Prosecutors ready to ask for Trump indictment on obstruction and Espionage Act charges  —  The Independent has learned that prosecutors are prepared to ask grand jurors to vote on charges as early as Thursday  —  The Department of Justice is preparing to ask a Washington …

Pat Robertson, Who Brought Christian Conservatives Clout, Dies at 93  —  A Baptist minister and a broadcaster, he turned Christian conservatives into a powerful constituency that helped Republicans capture Congress in 1994.  —  Pat Robertson, a Baptist minister with a passion for politics …

Scoop: Fox News says Tucker Carlson breached his contract  —  Fox News Wednesday notified Tucker Carlson's lawyers that the former prime-time anchor violated his contract with the network when he launched his own Twitter show on Tuesday, according to a copy of a letter obtained by Axios.

Cuba to Host Secret Chinese Spy Base Focusing on U.S.  —  Beijing will pay Havana several billion dollars for eavesdropping facility  —  WASHINGTON—China and Cuba have reached a secret agreement for China to establish an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island …

GOP's booming support for guns is turning off millennial, Gen Z Republicans  —  About a quarter of young Republicans in one poll said they strongly or somewhat supported an assault weapons ban.  —  Young Republicans aren't clinging to guns like the rest of the GOP.

Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia  —  KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counterattack against occupying Russian forces, opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine's territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against Moscow.

Social Conservatism in U.S. Highest in About a Decade  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — More Americans this year (38%) say they are very conservative or conservative on social issues than said so in 2022 (33%) and 2021 (30%).  At the same time, the percentage saying their social views are very liberal …

Comer Forces the FBI to Cooperate and Allow All Oversight Committee Members to Review Biden Bribery Record  —  Committee removes scheduled contempt of Congress markup  —  WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued the following statement …

House Is Paralyzed as Far-Right Rebels Continue Mutiny Against McCarthy  —  Members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus refused to surrender control of the floor, forcing G.O.P. leaders to scrap votes for the week and leaving the speaker facing what he conceded was “chaos.”

Wisconsin Republicans Prefer Clarke, Trump  —  A new PPP survey of Wisconsin Republicans finds that Sheriff David Clarke is their top choice to be their Senate candidate in 2024.  40% say they'd choose him compared to 20% for Mike Gallagher, 10% for Tom Tiffany, and 3% for Eric Hovde.

Yes, We're in an L.G.B.T.Q. State of Emergency  —  This year there is a pall over Pride.  —  As the L.G.B.T.Q. community celebrates Pride Month, we are besieged by a malicious, coordinated legislative attack.  —  There's been a notable rise in the number of anti-L.G.B.T.Q. bills since 2018 …

Ron DeSantis' Approval Rating Has Collapsed  —  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has seen his approval rating fall dramatically two weeks after announcing his 2024 presidential bid.  —  According to online polling company Civiqs' dynamic approval rating graph, DeSantis currently has a net approval rating …

CNN's next leader must be able to answer this one question  —  Brian Stelter, a former media reporter for CNN and the New York Times, is the author of three books, including the forthcoming “Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy.”

Tucker Carlson Traffics in Antisemitic Tropes About Ukraine's Zelenskyy on Twitter Show Debut  —  Known for promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, far-right former Fox news pundit Tucker Carlson describes Zelenskyy as ‘rat-like,’ ‘shifty’ and ‘a persecutor of Christians’ in his new show on Twitter

We Suffer Too Many Fools Who Start Wildfires  —  Ms. Frank served as California's first female chief of fire protection and is the author of “Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire.”  —  GENOA, Nev. — Thick gray wildfire smoke is pouring down from Canada into the Northeast this week, but it may have a silver lining.

Anti-abortion politicians never intended to support women and children  —  It's been one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and conservative states have had plenty of time to enact the policies to support women, children and families that they promised to prioritize once they reached their goal of banning abortion.

Biden reelection bid picks up endorsement from construction workers union  —  A major construction workers union endorsed President Biden's reelection campaign on Thursday, which is a notable nod for the president from big labor.  —  The Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) …

‘Clueless’ Star Alicia Silverstone Endorses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President: ‘Deeply Disappointed with Political Leadership at Every Turn’  —  Clueless star Alicia Silverstone took to social media on Tuesday to endorse Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President of the United States …

Air Quality Alert  —  Alert:  —  Air Quality Alert for Thursday, June 8  —  Due to the wildfires in Canada, an air quality alert has been issued for today, Thursday, June 8.  The air quality is unhealthy for everyone in Fairfax County and the region.  —  Air quality levels are expected …

Extremism is more bipartisan than Democrats want to believe  —  It's obvious to us Democrats that the GOP is the party of extremists and extremism.  —  How extreme?  On a recent CNN town hall, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, attempting to exude moderation, argued there are elements of an abortion policy we could all agree on.

Australia to ban swastikas and other Nazi symbols  —  While most Australian states already ban such Nazi symbols, the federal law would go further by also banning the trade in such material, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said.  —  Australia's government plans legislation to ban swastikas …