News of the World
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USA
Quote:A federal judge in Boston issued a temporary restraining order against a provision in President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that would affect Planned Parenthood.
Why It Matters
The nonprofit offering sexual-health care filed a lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration, challenging a provision in the Republican president's broad domestic policy legislation that would block its health centers from receiving Medicaid reimbursements.
What To Know
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, granted Planned Parenthood's request to temporarily pause the Medicaid cuts to the group's health centers as part of the Republican Party's new tax and spending package.
Among other things, the bill bans state Medicaid payments to health care nonprofits that also offer abortions and received more than $800,000 in federal funding in 2023. Trump signed the bill into law on Friday evening.
According to The Hill, the ruling spans two weeks and Talwani will later issue a decision on whether to impose a longer injunction.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act aims to deliver on Trump's key legislative priorities, including permanent tax cuts that disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans as well as increased funding for immigration enforcement.
The tax cuts and immigration initiatives are being paid for largely by deep spending reductions to Medicaid and food assistance programs, which critics say will harm working-class, low-income and older Americans, especially those living in red states.
The Trump-led bill, which carries steep cuts to Medicaid, was shepherded through last week. It passed in a final House vote of 218-214, with every Democrat and two Republicans voting against it.
Quote:Former President Joe Biden's physician has requested a delay in his scheduled testimony before the House Oversight Committee, with his attorney calling the Republican approach "unprecedented" and "alarming."
Newsweek reached out to a spokesperson for Biden via email on Monday for comment.
Why It Matters
This legal standoff represents a critical test of medical privacy rights versus congressional oversight powers.
The dispute has broader implications for methods employed by House Republicans in their investigation of Biden's mental fitness during his presidency, as some say that White House policies implemented through "autopen" technology could be invalid if the former president was mentally incapacitated.
The investigation gained momentum following Biden's widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump in Atlanta in June 2024, where the then-81-year-old president appeared to struggle with coherent responses and spoke hoarsely. Biden's team attributed his performance to a cold and jet lag. The case also sets a precedent for how Congress can compel medical professionals to testify about their patients.
What To Know
Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who served as Biden's physician at the White House, requested a delay until the end of July or early August "to reach an accommodation that will protect the very substantial privilege and confidentiality interests of Dr. O'Connor and former President Biden," according to a letter sent by his lawyer to Republican Representative James Comer of Kentucky on Saturday, obtained by the Associated Press (AP).
The House Oversight Committee rejected the delay request, maintaining that witnesses can assert privilege on individual questions during testimony, with the committee chair ruling on each claim. Republicans argue that O'Connor cannot decline a congressional subpoena based on concerns of potentially privileged information.
David Schertler, attorney for O'Connor, said in the letter that the committee is refusing to "accommodate to any degree Dr. O'Connor's objections" over protecting privilege. He called the committee's decision "unprecedented" and "alarming" and warned that it threatened broader principles around medical privacy. Schertler warned that O'Connor could face "serious consequences" for violating his obligations as a doctor, including the loss of his medical license.
The House committee first requested O'Connor's testimony before the committee in July 2024, but the Biden administration blocked it. Comer renewed his request in May of this year and subpoenaed the doctor in June. In last month's subpoena, Comer said that claims of physician-patient privilege under the American Medical Association's code of ethics "lack merit" because that code is not part of federal law.
The Oversight Committee also plans to probe O'Connor about "his private endeavors with the Biden family's business schemes," according to a panel press release. Comer has asked O'Connor for "all documents and communications in his possession related to his involvement in the Biden family's financial activity," according to the release. There is no evidence to back up claims that the Biden family or O'Connor were a part of any business "schemes."
The Trump White House has waived executive privilege for almost 10 senior former Biden staffers, clearing the path for them to discuss details of their conversations with Biden while he was president.
Quote:What was meant to be Joe Biden's defining moment in the 2024 campaign — an early debate to secure a second term by addressing concerns about his age and showing strength against Donald Trump — instead became a turning point that accelerated his political decline and led to his political nemesis' comeback.
The risky strategy pushed by his senior advisers was largely to blame.
A six-page internal memo dated April 15, 2024, and titled Recommendation for YOUR Participation in Debates shows how carefully the campaign orchestrated the plan. The memo, obtained by journalists Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf, features in their new book 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, which comes out Tuesday.
The full memorandum, first published by Politico, argued that waiting for the traditional fall debate schedule would be too late. It recommended that Biden debate Trump "as early as possible" to reach voters before early ballots were cast in key states and before the race became mired in summer conventions and the Paris Olympics.
"Strategically holding these debates in the fall after many of the battleground states have already begun their early voting process and voter registration deadlines have passed is too late," the memo states, recommending two debates: the first in late June and a second in early September.
The memo claimed that appearing alongside Trump early would allow Biden "to reach the widest audience possible ... and stand next to Trump showing the strength of YOUR leadership compared to Trump's weakness and chaos."
It also recommended months of informal press Q&As, a taped campaign town hall in April and at least five days of intensive mock debates at Camp David. The memo noted that holding the first debate in June would give the campaign time to recover if the night went badly.
A Gamble That Backfired
The optimism with which Biden's advisers approached the debate and their confidence that he still had the advantage to beat Trump has been dubbed one of the biggest miscalculations in modern American politics.
While some inside the campaign questioned whether the gamble was worth it, senior advisers pushed forward convinced that an early debate could silence doubts about Biden's fitness and shift the race in his favor. Instead it intensified concerns about his fitness and sparked calls for him to step aside. He eventually did so weeks later, foreclosing the possibility of an ad hoc mini-primary that could have surfaced candidates to lead the ticket other than his vice president, Kamala Harris.
Quote:President Donald Trump has announced the implementation of a 25 percent tariff on all imports from Japan and South Korea, with the new trade measures set to begin on August 1.
The announcement was made via his Truth Social platform, where he shared copies of formal letters addressed to the leaders of both nations.
This move marks a renewed push by Trump to intensify trade pressure on United States allies, following a temporary pause in his tariff escalation plans earlier this year.
...
Trump has been signaling for some time that he intends to end ongoing trade negotiations and formally notify countries of new tariff rates.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the president said, "I signed some letters, and they'll go out on Monday, probably 12."
The letters, printed on official White House stationery, bear Trump's signature style, including bold capitalization and emphatic phrasing. In messages addressed to the leaders of South Korea and Japan, he wrote, "We invite you to participate in the extraordinary Economy of the United States, the Number One Market in the World, by far."
Both letters conclude with Trump's characteristic sign-off: "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
The letters were not the final word from Trump on tariffs, so much as another episode in a global economic drama in which the U.S. president has placed himself at the center.
Trump has declared an economic emergency to unilaterally impose the taxes, suggesting they are remedies for past trade deficits, even though many U.S. consumers have come to value autos, electronics and other goods from Japan and South Korea. But it's unclear what he gains strategically against China—another stated reason for the tariffs—by challenging two crucial partners in Asia who could counter China's economic heft.
"These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country," Trump wrote in both letters.
Quote:A coalition of six medical organizations on Monday sued Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Context
Kennedy, who launched an independent campaign for president and later backed Donald Trump, has faced harsh blowback from scientists and medical experts for his views on vaccines and food safety, most of which are not supported by scientific evidence.
"There is no vaccine that is safe and effective," he said in 2023. Kennedy has said he's not "anti-vaccine" and is "pro-vaccine" but that he wants more stringent testing and safety guidelines.
What To Know
"This administration is an existential threat to vaccination in America, and those in charge are only just getting started," the lawsuit said. "The professional associations for pediatricians, internal medicine physicians, infectious disease physicians, high-risk pregnancy physicians, and public health professionals will not stand idly by as our system of prevention is dismantled. This ends now."
The plaintiffs in the suit include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America, among others. It was filed in Massachusetts.
The suit challenges Kennedy's unilateral decision to revoke COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women, calling the move an attack on evidence-based medicine and public health.
The plaintiffs argued that Kennedy acted arbitrarily by dismissing 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel on immunization and replacing them with vaccine skeptics. The lawsuit seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions to block the policy changes, as well as a court declaration deeming them unlawful.
Quote:Former New York Governor David Paterson has publicly challenged Democratic mayoral primary winner and state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani's candidacy, saying he doesn't believe the progressive assemblyman is "the best person to lead New York City."
Paterson released the statement following a morning news conference, expressing concerns about Mamdani's ability to govern during "extremely turbulent times" and questioning whether his platform addresses the needs of hardworking families struggling economically.
Newsweek reached out to Mamdani's campaign via email Monday for comment.
Why It Matters
Paterson's criticism highlights a significant rift within Democratic Party leadership as New York City approaches its November mayoral election.
The former governor's statement comes as Mamdani leads recent polling with 35.2 percent support, ahead of independent candidates Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams. This internal party tension could influence voter perceptions and hinder Democratic unity heading into the general election, where Mamdani faces challenges from centrist and independent opponents.
What To Know
From 2008 to 2010, Paterson served as New York governor, accepting the seat after Governor Eliot Spitzer stepped down amid a prostitution scandal. Paterson became New York's first Black governor and the second legally blind one in American history.
Paterson's tenure was marked by scandals. In February 2010, reported The New York Times, he was accused of witness tampering in a domestic violence case involving his close aide, with questions raised about whether he and State Police inappropriately contacted a woman who had obtained a restraining order against the aide.
While Paterson was not criminally charged, according to NBC News, investigations determined he had spoken to the complainant the day before she was set to appear in court, she failed to show up and the case was dropped.
Quote:Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday night that he's nominating President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The honor was "well-deserved," Netanyahu told Trump.
Why It Matters
Trump has long called himself a master peacemaker and made clear his desire for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Last month, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker who nominated President Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize withdrew it, as peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow slip under the radar and the president keeps his sights fixed on the Middle East.
Following Trump's decision to intervene in Israel's war with Iran by launching strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the U.S. president and Israeli prime minister appear more aligned than ever. Trump also recently made public calls to cancel Netanyahu's Israeli corruption trial.
What to Know
The two leaders, joined by their senior aides, held a dinner in the White House Blue Room to commemorate the operation and discuss advancing a proposed 60-day ceasefire aimed at pausing the conflict in Gaza.
"He's forging peace as we speak in one country, in one region after the other. So, I want to present to you the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee. It's nominating you for the Nobel Peace Prize. It's well-deserved, and you should get it."
Trump has long called himself a master peacemaker and made clear his desire for the Nobel Prize.
Trump, speaking in front of reporters, said the nomination was news to him.
"Coming from you, this is very meaningful," he told the Israeli leader.
Also on Monday, President Trump said he has agreed to a request from Iranian officials to hold talks with the United States, following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.
"We have scheduled Iran talks, and they want to," Trump told reporters. "They want to talk."
Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, who was seated alongside him, added that the meeting could take place soon—possibly within a week.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House for his third visit this year, what was intended as a show of triumph remained overshadowed by Israel's 21-month war against Hamas in Gaza—and ongoing uncertainty over how forcefully President Trump will press for an end to the conflict.
Quote:Federal authorities have focused their search for murder and kidnapping suspect Travis Decker on Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest after receiving a tip of a possible sighting in the area.
Decker, who is wanted in connection with the deaths of his three young children in Washington state, has been the subject of an extensive manhunt since late May. Law enforcement officials are urging the public to come forward with any information about Decker, offering a $20,000 reward for tips leading to his arrest.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Marshals Service, Chelan County Sheriff's Office and Kittitas County Sheriff's Office for comment.
The Context
The manhunt for Travis Decker has drawn nationwide attention following the deaths of his three daughters and the subsequent multi-state search involving numerous law enforcement agencies.
On May 30, Decker failed to return his daughters, 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn and 5-year-old Olivia, after a court-ordered visitation in Washington. Their mother reported them missing, leading to a police search that ended on June 2 with the discovery of the children's bodies near Rock Island Campground.
The children's cause of death was determined to be suffocation, and the manner of death was homicide.
What To Know
The U.S. Marshals Service Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force is seeking information from anyone who was in the Bear Creek area in the Sawtooth National Forest over the weekend, according to Boise news station KTVB.
A family reported seeing a man matching Decker's description northwest of the Bear Creek Transfer Station, KTVB reported. The individual was described as a white male, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a long ponytail, an overgrown beard and a mustache.
The family said he was wearing a black mesh cap, black gauged earrings, cream-colored T-shirt, black shorts, Converse or Vans low-top shoes, a black JanSport backpack and a black Garmin-style watch.
Case Background and Search Efforts
The search began after Decker's daughters' bodies and his truck were found near a campground on June 2.
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office announced on June 5 that it executed several search warrants around the area and on Decker's electronic devices. The following day, the sheriff's office said it had received over 500 tips.
Quote:Federal agents and military personnel flooded Los Angeles's MacArthur Park on Monday, prompting swift backlash from protesters and a public rebuke from Mayor Karen Bass.
Border Patrol agents on horseback joined the immigration crackdown in the sanctuary city, as demonstrators gathered in growing numbers and objects were reportedly thrown at government vehicles.
Bass shared a video of the military response in MacArthur Park on X, formerly Twitter.
"Minutes before, there were more than 20 kids playing — then, the MILITARY comes through," Bass wrote. "The SECOND I heard about this, I went to the park to speak to the person in charge to tell them it needed to end NOW."
Why It Matters
The confrontation underscored the tensions between local officials and the federal government over immigration enforcement, particularly in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles.
Last month, immigration enforcement teams arrested over 1,600 immigrants for deportation in Southern California, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The enforcement activity has led to multiple protests. On June 6, protesters in Los Angeles resisted raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, spurring President Donald Trump to deploy National Guard troops and Marines to respond, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
What To Know
Bass was at the park around 11:07 a.m., according to local news station FOX 11.
"They need to leave and they need to leave right now," Bass told reporters. "They need to leave because this is unacceptable."
An official told the Associated Press that the military was there to protect immigration enforcement officers if a hostile crowd gathered. Officials said that the activity was not a military operation, despite the size and scope of participation by the National Guard.
MacArthur Park is in a neighborhood with a large immigrant population.
On July 4, protesters in Los Angeles confronted Federal Protective Security Personnel and National Guard members, the Los Angeles Police Department said. A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek that the protest "turned violent."
Quote:U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino issued a stark warning to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Monday following an immigration raid at a city park, saying the agency "will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles."
Newsweek reached out to Border Patrol via email for additional comment.
Why It Matters
Federal immigration raids in Los Angeles ignited a standoff at MacArthur Park on Monday as demonstrators confronted Border Patrol agents. Tensions escalated when Bass, a Democrat, arrived at the scene to demand an immediate halt to the operation, which involved military members and border agents on horseback.
President Donald Trump campaigned on mass deportations and has made immigration a key pillar in his second term. Trump appointed Tom Homan as his border czar to help carry out these initiatives.
What To Know
The MacArthur Park confrontation highlighted deepening divisions between local government leaders and federal authorities over the enforcement of immigration law—particularly in sanctuary cities such as Los Angeles, where local officials have repeatedly opposed federal immigration crackdowns.
Deployments to Los Angeles have underscored the rising sense of urgency and controversy, inflaming debate over the use of military force in domestic immigration actions.
In a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, Fox News National Correspondent Bill Melugin posted a comment he received from Bovino about the raid at MacArthur Park.
Bovino spoke with Bass about the raid, Melugin reports. The border chief added, "I don't work for Karen Bass. Better get used to us now, cause this is going to be normal very soon. We will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles."
Bovino then responded to Melugin on X, saying, "Nice to talk with you again today, Bill. We may well go back to MacArthur Park or other places in and around Los Angeles. Illegal aliens had the opportunity to self deport, now we'll help things along a bit. 🇺🇸 🇺🇲"
Bass took to social media to highlight the immigration enforcement, saying the "second" she heard about it, she went to the park to speak with officials.
Protests in June also broke out in Los Angeles after several Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids throughout the city. Trump sent National Guard troops and Marines to the City of Angels, deeming they were necessary to help control the unrest, against Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom's wishes.
LATIN AMERICA
Quote:Just months ago, Argentina seemed destined for another economic collapse: soaring poverty, runaway inflation and dire warnings from economists that President Javier Milei's radical austerity measures would choke growth. Instead, the economy is expanding at a pace few thought possible — leaving Milei's legions of critics scrambling for explanations.
In a stunning reversal, Argentina's economy posted a 7.6 percent year-over-year growth rate in the second quarter of 2025 — its strongest in nearly two decades — fueled by deregulation, sharp cuts to public spending and the loosening of currency controls. Retail sales, manufacturing and finance all surged, helping consumer spending jump nearly 3 percent from the previous quarter.
Since assuming office in December 2023, the firebrand libertarian economist has slashed government expenditures and secured a $20 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). His administration promised to dismantle decades of state intervention in favor of free markets — policies that many observers warned would deepen recession and spark social unrest.
The Milei Method
Part of the turnaround has been Milei's dismantling of el cepo, the restrictive system of exchange controls first imposed in 2011 that prevented companies from moving profits abroad and limited Argentines' access to dollars.
After he lifted the restrictions, the peso was allowed to float within a managed band, narrowing the gap between official and black-market exchange rates. Reserves at the central bank climbed to their highest level in two years, bolstered by IMF funds, a $5 billion swap line with China and fresh loans from multilateral banks.
Milei also ripped up Argentina's rent-control law in late 2024, removing limits on lease terms and rent increases that had discouraged landlords from renting. Within months, the supply of rental housing in Buenos Aires jumped by 195 percent, according to the city's real estate observatory, and median asking prices fell by about 10 percent as more apartments returned to the market.
Some leftist and socialist organizations, including the Socialist Workers' Party (PTS) and the Workers' Left Front, criticized the move at the time, arguing it favored landlords at the expense of tenants. But the reality has so far borne out the opposite: supply has soared. On Zonaprop, one of Argentina's largest real estate platforms, traditional rental listings surged from about 5,500 before the reform to over 15,300 — a 180 percent increase — with a third of that rise happening in just the first month after deregulation.
Quote:The government of El Salvador told United Nations investigators that the Trump administration retains control over a group of Venezuelan men deported from the U.S. to a controversial Salvadoran prison—contradicting public claims made by officials in both countries.
The admission appears in new court filings by attorneys for more than 100 migrants contesting their deportation to the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, a high-security facility infamous for alleged human rights abuses.
Salvadoran authorities, responding to questions from the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that "jurisdiction and legal responsibility" for the detainees rests solely with U.S. officials. The deportations occurred in March despite a judge's order to halt the flights.
The Trump administration has argued that the men are now outside U.S. legal jurisdiction and no longer protected by constitutional rights. However, lawyers for the deportees say the U.N. response undermines that claim.
"El Salvador has confirmed what we and everyone else understood: it is the United States that controls what happens to the Venezuelans languishing at CECOT," said ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt.
The administration had paid El Salvador $6 million to detain 300 migrants under a deal justified using the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act.
That arrangement, and a mistaken deportation involving a Maryland resident, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, barred by court order from being sent abroad, have drawn lawsuits and sharp criticism from immigrant rights groups, who argue the policy violates constitutional due process.
While Abrego Garcia's case, which involved the U.S. Supreme Court ordering the Trump administration to facilitate his return, drew the most attention, other cases of potential mistaken removals to CECOT have meant the scope of J.G.G. v Trump has expanded.
The case was originally brought to stop the deportation flights to El Salvador in mid-March under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), which President Donald Trump invoked to speed up the removals of immigrants with suspected or proven ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).
A judge did issue an order preventing the flights, but two of the three planes had already left the U.S., with over 200 men and women on board. El Salvador would not accept the women, sending them back to detention centers in the U.S.
As the legal challenges to the use of the AEA and CECOT mounted, the Trump administration insisted that once the deportees were out of the U.S., they were no longer its responsibility. The filing Monday appeared to fly against that argument.
What Did El Salvador Tell The UN?
According to the filing, the Salvadoran government told the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances ("WGEID") that it was not the authority that had "arrested, detained, or transferred" the immigrants whose conditions were being looked into.
"The actions of the State of El Salvador have been limited to the implementation of a bilateral cooperation mechanism with another State, through which it has facilitated the use of the Salvadoran prison infrastructure for the custody of persons detained within the scope of the justice system and law enforcement of that other State," El Salvador's government wrote.
"In this context, the jurisdiction and legal responsibility for these persons lie exclusively with the competent foreign authorities, by virtue of international agreements signed and in accordance with the principles of sovereignty and international cooperation in criminal matters."
EUROPE
Quote:The European Union is holding firm to its goal of striking a trade deal with President Donald Trump by midweek, even after the White House unexpectedly delayed its tariff deadline once more until August, raising uncertainty and frustration in Brussels.
The EU is still aiming for a July 9 agreement in principle, which would include a 10 percent baseline tariff, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill told Newsweek. Trump announced Sunday that the return of sweeping U.S. tariffs — previously slated for this week — would now be pushed back to Aug. 1, leaving EU officials to navigate what they described as yet another "sorry saga" in negotiations.
Last week, while all eyes in Washington were on the Capitol to see if Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill would pass the House, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič traveled to the city to lead the bloc's delegation in meetings with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Days later, speaking with CNN's State of the Union host Dana Bash, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump would be "sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that if you don't move things along, then on August 1 you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level."
Preparing for Both Scenarios
EU officials confirmed to Newsweek they had received a draft U.S. proposal last week, though one diplomat described it as offering "nothing very concrete." The idea, another official said, is to agree on a deliberately short framework now, leaving more detailed negotiations over specific sectors — such as cars, aircraft, and digital services — for later.
"This would not be a detailed, comprehensive trade deal, but rather a political understanding laying the groundwork for more concrete arrangements," one senior EU diplomat said.
The EU, which is the U.S.'s largest trading partner when goods and services are combined, has been a frequent target of Trump's ire. He has regularly cited a goods trade deficit of about $236 billion in 2024 while pushing Europe to buy more American cars, energy, and defense equipment, and to ease up on its digital regulations — demands EU officials have rejected as incompatible with EU law.
The European Commission has signaled it could live with a baseline 10 percent U.S. tariff on EU imports if offset by relief in key sectors. But divisions remain within the bloc, with Germany and Italy favoring quick acceptance of such a deal and France and Ireland urging a harder line.
Diplomats in Brussels expect the final text to resemble the outline deal Britain signed with the U.S. earlier this year — a few pages long, largely symbolic, leaving the most contentious issues for later. "The expectation that we have is that by the 9th, something will be there — but it might be very little," Brando Benifei, a member of the European Parliament and chair of its delegation with the U.S., told The New York Times.
RUSSIA & UKRAINE
Quote:President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 10 percent tariff on any country aligned with the BRICS group of nations, which includes Russia, delivering a potential economic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The bloc—which also consists of Brazil, India, China, South Africa and five other emerging economies—held a summit over the weekend in which it condemned Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs and the Israeli-U. S. strikes on Iran.
Trump posted on Truth Social late on Sunday that "any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10 percent Tariff," adding: "There will be no exceptions to this policy."
...
In April, Russia was one of the only countries not to be hit with tariffs when Trump announced "reciprocal" taxes on international imports into the U.S., which he said would boost the American economy.
Sanctions had shrunk trade between Russia and the U.S. by more than 90 percent—from $35 billion in 2021 to $3.5 billion in 2024, but some commentators said the omission was a sign that Trump favored his relationship with Putin over his relationships with U.S. allies.
Trump's threat to BRICS—which has expanded to include Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates—could signal a hardening stance toward Russia.
What To Know
Trump said that on Monday, the U.S. would begin to deliver tariff letters to other countries. He also issued a warning of additional levies against BRICS nations.
His Truth Social post followed a declaration by BRICS, which did not mention Trump by name but condemned his tariffs and the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.
The group's statement said it had "serious concerns" about the tariffs, which went against World Trade Organization rules and posed a threat to global trade and supply chains.
BRICS also criticized NATO's decision to increase defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035, which followed Trump's push for Europe to pay a bigger proportion into the alliance.
I'm pretty sure
Wulfo will hate reading the next article. 
Quote:Vladimir Putin has revealed that he discussed his country's role in helping America win its independence during a call with President Donald Trump on July 3 in a bid to highlight the history of cooperation between their nations, according to Russian news agency Tass.
The Russian president said in an interview Sunday that Moscow had had "special relations" with Washington for a long time, and supplied weapons and money to help America defeat the British and become an independent country.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House outside of normal business hours by email on Sunday evening for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump and Putin spoke by phone on Thursday, with the conversation lasting around an hour. The two leaders spoke about the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has drawn no closer to any sign of conclusion despite Trump's assurances both during and immediately after last year's presidential election that he would be able to bring the conflict to a swift end.
Trump, however, expressed disappointment with the call, saying the conversation did little to convince him that Putin has any desire to stop his offensive on Ukraine.
"I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin, because I don't think he's there. I don't think he's there, and I'm very disappointed," Trump told reporters after a rally in Iowa. "I'm just saying, I don't think he's looking to stop, and that's too bad."
Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine within hours of the call, according to Ukrainian officials.
What To Know
During the call with Trump, Putin drew several hardline stances, telling Trump that Russia will "achieve its goals" and "not retreat from these goals," according to the Kremlin's readout of the conversation.
He also described the conversation as "frank, business-like, and concrete."
But on Sunday, he revealed that he also tried to press upon Trump the historical ties between the two countries, going back to the founding of America.
"We have always had, for a very long time, very good and special relations with the United States," Putin told Russian television host Pavel Zarubin. "We supported their aspirations for independence from the UK. We actually supplied weapons."
"We helped them with money," he said. "Afterward, we supported the North during the North-South war. So in this sense we found things that united us."
The Kremlin confirmed to Tass that Putin had raised the topic of historic Russian support for U.S. independence and ambitions during the July 3 call, and that he had congratulated Trump on Independence Day.
Historian Paul Behringer, in a paper published in 2024, wrote that the Russian Empire and fledgling U.S. enjoyed a "distant friendship," with first interactions and perceptions between the two nations "mostly positive," but with no "particularly deep" affinity for each other.
Russia is understood to have maintained a stance of neutrality during the American Revolution, but according to the State Department website, Russia did not recognize the U.S. representative to Russia in 1780 and refused his credentials, doing so again in 1795. Russia first recognized the U.S. in 1803, almost two decades after the U.S. had declared independence from the United Kingdom.
And Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov keeps barking his owner's demands at the international community. What a surprise.
Quote:Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has listed Moscow's demands for a peace deal that would end its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, including Kyiv's demilitarization and neutrality, international recognition of territory occupied by Moscow, and the lifting of sanctions.
"These provisions must be included in a legally binding agreement for peaceful settlement," Lavrov told Hungarian publication Magyar Nemzet in an interview.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian foreign ministry for comment.
President Donald Trump is trying to broker a swift end to Russia's war, a major test of his self-styled "peacemaker" status, but said a recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin left him very disappointed, and he did not think Moscow wanted to end the fighting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pointed to the ongoing pounding of his country's cities by Russian strikes as evidence that Putin does not truly seek peace and intends to continue waging war to meet his goals until he is forced to stop.
Lavrov Details Russia's Demands
Lavrov said an end to the security threat posed to Russia by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) expansion, including its potential inclusion of Ukraine, was essential. He demanded the demilitarization of Ukraine to ensure Kyiv's neutrality.
Moscow's top diplomat also said his country wants protections for ethnic Russians and Russian culture in Ukraine, which he accused Kyiv of "destroying" since 2014.
Lavrov demanded "international legal recognition of the new territorial realities," citing Russian occupation of Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
And Lavrov also called for "lifting sanctions on Russia, rescinding all lawsuits against Russia, and returning the illegally seized Western-based assets."
Quote:Roman Starovoyt was found dead in an apparent suicide, Russian authorities said, hours after he was fired by President Vladimir Putin from his role as transport minister.
Russia's Investigative Committee said Starovoyt, 53, was found with a gunshot wound in his private car on Monday. He was in Odintsovo, where he lived, on the outskirts of Moscow. A criminal probe into his death has begun.
Starovoyt was the governor of Russia's Kursk region until May 2024, when he was appointed to the transportation role by Putin.
But Ukraine's incursion into Kursk fueled scrutiny of Starovoyt's job preparing the border defenses before he left the role, and his deputy was implicated in a corruption scandal related to the border fortifications, The Moscow Times reported.
Kursk Corruption Case
Alexi Smirnov stepped in to replace Starovoyt as Kursk governor from May to December, coinciding with the surprise Ukrainian incursion, which began in August last year. He resigned over his handling of the incursion.
Smirnov and his first deputy, Alexei Dedov, were arrested in April 2025 by the Russian Interior Ministry on allegations of embezzlement of public money over contracts for the construction of fortifications in Kursk.
There were reports across Russian media, including pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and the newspaper Kommersant, that Starovoyt had been implicated in the case.
The Kremlin's announcement gave no reason for Starovoyt's dismissal. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said if the dismissal was a result of loss of confidence, it would have been mentioned in Putin's decree.
"In the case of Starovoyt, there was no such wording," Peskov said, state-run RIA Novosti reported.
Plausible Translation: "We don't want to make it too self evident that President Putin had stopped counting on Starovoyt to handle the situation in Kursk region."Quote:The Russian government has stopped reporting the number of deaths in Russia as the Kremlin is likely keen to conceal Russia's losses from the war in Ukraine, a report says.
Rosstat, Russia's state statistics agency, did not report key demographic data in its report for the first five months of 2025, according to independent outlet Meduza.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank in Washington, D.C., said in a July 6 update that the Russian government wanted to conceal population data to hide growing demographic problems and high losses in Ukraine. Newsweek has contacted Rosstat for comment.
Why It Matters
Even before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia was facing significant demographic challenges amid a plummeting birth rate. These have increased since February 2022 because of huge casualties and the exodus of Russians fleeing the draft, exacerbating a labor shortage that has fueled inflation in the sanctions-hit economy.
Reports that Rosstat is trying to hide population data highlight the sensitivity for the Kremlin of the demographic crisis that Russia faces and the instability it may cause.
What To Know
Meduza reported on Saturday that Rosstat's "Socioeconomic Situation in Russia" report published on July 2 did not include demographic data between January and May this year.
Electoral statistics researcher Dmitry Kobak said the agency had refused his request for figures from 2024 about male excess mortality and deaths per month, the outlet reported.
In May, independent Russian demographer Alexey Raksha wrote on his Telegram channel that Rosstat had ceased publishing detailed population data and omitted figures for births and deaths and monthly data on marriages and divorces.
Raksha, whom Russian authorities have declared a foreign agent, reported an absence of demographic statistics since March, adding that Russia may be having its lowest birth rates since the late 18th century.
The omission of demographic data in Rosstat's reports is also likely an attempt to conceal the high military losses in Ukraine.
As of Monday, Russia had suffered personnel losses of 1,027,540, according to Ukraine's military, a figure that includes those killed and injured.
Ukraine's figures are difficult to independently verify, but they are frequently cited by officials from its Western backers. The British government said in April that Russia's likely total casualty count since February 2022 was 920,000. Ukraine does not regularly release figures for its own losses.
Meduza reported that as early as July 2024, Rosstat had begun to restrict death statistics from external causes, which independent journalists had used to calculate the number of Russians killed in the war.
Quote:"We're going to send some more weapons," Trump said on Monday during a dinner at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"We have to," Trump added. "They have to be able to defend themselves."
The Pentagon's chief spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the U.S. would send "additional defensive weapons" to Ukraine while ceasefire negotiations continue, but did not specify which types of equipment would be included.
CHINA
Quote:China's J-35A fifth-generation fighter jet is in use with Beijing's military, new photos appear to show, as the U.S. turns its attention toward the Indo-Pacific and possible Chinese military plans for Taiwan.
Why It Matters
China has poured resources into a sophisticated and large-scale military buildup, including putting together a powerful air force.
Its People's Liberation Army Air Force is "quickly approaching U.S. standards" as Beijing modernizes its fleets and weaves in drone technology, a senior U.S. defense official said in late 2024.
What To Know
New images widely circulating on social media purport to show the J-35A stealth fighter, although this could not be independently verified.
China unveiled the J-35A during a major air show in November, following on from the naval-based design known simply as the J-35.
It is a fifth-generation jet, meaning it is kitted out with advanced avionics and sensors, designed to fly undetected and get past an enemy's air defenses.
The J-35 is frequently likened to the F-35, a U.S.-made fifth-generation stealth fighter billed by defense giant Lockheed Martin as the "most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world."
F-35s have been widely purchased by American allies across the world, while the U.S. also operates the F-22 Raptor, a second fifth-generation fighter that has not been exported abroad.
Quote:French intelligence has determined Chinese diplomats sought to undermine French-made Rafale fighter jets and promote Chinese-built Chengdu J-10C jets during Pakistan's conflict with India in May.
These findings, reported by The Associated Press, come after Indian defense officials accused China of providing logistical and technological support to its Pakistani ally during the hostilities.
Why It Matters
The four-day conflict between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan erupted after India launched missile strikes in Pakistan and disputed Kashmir, retaliating for the deadly April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting cross-border terrorism, an allegation the Islamic Republic denied.
Chinese and French fighter jets and missile systems took center stage during the fighting, putting a spotlight on China's emergence as a major arms exporter and regional geopolitical tensions with India.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to Newsweek's request for comment, but Mao Ning, a ministry spokesperson, told a regular briefing in Beijing that she was "not familiar" with the matter.
What To Know
According to a French intelligence report shared with the Associated Press, Chinese diplomats worked to publicize the downing of Rafale jets during the conflict while promoting the superiority of Chinese fighter aircraft.
The unnamed intelligence service said Beijing was seeking to present its defense industry as a more credible alternative to France and other Western suppliers.
On Friday, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, India's deputy chief of army staff, publicly addressed China's role in the brief conflict.
"We had China providing all possible support," he told reporters, adding that this was not surprising. "In the last five years, 81 percent of the military hardware that Pakistan is getting is all Chinese."
This support allowed China to inflict pain on a strategic rival without getting involved directly—i.e., to "kill with a borrowed knife," as Singh said, referring to a tactic from China's Thirty-Six Stratagems.
The conflict also provided China with a "live lab" in which it could test its weapons against those manufactured by other countries, the official added.
Pakistan said it downed five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales, using Chinese-supplied J-10Cs during the fierce air battles in early May.
India denied the loss of any planes, saying the circulating images of a damaged Rafale were from an earlier, unrelated crash. The operation also involved India destroying Chinese-supplied Pakistani air defense systems, local media reported.
France's Defense Ministry also dismissed claims that Rafales were downed, calling it a "concrete effect of disinformation in modern conflicts."
In a quasi-response on Monday, China's state-run Global Times tabloid described the intelligence report as "hype."
Quote:China plans to introduce new nationwide cash incentives for families with newborn babies in an effort to boost the country's declining birth rate and ensure long-term economic growth.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment.
Why It Matters
China ended its decades-long one-child policy in 2016, but the country's fertility rate continued to decline for seven years, despite a raft of government policies. Officials fear that the demographic shift could have wide-ranging effects on the world's second-largest economy in the years to come.
While the fertility rate last year bucked the trend, ticking upward to 1.2 births per woman from 1.0 in 2023, this was still well below the replacement rate of 2.1. Meanwhile, the population shrank for a third year, raising official concerns about the impact of these demographic shifts on China's economy and global position.
What To Know
Under a new nationwide policy, central authorities will offer families a cash allowance of 3,600 yuan (about $500 USD) per year for each child born on or after January 1, 2025, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Payments will continue until the eligible child reaches the age of three.
This builds on previously announced local cash subsidies, though these have primarily targeted couples having their second or third child.
While these efforts have generally failed to boost birth rates, one notable exception is the Hubei province city of Tianmen, where incentives were followed by a notable surge in births last year.
Other measures have included subsidizing in vitro fertilization and providing child care subsidies.
Last month, officials announced that all tertiary-level hospitals would be required to provide epidural anesthesia during childbirth, aiming to make the experience less stressful and encourage higher fertility.
The policy follows a pledge by China's No. 2 official, Premier Li Qiang, to introduce additional child care subsidies, although he did not provide details.
Quote:China said BRICS does not seek confrontation and does not target any country after President Donald Trump threatened a new 10 percent tariff.
Trump said in a July 6 post on Truth Social that the additional levy would hit any country "aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS," an economic group of developing countries. He said there would be no exceptions.
"BRICS is an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets in developing countries," said Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at her press briefing on July 7.
"It advocates openness, inclusiveness, and willing cooperation. It is not a bloc for confrontation, nor does it target any country.
"On the U.S. tariff hikes, China has made its position clear more than once. Trade wars and tariff wars have no winners, and protectionism leads nowhere."
Trump Sending Tariff Letters
Trump has also said he would begin sending out tariff letters or announcing trade deals on July 7, as his 90-day pause on his reciprocal tariffs nears its conclusion.
The U.S. president is using tariffs to force better market access for American firms or to protect them from what he says is unfair global competition stemming from imbalanced trading relationships. He wants to revive and restore the domestic manufacturing sector.
The reimposition of Trump's higher tariffs, and also retaliatory measures from U.S. trading partners who did not reach a deal in time, threatens to pull global trade back to where it was in April, with widespread disruption, market volatility and looming economic pain.
China and the U.S. recently came to an agreement on trade that saw Washington loosen some of its restrictions and Beijing accelerate rare earth exports. The deal will keep tariffs at their reduced levels from the sky-high rates of the recent trade war between the two.
BRICS Summit Slams Tariffs
BRICS is formed of 11 countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran.
The group held its 17th BRICS summit in Brazil over the weekend. At the summit, the BRICS bloc condemned the increase in tariffs and attacks on Iran but refrained from naming Trump.
The group's declaration, which also took aim at Israel's military actions in the Middle East, also spared Russia from criticism, and mentioned war-torn Ukraine just once.
Xi, Putin Absent
The two-day summit was marked by the absences of two of its most powerful members.
Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country's leader in 2012.
President Vladimir Putin, who spoke via videoconference, continues to mostly avoid traveling abroad due to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine.
And just one day later...
Quote:China will retaliate if President Donald Trump's administration restores huge tariffs on its goods, its government newspaper has said.
An op-ed in the official People's Daily newspaper disparaged Trump's "bullying" tariffs and said it would take action against countries that strike deals with the U.S. to cut China out of supply chains.
"One conclusion is abundantly clear: dialogue and cooperation are the only correct path," the newspaper said. The article was signed "Zhong Sheng," or "Voice of China," which is a term used to express views on foreign policy.
China has until August 12 to reach a deal with the U.S. to keep Trump from reinstating additional import curbs imposed during tariff exchanges in April and May.
Quote:The Chinese military released a video showing it conducted a "combat-readiness patrol" around a disputed island near the Philippines—a defense treaty ally of the United States.
The South China Sea island, Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Dao in Chinese and Bajo de Masinloc in Filipino, has been under Beijing's control since a 2012 maritime standoff with Manila.
Newsweek has reached out to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for comment via email.
Why It Matters
China, the Philippines, and other countries have overlapping sovereignty claims in the South China Sea—a region rich in energy resources and serving as a vital global trade route—often resulting in maritime standoffs and clashes, particularly between Beijing and Manila.
The Chinese military has regularly patrolled around Huangyan Dao to assert the East Asian power's sovereignty. The disputed island lies just 138 miles west of the Philippine island of Luzon, within the Southeast Asian country's 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zone.
The U.S. signed a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines in 1951, which stated an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea would prompt the partnered countries to take action and "meet the common dangers."
What To Know
Chinese air and naval forces were deployed last Thursday to patrol China's airspace and territorial waters around Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas; this is according to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, which focuses on the South China Sea.
The Chinese military command stressed that it "resolutely" safeguards China's national sovereignty and security, and "firmly" maintains peace and stability in the South China Sea.
In undated footage released last Thursday, multiple Chinese warships and aircraft were seen conducting patrols, with aircraft flying near the island carrying missiles under their wings. It remains unclear whether the footage was recorded during the recent combat-readiness patrol.
The Chinese patrol coincided with the deployment of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the South China Sea, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The American warship is the only U.S. aircraft carrier currently positioned to help counter China.
IRAN + 1 PROXY
Quote:In a new interview with American political commentator Tucker Carlson, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made several notable claims, including an allegation that Israel, with support from the United States, attempted to assassinate him. This assertion adds another dimension to the ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The interview also covered Iran's nuclear program, diplomatic efforts, and the broader U.S.-Iran relationship.
Newsweek has reached out the State Department and Iran's foreign ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
Pezeshkian's statement about the failed assassination attempt drew particular attention, reflecting the continuing conflict and mistrust between Iran and U.S. ally Israel.
The Middle East remains one of the world's most volatile regions, with Iran and Israel engaged in a prolonged proxy conflict that includes cyber warfare, covert operations, and targeted strikes.
The United States plays a significant role in this dynamic, maintaining a hardline stance against Tehran. Allegations of an assassination attempt on a sitting Iranian president, if confirmed, would mark another escalation in the conflict.
What To Know
During the interview, Pezeshkian explicitly accused Israel of attempting to kill him during a strategic meeting of Iranian officials. He stated, "Yes, they did try and acted accordingly but they failed." According to Pezeshkian, the plan involved bombing the location where the meeting was held.
He said Israeli efforts were supported by U.S. intelligence agencies but did not provide detailed information about the timing or exact location of the plot. Pezeshkian credited Iranian intelligence operatives with uncovering and thwarting the assassination attempt, though he declined to offer further specifics.
Pezeshkian's Response to the Threat
Pezeshkian expressed a defiant stance. He said that he was not afraid to die for his country, stating, "I am not afraid of sacrificing myself in defence of my country." He also framed his survival as a matter of divine will, adding, "It is in the hands of God almighty when a person will die or not die."
Pezeshkian questioned the impact of violence on peace in the region, asking, "Will more bloodshed and killing bring peace to the region?" This reflects Iran's longstanding narrative positioning itself as a nation prepared to endure hardships while calling for regional stability.
What did he expect? He is one of the guys responsible for launching missiles against Israel and US bases in the Middle East.
And he never intended to stop developing its highly secretive nuclear program.Quote:Iran received a major diplomatic boost at the BRICS summit in Brazil, where the group of emerging powers condemned recent airstrikes on Iranian territory. In a joint statement, the bloc criticized "the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran," referring to attacks by Israel and the United States.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended in place of President Masoud Pezeshkian, who canceled after the strikes. While the joint statement stopped short of naming the U.S. or Israel, it marked BRICS' strongest rebuke to date. China and Russia both signaled alignment, with Moscow calling the strikes "unprovoked."
Newsweek has reached out to the State Department for comment.
Why It Matters
The unified position taken by BRICS—now expanded to include Iran—signals growing alignment among non-Western powers in resisting U.S.-led interventions. For Tehran, the support comes at a critical time, as it seeks international recognition of what it views as unlawful aggression against its sovereignty and nuclear infrastructure. Iran has long struggled to break out of diplomatic isolation. Its full membership in BRICS, coupled with a shared declaration of solidarity, may strengthen its ability to challenge the Western narrative in global forums such as the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
What to Know
The Iranian delegation pushed for strong language on the attacks that targeted nuclear facilities. The final declaration condemned those strikes and emphasized that "attacks on critical infrastructure and nuclear facilities are unacceptable under international law." Araghchi used his speech to press for accountability, stating that both Israel and the U.S. should be held responsible for human rights violations. He warned the fallout from the war "will not be limited" to Iran alone.
Posting on X after the summit, Araghchi shared photos from the gathering and said Iran was "grateful for the strong and unequivocal condemnation" of Israeli and U.S. strikes.
Araghchi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the summit. According to Russian media, Lavrov renewed Moscow's offer to mediate and reiterated support for Iran's right to develop peaceful nuclear energy. Russia's Foreign Ministry later issued a statement on Telegram naming both Israel and the U.S. in its condemnation of the "unprovoked military strikes" on Iran.
Quote:Iran's top military commander has issued a threat to Israel, warning that if conflict reignites, Tehran is prepared to launch a "crippling" assault so overwhelming that "even the United States may not be able to save [Prime Minister] Netanyahu."
According to state media, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi vowed that a meticulously prepared plan of retaliation would be activated if what he called "another mistake" is made by the Israeli government.
The threat follows a 12-day war that left nearly 1,000 Iranians and dozens of Israelis dead, and comes amid a tense ceasefire negotiated after both U.S. military and Israeli strikes against Iran's nuclear program.
Newsweek has reached out the State Department as well as The foreign ministries of Iran and Israel.
Why It Matters
The remarks from Iran's Armed Forces Chief signal that the region remains on a knife's edge.
The latest confrontation between Iran and Israel, which drew the U.S. into direct combat, has unsettled international markets, spurred diplomatic urgency, and drawn warnings from global powers fearing a broader war. Iran's open threat of a "crippling" military campaign heightens concerns that the fragile ceasefire may be only a pause in a larger, unresolved conflict.
What to Know
"They thought they could destroy our system in 48 hours and tear Iran apart," Mousavi said at a memorial for a Revolutionary Guard commander killed in Israeli strikes. "But the Iranian nation overcame them."
Mousavi described the fighting as part of a 15-year campaign by Israel and the U.S. aimed at destabilizing and dividing Iran. However, he said that Iran's leadership, armed forces, and united people successfully derailed that plan. He added that Iran was prepared to unleash a devastating final assault on Israel but held back due to the ceasefire.
Keep in mind what happened last week...
Quote:The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its inspectors have departed Tehran and arrived safely to Vienna after Iran suspended cooperation in the wake of attacks on its nuclear program by Israel and the United States.
Newsweek has reached out to the Iranian Foreign Ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
The move is a sign of the increasing uncertainty over Iran's nuclear program, with Tehran signaling it will press ahead with its nuclear program — including uranium enrichment — despite recent U.S. and Israeli strikes that damaged key nuclear facilities.
The departure of the inspectors means a reduction in international monitoring of what Iran is doing. It comes a day after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA, after parliament had voted in favor of the bill previously.
What To Know
"An IAEA team of inspectors today safely departed from Iran to return to the Agency headquarters in Vienna, after staying in Tehran throughout the recent military conflict," the agency said in a statement on X.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has "reiterated the crucial importance of the IAEA discussing with Iran modalities for resuming its indispensable monitoring and verification activities in Iran as soon as possible."
According to The Wall Street Journal, the withdrawal of the inspectors from Iran is due to safety concerns. Months before Israel and the U.S. attacked, Iran had threatened to expel IAEA inspectors and suspend cooperation.
The IAEA had assessed in June that Iran did not comply with its obligations. After the attacks, Iran has responded by saying it will establish a new facility for enriching uranium, which can be a step towards nuclear weapons.
And all of a sudden, a
dead proxy rises once again...Quote:Yemen's Houthi rebels have attacked a commercial vessel in the Red Sea, marking their first attack on international shipping since December and raising the prospect of renewed military conflict. The Liberian-flagged, Greek owned bulk carrier Magic Seas was targeted with rocket-propelled grenades, small arms fire, and explosive-laden drone boats, according to maritime security sources.
The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying the strike was part of their continued support for Palestinians amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. While initial reports did not name the vessel, maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed it was the Magic Seas.
Newsweek has reached out the Pentagon for comment.
Why It Matters
The attack shatters a relative calm in the Red Sea and could trigger a renewed Western military response. With previous Houthi attacks prompting U.S.-led airstrikes and multinational naval deployments, the Magic Seas incident could signal the beginning of a new phase in the conflict, with global shipping again at risk. Red Sea disruptions have already forced shipping companies to reroute vessels around Africa, bypassing the Suez Canal. This not only delays cargo but inflates global shipping costs—estimated to have surged by nearly $200 billion since the Houthi campaign began.
What to Know
According to Ambrey, the attack began with small skiffs opening fire with small arms and RPGs. The ship's Armed Security Team (AST) returned fire as the situation escalated. A short time later, four unmanned surface vessels (USV) approached the vessel. "Two of the USVs impacted the port side of the vessel, damaging the vessel's cargo. The remaining two USVs were intercepted and destroyed by the AST," the alert stated.
On its official X account, MarineTraffic released tracking data of the Magic Seas, providing a detailed view of the vessel's route and nearby maritime activity in the lead-up to the attack. The playback offers insight into the ship's movements and the surrounding traffic prior to the incident.
SOUTH AFRICA
Quote:South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff rate for his country and disputed the calculation that underpins it, saying it was not an accurate interpretation of the facts.
Trump sent a letter to Ramaphosa on Monday, July 7, informing him that BRICS nation South Africa would face a 30 percent reciprocal tariff from August 1, 2025, to reflect the trade barriers he said the U.S. faces. Trump sent similar letters to 13 other countries.
In a statement, Ramaphosa said South Africa's understanding of the trade data is that the average tariff on imported goods stands at 7.6 percent, but more than three-quarters of U.S. goods entered on a zero percent "most favored nation tariff".
Newsweek has contacted the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for comment via email outside of normal business hours.
Ramaphosa said South Africa "will continue with its diplomatic efforts towards a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship" with the U.S..
He also welcomed what he said was the Trump administration's commitment to review the 30 percent reciprocal tariff once negotiations conclude.
"We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with South Africa, and have concluded that we must move away from these longterm, and very persistent, Trade Deficits engendered by South Africa's Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers," Trump wrote in his letter. "Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal."
The U.S. president said the 30 percent rate "is far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your Country," and warned that any additional hikes by South Africa to its tariffs would, in return, be added to the rate he has set.
Trump continued: "We look forward to working with you as your Trading Partner for many years to come.
"If you wish to open your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States, and eliminate your Tarrif, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter.
"These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country."
Trump had earlier said that any country "aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS," an economic group of developing countries, would face an additional 10 percent tariff.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
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My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
