In an intense overnight offensive, Russia unleashed a barrage of weapons on Kyiv, targeting the Ukrainian capital with a multitude of drones and missiles. This assault devastated residential areas, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and injuring more than 90 individuals, as reported by Reuters.

Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine’s envoy to the UN, conveyed the gravity of the situation to News Media, revealing that the attack represented “the most terrifying night for Kyiv since the onset of Russia’s comprehensive invasion.”

“This morning, I was on the phone with my mother-in-law, who is currently in Kyiv. She confessed that she had never experienced such fear. It was as though a biblical Apocalypse was unfolding before her eyes, with everyone around her in prayer.”

The central areas of Kyiv were rocked by explosions for several hours, prompting thousands of people to seek refuge in bomb shelters and subway stations. This incident marked the most extensive destruction in Kyiv throughout 2026 and was the deadliest attack on the capital since May, when an attack claimed 24 lives after an apartment block collapsed. 

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones overnight, according to Reuters. 

Yuri Ihnat, the Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson, said the number of ballistic missiles was unusually high and that the interception rate for them was low, as Ukraine continues to face shortages of Patriot missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who cut short a visit to Ireland and returned to Ukraine, said damage had been reported at more than 20 sites across the capital.

“The main strike was directed at Kyiv,” Zelenskyy said. “Air defence supplies for Ukraine are an absolute and critical priority.”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning and said damage had been recorded across the city of roughly 3 million people.

Melnyk told News Media the attack should force the international community to confront Russia’s status inside the U.N. Security Council.

“And yet, this barbaric Russia continues to be treated at the U.N. as a normal member state,” he said. “It is time to end this parallel reality. Russia’s status as a permanent member of the Security Council should finally be called into question. Russia should be treated for what it has become: a pariah state.”

Emergency crews searched through the rubble of a nine-story building on the left bank of the Dnipro River as fires continued to burn after sunrise. City officials said some people remained trapped inside damaged residential buildings.

East2West footage showed the overnight barrage from inside Kyiv, including a baby sleeping as explosions flashed outside an open window and smoke from an earlier strike rose nearby. Other footage showed residents sheltering near a metro station as strikes hit the capital, as well as heavy damage across Kyiv, including residential buildings torn apart and thick smoke hanging over parts of the city.

More than 20 sites were damaged, including residential buildings, diplomatic accommodation and the National Institute of Biochemistry, where a state-of-the-art laboratory and offices were gutted.

Katarina Mathernova, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, said Russia “unleashed hell on Kyiv” overnight and struck accommodation used by diplomatic personnel. Diplomats were not injured, but their belongings were damaged in a fire that engulfed the building, she said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a Telegram post that its “massive attack” used long-range, high-precision weapons and drones to strike military and energy facilities, as well as airports in Kyiv and other locations. Moscow said the attack was retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia. 

Ukraine said it hit an oil refinery overnight in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, where the regional governor reported one person killed in a strike on an industrial facility.

The Kremlin said Russian military commanders briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the attacks and said Moscow would continue increasing pressure on Ukraine to achieve its war aims.

Poland, a NATO and European Union member that borders Ukraine, briefly scrambled fighter jets as a preventive measure. Finland also briefly issued a temporary aviation restriction zone in the eastern Gulf of Finland, its defense forces said.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu told News Media that Russian drones were detected in Ukraine roughly 30 kilometers from Romania’s border Wednesday, prompting NATO air-policing aircraft to respond.

“Two Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft deployed under the Enhanced Air Policing mission and operating from the 86th Air Base in Fetești in Romania, were scrambled to monitor the Romanian airspace situation near the border with Ukraine,” Țoiu said. “A Romanian Air Force IAR 330 Puma helicopter was also deployed. Such incidents have constantly accompanied Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday that she would propose new sanctions on entities supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex in response to the strikes.

“The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions must be imposed,” Kallas said in a post on X.

Russia has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians in strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022. 

Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians but says attacks on what it calls civil infrastructure are legitimate because they affect Ukraine’s ability to wage war.

Hasan Piker, a prominent commentator known for his left-wing views on Twitch, has criticized the opulent wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, declaring it ‘tacky.’ The event, which has captured widespread attention, took place in one of New York City’s most legendary venues.

Swift and Kelce chose the iconic Madison Square Garden to exchange their vows last Friday, hosting a lavish ceremony in front of a staggering 1,000 guests. This star-studded affair prompted authorities to shut down several city streets to accommodate the festivities.

To ensure the security of such a high-profile event, the NYPD dispatched officers and detectives to the scene, heightening the spectacle even more in the heart of New York City.

During a recent live stream, Piker shared his thoughts candidly with his audience. Despite being a self-professed ‘Swiftie,’ he revealed, “Controversial opinion: I think this is a dramatic misuse of public resources.”

Piker didn’t hold back, continuing, “Sorry, I’m f***ing say it. I think it’s insane. I think it’s a bad look. I think it’s heightening the contradictions.” His comments have since sparked discussions about the implications of such extravagant celebrity events.

The streamer added, ‘It’s showcasing once again that, no matter how beloved a public figure you might be, you’re still – if you’re a billionaire, you’re still a billionaire and you are going to do billionaire s***.’ 

Piker further stated that the MSG wedding is a ‘glaringly obvious example that this is straightforwardly a flex, I think.

‘It’s straightforwardly a flex to be like, “Yeah, I can do this.” And I kind of think that it’s a little tacky. At best.’

Swift and Kelce’s wedding ceremony on Friday kicked off when a fleet of 500 chauffeur-driven vehicles made a grand arrival to MSG around 3:30pm EST. 

A-list stars that received a coveted invite were also spotted heading to the venue such as Karlie Kloss, Hugh Grant, Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper and Dakota Johnson. 

However, some New Yorkers were left outraged when city blocks as well as Penn Station faced closures for the wedding festivities amid the sweltering, triple digit heatwave. 

Around 5pm, the bride and groom also made their arrival to MSG, according to planning permits obtained by New York City officials.  

At 7:30pm EST, large ad billboards at the venue read ‘JusT&T married’ to confirm the lovebirds said ‘I do.’

Later in the evening after the sun had set, the Empire State Building was lit up in blue as Swift’s ‘something blue’ for the wedding.

Adam Sandler notably officiated the anticipated nuptials.

Swift’s longtime publicist Tree Paine, who was also in attendance, offered details of the wedding in an email blast.

‘The bride and groom’s wedding ceremony looks have been created by Christian Dior Haute Couture.

‘They are designed by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the Bride and Groom,’ Paine shared.

‘This is the designer’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity. Their shoes were custom made by Christian Louboutin and the bride wore Cartier jewelry.’

Paine also revealed that Swift did not have bridesmaids and the NFL player did not have groomsmen for the ceremony.

‘Instead, her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor and Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man. The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler.’

The nuptials, which took place ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, are believed to have cost the newlyweds $15 million.

Other celebrity attendees that had the chance to witness the nuptials in-person included director Steven Spielberg and Zoe Kravitz. 

Swift reportedly took to the stage alongside Stevie Nicks and Paul McCartney, although photos and videos have yet to be released. 

The Grammy winner also secretly recorded a wedding song for Kelce last month, in the lead-up to the nuptials, sources previously told the Daily Mail.

The newlyweds allegedly dropped around an estimated $160,000 for law enforcement presence at MSG on Thursday, July 2 and Friday, TMZ previously reported.

The interior of Madison Square Garden is understood to have been transformed into a garden with a massive castle.

Photos shot for the Daily Mail this week captured items, equipment and decorations being loaded into the venue, including two ‘large white banisters.’

An insider informed the Daily Mail in early June that Swift and Kelce had embraced the idea of a ‘spectacle’ wedding and selected Madison Square Garden as the venue.

Sources also previously claimed to the Daily Mail that guests who received an invitation were required to sign an NDA before receiving information about the wedding.

Family and close friends of the couple were also allegedly being asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement. 

Shortly before their anticipated nuptials, Swift and Kelce notably donated $26 million to charities. 

Swift and Kelce tied the knot nearly one year after the NFL player popped the big question in August 2025. 

In a recent interview conducted on Wednesday, Melat Kiros, a socialist candidate for Congress from Colorado, attributed Israel’s actions in the Middle East as a catalyst for anti-Semitic attacks in various countries. Her comments quickly made waves, reflecting the increasingly divisive discourse surrounding Israel and its global repercussions.

Kiros is emblematic of a burgeoning faction within the Democratic Party: far-left, anti-Israel candidates who are gaining traction and shaking up traditional political dynamics. Her recent primary victory in Denver underscores this trend.

In a dramatic political shift, Kiros managed to unseat Diana Degette, a seasoned incumbent, in the Democratic primary. This victory mirrors similar outcomes in New York, where other far-left candidates claimed significant wins, signaling a broader shift within the party’s electorate.

Her rise has not been without controversy. Colorado’s Attorney General, Phil Weiser, who is also a Democratic candidate for governor, criticized Kiros for her reluctance to label a deadly incident at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder last year as antisemitic. The incident was thrust into the spotlight during an interview with a 9News host earlier this week.

During this pivotal political moment, a 9News host remarked, “I just spoke with Attorney General Phil Weiser, who secured a win in the Democratic primary for governor last night. He is poised to become Colorado’s next governor, much like you are likely to join the Colorado congressional delegation next year.”

“He has some real concerns about things that you have said about Israel and, in particular, about the firebombing of Jewish people in Boulder, and he told me that he would like to sit down and have a conversation with you so that you can hear where he’s coming from and he can hear where you’re coming from. Are you open to that?”

“Absolutely,” she said to the prospect of having a conversation with Weiser. “You know, at the end of the day, what happened in Boulder was a horrific attack on a group of Jewish people that were peacefully protesting, and we are seeing that the actions of Israel are putting Jewish people in great danger.

“And the hate and the antisemitism that’s rising as a result of it is one that I have every intention of prioritizing and combating.

“I really look forward to sitting down with Phil Weiser to figure out how we can work together to combat that hate.”

In the aforementioned interview, Kiros had said of the convicted bomber, “I don’t know what was in the heart of the perpetrator. All I know is that he went and attacked innocent people because of what they might have believed, and I don’t even know what the people that were at that protest believed, too.

“In fact, most of them were probably just there to, you know, ask that the people who were kidnapped during Oct. 7 be returned home to their families. That’s not a political statement in and of itself.”

The attack by Mohamed Soliman happened June 1, 2025, targeting a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder. Eighty-two-year-old Karen Diamond was killed, and about a dozen others were injured.

Soliman appeared to disguise himself as a gardener before springing into action, hurling two flaming projectiles at demonstrators, according to prosecutors.

He pleaded guilty in May to state charges, including murder, and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.

Soliman expressed regret for his crime and even said he deserved the death penalty, The New York Times reported. He denied being motivated by hatred of Jews but launched into what the Times called a “rambling diatribe against Zionism, which he described as ‘the enemy.’”

He could still face the death penalty on federal hate crime charges.

Kiros made her opposition to Israel a centerpiece of her successful primary campaign. In her victory speech after clinching the nomination, she said one of her chief goals was to “end the genocide in Palestine.”

In a remarkable story of survival, a 43-year-old security guard in Venezuela was miraculously found alive beneath the ruins of a shopping center on Thursday. This comes eight days after devastating twin earthquakes claimed the lives of more than 2,200 individuals.

Rescuers pulled Hernán Alberto Gil Flores from the debris of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center, located in the coastal state of La Guaira. He had been trapped there since the earthquakes rocked the area on June 24.

Minyar Collado, a rescuer from the Costa Rican Red Cross, shared with The Associated Press that upon being discovered, Gil Flores expressed a poignant wish. He requested that rescue teams not inform his wife of his survival, fearing he might not make it in the end.

Signs of life were first detected over the weekend by rescuers, sparking hope as they worked tirelessly to reach Gil Flores beneath the debris.

Gil Flores was working an overnight shift when the first earthquake struck. While much of the building collapsed around him, his small security booth stayed intact, protecting him from the falling concrete and leaving enough space for him to survive.

Rescue crews worked through aftershocks, torrential rain and unstable rubble to reach him. They used a telescopic camera to communicate with Gil Flores and lowered water and liquid nutrients through a narrow shaft to keep him alive during the final days of the rescue.

His wife, Gusbimar González, said the family’s despair turned to hope after rescuers reached her husband.

“When I learned he was alive, I saw a ray of light in the darkness,” she told the AP. The couple has two children, ages 8 and 10.

Video from the scene showed rescuers carrying Gil Flores on a stretcher covered with an orange tarp through cheering crowds before loading him into a Red Cross ambulance. Members of the Costa Rican Red Cross hugged one another after the rescue.

The operation was led by Chilean firefighters and included search-and-rescue teams from Costa Rica, the United States, Portugal, Mexico and other countries.

The shopping center collapsed after twin earthquakes measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck northern Venezuela on June 24, destroying tens of thousands of buildings, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring more than 11,000 others.

Gil Flores’ rescue offered a rare moment of hope after days of devastation.

On Tuesday, emergency workers rescued a 2-year-old boy who had been trapped beneath the rubble for six days.

On Saturday, the U.S. State Department shared video showing American search-and-rescue teams pulling a 9-month-old girl alive from a collapsed structure. The infant was rescued along with her mother, the State Department told News Media. Both suffered only minor injuries, according to the rescue team.

The U.S. government has mobilized $150 million in humanitarian aid to help Venezuela respond to the disaster.

Penelope Cruz is contemplating a significant change at the age of 52 – obtaining her driver’s license, spurred by an unexpected gift from rock legend Bono.

During her recent appearance on the talk show Hot Ones, the actress shared that it was Bono, the 66-year-old U2 frontman, who catalyzed this shift when he presented her with a car as a birthday gift in April.

In the episode aired on Thursday, Cruz explained to host Sean Evans that a traumatic experience in her childhood left her with a profound fear of driving. As a child, she witnessed her sister being hit by a car, a memory that has stayed with her ever since.

Yet, despite this long-held fear, Cruz expressed that she is now feeling inspired to conquer it, thanks to her friend’s encouraging gesture.

“My friend Bono gave me a car for my last birthday,” she revealed on the show, choosing to keep the specific make and model of the gifted vehicle under wraps.

‘He gave me a car and I think that is like the ultimate push to do it,’ she said about getting her driver’s license. 

‘After you get a car from Bono, you don’t get your license? How crazy is that? So now I’m thinking about it again, but it’s such a deep fear,’ she continued.

Cruz previously opened up about how she has had a ‘fear of driving’ ever since witnessing her younger sister get struck by a car when they were both kids. 

Her sister Monica Cruz, a fellow actress who is three years younger, made a full recovery but witnessing the traumatic car accident left her with a lasting phobia.

On the show, the Vanilla Sky star revealed the trauma she still suffers after so many years.

She told Evans: ‘Every time I get in a car, I feel like, “OK, here we go. Are we going to make it or not?”‘

Cruz said that even being in a car for as little as 10 or 15 minutes with a professional driver behind the wheel still causes her to feel that deep fear. 

‘My feeling is, “Am I going to make it today?”‘ she explained. 

‘I think there is a name for that,’ she said at another point earlier in their chat. ‘They came up with a name recently because there are a lot of people like me.’ 

An intense, persistent fear of driving or riding in a vehicle is clinically called amaxophobia, per the Cleveland Clinic. 

There is also another term; vehophobia refers to the intense fear of driving, specifically the act of operating a vehicle. 

Vehophobia is usually triggered by past traumas such as car accidents or witnessing crashes, according to the Manhattan Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Two years ago, Cruz also opened up about the traumatic incident from her childhood, recalling the experience and sharing how it still causes her anxiety as an adult. 

‘My sister was run over by a car in front of me when I was eight or nine,’ she told Elle in February 2024. 

She recalled how it felt like ‘time stopped’ in that moment. 

‘I remember she was wearing a red coat. Speaking of red! And for me, time stopped,’ she recalled. 

‘It’s a great trauma, because I saw her losing consciousness. And I was numb in the hospital, telling people, “Oh, my sister just got run over by a car.”‘

She said that if the same traumatic incident happened when she had been an adult, she imagined she would act differently and ‘would have been hysterical.’ 

In a ceremony marking the 250th anniversary of July 4th, President Trump delivered a speech at Mount Rushmore, emphasizing American values and cautioning against what he described as a rising “communist menace.”

Positioned against the iconic backdrop of the carved visages of four previous U.S. leaders, Trump asserted that American identity is currently under siege by communist ideas. He criticized what he termed as “radicals” and “extremists” for assaulting America’s historical narrative.

“Today, we witness a revival of the communist threat within our borders, coming from certain arrivals who support principles that are starkly opposed to our accomplishments and way of life,” stated President Trump. “One can choose to be a communist or a patriot, but never both.”

“It is not a requirement to be born in this nation, but a love for what we have achieved and for our country is essential,” President Trump expressed to the audience in South Dakota.

Shifting his focus from the perils of communism, the president asserted that the path for Republicans to secure victory in upcoming midterm elections involves dismantling the filibuster. He advocated for the SAVE America Act, which mandates that individuals show proof of U.S. citizenship upon registering to vote and present a valid photo ID when voting.

“As we march into our 250th year, incredible, beautiful year it will be, we must never forget: There is no American freedom without American culture, and there is no American founding without the American people,” Mr Trump said.

Describing American culture, Mr. Trump said, “Americans love freedom. We cherish independence, and we know that we are the heirs to the most beautiful land, the most thrilling story, and the most precious legacy on which the sun has ever shined in America. We do not need anyone’s permission to say what we think, and to live as we please, to worship as we choose, or to keep and bear arms.”