Live from NPR news in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton.
Democrats across the country are withdrawing support from Maine, U.S. Senate candidate
“Graham Platner after a sexual assault allegation which he denies if he drops out Democrats”
are divided on who should replace him and Maine law has tight deadlines for replacing candidates as Maine Public's Steve Missler explains. That deadline is Monday, July 13th at 5 p.m. And if Platner formally withdraws from the race with the Secretary of State by then, Democrats can actually replace him on the ballot, but they have only until July 27th to
do so. And that's about two weeks away. So just like with President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, that's just not a lot of time for state Democrats to figure out a process to replace him.
Maine Public's Steve Missler reporting, Maryland lawmakers will convene for a special session this August to consider constitutional changes that could pave the way for a new Democratic-Leaning Congressional map, WIPRs Sarah Petrovich has more. Up until now, Maryland's Democratic-controlled legislature could not agree on if it should
“fight back against President Trump's call to Republican-led states to redraw their congressional”
boundaries. Maryland's Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has been the main obstacle in passing a map. But with the recent gutting of the Federal Voting Rights Act, Ferguson has changed his tune, and he announced August 3rd through the fifth, state lawmakers will consider loosening
political and geographical restrictions on congressional districts. If the Constitutional Amendment reaches the ballot this November and is approved by Maryland voters, the door would be open for state lawmakers to approve a Democratic-Leaning map for the 2022 General Election. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Petrovich, and Baltimore.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service is a federal agency that helps farmers protect soil and water. W-W-N-O's Eva Tesfai reports nearly a quarter of its staff was cut last year, and there might be more losses coming.
“In the first six months of last year, the Natural Resources Conservation Service lost more”
than 2,500 of its 12,000 employees. Then the USDA proposed to eliminate another 3,000 next year. Andy Brown with the Louisiana Farm Bureau says NRCS offices are one of the main ways that farmers work directly with the USDA. We have fought back, and we have a voice.
We think that's a little deeper cut than we really want to see.
In agriculture appropriations bill puts about $600 million back into NRCS, which would
meet a smaller staff cut. It still needs to clear the Senate. For NPR News, I'm Eva Tesfai in New Orleans. A federal judge has ruled that the Department of Justice cannot have access to personal information for every person who worked during the 2020 election in Georgia's Fulton County, the Justice
Department in April obtained a grand jury subpoena seeking the names and personal contact information of county employees and volunteer poll workers. The county argued the subpoena targeted President Trump's perceived opponents. AI stocks dragged Wall Street down today. This is NPR News.
European lawmakers are rallying to investigate FIFA boss. Gianni Infantino, they're concerned about his involvement in allowing U.S. striker a flarrin balligan to play despite a red card. FIFA lifted his suspension after President Trump intervened. European lawmakers called it a perversion of justice and are concerned over other potential
breaches of political neutrality. Families with school children have started to receive their school supply lists and surveys show many are expecting to spend more on back to school shopping this year compared to last. And as NPR's Alina Selju reports.
Most of back to school shopping happens much closer to the start of the school year, but a survey by the National Retail Federation finds that more back to school shoppers have gotten a head start early than in years past, almost a third say they've started looking. Inflation is a big concern so people are deal hunting, but also more families seem to be getting their school lists earlier this year.
In another survey by the consulting firm PWC, a much greater share of shoppers this year say they expect to spend more on back to school purchases from a year ago. PWC estimates that an average family might spend $922 on close shoes back back slapped shops and other technology and supplies Alina Selju and PR news. World leaders gathered at the NATO summit in Turkey today.
Their dinner included a first course of flat bread and a honeycomb followed by vegetables and yogurt, traditional dumplings and a choice of sea bass or beef. Desert was buckleva with milk, a pistachio foam and traditional Turkish morosh ice cream.
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