Off Leash update 6 July 2026
COMING UP THIS WEEK
•The Philippine Senate began an impeachment trial for Vice President Sara Duterte, who stands accused of corruption and making public threats against President Bongbong Marcos after the once-allied running mates bitterly fell out. Duterte insists the charges are politically motivated.
•Iran is in the middle of a six-day, two-country funeral for slain former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The events conclude on Thursday, when Khamenei will be buried in his northeastern hometown of Mashad.
•Turkey will host a NATO summit tomorrow and Wednesday. Pres. Trump plans to attend, and will likely have some gripes to express: last week he complained that it was "ridiculous" for the U.S. to continue its "one-sided" relationship with NATO.
•The Paris Court of Appeal will rule on French far-right leader Marine Le Pen's appeal to overturn her conviction for misusing European funds. If the court overturns her conviction and resulting ban on holding public office, then she'll be the National Rally (RN) party's candidate in next year's presidential poll. If the court upholds her conviction, Jordan Bardella will represent the RN.
•The 139th Wimbledon Championships conclude with the men's final on Sunday.
COMMODITY AND COIN MARKET PRICES
•Aluminum: $3,091/ton
•Antimony (global avg.): $35,245/ton
•Bitcoin: $62,747
•Cobalt: $/ton
•Copper: $13,367/ton
•Ethereum: $1,762
•Gold: $4,143/toz
•Lead: $1,892/ton
•Natural Gas (Nymex): $3.23/MMbtu
•WTI Crude Oil (Nymex): $68.33/barrel
•Zinc: $3,541/ton
IRAN
•Hundreds of thousands of Iranians turned out to mourn Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the first days of his funeral.
•It's not that Khamenei was wildly popular - in fact, he was widely disliked by the end of his reign, as Iranians increasingly blamed him for their country's economic woes and resented the brutal crackdowns his repressive security services inflicted on those who dared to criticize.
•Rather, the government engineered high turnout by declaring national holidays and bribing attendees with freebies.
•Khamenei's son and successor, Mojtaba, was conspicuously absent as his three brothers prayed beside their father's coffin. Mojtaba hasn't been seen in public since the Feb. 28, 2026 strike that killed his father - and reportedly maimed him.
CHINA
•China tested a long-range, submarine-launched ballistic missile with a "mock warhead" today - its first such test in nearly two years.
•Beijing insisted the launch was just part of "routine" training and "not directed against any specific country or target," but its timing suggests it was a reaction to Australia signing a new mutual defense treaty with Fiji just hours prior.
•Australia's foreign minister chastised Beijing for the test, which she called "destabilizing to the region."
UKRAINE
•Presidents Trump and Zelensky will meet on the sidelines of this week's NATO summit to capitalize on new momentum towards a peace deal.
•After the leaders spoke by phone over the weekend, Zelensky optimistically declared: "There is a real prospect to put an end to this war, and America's resolve is decisive." We shall see.
VENEZUELA
•Venezuela has now tallied 3,342 deaths from twin earthquakes on June 24. Thousands are still missing, and residents are seething at the government over its slow and flaccid response to the disaster.
•According to a new NYT report, residents of shoddily-built public housing are also livid with the state for ignoring - and even suppressing - years of warnings that their homes would crumble in a tremor. Last month, many did just that.
Our hearts are breaking 💔
Rittman Ohio Police Sgt. Scott Ries has been shot and killed.
Two other officers and a police K9 have been wounded.
Please join us in praying for the loved ones and friends of Sgt. Ries. Rest well hero 🙏🏽
And for healing for the wounded 🙏🏽
Happy Monday. We hope your week is off to a good start.
Things are very heavy around here right now, and there are a lot of changes happening behind the scenes that we plan on updating you about soon.
At this moment, our focus is on getting through our upcoming trial.
This trial is much bigger than our family company, our customers, and our ranch. We are fighting for our lives, for the truth, and for the work that so many families in agriculture give their lives to every single day.
We believe this fight reaches far beyond Santa Carota. It reaches ranchers, farmers, small businesses, and everyone who believes American agriculture should be protected with honesty, accountability, and respect.
Agriculture is the backbone of this country, in every state and every community. Protecting the integrity of that work affects all of us.
We will keep cinching up, riding and fighting!
Haaland bought a rare manuscript that tells the story of Norway and their eventual conversion to Catholicism.
He bought the Heimskringla saga for 1.3 million Norwegian kroner (around £100,000 / $134,000) and donated it to his hometown library.
Written by the medieval Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson, the manuscript is a foundational text detailing the history and legends of Norway’s early Norse kings.
It includes the reign of King Olav Haraldsson (St. Olav), the monarch who historically solidified Norway’s conversion to Christianity
The world's first trillionaire built Starlink, reusable rockets, and killed Biden's censorship regime.
Mamdani says he has the "soft hands" that steal from workers.
America just answered him. 👇
Got a message from a friend today about this guy. An elderly dog who couldn’t even stand up.
We were full with patients but couldn’t ignore this guy. We raced to him… (1/7) 🧵
Erling Haaland makes a great point here as he picks up his raw milk, honey, and beef from a local farm
Farmers should be famous like athletes
Unfortunately people are addicted to eating slop and watching dudes play with balls
**** Call For Attendance (Columbia, LA) ****
Nathan Michael Morrow was born on October 10, 1992, at Ruston, Louisiana, to his parents, James Vincent Welch and Candy Michelle Morrow, and he passed from this life on July 2, 2026.
He was preceded in death by his best friend, Adam Wright; his unborn son, Max Morrow; and sister-in-law, Jackie Wilson.
Nathan joined the United States Army in 2013 following graduation from Dubach High School in 2011. As a little boy he always dreamed of being a soldier. He was fearless and he loved fiercely and hard. During his youth he grew up on a baseball field.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Visitation
Chapel of Riser Funeral Home
7131 US-165, Columbia, LA 71418
11:00 am - 1:00 pm (Central time)
Funeral Service
Chapel of Riser Funeral Home
7131 US-165, Columbia, LA 71418
Starts at 1:00 pm (Central time)