National News at a Glance

GOP Faces Another Midterm Threat as Trumps Plays the Shutdown Card

Congressional Republicans, already facing a difficult election landscape, confronted a prospect Sunday they had worked feverishly to avoid: a threat by President Donald Trump to shut down the government over funding for a border wall. Just last week, Republican leaders thought they had reached a deal with Trump to delay a confrontation on funding for the wall until after the November midterm elections, according to a person familiar with their discussion. But Trump, who tweeted his shutdown threat over the weekend, has opened the door to a politically bruising spending fight as the fiscal year ends in September.

Bush Claimed Power to Override a Torture Ban. What Did Kavanaugh Think About That?

When Brett M. Kavanaugh came before the Judiciary Committee in May 2006 for his nomination to be an appeals court judge, senators pressed him on his role in President George W. Bush’s use of signing statements to claim the power to bypass new laws — like a much-disputed assertion that he could override a ban on torture. Now that President Donald Trump has nominated Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, the opacity of his testimony about Bush’s signing statements is becoming a case study for Democrats’ arguments that the Senate must see his staff secretary files before any confirmation hearing.

Times Publisher and Trump Clash Over President’s Threats Against Journalism

President Donald Trump and the publisher of The New York Times, A.G. Sulzberger, engaged in a public clash Sunday over Trump’s threats against journalism, after Sulzberger said the president misrepresented a private meeting and Trump accused The Times and other papers of putting lives at risk. Trump said on Twitter that he and Sulzberger had discussed “the vast amounts of Fake News being put out by the media & how that Fake News has morphed into phrase, ‘Enemy of the People.’ Sad!” Sulzberger said he had accepted Trump’s invitation to raise his concerns about the president’s “deeply troubling anti-press rhetoric.”

Uber Gains Civil Rights Allies Against New York’s Proposed Freeze

Black and Latino New Yorkers have long said they are not served well by yellow taxis. Now, a City Council proposal to place a one-year freeze on for-hire vehicle licenses is being opposed as a civil rights issue by organizations such as the National Urban League and the NAACP. The proposed legislation from the council, which could be voted on as soon as Aug. 8, would stop new for-hire vehicle licenses while their growing presence was studied. That could lead to a cap on the number of for-hire vehicles, including ride-hailing vehicles, a first for a major U.S. city.

Obscure Contest? Not When House Democrats Are This Divided

In ordinary circumstances, the race between Reps. Linda T. Sánchez and Barbara Lee, both of California, and perhaps other as-yet-undeclared candidates for the chairmanship of the Democratic caucus would amount to little more than an obscure contest for a job that nobody outside the Capitol pays much attention to. But these are not ordinary times for House Democrats, who are on the verge of a messy struggle for control of their caucus. Instead of entering the election season united, the House Democratic caucus finds itself divided by the demands of competing generations, identities, ideologies and power bases.

Mother of Dead Woman Says Medics Told Her She Could Not Afford Ambulance

Nicole Black got a call on July 4 that her daughter Crystle Galloway had fallen in her Tampa, Florida, condominium. Black called 911. Galloway died five days after. Weeks later, questions persist about what happened after the call and whether race played a role in how Black and her daughter were treated. Four emergency medical workers have been placed on paid leave and face a disciplinary hearing Tuesday. Black said the responders told her she could not afford the $600 ambulance ride to take her daughter to the hospital, and she was directed by the medics to drive her there on her own. Hillsborough County Officials disputed her account.

Carr Fire in California Claims Another Victim, Bringing Death Toll to 6

A sixth person has died in the Carr Fire in Northern California, authorities said Sunday, as officials hinted they could be nearing a turning point in fighting the vast and erratic wildfire. Tom Bosenko, Shasta County sheriff, said Sunday that the latest victim was found after the fire consumed a home. He did not identify the person. Seven people were still reported missing, he said. The fire had scorched more than 89,000 acres by Sunday morning. The fire was 5 percent contained, but Deputy Chief Bret Gouvea of CalFire estimated that firefighters would make gains by Sunday evening.