Here are today’s top stories.
Headlines
Trump Delivers Primetime Address on Election Integrity
President Trump used a White House address Thursday night to announce the declassification of intelligence he said shows “shocking vulnerabilities” in U.S. elections, and renewed his push for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. Source
A U.S. newspaper report says President Trump is considering deploying American ground forces to seize strategic Iranian islands near the Strait of Hormuz, though the White House has not confirmed any decision. Read More
Thick smoke from more than 100 Canadian wildfires spread into the northeastern and midwestern U.S. on Thursday, prompting air quality alerts across 11 states, including New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. See Details
Politics
President Trump used his primetime speech to allege “stunning” Chinese interference in the 2020 election and a ” deep state” cover-up, drawing swift pushback from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Source
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned Washington visit and meeting with Trump were called off this week after the postponement of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral, White House officials told Axios. Source
A White House technical aide with access to Trump’s prepared remarks is under federal investigation for allegedly betting on the content of the president’s speeches, press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed. See Details
U.S. News
House Speaker Mike Johnson unexpectedly pulled a major veterans’ benefits bill from the floor Thursday after backlash over provisions cutting disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus. Read More
A Fort Worth dentist was arrested and charged with injury to a child after authorities said she administered a lethal combination of sedatives to a 4-year-old patient during a routine procedure. See Details
A Canadian woman was taken into ICE custody after being charged with assaulting a teenager wearing pro-Trump clothing at a New Jersey boardwalk over the July Fourth weekend, officials said. Source
Business
U.S. stock futures dropped early Friday after the military completed its sixth straight night of strikes on Iran, with Dow futures down 301 points and tech shares under renewed pressure. Source
PayPal shares jumped more than 17% after Reuters reported that Stripe and Advent International are exploring a $53 billion deal to take the payments company private. Source
Lawmakers plan to vote next week on the Stop Insider Trading Act, which would bar members of Congress and their families from trading stocks, though Democrats say the measure doesn’t go far enough. Find out More
Market Report
| Symbol | Last Close | % Change | |
| Dow Jones | DJIA | $52,508.27 | 9.63% |
| S&P 500 | SPX | $7,543.59 | 28.89% |
| Nasdaq Composite | IXIC | $26,107.01 | 236.04% |
| Alphabet Inc. | GOOG | $353.81 | -4.43% |
| Tesla, Inc. | TSLA | $391.06 | -0.86% |
| Apple Inc. | AAPL | $333.26 | 1.76% |
| Microsoft Corp. | MSFT | $401.10 | 1.38% |
World News
Qatar and Kuwait reported intercepting fresh Iranian fire early Friday as the U.S. continued its bombing campaign, with CENTCOM saying it has completed six consecutive nights of strikes on Iranian military targets. See Details
A fire tore through an orphanage in Mohammedia, Algeria, before dawn Thursday, killing 11 children and injuring 19 others, according to Algerian officials. Source
The Treasury Department officially designated Mexico’s Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras as transnational terrorist organizations, adding to a growing list of cartels sanctioned under the Trump administration’s anti-trafficking push. Find out More
Entertainment
Paramount is bracing for a wave of shareholder and state lawsuits over its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., with the company weighing whether to fight, settle, or renegotiate the terms. Source
A man was arrested and now faces hate crime charges after breaching security at NBC’s ” Today” studio, lunging at anchor Craig Melvin, and shouting a racial slur Thursday morning. Source
Kris Jenner announced the death of her mother, Mary Jo ” MJ” Campbell, in an emotional Instagram tribute, saying she will ” forever see pieces of you” in her children and grandchildren. Source
Sports
LeBron James told a young fan at Fanatics Fest in New York that the 2026-27 season may not necessarily be his last, calling the decision about his future “big” for him and his family. See Details
The Houston Astros added pitcher Lance McCullers in a trade with the Brewers as the stove heats up across baseball, with the trade deadline just under three weeks away. Source
Former middleweight champions Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman headline UFC Fight Night Saturday in Oklahoma City, with du Plessis looking to rebound from a loss to Khamzat Chimaev. Source
Off the Wall
A nearly 77-year-old Pompano Beach woman went viral after the DMV mailed her a new license plate reading ” SQZ A55,” which she’s now considering keeping despite the racy interpretation. Source
