00:00The race to find survivors isn't over as the death toll in Venezuela continues to climb and rescuers dig through
00:07the rubble.
00:08Plus, a judge tells the Justice Department show more of the Epstein files by next week or explain why it's
00:14keeping them secret.
00:15And President Trump said vandals damaged the reflecting pool.
00:19Now a court filing describes knife cuts, debris and what else investigators found.
00:26The stories that matter, clear and credible.
00:30From across the country to around the world.
00:32These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow.
00:38Good morning, everyone. I'm Simone del Rosario. In today for Craig Negrelli.
00:42The death toll in Venezuela continues to climb this morning.
00:45Rescue crews are racing to find survivors after two powerful earthquakes hit, leaving widespread devastation across the country.
00:51Red Cross crews say the search is an around-the-clock operation, with many people still missing as rescuers dig
00:59through collapsed buildings.
01:00The latest official figures show 235 people have died, with more than 4,300 injured.
01:07Officials expect both numbers to continue going up.
01:10The international response is also growing.
01:13The United States has deployed search and rescue teams, military support, medical personnel and humanitarian aid.
01:19While the United Nations and more than a dozen other countries are sending rescuers, supplies, financial assistance and emergency relief.
01:27The back-to-back quakes, a 7.2 followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5, are among the
01:34strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
01:36The shaking was so powerful, it was felt more than 1,000 miles away in Brazil's Amazon region.
01:42A federal judge is giving the Trump administration one week to release more of the Epstein files or explain why
01:49it's keeping them secret.
01:50The D.C. judge's ruling is in response to a lawsuit brought by an independent journalist claiming the Justice Department
01:56has not fully complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
02:00That's the law passed by Congress last November requiring a broad public release of the records.
02:05The judge ordered the government to remove redactions from certain documents, including exposing the people who sent and received emails
02:13referring to a so-called torture video and alleged sexual activity with young women, including minors.
02:19The order also covers interview notes with a woman who made unverified claims she was sexually abused by President Trump
02:25when she was a minor.
02:27Again, the department has the option to explain why it's choosing not to release certain info.
02:31On top of that, the judge wants the Justice Department to produce a log identifying every redaction it has made
02:38to the published files, which is required by law.
02:41The agency has so far released more than three million pages of Epstein records.
02:46Well, the first major test of the U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz may have already arrived.
02:52A U.S. official confirms Iran's Revolutionary Guard attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo ship Thursday as it traveled through the
02:59Strait of Hormuz.
03:00The ship, the Ever-Lovely, was struck by what U.S. officials say was a drone.
03:05Its bridge was damaged, but there were no reported injuries.
03:08Now, the attack came just hours after Iran warned ships not to use a U.N.-backed shipping route that passes
03:15closer to Amman instead of Iranian waters.
03:19Iranian state media said vessels using routes not approved by Tehran would no longer be guaranteed safe passage or insurance
03:26coverage.
03:26The United Nations International Maritime Organization has now paused its evacuation plan for hundreds of ships still stranded in the
03:34region while it reassesses safety.
03:36The attack puts new pressure on last week's U.S.-Iran agreement, which was meant to reopen the Strait after months
03:43of disruption.
03:44What we're interested in is not their press conferences.
03:47What we're interested in is whether or not ships are moving.
03:50If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that's what we're going to judge and that's what we're
03:53going to react to.
03:54If, on the other hand, this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving,
04:00that's a violation of the agreement and we're going to have a problem with it.
04:03About one-fifth of the world's oil typically passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
04:08We had just started seeing a shipping rebound this week, with about 70 vessels getting through on Wednesday, up from
04:14just six a week earlier.
04:16But Thursday's attack raises new questions about whether that recovery can continue.
04:21Well, one of the country's most high-profile murder cases may have come close to a plea deal, but for
04:26now, it's still headed to trial.
04:27Sources tell multiple outlets that Luigi Mangione's attorneys discussed a possible plea deal with federal prosecutors, but those talks did
04:35not lead to an agreement.
04:37The discussions came after his defense team earlier this month floated and then withdrew a possible psychiatric defense in the
04:44state case.
04:45Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both the state and federal charges.
04:49Mangione's accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024.
04:56The case is moving on two separate tracks, a state murder case and a federal prosecution.
05:01The state trial is scheduled for September, with the federal case expected to follow.
05:06ABC News reports Mangione could still change his plea before and even during the proceedings.
05:12His attorney pushed back on the reports, saying information from, quote,
05:16anonymous sources is part of a pattern designed to prejudice Mangione and undermine his right to a fair trial.
05:22The mystery surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool just took another turn.
05:27A new court filing says part of the Reflecting Pool's new liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor,
05:34giving the first detailed account of damage the Trump administration has previously blamed on vandals.
05:39The sworn declaration from a top National Park Service official says crews found cuts to the foam sealant,
05:46damage to the surface material, and about 70 fence post caps thrown into the pool.
05:51U.S. Park Police also released this surveillance video showing a person they want to identify
05:57in connection with an investigation into the destruction of government property.
06:01Officials have not said whether that person is responsible for the damage described in the court filing.
06:07You know by now the pool has been dealing with this severe algae bloom
06:11and areas of peeling liner following its multi-million dollar renovation.
06:15The Park Service says it plans to drain the Reflecting Pool after the July 4th celebrations
06:20to repair that liner and assess any additional damage.
06:24Finally this morning, the kind of heat France once thought it wouldn't see until 2050,
06:29well, it's here now.
06:30A record-breaking heat wave is sweeping across Europe with parts of France topping 110 degrees this week.
06:36That's hotter than Las Vegas, hotter than Phoenix, and yes, hotter than temperatures,
06:42a French TV weather forecast once predicted for the year 2050.
06:46In Paris, people are looking for relief anywhere they can find it.
06:50Cooling off in the fountains, opening umbrellas against the sun,
06:53and diving into the canal San Martin, where the city has extended public swimming hours.
06:58The heat is also forcing major landmarks to adjust.
07:01The loo's been closing early some days, while officials raised the country's health alert
07:07to its highest level as hospitals prepare for more heat-related emergencies.
07:11The extreme heat is now pushing east.
07:14Germany, the Czech Republic, and other parts of Central Europe are bracing for temperatures
07:18near 104 degrees, as forecasters warn the dangerous conditions could last into next week.
07:25It's times like this, I really appreciate America's affinity for air conditioning.
07:29All right, before we head out, here's what we're tracking today.
07:31Former National Security Advisor John Bolton is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge
07:36over his handling of classified information.
07:38He's also expected to agree to a multi-million dollar fine.
07:42At 1.30, President Trump heads to the Faith Freedom Coalition's policy conference,
07:47and tonight he participates in a Republican National Committee reception.
07:51Unbiased Updates is the fastest, fairest few minutes of news.
07:54You can watch us anytime at san.com or on our app.
07:58And to everyone listening on Spotify, thank you.
08:01The response there has been just incredible,
08:03and we're grateful you've made us a part of your daily routine.
08:07All right, those are your Unbiased Updates for this Friday.
08:09We're going to see you right back here on Monday.
08:11For all of us here at Straight Arrow, I'm Simone Del Rosario.
08:13Have a great day and a fantastic weekend.
08:18We'll see you right back here on Monday.
08:19We'll see you right back here on Monday.
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