National

An immigration officer administers the oath of allegiance at a drive-through naturalization ceremony in El Cajon, Calif.

National

Drive-Through Naturalizations Make New U.S. Citizens In The COVID-19 Era

11:50am July 02, 2020

by Max Rivlin-Nadler

After months of not naturalizing new U.S. citizens due to the coronavirus shutdown, immigration officials have begun offering drive-through naturalization ceremonies that take just a few minutes.

After delaying sending out door knockers because of the pandemic, the Census Bureau announced the first six areas of the U.S. where unresponsive households are set to get in-person visits starting July 16.

For Skipping The Census, Homes In These 6 Places Get Door Knocks First

11:14am July 02, 2020

by Hansi Lo Wang

After delaying in-person visits because of COVID-19, Census Bureau workers are heading to unresponsive homes in Idaho, Maine and West Virginia, as well as parts of Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Women wear masks in Houston on Wednesday. Harris County requires any business providing goods or services to require all employees and visitors to wear face coverings in areas of close proximity to co-workers or the public, at least through Aug. 26.

Another Unwanted U.S. Record: 50,000 New Coronavirus Cases In 1 Day

9:59am July 02, 2020

by Mark Katkov

Johns Hopkins University's tracking site shows almost 2.7 million confirmed cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday. Total U.S. deaths from COVID-19 are more than double those of Brazil, which ranks second.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Tuesday.

Fauci: Mixed Messaging On Masks Set U.S. Public Health Response Back

8:06am July 02, 2020

by Jason Breslow

The current surge in cases can be contained, says White House advisor Anthony Fauci. But it's going to take a real focus on social distancing — and mask wearing.

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News Brief: Unemployment Numbers, Biden Outraises Trump, Seattle Protest Zone Cleared

5:02am July 02, 2020

New unemployment numbers will be released this morning. The Biden Campaign reported record fundraising. And, Seattle police forcibly clear a protest zone.

Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar, here in July 2019, tells NPR the popular neighborhood app is taking steps to address reports of racial profiling and censorship on the platform.

National

It's 'Our Fault': Nextdoor CEO Takes Blame For Deleting Of Black Lives Matter Posts

11:38pm July 01, 2020

by Bobby Allyn

In an exclusive interview with NPR, Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar outlines new measures the popular neighborhood app is taking to address reports of racial profiling and censorship on the platform.

Boston officials have decided to remove the sculpture Emancipation Monument which has stood in Park Square since 1879. It depicts a formerly enslaved man kneeling before Abraham Lincoln.

Boston To Remove Statue Depicting Abraham Lincoln With Freed Black Man At His Feet

10:12pm July 01, 2020

by Cristela Guerra

Emancipation Memorial has stood in Park Square since 1879. It is a version of the original, in Washington, D.C., which was funded by formerly enslaved people but designed without their input.

Pastor Jay Wolf leads a prayer service at First Baptist Church in Montgomery in 2019. He says he has "no idea" how many African Americans are in his congregation. "We are the body of Christ, and we need Jesus, and that's all I need to know," he says.

White Supremacist Ideas Have Historical Roots In U.S. Christianity

8:33pm July 01, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

Beginning in the days of slavery and Jim Crow segregation, elements of racist ideology have long existed in white churches. How Christians could promote such views is a point that upsets many people.

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A business in San Antonio posts a reminder about face masks. The city is one of a growing number of localities and states mandating that face coverings be worn in public.

National

Pennsylvania Joins The Growing List Of States Mandating Face Masks In Public

7:35pm July 01, 2020

by Rachel Treisman

Pennsylvania, Oregon and Kansas are among the latest states to require face coverings in public settings as COVID-19 cases surge in much of the country. Health officials say masks can slow the spread.

Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event in Fort Madison, Iowa, in January.

Hundreds Of Former Bush Officials Unite To Endorse Joe Biden

6:48pm July 01, 2020

by Alana Wise

Leaders of a new super PAC said they don't support Biden's full political agenda but agree with an "urgent need to restore the soul of this nation."