Keeping Up With America

Teen Cop Wannabe Busted After Fake Traffic Stops: Maryland State Police say a 19-year-old posed as one of their officers and made fake traffic stops.

Trump doubles reward to $50 million for arrest of Venezuela’s president to face US drug charges: The Trump administration is doubling to $50 million a reward for the arrest of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world’s largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the U.S. with fentanyl-laced cocaine.

Two die when helicopter strikes powerlines and crashes into a barge on the Mississippi River: Two people working on powerlines near the Mississippi River died Thursday when their helicopter hit the lines, crashed into a barge and sparked a fire that belched plumes of black smoke, officials said.

US Air Force to deny retirement pay to transgender service members being separated from the service: The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. One Air Force sergeant said he was “betrayed and devastated” by the move.

Former U.S. Embassy worker smuggled cocaine in Marlboro cartons and Choco Pie boxes, DOJ says: A former employee of the U.S. Embassy smuggled cocaine in Marlboro cartons and Choco Pie boxes into the United States, the Department of Justice said in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court.

Around the World

Unusual protest erupts in China as anger mounts over latest case of teen bullying: Police in southwestern China scuffled this week with protesters demanding greater justice for a 14-year-old girl bullied by her schoolmates, the latest in a series of such incidents that have drawn national attention.

South Korean investigators seek arrest of wife of jailed ex-President Yoon: South Korean investigators on Thursday requested a warrant to arrest the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol, a day after questioning her over suspicions including bribery, stock manipulation and political influence-peddling.

Lets Talk Business and Tech

​Trump’s new tariffs go into effect as US economy shows signs of strain

Bitcoin jumps as Trump is set to sign an order that allows cryptocurrencies in 401(k)s

Peloton posts surprise profit, announces yet another round of layoffs impacting 6% of staff

Richer, Wiser, Happier

Will buying a home be more affordable this fall? Here's what lending experts predict.: Housing affordability is always a concern, but with mortgage rates high and inflation ticking back up recently, it's become increasingly top of mind for consumers. If these trends continue, it could send buyer demand further down — and home prices with it. If things improve, though, demand could rise, and home prices might climb even higher.

41 States That Don't Tax Social Security Benefits | Stefon Walters, Fool. Most Social Security recipients won't pay taxes on their benefits. Taxes are virtually impossible to avoid in modern American life. There are taxes on income, purchases, property, and even Social Security benefits. Paying taxes doesn't necessarily leave people smiling from ear to ear, but they're a necessity for funding essential public services and programs -- including Social Security.

Credit card debt is higher than ever: 5 ways to reduce what you owe now: Credit card debt is continuing to climb, and it's not just inching upward, either. Americans added $27 billion to their credit card balances in the second quarter of 2025, pushing the total credit card debt tally to a staggering record-high $1.21 trillion nationwide, according to the latest quarterly Household Debt and Credit Report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That represents a 2.3% increase from the previous quarter and an uptick of nearly 6% compared to this time last year.

Sports and Showbiz Shenanigans

Texans' C.J. Gardner-Johnson carted off with apparent leg injury | US women’s national team knocked off top spot by Spain in FIFA’s latest rankings

NBA Loss Likely Pressured Warner Bros. Discovery Ad Sales Efforts | Visit Films Boards ‘Mortician,’ a One-Man Cinematic Cry From Exile: ‘Just You, Your Phone and the Story. That’s It’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Tyreek Hill's 8-Month-Old Daughter Rushed To ER Over Concerning Symptoms | Diddy's lawyer distances himself from Trump pardon: 'I have not spoken to the president'

Life Hacks to Hack Your Life

How Long It Takes To Grow Potatoes—And When To Dig Them Up

Liberals laughed at RFK Jr’s COVID warning... until THIS happened

The 9 Riskiest Foods to Eat Right Now, According to Food Safety Data

11 Filters You Should Be Cleaning or Replacing in Your Home (and When)