President BidenJoe BidenBiden says Beau’s assessment of first 100 days would be ‘Be who you are’ Biden: McCarthy’s support of Cheney ouster is ‘above my pay grade’ Conservative group sues over prioritization of women, minorities for restaurant aid MORE on Thursday confirmed that the cyber criminals involved in launching a ransomware attack that disrupted operations at Colonial Pipeline last week are likely based in Russia, though he said officials do not believe that the Russian government was involved. 

“We do not believe the Russian government was involved in this attack, but we do have strong reason to believe that the criminals who did the attack are living in Russia, that’s where it came from,” Biden said, citing findings from the FBI. 

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“We have been in direct communication with Moscow about the imperative for responsible countries to take decisive action against ransomware networks,” he noted. “We are also going to pursue a measure to disrupt their ability to operate.”

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Asked directly if he was confident Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinBlinken, Lavrov to meet next week Former Russian mayor who encouraged pro-Navalny protests is jailed China’s emissions now eclipse the developed world — preventing climate protection MORE was not involved, Biden emphasized that the FBI did not believe Putin was involved.

Biden said he would likely discuss the attack with Putin at some point.

“We are working to try to get to the place where we have an international standard that governments knowing that criminal activities are happening in their territory, that we all move on those criminal enterprises, and I expect that is one of the topics I will be talking about with President Putin,” Biden said. 

Biden’s comments came the day after Colonial Pipeline announced that it would resume operations after several days of being shut down due to an attack using what the FBI identified as the “DarkSide” ransomware variant.

The company, which provides 45 percent of the East Coast’s oil, shut down its operations in an effort to contain the attack to its IT network and not allow the hackers access to its operational technology.

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Relations between the U.S. and Russia have grown tense over the last month following Biden’s decision to levy a sweeping array of sanctions on Russia in retaliation for both the SolarWinds hack and interference in U.S. elections.

Intelligence officials concluded earlier this year that Russian government-backed hackers were behind the SolarWinds attack, which involved the hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in software updates from IT group SolarWinds to compromise nine federal agencies and over 100 private sector groups. 

Russia is known as one of the greatest threats to the U.S. in cyberspace, and U.S. officials previously concluded the nation was behind hacking and disinformation efforts in the lead up to the 2016 U.S. elections.

The Biden administration has been forced by the Colonial Pipeline and SolarWinds attacks, among other escalating cyber threats, to take immediate action to strengthen federal cybersecurity.

As part of this, Biden signed an executive order Wednesday night to take a range of actions to make it more difficult for hackers to successfully compromise federal agencies. The order requires the establishment of baseline security standards for all software sold to the government, and that IT groups doing business with the federal government report breaches. 

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Additionally, the administration launched a 100-day initiative in April to secure the electric sector against cyberattacks, with initiatives also planned to secure other critical sectors including the oil and gas industry.

“Private entities are in charge of their own cybersecurity,” Biden said Thursday. “We know what they need, they need greater private sector investment in cybersecurity.”

To further promote cybersecurity, Biden called on the Senate to vote on and approve the nominations of former National Security Agency Deputy Director Chris Inglis to serve as national cyber director at the White House, and of Jen Easterly to serve as the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. 

Additionally, he stressed the importance of passing his infrastructure package to strengthen critical systems against attacks, and for Congress to take action to help the private sector defend itself. 

“I cannot dictate that the private companies do certain things relative to cybersecurity,” Biden said. “I think it’s becoming clear to everyone that we have to do more than is being done now, and the federal government can be significant value-added in having that happen.”

A coalition of conservative, business, and religious refugee groups is calling on Congress to pass immigration reform as a way to address swelling numbers at the Southern border.

“The current migrant increase at the U.S.-Mexico border is creating strains on our country’s immigration and humanitarian services. However, this situation is not new, nor is it political: we have seen similar numbers at the border before, and, without meaningful bipartisan action, we will see them again,” they write in a letter to congressional leaders spearheaded by the George W. Bush Institute. 

“The current situation underscores the urgent need to modernize America’s immigration system so it can increase the efficiency of legal immigration, more effectively ensure American security, welcome refugees, and maintain the fabric of the American Dream.”

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The letter was also signed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable and Americans for Prosperity, along with a number of religious groups that help place refugees.

The letter backs Democratic-led legislation passed through the House providing a pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers” who came to the U.S. illegally as children and some migrant farmworkers. They also back President BidenJoe BidenKinzinger, Gaetz get in back-and-forth on Twitter over Cheney vote Cheney in defiant floor speech: Trump on ‘crusade to undermine our democracy’ US officials testify on domestic terrorism in wake of Capitol attack MORE’s efforts to address the root causes of migration in Central America.

Those bills, however, have yet to be brought up in the Senate. Meanwhile, Biden’s own bill, which would provide a pathway for citizenship for 11 million people, has stalled amid fights over the border.

The letter seeks to reignite the discussion, calling for expanding pathways to the U.S., arguing that potential migrants need “accessible legal channels to migrate.”

“While the increase at the southern border will eventually subside, the broader problems with our nation’s immigration system will remain without additional reform,” they write, adding that “America benefits from immigration.”

The former president made similar calls in an April op-ed in The Washington Post, saying that border security needed to be balanced with more pathways.

“We can be both a lawful and a welcoming nation at the same time,” he wrote.

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A conservative legal group filed a lawsuit against the Small Business Administration (SBA) on Wednesday, alleging that the agency prioritized restaurants owned by minorities and women when allocating funds from its COVID-19 relief package.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed the lawsuit on behalf of Antonio Vitolo, the owner of Jake’s Bar and Grill in Harriman, Tenn., against U.S. Small Business Association Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.

The lawsuit claims that the SBA gave priority preference to restaurants owned by certain minorities and women, while pushing aside white males and other minorities, when administering the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

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The fund, authorized by President BidenJoe BidenBiden says Beau’s assessment of first 100 days would be ‘Be who you are’ Biden: McCarthy’s support of Cheney ouster is ‘above my pay grade’ Conservative group sues over prioritization of women, minorities for restaurant aid MORE’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, encouraged all businesses to apply for funding, but noted that the law mandated a 21-day “priority window” for “businesses owned and controlled by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals,” according to the lawsuit. The fund was administering money on a first-come, first-served basis.

Biden has previously said that female-owned and minority-owned companies have been disproportionately hurt by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, The Associated Press reported.

Vitolo, a white male, applied for a grant from the fund on May 3, according to the lawsuit. During the application process, he received a message from the SBA notifying him that it will “only process and fund priority group applications.”

On May 4, the SBA sent Vitolo an email that the SBA would “focus their review on the priority applications that have been submitted,” adding that non-priority applications would remain in a “Review status” until the priority applications were processed in the first 21 days.

The WILL is now arguing that Vitolo’s application was “pushed to the back of the queue behind certain minority applicants and women.”

“Vitolo would be “economically disadvantaged” were it not for the racial classification in that definition,” the lawsuit writes.

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The suit claims that the plaintiffs were “harmed” because they were “pushed to the back of the line,” and because they were “treated differently because of their race and gender.”

WILL said the program is “unconstitutional,” and is calling for the fund to stop allocating money unless it begins administering resources on a first-come, first-served basis “without regard to the race or gender of the applicant.”

“Under the guise of pandemic relief, the American Rescue Plan Act enables the federal government to engage in illegal and unconstitutional race and sex discrimination. This is ugly, pernicious, and toxic. We will fight it wherever it shows up,” WILL President and General Counsel Rick Esenberg said in a statement.

According to AP, women, veterans and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners have already applied for $29 billion in aid, accounting for  more than 147,000 applications. The fund has already administered $2.7 billion to 21,000 restaurants.

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Aside from the priority group, the fund has received more than 266,000 total applications, requesting more than $65 billion, AP reported.

SBA officials, according to the wire service, are keeping the portal open because the administration still has potential money for businesses whose 2019 annual revenue was $50,000 or less.

A legal group founded by ex-Trump aide Stephen MillerStephen MillerLawsuit from Stephen Miller group alleges racial discrimination in distribution of COVID-19 relief Yang: Those who thought tweet in support of Israel was ‘overly simplistic’ are correct Yang’s tweet in support of Israel draws praise from conservatives MORE on Thursday filed another lawsuit accusing the Biden administration of racial discrimination in the distribution of COVID-19 relief funds, this time for money designated for restaurant owners. 

Thursday’s lawsuit from America First Legal (AFL) specifically takes issue with the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) handling of the $28.6 billion in the Restaurant Revitalization Fund within President BidenJoe BidenFauci says school should be open ‘full blast’ five days a week in the fall Overnight Defense: Military sexual assault reform bill has votes to pass in Senate l First active duty service member arrested over Jan. 6 riot l Israeli troops attack Gaza Strip Immigration experts say GOP senators questioned DHS secretary with misleading chart MORE’s American Rescue Plan package passed by Congress. 

The legal complaint argues that the fund requires the SBA “to discriminate among restaurants according to the race and sex of the owner,” by specifying that during the first 21 days of the program that officially began last week, the SBA administrator must “‘prioritize awarding grants’ to businesses owned by women and racial minorities.” 

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“These race and sex preferences are patently unconstitutional, and the Court should promptly enjoin their enforcement. Doing so will promote equal rights under the law for all American citizens and promote efforts to stop racial discrimination,” the lawsuit adds, mirroring language included in AFL’s lawsuit filed late last month against the Department of Agriculture’s program to provide aid to “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.”

In a statement announcing the new lawsuit Thursday, Miller said, “Few industries have been harder hit by lockdowns and restrictions than the restaurant and bar industry.” 

“Yet, as these restaurant owners, operators and workers try to pick up the pieces and rebuild their businesses, they are facing a new and insidious threat: racial discrimination from the government,” he argued.

Miller went on to say that the “decision from the Biden Administration to determine eligibility and priority for restaurant relief funds based upon race is profoundly illegal and morally outrageous.” 

The lawsuit from AFL on Thursday follows one with similar complaints filed Wednesday alleging that the SBA in its distribution of funds unconstitutionally gave priority to women and specified minorities, while pushing aside white men and other minority groups. 

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The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed the lawsuit on behalf of Antonio Vitolo, the owner of Jake’s Bar and Grill in Harriman, Tenn., who said he applied for a grant from the fund on May 3, but that he was told by the SBA that it would “only process and fund priority group applications” in the first 21 days. 

WILL argues in its lawsuit that “Vitolo would be ‘economically disadvantaged’ were it not for the racial classification in that definition,” adding that the restaurant owner was “harmed” and  “treated differently because of their race and gender.”

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The Associated Press reported Wednesday that women, veterans and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners have already applied for $29 billion in aid, accounting for more than 147,000 applications. 

Roughly $2.7 billion have already been administered to 21,000 restaurants under the program, the AP noted. 

In response to questions from The Hill on the recent legal complaints, the SBA said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Former President Obama during a livestream event on global poverty Tuesday said that governments across the globe “still need to do their part” to address the shortage of coronavirus vaccines in low-income countries. 

The remarks came during “An Evening with CARE,” celebrating the 75th anniversary of the international emergency relief agency founded in response to the humanitarian crises facing Europeans in the aftermath of World War II. 

The event, hosted by Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi GoldbergCelebs cheer guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin Jill Biden to appear in ‘Sesame Street’ documentary Fox News’s Dean says ‘View’ won’t book her over Cuomo criticism MORE, also featured remarks from former Presidents Carter, Clinton and George W. Bush, as well as President BidenJoe BidenKinzinger, Gaetz get in back-and-forth on Twitter over Cheney vote Cheney in defiant floor speech: Trump on ‘crusade to undermine our democracy’ US officials testify on domestic terrorism in wake of Capitol attack MORE. 

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Obama in his remarks commended CARE for continuing to provide aid packages to countries experiencing extreme poverty, which has worsened amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

“An estimated 120 million more people are living in extreme poverty as a result of the pandemic, and that number is expected to rise,” Obama said. 

He added, “At the same time CARE is also focused on another major source of inequality: access to vaccines.”

“Right now, CARE and other organizations are preparing front-line health care workers in places like Haiti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to vaccinate their populations,” Obama continued. “But governments around the world still need to do their part to increase supply and make sure we can vaccinate as many people against COVID-19 as quickly as possible.” 

Obama’s remarks come as the United States and other countries have faced calls from the European Union and others to increase their vaccine exports to other countries that have struggled to distribute enough shots to their populations amid new waves of COVID-19 cases. 

The Biden administration has said it would share 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot to other countries, and Biden last week vocalized support for waiving international patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines. 

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However, the patent waiver, which proponents say will allow lower-income countries to more easily develop vaccines on their own, could take months to implement, and others have instead called on Biden and additional global leaders to take more immediate action in increasing global vaccine access. 

In his own remarks in Tuesday’s CARE event, Biden commended the organization for sending out more than 6 million care packages filled with food and other supplies since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“This is a truly remarkable moment coming from a truly remarkable organization,” Biden said. “But let’s remember, the job isn’t over.” 

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“Tonight, I ask you to lend a hand; send a care package,” he added. “Do what we can to eliminate human suffering. Keep sending those messages of CARE.”

Senate Democrats are ramping up their work on reining in President BidenJoe BidenFauci says school should be open ‘full blast’ five days a week in the fall Overnight Defense: Military sexual assault reform bill has votes to pass in Senate l First active duty service member arrested over Jan. 6 riot l Israeli troops attack Gaza Strip Immigration experts say GOP senators questioned DHS secretary with misleading chart MORE‘s war powers, after years of watching the fights stall out on Capitol Hill.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSenate Democrats ramp up push to limit Biden’s war powers Democrats reintroduce legislation to ban ‘ghost guns’ Juan Williams: A breakthrough on immigration? MORE (D-N.J.) told The Hill on Thursday that he will hold a vote on legislation from Sens. Tim KaineTimothy (Tim) Michael KaineSenate Democrats ramp up push to limit Biden’s war powers Sweeping election reform bill faces Senate buzz saw How leaving Afghanistan cancels our post-9/11 use of force MORE (D-Va.) and Todd YoungTodd Christopher YoungSenate Democrats ramp up push to limit Biden’s war powers US Olympic Committee urges Congress not to boycott Games in China Senate panel approves bill that would invest billions in tech MORE (R-Ind.) that would repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force (AUMFs), both of which deal with Iraq. 

“My plan is whenever our next business meeting is,” Menendez said about putting the bill on the committee’s agenda for a vote.

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That’s likely to be late this month or early next month. The committee already has a business meeting scheduled for next week — where they’ll handle two nominations — and haven’t announced their schedule for after that.

A complicating factor is the one-week Memorial Day recess, and Menendez didn’t commit that he would be able to get it done before the Senate leaves on May 28 for that break. A committee aide said that they were “on track to take up” the repeal of the two Iraq War authorizations, but that the schedule hadn’t been locked in yet.

Getting a committee vote on the two repeals would be a significant step forward for supporters of reining in a president’s war powers, with previous efforts stalling out in the Senate amid divisions not only between Republicans and Democrats but also Congress and the White House over war authority.

The House previously voted last year to repeal the 2002 authorization, but it went nowhere in the GOP-controlled Senate. The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted earlier this year to repeal the authorization.

Senate supporters believe they are likely to get at least the 60 votes needed to pass a repeal of the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs.

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But lawmakers acknowledge it will be trickier dealing with the 2001 authorization, which was passed by Congress days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The House voted in 2019 to repeal that authorization, but lawmakers are likely to focus their efforts on rewriting it rather than a straight repeal.

Menendez and Kaine held a phone call with the White House on Thursday, as they try to figure out what Biden’s red-lines are on rewriting the 2001 authorization. It was originally intended to fight al Qaeda, but it’s been stretched more broadly to greenlight operations against additional terrorism groups.

“We had a very positive discussion about the need to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs and agreed to start working together to revise the 2001 AUMF to narrow and tailor it to the challenges we face today and not twenty years ago,” Kaine said in a statement to The Hill. 

“The willingness of the Biden Administration to work with Congress on this issue is a breath of fresh air, and I anticipate meaningful action in this area,” he added.

Menendez stressed that the talks with the Biden administration on revising the 2001 AUMF are at the “beginning.”

“I want to start in getting an understanding of where the administration is at. What are their must haves, what are their flexibilities and then I would engage Republicans on it,” Menendez told The Hill. “But there’s no use if we’re going to have a veto pen coming.”

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Naheed Farid gets a threatening letter at least once a week, often purporting to be from ISIS.

She sometimes has to change the routes she takes, rarely posts about meetings on social media and some days keeps her kids out of school, including after a shocking attack on a school in Kabul over the weekend.

But Farid, who has been a member of Afghanistan’s Parliament since 2010, is vowing neither she nor the women of Afghanistan will surrender the rights they have gained in the last 20 years.

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“We have women who are part of [a] robotics team. We have a lady named Shamsia who got the highest number in [the university] entrance exam in the whole country. … We have women who are pilots. We have women who are members of Parliament, who are Cabinet members, who are judges, attorneys,” Farid said in a Zoom interview with The Hill on Tuesday from Kabul.

“If you gain something, you will fight for it. You will not give it up easily. No one can take it from you,” she continued. “So I’m so hopeful that even with this civil war, with this fight, with this level of brutality and bloodshed that is going on in Afghanistan, women of Afghanistan won’t give up.”

Farid is working with an organization called the Afghanistan-U.S. Democratic Peace and Prosperity Council that is lobbying Congress to ensure funding and other support for Afghans continues even after U.S. troops fully withdraw from the country.

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The organization sent a document to key U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday outlining 10 recommendations for “Immediate Actions for Peace and Stability in Afghanistan.”

Among the recommendations, the document calls for maintaining at least the current funding level of about $4 billion for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, implementing a plan to allow contractors to continue providing maintenance and logistics for Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and creating a joint task force of U.S. and Afghan lawmakers to provide “real-time” oversight of funding to ensure it doesn’t fall prey to corruption.

The document also calls for making the rights of women and girls a “non-negotiable requirement for international support” for any peace agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

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“There’s been a lot of a lot of very strong statements coming out in support of the people of Afghanistan and the peace process and the ANDSF — and even with the Biden administration saying that they’re going to increase humanitarian aid, which we absolutely support — but what we need right now to prevent the situation from getting more out of control and frankly turning into a civil war is action,” said Martin Rahmani, executive director of the Afghanistan-U.S. Democratic Peace and Prosperity Council.

“And these are the actions that we believe, and the Parliament believes, are the most impactful to stabilize the situation and ensure that there can be a sustainable peace deal,” he added.

The push comes as the U.S. military withdraws its last remaining 2,500 or so troops in line with President BidenJoe BidenBiden says Beau’s assessment of first 100 days would be ‘Be who you are’ Biden: McCarthy’s support of Cheney ouster is ‘above my pay grade’ Conservative group sues over prioritization of women, minorities for restaurant aid MORE’s order to be fully out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that sparked America’s longest war.

In conjunction with the U.S. military withdrawal, approximately 7,000 troops from NATO countries, as well as all U.S. contractors, are also leaving.

The full withdrawal has prompted fears from some U.S. lawmakers about whether the Taliban will overrun the Afghan government without U.S. military support.

Among the top concerns from lawmakers who oppose Biden’s withdrawal is whether women’s rights will be protected, with fears that fragile gains from the last 20 years will be erased either through Taliban military successes or because the United States will not have the leverage to insist protections be included in any diplomatic agreement between the Afghan government and the insurgents.

Underscoring those fears was an attack at a high school in western Kabul on Saturday that killed at least 85 people, mostly teenage girls leaving school, and injured nearly 150 more.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Afghan President Ashraf Ghani blamed the Taliban. The Taliban has denied responsibility.

The bombings took place in a district of Kabul that’s home to many Hazaras, an ethnic minority of mostly Shiite Muslims who are frequently targeted by ISIS.

“Eid days are coming, and the nature of Eid is that people are happy. I don’t see that happiness in the faces of the people because the attack was very brutal,” Farid told The Hill, referring to this week’s Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

Last month, a day after Biden announced the withdrawal, Farid met with Secretary of State Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenOvernight Defense: Ex-Pentagon chief defends Capitol attack response as GOP downplays violence | Austin, Biden confer with Israeli counterparts amid conflict with Hamas | Lawmakers press Pentagon officials on visas for Afghan partners Biden speaks with Israel’s Netanyahu amid spiraling conflict with Hamas Blinken talks with Netanyahu amid escalating violence MORE in Kabul, telling reporters there she felt “pessimistic” about Afghanistan’s future.

She reiterated that pessimism Tuesday, still shaken by images of Saturday’s attack, including that “so many backpacks have been left behind.”

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Farid, who has a master’s degree in international relations from George Washington University, said she dreamed as a child of becoming a doctor before the Taliban rose to power, but her “mindset regarding life” changed because of “the level of pressure that I felt and the level of limitation” during life under Taliban rule.

“The situation changed me. I decided to become an advocate. Even right now, I don’t call myself a politician; I call myself an advocate. And I could find an opportunity in Afghanistan’s parliament to raise the issues that have been the concerns of the youth, of women, of the like-minded people who think differently about democracy and freedom,” said Farid, who was Afghanistan’s youngest member of Parliament when she was elected at 27 years old.

In recent weeks, as part of her role chairing Parliament’s Standing Commission for Human Rights, Civil Society and Women’s Affairs, Farid has participated in virtual town halls with U.S. lawmakers. Among the meetings was one with Sen. Jeanne ShaheenCynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenCongress may force Biden to stop Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline Kabul attack spurs fears over fate of Afghan women as US exits Bowser on Manchin’s DC statehood stance: He’s ‘not right’ MORE (D-N.H.), who has been among the more vocal Democrats opposing Biden’s withdrawal.

In a statement after the meeting, Shaheen called the women she met with and other women pushing for rights in Afghanistan “so brave.”

“But they shouldn’t have to be,” she continued. “We cannot afford the hard-fought gains for women and minority populations to be lost. In the months ahead, I’ll work with the Biden administration however I can to ensure every effort is made to safeguard the progress made and support our partners on the ground to secure a stable and inclusive transitional government.”

In her interview with The Hill, Farid expressed appreciation for Shaheen’s early opposition to the withdrawal, saying she is “sure” the senator will be “very big help.”

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“She was very supportive of the idea of helping human rights, women’s rights and helping [the] Afghan nation towards prosperity,” Farid said of Shaheen.

Farid also said there was a virtual meeting with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam SmithDavid (Adam) Adam SmithOvernight Defense: Ex-Pentagon chief defends Capitol attack response as GOP downplays violence | Austin, Biden confer with Israeli counterparts amid conflict with Hamas | Lawmakers press Pentagon officials on visas for Afghan partners Debate over ICBMs: Will ‘defund our defenses’ be next? Infrastructure should include the right investment in people MORE (D-Wash.), who has supported Biden’s withdrawal. One of the topics Smith raised, Farid said, was corruption issues in Afghanistan.

Asked about the conversation between Farid and Smith, Monica Matoush, a committee spokesperson, said that “while our military presence in Afghanistan may be changing, we are not abandoning the Afghan government and will continue to support the Afghan Defense Forces.”

“However, it is important to note that the government of Afghanistan must eventually be able to stand on their own,” Matoush continued in a statement to The Hill. “As we continue to support the Afghan military – and other [Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan] institutions – their government could enhance its effectiveness by presenting a more unified front to combat corruption, share authority within its class system and promote community involvement.”

Even as Farid expressed frustration and pessimism about her own government, she remained optimistic at continued support for the Afghan people from U.S. lawmakers.

“Authorities like appropriation money for Afghan National Security Forces, sending and funding money for development projects in Afghanistan, deciding about the political leverages that U.S. can put on different layers — these are very, very important. These are the three most important factors that we’re asking from [the] U.S. government,” she said. “And I think lawmakers can do a lot of work to help Afghan people to move forward.”

Chick-fil-A is facing a shortage of its beloved “Chick-fil-A Sauce” at locations across the U.S.

In many of the 2,600 restaurants, employees have been told they are only allowed to give out one sauce packet per food item ordered.

“Due to industry-wide supply chain disruptions, some Chick-fil-A restaurants are experiencing a shortage of select items, like sauces. We are actively working to make adjustments to solve this issue quickly and apologize to our Guests for any inconvenience,” a Chick-fil-A spokesperson said. 

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The shortage in the sauce is due to supply chain issues and labor shortages that are affecting many fast-food chains in the country.

Although sauces are limited, Chick-fil-A has not been affected by the chicken shortage that other companies are currently experiencing. 

The shortages at Chick-fil-A come as some areas of the country are dealing with gas shortages following a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. Charlotte, for instance, has seen 71 percent of gas stations report they are out of fuel.

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Ireland’s health care system was forced to shut down its IT systems Friday following what it described as a “significant” ransomware attack that disrupted operations.

“There has been a ransomware attack on our IT systems,” the Health Service Executive (HSE) wrote in a post on its website. “We have shut them all down as a precaution. This has caused some disruption to our services. But most healthcare appointments will go ahead as planned.”

According to HSE, the attack meant a delay in some hospital appointments, the cancelation of a portion of virtual appointments and a delay in COVID-19 test results. The Rotunda Maternity Hospital in Dublin canceled all appointments except emergencies, and the Cork University Hospital was forced to cancel all radiotherapy and most X-ray appointments Friday. 

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Ambulance and emergency services were not disrupted and were continuing as normal as of Friday afternoon in Ireland, along with COVID-19 vaccine appointments. 

“Most hospital appointments are still going ahead as planned,” HSE wrote. “But delays should be expected while hospitals move to manual, offline processes.”

HSE has not commented on the hackers behind the attack.

Ireland’s Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly tweeted Friday that he was in “regular contact” with HSE officials, noting the attack was having “a severe impact on our health and social care services today.”

“We are working to ensure that the systems and the information is protected,” Donnelly tweeted. “COVID-19 testing and vaccinations are continuing as planned today.”

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The HSE ransomware attack came a week after Colonial Pipeline, which supplies around 45 percent of the U.S. East Coast’s fuel supply, was forced to shut down operations due to a separate ransomware attack. 

These types of attacks have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with cyber criminals increasingly going after vulnerable and overburdened critical systems as more daily activities moved online.

Hospitals and health care organizations have been major targets. 

Universal Health Services, a hospital chain with roughly 400 facilities across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom, was targeted in a major cyberattack last year, and a coalition of U.S. federal agencies warned in October that cyber criminals were stepping up attacks against health sector groups.

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Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced on Friday that the country will expand its COVID-19 state of emergency as it is set to hold the Olympics in a few months.

“Infections are escalating extremely rapidly in populated areas,” Suga explained during a government taskforce meeting, according to The Associated Press.

In light of the increased spread on coronavirus infections, Suga reportedly said that Japan’s coronavirus state of emergency is set to expand to Japan’s northern island state of Hokkaido, which is where the Olympics will be held, Okayama in western Japan and Hiroshima. Prior to Friday’s announcement, the state of emergency only applied to Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures.

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According to Suga, the new expanded coronavirus restrictions, which require bars and most entertainment facilities to close, will go into effect this Sunday, the AP reported.

The government is set to pay businesses for their cooperation with the restrictions and fine those that fail to adhere to them.

Japan’s vaccine rollout has been slow, garnering frustration from local residents. Many have opposed the country hosting this year’s Olympics as just two percent of the population has been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the AP noted.

Japan has seen a total of 665,547 coronavirus cases and 11,255 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 6,800 new confirmed cases were reported on Thursday, according to the AP.