Hamas says it has given a 'positive' response to the latest ceasefire proposal in Gaza
DEIR al-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas says it has given a “positive” response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza but says further talks are needed on implementation. It was not clear if Hamas’ statement meant it had accepted the proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire. Hamas has been seeking guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war, now nearly 21 months old. In a statement issued late Friday, Hamas said it has “delivered the response to the mediators, which was positive.”
Russia launches largest missile and drone barrage on Kyiv since war in Ukraine began
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine overnight in the largest aerial assault since the war began. The capital Kyiv was the primary target. Authorities said one person was killed and at least 26 people, including a child, were injured. Hours after the barrage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a “very important and productive” phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump told reporters it was “a very good call.” When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, Trump said: “I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether or not that’s going to happen.” The Kyiv attack came hours after Trump held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the U.S. president said was disappointing.
Desperate search for missing girls from summer camp after Texas floods kill at least 24
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Heavy rains have caused devastating flash floods in Texas Hill Country, killing at least 24 people and leaving many others missing. At a news conference late Friday Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said two dozen people were dead after least 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain poured down overnight, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River. Authorities said 237 people had been recued so far, including 167 by helicopter. Among the missing are more than 20 girls from a summer camp. Officials say the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue.
Trump signs his tax and spending cut bill at the White House July 4 picnic
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed his signature bill of tax and spending cuts at the White House Fourth of July picnic. He's taking a victory lap after muscling his main legislative priority through the Republican-controlled Congress. Fighter jets and two stealth bombers streaked through the sky over the picnic. The legislation extends Trump's 2017 multitrillion-dollar tax cuts and cuts Medicaid and food stamps by $1.2 trillion. It provides for a massive increase in immigration enforcement. Congress' nonpartisan scorekeeper projects that nearly 12 million more people will lose health insurance under the law.
Judge briefly blocks immigrants' deportation to South Sudan, but legal path eventually cleared
Eight immigrants the Trump administration has been trying to send to the war-torn country of South Sudan can now be relocated after a federal judge briefly halted the action Friday. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington ordered the deportations held for a few hours Friday while he evaluated the case. He eventually decided to send it to a judge in Boston whose rulings led to the initial halt of the administration’s effort to begin deportations to South Sudan. That judge ruled that he couldn't stop the removals after the Supreme Court has overturned an earlier ruling of his. The immigrants and their federal guards have been waiting in the African nation of Djibouti for weeks.
A volunteer finds the Holy Grail of abolitionist-era Baptist documents in Massachusetts
GROTON, Mass. (AP) — A volunteer searching the archives of the American Baptist in Massachusetts has found a nearly 180-year-old document shedding light on the church's support for ending slavery. The 5-foot-long scroll is a handwritten declaration signed by 116 New England ministers saying they “disapprove and abhor the system of American slavery.” The document was signed two years after the issue of slavery prompted Baptists in the south to break away and form the Southern Baptist Convention. Church officials consider the scroll one of the most important abolitionist-era Baptist documents. It was discovered in a storage room in Groton, Massachusetts.
Trump kicks off a yearlong celebration of America's 250th anniversary in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump has gone to Iowa to kick off a year of patriotic festivities leading up to next year's 250th anniversary of American independence. The event Thursday night became a celebration of his second term, and Trump took the stage just hours after Congress approved tax cut legislation that he championed. Organizers see the coming year of festivities as a way to help unite a polarized nation and bridge political divides. But Trump left no doubt during his speech that he views patriotism as inseparable from his own agenda, saying Democrats who voted against his legislation “hate our country.”
Joey Chestnut reclaims title in Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest, wins 17th Mustard Belt
Famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut has reclaimed his title at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest after skipping last year’s event. The 41-year-old from Westfield, Indiana, secured his 17th Mustard Belt in 20 appearances before cheering fans at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. He had missed the 2024 competition over a contract dispute involving a deal he had struck with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods. Defending champion Miki Sudo won her 11th title in the women’s division. The event, held outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant, dates back to 1972 and draws large crowds of fans.
How people are celebrating, protesting and traveling for July Fourth
LOS ANGELES (AP) — People are approaching this Independence Day with mixed feelings. Polls show declining national pride, especially among Democrats, during the Trump era. In Southern California, some July Fourth celebrations have been canceled due to immigration raids and safety concerns. Protests against Trump’s policies are planned across the country. Meanwhile, fireworks retailers face challenges from tariffs on Chinese imports, though many are holding off price increases this year. Holiday travel is breaking records, and AAA reports over 72 million Americans expected to hit the road or fly.
Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. arrested by ICE for deportation, federal officials say
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal officials say famed Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested and will be deported to Mexico, where he faces organized crime charges. The 39-year-old box was arrested Wednesday in Studio City, California, only days after the former middleweight champion lost a match to Jake Paul in Anaheim, California. The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Chávez for overstaying a tourist visa and lying on his green card application. They said he has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives and is believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel.
