Democrat Abigail Spanberger often campaigns in rural Virginia districts that President Donald Trump won by large margins. In the general election to be Virginia's next governor, she is competing for voters in places where Democrats have struggled in recent elections. Spanberger’s efforts to gain ground in ruby-red parts of Virginia come as Democrats have nationally shown more interest in small-town America. The terrain may be new for Democrats nationally but it's familiar ground for Spanberger. She hopes to benefit from growing concern about the impact of Trump's policies on rural areas.

Liberal rights advocate Natasa Pirc Musar has won a runoff vote to become Slovenia’s next president and the small European Union country’s first female head of state.

WASHINGTON Liberal interest groups are intensifying pressure on Democrats to take aggressive measures to reshape the Supreme Court, arguing the party should include such measures in its policy platform at next months convention. Presidential candidates who embraced sweeping court reforms, such as former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg dropped their campaigns. The presumptive nominee, Joe Biden, has not gone as far, but he has pledged to nominate a Black woman to the high court. Our democracy is under assault, and the Supreme Court has dealt many of the sharpest blows. President Donald Trump similarly energized conservatives in 2016 by releasing a list of potential nominees to the high court.

OTTAWA, ONT – The Canadian government is predicting a historic CDN$343 billion (US$254 billion) deficit for 2020-21 resulting from its economic and stimulus plans to battle COVID-19. The amount, included in a fiscal “snapshot” the Liberal government released Wednesday, is a huge jump from the CDN$28.1 billion (US$20.8 billion) deficit projected prior to the pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the government’s spending as a lifeline to Canadians battling to stay afloat. An estimated 5.5 million Canadians have either lost their jobs or have seen their hours reduced. The program has paid out CDN$53.5 billion (US39.6 billion) in benefits to about 8 million Canadians as of late June.

Voters in Canada elect a Liberal minority government, retaining Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister. Distributed by LAKANA. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.