A former senior aide to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul was indicted this month for allegedly funneling $25,000 from a wealthy, unnamed Russian to former President Trump's reelection efforts.
The big picture: The Justice Department alleges thatJesse Benton, 43, the husband of Paul's niece and a veteran Republican staffer, orchestrated a scheme to conceal the illegal foreign donation with another GOP operative, Doug Wead.
The Biden administration will raise the refugee admissions cap to 125,000 for the next fiscal year beginning in October, the State Department confirmed in a statement Monday.
Why it matters: The move comes as the U.S. contends with resettling tens of thousands of Afghan refugees stateside, and as the world faces "unprecedented global displacement and humanitarian needs," the department wrote.
The United Nations General Assembly's livestream received an unprecedented boost in popularity Monday when more than a million viewers tuned in to watch the uber-popular Korean pop boy band BTS take the stage in the hallowed General Assembly hall.
Driving the news: The group delivered a seven-minute speech addressing climate change, vaccinations, digital interconnectedness, as well as a hopeful message about how young people can make a positive impact, per the Washington Post.
A San Antonio physician is facing a lawsuit after he admitted performing an abortion considered illegal under Texas' new law.
Why it matters: The civil suit, filed by a convicted felon in Arkansas, against Alan Braid is the first such suit under the law that allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps a pregnant person obtain an abortion after six weeks.
In the first three months of 2021, U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) reported 4,135 threats against members of Congress, a rate so high that if it continues the total number of threats could be double the amount in 2020, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Why it matters: The Jan. 6 Capitol riot put a renewed focus on security as well as the USCP shortcomings and constraints in addressing these threats.
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) said Monday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, and that his vaccination against the virus prevented a more severe infection.
What they're saying: "Today, I tested positive for COVID-19," Ryan wrote on Twitter. "While I’m currently experiencing mild symptoms, I’m grateful to have the protection of a safe and effective vaccine — and I know without it, this illness could be much, much worse."
"What we have learned over the last year and a half is that we are in this together, and I urge all Ohioans to help us crush this pandemic by wearing a mask and getting vaccinated so that we can get back to normal."
Our thought bubble, via Axios' Russell Contreras: The images of Border Patrol agents on horseback charging at Haitian migrants drew an emotional response online since the Border Patrol has a troubled and violent history against communities of color.
President Biden on Monday commemorated the 10th anniversary of the repeal of the military's “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule, saying a "great injustice was remedied" on the occasion.
Why it matters: The policy banned openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people from serving. Its repeal moved the U.S. "closer to its foundational promise of equality, dignity, and opportunity for all," Biden said.
House and Senate leadership announced on Monday that they plan to attach a proposal to raise the debt ceiling through Dec. 2022 to a short-term, government funding bill. The bill must pass before the end of the month or Congress risks a shutdown.
Why it matters: Democrats are taking a huge risk by trying to force through an increase of the debt limit in its must-pass funding bill. The move is wishful thinking on behalf of Democrats who are hoping they can get at least 10 centrist Republicans to balk, as well as an effort to put Republicans on record opposing it.
President Biden will use his first address before the UN General Assembly to lay out his vision for an era of "intensive diplomacy" with allies and "vigorous competition" with great powers — without a Cold War with China.
Why it matters: Biden will take the podium in New York on Tuesday with his own international credibility in question after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. His administration also is struggling to build international momentum to fight climate change, the pandemic and rising global authoritarianism.
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced Monday that all teachers, school personnel and early child care workers must get vaccinated against the coronavirus by Nov. 1 with no option to opt out with weekly testing.
Why it matters: A majority of the D.C. city council urged Bowser to eliminate the weekly testing option for public school teachers and day care professionals, WashPost noted. Bowser's new mandateextended the vaccine requirement without a testing option to all D.C. public schools, charter schools, private schools and child care facilities.
The Supreme Court on Dec. 1 will hear a challenge to a Mississippi law that bans nearly all abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.
Why it matters: The Mississippi attorney general is asking the court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that set a precedent for the constitutional right to abortion.
White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients announced on Monday that the Biden administration will allow fully vaccinated travelers from around the world to enter the U.S.beginning in November.
Why it matters: The announcement comes as President Biden seeks commitments from countries to donate vaccines to the global COVAX initiative. He is expected to host a COVID summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week, and many of the countries attending have expressed frustration with the travel ban.
The White House announced a slew of actions Monday, including the start of a rule-making process at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to protect American workers from extreme heat.
Washington Post journalist Robert Costa on Monday said in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" that Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley "was not going rogue" when told his Chinese counterpart that the U.S. would not launch a surprise attack.
Driving the news: President Biden last week expressed "great confidence" in Milley after excerpts released from Costa and Bob Woodward's book "Peril" revealed calls where Milley admits he would let China know ahead of time if former President Trump decided to attack.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres raised concerns in an interview with AP, published Monday, of another Cold War between the U.S. and China.
Why it matters: Guterres made the comments ahead of this week's UN General Assembly in New York. Guterres told AP the U.S.-U.K. deal to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia "is just one small piece of a more complex puzzle ... this completely dysfunctional relationship between China and the United States."
RuPaul made Emmy history with his 11th win at the awards on Sunday night.
Why it matters: That makes him the most decorated Black artist since the event began in 1949, per EW. He's also the most-awarded person of color, Variety notes.
A flight carrying more than 230 passengers, including Afghans, Americans and other international civilians departed from Kabul's airport for Qatar's capital, Doha, Sunday, Qatari official Lolwah Al-Khater announced.
Why it matters: A Qatari official told Reuters 236 passengers were on the plane — making it the biggest evacuation flight since the full U.S. military pullout on Aug. 31. It's the fourth airlift by Qatar Airways from Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
North Korea warned of possible "counteraction" if it finds the new U.S. deal to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia is a threat to its security, per a statement published by the state-run KCNA news agency Monday.
Details: The North Korean Foreign Ministry statement said both the U.S. security partnership with the U.K. and Australia, known as AUKUS, and the submarine deal were "extremely undesirable and dangerous acts which will upset the strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region and trigger off a chain of nuclear arms race."
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Sunday that the U.S. could face a fresh financial crisis if Congress failed to raise or suspend the country's debt ceiling.
Why it matters: The U.S. has never defaulted on its debt, but some Republican lawmakers have threatened to vote against raising the debt ceiling, arguing that it would only promote more government spending.
The Senate parliamentarian ruled Sunday that Democrats cannot include pathways to citizenship in the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, per a copy of the ruling obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: It's a blow to Democrats who hoped to provide pathways for millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Using reconciliations would have allowed them to pass politically contentious immigration changes with only 50 votes, as opposed to the usual 60 required.
