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WORLD NEWS

On the Ground

The fighting in Gaza appears to be intensifying.

On Monday, Israeli ground forces advanced into Deir al-Balah—a major humanitarian hub in central Gaza and one of the few places that had not been evacuated or declared a military zone. Israel says Hamas is keeping some of the remaining 50 hostages in the city.

Meanwhile, the U.K., Canada, Japan, and 25 other countries issued a joint statement calling for the removal of Israeli-enforced aid restrictions, saying it’s “horrifying” that over 800 Palestinians (including children) have been killed while seeking aid. The statement goes on to condemn Hamas for taking hostages who “continue to suffer terribly” and demands their unconditional release. 

The White House says President Trump was “caught off guard” by the claims of Gazans dying while seeking aid, and that an Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains a “top priority.”

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
It’s easy to become sad, angry, and indignant over world events, but it’s much more difficult to live with the tension of desiring change while simultaneously loving everyone involved—captors, hostages, Palestinians, Israelis, and those who disagree with you about the way out of this war.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.” 
Luke 6:32 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

MLK Jr. Files

The Trump admin spilled FBI files… but probably not the ones you’re thinking.

On Monday, the White House released around 240,000 pages of FBI and intelligence documents on Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 assassination. The release followed an executive order President Trump signed in January. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the public release—including investigative leads and FBI memos—stating it was digitized with minimal redactions.

King’s children, Martin III, 67, and Bernice, 62, urged the public not to weaponize the material, asking for “empathy, restraint, and respect.” They still question whether convicted assassin James Earl Ray acted alone or was even involved. 

Historians say no bombshells have emerged yet, but scholars will be combing through the files for clues and context.

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Verse to consider when you’re searching for the truth… “There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” 
Luke 12:2-3 (CSB) (read full passage)

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WORLD ECONOMY

Roadbloc

The E.U. is threatening to use one of its most powerful weapons in trade talks with Uncle Sam: love. 

Kidding, it’s called the Anti-Coercion Instrument. The ACI is a legal tool that allows the 27-country bloc to push back against hostile trading partners in “extraordinary situations.” Possible measures include new taxes on U.S. tech companies providing digital services (which are unaffected by tariffs), blocking U.S. companies from public-sector work in Europe, restricting investment in U.S. companies, and regular ol’ tariffs on U.S. goods.

Some European leaders are advocating for the ACI—considered the “nuclear option”—after President Trump announced a 30% tariff on the E.U. starting August 1.

While talk is tough, both sides say they want to salvage the world’s largest bilateral agreement, which enabled $1.5T in trade (mostly cars, booze, and pharmaceuticals) last year.

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
No matter which side of the pond we’re on, we long for our leaders to guarantee prosperity in an uncertain world. Wealth comes and goes—only King Jesus will receive tribute from the whole world.

“May the kings of Tarshish and the coasts and islands bring tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. Let all kings bow in homage to him, all nations serve him. For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.” 
Psalm 72:10-12 (CSB) (read full passage)

Bangladesh is reeling from a deadly plane crash. A Bangladeshi Air Force training jet crashed into a school campus Monday, killing 27 people, including 25 children, and injuring over 100 more. The pilot—who died in the crash—was flying a routine training mission when a mechanical failure brought the F-7 jet down in a densely populated area of the capital city.
 

The Godfather of Heavy Metal passed away yesterday. Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of Black Sabbath, died at 76 after a six-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Known for his onstage antics—including infamously biting the head off a bat—the British rockstar-turned-reality-TV-star played Black Sabbath's farewell gig in his home city of Birmingham just two weeks ago.
 

President Trump wants to make Washington the Redskins again. Trump is calling for the “Washington Whatevers” and Cleveland Guardians to change their team names back to the Redskins and Indians, threatening to block a deal allowing the Washington Commanders to return to their old D.C. stadium if they don’t. The block seems unlikely, though; Congress has already greenlit the government-owned stadium’s sale.
 

Congress is tapping out. To avoid a vote for increased transparency into the Epstein case, Speaker Mike Johnson is letting the House out (early) for the summer. The case continues to fracture Republicans. Meanwhile, the DOJ is seeking an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell—a longtime associate of Epstein who is serving 20 years for sex trafficking—to address lingering questions about the case.
 

Long live the long weekend. Support for the four-day workweek gained momentum Monday after Boston College researchers published their report from the largest-ever trial of the schedule shift. Thousands of employees across nearly 150 companies reported improved health, satisfaction, and job performance compared to their five-day counterparts. Over 90% of participating companies are moving four-ward with the schedule.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

We were today years old when we learned… these common misconceptions.

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