July 4: U.S. history in dispute

And Russia runs short on gasoline

Stay informed with Reuters. Subscribe for $1/week. Weekend Briefing Weekend Briefing From Reuters Daily Briefing   By Robert MacMillan, Reuters.com Weekend Editor Welcome to the Weekend Briefing. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married. Many Americans are getting a taste of the unreasonable heat that Europe has been dealing with. Our latest edition of City Memo celebrates the U.S. Independence Day the way the founding fathers intended: by eating cheesesteaks in Philly. July 4: U.S. history in dispute    REUTERS/Hannah Beier Preservation: 250 years after the United States came into being, it faces a bitter dispute over whether historic sites can offer uncensored interpretations of its history. Donald Trump railed against Communism at Mount Rushmore and will headline a rally in D.C. Pope Leo visited the Italian island where many migrants land on their way from Africa to Europe – and those who died along the way are buried. Well preserved: A volunteer at Britain’s National Archives dug up a “vanishingly rare” copy of the Declaration of Independence that was filed under the heading “another document.” The Royal Navy seized it from a U.S. ship off Portugal on Christmas Eve in 1776. How shocking is this oil shock? Comparison: The Iran war created the largest oil-supply convulsion ever seen in terms of daily production losses. But: the 1979 Iranian Revolution remains the biggest oil crisis by cumulative supply loss, according to our calculations. Seizure: Mohammad Salameh was building a home for his family in the occupied West Bank. Before construction was finished, Israeli settlers seized the property. A U.N. inquiry last month reported that settler attacks have risen 130% since 2023. Russia runs short on gasoline Attacks: Russia called in Cossacks to keep order at gas stations at a holiday resort as anger grows over fuel shortages that Ukraine brought on with attacks on oil refineries. Police are seeking a Ukrainian woman suspected of planting a bomb that injured a Ukrainian-born oligarch and his family in Monaco. Europe: Britain’s government wants to charge asylum seekers more than $13,000 for accommodation and basic support as a condition to be eligible for settlement. Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a large defense investment. Critics say it’s not enough. Starmer also apologized to women who were forced to give up their babies in the decades following World War Two. Blame climate change for World Cup heat Scientists say: Our dependence on fossil fuels helped bring about the heat and humidity that puts Saturday’s Philadelphia match between Paraguay and France into the danger zone. High temperatures will bedevil fans and tennis players at Wimbledon. Are you one of the millions of Americans living under this week’s heat dome? Find out here in case you didn’t already know. The heatwave that’s been dominating Europe pushed the Alps into another year of heavy ice loss. Later than ever: World Cup matches are being determined more than ever by the number of goals arriving in stoppage time. Have a look at our presentation of the data. The U.S. wants minerals in the South Pacific Influence: Washington’s new ambassador to New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue and Samoa said securing seabed minerals is a priority and that China’s increasing pull in the region carries risks for small island states. Dependence: New Caledonia’s non-independence coalition emerged as the largest legislative bloc after recent elections while falling short of an outright majority. This leaves a small centrist party with the power to determine whether the French territory preserves its allegiance with Paris or moves toward independence. I’m in your base and I’m taking your chips Parts and labor: Defense startups are raiding the automotive and fracking industries for parts to accelerate weapons development. The U.S. stopped Polestar, majority owned by China's Geely Holding, from selling new models domestically. Owners want to know who's going to service their cars. AI: Argentina's president announced a congressional bill to create non-human corporations run by artificial intelligence. Look behind the curtain and you'll find they would need humans anyway, experts say. Apes: they're just like us Good: Researchers compared laughter among humans as well as chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans and found that we adhere to the same rhythmic pattern. This suggests that our common ancestor, thought to have lived some 15 million years ago, may have laughed the same way. Bad: Avoid cannibalism. It’s not just rude, it’s bad for your health. Before I forget… Police arrested a man in northern Germany suspected of shooting to death six employees of a shelter for mothers and children. Papuan separatist rebels shot an American pilot dead. Their group said they were sending a message to the U.S. and Indonesian governments. A video appears to show the former chief of Mexico’s state energy company abusing his wife. Taiwan’s premier suspended his top trade negotiator after her deputy accused her of workplace bullying. The deputy died in March at the age of 53 shortly after resigning. When I think Vatican, schism and excommunication, my mind goes to Canossa in the Middle Ages. But this latest episode takes place right now in Switzerland. Some headlines write themselves: Corpus Christi ship channel closed after pickup truck enters waterway.   Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website   Weekend Briefing is sent once a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions   © 2026 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036

Iran prepares to bury slain supreme leader

Plus, New York City prepares for a busy weekend. 

Go beyond the headlines with Reuters on the stories shaping the day. Subscribe for $1/week. Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Claire Beers Hello. Iran prepares to bury slain supreme leader with week of mass mourning, Meta's Zuckerberg acknowledges shortcomings in the company's sweeping restructuring and Trump Jr's 'Amazon of guns' could make millions under new proposed firearm rule. Plus, New York City prepares for a busy weekend — even by the Big Apple's standards.  Today's Top News   Women pay their respects near the coffins of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem Iran's ruling clerics are preparing days of mass funeral rites for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a show of public devotion to the Islamic Republic and proof that its revolutionary fervor still burns strong. Rescuers cleared the rubble in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday in a search for survivors, as flags were lowered to half-mast to mark a day of mourning, a day after a ‌Russian missile and drone attack killed at least 30 people. A cascading crisis was presented to more than 370 government and military officials during an exercise in central Taiwan this week, part of President Lai Ching-te's push to harden the island's ‌war preparedness as Chinese military pressure grows. Pubs and bars across England and Wales will be allowed to stay open until 5 a.m. on Monday morning, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, so fans can watch the World Cup last-16 clash against Mexico. Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has rejected allegations that her government reacted too slowly to the destruction caused by two earthquakes, which killed more than 2,000 people, after days of widespread criticism of the official response. When the US Supreme Court issued its ruling defending the Federal Reserve from political interference, it not only prevented President Donald Trump from firing one of the central bank's governors, it also highlighted growing unease among the justices about the use of their ever-expanding emergency docket. Business & Markets   Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wears the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses during a Meta Connect event. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Meta's Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged shortcomings ‌in the company's sweeping restructuring at an internal town hall on Thursday, saying the systems known as AI agents had not progressed as quickly as he had expected, according to a recording heard by Reuters. US job growth slowed sharply in June, and payroll gains for the prior two months were revised lower, pointing to a cooling labor market and prompting financial markets to dial back expectations for a near-term interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said it was still possible she could leave before her term ends in late 2027 to weigh ‌in on French politics, but running in next spring's French presidential election was not "currently" on the agenda. The world's biggest internet domain seller, GoDaddy, has warned that India's crackdown on fake websites impersonating famous brands will make the internet less safe for legitimate businesses and carry global ramifications. A Moscow car dealership is struggling to keep up with demand for new electric vehicles, especially from China, as ‌drivers look to sidestep a fuel crisis that has led to long queues and soaring prices across much of Russia. Trump Jr.'s 'Amazon of guns' could make millions under new proposed firearm rule   President Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. arrive at the White House. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon Donald Trump Jr. helped take an online retailer known as the “Amazon of guns” public last year. Now, GrabAGun, where the US president's son is a shareholder and board member, could reap a windfall from a proposed rule change at Trump's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that would make it easier to ship guns directly to people's homes. If finalized, the rule would be among the most consequential changes to US gun policy in two decades, potentially driving huge growth in online gun sales, ‌according to ten industry officials, store owners, and gun-control advocates interviewed by Reuters. Read more And Finally... Workers believed to be a part of the reported wedding between singer Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce outside Madison Square Garden. REUTERS/Christian Monterrosa New York City seems to have it all, at least for this weekend: a dizzying heatwave, a rumored celebrity wedding, scrums of soccer fans and sailors on shore leave, a political debate about air conditioning, sharks in the water, and a grand fireworks display for the nation's 250th birthday. But the weather forecast for this convergence is daunting. Read more   Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website   Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions   © 2026 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036