Politics

By Oren Liebermann and Ellie Kaufman, CNN A US destroyer sailed near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the US Navy’s 7th Fleet announced, days after China imposed new maritime identification rules that include the disputed body of water. The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, sailed within 12 miles of

By Kate Sullivan, CNN The Saudi embassy in Washington, DC, said Wednesday it “welcomes the release of” classified documents related to the September 11 terrorist attacks as pressure ramps up on the Biden administration to disclose additional information the government has previously blocked. “Since that horrific day 20 years ago, the leadership of Saudi Arabia

By Katelyn Polantz and Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN A Pennsylvania man who told the FBI and local news media that he organized buses for 200 people to travel to Washington, DC, for the January 6 Donald Trump rally, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a low-level charge for taking part in the US Capitol insurrection. Just before

By Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck, CNN The Biden administration has told 11 officials appointed to military service academy advisory boards by former President Donald Trump to resign or be dismissed, a source familiar with the situation tells CNN’s KFile. The officials asked to resign include prominent former Trump officials like former White House press

By Kate Sullivan, CNN President Joe Biden held a belated Labor Day celebration at the White House on Wednesday as he made the case for his large-scale economic agenda and how it would benefit working and middle-class families at an event honoring labor unions. “We’re the only country in the world that goes into a

By Melanie Zanona and Whitney Wild, CNN Law enforcement officials are bracing for potential clashes and unrest during an upcoming right-wing rally in Washington, DC, as violent rhetoric surrounding the September 18 event has increased online and counterprotests are being planned for the same day, according to an internal Capitol Police memo reviewed by CNN.

By Daniella Diaz, CNN Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Democrats are moving “full speed ahead” on the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill despite the call for a “strategic pause” and smaller price tag from moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. “We’re moving full speed ahead,” Schumer said on a call

By Kristin Wilson, CNN Democratic Rep. Darren Soto of Florida, who is fully vaccinated, announced on Twitter Wednesday that he tested positive for Covid-19. “I recently tested positive for #COVID19, and am grateful to only have mild symptoms, which I credit to the vaccine,” Soto said. “I am currently self-isolating and working remotely. I encourage

By Morgan Rimmer and Jessica Dean, CNN House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted Wednesday that Congress would raise the debt ceiling, though she added it would not be done through reconciliation. “We won’t be putting it in reconciliation, no,” Pelosi said during a news conference on Capitol Hill, when asked which options Democrats were pursuing to

By Ariane de Vogue, CNN Supreme Court Reporter The Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it will hold oral arguments in its courtroom beginning next month, returning after more than a year of conference calls due to the Covid pandemic. Justices, lawyers, essential personnel and journalists will be allowed in the courtroom and the live audio

By Ella Nilsen, CNN A new blueprint from the Biden administration shows how solar energy could play a massive role in transitioning the United States’ power sector to clean energy, and achieve the President’s ambitious goals to decarbonize the US economy. The Solar Futures Study from the Department of Energy, released Wednesday, shows that by

By Zachary Cohen, CNN A pro-Chinese government online influence operation is targeting Americans in an effort to exploit divisions over the Covid-19 pandemic and “physically mobilize protestors in the US in response,” according to a new report from cybersecurity firm Mandiant and experts at Google. The operation, which initially attempted to discredit pro-democracy protests in

By Kevin Liptak and Kaitlan Collins, CNN President Joe Biden, entering autumn with coronavirus still wreaking havoc on the nation’s health and economy, will push for new vaccine mandates and testing programs as part of a revamped approach to ending the pandemic. The six-pronged plan Biden is set to unveil Thursday afternoon was still being

By Tami Luhby, CNN Food insecurity among families with children rose in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic upended the US economy, according to a US Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday. Some 7.6% of households with children, nearly 3 million families, were unable at times to provide adequate, nutritious food for their kids last year,

By Lauren Fox, CNN Divisions over what should be included in Democrats’ massive reconciliation package are spilling into the open ahead of lawmakers’ return to Capitol Hill, previewing the monumental fight and signaling just how fragile the execution of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda really is. For months, Democrats have largely been able to paper

By Liz Stark, CNN The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed more people away from the profession of driving, signaling a bumpy road ahead for key industries ranging from ride-hailing to delivery services. This issue is especially acute among school districts grappling with a shortage of school bus drivers as the new academic year begins this week