RIGHT 2 THE CITY Blog

House to vote to extend debt ceiling through early December

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House to vote to extend debt ceiling through early December

By Clare Foran & Kristin Wilson

Read the full article from CNN, here.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned lawmakers that the federal government will likely run out of cash by October 18 unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, setting up a ticking clock and high stakes. Congress may not even have that long to act since the deadline is more of a best-guess estimate than a set-in-stone deadline. That dynamic intensified pressure on Democrats and Republicans to reach a deal to address the debt limit.

But the temporary debt limit extension is only a short-term fix and sets up another looming potential fiscal crisis later this year when it runs out.

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Moderna argues the F.D.A. should authorize a half-dose of its vaccine as a booster.

By Sharon LaFraniere

Read the full article from The New York Times, here.

Moderna cited the rate of breakthrough infections, “real world evidence of reduced effectiveness against the Delta variant,” and falling levels of neutralizing antibodies from its vaccine six to eight months after a second dose. The company said its clinical trial studies showed that a third injection boosted antibody levels — one measure of the immune system’s response — higher than what they had been before the second dose.

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Brown, Walton stress housing and development platforms in bids for support

By Deidre Williams & Mark Sommer

Read the full article from Buffalo News, here.

Housing and development emerged as a theme for both mayoral candidates as they hit the campaign trail less than a month before the general election.

Walton touted land trusts, and Brown acknowledged they have a role in the city’s future – to a degree.

Brown said he would continue working with developers on housing and commercial initiatives, and Walton acknowledged they also have a role in the city’s future – to a degree.

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The rate of Covid-19 cases is dropping nationally but rising in these 5 states

By Aya Elamroussi and Holly Yan

Read the full article from CNN, here.

In 45 states, the rates of new Covid-19 cases either declined or stayed relatively steady this past week compared to the previous week, according to data Saturday from Johns Hopkins University.
Five states — Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan and Pennsylvania — had at least 10% more new cases this past week compared to the previous week.

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Merck requests FDA authorization for COVID-19 antiviral pill

By Joseph Choi

Read the full article from The Hill, here.

Merck has said that its pill, which targets the enzyme that allows the COVID-19 virus to make copies of itself, is likely effective against COVID-19 variants, including the highly infectious delta variant.

The U.S. government already has a supply agreement with Merck to acquire about 1.7 million courses of molnupiravir if it receives emergency use authorization from the FDA.

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As Biden’s vaccinate-or-test mandate approaches, questions arise over enforcement

By Heidi Przybyla and Laura Strickler

Read the full article from NBC News, here.

President Joe Biden says his sweeping Covid-19 vaccination and testing mandate will boost the economy and save lives, but as businesses prepare for the new requirement, they’re wondering not only what will be in the regulation, but how it will be enforced.

The mandate, which will apply to organizations with at least 100 employees and cover an estimated 80 million workers, has already drawn threats of lawsuits from two dozen Republican attorneys general and prompted some people to vow to quit their jobs. But a greater challenge for the administration could lie within the agency tasked with ensuring compliance.

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Moderna, Racing for Profits, Keeps Covid Vaccine Out of Reach of Poor

By Rebecca Robbins

Read the full article from The New York Times, here.

Moderna, whose coronavirus vaccine appears to be the world’s best defense against Covid-19, has been supplying its shots almost exclusively to wealthy nations, keeping poorer countries waiting and earning billions in profit.

After developing a breakthrough vaccine with the financial and scientific support of the U.S. government, Moderna has shipped a greater share of its doses to wealthy countries than any other vaccine manufacturer, according to Airfinity, a data firm that tracks vaccine shipments.

2021 election issues: Does Byron Brown deserve credit for Buffalo’s population increase?

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2021 election issues: Does Byron Brown deserve credit for Buffalo’s population increase?

By Jerry Zremski

Read the full article from Buffalo News, here.

This summer, Brown’s prediction came true. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Buffalo’s population grew 6.5% between 2010 and 2020 – its first such increase in 70 years, coming at a time when cities such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Detroit continued to lose residents.

But is Brown responsible for the turnaround?

The answer could be key to voters choosing between Brown, a four-term incumbent who is waging a write-in campaign against India Walton, the democratic socialist who unexpectedly beat him in June’s Democratic primary.

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What’s Delaying Vaccine Mandates?

By Andrew Ross Sorkin, Jason Karaian, Sarah Kessler, Stephen Gandel, Lauren Hirsch, Ephrat Livni and Anna Schaverien

Read the full article from The New York Times, here.

President Biden is headed to Chicago today, where he will make another push for companies to announce coronavirus vaccine mandates. He plans to meet with Scott Kirby of United Airlines and to visit a construction company considering a mandate, a White House official told DealBook. Throughout, the president will stress the message that vaccine mandates are crucial to the economic recovery. To bolster its case, the White House released a report this morning on the effects of corporate vaccine mandates to date.

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Covid-19 prompts Erie County leaders to wonder: ‘When is it over?’

By Sandra Tan

Read the full article from Buffalo News, here.

In recent weeks, many overarching patterns remain unchanged. Overall cases are still rising, thanks to the Delta variant, but not as quickly as before. Hospitalizations and deaths remain elevated, after a steep August climb, but have leveled off and remain well below where we were in the winter and spring. Vaccination rates are rising at an unhurried pace.

A few Erie County legislators expressed a sense of longing that they believe is felt by many, including the vaccinated. People don’t want to be publicly shamed for wishing for fewer restrictions and a greater return to normalcy, they said, even as public health experts are urging people to remain patient.

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