Delaware Governor Matt Meyer made a significant budget decision Tuesday, using his constitutional line-item veto authority to cut a $35 million appropriation tied to a proposed expansion of Legislative Hall.
The governor removed the funding from House Bill 500, the state’s fiscal year budget bill, pointing to affordability concerns as the driving force behind his decision.
The announcement was made public on July 7, 2026, through a press release from the governor’s office, with media contact listed as Jonah Anderson.
The proposed project would have funded an expansion of Legislative Hall, the historic building in Dover that serves as home to Delaware’s General Assembly. By exercising the line-item veto, Governor Meyer was able to target and remove that specific spending item without rejecting the broader budget legislation.
State health officials and hospital leaders from across Delaware came together in Dover on Monday to unveil a new set of statewide guidelines aimed at improving how emergency departments handle opioid use disorder.
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, working through its Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, joined hospital representatives at Bayhealth in Dover to formally announce the adoption of the new Emergency Department Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Guidance.
The guidance was developed as part of Delaware’s Overdose System of Care, reflecting a unified, statewide approach to addressing opioid addiction when patients arrive at emergency rooms seeking help.
The announcement signals a significant step toward standardizing how Delaware hospitals respond to one of the state’s most pressing public health challenges.
A lane on South Heald Street southbound has been closed between A Street and B Street due to ongoing construction work.
The closure is expected to remain in effect until 6 p.m., according to traffic officials. Drivers traveling through that stretch should anticipate potential delays and consider using alternate routes until the lane reopens.
WASHINGTON — The Democratic Socialists of America, a left-leaning political organization, has moved from the margins of American politics to a position of growing influence within the Democratic Party. But what exactly does the group believe, and can it sustain a foothold in mainstream politics?
Here is a look at the organization, based on information from its national website.
A GROWING FORCE IN DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
The DSA was formed in 1982 through the merger of two separate organizations, but it remained largely unknown for decades. That changed in 2016, when independent Senator Bernie Sanders mounted an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. His run brought widespread attention to frustrations with the party’s mainstream direction and helped energize its left wing.
Sanders describes himself as a democratic socialist but has no formal ties to the DSA.
The organization gained significant momentum in 2018 when DSA member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pulled off a major upset in a Democratic House primary in New York. She has since become a prominent figure in the party and is considered a potential 2028 presidential contender.
DSA members have continued to rack up notable victories, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. This year, DSA-backed candidates have won Democratic House primaries in New York City and Colorado. DSA member Nithya Raman advanced to the final two candidates in the Los Angeles mayoral race, and DSA member Janeese Lewis George won the Democratic primary for mayor of Washington, D.C., with a full-term election expected in November.
The organization now describes itself as the largest socialist group in American history, claiming a membership of more than 100,000 people. So far this year, DSA or its local chapters have backed 150 candidates across various levels of government, recording 38 wins and 38 losses.
WHAT SEPARATES SOCIALISTS, DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS, AND COMMUNISTS?
President Donald Trump has labeled Mamdani and other DSA-supported candidates as “communist,” attempting to draw comparisons to adversaries of the United States such as the former Soviet Union.
Communism, by definition, seeks to eliminate private property and create a society without class distinctions — goals that real-world communist governments have largely failed to achieve.
In Europe, parties that call themselves democratic socialist have used electoral politics to build strong social safety nets and establish public oversight of major industries, while still permitting private property and free markets.
The DSA says it wants to go further than the European model but without adopting the authoritarian tactics associated with communist regimes. The group advocates for government control of major industries and wants to replace capitalism with a system where, in their words, “ordinary people have a voice.”
WHERE DSA STANDS ON ISRAEL
The DSA has pushed to move the Democratic Party away from its historically strong support for Israel, and the issue has become a flashpoint in this year’s primary contests.
The organization characterizes Israel as an apartheid state carrying out a genocide in Gaza and accuses it of having “fascist” ambitions. DSA calls for an end to all U.S. military and economic assistance and weapons sales to Israel, and it supports student campaigns urging universities to pull their investments from the country.
The group has also called for a full Israeli withdrawal from Arab territories, a “right of return” for displaced Palestinians, and a “right to resist” Israeli occupation — though it stops short of explicitly endorsing militant organizations like Hamas. Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis, DSA described the assault as “not unprovoked” and said it was “a direct result of Israel’s apartheid regime.”
OTHER POLICY POSITIONS
The DSA’s national website outlines the organization’s stances on a wide range of issues, including the following:
• Expanding Medicare to cover all Americans, a proposal commonly known as “Medicare for All”
• Free college and early childhood education
• Nationwide rent control and a major expansion of public housing
• Higher taxes on wealthy individuals, corporations, large inheritances, and private universities
• A 32-hour workweek with no cuts to pay or benefits, along with stronger protections for labor unions
• Large-scale infrastructure and jobs programs, along with a “Green New Deal” to boost investment in renewable energy and phase out fossil fuels
• Public ownership of major transportation networks, energy systems, and natural resources
• A significantly more open immigration system that would allow workers to move freely between countries and eliminate deportation
• Lifting sanctions on Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and other nations described as acting “independently of the United States”
• Deep cuts to the U.S. military budget and the closure of all American military bases abroad
• Abolishing the Electoral College in favor of a national popular vote for president
• Adding seats to the U.S. House of Representatives and eliminating supermajority requirements in the Senate
Hundreds of teenagers from across the country converge on Oklahoma each year for a national competition with an unusual focus — judging soil.
The contest gives young participants a chance to demonstrate their ability to assess dirt, a skill that plays a critical role in growing crops, constructing buildings, and managing land effectively.
CAIRO (AP) — A small Cairo coffee house was transformed Tuesday into something resembling a miniature stadium, packed with several hundred people — mostly men and boys as young as 7 — all eyes fixed on wall-mounted screens before kickoff.
That same electric atmosphere repeated itself across the soccer-obsessed nation as Egypt squared off against the reigning World Cup champion in a round-of-16 matchup held in Atlanta.
For millions of Egyptians, it was a landmark occasion — even as their team’s remarkable journey came to a close with a 2-3 defeat to Argentina on Tuesday.
“It’s a brutal scenario,” said Ahmed Saadany, a teacher, reflecting on the outcome. “The journey shouldn’t have ended that way.”
Led by star player Mohamed Salah, Egypt had punched its ticket to the round of 16 by defeating Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw in the round of 32 on Friday. The Pharaohs had secured second place in Group G, behind Belgium, to advance to the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
Anticipation for Tuesday’s match began building well before the 7 p.m. local kickoff. Rows of plastic and wooden chairs were arranged in front of TV screens as fans poured into hundreds of thousands of coffee houses and fan zones throughout Egypt. Street vendors hawked Egyptian flags, whistles, and team merchandise in squares and along major roads.
All day long, Egyptian flags flew from cars and balconies, and conversations in coffee houses, markets, and on television revolved around the national team’s performance and the high-stakes showdown with Argentina.
“Overall, the performance was excellent,” said Hassan Shehata, settling into a seat at a packed Cairo coffee house before the game. “We’re developing. We play and compete.”
This was Egypt’s fourth World Cup appearance, and it marked the best run ever for the most populous Arab nation — a country that has claimed seven Africa Cup of Nations titles. The 2026 tournament saw the Pharaohs break their long-standing curse of never winning a World Cup match, starting with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand and culminating in their first-ever knockout stage appearance.
“It was a dream,” said Rami Saeed, a 23-year-old university student. “(Coach) Hossam Hassan and his team have beaten our expectations.”
At a packed coffee house in Giza, fans draped themselves in Egyptian flags and chanted “Masr, Masr, Masr!” — the Arabic word for Egypt — while others banged on drums. The crowd erupted when Egypt found the net and again when the Egyptian goalkeeper stopped a penalty kick from Messi. But each time Argentina scored, a heavy silence fell over the room.
Though disappointed by the final result, fans were quick to point to the team’s historic achievement with a sense of pride.
“It’s injustice,” cried Haitham Raafat, a 13-year-old boy, breaking into tears after the final whistle. “The referee wasn’t fair.”
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi praised the squad’s “unprecedented accomplishment in the history of Egyptian football.” In a social media post, he wrote: “Thank you to the heroes of the national football team. We are proud of you, and your achievement.”
Shaban Youssef, a 45-year-old mechanical engineer, said he too felt proud of the team. “They held our heads high, especially Hossam Hassan’s support of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Egypt’s head coach Hassan used the World Cup stage to publicly advocate for Palestinians during an impassioned pregame news conference. When asked about his feelings after wrapping a Palestinian flag around himself following Egypt’s win over Australia, Hassan delivered a more than four-minute response to applause from the gathered media.
“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” Hassan said.
His remarks drew widespread praise from Egyptians on social media. Prominent novelist Ezzat el-Kamhawi captured the sentiment in a Facebook post ahead of Tuesday’s game: “Whatever the result, our team plays tonight, and the championship is already in their pocket, thanks to Hossam Hassan’s goal against Zionism.”
During Egypt’s World Cup matches, hundreds of war-weary Palestinians crowded around TV screens in makeshift shelters throughout the Gaza Strip to cheer on the Pharaohs. They gathered outside their shelters, chanting, clapping, and waving Egyptian flags as patriotic Egyptian songs played in the background.
“It’s a duty to support Egypt,” said Soliman Salem, a young Palestinian man, speaking by phone from his shelter in Gaza after Tuesday’s match. “We’re very sad, but proud of the Egyptians.”
Another Gaza resident, Abdel-Rahman Baroud, said they had hoped Egypt would advance further, but “luck wasn’t on their side in the second half.” “We all return home, disappointed,” he said.
WASHINGTON — Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell continues to recover in a hospital more than three weeks after being admitted for health issues that his staff has declined to identify, even as the Senate’s top two Republicans have each spoken with him individually by phone, according to aides.
The lack of any detailed information from McConnell’s team has fueled growing speculation about his condition and whether the 84-year-old senator will be well enough to return to Capitol Hill when the Senate comes back from a two-week recess next week. McConnell is set to retire at the end of his current term in January.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., confirmed that Thune spoke with McConnell by phone on Monday. The two had what was described as a “lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security.” As majority leader, Thune regularly tracks the health and availability of members of his conference as he manages vote counts within his narrow 53-47 majority.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who holds the No. 2 position among Senate Republicans, also had a conversation with McConnell on Tuesday that lasted approximately 20 minutes, according to a spokeswoman. Their discussion touched on upcoming Senate races ahead of the midterm elections, the Supreme Court, and other subjects.
Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes said, “Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”
Republican strategist Scott Jennings, a McConnell ally, also shared on X that he spoke with McConnell for about 20 minutes on Tuesday, writing that “he’s still recovering in the hospital.” Jennings said the conversation ranged from politics and foreign policy to “even a little bit of Senate history.”
McConnell’s office confirmed he was admitted to the hospital on June 14, stating only that he was “receiving excellent care.” A follow-up statement about a week later indicated he would not be casting votes that week. A more recent statement said McConnell “appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital.”
“The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” that statement read. A spokesman repeated the same statement again on Tuesday, offering no new details.
This latest hospitalization is not McConnell’s first in recent years. In March 2023, while still serving as Republican leader, he suffered a concussion after falling at a Washington hotel and was away from work for several weeks. After returning, he twice appeared to freeze during news conferences, staring blankly ahead before colleagues and staff — including Barrasso, who is a physician — stepped in to help him.
The following year, McConnell fell and sprained his wrist while leaving a Republican luncheon. He also fell at his Kentucky home in 2019 and required surgery for a fractured shoulder.
McConnell has had physical challenges dating back to childhood, when he contracted polio. He has long acknowledged difficulty walking and climbing stairs as an adult. In recent months, he has frequently used a wheelchair to get around the Capitol.
First elected to the Senate in 1984, McConnell served as Republican leader from 2007 until last year, holding both the majority and minority leader roles during that span. He has continued showing up for Senate sessions as a rank-and-file member since stepping down from leadership.
WASHINGTON — The number of National Guard troops stationed in Washington, D.C. has grown significantly in recent weeks, swelling as part of security preparations for the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations. Part of that increase has come from states led by Democratic governors — and that involvement is now generating serious criticism.
Critics argue that troops sent by Democratic-led states for the anniversary festivities are being folded into a much broader, ongoing Guard deployment that the Trump administration launched in August 2025. That deployment began after President Donald Trump issued an emergency order, citing what he described as rampant crime in the nation’s capital.
On Tuesday, a coalition of think tanks along with civic, labor, and civil rights organizations sent a letter to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, urging her to pull the state’s National Guard forces out of D.C., arguing they have been misused.
“Previous presidents have requested assistance from out-of-state Guard forces during major events in D.C., and such requests would normally give little cause for concern,” the groups wrote. “But there is nothing normal about the way President (Donald) Trump has used National Guard forces in the nation’s capital.”
The original August 2025 deployment involved the local National Guard, hundreds of federal law enforcement personnel, and Guard members from states with Republican governors. Over time, those troops have responded to medical emergencies, helped with arrests, assisted police in enforcing a juvenile curfew, carried out beautification work, and even helped clear snow during a major January storm.
The deployment had held steady between roughly 2,300 and 2,600 troops for months. In recent weeks, however, that number climbed to around 5,000 to support the Great American State Fair, July 4th fireworks, and other large public events tied to the 250th anniversary. Michigan contributed approximately 160 troops, while Minnesota sent just over 100. Both states have also joined other Democratic-led states in a legal challenge to the ongoing deployment.
Minnesota announced it will withdraw its Guard members this Saturday — ahead of the originally scheduled July 23 return date. Air Force Maj. Nathan Wallin, deputy state public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard, said the early departure was due to “the successful conclusion of festivities” and made no reference to the concerns raised by advocacy groups.
In Kentucky, one Guard member was brought home before the main events even began after being redirected to a law enforcement task force “without the knowledge or consent” of the state’s governor or its Guard command, according to Scottie Ellis, communications director for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
Keya Chatterjee, executive director of Free DC — an organization working toward statehood for the District of Columbia and one of the groups behind Tuesday’s letter — said Michigan Guard members have been spotted near metro stations and in neighborhoods “far from the Mall,” even as Whitmer had threatened to withdraw them. Free DC has built a network of volunteers tracking Guard activities across the city and held a protest last week at an event hosted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to honor the troops.
At that event, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller both addressed the troops, speaking about crime in the city and the 250th anniversary security efforts. “It’s a righteous and beautiful mission,” Hegseth said.
The Pentagon directed questions to the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, which did not respond to inquiries about the deployments.
Chatterjee told the Associated Press that Democratic governors who sent troops were “pretending they don’t know” their Guard members could be assigned to the Safe and Beautiful Task Force, created by a presidential executive order and focused on crime reduction in the city.
Michigan’s deployment is currently scheduled to run through August 31. Whitmer has threatened to end it early if additional reports surface of Michigan Guard members being used in the broader law enforcement mission. In a letter last week to the commanding general of the state’s National Guard, she requested that their duties be confined to the anniversary celebrations.
“I have not deployed — and will not deploy — the Michigan National Guard to support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission,” she wrote.
Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of Liberty and National Security at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, also signed the letter to Whitmer. She said Democratic governors were essentially trusting the administration to keep their Guard forces in a limited role — a trust she believes is misplaced.
“They are trying to make a distinction here between what their Guard forces are doing in D.C.,” she said. “The problem is the administration is not making that distinction — and cannot be trusted.”
ATLANTA — A federal judge has blocked the U.S. Department of Justice from obtaining the names and personal contact information of every individual who worked during the 2020 presidential election in Georgia’s Fulton County, issuing his ruling on Tuesday.
The Justice Department had secured a grand jury subpoena back in April seeking identifying details for county employees as well as volunteer poll workers. President Donald Trump has repeatedly alleged, without providing evidence, that widespread voter fraud took place in Fulton County — Georgia’s most heavily populated county and a Democratic stronghold — and that it cost him the state in the 2020 election.
Fulton County pushed back against the subpoena in court, arguing the request was designed to “target, harass and punish the President’s perceived political opponents” and that it was “grossly over broad and untethered to any reasonable need.”
U.S. District Judge William Ray sided with the county, writing in his decision that “given the low need for the subpoenaed information and the highly burdensome nature of the disclosure of the same, the Subpoena is unreasonable and must be quashed.” He described the reach of the request as “staggering.”
Requests for comment sent to both the Justice Department and Fulton County were not immediately answered.
Judge Ray acknowledged that grand juries frequently assist federal prosecutors in criminal investigations, but stressed that “does not give the DOJ the right to use the Grand Jury to do whatever the DOJ wants.”
The judge further noted that even if the records could help identify county workers who believe the 2020 election was unfair, that information still could not be used to file charges against anyone. “That is because the statute of limitations for any possible crime arising from the 2020 Election has long expired,” he wrote.
This subpoena followed a January action in which the FBI executed a search warrant at the Fulton County election hub, seizing hundreds of boxes of ballots and other documents tied to the 2020 election. A separate federal judge in May turned down the county’s request to have those ballots returned.
In court filings, the Justice Department had characterized the subpoena as the “next step in the normal investigative process” and argued it was seeking “records identifying persons with relevant knowledge.”
Kamal Ghali, an attorney representing Fulton County, warned that the subpoena “will chill participation by election workers” and echoed the argument that any applicable statute of limitations had already run out.
Justice Department attorney William McComb countered that the statute of limitations question is not relevant at the investigative stage, explaining that the investigation’s purpose is to determine what charges, if any, can be pursued. “My point is, as we sit here now, we are not sure what charges can be brought. That’s the whole point of the investigation,” he said.
McComb described the contact information request as something that “would simply be a pathway to determine and speak with and interview certain individuals who worked at the polls who may have seen, heard or done something in and of themselves.”
Judge Ray acknowledged that the Justice Department had raised concerns about possible criminal conduct in the years following the election, including an alleged failure by the county to preserve electronic ballot images. However, he pointed out that the subpoena itself focuses on what occurred during the 2020 election and its immediate aftermath.
In his ruling, Ray addressed the politically charged nature of the case directly: “In these hyper-political times in which we currently live, there are sure to be some who disagree with this decision because they believe the allegations of fraud in the 2020 Election and believe that ‘light’ should be brought to those claims.”
He made clear that nothing in his ruling stops others — including Congress or even the Justice Department itself — from continuing to investigate those allegations. But he said the grand jury’s power, “which exists to investigate potential crimes and to bring viable indictments,” cannot be used for that purpose. To allow otherwise, he wrote, would let anyone in power use the grand jury process to subpoena private citizen information “with no legitimate law enforcement purpose.”
“Thus, everyone, whether you support the President or you do not, or whether you believe the 2020 Election was fair or believe that it was not, should be concerned about the DOJ’s ability to utilize the power of the Grand Jury to appropriate your private information without a legitimate purpose,” Ray wrote.
JACKSON, Miss. — Just one week before they were scheduled to stand trial, the former mayor of Mississippi’s capital city and the former city council president both entered guilty pleas in a bribery conspiracy case.
Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Council President Aaron Banks each pleaded guilty Monday to a single count of conspiracy. Their pleas followed those of Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, who pleaded guilty the previous week and subsequently resigned from office. All three individuals are Democrats.
Two additional defendants — Angelique Lee, the former Democratic vice president of the Jackson City Council, and Sherik Marve Smith, a businessman and relative of Owens — had already entered guilty pleas on bribery charges prior to Monday’s proceedings.
According to a November 2024 indictment, Owens accepted a minimum of $115,000 from two FBI agents who were undercover and posing as real estate developers. The indictment further alleged that Owens facilitated more than $80,000 in bribe payments to Banks, Lumumba, and Lee in return for their assistance in approving a development project.
Lumumba, Banks, and Owens each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. All three are scheduled to be sentenced on October 15.
Lumumba, who had previously described the charges against him as a politically motivated prosecution, was defeated in his reelection campaign last year. His legal team did not respond to requests for comment.
The National Conference of Black Lawyers, which has stood by Lumumba throughout the legal proceedings, has questioned whether federal investigators and prosecutors unfairly targeted Black elected officials in this case.
Mawuli Davis, an attorney with the organization, expressed that skepticism directly: “Our history tells us that it is necessary for us to have a very healthy skepticism about who, how and why certain people, certain geographical areas are focused upon. We’ve never not been targeted.”
Davis added that the organization plans to be present at Lumumba’s sentencing hearing and will urge the judge to take into account the contributions Lumumba has made to his community. An attorney for Banks declined to offer any comment on the matter.
U.S. Soccer has announced it plans to resume conversations with head coach Mauricio Pochettino about his future with the program, following what the federation called a period of “rest and reflection” after the United States was knocked out of the World Cup with a stunning 4-1 loss to Belgium.
The 54-year-old Pochettino’s contract runs out at the end of the tournament, and questions about his future have taken center stage after the team’s disappointing exit — especially considering the U.S. had hoped to make a deep run while playing on home soil.
U.S. Soccer said the two sides had already been having “positive conversations” about the road ahead before the tournament began, and both agreed to take a break before picking those discussions back up.
“We have a great deal of respect and gratitude for Mauricio, his staff and everyone part of the program,” the federation said in a statement released Tuesday.
The lopsided defeat at the hands of Belgium deflated the growing excitement surrounding the national team and is expected to put the program’s direction under a microscope as U.S. Soccer weighs whether Pochettino is the right coach to lead the team into its next chapter.
Pochettino, who was seen kicking water bottles on the sideline in frustration during the round-of-16 match in Seattle, has not made any public statements about his coaching future with the team.
Following the loss, Pochettino reflected on his nearly two years at the helm, saying there had been “good things and not so good things” along the way, but called the overall journey “amazing.”
The federation did not shy away from acknowledging the challenges that still lie ahead.
“We have shared excitement about our potential and also shared clarity about the amount of work at all levels still required to achieve our ambition,” U.S. Soccer said.
Pochettino, who previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, Paris St Germain, and Chelsea, was brought on board in September 2024 with the goal of transforming the United States into a genuine World Cup contender. The manner of the team’s early exit, however, means the federation will be facing some hard questions in the coming weeks.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark put the brakes on any conversation about quarterback Brendan Sorsby and Texas Tech when reporters raised the topic as media days got underway Tuesday in Frisco, Texas.
“I appreciate the question,” Yormark said. “Today is not the time to address that issue. Today is about celebrating the upcoming football season and celebrating our 16 schools.”
The Sorsby situation has been a major storyline over the past seven months. After arriving at Texas Tech as one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal, Sorsby entered a rehabilitation program for gambling addiction, acknowledged making thousands of wagers, and was ultimately declared ineligible by the NCAA. Rather than pursue an appeal through the conference or seek entry into the NFL supplemental draft — which rejected his application — Sorsby chose to shift his focus toward the 2027 NFL Draft.
On the topic of sports wagering more broadly, Yormark said the Big 12 is strengthening its existing relationship with IC360, a global advisory and technology platform, to better monitor sports betting activity within college athletics.
Yormark also reaffirmed his vision of the Big 12 as the most internationally focused conference in college sports. He noted that six member schools have campuses abroad and that roughly 20% of student-athletes hail from outside the United States. Last season, the conference launched its schedule with a game between Iowa State and Kansas State held in Ireland.
“I’m convinced we can win globally,” Yormark said.
The commissioner additionally announced that the Big 12 will convene a league-wide meeting in August to confront anti-LDS chants that have been directed at BYU.
“We have a zero tolerance for that kind of behavior,” he said.
In a separate announcement, Yormark confirmed a multi-year deal with Monster Energy that will place the brand’s logo on fields, as part of uniform patches, and throughout multiple sports. The agreement, valued at more than $20 million per year, designates Monster Energy as the conference’s “entitlement partner” and could deliver over $1 million to each of the 16 member schools. Men’s and women’s basketball branding will be updated under the deal, and this season’s conference football matchups will be officially known as “Monster Energy Big XII Football.”
Oil prices surged sharply on Tuesday, climbing more than 3% after the United States pulled the general license that had permitted the sale of Iranian crude oil, sending markets into a frenzy.
Brent crude futures closed $2.17 higher, a gain of 3.01%, settling at $74.16 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also rose, finishing up $1.89, or 2.76%, at $70.44 per barrel.
After the official market close, prices climbed even further. By 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the global benchmark had risen an additional 96 cents to $75.12, while WTI jumped another $1.05 to reach $71.49. At that point, both oil benchmarks were tracking gains of more than 4% compared to the previous day’s closing prices.
The price spike followed news that three tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Among the vessels hit was a Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier, which Qatar confirmed was struck by an Iranian drone. A Saudi-flagged supertanker, believed to be the Wedyan, also sustained damage off the coast of Oman, though the cause of that incident was not immediately determined.
In response, a U.S. official stated Tuesday that Iran’s behavior in the Strait of Hormuz was “wholly unacceptable” and warned of consequences.
Ajay Parmar, director of energy and refining at ICIS, said the situation exposed how unstable the current ceasefire really is. “This shows just how fragile the ceasefire actually is. Further attacks could sporadically appear in the coming months and this will further add to the volatility,” Parmar said. “Just one disagreeable message from one side could bring anger to the other, and remember if Iran merely threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz again, prices will spike considerably. As such, we firmly believe that volatility really is here to stay.”
UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo also weighed in, noting that “renewed tensions in the Middle East and concerns over the vessel attacks could drag lower oil exports from the Middle East.”
Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remain strained. Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday that final deal negotiations will not move forward if U.S. threats persist, following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to “finish the job” if no agreement is reached.
Investors are keeping a close eye on the ongoing U.S.-Iran talks and what they could mean for shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that — before the start of the Iran war — carried roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
Separately, Ukraine’s military reported overnight that Ukrainian drones hit eight tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” — a collection of older vessels used to move fuel to Crimea while circumventing international sanctions.
The Oakland Athletics made several roster moves Tuesday, bringing shortstop Jacob Wilson back from the injured list and adding left-handed pitcher Jacob Lopez to the active roster.
To make room on the roster, the team sent catcher Brian Serven and right-hander Kade Morris down to their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.
Wilson, who is 24 years old, had been out of action since June 26 due to inflammation in his right thumb. The young infielder is coming off a standout campaign in which he earned an American League All-Star selection and finished as the runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year voting. This season, Wilson is hitting .277 with four home runs and 26 RBIs across 50 games. He has also dealt with a shoulder injury that cost him time earlier this year.
Lopez, 28, has gone 4-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 12 appearances this season, including 10 starts. Over parts of four major league seasons, the left-hander carries a 12-10 record with a 4.99 ERA in 41 appearances — 29 of them starts — split between the Tampa Bay Rays from 2023 to 2024 and the Athletics.
Serven, 31, appeared in just one game for the Athletics this season, marking his first major league action in two years. In parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Athletics, he is a career .188 hitter with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 102 games.
Morris, 24, made his major league debut on June 6 and posted an 0-1 record with an 11.70 ERA across three appearances, including one start.
WASHINGTON — The United States took a major step Tuesday, canceling a general license that had permitted the sale of Iranian oil, as a U.S. official declared that Iran’s conduct in the Strait of Hormuz was “wholly unacceptable” and would carry consequences following a series of attacks on tankers in the critical shipping lane.
Global oil prices surged more than 5% in the wake of the announcement. The U.S. Treasury Department said transactions involving Iranian oil that were previously permitted under the now-canceled license would be allowed to wind down through July 17.
Despite the escalating tensions, a U.S. official indicated that negotiators were still working in good faith toward a final agreement with Iran.
The American action followed reports from the British navy-affiliated agency UKMTO that three tankers had been struck by unknown projectiles in and around the Strait of Hormuz over recent days. Neither Tehran nor any other party issued an immediate comment or claimed responsibility for the attacks.
A second U.S. official, who requested anonymity, said early indications pointed to Iran having fired on the three commercial ships.
The attacks and Washington’s response now threaten to destabilize a delicate diplomatic understanding between the two countries, raising fears that further retaliation could derail ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching a broader agreement — one that had included potential limits on Iran’s nuclear program and partial relief from sanctions, including those targeting oil exports.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman, ranks among the most vital energy corridors on the planet. Approximately one-fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption, along with substantial volumes of liquefied natural gas, flows through the waterway each day.
Any extended disruption to that flow could drive energy prices higher, adding to the burden already felt by consumers and governments grappling with elevated fuel costs.
Oil revenue remains essential to Iran’s economy, generating billions of dollars in hard currency that helps sustain government operations and offset the impact of years of U.S. sanctions. In recent years, Iran has managed to grow its oil shipments — primarily to China — making petroleum exports a critical economic lifeline for the country.
A renewed push to restrict those exports could tighten Iran’s financial situation further, limiting its ability to fund domestic programs and activities across the region.
Motorists traveling westbound on Oakwood Road should plan for delays as construction crews have closed the left lane between Thomas Road and Bybrook Road.
The lane restriction is expected to remain in effect until 5 PM. Drivers in the area are advised to allow extra travel time or consider an alternate route until the work is completed.
Motorists traveling southbound on S Heald Street should be aware of an active lane closure between A Street and B Street due to ongoing construction work.
The lane restriction is currently in effect and is scheduled to be lifted by 4PM. Drivers in the area are encouraged to allow extra travel time or consider using an alternate route to avoid potential delays.
No further details about the nature of the construction work were provided. Updates on this and other traffic incidents in the area are available through DelDOT.
The World Cup matchup between the United States and Belgium has gone down in the record books — not just for the scoreline, but for the massive audience that watched it unfold.
Fox announced Tuesday, following the release of preliminary ratings, that the round-of-16 contest was the most-watched soccer broadcast ever aired in the United States. An estimated 30 million viewers across the country tuned in to watch the Monday night game.
Belgium handed the U.S. a 4-1 defeat in Seattle, punching their ticket to the quarterfinals and knocking out the last of the tournament’s three co-host nations in the process.
The viewership numbers didn’t just hold steady — they surged as the night went on. Fox reported the audience peaked at more than 36.8 million viewers during the 9:15 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time window.
The previous record had been set just days earlier. Fox said the U.S. match against Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 26.4 million viewers, a mark that has now been surpassed by Monday’s historic broadcast.
AI startup Perplexity announced Tuesday that it intends to adopt Nvidia’s newly developed central processing unit, as the chip giant makes a bold push to expand its market reach and challenge long-established competitors Intel and Advanced Micro Devices.
Nvidia has projected it will bring in $20 billion in revenue from its “Vera” CPU — a general-purpose computing chip distinct from its AI-specific products — before the close of its current fiscal year. The Vera chip is part of a broader strategy by Nvidia to diversify its business as major artificial intelligence companies like OpenAI and DeepSeek develop their own in-house AI chips.
The CPU market has historically been dominated by Intel and AMD, whose chips power everything from personal laptops to large-scale web servers. However, most of those chips were engineered before the emergence of AI “agents” — software systems capable of independently completing complex tasks based on instructions given by human users.
Unlike people, who naturally pause between tasks, AI agents operate continuously. Perplexity’s Vice President for Computer Enterprise and Infrastructure, Nate Kupp, noted that Nvidia’s CPU completed AI agent coding assignments roughly 1.5 times faster than conventional chips.
“Vera really stood out to us as just like a dead-on fit for a lot of the core workloads that we have,” Kupp said in an interview.
Perplexity did not reveal the number of Nvidia CPUs it intends to purchase. Nvidia has separately confirmed that OpenAI, Anthropic, and Oracle have also committed to using its new CPU.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern told a federal regulatory agency on Tuesday that they are prepared to sell off their ownership interests in certain smaller railroad companies as part of their proposed $85 billion merger deal.
If approved, the combination would establish the first freight rail network in the United States stretching from coast to coast.
The two companies said they would no longer hold controlling interests in the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, the Kansas City Terminal Railway, or TTX Company following the merger. Those smaller railroads are jointly owned alongside other major carriers and are run by independent management teams.
Both railroads told the Surface Transportation Board they would divest their stakes in those lines if the agency required it. The companies also claimed that rival major carriers are using those smaller railroads — particularly the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis — as a tool to slow down or block the merger.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern said they plan to submit additional responses to Surface Transportation Board questions by July 27 and expect the deal to be finalized in the first half of 2027.
Supporters of the merger say it would save freight shippers an estimated $3.5 billion per year, improve the reliability of service, shift cargo from trucks to rail, preserve options for shippers, and protect union jobs while delivering broader benefits to the public.
However, opposition to the deal is significant. Freight shippers worried about rising costs, along with attorneys general from several states, have raised concerns about the proposed consolidation.
The railroads project that the combined network would remove approximately 2.1 million trucks from American roads, with cost savings potentially leading to lower prices for consumers.
The merger could fundamentally reshape the U.S. freight rail industry by streamlining operations and reducing interchange delays at major hubs such as Chicago.
Active lobbying against the deal continues from major competitors BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
President Donald Trump has publicly expressed support for the merger. He previously removed Democratic board member Robert Primus from the Surface Transportation Board — a member who could have opposed the deal — and named Republican Patrick Fuchs as the agency’s chairman, a move widely viewed as making the regulator more likely to approve the transaction.
NAJAF — The remains of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reached the Iraqi holy city of Najaf on Tuesday, according to Iraqi state television. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, along with senior government officials, was on hand to receive the coffin as it arrived ahead of scheduled funeral ceremonies.
The formal reception took place at Najaf International Airport, where Iraqi political leaders and Shi’ite religious figures gathered to honor the fallen leader. The coffin is expected to be carried through the streets of Najaf in a public mourning procession on Wednesday, an event anticipated to attract massive crowds.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also traveled to Najaf to take part in the memorial ceremonies, joining the assembled Iraqi officials and religious leaders in paying their respects.
Wednesday’s Wimbledon quarter-final slate features some compelling matchups, headlined by French Open champion Alexander Zverev squaring off against sixth seed Taylor Fritz, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk chasing a spot in her first Wimbledon semi-final opposite former runner-up Jasmine Paolini, and British wildcard Arthur Fery continuing his remarkable run against ninth seed Flavio Cobolli.
Ninth seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic will also be in action, taking on Belgium’s Elise Mertens on Court Number One.
FRITZ VS. ZVEREV
Taylor Fritz is back in familiar territory at Wimbledon. The American dispatched 10th seed Alexander Bublik 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to advance to the quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years. A semi-finalist at the tournament last year, Fritz has re-established himself as one of grasscourt tennis’s most reliable performers on the men’s tour, despite an injury-hampered clay season that saw him fall in both Geneva and at Roland Garros.
With a first Grand Slam title in his sights, Fritz is just one win away from matching his best-ever Wimbledon result. His opponent, Zverev, claimed his first-ever Wimbledon quarter-final berth after defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(6). Fritz will draw confidence from a strong head-to-head record against the German, having won their last seven encounters to hold a 10-5 overall advantage.
KOSTYUK VS. PAOLINI
Marta Kostyuk is aiming for her second Grand Slam semi-final appearance when she meets Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals. The Ukrainian has translated her strong form onto the Wimbledon grass, booking her first last-eight appearance at the All England Club with a straight-sets win over Ashlyn Krueger. She has sharpened her serve and consistently manufactured break-point chances throughout the tournament.
“I think I adapt really well,” Kostyuk said. “I think just giving myself this freedom of trying different things is definitely helping.”
Paolini, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2024, earned her place in the quarter-finals by overcoming Alexandra Eala in three sets. The Italian has been dependable on serve, committing just five double faults across four matches, and has converted at least four break points in every round.
“She’s playing great tennis this year,” Paolini said of Kostyuk. “She’s improved a lot. She can be really aggressive. She’s a great athlete. She can move really well on court. It’s going to be a tough match.”
FERY CHASES SEMI-FINAL SPOT
British wildcard Arthur Fery will attempt to keep his dream Wimbledon run alive when he faces ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday. Fery became just the fifth men’s wildcard in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals after fighting past Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller.
Now the last British singles player remaining in the draw, Fery has already surpassed expectations with four victories at the All England Club.
“What I experienced today, I’m really going to cherish it for the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe I will never, ever get to experience that ever again. It’s the first time I’m playing on this stage. Who knows, that might be the first and last time,” Fery said following Monday’s victory.
Cobolli arrives in the quarter-finals riding a wave of confidence after his breakthrough run to the French Open final. The Italian reinforced his credentials with a straight-sets win over fifth seed Alex de Minaur. While Fery does hold a previous victory over Cobolli — a straight-sets result at the Australian Open — Wednesday’s match poses a far sterner challenge, with the Italian currently playing some of the best tennis of his career.
WEDNESDAY ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court (play begins 12:30 p.m. GMT): 12-Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) vs. 13-Jasmine Paolini (Italy); 9-Flavio Cobolli (Italy) vs. Arthur Fery (United Kingdom)
Court Number One (play begins 12:00 p.m. GMT): 9-Linda Noskova (Czech Republic) vs. 25-Elise Mertens (Belgium); 6-Taylor Fritz (U.S.) vs. 2-Alexander Zverev (Germany)
LONDON — Wimbledon used to be the one tournament that gave Coco Gauff trouble. That may no longer be the case.
On Tuesday, Gauff knocked out fellow American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Centre Court, punching her ticket to the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the very first time. The world number seven — now the highest-ranked player left in the women’s draw — called it a major turning point in her relationship with grass-court tennis.
Before this tournament, Gauff had never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon. It was the only Grand Slam where the 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 French Open champion had not reached at least the quarter-finals. Her path to the semis was not easy either — she was pushed to three sets in four of her last four matches — but she proved she can compete on any surface.
“It feels really special considering the results I’ve had of late and just especially on this surface,” said Gauff, who will next face Karolina Muchova with a spot in Saturday’s final on the line.
“I’m able to relax a bit because, I feel regardless of how the rest of this tournament goes, I really think I’ve found a bit of a breakthrough on grass. Obviously I’m not satisfied. I want to go all the way.”
Gauff admitted she would have laughed off any suggestion she’d reach the semi-finals this year, especially given her recent struggles — including an early exit in Berlin — and back-to-back first-round losses at Wimbledon in 2023 and last year. She reached the fourth round in 2024, the third round in 2022, and the last 16 in both 2019 and 2021. Her 2019 run was particularly memorable, as she arrived as a 15-year-old qualifier and defeated Venus Williams in the opening round.
When the match ended Tuesday and Pegula’s final return hit the net, cameras caught Gauff turning to her team in the stands and mouthing in disbelief: “Oh my God, how?”
“In the past there’s commentary on my game, how maybe it doesn’t mesh with this surface, things like that,” she said. “I think just trusting myself, trusting that my groundstrokes are good enough to be with anyone on this surface. I think my last match against Belinda showed that. Obviously today against Jess I think showed that, as well.”
Gauff said the nerves settled after her match against Belinda Bencic, and she has carried that calm confidence forward. Known for her deep faith, Gauff was also asked whether she believes destiny plays a role in her Wimbledon journey.
“I do feel like in a way the story is already written. But is Wimbledon part of my story? I don’t know. I can’t tell you,” she said. “If you asked me seven days ago, the answer would have been no. Honestly, I was writing it off a little bit.”
“But I hope it is part of my destiny, whether it’s this year or in the future. I definitely would love to see my name on the champions wall, for sure.”
A Sacramento, California food company is voluntarily pulling one of its products from store shelves due to a potential allergen labeling problem.
Faysu Inc., which operates under the name Yusol International Foods, has announced a voluntary recall of OLA-OLA POUNDED YAM after discovering the product may contain milk in the form of sodium caseinate — an ingredient that does not appear anywhere on the product’s label.
The concern is particularly serious for consumers who have milk allergies or sensitivities, as they would have no way of knowing the ingredient is present based on the current packaging.
Shoppers who have purchased OLA-OLA POUNDED YAM and have a milk allergy are urged to stop using the product immediately and check with the retailer or the company for further guidance on the recall.
The Maryland Horse Industry Board has announced it will hold a meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET. The session will take place virtually through Google Meet.
Several topics are on the agenda for discussion, including current Horse Board initiatives, the Maryland Horse Strategic Plan, the issue of unlicensed stables, and legislative reports.
Both board members and stable inspectors are expected to take part in the meeting.
It looked like the defending World Cup champions were done. Argentina found themselves down 2-0 to Egypt late in the match, seemingly on the verge of a shocking early exit from the tournament.
But Argentina refused to accept defeat. The team clawed their way back into the contest, scoring one goal to cut the deficit, then finding the net again to level the score at 2-2.
With the match tied, Argentina kept pushing forward and eventually scored a third goal — the decisive strike that secured a stunning comeback win and punched their ticket to the quarterfinal round.
Lionel Messi, wearing number 10 for Argentina, was on the scoresheet during the match, celebrating after putting his team’s second goal past the Egyptian goalkeeper. The game was played in Atlanta on Tuesday.
The victory stands as one of the more dramatic results of this World Cup, with Argentina turning what appeared to be certain elimination into a quarterfinal berth through sheer determination and late-game heroics.
A bill moving through the Delaware General Assembly would completely overhaul the state’s rules governing money transmission services and introduce a brand-new regulatory structure for virtual currency businesses.
The legislation, if passed, would scrap the current Chapter 23 of Title 5 of the Delaware Code and replace it with what would be called the “Delaware Money Transmission and Virtual Currency Modernization Act.”
One of the key changes would allow the State Bank Commissioner to work alongside other states in licensing and overseeing money transmitters through the NMLS system — a shared, multi-state licensing platform. The bill also introduces updated financial safety standards, including a tiered net worth requirement based on total assets, and revises surety bond requirements tied to a licensee’s average daily money transmission activity.
On the consumer protection side, the bill would standardize receipt requirements for both traditional currency and virtual currency transactions, give customers a 10-day window to request refunds on certain transfers, and set clear disclosure rules for businesses that handle payroll processing.
For the first time, Delaware would have a dedicated regulatory framework specifically for virtual currency business activity. The bill defines what qualifies as virtual currency and what counts as virtual currency business activity. It also requires businesses to inform customers about the risks associated with virtual currency. Notably, any virtual currency held by a licensed business would be considered a proportional property interest belonging to customers — meaning it could not be claimed by the business’s creditors.
The State Bank Commissioner would be granted authority to create rules and regulations for carrying out the new law. Businesses would have six months to come into general compliance, while a one-year window would be provided for meeting the new net worth and investment standards.
The law would take effect either one year after it is signed or when the State Banking Commissioner announces that final regulations are in place — whichever comes first.
Because the bill touches on general corporation law, it requires more than a simple majority to pass — specifically, a two-thirds vote of all elected members in each chamber of the General Assembly, as required by the Delaware Constitution.
The Maryland Horse Industry Board has announced an upcoming virtual meeting set for Tuesday, July 21, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET. The gathering will be held through Google Meet.
Attendees can expect the latest updates on a range of topics, including ongoing Horse Board initiatives and the Maryland Horse Strategic Plan. The agenda also calls for discussion of unlicensed stables and legislative reports.
Board members and stable inspectors are scheduled to take part in the meeting.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara has arrived in the big leagues, called up nearly one month after inking a seven-year, $31 million deal with the organization.
The Brewers, who currently lead the NL Central, revealed the roster move ahead of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. Along with Lara’s promotion, the team sent outfielder Blake Perkins down to Triple-A Nashville.
Milwaukee also announced that infielder David Hamilton has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. Additionally, the club selected utilityman Greg Jones from Nashville and shifted outfielder Brandon Lockridge to the 60-day injured list.
At 21 years old, Lara was still playing for Nashville when he agreed to the long-term contract last month — a deal that extends through 2032 and includes club options covering 2033, 2034, and 2035.
Speaking through an interpreter in Spanish, Lara described how he stayed ready for this opportunity. “I just really was trying to stay prepared, you know, mentally knowing that this moment could come at any given time, and the moment came,” he said. “So now it’s just kind of doing what I was doing in Triple-A and just going out there and enjoying the game and having fun while playing it.”
Standing 5-foot-7, the Venezuelan-born outfielder has long drawn praise for his defensive abilities, but this season he has also made a major impact with his bat. In 78 games with Nashville, Lara posted a .321 batting average, a .432 on-base percentage, a .470 slugging percentage, nine home runs, 42 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. By comparison, he hit .257 with a .369 on-base percentage and .343 slugging percentage across 136 games with Double-A Biloxi the previous season.
Reflecting on the pressures that come with a big contract at a young age, Lara shared his mindset. “I think any time you sign a contract at a young age, you think about just wanting to give the maximum potential you have, give everything you have for the team,” he said. “Really I just try to tell myself as much as possible to stay calm, to not get lost in my thoughts too much, just do what I always do.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted that Lara is capable of handling all three outfield positions and brings value as a switch-hitter. “I think Luis can help us being a switch-hitter and equally good from both sides,” Murphy said. “Never touched the big leagues, but you know it’s time, and we’ve signed him to a long-term deal, obviously, that predicates that he’s going to be a Brewer, you know, and we’re excited.”
Lara’s call-up marks the second time this season that a Brewers prospect has made his major league debut following a long-term contract signing. Shortstop Cooper Pratt debuted on June 16, roughly two and a half months after agreeing to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal. Pratt, who turns 22 on August 18, entered Tuesday’s twin bill with a .204 batting average, .313 on-base percentage, no home runs, two RBIs, and six stolen bases across 18 games with Milwaukee.
Perkins, 29, was struggling at the plate before being optioned, hitting .157 with a .250 on-base percentage, one home run, 11 RBIs, and three stolen bases in 53 games with the Brewers.
Delaware’s General Assembly is considering updated legislation that would create a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital payment stablecoins — a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value.
The measure, known as Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 19, makes several changes from the original bill. Among the key updates, the legislation reorganizes the proposed “Delaware Payment Stablecoins Act” to fall under Chapter 35 of Title 5 of the Delaware Code, rather than Chapter 40 as the original bill proposed.
The revised bill also introduces new provisions not found in the earlier version. One section would prohibit non-financial public companies from issuing payment stablecoins. Another creates a voluntary registration pathway for digital asset service providers, replacing a licensing process that was part of the original proposal. A third new section lays out procedures to follow if a payment stablecoin issuer becomes insolvent.
Additional changes include a new definition of “control” tailored to fit the bill’s framework, and an expanded definition of “registered public accounting firm” that now includes certified public accounting firms meeting standards set by the Delaware Board of Accountancy.
The legislation draws its definitions from the federal Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act — known as the GENIUS Act — as well as from a proposed rule by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, where those definitions don’t overlap with existing Delaware law.
The bill would establish reserve requirements, mandatory redemption timing standards, capital standards, anti-money laundering obligations, data privacy protections, and safeguards related to custody of assets. It also includes procedures for when a company wants to change control and a pathway for converting from a federal to a state charter.
The State Bank Commissioner would be required to issue implementing regulations within set timeframes to keep Delaware’s rules in line with changing federal standards.
Because the bill amends Delaware’s general incorporation law, it requires more than a simple majority to pass — specifically, a two-thirds vote from members of each chamber of the General Assembly, as required by the state constitution.
PARIS (AP) — The Grand Palais in Paris was transformed Tuesday into something between a dream and a warning: giant beanstalks stretching toward the ceiling, oversized flowers blooming in colors just a little too vivid to feel entirely safe. It was the setting for Chanel’s latest couture show, and it set the tone perfectly.
Celebrities including Tilda Swinton, Michelle Yeoh, and Catherine Deneuve were seated among the audience — the kind of star-studded crowd that only a fashion house of Chanel’s stature can reliably attract.
The creative force behind it all was designer Matthieu Blazy, who drew his inspiration from an unlikely source: a small leather-bound book of fairy tales he discovered on a shelf in house founder Gabrielle Chanel’s former apartment.
“I started to wonder, was Gabrielle Chanel’s life a fairy tale?” Blazy reflected.
He concluded that it was — specifically a version of Jack and the Beanstalk. In his reading, Chanel was the unlikely climber who rose from a convent orphanage to the pinnacle of the fashion world, daring everything and returning with the prize.
Blazy came to Chanel from Bottega Veneta and is still relatively new to the role. The house was previously led by Karl Lagerfeld for 36 years until his death in 2019, followed by his longtime deputy Virginie Viard, who held the position until 2024. Tuesday’s presentation was only Blazy’s second couture show, yet the house already feels noticeably refreshed under his direction.
The clothing itself told the story. The first look featured a sheer Chanel suit with embroidery arranged to resemble tiny bean shoots. Vines wound their way up dresses and curled around the heels of shoes. Butterflies and blossoms appeared in unexpected places throughout the collection.
Small evening bags were crafted in the shapes of sleeping bears and plump chickens, while heels were sculpted into butterflies and golden eggs. Subtle references to Goldilocks, Puss in Boots, and the Ugly Duckling were woven throughout — though Blazy was careful never to make the references too obvious.
Much of the craftsmanship was hidden from plain sight. Jackets were lined with painted artwork and mock to-do lists stitched in sheer silk — the highest level of couture technique applied to something deliberately mundane. Deliberately frayed edges paid homage to Coco Chanel’s well-known habit of attacking her own garments with pins during fittings.
“Haute Couture at Chanel is not just a fairy tale; in essence it is for women, their realities and their adventures of the everyday,” Blazy said.
That grounded philosophy shaped the entire collection. Rather than leaning into extravagance, Blazy continually stripped pieces back, leaving clothes that felt genuinely livable: a precisely cut coat, a red sequined shift, an evening look reduced to a simple black tunic and trousers.
It is perhaps Chanel’s oldest and most enduring idea — to walk into a room in something simple and make everyone else appear overdressed — and Blazy has managed to make that idea feel fresh again.
He also cast models across a wide range of ages, letting the clothes make the argument without any words needed.
Following the traditional bridal finale gown came a closing look that departed from convention: a bare black off-the-shoulder dress that felt less like a wedding and more like a statement. The reminder was implicit — Chanel herself famously never married.
The audience that witnessed all of this included Swinton and Pedro Pascal, Yeoh and Lupita Nyong’o, Deneuve and Vanessa Paradis, boxer Imane Khelif, and skater Surya Bonaly. They arrived for a spectacle. Blazy sent them home thinking about their shopping lists.
Delaware’s banking laws could soon get their most significant overhaul in years under legislation known as the “Delaware Banking Modernization Act of 2026,” which aims to update and modernize numerous provisions of the Delaware Banking Code.
The bill, a substitute for an earlier version, differs from the original in two key ways: it requires a greater-than-majority vote for passage, and it sets a timeline for one of its sections to take effect — either one year after the law is enacted or when the State Banking Commissioner announces that final regulations have been published, whichever comes first.
One of the most notable changes in the legislation is its treatment of digital assets. The bill formally defines “Digital Asset” as any digital representation of value recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger or similar technology, including virtual currency. It also defines “Virtual Currency” as a digital representation of value used as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, or a store of value — but not actual money. The definitions exclude loyalty or rewards program credits that cannot be converted to money or bank credit, as well as digital representations issued by publishers for use solely within online games or gaming platforms.
Under the legislation, Delaware-chartered banks with fiduciary powers would be explicitly permitted to hold and manage digital assets on behalf of customers. The same authority would be extended to savings banks.
The bill also expands the powers of the State Bank Commissioner in several ways. The Commissioner would be authorized to hire outside consultants, legal professionals, and technical experts as needed. The Commissioner would also gain new authority to approve the creation of banks and trust companies with limited powers, and could adopt different application requirements depending on the risk level of the proposed activities.
On the corporate governance side, the legislation updates address requirements in bank and savings bank organizational documents, replacing outdated language referencing “residence and post-office address” with “business, post office or mailing address.” It also adds flexibility in how banks and savings banks can set the size of their boards of directors — allowing the articles of association to specify a method for determining the number of directors, rather than requiring a fixed number, while still maintaining a minimum of five directors.
The bill streamlines what happens to fiduciary appointments — such as trustee, executor, administrator, custodian, and guardian positions — when banks merge or when national banks or federal savings associations convert into state banks. Under the new provisions, those appointments would automatically transfer to the resulting institution without requiring a court order, though interested parties could still seek a judicial review.
The legislation also makes it easier for out-of-state banks and trust companies to relocate to Delaware or merge with Delaware institutions. New definitions are established for various types of trust companies, and the State Bank Commissioner would be given authority to approve Delaware state trust companies opening offices in other states as part of interstate merger or conversion transactions.
Additionally, the bill extends fiduciary authority in Delaware to banks and trust companies organized under the laws of other states — but only if those states grant the same reciprocal powers to Delaware-chartered institutions.
A provision removing a restriction on limited purpose trust companies is also included. Previously, such entities were required to operate in a way that would not attract customers from the general public to the substantial detriment of existing Delaware banks or trust companies. The bill eliminates that requirement, with the stated goal of removing what lawmakers describe as a potentially anti-competitive barrier.
Most sections of the bill would take effect immediately upon enactment. Because the legislation touches on Delaware’s general corporation law, it requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each chamber of the General Assembly under the Delaware Constitution.
A piece of legislation moving through Delaware’s General Assembly would redraw the boundaries of the Town of Cheswold by removing specific parcels of land located within the Nobles Pond development from the town’s official limits.
The bill targets real property currently inside Cheswold’s territorial boundaries and would effectively detach those parcels from the municipality.
Because the legislation involves changing a municipal charter, it faces a higher bar for approval than a typical bill. Under Article IX, Section 1 of the Delaware Constitution, any amendment to a municipal charter — whether it applies directly to a specific town or through a broader general law — must receive the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the elected members in each house of the General Assembly to become law.
CHICAGO (AP) — George E. Johnson Sr., a trailblazer in the Black hair care industry whose company became the first Black-owned business ever listed on the American Stock Exchange, has passed away at the age of 99, his family announced.
Johnson died Monday at his residence in downtown Chicago. No cause of death was provided.
Together with his late wife, Joan, Johnson launched Johnson Products in 1954 on Chicago’s South Side, starting with just a $250 loan. Over the decades, that small venture grew into a massive hair care empire serving a predominantly Black customer base, featuring well-known brands such as Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen.
The company also gained widespread recognition as a national sponsor of the popular 1970s music and dance television program “Soul Train.”
“Johnson Products became a fixture in homes and salons around the world and a source of pride throughout Black America,” the family said in a written statement.
In 2024, Johnson published his memoir, titled “Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street.”
“I had an epiphany,” Johnson said in a statement released by the book’s publisher, Little, Brown and Company. “In that experience, I clearly heard five words: ‘You must tell your story.’ I believed it was the voice of the Lord. I made a 180 degree turn and immediately sought a writer.”
Born in 1927 in Richton, Mississippi, Johnson relocated to Chicago as a child alongside his family. Their journey north took place during what historians call the First Great Migration — a period between 1910 and 1940 when tens of thousands of Black Southerners moved to northern and midwestern cities seeking employment and relief from racial oppression.
As a young man, Johnson contributed to his family’s finances by shining shoes, busing tables at local eateries, and setting up pins at a bowling alley.
“Those early experiences shaped the values that guided him throughout his life: humility, determination, personal responsibility, and the golden rule: treating everyone the way he wished to be treated, with dignity and respect,” his family stated.
Beyond his hair care empire, Johnson went on to establish Independence Bank and made history as the first Black person to serve on the board of directors of Illinois electric utility Commonwealth Edison. Through the George E. Johnson Educational Fund, more than 1,000 college scholarships were awarded to students.
Andrew Gillum, the former Florida gubernatorial candidate who came close to making history as the state’s first Black governor, is facing new legal trouble after being arrested on drug possession charges in Alabama.
Gillum, 46, was taken into custody on July 2 in Daphne — a city located about 11 miles east of Mobile along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The Daphne Police Department says officers pulled him over for erratic driving and, after spotting a glass pipe on the center console, conducted a probable cause search of his vehicle.
During that search, police say they found several rolled marijuana cigarettes along with three packages of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. Gillum now faces charges of marijuana possession and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Jail records indicate he was released the following day, July 3.
Court records in the case were not yet available, according to the Baldwin County Clerk of Court’s office. Information on legal representation for Gillum was also not immediately available, and a message seeking comment was left with the local district attorney’s office.
The arrest occurred around 10:45 p.m., according to a Daphne Police Department news release.
Gillum currently co-hosts the politically focused Native Land Pod, which earned the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News and Information Podcast in 2025. A message seeking comment was left with the podcast’s production company.
Gillum served as mayor of Florida’s capital city from 2014 to 2018 before launching his gubernatorial campaign. In the 2018 election, he fell short of defeating Republican Ron DeSantis by fewer than 34,000 votes — a margin of less than one percentage point.
This is not the first time Gillum has faced public scrutiny over personal conduct. In 2020, he was discovered in a Miami Beach hotel room alongside a man who had apparently overdosed on drugs. At the time, police said Gillum was too intoxicated to speak about what had happened. The man survived, and no criminal charges were filed related to the overdose.
Following that incident, Gillum stepped away from public life for several months while undergoing treatment for alcohol abuse and depression. He later opened up about his struggles in a television interview.
“So much of my recovery has been about trying to get over shame,” Gillum said during an appearance on the Tamron Hall talk show in September 2020.
In 2022, Gillum was indicted on federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges. Prosecutors alleged he funneled tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions through outside parties back to himself for personal expenses. A trial held in 2023 ended with a hung jury on those charges. He was acquitted on separate charges that he had lied to undercover FBI agents who were posing as real estate developers and had paid for a 2016 trip he took with his brother to New York — covering hotel stays, meals, a boat tour, and a ticket to the Broadway production of “Hamilton.”
A sexual assault allegation against Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has upended the race in Maine and raised serious new questions about whether Democrats can win enough seats to take control of the U.S. Senate.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 edge in the chamber, and Democrats need to pick up at least four seats to flip the majority. Maine has been considered an essential piece of that puzzle — but the Platner allegation has thrown that calculation into doubt.
Platner, who has denied the accusation, now faces pressure from within his own party over whether he should stay in the race. If he withdraws before July 13, Maine Democrats would have the opportunity to place a replacement candidate on the ballot. If he stays in without national party backing, he would face a very difficult road against five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Should Platner step aside, his replacement would face a challenge similar to what presidential candidate Kamala Harris encountered in 2024 — entering a general election campaign late, without the benefit of a competitive primary to build name recognition and appeal to a broad electorate.
Collins, for her part, has won elections for 30 consecutive years, even as no Republican presidential nominee — including President Donald Trump — has carried Maine since 1988.
Here is a breakdown of the key Senate races Democrats are watching closely:
ALASKA: Former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola is running against Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, and her candidacy has given her party a boost. Peltola was the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress, having won both a special election and a regular election in 2022 for the state’s sole House seat — making her one of a small number of Democrats to win in a Republican-leaning state.
The state’s Aug. 18 primary has been complicated by a separate candidate who shares the same name and party affiliation as Sullivan. Alaska’s supreme court has ruled that this challenger is eligible to appear on the ballot. Peltola’s campaign and state Democrats have rejected Sullivan’s claim that they are coordinating with the challenger to create voter confusion.
MAINE: Platner secured the Democratic nomination despite earlier controversies. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer had initially supported sitting Gov. Janet Mills but ultimately lined up behind Platner — until Monday’s bombshell allegation changed the picture entirely. Schumer and a growing number of Democrats are now calling on Platner to step down.
NORTH CAROLINA: Democrats scored a major recruit in former Gov. Roy Cooper, who has never lost a statewide race across four terms as attorney general and two terms as governor. Republicans countered with Michael Whatley, Trump’s personally chosen candidate, who previously led both the state Republican Party and the Republican National Committee.
Whatley was seen as a strong fundraiser and a natural advocate for Trump in a state the president has won three times. History also favors Republicans — the party has won all but two U.S. Senate contests in North Carolina over the past 30 years, along with all but one presidential race.
Still, Cooper won governor’s races during two of Trump’s three presidential election cycles and is leaning into his moderate image at a moment when independent voters have grown skeptical of Trump. That puts Whatley in the difficult position of energizing Trump’s core base while also appealing to voters who have repeatedly supported Cooper.
OHIO: Democrats are relying on former Sen. Sherrod Brown to knock off Republican incumbent Jon Husted in what is shaping up to be yet another costly Ohio Senate battle — the third in four years. The Senate Leadership Fund, a GOP super PAC, has committed $79 million to protect Husted’s seat.
Brown served three terms in the Senate before losing a tough reelection fight in 2024. While Ohio has been shifting increasingly Republican, Brown built his career as a champion of unions and working-class voters, and Democrats believe he can win over some of the same voters who have backed Trump three times. Husted, a former lieutenant governor, was appointed to fill the seat after JD Vance became vice president.
IOWA: With two-term Republican Sen. Joni Ernst retiring, Democrats see a chance to flip a seat in a state Trump has won three times. Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek faces Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who carries Trump’s endorsement.
Turek is relatively new to elected office but has pointed to his success in a Trump-leaning state House district as evidence he can attract independent and moderate Republican voters statewide. Hinson, a three-term House incumbent from northeastern Iowa, has argued that Trump needs someone who will “always have his back.”
TEXAS: State Rep. James Talarico, a 37-year-old seminarian, has emerged as a national fundraising standout. He faces Republican nominee Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, who has survived an impeachment attempt by members of his own party, a lengthy corruption investigation, and the very public airing of his personal troubles — yet has continued winning elections.
Democrats were encouraged when their primary drew roughly 2.3 million voters, edging out Republicans’ 2.2 million — something that has not happened since Texas shifted to Republican dominance in the 1990s. The challenge for Talarico is converting that energy into a broad, diverse coalition come November.
GEORGIA: Sen. Jon Ossoff is the only Democratic senator seeking reelection this cycle in a state Trump carried in 2024. He ran unopposed in the primary and entered the general election with more than $30 million in cash on hand. Ossoff has drawn national attention for his pointed and direct criticism of Trump.
His Republican opponent, Rep. Mike Collins, is playing catch-up after a hard-fought primary runoff. Collins must win over skeptical Republicans who view him as too conservative or too controversial for a competitive state. He has repeated Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and he is also dealing with a House ethics inquiry into allegations that he misused taxpayer funds to pay the girlfriend of a former senior aide.
Collins’ most potent line of attack against Ossoff centers on immigration. Collins sponsored the Laken Riley Act — named after a Georgia nursing student killed by a Venezuelan man in the country illegally — which requires immigrants accused of certain crimes to be held without bond. Ossoff initially voted against the measure before switching his vote after Trump returned to the White House.
MICHIGAN: The retirement of Democratic Sen. Gary Peters opens up a seat the party must hold in a state that has been closely contested — Trump won it twice, while former President Joe Biden carried it in 2020.
The Aug. 4 Democratic primary is now a two-person contest between moderate Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed, after a third candidate, Mallory McMorrow, suspended her campaign. Stevens has the backing of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, while El-Sayed has the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressives. Stevens has also benefited from significant outside spending, including nearly $8 million from a super PAC connected to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, has campaigned on issues including Medicare for All and stopping all U.S. weapons transfers to Israel. He has appeared alongside online streamer Hasan Piker, who has millions of followers but has made controversial statements, including that “America deserved 9/11.”
The Democratic nominee is expected to face Republican Mike Rogers, who lost to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, in 2024.
Meta Platforms announced Tuesday that it is launching Muse Image, the first image-generation model to come out of its Meta Superintelligence Labs division, as the company behind Facebook continues to broaden its artificial intelligence offerings across its family of apps.
According to the company, Muse Image works within its existing Meta AI chatbot and is capable of understanding complex written prompts, accepting photos as starting points, and allowing users to make changes to generated images by drawing sketches or adding annotations directly.
Here is a breakdown of what the rollout includes:
The company said Muse Image will fuel more than 30 new AI-powered effects for Instagram Stories and bring image generation capabilities to direct message conversations with Meta AI on WhatsApp, though that feature will initially only be available in certain countries.
Meta also stated that it intends to bring Muse Image to additional countries over time and eventually incorporate it into both Facebook and Messenger.
While the core features of Muse Image through Meta AI will be available at no cost, users who want access to more advanced creation tools will need to sign up for one of Meta’s subscription plans.
The announcement follows Meta’s April launch of Muse Spark, the first text-and-reasoning AI model produced by the Meta Superintelligence Labs team, which the company assembled last year in an effort to keep pace with competitors in the rapidly growing AI industry.
Advanced AI models like these are central to the current technology boom, enabling automated tasks including writing software code, producing content, and managing customer service interactions.
Meta also gave an early preview of an upcoming product called Muse Video, a model designed to generate video content.
LONDON — Britain took direct diplomatic action Tuesday, summoning Iran’s Chargé d’Affaires — Tehran’s highest-ranking diplomatic representative in London — in the wake of prison sentences handed down against two men convicted in the stabbing of a journalist working for a Persian-language media outlet.
The two convicted men, identified as Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, are Romanian nationals whom British prosecutors characterized as proxies acting on behalf of the Iranian government. Last week, a court sentenced Badea to eight years in prison and Stana to 12 years for their roles in the 2024 attack.
Both men had denied the charges of wounding with intent, but a jury at London’s Woolwich Crown Court found them guilty in June.
The victim, Pouria Zaratifoukolaei — better known by his professional name Pouria Zeraati — is a British journalist of Iranian descent who works for Iran International. He was stabbed three times in the leg near his home in southwest London in March 2024.
The British Foreign Office released a statement noting that the presiding judge had determined the assault “was carried out in the interests of, and on behalf of, the Iranian state.”
The statement went on to say the incident “follows a longstanding pattern of hostile activity by the Iranian intelligence services on UK soil,” adding that “Iran’s actions attempt to undermine UK sovereignty and security and are completely unacceptable – it must cease in these activities immediately.”
British lawmakers had previously warned that Iran represents a serious and broad threat to the United Kingdom. Iran’s embassy in London had previously dismissed what it called “unfounded, politically motivated and hostile allegations.” The embassy did not respond to a request for comment regarding Britain’s latest diplomatic move.
New York Yankees slugger Ben Rice made his Home Run Derby announcement in a personal way, sharing a video on Instagram Tuesday showing his father, Dan, throwing pitches to him during his childhood.
Rice captioned the post with: “Dad and I are heading to the HR Derby! Swipe to see our first practice round.”
The 27-year-old becomes one of the first two confirmed entrants in the Home Run Derby, alongside Tampa Bay Rays standout Junior Caminero. The competition is scheduled for Monday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Rice is chasing a piece of Yankees history. He would become the first New York player to claim the Home Run Derby title since Aaron Judge did it in 2017. Other Yankees to win the event include Tino Martinez in 1997, Jason Giambi in 2002, and Robinson Cano in 2011.
Through this season, Rice has been the Yankees’ most productive hitter, pacing the team with a .267 batting average, 25 home runs, and 57 RBIs.
WASHINGTON — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday called on Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner to withdraw from the race, one day after a woman accused Platner of forcibly having sex with her nearly five years ago — an allegation he has denied.
Sanders, one of Platner’s most prominent national supporters and a key progressive backer of his campaign, issued a statement saying he had spoken directly with the candidate. “I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders said. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”
Sanders, a Vermont independent who aligns with Senate Democrats, is among a growing number of Democratic figures turning away from Platner. Senate Democratic leadership and their affiliated super PAC have both announced they will not put money into Maine — a competitive battleground state that Democrat Kamala Harris carried in 2024 — as long as Platner remains the nominee.
The stakes for Democrats are significant. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority, meaning Democrats would need to gain a net of four seats to take control. Losing Maine would make that task considerably more difficult, forcing the party to hold on in Georgia and Michigan — both won by President Donald Trump in 2024 — while also flipping four Republican-held seats in states such as North Carolina, Ohio, Alaska, Iowa, and Texas.
While Trump’s margin in North Carolina was relatively narrow at 3 percentage points, he won the remaining states by double digits, highlighting the steep climb Democrats face.
Platner has largely gone quiet since posting a social media video Monday in which he said he was taking time “to reflect on the best path forward.”
Under Maine election rules, Platner can be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws by July 13. The Maine Democratic Party would then have until July 27 to choose a new nominee.
Potential candidates wasted no time positioning themselves Tuesday. Former state Senate President Troy Jackson filed federal paperwork to establish an exploratory committee, allowing him to begin raising money, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also weighed in, calling for an open and transparent selection process. “Anyone running for this nomination should agree to at least one televised debate and hold multiple public town halls across every corner of the state,” Shah wrote on X, pointedly describing himself as “not an establishment politician” or “an insider.”
The United Kingdom and the Netherlands have entered into a sweeping maritime agreement worth £2.4 billion — roughly $3.2 billion — that will see both countries’ amphibious military forces outfitted with new transport vessels, the British government announced Tuesday.
The deal was unveiled as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was present at the NATO summit being held in Turkey. In an official statement, Starmer said the partnership brings together the best of both nations. “Combining the UK’s industrial expertise with The Netherlands’ design and sea-faring experience to deliver first-rate platforms for our elite amphibious forces, this partnership will strengthen NATO,” he said.
Chris Gotterup was still catching up on his phone notifications when he landed in Scotland — barely pausing after stepping off the podium at the John Deere Classic on Sunday to collect his latest trophy.
The 26-year-old made a quick trip home to pack, then jumped on a plane headed back across the Atlantic to defend his title at the Scottish Open at Renaissance Club. It’s a whirlwind schedule that has left him little time to savor the moment.
“Getting straight back to the house, packing up and getting on a plane to Scotland, I didn’t really have time to catch up on all my stuff on my phone,” Gotterup said Tuesday in Scotland. “Yeah, over the next couple weeks when I have some time, I’ll get through it all. It’s weird, the last couple times — like every time I’ve won, I feel like I’ve been in a rush to get to like my next spot. So hopefully sometime I can win one and have a week off afterwards.”
Gotterup’s rise has been swift. His victory at the 2025 Scottish Open in North Berwick — a 15-under performance that topped Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy — is widely considered the most significant of his five career wins. That win earned him a spot at the Open Championship, where he made an immediate impression by tying for third place in his debut.
Now ranked No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Gotterup enters this week’s tournament as one of the favorites rather than a long shot.
On Thursday, he’ll tee off at 3:28 a.m. ET from the 10th hole alongside McIlroy, who won the Scottish Open in 2023, and Scotsman Robert McIntyre, the 2024 champion — a grouping that represents the last three tournament winners.
“There will be a bunch of people out there I would assume. Hopefully I feel a few more fans rooting for me than against me than last time. It will be fun,” Gotterup said Tuesday. “Obviously those two are beloved here, and I’m excited for the opportunity. It’s been nice to kind of get in the mix a little bit with these big groups and just get more comfortable in that scenario. Yeah, I think that’s kind of what you want when you are playing out here. You want to be in the big groups, and yeah, I’ll be looking forward to that on Thursday.”
Gotterup, who played collegiate golf at the University of Oklahoma — as did Norway’s Viktor Hovland — credits that experience with teaching him how to hit a low, penetrating tee shot in the wind and how to use the elements to his advantage on links-style courses.
Renaissance Club has undergone some reconfiguration since his victory last year, though Gotterup says the changes aren’t dramatic. The course’s hole sequence has been reshuffled — only the 8th, 9th, 17th, and 18th holes remain in the same order as 2025. What was formerly holes 1 through 7 now plays as holes 10 through 16, and vice versa. The adjustment was made largely to improve spectator viewing around the par-3 15th hole, which now features stadium-style seating.
“I don’t think it will change how you play the holes. More the flow is a little different of the course,” Gotterup said. “But at the end of the day, I don’t think it changes much other than you’ve just got to remember what hole you’re on. All of our notes are all mixed up, though.”
Despite not sleeping much on the flight over, Gotterup — who turns 27 in less than two weeks — says he hasn’t felt the physical strain of playing four consecutive weeks heading into this event.
He acknowledged there have been moments where the rapid rise has felt surreal, but says his experience competing in high-profile groupings last year at this very tournament helped prepare him for the pressure he now faces regularly.
“I don’t know about over my skis but definitely been moments where I’m like, ‘Wow, this is kind of crazy,’” he said. “But at the end of the day, you kind of take that. It’s there and you either stand up to it or … I think that’s why this tournament last year was so big to me. I played in groups and played well and kind of faded away on the weekends but without that experience, I don’t think I would have been able to stand up on the tee on Sunday and play well.”
His goal heading into this week is simple: return home with another trophy — or two.
American electricity consumption is on track to break new records for the next two years running, according to federal energy forecasters. The Energy Information Administration released its Short-Term Energy Outlook on Tuesday, projecting that power demand — which already set a record high in 2025 — will continue climbing through 2026 and 2027.
The agency reported that U.S. power use reached 4,195 billion kilowatt-hours in 2025, itself a record. That figure is expected to grow to 4,269 billion kilowatt-hours in 2026 and then jump again to 4,399 billion kilowatt-hours in 2027.
A major force behind the increase is the explosive growth of data centers built to support artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency operations. At the same time, homes and businesses are increasingly switching from fossil fuels to electricity for heating and transportation, further pushing up overall demand.
One notable milestone in the forecast: commercial electricity use is expected to surpass residential demand in 2026 — something that has never happened before in recorded history. The agency projects commercial customers will consume 1,550 billion kilowatt-hours that year, compared to 1,508 billion kilowatt-hours for residential users and 1,065 billion kilowatt-hours for industrial customers.
For comparison, residential consumers set an all-time high of 1,515 billion kilowatt-hours in 2025, while commercial customers peaked at 1,493 billion kilowatt-hours that same year. The industrial record of 1,064 billion kilowatt-hours dates all the way back to 2000.
On the generation side, the mix of energy sources is also shifting. Coal’s share of power production is expected to drop from 17% in 2025 to 15% in both 2026 and 2027. Natural gas will hold steady at 40% across the same period, while nuclear power will remain at 18%.
Renewable energy is projected to grow its share of the power supply from roughly 24% in 2025 to 25% in 2026 and 27% in 2027, reflecting continued expansion of wind and solar capacity.
The outlook also covers natural gas consumption. Residential gas use is expected to fall to 12.5 billion cubic feet per day in 2026, and commercial use to 9.5 billion cubic feet per day. Industrial gas demand is forecast to rise slightly to 24.0 billion cubic feet per day, while gas used for power generation is projected at 36.6 billion cubic feet per day.
Those numbers compare to historical highs that include 14.3 billion cubic feet per day for residential use set in 1996, a commercial peak of 9.9 billion cubic feet per day reached in 2025, an industrial record of 23.8 billion cubic feet per day from 1973, and a power generation high of 36.8 billion cubic feet per day set in 2024.
AUSTIN, Texas — Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end who played for the Dallas Cowboys, had early-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy — commonly known as CTE — at the time of his death, his family announced Tuesday. Kneeland, who was 24 years old, died by suicide in November 2025 following a high-speed chase with law enforcement.
Scientists at the Boston University CTE Center examined Kneeland’s brain tissue following his passing. Their analysis determined he was in stage one of four of CTE, a degenerative brain disease tied to repeated head trauma. The condition has been found in contact sport athletes, military combat veterans, and others who experience frequent blows to the head. It is known to contribute to severe mood swings, impulsive behavior, and depression — and can only be confirmed through examination after death.
Kneeland’s family, including his girlfriend Catalina Mancera, released a statement through the Concussion and CTE Foundation addressing the findings. “While this diagnosis does not change the tragedy of his passing, it provides important context about some of the struggles he may have been facing. We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact sport athletes might be struggling with,” the statement read.
The family added: “Raising awareness is important to us. We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life. One Love.”
According to authorities, the chain of events leading to Kneeland’s death began when he failed to pull over for Texas Department of Public Safety troopers who attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Officers temporarily lost track of his vehicle before finding it wrecked a short time later. Kneeland had fled the crash scene on foot. While officers searched for him, a dispatcher relayed word that people close to Kneeland had received a group text message from him “saying goodbye,” raising concerns he may have been suicidal. Kneeland ultimately shot himself.
CTE has been connected to deaths across multiple professional sports, including football, hockey, and soccer. A 2021 study conducted by Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center found that NFL players are more than four times as likely to develop ALS compared to other men.
Dr. Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, pointed out that Kneeland’s diagnosis occurred despite the modern era of concussion protocols and improved protective equipment in both professional and college sports.
Kneeland began playing tackle football at age 7 and went on to play college ball at Western Michigan University. The Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“We have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE than previous generations. Concussion protocols do not prevent CTE, because CTE is caused by repeated head impacts, not just concussions,” Nowinski said. “If we want to reduce CTE risk, we must implement CTE prevention protocols and aggressively reduce the number and strength of head impacts at every level of the game.”
Editor’s Note: This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. Online chat support is also available at 988lifeline.org.
NEW YORK (AP) — The biggest names on Wall Street are expressing strong confidence in SpaceX, yet shares of Elon Musk’s rocket company are struggling to gain altitude in the market.
Following SpaceX’s initial public offering, the major investment firms that helped bring the company public released their first formal research reports on Tuesday. Nearly every one of those firms advised clients to purchase the stock and projected the share price would climb past $200 within the next 12 to 18 months.
Despite briefly surpassing $200 during its opening week of trading, SpaceX shares have since drifted back to roughly $152 — barely above the price at which they debuted on June 12, the company’s IPO day. Many investors appear to be approaching the stock with caution, even while examining the same factors that have Wall Street analysts so energized.
Much of the enthusiasm centers on SpaceX’s position to dominate the space transportation and infrastructure market. The company uses reusable rockets to carry both people and cargo into Earth’s orbit and has set its sights on deeper exploration of the solar system. At present, the bulk of SpaceX’s income comes from its Starlink satellite network, and analysts expect advances in artificial intelligence to further strengthen that business.
Analysts at J.P. Morgan captured the broader sentiment in their research report, writing: “SpaceX’s ambitions, and potential impact on humanity, are bigger than any company’s we’ve ever seen.”
J.P. Morgan is forecasting the stock will hit $225 by the close of 2027. The bank pointed to SpaceX’s commanding edge in space transportation, noting approximately 670 orbital launches and a success rate of nearly 99% with its Falcon rockets. The company has handled the majority of all payloads sent into orbit since 2023.
SpaceX has already established itself as the dominant force in reusable rocket technology through its Falcon 9. Now, attention is turning to its massive Starship rocket, which is designed to carry larger payloads — potentially including data centers — into space.
Among the most optimistic voices is investment bank Raymond James, whose analysts believe the stock could eventually reach $800 per share. They view SpaceX as a foundational industrial company for the current century. “Just as railroads, electric grids, and the Internet reshaped prior economic eras, we believe SpaceX is building the foundational platform for the next generation of industrial capacity,” the analysts wrote.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk chose to take the company public in order to raise the capital needed to fund its sweeping ambitions — including deploying more satellites, eventually placing data centers in orbit, and, further down the road, establishing a human colony on Mars.
For now, the Starship rocket remains in the testing phase, and no technology currently exists to place data centers in space or transport humans to Mars. Analysts openly acknowledge that a setback or prolonged delay in establishing a consistent Starship launch schedule represents a serious risk that could undermine their projections.
SpaceX wrapped up its first day of public trading in June with a market valuation exceeding $2 trillion, a figure that remains roughly the same today. That milestone briefly made Musk the world’s first trillionaire, though his personal net worth has since slipped back below $1 trillion, according to Forbes.
Not everyone on Wall Street shares the same level of enthusiasm. Equity research firm MoffettNathanson acknowledged the company’s potential but assigned it a “neutral” rating, with a price target of $131 per share. The firm cited a range of unknowns, including regulatory hurdles, unproven technology, and uncertain demand. “It is, in short, a bet on any and all things made possible by a virtual lock on rocket manufacturing and launch,” MoffettNathanson wrote in its report.
PARIS — A Paris appeals court this week found far-right political leader Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzlement, handing her a fine of 100,000 euros — roughly $114,000 — and reducing her ban from holding elected office from five years down to 45 months, with two-thirds of that ban suspended.
The court also trimmed her prison sentence from four years to three, suspending two of those years. The remaining year is to be served under house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor — a common arrangement in France, where prison overcrowding has long been a serious concern.
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture has documented persistent overcrowding and deteriorating conditions inside French prisons. Electronic monitoring programs help keep that problem from getting worse.
Under French law, a person placed on electronic home detention must wear an ankle monitor at all times and is forbidden from leaving their home — or another court-approved location — except during hours specifically authorized by a judge. Both the location and the permitted hours are set either by the court or by the judge overseeing the enforcement of the sentence.
While such restrictions make running a political campaign challenging, legal experts say it is not entirely out of the question.
A specialized judge will determine in the weeks or months ahead exactly how Le Pen’s monitoring will be carried out — including where she must serve the sentence and when she will be allowed to leave.
French law also allows for sentence reductions of up to six months per year during the monitoring period, and even the possibility of conditional release, as the appeals court noted in its ruling.
Depending on when the ankle monitor is actually fitted — a process that itself could take several months — Le Pen could potentially be free of the device before the final stretch of the presidential campaign. France is scheduled to hold the first round of its next presidential election on April 18, with a runoff set for May 2.
Céline Bertetto, president of the national association of sentence enforcement judges, weighed in on what the ruling means. “The appeals court has decided to make a (presidential) bid possible, so the decision must be respected,” she said. “Regarding sentence reductions: For a one-year sentence, there can be a six-month reduction, but she must comply with the permitted hours of movement and pay the criminal fine.”
Le Pen herself had previously stated she would not seek the presidency if the court required her to wear an electronic monitor. In a recent interview with LCI channel, she explained her position: “If I can be a candidate, I will be a candidate, provided that I am able to campaign. Because if I’m allowed to be a candidate but am effectively prevented from campaigning freely, then you understand that wouldn’t be possible.”
When asked directly whether the ankle monitor would be the primary obstacle, she was blunt: “Well, of course. I can’t be dependent on a judge to authorize me to go hold a campaign rally … or to visit a market.”
Le Pen, 57, walked out of the courthouse without making any public statement following the verdict, though she was expected to speak during a television interview later that evening.
This type of sentence is not without precedent among prominent French figures. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy wore an electronic monitor last year after being convicted to a year in prison in a corruption case. He was photographed leaving his residence to go jogging while wearing the device. After just over three months, he was granted conditional release and allowed to remove the monitor. French media reported at the time that he had been authorized to leave home between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., with that window reportedly extended to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays so he could attend a separate legal proceeding.
The owner of Washington’s NBA and NHL franchises has received a formal letter from the chair of a powerful congressional committee, urging him to end all business dealings with Alibaba — the Chinese technology giant now fighting a Pentagon label that brands it a military-linked company.
Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., who chairs the U.S. House Select Committee on China, directed the letter to Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment — the company behind the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals. “I would appreciate your confirmation that MSE will discontinue or has already discontinued any ongoing business relationship with Alibaba and its affiliates,” Moolenaar wrote.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter, which points to the U.S. Defense Department’s recent decision to place Alibaba on a list of companies designated as Chinese military entities. According to the Pentagon, Alibaba’s mission includes supporting China’s “military-civil fusion” strategy. Leonsis and his organization have until July 15 to respond to the request.
Alibaba has taken legal action to challenge its placement on the Pentagon’s list, which currently includes 188 entities — ranging from state-run defense contractors to private technology firms. The growing list reflects deepening concerns among U.S. officials about Beijing’s efforts to leverage private-sector companies for military advantage.
Representatives for Monumental Sports & Entertainment did not provide a response when contacted by the AP for comment.
MSE is not the only American professional sports organization with financial connections to Alibaba. Joseph Tsai, the owner of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA’s New York Liberty, was one of the company’s co-founders when it launched in 1999.
The House committee, which was established in 2023, has previously weighed in on sports-related matters. In 2024, Moolenaar and the committee’s ranking Democratic member, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., wrote to the International Olympic Committee expressing concern about how the World Anti-Doping Agency handled a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.
The committee also sent a letter last year to the then-secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, raising alarms about Alibaba’s sponsorship arrangement with the IOC and whether it could lead Los Angeles Olympics organizers to enter into agreements with the tech company. That letter also noted that the Paris Olympics had moved to limit Alibaba’s involvement in those Games.
Shortly after the committee’s letter was sent, Los Angeles Olympic organizers revealed that Google — one of Alibaba’s major competitors — had been selected as the official cloud technology provider for the upcoming Games.
SEATTLE (AP) — Despite enormous growth in American soccer over the past 25 years, the U.S. men’s national team has failed to move the needle on the world stage.
Stars like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie delivered results at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups that look remarkably similar to what Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore produced back in 2010 and 2014.
“We want to be able to go and compete with some of the best in the world and we just still have that next step to come,” Pulisic said following Monday night’s error-filled 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16.
Billions of dollars have been poured into the program with the hope of lifting the Americans into soccer’s elite tier — yet the results tell a different story. After reaching the semifinals of the very first World Cup in 1930, the U.S. failed to even qualify from 1950 through 1990. Since returning to the tournament, the Americans have been eliminated in the round of 16 in 1994, 2010, 2014, 2022, and now 2026. They failed to advance from their group in 1990, 1998, and 2006, and missed qualifying altogether for 2018.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino offered some perspective on the team’s slow progress. “It’s not like you are in a rocket and you improve and you grow. … It’s not linear,” he said.
On a positive note, the U.S. did win three World Cup games for the first time ever, defeating Paraguay, Australia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, before losing to Turkey and Belgium. As a host nation, the Americans were seeded and avoided facing a top-10 ranked opponent until they ran into Belgium.
Looking ahead to the next World Cup — held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with three additional games in South America — Pulisic, McKennie, and Adams will all be 31 years old.
Folarin Balogun was the team’s top scorer with three goals, establishing himself as a legitimate striker on the world stage. The 25-year-old, a former Arsenal youth player now in the fourth year of a five-year deal with French club Monaco, also made international headlines when a red card suspension — issued after he awkwardly landed on an opponent’s ankle — was lifted following a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump. A move to a bigger club could be on the horizon for him.
Midfielder Malik Tillman made history at this tournament, becoming the first player since France’s Bernard Genghini in 1982 to score two free kick goals in a single World Cup. The 24-year-old is heading into his second year of a five-year contract with German club Bayer Leverkusen, though he struggled for consistent playing time during the 2025-26 season, losing his starting spot between late March and the final match of the season.
Pochettino indicated he plans to sit down with the U.S. Soccer Federation after a rest period to determine whether the federation wants him to continue past his contract expiration this summer — and whether he’s willing to commit to a full four-year cycle.
The Argentine coach took over from Gregg Berhalter in late 2024, following the team’s first-round elimination at the Copa America. His debut year also included disappointing finishes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League.
“We were in a mess,” Pochettino said. “I’ve seen this team show that we can play football. We can play soccer. We can compete. That we need keep improving — a lot of young players with a lot potential and future.”
The goalkeeper position, once considered the team’s greatest asset from 1990 through 2014, has become a glaring weakness over the past decade and may be at its lowest point since the 1980s. The era of reliable shot-stoppers like Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan feels like a distant memory.
Both Zack Steffen and Matt Turner struggled to cement themselves at top European clubs. Matt Freese, who took over as the starting goalkeeper from Turner last year, handed Belgium a gift goal in Monday’s loss — a moment that will likely live on in blooper reels for years to come.
The next wave of goalkeepers — Gabriel Slonina, Chris Brady, Patrick Schulte, and Roman Celentano — will have the next four-year cycle to prove they can step into the No. 1 role.
With the World Cup field now expanded to 48 nations and North and Central America and the Caribbean receiving six spots, qualifying should remain manageable for the region’s powerhouses: Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. All three were bounced in the round of 16, while Curaçao, Haiti, and Panama each finished last in their respective groups.
If the Americans don’t show significant improvement before the 2030 World Cup, they are unlikely to be seeded — meaning they could face a top-tier nation right out of the gate in the first round.
The leader of a pro-Russian Armenian opposition party has been ordered held in pre-trial detention for two months, following his arrest on suspicion of large-scale fraud and money laundering, according to the Armenpress news agency, which cited a court ruling issued Tuesday.
Gagik Tsarukyan, a billionaire businessman, was taken into custody Monday alongside an associate. Prosecutors allege he was involved in the fraudulent importation of vehicles, machinery, fuel, and other goods valued at approximately $21 million from Iran between 2022 and 2024.
The arrest comes shortly after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan secured re-election last month in a vote that saw him defeat a field of mostly pro-Russian opposition parties. Following his victory, Pashinyan vowed to take action against what he described as the “three-headed spy party of war” — a reference to three key opposition groups: Strong Armenia, the Armenia Alliance, and Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia party.
Throughout the campaign, Pashinyan warned that opposition forces were attempting to pull Armenia back into armed conflict with Azerbaijan, a country with which Armenia has experienced intermittent hostilities dating back to the late 1980s.
On Monday, Armenian investigators conducted searches at Tsarukyan’s home and roughly 70 other locations connected to him and his wide-ranging business interests, which reportedly include a brandy factory, a cement plant, and a sports complex.
Tsarukyan’s legal team has indicated they plan to challenge any conviction, according to Russia’s state-run news agency TASS.
Eight opposition organizations, which had already alleged that last month’s election was fraudulent, condemned the arrests as politically motivated. The country’s Central Election Commission rejected a petition from opposition groups seeking to invalidate the election results on Saturday.
Tsarukyan, 69, is a former world arm wrestling champion who amassed his fortune in gambling, mining, and other industries during the turbulent years that followed the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, of which Armenia was a part.
Ghana has postponed high-level bilateral meetings with South Africa that had been scheduled for next month, pointing to a recent surge in anti-migrant violence as the reason for the delay, according to Ghana’s government spokesperson.
Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu made the announcement on local radio station Joy FM, explaining that the ongoing violence would likely have cast a shadow over the August meetings. Those sessions were set to be hosted by Ghana and co-chaired by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama.
Kwakye Ofosu said it would be more appropriate for the two sides to come together “when matters settle.”
South Africa’s presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told Reuters that the meetings of the South Africa-Ghana Bi-National Commission had been under discussion for months. He said Johannesburg only learned of Ghana’s intention to delay the meetings when it attempted to confirm the arrangements.
South Africa has experienced repeated waves of anti-migrant protests over the past several months. While most demonstrations have remained peaceful, some have turned violent, resulting in attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of businesses owned by immigrants.
Ghana had previously repatriated hundreds of its citizens ahead of a June 30 “deadline” issued by a South African anti-migrant movement demanding that undocumented foreigners leave the country.
Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that Ghana values its relationship with South Africa, but said it would be more fitting for Ramaphosa to make a visit “when the issue of xenophobic attacks no longer hangs over such discussions.”
Magwenya said both nations would “continue to engage through diplomatic channels to identify a mutually convenient date for the next session of the commission.”
Ghana’s foreign ministry stated last week that a Ghanaian citizen was shot and killed in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township during anti-immigrant demonstrations on June 30.
South African police, however, said they had no record of any such incident occurring on that date. Authorities did confirm that a Ghanaian national was killed one day earlier in a separate Cape Town settlement, but said that incident was believed to be connected to extortion rather than anti-migrant violence.
The family of former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has revealed that he was posthumously diagnosed with Stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE.
Brain tissue analysis conducted by the Concussion & CTE Foundation led to the diagnosis, which was confirmed by Boston University’s CTE Center. Kneeland was 24 years old when he died by suicide on November 6, 2025. Stage 1 is the least severe of the four recognized stages of CTE — a progressive brain disease that can only be confirmed through examination of brain tissue after death.
Dr. Ann McKee, who serves as director of the Boston University CTE Center and chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System, commented on the findings. “Unfortunately, I was not surprised to find CTE in the brain of Mr. Kneeland, because we have found this progressive brain disease in nearly half of the athletes we’ve studied who have died before the age of 30,” she said.
Dr. McKee added, “Thanks to the generosity of our brain donor families, we now better understand the earliest stages of CTE, and it is bringing us closer than ever to diagnosing it during life. My team and I are fully dedicated to finding effective treatments and a cure for CTE.”
Kneeland’s family, including his girlfriend Catalina Mancera, issued a statement on Tuesday addressing the diagnosis. “While this diagnosis does not change the tragedy of his passing, it provides important context about some of the struggles he may have been facing. We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact sport athletes might be struggling with. Raising awareness is important to us. We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life. One Love.”
Authorities say Texas police attempted to stop Kneeland’s vehicle, but he did not pull over, leading to a chase. He ultimately crashed the car, fled on foot, and was later found dead by suicide.
Kneeland was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and appeared in seven games during his rookie season. Just days before his death, on November 3, he recovered a fumble and scored the first touchdown of his career during Dallas’ 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
A federal bankruptcy judge has given the green light to a $46.75 million settlement for victims of a data breach that hit genetic testing company 23andMe back in 2023.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Brian Walsh, presiding in St. Louis, determined that the settlement was fair, equitable, and in the best interest of a trust being managed by 23andMe’s bankruptcy administrator.
The ruling came Tuesday, providing some financial relief to those whose personal genetic data was compromised in the breach.
Two-time National Women’s Soccer League champions Gotham FC made a major announcement Tuesday, revealing plans to call Etihad Park home starting in 2028. The stadium, currently being built in Flushing, Queens — just across the street from the New York Mets’ Citi Field — will mark the first soccer-specific venue in New York City’s history. It will also serve as the home ground for MLS club NYCFC.
The relocation brings Gotham FC out of their former suburban New Jersey stadium and into the heart of the city. According to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the new location will be reachable within a 75-minute public transit ride for approximately three million people — a shift that is widely expected to draw larger crowds to games for the defending champions.
“It is high time that Gotham FC has a world-class soccer-specific stadium where they can play that world-class soccer right here in the city that they represent,” Mamdani said at Tuesday’s event.
The stadium news comes just days after Gotham FC announced the signing of Australian star Sam Kerr, who finished as runner-up for the 2023 Ballon d’Or and is regarded by many as one of the finest strikers of her era.
The announcement is the latest in a string of major sports developments for New York. The city recently secured the hosting rights for this month’s World Cup final, and the U.S. Open tennis facility — also located in Flushing — is currently undergoing an $800 million renovation. Additionally, New York state formed an exploratory committee last month to examine the possibility of Lake Placid and New York City jointly hosting the 2042 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Three players from the Salisbury University men’s lacrosse team have been named USILA Scholar All-Americans, according to an announcement made by the organization last week.
The recognition highlights the academic excellence of a trio of Sea Gulls athletes who have combined strong performance in the classroom with their contributions on the lacrosse field.
Delaware State Police are continuing their investigation into a deadly two-vehicle crash in Milford that occurred on June 26, 2026 — a collision that has now claimed the lives of three people.
With help from the Delaware Division of Forensic Science, authorities have identified two of the victims as 60-year-old Mark Yancey and 62-year-old Jana Yancey, a married couple from Yorktown, Virginia. Both were occupants of a Nissan Rogue involved in the crash.
The driver of the other vehicle, a Ford Mustang, has also since died. Eric Lynch, 36, of Harrington, Delaware, succumbed to injuries he suffered in the crash on July 1, 2026.
The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is actively working to piece together what happened. Troopers are asking anyone who saw the crash or may have recorded video of it to reach out to Master Corporal J. Lane at (302) 698-8457. Tips can also be submitted through a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Anyone who has been affected by this tragedy or needs support can contact the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and the Delaware Victim Center. That resource is available around the clock through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You can also reach the Victim Services Unit by email at [email protected].
New Castle County police detectives recovered two firearms following a stolen gun investigation that began Monday, July 6, 2026, in the Clearview Manor community.
Officers initially responded to the neighborhood after receiving a report of a stolen firearm. In the course of their investigation, they identified a 17-year-old male from Wilmington as a possible suspect in the case.
Detectives assigned to the Active Crime Trends Team were then called in to assist with the investigation, ultimately leading to the recovery of two firearms.
BRUSSELS — A growing number of European Parliament members are rallying support for a formal investigation into FIFA president Gianni Infantino, targeting his role in allowing U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to take the field despite a red card suspension.
Balogun received the red card during the United States’ victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1. Under normal circumstances, that card would have kept him out of the team’s following match. However, FIFA lifted the suspension ahead of Monday’s game after U.S. President Donald Trump personally contacted Infantino to advocate for the 25-year-old player.
European Parliament members Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Niels Fuglsang issued a joint statement condemning the move, calling FIFA’s decision to “change the rule on red card suspensions mid-tournament a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”
“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” the statement read.
The lawmakers are urging national football associations across EU member countries to push the FIFA Ethics Committee to examine whether pressure from the Trump administration influenced the lifting of Balogun’s suspension. They are also asking the committee to look into “other potential breaches of political neutrality,” including the decision to award Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.
FIFA, for its part, has maintained that the suspension was lifted by a disciplinary committee — not by Infantino directly.
According to the lawmakers, 35 of their parliamentary colleagues have signed onto the letter so far.
“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window,” the statement concluded.
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Heavy monsoon rains set off a series of deadly landslides in southeastern Bangladesh, claiming the lives of at least eight Rohingya refugees, five of them children, while the same seasonal weather system unleashed destruction across neighboring India, where 13 people have died in recent days.
Dollar Tripura, a Fire Service and Civil Defense official in Cox’s Bazar district, told the Associated Press that rescue teams pulled seven bodies from the debris, while an eighth victim was discovered by fellow refugees after multiple hillsides gave way between late Sunday night and Monday morning. All of the bodies have since been returned to their families, he said. Two additional children survived but sustained injuries.
Tripura said the slides struck at least four separate locations throughout the camps, burying makeshift shelters under mud and rubble while residents were sleeping.
Officials reported that persistent rainfall and water rushing down hillsides loosened the soil on the slopes, causing the temporary structures to collapse. Authorities have begun moving refugees away from high-risk hillside zones, and roughly 1,000 people have already been transferred to safer locations.
The weather office in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka has predicted additional rainfall in the days to come.
According to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, 36 refugees have died and at least 86 others were hurt in comparable landslide events at the refugee camps between 2021 and 2026.
More than one million Rohingya refugees who escaped from neighboring Myanmar currently live in camps throughout Bangladesh. Renewed clashes in Myanmar’s Rakhine state between the country’s military government and the Arakan Army have raised fears that another wave of refugees could soon cross the border.
Meanwhile, in India’s western Maharashtra state — which includes the city of Mumbai — at least 13 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents over the past several days as monsoon conditions grew more severe. In Pune district, landslides forced officials to temporarily shut down portions of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, snarling traffic between the two major cities.
India’s Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy rainfall across Maharashtra in the coming days and cautioned that low-lying areas face ongoing flood risks.
In the northern Himalayan regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, powerful rains set off flash floods and landslides that damaged roads, disrupted transportation, and left several villages cut off. Emergency response teams were sent in to evacuate residents who were stranded.
India’s annual southwest monsoon season, which spans from June through September, plays a vital role in supporting agriculture and refilling water supplies. However, it also brings widespread flooding and landslides each year, especially in the Himalayan region and in heavily populated cities where drainage systems struggle to keep up.
NEW YORK (AP) — Falling bricks and buckling columns at a Midtown Manhattan high-rise sent emergency crews scrambling Tuesday, forcing evacuations of the surrounding area around a towering office building currently being transformed into luxury apartments, fire officials confirmed.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said a nearby school housing roughly 400 children was among the buildings that had to be cleared out. No one was hurt, and every worker inside the high-rise was accounted for, the mayor said. Streets in the vicinity were shut down to both pedestrians and vehicles.
The building dates back to the 1970s and once served as the worldwide headquarters for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. It sits in a heavily trafficked part of the city, approximately one block from the historic Chrysler Building and positioned between Grand Central Terminal and the United Nations headquarters.
The New York Fire Department reported receiving calls about falling bricks at roughly 8 a.m. from the 38-story structure. Upon investigation, officials discovered that two columns on the 21st and 22nd floors had buckled, and that floors between the 21st and 26th floors were showing signs of sagging.
The conversion of the office building into residential units has been described as the largest project of its kind in the city’s history, according to Gensler, the architectural firm overseeing the work. The planned development would include more than 1,600 residential units and calls for adding over a dozen new floors on top of the existing tower, along with a redesign of an adjoining tower. A Gensler spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
When asked directly whether the building was in danger of collapsing, Mayor Mamdani said first responders had identified “structural issues with the building” and urged those nearby to “follow the instructions of those on the ground.”
The city’s building department confirmed that its inspectors and engineers had been dispatched to the site at 235 East 42nd Street.
“Our top priority right now,” the mayor stated, “is the safety of those who live in this area and the safety of those who work in this area.”
LONDON — Nigel Farage, who has long cast himself as a thorn in the side of Britain’s political elite, made another dramatic move Tuesday, announcing he would step down from his parliamentary seat and immediately campaign to win it back — a direct response to mounting questions about his personal finances.
The surprise announcement follows recent reports that Farage accepted a £5 million (roughly $6.7 million) gift from a Thailand-based billionaire who invests in cryptocurrency, a transaction critics say was not properly disclosed and is now under investigation by a parliamentary standards watchdog. Questions have also been raised about financial support he received from a political ally who was previously convicted of wire fraud in the United States.
Farage described the decision to force a by-election as part of his strategy of “sticking two fingers up at the establishment,” saying he expected voters in his constituency to reaffirm their support for him as their representative in parliament.
The gamble carries real risk. Opposition parties could flood resources into the race, coordinate their efforts to back whoever has the best chance of defeating him, or dismiss the whole exercise as a publicity stunt. Regardless of how rival parties respond, the resulting vote would effectively become a referendum on Farage’s political future — well ahead of the next scheduled national election in 2029.
Farage, 62, has been one of the most polarizing and influential figures in British politics for more than two decades. As the leading public voice for Brexit, he spent years pressuring successive prime ministers to take a harder line on immigration and ultimately helped force the 2016 referendum in which British voters chose to leave the European Union by a margin of 52% to 48%.
His Reform UK party has topped nearly every national opinion poll for more than a year and has scored wins in local elections, putting serious pressure on both the Labour and Conservative parties, which have dominated British politics for a century.
Despite never serving in government and only winning a seat in the national parliament on his eighth attempt — in 2024 — Farage is widely seen as having reshaped British political debate more than many prime ministers who actually held power.
His career has been anything but straightforward. He has resigned four times from two separate political parties and has had very public falling-outs with numerous colleagues. Yet his everyman image — often photographed holding a cigarette in one hand and a pint of beer in the other — has kept him a constant presence in British media.
After the Brexit referendum victory, Farage abruptly quit as leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party just eight days later, saying he wanted his “life back.” He returned two years later when Brexit negotiations stalled in parliament. His newly formed Brexit Party won the European Parliament elections in 2019, rattling Conservative lawmakers enough that they moved to oust then-Prime Minister Theresa May.
He stepped back again to pursue a media career and cultivated a close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. Eventually, he re-entered politics under the Reform UK banner, and his party’s strong showing is widely credited with contributing to the Conservative Party’s worst-ever electoral defeat.
Over the past year, Reform UK has worked to build a more professional political operation, bringing in major donors and relocating to a new headquarters near parliament. Pollsters now suggest the party could win the most seats in the 2029 general election — a result that would put Farage in position to become prime minister.
But reaching that goal would require him to withstand the kind of intense scrutiny that comes with being a genuine contender for government leadership, not simply a critic from the outside.
University of Delaware women’s lacrosse graduate Morgan Gore is still making headlines even after her playing days are over. The organization College Sports Communicators announced Tuesday that Gore has been selected as a 2025-26 CSC Second Team Academic All-American.
The honor places Gore in rare company within the Blue Hens program. She becomes only the third player in the history of Delaware women’s lacrosse to earn academic All-American recognition, joining Karen Emas, who received the distinction in 1984, and Sarah Edwards, who was honored in 2000.
Fiat has entered the U.S. market with its miniature electric vehicle, the Topolino, priced starting at $13,995. The Stellantis-owned brand announced Tuesday that the two-seat, fully electric compact car offers a driving range of up to 46 miles on a single charge.
At just over 1,000 pounds and roughly 8 feet in length, the Topolino is a small but nimble vehicle. In its current form, it is intended for use within private communities, resorts, and golf courses, with a top speed of 19 mph.
Fiat says that beginning in late summer, owners will have the option to purchase an upgrade kit that converts the Topolino into a federally regulated Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV). That upgrade would boost the top speed to 25 mph and open up access to certain public roads.
“Fiat continues to stand apart by embracing its legacy in small cars,” said the brand’s CEO Olivier Francois.
The Topolino was first introduced in Europe in 2023, bringing back a name with deep roots in Fiat’s history. The original Topolino was a beloved model from the 1930s — the name translates from Italian as “Mickey Mouse,” a nod to Walt Disney’s iconic cartoon character.
The new U.S. launch expands Fiat’s North American electric lineup, which already includes the 500e city car. Under the hood — or rather, in the floor — the Topolino runs on a 5.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that takes approximately five hours to fully charge.
New estimates released by NATO on Tuesday reveal that five member nations are already projected to reach — and surpass — the alliance’s core defense spending benchmark of 3.5% of gross domestic product in 2026. The data was published ahead of a leaders’ summit taking place in Ankara.
The 3.5% target was established at a summit in The Hague last year, raising the bar from a previous goal of 2%. NATO leaders at that gathering also committed to directing an additional 1.5% of GDP toward broader defense-related priorities, including cybersecurity improvements.
The push for higher defense budgets comes as alliance members have faced increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to show they are doing more to fund their own security.
According to Tuesday’s figures, Lithuania tops the list among NATO members when measuring core defense spending as a share of economic output, coming in at an estimated 5.33% of GDP this year. Estonia follows at 5.1%, with Latvia at 4.92%, Poland at 4.68%, and Greece at 3.65%.
The data also looked back at last year’s performance, showing that three NATO members fell short of the previous 2% target: Albania at 1.48%, Slovenia at 1.57%, and the Czech Republic at 1.86%.
However, both Albania and the Czech Republic are expected to surpass the 2% threshold this year. A note included in the report indicates that Slovenia’s new government has plans to push spending above 2% as well.
Several other nations are projected to land right at or just above the 2% mark, including Belgium at 2%, Portugal at 2.1%, and Italy at 2.1%.
For major Western powers, the United States is estimated at 3.17% of GDP, Germany at 2.69%, the United Kingdom at 2.56%, and France at 2.22%.
Taken together, European NATO members and Canada are projected to spend a combined 2.53% of GDP on core defense this year.
History will come alive on the Eastern Shore of Virginia this summer as organizers prepare to mark a significant moment in American heritage at one of the region’s most storied landmarks.
A commemoration honoring the reading of the Declaration of Independence is planned for the historic Eastville Courthouse Green in Northampton County, Virginia. The event is scheduled for August 15, 2026, and will run from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon.
The Eastville Courthouse Green is one of the oldest continuously used courthouse sites in the United States, making it a fitting backdrop for a celebration of American independence and history.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell is staying in Cleveland for the long haul. A source with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the star guard has agreed to a four-year, $273 million contract extension with the Cavaliers.
The source requested anonymity because the deal had not yet been officially announced. Tuesday marked the earliest date the Cavaliers were permitted to offer Mitchell an extension. The seven-time All-Star still had two years left on his existing contract and could have held off on signing until next summer, when he would have been eligible for a five-year supermax deal valued at $350 million.
According to the source, the extension includes a player option worth $76 million for the 2030-31 season, along with a full trade kicker.
Mitchell had already made his feelings about Cleveland clear. Speaking on May 25 following the Cavaliers’ sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, he said: “I love it here. I don’t know how else to say it. I have no doubt these guys can get there. We have unfinished business.”
Assuming Mitchell exercises his player option for 2030-31, the deal currently ranks as the fourth-largest contract by total value in NBA history. It trails the $314 million deal Boston gave to Jayson Tatum, the $285 million agreement the Celtics made with Jaylen Brown — who now suits up for Philadelphia — and the $276 million contract Nikola Jokic holds with Denver.
The average annual value of Mitchell’s extension comes in at just over $68 million, which stands as an NBA record, narrowly topping the $67.9 million average annual value of the contract Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holds with Oklahoma City.
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman spoke glowingly about Mitchell on May 29, hinting at the extension discussions. “When we have a superstar of his caliber that wants to be in Cleveland, that’s our best ambassador, that’s our best recruiter. There’s guys that are here that wouldn’t be here without him, quite frankly,” Altman said. “So I think the bigger question is, the one that’s been answered is, does he want to be here and does he want to be here long term? And I think he’s answered that.”
The 29-year-old Mitchell guided Cleveland to its first conference finals appearance since 2018 this past season. During the regular season, he averaged 27.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, and added 26 points per game in the postseason.
Since arriving in Cleveland after being traded by the Utah Jazz in 2022, Mitchell has averaged 26.7 points per game across four seasons with the Cavaliers.
This extension is expected to be just the first in a series of roster moves for Cleveland. The franchise is also exploring the possibility that LeBron James could return to the team he led to its first-ever championship in 2016. Additionally, James Harden — acquired by the Cavaliers at the trade deadline — is weighing whether to sign a new deal with Cleveland after declining his player option for the 2026-27 season.
Health officials in New York City are looking into a cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases centered in two neighborhoods on the Upper East Side. As of July 6, 23 people have been diagnosed, 17 have required hospitalization, and no fatalities have been reported.
Investigators believe the likely source of the bacteria is one or more cooling towers located in the area. These large water systems are typically mounted on top of buildings and help regulate the temperature of refrigeration and other mechanical systems. The city’s health department is currently testing all such towers in the affected zones, which include the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville neighborhoods — specifically ZIP codes 10028, 10128, and 10075.
Officials stressed that the outbreak does not appear to involve any building’s plumbing, meaning residents can safely drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook, and use air conditioners. Standard air conditioning units do not use water to cool the air. Additionally, the bacteria cannot pass from person to person.
Anyone who lives in or has recently visited the affected neighborhoods and is experiencing flu-like symptoms is urged to reach out to a health care provider right away.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia triggered by Legionella bacteria. These bacteria thrive in warm water and can build up in building water systems, including showerheads, hot tubs, and cooling towers.
Most people contract the illness by inhaling tiny water droplets that contain the bacteria. Vulnerable patients in hospital settings can also be exposed through contaminated water or ice, and infants can be at risk during water births, according to health officials.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms typically appear anywhere from two days to two weeks after a person is exposed. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those symptoms can include coughing, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and difficulty breathing.
Certain groups face a higher risk of getting sick, including people aged 50 and older, those who smoke or vape, individuals with chronic lung conditions, and people with weakened immune systems.
The disease got its name from a 1976 outbreak that struck people attending an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
How serious is it?
Legionnaires’ disease can be deadly. The CDC estimates that one out of every ten people who become ill will die from complications related to the disease.
That is why early diagnosis and prompt treatment with the right antibiotics are so important, health officials emphasized.
Without treatment, the World Health Organization says the illness typically gets worse during the first week. Serious complications can include respiratory failure, shock, and kidney or multi-organ failure.
How can it be prevented?
Those responsible for maintaining buildings and water systems can take steps to limit bacterial growth. The WHO recommends regularly cleaning and disinfecting cooling towers, keeping adequate chlorine levels in spa pools, and flushing unused taps in buildings on a weekly basis.
There are also precautions individuals can take at home. New York health officials recommend draining garden hoses when not in use, following manufacturer guidelines for cleaning and replacing water filters, regularly checking chlorine levels in pools and hot tubs, and flushing hot water heaters twice per year.
Getty Images formally notified Shutterstock on Tuesday that it is abandoning the proposed $3.7 billion merger between the two companies, citing its unwillingness to meet a condition set by the United Kingdom’s antitrust authority.
In an official filing, Getty confirmed it had “delivered a written notice to Shutterstock terminating the Merger Agreement,” a deal that had been unveiled last year with the goal of forming a major powerhouse in the visual content industry.
Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority had given the merger its approval following a review, but only under the condition that Shutterstock’s editorial division be offloaded to an approved third-party buyer. The regulator expressed concern that allowing the two companies to combine without that requirement would significantly reduce competition, ultimately leaving UK media outlets with fewer options and higher costs.
Getty’s board took a unanimous vote last week to walk away from the transaction entirely rather than agree to divest Shutterstock’s editorial operations.
According to the CMA, both companies provide licensing for a wide range of content — including photographs, illustrations, music, and video footage — to major British media organizations, advertisers, publishers, designers, and small and medium-sized businesses in the creative sector.
Following the news, Getty Images shares dropped 6.8% in morning trading, while Shutterstock shares declined 2.4%.
NAIROBI, Kenya — Large-scale police and military deployments in the capital cities of Kenya and Tanzania brought planned protests to a halt on Tuesday, as both East African nations observed July 7, a date that carries significant historical weight for each country.
For Kenya, July 7 is a day that honors the struggle for multiparty democracy that took place in the 1990s. For Tanzania, the date marks the 72nd anniversary of the founding of what has since become the country’s ruling political party.
Protesters in Tanzania had intended to use the day to demand democratic reforms in the wake of October’s disputed election, and to call for the release of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who remains behind bars facing treason charges.
In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s main commercial city, both police and military personnel were stationed throughout the area, and no protesters were seen gathering. An annual trade fair that was already underway continued under a heavy security presence.
On Monday evening, Tanzania’s Home Affairs Minister, Patrobas Katambi, addressed journalists and made clear that Tanzania was not a place where outside forces could dictate when protests would occur. He stated that the government stood ready to defend public order against any threat.
Political analysts note that the Tanzanian government has been on heightened alert ever since the October election and the violent crackdown that followed, during which hundreds of people lost their lives.
Wade Green, an analyst with Aldebaran Threat Consultants, said that for protesters to succeed in Tanzania, they would need to “catch the security forces off-guard because their guard is so up right now.”
Green went on to say: “Unless the protesters were really strong and organized, there would be no way to overcome the lethality that the Tanzanian security forces unleashed last year and are willing to unleash again.”
Meanwhile, in Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi, police surrounded parliament buildings with barbed wire and shut down major roadways. Several businesses in the area also closed their doors. A small number of people were taken into custody.
Kenyan opposition politician James Orengo criticized the overwhelming police presence in Nairobi, calling it an attempt to intimidate ordinary citizens.
“These are the characteristics of a police state. You find police deployed even when there is no fracas, there is no march, there is no demonstration, there are no vehicles on the road, and even holding a press conference becomes difficult, but we are undeterred,” Orengo said.
BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced Tuesday that he is halting the formal transition process with the current administration of President Gustavo Petro.
The decision came one day after Petro refused to acknowledge de la Espriella’s victory in the June 21 runoff election, claiming the vote was fraudulent — a charge he made without presenting any supporting evidence.
De la Espriella, a conservative businessman and lawyer who received an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump, posted on X that the transition would be stopped “immediately” with what he described as the “corrupt” outgoing government, which has less than a month left in power. He further accused Petro’s administration of attempting to “destroy Colombia” through its “decisions and conduct.”
In Colombia, the transition period — known locally as “empalme” — is a structured process in which the departing administration shares the information a president-elect needs to prepare for taking office. However, the handover between the politically opposed Petro and de la Espriella has been defined by back-and-forth accusations from the start.
Colombia’s finance minister, Germán Ávila, who also serves as the Petro administration’s transition coordinator, responded by directing his own team to pause their participation in the handover. Speaking in a televised address, Ávila pushed back against comments made by members of de la Espriella’s transition team, stating: “The transition process is not a criminal investigation; it is not a trial. We have absolutely nothing to hide.”
De la Espriella indicated he would soon address the public to elaborate on his decision and outline what actions he intends to take in the near future.
The president-elect’s background is in business and law, with interests that span a clothing line, wine and rum brands, and a restaurant. He secured Trump’s endorsement despite having no prior experience as an elected official. In the June 21 runoff, he defeated progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda by a margin of just one percentage point — a difference of more than 251,000 votes.
The outcome was widely seen as a rejection of Petro’s governing approach, which Cepeda had pledged to carry forward, including a largely unsuccessful initiative to open peace negotiations with various armed groups operating in the country.
Following the runoff, a European Union election observer mission commended the vote-counting process for its transparency and efficiency. The Carter Center separately concluded that the results management system was “reliable, transparent and fully traceable.”
Kazakhstan’s highest court issued a ruling Tuesday clearing the way for President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to remain in power for another seven years beyond his current term, which ends in 2029.
The Constitutional Court determined that Tokayev’s existing time in office does not count toward term limits under newly approved changes to the country’s constitution. Those amendments were passed by voters in a nationwide referendum held in March and officially took effect this month.
Kazakhstan joins a growing list of former Soviet republics — including Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan — whose leaders have rewritten or replaced their constitutions in ways that bolster executive authority and allow them to hold onto power longer.
Tokayev, who is 73 years old, has governed the oil-rich Central Asian nation of 20 million people since 2019. Before becoming president, he served as a Soviet official, diplomat, and worked at the United Nations.
The constitutional amendments received overwhelming support in the March referendum and have further solidified Tokayev’s hold on the country. Tokayev has argued the changes were necessary to allow for faster decision-making in an increasingly unpredictable global environment.
The revisions also restructured Kazakhstan’s parliament by combining its two chambers into a single body and granted the president authority to appoint key government officials — with legislative approval — including restoring the position of vice president.
Additionally, the amendments established a new body called the People’s Council, which operates alongside parliament and has the ability to introduce legislation and call for referendums. The president appoints the members of this council.
Political opposition in Kazakhstan holds no seats in government and has had little success in shaping public opinion within the country.
Tokayev first assumed the presidency in 2019 following the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had ruled Kazakhstan for nearly 30 years and guided the country through its transition to independence after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Tokayev was widely regarded as Nazarbayev’s chosen successor.
In 2022, Tokayev ordered a crackdown on nationwide protests that resulted in 238 deaths and thousands of injuries — a period that some Kazakhs have called “Bloody January.” Following the unrest, he sought to reposition himself as a reformer and called a snap presidential election, which he won by a wide margin later that same year.
PORTLAND, Maine — Democratic leaders across the country are in crisis mode after Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner was hit with a sexual assault allegation, leaving the party scrambling Tuesday to figure out how to salvage a critical race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Platner, who is contesting the allegation, has so far refused to step down despite a mounting chorus of calls from fellow Democrats to exit the race. On Monday, he released a video saying he is weighing his options while pulling back from scheduled town hall appearances.
The video came after reports emerged that a woman who had previously been in a relationship with Platner claimed he forced her to have sex while intoxicated in 2021, despite her telling him to stop.
Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, spoke to Politico and CNN about the alleged 2021 incident. She said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner at the time, but cut off all contact with him following that night and made clear to him that what happened was not consensual. In a CNN interview Monday evening, Racicot explained that she chose not to physically resist because she feared Platner — a former Marine — might become more violent.
The allegation is just the latest in a series of controversies that Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine veteran, has faced since entering the race. However, the gravity of this latest claim has put the entire Maine Senate contest — and Democrats’ broader effort to take control of the Senate — in serious jeopardy, with even some of his most dedicated backers now questioning whether he should continue.
Joanie Monteith, a devoted Platner supporter from the southern Maine community of York who organized a trivia event about him back in March, said Tuesday that she was left emotionally devastated by the news.
Americans are growing more anxious about inflation in the short term, even as they see some relief ahead on gas prices and feel better about their own financial health, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York report released Tuesday.
The bank’s Survey of Consumer Expectations found that respondents in June anticipated inflation one year from now would reach 3.7%, up from 3.5% in May. That marks the highest level recorded since September 2023.
Looking further out, three-year inflation expectations rose to 3.3% from 3.1% in May — the highest that reading has been since June 2022. The five-year inflation outlook, which central bank officials pay the closest attention to, stayed flat at 3%.
The uptick in near-term concerns comes against a backdrop of elevated inflation driven in large part by a surge in energy costs tied to the ongoing Middle East conflict. The overall personal consumption expenditures price index rose 4.1% in May compared to the same month a year earlier, accelerating from April’s 4.8% gain. The conflict disrupted the movement of key energy supplies and other goods, pushing up prices for gasoline and diesel on top of inflation that was already running above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
However, there are signs that the worst may be over. The most intense phase of the conflict appears to have subsided, and energy prices have begun to pull back. Speaking in a television interview Tuesday, New York Fed President John Williams acknowledged that “inflation is still too high,” but added, “I do feel a little bit more positive about the near-term inflation outlook because of the energy price declines that we’re going to see.”
Fed officials pay close attention to public inflation expectations because they believe consumer sentiment about future prices has a direct influence on where prices actually go. Officials have taken some comfort in the stability of longer-term expectations, which suggests most Americans still believe inflation will eventually return to the Fed’s target.
At his first press conference as Fed Chairman, Kevin Warsh said last month, “I am pleased to report that members of the [Federal Open Market Committee] are unambiguous and unanimous: This Committee will deliver price stability.”
The Fed held its benchmark interest rate target steady at its June meeting, keeping it in a range between 3.5% and 3.75%. Still, several central bank officials indicated they may support rate increases later in the year if inflation pressures persist.
On a more encouraging note, the New York Fed survey found that consumers’ expectations for gasoline price increases have eased, falling to a level not seen since August 2022. Respondents also reported improved views on the job market and expressed greater optimism about both their current and future personal finances, though opinions on credit availability were more mixed.
Russia’s largest oil refinery has gone offline following a Ukrainian drone attack, according to two industry insiders who spoke on Tuesday.
The strike, which took place Monday at the Omsk refinery deep in Siberia, ranks among the farthest-reaching attacks Ukraine has carried out since the conflict began — a war now entering its fifth year.
The shutdown of the facility, which leads all Russian refineries in gasoline production, is expected to make fuel shortages worse throughout the country.
Anatoly Seryshev, President Vladimir Putin’s representative in Siberia, confirmed the damage in an official statement Tuesday. “Facilities at the Omsk oil refinery were damaged as a result of (Monday’s) attack. No plant personnel were injured,” he said. Seryshev added that “damage assessment is currently under way, and competent services have organized restoration work,” though he offered no specifics about how operations had been affected.
Gazprom Neft, the company that owns the refinery, had not responded to a request for comment as of the time of reporting.
Industry sources said a crude distillation unit known as CDU-10 caught fire and sustained damage during the attack. That unit is responsible for roughly 38% of the plant’s total output, with a daily processing capacity of 24,580 metric tons.
Since Tuesday, the Omsk refinery has stopped listing gasoline and diesel for sale on the Saint Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange, according to exchange data.
A second major processing unit, CDU-11, was also taken offline, the sources said. That unit handles 37% of the refinery’s capacity and can process 24,000 tons of oil each day. While CDU-11 was not directly hit, critical network connections needed to run it were damaged. The sources noted that CDU-11, which began operations in 2023, may be able to restart in the near term.
The refinery also has two mothballed processing units — CDU-7 and CDU-8 — each capable of handling 10,000 tons per day, which could theoretically be brought back online.
In 2024, the Omsk refinery processed approximately 22 million tons of oil, equivalent to around 440,000 barrels per day, producing 5 million tons of gasoline and 8 million tons of diesel, according to the sources.
A Bank of Japan board member who cast the only dissenting vote against the central bank’s June interest rate increase says he wants clear evidence of demand-driven inflation before he will back any future rate hikes — though he acknowledged that rising costs are spreading through the economy faster than expected.
Toichiro Asada, speaking to Reuters on Monday in his first interview since joining the BOJ board, said he opposed the June decision to lift rates to 1% — a 31-year high — partly because of uncertainty surrounding Middle East developments and their potential effect on output and employment.
Asada was appointed to the board by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is regarded as a supporter of loose monetary policy. Analysts have interpreted both Asada’s appointment and that of another new dovish board member, Ayano Sato, as an effort by the Takaichi administration to encourage the BOJ to keep rates low in support of its large spending agenda.
For Asada to back a rate increase in the future, he said Japan would need to be on a sustainable path toward the BOJ’s 2% inflation target. Crucially, he wants that progress to be powered by the economy itself — not just external cost pressures.
“Moreover, I believe it is necessary to confirm that such achievement is being supported by endogenous economic forces, such as rising wages and demand,” he said, noting those forces are not yet strong enough to justify tightening.
Still, Asada made clear he is not categorically against rate increases. “I am not always opposed to rate hikes. I voted against one this time, but I intend to make decisions based on an assessment of prevailing conditions at each point in time,” he said.
He noted that while crude oil prices are declining and consumer inflation is easing somewhat, the pass-through of higher oil prices to a broad range of goods has been occurring at a “relatively rapid pace” — a development that could eventually push prices higher across the economy.
On the question of how the BOJ should approach future decisions, Asada emphasized flexibility over any fixed schedule. “The BOJ should respond flexibly to changes in economic, price and financial conditions and conduct monetary policy appropriately,” he said. “The pace of any tightening should likewise be determined after carefully assessing domestic and overseas economic, price, and financial developments.”
The BOJ raised rates in June and has signaled it is prepared to continue hiking as inflation has remained near its 2% target for four consecutive years. A Reuters poll of analysts found that most expect another rate increase sometime between October and December.
Asada also weighed in on Japan’s so-called neutral interest rate — the level at which monetary policy neither stimulates nor restrains the economy. He described it as “rather low” but said pinpointing an exact figure is difficult. BOJ staff estimates place Japan’s nominal neutral rate somewhere between 1.1% and 2.5%.
“The neutral rate should not become an objective in itself. Policy should remain anchored to the goal of price stability,” he said.
Asada called for closer coordination between fiscal and monetary policy, arguing that monetary tools alone have limits when it comes to addressing weak demand or supply-side constraints. He pointed out that many businesses cite labor shortages and rising material costs as barriers to investment, even as the government pushes efforts to encourage it.
Wholesale inflation in Japan accelerated in May at its fastest pace in three years, driven largely by a weak yen that has pushed up import costs, compounded by rising fuel prices tied to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
“Given these circumstances, achieving price stability through appropriate monetary policy is important as a foundation for expanding growth-oriented investment,” Asada said. He also noted that while monetary policy does not directly target currency exchange rates, it “does take inflation and employment into account.”
On the subject of the BOJ’s bond-buying program, Asada said the central bank’s recent decision to pause its gradual reduction of bond purchases — a move analysts viewed as an attempt to keep bond yields from rising too sharply — could help protect investment by limiting the negative effects of excessive yield increases.
Looking further ahead, Asada said the BOJ will eventually need to have a broader conversation about the ideal size and makeup of its balance sheet, which is currently shrinking as bond redemptions outpace monthly purchases. He suggested the BOJ should focus on how far the ratio of its government bond holdings to nominal gross domestic product should fall from its current level of around 80%.
“Once the ratio has fallen to a level considered appropriate, I believe the size of the BOJ’s balance sheet should thereafter grow broadly in line with nominal GDP growth,” he said.
Italian top seed Jannik Sinner brought an end to one of the most heartwarming storylines at this year’s Wimbledon, defeating German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3 on Tuesday to book his place in the semifinals.
Struff had made history in his 47th Grand Slam appearance by becoming the oldest man in the professional era to reach a first major quarter-final, accomplishing the feat at 36 years old. However, any hopes the world number 74 had of pushing further into the tournament were quickly extinguished by the defending champion.
Struff had blasted 100 aces on his way to the quarterfinals and added 12 more during Tuesday’s match, but his powerful serve was not enough to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm. The Italian broke serve to go up 6-5 in the opening set and closed it out from there.
When Struff earned a set point in the 10th game of the second set, Sinner responded with an unreturnable serve to neutralize the threat. He then cruised through the tiebreak and punched his ticket to a 10th Grand Slam semifinal when Struff sent a service return long.
Sinner, who has not added to his Grand Slam title count since winning at the All England Club a year ago, will now face either Novak Djokovic or Felix Auger-Aliassime for a chance to reach the final.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) announced on July 7, 2026, that Evan Dean will be joining the organization as its new vice president of government and legislative affairs, with his start date set for July 13. In this position, Dean will take the lead on NGFA’s federal advocacy work and push forward the association’s policy goals on behalf of the grain, feed, processing, and export industries.
Dean comes to NGFA from the office of U.S. Representative Mike Flood (R-Neb.), where he held the position of legislative director. In that capacity, he guided Congressman Flood on legislative strategy and policy questions, managing a wide-ranging portfolio that included agriculture, trade, energy, transportation, and telecommunications. He also oversaw the congressman’s legislative team and built working relationships with congressional offices, federal agencies, industry groups, and agricultural organizations.
His familiarity with the grain and feed industry was developed in part through his work on behalf of Nebraska’s First Congressional District. According to NGFA’s Harvest Economy report, the industry supports more than 15,000 jobs and generates nearly $5.5 billion in economic activity across that district.
NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert spoke highly of the new hire. “Evan Dean brings valuable Capitol Hill experience and a strong understanding of the policy issues that matter most to NGFA members,” Seyfert said. “Having represented a district where our industry has a significant economic impact, Evan understands firsthand the important role grain and feed businesses play in local economies and throughout the agricultural supply chain. His work on agriculture, trade, renewable fuels, and appropriations issues, combined with his ability to build relationships across government and industry, will strengthen NGFA’s advocacy efforts as we continue advancing policies that support the grain, feed, and processing industry.”
Before becoming legislative director, Dean worked as a legislative assistant in Congressman Flood’s office, where he handled agriculture, trade, appropriations, energy, telecommunications, and natural resources policy. During that time, he helped move sustainable aviation fuel initiatives forward, secured federal backing for agricultural research, and engaged broadly with agricultural stakeholders throughout Nebraska. He also worked on local transportation priorities, focusing on improving access and reducing barriers to moving goods across the country — an area of significant concern for NGFA members.
Earlier in his career, Dean served as a legislative correspondent for Congressman Greg Pence (R-Ind.) and also worked in the office of Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).
Dean holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy leadership from the University of Mississippi, where he graduated magna cum laude.
Delaware State Police have released the identities of the two people involved in a deadly murder-suicide that took place in Milford on Sunday. The victim has been named as 38-year-old Jessica Bradley, a Milford resident. The suspect, 43-year-old Brooks Bradley, also of Milford, died by suicide during the same incident.
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit continues to actively investigate the case. Detectives are urging anyone who may have information to reach out to Detective Z. Spudis directly at (302) 752-3795. Tips can also be submitted by sending a private message to the Delaware State Police on Facebook, or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Anyone who has been affected by this incident — whether as a witness, victim, or someone who has lost a loved one to a sudden death — can reach the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and the Delaware Victim Center around the clock. Their toll-free hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). The Victim Services Unit can also be contacted by email at [email protected].
Kyle Lowry kept his word. The veteran NBA point guard had long promised that when his playing days were over, he would return to the Toronto Raptors to hang up his jersey — and on Tuesday, that promise became reality.
Lowry announced via social media that he has signed with the Raptors and will officially retire, closing out a storied career with the franchise he helped guide to the 2019 NBA title. The signing is a ceremonial one-day deal, and Lowry confirmed the arrangement ahead of a scheduled news conference in Toronto later that day.
The timing of the announcement was no coincidence. The date — July 7, written as 7/7 — was a clear tribute to the No. 7 jersey Lowry wore throughout his time in Toronto.
“Thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, the staff, the media and especially the fans,” Lowry said in his announcement. “It’s all about you. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada. And as I always told y’all, it’s officially happening. I’m retiring as a Toronto Raptor — 20 years and one day.”
The tribute messages came flooding in almost immediately. Toronto fans have long referred to Lowry as the GROAT — the Greatest Raptor of All-Time — and that sentiment was on full display following his announcement.
At 40 years old, Lowry is a native of Philadelphia who played college basketball at Villanova before being selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by Memphis. He is one of just two point guards in NBA history to play 20 seasons, alongside Chris Paul. Mike Conley Jr. is expected to join that exclusive group during the upcoming season.
Lowry wrapped up his final playing season with the 76ers, appearing in 14 games. But it was in Toronto where he truly made his mark — becoming a six-time All-Star, earning an All-NBA selection in the 2015-16 season, and winning an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Over the course of his career, Lowry also suited up for Houston and Miami in addition to Memphis, Toronto, and Philadelphia. He averaged 13.8 points and six assists per game, and his 2,209 career three-pointers rank 14th in NBA history.
Even before his retirement became official, Lowry had already lined up his next chapter. He was announced last year as an analyst for Prime Video.
A lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., accuses the Trump administration’s immigration agencies of illegally turning over confidential details about Iranian asylum seekers to the Iranian government — a move the plaintiffs say violates federal law and puts lives in serious danger.
The complaint, brought by the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and the Public Citizen Litigation Group, describes a coordinated effort between U.S. and Iranian officials to identify Iranians held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and pressure them to return to Iran. Legal observers note this represents a dramatic break from the decades of diplomatic hostility between the two nations, especially given an ongoing war between them.
Public records obtained by the National Iranian American Council show that roughly 600 Iranians were placed in immigration detention last year. In June, one Iranian woman was among approximately two dozen migrants the U.S. sent to the Central African Republic — a sharp departure from a longstanding American tradition of welcoming Iranian dissidents, exiles, and refugees that dates back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While U.S. law does permit the government to coordinate with foreign officials on deportation logistics, federal regulations enacted in the late 1990s specifically bar the government from sharing any information that could reveal whether a person being deported had applied for asylum.
“Congress made these confidentiality protections mandatory precisely because lives depend on them, and no agency and no administration, of either party, may set them aside,” said Ali Rahnama, the interim executive director of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund.
According to the lawsuit, beginning in March 2025, the U.S. State Department arranged monthly meetings with Iranian officials through the Pakistani embassy, which served as an intermediary. During those meetings, U.S. officials reportedly handed over detailed, sensitive information about detained Iranian immigrants they were seeking to deport.
The shared information reportedly included details from asylum applications filed by individuals who said they had been persecuted for converting to Christianity, for their sexual orientation, or for participating in the Women, Life, Freedom protests against the Iranian government in 2022. The lawsuit states that ICE compelled Iranian asylum applicants held at various detention facilities — primarily in southern states — to meet face-to-face with an Iranian government official who already had extensive, specific knowledge of their applications. The complaint notes this continued even after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered the Iran war in February 2026.
“Despite the U.S.’s ongoing war with Iran, the administration seems more committed to mass deportation than protecting human lives,” said Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney at the Public Citizen Litigation Group.
The lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, and the Department of State as defendants. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the State Department responded to requests for comment by Tuesday morning.
The filing comes as the Trump administration has pursued an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign that, according to a DHS announcement, resulted in more than 600,000 deportations and prompted roughly 1.9 million immigrants to voluntarily leave the country in 2025 alone.
Iranian officials acknowledged in September 2025 that as many as 400 Iranians could be returned to Iran under an agreement with the Trump administration. That same month, the first of three deportation flights carried dozens of Iranians back to the country. A second flight followed in December 2025, and a third departed at the end of January 2026 — about a month before the war with Iran began and just weeks after the Iranian government killed thousands of its own citizens during a violent crackdown on protests. The New York Times reported at the time that some of those deported on those flights were asylum seekers.
The lawsuit is asking the court to halt any further sharing of asylum seekers’ information with the Iranian government and to appoint an independent monitor to ensure the practice does not continue.
A weeklong preliminary hearing for the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk is now in its second day, with prosecutors in Utah pushing to demonstrate they have sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial.
Tyler Robinson, 23, faces an aggravated murder charge in connection with the September 10th shooting of Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Robinson’s defense attorneys have made no statements regarding his guilt or innocence.
Tuesday’s proceedings are expected to include video footage from the Washington County sheriff’s office recorded on September 11th — the day Robinson turned himself in — along with a recorded statement from Robinson’s roommate, who was also his romantic partner.
Prosecutors allege Robinson left a note for his roommate that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” Robinson also reportedly sent a text message saying he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred,” according to prosecutors.
Monday’s session produced no major revelations, but it was the most substantial presentation of evidence in the case so far. Former Utah Valley University Officer Christopher Bagley testified that he witnessed the shooting while Kirk was addressing a campus crowd of thousands. After the shooting, Bagley said he went to a nearby gravel rooftop and found what appeared to be a position where someone had been lying flat with a direct line of sight to where Kirk was standing.
“It looks like a sniper pad,” Bagley told the court.
Defense attorney Kathryn Nester’s objections were largely overruled by state District Judge Tony Graf on Monday. However, Graf did side with the defense in blocking the introduction of a compilation of surveillance videos from Utah Valley University, ruling that some had been altered — either zoomed in or marked with circles drawn around individuals. Prosecutors said they would attempt to reintroduce the footage Tuesday with those alterations removed.
During cross-examination, Nester questioned Bagley about an empty pistol holster found on the ground after the crowd dispersed. Bagley acknowledged he never took possession of the holster and was unsure whether it had been fingerprinted. Notably, Utah is an open carry state, allowing residents to carry firearms openly or concealed without a permit.
Legal experts say the prosecution faces a relatively low bar at this stage. Mark Kouris, a former prosecutor and state judge in Salt Lake City, explained that prosecutors only need to show reasonable grounds to believe Robinson committed the crime — a much lower standard than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” requirement at trial.
“This standard is extremely low, and the chances of them not getting through it are, quite frankly, almost nothing,” said Kouris, who now serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law.
Throughout Monday’s hearing, Robinson sat quietly between his attorneys, reviewing prosecution exhibits on a monitor and occasionally writing notes. His wrists were shackled to a chain around his waist.
Monday also marked the first time Kirk’s parents, Kathryn and Robert, and his widow, Erika, attended the courtroom proceedings since the case began. Robinson’s parents were also present, seated a few rows behind the Kirk family. Kirk’s family briefly stepped out of the courtroom twice — once when the officer began testifying about Kirk’s arrival on campus, and again when prosecutors played graphic videos of the shooting, including the moment Kirk was struck and the response from security personnel. Both times, they returned to their seats.
In addition to the video evidence, prosecutors have said they plan to present DNA evidence tying Robinson to the suspected murder weapon, autopsy findings, and witness statements. They are also expected to argue that the shooting endangered others at the campus event — an aggravating factor that could make the crime eligible for the death penalty under Utah law.
After the hearing concludes, Judge Graf will decide whether the case should move forward to trial, a step legal experts say is very likely.
Missouri’s Republican governor has put his signature on a new law that prevents state prison inmates from receiving sex-change operations paid for by taxpayers.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, voiced strong support for the new legislation. The organization stated, “Growing medical evidence demonstrates that these procedures are neither safe nor effective in treating gender dysphoria. And no amount of drugs or surgeries can change a person’s sex.”
The new law marks Missouri’s latest policy action on transgender-related issues within its state correctional system.
The Department of Health and Human Services has notified Planned Parenthood and more than a dozen other organizations that they will no longer qualify for federal grant funding. The reason cited: these groups have been distributing sexually explicit materials to teenagers — content that promotes promiscuity rather than encouraging abstinence.
The funding cut is projected to save taxpayers more than 60 million dollars. Notably, concerns about these explicit materials being handed to teens are not new — complaints date back to the Obama administration.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is set to leave office later this month, delivered a speech last week highlighting what he considers his key achievements in office. Among those accomplishments, the Labour Party leader pointed to the makeup of the current Parliament.
Speaking before an LGBT gathering, Starmer proudly declared that he had the privilege of working alongside what he called “the gayest Parliament ever.” He went on to say, “I don’t think there’s any Parliament that is gayer than this Parliament and that is fantastic.”
The remarks drew attention given their unusual phrasing. Of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, 76 members currently identify as LGBT.
New research published Tuesday by the New York Federal Reserve suggests that the underlying financial health of a bank is the critical factor that determines whether a bank run spirals into a serious crisis.
Researchers at the New York Fed wrote in a blog post that available data provide “little support” for the notion that small shocks are capable of triggering “widespread” banking panics on their own.
“Poor bank fundamentals are necessary for bank runs to translate into failure and for bank distress to generate severe economic distress,” the researchers stated. They added that “although runs can occur in both weak and strong banks, poor fundamentals are necessary for runs to result in bank failures.”
The study draws on a newly developed database built using artificial intelligence tools. “We use large language models … to extract information on bank runs from millions of digitized historical newspaper pages, creating the most comprehensive database of bank runs in U.S. history,” the researchers explained.
The blog post also highlighted why it matters to correctly understand how bank runs work. A bank run occurs when falling confidence in a financial institution causes depositors to rush to withdraw their money all at once. “Runs should thus be seen as a trigger for bank failures and crises, but insolvent banks are necessary for this trigger to devastate the banking system and the economy,” the researchers wrote.
When Abraham Lincoln won the presidency in 1860, the United States was teetering on the brink of collapse.
The Civil War that followed over the next four years took more than 700,000 lives and put the very survival of the American Republic to the test. Yet as that devastating conflict neared its end, Lincoln’s focus shifted — not just to winning, but to healing.
In his second inaugural address, Lincoln issued a challenge to the country: “Let us strive on to bind up the nation’s wounds to achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace.”
Lincoln recognized that protecting what he saw as history’s greatest experiment in self-government demanded something beyond military triumph. It called for the strength of character needed to rebuild what the war had torn apart.
Now, more than 160 years later, the latest Foundations of Freedom commentary — produced weekly by Salem Media — draws a direct line from that moment in history to the divisions Americans face today.
The commentary poses a pointed question: while disagreement among Americans is inevitable, do we still possess the wisdom and moral character necessary to heal as one nation?
UnitedHealth announced Tuesday that an audit conducted by an outside consulting firm found that roughly 97% of diagnoses generated through its HouseCalls home-health program in 2025 were backed up by patients’ existing medical records.
Wyatt Decker, an executive vice president at UnitedHealth, responded to the findings by saying, “We look at this with both a sense of pride, but also humility,” and noted the company wants to ensure that nurse practitioners are documenting diagnoses in a way that more accurately reflects what patients are actually experiencing.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Department of Health and Human Services has been examining diagnoses that show up only in UnitedHealth’s home-visit assessments and nowhere else in a patient’s medical file. Diagnoses submitted through the HouseCalls program play a role in determining how much the federal government pays UnitedHealth’s insurance division, UnitedHealthcare, through Medicare Advantage.
The audit revealed that 3.4% of diagnoses made by HouseCalls clinicians this year were not supported by medical records. HouseCalls operates under UnitedHealth’s Optum primary care division and dispatches clinicians to patients’ homes each year to conduct physical exams and review medical histories. UnitedHealthcare manages Medicare Advantage plans for Americans aged 65 and older, as well as individuals with disabilities.
In a letter addressed to company stakeholders, CEO Stephen Hemsley pledged that UnitedHealth would work to do better and argued that home visits help elderly patients avoid costly medical emergencies down the road.
Hemsley had promised a thorough review of the company’s operations last year after UnitedHealth fell short of its own profit forecasts for the first time since 2008. The company hired business consulting firm FTI Consulting to carry out the analysis.
FTI had previously flagged that UnitedHealth sometimes lacked consistent documentation standards within the HouseCalls program. The latest report examined 200 home visits, covering a total of 494 diagnoses. Decker noted that the report has not yet led to any changes in company policy.
A deadly riot at a prison in Sri Lanka was triggered by a conflict between two groups of inmates over drug smuggling inside the facility, a senior government official confirmed Tuesday.
The violence unfolded over two days at the prison located in Negombo, a coastal town roughly 35 kilometers — about 20 miles — north of the commercial capital, Colombo. When the fighting finally ended, 26 people were dead, including seven prison officials, and dozens more had been injured.
Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara told parliament that early investigations indicate the conflict began after a small number of prisoners informed authorities about an attempt to smuggle drugs into the prison.
“This had angered a second group of inmates who were supporting the smuggling. This was what started the clash,” Nanayakkara told lawmakers.
He went on to describe how the situation rapidly worsened once prison staff tried to step in. “When prison officials attempted to intervene it had escalated. Prisoners attacked prison officials with bricks and poles. Prison officials fired in self-defence. At the moment we are unaware of how prisoners got possession of weapons. Investigations into these details are ongoing,” he said.
Nanayakkara also noted that a small number of inmates had managed to knock out the prison’s CCTV camera system during the unrest.
To help address severe overcrowding in the aftermath, 734 prisoners were transferred to four other facilities on Tuesday morning, according to the Department of Prisons. The Negombo prison was housing approximately 2,400 inmates at the time of the riot, far exceeding its intended capacity of around 650, according to the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners.
Dozens of police officers and special forces units were deployed to restore order on Monday, and around 100 people — both inmates and prison staff — received hospital treatment for their injuries. Military personnel with armored vehicles remained stationed outside the prison as of Tuesday.
Sri Lanka has seen deadly prison unrest before. A riot in November 2020 left 11 inmates dead, and a separate incident in Colombo in 2012 resulted in 27 fatalities.
WASHINGTON — The gap between what the United States imports and exports grew dramatically in May, fueled in large part by a boom in artificial intelligence spending that pushed capital goods imports to their highest level ever recorded.
According to figures released Tuesday by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau, the trade deficit surged 42.2% to reach $77.6 billion. Economists surveyed by Reuters had projected the deficit would come in at $78.5 billion.
Total imports climbed 3.3% to $395.3 billion for the month. Within that figure, imports of capital goods — things like machinery and equipment — soared to a record $128.0 billion, driven heavily by business investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, which depends significantly on imported components.
On the other side of the ledger, exports fell 3.2% to $317.7 billion. One bright spot was petroleum shipments, which hit their highest level on record, partly due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The United States is currently a net exporter of oil.
The trade data adds to a pattern that has weighed on the country’s gross domestic product. Trade has now subtracted from GDP for two consecutive quarters. The Atlanta Federal Reserve’s economic forecasting model currently projects GDP will grow at an annualized rate of 1.2% in the second quarter — a slowdown from the 2.1% pace recorded in the January through March period.
At least three Palestinians lost their lives Tuesday as Israeli airstrikes struck multiple locations across the Gaza Strip, according to the territory’s health officials.
In the first incident, a man was killed and two children were injured when an Israeli airstrike hit the Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to medics on the ground. The Israeli military confirmed to Reuters that the strike had targeted a Hamas militant.
Later that same day, a second Israeli airstrike landed near a tent encampment sheltering displaced families in western Gaza City, claiming one life and leaving five others wounded. A third strike in Khan Younis also killed one person and injured three more, medics reported. The Israeli military offered no immediate response regarding either of those two incidents.
Israel has conducted repeated strikes throughout Gaza since a ceasefire brokered by the United States with Hamas was reached last October. Israeli officials have stated the strikes are aimed at militants who pose a threat to Israeli forces or who participated in the October 2023 attack on Israel.
Hamas has charged Israel with breaking the terms of the ceasefire agreement. Nikolay Mladenov, appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump as the Board of Peace envoy to Gaza, has stated that both parties have committed violations of the agreement.
In the eight months since the ceasefire took effect, more than 1,070 Palestinians — a significant number of them civilians — and four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza, based on figures provided by both sides. Hamas has not disclosed how many of its own fighters have died.
Israeli forces currently control more than 60% of Gaza, patrolling what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refers to as a buffer zone designed to prevent Hamas attacks. Netanyahu has made clear that Israel has no plans to withdraw from the territory.
Israel’s extensive aerial and ground campaign in Gaza has displaced nearly the entire population of roughly 2 million people. Most residents are now living in tents or partially destroyed buildings within a narrow coastal strip of land under Hamas governance.
JUBA, South Sudan — The government of South Sudan confirmed late Monday that a government-appointed county commissioner serving in an opposition stronghold within the oil-rich Jonglei State was “assassinated” by opposition forces, marking a dangerous escalation in renewed fighting across the region.
The violence in Jonglei has been intensifying over recent days, with the full number of casualties still unknown. The strategically important county of Akobo has become a flashpoint, with both the government and the opposition having appointed their own rival county commissioners to the area.
James Kueth Makuach, who held the government-appointed commissioner role, was killed on Sunday when opposition fighters launched an attack on Walgak, a remote location in Akobo West. Officials from both sides confirmed the details of the assault.
Makuach had switched allegiance to President Salva Kiir’s ruling party in April, following his removal by the opposition’s acting leadership earlier in the year. The government subsequently named him county commissioner, a move that bypassed the terms of a 2018 peace agreement, which designated that position in Akobo County to the opposition party led by Riek Machar. Machar is currently imprisoned and faces treason charges.
In a formal statement, the ruling party said it “strongly condemns the brutal killing” of the commissioner and announced it would convene an emergency session to address the matter.
The opposition-appointed governor, John Wiyual Lul, stated that opposition fighters briefly took control of the area before pulling back when government reinforcements arrived. He noted that senior military officers were among the fatalities.
Jonglei State government spokesperson Nyamar Lony Thichiot told The Associated Press late Monday that the exact number of casualties had not yet been determined.
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which was established to oversee South Sudan’s peace process, issued a statement Monday warning that the renewed fighting is undermining the implementation of the 2018 peace deal that ended the country’s civil war and is putting civilian lives at risk.
Clashes in Akobo County first broke out in March when opposition forces targeted a government installation. In June, the United Nations pulled its peacekeepers from a base that had been set up to help shield civilians from harm.
Leaders from civil society groups cautioned that political tensions are increasingly translating into armed conflict once again.
Juba-based civil society activist Bol Deng Bol described the situation as “an unfortunate relapse into violence and a clear threat to civilians, their property and humanitarian operations.” Fellow activist Edmond Yakani called on both the opposition and the government to fully honor the permanent ceasefire agreement.
South Sudan is set to hold long-delayed elections on December 22 — its first since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.
LONDON (AP) — Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced he will deliver a public statement Tuesday about his political future, as scrutiny intensifies over financial donations connected to a cryptocurrency billionaire and a man convicted of fraud.
Farage, who is known as a close British ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, posted on X that he would address his future in public life at 2 p.m., though he offered no additional details ahead of the announcement.
The Reform UK leader is currently the subject of a parliamentary standards investigation involving a 5 million pound — roughly $6.7 million — gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire based in Thailand. Separately, opposition lawmakers are pushing for a second inquiry into donations received from George Cottrell, a crypto-gambling entrepreneur with an aristocratic background who previously served time in a U.S. prison for fraud.
Farage has denied any wrongdoing, but the financial scrutiny has fueled widespread speculation about his political future. He had been viewed by some as a front-runner to become prime minister following the next national election.
His anti-immigration party holds only eight of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, yet Reform UK consistently outperforms both the ruling Labour Party and the main opposition Conservatives in opinion polls.
The party scored a major victory in local and regional elections in May, a result that contributed to the removal of Prime Minister Keir Starmer by members of his own Labour Party.
However, Reform UK has now lost three back-to-back special elections it had hoped to win, which may signal a softening in the party’s support. The most recent defeat came at the hands of Labour’s Andy Burnham, who is expected to succeed Starmer as prime minister within the coming weeks.
Parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg is leading the investigation into the donation Farage received from Christopher Harborne, a British businessman who lives in Thailand. Farage has said the money was a personal gift used to cover security costs and that it was given before he was elected to the House of Commons.
Should investigators find that Farage violated parliamentary rules, he could face suspension. A suspension lasting 10 or more days would give voters in his Clacton constituency in eastern England the ability to call for a special election to fill his seat.
Such an outcome would deal a significant blow to a party whose rapid rise mirrors the nationalist and anti-immigration political style associated with Trump. Farage has made the issue of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats a centerpiece of his message — describing the situation as an invasion — though critics accuse him of inflaming public fears rather than addressing the issue constructively.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s Security Service announced Tuesday that the body of Ukrainian citizen Anastasiia Berezovska has been found. Berezovska had been sought by authorities in Monaco in connection with a bombing that targeted Ukrainian business tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev.
The Security Service, known by its Ukrainian abbreviation SBU, revealed that an officer from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency admitted to killing Berezovska with the assistance of a former law enforcement officer. The suspect claimed he acted on his own, without the knowledge or approval of his superiors.
The original bombing occurred on June 29 and reportedly targeted Yermolaiev, who has ties to Russia, along with members of his family. Three people were hurt in the blast, among them a child. The explosion sent shockwaves through Monaco — the glamorous coastal enclave known for its wealthy residents, tax advantages, royal family, and Formula 1 Grand Prix race. Monaco’s head of state, Prince Albert II, called the explosion “an odious act” and confirmed that all public services had been deployed to maintain security.
Interpol had previously identified 39-year-old Berezovska as the primary suspect in the bombing, issuing a Red Notice requesting her arrest on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive device in a public area with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy. On Tuesday, Interpol said it had no immediate statement to offer and noted that the Red Notice would remain active on its website until Monaco formally requested its removal.
SBU investigators zeroed in on the two suspects after uncovering evidence that they had repeatedly sent cryptocurrency and bank transfers to Berezovska. During searches of the former law enforcement officer’s home, authorities also discovered what the SBU described as a basement that resembled a torture chamber.
Berezovska’s body was located during a crime scene reconstruction based on one of the suspect’s accounts. She had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, and investigators recovered spent pistol casings at the location, according to the SBU.
Both men are now in custody, facing suspicion of premeditated murder.
The SBU said it has provided all relevant information to investigators in Monaco and is continuing efforts to identify who ordered and organized the original assassination attempt.
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s highest court has shut down a conservative activist’s effort to gain access to guardianship records that he claimed could reveal ineligible voters on the state’s registration rolls.
The case has been moving through the court system for several years and traces its origins to efforts by conservatives to challenge President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over President Donald Trump in Wisconsin.
The dispute centered on a fundamental tension between protecting individuals’ privacy rights and ensuring that people who are legally ineligible to vote are not casting ballots.
Former travel executive Ron Heuer and his organization, the Wisconsin Voter Alliance, filed the lawsuit in 2022. They alleged that the number of voters who should be disqualified does not line up with Wisconsin’s official voter registration list. The lawsuit does not identify how many voters could potentially be affected.
Heuer asked the state’s Supreme Court to require counties to hand over records created when a judge rules that a person lacks the mental capacity to vote. He wanted those records compared against the voter registration list.
His attorney, Erick Kaardal, argued that privacy concerns and public records access could both be honored by blacking out sensitive personal details on the documents before releasing them.
However, the attorney representing Walworth County — which was fighting to keep the records sealed — pushed back on that argument. Attorney Sam Hall said at oral arguments that the whole point of obtaining the records was to match names against the voter rolls, which would require releasing the individuals’ names and addresses. Neither Hall nor Kaardal responded to requests for comment following the ruling.
Under Wisconsin law, a guardianship order is a court-issued arrangement that grants one person legal authority over another who has been found incapable of making decisions for themselves. A judge can strip someone under such an order of their right to vote if they are deemed unable to understand what an election is meant to accomplish.
In a 5-2 decision handed down Tuesday, the court’s liberal majority — joined by conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn — determined that the records in question are not available to the public, rejecting Heuer’s argument.
The case reached the Supreme Court after two lower appeals courts reached opposite conclusions. An appeals court in Madison had denied access to the records, while a separate appeals court in Waukesha ruled in 2023 that the records should be released — with birth dates and case numbers removed. The Supreme Court reversed that Waukesha ruling.
The legal battle was part of a broader campaign by those who disputed the 2020 presidential race results to raise questions about election integrity in the swing state. Heuer and the Wisconsin Voter Alliance filed similar lawsuits in 13 Wisconsin counties in 2022 seeking the same type of records.
Heuer and the organization have promoted conspiracy theories about the 2020 election in unsuccessful attempts to undo Biden’s Wisconsin win. Heuer was also hired as an investigator in a since-discredited election review led by former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. That investigation found no evidence of fraud or misconduct that would have changed the election outcome.
The Wisconsin Voter Alliance also filed two separate lawsuits attempting to overturn Biden’s Wisconsin victory, both of which failed.
Biden beat Trump by nearly 21,000 votes in Wisconsin in 2020 — a margin that survived independent and partisan audits, multiple reviews, legal challenges, and recounts requested by Trump. In the 2024 election, Trump carried Wisconsin by roughly 29,000 votes.
No lawsuits are currently pending to challenge the 2024 Wisconsin election results, and no calls for an investigation into that outcome have been made.
The state of Utah has pulled the operating license from a boarding school where media personality and hotel heiress Paris Hilton says she suffered abuse as a teenager, with officials determining the facility “failed to provide applicable health and safety services for clients.”
The license revocation took effect Monday and targets the Provo Canyon School campus located in Springville. Under the action, the school has a 15-day window to request a formal hearing before the Department of Health & Human Services.
A broad list of violations dating back to 2025 prompted the state’s decision. Among the cited issues: insufficient staff-to-client ratios, unnecessary physical restraint and aggressive contact with a student, neglect of care, and failure to verify employee credentials or submit background checks on time. State health officials had already stepped in with temporary restrictions back in May after staff failed to get immediate medical attention for a student who had sustained serious injuries.
Hilton, 45, issued a statement Tuesday responding to the news. “For more than fifty years, children came forward with stories of abuse, neglect, and trauma,” she said. “Today, the state confirmed what survivors have known all along: Provo Canyon School failed the children in its care.”
She continued: “I was one of those children. I know what it feels like to cry for help and believe no one is coming. Today, children still inside that facility know someone is finally coming to protect them.”
Hilton spent nearly a year at the school during the late 1990s. She has alleged that staff members physically beat her, watched her shower, gave her unidentified pills, and confined her alone in a room without clothing.
Hilton had been publicly calling on Utah officials to shut the school down. She has taken her story to Capitol Hill and state legislatures across the country, and her advocacy has contributed to the passage of laws protecting teenagers in Utah and 15 other states. Utah has historically been a major hub of the so-called troubled teen industry — a network of private, for-profit residential facilities serving youth with behavioral challenges.
As of Tuesday, Provo Canyon School had not responded to a request for comment. The state’s letter indicated that all operations at the campus must cease by August 6.
This past June, Hilton visited the school to show support for two families who have filed lawsuits claiming their children were mistreated there.
The school is currently under different ownership than when Hilton attended, and the current administration has stated it is unable to address anything that occurred prior to the ownership change, including the period when Hilton was a student.
ANKARA — NATO will establish a shared fleet of Airbus A400M military transport planes and expand its existing tanker aircraft program, Secretary General Mark Rutte announced Tuesday on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara.
Rutte made the announcement at a defense industry event where allied nations unveiled arms agreements worth billions of dollars — a show of force meant to demonstrate that European members are taking seriously U.S. calls to increase defense spending ahead of the summit, which began Tuesday evening with President Donald Trump in attendance.
“It is about air power, which is essential to strengthen our deterrence and defence,” Rutte said.
The existing tanker program, known as the MRTT project, currently operates nine A330 aircraft — planes that can also serve as troop or passenger transports — based out of Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Adding a tenth aircraft moves the alliance closer to filling gaps created after the United States reduced its contributions to NATO. The alliance is working toward eventually growing that fleet to 12 aircraft. Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden all take part in the program.
While the U.S. has not publicly detailed the extent of its cutbacks, a military source indicated the reductions span refueling planes, fighter jets, drones, and naval vessels. Trump has repeatedly criticized European nations for depending too heavily on American military support through NATO.
Airbus, the manufacturer behind both the A400M airlifter and the A330 jet that serves as the basis for the tanker, said the new shared A400M fleet would include Belgium, Britain, France, Spain, Turkey, Croatia, and Poland.
The news is a welcome development for the A400M program, which was originally designed to address Europe’s shortfall in military cargo and troop transport capabilities to difficult terrain. The aircraft has struggled to attract export customers, raising questions about its long-term viability. Airbus had previously issued warnings to investors about the program’s future, though the company softened that language earlier this year.
According to a spokesperson, the new shared pool would initially draw from aircraft already in service, followed by planes currently in production. The spokesperson added that the arrangement could eventually lead to new aircraft orders, though it was too early to predict how many planes might be ordered or when.
A Paris appeals court issued its ruling on Tuesday, upholding the embezzlement conviction of National Rally leader Marine Le Pen while reducing her ban on seeking elected office — a decision that could allow her to compete in France’s 2027 presidential race.
Under the court’s ruling, Le Pen will serve a three-year prison sentence, with two of those years suspended. She will also be required to wear an electronic ankle monitoring device for one year.
The decision also opens the door for her political protégé, 30-year-old Jordan Bardella, who would likely become the anti-immigrant National Rally’s top presidential contender if Le Pen ultimately chooses not to run.
Le Pen’s path to the presidency had been blocked since March 2025, when she was handed a five-year ban from public office along with a four-year prison sentence. That original verdict came after she was found guilty of embezzling more than 4 million euros — roughly $4.6 million — from the European Parliament.
The court determined she had participated in a scheme that diverted EU funds intended to pay parliamentary staff, channeling that money instead to employees of the National Rally party. Le Pen denied any wrongdoing and pursued an appeal.
Her attorney, Rodolphe Bosselut, responded cautiously to Tuesday’s ruling. “We are considering the decision as a whole, we will issue a further statement. We are partially satisfied,” he said.
Critics on the political left were quick to condemn the situation. Left-wing Ensemble deputy Clementine Autain pointed to what she called hypocrisy within the National Rally. “Whilst the RN blames immigrants for all society’s ills and dreams of imposing ever-harsher penalties for petty crime, it is fleecing taxpayers… The RN leader has vowed that she will not be able to campaign under these conditions. Will she keep her word?” she said.
Benjamin Lucas-Lundy, coordinator of the left-wing political group Generation.s, went further, arguing Le Pen should no longer hold her current legislative seat. “She has been found guilty by the courts of theft… I don’t think she should even be sitting as a Member of Parliament here in the National Assembly any longer,” he stated.
A biotechnology company targeting obesity and related metabolic conditions has made a move toward listing on U.S. public markets. Kalohexis, which focuses on clinical-stage drug development, submitted a confidential filing on Tuesday for an initial public offering, contributing to a growing surge of activity in the IPO space.
The company has not yet disclosed the financial terms of its planned offering.
Here is what is known about Kalohexis and its work:
The company was spun out of Endevica Bio in March and is led by the same leadership team that ran Endevica Bio. Its mission is to push forward the clinical development of its portfolio of drug candidates.
Kalohexis is working to treat metabolic disorders by focusing on the body’s melanocortin system — a natural mechanism that helps regulate metabolic balance. The company is building a pipeline of specialized peptides designed to safely interact with these key regulatory receptors in the body.
Its primary drug candidate, known as 710GO, is taken orally and is designed to activate both MC3 and MC4 receptors. The goal is to produce lasting weight loss in people living with general obesity.
The company is also developing a drug called mifomelatide, which works differently by blocking MC3R and MC4R receptors. This treatment is aimed at combating cachexia — a dangerous and potentially life-threatening wasting condition that can affect patients battling advanced cancers.
Canada is holding off on naming the founding members of its proposed global defence bank until more countries agree to come on board, the country’s foreign minister said Tuesday.
Foreign minister Anita Anand spoke with reporters on the sidelines of the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Turkey, where she said negotiations are continuing with multiple nations over the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank, known as the DSRB.
The initiative, backed by Mark Carney’s government, had originally been targeting roughly 10 founding national supporters to be revealed at the NATO gathering. However, Anand signaled that Canada wants a broader coalition before making any official announcement.
“We want more and more countries to come on board before we put something out,” Anand said, adding that the project still enjoys a “critical mass” of support — a phrase that echoes earlier statements made by Carney himself.
The DSRB is designed to raise as much as £100 billion — approximately $134 billion U.S. — in affordable financing to strengthen the defence capabilities of allied nations. The bank is pursuing a triple-A credit rating, which would allow it to offer low-interest loans for defence projects, especially for countries and companies that currently have difficulty accessing cheaper funding.
The bank also intends to provide loan guarantees to private financial institutions to help scale up the defence industry.
The future of the project remains uncertain without wider national participation, as countries are being asked to contribute startup capital. Anand declined to identify which nations are currently in talks, but she did highlight Luxembourg as having made considerable effort — noting it is currently the only other publicly confirmed supporter of the initiative.
“We’re still in discussions with many of these countries. Of course, we have a critical mass of countries now, but the more the merrier as it is in terms of ensuring that SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) have the capabilities to ramp up,” Anand said.
The NATO summit, which Carney is attending, runs through Wednesday.
Amazon is looking to pull in at least $25 billion through a bond sale in U.S. dollars, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, as the company continues pouring money into artificial intelligence development.
Across the tech industry, major companies have been turning to debt markets and stock sales to pay for the enormous cost of building out AI infrastructure. Amazon, along with Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta, are among the Big Tech firms collectively expected to pour more than $700 billion into AI spending this year.
Bloomberg, citing sources with knowledge of the situation, noted that the final size of Amazon’s bond offering could climb higher based on investor interest. Amazon had not responded to a request for comment at the time of the report.
An earlier regulatory filing from the company revealed that Amazon has submitted paperwork for an eight-part offering consisting of both floating-rate and fixed-rate notes.
This turn toward bond and equity markets represents a notable change for Silicon Valley’s biggest players, who have historically relied on their own cash reserves to bankroll major investments. Recent debt offerings from tech companies have attracted strong demand from investors.
Last month, Alphabet — the parent company of Google — announced it would raise approximately $85 billion through an expanded equity sale. Earlier this year, Meta, which owns Facebook, sold $25 billion in investment-grade bonds. That followed a $30 billion bond sale Meta completed in October, which stood as the company’s largest ever.
According to Amazon’s exchange filing, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley are serving as the joint book-running managers for the new offering.
Back in March, Amazon completed an 11-part bond sale targeting $37 billion that was heavily oversubscribed by investors.
