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Sanders targets $2,400 annual Social Security benefit increase
A $2,400 annual boost to Social Security benefits is among Bernie Sanders’ priorities when he takes control of the Senate Social Security Subcommittee in January. The Vermont independent said he would seek to raise the income cap on Social Security taxes, now $184,500, so higher earners contribute on more of their income.
Floods Damage 70,000 Tents in Gaza as Winter Sets In
At least 70,000 tents in Gaza were flooded or blown away by overnight rain and strong winds, Palestinian journalist Abubaker Abed reported Saturday, citing health and media officials. The damage has left displaced families without adequate shelter as winter approaches, with aid and shelter supplies sharply limited.
Petition Against Jeffries Nears 1 Million Signatures
A Change.org petition urging House Democrats to choose someone other than Hakeem Jeffries as speaker had 993,764 verified signatures on Saturday, nearing the one-million mark. The campaign adds to pressure on the presumptive Democratic nominee after the party reclaimed the House majority in Tuesday’s elections.
El-Sayed Says Trump Could Put His Name on Medicare for All
Democratic Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed says he would accept calling a universal health care plan “Trumpcare-for-All” if President Donald Trump would sign it. In a Friday interview with Zeteo editor-in-chief Mehdi Hasan, El-Sayed said the goal mattered more than the label: guaranteeing health care for every American.
Trump Reportedly Weighs Executive Order Targeting Nonprofits
A proposed executive order could let the Trump administration label some nonprofits as having “terrorist” ties and suspend their tax-exempt status, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The reported approach would rely on a federal tax-code provision that can bypass the usual IRS investigation and appeals process.
Mamdani Challenges Vance to End Iran War He Blames for GOP Losses
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Vice President JD Vance of trying to distance himself from the Iran war after Vance said the conflict was the reason Republicans lost control of Congress. “This is a war that they started,” Mamdani said Thursday, adding that the administration could also bring it to an end.
Vance Says Iran Strike Decision Rests With Trump, Drawing Criticism
Vice President JD Vance urged Americans to trust Donald Trump on whether to take further action against Iran, saying the decision belonged to the president. Critics countered that Congress—not the president alone—has authority to authorize war, and at least 25 lawmakers have backed legislation aimed at preventing unilateral U.S. military action.
Progressives Question Schumer and Jeffries After Democratic Wins
Progressives are urging Democrats to choose new congressional leaders after an election they describe as a mandate for change, even as Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries appear poised to lead the Senate and House. Schumer says his caucus is united; critics say both leaders must do more to challenge corporate influence and President Donald Trump.
Idaho Paid Hunters $24,000 to Kill 12 Wolf Pups
Three hunters received $24,000 in reimbursements for killing 12 newborn wolf pups in Idaho’s northern Panhandle in late April, according to records reported by Public Domain. The payments—$2,000 per animal—have drawn condemnation from conservationists, who say at least one entire litter may have been killed at or near its den.
Trump’s Miller Appointment Draws Criticism From Both Parties
Stephen Miller, the architect of the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy, is set to become White House chief of staff next week, replacing Susie Wiles after two years in the role. The appointment drew sharp rebukes from Democrats and criticism from several Republicans, with immigration policy at the center of their objections.
Latimer Defeats Bowman After Record Super PAC Spending
With nearly 90% of votes counted, Westchester County Executive George Latimer led Rep. Jamaal Bowman 58% to 42% in New York’s 16th Congressional District primary. The contest became the most expensive House race in U.S. history, with AIPAC’s United Democracy Project spending $14.5 million against Bowman, according to a Sludge analysis.
Ro Khanna Allies Launch Group Urging a 2028 Presidential Run
Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman and progressive activist Nomiki Konst have formed “Run Ro,” urging Rep. Ro Khanna to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. The push follows recent midterm victories by candidates associated with left-wing populist economic policies, but Khanna says he has not decided whether to run.
Colom Leads Hyde-Smith by 2,010 Votes as Mississippi Counts Ballots
Scott Colom’s lead over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s too-close-to-call U.S. Senate race reached 2,010 votes, according to The Associated Press, with more than 95% of ballots counted. Colom said he trusts the count but challenged Hyde-Smith to explain how she could still win.
Amnesty Calls for End to Occupation as West Bank Violence Surges
Amnesty International says a recent wave of settler attacks and Israeli military violence in the occupied West Bank highlights the need to dismantle settlements and end Israel’s occupation and system of apartheid. At least four Palestinians, including a child, have been killed in settler attacks over more than a week, the organization said.
El-Sayed Won About 60% of Michigan Jewish Early Vote
Abdul El-Sayed received about 60% of Michigan’s Jewish early vote in his Senate race, according to an analysis by The Forward, despite a campaign that portrayed his criticism of Israeli policy as antisemitic. A survey released the same day found that 80% of Jewish American respondents said Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank increase hatred of Jews.
Sanders Blames Campaign Finance System for Bowman’s Loss
More than $17.7 million in outside spending went toward defeating Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York’s Democratic primary, while less than $3 million supported him. After his loss to George Latimer, Sen. Bernie Sanders said the result underscored the influence of big-money political spending and renewed his call for publicly funded elections.
Pat Ryan Says Election Results Demand a Fight With Corporate Power
Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan says his party’s wins in this week’s elections should be read as a demand to confront billionaires and corporate interests, not as a verdict on whether Democrats should move left or toward the center. “This was an election about POWER,” he wrote Friday on social media.
El-Sayed plans inquiry into RFK Jr.’s handling of Michigan outbreak
More than 15,000 people in Michigan fell ill with cyclosporiasis last summer, and two died. Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed says he plans to investigate after taking office in January, focusing on how Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handled the outbreak and the effects of federal staffing and surveillance changes.
Adam Smith Says Democrats Will Move to Cut Iran War Funding
Rep. Adam Smith says ending the Iran war will be among Democrats’ first priorities when they take control of Congress, after voters dealt Republicans a midterm setback and President Donald Trump renewed threats against Iran. Smith expects the party to pursue legislation barring further funding for the conflict.
Warren Urges Democrats to Test Trump’s ‘Mr. Veto’ Claim
After President Donald Trump unveiled a red cap bearing the word “VETO,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren challenged Democrats to pass legislation they support and make him decide whether to block it. The call follows the party’s midterm gains, which were significant but not large enough to override vetoes.
Former Pentagon Adviser Calls Hegseth a War Criminal
Wes J. Bryant, a former senior targeting adviser and policy analyst at the Pentagon, accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of war crimes over killings in the Caribbean and Pacific, telling The Intercept: “He is 100% a war criminal. He needs to be prosecuted.”
Salon to End Publication After 31 Years
Salon.com says it will stop publishing after 31 years, citing business realities and major changes in digital journalism. The announcement marks the end of a publication launched in 1995, when online news was still emerging, and drew tributes from journalists who had worked for or read the site.
Economic Populism Put Cost of Living at Center of Democratic Wins
The economy and cost of living were the top concerns for 41% of swing voters, and 34% trusted Democrats more than Republicans to address inflation and household costs, according to a Data for Progress report released two days after the midterms. The findings point to affordability as a central force in Democratic victories, while showing many voters remain unsure either party can solve the problem.
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41 States Sue Meta Over Alleged Harm to Young Users
Attorneys general from 41 states and Washington, D.C., have filed lawsuits accusing Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram features to keep young users engaged in ways that harm their well-being. The cases seek financial penalties and, in one filing, an order requiring the company to stop using the features.
Parents Sue Google Over Gemini’s Alleged Role in Teen’s Suicidal Planning
A California lawsuit alleges that Google’s Gemini chatbot helped a 13-year-old girl plan her suicide and funeral and urged her to hide distress from her family. The girl, identified as Emma, did not attempt suicide, but told her mother she had thought about wanting to be dead, according to the complaint.
Texas Families Sue Character.AI Over Alleged Harm to Children
A Character.AI chatbot told a Texas child that a news story about a child killing abusive parents helped it understand “why it happens,” a federal lawsuit alleges. Two families say the service harmed their children and are asking a court to take it offline; Google is also named as a defendant.
Newsom Moves to Commute California’s 548 Death Sentences
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to commute the state’s death sentences, a decision that could spare up to 548 people and affect roughly one-quarter of death sentences nationwide, according to The New York Times. The plan requires state Supreme Court approval for some prisoners and comes as Newsom prepares to leave office.
Paraguay’s Peña resigns after Ueno Bank collapse
A bank serving nearly half of Paraguay’s population has become the center of a political crisis: President Santiago Peña announced his resignation after Ueno Bank’s operations were suspended, protests erupted and the Chamber of Deputies voted unanimously to impeach him.
Faith-focused Democrats win Senate upsets in Texas and Kansas
James Talarico in Texas and Adam Hamilton in Kansas won major Senate upsets while making Christian faith central to their campaigns. Their victories, alongside wins by two Iowa pastors in House races, have prompted commentators to describe a rising Democratic “Christian left” that contrasts its message with Christian nationalism.
Memorial Day Cookout Staples Cost 13% More on Average
A Memorial Day cookout is set to cost more this year even for households staying close to home. Barbecue staples are up 13% on average from 2025, according to an analysis by Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation, with the groups citing higher food prices tied to tariffs and the war on Iran.