Cruz keeps 2028 door open as speculation grows over GOP's post-Trump future

Two pivotal Senate Republicans, Josh Hawley and Todd Young, have withdrawn their support for a war-powers resolution that aimed to limit President Trump's military authority in Venezuela, following assurances from officials that there are no plans for U.S. ground troops in the country. This decision comes amid Trump's criticism of five GOP senators who previously sided with Democrats on the issue.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has downplayed the death toll from recent protests in Iran, attributing the unrest to an alleged Israeli plot during an interview on Fox News' 'Special Report with Bret Baier'. He dismissed casualty figures as exaggerated and suggested foreign interference as a cause of the turmoil.

JD Vance, along with other prominent GOP figures such as Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Rand Paul, is positioning himself for the 2028 presidential primary, indicating a competitive landscape within the Republican Party.

The U.S. Supreme Court has reinstated a challenge from a Republican congressman regarding a law that permits the counting of late-arriving mail ballots, a measure that has faced criticism from former President Donald Trump. This decision reflects ongoing legal battles surrounding voting regulations in the United States.

The Trump administration's special envoy has announced the launch of Phase 2 of a ceasefire plan aimed at establishing a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, warning Hamas of 'serious consequences' if they do not comply.