…And the World:

We begin today in Thailand, where a bomb went off a shrine in Bangkok. Some unconfirmed reports indicate that as many as 27 are dead, including foreigners. Two additional unexploded bombs have been found as well. The blast, at a site popular with tourists, has also reportedly injured 67.

President Barack Obama’s administration has warned China to curb the number of operatives it has in the United States. However, the Chinese government waved off the warning.

In Israel, despite his razor thin major in the Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could get by for up to two years—if he can pass a budget. The Times of Israel reviews the carefully choreographed dance Bibi must do to keep himself in power and his government from toppling for lack of a budget.

In the UK Labour party’s leadership contest, former Foreign Secretary David Miliband (who lost to his brother in 2010’s leadership election) has come out in favor of Liz Kendall, who by now seems like a longshot. Given Jeremy Corbyn’s surge, some candidates are facing pressure to drop out. But Corbyn may be facing some last minute problems as questions arise about his ties to anti-Semitic organizations.

ICYMI: Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry raised the American flag over the once and again US Embassy in Havana.

While Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faces rebellion over the new Greek bailout deal, German Chancellor Angela Merkel maneuvers to avoid dissent within her own Haus.

The Feds:

Hawkeye Hope? Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton turned in a widely praised performance at the Wing Ding dinner Democrats in northern Iowa hold. The next day she fired back at Jeb Bush for his laying blame for Iraq’s mess at Clinton and Obama’s feet (aparently Jeb doesn’t know he has an older brother).

The reality of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’s surge is subjective (the only poll showing him ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire deserves suspicion until confirmed by another poll), but so may be Clinton’s resurgence in Iowa, a state wherein she placed 3^rd in 2008. Moreover, her attempts at outreach are complicated by celebrity she cannot escape. Meanwhile, Clinton campaign chair Robby Mook wrote a memo to reassure nail-biting “Acela Corridor allies” that things are just fine.

Donald Trump released his immigration plan and Chris Christie slams it.

Under pressure since a series of #blacklivesmatter disruptions at his events, Sanders insists he will fight racism in the US.

Power Post today debates the life, death, resurgence or none of the above of libertarianism in America.

As New Jersey and New York governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo harrumph about building the desperately needed new rail tunnel under the Hudson River (actually Cuomo is being more petulant), NY Senator Charles Schumer steps forward with an idea.  A new entity that could marry the various resources all the stakeholders can access. Second Avenue Sagas sounds a rare note of hope in light of Schumer’s proposal.

Democratic Connecticut congressman John Larson of East Hartford is backing the Iran deal, but he has sponsored legislation authorizing the president to attack Iran if the deal doesn’t work.

The State of Things:

Reminder Editor-in-Chief Mike Dobbs opines that the sudden plethora of local races are proving more interesting the ever-burgeoning national contest playing out in the early primary states.

Also in The Reminder, the hit both MGM and the state will take by delaying the opening of MGM Springfield for a year.

Get up to speed on Beacon Hill with NEPR’s Henry Epp and State House News Service’s Matt Murphy.

Holyoke Mayoral candidate Fran O’Connell has laid out his economic agenda, but remains mum about revelations by a former campaign staffer about crude remarks about women and his intention to all, but cede mayoral responsibilities to focus on the economic issues.

A battle in Beverly for that city’s mayoralty.

We weigh in Hampden Sheriff Michael Ashe’s decision to put on hold plans to relocate the Western Mass Alcohol Correctional Center to the North End of Springfield.

The Fourth Estatements:

With the 10^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaching, The Times-Picayune, whose valiant coverage in the face of the storm received wide praise (and a Pulitzer), faces even more cuts, according to The Huffington Post. The parent company of The Times-Picayune also owns The Republican/Masslive.

In a mix of the above and below headings, Mike Elk, Politico’s labor reporter who also sought to organize the publication’s workers, is apparently out.

It’s Working:

The push for a $15 minimum wage could have an unintended consequence at restaurants, which may rely more heavily on automation instead of paying workers that rate.

City Slickers:

Ward 3 Councilor Melvin Edwards’s attorney in his lawsuit against the Dunbar Community Center is entirely about recouping medical costs. More to the point, lawyer Thomas Rooke tells The Reminder this is primarily a dispute between Edwards’s insurance company and Dunbar’s.

Masslive’s Dan Glaun writes about Springfield Finest’s attempts to build trust with the Forest Park neighborhood.

The Armoury-Quadrangle Civic Association holds a mayoral forum this Thursday.

Twitter Chatter:

With still six months until any voting begins, the presidential contests can only get stranger from here. You can tell when the media themselves are getting jumpy when they start observing the Inception-like oddities of the race rather they just ignoring them like good Washington-beltway denizens. Today we award the Tweet prize to NBC producer Frank Thorp V. Tweeting from the Iowa state fair he observed the strange convergence of events. Hillary Clinton’s walk around the fair and Donald Trumps circling of it—from a helicopter. It’s going to be a long fifteen months…