National

National

First African American Spelling Bee Champ Breezes To Win

11:26pm July 08, 2021

by The Associated Press

Zaila Avant-garde, 14, from Harvey, La., breezed to the championship on Thursday night. The only previous Black winner was Jody-Anne Maxwell of Jamaica, the only champ from outside the United States.

Zaila Avant-garde, 14, from Harvey, La., celebrates winning the finals of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee at Disney World on Thursday.

Zaila Avant-garde Becomes First African American To Win Scripps Spelling Bee

11:23pm July 08, 2021

The 14-year-old Louisianan outspelled the competition with the winning word "murraya."

Dr. Anthony Fauci attends a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in May on Capitol Hill. Fauci says he rarely wears a mask anymore since his environment is usually restricted to vaccinated people.

Fauci Says Current Vaccines Will Stand Up To The Delta Variant

7:03pm July 08, 2021

by Mary Louise Kelly

All the data so far shows the vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious disease or hospitalization, Dr. Anthony Fauci said. Vaccination is also imperative to preventing mutations, he added.

Stock Market Slumps Just After The S&P 500 Index, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs

6:07pm July 08, 2021

by Scott Horsley

The stock market slumped just one day after the S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq hit record highs. Fresh pandemic concerns may have rattled investors, as Japan has decided to declare a state of emergency.

Search teams continue work Wednesday as efforts move into a recovery operation at the collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Fla.

National

Surfside Officials: We Weren't Notified Of Severe Deterioration Before Condo Collapse

5:50pm July 08, 2021

by Brian Mann

In 2020, the engineering firm Morabito Consultants found "severely deteriorated" concrete in the Champlain Towers South condo building. Town officials say they weren't alerted.

National

Efforts Increase To Speed Up Rental Assistance Distribution Before Moratorium Ends

5:14pm July 08, 2021

by Pam Fessler

With the CDC eviction moratorium extended for a final month, efforts are underway to speed up distribution of billions of dollars in rental assistance and set up eviction diversion programs.

National

Internal Records From Killing Of Oscar Grant Show Lack Of Police Accountability

5:04pm July 08, 2021

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to KQED's Sukey Lewis about the final episode of the podcast On Our Watch, which examines recently-released internal police records of the killing of Oscar Grant in 2009.

The Taliban Have Been Sweeping Across Afghanistan As Foreign Forces Leave

4:33pm July 08, 2021

by Diaa Hadid

The Taliban have been sweeping through Afghanistan as the U.S and other forces pull out of the country and Afghan security forces surrender or flee.

National

This Year's 'Summer Camp For Billionaires' Marks A Return To In-Person Dealmaking

4:33pm July 08, 2021

by David Gura

Hundreds of top media, technology and finance executives gathered in Sun Valley, Idaho, this week. The annual event, canceled last year, assembles the likes of Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and Warren Buffett.

Connecticut Attorney General Discusses Opposing Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Settlement

4:33pm July 08, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong about his opposition to a settlement with Purdue Pharma, which would help the company restructure into a non-profit entity.