U.S. NEWS

Court Adjourned

The Supreme Court is cramming like it’s finals week.

SCOTUS handed down back-to-back rulings (and one snub) in the two days before its term ended. First: a 6-3 ruling allowing presidents to fire independent agency regulators at will… with one exception: the Federal Reserve. A separate 5-4 decision let Fed Governor Cook keep her job pending her fight against mortgage fraud allegations, upholding the Central Bank’s independence.

The court also ruled, 5-4 allowing states to count mail-ballots received after Election Day (if postmarked in time); 6-3 upholding state laws banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports; and 6-3 blocking President Trump from limiting birthright citizenship.

Not on the docket: a $5M judgment against President Trump. By passing, the Supremes left intact a 2023 verdict finding Trump sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll.

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Whether justice is served or subverted in American courts, we can count on perfect justice and inexhaustible mercy from the courts of heaven. The Lord’s verdicts are impartial, and we can look forward to the day when he restores what sin has broken.

“The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.”
Deuteronomy 32:4 (CSB) (read full passage)

WORLD NEWS

Heat Wave

Death counts continue to climb as Europe endures a record-shattering heat wave.

Public-health officials say heat drove ~1,000 excess deaths in France last week, with about 85% of victims 65 or older. Temperature records were toppled from Germany to the U.K. as the dome crept east, with red alerts shuttering schools and slowing transit.

The WHO Director-General says Europe is “heating at twice the global average,” and called on European countries to better prepare for extreme heat.

Stateside, a heat dome is baking the Midwest and Northeast with triple-digit temps and little overnight relief, while around 2 million in the West face fire alerts. And heat isn’t the only summer hazard: The CDC reports ER visits for tick bites have hit their highest rate in nearly a decade, raising concerns of tick-borne diseases.

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
As believers, let’s pray for the families grieving loved ones lost to the heat, for the elderly and vulnerable as summer bears down on both sides of the Atlantic, and for wisdom to steward God’s good creation well.

“Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.… took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.”
Genesis 2:7, 15 (CSB) (read full passage)

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SPORTS

Grass Games

Wimbledon’s first serves and the World Cup’s first penalty shootouts were taken Monday.

Serena Williams, returning to Wimbledon for the first time since 2022, fell to Australian Maya Joint (6-3, 6-7, 6-3) yesterday on Centre Court. She'll join sister Venus’ orbit tomorrow for the sibling’s first doubles match in nearly four years. Elsewhere at the annual strawberries-and-cream pop-up, defending champs Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner both advanced in tight matches, despite Sinner’s bloody foot and scary fall.

Meanwhile, Paraguay declared a national holiday after beating Germany in penalties for one of the World Cup’s biggest knockout upsets ever; in Monday’s second shootout, Morocco gave the Dutch their earliest exit ever. The U.S. takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Bay Area today, looking for its second knockout win ever (and first since 2002).

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Verse to consider when you’re delighting in the games, devouring a good meal, or delivering on a job well done… “Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord! Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.”
Psalm 100:1, 4-5 (CSB) (read full passage)

Six days post-Venezuela’s twin quakes, the search is shifting from rescue to recovery. The death toll hit 1,719 Monday, with ~46,000 still missing. As the survival window closes, critics say acting President Delcy Rodriguez (who took power after Maduro’s January capture) is politicizing relief by routing aid through the government and blocking independent groups. Rodriguez’ government says it’s simply maintaining order.**


Verizon’s 22-year run in the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended Monday. Alphabet (Google) took its spot, pushing the blue-chip index further into tech alongside Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, and broadening exposure to areas like advertising, cloud infrastructure, and AI. Verizon’s low share price barely moved the needle in the price-weighted index, accounting for just one-half of a percentage point.


The Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco reached a historic $395 million settlement with survivors of sexual abuse by church officials. The resolution will cover claims filed by ~530 victims of abuse and comes three years after the archdiocese filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The settlement also includes provisions to protect children from future abuse in the church.


Delegates from the U.S. and Iran are in Qatar for talks with mediators, days after fresh attacks threatened efforts to sign a permanent peace deal. Meanwhile, Oman (a U.S. ally that borders the Strait of Hormuz) is moving forward with a plan to work with Iran in charging tolls, which President Trump called “unacceptable.”


LeBron James is taking his talents away from Los Angeles. King James’ agent announced yesterday that the NBA’s all-time leading scorer will return for a record 24th season, but he’s hanging up the Lakers’ purple and gold after eight seasons and one championship. Golden State, Miami, and Cleveland are favorites to land the 41-year-old, who reportedly feels “no rush” to decide.

**Pray for Venezuela alongside TPO writers Jason and Steph in today’s 5-minute audio devotional, Praying the News.

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