Judge says Trump’s lawsuit against IRS was filed for ‘improper purpose,’ ICE agent kills a driver, World Cup down to 4 teams

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In the news today: A judge says that Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS was filed for an “improper purpose” and refers one of his lawyers for possible disciplinary action; an ICE agent’s killing of a Maine motorist is at least the ninth death in the Trump administration’s mass deportations campaign; and states challenge Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Also, inside AP’s coverage of the World Cup as the competition narrows to four teams.

Judge says Trump IRS lawsuit was filed for ‘improper purpose,’ refers lawyer for possible discipline

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams accused President Donald Trump and his lawyers in a scathing ruling of having manipulated the court system when he sued a federal agency under his control, bypassing a requirement that parties in a lawsuit must have adverse interests. Read more.

Why this matters:

• The judge stopped short of explicitly voiding the deal shielding Trump from tax scrutiny but said the government cannot claim in official proceedings that the agreement was the result of a legitimate legal process.
• Though the practical impacts of the ruling may be limited since the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed months ago and the administration has already abandoned the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that came out of it, the order nonetheless amounts to a scathing rebuke and tees up a politically uncomfortable line of questioning for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as he faces the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

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Maine killing is at least the ninth death in US immigration sweeps

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a Maine motorist on Monday, marking at least the ninth death since the start of the Trump administration’s mass deportations campaign. Read more.

Why this matters:

• Immigrant rights groups identified the man who was killed in Biddeford as a 26-year-old native of Colombia. The shooting drew immediate criticism from immigrant rights groups and some Democrats, who called for an independent investigation. The shooting came less than a week after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a Houston man after an altercation with agents while he was driving to work.
• The Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, said in a post on X about the Maine shooting that agents were surveilling an address for a person with a final order of removal from the country. When ICE tried to stop a vehicle driven by someone coming from that address, the “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” the department said.

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ICE officer who fatally shot driver in Maine was ‘fearing for public safety,’ agency says

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12 states challenge Paramount’s takeover of Warner, say merger would ‘extinguish competition’

The states sued to block Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday, arguing that the $81 billion merger would lead to fewer choices for consumers across the U.S. Read more.

Why this matters:

• A Paramount-Warner combo would bring together two of Hollywood’s last five legacy studios. In Monday’s complaint, the states said such a tie-up would “inflict substantial harm” on movie theatres and basic cable distributors.
• Paramount said Monday’s lawsuit “distorts settled antitrust law” and maintained that its merger would instead create a “stronger competitor against dominant streaming and technology platforms who have harmed the market for theatrical exhibition and jobs in the entertainment industry.”
• Questions of political influence have piled up — with criticism falling largely along party lines in Washington. No Republicans signed on to the states’ case on Monday. Several attorneys general joining Monday’s lawsuit took aim at the Justice Department’s decision to not challenge the deal — pointing in particular to President Donald Trump’s close relationship with the billionaire family of Paramount CEO David Ellison.

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Sexual assault case:Fashion mogul pleads guilty

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What it’s like to cover the World Cup

Soccer’s next champion will be Argentina, England, France or Spain. If you’re not sure which team you want to cheer for in the semifinal matches today and tomorrow, we’ve got a guide to help, including stars to watch and chants to shout. In a tournament with many exciting moments, we asked sports writer Anne Peterson, who has covered many World Cups for AP, about this year’s experience.

How has reporting on this World Cup been different from the others you’ve covered?

The sheer size of this World Cup was new. There was an expanded field of 48 teams spread across three countries for the first time. There were more teams to study and more games to watch to stay informed. During the group stage it was a firehose of nonstop soccer, sometimes six games per day.

What’s been your most memorable moment of the tournament so far?

I got to see Mo Salah score for Egypt. In the U.S. there aren’t many chances to see Salah play in person. As one of the international players I’ve enjoyed watching from afar for many years, seeing that and hearing the incredibly LOUD reaction of the crowd was one of those moments where I had to take a moment and say to myself, “Wow, that was really cool.”

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