Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:
1) President Trump reinstated the US blockade of Iranian ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and demanded a 20% reimbursement for all other cargo shipped through the waterway. US military forces will resume blockading traffic to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas, and the president said the strait "will remain OPEN, with or without Iran." Iran sees any challenge to its authority in the strait as a breach of the interim peace agreement, and the renewed blockade may prompt further attacks on commercial vessels.
2) South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster picked Darline Graham Nordone to complete the remainder of the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s term, which expires in January. Nordone will serve out the remainder of the term and is seen by many analysts as a placeholder until voters elect a more seasoned candidate. Nordone said she promises to work hard to support the president and carry forward the efforts of her brother, and will be sworn in on Tuesday afternoon.
3) A US immigration officer shot and killed a person in Maine on Monday morning, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The incident occurred in Biddeford, where ICE agents attempted to stop a vehicle that departed from the last known residence of an individual who had received a deportation order. The officer has been placed on leave and the Maine Attorney General's office is investigating the shooting with assistance from state, local and federal authorities.