Iniaes

In tech and markets

China’s Moonshot AI says its open-weight Kimi K3 model has rattled semiconductor stocks and reopened the familiar argument over whether U.S. labs still have the edge in AI, or whether the field is now doing its best impression of a moving target. The benchmarks and the real cost of the system are still being picked apart.

The U.S. Justice Department also says a federal law banning TikTok from government devices no longer applies to the app. The determination was made this week, a reassuring phrase only if you have never watched Washington and software share a room.

In Britain

Wessex Water has given chief executive Ruth Jefferson a 14 percent base pay rise, taking her salary to £670,000 before benefits and lifting total pay to £791,000, despite a ban on bonuses over sewage spills. Workers got 3.5 percent. The union called the increase obscene, which in this case feels less like rhetoric than arithmetic.

A former London Underground cleaner says a tribunal backed his concerns about exposure to asbestos and other toxic dust, and that he was unfairly sacked after raising the alarm. He wants passengers to be warned about the risks linked to work in vents, lift shafts, and other confined areas on the Tube network.

In international security

The U.S. says it has launched a seventh straight night of strikes on Iran as tensions rise around the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command said the attacks were meant to keep degrading Iranian military capabilities.

Germany’s interior minister says the country faces an elevated terror threat and warned that an attack could be imminent. Separately, a train security guard was critically injured after falling from a moving train.

In Europe

Scientists in Spain, Portugal, and the UK say the Iberian rabbit is a separate species that split from the European rabbit about 2 million years ago, and one of the two species is now in decline. Taxonomy, making a late and surprisingly dramatic entrance.

In brief

Turkey’s disaster authority says there are no current reports of damage after a 5.0 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Turkey, though an on-site assessment is still underway. And in São Tomé and Príncipe, election season is drawing international attention because of the island nation’s strategic location and a military agreement with Russia.

In sports

France will face England in the third-place match before Argentina meets Spain in the World Cup final. Didier Deschamps is set for his final game as France coach, with Zinedine Zidane waiting for whatever comes next.

In Ukraine and Russia

Thousands of Ukrainians protested for a second day outside the presidential office after the surprise removal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov in a government reshuffle. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended the move as a push for unity, while also trying to smooth tensions with Poland by promising broader investigations into wartime killings by Ukrainian nationalist fighters and opening intelligence files.

On the battlefield, Ukraine said its drones hit a logistics centre in western Russia, killing seven people. Russia kept up strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea ports, killing three more and damaging civilian vessels.

In business and tech

Australia plans new national rules for large AI data centres, including standards on power use and water efficiency, plus an Office of AI to help enforce them. The government also wants creators of books, music, art, and news to keep control over the value of their work if it is used to train AI systems.

In U.S. politics

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is set to rejoin the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out, citing a campaign finance scandal. In Memphis, more than a thousand people turned out for state Rep. Justin Pearson as he runs for Congress, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley joining the rally.

Meanwhile, Iranian official Mohsen Rezaee said negotiations during wartime are over and warned that if U.S. bombing continues, Tehran will escalate toward full-scale war.

Public safety and health

In Frankfurt, four baggage handlers at the airport contracted malaria after investigators believed a single infected mosquito arrived on a flight and bit workers in the baggage area. Officials say there is no evidence passengers or nearby residents are at increased risk, but staff have been told to watch for fever and report symptoms immediately.

In U.S. news

Wildfire smoke is spreading unsafe air across large parts of the country, putting health officials back in the familiar position of telling people to stay inside and pretend inhaling the atmosphere is optional. Taylor Farms is also pulling some vegetables linked to a growing cyclosporiasis outbreak.

Democrats are pressing for answers after an ICE officer shot and killed an immigrant in Maine, following reports about the officer’s past behavior and calls to review how the agency screens and hires its personnel. Separately, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner over records tied to how his office handles immigration cases.

In politics

President Trump used a prime-time White House address to warn about supposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. election system, citing newly declassified material on foreign interference but offering no new evidence that past results were fraudulent. The administration then escalated the pressure further, with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatening local election officials with jail time if they do not cooperate with requests for voter data.

Trump also urged Sen. Darline Graham Nordone to run for a full Senate term. That is one way to keep the endorsement machine warm.

In the Middle East and abroad

Pressure is building inside the EU for sanctions on Israel over settlement expansion and violence against Palestinians, after fresh concern about settler attacks on children.

Trump is also threatening Canada with higher tariff costs, this time tying it to wildfire smoke. International trade policy, still a deeply normal thing to steer by grievance.

In the Americas

A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the Mexico-Guatemala coast on Friday and was felt as far away as El Salvador. No major damage or casualty update was included in the summary.

In California

A father and son surrendered to law enforcement early Friday, ending a hostage situation in rural northern California that began with the kidnapping of two U.S. Forest Service workers.

In the Middle East

The U.S. and Iran are now trading strikes across the Persian Gulf, with American attacks widening to hit bridges, energy sites, and a port tower, while Iran expands its own attacks. U.S. fighters have moved deeper into the region, and the fighting around the Strait of Hormuz has pushed oil prices up more than 10% this week. A collapsed reopening deal for the waterway leaves the risk of a much larger conflict hanging over the global economy.

In U.S. news

In Memphis, Kendra Scott, 36, has been charged with murder and using a firearm in a dangerous felony after police say she shot a man she found hiding under her daughter’s bed. Investigators say 20-year-old Rodderius Morton was later found wounded near the front porch, a neighbor heard Scott say, “I shot him,” and a girl in the home told police Morton had been invited inside before Scott returned home angry and armed. Scott is being held without bond and is due in court Monday.

Federal immigration agents are facing new scrutiny after a States Newsroom review found 22 shootings during President Donald Trump’s second term, with 19 tied to vehicle stops. The latest case was in Maine, where ICE agents killed Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national with legal work authorization. The White House says traffic-stop enforcement will continue.

Millions of people are also being told to stay indoors as smoke keeps air quality in the unhealthy and hazardous range. Officials say conditions should eventually improve, but for now the advice is simple: limit exposure and avoid unnecessary time outside.

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez has dropped out of the governor’s race after her campaign disclosed major errors in its financial reporting. She had been one of the leading Democrats in the primary to replace retiring Gov. Tony Evers.

Alan Dershowitz will not appear for his scheduled transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee on Jeffrey Epstein. Dershowitz helped craft Epstein’s 2008 plea deal, which remains one of the more durable examples of money buying its own weather.

In Britain

Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour leader and is set to become prime minister on Monday, according to the summary provided. He says he wants to run a Labour government without infighting or factional politics.

Conservative MP Patrick Spencer has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting two women at London’s Groucho Club. Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before clearing him of two counts, and the Metropolitan Police said its initial handling of the case fell below the standard it would expect.

In business

A court on Friday weighed whether to issue a temporary restraining order that would briefly freeze the Warner Bros. deal, as Paramount races to close by the end of the quarter.

In the Middle East

The U.S. widened its air campaign against Iran on Friday, hitting bridges, energy sites, a key port, electrical infrastructure, and an airport. Iranian state media said at least seven people were killed in Hormozgan province, and Tehran said it would destroy regional infrastructure if the strikes kept expanding. Iran also fired back at U.S. allies in the region.

In Ukraine

Ukraine is still fighting Russia under an acting defense minister after Zelenskyy’s cabinet shake-up exposed a split between older military figures and younger reformers. Russian strikes meanwhile hit Ukrainian ports and other sites, killing people in Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Odesa, even as protests over the shake-up continued.

In Washington

President Trump revived his claims that China interfered in U.S. elections, adding fresh strain to a relationship that had only recently shown signs of easing. China rejected the accusation and told Washington to stop making what it called groundless claims.

Separately, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, saying his office has not turned over documents on how it handles immigrants.

In public safety

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off Mexico’s Pacific coast near Puerto Madero in Chiapas, prompting a tsunami warning and shaking parts of Guatemala and El Salvador. In Texas, a helicopter rescue team pulled children out of floodwaters.

In the Americas

In Brazil, Donald Trump’s tariffs on Brazilian goods are giving President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a fresh political opening. Jair Bolsonaro’s family had looked to Trump for support as Bolsonaro fought conviction over his attempted coup, but the tariffs now let Lula cast himself as the country’s defender against foreign pressure, with elections about three months away.

Separately, declassified CIA documents released under Trump say Venezuela’s government had a vote-manipulation system in place since 2012 that could alter up to 1.5 million votes. The files do not prove fraud in every election they reference, but they do reinforce how little faith the regime has ever inspired.

In the U.S.

A California inmate who escaped from a prison camp, was later captured in Mexico, and then escaped again is still on the run. At this point, the system appears to be trying persistence as a strategy.

In Maine, an ICE agent who fatally shot a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford later asked his ex-wife to lie about his character after video contradicted the agency’s initial account. She refused.

In Europe

Greece is holding up a new round of EU sanctions on Russia by demanding an exemption from a full ban on Russian LNG, frustrating other member states. One diplomat called the move “shameless,” which, to be fair, is one of the milder adjectives available here.

In Cologne, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are holding defense talks under pressure from the collapse of the FCAS fighter project last month. The meeting is meant to reset a partnership that still carries more history than momentum.

Also in London, two teenagers have been jailed for five and a half years each for a cyberattack on Transport for London that cost the network £29 million. The case is a reminder that hacking infrastructure is not a clever side hustle. It is still a crime.

In U.S. news

The Justice Department has sued Maryland over state laws that grant in-state tuition benefits to qualifying undocumented students. The state has not publicly backed down, which means this one is headed for the sort of legal fight that keeps everyone very busy and solves nothing quickly.

Taco Bell is removing lettuce from some stores after the FDA opened an investigation into iceberg lettuce as a possible source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak. The company says it is acting out of ongoing discussions with regulators.

In the UK

Vahid Aberi, from Liverpool, has been charged under the National Security Act with assisting Iran’s intelligence service. The allegation is serious, and police have not released more detail yet.

UK health officials have warned people who recently had Botox to watch for symptoms of botulism after rare linked cases. The warning says symptoms can appear days or even weeks after treatment.

Gledis Uka, an Albanian national, has been jailed for 10 years after admitting to a string of burglaries across southern England. Police said he travelled to Britain each winter and targeted homes in eight counties.

A University of York study says obesity is reducing employment chances for Britons, with an estimated 600,000 people out of work as a result. The government has already started pilot schemes offering weight-loss injections to some unemployed people.

In business

Trump Media says it will sell a premium feed that gives trading firms the fastest access to Donald Trump’s posts on Truth Social. Wall Street can get the market-moving messages first, which is a tidy little upgrade in the race to be seconds behind the president.

China’s commerce ministry says it is strongly dissatisfied with the UK government’s decision to take British Steel into public ownership. London says the move was needed to protect the Scunthorpe plant and about 4,000 jobs.

Bugatti has unveiled its final W16 hypercar before switching to a V16 future. The company calls it an ending, which in the car business usually means a very expensive new beginning.

In Pakistan

A new child HIV outbreak linked to a Karachi hospital is the latest in a series of cases that experts say point to systemic failures in Sindh province. The broader problem, they say, is not isolated and has been building for years.

In science

Astronomers say they have directly detected helium in the atmosphere of LHS 1140 b, a rocky planet about 48 light-years away in its star’s habitable zone. It is the first confirmed atmosphere around a rocky, Earth-like planet in that zone, although no one is claiming to have found life.

In U.S. news

President Trump revived his claims that China illegally accessed 220 million U.S. voter files, saying he would declassify intelligence he says proves it. The documents he pointed to were heavily redacted, and there is still no public evidence backing the claim. Democrats called the remarks false.

Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said troops over 30 would face mandatory testosterone screening, adding another layer of medical oversight to military service.

In the UK

The British government has taken control of British Steel after concerns that its Chinese owners might shut down the country’s last working steelworks. China has criticized the move, turning a domestic industrial rescue into a diplomatic argument.

And in England, ministers are preparing a ban on high-caffeine energy drinks for under-16s, including online age checks. The drinks are popular with teenagers, helped by bright packaging, heavy marketing, and the usual commercial talent for making concern look like a lifestyle choice.

In the Middle East

Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have risen after new U.S. strikes hit bridges inside Iran, according to Iranian officials. The U.S. also boarded a ship in the strait, adding to a situation that is already more than tense enough.

In Southeast Asia

More than 500 Rohingya refugees are missing after two boats left Myanmar at the end of June and disappeared at sea. Their fate is still unknown.

In Laos, authorities are reportedly preparing charges in the methanol poisoning case, with Australia saying it is deeply frustrated by the move.

In U.S. news

Wildfire smoke pushed unhealthy air across the Midwest and parts of the East Coast, with officials warning people to stay indoors as skies dimmed and visibility dropped. Pennsylvania went further, issuing a statewide Code Purple air alert for Friday.

Also in Washington, House Republicans are still having trouble moving their agenda, with internal resistance stalling floor action and forcing Speaker Mike Johnson to pull back on legislation. The White House is moving on immigration and cartel policy too, with the Trump administration weighing a refundable bond of up to $100,000 for some green card applicants and adding two more Mexican cartels to the foreign terrorist list.

In the Middle East

The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has collapsed, and both sides have been trading attacks while arguing over the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point that remains central to global shipping and energy markets. Qatar also denied Israeli reports that it had agreed to join military action against Iran.

In the Americas

In Venezuela, the earthquake death toll has climbed to nearly 5,000, with the UN saying about 50,000 people are still missing and many more may be trapped under rubble. Authorities are shifting from rescue to rebuilding, even as the human toll keeps rising.

On Florida’s east coast, a mysterious 3.9 seismic event turned out to look less like an earthquake and more like an explosion, according to the US Geological Survey. Officials said the pattern was consistent with Navy shock testing, which is one way to find out how much abuse a warship can take before it becomes an expensive argument with gravity.

Elsewhere

Vietnamese activist Bao Ngoc has drawn unusual attention to Gaza’s suffering in a country where public protest is tightly controlled, a rare sign of public pressure on a sensitive foreign issue.

In Britain, Keir Starmer’s final honours list includes London Mayor Sadiq Khan among 26 new peers. The system remains one of the few places where “job title” and “upper chamber” can still sound like the same sentence.

In U.S. politics

President Trump is set to address the country Thursday night on elections and voting machines, and the preview is familiar, recycled, and still unsupported. Georgia senators Raphael Warnock and John Ossoff have already pushed back on the false fraud claims tied to their 2020 wins, while Sen. Thom Tillis is now openly criticizing OMB Director Russell Vought over the lack of results from the shuttered DOGE effort.

Elsewhere in Georgia, U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins is facing new scrutiny over ties to his son-in-law, a pro-white nationalist influencer who has shared antisemitic material and Nazi imagery online. That orbit keeps getting smaller, which is not the same thing as getting better.

In public safety and justice

Fort Worth police say dentist Chrishelle Hemphill caused the death of 4-year-old Aithana Arriaga during a tongue-tie removal in April. Investigators say the child was given a lethal dose of Demerol along with other sedatives and nitrous oxide, and that staff used the wrong drug during resuscitation attempts. Hemphill was arrested July 15 and later released on bond.

In global security and corruption

The U.S. Treasury Department has designated Mexico’s Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras as transnational terrorist organizations. In Iraq, authorities say they seized the equivalent of $19 million in cash and several kilograms of gold jewelry from hideouts linked to a former oil minister.

In health news, Uganda has discharged its last remaining Ebola patient, while the World Health Organization says the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading faster than any previous Ebola outbreak.

In science and industry

SpaceX was preparing for the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket from South Texas on Thursday. In nuclear energy, Rockwell Automation will provide the control platform for Aalo Atomics’ Aalo-X test reactor, part of a push to speed small modular reactor development for big power users, especially data centers. Nuclear start-ups do love a deadline, especially when the PowerPoint comes with a reactor.

In business and labor

Italian police have raided several luxury brands in a labor abuse probe focused on subcontracting networks that allegedly relied on exploitative conditions for Chinese workers. Massachusetts is also moving to cap how much secondary ticket sellers can mark up prices, a rare moment when someone at least says the quiet part of the market out loud.