Republican lawmaker defends fact he isn’t getting vaccinated

By AJ Willingham, CNN

Another heat wave is rolling in this weekend, and it will affect the Pacific Northwest — again. About 35 million people from there to the Louisiana Gulf Coast will be under heat alerts.

Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1.Coronavirus

A growing number of places and groups are considering vaccine or mask mandates as Covid-19 cases continue to rise. California will require all state employees and health care workers to provide proof of vaccination status or get regular testing. New York City has a similar plan for its entire municipal workforce, including police officers and teachers. More than 50 major medical and health groups have issued a joint statement calling for all health care employers to mandate employees be vaccinated. Is it legal for places to impose such requirements? In short, yes. Justice Department lawyers have determined federal law doesn’t prohibit public agencies and private businesses from requiring Covid-19 vaccines. Experts say if vaccination rates remain stagnant, the US could see as many as 200,000 cases a day in the coming weeks.

2. Capitol riot

The House select committee charged with investigating the January 6 insurrection will hold its first public hearing today. The committee will hear testimony from four police officers who were on the front lines the day of the attack. This is the first big public step for the committee’s investigation, which has seen strong GOP pushback. Currently, Republican leaders are hoping to zero in on security failures from the day of the attack to take attention away from former President Donald Trump’s role. Only two Republicans, Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, are on the committee. Their fellow party members are trying to chip away at their credibility to zing them for participating and undermine the committee’s mission in general.

3. Iraq

President Joe Biden announced plans to formally conclude the US combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year, winding down another prolonged US military engagement. Unlike the troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, this decision was made with Iraq’s urging, and Biden made the announcement alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. This agreement will also not result in a troop withdrawal. Rather, the US and Iraq are expected to announce the US mission will fully shift to an advisory role. Meanwhile, White House officials have told lawmakers they will need $1 billion in emergency funds as the US works to evacuate and accommodate Afghan translators and other personnel who worked for the US in Afghanistan, and are now trying to leave the country amid the last phases of troop withdrawal there.

4. Hong Kong

The first person to be tried under Hong Kong’s controversial national security law faces life in prison after being found guilty of inciting secession and terrorism. This trial was seen as a litmus test for how the law will be implemented and interpreted in court, and the landmark ruling will likely have profound implications for the city’s legal system. The 24-year-old was found guilty of terrorism for crashing his motorcycle into a group of police officers last year. He was also found guilty of a second charge, incitement to commit secession, for carrying a large black banner emblazoned with the popular anti-government protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times.”

5. Haiti

A cache of Internal Justice Ministry documents obtained exclusively by CNN reveal death threats and other roadblocks faced by those investigating the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise earlier this month. Multiple Haitian officials have received death threats since their investigation began, documents show. Some of these officials have gone into hiding. Sources close to the investigation also describe unusual restrictions and difficulty accessing crime scenes. Potential key witnesses, like presidential guards who were present at the time of the assassination, were allowed to leave the scene without being interviewed. The inconsistencies raise several questions: Is there a motive behind these obstacles, or are they consequences of Haiti’s underfunded justice system? So far, there has been no public announcement of formal charges against any suspects in the case.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Issa Rae is married

Vera Wang? South of France? True love? That’s a dream wedding right there!

Largest known comet has been traveling for millions of years

An interesting journey to ponder next time you’re stuck in a traffic jam.

The “Dexter” revival trailer is here

The moral Miami serial killer is now a moral Upstate New York serial killer.

An Argentinian fencer lost her match but did score a proposal of marriage

If you can’t have a medal, a ring will do.

Still don’t know what cryptocurrency is? Here’s an explainer

It’s also OK if you never want to know. This is a judgment-free zone.

Event

CNN Business presents “Foreseeable Future: A Conversation About The Workplace Revolution”

It’s no secret the pandemic has changed the way we work. But … what happens next? Join CNN Business for a free, exclusive event where you’ll hear insights from Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO), Dan Springer (DocuSign CEO), Anjali Sud (Vimeo CEO) and Alexi Robichaux (BetterUp co-founder & CEO) about the future of work and how companies and employees are adjusting to the new normal.

The conversation streams live on Thursday, July 29 at 11 a.m. ET. Reserve your spot here!

Olympics update

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal ever. She also set an Olympic record, lifting a combined weight of 224 kilograms, to clinch the top spot in the women’s 55-kg class.

Follow the latest Olympic updates and highlights here.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“To put it clearly and unequivocally, our values as employees are not accurately reflected in the words and actions of our leadership.“

An excerpt from a petition signed by more than 2,000 current and former employees at video game company Activision Blizzard. In the petition, employees slam the company’s response to a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination and harassment within the workplace.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

Less “Aaaah!” More “Ahhhh.”

Enjoy a lovely trip down the world’s longest waterslide in Penang, Malaysia. (I’ve cued the video up to the moment of takeoff! Click here to view)

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