Todd Young talks World Cup geopolitics, Section 702 — and 2028

BARGERSVILLE, Ind. — Sen. Todd Young settled into a booth at a Belgian-style brewhouse in a suburb just south of Indianapolis to watch Canada square off against Bosnia and Herzegovina—a little bleary-eyed after a storm-stricken flight back from Washington left him in Columbus, Ohio. His flight got redirected to Columbus after midnight, where he had…

Canada defends blocking Ghana’s Thomas Partey from entry

OTTAWA — The Canadian government defended its decision to ban Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey from entering the country as necessary for “maintaining the safety and security of Canadians.” Partey has been charged with sexual assault and rape in the United Kingdom but has not been convicted of anything. He has pleaded guilty and is expected…

Republicans use World Cup to squeeze Dems on FISA extension

Republicans are pointing to the World Cup in their persistent bid to force Democrats to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Millions of visitors from foreign countries have already begun their pilgrimage to the tournament, which kicked off this week. “Hosting the World Cup is akin to having 78 Super Bowls in…

Missouri NOT probing FIFA ticket prices — yet

Missouri is not launching a probe into pricing strategies employed by FIFA, a spokesperson from the state attorney general’s office told POLITICO, as several states playing host to World Cup matches take the organization to task for allegedly misleading fans. Colbey Stosberg, public affairs specialist at the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, said in a statement…

Trump keeps extending the Iran war. Republicans are losing patience.

Republicans keep lengthening President Donald Trump’s leash on Iran. First, they hoped he would stick to his initial four- to six-week timeline for the war. Then, they gave him 60 days; then, until summer. Now, battleground GOP party chairs, campaign officials and strategists are coalescing around Labor Day as their hard deadline, according to interviews…

Freedom 250’s fair on National Mall highlights conservative groups

The nation’s conservative advocacy groups will be well represented at the Great American State Fair, a two-week-long exposition celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall that is blessed by President Donald Trump and his allies. The fair is organized by Freedom 250, a nonprofit set up by the president and his allies to…