Iniaes

In U.S. news

The House has passed the Sunshine Protection Act, 308 to 117, to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The bill now moves to the Senate, which will get another chance to prove that time itself is too complicated for Washington.

In Florida, a man was killed by a tractor-trailer in St. Augustine after an encounter involving Homeland Security Investigations and ICE officers. Authorities said four people in a car at a Wawa gas station ran on foot after the encounter in the parking lot.

In cybersecurity

The Trump administration has launched Gold Eagle, a federal AI cybersecurity clearinghouse built around Carnegie Mellon University’s VINCE platform. The goal is to coordinate AI-discovered vulnerabilities, speed up validation and disclosure, and cut down on duplicate scanning and patching across government and industry.

At the same time, CISA and international partners are urging system administrators to harden weak networks, warning that Russian state hackers are opportunistically targeting poor cyber hygiene and older protocols. New ISC2 research says AI is saving time in some security work, but it is also creating more human review, more accountability, and more work checking the machines’ homework.

In business and industry

Canadian nanomaterials company HydroGraph Clean Power has signed long-term agreements to build its first large-scale U.S. graphene facility in Bellville, Texas. The plant will be next to Western International Gas & Cylinders, with a dedicated acetylene pipeline under a 10-year supply deal, and is aimed at opening in the first half of 2027.

The initial 40,000-square-foot site is expected to produce up to 360 tons of graphene a year, with eventual capacity projected to rise beyond 750 tons.

On defense and geopolitics

U.S. Navy inquiries about destroyers and tankers could open the door to South Korean shipbuilders as Washington looks to expand the fleet. Separately, U.S. defense firms are also pushing more autonomy into naval systems, with Ghostworks unveiling MRLN, a remote-pilot platform that can switch a single uncrewed vessel between missions including surveillance, resupply, countermeasures, communications relay, and combat logistics support.

And in a sign that maritime politics remain a hobby for people who enjoy expensive tension, the U.S. president abruptly reversed course on tolls in the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict with Iran drags on.

In the world

Spanish authorities say 13 people were killed in the wildfires in Spain, and 12 of the victims were foreign nationals. Seven of those killed were British.

In cyber

Security researchers say phishing-as-a-service kits are making it easier to steal Microsoft Entra tokens in real time, which gives attackers persistent access once they get in. The tools are being linked to products like Jalisco Device Code, EvilTokens, and Kali365, a tidy little ecosystem built around other people’s logins.

In the UK

The Covid inquiry says the Conservative government wasted billions on protective equipment, and that the VIP lane for PPE contracts built in bias and unfairness from the start. Michael Gove called the spending failure an “honest error,” which is a generous way to describe a system that rewarded the well-connected and overpaid everyone else.

In the Middle East

The U.S. has carried out another wave of strikes on Iran, according to an official speaking anonymously about a sensitive operation. Donald Trump then said he was dropping threats of tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after Gulf states promised major investment in the U.S., while also claiming the route is open to all ships except Iranian ones. Oil and fuel prices have climbed again, and markets are once more discovering that geopolitics has a price tag.

In Washington

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said inflation is still too high and signaled that interest rates may stay elevated for some time. He stopped short of saying whether the Fed will raise rates again, but told lawmakers that one cooler inflation reading does not mean victory, and that he would keep doing the job even if President Trump tried to fire him.

The State Department has named Konstantin Sokolov, a Russian-born private equity investor in Chicago, to lead a new enterprise fund tied to a $200 million Central Asia trade corridor. Separately, environmental groups have sued the Trump administration over its rollback of endangered species habitat protections, arguing the move strips away key safeguards.

On the consumer front

Subaru is recalling more than 500,000 vehicles over a problem the company says is straightforward to fix, which is a reassuring phrase if you are not the one waiting for the repair appointment.

In technology and energy

Researchers in China say they have built a new perovskite-organic tandem solar cell that reached a certified steady-state efficiency of 28.04 percent. They say the device kept 90 percent of its initial performance after 625 hours of continuous illumination, using a light-sensitive additive to improve stability before pairing the perovskite top cell with an organic bottom cell.

Separately, hundreds of economists and artificial intelligence researchers have warned that governments are not moving fast enough to prepare for AI-driven job losses. The open letter, signed by Nobel laureates and executives from companies including OpenAI, Google and Anthropic, says the economic disruption could be large. The machines, in a rare display of patience, continue to file the paperwork for replacing people.

In public safety and policing

ICE has ordered officers to stop most vehicle stops nationwide after two fatal shootings in one week. The agency says the pause is temporary, and stops involving serious criminal suspects can continue while officers get more training.

In Maine, immigrant rights groups are demanding answers after an ICE officer fatally shot a driver. More protests are planned as the case draws closer scrutiny.

In Los Angeles, police are ending their contract with Flock Safety after an inspector general audit said license plate readers incorrectly flagged 161 vehicles as stolen over two months. The department says it will not keep using the system until concerns about data, privacy, security and sharing are worked out.

In consumer safety and fraud

Trading standards officers in Edinburgh say they have seized more than 158,000 fake football shirts and other kit, worth an estimated £5.5 million. The haul included counterfeit strips for Scotland, England, France, Spain and others, in one of the UK’s bigger raids on a very predictable kind of opportunism.

Flaunt is recalling its power banks after two burn injuries and a fire risk report. Anyone with the product is being told to stop using it and contact the company for a refund.

In Europe

France marked Bastille Day in Paris with a military parade that put Ukraine and European defense on display, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined Emmanuel Macron and other leaders for the ceremony. In Spain, David Sánchez, the prime minister’s brother, was banned from public office for nine years after a misconduct trial, and in the UK the latest Covid inquiry report said PPE failures left NHS staff exposed and wasted £10 billion.

Police in the UK also said former politician Ann Widdecombe was found dead at home last week after serious injuries. No further details were provided.

In the Middle East

The U.S. launched strikes on Iran early Tuesday, and Iran responded with attacks on U.S. allies across the Middle East, sharply raising the risk of a wider war. Oil prices also climbed above $85 a barrel as markets reacted to the escalating conflict. The Strait of Hormuz, for once, got the attention it has always deserved.

In U.S. politics and public life

Former U.S. officials and aviation cost estimates say the Trump administration quietly spent about $400,000 to fly 59 white South Africans from Johannesburg to Washington on a largely empty charter jet, a trip now under scrutiny for its cost and purpose. In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone, Lindsey Graham’s sister, to fill the late senator’s seat, drawing criticism over nepotism and fairness.

Separately, North Charleston police say Teresa Marie Mills left her 90-year-old husband with dementia alone while she went to dinner with friends. Officers found him disoriented and injured during a welfare check, and Mills was arrested on vulnerable adult abuse and neglect charges.

In business and trade

The European Commission says it may use unilateral trade defense measures against cheap Chinese imports if talks do not make progress before the October deadline set by trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.

In brief

Archaeologists near Luxor have uncovered a roughly 3,000-year-old Egyptian tomb with vivid paintings from the Ramesside period, including scenes of religious ritual and the journey into the afterlife.

In UK news

South East Water has agreed to pay £30.5 million after Ofwat found repeated supply failures, customer failings and licence breaches that left residents and businesses facing real disruption over several years. The package closes three investigations, including a proposed £22 million fine tied to outages from 2020 to 2023 that affected more than 286,000 people.

Separately, Reform UK is facing criticism over a proposal to make it a criminal offence to publish election material in any language other than English or Welsh. Language experts and civil rights campaigners say the plan would shut out minority communities, which is a bold choice for a party that seems to think democracy should come with subtitles.

In international security

Britain and the European Union say Russia’s FSB carried out a failed cyberattack aimed at Poland’s power grid, in an operation that could have left 500,000 people without electricity during winter. The response is the first joint UK-EU package of cyber sanctions.

Counter-terrorism police have taken over the investigation into the suspected murder of former minister and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe after officials said new information changed the direction of the inquiry.

In the United States

US Capitol Police say a 67-year-old man from Mississippi is in custody after allegedly being seen with a handgun outside the Capitol’s North Barricade in Washington. He faces a charge of carrying a pistol without a license or permit.

President Donald Trump has signed orders shrinking two national monuments in southern Utah by more than a million acres each, drawing criticism from environmentalists.

Health officials are also investigating a growing US outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite.

In science and technology

Astronomers have detected erythrulose, a sugar molecule found on Earth in raspberries and self-tanners, in a gas cloud near the center of the Milky Way. The find adds to evidence that some of the chemical ingredients linked to life may be widespread in space.

Elsewhere

In Wellington, Italy lock Niccolò Cannone has been suspended for four matches after his red card against New Zealand, ruling him out of Italy’s final Nations Championship match and the start of Benetton’s United Rugby Championship season.

And in Australia, a cargo ship called Matilda 1 has completed a beach landing test near Darwin, backing stern-first onto shore and out again in under a minute. Military planners love this sort of thing, right up until the first spreadsheet asks about the fuel bill.

In the Middle East

U.S. strikes on Iran continued for a third straight night, while President Trump said a deal is still possible. The fighting is also rattling shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with reports of attacks on vessels and fresh warnings about the route, which handles a huge share of global oil traffic.

That pressure is already showing up in markets. Brent crude has climbed to nearly $85 a barrel, a one-month high. Iranian nationalism is also hardening the negotiating line in Tehran, which is a charming development if your goal is to make diplomacy harder.

In U.S. news

An ICE officer fatally shot a motorist in Maine, the second deadly incident involving the agency in a week. Separate reporting identified the man as Colombian, adding to the scrutiny around immigration enforcement and use of force.

In Philadelphia, a 14-year-old has been charged with murder in the killing of a pizza delivery driver, and four people were injured in a separate shooting in Southwest Philadelphia. A federal judge also dismissed most of the city’s case over planned changes to the President’s House historic site.

In business and tech

Samsung is reportedly nearing production of Tesla’s AI5 chip at its Texas plant, with key preparations completed and operations now moving toward a late-2026 start. The chip race continues, which is great news for semiconductor fabs and for people who enjoy hearing that a new chip will arrive “soon” in industrial time.

In Thailand

Thai police are investigating possible safety failures after a deadly fire at a Bangkok bar. Survivors and first responders reported locked doors and no visible emergency exit signs, raising immediate questions about whether the disaster was preventable.

In South Korea

South Korea’s defense minister is under pressure on two fronts, facing a desertion allegation while military academy alumni organize against his plan to consolidate the armed forces’ academies. The reform drive now has the familiar problem of being both controversial and politically inconvenient.

In Washington and the international courts

The Trump administration has launched a diplomatic campaign to weaken the International Criminal Court, with officials saying they want to dismantle it over claims that it threatens American sovereignty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that line in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, arguing the court could drag U.S. personnel and officials into foreign legal jeopardy.

In the Middle East

Trump is facing a widening Iran crisis after ordering a naval blockade against Tehran, while fighting spreads across the region and raises fears the United States could be pulled in deeper. The UAE condemned what it called Iran’s attack on tankers, and the U.S. carried out a third straight night of strikes on Iran, as the standoff keeps moving in the wrong direction.

Separately, three Palestinians were killed and 15 others wounded in Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to the provided details, as ceasefire violations continue.

In public health

Michigan health officials say early findings point to lettuce or other salad greens as a possible source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has caused thousands of cases. The investigation is still ongoing, and officials say it is too early to rule out other food sources.

In business and tech

More than 200 economists and AI researchers are urging leaders to prepare now for major economic disruption from artificial intelligence. Their warning is straightforward, even if the politics around it usually are not: governments should start planning for a labor and productivity shock before the shock gets a vote.

In China, startup Dongfang Suanxin has unveiled the DF1000, a 3D-stacked processor design it says can rival NVIDIA without relying on the most advanced chipmaking nodes blocked by U.S. export controls. The company says the chip is ready for mass production, with shipments expected before year-end, and it is building out follow-on hardware and software around it.

In weather

Forecasters say the current El Niño is now expected to be stronger and last longer than previously predicted. AccuWeather also says a fifth heat wave begins tomorrow, with temperatures near 100 degrees by midweek and possible record highs in many cities. Summer remains committed to the bit.

In U.S. news

ICE fatally shot a Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, during an immigration operation, the second deadly-force case involving the agency in a week. Bystander video showed agents trying to slow a white sedan driving in circles in an intersection southwest of Portland. Senator Angus King said he was concerned the agents were not wearing body cameras.

A federal judge also voided a Trump administration IRS settlement, saying the president and the Justice Department misused the courts in a deal that created an anti-weaponization fund. Separate from that, Trump said he will deliver a primetime address on Thursday night as tensions with Iran rise over the Strait of Hormuz, though he did not say what he plans to announce.

In business

Twelve states are suing to block Paramount’s proposed $81 billion takeover of Warner Bros., arguing the merger would crush competition in Hollywood. Regulators are still doing what mergers now require: taking a very expensive thing and asking whether it will make the market worse.

In international news

Hungary’s parliament has moved to oust President Tamás Sulyok, another step by lawmakers trying to distance the country from the Viktor Orbán era.

In Bangkok, at least 27 people were killed after a fire broke out at a pub. Investigators are looking at the ceiling materials and whether emergency exits were blocked.

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, visited the site of a deadly wildfire in Almería and met with firefighters and emergency crews who battled the blaze.

In the Middle East

President Trump said the U.S. will take control of the Strait of Hormuz and block Iran there, after accusing Tehran of breaking the deal. CENTCOM also rejected an Iranian claim that three U.S. service members were killed in Kuwait, saying no such deaths occurred. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is heading to the U.S. for talks on security, energy investment, and the role of pro-Iran groups.

In the economy and crypto

Federal Reserve surveys say Trump’s tariffs are hitting small businesses especially hard. Many are raising prices, and many expect weaker hiring and revenue next year because smaller firms have fewer ways to absorb higher input costs.

At the same time, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is criticizing Senate leaders for leaving ethics restrictions out of a crypto regulation bill expected on the floor in the coming weeks. She also pointed to Trump’s recent financial disclosures, which, for a bill about rules and ethics, does keep the hypocrisy detector busy.

In public safety

A person was killed in a shooting involving ICE in Maine. That follows the fatal shooting of a Mexican national by ICE agents in Houston last week.

In Philadelphia’s Lawncrest section, one person was killed and four others were injured in a shooting at an apartment complex, less than 24 hours after a disturbance at the same location. Separately, in Lehigh County, firefighters responding to a house fire in South Whitehall Township found a man dead inside the home.

In another case, Dawood Safi has had a manslaughter plea accepted in the killing of a dog walker. He still faces trial for the attempted murder of his landlord and a teenage boy.

In health

The Met Office says more than 2,700 people died from heat-related complications in England and Wales during the hot weather in May and June. The toll covers the early summer heatwave, which brought blistering temperatures across both months.

The World Health Organization says a second U.S. citizen has been diagnosed with Ebola and transferred to Germany for treatment. The person, a humanitarian worker whose identity has not been disclosed, was admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital early Monday.

In climate and energy

British experts say recent heat waves in England and Wales caused about 2,700 excess deaths, with roughly 42% of them linked to the extra heat made worse by human-driven climate change. In the U.S., a major heat dome is pushing dangerous temperatures across the West, the Plains, and the Upper Great Lakes, with some places expected to top 110 degrees. France is also feeling the strain: EDF has temporarily shut down three nuclear reactors and may have to reduce output at seven more because the water used for cooling is too warm.

In the Middle East

The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz has escalated again, with the U.S. and Iran each claiming control of the vital shipping route after weekend attacks across the region. Yemen’s government says its forces also struck Sanaa airport to block an Iranian plane from landing there. Brent crude rose about 3 percent, staying below $80 a barrel, while UK fuel prices moved higher.

Obituaries

Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known to many as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, has died at 78. His family said the death was sudden and unexpected. He had been treated for blood cancer for five years and said in April that he was cancer-free. Over a five-decade career, he also appeared in The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Event Horizon, and The Hunter, and was widely honored in New Zealand and Australia.