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Today’s Rundown:
- UKRAINE AND ALLIES REPORT ‘PROGRESS’ ON NEW GENEVA PEACE PLAN: U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials met in Geneva to revise a U.S.-backed peace plan for ending Russia’s war on Ukraine. They say they now have an “updated and refined framework,” but have not released many details to the public. Critics in Kyiv and in Europe had argued that the original Trump-backed plan was too favorable to Moscow, including demands that Ukraine give up territory and limit its military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he hopes for a “positive result,” but any deal would still need Russia’s approval. Meanwhile, President Trump has complained publicly that Ukraine is not showing enough gratitude for U.S. efforts.
- SOUTH AFRICA PUSHES G20 DECLARATION THROUGH DESPITE U.S. BOYCOTT: Leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg adopted a joint declaration focused on climate change and other global challenges even though the United States boycotted the meeting. The U.S. skipped the summit after accusing South Africa of mistreating the white Afrikaner minority, a charge many observers and officials in Pretoria reject. Washington has also criticized language in the declaration on climate and gender equality, saying it goes too far or conflicts with Trump administration policy. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the document and said it showed that most major economies still back multilateral cooperation. The declaration was adopted near the start of the summit, a break from past practice, and without U.S. input.
- PARAMOUNT, COMCAST, NETFLIX BID IN HIGH-STAKES FIGHT FOR WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY: Warner Bros. Discovery has received formal bids from Paramount/Skydance, Comcast, and Netflix to buy all or part of the company. This is the latest step in the shake-up of Hollywood as big players race to secure content libraries and streaming subscribers. Reports say the offers vary, with some focused on acquiring the full company and others targeting key assets such as HBO or certain studios. The process is still at an early stage and Warner Bros. Discovery’s board will likely negotiate for better terms or choose which bidder to engage more seriously. Any deal would face heavy antitrust and regulatory review because of the size of the companies involved.
- TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVE STRIPS NURSING OF ‘PROFESSIONAL DEGREE’ STATUS: The U.S. Department of Education, under the Trump administration, has decided that graduate nursing programs will no longer be classified as “professional degrees” for federal loan purposes. This change affects nursing, as well as some other health and education fields, and could limit access to certain federal student loans, especially Graduate PLUS loans. Nursing groups and educators warn the move may worsen existing nurse shortages by making advanced training more expensive and less accessible. Some outlets have clarified that the change is about loan categories and federal definitions, not about whether nurses are professionals in everyday terms. The policy is part of a broader Trump spending and student-loan package sometimes called the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
- ‘SLENDER MAN’ ATTACKER MORGAN GEYSER RECAPTURED AFTER ESCAPE: Morgan Geyser, one of the Wisconsin teens convicted in the 2014 “Slender Man” stabbing of a classmate, has been taken back into custody after a nationwide manhunt. Authorities say she cut off her GPS ankle monitor and fled from a supervised group home, prompting a multi-state search. Police eventually found her roughly 170 miles away from the facility, and she was arrested without incident. Officials are now reviewing how she was able to escape and what conditions she should face going forward. The victim in the original 2014 attack survived, and that case drew national attention because of its link to an online horror character.
- OHIO OFFICER ACQUITTED IN KILLING OF PREGNANT WOMAN TA’KIYA YOUNG: An Ohio police officer has been found not guilty on all charges in the 2023 shooting death of Ta’Kiya Young, a 21-year-old Black woman who was pregnant. Young was accused of shoplifting from a grocery store and was shot in the parking lot as she sat in her car. Body-camera footage showed the officer standing in front of the vehicle and firing through the windshield as the car moved forward. The officer’s defense argued he believed he was in immediate danger and acted in self-defense, while prosecutors said he used unnecessary deadly force. The verdict has sparked anger and sadness among Young’s family and activists, who say the case highlights ongoing racial and policing concerns.
- U.S. BACKS NEW FEMALE CRASH-TEST DUMMIES, WITH PLAN TO REQUIRE THEIR USE: The U.S. government has approved an advanced female crash-test dummy, known as THOR-05F, designed to better represent how women’s bodies move and are injured in crashes. For decades, safety testing has relied mostly on dummies modeled on an average-size man, even though women face higher risks of serious injury in similar crashes. The new dummy has many more sensors and is built on female anatomy, allowing better data on head, chest, abdomen, and pelvic injuries for smaller occupants. Transportation officials say federal crash tests will start using these female-modeled dummies, and new legislation like the She DRIVES Act aims to make their use mandatory for automakers. Advocates hope this will push car companies to design seats, seat belts, and airbags that protect women as effectively as men.
- KEVIN SPACEY CLARIFIES HE’S NOT ‘HOMELESS’ AFTER VIRAL INTERVIEW: Actor Kevin Spacey recently drew attention when he told a British newspaper that he “literally” has no home and has been living in hotels and Airbnbs, leading many outlets to report he was homeless. In a new Instagram video and follow-up coverage, Spacey says his comments were misunderstood and that he is not homeless “in the colloquial sense.” He explains that he has been traveling for work and legal matters and simply does not have a permanent house, while staying in paid lodging. Spacey has faced severe financial and career setbacks since sexual-misconduct allegations in 2017, though juries in both the U.S. and U.K. have cleared him of the charges brought to trial. He also says he has received many offers of help and hopes to rebuild his career in the future.
- DONALD GLOVER REVEALS HE HAD A STROKE ON 2024 CHILDISH GAMBINO TOUR: Donald Glover has shared that he suffered a stroke during his 2024 “New World Tour” as his music alter ego, Childish Gambino. He told fans at a recent appearance that doctors discovered “a hole in my heart” after he experienced stroke symptoms while on tour. The health scare led him to cancel the remaining dates and step back to focus on recovery. Glover says the experience changed how he views stress, work, and his personal health, and he spoke about it in a mix of seriousness and dark humor. He has since returned to public performances and says he is doing better, though he did not share many medical details.
- BILL MAHER RENEWS FEUD WITH LARRY DAVID OVER TRUMP DINNER AND NYT OP-ED: Comedian Bill Maher has reignited his long-running feud with fellow comic Larry David over Maher’s dinner with President Trump. Earlier this year, David wrote a satirical New York Times op-ed titled “My Dinner with Adolf,” sharply criticizing Maher for meeting with Trump. On the season finale of Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher fired back, calling the op-ed “dumb” and saying David’s reaction was childish and unhelpful. He argued that talking with political opponents, even ones you strongly dislike, is part of how democracy should function. David has not yet given a detailed new response, but the clash has stirred debate among fans about comedy, politics, and where to draw the line.
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