DEIR al-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) – Israeli airstrikes killed 15 Palestinians in Gaza early on Friday, while a hospital said another 20 people died in shootings while waiting for aid. Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights office says it has recorded 613 killings within the span of a month in Gaza.

BEIJING (AP) – China on Friday imposed anti-dumping duties on European brandy, most notably cognac produced in France, as trade tensions between Beijing and United States allies continue to rise. The tariffs, effective on Saturday, will range from 27.7% to 34.9%, China’s Commerce Ministry said.

St. Louis (AP) – The Fourth of July is Americana at its core: parades and cookouts and cold beer and, of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics also make it an especially dangerous holiday, typically resulting in more than 10,000 trips to the emergency room. Yet fireworks remain at the center of Independence Day.