Stories from United States

Georgetown University announced that New England Patriots legend Tom Brady and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will serve as commencement speakers. The announcement was made by WBUR. Mayor Muriel Bowser will serve as the keynote speaker for this year's commencement ceremony. Bowser is also scheduled to receive an honorary degree during the event. Other honorary degree recipients include former Disney CEO Bob Iger. The university also noted the late gospel singer Richard Smoll as a recipient. The university did not specify the name of the institution. Howard University selected Washington D.C. Approximately 3,000 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees will be awarded during the ceremony.

The number of people receiving SNAP benefits has decreased by 4 million. This change was reported as a headline development regarding SNAP program shifts. The number of recipients for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has decreased by 4 million nationwide. This drop follows the passage of the OBVA bill in July 2025, which introduced new eligibility restrictions and additional work requirements. SNAP is the largest food aid program in the United States. Approximately 3.4 million recipients were lost between August 2025 and January 2026. The information was cited from a Newsweek article. Initial drafts of the bill projected that approximately 2.5 million people would lose benefits once all changes were implemented. Higher bureaucratic burdens on recipients are expected to further reduce the number of people receiving benefits.

Mexican artist Julieta Venega is scheduled to perform at the Summer Stage in Central Park this summer. She will appear during the Alternative Music Conference (AMC) on Wednesday, July 29. Venega will share the stage with Venezuelan artist Lazo and DJ Ana María Zaire.

An increasing number of American citizens are seeking to renounce their citizenship, according to a report by The Guardian. Reasons cited for this trend include political atmosphere, tax concerns, and security anxieties.

Minneapolis officials are increasing enforcement against fraud in the city. Tim Walz stated that authorities are actively pursuing individuals who commit fraud in Minneapolis. The announcement follows recent crackdowns on fraudulent activities in the region. No specific number of arrests or total fraud amounts were provided. Authorities identified at least 20 fraudulent operations in Minnesota, including the Quality Learning Center. These entities are described as fraud operations pretending to be legitimate businesses. The investigation is ongoing according to the report. Fraudulent operations pretending to be businesses have targeted the Somali-American community in Minnesota. The New York Post reported that these operations have resulted in approximately $20 billion in theft within the community.

A University of Phoenix survey of more than 5,000 workers shows 63% of respondents feel positive about their current jobs. This shift follows several years of job hugging driven by economic uncertainty.

California authorities have released new regulatory frameworks governing the operation of autonomous vehicles. The regulations also permit cities within the state to test and utilize self-driving shuttles for commuters. The decision follows ongoing debates regarding workplace safety and autonomous vehicle oversight. California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed two bills that would have required a human in the cab of autonomous heavy trucks. Rising gas prices are impacting food truck owners in Detroit, with one owner stating they are doing their best to keep prices steady. California authorities will begin issuing citations to driverless cars, including Waymo vehicles, starting in July. Previously, law enforcement faced challenges in issuing citations to autonomous vehicles that breached traffic laws.

The trial is currently underway and is expected to last approximately three to four weeks. Sam Altman is also expected to take the stand in the coming weeks, according to the report.

Republican party members are showing an increasing willingness to break with President Trump. An extension of the FISA 702 government surveillance tool is also facing difficulties. Former House Republican Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry noted that political capital was spent on a spending plan Republicans called the 'one big beautiful bill'. The difficulty is attributed to leadership being closely tethered to President Trump, who is experiencing struggles with poll numbers during an election year. These factors are amplifying existing differences within the conference, according to the report. Internal differences within the Republican conference are being amplified, making it difficult for Speaker Johnson to reach consensus among conservative members like the House Freedom Caucus.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is expected to be questioned regarding his term during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. Financial analyst Steven Cates from Bankrate.com stated that Powell will likely sidestep the question to avoid the topic dominating the conference.