Dr. Kevin O'Connor, former President Joe Biden's physician, chose not to testify in a Republican-led investigation into Biden's mental fitness, citing medical confidentiality and his right against self-incrimination. The House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, is looking into claims of Biden's alleged cognitive decline during his presidency.
Key Facts
Dr. Kevin O'Connor was President Joe Biden’s doctor for all four years of his presidency.
O'Connor declined to testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of an investigation led by Republicans.
He cited physician-patient privilege and the Fifth Amendment, which allows a person to avoid self-incrimination.
The committee is probing claims of a "cover-up" of Biden's alleged mental decline during his presidency.
O'Connor's attorneys argued that testifying could breach medical confidentiality and risk his medical license.
The committee also seeks testimony from other former Biden officials.
Biden has publicly denied claims of cognitive decline, calling them false.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by a 53-43 vote. Bryan Bedford, previously the CEO of Republic Airways, faced opposition from Democrats and flight safety advocates due to his stance on pilot training requirements but received strong support from industry leaders and Republicans.
Key Facts
Bryan Bedford was confirmed to lead the FAA by the U.S. Senate with a 53-43 vote.
Bedford has been the CEO of Republic Airways since 1999.
Republicans and industry leaders support Bedford, praising his experience.
Democrats and safety advocates are concerned about Bedford's lack of support for the 1,500-hour pilot training rule.
The 1,500-hour training rule was implemented after a 2009 crash in New York due to pilot error.
Pilot Chesley Sullenberger opposed Bedford's nomination, fearing it could undo safety progress.
Bedford promised not to reduce safety, but didn't commit to upholding the 1,500-hour rule.
Industry groups, like the air traffic controllers union and Airlines for America, back Bedford’s commitment to modernizing systems.
President Donald Trump has introduced new tariffs on six countries, including Algeria, Brunei, Iraq, Libya, Moldova, and the Philippines. These tariffs will start on August 1, with different rates for each country, and are aimed at altering trade imbalances. Trump is allowing some time for negotiations but insists there will be no deadline extensions for these countries.
Key Facts
Trump announced tariffs on six countries: Algeria, Brunei, Iraq, Libya, Moldova, and the Philippines.
Tariffs will be 30% for Algeria and Iraq, 25% for Brunei, Libya, and Moldova, and 20% for the Philippines.
The tariffs are set to begin on August 1.
These actions follow a 90-day negotiating period with an initial tariff rate of 10%.
The US had trade imbalances with these countries last year, with the largest imbalance of $5.9 billion with Iraq.
Overall, the trade imbalances with these nations are small compared to the US economy, which has a GDP of $30 trillion.
Trump has been sending similar tariff letters to other countries, including threats of tariffs to Japan and South Korea.
The US economy contracted by 0.5% in the first quarter of the year, partly due to the effects of tariffs.
Linda Yaccarino resigned as CEO of X, a social media platform owned by Elon Musk, a few months after it was acquired by Musk’s AI startup, xAI. She didn’t specify her reasons for leaving. Her resignation happened soon after an AI chatbot from xAI posted controversial content on the platform.
Key Facts
Linda Yaccarino stepped down as CEO of X, a platform formerly known as Twitter.
Elon Musk's company, xAI, acquired X shortly before her resignation.
Yaccarino had led X after Musk bought it in a $44 billion deal.
Her resignation followed an incident where xAI's chatbot posted content about Adolf Hitler on X.
The controversial posts were deleted after public criticism.
X is experiencing challenges, including debt and legal actions against advertisers.
Elon Musk thanked Yaccarino for her work in transforming the company.
At least 95 people have died in Kerr County, Texas, due to flash floods. The floods hit south central Texas on Friday, causing a total of 119 deaths across the state and leaving more than 150 people missing in Kerr County alone.
Key Facts
Kerr County experienced deadly floods, resulting in at least 95 deaths.
The floods have caused a total of 119 deaths in Texas.
Over 150 people are missing in Kerr County, including campers and a counselor from Camp Mystic.
The death toll in Kerr County includes 36 children and 59 adults.
Rescue teams are using heavy equipment to search for missing people.
Within the first hour of the flood, emergency responders evacuated over 100 homes and rescued over 200 people in Kerrville.
Some residents, like Christian Fell, experienced severe flooding without prior weather alerts.
There is concern about whether authorities issued adequate flood warnings before the disaster.
In Kerr County, Texas, volunteers are delivering hot meals to neighborhoods heavily affected by recent flooding. Mercy Chefs, a nonprofit organization, is organizing this effort with the help of local volunteers and is providing thousands of meals daily.
Key Facts
Volunteers deliver hot meals to areas affected by flooding in Kerr County, Texas.
The flooding happened after heavy rains on July 4th caused flash floods.
Mercy Chefs, a nonprofit from Virginia, organizes the meal distribution.
Volunteers prepare meals at a local church that serves as a food distribution site.
The effort provides up to 5,000 meals each day.
The floods have resulted in over 100 deaths, with 160 people still missing.
Some areas are hard to access due to the extent of flood damage.
Tim Thomason leads a group called Blind Faith Foundation, helping in the food distribution effort.
America's prisons have fewer inmates because crime rates and birth rates are going down. This trend has been discussed by experts, including a professor from Stanford.
Key Facts
Crime rates in the U.S. are decreasing, which is leading to fewer people being sent to prison.
Birth rates in the U.S. are also falling, meaning fewer young people are entering the age range where they might commit crimes.
Fewer people in prison could change how the prison system operates.
NPR's Ailsa Chang talked to Keith Humphreys, a Stanford professor, about why fewer people are in prison.
The discussion took place on an NPR program called "All Things Considered."
The Diocese of San Bernardino has allowed Catholics who are worried about immigration arrests to skip attending Mass. This decision was made after immigration agents reportedly detained people on church property.
Key Facts
The Diocese of San Bernardino has lifted the requirement for some Catholics to attend Mass.
This change is due to concerns about immigration raids on church property.
Immigration agents reportedly detained people at two church locations in June.
Catholics usually must attend Mass on Sundays and holy days.
This decision aims to address safety concerns amid immigration actions by the Trump administration.
The Diocese of San Bernardino has over one million members.
It's the first diocese in the U.S. to formally grant such a dispensation.
The Diocese of Nashville has also said Catholics can skip Mass if their safety is at risk.
The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a lower court's decision to stand, preventing enforcement of part of a Florida law that criminalized undocumented immigrants entering the state. The decision means the state cannot impose prison terms for this action, as federal law takes precedence over state law in immigration matters.
Key Facts
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked part of a Florida law that targeted undocumented immigrants.
The Florida law made it a crime for undocumented immigrants to cross into the state.
The Supreme Court issued a one-sentence order without any further explanation.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the law in February 2025.
A U.S. citizen was mistakenly arrested under this law shortly after it was enacted.
Immigrant rights groups argued that the Florida law conflicted with federal immigration laws.
Federal courts have previously stopped similar laws in states like Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Idaho.
The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that federal law overrides state law in immigration matters.
Linda Yaccarino, who became the leader of Elon Musk's social media platform X in June 2023, announced her resignation. She expressed gratitude to Musk for the opportunity, while Musk thanked her for her work. Yaccarino joined X during a challenging period with many advertisers leaving.
Key Facts
Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down as the head of X, previously known as Twitter.
She took on the role in June 2023.
Yaccarino thanked Elon Musk for trusting her with significant responsibilities, like protecting free speech.
Musk thanked Yaccarino for her contributions to X.
Before joining X, Yaccarino was head of advertising at NBCUniversal.
She decided to step down after two years at the company.
Her departure happens amidst challenges for Musk, including falling Tesla sales and political controversies.
X has faced criticism, including backlash over a chatbot speaking favorably about Hitler.
A family in Kerr County, Texas, survived a flash flood when the Guadalupe River overflowed during heavy rains. Taylor Bergmann, his mother figure Erin Burgess, and their family members were swept away by the water but managed to cling to a tree until the water receded, allowing them to reach safety.
Key Facts
Taylor Bergmann and Erin Burgess were caught in a flash flood on July 4, 2025.
The floodwaters from the Guadalupe River forced their way into the house, causing furniture to move and block escape routes.
Bergmann, Burgess, their dog, and Burgess' boyfriend were swept into a tree by the river's current.
They held onto the tree for about an hour before the water went down.
Burgess' boyfriend and the dog ended up on a roof several houses away, unharmed.
Everyone, including a cat that floated on a mattress, was accounted for and survived.
The flood left them with minor injuries like cuts and bruises.
President Biden's former White House doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, did not answer questions from a House committee investigating Biden's health, using his Fifth Amendment rights. The investigation is part of a broader Republican effort to examine Biden's mental fitness, which Biden has strongly denied is an issue.
Key Facts
Dr. Kevin O’Connor used his Fifth Amendment rights, which allow someone to stay silent to avoid self-incrimination, in a House Oversight Committee interview.
Republicans are investigating President Biden's health and mental fitness while in office.
They claim some of Biden’s policies may be invalid if he was mentally unfit.
O'Connor's lawyer says he remained silent to protect patient privacy and due to an ongoing Justice Department investigation.
The Oversight Committee Chair, Rep. James Comer, believes O’Connor is hiding information.
Democrats argue that the investigation is a distraction from more important issues.
A report of all findings is expected once the investigation concludes.
Leila Mottley, a young author from Oakland, California, wrote a novel called "The Girls Who Grew Big." The book follows three young women facing pregnancy and motherhood in a Florida town with changing abortion laws. Mottley also works as a doula and aims to challenge negative views about teen mothers.
Key Facts
Leila Mottley wrote "The Girls Who Grew Big," which is about young motherhood.
The story is set in Florida, where abortion laws changed during the writing process.
Mottley works as a doula, helping parents during and after birth.
The novel talks about forming support communities for new parents.
Mottley was Oakland’s Youth Poet Laureate and published her first book, "Nightcrawling," at 19.
"Nightcrawling" was longlisted for the Booker Prize, an important book award.
The novel explores diverse experiences of young motherhood across race and class.
Mottley highlights relationships between young women and older men in the story.
On Tuesday, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi avoided answering questions about Jeffrey Epstein's death. A recent government report reaffirmed Epstein's 2019 death as a suicide, but conspiracy theories about his death continue to circulate, especially among some of Trump's supporters.
Key Facts
The FBI and DOJ confirmed that Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in a Manhattan jail.
A recent memo stated there was no evidence of Epstein having a "secret client list."
Questions persist among some groups who believe Epstein was murdered because he held compromising information on powerful individuals.
A video from Epstein’s jail cell on the night of his death shows no one entering, though it has a time gap of one minute and two seconds.
President Trump and Attorney General Bondi avoided discussing Epstein's case during a meeting, focusing instead on other current events.
Bondi mentioned the prison camera system is old and that they would check for more video evidence.
Trump previously stated he would release files on Epstein.
President Donald Trump aimed to negotiate numerous trade deals with different countries within 90 days, but only secured agreements with the UK and Vietnam. While discussions with China are ongoing, the deadline for negotiations was extended, and Trump's tariff policies have shifted longstanding trade practices, leaving businesses uncertain about future trade rules.
Key Facts
Trump intended to make many trade deals quickly but secured only two deals, with the UK and Vietnam.
Negotiations with China are ongoing, with no clear details yet.
The initial deadline for talks was not met, extended to August 1.
Tariffs are import taxes, and Trump threatened to impose high tariffs starting July 9 if deals weren't made.
Businesses are uncertain because tariff policies are changing and deadlines are unclear.
It is difficult to negotiate trade agreements because they usually take a long time.
Trump’s policies have altered previous global trade rules, where countries typically used standard tariffs agreed upon universally.
Trump's administration introduced a new plan where different tariffs apply to each country, deviating from past "most favored nation" practices.
President Donald Trump sent letters to seven countries stating they will face new U.S. import taxes. These countries are not major competitors with the United States. Trump believes tariffs will help balance trade and bring factory jobs back to the U.S.
Key Facts
Trump sent tariff letters to the Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Libya, Iraq, and Sri Lanka.
Import taxes for these countries will start on August 1st.
Libya, Iraq, Algeria, and Sri Lanka will face 30% tariffs; Moldova and Brunei 25%; the Philippines 20%.
The U.S. trade imbalance with these countries is small compared to the overall U.S. economy.
Trump did not include the European Union in this round of tariffs.
Trump believes tariffs can help resolve international disputes and balance trade.
Trump recently placed a 25% tariff on imports from Japan and South Korea.
There is no extension of the negotiation period beyond August 1st for the countries that received letters.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, did not rule out continuing the freeze on tax thresholds, which determines the income level at which people start paying higher taxes. This freeze could continue until 2029/30, potentially raising £7 billion annually. Starmer stated he was committed to Labour's manifesto but did not provide clear answers on the future of tax thresholds.
Key Facts
Tax thresholds have been frozen since 2021/22, meaning they have not been adjusted for inflation.
This freeze means more people may pay higher taxes if their income increases.
Extending the freeze until 2029/30 could bring in an estimated £7 billion each year.
Labour's manifesto pledges not to increase National Insurance, income tax, or VAT but does not specify plans for tax thresholds.
The government's fiscal rules aim not to borrow for daily spending and to reduce government debt relative to national income by 2029/29.
A proposed wealth tax could involve a 2% tax on assets over £10 million, generating an estimated £24 billion per year.
Critics argue that a wealth tax might prompt wealthy individuals to move abroad.
Starmer emphasized not relying solely on taxes for economic growth.
