The New Deal That Could Lock in Iran’s Control of the Strait, and the $7 Billion Trump’s Not Spending

Plus, where are you supposed to practice the bagpipes?

Here’s what we’re covering:

An Emerging Deal Could Cement Iran’s Control of Strait of Hormuz (nytimes.com/2026/08/03/us/politics/strait-of-h…), by David E. Sanger, Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt

The Iran War’s Forgotten Captives: Sailors Trapped in the Persian Gulf, (nytimes.com/2026/08/04/business/iran-strait-ho…) by Jenny Gross and Peter Eavis

Pirro Meets With Trump at the White House After He Said She ‘Choked’ in Reflecting Pool Case (nytimes.com/2026/08/03/us/politics/trump-pirro…), by Erica L. Green, Katie Rogers, Tyler Pager and Maggie Haberman

Congress Budgeted Billions for Big Transit Projects. Trump Isn’t Spending It. (nytimes.com/2026/07/27/upshot/transit-projects…), by Emily Badger and Alicia Parlapiano

New Zealand Has Ended Greyhound Racing. Now It Has to Manage the Aftermath. (nytimes.com/2026/08/04/world/australia/new-zea…), by Emanuel Stoakes

The Bagpiper’s Endless Quest for a Place to Practice (nytimes.com/2026/08/01/nyregion/bagpipes-new-y…), by Andrew Keh

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