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Investigative Reporter Names US Journalists Who China Funded
Investigative reporter Natalie Winters detailed in a Substack report that foreign-agent filings show the China-United States Exchange Foundation organized free trips for U.S. journalists selected for potential favorable coverage. Named participants include Ezra Klein and Matthew Yglesias of Vox, Ronald Brownstein of CNN and The Atlantic, Bradford Plumer of The New York Times, and others from outlets such as NPR, The Washington Post and the Associated Press. Some later published pieces defending Chinese policies or criticizing U.S. confrontations with Beijing. The report relies on cross-referenced filings, newsletters and contemporaneous accounts.
đď¸ News & Politics
Trump Administration Escalates Election Integrity Fight to Supreme Court Over Blocked Mail Voting Executive Order
The Trump administration requested emergency intervention from the Supreme Court to lift a lower court injunction halting an executive order aimed at strengthening safeguards around mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that an Obama-appointed district judge acted prematurely by blocking the measure before federal agencies had even finalized their implementing rules. The executive order directs the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to assist in compiling citizenship verification lists and instructs the Postal Service to restrict ballot deliveries to eligible voters on those rosters. Democratic state officials from 23 jurisdictions challenged the directive as an unconstitutional power grab over state-managed election procedures, winning temporary holds in lower federal courts. Justice Department attorneys countered that halting policy implementation inflicts irreparable harm on executive authority while preventing agencies from establishing basic voter verification standards before citizens cast ballots.
Audio Tapes Show Biden Discussing Classified Material With Ghostwriter For Book Deal
Newly released audio tapes from interviews with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer capture former President Joe Biden referencing classified notes he possessed and shared for his 2017 memoir âPromise Me, Dad.â Biden is heard saying phrases such as âthe next thing I have here is classifiedâ and âI just found all the classified stuff downstairs.â The recordings, obtained during special counsel Robert Hurâs investigation, were released by House Republicans after a legal battle. Hur previously noted Bidenâs memory issues in declining to prosecute despite finding serious national security risks from the mishandling.
USCIS Fast-Tracks Asylum Cases by Sending Applicants Directly to Judges
The Trump administration issued a rule allowing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to refer certain asylum applications directly to immigration judges without first conducting interviews. Officials said the change will shorten adjudication times and reduce the backlog. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated the asylum system has been exploited for delay and work authorization rather than legitimate protection claims. The interim final rule takes effect immediately and is open for public comment. The move aims to direct resources toward genuine persecution claims.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Faces Heat Over Mitch McConnell Health Questions, Senate Replacement
Following weeks of silence and sparse updates regarding the health of 84-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D) sent a formal letter demanding the long-serving Republican senator publicly demonstrate his mental and physical capacity to carry out his duties or step down from office. Scrutiny intensified following reports of a 911 emergency call placed from McConnell's Washington home on June 14, in which dispatchers noted an unconscious individual undergoing CPR before the senator was transported to a hospital and subsequently transferred to a rehabilitation facility for extended physical therapy. With McConnell remaining absent from Capitol Hill for over six weeks and missing key votes, Beshear urged the senator to directly address Kentuckians verbally or have his staff provide transparent documentation regarding his cognitive and physical condition. The escalating confrontation highlights ongoing political tension over state succession statutes, transparency surrounding aging elected officials in Washington, and whether party aides and staff are masking severe medical incapacitation from voters.
Wisconsin Tornado Causes Extensive Damage and Cuts Power to Thousands
A tornado swept through northeastern Wisconsin on Monday, July 27, 2026, splintering homes, downing trees and power lines, and knocking out power to more than 30,000 people in areas including Appleton and Menasha in Winnebago and Outagamie counties. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado via radar in Winnebago County, about 90 miles northwest of Milwaukee, with reports of twisted metal and wood debris on highways, heavily damaged warehouses, roofs and siding stripped from homes, overturned vehicles, and collapsed buildings. Officials, including Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, reported no known fatalities or injuries as searches continued, while the entire city of Menasha lost power due to a downed transmission line and opened a shelter; severe weather threats persisted into the afternoon with additional storms possible.
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Report Exposes Progressive Foundations Funding Childrenâs Charity Linked To Designated Terror Group
A new Network Contagion Research Institute report details how the Berkeley-based Middle East Childrenâs Alliance received millions from progressive donors including Open Society Foundations and entities tied to Neville Roy Singham. The charity disbursed about $35 million in foreign grants from fiscal 2017 to 2025, with some directed to groups having documented ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization since 1997. Grant reporting grew opaque over time, often listing only generic âcommunity projects.â Personnel overlaps and coalition ties further connect MECA to PFLP-affiliated networks. Foreign grants surged in recent years amid heightened pro-Palestinian activism.
Socialist Zohran Mamdani Promises City-Run Grocery Stores Will Undercut Private Supermarkets by 30 Percent
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a government-funded grocery initiative that promises municipal grocery stores will sell produce, meat, and dry goods at 30 percent below market rates. The proposal relies on taxpayer subsidies to offset operating losses, real estate procurement, and distribution logistics while positioning public storefronts to directly compete against private neighborhood grocers. Mamdani argued that state intervention is necessary to combat food deserts and elevated inflation, despite industry representatives warning that subsidized prices will squeeze razor-thin profit margins for local merchants and drive smaller family businesses out of neighborhood markets. Critics immediately raised questions about government inventory management and fiscal viability, noting that similar municipal retail experiments in other cities ran up severe operational deficits while struggling with distribution inefficiencies.
Illinois Liberal Judge Keeps Bench After Anti-ICE Post While Conservative Judge Fights Removal
Cook County Circuit Judge Cynthia Ramirez posted âF@ck ICEâ and other critical comments about President Trump on Facebook yet remains on the juvenile court bench. Meanwhile, retired Judge James Brown, recalled to handle traffic cases and who cleared more than 1,000 of them, was removed by the Illinois Supreme Court without a hearing after bar groups objected to earlier private political comments. The Liberty Justice Center, representing Brown, has highlighted the differing treatment of the two judges under judicial conduct rules. A federal court has allowed Brownâs lawsuit challenging his removal to proceed.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill Refuses To Release Names Of 6,600 Noncitizens Registered To Vote
New Jersey Democrat Governor Mikie Sherrill announced she will not turn over the list of approximately 6,600 noncitizens who were registered to vote between June 2023 and June 2024 to the Trump administration. She cited concerns about private data and accused the federal government of weaponizing information against those who disagree. The state had blamed a software error by vendor IDEMIA, though the company stated the records accurately showed the individuals indicated they were not U.S. citizens yet still requested registration. Roughly 400 of those registered cast ballots, according to preliminary state analysis.
Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayedâs Delayed Disclosure Lists Rental Properties In India And Dubai
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed filed a delayed personal financial disclosure revealing rental properties owned by his wife in Bangalore, India, and Dubai, each valued between $100,001 and $250,000. The couple also jointly owns a rental property in Ann Arbor, Michigan, valued between $250,001 and $500,000. El-Sayed had requested an extension citing complicated overseas family assets and filed the day before the primary after criticism from opponent Rep. Haley Stevens. The disclosure covers the 2025 calendar year and shows combined income ranges from the properties.
đ International
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq Report Drone Attacks
Saudi Arabiaâs defense ministry said Monday its air defenses intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq by Iran-backed armed groups that targeted oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh. Jordanâs military reported shooting down two drones that entered its airspace with no casualties or damage. Iraqi security sources reported a series of drone attacks on camps housing Iranian opposition Kurdish forces in the north. The incidents occurred as the United States paused strikes on Iran. Yemenâs Houthis separately claimed attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. Riyadh condemned the strikes and called on Iraq to prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad. Iraqâs prime minister ordered an investigation.
Houthis Claim Missile Strike On Saudi Oil Tanker In Red Sea Forcing Vessel To Turn Back
Yemenâs Iran-aligned Houthis announced late Tuesday they fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea. The group said the vessel violated their maritime blockade on Saudi shipping and ignored warning calls. Military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the attack forced the tanker to turn back. The incident comes amid repeated Houthi threats against Saudi-linked vessels and follows earlier claimed strikes this month. Additional ships have diverted from planned Red Sea routes as a result. Saudi Arabia has condemned such attacks as illegal while independent confirmation of damage remains limited.
Secret Service Probes Iran-Linked Video Calling For Melania Trump Assassination
An IRGC-affiliated outlet, Tasnim News Agency, released a video on its Telegram channel titled âWhere to Kill Melania?!â that includes suggestions for targeting First Lady Melania Trump and ends with a threat against Barron Trump. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed it is aware of the material and investigates any perceived threats to its protectees. The video surfaces amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions and prior Iranian calls for harm against the Trump family. Officials have not publicly detailed any specific credible threat level.
Burka-Wearing Woman Awarded For Empowering Girls In Britain
Khadija Patel, who wears a full burka, received the British Citizen Award at the Palace of Westminster for founding the KRIMMZ Girls Youth Club in Bolton and empowering young women through sports such as archery, cricket, netball and cycling. Officials praised her for creating inclusive spaces that build confidence and break cultural barriers among hundreds of girls. The recognition comes despite the garmentâs traditional association with female subordination in some interpretations of Islamic practice. Patel dedicated the Peopleâs Honours award to her volunteers and community supporters.
Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan Causing Damage And Injuries
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto region on Japanâs southern Kyushu island on Tuesday, prompting a brief tsunami advisory that was later lifted. Officials reported dozens of injuries, power outages, damaged roads, bridges and buildings, along with fires. Part of an Aeon shopping mall collapsed, trapping people inside, with reports of deaths and ongoing rescue efforts. Japanâs prime minister activated a task force to assess damage and coordinate responses as aftershocks continued.
