Trump warns of new U.S. action against Iran
President Donald Trump warned Thursday morning the that the U.S. will hit Iran very hard tonight. He specifically threatened to seize Kharg Island, through which approximately 90% of Iran’s oil exports flow. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted U.S. bases in the region overnight for a second consecutive day, following continued U.S. strikes against various targets in Iran. In response to the latest U.S. strikes, Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was closed. Trump said that the U.S. military has secretly been escorting oil tankers through the Strait. A delegation from Qatar left Iran’s capital city Tehran Thursday after holding negotiations with Iranian officials that lasted into the early morning hours. The U.S. military has acknowledged that Iran shot down a U.S. military Apache helicopter earlier this week.
Gates denies knowledge of Epstein’s crimes
Billionaire Bill Gates told members of the House Oversight Committee that he had no knowledge of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and that Epstein attempted to use information about Gates’ personal life including that he had been unfaithful in his marriage to pressure him, according to a copy of his opening remarks obtained by CNN. “I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone,” Gates said. Gates characterized his interactions with Epstein as “limited,” and testified that they ended altogether in December 2014.
Spotify removes podcasts promoting illegal pharmacies
A Congressional report released today looks at Spotify carrying podcasts that promoted the sale of prescription drugs through phony pharmacies. Spotify removed numerous podcasts after reports from CNN and other news outlets exposed the issue last year. Sen. Maggie Hassan launched an investigation into the fake podcasts, which violated Spotify’s rules and threatened to direct users to potentially illegal sites. The investigation’s findings raise questions about Spotify’s ability to proactively detect and remove potentially harmful content. Hassan said the company should have acted faster and alerted law enforcement to the content. “As criminals use AI to perpetuate scams and other dangerous actions faster and in larger quantities, all online platforms need to step up, protect their users, and enforce comprehensive strategies to remove illegal content,” Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat and the ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee, said in a statement to CNN ahead of the report’s release.
Knicks win in last-second finish
The New York Knicks had one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history last night at Madison Square Garden when they won the fourth game in the series by one point. The Knicks now lead the San Antonio Spurs three games to one. On the final scoring play of the game, with 1.2 seconds remaining, Brunson shot a long three-point attempt, which bounced off the rim before being tipped back into the basket by Anunoby. It gave the Knicks a 107-106 victory. The Knicks at one point in the game had been trailing the Spurs by 29 points. Game five in the NBA Finals takes placed in San Antonio on Saturday night.
World Cup begins today
The first of 104 matches in the biggest-ever World Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. Eastern Time today in Mexico City when South Africa meets up with Mexico in the historic Estadio Azteca. Many of the news stories during the run-up to the World Cup have focused on out-of-control ticket prices, allegations of price gouging on public transportation, the refusal of the Trump administration to admit a Somali referee into the U.S., Iran’s participation amid the U.S.-Iran war and visa troubles for fans, players and staff. Last year, FIFA and the Trump administration estimated more than 8 million people would be traveling internationally for the World Cup. It’s likely the last World Cup for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two giants of the game that have dominated world soccer for much of the last two decades. There are 48 teams in this year’s tournament, up 16 from recent editions.
Some states decline to participate in Trump’s Fair
Officials from Oregon, Washington, and North Carolina told CNN they declined an invitation from the Trump administration to showcase their states at the giant fairgrounds being built on the National Mall. Pennsylvania has yet to decide whether it will participate. A spokesperson for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, pointed to concerns about the partisan nature of the event, set to open June 25 and last about two weeks. Freedom 250 is the Trump-aligned nonprofit putting together the fair and other 250th events backed by Trump. Earlier this month, the fair was forced to jettison an opening concert following the withdrawal of artists who were due to perform. So far, Freedom250 has released information indicating that 21 states have proposed pavilions at the fair.
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