Biden's Debate Backlash, Hurricane Beryl, and a Kinkajou.

Big Stories

Biden Pressured to Step Aside in 2024 Race

Democrats, his supporters, and left-leaning media are sweating over President Biden's poor performance at Thursday's debate.

• Biden's weak debate performance has led to increased pressure from pundits, media, and voters for him to reconsider his candidacy. Editorial boards and commentators have criticized his debate performance and suggested he might not be the best candidate to challenge Trump.

• Democratic leaders and Biden's campaign team have defended him, downplaying the debate's negative impact. Key figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Governor Kathy Hochul have spoken out in support of Biden while criticizing Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris also reaffirmed her support for Biden, dispelling rumors that she might replace him. Despite internal concerns, the party continues to rally behind Biden.

• President Biden's campaign raised over $33 million since the debate, despite the performance backlash. Thursday was their best grassroots fundraising day ever, followed by Friday as the second best. Biden's campaign has more recurring donations now than at this point in 2020.

Supreme Court Reels in Federal Agency Power

The Supreme Court decided to reduce executive agencies' power by overturning a precedent known as Chevron deference.

• This legal rule, which had been around for 40 years, allowed agencies to interpret vague laws and make regulations. Now, judges will decide the best interpretation of laws themselves, which could lead to more regulations being overturned.

• Chief Justice John Roberts and the five other conservative justices voted to overturn the precedent. Roberts said that judges should use their own judgment on whether agencies are within their legal limits. However, he noted that past cases decided with Chevron deference are not affected. The three liberal justices disagreed strongly, with Justice Elena Kagan saying the decision shifts too much power to the courts.

• The ruling is part of a series of decisions reducing the power of federal agencies. The case that led to it involved fishermen challenging a rule about a government program that controlled herring fishing. Critics argue that without agency oversight, things like overfishing might go unchecked. Now, similar regulations could face more challenges in the future.

Hurricane Beryl

Hurricane Beryl has become a very strong Category 4 storm as it heads toward the southeast Caribbean

• With winds up to 130 mph, it is expected to hit the Windward Islands today, bringing dangerous winds and high storm surges. Areas like Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines are under hurricane warnings. Tropical storm warnings and watches are also in effect for nearby islands.

• Beryl is a rare and historic hurricane for June, reaching Category 4 status very quickly. Only two other hurricanes have formed this far east in June. The last major hurricane to impact the southeast Caribbean was Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which caused significant damage in Grenada. Beryl is the second named storm in what is expected to be a busy hurricane season.

• Leaders in Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have urged residents to take the storm seriously and prepare. Shelters are being opened, and stores and gas stations are staying open later to help people get ready. Forecasters are also watching a group of thunderstorms that might develop into another storm.

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Little Stories

• Disney and Pixar's "Inside Out 2" has joined the billion-dollar club, reaching $1.014 billion in global box office earnings as of Sunday. It's now the highest-grossing film of 2024 and the first movie since "Barbie" to surpass $1 billion worldwide. (More)

• National Rally is leading in the first round of voting in a major French election and could form a far-right government for the first time since World War II. Projections show National Rally with about a third of the vote, the leftist New Popular Front with 29%, and President Macron’s centrists with 20.5%. Macron's snap election, meant to deter extreme votes, backfired after a short campaign failed to sway voters. (More)

• Several U.S. military bases in Europe are on high alert for a possible terrorist attack against U.S. military personnel or facilities. The alert level was raised to Force Protection Condition "Charlie" on Sunday, meaning there's a likely threat of terrorist action. The U.S. European Command didn’t share specific details for security reasons. (More)

• Female suicide bombers attacked a wedding, a funeral, and a hospital in northern Nigeria, killing at least 18 people. The attacks happened in Borno state, an area heavily affected by the insurgency of Boko Haram since 2009. Boko Haram has previously used women and girls for suicide bombings, and it's suspected that some attackers might be from the many people the group has kidnapped over the years. (More)

• South Carolina has put in place one of the strictest book ban laws in the U.S. Created by state superintendent Ellen Weaver, the law demands all reading materials be "age or developmentally appropriate." The vague language could lead to classic books like Romeo and Juliet being removed from schools. (More)

Extra Credit

A rainforest animal called a kinkajou was rescued from a Washington State rest stop.

America’s most expensive metro areas to raise a child. 

Crazy food items at the 2024 Texas State Fair. 

A map of the Chicago restaurants featured in “The Bear.”