All Activity

The one on sin last week was very good, and the class was 'somewhat familiar' with....😊

Well, you also have the lies that Satan puts out there. Some try to hold on to their sin or claim that repentance has no place in salvation, that you can believe in Jesus as “Savior” but never repent of your sin. That you can be saved even if you continue in bondage to sin and iniquity just as it was before you became a Christian, that no change is needed. But thats not true as we see... Matthew 4:17 King James Version (KJV) 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32 King James Version (KJV) 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus even repeated it for emphasis in describing to the people: Luke 13:1-6 King James Version (KJV) 1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Jesus told his disciples to proclaim “repentance and remission of sins” in his name to all the nations. Luke 24:47 King James Version (KJV) 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. When the apostles preached in Acts, they called people to repent of their sins in order to be forgiven: Acts 2:38 King James Version (KJV) 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 3:19 King James Version (KJV) 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 5:30-31 King James Version (KJV) 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Scripture is clear, repentance is absolutely necessary in order to be saved. Only those truly repent and turn to Christ and His righteousness in their lives, and away from their sin, will be saved on the last day.

I've really been enjoying this Quarters Lessons!!

Men love darkness rather than light.

What to know about the deal between Israel and Lebanon extending their shaky ceasefire The U.S.-brokered agreement was announced days after Israeli forces made their deepest incursion into Lebanon in over 25 years. Read more. Why this matters: Lebanon has become a major sticking point in attempts to extend the separate ceasefire in the Iran war. The deal attempts to separate the conflicts. It has several contentious points, including the creation of “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon from which the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group that Israel has been fighting would be banned. There’s also a stipulation about the group’s eventual disbanding. The militant group was not officially involved in the talks. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Hezbollah rejects latest ceasefire agreement Lebanese Americans open their wallets and hearts as war rages back home There are supposed to be ceasefires across the Middle East, but the fighting is worsening

Senate passes $70B immigration enforcement bill without limits on Trump settlement fund Just before 5 a.m. Friday, Senators voted 52-47 for legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the next three years. It came after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that resolves President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS. Read more. Why this matters: The final vote came after Republicans narrowly defeated multiple attempts by Democrats and Republicans to add language to the bill that would permanently ban Trump’s settlement fund for political allies who believe they have been politically persecuted. Republicans defeated an amendment proposed by one of their own members, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, that would have redirected payments from Trump’s settlement to members of law enforcement who were injured in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. The amendments were a test of party unity that complicated what should have been an easy vote for Republicans who wanted to keep the focus on immigration enforcement in an election year. Instead, they spent almost a full day haggling among themselves over whether to block the settlement fund, even after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche had said earlier this week that it would not go forward. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump says Pulte won’t be his nominee for director of national intelligence Ex-national security adviser John Bolton will plead guilty in classified information case: AP source Senate blocks extending key surveillance program following backlash over Trump pick to lead intel US employers likely added 105,000 jobs in May with labor market stable despite costly Iran war Trump announces $700 million in new support for struggling coal industry House passes bill to aid Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia US sanctions Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel in latest move to pressure island’s leadership Prosecutors lose appeal in Arizona’s fake elector case but vow to present it again to a grand jury With Oval Office replica and skyline views of Chicago, Obama’s new museum is political and personal Kennedy Center moves to erase Trump references after judge said they were illegally added Water begins refilling Reflecting Pool after Trump’s renovation to repaint it ‘American flag blue’ Planning commission seeks more details on Trump’s planned 250-foot arch near the Lincoln Memorial

June 5, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. Senate Republicans rammed through their $70 billion bill to fund President Trump’s immigration crackdown this morning, after defeating efforts by Democrats and some Republicans to block Trump’s $1.8 billion payout fund. (The bill still needs to go to the House, which is expected to pass it.) And multiple women who dated Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, told The Times he was a volatile boyfriend. There’s more news below. But first, let’s go to the theater. “Schmigadoon!” Sara Krulwich/The New York Times News from the rialto New York’s theater district is in The Times’s physical backyard, stretching north along Eighth Avenue from our newsroom on 41st Street to 54th Street, and east to Sixth Avenue. It’s thrilling to walk through it, past the dozens of theaters that make up Broadway’s ecosystem, and to consider how closely related the business of live theater is to the one of publishing newspapers: both centuries-old activities, still performed daily by people on stages, by people with keyboards, right in the heart of New York City. That’s neat. Michael Paulson, our theater reporter, bridges the two worlds. Broadway’s his beat and he covers it as if it were a small city — or a polytheistic religion. And he’ll definitely see it in thrall to the theater gods this weekend, with the 79th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday night. (The ceremony will air on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern and stream on Paramount+. We’ll be covering it, too.) The new musicals “The Lost Boys” and “Schmigadoon!” are at the top of the leaderboard with 12 nominations apiece, and a revival of the musical “Ragtime” is close behind with 11. It’s going to be cool to see numbers from the musicals performed during the ceremony. “Death of a Salesman,” with nine, is the most nominated play. Who will win? Tony voters have been taking in the performances for months. (Here’s how you can see contenders yourself, if you’re in New York or planning to visit.) And as he’s done for years, Michael has talked to a huge number of them about how they’re planning to vote. His predictions of winners in past years have been eerily accurate for just that reason. Of course, past performance offers no guarantee on future return, he reminded me yesterday. But here’s Michael’s ballot for 2026, based on emails and phone calls he traded with about 175 of the roughly 850 Tony voters. Helen Shaw, our chief theater critic, saw these shows herself, and has decided opinions about who should win and informed notions about who will win as well. Her picks are here, and she spoke about them with Wesley Morris on his “Cannonball” podcast. “Liberation.” Sara Krulwich/The New York Times On the boards Michael and Helen’s colleagues on the theater desk have put together an impressive collection of pieces that’ll help prepare you for the ceremony, introducing you to a season’s worth of people, moments and performances. Among them, you can: View portraits of 38 of the nominees. They include Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf from “Salesman,” John Lithgow from “Giant,” Daniel Radcliffe from “Every Brilliant Thing,” Ana Gasteyer from “Schmigadoon!” and Rachel Dratch from “The Rocky Horror Show.” See how actors in six of the shows get into character. Thrill to scene-stealing highlights of the season’s best shows. It’s supposed to be fun Maybe you don’t follow Broadway, though. Perhaps musicals or plays are not your thing. Yesterday afternoon, I asked Michael why you should care about the Tony Awards anyway. Here’s what he told me: The Tony Awards matter in part for the obvious reason — they’re a chance to celebrate the best work staged on Broadway over the previous year. But they matter for other reasons, too. First, and most important, the awards broadcast, despite declining viewership, remains the biggest audience Broadway draws at any one moment, and is an enormous marketing opportunity for the industry and the art form. The song-and-dance numbers performed on the show, when they’re good, lead directly to ticket sales. The broadcast helps remind people of what theater has to offer, and can inspire viewers to go see plays and musicals — in New York, on tour, in their local communities. Second, the show offers inspiration to aspiring theater artists. Over and over again I meet actors and other theater makers who tell me that watching the Tony Awards when they were young helped clarify for them that they wanted to pursue this art form when they grew up. See you onstage! THE LATEST NEWS Congress Senate Republicans swallowed their concerns about Trump’s payout fund and his ballroom project, rejecting efforts to tie their immigration crackdown bill to votes on those issues. Trump says he plans to nominate the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, for the permanent position. Blanche could face a bruising confirmation battle in the Senate. Eighteen House Republicans joined Democrats to approve new aid for Ukraine and fresh sanctions on Russia, defying Republican leaders. Jan. 6 Fallout A Justice Department photo shows Elias Irizarry in a conference room at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, with a pole across his lap. A friend videotaped him. Justice Department A Jan. 6 rioter who pleaded guilty to climbing through a broken window at the Capitol has been hired to work at the Pentagon. A Pentagon spokesman called him a “qualified, patriotic young professional.” At least 97 of the nearly 1,600 people who were charged in connection with the Capitol riot have been accused of new crimes, a study found. Trump Administration A planning commission led by Trump’s allies advanced his proposal for a 250-foot triumphal arch, despite an overwhelmingly negative response from the public. Trump announced $700 million in new federal funding for the U.S. coal industry. The administration has quietly continued to kill people aboard boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, and The Times has continued to track the toll. In the video below, Eric Schmitt explains what we know about the campaign. Click to play. The New York Times More on Politics John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, reached a deal to plead guilty to mishandling classified information used in a book. He faces up to five years in prison. The Supreme Court let federal regulators fine Verizon and AT&T millions of dollars for failing to protect customer data. War in the Middle East Less than a day after Israel and Lebanon announced a new cease-fire deal, Hezbollah and Israeli forces traded strikes. Hezbollah’s leader said his group rejected the deal. Ultra-Orthodox extremists in Israel rioted outside a judge’s home to protest the country’s military draft. Health In a breakthrough, scientists at Columbia University precisely edited the DNA of early human embryos. That could pave the way to genetically engineered babies. Scientists identified a promising strategy to predict and prevent lung cancer, which kills more people worldwide than any other cancer. TREASURE HUNTERS Metals worth trillions of dollars sit at the bottom of the ocean. The New York Times At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean lies a vast expanse of critical minerals like nickel, cobalt and manganese, in the form of fist-size nodules. These metals are used in electric vehicles, weapons and lots of other tech. That makes them extremely valuable. But harvesting them is a challenge. One company has tested a solution: sending a rover two miles below the surface to, essentially, suck nodules up through a very long straw. A new story from our Climate desk explains how the process works — and the potential damage it could do to deep-sea creatures still undiscovered by humanity. OPINIONS Young people are right to boo A.I. at graduation ceremonies, Molly Jong-Fast writes. They should also organize to rein it in. The effort to destroy Black political power in the South is among the greatest betrayals of Black Americans by the federal government in living memory, Mara Gay writes. Morning readers: Save on the complete Times experience. Experience all of The Times, all in one subscription — all with this introductory offer. You’ll gain unlimited access to news and analysis, plus games, recipes, product reviews and more. MORNING READS Costume party: This weekend, fans get a chance to shop the Paris Opera’s closet (it has ballet costumes, too). Prayer and care: Black churches are helping educate the African American community on how to recognize and treat dementia. Going retro: ChatGPT’s new ad campaign emphasizes humans and downplays tech. Will it make A.I. less frightening? Your pick: The most-clicked link in The Morning yesterday was an Opinion discussion about mourning the American dream. A pioneering novelist: Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel series “Persepolis,” which followed a girl through the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, helped millions around the world understand the plight of ordinary Iranians. Satrapi has died at 56. TODAY’S NUMBER $225 — That is what it will cost to park for the day at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, N.J., when Brazil and Morocco meet in the World Cup on June 13. The lot is roughly a mile from MetLife Stadium, where the game will be played. You can take NJ Transit instead. A ticket is $98. Big numbers. SPORTS Stanley Cup: The Carolina Hurricanes overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime, bringing the finals to 1-1 so far. French Open: It is men’s semifinals day. First, Alexander Zverev (the favorite) faces Jakub Menšík. Follow live. College softball: Texas won its second straight Women’s College World Series, defeating Texas Tech. N.B.A. finals: Game 2 between the Knicks and Spurs is tonight. A Times reporter watched Game 1 with the Knicks legend (and former U.S. senator) Bill Bradley. RECIPE OF THE DAY Davide Luciano for The New York Times The weekend plan: portobello patty melts, a taste of an imaginary Los Angeles where Tiny Naylor’s drive-in serves vegetarian burgers alongside the shakes and fries. You’ll like this sandwich very much. HALF FAMOUS Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The New York Times Pommelien Thijs is a huge pop star in Belgium, at least in the Dutch-speaking northern part of the country. Down south, where they speak French, she is hardly known. Although she’s taking French lessons now, Thijs told The Times she doesn’t feel the urge to compromise to gain fans. “If that would mean completely flipping my language, I wouldn’t know how to start,” she said. More on culture Dataland, which says it’s the first museum dedicated to art generated by A.I., opens this month in Los Angeles. Ferdinand the bull turns 90 this year. It’s time to smell the flowers. Late night hosts sized up Trump’s ambitions for the reflecting pool. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Read “Polar Star,” Martin Cruz Smith’s 1989 thriller about a murder investigation aboard a Russian fishing ship. The plot, The Times’s critic declared, “is so complicated that I’m not sure I could explain it even if I wanted to give the story away.” It’s so good. Wash your face. How often? The aestheticians at Wirecutter can help. Text a child who means a lot to you. Or leave an audio message. Seriously: There is no need for a long phone call! Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was dalmatian. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam P.S. I wrote about this amazing Todd Heisler photograph from Delaney Hall in Newark yesterday, and pointed out how the detainee on the right was using their hands to make the shape of a heart. Unfortunately, a crop of the image removed that part of the picture. Here it is in full. Todd Heisler/The New York Times Correction: Yesterday’s newsletter misstated which player scored 26 points in Game 1 of the N.B.A. finals. It was Victor Wembanyama, not Karl-Anthony Towns. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

💰 Super rich vs. regular rich Data: Capgemini World Wealth Report. Chart: Emily Peck/Axios The booming stock market is making lots of people richer, especially those who are already spectacularly rich. Globally, ultra-high-net-worth individuals — those with $30 million or more in investable assets — saw their wealth increase nearly 10%, Axios' Emily Peck writes from a new report by consulting firm Capgemini. So-called "millionaires next door," with $1 million to $5 million, saw growth of less than 8%. 👀 Between the lines: The AI boom was the main driver overall for rich people's wealth last year, says Luca Russignan, global head of Capgemini Research Institute for Financial Services. The general public may soon get access to those same assets, particularly through mega-IPOs later this year, but likely won't see the same returns as early-stage investors. Download the report ...

⚖️ Breaking: Bolton, Blanche John Bolton, national security adviser in the first Trump administration, has agreed to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information under a deal with the Justice Department that could allow him to avoid prison time. He'll face a $2.25 million fine. Go deeper. 🏛️ President Trump said he'll nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to serve permanently. That would touch off a bruising confirmation battle for his former personal lawyer in the Senate. Go deeper.

💻 Anthropic inside NSA Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Anthropic is helping the National Security Agency use Mythos AI — its most powerful model — for offensive cyber operations, the Financial Times reports ($). The AI company installed about half a dozen staff within the NSA as forward-deployed engineers to guide the use of the technology and customize models for specific applications, the FT says. 🥊 Anthropic is still fighting the Pentagon, which oversees the NSA, in court over its designation as a "supply chain risk." I'm told the White House wants that resolved.

🦾 Chart du jour: AI effect Data: Financial Modeling Prep; Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios As stocks have rallied to record highs, a relatively small number of giant, AI-related tech stocks have been powering the gains while others tread water or worse, Axios markets correspondent Matt Phillips writes. "The outperformance of these AI infrastructure providers accounted for about 20% of the total increase in equity prices in 2023–2024 and 70% since 2025," Goldman Sachs market analysts wrote in a note yesterday. 📈 The Dow hit another record yesterday, jumping 875 points (1.7%) to 51,561.93, led by banks, small companies and other stocks that were left behind by AI euphoria. Health care also contributed. Go deeper. But AI stocks are sliding after going on the tear you see above. "Sentiment took a further knock after S&P Dow Jones Indices said it will keep its existing eligibility criteria for benchmarks such as the S&P 500," Bloomberg reports. That means SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI would have to wait at least a year to benefit from demand from passive index-tracking funds.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 5 1968 Robert F. Kennedy is fatally shot Shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy is shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California presidential primary. He was pronounced dead one day later. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1980s 1981 First scientific report on AIDS is published Arts & Entertainment 2004 Jennifer Lopez marries Marc Anthony 1956 Elvis rocks “The Milton Berle Show” 1880 George Bernard Shaw quits his day job Cold War 1947 U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall calls for aid to Europe Crime 2013 Edward Snowden discloses U.S. government operations European History 1963 British Secretary of War John Profumo resigns amid sex scandal Middle Eastern History 1967 Six-Day War begins Natural Disasters & Environment 1870 Constantinople burns, killing thousands U.S. Presidents 2004 Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan dies 1888 President Cleveland denies widow her husband’s military pension Vietnam War 1969 U.S. troops abandon “Hamburger Hill” World War II 1944 Allies prepare for D-Day

Senate OKs $70B immigration bill after rejecting efforts to permanently ban Trump’s settlement fund WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation to fund President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies early Friday, after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that threatened to derail the bill. https://apnews.com/article/trump-settlement-fund-ice-border-patrol-vote-93b9f5b487997b629d87bf59a046d7ec?

I was reading the lesson and came to this part, "Real Repentance The secular world bombards us with messages of independence, indulgence, and self-promotion--the opposite of the principles of God’s kingdom. Interestingly, the first words recorded in the Bible by John the Baptist and Jesus were similar. John said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:1-2, NKJV). Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15, NKJV; see also Luke 24:46-47). Both Jesus and John called those listening to repentance because the kingdom of heaven was near. Could it be that this same message is equally as relevant to us today?" So what does repentance do for us, does it lead to change, real repentance does. Does it bring us closer to God, as we clear out the anger and hate and addiction to sin, I would say it does. Most importantly, how does it bring us to the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life with Christ? True repentance is not merely feeling guilty or avoiding punishment or being shames, it is a sincere turning away from sin and toward God, involving humility, honesty, and a change of heart. We must allow the Holy Spirit to do its work and guide us down the path of transformation, and stop holding on to hating our brother or breaking what allows for sin and iniquity, and what takes us away from loving God and our fellow man. True repentance involves as what is simple as we see, 'two steps: (1) sincere pain and sorrow for our sins; and (2) the honest decision to abandon sin. In the Bible, repentance is almost always connected to forgiveness. We genuinely repent; God forgives. It’s that simple.' So why dont we repent and turn from what is evil?

Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836 and became a Republic until it joined the U.S. in 1845. James

⛰️ Parting shot: Blue skies, feeling fine The Carvers Gap trailhead (TN-143, Roan Mountain, TN 37687), sits on the North Carolina/Tennessee border and leads to three balds with stunning views. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios Axios Charlotte's Ashley Mahoney hiked along part of the Appalachian Trail and was rewarded with 360 views of the mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. Check out her adventure.

🤺 Dems vs. Dems on War Powers vote The majority of House Democrats voted with Republicans today to defeat a Lebanon war powers resolution forced to the House floor by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). Why it matters: It's a blow to the anti-war left just a day after the House passed a similar measure constraining Trump's ability to wage war in Iran. Democratic leadership spent months behind the scenes ahead of yesterday's war powers vote to get the party's most staunchly pro-Israel lawmakers on board, along with a handful of Republicans. Today's vote reveals that there are still deep divisions between progressive and centrist Democrats on Middle East policy despite their unity on Iran. Driving the news: The House voted 92 to 324 against Tlaib's resolution, which would have directed President Trump to remove all U.S. armed forces from Lebanon within seven days of passage. What they're saying: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his top deputies came out against the resolution ahead of the vote, saying in a statement, "there are no U.S. service-members involved in combat operations or hostilities in Lebanon." The leaders would support an alternative resolution that would preserve U.S. coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces in their fight against Hezbollah, they said. — Andrew Solender

🎭 Vote-a-drama The Senate vote-a-rama is exposing a new class of vulnerable Republicans — and how Senate Majority Leader John Thune plans to protect them. 🔎 Why it matters: Most vote-a-ramas are performative. This one is revealing. ⚠️ The intrigue: In the day's opening act — a series of Democratic amendments designed to force uncomfortable votes for Republicans — Thune relied on Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to help defeat a Democratic proposal targeting the Trump administration's "anti-weaponization fund." Cassidy's vote allowed a pair of politically vulnerable Republicans — Sens. Jon Husted (Ohio) and Dan Sullivan (Alaska) — to side with Democrats without jeopardizing the amendment's defeat. For both senators, it marked one of their first meaningful breaks with a president whose political standing appears to be sliding. The vote failed, 49-50. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) joined Husted and Sullivan in voting for the amendment. 🎈 Zoom in: On Trump's ballroom, the universe of Republicans willing to buck their party expanded, with six GOP senators voting with Democrats to bar any funds for it. But the threshold for that vote was at 60, leading it to fail. Collins, Husted and Sullivan again voted with the Democrats. But so did Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Cassidy. Moran is up for reelection in 2028. 📉 Zoom out: The vote-a-rama comes as Senate Republicans grapple with deteriorating polling and a series of Trump decisions that have led some GOP senators to question his political judgment. Many Republicans are privately skeptical of Trump's choice of FHFA Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Trump sought to ease concerns today by announcing that Pulte would not be his permanent nominee — a move aimed in part at preventing the nomination from complicating the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA. Between the lines: Even if Republicans defeat all the Democrats' amendments on the vote-a-rama, final passage isn't assured, especially if the "anti-weaponization fund" isn't definitively addressed. "There's enough people who really have great, grave concerns about the fund," Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said. 🛡️ The bottom line: Cassidy, whom Trump forced into an early retirement, is serving as a political shield for colleagues trying to avoid a similar fate. — Hans Nichols

⚡️ Catch me up Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters 💦 Reflecting puddle: National Park Service and other workers watch today as water is turned on for a test after the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was coated with "American flag blue" at President Trump's direction ahead of America's 250th birthday celebration, one month from today. Dive in.

⚽️ World Cup countdown begins Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios World Cup organizers are hitting the final stretch, with games starting next week, Axios' Shafaq Patel and Abbey Higginbotham report. 11 U.S. cities will host 78 matches — making the tournament a global showcase and a massive stress test for transit, security, tourism and infrastructure. 📣 Each city is transforming public spaces into fan zones. Philadelphia is running a fan festival throughout the tournament's 39-day run. Other cities are opting for shorter stretches, citing steep costs. 🍻 Some towns are extending alcohol sales for the expected late-night crowds. Select Philly bars can apply for permits to stay open until 4 a.m. Kansas City is letting some businesses serve until 5 a.m. Aerial view of Seattle Stadium, temporarily renamed from Lumen Field, ahead of the World Cup. Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images 🤬 Transit pricing has sparked outrage in some host cities. MetLife Stadium, awkwardly rebranded to New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup, eliminated public parking to enforce a transit-only layout. The stadium — in East Rutherford, N.J. — will host the World Cup Final on July 19. Transit prices initially spiked to over $150. Severe blowback forced local officials to subsidize the routes. 🇲🇽🇿🇦 What's next: The tournament opens June 11 in Mexico City, with the host nation taking on South Africa. The first U.S. match follows June 12, against Paraguay in Inglewood, Calif. Go deeper.

AI could start evolving on its own Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Anthropic believes that AI may soon be able to advance itself autonomously, Axios' Ashley Gold reports. Co-founder Jack Clark writes today in a blog post: "In the near future, AI systems could become capable enough to autonomously design, build and train more capable successors on their own." "If that happens, each new version of Claude could be built by the version before it, without human involvement." 🦾 The company says that its latest research shows that process — recursive self-improvement — may come sooner than expected. Clark tells Axios in an interview: "We've always found that the best thing to do is to socialize the concept and basically give people a sense of what's coming." "As organizations and eventually probably as societies," Clark continued, "we need to figure out the tools to validate and verify that the stuff being done by these AI systems is correct and is aligned with human intentions, aligned with a thriving society." 🤖 What's next: Anthropic plans to engage lawmakers about recursive self-improvement. Read the post, "When AI builds itself" ...

Philly Cops Admit That They’re Tracking “First Amendment Activity” Critical of AI Americans speaking out against artificial intelligence data centers on social media are falling under police surveillance, a confidential law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Intercept reveals. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/01/ai-data-center-protest-police-surveillance/? New York Comptroller’s Trip to Israel Raised Ethical Concerns, State Commission Said A New York state oversight board raised ethics concerns about a trip by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to Israel that a local pro-Israel Jewish group sponsored. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/01/dinapoli-new-york-comptroller-israel-trip-primary/? The Pentagon Is Running an AI Propaganda Mill Targeting Latin America The United States is feeding Pentagon propaganda to internet users in Latin American countries using a new AI-laden content mill, an investigation by The Intercept has found. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/02/la-tilde-propaganda-latin-america-pentagon/? Adam Hamawy, Doctor Who Volunteered in Gaza, Poised to Become Pro-Palestine Rep. From New Jersey A former U.S. Army combat surgeon with backing from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, streamer Hasan Piker, and an anti-AIPAC super PAC won a New Jersey primary on Tuesday despite last-minute negative attacks. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/02/new-jersey-primary-results-adam-hamawy/? Establishment Dems Stave Off the Left in Key California Congressional Primaries With many votes still to be counted in California and little certainty in most of Tuesday’s closest-watched primary elections, one early pattern is taking shape: Progressive candidates for Congress across the state are failing to top their more moderate Democratic opponents. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/03/california-house-results-chakrabarti-wiener-gomez-gonzales-torres/? Stop Calling It a Ceasefire To any reasonable person, a ceasefire is exactly what it sounds like: It is the total cessation of military attacks to end a war. But to the mainstream American media outlets covering the U.S.–Israel war with Iran, what constitutes a “ceasefire” is a rhetorical exercise. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/03/ceasefire-iran-war-trump/?