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News Digest 14/07: Iran Conflict Escalates, US Senate in Turmoil

The US-Iran conflict over the Strait of Hormuz drives oil prices soaring, while the unexpected death of Senator Lindsey Graham upends Washington's agenda. Meanwhile, the DOJ interrogates a journalist and Japan grapples with Russian espionage concerns.


Curated links with our one-line take — full reporting at each source

US launches third consecutive night of strikes on Iran as Trump announces blockade of Strait of Hormuz

Trump's demand for shipping tolls through Hormuz represents an unprecedented policy reversal, pushing the risk of military confrontation with Iran higher than at any previous moment.

The Guardian

Oil prices spike after Trump demands tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz

Vietnamese Americans should prepare for rising gas prices this summer if tensions over Hormuz do not ease.

Fortune

Iran declares closure of Strait of Hormuz, rejects US role as 'protector'

Iran calls Trump's announcement interference, signaling that both sides are heading toward a confrontation with no clear way out.

Quartz

Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump's close ally, dies suddenly at age 71

Graham's death removes one of the Senate's strongest voices advocating for robust military intervention in support of Ukraine and Israel.

Axios

US Senate reconvenes with uncertain agenda following Graham's death

Graham's committee chairmanship sits vacant at a moment when the Iran conflict demands swift legislative action, raising the risk of gridlock in foreign policy.

abcnews.com

Secretary of State Rubio vows to 'dismantle' the International Criminal Court

This is the Trump administration's latest escalation against an international institution that Washington has long viewed as a threat to American legal sovereignty.

wwltv.com

US Department of Justice subpoenas New York Times journalist over Air Force One article

The use of subpoenas targeting journalists is a troubling sign for press freedom, especially as the Trump administration tightens control over information about military operations.

news.google.com

US Department of Health reverses threat to cut Medicare and Medicaid funding for transgender care

This reversal directly affects elderly Vietnamese people in the Medicare system, though the political reasoning behind it remains unclear.

news.google.com

Japan recognizes need to tighten counterintelligence following reports of Russian 'spy den'

This case shows Russia's intelligence network in East Asia is far more extensive than previously known, worth close attention from Asian communities monitoring the regional security landscape.

The Guardian

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