First Draft: First Draft Focus: The Week In Political Pictures

“The U. S. is in talks with close partners to lead a group of allies that would give as much as $50 billion in aid to Ukraine, with the massive outlay being repaid with the windfall profits from sovereign Russian assets that have been frozen – and are accruing interest — mostly in Europe,” Bloomberg reports.

“Republicans have launched more than 30 investigations into the State Department since taking power in 2023, an unusually high number that is fueling partisan tensions,” Politico reports. “Democratic lawmakers and State Department officials say this particular chapter of the growing partisan rancor on Capitol Hill is affecting U. S. foreign policy: It distracts U.

Nevada Independent: “The lawsuit alleges that the four-day period for mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received violates federal law because it does not conform to the Election Day deadline established by the federal government.”

The Colorado legislature convened Saturday for a final weekend of work in its 2024 session, which is set to end Wednesday. Major pieces of legislation are still pending, with lawmakers expected to debate gun regulations, housing, land-use policy, transportation, property tax reform and other priorities in the final days. This story will be updated throughout the day. Updated at 5:25 p.m.: A proposed excise tax on guns and ammunition to pay for victim services cleared a key Senate committee Saturday afternoon after Democrats turned on their own over its movement through the chamber. The measure would create a 6.5% tax on gun and ammo dealers and raise an expected $39 million a year, according to sponsor Sen.

Since Mark Hamill's White House visit tells us how woke Star Wars has gotten, and we all know about wokester Star Trek, Starship Troopers and Helldivers are better choices.

The pandemic of Hamas-inspired campus unrest has pushed news of Trump’s hush money trial down to well below the fold.