A U.S. federal judge has temporarily stopped the Justice Department from getting medical records of transgender minors who received gender-affirming care in New York. The judge ruled this could violate patient privacy and scheduled a later hearing to decide on a longer order.
Key Facts
Judge Katherine Polk Failla issued a temporary restraining order blocking subpoenas for transgender patients' medical records.
The subpoena was issued by a grand jury in Texas but ordered to New York providers.
The lawsuit was filed by families and patients after a hospital disclosed the subpoena.
The judge said the subpoenas could violate privacy rights and target transgender people unfairly.
President Donald Trump, in his second term, has pushed policies restricting transgender rights, including banning gender-affirming care for youth.
Trump also directed the Justice Department to investigate and stop transgender healthcare practices.
The judge's order lasts 14 days, with a hearing set for July 8 to consider extending it.
Similar subpoenas from Texas courts have faced blocks in other states supporting transgender rights.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Europe is experiencing an early heat wave caused by a weather pattern called a heat dome, which traps hot air over the region. This has led to record-high temperatures, health risks, and even deaths, with climate change making such heat waves more common and intense.
Key Facts
A heat dome is a high-pressure system that stays in one place and traps heat and humidity.
It forms from a bulge in the jet stream, a fast-moving wind high in the atmosphere.
The heat dome causes the air to sink and compress, raising temperatures on the ground.
Several European countries, including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK, are facing very hot weather this week.
France has half the country under a red heat alert and has reported about 40 drowning deaths as people seek relief.
Climate change increases the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves by raising average temperatures worldwide.
Experts advise people to drink water, avoid exercise during the hottest hours, find shade, and cool off safely, especially focusing on getting relief at night.
Some events in France, such as trains, concerts, and sports, have been canceled to protect people during the heat wave.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Scotland is working to become a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics by creating a close partnership between companies, government, universities, and investors. A recent conference at Edinburgh Castle highlighted Scotland’s focus on building a strong tech community and attracting international investment.
Key Facts
Edinburgh Castle hosted a conference called “World of Tomorrow” focused on AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.
Scotland emphasizes a small, well-connected tech ecosystem to help companies succeed.
Launchpad Build AI opened a research and development center in Edinburgh and raised $11 million in funding.
Several major tech companies like AMD and Universal Robots have set up hubs in Scotland and other UK cities.
Scotland has been the UK’s top destination for foreign investment outside London for the past 10 years.
The Scottish government supports innovation and has a large pipeline of renewable energy projects to help fund technology.
The conference combined Scottish cultural traditions with discussions about future technology.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A recent survey shows that most Americans do not think military action against Iran is worth it. This comes after the U.S. and Iran signed an agreement aiming to improve talks and resolve ongoing conflicts.
Key Facts
The U.S. and Iran recently signed a memorandum of understanding to help start negotiations.
The survey was released by Quinnipiac University on Wednesday.
About 60% of Americans said military action against Iran is not justified.
The agreement is seen as a positive step toward ending months of conflict.
The poll reflects public opinion on U.S. military involvement with Iran.
This survey highlights concerns among Americans about the cost and benefits of conflict.
The result shows a preference for diplomatic solutions over military ones.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A multi-story apartment building in Horlivka, a city controlled by Russia in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, was hit by drone strikes. Russian-installed local authorities said the strikes were carried out by Ukrainian forces and reported that at least three people were killed.
Key Facts
The drone strikes hit a multi-story apartment building in Horlivka.
Horlivka is in the Donetsk region, an area controlled by Russia.
Local authorities installed by Russia said Ukraine carried out the strikes.
At least three people died because of the attack.
The incident shows ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine involving drones.
The Donetsk region is a significant area in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A recent report reveals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have dramatically increased spending on advanced surveillance technology during President Donald Trump’s current term. The report shows that contracts for tech tools, including AI-powered systems, face recognition, and phone spyware, have reached record levels to track migrants and support border enforcement.
Key Facts
ICE and CBP doubled their spending on surveillance technology from 2024 to 2025, reaching over $310 million.
In 2026, this spending rose to a record $513 million.
Contracts have steadily increased since 2013 when spending was under $50 million.
Major tech companies involved include Palantir (data analytics) and Anduril (AI surveillance tech, drones, and border towers).
Surveillance tools funded include facial recognition, social media data scraping, phone hacking devices, and autonomous drones.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) supports innovation by funding startups and research programs that develop new surveillance technologies.
Programs like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) have provided $845 million since 2004 to help tech startups create surveillance products.
There is concern about ICE’s increasing surveillance capacity and limited government oversight.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Obama said that President Trump is very focused on him and thinks about him a lot. Obama used the phrase "a suite in his head" to describe how much Trump thinks about him.
Key Facts
President Obama spoke on the "All the Smoke" podcast.
Former NBA player Matt Barnes co-hosted the podcast.
Obama said President Trump has an "obsession" with him.
Obama described this as existing in a "suite in his head."
The discussion mentioned Trump’s fascination with Obama and his family, but Trump was not named directly.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal appeals court ruled that the Justice Department cannot get Michigan’s full voter registration list, which contains private voter information. The court said the government’s request is not allowed under the voting laws cited and upheld a lower court’s decision blocking the disclosure.
Key Facts
The 6th Circuit Court ruled 2-1 against the Justice Department’s demand for Michigan’s unredacted voter rolls.
The voter list includes sensitive data like names, birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers.
The government used a 1960 civil rights law, but the majority said this law does not give the right to request such data.
Michigan’s Secretary of State refused to give the full list but provided a public version.
Nine district courts have dismissed similar suits filed by the Justice Department in other states.
The lower court judge noted that forcing release of private voter info could interfere with the constitutional right to vote.
President Donald Trump’s administration has sought changes to election rules, including new ID requirements for voters and mail ballot conditions.
A separate federal judge blocked parts of Trump’s election directives as unconstitutional.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The UK recorded its hottest June day ever, with temperatures reaching 36.1°C (97°F) in Hampshire. The heatwave is expected to continue, causing school closures, travel disruptions, and health concerns, while much of southern and central England and Wales remain under extreme heat warnings.
Key Facts
The highest temperature of 36.1°C was recorded in Gosport, Hampshire, breaking the previous June record from 1976 and 1957.
A red extreme heat warning is in effect until Thursday night for parts of southern and central England and south Wales.
The heatwave may push temperatures up to 38°C by Thursday or Friday.
Hundreds of schools in England and Wales have closed due to the heat.
Train companies advised passengers to avoid non-essential travel because of the heat conditions.
The UK is experiencing "tropical nights," where temperatures stay above 20°C at night.
The Met Office warns the heat could cause serious health problems and increase risks at beaches and lakes.
Similar extreme heat is affecting parts of Europe, including record temperatures in France.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
French scientists studied how oxygen moves through wine corks using a small experimental bottle system. They found that corks don’t just block air but also slowly release oxygen themselves, affecting the wine’s aging process in complex ways.
Key Facts
Researchers at the University of Burgundy in France led the study on oxygen transfer through corks.
The team created tiny glass vials sealed with small corks to mimic real wine bottles but allow precise oxygen measurements.
Oxygen affects how wine ages: a little oxygen helps mature wine, but too much makes it go bad.
The experiment lasted 18 months and tracked oxygen levels inside the miniature bottles.
Four phases of oxygen transfer were identified after sealing, starting with oxygen balancing between wine and gas inside.
For the first six months, most oxygen entering the wine came from inside the cork, not from outside air.
The cork releases oxygen from tiny spaces within its structure, contributing to the wine’s chemistry.
This finding shows corks act like a living ingredient by controlling oxygen flow during wine aging.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Elon Musk’s net worth fell below one trillion dollars due to drops in Tesla and SpaceX stock prices. After SpaceX’s record-setting initial public offering (IPO), Musk had briefly become the world’s first trillionaire, but recent market declines caused by concerns about interest rates and AI have reduced his wealth.
Key Facts
Elon Musk’s net worth fell to about $970 billion after Tesla and SpaceX shares dropped.
Musk became the first person to be worth over $1 trillion on June 12 following SpaceX’s IPO.
SpaceX’s IPO raised $75 billion, marking the largest IPO in history.
SpaceX stock rose 19% on its first day, from $135 to around $154 per share.
A global stock market selloff hit tech stocks hard, including companies linked to AI.
Most of Musk’s wealth is in company shares, not cash he can spend quickly.
Musk remains the richest person in the world, with a net worth far above the second-richest, Larry Page.
Musk’s net worth grew by $338 billion since January despite recent losses.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
An Air Canada flight from Newark to Halifax had to land unexpectedly at Boston’s Logan Airport because the pilot became unable to fly due to a medical issue. The co-pilot took control, and the pilot was taken to a hospital after landing.
Key Facts
The flight was Air Canada Flight 7664, leaving Newark Liberty International Airport at 12:39 p.m.
The plane was headed to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The pilot became "incapacitated" during the flight, prompting a diversion to Boston.
Boston Logan Airport received notice of the diversion just before 1:40 p.m.
The plane landed safely around 2 p.m.
Emergency medical services met the plane on the runway and took the pilot to Massachusetts General Hospital.
The co-pilot flew the plane safely to the airport.
No further details about the pilot’s medical condition have been shared.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States will work closely with Gulf countries in talks about peace with Iran. Rubio met Kuwait’s Crown Prince during his visit to the region after the US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Key Facts
Marco Rubio is the US Secretary of State.
Rubio visited Gulf countries and met Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah.
The US and Iran recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Rubio said the US is fully aligned with Gulf allies regarding peace talks with Iran.
The statement reflects cooperation between the US and Gulf countries on Iran-related issues.
The visit happened after the US-Iran MoU was agreed upon.
The focus is on peace talks and diplomatic alignment between the US and Gulf states.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump had a tense meeting with Republican senators about the Iran war and a related Senate resolution. During the meeting, he told Senator Bill Cassidy to sit down, and later canceled plans to sign a bipartisan housing bill until another voting law passed.
Key Facts
President Trump met with Republican senators to discuss the Iran war and the War Powers Resolution.
Senator Bill Cassidy tried to speak but was told by President Trump to sit down, leading to a tense exchange.
Cassidy said he stood up to the president to defend the American people.
The Senate recently approved a resolution to limit the president’s military actions in Iran; some Republicans joined Democrats on this.
President Trump expressed frustration with Republicans who supported the resolution, including Cassidy and Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Trump canceled signing a bipartisan housing bill until the SAVE America Act, a voting law proposal, passes.
The SAVE America Act includes rules requiring proof of citizenship to vote registration.
Trump suggested removing the Senate filibuster to pass the voting law, but Republican leaders have resisted this.
The president emphasized that Republicans must unite and win in November, warning voter turnout depends on passing the SAVE America Act.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A 26-year-old man named Isaac Clare-Watts died in a suspected murder at the Nine Ladies stone circle in the Peak District during a summer solstice event. Police arrested a 41-year-old man and are asking people who were at the event or have footage from June 19-23 to come forward to help with the investigation.
Key Facts
Isaac Clare-Watts, 26, from Nottingham, was found dead on Monday around 1:38 pm at the Nine Ladies stone circle.
The police described his death as a brutal killing.
A 41-year-old man is in custody, suspected of murder.
The Derby Mountain Rescue team assisted emergency services at the scene.
The police want to talk to anyone who attended the summer solstice event from June 19 to 23.
They are especially interested in any video or dashcam footage from that period.
Detective Inspector Tony Owen is leading the investigation and urged witnesses to contact the police urgently.
The Nine Ladies stone circle is an early Bronze Age site linked to a local story about women turned to stone as punishment for dancing on a Sunday.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Colombia’s President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has promised to rebuild the country’s relationship with Israel after ties were cut under outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Petro had criticized Israel strongly during the Gaza war, including accusing it of genocide, leading to a break in diplomatic relations and trade agreements between the two countries.
Key Facts
Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia’s presidential election on June 21, 2024.
De la Espriella plans to restore and strengthen relations with Israel.
He received a congratulatory call from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s current president, criticized Israel for actions in Gaza and accused it of genocide.
Petro called Israel’s policies “criminal” and compared some Israeli officials’ language to Nazi rhetoric.
Israel stopped security exports to Colombia and condemned Petro’s statements as anti-Semitic.
Colombia withdrew its ambassador, cut diplomatic ties with Israel in May 2024, expelled Israeli diplomats in October 2025, and ended a free trade deal.
Israel was a main supplier of security equipment to Colombia during its internal armed conflict.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The federal agency that regulates prediction markets, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is suing several U.S. states, including Kentucky, over efforts to impose their own rules on these markets. The dispute centers on whether the federal government or individual states have the main authority to regulate prediction markets, which allow people to bet on things like sports and elections.
Key Facts
The CFTC filed a lawsuit against Kentucky regarding enforcement actions against prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket.
Nine states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, New Mexico, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin face legal actions from the CFTC over their attempts to regulate prediction markets.
Kentucky and other states argue that some prediction markets are offering illegal sports betting, violating their gambling laws.
The CFTC claims that federal law gives it sole authority to regulate derivative markets, including prediction markets, under the Dodd-Frank Act.
Sports betting makes up a large part of trading volume on prediction markets (80% on Kalshi, 39% on Polymarket).
Some experts note uncertainty over whether the CFTC’s authority clearly covers sports betting and fear state-by-state rules could hinder industry growth.
The American Gaming Association and several states say the CFTC lacks expertise to regulate sports betting, which states traditionally oversee.
States highlight their role in managing gambling laws and addiction prevention, areas the CFTC’s founding law did not address.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Democratic socialist candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won recent primary elections in New York and are expected to double the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) presence in Congress. Despite these wins, polls show that more Americans still have a negative view of socialism compared to capitalism, although younger people tend to be more open to socialist ideas.
Key Facts
Candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, supported by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, won House primaries in New York.
The Democratic Socialists of America aim to double their seats in Congress next year.
Polls show 44% of Americans view socialism unfavorably, while 33% view it favorably.
Among Democrats, 46% have a positive view of socialism, and 32% view it negatively.
Only 16% of Americans believe socialism offers a better future, compared to 33% for capitalism.
Younger generations, especially Gen Z, tend to be more open to socialism than older adults.
Some Democrats are concerned about the growing influence of democratic socialists in their party.
The DSA says Americans are tired of special interests and want leaders who focus on people’s needs over profits.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The United States and Iran recently signed a temporary deal about Iran's nuclear program and agreed that the United Nations nuclear agency (IAEA) would inspect Iran’s nuclear sites. However, Iranian officials say inspections will only happen after a final agreement is reached. Both sides continue to publicly disagree on what the deal means, while tensions remain high in the region due to ongoing fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed groups.
Key Facts
The U.N. nuclear agency, IAEA, said it will inspect Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites under a 60-day interim deal.
Iran says inspections will only occur after a complete, final agreement with the U.S.
The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to negotiate details during this 60-day period.
Iran has blocked IAEA access to key nuclear sites since 2025, making it hard to verify Iran’s uranium stockpile.
Iran has enriched uranium up to 60%, which is higher than any country without a weapons program.
Israel conducted an airstrike in southern Lebanon amid ongoing conflict with Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
The IAEA stressed inspections will happen soon, but the exact timing is uncertain.
The deal includes plans to reduce the uranium enrichment level (“downblend” it) to make it less suitable for weapons.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A 1-year-old boy named Kohen Wiley was fatally shot by a police officer responding to a shoplifting call in Senatobia, Mississippi. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting, and the officer involved has been placed on leave while the case is being reviewed.
Key Facts
Kohen Wiley died on June 14 after a police officer fired into a vehicle outside a Walmart.
Visitation is scheduled for Friday at Senatobia Church of Christ, with the funeral on Saturday at a worship center in Pope, Mississippi.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is conducting the probe, marking it as a priority and aiming to finish within 6-9 months.
Police bodycam footage may be released in the coming months.
The officer who fired has been placed on administrative leave.
Family attorneys called for an independent autopsy and public release of all related videos, including bodycam and store security footage.
The shooting led to protests outside the Walmart, where police used tear gas to disperse crowds.
Kohen’s mother reported experiencing nightmares and panic attacks after the shooting.
An online fundraiser for Kohen's family has raised over $22,000.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
