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Episode Date: July 3, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. Iran is enjoying an unexpected windfall after the Trump administration lifted sanctions on the country's oil sales. The move is expected to unlock billions of dollars for the regime. NPR's Jackie Northam reports. Lifting long-standing sanctions on its oil exports was a key demand by Iran during recent peace negotiations with the U.S. And could pull him between $8 and $10 billion for the regime while the agreement is in effect until August 20. First. President Trump defended lifting oil sanctions, saying in exchange, Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. Bob McNally, president of Rappadoan Energy Group, says the president had little

choice. This is a ransom payment for oil. Iran took Hormuz hostage, and we had to pay Iran to release the hostage. There's been pushback by Iran Hawks, who say the regime will use money from oil sales to build up its military and proxies in the region. Jackie Northam, NPR News. Iran is warning oil tankers to use approved routes in the Strait of Hormuz, or face what it said would be a forceful response. Iran's joint military command issued that statement on state television Thursday. It's not clear what sparked it. Washington, D.C. District Attorney Janine Piro says the man who is now facing a felony charge for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool acted intentionally.

Our evidence further shows that the National Park Service employees observed Hearn actually forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both hands. The former Olympic canoe racer, David Hearn, says he's no vandal, that he simply reached into the pool to examine a piece of the blue coating that had peeled. The Trump administration has spent millions in taxpayer money to renovate. the pool, but the project has run into other problems as well, including an algae bloom that turn the water green. Forecasters warning about that heat wave, the National Weather Service says the extreme daytime heat will focus on the eastern U.S. through the Independence Day weekend and is likely to set records. But as NPR Scott Newman reports, experts say the warm nighttime temperatures are also a health concern. Daytime highs are expected to reach into the 100s for parts of the Mid-Atlantic

through the end of the week. Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University's Nicholas Institute, says climate change is not only bringing hotter days, but hotter nights too. And that's worrisome, she says. We're not getting the opportunity for recovery overnight. Roughly 35 million Americans do not have air conditioning installed in their homes, making them more vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Scott Newman, NPR News.

This is NPR News. Telecasts of the World Cup are drawing record numbers of U.S. viewers for Fox Sports, and M.PERS Mandelito Barco reports that 48% are watching Telemundo's Spanish language coverage. NBC Universal says no matter what language they speak, fans are tuning in to Telemundo's telecast, streaming it on Peacock, and viewing its social media coverage of the Copa Mundial, as it's known in Spanish. Miguel Lorenzo is a lot of. senior vice president at Telemundo Deportes.

Half of the country of the United States is watching the World Cup in Spanish on Telemundo, but we also know that only 20% of the U.S. population is Hispanic. Last night as the U.S. men's national soccer team knocked out Bosnia-Herzegovina's team 2-0, Giselle Rojas, and her mother, Graciela Reyes, cheered along with Telemundo's famous announcer, Andres Cantor. Yeah, that's a best part for everybody. Go! I think it's more fun to watch in Spanish? A million percent.

We like the excitement. Mandolid del Barco, NPR News, Los Angeles. In World Cup play Friday, Argentina, the reigning champions will play Cape Verde. The smallest nation by population to ever reach the knockout round. Argentina, a star player Lionel Messi, are heavy favorites, but Argentina's head coach says he's not surprised to be playing around a 32 match against Cape Verde, saying they are not here by chance. Major stock markets in Asia rallying and Friday trading after the Dow Jones Industrial

Average set another record. South Korea's benchmark is up more than 5%. I'm Trial Snyder. This is NPR News.