NPR is reporting that the House of Representatives yesterday approved a non-binding resolution to remove U.S. forces from the war in Iran as the conflict continues to escalate in the Middle East. It said this marked the second such rebuke passed by the House since the war began, reflecting lawmakers' disapproval of a war they did not vote to authorize. Soon after the House vote, Senate Democrats attempted to advance their own war powers resolution, but it failed 47 to 49. In the past two weeks of renewed fighting, the U.S. has launched strikes on Iran, while Iran has targeted American bases in the Gulf and Jordan, impacting global energy markets. Brent crude oil reached its highest level since May yesterday, surging more than 6% to $100 a barrel, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi said. The spike will impact everyday people, increasing costs for school supplies and fresh food, and shipping companies like UPS are tacking on fuel surcharges. Prices rose after Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis said they got involved in the war to retaliate against Saudi Arabia for its siege on Yemen and assaults on the capital's international airport. Earlier this week, the rebel group also threatened to blockade the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another crucial chokepoint for oil and fuel transport, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz. The ongoing conflict has also led some foreign missions to reduce their presence in Iran, Al-Shalchi said.
The Trump administration announced overnight that it is imposing tariffs on 59 countries and the European Union. NPR said the new tariffs have two tiers — 10% and 12.5% — and went into effect at midnight, at the same time as when a 10% global tariff struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year expired. The administration said it imposed these new tariffs because these countries are importing goods made with forced labor. The tariffs cover more than 99% of imports to the United States, with major categories like energy and many foods remaining exempt. Earlier this week, President Trump also signed proclamations to impose 50% tariffs on a selection of Canadian goods. Polls show that Americans largely disapprove of tariffs and that their approval of Trump’s handling of the economy has declined, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben said. She said Trump views tariffs as a tool to pressure other countries into making concessions on things like trade deals.
A vigil last night in Madison, Wisconsin, drew hundreds of people mourning 38-year-old Corey Ruiz, a man shot and killed by police on Wednesday. Madison Police Chief John Patterson said officers responded to a call about a man checking cars. When they arrived, Ruiz fled on his bike. When officers attempted to arrest him, he produced a knife and injured one officer, the police chief said. The officer who was injured was the one who shot Ruiz. Authorities have not yet released his name. The four officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave. Emotions are running high in the city since the shooting, Sarah Lehr of NPR network station Wisconsin Public Radio said. She added that the community is particularly raw to this incident, having experienced two other deadly shootings by police in the same neighborhood since 2012. The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is looking into the shooting. The officers involved in the incident were not wearing body cameras, as the Madison police do not have them department-wide. Madison police do have dashboard cameras, and there are multiple bystander videos circulating of the incident, Lehr said.
NPR is also reporting on a new study finding that consumers paying a premium for foods advertised as containing avocado oil are probably not receiving it, highlighting ongoing authenticity issues in the industry. Selina Wang, the lead author of the study, said the findings are particularly disheartening, as avocado oil products are often much more expensive than those made with olive or other vegetable oils. Researchers conducted a chemical analysis of 54 products that listed only avocado oil and found that 89% were adulterated with cheaper oils like soybean. In comparison, out of 20 packaged foods made with olive oil tested, only one showed signs of adulteration. Avocado oil costs more largely because avocados are costly and produce a limited amount of oil.
In other news, Theresa Aletheia and Danielle Lussier, two Catholic sisters in Kentucky, are seeking to establish a new official order in the Catholic Church dedicated to helping survivors of clergy abuse. Wang Hong was awarded the Fields Medal yesterday, making her the first Chinese woman to win the world's most prestigious mathematics prize. More than 1,000 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have now died from the Ebola outbreak, and officials say the virus is spreading at the fastest rate on record. Houston is bidding to bring the Women's World Cup to the city in 2031, after officials said the seven matches they hosted this summer were a major success.