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UK police say former politician and TV personality Ann Widdecombe was killed in ‘targeted attack’

Earthquake aid keeps flowing from Florida to Venezuela, as volunteers unite to help recovery After her grandmother’s house in Caracas narrowly survived last month’s devastating back-to-back earthquakes, Alessandra Izaguirre was desperate to help Venezuela. Read More.

US-Russian crew arrives at the International Space Station for 8-month mission A U.S.-Russian space crew arrived Tuesday at the International Space Station after launching from the Russia-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read More.

SoftBank Group’s CEO says $5 trillion a year needed globally to meet AI demand TOKYO (AP) — Worries about a bubble in artificial intelligence investments are absurd, SoftBank Group’s CEO Masayoshi Son said Tuesday, deriding such doubts as backward and akin to questioning the use of cars and planes. https://apnews.com/article/japan-son-softbank-ai-technology-97ce41a43624440aa2b91c025937b979?

World Cup Star Reveals How Trump’s Meddling Rocked U.S. Team Folarin Balogun got sent off in the knockout stages of the World Cup. U.S. soccer star Folarin Balogun has described how President Donald Trump’s interference destabilized his World Cup teammates. Balogun, a Londoner who is eligible for the American team because of birthright citizenship, scored three goals as the United States reached the round of 16 before being knocked out by Belgium. The 25-year-old was only able to play in that game because FIFA, soccer’s governing body, overturned his red-card suspension after Trump called its president, Gianni Infantino, which created a furor and generated global headlines. Now, the striker, who plays his club soccer in France, has spoken out. “My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team. But when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy,” he said on CBS Mornings on Tuesday. He admitted that the controversy destabilized his teammates ahead of the vital game against Belgium, which they eventually lost 4-1. “And I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it’s something that is so unique. But the closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult—a lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid.” Trump openly admitted to pressuring his FIFA lackey, Infantino. “All I did was ask for a review—I didn’t say, ‘You have to do this,’” he told reporters. He admitted that prior to Balogun’s suspension, “I didn’t know what the hell a red card was.” Afterward, he took a victory lap. He thanked FIFA on Truth Social for “reversing a great injustice.” In a statement, the Royal Belgian Football Association had said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision to suspend the red card. Balogun told CBS Mornings he was “confused” by the saga. “It was confusing because the team was practicing without me in the team, I’m almost just playing a supporting role to keep morale high,” he said. It comes after Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup Task Force, conceded that the saga “potentially” distracted the players. Balogun assured fans that, despite the distraction, the USMNT was focused going into the game against Belgium. “It was a difficult game against Belgium, and that can overshadow whether we were focused or not. But from me being inside the camp and inside the setup, I know we had full concentration going into the game.” The Belgian team clearly used Trump’s intervention as motivation for their win against the U.S. Following their 4-1 victory, players mocked Trump by doing his infamous dance both on the field and later in the locker room. The Belgian national team also delivered a brutal two-word jab on their official X account following Trump’s complaint. “Overturn this,” they posted. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), meanwhile, has received an official complaint from the human rights organization FairSquare over the handling of the red card. It claims that Infantino has repeatedly violated the Olympic Charter and the IOC’s code of ethics, including in Balogun’s case. Last month, 50 Members of the European Parliament urged the same committee to address the allegations. https://www.thedailybeast.com/world-cup-star-florian-balogun-reveals-how-trumps-meddling-rocked-us-team/?

Trump AG Pick Hit by Bombshell Exposé on Eve of Confirmation Hearing Todd Blanche’s emails show he isn’t the calming presence in the administration that his supporters claim he is. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has been personally leading President Donald Trump’s revenge campaign against his perceived enemies, according to a bombshell new report released in the lead-up to his Senate confirmation hearing. Supporters of Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s defense attorney, claim he has served as an important check on retribution crusades launched by the president’s most provocative attack dogs, including the DOJ’s Ed Martin and acting director of national intelligence Bill Pulte. But just a day before Blanche’s confirmation hearing to serve as Trump’s permanent attorney general, The New York Times revealed that rather than being a calming influence on the administration, Blanche has been spearheading the president’s retribution effort within the DOJ. That work began last year, when he served as his predecessor Pam Bondi’s top deputy, and continued after Bondi’s ousting in April, according to emails obtained by the watchdog group American Oversight and shared with the Times. In particular, Blanche has been tasked with enacting Trump’s executive order purporting to end the “weaponization” of the U.S. government, part of a major drive to punish members of prior administrations who tried to hold Trump legally accountable. In May 2025, Blanche diverted top lawyers from his office to the DOJ “anti-weaponization” group responsible for investigating Trump’s enemies, giving him tight control over the cases, the emails reveal. One of Blanche’s aides was responsible for digging into the actions of special counsel Jack Smith, who prosecuted Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents and attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss. Another longtime Blanche aide was assigned to investigate Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who secured convictions against Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records over his payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. A third Blanche aide led a team focused solely on Tina Peters, the Colorado elections clerk who served four years out of a nine-year sentence for violating state election laws in a bid to uncover “proof” of nonexistent fraud during the 2020 election. Blanche also allowed Martin to personally oversee investigations into two of Trump’s pet causes: the prosecutions of more than 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters—some of whom Martin had represented in court—and a probe into former President Joe Biden’s autopen use. But in May, Blanche removed Martin from his role with the anti-weaponization group. He had been concerned all along that Martin wasn’t experienced or effective enough to do the job, the emails—which were handed over under the Freedom of Information Act—reveal. Since then, the anti-weaponization group has ramped up its investigations and reports, even as regional U.S. attorneys’ offices have begun trying to build a massive yet flimsy conspiracy case against Biden and other Trump adversaries, the Times reported. In the meantime, Blanche has also been busy securing an indictment against Trump foe and former FBI director James Comey after he posted a photo of seashells that appeared to spell “86 47” on the beach. In slang, the number 86 can mean tossing something out or getting rid of it; it’s commonly used in restaurant kitchens to mean something was removed from the menu. Critics of Comey’s post took it to mean he thinks the president should be killed, given that he is the 47th president. Blanche also signed off on a $1.77 billion taxpayer slush fund to compensate Jan. 6 rioters and agreed to give the Trump family immunity from tax investigations. The slush fund was abandoned following political and legal challenges, and the immunity agreement has been blocked in court. Last week, a group of 1,205 Justice Department alums urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Blanche’s nomination, writing that “corruption and abuses… have defined” his tenure, and that he has “degraded” the DOJ’s apolitical career workforce. The Daily Beast has reached out to the DOJ for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-ag-pick-todd-blanche-hit-by-bombshell-expose-on-eve-of-confirmation-hearing/?

Man fleeing immigration officers in Florida is struck and killed by tractor trailer, police say A man running from an encounter with immigration and other federal agents in Florida was struck and killed by a tractor trailer on Tuesday, authorities said. https://apnews.com/article/man-killed-semi-truck-ice-florida-8e65b1ca2eab051392afc316972c92eb?

Darline Graham, sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has been sworn in to finish his term WASHINGTON (AP) — Darline Graham, the sister of the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, was sworn in to the Senate on Tuesday afternoon — filling the seat just three days after her brother’s death. https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-death-sister-darline-senate-87bce5649c07e03129cf535feb97873a?

🤖 New York is becoming the first state to impose a statewide data center moratorium amid backlash against their construction, Axios' Maria Curi reports. Go deeper.

🤑 Lower energy prices led to inflation's biggest monthly drop since April 2020 — but this latest report doesn't account for seesawing oil prices as the Iran war reignites. More from Emily Peck.

🧠 Experimental drug shows Alzheimer's promise Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios An experimental drug from Biogen could help slow early Alzheimer's disease by lowering levels of a brain protein called "tau," researchers reported today. Past attempts to develop drugs targeting the protein have failed, AP reports. Two existing Alzheimer's drugs try to clear the buildup of the better-known amyloid protein. 📉 The new findings suggest Biogen's diranersen did more than lower tau levels. The study of about 400 people found signs that it also slowed cognitive decline — in one small subset, enough to be comparable to amyloid therapy. 💊 What's next: Biogen is planning a larger study to try to prove the drug's benefits. Reality check: Dr. Reisa Sperling of Mass General Brigham, who wasn't involved in the study, cautioned that "this is early days." But Sperling tells AP that it could "reinvigorate interest and investment in lots of tau mechanisms, and the field needs that." Go deeper.

Trump walks back Hormuz fee Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images President Trump today walked back his plan to collect a 20% toll from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Instead, Trump said, Gulf states would make major investments in the U.S. 🤳 Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States." Trump later told reporters that he received calls from "kings and emirs" asking him not to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. The president said: "I don't think anybody should charge a fee for the strait or any other strait in the world." "I don't like the concept of a fee, but at the same time it is not fair that we are protecting this strait for the entire world ... and we are not somehow compensated." 💰 Reality check: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain had already committed to investing more than $2 trillion in the U.S. over the next several years — even before the war with Iran. Trump said in his post that the Gulf countries will make "new Investments" that "will make that Number even larger." ⚓️ Trump made his comments several hours before a U.S. naval blockade on Iran comes into effect, and amid exchanges of fire between the U.S. and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz for the fourth day in a row. Trump wrote: "The Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran — and that is because of their lying, violent, malicious leadership, which is taking them down the path of TOTAL DESTRUCTION." Go deeper.

Trump administration orders ICE to suspend most vehicle stops after 2 deadly shootings BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) — Trump administration officials told Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to suspend most vehicle stops after two deadly shootings within a week, people familiar with the decision said Tuesday. https://apnews.com/article/maine-ice-shooting-man-killed-73681fcf59fceb8b43b198ccaec554d3? 🏞️ President Trump is cutting nearly 3 million acres from Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments, Axios Salt Lake City's Erin Alberty reports. Go deeper.

US reimposes its blockade on Iran after Tehran’s attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military early Wednesday reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports over Tehran’s attacks on ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking new strikes on nations hosting American forces as an interim deal to end the war further unraveled. https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-hormuz-strait-war-july-14-2026-abd060c55feea216625689e57d8f76be?

👋 Good morning! France vs. Spain. 3pm ET. Cannot wait. In today's edition: World Cup X-factors, Walker wins the Derby, where the semifinalists play their club ball, Bryce's journey from villain to legend, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...     ⚽️ X-FACTORS OUT OF THE SHADOWS, INTO THE SPOTLIGHT (Dillon Minshall/Yahoo Sports) Soccer's biggest stars have shined brightest at the World Cup, but enough ink has been spilled on Messi, Mbappé, Kane, and Bellingham (for now). While nobody would be surprised if any of those players decided this week's semifinals — kicking off today with France vs. Spain — it's just as likely that less accomplished players will steal the spotlight. Meet our X-factors: Here's one player on each of the four semifinalists who is capable of flipping an outcome and capturing eternal glory. 🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal Before the tournament began, many would have expected the Barcelona wunderkind to rank among its headliners given his electric introduction at Euro 2024. It hasn't happened yet, with just one goal and no assists through six matches, but one well-timed strike today against Les Bleus would entirely rewrite the prevailing narrative. Turning tide: Yamal entered the World Cup slowed by injury, but his Player of the Match performance in Spain's quarterfinal victory over Belgium indicates he may be ready to erupt. As he continues playing his way into form, alarm bells will be ringing for the French defense, and what better way to celebrate his birthday — he turned 19 yesterday — than with a goal that sends his country to the World Cup Final? 🇫🇷 Michael Olise Michael Olise is arguably the best player at this tournament without a goal, but the quiet Frenchman's impact has been undeniable. "He saves his words," Mbappé said of his teammate. "His feet do the talking for him." Star wingman: Though Olise's 17 shots have proven fruitless — the most by any player at this World Cup without scoring — the Bayern Munich winger has left his mark with a tournament-leading five assists. And given their scoring prowess, if Olise keeps putting Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in a position to find the net, France will be incredibly tough to beat. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Dan Burn The 6-foot-7 defender has registered just 24 minutes of playing time during the World Cup, but that admittedly tiny sample belies how critical Burn is to England's success. The Three Lions' not-so-secret weapon is deployed late in games to protect leads and patrol the air around the box, closing out victories like he's soccer's version of Mariano Rivera. Stat stuffer: In those 24 minutes, the high-flying Englishman has registered two blocks and nine clearances, seven of those headed. His six clearances against Mexico were the most on record by a player subbed on in the 75th minute or later of a World Cup match. And if those numbers don't convey the type of impact he can have, perhaps these highlights will. 🇦🇷 Emiliano Martínez In his Argentine career, goalkeeper Emi Martínez has allowed goals on just 12 of the 24 penalty shots he's faced, a record worthy of national immortality. It's also the stuff of nightmares for Argentina's next opponent, as England's history is riddled with high-profile penalty disasters, and the prospect of facing Martínez in a shootout is enough to evoke a cold sweat at teatime. Martínez, on the other hand, would relish nothing more, making him all the more terrifying. Psychological edge: While Martínez's physical abilities are important, his edge over the lonely attackers standing at the penalty spot is psychological. Among his tactics in mental warfare: tossing the ball away, talking to the official to delay kicks, standing on the spot, celebrating wildly, and vocalizing the opposition's nervous demeanor. FIFA implemented a code of conduct for goalkeepers after the 2022 World Cup, but we doubt it will deter "Dibu's" antics. Further reading: After 100 matches, the semifinals belong to soccer's heavyweights (Steven Goff, Yahoo Sports)   📸 SNAPSHOTS THROUGH THE LENS (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) 🇺🇸 Philadelphia — Jordan Walker pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Home Run Derby history on Monday night, beating hometown hero Kyle Schwarber in an electric final round to become the first Cardinal ever to win the Derby. The performance earned him $1 million, more than the 24-year-old breakout star's entire 2026 salary ($799,400). How it happened: Schwarber, playing in front of a Philly crowd that mercilessly booed everyone other than him and teammate Bryce Harper, went first and smacked 11 homers. Walker had just 6 HR with three swings left, but then he put on a clutch performance for the ages, homering on his final six swings — including four on the do-or-die final swing — to capture the crown. Spieth during Monday's practice round. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Southport, England — The 154th Open Championship is almost here, with golfers having arrived for the season's final major at Royal Birkdale Golf Club — the site of Jordan Spieth's greatest triumph. It's been a while: Spieth won his third major when he was just 23 all the way back in 2017, the last time The Open came to Royal Birkdale. But he's won just two more times since then, and not at all since 2022. Despite that fallow period, he remains optimistic: "Knowing me, when the lid pops off the hole, I feel like I can go on a run about as hot as anybody can run," he said on Monday. "So I'm just waiting for that opportunity." (Ryan Pierse/FIFA via Getty Images) 🇺🇸 Dallas, Texas — You think you like the World Cup? Meet Sherjeel Ahmed, an English superfan who's been to 16 matches in 12 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico and has accumulated jerseys from all 48 teams. (No, you're not miscounting — he lost four during his travels.) Not done yet: You don't really think he'd come all this way without seeing it through, right? He's got tickets to both semifinals and the final, where if he's lucky he'll be able to witness his Three Lions bring it home.   ⚽️ CHART DU JOUR WORLD CUP SEMIFINALISTS BY CLUB 20 different clubs have at least two players still competing in the World Cup. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) As the semifinals kick off today, just 104 players remain in the World Cup. But where do they ply their trade when not representing France, Spain, England and Argentina on the sport's biggest stage? League-by-league breakdown: La Liga boasts the two most well-represented clubs* while the Premier League has the most total players — perhaps not surprising given those are universally recognized as the two best leagues in the world. All in, they account for 70 of those 104 players (67%), with the other 34 spread across nine additional leagues. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Premier League (41 players): Arsenal (8), Manchester City (6), Aston Villa (5), Chelsea (5), Crystal Palace (4), Tottenham (3), Newcastle United (2), Manchester United (2), Liverpool (2), Bournemouth, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Brentford 🇪🇸 La Liga (29): Barcelona (10), Atlético Madrid (9), Real Madrid (3), Athletic Bilbao (3), Real Betis, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Celta Vigo 🇫🇷 Ligue 1 (13): Paris Saint-Germain (6), Marseille (2), Lyon, Strasbourg, Rennes, Lens, Monaco 🇩🇪 Bundesliga (6): Bayern Munich (3), Bayer Leverkusen (3) 🇮🇹 Serie A (6): AC Milan (2), Inter Milan (2), Como, Roma 🇺🇸 MLS (2): Inter Miami (2) 🇦🇷 Primera División (2): River Plate, Boca Juniors 🇸🇦 Saudi Pro League (2): Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli 🇵🇹 Primeira Liga (1): Benfica 🇹🇷 Süper Lig (1): Fenerbahçe 🇧🇷 Brasileirão (1): Palmeiras Wild stat: Despite 21 of England's 26 players hailing from the Premier League, not a single one of them has scored yet in this tournament as all of the Three Lions' goals have come from Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (6), Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham (6) and Marcus Rashford (1), who was on loan from Manchester United to Barcelona last season. *Of note: This data is based on players' clubs at the start of the World Cup. Some have switched teams in the past month, but (obviously) have yet to appear for that new club.   ⚾️ BASEBALL LIFER BRYCE HARPER'S JOURNEY FROM VILLAIN TO LEGEND (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) Bryce Harper, the face of the franchise hosting this week's All-Star festivities, has (literally) achieved legend status, earning his way into tonight's exhibition via the commissioner's "Legend Pick." It's a decision that says something about Harper's place in the game: respected, venerated, secure. But that wasn't always the case. Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports: For years, Harper was a villain. He arrived in pro ball ludicrously famous — too famous, some thought, for a teenager who hadn't proven anything. Veterans bristled at his unbridled confidence, laid bare on that Sports Illustrated cover that dubbed him "Baseball's LeBron." Parts of the establishment sought to tear him down. An opposing minor-league team once offered fans 20% off coupons to the local IHOP if Harper struck out. In a 2010 Baseball Prospectus article, one front office official described the yet-to-be-drafted, 17-year-old Harper as "just a bad, bad guy." Few athletes have ever carried such weighty expectations, from such a young age, for such a long time. LeBron James, Serena Williams and Tiger Woods all entered the limelight before they could vote, but they did so well before the ubiquity of social media. Harper's early fame was altogether different, a direct product of an internet we didn't yet understand. Grainy videos of him clocking 500-foot moon shots in big-league yards made him an icon for a younger generation of baseball fans. He was, in many ways, the first American sports phenom of the digital age. Harper's talent made him famous, but his attitude — and the same digital forces that built his fame — also made him a target. "I think it just came with how forced down everyone's throat he was," former big leaguer Tom Koehler once said of Harper's negative reputation in MLB during his first few seasons. "It was not his fault, but he was hitting home runs off Nolan Ryan in commercials." And Harper didn't make it any easier for himself, blowing kisses, scraping his cleats across opposing teams' logos, wearing eye black like war paint, crashing into walls at full speed, carrying himself like he owned the sport. He refused to adhere to expectations of what he should be or how he should play. He was misunderstood, unfairly maligned and incredibly provocative, all at once.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: TUESDAY, JULY 14 (Josh Heim/Yahoo Sports) ⚽️ France vs. Spain The first World Cup semifinal is this afternoon in Dallas (3pm ET, Fox), where Les Bleus and La Roja square off for a spot in the final. Brick walls: Goals will be at a premium in today's matchup, as Spain have conceded just one all tournament and France have conceded two. Though if any team can break through Spain's nearly impenetrable defense it's France, whose duo of Kylian Mbappé (8 goals) and Ousmane Dembélé (5) have combined for more goals than all but two entire teams. ⚾️ MLB All-Star Game The 96th Midsummer Classic is tonight at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park (8pm, Fox), where the National League will look to win two in a row for the first time since 2012. Here are the starting lineups, with Mike Trout leading off for the AL and Kyle Schwarber leading off for the NL. Fun fact: Dylan Cease is the first Blue Jays pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roy Halladay in 2009, and Cristopher Sánchez is the first Phillies pitcher to start the All-Star Game since… Roy Halladay in 2011. Doc, man. More to watch: 🏀 WNBA: Mystics at Tempo (7pm, NBA) … Toronto's Marina Mabrey has as many 30-point performances in her last seven games (4) as she did in her first seven seasons combined. Her 21.6 ppg ranks third in the league. 🚴 Tour de France: Stage 10 (7am, Peacock) … Tadej Pogačar holds a 2 minute, 42 second lead over Jonas Vingegaard as the race nears its halfway point. 🏀 NBA Summer League: Grizzlies vs. Warriors (7pm, ESPN) … No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer (Memphis) vs. No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State). Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   ⚾ ALL-STARS MLB TRIVIA The 2025 NL All-Stars celebrate their victory. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Question: Can you name the four MLB players who've made at least 20 career appearances on an All-Star roster? Hint: They all benefited from the four seasons (1959-62) in which two All-Star Games were held. Answer at the bottom.   ⚽️ WHO YA GOT? WORLD CUP: MAKE YOUR PICKS! The semifinals in the world's biggest soccer tournament begin today! Pick your winners for both games in 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em from Yahoo Sports and FOX One. How to play: Make your picks, earn points for correct predictions and climb the leaderboard. You can play solo against the field, create a private group with friends to compete for bragging rights, or join a public group to play with other fans.   Trivia answer: Hank Aaron (25 appearances), Willie Mays (24), Stan Musial (24), Mickey Mantle (20)

Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard pleads guilty in Quebec sex assault case MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard pleaded guilty Monday to sexual assault and forcible confinement in Quebec, the latest conviction in the downfall of the founder of the once-global Nygard International clothing company. Nygard also faces U.S. racketeering and sex trafficking charges. https://apnews.com/article/nygard-fashion-sexual-assault-quebec-fashion-daa22b75ba3a08f0f8aa7271debce404?

Man, 74, becomes oldest inmate executed in Florida in state’s 10th lethal injection this year STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Florida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who was one of three older inmates scheduled for execution within the span of a month in the nation’s busiest death penalty state. https://apnews.com/article/florida-execution-dennis-sochor-68549202a2f747dde708bbdcd89a7c69?

FACT FOCUS: A look at US and Iranian claims of control over the Strait of Hormuz A focal point of the Iran war is increasingly about who controls the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow, elbow-shaped waterway that for decades was a relatively safe and reliable transit route for Middle East oil and natural gas supplies. https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-strait-of-hormuz-8df557699c900b29fb33172e6da7f3e9?

No relief from the heat as many US cities will see record overnight temperatures Another week of blistering heat will bring even more health risks in the coming days, as overnight temperatures won’t provide much relief. https://apnews.com/article/heat-dome-record-temperatures-fb7664f71743f71beca4ce7447562ca2?

12 states challenge Paramount’s takeover of Warner, say merger would ‘extinguish competition’ The states sued to block Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday, arguing that the $81 billion merger would lead to fewer choices for consumers across the U.S. Read more. Why this matters: A Paramount-Warner combo would bring together two of Hollywood’s last five legacy studios. In Monday’s complaint, the states said such a tie-up would “inflict substantial harm” on movie theatres and basic cable distributors. Paramount said Monday’s lawsuit “distorts settled antitrust law” and maintained that its merger would instead create a “stronger competitor against dominant streaming and technology platforms who have harmed the market for theatrical exhibition and jobs in the entertainment industry.” Questions of political influence have piled up — with criticism falling largely along party lines in Washington. No Republicans signed on to the states’ case on Monday. Several attorneys general joining Monday’s lawsuit took aim at the Justice Department’s decision to not challenge the deal — pointing in particular to President Donald Trump’s close relationship with the billionaire family of Paramount CEO David Ellison. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Subpoenas issued to NY Times reporters seen as ‘unprecedented’ threat to press freedom Hundreds of economists say ‘we must act now’ on AI’s economic impact and job displacement risks

Maine killing is at least the ninth death in US immigration sweeps An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a Maine motorist on Monday, marking at least the ninth death since the start of the Trump administration’s mass deportations campaign. Read more. What to know: Immigrant rights groups identified the man who was killed in Biddeford as a 26-year-old native of Colombia. The shooting drew immediate criticism from immigrant rights groups and some Democrats, who called for an independent investigation. The shooting came less than a week after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a Houston man after an altercation with agents while he was driving to work. The Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, said in a post on X about the Maine shooting that agents were surveilling an address for a person with a final order of removal from the country. When ICE tried to stop a vehicle driven by someone coming from that address, the “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” the department said. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ ICE officer who fatally shot driver in Maine was ‘fearing for public safety,’ agency says WATCH: Protesters hold walking vigil Feds turn over evidence in Renee Good and Alex Pretti killings to Minnesota after months of delay

Judge says Trump IRS lawsuit was filed for ‘improper purpose,’ refers lawyer for possible discipline U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams accused President Donald Trump and his lawyers in a scathing ruling of having manipulated the court system when he sued a federal agency under his control, bypassing a requirement that parties in a lawsuit must have adverse interests. Read more. Why this matters: The judge stopped short of explicitly voiding the deal shielding Trump from tax scrutiny but said the government cannot claim in official proceedings that the agreement was the result of a legitimate legal process. Though the practical impacts of the ruling may be limited since the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed months ago and the administration has already abandoned the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that came out of it, the order nonetheless amounts to a scathing rebuke and tees up a politically uncomfortable line of questioning for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as he faces the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ FACT FOCUS: Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death spurs false claims Sister Darline Graham Nordone will serve remainder of his term Questions linger about aging politicians and health transparency Aortic tear blamed in Graham’s sudden death is a fast-killing emergency What to know about Trump’s order shrinking the size of 2 national monuments in Utah Abortion rights are on the ballot in 4 states. Here’s what to know Supreme Court justices to testify before Congress on increasing security funding in rare appearance

🥃 1 fun thing: Washington's $1,000 whiskey Photo: Mount Vernon The reconstructed distillery at George Washington's Mount Vernon is selling limited-edition whiskeys made with 18th-century methods for America's 250th, Axios D.C.'s Anna Spiegel writes. It costs $1,000 and is available for purchase at Mount Vernon. Keep reading …

💥 U.S. drone boat debut Image: CENTCOM Axios Future of Defense author Colin Demarest writes: The U.S. this week used a trio of drone boats to attack an Iranian pier near the Strait of Hormuz, where at least one small submarine was stationed. Why it matters: It's a first-of-its-kind operation, according to U.S. Central Command, which oversees military action across the greater Middle East. Dramatic footage shared by CENTCOM shows three Saronic-made Corsair boats zipping toward the facilities and exploding at the water's edge, tossing fire and smoke into the sky.