(NEW YORK) –A dangerous heat wave is bringing prolonged extreme heat to the Midwest, the South and the East Coast this week.
The heat started in the Midwest, where extreme humidity levels are rivaling the Amazon rainforest, creating life-threatening conditions for tens of millions of people.
Chicago activated cooling centers throughout the city, including at community service centers, senior centers, libraries, city colleges and police districts. Chicago Public Schools said all summer programming will be inside through Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the dangerous heat expands from the Midwest and the South into the Northeast.
The heat index — what temperature it feels like with humidity — is forecast to soar to 104 degrees in Chicago, 109 in Detroit, 104 in New York City, 107 in Philadelphia, 108 in Washington, D.C., and 111 in Nashville, Tennessee.
By Thursday, the heat index could reach 106 degrees in Boston, a scorching 111 degrees in New York, 110 in Washington, D.C., and 109 in St. Louis, Missouri.
There will be minimal relief overnight, which makes the heat even more dangerous.
The unrelenting heat will continue on Friday. The heat index is forecast to hit 107 degrees in New York, 110 in D.C., 105 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and 109 in Memphis, Tennessee.
It’ll stay hot and humid on the 4th of July on Saturday, with triple digit heat indices across the Midwest, South and Northeast.
Extreme heat is considered the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S. At least 13,000 Americans have died from heat since 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Close-up of a woman holding several GLP-1 injection pens used for weight loss and diabetes treatment. Modern injectable medication concept for obesity management, healthcare and pharmaceutical therapy. (Kateryna Borodina/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — For the first time, Medicare will cover GLP-1s for obesity-related weight loss, without any other medical conditions.
Starting Wednesday, eligible Medicare beneficiaries can receive GLP-1s for obesity for $50 per month by prescription. Medicare is the primary federal health insurance program in the U.S. for individuals 65 and older.
Federal rules ban Medicare Part D — which helps cover prescription drug costs — from covering drugs solely to treat obesity, but a new federal pilot bridge program approved by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2027.
This move could dramatically expand access to Eli Lilly’s Foundayo and Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy for seniors 65 and older as well as other eligible Medicare enrollees.
Foundayo and Wegovy Pill are daily tablets. Wegovy and Zepbound are weekly injections that require refrigeration.
A month supply of Wegovy will come in four pre-filled pens while Zepbound will be delivered in a KwikPen, which holds four weekly doses in a single device.
Single-dose Zepbound pens and Zepbound vials will not be covered by the bridge program.
“These treatments are a major medical advancement, but too many seniors are currently unable to access them due to high cost,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, said in a statement last month. “The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge changes that by making these medications more affordable and accessible, while advancing our broader goal of helping Americans live healthier lives.”
An estimated 3.8 million beneficiaries could be eligible for the program, according to a KFF analysis of 2023 Part D enrollment data that was published Monday.
The government negotiated with the manufacturers to reduce the price the government will pay to $250 for a month’s supply and in return the companies will have access to the larger patient population. Each patient will pay a $50 copay towards the cost of the medication, but that co-pay will not go toward an individual’s annual deductible.
Patients will first need prior authorization — prescribing clinicians will submit documentation proving the patient meets strict body mass index (BMI) and health condition requirements. That means patients will need to wait for the prescription to be approved before it can be filled.
Patients must have Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or higher. If their BMI is 30-35, they must have certain types of heart failure, hard to control blood or chronic kidney disease.
If their BMI is 27-30, they must have prediabetes, history of heart attack or stroke or blocked arteries in the arms or legs.
These requirements are more restrictive than the FDA approval language or what private insurance companies require, which is a BMI of 30 or over.
Patients must also not have type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea, or fatty liver disease because their Medicare plan may already cover GLP-1s.
“GLP-1s can be life-changing for patients managing obesity and related conditions,” Chris Klomp, director of Medicare and chief counselor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement last month.
“This demonstration is designed to make accessing those medications simpler, more predictable, and more consistent across the Medicare program, which means better quality of life for seniors and better value across the health care system,” the statement continued.
Individuals will be able to fill their pre-approved prescriptions at local retail pharmacies and directly through Novo Nordisk or Ely Lilly’s direct to consumer mail order pharmacies.
(L-R) Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee of Rush perform during the opening night of their first American tour in 11 years at The Kia Forum on June 07, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)
Rush was forced to postpone two shows on their Fifty Something tour after lead singer Geddy Lee was diagnosed with laryngitis and bronchitis. The announcement came just hours before they were to take the stage at Dickies Arena in Forth Worth, Texas, on June 30. The band’s July 2 show at the same venue was also postponed.
“We are deeply sorry to share that we must reschedule our June 30 and July 2 shows,” read a statement on the band’s website. “Geddy has been diagnosed with laryngitis and bronchitis. After being evaluated by his doctors, he has been advised that he needs additional time to rest and recover before returning to the stage.”
“This is incredibly disappointing for all of us. We know many of you have made travel plans and have been counting down the days to these shows. Please know this decision was not made lightly,” the post continues.
“After more than 50 years of touring, we’ve always believed that if we’re going to step on stage, we owe you the very best performance we can give—and right now, that simply isn’t possible.”
In a video on social media, Rush’s Alex Lifeson addressed fans, noting that when they came for soundcheck Geddy “could barely speak let alone sing.”
The June 30 show has now been rescheduled for July 11, with the July 2 show now happening July 13. Tickets for the original shows will be honored for the new dates, and those who can’t attend will receive refunds.
“Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and for always standing with us,” the post on their website concludes. “We look forward to seeing you in just a couple of weeks and appreciate your continued support while Geddy makes a full recovery.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to pose for a family photo before a cultural performance and concert during the G7 Summit on June 16, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein-Pool/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — The Ukrainian military struck a Russian oil refinery in Ufa on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Kyiv continues its pressure campaign seeking to push Russia to end the war.
“This is an entirely just response to everything Russia is doing against us,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “Peace is needed, and this is exactly what Russia’s leadership must realize. Russia must end its war.”
The Russian Defense Ministry did not appear on Wednesday to publicly comment on the attack, but said in a message on Telegram that its forces had shot down or otherwise destroyed at least 179 Ukrainian drones over Russian or Russian-occupied territory overnight.
The refinery, which Zelenskyy said was one of Russia’s largest producers of lubricants, sits more than 1,300 km, or about 800 miles, from the frontline.
Ukraine overnight also launched an aerial strike at a military complex in the Penza region, where Russia develops and manufactures components related to missiles, Zelenskyy said.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s military said the target was an aerospace facility known by its Russian acronym, NIIFI. The site is used to build sensors for some cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as satellite components, Ukraine said.
“Hits and smoke were recorded at the facility,” the General Staff said in a Ukrainian-language update posted on social media. “This is a leading Russian enterprise in the field of space, aviation and military instrument-making.”
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is headed to streaming. The animated movie based on the popular Nintendo franchise will make its streaming debut to Peacock on July 30. The sequel film features a voice cast that includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Brie Larson, Donald Glover and Glen Powell. It finds Mario and Luigi traveling across the galaxy to save Rosalina from threats like Bowser Jr. …
The Reacher spinoff Neagley has received a release date on Prime Video. The new action series will premiere on Sept. 16. Additionally, season 4 of Reacher will debut its first three episodes on Aug. 12, followed by weekly new episodes that culminate with Neagley‘s debut. Maria Sten stars as the fan-favorite character Frances Neagley, a private investigator from Chicago and the former protégé of Jack Reacher …
There’s a new showrunner in town. Deadline reports that Dutton Ranch has found a brand-new showrunner in Benjamin Cavell. This comes after Paramount+ renewed its Yellowstone spinoff series for season 2 in June. Chad Feehan, who served as season 1 showrunner, exited the show ahead of its premiere …
Josh Ross’ “Hate How You Look” (MCA/CORE Records/Universal Music Canada)
Josh Ross has already enjoyed multiple number ones in his native Canada and been crowned entertainer of the year twice by the Canadian Country Music Association.
But success in the States can prove more elusive, making Josh’s second trip to the top in the U.S. even more significant.
“I just wanted to say thank you guys so very much [for] my second number one with ‘Hate How You Look,'” he said in a message to radio and his fans. “It’s just amazing to see what we’ve done in the last two years, and I wouldn’t be here without you guys.”
“It’s been incredible to see the music translate on the road,” he continues, “watching the fans grow every weekend for my own shows, and while we’re out opening and supporting other artists. So thank you guys so much.”
“Here’s to the next one, and here’s to the next — oh my gosh — hopefully 20, 30 years playing music for you guys,” he adds.
Josh first topped the U.S. country chart with “Single Again” in July 2025. It was the first time a Canadian male artist had topped the chart in nearly 30 years. It’s been more than 50 years since anyone’s made it two in a row.
Guitarist Phil Collen of Def Leppard performs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on February 03, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Live Nation Las Vegas)
Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen is giving fans some insight into the band’s next record.
During an interview with the Thunder Underground podcast, Collen discussed the new album they’ve been working on. He notes that their latest single, “Rejoice,” which was released in January, is “one style of a song that’s on there.”
As for the rest, he says, “There’s some stuff on there that’s, like, ‘Whoa.’ You’d go, ‘This is really wacky.’ And so, I like that.”
“I love the fact that we’ve kind of, not got brave, but we haven’t got scared to express ourselves,” he adds. “Whoever writes whatever song, everyone puts 100% into it. So it kind of, again, takes on another life when you do that as well.”
He says that when it comes him and his bandmates writing songs “everyone gets involved.”
“It’s really diplomatic and it’s a democracy,” he explains. “But good ideas win.”
So far there’s no word on when Def Leppard will be releasing their new album. The record will be the first album of new material since 2022’s Diamond Star Halos.
In the meantime, Def Leppard is currently on a tour of Europe and the U.K. and will play the O2 in London on Thursday. A complete list of dates can be found at DefLeppard.com.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson attends 3rd Annual Gotham Television Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on June 01, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
50 Cent has another television series in the works at Starz. He’s teamed with the network for the television adaptation of Cullen Bunn and Jonas Scharf’s supernatural graphic crime novel Bone Parish.
Set in the underworld of New Orleans, the series will follow the Winters family, who build a criminal empire around a new drug that allows users to experience vivid, haunting visions of the past. As demand for the product grows, the family becomes trapped in what a press release describes as “a violent and inescapable nightmare of crime, horror, and family legacy.”
“I’ve always been drawn to stories that break the mold, and Bone Parish does exactly that,” 50 said in a statement. “It takes crime, family, and power, and mixes it with something dark and supernatural, in a way that feels fresh. Exploring what happens when the world of the living gets mixed up with the world of the dead, this story has incredible depth, and we’re building a series that’s going to keep audiences locked in from the first episode.”
50 will executive produce through G-Unit Film & Television with Stephen Christy and Mette Norkjaer from BOOM! Studios, the publisher of the graphic novel, as well as co-showrunners Diane Ademu-John and Declan de Barra.
Bone Parish is the latest addition to 50 Cent’s Starz shows, where Power Book III: Raising Kanan is currently airing. He also serves as executive producer on Fightland, which follows British-born boxer Duke Kilroy as he returns home from jail seeking revenge against the man he believes was responsible for his brother’s death. The show is set to premiere on July 31.
Two more of his shows, Power: Legacy and Power: Origins, have also been greenlit.
Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby in season 2 of ‘The Pitt.’ (Warrick Page/HBO Max)
Some new actors are clocking in for a shift at The Pitt.
Pruitt Taylor Vince, Malachi Beasley, Cheyenne Perez, Jeremy Radin, Charlz Williams and Rosanny Zayas have joined the recurring cast of The Pitt season 3, ABC Audio has confirmed.
Vince will plat Lance Candella, an emergency department patient; Beasley will play student doctor Taj Osei; Perez will play student doctor Marisol Elena Sambrano Monterossa; Radin will play Grant Emerson, an emergency department patient; Williams will play Angus Gunn, an emergency department patient; and Zayas will play physician assistant Vera Delgado.
HBO Max renewed The Pitt for season 3 back in January. Each season of the series takes place over the course of a single 15-hour shift in the emergency room at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Every episode takes place during one of the hours of that specific shift.
According to its official logline, “The Pitt is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh.”
Season 2 of the medical drama starred Noah Wyle, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, Shabana Azeez and Sepideh Moafi.
HBO Max announced that production on season 3 of The Pitt started on June 16.
