The White House declares monkeypox a public health emergency

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Friday 08.05.22

Hey, just making sure you've had some water today. More than half of the US has been under some level of drought for four weeks now, and no area of the country has been spared. You can't make it rain, but you can at least keep yourself hydrated. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By AJ Willingham

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema arrives for a vote at the US Capitol on Thursday.

Economy

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema says she will "move forward" with Democrats' sweeping economic package, signaling key support that could give the party enough votes to push the bill through the Senate and on to the House for final approval. The Inflation Reduction Act is much slimmer than President Joe Biden's initial Build Back Better bill, but it would still represent the largest investment in energy and climate programs in US history. It would also extend expiring health care subsidies for three years and give Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices. New taxes would help pay for it all. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says the final version of the bill will be introduced on Saturday. It will also have to be reviewed by the Senate parliamentarian, who will decide whether the bill is eligible for the filibuster-proof budget process that will allow Democrats to pass it along party lines.

Brittney Griner

WNBA star Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years of jail time by a Russian court after being convicted on Thursday of deliberately smuggling drugs into the country. The case has raised concerns that Griner is being used as a pawn in Russia's war with Ukraine. President Biden called the sentence "unacceptable" and said his administration would work to secure Griner's release. Now, Russia has indicated it is ready to discuss a prisoner swap for Griner and another American, Paul Whelan, who has been wrongfully detained in Russia since 2018. There has already been movement in the negotiation process, but that could accelerate in the coming days now that Griner has been sentenced. Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport six months ago and accused by Russian prosecutors of trying to smuggle less than 1 gram of cannabis oil in her luggage.

Breonna Taylor

Four current and former Louisville police officers have been federally charged with civil rights violations, unlawful conspiracies, unconstitutional use of force and obstruction in relation to the deadly raid on the home of Breonna Taylor in 2020. Court documents and comments from Attorney General Merrick Garland lay out the particulars: Former Detective Joshua Jaynes, Detective Kelly Goodlett and Sgt. Kyle Meany are accused of submitting a false affidavit to search Taylor's home, and conspiring to cover up their actions afterward by creating more false information. Ex-detective Brett Hankison also faces charges. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was shot and killed in her apartment during a flawed forced-entry raid in March of 2020. Her death, along with the deaths of several other Black citizens at the time, sparked a summer of protests calling for justice reform.

Monkeypox

The Biden administration has declared monkeypox a public health emergency. The designation will allow for more attention and resources to go toward mitigating the virus. The White House has named a national monkeypox coordinator, and health officials are now considering whether to change the way the monkeypox vaccine is administered to allow for smaller but equally effective doses. Since the first US monkeypox case was identified in mid-May, more than 6,600 probable or confirmed cases have been detected in the United States. Cases have been identified in every state except Montana and Wyoming. The Biden administration has been heavily criticized for waiting so long to formally address the outbreak as an emergency.

DRC

Anti-UN protests have been raging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since July 25. Protesters are demanding the withdrawal of UN forces that have been present in the country for nearly two decades. The mission of the UN's presence was to keep the peace in volatile areas teeming with armed militias. However, locals say the peacekeepers have overstayed their welcome, and have failed to rein in the rebel groups or prevent their attacks against civilians. Since the latest wave of unrest, UN peacekeepers in the country have been accused of using violent force against citizens. As of last November, over 12,000 troops and more than 1,600 police officers have been deployed in the DRC as part of the UN's mission there.

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This week, primary voters in which state struck down a proposed amendment to the state's constitution that would have outlawed abortion?

A. Washington
B. Missouri
C. Michigan
D. Kansas

Take CNN's weekly news quiz see if you're correct!

$4 million

That's how much in damages right-wing talk show host Alex Jones will have to pay the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim. This is just one of three defamation trials brought by Sandy Hook parents. A separate, shorter trial during which punitive damages will be discussed is now expected. Punitive damages are awarded when the court finds the defendant's behavior to be especially offensive.

He is a coward. A real man wouldn't lie to his supporters. He lost his election and he lost big. I know it, he knows it and, deep down, I think most Republicans know it.

-- Former Vice President Dick Cheney, criticizing former President Donald Trump in a campaign ad in support of his daughter, Liz Cheney. In the ad, the former VP also signals his support for work of the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection. The younger Cheney is facing a competitive Republican primary in Wyoming later this month.

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