The U.S. Navy on Tuesday identified the aviator who went missing after the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter he was aboard made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea.
<a href="https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2026/07/07/squadron-commanding-officer-identified-as-navy-aviator-killed-in-downed-helicopter/">Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards</a>, commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, remained missing after the helicopter made an emergency landing around 3:30 a.m. EDT on July 1. Three other crew members were rescued, but search efforts spanning 102 hours and 14,000 square miles ended without locating Edwards.
&#8220;Commander Gabe Edwards was the epitome of selfless leadership, who dedicated himself to service and sacrifice for the last 20 years,&#8221; said Capt. Matthew Lewis, commander of Carrier Air Wing 7. &#8220;Our deepest gratitude and sympathy go out to his family.&#8221;
Edwards had served in the Navy for two decades and was leading Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, which flies the MH-60S Sea Hawk, during the USS George H.W. Bush&#8217;s deployment. The Sea Hawk is a multi-mission helicopter used for logistics, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and other fleet missions.
The search included Navy and Air Force aircraft, destroyers, and helicopter squadrons from across the region. The Navy suspended search-and-rescue operations on Monday.
&#8220;The efforts concluded following an extensive search by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,&#8221; the service said in a statement.
The Navy previously said there was no indication that the helicopter&#8217;s emergency landing was caused by hostile activity. Officials have not released additional details about what led to the emergency landing, and the incident remains under investigation.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said in a Tuesday statement that Edwards would be promoted to the rank of captain posthumously.
“For 20 years, Commander Edwards served our nation with courage and integrity,” Cao wrote. “In recognition of his extraordinary service and sacrifice, I have directed that Commander Edwards be posthumously promoted to his selected rank of captain.”
Edwards is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and their two children. In a statement, the family remembered him as a devoted husband and father and thanked those who took part in the search.
&#8220;Gabe has dedicated his life to serving his country with honor, courage, and commitment,&#8221; Edwards said. &#8220;He led with humility, integrity, and compassion, always putting his people before himself.&#8221;

Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards

Navy Identifies Missing Pilot After Emergency Landing At Sea

Iran

Iran war

Navy

Hamas said Monday it <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-war-government-146f9a609580d4c8c42ab35fbe60d5b3">dissolved its de facto government</a> in Gaza and is ready to transfer civilian control of the territory to a U.N.-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats, a move tied to the ceasefire plan brokered by the Trump administration.
The announcement marks a potential shift in who handles Gaza’s government services, but it does not answer the central question hanging over the ceasefire: whether Hamas will give up its weapons.
If implemented, the proposal would be the most significant change to <a href="https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict">Gaza&#8217;s governing structure</a> since Hamas violently seized control of the territory in 2007, potentially ending nearly two decades in which the group has served as Gaza&#8217;s de facto governing authority. 
Hamas said its Government Emergency Committee, which has overseen ministries in Gaza, had been dissolved. Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run government media office, said technical and professional staff would remain in place to keep basic services running and would be prepared to work under the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Hamas described the decision as a step toward implementing the ceasefire agreement and facilitating an administrative transition. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem called it “a positive step forward” in carrying out the deal.
The National Committee is based in Cairo and led by Ali Shaath, a Gaza-born engineer and former Palestinian Authority official. The committee is expected to oversee civilian affairs and restore essential services under the supervision of the U.N. and the Trump-appointed Board of Peace.
The Board of Peace said it was aware of Hamas’s announcement but would judge the move by “actions, not promises.” The board also stressed that the technocratic committee must control all weapons in Gaza under the ceasefire agreement.
Israel dismissed the announcement, saying Hamas was trying to avoid disarmament while preserving its influence. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Hamas’s willingness to make room for a technocratic government was designed to prevent the group from giving up its weapons.
“As long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civilian government will of course operate as Hamas dictates,” Saar said.
Hamas has not said it will disarm or hand over security to an international force. Reuters reported that Hamas said its ministries and appointed staff would stay in place and that the group would still <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-dissolves-gaza-government-presses-progress-stalled-peace-plan-2026-07-06/">oversee security and policing</a> in parts of Gaza under its control.
The dispute comes nine months after the ceasefire framework was signed, with Israel and Hamas still deadlocked over the second phase of the agreement. That phase includes Hamas’s disarmament and Gaza’s reconstruction.
Hamas has insisted on implementing the first phase of the agreement before moving to discussions over its weapons. Israel, meanwhile, has said all parties must fully implement the Trump-backed plan, which includes Hamas laying down its arms.
Shaath said the committee was ready to assume responsibility in Gaza once the necessary resources and conditions were in place. He also said the committee’s success would require one governing authority, one legal framework, and one security apparatus accountable to that authority.
The announcement came as fighting continued despite the ceasefire. Gaza health officials claimed that Israeli strikes killed at least five people Monday, including two in an apartment in Gaza City and three in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said the Gaza City strike targeted a Hamas operative while a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant was targeted in Khan Younis.
The war began after Hamas led the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

TOPSHOT-PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-ICRC-CONFLICT-HOSTAGES

Hamas Says It Will Give Up Gaza Government But Keep Its Guns

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

Two bombs <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/explosions-heard-damascus-reasons-unknown-witness-says-2026-07-07/">detonated</a> and wounded 18 people in Damascus on Tuesday shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron left his hotel for meetings with Syria’s new president.
The blasts went off shortly after Macron’s motorcade left the Four Seasons hotel for the presidential palace, where he met with Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa. Macron’s office said the French president did not hear the explosions, and his visit continued as planned.
Syria’s Interior Ministry said security forces had identified two improvised explosive devices near the Ministry of Tourism and were preparing to dismantle them when they detonated. One device had been placed inside a vehicle parked along the road, while the other was hidden in a trash container, officials said.
Authorities said the bombs were outside the security zone designated for Macron’s residence and did not pose a direct threat to the French president or his official schedule. Four police officers were <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/7/explosions-heard-in-syrias-damascus">among those wounded</a>, according to Syrian state media.
<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?is=tEgVCSZ09djQPEOu&amp;v=lhvZcZ16UsI&amp;feature=youtu.be">Footage from the scene</a> showed smoke rising over the capital and a vehicle engulfed in flames as emergency crews responded. Reuters footage captured smoke and fire billowing from the site, while the second explosion went off near an ambulance that had already arrived at the scene.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and Syrian officials said search operations were underway to identify those behind it.
The explosions came during a politically significant visit for both France and Syria. Macron traveled to Damascus as Syria’s new government works to rebuild diplomatic ties and stabilize the country after more than a decade of civil war. Sharaa, who once commanded an al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgent group before breaking with the organization, has sought closer relations with Western governments while pledging to build a more inclusive post-Assad order.
Macron was accompanied by French business leaders, including executives from TotalEnergies and shipping giant CMA CGM. His visit focused not only on diplomacy but also on reconstruction, as France signaled willingness to help rebuild Syria’s economy and banking sector.
The Élysée said CMA CGM signed a partnership agreement with Syria that included air cargo freight handling at Damascus airport. France and Syria also agreed to begin the process of returning €51 million in assets that had been confiscated from Rifaat al-Assad, the late uncle of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The visit marked a sharp diplomatic shift for a country that had been isolated by much of the West during Assad’s rule and the civil war that devastated Syria for more than a decade. Macron had previously pushed for the lifting of Western sanctions on Syria after Assad’s fall, and his trip to Damascus was intended to signal France’s support for the country’s new political direction.
In a <a href="https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/2074429009329308088">post</a> on X after the explosions, Macron said nothing could undermine Syrians’ desire to live in a sovereign and secure country. He added that he had met Syria “in all its diversity” and saw “dignity, courage, and determination.”
The bombings also came just days after another deadly explosion in Damascus. Last week, a bomb at a central café killed at least nine people and wounded about 20 others. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for that attack either.
The Islamic State, which fought against Sharaa during Syria’s civil war, has claimed several attacks against government forces since February, when the terror group announced what it described as a new phase of operations against the Syrian government. Authorities have not publicly linked the group to Tuesday’s explosions.

Emmanuel Macron

Bombs Explode Near Hotel Moments After French President Leaves

bombing

France

Syria

Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine&#8217;s capital overnight into Thursday, killing at least 22 civilians and injuring more than 90 people in an attack that Kyiv says targeted residential areas across the city.
The hours-long bombardment combined 74 missiles and 496 drones, according to Ukraine&#8217;s air force, with loud explosions shaking the capital as more than 50,000 residents sought shelter in subway stations after air raid sirens sounded, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-missile-drone-attack-384d5b6bcdfc6e7d8c18f25130332ef7">reported</a>. 
Emergency crews spent Thursday searching through collapsed apartment buildings for survivors as fires burned across multiple districts of the city. Authorities reported damage at more than 30 locations, including about 20 residential buildings.
Among the hardest-hit areas were Kyiv&#8217;s Desnianskyi and Darnytskyi districts, where residents became trapped inside damaged apartment buildings. In Darnytskyi, most of a nine-story residential building collapsed.
&#8220;It was a night of horror,&#8221; Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, describing the attack as rescuers continued pulling victims from the rubble.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called it the worst Russian attack on the capital in more than four years of war, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/02/russia-attacks-kyiv-missiles-drones-ukraine">according</a> to The Guardian. 
Russia&#8217;s Defense Ministry said the barrage was retaliation for Ukraine&#8217;s recent long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities, claiming it targeted weapons factories, energy infrastructure, and military airfields using &#8220;high-precision long-range weapons&#8221; and drones. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also maintained that the strikes were directed &#8220;exclusively against military or military-linked targets.&#8221;
Ukrainian officials rejected that characterization, pointing to widespread damage to residential neighborhoods. Sybiha called it &#8220;immoral&#8221; to describe the attack as retaliation, arguing that Ukraine is defending itself against an invading force while Russia is the aggressor.
The overnight attack came after weeks of intensified Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the campaign as a 40-day blitz targeting Russian oil infrastructure, with officials saying the strategy is designed to weaken Moscow&#8217;s war effort and force Russian President Vladimir Putin toward negotiations.
According to Ukrainian officials, the strikes have contributed to severe fuel shortages in Russia, particularly in occupied Crimea, where authorities have declared a state of emergency. Multiple Russian regions have also introduced gasoline rationing following attacks on refineries.
Ukraine&#8217;s General Staff said its forces struck one of Russia&#8217;s largest oil refineries overnight in the Nizhny Novgorod region, igniting a fire. It also reported striking a railway bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River in Russian-occupied Luhansk that was being used to transport Russian personnel, weapons, and military supplies.
Russia acknowledged Thursday&#8217;s strikes were conducted in response to Ukraine&#8217;s attacks on its energy infrastructure.
While Ukraine has significantly improved its ability to intercept Russian drones during the war, officials say ballistic missiles remain much harder to stop. Roughly one-third of the missiles launched during Thursday&#8217;s attack were ballistic missiles.
Sybiha renewed Kyiv&#8217;s call for additional Western air defense systems, particularly Patriot batteries, arguing that greater air defense capabilities could have reduced the destruction.
&#8220;We are fighting alone,&#8221; Zelensky said after returning early from a trip to Ireland to visit one of the strike sites. &#8220;The victims are only Ukrainians. All we ask from our partners is that they do what they agreed to.&#8221;
According to Ukrainian officials, Putin believes time favors Moscow as it seeks to outlast Western support for Ukraine while continuing pressure through sustained aerial bombardment.
President Donald Trump and Zelensky are expected to attend next week&#8217;s NATO summit in Turkey. 
As the death toll continued to rise Thursday, Kyiv officials declared Friday a day of mourning for the victims of the attack.

Russian troops target Zaporizhzhia with guided bombs

Families Forced To Hide Underground As Russia Launches Worst Assault On Kyiv In Years

Russia Launches Worst Assault On Kyiv In Years, Killing Civilians As Families Hide Underground

WASHINGTON — War Secretary Pete Hegseth blasted demonstrators protesting outside the Trump administration’s D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force ceremony honoring National Guard troops on Thursday, calling them “ingrates” who are “so blinded by ideology” they “can’t see law and order and common sense.”
According to <a href="https://x.com/leonasalinas19/status/2072668658128593158?s=42">The Daily Wire’s reporting from Meridian Hill</a>, protesters gathered outside the ceremony chanting for the National Guard to “go home” even as administration officials pointed to substantial declines in violent crime and nearly every major crime category since the guard’s deployment.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/Gko5yUTMbmy8hFm9PS4lEV6Kx01KvZqT1?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=e92e30a8-606a-4141-a234-ef16a5dacd5d&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-07-02%20Meridian%20Hill%20Protests%20DW%20on%20the%20Ground&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F15f034d7-f5e3-449c-9894-bcf2a9aa54c8.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
Before the ceremony began, protesters chanted “Pete Hegseth skips leg day,” “Guard go home,” “86-47,” and “D.C. is a sanctuary, we don’t need the military.”
As the crowd grew, <a href="https://x.com/leonasalinas19/status/2072676134118887618?s=10">security personnel could be overheard</a> discussing streets “flooding with protesters.” Demonstrators blocked surrounding roads, causing traffic backups as horns and emergency sirens sounded. Reporters were told they could not move closer because the area had been deemed unsafe.
The disruption delayed the ceremony before Hegseth took the podium and addressed both the soldiers assembled before him and the protesters gathered outside.
“Thank you for waiting out here in the sun,” Hegseth told members of the National Guard in a video<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptt65NUwWB8"> captured by The Daily Wire</a>. “I’m to blame. Sorry I had a meeting go long. I never want to make a formation stand out any longer than it has to because I’ve stood in your formation before waiting for somebody to show up so I can get on and do my job.”
Hegseth then referenced the chants echoing into the ceremony.
“In fact, this background noise this morning is perfect,” Hegseth said. “It’s the sound of ingrates, of ingratitude, of people who are so blinded by ideology they can’t see law and order and common sense in front of them.”
“There’s nothing ideological about this group,” he continued. “There’s nothing political about this exercise.” Instead, Hegseth argued that restoring public safety should transcend politics.
“Law and order is something all Americans deserve. Black, white, rich, poor, man or woman, from D.C. or far-flung places in this country,” he said.
Hegseth thanked Guard members who traveled from around the country to assist in Washington and asked attendees to observe a moment of silence of service members killed in the line of duty. 
“The beautiful thing is when I look out at this group, that’s all of you from all across this great country,” Hegseth said. “You’re not from Washington, most of you, but this is your capital. And you believe in this 250th year that it should be safe and it should be secure for every single citizen that lives here and every single citizen that comes to visit in this 250th year.”
Hegseth concluded by contrasting the protesters with the Guard members standing before him.
“See, these ingrates will fade away,” he said. “They’ll go back to wherever they came from. You will do your job.”
Demonstrators continued chanting outside after the ceremony, including calls to &#8220;Free D.C.,&#8221; &#8220;Free Palestine,&#8221; and for National Guard troops to leave Washington, according to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2MOvnTs77E">footage</a> captured by The Daily Wire. Administration officials say the Guard&#8217;s deployment has led to historic reductions in violent crime and other major offenses in the District.

GettyImages-2284347132

Protesters Tried To Disrupt Hegseth’s Speech. He Made Them Part Of It.

A New York woman was arrested and charged with attempting to send money to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/upstate-new-york-woman-arrested-charged-attempting-provide-material-support-palestine">announced</a> Tuesday.
Catherine Beth Washburn, 37, of Irondequoit, New York, was charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support and resources, namely currency, to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, also known as Al-Quds Brigades. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the report, Washburn is a leader of the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation, or DAMPL, which the Justice Department described as an extremist organization formed after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Prosecutors said DAMPL rejects peaceful protest and engages in “direct action,” including sabotage and property destruction, in support of the Palestinian cause and against entities it associates with Israel.
“As alleged, <a href="https://x.com/DOJNatSec/status/2072070845640433955">Washburn repeatedly voiced support for violence against Israeli civilians</a> and attempted to provide material support to the Palestine Islamic Jihad by sending cryptocurrency to an individual who claimed to participate in its attacks,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said. “Those who aid foreign terrorist groups will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Federal investigators said the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force executed search warrants in February and March 2026 and recovered electronic messages between Washburn and an individual who identified as a Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighter in Gaza. The individual allegedly claimed to have taken part in attacks against Israel.
In one message cited by prosecutors, Washburn allegedly wrote, “If I lived in Gaza, I would fight alongside the resistance.” She also allegedly wrote, “I wish every day were October 7th,” and said she hated Jews “very much” and wished Israel “would disappear.”
Prosecutors said Washburn and the individual discussed alleged Palestinian Islamic Jihad attacks on Israel, weapons, and ammunition. In another message, Washburn allegedly wrote, “I feel excited every time I see news of the killing of an occupation soldier.”
An analysis of financial records determined that Washburn made approximately 80 cryptocurrency transfers totaling about $30,116, to an account used by the individual, according to the Justice Department.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York said Washburn was stopped before her alleged efforts could continue.
“Despite her alleged attempts, including cryptic communications with a fighter involved in violent attacks in an area thousands of miles away, Catherine Washburn was stopped and so too were her efforts to support violent extremism,” DiGiacomo said.
Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division said the FBI remains focused on cutting off funding to terrorist groups.
“The FBI is committed to cutting off funding to terrorist groups and will continue to work side-by-side with our Justice Department partners to make sure anyone who engages in terrorism or provides assistance to such organizations is held fully accountable in our justice system,” Markovsky said.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York and the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

Islamic Jihad Hold Gaza Rally

Feds Arrest American For Trying To Fund Jihadists

New York

Terrorism

At least 28 drones have successfully entered the Gaza Strip in recent months despite dozens of Israeli interception efforts, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-901044#google_vignette">raising concerns</a> among Israeli security officials that many of them could be used by Hamas terrorists.
Army Radio reported Wednesday that the drones crossed into Gaza through multiple routes, including from Egypt and from within Israel. According to the report, Israeli defense officials believe most of the drones that successfully entered the strip ultimately reached Hamas, though it remains unknown what cargo many of them were carrying.
Israeli officials say the drones themselves could become valuable operational assets even if they were not transporting weapons or other supplies. According to Army Radio, Hamas has increasingly used drones to observe Israeli troop movements and carry out attacks by attaching explosives to the aircraft.
The report said Israeli authorities have thwarted 89 drone smuggling attempts since January. Combined with the 28 drones believed to have entered Gaza, that represents at least 117 known drone smuggling operations during the first half of the year. Israeli officials also cautioned that the figures only include known cases, meaning the real number of attempted or successful smuggling operations could be higher.
&#8220;The IDF claims that all smuggling attempts intercepted so far contained drugs only,&#8221; Army Radio reported. &#8220;However, as noted, dozens were not intercepted, and these figures represent only the cases known to the military.&#8221;
The report added that Israeli officials acknowledge some drones may have entered Gaza without ever being detected. <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/429465">Security officials also said</a> it is impossible to determine what the drones that reached Gaza were carrying, according to Israel National News.
Israeli authorities have recently stepped up efforts to disrupt the smuggling networks. In June, Israel Police and the Defense Ministry confiscated property linked to drone smuggling into Gaza, while Defense Minister Israel Katz imposed economic sanctions on individuals accused of participating in the operations.
&#8220;Anyone who smuggles weapons, equipment, or funds to terrorist organizations in Gaza is part of the terrorist network itself and will pay a heavy price,&#8221; Katz said in a statement.
<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-897758">The concerns come as Israeli military leaders</a> continue to warn about the growing role of drones in modern warfare. Hamas is reportedly studying Hezbollah&#8217;s use of explosive drones in Lebanon, where such attacks have killed 16 Israeli soldiers and wounded many more in recent months, according to the Jerusalem Post.
In May, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir described Hezbollah&#8217;s first-person-view drone capabilities as &#8220;a challenge&#8221; but said the military already has &#8220;operational and technological solutions&#8221; in development to counter the threat.
&#8220;The drone threat is a challenge, but we will overcome it,&#8221; Zamir said. &#8220;The battlefield is unpredictable and always will be, but we are dedicating the IDF&#8217;s best resources, minds, and capabilities to this issue.&#8221;
Israeli officials have increasingly pointed to drones as one of the evolving threats facing the military, both from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Hamas in Gaza, as armed groups continue adapting commercially available technology for military purposes.

Hamas fighters carry a drone as they attend the military

Hamas Gets Hands On Dozens Of Drones That Israel Worries Could Be Used In Future Attacks

Drones

Unlicensed food trucks operating around the National Mall have become a growing safety, tax, and law enforcement problem — a problem exacerbated by Washington, D.C.&#8217;s soft-on-crime leadership.
Local legislators passed the Street Vendor Advancement Amendment Act in 2023, decriminalizing unlicensed street vending — including food trucks — which means that illegal vendors will now never face criminal prosecution for operating there without the proper permits and licenses. The problem has gotten so pervasive that U.S. Park Police told the <a href="https://washingtonian.com/2026/06/29/dc-food-truck-mafia-national-mall/">Washingtonian</a> that many of the illegal operations amount to organized crime.
The trucks, <a href="https://x.com/jsidman/status/2071551385548501311">often clustered</a> along Constitution Avenue near some of the country’s most visited museums and monuments, have been accused of blocking fire hydrants, operating without proper licensing, avoiding taxes, and creating fire and food-safety hazards.
Some of the trucks have been seen with unsecured propane tanks, gasoline spills, questionable generator setups, and no posted prices, according to the Washingtonian. In one case, the outlet said a small chocolate ice cream cone cost $16.50. The company listed on the receipt reportedly had no record with the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue.
Officials said the problem is not just a handful of independent vendors breaking rules. Park Police said that “the majority of the illegal operations in the city are organized crime,” describing repeat offenders who replace one truck with another when enforcement removes a vehicle.
The illegal trucks have also created conflict with licensed food truck owners. One longtime legal vendor told the Washingtonian that some operators appeared to be selling food without proper refrigeration or ventilation, while another licensed truck owner said unlicensed vendors had blocked off spots and made the Mall difficult for rule-abiding operators.
In some cases, the issue has escalated to violence. Park Police said assaults around the Mall are often vendor-related, and some legal food truck owners told Washingtonian they avoid the area because unlicensed operators are aggressive and territorial. One vendor described a parking dispute in which another driver allegedly attacked him with a screwdriver near his eye.
Safety officials have also warned about the fire risk. The Washingtonian reported that a food truck caught fire in 2024 near the National Museum of African American History and Culture, critically injuring two people. In the last four years, the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department has responded to 15 food truck fires in the city.
D.C. officials have issued hundreds of vending violations, but enforcement remains difficult because many trucks come from Virginia, leave before inspectors can act, or simply pay the fines and then return. Former and current officials told the Washingtonian that some operations appear to use multiple trucks, repeated addresses, shell companies, and coordinated lookouts to avoid enforcement.
The dispute is now moving to the City Council, where lawmakers are considering bills that would give civil officials more power to tow or seize vehicles and crack down on repeat offenders. One proposal would make unlicensed vending a misdemeanor again, while another would keep it decriminalized but give agencies more tools to target repeat violators.

Multi-ethnic customers buying from owner in food truck against building

DC’s Soft-On-Crime Leadership Enables Migrant Food Truck Mafia

Crime

Organized crime

Washington D.C.

A Democratic socialist candidate challenging longtime Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) is drawing national attention over past comments on the October 7 Hamas massacre as the party&#8217;s socialist wing attempts to expand on recent victories in New York. 
Melat Kiros, a DSA-backed candidate running in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, is seeking to unseat DeGette in a heavily Democratic Denver-based seat. The race comes on the heels of wins in New York by socialist candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. 
According to <a href="https://x.com/DSA_Watch/status/2070935456116777242">DSA Watch</a>, Kiros said in an interview with Kyle Clark that the October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians was “the inevitable consequence of apartheid.” She also declined to clarify directly whether she believes the same standard should apply to the September 11 terrorist attacks and U.S. foreign policy. DSA Watch also reported that Kiros declined to describe the Boulder firebombing attack targeting Jews as antisemitic.
Legal analyst Jonathan Turley also criticized Kiros’ response to the Boulder attack, writing that she refused to call it antisemitism because she could not say what “was in the heart” of the attacker.
Kiros&#8217;s comments have become a focal point for critics of the Democratic Party’s socialist wing. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), responding to recent socialist primary victories in New York, warned that the “dirt bag Left” was being pulled by what he called the “full pro-Hamas wing,” according to<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dirt-bag-left-trump-and-fetterman-respond-to-socialist-election-sweep?utm_content=email_blast_creative00072_na&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter&amp;utm_source=iterable"> The Daily Wire</a>. Fetterman also said hostility toward Israel had become “the center of a lot of these primaries across the country.”
The Colorado race comes as the DSA looks to build on momentum from New York, where several socialist candidates won Democratic primaries. After those victories, the DSA declared, “Today, the East Coast, next week the Mountain West,” according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-backed-socialists-look-take-new-york-playbook-nationwide-after-primary-victories">Fox News</a>. 
Fox also reported that Kiros is backed by both the DSA and Justice Democrats, the group known for supporting Squad members, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
Kiros’ views on Israel have already impacted her professional life. Fox News reported that she lost her job as a lawyer in New York after writing an essay critical of Israel. 
Kiros has also emphasized leftist cultural priorities. She said she is adding a “Trans Bill of Rights” to her campaign platform and argued that Democrats should defend trans-identifying people, including children, “loudly and proudly and boldly,” according to <a href="https://x.com/BreitbartNews/status/2069044667249828165">Breitbart News</a>.
She has also defended socialism by pointing to public services in Denver. 
“We have socialism already, right?” Kiros said, according to a video<a href="https://x.com/Popstonox/status/2071357912187068477"> circulated on X</a>. “It’s in the roads that we drive on, it’s in the schools we send our kids to, it’s in the fire stations we call upon.”
The broader debate over the Democratic Party&#8217;s direction has intensified as socialist candidates gain traction in safe Democratic districts. The Daily Wire&#8217;s Matt Walsh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-has-been-taken-over-by-the-communists-your-town-might-be-next">argued</a> that such candidates can gain influence through low-turnout primaries in heavily Democratic districts when organized activists dominate the electorate. Fox News similarly reported that the DSA is looking beyond Colorado, with DSA-aligned candidates running in Democratic primaries in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told Fox News that the party&#8217;s left wing is gaining traction in part because it is speaking directly to voters about their economic frustration and the cost of living. Matt Bennett of Third Way, a center-left Democratic group, told Fox News that even though far-left candidates are succeeding in very blue areas, they have not proven they can flip red or purple seats.
Colorado’s 1st Congressional District is considered safely Democratic, and the main question is how far to the left voters are willing to go. 
If Kiros defeats DeGette, it would add another victory to a recent run of socialist-backed candidates winning Democratic primaries in blue districts. It would also suggest that comments on October 7 and antisemitism may carry different political weight in parts of the Democratic primary electorate than they do nationally.

GettyImages-2278694860

October 7 Comments Put DSA-Backed Candidate Under Scrutiny

A pastor and dozens of Christians were killed in an overnight attack on a Nigerian village, the latest massacre in a region where targeted violence, land conflict, and terrorism have increasingly converged around Christian communities.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on June 22 in Kawel village in Bokkos County, Plateau State, where Fulani herdsmen killed 28 Christians, including Rev. Markus Nyam, pastor of the Church of Christ in Nations, according to <a href="https://www.christiandaily.com/news/fulani-terrorists-kill-28-christians-in-central-nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christian Daily International</a>.
Resident Jesse Peter Dukut said villagers were trapped inside their homes as gunmen moved through the community.
“We were inside our houses when the Fulani herdsmen invaded our village,” Dukut said. “If anyone came out of their houses, they were shot at sight. And a sound from any of the houses in the village attracts shooting from the terrorists.”
Dukut said phone and telecom services had been cut, preventing residents from calling security agencies for help. He also said the attackers spoke in Fulani and Hausa and called out the names of Christian leaders, leading him to believe they were being guided during the attack.
“They killed my uncle and brothers,” he said. “I narrowly escaped being shot.”
Nyam was killed alongside members of his congregation. Church leaders in Bokkos later confirmed his death, saying they received the news “with deep sadness” and offering prayers for his family, friends, and community.
Premier Christian News <a href="https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/reverend-among-those-killed-in-latest-attack-on-christian-village-in-nigeria">reported</a> that the attack was part of a documented pattern of escalating anti-Christian violence across Nigeria’s Middle Belt. According to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List, 3,490 of the 4,849 Christians killed globally for their faith between October 2024 and September 2025 were Nigerian, representing 72% of the worldwide total.
Christian leaders in the region say Fulani herdsmen attacks are driven by efforts to seize fertile farmland as desertification pushes herders south, while also being shaped by radical Islamist ideology.
The distinction matters. Most Fulani people do not hold extremist views, but a radical faction has adopted tactics comparable to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, according to a 2020 report from the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the report states.
Open Doors U.K. reported that at least 20 people were killed in the Kawel attack, including a church leader and a pregnant woman, and said police arrived only after daylight despite the attack beginning around 2 am. Bishop Ayuba Matawal, a church leader in Bokkos, said the late arrival of police “left the defenseless community entirely at the mercy of their assailants for the duration of the raid,” according to <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/20-killed-in-latest-devastating-attack-in-nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open Doors U.K</a>.
The attack also comes as violence has spread beyond Nigeria’s north. Christian Daily reported that a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda. The group is affiliated with Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, an Al-Qaeda-linked insurgency originating in Mali.
The massacre shows the brutality of Nigeria’s Middle Belt crisis, where religiously targeted violence and terrorism are no longer separate stories, and where Christian communities continue to bear a devastating share of the bloodshed.

NIGERIA-FULANI-CONFLICT

Pastor Among Dozens Of Christians Slain By Muslim Herdsmen

Nigeria’s Middle Belt faces renewed fears of a deepening Christian persecution crisis.

Africa

Christians

Islam

Nigeria

Persecution

Pakistan carried out cross-border airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan overnight after a deadly militant attack killed three Pakistani security personnel, escalating tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban government as each side offered sharply different accounts of the operation.
Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, said the military first conducted an “intelligence-based ground operation” before launching airstrikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border targeting terrorist hideouts. The operation followed Saturday’s attack on the Pakistan Rangers’ regional headquarters in Karachi, where militants killed three security personnel.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, later claimed responsibility for the Karachi attack. Pakistani authorities said security forces killed three attackers and arrested another suspect, whom the military identified as an Afghan national.
Tarar said Sunday’s operation targeted hideouts and safe havens used by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Fitna al-Khawarij, the term Pakistan uses for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. Pakistani authorities have blamed the Pakistani Taliban and allied groups for much of the recent violence targeting police and security forces. The TTP is separate from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, although the two are allies.
The Taliban government disputed Pakistan’s account of the strikes, accusing Pakistan of hitting civilian homes rather than militant positions. Afghan officials <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/29/pakistan-deadly-airstrikes-afghanistan-border">claimed</a> the strikes hit three eastern provinces and killed 36 civilians while wounding 163 others.
Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Pakistani forces struck a home in Paktia province, killing an older man and a child. He said the area was struck again, killing 28 villagers and wounding 158 others. Fitrat also said six people, most of them women and children, were killed when a home was hit in Paktika province, while a strike in Kunar province reportedly killed livestock but caused no human casualties.
Another Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, condemned the operation as a “cowardly act of aggression.”
Pakistan defended the strikes as part of its campaign against militant groups responsible for attacks inside the country.
“Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time shall not compromise on the safety and security of our citizens, which remains our top priority,” Tarar said.
The latest strikes highlight another <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistan-forces-kill-29-militants-border-operation-ap-reports-2026-06-28/">escalation</a> in a relationship that has steadily deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Kabul of allowing militant groups to operate from Afghan territory, an allegation Afghan authorities have consistently denied.
Although the two countries agreed to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/afghans-search-for-loved-ones-kabul-rehab-centre-pakistan-airstrike">ceasefire in March</a> after weeks of fighting, cross-border violence has continued. Afghan officials said Pakistani strikes earlier in June killed 13 people, while prior Pakistani operations have also drawn accusations of heavy civilian casualties.
The conflict has included fighting along the frontier and Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, where the Taliban’s supreme leader is based. Mediation efforts by countries including China and Saudi Arabia have so far failed to produce a lasting resolution, and the frontier has remained largely closed since cross-border violence in October.
In March, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, said peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan could only prevail if the Taliban regime “renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organizations.”

TOPSHOT-AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN-CONFLICT

Pakistan Bombs Afghanistan Following Deadly Militant Attack

Pakistan Bombs Afghan Border Following Deadly Militant Attack

Afghanistan

attack

Pakistan

Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, one of the last surviving commanders of the Cuban Revolution and a longtime ally of Fidel Castro, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuban-revolution-death-menendez-ef5629cc82a1bdce9d4c21ad1b01ee49">died Sunday at 94 years old</a>, Cuban authorities announced.
Valdés was one of the few remaining figures who connected Cuba’s current communist leadership to the original revolutionary movement that brought Castro to power in 1959. He joined Castro’s 1953 attack on the Moncada barracks, the failed assault that marked the beginning of the Cuban Revolution, and later fought under Ernesto “Che” Guevara. He became one of the few rebels to receive the title “Commander of the Revolution” and was also named a “Hero of the Republic of Cuba,” according to the Associated Press.
The Cuban Communist Party did not disclose a cause of death. President Miguel Díaz-Canel mourned Valdés publicly, saying his death felt like losing a father and praising his loyalty to Fidel and Raúl Castro.
Valdés held some of the most powerful positions in the Cuban state. He served as interior minister, telecommunications minister, vice president, and eventually became the Communist Party’s third-ranking official. Though he rarely appeared in public and did not speak to the press, he remained a symbol of the revolutionary generation that shaped Cuba’s political system for decades.
His career also reflected the internal politics of the Castro era. According to the Associated Press, Valdés fell out with Fidel Castro while serving as interior minister in 1986 and spent years outside the center of power before returning to the Council of State in 2003. In 2006, Raúl Castro chose him to lead the telecommunications ministry after taking over presidential powers from his ailing brother. Valdés was promoted to vice president three years later.
Valdés’ death comes as the Trump administration has escalated pressure on Havana. The United States <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-sanctions-cuba-gaesa-rubio-831adf749af121c0d2627b0501980ee8">announced new sanctions this week</a> against Cuban state-run companies, including entities tied to GAESA, the military-run conglomerate that plays a major role in Cuba’s economy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Cuba’s ruling elites of using the country’s resources for repression and espionage instead of serving the Cuban people.
The administration has described the sanctions as part of a broader effort to target the communist regime’s military-connected economic network.
The greater pressure campaign has also included <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-sanctions-on-cuban-regime-officials-responsible-for-repression-and-threats-to-u-s-national-security-and-foreign-policy/">sanctions on Cuban officials the White House says</a> are responsible for repression and threats to U.S. national security.
The timing places Valdés’ death against a familiar struggle over Cuba’s future. For Havana, he was remembered as a loyal revolutionary who remained faithful to Fidel and Raúl Castro. For critics of the regime, he represented the generation that built and defended a one-party communist state that has ruled the island for more than six decades.
Valdés was born April 28, 1932, in Artemisa, west of Havana. His career spanned more than seven decades, from the early days of the Cuban Revolution to senior leadership roles in the communist government, making him one of the last prominent figures directly tied to Fidel Castro&#8217;s rise to power.

Menu

Leona Salinas