(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional negotiators and the White House appear open to striking a roughly $1 trillion deal on infrastructure. But they are struggling with the hard part — how to pay for it.
Trump Organization sues New York City for wrongful termination of contracts
Former President Donald Trump’s company sued New York City Monday for allegedly wrongfully terminating contracts the Trump Organization had to operate city facilities.
Senate Republicans block Democrats' voting rights bill from advancing
With a 50-50 vote, the effort, which garnered last-minute backing from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, fell far short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
www.cbsnews.com
Biden meets with key Democratic senators as he pushes for path on voting, infrastructure | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden ramped up his push to move his legislative agenda forward in private meetings Monday with two key Democratic lawmakers and on Tuesday his infrastructure team heads to Capitol Hill for further talks.
www.cnn.com
Powell says economy growing rapidly, inflation up 'notably'
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the economy is growing at a healthy clip, and that has accelerated inflation
Sinema defends filibuster ahead of Senate voting rights showdown
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) is digging in on her opposition to nixing the 60-vote legislative filibuster amid growing pressure from progressives to change the rules to help pass voting right…
thehill.com
Iran’s next president gives Biden a new nuclear headache
Efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal are making progress, but U.S. sanctions on the newly elected Ebrahim Raisi complicate matters.
www.politico.com
'Team Trump' ads emerge on Facebook despite former president's exile
Former President Donald Trump's fundraising groups began rolling out new ads from the page "Team Trump" on Facebook last week despite the ex-commander in chief being banished from the platform.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Unusual alliance emerges in final weekend before New York mayoral primary
Yang and Garcia campaign together, marking the first time a the top-tier candidate publicly laid out a strategy for supporters for how to use New York City's ranked-choice voting system.
www.cbsnews.com
Judge dismisses most claims against Trump administration in clearing of Lafayette Square
Activists and civil liberties groups accused Trump of violating the civil rights of protesters who were removed from the park near the White House.
www.nbcnews.com
Lordstown Motors execs sold millions in stock before woes became public
Electric-truck maker has yet to produce any vehicles, but those running the company are still cashing in on shares.
www.cbsnews.com
Manchin holds out until last minute on elections vote
He wants assurances that the Senate will amend the existing elections bill before he votes to advance it.
www.politico.com
DOJ releases Capitol riot videos from major conspiracy case involving the Proud Boys | CNN Politics
The Justice Department released three videos on Monday used in a federal court case against a Capitol riot defendant accused of leading the Proud Boys in the insurrection on January 6.
www.cnn.com
Move by Catholic bishops against Biden brings howls of hypocrisy
Catholic bishops who voted to advance an effort that could deny President Biden Communion over his stance on abortion are being accused of hypocrisy by critics of the decision.Biden, just the secon…
thehill.com
U.S. Supreme Court rebuffs insurers on Obamacare reimbursements
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a bid by health insurance companies to seek a full reimbursement from the federal government under a provision of the Obamacare law aimed at encouraging them to offer medical coverage to uninsured Americans.
www.reuters.com
White House insists it has 'highest ethical standards' of any administration amid criticism of family hires
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, responding to reports of alleged nepotism in the Biden White House, said on Monday that the Biden administration has higher ethics standards than any other presidential administration ever.
Indiana woman to plead guilty in Capitol riot role, 'learned' after watching 'Schindler's List' and 'Just Mercy'
Anna Morgan-Lloyd, 49, says she is "ashamed" of what happened in the Jan. 6. Capitol riot, and has since learned after watching "Schindler's List."
www.usatoday.com
'Not acceptable': Obama slams GOP plan to filibuster voting rights bill
"They're suddenly afraid to even talk about these issues and figure out solutions," the former president said of Republican opposition to the For the People Act.
www.nbcnews.com
Poll: Most Americans reject validity of 2020 election audits | CNN Politics
Most of the public rejects Republican efforts to audit states’ 2020 election results, saying they believe the reviews are an attempt to undermine valid election outcomes, according to a Monmouth University poll released Monday.
www.cnn.com
White House Says Democrats Might Revisit Filibuster Rules If Voting Rights Bill Fails
The controversial practice to stop a Senate proposal from being brought to a vote has caused some infighting among Democrats.
www.npr.org
Judge tosses bulk of suit against feds from Lafayette Park protesters
Ruling addresses four suits filed by Black Lives Matter demonstrators forced from park near White House before Trump photo-op.
www.politico.com
Democrats make full-court press on expanded child tax credit
The Biden administration and congressional Democrats are making a big push to increase awareness about the monthly child tax credit payments that are starting next month, as they also push to exten…
thehill.comEgyptian intelligence chief to face questioning over alleged involvement in Khashoggi killing
A human rights group is calling on members of Congress to interrogate the chief of Egyptian intelligence on Tuesday about a Yahoo News report that a Saudi plane carrying a team of assassins stopped in Cairo in October 2018 to pick up illicit drugs that were used to kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Sen. Whitehouse defends membership in private beach club that's allegedly all-white
"I’m sorry it hasn't happened yet," the Democrat from Rhode Island initially said when asked if the club had any minority members.
www.nbcnews.com
Pressure mounts on Trump Organization CFO to cooperate against Donald Trump | CNN Politics
The Trump Organization’s chief financial officer is staring down a decision: whether to cooperate with prosecutors against former President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization or potentially face criminal tax-related charges.
www.cnn.com
Obama: Voting rights bill must pass before next election
Former President Obama said Monday that Congress needs to pass voting rights legislation before the 2022 midterm elections, or American democracy could be at risk.”We can’t wait until t…
thehill.com
Why the U.S. canceled NATO flag-lowering ceremony in Kabul
The U.S. abruptly canceled a NATO flag lowering ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, amid growing confusion over what the event would signify. NBC News’ Courtney Kube shares how this cancelation relates to the impending withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
www.nbcnews.com
Colorado mayor suspends Pledge of Allegiance at meeting, attendees recite it anyway
Shane Fuhrman, the mayor of Silverton, Colorado, announced at a trustee meeting last week that the Pledge of Allegiance will no longer be recited due to “direct and indirect threats,” prompting at least one trustee to challenge his ruling before attendees recited the pledge anyway.
Democrats To Introduce Bill To Combat Election Subversion As Part Of Voting Rights Push
The bill will try to stop state-level Republicans from fulfilling Trump's dream of giving them the power to overturn future elections.
Envoy says US in talks to remove foreign forces in Libya ahead of elections
The U.S. special envoy for Libya, Richard Norland, said on Monday that Washington was in talks with Libya to withdraw foreign forces before the North African country holds elections in December.…
thehill.com
U.S. Justice Department backs bill to end disparities in crack cocaine sentences
President Joe Biden's Justice Department is urging Congress to pass legislation to permanently end the sentencing disparities between crack cocaine and powder, a policy that has led to the disproportionate incarceration of African Americans across the United States.
www.reuters.com
Taliban seize key Afghan district
Taliban fighters on Monday took over the Imam Sahib district in Afghanistan, a key area near the country’s border with Tajikistan, adding another territory to its recent takeov…
thehill.com
She could take down Ron DeSantis. But that doesn’t mean the left likes her.
Progressives and environmentalists have soured on Nikki Fried.
www.politico.com
Trump Organization COO attracts interest of New York prosecutors: Report
The chief operating officer for the Trump Organization is reportedly being scrutinized by New York prosecutors ascertaining whether he paid taxes on certain benefits given to him as part of his job.
www.washingtonexaminer.comObama backs Manchin's voting rights compromise
Former President Barack Obama put his weight behind Sen. Joe Manchin’s voting rights proposal in Congress, urging Republicans to join with Democrats to pass the legislation.
Analysis: Ron Johnson learned the hard way this weekend that actions have consequences
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson has been an outlier in his swing state for much of the last several years.
The democratic reform Democrats aren’t pursuing
www.politico.com
White House slaps down Jim Jordan attack on gas prices
The White House is shooting down an attack from Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who linked higher gas prices one year after the coronavirus pandemic locked down the economy to President Biden.”Aver…
thehill.com
AOC trolls Tillis over 'conservative' dog name
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., poked fun at Republican Sen. Thom Tillis on Monday after he revealed he named his dog after former President Theodore Roosevelt, the onetime founder of the Progressive Party.
NYC mayoral race is still up for grabs — and could be a bellwether for Dems
New York Democrats will choose their nominee for mayor on Tuesday in a historic primary that will test a major election reform and speak to how the party wants to address the issues of racial justice and public safety.
Georgia judge mulls whether to dismiss Fulton County ballot review case
A Georgia judge heard arguments on Monday over whether to dismiss a lingering 2020 election fraud lawsuit in the state's most populous county with an inspection of close to 150,000 absentee ballots hanging in the balance.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
U.S. Postal Service slow down proposal should be rejected, state AGs say
The attorneys general of 20 states have asked the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission to reject plans to slow down some first-class deliveries, saying allowing that to happen could harm local governments' ability to fulfill essential functions.
www.reuters.com
Nicaragua political arrests lead Argentina and Mexico to recall envoys
Argentina and Mexico recall ambassadors for talks after a fifth presidential hopeful is detained.
www.bbc.com
Texas law seeks to protect parents from false child abuse claims
A new law in Texas will require child welfare workers and family courts to consider further medical opinions before removing children from their parents.As NBC News reports, the law, which was sign…
thehill.com
Nebraska to send state troopers to Texas to aid border security, Gov. Ricketts says
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said he will send a group of state troopers to Texas later this month to assist local authorities with border security amid an ongoing immigration crisis.
Regulators tell Biden U.S. financial system in good shape-White House
Financial regulators assured President Joe Biden on Monday that the U.S. financial system is in good shape and that financial risks are being mitigated by strong liquidity in the banking system, the White House said. White House officials said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve...
Obama ethics chief warns of 'influence-seekers' buying Hunter Biden's art
Former President Barack Obama's ethics chief is raising concerns about a plan to sell Hunter Biden art for high prices to "confidential" buyers.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Trump’s fundraising arm is back advertising on Facebook
Save America placed just over $3,000 in new Facebook ads this week, even as the former president remains banned from the site.
www.politico.com
Unesco: Great Barrier Reef should be listed as 'in danger'
Canberra lashes out as the UN says the reef should join a list of World Heritage Sites "in danger".
www.bbc.com
Olympic athlete vows to win medal in order to 'burn a US flag on the podium'
BMX freestyle Olympian Chelsea Wolfe said it was her goal to win a medal in the Tokyo Olympics so she could “burn a US flag on the podium."
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Denver-area shooting leaves 3 dead, including officer, gunman
A shooting in a Denver-area suburb on Monday reportedly left three dead, including a police officer and the suspected shooter.As The Associated Press reported, an officer responded to a call a…
thehill.com
Supreme Court rules against NCAA caps on student-athlete education-related gifts and benefits
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the NCAA in a major case involving whether its caps on what student-athletes can receive violate anti-trust laws.
Schumer faces Democratic divisions and skeptical Republicans as Biden agenda hangs in balance | CNN Politics
Chuck Schumer is confronting his most daunting series of legislative landmines in his young tenure as Senate majority leader, navigating conflicting demands from his left and his moderates – all the while facing wary Republicans after years of partisan brawling with the hard-nosed New Yorker.
www.cnn.com
Biden faces down McConnell in clash on voting rights: The Note
It’s a showdown more than half a year – perhaps even decades - in the making.
FBI now says in court filing Trump fans talked 'revolution' pre Jan. 6
Language in an FBI court document contrasts with how Director Wray has portrayed what experts call a vast trove of intel pointing to potential violence.
www.nbcnews.com
Iran president-elect takes hard line, refuses to meet Biden
Iran’s president-elect says he’s not willing to meet with President Joe Biden or negotiate over Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional militias
Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure deal nears its big reveal
A group of senators has circulated a tentative plan on how they want to divvy up $579 billion in new spending on infrastructure, according to an outline obtained by POLITICO.
www.politico.com
How the Justice Department swept up records of two congressional Democrats and Trump's lawyer
The subpoena that swept up the records of two Democratic congressmen, their staff and family members in 2018 appears to have been the result of a leak investigation that initially included scrutinizing a senior aide on the House Intelligence Committee, and not the lawmakers themselves, sources...
www.cnn.com
‘Tip of the spear’: Texas governor leads revolt against Biden
With a focus on immigration and border security, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott is covering his right flank and carving out a distinct lane in the 2024 presidential sweepstakes.
www.politico.com
Conferences urge stopgap for NCAA on NIL until federal law
Six Division I conferences are urging the NCAA to implement a stopgap measure that would allow college athletes to earn money off their fame before a federal law is passed
White House slaps down Jim Jordan attack on gas prices
The White House is shooting down an attack from Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who linked higher gas prices one year after the coronavirus pandemic locked down the economy to President Biden.”Aver…
thehill.com
READ: Supreme Court opinion in NCAA athletes case | CNN Politics
A unanimous Supreme Court said on Monday that student athletes could receive some education-related payments in a case that could reshape college sports by allowing more money from a billion-dollar industry to go to the players.
cnn.it
Former Trump attorney who vowed to 'release the Kraken' facing sanction hearing in Detroit
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked the court to sanction Powell, a Texas lawyer, along with Michigan attorneys.
www.usatoday.com
Biden and Congress face a summer grind to create legislation
The act of governing seemed to happen at the speed of presidential tweets when Donald Trump was in the White House
Ron Johnson visited Milwaukee's Juneteenth Day celebration. It didn't go well.
Last year, the Wisconsin Republican blocked legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
www.usatoday.com
Widespread support for voter ID and making early voting easier: national poll
Amid plenty of partisanship over election integrity and voter suppression, a new national poll indicates that most Americans support requiring voter identification to cast a ballot and easier access to early voting.
Biden sees Manchin proposals on voting rights as ‘a step forward’
President Biden views Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) compromise proposal on voting rights to be a “step forward,” even as it is unlikely to garner any Republican support ahead of a …
thehill.comTrump proposed sending Americans with Covid to Guantánamo, book claims
Revelation contained in new book Nightmare ScenarioTrump: ‘We import goods. We are not going to import a virus’US politics – live coverage According to the book, Donald Trump asked aides at a meeting in February last year: ‘Don’t we have an island that we own? What about Guantánamo?’ Photograph...
Iran nuclear deal: President-elect Raisi issues warning over talks
Ebrahim Raisi promises he will not allow negotiations on reviving a 2015 deal to be dragged out.
www.bbc.com
NYC mayoral race is still up for grabs — and could be a bellwether for Dems
New York Democrats will choose their nominee for mayor on Tuesday in a historic primary that will test a major election reform and speak to how the party wants to address the issues of racial justice and public safety.
Supreme Court shuts down moot challenge to Trump-era 'Remain in Mexico' policy
The Supreme Court on Monday shut down a lawsuit challenging former President Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy after President Joe Biden ended it in June.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
'I'm not going back to work': Indiana residents file lawsuit after governor takes away unemployment benefits
Lawsuit's claim: Indiana law requires the state to pay out federal unemployment benefits to its residents.
www.usatoday.com
Canada’s lumber industry wants paid back
Deputy USTR nominees head to the Hill — Mexico gives labor probe the green light
www.politico.com
Democrats face filibuster stress test on key voting bill. It's not just Manchin and Sinema.
The worst-kept secret in Washington is that those two moderate senators aren’t alone in opposing nuking the 60-vote threshold.
www.nbcnews.com
One-third of Americans believe Biden won because of voter fraud: poll
Roughly one-third of Americans believe that President Biden’s 2020 electoral victory was the result of widespread voter fraud, according to a new Monmouth University poll. Thirty-two perc…
thehill.com
'Fight of his presidency': White House vows to keep pressing for greater voter access ahead of doomed vote
President Joe Biden will continue pressing to expand voting access, even if a key Senate vote fails, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
www.washingtonexaminer.comIn Rift With Biden, a Dramatic Show of Force by a Conservative Catholic Movement
Pope Francis and President Joe Biden, both liberals, are the two most high-profile Roman Catholics in the world. But in the United States, neither of these men is determining the direction of the Catholic Church. It is now a conservative movement that decides how the Catholic Church asserts its...
POLITICO Playbook PM: Your guide to the NYC mayoral election tomorrow
And the Supreme Court rules in favor of athletes in an NCAA compensation case.
www.politico.com
U.S. Senate Democrats aim to advance contentious federal voting rights bill
Democrats in the U.S. Senate this week will try to advance legislation setting new national election standards, seeking to counter voting-rights rollbacks that Republican legislatures are pursuing across the country.
www.reuters.com
Biden administration slaps sanctions on Belarus after it forcibly diverted passenger jet to arrest opposition journalist
The extraordinary diversion of a commercial airliner was described by some European Union leaders as a "hijacking."
Regulators tell Biden U.S. financial system in good shape-White House
Financial regulators assured President Joe Biden on Monday that the U.S. financial system is in good shape and that financial risks are being mitigated by strong liquidity in the banking system, the White House said. White House officials said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve...
Biden's agenda enters critical week on Capitol Hill ahead of looming Senate recess | CNN Politics
Lawmakers will resume a slate of tense negotiations this week over voting rights, infrastructure and police reform as President Joe Biden’s agenda enters an important week on Capitol Hill.
www.cnn.com
Pennsylvania Senate GOP edges toward Arizona-style election audit
A top Pennsylvania Republican says he supports an audit of the state’s presidential election results similar to a review being conducted in Arizona, raising the potential for other states to spend …
thehill.com
White House: Biden's Catholic faith is not 'political'
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is moving to rebuke Biden and other Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.
www.politico.comHow Putin Made a Fool of Tucker Carlson
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photos via GettyPresident Vladimir Putin has pulled off a targeted propaganda operation against the U.S. that’s so simple it never should have worked—and he did it in plain sight as part of the build-up to last week’s summit with President Joe Biden.This...
Trump and his CFO Allen Weisselberg stay close as prosecutors advance their case
NEW YORK - If Donald Trump was looking for some good news on his 75th birthday last Monday, it arrived at 8:15 a.m. by way of a blue Mercedes slipping into Trump Tower's private garage entrance on West 56th Street. Behind the wheel was Allen Weisselberg, Trump's longtime confidant and Trump...
Gender confirmation surgery will be available to veterans, VA Secretary Denis McDonough says at Pride event
The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to offer transgender veterans gender confirmation surgery, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in Florida.
www.usatoday.com
Tens Of Thousands Sign Petition To Stop Jeff Bezos From Returning To Earth
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced this month he would travel to space. Shortly afterward, a petition began circulating asking that he not come back.
www.npr.org
Liberal Media Scream: Chuck Todd calls parent-led opposition to critical race theory fake
This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the dismissal by NBC's Chuck Todd of parent-led opposition to the teaching of critical race theory in schools.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
New York City is holding its mayoral primary today. Here's what you need to know
The race to replace New York Mayor Bill de Blasio will cross a key threshold on Tuesday as Democrats and Republicans host their primary elections.
Biden plans to host Obama for portrait unveiling that Trump skipped: report
President Biden is reportedly planning on hosting a White House ceremony for the unveiling of former President Obama’s presidential portrait, a tradition former President Trump had declined t…
thehill.com
Nina Simone's granddaughter accuses Kamala Harris of bullying her mother to the point of near suicide
Singer Nina Simone’s granddaughter accused Vice President Kamala Harris of bullying her mother to the point that she almost committed suicide when Harris was serving as California’s attorney general.
www.washingtonexaminer.comThe rogue department: how the Trump DoJ trashed legal and political norms
New investigations will examine the scale of wrongdoing – and experts say there could be more revelations of abuse to come Donald Trump with Bill Barr in 2019. In Barr, Trump appeared to find someone almost entirely aligned with the idea of doing his bidding. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters...
How Congress' upcoming debt ceiling is threatening to ruin summer on Capitol Hill
I am writing to officially ruin your summer. If you work on Capitol Hill or report on Congress, buckle in. Congress is rapidly approaching a fight over the debt ceiling.
Progressives crank up filibuster pressure on Sinema with million-dollar ad buy in Arizona
The ad campaign accuses the Democratic senator of putting a "Jim Crow relic" above voting rights. She supports the bill but not nixing the 60-vote rule that could keep it from passing.
www.nbcnews.com
How Democrats are ‘unilaterally disarming’ in the redistricting wars
Democrats have greater control of state legislatures than in the last round of redistricting but have turned over map-making powers in some states to independent commissions.
www.politico.com
With tax credit push, White House seeks infrastructure momentum
The administration's latest effort comes as it also works aggressively to pre-empt any GOP arguments that a rebounding economy is coasting on Trump-era policies.
www.nbcnews.com
Republicans slam Biden's 'vague threats' to China over COVID stonewall
House Republicans are not satisfied with the Biden administration’s stance against the Chinese government when it comes to making sure there is a thorough investigation of the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden, Congress divided on how to pay for infrastructure
President Joe Biden will continue discussions on U.S. infrastructure legislation this week, but the White House still has not agreed with lawmakers on how to pay for such a bill, officials said on Monday.
www.reuters.com
Rhode Island senator defends membership to alleged all-white club, cites 'tradition'
Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse defended his family’s decadeslong membership to an alleged all-white private club in his home state.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Sotheby’s opens diamond auction to cryptocurrencies
Auction house Sotheby’s announced that cryptocurrency will be an accepted payment method for a rare diamond that is up for auction. Sotheby’s tweeted Monday about the cryptocurrency…
thehill.com
Is U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley now 'vincible'? In new Iowa Poll, nearly two-thirds say it's time for someone new
27% of likely Iowa voters say they would vote to reelect Grassley if the election were today, a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows.
www.usatoday.com
Progressive groups ramp up pressure on Feinstein
A coalition of more than 100 progressive groups in California is ramping up pressure on Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) over the filibuster ahead of a vote this week on a sweeping election bi…
thehill.comRon Johnson visited Milwaukee's Juneteenth Day celebration. It didn't go well.
Last year, the Wisconsin Republican blocked legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
Biden weighs ban on China’s solar material over forced labor
Lawmakers have pushed Biden to impose import restrictions on polysilicon similar to ones the Trump administration imposed on cotton, tomatoes and other products from Xinjiang.
www.politico.comAmerican bishops seek to deny Biden Communion: 'We've never had a situation like this'
The Roman Catholic bishops of the U.S. voted on Friday to begin drafting new guidance that could deny President Biden and other pro-choice public officials Communion due to their support of abortion rights, placing Biden at the center of a political and religious clash.
Waitress abducted and assaulted after chasing 5 people who ran out on $70 bill: Police
A waitress was allegedly abducted and assaulted by a group of five people after chasing them down when they walked out on their $70 bill.
Kamala Koozies? Ruth Bader Ginsburg still rules the world of political kitsch, but who's next?
But up-and-comers are vying for the top spot and political merch may heading for a collapse anyway.
www.nbcnews.com
Swedish government toppled in no-confidence vote
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven loses the vote following a dispute over rent controls.
www.bbc.com
What The Election Of A New Hard-Line President In Iran Means For The Nuclear Deal
The election of a cleric with allegiance to Iran's supreme leader will pose unique challenges for the Biden administration — most notably, when it comes to the Iran nuclear deal.
www.npr.org
US envoy hopes N. Korea responds positively on offered talks
President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea says he hopes to see a positive reaction from the North soon on U.S. offers for talks after the North Korean leader ordered officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation
Russian ambassador to US arrives in Washington | CNN Politics
The Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, returned to Washington, DC after spending almost three months in Moscow, the Russian embassy tweeted Sunday, after US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to send both their ambassadors back to their posts during their...
www.cnn.comJuan Williams: Trump-Led GOP Has No Agenda, Just Hate For Democrats
The Fox News political analyst says the ex-president, still popular among Republicans, embodies the party's descent "into farce."
Psaki: Biden's strategy for combating national crime spike will focus on 'gun violence and gun safety'
President Joe Biden will use his speech on rising crime rates across the country as an opportunity to address "gun violence and gun safety in the country," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
With ranked-choice voting, NYC Democratic mayoral primary might take weeks to pick winner
Voters in the nation’s most populous city head to the polls Tuesday to choose a new mayor for the first time in eight years. But it may be quite some time before we know who won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary election.
Democrats’ domestic agenda bogged down by Republican obstructionism
Key issues such as election reform, voting rights and gun control have seen Republican pushback Pushback by Republicans – and a handful of conservative Democrats – is forcing Joe Biden and the Democratic party on to the back foot. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters Joe Biden’s far-reaching...
Juan Williams: Trump’s GOP descends into farce
OPINION: The right is spending its time not on policy, but on an ever-more-absurd “culture war.”
thehill.com
Shootings at graduation parties reminder of gun violence ‘epidemic’ for students, advocates
More than 20,000 people have been killed by firearms so far in 2021.
RNC paid Mar-a-Lago $175K for spring donor retreat
The Republican National Committee (RNC) paid nearly $176,000 to former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club during a donor retreat this spring, according to the group’s latest federal filings.A r…
thehill.com
The real reason Republicans are blocking voting rights legislation | CNN Politics
Republicans justify their plan to block sweeping voting rights legislation in the Senate this week by arguing that it’s a huge federal power grab. But their past words and actions suggest they are again prioritizing their own political advantage over defending democracy.
www.cnn.comFact check: Image claiming to show Joe Biden sleeping at G-7 Summit is altered
Social media users are using an altered photo from 2020 to claim Biden was asleep during the G-7 summit.
Bitcoin slumps to two-week low amid renewed worries of Chinese restrictions
The price of Bitcoin slipped to its lowest levels in weeks on Monday amid news of further clampdowns on cryptocurrency in China.
Netanyahu attacks Lapid for Israel's "no surprises" agreement with U.S.
Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he rejected requests from the Biden administration to inform the U.S. in advance of Israeli operations against Iran’s nuclear program, and falsely claimed Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid made such a commitment to Secretary of State...
Pro-GOP group takes aim at vulnerable House Democrat over infrastructure proposal
An outside group that backs Republican causes is targeting a congressional district that the GOP considers one of the most vulnerable among House Democrats running for reelection next year with a new ad addressing President Biden’ massive infrastructure proposal.
Here are three questions New York’s mayoral primary will answer
First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.
www.nbcnews.com
EU, US, UK, Canada join forces to slap sanctions on Belarus
The United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada have joined forces to impose sanctions on several officials in Belarus over the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight to Minsk last month
A Russian Man Has Been Charged In The Death Of U.S. Student Catherine Serou
The 34-year-old student and former U.S. Marine went missing last week and was later found dead. Her mother says she received a text reading, "In a car with a stranger. I hope I'm not being abducted."
www.npr.org
Surviving combat only to die at home: Retired Staff Sgt. Wesley Black is picking out his coffin at 35 years old | CNN Politics
You can’t tell by looking at him, but retired Staff Sgt. Wesley Black is about to die. He’s just 35 years old.
www.cnn.comBiden Just Gave NASA the Green Light for a Cool New Moon Base
Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero/The Daily Beast/GettyPresident Joe Biden’s plan to spend a couple trillion dollars on infrastructure here on Earth is still working its way through a fractious Congress. In the meantime the Biden administration is going all in on infrastructure in space.That...
The national cyber director’s first hurdles
Congress’ fast-paced cyber agenda — Tightening the reins on Chinese telcos
www.politico.com
Outgoing North Carolina GOP senator backs different successor than Trump's pick
Outgoing North Carolina GOP Sen. Richard Burr disagrees with former President Donald Trump about who should succeed him in 2022.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
VA moves to offer gender confirmation surgery to vets
VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in prepared remarks that the move was "the right thing to do."
www.cbsnews.com
In A First, Iran's Sole Nuclear Power Plant Undergoes Emergency Shutdown
An official from the state electric company Tavanir said over the weekend that the Bushehr plant shutdown began on Saturday and would last "for three to four days."
www.npr.org
Kamala Harris has gone 93 days without visit to border since being tapped for crisis role
Vice President Kamala Harris has gone 93 days since being tapped by President Joe Biden to be his point person on the migrant surge at the border and will be visiting El Paso on Friday.
State Department to fly ‘Progress’ flag in honor of Pride month
The State Department later this week will fly the “Progress” flag in recognition of Pride Month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday during an event with the Atlantic Council addressing g…
thehill.com
California weighs extending eviction protections past June
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers are negotiating whether to extend the state's ban on evictions for unpaid rent
Democrats raring to go on broadband legislation
House lawmakers to mark up antitrust bills — New broadband map draws criticism
www.politico.com
Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Abiy Ahmed denies reports of hunger
The UN says 350,000 people are living in famine conditions after eight months of war in the region.
www.bbc.com
FDA adviser who stepped down over Alzheimer's drug approval says there's no "good evidence that it works"
Dr. Aaron Kesselheim warned "there is a lot of evidence" the drug causes side effects and called the FDA's approval the "wrong decision."
www.cbsnews.comMark McCloskey, Ordered To Surrender Gun He Aimed At Protesters, Poses With New AR-15
"I'd do it again any time," the right-wing St. Louis lawyer said of brandishing his firearm at demonstrators.
Sanders signals openness to Manchin's voting rights compromise | CNN Politics
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday signaled openness to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin’s proposed changes to sweeping elections overhaul legislation being debated in Congress.
www.cnn.com
Spain confirms plans to pardon Catalan separatists
The nine leaders were jailed over a failed 2017 independence bid, but the pardons are controversial.
www.bbc.com
Surviving combat only to die at home: Retired Staff Sgt. Wesley Black is picking out his coffin at 35 years old | CNN Politics
You can’t tell by looking at him, but retired Staff Sgt. Wesley Black is about to die. He’s just 35 years old.
www.cnn.com
Unvaccinated Americans are at risk of a possibly more dangerous Covid-19 variant. These are the most vulnerable states | CNN
Some states are making great strides in vaccinating their residents against Covid-19, but the ones that are not may soon be contending with a more transmissible variant, experts say.
www.cnn.com
India's Covid crisis hits Covax vaccine-sharing scheme
The largest single supplier to the international Covax scheme has made no shipments since March.
www.bbc.com
Sen. Blackburn slams Fauci over COVID-19 lab leak theory dismissal, says he 'shielded' China from scrutiny
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of attempting to deflect criticism of his initial handling of the COVID-19 lab leak theory on Monday following a fiery interview in which he accused his detractors of being “anti-science.”
Covid: Vaccines running out in poorer nations, WHO says
There are chronic shortages in some nations where Covid infections are surging, a key official says.
www.bbc.com
Wuhan lab collaborator recused from Lancet’s COVID-19 origins investigation
Peter Daszak, a longtime collaborator with the Wuhan Institute of Virology who steered hundreds of thousands of dollars in National Institutes of Health funding to the Chinese lab, has been recused from a COVID-19 origins investigation run by a commission organized under the auspices of the Lancet…
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatens to jail those who refuse Covid-19 vaccine | CNN
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to jail people who refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus as his country battles one of Asia’s worst outbreaks, with more than 1.3 million cases and 23,000 deaths.
www.cnn.com
'Fed up' Georgia Gov. Kemp rips ATL mayor who blames crime surges on COVID reopenings
Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp responded on Monday to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms blaming the city's crime spike on the GOP-led reopenings during the coronavirus pandemic, stressing that people are “tired of leaders blaming somebody else for problems.”
Biden outlines vaccine plan, set to miss global-sharing goal
President Joe Biden is expected to fall short of his commitment to shipping 80 million COVID-19 vaccine doses with the world by the end of June
Canada to ease mandatory quarantine on some arrivals | CNN
Canada is easing its mandatory two-week quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated nationals and residents arriving in the country after traveling abroad.
www.cnn.com
Indonesia records its largest 1-day jump in COVID infections
Indonesian health authorities have announced the country’s largest one-day jump in new coronavirus infections, as the country’s number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began crosses 2 million
Biden administration announces plan to share 55 million Covid-19 doses abroad | CNN Politics
The Biden administration on Monday announced its plan to distribute the remaining 55 million of the 80 million Covid-19 vaccine doses that President Joe Biden has pledged to allocate by the end of this month.
www.cnn.com
Vaccine hesitancy puts India's gains against virus at risk
India's vaccination efforts are being undermined by widespread hesitancy and fear of the jabs, fueled by misinformation and mistrust
Biden drops AstraZeneca vaccine from latest donation
The administration is replacing the vaccine with 55 million doses of those already cleared for use in the United States.
www.politico.com
‘We’ll all be dead by June!’ Jared Kushner screamed about mask shortage, according to new book
“You f—ing moron!”
thehill.comUnvaccinated Americans are at risk of a possibly more dangerous Covid-19 variant. These are the most vulnerable states | CNN
Some states are making great strides in vaccinating their residents against Covid-19, but the ones that are not may soon be contending with a more transmissible variant, experts say.
www.cnn.com
CDC says U.S. young adults less likely to take COVID-19 vaccine
Younger adults are seeking out COVID-19 vaccines at a slower rate than older adults, and if that pace of vaccination continues through August, vaccine coverage among younger adults will not reach levels achieved with older adults, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on...
www.reuters.com
Europe Watches With Worry As The Delta Variant Spreads Fast In The U.K. And Lisbon
Cases remain low in Spain, Germany and France, but health ministers there say the fast spread of the delta coronavirus strain elsewhere shows a serious threat.
www.npr.orgDesperate for COVID Care, Unauthorized Immigrants Resort to Unproven Drugs
FRESNO, Calif. — On a Tuesday afternoon in April, among tables of vegetables, clothes and telephone chargers at Fresno’s biggest outdoor flea market were prescription drugs being sold as treatments for COVID. Vendors sold $25 injections of the steroid dexamethasone, several kinds of antibiotics...
‘Are you kidding me?’ Fauci responds to rightwing attacks over emails
Top US health official initially advised against mask-wearingCritics seize on freedom of information releaseUS politics – live coverage Anthony Fauci was part of Donald Trump’s coronavirus taskforce and is now chief medical adviser to Joe Biden. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock Dr Anthony...
Fauci dismisses criticism over emails as 'nonsense' and 'anti-me' rhetoric
President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, this week said criticism pertaining to his recently released email correspondence is "nonsense" and "anti-me" as he touted his record of "saving lives."
www.washingtonexaminer.comWalensky strives to put CDC messaging back on track
States’ vaccine prizes fizzle — With Obamacare safe, new battles begin
www.politico.com
The CDC is launching a Covid-19 vaccine WhatsApp chat in Spanish to get more Latinos vaccinated.
As of June 14th, 36 percent of Latinos had received at least one vaccine dose compared to 45 percent of whites.
www.nbcnews.com
In Health Care, More Money Is Being Spent On Patients' Social Needs. Is It Working?
Eager to control costs and sickness, hospitals and insurers are trying to help patients access better food, housing and transportation. But so far there is little research showing these efforts work.
www.npr.org
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