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2 Big Stories

1. Kids survive for weeks on flour & seeds after plane crash

Search and rescue teams located four indigenous children late Friday night who survived in the Colombian jungle for 40 days by eating flour and foraging for food.

Details: The Mucutuy children, Lesly (13), Soleiny (9), Tien (4), and Cristin (1) had to fend for themselves after surviving a plane crash that killed their mother and two other people on board.

• The children shared a 6-pound bag of cassava flour and stayed near the plane until they ran out.

• According to a relative, their mother lived for four days after the crash but urged them to leave the area and find shelter and food before she died.

• The oldest child fashioned a makeshift shelter out of branches and hair ties and gathered seeds from local fruit to eat.

Against the odds: An uncle said one of the children told him they hid in a tree trunk to protect themselves from snakes, animals, and mosquitoes. Additionally, they endured intense rainstorms and warded off a wild dog.

No ordinary kids: The Mucutuy children are members of the indigenous Huitoto people and grew up playing survival games. The eldest knew which fruits to eat—many are poisonous in the area—and even knew how to take care of a baby.

Happy ending: Rescue dogs finally located the children after search teams passed within 150 yards of their location multiple times. The Mucutuys are currently receiving treatment in a medical facility in Bogota. They have begun to eat small amounts, move around, and are beginning to talk to family.

2. China has a spy base in Cuba

A Biden administration official confirmed on Sunday that China has been spying on the U.S. from a base in Cuba since at least 2019.

Details: The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that China agreed to pay Cuba billions of dollars to build an electronic eavesdropping station on the island. However, White House National Security officials confirmed the report was false on Sunday and said that they have been monitoring China’s espionage efforts in Cuba since day one of the administration.

Big Picture: U.S.-China relations have tanked in the last year starting with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and coming to a head when the U.S. shot down a Chinese spy balloon that crossed into its airspace.

What’s next? A number of diplomatic meetings between the two countries have been canceled recently. However, the White House is eager to resume high-level talks with China.

Quick Bites

Business & Economy

Home foreclosures are spiking nationwide — up 14% since last year — with Florida, California, and Texas in the lead.

New York City announced a new minimum wage for app food delivery drivers on Sunday. The $7.09 an hour rate will get boosted to $17.96 on July 15.

George Soros has handed his son, Alex, control of his $25 billion financial empire.

World

Peru’s worst Dengue outbreak on record has killed 200 and infected 130,000 this year. The fever is passed to humans from mosquito bites whose reproduction numbers have been boosted by heavy rain from El Niño.

Scottish Police arrested former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in connection with an investigation into the finances of the ruling Scottish National Party.

Honduras opened a Chinese Embassy on Sunday after breaking off ties with Taiwan earlier in the year.

US News, Politics, & Government

A section of I-95 in Philadelphia collapsed after a tanker caught fire underneath the highway. Officials have not reported any injuries.

Unabomber Ted Kaczynski died in his prison cell on Saturday at the age of 81. Authorities are Investigating the cause and believe the terrorist could have committed suicide.

Thousands of dead fish are washing up onto Texas beaches due to natural events and pollution, according to Parks and Wildlife officials.

Sports & Entertainment

Novak Djokovic won the French Open in straight sets on Sunday and claimed his record-breaking 23 Grand Slam title. ~ Iga Swiatek clenched back-to-back titles in women’s singles.

Archangelo won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday making Jena Artunuccia the first female trainer to win the race in its 155 year history.

Manchester United defeated Inter Milan 1-0 on Saturday to win its first Champions League title.

Science, Health, & Tech

Scientists photographed a supernova, or massive star explosion, last month. The explosion was so bright it can still be seen from earth 21 million light-years away.

Microsoft held its XBOX Games Showcase on Sunday and surprised attendees with an open-world Star Wars game announcement.

Weight loss drug Ozempic’s side effects could lead to hospitalization and its long term side effects remain unknown.

Bonus Material

Florida Scientist resurfaces after living under water for 100 days.

Attention dairy lovers: The University of Wisconsin-Madison is hiring a cheese taster.

Conor McGregor sends Heat mascot to the ER in a promo skit gone bad.

*Could fecal transplants play a huge role in the future of medicine?