PoliticsYahoo NewsObama 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. Obama said that the Manchin proposal is “a product of compromise,” and that it is “an effort by maybe the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, or maybe the most conservative Democrat in Congress … to come up with some commonsense reforms that the majority of Americans agree with, that Democrats and Republicans can agree with. Obama said he was taking the unusual step of commenting on a debate in Congress because the stakes for the country are high, in his view.
U.S.Kansas City StarProtesters arrested outside Sen. Ted Cruz’s home in Texas, police say
A group of protesters demonstrating outside Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's home was arrested Monday, police say. Eight people accused of trespassing were arrested after they refused to leave private property at Cruz's home Monday, according to Houston police. “The large majority of the group are extremely peaceful out there expressing the First Amendment rights (to) protest against climate change,” Assistant Police Chief Ban Tien said in a video posted on Facebook.
PoliticsThe Week'An abysmally stupid move': Democrats complain the party is botching the nationwide redistricting battle
Over the last decade, Democrats in key states have relinquished control of redistricting to "independent commissions ... free of partisan interference," a decision made for the sake of "good government" that could, however, affect the left's ability to hold onto their majority in 2022, Politico writes. Despite agreeing that redistricting reform is needed, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) added that Republicans are "carving up left and right" in rabidly partisan states, while Democrats, rather, are "unilaterally disarming," per Politico. For example, when Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek (D) this spring offered an effective redistricting veto in exchange for the right's cooperation with her legislative agenda, Democrats were "unsparing" in their condemnation, writes Politico.
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WH on U.S. Catholic bishops new guidance that could deny Biden the rite of Communion: ‘The president’s faith is personal’
During a White House briefing on Monday, press secretary Jen Psaki responded to a question about U.S. Catholic bishops writing a document that could prohibit high-profile politicians who support abortion rights from receiving Communion. Psaki said “the president's faith is personal” and he, like many Americans, does not see his faith “through a political prism.
WorldBBCPakistani lawyer who represented Asia Bibi says he faces threats to his life
A Pakistani lawyer who has successfully overturned a number of convictions for "blasphemy" has said he believes his life is in danger from extremists. Saif ul Malook most recently oversaw the acquittal of a Christian couple who had been sentenced to death. Mr Malook shared social media posts with the BBC which called for him to be "executed" for securing the acquittal.
U.S.Miami HeraldCalifornia kids visiting Florida tried to tame an alligator. That was a problem
Three California kids vacationing in Florida tied a rope around an alligator and dragged it to shore from the water at Fay Lake Wilderness Park in Brevard County, FOX 11 Los Angeles and Florida Today reported. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office responded Thursday evening, according to Florida Today. The incident involved California youths who are 16, 8 and 6.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanGrand Canyon backpacker dies in 115-degree heat. How to stay safe as temperatures soar
A Grand Canyon backpacker died after falling ill from the extreme heat — and it wasn't the only heat-related death over the weekend, when temperatures soared across the West. Michelle Meder, a 53-year-old from Hudson, Ohio, was on a multi-day backpacking trip Friday when she became disoriented from the heat, park rangers said. “Responding rangers determined Meder to be deceased,” park officials said Monday in a news release.
WorldBBCChina fails to meet promises on missing Xinjiang children
Over the past two years, the Chinese authorities have repeatedly promised to help trace any children reported to be missing in Xinjiang, to prove that they haven't been forcibly separated from their parents. The first time China made a public promise to help find Kalbinur Tursan's children was in 2019. "If you have people who have lost their children, you give me the names," China's then-ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, told the BBC in a live television interview in July that year.
U.S.Miami HeraldBoom! What was that giant explosion off the Florida coast? Here’s what we know
A massive explosion on Friday off Florida's east coast was so intense that it registered a 3.9 in earthquake terms. All the commotion was for our national security, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. Apparently, America is getting a new aircraft carrier, and before it heads to battle it needs to get the kinks, if any, worked out.
U.S.Kansas City StarMissouri Gov. Parson ultimatum to lawmakers: deep cuts if Medicaid tax not renewed
Gov. Mike Parson on Monday promised deep and painful budget cuts to colleges, schools and social services if the General Assembly doesn't renew a tax critical to funding Medicaid, while warning that lawmakers standing in the way would “own” the destruction. Missouri faces a budget shortfall of $1.4 billion over the next two years without the tax, the Republican governor said in an afternoon news conference, where he outlined a raft of draconian reductions he said would begin July 1 unless lawmakers act quickly. Parson's ultimatum came as Republicans remain divided over renewing a tax on hospitals that provides billions each year for Medicaid, health coverage program for low-income and disabled Missourians.
U.S.Miami HeraldTropical Storm Claudette is back over water, and there’s another Atlantic disturbance
Tropical Storm Claudette is in the Atlantic Ocean, leaving flooding and rain over the Carolinas as it rapidly continues northeast. The National Hurricane Center said the storm will likely peter out in the next 24 hours. Claudette, the third named storm of the season, is moving east-northeast at 29 mph with maximum sustained winds at 45 mph with higher gusts, according to the 5 p.m. advisory.
HealthLA TimesCOVID-19 might shrink parts of the brain, scientists say
A new study suggests that COVID-19 might shrink parts of the brain. The study's results were mentioned by former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb on the Sunday news program "Face the Nation" on CBS as another example of why it is so important that unvaccinated people get inoculated. The results also underscore how evidence is mounting that people can still suffer from illness related to COVID-19 many months after infection, a condition known as "long COVID."
PoliticsBusiness InsiderIran's next president is a hard-liner who could cause problems for Biden, and Trump helped pave the way for his victory
Iran's next president, Ebrahim Raisi, is a hard-liner accused of involvement in mass executions. Raisi supports reviving the 2015 nuclear deal but could cause headaches for Biden on other issues. Trump's confrontations with Iran helped empower hard-liners like Raisi.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestClean Up With the Best Vacuum Deals Prime Day Has to Offer
Roomba, Dyson, Bissell, and Shark are on sale across the internet Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
LifestyleMiami HeraldA mom gave birth to a baby girl at Miami International Airport. Her name is fitting
Miami International Airport had a special arrival on Father's Day. A mother gave birth to a baby girl inside a restroom near Gate D43. She had just arrived on an American Airlines flight from Chicago with her aunt when she went into labor, airport spokesman Greg Chin said.
WorldBBCParul Khakhar: The Indian stay-at-home mum trolled for poem on Covid dead
She posted the mournful 14-line dirge called Shabvahini Ganga (A hearse called Ganga - the Indian name for river Ganges) on her Facebook page, where she has more than 15,000 followers. The Gujarati-language poem speaks about the wrath of the virus, leaving a trail of death and devastation in its wake. Khakhar writes about floating corpses, funeral pyres and the crematoria chimneys melting under the load of the burning dead.
U.S.The State$10 lottery ticket turns into $1 million win for NC man. ‘Couldn’t be more excited’
A North Carolina man spent $10 on a lottery ticket — and got much more money in return. Lee Kilby checked his ticket and discovered it was worth $1 million, the N.C. Education Lottery said Monday in a news release. “When I scratched it off, I couldn't believe what I was seeing,” Kilby told the lottery.
WorldThe Daily BeastMystery of Top Chinese Spymaster’s Rumored Defection Gets Weirder
Widespread rumors that China's top counterintelligence official had defected to the United States last February reached a fever pitch over the weekend, propelled largely by unfounded reports in anticommunist and pro-Trump circles that Dong had brought with him evidence that the Covid-19 pandemic had originated in a leak from a virology lab in Wuhan, not from an animal source. The controversy has been further exacerbated by Chinese secrecy, which has aided the campaign by pro-Taiwan and Donald Trump allies to deflect blame for the spread of the pandemic away from the former president and onto Beijing. The magnitude of the rumors about the supposed flight of Dong, 57, the number two official in the Ministry of State Security, along with his daughter Dong Yang, from Hong Kong five months ago appears to have rattled Beijing.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBillionaires have given $16 million to super PACs focused on NYC mayoral race, mostly directed at moderates Eric Adams, Ray McGuire, and Andrew Yang: NYT
As Adams has risen in polling, donors have increased spending to super PACs supporting his candidacy. The funding has led to a bump in mailers and political advertisements across digital platforms. Nearly eight years after billionaire Michael Bloomberg left the New York City mayoralty, the ultrawealthy are making their mark on the 2021 mayoral race in a big way.
CelebrityINSIDERFlorida bartender goes viral for disguising a note as a receipt to help customers he thought were being harassed
A woman tweeted that Florida bartender Max Gutierrez helped her out of a harassment situation. Gutierrez later identified himself as the bartender pictured on Twitter. A woman's tweet thanking a bartender in St. Petersburg, Florida, for protecting them from a customer she said was harassing them has gotten attention for the discreet way he appeared to offer help.
PoliticsUSA TODAYJoe Biden expected to host Barack Obama for official White House portrait reveal, report says
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is bringing back presidential portrait unveilings. Biden will host a White House ceremony later this year to unveil former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama's official portraits, according to an NBC News report. The Obamas' portraits are “virtually done,” a person familiar with the process told NBC News.
U.S.The Daily BeastPedophile Priests Can Take Communion. Why Not Biden?
What could have been an inspiring lesson in Catholic faith but has become just another tale of hypocrisy began on Dec. 17, 1948, after a porter slashed the throat of assistant manager Fred Naumann at 905 Liquor Store in St. Louis, Missouri. Naumann was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. With those lessons, Joseph Naumann grew up to become the archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas, and, as of November 2017, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
WorldBusiness InsiderTens of thousands of COVID-19 survivors in India are developing deadly 'black fungus' infections that can lead to blindness
As of June, there were more than 31,000 cases of "black fungus" infections in India. A puzzling epidemic of black fungus in India is spiraling out of control, with tens of thousands of COVID-19 survivors now battling the infection which can lead to blindness and death. On June 11, NDTV reported that there were 31,216 cases of mucormycosis in the country and 2,109 deaths due to the infection - a 150% increase over the previous three weeks.
PoliticsUSA TODAYMost Americans back both early voting and ID requirements, Monmouth University Poll finds
Most Americans support greater access to early voting, as well as increased requirements for voter ID laws, a recent Monmouth University Poll found. The poll's findings indicate strong broad and bipartisan public support for election law reforms often at odds with each other in partisan debates over voting. Nearly two-thirds of those polled, 71%, supports that it should be overall easier to vote early in elections.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderDick Cheney warned his daughter Rep. Liz Cheney on January 6 that she might not be safe after seeing Trump attack her before the Capitol riot, report says
Dick Cheney called his daughter Liz to warn her after Trump singled her out on January 6. The controversial former vice president is said to consider Trump an "abysmal" president. Rep. Liz Cheney was ousted from her GOP leadership position over her opposition to Trump.
“The pandemic has unequivocally proven the public health value of masks. And they should stick around in certain situations.”
“With the steady thrum of anti-mask sentiment in the U.S., it’s highly unlikely that they will continue to be a ubiquitous sight.”
“Wearing masks on airplanes or other modes of transit ... can help keep everyone safe.”
“Just because masks are common in many other nations ... is hardly a reason to emulate the practice.”
“The fact that the flu all but vanished ... is not evidence alone that masks were responsible.”