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 | |  | | By Hannah Jewell and Izin Akhabau | Good morning. It’s Wednesday, July 15. See if you agree with The Post’s list of the 25 most influential works of American culture, from Thomas Paine to Beyoncé. Now let’s catch up. | |  | ICE directed its officers to halt most traffic-stop arrests after two fatal shootings. | | A Kia sedan reportedly driven by the victim of a fatal shooting in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday. (Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald/Getty) |  | President Donald Trump backtracked on a Strait of Hormuz shipping toll. | -
The latest: Trump’s threat to charge ships a 20% “reimbursement fee” spooked markets and sent oil prices soaring. Yesterday, he declared the strait “open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran.” -
Back in the U.S.: Republican lawmakers in critical swing districts who ran on promises to bring prices down are confronting an economy jolted by the Iran war and rising gas prices.  | Trump is planning a prime-time address on 2020 election allegations. | -
Tomorrow night: Trump will argue that the country’s election infrastructure has vulnerabilities and refer to a recent probe of government files. He told reporters “it’s really big news.” -
In other Trump news: A South Korean company paid Trump $2 million while its firm was being investigated by the U.S., raising conflict-of-interest questions. -
Today: Todd Blanche will face a Capitol Hill grilling in his bid to become attorney general.  | Paychecks are barely keeping up with inflation. | -
According to new data: June’s average hourly wage gain of 3.5% from a year earlier just kept up with inflation of 3.5% over the same period. Many are feeling squeezed by rising costs. -
One thing getting a lot more expensive: Prices for computer software and accessories jumped a record amount over the past year, driven up by new AI features.  | The House passed Trump’s plan to make daylight saving time permanent. | -
It’s called the Sunshine Protection Act: It would stop you having to switch clocks twice yearly. The bill passed with bipartisan support, but still needs to clear the Senate. -
Not everyone is happy: Medical groups say it’s bad for your body, and Midwestern lawmakers object. But golf course operators say it would boost their business. -
What do Americans think? See poll results here.  | A looming decision about the Colorado River will affect millions. | | Roughly 1 in 10 Americans draw water from the Colorado River Basin. (Emma Kumer/The Post; Matthew Busch for The Post; iStock) | -
What to know: The crucial water supply for 40 million people is shrinking. The federal government is trying to avoid complete collapse — and could implement water cuts in these states. -
Elsewhere: Wildfire smoke from northern Minnesota and western Ontario is spreading, and could bring unhealthy air quality to over 100 million Americans. See where it’s headed here.  | A Brown University professor suspected AI cheating, so he decided to fight back. | | According to an expert, AI can complete a semester-long college course in about two hours. (Post illustration; iStock) | -
Last semester: The average midterm score in the professor’s economics class was 96. It’s usually in the 60s to 80s. He made the final in-person, and 27 students dropped the class. -
The bigger picture: Universities are struggling to manage AI, while students have high incentives to use it. And new technology, like AI glasses, makes it harder to catch cheating. Before you go ... if you have arthritis: These activities may lower hip replacement risk. Plus: What one woman wished she knew at 13 about smoking cannabis. One more good read: More people have a $1,000 car payment. Here’s how it traps them.  | News quiz: Test your knowledge in today’s On the Record. |  | Word game: One word to spell ’em all! Can you solve today’s Keyword in 6 guesses? |  | Wridges: Speed and spell your way up to a high score in our newest game. | You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow. |  | | ((Illustration by Katty Huertas/The Washington Post)) | |
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