The Biden administration is looking to use the July 4th weekend to celebrate America s independence from COVID-19, despite the spread of the more contagious Delta variant.
This year s celebrations at the White House will appear much like they did before the pandemic, with some 1-thousand essential workers and military families invited.
All the participants have been tested for COVID-19.
While those who have been fully vaccinated don t have to wear a mask, the White House is requiring that all unvaccinated participants wear them.
The traditional fireworks on the National Mall will also be held with no COVID-19 restrictions in place.
The United States has named North Korea as one of the worst human trafficking nations for the 19th consecutive year.
In its annual Trafficking in Persons Report Thursday, the U.S. State Department said Pyeongyang was designated as one of the 11 governments with a policy or pattern of human trafficking. We document 11 countries where the government itself is the trafficker. For example, through forced labor on public works projects or in sectors of the economy that the government feels are particularly important.
The 11 governments also include those of Afghanistan, Myanmar, China, Iran and Russia. The North ranked among the lowest Tier 3, with the report saying the regime does not meet the minimum standards for eradicating trafficking.
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