What’s a botched flotilla raid between old friends? President Obama asserted that the United States’ relationship with Israel is “unbreakable” after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. “The U.S. will never ask Israel to do anything that undermines its security,” Obama said. He said that Israel “wants peace” with the Palestinians and that its decision to lift some of the blockade of Gaza represents “real progress.” Netanyahu, meanwhile, said the talks were “extensive and excellent” and that the peace process will move forward in a "very robust way" in the "next few weeks." 

The U.S. military will file criminal charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning for allegedly giving WikiLeaks a video showing an Apache helicopter strike that killed two Reuters journalists in Iraq in 2007. Manning, 22, will face charges of transferring classified information on to his personal computer and uploading unauthorized software to a classified computer system.

As the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit challenging Arizona’s new immigration law, the fight got even more personal. Just last week, Gov. Jan Brewer decisively canceled a yearly conference between U.S. and Mexico governors, after all Mexico border governors refused to set foot in her state. The meeting happened to be scheduled for Phoenix this year and was set to be hosted by Brewer. The move has irritated other states’ governors, who say Brewer had no authority to cancel the summit flat out. New Mexico’s Bill Richardson has said he will seek for an alternative city for the conference, “with or without Arizona’s participation.” In the past, the conference has allowed the U.S. and Mexico to address issues related to the border.

The party’s over for Lindsay Lohan: A Los Angeles judge sentenced her on Tuesday to 90 days in jail for violating the terms of her probation from a 2007 drunk driving case. "It's like someone who cheats but doesn't think it's cheating if they don't get caught," said Judge Marsha N. Revel. Lohan tearfully said, “as far as I knew, I was in compliance with my programs.” She also told the judge "I take responsibility for my actions. I’ve tried to do the best I can. It’s been such a long haul, I don’t want you to think that I don’t respect you." But Revel listed several instances when the starlet had lied about alcohol and drug use, and an operator of the alcohol education classes Lohan had been mandated to attend testified Lohan missed nine classes.

President Obama asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to reinstate a moratorium on deepwater drilling to prevent another spill like the current disastrous one in the Gulf of the Mexcio, on the same day that tar balls began washing up on Texas’ shores. In June a judge had blocked the moratorium, saying the Interior Department had underestimated the economic impact of such an act. Justice Department officials requested a six-month suspension of drilling in more than 500 feet of water, similar to the moratorium imposed immediately after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded on April 20th. But in Louisiana, officials say a ban on drilling will cripple their already-suffering economy.

Is LeBron James really ready to pick a team already? ESPN’s Chris Broussard thinks so. Sources say James—the NBA’s most-coveted free agent—will pick his team Thursday on a live, one-hour special broadcast on ESPN at 9 p.m. The network would only confirm active discussions for the special. It didn’t reveal any details. James has visited six teams—the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls—but other teams have been vying for James’ star power. James opened his Twitter account Tuesday—following in the footsteps of hot free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh—and gave his followers this inaugural tweet: "Hello World, the Real King James is in the Building.”

Hot town, summer in the city: New Yorkers came back from the holiday weekend to a record-breaking heat wave, with the temperature hitting 102 degrees in Central Park around 3 p.m. local time. Con Edison prepared for 13,450 megawatts of power to be used—a record—but power outages were later reported in the Bronx. All over the Northeast, temperatures soared above 100 degrees. Record highs were reported in Providence, Rhode Island, and Hartford, Connecticut. But Queen Elizabeth II seemed to escape some of the heat; on her first visit to New York City in nearly 30 years, she met with families of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. "And she looks like royalty, because we're all sweating and she was quite the lady — no sweat whatsoever! Her lipstick was just so,” said Debby Palmer. Several deaths were also blamed on the heat.

In a story that puts all other lost luggage stories to shame, on Tuesday American Airlines lost the luggage of an Israeli security officer assigned to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at New York’s JFK Airport. Among the missing items in his luggage? Four handguns that police said they now believe were stolen from the luggage. The lost bag showed up in Los Angeles, but there were no guns. Police are investigating whether they were stolen in New York or Los Angeles.

The game may have started out as a nail-biter, but the Netherlands quickly secured their lead in the 71st minute, when Sneijder and Robben both scored two rapid goals. The Netherlands scored first in the 18th minute, with a 35-yard, left-footed shot by Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Uruguay tied the Dutch in the 40th minute of the World Cup semifinals with a 20-yard goal by Diego Forlan. And though Uruguay squeezed in one additional goal during stoppage time, it was too little too late. The Dutch, high off their victory against powerhouse Brazil, are hoping to win their first World Cup. Uruguay won the first-ever tournament in 1930, but the South American country has not captured the title since 1950.

This is going to ruin Andrew Sullivan's day: Levi Johnston told People magazine he said things that were “not completely true” about the Palins after he and Bristol broke up and he attempted to make amends with his former fiancee’s family. "Last year, after Bristol and I broke up, I was unhappy and a little angry.” Johnston said. "So to the Palin family in general and to Sarah Palin in particular, please accept my regrets and forgive my youthful indiscretion. I hope one day to restore your trust,” he added in a statement. Bristol Palin—who recently guest-starred on an episode of the television drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager—released a statement saying she and Johnston were trying to create an “honest” relationship for their one-year-old son, Tripp. The two former lovebirds have also reportedly reunited after breaking up in 2009.

Will Caster Semenya have lost her speed and focus after international debate about her gender and 11 months of “gender tests”? The International Association of Athletics Federations has given the 19-year-old South African the green light to return to running. Semenya, for those who don’t remember, had her gender called into question after she won the women’s 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last August. After an 11-month investigation, the IAAF issued a statement saying that it “accepts the conclusion of a panel of medical experts that she can compete with immediate effect.”

Will an international campaign save Sakineh Mohammadie Ashtiani? The 42-year-old Iranian mother of two could be stoned to death at any moment. Ashtiani pleaded guilty to adultery in 2006 and was lashed 99 times; however, her lawyer contends that she did not understand the court proceedings—she is Azerbaijani and speaks Turkish, not Farsi. According to CNN, she will be buried up to her chest and “the stones that will be hurled at her will be large enough to cause pain but not so large as to kill her immediately.”

After months of bloody violence, the Thai government has extended its state of emergency by three months, stating that protesters—known as the 'red-shirts'—remain active. "The government still needs the tools to ensure peace, order and stability for a while," said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The state of emergency was first instituted on April 7, after months of protests that took the lives of 88 people and wounded over 2,000. Under a state of emergency the government can detain uncharged citizens for up to 30 days, bar public gatherings of more than five people and hand over power to the prime minister to override other government agencies. The red-shirts believe the current prime minister to be illegitimate, and are demanding new elections. Rights groups have criticized the government detaining activists, and critics have called for an end to the state of emergency, stating that it delays the reconciliation process.

Who would've thought the icy murderer from No Country for Old Men would be a die-hard Gleek? Oscar winner Javier Bardem is expected to guest star in Glee's second season as rocker who gets chummy with Artie (Kevin McHale). While working on this summer's much anticipated Eat Pray Love, Bardem pitched the idea to director Ryan Murphy. "We're going to rock the house," Bardem told Entertainment Weekly. "We're going to do some heavy metal-Spanish heavy metal, which is the worst." Understanding that some fans have grown tired of the seemingly endless spate of guest stars, Murphy has assured that season two will not shift the spotlight from the original McKinley High crew.

Victory? Jean Stevens, 91, the Pennsylvania woman found living with the corpses of the her husband and twin sister, will be allowed to keep them if she builds a mausoleum or crypt, the district attorney said, though its office also said she could be charged with possible misdemeanors as early as Friday. Authorities said they found the body of Stevens’ husband on a couch in the garage and of her sister on a couch in a garage. Stevens had said earlier that she wanted to keep the remains near her so she could talk to them, and she reportedly dug up the remains in 1999—shortly after they died.

Postal Service officials will meet Tuesday to propose raising the price of stamps to 46 cents due to a huge budget shortfall from the recession. After Tuesday’s meeting (the agency is required to fund future medical costs in advance for retirees), the proposed rate hike will then go to an independent commission for review. Usually the rates are allowed to rise only with inflation, but in unusual circumstances, they can be raised higher. And its budget woes could certainly count as special circumstances: The Postal Service lost $3.8 billion in 2009, even though it cut 40,000 jobs, and it felt big losses in 2010, too. The post office has considered dropping Saturday service to save money, but that move would have to be approved by Congress.

Unfortunately, the article doesn’t tell us how many times she’s been struck by lightning: Joan Ginther won the lottery for the fourth time last week. Githner won $10 million on a scratch off, bringing her total earnings to $20.4 million. She first won in 1993 with a $5.4 million scratch off, then followed that up with scratch offs worth $2 and $3 million in 2006 and 2008. Ginther currently lives—of course—in Vegas.

Accused Russian spy—and documented bombshell—Anna Chapman schemed to infiltrate the inner circles of British Princes William and Harry. After divorcing her British husband, Chapman became a regular at the notorious London nightclub Boujis, a favorite of the princes. (She even managed to meet the club’s manager before he was fired over drugs.) Chapman’s friend told British papers that the Russian beauty wanted to avoid looking like one of those girls desperate to meet the princes, even though she was exactly that. She also visited other princely haunts, like Movida and Tramp, as well as the restaurant Nobu. The British intelligence agency MI-5 has opened an inquiry into Chapman to figure out if she ever met William and Harry, and what happened if she did. The Russian reportedly also climbed her way into the social circle of a British aristocrat as well as a member of the House of Lords.

Meet the Catholic Ted Haggard: Police have arrested a Roman Catholic priest in Connecticut for stealing $1.3 million in church money over seven years. The 64-year-old Kevin J. Gray allegedly used the money to buy male escorts, stay at fancy hotels, and dine at expensive restaurants. He served at the Sacred Heart Parish in Waterbury from January 2003 until April 15 of this year and has been charged with first-degree larceny.

“Death is very hard for me to take,” says Jean Stevens. Apparently so: The 91-year-old dug up the corpse of her husband and lived with his remains for more than a decade, according to ABC News. At least he had company: She also kept the corpse of her twin sister, June, who died last October. “I'd go in, and I'd talk, and I'd forget," Stevens says of her sister. "I put glasses on her. When I put the glasses on, it made all the difference in the world. I would fix her up. I'd fix her face up all the time." She is upset at her husband’s relatives, whom she suspects of tipping the police: "I think that is dirty, rotten.”

Queen Elizabeth and her family will have to scrimp a little bit more this year, as the British government has cut the royal budget by $4 million. Every Brit pays 94 cents a year to have a monarchy, adding up to a $57.8 million price tag. Aware of the tough economy and austerity measures being taken across Europe, the queen is delaying key maintenance to the palace, going on fewer foreign trips, and has sold the royal helicopter. The palace’s budget for interior décor is now a paltry $455,310, down from $607,080. Likewise, uniforms for staff have been cut in half, to $151,770, as has the computer budget, now halved to $303,540. Royal family watchers insist even the queen turns down the heat in the winter.

Is this the price of financial reform? Wall Street donors are breaking up with Democrats, offering campaign contributions 65 percent lower than two years ago, The Washington Post reports. The falling out, perhaps not unexpected, comes after House Democrats passed the financial-regulatory-reform bill staunchly opposed by many in the industry. Though the party has seen an overall drop in contributions of 16 percent compared to this stage in the 2008 campaign, its leaders are nervous about disenchanted big donors. Last time, Democrats raised $81.3 million from donations of $1,000 or more; this time it’s just $49.5 million. Half that difference is thanks to a lack of enthusiasm from the New York area, where donors have offered just $8.7 million this year—half of what they gave in 2006 and a sharp drop from $23.9 million at this point in the presidential race.

The oil spill has officially messed with Texas: Over the holiday weekend, beaches along the Bolivar Peninsula and in Galveston were peppered with balls ranging in size from a dime to a golf ball, along with several gallons of oil. Labs tests have confirmed that the oil that hit Crystal Beach on the peninsula is, indeed, from the Deepwater Horizon spill—though it doesn’t appear to have traveled 400 miles in the ocean (the distance between the two sites), which leads some investigators to think it may have been carried to the coast on the side of a ship. Officials are still working to confirm the source of the oil found in Galveston. With the oil's arrived, crude from the Deepwater Horizon blast has now reached all Gulf states.

God save her: Three days after America celebrated its independence from the British, Queen Elizabeth II will descend upon the Big Apple, her first visit in 34 years. The 84-year-old monarch, accompanied by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, will lay a wreath at ground zero and honor the victims of 2001's World Trade Center attacks. They’ll also visit the British Garden of Remembrance in nearby Hanover Square, to pay tribute to the 67 British citizens who died on that day. The queen will deliver her first address to the United Nations in more than 50 years, a speech that will include some of her own thoughts and insights, but will be composed by government officials. Her itinerary is ambitious, considering the queen will be in New York City for a total of five hours. The stopover follows her nine-day visit to Canada.

Betcha these folks are kicking themselves right now. In a 2007 memo from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, investigators characterized large-scale oil spills from proposed Gulf drilling projects as "low-probability events" that wouldn't likely affect Gulf Coast animal populations, including brown pelicans and sea turtles. The memo also shows that the Minerals Management Service—recently renamed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement—wasn’t the only agency to underestimate the environmental impact of deepwater drilling. In addition, the Wildlife Service didn't challenge the MMS' evaluation of possible dangers from 11 Gulf gas and oil lease sales, The New York Times reports, one of which was the well the Deepwater Horizon rig was drilling before it exploded on April 20.

What ever happened to "you're welcome?" In an essay on Salon, Matt Zoller Seitz takes the phrase "no problem" to task—arguing that it’s supplanted "you're welcome" and "implies an imposition on the part of the person saying, 'Thank you."' With "no problem," the power dynamic, as Seitz sees it, is as follows: "'No problem' translates as: ‘What I did for you was not the sacrifice you so charmingly believe it to be. I hereby release you to get on with your day, blessedly free of guilt.'" Our transition from "you're welcome" to "no problem" may be attributed to a rise in the number of citizens whose language derives from a Romance language, he argues. "'The traditional Romance language response is something like 'De nada'/'It's nothing,' i.e., ‘What little I did for you is not worthy of acknowledgment.' In both cases, the thankee is trying to relieve the thanker of any sense of obligation."

When Larry King hangs up his suspenders, his retirement will mark not only the conclusion of his landmark career at CNN, but as The Washington Post’s Tom Shales argues, the end of the even-tempered gentleman on television talk shows. Shales eulogizes King's unique character and his show as "an increasingly lonely outpost of humane civility in a mephitic menagerie of hotheads, saber rattlers, cretins and crackpots." Among them, he seems to fear, will be King’s successor—Piers Morgan—whom he calls “snitty” and “the poor man’s David Frost,” doubting that he’ll be as “nice” as his predecessor. Shales also calls out CNN execs for their "quixotic" booking of guests, and alleges that the network is focused on moving away from the news in general. And he predicts that the next incarnation of the show will exhibit the "carping, contentious talk that thrives on competitors Fox News and MSNBC."

It’s been a long time since Uruguay won the first-ever World Cup in 1930 (and then won again in 1950), but, as the sole Latin American team in the final four of the World Cup, the small country has climbed back to its “place among the world’s soccer royalty,” a position it held for much of the first half of the 20th century, Eduardo Kaplan writes in The Wall Street Journal. For much of that earlier era, Uruguay was home to liberal laws and a robust economy that rivaled the European governments its leaders emulated. It welcomed immigrants, who enriched its political discourse—and its soccer culture. And unlike its neighbors, Uruguay didn’t segregate its soccer leagues. But as demand for its commodities declined after World War II, so did its economy. And its soccer. The last time the country was in the semifinals was 1970. Uruguayans have taken to the streets following each of their team’s victories, grateful to be back on the world stage.

Does this make you feel old? On Wednesday, Ringo Starr turns 70 years old. The Beatle plans to celebrate the occasion with a private event at the Hard Rock Café in New York followed by a performance with his band, the All Starr Band, at Radio City Music hall. “As far as I’m concerned, in my head, I’m 24,” Starr tells The New York Times. “That’s just how it is. The number, yeah, it’s high. But I just felt I’ve got to celebrate it. I’m on my feet and I’m doing what I love to do, and I’m in a profession, as a musician, where we can go on for as long as we can go on. I’m not hiding from it, you know.”

The stage is set for a constitutional showdown: The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Arizona Tuesday, challenging its controversial new immigration law. The lawsuit says the Arizona law, which would require police officers to check the immigration status during the enforcement of other laws, usurps federal authority and seeks an injunction against its implementation. (It is set to kick in July 29.) The case was filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.

The most coveted free agent in basketball has dipped his toes into social media: LeBron James joined Twitter Tuesday, under the handle @kingjames. His publicist Keith Estabrook confirmed that the account indeed does belong to the baller. Less than hour after James' friend Chris Paul tweeted that James had joined the service, he amassed 18,000 followers even though he has yet to post a single tweet.