Good morning.
The deadly Texas floods could signal a new normal in the US, as Donald Trump and his allies dismantle crucial federal agencies that help states prepare and respond to extreme weather and other hazards, experts warn.
More than 100 are dead and dozens more remain missing after flash floods in the parched area known as the Texas Hill Country swept away entire holiday camps and homes, in what appears to have been another unremarkable storm that stalled before dumping huge quantities of rain over a short period of time, a phenomenon that has become increasingly common as the planet warms.
There is mounting concern that the chaos and cuts instigated by Trump and Elon Musk at the National Weather Service (NWS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) may have contributed to the death toll.
Where were the victims killed? At least 84 of the victims – 56 adults and 28 children – died in Kerr County, the worst-affected area, where the Guadalupe River rose to critical levels in multiple locations. Camp Mystic summer camp has confirmed that 27 campers and counselors were killed.
Israeli plan for forced transfer of Gaza’s population ‘a blueprint for crimes against humanity’
Israel’s defense minister has laid out plans to force all Palestinians in Gaza into a camp on the ruins of Rafah, in a scheme that legal experts and academics described as a blueprint for crimes against humanity.
Israel Katz said he had ordered Israel’s military to prepare for establishing a camp, which he called a “humanitarian city”, on the ruins of the city of Rafah, Haaretz newspaper reported.
Palestinians would go through “security screening” before entering, and once inside would not be allowed to leave, Katz said at a briefing for Israeli journalists.
What else is happening in the region? Iran’s government has said at least 1,060 people were killed in the war with Israel. Officials say that this figure could rise to 1,100, given how badly some people were wounded.
Ábrego García will be deported again if released from jail before trial, says DoJ attorney
The US government would initiate deportation proceedings against Kilmar Ábrego García if he was released from jail before he stood trial on human-smuggling charges in Tennessee, a justice department attorney told a federal judge in Maryland yesterday.
The disclosure by the US lawyer Jonathan Guynn contradicts statements by spokespeople for the justice department and the White House, who said last month that Ábrego García would stand trial and possibly spend time in an American prison before the government moved to deport him.
Guynn made the revelation during a federal court hearing in Maryland, where Ábrego García’s wife, a US citizen, is suing the Trump administration over his mistaken deportation in March and is trying to prevent him from being expelled again.
What else did Guynn say? That US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would detain Ábrego García once he was released from jail and send him to a “third country” that is not his native El Salvador. However, Guynn said he did not know which country that would be.
In other news …
Family members are still searching for answers after last week’s explosion at a fireworks warehouse in northern California. The remains of the seven people missing in the blast have been recovered.
The German foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin, reporting that the Chinese military used a laser to target a German aircraft protecting shipping in the Red Sea.
Amazon yesterday asked its corporate employees to volunteer in the company’s warehouses to assist with grocery delivery ahead of Prime Day, its annual discount spree.
A pregnant physician who was denied a Covid-19 vaccine is suing the Trump administration alongside a group of leading doctors’ associations, arguing it sought to “desensitize the public to anti-vaccine and anti-science rhetoric”.
Stat of the day: US posts highest annual measles case tally in 33 years
The annual tally of measles cases in the US is the highest in 33 years, as an outbreak in west Texas continues to drive cases. The official tally very likely undercounts the scope of the outbreak, experts have said.
Don’t miss this: ‘Don’t forget’ – mural brings attention to the January 6 rioters pardoned by Trump
Audrey Southard-Rumsey pushed a flagpole into a police officer’s chest. Ralph Celentano shoved an officer over a ledge. Pauline Bauer accused Democrats of stealing an election and trafficking children and demanded: “Bring Nancy Pelosi out here now. We want to hang that fucking bitch.” These are just three of the stories told on the Wall of Shame, a public installation by the artist Phil Buehler that launched on 4 July in New York.
Climate check: Melting glaciers and ice caps could unleash wave of volcanic eruptions
The melting of glaciers and ice caps by the climate crisis could unleash a barrage of explosive volcanic eruptions, a study suggests. The loss of ice releases the pressure on underground magma chambers and makes eruptions more likely.
Last Thing: Life swap dream – or marketing gimmick? The Italian towns selling houses for €1
“Frustrated with my life back in the US, I was captivated by the idea of a new home – and new life – for less than the price of an espresso,” writes Lauren Markham. “We’d heard about depopulating towns in Italy putting their abandoned buildings up for sale for €1. By attracting international buyers, these remote towns now had new life circulating through them. What was the catch?”
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