Losing a job can make it hard to pay bills and debt on time. Debt relief programs can help by negotiating smaller payments on certain debts, but you should carefully think about your situation before enrolling.
Key Facts
A layoff can disrupt budgets and make regular payments difficult.
Unemployment benefits usually don’t cover all living expenses.
Creditors still expect payments even with reduced income.
Debt relief programs often focus on unsecured debts like credit cards.
Participants usually pay into a special account while the company negotiates with creditors.
Debt relief can help if job loss lasts a long time or minimum payments are already hard.
It doesn’t cover secured debts like mortgages, car loans, or student loans.
Debt relief has benefits and drawbacks, so understanding them before enrolling is important.
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The United States, under President Donald Trump, has imposed new tariffs on goods from over 80 countries, aiming to block imports made with forced labor. Several affected countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and China, have criticized the tariffs and denied the forced labor claims.
Key Facts
The US imposed tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on goods from more than 80 countries.
These tariffs were justified under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, citing failure to restrict forced labor goods.
Many countries targeted by the tariffs have denied involvement in forced labor.
Australia plans to lobby the US to remove the tariffs and says it takes modern slavery seriously.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister described the tariffs as disappointing and lacking strong evidence.
The UK said the tariffs will not negatively affect its exports due to prior trade agreements.
Japan expressed regret over the tariffs but confirmed rates will not exceed a previous agreement limit.
China condemned the tariffs, calling trade wars harmful, and noted upcoming talks between President Trump and President Xi Jinping.
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A teenager accused of killing four people in a 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia has admitted to all the charges against him in court. This means he accepted responsibility for the crime in a formal hearing.
Key Facts
The suspect is a teenager.
The incident happened in 2024 at Apalachee High School, located in Georgia.
Four people died in the shooting.
The teen pleaded guilty to all charges related to the shooting.
The guilty plea was made during a court hearing.
The case is being covered by CBS News with reports from Jared Eggleston.
Pleading guilty means the suspect formally accepted that he committed the crime.
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President Donald Trump will attend the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington. The event was originally stopped in April due to a shooting and security threat, but will now proceed with stronger security and a new entertainment format.
Key Facts
The original WHCA dinner in April ended early after a gunman entered the venue and caused an evacuation.
The gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, faces multiple charges, including attempted assassination, and pleaded not guilty.
The rescheduled dinner takes place at the Waldorf Astoria instead of the Washington Hilton.
President Trump and many senior administration officials are expected to attend the event.
The featured entertainer this year is mentalist Oz Pearlman, rather than the usual comedian.
Some high-profile officials like First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will miss the event.
The WHCA aims to highlight press freedom and journalism despite the previous violence.
The event will be broadcast live on C-SPAN starting at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
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President Donald Trump said he believes the leaders of China and Russia when they say they have not given weapons to Iran or joined its conflict with the United States and Israel. He shared this view in a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump commented on the involvement of China and Russia in Iran’s conflict with the U.S. and Israel.
He said he takes at face value their leaders’ claims that they are not supplying weapons to Iran.
He also said they are not participating in the war alongside Iran.
Trump made this statement on his social media site called Truth Social.
His remarks came after comments or testimony from other U.S. officials.
The topic relates to ongoing tensions between the U.S., Israel, Iran, China, and Russia.
Trump’s statement focuses on trusting official statements from China and Russia regarding their role.
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Dan Hiers Jr., a former South Carolina police officer wanted for sexual abuse and murder, was brought back to the United States from China after being on the run for over 20 years. He disappeared in 2005 after failing to appear for a court date when his wife was found dead, and was arrested in Shanghai in 2018 under a fake name before being extradited to South Carolina in 2024.
Key Facts
Dan Hiers Jr. was suspended from the Charleston Police Department in 2004 over sexual misconduct accusations involving a minor.
He was arrested in November 2004 for lewd acts on a child under 16 but released on bond.
Hiers failed to appear at a scheduled surrender in March 2005, the same day his wife was found shot in the back of the head.
A warrant was issued for murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Hiers was on the U.S. Marshals' "15 Most Wanted" list and featured on TV shows like "America’s Most Wanted."
In 2018, Hiers was found and arrested in Shanghai, China, where he used the name David Williams and worked as an English teacher.
His extradition back to the U.S. followed a long investigation and involved cooperation between U.S. and Chinese authorities.
Hiers has been returned to South Carolina to face charges.
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Large wildfires in southwestern France and central Spain forced about 87,000 people to leave their homes. Some residents escaped by boat as fires spread through a popular tourist area near Cap Ferret on France’s Atlantic coast.
Key Facts
Wildfires are burning in southwestern France and central Spain.
Authorities evacuated roughly 87,000 people to keep them safe.
The fire has destroyed about 125 square kilometers (50 square miles) of land near Cap Ferret.
Cap Ferret is a peninsula known for its beaches, oyster farms, and resorts.
The fires began on Wednesday and are still out of control.
Several dozen firefighters have been injured battling the flames.
Some people fled the fires by boat when the flames approached the coast.
Cap Ferret is located 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the city of Bordeaux.
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A police boat crashed into Westminster Bridge in central London, injuring five Metropolitan Police officers. The officers were rescued from the water and are receiving medical treatment, while no members of the public were hurt.
Key Facts
The crash happened around 3:40 pm near Westminster Bridge.
The boat belonged to the Marine Policing Unit.
Five officers were injured and helped out of the water.
Police and emergency services responded quickly to the scene.
No civilians were involved or injured in the incident.
Part of Westminster Bridge was closed off by police.
A police helicopter and air ambulance were present during the emergency.
Westminster Underground station entrances were temporarily shut after the crash.
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The Pentagon website tracking deaths and injuries in the war with Iran removed the names of four recently killed service members, temporarily showing fewer casualties than actually occurred. Pentagon officials said this was due to data problems, and they are working to fix the errors. The war casualties are listed under Operation Epic Fury, and updates about injuries and deaths have been slow and inconsistent.
Key Facts
The Pentagon website showed 14 deaths but should show 18 killed in the Iran war since February.
Four service members recently killed were removed from the list due to data disruptions.
These deaths happened after President Trump ended a ceasefire and resumed military action on July 7.
The Pentagon named the Iran war "Operation Epic Fury" for reporting purposes.
There was confusion over how some deaths were classified initially, with some wrongly listed under an operation targeting ISIS.
Nearly 100 service members have been injured since July 7, with most injuries being minor concussions.
One Navy member, Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, is missing after a helicopter emergency landing in the Arabian Sea on July 1.
Pentagon officials have not given reporters recent briefings on the Iran war and have been slow to update casualty information online.
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A Democratic representative from Michigan, Hillary Scholten, has not said whether she would support Abdul El-Sayed if he wins the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat. She criticized El-Sayed for his campaign associations with certain political figures and candidates.
Key Facts
Abdul El-Sayed is running in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat.
The seat is being vacated by retiring Senator Gary Peters.
Representative Hillary Scholten is also involved in Michigan Democratic politics.
Scholten did not confirm if she would back El-Sayed if he wins the primary.
She criticized El-Sayed for campaigning with commentator Hasan Piker.
She also disapproved of El-Sayed’s connection to Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.
The remarks were made during a CNN interview with Jake Tapper.
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Senator Joe Manchin has started a new group called the Independent Leadership Council to help elect independent candidates to the U.S. Congress. The group aims to support politicians who do not belong to the Democratic or Republican parties.
Key Facts
Joe Manchin is a Senator from West Virginia.
He is 78 years old.
Manchin created the Independent Leadership Council (ILC).
The ILC focuses on helping independent candidates run for Congress.
These candidates are not part of the two main parties: Democrats and Republicans.
Manchin will lead this new organization.
The goal is to build support and resources for independent political campaigns.
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Rep. Thomas Massie says that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Trump administration are not following the law by treating the conflict with Iran as two separate wars. Massie believes this is done to avoid asking Congress for permission to go to war.
Key Facts
Rep. Thomas Massie is a Republican from Kentucky.
Massie accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of breaking the law.
The accusation relates to how the Trump administration views the conflict with Iran.
The administration reportedly splits the Iran conflict into two wars.
This approach may be used to avoid seeking congressional approval for military action.
The claim came after a New York Times report about Pentagon actions.
The issue concerns the legal requirement for Congress to authorize war.
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President Donald Trump has introduced "Trump Accounts," federally funded investment accounts for children born between 2025 and 2028 that start with a $1,000 deposit. These accounts aim to encourage market-based wealth building rather than direct government redistribution, differing from earlier baby bond proposals that focus on reducing wealth inequality.
Key Facts
Trump Accounts are for U.S. citizen children under 18, born from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028.
They start with a $1,000 federal seed contribution.
Families, relatives, and employers can add money to these accounts.
The money is invested privately to grow over time until the child reaches adulthood.
This program is designed to promote asset ownership rather than direct wealth redistribution.
Previous baby bond proposals by Democrats included additional contributions based on family income to address wealth inequality.
Senators Cory Booker and Ted Cruz have supported the program as building on earlier baby bond ideas.
The Trump administration presents this program as a pro-capitalist alternative to socialism.
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Thousands of people in Delhi, India, protested calling for changes in education and asking a government minister to resign. Videos show security officers using pellet guns on the protesters, but officials have not yet explained the use of these guns or the injuries caused.
Key Facts
The protests in Delhi are called the "cockroach protests."
Protesters demand educational reforms and a minister’s resignation.
Security officers are seen firing pellet guns at protesters in videos.
The Central Reserve Police Force has not responded to questions about the pellet guns.
Officials said it is too early to comment and are investigating what happened.
The protests have drawn large crowds in the Indian capital.
The BBC is verifying and analyzing video evidence of events.
The reports were made by Merlyn Thomas and Shruti Menon, with production support.
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The U.S. and U.K. are planning a meeting in London to discuss forming an international group to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This effort comes amid recent attacks by Iran on ships in the area and aims to reopen the strait for safe commercial passage.
Key Facts
The meeting will involve defense ministers and military leaders from Western and regional countries.
The exact date and plans for the meeting are not yet finalized.
The U.S. has launched daily strikes against Iranian military sites after Iran attacked ships in the strait.
No Iranian attacks on commercial ships have occurred in the past four days.
President Trump warned of bombing Iranian infrastructure if attacks continue.
Iran threatened to target infrastructure in U.S.-allied Gulf countries in response.
Talks between Oman, Iran, and Qatar on the strait recently failed but are resuming.
The U.S. seeks help from allies to provide ships, drones, and other assets to secure the shipping lanes.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to create new settler outposts and legalize existing ones in the occupied West Bank after deadly clashes that left six people dead. The government also plans raids in Palestinian villages suspected of hosting militants and promised a strong response to violence.
Key Facts
Two Israelis and four Palestinians died in clashes in the West Bank near the settlement of Havat Gilad and the Palestinian village of Tell.
Netanyahu’s government will establish new settler outposts and legalize more existing ones in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal by international law, but Israel disputes this, saying many settlements are legal under its own laws.
Violence has risen since a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which started the war in Gaza.
Israeli security forces and settlers were involved in the clashes, with reports of shots fired on both sides and a weapon stolen by a Palestinian during the fight.
Around 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements alongside about three million Palestinians.
Netanyahu plans to meet President Donald Trump in Washington and attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham.
The United Nations and activists say settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has been increasing recently.
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Wadi Dawan, a valley in Yemen known for its farms and palm dates, is dealing with a serious plastic waste problem. Plastic trash blocks irrigation channels, harms crops, and pollutes the air, with local people struggling to manage the waste due to poor collection services.
Key Facts
Wadi Dawan is a fertile valley in Yemen’s Hadramout province, famous for palm dates and honey production.
Plastic waste, including bags and bottles, litters farms, roadsides, and irrigation channels.
Floods spread the waste and block water channels, harming farm irrigation.
Farmers must clean the waste from channels before planting crops and after floods.
Waste collection services are rare or unreliable due to lack of funding and poor vehicle maintenance.
Many residents dump trash in flood channels because of missing or overflowing waste bins.
Local officials and agricultural researchers have started awareness campaigns about the environmental harm caused by waste.
Plastic pollution affects soil health and crop yields, sometimes causing farmers to lose entire harvests.
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Sinéad O’Dwyer held a fashion show at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum that featured models of all sizes, promoting body diversity. While most fashion shows use very thin models, O’Dwyer’s brand creates clothes starting at a size 18 and sells affordable tickets to make the event open to everyone.
Key Facts
The fashion show took place at the Victoria and Albert Museum and was open to the public for £5.
O’Dwyer uses sample sizes starting at UK size 18, larger than the usual size 4-8 in fashion.
Her work challenges the fashion industry's preference for thin models and promotes inclusivity.
Vogue Business reports that 97.6% of models for autumn/winter 2026 fashion shows were sizes 4-8.
London Fashion Week shows more body diversity than others, but still mostly use thinner models (92.7% straight-size).
Experts link the current trend toward thinner models partly to cultural shifts around weight and the popularity of weight-loss drugs.
Changing manufacturing to produce larger sizes is expensive and difficult, slowing progress on inclusivity.
O’Dwyer and a few other designers are leading efforts to make fashion more inclusive, especially in London.
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The House of Representatives voted to reduce President Donald Trump's authority to conduct military actions against Iran without approval from Congress. However, the Senate did not pass a similar resolution to limit these war powers.
Key Facts
The House passed a measure to limit President Trump's ability to take military action against Iran.
The Senate failed to approve a comparable resolution to restrict the president's war powers.
This disagreement shows a split between the two chambers of Congress on how to manage U.S. military involvement with Iran.
The resolutions aim to ensure that any military action against Iran must get approval from Congress first.
The issue involves current U.S. foreign policy and war powers as defined by the Constitution.
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Courtney Stodden, who married at age 16 with parental consent, is campaigning for a California law to ban all child marriages under 18. Her advocacy gained attention after actor Jason Alexander apologized for a 2012 comedy sketch involving Stodden when she was 17. A bill to prohibit all marriages under 18 in California has passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Key Facts
Courtney Stodden married actor Doug Hutchison in 2011 when she was 16 and he was 51; the marriage was legal with parental consent.
Stodden divorced Hutchison in 2020 and has spoken out against child marriage since then.
Child marriage is still legal in 33 U.S. states under some circumstances, like parental consent or judicial approval.
California Assembly Bill 1267 would ban marriage for anyone under 18 with no exceptions.
Jason Alexander apologized for a 2012 comedy sketch featuring Stodden when she was 17, calling it inappropriate.
Stodden says the sketch was harmful and uses the situation to highlight the need for laws protecting children.
The bill was authored by both Republican and Democratic California Assemblymembers.
The bill has passed the California Assembly and is under review in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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