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中国发布人工智能AI微短剧分类分层标准

2026年6月26日 07:57 / 联合早报

中国广电总局发布人工智能（AI）微短剧分类分层标准，投资额度达到80万元（人民币，下同，15万新元）及以上，或者主要剧情涉及政治、军事、外交、国家安全内容的特殊题材AI微短剧，将按照“重点微短剧”管理。

据中国央视新闻报道，广电总局网络视听司星期四（6月25日）发布《管理提示（AI微短剧分类分层标准）》。该标准自7月1日起施行。

投资额度达到80万元及以上，或者主要剧情涉及政治、军事、外交、国家安全、统战、民族、宗教、司法、公安等内容的特殊题材的AI微短剧，按照“重点微短剧”管理。

投资额度为30万元（含）至80万元之间、且为一般题材的AI微短剧，按照“普通微短剧”管理。投资额度不足30万元、且为一般题材的AI微短剧，按照“其他微短剧”管理。

Blue state leaders erupt after Supreme Court’s decision ending TPS protections for Haitians, Syrians

2026-06-25 7:44pm EDT / Fox News

New York Gov Kathy Hochul announced ‘sensitive locations’ to block ICE and a ban on masks for immigration enforcers

By Alexandra Koch Fox News

Published June 25, 2026 7:44pm EDT

New York governor vows to fight back after TPS rollback

Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York will continue fighting for immigrants after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration Thursday to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian migrants. (Handout/Governor Hochul)

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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration in two key immigration cases on Thursday, drawing strong opposition from blue state Democrats and prompting a prominent House Republican to break ranks over concerns of a looming healthcare “crisis.”

In a 6-3 decision in Mullin v. Doe, the high court ruled that Haitian and Syrian nationals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) cannot turn to federal courts to postpone the revocation of their legal status while challenging the Trump administration’s policies.

In a separate ruling, the court also held that migrants turned away at the southern border before entering the U.S. are not entitled to apply for asylum.

Democrat leaders in New York and Massachusetts immediately held news conferences to denounce the Supreme Court’s decisions and pledge local resistance.

SUPREME COURT HANDS TRUMP TWO MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORIES

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a news conference Thursday in Manhattan to show her support for the Haitian and Syrian communities.(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state would push back by designating “sensitive locations” to block ICE agents and banning masks for immigration enforcers.

“This is New York. We fight back. We defend our people,” Hochul said. “For those who think they can come here and just tell us that that’s going to be the different way that it is, you got to get to us first.”

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams delivered some of the harshest rhetoric, accusing the Trump administration of operating with a “White supremacist lens.”

“This is another day in Trump’s America where we have someone in the White House who believes in fascist rules with a White supremacist lens,” Williams said. “He is doing that because his policies are based on treating people like they are not human beings, particularly if they’re Black and Brown.”

TRUMP FOES MELT DOWN THAT SCOTUS IS UNLEASHING ‘RACIAL TERROR’ ON US WITH ICE RAID RULING

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaks at a news conference and rally at a Manhattan union headquarters.(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

In her dissenting opinion on the ruling, Supreme Court Justice Elena argued there is evidence the Trump administration was motivated by “racial animus” when revoking Haitians’ TPS, citing statements Trump made during the lead-up to the 2024 election, including claims that Haitians were “eating pets in Ohio.”

However, Justice Samuel Alito, who authored both majority opinions for the Supreme Court’s decisions, noted the respondents themselves suggested the administration might simply oppose TPS as a general policy matter rather than targeting a specific group.

Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Letitia James called the ruling a “betrayal of who we are supposed to be as a nation,” and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the activation of a free municipal legal hotline to help affected immigrants.

“The people of New York City are going to show up for you as we face down a Supreme Court ruling that just opened the door to fear instability and the threat of deportation for so many,” said Mamdani, whose wife is Syrian-American. “… We don’t let those who are afraid of what makes this city great try to divide us. We reject the politics of fear.”

FEDERAL JUDGE HALTS TRUMP TPS POLICY, ACCUSES DHS OF MAKING MIGRANTS ‘ATONE FOR THEIR RACE’

New York City Mayor Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a news conference Thursday in Manhattan.(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

In Massachusetts, which hosts roughly 45,000 TPS holders, Gov. Maura Healey slammed the decision, arguing it “makes no sense for our families, our economy, our communities, [or] our country.”

A visibly emotional Boston Mayor Michelle Wu addressed migrants directly, telling them, “You belong here.”

The ruling also exposed a rift within the GOP, as Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., strongly criticized the move to end TPS for Haitians.

While Lawler noted he does not dispute the president’s legal authority to end TPS, he warned that doing so now could trigger a disaster for the U.S. healthcare system, which heavily relies on Haitian workers.

“Of the 350,000+ lawful Haitian TPS holders, roughly 1/3rd work in our healthcare system,” Lawler wrote in an X post. “Immediately shutting off TPS will create a crisis in our hospitals, nursing homes, and in the I/DD community.”

Lawler also pointed to the rampant gang violence in Haiti, citing the State Department’s Level 4 travel advisory, as proof that the situation “continues to warrant an extension” of protections.

DHS FIRES BACK AT ‘ACTIVIST JUDGES’ BLOCKING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS CRACKDOWN

FILE – Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey also hosted a news conference on Thursday, pushing back on the Supreme Court’s decision.(David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

He urged the administration to allow an “orderly process” over the next six months for Haitian TPS holders to maintain their work authorizations and called on the Senate to take up his legislation to temporarily extend their status.

Following the decision, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) celebrated the rulings as a win for the rule of law.

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“This ruling is a tremendous win for the Trump administration,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what President Trump has always maintained: temporary protected status is, by definition, temporary. It was never intended to be a pathway to permanent status or legal residency.”

Similarly, DHS General Counsel James Percival posted on X that “the T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty.”

“This is a win for the rule of law and common sense,” Percival said.

Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital Editor, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.

She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.

Iran strikes commercial ship in Strait of Hormuz in challenge to U.S.-Iran deal

June 25, 2026 / 5:53 PM EDT / CBS News

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attacked a Singapore-flagged commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, a U.S. official confirmed to CBS News, posing a challenge to President Trump’s efforts to reopen the critical shipping corridor.

The ship’s bridge was damaged after it was struck on its starboard side by an “unknown projectile” off the coast of Dahit, Oman, according to an advisory from the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Centre. The advisory said no casualties or environmental impact were reported.

After the strike, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization temporarily paused a days-old plan to evacuate many of the vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf, pointing to Thursday’s strike. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the halt is needed “in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place.”

The international organization said the vessel had passed through the Strait of Hormuz before it was struck, and it “did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework.”

“I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount,” Dominguez said in a statement. “Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained.”

The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding last week that boosted hopes of shipping returning to the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that normally carries one-fifth of the world’s oil but was largely closed to ships during months of war. Under the agreement, Iran is expected to arrange for toll-free safe passage “using its best efforts” for 60 days.

Since then, ship traffic has picked up significantly, with 70 vessels sailing through the strait on Tuesday, compared to just six a week earlier, according to data from analytics firm Kpler, which noted some of the uptick could be due to a “post-deal release of delayed traffic.” With shipping picking back up, global oil prices have plummeted.

The IMO also announced Tuesday it was launching a “large-scale” evacuation effort to help thousands of mariners scattered across hundreds of vessels exit the region. It said two routes are available: One through Iranian waters in the northern portion of the Strait of Hormuz, and another through Omani waters in the south.

But disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz have persisted. The U.S.-favored route involves sailing close to the Omani coastline, while Iran has insisted that ships seek its permission before transiting the strait and use a route closer to its coast.

Iran’s Persian Strait Gulf Authority said Thursday: “Any passage through routes outside the framework designated by PGSA will not be covered by safe passage guarantees and will not be entitled to insurance coverage or related liabilities.”

Iran also hasn’t ruled out seeking tolls for ships that pass through the strait after the memorandum of understanding’s 60-day time limit ends. The Trump administration and U.S. allies in the region have called that idea unacceptable and a violation of international law. Oman has said it plans to jointly manage the strait with Iran but isn’t looking to charge tolls.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters early Thursday the Trump administration expects the strait to stay open, and is planning to judge Iran based on its actions rather than its “maximalist rhetoric.”

“If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that’s what we’re going to judge, and that’s what we’re going to react to,” he said while visiting Bahrain. “If, on the other hand, this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving, that’s a violation of the agreement, and we’re going to have a problem with it.”

Trump will present the World Cup trophy. It could be VERY awkward

2026-06-25T23:17:57.145Z / https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/25/politics/trump-present-world-cup-trophy

A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

No matter who is in the final World Cup match, there could be some awkwardness in New Jersey on July 19 when US President Donald Trump presents the trophy.

Trump has made war on one country in the tournament and verbal war on many others. He has insulted the people or its leaders of multiple others. He’s tried to influence elections in South America, imposed tariffs on economies everywhere, and broken old bonds as he’s tried to remake the world order with an America First foreign policy.

It is still a longshot for the US to win, although the US Men’s National Team is daring people to believe with a commanding group stage performance. But if Americans do win, it will be thanks to a team with multiple immigrant players. The team’s top scorer after two games is Folarin Balogun, whose Nigerian mother was seven months pregnant with him when she became unable to leave New York. He lived most of his life in the UK and plays professionally for Monaco in the top French league, but is able to represent the US because of birthright citizenship.

The right of anyone born in the US to be a US citizen is protected by the 14 th Amendment, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court is currently deciding if Trump can invalidate it anyway. If Trump has his way, Balogun would be playing for Nigeria or England.

He made war on Iran, which has not yet been eliminated from the World Cup despite its team facing extra restrictions during the tournament.

He called top contender Spain a “horror show” for its opposition to his war on Iran and threatened to cut off all trade with the country. Australia is one of multiple countries Trump called out by name for not helping in the Iran war – even though he did not try to build a coalition for the war before launching it alongside Israel.

His mercurial relationship with NATO has much of Western Europe, the soccer world’s power center, on edge.

He once called Belgium capital Brussels, home of NATO, a hell hole.

He said Norway is a “joke” because he didn’t get the Nobel Peace Prize. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, gave him a consolation peace prize of their own.

Leaders of France and Germany have squirmed as they frequently tried to placate Trump without alienating the US. All the while Trump’s allies have made ties with far-right parties in Europe.

He seemed to delight in the recent political demise of United Kingdom’s prime minister, which includes England and Scotland, where he owns a golf course that helped spark his disdain for renewable energy like offshore wind farms.

He called Haiti and African nations “shithole countries” during his first term and during the 2024 presidential campaign he spread a false conspiracy theory about Haitian asylum seekers eating the pets of Ohioans. Now the conservative-leaning US Supreme Court will allow him to deport Haitians who had temporarily legal status in the US.

He’s poked at fellow host nations Mexico and Canada with tariffs, a border wall, and a recurring threat to take Canada’s sovereignty.

He wants to reclaim the Panama Canal, which was given back to Panama by Jimmy Carter.

He’s meddled in South American politics by offering Argentina a bailout to give his friend President Javier Milei a boost. The US has a similarly friendly relationship with Paraguay, where reports have suggested the US sees potential for data center projects. The US is also friendly with Ecuador, where the US military has been involved in drug raids.

But he imposed 40% tariffs on Brazil to punish the opponent of his friend former President Jair Bolsonair. Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup.

He endorsed the far-right opposition party in Colombia’s elections this month and its leader, Abelardo de la Espriella, who is a dual Colombia-US citizen, leads in the first count of a razor-tight runoff.

He accused South Africa’s president of “genocide” against White farmers in the Oval Office. While Trump has cut off paths to asylum in the US for much of the world, the Trump administration has welcomed White South Africans.

Oval Office meetings are something of a test for visiting world leaders. Trump made a joke about Pearl Harbor when he welcomed Japan’s new leader this year.

The US appears to be reversing course in Ghana. Where the Biden administration had opposed local anti-LGBTQ laws, the Trump administration stayed sileng on a law passed last month that includes prison time for people who are LGBTQ and also for people who advocate for those who are LGBTQ. It also did not condemn a similar law passed in Senegal, leading some activists to accuse the US of helping foster the anti-gay atmosphere in some African countries.

Democratic Republic of Congo is the site of an Ebola outbreak, which has raised questions about US foreign aid cuts early in Trump’s second term.

The US Embassy in Sarajevo threatened to reconsider the US role in the area after a diplomatic dispute with European countries and Donald Trump Jr. Visited a separatist leader who had previously been sanctioned by the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Supreme Court struck them down, but Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal tariffs” in 2025 put inordinate pressure on Bosnia-Herzegovina and tiny Tunisia.

Trump has warm relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, despite the country’s human rights issues, although they are among the Gulf states watching with concern as the US negotiates with Iran, which have taken place in Geneva, Switzerland. Separately, his recent call for more Middle Eastern countries to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel has caused some consternation and put some unexpected pressure on the Saudis, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar.

The US is a superpower with wide influence, but Trump’s version of foreign policy, while it does recognize his priorities and friendships, also creates some awkwardness around the world. Not that many players will be thinking about that if they’re able to hoist the trophy.

打破利物浦纪录 英媒：曼市1.3亿英镑签森林中场安德森

2026年6月26日 07:57 / 联合早报

据英国媒体报道，曼市将以创英超联赛纪录的1.3亿英镑，签下森林中场安德森。 （法新社）

（伦敦法新电）英国多家媒体在新加坡时间星期五（6月26日）报道，曼市（Manchester City）已跟诺丁汉森林（Nottingham Forest）达成协议，将以创下英国足坛历史纪录的转会费签下英格兰中场球星埃利奥特·安德森（Elliot Anderson）。

据英国国家通讯社和英国广播公司报道，曼市已经就这位23岁球员的转会费达成协议，最终的总价最高可飙升至1.3亿英镑（约2.22亿新元）。

在此之前，英国球会支付的历史最高转会费纪录，是利物浦（Liverpool）去年从纽卡斯尔（Newcastle）引进伊萨克（Isak）时所砸下的1.25亿英镑。据报道，诺丁汉森林此前曾拒绝曼市对安德森的前两次报价。

目前，安德森正随英格兰国家队在北美洲征战世界杯，但这桩转会可能会在世界杯结束前得到官方正式宣布。

当被问及球员在世界杯期间完成转会这一话题时，英格兰主帅图赫尔（Tuchel）说：“这关乎于常理。我不希望这种事发生在比赛前一天或比赛日当天，这是我们的原则。但如果交易能够私下、高效且低调地达成，那我们总是乐见其成。因为让球员清楚自己的未来前景是对球队有帮助的。”

英格兰队将于星期天（28日）在新泽西迎来与巴拿马队的L组收官战，届时他们可能已经提前确保一个32强席位。在此前的两场小组赛中，安德森在4比2击败克罗地亚队以及随后0比0闷平加纳队的比赛中都首发出场。

在刚刚结束的上赛季英超联赛中，由瓜迪奥拉（Guardiola）执教的最后一个赛季里，曼市最终屈居阿申纳（Arsenal）之后收获亚军，但斩获足总杯和联赛杯这两座奖杯。而森林在赛季的大部分时间里都深陷保级泥潭，不过凭借赛季末段的一波强劲反弹，最终排名第16位成功保级。

点击《联合早报》世界杯专页，获知世界杯比分、赛程和最新新闻等资讯。

Supreme Court hands Trump major victories on his immigration agenda

June 25, 2026 at 5:28 p.m. EDT / The Washington Post

In two ideologically split rulings that could affect millions, justices say the administration can deport some migrants and turn others away at the border.

Federal agents in Newark block protesters on June 5 from approaching the entrance of a facility being used as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center. (Ryan Murphy/AFP/Getty Images)

By Julian Mark, Justin Jouvenal and Maria Sacchetti

The Supreme Court gave President Donald Trump’s efforts to curtail immigration a major boost Thursday, handing down a ruling that could allow the administration to deport millions of immigrants who have been living the United States lawfully. It also ruled that the administration can revive a policy blocking migrants from entering the United States to seek asylum.

Just 2 votes separate the candidates in this South Dakota mayoral race: “Every vote matters”

June 25, 2026 4:29 PM EDT / CBS News

The two candidates in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, mayor’s race are separated by only two votes, a county official confirmed to CBS News. A recount is likely after the city is able to canvass the votes and certify the results.

Christine Erickson is two votes ahead of Jamie Smith, the Minnehaha County Auditors and Elections Office said. Sioux Falls is South Dakota’s largest city, with over 210,000 people. With all precincts reporting, Smith had received 18,278 votes, and Erickson had received 18,280 votes.

After the certification, either candidate can petition for a recount, which will automatically be granted if the difference in votes is less than 2%.

Erickson is a former member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, having Erickson championed safety as her primary concern in Sioux Falls throughout her campaign.

Smith is a current state senator for South Dakota and also was the Democratic nominee in 2022 for governor. Smith ran on a campaign based around public safety, economic development, collaborative decision-making. He touted endorsements from South Dakotan politicians on both sides of the aisle.

Both candidates have expressed their commitment to ensuring a fair election, and a trust in the recount process. Erickson said in a statement that her team plans to move forward with “accuracy and transparency.”

“We’re going to work hard to make sure that if I received more votes after the after we do a recount, that the right persons in that office based upon what the people wanted,” Smith told CBS News.

In a phone interview with CBS News, Smith said “this is an example to everybody in the country that a lot of times people, you know, think that their vote just doesn’t matter, and this is an example where it shows you that every vote matters, and so you know just to participate and get out there and vote is really important.”

In a news release Erickson said “I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to lead Sioux Falls forward for the next four years.”

Both candidates have been keeping up the momentum as they head toward a recount.

“Even though the polls have closed, the fight continues. We know there will be a recount and I feel confident going into this next phase,” Erickson added.

“It’s not over ’til it’s over,” Smith said.

Trump to tap telecom regulatory lawyer as DOJ antitrust head

June 25, 2026 8:24 PM UTC / Reuters

By Jody Godoy

The Department of Justice (DOJ) building in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 28, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

June 25 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Adam ​Candeub, the general counsel at the Federal ‌Communications Commission, to take over as the Justice Department’s antitrust chief, a source familiar with the matter confirmed on ​Thursday.

Trump met with Candeub, acting Attorney General ​Todd Blanche, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson ⁠and White House counsel David Warrington about the ​job this week, the source said.

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A White House ​official declined to comment.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi currently leads the division, which shares federal antitrust authority with the ​FTC. Assefi has been planning to step down ​later this month, according to a source familiar with his ‌plans.

During ⁠Candeub’s tenure at the FCC, the broadcast regulator has opened an investigation into Disney’s diversity practices and is probing whether ABC daytime talk show “The View” violated ​equal-time rules ​for interviews ⁠with political candidates.

Candeub authored the FTC chapter in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy ​platform, which laid out ways the consumer ​protection ⁠and antitrust agency could champion conservative causes.

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A longtime professor at Michigan State University, Candeub served in the ⁠Commerce ​Department and Justice Department during ​Trump’s first term.

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Democrats slam New York Republican candidate for ‘concentration camp’ remark

June 25, 2026 at 4:36 p.m. EDT / The Washington Post

Bruce Blakeman, who will face off against Gov. Kathy Hochul, called a Democratic congressional candidate “antisemitic” over his views on Israel. The candidate is Jewish.

Bruce Blakeman speaks at an event in Suffern, New York, on May 22. (Ryan Murphy/AP)

By Ben Binday

The Republican nominee for New York governor prompted outrage among Democrats after saying that a Jewish congressional candidate “would be a camp guard in the concentration camp if he could.”

Bruce Blakeman, who will face off in November against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), took aim in a Newsmax interview at Brad Lander over his views on Israel. Lander, who has called Israel’s war on Gaza a “genocide,” emerged Tuesday as the Democratic nominee for a New York congressional seat.

Red state gov bans July Fourth fireworks statewide over wildfire concerns ahead of America’s 250th anniversary

2026-06-25T19:11:01-04:00 / Fox News

Local leaders can still designate ‘safe areas’ for displays, but the ban in Utah takes effect July 2

By Alexandra Koch Fox News

Published June 25, 2026 7:11pm EDT

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on FoxNews.com.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday issued a temporary, statewide restriction on fireworks for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, citing “historic” and “extraordinary” wildfire conditions across the state.

Cox, a Republican, signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, temporarily suspending state law to allow the state forester to ban the discharge of fireworks within municipal boundaries between July 2 and July 5.

As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, 94% of Utah is facing severe or extreme drought.

Gov. Spencer Cox said the order gives local leaders, working with their fire chiefs, the flexibility to identify where fireworks can still be used safely.(@GovCox/X)

RESIDENTS WAKE UP SCREAMING AS COPS RACE TO RESCUE THEM FROM LATE-NIGHT APARTMENT BLAZE: VIDEO

The state has already seen 354 wildfires scorch nearly 142,000 acres this season, with more than 75% of the wildfires having been caused by humans.

While the mandate snuffs out some of the holiday excitement, it offers a potential compromise for residents wanting to celebrate.

Local municipal leaders, working alongside their fire chiefs, are granted the authority to designate specific “safe areas” where fireworks will still be permitted.

Gov. Cox shared a photo of the wildfire aftermath while announcing a statewide ban on fireworks during the Fourth of July weekend.(@GovCox/X)

FIRE DEPARTMENTS TURN TO AI TO DETECT WILDFIRES FASTER

If local leaders do not designate these areas, the state forester’s closure remains in full effect.

“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox wrote in a statement, acknowledging that Utahns typically enjoy celebrating with pyrotechnics. “But this year is different. We are seeing fire behavior that even our most experienced firefighters say they’ve never witnessed before.”

In a statement posted to X, Cox added, “Our goal is to make sure our neighborhoods and communities are still standing on July 5.”

Gov. Cox said more than 75% of Utah’s wildfires have been human-caused, and the danger to lives, homes and firefighters “is simply too high.”(@GovCox/X)

COLORADO UTILIZING GRAZING CATTLE TO HELP PREVENT WILDFIRES IN AT-RISK AREAS

Utah State Forester Jamie Barnes warned that prolonged drought, critically dry vegetation and extreme weather are causing blazes to spread faster and behave in ways that “defy historical expectations.”

To deter preventable fires, the Utah Department of Public Safety is ramping up patrols in high-risk areas, and officials warn that sparking an illegal wildfire could lead to significant criminal and civil consequences.

Gov. Cox shared affectionate photos with Utah firefighters while announcing a Fourth of July fireworks ban due to wildfires.(@GovCox/X)

State officials plan to re-evaluate the wildfire danger after the Independence Day weekend to determine if similar restrictions will be necessary for the state’s Pioneer Day holiday from July 22 to July 25.

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Residents are urged to check local restrictions, sign up for emergency alerts and report any suspicious activity immediately.

Cox’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital Editor, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.

She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.