THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
VANCOUVER, British Columbia , July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canada’s Bitcoin Lightning Strategy, LQWD Technologies Corp. (TSXV: LQWD) (OTCQX: LQWDF) (“LQWD” or the “Company”) announces that in response to increased demand from strategic investors and existing shareholders, it has increased the size of its previously announced brokered (the “Brokered Offering”) and non-brokered (the “Non-Brokered Offering” and together, the “Offering”) private placement to up to C$12.3 million (or US $9 million), with the Offering to be priced at C$4.10 (or US$3.00) per common share (the “Common Shares”).
Maxim Group LLC is acting as sole agent and book runner in connection with the Brokered Offering.
Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”), the Offering is being made pursuant to Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the “Listed Issuer Financing Exemption”), to purchasers resident in Canada (other than the province of Québec) in connection with the Non-Brokered Offering.
The Company has filed an amended and restated offering document relating to the Offering (the “Offering Document”) that can be accessed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at https://lqwdtech.com/. Prospective investors should read the Offering Document before making an investment decision.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for the acquisition of Bitcoin for use as an operating asset in the Company’s scalable Lightning Network services business, and general corporate purposes.
The Brokered Offering is expected to close on or about July 10, 2025, or such other date or dates as the Company and Maxim may agree and the Non-Brokered Offering is expected to close on or about July 11, 2025. Completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”).
The Company expects certain directors and officers of the Company, being related parties as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”), to participate in the Offering. Any such resulting related party transaction will be exempt from the formal valuation requirement and shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of any Common Shares issued to such persons will not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.
In connection with the Offering, the Common Shares will be offered to persons in the United States pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) and all applicable U.S. state securities laws, as well as outside Canada and the United States on a basis which does not require the qualification or registration of any of the Company’s securities or require the Company to be subject to any ongoing disclosure requirements under any domestic securities laws.
The Common Shares to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
About LQWD
LQWD Technologies Corp. is advancing Bitcoin adoption through the Lightning Network, a second-layer solution that enables instant, low-cost transactions at scale. As one of the first public companies dedicated to Lightning infrastructure, LQWD operates a network of enterprise-grade nodes designed to earn transaction fees and support network liquidity.
With a strategic Bitcoin treasury and infrastructure positioned for scalability, LQWD offers investors unique exposure to both the long-term appreciation of Bitcoin and the growing use of Lightning as a global payments solution.
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations and beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the Offering, including the completion and anticipated timing for completion of the Offering, the potential size of the Offering, the Company’s intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approvals of the TSXV, and the Company’s development and growth plans. Any such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as “anticipate”, “proposed”, “estimates”, “would”, “expects”, “intends”, “plans”, “may”, “will”, and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would impose a 50% tariff on imported copper and soon introduce long-threatened levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, broadening his trade war that has rattled markets worldwide.
One day after he pressured 14 trading partners, including powerhouse U.S. suppliers like South Korea and Japan, with fresh tariff letters, Trump reiterated his threat of 10% tariffs on products from Brazil, India and other members of the BRICS group of countries.
He also said trade talks have been going well with the European Union and China, though he added he is only days away from sending a tariff letter to the EU.
Trump’s remarks, made during a White House cabinet meeting, could inject further instability into a global economy that has been shaken by the tariffs he has imposed or threatened on imports to the world’s largest consumer market.
U.S. copper futures jumped more than 10% after Trump’s announcement of new duties on a metal that is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. They would join duties already in place for steel, aluminum and automobile imports, though it was unclear when the new tariffs might take effect.
U.S. pharmaceutical stocks also slid following Trump’s threat of 200% tariffs on drug imports, which he said could be delayed by about a year.
Other countries, meanwhile, said they would try to soften the impact of Trump’s threatened duties after he pushed back a Wednesday deadline to August 1.
Trump’s administration promised “90 deals in 90 days” after he unveiled an array of country-specific duties in early April. So far only two agreements have been reached, with the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Trump has said a deal with India is close.
Trump said countries have been clamoring to negotiate.
“It’s about time the United States of America started collecting money from countries that were ripping us off … and laughing behind our back at how stupid we were,” he said.
He said late Tuesday that “a minimum of seven” tariff notices would be released on Wednesday morning, and more in the afternoon. He gave no other details in his Truth Social post.
Trading partners across the globe say it has been difficult to negotiate even framework agreements with the U.S. given the haphazard way new tariffs are announced, complicating their internal discussions about concessions.
HIGHEST LEVELS SINCE 1934
Following Trump’s announcement of higher tariffs for imports from the 14 countries, U.S. research group Yale Budget Lab estimated consumers face an effective U.S. tariff rate of 17.6%, up from 15.8% previously and the highest in nine decades.
Trump’s administration has been touting those tariffs as a significant revenue source. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has taken in about $100 billion so far and could collect $300 billion by the end of the year. The United States has taken in about $80 billion annually in tariff revenue in recent years.
The S&P 500 finished slightly lower on Tuesday, a day after Wall Street markets sold off sharply following Trump’s new tariffs announcement.
Trump said he will “probably” tell the European Union within two days what rate it can expect for its exports to the U.S., adding that the 27-member bloc had been treating his administration “very nicely” in trade talks.
The EU, the largest bilateral trade partner of the U.S., aims to strike a deal before August 1 with concessions for key export industries such as aircraft, medical equipment and spirits, according to EU sources. Brussels is also considering an arrangement that would protect European automakers with large U.S. production facilities.
However, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil warned that the EU was prepared to retaliate if necessary.
“If we don’t reach a fair trade deal with the U.S., the EU is ready to take counter measures,” he said in the lower house of parliament.
Japan, which faces a possible 25% tariff – up from 24% first threatened in April – wants concessions for its large automobile industry and will not sacrifice its agriculture sector, a powerful domestic lobby, for the sake of an early deal, top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday.
South Korea, which also faces a possible 25% tariff, said it planned to intensify trade talks over the coming weeks “to reach a mutually beneficial result.”
Washington and Beijing agreed to a trade framework in June, but with many of the details still unclear, traders and investors are watching to see if it unravels before a separate, U.S.-imposed August 12 deadline or leads to a lasting detente.
“We have had a really good relationship with China lately, and we’re getting along with them very well. They’ve been very fair on our trade deal, honestly,” Trump said, adding that he has been speaking regularly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump said the United States would impose tariffs of 25% on goods from Tunisia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan; 30% on South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina; 32% on Indonesia; 35% on Serbia and Bangladesh; 36% on Cambodia and Thailand; and 40% on Laos and Myanmar.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the U.S. would “pretty soon” charge a 10% tariff on imports from BRICS countries, drawing another complaintfrom Brazil PresidentLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who just hosted the bloc’s annual summit.
Trump, who raised the tariff threat on Sunday, said in a Tuesday cabinet meeting at the White House that the duty was on the way: “Anybody that’s in BRICS is getting a 10% charge pretty soon … If they’re a member of BRICS, they’re going to have to pay a 10% tariff … and they won’t be a member long.”
The BRICS group expanded last year beyond Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to include members such as Iran and Indonesia. Leaders at the summit in Rio de Janeiro voiced indirect criticism of U.S. military and trade policies.
Asked about Trump‘s tariff threat, Lula told journalists at the BRICS summit on Monday that the world does not want an emperor. After a state visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lula on Tuesday expressed further disagreement.
“We will not accept any complaints about the BRICS summit. We do not agree with the U.S. president insinuating he’s going to put tariffs on BRICS countries,” he told journalists in Brasilia.
Trump gave no specific date for the BRICS tariff to kick in. On Monday, a source familiar with the matter said the Trump administration would charge the tariff only if countries adopted anti-American policies, differentiating actions from statements like the one adopted by the BRICS leaders on Sunday.
Trump claimed without evidence on Tuesday that the group was set up to hurt the United States and he U.S. dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency. He said he would not allow that to happen.
“BRICS was set up to degenerate our dollar and take our dollar … take it off as the standard,” he said. “And that’s okay if they want to play that game, but I can play that game too.”
Trump said losing the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency would be like “losing a war, a major world war. We would not be the same country any longer.”
Brazil in February nixed plans for a common currency agenda during its presidency year.
The death toll from the July Fourth flash flood that ravaged a swath of central Texas Hill Country rose on Tuesday to at least 109, many of them children, as search teams pressed on through mounds of mud-encrusted debris looking for scores of people still missing.
According to figures released by Governor Gregg Abbott, authorities were seeking more than 180 people whose fate remained unknown four days after one of the deadliest U.S. flood events in decades.
The bulk of fatalities and the search for additional victims were concentrated in Kerr County and the county seat of Kerrville, a town of 25,000 residents transformed into a disaster zone when torrential rains struck the region early last Friday, flooding the Guadalupe River basin.
The bodies of 94 flood victims, about a third of them children, have been recovered in Kerr County alone as of Tuesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a late-afternoon news conference after touring the area by air.
The Kerr County dead include 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old all-girls Christian summer retreat on the banks of the Guadalupe near the town of Hunt. The camp director also perished.
Five girls and a camp counselor were still unaccounted for on Tuesday, Abbott said, along with another child not associated with the camp.
As of Tuesday, 15 other flood-related fatalities had been confirmed across a swath of Texas Hill Country known as “flash flood alley,” the governor said, bringing the overall tally of lives lost to 109. Reports from local sheriffs’ and media have put the number of flood deaths outside Kerr County at 22.
But authorities have said they were bracing for the death toll to climb as flood waters recede and the search for more victims gains momentum.
Law enforcement agencies have compiled a list of 161 people “known to be missing” in Kerr County alone, Abbott said. The roster was checked against those who might be out of touch with loved ones or neighbors because they were away on vacation or out of town, according to the governor.
‘FIND EVERY SINGLE PERSON’
He said another 12 people were missing elsewhere across the flood zone as a whole, a sprawling area northwest of San Antonio.
“We need to find every single person who is missing. That’s job number one,” Abbott said.
On Tuesday, San Antonio-born country singer Pat Green disclosed on social media that his younger brother and sister-in-law and two of their children were among those “swept away in the Kerrville flood.”
Hindered by intermittent thunderstorms and showers, rescue teams from federal agencies, neighboring states and Mexico have joined local efforts to search for missing victims, though hopes of finding more survivors faded as time passed. The last victim found alive in Kerr County was last Friday.
“The work is extremely treacherous, time-consuming,” Lieutenant Colonel Ben Baker of the Texas Game Wardens said at a press conference. “It’s dirty work. The water is still there.”
A water-soaked family photo album was among the personal belongings found in flood debris by Sandi Gilmer, 46, a U.S. Army veteran and certified chaplain volunteering in the search operation along the Guadalupe at Hunt.
“I don’t know how many people in this album are alive or deceased,” she said, flipping through images of two toddlers and a gray-haired man. “I didn’t have the heart to step over it without picking it up and hoping to return it to a family member.”
MAKINGS OF A DISASTER
More than a foot of rain fell in the region in less than an hour before dawn last Friday, sending a wall of water cascading down the Guadalupe that killed dozens of people and left mangled piles of debris, uprooted trees and overturned vehicles.
Public officials have faced days of questions about whether they could have alerted people in flood-prone areas sooner.
The state emergency management agency warned last Thursday, on the eve of the disaster, that parts of central Texas faced a flash floods threat, based on National Weather Service forecasts.
But twice as much rain as predicted ended up falling over two branches of the Guadalupe just upstream of the fork where they converge, sending all of that water racing into the single river channel where it slices through Kerrville, City Manager Dalton Rice said.
Rice has said the outcome was unforeseen and unfolded in a matter of two hours, leaving too little time to conduct a precautionary mass evacuation without the risk of placing more people in harm’s way.
Scientists have said extreme flood events are growing more common as climate change creates warmer, wetter weather patterns in Texas and other parts of the country.
At an earlier news briefing on Tuesday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha rebuffed questions about the county’s emergency operations and preparedness and declined to say who was ultimately in charge of monitoring weather alerts and issuing flood warnings or evacuation orders.
He said his office began receiving emergency-911 calls between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Friday, several hours after the local National Weather Service station issued a flash-flood alert. “We’re in the process of trying to put (together) a timeline,” Leitha said.
Abbott said a special session of the Texas legislature would convene later this month to investigate the emergency response and provide funding for disaster relief.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, July 9 (Xinhua) — Five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 others were wounded in an explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said Tuesday.
Five soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion of the Kfir Brigade were killed when an explosive device detonated in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, the military said in a statement.
During the evacuation, the rescuers came under fire from an ambush set by Palestinian militants, after which the wounded were evacuated to the hospital.
At least 6,964 Palestinians have been killed since Israel resumed its military offensive on Gaza on March 18, 2025, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to 57,523, according to Gaza health authorities. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The warning, issued jointly by UN agencies and the regional socio-economic bloc SAARC on Wednesday, underscores South Asia’s status as the “global epicentre” of anaemia among adolescent girls and women.
An estimated 259 million already suffer from the condition, which impairs the body’s ability to carry oxygen, contributing to chronic fatigue, poor maternal outcomes, and reduced educational and economic participation.
“This is a clarion call for action,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, Regional Director for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which together with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and SAARC prepared the analysis.
“When half of all adolescent girls and women in South Asia are anaemic, it is not only a health issue – it is a signal that systems are failing them.”
A far-reaching but preventable condition
Anaemia doesn’t just affect women and girls – it contributes to 40% of the world’s low birth weight cases and affects child growth and learning, particularly in poorer households.
The economic toll is staggering: anaemia costs South Asia an estimated $32.5 billion annually, perpetuating cycles of poverty and poor health.
Yet, the condition is preventable and treatable. Proven solutions include iron and folic acid supplementation, iron- and vitamin-rich diets, better sanitation and infection control, and stronger maternal health services.
Experts stress that multi-sector collaboration is critical for sustained progress.
A nurse speaks to women about nutritious food in western India’s Sabarkantha district, were many women and girls suffer from iron deficiency.
Integrated efforts crucial
In nearly every country, progress hinges on strengthening health systems, expanding nutrition programmes, and reaching adolescent girls and women in marginalised communities.
Sri Lanka, where 18.5 per cent of women of reproductive age are anaemic, is scaling up its national nutrition initiative, focusing on the most affected districts.
India and Pakistan are also seeing encouraging signs. In India, high-burden states are integrating iron supplementation into school and maternal care programmes. Pakistan has piloted community-based nutrition initiatives linked to reproductive health services, enabling early detection and follow-up care.
In Bangladesh, school-based health initiatives are reaching adolescents with fortified meals and health education, coordinated across health, education, and agriculture ministries.
Community-driven action works
The Maldives and Bhutan are prioritising early prevention through childhood nutrition, food fortification, and public awareness campaigns. Though smaller in population, both are investing in anaemia surveillance and inter-ministerial collaboration.
Nepal stands out for its equitable results: since 2016, the country has cut anaemia among women of reproductive age by 7 per cent, with larger declines in poorer areas. Its female community health volunteers are key, providing counselling and referrals in remote regions and linking vulnerable households to public services.
Man Kumari Gurung, a public health nurse in Karnali Province, credits the achievements to a range of community-driven efforts.
“Pregnant women receive eggs, chicken and nutritious food through programmes like Sutkeri Poshan Koseli (Nutrition Gift for New Mothers),” she said. “Cash grants also help with transport to hospitals, supporting safer births and better nutrition.”
A nurse checks a pregnant woman’s weight and vital signs at a clinic in Galigamuwa, Sri Lanka.
Everyone has a role
Ending anaemia requires leadership and teamwork. Governments must lead, but communities, health workers, schools, and families all play a part.
Stronger health systems, better data, and coordinated action across sectors can help girls and women reach their full potential – building healthier communities and stronger economies.
“Young people and mothers are at the heart of South Asia’s development goals. Ensuring that they are healthy, nourished and empowered is not just a moral imperative, it is a strategic investment in the future of our societies,” said Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of SAARC.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 08, 2025
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today shared his condolences for the lives lost and those impacted by the flash floods that devastated Central Texas this past weekend and thanked the first responders and volunteers who have worked around the clock to save lives.
“I know I speak for millions of Americans when I say we are heartbroken over the flash floods that devastated Central Texas this past weekend. Early Friday morning, while most were fast asleep, a foot of rain fell onto Texas Hill Country. This deluge flowed into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise by 26 feet in 45 minutes,” Durbin said. “Near the Guadalupe, a girl’s sleepaway camp, Camp Mystic, which had been there for 99 years, was all but destroyed by the floods. Already, Camp Mystic has confirmed that 27 of their campers and counselors died in that flood. I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those campers and counselors.”
Durbin continued, “Tragically, the flooding in Texas continues to take lives. More than 100 people have perished, and that number is expected to grow, sadly, in the coming days. In the midst of this disaster, I am heartened by the kindness and courage shown by the first responders and volunteers. Twenty separate agencies, at every level of government, have come together to help save lives. At Camp Mystic, counselors, many of whom had just graduated from high school, risked their own lives to save younger campers. We will never forget their bravery.”
Durbin concluded, “This disaster has impacted people of both political [parties]—Republicans and Democrats and Independents as well… I would hope that the Senate and the House would stand together, Democrats and Republicans, and say we’re going to be there for the victims of this disaster. I pray that we find the missing loved ones and that we take the necessary steps to stop another tragedy like this from occurring.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 08, 2025
Durbin voted against final passage of the bill last week
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed the Republicans’ so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will slash Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, and Medicare coverage for 17 million Americans to provide massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. During his speech, Durbin underscored the dangers of this Republican bill, which was signed into law by President Trump on the Fourth of July.
“Americans across this nation overwhelmingly opposed this bill—and for good reason. This bill signed by the President on the Fourth of July was the largest cut to health care and the largest cut to nutrition assistance in history, slashing more than $1 trillion from health care programs like Medicaid and $200 billion from SNAP. Seventeen million Americans will lose their health insurance, health insurance premiums will rise for another 20 million families, and three million people will have food taken off the table, including kids, seniors, and veterans… Why would the government do these things to so many innocent people? In this case, very simply, to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and big corporations with the richest Americans seeing $400,000 back in their pockets every year because of this legislation,” said Durbin.
More than 300 rural hospitals may be forced to close because the Republican bill cripples the Medicaid program that keep our rural hospitals and their communities afloat. Illinois hospitals at risk of closing includes HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, Illinois, where Medicaid pays for 53 percent of hospitalizations; St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia, Illinois, where Medicaid pays for 42 percent of hospitalizations; and OSF St. Clare Hospital in Princeton, Illinois, where Medicaid covers 45 percent of hospitalizations.
Durbin continued, “Aside from hospitals, this bill will also have major consequences on American energy… This bill kills solar, wind, and EV tax credits enjoyed by companies and consumers alike, all but ceding the future of electricity to China and risking billions of dollars of investments in renewable energy, ironically mostly in Republican states. And while working families grapple with the consequences of these cuts, they’ll also see their family home expenses increase by $1,000 a year—utility bills are going up because of this bill.”
During his floor speech, Durbin highlighted a constituent, Isaiah Rogers, who will be impacted by the Republican bill. Isaiah is a 61-year-old man who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. As a result of his diagnosis, he has not been able to return to his job trimming trees and has been working small side jobs. Medicaid pays for Isaiah’s doctors’ visits and insulin. A single father without a high school degree, he’s concerned the bill’s cuts and changes to Medicaid will result in him losing his health coverage.
Durbin continued, “And if Isaiah loses Medicaid, he’ll no longer be able to afford his insulin and other medications, and he may face a diabetic complication or even suffer a stroke. What would that mean for his 12-year-old son? It’s unconscionable to think the other party would pull-the-plug on life-saving health coverage and deny food from our most needy children—but that’s exactly what they voted for.”
Durbin then highlighted Democrats’ efforts to push back on the bill. Over the course of 27 hours, Senate Democrats forced votes on a slew of amendments to put Republicans on-notice and show their constituents how they’re betraying them. It was the longest vote-a-rama in Senate history.
“It [the amendments] included Republicans voting against: Nursing home care and home health aides, food assistance for children and veterans, protections for Medicaid, clean energy jobs… and an expansion of the Child Tax Credit… all to give billionaires another tax cut instead. In the end, three sensible Senate Republicans looked at this ugly betrayal of a bill and agreed that they couldn’t be part of the process. I commend them, but sadly, it wasn’t enough. And who swooped in to cast the decisive vote? Vice President Vance… This Vice President cast the deciding vote that will be painful for so many families across America.”
Durbin concluded, “As the effects of this bill take shape and slither their way through our communities, my Republican colleagues will have to look their constituents in the eye and explain their votes. They will have to explain to the farmer who now must drive 50 miles to the nearest hospital why they voted to shut his community’s hospital doors. They will have to explain to the grandmother in a nursing home why her care is being slimmed down because of cuts to Medicaid, and they will have to explain to the young mother who is preparing to have a baby why there is no longer a maternity ward in her county. This bill flies in the face of American values that we celebrate on the Fourth of July. The other party has a lot of explaining to do and the American people are going to face the consequences.”
The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that Senate Republicans’ proposal will cost $4.45 trillion, but despite the price tag, the legislation primarily helps billionaires at the expense of American working families. In fact, this legislation provides a huge, permanent tax cut of nearly $350,000 for multimillionaires and billionaires while people earning $40,000 a year will see a comparatively meager average tax decrease of $442 per year.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available herefor TV Stations.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals after ending British hope Cameron Norrie’s run with a dominant 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory on Tuesday.
The Spaniard delivered a masterclass performance, firing 13 aces and converting 5 of 11 break points to seal the win in just 99 minutes.
“I’m really happy. To play another Wimbledon semifinal is super special,” said Alcaraz.
The second seed will next face Taylor Fritz of the United States, who reached his first-ever Wimbledon semifinal after defeating Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).
Women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka battled into the semifinals with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Laura Siegemund.
The title favorite had to overcome a tough challenge from the 37-year-old German, twice recovering from a break down in the deciding set to secure victory.
Sabalenka will now face 13th-seeded American Amanda Anisimova, who edged past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (9), for a place in the final.
Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo saw their mixed doubles campaign end in the semifinals, losing 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) to Joe Salisbury of Britain and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals after ending British hope Cameron Norrie’s run with a dominant 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory on Tuesday.
The Spaniard delivered a masterclass performance, firing 13 aces and converting 5 of 11 break points to seal the win in just 99 minutes.
“I’m really happy. To play another Wimbledon semifinal is super special,” said Alcaraz.
The second seed will next face Taylor Fritz of the United States, who reached his first-ever Wimbledon semifinal after defeating Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).
Women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka battled into the semifinals with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Laura Siegemund.
The title favorite had to overcome a tough challenge from the 37-year-old German, twice recovering from a break down in the deciding set to secure victory.
Sabalenka will now face 13th-seeded American Amanda Anisimova, who edged past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (9), for a place in the final.
Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo saw their mixed doubles campaign end in the semifinals, losing 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) to Joe Salisbury of Britain and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani.
More than 3 tons of cocaine have been stopped from reaching Europe’s streets thanks to a large-scale international operation targeting maritime drug smuggling. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, played a central role in co-leading the action, which ran throughout June.
Operation White Sea V focused on smuggling routes in the Atlantic, the North Sea, and the English Channel. It brought together forces from 12 countries, including Belgium, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom, along with Frontex, Europol, and MAOC-N.
3.3 tons of cocaine seized
951 ships tracked
119 ships inspected
13 arrests
One of the biggest hauls came on 23 June, when Belgian authorities found 647 kg of cocaine hidden deep inside a tanker from Brazil docked in Zeebrugge. Five crew members were arrested and remain in custody.
Frontex provided real-time ship tracking, aerial surveillance flights, and deployed six cross-border crime officers to support boarding and inspection teams on the ground, including during the Zeebrugge operational period.
Operation White Sea V, which took place in the month of June, reflects a growing trend of traffickers using the sea to smuggle large quantities of cocaine. Frontex remains fully committed to supporting Member States in disrupting organized crime and keeping European borders secure.
Frontex played a key part in the operation by tracking nearly 1 000 ships and providing the tools needed to support national teams. We sent six of our experts to assist with inspections on the ground, including the one that led to the major seizure in Zeebrugge.
We also contributed from the air, coordinating 12 surveillance flights over key sea routes. These flights, which covered nearly 25 hours in total, helped spot suspicious activity and guide enforcement teams.
The operation highlights a worrying trend in sea-based cocaine smuggling. Frontex will continue working closely with national authorities to fight organized crime and protect Europe’s borders.
The European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) tackles the most important threats posed by organized and serious international crime affecting the EU. EMPACT strengthens intelligence, strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, EU institutions and bodies, and international partners. EMPACT runs in four-year cycles focusing on common EU crime priorities.
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) led a RECA victory rally in St. Louis to celebrate new funding for radioactive waste survivors in Missouri and other states. His announcement comes after a two-year battle that resulted in theRadiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) expansion in the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which President Trump signed into law last week.
The Senator’s expansion provision revives RECA for survivors, allows tens of thousands of new claimants to receive life-saving assistance—including those across Missouri—and protects the program for years to come. For two years,Senator Hawley has led the fight to secure funding for survivors of nuclear contamination across the country, passing a reauthorization bill through the Senate in July 2023 and March 2024.
“It wasn’t just the people of Missouri who had waited for seventy years to have justice done. It was the people of the Navajo Nation; It was the people of Utah; It was the people of New Mexico; It was the people of Idaho; It was the uranium miners and atomic veterans from all over the country, who have been waiting for decades for the federal government to finally own up to what it had done,” Senator Hawley said. “RECA is the government saying, ‘what we did was wrong. Lying to you was wrong, and we are finally going to make it right.’”
Displaying the nationwide impact of the legislation, Senator Hawley was joined at the RECA victory rally by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren; Missouri RECA activists Dawn Chapman and Karen Nickel; New Mexico downwinders Maggie Billman and Laura Greenwood; Arizona downwinder Sherrie Hanna; Keith Kiefer of the National Association of Atomic Veterans, and many more.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren thanked Senator Hawley in his remarks for leading the fight in Congress to obtain compensation for radiation victims in Missouri and across the nation.
“Senator Hawley, thank you to you and your team and your constant willingness to champion on behalf of all of America. Especially people that have sacrificed so much for this country. So on behalf of the Navajo Nation and the Navajo people, I want to say thank you,” Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber where he emphasized that the Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill will gut healthcare and nutritional assistance for millions of hardworking Americans in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.
ARI MELBER: The Democratic Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, joins us now. Good evening, and thanks for joining us at this very busy time.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good evening. Great to be with you.
ARI MELBER: Great to have you. I want to just begin, before we get to any of the Washington politics, with this tragedy down in, of course, Kerr County, Texas. Death toll is over 100. As of tonight, we have the latest reporting, which is 161 people are still missing, including a lot of individuals that, of course, have not been accounted for and the worst is feared in terms of what we’re hearing. What is your response to this ongoing, unfolding tragedy that’s affecting so many? You know, what else can the federal government do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with all of the families who’ve been impacted by this terrible tragedy, and we’ll continue to stand with them and do everything that we can to try to be there for them as a federal government in terms of the recovery and the rebuilding that will necessarily have to take place. Right now, we’re also appreciative, of course, of the fact that we have first responders who are still engaged in a search and rescue effort to try to hopefully find folks who have not been currently located. I think there will also be a moment where, as a Congress, we need to aggressively ask some questions about what happened? Why did it happen? How do we prevent this type of tragedy from ever happening again? There’s real concern, Ari, with the fact that, you know, the National Weather Service has been decimated by the Trump administration. There’s real concern that Donald Trump and his Homeland Security Secretary have threatened to defund FEMA. And there’s real concern that the Texas State Government may not have necessarily done everything that they could have done in advance of the flooding to protect those communities.
ARI MELBER: Is this, since you mentioned, an area where you think that defunding at the state or federal level could have played a part in an avoidable level of tragedy?
LEADER JEFFRIES: That remains to be seen, but certainly we have to ask those questions, and we’re going to have to get those answers, and we’re prepared as Democrats to aggressively do just that.
ARI MELBER: Yeah. Understood. We showed you speaking on the floor there fighting the budget, I guess you and Cory Booker, I don’t know if you guys trade tips in the hallway about how you go that many hours. And I want to ask you about this, you know. We try to call it straight here and follow the facts, the evidence on all these issues here on this program. And it seems like on this one, Democrats have lost a lot of public skirmishes. It seems like Democrats won the messaging battle, but still didn’t have the votes. So I want to get your response to that, but I’ll put up on the screen the numbers here. Just top line—you have a lot more debt, kicking off over 11 million people from their current health coverage, going after popular programs like Medicaid and, overwhelmingly, as you know, as people learned about this bill, the more they learned, the more they didn’t like it. It’s overwhelmingly opposed. Before I get your answer, I just want to show again. Let’s get out of the coastal national news, let’s get out of the television news of coming out of these, you know, folks who might follow politics every day. We checked the polling. This was going underwater 18 points. And local coverage has actually echoed some of the facts Democrats have mentioned against the bill. Take a look.
VIDEO 1: It’s going to be a big, beautiful challenge for hospitals.
VIDEO 2: Rural hospitals could face a loss of medical care and services. Millions of Americans who have Medicaid face losing their healthcare coverage.
VIDEO 3: They’re anticipating about 500,000 people will be cut, will have their Medicaid benefits cut from the Big Ugly Bill.
VIDEO 4: There is no spinning this as if there’s a positive thing.
ARI MELBER: Did you get your message out effectively? And if so, what do you say to people who are frustrated that the bill still passed?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the One Big Ugly Bill represents the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down, community-based health clinics will be unable to operate and people are going to die in community after community after community, including in rural America. I think it certainly has been the case that we have successfully communicated across the country the implications of this One Big Ugly Bill. It hurts everyday Americans in order to reward billionaires. And we’re going to continue that effort in state after state after state, in congressional district after congressional district after congressional district. The American people should understandably be frustrated that they clearly have rejected this bill, did not want it to be passed, but Republicans in the House of Representatives have decided to once again be nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. All we needed were two additional Republicans to join us, and we could have stopped this bill, that’s out of 220.
ARI MELBER: And what does it mean that Republicans said out loud they oppose the bill, or big parts of it, and still voted for it?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I spent a lot of time on the House floor, going through a lot of the letters that had been written by my Republican colleagues complaining about the Medicaid cuts, complaining about the cuts to the clean energy tax credits, complaining about the cuts to nutritional assistance and the fact that this bill rips food out of the mouths of children and then they turned around and bent the knee to Donald Trump, because that’s what they do. They don’t work for the American people at this particular point in time. They work for Donald Trump. They act like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump administration. It’s an embarrassment. And now that embarrassment will actually result in the American people being hurt in devastating ways.
ARI MELBER: We also track culture. As you know, sometimes the punchlines give you a sense of where the story is. Here is Jon Stewart.
JON STEWART (VIDEO): Holly s*** you what? You somehow managed to severely cut the safety net and expand the deficit. That’s impressive. That’s one of those. ‘Hey man, how did you gain all that weight?’ ‘Ozempic.’ That’s something that’s hard to do.
ARI MELBER: Does this tag the GOP as the fiscally irresponsible party? And where do we go from here? I mean, you’re a pretty young guy by the standards of Washington. Are we going to hear from them when they’re out of power again in however many years that a Democratic White House is growing the deficit? Does that even make sense given their record right now?
LEADER JEFFRIES:Republicans are complete phonies when it comes to be claiming to be the party of fiscal responsibility. All they have done, administration after administration after administration—they did this during the administration of George W Bush. They did it during Ronald Reagan’s administration. And now, of course, they’re doing it again during Donald Trump’s second administration—is explode the debt and the deficit. Why? In order to provide massive tax cuts for the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected and subsidize the lifestyles of the rich and shameless. Now you’ve got a bill where they actually have combined hurting everyday Americans, largest cut to Medicaid in American history, largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, hurting veterans, hurting seniors, hurting children and at the same time, exploding the debt and the deficit. We are going to tattoo this disgusting abomination of a bill to the foreheads of every single Republican who voted for it.
ARI MELBER: Hardball tattoo politics there. All right. I want to ask you about the ongoing abuses of power alleged by Donald Trump. We’ve seen National Guard there in the streets. Democrats have sued over that. We have Marines used on a small basis, but seems like a test case. We have then, related, in the courts, although it might not get as much dramatic attention, certainly not the visuals like you see here. But this report about Trump claiming sweeping powers to literally nullify laws just passed by Congress, supported by Republicans, by the way. Legal experts telling The Times that Trump is claiming this power to immunize private parties to commit otherwise illegal acts and blatantly defying the recent TikTok rule, whether people agree with it or not, and I think you all know there’s some controversy about that TikTok ban. Since when does the President just say, well, we’ll enforce it later, or maybe not at all. And what specifically does your party do about that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Donald Trump has launched an all-out assault on the American way of life, on the rule of law and democracy itself. And this is going to require, of course, a Congress that actually functions as a separate and co-equal branch of government. We will not get that from the modern-day Republican Party, although we are still looking for some folks, just a handful, to show Liz Cheney or John McCain levels of courage to push back against the extremism that is coming from the Trump administration. We haven’t seen it so far, and that’s shameful, but we’ll continue to press them to try to achieve it on behalf of the American people. You know, the courts will need to function as a backstop. And unfortunately, we’ve seen, increasingly, an unwillingness by this Supreme Court to actually push back against Donald Trump and some of his executive overreach. At the end of the day, it was said during the founding of the Republic that when the people fear the government, there is tyranny. But when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
ARI MELBER: Yeah, of course. Yeah.
LEADER JEFFRIES: And at the end of the day, it’s going to be the people rising up, pushing back against this extremism, showing it in community after community after community and then, ultimately, when it’s time to go to the polls, to send a clear message that America is better than this.
ARI MELBER: So, let me take exactly where your answer goes. Someone listening might say, wow, that sounds good. I hope Hakeem Jeffries is right, but what if he’s wrong? What if we’re actually past the point where we can just count on free and fair elections when, as you know, and to be fair—you’ve spoken out about this, of course—the person in the office, he won lawfully, he won the Electoral College in what we know to be a free and fair election. But previously, when he lost, he tried to subvert that. We had a convicted sedition. He then freed the sedition convicts, as everybody knows. And so, there’s great concern about not a repeat of 2020, but a more effective version of it. And you’ve heard this concern. It’s not just random, sort of, activist or the most extreme sort of people worrying about it. James Carville, a longtime, sort of, centrist Democratic figure, said this about rigging the midterms.
JAMES CARVILLE(VIDEO): Actually, your concerns are legitimate. I would never tell anybody that’s worried that no, don’t you worry about that. He’s been trying to do anything that he can possibly to try to extricate himself from what is almost certain to be a humiliating loss in October, November of 2026. So, people should be worried, they should be vigilant, they should watch this.
ARI MELBER: Is this a legitimate concern? And if so, what are you doing about it?
LEADER JEFFRIES:We have to be incredibly vigilant to make sure that there are free and fair elections. I think we have to look at what’s in front of us. And this year, of course, there are off-year elections in New Jersey and in Virginia. We’ve got to make sure that the Democratic nominee, Mikie Sherrill, wins in New Jersey, the Democratic nominee, Abigail Spanberger, wins in Virginia. They’re both tremendous public servants, have served this country in a variety of different ways, including in the Congress. And then, of course, be prepared as it relates to the midterm elections. Now, the good news is—to the extent that there’s a silver lining in our electoral system—is that we don’t have a national election system. It’s state by state by state. And in many of the states where there will be competitive gubernatorial elections, and certainly in the overwhelming majority of the states where the House will be decided, there are Democratic Governors, Democratic Attorney Generals and Democratic Secretaries of State. I’d be far more concerned, honestly, Ari, if we were looking at a situation where the fate of the House would be determined in states where Republicans are in charge.
ARI MELBER: So, you’re saying—to be clear, because it’s a patchwork—you’re saying you’ve studied this, and if there are Republicans trying to play games, they’re not actually overseeing the races that you think would control the House outcome?
LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely correct. There are seats in New York, seats in New Jersey, seats in Michigan, seats in California, seats in Wisconsin, seats in Pennsylvania, seats in Arizona that, you know, by way of example, that are going to determine in large measure who controls the House in the aftermath of the midterm election. Every single one of those states have Democratic Governors, there are Democratic Attorney Generals, Democratic Secretaries of State. And so, that’s kind of the landscape that we find ourselves in. And I’ve got trust in those leaders to make sure that there are actual free and fair elections.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Joao Pedro scored twice against his former club as Chelsea reached the FIFA Club World Cup final on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Fluminense.
Less than a week after joining Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion, Pedro struck either side of halftime to set up a meeting with either Real Madrid or reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s final.
The game ended on a worrying note for Chelsea after midfielder Moises Caicedo limped off with an ankle injury.
Both sides began with high intensity at MetLife Stadium despite the temperature reaching 35 degrees Celsius at kickoff.
Chelsea dominated the early stages and got its reward in the 18th minute when Pedro Neto’s cross into the box was cleared straight to Pedro, who curled a shot into the far corner.
Malo Gusto almost doubled the lead moments later, winning a header in the box but directing his effort straight at goalkeeper Fabio.
Fluminense had its best scoring chance of the first half when Hercules beat goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to the ball and fired a shot that was hooked away on the line by Marc Cucurella.
The Brazilian outfit then had a penalty for a Trevoh Chalobah handball overturned after the referee reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and ruled the defender’s arm was in a natural position.
Chelsea regained the initiative after halftime as Caicedo and Cucurella both went close with shots from distance.
Pedro scored his team’s second goal in the 56th minute, cutting inside on the counterattack before lashing a drive that bounced in off the underside of the bar.
Fluminense looked deflated as Chelsea continued to press forward in the oppressive conditions.
Gusto’s long-range attempt narrowly missed the top-right corner and substitute Nicolas Jackson sent an angled shot into the side-netting when Cole Palmer was free inside the six-yard box.
Playing against his former club, 40-year-old defender Thiago Silva was arguably Fluminense’s best player, blocking and repelling a number of Chelsea attacks.
His clearing header from a Cucurella cross in the 75th minute almost certainly denied the Premier League club a third goal.
Fluminense pushed to get back into the match but struggled to break down Chelsea’s organized defense. Substitute Keno almost broke the English team’s resistance in the final minutes, steering a header wide after beating Reece James in the air.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Jul 9, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Wed Jul 9 00:52:40 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 090052
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0752 PM CDT Tue Jul 08 2025
Valid 090100Z – 091200Z
…THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC/SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN PLAINS…
…SUMMARY… Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms should continue this evening across parts of the central/southern Plains and Mid-Atlantic into southern New England.
…Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England… Bands of loosely organized convection will continue to spread eastward across the DelMarVa Peninsula and southeast VA/northeast NC vicinity over the next couple of hours this evening. A sufficiently moist and unstable airmass should support occasional severe/damaging winds with this activity until it moves offshore or eventually weakens with the loss of daytime heating.
…Central/Southern Plains… Widely spaced strong to severe thunderstorms are present this evening across the central/southern Plains, generally along/south of a convectively reinforced boundary extending across KS into the Ozarks. Large-scale forcing across these regions will tend to remain weak on the northeast periphery of the upper ridge centered over the Southwest. But, multiple low-amplitude mid-level perturbations should aid in thunderstorm maintenance for several more hours this evening given the presence of moderate to strong instability and marginally sufficient deep-layer shear for updraft organization. Isolated severe winds and hail may occur with loosely organized multicells and occasional supercells. But, the overall severe threat still appears too unfocused/widely spaced to include greater severe probabilities.
..Gleason.. 07/09/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Jul 9, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Wed Jul 9 00:52:40 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 090052
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0752 PM CDT Tue Jul 08 2025
Valid 090100Z – 091200Z
…THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC/SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN PLAINS…
…SUMMARY… Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms should continue this evening across parts of the central/southern Plains and Mid-Atlantic into southern New England.
…Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England… Bands of loosely organized convection will continue to spread eastward across the DelMarVa Peninsula and southeast VA/northeast NC vicinity over the next couple of hours this evening. A sufficiently moist and unstable airmass should support occasional severe/damaging winds with this activity until it moves offshore or eventually weakens with the loss of daytime heating.
…Central/Southern Plains… Widely spaced strong to severe thunderstorms are present this evening across the central/southern Plains, generally along/south of a convectively reinforced boundary extending across KS into the Ozarks. Large-scale forcing across these regions will tend to remain weak on the northeast periphery of the upper ridge centered over the Southwest. But, multiple low-amplitude mid-level perturbations should aid in thunderstorm maintenance for several more hours this evening given the presence of moderate to strong instability and marginally sufficient deep-layer shear for updraft organization. Isolated severe winds and hail may occur with loosely organized multicells and occasional supercells. But, the overall severe threat still appears too unfocused/widely spaced to include greater severe probabilities.
..Gleason.. 07/09/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT
.html”>Latest Day 2 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Current Mesoscale DiscussionsUpdated: Wed Jul 9 01:16:02 UTC 2025 No Mesoscale Discussions are currently in effect.
Notice: The responsibility for Heavy Rain Mesoscale Discussions has been transferred to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) on April 9, 2013. Click here for the Service Change Notice. Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Current Convective Watches (View What is a Watch? clip)Updated: Wed Jul 9 01:16:06 UTC 2025 No watches are currently valid
Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Current Convective Watches (View What is a Watch? clip)Updated: Wed Jul 9 01:16:06 UTC 2025 No watches are currently valid
Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, welcomed the completion of three broadband projects that have connected more than 500 rural locations to high-speed internet in Cibola and McKinley counties. This was made possible by $6,800,000 secured by Heinrich in the American Rescue Plan.
“I’m proud to welcome $6.8 million from legislation I helped pass into law to connect New Mexicans living in Cibola and McKinley counties to high-speed internet,” said Heinrich. “This funding will connect New Mexicans in rural areas to careers they can build their families around, help local small businesses boost their sales online, and provide the next generation with the tools they need to succeed in their education and beyond.”
All projects provide broadband speeds of 100/100 mbps download/upload to customers in Cibola and McKinley counties.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Schumer Says Projects Range From University At Buffalo AI Research To Rochester’s Laser Lab To Cornell’s New Technology For Upstate Dairy Farmers And FuzeHub’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Initiative; All To Spur New Innovations And Good-Paying Jobs Across Upstate NY
In 2024, Schumer-Supported And Binghamton University-Led Battery Hub Won Inaugural NSF Engines Competition, And Now More NY Projects Compete In Second Year Of CHIPS & Science Law Created Program
Schumer: Upstate NY Projects One Step Closer To Major Fed $$ To Boost American Innovation And Jobs!
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today applauded four New York projects have advanced to the next round of consideration as semifinalists for federal investment through the National Science Foundation’s Regional “Innovation Engines” Competition (NSF Engines), which was created by his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law.
The four proposals include projects ranging from the University of Rochester’s effort to develop cutting-edge laser technology, to the University at Buffalo-led AI for Health Equity, to Cornell University leading sustainable dairy innovation, to FuzeHub strengthening Upstate NY’s microelectronics manufacturing.
Schumer said NSF will now conduct final assessments of these four projects in NY, along with a total of 29 teams across the country, to select finalists that will receive awards of up to $160 million in federal investment from the bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law. Nearly 300 letters of intent from across the country were submitted for this second round of NSF Engines funding, a group that has now been narrowed down to the 29 semifinalists, including the four New York proposals. You can read more about this year’s competition here.
“I created the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program in my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law with Upstate NY’s world-renowned universities and innovation ecosystem in mind. I’m proud to see four Upstate NY-based proposals advanced to the semifinalist round of consideration for major federal funding that will boost Upstate NY as the heart of American innovation and job creation,” said Senator Schumer. “From Buffalo pioneering the next generation application of AI for health and Cornell discovering new technology to help our Upstate dairy farmers to Rochester powering the future of laser development and FuzeHub supporting Upstate NY’s buildout of a global semiconductor hub, this investment is establishing Upstate New York as a world leader in developing technology of the future, all while creating good-paying jobs, jobs, jobs. More federal support will translate to more research and development, company investment and expansion, and jobs across Upstate New York, keeping America at the cutting-edge of innovation.”
More details on the four New York-based proposals named semifinalists, all of which Schumer has advocated for the NSF to select, can be found below:
The University of Rochester’s proposal, officially named “STELLAR: Advancing Laser Technologies in the Rochester NY/Finger Lakes Region,” is focused on establishing a diverse coalition of partners in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region to accelerate laser discovery, technological advancement, education, and company creation, drive manufacturing and boost workforce development in order to help recapture U.S. national competitiveness and strengthen our security. The STELLAR Engine will foster laser-oriented workforce development, particularly in underserved communities in Rochester and rural communities in the Finger Lakes, accelerate use-inspired R&D, entrepreneurship, and regional business development that will create jobs, build a laser science and technology talent pipeline, bolster the supply chain, and grow and sustain the region’s economy.
The University at Buffalo’s proposal, officially named “AI for Health Equity,” will work to utilize artificial intelligence to develop cutting-edge health care solutions, further highlighting Western New York’s leadership in building an AI innovation ecosystem, something Schumer has actively pushed for. The project aims to boost new start-up companies and help partners commercialize AI technology centered on health and wellness. This new technology will aid health care providers and serve as personal assistance to community members. Eventually, the project will expand so that its technology can serve communities beyond Western NY and across the country.
Cornell University’s proposal, officially named “Sustainable Utilization of Scalable Technologies & Advanced Innovation for NetZero NY (SUSTAIN Dairy),” aims to reduce waste, create new dairy products, and develop new rural and workforce development opportunities. It is one of five projects in this round that is focused on agriculture and the only project focused on dairy. This proposal aims to develop a holistic, science-based framework for achieving net zero by 2050 from farm to fork through an advanced dairy innovation ecosystem. With dairy manufacturing and family farms scattered throughout rural New York, achieving place-based innovation that builds community wealth is vital for the future success of Upstate New York.
FuzeHub’s proposal, officially named “A Materials Innovation Engine for Manufacturing Sustainability,” will work to mitigate the negative impacts on the environment from manufacturing industries by replacing toxic or scarce components with advanced materials. FuzeHub competed last year for this award as well and was asked to resubmit.
In 2024, Schumer helped the Binghamton University-led Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine win the esteemed competition in its inaugural year, bringing $15 million in federal funding immediately, with up to $160 million total over the life of the program from the NSF to supercharge growth and cutting-edge research in battery development and manufacturing in Upstate NY.
Schumer created the NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines Program in his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law as a program that falls under the newly created NSF Directorate of Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships. Schumer proposed the creation of this new Directorate originally in his bipartisan Endless Frontier Act, with a focus on delivering investment in research, workforce training, and entrepreneurship in key technology areas like AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, climate-smart research, advanced materials, and more. The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program catalyzes and fosters innovation ecosystems across the United States to promote and stimulate economic growth, job creation, and spur regional innovation.
Each NSF Engine can receive up to $160 million over 10 years; actual amounts will be subject to a given NSF Engine’s status and overall progress, as assessed annually. The teams selected in this recent announcement submitted full proposals this past spring and are now eligible for final awards later this year after NSF conducts live, virtual assessments of the semifinalist teams. NSF anticipates announcing the final list of NSF Engines awards in early 2026.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore is proud to announce that he and his team have recovered over $2 million for West Virginians since he took office on January 3, 2025.
The Congressman’s casework team is based in the Morgantown and Martinsburg district offices. The staff are well-trained in dealing with the federal bureaucracy and stand ready to assist constituents who are having issues with any federal agency.
Some highlights of funding recovered for constituents include:
• Over $1,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture • Over $900,000 from the Internal Revenue Service • Over $320,000 from the Social Security Administration • Over $25,000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs • Over $20,000 from the Department of Defense • Over $12,500 from the Office of Personnel Management
Congressman Moore issued the following statement:
“My office is eager to help constituents of the Second District in dealing with the frustrations of the federal bureaucracy. I’m so proud of the work we’re doing and am thrilled to report this massive figure only six months into my term.
“I make sure to tell everyone in the district that if they’re having an issue with the federal government — don’t wait, call us! We are here to help.”
NEED HELP? Constituents can request assistance by calling Congressman Moore’s team in Morgantown (304-350-6995) or Martinsburg (304-350-6987).
ALEM, Oregon— The work to prepare Oregon’s more than 250 state parks and campgrounds for the 2025 season has been going all year long.
Behind the scenes, park rangers have moved mountains of sand, cleared thousands of downed trees and repaired roofs, bridges and trails around the state to keep parks well maintained and ready for visitors.
Visitors might think that parks stay pristine because they look just like they left them, but maintaining beautiful landscapes in some of Oregon’s harshest climates takes some work:
Cape Lookout State Park cleared more than 1.5 million pounds of sand after winter winds buried one camp loop in six-inch drifts. The park is not alone. Many coastal parks must dig out campsites, sidewalks and parking lots after the winter season.
Devil’s Lake State Recreation Area removed a dump truck load of slime, algae, branches, leaves and trash, which coated the campground when the lake receded. The lake floods every year, and rangers clean up the muck left behind.
In the Mountain Region and other areas where it freezes, rangers reinstall plumbing components and restart the plumbing to the campgrounds, buildings and picnic shelters, which includes restarting water to thousands of campsite spigots.
At Fall Creek State Recreation Area east of Eugene, rangers cleared eight dump truck loads of fir needles, cones, branches and debris to make the roads passable at Winberry Park when it reopened this spring.
Nehalem Bay State Park cleared nearly 180 downed trees in one winter storm alone. Parks across the state repaired winter storm damage, including clearing downed trees, repairing roads, fixing roofs and mending bridges.
In the Columbia River Gorge, parks cleared thousands of pounds of woody debris from paved trails and created wood chips to spread around trees and shrubs.
Overall, Oregon State Parks rangers spend nearly 800,000 hours a year cleaning bathrooms, building and repairing trails and bridges, fixing old and new pipes and wiring, keeping parks safe, preserving Oregon’s history and natural resources and sharing knowledge on everything from mushrooms to the night sky.
“Rangers work tirelessly to keep these landscapes beautiful and accessible for the approximately 56 million visits each year at Oregon State Parks. We’re thankful for the work they do every day,” said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.
Oregon State Parks welcome as many as 17,000 guests on the busiest nights, which means moving a city roughly the size of Canby in and out of campgrounds on almost a daily basis statewide.
“Oregon State Parks are like small cities. They run sewer, water and electrical systems; maintain roads and structures, all while managing campgrounds. When one system goes down, our staff manage the necessary emergency repairs to keep parks open. I’m proud of the work they do to keep parks safe, welcoming and ready for everyone to enjoy,” said Oregon Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Sumption.
Help rangers this season by following all safety signs and barriers; staying on trail and checking campfire restrictions in advance at stateparks.oregon.gov. Interested in what rangers do? Check out the Oregon State Parks episode of “Odd Jobs” by SAIF Corporation at https://youtu.be/NUqCmEe38Uw?feature=shared
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the 119th Air Wing “Happy Hooligans” in Fargo operating MQ-9 Reapers and the 319th Reconnaissance Wing in Grand Forks flying RQ-4 Global Hawks, North Dakota plays a critical and growing role in operating Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and is on the forefront of the next generation of technology.
Despite flying and conducting missions in combat zones, RPA crews do not have a formal combat identifier in their records due to their remote operational environment. Without this important distinguishment, RPA crew members who are transitioning to other military careers or leaving the service may face barriers to timely, high-quality mental health care services.
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), introduced the bipartisan Combat Action Recognition and Evaluation (CARE) for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Crews Act. The bill will establish a status identifier for RPA crews who conduct combat operations to provide them with the recognition and access to services they deserve.
“Now more than ever, military missions use airborne ISR platforms to meet our national security objectives,”said Cramer.“Remotely Piloted Aircraft crews, including Fargo’s Happy Hooligans and the airmen from the 319th at Grand Forks, often play an integral role in achieving high-stakes, mission-critical objectives. The CARE for RPA Crews Act recognizes the accomplishments of RPA crews and identifies the appropriate resources to keep our airmen fit for duty.”
“Remotely Piloted Aircraft crew like those at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada perform combat operations but have no status identifier in their records for having done so, making it challenging to receive the support and care they deserve once they transition,”said Rosen.“That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to establish a status identifier for these crews in order to help improve the recognition they’ve earned and to ensure their future care. I’ll always fight to support Nevada’s servicemembers.”
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the 119th Air Wing “Happy Hooligans” in Fargo operating MQ-9 Reapers and the 319th Reconnaissance Wing in Grand Forks flying RQ-4 Global Hawks, North Dakota plays a critical and growing role in operating Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and is on the forefront of the next generation of technology.
Despite flying and conducting missions in combat zones, RPA crews do not have a formal combat identifier in their records due to their remote operational environment. Without this important distinguishment, RPA crew members who are transitioning to other military careers or leaving the service may face barriers to timely, high-quality mental health care services.
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), introduced the bipartisan Combat Action Recognition and Evaluation (CARE) for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Crews Act. The bill will establish a status identifier for RPA crews who conduct combat operations to provide them with the recognition and access to services they deserve.
“Now more than ever, military missions use airborne ISR platforms to meet our national security objectives,” said Cramer. “Remotely Piloted Aircraft crews, including Fargo’s Happy Hooligans and the airmen from the 319th at Grand Forks, often play an integral role in achieving high-stakes, mission-critical objectives. The CARE for RPA Crews Act recognizes the accomplishments of RPA crews and identifies the appropriate resources to keep our airmen fit for duty.”
“Remotely Piloted Aircraft crew like those at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada perform combat operations but have no status identifier in their records for having done so, making it challenging to receive the support and care they deserve once they transition,” said Rosen. “That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to establish a status identifier for these crews in order to help improve the recognition they’ve earned and to ensure their future care. I’ll always fight to support Nevada’s servicemembers.”
Click here for bill text.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the 119th Air Wing “Happy Hooligans” in Fargo operating MQ-9 Reapers and the 319th Reconnaissance Wing in Grand Forks flying RQ-4 Global Hawks, North Dakota plays a critical and growing role in operating Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and is on the forefront of the next generation of technology.
Despite flying and conducting missions in combat zones, RPA crews do not have a formal combat identifier in their records due to their remote operational environment. Without this important distinguishment, RPA crew members who are transitioning to other military careers or leaving the service may face barriers to timely, high-quality mental health care services.
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), introduced the bipartisan Combat Action Recognition and Evaluation (CARE) for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Crews Act. The bill will establish a status identifier for RPA crews who conduct combat operations to provide them with the recognition and access to services they deserve.
“Now more than ever, military missions use airborne ISR platforms to meet our national security objectives,”said Cramer.“Remotely Piloted Aircraft crews, including Fargo’s Happy Hooligans and the airmen from the 319th at Grand Forks, often play an integral role in achieving high-stakes, mission-critical objectives. The CARE for RPA Crews Act recognizes the accomplishments of RPA crews and identifies the appropriate resources to keep our airmen fit for duty.”
“Remotely Piloted Aircraft crew like those at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada perform combat operations but have no status identifier in their records for having done so, making it challenging to receive the support and care they deserve once they transition,”said Rosen.“That’s why I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to establish a status identifier for these crews in order to help improve the recognition they’ve earned and to ensure their future care. I’ll always fight to support Nevada’s servicemembers.”
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353July 8, 2025
Cotton, Boozman Honor the Yell County Wildlife Federation
Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today introduced a resolution honoring the Yell County Wildlife Federation, the oldest conservation group of its kind in Arkansas.
In part, the resolution states:
“The Senate honors the past and present members of the Yell County Wildlife Federation for their service to the people and State of Arkansas.”
Text of the resolution may be found here.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 July 8, 2025
Cotton, Boozman Honor the Yell County Wildlife Federation
Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today introduced a resolution honoring the Yell County Wildlife Federation, the oldest conservation group of its kind in Arkansas.
In part, the resolution states:
“The Senate honors the past and present members of the Yell County Wildlife Federation for their service to the people and State of Arkansas.”
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 July 8, 2025
Cotton, Boozman Honor the Yell County Wildlife Federation
Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today introduced a resolution honoring the Yell County Wildlife Federation, the oldest conservation group of its kind in Arkansas.
In part, the resolution states:
“The Senate honors the past and present members of the Yell County Wildlife Federation for their service to the people and State of Arkansas.”
Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) led their colleagues in introducing the Equal Representation Act.
The legislation would ensure that only legal citizens are counted in determining Congressional districts and Electoral College map that determine presidential elections. Counting illegal immigrants toward voter apportionment dilutes the rights of Americans and creates a perverse incentive for open borders to boost the relative political power of states that court non-citizens.
“Democrats are undermining the rights of U.S. citizens by encouraging illegal immigrants to enter our country and skew congressional redistricting for political gain,” said Risch. “The Equal Representation Act requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question ensuring American values and voices take priority.”
“Only U.S. citizens should be included in Census Bureau counts to apportion congressional and Electoral College representation,” said Crapo. “This vital reform would prevent states like California and New York from padding their population totals with those here illegally to tip the scales and boost their political power in Washington, D.C.”
“It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map for the presidency, which also heavily skews the seat count in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Hagerty. “While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities, desperate Democrats have back-filled the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress or their electoral votes, hence artificially boosting their political power and in turn diluting the power of other Americans’ votes. I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and will ensure that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting.”
The Equal Representation Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
The Equal Representation Act would:
Require the Census Bureau to include a citizenship question in future censuses to provide a greater understanding of the U.S. population and delineate citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes;
Prohibit the counting of non-citizens for congressional district and Electoral College apportionment; and
Require the Census Bureau to publicly report on certain demographic data.