Iran stops negotiations with U.S., vows to ‘completely’ block Strait of Hormuz: State media … Iranian negotiators will stop exchanging messages with the U.S. through intermediaries, and Tehran will move to fully close the Strait of Hormuz, in retaliation for ongoing ceasefire violations …

Chuck Schumer lays out Democrats' plan to fight Trump's ‘anti-weaponization’ fund in the Senate  —  The minority leader told members that Democrats would force Republicans to vote on the $1.8 billion fund. … “This week, Senate Democrats will launch a coordinated effort to kill the slush fund …

The Problem With Platner  —  In fetishizing ‘outsiders,’ Democrats are getting used to excusing bad behavior.  We've seen this movie before.  —  Donald Trump wants to know: When are you people going to shut up with your “opinions” about the “quality” of his Iran deal and just let him cook?

A Democrat in Iowa tests whether attacking Schumer pays off  —  The race is the first of three Senate primaries that will show whether midterm voters prefer a moderate message or a fiery indictment of the establishment.  —  Summary  —  MASON CITY, Iowa — Two Democrats running …

In Trump's Physical Report, Doctors See Gaps in Details  —  What's absent from the readouts of presidential checkups has gained attention since Biden was diagnosed with cancer after leaving office  —  The White House memorandum describing President Trump's recent physical examination lacks details …

Trump Hits the Stalemate Phase of His International Interventions, and It Stings  —  In Ukraine, Gaza and now Iran, President Trump's early declarations of easy wins have given way to harsh reality.  —  President Trump likes his military and diplomatic victories quick, clean and decisive.

Mikie Sherrill's state police riot in Newark is a national disgrace  —  When Donald Trump was first elected president in 2016 and the United States began its decade-long spiral into authoritarian madness, there arose a popular meme: Whatever you think you would have done to stop the rise …

Convicted pedophile and Trump insiders handed Congress access in credentialing mess  —  EDITOR'S NOTE: Raw Story writer Matt Laslo's congressional bureau, The LCB, has been credentialed by the Radio-Television Correspondents' Association (RTCA) since 2012.  —  WASHINGTON — America's …

Steve Hilton smashed up UK politics — now he wants to upend California's  —  The onetime British Conservative Party adviser has a shot at making the top-two runoff in next week's gubernatorial primary.  —  LONDON — If Steve Hilton succeeds in making it past next week's gubernatorial primary in California …

Trump's “Freedom 250” concert implodes spectacularly  —  This edition of PN is made possible by paid subscribers.  Become one 👇  —  🤯 Subscribe to PN 🤯  —  It was going to be so beautiful: A spectacular concert to celebrate 250 years of freedom and democracy …

Trump is taking a wrecking ball to U.S. alliances around the world  —  Trashing America's European partners while undermining its Asian allies' security.  —  The “secret sauce” of American power in the post-1945 era has been the country's network of alliances.

Israeli army captures strategic castle in Lebanon in deepest incursion into the country in 26 years  —  Israeli troops have captured a strategic mountain topped with a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon in the deepest incursion into the country in more than a quarter-century, the military said Sunday.

UK Publishes New Mandelson Files, Raising Heat on Starmer  —  The UK government released a vast trove of documents relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, in a move that threatens to cause fresh damage to Keir Starmer's faltering premiership.

“No One Is Watching”: How Trump Reversed Biden's Crackdown on Gun Trafficking  —  Reporting Highlights  — Less Gun Enforcement: The ATF referred 30% fewer gun-trafficking charges during Trump's first year than the year prior.  The number of referrals prosecutors declined also rose.

The White House Is the New Green Zone  —  Across from the White House sits a museum called The People's House: A White House Experience.  Inside is a replica of the Oval Office, and interactive exhibits on what it's like to attend a State Dinner or sit in on a Cabinet meeting.