Politics

The BBC reports: Germany’s conservative leader has unexpectedly fallen short of a majority in a parliament vote to become chancellor. Friedrich Merz needed 316 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag but only secured 310, in a significant blow to the Christian Democrat leader, two and a half months after winning Germany’s federal elections. His coalition with the centre left has enough …

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration on Monday asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to sharply restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone — taking the same position as the Biden administration in a closely watched case that has major implications for abortion access. The court filing by the Justice Department is striking, given …

“For the last 26 years, I have had the distinct honor and privilege of representing the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, my lifelong home and the best district in the nation. Today, it is with profound gratitude and the utmost appreciation for my constituents that I announce my decision not to seek reelection at the end of my current term. …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Gov. Brian Kemp will not run for U.S. Senate in 2026, dashing the hopes of Republicans in Georgia and Washington who saw him as their strongest shot to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff. Kemp told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of his decision on Monday after a monthslong pressure campaign from state and national GOP leaders. “After those …

The Texas Tribune reports: Two years after Texas lawmakers enacted a sweeping law aimed at sapping authority from the state’s urban areas, GOP legislators once more have advanced bills intended to stop local governments from adopting progressive policies. Republicans in the Texas Legislature want to give the state the authority to effectively torpedo cities’ budgets if they pursue local rules that …

The Associated Press reports: Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday will receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his refusal to go along with President Donald Trump’s efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election. The award recognizes Pence “for putting his life and career on the line to ensure the constitutional transfer of …

The Hill reports: Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) joined CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, where host Jake Tapper asked about the recent shuffle in the administration, after it was revealed Waltz was ousted as national security adviser following the Signal group chat scandal, among other reported tensions. “Do you have faith in him to be UN ambassador?” Tapper asked. …

Maine Public Radio reports: Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said Friday that she has “serious objections” to President Donald Trump’s first budget blueprint, which proposes massive cuts to health, education and other programs. Presidential budget proposals are often referred to as blueprints because Congress makes the final decision on spending levels, led by the Senate and House appropriations …

Gothamist reports: Some Democratic state lawmakers want to grant the New York City Council the ability to remove a sitting mayor from office, two-and-a-half months after Gov. Kathy Hochul declined to exercise her power to force Mayor Eric Adams out. At a news conference on Thursday, state Sen. Jabari Brisport and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, both Democrats representing New York City, …

Politico reports: Andy Beshear “would consider” running for president in 2028, he told a Louisville television station this week. The Kentucky governor is seen as a potential standout in what could become a crowded Democratic primary. His bona fides include winning statewide election three times in the ruby-red state. Beshear was also a finalist to serve as former Vice President …

“Do not believe the lies the Democrat Party has said. We had their ads taken down. We sent them cease and desist letters.  They were running ads around the country in swing districts trying to convince people Republicans are going to ‘gut Medicaid.’ It’s just simply not true and that’s why their ads and billboards had to come down.” – …

Axios reports: Walmart on Tuesday rejected the idea that it would apply an itemized surcharge to purchases to account for President Trump’s increased tariffs. A report Tuesday that Walmart rival Amazon was poised to add a tariff fee to sales in the U.S. triggered outrage in the White House, which condemned it as a “hostile and political act.” Walmart, the …

Politico reports: The House Transportation Committee early on Tuesday released draft text of its portion of the GOP’s sprawling domestic policy bill, which it plans to mark up Wednesday. The proposal includes $15 billion for upgrading various parts of the aviation system, as well as new fees on electric vehicles and a first-of-its-kind $20 annual fee on all other passenger …

CBS News reports: The House passed a bipartisan bill Monday that makes it a federal crime to post real and fake sexually explicit imagery online of a person without their consent, sending the legislation that was backed by first lady Melania Trump to the president’s desk. The bill, known as the “Take It Down Act,” cleared the lower chamber in …

NBC News reports: Democratic Rep. Angie Craig announced Tuesday that she’s running for the Senate in Minnesota, a long-expected campaign that sets up a crowded primary among Craig, the state’s lieutenant governor and a former state legislative leader. In her announcement video, Craig criticized President Donald Trump for “trampling our rights and freedoms as he profits,” Elon Musk as “an …

The Washington Post reports: National security agencies across the Trump administration are ramping up investigations into alleged leaks to the news media, in some cases using polygraph tests that current and former officials say are creating a climate of fear and intimidation. At FBI Director Kash Patel’s direction, the bureau in recent weeks has begun administering polygraph tests to identify …

The CBC reports: Mark Carney achieved what seemed like an impossible feat just a few months ago, leading the Liberals to another victory after an election that was shaped by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and threats of annexation. The CBC Decision Desk is projecting a fourth Liberal term — a rarity in Canadian politics — but it’s too …

Fox Business reports: Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said he will decide this June whether to run for governor of New York, potentially setting up a competitive Republican primary against his fellow New York Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik. “I’ll make my decision by June,” Lawler said. “I’ll make my decision solely based on whether or not I believe there’s a pathway …

The Associated Press reports: Polling hours vary across Canada’s six time zones, although most polls are coordinated to close at 9:30 p.m. EDT, which coincides with Eastern Daylight Time in the U.S. Polls in the Newfoundland Time Zone in the east and the Pacific Time Zone in the west close at 10 p.m. EDT. Some electoral districts span more than …

CNN reports: House Republicans have unveiled the first details in their sweeping bill to implement President Donald Trump’s agenda, promising to pump in roughly $150 billion for defense programs and tens of billions more in border security measures. The details come as Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson are set to meet at the White House Monday afternoon – the same …