Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Core of a Coleman, Missouri redistricti...
are asking the Supreme Court to intervene in a congressional redistricting dispute.
“They wanted a decision on which congressional maps should be used in November's elections.”
St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled last week a Trump-back congressional map couldn't be used this year because of a referendum over it on the upcoming ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court denied to hear a case from state Republicans, but a federal judge ordered Missouri Secretary of State to use the more GOP-leaning map.
The group behind the referendum has now appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the order, redistricting opponents contend the federal judge's order has left local election officials unsure of how to proceed. Missouri Republicans withdrew the map at the behest of President Trump to help the GOP keep control the House.
For MPR News, I'm Jason Rosenbaum and St. Louis.
President Trump headline the opening night of the GOP midterm convention last night in Dallas. He's promised to give all American adults $5,000 each if Republicans keep control of Congress after the midterms.
“Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman appeared by video at the convention”
and Pierre's Chamber Keith has more on his surprise appearance. The video was an introduction for Pennsylvania's Republican Senator Dave McCormick with whom Fetterman has grown quite close. It was filmed in Pennsylvania with Fetterman wearing his trademark black hoodie. "Right back over my shoulder, that's the iconic U.S. steel mill.
And that's exactly the kind of thing that will work together and will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the steel valley." That was as close as he got to praising Trump. In the short video, Fetterman mentioned that he's a Democrat multiple times, while also saying he rejects extremes and socialism.
Tamar Keith and Pierre News Dallas. "In Lebanon, Israel has now occupied almost 6% of Lebanese territory, that's despite a U.S. brokerate ceasefire earlier this year.
“And Pierre's Jan Arath joined UN peacekeepers for a rare look behind Israeli lines."”
We've passed the last Lebanese checkpoint, and even though this is still Lebanon, Lebanese forces don't come up here, we're with UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force. This is still Lebanon, but it's controlled by Israel. Since Israeli forces moved in to occupy this area, there hasn't been a lot of movement in a route, including the people who used to live here.
Israel has destroyed a lot of the villages along the border. It has to maintain its own security, but it's meant that entire villages have been leveled that the infrastructure has been destroyed. Jan Arath and Pierre News in occupied southern Lebanon. "You're listening to NPR.
Today is the anniversary of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He was shot to death while speaking to a crowd of students at Utah Valley University. The suspect is facing trial. Kirk helped create the political activist organization, turning point USA. It's aimed at energizing young conservatives.
It is now led by his widow, Erica Kirk." President Trump gave $45,000 Christmas bonuses to some West Wing AIDS. That included to his executive assistant Natalie Harp, and Pierre's Luke Garrett reports
that, in Harp's case, the cash gift amounted to nearly a third of her government salary.
A White House disclosure shows Natalie Harp, communications advisor Margo Martin, and Oval Office AIDS Chamberlain Harris each got $45,000. Trump's Oval Office Director and former VLA Walt Nata received $20,000 in cash. The AIDS are among Trump's closest and most loyal. In a statement, the White House says the Christmas gifts are "longstanding practice" by Trump,
and that the cash has nothing to do with "official government duties." It defended the gifts as "primiscible under relevant legal and ethical standards." Federal law does bar federal employees from receiving "supplementation of salary." The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to questions regarding Trump's cash gifts and whether they violate US code.
Luke Garrett and Pierre News. Washington. Extreme heat is blanketing much of California, more than 40,000 California customers don't have power as temperatures hover in near the triple digits. I'm Core of a Coleman, and Pierre News.
This week on sources and methods behind closed doors at the highest levels of the intelligence community on 9/11. We said you can go if we have to die, we have to die. And how that day is still shaping global events. Difficult decisions were made.
We have short-change totally our soft power. This is now to a special episode of sources and methods the National Security podcast
