Juli 13, 2026 – Short News

Reporters Subpoenaed: Trump Administration Targets Press Freedom Over Air Force One Reporting

The U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed several New York Times reporters after the newspaper published stories about security concerns involving the new Air Force One. The journalists are expected to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan as early as next week. According to the newspaper, federal agents even delivered some of the subpoenas directly to the reporters' homes. Those affected include Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt. Before the first article was published, a senior FBI official had already contacted both editors and reporters, asking them to withhold the story on national security grounds while also demanding that they reveal their sources. The newspaper refused both requests.

The reporting centered on Trump's return from the NATO summit in Turkey. Although the president had flown to the summit aboard the newly retrofitted presidential aircraft donated by Qatar and upgraded at a cost of roughly $400 million, he unexpectedly switched to an older Air Force One for the first leg of the flight home. The New York Times, citing anonymous sources, reported that the Secret Service had recommended the change because the new aircraft still lacked key defensive systems, including advanced missile defense capabilities. Trump denied that any security concerns existed and instead claimed the stop in England was simply intended to allow U.S. service members to see the new aircraft. At the same time, he acknowledged that he lives under constant threats and remains at the top of Iran's target list.

The Justice Department defended the subpoenas, insisting that the reporters themselves are not the targets of the investigation but rather the government officials who allegedly disclosed classified information. Even so, criticism continues to grow. Constitutional lawyers and press freedom organizations describe the move as a serious assault on one of the fundamental rights protected by American democracy. Forcing reporters to appear before a federal grand jury sends a clear message to journalists and whistleblowers alike: anyone who speaks to the press must now expect federal agents to appear at their front door. The Trump administration is continuing its hardline campaign against critical media outlets while intensifying pressure on those who expose misconduct within the government.

The Cease-Fire Is Falling Apart: U.S. Bombs Iran Again, Bahrain Sounds Air Raid Sirens

The cease-fire between the United States and Iran now exists largely on paper. Overnight into Monday, the U.S. military launched another round of strikes against dozens of military targets inside Iran. According to U.S. Central Command, the attacks targeted air defense systems as well as missile and drone sites. For the first time, the operation involved not only fighter aircraft, warships, and aerial drones, but also unmanned surface vessels. Washington says the offensive was necessary to protect international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian forces allegedly attacked commercial vessels once again and launched both a missile and an attack drone at civilian shipping. U.S. forces said both threats were intercepted.

Iran responded shortly afterward by declaring that its retaliation against the United States was ongoing. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps provided no further details. Almost simultaneously, air raid sirens sounded across Bahrain. Authorities instructed residents to seek shelter but initially offered no explanation for the alerts. In recent days, Iran has repeatedly launched attacks against Bahrain and other Gulf states that host American military installations.

According to the United States, the latest escalation began after an attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship and Tehran's announcement that it would once again close the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil normally passes through this strategic waterway. Washington argues that Iran is using control of the strait as leverage in ongoing negotiations, while Tehran insists that all vessels passing through must transit Iranian territorial waters.

President Donald Trump stated during a Sunday television appearance that the Strait of Hormuz remained open and commercial shipping continued to move through it. At the same time, he said the United States had "bombed the hell" out of Iran the previous night. Hours later, U.S. Central Command confirmed additional strikes. Since the renewed fighting began, the U.S. military says it has attacked approximately 300 targets inside Iran. Iran has meanwhile reported the death of a security guard following a strike in Mahshahr as well as attacks on numerous cities throughout Khuzestan Province. Few people now speak seriously of a cease-fire. What was presented only weeks ago as a diplomatic breakthrough is increasingly turning into another military escalation with no clear end in sight.

How a Tiny Duck Gave a Sick Dog Her Life Back

When seven-year-old Golden Retriever Barley was diagnosed with epilepsy in early 2024, her personality changed almost completely. The medication successfully stopped her seizures, but it also took away everything that had once defined her. The energetic dog spent most of her days sleeping, became withdrawn, and lost the joyful spirit her family loved so much. For her owner, Tori Cannarelli of Brookhaven on Long Island, it felt as though she was watching a piece of Barley disappear every single day. Then, in early May, a four-day-old Pekin duckling arrived at their home. The tiny bird had only been meant to stay for the weekend after being rehomed by an elementary school teacher. A second duckling died on the very first night. Louie survived. When Barley placed her nose against the small enclosure and the two locked eyes for the first time, something began that even the family still struggles to explain.

Within just a few weeks, the dog and the duck had become inseparable. Every morning Barley heads straight to Louie's outdoor enclosure. They spend their days together, gently wrestling across the yard and even eating from each other's bowls. Louie loves tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas, just like Barley. His favorite place to eat, however, is from a dog bowl. The family is convinced that Louie thinks he is a dog rather than a duck. According to Canadian animal behavior expert Stanley Coren, the friendship is less surprising than it appears. Golden Retrievers are exceptionally social dogs and are far more likely than many other breeds to form close bonds with different species. He also explains that very young animals can trigger protective instincts. When they meet during that early stage, a relationship can develop that goes far beyond simple familiarity.

For Barley, Louie changed far more than her daily routine. After the duck arrived, her love of life gradually returned. She began playing again, running around the yard, and showing the energy that had almost completely disappeared after her epilepsy treatment began. The medication remained exactly the same. Only one thing had changed: she was no longer alone. What started as a family joke has since become a story followed by millions of people online. Videos of the two friends now reach audiences in the millions. For Tori Cannarelli, however, that is only a bonus. She says she simply wants to give people something to smile about every day. Sometimes that takes nothing more than a duck convinced it is a dog and a dog who found her best friend in a duck.

Heat Forces France to Scale Back Nuclear Power

France has shut down three nuclear reactors and reduced the output of eight more as an intense heat wave continues across the country. Several nuclear power plants located along the Garonne, Rhône, and Meuse rivers are affected because those rivers supply the cooling water required by the reactors. The issue is not mechanical failure but environmental regulations. Cooling water discharged back into the rivers cannot exceed legally established temperature limits in order to protect fish, aquatic plants, and fragile freshwater ecosystems. The reactors taken completely offline include Unit 2 at the Golfech Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 3 at Bugey, and Unit 2 at Chooz. At the same time, EDF reduced output at additional reactors in Saint-Alban, Blayais, Bugey, Chooz, and Tricastin. The company had already been forced to shut down three reactors temporarily during the June heat wave.

One decision involving the Bugey Nuclear Power Plant stands out. French authorities temporarily relaxed environmental restrictions for two reactors. Under a decree issued on July 11, those reactors may continue producing electricity despite higher cooling water temperatures. The government argues that maintaining the stability of the national power grid currently outweighs the additional environmental burden placed on the rivers. France operates 57 nuclear reactors that generate roughly 70 percent of the country's electricity. Nearly all of them are located along rivers or coastlines because they require enormous quantities of cooling water. That dependence is becoming increasingly apparent with every hotter summer. Nuclear power can provide vast amounts of electricity, but it still relies on a steady supply of sufficiently cool water. As temperatures continue to rise, pressure on one of Europe's most important energy systems will only increase.

Wagner's New Business: Tramadol Instead of the Front, Gold and Drugs Instead of the Mercenary Myth

The Wagner Group did not disappear after the death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin. While many of its overseas operations were absorbed by the Russian state, the remaining Wagner structures in the Central African Republic are now believed to have developed a new business model. According to reporting and multiple sources, they control large portions of the smuggling and distribution of tramadol, a powerful opioid painkiller that becomes highly addictive in large doses and is widely abused as a stimulant. The profits are believed to finance weapons purchases, sustain Wagner's influence, and support allied militias operating throughout the country.

Around 500 Wagner fighters are still believed to be stationed along the upper reaches of the Ubangi River. The group's economic network appears to have remained largely intact and is reportedly now overseen by Pavel Prigozhin, the son of Wagner's former leader. Gold mines, smuggling routes, and close relationships with security forces continue to provide the foundation of that influence. Moscow is said to have left those structures largely untouched in order to avoid an open confrontation with the remaining Wagner units. According to the investigation, most of the tramadol originates in India. Shipments are officially declared as standard 50-milligram tablets before being exported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Researchers and traders say the consignments also contain tablets with 200 milligrams or more of active ingredient. In Kinshasa, the shipments are repackaged before being smuggled through the border town of Zongo and across the Ubangi River into the Central African Republic. From there, the drug continues on to Cameroon and other neighboring countries.

The tablets are reportedly consumed by gold miners to work longer hours, distributed at pro-Russian rallies to suppress hunger and exhaustion, and, according to researchers, handed to fighters before combat. Tramadol suppresses pain, dulls fear, and heightens excitement. Former Wagner members also claim the drug is supplied to members of the presidential guard as well as the pro-government youth group known as the Sharks, whose members patrol the streets of Bangui and attack opposition supporters. For Wagner, tramadol has become a second highly profitable business alongside gold. Estimates suggest the network already earns roughly $180 million each year through the illegal export of gold from the Central African Republic. Tramadol trafficking also generates enormous profits. A shipment worth about $7,000 inside the country can reportedly be sold for approximately $21,000 after being smuggled into Cameroon. According to traders, transporters must pay roughly $4,000 in bribes to Wagner-linked groups and affiliated armed formations.

Violence across the country continues to rise alongside these operations. In February 2025, Anti-Balaka militias linked to Wagner reportedly killed around 130 members of the Fulbe ethnic group near the Cameroonian border. Observers described it as the deadliest attack on civilians since March 2022. At the same time, the number of people killed in fighting over mineral-rich territories increased by nearly twenty percent within a single year, reaching approximately 500 deaths. While officials continue to speak publicly about security partnerships, armed networks appear to be financing themselves through gold, smuggling, and the trade of a drug that has become a dangerous narcotic for countless people across the region.