(AP) — A parasitic infection tied to fresh produce has made scores of people across the United States sick, triggering one of the country’s largest cyclospora outbreaks in recent memory. Health experts say the situation is serious but manageable — and there are practical steps you can take to protect yourself.
Investigators have not yet pinpointed the exact food source behind the current outbreak. Tracing cyclospora can be especially difficult because the contamination sometimes comes from a single ingredient — such as basil or cilantro — that shows up in many different recipes.
More than 1,500 people in Michigan have been diagnosed with the infection, and health officials are looking into similar illnesses across 30 other states. It marks the largest cyclospora outbreak in Michigan’s history and one of the biggest nationwide in years. No deaths have been reported.
The good news: cyclospora infections can generally be treated with antibiotics and rarely lead to serious health complications.
What is cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a tiny, round parasite that attacks the intestines and spreads through feces. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it typically causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.” Outbreaks most commonly occur during late spring and summer.
In past outbreaks, people were infected after eating fruits or vegetables that had been exposed to irrigation water contaminated with feces. The situation is further complicated when food distributors send the same tainted products to both grocery stores and restaurants, making it hard to trace the original source.
Food safety tips to reduce your risk
Dr. Erika Noel, an assistant professor at Hawaii’s medical school and a pediatrician on the island of Kauai, says the outbreak is a good reminder to stick to basic hygiene habits. That means washing hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before handling any food. She notes that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against cyclospora — soap and water are the way to go.
Previous outbreaks have been connected to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas, and salad mixes.
When it comes to washing produce, Noel offers these specific suggestions: separate the leaves of herbs like cilantro and basil before rinsing; for green onions, trim the roots, peel away the outer layer, and rub them under running water. Cooking produce to an internal temperature of at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius) will kill the parasite.
Research also shows that soaking produce in a vinegar solution can help. While vinegar won’t destroy cyclospora, it can help dislodge it. Noel recommends submerging fruits and vegetables in a bowl of three parts water to one part vinegar and swishing for a few minutes. A salad spinner rinse afterward can remove the vinegar taste.
Rather than buying pre-mixed salad bags, consider purchasing a whole head of lettuce and discarding the outer leaves. For melons, scrub the exterior thoroughly before cutting — the knife can transfer germs from the rind into the flesh. Peel produce whenever possible, and don’t overlook cleaning cutting boards and countertops as well.
Some produce is harder to clean
Vegetables with tight crevices or delicate skin — like broccoli and cauliflower — are more difficult to clean thoroughly. Because berries are especially hard to wash, Noel suggests cooking them in pies or turning them into jam rather than eating them raw. Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and radishes, which grow underground and collect heavy dirt, also require extra attention.
Even produce labeled as “pre-washed” should be washed again using a water and vinegar solution before eating.
‘We don’t need to panic’
Noel is clear that she does not want people to stop eating fruits and vegetables out of fear. The health benefits of fresh produce far outweigh the risks posed by this outbreak.
“We don’t need to panic,” she said.
Her advice: stay informed, keep up with good hygiene practices, and enjoy summer’s produce with a little extra care.
Newark, Delaware — A police K-9 named Vudu played a key role in tracking down a suspect who was hiding inside a home during an active burglary investigation late Saturday night.
Just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, officers were dispatched to Saratoga Court in the Valley Wood community following a report of a burglary in progress. The homeowner had discovered a door to the basement standing open and spotted an unidentified person inside the residence.
Multiple officers arrived at the scene quickly and began searching the property. K-9 Vudu was deployed to assist in locating the suspect, who was hiding within the home.
The passing of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has left South Carolina with only one sitting senator, trimmed the Republican Party’s working majority in the U.S. Senate, and set in motion two separate political processes: the appointment of a temporary replacement and the selection of a new GOP candidate for the November election.
Graham, who was 71 years old, died on Saturday after returning from a trip to Ukraine. A preliminary finding from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington determined that he suffered an aortic dissection — a tear in the wall of the body’s main artery — linked to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. That finding is still considered preliminary while additional testing is completed.
The day before he died, Graham had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv to discuss Ukraine’s air-defense needs and potential sanctions against Russia. His death removes one of Washington’s most vocal Republican advocates for both Ukraine and Israel, and leaves unfinished a sanctions bill targeting Moscow that he had been developing alongside Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Graham had been on the ballot for reelection on November 3. His current six-year term was set to end on January 3, 2027, and he had already secured the Republican nomination for a fifth term after winning South Carolina’s June 9 primary. He had been scheduled to face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in the fall.
South Carolina now faces two distinct decisions: who will serve out the remaining months of Graham’s current term, and who will replace him on the Republican ballot for the next six-year term.
Who Names Graham’s Temporary Replacement?
Under the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, states may allow their governors to make temporary Senate appointments when a seat becomes vacant due to death, resignation, or expulsion. Not all states use this system — some do not permit standard gubernatorial appointments at all.
South Carolina does give its governor that authority. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is therefore expected to name someone to fill the seat through January 3, 2027. That appointee may choose to run for the full term, but simply being appointed does not hand them the Republican nomination.
As of Monday morning, no announcement had been made. McMaster could choose someone who plans to compete in the upcoming primary — giving that person both incumbency status and immediate Senate access — or he could pick a caretaker who agrees not to seek the seat long-term.
South Carolina Republicans are expected to hold a special primary on August 11. Candidate filing is set to open July 21, and if no candidate receives a majority, a runoff would follow on August 25. The winner would then face Andrews and any other qualifying candidates in November.
South Carolina has become a reliably Republican state, meaning the eventual GOP nominee would enter the general election as the frontrunner. However, Graham’s death introduces more uncertainty than would exist with an established incumbent on the ballot.
The tight timeline could also create logistical headaches. Federal law generally requires states to send ballots to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before a federal election, leaving officials very little time to prepare ballots following a potential August 25 runoff.
Do All States Handle Senate Vacancies the Same Way?
No. The rules governing Senate vacancies vary widely from state to state.
The 17th Amendment leaves it to each state legislature to decide whether its governor can make a temporary appointment. In most states, the governor can appoint someone who serves until a special or regularly scheduled election fills the seat. Some states require the appointee to belong to the same party as the senator who left, while others require the governor to choose from a list submitted by that party. A smaller number of states simply leave the seat empty until voters elect a successor.
South Carolina does not appear to have a same-party requirement, though there is virtually no possibility that McMaster — a committed Republican — would appoint a Democrat or independent.
What Happens When a House Member Dies?
House vacancies work differently. The Constitution requires that every vacant House seat be filled through an election. A governor cannot appoint a temporary representative, even if a congressional district goes without a voting member for several months.
Instead, the governor calls a special election under state law. Until the winner is sworn in, the former representative’s office typically continues offering limited constituent services under the oversight of the House clerk.
This difference reflects the original design of the Constitution: senators were once chosen by state legislatures and serve six-year terms, while House members have always been directly elected and serve two-year terms.
Who Is Gov. Henry McMaster?
Henry McMaster, 79, is a traditional Southern conservative and a close ally of President Donald Trump. He previously served as South Carolina’s attorney general and lieutenant governor before becoming governor in 2017, when then-Gov. Nikki Haley joined the Trump administration.
During the 2016 Republican primary, McMaster was among the earliest prominent elected officials to endorse Trump. He has generally aligned with Trump on immigration, taxes, abortion, judicial appointments, and disputes between the federal government and states.
McMaster is not typically associated with the party’s libertarian wing or with anti-establishment conservatives who built careers by challenging Republican leadership from the right. He is better described as a conventional establishment conservative who aligned himself early and firmly with Trump.
The governor is term-limited, and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson recently won the Republican nomination to succeed him.
McMaster was also a personal ally of Graham and had agreed, along with Sen. Tim Scott, to co-chair his reelection campaign. That relationship could lead him toward appointing someone who broadly shares Graham’s national-security outlook rather than someone who rose to prominence by attacking Graham from the right. That said, this remains an inference — the governor has not publicly stated any criteria for the appointment.
Who Might McMaster Appoint?
As of Monday, McMaster had not announced his pick, and any firm prediction would be premature.
Names being discussed include Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Republican Reps. Russell Fry, Nancy Mace, and Ralph Norman. The vacancy comes just weeks after a competitive Republican gubernatorial primary left several prominent conservatives with statewide campaign organizations and unmet political ambitions.
Mace, who lost that primary, is reportedly weighing a run for the Senate seat. Norman has also been mentioned but would need to consider the impact of leaving his House seat while Republicans hold a narrow majority. Rep. Joe Wilson has indicated he is not interested in either the appointment or the nomination.
Fry represents a safely Republican district and has close ties to Trump’s political network. Evette has already run statewide and would allow McMaster to appoint the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate, though her recent primary loss could work against her.
McMaster could opt for a neutral caretaker, allowing primary voters to pick the long-term nominee without any candidate having an incumbency advantage. Alternatively, he could appoint the person he and Trump would prefer to see win in August.
A Republican appointment is considered a near-certainty. Trump has suggested he has a preferred candidate in mind but has not publicly named that person.
Does Graham’s Death Change Who Controls the Senate?
Not by itself.
Before Graham’s death, Republicans held 53 Senate seats. Democrats held 45, and two independents caucused with them. The vacancy drops formal Republican membership to 52, while the Democratic-aligned bloc remains at 47. McMaster’s appointment will likely restore the split to 53-47.
The party’s practical voting margin is narrower, however, because Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell is also absent from Washington while recovering from a serious fall and hospitalization. With Graham’s seat empty and McConnell unavailable, Republicans may have only 51 members able to vote against 47 in the Democratic-aligned bloc.
That is still enough to win on party-line votes, but it gives Senate leaders less room for defections. The tighter margin could affect confirmation votes, budget negotiations, defense spending, and efforts to advance the Russia-sanctions legislation Graham had championed.
Partisan control would only change if McMaster did something politically unthinkable and appointed a non-Republican.
What Do We Know About McConnell’s Condition?
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized after falling at his Washington home on June 14 and briefly losing consciousness. His office and physician reported that testing found no concussion, fracture, stroke, or heart attack. Doctors later identified mild pneumonia, which responded to antibiotics.
After several weeks of public silence, McConnell released a statement Sunday along with a photograph of himself with his wife, Elaine Chao. He acknowledged that longstanding mobility issues had contributed to several falls over the past year.
A childhood case of polio left McConnell with a permanent impairment in his left leg. He has experienced multiple falls in recent years, including one in 2023 that resulted in a concussion and a fractured rib.
McConnell has since left the hospital for an inpatient rehabilitation facility, where he is undergoing intensive physical therapy to rebuild strength and lower the risk of another fall. He says he is “regaining” strength but is not yet able to return to Washington or cast votes. No timeline has been given for his return.
He has not been seen publicly since his June hospitalization but says he remains engaged in Senate and Kentucky matters through his staff and conversations with colleagues.
Claims that McConnell is in a coma, brain-dead, or secretly deceased are not supported by any available evidence. Early emergency dispatch reports referencing an unconscious person or a possible cardiac arrest helped fuel speculation, but such reports do not constitute medical diagnoses. No independently released medical record allows the public to verify every detail provided by his office.
McConnell has said he intends to complete his term, which ends January 3, 2027, and had previously announced he would not seek reelection. The available evidence points to serious physical frailty and an uncertain recovery — not any publicly established cognitive incapacity.
Why Can’t McConnell Simply Be Declared Incapacitated?
Congress has no equivalent of the 25th Amendment.
That amendment provides a process for transferring presidential authority when a president is unable to carry out the duties of the office. No comparable constitutional mechanism exists for senators or House members. A physician, governor, party leader, or group of colleagues cannot declare a senator incapacitated and install a replacement.
McConnell’s seat remains legally occupied unless he resigns, dies, or is expelled. His inability to attend votes — even over an extended period — does not by itself create a vacancy.
The Senate can expel a member by a two-thirds vote. In theory, that power could be used against someone permanently unable to serve. In practice, expulsion has historically been used as punishment for serious misconduct or disloyalty, not as a response to illness, and it has never been invoked solely because of incapacity.
The chamber could theoretically try to address an extraordinary case through its constitutional rulemaking and disciplinary authority, but no established procedure, medical standard, or neutral body exists to determine that a senator can no longer serve. Attempting to create such a process for one member would almost certainly trigger major constitutional and partisan battles.
One unusual precedent from the House dates to 1981, when that chamber declared the seat of Maryland Rep. Gladys Noon Spellman vacant after she suffered a heart attack, fell into a coma, and was unable to take the oath of office for a new term. Spellman never regained consciousness and died in 1988, nearly eight years after the heart attack. That episode remains the only time the House has vacated a seat due to a member’s physical or mental inability to serve, and it does not establish a clear procedure for the Senate.
McConnell could choose to resign voluntarily, which would trigger Kentucky’s vacancy law. But neither the governor nor Senate Republican leaders can force him to step aside simply because another senator would be more reliably present for votes.
The constitutional system is well-suited to replacing lawmakers who have died but poorly equipped to handle living members who can no longer carry out their duties. McConnell’s condition may prevent him from returning to regular Senate work, but the information made public so far provides no legal basis for declaring his seat vacant.
Israel has officially confirmed that its national elections will take place on October 27, the date established by law, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition announced Sunday that no changes would be made to the election timetable.
Coalition head Ofir Katz appeared before a parliamentary committee Sunday and stated that the October 27 date would stand. There had been uncertainty surrounding the timing after Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted in May to disband — a move that had raised the possibility of an earlier election being called.
Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik clarified that the parliament would formally dissolve on July 17, with citizens casting their ballots on October 27 — the latest date allowed under Israeli law.
Speaking during a Knesset House Committee session, Afik said: “The current Knesset will complete its full term and will not be dissolved [early]. The election date remains as established by law — October 27.”
The confirmation carries significant historical weight. It marks the first time Israel will conduct a national election on its legally scheduled date since 1988. Additionally, Netanyahu’s government is on track to become the first Israeli administration to serve out a complete term since 1973.
Israel’s 37th government came to power on December 29, 2022, following the collapse of the previous government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. Netanyahu’s Likud party assembled the governing coalition alongside ultra-Orthodox and far-right political parties.
The October election will determine the composition of the 120-seat Knesset, and current polling points to a closely divided political environment. Surveys suggest Netanyahu and his political allies would fall short of winning a parliamentary majority if the election were held today.
Meanwhile, the Zionist opposition bloc — an anti-Netanyahu alliance that does not include Arab-majority or ultra-Orthodox parties — is polling right at the edge of securing a majority in the Knesset.
It’s not often that division-leading teams find themselves with the top selections in baseball’s amateur draft — but that’s exactly where the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays landed this past weekend.
Chicago used the first overall pick to select shortstop Roch Cholowsky out of UCLA, while Tampa Bay grabbed shortstop Grady Emerson right behind him at No. 2. Both franchises are currently sitting in first place in their respective divisions.
Unlike other professional sports drafts, baseball holds its draft in the middle of the ongoing season rather than the offseason. That timing means teams that struggled the year before can sometimes rebound dramatically by the time draft day arrives. The White Sox dropped 102 games last season and the Rays lost 85 — yet both clubs have turned things around and are now legitimate contenders while also securing potentially valuable young talent for the future.
A look back at a few clubs that won 90 or more games in the same year they held the top draft pick:
2008 Rays (97-65) That season marked Tampa Bay’s fourth No. 1 selection in a decade, and the Rays haven’t held that spot since. The 2008 campaign ended with a World Series appearance, signaling the start of a much more successful era for the franchise. However, the Rays didn’t fully capitalize on that final top pick — they chose infielder Tim Beckham while Eric Hosmer and Buster Posey were selected later in the top five.
2024 Guardians (92-69) Cleveland won the draft lottery and then went on to claim the AL Central title. Their top selection, Travis Bazzana, has already made his major league debut earlier this season.
1984 Mets (90-72) New York began building toward its mid-1980s dynasty that year, finishing 6.5 games behind first place in the NL East while Dwight Gooden earned Rookie of the Year honors. The Mets would win a World Series two years later, though their 1984 draft pick — outfielder Shawn Abner — never actually suited up for them.
1977 White Sox (90-72) Chicago jumped from 64 wins to 90 that year, though the surge didn’t last long. Still, the White Sox landed a future Hall of Famer in that draft: Harold Baines, who went on to play more than 20 years in the majors and was part of division championship teams in Chicago in both 1983 and 2000.
Cholowsky’s selection made him the first UCLA player to go first overall since Gerrit Cole in 2011. Interestingly, another UCLA product drafted in the first round has accumulated even more career wins above replacement than Cole — that player was Chase Utley, taken 15th overall in 2000, who compiled a 64.6 WAR according to Baseball Reference.
In other baseball news, the New York Mets squandered a big lead against Kansas City on Tuesday night. After Juan Soto’s three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth gave the Mets a 9-4 advantage — and a 94.2% win probability according to Baseball Savant — the Royals rallied with five runs in the fifth inning and seven more in the seventh to claim a stunning 16-12 victory.
The Mets’ rough stretch continued Sunday when they blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning and fell to Boston 3-2 in ten innings. The rival Yankees, meanwhile, swept three straight games in Washington by coming from behind in the eighth inning or later in each contest.
Toronto’s Dylan Cease nearly threw a no-hitter Wednesday, carrying the bid into the ninth inning of a 10-0 win over San Francisco. He finished allowing just one hit over eight-plus innings while striking out 11 batters.
Kansas City’s Tyler Tolbert had a standout performance in that comeback win over the Mets, going 5-for-6 with a home run. In doing so, he tied a major league record by recording hits in 12 consecutive plate appearances.
The speed of the modern baseball fastball just keeps climbing — and those who played the game years ago say they barely recognize what pitching looks like today.
As the league heads into its All-Star break, four-seam fastball velocity is on pace to break the record for the sixth year running. Through Saturday, pitchers were averaging 94.7 mph on their four-seamers, compared to 94.5 mph last season, 93.7 mph in 2021, and just 91.9 mph back in 2008 when Major League Baseball first began tracking pitch speed. The first-half average for 2025 came in at 94.4 mph, meaning the final number could tick even higher.
Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy, who last appeared in a big league game 13 years ago, described just how dramatically things have shifted. “You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that’s coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus,” he said. “Back in the day, it was you’d get a lead and you’d get to the lower part of a bullpen and you’d see some guys coming out throwing 88.”
New York Mets infielder Marcus Semien, a three-time All-Star who broke into the majors in 2013 when four-seamers averaged 92.7 mph, says expectations among hitters have completely shifted. “Definitely expecting anybody you’ve never heard of to throw a 95-plus,” he said. “Before you’d know who the guys were who were throwing 98. Now, you just expect that this new guy is probably throwing 98. So that shows how everybody’s trained.”
To put the change in cultural context: the 2001 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Proof” by David Auburn described a piece of elegant mathematical work as being like “a 95-mile-an-hour fastball.” That comparison no longer carries the same weight — 95 mph is now considered routine.
Right-handed pitchers are throwing at an average of 95.2 mph in 2026, up from 95.0 mph a year ago. Right-handed relievers are even harder to handle, averaging 95.6 mph. Even at the Triple-A level, the average has risen to 93.6 mph, up from 92.7 mph when tracking began at that level in 2022.
Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris has experienced the velocity revolution firsthand, watching his own four-seam average climb from 92.6 mph as a rookie in 2023 to 95.0 mph this season. He credits improved understanding of how the body works. “People are learning the biomechanics of the body a lot better and it’s easier to figure out why people are throwing hard,” he said. “There’s so many young kids throwing hard now and then you see a lot younger people in the big leagues, so my thought is they see a guy that’s throwing 100 when he’s 22 and, boy, he’s not going to throw 100 when it’s 30, so let’s get in there now.”
Six pitchers currently average 100 mph or more on their four-seamers. Leading the pack are two relievers: the Athletics’ Mason Miller at 101.3 mph and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Edgardo Henriquez at 100.6 mph. Milwaukee starter Jacob Misiorowski, just 24 years old, is averaging 100.5 mph — up from 99.3 mph during his rookie campaign last year — and has thrown a major league-best 670 pitches at or above 100 mph. The Brewers held him out of his scheduled Sunday start due to arm fatigue.
Along with rising speeds, pitchers are also changing what they throw. Four-seamers now make up just 30.4% of all pitches, down from 31.8% last season and 35.8% in 2019. Sinkers have grown from 15.5% to 16.6% of pitches, cutters from 7.5% to 7.8%, and offspeed offerings from 13.6% to 14.3%.
New York Mets interim manager Andy Green, whose last significant playing time came in 2006, said the challenge facing today’s hitters goes beyond just raw speed. “It is exponentially harder to hit and I hit .200 in my career, so that should show you how well I would do in the game today,” he said. “The thing that I think gets me when I watch games is it’s not just one fastball anymore. It’s easy for us that played a couple of decades ago to malign the offensive players for not hitting from a batting average perspective what used to be hit, but there’s so much to contend with, so much information, so much awareness of what hitter handles what fastball shape. The game’s gotten harder, there’s no doubt about it.”
Despite the challenges, big league batters are hitting a collective .244 this season, just a hair below last year’s .245 mark and above the .243 average from 2024.
Chicago Cubs star Alex Bregman offered a straightforward take on surviving in today’s pitching environment: “At the end of the day, us as hitters have to find a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it.”
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan came together Sunday in Egypt’s New Alamein City for high-level discussions centered on growing tensions across the Middle East and the close partnership between their two countries.
According to the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders reviewed the current state of affairs throughout the region and the serious challenges it faces. Both called for ongoing consultation, coordination, and collaborative efforts between Egypt and the UAE going forward.
Sheikh Mohamed flew into El Alamein earlier that day and was personally greeted at the airport by el-Sisi. The Egyptian president welcomed his counterpart as “a dear guest in his second home, Egypt,” according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. El-Sisi also spoke to the special place the UAE and its leadership hold among Egyptians, characterizing the relationship between the two nations as one built on deep historical roots and a strong strategic partnership.
Sunday’s summit comes after el-Sisi traveled to the UAE back in May, when the two presidents held discussions in Abu Dhabi. During that earlier visit, the two leaders were also spotted together at Yas Mall.
The timing of Sunday’s meeting was significant, as it took place against a backdrop of renewed conflict between the United States and Iran. The two countries exchanged a fresh round of attacks Sunday involving navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz — this despite a memorandum of understanding that Washington and Tehran had signed in mid-June.
With that flare-up in mind, el-Sisi and Sheikh Mohamed directed much of their conversation toward ways to prevent additional escalation in the region and keep communication between Egypt and the UAE firmly in place.
The Egyptian presidency noted that both leaders underscored the critical importance of close consultation and continued joint action as the Middle East works through its current period of instability.
Dozens of workers at an Ebola treatment facility in northeastern Congo launched a strike Monday, demanding payment for salaries and bonuses they say they have never received.
The work stoppage at Rwampara General Hospital in Ituri province involves a wide range of personnel, including epidemiologists, case investigators, drivers, and gravediggers. All of them say Congolese authorities have failed to compensate them for their work. Striking employees shut down the hospital and blocked the road leading to the entrance.
Some health workers and field staff had actually begun refusing to work as early as last week, blaming government officials for not issuing their pay since the Ebola outbreak was first identified in May.
“We don’t know how it is possible to not have been paid for two months,” said Bahati Claude, a health worker in the Rwampara health zone. “We don’t want to give up the job.”
Congolese authorities officially declared the new Ebola outbreak on May 15, though the World Health Organization noted the disease had already been spreading for weeks before it was formally detected. This particular outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists.
During a visit to Ituri province last week, Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba acknowledged the payment problems, saying the government is working to verify the list of workers involved in the outbreak response. He noted that some names unconnected to the effort had been added to the payroll, complicating the distribution of funds.
“We must ensure that these payments reach the right people,” Kamba said. “We have faced a few challenges, notably changes to the lists, which have led to complaints from people saying they are not being paid even though they are working. We have the means to sort this out.”
According to Congolese authorities, the outbreak has now produced 1,926 confirmed cases and claimed 702 lives.
In a related development, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Monday on the social media platform X that a second American citizen — a humanitarian worker in eastern Congo who contracted Ebola — had been transferred to Germany for care. The first U.S. citizen to test positive was a doctor working in Congo during the early weeks of the outbreak.
Last week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention characterized this outbreak as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever documented on the African continent.
A high-ranking United Nations official publicly accused Hamas on Monday of blocking humanitarian aid deliveries in the Gaza Strip, putting relief workers at risk and making an already dire situation even more dangerous for those trying to help civilians.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said he “strongly” condemned what he described as interference by Gaza’s de facto rulers in humanitarian operations.
According to Alakbarov, Hamas’s conduct had “endangered humanitarian personnel, intimidated workers delivering life-saving food assistance and disrupted life-saving humanitarian operations.”
Among the specific incidents cited, armed individuals connected to Hamas reportedly forced their way into a food distribution site and a World Food Programme warehouse located in Jabalia in northern Gaza, where they allegedly assaulted truck drivers carrying critical supplies.
Alakbarov made clear that these were not one-off events. “These incidents are not isolated” and “reflect an increasingly dangerous pattern of intimidation, violence and obstruction, including smuggling attempts, targeting and abusing humanitarian operations,” he stated.
He warned that the ongoing interference is preventing aid from reaching civilians throughout Gaza, who are already enduring severe hardships.
Hamas officials pushed back against the UN’s claims. Meanwhile, Israeli defense officials have pointed to the reported pattern of obstruction as evidence that the group continues to exploit humanitarian spaces for its own purposes.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October, ending roughly two years of fighting that began when Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, the agreement’s second phase — which was supposed to include Hamas disarming and Israeli forces gradually pulling back from Gaza — has been stalled for months.
Israeli forces have expanded their foothold in Gaza during that time and now control more than 60% of the territory. Hamas retains control over the remainder. In a notable development last week, Hamas announced it was disbanding the 15-member governing body that had run the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades.
Another stretch of dangerous summer heat is expected to build across the Mid-Atlantic this week, with temperatures climbing above normal beginning Tuesday and potentially remaining elevated through the weekend.
A strengthening ridge of high pressure will extend into the region from the west while surface high pressure moves offshore. This setup will produce a warm south to southwesterly flow, allowing hotter temperatures and increasing humidity to spread across the region.
Tuesday will mark the beginning of the heat wave, with afternoon temperatures rising into the lower and middle 90s across many locations. Conditions will become even hotter Wednesday, July 15, which is expected to be the hottest day of the stretch.
High temperatures Wednesday are forecast to reach the middle and upper 90s, with a few locations potentially approaching 100 degrees. Although humidity levels may not be as extreme as those observed during the early July heat wave, the combination of heat and moisture could still push heat index values between 105 and 108 degrees in the hottest locations.
An Extreme Heat Watch has been issued for the Philadelphia metropolitan area from Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening. The watch includes portions of southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware. Additional Heat Advisories or Extreme Heat Warnings may be issued for surrounding areas as the event draws closer.
The most dangerous conditions are expected along the Interstate 95 urban corridor, where the urban heat island effect can keep temperatures especially high during the afternoon and slow overnight cooling. However, dangerous heat will also be possible across surrounding communities, including portions of the Delmarva Peninsula.
Several daily record highs could be approached Wednesday. The current record for July 15 at Georgetown, Delaware, is 96 degrees, while Wilmington’s record is 99 degrees. Philadelphia’s record of 103 degrees is less likely to be reached, but temperatures could once again approach the century mark in and around the city.
A weak and mostly dry cold front is expected to pass through the region late Wednesday. This should lower temperatures slightly, but significant relief is not anticipated. Afternoon highs may remain in the upper 80s and lower 90s Thursday through the end of the week, with above-normal temperatures potentially continuing into the weekend.
Anyone spending time outside should take the developing heat seriously. Drink plenty of water, limit strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day and take frequent breaks in air-conditioned locations. Children, older adults, outdoor workers and anyone without reliable access to cooling will face the greatest risk for heat-related illness.
Never leave children or pets inside a parked vehicle, even for a brief period. Residents should continue monitoring forecast updates because additional heat alerts will likely be issued before temperatures peak Wednesday.
Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to a two-month low, according to shipping data released Monday, as back-and-forth military strikes between the United States and Iran — along with attacks on vessels — continue to create dangerous conditions in the critical waterway.
Industry sources say a growing number of ships are turning off their public AIS tracking transponders, which makes it nearly impossible to get an accurate count of how many vessels are actually passing through the strait.
Based on the data that is available, oil and gas tanker traffic fell to its lowest point since May 25, according to analysis from Kpler.
Ship broker Gibson issued a stark warning in a recent report: “Should the renewed escalation in the strait lead to another prolonged closure of Hormuz, the world will find itself in a much tougher spot.” The broker added, “With global inventories rapidly depleted in recent months, this is a recipe for much tighter supply, higher prices and significant downside risk for tanker markets.”
Ship-tracking data from LSEG and MarineTraffic showed the Sea Faith oil products tanker was among a handful of vessels visible near the Iranian side of the strait’s entrance Monday, headed toward Sohar. An Iranian-flagged products tanker called the Niki was also tracked moving toward the strait’s entrance from the Iranian side later that day.
President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States would likely take control of the Strait of Hormuz and should be compensated for managing the crucial passage.
The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center stated in a Sunday advisory that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz “continued at reduced levels,” adding that “traffic patterns continued to reflect operator caution following recent attacks.”
Satellite imagery from July 11 reviewed by Reuters showed at least three pairs of tankers conducting ship-to-ship transfers off the coast of Oman in the Gulf of Oman. These transfers — where oil is moved from one vessel to another — have allowed for faster delivery of oil to ships that don’t need to pass through Hormuz. The practice has been in use since the conflict began on February 28.
One shipping official summed up the situation Monday, saying, “Some ships are slipping in and out.” The source also noted, “This has to be viewed as a managed conflict now similar to the Houthis in the Red Sea” — referring to the Yemeni militia that effectively shut down traffic through the Bab al Mandeb waterway for nearly two years before declaring a ceasefire in 2026.
The U.S. and Iran are offering conflicting accounts of the strait’s status. U.S. forces carried out another round of strikes against Iran on Sunday, hitting dozens of targets across multiple locations using precision munitions, according to Central Command. President Trump said Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic, while Iran had previously declared the strait closed after a vessel traveled on an unapproved route and was struck.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced Monday that their naval forces stopped two ships in the Strait of Hormuz overnight by disabling their systems, though they did not identify the vessels involved. Additionally, a container ship suffered damage Sunday from an unidentified projectile that sparked a fire in its engine room, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center.
Shipping data from Kpler confirmed that only six vessels crossed the strait on Sunday — the lowest weekly figure in five weeks. Among those that exited were the Very Large Crude Carrier Humanity, carrying 2 million barrels of Iranian oil, and the Capetan Andreas, transporting roughly 500,000 barrels of Kuwaiti oil products. Three empty tankers entered the Gulf to take on oil. The majority of vessels disabled their transponders while making the crossing.
No liquefied natural gas tankers were visible on tracking data entering the strait over the weekend. One tanker controlled by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. was recorded exiting the strait between July 10 and July 12, with the vessel bound for Dahej port in India, according to Kpler data.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has begun a coordinated push to neutralize what it views as a threat posed by the International Criminal Court to American sovereignty, according to a State Department official who spoke Monday.
The United States has long opposed the ICC’s authority to investigate or prosecute American citizens, especially military members. Both President Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush have historically argued that the court should have no jurisdiction over Americans. A Reuters investigation earlier this year revealed that the Trump administration had supported sanctions against ICC officials, partly as a way to shield Trump and members of his administration from potential accountability for U.S. military operations abroad.
The State Department official, who requested anonymity, said the administration is weighing a broad set of measures against the court. Those options include travel restrictions, visa revocations, expanded sanctions targeting the ICC and organizations connected to it, and diplomatic efforts to convince other countries to leave the court entirely.
The ICC was created in 2002 through an international agreement to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. The court only steps in when a member nation is either unable or unwilling to pursue prosecution on its own. The United States has never joined the court as a member.
Trump’s opposition to the ICC is not new — it dates back to his first term in office. Tensions flared again after his re-election in November 2024, when the ICC issued an indictment against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally. The administration subsequently moved to impose sanctions on ICC judges.
Last month, three ICC judges filed a lawsuit against Trump and his administration, challenging those sanctions as unlawful.
The State Department official confirmed Monday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior U.S. officials are actively pressuring foreign governments as part of a broader strategy “to diplomatically isolate the International Criminal Court and ensure it cannot target Americans.”
In March 2020, ICC prosecutors launched an investigation into events in Afghanistan that included scrutiny of possible crimes committed by U.S. military personnel. However, since 2021, the court has shifted its focus away from American actions and toward alleged crimes by the Afghan government and Taliban forces.
Countries that rely on U.S. law enforcement partnerships, host American military forces, or fall under the U.S. security umbrella are being asked to formally reject the ICC’s claimed authority to prosecute American officials and service members, the official said.
Nations that continue to support the ICC while depending on U.S. assistance could face increased scrutiny, the official warned.
“We will watch with interest which nations join ranks with us against this threat to Americans who are willing to risk their lives to protect others,” the official said.
BRUSSELS — The European Union announced Monday it will provide €120 million — roughly $137 million — to bolster the air defense capabilities of Moldova, a small nation caught between the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its western neighbor, EU member Romania.
The EU’s governing body confirmed the decision in an official statement: “The Council today adopted an assistance measure worth €120 million under the European Peace Facility in support of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova to enhance the country’s air defence capabilities.”
The move comes amid strained relations between Moldova and Russia, which have deteriorated sharply since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine. Last November, Moldova reported that Russian drones had crossed into its airspace, raising alarm about the country’s vulnerability.
Moldova occupies a unique and delicate position in the region — sandwiched between Ukraine to the east and Romania to the west. The country has a Romanian-speaking majority population alongside a significant Russian-speaking minority. For decades, political leadership there has shifted back and forth between those who favor deeper ties with Europe and those who prefer closer relations with Moscow.
Federal aviation authorities have given SpaceX the green light to move forward with its next Starship rocket test flight, potentially as early as this week.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday that it has officially closed its review of a Starship booster failure that took place during a flight test back in May. With that investigation now complete, Elon Musk’s space company is cleared to launch the rocket’s next test from its Texas facility.
The European Union moved on Monday to expand its existing sanctions against Russia, this time targeting those responsible for cybercrime activities and human rights abuses — and the list includes one of Russia’s most widely used social media platforms.
VKontakte, a popular social media app, along with its subsidiary Communication Platform LLC, were added to the EU’s sanctions list. The two companies were cited for their involvement in building and operating an application called MaxApp, which runs on Russian smartphones under the oversight of the FSB, Russia’s federal security agency.
MaxApp comes pre-loaded on every mobile device sold within Russia. EU member nations stated that the application has been used as a tool to suppress critics of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, as well as individuals who shared content that Russian authorities have deemed prohibited.
The sanctions also reached three other companies — Citadel, VAS Experts, and Norsi-Trans. These firms are involved in producing, developing, and selling the hardware and software that make up a surveillance system capable of monitoring phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media activity. The EU stated that this surveillance network is used to target journalists, political opposition figures, minority communities, and everyday citizens.
Additionally, the EU imposed sanctions on officers belonging to Russia’s military intelligence agency, known as the GRU, as well as cybercriminals and companies that the EU says are actively working to undermine stability across Europe.
The EU also pointed a finger at the FSB, accusing the agency of directing what it described as “a variety of cyber threat groups.”
Blaney Battles Through Overtime for NASCAR Win in Atlanta
Ryan Blaney claimed a commanding victory at the NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta after surviving a dramatic three-wide showdown on the final lap of overtime. Blaney, driving a Team Penske Ford, led from the pole and swept every stage of the race — but still had to hold off hard charges from Bubba Wallace and Christopher Hill, who crossed the line in second, to seal the win. Carson Hocevar and Ty Gibbs finished third and fourth, respectively. Wallace was later penalized for passing below the double yellow lines, dropping him from second all the way to 29th in the final results. The race had been delayed for three hours and nine minutes due to rain and lightning.
World Cup Semifinals Feature Four Champions and a Historic Rivalry
The World Cup semifinals are shaping up to be one of the most compelling in tournament history. France, Spain, England, and Argentina — all former champions and the top four ranked teams in the world — are each just two wins away from claiming the title again. It marks the first time since 1990 that every team remaining in the final four has previously won the World Cup. England and Argentina, two nations with one of soccer’s most intense rivalries, will clash on Wednesday. Before that, Kylian Mbappé’s France faces Lamine Yamal’s Spain in Tuesday’s first semifinal.
Sinner’s Wimbledon Win Shows Expanding Game
Jannik Sinner’s victory over Alexander Zverev at Wimbledon highlighted a new dimension to his already impressive skill set. His co-coach Darren Cahill noted that the win featured “a lot of the stuff he doesn’t normally like doing” — including “sliced backhands, a couple lobs, couple drop shots. Really stepping up when he needed to in the big moments.” The title was Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam, closing the gap slightly on Carlos Alcaraz, who has seven. Coaches say Sinner’s continued evolution mirrors the development paths of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
New World Cup Rules Spark Controversy
A series of contentious calls at the World Cup has drawn attention to newly implemented rules and officiating technology. The most recent flashpoint came during Saturday’s quarterfinal between Switzerland and Argentina, when Swiss player Breel Embolo was sent off under a new rule known as the “mistaken identity” law. The call, made from a review room using television replays rather than anything that happened on the field, left many fans confused. It was not the first time teams at this tournament have raised objections to new regulations or technology.
South African World Cup Player Jayden Adams Found Dead
Police in Cape Town, South Africa are investigating the death of soccer player Jayden Adams, who was 25 years old. Adams was found dead at a property in Cape Town on Saturday, just weeks after representing South Africa at the World Cup. No cause of death has been announced. His passing came only two weeks after he helped South Africa reach the knockout round of a World Cup for the first time in the country’s history. Adams appeared in all three of his nation’s group stage matches but did not play in their round of 32 loss to Canada. His father told reporters the family is still awaiting autopsy results.
Sánchez and Cease Named All-Star Game Starters
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound for the National League in Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game, played at his home ballpark. He’ll face American League starter Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays. The NL is managed by Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who confirmed Sánchez as his pick. On the AL side, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone initially said pitcher Cam Schlittler would not appear in the game — only to reverse course hours later, saying Schlittler could potentially be available after all.
Flewelling Shines as AL Wins All-Star Futures Game
Tampa Bay Rays prospect Nathan Flewelling hit a two-run home run and was named MVP as the American League defeated the National League 6-1 in the All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia. The 19-year-old catcher is ranked as the second-best prospect in Tampa Bay’s organization. He and fellow Rays prospect Theo Gillen combined for three RBIs in the win. Phillies minor leaguer Gage Wood started for the National League, giving up one run in one inning. Former Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino managed the NL squad, while Larry Bowa led the AL side. Historically, 86.8 percent of Futures Game participants have gone on to appear in at least one major league game.
Zverev Vows to Challenge Tennis Elite After Wimbledon Final Run
Alexander Zverev says he is tired of being seen as “the third guy” in tennis and believes his run to the Wimbledon final — following his French Open championship — puts him closer than ever to the top of the sport. Despite falling to Jannik Sinner in the final on Centre Court Sunday, Zverev expressed optimism about his future against the game’s best. “I think I’ve been pushing those guys,” he said, adding that this was the first time in his career he genuinely believed he could win Wimbledon.
Royal Birkdale Presents New Challenges for British Open
Players arriving at Royal Birkdale ahead of the British Open are finding a course that looks and plays quite differently from the last time the venue hosted the tournament in 2017. Golfer Peter Uihlein was among those getting in practice Sunday and was caught off guard by a brand-new 241-yard 15th hole. Other changes include shifted fairways and a redesigned fifth hole. Beyond the layout adjustments, the hot and dry conditions have left the links turf yellowed and parched — a factor that could significantly shape how the final major of the year unfolds.
A group of state and federal judges are hitting the road, traveling through three states to bring an important message directly to the public.
The judges are visiting courthouses and schools along the way, using the tour as an opportunity to speak with everyday Americans about the significance of the rule of law and how it shapes life in the United States.
CAIRO (AP) — Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are reporting that Saudi airstrikes struck Sanaa International Airport on Monday. The internationally recognized Yemeni government confirmed the strikes, saying they were carried out to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing at the facility.
The conflict between the two sides has been ongoing for years. A Saudi-led coalition operating out of Yemen’s southern region, which includes the internationally recognized government, has been engaged in a prolonged fight against the Houthis, who control much of the country’s north.
Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm that it had conducted any airstrikes in Yemen, and government officials there did not respond to requests for comment.
Gen. Taher al-Aqili, the defense minister for Yemen’s internationally recognized government, posted on X that the airport’s runway was targeted specifically to stop a plane carrying a Houthi delegation that had been in Iran attending the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Before the strikes were carried out, al-Aqili released a video warning against allowing Iranian aircraft to enter Yemeni airspace. “At this moment, we say that our patience has run out. Accordingly, we will respond appropriately to this treacherous and brutal act, and we will confront and deal with the hostile aircraft violating Yemeni airspace and sovereignty by all available means,” he stated.
According to the Houthis, the plane altered its flight path and touched down instead at Hodeida Airport. No immediate reports of damage at Sanaa International Airport were available.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree posted on Telegram that Saudi Arabia’s actions marked what he described as an “end to the de-escalation phase.” He added that “this aggression will not go unanswered or unpunished.”
Yemen’s defense ministry ordered the evacuation of the airport and surrounding areas following the strikes.
Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s ruling Presidential Leadership Council, said Iran had requested to operate a flight through Iranian airline Mahan Air, traveling from Tehran to Sanaa, to bring the Houthi delegation back home.
LONDON (AP) — Authorities in the United Kingdom announced Monday that the death of former British politician Ann Widdecombe is now being treated as a terrorist act.
A 28-year-old man who had been held on suspicion of murder was rearrested Monday on suspicion of committing, preparing, or instigating acts of terrorism, according to Counter Terrorism Policing South East.
Initially, Devon and Cornwall Police stated they did not believe the killing was connected to terrorism and saw no indication that it was politically motivated.
However, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, explained the shift: “We now have new information and evidence that means Counter Terrorism Policing is now leading the investigation. We are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack.”
Widdecombe, 78 years old and a former member of Parliament, was discovered dead last week at her secluded rural home in a village in southwest England. Authorities have not revealed a cause of death, stating only that she had suffered “serious injuries.”
Her death sent shockwaves through British political circles, where Widdecombe had been a prominent and outspoken figure for many years, widely recognized for her strong personality and socially conservative positions on issues including abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
The suspect has not been publicly identified because no formal charges have been filed. He was taken into custody on Saturday in South Yorkshire county in northern England, a location more than 200 miles — approximately 320 kilometers — from the village of Haytor, situated on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, where Widdecombe’s body was found on Thursday.
Investigators believe Widdecombe was attacked at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Concern grew when she failed to show up for a scheduled television interview that same afternoon.
Widdecombe served as a lawmaker in the House of Commons from 1987 to 2010, holding positions that included prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major’s Conservative government in the 1990s.
After leaving Parliament, she became a familiar face on British reality television, appearing on programs including “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother.”
She later aligned herself with the Brexit Party, briefly serving as a member of the European Parliament before the United Kingdom formally exited the European Union in 2020. More recently, she had become associated with the anti-immigration Reform UK party, frequently appearing in media as a spokesperson.
Those who knew her personally described a contrast between her forceful political rhetoric and her warmth and humor in private life.
One hundred thirty-five days into the Iran War, hopes for a diplomatic end to the conflict appear to be fading fast. President Donald Trump declared Monday that “we’re taking over the Strait of Hormuz,” just one day after boasting that “we bombed the hell out of them.” Iran, meanwhile, made its own claim to control of the once-freely navigable waterway, following retaliatory strikes it launched against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman.
The standoff over the strait intensified after Iran attacked a container ship there on Sunday. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital passage for international oil and gas shipments, and Iran has asserted authority over it since the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.
Mohammed Mokhber, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, made Tehran’s position clear in a post on X. “We defend it so that in the future, for the passage of our ships, we are not forced to pay tribute to the enemy!” he wrote. “Retreating from this vital matter has no place in the mind of any friend of Iran.”
Trump shared the U.S. stance during an appearance Monday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends.” He also revealed that an 11-hour meeting on Sunday had appeared to yield progress — “everything was agreed to” — but that Iranian negotiators later called back saying “they had to make a couple of changes.” Trump did not provide further details.
Back in Washington, Congress is resuming work following its summer break, but the Senate is doing so under the shadow of the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham. Graham died Saturday after suffering a tear in his aorta, leaving Republicans with only 51 Senate members. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Mitch McConnell is still recovering from his own health issues, and South Carolina’s governor must now appoint someone to fill Graham’s seat on an interim basis.
Graham’s passing adds more uncertainty to Trump’s already difficult congressional agenda. It also removes a significant voice of support for Ukraine. Graham had been a strong advocate for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, consistently pushing Trump to take a harder line against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Officials in Kyiv are now grappling with the loss of one of their most prominent American allies.
WASHINGTON — President Trump announced Monday that the United States plans to take over control of the Strait of Hormuz and expects to be paid by other nations for doing so.
Speaking during a phone interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” program, Trump laid out his vision for American control of the strategically important waterway. “We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a critical passage for global oil supplies, and control over it has emerged as a central flashpoint in the ongoing conflict. Iran’s effective blockade of the strait has sent energy prices climbing and raised alarm about inflation worldwide.
Trump made clear he expects financial compensation for the U.S. role. “We’re going to guard it. We’re going to get paid for guarding it — a lot of money,” he said, adding, “We’re going to be reimbursed, because the other nations are very wealthy. They’re on our side, and we can’t be expected to do that for nothing.”
The president also expressed frustration over what he described as a broken agreement. “We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. They always break it. We’ve had 10 deals with these people, and so we’re just going to hit them very hard,” Trump said.
Iran announced the waterway’s closure on Saturday, citing what it called an unauthorized transit. On Sunday, Tehran said the suspension of passage would remain in place until “stability and calm” were restored, with permits to be issued at that point.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a statement Monday warning that the only path to restoring normal shipping through the strait was for the U.S. to end its military involvement in the waterway. The statement cautioned that “continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector.”
Over the weekend and into Monday, U.S. and Iranian forces traded heavy missile and drone strikes. Tehran claimed it had targeted U.S. military installations throughout the Gulf region while keeping the strait shut, a move that pushed oil prices even higher.
The recent escalation represents a significant intensification in both the frequency and geographic scope of attacks over the past week. It has cast serious doubt on an interim agreement reached last month between the U.S. and Iran, which had aimed to reopen the strait and pause hostilities while both sides pursued an additional 60 days of negotiations.
Drivers heading northbound on Route 1 are facing a brief slowdown after a disabled vehicle forced the closure of the left lane just north of the toll plaza.
The lane blockage is causing travel delays estimated between five and ten minutes for motorists passing through the area.
Drivers are encouraged to use caution and allow extra time when traveling through that stretch of Route 1 until the situation is cleared.
SRN News brings listeners a daily feature called “Global Landscape” — a compact, two-minute audio segment designed to keep audiences informed on the most important religion-focused news stories happening across the globe.
The feature offers a timely overview of significant events, cultural developments, and major moments where faith and international affairs come together. Each edition is crafted to give listeners a clear and concise snapshot of how religion continues to shape the world around us.
For more information and to access the full audio segment, visit SRN News online.
Eastbound travelers on Shawnee Road (Route 36) are facing a shoulder closure between Old Shawnee Road and DuPont Boulevard, also known as Route 113.
The closure is the result of active construction work in the area and is expected to remain in effect until 6 p.m.
Drivers are encouraged to allow extra travel time and remain alert when passing through the construction zone. Authorities ask that motorists slow down and stay aware of workers and equipment that may be present near the roadway.
Legal experts are predicting that transgender-related cases will return to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices recently ruled in favor of state laws prohibiting boys from competing on girls’ sports teams, but the decision was deliberately narrow. The court made clear it was addressing athletics specifically and was not weighing in on broader transgender questions. The justices also sidestepped the question of what constitutional standard should apply when transgender individuals allege discrimination. Experts say future challenges — such as laws restricting males from female bathrooms — will likely force the high court to revisit the issue.
A newly released AP-NORC poll shows that a significant number of Jewish Americans are feeling unsafe in the United States. A majority of those surveyed say they feel less secure now than they did before Hamas carried out its October 7th, 2023, attack on Israel. The poll highlights growing anxiety among Jewish adults as bipartisan backing for Israel weakens and disagreements arise within the Jewish community over what qualifies as anti-Semitism. Roughly three in ten respondents reported that they or someone in their household experienced a physical attack, verbal assault, online harassment, or property damage in the past year because of their Jewish identity.
The advocacy organization International Christian Concern is raising alarms about Christians living in Syria. The Muslim insurgent group that forced dictator Bashar Assad out of power is continuing to tighten its control over the country. ICC released a statement warning: “Concerns about religious restrictions have increased as the government has introduced policies influenced by conservative Islamic norms. Many Syrian Christians view these measures as warning signs of a broader shift toward religious conservatism and fear that increased identification of Christian communities with Western or religious minorities could make them targets for extremists.”
A political scientist at Colby University named Nicholas Jacobs has been analyzing why the Democratic Party struggled in the 2024 elections, and his conclusion is that party leadership has lost touch with ordinary voters. Jacobs argues that on social issues in particular, “A pattern persists: Working-class voters did not move right in reactionary revolt. Democrats moved to the left.” He points to polling data showing that former Democratic voters have shifted to the Republican Party over issues including abortion, the LGBT agenda, religious freedom, family values, and immigration. Jacobs notes that Democratic leadership has yet to show signs of recognizing this shift.
For the third year in a row, Muhammad has claimed the top spot as the most popular name chosen for baby boys in England and Wales, according to 2025 data.
The name’s continued dominance on the charts is viewed as a small but telling sign of how significantly the Muslim immigrant community has grown in the United Kingdom — and how deeply those families remain connected to their religious identity.
The trend also points to a broader demographic shift, offering a glimpse into which communities are currently seeing the highest birth rates across the country.
At the same time, Christianity in the UK continues its long-running decline, making the rise of faith-driven naming traditions among Muslim families all the more notable by comparison.
A push to add abortion rights to Delaware’s state constitution has hit a major roadblock. The state legislature wrapped up its session and went into recess without ever bringing the proposed amendment to a vote, leaving supporters empty-handed for now.
The setback does not permanently kill the effort, but it does mean those backing the measure will have to wait until the next legislative session before they can try again.
Adding anything to Delaware’s constitution is no simple task. Any proposed amendment must be approved by a super-majority of the legislature — and that has to happen in two consecutive general election cycles. Because lawmakers adjourned without acting on this measure, the process is back at square one.
A left lane closure is currently in effect on Laurel Drive, also known as Route 24, between Substation Road and Curley Drive.
According to DelDOT, the lane restriction is scheduled to remain in place until 2 p.m. Drivers traveling through that stretch of roadway should expect some slowdowns and consider alternate routes if possible.
No additional details about the cause of the closure were provided. TV Delmarva will update this story if more information becomes available.
What started with rows of lavender growing in open fields has grown into something much bigger for Sweet Haven. The farm’s story is one of hard work, dedication, and a passion for turning a simple crop into products that customers keep coming back for.
Sweet Haven’s journey from the field to the marketplace is being highlighted in a new video profile, which traces the farm’s path from its early days cultivating lavender to developing a line of products that have become bestsellers.
The story of Sweet Haven serves as an example of how small-scale agriculture can evolve into a successful business venture, with lavender at the heart of everything they do.
A national survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute posed a thought-provoking question to Americans: Has God given the United States a unique role in human history?
When looking at the general public, the results were closely divided — 44% responded that yes, God has granted this country a special responsibility in the world, while a majority, 52%, said no.
The survey also took a closer look at how people of faith answered the question. Among religious groups, only White Evangelicals, Hispanic Protestants, and Black Protestants expressed belief in the idea that the U.S. holds a God-given special role on the world stage.
Perhaps most striking is how much attitudes have shifted over time. Back in 2012, every faith group surveyed agreed that the United States carried that special divine responsibility — a consensus that has clearly eroded in the years since.
LONDON — The British government revealed Monday that a proxy group operating under Iran’s direction was responsible for a string of arson and vandalism attacks targeting Jewish locations across the United Kingdom.
Officials announced they are outlawing the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, also known as IMCR or Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, in response to the attacks. The government is also moving to ban Iran’s powerful paramilitary force, the Revolutionary Guard, citing it as a threat to national security.
Once Parliament passes the supporting legislation — which the government expects to happen by the end of this week — anyone who carries out sabotage on behalf of these organizations could face a sentence of up to life in prison.
Security Minister Angela Eagle stated that the IMCR has claimed credit for seven attacks on British soil. The group posted online taking responsibility for multiple arson incidents at Jewish sites in London over recent months, including fires set at synagogues and Jewish charity ambulances, as well as an attack on a Persian-language media outlet that had been critical of Iran’s government. No injuries were reported in any of the fires.
“Sitting behind IMCR were members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force, who almost certainly directed IMCR attacks across Europe,” Eagle said. The Quds, or Jerusalem, Force serves as the Guard’s overseas operations unit.
The IMCR emerged online earlier this year and has also taken credit for attacks on synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Law enforcement officials and intelligence analysts have noted that Iran-backed proxy groups are increasingly responsible for attacks throughout Europe, with most incidents aimed at Jewish communities and Persian-language media outlets that oppose Iran’s Islamic government. These groups typically recruit members of criminal organizations to execute acts of sabotage and other hostile activities.
Also announced Monday, British authorities said they are designating the GRU Volunteer Corps — a group under the control of Russia’s military intelligence agency — as a national security threat. According to officials, the group conducts foreign intelligence gathering and covert hostile operations on behalf of Russian military intelligence.
The new measures are intended to make it easier for police and intelligence services to go after what authorities are calling “thugs for hire” — individuals who carry out work for these proxy organizations.
“We have already taken tough action against the Iranian regime and those linked to it, and against Russian operatives and networks targeting our country. These new powers will make it easier to prosecute and lock up anyone carrying out their dirty work here in Britain,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.
The bans are being implemented under a new UK law that took effect last week, which gives the government expanded authority to act against proxy organizations conducting hostile activities on behalf of foreign states.
Earlier this month, two Romanian men were sentenced to prison for stabbing a journalist from a Persian-language television station — an attack the presiding judge said was carried out on behalf of the Iranian state.
Iran had not issued any comment in response to the announcements as of Monday.
The European Union designated the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization back in January, following Iran’s violent crackdown on domestic protests.
A South Korean court handed down a two-year prison sentence Monday to ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, finding him guilty of unlawfully receiving doctored opinion polls at no cost from a political broker — polls that may have helped him secure his party’s nomination ahead of the 2022 presidential race — in exchange for political favors.
This conviction is just one of seven separate trials now facing the former conservative leader, who was removed from power after a short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024 set off what has been described as South Korea’s most severe political crisis in decades.
Just last week, South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld a seven-year prison sentence against Yoon — the first of his cases to reach the nation’s highest court since his removal from the presidency.
Yoon has challenged several of his convictions in court, including a life sentence handed down in February tied to the most serious rebellion charge stemming from his failed attempt to seize power. His legal team announced Monday they would fight the latest ruling as well, stating it was not supported by adequate evidence.
The Seoul Central District Court determined that Yoon broke the country’s political funding laws. Political broker Myung Tae-kyun received a sentence of one and a half years on the same charge.
Myung was alleged to have carried out 14 opinion polls on Yoon’s behalf between June and October of 2021, using falsified data, in what prosecutors say was an effort to boost Yoon’s chances of winning his party’s presidential nomination before his general election victory in March 2022.
The broker had wanted a former lawmaker, Kim Young-sun, to become the conservative People Power Party’s candidate in the 2022 legislative by-election. According to the court, Yoon used his influence within his party to push for that outcome as payment for the manipulated polling data.
Yoon’s unexpected martial law announcement, made late at night on December 3, 2024, lasted only a matter of hours before lawmakers forced its reversal. Members of the legislature physically broke through a perimeter of armed soldiers and police at Seoul’s National Assembly and voted to strike down the measure, compelling Yoon’s Cabinet to rescind it.
The liberal-dominated legislature impeached Yoon later that same month, and the Constitutional Court later formally removed him from office. After a brief release from custody earlier in 2025, he was re-arrested in July of last year and has remained detained while facing multiple criminal proceedings.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota may have a reputation for friendliness, but that spirit is nowhere to be found in the state’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary contest.
The two frontrunners — U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan — have been at each other’s throats over questions of electability, connections to corporate money, and how aggressively each would challenge President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington. The race has drawn millions of dollars in political advertising and has come to symbolize a much larger fault line running through the Democratic Party.
This increasingly contentious matchup is one of several upcoming contests pitting progressive Democrats against more centrist opponents. August primaries in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin will serve as another barometer of how fed up Democratic voters are with the party establishment. The results across the Upper Midwest could also test whether hard-left candidates can win outside of their traditional strongholds.
Following a string of notable progressive wins earlier this year, Democratic Party leaders are expressing concern that insurgent candidates could hurt the party’s image and jeopardize its chances of winning back either chamber of Congress this fall — or holding onto a governor’s seat in a key battleground state before the 2028 presidential race. Progressive advocates, meanwhile, insist that recent election results validate their approach as the party’s best way forward.
Flanagan, who has earned the backing of progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, held a press conference last week to call out what she described as “secretive dark money groups and special interests” that she claims are operating in the Minnesota race to benefit Craig, a more traditional Democrat who has the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and other senior party figures.
“What we are facing right now in our party,” Flanagan told The Associated Press, “is the very folks who are standing in the way of the things that people need to be able to afford their lives, who are Democrats, are funded by these corporate special interests. That is the choice I think that we have, and people are onto it.”
Craig has fired back, pointing out that Flanagan raised campaign money from major corporations while she was chair of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association. Craig also argues that if Flanagan wins the nomination, Republicans would hammer her over her connection to an active fraud investigation into the state’s Medicaid programs.
“The coalition we’re building is people in Minnesota who understand that in order to stop Donald Trump, we’ve got to win elections,” Craig told the AP. She cautioned that Minnesota is frequently underestimated as “the very definition of a swing state, and we simply can’t take this U.S. Senate seat for granted.”
Craig defended accepting corporate donations, arguing that Democrats cannot unilaterally disarm while Republicans continue drawing heavily from wealthy contributors. She said she supports sweeping campaign finance reform to limit the influence of money in politics — but added a caveat.
“But until we get to that day, it’s naive to think that we’re not going to need resources,” Craig said.
The Minnesota primary, where both Craig and Flanagan are competing for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, is scheduled for Aug. 11. Wisconsin will also hold its primary that same day, one week after Michigan voters pick their nominees on Aug. 4.
In Michigan, Rep. Haley Stevens is squaring off against progressive Abdul El-Sayed for the Democratic Senate nomination in a race the party must win to keep the seat held by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, who has thrown his support behind Stevens. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, democratic socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong has gained significant momentum in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, challenging more conventional candidates including former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez.
In each contest, progressive forces are hoping to demonstrate that an economically populist message can resonate with voters beyond the deeply liberal urban areas where they’ve recently found success, such as New York City and Denver. Democratic leaders, however, fear that these insurgent candidates risk throwing away winnable races with messages that many voters may see as too extreme.
Craig also took aim at progressives for what she called reckless gambles with Democrats’ Senate prospects due to weak candidate vetting. She pointed to the recent collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign — Platner had easily captured the Democratic Senate nomination in Maine in June but stepped away from the race last week following a sexual assault allegation, which he denies.
“We just saw one of our best Senate opportunities go down in flames in Maine, potentially, with that same coalition,” Craig said.
“And many of the same people are working on the lieutenant governor’s campaign as Graham Platner’s campaign,” Craig continued. “My coalition is statewide. I’m going everywhere. I’m talking to everyone. I’m working to bring people back to the (Democratic Party).”
In the wake of the Platner fallout, progressives are treating the Upper Midwest Senate races as a critical opportunity to influence the makeup of the Democrats’ Senate caucus and validate their electoral strategy heading into the midterms.
“Abdul El-Sayed was already the most important primary candidate in the nation, and this underscores the importance of that race, both in the primary and the general,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee supporting both Flanagan and El-Sayed.
The organization sees this year’s Senate contests in Michigan and Maine as crucial tests of whether progressive messaging and organizing can hold up in genuinely competitive races — a key question as the party looks ahead to its 2028 presidential primary.
“Our hope is to not have an outlier but a pattern of shake-up-the-system economic fighters who win tough swing state elections,” Green said.
The Upper Midwest has a long tradition of populism stretching back decades, having produced both progressive and conservative populist figures, according to Steven Schier, a political science professor at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. The region was historically a model for reform-minded policies during the Progressive Era, but it also sent some of the most fiercely conservative Cold War voices to Washington, including Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.
“What’s interesting about the Upper Midwest is that you get well-developed and articulated left populism, and well-developed and articulated right populism in competition and combat. It produces some very lively election seasons,” Schier said.
In more recent years, the Great Lakes region has emerged as the nation’s premier political battleground, with state legislatures and presidential outcomes alternating between the two parties over the past decade. Regardless of who ultimately wins, the results of these midterm primaries will send shockwaves through national politics.
“This culture will take broad concerns that populists bring up and trumpet them throughout the electoral system, and that’s true on both the right and the left up here,” Schier said.
A pilot has died after a firefighting aircraft plunged into a reservoir in Colorado, authorities confirmed.
The Gunnison County sheriff’s office reported the aircraft went down Sunday in Silver Jack Reservoir. Divers were called in and successfully recovered the pilot’s body from the water.
Officials believe the pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash. The plane had been deployed to support ground crews battling the Gold Mountain Fire, a blaze that has been burning for roughly two weeks in southwestern Colorado. The fire has now spread to approximately 57 square miles — or about 148 square kilometers — and was only 13% contained as of early Monday morning.
A request for additional details about the crash was submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration.
This tragedy comes just days after wildland firefighters across Colorado gathered to honor three fellow firefighters who lost their lives after being overtaken by flames near the Colorado-Utah border.
Across the western United States, numerous large wildfires continue to burn. Active fires are spread throughout Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, with additional blazes burning in eight other states stretching from Alaska to Arizona.
The National Weather Service has warned that prolonged hot and dry conditions expected this week will heighten fire weather concerns across the region.
A new survey from the Pew Research Center reveals that Americans are almost perfectly divided on the question of whether the Ten Commandments — also known as the Decalogue — should be displayed in public school classrooms.
According to the poll, exactly half of Americans, 50%, said they support posting the Commandments in schools, while 48% said they are against it.
The survey also broke down opinions by religious affiliation. White Evangelical Protestants showed the strongest support for the idea, with 83% in favor. Black Protestants came in second at 64%, followed by Catholics at 56%, and White Mainline Protestants at 52%.
Intel has kicked off a massive €5 billion — roughly $5.7 billion — capital investment at its manufacturing campus in Leixlip, just outside Dublin, Ireland. The U.S. chipmaker announced Monday that the funding is designed to expand European production and keep pace with surging worldwide demand for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing technology.
According to Intel, the investment will push its European manufacturing base to maximum capacity by growing current production levels, advancing research and development efforts, and making better use of existing cleanroom space at the Leixlip facility.
Intel is a major player in Ireland’s economy, which has long relied on attracting foreign investment. The company has poured €30 billion into the country since first setting up operations there in 1989. More than half of that total — invested between 2019 and 2023 — went toward doubling the plant’s capacity so it could produce the company’s most cutting-edge chip technologies.
The chipmaker, which has approximately 4,900 employees in Ireland, said the latest round of spending at Leixlip got underway earlier this year. The funds will be used to upgrade existing fabrication facilities and bring in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment capable of producing Intel Xeon 6 processors, as well as a next-generation Intel Xeon chip built on the company’s Intel 3 manufacturing process.
Naga Chandrasekaran, executive vice president of Intel Foundry, emphasized the broader significance of the investment. “We are not just increasing output of critical products, we are ensuring Ireland remains at the forefront of the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystems, while strengthening the region’s role in the global technology landscape,” he said in a prepared statement.
Fintech company Payoneer Global, which trades on the Nasdaq, is set to hire approximately 300 engineers by the close of 2026 as part of its launch of a new global capability centre in India. The move puts Payoneer alongside a growing number of international firms turning to the world’s most populous country to meet their workforce demands.
Major financial technology players such as Mastercard, PayPal, and Revolut have already established India-based centers to drive product development, handle payment processing, and expand their artificial intelligence capabilities. According to industry consultant ANSR, revenue generated by global capability centres in India is projected to grow 12% to $84 billion by 2026.
Payoneer, which operates as a cross-border platform for sending and receiving payments, intends to recruit AI and platform engineers for its new facility in Gurugram, located near Delhi. The site is expected to become the company’s second-largest technology and research and development center in the world, according to Gaurav Gupta, the company’s India site leader, who spoke publicly on Friday.
Gupta explained the reasoning behind the company’s decision to set up operations in India: “India has an amazing talent pool for people who have experience in building financial technologies at a very large-scale (with) deep-tech expertise. So our key reason to come to India is to tap into the talent density.”
Payoneer already maintains an office in Bengaluru focused on sales operations for the local Indian market, employing around 400 people.
Last month, Canadian fintech company Nuvei announced it intends to purchase Payoneer in a deal valued at roughly $2.75 billion, pending regulatory approval. Gupta indicated that the proposed buyout would have no effect on the India global capability centre or its day-to-day business activities in the region.
President Donald Trump’s latest financial disclosures reveal a striking contrast: while he and his two eldest sons were publicly urging investors to put their money into cryptocurrency projects, his own financial managers were quietly shifting a large portion of those earnings into more conservative investments.
According to filings submitted to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Trump took in more than $1.4 billion last year from his family’s crypto ventures, including World Liberty Financial and the Trump meme coin.
A Reuters review of his financial holdings over the past two years found that his stock and bond portfolios grew at least fourfold during the same period that crypto revenues were pouring in. By the end of 2025, Trump held between $703 million and $2.6 billion in traditional financial assets — a dramatic jump from the $225 million to $608 million he reported at the close of 2024. The filings use value ranges rather than exact numbers, so a precise breakdown of how the crypto earnings were redistributed could not be determined.
Nine digital asset experts who reviewed the Reuters analysis concluded that Trump’s personal financial behavior suggests he does not view cryptocurrency as a reliable long-term place to store his wealth. Notably, he did not report purchasing shares in two publicly traded crypto companies backed by his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.
Timothy Massad, director of the Digital Assets Policy Project at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University — and a former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under President Barack Obama — offered a pointed assessment. “Although the President talks about digital assets as the frontier of finance and making the United States the crypto capital of the world, the disclosure form suggests his personal strategy is to make a quick buck from crypto — through the sale of his meme coin and World Liberty tokens — but then invest his profits in traditional assets like stocks and bonds,” Massad said.
A Reuters report published last month found that retail investors who put money into the four main Trump-endorsed crypto projects had collectively lost $2.3 billion as of April.
Trump’s filings do show he still holds a substantial amount of digital tokens. As of the end of last year, he held 15.75 billion World Liberty crypto governance tokens valued at more than $50 million — tokens he received in exchange for his role in the company. As a co-founder, he faces a longer waiting period before he can sell those holdings compared to the general public.
The companies managing Trump’s stakes in World Liberty Financial and the Trump meme coin project held at least $160 million in bitcoin and ether — the two most widely used cryptocurrencies — along with up to $6 million in other tokens at the end of 2025. That represents a significant increase from the $1 million to $5 million in ether he reported holding at the end of 2024.
A spokesperson for the family business said in a statement that the president’s financial disclosure “demonstrates that The Trump Organization continues to maintain a strong financial position, supported by world class, valuable assets, substantial liquidity and a conservative balance sheet.” The spokesperson did not address why crypto proceeds were being moved into traditional financial instruments.
The White House told Reuters that the president’s assets are held in “fully discretionary accounts managed by independent third-party financial institutions.”
A World Liberty spokesman, David Wachsman, stated: “World Liberty has been built for the long-term and we strongly believe the future of financial services will be architected with digital asset technology.”
Trump’s children oversee the trust that holds the president’s assets and have been among the loudest champions of his crypto projects. Since November 2024, Eric Trump — who heads the Trump Organization — has repeatedly told media outlets and conference audiences that bitcoin is “the greatest asset” of the modern era and predicted it would eventually reach $1 million in value, compared to roughly $64,000 at current prices. Eric Trump also said last year that his father “believed in digital assets in a big way.”
Neither Eric Trump nor Donald Trump Jr. responded to requests for comment regarding the president’s investment decisions.
LONDON — The United Kingdom’s government announced Monday it is using new state-threat powers to crack down on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a second Iran-linked organization, following a wave of antisemitic incidents carried out on British streets.
The newly applied powers would essentially make it illegal to support either group while also expanding the authority of police and intelligence services to address any threats connected to them.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the move directly, stating: “These new powers will make it easier to prosecute and lock up anyone carrying out their dirty work here in Britain.”
The IRGC has long operated as an elite military branch loyal to Iran’s Supreme Leader, having been founded in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The organization is already subject to British sanctions.
The second group named, the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right, has claimed responsibility for seven separate attacks targeting Jewish and Israeli communities as well as Persian-language media outlets. Among those incidents was an antisemitic arson attack on March 23 that destroyed four Hatzola ambulances in the Golders Green area.
In addition to the two Iranian-linked organizations, Britain also applied the new powers to Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency.
All of the designations are subject to parliamentary approval before they can officially go into force.
A lane shift is currently in effect for southbound Route 896 drivers approaching the ramp from Interstate 95 northbound to Ramp D.
The temporary traffic configuration is the result of construction work in the area and is expected to remain in place until 5:00 p.m.
Drivers traveling through the area are encouraged to slow down, stay alert for changed traffic patterns, and plan for possible delays during the construction period.
Motorists traveling through Wilmington should plan for delays on Baynard Boulevard, where construction crews have prompted intermittent lane closures between North Broom Street and Concord Avenue (Route 202).
The lane restrictions are expected to remain in effect until 5:00 PM. Drivers are encouraged to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes to avoid potential slowdowns in the area.
Westbound travelers on Harrington Highway, also known as Route 14, in Milford are encountering a lane shift between Canterbury Road and Church Hill Road due to active construction work in the area.
The lane shift is expected to remain in place until 5 PM. Drivers are encouraged to slow down, stay alert, and follow all posted traffic control signs as they move through the construction zone.
No additional details about the nature of the construction project were provided. Motorists looking for alternate routes may want to plan ahead to avoid potential delays.
Emotions ran high this past weekend in Houston, where community members came together to remember Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a man who was fatally shot by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The gathering drew a crowd that displayed a powerful mix of grief and anger as attendees paid their respects to Salgado Araujo and called attention to the circumstances surrounding his death.
Road crews are on the scene along Swinnen Drive today, carrying out curb cleaning operations that are scheduled to continue until 5:30 p.m.
Motorists traveling through the area are advised to use caution and allow extra time, as the work may affect normal traffic flow until crews have finished for the day.
Northbound travelers on Edgemoor Road are facing a lane restriction this afternoon as construction crews work in the area.
The right lane on Edgemoor Road northbound is closed between Philly Pike and Governor Printz Boulevard. The closure is expected to remain in effect until 5 PM.
Drivers in the area should allow extra travel time or consider using an alternate route to avoid delays.
Motorists traveling southbound on Interstate 95 are facing a right shoulder closure between Exit 1A and the toll plaza, according to traffic officials.
The lane restriction is the result of ongoing construction activity in the area. Drivers are advised to use caution and be prepared for possible slowdowns as they approach the affected stretch of roadway.
The closure is scheduled to remain in place until 5:00 PM. No further details about the nature of the construction work were provided.
The pesticide industry has been on a winning streak, securing a string of legal and regulatory victories that have drawn sharp criticism from environmental and public health organizations.
The biggest win came on June 25, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of German agrichemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer. The justices determined that plaintiffs cannot sue the company under state law for failing to include a cancer warning on the label of its Roundup weedkiller, whose active ingredient is glyphosate.
Following the ruling, Bayer’s stock surged to its largest single-day gain in 23 years. The company had been facing tens of thousands of lawsuits from Roundup users who claimed the product caused their cancer.
On Thursday, Bayer moved to persuade a federal judge to dissolve a consolidated federal lawsuit that combines nearly 4,000 additional cancer-related claims. The company has previously warned that the financial weight of that litigation could force it to stop making the weedkiller altogether.
Bayer, which purchased U.S.-based Roundup manufacturer Monsanto in 2018, has since reorganized its Roundup operations into a separate business unit and filed for duties on glyphosate imported from China.
The Trump administration backed Bayer’s position in the Supreme Court case — a stance that put it at odds with pesticide opponents aligned with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement led by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had supported Trump in the 2024 presidential race.
Ken Cook, CEO of the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit that pushes for tighter pesticide regulations, said the administration appears to have concluded that “our constituency is these big farmers and pesticide companies.”
Cook said his organization and others fighting for pesticide limits have long been frustrated with the EPA’s pesticide oversight program. He noted that under former President Joe Biden, “it was at least more cautious,” adding, “There’s a big shift.”
The EPA, however, defended its decisions, saying they often include new application restrictions and that “the impact for farmers and the environment is straightforward. Growers get modern, more precise chemistries that do more with less.”
Bayer called the Supreme Court ruling “good for science, farmers, and industries that depend on regulatory clarity for innovation.”
Dicamba Gets Two-Season Green Light
Another herbicide at the center of controversy, dicamba — made by both Bayer and Syngenta — has also seen a favorable regulatory outcome. The chemical is applied to cotton and soybean crops that have been genetically modified to withstand it.
Critics have long argued that dicamba can drift away from where it is applied, damaging nearby plants and crops. In 2024, a U.S. District Court found that the EPA had previously failed to follow proper public input procedures when approving three dicamba products, and it threw out those approvals. That left farmers unable to use dicamba on their crops in 2025.
Then, in February 2026, the EPA announced it was re-approving dicamba products for the next two growing seasons under stricter rules, including a lower maximum application rate and limits on use during hot weather.
The non-profit Center for Biological Diversity, which opposes dicamba use, responded that those new measures would be ineffective and hard to enforce.
The EPA said in an email that the approval was “deliberately temporary” and featured “the strictest guardrails EPA has ever placed on this herbicide.”
Federal Agency Says Atrazine Not an Extinction Threat
The herbicide atrazine, widely produced by Syngenta and commonly used on crops such as corn and sugarcane, has also received a more favorable regulatory assessment.
In May, as part of an ongoing EPA registration review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a biological opinion concluding that atrazine does not pose an extinction risk to the threatened or endangered species it examined. “We anticipate that the registration of atrazine is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of these species,” the agency wrote.
That finding marks a significant departure from a 2021 EPA biological evaluation, which determined that atrazine was likely to negatively affect more than 1,000 protected species.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that some scientific studies have suggested a possible connection between atrazine exposure and elevated rates of certain cancers, as well as premature births.
In 2025, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified atrazine as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Nathan Donley, environmental health science director for the Center for Biological Diversity, was sharply critical of the outcome. “Instead of taking the environmental and health risks of atrazine seriously, the Trump administration has once again done the pesticide industry’s bidding, allowing this extraordinarily dangerous pesticide to continue poisoning our land and water for decades to come,” he said in a statement.
The EPA noted that the biological opinion was issued by a separate agency, and said it would factor in any new scientific findings as its own review of atrazine continues.
Syngenta, on a company website dedicated to atrazine, maintains that when the chemical is used as directed, it does not cause harmful effects to human health or the environment.
Northbound travelers on Whiteleysburg Road (Road 59) are facing a temporary right lane shift between Vernon Road and Sugar Stick Road due to ongoing construction activity.
The lane shift closure is expected to remain in effect until 5 PM. Drivers in the area are encouraged to plan accordingly and use caution when passing through the construction zone.
JOHANNESBURG — A 45-year-old British citizen suspected of murdering his wife and two daughters at their home in England has been arrested in Johannesburg after purchasing an illegal firearm, South African police revealed.
Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, a British national of Zimbabwean heritage, appeared before a Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Monday. He was remanded in custody until July 22 so that authorities can determine whether he is in South Africa lawfully.
South African authorities have charged him with illegal possession of a firearm — an offense that can carry up to 15 years in prison for first-time offenders. The court will also weigh whether Tshuma should be extradited to Britain to face murder charges there.
British prosecutors have given police the go-ahead to charge Tshuma with three counts of murder after the bodies of his wife, 42, and his two daughters, aged 15 and 5, were discovered at the family’s residence in Bedfordshire earlier this month.
Tshuma had departed Britain through Heathrow Airport before the victims were found, according to South African police.
South African police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe told reporters that investigators believe Tshuma purchased the weapon shortly after arriving in the country. “According to our investigation, after landing in South Africa on July 5, he then went to one of the townships and he bought this particular unlicensed firearm,” Mathe said. “It is our suspicion that this … firearm was going to be used to end his life.”
Mathe confirmed that South Africa had received a provisional extradition request from Britain, though officials are still awaiting the full formal documentation.
She also noted that Tshuma’s own family members in South Africa assisted police in tracking him down. “His family did not harbour him. … They played a very pivotal role,” Mathe said.
Maxivision Super Specialty Eye Hospitals, an Indian eye-care chain supported by healthcare-focused investment firm Quadria Capital, has brought on ICICI Securities and IIFL Capital to help prepare for a planned initial public offering in 2027, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.
The company, which was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Hyderabad, currently operates more than 90 eye-care facilities spread across six Indian states. It operates in a competitive space alongside other eye-care chains such as Dr. Agarwal’s Health Care, Centre for Sight, and ASG Eye Hospitals.
Demand for eye care in India is being fueled by an aging population, increasing rates of diabetes, and expanding health insurance access. According to data from Grand View Research, the Indian eye-care market is expected to climb from $12.8 billion in 2025 to $31.2 billion by 2033.
Sources say Maxivision is still in the early phases of its IPO preparations. The offering is expected to include a combination of newly issued shares and existing shares being sold by current investors. The final size of the offering has not been set, the sources noted, speaking on condition of anonymity given the private nature of the discussions.
Maxivision did not offer a comment on the matter, and ICICI Securities, IIFL Capital, and Quadria Capital had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
The move comes as India’s healthcare sector sees a surge in investment and capital markets activity. Reuters previously reported that KKR is in advanced discussions to purchase a controlling stake in the Indian operations of Sweden-based Medicover for at least $1 billion. Additionally, Manipal Health Enterprises earlier this year submitted paperwork for an IPO that could bring in as much as $1.17 billion.
Southeast Asia’s regional alliance, ASEAN, is drawing scrutiny from analysts who warn that renewed engagement with Myanmar’s military-backed government could grant it political legitimacy while producing little to no real progress toward peace.
Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered in Bangkok on Sunday for an informal meeting with Myanmar’s top diplomat — the first face-to-face encounter of its kind since the military staged a coup in February 2021 and was subsequently banned from the bloc’s high-level summits.
While officials characterized the Bangkok gathering as a chance for Myanmar to update its neighbors on conditions within the country, Richard Horsey, senior Asia adviser at Crisis Group, raised a pointed concern: the meeting could be normalizing political ties before any real progress has been made.
“It would be a mistake for ASEAN to accept Myanmar back into the fold without getting anything meaningful in return,” Horsey said.
The meeting is being seen as a critical test of whether ASEAN will stand behind its own peace blueprint or allow Myanmar’s military-aligned leadership to reclaim regional standing without taking genuine steps to end the conflict — such as freeing political prisoners including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi or restoring full democratic governance.
Myanmar has been engulfed in turmoil since Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government was removed from power in the February 2021 coup. The junta’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests ignited an armed resistance movement that has since grown into a full-scale civil war.
In April 2021, ASEAN agreed to a “Five-Point Consensus” calling for a halt to violence, dialogue between all parties, humanitarian aid, and the appointment of a special envoy. However, the military government refused to implement the plan, leading ASEAN to exclude it from top-tier meetings and limit Myanmar’s participation to non-political representatives.
Last week, Myanmar’s military-dominated parliament approved a motion urging the country’s new government to push back against the Five-Point Consensus, labeling it interference in internal affairs, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.
Opposition groups — including the exile-based National Unity Government and ethnic armed organizations such as the Karen National Union — issued a joint statement Saturday expressing alarm over the foreign ministers’ informal meeting. They called on ASEAN to broaden its engagement to include all major democratic political stakeholders inside the country.
The human toll of the conflict has been devastating. An estimated 100,000 people have lost their lives, more than 3.6 million have been forced from their homes, and the country’s economy has been severely damaged. Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest with her location undisclosed, while numerous senior members of her party and other opponents of the junta have been imprisoned or barred from political life.
Analysts cautioned that ASEAN may be giving away too much leverage by engaging with Myanmar’s leadership in Naypyitaw before meaningful conditions are met.
“The central question is whether the organization will uphold its own agreed framework or permit re-engagement with the military regime without requiring meaningful implementation of the Five-Point Consensus,” said Ye Myo Hein, a senior fellow at the Southeast Asia Peace Institute.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow pushed back on suggestions that Sunday’s discussions represented a shift in ASEAN’s stance. “This process of engagement does not mean any change in our basic position as reflected in the Five-Point Consensus, but it does mean achieving towards engagement, listening, and being realistic about what can be achieved,” he said.
The BBC Burmese service reported that Sihasak was planning to hold separate informal meetings with some ethnic armed organizations and the National Unity Government, though no official confirmation of those talks has been provided by officials or the opposition groups themselves.
The signs of warming relations come roughly six months after a phased election organized by the junta — an election that critics and Western governments dismissed as a staged process meant to preserve military control behind a civilian facade. That process concluded in April when a pro-military parliament chose former junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president, formalizing the grip on power he had held since the coup.
Analysts warned that moving too quickly toward re-engagement would erode ASEAN’s ability to push its peace agenda and hold influence over Myanmar’s government. “Once the regime secures the regional legitimacy it seeks without meeting any meaningful conditions, ASEAN will have far fewer tools to encourage compliance with the Five-Point Consensus or promote a genuine political dialogue,” Ye Myo Hein said.
Southbound travelers on Atlanta Road (Road 30) are facing a lane shift between Tull Drive and Oak Street due to ongoing construction work.
The lane shift closure is expected to remain in place until 3:30 PM. Drivers in the area should slow down and be prepared for changed traffic patterns as crews work in the zone.
Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes if possible until the closure is lifted.
HAVANA — Most evenings, 39-year-old Frank Alfonso climbs to the rooftop of his apartment building to escape the stifling heat that comes with Havana’s ever-more-frequent power outages. But when the rain swept in last Friday afternoon at the same moment Cuba’s entire national electrical grid went down, even that small escape was taken from him.
Alfonso lives in one of thousands of aging tenement buildings across Havana called “solares” — structures that have been carved up over the decades into tiny living spaces. Now six months into a U.S.-imposed oil blockade, residents of these buildings are enduring extended stretches without power as Cuba’s worn-out infrastructure struggles to keep the lights on with dwindling fuel supplies.
“We didn’t even realize this time that the whole grid had collapsed, because we were already in a blackout,” Alfonso said.
Over the course of more than 24 hours this past weekend, as the system failure stretched across much of the island, Reuters followed Alfonso and his neighbors through what has become an ordinary part of their lives: existing without electricity.
NO POWER MEANS NO WATER
Just next door to Alfonso’s unit, 51-year-old Yunaisi Durruti sat in an armchair late Friday night, the glowing tip of her cigarette the only source of light in the room. Her biggest worry wasn’t the heat or the darkness — it was water.
Her faucet had been dry for a full week. The pump that moves water from the ground-floor cistern up to her second-floor apartment’s tank runs on electricity, and during the brief windows each day when power does come on, the cistern is typically already empty due to routine water shutoffs.
Durruti originally came to Havana as a young woman to study culinary arts, and later spent ten years working in the kitchen of a beachside resort operated by the Spanish hotel company Melia. That chapter of her life is behind her now. She works as a security guard, and after each shift she travels to her parents’ home in a part of the city that sees fewer blackouts — just to shower, prepare food, and wash her clothes. Her own refrigerator sits empty, since there’s no point keeping food that will only spoil.
Melia has since announced it is pulling out of Cuba following tightened U.S. sanctions imposed this spring.
Durruti noted that Cuba’s deep-rooted tradition of neighbors looking out for one another has helped soften the blow of the shortages — but only to a point.
“Everyone can share a small bucket of water,” she said. “But in this crisis, more than that is impossible.”
A PROPHECY FULFILLED
Cuba’s electrical grid and broader infrastructure have been declining for years, but residents of the tenement building said the power cuts that used to be occasional have become relentless in recent months since the oil blockade took hold.
On Saturday afternoon, 28-year-old Thalía Castillo sat nursing her three-month-old son, Thayler, while a small rechargeable fan worked to keep the heat and mosquitoes away from the infant in their ground-floor apartment.
Castillo and her husband, Lazaro Herrera, had been among the lucky ones — for a while. A power station sent by Castillo’s grandmother living in the United States had kept their apartment running for several hours after the grid went down. But the charge eventually ran out. A frozen package of meat — another item made possible by their U.S.-based family — was slowly thawing in the freezer, and every few hours Castillo wiped away the pooling blood seeping into the refrigerator.
Small figurines representing Yoruba deities lined their kitchen. Herrera serves as a priest — called a babalawo — in the Afro-Cuban faith tradition, which is widely observed across the island. Each new year brings a set of prophecies delivered by community elders. This past January, the forecast spoke of upheaval and conflict.
“Everything has come true, so far,” Herrera said.
A BRIEF MOMENT OF LIGHT
Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, Alfonso hurried back to the building. The power was still out — but Argentina’s World Cup quarterfinal match against Switzerland was about to kick off, and he wasn’t about to miss it.
Since the tournament began, Alfonso and Herrera had worked out a solution for the repeated blackouts: they mounted Herrera’s television on a rack outside and ran it off a generator from across the street.
By the time the match started, several dozen residents from the building and the surrounding neighborhood had gathered in the street around the screen. An older woman from the second floor perched on the front steps, scolding younger viewers who wandered into her line of sight. When Argentina scored its opening goal, the crowd erupted in cheers.
The rest of the street — stretching all the way to Havana’s waterfront boulevard — remained completely dark.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The president of the European Commission spoke out Monday in favor of placing limits on how children can access social media, as a special EU advisory panel released a report recommending that platforms be off-limits to children under 13 until technology companies can demonstrate their services are safe.
Concerns about the impact of social media on young, still-developing minds have been fueling a wave of new laws around the world. Countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Indonesia have enacted bans preventing children under 15 or 16 from using platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who holds a medical degree, laid out her concerns about children’s exposure to social media and stated that children under the age of 3 should have no screen time whatsoever.
“I believe we need to consider phased and gradual access for different age ranges because childhood won’t wait and once it’s gone, we can never give it back,” von der Leyen told reporters.
She drew comparisons to other age-gated activities: “Just as we don’t give our children keys to the car before they have their license, or we do not let them buy alcohol until they are legally allowed. We need to set the age at which they can, the children can, legally access social media,” she said.
Von der Leyen also singled out infinite scrolling as one of the “addictive” features that technology companies need to address.
While she stopped short of naming specific age thresholds beyond the restriction for toddlers, the European Commission — the EU’s executive body — is expected to put forward a formal proposal for the bloc’s 27 member nations to consider in the coming months. Von der Leyen’s policy positions carry significant weight among EU member countries.
The special panel, which was created to examine child safety in the digital space, delivered its findings to the EU chief on Monday. The report concluded that when it comes to online safety, “the burden of proof needs to be on providers, not regulators, parents and children.”
“Until they demonstrate that their services are safe by design, social media and other digital services providers should have restricted access to children under the age of 13 in the EU,” the report stated. Its findings are expected to play a significant role in shaping von der Leyen’s next steps.
The panel also recommended that EU member countries consider “further precautionary age restrictions” for children who are older than 13.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Paris on Monday to sit down with approximately two dozen European leaders committed to supporting Kyiv as the conflict with Russia stretches into its fifth year.
At the same time, European foreign ministers gathered separately in Brussels, where discussions were expected to focus on Ukraine’s ongoing needs and the broader threat Russia poses to the continent.
Both Ukraine and its European allies are eager to build on recent Ukrainian battlefield gains and push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward peace talks. However, Moscow has shown no sign of willingness to compromise, despite a year of diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration.
Analysts and Western officials say Ukraine’s growing drone capabilities have given it a significant advantage in recent months. Strikes on Russian supply lines behind the front have slowed the Russian military’s progress and made advances increasingly costly for Moscow.
Ukrainian forces have focused heavily on cutting off supplies to Crimea, sparking what observers describe as the worst fuel shortage on the Black Sea peninsula since Russia’s illegal annexation of the territory in 2014. These strikes have also undermined the Kremlin’s claims that Russia is winning the war.
Zelenskyy has been pushing to fast-track a joint European effort to develop anti-ballistic air defense systems capable of intercepting Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
Following the latest wave of overnight Russian attacks across Ukraine, Zelenskyy posted on social media Monday: “Everyone in the world sees that Ukraine needs more air defense, more protection of life.”
U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that he would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air-defense systems — a move that could represent a significant turning point for Kyiv. Still, experts and Ukrainian officials caution that converting that commitment into actual weapons systems would likely require years of work.
The Paris gathering, organized under the so-called Coalition of the Willing — a group of more than 30 nations backing Ukraine — was expected to draw around 25 heads of state and government. The unusually high number of attending leaders was seen as a strong signal of long-term support for Ukraine and a warning to Moscow as Russia continues to test European resolve.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced Monday that France would summon the Russian ambassador and impose sanctions on Russian hackers. He told BFMTV-RMC that the actions stem from “a vast cyber campaign aimed at sabotage and espionage, carried out by Russia in about 10 European countries.”
The war’s reach has also extended beyond Ukraine’s borders. Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported Monday that a drone launched during Russian overnight strikes on Ukraine’s Odesa region crashed and detonated on Moldovan soil, calling the incident “serious and unacceptable.”
Zelenskyy made the trip to Paris following the death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine’s most vocal supporters in Washington. He also departed amid a significant and still-unfinished reshuffling of his government, which included Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stepping down on Sunday.
Ukraine has continued striking deep inside Russian territory using domestically developed long-range drones and missiles, at times matching or surpassing the volume of aerial attacks launched by Russia.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that Russian air defenses shot down 350 Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow since late Sunday, including 50 near the capital itself. Andrei Vorobyov, who leads the region surrounding Moscow, said 81 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight.
Vorobyov also reported that three people were killed and three others injured by a Ukrainian strike on the Pionersky settlement near Istra in the western Moscow region, with five private homes catching fire.
Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, reported that Russia launched 134 long-range strike drones and three guided missiles at Ukrainian territory. Air defenses successfully intercepted or jammed all three missiles and 123 of the drones, though six drones caused damage at five separate locations.
In the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, more than 70 people were hospitalized following a series of recent Russian strikes that damaged 11 apartment buildings, according to military administration head Ivan Fedorov.
Russia’s Federal Security Service claimed it foiled a Ukrainian plot to strike the Ukrainka air base in the far eastern Amur region and the Shagol air base in the Chelyabinsk region in the southern Urals. The agency said small drones were smuggled into Russia’s western Bryansk region via air balloons and larger transport drones, then transported by car to locations near the targeted bases by Ukrainian operatives. Authorities said they arrested Ukrainian agents and associates and seized 24 drones, describing the alleged scheme as part of a series of planned strikes “unprecedented in its scale and the level of threat.”
Just over a year ago, a Ukrainian covert mission known as Operation Spiderweb reportedly destroyed or damaged nearly one-third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet by smuggling drones into Russian territory, according to Ukrainian officials.
BRUSSELS — The European Union announced sanctions Monday against Russian military intelligence officers, hackers, and private companies, condemning what it described as a years-long campaign of cyber espionage aimed at weakening the bloc.
The sanctions target nine individuals and four organizations accused of ties to an online spying network that the EU says has been attacking governments and conducting sabotage operations against critical infrastructure — including heating and power plants — since 2010.
The European Council released a statement saying those hit by the sanctions “contribute to Russia’s efforts to destabilize the EU, its member states and international partners.” The espionage and sabotage activities have been traced to at least nine countries.
The names of the specific individuals and organizations were not included in the official statement.
According to the European Council, the countries targeted include France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, and Finland, “among others.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France plans to call in the Russian ambassador within the coming days. Speaking to French BFM television, he explained that the cyber operations are designed “either to capture information, or sabotage the operation, for example, of railway infrastructures as it was the case in Poland.”
The EU’s actions focused specifically on the 16th Centre of Russia’s Federal Security Service, known as the FSB. The bloc stated the FSB has been “controlling a variety of cyber threat groups” and has “conducted a wide range of malicious cyber activities with growing severity.”
Several nations have previously accused Russia of using cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to interfere in elections.
In April, Sweden announced that a pro-Russian group with connections to Russia’s security and intelligence services was responsible for a cyberattack on a heating plant the previous year. That announcement came on the heels of warnings from officials in Poland, Norway, Denmark, and Latvia that Russia has been systematically targeting critical infrastructure throughout Europe.
AVON, France — A wildfire burning through the famous Fontainebleau forest south of Paris forced residents out of their homes and brought train and highway travel to a halt on Monday, adding to a growing list of wildfires scorching western Europe during a relentless summer heat wave.
The Fontainebleau forest is a historically significant and heavily visited destination located roughly 70 kilometers — about 42 miles — from the French capital. The surrounding region is home to the Fontainebleau Chateau, a palace once favored by Napoleon, and draws large numbers of tourists and day-trippers from Paris and elsewhere.
Hundreds of firefighters were sent to battle the blaze, and two water-dropping aircraft were brought in to help from the air. Regional fire service spokesperson Paul Laurain shared updates with public broadcaster France-Info as crews worked to bring the fire under control.
Train service to and from Paris’s busy Gare de Lyon station had been thrown into chaos late Sunday but was gradually recovering by Monday morning. A stretch of the heavily traveled A6 highway heading southeast out of Paris was also closed due to fire danger.
The Fontainebleau fire is just one piece of a larger crisis unfolding across France. Wildfires in the southern part of the country have already burned thousands of hectares since last week, putting a strain on firefighting resources and even forcing changes to the route of the Tour de France cycling race.
France is currently in the grip of its third heat wave of the summer. Temperatures have climbed past 40 degrees Celsius — 104 degrees Fahrenheit — across western and central parts of the country, with Paris seeing temperatures around 37 C, or roughly 98 F.
Across the border in Spain, the situation remains grim following a deadly wildfire that tore through a remote expat community in the country’s south last week. A 93-year-old British national died Sunday in a hospital from injuries suffered in the Los Gallardos fire, bringing the total death toll to 13. Ten people were still unaccounted for as of Monday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected to travel to the fire zone Monday. Regional officials said the blaze had been contained by Sunday after burning through approximately 70 square kilometers — about 27 square miles — of forest and farmland, an area larger than the island of Manhattan.
Extreme heat, strong winds, and a prolonged lack of rainfall have combined to create dangerous fire conditions across Spain, allowing small blazes to explode in size before they can be stopped.
The fires are unfolding against a backdrop of long-term climate change. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, with temperatures rising at twice the global average rate since the 1980s.
Thai authorities are working to determine the cause of a deadly fire at a Bangkok music bar that left at least 27 people dead and dozens more injured — the latest in a long history of catastrophic blazes at nightlife venues across the globe.
Fire safety experts say the high number of casualties may reflect problems commonly seen in past entertainment venue disasters, including inadequate safety measures. The fire broke out at the Na Ladprao music bar shortly before midnight Sunday and appeared to race quickly across a ceiling covered with flammable decorative materials before cutting off the main entrance. Local media reports indicate that packed conditions inside the bar, blocked escape routes, and widespread panic made it harder for people to get out.
Witness videos posted online captured the bar engulfed in flames while thick black smoke poured from the front entrance and people rushed to escape. Images and footage recorded at the scene Monday showed Thai investigators picking through the burned-out structure, with the worst destruction visible overhead. Large portions of the ceiling had been reduced to charred ruins, while the floor below — tables still holding beer bottles — was buried under ash and debris.
Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a musician who had been performing at the bar told him he noticed smoke rising from a circuit breaker near the stage just before the power cut out. An explosion followed, and the bar quickly filled with dense smoke.
Thai officials said investigators would look into what materials were used in the ceiling and whether any emergency exits were blocked at the time of the fire. A Google image from February appeared to show plastic plants decorating the ceiling above the stage.
Lee Young Ju, a fire safety professor at South Korea’s Kyungil University, said the fire may have been triggered by an electrical fault — possibly tied to audio or lighting equipment or faulty wiring — that then spread rapidly along the ceiling.
Royal Thai Police chief Kittharath Punpetch said investigators are also looking beyond the ceiling materials and overhead wiring. Police are examining whether gas canisters stored in the kitchen may have played a role in fueling the blaze.
Huang Xinyan, a professor at Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University, said video from the fire site suggests the bar contained combustible foam materials, had no sprinkler system, and featured small exits that may have slowed evacuation. He noted that plastic ceiling decorations may have been combined with foam soundproofing materials, potentially accelerating how fast the fire grew.
Professor Lee cautioned, however, that even if sprinklers had been present, it’s uncertain they would have slowed a fire burning along the ceiling, since sprinkler systems are not built to fight fires spreading overhead.
The Bangkok disaster is the most recent in a troubling pattern of deadly fires at entertainment venues around the world. On New Year’s Day, a fire tore through a bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana, killing around 40 people and injuring more than 100. A 2013 nightclub fire in Santa Maria, in southern Brazil, claimed more than 200 lives.
Huang said the Bangkok fire may share similarities with the Switzerland blaze, pointing out that such venues tend to be packed with flammable soundproofing materials and overcrowded with patrons, both of which can drive up the death toll.
Professor Lee said high casualty numbers in entertainment venue fires often come down to large crowds crammed into relatively small spaces, making rapid evacuation nearly impossible. He noted that these venues frequently don’t have enough exits, and most people inside only know the main entrance they used to get in. Loud music and alcohol can also leave patrons less alert and slower to react when danger strikes.
Jiang Liming, another professor at Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University, pointed out that bars typically have few large windows and exits can quickly become overwhelmed by panicked crowds trying to escape all at once.
“Once there was a rapidly growing fire, large (numbers) of casualties might occur due to high density of people and fast accumulation of smoke,” Jiang said.
Kong Ha-song, a disaster prevention professor at South Korea’s Woosuk University, said death tolls in bar and nightclub fires are frequently made worse because these spaces can resemble a “maze,” with beer crates, tables, and other items blocking hallways and exit paths. He also noted that emergency exits are sometimes kept locked to prevent theft or unauthorized entry.
Thai police chief Kittharath said the single-story bar had four exits in total, but investigators were looking into whether the two rear exits were blocked or otherwise unusable at the time of the fire. One exit near the restrooms — where most of the victims were discovered — had a table pushed in front of it, while another exit near the kitchen had a damaged sign and a sliding door with its handle missing.
American households and the Federal Reserve are facing a fresh inflation challenge — this time driven by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence.
Investment in data centers built to power AI is expected to surpass $700 billion this year alone. That surge in spending has driven up the cost of memory chips, computer processors, and other hardware, while also pushing electricity prices higher. Economists say the pressure on prices is expected to continue at least through the end of 2025.
While the impact isn’t expected to rival the inflation surge of 2021 through 2023 — when prices peaked at 9.1% — the AI-driven spending wave could keep inflation running hotter than the Federal Reserve would prefer. That could prompt the central bank to raise its key interest rate later this year, a move that typically leads to higher costs for car loans, home mortgages, and business borrowing.
Fed officials are expected to closely examine June’s inflation report, set for release Tuesday, for early signs of AI’s effect on prices. Inflation last month likely eased somewhat, in part because gasoline prices dropped after a ceasefire was reached between the U.S. and Iran — though that situation has since changed as fighting has resumed.
Just four major technology companies — Google’s parent Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft — are projected to spend a combined $720 billion this year, with the bulk of that going toward data center construction.
Those facilities require enormous quantities of semiconductors, and chip supplies have been stretched thin. Economists at JPMorgan Chase estimate that the price of certain computer memory chips could climb as much as 400% between 2024 and the close of this year.
Consumers are already feeling the pinch at the checkout counter. Prices have risen on a wide array of electronics, including laptops, smartphones, video game consoles, and desktop computers. Utility bills are also climbing as data centers consume an ever-larger share of newly generated electricity.
Last month, Apple announced it was raising prices on its laptops and iPads by roughly 15% to 25%. Its top-of-the-line MacBook now carries a price tag of $1,999, up from $1,699. Analysts widely expect iPhone prices to follow suit.
In a statement, Apple explained the increases this way: “The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.”
On the same day Apple made its announcement, Microsoft said the price of its Xbox video game console would increase by $100 by August 1st, pointing to higher memory chip costs as the reason. Sony has similarly raised prices on the PlayStation, and both Dell Computer and HP have increased prices on their laptop lines.
Analysts at investment bank Evercore ISI recently noted that a “wave of AI-related cost pressures spilling over into consumer prices is still in the early stages of building.”
The overall effect on broad inflation measures may be relatively contained. Many economists project that AI investment will add roughly half a percentage point to core consumer prices — which strip out food and energy costs — by year’s end.
Even so, that increase could cancel out price relief coming from other directions, such as the fading impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and cooling rental costs. Core inflation, based on the Fed’s preferred measure, stood at 3.4% in May. Some economists now believe it may only dip slightly by December, staying well above the Fed’s 2% goal.
The AI-driven price pressure may prove to be temporary, but it follows earlier rounds of inflation tied to tariffs and a spike in gasoline prices stemming from the conflict with Iran. The Fed generally overlooks short-lived price increases rather than raising rates to combat them — but a long string of temporary shocks could fuel more lasting inflation, which has already been above the Fed’s target for more than five years.
“In isolation one or two such shocks is perhaps transitory, something they’re willing to live with,” said Abiel Reinhart, an economist at J.P. Morgan. “A sustained series of shocks, or a wider range of shocks, becomes more concerning to them.”
Fed policymakers are increasingly focused on AI’s potential to stoke inflation. Kevin Warsh, who took over as chair on May 22nd, has expressed the view that AI will ultimately make the U.S. economy more efficient, which should reduce inflation over time even as growth picks up. However, in remarks delivered July 1st, he acknowledged that AI investment is currently boosting demand, though he stopped short of predicting how inflationary the effect would be.
Despite that cautious optimism, many Fed officials are worried that demand for AI-related equipment will keep outpacing supply — a dynamic that tends to sustain higher prices.
“If this creates a sustained impulse to demand relative to supply in inflation, I do think that’s the kind of situation where you don’t look through this,” said John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and vice chair of the Fed’s rate-setting committee, speaking Thursday. Williams has previously favored holding rates steady, but his comment signals he could back a rate hike under certain conditions.
Minutes from the Fed’s June 16th and 17th policy meeting, released Wednesday, indicate that many other officials share Williams’ concerns.
AI’s massive appetite for electricity is another route through which the technology could drive up prices. Power companies across the country are adding new capacity to meet demand — a costly process that can push utility bills higher for everyone.
According to government data, electricity prices rose 5.9% in May compared to the same month a year ago, outpacing overall inflation, which came in at 4.2%. After a spike during the pandemic, electricity price growth had settled back to around 2% annually in early 2025 before the AI-driven demand surge took hold.
While chip prices could peak and begin to fall later this year, experts believe AI’s electricity demands will keep utility costs elevated through 2028 or longer. Economists at Goldman Sachs projected in February that electricity prices will climb 6% both this year and next, followed by an above-average increase of 3% in 2028.
“We do know what effect AI is having on inflation now, and it is inflationary, not deflationary,” wrote Dario Perkins, an economist at TSLombard, in a note published this week.
The White House is preparing to gather electric utility companies and data center developers for a voluntary commitment aimed at preventing the rapid rise in electricity demand from artificial intelligence from driving up power bills for everyday consumers and businesses, according to three people with knowledge of the plans.
An announcement event is expected within the next few weeks, with multiple companies set to participate and pledge that existing ratepayers will not be left footing the bill for AI-driven infrastructure expansion. The list of attendees is still being put together, sources said.
The White House did not respond when asked for comment.
Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity, and their surging power needs have led regulators, consumer advocates, and state lawmakers across the country to raise alarms that ordinary households could end up covering the cost of grid upgrades that primarily benefit some of the world’s biggest technology companies. That backdrop has fueled skepticism about whether any voluntary pledge will result in meaningful action or amount to little more than a public relations gesture.
President Donald Trump’s administration has been pushing hard to speed up the buildout of AI infrastructure and is eager to sidestep any political fallout that could come from higher electricity bills hitting American families.
Earlier this year, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI signed a voluntary “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” at a White House ceremony. Through that agreement, the companies committed to paying for the electricity infrastructure their AI operations require rather than shifting those expenses onto existing utility customers. That included contributions toward new power generation, grid upgrades, and costs related to reserved but unused capacity.
The upcoming event is expected to expand on those earlier commitments by pulling in electric utilities, companies that construct and run data centers on behalf of major tech firms, and governors from states that are at the forefront of building out the power infrastructure needed to handle the anticipated surge in electricity demand.
Administration officials have maintained that the United States can only win the global competition in artificial intelligence by rapidly growing its electricity generation and transmission capacity — but that consumers should not be made to pay for that growth. The White House has framed the initiative as a way to reassure the public that expanding AI investment does not have to mean higher energy costs.
A decision by Michael Saylor’s bitcoin-accumulating company Strategy to approve more bitcoin sales has put renewed scrutiny on a group of publicly traded crypto stockpiling firms that are feeling the pressure of declining cryptocurrency values.
Strategy’s stock got a brief bump on Friday after analysts gave their approval to a plan unveiled late last month. That plan includes a stock buyback program and authorization to sell up to $1.25 billion worth of bitcoin.
The company’s shares had surged in late 2024 and through much of last year, but dropped to two-year lows last month. Strategy has already offloaded roughly $218 million in bitcoin so far this year, using the proceeds to cover dividends and rebuild its cash reserves.
Those sales have reignited debate about the long-term viability of the many copycat companies known as “digital asset treasury” firms, or DATs. These companies exploded in popularity last year, riding a wave of investor enthusiasm tied to U.S. President Trump’s pro-crypto stance.
DATs give investors a way to gain exposure to cryptocurrency through regulated public companies, while also offering the potential for amplified returns. However, the model is extremely vulnerable to falling crypto prices, which can shrink the value of their holdings, make fundraising more difficult, and undermine the leveraged returns that draw investors in.
Bitcoin, the most widely held cryptocurrency, has plunged as much as 33% this year as markets have grappled with geopolitical tensions, rising oil prices, and a reshaping of the Federal Reserve under new chair Kevin Warsh. The fortunes of DAT companies have fallen right along with it.
The combined market value of DAT companies hit its peak last July, when the broader crypto market reached $4 trillion in total value. That was followed by a sharp decline in November after global trade fears triggered a record $19 billion liquidation of crypto positions. These companies have not been able to fully recover in 2026 as the crypto market has remained sluggish.
Many DATs traded at a premium to their actual crypto holdings last year, because investors expected them to use access to equity and debt markets to keep buying more tokens. But starting late last year, the companies’ combined market value relative to the net asset value of their crypto holdings — a measure called mNAV — dropped below 1. That means the companies were trading at a discount to what they actually hold.
This is a significant problem, since most DATs need their shares to trade above their net asset value to attract new capital. Strategy’s own mNAV dipped below 1 for the first time late last month.
Despite the challenges, executives at DAT companies have said their long-term success will depend on making smart investment choices, and they are exploring new ways to increase value for shareholders, according to previous reporting.
Weekly trading volume in DAT shares peaked last August, according to data from blockchain data provider Artemis Terminal, but has been volatile since. Volume hit a low point in February, following a selloff in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies triggered by news that Warsh would be nominated to lead the Federal Reserve. Analysts expect Warsh to push for reducing the Fed’s balance sheet — a move that would drain liquidity from the financial system and act as a drag on risk assets like cryptocurrencies.
Strategy remains by far the largest holder of crypto among these companies, even after this year’s bitcoin sales. BitMine Immersion Technologies, which holds ether — the second-largest cryptocurrency behind bitcoin — has the next biggest stockpile.
Several other crypto treasury companies have also sold portions of their holdings this year. Nakamoto Inc., which describes itself as a bitcoin operating company, sold roughly 5% of its bitcoin in March and another approximately 600 bitcoin in June.
All companies mentioned in this report either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.
American chip stocks have stumbled out of the gate in July, and market watchers say more turbulence could be on the way as investors grapple with lofty valuations and growing uncertainty about how long the artificial intelligence spending boom will last.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor index has dropped more than 11% since reaching a record peak in June. Despite that slide, the index remains up 83% for the year — a figure that hangs over every conversation about the sector’s future. These companies have benefited enormously from rising prices and supply-demand imbalances, but financial markets are always looking ahead.
Steve Sosnick, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers, put it plainly: “We’ve never seen this kind of extreme earnings growth. But the question then becomes, how long can we expect this to continue.”
Money Flowing Out
Funds that track U.S. semiconductor stocks saw outflows of roughly $11 billion during the week ending June 24 — the largest weekly exodus of money from the sector this century, according to LSEG Lipper data. That followed two weeks in which those same funds had pulled in about $12 billion in fresh investment, underscoring just how volatile sentiment has become.
Analysts broadly expect that major technology companies will keep spending heavily on cloud and AI infrastructure. A note from BofA Securities this week projected that global cloud and AI infrastructure capital expenditure could approach $1.5 trillion by 2027, representing a 40% to 50% jump year over year. Much of the current anxiety, analysts say, is driven by hypothetical scenarios — what happens if stock prices fall or companies start cutting their capital spending plans.
Wall Street Still Bullish
Despite the recent dip, U.S. brokerages have been raising their price targets for chip stocks, fueled by expectations that demand for AI technology will keep supporting earnings growth.
Among S&P 500 chipmakers, Micron has the highest projected upside relative to its current price — more than 60% — based on the consensus analyst target, according to LSEG data. Memory chipmaker Sandisk’s shares are seen rising more than 30%. Nvidia’s stock is expected to climb over 40%.
SK Hynix, another memory chip company, jumped more than 10% in its U.S. trading debut on Friday after a $26.5 billion share sale, buoyed by soaring memory prices driven by tight supplies.
However, several other large semiconductor firms are already trading near their median 12-month price targets, suggesting that much of the expected gain may already be reflected in current prices.
Alexander Lis, chief investment officer at SD Ventures, offered a note of caution: “I consider elevated price targets to be rather a consequence of the incredible momentum in semis rather than a reliable indicator of future performance.”
Short Sellers Returning
Data analytics firm ORTEX reports that bets against major semiconductor companies have been building over the past year, with short interest now sitting at a three-year high.
Peter Hillerberg, co-founder at ORTEX, described the trend this way: “This is caution and hedging creeping back into the sector after a huge run, not the kind of crowded, high-conviction shorting that leads to squeezes.”
Hillerberg added that short interest in these stocks has nearly doubled on average over the past three years, with the biggest increases seen in Marvell, Qualcomm, and Micron.
Earnings Under the Microscope
Earnings for companies on the S&P 1500 Semiconductors & Equipment Industry index are expected to more than double this year, driven largely by Micron and Nvidia, according to data compiled by LSEG. But that growth is projected to slow in 2027, with profits expected to rise 46.1%.
Adding to the uncertainty, the unclear path for U.S. interest rates and ongoing conflict in the Middle East could weigh on future earnings estimates.
The Valuation Question
Nvidia, which has been central to the AI-driven market rally, is currently trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of about 19 — its lowest level in more than a decade. Micron’s forward P/E touched a nine-year low of 5.4 back in May.
Chris Maxey, chief market strategist at Wealthspire Advisors, explained: “The valuations have gotten cheaper over the last two years, and that’s primarily a function of earnings growing faster than the price.”
Still, forward P/E ratios for Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, and Marvell Technology remain well above their long-term averages, suggesting that earnings expectations haven’t caught up quickly enough — and potentially turning investor attention back toward the cyclical, commodity-like nature of the chip business, especially in memory chips.
Marija Veitmane, head of equity research at State Street Global Markets, summed up the long-term outlook: “It’s impossible to argue that the cyclicality of the sector will go away. I think the cycle will just get a lot longer.”
Meta announced Monday that its data center located in Richland Parish, Louisiana will grow to a compute capacity of 5 gigawatts, a massive scale-up designed to power the social media giant’s push into artificial intelligence.
Since construction began in December 2024, Louisiana-based businesses have already been awarded more than $1.6 billion in contracts tied to the project, according to the company.
Here is a closer look at the key details of the expansion:
The data center growth represents an investment of more than $50 billion in the Richland Parish area — a figure that U.S. President Donald Trump had referenced last year when discussing the project’s expected cost.
As part of the expansion, Meta says it intends to put over $1 billion toward upgrading local infrastructure, including improvements to roads, water systems, and wastewater facilities in the surrounding region.
Meta joins other major technology companies in aggressively funneling billions of dollars into AI-focused data centers and computing infrastructure, as the demand for that capacity continues to grow faster than the industry can keep up.
Looking further ahead, the company has committed to investing $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure and job creation over the next three years, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushes forward with ambitious plans centered on AI agent technologies.
Stock index futures pointed to a lower opening on Wall Street Monday after the United States and Iran traded attacks in the Gulf, with Tehran claiming it had sealed off the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial artery for the world’s oil supply.
The renewed hostilities shook investor confidence and sent crude futures climbing more than 2%, while technology stocks bore the brunt of the selling pressure in premarket trading.
The latest flare-up cast serious doubt on an interim agreement the two countries had reached last month, which was intended to reopen the strait and wind down hostilities following 60 days of negotiations.
Semiconductor companies were among the hardest hit. Micron Technology dropped 5.2% before the opening bell, while Western Digital fell 6%, Seagate slid 4.8%, and Sandisk lost 6.6%. U.S.-listed shares of SK Hynix tumbled 9.3%, just days after the company made a high-profile debut on the Nasdaq last Friday. The iShares semiconductor ETF declined 2.7%.
Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, explained the market dynamic: “U.S. futures are pointing to a lower open later today. This suggests that the rise in geopolitical tensions and the spike in the oil price are disrupting the momentum trade once again, which will hit the tech trade and the chip stock rally.”
As of 5:14 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up a modest 28 points, or 0.05%, while S&P 500 E-minis were off 23.5 points, or 0.31%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 303.75 points, representing a decline of 1.01%.
For context, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.29% at 52,637.01 on Friday, and the futures contract remained 0.56% above that closing level.
Despite Monday’s jitters, the S&P 500 has gained more than 10% so far this year and sits less than 1% beneath its record closing high set in early June. The index logged back-to-back weekly gains last week, weathering turbulence in chip stocks and earlier U.S.-Iran tensions.
The week ahead is packed with potential market-moving events. Several of the country’s largest financial institutions — including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley — are set to report second-quarter results. Netflix, General Electric, and UnitedHealth are also scheduled to release earnings. According to LSEG IBES, S&P 500 profits are forecast to rise 23.7% compared to the same period a year ago.
Investors will also be watching a series of key economic reports. Tuesday brings the U.S. consumer price index, an inflation gauge that could reshape expectations around interest rate policy. Producer price data is due Wednesday, followed by monthly retail sales figures on Thursday.
Also on Tuesday, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is expected to deliver his first monetary policy testimony before Congress. Fed Governor Christopher Waller is scheduled to speak Monday on the economic outlook.
According to LSEG data, markets are currently pricing in at least one 25-basis-point interest rate increase before the end of the year.
Minos Conaway Road is currently closed at its intersection with Route 1 due to active construction in the area.
According to traffic officials, the closure is expected to remain in place until September 14, 2026 at 8 p.m. Drivers who normally travel through that intersection will need to find an alternate route until the construction work is completed.
No additional details were provided regarding the nature of the construction project. Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time and watch for signage directing them around the affected area.
Good morning, Delmarva! We’re kicking off the week with a gorgeous summer day in store. Expect plenty of sunshine and a comfortable high near 83°F this afternoon, with light easterly winds keeping things feeling pleasant along the Shore. It’s a great day to get outside and enjoy some time on the water or in the yard!
Tonight looks equally pleasant, with mostly clear skies and temperatures dropping down to around 64°F — perfect sleeping weather with the windows open.
Looking ahead to Tuesday, we’re turning up the heat a notch. Sunny skies continue, but that afternoon high climbs to near 89°F, so make sure you’re staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen if you’re spending time outdoors. Tuesday night stays clear and warm, with lows settling around 71°F.
No storms or rain in sight for the next couple of days — just classic Delmarva summer sunshine. Enjoy it! I’ll have a full extended outlook on TV Delmarva tonight at 6. Stay cool out there, folks!
When prisoners try to formally report mistreatment behind bars, they are often met with retaliation — and that’s making it harder for inmates to hold federal prison staff accountable, according to a new investigation.
NPR and The Marshall Project jointly conducted the investigation, which found that federal prison guards are using various tactics to discourage or prevent inmates from filing complaints in the first place.
Prisoners have the legal right to submit grievances about how they are treated while incarcerated. However, the investigation suggests that exercising that right can come at a cost for many inmates.
Retaliation against prisoners who speak up is a key concern highlighted in the report. When guards or staff respond to complaints with punishment or intimidation, it can effectively shut down the grievance process before any formal legal action is ever taken.
The findings point to a broader problem within the federal prison system, where the mechanisms meant to protect inmates from abuse may themselves be undermined by those in positions of authority.
Fast-fashion giant Shein is set to face a critical hearing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday as part of its initial public offering process, according to two sources familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information.
The hearing represents a major milestone for the rapidly growing retail company, which has been working toward a public market debut for some time. Earlier on Friday, Shein cleared one of the biggest hurdles in that process when China’s securities regulator gave the green light for the company to pursue its Hong Kong IPO.
The sources who provided this information were not identified publicly because the details remain confidential. Shein had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.
A 25-year-old man was shot and killed by a federal agent with the Memphis Safe Task Force while he was experiencing a mental health crisis, according to reports.
Jonah Neal was struck by a Homeland Security Investigations agent in May in Memphis, Tennessee. His death is one of at least four fatal shootings connected to the task force.
Neal’s grandmother, Cindy Leachman Aldridge, has been left holding onto memories of her grandson following the deadly encounter. She was photographed at her home in Owensboro, Kentucky, holding a picture of Jonah.
The Memphis Safe Task Force has come under scrutiny following the string of deadly shootings involving its agents. The incident involving Neal raises broader questions about how law enforcement responds to individuals in mental health distress.
The nation’s largest banks are moving quickly to weave AI-powered digital assistants into their everyday operations, working to figure out how these automated tools fit alongside human workers and clients as competition in the sector heats up.
Financial institutions are locked in a race to adopt what’s known as agentic AI — artificial intelligence capable of completing tasks with little to no human direction — across departments ranging from wealth management to trading, client screening, and treasury functions. The goal is a significant boost in productivity by letting these digital agents act independently on behalf of users while working side by side with human employees.
“We are working with banks in particular on agents and human employees … to help the banks look at all the roles end to end, and then determine which ones are hybrid roles, which ones are agentic employees, which ones are only human employees,” said Peter Torrente, U.S. sector leader for banking at KPMG. A survey conducted by KPMG in June found that 51% of banks were already running pilot programs for AI agents.
Across the industry, major financial players are either already using or actively planning to use agentic AI in a wide range of daily functions.
Koren Maranca, who leads Artificial Intelligence for Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley, said the bank plans to begin testing digital assistants later this summer that will be available to interact with clients around the clock. Morgan Stanley already relies on AI agents to support financial advisors with a variety of tasks. “We are now preparing these agents to start pushing reminders or recommendations to the financial advisors regarding their clients,” Maranca said. These assistants are designed to evaluate investments, propose strategies, and help build client portfolios.
At BNY, digital workers are treated much like human teammates — assigned specific duties, able to communicate with one another, and even given login credentials and nicknames. BNY’s CEO Robin Vince described the setup on a Wall Street Journal podcast earlier this year. “The digital employee has a login, it can actually operate in the systems, and it actually has a … human manager that’s responsible for training it, making sure that it actually is doing all the right things, like a performance review, if you will, quality control, and it has tasks every day,” Vince explained, using the bank’s AI assistant known as Payment Pete as an example. BNY did not respond when contacted for comment.
UBS financial advisors receive thousands of automated alerts each day through their AI agents, flagging situations that require attention — such as a client whose annuity is about to mature and needs to be reinvested. “They gather all internal information from meetings, accounts and e-mail communications,” said Richard James, head of AI product at UBS. Once an advisor decides on a course of action with a client, AI agents can carry out trades and process money transfers, James added. UBS says the technology has enabled advisors to spend 70% of their time in direct conversations with clients rather than on routine administrative work.
Goldman Sachs joined forces with Anthropic earlier this year to build agents capable of handling trading, transaction accounting, client screening, and onboarding. JPMorgan has identified corporate treasury as an area with strong potential for AI transformation, while Citi is preparing to introduce an AI-powered virtual wealth management team member.
“Banks are increasingly using agentic AI and figuring out more ways to use it because it has a lot of potential,” said Bhavi Mehta, global lead for advanced analytics in financial services at Bain & Company.
Bank investors have been pressing for clarity on what kind of return they’re getting on technology spending as AI investments continue to grow. “Investors are asking, where should we be looking for ROI on these tech spends and that’s why banks are likely to focus on certain areas of AI spends where the returns are much more evident and can be scaled up,” said Torrente.
The expanding role of AI agents is also drawing attention to questions of accountability and oversight. When banks deploy these tools, they grant them access to internal systems — but with built-in limits and safeguards. Morgan Stanley’s Maranca emphasized that human oversight will remain a constant, and that agents will not be given the authority to independently make portfolio decisions.
“They are still primarily using it for internal purposes and are being extremely cautious when it touches the customer and are making sure that there is a human involved for any critical functions,” said Mehta.
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume has put employees on notice that the company could be looking at cutting approximately 50,000 additional positions, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters on Monday.
Blume indicated the potential job reductions stem from calculations aimed at bringing Volkswagen’s costs in line with what competitors spend to operate, making the automaker more financially competitive within the industry.
A meaningful rally in the U.S. dollar in 2026, fueled by a more aggressive Federal Reserve stance, is gaining additional momentum as major global pension funds unwind the currency protection strategies they put in place after last year’s “Liberation Day” market turmoil.
Climbing inflation figures and the arrival of Kevin Warsh as the new Fed chair have pushed U.S. real interest rates — that is, rates adjusted for inflation — higher in recent months, reshaping the calculus for international investors.
A Wells Fargo review of foreign exchange hedge ratios found that pension funds in Canada, the Netherlands, and Denmark have been pulling back from the dollar-hedging strategies they adopted last year. The pullback is relieving some of the downward pressure on the greenback and chipping away at the short-lived narrative that global investors were abandoning U.S. assets in a so-called “sell America” trade.
Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at payments company Corpay in Toronto, said a similar trend appears to be unfolding among other large institutional investors, even though detailed hedging data are hard to come by. “Because long-duration hedging can be expensive and cut into returns, some of that increase is now being unwound — mostly passively, as firms let hedges roll off without replacement,” Schamotta said.
The numbers tell the story: hedge ratios — which measure how much of a fund’s dollar exposure is shielded from currency fluctuations — have dropped by 5 percentage points over the past year at some Danish funds and by about a percentage point at certain Canadian funds.
Erik Nelson, global head of FX strategy at Wells Fargo, acknowledged that the “sell America” movement had real substance behind it. “Sell America wasn’t all hype … there were some genuine flows behind it,” he said, pointing to the hedging activity among global pension funds. “But the hedging impulse has faded … those trends have since gone into reverse.”
A More Expensive Hedge
With the dollar hovering near a one-year high, expectations for a hawkish Fed are making hedging a harder sell. Foreign investors typically hedge currency risk by selling dollars forward, but that strategy becomes pricier when U.S. interest rates are elevated relative to those in other countries — because the cost of the hedge is tied directly to that rate gap.
Currently, U.S. short-term interest rates sit roughly 140 basis points above those in the euro zone, making dollar hedging a costly proposition for many overseas investors.
Garth Appelt, head of FX and emerging markets derivatives at Mizuho Americas, explained the dynamic: “Higher U.S. real interest rates make dollar investments more attractive, but also make currency hedging more expensive, so big investors have chosen to leave more of their U.S. stock holdings unhedged.”
Another factor reducing the urgency to hedge is a shift in how the dollar behaves relative to U.S. stocks. When President Donald Trump announced sweeping “Liberation Day” global tariffs in early 2025, the dollar broke from its usual pattern of strengthening during market stress — instead falling alongside U.S. equities. That left foreign investors with heavy U.S. exposure taking a hit on two fronts simultaneously.
Alex Moloney, head of macro discretionary currency solutions at Insight Investment, described the shock: “People were losing double the amount on a position that had previously worked for the prior decade as a perfect hedge.”
This year, however, the dollar has reasserted itself as a safe-haven currency, particularly during the risk-off period that followed the U.S.-Iran conflict.
Concerns about the Fed’s independence had also weighed on the dollar last year, as President Trump repeatedly criticized then-Chair Jerome Powell. Those worries have largely dissipated since Warsh stepped in to lead the central bank.
What It Means Going Forward
The retreat from hedging, even if modest, removes one obstacle to a stronger dollar. Just as those hedging flows had acted as a drag on the currency, their absence is likely to serve as “a marginal dollar support going forward,” Moloney said.
Analysts note that much of the dollar’s future path will hinge on whether the U.S. artificial intelligence investment story continues to attract international capital. If expectations around AI growth prove overly optimistic and the broader U.S. economy slows, funds may revisit their hedging strategies.
For now, though, the dollar remains in a position of strength. “You’re still in a situation where the dollar rates, dollar carry, and dollar equity returns are high,” Wells Fargo’s Nelson said. “So until that changes, we’re still in a generally strong dollar world.”
A new national poll shows that while supporting Israel is a cornerstone of Jewish identity for many older American Jews, younger Jewish adults are more inclined to express their faith through other means — like observing Jewish holidays — pointing to a generational divide that goes beyond politics and into questions of religious identity.
The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research surveyed 1,022 Jewish adults and found that the gap over Israel’s actions since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 — which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza — reflects deeper differences in how generations define what it means to be Jewish.
Cameron Bernstein, a 27-year-old medical student in New Orleans, grew up with deep ties to Israel, even celebrating her bat mitzvah there. But her feelings have shifted. “I pray for people in the land of Israel. I don’t need to pray for the state,” she said, noting that today Israel “doesn’t play a role in my life, more than another country with people I love.”
The survey found that religiously affiliated Jewish adults make up about 68% of all Jewish adults. Among that group, roughly 6 in 10 say being Jewish is “extremely” or “very” important in their lives, regardless of age.
However, the similarities largely end there when it comes to Israel. About half of older religious Jewish adults — those 45 and up — say that supporting Israel is “extremely” or “very” important to their Jewish identity, roughly the same share who say that about celebrating Jewish holidays. Among younger religious Jewish adults, only about 4 in 10 place that same level of importance on supporting Israel, while about 7 in 10 say celebrating Jewish holidays is highly significant to them.
Susan Boyer, a 72-year-old retiree from Southern California, sees backing Israel as inseparable from supporting the Jewish people’s right to a homeland. With antisemitism on the rise, she views Israel as a vital safeguard against history repeating itself.
“I’ve been defending myself as a Jew since I was a child … getting mugged by girls in my classes for being a Jew,” Boyer said. “It’s invasive into your daily living that you have to constantly, constantly be defending yourself as a Jew, constantly making sure that nobody is redefining you or nobody is like insulting your land.”
Ari Pollack, a 30-year-old arts fundraiser in Wisconsin, sees things very differently. He argues that Israel’s military operations have actually fueled antisemitism and made the world less safe for Jewish people.
“I’m personally pretty opposed to basically everything Israel’s doing these days,” said Pollack, who attended religious school growing up. “A source of a lot of frustration that I have for the Jewish establishment is that sort of dogmatic teaching of pro-Israel ideas that I’ve had to unlearn as an adult. And it’s part of what’s kept me away from, you know, attending regular synagogue services.”
Like roughly 3 in 10 religious Jewish adults under 45, Pollack believes Israel has committed genocide during the Gaza war — an accusation Israel has strongly denied. That compares to about 2 in 10 Jewish adults aged 45 and older who hold that view.
The poll also found that younger religiously Jewish Americans are more likely than their older counterparts to say that observing Shabbat or following dietary restrictions — such as avoiding pork or shellfish — are highly important parts of their Jewish identity.
Phoebe Wapnitsky, a 32-year-old in Connecticut, strongly opposes Israel’s military actions, which she sees as inconsistent with Jewish values. “Standing against oppression, promoting social justice — those are the roles that Judaism plays in my life,” she said, adding that she felt disconnected from Israel even before the October 7 attack.
Brian Ebarb, a 47-year-old attorney in Louisiana, also defines his Jewish identity around “action and community” — but for him, that includes standing with Israel. “When the government makes mistakes, it should be criticized,” he said, while cautioning that criticism of Israel can slide into something more dangerous. “The existence of the state of Israel is so precarious that we have to be careful and not allow criticism of Israel to become criticism of Jews worldwide.”
The AP-NORC poll of 3,040 adults was conducted June 11–17 using a sample from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to represent the U.S. population. The 1,022 Jewish adults surveyed carry a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
A massive fire ripped through a music bar in Bangkok late Sunday night, killing at least 27 people and leaving 25 others in critical condition — making it the deadliest fire the Thai capital has seen in 17 years.
The blaze broke out at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, located in a northern section of the city, just before midnight. Photographs from the scene showed panicked patrons running from the single-story building as flames burst through it and thick black smoke rose into the night sky. Scattered shoes left behind by people desperate to escape were visible in images taken after the fire was extinguished.
Bangkok city officials reported that firefighters managed to get the blaze under control within roughly 30 minutes. By Monday morning, forensic teams had cordoned off the area and were carefully searching through the charred wreckage to determine what started the fire.
The destruction was evident from the street — windows had been blown out, and the sidewalk was covered in debris including burned television sets, speakers, and a scorched electric guitar. Through the shattered windows, gutted tables could be seen inside, some still holding empty beer bottles.
Thai national police chief Kittharath Punpetch, who visited the site Monday morning, said the majority of the victims were discovered in windowless bathrooms near a rear exit. He believes people may have retreated there to escape the flames in the main hall. He noted that the exit had not been used, possibly because a table set up in the hallway to sell candy blocked the path, or because the darkness made it impossible to find.
Kittharath also said that access to another exit near the kitchen may have been narrowed by shelving units and lockers. He added there were indications that at least some exit doors may have been locked.
Investigators are zeroing in on the ceiling above the performance stage, where materials believed to have been used as decorations were discovered. Police plan to look into whether flammable materials were used in the building’s interior and how electrical wiring was run across the ceiling.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters that a musician who had been performing at the bar described seeing smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage just before the power went out. The performer said an explosion followed, and thick smoke rapidly filled the venue.
Bangkok’s Erawan emergency services center confirmed 73 people were injured in total, with 25 in critical condition. Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said the majority of deaths resulted from smoke inhalation, and that authorities are working to identify victims, many of whom were not carrying identification.
Buddhist monks came to the site Monday morning to pray for those who lost their lives, while nurses distributed face masks to nearby residents to shield them from lingering smoke and fumes. A registration station was also established to collect information from family members arriving at the scene in search of loved ones.
Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she had been performing at a nearby venue when she heard about the fire and rushed over, as several of her bandmates had been playing at the bar that night. She said one of them died, three were taken to the hospital, and one remains unaccounted for.
“From what I heard from people who were inside, when the fire started everything went dark. The power was out and there was smoke everywhere, so they couldn’t locate other people,” she said.
The tragedy follows a 2022 fire at a music bar in eastern Thailand that killed 14 people. More than a decade earlier, 66 people died and over 200 were injured when fire broke out during a New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok on January 1, 2009 — a blaze believed to have been ignited by an indoor fireworks display.
A Singapore court has delayed the case of a 19-year-old French student who faces criminal charges after posting a video of himself licking a straw from a juice vending machine and returning it to the dispenser.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien had been widely anticipated to enter a guilty plea Monday on charges of mischief and public nuisance. However, the proceedings came to a halt when prosecutors requested additional time to determine whether a conviction would result in the revocation of his student pass, which would impact his ability to continue his education in Singapore. The judge adjourned the matter to July 30.
According to authorities, Maximilien carried out the act at a shopping mall on March 12. After the video spread rapidly across social media, he was formally charged on April 24. He has remained enrolled at a Singapore business school while released on bail.
If convicted of mischief, he could face up to two years in prison, a fine, or both. The public nuisance charge carries a lighter penalty — up to three months behind bars, a fine, or both.
IJooz, the company that operates the juice vending machine involved in the incident, filed a police report following the stunt. The company responded by sanitizing the machine and replacing all 500 straws inside it. IJooz has also announced plans to upgrade its machines with safety improvements, including individually wrapped straws and compartments that only open once a purchase is completed.
Singapore is a small and densely populated city-state known for its strict rules around public conduct and cleanliness. The country enforces regulations such as limits on chewing gum and stiff penalties for littering and vandalism.
Outgoing Michigan Sen. Gary Peters announced Monday that he is endorsing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary race to fill his Senate seat, joining a broader push by party leaders to boost her chances against progressive challenger Abdul El-Sayed ahead of next month’s vote.
Peters, who is stepping down after serving 12 years in the Senate, said Stevens “will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan.” The announcement marks a notable shift from his position in late May, when he told The Associated Press he planned to remain neutral in the contest.
Since then, Democratic leadership has increasingly lined up behind Stevens as the August 4th primary draws closer, with growing concern among party insiders that El-Sayed’s more progressive positions could hurt the party’s chances in the November general election. Winning the Michigan Senate seat is seen as essential to Democrats’ efforts to regain control of the Senate.
Stevens, a four-term congresswoman, has positioned herself as a moderate Democrat with a focus on manufacturing issues in the key swing state. El-Sayed, who has never previously held elected office, is running on a more left-leaning platform that includes Medicare for All and campaign finance reform. He has also been a vocal critic of the war in Gaza, an issue that has created divisions within the party.
Democratic anxieties about Michigan have deepened following turmoil in Maine, where the party’s Senate nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race last week after a sexual assault allegation. Democrats in Maine now face the task of selecting a new candidate to run against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Peters’ endorsement also follows the earlier exit of state Sen. Mallory McMorrow from the Michigan Democratic primary this month, which turned the contest into a direct matchup between Stevens and El-Sayed.
Stevens welcomed the endorsement, saying in a statement: “Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense. I am honored to have his support.”
Peters previously won two Senate campaigns in Michigan and led the Senate Democrats’ campaign organization during both the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
The backing from Peters adds to an already substantial list of establishment Democratic supporters for Stevens. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada have all endorsed her. El-Sayed, meanwhile, has earned the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and, more recently, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
The race has become increasingly heated in recent weeks. El-Sayed has taken aim at tens of millions of dollars in outside spending flowing into Stevens’ campaign, including money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens, in turn, has criticized El-Sayed for failing to release his personal financial records.
At a July 7th debate, both candidates accused each other of running a negative campaign. “Abdul has spent this entire campaign attacking me,” Stevens said.
The Democratic nominee will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former U.S. House member who is running unopposed in his party’s primary, in what is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely followed Senate races in the country this election cycle.
LONDON — The British government on Monday unveiled a new wave of sanctions directed at Russian cyber networks, holding them responsible for efforts to destabilize nations across Europe.
In an official statement, the government declared: “Today’s action targets 24 individuals and entities behind the destructive cyber and hybrid operations including cybercriminals involved in proxy networks linked to the Russian Intelligence Services.”
The statement went on to say: “This includes sanctioning GRU senior leadership figures Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin and Ivan Kasyanenko for their role in directing GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations.”
More than 400 firefighters battled through the night to contain a wildfire raging in the historic Fontainebleau forest, located south of Paris, as French authorities dispatched two water-bombing aircraft Monday to help bring the blaze under control.
The fire ignited near a highway close to Fontainebleau, a site famous for one of France’s most celebrated royal palaces — a former hunting lodge and seasonal home for past French monarchs. By midnight, hot winds had driven the flames across more than 800 hectares, the equivalent of roughly 1,980 acres.
Situated just 70 kilometres — about 43.5 miles — from Paris, the fire forced authorities to shut down the A6 highway, a major route connecting Paris to Lyon and southern France. Separate smaller fires in the region also disrupted high-speed rail service.
“The fight continues today,” the French fire service announced on social media platform X. Residents in the area were also put on notice that the Canadair water-scooping aircraft would need to draw water directly from the River Seine, which runs through the heart of Paris.
The wildfire is one of many scorching parts of Europe as the continent endures its third extended stretch of dangerously high temperatures this summer. Scientists widely attribute the growing frequency and intensity of such fires to climate change, which has left large portions of continental Europe severely dry.
Wildfires have already burned through areas of France, Spain, Portugal, and Greece, destroying thousands of hectares of land. In Spain’s southeastern Almeria province, the death toll from a separate fire climbed to 13 over the weekend following the death of a 93-year-old British woman from burn injuries.
A heatwave in late June is believed to have killed thousands across Europe, with countries recording more than 10,000 excess deaths. The extreme temperatures also knocked out power, forced school closures, and shattered temperature records in France, Spain, and Britain.
Lasse Vestergaard, chief physician at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut — the organization that hosts EuroMOMO, a Europe-wide system for tracking mortality — described the numbers as alarming. “To have this kind of excess at this time of year is unusual. It’s really high,” he said. “It is difficult to explain this high excess mortality by anything but the extreme heat,” Vestergaard told Reuters.
A United States citizen who became infected with the Ebola virus while in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital in Germany, according to officials.
The patient was brought into the hospital’s specialized isolation unit at approximately 3 a.m. local time Monday morning. The individual contracted the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus while in Congo.
Earlier, on Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that an American working for a humanitarian organization in Congo had tested positive for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus.
Timo Wolf, who leads the hospital’s special isolation unit, provided an update on the patient’s status. “The patient’s condition is currently stable,” Wolf said.
Hospital officials emphasized that neither the general public nor other patients face any danger, explaining that the infected individual is being kept in complete isolation within a unit that is both physically and operationally separate from the rest of the hospital.
The news comes as Congo’s Ebola situation continues to worsen. The country’s public health institute reported Monday that confirmed cases have climbed to 1,926, with 702 deaths recorded. The outbreak has also expanded into two previously unaffected provinces — Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
This is not the first time a U.S. citizen has been transported to Europe for Ebola treatment. In June, another American who contracted Ebola in Congo was released from Charité hospital in Berlin after receiving care there.
Farmers in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region once only cracked open their barn windows on summer nights to give their cattle a bit of relief from the heat. Now, with temperatures climbing to record-breaking levels, those windows never close — day or night — as producers fight to protect their cows and safeguard the region’s prized Parmigiano Reggiano cheese industry.
“Extreme heat impacts milk’s quality and quantity,” said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium. Bertinelli also oversees the dairy farm his family established in 1895 near Parma.
When temperatures climb past 40 degrees Celsius — about 104 degrees Fahrenheit — cows rest more, eat less, and can produce as much as 10% less milk. Milk is one of only three ingredients in authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, alongside salt and rennet.
The cheese can only legally be produced in five specific provinces, most of which fall within the Emilia-Romagna region. Additionally, the cows must be fed exclusively on grass and hay grown within that same area.
“If it doesn’t rain, grass doesn’t grow, hay cannot be produced and it’s impossible to obtain the milk needed to make the cheese,” said Bertinelli, 54.
To combat the heat, farmers like Bertinelli have added fans and water-misting systems to their barns — but those solutions have come at a steep price, sending energy bills sharply higher.
Those rising costs are also being felt in the climate-controlled warehouses where Parmigiano Reggiano wheels are stored during the aging process, which lasts a minimum of 12 months and can stretch to three years or beyond.
Two warehouses operated by Magazzini Generali delle Tagliate — known as MGT, a unit of Credito Emiliano — hold more than 500,000 cheese wheels across the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Modena. Together, those wheels are valued at over €300 million.
“During this year’s peak heatwaves, our daily energy consumption rose by about 30%,” said MGT director Giancarlo Ravanetti. He noted that the company has worked to offset those costs by improving cooling systems, upgrading insulation, and expanding renewable energy production.
These warehouses have become iconic in the region, collectively referred to as the Bank of Parmigiano. Inside, tradition and modern technology work side by side. Each cheese wheel goes through rigorous quality checks — including X-ray scans — and is inspected weekly by specialists who tap the wheels with small hammers, listening for any signs of defects that may have developed during aging.
“The human factor remains key and is the real strength of the entire process,” Ravanetti said.
Paolo Ganzerli, international sales director at food group GranTerre — which reported consolidated revenue of €1.87 billion in 2025 — shared similar concerns about the financial pressures ahead.
“If extreme events become longer-lasting and more intense, they will certainly have an impact on both the quantity and quality of milk, but above all they will lead to higher costs,” he said.
The stakes are enormous. The Parmigiano Reggiano industry brings in an estimated €4.5 billion — roughly $5.15 billion — in revenue each year, supporting thousands of jobs and anchoring the regional economy.
In 2025, exports made up more than half of the cheese’s total global sales, with the United States standing as its largest international market.
Ganzerli noted that Parmigiano Reggiano “has existed for more than 800 years.”
“We don’t want to be the last generation to eat it,” he added.
BRUSSELS — The European Commission is preparing to roll out a proposal that would place limits on children’s access to social media, according to an announcement made Monday by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, von der Leyen emphasized the importance of allowing children to experience life outside of digital platforms before technology begins to define them.
“Our children need time in the real world. Time to play, time to build friendships, time to make mistakes. Time to shape their own identity, their own personality, before an algorithm shapes them instead,” she said.
Von der Leyen also framed the issue in a way that shifts the focus from children’s behavior to the platforms themselves, stating: “This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about whether and when social media can access our children.”
The Commission is expected to formally present the proposal after the summer period.
The American Red Cross has officially declared a national blood emergency, citing a dramatic drop in blood supplies alongside a sharp rise in demand.
According to the Red Cross, blood supply levels fell by 25% during the month of June, while at the same time, the need for blood from hospitals and patients increased significantly.
The combination of dwindling supply and growing demand prompted the organization to issue the emergency declaration, signaling an urgent need for blood donations nationwide.
Listen to the Morning Delmarva Farm Report Update — July 13, 2026
DELMARVA — The National Weather Service out of Mount Holly has issued an Extreme Heat Watch for the Delmarva Peninsula running through Tuesday evening at 8 p.m., warning that conditions are favorable for a dangerous heat event to develop across the region.
Livestock producers are urged to ensure animals have shade, ample fresh water, and increased ventilation. Handling and transport of livestock should be limited to the coolest parts of the day. Field workers must be provided mandatory water and rest breaks.
Forecast
Monday’s forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 83°F and light easterly winds. Tuesday climbs to 89°F, remaining sunny with southwest winds at 10 mph. By Wednesday, temperatures are expected to reach 96°F. Producers are advised to schedule the most strenuous fieldwork during early morning hours this week.
Markets
At Laurel Grain Company in Laurel, Delaware, corn for September delivery is trading at $4.89/bu, while December corn stands at $4.81/bu. November soybeans are at $11.44/bu.
Agricultural lenders are closely monitoring how operations are managed through stress periods such as the current heat event. Experts note that aligning forage species and production practices with long-term goals remains critical to demonstrating financial stability to lenders.
Traffic
Del-DOT reports that Glenda Road remains closed at Case Ridge Road Monday due to a downed tree. Motorists should seek alternate routes.
This article is based on the Delmarva Farm Report Update Morning Edition, July 13, 2026. Hosted by Tom Bradley.
LONDON (AP) — Over the course of the two-week Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Associated Press photographers captured thousands of images from one of the sport’s most celebrated events.
Each photographer covering the tournament was invited to choose a handful of their personal favorites, resulting in a curated collection of standout moments from the competition.
The photo gallery was assembled by AP photographers Brian Inganga, Kin Cheung, Kirsty Wigglesworth, and Maja Smiejkowska, with contributions from photo editor Eloy Martin.
China’s economy likely lost momentum in the second quarter of this year, as soft domestic demand undercut the gains made by strong export performance during a period of global oil market turbulence — and that slowdown is now driving expectations that Beijing will roll out new economic support measures.
The world’s second-largest economy is wrestling with a growing gap between supply and demand. Robust industrial production, fueled in part by exports tied to the artificial intelligence sector, stands in sharp contrast to declining consumer spending and private investment, compounded by a long-running slump in the property market and unpredictable global oil prices.
A Reuters survey of 54 economists projects China’s gross domestic product grew 4.5% compared to the same period last year during the April-to-June stretch — a notable step down from the 5.0% growth recorded in the first quarter. That figure also falls below the 4.7% that economists had anticipated in an earlier Reuters poll conducted in April, and sits at the bottom edge of Beijing’s official full-year growth target of 4.5% to 5%.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs described the situation in a written note: “Growth has become more uneven: exports continue to support headline activity, but domestic demand has softened notably.” They added, “Moreover, the boost from exports has not translated into a stronger labour market or meaningful profit improvement, limiting the pass-through from external demand to domestic growth.”
China’s export figures, scheduled for release on Tuesday, are expected to show continued solid growth in June, though at a slightly reduced pace. Companies have been rushing shipments to the United States ahead of potential new tariffs, capitalizing on the AI-driven demand surge and cutting prices aggressively to attract budget-conscious buyers around the world.
Financial markets are keeping a close eye on a Politburo meeting anticipated for late July, which could offer signals about upcoming policy moves for the remainder of the year. However, analysts do not expect Beijing to take dramatic action unless growth deteriorates more significantly, given that exports remain resilient and Chinese officials are focused on reining in excess factory output to combat deflation.
Looking ahead, the Reuters poll projects GDP growth will tick up slightly to 4.6% in the third quarter before easing back to 4.5% in the fourth. On a quarter-over-quarter basis, the economy is expected to have expanded just 0.9% in the second quarter, compared to 1.3% in the first three months of the year.
For all of 2026, China’s GDP growth is forecast to cool to 4.6%, down from 5.0% last year, with a further dip to 4.4% projected for 2027. The Chinese government is scheduled to release its official second-quarter GDP figures alongside June data on retail sales, industrial output, and investment on July 15 at 0200 GMT.
Economists widely expect China to lean on government spending to cushion any further economic deceleration. The country’s central bank has limited flexibility to make major interest rate moves, even after the recent easing in oil prices. Beijing has set a budget deficit target of roughly 4% of GDP for 2026 and plans significant bond issuance to support growth.
The government is also expected to ramp up fiscal spending after a slowdown in the second quarter that followed a front-loaded burst of support earlier in the year.
Capital Economics wrote in a note that “China’s growth should pick up over the second half of this year as fiscal support ramps up,” but cautioned that “domestic overcapacity will remain entrenched, leaving China’s economy reliant on exports for growth.”
According to the Reuters poll, analysts expect China’s central bank to hold its key policy rate — the seven-day reverse repo rate — steady for the rest of 2026. The weighted average reserve requirement ratio is also expected to remain unchanged in the third quarter, with a possible 20-basis-point reduction in the fourth quarter. The central bank has kept both policy rates and reserve requirements on hold since May 2025, relying instead on short-term liquidity measures to maintain supportive funding conditions while it overhauls its broader monetary policy approach.
On inflation, polled analysts estimate Chinese consumer prices will rise about 1.2% this year — below the government’s approximately 2% target — with that pace holding steady into 2027.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced Monday that its forces had carried out an attack on the port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine, located near the city of Odesa, resulting in significant damage to the facility.
According to the ministry’s statement, the strikes targeted port infrastructure being used to offload military supplies, as well as fuel storage tanks and a warehouse storing ammunition.
Russian forces also reportedly struck two ferries and a container ship during the operation.
Ukrainian agricultural company Kernel Holding announced Monday that it had halted all operations at Chornomorsk after its facilities there suffered extensive damage during Russian missile and drone attacks that took place over the nights of July 10 through July 12.
As of Monday, Ukrainian authorities had not issued any public response to Russia’s claims.
The strikes come amid growing tensions in the more than four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow has signaled it may further escalate the war after Ukraine targeted Russian oil refineries and tankers in recent weeks, a campaign that has triggered severe fuel shortages within Russia.
China’s innovative pharmaceutical sector has hit an all-time high in deal-making, with the value of out-licensing agreements totaling roughly $110 billion from January through June of this year, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The network cited data from the National Medical Products Administration in its Monday report.
By the end of June, Chinese drugmakers had entered into 81 separate licensing agreements with foreign companies — a pace that has already surpassed 80% of the entire previous year’s total deal value.
An out-licensing agreement allows one company to grant another the rights to develop, manufacture, or bring to market a pharmaceutical product or technology. In return, the licensing company typically receives an upfront payment or future payments tied to specific development milestones, which helps spread the financial risk of drug development.
The medications covered under these deals span several major medical fields, including cancer treatment, metabolic conditions, immunology, and neurological disorders. Companies based in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy were among the primary recipients of these licensing rights.
Industry analysts note that major global pharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to Chinese-developed experimental drugs as they race to fill their product pipelines ahead of upcoming patent expirations on existing medications.
India has turned down a quick trade agreement with the United States and is digging in for a better deal, according to officials and analysts familiar with the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is drawing confidence from new trading partnerships, improved economic conditions, and recent political victories at home.
Months of negotiations between the two countries failed to produce even a limited interim agreement during U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s visit to New Delhi last month — despite expectations from both sides that a narrow deal was close.
The talks broke down because Washington did not offer guarantees on India’s core demands: a tariff edge over rivals like China and a promise of no additional U.S. levies once a deal is struck, according to an Indian government official familiar with the negotiations.
“Our position is clear — we don’t intend to rush into a deal that is not on favourable terms or compromise on red lines like ceding ground on agriculture,” the official said.
The U.S. had been hoping for swift trade concessions from the strategic partner as President Donald Trump prepares to roll out new tariffs expected to take effect later this month. India’s refusal to budge risks higher duties on its exports and extended uncertainty for businesses in both countries.
The day after the Greer talks concluded, Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal publicly stated that any U.S. deal would not move forward unless India is guaranteed an advantage — a clear signal that New Delhi is not feeling pressure to act quickly, even with higher tariffs looming.
Currently, most Indian goods entering the U.S. face a 10% tariff, in line with most other countries. But the Trump administration is expected to announce steeper tariffs later this month through trade investigations into what it calls excess industrial capacity — a charge India has denied.
Washington has also already proposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on dozens of countries, including India, over claims those nations failed to stop trade in goods produced using forced labor.
A U.S. source familiar with the negotiations said Washington’s view is that India must make its own concessions to earn the preferential trade treatment it has been seeking.
Both the Indian official and the U.S. source spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are confidential. Neither the Indian trade ministry nor the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative responded to requests for comment.
A U.S. official, also speaking anonymously, said Washington is still engaged with India and expects an agreement to be reached eventually, though no timeline was given. The official also noted that India has at times been slow, bureaucratic, and difficult during negotiations — suggesting a quick resolution is unlikely.
When asked about the impasse, White House spokesman Kush Desai said: “The Trump administration continues to productively engage with Indian officials to finalise a historic trade deal that puts Americans and America First.”
India’s position at the negotiating table has been strengthened by several economic developments. Between April and June, India’s total goods exports climbed roughly 15% compared to the same period a year ago, helped by higher petroleum prices, despite disruptions from the war on Iran.
Exports to Gulf countries have bounced back to pre-war levels, jumping to $5.3 billion in May from $2.62 billion in March, as traders found alternative shipping routes. Exports to the United States also edged higher, reaching $17.29 billion during April and May combined.
India is also expanding its reach in other major markets. A free trade agreement with the United Kingdom is set to take effect this month, and a deal with the European Union is anticipated by early next year.
“Indian negotiators have gained some leverage in the talks, given its strong economy, diversification initiatives with other partners, and its strategic standing in the world,” said Wendy Cutler, senior vice president at the Washington-based Asia Society Policy Institute and a former U.S. trade official.
An interim peace deal between the U.S. and Iran has also eased oil prices, improving India’s economic outlook, according to Goldman Sachs economist Santanu Sengupta. The bank raised its 2026 growth forecast for India to 6.8% and lowered its inflation and current-account deficit projections — giving New Delhi more economic breathing room to hold out for better terms. A weaker rupee has additionally boosted the competitiveness of Indian exporters.
India is also keeping a close eye on potential legal and political challenges to U.S. trade actions. A coalition of 22 Democratic state attorneys general has already filed objections to the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs stemming from the forced labor investigations.
Trade analysts say the legal uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs, combined with Modi’s recent state election victories, have given India more reason to resist a rushed agreement.
Senior figures within Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party have publicly argued that any trade deal must protect Indian farmers and small businesses — two politically powerful groups that New Delhi has historically shielded in trade negotiations.
“India realises that delaying — or even abandoning — a rushed deal may be more prudent than locking into obligations whose costs could far exceed any temporary tariff relief,” said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative and a former trade negotiator.
Pharmaceutical company GSK announced Monday that its cancer-fighting drug Jemperli has successfully achieved the main objective of a mid-stage clinical trial, demonstrating a clinically meaningful rate of patients showing no detectable traces of cancer for at least one year following treatment for a particular form of locally advanced rectal cancer.
The drug, known scientifically as dostarlimab, is being evaluated against rectal cancer tumors that have a specific genetic flaw — they are unable to properly repair DNA damage. According to GSK, this tumor subtype accounts for roughly 5% to 10% of the approximately 730,000 rectal cancer cases diagnosed globally each year.
The current standard treatment for this type of cancer typically involves a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. These treatments can result in serious long-term consequences for patients, including permanent colostomy bag use and infertility.
Because these tumors accumulate mutations due to their inability to fix DNA damage, they tend to respond strongly to immunotherapy treatments like Jemperli. The interim results from the Phase II AZUR-1 trial also indicated that the drug’s safety and tolerability were consistent with what had been observed in earlier studies involving solid tumors.
Jemperli is already approved for use in the United States and United Kingdom for certain subtypes of endometrial cancer. The drug brought in $1.1 billion in sales in 2025, and GSK considers it a key component of its long-term goal of surpassing £40 billion (approximately $53.52 billion) in annual sales by 2031.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Jemperli both Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations. GSK said it intends to present the new trial data to regulatory agencies around the world for their review.
A South Korean court handed down a two-year prison sentence Monday to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, finding him guilty of illegally accepting opinion polling services valued at 270 million won — roughly $179,800 — from a political broker without paying for them, according to local media reports.
The Seoul Central District Court determined that Yoon broke political funding laws when he received 14 separate rounds of polling at no cost. The court also found that he later used his political influence to secure a nomination for a former lawmaker as a way of repaying the broker.
Yoon had pushed back against the accusations, maintaining that he never asked for the polls and made no promises in exchange for them.
The ruling stood in contrast to earlier court decisions involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee, which had concluded there was no evidence of a quid pro quo arrangement tied to the same polling services.
Yoon’s legal team has the option to appeal Monday’s decision.
The 65-year-old former president is currently entangled in eight separate legal cases. Among the most serious, he is appealing a life sentence handed down in February after a court convicted him of leading an insurrection connected to his brief declaration of martial law in 2024.
Adding to his legal woes, the South Korean Supreme Court last week issued a final ruling upholding a seven-year prison sentence against him for interfering with authorities who attempted to arrest him.
BUDAPEST — Hungary’s parliament is expected to pass a constitutional amendment on Monday that would remove President Tamas Sulyok from office, as new Prime Minister Peter Magyar continues his push to dismantle the political infrastructure left behind by former leader Viktor Orban.
Magyar, whose party Tisza swept to power in a landslide election this past April, ending Orban’s 16-year grip on the country, described Sulyok in a Saturday Facebook post as a “puppet” of the former premier. Magyar announced that parliament would vote on the constitutional change Monday, and warned that if Sulyok fails to sign the legislation within five days, impeachment proceedings would be initiated.
While Hungary’s president holds limited authority — primarily the ability to veto or request reviews of legislation — the office carries significant symbolic weight.
Tisza holds a supermajority in parliament, giving it the power to amend the constitution and reverse changes made under Orban’s government that Magyar says undermined democratic institutions. The party has already moved quickly on several fronts, including suspending news broadcasts on state-run television and radio last week as part of a broader effort to make public media more independent.
Sulyok served a decade as a Constitutional Court judge before parliament appointed him to the presidency in 2024. He has maintained that he has no political agenda and has pushed back against the amendment, requesting a review from the Venice Commission — an advisory body under the Council of Europe that evaluates whether constitutional changes meet democratic standards. The Venice Commission has declined to comment on the matter.
Orban’s Fidesz party staged a protest in support of Sulyok last Thursday, though Orban himself did not attend.
Before the vote, Magyar is expected to address parliament at 1:00 p.m. local time. The legislation being considered would also cap lawmakers’ terms at 12 years and states that its purpose is to ensure “the preconditions for the restoration of constitutional democracy.”
The amendment would bring Sulyok’s term to an immediate end, citing the public’s “serious loss of confidence” in him. Parliament would then elect a replacement president to serve either until a new constitution takes effect or for a maximum of five years, whichever comes first. Magyar’s government has indicated it plans to pursue broader constitutional reform this autumn.
A fire at a beer hall in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, has left at least 27 people dead and dozens more injured, sparking an investigation into what caused the blaze and why the death toll was so high — including whether emergency exits may have been blocked.
The fire at Na Ladprao bar in northern Bangkok ranks among the deadliest club fires in Thailand since New Year’s Day 2009, when 67 people lost their lives in a nightclub blaze.
The tragedy is a grim reminder of a long history of deadly fires at bars, nightclubs, and music venues across the globe. Here is a look at some of the worst:
January 2026: On New Year’s Day, a fire tore through a bar at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early morning hours, killing 41 people and injuring more than 100.
December 2025: A fire swept through a popular nightclub in Arpora village in India’s Goa state, claiming the lives of 25 people, including kitchen workers and tourists.
March 2025: A fire and subsequent stampede at the packed Pulse club in Kocani, North Macedonia, killed 63 people — most of them young partygoers — and left more than 200 injured. The fire was triggered by a pyrotechnic flame that spread across the club’s roof.
April 2024: A fire at the Masquerade nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, trapped workers inside while the venue was shut down for renovations. Twenty-nine people died. The club was located on the ground and basement floors of a 16-story residential building.
October 2023: A fire that began at a nightclub in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia spread to two neighboring clubs, resulting in 13 deaths.
January 2022: A nightclub in Sorong, in Indonesia’s West Papua province, caught fire after two groups clashed inside the building, killing 19 people.
January 2022: A fire at Liv’s Nightclub Yaouba in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, triggered a series of explosions that killed 17 people. Government officials attributed the fire to fireworks.
December 2016: Thirty-six people died when fire broke out at a converted warehouse in Oakland, California, known as the “Ghost Ship,” which served as both a residence and an event space for artists. The blaze erupted during an electronic music and dance party and spread so rapidly that people were trapped on an illegally built second floor.
October 2015: A pyrotechnics display by a rock band at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, Romania’s capital, sparked a fire that killed 64 people and injured roughly 190 others.
January 2013: More than 200 people were killed in a fire at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, a city in southern Brazil. Investigators determined that soundproofing foam on the ceiling ignited and released toxic gases that rapidly killed those attending a university party.
December 2009: An indoor fireworks display set off a blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, when the sparks ignited a plastic ceiling adorned with branches. About 152 people died.
January 2009: An indoor fireworks show following a New Year’s countdown ignited a fire at the Santika club in Bangkok, Thailand, killing 67 people and injuring many more. Victims perished from burns, smoke inhalation, and being crushed in the chaos.
September 2008: A fireworks display at the overcrowded King of Dancers nightclub in Shenzhen, China, ignited the ceiling and triggered a deadly stampede. Forty-four people were killed.
December 2004: In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a flare set fire to ceiling foam at the packed Cromagnon Republic club, killing 194 people. Club owner Omar Chaban was later sentenced to 20 years in prison for causing the fatal fire and for bribery, while others involved received lesser sentences.
February 2003: One hundred people died and more than 200 were hurt when fireworks used by a performing band ignited flammable foam inside the Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
January 2001: Fourteen people were killed and more than 200 injured in a fire at a cafe in the Dutch town of Volendam, where patrons were ringing in the New Year.
December 2000: A fire blamed on a welding accident killed 309 people at a disco in the central Chinese city of Luoyang.
Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor who became a household name playing paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in the dinosaur blockbuster “Jurassic Park,” has passed away at the age of 78.
His family shared the news on social media, saying Neill’s death occurred in Sydney and was “sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.” Just this past April, Neill had publicly announced he had beaten blood cancer.
Throughout his career, critics praised Neill as “versatile” and “reliably excellent.” He took on leading roles across a wide spectrum of genres — from a submarine officer in the 1990 action-thriller “The Hunt for Red October” to portraying the anti-Christ in 1981’s “Omen III.”
He also appeared alongside Holly Hunter in the Oscar-winning “The Piano” (1993) and opposite Meryl Streep in 1988’s “Evil Angels,” which was also released under the title “A Cry in the Dark.”
Neill was born in Omagh, a town in Northern Ireland, under the name Nigel John Dermot Neill. He relocated to New Zealand at age seven when his father, a New Zealander, left the army and chose to return to his homeland.
At 11 years old, he adopted the name Sam. In his 2023 memoir “Did I ever tell you this?,” he explained the reasoning: “to land in a primary school with a plum in the voice and Nigel for a name was asking for trouble.” He wrote that Sam was “easy to say, sounds friendly, sounds a bit blokey and has a touch of Labrador about it.”
By his own description, he was a “wonky, nerdy, unsporty, stuttering boy,” but school theater gave him his first taste of performing. He landed small parts in school productions, including playing a bridesmaid in “The Pirates of Penzance.” As he recalled in his memoir, “I liked getting a laugh.”
His career got its start with the low-budget New Zealand film “Sleeping Dogs” in 1977, which drew enough attention to open doors for higher-profile roles in Australia. Even as his international profile grew, Neill regularly returned to New Zealand to work. Among his most cherished roles at home was the grumpy Hector in the 2016 film “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” directed by Taika Waititi.
He came close to a very different kind of fame in the mid-1980s when he screen-tested for the role of James Bond. However, he admitted his heart wasn’t in it and that he felt uncomfortable throughout the daylong audition. “You never want to be the Bond that no one likes — that’s a fate worse than death,” he once said on an Australian breakfast television program.
Over the course of his career, Neill received three Golden Globe nominations and two Primetime Emmy nominations. He took home three Australian television awards, including one in 2025 for “The Twelve.”
In 2022, after declining the honor for years, Neill accepted a knighthood recognizing his outstanding contribution to film. He said he agreed to accept it because he believed it was important for all the arts to receive recognition. “Acting might look easy, but it’s actually very hard. In fact, if it looks like it’s easy, it means that the actor is doing something very hard, very well,” he said.
Neill was married and divorced twice. In his later years, he divided his time between Australia and his vineyard in New Zealand’s Central Otago region. He launched his wine label “Two Paddocks” in 1997, producing Pinot Noir from land he owned there — a pursuit he called both thrilling and demanding.
He delighted fans on social media by regularly sharing photos of animals on his farm, many of which he named after celebrity friends, including a hen named Laura Dern and a bull named Graham Norton. He had also recently spoken out publicly against a proposed new mine in the area.
MOSCOW — Russia’s Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, announced Monday that it had stopped a large-scale Ukrainian plot to strike two military air bases located far inside Russian territory, according to state news agency TASS.
TASS reported the FSB’s statement indicating that Ukrainian intelligence operatives had been planning attacks on the Shagol air base, situated in Russia’s Ural mountains region, and the Ukrainka air base, located in Russia’s far east. Officials stated that those involved in carrying out the attacks have since been detained.
According to the FSB, Ukraine’s plan involved using balloons and unmanned drones to transport containers packed with smaller drones into Russia’s Bryansk region. From there, the drones were intended to be moved overland to the two targeted military installations.
The disrupted plot bears a striking resemblance to an earlier 2025 attack that successfully struck Russian military air bases — including the Ukrainka facility — which the United States said resulted in the destruction of roughly 10 Russian aircraft.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill died unexpectedly on Monday at the age of 78, not long after recovering from cancer, according to a statement released by his family.
Tributes began pouring in from around the world following the announcement of his passing.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to social media to honor the actor, writing: “Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also paid his respects online, saying: “Sir Sam Neill was one of the greats. He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of. For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today – one of our greatest cultural exports.”
U.S. and Iranian forces have traded heavy missile and drone strikes, with Iran targeting American military facilities across multiple Gulf nations and again declaring the critical Strait of Hormuz closed — a move that sent global oil prices climbing.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced Monday that they had struck U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, taken out radar systems in Oman, and hit fuel storage and ammunition depots at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan. The attacks were described as a response to the latest wave of American strikes.
The exchange represents the most recent chapter in an ongoing cycle of attacks and counter-strikes, as Iran attempts to assert authority over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Military analysts noted that this latest barrage was more intense and far-reaching than previous rounds.
The U.S. military reported that its forces struck Iranian air-defense systems, coastal radar installations, missile and drone capabilities, and small watercraft during Sunday operations, deploying aircraft, naval ships, and drones.
The renewed fighting has cast serious doubt on the future of an interim agreement between the two countries, signed just last month, which was designed to reopen the strait and bring an end to the conflict following an additional 60 days of diplomatic negotiations.
In a brief phone call with Reuters on Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump commented on the weekend’s military activity against Iran. “We’re beating them up,” he said.
Over the past week, Trump has indicated he views the ceasefire as effectively finished, though he has left open the possibility of further talks.
Iran’s lead negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, took to X on Sunday with a pointed message: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”
The conflict, which began when the U.S. and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28, has created widespread instability throughout the Gulf region. Iran has struck American bases in multiple countries, and its effective blockade of the strait has driven energy costs higher and contributed to global inflation.
In a Monday statement, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared that the only path to restoring normal shipping through the strait was for the U.S. to halt its military operations in the waterway. They warned that “continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector.”
Brent crude oil prices jumped 4.3% on Monday, reaching $79.31 per barrel, though that figure remains well below the highs seen earlier in the conflict.
Rising fuel costs, particularly at the gas pump, carry significant political weight for Trump as November’s congressional elections approach.
U.S. officials reported that roughly 20 ships had been escorted through the strait in the prior 24-hour period, though vessel tracking services showed minimal maritime traffic actually moving through the waterway.
Iran has been working to establish a permanent toll system for ships passing through the strait, which before the war carried one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Iran has warned ships not to sail through without its approval.
Late Saturday, Iran announced it had closed the waterway after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel traveling on what it called an unauthorized route. On Sunday, it reported disabling a second ship.
Iran’s newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority said Sunday that passage through the strait was not currently possible, citing what it called “recent illegal movements of the United States military forces in the region.” The authority said permits would be granted “as soon as stability and calm are restored.”
The U.S. — which earlier in the week revoked a license that had exempted Iranian crude oil sales from sanctions — maintained that its forces were in position to protect freedom of navigation despite what it characterized as “aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations” from Iran. “Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing,” U.S. officials stated.
The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center repeated its guidance that, despite serious security risks, an “expanded” southern route near Oman remained open for two-way ship traffic.
On Saturday, U.S. Central Command reported that American forces had struck 140 Iranian military targets, with more than 300 total targets hit over three nights that week, aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels in the strait.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said over the weekend that they had destroyed a command-and-control center and drone storage facilities in Jordan, hit a U.S. radar site and rocket launcher systems in Kuwait, attacked U.S. aircraft carrier support and refueling platforms in Oman, and destroyed a jet maintenance center and command facility in Qatar.
South Korea’s government announced Monday that it intends to put together a record-setting budget of more than 800 trillion won — equivalent to approximately $530.97 billion — for the 2027 fiscal year, with the windfall from a thriving AI chip sector helping to make it possible.
Budget Minister Park Hong-keun made the announcement during a national fiscal strategy meeting, explaining that the spending plan would be funded through a combination of increased tax collections and cuts to existing expenditures. The proposed figure represents a significant jump from the current year’s spending plan of 727.9 trillion won, not counting any supplementary budgets.
The government identified three so-called “mega-projects” as top fiscal priorities: investments in semiconductor chips, AI data centers, and physical AI technology. Officials said funding for these initiatives would come largely from a sweeping overhaul of current spending programs rather than depending entirely on new tax revenue.
President Lee Jae Myung pledged that the government would use every tool at its disposal to keep corporate investment plans on track.
“Additional tax revenue coming at this time is a precious resource to be used at a golden time when global AI dominance will be determined,” Lee said.
Budget Minister Park added that the government plans to restructure roughly 50 trillion won in spending — double what was done the previous year — by reviewing both discretionary and mandatory expenditures and eliminating programs that have underperformed.
South Korea also announced the creation of a Future Response Fund, a strategic investment vehicle designed to channel tax revenues that exceed long-term projections into four key areas: opportunities for youth, economic growth engines, regional development, and talent cultivation.
The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey has issued an Extreme Heat Watch beginning early Sunday morning, July 13, and lasting through Tuesday evening, July 15 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
A Heat Watch means that conditions are favorable for an extreme heat event to develop in the area. Residents are encouraged to stay cool, stay hydrated, and check on vulnerable neighbors, the elderly, and young children during this period.
Officials urge people to limit time outdoors during the hottest parts of the day, never leave children or pets in parked vehicles, and seek air-conditioned spaces if possible. Local cooling centers may be available for those without access to air conditioning.
Stay with TV Delmarva for the latest updates on this developing weather situation as the National Weather Service continues to monitor conditions through the week.
MEXICO CITY — A well-known Mexican pharmacy chain and a fast-growing financial technology company have teamed up to roll out a new co-branded credit card, with the goal of reaching the large portion of Mexico’s population that currently has no access to traditional banking or credit services.
Farmacias Similares and fintech firm Stori officially unveiled the card on Monday. Rather than a plain design, the card features the pharmacy’s famous mascot — Dr. Simi, a mustachioed figure dressed in a white lab coat who has become a widely recognized cultural symbol throughout Mexico.
The new card comes with several perks for shoppers. Cardholders will receive a 25% discount on their very first purchase, along with the opportunity to earn up to a 10% monthly discount on purchases made at the pharmacy’s physical locations and online store, provided the card was used somewhere else during the previous month.
Stori co-founder and chief governance officer Marlene Garayzar explained the motivation behind the launch: “We want to tear down the barriers that separate Mexicans from credit and demonstrate that money can also be on the side of the most important thing we have, which is health.”
Farmacias Similares has built its reputation around affordable generic medications and the Dr. Simi brand, growing into one of Mexico’s most recognizable retail names with more than 11,000 store locations across the country.
Stori, which was founded in 2018, has expanded rapidly by offering credit to consumers who have little or no formal credit history. The company currently serves 5 million customers. In 2024, Stori also partnered with Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein to launch what was Shein’s first co-branded credit card anywhere in the world, a move designed to help both companies grow their presence in the Mexican market.
