Iran threatens oil choke as US targets global banks; Gabbard files impeachment referrals

President Trump says the war is close to over

Iran says it can still choke off global oil far beyond Hormuz

Plus, Democrats are turning up the heat. Impeachment talk is back. And it's now targeting more than just Trump

And Ticketmaster and Live Nation lose in court. A jury says they rigged the system and overcharged fans

The stories that matter, clear and credible, from across the country to around the world

These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow News. Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrelli

This morning, the conflict with Iran is shifting into economic warfare. Iran is now threatening to expand the fight

warning it could target shipping across the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea

if the United States keeps its blockade in place at the Strait of Hormuz

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says the U.S. is preparing to escalate its own pressure, planning secondary sanctions on global financial

institutions that do business with Iran. Besant called it the financial equivalent of a bombing

campaign. For now, a two-week ceasefire is holding, but the threats are not. A military advisor to

Iran's supreme leader warned Iran could sink American ships in the Strait of Hormuz if U.S

forces continue to police the waterway. Also, Israel says it is ready to resume strikes inside

Iran if talks collapse. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying we are prepared for any scenario

And Israel is also stepping up its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon

with new strikes in the south overnight. President Trump said on Truth Social late last night

that Israel and Lebanon could hold direct talks for the first time in decades aimed at a possible ceasefire

In a related topic House Democrats have filed formal articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tied to the war in Iran The resolution led by Arizona Congresswoman Yasemin Ansari lays out six articles including unauthorized war

reckless endangerment of U.S. service members, targeting of civilians, and politicization of the armed forces

It accuses Hegseth of, quote, willful disregard for the Constitution, abusing the powers of his office

and acting in a way grossly incompatible with the rule of law

The Pentagon is pushing back, with a spokesperson calling the effort just another Democrat trying to make headlines

and an attempt to distract from the department's successes. With Republicans controlling the House, the measure is unlikely to advance

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is asking the Justice Department to consider criminal charges over the whistleblower complaint

that helped trigger President Trump's first impeachment. Gabbard has sent two criminal referrals, one targeting the whistleblower, the other former Inspector General Michael Atkinson

Her office accuses Atkinson of misusing the whistleblower process after a 2019 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

That call became the foundation for House Democrats to impeach Trump. The whistleblower flagged the call as an urgent concern, alleging Trump pressed Zelensky to investigate political rival Joe Biden

Gabbard claims the complaint relied on secondhand information and what she says were concocted narratives from deep state actors to push it to Congress

The whistleblower's identity has never been made public. The Justice Department will now decide whether to pursue charges

Atkinson, who was fired by Trump in 2020, has said he acted properly and followed the law

Gabbard, however, argues he put politics ahead of facts. U Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is apologizing to fellow Justice Brett Kavanaugh over comments she made during an appearance last week Sotomayor did not name Kavanaugh directly but she was referencing a vote last year that allowed the Trump administration

to carry out broad immigration sweeps. Kavanaugh was the only justice to explain his reasoning

writing that stops by federal agents to check a person's legal status

would be temporary and reasonable. During an appearance at the University of Kansas Law School

Sotomayor appeared to take aim at his perspective, saying the opinion came, quote, from a man whose parents were professionals

and probably doesn't really know any person who works by the hour

In a statement released by the court Wednesday, Sotomayor called the remarks inappropriate

and said she has since apologized to her colleague. A major loss for Live Nation and Ticketmaster

a federal jury has found the company operated as an illegal monopoly

The verdict came in a civil antitrust case brought by 34 states

which accused Live Nation and its Ticketmaster unit of stifling competition, limiting choice, and driving up ticket prices for fans

The jury found Live Nation liable for anti-competitive conduct and found that Ticketmaster overcharged consumers

including concertgoers, on tickets sold from May of 2020 through 2024. In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said

This verdict shows just how far states can go to protect our residents from big corporations that are using their power to illegally raise prices and rip off Americans

The case now moves back to the judge, who will decide damages, penalties, consumer restitution, and any changes the company may be forced to make

That could be costly. The jury found Ticketmaster overcharged by $1.72 per ticket

And with triple damages available under federal law, the total could reach billions of dollars

The ruling could open the door to bigger changes including possible divestments or even a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster though any remedy will be fought over in a separate proceeding Live Nation has long denied it is a monopoly and argued it competes legally in a crowded market

We do a lot of sports in this slot, and I know that's not for everybody. So finally this morning

something a bit different. Madonna is back, and she's heading straight for the dance floor

The pop icon announced a new album, Confessions on a Dance Floor Part 2, set for release July 3rd

It's her first full project in seven years. She broke the news on Instagram, sharing the cover and a quick teaser

and reuniting with producer Stuart Price, the same collaborator behind her 2005 hit album

That original, Confessions, gave us tracks like Hung Up and Sorry, and now she's picking up right where she left off

Madonna calling the dance floor a ritualistic space, saying this new project is about connection, escape, and pushing the limits

No word yet on a tour, but safe to say she's urging everybody to get up, dance and sing and everybody to come on, do your thing

A little bit of Madonna there, maybe a little bit of a lucky star holiday or Papa Don't Preach

See, that was my era. And I do know a smidge about music. A busy Thursday ahead. Here's what we're tracking

Voters in New Jersey's 11th district head to the polls this morning in a special election, a race that could shift the balance in the House

At nine, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts reviews a proposal for a 250-foot monumental arch that President Trump wants built

Then this afternoon, NASA's Artemis II crew takes questions from the media about their mission and what comes next

And tonight, the president holds a no-tax-on-tips roundtable in Las Vegas. No noise, no sides, just the story

NewsGuard gives us a perfect score for reliability. All sides gives us a center rating for balance certification

We give you facts first and the news straight. Those are your unbiased updates for this Thursday

We'll see you back here tomorrow, Friday. We love that. For all of us here at Straight Arrow News, I'm Craig DeGrelli

Have a great day