The Actual News

Key Facts

• The Supreme Court will review cases involving Idaho and West Virginia about transgender students in school sports.
• Two weeks ago, the Court upheld a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
• Over 24 states have passed laws preventing transgender women and girls from taking part in certain sports.
• Republican leaders argue these laws ensure fairness in women's and girls' sports.
• The University of Pennsylvania changed records from a transgender swimmer and will apologize to other female athletes as part of settling a case.
• The new Supreme Court case involves Becky Pepper-Jackson, a transgender student from West Virginia.
• The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supported Pepper-Jackson’s rights based on equal protection and Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in education.
• Idaho was the first state to ban transgender women and girls from public school sports teams in 2020.

Key Facts

• ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a government agency involved in enforcing immigration laws.
• The Trump administration has focused on cracking down on unauthorized immigrants in the workforce.
• Industries like agriculture, construction, and long-term care heavily rely on immigrant labor.
• ICE is actively conducting raids on businesses believed to employ unauthorized workers.
• These raids affect the ability of these industries to retain their workforce.
• Representatives from affected industries are discussing the challenges of maintaining sufficient staff.

Key Facts

• Diogo Jota was 28 years old and played for Liverpool Football Club.
• The car crash happened in Spain, where Jota and his brother Andre were traveling.
• Andre Jota, also a footballer, was in the car during the accident.
• The crash occurred two weeks after Diogo Jota married Rute Cardoso.
• Liverpool Football Club has requested privacy for the family and expressed support.
• The Prime Minister of Portugal and sports organizations expressed their condolences.
• Diogo Jota had played around 50 times for Portugal's national football team.
• Many football clubs and players publicly mourned the loss.

Key Facts

• Thailand appointed Phumtham Wechayachai as acting prime minister.
• The Constitutional Court suspended leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
• Paetongtarn was involved in a phone call with Cambodia's ex-leader, Hun Sen.
• The call led to allegations of breaching ministerial ethics.
• Paetongtarn was temporarily barred from office while under investigation.
• She had referred to Hun Sen as "Uncle" during the call.
• Paetongtarn was also appointed culture minister before the suspension.
• Her government faced challenges with low popularity and economic issues.

Key Facts

• Employers in the U.S. added 147,000 jobs in June.
• The unemployment rate went down from 4.2% in May to 4.1% in June.
• In June, state governments hired 47,000 workers, and healthcare companies hired 39,000 workers.
• Manufacturing jobs decreased by 7,000 in June.
• Average hourly wages increased by 0.2% from May and by 3.7% compared to the previous year.
• The Labor Department revised the job numbers for April and June, adding 16,000 more jobs than initially reported.
• The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates 11 times in recent years, slowing down hiring but not stopping it.
• Tariffs set by President Trump have caused uncertainty for businesses, affecting decisions in manufacturing companies.

Key Facts

• Airstrikes in Gaza killed 94 Palestinians, including 45 seeking aid.
• The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrikes.
• Amnesty International claims the aid distribution is "militarized" and amounts to starvation tactics.
• Israel denies accusations of genocide and is challenging the claims in the International Court of Justice.
• The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 57,000 Palestinians have died since the war began.
• There are ongoing discussions about a possible ceasefire, though challenges persist.
• Hamas launched attacks that led to the conflict on October 7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 deaths in southern Israel and 250 hostages.
• Amnesty condemned Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's approach to aid distribution.

Key Facts

Key Facts

• Michael Lynk is a human rights lawyer.
• He has raised concerns about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
• The Foundation is supported by the US and Israel.
• Lynk argues that the Foundation is not meeting its obligations.
• These obligations are based on international rules for helping civilians.

Key Facts

• Ukrainian farmers started clearing mines themselves after Russian forces withdrew.
• One farmer, Mykola Pereverzev, used farm machinery to clear 200 hectares in two months but lost a tractor in explosions.
• Ukraine is a major agricultural region, but its soil is now heavily mined.
• Many unexploded munitions remain due to failed detonations.
• Drones and international support are helping in demining efforts.
• The Sysenkos returned to their home in Kamyanka and began clearing mines with rakes.
• Swiss deminers found 54 mines in the Sysenkos’ field and advised them to evacuate.
• Kamyanka's current population is much lower than before the conflict due to mine fears.

Key Facts

• The yield on UK 10-year government bonds fell to 4.53% from 4.61%.
• The fall in borrowing costs happened after the prime minister supported the chancellor.
• The pound increased in value to $1.3668 but hasn't regained all its lost value.
• An analyst suggested markets support the chancellor due to concerns about potential lack of fiscal discipline if she leaves.
• Financial market reactions might be affecting the chancellor's career positively.
• Mohamed El-Erian, a financial expert, warned that markets are still tense and may not return to the previous state quickly.

Key Facts

• Jenny Han writes books about teenage experiences.
• Her series "To All the Boys" and "The Summer I Turned Pretty" are bestsellers.
• Both book series have been turned into films or TV shows.
• The third season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" will release on Prime Video on July 16.
• Jenny Han draws inspiration from her own teenage years for her stories.

Key Facts

• Wildfires are currently burning out of control in Greece.
• Strong winds are making the fires spread fast.
• Evacuations have taken place to keep people safe.
• Homes and tourist accommodations are at risk.
• Critical infrastructure, such as roads and utilities, is threatened.
• Europe is experiencing an early summer heatwave.
• At least six people have died from heat-related causes in Europe.
• Heatwave fatalities have been reported in Spain, Italy, and France.

Key Facts

• Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, was on trial in Manhattan for two months.
• Combs was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, but guilty of transporting people for prostitution.
• The trial has damaged Combs' public image and business interests.
• Before the trial, Combs stepped down from his media role and sold his stake in Revolt TV.
• Howard University revoked his honorary degree, and a planned Hulu reality series was canceled.
• Combs' homes were searched by Homeland Security in March 2024.
• A video surfaced showing Combs' violent behavior towards his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura.
• Combs faced more lawsuits following his arrest in September 2024.

Key Facts

• A wildfire began on Wednesday afternoon in the forested area near Ierapetra, on the island of Crete.
• Strong winds, reaching high speeds on the Beaufort scale, have helped the fire spread southward.
• The fire is threatening homes, tourist areas, and important infrastructure, such as a fuel station.
• Over 1,500 people have been evacuated, with some being taken to an indoor sports arena in Ierapetra for shelter.
• Local police closed roads and advised against travel due to poor air quality and low visibility caused by smoke and ash.
• Firefighting efforts include 155 firefighters, specialized teams, 38 fire engines, and helicopters.
• Additional firefighters and equipment are being sent from other parts of Greece to aid in the operations.
• Alerts have been sent out for evacuations in several areas, with some people being evacuated by boat due to road blockages.

Key Facts

• Gangs control about 90% of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.
• Violence is spreading to areas that were previously peaceful.
• Gangs are taking over key trade routes, affecting the supply of goods like cooking fuel and rice.
• The U.N. warns that Haiti’s government may fully collapse if no international action is taken.
• The Kenyan-led U.N. mission to reduce gang violence is only 40% complete in staffing.
• Private security firms and vigilante groups are growing fast to deal with the gangs, with some acting illegally.
• In the last three months, these groups have reportedly killed over 100 suspected gang members.
• Sexual violence by gangs has increased, with 364 incidents reported in just two months.

Key Facts

• Sean "Diddy" Combs is a well-known music producer.
• A jury found him guilty of two charges related to transporting people for prostitution.
• He was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, which are more severe charges.
• Racketeering involves running illegal businesses for profit.
• Sex trafficking is illegally transporting people for sexual exploitation.
• Combs was denied bail, meaning he cannot be released while waiting for further legal actions.

Key Facts

• Sean "Diddy" Combs was on trial for charges related to prostitution and sex trafficking.
• The jury found him guilty of transporting individuals for prostitution.
• He was found not guilty of sex trafficking or racketeering.
• Prosecutors accused Combs of using money and power to force former girlfriends into abusive situations.
• The case included testimony from two women, including singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.
• Ventura testified about enduring abuse and feeling trapped in the relationship.
• The defense argued there was no evidence Combs forced women into sex acts against their will.
• The verdict sparked debate about the effectiveness of the #MeToo movement.

Key Facts

• Microsoft plans to lay off up to 9,000 employees.
• The job cuts will affect several divisions, with reports suggesting the Xbox unit may be impacted.
• Microsoft is investing $80 billion in datacenters to develop AI technology.
• The layoffs account for about 4% of Microsoft's global workforce, which totals 228,000 employees.
• Microsoft has already implemented three rounds of job cuts in 2025, including a reduction of 6,000 roles in May.
• Over 800 of the job cuts will occur in Redmond and Bellevue, Washington.
• Microsoft is focusing on AI development and has recruited AI expert Mustafa Suleyman.
• Microsoft holds a significant investment in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, though their relationship has reportedly become strained.

Key Facts

• Some users' Facebook Groups were wrongly suspended due to a "technical error," according to Meta.
• Users say account bans affect their work and personal digital connections.
• Many users express frustration due to the lack of customer service and suspect AI moderation issues.
• Over 25,000 people have signed a petition describing account lockouts on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
• Discussions about the issue are active on Reddit and other social media.
• Brittany Watson from Canada started the petition after her Facebook account was wrongly disabled.
• John Dale, who runs a local news group, also lost access to his Facebook account with no clear reason.
• Some affected users consider a class action lawsuit against Meta.

Key Facts

• The Kirti monastery in Aba is a center for Tibetan resistance to Chinese control.
• The area is heavily monitored with surveillance cameras and a police station.
• China annexed Tibet in 1950 and has governed over six million Tibetans since.
• Displaying images or supporting the Dalai Lama publicly can lead to imprisonment in China.
• Protests in Aba, outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, have historically included self-immolations, which are acts of protest where individuals set themselves on fire.
• Information about Tibet is scarce due to strict Chinese controls, and most comes from exiles or the government-in-exile.
• Aba has seen violent clashes and protests against Chinese rule, notably in 2008.