World
Iran began a week of mass funeral ceremonies on Friday for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by U.S. and Israeli bombs in February. Clerics, officials and foreign dignitaries paid respects as Khamenei's body lay in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla. The ruling clerics are organizing days of rites to show public devotion to the Islamic Republic and prove its revolutionary fervor remains strong, even as the country faces an uncertain future after the loss of its supreme leader of 36 years.
Reuters, BBC, Associated Press
Politics
A federal court ordered the Trump administration to rehire intelligence officers who were fired earlier this year, ruling that the mass dismissals violated federal employment law. The decision marks a legal setback for the administration's efforts to reshape the intelligence community. Separately, the Supreme Court recently upheld birthright citizenship, and Republicans in Congress derailed a Pentagon policy bill amid internal party divisions over voting legislation backed by President Trump.
AP News, NBC News, Reuters
Business
The U.S. economy added only 57,000 jobs in June, well below expectations, while the unemployment rate dipped slightly to 4.2%. Payroll gains for the prior two months were revised lower, pointing to a cooling labor market. Financial markets dialed back expectations for a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike. The weak report comes as Trump announced he will not renew the USMCA trade deal, and the Dow hit a record closing high on the soft jobs data.
Reuters, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal
Technology
Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Tencent have invested in Kuaishou's artificial intelligence unit Kling AI, which raised $2.8 billion in a funding round, Reuters reported. The investment underscores the intensifying AI race between Chinese and American companies. Meanwhile, a new inexpensive Chinese AI model is catching up with OpenAI and Anthropic, and Anthropic is discussing a custom chip with Samsung. OpenAI proposed giving the Trump administration a 5% equity stake.
Reuters, TechCrunch, Financial Times
Science
Astronomers have discovered a rocky exoplanet about twice Earth's size orbiting in the habitable zone of its parent star, Gliese 3378, just 25 light-years from our solar system. The planet, designated Gliese 3378b, orbits a red dwarf star and sits in the region where liquid water could potentially exist on its surface. The discovery was made by a team of astronomers and adds to the growing catalog of nearby potentially habitable worlds.
Sci.News, NASA, UC Irvine
Sports
Portugal survived late drama to beat Croatia and reach the World Cup round of 16, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the first knockout-stage goal of his career. Switzerland swept past Algeria 2-0 with a polished defensive display. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is set to quit after the team's early World Cup exit, with talks reportedly underway with Jurgen Klopp. Chris Froome, four-time Tour de France champion, announced his retirement from professional cycling.
Reuters, BBC Sport
Health
A new study has found that breaking up prolonged sitting time with short movement breaks may lower the risk of dying from cancer by 22%. The research adds to mounting evidence that sedentary behavior carries health risks independent of exercise levels. Meanwhile, vitamin A and D supplements may improve lung health in asthma patients, a green Mediterranean diet may offer more health benefits than the traditional version, and semaglutide shows promise in reducing complications for diabetes patients with peripheral artery disease.
Medical News Today, ScienceDaily
Environment
At least 3,700 excess deaths have been reported during the ongoing European heatwave in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, according to Reuters. France alone recorded 2,025 excess deaths at the peak of the heatwave. Forecasters warn of further extreme temperatures. In the United States, more than 165 million people are enduring dangerous heat and humidity as the Fourth of July holiday begins. Climate scientists say the sweltering conditions affecting the World Cup are linked to climate change.
Reuters, BBC, NBC News