Here's your daily briefing on the top stories you need to know about, including some surprising developments in global affairs and a closer look at the ongoing tensions between the US and China.
1. Middle East Peace Efforts and the Gaza Ceasefire
In a rare display of bipartisan cooperation, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris have praised the Trump administration's role in brokering the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The deal, which was hailed as a 'historic dawn of a new Middle East' by President Trump, resulted in the release of 20 Israeli hostages and thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. However, the second phase of the agreement, which aims to dismantle Hamas and determine Gaza's future leadership, remains a challenging and unresolved issue.
2. SpaceX's Starship Megarocket Test Flight
SpaceX's Starship megarocket completed an hour-long test flight on Monday, making a fiery splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The company is racing to develop the vehicle to help NASA achieve a moon landing planned for 2027. However, there is renewed skepticism about whether Starship will be ready in time, and some are warning that the US must return to the lunar surface before China makes its move.
3. Western Alaska Storm Disaster
At least one death has been confirmed after a powerful storm tore through western Alaska over the weekend, causing record-breaking storm surge and displacing over 1,000 residents. Search and rescue efforts are underway across remote coastal communities to find missing residents.
4. TSA Checkpoints and Political Statements
Several major US airports are refusing to play a video of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. The video is intended to play at TSA checkpoints, but many airport officials have cited the video's political tone as the reason for declining to air it.
5. US-China Trade Tensions and Tariff Threats
Traders were jolted on Friday after President Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Chinese imports, sparking a sell-off in volatile assets like tech stocks and cryptocurrencies. Nervous investors then dumped their riskier bets and fled to the perceived safety of government-issued Treasury bonds and gold.
6. Super Wood and Potential Steel Replacement
A US company has engineered a new type of wood that could potentially leave steel in the dust.
7. FDA-Cleared Alzheimer's Blood Test
The FDA has cleared another blood test to help rule out Alzheimer's disease in people showing symptoms.
8. Tragic Accident Involving LendingTree CEO
LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda died in an ATV accident at a family farm in North Carolina.
9. Heroic Act by a Young Girl
A young girl quickly stepped in to help her little brother when he began choking during playtime.
10. NFL Coaching Changes
The Tennessee Titans have fired head coach Brian Callahan after the team's lackluster 1-5 start to the NFL season.
11. Government Shutdown Warning
Johnson warned on Monday that the ongoing government shutdown could soon rank among the longest in American history, with the previous shutdown in 2018-2019 lasting 35 days.
12. Cryptocurrency Scams and Modern Con Tricks
Watch how scam victims lose millions to a con with a modern twist into cryptocurrency. CNN's Kyung Lah confronts a crook who tried to steal thousands from her.
