Headlines From The Times

Four House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a resolution for the first time that would limit President Trump's powers over the Iran War. The resolution is symbolically powerful, because it represents a growing divide between GOP lawmakers, especially those concerned about the war's effect on rising gas and food prices here at home. Meanwhile, California's primary election results are still trickling in for the mayoral and gubernatorial races. Incumbent Karen Bass is advancing to the November general election, while Spencer Pratt is leading City Councilmember Nithya Raman in the L.A. mayor's race, though many mail-in ballots remain uncounted. In the governor's race, Republican Steve Hilton is leading and likely to face Democrat Xavier Becerra in the general election.

Explosions echoed overnight across Ukraine, as Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Kyiv and nearby cities in one of the Kremlin's largest offensives in recent months. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, advocates are rallying on Tuesday to protest Trump's mass deportation policies, following weeks of demonstrations at the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, where detainees have gone on hunger and labor strikes over what advocates say are harsh and inhumane conditions. And voters are heading to the polls today in California to cast ballots in some of the country's most high-profile primaries, from the race for governor to the battle for L.A. mayor, though L.A. County is notorious for slow election counts and results could take days. Read more at https://www.latimes.com

Gas prices dropped modestly on Monday morning, even as crude oil prices jumped following a new round of military strikes between the U.S. and Iran. The drop may not last long, as gas price changes typically trail oil prices by a few days. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, voters across the city and county will also decide on several ballot measures that could impact taxes, healthcare, hotels, and the cannabis industry, with the biggest county-wide question being a proposed half-cent sales tax to help fund public hospitals and clinics. And Serena Williams, the greatest women's tennis player of all time, is returning to the tour four years after she left the sport. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is taking a wild card invite to play doubles next week at Queen's Club, a prestigious grass-court tournament that precedes Wimbledon. Read more at https://www.latimes.com 

 

The showdown for LA mayor is tighter than ever. New polling from UC Berkeley co-sponsored by the L.A. Times shows Karen Bass at 26%, City Council Member Nithya Raman at 25%, and former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt at 22%, meaning Bass has a statistically insignificant lead. Governor Gavin Newsom endorsed Bass, and she's secured support from major political groups. But Pratt's anti-establishment campaign is gaining traction. Voters will also decide seven City Council seats, the City Attorney, Controller, three School Board spots, and ballot measures on hotel and cannabis taxes. On the county level, races include Sheriff, Board of Supervisors, a healthcare sales tax, and Superior Court judge positions. If you plan to vote by mail in the California primary, it's not too late. You can drop your ballot at an official drop box, take it to a polling center by 8 p.m. on election day Tuesday, June 2, or mail it. But if you send it by mail, your ballot must be postmarked on or before June 2. If you missed the voter registration deadline in May, you can still cast a ballot through the same-day conditional voter registration process by heading to a vote center or county election office. Read more at https://www.latimes.com

Down in Texas, a stunning Republican runoff election could give Democrats an edge in the upcoming U.S. Senate race after Trump-backed Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated longtime incumbent John Cornyn. Meanwhile, Leo is speaking about the risks of artificial intelligence, pushing for more significant regulations around AI. In his first encyclical, Pope Leo says artificial intelligence needs to be “disarmed." Read more at https://www.latimes.com