New polling and federal price data show grocery costs remain a central political issue, with many Americans linking higher prices to tariffs and corporate power. President Donald Trump has repeatedly dismissed the broader affordability debate as a “hoax” even as food costs remain a top concern.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city lacks legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court warrant, but added he would support the same treatment for Hamas leaders accused under the same legal standard.

A privately commissioned autopsy found red discoloration in the back of Nolan Wells’ head but did not determine how the 18-year-old died. The preliminary report says key unanswered questions remain as Mississippi authorities continue their investigation.

A Los Angeles judge is hearing evidence this week to decide whether singer D4vd will stand trial in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Prosecutors and defense lawyers are presenting testimony in a multiday preliminary hearing centered on probable cause, not guilt or innocence.

France’s Parliament has approved a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 15 after President Emmanuel Macron said young people’s brains were “not for sale.” The measure, which still must clear EU procedural steps before taking effect, is intended to be in place for the new school year in September.

Tropical Storm Bertha is tracking west along the northern Gulf Coast, with forecasters warning of coastal flooding, heavy rain and gusty winds from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana. Advisories issued Tuesday and Wednesday said the storm could make landfall in southeast Louisiana while spreading impacts across several Gulf states.

House Democrats are examining whether Jeffrey Epstein acted as an unregistered foreign agent, shifting the focus from criminal prosecution to questions about national security, foreign influence and undisclosed government records.

A new national poll found that 52% of Americans said one word describes President Donald Trump: “cruel.” The survey adds to a broader set of 2026 polling showing durable partisan divides over Trump’s leadership style and public image.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said July 21 that investigators have identified the source of a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak, days after the FDA said a previously reported positive lettuce test should be considered a false positive. Federal officials continue to link the five-state cluster to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations.

Senate Democrats on July 14 blocked the annual defense authorization bill from advancing, breaking with a process Congress has completed for more than six decades. The failed procedural vote centered on Democratic objections to President Donald Trump's handling of the Iran conflict and Congress' war powers role.

State Medicaid computer systems are being forced to absorb new federal eligibility checks, six-month renewals and work-rule changes under President Donald Trump’s 2025 law. Officials, advocates and court filings say the technology and paperwork burden are already raising the risk that eligible people will be denied or lose coverage.

The Pentagon has gone more than two and a half months without a live press briefing on the Iran war, even as the conflict stretches into a fifth month and questions over transparency intensify. Court fights, new access limits and public criticism of reporters have added to the standoff.