As Americans celebrate 249 years of independence with fireworks and barbecues, many businesses will be closed for the day.
The Fourth of July marks the birth of American independence, the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776. As a federal holiday, the Fourth means many government offices, banks and some businesses will be closed, so it’s worth checking what’s open before heading out.
This year, the Fourth of July will fall on a Friday.
Target and Walmart locations will be open during their regular local hours. Most grocery stores under Kroger — which includes Fred Meyer, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Ralphs and QFC — will be open during their regular hours on July 4. However, store hours may vary by location.
Whole Foods, Wegmans and Food Lion will also remain open as usual, while Trader Joe’s will close early at 5 p.m. ALDI stores will close at 4 p.m. Sam’s Club will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Plus members and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Club members.
Costco warehouses, however, will be closed for the holiday.
Make sure to check with local retailers and restaurants for their Independence Day hours before visiting.
Most TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls locations will be open until 8 p.m. Nordstrom, JCPenney and Macy’s will operate under normal business hours.
Dollar General and Dollar Tree will also be open, though hours may vary.
Beauty retailers Sephora and Ulta Beauty will remain open if you’re in need of a last-minute skincare or makeup run.
CVS stores and pharmacies will be open, though some may operate on reduced hours. Walgreens stores will follow regular hours, but most of its pharmacies — except 24-hour and select locations — will be closed. Rite Aid will remain open as usual.
Check each stores website or call your local store for the most accurate hours.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will be closed for the holiday. Since July 4 is a Federal Reserve banking holiday, most bank branches across the country will also be closed. However, online banking services and ATMs will remain available.
Independence Day is a holiday for the United States Postal Service, so it won’t be picking up or delivering mail.
UPS will not offer pickup or delivery service either, although UPS Express Critical will be available for urgent shipments.
Most FedEx services will be closed as well, but FedEx Custom Critical will remain open for time-sensitive deliveries.
Nonessential government offices will be closed on Friday, including the DMV and public libraries.
But in the last six months, the sudden withdrawal of U.S. money has caused a “systemic shock,” U.N. officials warned, adding that if the funding isn’t replaced, it could lead to more than 4 million AIDS-related deaths and 6 million more HIV infections by 2029.
A new UNAIDS report released Thursday said the funding losses have “already destabilized supply chains, led to the closure of health facilities, left thousands of health clinics without staff, set back prevention programs, disrupted HIV testing efforts and forced many community organizations to reduce or halt their HIV activities.”
It also said that it feared other major donors scaled back their support, reversing decades of progress against AIDS worldwide — and that the strong multilateral cooperation is in jeopardy because of wars, geopolitical shifts and climate change.
A ‘lifeline’ removed
AP AUDIO: UN says if US funding for HIV programs is not replaced, millions more will die by 2029
AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on the impact of cuts to US funding for international HIV programs.
The $4 billion that the United States pledged for the global HIV response for 2025 disappeared virtually overnight in January, when U.S. President Donald Trump ordered that all foreign aid be suspended and later moved to shutter the U.S. AID agency.
Andrew Hill, an HIV expert at the University of Liverpool who is not connected to the United Nations, said that while Trump is entitled to spend U.S. money as he sees fit, “any responsible government would have given advance warning so countries could plan,” instead of stranding patients in Africa where clinics were closed overnight.
The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, was launched in 2003 by U.S. President George W. Bush, the biggest-ever commitment by any country focused on a single disease.
UNAIDS called the program a “lifeline” for countries with high HIV rates, and said that it supported testing for 84.1 million people, treatment for 20.6 million, among other initiatives. According to data from Nigeria, PEPFAR also funded 99.9% of the country’s budget for medicines taken to prevent HIV.
U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Angeli Achrekar, a UNAIDS deputy executive director who was PEPFAR’s principal deputy coordinator until January 2023, said the program is under review by the Trump administration though Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver “to continue life-saving treatment.”
““The extent to which it will continue in the future, we don’t know,” she told a video news conference with U.N. reporters in New York. “We are cautiously hopeful that PEPFAR will continue to support both prevention and treatment services.”
A gap impossible to fill
In 2024, there were about 630,000 AIDS-related deaths worldwide, per a UNAIDS estimate — the figure has remained about the same since 2022 after peaking at about 2 million deaths in 2004.
Even before the U.S. funding cuts, progress against curbing HIV was uneven. UNAIDS said that half of all new infections are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tom Ellman of Doctors Without Borders said that while some poorer countries were now moving to fund more of their own HIV programs, it would be impossible to fill the gap left by the U.S.
“There’s nothing we can do that will protect these countries from the sudden, vicious withdrawal of support from the U.S.,” said Ellman, head of the group’s South Africa medical unit.
Experts also fear another significant loss — data.
The U.S. paid for most HIV surveillance in African countries, including hospital, patient and electronic records, all of which has now abruptly ceased, according to Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Global Health Institute at Duke University.
“Without reliable data about how HIV is spreading, it will be incredibly hard to stop it,” he said.
A new drug revives hope
The uncertainty comes in the wake of a twice-yearly injectable that many hope could end HIV. Studies published last year showed that the drug from pharmaceutical maker Gilead was 100% effective in preventing the virus.
At a launch event Thursday, South Africa’s health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the country would “move mountains and rivers to make sure every adolescent girl who needs it will get it,” saying that the continent’s past dependence upon US aid was “scary.”
Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug, called Yeztugo, a move that should have been a “threshold moment” for stopping the AIDS epidemic, said Peter Maybarduk of the advocacy group Public Citizen.
But activists like Maybarduk said Gilead’s pricing will put it out of reach of many countries that need it. Gilead has agreed to sell generic versions of the drug in 120 poor countries with high HIV rates but has excluded nearly all of Latin America, where rates are far lower but increasing.
“We could be ending AIDS,” Maybarduk said. “Instead, the U.S. is abandoning the fight.”
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Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
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A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the drug is Yeztugo, not Sunlenca.
Justin Bieber is about to drop a new album, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Def Jam will release his long-awaited seventh album on Friday, July 11, sources reveal.
A representative for Bieber didn’t reply to request for comment. Def Jam declined to comment.
As THR reported, Bieber headed to Iceland in late April to put finishing touches on the project, his first since 2021’s Justice. His Nordic getaway hosted jam sessions and allowed the pop superstar to ”vibe out” with a number of musical collaborators, an insider reveals.
As of Thursday, a billboard in Iceland that depicts Bieber with the word “Swag” is starting to go viral online. Presumably, that could be the name of the album though it’s unclear at press time. The same billboard went up in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Bieber posted several photos and videos of his own Thursday as well that show what seems to be the album’s tracklist.
Recent posts on Instagram, such as this one from June 30, also show what appears to be a final mix in ProTools. Other studio images suggest that music being played for Bieber is past its tracking phase and that the stereo files seen are a finished mix of some sort.
As sources shared with THR in April, Bieber had been hosting “jam sessions” at his Los Angeles house where attendees have included his longtime DJ Tay James, musical director HARV, SZA collaborator Carter Lang and Australian artist Eddie Benjamin. Features on the album include Gunna and Sexyy Red as well as Cash Cobain, each of whom Bieber has shouted out on social media in recent months.
Bieber had also tapped talents like U.K. singer-songwriter Sekou and producer Dylan Wiggins (Kali Uchis’ “I Wish You Roses,” The Weeknd’s “Die For You”), among other lesser-known music-makers that he discovered on social media and enlisted via DMs.
Bieber’s long awaited album comes four years after his last album, and his life has changed significantly since then. For one, he had a child with wife Hailey Bieber last year. On the music side, he split from his longtime manager Scooter Braun in 2023. Braun just announced earlier this month that he’s stepping down as CEO of Hybe America.
As THR reported, the two recently resolved their remaining financial issues — specifically, a debt triggered by the cancellation of Bieber’s Justice tour in 2022. (A representative for Bieber declined to comment on the settlement at the time.) In not fulfilling his contractual obligation to AEG (the tour’s promoter) to complete the concert dates, for which he received a $40 million advance, Bieber was left owing more than $20 million to AEG. Then-manager Braun, through his company, covered what was owed through a loan. The two were partnered in a number of other businesses including a record label and film projects.
Braun was also involved in a $200 million catalog deal to Hipgnosis Songs (now Recognition Music) for Bieber’s songwriting interests, possibly the largest nest egg in music history for an artist under 30. (Worth noting: Hailey Bieber, who married Justin in 2018, recently sold her Rhode Beauty skin care brand to e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion; Braun was a seed investor.)
Samsung’s mighty Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 is $300 off
(Image credit: Future / Tom’s Guide)
We called the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro the MacBook Pro alternative with a bigger OLED display and a lighter design, so if you’re a fan of Windows, this model should be on your radar, as it’s $300 off.
You’re getting an Intel Core 7 Ultra CPU, a 3K (2,880 x 1,800) OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate and even an S Pen thrown in for good measure. For workers on the go and even students, this Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 is a worthy companion.
Yes, RTX 4070 laptops are cheaper than ever!
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So here I was, minding my own business, when I saw an RTX 4070 gaming for just $1,349! I did some backtracking and yep, it’s one of the cheapest prices I’ve ever seen!
You may not get the multi-frame gen goodness of the 50-series GPUs, but with DLSS 4, you’re getting stellar performance throughout this entire system. On top of that, the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is a screamer, paired with a whopping 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD.
Any game running on that QHD panel up top will take full advantage of that 165Hz refresh rate!
$300 off one of our favorite AI laptops
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Curious to try out one of these new-fangled “AI laptops” Microsoft has been promoting?
Now’s a great time because you can save some serious cash on a brand-new Lenovo Slim 7i. Amazon has the Aura Edition of this killer ultraportable on sale for a cool $300 off.
This special edition has extra features like Smart Care (for real-time tech support) and Smart Modes, which make it super-easy to customize your laptop to your needs!
The latest Dell 14 Plus just hit a new low price!
(Image credit: Future / Tom’s Guide)
Last time I saw this deal, it was at $949. Well, the Dell 14 Plus has now dropped even further to $849!
It’s part of Dell’s rebrand of its laptop lineup, so you’ll be getting the latest with an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip, a mighty 32GB of DDR5X RAM and a helpful 1TB SSD. Not bad for a strong laptop such as this, especially if you’re a student or need a reliable laptop while on the move.
This RTX 5050 laptop is now $400 off!
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Amazon Prime Day deals aren’t just relegated to Amazon, as other vendors are also slashing prices across the board. Right now, the HP Omen Transcend 14 is $1,429 at HP. That’s not too bad considering you’re saving $400 thanks to this sale. Anyone who might be new to the world of PC gaming or who wants a relatively affordable gaming laptop should give HP’s machine a serious look—especially at this reduced price.
Think high-end RTX 50-series gaming laptop deals were only hitting the entry-level models? Think again.
The powerhouse RTX 5090 is also seeing serious discounts — and this Legion Pro 7i is a perfect example. Packed with an Intel Core Ultra 9-275HX processor, 32GB of RAM, a massive 2TB SSD, and of course, that beastly RTX 5090 GPU, this machine is built for domination. Add in a sharp QHD display and a sleek, minimalist design that fits right into any setup, and you’ve got a dream rig.
With support for DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation, the only real drawback so far has been the premium price tag. But now? There’s a hefty $400 discount making this monster a lot more tempting.
Looking for the Windows MacBook Air? Look no further
(Image credit: Future)
The Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition is a great ultraportable that packs a whole lot of power into a slim, sleek and utilitarian package. Seriously premium with an all aluminum shell, featuring a gorgeous 14-inch OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD.
This is a great all-rounder for getting things done by day and entertaining by night, and it’s 18% off right now.
Swipe this Acer Swift X 14 creator laptop with a $400 drop!
(Image credit: Future / Tom’s Guide)
This is one for the creators out there. The Acer Swift X 14 is a great choice for graphics designers or photo and video editors, all thanks to its 14.5-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Along with its RTX 4060 GPU, it’s able to handle graphically intensive tasks, and that even includes gaming.
In the UK? Grab this RTX 5070 Alienware laptop deal
(Image credit: Dell / Alienware)
While those in the U.S. can enjoy this Alienware 16 Aurora with an RTX 5060 for $1099, if you’re in the U.K., then you’ll be happy to know that its even more powerful sibling is on sale, and it comes with an RTX 5070.
The Alienware 16X Aurora with an RTX 5070 is £300 off at Amazon, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a gaming laptop packing this kind of heat at a similar price. It sports an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, RTX 5070, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. Even better, it’s glorious 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display comes with a 240Hz refresh rate, which you’ll see shine thanks to Nvidia’s DLSS 4.
Better act fast, though, as stock appears to be low!
Wait…a MacBook Air for $699!?
(Image credit: David Paul Morris/Getty)
Apple Silicon may have a shelf-life, but it’s super long. The M2 chip is still a serious performer in 2025, which is what makes this dirt cheap M2 MacBook Air so attractive!
It’s impressively fast and power efficient all at once, and you get that same sleek, utilitarian chassis that you get with the M3 and M4 Airs. This is a solid shout of a laptop and it’s $100 off right now.
Feeling Pro? The MacBook Pro M4 is cheaper than ever!
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I love the MacBook Pro — packing peak performance and shockingly good power efficiency into a sleek, premium aluminum shell that looks ready for work (especially in space black). And right now, the latest and greatest M4 systems are cheaper than ever.
Whether you’re eyeing the base M4, the more capable M4 Pro, or the powerhouse M4 Max, you can now knock at least $150 off the price. As someone who edits video, codes, and occasionally dives into some gaming, I can say the MacBook Pro more than keeps up. It’s a machine built for people who push their gear to the limit—and now it’s finally a bit easier on the wallet too.
This RTX 5070 gaming laptop is SHOCKINGLY CHEAP!
(Image credit: Future / Tom’s Guide)
Asus’ TUF series has evolved beyond its budget roots, and the Asus TUF Gaming A16 is proof of that. This machine packs serious power — and now it’s seeing a serious discount in what might be one of the best anti-Prime Day deals around.
Right now at Best Buy, you can score the Asus TUF Gaming A16 with an RTX 5070 for just $1,399, a sharp drop from its regular $1,699 price. That $300 discount gets you a whole lot of performance: an AMD Ryzen 9 270 CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD — a top-tier spec sheet for gamers and creators alike.
Sure, the display isn’t ultra-premium, but the 16-inch FHD+ panel (1920 x 1200) with a 165Hz refresh rate still delivers crisp visuals and buttery-smooth gameplay.
If you’re looking for serious gaming horsepower without paying premium-brand prices, this is the deal to beat — and it’s beating many of Prime Day’s so-called “best” offers. It’s only a tad smaller than the Asus TUF Gaming A18 I’ve tested with the same GPU, and I’m having a blast with that.
Snag this seriously lightweight LG Gram for over $250 off
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The MacBook Air may be one of the thinnest laptops around, but this LG Gram 14 isn’t far behind it. In fact, it’s actually lighter, and comes with a great discount thanks to Prime Day.
The LG Gram 14 is now over $250 off at Amazon, boasting Copilot+ AI capabilities thanks to its latest Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU, along with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It’s amazingly thin at 0.67 inches (the MacBook Air M4 is 0.44 inches), and is incredibly lightweight at 2.47 pounds (2.7 pounds for the MacBook Air).
As a laptop that can power through multitasking without breaking a sweat in a portable, featherweight design, the LG Gram 14 is a great shout for students and workers on the move.
Bag my favorite budget laptop (that doesn’t even feel budget) for less than $500!
(Image credit: Future)
When I tried the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X a few months ago, I was confident that this could be the budget laptop to beat in 2025 — managing to find the right balance between ergonomics, performance and power efficiency without breaking the bank.
Yep you read that right, Snapdragon. That means snappy single-core performance for opening apps in a zip, and sipping that battery to make it last well over all-day long. Pair that with a big 15.3-inch display, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, and you’ve got a stellar cheap Copilot+ PC!
Snag the perfect back-to-school Chromebook for under $350
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re looking ahead to going back to school and need a cheapish machine to handle the basics, a Chromebook could be the way to go.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is a solid example of what you can do with Google’s laptops — there’s enough power to keep the lightweight OS smooth and the vivid and bright 1080p touchscreen helps too.
Right, now this is an RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop that can handle the heat. It’s still pricey, but getting $400 off this beast offers huge value for a gaming PC upgrade. Yes, the RTX 5070 Ti will perform brilliantly in the latest games, but it’s the rest of what this Asus ROG Strix G16 offers that pulls it all together.
This Asus ROG Strix G16 with an RTX 5070 Ti is now $400 off, which means you can now grab it for under $2,000. But it also offers the latest (and powerful) Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. Moreover, it boasts a 16-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) Nebula display with a 240Hz refresh rate, 16:10 aspect ratio and speedy 3ms response time. Oh, and a MUX switch to boost gaming performance and a way to customize the RAM, SSD and fans without needing a screwdriver.
Now that’s a powerful machine, and for under $2,000, it’s a gaming laptop you’ll want to check out.
A Windows 11 laptop for under $250? The deal is here!
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Who said Chromebooks were the only pocket-friendly laptops you can get? We were already big fans of this Acer Aspire Go 15 due to its price, but it’s now cheaper than ever thanks to a $50 price cut!
Right now, the Acer Aspire Go 15 is down to $249 at Amazon, and that’s amazing savings on a Windows 11 PC. It’s made for simple, everyday tasks like writing in documents, browsing the web and watching shows with its 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display, so don’t expect a complete powerhouse here. But you’ll find over 10 hours of battery life, a comfy keyboard and a premium-feeling design.
As a family laptop or for students who need something affordable for studying, this is a great choice.
Now $150 off MacBooks! Easily one of the best laptops deals right now
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Let’s talk about easily one of the best laptops you can buy right now. The 13- and 15-inch M4 MacBook Airs pack a lot of performance and insane power efficiency into a slim, sleek shell with a gorgeous display, strong webcam and impressive ergonomics. What more could you want!?
And now, the 13-inch is $50 off, and you’re getting $150 off the 15-inch model!
Welcome to Day 3
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We are now on the third day of a four-day Prime Day — making me absolutely certain that Amazon has lost track of time in knowing what a “day” actually is! But at least the laptop deals are oh-so sweet in the US and UK!
We’ll be rapid-firing every single big saving that is actually worth it in this live feed — the kind of laptop deals I’d recommend to my friends and family.
For a good start, check out our listed deals above. And of course, the second we spot anything new, we’ll be sharing it here.
