TODAY'S NEWS, July 13, 2026

Politics

• Senator Lindsey Graham died at age 71 from a ruptured aorta, prompting renewed discussion about the age of U.S. senators and possible term limits.
• Senator Ted Cruz is expected to assume leadership of the Senate Rules Committee.
• Maine Democrats continued facing political turmoil following the withdrawal of a Senate candidate amid misconduct allegations.
• The Senate's limited number of working days drew criticism.
• Republican voter registration advantages remained strong in Florida, while voter trends in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and North Carolina remained mixed.
• The FBI reportedly expanded investigations into election-related matters in Georgia.
• President Trump removed Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission following a Supreme Court ruling that expanded presidential authority over certain executive appointments.
• Evidence was presented during the preliminary hearing of the suspect accused of killing Charlie Kirk.
• President Trump reportedly chose to use the older Air Force One over the newer Qatari aircraft because of security concerns.
• Several reporters received subpoenas related to alleged leaks about aircraft security.
• Eight suspects were indicted in connection with an alleged assassination plot involving a White House/UFC event.
• Commentary highlighted continuing concern over the influence of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
• The FBI reportedly arrested 113 individuals accused of espionage.
• The U.S. was described as advancing its drone capabilities.

AI & Surveillance

• Debate continued over Flock AI camera systems, with concerns raised about surveillance, privacy, and misuse by law enforcement.
• Several cities are reconsidering or removing the surveillance technology.
• Seattle reportedly declared a civil emergency related to an influx of transgender refugees.

Culture

• Church attendance continued declining in several Christian denominations despite local population growth.
• California's special education enrollment has increased significantly.
• Commentary claimed some Jewish authors face publishing challenges unless they publicly oppose Israel.

Economy

• Analysts forecast that the U.S. housing shortage may eventually become a housing surplus.
• Jersey Mike's ranked highest in the American Customer Satisfaction Index among fast-food chains.
• The U.S. remains the world's largest crude oil producer.
• The administration expanded investigations into alleged H-1B visa fraud.
• Louisiana became a focal point for disputes over energy development.
• The Small Business Administration suspended thousands of Wisconsin borrowers over suspected fraud.

International

• Germany charged several Chinese nationals in connection with an online group promoting sexual violence.
• China is adjusting internal residency policies amid population decline and slowing consumer spending.
• Uruguay announced new offshore oil drilling projects.
• Europe's recent heatwave was associated with thousands of excess deaths and disruptions to infrastructure.
• President Trump proposed charging ships using the Strait of Hormuz.
• Turkey denied docking permission to a cruise ship.
• Mexico blamed the previous U.S. administration for rising cartel violence.
• Reports highlighted separate criminal incidents in the UK and Germany involving migrants.
• President Trump announced plans to suspend trade with Spain.

Space

• A new batch of UFO-related files, photographs, and data was reportedly released.

Entertainment

• Reports stated that singer Bonnie Tyler and actor Sam Neill had died.

Closing Note

• A Circle K clerk who claimed a forgotten $12.8 million lottery ticket argued he had done nothing wrong by cashing it in, prompting discussion about ownership and possession.

Larry Schweikart

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