7. Gov. Kay Ivey invited Alabama students to join her third annual summer reading challenge to boost literacy skills while winning tablets and gift cards.

6. Birmingham reported a significant decline in homicides in 2025 compared to 2024, but old habits die hard: There was a nightclub shooting that wounded two this weekend.

5. Alabama lawmakers, State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), Rep. Parker Moore (R-Hartselle) and State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity) signed a Moms for Liberty parental rights pledge. This week, Moms for Liberty is bringing U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to the state for an event online mobs are trying to disrupt.

4.  A federal judge has ordered the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an accused gangbanging, human-trafficking, wife-beater, inside the United States after another judge released anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil who was embraced by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

3. President Donald Trump launched military action against Iran this weekend in what appears to be a successful attempt to knock out Iranian nuclear enrichment capabilities to “Make Iran Great Again;” some in the GOP are not happy and are joining Democrat calls for a vote on the matter.

2. Iran has not yet retaliated after American air strikes but it has threatened to activate sleeper cells in the U.S. and many are warning that open borders under Biden may have enabled Iran to retaliate against the U.S. Meanwhile, a Russian leader claims that Russia and China could provide nuclear warheads for the country.

1. Alabama’s Republicans in Washington D.C., praised President Donald Trump’s “strong and surgical” strikes on Iran, with U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) warning Iran would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against America and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) saying it would be a “grave mistake” for Iran to retaliate.

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Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.