Your Presidential Daily Brief: ISIS Leader May Be Dead | London Fire Toll Might Reach 60

[The Presidential Daily Brief]( [The Presidential Daily Brief]( IMPORTANT June 16, 2017 [Londoners write tributes on a wall near Wednesday's fire in Grenfell Tower, where firefighters continue to search for bodies. Source: Getty]( [Russian Airstrike May Have Killed ISIS Leader]( Is the 'caliph' dead? Russia's defense ministry is investigating reports that a May 28 airstrike killed international terror leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The attack, which state media claimed killed over 300 militants, reportedly targeted an [ISIS]( meeting on the outskirts of Raqqa: The group's de facto capital has been under sustained assault by U.S.-backed local fighters. The Pentagon said it couldn't confirm the claim, but Russian officials reported that they warned U.S. forces before attacking. If proven, the news could be a body blow to ISIS' hold on power. Sources: [CNN]( [CBS]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [London Fire Toll Feared to Exceed 60]( They may never be identified. London police made that grim prediction as emergency personnel continue to comb through the charred rubble of 24-story Grenfell Tower, where at least 17 are confirmed dead. It's feared the toll could reach 60, and one police commander said he hoped it wouldn't hit "triple figures." Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth visited survivors today, after [Prime Minister]( Theresa May ordered an inquiry into the tragedy. One possible line of investigation could involve aluminum cladding - common in British high-rises - that's been blamed for accelerating Wednesday morning's deadly blaze. Sources: [BBC]( [NYT]( [The Guardian]( [Daily Mail]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Trump Blasts Investigators as Russia Probe Expands]( Batten down the hatches. In a flurry of [Russiagate]( developments, new reports say presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner's business dealings and potential conflicts are targets for Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump blasted "very bad and conflicted" federal investigators believed to be probing his possible obstruction of justice in ousting former FBI Director James Comey. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Comey political asylum, comparing him to Moscow-based fugitive Edward Snowden. And U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has lawyered up, anticipating storm clouds over the Potomac. Sources: [Washington Post]( [AP]( [NPR]( [The Atlantic]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Trump to Reimpose Financial Restrictions on Cuba]( Say hello to his little pen. President Trump is expected to make a speech from Miami - Castro opposition heartland - today, announcing plans to crack down on financial dealings with Cuba's military and to limit American travel to the Caribbean island. Other components of President Obama's rapprochement will remain: [Airlines]( and cruise companies already doing business with Cuba can continue to do so. Critics warned that the new regulations would favor businesses that have managed to set up shop, while penalizing those whose plans have yet to be realized. Sources: [WSJ (sub)]( [NYT]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Briefly Know This: The U.S. Senate has voted 98-2 to impose [new sanctions]( on Moscow, adding a provision that prevents the White House from unilaterally lifting existing sanctions. Chinese authorities have identified the suspect in Thursday's [bombing]( at a Jiangsu Province kindergarten that killed seven people and injured 65. And a Tennessee homeowner held two escaped felons at gunpoint, [ending a manhunt]( that began Tuesday with the murder of two prison guards. Try This: Feeling presidential after a week of briefings? [Prove it]( with the PDB quiz. Answer This: Tell us how you really feel. OZY's next TV show, Third Rail With OZY, is launching on PBS this fall! To kick things off, we're shelving the PC and sparking debates. Each Wednesday, we'll post a provocative question, with a focus on topics that might make it onto the show. This week, we delve into privacy and security: Should tech companies surrender your data to the FBI? Go deep. Email thirdrail@ozy.com with your thoughts or a personal story, and we might feature your answer next week. OZY and GE are partnering to bring you an inside look at additive manufacturing. [Could Pittsburgh Become the Silicon Valley of 3D Printing?]( GE is opening Customer Experience Centers to demonstrate the game-changing possibilities of 3D printing to leaders in industry. New centers located in Munich and Pittsburgh could make these cities into hubs for the growing additive manufacturing revolution. Sources: [OZY | GE ON DIGITAL INDUSTRY]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( INTRIGUING [Putin Trolled on Live Russian State TV]( That was awkward. President Vladimir Putin's annual call-in show - long a controlled PR opportunity to show off the leader's ability to solve his people's problems - faced an unexpected glitch Thursday when a string of angry messages appeared on-screen while [Putin]( spoke. "Three presidential terms is enough!" read one. "All of Russia thinks that you've been too long on your throne," said another. It wasn't clear whether they'd slipped through or were intentionally aired by rogue TV staffers who would likely find the angry words used against them. Sources: [RFE/RL]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( ['No Flash' Mueller Isn't In It for Party Favors]( "Bob is not really a fun guy." If you were President Trump, you might worry if those words described someone who's [investigating]( you. As it turns out, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has that rep: When he hosts a Friday soirée, it's lights-out at 10:05 p.m. Reports indicate that Mueller, said to be apolitical, is probing Trump's possible obstruction of justice. Assuming he isn't summarily fired, the ex-FBI chief and his team are expected to adopt a hard-nosed strategy and follow the evidence wherever it leads. Sources: [Vanity Fair]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Oregon Bureaucracy Adds Third Gender Option]( Are you M, F ... or X? Starting July 1, those are the three [gender]( choices Oregon residents will have for government-issued IDs and driving licenses following a court decision that authorized an Oregonian to identify as "non-binary." People choosing to make the change can self-certify, meaning they won't need a doctor's note. While Oregon is the only state to allow a "not specified" gender, it may not be for long: California's state Senate has already passed a bill authorizing a similar move, which now awaits approval by its Assembly. Sources: [Time]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Cosby Jury Deadlocked After Four Days]( They just disagree. Though the defense offered only six minutes of testimony from one witness in comedian Bill Cosby's criminal [trial]( for an alleged 2004 sexual assault, jurors have deliberated unsuccessfully for nearly 30 hours. The panel of seven men and five women discussed the potential of a mistrial with Judge Steven O'Neill yesterday, but he instructed them to return this morning and continue trying to reach verdicts on three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault. A Cosby spokesman called it "justice," however, perhaps seeing little chance of a unanimous decision. Sources: [Deadline]( [Variety]( Share: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [United Lawmakers Play Ball for 'Team Scalise']( The only way to lose was not to play. Just one day after a gunman injured House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and four others at GOP [baseball]( practice, congressional Democrats and Republicans went ahead and played their annual game last night. The Dems won 11-2, but Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi emphasized "tonight we're all Team Scalise." The 25,000 spectators raised $1.5 million for local charities and a memorial fund for Capitol Police, which had two officers injured in Wednesday's shooting, including David Bailey - who threw out the first pitch. 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