Venezuela quake rescue efforts grow; Judge orders more Epstein files released

The race to find survivors isn't over as the death toll in Venezuela continues to climb

and rescuers dig through the rubble. Plus, a judge tells the Justice Department, show more of the Epstein files by next week

or explain why it's keeping them secret. And President Trump said vandals damaged the reflecting pool

Now a court filing describes knife cuts, debris, and what else investigators found

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

These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow. Good morning, everyone. I'm Simone del Rosario in today for Craig Negrelli

The death toll in Venezuela continues to climb this morning. Rescue crews are racing to find

survivors after two powerful earthquakes hit, leaving widespread devastation across the country

Red Cross crews say the search is an around-the-clock operation, with many people still missing as rescuers dig through collapsed buildings

The latest official figures show 235 people have died, with more than 4,300 injured

Officials expect both numbers to continue going up. The international response is also growing

The United States has deployed search and rescue teams, military support, medical personnel and humanitarian aid

while the United Nations and more than a dozen other countries are sending rescuers

supplies, financial assistance and emergency relief. The back-to-back quakes, a 7.2 followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5

are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. The shaking was so powerful, it was felt more than 1,000 miles away in Brazil's Amazon region

A federal judge is giving the Trump administration one week to release more of the Epstein files

or explain why it's keeping them secret. The D.C. judge's ruling is in response to a lawsuit brought by an independent journalist

claiming the Justice Department has not fully complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act That the law passed by Congress last November requiring a broad public release of the records The judge ordered the government to remove redactions from certain documents

including exposing the people who sent and received emails referring to a so-called

torture video and alleged sexual activity with young women, including minors. The order also

covers interview notes with a woman who made unverified claims she was sexually abused by

President Trump when she was a minor. Again, the department has the option to explain why

it's choosing not to release certain info. On top of that, the judge wants the Justice

Department to produce a log identifying every redaction it has made to the published files

which is required by law. The agency has so far released more than three million pages

of Epstein records. Well, the first major test of the U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz may have already arrived. A U.S. official confirms

Iran's Revolutionary Guard attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo ship Thursday as it traveled through the Strait of Hormuz

The ship, the Ever Lovely, was struck by what U.S. officials say was a drone

Its bridge was damaged, but there were no reported injuries. Now, the attack came just hours after Iran warned ships not to use a U.N.-backed shipping route

that passes closer to Amman instead of Iranian waters. Iranian state media said vessels using routes not approved by Tehran

would no longer be guaranteed safe passage or insurance coverage. The United Nations International Maritime Organization has now paused its evacuation plan

for hundreds of ships still stranded in the region while it reassesses safety

The attack puts new pressure on last week's U.S.-Iran agreement, which was meant to reopen the strait after months of disruption

What we're interested in is not their press conferences. What we're interested in is whether or not ships are moving

If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that's what we're going to judge and that's what we're going to react to

If, on the other hand, this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving, that's a violation of the agreement and we're going to have a problem with it

About one of the world oil typically passes through the Strait of Hormuz We had just started seeing a shipping rebound this week with about 70 vessels getting through on Wednesday up from just six a week earlier But Thursday attack raises new questions about

whether that recovery can continue. Well, one of the country's most high-profile murder cases may

have come close to a plea deal, but for now, it's still headed to trial. Sources tell multiple

outlets that Luigi Mangione's attorneys discussed a possible plea deal with federal prosecutors

but those talks did not lead to an agreement. The discussions came after his defense team

earlier this month floated and then withdrew a possible psychiatric defense in the state case

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both the state and federal charges

Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk

in December 2024. The case is moving on two separate tracks, a state murder case and a

federal prosecution. The state trial is scheduled for September, with the federal case expected to

follow. ABC News reports Mangione could still change his plea before and even during the

proceedings. His attorney pushed back on the reports, saying information from, quote

anonymous sources is part of a pattern designed to prejudice Mangione and undermine his right to

a fair trial. The mystery surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool just took another turn

A new court filing says part of the reflecting pool's new liner was cut with a sharp knife or

razor, giving the first detailed account of damage the Trump administration has previously blamed on

vandals. The sworn declaration from a top National Park Service official says crews found cuts to the

foam sealant, damage to the surface material, and about 70 fence post caps thrown into the pool

U.S. Park Police also released this surveillance video showing a person they want to identify

in connection with an investigation into the destruction of government property. Officials have not said whether that person is responsible for the damage described in the court

filing You know by now the pool has been dealing with this severe algae bloom and areas of peeling liner following its multi dollar renovation The Park Service says it plans to drain the reflecting pool after the July 4th celebrations to repair that liner and assess any additional damage Finally this morning

the kind of heat France once thought it wouldn't see until 2050, well, it's here now. A record

breaking heat wave is sweeping across Europe with parts of France topping 110 degrees this week

that's hotter than Las Vegas, hotter than Phoenix, and yes, hotter than temperatures

a French TV weather forecast once predicted for the year 2050. In Paris, people are looking for

relief anywhere they can find it, cooling off in the fountains, opening umbrellas against the sun

and diving into the c Saint-Martin, where the city has extended public swimming hours

The heat is also forcing major landmarks to adjust. The Louvre's been closing early some days

while officials raised the country's health alert to its highest level as hospitals prepare for more heat-related emergencies

The extreme heat is now pushing east. Germany, the Czech Republic, and other parts of Central Europe

are bracing for temperatures near 104 degrees as forecasters warn the dangerous conditions could last into next week

It's times like this I really appreciate America's affinity for air conditioning

All right, before we head out, here's what we're tracking today. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge over his handling of classified information

He's also expected to agree to a multimillion dollar fine. At 1.30, President Trump heads to the Faith Freedom Coalition's policy conference

And tonight, he participates in a Republican National Committee reception. Unbiased Updates is the fastest, fairest few minutes of news

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All right, those are your unbiased updates for this Friday. We're going to see you right back here on Monday

For all of us here at Straight Arrow, I'm Simone Del Rosario. Have a great day and a fantastic weekend