Welcome back! It’s nearly the weekend and I’m planning to spend part of it catching up on reading. In the meantime, I’ve been browsing this interesting map of bookstores owned by authors.
In the headlines today: The Senate passes legislation to fund Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies without limits on his $1.8 billion settlement fund; Democratic candidate Graham Platner deals with new controversies rocking the Senate race; and what to know about the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire deal. Also, if you’re in need of a weekend culinary challenge, a story about making your own sushi.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pauses for questions from reporters before votes on the immigration enforcement funding package, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate passes $70B immigration enforcement bill without limits on Trump settlement fund
Just before 5 a.m. Friday, Senators voted 52-47 for legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the next three years. It came after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that resolves President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS. Read more.
Why this matters:
- The final vote came after Republicans narrowly defeated multiple attempts by Democrats and Republicans to add language to the bill that would permanently ban Trump’s settlement fund for political allies who believe they have been politically persecuted. Republicans defeated an amendment proposed by one of their own members, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, that would have redirected payments from Trump’s settlement to members of law enforcement who were injured in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
- The amendments were a test of party unity that complicated what should have been an easy vote for Republicans who wanted to keep the focus on immigration enforcement in an election year. Instead, they spent almost a full day haggling among themselves over whether to block the settlement fund, even after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche had said earlier this week that it would not go forward.
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Platner to hold Maine rally as scandals shake up US Senate campaign
Democratic candidate Graham Platner is hosting his first major campaign event since new reports surfaced about his interactions with women. Read more.
What to know:
- On Thursday, The New York Times reported about his relationships with previous girlfriends. Some viewed him positively but others described him as volatile and insulting. One woman said Platner twisted her arm during an argument and locked her in a room. Platner called that allegation untrue. Last weekend, his campaign wrestled with stories about sexually explicit messages that Platner sent to several women while he was married.
- Platner has faced near-constant controversies, including his disclosure of a since-covered tattoo of a Nazi symbol. But he is key to Democrats’ hopes to take back the Senate this year. The party needs him to defeat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the upcoming midterms. Democrats are wrestling with the question of whether more controversial information surrounding Platner could come out ahead of the November election. Platner’s most prominent supporters have continued to back the candidate. He is scheduled to appear in Bar Harbor Friday evening with progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California.
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What to know about the deal between Israel and Lebanon extending their shaky ceasefire
The U.S.-brokered agreement was announced days after Israeli forces made their deepest incursion into Lebanon in over 25 years. Read more.
Why this matters:
- Lebanon has become a major sticking point in attempts to extend the separate ceasefire in the Iran war. The deal attempts to separate the conflicts.
- It has several contentious points, including the creation of “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon from which the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group that Israel has been fighting would be banned. There’s also a stipulation about the group’s eventual disbanding. The militant group was not officially involved in the talks.
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Brittany Nevins and her husband Daniel, both from Erlanger, Ky., try making sushi for the first time with a sushi master in Tokyo, on May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama)
Once the preserve of elite chefs, sushi-making can be fun
When I tried making sushi, getting the texture of the rice was a big challenge, never mind all the clumsy grappling with plastic wrap. Maybe that’s why many people leave it to trained pros. But more amateurs are stepping up to make their own. We talked to Tsuneo Suzuki, a chef and 45-year veteran, who teaches at Tokyo Sushi School. He says, “There is no sushi that tastes better than the ones you make yourself.” So why not give it a try? Or at least just read our story, which includes a recipe if you get inspired.
Read the full article here