China on Monday conducted a rare test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile in the Pacific Ocean, sparking criticism from New Zealand and Australia for actions that they said threatened peace and stability in the region. A People’s Liberation Army Navy submarine “launched a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead toward relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean, which landed precisely within the designated waters,” said a statement from Senior Capt. Wang Xuemeng, a spokesperson for the PLA Navy. “This test launch was a routine part of China’s annual military training schedule,” said Wang, who added that “relevant nations” were informed in advance about the test.
When the Guadalupe River surged through Texas Hill Country last summer, Elida Sierra Lutz and her three children were swept into the deadly flooding like debris in the current. The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes. It wasn’t long after they were rescued that they realized everything they’d brought camping with them was gone: the black zippered hoodie Elida’s 18-year-old son was rarely seen without, plus his wallet, glasses and cell phone; her daughter’s Nintendo devices, lifejacket and a pair of white Crocs for which the 10-year-old had handpicked charms; even their travel trailer.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/06/us/texas-floods-guadalupe-river
A woman said Monday that Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, entered her home without permission and raped her while he was heavily intoxicated nearly five years ago when they were in a casual dating relationship – an allegation Platner denies. The alleged assault was first reported by Politico. In an interview with CNN, Jenny Racicot, 41, said the attack occurred in the Maine town where she lived in 2021, two years after she and Platner began casually dating. The interview will be broadcast on The Lead with Jake Tapper.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/06/us/graham-platner-racicot-allegation-maine-invs
Cuba suffered a nationwide blackout on Monday as it faces an ongoing energy crisis, worsened by an effective US blockade on fuel shipments. Cuba’s energy ministry said the national electrical grid had suffered a total collapse. The country’s grid operator said it is investigating the cause. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said officials were working to restore energy and that they’ve already activated emergency “microsystems” that power vital services.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/06/americas/cuba-blackout-electrical-grid-intl-latam