WorldThe WeekThe Russian press could tell us how the Biden-Putin summit really went
If you're waiting for some big diplomatic takeaways from President Biden's Wednesday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin — don't hold your breath. It could be "years," Politico writes, before we can gauge whether the much-criticized Biden-Putin bilat was a success or "even worth having." Russia's movement around the Iran nuclear talks and its progressive relationship with China could serve as bellwethers of success in Geneva, Politico reports.
U.S.Lexington Herald-LeaderKentucky man charged with destruction of government property during Capitol riot
Another Kentucky resident has been arrested and charged with participating in the Capitol riot in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, the FBI announced Wednesday. Kurt Peterson, a Hodgenville resident, was arrested by federal officials Wednesday morning, the FBI said. He's charged with obstructing an official proceeding, destruction of government property and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, according to the FBI.
U.S.Axios"Disgusting and despicable": Liz Cheney slams colleague for saying cop “executed” Capitol rioter
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) accused Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) Tuesday of lying about the Capitol Police officers who helped defend the building from pro-Trump rioters on Jan. 6, following Gosar's comment on the officer who fatally shot rioter Ashli Babbitt that day. Why it matters: Cheney accused Gosar, who has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the insurrection, of repeating "disgusting and despicable" lies about what happened. Gosar in a hearing with FBI director Christopher Wray on Tuesday demanded to know why the FBI did not disclose the name of the officer that shot Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, in the left shoulder as she was climbing through a broken window on a door into the Speaker's Lobby, which is located just off the House chamber floor.
- U.S.Reuters
Supermarket cashier killed in U.S. state of Georgia in mask-wearing dispute
A supermarket cashier in the U.S. state of Georgia was shot and killed by a customer on Monday in a dispute over the wearing of a face mask before the gunman was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with the store's security guard, the local sheriff said. The guard was also wounded in the incident which occurred at a little after 1 p.m. at the Big Bear Supermarket in DeKalb County, DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox told a news conference. "The wearing of the mask and not wearing of the mask, people have their own opinion about it and it is very sensitive at this time."
PoliticsAxiosChaotic media scuffle breaks out at Biden-Putin summit as Russian security intervenes
The opening moments of President Biden's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin devolved into chaos on Wednesday, as shoving and yelling broke out among journalists and security officials jostling inside the room where the two leaders were sitting. Driving the news: Politico's Anita Kumar, who is the White House pool reporter for the summit in Geneva, described the scene as the "most chaotic" media scuffle she has seen at a presidential event in nine years. Journalists pushed and shoved, yelling at each other to move but no one did.
- WorldThe Week
Tensions high after Israeli airstrikes hit Hamas sites in Gaza
Israeli airstrikes hit Hamas targets in Gaza early Wednesday morning, with the military saying this was in response to incendiary balloons crossing over from Hamas-controlled territory into Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Hamas compounds were used by members planning attacks, and the militant group is "responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences for its actions." Additionally, the Israeli military is "prepared for any scenario, including a resumption of hostilities."
U.S.The StateSimone Biles’ brother acquitted of triple murder — then chaos erupts in Ohio courtroom
Tevin Biles-Thomas, the brother of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, was acquitted Tuesday of triple murder following a 2018 shooting in Cleveland. Seconds after Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Joan Synenberg cleared Biles-Thomas of his charges, the courtroom erupted in chaos as a woman charged at the man on trial. The woman, identified by WKYC as the mother of one of the victims, was grabbed by several deputies as she got close to Biles-Thomas.
U.S.Architectural DigestHouse Call: It’s Time to Pull Out Your Camera
Or buy a really cool new one Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
PoliticsAxiosWhat I learned being in the room with Vladimir Putin
I had the rare opportunity to watch Vladimir Putin in action during my four-year stint serving as a senior communications aide to former Secretary of State John Kerry. Why it matters: From his timing to his baiting techniques and his postgame spin, Russia's president commands an array of tactics aimed at putting U.S. leaders on the defensive and in response mode — and has decades of experience fine-tuning them. President Biden's arrival may be the last thing he fully controls when he and Putin meet Wednesday for their summit in Geneva.
- PoliticsYahoo News Video
Justice Department rebuffed Trump bid to overturn election
Former President Donald Trump pressed the Justice Department during his waning weeks in office to join his failed effort to overturn his election defeat based on his false claims of voting fraud, but its leaders refused, with one decrying the “pure insanity” of the claims, documents released on Tuesday show.
U.S.The WeekThe Trump administration tried hard to prove the COVID-19 Wuhan lab-leak theory, came up short
The Trump administration launched several separate investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, and former President Donald Trump and other senior officials pressed hard for evidence the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Politico and The Washington Post reported Tuesday. President Biden ordered a new 90-day review of the intelligence last month. On April 30, 2020, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence codified that view, saying in a statement the intelligence community "concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified," and would continue working "to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan."
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramFort Worth’s new mayor, council pledge unity for the city in first speeches
With an excitement for fresh ideas, five new Fort Worth City Council members took oaths Tuesday evening, including Mattie Parker, one of the youngest mayors to lead a major city. This year's election saw the most turnover on council in about a decade thanks in part to Betsy Price's decision not to seek a sixth term as mayor. Of the council's nine members, six have never held office.
U.S.NBC News21 House Republicans are only votes against bill to honor Jan. 6 first responders
The House passed a bill Tuesday to award Congressional Gold Medals to honor the Capitol Police officers and others who protected the U.S. Capitol during a pro-Trump riot Jan. 6 by a vote of 406-21. "The desecration of the U.S. Capitol, which is the temple of our American Democracy, and the violence targeting Congress are horrors that will forever stain our Nation's history," the legislation says. The bill would provide for four gold medals in honor of the first responders — one for the Capitol Police, one for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police, one for the Smithsonian Institution and one for the Architect of the Capitol.
PoliticsAxiosBiden's surprise pick for FTC chair, a leading tech critic, is already rocking boats
The intrigue: By naming Khan FTC chair just hours after the Senate confirmed her appointment as one of five commissioners at the agency, the White House took both the industry and many D.C. insiders by surprise. Khan, 32, is a Columbia Law professor known for her argument that Amazon's retail business should be separated from its selling platform and for advocating broad updates of antitrust law to deal with digital-age problems. "The difference between being a mere commissioner and being chair is the difference between going to the moon and going to Mars," said William Kovacic, former FTC chairman.
PoliticsLA TimesDemocrats intensify push for climate action in infrastructure bill
Prospects for a bipartisan infrastructure bill are growing increasingly dim as Senate Democrats make new calls for President Biden to ditch Republicans and pursue a Democrats-only measure that aggressively addresses their priorities, including the climate crisis. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says the latest bipartisan plan — which amounts to about $579billion in new spending for roads and bridges — is a paltry substitute for what the nation needs. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) say they will oppose a bipartisan deal unless it comes with a guarantee of a follow-on bill to address the climate crisis.
WorldAxiosChina's government issues warning after sending record 28 planes over Taiwan
China's government issued a warning to "foreign forces" after Taiwan reported a record 28 Chinese military planes flew over the self-governed island's airspace Tuesday, per Reuters. Why it matters: The warning and deployment of aircraft including fighter jets and bombers comes after G7 leaders issued a statement Sunday urging the Chinese government to respect human rights and calling on peace and "stability across the Taiwan Strait." What they're saying: "We will never tolerate attempts to seek independence or wanton intervention in the Taiwan issue by foreign forces, so we need to make a strong response to these acts of collusion," said Chinese government spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang, accordin...
BusinessBBCGoldman Sachs delays return to office for workers
Goldman Sachs has delayed plans to bring all UK staff back into the office after the government extended coronavirus restrictions to July 19. The bank had told staff to be ready to return to the workplace in June, but confirmed the change in a note to workers late on Tuesday. Meanwhile, NatWest said its plans for "priority workers" to return on 21 June were also under review.
PoliticsThe GuardianRepublicans move to block inquiry into Trump DoJ’s secret data seizure
Top Republicans are moving to block a Senate inquiry into the Trump justice department's secret seizure of data from Democrats to hunt down leaks of classified information, fearing a close investigation could damage the former president. Trump, who is facing a mounting crisis of legal problems and political criticism, still wields huge power among Republicans, and has hinted recently at a return run for the White House. In fiery remarks, the Republican Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, criticized the rapidly expanding congressional inquiries as unnecessary and accused Democrats of embarking on “politically motivated investigations”.
WorldBBCChina Taishan plant: 'Performance issue' reported at nuclear facility
A French energy company says it is working to resolve a "performance issue" at a nuclear plant in China following claims of a potential leak. EDF Energy confirmed that gases that had built up in a component of the plant were deliberately released. "We are not in a scenario of an accident with a melting core," an EDF spokesman who did not want to be named told AFP news agency.
U.S.The IndependentAsian delivery driver stabbed in the back in Brooklyn in latest possible hate crime
An Asian man delivering food by bicycle in New York was stabbed in the back by another cyclist in broad daylight, in an incident that police are investigating as the latest in a series of anti-Asian hate crimes. The 53-year-old victim was knocked to the ground by the attack, but got back up and completed the delivery with a knife wound – only realising he had been stabbed when he arrived back at the restaurant. The Asian man, whose identity is being withheld, was attacked on Sunday evening when he was running an order in Brooklyn and a hooded assailant pedalled up behind him, asking cryptically: “What happened?
WorldBusiness InsiderAn invasion isn't the only threat from China that Taiwan and the US have to worry about
Tensions around Taiwan have escalated in recent months, with US officials warning of potential China action. Those warnings focus on a potential invasion attempt by China, which has increased its military activity in the area. But Taiwan and the US face a threat short of an invasion: a Chinese blockade that could cut Taipei off from the world.
BusinessBBCMade.com shares close lower after £775m placement
Shares in Made.com, the online furniture retailer, ended almost 4% lower on its first day of trading on the London Stock Exchange. The firm had priced its initial public offering at 200p per share, valuing it at up to £775.3m. While Made.com has seven showrooms - two in the UK and five elsewhere in Europe - it is focussed on online sales.
U.S.USA TODAY'Sometimes we make a mistake': Florida town accidentally sells water tower for $55,000
After the $55,000 purchase, Read got the parcel he wanted for a personal training studio and unexpectedly, the city's water tower. "I immediately went through the necessary steps to deed the water tower back to the city of Brooksville," Read said in an email to NPR. The tower was accidentally sold to Read due to legal descriptions where the building he wanted to buy was never split off from parent property where the water tower is based, Mark Kutney, the Brooksville city manager, told NPR.
U.S.South Florida Sun SentinelRapper Kodak Black secretly recorded apology from Florida public official, then posted it for the world to see
Broward County Commissioner Mark Bogen called the rapper Monday to apologize for opposing a proclamation in honor of Black's charitable work. Bogen said he was reacting to Black's well-publicized run-ins with the law and didn't realize what good he had done. What Bogen didn't know is that Black was recording the conversation and then posted a 3-minute, 40-second video for his 10.5 million followers on Instagram.
PoliticsThe IndependentCNN reporter brands Trump administration seizing her emails ‘sheer abuse of power’
CNN correspondent Barbara Starr has branded the Trump-era Justice Department's past decision to seize her personal email and phone records, as well as those of other colleagues, a “sheer abuse of power”. In an op-ed penned for her outlet on Monday, Ms Starr accused the Trump administration of having manipulated both her and CNN when the DoJ secretly obtained her email records during a probe into news leaks. According to CNN, the DOJ informed Ms Starr on 13 May that prosecutors had procured her phone and email records dating from 1 June, 2017, to 31 July, 2017.
“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.”