Agenda

• The Indian government has convened an all-party meeting this Sunday at 11 am in the Parliament House annexe to coordinate before the upcoming Monsoon Session. • The meeting aims to secure cooperation from opposition parties to ensure the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament. • Key agenda items for discussion include the NEET controversy, Sonam Wangchuk's protests, and the ongoing Ram Mandir row.

• The Monsoon Session of Parliament is beginning with a legislative agenda featuring seven bills, including the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026. • Key proposed measures include tightening rules for delayed birth and death registrations, imposing stricter penalties for disrespecting national symbols, and improving ease of doing business for small enterprises. • The session is expected to be volatile as the Opposition is likely to protest the absence of critical bills regarding delimitation and women's reservation from the government's agenda.

• An all-party meeting is scheduled for Sunday to set the agenda for the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. • The forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar is expected to be a primary point of contention and a dominant topic of discussion. • The session will also address the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to restructure and strengthen the MSME sector.

• The Albanian Parliament is holding a plenary session today, which is marked by a continued boycott from opposition members. • The agenda includes an interpellation of Finance Minister Petrit Malaj, requested by MP Jorida Tabaku, to address specific financial concerns. • Lawmakers are scheduled to review several draft laws and evaluate the performance of various independent institutions for the year 2025.

During confirmation hearing Wednesday, Trump’s pick tells Senate health committee she will ‘never betray the science’Erica Schwartz, the Trump administration’s latest nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), faced sharp questioning from senators who pressed her to say whether she would stand up to her boss, the health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.During her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Schwartz, a deputy surgeon general in the first Trump administration, told the Senate health committee she “will never betray the science” and pledged to use “radical transparency” to rebuild public trust. But she repeatedly deflected questions about how she would handle pressure from Kennedy, a leader in the anti-vaccine movement who has overseen months of turmoil at the agency and made controversial changes to US vaccine policies. Continue reading...

Incoming prime minister says he doesn’t want to ‘create new divisions’ as Mahmood is tipped to be chancellorAndy Burnham has signalled that he will not increase wealth taxes immediately after becoming prime minister, easing concerns among the business community but limiting his economic room for manoeuvre.He said on Wednesday he did not want to “create new divisions” with his tax policy, in comments that allies said were a sign that he did not intend to raise money by taxing wealth. Continue reading...

• Republicans have returned to Capitol Hill to begin their legislative agenda, though they face immediate complications including demands from Donald Trump and the absence of Mitch McConnell. • The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has created further uncertainty for the GOP's leadership and scheduling. • Despite these setbacks, the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled two days of confirmation hearings for Todd Blanche, Trump's nominee for acting attorney general.

Lawmakers face obstacles, including demands from Trump, Mitch McConnell’s absence and Graham’s sudden deathRepublican lawmakers return to the Capitol this week facing a lengthy to-do list and Donald Trump’s demands for new voting restrictions, as Democrats jockey for an advantage ahead of the November midterm elections.Lawmakers from both parties are eager to highlight before voters legislative victories ahead of the midterms, where control of Congress is at stake. But for Senate Republicans, who are already navigating an array of demands from Trump, their agenda grew further complicated over the weekend with the death of Lindsey Graham, the budget committee chair who is a key player in negotiating a party line bill to fund additional defense spending and other priorities outlined by the president. Continue reading...

• Between late June and early July 2026, global systems faced a convergence of political transitions, economic shifts, and intensifying climate pressures. • International actors are closely monitoring Tehran's succession process to determine if Iran will maintain policy continuity or recalibrate its nuclear diplomacy and regional security posture. • The situation is critical because Iran's internal political changes could redefine relations with Gulf states and cause volatility in global energy markets.

• The Atlantic Council's Freedom and Prosperity Center released a report outlining a democracy assistance agenda for 2026-2028 to combat anti-US regimes. • The publication serves as the conclusion to "The future of democracy assistance" series, focusing on actionable policies to promote global democratic governance. • It draws parallels to the U.S. role three decades ago in transforming former Soviet bloc nations through the establishment of free elections and multiparty systems.

• US and Iranian representatives concluded a round of talks in Doha without reaching a breakthrough, as the critical issue of Iran's nuclear programme was omitted from the agenda. • The next set of discussions is scheduled to occur after July 9, following the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. • Global oil prices dropped to their lowest level in four months after President Trump suggested that the likelihood of a full-scale conflict had diminished.

• The US Supreme Court has issued several rulings that bolster President Trump's agenda by granting him expanded executive powers, despite a surface-level setback regarding birthright citizenship. • These decisions potentially weaken the ability of Congress to restrain the presidency, raising concerns about an "unbridled" executive branch. • The legal landscape may shift significantly depending on the outcome of the November midterm elections, specifically if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are meeting in New Delhi today for their Annual Summit. • The agenda focuses on strengthening security cooperation and strategies to develop a free and democratic Indo-Pacific region. • This high-level meeting underscores the strategic partnership between India and Japan in maintaining regional stability and geopolitical balance.

• EU enlargement has become a primary focus as Ireland begins its EU Council presidency and Brussels prepares for an upcoming budget conference. • President Zelenskyy is facing significant obstacles to Ukraine's accession process due to fresh reservations from Hungary and an ongoing dispute with Poland. • During a press conference, Zelenskyy urged the EU to prioritize established rules over "political emotions" to ensure Ukraine's integration proceeds quickly.

• An 11-year-old boy crashed a pickup truck into a group of monks on a pilgrimage walk in northeastern Thailand on Thursday, July 2, 2026. • The accident resulted in nine deaths among the 35 monks who were traveling from Mukdahan province, located approximately 600 km from Bangkok. • The tragedy highlights severe safety concerns regarding unsupervised minors operating vehicles and the vulnerability of pedestrian pilgrims.

• The Supreme Court issued a series of rulings that delivered mixed results for President Trump's agenda, granting him some expansive powers while blocking other initiatives. • A key decision loosened campaign finance rules, which analysts suggest will provide a strategic advantage to Republicans over Democrats. • These legal developments occur as Trump faces low approval ratings and public frustration over elevated gas prices ahead of upcoming elections.

Newly-released congressional report says president hijacked United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations to serve ‘political ideology and pet projects’Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Donald Trump hijacked the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations to serve “political ideology and pet projects”, a congressional report released today has revealed.I can’t, in my time here in Congress, remember anything even remotely like this: watching this trusted, venerable charity organisation, the National Parks Foundation, literally be hijacked for a craven political agenda that tries to steal the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary and turn it into something that’s all about Trump, advancing this very divisive agenda and even enriching Trump and those around him.The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, said that federal prosecutors and law enforcement officers will focus on keeping pregnant non-citizens from giving birth in the US to acquire birthright citizenship. He did not mention that Donald Trump’s father was born in New York to a non-citizen mother who arrived six months pregnant.Trump batted down questions about the $1.2bn he earned from crypto businesses, according to his latest annual financial disclosures.Trump refused to renew the North American trade pact he once championed as his signature deal, opting instead to keep it alive on a short leash of annual reviews.The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, plans to deliver what his office calls a “major address” on Friday to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, “surrounded by recently naturalized citizens.”A federal ⁠judge blocked a proposed restriction on mail-in voting across the US, challenging a crackdown on elections ordered by Donald Trump.During a visit to a new museum dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt, Trump asked an AI rendition of the 26th president about the Panama canal. Trump then lied to supporters about the exchange. Continue reading...

• NPR's Michel Martin interviewed Jonah Goldberg of The Dispatch to analyze how recent Supreme Court rulings influence Donald Trump's executive power and policy agenda. • Goldberg highlighted a concerning trend of "atrophying" legislative skills within Congress, suggesting that lawmakers are increasingly unable to draft effective legislation. • The discussion emphasized the irony that many of the policies Trump is advancing remain deeply unpopular with the general public despite judicial shifts.

• The Supreme Court has delivered a mixed set of rulings on President Trump's agenda, granting him more expansive powers while blocking specific initiatives. • In February, the court ruled against the president regarding his use of tariffs, prompting Trump to publicly label the dissenting conservative justices as "disloyal." • While Trump views tariffs as essential tools for global negotiations, polling suggests voters are less supportive of these policies.

• The Supreme Court issued several rulings regarding Donald Trump's agenda, balancing the expansion of presidential authority with significant legal setbacks. • The Court rejected the government's attempt to fire Federal Reserve official Cook, ruling that doing so would improperly transform "for-cause protection" into "at-will employment" and threaten central bank independence. • In a separate decision, the Court ruled that states may count mail-in ballots cast by Election Day even if they arrive later, dismissing a GOP challenge to Mississippi's specific ballot laws.

Court rules against Trump administration on policy that people born in the United States are citizensSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US supreme court has upheld birthright citizenship, which provides nearly all people born in the country with citizenship, ruling against a central piece of Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda.The president had issued an executive order on the first day of his second term that sought to undo birthright citizenship. The order would override the US constitution, which it cannot do, though his administration has argued the order instead interprets the constitution correctly. Continue reading...

• ASEAN is advancing its regional agenda for science, technology, and innovation to address rapid technological shifts and evolving social needs. • During his opening remarks, Thongsalith emphasized that these fields are critical foundations for driving economic growth and sustainable development across the region. • The initiative aims to mitigate pressing regional issues, including climate challenges and ongoing economic uncertainty.

• The Supreme Court's conservative majority issued two significant rulings on Thursday that affirm President Donald Trump's immigration policies. • These legal victories enable the administration to proceed with the removal of more than 1 million people from the United States. • The rulings are critical as they grant the executive branch broader authority to deport individuals and restrict new entries into the country.

• Allies of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are working to embed his vaccine agenda within institutions by influencing research priorities and policy translation, despite ongoing legal and political challenges. • New York health officials have accused Tiger Medical Holdings of "smuggling" alloClae, a popular injectable filler derived from human fat, into the state. • While Tiger Medical Holdings claims FDA premarket approval is unnecessary, New York officials assert the company lacks the required state permits to store and distribute human tissue.

Lawmakers and advocates condemn ‘disastrous’ decisions that allow Trump officials to strip away migrant protectionsSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailLawmakers and immigration advocacy groups on Thursday sharply denounced two US supreme court rulings that allowed the Trump administration to severely strip certain immigration protections and fundamentally reshape the asylum system.Dozens of groups, advocates and members of Congress called the court’s decisions “disastrous” and “cruel”, while the Trump administration, Republican lawmakers and anti-immigrant groups celebrated the decisions. Continue reading...