Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's longtime accusers, filed a lawsuit in New York against Prince Andrew on Monday alleging that the British royal sexually abused and raped her when she was 17 years old.
Driving the news: Giuffre alleges in the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, that the sexual abuse happened on three occasions nearly two decades ago after she was "lent out for sexual purpose" to the prince. He has denied any wrongdoing.
President Joe Biden reiterated on Monday his campaign pledge to declassify documents pertaining to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, adding that he welcomed a new filing by the Department of Justice to conduct a "fresh review" of the available documents.
Why it matters: Biden's comments come days after families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks told the president in a statement to not attend next month's 20th-anniversary memorials unless he declassifies documents that they believe will show Saudi leaders supported the attacks.
Florida's board of education could withhold pay from superintendents and school board members who mandate face masks in schools, according to a statement from Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' office Monday, reports CBS Miami.
Why it matters: Florida is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. Rising cases have triggered fierce debate around masking guidelines in schools.
The fund set up to compensate Jeffrey Epstein's victims is closing after the estate of the late sexual predator paid out about $121 million to roughly 150 victims, the program's independent administrator announced Monday.
Why it matters: The fund gave victims the chance to resolve their claims "beyond the glare of public proceedings and without the costs and confrontation of litigation," administrator Jordana Feldman said in a statement.
The Senate's bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal won't actually pass until Tuesday, but Democrats aren't waiting. They launched a $3.5 trillion budget resolution on Monday to allow them to pursue a unilateral package with a much looser definition of "infrastructure."
Why it matters: Democratic leaders' plan is nearly begging for a challenge, not just from Republicans, but potentially from some fellow Democrats as well as the Senate parliamentarian.
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has hired an independent law firm to investigate President Alphonso David's work in helping New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) respond to allegations of sexual harassment, the LGBTQ advocacy organization announced Monday.
Why it matters: The probe comes after a report from investigators appointed by the New York attorney general's office implicated David in Cuomo’s alleged efforts to discredit his accusers. David, who now faces calls to resign, called on Cuomo to step down after the report was made public.
The Pentagon will require members of the military to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 15, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo on Monday.
Why it matters: About 64% of active duty military members are fully vaccinated, a low enough rate to pose concern for potential outbreaks and international deployments, reports the New York Times.
The Dallas Independent School District announced Monday that it will require students and teachers to wear masks at its campuses to prevent the spread of "the highly contagious Delta variant."
Why it matters: Dallas ISD is the first district in the state to defy Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) order barring schools from issuing mask mandates, with district officials saying it is necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Texas Democrats who fled the state last month to block a Republican effort to pass voting restrictions scored a legal victory Sunday night after a district judge signed a temporary restraining order blocking their arrests, the Texas Tribune reports.
Why it matters: The order paves the way for the dozens of Democrats to return home without risking arrest and prevents Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) from "detaining, confining or otherwise restricting" them, per the Tribune.
Roberta Kaplan resigned Monday as chair of Time’s Up, an organization established to fight workplace sexual misconduct, after an investigation found she was involved in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's effort to discredit a woman who accused him of sexual harassment, according to the New York Times.
Why it matters: The report from investigators appointed by the New York attorney general found that Kaplan reviewed a draft of a letter that "denied the legitimacy of [ex-Cuomo aide Lindsey] Boylan's allegations, impugned her credibility, and attacked her claims as politically motivated."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday released the full text of Democrats' $3.5 trillion budget resolution, which the Senate is expected to pass without any Republican votes as early as this week.
Why it matters: Passing the resolution is the first significant step to enacting Democrats' plans to overhaul the country's climate, child care and health care laws through the budget reconciliation process.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged Congress on Monday to pass a bipartisan resolution to raise the amount of money the U.S. government can borrow, saying failing to increase the debt ceiling would "cause irreparable harm" to the economy.
Why it matters: Republican lawmakers, led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have threatened to refuse to vote for raising the debt ceiling, which came back into force on Aug. 1.
President Biden has appointedcloseformer adviser Amos Hochstein as a State Department energy envoy charged with implementing a U.S.-Germany deal allowing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to be completed, sources familiar with the decision tell Axios.
Why it matters: Hochstein has been a leading voice against Nord Stream 2, a strategic and financial priority for the Kremlin that will allow Russia to bypass Ukraine and deliver gas directly to the heart of Europe.
The Taliban continued its offensive in Afghanistan Monday, a day after taking control of the key strategic northern city of Kunduz.
Why it matters: The Taliban's escalating success poses a looming problem for the U.S., which is due to completely withdraw military forces from Afghanistan on Aug. 31.
Melissa DeRosa, the top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), announced Sunday night that she's resigning from her role as secretary to the governor.
Why it matters: DeRosa's resignation comes days after N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James office released a report finding that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women. DeRosa was mentioned multiple times in the report. Cuomo's attorneys have denounced James' findings.
A federal judge in Miami granted Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings a preliminary injunction on Sunday night in its lawsuit challenging Florida's vaccine passports ban.
Why it matters: Per a statement from Norwegian, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams' order will allow the cruise line giant to "operate in the safest way possible with 100% vaccination of all guests and crew when sailing from Florida ports."
Austin, Texas, issued an emergency alert this weekend over the "severely worsening COVID-19 situation," which has reached a "critical" point, officials said.
Why it matters: The Warn Central Texas alert system was designed to be activated during a disaster. "Our hospitals are severely stressed and there is little we can do to alleviate their burden with the surging cases," Austin-Travis County Health Authority's Desmar Walkes said in a statement.
