00:01President Trump says the war is close to over.
00:03Iran says it can still choke off global oil far beyond Hormuz.
00:08Plus, Democrats are turning up the heat.
00:10Impeachment talk is back, and it's now targeting more than just Trump.
00:14And Ticketmaster and Live Nation lose in court.
00:18A jury says they rigged the system and overcharged fans.
00:24The stories that matter, clear and credible,
00:27from across the country to around the world.
00:30These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow News.
00:36Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrelly.
00:38This morning, the conflict with Iran is shifting into economic warfare.
00:42Iran is now threatening to expand the fight,
00:45warning it could target shipping across the Persian Gulf,
00:48the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea,
00:51if the United States keeps its blockade in place at the Strait of Hormuz.
00:55Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant says the U.S. is preparing to escalate its own pressure,
01:02planning secondary sanctions on global financial institutions that do business with Iran.
01:07Besant called it the financial equivalent of a bombing campaign.
01:11For now, a two-week ceasefire is holding, but the threats are not.
01:15A military advisor to Iran's supreme leader warned Iran could sink American ships
01:21in the Strait of Hormuz if U.S. forces continue to police the waterway.
01:25Also, Israel says it is ready to resume strikes inside Iran if talks collapse.
01:32Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying we are prepared for any scenario.
01:37And Israel is also stepping up its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon,
01:43with new strikes in the South overnight.
01:45President Trump said on Truth Social late last night that Israel and Lebanon
01:50could hold direct talks for the first time in decades aimed at a possible ceasefire.
01:55In a related topic, House Democrats have filed formal articles of impeachment
02:00against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tied to the war in Iran.
02:04The resolution, led by Arizona Congresswoman Yasemin Ansari,
02:08lays out six articles including unauthorized war,
02:12reckless endangerment of U.S. service members,
02:15targeting of civilians, and politicization of the armed forces.
02:19It accuses Hegseth of, quote,
02:21willful disregard for the Constitution,
02:24abusing the powers of his office,
02:26and acting in a way grossly incompatible with the rule of law.
02:30The Pentagon is pushing back,
02:32with a spokesperson calling the effort,
02:34just another Democrat trying to make headlines,
02:36and an attempt to distract from the department's successes.
02:39With Republicans controlling the House,
02:41the measure is unlikely to advance.
02:44Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
02:47is asking the Justice Department to consider criminal charges
02:51over the whistleblower complaint
02:52that helped trigger President Trump's first impeachment.
02:56Gabbard has sent two criminal referrals,
02:58one targeting the whistleblower,
03:00the other former Inspector General Michael Atkinson.
03:03Her office accuses Atkinson of misusing the whistleblower process
03:07after a 2019 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
03:13That call became the foundation for House Democrats to impeach Trump.
03:17The whistleblower flagged the call as an urgent concern,
03:21alleging Trump pressed Zelensky to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
03:26Gabbard claims the complaint relied on secondhand information
03:30and what she says were concocted narratives
03:33from deep state actors to push it to Congress.
03:36The whistleblower's identity has never been made public.
03:39The Justice Department will now decide whether to pursue charges.
03:43Atkinson, who was fired by Trump in 2020,
03:45has said he acted properly and followed the law.
03:48Gabbard, however, argues he put politics ahead of facts.
03:52U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
03:56is apologizing to fellow Justice Brett Kavanaugh
03:59over comments she made during an appearance last week.
04:03Sotomayor did not name Kavanaugh directly,
04:05but she was referencing a vote last year
04:07that allowed the Trump administration to carry out broad immigration sweeps.
04:12Kavanaugh was the only justice to explain his reasoning,
04:15writing that stops by federal agents
04:17to check a person's legal status would be temporary and reasonable.
04:21During an appearance at the University of Kansas Law School,
04:24Sotomayor appeared to take aim at his perspective,
04:28saying the opinion came, quote,
04:29from a man whose parents were professionals
04:31and probably doesn't really know any person who works by the hour.
04:36In a statement released by the court Wednesday,
04:38Sotomayor called the remarks inappropriate
04:41and said she has since apologized to her colleague.
04:44A major loss for Live Nation and Ticketmaster,
04:48a federal jury has found the company operated as an illegal monopoly.
04:53The verdict came in a civil antitrust case brought by 34 states,
04:57which accused Live Nation and its Ticketmaster unit
05:00of stifling competition, limiting choice,
05:03and driving up ticket prices for fans.
05:06The jury found Live Nation liable for anti-competitive conduct
05:10and found that Ticketmaster overcharged consumers,
05:13including concertgoers, on tickets sold from May of 2020 through 2024.
05:19In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said, quote,
05:23This verdict shows just how far states can go
05:25to protect our residents from big corporations
05:28that are using their power to illegally raise prices
05:31and rip off Americans.
05:33The case now moves back to the judge,
05:35who will decide damages, penalties, consumer restitution,
05:39and any changes the company may be forced to make.
05:41That could be costly.
05:43The jury found Ticketmaster overcharged by $1.72 per ticket.
05:49And with triple damages available under federal law,
05:52the total could reach billions of dollars.
05:55The ruling could open the door to bigger changes,
05:57including possible divestments
05:59or even a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster,
06:02though any remedy will be fought over
06:04in a separate proceeding.
06:06Live Nation has long denied it is a monopoly
06:08and argued it competes legally in a crowded market.
06:12We do a lot of sports in this slot,
06:14and I know that's not for everybody.
06:16So finally this morning, something a bit different.
06:19Madonna is back,
06:20and she's heading straight for the dance floor.
06:22The pop icon announced a new album,
06:25Confessions on a Dance Floor Part 2,
06:27set for release July 3rd.
06:29It's her first full project in seven years.
06:32She broke the news on Instagram,
06:34sharing the cover and a quick teaser,
06:36and reuniting with producer Stuart Price,
06:38the same collaborator behind her 2005 hit album.
06:42That original, Confessions,
06:44gave us tracks like Hung Up and Sorry,
06:46and now she's picking up right where she left off.
06:49Madonna calling the dance floor a ritualistic space,
06:52saying this new project is about connection,
06:55escape, and pushing the limits.
06:57No word yet on a tour,
06:58but safe to say she's urging everybody to get up,
07:02dance, and sing,
07:02and everybody to come on, do your thing.
07:05Huh?
07:06A little bit of Madonna there.
07:07Maybe a little bit of Lucky Star,
07:10Holiday, or Papa Don't Preach.
07:11See, that was my era,
07:12and I do know a smidge about music.
07:16A busy Thursday ahead.
07:17Here's what we're tracking.
07:18Voters in New Jersey's 11th District
07:20head to the polls this morning
07:21in a special election,
07:23a race that could shift the balance in the House.
07:25At nine,
07:26the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts reviews a proposal
07:28for a 250-foot monumental arch
07:32that President Trump wants built.
07:34Then this afternoon,
07:35NASA's Artemis II crew
07:37takes questions from the media
07:38about their mission and what comes next.
07:41And tonight,
07:41the president holds a
07:42no-tax-on-tips roundtable
07:44in Las Vegas.
07:46No noise,
07:46no sides,
07:47just the story.
07:48NewsGuard gives us a perfect score
07:50for reliability.
07:51All sides gives us a center rating
07:53for balanced certification.
07:54We give you facts first
07:56and the news straight.
07:57Those are your unbiased updates
07:58for this Thursday.
07:59We'll see you back here tomorrow,
08:00Friday.
08:01We love that.
08:02For all of us here at Straight Arrow News,
08:03I'm Craig DiGrelli.
08:04Have a great day.
08:07We'll see you next time.
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