Welcome back. In the news today: Nithya Raman advances to the Los Angeles mayor runoff, passing Spencer Pratt; why Netanyahu and Trump are at odds over the Iran war; and a federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee. Also, the World Cup is just around the corner, and host cities are gearing up — even zoo animals are getting involved. More on preparations for the tournament below.
Nithya Raman, a candidate in the Los Angeles mayoral race, smiles during a campaign event discussing tenant protections with renters in Los Angeles, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Progressive Nithya Raman advances to November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass
Nithya Raman made a last-minute entry into the race after she had endorsed incumbent Karen Bass for reelection. The runoff is an unexpected matchup between the two Democrats to run the struggling city of nearly 4 million. The outcome means Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former reality television personality from “The Hills,” is out of the running. Read more.
Why this matters
- Raman was elected to the city council with the support of the Democratic Socialists of America, and the election will test whether voters in the heavily Democratic city want to move further to the political left to address long-running problems of homelessness, buckled streets and climbing housing prices.
- The race also has historical markers. Bass is the first Black woman to hold the post, and Raman could be the first South Asian woman in the job.
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Netanyahu and Trump are at odds over the war they started together
President Donald Trump had publicly warned Israel not to strike Beirut in its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. When it did, on Sunday, Israel traded strikes with Iran, with which Trump has been engaged in weeks of high-stakes negotiations. Read more.
Why this matters:
- The latest strikes made it clear that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu want different things. While the fighting has since died down, the differences between the two leaders are likely to persist. That’s because Trump, whose party faces elections later this year, wants to wind down an unpopular war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease gas prices. Netanyahu, who also faces elections this year, is under pressure to stop Hezbollah’s attacks and prove that he is winning the war with Iran and its allies.
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Federal judge strikes down Trump’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas
U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston sided with 20 states, saying the executive branch exceeded its authority. Read more.
What to know:
- H-1B visas are meant for high-skilled jobs that are difficult to find American workers to fill. The administration announced the much higher fee in September as a way of preventing foreign workers from taking American jobs.
- The announcement set off a wave of panic among confused employers, students and workers in the United States and abroad and led to several lawsuits. In this case, states argued that using the H-1B program for much-needed doctors and teachers was already difficult before the higher fee.
- The ruling contradicts an earlier federal court decision that upheld the increased fee. There’s still another federal case in San Francisco, setting up the possibility for appellate court clashes.
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Lion Sports Bar owner Mark Prinzinger poses behind the bar as fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)
Local businesses work to cash in on World Cup
Multiple states are allowing extended bar and restaurant hours. In New York, some restaurants are set to offer $26 deals. In Kansas City, Betty Rae’s Ice Cream is making unique team-inspired flavors. The England version has Earl Grey tea. If you live in a host city, we’d love to hear from you. What’s a great local food or experience visiting fans should try? Email us one line telling us your first name and where you’re from, and we might include your response in a future newsletter.
A photo caption for the story about sushi in Friday’s newsletter had a misspelling of Erlanger, Kentucky.
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