The State Department's energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, will serve as the new mediator between Lebanon and Israel in a dispute over the maritime border and natural gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, Israeli and U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: Hochstein is one of President Biden’s closest confidants and has worked with him for many years. Appointing Hochstein as the mediator raises the profile of this ongoing conflict, and signals it is a higher priority for the Biden administration.
The Senate passed a 30-day, short-term extension of federal highway programs on Saturday, sending the legislation to President Biden, who is expected to sign.
Why it matters: Roughly 3,700 Transportation Department employees were temporarily furloughed after Congress failed to reauthorize the programs because Republicans rejected the legislation on Friday.
Thousands of women gathered in Washington, D.C., and several other cities in the United States and around the world to march for abortion rights in response to the Supreme Court's recent decision to allow Texas' new restrictive abortion law to go into effect.
Why it matters: Texas' new law, which went into effect in early September, is one of the most restrictive abortion bans to be enforced since the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.
U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry believes "enormous progress" could be made at an upcoming UN climate summit in Scotland to reduce carbon emission levels if more governments must come up with concrete commitments, the Associated Press reports.
Driving the news: America's climate credibility rests in part on the reconciliation bill's movement ahead of the 12-day climate summit, which starts Oct. 31.
An English-speaking narrator of many violent ISIS recruitment videos was charged on Saturday with conspiring to provide material support to the terrorist group, resulting in death, prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia announced.
Why it matters: Prosecutors allege Mohammed Khalifa, a Saudi-born Canadian citizen, served in prominent roles within ISIS before he was captured by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019 and recently transferred into the custody of the FBI.
The Citadel in South Carolina and the Virginia Military Institute celebrate a historic moment Saturday as both Corps of Cadets at the schools are being commanded by women.
Driving the news: The schools are set to face off in the Military Classic of the South football game in Charleston, South Carolina, where the commanders will be formally introduced at a military parade.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on Friday signed several prison infrastructure bills that will be paid in part with the state's American Rescue Plan funds, according to AL.com.
Why it matters: State Democrats have criticized the move as a misuse of funds meant to help states recover from the coronavirus pandemic, but the Biden administration has given states broad discretion with how they choose to use the relief money.
Former President Trump and his attorneys filed a motion Friday asking a federal judge to force Twitter to reinstate his account, which was a crucial tool to reach his supporters throughout his presidency and the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Why it matters: Trump has been unable to post on Twitter for around 10 months after the social media platform indefinitely banned him in January following the violent Capitol riot by a pro-Trump mob.
All the old vices — from sex to gambling to drugs — are quickly becoming legal, as both society and the criminal justice system rethink their values.
The big picture: This amounts to an under-the-radar shift in how society treats what have long been thought of as victimless crimes — behaviors that might not harm anyone who isn't participating, but that are considered to offend social morals.
The Senate will attempt to pass a 30-day, short-term extension of federal highway programs on Saturday after Republicans prevented the chamber from clearing the stopgap bill on Friday night.
Why it matters: Roughly 3,700 Transportation Department employees have been temporarily furloughed as a result of the roadblock, per Reuters. The deadline to reauthorize the programs expired at midnight on Thursday.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) voiced alarm and frustration about the surge of COVID cases in her state on Friday, decrying comparisons of mask mandates to Nazism.
Why it matters: Alaska's number of weekly cases has steadily increased in recent months, jumping 10% from just last week, according to state health data. Meanwhile, anti-vaxxers continue to protest mask and vaccine mandates in increasingly hostile situations.
