Seventeen years ago, I traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to write a profile of Rocky Anderson, one of America’s most radical mayors. At the time, Anderson had made a name for himself by opposing the Iraq war and pushing a range of progressive policy priorities—on housing, criminal justice reform, drug policy, and many other issues.

Nearly a generation later, Anderson is, once again, running for mayor. This time around, his signature issue is housing the homeless and finding viable policy solutions to tackle the growth of encampments in Salt Lake City. His campaign might be something of a long shot—Mayor Erin Mendenhall has a far larger campaign operation and is raking in more than twice as much cash in donations. But the onetime mayor still holds a residue of goodwill from the early 2000s, when he had approval ratings of nearly 60 percent.

Anderson, now nearly 72 years old, has also built up tremendous political capital among progressives during the 15 years that he has been out of office. He ran for president on the Justice Party ticket in 2012, in a symbolic act of protest against what he saw as President Obama’s mishandling of the post-2008 financial crisis, and against foreign policy-as-normal priorities. He founded the High Road for Human Rights, an organization intended to push the US to prioritize human rights in its foreign policy dealings and in its domestic policies around issues such as the War on Terror. Closer to home, he set up shop as a civil rights attorney, working on a number of high profile cases around police violence, draconian drug sentences, and so on, for which he was awarded the Leonard Weinglass Civil Rights Award. He has also won a drug policy award from the reform-minded Drug Policy Alliance. Throughout, he has been an outspoken advocate for the rights of homeless people: At times, he has even gone to sites where police were raiding homeless encampments in order to videotape the arrests.

For all of these reasons, Anderson can articulate tough truths, without being lambasted by progressives for doing so, in a way that few other politicians can. Think of it as his own version of the Nixon-goes-to-China strategy.

In 2023, that means that Anderson is running for office against Mayor Mendenhall—a fellow Democrat, but one whom Anderson has come to view with deep distrust—in large part to challenge what he sees as her dismal record on homelessness. He decries what he says is her cruelty in how she deals with the thousands of homeless residents in Salt Lake City; the last point-in-time count estimated nearly 3,700 people were homeless, with nearly 1,000 of them living on the streets, a 96 percent increase from 2019–22. Many thousands more experience at least some days and nights of homelessness in any given year. Amid this crisis, he is deeply angered by the orders given to police to clear the streets of homeless residents and the examples that have accumulated in recent months of law enforcement deliberately discarding the property of the homeless. Anderson, who has made a point to get to know many of these men and women, speaks of some whose blankets and warm clothing were thrown away in the dead of winter, and of the huge numbers among them who have lost limbs, fingers, or toes, to frostbite. “I don’t think that Salt Lake City has ever been at such a moral low point when it comes to the treatment of those most in need in this country,” he says. “Salt Lake City is on track to becoming very much like what we’re seeing in Los Angeles and San Francisco.”

In the area surrounding his downtown office, Anderson says, he has been seeing “more and more people living in the streets. I found there had been no outreach workers trying to help them transition from their situation on the streets into anything better.” On those streets, he said, he would see human feces and urine, due to a dearth of public toilets. Increasingly, he would hear stories of violence and of crime. Yet, when he started writing to the mayor and to the council explaining what he saw as the needs of the homeless population, he received no response. “I was appalled by the lack of caring or concern about what was happening to our city. It was becoming more and more degraded as the condition of the homeless population was becoming absolutely untenable.” In light of the scale of the crisis, Anderson lambasts the mayor for her inability to create a working infrastructure of supportive housing, mental health services, drug treatment programs and street interventions to tackle the underlying problems that have led to the proliferation of encampments and the political backlash by residents and businesses.

The issue is one has permeated the American West, and is creating political fissures in one city after the next. In the city in which I live, Sacramento, the district attorney is on the verge of suing the city because of what he sees as the mayor and council’s failure to treat encampments as a public nuisance and to protect homeowners who have large numbers of people camped out on the sidewalks in front of their houses.

Anderson is running for his old job on an avowedly carrot-and-stick approach to homelessness. The ex-mayor, who has spent a lifetime working on social justice issues and furnishing progressive explanations to accompany his policies, can call for more services for the homeless while simultaneously demanding an increased role for law enforcement in carrying out drug policy, in order to mandate that homeless residents with substance abuse problems enter treatment programs. In the era of fentanyl, he sees no other way to reclaim city centers from the chaos of the encampments.

Yet, he says angrily, too often the police simply don’t respond anymore to low level crimes committed by the homeless. “There is a sense of impunity through the city now,” Anderson, long one of the most progressive voices in American urban politics, says. “Where people feel they can do anything they want without accountability, with no consequences.” Again, this isn’t a conservative speaking; this is one of the most storied progressive mayors in recent American history.

In his first two terms in office, Anderson implemented a remarkably progressive agenda in one of the most conservative states in the country. He didn’t just talk the talk but in the most tangible ways walked the walk—improving public transit, pushing for more ambitious environmental policies, reimagining the core of the city. Now, he is campaigning largely around the promise to eliminate all homeless encampments in Salt Lake City, replacing them with temporary secure sanctioned camps far from central city neighborhoods, camps that would provide toilets, showers, storage lockers, transportation, food, professional outreach, and case management to all residents as they attempt to get their lives on track.

“I know what a mayor can do when working hard and committed to an issue,” Anderson says. “It’s up to a mayor to convene all relevant parties, marshal whatever resources can be devoted to the issue and implement a plan known by the whole community. There’s not been a coherent plan by the mayor in four years, as to what’s to be done.”

“Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home. All of her scans were clear and she returned home,” a Feinstein spokesperson told NBC News in an email Wednesday.

She was at the hospital for about two hours, the spokesperson said.

TMZ first reported Wednesday morning that the 90-year-old senator paid a visit to the hospital after she tripped and fell Tuesday at her San Francisco home.

Feinstein’s health has been closely watched — this year, she missed three months of work in the Senate after she was hospitalized with shingles. She has rejected calls to resign and insists she will remain a senator until her term ends in January 2025, then retire.

Three House Democrats are locked in a competitive battle to succeed Feinstein in the solidly blue state in the November 2024 election.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he talked to Feinstein Wednesday.

“I spoke with Sen. Feinstein this morning. She said she suffered no injuries and briefly went to the hospital as a precaution,” he said in a statement. “I’m glad she is back home now and is doing well.”

In a video published by President Zelensky, Ukrainian troops said they had taken the village of Staromaiorske.

The village, 150km (90 miles) east of the city of Zaporizhzhia, was liberated under dense artillery fire and air strikes, said the army.

A senior Ukrainian defence adviser said every advance is seen as “a milestone”.

Ukraine has not confirmed that it has beefed up its counter-offensive, but Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine’s attacks had “significantly” intensified.

He told reporters in St Petersburg they had had no success: “All counter-offensive attempts were stopped, and the enemy was pushed back with high casualties.”

Russian-backed militia leader Aleksandr Khodakovsky contradicted Mr Putin, saying Ukraine had methodically shelled Staromaiorske for several days and made gains, holding on to the outskirts and pushing on.

President Zelensky posted video of troops holding up a Ukrainian flag in the village and Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said they were now “continuing to clear the settlement”.

Russian military blogger WarGonzo said the news was disturbing as Staromaiorske was a key Russian outpost on the front line in the south-eastern region of Zaporizhzhia.

Russia’s war bloggers are considered an alternative source of information from the front line in the absence of official accounts.

Ukraine’s counter-offensive began on a number of fronts last month but has seen very few clear gains so far. Kyiv’s generals have warned that fast results are almost impossible because of Russia’s fortified defensive lines and rows of minefields.

The man in charge of operations in the south, Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, has told the BBC that “any defence can be broken but you need patience, time and skilful action”.

Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukraine’s defence minister, told the BBC Ukrainian forces were making steady progress.

“Every metre, every village and every town is a milestone,” he said.

“Yesterday’s liberation of Stairomaorske is a very logical continuation of our campaign which has begun in early June.

“Those who are impatient should realise that the progress of the Ukrainian armed forces in the given circumstances is very steady.”

Ukraine’s Western armour struggles against Russian defences
Although there has so far been no word from Kyiv, unnamed US defence officials have told American outlets that a new push has begun in the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

The US-based Institute for the Study of War said an “intense frontal assault” had been launched towards Robotyne, to the south-east of Zaporizhzhia city and some 10km (6 miles) south of the town of Orikhiv.

Jemimah Rodrigues is returning to compete for the Northern Superchargers as a replacement for the injured Heather Graham in the third edition of The Hundred.

The 22-year-old India star, who was second top-scorer in the first year of the competition, is one of a number of replacements and temporary replacements required through injury and international commitments.

Rodrigues said: “I’m so excited to be back in The Hundred. It’s a world class competition and I’ve had so much taking part in it previously. I was very disappointed to have to withdraw last year through injury so it’s great to be back.

“Headingley is a brilliant ground to play at, with great fans, and I can’t wait to be back out there.”

Australia captain Alyssa Healy has been ruled out with a broken finger, replaced at the Superchargers by compatriot Phoebe Litchfield, while Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan will be replaced by New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi at Trent Rockets when he returns to fulfil international commitments from August 10.

Elsewhere in the men’s Hundred competition, Australian leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha will replace Shadab Khan for the Birmingham Phoenix from August 14 onwards.

Dan Worrall meanwhile comes in for the London Spirit’s Olly Stone after the England international’s hamstring injury.

England’s hopes of winning the Women’s World Cup suffered a blow on Friday when Keira Walsh was taken off the pitch on a stretcher with what appeared to be a serious knee injury during the Group D match against Denmark.

The 26-year-old holding midfielder, who was an integral part of the England team that won the Euros last year, crumpled to the turf at Sydney Football Stadium without contact in the 38th minute and immediately called for medical assistance.

After a lengthy delay, Walsh left the field with her head in her hands on a stretcher and was replaced by Laura Coombs.

Walsh moved from Manchester City to Barcelona last year for a world-record fee, reported to be in the region of $470,000 (£367,000). She won a Liga F and Champions League double in her first season in Spain.

Players missing World Cup 2023
Leah Williamson, Beth Mead (England), Janine Beckie (Canada), Delphine Cascarino, Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands), Christen Press, Catarina Macario (United States).

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Manchester United Women forward Leah Galton said: “It doesn’t look great. She’s tracking back for the ball and she over-stretches. It looks like a knee injury. She was taken off in a brace.

“You don’t want that to happen to any player but especially Keira Walsh as she is so important in midfield. England need to try to forget about it and regroup as Denmark are now having more of the ball.”

“An extreme risk law could have prevented the Covenant tragedy,” one static ad reads. “Tennessee police agree we need one now.”

Republicans in the state legislature have voiced significant opposition to Lee’s proposal, but the governor has said he intends to press forward with it when lawmakers return on Aug. 21.

“Following the shooting at the Covenant School, Tennesseans from all walks of life called for common-sense gun safety laws,” Everytown president John Feinblatt said in a statement. “Parents, students, faith leaders and community safety advocates will be there every step of the way during the upcoming special session to fight for an Extreme Risk law – a life-saving measure that could have prevented the tragedy at the Covenant School.”

“It’s long past time Tennessee lawmakers prioritize the safety of our kids over party politics and power grabs,” Feinblatt said.

Ads are aimed at getting constituents to contact their state lawmakers to ask them to support an extreme risk protection order policy – sometimes dubbed a “red flag” law. Twenty-one other states, including Florida and Indiana, already have such a law.

“This special session lawmakers cannot afford to look away as our communities continue to be torn apart by the gun violence crisis,” said Leeann Hewlett, a volunteer with the Tennessee chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Lawmakers must come together to take comprehensive action to protect Tennessee families from the vicious cycle of gun violence. Passing an Extreme Risk law could save lives and we are ready to get to work with our leaders to make it happen.”

Casada, Cothren want cases dismissed
Former House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, and his one-time aide Cade Cothren asked a federal judge to dismiss all charges against them as their cases move closer to an October trial date.

The pair have been accused of propping up a shady political services firm, concealing Cothren’s identity to tap into into taxpayer-funded mailer services available to lawmakers, as well as the lucrative political campaign mailer business. The two were charged with fraudulently profiting from the company because Cothren operated under a pseudonym.

Cothren went as far to sign an IRS form as “Matthew Phoenix” so the company would be approved as a vendor, prosecutors have alleged.

Casada first filed his motion to dismiss on Monday, arguing in part that prosecutors haven’t supported their allegation that Casada “aided and abetted” Cothren in concealing his identity.

The duo’s separate, but quite similar, motions to dismiss also point to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Ciminelli v. United States, which they argue rejected a legal theory underpinning their wire fraud charges.

In a motion to dismiss filed Tuesday, Cothren’s legal team calls the prosecution’s case “fatally flawed,” arguing the political firm, Phoenix Solutions, delivered on the work it was hired to do and any compensation the duo received was for “bona fide” services rendered and shouldn’t constitution kickbacks.

Cothren’s motion also argues the prosecution has overreached with its charges, pointing to a “theft or bribery of programs receiving federal funds” charge. The General Assembly is not funded by federal dollars, Cothren’s team argues, and the charge is inflated.

State GOP