Today’s edition of quick hits.
* As the war with Iran prepares to begin its seventh month: “President Trump said on Saturday that he turned down Iran’s latest cease-fire proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart talks on the country’s nuclear program in exchange for U.S. concessions.”
* On a related note, I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve heard comments like these: “The U.S. is expected to start another round of peace talks with Iran this week, President Donald Trump said Sunday, just one day after nixing an Iranian proposal aimed at ending the months-long conflict.”
* The White House’s war on the free press is unlikely to end anytime soon: “President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on the press on Saturday morning, a day after escalating his standoff with news outlets by blocking CNN from traveling with him on Air Force One as he travels to Tennessee this weekend.”
* Remember when both parties agreed that improving fuel efficiency was worthwhile? Those days are over: “The Trump administration will move on Monday to sharply scale back fuel-efficiency rules for new cars and light trucks, gutting one of the government’s most significant efforts to reduce gasoline consumption and speed the country’s shift to electric vehicles.”
* The latest FBI shake-up: “FBI Co–Deputy Director and former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is leaving his post to spend more time with his family.”
* A rare and unexpected recusal: “The Supreme Court announced Monday that Justice Samuel Alito won’t participate in the first case that will be argued in the new court term, which kicks off in just a week. The surprise announcement follows a previous statement from the court that Alito was advised by the court’s counsel that, despite his energy stock holdings, his recusal wasn’t required in the appeal from oil and gas companies seeking to avoid state court liability for alleged damage from climate change.”
* The EU and the U.S. arrived at the same position but for very different reasons: “The United States on Friday rejected a declaration by member countries of the United Nations that pledged international collaboration and solidarity in preparing for and responding to pandemics. The European Union also expressed strong objections to parts of the statement.”
* The need for hearings seems obvious: “A pair of Democratic lawmakers is calling for hearings after the Navy disclosed that there were eight suicide attempts during the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s record-long time at sea.”
* Sometimes, I just run out of adjectives when confronted with the administration’s terrible ideas: “Major League Baseball has approached the Trump administration about hosting a game at a national park, officials from the White House and MLB confirmed Saturday. The administration has scouted locations in Grand Teton National Park to build a baseball park to host an MLB game, according to two other people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.”
See you tomorrow.
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