Trump renews attack on Baltimore congressman Elijah Cummings – live

Trump’s comments this morning to 9/11 first responders that he “spent a lot time” at Ground Zero are raising serious doubts.

A New York Times reporter who spent years covering the fallout of the attacks for the New York Post tweeted this:

So, I covered rebuilding at the WTC for three years after covering the immediate aftermath of the attacks for NYPost. Giuliani was a frequent presence w families, as was Pataki. I recall one instance where Trump was at the site. https://t.co/7Ish98CX1g

Trump’s reference to ‘7/11’ was a slip of the lip. News accounts from days just after 9/11 include references to Trump giving high-fives to police officers and volunteers on their way to the World Trade Center site. ‘I have a lot of men working down here. I want to make sure they’re OK,’ he said. Trump said his employers were cleaning and digging out, but declined to say where they were working.

Joe Biden’s campaign has released its own blistering criticism of Kamala Harris’ health care plan.

A statement from Biden’s campaign accuses the California senator of having “released a health care plan that both backtracks on her long-promised – but then-hedged – support of Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All legislation while at the same time committing to still unraveling the hard-won Affordable Care Act that the Trump Administration is trying to undo right now.”

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Trump defends ‘excellent’ labor secretary amid scrutiny over Epstein plea deal – live

Donald Trump ignores calls for Alexander Acosta to resign over role in securing a lenient 2008 plea deal for financier Jeffrey Epstein

It’s been quite a heavy day, so here’s a small dose of fun:

Public Policy Polling, a Democratic polling firm, tested how Donald Trump would fare against US soccer star Megan Rapinoe in a 2020 matchup.

Barack Obama’s healthcare law is once again in jeopardy, as a federal appeals court on Tuesday hears arguments on its validity.

The case, which could once again place the fate of the Affordable Care Act before the supreme court, was brought by a group of Republican governors and attorneys general.

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Democratic debates: 2020 candidates go head to head in first test of primaries – live

Ten Democrats will debate each other tonight – will they attack the party’s frontrunner, Joe Biden, or sell their own vision for the future?

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11.45pm BST

In terms of what we can expect our diez Democrats to discuss tonight, the DNC has promised questions about the climate crisis, which were conspicuously absent from the presidential debates in 2016.

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California to offer healthcare to young working poor living illegally in US

State will become first to give Medicaid access to illegal residents, in defiance of Trump policies

California will become the first state in the US to pay for some adults living in the country illegally to have full health benefits as the solidly liberal state continues to distance itself from President Donald Trump’s administration.

Democrats in the state legislature reached an agreement on Sunday afternoon as part of a broader plan to spend $213bn of state and federal tax money over the next year. The agreement means low-income adults between the ages of 19 and 25 living in California illegally would be eligible for California’s Medicaid program, the joint state and federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled.

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Trump cancels key services for unaccompanied child migrants – live

Officials say language classes and recreation programs for immigrant children staying in federal shelters ‘not directly necessary’

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4.19pm BST

The Trump administration is canceling English classes, legal aid and recreational programs for unaccompanied immigrant minors staying in federal shelters, the Washington Post reports.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement is wit...

Former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke dies aged 89 – rolling coverage

Hawke, the longest serving Labor prime minister who remained a popular public figure, has passed away

Bob Hawke, Australia’s longest serving Labor prime minister and widely seen as a popular ‘larrikin’ figure even into his old age, has passed away.

Hawke led the Labor party to victory in four consecutive elections from 1983, leading a transformative period in Australia during which the government established Medicare, Landcare, and superannuation schemes, deregulated the financial industry and floated the Australian dollar. He set up the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and investigated but never managed a treaty with Indigenous Australia.

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Elizabeth Warren’s plan to end student debt is glorious. We can make it a reality | Astra Taylor

We fully support the 2020 nominee’s student debt relief proposal. But to make it happen, we’ll need to kick our efforts into higher gear

This week, Elizabeth Warren, who is running for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, announced a proposal to cancel student debt for millions of people and make public college free. This is a stunning, visionary plan that would transform our educational system and dramatically improve millions of people’s lives.

But like every other p...

White House reversed more than 25 security clearance denials, says whistleblower – live

  • Security adviser Tricia Newbold made revelation last month
  • House Democrats to subpoena full Mueller report
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6.45pm BST

Joe Biden’s spokesman hit back at media coverage of the former vice president’s treatment of women, stating photos alleging to show inappropriate behavior on Biden’s part are a smear campaign led by “right wing trolls”.

These smears a...

Trump’s push to repeal Obamacare prompts Republican turmoil – live

“I’ll take the usual please, Donald”:

The Fake News Media is going Crazy! They are suffering a major “breakdown,” have ZERO credibility or respect, & must be thinking about going legit. I have learned to live with Fake News, which has never been more corrupt than it is right now. Someday, I will tell you the secret!

Mexico is doing NOTHING to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants to our Country. They are all talk and no action. Likewise, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have taken our money for years, and do Nothing. The Dems don’t care, such BAD laws. May close the Southern Border!

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the day’s political news.

•Republicans are said to be in turmoil over the Donald Trump’s push for Obamacare to be dismantled in the courts. Vice-president Mike Pence and new attorney general Bill Barr are among the skeptics, according to the New York Times, with concerns that scrapping the Affordable Care Act could be a boon for Democrats in 2020. On Wednesday House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reportedly told his colleagues that Trump’s push made no sense. McCarthy is holding his weekly press conference at 11.30am, and may elaborate.

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Trump’s latest healthcare push exasperates Republicans – live

Key party member reportedly tells president renewed plan to scrap Affordable Care Act ‘makes no sense’

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Bringing this to readers just in case – in the unlikely event! – that you have not seen it, an impassioned speech from AOC on the Green New Deal (which, actually, is more popular than Republicans would ...