July 4: U.S. history in dispute

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2026-07-04 13:03

Weekend Briefing

From Reuters Daily Briefing

By Robert MacMillan, Reuters.com Weekend Editor

Welcome to the Weekend Briefing. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married. Many Americans are getting a taste of the unreasonable heat that Europe has been dealing with. Our latest edition of City Memo celebrates the U.S. Independence Day the way the founding fathers intended: by eating cheesesteaks in Philly.

July 4: U.S. history in dispute

REUTERS/Hannah Beier

Preservation: 250 years after the United States came into being, it faces a bitter dispute over whether historic sites can offer uncensored interpretations of its history. Donald Trump railed against Communism at Mount Rushmore and will headline a rally in D.C. Pope Leo visited the Italian island where many migrants land on their way from Africa to Europe – and those who died along the way are buried.
Well preserved: A volunteer at Britain’s National Archives dug up a “vanishingly rare” copy of the Declaration of Independence that was filed under the heading “another document.” The Royal Navy seized it from a U.S. ship off Portugal on Christmas Eve in 1776.

How shocking is this oil shock?

Comparison: The Iran war created the largest oil-supply convulsion ever seen in terms of daily production losses. But: the 1979 Iranian Revolution remains the biggest oil crisis by cumulative supply loss, according to our calculations.
Seizure: Mohammad Salameh was building a home for his family in the occupied West Bank. Before construction was finished, Israeli settlers seized the property. A U.N. inquiry last month reported that settler attacks have risen 130% since 2023.

Russia runs short on gasoline

Attacks: Russia called in Cossacks to keep order at gas stations at a holiday resort as anger grows over fuel shortages that Ukraine brought on with attacks on oil refineries. Police are seeking a Ukrainian woman suspected of planting a bomb that injured a Ukrainian-born oligarch and his family in Monaco.
Europe: Britain’s government wants to charge asylum seekers more than $13,000 for accommodation and basic support as a condition to be eligible for settlement. Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a large defense investment. Critics say it’s not enough. Starmer also apologized to women who were forced to give up their babies in the decades following World War Two.

Blame climate change for World Cup heat

Scientists say: Our dependence on fossil fuels helped bring about the heat and humidity that puts Saturday’s Philadelphia match between Paraguay and France into the danger zone. High temperatures will bedevil fans and tennis players at Wimbledon. Are you one of the millions of Americans living under this week’s heat dome? Find out here in case you didn’t already know. The heatwave that’s been dominating Europe pushed the Alps into another year of heavy ice loss.

Later than ever: World Cup matches are being determined more than ever by the number of goals arriving in stoppage time. Have a look at our presentation of the data.

The U.S. wants minerals in the South Pacific

Influence: Washington’s new ambassador to New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue and Samoa said securing seabed minerals is a priority and that China’s increasing pull in the region carries risks for small island states.

Dependence: New Caledonia’s non-independence coalition emerged as the largest legislative bloc after recent elections while falling short of an outright majority. This leaves a small centrist party with the power to determine whether the French territory preserves its allegiance with Paris or moves toward independence.

I’m in your base and I’m taking your chips

Parts and labor: Defense startups are raiding the automotive and fracking industries for parts to accelerate weapons development. The U.S. stopped Polestar, majority owned by China's Geely Holding, from selling new models domestically. Owners want to know who's going to service their cars.

AI: Argentina's president announced a congressional bill to create non-human corporations run by artificial intelligence. Look behind the curtain and you'll find they would need humans anyway, experts say.

Apes: they're just like us

Good: Researchers compared laughter among humans as well as chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans and found that we adhere to the same rhythmic pattern. This suggests that our common ancestor, thought to have lived some 15 million years ago, may have laughed the same way.

Bad: Avoid cannibalism. It’s not just rude, it’s bad for your health.

Before I forget…

Police arrested a man in northern Germany suspected of shooting to death six employees of a shelter for mothers and children.
Papuan separatist rebels shot an American pilot dead. Their group said they were sending a message to the U.S. and Indonesian governments.
A video appears to show the former chief of Mexico’s state energy company abusing his wife.
Taiwan’s premier suspended his top trade negotiator after her deputy accused her of workplace bullying. The deputy died in March at the age of 53 shortly after resigning.
When I think Vatican, schism and excommunication, my mind goes to Canossa in the Middle Ages. But this latest episode takes place right now in Switzerland.
Some headlines write themselves: Corpus Christi ship channel closed after pickup truck enters waterway.

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