News Wrap: Judge rejects Trump’s attempt to collect information on Georgia election workers

In our news cover Tuesday, a federal judge rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to collect the names and contact information of election workers in Fulton County, Georgia, New York City officials warn that a high-rise building is at risk of collapse, and British Reform Party leader and Trump ally Nigel Farage says he will resign from Parliament over questionable donations.

Jeff Bennett:

Other headlines of the day begin in Georgia, where a federal judge rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to collect the names and contact information of every Fulton County election worker from the 2020 election.

In his ruling, the Trump-appointed judge said that given the low need for the subpoenaed information and the extremely burdensome nature of its disclosure, the subpoena was unreasonable.

President Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that voter fraud in the heavily Democratic district led to his loss in Georgia in 2020.

In New York City, officials warned that a high-rise building under construction was at risk of collapsing, prompting the evacuation of surrounding buildings. Video from about 20 floors shows beams completely twisted, and officials reported that the floors inside were sagging. Crews rushed to the scene in midtown Manhattan this morning after receiving calls about bricks falling from the tower.

The former global headquarters of Pfizer is being converted into luxury apartments. New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani told reporters that the situation is still being assessed minute by minute.

Zahran Mamdani:

Since arriving at the scene, we have witnessed additional movement in one of the settlement columns. First responders and structural engineers work closely with the project engineer to develop plans to support the affected floor. If the ground is deemed safe, engineers will go in and begin shoring up the building.

Jeff Bennett:

Mamdani also urged New Yorkers to avoid the area until it is safe. There were no reports of injuries.

In Britain, the leader of the UK Reform Party and Trump ally, Nigel Farage, said he would resign from Parliament over questionable donations. But he plans to seek his seat again in a special election. The right-wing lawmaker has come under scrutiny for accepting millions of dollars in undisclosed gifts and donations.

According to parliamentary rules, by stepping down, any investigations into his conduct will be temporarily halted. But they will appeal if he wins. In a video statement today, Farage said he had done nothing wrong and appealed to his voters to decide his fate.

Nigel Farage, Leader of the Reform Party:

No, I have decided that the people of Clacton should judge my actions. This will be a by-election between the people and the establishment. It’s an opportunity to point two fingers at the entire organization, frankly, to tell them where to go.

Jeff Bennett:

Farage also insisted that making money, as he put it, is not a crime. Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Farage’s actions as a desperate ploy.

Also in the UK, a judge dismissed Prince Harry’s lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail today as part of his long-running battle over alleged privacy breaches. The Duke of Sussex had accused the associated newspapers of illegally obtaining information through phone tapping and other methods. But the judge found there was a possibility that the information came from legitimate sources.

The publisher described it as a landslide victory, while Prince Harry criticized the ruling, saying – quote – “We came to court seeking justice and accountability, but we got neither.”

In France, far-right leader Marine Le Pen said she would run for president in 2027 after an appeals court shortened a ban on her eligibility to hold elected office. Earlier in the day, a Paris court upheld Le Pen’s embezzlement conviction last year and ordered her to wear an electronic monitor. She had previously said that such a condition would make election campaigns impossible.

Le Pen said during a television interview this evening that she would appeal the decision.

Marine Le Pen, President of the National Rally Party (through translator):

The French will be the ones to judge him. It is ridiculous, however, that the French are considered incapable of decision-making. They will have freedom of choice, which was not the case until today.

Jeff Bennett:

Le Pen also said that she would start her election campaign very quickly. This will be the fourth time she runs for the French presidency. She is currently considered the front-runner. This is according to recent polls.

In today’s World Cup news, Argentina pulled off one of the greatest comebacks of the tournament this afternoon, cutting Egypt’s lead to three goals in the space of about 13 minutes. One of those injuries came to the leg of Lionel Messi, who scored his eighth goal in the tournament. The defending champion now qualifies for the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, the United States exited the tournament after a lopsided loss to Belgium last night. Despite the 4-1 win, some fans say they chose to focus on the host nation’s strong performance.

Matt Petrick, American football fan:

Instead of feeling sad about it, I was more proud of what the team was able to do during the entire tournament. But it’s a bit depressing when a day ends the way it did today.

Jeff Bennett:

Belgium appeared to be directly targeting President Trump, whose intervention helped allow Folarin Balogun to play after his red card. After Belgium’s win, the social media team posted two simple words: “Cancel this.”

In Spain, authorities say at least five people were injured on the first day of the famous running of the bulls in Pamplona. The week-long event is centered around scenes like this, as bulls gallop through the streets of the historic city. Three people were taken to hospital today, but none were serious, officials said.

The festival has drawn criticism from animal rights groups over the years, but it remains one of the most popular events in Spain. Americans are the largest group of non-Spaniards who typically run, making up about 16% of runners.

On Wall Street today, AI stocks once again weighed on broader markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by about 130 points. Nasdaq lost 300 points. The S&P 500 also provided background on the day.

A look at the changing landscape for student loans after judges struck down some Trump administration policies; We report from Iran, where mourners were honoring the late Iranian Supreme Leader; And how hospitals are increasingly turning to the arts to help patients recover.