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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws protecting members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from being fired by the president without cause are unconstitutional. This decision overturns a 90-year-old precedent and increases President Trump's power to remove officials from independent agencies.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court struck down rules that limited the president’s ability to remove FTC members.
The previous rule, set in 1935, only allowed the president to fire members "for cause," like wrongdoing or neglect.
The new ruling removes that protection, letting President Trump fire FTC members more easily.
The court's decision overturns a nearly century-old case called Humphrey's Executor v. United States.
Many other independent agencies have similar protections, so this decision may affect them too.
The ruling was made by the court’s conservative majority.
This change gives the president more influence over independent government agencies.
The case is seen as a step in weakening long-standing laws set during the New Deal era.
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The US Supreme Court decided that police need to follow privacy rules under the Fourth Amendment when using geofence warrants, which collect location data from many smartphones near a crime scene. This ruling limits broad searches that gather information from people who may not be connected to any crime.
Key Facts
Geofence warrants allow police to get location data from all phones within a virtual area and a specific time frame.
The use of these warrants is common among police and the FBI to find suspects or witnesses.
Critics say geofence warrants can capture data from innocent people and invade privacy in places like homes, churches, or clinics.
The case involved Okello Chatrie, who was tracked by geofence warrants after robbing a bank in Richmond, Virginia.
Chatrie’s lawyers argued that geofence warrants violate the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches.
The government says people have less privacy expectation in public and when they let companies like Google collect location data.
Google admits these warrants can collect data on many innocent people and cover private and sensitive places.
This is the first Supreme Court ruling on the Fourth Amendment and cell phone location data since a 2018 decision requiring warrants for such tracking.
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Several large wildfires are burning across the western United States, especially in Utah, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes. The fires have grown quickly due to dry conditions, heat, and strong winds, with some fires still far from being controlled, and tragically, three firefighters have died battling one of the fires on the Utah-Colorado border.
Key Facts
Multiple wildfires in Utah have caused evacuations in towns like Eureka, Mammoth, Silver City, and Lofgreen.
The Iron Fire has burned about 41,467 acres and is 77% contained.
The Cherry Fire has burned 34,224 acres and is only 22% contained.
The Cottonwood Fire has scorched over 90,000 acres and has 0% containment.
The Wild Goose Fire burned more than 10,000 acres and is 3% contained.
The Snyder Fire on the Utah-Colorado border has burned over 28,000 acres with 0% containment.
Three firefighters died and two were injured while fighting the Snyder Fire.
Officials continue to warn residents to prepare to evacuate quickly due to ongoing fire dangers.
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The Supreme Court agreed to keep a Mississippi law that counts mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day as long as they arrive within five business days after. This decision supports similar voting rules in other states and could affect the upcoming November elections.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold Mississippi’s law on mail-in ballots.
Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day but can arrive within five business days to be counted.
Four justices dissented: Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh.
Mississippi Secretary of State said voters make their final choice by Election Day, even if ballots arrive later.
The court’s majority said voting finishes when the voter sends the ballot, not when officials get it.
Military and overseas voter groups warned that disallowing late-arriving ballots would create more difficulties for voters abroad.
The ruling affects other election-related cases the Supreme Court is handling this term.
The Trump administration supported those challenging the law, concerned late ballots could harm election integrity.
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The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that President Trump has more power to fire officials at independent government agencies. This decision reverses a practice that has been in place for 91 years, which previously made it harder for presidents to remove these officials.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court ruling was decided along ideological lines, with six justices supporting and three opposing.
The decision increases President Trump’s control over independent agencies outside of the usual executive branch.
The ruling overturns 91 years of legal precedent protecting certain agency officials from being easily fired.
It specifically allows President Trump to fire Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat appointed to the role.
Independent federal agencies are organizations meant to operate with some independence from the president.
Previously, these agencies had protections to keep appointed officials in place, even if a president wanted to remove them.
This ruling marks a significant expansion of presidential authority over parts of the government intended to be independent.
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The Supreme Court decided 5-4 that Lisa Cook can keep her job as a Federal Reserve Board governor while a legal case about President Trump's attempt to fire her continues. The court did not approve the president’s request to remove her, so a lower court’s decision blocking her firing remains in place.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in favor of Lisa Cook staying on the Federal Reserve Board.
President Trump tried to remove Cook following allegations of mortgage fraud.
The court had previously let Cook stay in her role while considering the case.
The justices left a lower court ruling that stopped Cook’s firing in place.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, joined by four other justices.
The legal case about Cook’s removal is still ongoing.
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors oversees the central bank of the U.S.
The decision means the president cannot fire Cook without due legal process.
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A man named Asad Hussain was jailed for eight years for creating a fake Tinder profile of his ex-partner to lure men to her home with the intent to harm her. He was found guilty of stalking and assault, and the court also issued a 15-year restraining order against him.
Key Facts
Asad Hussain, 36, from Greater Manchester, created a fake Tinder account pretending to be his ex-partner.
He used the fake profile to invite multiple men to the woman’s house without her knowledge.
At least 18 men were tricked into coming to her home, some believing she wanted to be assaulted.
The victim ended her relationship with Hussain after discovering he looked through her phone.
A man once forced open her door, breaking a glass panel, guided by messages from the fake profile.
Another incident involved a man entering the house while her daughter was alone upstairs.
Hussain was convicted of stalking causing serious distress and assault by beating.
The victim's statement highlighted feeling unsafe in her own home, and police called the case very complex and disturbing.
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The US Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook without cause was unconstitutional. This decision protects the Fed’s independence by limiting a president’s power to remove central bank officials.
Key Facts
Lisa Cook, appointed by President Biden, was fired by President Trump last August on social media accusations of mortgage fraud; she denied the claims.
The Supreme Court said the president cannot remove a Federal Reserve governor without a valid reason.
Cook’s term on the Fed board is set to last until 2038; she is the first Black woman on the Fed’s board.
The ruling is a change from other recent court decisions that generally gave President Trump broad powers.
The Federal Reserve sets key interest rates that affect the entire US economy.
President Trump had frequently criticized the Fed for keeping interest rates high, which he felt hurt the economy.
Jerome Powell, former Fed chair appointed by Trump, faced investigations related to renovations at the Fed headquarters but remained a governor to protect Fed independence.
Kevin Warsh replaced Powell as Fed chair and may support lowering interest rates despite inflation concerns.
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The US Supreme Court refused to hear President Donald Trump's appeal in the civil case brought by writer E Jean Carroll. A jury had found Trump sexually abused Carroll and defamed her, ordering him to pay $5 million in damages.
Key Facts
E Jean Carroll accused President Trump of sexual assault from the 1990s and said he called her claims a lie on social media.
A New York jury ruled in 2023 that Trump defamed Carroll and sexually abused her.
The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.
Trump denied the accusations and argued that the judge allowed improper evidence during the trial.
A federal appeals court upheld the jury’s decision in 2025 and denied Trump’s request for a new trial.
Trump then asked the US Supreme Court to review the case.
The Supreme Court decided not to hear the appeal, meaning the jury's verdict stands.
Trump has not yet commented on the Supreme Court’s decision.
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Simon Levy is on trial in London for allegedly murdering two women and attacking a third in a series of violent sexual crimes during 2025. The victims were vulnerable women involved in sex work or drug addiction, and the prosecution says DNA and CCTV evidence link Levy to the crimes.
Key Facts
Simon Levy, 40, denies killing Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo (53) and Sheryl Wilkins (39), and attacking a third woman.
The attacks occurred over eight months in 2025 in south-east London and Tottenham.
The victims were vulnerable, involved in sex work or exchanged sex for money or drugs.
CCTV showed Levy with Wilkins shortly before her murder in a car park.
DNA evidence connected Levy to the killing of Valencia-Trujillo, which was sexually motivated.
The first victim survived a brutal assault where she was raped, strangled, and left unconscious.
The survivors testified and identified Levy, who lived near the crime scenes.
Levy denies all charges including murder, rape, and strangulation; the trial is ongoing.
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The United Nations warns that the city of el-Obeid in Sudan is at risk of mass atrocities similar to those seen in el-Fasher in 2025. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have attacked and are now surrounding el-Obeid, putting the local community survival systems under extreme pressure.
Key Facts
The UN has issued a warning about possible mass atrocities in el-Obeid, Sudan.
The situation is compared to events in el-Fasher in 2025.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked el-Fasher before moving to siege el-Obeid.
The community survival systems in el-Obeid are close to collapsing.
Al Jazeera journalist Marah Rayan has reported from el-Obeid.
The conflict threatens the safety and basic needs of people living in el-Obeid.
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The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states may count mail-in ballots that arrive up to five days after Election Day. The decision allows about 30 states to keep current voting rules and rejects claims that all ballots must be received by Election Day under federal law.
Key Facts
The case involved a 2020 Mississippi law permitting mail-in ballots to be counted if they arrive within five days after Election Day.
The Supreme Court majority, including Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts, said federal law does not require ballots to be received by Election Day.
The court said it is up to Congress, not the courts, to set national rules on ballot deadlines.
Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissented, joined in part by Kavanaugh, arguing the ruling changes federal law and could harm trust in elections.
The Republican National Committee filed the lawsuit, saying a federal statute from 1845 requires all ballots to be received by Election Day.
The Fifth Circuit Court initially ruled that ballots must be received on Election Day, but the Supreme Court overturned this.
The ruling protects voting systems used in many states, especially those adopted after the pandemic to accommodate mail-in voting.
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Heavy flash flooding in Kentucky has caused at least four deaths and forced many water rescues and evacuations. The flooding has severely damaged roads and homes, prompting Governor Andy Beshear to declare a state of emergency and ask for help with recovery.
Key Facts
At least four people have died due to the flash flooding in Kentucky.
Around 60 water rescues and evacuations have taken place.
Heavy rain caused streets and homes to flood across the state.
Many communities suffered widespread damage from the floods.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency.
The governor plans to request assistance from public sources and individuals.
The flooding event has disrupted daily life and recovery efforts are ongoing.
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Stephen A. Smith said Democrats have a good chance, about 75%, to win the upcoming midterm elections and control part of Congress. However, he warned that Democrats might still fail to take advantage of this opportunity.
Key Facts
Stephen A. Smith made a prediction about the midterm elections.
He estimated a 75% chance that Democrats will win.
Democrats may gain control of at least one part of Congress.
Smith compared the possibility of Democrats failing to the San Antonio Spurs blowing a large lead in basketball.
He expressed concern that Democrats might not use their advantage well.
The midterm elections will determine control of Congress.
The outcome affects American politics.
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A report from Human Rights Watch says that all sides in the conflict in Mali—Islamic militants, the Malian army, and their Russian allies—have caused serious harm to civilians. This includes killings, drone strikes, and abuses against communities during fighting that intensified earlier in 2026.
Key Facts
Islamic militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Malian army, with Russian military support, committed serious abuses against civilians in Mali.
The abuses include killing civilians, burning vehicles, and drone strikes that killed adults and children.
At least 38 civilians, including 23 children, were killed during military operations against Fulani communities.
Two drone strikes by Mali’s military killed 22 people, including children and teenagers.
The conflict in Mali involves Islamist militant groups, Tuareg separatists, and the Malian military.
Violence rose after coordinated attacks in April targeted Mali’s capital and other cities.
Mali’s defense minister died in a car-bomb attack in 2026.
Thousands of Malians have fled to neighboring countries due to the ongoing violence and abuses.
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The Supreme Court will review a Republican effort to enforce strict voting laws in Arizona that were passed after the 2020 election. These laws had faced legal challenges because lower courts said they broke federal voting rules.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court announced it will consider Republican-supported Arizona voting laws.
These laws were passed after the 2020 presidential election.
Some similar voting rules have been allowed temporarily by the Supreme Court before.
Arizona’s rules include proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting in state and local elections.
Virginia also faced legal cases for removing voters to prevent noncitizens from voting.
President Donald Trump’s Republican administration joined the appeal supporting these Arizona laws.
Lower courts had ruled that the Arizona voting rules broke federal voting laws.
The Supreme Court’s decision will determine whether these strict voting laws can be enforced.
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President Donald Trump announced that a meeting between the United States and Iran will take place in Qatar, despite recent military clashes in the Gulf. The meeting aims to continue talks on a memorandum of understanding to ease tensions, especially concerning Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Facts
President Trump said Iran requested the meeting in Doha, Qatar, scheduled for Tuesday.
An Iranian official had previously said no technical talks were planned for this week.
The U.S. negotiating team will include special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
The talks relate to a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending conflict and promoting ceasefire, including in Lebanon.
Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz and has fired on ships passing through lanes outside its control.
The U.S. has responded by striking Iranian positions near the strait, and Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on American bases.
Despite attacks, both sides claim they are upholding ceasefire agreements and continuing diplomatic efforts.
The deal has helped lower U.S. gasoline prices by easing Iran’s blockade on Hormuz and reducing U.S. sanctions on Iranian energy products.
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Teachers and organizations are using modern tools like social media and games to help students learn about the Declaration of Independence, which is 250 years old. These methods aim to make history more interesting and relevant to young people today.
Key Facts
Jessica Culver, a social studies teacher in Arkansas, uses hashtags and social media ideas to help students connect with the Declaration of Independence.
Students create posts imagining how they would announce historical events today, like tweeting "#newcountry #finallyfree" after the Declaration was signed.
The Declaration was written mainly by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 56 people, including John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
iCivics, a group started by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, offers games and resources to help over 9 million students learn about U.S. civics each year.
iCivics launched initiatives like the Civic Star Challenge for teacher support and Investigation Declaration, an interactive game about protecting freedom documents.
The National Constitution Center created activities like a special Trivial Pursuit game and online content to teach families about the Declaration of Independence.
Educators stress that July Fourth should be the start of learning about America’s founding ideas, not the end.
Understanding the Declaration is seen as important because it expresses the principles on which the U.S. government and identity are built.
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow states to count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, as long as they were postmarked by that day. This decision supports existing state laws on how late mail-in votes are handled.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court decision was made on June 29, 2026.
The vote was close, with 5 justices in favor and 4 against.
Justice Barrett was part of the majority decision.
The ruling allows states to count mail-in ballots received after Election Day if they have a postmark from on or before Election Day.
The decision upholds state laws that currently permit this practice.
The case relates to how elections are conducted and how votes are counted.
This ruling may affect future elections and the timing of vote counting.
The Supreme Court issued this order as part of pending appeals related to election procedures.
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Israeli forces struck a tent in the central Gaza Strip, killing three Palestinians, including an 8-year-old boy and his grandfather. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a militant but did not confirm if the militant was killed.
Key Facts
The strike happened in Deir al-Balah, a town in central Gaza.
Among the dead were Hassan al-Hanagra and his 8-year-old grandchild, Malik Abu Shawish.
Malik was visiting his mother’s tent when the strike occurred; his mother was among seven people wounded.
Israel said it was targeting militants involved in attacks against Israeli troops.
Another strike on Sunday killed a member of Islamic Jihad linked to the Oct. 7 attack that started the current conflict.
Since an October ceasefire, Israeli forces have carried out nearly daily strikes in Gaza.
According to Gaza health officials, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire, including hundreds of women and children.
Israel reports five soldiers have died in militant attacks since the ceasefire.
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