Former two-term Governor of Maine Paul LePage (R), who once declared he was "Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular," announced that he is launching a campaign for a third term, AP reports.
Why it matters: The race may provide insight into Maine's appetite for a Trump ally in office. Trump won one electoral vote in Maine during the 2020 election, "underscoring his popularity" in rural parts of the state, per AP.
Fewer Americans are trying to get out of jury duty, and legal experts say this may reflect people's growing desire to combat systemic racism.
Driving the news: Jury consultant Jason Bloom tells Axios that, historically, as many as one in four U.S. adults who are called for jury duty seek to be excused, citing hardships. But now, that number has shrunk to around only 5%-10%, he says.
Fireworks displays marking Independence Day returned with a bang across the U.S. after last year's cancelations due to the pandemic, as thousands of Americans turned out this July Fourth holiday weekend.
The big picture: Health precautions were in place at many events, though restrictions had eased at some, in a reflection of the huge COVID-19 vaccine rollout — like at a D.C. event with no social distancing, where "maskless actors dressed as George and Martha Washington" entertained maskless tourists, per the Washington Post.
President Joe Biden used his Fourth of July speech Sunday to declare that the U.S. is "closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus."
What he's saying: "This year, the Fourth of July is a day of special celebration," Biden said before a crowd of 1,000 essential workers and military families. "For we are emerging from the darkness of years. A year pandemic and isolation.
The social media site Gettr saw over half a million registrations within hours of its launch Sunday by Jason Miller, previously a senior adviser to former President Trump, though it was briefly hit by hackers, per Reuters.
Details: It appears several former Trump administration officials were targeted in the app hacking, including Miller and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with their bios changed to read "@JubaBaghdad was here, follow me in twitter :)."
Crews were preparing for the controlled demolition of the remaining portion of the partially collapsed condo building in Surfside, Florida, on Sunday evening.
The latest: Miami-Dade officials told a news conference crews will aim to bring down the building between 10 p.m. Sunday and 3 a.m. Monday, ahead of the expected arrival of Tropical Storm Elsa.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter reflected on the longevity of their marriage and what keeps their love strong in a series of interviews published Sunday, ahead of their 75th wedding anniversary.
The big picture: The longest-married American presidential couple are due to mark 75 years of marriage this Wednesday, July 7.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, dropped off cookies at their neighborhood fire station in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles on Sunday.
The big picture: Harris is home in California after speaking in Las Vegas on Saturday. Meanwhile, President Biden is returning to the White House on Sunday afternoon for a barbecue with first responders and military families.
Former Texas GOP Chairman Allen West announced his run for governor on Sunday during aJuly Fourth appearance at Sojourn Church in Carrollton, Texas.
Why it matters: West’s primary bid poses a challenge to incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott, who West has routinely criticized since he became the state's Republican Party chairman last year.
The fireworks shows in Ocean City, Md., have been canceled after one of the displays unexpectedly detonated hours ahead of schedule, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.
The big picture: Employees of the fireworks company behind the 4th of July celebrations retained minor injuries when the accidental explosion occurred, the Ocean City Fire Department said in a statement.
Anthony Fauci expressed sadness at the "avoidable and preventable" coronavirus-related deaths among unvaccinated people during an appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."
One of Serbia’s five-member rowing team tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan, an official said Sunday. This is the third visiting Olympian to test positive for the virus ahead of the games, which are set to begin later this month.
Why it matters: Japan's government has faced heavy criticism for deciding to host the Olympic Games in spite of rising cases.
At least 17 people have been killed and 40 others rescued after a military plane carrying 92 people crashed and erupted into flames in the southern Philippines Sunday, officials said.
Of note: The C-130 Philippine Air Force aircraft crash on the island of Jolo marks the country's worst military air disaster since 1993, per Reuters. 30 people were killed in that crash and there were concerns the death toll could rise in the latest incident, the New York Times notes.
The Canadian Armed Forces are being called in to help combat dozens of wildfires in western Canada that have sparked evacuation orders and caused the deaths of at least two people, per CTV News.
What's happening: 172 wildfires are burning across British Columbia following the Pacific Northwest's record heat wave, per the BC Wildfire Service.
Thousands of protesters across Brazil called for President Jair Bolsonaro's removal Saturday, one day after a judge authorized opening an investigation into him over an alleged COVID-19 vaccine procurement scheme, per the Guardian.
Why it matters: The pandemic has killed almost 524,000 people in Brazil amid a slow vaccine rollout. This investigation, along with a Senate probe, may hurt Bolsonaro's re-election chances next year and could hamper his "ability to serve out the remainder of his term," the New York Times notes.
Massachusetts State Police said they took 11 men into custody Saturday after a standoff near Boston with a heavily armed group that saw Interstate 95 partially shut down during the holiday weekend.
Of note: State Police Col. Christopher Mason told a briefing after the nearly nine-hours-long standoff that several firearms were seized from the men, who said they belonged to the Rise of the Moors. The group's website describes members as peaceful Moorish Americans who don't recognize U.S. law.
