Rubio pushes for new China sanctions amid questions over coronavirus lab leak theory

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is preparing to introduce a bill that would place new sanctions on China unless it allows “a transparent international investigation of suspect laboratories in Wuhan,” in particular the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which has become the focus of intense speculation and scrutiny in recent months, including from President Biden. Rubio and other Biden critics want the president to be more aggressive in getting China to accede to a thorough investigation, which the country's leadership has so far resisted.

Israel's prime minister urges world leaders to shun Iran's new president

Israel's prime minister branded Iran's new president the "hangman of Tehran" over the weekend and called on world leaders not to restore a nuclear deal with his hardline government. Ebrahim Raisi was elected with just under 62 per cent of the vote in presidential elections on Thursday, replacing the comparatively moderate and pragmatic President Hassan Rouhani. But his victory was marred by historically low turnout and he is under immense pressure to deliver economic improvements, including via nuclear talks.

• 
  Israel's Bennett warns against nuclear talks with Iran's "hangmen regime"

  Reuters
• 
  Praise and condemnation for Iran's new hardline president

  Reuters

Fewer than a third of Iowans would vote for GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley if he seeks an 8th term, poll finds

The survey, conducted by widely respected Iowa pollster J. Ann Seltzer, found that only 27 percent of likely voters would re-elect Grassley if the election were today; 64 percent said they think it's time for someone else to occupy the seat Grassley has occupied since 1981. Iowans generally have a positive opinion of their senior senator — his favorability rating is 50 percent, with 37 percent having an unfavorable view — but Grassley's job approval rating has slid to 45 percent, his lowest approval number since 1982, the Register reports. "Grassley's approval rating has occasionally hit the 80 percent threshold during that time."

Why Pope Francis probably isn't worried about U.S. bishops' vote on Communion guidance

Despite opposition from the Vatican, which has cautioned Catholic leaders against politicizing the Eucharist, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Friday voted 168-55 to advance draft guidance that could call into question whether Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, including President Biden, are eligible to receive Communion. Pope Francis has remained silent about the vote so far, which Vatican officials told The New York Times is a sign he's not concerned that the final version of the guidance will actually pass. Under church law, the Times reports, the final document would require either unanimous support, or two-thirds support and Vatican approval.

• 
  US Catholic bishops going against Vatican

  ABC News Videos
• 
  Abortion rights: US Catholic bishops face clash with Biden

  BBC

Pakistani police arrest cleric on suspicion of sexual abuse

A prominent Pakistani cleric who has led anti-blasphemy rallies has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a student after a purported video of the assault provoked widespread public anger. Aziz-ur-Rehman was held after cellphone videos apparently showing a cleric forcing himself on a student at a religious school went viral on social media. The video prompted protest about the lack of government action to protect students at such schools, which are often linked to hugely influential hardline religious parties.

Imran Khan: Pakistan PM causes stir with Afghan, Xinjiang remarks

Pakistan's prime minister has created a stir over comments he made about US operations in Afghanistan and China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims. In an interview with Axios HBO, Imran Khan categorically stated that he would not allow the US to use Pakistan as a base for its Afghan operations. The interview with Mr Khan was aired early on Monday morning and immediately started gaining traction as people began discussing his comments.

Liz Cheney spent at least $58,000 on bodyguards after Jan. 6, wants to teach GOP basic civics

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has no regrets about opposing former President Donald Trump and his lies about the 2020 election, even though it cost her her position in House Republican leadership and earned her death threats, she tells The New York Times. "We've got people we've entrusted with the perpetuation of the Republic who don't know what the rule of law is," Cheney said. There has been a cost to Cheney's crusade.

‘Come here boy.’ Man tries to kidnap 12-year-old mowing his lawn, Tennessee police say

A 12-year-old Tennessee boy escaped an attempted kidnapping at his home, police say. The boy was mowing his lawn in Kingsport on Thursday morning when he saw a maroon car pass by the house, according to a news release from the Kingsport Police Department. Police say they arrested the suspect Saturday afternoon and obtained a warrant charging him with “attempted especially aggravated kidnapping,” “aggravated burglary” and “simple assault.”

Thanks, Greg Abbott: You give Texas a border wall and lotsa guns, but not electricity

Ivin Adkins, Flower Mound If you don't like it, move To all the complaints I've seen lately about Gov. Greg Abbott, all I can say is: If you don't like our conservative Texas, maybe you should move to California, New York or Illinois. I appreciate the conservative values of our leaders. Donna Bierd, Keller Tax, don't eliminate them So, Christine Emba of The Washington Post wants a world “where billionaires are impossible” and where success is a moral failure.

McManus : Why Republicans are suddenly reluctant to condemn political violence

The Republican Party has a problem with political violence: It's not sure whether it's for it or against it. In the first days after a mob loyal to former President Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 to try to block Congress from certifying President Biden's election, GOP leaders delivered a sensible, unified response: There's no place in our constitutional system for that kind of violence. Since January, though, some leading Republicans have been backsliding — offering excuses for the insurgents who sought to overturn the election through extralegal means.

Covid: Brazil hits 500,000 deaths amid 'critical' situation

The number of deaths related to Covid-19 has passed 500,000 in Brazil, the second-highest in the world, as experts say the outbreak could worsen amid slow vaccination and the start of winter. The virus continues to spread as President Jair Bolsonaro refuses to back measures like social distancing. The health institute Fiocruz says the situation is "critical".

• 
  Brazil passes half a million COVID-19 deaths, experts warn of worse ahead

  Reuters
• 
  Brazil passes grim milestone of 500,000 Covid deaths amid protests over Bolsonaro response

  The Independent

A Florida man pulled out a gun on a Starbucks employee who turned out to be the local police chief's daughter

A Florida man pulled out a gun on a Starbucks employee for getting his order wrong earlier this week. The employee was the daughter of Miami Gardens Police Chief Noel-Pratt. The man identified as Omar Wright was arrested and charged.

I'm a Trump voter from Arizona. My state's Democratic Senator, Kyrsten Sinema, needs to support Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan.

Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan will create good jobs, and I'm calling on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to support it. Until the pandemic hit, my wife Tessa and I were living out our dream in Greenlee County, Arizona, owning our own auto-detailing business and raising sheep and horses. The problem, though, is there are few good jobs left in Arizona, and when working people are struggling, small businesses like ours just can't stay afloat.

Post Office scandal: 'I just forgot how to laugh'

The Sethis are a Post Office family. Anjana and Baljit Sethi used to run two branches near Romford in Essex where they raised their three children. It was all Anjana had known, she grew up in a Post Office as her dad was a sub-postmaster too.

A gay couple faced harassment for 5 years. Handwriting analysis led to a suspect: A neighbor.

For five years, we were living here and wondering which of our neighbors, who were all being kind and neighborly to us, is actually harassing us,” McLean said. Then the perpetrator made a mistake. The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, signed the couple up for a Boston Globe subscription, but McLean and Furze already had a subscription.

With tension rising in the Pacific, Australia is preparing to fight alongside the US and on its own

Australia has announced major investments in its own military capabilities, especially new weapons. Countries in the region bolster their militaries amid heightened tensions between the US and China. Australia is looking for "a combination of integration with the US and greater self-reliance," one expert told Insider.

Nasa's giant SLS rocket: a guide

Nasa has been developing a huge rocket called the Space Launch System (SLS) to launch astronauts to the Moon - and eventually Mars. Set to make its debut in late 2021, the SLS is the most powerful launch vehicle built since the 1960s. Nasa has plans to send a man and woman to the lunar surface this decade, in what will be the first landing with humans since Apollo 17 in 1972.

'It's a national tragedy': Young victims of Alabama highway crash were traveling home from beach trip when tragedy struck

What was supposed to be the end of an exciting beach trip ended in a horrific 17-vehicle wreck Saturday that killed 10 people, including several young children, on an interstate just south of Montgomery, Alabama. One week after their trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, began and less than two hours from home — a Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch van caught fire, killing eight children inside. Four young teens who were residents of the ranch, and two children who had accompanied the group on the beach trip, died in the van's wreckage, Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches CEO Michael Smith said late Sunday afternoon.

• 
  Nine children, one adult killed in Alabama crash

  Reuters Videos
• 
  13 dead in Alabama due to Claudette, including 9 children in van crash; storm heads for Carolina coast

  MarketWatch

Lindsey Graham calls the Democrats' voting-rights bill 'the biggest power grab' in US history, rejects Manchin compromise proposal

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Sunday continued to reject the premise of the For the People Act. Graham said that he would also oppose Sen. Joe Manchin's compromise proposal. "We had the largest turnout in the history the US, and states are in charge of voting in America," he said.

Parul 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.

Chris Christie says 'not much was accomplished' during Biden's trip to Europe, but 'no damage was done'

Chris Christie says that "not much was accomplished, but no damage was done" during Biden's trip. The G-7, NATO, and Geneva summits were Biden's first international meetings since taking office. While in Geneva, Biden had a long-awaited meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

US borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed through July 21, DHS says

The Department of Homeland Security announced on Twitter Sunday that U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed "to reduce the spread" of COVID-19. "The United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through July 21, while ensuring access for essential trade & travel," the agency tweeted. Last month, the DHS extended the restrictions to June 21.

• 
  U.S extends travel restrictions at Canada, Mexico land borders through July 21

  Reuters
• 
  Canada and US extend border restrictions until July 21

  WABC – NY