News Brief

• Former Congressman George Santos is reportedly exploring a new career path as a contestant on a reality TV show. • New York Governor Kathy Hochul has issued an order pausing state permitting to establish new standards for energy demand and environmental impacts. • Tech companies warn that these restrictions could stifle job growth and allow China to overtake the U.S. in artificial intelligence development.

• President Trump signed an executive order on Monday, July 13, 2026, reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah by over 90%. • The affected areas span more than 3.2 million acres of land in southern Utah, much of which is considered sacred by Native American communities. • Critics argue that the drastic reduction opens thousands of acres of previously protected land to the oil and gas industry and commercial developers.

• UN aid coordination office OCHA reported on Tuesday that humanitarians are facing significant challenges delivering aid to communities near the “Yellow Line” in northern Rafah, Gaza. • The announcement follows a consultation between the UN and representatives from 17 displacement sites, which currently host approximately 3,000 families. • These disruptions to humanitarian services are linked to reported movements of Israeli forces within the region, complicating the delivery of essential supplies.

• The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is urging for increased humanitarian access to Gaza, warning that aid deliveries are being severely restricted. • These challenges are compounded by ongoing violence, critical funding shortages, and rising costs for fuel, fertilizer, and food. • The situation is critical as the humanitarian system faces deep budget cuts while the number of displaced and vulnerable people continues to climb.

• The U.S. government has demanded that Iran publicly declare the Strait of Hormuz open and commit to ceasing attacks on shipping vessels. • Separately, the Republican president is attempting to exert White House influence over the conduct of U.S. elections ahead of the November midterms. • This move serves as the first test of expanded presidential powers following a recent Supreme Court ruling allowing the president to fire independent agency board members without cause.

• The FDA has issued reminders to over 2,200 medical product companies and researchers to comply with clinical trial results submission requirements. • Data shows that 29.6% of required trial results are currently missing from ClinicalTrials.gov, with negative outcomes frequently going unreported. • This lack of transparency creates a publication bias that distorts the reality of drug development by overrepresenting successes and hiding failures.

• Acting President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela is struggling to manage the humanitarian fallout following two powerful twin earthquakes. • The crisis serves as a critical political test for Rodríguez as her mandate as the country's interim leader is set to expire this Friday. • The situation is urgent as the government scrambles to provide relief and prevent the disaster from destabilizing the current political climate.