Vance Claims Trump's Blistering Statement Didn't Disrupt U.S.-Iran TalksVice President JD Vance said President Donald Trump’s inflammatory statements over the weekend did not disrupt talks between the U.S. and Iran, while acknowledging that there were some tense moments over the course of the negotiations.“No, they didn’t throw a wrench in the system,” Vance said of Trump’s words. “The thing with the Iranians, yes, they did threaten to walk out, or at least there were social media threats that they would walk out, but we were negotiating well past one in the morning yesterday, so they didn’t walk out.”Trump issued several threats aimed at Iran’s leadership, telling Fox News he had warned Tehran it would face consequences if it disrupted the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.“You close it, and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your f**king country,” Trump claimed to have told Iranian leaders.Vance said that despite some tension, the two sides made good progress.“Yes, there was a little bit of threatening,” Vance continued. “There was a little bit of whining, but at the end of the day, the talks continued, and we made great progress.”Latest Live UpdatesTrump Administration Overstepped In Effort To Ban Soda From Nutrition Program, Judge RulesA federal judge determined that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and the department she oversees do not have the authority to implement changes to the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program that would ban recipients from using it to buy soda.Judge Amy Berman Jackson noted in her ruling that the statute Rollins cited as giving her the authority to make the change does nothing of the sort.As a result, Jackson mused, “the Secretary purports to waive not just a mere administrative or technical obstacle, but the very definition of ‘food’ as it was laid down by Congress.”The judge also observed that Rollins failed to give proper notice of the program changes. Regulations require a minimum of 30 days' notice before implementation, which Rollins did not do.However, Jackson also went out of her way to emphasize the ruling doesn’t concern the merits of the policy.“The Court’s analysis should not be taken as a comment on whether the pilot projects are a good idea or not,” Jackson wrote. “That is a question of policy that is not before the Court.”Regardless of the government’s intent, “what they cannot do is violate the law and their own regulations along the way," Jackson said.Trump’s Own Judicial Appointees Among The Many Issuing Scathing Critiques Of His Administration: ReportEven judges appointed by President Donald Trump have issued scathing criticisms of the policies of his administration, a CNN analysis recently found.The report, which identified 77 instances in which judges sharply rebuked Trump and his administration, determined that roughly one-third of those involved Republican appointees. Eleven of these appointees were named by Trump himself. Read more from CNN:Trump Gives Vance Props Amid Peace Talks With Iran: ‘He’s A Very Smart Guy’President Donald Trump on Monday commended JD Vance for doing a “fantastic” job as the vice president leads a seemingly turbulent series of peace talks with Iran in Switzerland."I thought JD Vance this morning was fantastic," Trump said. "I watched his news conference in Switzerland. He's a very smart guy, did a great job."While Vance left the country Monday — even though the talks were scheduled to last for 60 days — other negotiators from the U.S. and Iran remained in Switzerland.The president has joked in recent days that Vance's neck is on the line with the high-stakes negotiations.Trump Claims Strait Of Hormuz Is Totally Open: 'Blockade Was More Impactful Than Dropping Bombs'President Donald Trump said Monday he thinks the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz "was more impactful than dropping bombs" in Iran.During an executive order signing in the Oval Office, Trump said the strait, a crucial waterway for the transport of oil, is totally open despite ongoing negotiations with Iran about a peace deal. Iran had said over the weekend that the strait was closed again due to violations of an agreed-upon ceasefire.Trump's war of choice proved how powerful a tool it is for Iran to close the strait.Olivia Rodrigo Announces All-Female Musical Festival Featuring Stevie Nicks And Chappell RoanSinger-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo announced on Monday a new all-female music festival is set to take place later this summer in Southern California.The Daisy Chain Fields festival on Aug. 29 in Irvine, California, will feature an all-women lineup including Stevie Nicks, Chappell Roan and girl group KATSEYE. "The lineup is truly insane and full of my heroes and friends," Rodrigo wrote in a social media announcement. "I firmly believe that joy, community, and music can be the drivers of meaningful change and I’m hopeful this festival will be just that."All net proceeds from the performances will go to non-profit organizations that advocate for girls and women, such as Planned Parenthood, Center for Reproductive Rights and the National Women's Law Center. Presale tickets for the festival will be available beginning Wednesday morning, according to the event's website.Planned Parenthood Endorses Graham Platner Despite Allegations Of Demeaning Behavior Towards WomenPlanned Parenthood Federation of America endorsed Graham Platner for the U.S. Senate in Maine, despite allegations of demeaning behavior towards women."President Trump and his allies are using every lever of power at their disposal to make it harder for people to get the care they need, including by attempting to permanently 'defund' Planned Parenthood. Mainers deserve a senator they can trust to have their backs at every turn. It is clear that is not Susan Collins," Alexis McGill Johnson, PPFA president and CEO, said in a Monday statement. "We know we can count on Graham Platner to fight for everyone to get the essential, life-saving care they need as part of a pro-reproductive rights Senate majority. With care on the line for millions of people, Planned Parenthood Action Fund is endorsing Graham’s candidacy for Senate."Platner has been accused by three women of being volatile and "toxic" in romantic relationships, including accusations of infidelity and physical intimidation. Following the allegations published in the New York Times, Platner told HuffPost that he was in “a dark place” when he dated the women and that he “was a far from perfect boyfriend.”Susan Collins (R), the current senator from Maine, was the deciding vote in 2018 to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in spite of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Kavanaugh's confirmation also offered the Supreme Court a key conservative majority that led to the repeal of Roe v. Wade in 2022.Cars, Trucks Bigger Than Ever — And More Fatal Than Ever, By Choice, NYT FindsBetween 200 to 400 more pedestrians a year would survive motor vehicle crashes if vehicle sizes hadn’t swelled in the last 25 years, a New York Times investigation has found.The study attempted to determine why pedestrian deaths in the U.S. have soared since 2009 while other similar countries have seen no such rise, and concluded America’s bigger vehicles are to blame. Specifically, taller hoods and larger blind spots.A 2002 Toyota Corolla, for example, had a hood 26 inches off the ground, allowing for better visibility and less injurious pedestrian encounters. Swap that out for a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, with a hood that’s 47 inches off the ground, and bad things happen.Read more:Messi Sets Record For Most World Cup Goals In HistoryArgentina's Lionel Messi on Monday became the World Cup's all-time top scorer as he netted for the 17th time at the tournament.The soccer legend's goal against Austria at Dallas Stadium — his fourth during World Cup 2026 — means he overtakes Germany's Miroslav Klose.His record-breaker came after missing a penalty earlier in the game.Bill Pulte Warned Against Job CutsAmid reports that acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte is considering firing hundreds of employees, two Democrats are asking him to "refrain" from making such a drastic move.Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.) and Sen. Mark Warner (Va.) wrote a letter to Pulte, published by the New York Times on Monday, saying Pulte's actions as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency demonstrate "a willingness to misuse your position." They also noted his lack of experience with national intelligence and asked him to "refrain from" firing anyone, especially without consulting Congress.Plurality Of Americans Think Betting On Election Outcomes Should Be Illegal: PollA new poll conducted by Politico and Public First, an independent polling company, found a plurality of U.S. adults think betting on election outcomes should be illegal.Of a sample of 1,667 adults who showed some understanding of how prediction markets like Kalshi and PolyMarket work, 44% said they think betting on elections should be banned, per the poll.A similar percentage also said it should be illegal to bet on what the president and other prominent figures will say, and said betting on presidential pardons should be similarly banned.The real-time gambling markets have recently come under increased scrutiny for unethical and illegal insider trading. In April, for instance, bettors on Polymarket were allowed to put money on the fate of one of two American pilots shot down over Iran. President Donald Trump’s son, Trump Jr., is a high-level investor in Polymarket. (The company took the wager down amid fierce outcry.)And in June, the DOJ announced it was investigating disgraced former Congressman George Santos over allegations he placed a bet on whether he would attend Trump’s State of the Union Address.See All Updates