Congress Approves FY2026 Federal Budget with Key Autism Research and Services Funding

• The US Supreme Court has limited the scope of foreign human rights claims, narrowing the ability to file overseas abuse lawsuits against corporations in US courts. • The ruling stems from a case involving Cisco, which faced allegations of providing technology to the Chinese government to monitor and suppress Falun Gong followers.

• Princeton University professor and author Eddie Glaude has released a new book examining the historical connection between political turmoil and Fourth of July celebrations. • The text illustrates how tensions surrounding the nation's founding have historically reached a boiling point during independence day festivities.

• Iran developed its missile program during the 1980s war with Iraq to compensate for critical weaknesses in its air defense capabilities. • Since their inception, these missile systems have been iteratively upgraded to significantly increase their operational range and striking accuracy.

• The group stage fixtures for European teams have been announced for the 2026 World Cup, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. • A total of 12 groups (A-L) have been established, featuring European sides such as England, France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal alongside global competitors.

• Conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espriella, a businessman and lawyer endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, has won Colombia’s presidential election. • Progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda conceded the race after results showed de la Espriella winning by a narrow margin of 1 percentage point, or approximately 251,000 votes.

• President Trump met with GOP senators following the cancellation of a scheduled housing bill signing, though reports indicate he eventually signed a housing affordability bill. • In New York’s 10th Congressional District, candidate Lander secured an election victory as part of a broader progressive surge.

• New climate reports warn that environmental disruptions are affecting billions of people, emphasizing an urgent need for global adaptation and vulnerability strategies. • The Hydromet Gap Report 2024 provides a detailed analysis of hydrometeorological value chains across 20 Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

• In the case of United States v. Carter, a court ruled that a defendant's race can be considered when determining if a police encounter qualifies as a "seizure" under the Fourth Amendment. • This decision shifts the legal standard from a single "reasonable person" to a calibrated perspective based on the individual's identity and geography.

• Keir Starmer has resigned as UK Prime Minister, marking his fall from a landslide election victory and becoming the sixth person to hold the office since 2016. • European media outlets, including Spain's La Vanguardia, are reacting with bemusement, describing the UK's political landscape as a "revolving door."

• Former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier stated that the UK could potentially rejoin the European Union on a "short" timeline if the political will exists. • Barnier suggested that the UK could also integrate into a newly proposed European security and defence council to strengthen regional stability.

• Nearly a decade after the Brexit vote, the European Union has consolidated its identity while the UK continues to struggle with the long-term shape of its relationship with the continent. • EU leaders, including Poland's Donald Tusk and Spain's Pedro Sánchez, have expressed a desire for the UK to return, with Tusk explicitly mentioning a "Breturn."

• As the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum approaches, new polling indicates a significant shift in European sentiment toward the United Kingdom. • Majorities in every polled EU country, from Poland to Portugal, now express a desire for Britain to rejoin the European Union.