Exclusive: Special counsel prosecutors question witnesses about chaotic Oval Office meeting after Trump lost the 2020 election  —  Special counsel Jack Smith's team has signaled a continued interest in a chaotic Oval Office meeting that took place in the final days of the Trump administration …

'Let's not tie it to skin color': Oklahoma superintendent says racism not to blame for infamous Tulsa massacre  —  Far-right Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters suggested at a public hearing in Norman that lessons about the infamous racial massacre that destroyed the most prosperous Black community …

Payrolls rose by 209,000 in June, less than expected, as jobs growth wobbles  —  WATCH NOW  —  Employment growth eased in June, taking some steam out of what had been a stunningly strong labor market.  —  Nonfarm payrolls increased 209,000 in June and the unemployment rate was 3.6%, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Ron DeSantis says he'll debate with or without Trump: 'I'll be there'  —  The former president has indicated that he's unlikely to attend the first GOP presidential debate in August.  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Fox News on Thursday that he plans to participate in the first GOP presidential debate …

U.S. cluster bombs for Ukraine would exceed legal limit on duds  —  Biden administration appears set to approve controversial munitions as conventional artillery stocks dwindle  —  President Biden is prepared to waive U.S. law prohibiting the production, use or transfer of cluster munitions …

The Rage and Joy of MAGA America  —  I've shared this fact with readers before: I live in Tennessee outside Nashville, a very deep-red part of America.  According to a New York Times tool that calculates the political composition of a community, only 15 percent of my neighbors are Democrats.

Man who served as interpreter in Afghanistan, escaped after Taliban takeover killed in DC working as Lyft driver  —  Nasrat Ahmad Yar, a 31-year-old father of four, moved from Afghanistan to Pennsylvania after the Taliban takeover, and then to Alexandria in 2022.

McCarthy declines to endorse Trump — looking to avoid a GOP civil war  —  The peace might be short-lived, but the speaker's members understand why he's not offering a formal endorsement to Donald Trump.  —  Kevin McCarthy is risking Donald Trump's wrath by not officially endorsing …

GOP declares war on... Barbie  —  Warner Bros. said there were no geopolitics intended in “Barbie.”  —  In a Barbie world, who controls the South China Sea?  —  That's the question a handful of Republican lawmakers — not to mention much of Southeast Asia — is asking thanks to a background detail …

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter mark 77th wedding anniversary at home in Plains, Georgia  —  The couple, who have been on the American and international stage together for a half-century, are facing significant health challenges.  —  ATLANTA — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are marking …

Marjorie Taylor Greene booted from House Freedom Caucus  —  The vote occurred nearly two weeks ago, shortly after the Georgia Republican had called then-fellow Freedom Caucus member Rep. Lauren Boebert a pejorative in a verbal fight on the House floor.  —  The House Freedom Caucus voted …

John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh Are Now the Supreme Court's Swing Votes  —  Chief justice moves to counter the perception the court is partisan  —  WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court completed its annual term last week with resounding conservative victories, ending a half-century of affirmative action …

Climate denialism has burnt to a crisp  —  The old debate about the existence of climate change is dead, immolated in 110-degree heat or asphyxiated on wildfire smoke or drowned in a flash flood.  The idea that the world was getting warmer, the butt of both sincere and opportunistic mockery a decade ago …

Ron DeSantis bragged about sending help to Iowa — 10 hours after being told it wasn't needed  —  DeSantis' June 5 tweet touting Florida's role in the politically important state came after Iowa told his administration its help in the recovery effort of a building collapse was not needed.

The Rich Are Crazy for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a crank.  His views are a mishmash of right-wing fantasies mixed with remnants of the progressive he once was: Bitcoin boosterism, anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, assertions that Prozac causes mass shootings …

Non-white Moderates Are Real Democrats — Not GOP Pawns … The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action once again highlighted an uncomfortable reality that a minority group (in this case, Asian Americans) mostly opposes a position held by the progressive movement and the Democratic Party.

Legacy Admissions Don't Work the Way You Think They Do  —  Dr. Khan is a professor of sociology and American studies at Princeton who studies culture, inequality, gender and elites.  He is the author of “Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul's School.”

Elizabeth Tsurkov's sister says she took ‘precautions’ in Iraq before abduction  —  Emma Tsurkov said she immediately contacted Israeli authorities after not hearing back from her sister in March, and she confirmed that the Russian government is involved in the negotiations to free the Israeli-Russian researcher.

Arizona governor approves over-the-counter contraceptive medications at pharmacies  —  PHOENIX — Adults in Arizona can now obtain contraceptive medications over the counter at a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription under a governor's order announced Thursday.

How Did We Get Putin So Wrong?  —  The world assumed the Russian leader was a cunning and formidable adversary.  Then he launched a disastrous war that has devastated his own country. … Russia has known no other leader in the 21st century than Vladimir Putin.

GOP voters torture Mike Pence with the Big Lie — too bad he was an avid disinfo fan for decades  —  Campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination is not going well for Mike Pence.  The former vice president's pitch to voters is that he stood up for the Constitution in the face of pressure to do otherwise.

'That isn't true': Michele Bachmann says slavery was not ‘sinful’ at America's inception  —  Former Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) celebrated America's birthday by declaring that slavery was not a “sinful” part of the nation's founding.  —  In a July 4 appearance on the Christian program Flashpoint …

Trump Team's New Tactic on the Ground: Extreme Pettiness  —  In the key early state of New Hampshire, the Trump campaign is leaving an impression—just not a good one. … Inside the ‘tacky’ Trump operation  —  In early nominating states like New Hampshire, Fourth of July parades …

Heat Records Are Broken Around the Globe as Earth Warms, Fast  —  From north to south, temperatures are surging as greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and combine with effects from El Niño.  —  The past three days were quite likely the hottest in Earth's modern history …

Shootings in New York Drop by a Quarter as Surge of Violence Eases  —  Murders and rapes were also down, part of a nationwide trend after a post-pandemic spike.  —  Shootings in New York City dropped by about 25 percent through the first half of this year compared with the same period last year …

Russian unprofessional behavior over Syria - 6 July 2023  —  AL UDEID AIR BASE, QATAR —  “Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior Thursday, 9:30 A.M. local time, while interacting with U.S. MQ-9 drones carrying out our D-ISIS mission in Syria.

Florida's Immigration Law Is a Misfire  —  DeSantis's crackdown will exacerbate the state's labor shortage while doing nothing to fix Biden's border failures.  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's economic record may be the biggest selling point of his presidential campaign.