Comment on Iowa lawmakers are back. Here are the education, sports betting and election issues they may tackle.

“President Emmanuel Macron has always aspired to become one of the great men of history, saving Europe from the fires of populism and setting its economy on course to compete with the U. S. and China,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The question now looming over Macron is whether he will go down in history as the man who ushered Marine Le Pen and her far-right party to the threshold of power in France.” “Macron’s decision to call snap elections broadsided France and shocked the world.

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Several sources close to GOP leadership tell Axios that assuming Republicans win the Senate majority in November, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is eyeing chair of the Appropriations Committee.

Politico: “Trump’s grand return to the Hill was a bolt of much-needed energy for the congressional GOP, particularly weary Republicans on the House side who’ve been dogged by infighting and are now at real risk of losing their majority in November.” “And it served as a highly choreographed unity moment, complete with a press conference with GOP senators, joking with members and even a birthday cake for Trump, who celebrates his 78th birthday on Friday.”

“Hamas does not know how many of the roughly 120 hostages Israel says remain in Gaza are still alive, a spokesman for the militant group said in an interview that aired Thursday,” the New York Times reports. “The return of the hostages taken in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks is a central part of the latest cease-fire proposal that could bring the war in Gaza to an end.”

“Whether Virginia backs Donald Trump or Joe Biden shouldn’t even be a discussion,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The state hasn’t backed a Republican for president since George W. Bush in 2004.” “But early polls showing Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, cutting into the Democratic president’s lead have served as a wake-up call for Virginia Democrats, who acknowledge headwinds with voters dissatisfied with Biden’s leadership.