Biden’s former doctor refuses to answer questions in House Republican probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s White House physician is refusing to answer questions as part of the House Republican investigation into Biden’s health in office. Dr. Kevin O’Connor invoked his rights under the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door interview Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee. Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer of Kentucky says O’Connor’s refusal to testify makes it “clear there was a conspiracy.” Republicans are probing Biden’s actions in office and questioning whether the Democrat’s use of an autopen may have been invalid. Biden has called the claims “ridiculous and false.” The Oversight committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, calls the Republican investigation a waste of time.

Philadelphia workers and city reach a deal to end strike that halted residential trash pickup

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia’s weeklong city workers’ strike has ended with a tentative agreement between the union and the city. Nearly 10,000 workers from District Council 33 walked off the job on July 1, demanding better pay and benefits. The deal includes a 3% annual raise for the next three years, with additional increases for veteran workers. The strike disrupted trash pickup, closed libraries, and reduced recreation center hours. Trash collection will resume Monday, and other services will gradually return to normal. The agreement still requires union approval. The mayor said that over her four-year term, the workers will have received a total pay bump of 14%.

The US is having its worst year for measles in more than three decades

(AP) — The U.S. is having its worst year for measles spread in more than three decades, with a total of 1,288 cases nationally and another six months to go in 2025. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the national case count surpassed 2019, when there were 1,274 cases for the year and the country almost lost its status of having eliminated the vaccine-preventable illness. That could happen this year if the virus has nonstop spread for 12 months. This year’s outbreaks, some of them interconnected, started five months ago in undervaccinated communities in West Texas.

New Mexico mountain village braces for more rain following deadly flash flooding

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico mountain village is preparing for another round of monsoon rains as it tries to dig out from historic flooding that killed a man and two children. Dozens of homes have been damaged and crews scrambled Wednesday to clear mud and debris from Ruidoso’s streets and culverts. Authorities say the damage assessments will likely take several days. The Rio Ruidoso swelled to about 20 feet Tuesday after more than 3 inches of rain fell in 90 minutes across a burn scar left by a severe wildfire last year. The community has been repeatedly hit by wildfires and flooding over recent years. Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford says it could have been much worse but that people heeded warnings to get to high ground.