Month: June 2025

After the United States entered the war between Israel and Iran by striking three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, the world is bracing for Iran’s response.

White House officials confirmed over the weekend that B-2 bombers dropped a number of Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs — known as “bunker busters” — during the U.S. mission over Iran. President Trump said on Sunday said that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran,”

On Monday, Israel launched further assaults throughout Iran today, hitting airports in western, eastern and central Iran as well as notorious Evin Prison in the capital, Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that Israeli warplanes had also struck six airports in Iran, “as part of the effort to expand air superiority over Iranian skies,” targeting runways, various aircraft and underground hangers.

Iran also launched a new wave of missiles at Israel on Monday, sending people to bomb shelters across the country. Dozens of missiles were reportedly launched at Israel, with impacts in at least two sites in the northern port city of Haifa and on a road in the southern city of Ashdod.

The Iranian foreign minister met with President Vladimir Putin today in Russia, with whom he said Iran will coordinate its response to U.S. and Israeli strikes.

For the latest developments on the conflict in the Middle East, head to your preferred news outlet: CBSNews, ABCNews, NBCNews, CNN.

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Fred Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx Corp. who transformed the landscape of express shipping, has passed away at the age of 80, the company confirmed. Smith stepped down as CEO in 2022 but continued to serve as executive chairman.

Raj Subramaniam, FedEx’s CEO, in a statement: “Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and the founder of our great company. He was the heart and soul of FedEx – its PSP culture, values, integrity, and spirit. He was a mentor to many and a source of inspiration to all.”

Launched in 1973, FedEx set itself apart by delivering parcels and documents much faster than the traditional postal service. Smith, a Yale graduate from the class of 1966, joined the Marines after graduating from college where he served two tours in Vietnam. He left the service in 1969 as a captain, having been honored for his bravery and injuries sustained in combat.  He based his business model on a concept he developed while still a student. The idea centered on a centralized air cargo network supported by a single hub, known today as the “hub and spokes” system.

Over the next 50 years, Smith led the company’s evolution into a global logistics powerhouse. By combining air and ground transportation in a seamless network, FedEx became a key player in the global economy and relied on by countless businesses.

In its early days, Federal Express operated 14 small planes out of Memphis International Airport, delivering packages to 25 cities across the U.S. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, FedEx now handles around 17 million shipments on an average workday. The company was instrumental in pushing American businesses toward faster delivery models and reduced dependence on large-scale inventory and warehousing. The shift to time-sensitive logistics helped shape the modern supply chain.

Smith once explained to The Associated Press that he chose the name “Federal Express” because he wanted the startup to sound substantial and trustworthy—even though the company’s future was anything but guaranteed. He was aiming to secure a major shipping deal with the Federal Reserve Bank at the time, though that particular contract never materialized.

Smith largely stayed out of the spotlight, preferring to focus on his work and family life. He did, however, make a brief appearance in the 2000 film Cast Away, which starred Tom Hanks as a FedEx employee stranded on a remote island. Smith and his family quietly contributed to many causes, including a donation to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation which established a new scholarship program for children of Navy personnel pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee said that “Memphis has lost its most important citizen, Fred Smith. FedEx is the engine of our economy, and Fred Smith was its visionary founder. But more than that, he was a dedicated citizen who cared deeply about our city.”

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration shared in an alert that a children’s cough syrup from the brand Little Remedies is being recalled due to microbial contamination.

Medtech Products Inc., the brands’ manufacturer, voluntarily issued the recall of its Little Remedies® Honey Cough Syrup after it learned it could be contaminated with Bacillus cereus, which can cause two types of food-borne illnesses, and loss of shelf-stability. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea starting between one and 16 hours after exposure to a contaminated product.  The FDA stated that “although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term illness, exposure to high levels of foodborne B. cereus can cause death.”

The product, “Little Remedies® Honey Cough Syrup” with item number 7-56184-10737-9, was distributed nationwide in retailers and online from Dec. 14, 2022 through June 4, 2025.  The cough syrup is packaged in a 4-fluid-ounce amber bottle in an outer carton, with the lot code on both the bottle label and on the bottom of the carton. Officials said the cough syrup is intended for use by children 1 year and older.

The impacted lot numbers and expiration dates are as follows:

Lot # 0039 – Expiry date 11/2025
Lot # 0545 – Expiry date 01/2026
Lot # 0640 – Expiry date 02/2026
Lot # 0450 – Expiry date 05/2026
Lot # 1198 – Expiry date 12/2026

The recall does not include any other Little Remedies® products. The FDA noted that no serious adverse events have been reported, but consumers who have the product should stop using it immediately. If you’ve experienced any problems that may be related to the recalled product, the FDA advises contacting your healthcare provider.

Consumers with refund requests or questions can contact Medtech via email at medicalaffairs@prestigebrands.com, through its website at www.prestigebrands.com or by phone at (800) 754-8853.

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President Donald Trump issued a new executive order on Thursday, granting TikTok an additional 90 days to continue operating in the United States, providing more time for his administration to finalize a deal to be sold to a US entity – or banned from the country. This marks the third time Trump has extended the platform’s operating window.

Trump announced the extension on Truth Social on Thursday, emphasizing his desire to keep the app available to U.S. users, writing: “I’ve just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (September 17, 2025). Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

TikTok has become a central part of Trump’s outreach, especially to younger voters—he joined the platform last year and has since gained more than 15 million followers. Back in January, he mentioned he has a “soft spot” for the app.  White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on Thursday: “As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark. This extension will last 90 days, which the administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”

A congressionally mandated ban on the app was initially due to take effect on January 20; the app went dark for just 14 hours in the U.S. due to a national ban passed by Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court, before Trump issued a reprieve.  The second delay occurred in April, during talks to restructure TikTok as a U.S.-owned entity. Those negotiations collapsed when China withdrew from the agreement following Trump’s announcement of new tariffs.

TikTok, owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, said in a statement: “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office.”

Public opinion on TikTok is divided; a new Pew Research Center poll found that only about one in three Americans currently support banning the app—a notable drop from 50% in support back in March 2023. Among those in favor of a ban, the vast majority (roughly 80%) pointed to serious concerns over data privacy and national security as their main motivation, according to Pew’s findings.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Tennessee law that prohibits certain forms of gender-affirming medical treatment for minors. This ruling marks the first time the Supreme Court has directly addressed a state law targeting gender-affirming care, making it one of the most consequential decisions related to LGBTQ+ rights in recent years.

The high court ruled 6-3 in United States v. Skrmetti, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the majority. Roberts stated: “this case touches on deeply contested scientific and policy discussions about the risks, benefits, and ethical considerations of medical care in a rapidly developing field. There are strong, sincere viewpoints on both sides, and the stakes are significant for everyone involved.”

According to Roberts, the court concluded that Tennessee’s law does not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. He emphasized that the matter should ultimately be decided by lawmakers and the electorate, not the judiciary, writing that: “The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve these contested policy issues. And it does not grant us the authority to resolve them according to our own judgment. Our responsibility is not to assess the merit or logic of the law in question, but simply to determine whether it stands up under constitutional scrutiny.”

In rejecting the challenge brought by several transgender teens and their parents, Roberts dismissed the claim that denying access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy constituted sex-based discrimination, writing that: “the law applies equally to all minors. Under SB1, no minor is permitted to receive puberty blockers or hormone therapy for the treatment of gender dysphoria.”

The court’s three liberal justices –  Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson – dissented, with Justice Sotomayor delivered her dissenting opinion from the bench. Sotomayor expressed deep concern over the majority’s ruling: “this decision effectively invites lawmakers to legislate discrimination,” she said. “It gives a green light to policies that will cause significant harm to transgender youth and their families.” Sotomayor argued that the Court had failed to fulfill its duty by refusing to subject the law to serious constitutional review: “In choosing to stand back when it matters most, the Court leaves transgender children and those who care for them at the mercy of politics. I cannot stand by this—so I dissent, with sorrow.”

Nationwide, an estimated 1.6 million people over the age of 13 identify as transgender, with approximately 300,000 of them between 13-17 years old. Tennessee is among 24 states that currently enforce bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that FreshRealm is recalling pre-made chicken fettuccine alfredo meals sold at Kroger and Walmart nationwide over concerns the ready-to-eat meals could possibly be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. All products made before Tuesday are impacted.

According to a notice from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), FreshRealm, which provides meals to retailers and food delivery services like Blue Apron and Amazon Fresh, is voluntarily recalling all chicken alfredo dishes produced before June 17 “out of an abundance of caution.”  The listeria strain found is the same one involved in an outbreak that has killed three people and sickened at least 17 people in 13 states.

The USDA’s FSIS said in a statement, “As of June 17, 2025, there have been three reported deaths and one fetal loss associated with this outbreak. The outbreak strain of Lm was isolated from ill people on dates ranging from August 2024 to May 2025. The same outbreak strain was isolated from a routine chicken fettuccine Alfredo sample collected by FSIS in a FreshRealm establishment in March 2025.”

The agency said that “FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

The recalled products have the USDA mark of inspection on the product label and establishment numbers “EST. P-50784,” “EST. P-47770,” or “EST. P-47718” printed on the packaging. The recalled products include:

• 32.8-oz. tray packages containing “MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken and Shaved Parmesan Cheese” with best-by date 06/27/25 or prior.
• 12.3 oz. tray packages containing “MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli and Shaved Parmesan Cheese” with best-by date 06/26/25 or prior.
• 12.5 oz. tray packages containing “HOME CHEF Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with pasta, grilled white meat chicken, and Parmesan cheese” with best-by date 06/19/25 or prior.

That lot of products was destroyed; however, the USDA said purchase records from two ill people traced chicken Alfredo products to FreshRealm establishments. The source of the listeria contamination in the FreshRealm products has not been identified, with an investigation ongoing.

Listeriosis causes serious symptoms and can be deadly, especially for older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms may occur and the invasive infection can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tracts.

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