First Thing: News outlets suspend coverage of Trump in escalating media access row
President’s decision to ban three news organisations from White House prompts backlash
Good morning. The row over media access to the presidency has deepened, with major US television news outlets agreeing to suspend their video coverage of Donald Trump after the administration banned journalists from several outlets from entering the White House grounds.
The president had abruptly announced his ban against CNN, MS Now and Politico, saying he had had enough of “purposely negative stories” about him. On Monday the ban against CNN meant no broadcaster was covering Trump’s midday ribbon-cutting for a new White House helipad. The White House provided its own livestream but the president’s remarks were inaudible over the sound of a helicopter’s engine.
How have CNN, MS Now and Politico responded to the ban? A lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order that would immediately lift the ban. In a statement, the organizations said: “We are filing a lawsuit today to protect our first amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.”
What other significant media developments have there been? Paramount has reached a settlement with California and several other states that sued over its proposed $81bn merger with Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), the California attorney general announced, clearing the way to consolidate some of Hollywood’s most recognizable TV networks and studios under one owner.
Trump set to press Zelenskyy at UN to agree energy ceasefire with Russia
Donald Trump is expected to press the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on an energy ceasefire this week in New York as world diesel prices have soared due to the US war against Iran as well as Russia’s war against Ukraine. Trump had earlier blamed Kyiv for the escalating energy war, even as Russia has decimated Ukraine’s economy and launched night barrages of drones and ballistic missiles against Ukrainian cities.
What else is Trump expected to say at the UN? The US ambassador to the UN said Trump would speak about how he had “confronted complex problems head-on around the world”. Our writer Robert Tait notes in this analysis, however, that thanks to Trump’s recent social media blitz and self-proclaimed “25 top achievements”, the chances of an uplifting speech appear slim.
ICE hides locations of thousands of detainees with final removal orders
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stopped publicly revealing where it is holding thousands of detainees who are subject to final deportation orders. The unannounced move has made it far more difficult for lawyers and relatives to find them, according to current and former officials familiar with the practice.
In a separate development, the US representative Veronica Escobar has said in an interview with the Guardian that federal immigration officials in Texas prevented her from fully conducting her congressional oversight duties. When she arrived to scrutinize conditions at Camp East Montana, she said, she was not allowed to speak with any of the detained immigrants.
What has happened to Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, who was shot by ICE? The Venezuelan man spoke out from detention on Monday afternoon. He was taken from a hospital in Austin into ICE detention, even though he apparently still has a bullet lodged near his spine. “I haven’t received any medical attention. I’m in a lot of pain,” Garcés Pérez said in a phone call to his attorney, adding that he had spent the night sleeping on the floor of a cold room.
Houthis move to seize strategic terrain after Trump calls off airstrikes at last minute
Houthi fighters are moving to seize strategic heights in Yemen that would cut the Red Sea coast off from areas held ​by Saudi-backed forces, after Donald Trump called off US strikes on the group at the last minute, reportedly as bombs were being loaded on to aircraft.
In a call, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, implored Trump to step in to help halt the Houthi advance. Trump, who had been resisting joining the Saudi war in Yemen, then told the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes, before reversing course. The UK has agreed to provide defensive air support to Saudi Arabia to help counter Houthi fighters.
In other news …
Lauren Boebert, the subject of a House ethics complaint about sexual relationships with staffers, has said the allegations are untrue and part of a “politically motivated” campaign against her.
Two helicopter pilots died while fighting a fire in Yosemite national park over the weekend.
Five Stanford University students who faced prison sentences in connection to a campus protest against Israel’s war on Gaza have had all charges dropped. Meanwhile, a jury has convicted a Vermont man of attempted murder in the shootings of three Palestinian college students who were walking near his home.
A Black Tesla employee has accused the company of fostering racial discrimination in a major trial. In another legal development involving Elon Musk’s ventures, a US judge has declined to block the transfer of wildlife refuge land to SpaceX.
Stat of the day: Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asks for investigation into the one juror who wanted to convict
When the judge declared a mistrial, 11 of 12 jurors were ready to clear Lindsay Clancy, but one juror, Michael Desronvil, sided with prosecutors. Clancy’s lawyers have now asked the court to question the juror about his alleged use of a cellphone and his truthfulness.
Culture Pick: Nimesh Patel on standup, Palestine and politics
The comedian went from being discovered by Chris Rock to making Saturday Night Live history. Now his new Netflix special, Buy the Dip, tackles timely topics with optimism. Radheyan Simonpillai interviews him.
Don’t miss this: Nearly 4m records of enslaved people in 20 former British colonies now searchable online
The collection, known as the Former British Colonies Enslavement Registers, contains about 300,000 pages, potentially helping millions of descendants across the African-Caribbean and wider African diasporas uncover their family histories.
… or this: As he hits 90, master minimalist Steve Reich looks back
As Steve Reich approaches his 10th decade, Flora Willson speaks to the composer, who reflects on a life that changed the soundtrack of modern living.
Climate check: California braces for record El Niño storms as governor declares emergency
California is bracing for a record-breaking El Niño, with the state’s governor declaring a state of emergency in anticipation of extreme weather in the months ahead. El Niño is also on the agenda in New York, where world leaders have spoken about the effects of the climate crisis on their countries, the measures they are taking to transition away from fossil fuels, and their support for other countries to do the same.
Last Thing: Moviegoer using phone pepper-sprayed in LA, police say
Other people’s behavior can be annoying when you are trying to watch a movie, but one man appears to have gone way too far and has been charged with misdemeanor battery in Burbank over an incident that sent three patrons to hospital.
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