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🛏️ Parting shot: Tulip beds Photo: Gayle Brooke Gayle Brooke of Lake Odessa, Mich., sent these beauties our way.

✡️ Scoop: State's antisemitism accusation Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios A new State Department report accuses Iran, Russia and China of incorporating antisemitic narratives, threats and attacks into operations in both the physical and cyber domains. Why it matters: The report, which was transmitted to Congress on May 26, is likely to increase pressure on the Trump administration to treat attacks on Jewish communities as part of a broader foreign interference challenge rather than isolated incidents of extremism. "Iran, Russia, China and affiliated non-state actors employed antisemitic symbols, graffiti, threats and online propaganda across physical and cyber domains," the report says. "The deliberate targeting of Jewish institutions, memorial sites and religious symbols is intended to provoke fear and outrage, polarize societies and erode public trust." What they are saying: "We don't comment on congressional reports or correspondence," a State Department spokesperson said. Emails seeking comment from the Chinese and Russian embassies and the Iranian Interests Section in Washington were not returned. Zoom out: Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expanded investigations, hearings and legislation aimed at countering foreign influence operations. With the rise of social media, there is growing concern that Russia, China and Iran are exploiting social divisions to weaken democratic societies from within. The report was required by Congress in the State Department's annual appropriations bill. The intrigue: The report relies largely on public sources to support its claims, citing media reports in its footnotes. But the State Department did not publicly release the report, which some congressional officials expected. Zoom in: The report alleges that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leveraged social media bots to amplify antisemitic narratives. It also details threats in the physical world, including an IRGC plot to assassinate a rabbi in Azerbaijan. On China, the report cites a post by China's consul general in Osaka, Japan, comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. — Hans Nichols

💰Scoop ... Big bet on '28 maps Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Democrats are pushing the fight over future House maps down ballot, with the super PAC Forward Majority planning to spend $30 million on two dozen state legislative races this year. 🏛️ Why it matters: The group is betting that as few as eight statehouse races could help determine who controls redistricting for six U.S. House seats ahead of 2028. 🤠 "We're in the Wild West now," said Leslie Martes, the chief executive officer of Forward Majority. "There are 7,000 legislative districts across the country. Not all of them are up this year, but you've got to make sure that you're playing in the right places with the resources that you have." ➕ Zoom in: In Texas this year, Republicans showed Democrats that redistricting didn't have to be a decennial affair, pushing through a mid-cycle redistricting that aims to net five new GOP seats. Democrats responded in kind in California, but a state Supreme Court decision blocked Virginia's aggressive redraw. The Supreme Court's Callais ruling weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, giving both parties more room to pursue aggressive redistricting strategies. 10 states ended up with new maps for 2026. Other states flirted with redraws but held back due to tight deadlines or skittish state legislatures. 📢 Zoom out: Republicans plan to pad their numbers in states like Georgia and Mississippi ahead of 2028. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is preparing to respond by squeezing more Democratic-friendly seats from blue states. But both parties need the same thing to become creative cartographers: control of the state House, state Senate and governor's mansion. That is especially important ahead of the 2030 census, when all 50 states will redraw their lines. ‼️ The intrigue: Forward Majority predicts that eight races in five states — Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — could help determine control of legislative chambers representing roughly 42 million Americans. "We think it's one to two seats in Wisconsin, one to three in Pennsylvania, and at least one in Minnesota," Martes said. Arizona and Michigan use commissions to redraw congressional maps. Forward Majority is basing this prediction on an in-house modeling system called "Tipping Points" that analyzes precinct-level demographic and political data to find its best opportunities. 😥 The bottom line: "We win and lose some of these districts by 64 votes," Martes said. — Hans Nichols

👋 Good morning! America's largest city is buzzing as the NBA Finals come to town, the Stanley Cup Final is delivering incredible drama (and lots of goals!) and the World Cup is right around the corner. Who's got it better than us? Tickets punched: No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 North Carolina, No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Alabama, No. 16 West Virginia, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Troy are headed to Omaha for the College World Series, which begins on Friday. In today's edition: All eyes on MSG, Korda wins another major, Zverev breaks through in Paris, USMNT's final tuneup, Vegas in the driver's seat, 4-point field goals, "Golf's Longest Day," and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🏆 NBA FINALS ALL EYES ON MSG (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) With the NBA Finals returning to Madison Square Garden tonight (8:30pm ET, ABC) for the first time in 27 years — and the president in attendance at the World's Most Famous Arena — the Knicks and Spurs will try to do the impossible: pretend it's just another game. Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports: Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be Josh Hart's 30th home playoff game as a member of the Knicks — the 30th time he's seen fans fill the stands at MSG for a contest that means more than most. He's got a pretty good idea of what to expect. "The Garden is going to be rocking," Hart said Sunday at the Knicks' practice session. "Obviously, in this city we love our Knicks. So we're going to come out, show love, support. The energy is going to be electric." There will be two major differences to the regularly scheduled raucous and rambunctious atmosphere, though. For one thing, Monday will mark the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since June 25, 1999 — just a few weeks after the eldest Knick on this year's roster, guard Jordan Clarkson, turned 7 years old. For another, President Donald Trump plans to attend at the invitation of Knicks owner James L. Dolan, a longtime donor to Republican parties and candidates, including the president. This will mark the first time a sitting U.S. president has ever attended an NBA Finals game. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) What they're saying: News of Trump's attendance has generated strong reactions from some politicians and pundits. But inside the Garden, as both teams prepared for Game 3, players emphasized the importance of remaining laser-focused and tuning out the noise. "For me personally, [Villanova] Coach [Jay] Wright always talked about [how] we play for the guys in the locker room, and we don't really play to the crowd," Hart said. "So I feel like I'm able to kind of tune that out pretty well." "I think it could be [more difficult given all the attention], but isolating myself is something I've practiced over the years," said Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama. "I think I'm good at it. So it's not a problem. This is similar to something media-wise like the Olympics." Game notes: Heightened security: MSG will employ a strict no-bag policy and "TSA-style screening" in anticipation of Trump's arrival, and fans have been encouraged to arrive at least two hours early. Due to security concerns, the watch party outside the arena has been canceled. Ticket prices: The get-in price for Game 3 was approaching $10,000 on Saturday before settling around $6,000 on Sunday, according to Gametime. NBA commissioner Adam Silver admitted it was "frustrating" that more people can't afford to attend. Going streaking: With a thrilling 105-104 victory in Game 2 on Friday night, the Knicks logged their 13th consecutive victory. That now stands on its own as the second-longest winning streak in playoff history, trailing only the 2017 Warriors (15 straight). Backs against the wall: The Spurs are the 38th team to fall behind 2-0 in the NBA Finals. Five of the previous 37 teams came back to win the title (2021 Bucks, 2016 Cavaliers, 2006 Heat, 1977 Trail Blazers, 1969 Celtics), but none of them lost the first two games at home. Pregame reading: Wemby stopper? How Karl-Anthony Towns has bested Victor Wembanyama (Tom Haberstroh, Yahoo Sports)   🇺🇸 SNAPSHOTS PHOTOS ACROSS AMERICA Nelly reacts after her title-clinching putt barely dropped in. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Los Angeles, California — Nelly Korda's sensational season continued on Sunday at Riviera Country Club, where the world No. 1 won the U.S. Women's Open by a stroke thanks to a clutch birdie on the 17th and a par putt at the last that circled the entire cup before dropping. By the numbers: Korda, who's won four of her eight starts this year, is just the third LPGA golfer in the last three decades to win the season's first two majors (2005 Annika Sorenstam, 2013 Inbee Park). She's also the first woman to win four majors in the 2020s, and is now just two points shy of earning her spot in the Hall of Fame (relevant: a major is worth two points). (Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Chicago, Illinois — The USMNT lost to Germany, 2-1, on Saturday in their final World Cup tuneup — one last reality check for the Americans that offered mixed clues as to how they might fare on soccer's biggest stage. They flew to California after the game, and will train there ahead of Friday's opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. Goal of the year? The Americans' lone goal came in the 37th minute when Antonee Robinson ripped a volley top shelf with one of the purest left-footed strikes you'll ever see. Unreal. (Al Bello/Getty Images) Saratoga Springs, New York — Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo replicated his success at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, surging into the lead down the stretch to win the 158th Test of the Champion. What could have been: No horse has won the Triple Crown since Justify in 2018, and this marked the second straight year that the Derby winner skipped the Preakness and then won the Belmont. It's a trend that will likely continue unless the Triple Crown changes its three-races-in-five-weeks schedule.   🌍 SNAPSHOTS PHOTOS AROUND THE WORLD (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images) 🇫🇷 Paris, France — At long last, Alexander Zverev is a Grand Slam champion, taking down Flavio Cobolli in five sets to win the French Open. His maiden major victory came in his 41st major appearance, the second-most attempts needed by a man in the Open Era to win his first major (Goran Ivanišević, 48). Women's champ: 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat qualifier Maja Chwalińska in straight sets for her first Grand Slam title, becoming the youngest woman to win the French Open since 1992 (Monica Seles), and the third-youngest woman to win a major this century (Maria Sharapova, 2004 Wimbledon; Emma Raducanu, 2021 U.S. Open). Antonelli driving the iconic Circuit de Monaco. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images) 🇲🇨 Monte-Carlo, Monaco — It's early in the season, but Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli appears to be running away with the F1 title, winning Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix for his fifth consecutive victory. With 156 points, the young Italian's lead over second-place Lewis Hamilton (90) is larger than Hamilton's lead over 10th place Pierre Gasly (26). So good, so young: Antonelli (19 years, 9 months) became the youngest driver ever to win at Monaco, smashing Hamilton's record from 2008 (23 years, 4 months). He also became the youngest in F1 history to record a Grand Slam (pole, led every lap, fastest lap, won race). (Daniel Cardenas/Anadolu via Getty Images) 🇲🇽 Mexico City, Mexico — Thousands of people flooded the sprawling Paseo de la Reforma on Saturday in an attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the largest wave outside a stadium. The event was organized to support Mexico's soccer team, which plays South Africa on Thursday at Estadio Azteca in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Did you know? While the wave is believed to have been invented in Colorado in 1979 by a cheerleader named Krazy George Henderson, it was popularized via broadcasts of the 1986 World Cup held in Mexico. In fact, outside of North America it's referred to as "the Mexican wave."   💯 STAT SHEET BIG NUMBERS (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) 🏒 25 goals The Golden Knights and Hurricanes have combined to score 25 goals so far in the Stanley Cup Final, the most through the first three games of a Cup Final since 1981. ICYMI: The Knights nearly suffered a historic collapse on Saturday when the Canes erased a 4-0 third-period deficit — including three goals in 39 seconds!!! — to force overtime. But Vegas ultimately got the job done, winning 5-4 (2OT) to take a 2-1 series lead. 🏈 4-point field goals The UFL made headlines this spring when it introduced 4-point field goals, awarding an extra point on successful kicks from 60+ yards. After just four were made all regular season, Sunday's semifinals featured three: two by Louisville Kings kicker Tanner Brown (60 and 63 yards) and one by DC Defenders kicker Matt McCrane (61 yards). United Bowl-bound: The Kings beat the St. Louis Battlehawks, 29-20, to advance to the title game in their inaugural season. They'll face the reigning champion Defenders, who are back in the United Bowl after upsetting the top-seeded Orlando Storm, 28-22. Coming in hot. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) ⚾️ 103.7 mph Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski threw a 103.7 mph pitch against the Rockies on Saturday, topping his previous mark (103.6 mph) for the fastest by a starter since tracking began in 2008. Altogether, 45 of his 98 pitches were clocked at 101+ mph, setting another MLB record. Good luck, hitters: Misiorowski (7-2, 1.50 ERA) has been virtually untouchable since the start of May, compiling a minuscule 0.20 ERA over his last seven starts (1 ER in 45.1 IP). That's the lowest ERA over a seven-start span (min. 30 IP) since Bob Gibson in 1968 (0.14 ERA). ⛳️ 36 holes The road to the 126th U.S. Open concludes today with "Golf's Longest Day," as 10 sites conduct 36-hole qualifiers to fill the remaining spots for next week's championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Past U.S. Open champions Webb Simpson (2012), Lucas Glover (2009) and Geoff Ogilvy (2006) are among the notable names hoping to qualify. Notably absent: J.T. Poston was scheduled to play in a qualifier today. Instead, he won The Memorial Tournament over the weekend (while playing 33 holes on Sunday!) to secure his U.S. Open spot, earn himself a $4 million payday, and get out of playing another 36 holes today.   ⚽️ ROAD TO 2026 WORLD CUP TRIVIA (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images) The 2026 FIFA World Cup will crown the seventh men's world champion of the 21st century. Question: Can you name the six countries that won the previous six editions? Years: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022. Answer at the bottom.   🙏 YOUR TURN GOT 2 MINUTES? (Giphy) One quick favor before you go: If Yahoo Sports AM is part of your morning routine, we'd love to learn a little more about you. This short survey takes less than two minutes, and your feedback will help shape the future of the newsletter. Thank you!   Trivia answer: Brazil (2002), Italy (2006), Spain (2010), Germany (2014), France (2018), Argentina (2022)

Consumers alter spending habits as gas prices strain their budgets U.S. consumers haven’t stopped spending money since the Iran war drove up fuel prices, but many shoppers are reassessing what they buy and where, according to company executives and retail analysts. Read more. Why this matters: Location intelligence company Placer.ai saw reduced foot traffic at clothing, electronics and home furnishing stores, and more trips to grocery stores and dollar stores. Executives from American mainstays like Walmart, McDonald's and Dollar General cited overall shopper resilience as well as noticeable cutbacks by lower-income customers. The U.S. Commerce Department reported last week that higher prices, not more purchases, accounted for most of the growth in Americans’ spending in April. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ The US job market is strong but many Americans are still frustrated by prospects and rising prices Rising gas prices could mean pricier summer for US boaters ps:Actually gas prices were coming down, but came right back up to 3.999 today!!

Trump abruptly ends interview with NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ During the conversation President Donald Trump dismissed the idea that launching the war with Iran this year betrayed his campaign message of “No new wars.” At the end, Kristen Welker pressed Trump on the settlement fund and his claims about the California election. Read more. What to know: Trump raised his voice and began calling Welker and the media “crooked,” attacking her credibility and complaining about what he called “the fake, dirty press.” As Welker tried to switch subjects, Trump continued on and there was cross talk between the two before Trump ended the interview. The interview, taped Friday in Wisconsin, was repeatedly interrupted as waves of heavy rain fell on the metal roof of the barn where the taping took place, making it difficult at times to hear. Welker later said that she spoke to Trump after and he agreed that heavy rain had caused complications during taping and said he would do another interview in the future. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Lawsuit seeks to stop the UFC fight on the White House South Lawn for Trump’s birthday No watch party at Madison Square Garden with Trump attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals As America 250 approaches, fewer Americans see their country as exceptional, AP-NORC poll finds Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt locked in tight race to make runoff for Los Angeles mayor Rob Sand rallies with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear as Democrats aim to flip Iowa governor seat Graham Platner gets a lift from friendly Maine crowd after week of damage control in Senate campaign Former Sen. Bob Packwood, who resigned after sexual harassment scandal, dies

Israel and Iran trade strikes, threatening to drag the region back to full-scale war Israel launched strikes on central and western Iran early Monday in response to missile fire from Tehran, and Iran retaliated with waves of attacks. Read more. Why this matters: It was their first exchange of fire since an April 8 ceasefire was reached. Iran warned that the United States would be responsible for any escalation. Two regional officials said concerted diplomatic efforts were underway Monday to salvage the ceasefire between Iran and the United States. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Live updates on the escalation A timeline of tensions between Iran and Israel over Lebanon WATCH: Iranian missiles aimed at Israel seen over Middle Eastern sky

June 8, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning from New York, where the city is vibrating in advance of Game 3 of the N.B.A. finals. There’s more news below — including everything that happened at the Tony Awards. But first, I’d like to introduce my colleague Emma Goldberg, who with Emily Kassie has just published a story about how Israeli trade restrictions and shadowy profiteers have driven up the prices of nearly everything in Gaza — from food to evacuation. Emma’s going to tell you about it. Saleh Abu Shamala, a Palestinian who lives and works in London, sends most of his earnings to his family in Gaza. Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times Costs of war By Emma Goldberg Saleh Abu Shamala, a 34-year-old man in London, has gone $125,000 into debt to keep his family in Gaza alive during the war. As soon as the war began, Saleh started transferring large amounts of money to his brother, who was supporting their aging parents and younger siblings. The prices of food and essential goods in the territory soon skyrocketed. A kilogram of flour went from 50 cents to $27. A kilo of eggs, which once cost $2.50, went up to $130. Cooking gas climbed from $2 per kilo to $190. And his father had a series of strokes, requiring the family to spend hundreds of dollars on medicine each month. Saleh opened his books to Emily and me to demonstrate the financial toll of the war. As we sifted through the bank statements and transfers, we wanted to know: Why did prices in Gaza climb so high? Emily and I traveled around Israel and the West Bank, and to the main commercial crossing into Gaza, to investigate. We met with merchants, money brokers, businessmen, human rights groups and truckers waiting to cross the border at dawn. What we found was a byzantine, often shadowy wartime economy, with both a tightly controlled commercial system and a raging black market. ‘Everyone takes their share’ More than 400 commercial trucks used to enter Gaza each day. In the early months of the war, though, that number plummeted to an average of 14 as Israel clamped down on trade, citing security concerns. Israel chose a handful of Gazan businessmen who were permitted to import goods. Small merchants started paying steep fees to those chosen businesses for every truckload of goods. The merchants were often unsure of the function of the fees, or who ultimately pocketed them. But the effect was obvious: higher prices. One merchant, who asked to remain anonymous for his safety, showed us a receipt for fees he was paying and said: “The scarcer it is in Gaza, the higher the coordination fee.” Ruwa Jabr, the chief executive of PalTrade, a group that focuses on Palestinian economic development, told us that the prices continued to rise as different brokers took cuts along the way. “Everyone takes their share — by the time it reaches Gaza, the cost is huge,” she said. “A shipment that should cost 100 shekels ends up costing 20,000 shekels or more.” The system sent prices surging. While families like Saleh’s struggled to pay for essentials, though, others were beginning to cash in. In Gaza. Abdel Kareem Hana/Associated Press The smuggler Beginning in 2024, a figure who goes by the code name Abu Basel, who has “numerous connections within the Israeli police,” according to a recent indictment, started transporting banned goods worth tens of millions of shekels, or millions of dollars, through border crossings. His operation moved trucks full of contraband like cigarettes, restricted goods like concrete, a bulldozer, and a refrigerator filled with beef and chicken. We learned of Abu Basel’s role through interviews with Gazan traders, and through an Israeli indictment of one of Abu Basel’s associates. His smuggling operation benefited from his ties to the Israeli security services, according to the indictment. One night in December 2025, the Israeli police arrived at a warehouse where Abu Basel’s associate was supervising the loading of trucks. After Abu Basel spoke to one of the officers on the phone, the police released the smugglers and left. We also learned, from a forthcoming report by an investigative nonprofit called the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, that Gazan traders who participated in a smuggling scheme claim that it was part of a security operation to obtain information about Israeli hostages, living and dead, who were still in Gaza. No relief Back in London, Saleh is anxious about his mounting debts. But more than anything, he wants to help his family escape, at any cost. Every morning, he calls his brother Rashad in Gaza. They divvy up tasks for the day, like raising funds, searching for medicine for their father and sending emails about evacuation plans. “A person doesn’t even have time to grieve,” Rashad told us. “There is no time for sorrow.” Read our full investigation here. THE LATEST NEWS War in the Middle East Iran and Israel traded strikes for the first time since the cease-fire in April. President Trump called on both parties to stop shooting immediately. An Arab gunman opened fire from a car in several places in central Israel, killing an Israeli reserve soldier and injuring at least five people. Iranians have little hope that the war will end theocratic rule there. Politics Trump told NBC that he never promised not to start wars. In the race to take on the Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in November, a progressive council member, Nithya Raman, pulled ahead of the Republican reality star Spencer Pratt. But the counting isn’t over. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is completely focused on food and vaccines and has little interest in the rest of the Health and Human Services Department’s portfolio, colleagues say. Around the World A giant replica of the World Cup trophy at Mexico City’s airport. Luis Antonio Rojas for The New York Times Mexico City’s main airport had a $500 million renovation before the World Cup, but the speed of the work has led to questions about its quality. Last week a pedestrian bridge fell and blocked traffic. A strong earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippines this morning, killing at least 15 people and triggering tsunami warnings. In Armenia, the governing party won a majority in parliamentary elections. The main opposition force will be a new pro-Russia bloc. Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, has boosted his country’s economy by providing support to Russia in its war with Ukraine. OPINIONS Thomas Wilson for The New York Times Transportation prices for World Cup games in New Jersey are astronomical. Should fans walk to the stadium? “Probably not,” write Alex Wolfe and Tom Wilson, after trying the walk. Since the Oct. 7 attack, Israel no longer conducts cold wars with unfriendly neighbors, Megan Stack writes. Now, it’s “trading peace for land.” Morning readers: Save on the complete Times experience. Experience all of The Times, all in one subscription — all with this introductory offer. You’ll gain unlimited access to news and analysis, plus games, recipes, product reviews and more. MORNING READS In Manhattan. Juan Arredondo for The New York Times Check mates: Three men became friends over a chessboard in Central Park. The friendship saved one, or two, of their lives. Breaking point: The challenge and cost of raising children in America is overwhelming parents. Politicians are starting to take notice. K-sports: The N.F.L. is trying to recruit fans in South Korea. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was an Opinion column about the happiest U.S. states. Metropolitan Diary: Seven dates for $1. Psychiatrist and advocate: Robert Coles showed the impact of a fast-changing world on children whose voices were not often heard. His five “Children of Crisis” books came out between 1967 and 1977; the second and third won him a Pulitzer Prize. He died at 97. TODAY’S NUMBER 10,800 — That’s how many bottles of Noble Oak bourbon thieves took from a Philadelphia warehouse last week. The haul was worth about $500,000. SPORTS At Madison Square Garden in New York. Shuran Huang for The New York Times N.B.A.: President Trump and the New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani, both plan to be at Game 3 tonight as the New York Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. There will be no bags allowed in the arena and no watch parties outside. Men’s tennis: Alexander Zverev is finally a Grand Slam champion. He beat Flavio Cobolli in five sets at the French Open. Women’s tennis: Serena Williams, preparing for a professional comeback in doubles, she said she’s open to playing singles again, too. RECIPE OF THE DAY Linda Xiao for The New York Times There are few better weeknight recipes than the spaghetti carbonara my colleague Ian Fisher developed first for his family and then for The Times. Make sure to read the comments on it. They’re gold. (“Recipes are guidelines, people! If the end result is good, who cares if it doesn’t conform exactly to what your grandmother did.”) THE TONY AWARDS “Schmigadoon!” at the Tony Awards. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times “Schmigadoon!” — a musical comedy that lovingly spoofs the genre — won best new musical at last night’s Tony Awards. The award for best new play went to “Liberation,” a Pulitzer-winning drama by Bess Wohl about a 1970s women’s consciousness-raising group. Arthur Miller’s classic “Death of a Salesman” took home the award for best play revival, and “Ragtime” for best musical revival. The top acting prizes went to John Lithgow for “Giant” and Lesley Manville for her work in “Oedipus.” Several winners addressed the country’s charged political climate, with calls from the stage in support of trans rights, free speech and greater understanding. Qween Jean, who won for best costume design for her work on “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” became the first openly transgender person to win a Tony Award, according to a “Cats” publicist. See the full list of winners here. And here are the night’s best and worst moments. More on culture Why do most new movies look meh? Jessica M. Goldstein, an arts reporter, talks about why films today look different than they did 20 years ago. There’s video. Here are the best audiobooks the staff of our Book Review have listened to this year. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS In southwestern England. Marcus Quigley Imagine a life in this cozy cottage in the English countryside. Shred your bank statements, folks, and foil the identity thieves. The security-minded team at Wirecutter found the right machines. Eat a peach. It’s good for hydration. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was viaduct. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

🌴 Pratt loses lead in L.A. Reality TV star Spencer Pratt was overtaken by Nithya Raman — a democratic socialist city councilmember — for second place in the Los Angeles mayoral primary and a spot in November's runoff. The second-place finisher will face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Pratt took an "early lead over Raman on election night, but Raman's numbers improved steadily as mail-in ballots were counted, leading political observers to begin predicting this weekend that she would eventually overtake Pratt," the Los Angeles Times writes. Raman leads Pratt — a registered Republican — by just over 3,100 votes with 83% of the vote counted, according to LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk data. Go deeper ... Live California results. Progressive Nithya Raman advances to November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass LOS ANGELES (AP) — Progressive city council member Nithya Raman has advanced to a November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, setting up an unexpected matchup between two Democrats and former political allies to run the struggling city of nearly 4 million. https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-mayor-2026-election-e0ef2b83cd8f94556d1c532227bb49dd?

📸 1,000 words Photo: Victor Medina/Reuters Iran's soccer team arrives in Tijuana, Mexico, yesterday ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off Thursday. Iran's team moved its base camp from Arizona to Mexico at the last minute. It'll still play all three group-stage games in the U.S. (two in L.A. and one in Seattle). ⚽ The tournament's first match — Mexico vs. South Africa — is Thursday in Mexico City. The U.S. opening ceremony is Friday in L.A.

☎️ Bibi defies Trump on Iran strikes The war between Israel and Iran resumed yesterday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied President Trump's request to stand down, with the two nations exchanging attacks — Israeli strikes on Tehran and Iranian missile launches toward Tel Aviv, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: The attacks last night and this morning are the most significant escalation since the April 8 ceasefire, and threaten to unravel the Trump administration's negotiations with Iran and draw the U.S. back into the war. "Israel and Iran must immediately stop shooting," Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning. Israel first attacked Beirut, then Iran responded by launching a barrage of missiles toward Israel. 🔎 Behind the scenes: Trump told Netanyahu during a call to hold off because "we are close to doing something good in terms of a deal," a U.S. official told Barak. A U.S. defense official said the U.S. military wasn't involved in the Israeli strikes, which he described as "relatively limited." Iran had threatened to expand its attacks and target U.S. bases in the region if Israel retaliated. Further exchanges of fire could unravel the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and reignite the war. Keep reading.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 8 1968 James Earl Ray, suspect in Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, is arrested James Earl Ray is arrested in London, England, and charged with the assassination of African American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1950s 1949 FBI report names Hollywood figures as communists Arts & Entertainment 1984 “Ghostbusters” released 1949 George Orwell’s “1984” is published Exploration 1924 Final sighting of George Mallory on Mount Everest Inventions & Science 1948 First Porsche completed Middle Eastern History 1967 Israel attacks USS Liberty Native American History 1874 Apache chief Cochise dies Religion 632 Muhammad, the prophet who spread Islam, dies Sports 1966 NFL and AFL announce merger U.S. Government and Politics 1968 Senator Robert F. Kennedy buried 1972 Shirley Chisholm visits her opponent George Wallace in the hospital

Box-and-Banana for Bees Bumblebees have demonstrated the ability to carry out spontaneous problem-solving, a study published last week reveals. The animal is the first nonvertebrate to pass a test compared to the box-and-banana experiment for chimpanzees. In the 1910s, German psychologist Wolfgang Köhler placed a banana outside the reach of a chimpanzee. In one experiment, he placed several boxes nearby, with the chimpanzee realizing he could stack the objects to reach the treat (see image). Other large-brained animals—including elephants and birds—have since shown a similar capacity for what Köhler called insight learning (watch a pigeon pass the test, w/video). In the latest experiment, researchers trained bumblebees to associate a blue flower with a treat and to recognize that a Styrofoam ball was harmless. In several experiments, the bumblebee showed the capacity to manipulate the ball to reach the treat. The bee is now the smallest-brained animal to have passed Köhler’s test. See the experiments in action here (scroll for video).

79th Tony Awards "Schmigadoon!" won best musical at the 79th Tony Awards yesterday, while "Liberation" won best new play. See the full list of winners here; see red carpet photos here. The awards come as Broadway’s 2025-26 season grossed a record $1.9B in ticket sales, up 3.5% from last year, with attendance up 1.8%. Plays drove higher attendance, surging nearly 14%, while attendance at musicals dropped 4.7%. Live entertainment has proved robust since the COVID-19 pandemic, even as consumers pull back from other forms of discretionary spending in recent years. Live Nation says concert ticket sales are projected to rise 11% this year. The effect of a Tony Award can bump ticket prices up 17% the month after the awards and may extend a show’s run by months. Learn more about the history of the Tony Awards, in memory of Antoinette "Tony" Perry, here.

The bark of cinnamon is one of the few spices that can be consumed in its raw state. James

A 7.8 magnitude quake in the Philippines kills at least 35, collapses buildings and sparks tsunami DAVAO, Philippines (AP) — An offshore earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 hit the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 35 people, injuring more than 200 others mostly in ruined buildings and sending a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami into nearby coasts. https://apnews.com/article/philippines-earthquake-mindanao-6e489739402863eaf40cbfd30a1b1cc7?

6 people hurt in stabbings at New York’s Penn Station with a suspect in custody, authorities says NEW YORK (AP) — Six people were injured in a stabbing inside New York’s Penn Station on Sunday evening, authorities said, less than a day before thousands of fans are expected to descend on neighboring Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. https://apnews.com/article/penn-station-stabbings-new-york-city-c06008f819b9cb04de611be65898ea14?

“Warehousing Human Beings” Hundreds of detained people launched a hunger and labor strike at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, over Memorial Day weekend to protest inhumane conditions at the immigration detention facility run by the for-profit company GEO Group. Protesters flocked to the scene to echo detainees’ pleas for release and better conditions — and were met with brutal tactics from federal, local, and state law enforcement officials, who beat, tear-gassed, and arrested protesters. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/05/new-jersey-ice-delaney-hall-protests/? Anthropic Says We Must Stop Authoritarian AI. But What About Its Authoritarian Investors? Anthropic’s high-profile spat with the Pentagon gave it a killer marketing advantage, burnishing its public image as a principled AI company that puts values over profits — unlike more mercenary rivals such as OpenAI or Google. But Anthropic’s double standard on authoritarianism suggests the nearly trillion-dollar firm is as calculating and ethically flexible as any of its competitors. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/06/anthropic-ai-investor-abu-dhabi-china/? The Real “Divide” Among Democrats Over Israel Is Between Party Leadership and Voters As Israel’s standing in the U.S., and among liberals in particular, continues to crater, the mainstream American media is vaguely taking notice. But when they report on this increasingly potent political dynamic, national publications continue to frame it as a tension among Democratic voters — rather than a tension between Democratic voters and their party leadership. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/04/democrats-israel-voters/? Daughter of 2028 Olympics Chair Dreams of Competing in LA — for Israel Casey Wasserman, the entertainment super-agent, has attracted his fair share of controversy as the head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/07/olympics-la-casey-wasserman-israel/? Trump Administration Tries to Shift Blame for Ebola Response As an Ebola outbreak continues to rage in Central Africa, the Trump administration keeps trying to blame the World Health Organization — revealing what experts say is a deep misunderstanding about global disease response. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/04/trump-ebola-outbreak-congo/? ps:Oh what a pathetic administration from the top down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! House Dems Coming Around on Iran War — But Won’t Vote to Stop Israel’s Destruction of Lebanon House Democrats voted unanimously on Wednesday against continuing the Iran war without congressional approval — but a day later, Democratic leaders helped defeat a similar measure aimed at Israel’s parallel war in Lebanon. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/04/lebanon-israel-war-powers-resolution-iran/?

🫏 Trail mix: The week in the pre-campaign Illustration: Sarah Grillo / Axios A look at what potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders are up to: Former Vice President Kamala Harris is traveling to New Orleans on Aug. 7 to talk about how Democrats can "counteract" a recent Supreme Court ruling likely to reduce Black political representation, we scooped. Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock is visiting Nevada, a traditional early primary state, on Friday to headline a state party reception and talk with voters, his team told us first. Warnock said in a statement that "President Trump promised the people of Nevada that he would put more money in their pockets," but "instead fewer tourists are coming to Las Vegas." Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is donating $50,000 to 14 county party chairs in battleground congressional districts. "Local parties shouldn't be operating on a shoestring budget," he told us. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's team boasted on social media that some of the state's gubernatorial candidates who were critical of his tenure lost the primary contest last week. Ocasio-Cortez is the top Democratic fundraiser in the House this year, Inside Elections found — a feat she's achieved by amassing small-dollar donations. AOC has helped boost several progressive candidates across the country — but not beleaguered Platner. "I haven't waded into that primary," she told CNN. California Rep. Ro Khanna dived into the Maine Senate race, appearing at a rally with Platner on Friday, where he said the candidate was ashamed of some of his past actions but has "worked to be a better man." It's the latest example of how AOC and Khanna, progressive acolytes of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, are taking contrasting approaches ahead of 2028. Businessman Mark Cuban was the headline speaker Wednesday at D.C.'s WelcomeFest, a get-together of centrist Democrats. Cuban insisted he won't run for president — and when we asked him afterward if a political outsider should be the next Democratic nominee, he said: "It's not about that.… It's just people who can actually come up with solutions." Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego also spoke at the event, where he said Democrats are "going to be branded as these 'others' " unless "we actually show that we're the party of opportunity." NOTUS reported that Gallego supports sectoral bargaining, a policy that would empower labor unions. Shapiro aired the first TV ad for his reelection 2026 campaign, which touted his expansion of the state's free school breakfast program. CNN reported that former President Obama wanted Harris to pick Shapiro as her running mate in 2024. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will headline an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser July 12, Politico scooped. Pritzker announced that he's taking executive action aimed at pausing tax breaks for data centers — a U-turn from his previous position. Emanuel biked through New Hampshire and had several meet-and-greets along the way. And Hunter Biden trolled the internet by joking "LFG" regarding a 2028 run for president.

👀 Maine Dems' Electoral College plot Illustration: Sarah Grillo / Axios 🥊 Democrats in mostly blue Maine are threatening to retaliate if Republican-led Nebraska changes how it awards Electoral College votes for the 2028 presidential election. 🫵 Why it matters: It's the latest example of tit-for-tat election politics that have come to define the Trump era, and that could help determine who wins the race for the White House. 🔭 Zoom in: Several Democrats running to be Maine's next governor have signaled they'd support modifying state law to adopt a "winner take all" electoral vote system in the presidential race if Nebraska did the same. 🗳️ Unlike other states, Maine and Nebraska dole out their Electoral College votes partly based on the winner of each congressional district. That's led to GOP presidential contenders picking up one of Maine's four Electoral College votes in the 2020 and 2024 elections, and Democrats similarly winning one of Nebraska's five Electoral College votes in those years. Speculation that Nebraska could move to a winner-take-all system has fueled chatter about a response by Maine. 🔥 "We must fight fire with fire," Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, posted last week on X. "If Nebraska changes their Electoral College system to a winner-take-all, Maine must be prepared to act in response to protect the presidency and our democracy." Zoom out: Nebraska Republicans — under pressure from Gov. Jim Pillen — debated changing state law last year to allocate their Electoral College votes on a winner-take-all basis, but those efforts fell flat. Some Democrats, however, remain concerned that Nebraska's legislature could pass such a bill. That possibility was a major issue in a congressional primary last month. ❌ The potential changes in Maine and Nebraska would nullify each other if both were enacted. But just the possibility of even a small tweak in each party's Electoral College calculus has led to game-planning similar to what happened during President Trump's mid-decade redistricting push. Hannah Pingree, another Democrat running for Maine governor, told us she'd support changing the state's Electoral College system to winner-take-all if Nebraska did — and that it's worth considering even if Nebraska didn't. "In this time of Donald Trump, I think it's really important to think about common-sense changes in our laws," she said. Nirav Shah, a third Democrat vying for Maine governor, backs changing the state's current approach toward allocating Electoral College votes if Nebraska did so, he told Axios. A fourth contender for Maine governor, Troy Jackson, a progressive backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), said on social media that he's "very open to looking at changes" in the state's Electoral College policy. Reality check: Jane Kleeb, chair of Nebraska's Democratic Party, told us that fears of a change in her state are overblown. "The Nebraska Republican Party does not have the votes to change the current fair-split electoral vote system," she said in a text. Read more. — Holly Otterbein ps:Personally the Electoral College should be eliminated!!!!!

🚨 Jewish Dems sound alarm Illustration: Sarah Grillo / Axios. Stock: Getty Images 👀 A growing number of Jewish Democrats tell us they feel shunned — like unwelcome strangers in their own party. Why it matters: They warn that the constant and escalating hostilities over Israel's actions in Gaza have at times veered into hostility toward Jewish Americans that could hurt Democrats in 2028. 🗳️ A large majority of Jewish Americans vote Democratic. Any shifts among Jewish voters who feel alienated from the party could impact the 2028 election — particularly in swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia, which have large Jewish populations. "For many Jewish Democrats, the Democratic Party is just the latest institution that welcomed us and is turning hostile," Howard Wolfson, a longtime Democratic strategist who worked for Hillary Clinton and Mike Bloomberg, told Axios. 🇮🇱 State of play: The party's internal tension over Israel is rising at a time when Jewish Democratic leaders such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin are potential contenders for president in 2028. 📉 Support for Israel's government — for decades a matter of bipartisan agreement in the U.S. — has fallen sharply among Democrats, polls show. As voters' opinions on Israel have shifted, some in the party's left wing have become more accepting of associating with people who've made conspiratorial or controversial comments about Jews and Israelis. Several incidents in the past year have increased the alarm among Jewish Democrats. Among them: Graham Platner, the likely Democratic nominee for a Maine Senate seat and a fierce critic of Israel, sporting a Nazi-linked tattoo. (He said he didn't know what it meant and later covered it up, but a former girlfriend says he knew the image's history.) A social media account for Philadelphia Democratic congressional nominee Chris Rabb, who was endorsed by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), previously reposting that the Bondi Beach massacre of Jews was likely a false-flag attack by "Zionists." His team blamed the December post on a former staffer and said he condemns antisemitism. A Democratic House candidate in Texas, Maureen Galindo, calling for a "prison for American Zionists." She didn't win a primary runoff election but still got 36% of the vote despite being denounced by both parties. What they're saying: "There are Jewish Democrats in key states who might be hard-pressed to support the nominee if the nominee is decidedly hostile to Israel — and it's a big problem for the party," Wolfson said. "Jews are starting to feel scared again," said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who's Jewish. He said Jewish voters are beginning to leave the Democratic Party but that it's not yet a "mass exodus." Moskowitz added that party leaders are "not taking it seriously. Words are irrelevant; condemnation statements are irrelevant." Pritzker told Politico that "antisemitism has often been connected to people's views about Israel. That is: If you don't like what Israel and, in particular, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu are doing, now it's OK to have slurs that you're spewing about Jews. It's not. It's never OK." Jewish staffers in some Democratic campaigns and offices say they've increasingly felt a chill from colleagues. One former Biden White House official told Axios: "No Jews in the Biden administration agreed with what Netanyahu was doing, but we all felt like we were having to answer for it by the party and our colleagues." The other side: Many believe the worries about Jewish Democrats fleeing the party are overblown, noting that there has been a rise in hostility toward Jewish people and Zionists on the right. "I think the Democratic Party has an Israel issue, but I think the Republicans have a Jewish issue," Emanuel told Axios. Others say Democrats' internal fight over Israel could be a good thing. Ned Price, a former spokesperson for the Biden State Department, said a debate within the party is "necessary, legitimate, and long overdue," while the rise of antisemitism "must be condemned unequivocally." Read more. — Alex Thompson, Holly Otterbein

British deputy prime minister tells JD Vance he was wrong to blame immigration for teen’s murder Trump’s troop reversals in Europe could cost millions and have left soldiers in limbo, officials say Trump’s deportation agenda is about to get a $70B infusion from Congress A federal judge strikes down Trump administration immigration policy affecting 39 countries Treasury warns banks of ‘red flags’ tied to customers in the US illegally ICE will no longer report deaths of detainees who have recently been released from custody Case filed against Equatorial Guinea for sending US deportees to nations where they face persecution More than half of Latin Americans deported from US to Congo are now back home South Carolina probe into fake IDs leads to ICE detention of 48 immigrants; 6 other people indicted What to know about the ongoing protests and arrests outside a New Jersey detention center New Jersey police sergeant charged with stealing journalist’s camera bag at immigration protest A Texas town may offer a preview of a Trump plan to force noncitizens from public housing