Speaker sends letter to party at mercy of warring factionsOne reporter observes: ‘Well, this is raising the stakes’In a letter to Democrats on Saturday the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, set her sights high, saying Joe Biden’s $3.5tn spending package, a …
US House panel to hold hearing on ‘surge in air rage’ and effects on airlines – live
Hearing comes as airlines report major rise in violence among passengersNearly one in five flight attendants have had a ‘physical incident’Members will hear from a flight attendant and several airline executivesSign up to receive First Thing – our dail…
Biden announces US will donate another 500m vaccine doses at Covid summit – live
US to donate 500m Pfizer doses to low- and lower-middle-income countriesDoses are in addition to the over 600m the US has committed to sendingHouse Democrats pass spending bill in party-line vote of 220 to 211McConnell pledges to oppose any effort to r…
Texas doctor protests abortion law by admitting he carried out procedure
Alan Braid writes column for Washington PostTexas law shows fragility of women’s rights, say activistsProtesting a Texas law which outlaws abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and empowers citizens to sue providers and anyone who helps them, a San Ant…
California recall vote show Trump’s big lie is now Republican playbook
Pre-emptively branding as rigged an election you are likely to lose risks turning off GOP voters and undermining democracyIt was a pre-emptive strike against truth by some of the biggest names on the American right wing.Former president Donald Trump wa…
Washington DC rally in support of 6 January rioters falls short of expectations
Police prepared for the event near the Capitol building, but only a few hundred attended as GOP politicians and pro-Trump groups distanced themselvesWashington DC prepared for a rally on Saturday in support of those arrested for storming the Capitol on…
‘Stay tuned’: Elder hints at rematch against Newsom as he concedes California recall
Republican talk radio host tells supporters to ‘stay tuned’ after governor handily defeats historic recall effortA defiant Larry Elder conceded his fight to become California’s next governor but indicated his first campaign might not be his last. “Stay…
Republicans overplayed their hand in California – and Democrats are laughing | Lloyd Green
Larry Elder just discovered that his brand appeals to a tiny fraction of voters. Republican governors in Texas and Florida may learn similar lessonsOn Tuesday, Gavin Newsom, California’s embattled governor, convincingly beat back a Republican-driven re…
Senate Democrats pitch new voting bill in effort to break filibuster logjam– live
• Freedom to Vote Act includes wide-ranging reforms in compromise• Bill would take 10 Republican votes to passSign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email 4.11pm BST Appearing alongside Gavin Newsom in Long Beach last night, Joe Biden w…
Biden surveys Hurricane Ida damage and warns ‘climate change was here’ – live
Biden to tour neighborhoods affected by last week’s huge stormAbbott says ‘election integrity is now law in the state of Texas’Sign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email 7.41pm BST Joe Biden toured one of the neighborhoods in Manville…