Border wall: The Biden Administration today published a notice in the Federal Register that the Department of Homeland Security is waiving regulations and allowing the construction of 20 miles of new border wall along the South Texas border with Mexico. “There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States,” the department said. The department said that as of early August, for Fiscal Year 2023 the Border Patrol had encountered more than 245,000 migrants attempting to enter the U. S. between ports of entry in the Rio Grande Valley Sector.
Trump goes home: After falsely telling his followers that he is stuck in New York City because he is forced to be present at his trial for business fraud, Donald Trump yesterday left the courtroom and flew back to his home in Florida. Under New York state procedures, defendants in civil cases are not required to be in court during trials. Trump is expected to return to New York at some point in the future to testify in the trial. Two accountants testified yesterday that The Trump Organization did not provide them with complete information when they were preparing financial documents for the company. New York Attorney General Letitia James said Trump’s appearance at the trial was a political stunt and that the Trump show is over.
House Speaker: Republican Congressmen Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise have declared their candidacies to follow ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Right-wing extremist Republicans such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have said they’ll nominate Donald Trump for the position. To be Speaker of the House a person does not have to be a member of Congress. Trump said he would consider serving as speaker while continuing to run for president. A House rule says that anyone who is under indictment and facing a sentence of more than two years should not serve as speaker, which would eliminate Trump. The House of Representatives is expected to return to session Wednesday and vote for a new speaker.
Russian attacks: Ukrainian officials said today that more than 48 people were killed in a Russian attack on a cafe in a village of Hroza. Some of the victims are children. The Ukrainians said that there were no casualties in Russian drone attacks today against three cities in Southern Ukraine. The Ukrainians said that 24 of the 29 Russian drones used in the attacks were shot down.
Nobel Prize: Norwegian author Jon Fosse has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He has written plays and books that have been translated into about 40 languages. Among his novels are “Wakefulness,” “Red, Black,” and “Morning and Evening.” Some of his plays have been produced Off-Broadway in New York.
Dog bites: The Biden family’s dog Commander is no longer living at the White House, but a spokesperson would not disclose to where the dog has been moved. The Secret Service has acknowledged that Commander bit people 11 times, including Secret Service agents. Several people required medical treatment including one person who was taken to a hospital. Commander is one of two German Shepherds the Bidens have.
Cover photo of Jon Fosse by Tom A. Kolstad / Det Norske Samlaget / Wikimedia Commons
