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One of my favorite singers, my favorite of his songs is "Easy Come, Easy Go". I admire how he served the community. Sad that we lost him. Glad we have recordings.

Photo: Courtenay Mencini A falcon on watch near the Colorado foothills in this photo captured by reader Courtenay Mencini in Littleton.

Editorial: Governor moves to erase the truth behind big tax cuts Gov. Ron DeSantis wants Floridians to vote to cut their property taxes. But he doesn’t want Floridians to know what will happen if they vote to cut their property taxes. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/07/02/editorial-governor-moves-to-erase-the-truth-behind-big-tax-cuts/?

Tesla EV sales plunge again after Elon Musk backlash Tesla's electric vehicle sales plunged in the second quarter as the company continues to face a backlash from CEO Elon Musk's political turn. https://www.axios.com/2025/07/02/tesla-ev-sales-elon-musk?

Tariffs add about $82 billion in costs for midsize U.S. companies President Trump's tariffs add about $82 billion in total new costs for all mid-sized U.S. companies, per a new estimate — a sum that would more than double if rates return to levels seen at the height of trade tensions in April. https://www.axios.com/2025/07/02/trump-tariffs-costs-companies?

🏛️ House holding pattern Screenshot: C-SPAN What should have been a simple procedural vote on President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" has stretched for more than two hours, with no clear end in sight, due to firm opposition from some corners of the House GOP. The vote began at 2:08 p.m. ET, per C-SPAN. It's still open. ⌛️ State of play: An hour into the vote, Republicans were told to head back to their offices and sit tight while more meetings occur, Axios' Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender report. Lawmakers in both parties were told they would have at least an hour before they were needed back on the floor. 📜 Why it matters: House Republican leaders are working furiously to pass the sweeping reconciliation bill before their stated July 4 deadline. GOP deficit hawks have been meeting off the House floor since returning from a meeting at the White House. Go deeper.

‘We’ve been ghosted’ As hurricane season bears down, a new layer of uncertainty is spreading through the disaster response system. Officials across the country say they’ve encountered a wall of silence from FEMA that’s left them scrambling for answers.

How millions of people could lose health insurance if Trump's tax bill becomes law Roughly 11.8 million adults and children will be at risk for losing health insurance if Republicans’ domestic policy package becomes a law. The losses won’t come all at once. Read More. Air defense missiles among weaponry US is withholding from Ukraine, AP sources say The Trump administration will hold back delivering to Ukraine some air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons as part of its announced pause to some arms shipments amid U.S. concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said. Read More.

Disney: Jordin Sparks, Beach Boys set for Epcot concerts Walt Disney World has revealed the performers for this year’s Eat to the Beat concert series, the musical element of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. New acts on the list include Jordin Sparks, KT Tunstall and, in the final concerts of 2025, the Beach Boys. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/07/02/disney-epcot-concerts/?

Overnight Canaveral launch marked 500th for SpaceX Falcon 9 An early Wednesday morning launch on the Space Coast marked the 500th time SpaceX has flown its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, reusing the fleet-leading first stage booster for a record 29th time. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/07/02/overnight-canaveral-launch-marked-500th-for-spacex-falcon-9/?

Fire that shut Heathrow was caused by a preventable technical fault known for years, report finds LONDON (AP) — An electrical substation fire that shut down Heathrow Airport, canceling more than 1,300 flights, was caused by a preventable technical fault identified almost seven years earlier, a report found Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/heathrow-airport-substation-fire-preventable-cause-1262c39655627b2668d7a3047e853ee5?

Turkey detains 120 opposition officials including former mayor ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Tuesday detained a former mayor and dozens of municipality officials in the western city of Izmir over alleged corruption, extending a crackdown against the country’s main opposition party. https://apnews.com/article/turkey-opposition-party-former-mayor-detained-06aa04b9bb62652e08ff32e35139dd5e?

Hurricane Flossie grows to Category 3 strength off Mexico’s Pacific coast MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Flossie strengthened to a Category 3 cyclone late Tuesday while remaining off the Pacific coast of Mexico. https://apnews.com/article/flossie-hurricane-mexico-pacific-coast-e823678edfb77c9301f1cea36637538d? Hurricane center says system could develop slowly off Florida coast The National Hurricane Center continued Wednesday to keep track of a weather system that could form off one of Florida’s coasts this weekend that could develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/07/02/hurricane-center-says-system-could-develop-slowly-off-florida-coast/?

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is denied bail after mixed verdict clears him of top charges in sex crimes case NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put one of hip-hop’s celebrated figures behind bars for life. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and denied bail as he awaits sentencing. https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-trial-jury-deliberations-a9358ff8917e96874f027872e07cd9a5? Sean 'Diddy' Combs acquitted of most serious charges, convicted of prostitution-related offenses Sean “Diddy” Combs dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life. Combs was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and still faces prison time but might be released on bail. Read More. A look at the potential sentence faced by Sean 'Diddy' Combs in his sex trafficking trial The jury in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial convicted him of a prostitution-related crime but cleared him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Here’s what we know about the potential sentence. Read More. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is denied bail after mixed verdict clears him of top charges in sex crimes case NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put one of hip-hop’s celebrated figures behind bars for life. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and denied bail as he awaits sentencing. https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-trial-jury-deliberations-a9358ff8917e96874f027872e07cd9a5?

Hamas says it’s ready for a ceasefire but wants a complete end to the war in Gaza Hamas suggested Wednesday that it was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but stopped short of accepting a U.S.-backed proposal announced by President Donald Trump hours earlier, insisting on its longstanding position that any deal bring an end to the war in Gaza. Read more. What to know: Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. But Hamas’ response, which emphasized its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialize into an actual pause in fighting. Hamas has said that it’s willing to free the remaining 50 hostages, less than half of whom are said to be alive, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Israel says it will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Iran’s president orders country to suspend cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog IAEA Turning plastic into fuel: Photos of Gaza’s youth surviving with makeshift burners UN commission says Syria must end violence against Alawites and protect places of worship

What the Justice Department’s push to bring denaturalization cases means The Justice Department is ramping up its plans to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who’ve committed crimes or pose a national security risk, according to a recent memo underscoring the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda. Read more. Why this matters: The public push is raising concerns from advocates, who have accused the administration of trying to use immigration enforcement for political purposes. It’s receiving increased scrutiny after a Republican member of Congress suggested that Zohran Mamdani, the New York City Democratic mayoral candidate, should be subject to denaturalization proceedings. The push was announced in a memo from the recently confirmed head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. Shumate said the cases the department will prioritize include people who “pose a potential danger to national security,” people who commit violent crimes, members of gangs and drug cartels and people who commit Medicaid fraud and other types of fraud. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Every legal route to US residency, explained Federal judge blocks Trump administration from ending temporary legal status for many Haitians Trump tours Florida immigration lockup and jokes about escapees having to run from alligators

What’s in the latest version of Trump’s big bill that passed the Senate Republicans are getting closer to the finish line in getting their tax and spending cut bill through Congress with a final House vote possible on Wednesday. At some 887 pages, the legislation is a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities. Read more. What to know: Tax cuts are the priority. Existing tax rates and brackets would become permanent under the bill. It temporarily would add new tax breaks that Trump campaigned on. The wealthiest households would see a $12,000 increase in income from the legislation, which would cost the poorest people $1,600 a year, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis of the House’s version. Middle-income taxpayers would see a tax break of $500 to $1,500, the CBO said. There were some last-minute changes to the bill. The Senate overwhelmingly revolted against a proposal meant to deter states from regulating artificial intelligence. Republican governors across the country asked for the moratorium to be removed and the Senate voted to do so with a resounding 99-1 vote. A provision was thrown in at the final hours that will provide $10 billion annually to rural hospitals for five years, or $50 billion in total. The amended bill also stripped out a new tax on wind and solar projects that use a certain percentage of components from China. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over ’60 Minutes’ interview ‘Agonizing': How Alaska’s pivotal Republican senator decided to vote for Donald Trump’s bill Trump keeps saying the GOP mega bill will eliminate taxes on Social Security. It does not FACT FOCUS: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ does not let him delay or cancel elections Trump administration withholds over $6 billion for after-school, summer programs and more Analysis shows Trump’s tariffs would cost US employers $82.3 billion Ukraine looks to jointly produce weapons with allies, while US halts some shipments Federal judge halts the Trump administration from dismantling the US African Development Foundation 20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials Mayors, doctor groups sue over Trump’s efforts to restrict Obamacare enrollment FBI says it plans to move headquarters to different location in Washington Trump nominates 4 to Tennessee Valley Authority board after firing Biden picks Ex-FBI agent charged in Capitol riot now works on Justice Department’s ‘weaponization’ task force Major reports about how climate change affects the US are removed from websites UPenn updates swimming records set by Lia Thomas, settling with feds on transgender athletes case Gov. Newsom signs housing bill overhauling California’s landmark environmental law Wisconsin budget deal cuts taxes and boosts university funding Michigan attorney general says she is investigating a company promoting ‘twin flame’ romance Lindsey Graham gets GOP primary challenge from South Carolina’s former lieutenant gov

Senate votes 99-1 to remove AI moratorium from megabill A moratorium on state-based artificial intelligence laws was struck from the “Big Beautiful Bill” Monday night in a 99-1 vote in the U.S. Senate, after getting less and less popular with state and federal lawmakers, state officials and advocacy groups since it was introduced in May. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/07/01/repub/senate-votes-99-1-to-remove-ai-moratorium-from-megabill/?

Trump says he wants other states to build migrant detention centers after Everglades tour President Donald Trump urged additional states to build immigrant detention centers following his tour Tuesday of the 3,000-capacity tent and trailer Everglades facility the DeSantis administration built in eight days. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/07/01/trump-says-he-wants-other-states-to-build-migrant-detention-centers-after-everglades-tour/? “Trump and DeSantis are locking up immigrants under inhumane conditions without even granting them due process. A detention camp without due process is a concentration camp. We will not just accept a concentration camp in our backyard.” — Abel Delgado, Miami-Dade Democratic Hispanic Caucus Florida GOP Sens. Rick Scott, Ashley Moody hail passage of Trump domestic tax and spending bill Florida’s two Republican U.S. senators — Rick Scott and Ashley Moody — voted in support on Tuesday of President Donald Trump’s signature tax break and spending cuts legislation, which needed Vice President J.D. Vance’s vote to pass, 51-50. https://floridaphoenix.com/briefs/florida-gop-senators-rick-scott-ashley-moody-hail-passage-of-trump-domestic-tax-and-spending-bill/? Trump administration tells states it’s freezing $6.8 billion for K-12 school programs WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has put on hold $6.8 billion in federal funds for K-12 schools, according to an Education Department notice obtained by States Newsroom. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/07/01/repub/trump-administration-tells-states-its-freezing-6-8-billion-for-k-12-school-programs/?

The Mediterranean’s Master Traders A Phoenician settlement in southern Spain https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/the-mediterraneans-master-traders/? The Siloam Pool: Where Jesus Healed the Blind Man A sacred Christian site identified by archaeologists https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/the-siloam-pool-where-jesus-healed-the-blind-man/? Jewish Worship, Pagan Symbols Zodiac mosaics in ancient synagogues https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/jewish-worship-pagan-symbols/? Ancient DNA shows genetic link between Egypt and Mesopotamia WASHINGTON (AP) — Ancient DNA has revealed a genetic link between the cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. https://apnews.com/article/egypt-mesopotamia-dna-sequence-443ae7d7f66303fc466a3ea081277e72?

Trump’s DOJ Adds Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter to Its Retribution Team Jared Wise, accused of inciting Capitol rioters to kill police officers, now has an advisory role in the Weaponization Working Group. A former FBI agent accused of inciting Donald Trump supporters to kill police officers during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has been given a job in the Department of Justice. Jared Wise, who was charged but later pardoned by Trump along with more than 1,500 others connected to the 2021 Capitol riot, will serve as a counselor to Ed Martin, director of the “Weaponization Working Group,” The New York Times reported. The newly formed group, established by Attorney General Pam Bondi in February, was tasked with reviewing “politicized” actions against Trump but has been accused of being another example of the president using federal agencies for retribution against his political enemies. Martin was put in charge of the weaponization group in May after his nomination for the top U.S. attorney post in Washington, D.C., was pulled because he spent years defending and even raising money for Jan. 6 defendants. It’s unclear what specific role Wise, who worked as an FBI agent and supervisor between 2004 and 2017, will have while working for Martin. One unnamed source told the Times that if the Weaponization Working Group could “genetically design an adviser” for Martin, that person would look like Wise. One of the tasks Bondi assigned to the group is examining whether there were any “unethical prosecutions” related to the Jan. 6 attack. The group will also investigate any alleged “weaponization” of prosecutions brought by federal and state prosecutors involving Trump. The DOJ indicted Wise over his alleged role in the Jan. 6 attack in June 2023. Wise, of Bend, Oregon, was charged with multiple offenses, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding police officers. Police camera footage showed Wise yelling at officers, “You’re disgusting. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo,” during the chaos at the Capitol. When rioters began attacking police officers and knocking them to the ground, Wise allegedly incited further violence by repeatedly shouting, “Kill ’em,” according to the indictment. Wise has denied the charges against him and claimed in July 2024 court filings that he was the victim of “selective prosecution, selective enforcement, and vindictive prosecution.” Wise was on trial in Washington when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. One of the president’s first acts of his second term was to pardon or grant commutations to more than 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the Capitol riot, including some of the most violent offenders. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast. https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-doj-adds-pardoned-jan-6-rioter-jared-wise-to-its-retribution-team/?

Trump Faces Furious GOP Revolt as Megabill Hits New Hurdle in House Marjorie Taylor Greene offered a colorful term for the “dire situation.” Donald Trump’s mammoth spending bill cleared the Senate by a hair, but now faces a Republican rebellion in the House. The president wants the legislation on his desk by July 4, sending GOP leaders scrambling to wrangle their fractured caucus before the arbitrary deadline. The House could move to vote on the bill’s final passage as early as Wednesday, however the president faces new hurdles in his quest to get his “big, beautiful bill” approved. The changes made in the Senate aren’t sitting well with a number of their colleagues in the lower chamber. Even some of his most loyal MAGA allies are pushing back. On Tuesday morning, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she largely supports the bill, but the timeline for House lawmakers was “not realistic.” “It is really a dire situation. We’re on a time clock that’s been really set on us, so we have a lot of pressure,” the Georgia congresswoman said on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast. “It’s a s--tshow,” she added. Meanwhile, members of the House Freedom Caucus threatened to tank the whole thing before debate even begins. Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, chair of the hard-right group, and Rep. Ralph Norman, a member, said Tuesday they’d vote against a resolution to bring the bill to the floor. Others in their group were considering joining them, according to Harris. Assuming all Democrats vote no, Republicans can only afford to lose three votes to pass the procedural measure. Norman, meanwhile, called the Senate version of the bill an “abomination.” “What the Senate did, I’ll vote against it here and I’ll vote against it on the floor,” the South Carolina lawmaker said at a House Rules meeting. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee called the Senate bill a “dud.” Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona said it contains some “amazingly bad stuff” and he struggles to see how it could pass as is. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said Senate Republicans had “failed us.” “On the text chains, on the phone calls, everyone is complaining” about the Senate version, an unnamed moderate House Republican told The Hill earlier this week. “How did it get so much f‑‑‑ing worse?” the lawmaker wondered. Last month, House Republicans passed an earlier draft of the legislation by a single vote. Two broke ranks to vote against it, while several others expressed concerns about the package, which will add trillions to the national debt, slash social safety nets like Medicaid and pour billions into border security and defense. Three Republican senators joined all Democrats in voting against it on Tuesday, but it passed with a tiebreaker from Vice President JD Vance. Trump celebrated on Truth Social on Tuesday after the bill’s passage in the Senate, urging House Republicans to unite and ignore the “GRANDSTANDERS” among them to get it over the line. “We are on schedule — Let’s keep it going, and be done before you and your family go on a July 4th vacation," he wrote. House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing to bring the bill to a House floor vote as early as Wednesday, but may face additional logistical hurdles. Many lawmakers had returned to their districts ahead of the July 4 holiday, and severe weather has prompted the cancellation of dozens of flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity on Tuesday night, Johnson nonetheless projected confidence, insisting “we are going to deliver it by July 4th.”

July 2, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest news to start your day: President Trump’s agenda passed in the Senate. It now goes to the House. Paramount said it would pay millions to settle a lawsuit with Trump. Russia, facing less intense U.S. sanctions, is replenishing its war chest. More news is below. We also take a close look at this Supreme Court term. The Republican bill clears the Senate Senator John Thune, the Republican majority leader. Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times By the staff of The Morning The Senate narrowly passed Republicans’ sprawling bill to slash taxes and social safety net programs. Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote, after three Republican senators — Susan Collins, Thom Tillis and Rand Paul — voted no. The bill extends roughly $3.8 trillion in tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first term and increases funding for border security and the military. It cuts about $1.1 trillion from health care programs, mainly Medicaid, which experts estimate will cause nearly 12 million Americans to lose coverage. The bill, which could affect millions of Americans, is a major political gamble, Carl Hulse writes. The House must now decide whether to pass the Senate’s version of the bill or try to reconcile it with its own. Any delays could mean that Congress misses the July 4 deadline that Trump set. The Morning’s readers were interested in the bill yesterday (it was our most-clicked link). Here’s more from Times reporters who were in the Capitol: In all, senators voted 49 times during a 27-hour marathon session. They wore fluffy blankets and pullover sweatshirts inside the chilly chamber. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, cast a deciding vote for the bill after winning carveouts for her state. “Do I like this bill? No,” she told NBC News afterward. “But I tried to take care of Alaska’s interests.” Trump and Elon Musk returned to jousting on social media about the legislation. The bill’s policies could inflict major financial pain on poor Americans. Republicans have insisted that the policy package will help seniors and the middle class. Here’s a fact check. Covering the court The end of June is some combination of Christmas and Tax Day for Adam Liptak, who has covered the Supreme Court for The Times since 2008. That’s when the justices release a dizzying array of rulings: This term’s major cases, some of which were decided earlier in the year, touched on guns, porn, police tactics, religion, citizenship, L.G.B.T.Q. rights, vapes and TikTok. Adam, a former lawyer who also writes the Sidebar column, is soon moving from daily coverage of the court to a broader legal affairs beat. Jodi Rudoren, who oversees newsletters at The Times, asked him to help us make sense of the recent rush of news. Jodi: This was your 17th term covering the court. On a scale of 1 to 10 — with 1 being “This is ho-hum, maybe I should try a different beat” and 10 being “This is the most interesting and important story line on Earth” — how did it rank? Adam: The last few terms were bigger and more varied, but this one sure had a story line: The court cleared the way for much of Trump’s aggressive agenda. So if the term that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 was a 10, this one was an 8. The story started on Trump’s first day in office. Three days earlier, the court unanimously upheld a law that required TikTok to go dark in the U.S. if the app remained under Chinese control. In a move that set the tone for the administration’s relationship with the judiciary, Trump issued the first of a series of executive orders ignoring the TikTok ban and the court’s ruling. That kind of thing continued through the spring as the administration peppered the justices with emergency applications asking them to undo rulings from lower courts on immigration, government spending, the independence of executive agencies and trans rights. The court gave Trump almost all of what he wanted. Then on Friday, the last day of the term, the court delivered its coup de grâce in Trump v. CASA, the birthright citizenship case. The justices basically eliminated universal injunctions, the key tool federal judges had been using to keep the administration in check. Another major case this term, United States v. Skrmetti, upheld a ban on medical intervention for trans youths. About half the states have such bans, similar to the post-Dobbs split over abortion access. Are we destined to be a divided country? Dobbs and Skrmetti didn’t simply return the issues to the states; the rulings said those questions should be decided by the people’s “elected representatives.” That includes Congress, so I wouldn’t rule out national legislative action. I can conceive of a patchwork approach in those two areas. On the other hand, if birthright citizenship or same-sex marriage were eliminated in parts of the country, that would give rise to really hard questions about how it would work and what sort of nation we are. I’m a big fan of dissents. I just love that this is an institution where the losers also get to make their case at length. What story do this term’s dissents tell? Dissents have different functions and are written for different readers. Some are simply expressions of frustration. Others mean to raise the dissenters’ reputations in their social and professional circles. Others are written to spur lawmakers to enact legislation overturning the majority. Still others are written for future justices, urging them to reconsider. The standard closing phrase is, “I respectfully dissent.” But this term featured some slashing dissents whose writers even refashioned the salutation. “In sadness, I dissent,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the case on trans care. In the case making it harder for judges to block the Trump agenda, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson signed off, ”With deep disillusionment.” Sources: Lee Epstein and Andrew D. Martin, Washington University in St. Louis; Michael J. Nelson, Penn State from the Supreme Court Database | Chart shows 9-person decisions that were orally argued and signed. | By The New York Times As the chart above shows, this term had half the number of 6-to-3 votes as last term, but more 5-to-4 and 7-to-2 votes. What to make of these numbers? I’d start by noting the largest number: Twenty-two of the decisions in argued cases, or about 40 percent, were unanimous. And some of those decisions were important ones, on religion, guns and job discrimination. The justices like to tout that level of consensus, and they have a point. Cases that reach the Supreme Court present hard questions; finding common ground is not easy. Some of the shift in vote splits can be explained by Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal who has been voting somewhat more frequently with members of the conservative majority. Why is a bit of a puzzle. What about the fact that Brett Kavanaugh is the justice most often (89 percent) in the majority? Kavanaugh has been in the majority at a higher rate than any justice since 1953. But he’s not an authentic swing vote like his predecessor, Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy sat at the court’s ideological center. When he voted with the court’s four-member conservative bloc, the law moved to the right. When he joined the four liberals, it moved to the left. The dynamic is different now that the court is dominated by six Republican appointees. What can we look forward to in the next term? The court has already announced two marquee cases, one on campaign finance and one concerning “conversion therapy” for sexual orientation or gender identity. Both involve the First Amendment — which Justice Kagan, in a 2018 dissent, accused the court’s conservative majority of “weaponizing.” Listen to Adam talk about the birthright citizenship case on “The Daily.” THE LATEST NEWS CBS News Paramount said it had agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle his lawsuit over the editing of an interview with Kamala Harris on the CBS News program “60 Minutes.” It was an extraordinary concession to a sitting president by a major media organization. The company needs federal approval for a multibillion-dollar sale. Russia The U.S. has imposed no new sanctions against Russia related to its war in Ukraine since Trump took office. This has allowed Russia to get money and military equipment. Denmark began drafting women. It is expanding its armed forces to face threats from Russia and to meet American expectations of NATO members. Sean Combs Trial In the sex trafficking trial against Sean Combs, the hip-hop mogul known as Diddy, jurors said they had reached a verdict on four of the five counts. The judge told them to keep deliberating on the other, a charge of racketeering conspiracy. Their verdicts on the first four charges are yet to be announced. Trump’s Wealth At a Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas. Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times Behind the golf courses and the gilded hotels, Trump found himself financially shaky before his political comeback. Russ Buettner, an investigative reporter, reviewed 2,000 court documents to assess his wealth. Crypto has fueled Trump’s financial rebound. Read what we know — and what’s impossible to know — about his wealth today. New York Mayor’s Race Zohran Mamdani Shuran Huang for The New York Times Zohran Mamdani is now the official winner of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City. When the city finished tabulating ranked-choice ballots, he had a decisive 12-point lead over Andrew Cuomo. The general election is in November. Cuomo hasn’t decided whether he’ll run as an independent. Do you have questions about the race or our coverage of New York politics? Ask them here; we may feature them in a newsletter. Other Big Stories Jerome Powell, the Fed chair, resisted pressure from Trump and said he would wait to cut interest rates. The Dalai Lama gathered senior Tibetan Buddhist monks to discuss Chinese influence on the religion after he dies. Trump said that Israel had agreed to “conditions to finalize” a 60-day cease-fire with Hamas. He didn’t give specifics. The Trump administration is withholding nearly $7 billion in federal funding for schools. The money would go to after-school and summer programs. THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.) Two nuns recently went viral after they did what kind of performance on a Brazilian TV show? Beatboxing and dancing Playing electric guitars Operating marionette puppets Lifting massive weights OPINIONS The Republican bill would be disastrous for health care: Over 17 million Americans could lose their insurance or Medicaid, Larry Levitt writes. Here’s a column by Bret Stephens on the meaning of “intifada.” 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 From top left: Chris Mottalini, Henry Bourne, Joyce Kim, Jason Schmidt Swim vicariously: Fantasize about taking a dip in the most beautiful pools ever to appear in T Magazine. Look of the week: Our photographer captured someone in a shorts suit and tabi shoes. See the outfit here. Math, revealed: How an ancient puzzle with triangles helped scientists see inside the brain. Trending: These are the most stylish people of 2025 (so far). Why retinol works: Yes, it does thin out a layer of dead skin cells — but that’s not a bad thing. It actually thickens skin overall. Lives Lived: In his prime, the evangelist Jimmy Swaggart strode the stage like a bear, his voice thundering with emotion as he spoke of his love for God and his disdain for the Devil. (“Satan, you’re in for a whupping!” was a typical warm-up.) He later tumbled from grace in a sex scandal. Swaggart died at 90. SPORTS Coco Gauff Henry Nicholls/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Wimbledon: Coco Gauff lost in the first round. Read more about the upset. W.N.B.A. expansion: The league says it will add three new teams — in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — in the coming years. That would bring the total to 18. ARTS AND IDEAS Kimberly Elliott What makes someone cool? People like David Bowie, Samuel L. Jackson and Charli XCX may seem to have little in common, but a study came up with six shared traits: Cool people are perceived to be extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous. Read more here. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times Leave your potatoes to steam for a perfect honey mustard potato salad. Find a great read in this list of new releases from the Book Review. Block out distractions with Wirecutter’s new favorite noise-canceling headphones. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was bogeymen. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Desiree Ibekwe, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch

These 5 Charts Show How Hotels Became New York’s Response to Homelessness Hotels have long been considered a last resort for sheltering people who’ve lost their housing. But over the past few years, they’ve become New York’s predominant response to homelessness outside New York City, a recent investigation by New York Focus and ProPublica found. https://www.propublica.org/article/new-york-homelessness-hotels-five-charts?