Politics

The Texas Tribune reports: Terry Virts, a former astronaut and International Space Station commander, announced Monday he is running for the U.S. Senate in Texas as a Democrat. With his campaign launch, Virts became the first Democrat to join what is likely to be a crowded primary field vying for the seat currently held by Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. …

The Associated Press reports: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill Sunday to ban all THC consumables, allowing the booming market flush with THC-infused vapes, gummies and other products to continue to be sold across the state. Abbott, a Republican, waited until the final moment to veto the bill in what would have been one of the most restrictive THC …

The Associated Press reports: The State Department has doubled the number of emergency evacuation flights it is providing for American citizens wishing to leave Israel, ordered the departure of nonessential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon and is stepping up travel warnings around the Middle East amid concerns Iran will retaliate against U.S. interests in the region. In internal …

CBS News reports: The U.S. Department of State has begun assisted departure flights from Israel, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on X Saturday. His announcement comes days after confusion about whether the U.S. government would be assisting American citizens evacuating from Israel. Huckabee said on June 18, the sixth day of the Israel-Iran war, that the U.S. Embassy in …

Politico reports: Senate Republicans’ plan to force states to share the cost of the country’s largest nutrition program to pay for their policy megabill has been halted by the chamber’s rules. The Senate parliamentarian determined that the cost-sharing plan would violate the so-called Byrd Rule, which limits what can be included in the reconciliation process, and would be subject to …

Reuters reports: Pakistan said on Saturday it would recommend U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, an accolade that he has said he craves, for his work in helping to resolve the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. Some analysts in Pakistan said the move might persuade Trump to think again about potentially joining Israel in striking Iran’s …

Iraqi outlet Rudaw reports: US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Friday warned that Iranian proxies in the Middle East will face “dire” consequences should they target American interests. “There’s also been a reinforcement that Iran and its proxy should not target US interests or personnel, and if they do, the consequences will be dire. So we can reinforce that,” …

Axios reports: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is warning that the Senate’s version of “one, big beautiful bill” can’t pass the House with the Medicaid changes it unveiled this week — urging leadership to change it fast and not to let the fight drag on. “It seems to me that now we’re in a place where this provision is threatening the …

Florida Politics reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida successfully chartered two flights and sailed one cruise ship mission to rescue Americans from the escalating crisis in Israel. “This was probably the most challenging and logistically difficult mission that the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) has done, certainly in my time,” DeSantis said as he described students, Israel Birthright participants …

The Washington Post reports: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected government effort to narrow options for challenging Food and Drug Administration denials of applications to market e-cigarettes, including flavored products that health officials say have led to a youth vaping epidemic. In a case that centered on questions of venue-shopping, the justices ruled 7-2 that tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds was …

The Hill reports: Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said he was considering a 2028 presidential bid in a new interview Thursday. “You got to look at this, you got to be comfortable understanding the family room. You got to be comfortable understanding, literally, the classroom, comfortable in the, what I would call, the boardroom, comfortable in the Situation …

CNN reports: France, Germany and the United Kingdom are ready to make an offer to Iran for “complete negotiations,” French President Emmanuel Macron said just hours before a high-stakes diplomatic meeting gets underway in Switzerland. Macron warned there should be “no laxity” when it comes to managing the prospect of an “Iran endowed with nuclear arms,” speaking to reporters on …

Axios reports: Eight in 10 Americans want legally required and publicly released cognitive tests and disease screenings for U.S. presidents — and age limits on the presidency, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos American Health Index. About 3 in 4 say politicians aren’t honest about their health, and that presidents should be legally required to share their medical records with the …

CBS News reports: Ohio Rep. Max Miller said he was “run off the road” on Thursday in Rocky River, Ohio, by a driver who showed him a Palestinian flag and threatened him. “Some unhinged, deranged man decided to lay on his horn and run me off the road when he couldn’t get my attention, to show me a Palestinian flag, …

“People ask me – are we targeting the downfall of the regime? That may be a result, but it’s up to the Iranian people to rise for their freedom. Freedom is never cheap. It’s never free. Freedom requires these subjugated people to rise up, and it’s up to them. But we may create conditions that will help them do it. …

The Brownsville Herald reports: The newly incorporated city of Starbase has sent out hundreds letters to property owners and individuals who reside within its city limits notifying them about the possibility that they may lose their property pending the city’s adoption of a zoning ordinance. A Texas Public Information Act request filed by MyRGV.com has revealed that hundreds of such letters …

The Associated Press reports: The State Department has begun evacuating nonessential diplomats and their families from the U.S. embassy in Israel as hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify and President Donald Trump warns of the possibility of getting directly involved in the conflict. A government plane evacuated a number of diplomats and family members who had asked to leave the …

The Washington Post reports: Israeli officials said they would intensify strikes on Tehran after a key hospital in southern Israel was hit in an Iranian missile attack. The strike on the Soroka Medical Center caused “extensive damage” in several areas, the hospital said, but police have reported no casualties so far. Iran said it was targeting military and intelligence headquarters …

Gothamist reports Early voting turnout in the Democratic primary election for mayor has doubled compared to four years ago — and experts say there’s a possibility the numbers signal a “transformative” shift in New York City’s electorate. A Gothamist analysis of data from the Board of Elections shows that 131,434 people cast ballots at their poll sites in the first …

The Washington Post reports: At least 51 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 wounded in the Gaza Strip while waiting for U.N. and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and a local hospital. Yousef Nofal, an eyewitness, said he saw many people motionless and bleeding on the ground after Israeli …