It's Been Reported

House Passes Historic Cryptocurrency Legislation, Sending GENIUS Act To President's Desk (Just the News) — The House of Representatives on Thursday delivered a massive win to the cryptocurrency industry by passing the historic GENIUS Act, which establishes a regulatory framework for Stablecoins. The Senate passed the legislation in a bipartisan move last month, which means the bill will now head to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature. The vote in the House was also bipartisan, with 206 Republicans voting in favor of the bill and 102 Democrats. The complete House vote was 308-122. The move comes after House Republicans stalled the legislation earlier this week, along with a handful of other crypto related bills. They later fell in line after meeting with Trump at the White House, per CBS News. "The GENIUS Act is headed to the President’s desk! House Republicans are protecting consumers and creating a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins," House Republicans posted to X. "The United States will continue to be a world leader that drives innovation." See full story	USPS Hikes Stamp Prices Again – Here’s What It Now Costs To Mail A Letter (Dalla Express) — The U.S. Postal Service implemented new price hikes for mailing and shipping services on July 13, marking its latest effort to achieve financial stability. The adjustments raised mailing service product prices by approximately 7.4%, while domestic shipping rates increased between 6.3% and 7.6%, as part of the 10-year Delivering for America plan. First-Class Mail Forever stamps now cost 78 cents, up from 73 cents, with metered letters rising from 69 to 74 cents per ounce. Domestic postcards increased from 56 to 61 cents, and international postcards and letters rose from $1.65 to $1.70. The additional-ounce rate for single-piece letters also rose from 28 to 29 cents. In contrast, postal insurance costs dropped by 12%. Shipping rates increased 6.3% for Priority Mail, 7.1% for USPS Ground Advantage, and 7.6% for Parcel Select. Priority Mail Express prices remained unchanged. The USPS noted that mailing rates are tied to the consumer price index, while shipping adjustments reflect market conditions to stay competitive and boost revenue. See full storry
Maurene Comey, Prosecutor In 'Diddy,' Epstein, Maxwell Cases, Daughter Of Ex FBI Head, Fired From DOJ (Fox News) — Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, was fired Wednesday from her job as a prosecutor in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, a Justice Department official confirmed to Fox News. Comey was informed of her termination on Wednesday by the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, the official said. She worked most recently on the prosecution of Sean "Diddy" Combs and previously prosecuted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The reason for her firing as senior trial counsel at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York was not immediately clear. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a call from Fox News Digital. Comey's father was fired during President Donald Trump's first term in office after he initiated the investigation into potential ties between Russia and President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The Justice Department recently appeared to acknowledge an investigation into James Comey, although it is unclear what sparked that probe. See full story	SpaceX Launches Highly Secret Israeli Communications Satellite (UPI) — SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station early Sunday carrying an Israel Aerospace Industries communications satellite, a payload that had been kept largely secret until liftoff. "We at IAI are extremely proud of the development and successful launch into space of the State of Israel's 'Dror 1' national communications satellite, Boaz Levy, CEO and President of IAI said in a statement." Dror 1 is the most advanced communications satellite ever built in Israel, designed to preserve this national strategic capability in the country while providing Israel with essential satellite communications capabilities for years to come." The satellite, which weighs 4.5 tons and spans nearly 60 feet in diameter when its solar panels are fully deployed, is scheduled to reach its fixed point destination over Earth in about two weeks. SpaceX has only been involved in a handful of such secret missions. See full story
Trump Interior Department Moves To Dismantle 'Regulatory Favoritism' For Wind, Solar Projects (Fox News) — The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) said Thursday it was adding "enhanced oversight" of agency decisions about new wind and solar projects in an effort to end "favoritism" of these "unreliable" and "subsidy-dependent" energy systems from the previous administration. The new directive updates review procedures that will require senior leadership at the Interior Department, including the office of the secretary, to conduct a final review of any relevant decisions, including leases, rights-of-way, construction and operation plans, grants, consultations and biological opinions. "Today’s actions further deliver on President Trump’s promise to tackle the Green New Scam and protect the American taxpayers’ dollars," said acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management Adam Suess. "American energy dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment." See full story	Nigel Farage Slams U.K. Labour Push For 16-Year-Old Voters, Plans A ‘Nasty Surprise’ For Starmer (Daily Wire) — The U.K. Labour government unveiled a controversial plan this week to lower the voting age to 16 ahead of the next general election, in what many conservatives are calling a blatant attempt to sway the next election in their favor. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform U.K., called the move “an attempt to rig the political system,” but warned they “intend to give them a nasty surprise.” While Labour currently leads among 16-17-year-olds with approximately 33% support, Reform U.K.’s strong 20% showing suggests the plan could backfire on Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner defended the controversial proposal, saying, “I was a mum at 16, you can go to work, you can pay your taxes and I think that people should have a vote at 16,” according to the BBC. The voting age change would affect approximately 3% of the U.K. population aged 16 and over. Labour insists the reform isn’t designed to benefit their party, with Rayner claiming, “This isn’t about trying to rig votes for a particular party. This is about democracy and giving young people an opportunity to have a say.” See full story
Senate Panel Approves Nominations For Bove, Pirro As Democrats Walk Out (Just the News) — The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved the nominations of former Trump attorney Emil Bove to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Jeanine Pirro to the U.S. attorney's office for Washington, D.C., as Democrats walked out. Bove, who is the U.S. principal associate deputy attorney general, was approved by the committee for the judgeship nomination amid 900 former and current Department of Justice lawyers urging lawmakers to reject the nomination, The Hill news outlet reported. Among the concerns is a DOJ whistleblower allegation that Bove urged agency lawyers to defy a court order regarding the Trump administration's controversial decision in March to deport El Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia. A nominee getting a favorable, or majority, vote in a committee historically means they will be confirmed to the post for which they were nominated in a full Senate vote. See full story	NASA Rover Breaks Record For Longest Road Trip On Another Planet (Space) — Perseverance is hitting the 'open road' on Mars like no other rover. On June 19, the six-wheeled explorer officially completed the longest road trip of any robot vehicle on another planet. In a single drive, the rover rolled over 411 meters of Mars' rocky surface (more than a quarter mile). That may not sound like much, but compared to Curiosity and Opportunity, which inch along at a relative snail's pace, Percy is a speed demon. That's because Perseverance has self-driving software, which can process and analyze images even while its wheels are turning. By contrast, Curiosity and Opportunity need to stop, take images, and then process that information before deciding on a good path forward. The ability to drive longer distances in a day opens up new possibilities for scientific studies on Mars. See full story
FDA To End Dozens Of 'obsolete' Rules For U.S. Food Items (UPI) — The federal government says its ending a whole slew of "obsolete" U.S. food standards that Trump administration officials say also include "unnecessary" ones. "I'm eliminating outdated food regulations that no longer serve the interests of American families," stated U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it's revoking, or proposing to revoke, 52 federal standards for scores of food products in items such as canned fruit, vegetables, dairy, baked goods and macaroni products. It will also apply to areas of food safety, packaging, manufacturing and production practices and nutrition information, labeling and claims on American-made products. See full story	Trump Says Coca-Cola Agreed To Use Real Cane Sugar In U.S. Drinks: 'it's Just Better!' WASHINGTON (NY Post) — President Trump was on a sugar high Wednesday, announcing that Coca-Cola would soon include the real sweet stuff in its U.S.-sold beverages. “I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,” Trump, 79, revealed on Truth Social. “I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them -- You’ll see. It’s just better!” Coca-Cola uses high fructose corn syrup in its U.S. production, in contrast to cane sugar in countries like Mexico and the United Kingdom The soda maker switched to high fructose corn syrup in the 1980s over concerns about cost and agricultural requirements, but many Coke fans still prefer the taste with real sugar. See full story
Trump Suffering From Chronic Condition After Lower Leg Swelling Sparks Concern, White House Reveals WASHINGTON (NY Post) — President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a blood circulation issue, after noticing “mild swelling in his lower legs,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed Thursday. Leavitt made the surprise disclosure while addressing conjecture about recent bruising on Trump’s hands, which she said was assessed to be “irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin” as a preventative heart-health measure. “In the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today,” Leavitt said at a press briefing. “In recent weeks, President Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs,” Dr. Sean Barbabella wrote in a one-page memo read aloud by Leavitt. See full story	Heritage Foundation Founder Ed Feulner Dies At 83 Years Old (Just the News) — The Heritage Foundation on Friday announced that its founder, Edwin Feulner, who served as the foundation's longest president, died at the age of 83-years-old. The founder, who was considered a titan in Republican politics, helped transform the foundation from a small think-tank to a massive conservative powerhouse. Feulner, who has authored nine books, created the foundation in 1973 and served as its president for 37 years. “Ed Feulner was more than a leader – he was a visionary, a builder, and a patriot of the highest order," Heritage President Kevin Roberts and Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby said in a joint statement. "His unwavering love of country and his determination to safeguard the principles that made America the freest, most prosperous nation in human history shaped every fiber of the conservative movement – and still do. See full story