Today’s edition of quick hits.
* In Ukraine: “Russian missiles hit the city of Odesa on Saturday, hours after Moscow and Kyiv signed deals allowing grain exports to resume from the Black Sea port, officials in Ukraine said Saturday.”
* A public health emergency: “The World Health Organization on Saturday declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern, a designation reserved for the most serious global disease outbreaks. That puts monkeypox on the same list as six other outbreaks with the same WHO label since 2007: Covid-19, Zika, H1N1 flu, polio and Ebola, which has been designated an emergency twice.”
* The president’s recovery appears to be on track: “President Joe Biden’s Covid symptoms have ‘almost completely resolved’ and he is scheduled to make his first public appearance in three days with a virtual meeting Monday.”
* On the Hill: “Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Monday that he has tested positive for Covid, which could complicate the Senate’s push to finish a number of priorities in the two weeks leading up to the August recess.”
* A fascinating corruption controversy: “A lawyer working for a Mississippi state agency and trying to recoup tens of millions of dollars in misused welfare funds was fired on Friday after he issued a subpoena that could turn up details about the involvement of prominent Mississippians — including the former Governor Phil Bryant and the retired football star Brett Favre — in one of the ugliest scandals to shake the nation’s poorest state in recent years.”
* All is not well in Florida: “The group called County Citizens Defending Freedom — whose objections about sex education material persuaded the Miami-Dade School Board to pull a textbook this week — cites Biblical principles in its mission statement, lists conservative and politically active Christian groups as partners and invites activists to become ‘ambassadors for freedom.’” * An op-ed from Dr. Caitlin Bernard: “My life’s work has been to go where I’m needed, to serve my fellow human beings, and to relieve pain and suffering in any way I can. That is what I will continue to do.” * Trump’s latest attack on McConnell: “Former President Trump on Thursday vented his anger with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) during the House select Jan. 6 committee’s hearing, slamming him as a ‘disloyal sleazebag’ despite the recent victories McConnell helped secure for Trump’s legacy.” See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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