#1Supreme Court lets late mail-in ballots count, conservatives revolt
In a 5-4 ruling written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Supreme Court held that federal election-day law does not bar states from counting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, upholding a Mississippi statute. Barrett joined Chief Justice Roberts and the three liberal justices, with Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh dissenting. The decision triggered a fierce backlash on the right, with Sen. Eric Schmitt calling it "a shockingly wrong opinion." Source: Fox News — https://www.foxnews.com/politics/conservatives-revolt-after-trump-appointed-barrett-joins-liberals-shockingly-wrong-mail-ballot-ruling.
#2Inmates seize control of North Carolina jail, take officers hostage
Inmates at the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail in eastern North Carolina overpowered staff and took two detention officers hostage starting around 5 a.m. Monday. Eighty-eight inmates and three correctional officers were inside when prisoners gained control of portions of the facility, drawing in the FBI. Source: The Daily Caller — https://dailycaller.com/2026/06/29/hostages-release-inmates-bertie-martin-regional-jail-north-carolina-officers-fbi/.
#3Trump touts fast-falling gas and oil prices after Iran deal
President Trump said Monday that gas and oil prices are dropping quickly following the interim peace deal with Iran, posting "Gas prices coming down, fast!" on Truth Social. National average regular gas sat near $3.86, with the administration crediting the easing of Strait of Hormuz tensions. Source: The Epoch Times — https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-highlights-significant-drop-in-oil-gas-prices-6054864.
#4Thomas and Gorsuch blast court over landmark libel precedent
The Supreme Court declined to hear Alan Dershowitz's defamation suit against CNN, but Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch used the moment to assail the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan "actual malice" standard. They wrote the standard "bears no relation to the text, history, or structure of the Constitution," reviving a long-running push to make it easier for public figures to sue the press. Source: Fox News — https://www.foxnews.com/politics/thomas-gorsuch-target-landmark-ruling-trump-says-protects-fake-news.
#5Iran says $6 billion in frozen assets to be released ahead of Doha talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that $6 billion in frozen regime assets held in Qatar will be released under a memorandum of understanding signed with the United States. The claim comes as Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner prepare to meet Iranian officials in Doha on Tuesday to continue negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and Iran's nuclear program. Source: The Epoch Times — https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/iranian-president-says-6-billion-in-frozen-assets-to-be-released-amid-talks-with-us-6054746.
#6Israel says it killed Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza
The Israeli military announced Monday that it killed senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives in separate operations in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian officials reported civilian deaths and renewed accusations that Israel is violating the ceasefire that took effect in October, underscoring how fragile the truce remains. Source: The Epoch Times — https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/israeli-military-says-it-killed-hamas-islamic-jihad-operatives-6054835.
#7Tories warn of a UK 'summer of chaos' as Starmer steps back
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch predicted a "summer of chaos" in Britain as Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer signals he is stepping away from governance amid party collapse. Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is positioning himself as the next Labour leader, with his campaign so far uncontested. Source: Washington Examiner — https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/4628972/britain-summer-chaos-andy-burnham-keir-starmer-uk-government-london/.
#8China approves a commercial brain chip, raising big questions
China has approved a coin-sized brain-computer interface chip, the NEO, for commercial medical use in paralysis patients, with a related "Beinao 2" device designed to let thoughts control external machines. The chip rests on the brain's protective outer layer rather than piercing tissue, and commentators warn it signals China closing the gap on the U.S. in a strategic technology race, while raising fresh data-privacy concerns. Source: Fox News — https://www.foxnews.com/tech/chinas-brain-chip-breakthrough-raises-big-questions.
#9Perseverance rover spots a 'visitor from outer space' on Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover discovered a shiny metallic rock nicknamed "Phippsaksla" that scientists believe could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid. Tests revealed high levels of iron and nickel, elements found together almost exclusively in meteorites rather than native Martian rock, making it a likely first such find for Perseverance. Source: Fox News — https://www.foxnews.com/tech/perseverance-rover-spots-mysterious-visitor-from-outer-space-rock-mars-surface-after-four-years.
#10Singer Noah Kahan begs fans to stop pooping at his concerts
After a viral video appeared to show a concertgoer defecating during his June 26 Philadelphia show, folk-pop star Noah Kahan pleaded online: "If you have to poop at a show please dear god just go to the bathroom." The episode spotlights a strange trend of fans refusing to leave their front-row spots, with Olivia Rodrigo recently noting she's seen attendees wearing diapers to hold their place. Source: The Daily Caller — https://dailycaller.com/2026/06/29/noah-kahan-fans-poop-concerts-philadelphia-adult-diapers/.
