drive to address education, health care, child care support and climate issues, as well as make further investments in infrastructure. Unlike the bipartisan infrastructure package set for a Senate vote today, the budget resolution would go through reconciliation, which means it can be passed with just 50 Democratic votes in the Senate. That's a huge point of contention for Republicans, who feel shut out of the process. This resolution does not include lifting the nation's borrowing limit, however. If senators want to increase the debt ceiling now, they'd have to do it separately -- and with necessary Republican votes.

9/11

The Department of Justice announced it will review which previously withheld information or documents related to September 11, 2001, it can disclose to the public as it faces pressure ahead of the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Last week, more than 1,600 people affected by the 9/11 attacks released a letter urging President Biden not to appear at Ground Zero in New York to mark the anniversary of the tragic day unless he releases more documents and information the government has previously blocked. Biden praised the DOJ's decision to review information, saying it delivered on a campaign promise to release more 9/11 records. 

Wildfires

Some of the wildfires raging across the US are so bad, firefighters with decades of experience say they've never seen blazes behave so dangerously. That includes the Dixie Fire burning in California. Between August 4 and 5, the fire burned 44,000 acres, which is the equivalent of burning all of Washington, DC, in less than 12 hours. The Dixie Fire has now destroyed at least 873 structures. Meantime in Greece, 586 wildfires are burning as the country faces one of its worst heat waves in decades. Greece's Prime Minister called the blazes a "natural disaster of unprecedented proportions."

Belarus

Biden has issued an executive order targeting those in the Belarusian regime involved in the repression of human rights and democracy in the former Soviet state. The executive order came on the one-year anniversary of Belarus' election, which was declared fraudulent by the US and many in the international community and sparked widespread protests throughout the country. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko denied that state repression exists in his country, and accused the US of creating "lawlessness" at home and abroad. However, Belarusian dissidents say they fear their country's government will detain them for their opposition. Some fear what may be crude detention camps are already being built.

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London's Tower Bridge has been stuck open due to a technical failure
Sounds like the modern, far less poetic version of "London Bridge is Falling Down."

Harrison Ford spotted in rare appearance with wife Calista Flockhart
It's like seeing a rare bird! 

This terrifying 'dragon' was Australia's largest flying reptile
Leave it to Australia to always have the scariest animals -- even in prehistoric times. 

Barbie condemned after releasing 'inclusive' Tokyo Olympics collection without visible Asian representation
They reflect five new sports added to the Games ... but apparently not the host country or region itself. 

Domino's is giving away $50 million in free food to take on competitors like DoorDash and UberEats
For the next few months, you could get some extra garlic bread or chocolate lava cake on the house. Or rather, at your house.

$5 million

That's how much was raised by Vax.India.Now, a star-studded virtual vaccine awareness event conceived by Anuradha Palakurthi, an Indian American singer who runs her own foundation out of New England that supports the promotion of Indian culture. 

Prince Andrew is responsible for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress pursuant to New York common law. The damage to Plaintiff has been severe and lasting.

Claims in a lawsuit recently filed by Virginia Roberts Giuffre against Prince Andrew, alleging sexual abuse. Giuffre, an alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein, has previously said she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with his friends, including the Duke of York, when she was underage. Buckingham Palace has denied her allegations.

Even ducks need a little morning pick-me-up
Replace the ice water with iced coffee, and we can deeply relate to this grumpy duck. (Click here to view.)