These are today’s top stories.
Headlines
Trump Wins Big at the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court voted 6-3 along ideological lines to uphold the Trump administration’s authority to end Temporary Protected Status for approximately 350,000 Haitian and Syrian nationals and to revive a policy limiting asylum claims at the southern border. Justice Samuel Alito authored both majority opinions, which Democrats condemned as a betrayal of immigrants who have lived and worked in the U.S. legally for years. See Details
Back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, just 39 seconds apart, collapsing buildings across Caracas and the La Guaira region and killing at least 235 people, with thousands more injured. The U.S. Geological Survey warned the final toll could exceed 10,000, and the Trump administration dispatched search-and-rescue teams and humanitarian aid. Find out More
A U.S. official confirmed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a Singapore-flagged cargo ship with a drone near the coast of Oman as it exited the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization to pause its planned evacuation of 11,000 stranded sailors. President Trump insisted the strait remains open for commerce while continuing to say Iran wants to reach a nuclear deal. Read More
Politics
President Trump infuriated Republican senators by withdrawing from a housing bill signing ceremony on Wednesday, tying the legislation’s fate to the stalled SAVE America Act voter ID bill that Senate Majority Leader John Thune has repeatedly said lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. The standoff deepened already-strained relations between the White House and the upper chamber, with multiple GOP senators openly voicing frustration. Find out More
House conservatives led by Rep. Chip Roy rallied Thursday to intensify pressure on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, blasting their counterparts as the upper chamber adjourned for a two-week recess without acting on the election security measure. The House Freedom Caucus drew parallels to the Civil Rights Act debates, accusing Senate Republicans of hiding rather than fighting for a Trump priority. Find out More
A federal judge blocked a key provision of President Trump’s election integrity executive order on Thursday, ruling that the administration cannot compel states to hand over voter registration data to create a centralized federal voter list. The ruling dealt a fresh legal setback to the White House’s election reform agenda, as did the stalled SAVE America Act. See Details
U.S. News
The U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday it will refuse to process absentee and mail-in ballots in states that decline to submit voter registration data under the Trump administration’s directive, a move that immediately drew legal challenges and accusations of voter suppression from Democratic state attorneys general. Election law experts said the policy, if upheld, could disenfranchise millions of voters ahead of the November midterm elections. Read More
A federal judge ordered the Trump Administration to unredact the remaining Epstein files or explain why it couldn’t. Link
Business
S&P 500 futures dipped slightly Friday morning while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.66% as the week-long technology sector sell-off extended into a fourth consecutive down session, raising concerns about stretched valuations in AI-related stocks. Dow Jones futures edged up 92 points, with rotation into healthcare and industrial names offering some market support, as Brent crude fell 3.5% amid easing Hormuz tensions. Link
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, rose 3.4% year-over-year in May on a core basis, the highest reading since 2023 and a sign that price pressures remain elevated despite declining energy costs from the Iran ceasefire. The report added complexity to Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s hawkish posture, as economists debated whether lower oil prices would ultimately reduce inflation or fuel more consumer spending. Read More
FedEx Freight released its first standalone earnings report Thursday since completing its spin-off from FedEx Corporation on June 1, reporting solid results for the fiscal fourth quarter and introducing guidance for a seven-month transition period through December 2026. The company projected diluted earnings per share of $1.75 to $1.95 before adjustments, while signaling cautious optimism about North American freight demand. Link
Market Report
| Symbol | Last Close | % Change | |
| Dow Jones | DJIA | $51,999.67 | 0.64% |
| S&P 500 | SPX | $7,511.35 | -0.57% |
| Nasdaq Composite | IXIC | $26,376.34 | -1.15% |
| Alphabet Inc. | GOOG | $342.19 | -0.83% |
| Tesla, Inc. | TSLA | $375.12 | -0.11% |
| Apple Inc. | AAPL | $275.15 | -6.12% |
| Microsoft Corp. | MSFT | $352.83 | -3.46% |
World News
The 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that devastated Venezuela struck along a complex boundary between the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates in a rare “doublet” sequence, with the second quake beginning before shaking from the first had subsided, seismologists told NBC News. The shallow depth of the ruptures, just six miles underground, caused more violent surface shaking, and many buildings structurally weakened by the first quake collapsed seconds later in the second. Link
Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded a Middle East tour Thursday with a sharp warning that any Iranian attempt to charge transit fees on the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent for international waterways worldwide. Rubio met with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in Bahrain and said there was “zero support” among regional allies for Iranian toll schemes. Link
Entertainment
Country music legend Dolly Parton, 80, made a surprise appearance Wednesday at the grand opening of her new Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee, just a month after canceling her Las Vegas residency to focus on her health. Parton drew cheers quipping, “I couldn’t leave it to beavers,” while cutting the ribbon in a blue-and-pink fringed outfit, and told the crowd she “could not be prouder” of the new venture. Read More
The Hollywood Reporter’s critic gave DC’s “Supergirl” a mixed assessment, calling Milly Alcock’s performance as Kara Zor-El a genuine standout and crediting the film’s Mad Max-inspired intergalactic tone as a distinctive departure from standard superhero fare, while faulting the villain and narrative momentum. The review noted the film’s June 26 release date positions it for a successful but not blockbuster opening. Link
Country music stars Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan were sued for $1.4 million in damages following the closure of their Nashville steakhouse. The suit alleges they violated their lease agreement. Find out More
Sports
The U.S. men’s national team clinched first place in World Cup Group D despite a 3-2 loss to Turkey on Thursday night, after manager Mauricio Pochettino made nine lineup changes to rest key starters for the knockout round. Turkey’s 21-year-old Real Madrid star Arda Güler scored a stunning late winner, but the U.S. advances to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 on July 1. Find out More
Ecuador ended Germany’s 11-game winning streak and advanced to the World Cup round of 32 with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory Thursday, with Gonzalo Plata’s 77th-minute goal completing a comeback from a second-minute German opener. Germany’s elimination before the knockout stage is one of the most shocking results in the expanded 48-team tournament. Source
Major League Baseball submitted a new proposal for a collective bargaining agreement that would limit player contracts to five years. The two sides are locked in labor negotiations that could see a work stoppage following the 2026 season as the owners seek to impose a salary cap. Find out More
Off the Wall
Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey was ejected in the top of the ninth inning after going ballistic on First Base umpire Tyler Jones following a check swing call that went against the Red Sox. Read More
