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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Maanvi Singh in San Francisco (now) and Joan E Greve in Washington (earlier)

Detained migrant children must have access to soap and toothpaste, court rules – as it happened

Migrants children who have been separated from their families at the central processing center overseen by the US border patrol 17 June 2018 in McAllen, Texas.
Migrants children who have been separated from their families at the central processing center overseen by the US border patrol 17 June 2018 in McAllen, Texas. Photograph: Alamy

Summary

That’s it from me for today.

Here’s what’s happened:

  • Donald Trump is speaking at a rally in New Hampshire. So far, he has used a racist slur to describe senator and 2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren and reiterated that his trade war with China is going swimmingly.
  • A court has rejected an appeal from the Trump administration and insisted that migrant children in detention must be provided with soap and a place to sleep.
  • An internal watchdog at the State Department found leadership and management problems, and a pattern of retaliation against employees perceived to oppose Trump.
  • Most of today’s news cycle has focused on Israel’s decision to block two progressive congresswomen, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, from entering the country. The move was announced shortly after Trump said in a tweet that allowing the lawmakers to visit would show “great weakness”.
  • Israel’s decision was quickly denounced by many Democratic lawmakers and even a few Republicans. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said she was “deeply saddened” by the news.
  • The two congresswomen affected by the decision also weighed in, with Omar calling it “an affront” and Tlaib arguing the move was “a sign of weakness”.
  • In other news, the House judiciary committee has subpoenaed two former Trump aides, the former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and the former White House official Rick Dearborn.
  • The former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper dropped out of the presidential race, but he left the door opening to challenging the Republican senator Cory Gardner next year.

Democratic presidential candidate and New Jersey senator Cory Booker commemorates rapper Nipsey Hussle’s birthday.

Hussle, who would have been 34 today, spoke openly about his past involvement with gangs and their impact on his neighborhood in Los Angeles, before being shot and killed in March.

He was deeply invested in his community, started and supported black-owned businesses and transformed the strip mall he owned into a gathering spot.

“His death was a tragic reminder that far too many Black men’s lives are cut short by gun violence,” writes Booker.

As supporters await Trump in New Hampshire, where he is holding a rally, the president offered some more thoughts on his ongoing trade war with China:

“I think the longer the trade war goes on, the weaker China gets and the stronger we get,” he said after deboarding his plane in New Hampshire, according to reports from the White House press pool.

He also said, commenting on Israel’s decision to block a visit from Ilhan Omar and Rashida Talib, “I can’t imagine why Israel would let them in. But if they want to let them in, they can, but can’t imagine why they would do it.”

Earlier today, Trump more strongly urged Israel to keep them out, tweeting that “it would show a great weakness” to let the progressive members of Congress to proceed with their visit.

The House republic whip, Steve Scalise seems to back Israel’s decision to block representatives Rashida Talib and Ilhan Omar, noting their support of “the anti-Semetic BDS movement.”

Watchdog finds leadership and management problems at State Department

The State Department’s internal watchdog found “evidence of leadership and management deficiencies and mistreatment of career employees” within the State Department.

In a report, the department’s inspector general found a “vindictive” work environment.

The assistant secretary of state Kevin Moley and his former senior adviser Marie Stull reportedly retaliated against employees.

Career employees said Stull, “referred to them or to other career employees as ‘Obama holdovers,’ ‘traitors,’ or ‘disloyal,‘” ... Other career employees told (the inspector general) that Ms. Stull accused them of being part of the ‘Deep State’ and that the assistant secretary accused them of ‘undermining the president’s agenda.’”

The findings were based on a review of thousands of emails and more than 40 interviews with current and former employees. Democrats in Congress urged the investigation after hearing that Trump administration-appointed leaders at the department was mistreating employees that they thought opposed the president.

From the Associated Press:

Stull has since left the State Department and did not respond to the allegations. In a response to the report, Moley, who is still serving as the assistant secretary, denied any unprofessional behavior and disputed the inspector general’s characterizations of numerous meetings he had with superiors to discuss concerns about his leadership of the bureau. ...

“Today’s report confirms what we feared: ‘disrespectful and hostile’ treatment of career employees at the State Department, including spurious accusations that public servants were ‘disloyal’ and improper retaliation against them,” said Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Engel called for Moley to be fired or to resign

Updated

The EPA has withdrawn its decision to use “cyanide bombs” to kill wild animals.

Last week, The Guardian reported on the Trump administrations to use controversial poison devices to kill coyotes, foxes and other animals across the US:

The spring-loaded traps, called M-44s, are filled with sodium cyanide and are most frequently deployed by Wildlife Services, a federal agency in the US Department of Agriculture that kills vast numbers of wild animals each year, primarily for the benefit of private farmers and ranchers.

In 2018, Wildlife Services reported that its agents had dispatched more than 1.5 million native animals, from beavers to black bears, wolves, ducks and owls. Roughly 6,500 of them were killed by M-44s.

The poison killed a pet dog in 2017, and has faced intense opposition from environmental groups and members of the public.

Trump wants the US to buy Greenland, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Check out the mind-boggling story:

The idea of the U.S. purchasing Greenland has captured the former real-estate developer’s imagination, according to people familiar with the deliberations, who said Mr. Trump has, with varying degrees of seriousness, repeatedly expressed interest in buying the ice-covered autonomous Danish territory between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

In meetings, at dinners and in passing conversations, Mr. Trump has asked advisers whether the U.S. can acquire Greenland, listened with interest when they discuss its abundant resources and geopolitical importance, and, according to two of the people, has asked his White House counsel to look into the idea.

Some of his advisers have supported the concept, saying it was a good economic play, two of the people said, while others dismissed it as a fleeting fascination that will never come to fruition. It is also unclear how the U.S. would go about acquiring Greenland even if the effort were serious.

Apparently, the US government had tried to buy Greenland before -- in 1946 and in 1867.

Court rules that detained migrant children must have access to soap, and a place to sleep

A panel of judges has ruled that migrant children must have access to soap, toothpaste and a place to sleep.

The Trump administration had contended that detained immigrant children, who are required to be provided with “safe and sanitary” conditions, didn’t need to be given basic hygiene products. The government had appealed a 2017 decision by a lower court judge that a landmark 1997 settlement called the Flores Agreement required that kids be provided with soap and toothpaste even though those items weren’t specifically listed.

A Trump administration lawyer infamously tried to argue the point in June.

Today the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco dismissed the challenge, writing: “Assuring that children eat enough edible food, drink clean water, are housed in hygienic facilities with sanitary bathrooms, have soap and toothpaste, and are not sleep deprived are without doubt essential to the children’s safety.”

Updated

That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Maanvi Singh will be taking over the blog for the next few hours.

Here’s where the day stands so far:

  • Most of today’s news cycle has focused on Israel’s decision to block two progressive congresswomen, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, from entering the country. The move was announced shortly after Trump said in a tweet that allowing the lawmakers to visit would show “great weakness”.
  • Israel’s decision was quickly denounced by many Democratic lawmakers and even a few Republicans. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said she was “deeply saddened” by the news.
  • The two congresswomen affected by the decision also weighed in, with Omar calling it “an affront” and Tlaib arguing the move was “a sign of weakness”.
  • In other news, the House judiciary committee has subpoenaed two former Trump aides, the former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and the former White House official Rick Dearborn.
  • The former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper dropped out of the presidential race, but he left the door opening to challenging the Republican senator Cory Gardner next year.

Maanvi will be covering more fallout from Israel’s decision and Trump’s rally in New Hampshire tonight, so stay tuned.

Updated

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she would not move forward with any visits to Israel until “all members of Congress” could travel to the country.

The New York Democrat earlier said the Netanyahu government’s decision to block her fellow “Squad” members, Omar and Tlaib, from entering Israel proved that Trump was “exporting his bigotry.”

Republican senator says Trump "made a mistake" urging Israel to block Omar and Tlaib's travel

Senator Susan Collins, a Republican of Maine, said Israel should allow Tlaib and Omar to visit and criticized Trump for pushing the Netanyahu government to block their trip.

Steve King lashes out against House GOP Conference chair

Representative Steve King fired back against the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, Representative Liz Cheney, after she said he should resign over his recent abortion comments.

King was responding to this tweet from Cheney, who previously called for the Iowa congressman to resign over his comments about white nationalism and white supremacy.

Cheney’s initial comment came after King offered an offensive justification for his opposition to abortion in cases of rape or incest. “What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled out anyone who was a product of rape or incest?” King told a local conservative group in Iowa. “Would there be any population of the world left if we did that?”

Daniel Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel, said the Netanyahu government’s decision to block Omar and Tlaib’s trip is a gift to the movement to boycott Israel.

He writes for the Atlantic:

Trump’s racism and Netanyahu’s dependency have brought us to this point. Israel is showing disrespect to the U.S. Congress and looking afraid to engage Americans who disagree with it. Together, they have produced deep alienation among some of Israel’s closest friends in the Democratic Party, such as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who led a large delegation to Israel just last week. They have provoked deservedly harsh criticism of Israel’s decision from progressive and minority Democratic constituencies, the rising American majority. And they have elevated Tlaib and Omar into heroes.

What a bulldozer to drive through the bipartisan consensus on Israel. What a gift to the BDS movement, which until now, most Americans had never heard of.

What a self-own.

Two more Democratic presidential candidates, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, sharply criticized Trump for pushing Israel to block Tlaib and Omar’s trip.

A lawyer for Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager, raised doubts about why his client was being subpoenaed to testify again before a House committee.

But in previous appearances, Lewandowski has declined to discuss anything that happened after he left the Trump campaign in June 2016, frustrating House Democrats seeking information on the president’s potential obstruction of justice.

In his report, Robert Mueller said Trump asked Lewandowski to pressure then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to curtail the special counsel’s investigation.

Updated

Representative Rashida Tlaib said in another tweet that she was “looking forward” to the Israel trip and expressed hope that she would be able to visit the country in the future.

At least one House Republican, Representative Chip Roy of Texas, has come out in support of Israel’s decision to block Tlaib and Omar’s trip.

“Most recent indications are that Reps Omar and Tlaib were not going to engage Israel meaningfully or even at all,” Roy said, asserting the congresswomen should have joined another recent trip to Israel.

“I stand fully with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel regarding their right to deny admittance to anyone who advocates against the interests of Israel.”

Updated

Tlaib: Israel's decision shows "weakness"

Representative Rashida Tlaib has now also weighed in on Israel’s decision to block her trip there, saying it showed “weakness.”

The other congresswoman affected by Israel’s move, Representative Ilhan Omar, said earlier that the Netanyahu government’s decision was “an affront.”

Biden objects to Israel blocking Omar and Tlaib's trip

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said he opposed the Netanyahu government’s decision to block Omar and Tlaib’s planned trip, while emphasizing that he remains a “stalwart supporter of Israel.”

Ocasio-Cortez: Trump is 'exporting his bigotry'

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another member of the congressional group known as “the Squad,” has denounced Israel’s decision to block Tlaib and Omar’s planned trip there.

The fourth progressive member of “the Squad,” Representative Ayanna Pressley, said earlier today that the decision was “bigoted, short sighted and cruel.”

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said it was “a mistake” not to let Tlaib and Omar travel to Israel, arguing that the move would bolster the progressive lawmakers’ calls to boycott the country:

Omar says Israel's decision to block her trip is "an affront"

Representative Ilhan Omar has issued a statement on Israel’s decision to block a trip that she and Representative Rashida Tlaib planned to take to the country, calling it “an affront” and accusing the Netanyahu government of acting on Trump’s Muslim ban.

The White House has repeatedly invoked executive privilege to block former aides from testifying to House committees, but that power could be tested with Corey Lewandowski’s subpoena.

Lewandowski previously served as Trump’s campaign manager, but he never had a formal role in the administration. House Democrats hope that his lack of White House experience will preempt claims of executive privilege.

House judiciary committee subpoenas two former Trump aides

The House judiciary committee has subpoenaed two former Trump aides, former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and former White House official Rick Dearborn.

Both aides featured prominently in the portion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on whether the president obstructed justice.

The news also comes hours before Lewandowski, who is considering a Senate bid in New Hampshire, is slated to join Trump at a rally in the state.

Updated

More 2020 Democrats condemn Israel's decision

Several more Democratic presidential candidates have issues statements condemning Israel’s decision to block Omar and Tlaib’s planned trip.

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer also said in a statement that Trump’s demand to block the trip was “an affront to core American ideals.”

Pelosi 'deeply saddened' by Israel's decision

Nancy Pelosi has put out a statement saying she is “deeply saddened” by Israel’s decision to block Omar and Tlaib’s trip.

“As one who loves Israel, I am deeply saddened by the news that Israel has decided to prevent Members of Congress from entering the country,” the House speaker said.

“Last month, Israeli Ambassador Dermer stated that, ‘Out of respect for the U.S. Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any Member of Congress into Israel.’ This is a sad reversal and is deeply disappointing. I pray that the Government of Israel will reverse that denial.

“Israel’s denial of entry to Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar is a sign of weakness, and beneath the dignity of the great State of Israel. The President’s statements about the Congresswomen are a sign of ignorance and disrespect, and beneath the dignity of the Office of the President.”

Some of John Hickenlooper’s fellow Democratic presidential candidates thanked him for his public service as he announced he would drop out of the race.

Hickenlooper officially drops out of the presidential race

John Hickenlooper has just posted a video announcing he is suspending his presidential bid, confirming earlier reports that he would drop out.

But the former Colorado governor sidestepped whether he would seek the state’s Senate seat. “I’ve heard from so many Coloradans who want me to run for the United States Senate,” Hickenlooper said in the video. “They remind me how much is at stake for our country. And our state. I intend to give that some serious thought.”

Updated

US ambassador to Israel backs move to block Omar and Tlaib's trip

David Friedman, the US ambassador to Israel, said in a statement that he would support the Netanyahu government’s decision to block Omar and Tlaib’s trip.

“The United States supports and respects the decision of the Government of Israel to deny entry to the Tlaib/Omar Delegation,” Friedman said.

“This trip, pure and simple, is nothing more than an effort to fuel the BDS engine that Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar so vigorously support,” Friedman added, comparing the boycott movement to “economic warfare.” “Like the United States, Israel is a nation of laws. We support Israel’s application of its laws in this case.”

AIPAC: Tlaib and Omar should be allowed to visit Israel

The pro-Israel group AIPAC, which has voiced strenuous disagreement with Omar and Tlaib in the past, said the progressive congresswomen should nonetheless be allowed to travel to Israel.

House majority leader Steny Hoyer also said he had been working to convince Israel’s prime minister and US ambassador to allow the trip to proceed. He added that the move to block the visit represented a “grave mistake that undermines the bipartisan pro-Israel consensus.”

On the heels of getting them blocked from traveling to Israel, Trump claimed Tlaib and Omar were “the face” of the Democratic Party:

A New York Times reporter argued that Trump’s targeting of the progressive congresswomen may reflect his hope to make them a foil that he can campaign against:

Here’s where the day stands so far:

  • Israel officially decided to block Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib’s planned visit to the country.
  • The decision came shortly after Trump made public (via Twitter) his request that the two progressive lawmakers’ travel be blocked.
  • Democrats criticized Trump for his interference, arguing that the president was executing an unconstitutional abuse of power by impeding the foreign travel of two congresswomen.
  • Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper is expected to drop out of the 2020 presidential race today.

The blog is still covering fallout from Israel’s decision, so stay tuned.

Updated

Representative Tom Malinowski, a House Democrat and a former assistant secretary of state under the Obama administration, referred back to Trump’s racist tweets about Tlaib and the rest of “the Squad” to express bafflement about his Israel comments:

Netanyahu claims Tlaib and Omar intended to harm Israel

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has issued a statement defending his decision to block Tlaib and Omar from entering the country.

“There is no country in the world that respects the U.S. and the American Congress more than Israel,” Netanyahu said. “However, the itinerary showed that the congresswomen’s sole intention was to harm Israel.”

He added that Tlaib may be allowed to travel to the West Bank if she submitted a request on humanitarian grounds to visit family there.

A reporter for the Israeli outlet Channel 13 News noted that Tlaib and Omar’s support of the movement to boycott Israel was well known when their visit to the country was approved.

The only factor that has shifted in the month since then is that Trump has voiced complaints about allowing the two lawmakers’ trip to proceed, suggesting that the Netanyahu government acted under pressure from the US president.

Fellow 'Squad' member Pressley stands with Omar and Tlaib

Representative Ayanna Pressley, another member of the congressional group known as “the Squad,” said she stood by Tlaib and Omar as Israel blocked them from entering the country.

The fourth progressive member of the Squad, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has not yet commented.

More Democratic presidential candidates are criticizing Trump for urging Israel to block Tlaib and Omar’s trip:

The Democratic chairman of the House judiciary committee argued that the Netanyahu government’s decision would make it more difficult to have productive conversations about the issues Israel cares most about:

“The close relationship enjoyed by the United States and Israel should extend to all its government representatives, regardless of their views on specific issues or policies,” Representative Jerry Nadler said in his statement. “I strongly condemn this decision and urge the Israeli government to allow entry to these Congresswomen and welcome them in the respectful, dignified manner to which they are entitled as official representatives of the United States.”

A resolution from Representative Ilhan Omar affirming Americans’ right to participate in boycotts “in pursuit of civil rights at home and abroad” is currently before Nadler’s committee for consideration.

Senior Palestinian politician Hanan Ashrawi called Israel’s decision to block Tlaib and Omar’s trip “an outrageous act of hostility against the American people and their representatives.”

“This is a dangerous precedent that defies all diplomatic norms and an assault on the Palestinian people’s right to engage with the rest of the world,” Ashrawi said in a statement. “This trip was their right and duty as members of Congress, who oversee US policies and actions that affect Palestine, Israel, and countries worldwide. ...

“Israel is fittingly acting like any other rogue state engaged in widespread and systematic human rights abuses, wanting to ensure that its violations remain obscured by all means possible, including coercion and censorship,” Ashrawi said, adding that Trump’s comments on the matter amounted to “hateful incitement.”

The group that helped organize Tlaib and Omar’s trip to Israel called the Netanyahu government’s decision to block them “an affront to the American people and their representatives.”

“It is an assault on the Palestinian people’s right to reach out to decision-makers and other actors from around the world,” MIFTAH’s board of directors said in a statement. “This ban is a clear case of discrimination and hostility based on political views and ethnic background, deserving of moral indignation and unequivocal condemnation in Palestine and the United States.”

Another group, the the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, argued the decision was an extension of the House’s recent passage of a resolution opposing the boycott movement against Israel.

“Barring Congresswomen Omar and Tlaib from coming to Palestine is an extension of curbing the freedom of speech we recently saw by the resolution in the US Congress,” executive director Salem Barahmeh said. “The Israeli government and its allies are set to shut down those who stand up for freedom, equality and justice.”

Sanders calls on Israel to reverse decision

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders demanded that Israel reverse course and allow Tlaib and Omar’s visit to occur, echoing a similar comment from Elizabeth Warren:

Updated

Some of Trump’s critics argued his efforts to block the international travel of two Democratic congresswomen marked an unconstitutional abuse of power.

From a former speechwriter to George W. Bush:

From a former Clinton White House staffer:

Two Palestinian-Arab parliamentarians in Israel slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over the decision to block Tlaib and Omar from entering the country:

Israel decides to block Tlaib and Omar's trip

A senior Israeli official said the government has officially decided to block Tlaib and Omar’s planned visit.

“The decision has been made, the decision is not to allow them to enter,” Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely told Israel’s Reshet Radio.

The president of the nonprofit J Street – which describes itself as “the political home of pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans” – issued a statement slamming the move to block Tlaib and Omar’s trip.

J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami said such a decision would be “dangerous, unacceptable and wrong.” “As sitting Members of Congress representing hundreds of thousands of Americans in their districts, Reps. Omar and Tlaib have the same right as every one of their colleagues to visit Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory,” Ben-Ami said.

“We may disagree with the views that the Members hold on such questions as BDS or with Rep. Tlaib on the two-state solution, but the right approach for a state that values democracy is to welcome criticism and debate, not to shut it down.

“The fact that President Trump has already tweeted out his own call for these representatives to be denied entry illustrates that this decision is motivated purely by politics and ideology – not by the interests of the State of Israel. It is an affront to Congress and the American people and does severe damage to the US-Israel relationship – and it must be reversed immediately.”

Warren urges Israel to allow Tlaib and Omar's trip to proceed

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren said Israel would harm its reputation as a “tolerant democracy” if it blocked Tlaib and Omar’s planned visit. The Massachusetts senator added that such a move would be “shameful” and “unprecedented.”

One of the key points of contention about Tlaib and Omar’s trip to Israel appears to be their planned visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

The New York Times has more:

A sacred site revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as Temple Mount, the location of their ancient temples, it is a frequent flash point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States and a former deputy foreign minister, told Israel’s Kan Radio on Thursday that the congresswomen should be allowed to enter Israel ‘but with restrictions.’

‘If they want to stage a provocation by entering the Temple Mount with Palestinian hosts, then that can be prevented,’ he said.

Former Israeli diplomats encouraged the prime minister to allow Tlaib and Omar to visit, arguing that giving in to Trump’s requests would display weakness:

A report emerged last week that Trump had told advisers he wanted Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to block the visit by Tlaib and Omar.

Axios reported:

Trump has told U.S. advisers, including senior Trump administration officials, that Israel should bar Omar and Tlaib’s entry because the two congresswomen favor a boycott of Israel, according to sources familiar with Trump’s private comments. In 2017, Israel’s parliament passed a law requiring the interior minister to block foreign nationals from entering Israel if they have supported boycotting the Jewish state. ...

Trump said that if Omar and Tlaib wanted to boycott Israel, ‘then Israel should boycott them,’ according to a source with direct knowledge.

Trump’s tweet about Tlaib and Omar contradicts a statement put out by his press secretary just an hour ago, which said that the White House would allow Israel to reach its own decision about whether to block the progressive lawmakers’ visit.

Trump predicts "happy and enlightened" resolution to Hong Kong protests

Trump is just full of advise for his fellow world leaders today. He has also advised the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to meet with the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Trump implied yesterday that US-China trade negotiations could be affected if Beijing did not treat the protesters “humanely.” That warning came as footage emerged of Chinese troop movements near the Hong Kong border and state media outlets warning that “anti-China forces” would be stopped.

Trump urges Israel to block entry of Tlaib and Omar

Trump has weighed in on Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar’s planned trip to Israel, encouraging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to block the progressive congresswomen from entering the country.

Booker releases plan to combat white supremacist violence

In the wake of the El Paso shooting, Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker has released a plan to combat white supremacist violence and the rise of hate crimes.

Booker said in a statement announcing the plan that his proposals to reduce gun violence “would make it much harder for those intent on committing hate crimes to access guns. But we also need to focus on violence motivated by hate and white supremacy.

“That’s why, as president, Cory would confront rising hate crimes and white supremacist violence by improving the federal and local response, addressing online hate, and supporting communities and victims of hate crimes.”

Booker proposes creating a White House Office on Hate Crimes and White Supremacist Violence to coordinate efforts to reduce such tragedies and requiring federal law enforcement agencies to provide an annual report on the threat of white supremacy.

The New Jersey senator would also call on the Justice Department and the FBI to prioritize domestic terrorism in the same way that they do international terrorism.

Epstein autopsy heightens mystery around his death

An autopsy of financier and alleged sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein uncovered some broken bones in his neck, raising more questions about his apparent suicide.

The Washington Post reports:

Among the bones broken in Epstein’s neck was the hyoid bone, which in men is near the Adam’s apple. Such breaks can occur in those who hang themselves, particularly if they are older, according to forensics experts and studies on the subject. But they are more common in victims of homicide by strangulation, the experts said. ...

People familiar with the autopsy, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive stage of the investigation, said Sampson’s office is seeking additional information on Epstein’s condition in the hours before his death. That could include video evidence of the jail hallways, which may establish whether anyone entered Epstein’s cell during the night he died; results of a toxicology screening to determine if there was any unusual substance in his body; and interviews with guards and inmates who were near his cell.

Israel considers blocking visit by two members of 'the Squad'

Israel is considering blocking Democratic Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from entering the country.

Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib listen to President Trump’s State of the Union speech.
Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib listen to President Trump’s State of the Union speech. Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP

The progressive lawmakers, two members of the congressional group known as “the Squad,” are slated to arrive on Sunday. They have previously been critical of Israel’s stance toward Palestine and are supportive of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement to protest those policies.

Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer said last month that his country would not deny entry to any lawmaker “out of respect for the U.S. Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America.” But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now appears to be reconsidering that, consulting with several advisers about the planned trip. An Israeli official said, “There is a possibility that Israel will not allow the visit in its current proposed format.”

Democratic lawmakers and some pro-Israel groups in the US have already started pushing back against Netanyahu, so it’s unclear if he will follow through on the plan.

Updated

Overwhelming majorities of Americans back gun restrictions

A new poll found that overwhelming majorities of Americans back universal background checks and red flag laws, while support for an assault weapons ban is on the rise.

According to the Fox News poll, 90 percent of Americans believe criminal background checks should be required for all gun purchases, and 81 percent support passing red flag laws that would allow judges to take away guns from those deemed dangerous.

The percentage of Americans who back a ban on assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons has risen since last year, from 60 percent to 67 percent. But that support is largely driven by Democrats, as Republicans remain split on the issue.

Trump’s approval rating has also dipped, from 46 percent last month to 43 percent now.

Hickenlooper expected to drop out of presidential race

Good morning, live blog readers!

It would appear that the 2020 presidential race is going to have to make do with one less Democrat, which should be fine because there will still be more than 20 of them running.

John Hickenlooper is expected to drop out of the race today. The former governor of Colorado has failed to catch fire with his more moderate message, and his most memorable moment from the last debates was when got Bernie Sanders to throw his hands up. It’s unclear whether Hickenlooper will then enter the Colorado Senate race, but he has reportedly discussed the idea with his advisers.

These departures will likely ramp up now that we are less than two weeks away from the Aug. 28 deadline to qualify for the next debate. Only nine candidates have qualified so far, and Julián Castro and Tom Steyer both remain one poll away from making the cut.

All of the other dozen or so candidates seem likely to miss the debate stage, giving them few paths forward to reaching Democratic voters. And candidates like Beto O’Rourke and Steve Bullock are similarly being pressured to drop out and run for the Senate instead (although O’Rourke has qualified for the next debate). With little chance of winning the nomination, these remaining candidates will likely soon face the same question: what’s the point?

Attendees hold up flashlights during a community memorial service for victims of the El Paso shooting.
Attendees hold up flashlights during a community memorial service for victims of the El Paso shooting. Photograph: Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on:

  • Donald Trump will speak at a rally in Manchester, new Hampshire, tonight at 7pm EDT.
  • Beto O’Rourke will return to the campaign trail today, starting with a morning speech in El Paso.
  • Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, will hold a town hall tonight that will likely touch on the recent mass shooting in El Paso and potential measures to prevent future such tragedies.

That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned.

Updated

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TV star announces birth of Ozzy Matilda Osbourne on social media, alongside image of cuddly bat
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Surely if you rule the manosphere, you can be your own boss? These influencers aren’t even that
Content creators claim they’ve escaped the 9 to 5, yet as Louis Theroux’s new show reveals, they are mere serfs to algorithms and audiences, says freelance journalist Elle Hunt
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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