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1. Tax reform
President Trump is pushing hard for tax reform. Over the weekend, the President held a conference call with House GOP members and urged them to pass the Senate’s version of the budget this week. Trump believes making quick work of the budget will be the fastest path to getting tax reform done, which he wants passed by the end of the year. In an interview with Fox News, the President claimed the GOP would deliver the biggest tax cuts in the country’s history.
In order to deliver on that promise, he’ll have to make nice with some of the same folks he’s attacked over the past couple of months. That charm offensive begins in earnest Tuesday when he heads to Capitol Hill for lunch with Senate Republicans, including three men he’s clashed with – Sens. Bob Corker, John McCain and Jeff Flake.
2. Japan
At least two people are dead in Japan after a mammoth typhoon made landfall this morning. Typhoon Lan lashed Japan with dangerous winds and heavy rain, and there’s a big threat of flooding and mudslides. More than 200,000 were forced to evacuate.
The storm delayed final results in Japan’s snap election, where exit polls say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is cruising to a landslide victory. The win will put Abe on course to be post-war Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. Abe says he’ll push for big changes to Japan’s defense strategy and its longtime pacifist stance.
3. Sexual harassment
Another Hollywood heavyweight is facing multiple accusations of sexual harassment. Dozens of women have accused writer and director James Toback of sexually harassing them during interviews or auditions, according to the Los Angeles Times. The allegations go back decades, but Toback – known for such films as “The Gambler,” “The Pick-Up Artist” and “Bugsy” – has denied them. CNN has not independently verified the allegations but is reaching out to the women.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that Fox News gave Bill O’Reilly a big contract extension even after he paid $32 million to a Fox News colleague who threatened to sue him for alleged sexual misconduct. O’Reilly was fired by Fox in April after other such settlements came to light. O’Reilly says he “never mistreated anyone.”
4. Laptops on planes
You soon may no longer be able to put your laptop in your checked luggage. An international air safety panel will recommend banning laptops from checked luggage because of fire risks. There are fears that overheated laptop batteries could ignite and start an uncontrollable fire in a cargo hold that could take down a plane. The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization will take up the proposed ban at its meeting this month. If a ban is approved, it would still be up to individual nations to enforce it.
5. JFK assassination documents
Are we about to learn long-suppressed secrets about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? Probably not. President Trump tweeted over the weekend he’ll allow the release of classified documents about the assassination – including FBI and CIA files. Historians don’t think there are any bombshells in the files, although they do believe it will shed light on assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s mystery trip to Mexico City just weeks before the shooting.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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In plain sight
The bust of Napoleon Bonaparte sat quietly in a corner of a New Jersey town hall for years, until a temp realized it was a $4 million masterpiece by Rodin.
Queen of kicks
Being crowned homecoming queen was nothing for Claire Jeffress. The Texas high school senior is pretty good at kicking game-winning field goals too.
Bringin’ Justin back
Justin Timberlake will be our halftime entertainment at the next Super Bowl, his first appearance since 2004’s infamous “wardrobe malfunction” with Janet Jackson.
Presidential power
The big hurricane relief concert down in Texas wasn’t lacking for executive star power. It featured the five living ex-Presidents and the current one (via video).
Just like Airbnb
If you’re ever in Jordan, check out the world’s smallest hotel – an old VW Beetle smack in the middle of the desert.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
$10 million
That’s how much a billionaire and Democratic mega-donor is willing to spend on a TV ad campaign calling for President Trump’s impeachment.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The people here needed this. Harvey didn’t care what your address was.”
Baseball Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, saying his former team, the Houston Astros, dedicated its ALCS Game 7 win over the New York Yankees to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. The Astros will face off against the L.A. Dodgers Tuesday in the World Series.
AND FINALLY …
Reunited and it feels so good
Because one of them had an illness, these two swans hadn’t seen each other in weeks. As soon as they were together again, the dancing began. (Click to view)