Iran said Monday that it had stockpiled more low-enriched uranium than permitted under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, and the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed it. Tehran said it exceeded the limit because European nations had failed to counteract new U.S. sanctions, which it said Europe must do to honor the accord's deal for limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the move remained "reversible," but that Iran's commitment would erode further unless Europe delivers the economic benefits promised under the deal. President Trump, who withdrew the U.S. from the deal last year, said Iran was "playing with fire" by exceeding the uranium limit. [The Washington Post, The Hill]
Several high-profile Democrats who toured migrant detention facilities in Texas on Monday called for firing Customs and Border Patrol agents who reportedly joked about migrant deaths in a secret Facebook group. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), also condemned vulgar images agents allegedly posted of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and called for a full investigation by the Department of Homeland Security. The lawmakers described conditions in the detention centers as "appalling," particularly for migrant women. Ocasio-Cortez said that she saw Customs and Border Protection officers telling migrant women to drink water out of the toilets, and said that one woman told her that officers would wake them at odd hours and call them "whores." Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) corroborated this account, and said "changes must be made." [Politico, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]
President Trump said Monday there would be military tanks on display during this year's Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C. "We're going to have some tanks stationed outside," Trump said. "You've got to be pretty careful with the tanks because the roads have a tendency not to like to carry heavy tanks. So we have to put them in certain areas." The Washington Post reported earlier that Trump wanted a big display of military equipment at the celebration on the National Mall. Air Force One and the Navy's Blue Angels also are expected to do flyovers. Trump will speak in a campaign-style rally at the Lincoln Memorial. Democrats last month urged Trump to honor the "nonpartisan and apolitical" tradition of the celebration. [NBC News]
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said Monday that his panel was expanding a review of what he said was illegal use of private email accounts and messaging apps by White House officials, including President Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Cummings wrote to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone that lawmakers wanted to find out why White House officials used non-official email accounts and apps "for official business," and why records exchanged through non-official accounts weren't forwarded to official accounts within the required 20 days. The White House did not immediately comment. In the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump aggressively criticized his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, for using a private email server as secretary of state. [Reuters]
Police fired tear gas and rushed in to retake Hong Kong's legislature from protesters who occupied the building Monday night, the anniversary of the handover of the city from British to Chinese control. Mostly young activists smashed windows in the legislature in a rampage that came weeks after protests over Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's proposal to allow the extradition of Hong Kong criminal suspects to mainland China. Before the protesters briefly occupied the building, police pushed back hundreds of demonstrators with pepper spray and batons. Earlier Monday, a far larger crowd estimated at 500,000 marched peacefully through the city's streets in intense heat. [The Wall Street Journal]
Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) made big gains in a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS that was released Monday. It was the first major survey released after last week's inaugural 2020 Democratic presidential debates. Former Vice President Joe Biden continued to lead the field, with the support of 22 percent of the registered Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents surveyed. Harris jumped to 17 percent, up from 9 percent. Warren rose by 8 points to 15 percent. Previous runner-up Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) dropped 4 points to 14 percent. All other candidates were in single digits. Harris' strong showing came as 41 percent said she had the best debate performance. Thirteen percent said Warren did, while only 10 percent said Biden had the best showing. [CNN]
Japanese whalers completed their first commercial hunt in 31 years on Monday, bringing two minke whales into the port city of Kushiro in northern Japan. Japan halted commercial hunts in 1988 and conducted only what it called "research whaling" after the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling. Japan gave the required six-month notice that it was withdrawing from the IWC, and its exit took effect this week. Japan plans to allow hunts only in its exclusive economic zone at sea. The catch is limited to 227 whales for the rest of 2019, fewer than were typically caught under Japan's research program, which was frequently criticized by conservationists as a cover for commercial whaling because the meat was sold in markets, although demand is low. [The Associated Press]
U.S. stocks rose on Monday, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.8 percent to close at a record high after the U.S. and China agreed to hold off on imposing more tariffs while they restart talks on ending their trade war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.4 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq, led by chipmakers, jumped by 1.1 percent to cap a four-day winning streak. Early Tuesday, U.S. stock index futures edged lower, with futures for the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq all roughly 0.2 percent lower ahead of the open in a sign of caution as investors awaited concrete signs of progress toward a U.S.-China deal. [CNBC]
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died on Monday in Texas, the franchise announced. He was 27. The Southlake, Texas, police department issued a statement saying Skaggs was found unresponsive in his hotel room, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death is under investigation, but authorities said they do not suspect foul play. The Angels were scheduled to play against the Texas Rangers on Monday night, and the game has been postponed. Skaggs last pitched on Saturday in Anaheim against the Oakland Athletics. [Los Angeles Tmes]
Fifteen-year-old Cori "Coco" Gauff, the youngest player in the Wimbledon draft, beat five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams on Monday, 6-4, 6-4. The 39-year-old Williams, who was the oldest player in this year's tournament, had already won four Grand Slam titles before Gauff was even born. Gauff said Williams is one of her idols and she told the veteran she "wouldn't be here" without Williams. Gauff is the youngest player to enter the main draw of Wimbledon since 2009 and the youngest to win a match since 1991. Williams was not the only big name to go down in the opening round; Naomi Osaka, who won the most recent U.S. and Australian Opens, fell to Yulia Putintseva, 7-6 (4), 6-2. [ESPN]
