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NEED TO KNOW
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Pressure on White House to release Epstein files ramps up
The Trump administration defended itself over its handling of the files related to Jeffrey Epstein yesterday, as efforts to release them among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continued to snowball.
Leadership speaks up: GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to “come forward and explain” her mixed messages regarding the convicted sex offender’s client list, saying the controversy is distracting from the DOJ’s other work. [NBC News]
Congressional pressure: House Republicans blocked Democratic efforts to vote on the release of the files, while GOP Rep. Thomas Massie threatened to trigger a vote to make them public, and another GOP lawmaker called for Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell to testify. [The Hill/ABC News]
Trump’s defense: Amid growing turmoil within the DOJ, President Trump yesterday doubled down on his support for Bondi, saying she handled the Epstein matter “very well” and that “whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.” [AP]
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Fabio Lovino/HBO
📺 ‘Innies’ on top
With 27 nominations, Apple TV+ show Severance walked away with the most Emmy nods yesterday, followed by The Penguin, The Studio and White Lotus. See the full list and the major surprises and snubs. [Yahoo Entertainment/People]
🪖 National Guard eases in L.A.
The Pentagon said that half of the 4,000 National Guard members who’d been deployed in June amid ICE protests would be released from duty. L.A.’s mayor called for the rest to leave too, saying they were “used as props” by Trump. [Los Angeles Times]
➡️ ‘American Idol’ tragedy
Longtime American Idol music supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband were found dead at their home in an apparent double homicide. Police said a suspect, who may have been robbing the residence at the time of the attack, was arrested. [CNN]
🩺 New obesity study
A new global study suggests that diet, rather than inactivity, may play a larger role in obesity after it found that people in more developed nations expend roughly the same total calories on most days as those in less-developed nations. [Washington Post]
⚾ Schwarber’s clutch homers
The MLB All-Star Game had its first-ever swing-off after the National League and American League were tied at 6-6 at the end of the ninth inning. Phillies star Kyle Schwarber won it for the NL after hitting three home runs. Watch them. [Yahoo Sports]
WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY
📺 Now streaming: The first two episodes of the final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty dropped overnight on Prime Video. (More on that below.) [Cosmopolitan]
🏀 On the court, after her epic 34-point game, A’ja Wilson and the Aces will tip off against the Wings at 8 p.m. ET on WNBA League Pass. [AP]
☀️ And don’t forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the crossword. Check the forecast in your area.
TODAY IN HISTORY
Illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
In 1945, the U.S. detonated the world’s first atomic bomb in the desert near Alamogordo, N.M. “A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent,” said head physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer of the moment. Read about it. [Business Insider]
3 QUESTIONS…about The Summer I Turned Pretty
Yahoo News reporter Kaitlin Reilly, a fan of the coming-of-age romantic drama and the books it’s adapted from, talks about what to expect in the final season.
Lily: Catch me up, where did we leave off last season?
Kaitlin: The finale, appropriately titled “Love Triangle,” opens with Conrad catching his longtime love Belly kissing his brother on top of his car. Their relationship had been brewing all season and the finale showed Conrad struggle as Belly ultimately chose Jeremiah. It was a real knife in my heart!
Lily: So, I’m guessing you’re Team Conrad?
Kaitlin: All day, every day! As a book reader, I know Conrad’s held a torch for Belly for longer than she believes. Ideally, Belly would find a third option and not ruin this family dynamic, but… it’s true love, baby!
Lily: What do we know about this season’s plot and how the show might end?
Kaitlin: We know there’s a time jump to Belly’s junior year of college. The trailer hints that Conrad has built a life for himself in California and that there could be a wedding for Belly and Jer. Creator Jenny Han said there will be some changes from the books, but promised a “very satisfying” ending.
Go deeper: Here’s why there’s so much Taylor Swift throughout the show.
FEEL-GOOD MOMENT
Deena Smith Babb
To help him celebrate turning 13, Deena Babb Smith recently asked her neighbors to send her grandson birthday cards. Reb, who has autism and loves to check the mail, received more than 160. “It has been so much fun for us to watch him be that excited!” she said. [People]
We asked, you answered: What’s your favorite Elton John album? Most of you said Madman Across the Water, but some of you agreed on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Tumbleweed Connection and Captain Fantastic, which Teresa R. called “shockingly complex and mature.”
💡 P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: Certain meds can cause sun sensitivity. Keep that in mind the next time you’re outside for a while, and know what to do about it. [Yahoo Life]
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