US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has imposed sanctions on UN official Francesca Albanese for her criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. Albanese, a UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur, is accused of advocating for ICC investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes and leading a campaign against the US and Israeli economies.
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Akashkumar Narendrakumar Khant, an Indian engineer in Canada, received a conditional discharge after admitting to attempting to buy sex from a 15-year-old girl. The Ontario judge cited potential immigration consequences, such as delaying citizenship and separating him from his wife, as reasons for the lenient sentence. The judge also noted the high IQ of the accused. This decision has sparked significant public outrage.
Donald Trump plans tariffs on goods from smaller nations. These include countries in Africa and the Caribbean. The tariff could be a little over 10 percent. New tariff rates will take effect on August 1. Trump will announce tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs by month's end. He had announced a trade agreement with Indonesia. This agreement reduces tariffs on Indonesian exports.
Amid trade tensions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Kuala Lumpur, agreeing to explore cooperation areas. Discussions included communication improvement and potential Trump-Xi meeting. While trade disputes persist, the focus shifted to broader cooperation. Rubio also addressed Southeast Asian concerns about US policies and China's growing influence, emphasizing security issues alongside trade.
USCIS faces mounting immigration case backlogs, reaching 11.3 million pending applications due to Trump administration policies slowing processing for fraud detection. This has led to longer wait times for applicants seeking green cards and work permits. While some categories show slight improvement, staffing shortages and policy choices contribute to the delays, potentially impacting the legal immigration system.
Texas is grappling with renewed heavy rains and flash flooding, just days after a devastating natural disaster claimed over 120 lives. Kerr and Gillespie Counties faced life-threatening conditions, prompting evacuations and halted search operations for victims of the previous floods. Governor Abbott has expanded rescue operations to include multiple counties, as communities brace for further flooding and damaged infrastructure.
Vice President JD Vance's Disneyland visit became controversial due to protests over ICE raids and his past criticism of Disney. Jane Fleming Kleeb confronted him about his alleged dislike for California. A video of Vance awkwardly running after his child went viral, drawing mockery online. While Vance ignored most of the trolling and protests, he clapped back at California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Devastating floods in central Texas have resulted in a tragic loss of life, prompting scrutiny of the nation's emergency response. Despite earlier proposals to reduce FEMA's role, the Trump administration is now emphasizing the agency's swift assistance to Texas, with the president approving a major disaster declaration.
Donald Trump wants Attorney General Pam Bondi to release credible Jeffrey Epstein files. This comes amid pressure from his MAGA supporters. Trump received a briefing on the Justice Department and FBI review. The review found no evidence of a client list. Bondi says she will stay as long as Trump wants her. Kash Patel was reportedly frustrated with Bondi.
The United States Postal Service is increasing the price of first-class Forever stamps from 73 cents to 78 cents, along with other services, effective Sunday, July 13. This decision, confirmed by USPS, follows a review by the Postal Regulatory Commission and is part of the Delivering for America 10-year plan to support financial goals.