Latest Political News, Updates, and Analysis

WorldThe New York Times

Biden Team Sees Narrow Window for Deal on Cease-Fire and Hostages in Gaza

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his national security team see a narrow window to finally seal an agreement that would at least temporarily halt the war in the Gaza Strip and possibly end it for good even as they deflect pressure from college campus protests to abandon Israel in its fight against Hamas. Several factors converging at once have renewed the administration’s hopes that it can break through the stalemate in the next week or two. Biden’s team wants to capitalize on the successful

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USNBC News

Five Republican-led states sue over Biden's new Title IX transgender protections

Five Republican-led states have sued the Biden administration over its new rules expanding Title IX to protect transgender students.

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PoliticsNBC News

Trump meets privately with former GOP rival Ron DeSantis

Former President Donald Trump met privately over breakfast with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday.

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PoliticsAssociated Press

GOP leaders still can't overcome the Kansas governor's veto to enact big tax cuts

Republican legislators narrowly failed again Monday to enact a broad package of tax cuts over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto, making it likely that lawmakers would end their second annual session in a row without major reductions. The state Senate voted 26-14 to override Kelly's veto of a package of income, sales and property tax cuts worth about $1.5 billion over the next three years, but that was one vote short of the necessary two-thirds majority. Three dissident Republican senators joi

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USNBC News

Far-right news network OAN retracts article about Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels

The retracted article from One America News Network said Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen had an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

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PoliticsABC News

Hunter Biden threatens to sue Fox News for airing 'revenge porn'

Attorneys representing President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden are threatening to sue Fox News for violating "revenge porn" laws and publishing since-discredited bribery allegations as part of a scheme to "paint him in a false light," according to a letter obtained by ABC News. The letter, which Hunter Biden's counsel transmitted to attorneys at Fox News last week, includes a request for the conservative news outlet to "preserve all documents potentially relevant to the allegations in this lette

5 min read

USAssociated Press

EPA bans consumer use of a toxic chemical widely used as a paint stripper but known to cause cancer

The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it has finalized a ban on consumer uses of  methylene chloride, a chemical that is widely used as a paint stripper but is known to cause liver cancer and other health problems. The EPA said its action will protect Americans from health risks while allowing certain commercial uses to continue with robust worker protections. The rule banning methylene chloride is the second risk management rule to be finalized by President Joe Biden's administrati

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PoliticsNBC News

Trump says Republicans always wanted to leave abortion law to states. That's false.

Donald Trump is playing down the prospect of nationwide abortion restrictions, falsely saying Republicans have long sought to leave abortion law to states.

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WorldHuffPost

EU Commission President Doesn't Rule Out A TikTok Ban For The Bloc

"We know exactly the danger of TikTok," Ursula von der Leyen said nearly a week after President Joe Biden signed U.S. legislation threatening a nationwide ban.

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PoliticsReuters

Judge fines Trump $9,000 for contempt in hush money trial, threatens jail

(Reuters) -The judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial fined the former U.S. president $9,000 for contempt of court on Tuesday and said he would consider jailing him if he continued to violate a gag order. In a written order, Justice Juan Merchan said the fine may not be enough to serve as a deterrent for the wealthy businessman-turned-politician and lamented he did not have the authority to impose a higher penalty. Merchan had imposed the gag order to prevent Trump from crit

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PoliticsReuters

US reforms environmental law to speed up clean energy, infrastructure approval

The White House on Tuesday reformed the U.S. environmental review process for major projects which officials said would speed up approval of everything from transmission of power from wind and solar farms to semiconductor manufacturing. The reforms are the second and final phase of the administration of President Joe Biden's adjustments to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, after former President Donald Trump overhauled the bedrock environmental law in 2021 for the first time in de

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PoliticsAssociated Press

New York special election will fill vacancy in Congress created by resignation of Democrat Higgins

Voters in an upstate New York congressional district will choose between a Democrat regarded by many as the natural successor to the longtime congressman who vacated the seat earlier this year and a Republican with crossover appeal in a special election Tuesday. Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins, who arrived in Congress in 2005, resigned in February to become president of Shea's Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. With Republicans holding a narrow margin in the U.S. House, even a race for a seat wi

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PoliticsAssociated Press

Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him $9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial

Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. Prosecutors had alleged 10 violations, but New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found there were nine. Trump stared down at the table in front of him as the judge read the ruling, frowning slightly.

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WorldAssociated Press

El Salvador's congress approves changes to reform constitution, a move critics call anti-democratic

El Salvador's Congress, which is controlled by President Nayib Bukele New Ideas party, on Monday approved a change to an article of the Constitution to facilitate larger constitutional reforms without having to wait until after the election of a new legislature. The move further consolidates power in the hands of Bukele and his party, with some critics saying it opens a possible path for the leader to stay in power. Previously, constitutional reforms had to be proposed and approved in one legi

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PoliticsAssociated Press

Ethics committee dismisses complaint against Missouri speaker

A panel of lawmakers dismissed on Monday an ethics complaint against Speaker Dean Plocher, breaking from a Republican who argued that Plocher used his power as the House leader to block an investigation. Members voted 7-2 to dismiss allegations against Plocher for misuse of taxpayer dollars, using his influence to push a pricey contract with a company with ties to his employer, and retaliating against staffers who raised complaints. “From the outset of this investigation, I’ve maintained my in

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TechnologyNBC News

Biden administration to require advanced safety tech on all new cars and trucks

The Biden administration plans to require that all new cars and trucks come with pedestrian-collision avoidance systems that include automatic emergency braking technology by the end of the decade.

3 min read

PoliticsNBC News

Matt Gaetz becomes latest Kevin McCarthy defector to draw a primary challenger: From the Politics Desk

Matt Gaetz is the latest House Republican who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker to draw a primary challenger in the 2024 elections.

5 min read

PoliticsReuters

Biden to deliver Morehouse commencement address over student, faculty concerns

U.S. President Joe Biden has no plans to abandon giving the commencement address at Morehouse College, a historically Black men's college in Georgia on May 19, White House officials said on Monday, shrugging off criticism from some faculty and students over his Israel policies. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that Biden would proceed as planned at the historic college founded in 1867, whose alumni also include civil rights leader Martin Luther King.

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USNBC News

George Santos says he will revive his drag queen persona on Cameo

Former Republican Rep. George Santos announced that he will revive his drag queen persona in customized videos for sale on Cameo.

3 min read

PoliticsHuffPost

Gov. Greg Abbott Says Texas Education Agency Will Ignore Title IX Revisions

The Biden administration announced a more inclusive rewrite of the law to add protections for abuse survivors, students' parents and LGBTQ+ students.

2 min read

PoliticsThe Guardian

Trump claims ‘full and enthusiastic support’ of DeSantis after Florida meeting

Relations have been frosty between the Florida governor and the former president since the Republican presidential primary began

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USThe Guardian

Kamala Harris visits Atlanta to tout investments in minority communities

The vice-president returned to the city, pressing the case to Black voters that the Biden administration has been there for them

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USAssociated Press

Congress honors deceased Korean War hero with lying in honor ceremony

Congress gave one of its highest final tributes on Monday — a lying in honor ceremony at the Capitol — to Ralph Puckett Jr., who led an outnumbered company in battle during the Korean War and was the last surviving veteran of that war to receive the Medal of Honor. Puckett, who retired as an Army colonel, died earlier this month at the age of 97 at his home in Columbus, Georgia. The lying in honor ceremony at the Capitol is reserved for the nation's most distinguished private citizens.

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USAssociated Press

Conservative states challenge federal rule on treatment of transgender students

Several Republican state attorneys general are challenging a federal regulation that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation's schools by banning blanket policies that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions. “This is federal government overreach, but it’s of a degree and dimension like no other,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a news conference Monday. One lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Cou

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USYahoo News

Was it legal for Kristi Noem to shoot her puppy — and what other options did she have?

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a possible running mate for former President Donald Trump is catching heat over shooting and killing her "untrainable" hunting dog on her farm. Animal humane societies give alternatives to euthanasia.

6 min read

PoliticsNBC News

Biden officials will have a minimal presence at college graduations as campuses erupt in protests

WASHINGTON — Amid growing protests on college campuses by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, the White House is planning for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to have a minimal presence for a traditional rite of spring: delivering commencement addresses.

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USAssociated Press

Kansas bill to limit gender-affirming care for transgender minors dies after failed veto override

A proposed ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors in Kansas died Monday when two Republicans switched their votes and prevented the Republican-controlled Legislature from overriding the Democratic governor's veto of the measure. The Kansas House voted 82-43 to overturn Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a bill that also would have barred state employees who work with children from promoting social transitioning for kids who question or struggle with their gender identities. Republicans wh

5 min read

PoliticsAssociated Press

Trump and DeSantis meet to make peace and discuss fundraising for the former president's campaign

The governor, during the conversation, committed to helping Trump as he faces President Joe Biden in the general election, said the person. The meeting, which was first reported by The Washington Post, was orchestrated by Florida real estate investor Steve Witkoff, and took place at his Shell Bay Club in Hollywood, Florida. On Monday, Trump said the two had had “a great meeting yesterday” and that he was “very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida.

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WorldReuters

Blinken says he'll press Israel on more humanitarian aid to Gaza

The U.S. has seen measurable progress in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, but he cautioned that it still wasn't sufficient and vowed to press Israeli officials later this week to do more. Blinken’s remarks during a Middle East trip to check in on humanitarian aid to Gaza come about a month after Biden issued a stark warning to Netanyahu, saying Washington’s policy could shift if Israel fails to take steps to address civilian harm, humani

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PoliticsNBC News

Poll: Biden and Trump supporters sharply divided by the media they consume

Supporters of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are sharply divided by, among other things, the sources they rely on to get their news.

3 min read

PoliticsThe New York Times

How Donald Trump has slowed the cases against him

It now seems likely that Donald Trump will be able to run for president this year without having faced any legal penalties for his effort to overturn the last presidential election. To many of his supporters, of course, this outcome is just. But it is also striking. Most Americans believe that Trump committed serious crimes, polls show. He chose not to order the authorities to stop a violent attack on the Capitol, even when his vice president was in danger. And he directed state election officia

5 min read

PoliticsThe New York Times

Trump and DeSantis Meet for First Time Since Bruising Primary

Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met Sunday morning, according to three people briefed on the meeting, the first time they’ve done so since the end of a bruising Republican presidential primary that Trump won while relentlessly attacking DeSantis. The meeting — which took place in Hollywood, Florida, according to one of the people briefed on the meeting — was the result of a weekslong effort by a longtime friend of Trump, real estate investor Steve Witkoff, who also has a relationship

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PoliticsLA Times

Many O.C. residents deny Trump election results, potentially swaying key races, poll finds

In a purple county with several contests that could shape the balance of power in Congress, doubts about elections could keep voters away in November — particularly conservatives.

6 min read

PoliticsReuters

US VP Harris courts Black voters with economic opportunity tour

ATLANTA (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris started a multistate tour on Monday in Atlanta, to tout economic opportunities for Black Americans, as Democrats try to mobilize a critical voting base ahead of November’s election. A major focus of the tour is energizing and engaging Black men, a key demographic that polls suggest has lost faith in the Democratic Party. A recent Wall Street Journal poll of seven swing states found that some 30% of Black males said they were either definite

3 min read

WorldBusiness Insider

China is gunning for the chief scientist of its COVID vaccine project, accusing him of 'serious discipline and law violations'

Yang Xiaoming was kicked from the National People's Congress earlier this month. He was in charge of the team that created the Sinopharm vaccine.

2 min read

PoliticsAssociated Press

This congresswoman was born and raised in Ukraine. She just voted against aid for her homeland

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, the first and only Ukrainian-born member of Congress, emerged early on as a natural advocate for supporting her native country in its war with Russia. The event in a hall just off of the town's main street was attended by eight of the nine GOP primary candidates, who were able to make their case to voters and county Republican officials one at a time during a meet-and-greet that also included short speeches by the candidates.

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WorldNBC News

Biden speaks with Netanyahu as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war mount in the US

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden held a phone call on Sunday with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the backdrop of growing U.S. college campus protests and a possibly imminent invasion of Rafah.

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PoliticsNBC News

Arizona GOP taps 'fake elector' for RNC post

The Arizona GOP has selected state Sen.

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PoliticsBusiness Insider

DeSantis makes nice with Trump in Miami: reports

Former rivals DeSantis and Trump reconcile, potentially shaping future GOP presidential bids.

3 min read

PoliticsAssociated Press

Republicans seeking Georgia congressional seat debate limits on abortion and immigration

Brian Jack sought to make a Sunday debate among Republican candidates for an open Georgia congressional seat all about his close ties to former President Donald Trump, while the other contenders ignored Trump's endorsement of Jack.

3 min read

USAssociated Press

Joe Biden wins Democratic primary in Puerto Rico

President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary Sunday in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was authorized to open only a dozen voting centers this year compared with more than 100 in previous years given recent austerity measures imposed by a federal control board that oversees the island’s finances. On Sunday, Puerto Rico’s Democrats also chose 36 of 65 delegates they hope to send to the National Democratic Convention that will be held in Chicago in late August.

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USReuters

Dozens of tornadoes strike Oklahoma, killing at least four

(Reuters) -At least four people died, including a four-month-old baby, and scores were injured in Oklahoma this weekend after dozens of twisters swept the U.S. Southern Plains, while weather alerts on Sunday put more than 7 million Americans under tornado warnings. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on Sunday declared a disaster emergency for the state, freeing up more money for first responders and recovery operations. In a call with the Oklahoma governor, President Joe Biden offered the full supp

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WorldReuters

Biden reiterated position on Rafah in Netanyahu call, says White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden spoke on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "reiterated his clear position" on a possible invasion of the Gaza border city of Rafah, the White House said. A statement issued by the White House did not give more details of that part of the conversation. Washington has said that it could not support a Rafah operation without an appropriate and credible humanitarian plan.

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SportsYahoo Sports

Formula 1: Miami Grand Prix sends cease and desist letter to prevent Donald Trump fundraiser during race

Race organizers say they'll revoke a Trump fundraiser's suite license if he holds an event for the former president on Sunday at the race.

2 min read

SportsYahoo Sports

Ex-UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou announces death of his 15-month-old son Kobe

"How do you deal with such a thing?" Ngannou asked in a social media post announcing his son's death.

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SportsYahoo Sports

NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams | Zero Blitz

Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.

1 min read