A US federal judge has directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to justify its decision to drop criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. The order came a month after the DOJ announced it would no longer pursue the case. On Wednesday, Adani’s lawyers formally requested Brooklyn-based District Judge Nicholas Garaufis to dismiss the case. In a written ruling released Wednesday, Garaufis said the prosecutors’ notice lacked sufficient explanation and gave them until July 13 to provide detailed reasoning.

The judge noted that the government’s brief and one-sided statement did not give the court enough basis to reach a conclusion or properly assess the dismissal request. Adani’s attorney, Robert Giuffra, argued that the case should be dismissed because it falls outside US jurisdiction and prosecutors cannot prove alleged bribery in India.

Adani was charged in 2024 with agreeing to bribe Indian officials to secure a solar power contract and misleading US investors about his company’s anti-corruption policies. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on European goods if any European country enacts digital service taxes targeting American technology companies. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said several European nations are discussing such taxes, and some are close to implementing them. He warned that the punitive tariffs would be applied soon and could render existing bilateral trade agreements ineffective.

Trump’s warning specifically targets countries moving toward new digital taxes on US tech firms. The statement did not clarify how the measure would affect the United Kingdom, which has had a similar tax in place since 2020. Trump emphasized that any country imposing such a tax would face immediate 100 percent tariffs on all goods exported to the United States.

The remarks signal potential escalation in trade tensions between the United States and Europe if digital service tax plans proceed.

U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a new commemorative passport design featuring his own portrait, marking the country’s 250th anniversary. The limited-edition passport sample was shared on Friday via Trump’s Truth Social account, where he described it as the “new U.S. passport” and included the phrase “Welcome, but behave!” The design shows Trump’s image at the Resolute Desk with the Declaration of Independence text in the background and his signature below. The opposite page displays John Trumbull’s famous painting “The Declaration of Independence.”

The portrait used in the new passport appears to be based on Trump’s official painting displayed at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. This design differs from an earlier version released by the State Department earlier this year, which featured a different presidential image. The White House later posted the same design on its official X account, captioned “New U.S. passport commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.”

It remains unclear whether this latest image represents the final official design. The White House referred inquiries to the State Department, which has not yet commented, according to CNN.

The US government has authorized Anthropic to deploy its advanced AI model, Claude Mythos 5, for use by certain trusted organizations within the country. The decision partially lifts a previous suspension imposed two weeks earlier over national security concerns. More than 100 companies, including several Fortune 500 firms, will now gain access to the model. The approval follows a June 12 export control order that had halted the use of Anthropic’s Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models.

The move comes amid heightened government scrutiny of frontier AI systems from Anthropic and OpenAI, driven by fears that foreign intelligence services could misuse such technologies. On the same day, OpenAI announced it was delaying the public release of its GPT‑5.6 model at the government’s request. Critics have questioned the transparency of the government’s selection process for approved companies, while officials cited progress in risk mitigation efforts.

Analysts described the decision as a practical interim step but noted that broader questions remain about when and how these advanced AI models will be made widely available to the public.

US Vice President JD Vance has warned Iran that any further attacks will be met with violence, following a recent US military strike. In a post on social media platform X, Vance said that Iran had signed a ceasefire agreement which the US had respected. He added that if Iran had disagreements over the implementation of the memorandum, it could communicate directly rather than resorting to aggression.

The US launched the strike against Iran after accusing it of carrying out a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump alleged that Iran had foolishly violated the ceasefire. According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation targeted Iran’s missile and drone storage sites as well as coastal radar installations, describing it as a precise response to the drone attack.

The incident has raised renewed concerns about the future of the initial US-Iran understanding, which now appears increasingly fragile amid escalating tensions.

A wave of pro-Palestinian victories in New York City has marked a dramatic shift in U.S. politics. In the latest elections, candidates supporting Palestinian rights won across all five boroughs, defeating long-standing incumbents known for their strong backing of Israel. Among the most notable losses were Representative Dan Goldman, who was defeated by former city comptroller Brad Lander, and Adriano Espaillat, who lost to activist Daryaliza Avila Chevalier despite heavy financial support from pro-Israel groups.

The results reflect growing voter frustration with continued U.S. funding for Israel’s military and its actions in Gaza. Polls cited in the report show that majorities of Democratic voters in states like Texas, Arizona, and New York believe Israel is committing genocide. The shift has also exposed divisions within the Democratic Party, as leaders face pressure to align with changing public sentiment.

The article suggests that unless Democratic leaders adjust their stance on Israel, they risk losing key voter support in future national elections, while Republicans may seize the opportunity to redefine their position on the issue.

The United States is reassessing its military presence in the Middle East following Iranian attacks on bases in Gulf countries. According to a Wall Street Journal report, US officials are considering reducing their presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia while planning to rebuild the heavily damaged naval base in Bahrain. The Pentagon has not yet disclosed the extent of the damage.

The report adds that Washington is also weighing the possibility of relocating some bases and operations to Israel. Citing current and former US military personnel, satellite imagery, and social media footage, the report notes that Iran’s strikes caused significant damage to the US command headquarters and at least a dozen other buildings.

These developments have prompted a reassessment of the risks faced by US bases that remain within range of Iranian missiles and drones, as officials evaluate future deployment and security strategies in the region.

Three politicians critical of Israel won New York City’s Democratic Party primaries on Tuesday, signaling a shift in the party’s stance toward the Jewish state. The winners—Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darieliza Avila Chevalier—were backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose activism began in the Palestinian rights movement. At Avila Chevalier’s victory rally in Harlem, supporters chanted “Free Palestine,” and she declared that the era of old politics was over.

The results reflect a broader transformation within the Democratic Party, where voters are increasingly critical of Israel’s actions. While many senior Democrats remain supportive of Israel, grassroots backing has declined. A recent New York Times/Siena poll found that 60 percent of Democrats sympathize more with Palestinians, compared to only 15 percent with Israel. Senator Chris Van Hollen noted that more Democrats now oppose unconditional U.S. aid to Israel.

Despite heavy spending by pro-Israel groups like AIPAC to influence upcoming elections, the organization appears to be operating defensively as Democratic sentiment continues to shift.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of migrants from Haiti and Syria. In a 6–3 ruling issued on Thursday, conservative justices upheld the administration’s authority to revoke the humanitarian protection, overturning lower court decisions that had blocked the move. The decision removes the legal right of affected migrants to remain in the United States and opens the door for their deportation.

The ruling affects more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians who received TPS after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2012 Syrian civil war. Justice Samuel Alito wrote that courts lack authority to review administrative decisions on TPS, rejecting claims that the policy was racially motivated. Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan dissented, arguing that the court should review whether proper procedures were followed and citing evidence of racial bias in Trump’s earlier remarks.

The decision could impact 1.3 million TPS holders from 17 countries. Haitian and Syrian advocates warned of severe humanitarian consequences, while Trump officials welcomed the ruling as a reaffirmation of immigration control.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington plans to use seized Iranian funds to purchase American agricultural products for Iran. Speaking on Thursday, Trump said the initiative aims to buy U.S. wheat, soybeans, and corn for shipment to Iran, which he described as facing a food shortage. He added that the plan would create a new market for American farmers and that the process would begin soon on a large scale.

According to Trump, the move will allow the United States to utilize Iranian assets to address humanitarian needs while benefiting U.S. agriculture. He referred to Iran as a beautiful country and emphasized that the effort would be significant in size. The statement was reported by Anadolu Agency.

The plan, if implemented, could open a new trade channel between the two nations despite existing tensions, though the source did not specify when or how the transactions would be carried out.

At least five people, including two children, were killed in overnight Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula, according to local officials on June 25, 2026. The strikes also caused a fire at a large oil storage facility in southern Russia. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces shot down 269 Ukrainian drones over Russia and Crimea during the night.

Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov reported two deaths, including a child, and two injuries in Crimea. In Russia’s Bryansk region, a 23-year-old driver and a 15-year-old girl were killed, while another person died in Belgorod. Officials in Krasnodar Krai said debris from a downed drone ignited a blaze at the Poltavskaya oil depot. Ukraine’s military stated that its operations targeted Russian military and energy infrastructure to reduce Moscow’s wartime fuel revenue.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 90 drones and one Iskander missile overnight, of which 83 drones were intercepted. The Ukrainian railway authority reported one worker killed in a Russian strike on a train in Zaporizhzhia. The report noted that Ukraine has intensified drone attacks inside Russia in recent months as retaliation for frequent Russian strikes.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told a closed-door hearing of the US House Oversight Committee that financier Jeffrey Epstein may have tried to use information about his private life to pressure him. Gates admitted to having romantic relationships with three women, including Russian bridge player Mila Antonova, nuclear scientist Karima Nigmatulina, and medical entrepreneur Alice Jacobs Nesselrodt. He said Epstein knew about two of these relationships and may have sought to exploit that knowledge.

Gates stated that Epstein never directly blackmailed or threatened him but believed Epstein considered doing so, citing a 2013 draft email referencing Gates’s personal life and former aide Boris Nikolic. Gates described the message as an attempt to mix truth and falsehood for leverage. He denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes and called his past meetings with Epstein a mistake, saying they were focused on philanthropy and donor outreach.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced an independent review of its past contacts with Epstein after new documents revealed communications between some staff and Epstein.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with European nations for not participating in the joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Thursday. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said he was disappointed that NATO member states did not join the war effort and claimed that the United States and Israel had already achieved complete success in the first week of the campaign.

Trump added that while American forces did not need assistance, he would have appreciated a show of support from European allies. His remarks reflected his longstanding criticism that NATO’s European members contribute less to defense responsibilities and rely too heavily on Washington during crises. According to Al Jazeera, Trump also emphasized the success of the Iran operation while calling for more visible political and military backing from NATO partners.

Rutte did not issue any immediate public response. Analysts noted that Trump’s comments have again highlighted existing differences between the United States and its European allies over Middle East policy and military cooperation.

A powerful earthquake struck rural Northern California on Wednesday morning, marking the region’s strongest quake since 1940. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 5.6-magnitude quake was centered about 12 kilometers northwest of Willits, with tremors felt as far as the coastal city of Fort Bragg. The quake occurred at 8:10 a.m. Pacific Time, about 8 kilometers underground and 80 kilometers east of Fort Bragg. Officials reported some injuries but no major damage immediately after the event.

Mendocino County spokesperson Heather Rose confirmed that hospitals reported several injuries, though details were not yet available. More than 6,000 residents across six nearby towns lost power, and authorities urged people to avoid highways to allow inspection and repair work. Seismologist Lucy Jones said it was the largest quake in the area in nearly nine decades and not located on a major fault line. She added that aftershocks were likely but expected to be minor.

California’s Office of Emergency Services said over 657,000 early warning alerts were sent via the MyShake app, with total alerts likely exceeding one million as other systems also issued warnings.

US Vice President JD Vance stated that Washington is reviewing the conditions for a possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. He said the process involves verifying whether Turkey has met the necessary legal requirements under US law, and that he is working with the Pentagon to assess compliance before any transfer takes place.

Vance emphasized that the matter ultimately depends on the US Congress. He noted that Turkey must fully adhere to American legal standards before receiving the aircraft. The review aims to ensure that all statutory obligations are satisfied prior to any approval of the sale.

According to Vance, if Turkey meets the legal conditions, it will be eligible to obtain the F-35 jets. The statement reflects ongoing scrutiny of defense sales and the importance of congressional oversight in such transactions.