(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)
GENEVA (AP) — With stern expressions and polite words before the cameras, President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin plunged into hours of face-to-face talks Wednesday at a lush lakeside Swiss mansion, a highly anticipated summit at a time when both leaders agree that relations between their countries are at an all-time low.
Biden-Putin meeting: American press manhandled by Russian security agents
U.S. reporters and producers were aggressively pushed and shoved by Russian security officials Wednesday at the start of the highly-anticipated meeting in Geneva between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Biden-Putin summit highlights: 'I did what I came to do,' Biden said
U.S. President Joe Biden held a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Here are the highlights.
Nothing Justice Stephen Breyer has said publicly suggests he’s ready to quit | CNN Politics
Every day another voice adds to the groundswell of pressure on 82-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer to retire when the annual Supreme Court session ends in a few weeks.
www.cnn.com
Biden's Putin moment can't escape Trump's shadow: The Note
The staggering range of issues Biden and Putin have to discuss are reminders of how much America's policies toward Russia changed with the change of administrations.
Senate on collision course over Trump DOJ subpoenas
Senate Democrats are quickly running into a GOP buzzsaw as they probe the Trump-era Justice Department’s collection of lawmaker records.Reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) under former Pre…
thehill.com
As Biden and Putin met, press chaos reigned
Reporters covering the event as part of the press pool said a shoving match broke out moments after Biden and Putin went inside for their meeting.
www.nbcnews.com
Fiona Hill reflects on ‘terrible spectacle’ of Trump-Putin summit ahead of Biden’s meeting with Russian President | CNN Politics
Fiona Hill, once then-President Donald Trump’s top Russia adviser, said Tuesday evening that she was so alarmed during Trump’s 2018 press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin that she had looked for a fire alarm to pull and considered faking a medical emergency.
www.cnn.comChaotic media scuffle breaks out at Biden-Putin summit as Russian security intervenes
The opening moments of President Biden's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin devolved into chaos on Wednesday, as shoving and yelling broke out among journalists and security officials jostling inside the room where the two leaders were sitting.Driving the news: Politico's Anita Kumar...
Cheney: ‘It is disgusting and despicable’ to see Gosar ‘lie’ about Jan. 6
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) blasted fellow Republican Rep. Paul Gosar (Ariz.) for placing blame for the death of a woman during the Jan. 6 rioting by supporters of President Trump at the feet of Capit…
thehill.com
Dems keep one foot out the door on infrastructure negotiations, move to start reconciliation and abandon GOP
Democrats in Congress are moving ahead with the budget reconciliation process that will allow them to move "everything" in President Biden's agenda through Congress while circumventing a GOP filibuster if bipartisan negotiations don't come together — or even if they do.
EU members agree to lift travel restrictions on US tourists
The European Union is recommending that member countries start lifting restrictions on tourists from the United States
Marjorie Taylor Greene leads conspiracy-heavy attack on Fauci
Some of the most conservative members of the House of Representatives took to the stage at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to denounce Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top medical adviser to President Biden.
Luxury cars and $100 bills: Police bust ransomware gang in Ukraine
The bust comes as ransomware has gone from a quietly pervasive cybersecurity problem to a broadly discussed national security issue.
www.nbcnews.com
Clinton: Biden will reset U.S.-Russia relations after Trump 'emboldened' Putin
"We can't turn the clock back," but Clinton is optimistic as the Biden-Putin summit kicks off.
www.politico.comFar-Right Activist Wants to be Idaho’s Next Governor—But He’s Banned From the Statehouse
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyFar-right activist Ammon Bundy is running for governor of Idaho—despite being legally banned from the Idaho statehouse.“He’s prepping a run for Idaho governor, to the dismay of the Idaho Republican Party, which really does not want that affiliation,”...
The Hill’s Morning Report – Dems to go-it-alone on infrastructure as bipartisan plan falters
Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. It is Wednesday! We get you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger a…
thehill.com
Texas becomes latest state to ban critical race theory - Washington Examiner
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation to ban the teaching of critical race theory on Tuesday.The legislation details how and what educators can teach as it relates to the history of the United States. The text of the legislation does not actually mention “critical race theory” by...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Fact check: Boebert falsely claims liberals have 'legalized' knowingly spreading HIV
Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, known for her outspoken right-wing views, tweeted last week: "The same liberals that legalized knowingly spreading HIV are now pushing Americans to take COVID tests or show proof of vaccination to enter restaurants. No. We're not playing your games."
www.cnn.com
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, raises expectations for rising inflation
The Fed drastically raised its forecast for inflation and shifted up the timeline for a rate hike.
www.nbcnews.comOnce, Superpower Summits Were About Nukes. Now, It's Cyberweapons.
GENEVA — For 70 years, meetings between American presidents and Soviet or Russian leaders were dominated by one looming threat: the vast nuclear arsenals that the two nations started amassing in the 1940s, as instruments of intimidation and, if deterrence failed, mutual annihilation. Now, as...
Biden shifts focus of crime victims office from citizens to immigrants - Washington Examiner
The Biden administration will convert a government office created by former President Donald Trump that had assisted Americans who were victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants to focus instead on helping immigrants who are crime victims.The move is one of two major changes, along with...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Fallen film producer Harvey Weinstein ordered extradited from New York to Los Angeles to face sex assault charges
Film producer Harvey Weinstein became the face of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct.
Harris hosts female senators for ‘evening of relationship building’ at vice president’s residence | CNN Politics
Vice President Kamala Harris held a private dinner Tuesday night for the female US senators, a show of bipartisanship among a deeply divided Congress.
www.cnn.com
Biden-Putin meeting in Geneva: Schedule, issues and everything you need to know
President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded an hours-long summit in Geneva just after 11 a.m. ET, before Putin took questions at a press conference before Biden held a separate news event.
1 in 3 election officials report feeling unsafe, new survey finds
One in 6 say they've been threatened because of their jobs, research commissioned by the Brennan Center reports.
www.nbcnews.com10 Things in Politics: Dems demand ouster of Trump holdovers
And what to expect from today's Biden-Putin summit.
N Korea's Kim looks much thinner, causing health speculation
The last time Kim Jong Un faced rumors about his health, it was because the North Korean leader walked with a cane, missed an important state anniversary or panted for breath
Watch live: Biden holds press conference after summit with Putin
President Biden is slated to hold a press conference after his Geneva summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.The press conference is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. EDT. Watch …
thehill.com
What to know about 'shrinkflation' and how to avoid sneaky price hikes
As economists mull inflation, consumer advocates warn of "shrinkflation."
GOP warms up to bipartisan infrastructure proposal, but liberals trash it - Washington Examiner
Senate Republicans Tuesday showed preliminary support for a bipartisan infrastructure framework that a small group of lawmakers is drafting, but liberal lawmakers dismissed the proposal as far too narrow and cheap to address the nation's needs.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Bishops to debate banning communion for president
U.S. bishops are set Wednesday to open a controversial and divisive debate over whether President Biden, just the second Catholic president in U.S. history, and other politicians should be denied c…
thehill.com
'Pure insanity': Emails detail Trump's pressure on Justice Department to overturn 2020 election
Trump's White House badgered federal officials behind the scenes while he pushed unsubstantiated claims of election fraud on Twitter.
www.nbcnews.com
Biden-Putin meeting: Republicans outline 5 things POTUS should be doing to counter Russian president
House conservatives released a new memo in advance of President Biden's Wednesday summit with Vladimir Putin calling out the Democrat's "tough words but weak actions" and offering advice on policies that could actually counter Russian aggression.
Israel responds to "arson balloons" with airstrikes on Gaza in 1st flare-up since cease-fire
Violence erupts anew after Israeli ultranationalists, some chanting "Death to Arabs," parade in east Jerusalem, prompting incendiary balloon launches from Gaza.
www.cbsnews.com
White House: Biden head nod when asked if he trusts Putin not meant as agreement - Washington Examiner
When President Joe Biden appeared to nod in response to a question about whether he trusts Vladimir Putin at the start of a hotly anticipated summit with the Russian president, the White House contended he wasn't signaling agreement.“It was a chaotic scrum with reporters shouting over each...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Tucker Carlson suggests undercover FBI agents may have orchestrated Capitol riot - Washington Examiner
Fox News host Tucker Carlson suggested that undercover FBI agents helped orchestrate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.“But strangely, some people who participated in the riot haven't been charged. Look at the documents. The government calls these people ‘unindicted co-conspirators.’ What does that mean...
www.washingtonexaminer.comDemocrats are no longer pursuing records of Trump's private meeting with Putin
House Democrats said Wednesday they're no longer pursuing records of former President Donald Trump's private meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ABC News reports. Why it matters: The announcement comes hours ahead of President Biden's meeting with his Russian counterpart. Democrats...
Woes mount for legal loyalists who pushed Trump’s election conspiracies
Crew of lawyers including L Lin Wood and Sidney Powell battling investigations and lawsuits that threaten their careers L Lin Wood at a post-election press conference in Georgia in December. Wood is battling a Georgia state bar request for him to take a confidential mental competency exam...
‘Potential crisis for democracy’: Threats to election workers could spur mass retirements
Election workers and watchdogs say that after these officials preserved the integrity of the 2020 election despite enormous pressure from former President Donald Trump and allies, the climate could kick off a “brain drain” in their field.
www.politico.com
Congress tiptoes back to normality post-pandemic
Virtual caucus meetings, mask requirements and long, socially distanced votes are officially a thing of the past as Congress — and the U.S. at large — is starting to turn the page on the COVID-19 p…
thehill.com
Biden, Putin say progress made in Geneva but gulfs on issues remain
"I told President Putin my agenda is not against Russia or anyone else. It's for the American people," Biden told reporters following the session.
www.nbcnews.com
Still a summit secret: What happened in Helsinki between Putin and Trump?
Democrats are no longer pursuing what happened in private meetings at the 2018 summit in Helsinki, Finland, between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
House Ethics Committee won’t pursue claims Reps. Mo Brooks and Paul Gosar instigated Jan. 6 riot - Washington Examiner
Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona received letters from the House Ethics Committee on Tuesday saying the panel would not investigate claims they helped instigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE CLEARS BOEBERT OF ALLEGATION SHE HELPED INSTIGATE CAPITOL...
www.washingtonexaminer.com
The dawn of the age of Khan
Bringing antitrust laws into the digital age — Lawmakers talk broadband as infrastructure compromises crumble
www.politico.com
Ukrainian police say hackers who targeted US firms with ransomware have been uncovered
Ukrainian police have identified a group of six hackers who engaged in ransomware targeting the servers of companies from South Korea and the U.S.
thehill.com
Dodger Stadium sellout is America's largest pro sports team crowd since pandemic
An audience of about 52,078 baseball-starved fans witnessed Los Angeles top the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-3.
www.nbcnews.com
US Army has hidden or downplayed loss of firearms for years
The U.S. Army has hidden or downplayed the extent to which its firearms are lost or stolen
Bipartisan infrastructure group swells to 21 senators
A bipartisan senators’ group working on a $1 trillion infrastructure compromise more than doubled in size to 21 members Wednesday, a key threshold that gives momentum to their effort as President Joe Biden returns from overseas at a pivotal time for his big legislative priority. Biden told...
Here comes the Fed
Left rips infrastructure talks — Big win for liberals at the FTC
www.politico.com
Kamala Harris launches campaign for voting rights across U.S.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday promoted the Biden administration's efforts to advance voting rights when she met 16 fellow Democrats from the Texas state legislature who successfully blocked a bill they said would make it harder for Blacks and Hispanics to vote.
Biden insists his presidency is not a third Obama term; his staff picks suggest otherwise
About three-quarters of Biden's top 100 staffers are former aides to President Barack Obama, according to a Miller Center scholar's analysis.
www.usatoday.com
Skepticism abounds of Biden moves to reform ICE, immigration courts
Advocates are expressing skepticism that steps taken by the Biden administration to address the immigration court backlog will have much impact for the more than 1.3 million people waiting to have …
thehill.com
Beverage makers mocked after soccer stars Ronaldo and Pogba snub drinks
Ronaldo, a health-conscious athlete, held up a bottle of water and said, "Agua."
www.nbcnews.comFederal oil and gas lease pause hits a major roadblock
Progressives decry bipartisan infrastructure plan — Biden meets Putin
www.politico.com
GOP rep pushes Biden admin to ensure VA doesn't start providing abortions, calls Dems 'party of death'
More than 130 Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Rosendale, signed onto a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough asking him to provide assurances that the VA won't attempt to change its rules to provide abortion or abortion-related services under the new administration.
Bishops beware: 74% say no Communion for Biden - Washington Examiner
As America’s Catholic bishops are set to discuss letting pro-abortion President Joe Biden receive Communion despite rejecting key church teachings, a new survey has already delivered an answer: No.The survey of regular churchgoers from the conservative group CatholicVote found that 74% believe...
www.washingtonexaminer.comPOLITICO Playbook: The folly of bullying Joe Manchin
And Biden prepares to meet with Putin.
www.politico.com
Israeli military says it killed Palestinian woman who tried to hit soldiers with car
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that it shot and killed a Palestinian woman after she allegedly attempted to run over soldiers with her car.Soldiers reportedly opened fire on the woman …
thehill.com
Portland police officer indicted on assault charge over alleged use of force at George Floyd protest
A grand jury indicted a Portland, Oregon, police officer on an assault charge for what prosecutors allege was an "excessive and unlawful use of force" during a protest.
Inside one city: Milwaukee residents dissatisfied with police amid a nationwide reckoning
An exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk poll finds complex attitudes toward law enforcement: Concern about racist practices put blame on 'a few bad apples.'
www.usatoday.com
Biden administration grants loan relief to former for-profit college students
The move, which will relieve more than $500 million in debt, marks a step forward in the administration’s effort to clear a backlog of nearly 100,000 claims.
www.nbcnews.com
Democrats seek staffer salary boost to compete with K Street
Democratic lawmakers want to raise congressional staffer salaries in a bid to increase diversity and retain talent that is often lured away by the more lucrative private sector.In a letter to the H…
thehill.com
As Democrats get antsy to achieve top priorities, Biden has yet to weigh in
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
Hillary Clinton: Casting doubt on 2020 election is ‘doing Putin’s work’
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday said that elected officials who have suggested the 2020 presidential election was not conducted fairly are aiding Russian President Vladimir P…
thehill.com
Biden And Putin Say Their Summit Was Constructive As The World Waits For Results
After their more than 3-hour meeting in Geneva, the U.S. leader said he pushed his Russian counterpart on human rights and other administration priorities.
www.npr.org
Jared Kushner set to publish 'definitive' book on Trump presidency
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump and a senior adviser in his administration, has reached a deal to write a book billed by his publisher as the "definitive" recounting of Trump's presidency.
Dems want to un-Trump the DOJ — fast
"I’m willing to be patient for a bit," one Democratic senator said of the new attorney general's progress. “But if it doesn’t get better ... I’m going to get pretty impatient."
www.politico.com
Chrissy Teigen apologized for bullying. Her targets are still trying to heal.
Chrissy Teigen apologized for sending then-teenager Courtney Stodden messages telling them to kill themselves, but other people have come forward saying they, too, were bullied.
www.nbcnews.com
Dangerous heat wave in the West won't end any time soon: Latest forecast
The heat wave pummeling the West won't be leaving this week.
Pentagon eyes naval task force in Pacific
NDAA markup schedule is set — A call to downsize DHS
www.politico.com
Pelosi says House will move forward with January 6 investigations
Pelosi did not say whether she would appoint a select committee specifically to investigate the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
www.cbsnews.com
Dwayne Johnson says he’s never had ‘political passions’ but will ‘listen’ to what people want
He’s battled baboons in “Jumanji: The Next Level” and delivered blows in the wrestling ring, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says taking the leap into politics could pro…
thehill.com
A New Lawsuit Aims To Stop Indiana From Pulling Unemployment Benefits Early
Indiana is one of eight states that are scheduled to end expanded pandemic unemployment benefits this weekend.
www.npr.org
Pelosi picks Democrats for special panel tackling inequality
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) this week tapped the Democrats who will lead a special committee designed to tackle the yawning disparity between the wealthiest Americans and the nation’s wor…
thehill.com
New York grapples with growing presence of homeless in midtown Manhattan
An influx of homeless people into midtown Manhattan after an emergency move by New York City to ease crowding in shelters has been a fact of pandemic life since last spring.
Three things to watch as Joe Biden meets Vladimir Putin
The US president is set to talk to the Russian leader in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
www.bbc.com
Tech privacy practices under scrutiny after DOJ subpoenas
Tech companies that publicly promote their privacy practices are coming under scrutiny for handing over metadata on lawmakers, congressional staffers, journalists and even a minor in response to su…
thehill.com
Gay And Bisexual Men Are Now Allowed To Donate Blood In England, Scotland And Wales
The shift in health policy in most of the U.K. reverses a decades-old rule that limited donor eligibility on perceived risks of contracting HIV/AIDs and other sexually transmitted infections.
www.npr.org
Democratic congressman drops censure resolution against Marjorie Taylor Greene
Greene apologized Monday for her remarks comparing COVID-19 public health measures to the Holocaust.
www.cbsnews.com
The ACLU’s civil war over old values: Free speech only for the woke?
America’s high temple of free speech and civil liberties is becoming a political organization preaching left-wing ideology.
thehill.com
'I was humiliated': The continuing trauma of South Korea's spy cam victims
Survivors have faced threats and bullying from police when seeking justice, says a new rights report.
www.bbc.com
Nearly 900 New Yorkers got expired COVID-19 vaccine doses in Times Square
The company responsible apologized and stressed that there's no danger to recipients.
www.cbsnews.com
Kim warns of 'tense' food situation, longer COVID lockdown
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned about possible food shortages and urged the country to brace for extended COVID-19 restrictions
8 Royal Caribbean crew members test positive for COVID-19, delaying cruise
Royal Caribbean said all 1,400 crew members would be fully vaccinated against COVID by June 18. Just days before, eight tested positive.
www.cbsnews.com
California's virus reopening met with cheers and caution
California's reopening after 15 months of coronavirus restrictions has been met with exuberance but also caution
Another life-saving Covid treatment found
Monoclonal antibody therapy, given by drip, can save some of the sickest hospital patients.
www.bbc.comHow Trump officials sought to pin Covid on China
Labor groups lobby for drug pricing reform — Rage over the Alzheimer’s drug decision continues
www.politico.com
More evidence suggests COVID-19 was in US by Christmas 2019
A new analysis of blood samples from 24,000 Americans taken early last year is the latest and largest study to suggest that the new coronavirus popped up in the U.S. in December 2019 — weeks before cases were first recognized by health officials
U.S. buys 200 mln more Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses
The U.S. government has bought another 200 million doses of Moderna's (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine, the drugmaker said on Wednesday, including an option to buy experimental shots that may be in development.
Arizona governor issues executive order prohibiting universities from mandating COVID-19 tests, vaccines and masks
Arizona State University said it won't require face masks to be worn by those who are vaccinated, but will require unvaccinated students to be tested for COVID.
www.cbsnews.com
COVID hits Ecuador doctors who delayed wedding to treat sick
They were a pair of young doctors in love who put off marriage to save lives
Royal Caribbean's Launch Of Its New Megaship Just Got Sidelined By COVID Cases
The Odyssey of the Seas had been slated to carry passengers for the first time on July 3. Instead, all 1,400 crew members are being quarantined.
www.npr.org
An Olympic Hopeful Blames A Burrito For Her Positive Drug Test
Shelby Houlihan says her positive test for the steroid nandrolone followed a visit to a food truck for a pork burrito, and is pointing to studies that show nandrolone occurs naturally in some pigs.
www.npr.org
Japan looks to ease virus emergency ahead of Olympics
Japan is expected to ease a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and most other areas this weekend, with new daily cases falling just as the country begins making final preparations for the Olympics starting in just over a month
