Senate Republicans muscled a $70 billion immigration funding bill through the chamber this morning, sidestepping Democratic and GOP attempts to block a $1.8 billion presidential payout fund. The measure heads to the House, where passage is expected. Meanwhile, Broadway's Tony Awards approach Sunday as the industry's premier marketing vehicle, with "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" leading nominations at twelve apiece.

Theater reporter Michael Paulson surveyed roughly 175 of 850 Tony voters for his ballot, while chief critic Helen Shaw offered competing picks. The broadcast remains Broadway's largest single audience moment, with performed numbers directly driving ticket sales across New York, touring productions, and regional theaters — a commercial engine for an art form fighting for relevance.

Far from the footlights, a Pacific rover operation tested vacuuming fist-size nodules rich in nickel, cobalt, and manganese from two miles deep — minerals valued in the trillions and essential for electric vehicles and defense tech. The Trump administration simultaneously pledged $700 million in new coal funding, while the Supreme Court upheld millions in fines against Verizon and AT&T for customer data failures.