The Trump administration has ended its ban on two of Anthropic’s most advanced artificial intelligence models, wrapping up a weeks-long restriction that had been put in place over cybersecurity worries.
The San Francisco-based AI company announced Tuesday evening that its model known as Claude Fable 5 is now available to the general public. A more powerful model called Mythos 5 is also being restored, though access will be limited to a hand-picked group of U.S.-based organizations that have received federal government approval.
The restrictions began on June 12, when the Commerce Department blocked foreign nationals from using either AI model. Anthropic said the move forced the company to pull both products entirely — for all users worldwide — just days after they had been introduced to the public.
In a blog post this week, Anthropic explained that the government’s alarm was set off by a report from cybersecurity researchers at Amazon, which serves as Anthropic’s main cloud computing partner. According to Anthropic, those researchers “had found a method of bypassing Fable 5’s safeguards” that could allow someone to identify and potentially take advantage of weaknesses in software systems.
Concern had already been building earlier this year after Anthropic flagged that its Mythos model showed a troubling ability to detect software flaws — a capability that, in the wrong hands, could be used by hackers to attack critical computer networks across the globe.
Anthropic’s top competitor, OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — also announced Friday that it is holding back the release of its newest AI model at the request of President Donald Trump’s administration. OpenAI said its new product, called GPT-5.6 Sol, will only be available to a limited group of government-approved customers for a temporary period.
Last month, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a system for the federal government to review the national security risks posed by the most advanced AI systems before they reach the public — allowing up to 30 days for that review process. While the order describes AI developers’ participation as voluntary, the full framework for carrying it out has not yet been finalized.
General Motors announced Wednesday that its U.S. auto sales declined 4.2% during the second quarter, as rising inflation continued to discourage some consumers from purchasing new vehicles.
The company recorded total sales of 714,896 units for the quarter, down from 746,588 units sold during the same three-month stretch one year ago.
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stood before parliament on Wednesday and delivered a stark warning: racism and intolerance in Britain have grown significantly worse over the past decade, and the problem is eroding the country’s social fabric while pushing people away from public life.
His remarks came just one day after a Reuters report revealed that many Britons of colour are increasingly worried about a resurgence of racist attitudes. That report tied those fears to anti-migrant rhetoric and a political emphasis on crime, as well as recent unrest — including protests in Southampton following the murder of Henry Nowak and rioting in Belfast after a stabbing attack.
When pressed by lawmakers, Starmer declared that “racism and intolerance is permeating everywhere.”
The prime minister was responding to a fellow lawmaker who expressed concern that racism and the incitement of violence connected to it were becoming normalized — and that some politicians were contributing to that trend.
Starmer made clear the stakes were high. “We have to deal with it, because it’s tearing our societies apart,” he said, adding that “it should be called out by every single person who is a politician at any level in this country.”
He also reflected on the 2016 killing of Labour lawmaker Jo Cox, a strong advocate for immigration and social unity who was murdered by a far-right extremist just days before the Brexit referendum. Starmer said that when he recently thought back on her death, he felt things had gotten worse — not better — in the years since.
The Reuters report from the previous day included warnings from trade unions and professional organizations about an increase in racist abuse in workplaces and public settings, set against the backdrop of growing tensions following unrest across the United Kingdom.
Nigel Farage, who leads the populist party Reform UK, has claimed that British institutions discriminate against white people, arguing those institutions are skewed by policies designed to support ethnic minorities. Starmer has dismissed those claims.
On the overall tone of political discourse, Starmer offered a direct challenge to his fellow politicians: “That’s on us to fix — every single member of this house, whatever their party is and anybody who inflames it should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.”
Norman Powell is taking his talents to Chicago, with ESPN reporting Wednesday that the veteran guard has reached an agreement with the Bulls on a two-year contract worth $45 million.
The 33-year-old spent the 2025-26 season with the Miami Heat, appearing in 58 games — starting 52 of them — and putting up averages of 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per outing.
That scoring output marked the second consecutive season Powell topped the 20-point-per-game threshold. He also continued his sharpshooting ways from beyond the arc, draining at least 150 three-pointers for the third year in a row. Over his 11-year professional career, Powell has connected on 39.6% of his attempts from three-point range.
Before joining Miami, Powell built his career with stops in Toronto, Portland, and Los Angeles. In 675 career games — with 311 starts — he has averaged 14.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game across his time with the Toronto Raptors (2015-21), Portland Trail Blazers (2021-22), Los Angeles Clippers (2022-25), and the Heat. He captured an NBA championship ring during his time with Toronto back in 2019.
Houston is adding a veteran guard to its roster, with the Rockets agreeing to sign free agent Marcus Smart to a two-year deal worth $13 million, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Smart, 32, spent the past season with the Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in 62 games — including 54 starts — and averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. He walked away from a $5.4 million player option with Los Angeles on Monday, opening the door for a new deal.
The signing carries a familiar feel for Smart, as he will once again play under head coach Ime Udoka, who guided him during his time with the Boston Celtics. It was under Udoka’s direction that Smart earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors during the 2021-22 season.
Smart’s playoff performance last season showed he still has plenty left in the tank. In 10 postseason starts with the Lakers, he averaged 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game.
Originally selected sixth overall by Boston in the 2014 NBA Draft, Smart has built a lengthy career across three franchises. In 697 career games — 441 of them starts — he has averaged 10.5 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. His stops include the Celtics from 2014 to 2023, the Memphis Grizzlies from 2023 to 2025, and most recently the Lakers.
WASHINGTON — Total construction spending across the United States barely moved in May, as elevated mortgage rates stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict put a damper on homebuilding activity.
According to figures released Wednesday by the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau, construction spending grew by just 0.1% in May, following a downwardly revised 0.3% gain in April. That modest increase matched what economists surveyed by Reuters had expected, though April’s figure was revised down from an initially reported 0.4% rise.
Compared to the same period last year, overall construction spending was actually down 1.5% in May. Private construction investment was flat after posting a 0.3% gain the month before. Residential construction investment edged up 0.3%, but that growth was driven largely by renovation projects rather than new builds.
Spending specifically on new single-family homes slipped 0.1% in May and was down a steep 4.0% compared to May of the previous year.
The conflict between the U.S.-Israeli alliance and Iran has pushed oil prices higher, fueling inflation and driving mortgage rates upward. Data from mortgage finance agency Freddie Mac showed the widely used 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has climbed roughly 50 basis points since the conflict began at the end of February. As of last week, that rate averaged 6.49%.
Multi-family housing — apartments and similar units, which represent a smaller slice of the overall housing market — also dipped slightly, falling 0.1% in May.
On the commercial side, investment in private nonresidential structures such as power plants and factories declined 0.3%. Factory construction spending dropped 1.3%, and spending on power plants eased 0.1%, even as construction of data centers to support artificial intelligence has been surging.
Public construction projects fared better, rising 0.5% after a similar increase in April. State and local government construction spending climbed 0.4%, while federal government construction outlays jumped 1.3% — a gain that analysts believe was likely driven by the construction of detention facilities connected to an immigration enforcement push.
The Delaware Department of Education has officially announced the federal meal assistance policy that will govern school nutrition programs during the 2026-27 academic year.
The policy, established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, outlines how children who are unable to pay full price for meals can receive free or reduced-price food through three federally supported programs: the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the After School Snack Program (ASSP).
Families and community members looking to review the full policy can find a copy at each participating school as well as at the school’s administrative office.
NOAA has awarded a contract worth $99,637,544 to JAG Ketchikan, LLC, based in Ketchikan, Alaska, to carry out extensive upgrades and maintenance on NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. Once the ship completes its 2027 field season, it will enter a 14-month maintenance period for the work to be completed.
The Bigelow is one of 15 research vessels in NOAA’s fleet. The ship’s primary mission is to study and track fish populations along the U.S. East Coast, while also examining a broad range of marine life and ocean conditions.
NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of the vessel to the agency’s work. “NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow is a vital part of NOAA’s fleet,” he said. “These critical improvements to the Bigelow will allow NOAA to meet our mission, improve our surveys, and continue to ensure responsible, science-based management of our nation’s world-class fisheries.”
NOAA has made long-term maintenance planning and vessel tracking a priority, with the goal of keeping its ships up-to-date and dependable for scientists and research partners.
Rear Adm. Chad M. Cary, NOAA Corps director and assistant administrator for NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations, highlighted the broader benefits of the investment. “Modernizing the shipboard technology will improve the Bigelow’s efficiency and operational safety, while ensuring that future research performed by the ship continues to be cutting edge,” he said. “By investing in these upgrades, we are investing in the future of NOAA’s science missions along the U.S. East Coast.”
Among the planned improvements is a new propulsion system featuring variable speed Tier 4 generators, along with lighter and more efficient motors. The maintenance work will also replace pumps, fans, cranes, the fire detection system, and radars. Additionally, the number of single-person staterooms aboard the ship will be increased. NOAA expects the Bigelow to be ready for deployment by the 2029 field season.
To keep scientific operations running during the Bigelow’s absence, NOAA has already begun adjusting other vessels in its fleet. NOAA Ship Pisces was recently outfitted to conduct bottom trawling operations that the Bigelow typically handles, ensuring that East Coast data collection continues without interruption.
The Henry B. Bigelow was commissioned in 2007 and is homeported in Newport, Rhode Island. In addition to its fish stock monitoring mission in the North Atlantic, the vessel conducts habitat assessments and surveys populations of marine mammals and seabirds from Maine to North Carolina.
NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations oversees a fleet of 15 vessels used for hydrographic surveys, oceanographic research, and fisheries studies. The ships operate both domestically and internationally and are crewed by a mix of NOAA commissioned officers and civilian professional mariners.
Worcester County officials are putting out an important safety notice for anyone planning a trip to Assateague Island National Seashore — the beaches there are currently operating without lifeguard coverage.
The county is urging the public to keep this in mind before heading out to the popular stretch of coastline. Without lifeguards on duty, swimmers face greater risk if they encounter trouble in the water.
Beachgoers are encouraged to exercise extreme caution, especially those swimming with children or in areas with strong currents. Officials want visitors to be fully aware of the unguarded conditions before entering the water.
Worcester County released this advisory to make sure both local residents and out-of-town visitors have the information they need to stay safe while enjoying the beach this season.
Worcester County property owners looking for their real estate tax bills can now find them online, as of July 1, 2026.
The county has made the bills available through its online portal, giving residents a convenient way to view and manage their tax obligations without having to wait for paper copies to arrive in the mail.
Property owners in Worcester County are encouraged to visit the county’s official website to access their tax bill information and review any amounts owed for the new billing period.
A public notice has been issued warning residents in the Ocean Pines area of a scheduled water outage set for July 8.
The outage is expected to affect customers located on Pelican Court and Wharf Court. The notice was released by Worcester County on July 1, 2026.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to make necessary preparations ahead of the planned service disruption. No additional details regarding the duration of the outage were included in the notice.
Riders with pedal-assist electric bikes now have access to multi-use trails on Maryland’s public lands, following the approval of new regulations by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The rules, which were published in the Maryland Register in May and are now in effect, specifically allow Class 1 e-bikes — electric bicycles that only provide motor assistance while the rider is pedaling and that automatically shut off that assistance once the rider hits 20 miles per hour.
The intent behind the change is to bring new groups of riders onto state trails, expand access for people with mobility limitations, and keep trails safe and environmentally sound.
Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz expressed enthusiasm about the development. “We’re excited to formally welcome e-bikes to public trails throughout Maryland’s state park system and public lands,” he said. “These new regulations will allow more people to respectfully explore the state’s beautiful natural scenery while ensuring their e-bikes travel at safe speeds that enable them to yield to more vulnerable trail users such as hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers.”
When using state trails, e-bike riders are required to ride safely and courteously, follow posted speed limits and right-of-way rules, and only ride on trails where e-bikes are explicitly allowed.
Maryland Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Sandi Olek emphasized the importance of clear, consistent rules. “Our goal is to provide predictability and consistency in biking regulations across state lands,” she said. “Updating our regulations to address the demand within a framework forges a clear path forward for e-bikes in Maryland, with safety in mind.”
Not all electric bikes qualify under the new rules. E-bikes that operate without pedaling, or that continue providing motor assistance beyond 20 mph, are banned from state trails. Those types of bikes are restricted to motor vehicle areas such as roads, parking lots, and zones designated for off-road vehicles, dirt bikes, and ATVs.
Riders who break the rules face serious consequences. Violations — including operating a prohibited e-bike, speeding, reckless riding, damaging property or wildlife, or riding in restricted areas — carry fines starting at $500 for a first offense and can result in up to a year in jail. Riders caught under the influence of drugs or alcohol must appear in court and could face substantial fines and other penalties.
There is an exception for adaptive e-bikes, which are specialized devices used by people with physical disabilities or mobility challenges. These are permitted under the same 20 mph restriction but are allowed to have motors that function without pedaling.
The final regulations reflect public input. The Office of Outdoor Recreation adjusted its original proposal after receiving feedback from community members who raised concerns about allowing bikes that don’t require pedaling and bikes that assist riders up to 28 mph, citing potential safety risks to other trail users. More than 60 public comments were submitted on the proposed regulation, with roughly 87% supporting the operational rules as written.
One commenter captured a sentiment shared by many supporters: “Allowing e-bikes would make the trails more inclusive for everyone — older adults, people with health challenges, and those who may not have the endurance for traditional biking. Maryland’s trails are one of our state’s greatest treasures, and they should be available for all residents to enjoy, regardless of age or ability.”
The expanded access is also expected to have economic benefits. Biking contributed $36.5 million to Maryland’s economy in 2024, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Market research firm Circana reports that national e-bike sales surged from 50,000 units in 2017 to more than 500,000 in 2022, and opening state trails to e-bikes could further stimulate that market in Maryland.
Olek also reminded all trail users that the rules of courtesy haven’t changed. “Our well-developed trail system is highly valued by hikers, bikers, equestrians, hunters, and other outdoor enthusiasts across the state,” she said. “The new e-bike regulations don’t change the rules of the road or who has the right of way on the trail. Visitors should still look out for others, familiarize themselves with yielding to more vulnerable trail users, and ride in a safe manner that respects the resource and makes it enjoyable for all.”
All trail users — whether on foot, horseback, or bike — are encouraged to wave to one another, yield to pedestrians and equestrians, and keep speeds safe. Maryland’s trail etiquette motto sums it up simply: “Say Hey, Give Way, and Enjoy the Day.”
Additional details on the regulations and the trail etiquette campaign are available on the Department of Natural Resources e-bike webpage.
The Eurovision Song Contest is crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, with Canada officially confirmed as a competitor in the 2027 edition of the beloved pop music spectacle.
The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the contest, and Canadian public broadcaster CBC jointly announced that Canada will send a performer to the 2027 competition, scheduled for May in Bulgaria. This marks the first time a new country has joined Eurovision since Australia made its debut back in 2015.
The news was revealed on Canada Day, the country’s national holiday, and follows Canada’s recent membership in the EBU — an association of national public broadcasters that runs the Eurovision contest.
Often described as the World Cup of pop music, Eurovision has been entertaining audiences since 1956, bringing together musical acts from dozens of mostly European nations to compete for votes from both professional judges and viewers around the world. The contest famously launched ABBA into global stardom with their 1974 winning song “Waterloo.”
CBC President Marie-Philippe Bouchard expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity, saying participation “will allow Canadian talent to be showcased on one of the most storied music stages in the world.”
Eurovision Director Martin Green called Canada’s entry “a further sign that, while born in Europe, the Contest continues to welcome the world.”
CBC says it will share information later this year about how Canada’s Eurovision entry will be chosen. Depending on the country, competitors are either selected through nationally televised competitions or picked directly by the public broadcaster.
Canadians are no strangers to Eurovision success — most notably, Quebecoise singer Celine Dion won the 1988 contest while representing Switzerland.
The contest’s 70th anniversary edition this past May featured 35 countries and was claimed by Bulgarian singer Dara, which is why the 2027 competition will be held in Bulgaria.
Eurovision has faced significant turbulence in recent years stemming from controversy over Israel’s participation. Israel has been a Eurovision competitor since 1973, but organizers’ refusal to remove the country over its military actions in Gaza and the West Bank prompted five longtime members — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia — to sit out this year’s event.
The 2026 Eurovision final drew an audience of 130 million viewers worldwide, according to organizers, a drop from 160 million who tuned in during 2025.
Despite the financial and viewership setbacks caused by the boycott, Eurovision is pushing forward with expansion plans, including a spinoff competition called Eurovision Song Contest Asia, set to be held in Bangkok in November.
TALLINN, Estonia — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a pardon Wednesday for 28 political prisoners, a move aimed at warming his country’s strained relationship with the West.
The pardon was announced through a presidential decree tied to Belarus’ Independence Day, which falls on Friday. The 28 individuals had been serving sentences for what Belarusian authorities labeled “extremist crimes” — a broad classification the government has routinely applied to those who speak out against the regime. The decree cited “humanitarian” reasons for the release.
Lukashenko has governed the nation of 9.5 million people with a tight grip for over 30 years. Western countries have imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on Belarus, citing both its suppression of human rights and its decision to allow Russia to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian soil in 2022.
His hold on power was severely tested following a disputed 2020 presidential election that drew hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets. Authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown — detaining tens of thousands, with many beaten by police, while leading opposition voices either fled the country or were imprisoned. Despite that turbulent period, Lukashenko secured a seventh term last year in an election the opposition dismissed as illegitimate.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office, Lukashenko has freed hundreds of political detainees through a series of deals brokered with U.S. involvement, some of which have resulted in the easing of American sanctions.
A March agreement, facilitated by Washington, resulted in the release of 250 political prisoners. In return, the U.S. agreed to lift sanctions on two Belarusian state banks and the country’s Finance Ministry, and removed leading Belarusian potash producers from its sanctions list. Then in April, prominent journalist Andrzej Poczobut was freed as part of a swap with Poland that released a total of 10 people.
Even so, the Viasna human rights center reports that 864 political prisoners — among them 21 journalists — remain locked up in Belarus.
A report released earlier this week by Nils Muižnieks, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Belarus, cautioned that the release of several hundred prisoners over the past year has not translated into any broader improvement in the country’s human rights conditions. “Sustainable progress requires an end to politically motivated repression and accountability for past violations,” he stated.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian opposition leader living in exile, told The Associated Press that while the latest pardons will bring comfort to the families of those freed, “we mustn’t forget that hundreds of political prisoners remain in Belarusian jails, and all of them must be released.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh declared Wednesday that the nation’s central bank will maintain its independence and work to drive down inflation — a stance that likely rules out the interest rate cuts President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed for.
Speaking at a central bank conference in Sintra, Portugal, Warsh addressed concerns about whether the Fed might allow inflation to run above its 2% target. Anyone hoping for that, he said, would be let down.
“I guess they’d be disappointed. We’re going to deliver price stability,” Warsh told attendees.
The Federal Reserve’s traditional tool for fighting inflation is raising borrowing costs — the opposite of what Trump has been calling for. When the question of the president’s desire for lower rates came up, Warsh firmly defended the Fed’s separation from political influence.
“We’ve been an independent central bank for a very long time,” he said. “We’re going to be an independent central bank at this moment and you’re going to see no changes to that.”
These statements mark a notable shift for Warsh, who took over as Fed chair from Jerome Powell on May 22. During his informal push to land the top job last year, Warsh had advocated for lower rates. Since stepping into the role, however, he has pivoted toward prioritizing inflation control.
Warsh also declined Wednesday to lay out specific steps the Fed plans to take — in keeping with his resistance to so-called “forward guidance,” the practice of hinting at future policy decisions.
“The tactics, the strategy, and the rest, that’s still to come,” he said.
At his first news conference last month, Warsh similarly stressed the importance of returning inflation to its target level. Financial markets are currently pricing in the possibility that the Fed could lift its benchmark interest rate from its current level of around 3.6% to approximately 3.9% as soon as September.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump took to the skies Wednesday aboard a new version of Air Force One, making his inaugural flight on a retrofitted Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and valued at $400 million. The aircraft reflects the president’s personal style and marks a notable change to one of the most recognizable symbols of the American presidency.
The plane’s familiar light blue exterior — long associated with Air Force One — has been replaced with a color scheme more to Trump’s liking: a dark navy underside accented by red and gold stripes. Inside, the jet has been outfitted with high-end finishes including plush carpeting, lie-flat seating, wood panel accents, and a presidential seal embroidered on the seat belts, based on reported tours of the aircraft.
Trump spoke candidly to reporters about his pride in the new plane. “You can do two things: You can low-key it, or you can show it,” he said.
The president’s destination on this maiden voyage was North Dakota, where he visited the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library as its first official guest before the library opens to the public on the nation’s 250th anniversary.
While the gift from the Middle Eastern nation has drawn ethical questions, Trump has defended it as a practical solution, pointing to the age of the aircraft it replaces — planes that are roughly 35 years old. “This is a gift from a country that has treated us very well,” he said.
The Qatari jet is not intended to be a permanent fixture. Boeing is expected to deliver purpose-built Air Force One replacements in 2028, following significant delays. Trump has previously indicated the Qatar-gifted plane would eventually find a home in a presidential library.
The U.S. Air Force stated that it made minimal changes to the plane’s cabin layout and that security-related upgrades cost less than $400 million.
With summer heat posing a serious risk to public health, officials are reminding residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses, which can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening emergencies.
Extreme heat is one of the leading weather-related causes of death and illness. When the body is unable to cool itself properly, dangerous conditions can develop quickly — especially for young children, the elderly, and those with certain medical conditions.
Health experts stress that recognizing the early warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke is critical. Symptoms can include heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and in severe cases, confusion or loss of consciousness.
Residents are encouraged to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged time outdoors during peak heat hours, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, and check on neighbors and loved ones who may be vulnerable to the heat.
If you or someone around you shows signs of a heat-related emergency, contact emergency services immediately. Acting quickly can make the difference between a full recovery and a life-threatening situation.
Activist investors turned up the heat on global corporations during the first half of 2026, pushing harder for major changes and driving overall campaign activity higher than a year ago, according to new data from Barclays. Their top demand: get companies to sell.
Between January and the end of June, activist investors launched 136 campaigns worldwide, marking a 5% increase compared to the first half of 2025, the Barclays figures show. Notable players included Elliott Investment Management, Jana Partners, and Starboard Value.
The year got off to a quieter start following a record 256 campaigns throughout all of 2025, but the second quarter saw a significant surge with 74 campaigns recorded — a sharp pickup in momentum.
Among the notable moves during the period: TOMS Capital began pressing U.S. shale company Devon Energy to sell assets or put itself up for sale entirely. Starboard Value acquired a stake in AI-software firm Dynatrace and is calling for changes there, while Elliott took a position in Bio-Rad Laboratories.
Jim Rossman, global head of shareholder advisory at Barclays, told Reuters the shift in tone has been noticeable. “The year started on a slower note but is getting much busier now and we have seen a big jump in demands for mergers and acquisitions,” he said.
Rossman added that activists are increasingly making the case that selling a company outright is simpler than trying to fix it from the inside. “Activists are saying why waste time trying to fix companies when the easier argument is to sell,” he said.
The United States accounted for the largest share of activity, with 68 campaigns recorded domestically — a 13% jump from the previous year. Technology and industrial companies were the most frequent targets, with those two sectors making up more than half of all global campaigns, as investors believe they face significant disruption from artificial intelligence.
The call for mergers and acquisitions was the single most popular activist demand during the first six months of the year. According to Barclays, 21% of all campaigns pushed for a sale — up sharply from just 14% back in 2022. Ancora Alternatives is among those pushing for a sale, targeting specialty chemicals company Ashland, while Jana Partners is pressing payments company Fiserv to offload additional assets.
Bankers and lawyers expect these sale-focused demands to remain common, pointing to a rebound in deal values and a more favorable regulatory climate in the United States, even as broader economic challenges persist.
Beyond pushing for sales, activists also called on companies to shake up their boards, return money to shareholders, and sharpen their overall business strategies.
Elliott, which manages roughly $80 billion in assets, was the most active firm, launching 12 campaigns in the first half of the year. Oasis Management, Dalton Investments, Irenic Capital Management, and Palliser Capital were also highly active. Together with Elliott, those five firms were responsible for about 41% of all campaigns during the period, Barclays data showed.
Despite the aggressive push for change, outright corporate battles were less common. Only two proxy fights went to a final shareholder vote and one major “withhold campaign” was recorded in the first half — down from eight proxy fights in the same period of 2025.
With fewer disputes going to a vote, activists also won fewer board seats — a 17% decline compared to a year earlier. Elliott secured 11 seats, including positions at Synopsys, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and J.M. Smucker. Starboard gained six seats and Engine Capital picked up five. All of the seats were obtained through negotiated settlements rather than contested votes.
Looking for a creative way to use up those radishes? Chef Tammy Brawley featured this comforting radish soup on Real Virginia, the weekly television program produced by Virginia Farm Bureau.
Radish Soup
1 stick butter 1 red onion, sliced 2 pounds radishes, rinsed, trimmed, and quartered 2 red potatoes, diced 1 tablespoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon white pepper 1 cup water 3 cups milk
Begin by melting the butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion, radishes, diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and water. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
Gradually pour in the milk, heating the soup until it is hot but not quite boiling. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it reaches a smooth, creamy consistency.
Ladle the soup into bowls while warm and top with sour cream or Greek yogurt. A side of crusty bread makes the perfect accompaniment.
No immersion blender? You can carefully transfer the hot soup to a standard blender. Be sure to leave a vent at the top, cover it loosely with a towel, and pulse slowly to avoid spills.
U.S. manufacturing activity pulled back in June following a strong surge the month before, as some of the momentum from businesses rushing to stock up ahead of potential shortages and price increases tied to the Middle East conflict began to wear off.
The Institute for Supply Management reported Wednesday that its manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 53.3 in June, down from 54.0 in May — which had been the strongest reading since May 2022. Any reading above 50 signals that the manufacturing sector is growing. Manufacturing makes up about 9.4% of the overall U.S. economy. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected the index to hold steady at 54.0.
Even with June’s slight dip, U.S. factories have now posted six consecutive months of growth. That stretch has been supported in part by a surge in artificial intelligence investment, which has helped cushion the blow to the manufacturing sector from the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
The ISM survey’s new orders measurement dropped to 56.0 in June from 56.8 in May — still a strong number. Order backlogs also declined after climbing the month prior, and exports shrank during the period.
On a more positive note, factory inventories bounced back after an extended period of decline. Supply chains also showed some improvement, likely tied to a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing conflict. The survey’s supplier deliveries index fell to 57.4 from 60.6 in May — with readings above 50 indicating that deliveries are taking longer than usual.
That modest easing in supply chain pressure helped slow the rate at which factory-level inflation was climbing.
The index tracking what factories pay for their inputs dropped to 73.0 in June from 82.1 in May — still a notably high level. The tentative truce in the conflict has helped bring oil prices back down to where they were before the war began. However, prices are expected to stay elevated as spending on artificial intelligence continues to drive up costs for technology components such as semiconductors and electronics.
Financial markets are anticipating that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year in response to ongoing inflation. The nation’s central bank held its key overnight lending rate steady this month in the range of 3.50% to 3.75%, but updated projections from policymakers indicated they expect to push borrowing costs higher before the year is out.
Employment at U.S. factories remained weak. Since January 2023, the ISM’s manufacturing employment index has shown contraction in 40 out of 41 months.
Sony announced Wednesday that it will no longer produce physical disc versions of new PlayStation games beginning in January 2028, signaling a complete transition to digital-only game distribution as more consumers choose to buy games online.
The company reported that digital downloads made up roughly 80% of its full-game software sales during fiscal 2025, reflecting a steady multi-year trend away from physical media.
Going forward, new PlayStation titles launching on or after January 2028 will only be available through the PlayStation Store or through retailers offering digital formats. Games already released or already confirmed for a disc release before that cutoff date will not be affected by the change.
In a separate announcement, Sony said it will begin winding down the PlayStation Store on its older PS3 and PS Vita gaming systems. The rollout will start in select markets this year and expand worldwide by 2027. Sony explained that these consoles, now 15 to 20 years old, are no longer capable of supporting the secure payment technology required by the current PlayStation Network.
After the stores go offline, players will not be able to buy new content on those platforms. However, Sony noted that any games or content already purchased will remain available to download for the foreseeable future.
The PS3 store will go dark first in Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua starting in August, with additional Latin American and Middle Eastern markets to follow later this year. All remaining markets will see both the PS3 and PS Vita stores close in July 2027.
NEWARK, Del. — Nathan Perrone will no longer carry the interim title at the University of Delaware. The men’s tennis program’s acting head coach has been officially appointed to the full-time position, the university announced Wednesday.
Director of Athletics & Campus Recreation Jordan Skolnick made the announcement, confirming Perrone’s elevation to the permanent head coaching role for the Blue Hens men’s tennis team.
CHARLOTTESVILLE — A relaxing afternoon of yard work could turn into a disaster if the right safety steps aren’t taken, according to Virginia forestry officials.
Equipment commonly found in garages and sheds — including lawn mowers, tractors, and brush cutters — has the potential to ignite wildfires during the hot, dry summer season.
Michael Downey, assistant director of fire and emergency response for the Virginia Department of Forestry, warned that weather conditions can quickly make outdoor work hazardous. “Rising temperatures, low relative humidity and gusty winds can all play a factor in what the fire service calls ‘red flag warnings,’” he said.
The Virginia Department of Forestry responded to 356 wildfires that scorched 4,920 acres between February 15 and April 30. In May alone, crews battled 57 additional wildfires that burned through more than 200 acres.
Wildfires pose a serious threat not only to forests and wildlife habitats, but also to the people who live near or spend time in wooded areas.
Lawn mowers can trigger fires in several ways — dry yard debris can catch fire on hot engine surfaces, leaking fuel can reach the exhaust, and faulty wiring or mechanical sparks can ignite fuel vapor. One of the most frequent causes is when mower blades strike a rock and produce sparks, or when equipment lacks proper spark arrestors.
Downey described spark arrestors as “safety devices designed to trap or cool hot exhaust particles expelled by internal combustion engines.” He stressed that keeping equipment properly maintained is one of the most effective ways to lower fire risk.
The Virginia Department of Forestry recommends the following steps before you start mowing:
Mow before 10 a.m. when humidity levels are higher and temperatures are still cool.
Avoid cutting grass when it’s dry or when winds are blowing.
Regularly maintain your mower to prevent overheating, and inspect it before each use.
Clear rocks, sticks, and other debris from the area before mowing.
Downey offered a sobering reminder about the stakes involved. “Up to 90% of wildfires in Virginia are human-caused and primarily from debris burning,” he said. “If precautions are not taken, life and property are at risk.”
He also encouraged residents to consider skipping the mow altogether and letting their lawns grow into pollinator-friendly habitats.
Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. noted that its homeowner and farmowner policies include coverage for fire damage caused by lawn mowers on covered properties.
For additional wildfire prevention information, visit dof.virginia.gov.
FARMVILLE, Va. — Flower farming is taking root across Virginia at a remarkable pace, with the number of farms growing cut flowers and florist greens rising to around 320 today — a 73% increase compared to the 184 farms counted in 2017. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, floriculture ranked 11th among Virginia’s top farm commodities, bringing in more than $132 million in cash receipts in 2024.
Erin Small, an agriculture and natural resources agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension in Prince Edward County, first noticed a rising interest in cut flower growing while leading floral design workshops for home gardeners.
“I think people are looking for a connection,” Small said. “They’re looking for avenues to be creative — especially since COVID when people were at home, looking for things to do, and trying to get in touch with their land and food system.”
In response to that growing interest, Small launched the Cut Flower Discussion Group in 2024. The group has since grown to roughly 260 members, most of whom are beginning farmers. It offers field tours, vendor fairs, educational sessions, and informal meetups that connect participants with Extension resources, fellow growers, and industry representatives. Small also runs online floral design contests and is developing a grower-led podcast called The Flower Hour to reach even more people. Her efforts earned her the 2025 individual “Innovation and Creativity” award from the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals.
Beginning farmer Claudia Vasquez found her way to flower farming in 2022 during a difficult period with her mental health and her adjustment to rural life in Culpeper County. After spending much of 2024 preparing the land alongside her husband, Azalea Field Flowers officially launched at the start of 2025. Vasquez now grows spring, summer, and fall flowers for weddings, local events, and customers at the Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market, and she shares her journey on TikTok and Instagram.
“I most enjoy getting to share what I’ve grown, what I’ve started from seed, with my community,” Vasquez said. “I’m forever grateful that I got into flower farming, because it has healed me in ways that I can’t even explain.”
In King William County, Jenny and Paul Maloney of Wind Haven Farm see the expansion of cut flower farms as a positive development for agriculture as a whole. “We need more small farms. They’re so important to our sustainability,” Paul Maloney said.
The Maloneys operate nine high tunnels and two greenhouses, growing more than 160 varieties of flowers and foliage from January through Thanksgiving. Their products go to Richmond florists, businesses, and grocery stores. The couple focuses on close communication with clients, working from mood boards and color palettes to bring their customers’ floral visions to life.
MECHANICSVILLE, Va. — With 2026 designated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. is shining a spotlight on three women who have dedicated their careers to protecting the financial well-being of farmers and rural communities across Virginia.
Leah Roller, from Hanover County, came to Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. without any farming background when she started as an insurance agent three decades ago. She famously traded her high heels for muck boots, literally walking through cow pastures alongside farmers to conduct coverage reviews and better understand their daily operations.
That hands-on approach helped build a career grounded in trust, earning her numerous state and national awards and making her the company’s first woman to serve as a regional sales manager.
Today, Roller oversees approximately 135 agents, agency managers, member service specialists, and associate agents across the northern portion of Virginia. She mentors teams that help Farm Bureau members protect their families, farms, and businesses.
“Farming isn’t just an occupation, it’s a way of life,” she said. “Our members are creating a legacy to pass down through generations, and we’re helping protect what they’ve built. It’s a rewarding challenge.”
Roller noted that more women are now leading discussions about insurance, risk management, and long-term planning — a shift she views as significant. Being the first woman in her position has made the path “even more meaningful.”
“I’ve seen it as an opportunity to pave the way for future women leaders,” she added.
Sharon Ambrose of Essex County works as one of the company’s regional crop agents, and her approach to the job is deeply personal. She describes her role as showing up for farmers even when they don’t need her, simply to check in and make sure they’re doing alright.
Ambrose manages relationships with farmers, helping them obtain and maintain insurance policies throughout the entire life of those policies, all while keeping up with constantly shifting federal regulations and evolving coverage needs.
“Crop insurance is an essential tool because the markets change so often these days, the prices of inputs are increasing, and it’s so hard to put all that money into a crop and not get anything back if we have another dry year like 2024,” she said. “It keeps them afloat so they can be around next year.”
For Ambrose, the greatest satisfaction comes from truly understanding each farmer’s operation and customizing coverage to fit their unique situation — whether that means a phone call or a visit to the farm.
“I would be perfectly happy doing this until I retire,” she said.
Kim Price, originally from Pulaski County, spent the bulk of her career in underwriting at Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., retiring this spring as farm and field underwriting manager. Under her watch, the company’s Farm New Business Written Premium climbed to $3.7 million in 2025.
“This is the highest we’ve seen in years,” she said in March. “It’s a joint effort among the sales force, field underwriting, and the farm underwriting team to bring these numbers in.”
Price reflected on how much the farm division has changed since she began, noting that the company once focused primarily on traditional operations like cattle and crop farms.
“But it’s very different than when we first got started years ago,” she said. “Our farm operations are becoming very diverse, and we’ve adjusted to that. We want to keep the momentum going!”
Kawhi Leonard is making his way back to Toronto, with the Raptors striking a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers to bring back the player who guided them to their first and only NBA title in 2019, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
To acquire Leonard, the Raptors are sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks, and a pick swap to the Clippers. The source spoke anonymously to the AP because the trade has not yet received the required approval from the league.
Leonard’s only season in Toronto happened to be the year the Raptors captured their lone championship. He celebrated his 35th birthday on Monday, but he arrives coming off a career-best scoring year, putting up an average of 27.9 points per game across 65 contests with the Clippers.
A seven-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection, Leonard has won two NBA championships — the one in Toronto and another back in 2014 with San Antonio. He is widely regarded as one of the premier defensive players the game has seen.
This blockbuster move is part of a wave of major trades that have already reshaped the NBA this offseason, which has also seen Giannis Antetokounmpo dealt from Milwaukee to Miami and Ja Morant moved from Memphis to Portland. The Raptors are clearly hoping Leonard can work his championship magic once again in Toronto.
The fact that Toronto moved forward with this deal indicates the organization is not deterred by an ongoing NBA investigation into an endorsement arrangement Leonard had with a California-based sustainability services company. The NBA launched that probe in September, looking into whether a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC — a company that has since filed for bankruptcy — violated league rules. The central question is whether that deal allowed the Clippers to work around the league’s salary cap regulations. The investigation was first reported by journalist Pablo Torre.
MIAMI (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz stepped up with a sales pitch. So did DJ Khaled, the New York Jets, and the Winnipeg Jets. Even the PGA Tour threw its hat in the ring, hoping to appeal to a man who has recently developed a deep passion for golf.
“We’re waiting for you Bron,” the tour posted on social media.
The line forms here. It appears that virtually every team and league in existence wants a piece of LeBron James.
The great LeBron waiting game is now officially underway. The entire basketball world — along with the political, entertainment, football, hockey, and golf worlds — is holding its breath to find out what the NBA’s all-time leading scorer will do when the 2026-27 season rolls around. Two things are certain: he is not walking away from the game just yet, and he will not be suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers.
James made his intentions clear on Tuesday, revealing that he plans to play at least one more season and that his time with the Lakers has come to an end. That news broke just a few hours before the official start of free agency. What comes next — and how long it takes to get there — remains a mystery. Even at his age, James remains one of the most impactful figures in professional sports, and it is unclear whether even he knows how this process will unfold.
DJ Khaled, a familiar face courtside at Miami Heat games, posted a video making his own passionate case for James to return to the city where he won his first two NBA championships. “LeBron James, come on, let’s do it again,” Khaled said. “Come on, man. Let’s do it again. After the game, we’ll go play golf. You know Miami’s the best city in the world.”
A source with knowledge of James’ plans told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wants his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, to sit down with interested NBA teams first and then report back. That means the online campaigns from the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and soccer’s Minnesota United are almost certainly a long shot.
James and Paul already had a pretty good idea of what each serious suitor would bring to the table. Cleveland’s argument centers on hometown roots — his career began there, and ending it there would be a fitting story. Miami would point to two title runs, a city James is known to love, the recent addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his lasting bond with coach Erik Spoelstra and the front office. Golden State would highlight the chance to team up once more with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, two players who connect with James on and off the court.
Gov. Walz tried a different angle, sharing a newspaper article claiming Minnesota ranks highest in the country for quality of life. The New York Jets noted that James wore green and white in high school — a perfect match for their team colors. The Winnipeg Jets went even further, offering to rename themselves the LeWinnipeg Jets.
“Never say never,” the Buffalo Bills posted.
The humor aside, James is clearly worth every ounce of effort any team puts into landing him.
He continues to perform at an All-Star level despite his age. Of the 24 times in NBA history — including playoff games — that a player in his 40s has scored 30 or more points in a single game, James accounts for 17 of them. Before James came along, no player had averaged more than 15 points per game in a season after turning 40. James averaged 24.4 points per game in 2024-25 and 20.9 points this past season, even while frequently serving as the Lakers’ third offensive option.
Wherever James lands, that franchise can expect an immediate jolt of energy. Season ticket packages will sell out in a flash. His Lakers jersey ranked fifth in league-wide sales at the end of the regular season, according to figures from NBAStore.com, Fanatics.com, and Fanatics partner sites. Whatever jersey comes next will fly off shelves the moment it hits stores. And whichever city wins the LeBron sweepstakes will almost certainly feel like a legitimate contender for the 2027 NBA title.
Only James himself knows when this waiting game will finally come to an end.
Chef Tammy Brawley recently put together a bright and tangy green tomato salsa on Real Virginia, the weekly television program produced by Virginia Farm Bureau.
Green Tomato Salsa
2 cups chopped green tomatoes (a little red is okay) Half a purple onion, diced ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped 3 tablespoons minced garlic 3 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons candied jalapeños 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Combine all ingredients and stir together. Serve alongside tortilla chips.
Candied Jalapeños *Note: This recipe also works wonderfully as a hot honey.
1.5 pounds jalapeños (or a mix of your favorite hot peppers) 1 cup apple cider vinegar 3 cups sugar 1 teaspoon garlic powder (whole peeled garlic cloves can also be added) ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric ¼ teaspoon celery seed
Begin by slicing the peppers into rounds about ¼-inch thick and set them to the side.
In a saucepan, combine all remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for around 5 minutes.
Add the sliced peppers to the saucepan and bring everything back to a boil. Reduce the heat once more and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the peppers into a jar.
Allow the remaining syrup to boil for 5 to 6 minutes, then pour it over the peppers in the jar.
Store in the refrigerator for one to two weeks, or even longer if desired.
Kroger has announced plans to acquire regional grocery and pharmacy retailer Giant Eagle in a deal totaling $1.65 billion.
Giant Eagle, a privately owned company, currently operates 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies spread across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. Kroger, meanwhile, runs thousands of grocery locations nationwide under a variety of brand names, including Ralphs, King Soopers, Smith’s and Fred Meyer.
According to both companies, the deal is structured as $1.25 billion in cash along with the assumption of roughly $400 million in existing liabilities, details that were announced Wednesday.
Kroger CEO Greg Foran praised the acquisition in a prepared statement, saying, “Giant Eagle is a well-run, high-quality regional grocer with a strong reputation for fresh products, pharmacy, private label and customer loyalty. We evaluated the opportunity carefully, and the strategic fit is clear.”
Foran, who previously worked as an executive at Walmart, was appointed to lead Kroger in February. He is widely regarded as a tech-focused and detail-driven leader.
Both companies acknowledged that some Giant Eagle store locations may need to be sold off before regulators give the green light for the merger to proceed.
The deal is expected to be completed sometime next year. In early trading, Kroger’s stock slipped nearly 3% ahead of the market’s opening bell.
ANTWERP, Belgium — At least six people lost their lives and many more were hurt Wednesday when fire broke out at an apartment building on the outskirts of the Belgian city of Antwerp, according to police.
Authorities said the fire originated from a technical malfunction on the ground floor of the 10-story structure, which houses more than 200 residents across 80 apartments in the Linkeroever neighborhood. Thick columns of smoke billowed into the sky as the fire spread through the building.
The upper floors of the high-rise appeared to sustain the most severe damage. All residents were evacuated, and people living nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors shut and, if necessary, to switch off any ventilation systems because of the heavy smoke in the area. Evacuated residents were directed to a local emergency shelter.
Police described the conditions firefighters faced as extremely challenging given the fire’s size and ferocity. Multiple teams of first responders and law enforcement were sent to the scene, including a specialized unit equipped with drones.
News footage captured a man on one of the upper floors surrounded by smoke, leaning over a balcony in search of fresh air before eventually making his way to a nearby window.
A medical emergency plan was put into effect to ensure that local hospitals were not overwhelmed by the number of victims.
An Associated Press photographer on the ground reported that the smoke had largely cleared by early afternoon, though emergency personnel remained at the scene in large numbers.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who previously served as mayor of Antwerp, expressed his condolences on social media. “My thoughts are with the victims and the evacuated residents of the terrible fire on Linkeroever,” he wrote.
“My deep appreciation goes out to the emergency services who are striving to help the many affected people as quickly and safely as possible, and who are working hard to bring the fire under control,” the prime minister added.
Linkeroever sits on the eastern edge of Antwerp and is a densely populated residential district featuring numerous high-rise apartment buildings. The area borders a large park that regularly hosts outdoor music events.
DETROIT — The sounds echoing around the Motown Museum these days are a far cry from the smooth soul hits that made it famous. Construction trucks, power drills, and hammering have taken over the Hitsville USA campus as the historic site undergoes a $75 million donor-funded transformation in preparation for its grand reopening in 2027.
The expansion of the campus — where legendary artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross and The Supremes wrote, rehearsed, and recorded some of the biggest hits in music history — is designed to celebrate Detroit’s musical heritage while also strengthening the city’s reputation as a destination for education and tourism.
Former Motown music arranger Paul Riser Sr. believes the museum deserves the same level of national recognition as other major American landmarks, drawing a comparison to one of New York City’s most iconic locations.
“The city can really benefit by further marketing this whole concept here,” Riser said. “We need to see more pageantry of Motown. Every time I think Motown, I think Times Square.”
American cities have long used their musical roots to draw visitors, conventions, and business events. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pulls in roughly 500,000 visitors each year to Cleveland, while Nashville’s rich musical history — spanning country, gospel, and beyond — attracts around 17 million people annually.
Currently, the Motown Museum welcomes more than 100,000 visitors per year. After the expansion is complete, officials expect that number to climb to at least 325,000 annually.
“Motown for many, many decades has been just a magical source of pride and inspiration,” said Robin Terry, the museum’s chair and chief executive. “Visitors come to the little house that’s Hitsville USA — what used to be the headquarters of Motown — just to touch the magical space where so many of their musical icons … got their start.”
Berry Gordy founded Motown in 1959 in one of three homes on West Grand Boulevard, just north of downtown Detroit, that now make up the museum’s campus. Within a year, The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” had climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Classics like “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” “Baby Love,” “My Girl,” and “The Tracks of My Tears” quickly spread the Motown sound worldwide.
Gordy relocated the label to Los Angeles in 1972 and sold it to MCA Records in 1988. His late sister, Esther Gordy Edwards, established the museum in 1985.
The new 40,000-square-foot addition will be built around the original Hitsville USA house and is set to include a theater, a recording studio, retail space, a cafe, immersive exhibits, and a searchable archive of music and interviews.
Riser, who joined Motown at age 17 and went on to win a Grammy in 1973 for best R&B instrumental performance on The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” called the project a landmark moment for Detroit.
“I would hope to see the legacies and the historical content preserved,” Riser said. “It’s OK to having buildings … but if we don’t keep the legacies of these people who built this masterpiece, keep them in mind, we’ve lost something.”
Jennifer Ollinger, senior director of tourism for Visit Detroit, described the museum as an essential stop for both domestic and international travelers. Detroit, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2014, has experienced a notable resurgence in recent years. Ollinger noted that Motown is a key part of the pitch when attracting businesses to hold conventions and conferences in the city.
“We are the only place in the world that can claim Motown music as our own,” Ollinger said.
In Cleveland, rock ‘n’ roll plays a central role in the city’s identity, according to Emily Lauer, vice president of Public Relations and Communications at Destination Cleveland.
“Out-of-town visitors and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are very important for Cleveland,” Lauer said. “They are likely to stay overnight and spend money on hotel rooms, in our restaurants and in our stores. They get to see Cleveland and that strengthens the likelihood to come back.”
Nashville’s music scene, which includes country, gospel, and the historic Grand Ole Opry, generates more than $11 billion in tourist revenue each year. Deana Ivey, president and chief executive of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., said music has been the primary reason tourists flock to Nashville for the past three decades.
Tennessee’s Department of Tourist Development echoed that sentiment. “We’re the second fastest growing state in America and we’ve done that without a beach or casinos,” said department commissioner Mark Ezell. “Music is our draw to Tennessee.”
A federal judge has dealt another blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to limit press access at the Pentagon, ordering the Defense Department to temporarily stop requiring that New York Times journalists be escorted by an official at all times while inside the building.
U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman, based in Washington, determined that the escort policy runs afoul of the First Amendment. On Tuesday, he issued a preliminary ruling blocking the requirement while The New York Times pursues its ongoing legal challenge against the department’s press restrictions.
The ruling did not address whether journalists from news organizations other than the Times would receive the same relief from the escort requirement.
The Times filed its second lawsuit against the Defense Department in May — its second legal action in just five months. These court battles are part of a broader and growing conflict between the U.S. press and the Republican administration, playing out both in the courts and in public.
The newspaper welcomed the judge’s decision. Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesperson for the Times, said: “Today’s well-reasoned decision reaffirms the First Amendment rights of the press to cover the Pentagon without restrictions designed to prevent the public from knowing what the military is doing. The court recognized that the Pentagon’s hastily implemented new policy was a clear violation of the Constitution.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell pushed back on the ruling in a post on X late Tuesday, writing that the department “strongly disagrees” with Friedman’s decision. “This ruling strips away reasonable security measures and will make it easier for sensitive and classified information to reach our adversaries,” Parnell wrote.
The Times originally took the Defense Department to court in December, challenging media access rules put in place by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The escort policy was then introduced in March, following an earlier ruling by Friedman that had struck down those initial restrictions — a ruling in which he found that Times reporter Julian E. Barnes and the newspaper had had their rights violated.
The following month, Friedman found that the new escort policy also violated his March order. However, the escort requirement stayed in effect after an appeals court put part of Friedman’s ruling on hold while the government pursued its appeal. That appeals process is still ongoing.
The Times and several other news outlets left the Pentagon back in October rather than accept Hegseth’s access restrictions. Those organizations continue to report on the U.S. military from outside the building, while a new press corps approved by the Defense Department now occupies the Pentagon press space.
SAN DIEGO — Within just a few minutes of stepping onto a San Diego beach, marine ornithologist Tammy Russell began discovering dead seabirds — one lifeless body after another, some buried in washed-up kelp and others tucked beneath rocks.
Every month, researchers and volunteers walk these shores to tally the fallen birds. What they find, according to Russell, paints a disturbing picture of the toll being taken by a powerful marine heat wave that has gripped portions of the California coastline for months.
These beach surveys, conducted by various organizations over the course of decades, help establish a long-term baseline of data on stranded sea life — allowing scientists to spot emerging threats and measure their severity.
Numerous seabird species — among them California brown pelicans, loons, and grebes — have died of starvation in recent months. The cause, according to Russell, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, is record-breaking ocean temperatures that have shrunk the band of cold, nutrient-dense surface water where prey like krill, anchovies, and sardines typically thrive near shore.
“We’ve been seeing cormorants walk to shore and then just die within the hour. I mean one time it happened within 15 minutes, and I’ve never seen that before,” Russell said. “That has been heartbreaking for me and we’re seeing this happening across the whole coast.”
Now scientists are worried the situation could deteriorate further. A new El Niño — the natural warming of portions of the central Pacific Ocean that disrupts weather patterns worldwide and drives up global temperatures — has recently taken shape. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed the El Niño’s formation in June and has projected it could grow to historic intensity.
Seabird die-offs do happen from time to time, and not every death recorded along the California coast this year can be directly linked to the heat wave, according to scientists and wildlife officials. However, experts warn these events are happening with greater frequency as the planet heats up and ocean temperatures rise.
The current marine heat wave has already persisted along parts of the West Coast for a full year — only the third time on record that such an extensive stretch of coastal water has remained warm for that long, according to NOAA.
Scientists at Scripps track daily water temperatures at 10 coastal stations along California, with records spanning more than a century. This year, three of those stations broke temperature records for 40 or more consecutive days, said Melissa Carter, who oversees the monitoring program. Temperature readings are gathered through various methods, including dropping insulated buckets off piers, early morning surf measurements by lifeguards, and samples collected by researchers along rocky coastlines.
Robotic underwater gliders equipped with sensors also recorded elevated temperatures both offshore and at depth during the spring. Dan Rudnick, who manages the Scripps glider program, noted that the warm temperature anomaly off Southern California this past spring was comparable to what was recorded during the last El Niño in 2023 — and that was before this year’s El Niño even formed. The current El Niño could extend into 2027.
As cold-water species migrate deeper and push farther north, the combination of the marine heat wave and El Niño threatens to further unravel food chains for marine life ranging from gray whales to seabirds. A comparable pattern unfolded roughly a decade ago.
“We don’t know how bad this is going to get,” said Russell, who has also written about five species of Booby birds now regularly appearing off California due to warming ocean conditions.
Wildlife rehabilitation centers were flooded with hundreds of severely underweight birds this spring as the heat wave intensified.
“It’s not abnormal to see dead birds on the beach, but the quantity of dead birds is unusual,” said J.D. Bergeron, CEO of International Bird Rescue, a global wildlife conservation organization that operates two aquatic bird rehabilitation centers in California, in a May interview.
Bergeron also noted that brown pelicans are now turning up in inland lakes. “When birds starve, especially the pelicans, they start to look in unusual places for food,” he said. “They will chase fishing boats, they will go to piers and you end up with birds with fishing line and fish hook injuries.”
Most of the dead or weakened seabirds examined this year have been young and malnourished, and the vast majority have tested negative for avian flu, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Some showed signs of secondary infections linked to starvation.
Krysta Rogers, a senior state environmental scientist, said factors beyond warm water temperatures may also be at play. High death rates among young Brandt’s cormorants and common murres followed a strong 2025 breeding season, peaked after winter, and appeared to align with the heat wave’s timeline. Rogers suggested many of those deaths may simply reflect chicks failing to survive independently. That said, she does not rule out the heat wave’s role, pointing to a spring surge in reported deaths across multiple species — not just juveniles.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which collects data from the dead seabird surveys and other sources, said a comprehensive report is not yet complete.
The current situation echoes what happened in 2013, when a warm water mass nicknamed “the blob” formed off Alaska and spread southward, persisting for years and devastating marine ecosystems as far south as Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. One of the most powerful El Niños ever recorded overlapped with it in 2015.
During that period, emaciated common murres began washing up on beaches in what biologists have identified as the largest seabird die-off ever documented in the world’s oceans.
Common murres resemble slender penguins. They are capable of flying long distances to find schools of small fish and can dive nearly 600 feet (183 meters) underwater to catch them. But their fast metabolism demands constant fueling — if they fail to consume prey equal to 10% to 30% of their body weight each day, they can exhaust their fat reserves and hit a starvation threshold within just three days.
Research has shown that only a small fraction of birds that die at sea ever wash ashore. It took scientists years to determine that more than half of Alaska’s common murre population — an estimated 4 million birds — perished during “the blob” event, according to a 2024 study published in the journal Science. That species is still working to recover.
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria took a significant step toward rebuilding its government Wednesday when interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa released a list of 70 newly appointed lawmakers, forming the foundation of the country’s first Parliament since the end of Assad family rule.
The establishment of this new legislature signals that Syria is pressing forward with the work of governance as it recovers from decades of authoritarian control under the Assad dynasty and a devastating civil war that claimed the lives of roughly half a million people.
Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, who leads Syria’s electoral committee, told reporters that the newly formed 210-member legislative body will convene for the first time on Monday. At that session, lawmakers will be sworn into office and a presidential council for the Parliament will be chosen.
Among the 70 legislators selected by al-Sharaa, 15 are women, bringing the total number of female members in the full legislature to 22.
Syria conducted the first phase of its parliamentary elections back in October, though the southern province of Sweida — an area controlled by Druze armed groups who oppose the central government — was left out of that process. The northeastern region of Syria, then under Kurdish control, was also excluded at that time.
A separate vote was later held in northeastern Syria in May, after government forces seized control of that territory following deadly fighting earlier this year. No election date has been announced yet for Sweida, though al-Sharaa’s Wednesday announcement did include two representatives from that predominantly Druze area.
According to al-Ahmad, the Parliament will operate for a 30-month term, during which members will draft a new elections law and lay the groundwork for future popular elections.
Syria had been without a functioning Parliament since December 2024, when an insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa’s now-dissolved Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group brought an end to the Assad family’s fifty-year grip on power.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union announced two significant trade measures Wednesday aimed at protecting its steel sector and cracking down on a flood of cheap online packages, as the 27-member bloc struggles with a massive and growing trade imbalance with China.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauded the introduction of a new 3 euro ($3.42) fee on small imported packages, writing online: “Today’s change is about restoring fairness for European businesses and better protecting our consumers. The surge in low-value online imports has put our retailers at an unfair disadvantage. Too many of these products also fail to meet EU safety standards, putting consumers at risk.”
On the steel side, the Commission said its new import rules are intended to shield European factories and workers from what it called “the damaging impacts of global overcapacity” in “a strategically crucial European industry.” China’s government subsidies for steel manufacturing have drawn sharp criticism from officials in Brussels and elsewhere, who argue the policy hurts steel producers from Germany’s Ruhr valley to Japan’s Kyushu Island.
The EU’s trade shortfall with China grew in 2025 to approximately 360 billion euros — equivalent to roughly $410 billion, or about 1 billion euros every single day — and continues to climb into 2026.
China’s overall global trade surplus hit a near-record $1.2 trillion last year, even after the Trump administration imposed higher tariffs. Despite China’s reliance on Persian Gulf energy, the war in Iran has not significantly disrupted its export-driven economy, with sales of high-tech goods and vehicles abroad continuing to surge.
Starting Wednesday, the EU eliminated a customs exemption — known as “de minimis” — that previously allowed packages worth less than 150 euros to enter duty-free. Chinese e-commerce giants Temu and Shein account for roughly 90% of that type of trade, the Commission noted. The United States made a comparable policy change last year.
The Commission reported that 5.9 billion small packages entered the EU in 2025, a dramatic rise from about 1.4 billion in 2022. At approximately 16 million packages per day, these shipments make up 97% of all import traffic by volume, though they represent only 2% of total import value. A majority of those packages reportedly failed safety inspections and raised environmental concerns due to excessive plastic use.
Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s trade committee, celebrated the move online, writing: “Europe finally shows teeth against flood of cheap package deals.”
However, Gary Ng, a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, cautioned that the 3 euro tax might “not affect the big picture” given how small it is compared to the price difference between European and Chinese goods in the e-commerce space. He added that while the fee may discourage small individual orders and impulse buying, shoppers and online platforms could still work around it through group purchases.
The new steel regulations establish tariff-free import quotas at 18.3 million metric tons per year and impose a 50% duty on quantities exceeding that threshold across 26 categories of steel products. The rules also demand greater transparency from importers to track where the “melt and pour” phase of production occurs — a measure designed to prevent countries like China from bypassing protections by routing products through third countries. The EU had already introduced new steel tariffs in October to guard against a wave of diverted steel imports triggered by U.S. trade policy changes under the Trump administration.
Europe’s steel sector is in deep trouble, with crude steel production falling to a “historic low” in 2026, according to the European Steel Association.
“Europe’s steel production is shrinking while imports as a share of the EU market are rising,” the trade group’s director-general Axel Eggert said in March. “EU policymakers must therefore agree the new steel trade measure quickly without it being weakened otherwise Europe risks losing more industrial capacity.”
Although China produces more than half of the world’s steel, the EU actually imports most of its steel from partners including the U.K., Ukraine, India, Taiwan, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea. The new tariff rules could create friction with free trade agreements involving countries like Japan, though some exceptions have been carved out for Ukraine given its ongoing war with Russia.
A Commission official who was authorized to discuss policy but not to be identified said the EU is looking to build coalitions with like-minded partners: “We will remain open to engage — call it a club, call it an alliance, call it whatever you like — but the idea that we come together with like-minded partners on this global challenge of overcapacity in the market. In an ideal world there is fair competition and level playing fields. Unfortunately, we don’t seem to live in an ideal world.”
Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific and Middle East at the French bank Natixis, predicted that Beijing will push back against the new rules even though they don’t specifically name China as a target. “The Chinese do not want this instrument to work. This could be a springboard for more,” she said. “It opens the door to the overall overcapacity instruments to see how it works.”
China’s Ministry of Commerce had already warned the EU in May against adopting new steel import regulations, saying Beijing would firmly respond to what it called “discriminatory measures” against its companies and products.
Some voices within China have also raised concerns about the international backlash to its massive export push. A recent report from the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing identified what it called “China Shock 2.0” — a massive surge of heavily subsidized, advanced Chinese manufactured goods flooding global markets — as one of the top 10 security risks facing China. The report warned that the EU would likely pile on additional tariffs, which combined with protectionist sentiment in the U.S., could inspire other nations to follow with “steep tariff hikes and investment screening” against Chinese companies.
“What makes this risk distinctive is that it does not originate from a single adversary. It is the ‘wolf pack effect’ of multiple countries acting in concert, inflicting not only direct economic losses on China but, more profoundly, degrading its strategic environment and international business reputation,” the report stated.
Beijing has rejected the “China Shock 2.0” framing, calling it an “opportunity” that spreads the benefits of China’s technological innovations to the rest of the world.
While the EU has not taken as aggressive a stance toward China as the Trump administration has, economists Frederic Neumann and Justin Feng of HSBC wrote in a research note Tuesday that “the direction of travel is clearly shifting in Brussels.”
In June, leaders from the Group of Seven nations jointly called for building independent supply chains for critical minerals essential to defense and high-tech industries.
Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pushed back Tuesday, saying: “China and the EU are partners, not rivals. The root cause of the EU’s problems does not lie with China.”
Neumann and Feng noted that China’s success in weathering the Trump administration’s escalating tariff threats last year — partly by using its control over rare earth supply chains to negotiate a truce with Washington — suggests Beijing “can withstand external pressure” and “may show less inclination to make concessions to the EU.” The economists concluded: “The near-term outlook points to limited progress towards a comprehensive China-EU settlement.”
García-Herrero pointed out that despite the EU’s common market being critically important to China — with 90% of its battery exports and 60% of its electric vehicle exports heading there — Beijing believes it can prevent unified EU action by lobbying individual member state governments. “China thinks Europe has no leverage,” she said. “They do think they have the upper hand, by all means.”
China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with the EU’s trade representative Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels on Monday. Following those talks, Šefčovič said: “The EU remains open for business but we need to defend our industrial base and keep pushing for a level playing field globally, so our industries get a fair shot at competing. That is why today’s talks – and the ones to follow – matter.”
Šefčovič has set an October deadline for meaningful progress in rebalancing trade, established during a visit to Beijing, adding: “The status quo is not an option.”
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces carried out a second strike on Russia’s large Ufa oil refinery within a single week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Wednesday.
Nearly daily long-range attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure have triggered a fuel crisis inside Russia and put growing political pressure on the Kremlin, as its full-scale invasion of Ukraine now enters its fifth year.
According to Zelenskyy, the Ufa refinery ranks among Russia’s largest producers of lubricants and sits more than 1,000 kilometers — roughly 600 miles — from the Ukrainian border.
In a separate operation, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces also hit a facility manufacturing missile components in Russia’s Penza region, located southeast of Moscow and approximately 500 kilometers, or about 300 miles, from Ukraine.
Russian authorities did not confirm either strike, and the claims could not be independently verified. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces intercepted 179 Ukrainian drones across 16 Russian regions, as well as over annexed Crimea and the waters of the Azov and Black seas.
Penza Governor Oleg Melnichenko acknowledged only that debris from a downed drone had damaged a power line and landed on a building that was under construction.
For months, Ukraine has been using domestically developed and produced drones and missiles to pound Russian energy infrastructure, hitting refineries, fuel terminals, storage facilities, and pipeline pumping stations.
Fuel rationing has been introduced across numerous regions of Russia, which is one of the world’s top energy-producing nations.
Western officials say Ukraine has gained a military edge in recent months through the development of new weapons systems. Analysts and officials note that Ukrainian strikes on Russian supply lines behind the front have slowed the Russian army’s battlefield momentum.
“Russians now have great problems with delivering infantry to the front line and supplying it,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Wednesday.
Ukraine has also emerged as a supplier of military technology — particularly drones — that other nations are seeking to acquire.
With European leaders increasingly concerned about Russia’s territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine, many have characterized Kyiv as a critical line of defense against further Russian expansion.
“Ukraine is becoming a security provider for the whole of Europe,” said Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson, speaking in Kyiv where he met with Fedorov.
On Tuesday, Ukraine and Sweden signed an agreement for Sweden to supply Kyiv with Gripen fighter jets. Fedorov said the aircraft will help Ukraine intercept Russian planes carrying heavy glide bombs.
Jonsson said European nations want Ukraine integrated into Euro-Atlantic defense structures, though the question of Ukrainian NATO membership remains contentious and is expected to be on the agenda at an alliance summit in Turkey next week.
“The sooner it happens, the better it is for you, the better it is for our security and prosperity as well,” Jonsson said at a press conference.
Ukraine is also pursuing membership in the European Union, a process that could take years. Zelenskyy traveled to Ireland on Wednesday — the current holder of the EU’s rotating presidency.
“Ukraine proves every day that it deserves to be an equal partner of our common European home. And we hope that during Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council, we will be able to achieve tangible progress on the path to membership and open all negotiations clusters,” Zelenskyy said.
Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory continued Wednesday, with three civilians reported dead. A Russian drone struck a bus in the southern Kherson region, killing two people and wounding six others, according to regional head Oleksandr Prokudin.
In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, a 43-year-old woman was killed and three others were injured — including a 35-year-old pregnant woman — when Russia attacked five gas stations overnight, regional authorities reported. Russian forces have been increasingly targeting Ukrainian fuel stations in recent weeks.
A deadly storm swept through Bucharest, Romania’s capital city, overnight into Wednesday, leaving one person dead and causing widespread flooding across 20 counties — all coming on the heels of a brutal heatwave that had gripped the region.
The intense storm impacted 60 communities throughout the country. According to Romania’s General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, known as the IGSU, emergency crews had to pump standing water out of more than 350 homes and clear flooding from over 100 streets.
The areas hardest hit were Bucharest and the neighboring Ilfov County. In that area, one person lost their life after a falling tree crushed their vehicle. Emergency services fielded more than 2,200 calls for assistance, and additional rescue teams, trucks, water pumps, and chainsaws were brought in from other parts of the country to help manage the damage.
The IGSU reported that nearly 1,000 trees — 988 in total — came down during the storm, and 495 vehicles sustained damage.
Romania had been enduring a heatwave similar to what much of Europe experienced this week, with temperatures in some regions expected to climb above 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
On Wednesday, Romania’s National Meteorological Administration issued a warning that “atmospheric instability” would continue to bring heavy rains and thunderstorms to the western and southern regions of the country.
ORSAY, France (AP) — When emergency doctors at a Paris-region hospital desperately needed ice to cool down heat-stricken patients, they had nowhere to turn — the facility had no ice-making machine of its own.
With patients’ lives on the line, staff turned to an unlikely source: a nearby fast-food restaurant agreed to hand over its supply. Workers also made runs to local supermarkets to buy more. The Paris-Saclay Hospital has since placed an order for its own ice machine, which the emergency department is eagerly waiting to receive before the next wave of extreme heat arrives.
France’s weather service has warned that another heat event could strike as soon as next week, and medical professionals are well aware that climate change means these crises will keep coming. Just as hospitals brace each year for flu season, fighting extreme heat is quickly becoming a permanent part of their mission.
The director of the public hospital described last week as “horrible” — but even as staff catch their breath, they’re already working to be better prepared.
“We thought we were ready. We were not actually,” said the director, Cédric Lussiez.
“The hospital was working on a 24-hours-a-day basis because we had to find new solutions in a very short delay,” he said. “We already learned some lessons.”
The heat wave that hammered France, the United Kingdom, and other countries before shifting eastward across Europe has prompted urgent action at the national level as well. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a 100-million euro ($114-million) investment this summer in cooling systems for hospitals and other measures to keep medical wards functioning during extreme heat.
At the most recent in a series of emergency heat-crisis meetings, held Monday, the prime minister said the government is purchasing 30,000 air-conditioning units for health facilities, with the first deliveries expected “at the end of the week, beginning of next week.”
“It’s an absolute priority for us that, if the heat wave returns, the hospital situation be a lot less strained,” he said.
The World Health Organization weighed in on Tuesday, calling the heat wave “a dress rehearsal” for summers that “will be harder.”
“Europe is warming at more than twice the global average. Heat waves are no longer one-off freak events,” the WHO stated. “Every summer we fail to prepare for them is a summer we pay for in lives.”
At Paris-Saclay Hospital, the surge of heat-related patients began arriving on June 20, according to Dr. Nicolas Gonzales, who leads the emergency department.
“It was like a big mountain,” he said. “It was like that for seven days. So it was very intense.”
“In winter, we know we’ll have influenza epidemics and probably COVID as well. And now, in the summer, we’re going to have the climate crisis,” he added.
The first patient Gonzales treated during this heat wave was a 50-year-old man found unconscious at home with a body temperature of roughly 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). His family told doctors the man had seemed perfectly fine moments before suddenly losing consciousness. He was rushed in for critical care.
After that came a flood of cases — heart attacks, severe dehydration, kidney problems, and other heat-related conditions affecting patients of all ages, from children to elderly people living alone.
“Heat is a physical assault. It is a physical assault on the body,” Gonzales said. “And when the body can no longer adapt — or, unfortunately, is no longer able to fight off that assault — you don’t feel it coming, and the heart can stop beating.”
While Paris-Saclay Hospital itself is a newer facility with air-conditioning, three older hospitals under the same group — led by Lussiez — were far less equipped to handle the heat. To prevent medications from spoiling, staff had to use a makeshift solution of electric fans and blocks of ice. Student nurses were brought in to help keep patients hydrated. On the top floor of one psychiatric unit — the most exposed part of the building — temperatures climbed to 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit), Lussiez said.
He is now moving quickly to install a dedicated cool room on each floor of that unit, carry out other renovation work, and relocate a department serving elderly patients to the newer hospital building.
“We’ll be in a better situation next week than we were last week,” he said.
Three individuals were killed in unrelated attacks at different locations across Israel, all occurring within a 60-minute window between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The victims included a prominent rabbi in Netanya, a bus driver in Shefa-Amr, and a young man near Yagur.
In Netanya, 75-year-old Rabbi Amos Guetta was fatally stabbed inside a synagogue. Authorities later took a Netanya man in his 20s into custody on suspicion of murder. Guetta was widely recognized for his dedication to helping those in need, and the suspect was reportedly a familiar face at the rabbi’s yeshiva.
According to a preliminary investigation, the suspect went to the rabbi’s home, carried out the stabbing, and then fled. Police indicated the man had initially come to pray alongside the rabbi, but a dispute erupted between the two. Investigators believe the suspect then charged at Guetta and stabbed him multiple times before escaping. Early police assessments suggest the suspect may be dealing with mental health issues.
In Shefa-Amr, 24-year-old bus driver Ali Suweid was shot and killed in a parking lot while heading to work. Magen David Adom emergency personnel declared him dead upon arrival at the scene. Police believe the shooting may be tied to an ongoing violent dispute between two local families.
Near Yagur, 21-year-old Amil Abu Kalib, a resident of Basmat Tab’un, was shot and killed inside his car in the parking lot of a shopping complex. Both police and media reports suggest this killing is connected to a conflict between rival criminal organizations. Investigators suspect the attack may have been carried out in retaliation for a separate fatal shooting that occurred Tuesday in Haifa, also believed to be part of a dispute involving Arab crime families.
Authorities were continuing to investigate all three killings as of Wednesday. One suspect has been detained in connection with the Netanya stabbing, while detectives work to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the two shootings in Shefa-Amr and near Yagur.
A newly released federal disclosure report shows President Donald Trump pulled in nearly $1.2 billion through his cryptocurrency ventures last year — generating substantial personal profits even as many of his investors watched the value of their holdings drop sharply.
The businesses, which were just getting off the ground when Trump was inaugurated, have already generated more revenue than much of his sprawling real estate portfolio — assets he spent decades building. Their rapid growth was fueled by wealthy investors and by Trump’s own decision to roll back a federal crackdown on the crypto industry.
According to the required annual disclosure filed with the Office of Government Ethics, Trump’s World Liberty Financial operation brought in more than $500 million through the sale of new crypto products, including what are called “governance tokens.” A separate venture, CIC Digital LLC, generated more than $600 million from the sale of souvenir-style “meme” coins bearing Trump’s image. The value of both the tokens and the coins has fallen significantly since they were sold.
Beyond crypto, Trump also generated millions selling Trump-branded merchandise — including Bibles, sneakers, and watches. Sales of Trump-branded watches alone accounted for $4.7 million in revenue.
On Capitol Hill, House leadership made a surprise move Tuesday, scrapping scheduled votes and dismissing lawmakers early ahead of the holiday recess. Speaker Mike Johnson’s majority hit yet another wall, this time stalled by a rebellion within his own party. The dispute centers on the annual defense funding bill, which includes military pay raises. A faction of Republicans is demanding the legislation include the SAVE America Act — a strict voter ID measure backed by President Trump — before they will support it. The Senate similarly shut down last week following pressure from Trump.
The situation in Washington is being seen as a reflection of the shifting balance of power between a forceful executive branch and a Congress struggling to move its own agenda.
In other national developments, disability rights advocates are raising alarms over a series of recent federal actions they say threaten hard-won protections for Americans with disabilities. The Education Department announced it would transfer oversight of special education programs to the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose past remarks about conditions like autism have drawn criticism from advocates and lawmakers alike.
Additionally, the Department of Justice issued new guidance that lowers the threshold for institutionalizing people with disabilities, a move that followed a White House push to address homelessness.
Selene Almazan, legal director for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, described the actions in stark terms: “It’s a direct, frontal assault on the rights of people with disabilities to live their lives the way that people who are nondisabled live their lives. I can’t imagine that as a country, that would be something that we would agree we should go back to.”
In a separate legal matter, advice columnist E. Jean Carroll asked a Manhattan federal judge Tuesday to compel President Trump to hand over $5 million stemming from a 2023 civil jury verdict. That jury found Trump had sexually abused Carroll in the 1990s and defamed her after she publicly described the incident in 2019. Carroll’s attorneys say the total amount, with interest, has grown to nearly $5.8 million. They argue Trump is improperly attempting to delay releasing the funds, even after the Supreme Court declined Monday to take up his appeal of the verdict. Carroll testified at trial — which Trump did not attend — that the assault occurred in spring 1996 in the dressing room of a luxury department store in midtown Manhattan.
President Trump is scheduled to travel to North Dakota on Wednesday to tour the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a 96,000-square-foot facility built at a cost of $450 million. The library, which officially opens on July 4th as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, explores the life of the 26th president — including his time ranching and hunting in the region during the 1880s. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum championed the project during his time as governor of North Dakota. All living presidents were invited to the grand opening.
Finally, the White House has tapped a Harvard astronomer known for his unconventional theories about extraterrestrial life to head a new scientific advisory council examining national security risks posed by unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly referred to as UAPs or UFOs. Avi Loeb, a cosmologist who previously led Harvard’s astronomy department until 2020, will lead the team, which reports to a new White House panel on the issue. Loeb has spent the past decade searching for signs of intelligent alien life, and gained widespread attention in 2017 when he suggested an interstellar object passing Earth could be a “light sail” from an alien spacecraft.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration turned to the nation’s highest court to advance its aggressive immigration agenda, and for the most part, the Supreme Court delivered — with one notable exception involving birthright citizenship.
Time and again, federal courts at lower levels had blocked the administration’s immigration moves. But the Supreme Court stepped in to allow the government to strip temporary legal protections from people who fled war zones and natural disasters, give border officers more authority over green card holders returning from overseas, and restrict how many people can seek asylum at the southern border.
Still, when it came to the question of who qualifies as an American citizen at birth, the court held its ground. Rather than enabling what would have been a historic redefinition of American citizenship, the justices upheld the principle that being born on U.S. soil — regardless of a parent’s immigration status — makes a person a citizen.
Each of these rulings carries significant implications for people trying to build lives in the United States, and may influence how the rest of the world views America as a destination for those seeking a better life.
The Trump administration had sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas. A closely divided court — five justices to four — rejected that effort, reaffirming the long-established reading of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified following the Civil War. Under that interpretation, nearly anyone born on American soil is automatically a citizen.
The ruling was a setback for one of Trump’s signature second-term priorities. He had signed an executive order attempting to limit birthright citizenship on his very first day back in office, though legal challenges kept it from ever taking effect.
Advocates celebrated the decision, while some Republican lawmakers called for alternative methods to curtail birthright citizenship.
Mark Krikorian, who leads the Center for Immigration Studies — an organization that supports reducing immigration levels — argued the ruling makes the administration’s push for mass deportations even more critical. He said the goal would be to remove people in the country illegally before they have children born on U.S. soil.
Krikorian also said work and student visa programs need to be “tightened up” to prevent people from coming to the U.S., having children, and thereby gaining a citizen family member. He even floated the idea of the State Department adding a pregnancy question to tourist and other visa applications.
“I think it’s going to have real policy impact,” Krikorian said.
In a separate 6-3 ruling announced June 25, the court allowed the administration to end Temporary Protected Status — a form of legal shelter — for migrants from Haiti and Syria who had fled violence and natural disasters. The decision potentially leaves hundreds of thousands of people unable to legally work in the U.S. and at risk of deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, the administration has moved to eliminate these protections for people from 13 countries, including some protections that had been in place for more than a decade.
Republican critics have long argued that what is supposed to be temporary protection ends up becoming permanent. Immigration attorneys, however, contend that places like Haiti and Syria remain too dangerous for people to return.
The court’s conservative majority concluded that federal law does not permit courts to second-guess the process immigration officials use when revoking these protections. The court had previously sided with the administration in a similar case involving people from Venezuela.
It remains uncertain how quickly the ruling will lead to ICE attempting to deport affected Haitians and Syrians, but fear of that possibility has already spread through Haitian communities across the country.
David Bier, who directs immigration studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank that favors more open immigration, said the impact of the ruling goes far beyond the roughly 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians directly covered by the case. He noted that approximately 1 million additional people hold Temporary Protected Status, and said the ruling effectively strips them of any meaningful ability to challenge the administration’s decisions.
“It just fully closed the door to any challenges,” Bier said.
Under existing U.S. law, any migrant who reaches American soil has the right to apply for asylum. While the number of migrants arriving at the southern border has dropped sharply under the Trump administration, asylum applications had surged dramatically in prior years.
A policy known as asylum-metering — which caps the number of people allowed to file asylum claims each day at the southern border — was originally launched during the Obama administration and later expanded during Trump’s first term. The Supreme Court’s ruling clears the path for the current administration to potentially bring that policy back, though it is not currently in use.
The administration maintained that asylum-metering was a necessary management tool, arguing that people turned away could simply return later. Critics countered that the policy previously created chaos and a humanitarian emergency in Mexico, where thousands of people waited for months in makeshift camps.
In yet another 6-3 ruling, the court gave immigration officers expanded authority over how they handle green card holders who return to the U.S. after traveling abroad.
The case centered on Muk Choi Lau, a lawful permanent resident who was placed on immigration parole and had his green card taken away in 2012 when he returned from a brief trip to China. He had been accused — though not convicted — of a counterfeiting offense. Lau argued the officer had exceeded their legal authority. He later pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit clothing in New Jersey, and that conviction gave the Department of Homeland Security — at the time under the Obama administration — a simpler avenue to pursue his removal from the country.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, writing in dissent, expressed concern that the ruling handed the government a “massive blank check” when it comes to dealing with the millions of lawful permanent residents who travel internationally.
The American Immigration Council, an advocacy organization, noted in a post-ruling analysis that Congress had established special protections for green card holders who travel abroad, making it more difficult to detain or deport them. Those protections do have limits — including for individuals who have committed certain crimes in the U.S. — but the council said many questions remain about how broadly the ruling will be applied, and it expects the government to push for an expansive interpretation.
LeBron James Leaving Lakers, Will Play 24th NBA Season Elsewhere
LeBron James will not return to the Los Angeles Lakers and intends to continue his career — now in a record-extending 24th NBA season — with a different franchise. The move is considered the biggest piece of the NBA’s offseason puzzle, coming alongside news that Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealt by Milwaukee to Miami, one of James’ former teams. The Lakers issued a statement Tuesday expressing gratitude for James’ eight years with the organization. James became eligible to speak with other teams once the league’s free agency window opened at 6 p.m. EDT Tuesday, though he cannot formally sign with any new club until July 6.
Kawhi Leonard Heading Back to Toronto in Deal with Clippers
A source familiar with the situation says Kawhi Leonard is returning to the Toronto Raptors after the team reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers to bring back the player who guided Toronto to the 2019 NBA title. In exchange for Leonard, the Raptors are sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks, and a pick swap to Los Angeles, according to the source, who spoke to the Associated Press anonymously Tuesday because the deal has yet to receive official league approval.
Mbappé Doubles Up to Match Messi’s World Cup Goal Tally as France Downs Sweden 3-0
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring with a dazzling crossover move in the 45th minute and then added another goal later in the match to break a World Cup knockout round scoring record, helping France defeat Sweden 3-0 and advance to a round of 16 clash with Paraguay. Bradley Barcola contributed a goal in the 53rd minute, and Mbappé sealed things in the 74th minute for his third multi-goal performance in four games. His six tournament goals put him level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the tournament lead and pushed his career World Cup total to 18, just one behind Messi’s all-time record.
Serena Williams Savors Wimbledon Return Despite Three-Set Defeat at Age 44
LONDON — Serena Williams fell 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in the first round of Wimbledon, marking her first professional singles match in nearly four years. The 44-year-old Williams displayed the thunderous serve and powerful groundstrokes that earned her 23 Grand Slam singles titles — including seven at Wimbledon — but Joint proved capable of absorbing the pressure and winning the key points by keeping Williams on the move across Centre Court. Williams had entered two doubles matches just ahead of Wimbledon to signal her return to professional tennis, but had not competed in a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
Alyssa Thomas Reports Death Threats and Racial Abuse Following WNBA Suspension
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas revealed Tuesday that she has received death threats and been subjected to racial slurs online in the wake of her one-game suspension stemming from contact she made with her fist to Caitlin Clark’s throat during last week’s game against Indiana. Speaking to reporters at the team’s practice facility, Thomas also took aim at WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, criticizing her for failing to do enough to shield the league’s players. The incident occurred with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter of a matchup against Clark’s Indiana Fever and was ruled a non-basketball act. The league assessed Thomas a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty.
New York Liberty Top Las Vegas Aces 93-85 to Capture Commissioner’s Cup
NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu poured in 26 points and Breanna Stewart contributed 25 as the New York Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces 93-85 to claim the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday night. The Aces were without four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who suffered a right ankle injury Sunday during a victory over Chicago. Despite Wilson’s absence, Las Vegas made things difficult for New York, fueled by Jackie Young’s standout performance — she scored 25 of her 31 points in the second half.
QB Brendan Sorsby Won’t Sue NFL, Now Eligible for 2027 Draft
NEW YORK — Brendan Sorsby’s path to the NFL now runs through 2027. The league notified its teams that Sorsby, a quarterback who was banned by the NCAA for gambling, will not take legal action against the NFL. Sorsby, who played at Indiana and Cincinnati before transferring to Texas Tech, had sought entry into the NFL’s supplemental draft, but the league rejected that petition over integrity concerns. He is now draft-eligible in 2027 and cannot sign an NFL contract before then. The league will not penalize him for previously known misconduct but may conduct additional investigation. The NCAA declared Sorsby ineligible after he wagered thousands of dollars on sports, including bets on his own team while at Indiana.
Shohei Ohtani Sitting Out Wednesday Start Against Athletics for Rest
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will not take the mound for his scheduled start Wednesday against the Athletics, with manager Dave Roberts choosing to give him additional rest. The Dodgers are in the middle of a stretch of 13 games over 13 consecutive days, and Roberts wanted to ensure Ohtani had time to recharge. Ohtani is expected to pitch in San Diego on Friday instead. Roberts said Ohtani will serve as the team’s designated hitter for Wednesday’s series finale against the A’s. On the mound this season, Ohtani is 8-2 with a 1.58 ERA across 13 starts, with 82 strikeouts and 24 walks in 79 and two-thirds innings. He has won the MVP award four times.
Benches Clear in Boston as Willson Contreras Ejected for Second Consecutive Game
BOSTON — Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was thrown out of a game for the second day in a row following a confrontation with Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli. After Cavalli struck out Contreras to lead off the fourth inning, he shouted in Contreras’ direction. Contreras responded by walking toward the mound, prompting both dugouts to empty. Contreras hurled his helmet at Cavalli before teammates stepped in to hold him back. The altercation resulted in several ejections, including Contreras and Boston interim manager Chad Tracy. It marks the first time in the Red Sox’s 126-year franchise history that a player has been ejected in back-to-back games.
U.S. Men’s National Team Prepares for Round of 32 Showdown with Bosnia-Herzegovina
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The U.S. squad spent Monday watching the action unfold at other World Cup venues, taking in a slate of dramatic matches that included a major upset as Germany fell to Paraguay, three contests that went down to the final moments, and two tense penalty shootouts. Now the Americans are refocusing on their own task at hand — a round of 32 matchup against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday that figures to be a major indicator of how deep this U.S. team can go in the tournament.
In honor of America’s 250th birthday, a special series titled Faith and Freedom is underway, taking a closer look at the deep ties between religious faith and the founding principles of the United States.
This installment marks Part 15 of the ongoing audio series, which continues to explore how faith has shaped the American story across two and a half centuries.
President Donald Trump obtained a loan of more than $50 million from Charles Schwab Bank, according to his annual financial disclosure submitted to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics for 2025, released on Tuesday.
The loan is structured as a pledged-asset line of credit — a financial arrangement that allows borrowers to use their investment holdings as collateral in exchange for cash. Notably, this credit line did not appear in Trump’s ethics disclosure for the previous year, 2024.
According to the 2025 filing, the credit line carries an interest rate of 3.9%. Neither the precise amount borrowed nor the specific purpose of the funds was made public in the disclosure.
According to information on Schwab’s website, this type of credit line can be applied toward a broad range of financial needs, including home purchases and tax obligations. It also comes with no minimum draw requirement and no set maturity date.
Beyond the loan details, the filing shed light on another significant financial development: Trump’s family cryptocurrency ventures generated more than $1.4 billion in income last year. That figure highlights how dramatically digital assets have reshaped the president’s overall financial picture.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka kept her Wimbledon run alive Wednesday, defeating Russian qualifier Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2 in straight sets to advance to the third round under sunny London skies.
The Japanese 14th seed made her way onto Court Two in another eye-catching outfit — this time trading in the “Kill Bill” kimono she wore in the first round for a more understated dress featuring a decorative sash, a long train, and a bomber jacket. But her performance on the court was anything but understated.
Osaka moved through the opening set with ease before stepping up her intensity in the second, unleashing a powerful overhead smash to break serve and take a 4-2 advantage. She never wavered from there, closing out the match to reach the third round for the fourth time in her career.
While Osaka has yet to advance past the third round at the All England Club, she will next face either Australian Daria Kasatkina or Indonesian Janice Tjen. However, her thoughts after the match quickly turned to something more personal.
“Tomorrow is my daughter’s (third) birthday,” Osaka said. “I just wanted to be here for longer. I don’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday. I was really happy about today.”
“Obviously I have to practice in the morning, but maybe after we’ll go around the park and stuff. She loves making friends so yeah, we’ll probably do that,” she added.
Despite the U.S. dollar’s recent surge, most foreign exchange analysts still believe the greenback will lose ground in the months ahead — though a growing number of experts are pushing back on that view, according to a new Reuters poll.
A brief easing of U.S.-Israeli military tensions with Iran gave the dollar a boost of around 4% from its low point in May, sending crude oil prices back to pre-conflict levels. At the same time, long-dollar bets climbed to their highest point since January 2025, according to data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
The dollar has found additional support from persistently high U.S. inflation, a sturdy economy, elevated Treasury yields, and a June revelation that nearly half of Federal Reserve policymakers anticipate interest rate increases this year. Interest rate futures are currently pricing in close to two rate hikes before the end of 2025.
Yet analysts surveyed between June 26 and July 1 held firm to their longstanding prediction that the dollar will ultimately weaken. Poll median forecasts showed the euro climbing 2% to $1.16 by late September, reaching $1.17 by year-end, and hitting $1.18 within a year.
Jane Foley, head of FX strategy at Rabobank, offered one reason why: “There’s the possibility the Fed could end up cutting interest rates in 2027, so we’re more dovish than the market on the Fed. Those hikes getting priced out would weigh against the dollar,” she said, adding that she expects a choppy trading range in the near term.
Still, the poll revealed a notable split among forecasters. A strong 71% majority — 29 of 41 respondents — said current net-long dollar positions would hold or grow by the end of July. None of those surveyed expected a shift to net-short positioning.
Additionally, about one-third of strategists — 23 of 70 — predicted the euro-dollar rate would remain flat or even dip over the next three months, up from roughly 20% in June’s survey.
Bank of America FX strategist Alex Cohen said his team had recently revised its outlook upward. “We recently revised up our forecast to see additional dollar appreciation at least until the third quarter,” he said, noting he expects three Fed rate hikes this year.
Cohen also pointed to comments from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh as a key driver: “The way Warsh articulated things on the inflation front was a clear bullish-dollar signal in our view…and the data supports that. We’re looking for a much more hawkish outcome from the Fed relative to many other G10 central banks.”
The European Central Bank, which raised rates in June, is expected to hike only one more time this year.
Citibank’s head of G10 FX strategy, Dan Tobon, echoed a cautious tone, warning the euro could fall as low as $1.11 in the coming months — more than 4% below the poll’s median forecast.
“It’s not our base case we’re going to have this big inflationary wave…but if we get some upside surprises in the data, we’re likely to see even more hawkish repricing to a higher dollar. Whereas if the data misses, it’s not necessarily going to quickly unwind all the hawkishness priced in,” Tobon said.
On the other side of the globe, the Japanese yen has taken a significant hit from dollar strength, falling to a 40-year low earlier this week before weakening further to near 163 yen per dollar — a level that analysts say raises the likelihood of official government intervention.
Despite that pressure, poll respondents maintained their expectation for a gradual yen recovery over the next year, betting that elevated inflation will push the Bank of Japan to follow its recent rate hike with additional tightening measures. Median forecasts showed the yen strengthening to around 159 per dollar by late September, 156 by year-end, and 154 in a year’s time.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD reported a second consecutive month of rising global sales in June, with a dramatic jump in exports helping counterbalance sluggish demand within China.
Overall sales reached 403,472 vehicles last month, representing a 5.5% increase compared to June of the previous year, based on Reuters calculations drawn from a stock exchange filing released Wednesday. That follows a modest 0.3% uptick in May, which broke an eight-month streak of declining sales figures.
For context, BYD’s fastest-growing competitor, Leapmotor, posted a 95% year-over-year jump in June sales, moving 93,376 electrified vehicles during the month.
BYD’s international sales surged 94.7% compared to June 2025, totaling 175,349 vehicles sold abroad. That strong overseas performance helped soften the blow from China’s domestic market, where BYD’s sales dropped 22%, continuing a run of year-over-year declines that started in May 2025.
The company, widely regarded as Tesla’s biggest Chinese rival, is reportedly close to choosing a location for its second European manufacturing facility, following its existing plant in Hungary. A senior adviser to the company’s European operations made that disclosure on Wednesday.
At BYD’s annual shareholder meeting held last month in Shenzhen, Chairman Wang Chuanfu laid out a vision for the automaker to claim the title of world’s largest within five years. The announcement came as the company sought to reassure investors following a notable decline in its stock price.
Wang highlighted robust export growth and technological progress — including improvements to battery technology and rapid-charging capabilities — as the cornerstones of that goal.
BYD isn’t the only EV maker feeling the financial pressure. Competitors including Leapmotor, Li Auto, and Xiaomi have also seen their share prices struggle amid intensifying price wars and a dimming demand outlook across the industry.
Sales within China have been dragged down by several factors: reduced government subsidies, a prolonged downturn in the real estate market that has eroded household wealth and consumer confidence, and a buildup of unsold inventory at dealerships.
China remains the world’s largest automobile market, but the China Passenger Car Association now forecasts that car sales there will fall 11% this year — a steep downgrade from an earlier projection of just a 1% decline.
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — On a normal day, Alexander Delgado stands in front of a classroom teaching physical education at a school in the central Venezuelan state of Aragua. But for the past week, he has been leading a makeshift rescue crew — neighbors and out-of-state volunteers alike — digging through the wreckage of a public housing complex in search of survivors and victims of two powerful earthquakes that struck a coastal state and parts of Venezuela’s capital.
Citizens like Delgado, often armed with nothing more than shovels, ropes and their bare hands, have been trying to fill the gaps left by what they describe as a sluggish and insufficient government response to the country’s most powerful earthquakes in a century.
Adding to the difficulty, volunteers say, is interference from some Venezuelan military and police personnel who have allegedly blocked aid deliveries, seized donated supplies and looted items from destroyed buildings.
Venezuela’s Ministry of Communications, which handles media inquiries on behalf of the military and police, did not respond to requests for comment. Senior government officials have dismissed growing civilian anger and reports of military involvement in looting as misinformation, urging the public to disregard what they called “manipulation strategies on social networks” and trust only official information.
Delgado has no formal rescue training, though he learned basic first aid through his job. He traveled to La Guaira — the hardest-hit state — one day after the earthquakes struck to help however he could. In his view, ordinary citizens and international rescue teams have shouldered the bulk of the effort. “You see the firefighters, (Mexican rescue team) Los Topos, but you don’t see the state per se,” he said.
For five days, his crew worked under the scorching Caribbean sun, moving debris and straining to hear any sign of life beneath the wreckage. Local volunteers kept them going, bringing water, face masks, ice and detailed knowledge of the eight-tower Hugo Chavez housing development, six of whose towers have been reduced to rubble.
By the sixth day — Tuesday — two international rescue teams and some local firefighters were on site, along with one truck from Venezuela’s forensic service. Heavy equipment, however, remained absent. That afternoon, the crew discovered the body of a woman lying between a floor slab and other debris. Work stopped while they waited for the forensic service to remove her.
‘MAKING DO’
The criticism of the government’s disaster response comes as acting President Delcy Rodriguez works to consolidate her authority following the removal of her predecessor Nicolas Maduro in January.
“Delcy and company have been in charge for 26 years and they only have one script,” said Jimmy Story, who served as U.S. ambassador to Venezuela until 2023. “They take credit for anything positive, push blame for anything negative and try to control the narrative.”
President Donald Trump has praised the U.S. relationship with Rodriguez, and American companies have shown interest in opportunities ranging from oil to gold. The U.S. Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires John Barrett also expressed support for Rodriguez’s handling of the crisis, telling Univision on Monday that he had “a great deal of confidence” in local authorities.
Volunteers on the ground see things differently. Mijaed Diaz, a veterinarian who joined other volunteers from a university, clambered over the ruins of two collapsed towers looking for body bags for four people just pulled from the wreckage. “I would like more presence of public entities, who really are those responsible for this. But in the end we’re used to making do with almost nothing,” he said.
After initially welcoming civilian volunteers, the government reversed course on Friday and restricted public access to La Guaira, infuriating people who were trying to help locate survivors.
A government employee stationed at a checkpoint in La Guaira told Reuters on Sunday that they personally witnessed police officers and military personnel seize aid from three supply trucks, with those involved boasting about what they had managed to “score.” The employee, who asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation, also said the officers filmed themselves with shovels as if participating in rescue efforts before abruptly walking away.
FRUSTRATION VENTED OVER SOCIAL MEDIA
Some Venezuelans have taken to social media to express their outrage, posting videos that appear to show security forces picking through debris and taking clothing, appliances and cash. Reuters has not independently confirmed the authenticity of those videos. However, the Interior Ministry confirmed in a statement late Tuesday that four crime scene police officials had been detained and removed from their positions and would be investigated for “appropriating financial assets acquired amid the ruins.” The ministry added that police have generally been acting with transparency.
Other videos show armed Venezuelan military members standing by and watching as civilian volunteers and foreign rescue teams race to find survivors. Still, residents say some military and police personnel are genuinely contributing to the relief effort. One resident told Reuters she saw soldiers remove belongings from buildings at the request of residents, and Reuters witnesses reported that police and firefighters in Chacao, a well-off neighborhood in Caracas, have been working around the clock to respond to humanitarian needs.
Some Venezuelan nonprofits, whose operations had been severely curtailed by government restrictions on civil society enacted in 2024, have publicly stepped back into action to help survivors.
‘KNOCKING, AND NOTHING’
“We are operating and trying to show, once again, that our work is about supporting communities and not something for which we should be persecuted,” said Roberto Patino, founder of the NGO Alimenta La Solidaridad, which runs community kitchens. Since the disaster, the group has focused on getting food, medicine, equipment and Starlink internet antennas to the communities hit hardest.
The United Nations Development Programme estimates the earthquakes have caused approximately $6.7 billion in damage. The United States has pledged $350 million in aid, dispatched rescue teams and sent military personnel to help repair the airport. However, some observers have raised questions about billions of dollars from oil sales sitting in a U.S.-controlled account.
“While the response has been robust, it also calls into question the transparency over the oil fund,” said Story. “Will these funds be released for the disaster response?”
Miguel Poleo, a member of Delgado’s civilian rescue crew, arrived at Los Cocos immediately after the earthquakes, desperately searching for his stepdaughter, her husband and their son. His message about the government’s response was blunt: “We told them two days ago that there are survivors, that they are knocking, and nothing. They don’t help anyone.”
Italian technology company Bending Spoons made its entrance into the U.S. stock market on Wednesday after pricing its initial public offering higher than anticipated, pulling in $1.68 billion from the listing.
The debut is being closely watched as a gauge of how receptive investors are to software companies, a sector that took a beating earlier this year amid concerns that artificial intelligence could upend traditional business models.
Software firms have been largely on the sidelines of the U.S. IPO market through most of 2026, even as a strong wave of large deals — including a massive listing from SpaceX — pushed second-quarter IPO proceeds beyond the $100 billion mark for the first time on record.
Matt Kennedy, a senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, a firm that specializes in IPO research and exchange-traded funds, offered some perspective on what the listing means for the broader industry. “It’ll definitely be a data point for the software industry, but that may simply be due to the scarcity of deals here. Bending Spoons has a very different profile compared to most software IPOs in the pipeline,” he said.
The company operates with a strategy that blends elements of private equity with technology, acquiring digital businesses and then slashing staff and rebuilding their technology platforms. Unlike traditional private equity firms, however, Bending Spoons holds onto what it buys rather than selling it off.
Among its acquisitions since 2025 are streaming service Brightcove, video platform Vimeo, internet brand AOL, and ticketing company Eventbrite.
The Milan-based company and its selling shareholders offered 58 million shares at $29 each — above the originally marketed range of $26 to $28 per share. Based on outstanding shares disclosed in regulatory filings, the IPO placed Bending Spoons’ total value at $18.4 billion.
The company’s unusual name draws inspiration from a scene in the science-fiction movie “The Matrix.” Its origins trace back to 2013, when it rose from the collapse of a diary app called Evertale. CEO Luca Ferrari and his co-founders used the $40,000 remaining after Evertale’s liquidation to launch what would become one of Europe’s most recognized technology companies.
Growth has come through more than 50 acquisitions, and the company shows no signs of slowing down. According to its IPO prospectus, Bending Spoons has identified over 1,000 digital businesses it considers potential future targets.
Kennedy offered a measured take on the company’s story: “It’s an interesting story, and they’ve done a good job creating a cohesive narrative around owning more than 50 businesses. The ‘fix it with AI’ pitch makes sense in theory, though we would have liked to see a longer track record.”
Drivers heading northbound on Jump School House Road are facing a lane closure this afternoon due to ongoing construction work in the area.
The northbound lanes between Spectrum Farms Road and Sandtown Road are expected to remain closed until 4:00 PM. The closure is directly related to construction activity in that stretch of roadway.
Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time or seek an alternate route to avoid delays during the closure period.
The National Weather Service has put an Extreme Heat Warning into place for New Castle County and the surrounding region, covering a stretch that runs from this Wednesday through the Fourth of July holiday.
The warning took effect at noon on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, and is set to remain active until 8:00 PM on Saturday, July 4, 2026. That means dangerous heat conditions are expected to grip the area for the entire holiday weekend.
Forecasters are warning that heat index values — which reflect how hot it actually feels when humidity is factored in — are anticipated to climb to hazardous levels during this period. Residents are urged to take the warning seriously and take steps to stay safe in the extreme heat.
Officials recommend staying indoors during the hottest parts of the day, drinking plenty of water, and checking on elderly neighbors, young children, and pets. Cooling centers may be available in the area for those without access to air conditioning.
Nepal is confronting a rapidly expanding bird flu outbreak that has forced authorities to cull over half a million birds and place government quarantine facilities on high alert, officials announced Wednesday.
The first confirmed case this year emerged in March and has since reached 11 of the nation’s 77 districts, including the capital city of Kathmandu. Despite the spread, no human infections have been recorded.
According to Mukul Upadhyaya, spokesperson for the Department of Livestock Services, a total of 658,313 chickens have been killed, along with the destruction of more than one million eggs and 222,000 kilograms — roughly 489,400 pounds — of poultry feed.
“It is under control in other places except in Kathmandu Valley, where cases are severe,” Upadhyaya told Reuters.
Nepal’s only zoo, located in Kathmandu, shut its doors to visitors on June 19 after infections were found there. Zoo spokesperson Ganesh Koirala confirmed that several animals have died, including vultures, ducks, and some leopard cats.
Livestock specialists are actively monitoring the situation and supervising culling operations throughout the affected areas, officials said.
While Nepal does not import poultry meat, authorities have increased surveillance along its open border with India to stop any illegal smuggling of poultry products, Upadhyaya added.
The government is calling on citizens to immediately notify livestock authorities if they observe any unusual sickness or unexplained deaths among birds.
Westbound travelers on Route 14 are being asked to use caution as construction work has prompted a shoulder closure and lane shifts in the area.
The restrictions are in effect between Canterbury Road and Church Hill Road, with drivers advised to expect altered traffic patterns through the work zone.
The shoulder closure and lane shifts are expected to remain in place until 5 p.m. Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes if possible.
A stretch of Farm Lane between Henry Cowgill Road and Willow Grove Road is currently experiencing an intermittent lane closure tied to ongoing construction work.
The closure is expected to remain in effect until 6 PM, and drivers in the area may encounter delays or brief stoppages as crews work in the roadway.
Travelers heading through that corridor are encouraged to allow extra time or consider using an alternate route until the construction activity wraps up for the day.
Outdoor lovers in Virginia have a convenient new tool at their fingertips. The free GoOutdoorsVA app is designed to make it easier than ever to manage everything from licenses to harvest records, all from a mobile device.
Users can purchase and sync their licenses directly through the app, as well as record their harvests and look up the latest regulations. The app also includes practical features like current weather conditions, tide charts, and feeding time information to help plan the perfect outing.
For many car shoppers, electric vehicles still carry a price tag that puts them out of reach. But a handful of more budget-friendly options are available that still deliver solid range and everyday practicality. The Nissan Leaf is one of the best examples — it first hit the market for the 2011 model year, making it the longest-running EV on sale today, and it remains one of the cheapest ways to make the switch to electric. The 2026 model has been completely redesigned with a sharper look and an EPA-estimated maximum range of over 300 miles.
Returning to challenge the Leaf is the Chevrolet Bolt, which is back for 2027 after sitting out for three years. The revamped Bolt brings improved technology and greater range. Both compact EVs carry starting prices near $30,000, making them attractive alternatives if vehicles from Hyundai, Tesla, or Toyota are beyond your budget. Automotive experts at Edmunds put both cars through their paces to help determine which one comes out ahead.
Range
The EPA estimates the 2027 Bolt can travel 262 miles on a full charge — more than enough for daily commutes and the occasional longer trip. The Leaf has a potential advantage with an EPA-estimated maximum of 303 miles. In Edmunds’ own real-world range testing, however, the two were closer: the Bolt covered 290 miles while the Leaf managed 310 miles.
Both vehicles accelerate at a similar pace, each going from zero to 60 mph in roughly 7 seconds during Edmunds’ evaluations. Still, Edmunds’ testers gave the nod to the Bolt when it came to the overall driving experience. Its responsive handling makes it well-suited for navigating tight urban streets, whereas the Leaf felt somewhat stiff and bouncy on uneven road surfaces.
At public fast-charging stations, the Bolt also showed an edge, recovering range more quickly than the Leaf in Edmunds’ testing.
Winner: Bolt
Technology
Drivers who prioritize in-car technology will likely lean toward the Leaf. It features a 12.3-inch touchscreen alongside a second 12.3-inch digital gauge display, with an option to upgrade both screens to 14.3 inches. The Leaf also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, letting drivers access their smartphone apps directly on the touchscreen without plugging anything in.
The Bolt comes with dual 11-inch screens but does not offer a size upgrade. It also does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, relying instead on Google Built-In, an integrated Android-based system. Apps like Waze and Apple Music can be downloaded through the Google app store, but Edmunds found the CarPlay and Android Auto experience more convenient overall.
One area where the Bolt stands out is its available Super Cruise feature, which allows hands-free highway driving to ease driver fatigue in stop-and-go traffic or during long stretches on the road. Even so, the Leaf holds the overall technology advantage.
Winner: Leaf
Interior and Cargo Space
Both vehicles share a crossover-inspired design with elevated rooflines, comfortable cabin room, and comparable headroom. Rear-seat passengers have more room to stretch out in the Bolt, which offers 7.3 additional inches of legroom compared to the Leaf — a bonus for families needing to fit rear-facing child safety seats.
The Leaf makes up ground in cargo capacity, offering 20 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats versus the Bolt’s 16.2 cubic feet. Nissan also adds a convenient underfloor storage compartment, providing a secure spot for valuables or smaller items.
Winner: Leaf
Value and Pricing
The Bolt LT kicks off at $28,995 including the destination charge, currently making it the least expensive new electric vehicle available. Standard features include core convenience items along with driver assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning and intervention. Stepping up to the Bolt RS adds amenities like synthetic leather seating, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a heated steering wheel for a few thousand dollars more.
The Leaf S+ trim starts at $31,535 and also comes well-equipped with driver aids and a standard surround-view camera system useful for parking in confined spaces. However, buyers will generally spend more on a Leaf — a fully optioned Leaf Platinum+ runs around $40,000, compared to approximately $37,500 for a fully loaded Bolt RS.
Winner: Bolt
Bottom Line
Both the Bolt and the Leaf are strong contenders in the affordable EV segment — so much so that Edmunds gave them identical overall scores. If you want more range, better tech features, and extra cargo room, the Leaf is the way to go. If you prefer sharper handling around town and a lower price point, the Bolt is the smarter pick.
This comparison was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. Dan Frio is a contributor at Edmunds.
Three high-ranking commanders within Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been identified in a newly released report by Amnesty International, which accuses them of directing war crimes during the siege and takeover of el-Fasher, a city in North Darfur, last October.
The report was unveiled Wednesday in Nairobi, the capital of neighboring Kenya. At the launch event, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard stated that the Rapid Support Forces — known as the RSF — carried out crimes against humanity and acts of ethnic cleansing during the assault. Callamard called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the deployment of a United Nations protection force to keep civilians safe.
The RSF’s capture of el-Fasher in October 2025 resulted in more than 6,000 deaths over a span of just three days — an assault that United Nations experts described as bearing the “hallmarks of genocide.”
As part of its investigation, Amnesty International reviewed nine videos. The footage allegedly showed one RSF commander executing civilians, a second torturing detainees, and a third giving orders to torture prisoners.
Callamard outlined a sweeping list of crimes she said the RSF committed, including murder, forcible transfer, imprisonment, torture, rape, sexual slavery, other forms of sexual violence, enslavement, extermination, and persecution. She urged world leaders to step in and put an end to attacks on civilians that she said continue “unhindered.”
“It also requires strengthening accountability by ensuring sufficient support for all existing accountability mechanisms for Sudan, including the International Criminal Court, and U.N. and African Union-backed fact-finding missions. Commanders identified in this report should be investigated and, where there is sufficient admissible evidence, prosecuted,” Callamard said.
The RSF has not issued any response to the Amnesty International report. The rights organization said it sent the findings to the paramilitary group’s leader, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, last month but received no reply.
The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, stemming from long-standing tensions between the country’s military and the RSF. Since then, the war has claimed the lives of at least 59,000 people, forced roughly 13 million people from their homes, and driven large portions of the country into famine. More than 30 million people are currently in need of humanitarian aid.
LONDON (AP) — Two British police officers are facing a potential gross misconduct investigation after they placed handcuffs on and arrested an 18-year-old who had been stabbed and was dying, the Independent Office for Police Conduct announced Wednesday.
The officers, who belong to the Hampshire Constabulary, were the first to respond to the scene in December 2025 after Henry Nowak was stabbed in the southern England coastal city of Southampton. The man who killed him, Vickrum Digwa, who is Sikh, gave officers a false account, claiming he had been the victim of a racist attack carried out by Nowak, who was white.
Body camera footage captured Nowak’s final moments, showing him in handcuffs telling the responding officers that he had been stabbed and was unable to breathe. The video sparked significant public outrage after it became widely known.
The police conduct office stated that the two officers “may have potentially breached the professional behavior standards of duties and responsibilities, use of force, and discreditable conduct.”
Derrick Campbell, the director of engagement at the IOPC, noted that the investigation “does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow. At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.”
The watchdog agency is also examining whether race or religion influenced the officers’ decision-making during the incident. Far-right activists and politicians later used Nowak’s death to push claims that the justice system is biased against white people.
Following the conviction of Digwa, 23, for murder last month — for which he was sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in prison — violence broke out in Southampton.
Popular weight loss medications known as GLP-1 drugs just became significantly more affordable for millions of older Americans enrolled in Medicare.
Beginning Wednesday, the federal government launched a new initiative called Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, offering select brand-name GLP-1 medications to qualifying Medicare and Medicare Advantage members for a flat rate of $50 per month.
The program is set to run through December 31, 2027, and marks the first time most older adults can have GLP-1 drugs — formally known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists — covered by insurance specifically for weight loss purposes. However, the program comes with eligibility requirements, and those who already receive GLP-1 coverage for conditions like diabetes or sleep apnea will not be eligible.
The administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, said the program is designed to gather data that could pave the way for more permanent coverage options, while also providing immediate financial relief to older Americans struggling with the high cost of these drugs.
“The sheer cost of these medications is a huge barrier to access,” he said during a call with reporters. “That ends today.”
Of the more than 70 million Americans currently enrolled in Medicare, at least 10 million are classified as overweight or obese, according to Juliette Cubanski, vice president and director of the program on Medicare policy at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF. However, she noted that only a smaller portion of that group will actually be able to access this new program.
There is currently no solid data on how many people stand to benefit, and Dr. Oz declined to offer an estimate. He said the program itself will reveal how many eligible enrollees choose to participate — a figure his team is eager to track.
To be eligible, applicants must have Medicare drug coverage and either a body mass index of 35 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher combined with a qualifying health condition such as a prior heart attack or stroke, prediabetes, or another condition listed on the CMS website. Importantly, BMI is measured from when a patient first began GLP-1 therapy — meaning someone whose BMI has since dropped below the threshold may still qualify if their starting BMI met the requirement.
People with Medicare who have sleep apnea, diabetes, or fatty liver disease are excluded from this program, though their Medicare Part D coverage may still pay for GLP-1 drugs based on those diagnoses.
Those who believe they may qualify are encouraged to reach out to their healthcare provider first. The provider will need to submit a prescription for one of the covered drugs to a pharmacy and complete a prior authorization form, according to CMS guidance.
The medications covered under the program include Eli Lilly’s Foundayo tablets and Zepbound KwikPens, as well as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy injections and tablets — all of which have received Food and Drug Administration approval for weight loss.
Participants will pay $50 per month regardless of their dosage level. However, those payments will not count toward insurance deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums, since Medicare — not the Part D insurer — is directly subsidizing the prescriptions.
Because Congress has not passed legislation permanently authorizing Medicare to cover weight loss drugs, the federal government’s ability to continue access beyond 2027 is limited. One option would be for Congress to pass such a law. Another possibility is a separate voluntary pilot program called BALANCE, though that initiative was indefinitely delayed earlier this year after many Part D insurers were reluctant to participate.
Dr. Oz told reporters that CMS intends to “carefully track participation and outcomes” to determine whether extending the Bridge program or pursuing another approach is the best path forward. He told the Associated Press that permanent federal legislation allowing coverage is “not essential right now” but is “for Congress to debate amongst themselves.”
“We can’t decide what’s going to happen long term with Bridge until we see some of the data,” he said, adding that negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to reduce costs are still ongoing.
GLP-1 medications have grown enormously in popularity in recent years, with many patients reporting significant weight loss. But the price tag — which can reach hundreds of dollars per month at higher doses — has kept the drugs out of reach for many.
For 78-year-old California resident Gloria Dralla, who told the AP she has lost around 40 pounds after purchasing lower-cost Wegovy in Europe, the new program means she can continue a treatment that has meaningfully improved her quality of life.
“This drug should be made available at a reasonable price for everybody who’s got weight loss problems,” she said.
Not everyone, however, is confident they will benefit. Katie Smith, 71, of Virginia, said she is uncertain whether she meets the eligibility requirements. With a BMI of 33, she does not meet the higher threshold and is unsure whether she has a qualifying health condition. Smith, whose ability to move and exercise has been severely restricted since a spinal cord injury she suffered in her 20s, said she was previously quoted $700 a month for the medications — a cost she simply cannot afford.
“I cannot tell you how frustrated I am,” she said. “I have the drive and I have the willingness and I have the motivation, but I have not been able to lose weight in all the conventional ways.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Twain offered some timeless advice about patriotism back in 1905, and his words seem especially fitting as Americans come together this week to celebrate a major national milestone.
“Our patriotism is medieval, outworn, obsolete,” Twain wrote. “The modern patriotism, the true patriotism, the only rational patriotism, is loyalty to the Nation all the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it.”
As the nation marks 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, Americans on both sides of the political divide are joining in the festivities. Whether the celebrations offer a temporary escape from the country’s sharp divisions — or deepen them — remains to be seen.
It is a moment of national pride, but also one marked by uncertainty and disagreement.
Americans express their love of country in very different ways. Some embrace the nation as it stands today. Others push for change, driven by the historic call for a “more perfect union.” Still others long for a return to what they see as a better past — the foundation of the MAGA movement.
Meanwhile, belief in American exceptionalism appears to be fading. An April poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that more Americans believe other countries are just as good as — or better than — the United States, rather than believing the U.S. is the absolute best. Forty-four percent said the U.S. is simply one of the best countries in the world.
This is a far cry from the era of President Teddy Roosevelt, whose presidential library President Donald Trump is visiting in North Dakota on Wednesday. Roosevelt embodied a nation surging with innovation, industrial power, military strength, and bold ambition.
Today, the president carries his own brand of boldness, but millions of Americans are left wondering whether the country is holding together.
Even the planning of the 250th birthday celebration has become a source of conflict. Two organizations are each claiming to be the rightful leader of the national commemoration, largely ignoring one another.
Congress created the bipartisan America250 group a decade ago, giving it legal authority to organize local, national, and international events for the anniversary. President Trump then issued an executive order establishing his own Freedom 250 group as “the” official national organization overseeing the celebrations.
High-profile events — including Fourth of July fireworks at the National Mall, a parade of tall ships in New York, and the Great American State Fair along the National Mall — fall under Freedom 250’s umbrella. Several musical acts that had been scheduled for the fair’s opening last week pulled out, worried the event would become politically focused and centered on Trump. The president stepped in to fill the gap, calling himself the “No. 1 attraction” and delivering a speech on June 24 about American greatness and his own accomplishments. He is also set to headline the official July Fourth events in Washington, which he described as “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all.”
America250, the congressionally established group, organized a separate series of events called America’s Block Party — simultaneous gatherings around the country anchored by a Fourth of July benefit concert in Los Angeles hosted by Queen Latifah, featuring performers including Chris Stapleton and the Smashing Pumpkins.
Under its congressional mandate, America250 also buried a 900-pound (400-kilogram) time capsule in Philadelphia, filled with items from all 50 states and all branches of government. It won’t be opened for another 250 years.
When the people of 2276 crack it open, they’ll find a major league baseball lineup from 2026, poems from Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, and other states, postcards from Colorado and Maine, beaded artwork from Montana, an Oklahoma belt buckle, a message in a vintage Coca-Cola bottle, a pocket Constitution signed by U.S. justices, a George Washington Lord’s Prayer gold medal from Utah connected to the Wedding of the Rails event marking the 1869 completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, and much more.
In Philadelphia — where the founders signed the Declaration of Independence — 250 people will form the shape of the Liberty Bell as part of a parade featuring 50 marching bands and Miss America delegates representing every state.
Of course, Americans don’t need a government-organized event to celebrate. Thousands of smaller, grassroots gatherings are happening all across the country.
In Evans, Pennsylvania, the Circle of Friends Choir will perform patriotic songs a cappella at a community event that also includes a patriotic trivia contest and a barbershop quartet.
In Pocatello, Idaho, drag queens organized a reading of patriotic picture books for children, including the story of Katharine Lee Bates — the woman whose visit to the Colorado Rockies inspired her to write the poem that became “America the Beautiful.”
Twain, known for his sharp criticism of American government and imperialism, nonetheless shared a deep love for his country’s natural landscape and its people — at least some of the time. “We glorious Americans will occasionally astonish the God that created us,” he once wrote.
And long before “Make America Great Again” entered the political conversation, Twain was already mourning what he felt had been lost.
“We are called the nation of inventors,” he said. “And we are. We could still claim that title and wear its loftiest honors if we had stopped with the first thing we ever invented, which was human liberty.”
Despite a challenging economic environment, U.S. vehicle sales appear to have held their ground through the second quarter, with automakers expected to release figures Wednesday showing results on par with a year ago.
American shoppers have been navigating a tough stretch since early spring — dealing with sharply higher fuel costs, rising inflation, job market anxiety, and concerns stemming from the Iran war. Even so, research firm Cox Automotive projects roughly 4.16 million vehicles were sold during the quarter, essentially unchanged from the same period last year.
Dealers and industry analysts point to a handful of forces keeping the market stable. A growing portion of vehicle buyers are higher-income consumers who are less affected by inflation and fuel price swings. At the same time, borrowing costs have eased slightly in recent months, giving shoppers a bit of financial breathing room, according to research firm JD Power. Hybrid vehicles have also gained traction among buyers looking to cut down on gas costs, which has helped prop up overall sales numbers.
“The new-vehicle market has been essentially shrugging off the Iran war and this huge run-up that we’ve had in oil prices and fuel prices,” said Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive.
Historically, the car industry tends to shrink during times of war and energy shocks. Sales dropped in the months after the U.S. entered Iraq in 2003, and again in 2008 when gas prices climbed above $4 per gallon for the first time. This time around, the market is being cushioned by what economists call a “K-shaped” recovery — a situation where higher-earning Americans keep spending on big purchases while those with lower incomes fall further behind.
Data from S&P Global Mobility shows that buyers with household incomes of $100,000 or less made up just 36% of new vehicle sales last year, a significant drop from 51% as recently as 2020.
The average price paid for a new vehicle in June came in at around $46,400, up about 1% from a year earlier, though still below its all-time peak, according to JD Power. On a more encouraging note for buyers, the average interest rate on a new car loan dropped by roughly one-third of a percentage point in June, landing at 6.66% — the lowest level in four years, JD Power reported.
Consumers are also stretching out how long they finance their vehicles to bring down monthly costs. According to Edmunds, 20% of buyers in the first quarter opted for 84-month loan terms. That strategy appears to be working: monthly car payments as a share of disposable income fell to 13.3% in the first quarter, according to a new report from AlixPartners.
Meanwhile, high gas prices haven’t triggered a mass switch to electric vehicles, but they have pushed more shoppers toward fuel-efficient hybrid models, Cox Automotive data shows. The firm found that 56% of shoppers say rising gas prices make them more inclined to look at hybrids. Through May, hybrid sales in the U.S. climbed 17%, according to Motor Intelligence.
“Every hot product I have is a hybrid or an electric,” said Jim Walen, a Seattle dealer with Hyundai and Stellantis stores.
The hybrid boom has been a particular boon for Toyota Motor, which leads the industry in hybrid sales. Cox analysts say the trend could be enough to push Toyota ahead of General Motors for the top spot in overall U.S. sales this year. Toyota last claimed that title in 2021, which was the first time in nearly a century that GM had been knocked from the number one position.
The world-renowned Calgary Stampede opened its gates Friday, but the festive atmosphere is being overshadowed by a growing movement to separate Alberta from Canada — a debate that is stirring up conflict at rodeos and summer events throughout the oil-rich province.
In October, Alberta residents will cast ballots in a non-binding referendum asking whether the province should begin the constitutionally required legal steps toward eventually holding a binding independence vote. It marks the first time any Canadian province outside of Quebec has ever brought such a question to the public.
The tension has already disrupted some events. In the central Alberta town of Sundre, organizers called off an annual rodeo parade after they chose to ban a pro-independence float from participating — a decision that triggered what organizers described as a wave of hostile messages online. The organizers did not respond to a request for comment.
At the Ponoka Stampede, a booth set up by Alberta separatists under a “let’s talk” banner drew both curious visitors and frustrated attendees who simply wanted to enjoy a beloved summer tradition without the political noise.
“I’m getting tired of hearing about it because it’s just causing a lot of people to be stressed or angry with each other for no reason,” said Leanne Brown, a retired police officer who was at the Ponoka event, located roughly 150 kilometers — about 93 miles — northeast of Sundre. “It’s a little too much all of the time.”
Not everyone shared that frustration. Chris Parsons, 44, who works in the oil and gas industry and backs Alberta independence, said he was pleased to see separatists represented both in a parade and at a fairground booth alongside the rodeo.
“Maybe they — the federal government — will take us a little bit more seriously,” Parsons said.
An Ipsos poll conducted in early June found that support for Alberta independence has dropped 10 percentage points since January. Just 19% of voters now say they support the province starting the process to leave the Canadian federation.
The October 19 referendum question will not directly trigger a split from Canada. Rather, it will ask voters whether the Alberta government should initiate the legal steps required by the constitution before any future binding independence vote could take place.
Supporters of separation have long expressed frustration with the environmental policies advanced under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, arguing those policies damaged Alberta’s oil and gas sector.
Trudeau’s successor, Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, has been working to address some of those concerns through a federal-provincial agreement designed to help Alberta expand its energy industry. Carney confirmed he will attend this year’s Calgary Stampede. Speaking to reporters last week, he declared that Canada “is the greatest country in the world.”
“We’re not perfect, we can get better, but Canada’s worth fighting for. And standing up for Canada and supporting Canada is important,” Carney said. Carney, who largely grew up in Edmonton — Alberta’s provincial capital — previously led the Bank of England in 2016 when Britain held its referendum to leave the European Union. He has referred to the vote being pursued by Alberta’s right-wing provincial government as a “dangerous bluff.”
Officials in Ottawa are also concerned that the referendum could undermine Carney’s efforts to present a unified Canadian position during the upcoming renegotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Carney is scheduled to be in Alberta on Wednesday for Canada Day celebrations.
The Calgary Stampede is far more than a rodeo — it’s a 10-day celebration of Western Canadian culture drawing people from across the country and around the world. The event, Alberta’s largest tourist attraction, features chuckwagon racing, pancake breakfasts, live concerts, and what is billed as the world’s largest outdoor rodeo. It’s a tradition that brings together people from all walks of life, from young children to top business executives.
Politicians from across the political spectrum routinely attend the Stampede and other Alberta summer events, which serve as major networking opportunities.
Neither those pushing for independence nor those advocating for a united Canada will have a float in the official Calgary Stampede parade this year — applications closed back in February, according to a Stampede spokeswoman. However, many unofficial Stampede-related events are organized by community groups and politicians. The spokeswoman noted that the Stampede remains focused on “bringing people together through Western hospitality and community spirit.”
American and Iranian officials sat down for technical negotiations in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday, working toward a durable ceasefire and an agreement on how ships will move through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a source with direct knowledge of the discussions and an Iranian official.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to meet with Qatar’s prime minister — who is serving as a mediator alongside Pakistan — to help set the stage for the negotiations. However, neither Kushner nor Witkoff participated directly in the talks themselves, the source said.
The negotiations are rooted in a 14-point interim agreement that was signed last month. That accord was intended to bring a halt to the conflict that erupted following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch a 60-day window for negotiating a permanent peace arrangement.
Despite that framework, the two nations have publicly disagreed over what the interim deal actually means, and that tension has fueled a series of back-and-forth military strikes over the past week.
Two senior Iranian sources said Wednesday that Iran is firmly committed to gaining international recognition of its authority over the strait, including the right to collect fees from vessels entering or leaving the Gulf — by force if necessary.
Shipping through the strait has partially resumed. Before the war broke out, the waterway handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade.
The Doha talks are organized into sessions involving lead negotiators and subject-matter specialists, the source familiar with the proceedings said. Discussions began Tuesday night and were still ongoing Wednesday, according to the Iranian official.
Iran has publicly identified two top priorities: reaching an agreement on management of the Strait of Hormuz and securing the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets. The Iranian official confirmed those two issues are the focus of the current round of talks. The U.S., for its part, has stated its primary goal is ensuring ships can move freely through the strait.
Iran’s state media reported Wednesday that a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after drifting into shallow waters outside the shipping lane designated by Iranian authorities.
Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis firm Vanda Insights, described the situation in the strait as incomplete: “Hormuz continues to reopen but it’s patchy, unpredictable, and not fully transparent.”
The war has had wide-ranging consequences, including Iranian attacks on Gulf states that host U.S. military installations, thousands of deaths — primarily in Iran and Lebanon — and a significant rise in oil and fuel costs.
President Trump is also facing political pressure to limit the economic damage from the conflict ahead of November’s midterm elections, which will decide which party controls Congress. In Iran, the country’s theocratic government survived the war but is dealing with public anger over a badly damaged economy.
Oil prices, which already dropped sharply during the second quarter of the year, fell by more than 1% on Wednesday.
The interim agreement also addresses a separate but related conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. The U.S. has supported a parallel set of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon’s government, which produced a security framework. However, Hezbollah has rejected that framework, and analysts caution it could cement Israel’s ongoing presence in southern Lebanon.
Diplomatic activity surrounding Lebanon was described as intense in the period leading up to Tuesday evening, according to the source with knowledge of the broader talks.
Authorities in South Africa arrested more than 900 individuals during anti-migrant protests that took place on Tuesday, according to a senior police official who spoke out on Wednesday.
The large-scale arrests came as demonstrations against migrants swept through the country, prompting a significant law enforcement response.
Several people lost their lives Wednesday morning when a fire broke out at a ten-story apartment building in Antwerp, Belgium, according to local police.
Firefighters received an emergency call at 9:53 a.m. local time — 7:53 a.m. GMT — reporting a “raging fire” on the eighth floor of the building, which is located in Antwerp’s Linkeroever neighborhood, police announced on their website.
The apartment block was home to more than 200 residents, all of whom were evacuated from the building. Police confirmed that in addition to the fatalities, several people sustained injuries in the incident.
Fire crews from multiple districts converged on the scene to battle the blaze.
Authorities issued a public safety warning to people living near the building, stating: “We ask local residents affected by the smoke to close windows and doors and, if necessary, switch off ventilation.”
Motorists traveling along Atlanta Road should plan for traffic disruptions as construction crews work in the area.
Lane shifts in both directions, along with intermittent lane closures, are in place between West Stein Highway and Brighton Drive. Drivers should use caution and allow extra travel time while passing through the affected stretch of road.
The construction-related traffic impacts are expected to remain in effect until 4:00 PM. Drivers are encouraged to consider alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.
Motorists traveling southbound on Route 13 near the Route 40 split should be aware of an active lane closure in the area.
The right lane heading toward Shaffer Boulevard is currently closed. Drivers are advised to plan accordingly and allow for extra travel time through the affected stretch.
The lane closure is expected to be lifted by 6 a.m. Until then, travelers should use caution and watch for any traffic control measures in the area.
A significant heat wave is gripping a large portion of the eastern United States this week, and it is colliding directly with the World Cup’s knockout round schedule.
Dangerous conditions are expected at multiple match venues as temperatures soar across the region. An NPR analysis of historical weather data found that a July 4th match scheduled in Philadelphia stands out as especially likely to see hazardous heat during game time.
Fans traveling to attend World Cup matches are being warned to prepare for extreme temperatures and take appropriate safety measures while outdoors.
Northbound travelers on Route 1 near the Roth Bridge should be aware of a significant lane closure currently in effect.
Two right lanes on Route 1 northbound at the Roth Bridge have been shut down as crews respond to an incident in the area. The closures are expected to impact traffic flow for drivers passing through that stretch of roadway.
Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time or seek alternate routes to avoid potential backups in the area. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
At a World Cup-themed event for toddlers held at a suburban Kansas City library — roughly 20 miles from the stadium hosting six tournament matches — little Jude Cornell was among a group of tiny children chasing soccer balls, flinging training cones, and dragging a very moveable goalie net around the room.
“He just started walking,” his mother, 27-year-old Kyra Cornell, said with a laugh. She’s already daydreaming about her son’s future in the sport.
Scenes like this are playing out as experts across the country keep a close eye on whether the World Cup will give youth soccer a meaningful boost — and create fans who will follow the game for generations.
Soccer already holds a strong position among youth sports in America. According to a report from the Aspen Institute, 7.5% of children between ages 6 and 12 played youth soccer in 2024. That figure represents a slight decline from a decade ago, but only baseball and basketball posted higher participation numbers.
Eighteen-year-old Haley Garbowski offers a glimpse of what that youth participation can produce. A midfielder who has lost count of how many professional women’s soccer matches she’s attended, Garbowski was volunteering at a summer sports camp on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro area just days after her private Missouri high school claimed a state championship title.
“We were killing it,” she said, reflecting on the victory in the small school division. This fall, she heads to San Diego State University to study business, with an eye toward a career in sports marketing.
Her grandparents? Not soccer fans. Her mother eventually came around to the sport — but only after Garbowski dug through an old yearbook and discovered her high school even had a soccer team.
Michael Lewis, a professor at Emory University who studies the crossroads of sports analytics and sports marketing, says this kind of slow-building enthusiasm is exactly what he’d expect.
“Soccer is a generational story that’s building generation after generation, but it takes a long, long time,” Lewis said.
Broadly speaking, soccer still trails far behind baseball, basketball, and American football in terms of fan loyalty. Research from Ipsos Sports indicates that only about one in ten Americans consider themselves fans of either U.S. or international soccer.
Lewis noted that Baby Boomers grew up with the traditional “big three” sports, and that early exposure shapes what they watch as adults. Ipsos data confirms that Americans 65 and older are especially likely to identify as fans of those three sports. However, market researchers see more promise among millennials and members of Gen Z — those currently between 14 and 29 years old.
The story of soccer’s slow climb in America goes back decades. In the 1970s, the now-defunct North American Soccer League brought in international stars like Pelé, the three-time World Cup winner from Brazil. By the 1980s, American kids were playing the game — including girls, who gained access to school sports through Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education.
But early coaches — often gym teachers or parents — had little background in the sport. Some learned the rules from books. In communities where football ruled, soccer faced real resistance, with fears it would pull athletes away from the gridiron. Players endured taunts and slurs, and were sometimes even accused of being communists.
“I cannot repeat the things I got called,” said Darin White, 58, who played and later coached soccer at the college level before becoming the executive director of the Center for Sports Analytics at Samford University in Alabama.
Still, kids kept playing. The U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994, and Major League Soccer launched its first season two years after that. Today’s parents often played the game themselves. Competitive travel teams are now commonplace. MLS has invested in player development through its MLS Next program, the quality of play has improved, and television viewership has risen.
Research from Ipsos shows that roughly half of American sports fans say they got into a sport because of a family connection or because they grew up rooting for a specific team — a dynamic that bodes well for soccer as more parents with playing experience raise the next generation.
The women’s game has also been a significant driver of soccer’s growth, according to Nicholas Watanabe, a professor at the University of South Carolina and author of “The Beautiful Game?”, a book examining soccer’s future. Girls who play as children become fans. Their participation also helps keep youth leagues large enough to remain financially sustainable.
“Without the success and long-standing growth, I don’t think you get this side-by-side effect that also I think has helped the men’s team, too,” Watanabe said.
One example of that momentum is the Kansas City Current, the National Women’s Soccer League team whose stadium is recognized as the first built specifically for a women’s soccer team. The club’s ownership group includes Brittany Mahomes, a former college soccer player and wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Current is serving as the host team for the Netherlands during the World Cup and sent staff members to assist at the camp where Garbowski was volunteering.
Experts are careful to point out that soccer is still not the NFL, which dominates a crowded American sports market.
“The question isn’t, ‘Why aren’t we as big as football?’ Well, we’re not, but we are way closer than the last time we hosted the World Cup,” said White, who is researching how Americans develop a connection to the sport.
Challenges remain. The world’s top players still largely compete in European leagues, and many dedicated American fans follow those overseas clubs rather than MLS teams — which limits the money flowing back into developing the sport domestically. But White pointed out that American players are increasingly breaking into those elite European leagues, and the sport’s young U.S. fan base is one that marketers are highly motivated to reach.
“I am more hopeful right now than I’ve ever been in my life,” White said. “And I’ve been a soccer missionary, if you will.”
Back at the library in Lenexa, Kansas, one mother steadied her 1-year-old daughter’s hands as the little girl toddled toward a ball and gave it a kick with a chubby bare foot. Nearby, another toddler practiced saying “Messi” — the last name of the Argentine star whose team is based close to the area during the tournament.
Jude Cornell, meanwhile, had moved on from tossing cones to tugging at his ears — joining several other toddlers sidelined not by injury, but by teething.
His mother asked the 17-month-old if he wanted to play soccer, noting that some local programs accept children as young as 2. He didn’t answer.
“You don’t know,” she said. “Maybe like next spring or summer we start trying.”
WASHINGTON — A new generation of defense technology startups is taking an unconventional approach to building weapons faster and cheaper, drawing on supply chains from the auto industry, oil and gas sector, and even pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The push comes as demand for rocket motors — used to power missiles and other weapons — has skyrocketed. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 through the U.S. attack on Iran, the United States has burned through more than 50,000 rockets, missiles, and other projectiles, according to Pentagon data. In response, Washington is committing $53 billion and loosening procurement rules to boost production of critical missiles and rockets.
Top executives at major defense contractors including Lockheed, Boeing, and Raytheon parent RTX have all sounded the alarm that shortages of solid rocket motors are slowing missile production. That gap has opened the door for Silicon Valley-style startups eager to compete — and profit — in a sector long controlled by a handful of established players, according to ten industry executives, experts, and U.S. officials who spoke with Reuters.
These newcomers still have a lot to prove. None have yet scaled up to the level needed to replace legacy contractors, though many are already producing rocket motors for existing missiles and some are building complete missiles from scratch.
Established solid rocket motor manufacturers Northrop Grumman and L3Harris say they aren’t standing still, noting they’ve been investing in new technologies like 3D printing and advanced mixing techniques of their own.
Car Parts Guiding Missiles
California-based Castelion, which produces solid rocket motors and hypersonic weapons, found an unlikely resource in the automotive world. The company is using sophisticated electronic processors — known as Field-Programmable Gate Arrays — originally developed for advanced driver assistance systems and electric vehicles. According to Chief Operating Officer Sean Pitt, these components can be purchased at one-tenth the cost and obtained six times faster than comparable aerospace-grade versions.
Castelion also turned to the oil and gas industry for high-pressure tubing. Instead of waiting on aerospace suppliers with lengthy delivery timelines, the company sources precision-machined metal tubes designed to withstand the extreme heat and pressure involved in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Those tubes meet the physical demands of a rocket motor but are available from far more vendors at lower prices. Castelion, recently valued at nearly $3 billion, has secured major Pentagon contracts to produce more than 500 hypersonic weapons.
Pharmaceutical Techniques Power Rocket Fuel Mixing
Startup Anduril, which has accumulated several billion dollars in defense contracts and carries a valuation of $61 billion, is borrowing a mixing technique from the drug manufacturing industry to process rocket motor propellant.
The company has acquired bladeless mixing machines from Colorado-based FlackTek that can handle multi-hundred-kilogram batches of propellant in minutes rather than hours. Anduril says the technology delivers more than ten times the production throughput compared to its previous mixing systems and produces more than 24 times the output of conventional industrial mixers — which function more like oversized kitchen mixers with paddles that require time-consuming cleaning between uses.
The same centrifugal mixing technology is used in producing precision pharmaceutical compounds, including liposome-based cancer treatments, where consistency and contamination control are equally critical.
Experts caution that breaking into the solid rocket motor business is no easy feat. Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, pointed to the complexity involved, describing “the painstaking, multi-step manufacturing process of casting, curing, baking, x-raying and sanding that solid-fuel rocket motors require — followed by rigorous inspection.” He added that curing ovens and X-ray equipment remain persistent bottlenecks across the industry.
3D Printing Slashes Production Timelines
Three-dimensional printing is also transforming how quickly new weapons can be built. A 2024 case study from Northrop Grumman found that switching from traditional machined metal tooling to 3D-printed polymer tools cut the time needed to set up a production line from roughly a year down to about six weeks.
New Mexico-based X-Bow Systems specializes in using 3D printing for both propellants and rocket motor components. The company says it can reduce the time to establish a new production line from the typical three-to-six-year range down to about twelve months. X-Bow already holds a $191 million Pentagon contract for hundreds of solid rocket motors.
Texas-based Firehawk Aerospace, founded in 2020, also relies on 3D printing and claims its process cuts rocket fuel production time from as long as 60 days down to just 7 hours — at one-tenth the traditional cost. The company says custom-designed missiles can be ready for testing within months. Firehawk has received backing from venture capital firm 1789 Capital, a fund in which President Donald Trump’s son is a partner.
Despite the innovation, government purchasing habits remain a hurdle. The Pentagon has historically bought rockets on an annual basis, creating unpredictable swings in demand. Lukas Czinger, CEO of Divergent Technologies, which manufactures missile components, put the challenge plainly: “How can we get good multi-year agreements that don’t roll off when administration changes? That’s what businesses need to perform at low cost.”
MIAMI — A 32-year-old Haitian woman named Uthy spent seven years studying medicine back home, nearly reaching graduation before fleeing the country three years ago with her husband, young child, and hopes of one day returning safely. Today, she lives in Sunrise, Florida — roughly 30 miles from Miami — and asked that her last name not be published out of fear of retaliation.
“I live in pain every single day,” she said.
Uthy holds Temporary Protected Status, a federal program that shields people from deportation and grants work permits when their home countries are experiencing natural disasters, armed conflict, or other extreme conditions. But last Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with ending TPS for Haitians and Syrians — a decision that could affect hundreds of thousands of people.
The ruling has sent a wave of fear through Haitian communities in places like South Florida and New York, where TPS holders have spent years putting down roots — raising children, attending churches, launching businesses, and working in fields like healthcare, hospitality, construction, and caregiving.
Haitian Americans are deeply established in Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, with major community concentrations in the Miami, New York City, and Boston areas. Advocates warn the decision’s consequences will extend far beyond those directly at risk of being deported.
The ruling follows years of heated debate over immigration policy under President Donald Trump, including criticism that his administration has used racially charged language toward immigrants of color. During the 2024 campaign, both Trump and now-Vice President JD Vance falsely claimed that Haitian migrants in Ohio were eating pets. As recently as December, Trump described Somali immigrants as “garbage.”
Despite polling from Reuters/Ipsos showing Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement remains broadly unpopular, the court’s decision gives his administration the green light to target TPS holders for detention and removal.
“If you no longer have status in this country, then you’re supposed to be deported,” said Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, speaking to reporters last week.
COMMUNITIES SEEK SUPPORT
In the immediate aftermath of the ruling, Haitians began reaching out to churches, relatives, and employers for help.
“We’re going to have to give them shelter, and we’re going to have to give them a place to stay and feed them because they won’t be able to work,” said Jean Marcellin, a Haitian American who owns restaurants across New York. “Most likely they’re going to rely on family members and community help through churches.”
One of those churches is Haitian Emmanuel Baptist Church, located in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood north of downtown. Ronald Eugene, 61, serves as the church’s assistant pastor and leads services in both English and Haitian Creole. His Sunday sermon drew from Psalm 23, encouraging his congregation to hold onto peace during the uncertainty.
After the service, Eugene said the church and community would step in where the government falls short.
“This is when we, as a church, as a body, sometimes might need to step up helping,” he said. “Because they won’t have that support.”
Reverend Daniel Ulysse, a Haitian-born Baptist minister and chair of the Haitian American Republican Caucus, estimated that between 10% and 15% of the 60,000 Haitians in parishes across Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut hold TPS. Ulysse recently met with elected officials in Washington, D.C., and said he hopes the decision will ultimately be overturned.
“Many Haitians voted for this Republican administration. Many people supported it. They were expecting better,” he said.
LEGAL OPTIONS NARROW
Immigration attorneys say their phones have been ringing nonstop since the ruling, with many Haitians asking about alternatives such as asylum or other work permits.
Congress established the TPS program in 1990 in response to a surge of migrants fleeing El Salvador’s civil war. The U.S. Homeland Security secretary can designate a country for TPS in six- to 18-month intervals, allowing eligible nationals already living in the U.S. to apply. Although the program is described as temporary, many country designations have been renewed for decades. TPS does not offer a path to citizenship, meaning some recipients have lived in legal limbo for years. Not all TPS holders would face immediate deportation if their status ends, as some have pending asylum or other claims that may allow them to remain in the country for now.
Allen Orr, a Washington-based immigration attorney, said his office is helping clients explore legal options including asylum, while cautioning that immigration courts have become increasingly difficult to navigate for migrants seeking protection.
“For Haitians who’ve been in the country sometimes many, many years, it’s difficult to provide the documentation to show you have a newfound fear to return back home,” he said.
Orr also noted that clients fear being sent to third countries with which they have no connection, if direct deportation to Haiti is not possible due to dangerous conditions there.
“The concept of being deported to a place that might not speak your language and which you have no connection to, after you’ve been somewhere in some cases five-plus years, is terrifying,” Orr said.
Advocates including North Miami City Clerk Vanessa Joseph — also an immigration attorney and Haitian American — are pointing to a bill currently before the U.S. Senate that would legally extend TPS protections for Haitians. A separate measure passed the House in April. The fate of both bills remains unclear.
Farah Larrieux, 47, lives alone in Miramar, Florida, about 30 minutes outside Miami, and holds TPS. As founder and owner of THÉLAR Management Group, a communications firm that promotes Haitian and Caribbean small businesses, her office walls are lined with awards from cities across South Florida.
Larrieux said she had braced herself for the ruling, even as it arrived on the eve of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
“The United States is still an inspiration for many countries,” she said. “And it is a shame that as we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country, this country is losing its values.”
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh stepped onto the world stage Wednesday, appearing alongside some of the globe’s most powerful central bankers at an annual economic forum in Sintra, Portugal — hosted by the European Central Bank.
Warsh took part in a question-and-answer session starting at 9 a.m. EDT, sharing the stage with ECB President Christine Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, and Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem.
All three of those central bank leaders signed an unprecedented letter earlier this year expressing support for former Fed Chair Jerome Powell during his standoff with the Trump administration over the Federal Reserve’s independence. That dispute reached a significant turning point this week when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Fed Governor Lisa Cook could not be removed from her position, despite President Donald Trump’s announcement last year that he had fired her.
Powell has been widely praised by his international peers for defending the Fed’s independence — a quality seen as essential to keeping global financial markets stable. Warsh, however, has largely avoided commenting publicly on matters like the attempted removal of Cook or the legal pressure directed at Powell.
Trump chose Warsh to replace Powell, who remains on the Fed’s Board of Governors. Warsh officially became chair in late May.
Wednesday’s forum appearance was Warsh’s first time speaking publicly since a June 17 press conference following his inaugural policy meeting as chair, during which the Fed left interest rates unchanged. At that press conference, Warsh struck a firm tone, vowing to bring inflation down to the central bank’s 2% target.
His remarks sent investors scrambling to increase their bets that the Fed could raise interest rates as soon as September. That puts the U.S. central bank somewhere in the middle — following the ECB’s recent decision to raise rates, while the central banks of England and Canada have held back on tightening policy due to economic softness at home.
Analysts at Yardeni Research said ahead of Wednesday’s appearance, “We were surprised by Warsh’s hawkishness,” adding that the forum could give him a chance to either refine or reaffirm his message — most likely the latter, as he has signaled a desire to step back from offering so-called “forward guidance” about future rate moves.
The first policy statement released under Warsh’s leadership contained no hints about the future direction of interest rates. During his press conference, Warsh explained that he wants markets to become less dependent on rate signals from the Fed, arguing that such guidance makes the central bank less flexible and investors less self-reliant.
This represents a significant shift for the Fed, where open discussion about the economy and interest rates has long been considered a cornerstone of public accountability and sound policymaking.
While some of Warsh’s counterparts — including Lagarde — have also pulled back on rate guidance, analysts pointed out that Warsh went further by avoiding commentary on the economic outlook altogether, even declining to explain how various developments might influence Fed decisions. Some of his own colleagues at the Fed appear more willing to engage on those topics.
Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, speaking to CNBC on Tuesday from the sidelines of the Sintra conference, said, “I think it is important that we are transparent in communicating how we make decisions,” while keeping an open mind on possible outcomes. She added, “If inflation continues to persist and I don’t see any restraint from policy, we may need to raise rates.”
Inflation remains a central theme at the forum, along with discussions about short-term factors like oil prices and longer-term developments such as the rise of artificial intelligence. But Warsh has made clear he intends to draw firm boundaries around what the Federal Reserve concerns itself with.
After Trump’s reelection, Powell had already scaled back the Fed’s participation in international efforts among central banks to assess and address the financial risks posed by climate change. Some argue that understanding climate-related risks is a natural part of financial oversight, while some U.S. Republican elected officials criticized that work as “woke” and unfairly hostile to fossil fuel companies.
Warsh has been a vocal critic of what he views as Fed “mission creep” into areas beyond its core mandate — even as his international counterparts consider climate change an unavoidable factor in understanding the broader economy.
The Bank of England stated on its website: “When left unmanaged, these effects can pose a threat to the stability of the wider financial system, and the safety and soundness of firms we regulate.”
A London-based autonomous driving startup called Wayve is generating significant buzz in the tech and automotive worlds, backed by $2.8 billion from investors and partners that include Nvidia, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan. Most recently, in June, the company announced its system will be used in robotaxis made by Stellantis — the company behind the Jeep brand — operating on Uber’s ride-hailing platform.
What makes Wayve stand out is its use of a technology called end-to-end machine learning. Rather than relying on pre-written rules and detailed maps to tell a car what to do, this approach feeds raw sensor data directly into an AI system that figures out driving decisions on its own — much the way a human driver processes what they see and reacts in real time.
This puts Wayve in similar territory to Tesla, which also adopted an end-to-end AI model several years ago. The key difference is that Tesla relies exclusively on cameras, while Wayve built its system to be compatible with a broad range of sensors and AI chips — making it potentially licensable to almost any driverless vehicle developer.
“We want to make full self-driving possible for any vehicle, any brand, and anywhere around the world,” said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall, speaking to Reuters earlier this year from the driver’s seat of a Ford Mustang Mach-E equipped with Wayve’s technology as it drove autonomously through neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kendall, a 33-year-old from New Zealand, co-founded Wayve in 2017, the same year he earned his doctorate in AI deep learning from Cambridge University in England.
The broader autonomous driving industry is experiencing renewed energy after years of broken promises and missed timelines. Much of that renewed interest has been sparked by the rapid growth of Alphabet’s Waymo, which now offers paid rides to the public in roughly a dozen cities after more than a decade of development.
End-to-end AI, once a niche concept explored by only a handful of researchers — including Kendall himself — has now become a mainstream approach that many autonomous vehicle developers are incorporating into their systems.
Still, the technology comes with a significant challenge: because end-to-end AI systems operate somewhat like a “black box,” it can be hard to understand exactly why the vehicle made a particular driving decision. Earlier systems, which used traditional software coding to guide vehicles, made it easier to trace the reasoning behind specific choices.
Wayve’s AI driving system generates what the company calls a safety map, identifying secure paths through evolving traffic situations. Wayve engineers argue that heavily coded, rule-based systems are actually less safe in unusual circumstances because it’s nearly impossible to write rules for every strange scenario a driver might encounter.
When those rare, hard-to-predict situations arise, the logic of a pre-programmed system “becomes brittle,” according to Wayve’s vice president of AI, Vijay Badrinarayanan. “Human drivers remain safe because they adapt conservatively when they do not know what comes next,” he told Reuters.
Waymo, which also uses end-to-end AI, still combines it with traditional rules-based coding and mapping, saying that combination remains necessary for safety. “End-to-end models aren’t enough to guarantee safety at scale,” the company said in a statement to Reuters.
One of Wayve’s current customers, Nissan, is still working through its comfort level with the approach. Nissan’s tech chief, Eiichi Akashi, said his team is carefully evaluating Wayve’s technology ahead of a planned rollout in Japan on a people-mover van called the Elgrand, slated for the fiscal year ending March 2028. He described Wayve’s system as the “most advanced” available, but acknowledged it is “difficult to peer into it and see how it makes decisions.”
Wayve CEO Kendall believes the company’s model — with major operations in Tokyo, Stuttgart, and Vancouver — allows it to enter new markets far more quickly than competitors because it doesn’t require the time-consuming process of pre-mapping roads or writing code to handle local driving quirks. Wayve says it has already tested its system in hundreds of cities worldwide without that kind of preparation.
Experts offer a measured view of the technology’s promise. Siddartha Khastgir, a professor of safe autonomy at the University of Warwick in England, said end-to-end models should reach the market faster than traditional approaches, but cautioned, “I wouldn’t say that one technology is safer than the other.”
Phil Koopman, a computer engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert in autonomous technology, said Wayve’s method is just one of several potentially viable approaches. Even so, he believes it will take at least another decade before driverless systems can be safely deployed at scale across the United States. “It will most likely demand new innovations to get us there,” he said.
Millions of older Americans who have been priced out of popular obesity medications will now have a new option starting Wednesday, as a federal Medicare pilot program begins offering GLP-1 weight-loss drugs for just $50 per month.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is launching an 18-month trial that, for the first time, will cover Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Foundayo and Zepbound as standalone weight-loss treatments. Previously, Medicare — which also covers people with disabilities — was prohibited from covering these drugs for weight loss alone, only paying for them when prescribed alongside conditions like cardiovascular disease or severe fatty liver disease.
A U.S. official recently said eligible patients are estimated to be in the single-digit millions, though executives from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have cited estimates as high as 20 million people qualifying. Health research organization KFF put the figure closer to nearly 4 million, based on 2023 data. Wall Street analysts say the program could generate billions of dollars in revenue for the pharmaceutical companies involved.
The $50-a-month price tag is a dramatic change from what patients have faced in recent years. Branded versions of these drugs can cost anywhere from $149 to $399 a month through the manufacturers directly, or even more at retail pharmacies.
For people like Katie Smith, 71, a retired teacher from Manassas, Virginia, the new program is long overdue. Her doctor had already prescribed a GLP-1 drug, but the cost at her local pharmacy was out of reach.
Forty of the world’s top scientists and experts are sounding both an optimistic and cautionary note about artificial intelligence, releasing the first-ever independent global scientific assessment of the technology on behalf of a United Nations panel.
The preliminary report is set to be delivered to government representatives at the inaugural UN Global Dialogue on AI governance, scheduled for July 6 and 7 in Geneva. A more complete and comprehensive version of the report is expected to be released next year.
Panel members were selected from every region of the globe and serve three-year terms without ties to any government, institution, or private company.
Among the report’s key findings:
Policymakers need solid scientific evidence to properly regulate AI, but the technology is advancing faster than researchers can fully understand it — and faster than governments can keep up. Very few tools currently exist to control highly autonomous AI systems.
Panel co-chair Yoshua Bengio pointed to growing evidence that AI systems are capable of deceptive behavior. He said science cannot promise that AI won’t cause catastrophic harm, in his words, “either on its own or due to malicious users,” as its capabilities continue to grow.
The report stated plainly: “The potential benefits of AI are enormous. The rapid, unchecked deployment of the technology at scale also presents considerable risks, including harms to the mental health of users, potential use as a destructive tool, impacts on social, economic and environmental systems, and challenges associated with controlling the technology.”
While AI use has grown rapidly across the world, that growth has been uneven. More than one billion people now use conversational AI on a weekly basis, but uptake in developing nations trails far behind wealthier countries.
The development of AI itself is even more concentrated geographically. The United States accounts for 75% of the computing power among the world’s 500 most powerful AI supercomputers, while China holds 15%.
The report also flagged a significant language gap: while more than 7,000 languages are spoken around the world, current AI models are trained on only a small fraction of them. Machine translation of some languages contains frequent errors — errors that can directly affect health diagnoses and treatment decisions.
On the risk side, the report cited growing concerns about AI’s impact on human rights, social systems, and the environment. It noted that AI-generated child sexual abuse material and deepfake-enabled sexual violence are appearing more frequently online.
The panel also warned that AI makes it far easier to produce and distribute persuasive content at massive scale, leading to what the report called a “gradual erosion of information integrity that can weaken public trust, social cohesion and democratic deliberation.”
Finally, the report noted that most countries — including advanced economies — do not have the technical expertise needed to evaluate the most powerful new AI systems or to play a meaningful role in shaping how they are governed.
A federal law has long been in place to prevent most states from conducting large-scale voter roll cleanups in the final 90 days leading up to an election — a protection designed to ensure eligible voters aren’t removed from registration lists too close to Election Day.
Now, Republicans are taking that rule to court, pushing for a new legal interpretation of the longstanding voter protection measure.
The push could have significant implications for how states manage their voter rolls in the weeks and months before major elections.
When the United States turned 50 years old, the country marked the occasion with toasts and parades — and in a remarkable coincidence, two of the nation’s founding fathers died on that very same day.
As the decades passed, the way Americans chose to honor their country’s major anniversaries grew increasingly elaborate. World fairs became showcase events, giving the nation a stage to highlight its latest achievements and innovations.
One such celebration, held in Philadelphia in 1876 for the country’s 100th birthday, put on display a remarkable range of advancements — from powerful steam engines to the newly invented telephone to something as simple and refreshing as soda water.
But these grand anniversary events have not always been without controversy. Over time, the scale and nature of the celebrations have sparked debate, reflecting the evolving conversations Americans have about their own history and national identity.
As the country now approaches another major milestone, the history of how it has commemorated its past birthdays offers an interesting look at how national pride, ambition, and reflection have all played a role in shaping these moments.
Happy July, Delmarva! We’re kicking off the month with some serious heat, so make sure you’re staying cool out there. This Wednesday brings wall-to-wall sunshine and a high near 96°F, but it’s going to feel even hotter than that — heat index values could soar as high as 103°F this afternoon. A southwest wind around 10 mph will offer only minimal relief. Please check on elderly neighbors, keep the pets indoors, and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Tonight, we’ll cool down to a more manageable 77°F under mostly clear skies, but don’t expect much of a break heading into Thursday. Tomorrow looks even hotter, with sunny skies and a high pushing all the way to 101°F — that’s dangerously hot territory, folks. Thursday night stays warm and clear, dropping to around 80°F.
This is a multi-day heat event, so take it seriously and limit outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours. Stay safe, stay hydrated, and we’ll see you right here on TV Delmarva! 🌡️☀️
This summer’s travel season is breaking records across the board, and the numbers are putting serious pressure on the United States aviation system.
Airlines across the country are now moving more passengers than at any point in history — all while operating a smaller number of flights compared to what was common 20 years ago. That combination is pushing airports and air carriers to their limits.
The surge in demand, paired with tighter flight schedules, means planes are more crowded than ever and airports are handling massive volumes of travelers with less room for error.
With the United States approaching a major milestone — its 250th birthday — a new national poll is giving a snapshot of how Americans feel about their country right now.
According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, the majority of Americans say they feel proud of the United States. However, that sense of pride comes alongside widespread concern about the direction the country is taking.
The survey reflects a nation that appears to be grappling with both a deep sense of patriotism and uncertainty about what lies ahead. As Americans prepare to mark 250 years since the nation’s founding, the poll suggests that pride and worry are coexisting in the minds of many across the country.
Children diagnosed with autism face a drowning risk that is up to 160 times greater than that of other children — a sobering statistic that has prompted Florida to take action.
The state is now directing public funding toward a program specifically designed to get kids with autism into swim lessons, recognizing the urgent need to address one of the leading causes of death among this population.
The program prioritizes water safety instruction for children on the autism spectrum, giving families access to resources that could save their child’s life.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has announced its intention to seek a revision and extension of approval for an existing information collection process connected to the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and its associated regulations.
The announcement was made in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a federal law that requires government agencies to justify and obtain approval for information they collect from the public.
The information collection in question is tied to the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act, which governs the licensing and regulation of veterinary biological products such as vaccines, serums, and related treatments used in animals.
By seeking this revision and extension, the agency is working to keep its data collection practices current and in compliance with federal requirements.
Authorities in Greece say five people were hospitalized after three firebomb attacks struck apartment buildings in the northern city of Thessaloniki early Wednesday, with the attacks apparently aimed at the homes of members of the country’s ruling conservative New Democracy party.
All three incidents occurred between 4 a.m. and 4:45 a.m., with attackers using makeshift explosive devices constructed from camping gas canisters. Police said all five injuries resulted from the final attack of the three, during which vehicles including cars and motorcycles were set on fire.
Among the vehicles destroyed was one reportedly belonging to a New Democracy parliamentary candidate. That candidate sustained burn injuries, and her mother was admitted to intensive care with burns as well, according to police. Three additional residents of the apartment building were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation.
Attacks by shadowy militant groups in Greece against politicians, law enforcement, and other authority figures are not uncommon. The vast majority result only in property damage with no casualties.
The latest attacks follow a similar incident in July 2025, when a bomb went off outside the Thessaloniki home of the president of Greece’s prison guards association. That official was not hurt, though two bystanders sustained minor injuries from broken glass. In June 2024, a police officer stationed outside a top judge’s home in Athens was wounded in a gasoline bomb attack.
President Donald Trump is making a trip to North Dakota on Wednesday to tour the brand-new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a massive structure dedicated to the life of the nation’s 26th president — built in the same wild, remote landscape where the young New Yorker forged his conservation beliefs while ranching and hunting during the 1880s.
The 96,000-square-foot facility is set to officially open its doors on July 4th, a fitting date given the nation’s celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Trump is arriving ahead of the opening weekend to preview the $450 million project, which was championed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum during his time as governor of North Dakota. The visit also ties the country’s birthday festivities to a region deeply connected to America’s westward expansion.
All living presidents received invitations to the grand opening. The library joins more than a dozen similar institutions across the country that chronicle the lives and legacies of U.S. presidents — from Ronald Reagan’s in California, to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s in New York, to Herbert Hoover’s in Iowa. The Obama Presidential Center recently opened in Chicago, drawing four former presidents to that celebration.
Library Executive Director Robbie Lauf confirmed that Trump will be the facility’s first official visitor. The president is scheduled to speak at a nearby Western-themed amphitheater at an event organized by Freedom250, a group Trump created that is described as nonpartisan, which he has enlisted to coordinate the week’s festivities. Trump also plans to visit Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday for Independence Day fireworks — a repeat of what he did back in 2020.
Trump has frequently expressed admiration for Roosevelt, and has at times drawn comparisons between himself and the former president. In 2020, he declared himself “the number one environmental president since Teddy Roosevelt.”
Early in his second term, Trump highlighted Roosevelt-era achievements such as the construction of the Panama Canal. He even floated the idea that the U.S. might look to reclaim the waterway from Panama to counter Chinese influence — though that notion was largely overshadowed by his suggestions that Washington could seek control of Greenland or that Canada might become the 51st state.
Ahead of staging a UFC fight on the White House lawn for his 80th birthday, Trump noted his awareness of Roosevelt having held informal boxing matches inside the White House — though he made no reference to the fact that Roosevelt detached the retina of his left eye during one of those sparring sessions.
The North Dakota visit also highlights the president’s high regard for Burgum, who has emerged as a prominent supporter and promoter of the president’s large-scale renovation efforts around Washington.
Roosevelt first traveled to Dakota Territory in 1883 to hunt bison. The following Valentine’s Day brought devastating personal tragedy when his mother and wife died just hours apart in the same home.
Grief-stricken, the New York native retreated to Dakota, where he spent time ranching cattle and hunting big game, primarily between 1884 and 1887. The experience transformed him profoundly — he chased down river boat thieves, stood his ground against a bully in a bar, and earned the respect of cowboys who had initially mocked him for wearing eyeglasses.
Roosevelt, who served as president from 1901 to 1909, later credited his time in North Dakota as essential to his path to the presidency, saying he never would have reached the White House without it.
The library sits near Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where visitors can hike trails and drive through the colorful, rugged Badlands terrain where bison and wild horses still roam freely.
Burgum first pushed the library project to North Dakota’s Republican-led legislature back in 2019 while still serving as governor, making the case for its tourism potential. Lawmakers approved a $50 million operations endowment, on the condition that library organizers raise $100 million in private donations — a target they hit in 2020. Total donations have reached approximately $354 million as of early 2026.
Among the notable donors are oil executive Harold Hamm, the Walton family of Walmart, Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth Griffin, and Burgum himself.
Burgum has also been advocating for Roosevelt’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At a recent preview event for the library, he told attendees to “keep your fingers crossed.”
That nod to football history stems from Roosevelt’s concern over the growing number of injuries and deaths among college football players. In 1905, he convened a White House meeting with the presidents of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton to push for safety reforms in the sport. Those conversations eventually helped spark the founding of the NCAA, the governing body of college athletics.
Visitors to the library will explore Roosevelt’s conservation legacy and his leadership of the Rough Riders regiment during the Spanish-American War. But the library won’t shy away from the darker parts of his record. Lauf noted that the facility will also address Roosevelt’s “horrific comments” about Native Americans and other views “that have obviously aged poorly.”
The library houses a wide range of artifacts, many of which have been out of public sight for decades. Among the items on display: Roosevelt’s Rough Riders uniform, his 1884 diary written in the wake of his devastating personal losses, and the eyeglasses case, speech, and bullet-pierced shirt from the 1912 assassination attempt against him.
Organizers are hoping the library will attract families, school groups from across the region, and travelers passing through on their way to Yellowstone National Park and the Black Hills.
“It’s a feature, not a bug, that we are in a county of 1,000 people and a town of 120,” Lauf said. “TR came here for that purpose.”
On Tuesday, the Dakota Resource Council hosted a group of conservation leaders who criticized both Burgum and Trump for policies they argue run counter to Roosevelt’s environmental principles — specifically pointing to staff and budget reductions and the prioritization of energy development on public lands.
Last year, Burgum signed an order aimed at keeping parks open and accessible to the public amid workforce cuts. He has also compared America’s public lands and natural resources to “assets” that should be developed responsibly in pursuit of what he calls “energy dominance.”
Federal agriculture authorities have officially declared that a genetically engineered citrus rootstock developed to combat a devastating tree disease is no longer subject to regulatory oversight.
The rootstock, identified as event CarriCea T1, was created by Soil Culture Solutions, LLC using genetic engineering techniques. It was specifically designed to resist citrus greening disease, a bacterial infection also known as Huanglongbing, or HLB, that has caused widespread damage to citrus orchards across the United States.
Regulators reached their determination after reviewing a petition submitted by Soil Culture Solutions, LLC requesting nonregulated status for the product. That review included an examination of available scientific data, a plant pest risk assessment, and public comments gathered following an earlier notice that made both the petition and a draft risk assessment available for public review.
Officials have announced the availability of the written determination along with all supporting documentation for public access.
Picture tourists from Tennessee checking into beach hotels in Cancun. Canadian-made auto parts rolling into factories across the American Midwest. Tequila and mezcal flowing at bars in Seattle. These everyday exchanges reflect just how deeply intertwined the economies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico have become.
The numbers back it up: the United States exchanges $1.9 trillion worth of goods and services with its two neighbors every year — roughly $5 billion every single day. Canada and Mexico have overtaken China as America’s top two trading partners.
That’s why the rules governing trade between the three countries carry enormous weight. And after a year of unpredictable tariff moves from President Donald Trump, businesses on all sides of the border are hungry for stability.
They may be waiting a while.
The regional trade agreement known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA — a deal Trump negotiated and championed during his first term — hit its renewal deadline Wednesday. But experts say the process of renegotiating it could stretch on for months, if not longer.
The road ahead is full of obstacles.
“There’s going to be a lot of drama this summer,” said Diego Marroquín Bitar, a fellow in the America’s program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaking last week at a USMCA forum hosted by the Cato Institute.
Among the most divisive issues: the U.S. is pushing demands that could effectively require Canada and Mexico to give up a portion of their auto manufacturing to the United States. While that could bring more factory jobs to American soil, it would also disrupt long-established supply chains and drive up prices on new vehicles — which already average close to $50,000 — at a time when consumers are already struggling with the high cost of living.
Trump has only added to the tension by threatening to walk away from the very agreement he once touted.
The USMCA took effect in 2020, replacing the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, which had eliminated most trade barriers between the three countries. Trump and other critics had long argued that NAFTA was a job killer, saying it pushed American companies to relocate factories to Mexico to take advantage of lower wages and then ship products back to the U.S. tax-free.
The USMCA was meant to fix that — requiring higher wages in factories and ensuring that more of what was produced actually originated in North America, partly to prevent Chinese-made goods from sneaking through regional borders duty-free. In practice, though, the new agreement ended up being fairly similar to the old one.
The USMCA included an unusual provision requiring the agreement to be reviewed every six years. Wednesday marked that deadline, but as Oscar Ocampo, director of economic development at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, put it: “nothing is going to happen July 1.”
Negotiators could technically agree Wednesday to simply extend the USMCA as-is for another 16 years. But that’s seen as extremely unlikely. Instead, the three countries are expected to keep working on revisions, with a deadline of 2036 to reach a new deal — or the agreement expires altogether.
In the meantime, any of the three member countries can exit the pact by giving the other two six months’ notice. That possibility alarms Canada and Mexico, both of which are heavily dependent on trade with the U.S. — and both of which worry Trump might actually do it.
Trump said in June that he was “not looking to renew” the trade deal with Canada and Mexico. “We don’t need anything that they have,” he said.
Ocampo believes Trump doesn’t truly intend to scrap the treaty, but is instead using the threat of uncertainty to maintain pressure on Mexico over immigration and security concerns.
While the U.S. and Mexico have already held talks on renewing the agreement, Canada has largely been left on the sidelines. Patrick Childress, a partner at the Holland & Knight law firm and a former U.S. trade negotiator, described the risk for Canada this way: “The danger for Canada is this: that the U.S. government and the Mexican government reach agreement on changes to core provisions of the treaty and then show up in Ottawa and say: ‘Here’s what we’ve agreed to. You can take it or leave it.’”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the three countries planned to meet virtually on Wednesday, but offered a telling signal about his expectations, saying: “I’m not looking for my pen.” He later added, in French, that his priority is updating the USMCA and that it would be impossible for the U.S. to reach a new agreement without congressional approval.
On the substance of the negotiations, the U.S. wants a revised agreement that does more to block Chinese goods from entering through indirect routes. But the most heated dispute centers on Washington’s push to require that a greater share of products — particularly cars — be manufactured in North America, and specifically within the United States.
The current USMCA already raised the bar for automotive products, requiring that 75% of a vehicle’s content be made in North America — up from 62.5% under NAFTA — to qualify for duty-free trade. Now the U.S. wants to push that threshold even higher. But automakers have “been finetuning their supply chains for years to be able to hit that 75% mark,” Childress noted, meaning a higher standard would require significant time and investment to meet.
Even more contentious is a new U.S. demand, confirmed by Carney in early June, that 50% of every car sold in the U.S. be manufactured within the United States itself. Currently, no USMCA country is guaranteed a set share of production. “It’s a red line for both Mexico and Canada, and it goes against the spirit and the letter of regional integration,” Ocampo said.
Marcos Carias, an economist at the credit insurer Coface, said only one in five Mexican and Canadian cars imported into the United States would currently meet that 50% threshold. Among the models likely to face higher costs under such a rule, he said, are Ford’s Maverick compact pickup truck, Chevrolet’s mid-size Equinox SUV, and some Nissan sedans — all built in Mexico. His rough calculations suggest prices on the most affected models could climb between 5% and 7%.
For many businesses, the bigger concern isn’t which country makes what — it’s simply knowing what the rules will be. “My interest in this USMCA renewal is just consistency, right?” said Shawn Miller, co-founder of PKGD Group, a Holland, Michigan-based company that imports agave spirits — including tequila, mezcal, and raicilla — from small family producers in Mexico. “If the rules change, the rules change. But we’d really like to know (what they’re going to be) and we’d like them to stay that way for a while.”
Business has been strong for PKGD. Sales are up 62% so far this year, following a 100% surge in 2025 and a 300% jump in 2024. But the past year was anything but smooth.
In February, Trump slapped a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada, only to reverse course about a month later by exempting products eligible for USMCA’s preferential treatment. The USMCA allows Mexican spirits like those PKGD imports to enter the U.S. duty-free.
During the confusion, three truckloads of Mexican spirits imported by PKGD crossed the border and got hit with the 25% tariff anyway — costing the company $105,000. “For us, it was one unfortunate day!” Miller said.
Uncertain about what might come next, PKGD sat down with its Mexican producers to figure out how to absorb the blow. “What can we absorb? What can they absorb?” Miller said. “How can we mitigate this?” He noted that he and his suppliers “are not large multinational corporations with dedicated trade departments, teams of lawyers, or lobbyists focused on trade policy.”
Kerry Mellin knows that feeling well. In 2014, the veteran Hollywood costume designer launched a business in Ventura County, California, selling silicone grip aids designed to help people with disabilities — including those with cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s disease — hold everyday objects like spoons, cups, pens, and toothbrushes.
But when she tried to expand her EazyHold grips into Canada, where she holds dual citizenship, sales stalled. She believes the problem is that the silicone she imports from Asia kept her product from having enough North American content to qualify for USMCA’s duty-free treatment when crossing the border from the U.S.
Mellin suspects her product could meet the USMCA standards, “but the rules are complex and unpredictable enough that I genuinely can’t be sure without hiring a trade attorney.”
She argues the USMCA’s rules of origin should be made more flexible, not stricter, to give small businesses that can’t afford pricier North American raw materials a fighting chance.
“I do understand why the rule exists — to stop companies from routing Chinese goods through Mexico,” she said. “I just wish it could tell the difference between that and a small family business in California making grip aids for people who can’t hold a fork. I’m not the problem they were trying to solve.”
From tourists heading to Mexican beach resorts to Canadian auto parts flowing into Midwest factories, the trade relationship between the United States, Canada, and Mexico touches nearly every corner of everyday life. The three nations exchange $1.9 trillion worth of goods and services each year — roughly $5 billion every single day — and Canada and Mexico have now overtaken China as America’s two largest trading partners.
With that much at stake, the rules governing how those three countries do business carry enormous weight. And after a year of unpredictable tariff decisions under President Donald Trump, businesses across all three nations are desperate for some sense of stability. Experts say they’re unlikely to find it anytime soon.
The trade agreement at the center of these talks — the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA — is up for renewal this Wednesday. Trump originally negotiated the deal during his first term and frequently touted it as a major achievement. But the road to renewing it is full of obstacles.
“There’s going to be a lot of drama this summer,” said Diego Marroquín Bitar, a fellow in the America’s program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaking last week at a USMCA forum sponsored by the Cato Institute.
Among the most controversial U.S. demands is a push to require that a greater share of automobile manufacturing take place within the United States. While such a shift could bring more factory jobs to American workers, it would also disrupt long-established supply chains and drive up the price of new vehicles — which already average close to $50,000 — at a time when consumers are already struggling with the high cost of living.
Trump has added fuel to the fire by threatening to walk away from the agreement entirely — a deal he himself brokered.
The USMCA took effect in 2020, replacing the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump and others had long criticized NAFTA, arguing it encouraged U.S. companies to relocate factories to Mexico to take advantage of lower wages and then ship products back to the U.S. without tariffs. The USMCA was designed to address some of those concerns by requiring higher factory wages and ensuring more goods originated within North America — partly to prevent Chinese products from entering the region duty-free through a back door.
The agreement also included an unusual provision requiring it to be reviewed and renewed every six years. That deadline arrives Wednesday, but experts say don’t expect any dramatic announcements. “Nothing is going to happen July 1,” said Oscar Ocampo, director of economic development at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness.
Negotiators could technically agree Wednesday to extend the USMCA unchanged for another 16 years, but that outcome is considered extremely unlikely. More probable is that talks will continue, with the three countries having until 2036 to reach a new agreement — or see the pact expire altogether.
In the meantime, any of the three countries can exit the agreement by giving the other two just six months’ notice. That’s a possibility Canada and Mexico — both heavily dependent on trade with the U.S. — are watching closely. Trump said in June that he was “not looking to renew” the deal, adding, “We don’t need anything that they have.”
Ocampo believes Trump’s real goal isn’t to scrap the treaty but to use the threat as leverage on issues like immigration and border security with Mexico.
So far, the U.S. and Mexico have held talks on the renewal, but Canada has largely been left out of those discussions. Patrick Childress, a partner at the Holland & Knight law firm and a former U.S. trade negotiator, described the risk for Canada: “The danger for Canada is this: that the U.S. government and the Mexican government reach agreement on changes to core provisions of the treaty and then show up in Ottawa and say: ‘Here’s what we’ve agreed to. You can take it or leave it.’”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the three countries plan to meet virtually on Wednesday, but signaled he wasn’t ready to sign anything, saying, “I’m not looking for my pen.” He later added in French that his priority is to update the USMCA.
One of the sharpest points of contention is a U.S. demand that 50% of any automobile sold under the agreement be manufactured specifically in the United States — not just somewhere in North America. Carney confirmed the demand in early June. Currently, no individual country is guaranteed any set share of production. “It’s a red line for both Mexico and Canada, and it goes against the spirit and the letter of regional integration,” Ocampo said.
Under the current USMCA rules, 75% of automotive content must originate in North America — already an increase from the 62.5% threshold under NAFTA. The U.S. wants to push that figure even higher, but Childress noted that automakers have spent years restructuring their operations to meet the existing 75% standard and would need considerable time to adjust to a new one.
Marcos Carias, an economist at the credit insurer Coface, said only one in five vehicles imported from Mexico and Canada into the U.S. would currently qualify under the proposed 50% American-made requirement. Models likely to face higher costs include Ford’s Maverick compact pickup truck, Chevrolet’s mid-size Equinox SUV, and certain Nissan sedans — all manufactured in Mexico. Carias estimated prices on the most affected vehicles could climb between 5% and 7%.
For many smaller businesses, the biggest wish isn’t a sweeping overhaul — it’s simply consistency. “My interest in this USMCA renewal is just consistency, right?” said Shawn Miller, co-founder of PKGD Group, a Holland, Michigan-based company that imports agave spirits — including tequila, mezcal, and raicilla — from family producers in Mexico. “If the rules change, the rules change. But we’d really like to know (what they’re going to be) and we’d like them to stay that way for a while.”
Business has been strong for PKGD, with sales up 62% so far this year, following a 100% surge in 2025 and a 300% jump in 2024. But last year brought serious headaches. In February, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods, only to reverse course a month later and exempt products covered under USMCA. Three truckloads of Mexican spirits imported by PKGD crossed the border during that chaotic window and were hit with the 25% tax — a bill totaling $105,000.
Faced with that uncertainty, Miller sat down with his Mexican suppliers to figure out how to handle the financial hit. “What can we absorb? What can they absorb?” he said. Miller noted that he and his partners “are not large multinational corporations with dedicated trade departments, teams of lawyers, or lobbyists focused on trade policy.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian state television reported Wednesday that a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessel failed to follow the route Iran has designated for ships passing through the waterway. No additional details about the ship were immediately provided.
The report appeared designed to reinforce Iran’s assertions of authority over the strait — a waterway long recognized internationally as open passage, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas flowed during peacetime, following the U.S.-Iran war.
The news broke as U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, were in Doha, Qatar, for discussions aimed at bringing the conflict to a permanent close.
Technical-level diplomatic talks got underway Wednesday in Qatar, according to two regional officials who requested anonymity to speak about the closed-door sessions. Negotiators are working to hammer out specifics that would allow top leaders to finalize a deal, though major sticking points remain — particularly regarding the strait and Lebanon.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge that the negotiations had begun.
Under an interim agreement, Iran and the United States agreed to allow ships to pass through the strait without fees for 60 days. However, Tehran has insisted it must control vessel routes and eventually collect passage fees — a demand that breaks with longstanding practice. The U.S. and numerous Gulf Arab nations have rejected the fee arrangement. An attempt by Oman and a United Nations agency to establish an alternative route near Oman’s coastline triggered attacks across the Middle East last weekend, underscoring how volatile the situation remains.
Australian financial services provider Perpetual announced Wednesday that it has turned down a non-binding acquisition proposal from Swedish private equity firm EQT AB, which had valued the company at approximately A$2.45 billion — or about $1.69 billion in U.S. dollars.
Under the terms of the proposal, EQT had offered to purchase all outstanding shares at A$21.64 each in cash. That price represented a premium of nearly 40% above Perpetual’s closing share price from the day before.
Shares in the Sydney-based company surged by as much as 17%, reaching A$18.13 on Wednesday, before trading was halted ahead of the company’s formal announcement.
Perpetual explained its decision in a statement filed with the exchange after markets closed. “The indicative proposal was highly conditional and did not adequately represent fair value for Perpetual shareholders in the context of a change of control transaction,” the company stated.
EQT had not responded to media requests for comment as of the time of reporting.
Earlier this year, Perpetual had announced plans to sell off its wealth management division to U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital for an upfront cash payment of A$500 million. That move stemmed from a broader A$2.18 billion deal with private equity group KKR that was struck in 2024 but ultimately collapsed, leading Perpetual to pursue a separate sale of that business segment.
The investment firm, which was founded in 1886, has a long history of fending off acquisition attempts. In 2022, it rejected a A$1.7 billion bid from a group that included portfolio manager Regal Partners. The following year, it declined a A$3.1 billion offer from its largest shareholder, Washington H Soul Pattinson.
(Note: $1 equals approximately 1.4516 Australian dollars)
Federal agents paid a visit to a Rochester man’s home after deciding that an email he had sent five months earlier may have crossed the line into illegal threat territory.
The man was not home at the time — he was away on vacation — but that did not stop the investigation. A separate Homeland Security Investigations agent located him at the hotel where he was staying, which was hundreds of miles away from his residence.
The email in question had been sent to Todd Lyons, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents wanted to speak with the man about whether the message constituted an unlawful threat.
The man, David Streever, was tracked down even while traveling out of the country. A photo he shared shows him on vacation with his daughter at Moomin World in Finland at the time agents were attempting to contact him.
Two people died from suffocation while taking part in World Cup celebrations in Mexico City, according to the capital’s health secretariat, which announced the news in the early hours of Wednesday.
Singapore’s BDx Data Centers has signaled that going public could be in its future, as the company looks for ways to fund its rapid expansion across Asia driven by surging artificial intelligence demand.
When asked whether BDx would consider a stock market listing, CEO Mayank Srivastava said the company was keeping its options open. “All options are on the table,” he said in a recent interview. “The only thing that guides us is the capital required for growth.”
Srivastava added that no timeline has been set for a potential IPO and that no listing venues have been ruled out.
BDx is not alone in exploring such moves. AirTrunk is reportedly considering a Singapore IPO for a data center real estate investment trust, while PLDT has plans to list its VITRO data center unit as a REIT in the Philippines.
Here is a closer look at BDx and its plans:
The company was established in 2019 and builds and operates data centers for cloud companies and other large enterprises throughout Asia. It is backed by I Squared Capital, a global infrastructure investment firm founded in 2012 that manages $60 billion in assets.
Srivastava described the current moment as a golden age for the industry, noting that demand has expanded well beyond major cloud providers to include what he called “neoclouds” — newer companies that lease AI computing power to businesses.
Rather than pursuing acquisitions, BDx is focused on building new facilities from scratch, Srivastava said, because the cost of buying existing operations has become too high.
The company is eyeing expansion opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region, generally within a five-hour flight from Singapore. Key factors in site selection include available power supply, market growth potential, and local talent.
Indonesia stands out as a particularly important market. Srivastava said BDx has locked in 1.2 gigawatts of grid power across two locations in the country and has already broken ground at one site for a major customer.
When asked about media reports suggesting that I Squared Capital may be exploring a sale of its stake in BDx, Srivastava declined to address the question.
MADRID — Spanish health officials have linked more than 1,000 deaths to extreme heat last month, according to government figures released Wednesday. A five-day heatwave that saw temperatures climb above 40 degrees Celsius — or 104 degrees Fahrenheit — made June the second-hottest such month ever recorded in the country.
The Health Ministry’s daily mortality tracking system, known as MoMo, showed that 1,029 excess deaths were attributable to the heat during June. That marks the highest number of heat-linked deaths in that month since June 2015.
The national weather agency, AEMET, reported that average temperatures last month ran 3.2 degrees above normal levels, ranking it as the second-hottest June on record, trailing only June 2025.
At the height of the heatwave on June 23, approximately 35.7 million people — around 73 percent of Spain’s total population — faced health risks from the heat. Of that group, 38 percent were considered to be at high risk.
AEMET spokesperson Ruben del Campo said the pattern reflects a troubling shift in climate trends. “This is evidence that heatwaves appear at the beginning of summer with a higher frequency than before,” he said.
Historical data backs that up: of the 12 heatwaves recorded in June since 1975, half have occurred within the last ten years. Additionally, every one of the 13 hottest June months since records began in 1961 has taken place in the 21st century.
Throughout the month of June, weather stations across Spain shattered temperature records. A total of 165 maximum temperature records were broken — 145 of them monthly records and 20 all-time highs. An additional 225 records for the highest overnight low temperatures were also set, including 180 monthly records and 45 all-time marks.
AEMET described the season’s first heatwave as particularly remarkable in northern Spain, noting it stood out “not only because of its intensity, but also because of its duration and persistence.”
The United States Supreme Court issued a ruling Tuesday giving states the green light to ban transgender girls and women from competing on female school sports teams.
At the same time, the high court made clear that the decision is not a nationwide mandate — states that wish to allow transgender athletes to participate in women’s and girls’ sports are still free to do so.
The ruling effectively places the authority on this issue in the hands of individual states, allowing each to set its own policy on transgender participation in school athletics.
Chris Mosier, widely known as the first openly transgender man to represent the United States in international competition, is speaking out following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on transgender athletes.
Mosier sat down with NPR’s Steve Inskeep to discuss the high court’s decision and what it could mean for transgender competitors across the country.
The conversation comes at a pivotal moment in the national conversation surrounding transgender inclusion in sports, as the Supreme Court’s ruling carries significant implications for athletes and sports organizations alike.
A man who sent a strongly-worded email to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement found himself face-to-face with federal agents months later, after Department of Homeland Security officials tracked him to his residence and a hotel.
The case highlights growing concerns about how federal immigration authorities may be responding to individuals who criticize or challenge the agency through written communications.
According to reports, agents did not act immediately after receiving the email, but eventually located the man at two separate locations — his home and a hotel — in what appeared to be a coordinated effort to find him.
The circumstances surrounding the email’s content and the man’s ultimate fate were not fully detailed in available information, but the incident has drawn attention to the lengths federal agents may go in response to critical correspondence directed at immigration enforcement agencies.
The U.S. Supreme Court closed out its term by delivering a significant blow to President Trump’s effort to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that his executive order on the matter could not stand.
Despite rejecting the administration on that high-profile issue, the court ruled in the White House’s favor in a number of other cases as the term came to an end.
