News

The Associated Press reports: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday delivered some of the Biden administration’s strongest public criticism yet of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, saying Israeli tactics have meant “a horrible loss of life of innocent civilians” but failed to neutralize Hamas leaders and fighters and could drive a lasting insurgency. In a pair of …

CNN reports: Florida A&M University is putting a purported $237.75 million donation “on pause,” after media reports and college board leaders raised concerns about the actual value of the stock gift—and the details surrounding the donor’s previous donations. It’s a stunning reversal from the fanfare last Saturday at FAMU’s commencement ceremony, when the announcement of the gift made headlines as …

NBC News reports: A Dutch public broadcaster reacted angrily after the Netherlands’ contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from the competition hours before Saturday’s final over a backstage incident that is being investigated by police. The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, said Swedish police were investigating “a complaint made by a female member of the production …

The Washington Post reports: After facing harsh questions about his judicial decisions and accepting lavish gifts from a billionaire, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas forcefully pushed back on his critics Friday — saying he and his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, have endured “nastiness” and “lies.” “What you are going to find, especially in Washington, is that people are going to …

Pro-DeSantis outlet Florida’s Voice reports: A new poll conducted in Florida found that the abortion ballot initiative voters will decide on this November could have enough support to pass. Released by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the poll placed the abortion initiative’s support at 61%. It found that 29% oppose, and 10% remain unsure. Amendments need 60% of the vote …

Florida Politics reports: Support for legalizing recreation remains high, but is still shy of the threshold needed to amend Florida’s Constitution. That’s according to a poll released by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which found 58% of Floridians ready to support Amendment 3 on the November ballot. About 37% of those polled oppose the measure and only 5% remain undecided. …

The New York Times reports: Amy Bernstein, a traffic court judge in Brooklyn, was heading home from work one night in late April when, she said, a young man carrying a clipboard approached her on the subway platform, asking if she would sign a petition to help place independents on the ballot in New York. The top of the petition …

CBS News reports: A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected a bid by Hunter Biden to dismiss federal gun charges brought against him by special counsel David Weiss last year. The three-judge panel said in an unsigned opinion that Hunter Biden failed to show that lower court orders denying his requests to toss out the indictment are appealable before final …

Axios reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded Thursday to President Biden’s threat to suspend military aid if Israel invades Rafah, declaring in a video: “If Israel needs to stand alone, it will stand alone.” Netanyahu’s defiance in the face of Biden’s “red line” will further exacerbate tensions between the Israeli government and the White House. Biden warned in an …

The New York Times reports: General Motors said on Wednesday that it would stop making the Chevrolet Malibu, the last sedan in its U.S. model lineup and a venerable nameplate that was introduced in the 1960s when the company was a dominant force in the U.S. economy. For years, American drivers have been gravitating toward sport utility vehicles and away …

NBC News reports: NBC News first reported that Kennedy’s campaign hired Zach Henry’s firm, Total Virality, for “influencer engagement” in March. Henry had worked as deputy communications director for Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign, as well as for Blake Masters during his Senate run in Arizona. Henry, as NBC News reported, had posted that Jan. 6 was “no MAGA insurrection …

Politico reports: In 2016, Indiana put Donald Trump on the doorstep of the GOP presidential nomination. But eight years later, the state he called “Importantville” delivered his campaign some flashing red warning signs as Nikki Haley cleaned up in the suburbs. By virtue of its late-in-the-nominating-calendar primary, the Hoosier state has always occupied a unique and occasionally powerful perch to …

Via press release: The Boy Scouts of America today announced that it will rebrand to Scouting America, reflecting the organization’s ongoing commitment to welcome every youth and family in America to experience the benefits of Scouting. The change will go into effect on February 8, 2025, the organization’s 115th anniversary. This announcement also comes as the organization celebrates the fifth …

Politico reports: A measure that would codify abortion rights in the New York constitution, as well as other equal rights, was tossed off the ballot Tuesday, a blow to Democrats’ efforts to get the question to voters in November. A conservative judge in upstate Livingston County rejected the measure in a court ruling, questioning the legality of the ballot question. …

The Guardian reports: Hamas says it has accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal to halt seven-month war with Israel. It issued a statement Monday saying its supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had delivered the news in a phone call with Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence minister. The two Middle Eastern nations have been mediating months of talks between Israel and Hamas. …

The Associated Press reports: Eighty-two-year-old liberal U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont announced Monday that he is running for re-election, saying American democracy is in question during difficult times for the country and the world. Sanders, seeking a fourth Senate term, is an independent. He was a Democratic congressman for 16 years and still caucuses with the Democrats. In an …

Bloomberg reports: The Swiss Army Knife, the iconic, more than century-old fold-up tool used by whittlers, soldiers and even astronauts, will soon be available without a blade. Victorinox, the company behind the quintessentially Swiss product, is responding to tighter regulations around weapons around the world, Chief Executive Officer Carl Eisner told the Blick newspaper on Monday. Instead, it plans to …

Axios reports: The titanic Biden-Trump election likely will be decided by roughly 6% of voters in just six states, top strategists in both parties tell us. Each side will spend billions to reach those voters over the next six months. Roughly 244 million Americans will be eligible to vote. But 99.5% of us won’t be deciders: We won’t vote. Or …

The Washington Post reports: A motorist died after crashing a speeding car into an outer gate on the White House complex late Saturday, the Secret Service said. The crash occurred shortly before 10:30 p.m., the Secret Service said. Unspecified “security protocols were implemented” and the vehicle was cleared by Secret Service officers who tried to render aid. The driver, identified …

The New York Times reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Sunday that his cabinet had voted to shut down the Israeli operations of Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based network that is one of the most widely viewed sources of television news in the Arab world. The decision, which had been expected, could complicate Israel’s relationship with Qatar, which …