Tucker Carlson's fawning new Orban interview shows the right's dream future  —  The first segment of Tucker Carlson's long-anticipated Fox News interview with Viktor Orban has now aired, and it did not disappoint: It provides a deeply unsettling glimpse into the true nature …

DeSantis' cynical move on Covid-19  —  'I don't want to hear a blip from you': Florida governor mocks Biden as virus rages in his state  —  David Axelrod, a senior CNN political commentator and host of “The Axe Files,” was a senior adviser to President Barack Obama and chief strategist …

Arkansas judge blocks state from enforcing mask mandate ban  —  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban on mask mandates after lawmakers left the prohibition in place despite a rising number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Obama Birthday Party: Who's Still Invited?  —  The former president scaled back the guest list for his party on Martha's Vineyard.  Who's in and who's out?  —  Jay-Z and Beyoncé were still in, as of Friday.  —  David Axelrod and Larry David were out.

7 Out Of 10 New York State Voters Say Cuomo Should Resign, Quinnipiac University New York State Poll Finds; 55% Think Cuomo Should Be Charged With A Crime  — mail_outline  —  Just days after the New York Attorney General released a report detailing allegations of sexual harassment …

Baby girl with Covid-19 airlifted 150 miles because of Houston hospital bed shortage  —  (CNN)An 11-month-old girl with Covid-19 is stable and no longer intubated one day she was airlifted to a Texas hospital 150 miles away because of a shortage of pediatric beds in the Houston area.

DeJoy maintains financial ties to former company as USPS awards it new $120 million contract  —  XPO Logistics pays DeJoy and family businesses at least $2.1 million annually to lease four office buildings in North Carolina  —  The U.S. Postal Service will pay $120 million over the next five years …

How a Trump environmental lawyer tried to weaponize the Justice Department to help the President  —  Jeffrey Clark, a Donald Trump-appointed environment law chief at the Justice Department at the center of the former President's efforts to overturn the election, received a high-level intelligence …

9/11 families to President Biden: Don't come to our memorial events  —  Nearly 1,800 Americans directly affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are opposing President Joe Biden's participation in any memorial events this year unless he upholds his pledge to declassify U.S. government evidence …

Washington's hottest club is Joe Manchin's houseboat  —  Generally speaking, the first rule of visiting Joe Manchin III's houseboat is don't talk about Joe Manchin's houseboat.  —  This week, however, when Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tested positive for the coronavirus after attending …

United Airlines to Require All U.S. Employees to Get Covid-19 Vaccines  —  The airline is the first U.S. carrier to mandate vaccines for all employees  —  United Airlines will require its U.S. employees to be vaccinated this fall, the first major airline to take this step as the Delta variant drives …

Biden Extends Student-Loan Payment Freeze Through January  — Loan payment suspension was to expire end of September  — Roughly 41 million borrowers have benefited from the freeze  —  The Biden administration will relieve Americans from paying their federal student loans through the end of January …

Reduced Risk of Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Vaccination — Kentucky, May-June 2021  —  Alyson M. Cavanaugh, DPT, PhD1,2; Kevin B. Spicer, MD, PhD2,3; Douglas Thoroughman, PhD2,4; Connor Glick, MS2; Kathleen Winter, PhD2,5 (View author affiliations)  —  What is already known about this topic?

Lawyer for Ashli Babbitt's family slammed after claiming officer ‘ambushed’ her during Capitol riot  —  The family of Ashli Babbitt, the woman who participated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and whose shooting death by a Capitol police officer was caught on video …

Cryptocurrency brawl bogs down infrastructure bill, as Yellen and White House fight changes  —  Senators are at odds over how to handle taxation related to cryptocurrencies, setting off a fierce lobbying war  —  The Biden administration is pushing back against a last-minute effort …

GOP Senate candidates align with Trump in bashing bipartisan infrastructure bill  —  Dana Bash questions GOP lawmaker about ‘sticking points’ on infrastructure bill  —  (CNN)Sen. Rob Portman, the longtime Washington veteran and savvy deal-cutter, is on the cusp of achieving …

Gov. Cuomo accuser files criminal complaint with Albany Sheriff's Office  —  A former assistant to Gov. Andrew Cuomo who accused him of groping her while they took a selfie together has filed a criminal complaint against him with the Albany County Sheriff's Office, The Post has learned.

Ohio Rep. Bob Gibbs seeks articles of impeachment against Biden  —  Ohio Republican cites the extension of eviction moratorium, border crisis  —  Kevin McCarthy: Biden's eviction ban ‘destroying’ small businesses  —  An Ohio congressman on Friday asked his GOP House colleagues …

Transgender city councilwoman confronts Aberdeen store owner over controversial sign  —  “If you are born with a [expletive], you are not a chick,” read the sign written by Don Sucher, owner of Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop in Aberdeen.  —  ABERDEEN, Wash. — A confrontation caught …

Employers Added 943,000 Jobs in July, Unemployment Rate Fell to 5.4%  —  Robust job growth last month reflects a strong labor market ahead of the Delta variant threat  —  Employers added jobs at the best pace in nearly a year in July and the unemployment rate fell sharply …

Facebook Killed Research Into Capitol Riot to Protect Itself—Not Users  —  The FTC fired back (sort of) but plans to take no further action.  —  Alerts  —  When the Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook $5 billion for deceiving its users on privacy, it celebrated the fine as “record-breaking and history-making.”

CNN: Suuure looks like Chipman's toast — even to the White House  —  It certainly does, and has for weeks, but why is the White House admitting it?  Today's CNN report doesn't offer much new on David Chipman's status with Senate Democrats, but it does speak volumes about the Biden …

Off the Wall  —  Mike - I read several months ago that you got the vaccine.  I'm glad.  But I'm also curious.  You have a lot of people on this page who respect your opinion - many of whom I'd wager are unvaccinated.  Have you encouraged them to follow your example?  If not, what are you waiting for?

The Backstory: My brother is one of millions who won't get the COVID-19 vaccine.  I asked why.  Here are his reasons, my responses.  —  I'm USA TODAY editor-in-chief Nicole Carroll, and this is The Backstory, insights into our biggest stories of the week.  If you'd like to get The Backstory in your inbox every week, sign up here.

Mike Lindell got owned in the worst possible way on his ridiculous election fraud claims  —  (CNN)Mike Lindell is the single most prominent pusher this side of Donald Trump of the Big Lie — the idea that the 2020 election was somehow stolen despite zero evidence to back up that claim.

Disability Rights Attorney Tapped for HHS General Counsel Post  —  President Joe Biden has chosen Samuel Bagenstos to be his general counsel for the Health and Human Services Department.  —  If confirmed, he'll help the agency put out airtight policies and defend it against challenges.