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⚡ Data center fight's new blueprint Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's first-in-the-nation data center moratorium could provide a playbook for Democrats confronting one of the most heated issues of the midterms, Axios' Maria Curi writes. Why it matters: Data centers have become a lightning rod across the country, and Hochul is testing how far Democrats can go on it. 🔭 Zoom out: The backlash against data centers — and the political response — isn't limited to blue states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) recently called for a ban on new AI data centers in rural neighborhoods and requiring the industry to shoulder more of its infrastructure costs.

⚠️ Anthropic hiring anti-catastrophe team Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Anthropic has warned that its technology could end civilization. Check out its latest job listings to understand how. Why it matters: Anthropic has 32 very scary job openings for roles designed to prevent people from using AI to build everything from homemade explosives to nuclear weapons, Axios' Madison Mills and Maria Curi write. Safety analyst roles require being able to think like someone trying to evade detection, the company says. They stress-test the models accordingly, fixing vulnerabilities. Anthropic is hiring analysts focused on chemicals and explosives, nuclear weapons, financial scams, cybercrime and more. One job description reads: "As an Enforcement Analyst focused on Radiological & Nuclear Harms, you will play a critical role in protecting against the misuse of AI systems for radiological and nuclear harms." Keep reading.

🤖 OpenAI's first device Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios OpenAI's highly anticipated push into consumer devices is expected to begin with a "mobile, screen-free smart speaker designed to be a new type of home computer for the AI era," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The company hopes to unveil it this year, with a 2027 release, though those plans could be delayed by Apple's lawsuit last week alleging OpenAI stole trade secrets to speed up development. Apple accused the ChatGPT maker of stealing trade secrets. But OpenAI believes the coming device "veers significantly from anything Apple has on the market today and that it's unlikely that it violates trade secrets belonging to the iPhone maker," Bloomberg reports. 🔎 Zoom in: OpenAI thinks the "product's defining feature will be its personality and ability to connect on a humanlike level with users." It will have a built-in camera and sensors so it can see and understand its surroundings. 🍎 The intrigue: Former Apple design chief Jony Ive's studio is helping build the device after OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of his hardware startup last year. Keep reading (gift link).

🇦🇪 UAE's big bet on AI Images from the TAMM app, which translates as: "Consider it done." Courtesy Government of Abu Dhabi In Abu Dhabi, the largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, AI is as much a part of daily life as reporting a pothole or making a doctor's appointment or paying a parking ticket — because AI does all that for you. The capital of one of the world's wealthiest and most globalized business hubs has near-universal adoption of an app that knows when you need to renew your national ID or health insurance or vehicle registration. The app's "AutoGov" feature goes a step further: It handles the paperwork and pays what's owed without being asked. Why it matters: The UAE made a massive bet on AI, spending billions on infrastructure and research, backed by long-term thinking and alignment from top leaders. Before the war with Iran, the bet was paying off massively. "People make money here and bring money here," a UAE resident told Jim VandeHei and me when we visited just before the war. The war rattled the UAE's AI ambitions and stirred fears about visiting, given the constant threat of Iranian attack. UAE leaders tell us they remain all-in on AI: They're willing to work with both the U.S. and China, and see the technology as the key to their future beyond oil. 🖼️ The big picture: Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's longtime ambassador to Washington, told me his country "recognized early that data is destiny — and our leaders didn't wait for AI to arrive before preparing for it." The UAE appointed an AI minister (said to be the world's first) nearly a decade ago, in 2017. Two years later, it opened what's billed as the world's first graduate-level university dedicated to AI. The UAE was built on oil. But leaders aggressively diversified into what The New York Times recently called "the ultimate globalized city — a Switzerland on the Persian Gulf." Dubai, the UAE's biggest city, is rollicking, wealthy and Western-friendly. It's one of the world's top business hubs and is home to the world's tallest building and the world's busiest international airport. That prosperity is being tested by war. But business leaders tell us AI investments have kept the UAE powerful amid the danger and disruption plaguing the Persian Gulf. Last night, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration is rewarding the UAE for its help with the Iran war by expanding access to coveted AI chips, capping "a yearslong push by the Gulf state to obtain American technology to diversify its economy." 🥊 Reality check: This is as much opportunism as strategic vision. The UAE has an all-powerful royal family that controls government and business, allowing wholesale societal changes that couldn't be replicated in a democracy. Zoom in: His Excellency Mohamed Al Askar, director general of TAMM, as the app is called, took me behind the scenes of Abu Dhabi's "AI-native government" in two lengthy interviews. He and the emirate's Department of Government Enablement host a parade of ministers from other governments who dream of replicating TAMM. "If you look at the UAE as a whole, this is rooted in our leadership vision," said Al Askar, a leader in digital strategy and technological innovation. "This has become part of our DNA," he added. "This is why I believe the UAE can be a haven for any entrepreneur who wants to test and experiment with AI." Read the UAE strategy ...

🛢️ The Gulf repriced overnight Cargo ships anchor near the Strait of Hormuz off the eastern coast of the UAE this week. Image from AFPTV video The price of oil popped to a one-month high, with Goldman Sachs warning of a rise back over $100 a barrel, after Iran hit two UAE oil tankers. Tehran threatened to halt all Mideast energy exports after the U.S. military reimposed a naval blockade on Iran. ⛽ Gas, which had been ticking down, is back up to a national average of $3.89 for a gallon of regular. 🚛 Diesel, vital to keep the economy moving, is pushing back toward $5 a gallon. Between the lines: Shippers are balking at the Gulf, and refiners don't know if chartered cargo will arrive. Iran appears to be targeting the oil market's "lifeline" with its latest strikes. The bottom line: Fuel, plastics and freight look like they're getting more expensive, with the fallout likely to keep hitting consumers in the months before November's midterms.

Trump's next targets Intel from Axios' Barak Ravid: President Trump held a Situation Room meeting yesterday to discuss a massive offensive against Iran far beyond the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, three knowledgeable sources said. Why it matters: Trump appears willing to bet that escalating the war will force the Iranian regime to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept his nuclear demands. Trump convened the meeting as the U.S. military conducted strikes around the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran's southern coast for the fourth day in a row. U.S. officials said the strikes were meant to gut Iran's ability to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports took effect, and last week, Trump notified Congress the nation was once again at war with Iran. 👀 Inside the room: Trump was joined in the Situation Room by his national security team, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and other senior officials, the sources said. The sources said the meeting focused on plans to hit strategic targets in Iran, in addition to the strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with Fox News' Trey Yingst before the Situation Room meeting, Trump said the strikes would expand in the coming days. The U.S. military is going to hit Iran "hard" over the next three days, he said, before stressing that strikes could significantly escalate after that. "Next week, it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants," Trump said. "Next week comes the bridges. We're gonna knock out all their power plants. We're gonna knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate." ⛰️ What to watch: Trump said the U.S. is monitoring suspicious Iranian activity at Pickaxe Mountain, a site so deep underground that the U.S. and Israel think Iran wants to use it to shelter its nuclear program from airstrikes. Trump said the U.S. bunker busters "can go deep" but claimed "nobody knows" if they can reach Pickaxe Mountain.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 15 2006 Twitter launches The San Francisco-based podcasting company Odeo officially releases Twttr—later changed to Twitter—to the public. Over the next few years, Twitter exploded in popularity, becoming one of the world’s leading social networking platforms. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT American Revolution 1789 Lafayette selected colonel-general of the National Guard of Paris Ancient Egypt 1799 Rosetta Stone found Arts & Entertainment 1986 Columbia Records parts ways with country legend Johnny Cash after 28 years Crime 1953 A notorious English killer is executed 1997 Fashion designer Gianni Versace murdered by Andrew Cunanan in killing spree Exploration 1806 Pike expedition sets out across the American Southwest Inventions & Science 1903 Ford Motor Company takes its first order Native American History 1978 2,800 mile-long walk for Native American justice concludes in Washington, D.C. Religion 1099 Jerusalem captured in First Crusade Space Exploration 1965 Mariner 4 studies Martian surface U.S. Government and Politics 1964 Senator Barry Goldwater nominated for president U.S. Presidents 1971 Nixon announces visit to communist China 1979 Jimmy Carter speaks about a national “crisis of confidence” Vietnam War 1966 North Vietnam urged to treat U.S. POWs better World War I 1918 Second Battle of the Marne begins with final German offensive

Maya Mathematician Unmasked Archaeologists have unearthed the only known example of a Maya mathematician credited with their calculations. An inscription discovered on a wall in Xultun, Guatemala, is signed by Sak Tahn Waax, whose name translates to “white-chested fox.” The writings were found in a math classroom of sorts dating to the eighth century (full study here; scroll for artist’s rendering). There, researchers discovered a formula for synchronizing Maya calendars with the cycles of Mars and Venus. The formula, known as Text 19, was written in partial dates and hieroglyphic shorthand, making it difficult to decipher. Maya societies were known to rely on elegant mathematical and astronomical calculations to mark the passage of time. However, unlike famed Greek astronomers, including Ptolemy, Hipparchus, and Eratosthenes, the names of their Maya counterparts are largely unknown. Contrary to popular belief, the Maya did not predict an apocalypse in 2012. Hear other fascinating takeaways about Maya culture from a man who discovered an ancient Maya city (via YouTube).

❄️ Parting shots! Photo: Pooja Shah Reader Pooja Shah tells us her favorite national park is Utah's Bryce Canyon — specifically in the winter. "The white snow contrasts with the red landscape in a way that is absolutely breathtaking," Pooja writes. Photo: Pooja Shah

🧢 Johnson tries a hat trick Mike Johnson is in an uncomfortably familiar spot: under pressure from Trump, under fire from members and under the gun to advance a reconciliation bill in just a few days. Why it matters: The House speaker is trying to tee up a final party-line legislative package before the midterms, but Republicans remain divided over both the contents of the bill and the strategy behind it. GOP leaders are assembling a narrow framework that would include roughly $67 billion for defense, $20 billion for agriculture and farm aid and elements of the SAVE America Act. The prospect of no offsets for billions of dollars in defense funding is not sitting well with conservatives. "No, I'm not," Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said when asked whether he's comfortable with no pay-fors. 😡 Other members are frustrated about the lack of information: "Most of the conference has been kept in the dark on what exactly is going on," Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) told us. 🚗 Driving the news: The White House has launched a full-court press to shore up support for the package ahead of Thursday's Budget Committee markup and a planned House vote next week. Johnson and House GOP leaders met with President Trump at the White House this afternoon to discuss the path forward. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was scheduled to meet with roughly a dozen conservative lawmakers this evening to discuss the defense funding portion of the package. OMB Director Russ Vought addressed House Freedom Caucus members last night. 🛑 Yes, but: The administration's lobbying blitz hasn't solved every problem. Budget Committee member Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) told her colleagues in a closed-door conference meeting today that she was leaning toward opposing the bill during the committee markup after she was left out of negotiations at Camp David over the weekend, a source in the room told us. "There's a limited amount of space, unfortunately," Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) told us. "I don't blame her for being upset about it." "Somebody's got to be chosen and somebody isn't. Just because you're not doesn't say anything negative," Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) told us. ⚡️ Another flashpoint: Some Republicans believe leadership should first test whether a bipartisan supplemental to fund the war in Iran can pass before falling back on reconciliation if necessary. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) told us that bipartisan negotiations on a supplemental remain "a live discussion." "I am hopeful that if that becomes specific, a specific proposal that doesn't have other partisan initiatives, it would enjoy the support of members from across the aisle," he said. Rather than forcing Democrats to vote directly on funding the war in Iran, Republicans are including billions in defense funding in a reconciliation package that includes other measures Democrats would never go for, like the SAVE America Act. Between the lines: Democrats have an easier political off-ramp when defense funding is wrapped into reconciliation. A clean supplemental, by contrast, would force Democrats to cast a straightforward vote on military funding — something Republicans believe could either attract bipartisan support or provide a potent campaign message if Democrats block it. — Kate Santaliz

Tit-for-Tat (Amirhosein Khorgooi / AP)   View in browser Yesterday, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that the United States would become the “GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” blockading Iranian ports and ensuring the safe passage of non-Iranian vessels. And in the spirit of “FAIRNESS,” he added, the U.S. would charge vessels a fee for the trouble. Then, this morning, an amendment: Trump disposed of the fee idea while still indicating that he intends to assert control of the strait and resume the blockade. Now, Trump says, the Gulf states will be making “the Trade and Investment Deals” with the U.S. as a form of compensation. But the particulars of those deals (and of which states will participate) remain unclear. Today marked the fourth consecutive day of strikes across Iran. The cease-fire has disintegrated—Trump formally notified Congress yesterday that the war has resumed—and negotiations have collapsed. If American forces do try to reassert power in the strait, they’ll face a difficult path. Iran is still clamping down on ship traffic, and recent violent clashes in the waterway have once again dramatically reduced the number of vessels entering and exiting the Persian Gulf. The United States’ ability to exert control in the strait could depend on its ability to erode the system of dominance that Iran has established in recent months. Dominance in the Persian Gulf has never been clear-cut. In the early 16th century, Portuguese mariners brought their cartaz system of permits to the Strait of Hormuz, overseeing the waterway for more than a century. In 1622, the joint forces of Persia and England’s East India Company seized it. The Strait of Hormuz is now broadly understood as an international zone, and yet portions of the waterway remain contested. Its narrowest stretch is just 21 miles wide—meaning that, according to a United Nations convention, it is entirely within the territorial waters of Iran and nearby Oman. Neither Iran nor the U.S. are party to the UN treaty, but the U.S. nevertheless recognizes it as international law, Michael Poznansky, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told me. The U.S. has assumed some responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz in the past. Defense of the Persian Gulf was at the core of the Carter Doctrine—Jimmy Carter’s attempt, in 1980, to respond to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Iran periodically attacked foreign vessels in the strait during the Iran-Iraq War of the ’80s; in 1987, the U.S. Navy launched Operation Earnest Will, escorting Kuwaiti tankers through the strait for more than a year. During that war, the Iranian regime threatened to fully close off the strait but decided against it, realizing that the damage to its own economy would be too great. Iran has repeated this threat over the past two decades, but it never actually followed through until February, in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli strikes on its land and the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Despite the persistent threat of Iranian interference in the strait over the past half century, its leadership was never guaranteed to be able to enforce an effective blockade. But what remains of Iran’s military, decimated by months of war, has still proved capable of maintaining the transit restrictions that the regime announced in the spring. The persistent threat of mines, and of its nimble boats that can harass or attack other vessels, has kept ship traffic to a minimum; the number of crossings on Sunday was the lowest it had been in a month. Past efforts to break Iran’s stranglehold over the course of this war have failed. In May, American forces began escorting some vessels through the strait as part of an initiative called Project Freedom; it ended after just two days, in part because Saudi Arabia declined to let the U.S. use its military bases and airspace. European allies could provide support for potential U.S. missions in the Gulf, as they did during Operation Earnest Will, but Trump has now eroded many of those relationships. Given Iran’s demonstrated ability to influence ship traffic, the project of ensuring freedom of navigation in the strait might require a permanent U.S. effort, Ray Takeyh, a senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told me. This could end up being cumbersome and dangerous, Takeyh explained, given the military assets involved in escort missions and the inevitability of Iranian interference. And even then, ship traffic may not return to prewar levels. Trump’s social-media posts over the past couple of days have gestured at the desire for a strong and continued American presence in the strait—a profound shift on the part of a president who spent years decrying the country’s role as “the policemen of the world.” He may soon come to realize that policing the strait does not always mean controlling it. Related: “We may sleepwalk our way back to war.” Why Trump didn’t plan for the Strait of Hormuz

How many Americans are using AI — and how? 35% of American households are using AI to find information. 14% of people trust that information. https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-americans-are-using-ai-and-how/? How many people live in subsidized housing in the US? In 2025, about 8.86 million people lived in subsidized housing. This was equivalent to about 2.0 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. On average, residents in 2025 have lived in their units for 10 years and 3 months. https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-people-live-in-subsidized-housing/country/united-states/? One last fact Immigrants (including all foreign-born residents) were 18.4% of employed workers in 2024. However, they made up 17.2% of the working-age population, indicating a higher employment rate than expected. (The working-age population includes everyone 16 and older.)

UK police say former politician and TV personality Ann Widdecombe was killed in ‘targeted attack’ LONDON (AP) — Former politician and reality TV contestant Ann Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack,” though the motivation is still under investigation, British counterterror police said Tuesday. https://apnews.com/article/britain-widdecombe-death-9e2278d5fefe31e13fce1b3b874c688b?

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? House passes bill to 'ditch the switch' and make daylight saving time permanent There will be no turning back the clock if the House has its way. Read More.

🤖 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.