Strait of Hormuz Ship Traffic Drops as Tensions Rise
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was pausing the U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz to allow time for a deal to end the Iran war, according to NPR.
US Politics
FBI Seized Protesters’ Phones, New York Enforces Distracted Driving
The FBI secretly extracted data from the phones of 14 protesters arrested at a 2025 ICE demonstration in Spokane, Washington, using software from Israeli firm Cellebrite, according to an investigation by Mother Jones.
Graham Platner Ends Senate Bid Amid Allegations
Maine's Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race on Wednesday after a woman accused him of rape in 2021, according to CNN and The Guardian.
UK Judges Begin Hearing Appeal Over Trinidad and Tobago Anti-Gay Law
UK judges are currently hearing an appeal over Trinidad and Tobago’s colonial-era anti-gay law, according to the Guardian.
Platner’s disastrous candidacy exposes rifts in Democratic Senate hopes
Graham Platner's candidacy has ended in a catastrophic collapse, revealing deep rifts within the Democratic Party that could impact Senate hopes, according to the BBC.
Democrat Graham Platner Suspends Campaign in Key US Senate Race
U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner has suspended his campaign for the Democratic nomination in Maine, according to Maine Public. His withdrawal opens a scramble to replace him on the November ballot.
Philippine VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial begins with high stakes
The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has begun, with the Senate court adjourning after the first day. According to BBC, she faces charges of misusing millions in government funds and threatening to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Florida Republican Calls Deporting Haitians a ‘Huge Mistake’
Florida Rep. Carlos Giménez said deporting Haitians with TPS would be a 'huge mistake' due to the country's ongoing crisis, according to The Hill.
Trump’s Mount Rushmore Speech and Commie Warnings
President Donald Trump warned that communism is the 'greatest threat to our country,' during a speech at Mount Rushmore, according to NPR.
Chinese Underground Church Figure Jin Mingri Released After 10,000-Member Church Crackdown
Jin Mingri, an influential figure in China’s underground Zion Church, was released from prison and has arrived in the U.S. according to a U.S.-based rights group. His family said the release could not have happened without direct intervention from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump’s Signature on New $100 Bill Previewed by Bessent
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previewed new U.S. currency bearing President Trump's signature, set to circulate in honor of the nation's 250th birthday, according to a report.
White Nationalists March Washington DC Ahead of Freedom 250
Hundreds of white nationalists marched on Washington DC waving Confederate flags and chanting anti-immigrant slogans on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, according to Al Jazeera.
Washington DC extreme heat wave: 165 million at risk
A sprawling heat dome is baking much of the U.S. East Coast, with over 165 million people facing 'major' or 'extreme' heat risk through the July Fourth weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Washington DC and other major cities are seeing record-breaking temperatures.
Vatican Excommunicates 600,000 Global Sect Followers
The Vatican has excommunicated followers of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a conservative Catholic sect, after the group consecrated four new bishops in Geneva without Pope Leo XIV's approval, according to BBC News.
Trump’s $2.2bn Windfall Unmatched by Truman’s $113 Pension
Donald Trump made at least $2.2bn in his first year back in office, a financial windfall that dwarfs Harry Truman's $113 monthly pension and sets a new norm for presidential earnings, according to a new financial disclosure report.