News from the Note…
A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.
This is an OPEN THREAD, folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.
SCOOP: U.S. sending dozens more refueling planes to Israel ahead of possible escalation
— Axios (@axios.com) July 17, 2026 at 12:01 PM
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The U.S. attacks bridges and other key infrastructure in southern Iran, capping nearly a week of strikes aimed at intensifying pressure on Tehran to give up control of the Strait of Hormuz.
— NBC News (@nbcnews.com) July 17, 2026 at 8:20 AM
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Kuwait says Iran attacked a power and water desalination plant, causing widespread damage to the station. The country relies heavily on desalination for drinking water, so any disruption poses a serious threat.
— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) July 17, 2026 at 5:17 AM
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The number of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz dropped to their lowest level in three weeks as violence between the U.S. and Iran ramped up again. More updates:
— CBS News (@cbsnews.com) July 17, 2026 at 2:30 PM
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President Donald Trump said the release of declassified documents related to election integrity is not meant "weaken confidence" in US elections, despite years of insisting there have been irregularities in elections. Critics say he has done just that. https://cnn.it/4vATjGm
— CNN (@cnn.com) July 16, 2026 at 9:43 PM
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President Trump threatened again to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC and NBC tonight, after those networks decided not to preempt their regularly scheduled programming to cover his address live.
— Axios (@axios.com) July 16, 2026 at 11:00 PM
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DHS secretary vows fines — and even prison time — for election officials that don’t comply
— Politico (@politico.com) July 17, 2026 at 1:31 PM
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Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served by Taco Bell locations across five U.S. states as a source of the widespread outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.
— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) July 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM
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Post reporters identified seven spots at the Reflecting Pool where the lining had partially or entirely peeled away. Four experts in waterproofing materials said the failure pattern strongly suggested errors in the application process. https://wapo.st/4bhNCGj
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) July 16, 2026 at 11:00 PM
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After the ICE agents’ actions attracted attention from onlookers, the agents walked away, leaving the man, Phu Nguyen, with one handcuff attached to one arm.
— NBC News (@nbcnews.com) July 17, 2026 at 1:40 PM
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met for about an hour with a group of Epstein's accusers at the DOJ headquarters in Washington. After the meeting, Blanche told reporters that he encouraged the accusers to come to the FBI with any information that could help investigators.
— CBS News (@cbsnews.com) July 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM
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Powerful earthquake in southern Mexico shakes Guatemala and El Salvador, with the US Geological Survey measuring its preliminary magnitude as 7.3. https://cnn.it/4fktbJF
— CNN (@cnn.com) July 17, 2026 at 12:16 PM
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