U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia's Power Grid  —  WASHINGTON — The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir V. Putin and a demonstration of how the Trump administration is using new authorities to deploy cybertools …

The Taliban claimed an attack on U.S. forces.  Pompeo blamed Iran.  —  On May 31, a suicide bomber targeted a U.S. convoy in eastern Kabul, killing four Afghan passersby and slightly wounding four U.S. servicemen and at least three civilians.  —  At the time, the Taliban claimed responsibility …

GOP in disarray as budget impasse threatens shutdown, deep cuts — and default  —  Senate Republicans and the Trump administration are struggling to reach an agreement on a path forward on critical budget and spending issues, threatening not only another government shutdown and deep spending cuts …

‘Completely Erroneous’: New York Times Busted for Fake News Story on Harriet Tubman $20 Bill  —  The U.S. Treasury is denying a piece from the New York Times which accused the Trump administration of delaying the release of the $20 Harriet Tubman bill and doing so for political reasons.

Trump directs agencies to cut advisory boards by ‘at least’ one-third  —  President Trump is directing all agencies to cut their advisory boards by “at least” one third.  —  The executive order issued Friday evening directs all federal agencies to “evaluate the need” for each of their current advisory committees.

Oberlin Helped Students Defame a Bakery, a Jury Says.  The Punishment: $33 Million.  —  Protests over cultural sensitivity have long been a staple at Oberlin College, a liberal arts school tucked into the cornfields of Ohio, where students have spoken out about everything from microaggressions to the cultural appropriation of sushi.

Hong Kong's Leader Is Set to Delay Extradition Bill Indefinitely  —  HONG KONG — On the defensive after days of huge street protests, Hong Kong's chief executive is preparing to indefinitely suspend her push to adopt a contentious extradition bill after consulting with her superiors in mainland China …

Top Trump Census Official Communicated With GOP Operative About Citizenship Question  —  On May 30, the plaintiffs challenging the Trump administration's census citizenship question dropped a bombshell: A central portion of the Justice Department's rationale for the question was apparently written …

As Trump Accuses Iran, He Has One Problem: His Own Credibility  —  WASHINGTON — To President Trump, the question of culpability in the explosions that crippled two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman is no question at all.  “It's probably got essentially Iran written all over it,” he declared on Friday.

Sudan Ousted a Brutal Dictator.  His Successor Was His Enforcer.  —  KHARTOUM, Sudan — Once a camel trader who led a militia accused of genocidal violence in Darfur, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan now sits at the pinnacle of power in Sudan, overlooking the scorched streets from his wood-paneled office high …

Beto O'Rourke says white Americans don't know the full story of slavery, continues to support reparations  —  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke took an unconventional approach to reaching out to African-American voters Friday, meeting with a small group representing a community …

Saving face  —  How Donald Trump silenced the people who could expose his business failures  —  How did Donald Trump, a self-serving promoter who lost billions of dollars for his investors, convince the world that he is a financial genius?  It wasn't just by fabricating tales of his success.

Trump campaign zeroes in on a new threat: Elizabeth Warren  —  President Donald Trump's reelection machine is setting its sights on a new target, one it had left for dead just a few months ago: Elizabeth Warren.  —  With the Massachusetts senator rising in polls and driving a populist message …

F-bombs and insults: Norman Mailer's epic run for mayor of New York in 1969  —  He and running mate Jimmy Breslin were entertaining but ineffective  —  A glass of whisky in his hand, Norman Mailer cursed the roaring crowd in Greenwich Village and told them to shut up when they interrupted his speech …