Israeli Strike Kills Gaza Aid Official Who Organized World Cup Screening

In Gaza City, an Israeli strike on the Sabra neighborhood Tuesday evening killed Palestinian aid official Mohammed al-Wahidi, along with a taxi driver and two children — 10-year-old Hamza al-Deri and his 8-year-old brother Fari. Al-Wahidi was director of public relations for the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza and had just organized a public screening of the Egypt-Argentina World Cup match. Israel killed him less than an hour before kickoff. Since October, when Israel agreed to a so-called ceasefire, it has killed at least 1,027 people in Gaza, including 258 children. www.democracynow.org

U.S. Renews Attacks on Iran and Reimposes Oil Sanctions

The United States has renewed its attacks on Iran, with multiple explosions reported in southern regions, including the port city of Sirik, Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and Kharg Island. U.S. Central Command said the strikes were in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran’s military pledged a “crushing response.” Soon after, air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain and Kuwait as U.S. military sites came under Iranian drone and missile fire. The U.S. strikes came hours after the Treasury Department revoked a temporary sanctions waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil on the open market. That led to a surge in oil prices and a steep decline in Asian stock markets, which shed more than $700 billion in value during a broad sell-off. www.democracynow.org

Family of Cuban Who Died of “Likely Homicide” at Texas ICE Jail Sues for Wrongful Death

The family of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant whose death in ICE custody was ruled a likely homicide, is suing four guards and the companies that oversaw Camp East Montana — a sprawling immigration detention tent camp at the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas — at the time of Campos’s death. The Washington Post reports his family is seeking more than $1 million in damages from Acquisition Logistics, the company that oversaw Camp East Montana when Campos was killed; Akima, which employed the guards accused of killing Campos; and NANA Regional Corp., Akima’s parent company. Earlier this year, an autopsy report released by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded Campos had died from asphyxia caused by neck and torso compression, ruling his death a homicide. Before his death, Campos had complained of not getting the right dosage of medication to treat his bipolar disorder and anxiety. He had also expressed having suicidal thoughts. But instead of receiving proper care, Campos was placed in solitary confinement, where guards shackled and handcuffed him, repeatedly “putting pressure on his neck and chest until his body went limp.” www.democracynow.org

U.S. Surges Troops to Venezuela in Wake of Devastating Earthquakes

In Venezuela, the death toll from last month’s devastating earthquakes has topped 3,500 and is expected to continue rising, as the United States seeks to expand its military presence in the wake of the disaster. U.S. Southern Command recently announced the deployment of at least 2,000 military personnel to Venezuela, alongside drones, combat helicopters and other hardware. That’s in addition to U.S. Marines and Air Force officials already in Venezuela. The U.N. Development Program estimates June’s earthquakes caused $6.7 billion in damage in Venezuela. Despite that toll, the United States has provided just $300 million in recovery aid, while it sits on some $8 billion worth of Venezuela’s oil wealth, seized after the U.S. abduction of former President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores. www.democracynow.org

Palestinian Baby Dies as Israeli Forces Block Ambulance at Checkpoint

In the occupied West Bank, a 4-month-old Palestinian baby died after Israeli forces blocked his evacuation to receive emergency medical care. The family of Ahmad Marouf Zeid had reportedly called the Palestinian Red Crescent, which sent an ambulance to the entrance of Deir Ammar refugee camp, where the family resides, but Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint prevented the baby’s transfer to a hospital for more than an hour. Haaretz reports the main entrance to the village has been closed since January, shutting down the only direct route to and from Ramallah. The Palestinian Red Crescent says Israeli soldiers stationed there routinely block residents from passing through. Israeli forces also shot dead a 16-year-old boy from the Qalandiya refugee camp, near Ramallah, in a raid Sunday. During the same raid, security camera video footage shows an Israeli soldier throwing a stun grenade into a car carrying Palestinians, before appearing to force the door shut as it detonated. www.democracynow.org

Trump Pardons Clean Air Act Violators and Ex-Partner of Jack Abramoff

President Trump has issued pardons to 11 more people, including nine who faced criminal charges for violating the Clean Air Act by tampering with emissions monitoring systems on vehicles. Trump also pardoned Adam Kidan, a former business partner of the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Kidan pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy related to the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats. His pardon came just months after he co-hosted a fundraiser at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for a Long Island Republican congressional candidate. www.democracynow.org

At Least 25 Die from Record U.S. Heat Wave Over Fourth of July Weekend

Here in the U.S., at least 25 people are dead due to extreme heat and humidity after a massive heat dome brought record temperatures to the central and eastern U.S. over the Fourth of July holiday. Some 185 million people — or more than half of U.S. residents — were under heat alerts over the weekend, with extreme weather forcing the cancellation of Independence Day events in states from Alabama to Connecticut. Meanwhile, Super Typhoon Bavi has brought devastating 175-mile-per-hour winds and storm surge to the Pacific Ocean U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. After headlines, we’ll speak with David Wallace-Wells, a New York Times opinion writer whose recent piece is headlined “We Need to Retrofit the Planet. The Heat Wave Proves It.” www.democracynow.org