Iniaes

In U.S. elections

Senator Elissa Slotkin is seeking written assurances from Pentagon leaders that federal troops will not be sent to polling places or used to seize election materials during the midterms. Separately, the Justice Department says its Civil Rights Division plans to deploy at least 1,000 election monitors at precincts nationwide, an unusually large operation announced by division chief Harmeet Dhillon.

The electoral map is tightening. Fox News has moved Senate races in both Michigan and Texas to toss-up status, putting two major contests for control of the chamber more firmly in play.

In North American trade

Canadian negotiators were in Washington seeking a last-minute deal with the United States ahead of a midnight tariff deadline. No agreement was reported, leaving businesses on both sides waiting to see whether the deadline produces a deal or another round of tariffs.

In federal court

Ryan Michael English of Massachusetts was sentenced to six years in prison over an attempted assassination plot targeting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Prosecutors said English confessed the plot to Capitol Police after his arrest last year.

In Portugal

More than 2,000 emergency workers are battling wildfires across Portugal. Nine districts are under an orange weather warning, while most of mainland Portugal remains under a yellow warning as authorities manage continued fire risk.

In Ukraine

A Russian strike in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region has killed at least 10 people, according to the regional governor. The region remains partly occupied by Russian forces and has faced sustained attacks since the full-scale invasion began.

Ukraine’s parliament is also reconvening with permanent defence and foreign ministers still not appointed, a month after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister.

In Gaza and the West Bank

Israel’s war and siege are severely disrupting breast cancer treatment in Gaza, with women facing worsening access to care, according to Al Jazeera.

In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent says video shows Israeli settler children blocking and attacking one of its ambulances. The organization released the footage as violence and obstruction of Palestinian emergency services remain a concern.

In North American trade

Canadian officials are seeking last-minute relief from President Trump’s threatened 50 percent tariffs. The talks come as the deadline nears and political pressure rises in Canada over the potential economic damage.

In U.S. government policy

Two counties and two cities are suing the Trump administration over an effort to tie national-security funding to the adoption of sweeping election procedures. The case challenges the federal government’s ability to attach election-rule conditions to security funding.

In tech and youth safety

Meta is due to face trial in a case brought by 29 state attorneys general, who accuse the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive and harmful to young users. The states are seeking up to $200 billion.

In Las Vegas

Opening statements have begun in the murder trial over the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, nearly 30 years after the drive-by shooting. Duane Davis, indicted in 2023, is the first person charged in the case and is accused of helping plan the attack. Jurors are hearing about the rap rivalries, gang violence, and distrust of police surrounding the killing. An officer also testified that Shakur declined to assist investigators after he was shot.

In the Philippines

Two students were killed in a shooting at a high school in Zamboanga, including the student authorities say opened fire. Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso confirmed the deaths. Further details about the motive and circumstances have not been released.

In Pennsylvania

A 27-year-old man has been arrested in Honduras over the killing of Maria Bernarda Popol Garcia in Telford, Pennsylvania. Prosecutors allege Darwin David Espinal-Del Cid killed her, concealed her body, took cash and her phone, then fled the country. He is being held in Tegucigalpa while authorities pursue extradition to Bucks County, where he faces homicide and other charges.

On the Korean Peninsula

President Trump has scaled back joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, citing Seoul's refusal to join his war against Iran and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump says his contacts with Kim make South Korea safer. The decision has raised concerns about U.S. commitments to its longtime ally and deterrence in the region.

In Virginia

A man committed to a Northern Virginia psychiatric hospital after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 2019 killing failed to return from a 48-hour pass and is believed to have fled to Tajikistan. Court records say Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda flew from Dulles to Istanbul and then to Dushanbe shortly after a judge ruled he still required inpatient treatment. Authorities have issued a bench warrant and notified federal and state agencies.

On Capitol Hill

The House Ethics Committee is reviewing allegations that California Democratic Representative Jimmy Gomez engaged in sexual misconduct and may have violated House standards. The committee provided no details of the allegations or timetable for its review.

In Texas classrooms

The ACLU has asked the Supreme Court to take up its challenge to Texas’ law requiring public-school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. Representing parents from several faiths, the group argues the mandate violates the First Amendment’s protections against government establishment of religion.

In East Asian security

President Trump says he scaled back joint military exercises with South Korea after Seoul declined to help the United States pursue Iran’s denuclearization. He tied the decision to the U.S. troop presence meant to deter North Korea, leaving the peninsula’s deterrence posture subject to a dispute far beyond it.

China has also publicly fielded its J-35 stealth fighter in both air-force and navy versions. Footage showed a carrier-capable model launching from the Fujian carrier by electromagnetic catapult, though major details — including its radar, engines, range, production scale, and operational readiness — remain unconfirmed.

On Germany’s Rhine

Drought has driven the Rhine to exceptionally low levels, disrupting inland shipping on one of western Europe’s most important commercial waterways. The strain comes during a record-breaking period of extreme weather across the region.

In eastern Indonesia

Rescuers continue searching after an earthquake killed at least 68 people in eastern Indonesia. Aftershocks and landslides are complicating rescue work and aid delivery.

At the Supreme Court

The court has again rejected President Trump’s bid to overturn the verdict in E. Jean Carroll’s sexual-abuse and defamation case. Trump has already paid Carroll more than $5 million in damages, leaving the judgment intact.

In the Southwest

Lake Powell has fallen to a record-low elevation of 3,519.8 feet, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. The Colorado River reservoir is a crucial part of the Southwest’s water system, and the new low underscores pressure on supplies across the drought-hit region.

On the Korean Peninsula

South Korea says it wants talks with the Trump administration after President Trump ordered a reduction in U.S. troop participation in joint military exercises. Seoul says it hopes relationships between U.S. and North Korean leaders can help reopen dialogue, though reduced drills also raise questions about deterrence and readiness.

In immigration enforcement

Women held at the Diamondback ICE detention facility in Watonga, Oklahoma, allege they were issued used, unwashed underwear and that widespread vaginal infections followed. The claims have not been independently verified, and no official response was included in the report.

Separately, newly released court documents say ICE agents used derogatory slurs for Latin Americans during Los Angeles operations last year. The documents add to scrutiny of the agency’s conduct during enforcement actions.

At Virginia State University

Police are seeking additional shooters after gunfire near residence halls wounded five people early Saturday. A 19-year-old non-student, Camron Harris, is being held without bond on malicious-wounding and firearm charges. One victim remains in critical condition, while the others are expected to recover.

In public health

Confirmed U.S. cyclospora cases have climbed to nearly 14,000, up from fewer than 2,000 last year. The FDA says outbreaks without a confirmed source are increasing as it searches for the cause.

In Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine says its month-long campaign against Russian logistics has put seven of Wildberries’ ten largest warehouses out of action, a claim cited by Kyiv’s Defence Ministry and the Institute for the Study of War. Separately, the acting governor of Russia’s Belgorod region said Ukrainian strikes killed six people and injured five, including a 14-year-old.

On the Korean Peninsula

President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back this year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises with South Korea. He said the drills were expensive and sent an inappropriate signal while he tries to preserve ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Experts said the move may be intended to draw Kim back toward negotiations, though the administration has not detailed how the exercises will change.

In Texas voting cases

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s year-long investigation into alleged noncitizen voting has resulted in three prosecutions. Of 53 referred cases, at least five involved people previously listed as U.S. citizens in court records, underscoring the difficulty of turning broad claims about election fraud into reliable cases.

In the Middle East

Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after talks with Hamas, seeking Israeli support for a U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan. The meeting puts the proposal before Israel’s government as negotiators try to establish whether there is enough backing to move it forward.

On online child safety

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is drafting two bills to strengthen online consumer protections and child safety after a jury found Meta had misled users about platform safety and enabled harm, including child sexual exploitation. The March verdict carried a penalty of nearly $1 billion, which Meta is expected to contest.

Wildfires near Germany’s border

Wildfires are forcing evacuations around the German-Belgian border, with residents of Monschau in Germany’s Eifel region among those moved as a large blaze in eastern Belgium threatened to spread. Firefighters are working in difficult terrain and heavy smoke. In France, authorities say a separate major fire has stabilised, but an exceptionally hot summer has left wide areas of Europe dangerously dry.

In tech and security

Researchers say an Akira ransomware affiliate broke into a company through a SonicWall VPN without multi-factor authentication, stole credentials and data, and used Safe Mode to try to disable security tools. The encryption attempt failed after the system ran out of virtual memory, but the stolen files still leave the victim vulnerable to extortion.

In the Middle East

Jared Kushner is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after talks with Hamas on the next phase of President Trump’s Gaza plan. Hamas endorsed that stage two weeks ago, while Netanyahu has withheld backing, insisting any agreement must ensure Hamas is genuinely disarmed.

Separately, the USS George Washington is heading to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln after a 265-day deployment. The Lincoln’s roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines are due to rotate home amid scrutiny of the strain created by extended deployments.

In India

At least seven Hindu devotees were killed in a crowd crush during a religious observance at a Shiva temple in eastern India. Authorities are investigating the circumstances.

Water pressure in the U.S. Southwest

Lake Powell stands about 30 feet above the level at which Glen Canyon Dam can no longer generate hydropower. The reservoir’s continued decline raises risks for electricity generation and water supplies serving roughly 40 million people across the Colorado River basin.

In Central Africa

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history, with more than 2,300 reported deaths. A UN official called for a faster, larger international response to contain further spread.

On the Korean Peninsula

President Trump says he has told Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises. He cited their cost, Seoul’s decision to stay out of the Iran war, and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It remains unclear how the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, now underway with about 18,000 South Korean personnel, would be scaled back.

In AI policy

Anthropic is facing pushback over plans to use subtle word-choice changes as detectable watermarks in text handled by Claude. The company says the markers may remain after proofreading, translation, summarizing, or other editing, signaling that Claude processed a document rather than wrote it. That distinction matters to users handling client code, documentation, and translations who may not want an invisible record of every editorial assist.

In Zambia

President Hakainde Hichilema appears to be heading toward an outright election victory, while the opposition alleges an armed raid. Observers have also reported violence and an uneven campaign environment, raising concerns over the conditions surrounding the vote.

In the American West

Lake Powell, the reservoir spanning Utah and Arizona, has fallen to a record low as the region’s prolonged drought continues to deplete water supplies.

On the Korean Peninsula

President Trump says he has ordered a substantial reduction in joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises. He cited their cost, Seoul’s decision not to join the Iran war, and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, arguing the drills send an unnecessarily hostile signal to Pyongyang.

In semiconductor manufacturing

China’s SMIC says its factories ran at 93.7 percent capacity in the second quarter, driven by demand for mature-node chips used in AI servers, data centers, power systems, and optical equipment. Revenue reached $3.01 billion, and the company says some orders now extend through 2027.

In Scotland

Scotland’s planned HMP Highland prison near Inverness is now expected to open in spring 2027, roughly a decade behind schedule, at an estimated cost of £209 million. The original estimate was £52 million. The 200-place facility is intended to meet net-zero standards through renewable energy, heat pumps, and solar panels.

In health

University of Dundee researchers report encouraging early trial results for a single-dose malaria treatment combining cabamiquine with pyronaridine. The treatment was effective and well tolerated among adults and adolescents. Larger trials, including studies involving children, are being prepared as resistance to existing medicines grows.

In Indiana

Indiana has moved into recovery after severe storms and flooding pushed the White River over its banks and killed at least seven people. Water levels are receding as officials assess the damage.

In the Middle East

Jared Kushner has met Hamas leaders in Egypt as part of efforts to advance President Trump’s Gaza plan. Diplomatic sources say Trump’s envoy has pressed Hamas to disarm, aiming to exclude the group from any future governing role in Gaza.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also calling for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, amid disruption to oil shipments through the crucial waterway.

In China

A researcher at China’s top economic planning agency has urged Beijing to prepare civilian cargo ships for wartime military use. The proposal calls for a database of suitable vessels, mobilization plans, and ship designs that account for military needs. China’s merchant fleet could add substantial transport capacity, while putting civilian crews in danger in contested waters.

In U.S. news

Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to promise that the Justice Department would always operate independently from the White House. He said President Trump has not asked, and will not ask, for prosecutions of specific people, but stopped short of a broader guarantee of independence.

In Indiana, at least six people, including a four-year-old boy, have died after days of storms and record flooding. The White River in Indianapolis reached its peak as officials expected rainfall to begin easing.

Police have arrested 19-year-old Camron Harris in connection with the shooting of five people at Virginia State University. Authorities say Harris, who is not enrolled there, was found hiding in a dormitory closet more than 14 hours after the shooting.

In California

California billionaires have poured nearly $40 million into opposing a proposed state wealth tax on the November ballot. The campaign has exposed divisions among prominent tech billionaires.

In Britain

Nearly 350 cells were vacant last month at HMP Millsike, a £400 million prison outside York, even as the UK prison system faces severe overcrowding. Officials say the prison is opening in phases because of staffing, safety, and security requirements, while thousands of places elsewhere remain unavailable because of maintenance and fire-safety work.