Author: Joey Garrison, USA TODAY

The program provided grants for 101,000 restaurants – significantly less than the 278,000 eligible applications submitted.

Gun deaths in the U.S. this year are up more than 20% over 2020. Joe Biden is launching a strategy to take on the rising violence.

After weeks of meetings but little progress, Biden halted negotiations with the Republican group during a phone call with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.

The setback raises major doubts over Biden’s goal to pass a sweeping infrastructure bill with support from Republicans.

As Biden calls for $174 billion for electric vehicles, Republican lawmakers have opposed that piece of his infrastructure plan.

Most states and cities will receive funds in two tranches: one in the coming days and an infusion of the same amount 12 months from now.

The moves are President Biden’s toughest and most sweeping to take aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin five months after the SolarWinds breach.

The war in Afghanistan has cost more than $2 trillion and more than 2,300 American lives. More than 38,000 Afghan civilians have been killed.

Biden is requesting a significant 16% increase for domestic spending and a modest 1.7% boost for the Defense Department.