Houston's main utility company, CenterPoint Energy, announced that the majority of power outages in the city should be resolved by Wednesday, following a week of disruption affecting over 200,000 customers after a hurricane swept through the area. This announcement comes as the Texas Public Utility Commission has initiated an investigation into CenterPoint's storm preparedness, prompted by Governor Greg Abbott's call for specific actions to mitigate future power outages during severe weather events.

In other news, officials in Vermont are seeking disaster assistance from FEMA after flooding caused significant damage, including the destruction of bridges and roads.

Internationally, tensions continue in the Middle East as Israel has conducted new attacks on Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties, including the deaths of three family members, one of whom was a child. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern over the high number of civilian casualties during discussions with Israeli officials, emphasizing the need to end such losses. Both Israel and Hamas have indicated that ceasefire talks are ongoing, despite accusations from Hamas that Israel is undermining the negotiations with its military actions.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans for a second international peace summit, urging Russia to participate. He also made a plea for increased military aid, stating that Ukraine requires 25 Patriot missile systems to fully secure its airspace.

Meanwhile, a Moscow court convicted U.S. journalist Masha Gessen in absentia on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military, sentencing her to eight years in prison. Gessen, a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, resides outside Russia and is unlikely to serve the sentence.

In Gambia, lawmakers voted to uphold a ban on female genital cutting, rejecting attempts by religious conservatives to reverse the prohibition. This decision is significant as it maintains protections against a practice that affects over 50% of women in the country and poses serious health risks.

Lastly, chaos erupted at the Copa America final in Miami, where police arrested 27 individuals and ejected 55 others after fans attempted to force their way into the stadium. The match between Argentina and Colombia faced multiple delays due to security concerns as fans tried to enter without tickets.