In Case You Missed It … This Week in News

A lot happened in the world this week – Make sure you didn’t miss it with Liberty Nation GenZ’s weekly news roundup!

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Pope Urges America, Europe to Welcome Immigrants

Pope Leo wants the United States and Europe to welcome and protect immigrants. In a July 4 speech during a visit to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, the first American pope encouraged the world to do better in helping newcomers and improving conditions in their home countries. His comments continue the trend of the past year in advocating for immigrants. “From this far-flung corner of Europe on the Mediterranean Sea, one can more clearly perceive the momentous challenge that the phenomenon of migration poses to European societies,” the Pope told Catholics on the island just off Tunisia.

European Leaders Celebrate America 250

Various global leaders celebrated America’s 250th birthday, congratulating the United States on the semiquincentennial. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen honored America for the strong relationship between the United States and Europe. “Today, we join our American friends in celebrating 250 years of independence,” she wrote in a July 4 post on X. “The Declaration of Independence gave birth to a new nation founded on the ideals of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Bessent Teases New US Currency Featuring Trump’s Signature

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted an image on X featuring new US currency with President Trump’s signature. Earlier this year, Bessent announced that Trump’s name would appear on newly minted US paper currency, the first for a sitting president, as federal law prohibits living people from being placed on US money.

Super Typhoon Bavi Becomes Strongest Storm on Earth

Super Typhoon Bavi is currently the strongest storm on the planet and could make landfall at Category 5 hurricane strength. With winds of 145 mph as of July 4, the storm will likely slam into the US territory of Guam as at least a Category 4 storm. Officials say it is expected to pass between Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Sunday night and Monday morning local time. Forecasters warn that five to ten inches of rain may hit from Sunday morning through Wednesday, with waves climbing to 30 feet and the potential for significant flooding.

Monday, July 6, 2026

OPEC+ Countries Agree to Expand Oil Production as Prices Fall

A handful of countries “in the OPEC+ oil-producing alliance plan to increase their outputs modestly next month, which would bring more oil online after fuel prices have fallen to levels not seen since before the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran,” CBS News reports.

Burgum Defends Costs of Repairing Reflecting Pool

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Sunday said that despite complications along the way, repairs on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have been a “big success.” “Well, it’s fixed in the sense that it’s no longer leaking 45,000 gallons a day. And we’ve got, you know, less than one-tenth of one percent of that industrial liner that’s been damaged. And that’s the only thing that remains to go back and fix the damage done by the vandals,” Burgum told ABC News. He said the remaining work will not raise costs too much. “I think it’s going to be a small number because the majority of the work was related to the labor and the materials for the liner. And, of course, the new nanobubbler system, which has taken care of and won the battle against the algae, which is something, you know, in a shallow pool, in hot weather, has been a historic challenge.”

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Trump: ‘We’re Going to Win’ Iran War ‘One Way or the Other’

President Donald Trump on Monday declared that the US will either reach a negotiated peace with Iran or “we’re going to finish the job.” “Look, we’re going to win one way or the other,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I’d rather make a deal because I don’t want to affect 91 million people.” “We can knock out their electricity and power-generating plants in… the small part of an afternoon,” he added. “And they know that.” Talks have been temporarily suspended as Iran holds a multi-day funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump Eyes Australia-Style Retirement System For US

The Trump administration “is working on an Australia-style retirement savings plan for American workers, suggesting the model could put people in ‘much better shape’ by retirement age, the president said Monday,” Fox Business reports.

China Conducts Rare Long-Range Missile Test

China on Monday “test-fired a long-range ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, state media reported, drawing criticism from US allies concerned about Beijing’s intensifying military activity in the region,” NBC News reports.

Labour Party Seeks Election ‘Misinformation’ Social Media Curbs

The ruling leftist “Labour Party in Britain has suggested that social media sites should face new restrictions during elections, as the government claims it wants to confront the spread of so-called misinformation,” Breitbart reports.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

US Strikes Iran After Attacks on Ships in Strait of Hormuz

US Central Command on Tuesday said it “launched a ‘series of powerful strikes’ on Iran in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the operation targeted air defenses, radar sites and anti-ship missile sites, as well as dozens of small boats used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards,” CBS News reports.

DOJ: State Officials Will Face Prison Over Noncitizens’ Voting

The head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division has “sent letters to state election officials warning them of ‘potential criminal penalties for those who fail to carry out their duties’ in relation to federal election laws – including preventing noncitizens from voting,” ABC News reports.

Maryland to Take Up Redistricting in Special Session in August

Lawmakers in Democrat-controlled Maryland on Tuesday announced that a special session of the state legislature will be held in August to consider redistricting.

Trump Hammers NATO as Summit Kicks Off in Ankara

President Donald Trump on Tuesday slammed NATO members, calling them disloyal allies who left the US in the lurch during its war with Iran, at the beginning of the treaty organization’s annual summit. “I’ve long said that we help them, but I’m not sure they’d be there for us,” Trump said in Ankara. “Italy turned us down, and Germany turned us down, and France turned us down. And that’s OK, but why are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars, and they’re not there for us? We’ve always been there for them.” Trump brought up Denmark’s control over Greenland and warned Europeans of the existential crisis they face today. “With all that money we spend to help [Denmark] with Russia, we don’t have to spend any money – we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe,” he warned. “As you probably noticed, Europe’s a very different place than it was 20 years ago,” Trump continued. “With immigration and energy. If they’re not careful with those two things, you’re not going to have a Europe anymore.”

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Graham Platner Quits Maine Senate Race

Graham Platner announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing from the US Senate race in Maine after a new sexual assault accusation against him. The Democratic nominee had lost much of his remaining big-name support, and the calls for him to step away kept mounting.

US Hits Iran, Sparking Reprisal Attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain

The US military said on Wednesday that it “launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of ‌Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war,” Reuters reports.

Former Judge Gets $5K Fine for Helping Illegal Immigrant Flee ICE

Former Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan was spared prison time on Wednesday and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine for obstructing the arrest of an illegal immigrant at a courthouse.

Oil Prices Climb After Trump Declares Iran Ceasefire ‘Over’

The price of oil “surged more than 4% Wednesday after President Donald Trump said the US ceasefire deal with Iran was ‘over’ and the United States was planning additional strikes,” NBC News reports. The US conducted military actions against Iran later in the day.

US Will Grant Ukraine a License for Patriot Interceptors

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US “will give Ukraine a production license to build its own Patriot missile interceptors for defense, granting a major request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing war with Russia,” CBS News reports.