Latest Episode
July 1 1600 UTC Brief
In U.S. politics
The Senate is still very much in play, according to a new New York Times/Siena poll, with Democrats competitive in six battleground states and leading in North Carolina. That race is shaping up around Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley for the seat left open by Sen. Thom Tillis.
Separately, House Oversight Chair James Comer says he wants to end his tenure with public hearings on Jeffrey Epstein and a report from the committee’s investigation. In another Trump-related filing, E. Jean Carroll’s lawyers are asking a federal judge to release the $5.8 million owed to her in that case. FBI Director Kash Patel is also drawing scrutiny after late reporting a six-figure MicroStrategy stock purchase, a reminder that paperwork is still the closest thing Washington has to accountability.
In business
The United States will let the deadline pass without renewing a trade deal covering North American automakers, leaving the USMCA auto issue to drift a little longer than anyone pretending to manage it would like.
Meanwhile, Kroger says it has agreed to buy Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion, adding 197 stores and 11 standalone pharmacies to its footprint. The company says the deal will expand its grocery and pharmacy reach.
In crime and public safety
Police in Maplewood, Minnesota, say a 16-year-old girl has been charged with killing her mother with a hammer after an argument that included the mother taking away her phone. Investigators say surveillance video, blood evidence, and the girl’s own statements helped lead to the second-degree murder charge. She remains in custody.
On tech and family life
UNICEF says children are adopting AI faster than adults, with millions using it for homework help and, in some cases, personal advice. The agency says safeguards for young users are still lagging far behind the pace of adoption.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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