North Korea–U.S. Drills: North Korea warned of “stern steps” against the U.S. and South Korea ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, calling them a war rehearsal and hinting at more missile tests. White House Security Construction: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let work on a $400M White House ballroom proceed, arguing the above-ground halt would endanger future presidents. Florida Heat Emergency: The entire state of Florida is under a heat advisory, with some areas in extreme heat warning as heat indexes push into the 105–114 range. Sports Business: The Los Angeles Lakers’ reported $12.5B sale underscores how fast U.S. sports franchises are climbing in value. College Sports Loss: LSU mourns legendary baseball coach Skip Bertman, who died at 88 after 18 years leading the Tigers to five College World Series titles. Public Safety Tech Scrutiny: Michigan’s “Flock” license-plate camera network is drawing attention as maps and public tools show where automated readers operate. Jobs in Ohio: International Motors plans to cut 1,341 jobs in Springfield, Ohio, tied to a facility sale to Roshel. Education & Literacy Debate: A teacher’s tearful video about students failing a basic writing task sparked a national argument over early literacy and school expectations. Diplomacy in Nigeria: Brandon Hudspeth assumed office as U.S. consul general in Lagos, focusing on trade, investment, and innovation ties.