State

The idea that COVID countermeasures might include forced vaccination and vaccine passports, resulting in a segregated society where only those participating in the vaccine experiment would have human rights, was once labeled a wild conspiracy theory — but we are now heading into that dangerous territory.

After handing the Taliban US-supplied military hardware on a silver platter thanks to the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, the Biden administration scrambled to deprive the terrorist organization of funding - freezing Afghan government reserves held in US bank accounts, and blocking the Taliban from accessing billions of dollars held in US institutions, according to the Washington Post, citing two people familiar with the matter.

The office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Tuesday afternoon the governor tested positive for COVID-19. He is reported to be isolating in the Governor’s Mansion.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) indicated before Congress went on recess that Sen. Jeff Merkley’s (D-Ore.) election reform “For the People” Act would be the top priority for congressional Democrats upon their return. This comes after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) successfully blocked debate on the bill earlier this month. In the evenly divided Senate, Democrats will have a tough battle to pass the legislation as Republicans stand together in unanimous opposition to the bill.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said in a statement that teaching critical race theory in Arkansas teaches children to judge people based on skin color.

A minister in Tennessee, who banned his congregants from wearing masks, declared that they will stand their ground after the church was vandalized.

Manufacturing activity growth decelerated sharply in New York.

Widespread chaos has consumed Afghanistan now that the Taliban have gained control of the country, inciting fear among religious minorities, including Christians who are worried about an increase in persecution. 

On Sunday, the Texas Supreme Court issued an emergency stay for Governor Greg Abbott’s ban on local face mask mandates.

According to a coalition of unlikely allies, including Christians, secularists, comedians, and LGBT activists, you are, and have been since 2014. Back then, the coalition successfully campaigned against the criminalization of insulting speech in section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, which made it an offence to use "threatening, insulting or abusive" words or behaviour.