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Jul 12, 2026 - World

Shortly after the United States launched a fresh round of strikes at Iran on Sunday, the United Nations secretary-general pleaded with all parties to practice restraint, or risk sparking global and imminent “catastrophic consequences.”On Saturday, the United States launched strikes at Iran in response to an attack on a container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and in a manner that Iran claimed to be in violation of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement. Iran responded early Sunday morning with strikes targeting major U.S. allies in the region.On Sunday, the United States retaliated again with a new wave of strikes, only this time, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres pleaded with all parties involved to stop hostilities, The New York Times reported.“A return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences [for the region and for the global economy],” Guterres said, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.Guterres went on to say he was “deeply concerned by the serious escalation” and urged both the United States and Iran “to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action and take immediate steps to de-escalate.”The United States’ most recent attack on Iran, according to a U.S. official who spoke with the Times under the condition of anonymity, was to degrade “Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping vessels,” the Times reported.On Saturday, Iran also announced that the Strait of Hormuz – a critical shipping route through which around 20% of the world’s oil trade flows – was “closed until further notice,” citing “America’s interventions in the region.”

Jul 12, 2026 - World

The sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and the mysterious absence of a sickly Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have thrown the Senate GOP into "chaos" ahead of crucial vote, analysts contend. It remains unclear whether the senate Republicans will now be able to pursue plans to rush the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act to a vote without the two powerful representatives at hand, Democratic strategist and MS NOW contributor Max Burns argued Sunday."Lindsey Graham's sudden and unexpected death throws into chaos the Senate GOP's plan," he wrote on X. " Without McConnell and Graham they are in a real tight vote situation."That's because opposition from Democrats has been mounting.Six Democratic senators last week urged colleagues to block the NDAA's advancement until a provision they believe to be"reckless" can be removed, according to a recent Truthout report. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and five others urged colleagues not to support the U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative which would mandate cooperation between the U.S. and Israel militaries and intelligence, according to the report. “These agreements threaten U.S. national security interests by handing the Netanyahu government leverage over American weapons systems and military technology,” the letter stated. “This is not hypothetical."Iran also poses a problem. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) announced over the weekend he would not vote to approve the NDAA over concerns about the war. "We haven’t even had an up or down vote to authorize this war in the first place," Schatz said Saturday. "Trump wants a 50 percent increase at DOD - they expect money without accountability or strategy. I usually vote yes on NDAA but this is an easy call for me."With opposition mounting, Senate Republicans needed Graham and McConnell to help them fend off this attack from Democrats, argued political reporter Igor Bobic on Sunday."Senate was set to take up the NDAA upon returning from the break," he wrote. "Will be harder with Graham’s passing and McConnell’s absence amid rising Dem opposition over Iran."Last week, Politico reported an already thin margin for Republicans to push military spending.

Jul 12, 2026 - World

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is now calling for the “arrest and prosecution” of Israeli settlers he accused of detaining him earlier this week while traveling the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and accused the Israeli government of “lying” about him to “cover up” their involvement in the incident.Khanna revealed earlier on Saturday that he had been detained by a group of Israeli settlers “brandishing American-made M4s,” and shared video of the incident on social media. He also claimed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “sided with the settlers” and “continued” his detention.The incident drew scattered bipartisan criticism, though some – including prominent right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) – appeared to side with the Israeli government and condemn Khanna instead.On Saturday evening, the conservative New York Post published a report claiming that during his trip to Israel and the West Bank, Khanna "blew off" an offer to meet with former Israeli hostages. While the Post did not disclose the identity of its source for the claim, Khanna suggested it had come from Israeli officials, whom he accused of lying.“The Israeli government is lying to cover up for 4 IDF soldiers who aided violent settlers brandishing M4 guns and threatening American lives,” Khanna wrote Saturday night in a defiant social media post on X.“I am calling for their arrest and prosecution. I have met with Israeli hostages and condemned the brutal, terrorist attacks of Oct 7. That does [not] excuse the IDF from detaining American citizens.”The same day Khanna revealed he had been detained by Israeli settlers, a CNN crew and other journalists were also detained by settlers in the West Bank, which CNN described as an “attack.”“The four settlers were wielding wooden and metal rods and stones. One settler brandished a knife and tried to puncture the tires of CNN’s vehicle,” CNN reported Saturday.“The settlers then began to jump on the vehicle behind CNN’s – carrying another group of journalists – and smashed the windshield of that vehicle. Another group of settlers tried to block a separate exit route before chasing the journalists towards the town of Sinjil.”More than 700,000 Israeli settlers illegally live in the West Bank, with instances of settler violence increasing over the past year. Approximately 1,732 incidents of settler violence “resulting in casualties or property damage” were documented in the 12-month period up to Oct. 31, 2025, according to a United Nations Human Rights Office report. Israeli settlers have also killed at least 15 Americans since 2003.The Israeli government is lying to cover up for 4 IDF soldiers who aided violent settlers brandishing M4 guns and threatening American lives. I am calling for their arrest and prosecution.I have met with Israeli hostages and condemned the brutal, terrorist attacks of Oct 7.… https://t.co/d0POw0J57F— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) July 12, 2026

Jul 12, 2026 - World

Just hours after the 'sudden' death of Sen. Lindsey Graham was announced to the public, MAGA conspiracy theorists began chasing traffic with wild claims about the cause.Questions do remain after Graham's office released an statement Sunday morning that was short on detail."On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness," read the 2 a.m. statement. "Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."President Donald Trump has promised to release more information after declaring on Truth Social Sunday morning that Graham "is dead!"It was later revealed he died Saturday night at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. after reportedly suffering chest pains.These sparse details proved fodder enough for conspiracy theories to thrive on X.Libertarian talk show host Clint Russell told his nearly 300,000 followers to "get your tinfoil ready" before he suggested, without evidence, that Russia was somehow to blame for Graham's death in Washington, D.C. Graham was in Ukraine as recently as Friday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reports show. "I'd say there is a decent chance that Russia blew up Lindsey Graham," Russell wrote in a comment liked more than a thousand times."Graham is not just the most psychotic booster of Ukraine but he was also the biggest booster for arming Ukraine a decade ago (and likely the Maidan revolution) which really forced Russia to invade," Russell added. "This -could- be the warning shot to the political class that while Russia doesn't want WW3 they will extract a cost on the politicians themselves who are pushing for this endless war. It's now being reported he died of a heart attack. Sure, maybe. Idk."MAGA influencer Laura Loomer also blamed Russia but she decided to tell her 1.9 million followers, again without evidence, that it was possible Russia had poisoned Graham with help from Iran. "There seriously needs to be an investigation," she wrote in a post liked nearly 10,000 times. "Russia just sent a delegation to Khamenei’s funeral in Tehran where the IRGC and funeral organizers was calling for myself, President Trump and Senator Graham to be assassinated. Lindsey Graham was in Ukraine one day ago calling for a Russian sanctions bill that he claimed the White House supports. Now he is suddenly dead from a random illness according to his staff. Did Russia just murder a US Senator?"Anthony Galli, a conservative writer with more than 10,000 followers, took this idea and ran with it."If Iran was behind Lindsey Graham's sudden death but we should respond anyway," he wrote. "President Trump should launch OPERATION LINDSEY GRAHAM. It's what he would've wanted."Matt Forney, host of an eponymous video podcast with more than 3,000 followers, was blunt about naming these comments as baseless claims of secret plots — but did not reject them. "I'm not going to go full conspiracy theorist yet," he wrote. Responding to video of Graham he added, "But this was two days ago. Lindsey Graham looks pretty spry for a 71-year-old. He certainly doesn't look sick or frail. Did Russia or Iran assassinate Graham? I don't think we can rule it out."

Jul 12, 2026 - World

Scientists worry that current eradication efforts won’t be able to contain parasitic infestation pushing into USWhen conservationists set up cameras in remote regions of Central American forests, they wanted to monitor illegal cattle movement, which can lead to deforestation. But in recent months, they discovered another alarming development: wildlife rapidly infected with the new world screwworm.It’s a warning sign of how the fly could spread in the US – and it signals new difficulties in pushing it back south, a process that will probably take years, experts say. Continue reading...