PoliticsYahoo NewsRep. Ronny Jackson — Trump's controversial ex-doctor — calls for Biden cognitive test
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas — former President Donald Trump's controversial ex-doctor — sent a letter to President Biden on Thursday demanding that he take a cognitive test and make the results public. To achieve this, we urge you to submit to a cognitive test immediately. In 2018, Jackson, the attending White House physician at the time, announced that Trump had requested and aced a cognitive test during a physical examination to disprove claims that his mental health was deteriorating.
PoliticsThe TelegraphBiden returns from world tour to find sinking popularity and spending plans in disarray
Joe Biden returned from his sojourn to the UK and Europe to face a growing list of domestic headaches as his big-spending policies stalled and were also blamed for rising inflation. While Mr Biden was meeting Vladimir Putin in Geneva a bipartisan group of 21 senators - 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats - came up with a compromise that would almost halve the amount to $1.2 trillion over eight years. The resulting gridlock explains why a Monmouth University poll this week made worrying reading for Mr Biden after Air Force One landed back in the US.
- WorldThe Week
What Ebrahim Raisi's election means for Iran — and the U.S.
Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner favored by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, handily won Saturday's Iranian presidential election, which saw historically low turnout. Domestically, the Crisis Group's Ali Vaez explained to PBS NewsHour that the 82-year-old Khamenei appears to be preparing for his succession, which will be "a very pivotal moment" for Iran. Raisi's victory, meanwhile, may actually help solidify the re-establishment of a nuclear pact between the U.S. and Iran, despite Raisi harboring more hostility toward Washington than his predecessor.
WorldThe TelegraphGB News boycott shows we can’t take democratic values for granted, says Oliver Dowden
The advertising boycott of GB News shows Britain can no longer take basic democratic values for granted, the Culture Secretary has warned. Writing for The Telegraph, Oliver Dowden said a "vocal Twitter minority" was targeting the "free and diverse media" and the "right to dissent". In an escalation of the Government's so-called "war on woke", Mr Dowden insisted the fledgling centre-Right broadcaster is right to seek to "empower" viewers who feel that their "concerns have been unheard".
PoliticsThe WeekThe Biden administration is enabling a Trump comeback
Democrats have had what any sane political party would consider a remarkable stroke of luck: Donald Trump, the leader of their opposition has (allegedly) committed many, many crimes, both while serving as president and before, and Democrats now control the federal law enforcement apparatus. As Barbara McQuade and Joyce White Vance write in The Washington Post, Trump is almost certainly guilty of obstruction of justice during the Mueller investigation, of attempting to solicit bribes from Ukraine, and of multiple campaign finance violations (and likely much, much more).
U.S.Miami HeraldThree arrested in property fraud case after an elderly owner discovers lot sold for $230,000
On Friday, as authorities held a press conference to highlight the growing problem of fraud against the elderly, prosecutors revealed they had charged three people suspected of swiping the property. Otis Lathen Powell, Shantel Vennissa Chang and Jason Webley Sr. were charged with a host of felonies, including money laundering, grand theft, organized scheme to defraud and theft from a person 65 years or older.
WorldBBCCovid: 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. President Bolsonaro has been heavily criticised for not implementing a co-ordinated national response and for his scepticism toward vaccines, lockdowns and mask-wearing requirements, which he has sought to loosen.
WorldThe TelegraphFounding father of the EU Robert Schuman in line for sainthood from Catholic Church
One of the founding fathers of the European Union was put on the path to sainthood by Pope Francis. Robert Schuman, who called for a supranational community for coal and steel in 1950, was recognised by the Pope for his “heroic virtues”, the Vatican said. Mr Schuman said cooperation on coal and steel, especially involving France and Germany, would make future wars impossible.
WorldThe TelegraphCouncils to review CCTV contracts with Chinese firm amid human rights concerns
English councils are set to review contracts for CCTV equipment from Chinese firm Hikvision amid security and human rights concerns, The Telegraph can reveal. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of contracts are expected to undergo either procurement reviews or security examinations by the end of the year. It comes as pressure grows on councils to disassociate themselves from the technology company, which stands accused of helping to build the Chinese government's surveillance state.
WorldMiami HeraldNicaragua’s wave of arrests could be the start of a hereditary dictatorship — like Cuba’s | Opinion
Political repression in Nicaragua has reached a level of escalation that has not been seen in any Latin American country — except Cuba — in many decades. It's so massive that many are wondering whether Nicaragua's autocrat, Daniel Ortega, is trying to set the stage for a long-term dynastic dictatorship. The prevailing view among many U.S. officials is that Ortega's recent wave of arrests of the country's leading opposition presidential hopefuls and civic leaders is aimed at securing the long-term rule of Ortega's successor once he no longer is president — Rosario Murillo, his wife and powerful vice president.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderRep. Ted Lieu calls Catholic bishops 'hypocrites' for trying to deny Biden Communion over abortion stance while ignoring Bill Barr's death penalty push
Catholic Bishops advanced a document that could bar Biden from Communion over his support for abortion rights. Rep. Ted Lieu, a Catholic, called the Bishops "hypocrites" and "nakedly partisan" for the move. Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California lashed out at US Catholic Bishops on Friday after they voted in favor of advancing a document that could block President Joe Biden from receiving Communion due to his stance on abortion.
U.S.LA TimesHere are some things to know about the extreme drought in the Western U.S.
The prolonged dryness means low water levels are endangering fish species in Oregon and Colorado, 30% of California's population is in a drought emergency, and the nation's two biggest reservoirs on the Colorado River — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — are two-thirds empty. "What we see in our major reservoirs on the Colorado River really give us a good indication of water and drought in the West, and whether we're in a good or a tough spot," said John Berggren, a water policy analyst at Western Resource Advocates, a nonprofit organization. And right now, we're definitely in the latter category.
WorldBBCShipping disruption: 'We're doing our best - but this is crippling'
Like many importers, Peppermill is feeling the effects of serious bottlenecks in the global container shipping industry, which have led to delays and pushed up prices. The company, based near Cannock, in Staffordshire, has been operating for 25 years, and currently employs 40 people. Although it does use suppliers in the UK, roughly half of its stock is imported from East Asia, mainly from China.
PoliticsThe WeekKevin McCarthy appears to say Trump has told him he wants to be House speaker
Former President Donald Trump has briefly entertained the idea of making a bid to become House speaker, and others have suggested the strategy may make sense for him, regardless of whether he also wants to take another shot at the White House in 2024. There's no hard evidence that Trump is considering that route, but on Friday House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) appeared to tell Fox News' Brian Kilmeade amid laughter that Trump has indeed told him he "wants to be speaker." McCarthy, who is determined to take over the role himself should Republicans take back the House in 2022, said he's responded to Trump by telling him that he'd rather him become president again instead.
U.S.INSIDERShocking footage shows a gunman repeatedly shoot at a man while two children frantically dodge his bullets on a New York City sidewalk
A video released by police shows a gunman shoot a man while two children were just a step away. The 24-year-old victim was shot multiple times after the incident in the Bronx, New York Thursday. The children were not injured, police said.
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Attendees heckle Pence at conservative gathering
As former Vice President Mike Pence began speaking at a Faith & Freedom Coalition event on Friday, some members of the crowd heckled him, apparently yelling “Traitor!
PoliticsBusiness InsiderSen. Ron Johnson, who stalled the passing of Juneteenth as a federal holiday, was booed at an event commemorating the day
GOP Sen. Ron Johnson stalled the passing of making Juneteenth a holiday. On Saturday, June 19, he was booed at an event commemorating the holiday in Wisconsin. Sen. Ron Johnson was booed at an event celebrating Juneteenth in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday, WDJT reported.
U.S.Miami HeraldDeSantis has no business sending Florida police to Texas border. Campaign ruse alert! | Opinion
If Gov. Ron DeSantis really cared about the meth-addiction problem in Florida, he would not be looking for solutions among immigrants at the Texas or Arizona borders, where he has no jurisdiction to enforce immigration law or run drug stings. But demagogue DeSantis made another round of attention-grabbing headlines when he pledged to send local and state security forces to Texas and Arizona to help police the southern border. Never mind that everyone knows that immigration and border security are federal government issues.
U.S.INSIDERMultiple bicyclists are injured after a man in a truck plowed into them and fled the scene, Arizona police say
Multiple bicyclists were hospitalized after a man ran over them on Saturday, police said. Four of the victims are in critical condition, police said. "Multiple bicyclists" were injured in Show Low, Arizona, after a man plowed his truck into them and fled the scene, prompting officers to shoot him, police said.
U.S.Lexington Herald-LeaderWatch ‘terrified’ cottonmouth snake’s quirky move to dodge predator in North Carolina
A panic-stricken cottonmouth was caught on video acting peculiarly in a North Carolina wildlife preserve — and the look was not exactly flattering. The recording, shared June 11 on Facebook, shows the viper going so fast it actually tumbled over itself. Closer inspection of the video reveals the venomous snake dispensed with slithering and started sliding like a garden hose.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGOP congressman lashes out at Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday: 'Are we going to do one for the Native American Indians?'
GOP Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of 14 Republicans who voted against the legislation, took to Fox News Radio on Thursday to explain his opposition, saying that the vote "was an easy no vote" and questioned if a holiday would now have to be established for Native Americans as well. During the program "Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla," Norman also cited the number of existing holidays in detailing his rejection of a federal holiday for Juneteenth, while alleging that supporters were using "race" as an issue. "There's one Fourth of July.
WorldBBCWhy Ethiopia’s 'alphabet generation' feel betrayed by Abiy
When Abiy Ahmed became prime minister of Ethiopia three years ago, the Oromo community felt their shackles had finally been broken. "Many people saw [Abiy] as a new Messiah," says Merera Gudina, chairman of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). For Oromos have felt like second-class citizens in their own country - once referred to even in official circles by a derogatory slur known as the G-word, the equivalent of the N-word, and made to feel ashamed of their cultural identity.
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U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan in near-complete shutdown over COVID-19 surge
The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan ordered a near-complete lockdown Thursday because of a massive spike in coronavirus cases among employees.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderOver 50 House Republicans call on Biden to replace Harris in leading immigration efforts at US-Mexico border
Over 50 Republicans have called on Biden to replace Vice President Harris in immigration efforts at the border. "Harris has not yet shown adequate interest in observing this crisis first-hand," the group said. The administration has emphasized that Harris is not a "czar" in charge of managing the border.
U.S.INSIDERA soldier found guilty of sexually assaulting multiple women will face an 18-year military prison sentence
Fort Bliss soldier Christian Alvarado has been found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and abuse. Alvarado will face an 18-year military prison sentence, a court-martial determined on Friday. A new study found that female soldiers at Texas' Fort Bliss face some of the highest risks of sexual assault than at other Army posts.
“It may seem desperate at this point, but I can’t be mad at any and all efforts to get people vaccinated.”
“I won’t get rich, but I will get to live my life. That seems like reward enough.”
“Offering incentives may encourage people who are not actively opposed to vaccination but may have put it off.”
“At some point, the government is simply rewarding irresponsible behavior.”
“Sure, people should do it without needing an incentive. But what’s the alternative? Not enough people get vaccinated.”