Sources & More

Calls for ceasefire and admission to operations in Rafah (CNN, Reuters)

The IDF confirmed that it is conducting operations in central Rafah despite international condemnation. Troops reportedly discovered a Hamas weapons storage facility in the area. This comes after a deadly Israeli airstrike on a displaced persons camp in the city, killing dozens of civilians and prompting President Biden to submit a permanent ceasefire proposal that Hamas has since agreed to. The proposal involves complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and the return of all hostages.

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Trump plans to appeal felony convictions (CBS, CNN)

Donald Trump will appeal his 34 felony convictions. His lawyer laid out the grounds for the appeal, citing the venue of the trial, the statute of limitations, and the judge’s political affiliation. After the guilty verdict, members of anonymous online hate groups began sharing the names and addresses of potential jurors, as well as making violent threats against them.

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Mexico’s historical 2024 election (AP, NBC)

Mexico elected its first female president last night. Claudia Sheinbaum will succeed current president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as a member of his same party, a left-wing populist group that has maintained a positive relationship between Mexico and the US over the past few years. Additionally, the election is the largest in Mexico’s history, with voters casting ballots for over 20,000 positions.

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Former US VP of naval operations arrested (CNN)

The US former vice chief of naval operations Robert Burke was arrested this Friday on bribery and conspiracy charges. According to the DOJ, Burke allegedly steered government contracts toward a training company in exchange for a job offer and starting salary of $500,000.

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Spelling Bee champ defends title 3 years in a row (NBC)

12-year old Bruhat Soma cruised through the Scripps National Spelling Bee last Thursday, making this his fourth consecutive win in an unbroken streak. The seventh-grader was unstoppable in the bee’s tiebreaker round, spelling 29 words correctly to win the title.

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Possible MDMA approval for PTSD sufferers (CBS)

The FDA is currently weighing the potential approval of MDMA for patients with PTSD. The government agency is expected to make a decision by August 11th on a possible four-month course of the hallucinogenic drug combined with psychotherapy. 

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Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, passes away (CBS)

Sadly, Marian Robinson, the mother of Michelle Obama, has died at the age of 86. Robinson’s family announced that she had passed away peacefully in a statement released Friday, and described her as “their rock through it all.”

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