☕️ Iran war resumes

Good morning!

If you haven’t already come across his viral videos, the over 2,200-pound elephant seal known as Neil continues to terrorise a small Australian town in Tasmania, gaining widespread fame whilst doing so.

Despite the thousands of dollars of damage he causes, Neil, who is a repeat visitor to Tasmania, has gained over 1.4 million followers on TikTok and the love and respect of locals.

Check out his antics here.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

• The judge who oversaw President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) characterized the near $1.8 billion settlement deal that resulted as “self-dealing”. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams also referred Trump's lawyers to a disciplinary board, but stopped short of voiding the settlement deal, saying that the legality of the deal itself was never a question before the court. The deal has now been abandoned by the administration after it received widespread backlash, but Williams’s remarks come days before Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faces the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

• An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a 26-year-old Colombian man in Maine on Monday, marking the second ICE killing this week and the ninth this year. The Department of Homeland Security said that when the agent tried to stop a vehicle leaving the address of a suspected undocumented immigrant, the “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon.” Conflicting reports have emerged, however, with Maine Senator Angus King telling the media the man tried to use his vehicle as a weapon. An investigation has been launched into the shooting.

• Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett will advocate for an increase in funding for judicial security before a Senate inquiry, amid an environment of increased threats on judicial officers. They are appearing to justify a request for $228 million for the next financial year, pointing to the 564 threats made against judges this year, an increase from last year. Barrett herself had SWAT teams arrive at her home after a false call was placed identifying a threat to her.

• California is leading a 12-state lawsuit that asks the courts to block a merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery because it would reduce competition and limit consumer choice. The $81 billion merger would see the entire library of Warner Bros Discovery brought under the Paramount company umbrella and see the end of one of Hollywood’s last five legacy studios. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said audiences everywhere would feel the impact of the “unlawful” merger. Paramount denied the allegation, saying the lawsuit “distorts settled antitrust law”.

I’ve got 1 minute

Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was appointed to serve the rest of the late Senator’s electoral term on Monday.

Nordone will serve until Graham’s term expires on January 3; it is unclear if she will run for official election to his seat in November.

Background: Graham’s death

Graham has served in the Senate since 2003, chaired the Budget Committee and previously led the Judiciary Committee. Before entering the Senate, he worked as a lawyer in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve.

Graham had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine when emergency services were called to his home. Paramedics performed CPR before taking him to the hospital.

Graham's office has not commented on the cause of death. Preliminary medical examiner findings point to an aortic dissection caused by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. His staff said there was no indication he had been feeling unwell beforehand.

Who is Darline Graham Nordone?

Nordone heads South Carolina’s Commission for the Blind, advocating for those with reduced or no eyesight. In this role, she reportedly works closely with Governor Henry McMaster, who made the appointment.

“Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed. It’s my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now,” McMaster said, referencing Graham’s adoption of Nordone when he was 22, and she was 13 after they were both orphaned.

"This is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way", said Nordone when she accepted the nomination.

Why Nordone?

There is a long tradition in U.S. politics of appointing the loved ones of a deceased lawmaker to serve the remainder of their term. Across the history of both the House and Senate, 45 widows have been appointed to serve after their partner’s death.

Nordone also received the endorsement of President Trump to act as the replacement, an important hurdle for anyone running for elected office in deeply conservative South Carolina.

Neither Nordone nor the governor said if she would run for office in the midterms, but multiple South Carolinians have begun positioning to compete for the spot. All bids for the Republican primary election must be in by July 25.

I’ve got 2 minutes

President Donald Trump has launched strikes on Iran, notifying the U.S. government that military action has restarted.

On Truth Social, Trump also declared the U.S. as the "guardians of the Strait of Hormuz," adding that the U.S. will charge a toll on ships passing through.

It comes after strikes exchanged between Iran and the U.S. have escalated in the past week, with Trump recently saying the ceasefire deal, signed in June, is "over."

Let's get caught up.

Background

The U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

These strikes came after negotiations between the countries broke down over the future of Iran's nuclear program. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes on U.S.-linked defense sites.

Throughout the conflict, the global oil supply chain was significantly disrupted due to blockages of the Strait of Hormuz.

Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's busiest oil shipping channels. In March, Iran blocked the Strait, causing oil prices to significantly increase.

While no single country officially controls the Strait, both the U.S. and Iran have attempted to control access to it throughout this conflict.

Ceasefire

On June 17, a peace agreement was signed, which included a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) detailing the conditions of the ceasefire.

The MoU included the reopening of the Strait without tolls, and a 60-day negotiation process to create a more permanent deal.

The more permanent deal aimed to limit Iran's nuclear capabilities and lift all sanctions (e.g., financial restrictions and travel bans).

The 60-day negotiation process was due to end in mid-August.

Declaration

Last week, strikes began escalating. Trump said Iran had struck several "neutral-flagged commercial vessels" in the Strait.

On Monday, Trump sent Congress a letter notifying it that hostilities with Iran had resumed. Trump did not tell Congress before launching the strikes.

On Monday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), part of the Department of War, said it will resume blockading traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports.

In a social media post on Monday, Trump said the U.S. will be the "guardians of the Strait," imposing a 20% toll on ships.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a UN agency responsible for safe and secure global shipping. It said: "Passage through the Strait should remain free of any tolls," in line with international law.

However, it's up to member states to uphold IMO conventions, as it has "no operational mandate."

Response

Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, saying "since the signing of the agreement to end the war, the U.S. regime has openly violated almost all components of that agreement."

Foreign Minister Araghchi said Iran has "always been the guardian" of the Strait.

He added that a 20% toll is "of course too much," saying that if Iran managed the passage it "will be fair."

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, "states bordering straits shall not hamper transit passage."

What’s next?

Trump said he will address the nation on Thursday evening (9 PM Eastern Time).

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the countries to stop attacking and "urgently resume negotiations."

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