US military preparing for National Guard activation in Washington D.C., officials say  —  The U.S. military is preparing for the activation of hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., two U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday.  —  The officials, who were speaking on the condition of anonymity …

Anas al-Sharif among five Al Jazeera staff killed by Israel in Gaza  —  Al Jazeera staff killed in targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists near al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza City.  —  Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack …

U.S. Government to Take Cut of Nvidia and AMD A.I. Chip Sales to China  —  In a highly unusual arrangement with President Trump, the companies are expected to kick 15 percent of what they make in China to the U.S. government.  —  Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices are expected to pay …

The U.S. Marches Toward State Capitalism With American Characteristics  —  President Trump is imitating Chinese Communist Party by extending political control ever deeper into economy  —  A generation ago conventional wisdom held that as China liberalized, its economy would come to resemble America's.

Trump Administration to Put F.B.I. Agents on Night Patrol in Washington  —  The move is part of President Trump's pledge to crack down on street crime in the nation's capital.  —  The Trump administration plans to temporarily reassign 120 F.B.I. agents in Washington to nighttime patrol duties …

Australia will recognize a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Albanese says  —  Australia will recognize a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday, joining the leaders of France, Britain and Canada in signaling they would do so.  His remarks followed weeks of urging …

Trump Rages at Nobel-Winning ‘Deranged Bum’ in Late-Night Meltdown  —  JEALOUS, MUCH?  —  The president went after economist Paul Krugman in an irate Truth Social post.  —  Donald Trump has lashed out at Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman in a late-night rant after he weighed …

Trump Administration Considers Longtime Critic to Lead Bureau of Labor Statistics  —  Officials are looking at E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, among others, to head jobs-data agency  —  The Trump administration is interviewing candidates to lead the Bureau …

Small US Firms Paying Trump Tariffs Face $202 Billion Annual Hit  —  Small US companies, the source of more than half of the country's job creation in recent years, are struggling to comply with President Donald Trump's new tariffs and cope with growing financial strains clobbering them from higher import costs.

Proportional representation is the solution to gerrymandering  —  Why not the best?  —  Democratic state legislators from Texas are on the run, trying to deny the GOP the quorum it needs to push through a mid-decade redistricting plan that would gerrymander the state's maps more severely and net Republicans 3-5 seats.

Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling  —  Kim Davis, a former clerk who refused gay couples, brought the appeal.  —  Paula Faris speaks to Kim Davis, the Kentucky court clerk who went to jail because she refused to issue gay marriage licenses.

Judge rejects unsealing Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts … A federal judge in New York on Monday rejected a request by the Justice Department to unseal grand jury transcripts related to the criminal investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted procurer for notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Alaska Summit: Trump and Putin Planning to Carve Up Ukraine  —  REMEMBER WHEN, A FEW WEEKS BACK, commentators suddenly started talking about Donald Trump's “pivot” or “dramatic shift” on Ukraine and Russia?  The promises of aid to the one and scary sanctions against the other?

Et Tu, JD?  —  The president's dutiful sidekick already seems to be planning for life without Trump.  —  Andrew's back from northern Michigan today.  Thanks to Ben and Jim for shouldering the Morning Shots load in his absence—and if any of you are trying to offload a lake house right now, Andrew might be in a very suggestible mood.

Another megabill?  Senate Republicans have their doubts. … And Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said he's open to considering as many as 200 tax proposals from his members that were ultimately not included in the first megabill.  —  But most senators have questions …