June 2021

Senators push $953B infrastructure plan, raise hope for deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators is seeking President Joe Biden’s support for a $953 billion infrastructure plan, raising hopes for a breakthrough agreement after arduous negotiations on his top legislative priority.

Biden has invited members of the group of 21 senators, Republicans and Democrats, to the White House on Thursday, and they are scheduled to meet late morning. The pared-down plan, with $559 billion in new spending, has rare bipartisan backing and could open the door to the president’s more sweeping $4 trillion proposals.

NFL players who voluntarily opt out get no stipend this year

(AP) — NFL players must decide by July 2 if they plan to opt out of playing this season due to COVID-19 concerns, though voluntary opt-outs will not be paid any stipend this year.

In a memo sent to clubs Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league and the NFL Players Association agreed that only high-risk players will receive a stipend of $350,000. Voluntary optouts got a $150,000 stipend in 2020.

Five Tigers named to ABCA All-South Region teams

BATON ROUGE – Five LSU baseball players have received All-South Region recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Junior pitcher Landon Marceaux, freshman rightfielder Dylan Crews and freshman first baseman Tre’ Morgan were named to the first team, while junior leftfielder Gavin Dugas and sophomore third baseman Cade Doughty earned secondteam honors.

Falling short: Why the White House will miss its vax target

WASHINGTON (AP) — Standing in the State Dining Room on May 4, President Joe Biden laid out a lofty goal to vaccinate 70 percent of American adults by Independence Day, saying the U.S. would need to overcome “doubters” and laziness to do it. “This is your choice,” he told Americans. “It’s life and death.”

As for the ambition of his 70 percent goal, Biden added: “I’d like to get it at 100 percent, but I think realistically we can get to that place between now and July Fourth.”

He won’t.

Edwards vetoes transgender sports ban proposal

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday struck down a bill prohibiting transgender athletes from competing on girls’ sports teams in Louisiana schools, pushing back against legislation that has passed several Southern states.

Anti-crime effort takes on law-breaking gun dealers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is announcing new efforts to stem a rising national tide of violent crime as administration officials brace for what could be a turbulent summer, focusing on attacking gun violence, providing money to cities that need more police and offering community support.

Biden faces growing pressure from the left over voting bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — When New York Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones was at the White House for the signing of the proclamation making Juneteenth a national holiday last week, he told President Joe Biden their party needed him more involved in passing voting legislation on the Hill.

Russia says warning shots deter UK warship; London denies it

MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian military said one of its warships in the Black Sea fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs Wednesday to force a British destroyer away from an area near Crimea that Moscow claims as its territorial waters, but Britain denied that account and insisted its ship wasn’t fired upon.

Apple Daily to close, last pro-democracy Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s sole remaining pro-democracy newspaper will publish its last edition Thursday, forced to shut down after five editors and executives were arrested and millions of dollars in its assets were frozen as part of China’s increasing crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous city.

Spears set to make rare remarks to conservatorship judge

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the most anticipated hearing in the case in years, Britney Spears is expected to address a judge overseeing the conservatorship that has controlled the pop star’s money and affairs since 2008.