Sen. Schumer Disrupted at D.C. Event over His Support of Israel

In Washington, Senator Chuck Schumer spoke at the National Press Club on Thursday at an event focused on corruption. The journalist Sam Husseini interrupted Schumer’s remarks and called him a genocidal maniac for supporting Israel. Sam Husseini: “You were put on notice, and you backed it. And you backed the genocide to the hilt for years on end. How dare you talk about corruption? How dare you talk about corruption?” Sen. Chuck Schumer: “Thank you for your diatribe. Now let’s continue. Let’s continue and let the people” — Sam Husseini: “Hypocritical [inaudible]” — Sen. Chuck Schumer: “The people didn’t come to hear you.” Sam Husseini: “You should be questioned about your diabolical record. It’s amazing that you can show your genocidal face in public, Mr. Senator! Mr. Senator!” www.democracynow.org

Father of Georgia School Shooter Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

In Georgia, the father of an accused school shooter has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for giving his teenage son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift. Colin Gray was sentenced Thursday after being convicted of second-degree murder. Colin Gray’s son, who was 14 at the time, is accused of using the gun to kill two students and two teachers at a high school in Winder, Georgia, in 2024. Prosecutors accused the father of ignoring his son’s emotional problems, including his obsession with school shooters. www.democracynow.org

Outrage Grows over FIFA Plan to Sell Stake in World Cup to Kushner-Linked Private Equity Firm

In sports news, opposition is growing to a proposal by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to sell stakes in the World Cup to a private equity group run by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is President Trump’s son-in-law. On Thursday, European soccer associations agreed to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if the deal goes through. Earlier today, a top FIFA adviser resigned in protest over the proposal. The FIFA plan is being pushed by Infantino, who is close to Donald Trump. Last year, Infantino created a new award, the ”FIFA Peace Prize,” and gave it to Trump. www.democracynow.org

U.S Displays Wildly Inaccurate Map of Africa, Misplacing Nigeria & Other Nations

The U.S. State Department has apologized after the agency displayed a wildly inaccurate map of Africa at a major AIDS conference. The map showed Nigeria to be a landlocked nation in the Sahara desert. Mozambique was moved to the Horn of Africa. Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon appeared on the other side of the continent. Uganda and Malawi were also misplaced. Reuters reports the map was likely made using OpenAI technology. www.democracynow.org

Trump Thanks Morocco’s King for Naming Highway in Occupied Western Sahara After Him

In other news from Morocco, President Trump has thanked Morocco’s king for naming a 650-mile highway after President Trump. Much of the highway runs along the coast of Western Sahara, which has been occupied by Morocco since 1975. Six years ago, Trump recognized Morocco’s unilateral annexation of Western Sahara, making the United States the first country to do so. www.democracynow.org

Climate Change Has Sparked “Major Intensification” of Fires in Europe: Report

Parts of Europe are in the midst of another heat wave while firefighters battle blazes across the continent, including in France, Spain, Greece, Britain and Germany. Three firefighters died in Greece on Tuesday. The Guardian reports new figures show more than 1 million acres of land have burned this year — more than triple the recent historical average. A new report in the Scientific Reports journal has found climate change has sparked a “major intensification” of fires. In Britain, a large fire broke out in Suffolk just miles from a nuclear power station. This is Jude Bayly, who was forced to evacuate due to the fires. Jude Bayly: “The devastation of this area, which is a natural beauty, and the wildlife is just awful, and I understand that this area may take, after this fire, decades to recover. And this is obviously going to be a repeating cycle with climate change the way it is.” www.democracynow.org

Trump May Temporarily Withdraw Blanche Nomination to Be AG

President Trump said Thursday he may temporarily withdraw his nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general after two Republican senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, demanded that Blanche provide written modifications to the controversial settlement reached between Trump and the IRS over Trump’s unprecedented lawsuit against the agency. One part of the settlement gave Trump and his family broad immunity from IRS audits, potentially saving the family $100 million in penalties. The settlement also created a $1.776 billion fund for Trump’s allies, including January 6 insurrectionists. Blanche has said the fund will not be formed, but has not put that in writing. Trump wrote, “I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.” www.democracynow.org

Oil Giants Report Huge Profits Due to Rising Gas Prices from Iran War

In business news, oil firms are reporting their highest quarterly profits in years due to rising gas prices caused by the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran. Over the past three months, ExxonMobil made over $14.5 billion, Chevron made $12 billion, and Shell made nearly $10 billion. www.democracynow.org

Iran Clams Drone Attack on Egypt May Have Been False Flag

Iran has denied involvement in the recent drone attack on Egypt’s Damietta Port. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel might have carried out a false flag operation aiming to undermine regional peace. www.democracynow.org

Saudi Arabia Forms New Military Alliance After Red Sea Attacks

Saudi Arabia is forming a new military alliance with 13 other countries to protect shipping in the Red Sea. This comes after Houthi forces in Yemen have targeted Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. www.democracynow.org

Senate Votes Down Iran War Powers Resolution After Fetterman Votes with GOP Majority

On Capitol Hill, the Senate has voted down a war powers resolution to limit President Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran. The vote was 50 to 49. Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted with Republicans to defeat the measure. Three Republicans joined Democrats. www.democracynow.org

Trump Claims Hamas Has Agreed to “Complete Disarmament” in Gaza, But Major Questions Remain

President Trump announced that Hamas and other armed groups have agreed to a roadmap to disarm. On Thursday, Trump wrote, “Today the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.” As part of the deal, Trump said Israel will also gradually withdraw from Gaza, but Israel has not publicly said it has agreed to the plan. Meanwhile, Hamas officials said that any weapon handover would only occur after Israel withdraws its forces, ceases its attacks and allows humanitarian aid into the enclave. Displaced residents in Gaza expressed doubt that Israel would withdraw its troops. Samir Ayad: “I call on Mr. Trump, the president of the United States, to pressure Israel to withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip, so that we can live a dignified life and return to our homes, and also in the reconstruction, to speed up the reconstruction for the people, because we have been suffering for three years. We are living in tents.” Israel has killed more than 1,200 people in Gaza since the so-called ceasefire went into effect 10 months ago. Earlier this week, Doctors Without Borders said, “This is not a ceasefire. It is a continuation of the genocide, calibrated to be violent enough to keep Palestinians suffering every day, yet silent enough to avoid stirring international outrage.” www.democracynow.org

“Digital Doppelgangers”: Naomi Klein Corrects the Record on Viral AI-Generated Quote

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/31/naomi_klein_ai_quote

“Zero Accountability”: Ecuadorian Prosecutor Assassinated While Investigating U.S. Boat Strikes

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/31/ecuador_boat_strikes_prosecutor_killed

“Assault, Misogyny, Verbal Threats”: Mother Jones Exposé on Allegations Against GOP Rep. Max Miller

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/31/max_miller

Rep. Ro Khanna on Blanche Nomination, Epstein Accountability and His Detention by Israeli Settlers

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/31/ro_khanna_todd_blanche

Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment More Than 100 Times During Senate Hearing

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Rand Paul. During the combative hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times, declining to answer questions about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the origins of the coronavirus. During the hearing, Fauci decried what he called Rand Paul’s “unhinged obsession with me.” Dr. Anthony Fauci: “Given Senator Paul’s obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution, his repeated slanderous comments about me, and recently his publicly releasing my unredacted personal diary aimed at embarrassing and intimidating me, the only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something — anything — that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, 'behind bars,' unquote.” After the hearing, Rand Paul announced the committee would vote on whether to hold Fauci in contempt. Before leaving office, President Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Fauci, believing that Republicans would go after him after he left office. www.democracynow.org

GOP Congressmember Miller Faces Allegations of Domestic Abuse from Ex-Wife

Republican Congressmember Max Miller of Ohio is facing allegations of domestic abuse as he runs for reelection. His ex-wife Emily Moreno, who is the daughter of Ohio’s Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, claims that Congressmember Miller burned her chest and stomach by throwing hot water at her; held a gun to her head; and fractured their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone. Miller is also facing a defamation lawsuit from former Trump spokesperson Stephanie Grisham, who alleges that he abused her, as well, during their relationship before he married Moreno. This comes as Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna and Republican Congressmember Anna Paulina Luna recently introduced a bill barring federal elected officials from using campaign funds to settle sexual misconduct allegations. www.democracynow.org

Trump Asks SCOTUS to Overturn $83.3 Million Jury Award Against Him for Defaming E. Jean Carroll

President Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn an $83.3 million jury award against him for defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Carroll filed the defamation suit over remarks Trump made while president. Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that Trump must pay E. Jean Carroll $5.8 million in connection with a separate Carroll lawsuit against Trump. Her lawyers say that Carroll has already collected the $5.8 million. In that case, a jury found that Trump had sexually abused and defamed her. www.democracynow.org

U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes Bill Opposing Pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed a resolution opposing a pardon for Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking crimes. The resolution introduced by Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada says that Maxwell “should not be granted a Presidential pardon or any form of clemency for her crimes with Jeffrey Epstein relating to the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors.” www.democracynow.org

GOP Senator Cornyn and Tillis Threaten to Withhold Support for Blanche to Be Attorney General

On Capitol Hill, a critical vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general has been postponed. Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have threatened to withhold their support for Blanche if he does not provide written limits on the controversial settlement reached between Trump and the IRS over Trump’s unprecedented lawsuit against the agency. Cornyn and Tillis are seeking written assurances that the Justice Department will not create a $1.776 billion fund for Trump’s allies, including January 6 insurrectionists. The senators also want to scale back the part of the settlement that exempted Trump from IRS audits. Before joining the Justice Department, Blanche served as Trump’s personal attorney. On Wednesday, a group of Jeffrey Epstein survivors lobbied senators to vote against Blanche, saying that he was “very condescending” to them during their meeting earlier this month. www.democracynow.org

Federal Reserve Votes to Maintain the Current Interest Rate at Around 3.6%

The Federal Reserve voted to maintain the current interest rate at around 3.6%. Three officials dissented and voted to raise the interest rate. President Trump has repeatedly pressured the Fed to lower rates despite persistently high inflation for more than five years. www.democracynow.org

Drop Site News: Trump’s Former Campaign Manager Working to Influence How AI Chatbots Talk About Gaza

Drop Site News is reporting Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale has been quietly working with Israel to help influence how artificial intelligence chatbots talk about Gaza. Israel awarded Parscale’s firm a $46.5 million contract for the project, which involves creating websites and blog posts about Israel. The target audience for the sites is AI chatbots like Claude or ChatGPT. When Drop Site asked one chatbot whether it would be beneficial for the United States to enhance military cooperation with Israel, the chatbot responded with a one-word answer: “Yes.” The top source cited was a website created by Parscale’s firm for the Israeli government. www.democracynow.org

Israel Continues to Move Its So-Called Yellow Line of Control in Gaza

In Gaza, Israel continues to move its so-called yellow line of control further into the strip. Residents in Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, Gaza City and northern Rafah report having to evacuate from their homes to abide by Israel’s shifting zone of occupation. Israel currently controls an estimated 64% of the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to expand the area under Israel’s control to 70% of Gaza. This is a Palestinian woman whose family was displaced. Bushra Al-Suwaisi: “Every day they advance more. We settle, they advance again. I was on that line. They advanced three times. They advanced on us here, as well. From where should we leave? We are besieged from this side and the other side. Does this work? It doesn’t work. Please, everyone, make us comfortable. Find a solution for us.” www.democracynow.org

U.N.: Israeli Settler Violence in the Occupied West Bank Hits All-Time High

The United Nations is warning that Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank has hit an all-time high. Eighteen Palestinians have been killed in settler attacks so far this year, compared with 17 in all of last year. This comes after the Israeli security cabinet earlier this year approved over $430 million to establish 34 new settlements in the West Bank. www.democracynow.org

Antiwar Rally in NYC Organized by Iranian Diaspora

Here in New York City, dozens of people attended an antiwar rally Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Iran. The demonstration was organized by Payandeh NYC, a group of Iranian diaspora members founded in April to reject U.S. military aggression against Iran. This is Nahid Siamdoust, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Nahid Siamdoust: “I’m an Iranian American who is working hard and paying my taxes and seeing that money going into Iran to killing my own family. We’re asking that these wars stop. Some Iranians in the West have been sold a lie. They have been sold the lie that the U.S. and Israel are going to be bringing them some kind of salvation or freedom. We know that that was never the intention, because, you know, within a couple of weeks, Donald Trump, of course, threatened to annihilate Iran’s entire civilization.” www.democracynow.org

U.S. Strikes IRGC Targets Inside Iran, Killing 3 People on Qeshm Island

The Pentagon said it struck dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard targets inside ​Iran, including military command centers and drone facilities, in retaliation for Tehran targeting U.S. bases in Jordan. According to Iranian state media, a couple and their 2-year-old child were killed in U.S. strikes on Qeshm island. The U.S. also issued another round of sanctions on Iran, designating 10 entities and eight tankers. This comes as the war threatens to spread throughout the region. Jordan said it intercepted an Iranian missile attack. In Egypt, a drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at the Mediterranean port ​of Damietta on Wednesday. In Iraq, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia launched strikes on what they’re claiming are Iranian-backed militia groups Wednesday. Funerals were held for the fighters of the Popular Mobilization Forces killed in the strikes. The Iraqi president condemned the air raids, calling it a “blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, targeting its official institutions.” This is Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general. Farhan Haq: “Well, the one thing we don’t want to see is — again, is any expansion of the conflict. So, having more parties involved in the fighting, having the fighting spread to a larger number of countries, all of these are adverse developments and could get us into a much worse situation even than before.” www.democracynow.org

Report from Springfield, Ohio: Haitians Brace for ICE Crackdown After TPS Protections End

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/30/haiti_tps

Citizens Bank Cuts Ties to ICE Prison Companies GEO Group & CoreCivic After Grassroots De-ICE Campaign

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/30/citizens_bank_nj

“Less Regulated Than Sandwiches”: MIT Prof. Calls for Oversight as OpenAI Agent Hacks Other Firms

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/30/max_tegmark

WSJ: Trump Pressuring RFK Jr. to Slash Childhood Vaccination Recommendations

President Trump is reportedly pressuring Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to more aggressively push for policies that would further slash childhood vaccination recommendations. The Wall Street Journal reported that the issue came up during a lunch back in May at Trump’s National Golf Club in northern Virginia when Trump confronted RFK Jr. on why he wasn’t doing more to probe a widely debunked link between childhood vaccinations and autism. At the time, Trump reportedly told Kennedy that he believed the secretary “had the yips” to reduce the number of vaccinations for children. Lobbyists and Department of Health and Human Services staffers reportedly told the Journal that Trump may replace Kennedy with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services chief Dr. Mehmet Oz, if RFK Jr. fails to fulfill the demands. Separately, Anthony Fauci, the former veteran director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is expected to testify at a Senate hearing today on the COVID-19 pandemic. www.democracynow.org

Wired: Longtime DHS Officials Resigns over Trump’s “War on Immigrants”

Wired reports a longtime Department of Homeland Security official has resigned over what he described as Trump’s “brazen corruption” and the “war on immigrants.” Marc Rosenblum served as executive director for the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, where he led efforts to publish information on immigration arrests and deportations. DHS stopped issuing that data after Trump returned to office. Rosenblum said in a LinkedIn post, “it will come as no surprise that I’m thrilled to end my relationship with the current administration. Between the war on immigrants, the war on feds, and the war on facts (not to mention the crazy war in Iran and the brazen corruption), I just need a change.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Orders Release of Key Witness in ICE’s Fatal Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

A federal judge has ordered the release from ICE custody of one of the key witnesses in the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 52-year-old Mexican father killed by an ICE agent on July 7 in Houston. Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego must be released within 48 hours, the judge ruled. He was one of three passengers in the van driven by Salgado Araujo the morning of the fatal shooting. Two other key witnesses, including his younger brother Victor, remain in an ICE jail. Community organizers on Tuesday again disrupted a Houston City Council meeting. Salgado Araujo’s eldest son Ronaldo addressed the council, demanding justice for his father and an end to the collaboration between Houston police and ICE. Ronaldo Salgado: “How will you show up for the rest of the immigrant community here in Houston to make sure that what happened to my dad, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, doesn’t happen to any of them? This isn’t a partisan issue. This is an issue of right and wrong, and this wrong needs to be addressed. Every single one of you councilmembers have immigrants living in your district. How will you protect them?” This comes as Reuters reports more than 12,000 people have been detained after the Office of Refugee Resettlement provided personal information on unaccompanied migrant children, as well as their parents and sponsors, to federal immigration agents. Since January 2025, ORR has shared more than 460,000 leads to immigration authorities. Meanwhile, The New York Times has found ICE arrests have surged at airports nationwide as the Transportation Security Administration expands its collaboration with ICE. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Activists Protesting Settler Violence in the Occupied West Bank Clash with Police

In Israel, activists protesting against settler violence in the occupied West Bank clashed with police in Tel Aviv Tuesday. It comes as Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he has ordered the IDF to take over a fourth refugee camp in the West Bank and expel its Palestinian residents. This is Eliah Levin, a protester from Haifa. Eliah Levin: “The reason I’m here today is because what we have seen coming out of the West Bank just the past week, but the past months and years, is horrifying. It’s immoral. And we believe that it is endangering not only Palestinians, who are witnessing ethnic cleansing and the evacuation of their homes, but it’s also endangering all of us.” www.democracynow.org

Palestinians Released from Israeli Prisons Show Signs of Torture

Sixty Palestinians released from Israeli prisons returned to Gaza showing signs of severe injuries and starvation, with some of them so fragile they were unable to walk. The men were detained across Israel’s most notorious prisons — Ofer, Negev and Sde Teiman — many held for more than a year, and recounted brutal beatings and other forms of torture by Israeli soldiers. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Jets Strike Mosque in Gaza City, Killing One Person and Wounding Dozens

In Gaza, at least one person was killed and over a dozen wounded in an Israeli strike that destroyed a mosque surrounded by tents of displaced Palestinian families. Video footage shows Israeli jets striking the Al-Muttaqin Mosque in Gaza City Tuesday, igniting a powerful explosion. www.democracynow.org

U.S. Walks Out of UNSC Meeting During French Ambassador’s Remarks

The U.S. walked out of a U.N. Security Council meeting on Tuesday during the French ambassador’s remarks. It comes after France blasted the U.S. for voting against extending Volker Türk’s term as U.N. high commissioner for human rights. After the vote on Friday, France’s U.N. Mission posted on X, “The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it.” www.democracynow.org

U.S.-Iran Negotiations Stall as Iran Attacks U.S. Base in Jordan

Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled, as Iran rejected a proposal to evenly divide control of the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. This is Iran’s deputy foreign minister. Kazem Gharibabadi: “We told them explicitly that under no circumstances are they permitted to do so. We said that if any warships approach the Strait of Hormuz for this purpose, or if they bring equipment or any vessel or any other assets for mine-clearing operations near the Strait of Hormuz, they will be considered legitimate targets by the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Despite the lull in fighting, Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles toward a U.S. military base in Jordan on Tuesday. The U.S. Central Command called it an “attempted surprise attack.” This comes amid new reporting from Reuters that China is expected to deliver shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers to Iran within weeks. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia joined the U.S. in striking what they claim to be Iranian proxies in Iraq on Tuesday. In Yemen, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed to have launched a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker Tuesday. www.democracynow.org

Senate Votes to Confirm Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence

On Capitol Hill, the Senate voted to confirm Jay Clayton as the director of national intelligence on Tuesday, with all Republicans supporting his nomination and all Democrats voting against it. During the confirmation hearings, Clayton repeatedly refused to say that Joe Biden won the 2020 election, and declined to say that Trump had lost. www.democraynow.org

Netanyahu and Zelensky Attend Sen. Graham’s Funeral in Washington

In Washington, D.C., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended a memorial service for Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. They also had meetings with President Trump. After his meeting, Netanyahu had posted a video, boasting that he had “one of the best conversations” with President Trump. Meanwhile, in an unusual move, President Trump did not invite the press for a photo op or questions after the meeting. Since President Trump returned to office, Netanyahu has made seven trips to the U.S. Protesters gathered near the White House. Bita: “And he is the reason for the illegal war that has started on my homeland of Iran, that is also currently being bombarded. And every time he comes to visit, our people, our countries get bombarded again. And we are here to make sure that our voices are heard and he knows that we don’t want him here. He is not welcome here. We know that he’s a war criminal. We want bombs to stop falling on our people.” www.democracynow.org

France and Spain Race to Contain Wildfires Amid Heat Wave

France and Spain are racing to contain wildfires amid a heat wave that has temperatures soaring up to 42 degrees Celsius — that’s up to 107 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 360,000 people have been evacuated so far. On Tuesday, French authorities evacuated 4,000 more people from tourist sites along its Atlantic coast. It’s the largest peacetime evacuation in France’s history. Earlier this month, 13 people died in a blaze in southern Spain. This is a resident of El Tiemblo, Spain. Jose Romero: “This has affected my heart because I have had heart surgery. That is how it has affected me. I’ve had to bear the rest, bottle my emotions and keep on going. I have to help my neighbors.” www.democracynow.org

“Tipping Point”: Ex-CDC Official Links Cyclospora & Measles Outbreaks to Trump’s Public Health Cuts

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/29/cyclosporiasis

U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese Slams U.S. “Complicity” as Trump Meets Netanyahu Despite ICC Warrant

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/29/netanyahu_white_house

WaPo: Trump Admin’s Campaign of Striking Boats in the Caribbean and Pacific Has Not Reduced Amount of Cocaine Entering the U.S.

The Washington Post is reporting that the Trump administration’s campaign of blowing up boats in the Caribbean and Pacific has not reduced the amount of cocaine entering the United States. A previously unreported assessment by the Drug Enforcement Administration concludes that the attacks have failed to affect the supply or price of cocaine in the United States. The U.S. boat strikes have killed at least 221 people since September. No evidence has been made public linking the boats to drug traffickers. Last week, Democratic Congressmember Chuy García called for an independent investigation into the strikes, as well as the recent murder of Ecuadorian prosecutor Alexandra Bravo, who was fatally shot along with her sister by a hitman on a motorcycle last month in the city of Manta. Drop Site News reports that at the time of her killing, she was investigating U.S. strikes on three Ecuadorian boats in which 36 passengers survived. Bravo was investigating claims by the survivors that they had been abducted and then tortured by American gunmen in U.S. military uniforms aboard a U.S.-flagged patrol ship. www.democracynow.org

Justice Department Drops Case Against SEIU Leader David Huerta

The Justice Department dropped its case against SEIU leader David Huerta. Last year, he was charged with obstructing an officer after being arrested while protesting ICE raids in Los Angeles. Video from the event showed a masked officer shoving Huerta to the ground during the demonstration. In a statement, Huerta said the Trump DOJ “is finally admitting what we knew from day one and what was obvious to anyone who saw the videos: the charge against me was baseless, meant to intimidate anyone who dares to speak out, organize, or demand justice.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Admin Announces New Rules for Asylum Seekers

The Trump administration has issued new regulations that could result in hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers being sent directly to deportation proceedings instead of giving them a chance to be interviewed first by an asylum officer. The rule could impact 440,000 cases. Doris Meissner, the director of the U.S. immigration policy program at the Migration Policy Institute, said, “The ultimate impact of making this change certainly seems to be to try to deny as many cases as possible, without regard to the fairness of the determination.” This comes as the Trump administration has fired more than 100 immigration judges and replaced them with military lawyers and former prosecutors for the Department of Homeland Security. www.democracynow.org

ICE Reportedly Stepping Up Plans to Deport Haitian Immigrants

ICE is reportedly stepping up plans to arrest and deport Haitian migrants, as hundreds of thousands of Haitians are set to lose their status under TPS, the Temporary Protected Status program. The Supreme Court last month sided with the Trump administration to end TPS programs for Haitians and Syrians. According to an internal government document, the plans to round up and deport Haitian immigrants could start this week. Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, said, “Once again our community members find themselves in a state of extreme trauma, fear and terror. One of them told me it feels like a tsunami or an earthquake with nonstop aftershocks.” www.democracynow.org

El-Sayed and Stevens Clash over AIPAC Funding in Final Debate Before Michigan Senate Primary

In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidates Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Representative Haley Stevens sparred on Monday in the final debate before next Tuesday’s primary. It is one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. The debate moderator, Roop Raj, questioned Stevens about receiving funding from AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Roop Raj: “Congresswoman, specifically about AIPAC money, more than $46 million has been spent on AIPAC spending to back your campaign. A lot of people wonder if that is something where they’re — you know, you’re going to do their bidding when you — should you win this seat. Is that something people should be concerned about? And if not, why not?” Rep. Haley Stevens: “Absolutely not, Roop. Look, I have been very clear, consistent and transparent, and I have continued to be. I want to see long-term peace. I want to see a two-state solution. I am deeply proud to represent one of the largest Jewish populations in a congressional district in the country.” During the debate, Dr. El-Sayed repeatedly criticized Stevens for taking AIPAC money. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed: “So, I just want to say, the difference between us is $46 million of AIPAC spending. They’ve set a record in this race to help elect my opponent because they know that she’ll be a reliable vote, just like she took last week to send your tax dollars to a foreign government that is aiding, arming and abetting the very people who want to foreclose on the possibility of Palestinian self-determination.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Admin Files Emergency Application to SCOTUS to Allow Order Restricting Mail-In Voting

The Trump Administration filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court to allow an executive order that would restrict voting by mail. This comes after a federal appeals court blocked key parts of the executive order over the weekend. The Supreme Court has until August 3 to respond. Under Trump’s executive order, DHS would create state-by-state lists of eligible voters who are citizens. The U.S. Postal Service would then use the lists provided by states to assess if voters should be allowed to vote by mail. www.democracynow.org

Trump Hosts Netanyahu at the White House as U.S. Weighs Next Steps Against Iran

President Trump is hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today for the first time since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran five months ago. The meeting comes as Trump weighs his next steps in Iran. On Friday, Trump paused strikes after two weeks of attacks. On Monday, Trump told Axios, “We are in very deep talks with Iran. If they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action.” In June, Trump and Netanyahu reportedly had a tense phone call with Trump repeatedly calling the Israeli prime minister “f-ing crazy.” Netanyahu will also attend today’s funeral for Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11. Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal published an excerpt from an unreleased documentary showing Graham cheering on the U.S. strikes on Iran. www.democracynow.org

Fires in Minnesota Have Burned Tens of Thousands of Acres

In Minnesota, fires have burned about 68,000 acres in Superior National Forest and nearby areas. The Washington Post reports the Biden administration had approved $10 million to thin out Superior National Forest to help prevent fires, but last year the Trump administration’s DOGE program paused or canceled nearly all of the Forest Service’s grant projects and funds. A former U.S. Forest Service district ranger said, “Had that work been implemented, it would have been effective in stopping or slowing down these fires.” www.democracynow.org

Major Fires in Oregon Have Burned More Than 1 Million Acres of Land

Here in the United States, major fires in Oregon have burned more than 1 million acres of land and forced the closure of Interstate 84 for some 70 miles. According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, there are dozens of active large fires burning across the state. www.democracynow.org

France and Spain Brace for Another Heat Wave While Battling Historic Wildfires

France and Spain are bracing for another heat wave as thousands of firefighters and troops continue to battle unprecedented fires that have forced over 360,000 people to evacuate their homes. In a town in eastern Spain, residents described devastating scenes from this weekend. José Miguel Encinas: “It was like in the movies, where hell cracked the ground open, and you see the red hell. That’s how it was here. On Saturday night, this hill was horrific. In this area with houses, there were flames 15 to 20 meters tall. It was an atrocity. … I can’t describe the helplessness that a person feels to see their home, their neighbors’ homes, their town, their neighborhood burning.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez linked the fires to the escalating climate emergency. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: “What we are living is not a succession of isolated events. As has been said before, it is the most painful expression of a climate emergency that is making sixth-generation wildfires more voracious, heat waves more frequent and, as a result, our territory more vulnerable. This is no longer an exception. It is the new reality. Summers are becoming increasingly difficult, destructive and, therefore, deadly.” www.democracynow.org

Meet Beto Coral, Activist Targeted by ICE for Criticism of Trump-Backed Colombian President-Elect

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/28/beto_coral_deportation_colombia_gustavo_petro

A New McCarthyism? House GOP Subpoenas BreakThrough News in Escalating War on Progressive Groups

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/28/rania_khalek_breakthrough_news_subpoena

“We Can’t Be Intimidated”: CodePink Slams Rubio-Led Campaign Against Cuba Solidarity Groups

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/28/rubio_red_scare_cuba_blacklist

Venezuelan Men Wrongfully Sent to CECOT Prison in El Salvador File Lawsuit Against Two U.S. Aviation Firms

A group of Venezuelan men who were wrongfully removed from the United States and sent to the notorious Salvadoran CECOT prison have filed a lawsuit against the two U.S. aviation firms that charted the three flights to El Salvador last year. The suit accuses CSI Aviation and GlobalX of violating the men’s civil rights, as well as U.S. and international law, for transporting them to El Salvador, where many described facing torture. The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by several groups, including the Kennedy Human Rights Center, and was first reported by The Guardian. In March of last year, more than 230 Venezuelan men were rounded up and deported to El Salvador after the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, accusing the men, without evidence, of being gang members. www.democracynow.org

Protesters in Houston Demand Justice After the ICE Killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

In Houston, Texas protests continued this weekend in response to the ICE killing of 52-year-old Mexican father Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Dozens of groups and businesses led an economic blackout Friday, while hundreds of protesters marched to Houston’s City Hall Saturday demanding justice and for the ICE agents involved in the fatal shooting to be identified. Advocates have also called for the release of key witnesses from ICE custody — one of whom is Salgado’s younger brother, Victor. This comes as the Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a white powder found in Salgado’s van was not drugs, but an electrolyte salt mixture to stay hydrated while working in construction during Houston’s scorching summer. The substance was the subject of an unsealed FBI search warrant. David Donatti, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement, “By taking the unusual steps of securing and then unsealing their search warrant, the government has demonstrated that it is more interested in creating a false narrative than in seeking the truth. The Salgados deserve real answers about what happened to their father, and we reiterate our call for an independent and complete investigation.” The Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Friday held an oversight hearing in Houston on Salgado’s ICE killing, where two of his sons, Ronaldo and Lorenzo Jr., testified. Click here to see our coverage of the case. www.democracynow.org

Paramount Skydance Postpones Merger with Warner Bros. Discovery

Paramount Skydance announced that it was halting its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery until July of next year after a lawsuit from Democratic states. Paramount is also facing a lawsuit from the Writers Guild of America, which argues that the merger would lead to job losses for screenwriters and journalists. Paramount Skydance is run by David Ellison, whose father, Larry Ellison, is the billionaire founder of Oracle and a prominent ally and financial backer of President Trump. Under the proposed deal, CNN and CBS News, streaming services HBO Max and Paramount+, as well as film and television studios, would all be combined under a single entity controlled by the Ellisons. www.democracnynow.org

Trump Teases Another Presidential Run at White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner

The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner was held Friday, three months after it was disrupted by a gunman. During an hour-long speech, President Trump attacked journalists, comedians, Democrats, as well as members of his own Cabinet. He even joked about running for president again. President Donald Trump: “I want to save your ratings. I’m pleased to announce my intention to — and this is somewhat of a scoop — my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States. I will be doing that. I will be having an official — in fact, I think I have. Yeah, I won. I won three times. Now I’m going to do it again. Thank you. I’m going to do it.” www.democracynow.org

Israeli Settlers Torch Mosques in Violent Attacks on Palestinian Towns and Villages in the Occupied West Bank

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers torched two mosques over the weekend in the latest wave of violent attacks on several Palestinian towns and villages. This is a resident of Qusra. Amad Albaik: “This is a religious crime. It is a moral crime and all. They are thieves, and you can call them with all the bad descriptions, because there is no human on the planet that torches a religious place.” This comes as Israeli military forces on Saturday detained over 70 Palestinians in raids across the occupied West Bank. The arrests and attack on the mosques followed the killing of at least four Palestinians in the town of Tal on Friday, when Israeli settlers and soldiers opened fire on residents attempting to protect their homes. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed. Several Israeli activists were arrested in Tel Aviv over the weekend during a protest against intensifying Israeli settler violence on Palestinians. Some of the protesters held signs that read “resist Zionist terror.” Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has condemned the Israeli settler attacks as “pogroms against defenseless civilians.” www.democracynow.org

Israel Kills Two Hamas Security Officials in Gaza

In Gaza, two Hamas security officials were killed Sunday in an Israeli strike. Al Jazeera reports Israeli forces targeted their vehicle while traveling through Deir al-Balah. The head of police in northern Gaza was also killed in a separate Israeli attack on Saturday. This all comes as a new report warns more than two-thirds of Palestinians in Gaza are likely to suffer from acute hunger by the end of this year as humanitarian aid organizations face funding shortages, while Israel continues to restrict the entry of food and other lifesaving supplies. Currently, about 1.2 million people in Gaza face acute hunger; that figure could rise to more than 1.4 million Palestinians by December. In related news, Israel has approved the deployment of an international security force into Gaza as part of President Trump’s so-called ceasefire agreement. The unit will reportedly include about 200 members from countries including Uganda and Morocco. www.democracynow.org

Three People Killed in Shooting at a Food Festival in Seattle

In Seattle, three people were killed and four others wounded in a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday. The injured included a 2-year-old boy. Police are searching for one suspect and have another in custody. www.democracynow.org

Authorities Probe Stabbing Attacks in New York as Possible Hate Crimes

Here in New York, a man stabbed two people in broad daylight last week. The NYPD is investigating whether the stabbings are hate crimes. The first victim was a 57-year-old Asian man; the second victim was a 50-year-old Jewish man. So far this year, the number of confirmed hate crimes has risen nearly 8% in New York City compared to the same period last year. www.democracynow.org

Devastating Wildfires Force More Than 360,000 People to Evacuate in France and Spain

In France and Spain, devastating wildfires have forced more than 360,000 people to evacuate their homes. It’s one of the largest evacuations in France’s history. The fires began in the southwest of France on Wednesday, before spreading to Spain. In France, 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel and nearly 1,200 police have been deployed to bring the fires under control. It comes as a new heat wave is expected to hit Europe this week, with temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) or more. This is a Spanish resident whose village has been engulfed by the fires. Spanish resident: “We in the village are completely surrounded by all the fires. In the end, the fires here and those in Almorox and Villa del Prado have merged. The one coming from Burgohondo is 10 kilometers from here and is already reaching this area. What we are seeing right now is that they have also joined together — in other words, the three fires from the three provinces are going to merge. And what we are seeing is devastation, fear, anguish. I don’t know. It’s impossible to explain.” www.democracynow.org

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Strike Saudi Oil Sites on the Red Sea Coast

The U.S. war on Iran has spread to a second front to include Yemen. Yemen’s Houthi rebels over the weekend struck sites belonging to the Saudi state oil giant Aramco on the Red Sea coast. On Friday, the Saudi-led military alliance bombed Houthi military positions in the Red ​Sea port of Hodeidah. www.democracynow.org

U.S. Pauses Bombing Iran After Officials Warn Trump About Dwindling Munitions Stockpiles

The U.S. has paused bombing Iran for a third straight night after senior Trump administration officials reportedly warned the president about dwindling munitions stockpiles. In response, Iran said it would pause retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases across the Middle East. Over the weekend, the Pentagon updated its official war casualty database, adding more than 140 wounded service members. The new figures show that 18 U.S. troops have been killed and 624 wounded since the U.S. launched its war against Iran back in February. The Pentagon is separating the casualty figures: Deaths and injuries after the ceasefire ended on July 7 are listed in a separate database labeled generically as “overseas operations casualties.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, saying one sailor was killed and another injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia ⁠of passing on to Iran its satellite observations in the Middle East, allowing Iran to launch attacks across the region. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit the White House Tuesday for the first time since the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran in February. Despite the lull in fighting, Britain said its armed forces were ready to defend itself after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps warned the U.K. not to allow U.S. bombers to fly from U.K. bases. On Thursday, the IRGC claimed that the U.S. had flown bombing missions against Iran from Fairford Air Base in southwest England. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Army & Settlers Are Working Together to “Ethnically Cleanse” West Bank: Mariam Barghouti

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/27/west_bank_attacks

“Iraq 2.0”?: Rep. Jim McGovern on Iran War, New Red Scare, Israeli War Crimes & Dem Party Divide

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/27/jim_mcgovern

“Frontlines of a Burning World”: Climate Change-Fueled “Megafires” Sweep Europe & North America

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/27/fires_europe_heat

Brooklyn Protesters Target Crye Precision, Supplier of Tactical Gear to ICE and Israel

Dozens of protesters blocked an entrance to the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Thursday, demanding the eviction of Crye Precision, a private contractor that supplies tactical gear to the Israeli military and ICE. Thursday’s action comes as part of an ongoing widespread campaign against other military equipment manufacturers. Democracy Now! was there. This is Etan Mabourakh of the National Iranian American Council. Etan Mabourakh: “They are profiting off of war and ICE and genocide and war crimes, all being subsidized by New York City tax dollars. They pay a lower rent. They had their construction costs covered. And we, united as New Yorkers, are here to demand that our tax dollars go to us, go to our needs in the city, and not to Crye Precision and other companies that profit off of constant war that is slaughtering children in Iran, in Palestine, in Lebanon, and kidnapping, arresting and deporting our neighbors here at home.” www.democracynow.org

DOJ Drops Subpoenas Against New York Times Reporters After Grilling by Federal Judge

The Trump administration has withdrawn subpoenas seeking the phone and text message records of New York Times journalists and their family members. The move came after a federal judge grilled federal prosecutors and threatened them with sanctions unless they withdrew the subpoenas. The Justice Department had been attempting to uncover confidential sources who spoke to the Times about security concerns over President Trump’s new Air Force One jet, donated to him by the royal family of Qatar. This comes as the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee has issued subpoenas to the independent news site BreakThrough News, along with The People’s Forum and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. www.democracynow.org

Minnesota Man Who Murdered Democratic Lawmaker and Husband Gets Two Life Sentences

In Minnesota, the man who fatally shot Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in their home has received a sentence of two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison. A federal judge handed down the sentence on Thursday to 57-year-old Vance Boelter, a self-professed conservative evangelical Christian whose guilty plea helped him avoid a possible death sentence. He also pleaded guilty to shooting and wounding state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home during a violent rampage in June 2025, during which Boelter dressed as a police officer and modified his SUV to look like a police car. Investigators say Boelter left behind three assault rifles, a handgun and a hit list containing the names of dozens of people, including prominent Democrats and abortion providers and advocates. www.democracynow.org

DA Promises Criminal Probe as ICE Refuses to Name Officer Who Killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

In Texas, dozens of organizations and small businesses in Houston’s East End District will participate in an economic boycott today, demanding justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 52-year-old Mexican father shot and killed by an ICE agent on July 7. Organizers are intensifying calls for the release of the three key eyewitnesses who remain in an ICE jail in Conroe, Texas, and for the Department of Homeland Security to identify the ICE agents involved in the fatal shooting. One of the eyewitnesses is Salgado’s brother, Victor. This comes as Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare says an independent investigation into the fatal shooting is moving forward. Sean Teare: “The medical examiner ruled Mr. Salgado’s death a homicide. There’s one agency in Harris County, Texas, that’s authorized to investigate and prosecute that, and it’s my office.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Administration Cites Anti-Slavery Law to Impose Tariffs of Up to 12.5% on Trading Partners

The Trump administration has imposed new tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners — just as a temporary 10% global tariff expired. On Thursday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced levies of 10% on imports from the European Union, Canada, Mexico and India, and 12.5% on goods from China, Japan, South Korea and other nations. The levies took effect just after midnight this morning. They will keep Trump’s massive regime of tariffs in place despite a Supreme Court ruling striking down earlier emergency-powers tariffs. This time, the Trump administration cited a section of the Trade Act of 1974 that allows for tariffs against countries that don’t outlaw forced labor or who allegedly fail to enforce anti-slavery laws. www.democracynow.org

WaPo: Trump Administration Is Considering Strikes on Mali

The Trump administration is weighing military action in Mali to target an al-Qaeda-affiliated group. That’s according to The Washington Post, which reports that, if approved, the plan would add an eighth nation to the list of countries where President Trump has ordered strikes since the start of his second term. www.democracynow.org

Four Palestinians and One Israeli Are Killed as Dozens of Settlers Attack West Bank Town

In the occupied West Bank, four Palestinians are dead following an attack by dozens of Israeli settlers who stormed the town of Tal, west of Nablus, earlier today. Israeli settlers and soldiers reportedly opened fire as Palestinians attempted to protect their homes. One Israeli was reportedly killed in an ensuing shootout. Al Jazeera reports at least 86 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of this year, including more than 20 fatally shot by Israeli settlers. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the attacks in Tal as a “massacre,” calling for urgent international intervention to halt settler violence and hold perpetrators accountable. www.democracynow.org

FAO: Millions Face Prolonged Hunger as Iran War Drives Up Food Prices

The Food and Agriculture Organization reports global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, but progress remains fragile and far too slow to meet the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals by a 2030 deadline. The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report found 7.8% of the global population, or roughly 645 million people, faced hunger last year. That's down from 8.1% in 2024. The FAO’s chief economist Máximo Torero warned the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz will delay progress toward ending global hunger. Máximo Torero: “It will have an effect on production, it will have an effect on yields, and it will have a future effect on hunger. … So, depending on the length of impact of the crisis on food inflation, which is driven by higher energy and fertilizer prices, we simulate that between 510 and 520 million people may still be facing hunger in 2030.” www.democracynow.org

Iran War Sends Diesel Prices Soaring, Costing U.S. Farmers Additional $1.4 Billion

A new report finds President Trump’s war against Iran has forced U.S. farmers to spend an additional $1.4 billion on diesel fuel compared to one year ago — an increase of more than 60%. On Thursday, the price of oil passed $100 a barrel for the first time since May as the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire and as Yemen’s Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea following their announcement of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. www.democracynow.org

House Approves Another War Powers Resolution Seeking to Rein In Trump’s Attacks

The House of Representatives voted 214 to 208 Thursday to approve a resolution calling on President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran. Four Republicans sided with Democrats in support of the measure, including Kentucky Congressmember Thomas Massie, who wrote ahead of the vote, “American servicemen and women are dying, and gas and fertilizer prices are soaring. It’s time to end this war.” It’s the second time the House has voted for a resolution seeking to rein in Trump’s power to wage war on Iran. Later on Thursday, the Senate voted 47-49 against advancing a similar war powers resolution. Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman joined all but one Republican voting against the resolution. www.democracynow.org

U.S. Bombs Iran for 13th Night as Pentagon “Lowers” Iran War Death Toll from 18 to 14

U.S. Central Command says it has concluded a 13th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran. Blasts were reported in several cities, including Khorramabad, Jask, and Bandar Abbas. In Ahvaz, a U.S. missile strike reportedly killed four people, leaving five others injured. Iran responded with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and a U.S. air base in Jordan. On Wednesday, President Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for four soldiers killed in action while deployed to U.S. bases in Jordan and Iraq. The soldiers are 19-year-old Isabella Gonzales of Texas, 25-year-old Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii, 28-year-old Angel Rampersad of New York and 30-year-old Michael Emmanuel Swinton of North Carolina. Trump saluted as their bodies were returned to the U.S. Just hours later, the Pentagon lowered its official death toll for the Iran war to 14 from 18. Military officials told The New York Times the names were removed in part because their deaths occurred after President Trump declared a ceasefire in April. Meanwhile, President Trump has threatened a “massive attack” on Iran, saying it would be “bigger than ever before” and that he’s close to making a decision. www.democracynow.org

“Farmers of the Sea”: PBS Film Profiles Puerto Rican Fishermen on the “Frontlines of Climate Change”

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/24/farmers_of_the_sea_documentary_puerto

Report from San Juan: New Bill Targets Citizenship Rights As Puerto Rico Marks 10 Years of PROMESA

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/24/puerto_rico_promesa_birthright_citizenship

“America First or Israel First?” Ex-Israeli Negotiator Daniel Levy on Saudi Nuclear Deal, Iran & More

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/24/saudi_nuclear_deal

NYC Mayor Mamdani Says He Does Not Have the Authority to Arrest Netanyahu

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that he does not have the authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he arrives in the city to attend the U.N. General Assembly in September. Instead, Mamdani urged federal authorities to enforce an ICC arrest warrant for the Israeli leader. Here’s Mayor Mamdani. Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “As I’ve said, I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC. My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here. It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.” Mayor Mamdani’s video on X has been viewed more than 80 million times. www.democracynow.org

GOP-Led House Ways and Means Committee Subpoenas BreakThrough News

The Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee has subpoenaed BreakThrough News, demanding the independent online news outlet hand over internal communications and financial records. BreakThrough News says it’s being targeted over its coverage of U.S. mass deportations, ICE abuses, Cuba and Palestine solidarity and U.S. foreign policy. BreakThrough News has launched a fundraiser to pay for legal expenses. In a statement, it said, “For years, Republican lawmakers have painted a target on our backs, falsely claiming that our political views and reporting are part of some foreign plot.” www.democracynow.org

Police in Madison, Wisconsin, Fatally Shoot Black Man, Sparking Protests

In Madison, Wisconsin, protests erupted Wednesday after local police shot and killed a Black man less than two miles from the state Capitol. Police say they were responding to a report of a person allegedly checking parked vehicles, when they confronted the man on his bicycle who later fled the scene. After they tracked down the man, an armed struggle ensued when the man allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked an officer. Bystander video shows officers struggling with the man before he’s tasered, kicked and pressed to the ground. An officer then fires his gun at the man at close range. Urban Triage, a Madison-based Black community advocacy group, said, “Another Black man is dead on a Madison street, and our community watched him die before we even knew his name. That is the cruelty of state violence.” www.democracynow.org

Lawmakers Press ICE Officials on Training and Vehicle Stops After Killings of Immigrants

On Capitol Hill, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee Wednesday pressed ICE officials about body cameras, vehicle stops and training in the wake of ICE-related killings of immigrants. The public hearing came after ICE officials told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that there have been 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers; 32 were cleared, with just one ICE officer referred for disciplinary action. This is Democratic Congressmember Jamie Raskin. Rep. Jamie Raskin: “Since the administration took office, more than 50 people have died in ICE custody. More have died in custody in 2025 than in any year in the last two decades. The rate of death in ICE custody is spiking because the conditions are simply worse than they’ve ever been before. ICE and DHS traffic in lawless violence, propaganda and disinformation to mask all the corruption and cruelty which are the daily bread of the system.” www.democracynow.org

Mexican Tourist Who Died Fleeing ICE Agents Was Visiting Florida on Vacation

The Miami Herald reports a 28-year-old Mexican national killed during an encounter with ICE last week was in the United States on a tourist visa and had arrived in Florida just two days before his death. Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán had traveled from Guanajuato, Mexico, to Atlanta in June to visit family and friends, before visiting Florida for a beach holiday. He was killed by a semi-truck while fleeing immigration officials, after they approached him at a gas station near St. Augustine. Coronilla Durán is among four ICE-related deaths that occurred in less than one week. www.democracynow.org

Witnesses Say ICE Agents Rammed Their Van Before Fatally Shooting Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

More details are emerging about the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE agents in Houston, Texas, on July 7. According to the written statements of two witnesses who were in the van when he was shot dead, two unmarked vehicles struck them from behind and the side, forcing their vehicle to come to a halt. Daniel Tirado Pantoja, a passenger in the back of the van, said, “Lorenzo had come to a full stop while the agents fired.” José Trinidad Rojas Pliego, who was also in the back of the van, confirmed the account, saying, “When Lorenzo stopped the van, the officer shot him anyway.” Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was an immigrant from Mexico who had lived in the United States for decades. He’s the father of three sons, who are all U.S. citizens. www.democracynow.org

Judge Sets June 2027 Trial Date for Abducted Venezuelan Leaders Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores

Here in New York, a federal judge has set a trial date of June 1 of next year for former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, a former member of Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly. Maduro and Flores were abducted by the U.S. military during a raid of their compound in Caracas in January. They appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday, where they denied charges of drug trafficking. Meanwhile, demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse, protesting both for and against U.S. intervention in Venezuela. Protester: “The United States does not have the interest of the Venezuelan people in mind. All it wants is the oil. It wants the natural resources. That’s all it’s interested in.” www.democracynow.org

Nonproliferation Experts Warn U.S. Deal Could Lead to Nuclear-Armed Saudi Arabia

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is defending President Trump’s agreement to provide Saudi Arabia with a civilian nuclear program using U.S. technology. Rubio spoke on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines. Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “I’ll let the agreement speak for itself. Suffice it to say that any agreement that we’re going to make with any country in the world on civil nuclear energy is going to be one that will have safeguards in place to ensure that it can’t be turned into a weapons program. And one of the best safeguards is to make sure that American technology and American companies are the ones that are involved in doing it.” The deal is likely worth tens of billions of dollars to U.S. nuclear energy companies like Westinghouse, whose reactors produce plutonium as a byproduct. Nonproliferation experts warn that waste could be reprocessed for use in nuclear warheads. James Acton of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote, “If true, this is tantamount to the United States’ giving up on nonproliferation.” www.democracynow.org

U.S. Strikes Southern Iran, Iraq Border Crossing on 12th Straight Night of Attacks

Iranian officials report a U.S. missile attack on a passenger terminal at a border crossing into Iraq killed two people and wounded 11 others. Separately, the U.S. struck sites across southern Iran, including Bushehr, Ahvaz, Jask, Andimeshk and Sirik. Iran responded with fresh missile and drone attacks on Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, where U.S. forces are based. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had stopped three oil tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It said in a statement one of the ships exploded and caught fire, before the other two reversed course. Meanwhile, in Yemen, ⁠Iran-allied Houthi fighters announced they attacked two ​Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. A Saudi news agency later confirmed one ship was on fire. Oil prices climbed on the news, to nearly $100 a barrel. www.democracnynow.org

House GOP Approves $73B in New Pentagon Funding, $10B for Voting Restrictions

The Republican-led House of Representatives has approved a $95 billion budget framework to fund the U.S. war on Iran, while pressuring states to adopt new restrictions on voting. The framework outlines $73 billion in additional funding for war and intelligence gathering, $12 billion in farm aid and $10 billion for a fund aimed at incentivizing states to adopt core components of the SAVE America Act, including a voter ID requirement for in-person voting. Millions of citizens who lack easy access to the bill’s required forms of documentation could be at risk of disenfranchisement. The House approved the framework by a vote of 216 to 214, with all Democrats present casting votes in opposition; three Democrats were absent or did not record a vote. This is Washington Congressmember Pramila Jayapal. Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “Months after Hegseth claimed victory, Iran continued to strike American assets in the Middle East, kill American service members and close the Straits of Hormuz. The administration has clearly gotten us into a war that they have no clue how to get us out of. Americans deserve a clear strategy, not shifting explanations that change by the day. They deserve thoughtful diplomacy, not tweets like the one that the president just released today.” Congresswoman Jayapal was referring to Trump’s Truth Social post reading, “From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran.” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on social media, “Our defense doctrine is clear: eye for an eye. Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response.” The war of words came as the U.S. bombed Iran for a 12th consecutive night. www.democracynow.org

As Mamdani Calls on Trump to Arrest Netanyahu, Genocide Scholar Decries Israel’s Ongoing Impunity

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/23/omer_bartov_on_gaza

Meet Milwaukee Muslim Leader Salah Sarsour. ICE Detained Him for 80 Days

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/23/salah_sarsour

Trump Admin Pauses More Than $1 Billion in Medicaid Funding to California and Minnesota

Back in the U.S., the Trump administration has paused more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding to California and Minnesota. That includes more than $867 million for California and about $200 million for Minnesota. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims it’s part of the administration’s strategy to “stop the fraud before it happens.” But in their news conference Tuesday, neither RFK Jr. nor Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, offered new evidence of fraud. California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X, “California isn’t being targeted because Trump has evidence of fraud. We are being targeted for political reasons — and because Dr. Oz doesn’t understand that we are SAVING taxpayers money by keeping seniors and people with disabilities out of far more expensive nursing homes! We hate fraud. That’s not what this is.” www.democracynow.org

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Ends Requirement for Employers to Collect Demographic Data

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency responsible for enforcing civil rights and anti-discrimination laws, has ended a decades-old requirement for private sector employers to collect demographic data in the workplace, slashing a policy that had been in place for more than 60 years. The EEOC’s Republican majority voted 2-1 Tuesday to rescind the data collection requirement. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas is a Trump ally and outspoken critic of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The EEOC was created under the 1964 Civil Rights Act establishing protections that prohibited discrimination based on race, gender, sex, national origin and religion. Kalpana Kotagal, who is the sole Democrat left on the EEOC since Trump overhauled the agency, said, “Today, the commission discusses whether to turn back time to a period before the civil rights movement, kneecapping its ability to protect workers.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin from Revoking Work Permits of Immigrants with Temporary Protected Status

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking work permits for tens of thousands ​of asylum seekers and immigrants with temporary protected status, TPS. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton said in his decision, “The consequences faced by plaintiffs are potentially severe.” Gorton is expected to issue another ruling on August 5. The lawsuit was filed earlier this month by Democracy Forward on behalf of the plaintiffs. In response to the ruling, Democracy Forward President Skye Perryman said in a statement, “Without this relief, families who have followed the law and relied on longstanding humanitarian protections faced the sudden loss of their employment authorization and ability to support themselves through no fault of their own.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Prohibits DHS from Deporting Key Witness in Fatal Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

In Texas, a federal judge has prohibited Trump’s Homeland Security Department from deporting one of the key witnesses in the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 52-year-old Mexican father killed by an ICE agent on July 7 in Houston. The order comes in the case of José Trinidad Rojas, who was in Salgado Araujo’s van at the time ICE killed Araujo. Rojas is from Mexico and has lived in the United States since 1998. The two other passengers in the van the morning of the fatal shooting — Daniel Tirado Pantoja and Salgado Araujo’s younger brother Victor — have also filed petitions to be released from ICE custody. Click here to see our coverage of the case. www.democracynow.org

Trump Administration Arrests Record Number of Immigrants in June

The Trump administration arrested a record more than 43,000 immigrants in the month of June, the highest number since Trump returned to office. That’s according to an analysis by The Guardian, which reports more than 65,000 immigrants are estimated to be in ICE detention, while the Trump administration has deported more than a half a million immigrants since January of last year. The majority of immigrants targeted by Trump officials have no criminal record. In related news, Time magazine reports the Trump administration is planning to expand immigrant detention across over a dozen locations nationwide, including the Virgin Islands and Guantánamo Bay, the U.S. military base in Cuba. This comes as Citizens Bank has announced it will officially begin to cut ties with two of the nation’s largest private operators of ICE jails — GEO Group and CoreCivic — amid growing calls to boycott the bank over its financing of the two for-profit prison companies. Click here to see our interview on the subject. www.democracynow.org

Appeals Court Overturns Decision to Release Palestinian Rights Activist Mohsen Mahdawi

A three-judge federal appeals panel has overturned a lower court’s ruling that ordered the release from ICE custody of Palestinian rights activist Mohsen Mahdawi, in a ruling that could allow the Trump administration to rearrest the Columbia University graduate. In May, the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals reinstated deportation proceedings against Mahdawi, who is a green card holder. In April of last year, masked and hooded ICE agents detained him when he appeared for what he believed would be a naturalization interview in Vermont. He spent two weeks in ICE custody before a federal judge ordered his release. After his release, he came back to Columbia University and graduated. He’s now a graduate student. Click here to see our interviews with Mohsen Mahdawi. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Military Builds Giant Barrier Separating the Portion of the Gaza Strip It Controls

In Gaza, the Israeli military is moving to quickly build a giant barrier separating the portion of the Gaza Strip it controls from the rest of the enclave. In recent months, more than 23 kilometers, about 14 miles, have been constructed. Israel currently controls just over 50% of the territory. This comes as an Israeli airstrike killed a family of six, including four children, in Gaza City Tuesday. Since last October’s so-called ceasefire, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. www.democracynow.org

Defense Secretary Hegseth Testifies U.S. War on Iran Has Cost $37.5 Billion

The U.S. continues to strike Iran for an 11th straight day as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified on Capitol Hill that the cost of war has soared to over $37 billion. That’s an increase of nearly $8 billion since the last public estimate. Hegseth also asked Congress to approve tens of billions of dollars in additional Pentagon funding to finance the war on Iran. In retaliation, Iran struck U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan on Tuesday. Kuwaitis are reportedly forced to ration electricity after Iranian strikes on power infrastructure raised fears of outages. This comes as far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel has “no interest” in joining U.S. military operations against Iran. The U.S. reportedly requested Israel to stay out of the most recent conflict while negotiations were ongoing following a so-called ceasefire agreement brokered last April. Meanwhile, the Trump administration approved a deal with Saudi Arabia that allows the country to enrich its own fuel for nuclear reactors. This is President Trump speaking from the Oval Office yesterday. President Donald Trump: “Iran is bigger. It’s more — it’s a more complex situation. But we’re probably doing equally as well, if you look at the damage that’s been done. And again, as I said to the young man that just posed the question over here, if we left today, it would take them decades to rebuild. And I don’t believe they could ever rebuild. And honestly, they haven’t seen anything yet. We’ve been nice.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Says Images of Bombed Iran School Could Be “AI” But Study Confirms U.S. Killed 140+ in Strike

On February 28, the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, missiles landed on Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school in the Iranian city of Minab, in a civilian area near the Strait of Hormuz. At least 121 schoolchildren were killed along with 26 teachers. Forensic Architecture and Sky News analyzed the attack, finding that the neighborhood was bombed a second time while families and rescuers were still on the ground. The Trump administration has repeatedly refused to take responsibility for the school strike, with President Trump even suggesting that images of the destruction were AI-generated. “There were images and videos available from the time of the strikes,” says Samaneh Moafi, assistant director of research at Forensic Architecture. “A second wave of strikes hit, and it’s in these ones that we do see the profile of a Tomahawk. And the only party within the war that has this missile is the U.S.” www.democracynow.org

“Empire of Abuse”: MAGA Influencers Andrew & Tristan Tate Arrested on Rape & Sex Trafficking Charges

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/22/tate_brothers_arrested

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega Declares His Nation Will No Longer Hold Elections

In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega has declared his nation will no longer hold elections. Ortega made the announcement during a Sunday evening speech in Managua commemorating the 1979 Sandinista Revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio ⁠Somoza. President Daniel Ortega: “There won’t be ⁠⁠any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power. … The days when parties backed by the Yankees and the Somocistas would return to power are over. Never again.” It was Ortega’s first public appearance in two months. In 2021, he secured a fourth term as president following a monthslong crackdown on dissent, during which dozens of opposition figures, including seven presidential hopefuls, were arrested. A United Nations report earlier this year found President Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, whom he named co-president, eliminated all checks and balances on their power to build an authoritarian state in Nicaragua. www.democracynow.org

Trump Announces 50% Tariff on Imports from Canada

President Trump said Monday he would impose tariffs of 50% on a wide range of goods imported from Canada. The duties are set to take effect in 30 days, with exemptions for Canadian fuel, fish, fertilizer and critical minerals. Trump announced the tariffs after threatening to sanction Canada for wildfire smoke drifting over much of the U.S., and after declaring that Canada unfairly discriminated against U.S. autos, alcohol and dairy products. www.democracynow.org

Open Letter by 120 Prisoners Alleges Human Rights Abuses at Arizona’s Eloy Detention Center

In Arizona, an open letter signed by 120 prisoners at the Eloy Detention Center alleges a range of human rights abuses, including severe medical neglect, verbal and physical abuse by guards, and poor mental healthcare. Prisoners say anyone complaining about poor conditions is sent to solitary confinement — called “The Hole.” www.democracynow.org

Justice Department Activates Alien Terrorist Removal Court for First Time Ever

The Trump administration has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time since it was established by law in 1996. Congress approved the five-judge court for extraordinary cases when normal proceedings could expose classified material. It allows for the rapid deportation of foreign nationals deemed by the court to be “alien terrorists,” along with their immediate family members. Last week, the Justice Department submitted the first-ever application to the court, which has remained dormant for three decades. Details of the July 15 application are sealed, with a cover sheet marking its contents as classified. U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen, a George W. Bush appointee, subsequently issued an order asking the Trump administration to make a more “thoughtful” application. www.democracynow.org

State Department Alleges Cuba Infiltrated U.S. Politics Through Left-Wing Groups

In a new report, the State Department has accused the Cuban government of waging a “sustained campaign of subversion against the United States.” The report claims Cuba has backed a number of groups in the United States, including the National Lawyers Guild, CodePink, Pastors for Peace and the National Network on Cuba. In a statement, CodePink said, “This latest attempt by the State Department is just one of many politically motivated witch hunts designed to silence antiwar voices who dare to challenge U.S. militarism. It’s about justifying even more aggression against Cuba while turning advocates for peace into suspects.” The 100-page report also includes quotes from earlier New York Times reporting, including a reference to Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! www.democracynow.org

Trump Administration Sought Phone Records of New York Times Reporters and Their Families

The Trump administration is seeking to uncover the confidential sources who spoke to journalists at The New York Times about security concerns relating to President Trump’s new plane donated to him by Qatar. The Justice Department issued subpoenas to phone service providers to obtain several journalists’ phone and text messaging records, and their relatives’ phone records, including from one reporter’s mother and two of the reporters’ spouses. The Times has asked the judge to quash the requests. www.democracynow.org

Judge Halts Paramount Skydance’s $110 Billion Takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery

A federal judge has paused the $110 billion merger of Paramount Skydance with Warner Bros. Discovery, granting a request from a coalition of 12 state attorneys general. The judge scheduled an August 3 hearing on the states’ motion for a preliminary injunction to halt the merger. The Writers Guild of America filed its own lawsuit against the merger, claiming that it would negatively impact union members’ wages and lead to job losses. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Drone Strike Kills Family of 6 in Gaza City

In Gaza, health officials say an entire Palestinian family was wiped off the civil registry overnight in an Israeli strike on their home. The attack on Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood came without warning around 2 a.m., sending shrapnel flying into the tents of displaced Palestinians living nearby. It killed Firas al-Masri along with his wife, Salsabeel, their three daughters and son. This is the children’s grandfather, Abu Yusuf al-Masri. Abu Yusuf al-Masri: “We were unable to save our grandchildren and children from the flames and the devastation. Six people were martyred, most of them children and women, without mercy and without any prior warning. All these are crimes by the Israelis. When the world thinks there is a ceasefire or relative calm, there is no relative calm, and there is no safe place at all.” www.democracynow.org

U.S. Bombs Iran for 10th Consecutive Night

The United States has carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, with reports of explosions in Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Shiraz and Isfahan. In response, Iran’s military launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. assets in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, claiming hits on U.S. radar, communications and air defense systems. Meanwhile, at least three oil tankers erupted in flames after coming under Iranian fire while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, the Pentagon identified two U.S. soldiers killed in an Iranian strike on their base in Jordan. Private Isabella Gonzales of Carrollton, Texas, was just 19 years old. She was killed alongside First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii. They’re among at least 17 U.S. service members killed in action supporting President Trump’s attacks on Iran. This comes after The New York Times reported the Pentagon failed to disclose nearly 100 injuries to U.S. troops since July 7. www.democracynow.org

“A Company That Trades Privacy for Profit”: ACLU on Flock’s Growing Nationwide Surveillance Network

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/21/flock_aclu_chad_marlow

As the U.S. Commits War Crimes in Iran, Trump Admin Vows to Dismantle Int’l Criminal Court: Reed Brody

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/21/reed_brody_icc_rubio_trump_admin

NYC Mayor Mamdani Seeks to Arrest Israel’s Netanyahu: “He’s a War Criminal”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he’s still looking into arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September. Mamdani spoke with The New York Times’s “The Interview” podcast. Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years. I’ve also said that I will follow the laws that we have here in New York City, because I believe that there is an importance in following the law as a leader who presides over our city. And that’s something that I plan to do.” Lulu Garcia-Navarro: “Meaning? I’m sorry, I don’t understand what that means.” Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “Meaning that whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs as Millions Suffer from Hazardous Wildfire Smoke

Millions of people across North America face another day of hazardous air pollution as nearly 1,000 active wildfires continue to rage in Canada. “Hazardous” air quality alerts are once again in effect today for major cities including Chicago, Detroit, Columbus and Minneapolis. Here in New York, air quality has improved — at least for now — following what officials are calling the second-worst smoke event in the city’s modern history. On Friday, President Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada over the record levels of hazardous air. www.democracynow.org

ICE Agent Responsible for Fatal Shooting of Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero Once Told Court of Head Injury

Meanwhile, records show the ICE agent behind the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero once told a court a head injury had left him with impaired cognitive functioning and memory. David Brouillette filed a lawsuit against the Maine Community College System in late 2023, alleging post-concussive injuries after a steel beam fell on his head during a firefighting training course. Just two years later, Brouillette went to work as an ICE officer — despite his injury and his documented history of domestic violence against two previous wives and his daughters. www.democracynow.org

Colorado Prison Guard Faces Multiple Charges After Shooting Protesters Outside ICE Jail

A Colorado prison guard faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, after he allegedly shot a protester outside the for-profit ICE jail where he works. Witnesses say 42-year-old Brandon Booth responded to demonstrations last Thursday outside the GEO Group’s Aurora ICE Processing Center by firing a single shot at protesters, then fleeing the scene. The bullet struck 21-year-old Emma Landis in the heel, sending her to the hospital. In the wake of the shooting, Booth’s former sister-in-law told The Denver Post that Booth was “not a good person at all.” She said he’d previously slammed her into a wall, giving her a concussion, adding, “This is not a person who does the right thing or respects boundaries, especially of women and kids.” www.democracynow.org

Israel Strips Crocodiles of Protected Status to Pave Way for Crocodile-Infested Moat

Israel has revoked the protected status of Nile crocodiles to pave the way for a new prison modeled after the Trump administration’s “Alligator Alcatraz” ICE jail in the Florida Everglades. The proposal by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir would see Palestinians held in a prison surrounded by a crocodile-infested moat. Israeli researcher and political commentator Shaiel Ben-Ephraim said on X, “The fact that Israel is trying to surround a prison with [crocodiles] tells you all you need to know about these camps, which are designed to torture, rape, and murder Palestinians, often held as hostages without charges.” www.democracynow.org

Dozens of Israeli Settlers Storm Palestinian Village in Occupied West Bank

In the occupied West Bank, dozens of Israeli settlers stormed a Palestinian village near the southern town of Yatta on Sunday, setting fire to a mosque and buildings. Footage obtained by Reuters showed the settlers attacking a Palestinian home, starting fires near the property and spraying graffiti on its walls. Eyewitnesses called it a coordinated attack. Juma Ribee: “It was an attack on the entire village. The settlers came from the nearby settlement of Havat Ma’on. They were around 40 settlers. Six were attacking here. They directly attacked this house to prevent anyone from getting out of the house. And the others went toward the mosque, and they tried to set fire to the mosque.” Elsewhere, Israeli settlers deliberately set fire to Palestinian farmland and olive groves in the village of Tel, south of Nablus. In June, Amnesty International accused Israel’s government of carrying out a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” in the occupied West Bank amid a steep rise of state-backed violence and forced displacements by Israeli settlers. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill Several Palestinians Over the Weekend

In Gaza, Israeli strikes in Gaza City on Saturday killed at least nine Palestinians, including three children, according to local health officials. Separately, an Israeli attack on a tent sheltering displaced families in southern Gaza killed at least one Palestinian and wounded several others on Sunday night. This is Huda al-Lahham, whose building was destroyed in an Israeli strike. Huda al-Lahham: “Our message to the world is to stop this war on us. We can’t stand it. We don’t have anything. We can’t find food to eat. Why are they doing this? We haven’t done anything. We were staying safely in our homes. We want to eat. We want to live like everyone else.” Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,100 Palestinians in Gaza since October, when Israel agreed to a U.S.-brokered so-called ceasefire. www.democracynow.org

U.S. Continues Strikes Against Iran After Three U.S. Service Members Killed

The United States is continuing to strike Iran for a ninth straight day, after two U.S. service members from Hawaii and Texas were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan; a third soldier was killed in northern Iraq during a “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. On Saturday, the U.S. struck a water desalination plant in the village of Bonji, disrupting drinking water for about 10,000 people in nearly two dozen villages in southern Iran. According to Drop Site News, U.S. attacks have also targeted nine bridges, two airports, a railroad junction and a road tunnel since Wednesday. And the International Atomic Energy Agency is looking into reports of an attack on the construction site of a planned nuclear power plant in Darkhovin. Over the weekend, the State Department issued a warning to Americans abroad, calling on them to remain cautious. This comes as Axios reports that the U.S. is sending dozens of refueling planes to Israel ahead of increased military operations against Iran. Iranian authorities report U.S. attacks so far this month have killed at least 41 people and wounded more than 400 others. This is the adviser to Iran’s supreme leader. Mohsen Rezaee: “If in the next two or three days the Americans continue the war, we will enter a phase of complete offense and destruction. … Should they try to seize any part of our territory, we might enter that same phase of offense, abandoning our defensive posture, abandoning our deterrence and reciprocal measures.” www.democracynow.org

U.S. Tightens Visa Rules for Foreign Students, Journalists and Cultural Exchange Visitors

The Trump administration has moved to tighten visa rules for foreign students, journalists and cultural exchange visitors. Student and cultural exchange visas would be limited to four years. Visas for journalists, which previously lasted for years,​ would now last up to 240 days. In the case of Chinese nationals, journalist visas would last up to 90 days. www.democracynow.org

So-Called Border Czar Tom Homan Warns ICE Critics That “Bloodshed” Will Continue

The White House’s so-called border czar, Tom Homan, has issued a warning to Democrats who are critical of ICE, its mass deportation campaign or its violent encounters with the public: Shut your mouth or the “bloodshed” will continue. Homan issued the threat during an appearance Wednesday on Fox News. Tom Homan: “I said if the hateful rhetoric didn’t stop, there will be bloodshed. And I’m saying it right now. There’s still going to be more bloodshed, unless they shut their mouth and let ICE enforce the laws that they enacted.” www.democracynow.org

Rights Groups Demand Probe of ICE Violently Attempting Arrest of Elderly Man in Nevada

In Nevada, rights groups are demanding an investigation into the violent attempted arrest of an elderly man by plainclothes ICE agents at the Las Vegas international airport. Video of Monday’s incident shows two people in plain clothes — one masked, the other hooded — pushing a man to the floor and handcuffing him as he cries out for help. One of the agents then tries to swat away an observer’s camera as he approaches. Phu Nguyen: “I don’t know what they’re doing!” Eyewitness: “What’s going on?” Phu Nguyen: “They say [inaudible]” TSA agent: “Back up.” Eyewitness: “What’s going on?” TSA agent: “It’s law enforcement.” Eyewitness: “What’s going on? We still have a right to know what’s going on.” Phu Nguyen: “Hey! Where are you going?” TSA agent: “Everyone, back up.” Phu Nguyen: “Hey!” Eyewitness: “Are you OK?” Phu Nguyen: “What are they doing?” Eyewitness: “Are you OK?” Responding to the video, Nevada Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen called for ICE to follow the same guardrails as other law enforcement agencies. She wrote, “Plain clothes. No uniforms. No body cameras. No identification.” www.democracynow.org

ICE Agent Who Fatally Shot Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero Identified as David Brouillette

In Maine, the ICE agent who fatally shot Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during a traffic stop in Biddeford last Monday has been identified as David Brouillette, a former police officer and U.S. Army veteran. His ex-wife, Ashley Brouillette, told the Portland Press Herald he called her and admitted he was the officer behind Monday’s shooting. Ashley Brouillette described abusive behavior both during and after her marriage to David Brouillette. She said she wanted to speak out publicly because she’d previously reported concerns about her husband’s mental health to his superiors in the military. Separately, the Associated Press reports several of David Brouillette’s close relatives say he struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood and never should have been given access to a badge and gun. Speaking anonymously, one relative said, “Afghanistan destroyed him — trained him to be a killing monster, a machine. They took someone who was extremely mentally ill and turned him into a killing machine.” On Thursday, the widow of Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero spoke publicly for the first time since her husband was killed as he set off for work Monday morning. Karolina Rojas Alvarez said the loss of her husband has been devastating for their 3-year-old daughter. Karolina Rojas Alvarez: “The day before, he took her to the park, and they had a wonderful time. That Monday afternoon was supposed to be her day with her dad, but he never came home. And now my daughter is asking about her father, and I don’t have the strength to tell her that he’s not coming, that she can’t hug him anymore or say, 'Daddy, I love you.'” www.democracynow.org

Iranian Official Claims Kushner and Witkoff Sought to Exploit Negotiations for Personal Gain

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official told Drop Site News that Iran had informed Vice President JD Vance that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff were more interested in exploiting insider knowledge of the ceasefire negotiations to potentially profit than they were in reaching a deal. Iran provided Drop Site written documentation of evidence that Kushner and Witkoff were using diplomatic developments to manipulate financial markets. The White House flatly denied the allegations. www.democracynow.org

Truth Social Plans to Sell Priority Access to Trump’s Posts

President Trump’s company Truth Social has announced plans to charge for special high-speed access to Trump’s social media posts, including statements on national security and financial topics. In response Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote, “The President’s social media posts — covering war & peace & government regulations — move markets. Truth Social selling preferential access is yet another example of flagrant corruption, trading access to the White House for Trump’s self-enrichment.” www.democracynow.org

Trump’s Teleprompter Operator Reportedly Earned Over $100K Betting on Presidential Speeches

Federal investigators have found that President Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez made more than $100,000 by betting on Trump’s speeches. He allegedly used the prediction market Kalshi to place the bets. The company alerted the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to Perez’s suspicious activity on its “Mentions” market, where users can bet on whether specific words or phrases are uttered during public remarks. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned Thursday about the scandal. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: “Obviously, I’m aware of the report. The president is, too. I spoke with him about it. He believes it’s deeply unfortunate and, frankly, a disgrace.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Accuses China of Interfering in 2020 Election, Without Providing Evidence

President Trump used a primetime address Thursday to accuse China of interfering in the 2020 election. That’s despite a U.S. intelligence assessment finding no ​evidence to support his claim. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said President Trump’s accusations were “totally fabricated and a malicious smear.” President Trump also urged Republicans in Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which requires IDs at the polls and proof of citizenship during voter registration. President Donald Trump: “Tonight I’m announcing the immediate declassification and release of critical intelligence revealing shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure. This evidence shows that the election system we have dangerously exposes, and really exposes, like levels never thought possible, to hacking, exploitation and foreign interference.” www.democracynow.org

Wildfires Cause Dense Smoke and Hazardous Air Quality in More Than 20 States

Here in the United States, dense smoke from Canadian wildfires brought air quality alerts to people in more than 20 states in the northeast and upper Midwest on Thursday, with more smoke in the forecast this weekend. The Air Quality Index in Toledo, Ohio, climbed to over 600 — that compares to a “good” air quality score of 50 or less. In Detroit, Michigan, it topped 720 — more than double what’s needed to trigger a “hazardous air” alert. Here in New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke as readings topped 250, a level he said posed a health risk for everyone, regardless of their health status. Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “Whether we’re speaking about the heat, whether we’re speaking about the air quality, or whether we’re even speaking about the levels of rainwater and flooding in our city, I am concerned. And I’m concerned because what we see is that the climate crisis exacerbates so much of what our city is facing.” Meanwhile, in Texas, at least two people died as dangerous flooding swept through the central part of the state, the same area where more than 130 people, including 25 children at a summer camp, died in flash floods last summer. www.democracynow.org

Iran Claims Eight People Killed as U.S. Bombards Civilian Infrastructure

Iran’s government says at least eight people were killed as the United States carried out a sixth straight day of attacks. Targets included a railway station, six bridges and other civilian infrastructure. Iran’s Energy Ministry is calling on citizens to reduce their electricity use after Iran’s energy grid came under attack — that’s despite sweltering summer heat with temperatures well into triple digits. In another bombing, the U.S. struck near a children’s cancer hospital in the southwestern city of Ahvaz. The attack sparked the panicked evacuation of more than 200 people, including young patients undergoing chemotherapy. In response, Iran claimed a 13th wave of retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases. Missile and drone attacks were reported in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Syria and Qatar, where officials say a child was injured by falling missile debris. www.democracynow.org

“Disrupt, Identify, Defund, Debank, Arrest & Prosecute”: Trump Admin Threatens Leftist Groups

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/17/trump_leftist

Trump’s Election Integrity Speech Lays Groundwork for Midterm Interference: Ari Berman

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/17/trump_election_claims

Pro-Palestinian Activists Demand Release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya from Israeli Custody

Here in New York City, dozens of pro-Palestine activists gathered for a vigil to demand the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, who has been held in Israeli detention without charge since his abduction by Israeli troops 18 months ago. International calls to free Dr. Abu Safiya have been mounting over the past month, as his family and lawyer say he is facing possible death due to torture and medical neglect. This is Pam Sporn, a member of New York City Jewish Elders and Jewish Voice for Peace. Pam Sporn: “We’re out here today, along with Doctors Against Genocide, to demand the release of Dr. Abu Safiya, but also all Palestinian healthcare workers that are imprisoned in Israel, Israeli prisoners, and also all Israeli — all Israeli detainees who are Palestinian.” www.democracynow.org

100 Million People in North America Face Air Quality Alerts

About 100 million people in North America are under air quality alerts today as a thick blanket of smoke descends on cities from the upper Midwest to northeastern states. Overnight, air quality readings reached “hazardous” levels in cities including Minneapolis, Detroit and Toronto. Forecasters warn New York and many East Coast cities will spend another day under hazy orange skies. More than 1,000 active fires are burning in Canada, and dozens more in Minnesota. Meanwhile, more than 100 million people from the Plains to the East Coast face heat advisories or extreme heat warnings today, with a massive heat dome bringing triple-digit heat and record temperatures to many areas. www.democracynow.org

45-Year-Old Venezuelan Immigrant Dies in ICE Custody in Georgia

In Georgia, another prisoner has died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Wednesday, ICE announced that 45-year-old Venezuelan immigrant Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva was found “unresponsive” in a bus that was transporting him from one ICE jail to another, with a “suspected” cause of death listed as cardiac arrest. It’s at least the 22nd such death this year. It comes as the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday it would reverse plans to halt traffic stops, following the shooting deaths of two immigrants by ICE agents in less than a week. The U-turn came after President Trump wrote on social media, “we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” adding, “it won’t happen on my watch.” www.democracynow.org

New York Times Files Motion to Quash Subpoenas of Its Journalists

The New York Times filed a motion to quash subpoenas that Jay Clayton and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan served on its journalists after they reported on security concerns involving President Trump’s new plane donated to him by Qatar. In a statement, the Times’s Senior Vice President David McCraw said, “We are going to court to defend our journalists’ rights to report freely on the administration and to provide the public with stories that matter.” The subpoenas were delivered to four Times journalists at their homes last Friday to testify before a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York. www.democracynow.org

Trump’s Nominee for Director of National Intelligence Refuses to Say Whether Biden Won 2020 Election

President Trump’s pick to replace Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence refused to say Wednesday whether Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Jay Clayton was testifying to the Senate Intelligence Committee at his confirmation hearing. Here he is being questioned by Georgia Democrat Jon Osoff. Sen. Jon Ossoff: “You refuse to answer a simple matter of fact about the 2020 election. Is that right?” Jay Clayton: “No, that’s not right.” Sen. Jon Ossoff: “Then answer the question. Who won the 2020 election?” Jay Clayton: “I have answered. I have answered the question.” Sen. Jon Ossoff: “Answer it. What is your answer?” Jay Clayton: “I’ve given you my answer.” Sen. Jon Ossoff: “What is your answer? You refuse to answer a basic question about who won a presidential election.” Jay Clayton: “No, I” — Sen. Jon Ossoff: “But you ask to lead America’s intelligence community? Isn’t it humiliating to be unable to answer this question, to have to indulge the president’s delusions?” www.democracynow.org

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Grilled During Senate Confirmation Hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony Wednesday from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whom Trump has nominated to fill the role permanently. Democrats grilled Blanche over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files, the Trump administration’s so-called anti-weaponization fund and President Trump’s settlement with the IRS. Blanche was also questioned about serving as President Trump’s personal lawyer. Sen. John Kennedy: “Are you and President Trump friends?” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche: “I’m his lawyer — was his lawyer, and now I’m the deputy attorney general. So, I met him as his criminal defense attorney. I’m not sure there’s very many people who have ever had a criminal defense attorney who calls that person their friend.” Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas signaled that he was undecided on Blanche. A “no” vote from Senator Cornyn would effectively sink Blanche’s confirmation for attorney general. www.democracynow.org

Half of All Democrats on Capitol Hill Support Measure Slashing Military Funding to Israel

On Capitol Hill, half of all House Democrats voted Wednesday to support a measure slashing military funding to Israel. The amendment was proposed by Republican Congressmember Thomas Massie. It would have eliminated $3.3 billion in annual U.S. military assistance to Israel. The measure was ultimately defeated by House Republicans, along with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and caucus chair Pete Aguilar, who vowed to continue funding for Israel. But the House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark supported Massie’s amendment. She wrote in a statement, “We should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with U.S. law, interests, and values. The Netanyahu government has failed to meet that standard.” The former speaker of the House, Congressmember Nancy Pelosi of California, also voted to cut off funding to Israel, saying that Americans “are rightly demanding an end to a perpetual cycle of war, and the Netanyahu government cannot maintain its current course.” www.democracynow.org

Israeli Forces Kill Four People in Gaza, Including 6-Year-Old Girl

In Gaza, Israeli forces have killed four more people, including a child. Palestinian officials say an Israeli strike hit an apartment building in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killing Omar Abu Qassem, his wife Asma and their 6-year-old daughter Habeeba. Their 3-year-old son Sami was injured. This is a relative of the family. Anas Abu Sahin: “This poor, innocent civilian family that has no connection to any military action is a neutral family who was sleeping. The children were sleeping in their mother’s lap. This is how innocent civilians are bombed on these nights, which are said to include a truce and peace.” Since last October’s so-called ceasefire, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,100 Palestinians in Gaza. www.democracynow.org

Earthjustice Sues to Block Trump’s Move to Gut Endangered Species Act

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/16/change_to_endangered_species_act

Victor Salgado Araujo Saw ICE Agent Kill His Brother in Texas. He Is Now Detained, Faces Deportation

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/16/brother_of_lorenzo_salgado_araujo_shooting

Cuba’s National Electric Grid Collapses Again Amid U.S. Oil Blockade

Cuba’s national electric grid has collapsed for the third time this month. The island’s latest blackout came as the U.S. continued to impose the oil blockade it’s maintained since January, soon after U.S. forces abducted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Cuba had depended on Venezuela for fuel imports. The U.S. also pressured Mexico to halt oil shipments to the island. This is Julia Valdes, a resident of Havana. Julia Valdes: “I feel terrible. It’s awful news. Just imagine: Without electricity, the food spoils. My mother is bedridden with senile dementia. And because of these blackouts, I’ve had to throw out meat and fish. I’ve had to throw it all away because it had rotted. It is unfair that we are going through this situation.” www.democracynow.org

Sister of Late GOP Senator Lindsey Graham Sworn In to Fill His Senate Seat

On Capitol Hill, the sister of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was sworn in to fill his Senate seat on Tuesday. Darline Graham Nordone has never held public office. She was selected by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to complete her brother’s term, which expires in January. Lindsey Graham died Saturday night at age 71 due to an aortic tear after returning from a trip to Ukraine. On Tuesday, Darline Graham cast her first vote as a U.S. senator to advance the $1.15 trillion annual defense authorization bill, which ultimately failed in a 50-46 vote. www.democracynow.org

New York Becomes First State to Impose Data Center Moratorium

New York has become the first state to halt the construction of large new data centers, imposing a one-year moratorium. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the suspension on Tuesday. Gov. Kathy Hochul: “This pause will remain in place for up to one year while New York establishes the strongest possible framework to protect our communities, guardrails to reduce the risk to our energy grid, minimize land disruption, noise pollution, and protect our natural resources, especially our water supply.” New York currently has 130 data centers, compared with more than 600 ​in Virginia and about 500 in Texas. Meanwhile, a Reuters analysis finds that trillionaire Elon Musk’s company xAI has installed far more gas turbines without federal permits at its data center project in Tennessee than publicly acknowledged, and the pollution is mostly impacting Black neighborhoods. Patrick Anderson, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said, “The scale of it is astonishing. This is an absolutely huge Clean Air Act violation that threatens public health.” www.democracynow.org