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1 hour ago - Health

The fight over mask mandates in schools turns violent

Some 30 protesters rallied outside of Hewes Middle School in Tustin, CA on Friday, Aug. 13. Photo: MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images

As children head back to the classroom, a "vocal minority" in the U.S. have resorted to violence or disruptive measures to protest against mask mandates in schools.

Driving the news: While the majority of Americans support the mandates, per a recent Axios/Ipsos poll, back-to-school confrontations across the U.S. have gotten so hot that teachers and other officials have been punched, hit and screamed at.

3 hours ago - World

Israeli PM will press Biden to prioritize Iran in White House visit

Naftali Bennett Photo: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will introduce a new Iran policy when he meets with President Biden on Thursday.

Why it matters: With nuclear talks stalled and the White House consumed by the crisis in Afghanistan, Israeli officials worry that Iran will continue to develop its nuclear program without any pressure from the U.S. or its European allies.

Communicate like Axios
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3 hours ago - Health

Biden calls on public, private sectors to "step up" vaccine requirements

Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images

President Biden on Monday called on public and private entities to "step up" coronavirus vaccine mandates hours after the Food and Drugs Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine.

Why it matters: The U.S. has seen a recent boost in vaccinations, reaching six million shots in the last seven days, according to Biden. "This is critical progress, but we need to move faster," he said in a brief address.

Internal investigation clears Capitol Police officer who killed Ashli Babbitt

A door window smashed by demonstrators in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. Photo: Erin Scott/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Capitol Police officer who killed Ashli Babbitt during the Capitol insurrection has been cleared of any wrongdoing, the department announced Monday.

Why it matters: Babbitt, an Air Force veteran from California, was among a mob of rioters who used a flagpole against the barricaded doors. The officer shot Babbitt as she attempted to force her way through a broken window into the Speaker's Lobby just off the House chamber floor.

7 hours ago - Health

New York City mandates COVID vaccinations for public school staff

A classroom in New York City in July. Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

All New York City Department of Education employees, including teachers and school staff, must receive at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by Sept. 27, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday.

Why it matters: The mandate affects about 148,000 people — including teachers, custodians and office staff — working in the largest U.S. school district. School is set to start Sept. 13.

Dan Primack, author of Pro Rata
7 hours ago - Economy & Business

Valuations for venture-backed companies at record highs

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Valuations for U.S. venture-backed companies are at record highs, per data released this morning by PitchBook.

Between the lines: It's the new normal, in which nontraditional investors are traditional, unicorns are pigeons and startups are in the driver's seat.

Ina Fried, author of Login
7 hours ago - Technology

YouTube says content policing is good for business

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch, Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

While critics allege YouTube puts profits over public safety, product head Neal Mohan insists that the Google-owned video site is working to be a better content moderator, in part because it is good for business.

Why it matters: Users spend billions of hours watching videos on YouTube, and the site's content recommendations shape how that time is spent. Facebook and Twitter tend to get more attention on content moderation, but YouTube remains an equally important information battleground.

Updated 8 hours ago - Health

FDA grants full approval to Pfizer's COVID vaccine

Photo: Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for those aged 16 and older.

Why it matters: It's the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive full authorization from the federal government. Experts hope the approval will encourage more unvaccinated people in the U.S. to get the shot, especially as the country experiences a surge in COVID cases largely driven by the Delta variant.

Updated 8 hours ago - Science

Storm Henri expected to bring more heavy rain to parts of Northeast

An aerial view of flooded streets are seen in Helmetta, New Jersey. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Storm Henri dumped heavy rain across the Northeastern U.S. on Sunday, causing considerable flash, urban and other minor flooding over the Tri-State Area and New England.

The latest: The storm is expected to continue to drench the region through Monday night. More than 60,000 customers throughout the Northeast were without power as of Monday morning, according to Poweroutage.us.

What to make of trader sentiment

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Traders have their eyes on COVID-19 and inflation.

Why it matters: Sentiment can drive the direction of markets in the short term as traders react to daily news headlines.

Ben Geman, author of Generate
9 hours ago - Energy & Environment

The EV revolution will hit speed bumps

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Nobody said the transition to electric vehicles would be seamless, and the General Motors recall of every Chevy Bolt is the latest example of why it won't be.

Driving the news: GM's expanding Bolt recall over battery fire risks to include 2020-2022 models, and 2019 models that weren't covered by previous rounds.

10 hours ago - World

Taliban says there will be "consequences" if U.S. extends troop withdrawal

U.S. soldiers standing guard at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 20. Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images

A spokesperson for the Taliban told Sky News Monday there would be "consequences" if the U.S. extended its troop withdrawal beyond Aug. 31 to complete the evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies from the country.

Why it matters: The U.S. and its allies are quickly approaching the full withdrawal date with thousands left to still evacuate. President Biden has said troops will remain in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, and in remarks Sunday, he did not rule out the prospect of staying past the deadline.

Biden's political calculations

President Biden in the Situation Room Sunday. Photo: The White House

President Biden aimed three numbered messages at three specific audiences during Sunday afternoon remarks on Afghanistan.

To Fox News viewers: "One, planes taking off from Kabul are not flying directly to the United States. They're landing at U.S. military bases and transit centers around the world."

College students on high COVID alert ahead of return to campus

Illustration: Rae Cook/Axios

With the Delta variant surging, college students are not ready to resume campus life as normal, according to a new Generation Lab/Axios poll.

Why it matters: For four-year students who enrolled in 2019-20, there is just one year remaining to enjoy something resembling a regular college experience.

Updated 15 hours ago - World

German military: Firefight involving U.S. forces at Kabul airport

British and Canadian soldiers stand guard near a canal as Afghans wait outside the foreign military-controlled part of Kabul's airport late Sunday. Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images

An Afghan guard was killed and three others wounded in a "firefight" with "unknown attackers" at Kabul's airport — which also involved German and U.S. security forces, Germany's military said Monday.

The latest: Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said later Monday that the U.S. could not yet determine which group was responsible for the attack.

Updated 19 hours ago - Health

Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson "responding positively" to COVID treatment

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Jackson at a 2018 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation event in Washington, D.C. Photo: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife, Jacqueline Jackson, were "responding positively" to treatment Sunday — one day after being hospitalized with COVID-19, their son said.

Details: Physicians at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago were "carefully monitoring" the 79-year-old civil rights leader and Jacqueline Jackson "especially because of their ages," said Jonathan Jackson in a statement Sunday.

Updated 20 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Biden says Afghan evacuation efforts could extend beyond Aug. 31

President Biden at the White House on Sunday. Photo: Ken Cedeno/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images

President Biden said on Sunday that U.S. evacuation efforts from Afghanistan could be extended beyond Aug. 31.

Why it matters: Biden sought to address criticisms of much of the White House response to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, outlining why the administration was using commercial airlines to help relocate evacuees and the protocols in place to ensure that Afghans arriving to the U.S. have been thoroughly vetted.