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How many members of America's political elite are direct descendants of people who were slaveholders? To answer that question, Reuters examined the family ancestries of more than 600 of the country's leading officeholders. Such an inquiry has never been done. The findings form the first of a multipart Special Report called Slavery's Descendants.

Plus, the aftermath of Prigozhin's mutiny and other top news stories from around the world.

By Edson Caldas

Special Report

Many lawmakers need look no further than their own family histories to find a personal connection to slavery in America. In researching the genealogies of America's political elite, a Reuters examination found that a fifth of the nation's lawmakers, living presidents, Supreme Court justices and governors are direct descendants of ancestors who enslaved Black people.

Among 536 members of the last sitting Congress, Reuters determined at least 100 descend from slaveholders. Those lawmakers from the 117th session of Congress are Democrats and Republicans alike. They include Republican senators Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton and James Lankford, and Democrats Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan.

In addition, President Joe Biden and every living former U.S. president – except Donald Trump – are direct descendants of slaveholders: Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and – through his white mother's side – Barack Obama. Trump's ancestors came to America after slavery was abolished.

Read the full Reuters Special Report here, including how politicians reacted to the findings. You can also see how Reuters researched and reported Slavery's Descendants and find resources for researching your ancestry.

Today's Top News

Prigozhin leaves the headquarters of the Southern Military District amid the group's pullout from the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

WAGNER MUTINY AFTERMATH

A jet linked to Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived in Belarus from Russia earlier today, potentially carrying him to exile after he led an aborted mutiny against the Russian military. Prigozhin had said on Saturday he was going to Belarus under a deal brokered by its president, Alexander Lukashenko.
The Reuters World News daily podcast looks at how the Russian infighting could impact the battlefield in Ukraine and the balance of power back home.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he let Saturday's aborted mutiny go on as long as it did to avoid bloodshed, while the Wagner mercenary group boss said he never intended to overthrow the government.

AROUND THE WORLD

The world lost an area of old-growth tropical rainforest the size of Switzerland last year, as deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon continued unabated, a forest monitoring project report said. Despite a recent global pledge to reach zero deforestation by 2030, tropical forest loss exceeded 2021 levels.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said she had a "very robust" discussion during a meeting with her Chinese counterpart, as the leaders of the two countries prepare to meet. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is leading a delegation to Beijing that includes some of New Zealand's biggest companies.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has moved at lightning speed in his first month in office, implementing changes aimed at unleashing the full potential of Africa's sluggish economic giant. But while his rapid headway on reforms has wowed investors, some analysts and business leaders warn that bigger challenges await and question whether he is the man to take them on.

Business & Markets

Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy and put itself up for sale after the US electric truck manufacturer failed to resolve a dispute over a promised investment from Taiwan company Foxconn. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware and simultaneously took legal action against Foxconn.
Former Audi boss Rupert Stadler was handed a suspended sentence of one year and nine months by a Munich court for fraud by negligence in the 2015 diesel scandal, becoming the first former Volkswagen board member to receive such a sentence. For more news on the industry, sign up for the Auto File newsletter.
Starbucks plans to issue "clearer" centralized guidelines for in-store visual displays, according to an internal memo. The move comes after a union alleged that managers at dozens of Starbucks locations had prevented employees from putting up Pride-themed decor. The coffee giant disputes the allegations.
As pandemic travel restrictions began to ease in 2021 tourists returning to Madrid discovered the its downtown had undergone a makeover. The facelift was part of the city's plan to attract five-star hotels as it pushes for a piece of the luxury tourism sector until now dominated in Europe by Paris, London and Milan.

And Finally...

Elton John performs at the Glastonbury Festival site in Somerset, Britain, June 25, 2023. REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff

Call it Beyflation. Or maybe Swiftflation. The cost of certain goods is retreating in some places, but that doesn't include live music. Concert tickets have surged in price, to the point where economists are noticing. Fans are shelling out a fortune for tickets to see the world's biggest music acts, including names like Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen who haven't toured for years.

Read more here: Popstars could be powering inflation as concert prices surge

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