Trump says Iran shot down US helicopter and vows to respond

Donald Trump says the US will launch an investigation into the European Union and threatened a fresh tariff over fines handed to some of the biggest American tech companies. It comes days after the European Commission fined Google €890m ($1bn) for operating in a way that squeezed out competitors to its services.In a post to Truth Social, which Trump owns, the US president said the EU would pay a "very big price" over how it had treated Google, along with other major US tech companies Apple, Meta, and Amazon, which have also been investigated."The United States of America is not a "PIGGYBANK" for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!" he wrote.Trump said any fines should be "entirely reversed" and that he was initiating a trade investigation of the EU while considering "a substantial TARIFF".He added that the US would "immediately initiate a 301 investigation" over European regulators' alleged practice of "robbing American companies and, in turn, the American taxpayer". Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, external gives The Office of the United States Trade Representative the power to react and investigate trade practices believed to be unfair. The second Trump Administration has launched several such investigations, external since last year.The tariff threat comes just one day after Trump announced new tariffs on 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK and China, of between 10% and 12.5%. José Castañeda, a spokesman for Google, told the BBC the company had "worked hard to comply" with Europe's Digital Markets Act but had "expressed our concerns about the impact of recent EC decisions"."We appreciate the engagement by the administration and US government," Castañeda added.In addition to the recent fine against Google, Trump claimed in his post that Apple had received EU fines of $15bn, Meta fines of $3bn, and Amazon fines of $2.5bn.Representatives of Meta, Apple and Amazon, as well as the European Commission, have been contacted for comment.Shortly before Trump was elected president in 2024, he said Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, had called him directly to complain about fines the company had received from European regulators.The call came not long after Apple lost a long-running dispute over unpaid taxes.

When new congressional maps were enacted for each state, according to Ballotpedia

Rahul Mukherjee/NPR

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Rahul Mukherjee/NPR

The mid-decade partisan redistricting battle, which President Trump initiated last year, was supercharged by a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.

The redistricting so far has had a particular impact on majority-Black and plurality-Black congressional districts in Republican-led states.

In several of the GOP-led states that have redrawn maps — Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina — Black communities are no longer linked together and are instead absorbed into majority-white areas.

In the six states listed above, voting is generally racially polarized, with Black voters a major voting bloc for the Democratic Party. Nearly 78% of Black voters in the states voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, for instance.

Republicans have said the new districts are simply about boosting their party ahead of crucial midterm elections.

Here's a look at how Black areas have been changed by the redistricting rush:

Texas

Texas moved first, responding to Trump's call to redistrict with a new map that shifts five seats toward Republicans. The new map has already led to a loss of Black congressional representation in the Houston metro area.

Black voters were shuffled around Houston, with much of the previous 9th Congressional District becoming the new 18th District.

That includes majority-Black neighborhoods in Houston like Sunnyside, suburbs like Missouri City and north through the Third and Fifth Wards. Many precincts in these places voted for Harris in 2024 with up to 80% support.

This redistricting pitted two Black Democratic incumbents against each other. Rep. Al Green, who represents the 9th District, lost to Rep. Christian Menefee in the May Democratic primary runoff for the new 18th District.

Many historically Black areas in the northern suburbs, such as Independence Heights and Greens Landing, moved from the 18th District into the 29th, a district that had been 15% Black and is now about a quarter Black.

Voting Rights Act ruling

In late April, the Supreme Court's conservative majority struck down Louisiana's congressional map, calling it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The decision weakened the Voting Rights Act's protections against racial discrimination in redistricting, and has been followed by the dismantling of largely Black districts in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee.

Florida

In May, Florida Republicans enacted new districts, hoping to help their party gain four seats in the House of Representatives.

The 20th District, which had the largest Black population in the state, was a target. In line with the Supreme Court's decision on the Voting Rights Act, Gov. Ron DeSantis called the claw-shaped 20th an unconstitutional racial gerrymander that needed to be reworked.

The new 20th District is more square-shaped, with a Black share of the population that's 45%, down from nearly 53% before.

The northern part of the district included majority-Black neighborhoods in Belle Glade, Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach, which went around 70 points toward Harris in 2024. Belle Glade joins the 22nd District, while the latter two neighborhoods join the 23rd District. Both have significantly smaller Black populations, at 15% and 26%, respectively.

Louisiana

Louisiana's new map eliminates one of its two Black-majority districts. The previous 6th District stretched diagonally across much of the state, picking up Black voters along the way.

Shreveport, where Harris voters outnumbered Trump voters three to one, is now absorbed into the predominantly Republican northwest part of the state, which is less than a third Black.

Baton Rouge is split between the 2nd District and the 6th District, with many of the city's Black areas merging with New Orleans to form the state's remaining majority-Black district, the 2nd

Trump administration weighing military options in Mali, officials say The Washington Post Trump mulling military strikes on Mali militant group: Report The Hill Trump Prepares to Attack Eighth Country of His Second Term The New Republic Trump Thirsts Over His Eighth War in Unlikely Country The Daily Beast Trump considers military strikes in Mali — which would be the 8th country he’s attacked this term The Independent

President Donald Trump has threatened that the US would destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant any time its forces attack a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.Potential targets would include ones "located next to, or in," the capital Tehran, he said in a post on Truth Social.The military response would follow any form of attack on shipping in the vital waterway, "whether it be by missile, rocket, drone, or any other device or weapon".His threat follows the US launching strikes on Iran for the 11th consecutive night, with Tehran warning the US against targeting its nuclear facilities.Iranian state media reported that air defences were activated in the capital Tehran. Explosions were also reported in the north-western city of Tabriz, the south-eastern ports of Chabahar and Konarak, and in the southern city of Bushehr, home to Iran's only nuclear power plant.Iran, which has retaliated against the US and its Middle East allies, warned of reprisals after Trump said the US would soon hit an underground nuclear site near Natanz.Kuwait's army said on Wednesday that its air defences had engaged with drone attacks from Iran, while Bahrain and Jordan said they had also intercepted drone and missile strikes.The price of oil jumped in response to the latest escalation, reaching $94 on Wednesday. Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned the US on Wednesday evening that "the equation of this war is clear: either all or none!"In a region where we do not sell oil, no-one will sell oil. If our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe, and the security of the strait is in the absence of American forces. We have repeatedly said that the situation of the strait will not return to pre-war conditions," Ghalibaf wrote in a post on X.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier said Washington was still willing to engage in diplomacy with Tehran, but added that he did not believe Iran was serious about talks. Prior to that, the US president said the next military target could be a complex known as Pickaxe Mountain, an underground nuclear site where Iran is suspected of building an undeclared enrichment facility.Trump also threatened to "take care of" the Houthi rebels if the Iran-backed militant group in Yemen followed through on its threatened blockade of Saudi ports.A Houthi media official had earlier said they were closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait - the Red Sea's southern gateway - to Saudi vessels.The Red Sea has become crucial for oil shipments from Saudi Arabia during the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.Following the Houthi announcement, two tankers which had just loaded Saudi crude bound for China and India at Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu made U-turns on Tuesday, heading instead towards the Suez Canal, British maritime risk management group Vanguard said. The threat from the Houthis risks further disruption to international shipping, with hostilities in the region having already led to global fuel prices fluctuating significantly.Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June to halt military operations and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as well as to reach an agreement to end the war over the following 60 days. But three weeks after it was signed, Trump declared the ceasefire "over" after Iranian attacks on ships in Hormuz, and US strikes in response.

Trump Receives Fallen Troops, Hegseth Grilled On The Hill, Arizona Primary Results

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President Trump is set to travel to Dover Air Force Base today for the dignified transfer of U.S. service members killed in Iranian strikes. The Pentagon yesterday identified the third service member who was killed in Jordan as Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York. The Defense Department earlier this week identified two other service members killed last week as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. The number of U.S. casualties killed during the Iran war is now 18. As the number of casualties rises, the president's visit highlights mounting questions about when the war in Iran will end and what its aims are.

Commuters walk past a wall mural along the street in Tehran on July 21, 2026.

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Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

🎧 The public disapproves of U.S. citizens dying in what they potentially see as an unnecessary war, NPR's Franco Ordoñez tells Up First. While the issue of reduced munitions may feel abstract to many, flag-draped coffins are not, Justin Logan from the Cato Institute tells Ordoñez. The death of the 19-year-old Gonzales in particular resonates deeply with people as it underscores the loss of young lives at the hands of this conflict, Logan adds. Politically, Trump is attempting to sell Americans on the idea that things are going well, but the war's casualties tell a different story, Ordoñez says.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday requested $67 billion in supplemental funding for the Pentagon in an hours-long, at times contentious hearing with senators. He says this money would help replenish depleted equipment and munitions and accelerate project and equipment deliveries. Without the additional funding, service members' pay could face shortfalls, Hegseth warns. As fighting intensifies, some lawmakers expressed frustration over being asked to approve funds for a war that Congress never authorized.

🎧 Senators from both parties had a lot of questions for Hegseth on key issues, including Iran's nuclear program and missile capabilities and the future of the Strait of Hormuz, NPR's Claudia Grisales says. Their skepticism highlights concerns about the war's direction, especially as midterm elections are right around the corner. The war has created challenges for Republicans, but has provided Democrats with opportunities, Grisales says. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray says rising gasoline prices are linked to the recent escalation in fighting, a message Democrats will likely use to try to win back control of Congress.

Arizona Republicans chose U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs as their nominee for governor and state lawmaker Alexander Kolodin as the secretary of state nominee in yesterday's primaries. Both candidates have openly opposed the 2020 presidential election results. Trump endorsed both candidates, and Turning Point, the political group founded in Arizona by the late Charlie Kirk, backed them.

🎧 Trump and Turning Point's support hold less weight in the general election, where MAGA candidates must appeal to a broader electorate, especially Arizona's crucial independent voters, says Ben Giles of NPR member station KJZZ. The primary results have some Arizona Republicans worried that Democrats could reclaim key races in the state. Although there were some more traditional conservative candidates in the primary elections for both races, neither race was close, underscoring Trump and Turning Point's sign

‘King of the North’ Andy Burnham becomes 7th British prime minister in a decade NBC News North Sea Drilling Offers First Test for Burnham’s Relationship With Trump The New York Times Opinion | New U.K. prime minister promises a fresh start with failed policies The Washington Post Andy Burnham becomes U.K. prime minister NPR UK's Andy Burnham becomes PM as Trump slams Britain as 'Poverty Stricken Disaster' CNBC

US President Donald Trump has signed an order imposing a 50% tariff on a wide range of goods imported from Canada, in retaliation for what he called "unequal treatment" of US cars, dairy and alcohol. The duties take effect on 19 August and mark a major escalation in trade tensions between the North American neighbours. The White House said the tariffs were necessary to protect American businesses. Goods targeted range from everyday consumer items like wine and hockey sticks to industrial goods such as commercial cement. However, several key exports will be spared, such as energy, potash, critical minerals and fish. The new duties build on trade barriers already in place between the two nations. The US has been maintaining active tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on Canadian steel, aluminum, and copper. Washington also charges a 35% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, alongside a 25% tax on non-US parts in cars. Canada has its own 25% counter-tariff on selected imports of American steel, aluminium and vehicles. Monday's duties come in the wake of President Trump's threat to impose tariffs over Canadian wildfire smoke drifting into US cities.

Two US service members killed, another missing after Iranian attack in Jordan: CENTCOM Fox News U.S. Strikes Leave Iranians Isolated and Scared The New York Times July 17, 2026 — Iran and US widen attacks as renewed conflict shows no sign of de-escalating CNN That sinking feeling: Iranians feel the strain as Trump ramps up war again over Hormuz NBC News Trump targets Iran’s infrastructure in bid to squeeze regime The Hill

Cities across north-eastern Canada and the US are suffering from intense smoke brought on by hundreds of wildfires burning across Canada. Many of the blazes are burning out of control, with some causing evacuations and damage. The blazes left one tribal community completely decimated in northern Ontario, ripping through the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation with little warning.In the US and across parts of Canada, a blanket of thick smoke has remained due to the fires, hiding prominent city skylines and causing many to don facemasks. On Friday, Detroit, Chicago, Washington DC, and New York topped the list for the worst air quality in the world, drawing warnings from local officials to limit time outdoors due to potential health impacts of inhaling the fumes. The cross-border effects are also causing a row between Canadian and US officials with President Trump threatening new tariffs to cover the cost of the smoke damage, which he claimed was "incalculable". There are currently about 888 wildfires actively burning across Canada – nearly 200 of those in Ontario - according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.Along the northern edge of Minnesota, there are 15 fires that are still burning and an emergency declaration is in place to help mobilise suppression efforts.In Ontario, the fires are north of Lake Superior in more remote parts of the province, but within or close to national parks and First Nation communities.So far, six communities are under evacuation orders with reports of damage to properties. Matthew Hoppe, incident commander for the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, told the BBC that his community was devastated by the wildfires in northern Ontario.Community members had to "self-evacuate" via small boats on Monday afternoon with the fire rapidly approaching, Hoppe said, adding that there were no deaths or direct injuries, he says, but the community has been "completely levelled".Wildfires are very common in Canada, but the number of outbreaks has rapidly increased in recent weeks.IQAir, a company which tracks global air quality, ranked Detroit, Toronto and Minneapolis as the cities with some of the worst air quality in the world due to the ongoing smokey haze hanging over. Wildfire smoke is hazardous for humans as it contains a mixture of very small polluting particles like PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide."These particles when they get into our system get all the way down into our lungs, all the way down to our tiny breathing tubes and… they cause inflammation," said Jim McDonald, New York State Department of Health commissioner, in a public address video on social media.The smoke can exacerbate existing respiratory, heart, kidney and eye conditions, according to the World Health Organization, external. Emergency responders, and vulnerable groups such as those with chronic illnesses and children – who are closer to the ground where the smoke can sink – are most at risk.Governments will issue warnings depending on the air quality level which advises people on precautions to take. For example, an orange alert means people are advised to:avoid strenuous outdoor activitiesstay indoors and close windowswear a well-fitting N95 maskseek medical attention for symptoms that include wheezing, breathlessness and chest painKN95 or N95 masks should be able to filter out 95% of these tiny particles – although there are still risks. There are fraudulent copies being sold online so make sure it is government certified. Many cities have activated their air quality emergency protocols and are distributing masks at local centres.For further information on your local air quality alerts, consult this site, external if you're in Canada, and here if you're in the US, external.The far-reaching impacts of wildfire smoke – and how to protect yourselfThe fires are also reigniting existing tensions between the North American neighbours. US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada over what he called the countr

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada after hundreds of wildfires have left much of the northern US choked by a blanket of smoke. The threat follows complaints by US lawmakers over the wildfires and Ontario's premier Doug Ford asking the US to send support to fight the fires, rather than complain.

"The United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air," Trump said, threatening to impose new levies over Canada's "willful negligence". As of Friday, there were about 888 fires actively burning in Canada, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, external - with the majority burning out of control.More than 190 of those blazes are burning in Ontario, some out of control. Trump said in his post to Truth Social that he would call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to demand an explanation over his country's "willful negligence," accusing the country of "not properly maintaining" their forests and brush. Fellow Republicans have used the issue to renew Trump's call to make Canada the 51st US state, a musing that has offended Canadians and prompted many to stop travelling to their southern neighbour in protest. Others online suggested a delay in opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a Canada-funded project that will connect Ontario to Michigan.Canada has not responded to Trump's tariff threat but Carney earlier noted that it was the responsibility of both countries to fight climate change. Relations between the US and Canada and been tense at times over the last year, mostly due to trade. Last year, Trump imposed tariffs on Canada - a country that had enjoyed decades of free trade with the US - and both countries have still yet to reach a trade deal. According to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, nearly 3 million hectares of land in Canada has already been destroyed by the wildfires.The impacts have been far-reaching, with a thick blanket of smoke spreading across US states, from Minnesota and Michigan to Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. "Hazardous" air quality alerts have been issued across much of the region, leading to the cancellation of many outdoor events.As of Friday, air quality in Detroit was worst in the world, Swiss air quality tracker IQAir said, external, followed by the Midwestern city of Chicago, Washington DC, and New York in seventh place.The far-reaching impacts of wildfire smoke – and how to protect yourselfCanada fires prompt US air quality alerts as smoke blankets major citiesIn the open letter addressed to Canadian officials, US lawmakers John James, John Moolenaar, Jack Bergman and Lisa McClain said their "patience has run out"."We are done accepting apologies in place of action," they said, warning the US could explore direct involvement in cross-border wildfire protection and firefighting if Canada failed to act."We were told last year that this would be treated with urgency. It was not," they claimed, adding that instead "American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year".They said that issues such as "chronic under-investment in forest thinning, fuel reduction, and prescribed burns, along with inadequate enforcement against arson", had not been addressed "adequately enough".But scientists BBC Verify have spoken to say the picture is more complicated."Weather doesn't care about international borders," says Dr Patrick James from the University of Toronto.Once smoke reaches the atmosphere, it travels wherever the winds take it - and smoke from major US wildfires has also affected Canada in recent years.Experts also say many of the current fires are burning in Canada's vast, remote forests, where fires can be difficult to detect or contain before they become too large.While better forest management can reduce wildfire risk in some areas, particularly near communities, it cannot prevent fires across an ecosystem of this scale.Wildfires are very common in Canada, but the number of ou

Trump says Iran shot down US helicopter and vows to respond

Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies

Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies

Discussion (0)

How predominantly Black areas in 6 states have been split up by redistricting

Trump administration weighing military options in Mali, officials say

Trump threatens to target Iran's bridges and power plants if Hormuz attacks persist

Trump to attend dignified transfer of fallen soldiers. And, Hegseth testifies on Iran

‘King of the North’ Andy Burnham becomes 7th British prime minister in a decade

Trump imposes 50% tariff on Canadian imports

Two US service members killed, another missing after Iranian attack in Jordan: CENTCOM

What to know about the Canadian and US wildfires and their impact

Trump threatens new Canada tariffs over fires sending 'filthy' air into US cities

Trump says Iran shot down US helicopter and vows to respond

Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies

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Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies

Discussion (0)

How predominantly Black areas in 6 states have been split up by redistricting

Trump administration weighing military options in Mali, officials say

Trump threatens to target Iran's bridges and power plants if Hormuz attacks persist

Trump to attend dignified transfer of fallen soldiers. And, Hegseth testifies on Iran

‘King of the North’ Andy Burnham becomes 7th British prime minister in a decade

Trump imposes 50% tariff on Canadian imports

Two US service members killed, another missing after Iranian attack in Jordan: CENTCOM

What to know about the Canadian and US wildfires and their impact

Trump threatens new Canada tariffs over fires sending 'filthy' air into US cities

More in World

Live Updates: Iran targets American bases in Jordan and Iraq as raging war depletes U.S. interceptor stockpiles

At least 12 killed in latest Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Wildfire survivors tell of narrow escape as Spain declares emergency