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✈️ Senate's great escape Senate Republican leaders are tantalizingly close to a deal to take some uncomfortable votes in exchange for leaving town at a more comfortable hour. Why it matters: President Trump won't like all of the outcomes, but senators don't plan to be around to hear about it. 👍 Winners: Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected to officially avoid a pre-election shutdown fight, set a new record for confirmed nominees, give Trump his attorney general and show GOP unity for a voter-ID bill to contrast with Democrats. He also finally passed new Russia sanctions. 👎 Losers: A budget resolution that passed the House — and has been the White House's priority — is expected to fail. The same fate awaits the voter-ID bill, which won't get the Democratic votes needed to reach 60. Plus, the crypto market-structure bill was delayed until September. 🔮 Mysteries: The fates of a hemp product ban and a name, image and likeness college sports bill were still unclear as of late this afternoon. 🎧 What we're hearing: All three items on the GOP Joe Rogan agenda we told you about last night — crypto, hemp and college sports — are wilting in the August heat. Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) defied the White House and held fast on his amendment to stop delaying a ban on certain hemp products. It has a real shot of passing. Thune punted an initial vote on the CLARITY Act late last night into September, weeks before an election that will make compromise more difficult. The intrigue: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), despite his best efforts, can't quite convince some fellow Republicans who have lingering questions about his college sports legislation. 🏈 The bill would set national rules for how schools pay student-athletes and regulate NIL deals. "I want to make sure that this legislation doesn't either intentionally or unintentionally absolve the NCAA, which lacks testicles and a spine," Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said. The White House Counsel's office is trying to get it across the line, issuing a memo on why the bill does not preempt state laws on transgender women in sports. 🔎 Zoom in: At a rare Friday lunch among Republican senators, the contours of a get-out-of-town deal began to emerge — though Thune was still working through some of the details late this afternoon. Senators are still trying to reach a time agreement on the stopgap funding package, but they have agreed to give Budd a vote on his hemp amendment at a 50-vote threshold. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) introduced his budget resolution to kick off reconciliation 3.0. It would, among other things, provide money for the Pentagon to restock munitions used in Iran. But even with a 50-vote threshold, it's expected to fail because of GOP defections. Thune is trying to deflect MAGA anger over the Senate's failure to pass the SAVE America Act with a vote on a much narrower bill that would establish a national voter ID standard. But with a 60-vote threshold and no Democratic support, it's headed for defeat. 🧳 The bottom line: Nothing has been easy about getting out of town. Late yesterday, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) refused to agree to a time limit on the continuing resolution unless he received a vote on adjournment. But the way out of it is the same: taking a tough vote to catch an earlier flight. — Hans Nichols and Stef W. Kight

The Cost of Deportations Calculator The Trump administration is taking billions of taxpayer dollars to pay for mass deportations. https://www.epi.org/deportation-calculator/?

Holding the line Federal worker protections are under attack https://www.epi.org/holding-the-line-state-solutions-to-the-u-s-worker-rights-crisis/? ps:Nothing new here, especially with this administration and his first time in office!!

Airlines Are Lobbying To Change Airfare Font Sizes. It’s Gonna Cost You. For decades, buying a plane ticket hasn’t been a simple process. In the late 2000s, consumers were inundated with ads for special $79 or $99 flights, but were met with sticker shock when they went to buy the tickets and saw the true cost was actually much higher. https://www.levernews.com/airlines-are-lobbying-to-change-airfare-font-sizes-its-gonna-cost-you/? Congress has long underfunded worker protection agencies. The Republican budget would deepen the damage. On June 9, the Republican majority on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a 2027 budget that slashes funding for worker protection agencies. https://www.epi.org/blog/republican-budget-exacerbates-underfunding-of-worker-protection-agencies/? ps:Just pitiful!!!!!

So then you face the dilemma of if Christ became fully man or not when it comes to fully man and fully God,...

🚀 1 for the road: Endowments take off Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios The University of North Carolina's endowment returns are up over 30% this year thanks in part to an early bet on SpaceX, Bloomberg reports. The school's endowment management company invested in SpaceX through venture capital over 15 years ago. Now it's seeing big returns after the company went public last month. 💰 Bloomberg reports that the investment "has helped make UNC's endowment one of the best-performing in the U.S., but it's also emblematic of how a select group of U.S. universities have profited from a surge in value from early-stage investments." Some later SpaceX investors haven't fared as well: Shares are trading at about $130 early this afternoon, down from the $135 IPO price. Gift link.

🕯️ Sydney Towle, a social media content creator who projected enduring optimism as she chronicled her life with a rare form of cancer, has died at 26. Keep reading.

📉 America's employers unexpectedly shed 23,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1%. The report hints at bigger cracks in the labor market than previously known. Go deeper.

🧑‍⚖️ The Trump administration will ask the Supreme Court to reverse a block on its White House ballroom project, the president said today. A federal appeals court ruled earlier today that his plans need congressional approval. Get the latest. 🏦 The White House launched a new effort to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook: Deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino notified her in a letter, obtained by Axios' Courtenay Brown, that President Trump is considering her removal, and gave her 21 days to respond to mortgage fraud allegations. Read the letter.

📊 Poll: Independents are progressive-curious Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios Independent voters support several key progressive ideas, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds. 64% of independent registered voters say they support higher taxes for corporations and billionaires. 60% support government-provided health care for all Americans. 🌹 Yes, but: 43% of independents said they're less likely to vote for a candidate who identifies as a democratic socialist, as some progressives do. The big picture: Progressives got a big boost with Abdul El-Sayed's victory this week in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary. Establishment Democrats are skeptical that progressives can win enough moderates' votes in big elections, while President Trump and other Republicans have been falsely deriding them as "Communists." Go deeper.

It's brutal out there Data: NCEI, NWS; Note: Values shown are the averages of major airports in each metro area. Typical range is the 10th–90th percentiles; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Downright nasty humidity levels are plaguing the East Coast today, along with high temperatures — and they could last for days in some places, Alex Fitzpatrick and Erin Davis report. 🥵 A high-pressure system along the East Coast is pulling tropical air up from the Caribbean, making cities like D.C. and New York feel more like Miami or San Juan. Heat advisories are in place along the Northeast Corridor, which also faces a chance of thunderstorms today. ⚠️ High temperatures combined with high humidity can be deeply unpleasant and potentially dangerous, making it difficult to stay hydrated and for our bodies to regulate their temperature. People in affected areas should seek out A/C, drink plenty of water and limit strenuous activity outside. What we're watching: National Weather Service forecasters are eyeing a cold front late next week that could bring relief from the heat and humidity — but also severe weather as it passes. 🌡️ The other side: The western half of the country is dealing with dangerously hot temperatures, with daytime highs in the triple digits in some places. Meanwhile, high pressure is blocking wildfire smoke from clearing out, leading to bad air quality in the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West over the next few days. Get the forecast.

Desna boarding house caught fire after drone attack, no injuries reported. https://adventist.news/news/desna-boarding-house-damaged-by-drone-attack

ADRA Romania brings critical healthcare to 2,289 in Malawi ADRA Romania brought the first permanent dental clinic to Neno, Malawi, as well as food and hygiene kits. https://adventist.news/news/adra-romania-brings-critical-healthcare-to-2-289-in-malawi ADRA strengthens team readiness for crises ADRA held an international training meeting that will strengthen the readiness of ADRA teams for times of crisis. https://adventist.news/news/adra-strengthens-team-readiness-for-crises

Trump’s Accidental Sabotage of His Own Vanity Project Revealed The botched renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has caused no end of embarrassment for the president. Donald Trump inadvertently doomed his multimillion-dollar renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with his sweeping tariff plans, according to a report. Rodney Jarboe, president of paint and coating manufacturer Creative Polymers, revealed to The New York Times how he had been approached by David Schutzenhofer, manager of the president’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, for advice on how to reline the pool for the America250 celebrations. Schutzenhofer, who works in hospitality and has no training in engineering or architecture, then came up with a novel idea to coat the pool’s concrete slabs with a polyurea liner to fix the long-standing issue of it leaking millions of gallons of water every year. However, Trump’s tariff plans targeting resins—the raw or semi-solid form of a polymer—from China severely limited the amount of available polyurea coatings. “Tariffs were reducing the amount of materials that could come into the U.S. to make this stuff,” Jarboe told the Times. Instead, Jarboe’s Creative Polymers approached the California-based company Rhino Linings to produce enough polyurea coating at its factory in Texas to cover the 2,000-foot-long pool. Rhino was seen as a good fit because it made a coating in a shade called “American flag blue,” which they correctly assumed would delight Trump. Rhino then teamed up with Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based company that had never won a government contract, for help applying the coating. As noted by the Times, the chain of events starting with the president announcing major levies on imports from China resulted in a company with no previous federal contracts being awarded millions to fix a problem at a high-profile national landmark, following a brainwave by someone who runs one of Trump’s golf resorts. “It’s like asking the museum guard to restore a painting in the Met,” Charles Birnbaum, the president of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, who tried to prevent the Reflecting Pool renovation, told the Times. Elsewhere, Jarboe said that Schutzenhofer had only contacted him in March about the idea of renovating the soon-to-be algae-infested pool to coincide with the July 4 celebrations. “For this thing to be done in the time frame that was required, we almost had to have a contract and start manufacturing by the first week of April,” Jarboe said. “So it was a very tight deadline to make a decision.” The rushed nature of the renovation was the cause of another embarrassment for Trump surrounding the pool. Last month, the office of Trump’s handpicked U.S. attorney, Jeanine Pirro, announced it would drop charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of sabotaging the pool liner. Pirro’s office confirmed that the damage at the pool had nothing to do with vandalism and was instead the result of the “rush to complete” the renovation project ahead of celebrations marking the country’s 250th anniversary. The Times also noted that the project’s late start resulted in some “bureaucratic jujitsu” from the Interior Department, which cited the tight deadline to fight off scrutiny of the project and accuse those raising questions about it of causing unnecessary delays.The department, led by top Trump ally Doug Burgum, is still pushing the false claim that the pool was damaged because it was targeted by vandals. “President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who fixed the Reflecting Pool permanently before deranged people vandalized it,” Katie Martin, a department spokesperson, told the Times. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers added: “For years, the Reflecting Pool sat neglected, plagued with algae and leaking millions of gallons of water. Fixing it was common sense. It’s another example of President Trump restoring our nation’s capital for the American people.” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Interior Department for further comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-accidental-sabotage-of-his-own-reflecting-pool-vanity-project-revealed/? ps:Again just another project that didn't need to be done!!!!!

MAGA Gov Candidate Busted Living in Luxury Out of State The Trump-endorsed candidate in the toss-up Iowa governor’s race now faces carpetbagging accusations. A MAGA governor hopeful has secretly been living in a multimillion-dollar mansion hundreds of miles away from the state he wants to run, contradicting his humble farmer claims. Zach Lahn, the Trump-endorsed candidate in the Iowa gubernatorial race, has actually been living in Kansas for years, in a $2 million mansion, not in Iowa as he claims, a Daily Beast investigation can reveal. In 2024, Lahn and his wife Annie, the ex-daughter-in-law of billionaire donor Charles Koch, purchased their Wichita property, which he later transferred to an LLC in what appeared to be a move meant to hide his ownership—and true residency—as he planned to run for governor a few states over. The Kansas mansion sits on a large plot of land with a private lake. The luxurious home came equipped with an indoor pool, with one real estate outlet even calling the property “a place on Earth that was closest to heaven.” Lahn also owns property in Iowa, having bought his great-grandmother’s farm in his hometown of Belle Plaine, but there does not appear to be any indication that he treats this as a primary residence. Records reviewed by the Daily Beast indicate that he has never claimed any property in Iowa as his primary residence. When he refinanced the Iowa property in 2021, he and Annie waived the Iowa Homestead Tax Credit, a sign that they do not consider the Iowa property to be their primary home. Flight records also reveal that while Lahn, a licensed pilot who owns his own plane, travels to and from campaign events, he regularly flies in and out of Wichita to attend those events. These flights include his trip from Wichita to his “hometown” in June for a campaign event. He even flew from Wichita to Des Moines to submit his paperwork for his nomination at the State Capitol. Voting records also show that Lahn has voted in Kansas elections in the 2018, 2020 and 2022 cycles. He told The Wall Street Journal, however, that he voted in Iowa in 2024. Lahn, a graduate of the University of Colorado, worked for years in Republican politics in Colorado and Montana in his early adult life. He also worked for the Koch-affiliated group Americans for Prosperity. In 2017, he and his current wife, Annie, met while they were both still married to their former partners. Before getting married, they co-founded and still sit on the board of the Wonder School, an unorthodox, for-profit K-12 school in Wichita that boasts that it “doesn’t hire teachers.” Tuition currently costs $10,000 a year, and after graduation, only about a third of students go on to attend a 4-year college. The Lahns applied for their marriage license in Montana just 11 days after his divorce was finalized. With their combined kids from previous marriages, the couple co-parents seven children. In addition to his luxury mansion in Kansas, Lahn sold his multimillion-dollar mansion in Whitefish, Montana in October. The house, which was valued just under $5 million dollars last year, was described online as a “ski-in, ski-out mansion” that came equipped with an outdoor spa and hot tub. He still owns a plot of land on the same road. Lahn’s campaign has focused on what he calls an “Iowa First” agenda, as he has attacked corporate agriculture and has touted his endorsement from RFK Jr.’s “MAHA Action.” But with his apparent strong roots in Kansas and Montana, it remains unclear why Lahn chose Iowa to launch his political career. He has not publicly commented on carpetbagging accusations, and when reached for comment by the Daily Beast, his deputy campaign manager, Meg Deneen, again did not comment on Lahn’s out-of-state life. Deneen instead attacked his opponent, Rob Sand’s in-law’s multimillion-dollar real estate in Aspen, Colorado, and Sand’s prior work as a model. When Sand’s campaign was reached for comment, Emma O’Brien, deputy campaign manager, accused Lahn of “lying to Iowans from day one of this campaign about where he lives, how much time he spends in Iowa, and his background.” Lahn narrowly beat House Republican Randy Feenstra in the state’s primary election in June. Feenstra had been endorsed by Trump in the primary, but Trump has since turned sour on him since Lahn’s upset win. Trump reportedly regretted his endorsement because Lahn was “much more Trump” than Feenstra. The gubernatorial race is currently viewed as one of the most competitive in the country, and a potential pick-up for Democrats as the 2026 midterm elections are expected to be a catastrophe for Republicans. Polling shows that his opponent, Sand, the state’s Democratic auditor and the only Democrat who holds a statewide office in the Republican-leaning state, has a slight edge in the race. As it relates to the carpetbagging accusations, a recent poll from Emerson College found that 76 percent of Iowa voters said it is important that a candidate has lived in the state for most of their adult life. https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-iowa-gov-candidate-zach-lahn-busted-living-in-luxury-out-of-state/? ps:These are trumps kind of people!!!!

Vance Drags Jesus Into Fat-Shaming His MAGA Ally JD Vance converted to Roman Catholicism in 2019 at the age of 35. JD Vance has defended a fat gibe he made against a fellow Republican, dragging the son of God into the debate. The devout Catholic joked about Fox News contributor and Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen’s weight on Wednesday as part of an ongoing national conversation about the price of burritos. The humble burrito is being used as a lightning rod for a conversation about inflation. Thiessen weighed in, earning a rebuke that many thought was unbecoming of a vice president, who has been mocked for his own chubby cheeks. “I’m surprised to hear Mark say this. If you’ve ever met him in person, it’s quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito,” he wrote, spelling Thiessen’s first name incorrectly. Now, Vance, 42, has defended himself, claiming the post was not mean-spirited. Vance called into Hugh Hewitt’s Salem News Channel show on Thursday, telling the host it was just a “joke.” “You know, it was a joke, Hugh. I think there are ways in which you’re allowed to punch back, and you’re allowed to be a little bit humorous. I’m sure it was not as charitable as I should have been, but, you know, one thing is—look, I think he’s a good Catholic,” Vance said. He added that he “feels pretty good” about the bizarre comment. “I certainly wish him the best. I think he’s been a little unfair to me over the last couple of weeks, and so I decided to hit back with a little spice. I will say that if you read the Gospel, you know, Jesus has remarkable humility. “He also has a remarkable way with words. And so I’m always going to fall short of that example, but I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with being a little spicy from time to time. And, you know, maybe in two years you’ll look back and say, ‘I wish I hadn’t said that,’ but right now I feel pretty good about that,” he explained. The discussion began when right-wing commentator Matt Walsh said that high grocery prices were becoming a vulnerability for President Donald Trump. Turning Point USA personality Andrew Kolvet then provided anecdotal evidence on the affordability crisis from a college student’s observation of the price of burritos. “One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability: ‘A burrito shouldn’t cost $20,’” Kolvet posted, adding a complaint about Biden-era COVID-19 policies. In response, Thiessen appeared to defend the high burrito prices, saying college students should not be spending their money to go out for a casual meal. “Cry me a river. The burritos in the college cafeteria are included in your meal plan,” Thiessen complained. Vance then inserted himself in the MAGA burrito debate, launching his jab at Thiessen’s apparent eating habits. Vance talked up Thiessen’s Catholic credentials in the Salem News Channel interview, but this might land awkwardly with his congregation because of his past hiccups. For example, when President Donald Trump branded Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Vance defended him. The convert was asked on Special Report with Bret Baier about his thoughts “as a Catholic” about Trump’s papal feud, and repeatedly called the matter not “newsworthy.” The self-described “baby Catholic” also insisted that Trump was “posting a joke” when he shared the since-deleted AI image of himself as Jesus. Last month, the vice president was on Fox News again lecturing the pope on immigration. “I do think that some of the things that have come out of the Vatican on the immigration question in particular have been troubling, and ultimately I disagree with it,” Vance told Laura Ingraham. https://www.thedailybeast.com/jd-vance-drags-jesus-into-fat-shaming-his-maga-ally-marc-thiessen/? ps:ibid

ICE Barbie’s Alleged Lover’s Desperate Trump Comeback Plot Revealed Corey Lewandowski has floated a Senate primary challenge against a sitting Republican leader. A former Trump administration political operative and rumored paramour of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is plotting a return from political exile while maintaining his relationship with her, according to the New York Post. Corey Lewandowski, 52, served as an unpaid senior adviser and acting chief of staff to Noem before her exit from the administration, which came a few months after federal agents in Minneapolis killed two citizens. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti prompted the administration to walk back its aggressive approach to immigration enforcement and spelled the beginning of the end for ‘ICE Barbie’ Noem. The fallout ended Lewandowski’s formal role alongside Noem, but according to the Post, he’s now maneuvering his way back into President Donald Trump’s orbit. “Corey is looking for ways to get back in good with President Trump,” one Republican strategist said. Lewandowski caught attention inside the Beltway when he singled out Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota as a potential primary target. “John Thune, who happens to be up for re-election—not this November but two years from now—is very susceptible to a very serious Republican primary challenge,” Lewandowski told conservative podcaster John Fredericks in late June. “The American people will be looking at someone who has a proven history of winning an election in South Dakota to maybe challenge John Thune,” he added, a description sources said evoked Noem. Multiple Republicans stated that staying on Trump’s good side is crucial for Lewandowski if he is to succeed in his alleged comeback plot. “He values that relationship more than anything else,” one source said, while another confirmed Lewandowski “dines out” on having the attention of the MAGA chief. Reached for comment Thursday, Lewandowski insisted to the Post that his comments were about the voters, not himself. “President Trump carried the state of South Dakota by nearly 30 points. The people of that state overwhelmingly support his agenda for America,” he said. “No politician is immune to the will of the voters.” Lewandowski then made a comment that reads like a suck-up to Trump, urging senators to pass Trump’s SAVE America Act, legislation that would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and present photo ID at the polls, something the president has made a priority. Although Thune has insisted the measure lacks the Senate votes to clear the chamber—a persistent point of friction with the White House—Lewandowski delivered a sharp directive: “I would encourage every incumbent senator to achieve this objective.” The Daily Beast approached Lewandowski and received the same response. He ignored a question about Noem being his alleged lover. The maneuvering comes just days after Noem and Lewandowski were spotted hanging out together in a suburb of Minneapolis. The two joined each other on Tuesday for an afternoon of biking in Wayzata, roughly nine miles west of the city. In footage obtained by TMZ, the pair biked beside Lake Minnetonka before stopping for an outdoor table at The Grocer’s Table, then biked on to the restaurant CōV, where they sat outside and appeared to laugh over something on Noem’s phone. At one point, Lewandowski seemed to notice he was being filmed and quickly turned away. Lewandowski and Noem have long denied being romantically involved. Lewandowski told the Daily Beast in March that he had denied having an affair with Noem 10,000 times, and that his call with the Beast was No. 10,001. He still appears to be married, and has four children with his wife, Alison. Noem’s mother said last month that the former Cabinet official is divorcing her husband, Bryon, with whom she has three children. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Bryon, 56, had an online alter ego as a crossdresser. “It’s called bimbofication. People who modify their body to look like a doll. The Barbie look,” one model told the Daily Mail. “His kink is for huge, huge ridiculous boobs.” The alleged relationship between Noem and Lewandowski, dubbed Washington’s “worst-kept secret,” reportedly contributed to Noem’s ouster. https://www.thedailybeast.com/ice-barbies-alleged-lover-corey-lewandowskis-desperate-trump-comeback-plot-revealed/? ps:It goes without saying: "These people are just pathetic!!!!!"

Trump’s Monstrous Ballroom Plot Derailed by Bombshell Ruling Trump’s power has been given a reality check. Donald Trump’s $400 million ballroom vanity project has been blocked by a court in Washington, D.C. In a major blow to the president, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered that work stop on the project, which has already seen the East Wing of the White House demolished. The court has put the ruling on hold for 14 days to give the administration the opportunity to appeal to the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the Trump administration went ahead with the work without congressional approval. The order came after the court’s 2-1 split, with the majority saying, “Whether or not a ⁠massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help.” “Congress has not ceded unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct the White House — the People’s House — to fit a particular President’s desires,” the panel added. Trump appealed to the court after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, twice halted construction above ground while allowing below-ground work to continue. Leon said that there was no federal statute that “comes close to giving the president” the power to make the alterations without congressional approval, Reuters reported. Trump has previously called the 90,000 sq ft development a “gift” to the people. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment on the court order. Since his return to the White House, Trump has undertaken several so-called beautification projects around Washington, D.C. Many have hit early roadblocks, such as the refurbishment of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. A new liner was fitted inside the pool, but soon algae broke out—turning the surface of the water slime green—and the lining began to peel off. The pool has since had to be drained. In another clanger, a judge ruled that his name had been illegally added to the outside of the Kennedy Center and ordered it be removed. The ballroom is the flagship of the real-estate mogul’s reimagining of the capital. He has claimed that it is vital for carrying out state events in safety, even using the attempted shooting at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as justification for the project. Bragging about it last month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the ballroom “is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal,” promising that “it will be magnificent, safe, and secure!” It also doubled in price. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-monstrous-ballroom-plot-derailed-by-bombshell-ruling/? ps:How pathetic!!!!!

Blanche wins support for attorney general from GOP Sen. Cassidy, likely paving way for confirmation WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday that he will back Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for Blanche’s confirmation to lead President Donald Trump’s Justice Department. https://apnews.com/article/murkowski-blanche-attorney-general-nomination-fund-trump-b0cc3ae3327648ad3cbbad9809040099? Senate passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill negotiated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate overwhelmingly approved a punishing Russian sanctions package Friday, the result of a yearlong campaign by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham to reinforce U.S. support for Ukraine and try to force President Vladimir Putin’s hand as the grinding war drags on. https://apnews.com/article/senate-russia-sanctions-graham-tariffs-8d37498c3f27d96cae7da147250ebe9f? ps:I'll believe when I hear trump signed this bill!! Senate confirms Hamilton to lead FEMA and clears more than 70 other Trump nominees The Senate on Friday confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the embattled agency he led temporarily last year only to be fired after he publicly opposed eliminating it. https://apnews.com/article/fema-cameron-hamilton-trump-disaster-aid-reforms-6743eb69461fc625d924396842056bba?

Pope Leo XIV will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in his first Latin American trip as pontiff VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will make his first trip to Latin America as pontiff in November, returning to a region where he spent much of his ministry, with visits to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the Vatican announced Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-peru-argentina-uruguay-latin-701f20187f230f504f15a2b2fb52a89b? Pope Leo to meet with clergy abuse survivors during upcoming trip to France MILAN (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will meet with survivors of clergy abuse during a four-day trip to France next month that will include a visit to UNESCO headquarters, a meeting with French bishops in Lourdes and an interreligious meeting in the border city of Metz, the Vatican announced on Friday. https://apnews.com/article/pope-visit-france-clergy-abuse-a633186bd81f411119cf2060c7c40a65?

After centuries in India, the last Jews in Kochi try to keep their history alive Keith Hallegua and Elias Josephai are among the last Jews in Kochi, India, part of a community with roots dating back centuries. They represent the final chapter of a once-thriving Jewish community that lived peacefully with Hindu, Muslim, and Christian neighbors. In the 1950s, many of the Jews in Kochi immigrated to Israel, leaving behind their homes, synagogues and cemeteries. Read more. Why this matters: Hallegua is a Paradesi Jew, the once-dominant group whose fair-skinned, Sephardic ancestors from Spain and Portugal fled the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. Josephai is a Malabari Jew. The group's darker-skinned ancestors trace their roots back more than 2,000 years, to King Solomon’s time. Both men strive to maintain their forebears' synagogues, though it's a struggle to convene enough worshippers to have a quorum for services. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Robotic elephants draw crowds and controversy in some of India's Hindu temples 1 city, 2 people — and India’s widening religious divide India’s new citizenship law excludes Muslims. Here’s what to know

Empty pews and fear of ICE on Maryland’s Eastern Shore after TPS ends for Haitians These are harrowing days for the Word of Life Center, a church that has long been a vibrant hub of the Haitian community on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Many members of the Haitian community are staying home, fearing arrest and deportation after the Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status for over a million people, including 350,000 Haitians. It's left many in limbo, facing tough choices between staying in the U.S. or returning to a dangerous Haiti. Read more. Why this matters: In Salisbury, the Eastern Shore's biggest city, about 10% of the 33,000 residents are Haitian, many of them employed as farmworkers, caregivers and in the poultry plants that are the region’s economic backbone. At the Word of Life Center, a bridal shower and yard-sale barbecue were canceled. So were English-language classes. Roosevelt Toussaint, senior pastor of the nondenominational congregation, said attendance at Sunday’s service dropped by more than half. The United States initially gave TPS to Haitians following a devastating 2010 earthquake and extended it several times since. The Trump administration pushed to end that status, saying conditions in Haiti improved. Yet almost 1.5 million people have been displaced because of gang violence, and most Haitians need humanitarian aid. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Supreme Court’s ruling to end protections for Haitian, Syrian immigrants could have broader impact Immigration crackdown threatens Haitian caregivers and the seniors who rely on them Haiti starts to register voters in violent capital under gang menace

🎉 Yahoo! It's Friday! You made it. In today's edition: Welcome to Canton, Panthers win preseason opener, MLB's competitive balance bogeyman, Weekend Watchlist, the agony of gold, Guess The Logo, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🏈 Panthers win at the buzzer: The Panthers and Cardinals kicked off the NFL preseason in thrilling fashion, with Carolina winning 33-30 on a last-second TD run by rookie QB Haynes King. ⚾️ Sox stay hot: The Red Sox (63-51) won their eighth straight game — and their 31st of their last 36 (!!) — in dramatic fashion, rallying from behind five times for a 12-11 victory over the White Sox in 13 innings. 🏀 Gray's heroics sink Fever: The Aces came back from 20 points down to beat Indiana, 86-84, thanks to the heroics of Chelsea Gray, who hit one buzzer-beating three to send the game to OT and another to win it. Elsewhere: The Sparks beat the Lynx, 89-82, to snap their 10-game winning streak. 🏈 More RB extensions: The Lions gave Jahymr Gibbs a three-year extension worth up to $75.75M, edging out Bijan Robinson's recent deal (3/$75M) as the richest ever for a RB. The Colts gave Jonathan Taylor a two-year deal worth up to $47M. 🇺🇸 Team USA roster revealed: A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart and Angel Reese headline Team USA's 12-player roster for the FIBA Women's World Cup, taking place next month in Berlin.   🏈 CLASS OF 2026 WELCOME TO CANTON (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) Five men will be formally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame tomorrow in Canton, Ohio. Below, we take a brief look at their legendary careers. Drew Brees (2001-20): The man who saved football in New Orleans will also go down as one of the most accomplished QBs in league history. His 80,358 yards and 571 TDs are both second only to Tom Brady, and in 2009 he led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title. Bio: The Chargers took the Purdue All-American in the second round of the 2001 Draft, but his time in San Diego ended when he injured his shoulder in the final game of the 2005 season. With young backup Philip Rivers in the fold, they let him walk to the Saints, where he made 12 Pro Bowls, won two OPOY awards and was named MVP of Super Bowl XLIV. Fun fact: Brees, perhaps the best player to never win NFL MVP, finished as the runner-up a record four times in 2006 (to LaDainian Tomlinson), 2009 (Peyton Manning), 2011 (Aaron Rodgers) and 2018 (Patrick Mahomes). Larry Fitzgerald (2004-20): The Cardinals lifer is considered not only a first-class gentleman but is on the shortlist for the second-best player ever at his position. Fitzgerald's 17,492 receiving yards and 1,432 catches are both second only to Jerry Rice, and his 121 receiving TDs rank sixth all-time. Bio: Drafted third overall out of Pittsburgh in 2004, the humble superstar never asked out of Arizona despite enduring multiple rebuilds and reaching the playoffs just five times. How's this for resilience: Fitzgerald (who never officially retired) caught passes from 22 different QBs in 17 seasons. Wild stat: Fitz's hands were so good, and his hustle so relentless, that he had more career tackles (41) than dropped passes (29). Yes, really. Luke Kuechly (2012-19): Captain America's career was relatively short, but you'd be hard-pressed to find any arguments against his enshrinement in Canton given the performances and accolades the Panthers linebacker fit into eight years in Carolina. Bio: Drafted ninth overall out of Boston College in 2012, the DROY quickly established himself as the gold standard for middle linebackers of his era. Kuechly burned fast and bright, winning a DPOY and earning five first-team All-Pro selections before tearfully retiring in 2020 due to repeated concussion issues. Alone at the top: Kuechly terrorized offenses to the tune of 1,092 combined tackles, the most of any player during his career. In fact, just four other players were within even 300 of his total in that span. Roger Craig (1983-93): Before Christian McCaffrey, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk, there was Roger Craig, a pass-catching running back dynamo who played an integral role in the 49ers' dynasty of the 1980s — and who finally earned his well-deserved spot in Canton. Bio: The second-rounder out of Nebraska in 1983 landed in the right place at the right time, giving the Niners the perfect weapon to supercharge their West Coast offense. Craig's career fizzled after he left San Francisco, but the highs — three Super Bowls and four Pro Bowls in seven years — were as high as it gets. Exclusive club: Craig won OPOY in 1988, but 1985 was his true tour de force when he led the league with 92 catches and became the first player ever with over 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a season. Only Faulk (1999) and McCaffrey (2019) have since joined him. Adam Vinatieri (1996-2019): The Patriots and Colts legend wasn't the most accurate kicker ever (his 83.8% field goal success rate ranks 39th), but he was perhaps the greatest, and certainly the most prolific, with an NFL-record 599 made field goals and 2,673 points. Bio: That Vinatieri made it to Canton is, frankly, stunning, considering he was once a middling college kicker at D-II South Dakota State, began his pro career in NFL Europe and was nearly cut four games into his tenure with New England. 24 seasons and four Super Bowl titles later, he's as undeniable as his golden right leg. Captain Clutch: Vinatieri nailed an NFL-record 28 game-winning field goals in the final minute of the fourth quarter and overtime, including one iconic kick in a snowstorm and two that won Super Bowls. Tune in: Watch the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony tomorrow (12pm ET, ESPN/NFL).   ⚾️ SUPER TEAM MLB'S COMPETITIVE BALANCE BOGEYMAN GETS SCARIER This story first appeared in Yahoo Sports Biz, our new sports business newsletter authored by Dylan Dittrich. The Dodgers' inevitable acquisition of ace pitcher Tarik Skubal not only strengthens their rotation for the stretch run, but it could also shape the ongoing labor battle between MLB and its players. Rich get richer: Skubal's acquisition concentrates even more talent in an already crowded Dodgers dugout. The team's $430.5 million tax payroll leads the league by $60 million. It's five times larger than that of the bottom-ranked Marlins. A bigger game is afoot: Skubal's arrival (and likely extension) on a roster that redefines "super team" is perhaps one last luxury splurge for the Dodgers ahead of an MLB salary cap push. His addition, however, provides MLB with ammunition in its cap advocacy. While you might think rival owners would fume at the Dodgers' growing embarrassment of riches, the team's exorbitant payroll has been a piece of the league's public bargaining position. MLB cites a perceived lack of competitive balance in its calls for a salary cap and floor system. The system, they argue, would curb the spending of the league's heavyweights while forcing its bottom feeders to invest in their rosters. That the Dodgers so easily won the deadline's grand prize will sow fan unrest, potentially swaying the court of public opinion in ownership's favor. Public support could provide greater leverage; usually, fans vehemently oppose ownership in labor struggles. Is competition unbalanced? You won't hear a conversation about the labor battle that doesn't include the term "competitive balance," but how unbalanced is MLB? It's balanced: The teams with the best records in the AL and NL, the Rays and the Brewers, rank 20th and 28th in tax payroll respectively. Meanwhile, the Mets (2nd in tax payroll) have the third-worst record in the NL, and the Blue Jays (5th in tax payroll) are dead last in the AL East. Money matters, but so does execution. It's unbalanced: October counts, and a small-market team hasn't won it all since the Royals in 2015. Since then, teams in MLB's bottom-five markets have generated a winning percentage of .478. That's the lowest of the four major leagues, and the .043 gap to the top-five markets is the biggest. Bottom line: MLB's competitive balance bogeyman just got even scarier, much to the chagrin of fans of the other 29 MLB franchises. Their owners, however, will likely use their displeasure as fuel for an ongoing effort to install a salary cap.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WEEKEND WATCHLIST The Astros are inevitable. (Houston Astros/Getty Images) ⚾️ Major League Baseball There are a bunch of series this weekend between playoff contenders, headlined by the red-hot Astros (59-57) visiting the Padres (60-56) on "Sunday Night Baseball" (8:20pm ET, NBC). Best of the rest: Braves (70-45) at Yankees (64-51), Guardians (57-59) at White Sox (59-55), Dodgers (69-46) at Diamondbacks (61-55), Rays (68-46) at Mariners (56-60). 🏀 Aces at Lynx The WNBA's top two teams square off on Saturday afternoon in Minnesota (1pm, CBS), where where Olivia Miles and the Lynx host A'ja Wilson and the Aces in a potential Finals preview. Elsewhere: The Fever visit the Sky on Saturday (3:30pm, ABC) before Sunday's triple-header: Aces at Liberty (12:30pm, ABC), Wings at Lynx (3:30pm, NBC), Valkyries at Sparks (7pm, ESPN). ⛳️ Wyndham Championship The PGA Tour's regular-season finale continues in North Carolina (Fri-Sun, ESPN+/Golf/CBS), where golfers are competing for an $8.5 million purse and, more importantly, spots in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Bubble watch: The top 70 golfers in the standings after this weekend will advance to the playoffs. Some of the biggest names on the bubble and how they shot on Thursday: Jackson Koivun (-3), Brooks Koepka (-3), Keegan Bradley (E), Jason Day (+1). 🎱 The Ocho The 10th anniversary of ESPN's "The Ocho" — a collection of niche sports that began as a playful nod to 2004's "Dodgeball" and has since become an annual staple — kicked off last night and will run for a total of 74.5 hours through Sunday evening. Schedule: The full lineup, mostly airing on ESPN2, includes 10 competitions from ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. Some highlights include the Big League Wiffle Ball World Series (Fri. 10am), the Hacky Sack Championship (Sat. 9:30am) and the World Axe and Knife Throwing Championship (Sat. 3pm). More to watch: 🎾 Tennis: Canadian Open (Fri-Sun, Tennis) … The quarterfinals will be set by Monday in the Masters 1000 events in Montreal (men) and Toronto (women). ⚽️ MLS: New England vs. Houston (Sat. 4:30pm, Apple) … Third in the East vs. fourth in the West in the lone game this weekend while Leagues Cup takes center stage. ⚽️ NWSL: Gotham vs. San Diego (Fri. 8pm, Prime); Seattle vs. Angel City (Sun. 9pm, ESPN) … Defending champion Gotham have ridden a six-match unbeaten streak to the top of the standings. 🏈 IFL: Tulsa Oilers vs. Green Bay Blizzard (Sun. 4pm, Yahoo Sports); Arizona Rattlers vs. San Diego Strike Force (Sun. 7:30pm, Yahoo Sports) … Conference championships. 🤸🏻‍♀️ Gymnastics: U.S. Championships (Fri-Sun, Peacock/NBC) … Olympic medalists Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera, Frederick Richard and Stephen Nedoroscik headline the action. Plus: ⛳️ U.S. Women's Amateur (Fri-Sun, Golf); 🏁 NASCAR at Iowa Speedway (Sun. 3:30pm, USA); 🏁 IndyCar in Portland (Sun. 4pm, Fox); 🥍 PLL in Boston (Fri-Sat, ESPN+/ESPN2); 🚲 Tour de France Femmes (Fri-Sun, Peacock); ⚾️ WPBL (Fri-Sun, ESPN+)   🥇 35 YEARS LATER FRIDAY FEATURE: THE AGONY OF GOLD (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) In 1988, one of the most controversial decisions in Olympic boxing history forever linked Roy Jones Jr. and Park Si-Hun. More than three decades later, the story took one final, unexpected turn. Joseph Santoliquito, Uncrowned: On May 30, 2023, Park Si-Hun traveled from South Korea to Pensacola, Florida, to surprise his 1988 Olympic counterpart, Hall of Fame boxer Roy Jones Jr., with the medal the American should've rightfully won in their infamous gold medal match, which was called a 3-2 victory for Park despite Jones, then only 19 years old, out-landing Park 86 punches to 32. It was a historic result — considered by many to be the most controversial decision in Olympic boxing history — that forced a change in Olympic boxing scoring and led to the lifetime banning of judges Alberto Duran of Uruguay and Hiduad Larbi of Morocco, who each scored it 59-58 for Park. In the wake of the controversy, the U.S. Olympic committee and everyone associated with AIBA — the international amateur boxing governing body of the time — held out hope that the International Olympic Committee would eventually right the wrong and present Jones his winning medal, an award even Park knew Jones should've won. But that did not happen. Not until Park himself took the initiative and presented Jones with the one thing that had linked the two men for the 35 years after their fateful first meeting. His magnanimous gesture did not go public until late 2025, and came as a complete surprise to Jones.   🔎 ZOOMED IN GUESS THE LOGO Question: Can you guess this zoomed in MLB logo? Hint: Currently in playoff position. Answer at the bottom.   ⚾️ POWER OUTAGE POST-DERBY WOES (Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Chalk one up for the (largely unfounded) Home Run Derby curse, as this year's finalists have seemingly forgotten how to hit the ball over the fence since putting on a show last month in Philadelphia. One and done: Derby winner Jordan Walker (0) and runner-up Kyle Schwarber (1) have combined to hit just one home run since the All-Star break. Schwarber is still tied for the NL lead (33), but now trails Yordan Alvarez (35) in the overall home run race; Walker remains stuck on 22.   Logo reveal: Chicago Cubs

But God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) said unequivocally that Christ wouldn't sin. Why, because God CAN'T sin or God wouldn't be God.