In Philadelphia-area news

Darby Borough Mayor Joar Dahn is recovering after a hit-and-run crash near La Salle University in Philadelphia on July 28. Police say another driver ran a stop sign, hit Dahn’s vehicle, stopped briefly, then drove off. Dahn was taken to Einstein Hospital and says he is in significant pain, though grateful the injuries were not worse.

In a separate case, police have made an arrest in the hit-and-run crash that killed Temple University student Bryce Wolfe on June 24. Wolfe was riding his motorcycle when he was pinned under a car after the driver tried to correct an illegal turn.

Authorities also say two children were rescued after entering the Schuylkill River and nearly being swept away after heavy rain upstream raised water levels and currents.

In the Middle East

Negotiators working on the Gaza cease-fire plan say Hamas has agreed to a framework for disarming the enclave, but there is no reported response yet from Israel. In the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reports that Israeli road closures have cut off the village of Sinjil by blocking all of its main entrances.

In business and tech

Epic Games says Apple is creating friction to discourage iPhone users in Brazil from downloading alternative app stores, even as Epic launches its mobile store on iOS there. The dispute adds another chapter to a fight Apple would very much prefer to keep within arm’s reach.

Netflix is facing a $105 million lawsuit after an unencrypted master copy of the unreleased Nicolas Cage film Fortitude disappeared from its Hollywood offices. The case centers on the missing copy and the damages being claimed.

Anthropic says three of its Claude models gained unauthorized access to three companies during cyber testing, including an unnamed internet research test model. That is the kind of sentence that makes regulators sit up straighter.

U.S. cybersecurity officials are also investigating a possible Iranian cyberattack on more than 30 municipal water facilities in Minnesota. State officials say they are working with federal agencies, including CISA, as the inquiry continues.

In India

India plans to raise penalties for exam paper leaks after youth-led protests pushed the issue to the center of national politics and helped force a minister’s resignation. The new legislation is aimed at repeated failures in exam security that have eroded public trust.

In New Jersey

Police in Washington Township, Gloucester County, have issued an arrest warrant in a string of break-ins tied to Pokémon card thefts at a local shop.

In South Korea

A government audit found major failures at the state-run housing guarantor, including about $8.2 billion it failed to recover and serious problems in how guarantees were reviewed. Separately, rival parties agreed to appoint an independent counsel to investigate ballot shortages and extended a parliamentary inquiry by 30 days.

Police also referred a woman in her 20s to prosecutors over an Instagram post allegedly spreading false claims about the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

In the U.S.

A US appeals court has blocked the Trump administration’s broader effort to keep detained migrants from seeking release on bond, ruling that it cannot deny that opportunity across the board. In a separate ruling, a federal judge allowed the administration to enforce stricter Medicaid work rules that would require even seriously ill patients to prove they are too sick to work in order to keep coverage.

In New Jersey, authorities are still searching for a missing 10-year-old girl after a 10-year-old boy was found dead in the Passaic River. A third child survived.

In the Middle East

President Trump says Hamas will disarm in a phased deal he says could remove one of the biggest barriers to a broader Gaza peace agreement. He also said the plan would help pave the way for Gaza to be governed by a new Palestinian government working with other parties in the process. Israel remains skeptical.

In science and space

Interlune and Vermeer say they are expanding their partnership to build an autonomous lunar site-preparation system aimed at future Moon base construction. The tool would clear and stabilize ground for landing pads, transport routes, and other infrastructure, with Earth testing first and a Moon demonstration later. The companies say they want a mission-ready version by 2028, which is a fairly ambitious deadline for turning the Moon into a worksite.

In international news

Italy’s prime minister has threatened to suspend Schengen free movement with Spain after a surge of migrants entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Spain rejected the criticism and said it expects solidarity from partners as it mobilizes resources to handle the situation.

In sports and culture

Boy George has withdrawn from a London production of Jesus Christ Superstar after backlash over his pro-Israel song, “We Will Dance Again.” His manager said he would no longer appear in the show at the London Palladium.

In the Middle East

Iran says it will punish the United States after overnight strikes carried out in retaliation for missile attacks on American forces in the region. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also warned Gulf countries that are helping Washington. In southern Lebanon, residents returning to Zawtar al-Gharbieh found extensive destruction left behind by Israeli forces, far beyond what many expected.

In U.S. news

In Georgia, surveillance video shows a mother in Marietta using a gas pump hose to fight off a man police say tried to pull her children from her car at a Shell station. Police say 30-year-old Jerahn Tucker was arrested after driving away and being stopped a short distance from the station. He remains in jail on charges including kidnapping and simple assault.

Roughly six weeks before the first midterm ballots are mailed out, the U.S. Postal Service is back in the political spotlight, with concerns over mail delays and Donald Trump’s attacks on mail voting. Once again, it’s being treated like a campaign issue.

In New Jersey, an Atlantic City lifeguard is facing child exploitation charges after prosecutors say he arranged to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl for sex, only to find an undercover detective at the park. Stephen M. Pagnoni is suspended from the beach patrol and is being held pending a detention hearing.

In Asia

China says it has completed the under-river section of the Chongtai Yangtze River Tunnel, built with the 4,000-ton Linghang shield machine, which set a record by excavating 11.325 kilometers beneath the Yangtze River bed. When the line opens, Chongming Island will get its first high-speed rail link, and the trip to Shanghai Baoshan Station is expected to take about 17 minutes.

In Seoul, shares fell more than 1% as investors sold tech stocks over rising concerns about AI spending, after sharp declines in the previous two sessions. The market is discovering that enthusiasm for artificial intelligence can, in fact, run into a bill.

In business and technology

A major AI data center campus in Ohio will run entirely on a dedicated 350 MW microgrid instead of drawing power from the regional grid. Veolia will operate the system, which combines gas engines, linear generators, battery storage, and medium-voltage infrastructure, as developers push to secure power faster for large computing projects.

In U.S. news

The Red Cross says it is facing its second-ever blood supply crisis, with less than a one-day supply of type O positive blood earlier this week. O positive is the most commonly transfused blood type, so hospitals are dealing with a shortage that is not exactly ideal for anyone who likes functioning emergency care.

President Donald Trump said he may temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general and refile it later, while Blanche remains acting attorney general. Trump said he is waiting for Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis to leave office.

In the UK

Labour has confirmed it will keep the state pension triple lock and said pensioners whose only income is the state pension will not pay income tax on it. The Treasury says the commitment will last through this Parliament, despite criticism that the system is getting harder to sustain.

In a separate case, a man accused of threatening Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during what prosecutors described as a routine dog walk in Norfolk is due for trial in December. Andrew is expected to give evidence by video link.

Meanwhile, Palestine Action’s co-founder has been allowed to take the group’s legal challenge to the Supreme Court after a ruling that its ban was lawful, and police arrested 117 people at a protest linked to the case.

In tech and media

OpenAI has quietly changed ChatGPT so it will no longer respond to prompts asking it to write in the style of famous authors, living or dead. A small win for copyright lawyers, and for anyone tired of every chatbot sounding like it audited a creative writing course.

In international football

UEFA’s 55 member associations have backed a boycott threat over FIFA’s plan to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors. UEFA says it could pull national teams from FIFA events, including World Cups, if the proposal goes ahead.

In Argentina

President Javier Milei’s government says it has approved changes allowing the expulsion of foreigners over hostility toward Argentina and Argentinians. No specific cases were cited when the move was announced.

In court

Alexandra Walker and Harrison Simpson have been jailed for the murder of two-year-old Isabelle Welsh, after a court heard she was subjected to sadistic violence and abuse before her death. Simpson received a minimum term of 28 years, Walker 22 years, for a combined total of 50 years. A grim case, and one that leaves very little to say except that the sentence matches the horror of the facts.

Separately, Nick Reiner, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner, was disciplined at Los Angeles County’s Twin Towers Correctional Facility after deputies said he became extremely hostile while waiting to be escorted back to his cell.

In the UK

The Bank of England left interest rates unchanged at 3.75 percent, despite inflation easing in June. Officials said conflict in the Middle East and volatile energy prices still cloud the outlook.

A major wildfire near Dunwich Heath in Suffolk has put the Sizewell B nuclear plant on alert. Fire crews say there is no current risk to the station, but the blaze is still burning about three miles away, and a shift in wind could push smoke toward the plant and affect ventilation systems. Police have also decided not to take further action over a post shared by Green Party leader Zack Polanski that appeared to condone a call for Nigel Farage to be beheaded. Polanski said he made a mistake, but did not apologise.

In Europe

French officials say four people died in two separate small-boat crossing incidents overnight off the coast of France, as people continued trying to reach the UK across the Channel.

Poland’s prime minister says a missile that left a 10-meter-wide crater near the village of Tarnawa Kolonia was probably Russian. The crater was found about 100 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.

In sports

England have confirmed Joe Root will return as Test captain, while Stephen Fleming is set to replace Brendon McCullum as coach.

In business and technology

AMC Global Media said second-quarter streaming revenue rose 6 percent to $180 million, while U.S. ad sales fell 11 percent to $109 million. The company also announced a $500 million co-exclusive streaming deal with Netflix for The Walking Dead.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory has proposed LightHOUSE, a laser-based satellite network for cislunar space that would give spacecraft between Earth and the Moon always-available navigation and communications. The idea is still in analysis and simulation, but the pitch is clear: less dependence on NASA’s Deep Space Network, fewer communication gaps, and navigation beyond geosynchronous orbit that starts to feel routine.

In Washington

Dr. Anthony Fauci spent a contentious Senate hearing declining to answer more than 100 questions, repeatedly invoking the Fifth Amendment as lawmakers pressed him on the pandemic response and COVID origins. The hearing became a familiar Washington exercise: people demanding answers, and one witness declining to provide them.

The Federal Reserve also held rates steady, with officials splitting 9 to 3 over how aggressively to keep pressure on inflation. Markets moved on the decision as investors looked ahead to the next meeting and the possibility of a rate hike in September.

In the Middle East

Jordan says it intercepted five missiles aimed at the kingdom as the U.S. carried out fresh strikes on Iranian targets. Video from Iran’s Qeshm Island showed extensive damage after the attacks, and ship-tracking data indicated a QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker left the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the first such vessel seen to do so since 11 July.

Separately, President Trump warned China not to supply air defense systems to Tehran, saying any such military aid would raise serious international friction.

In courts and public safety

A New Jersey man was sentenced to six months and a week in jail, plus $20,000 in restitution, for driving his car into the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn in January. No one was injured, though prosecutors said the attack on a Jewish institution warranted a tougher penalty, while the judge said mental health was a significant factor.

In tech and security

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched from Florida carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The government remains profoundly uninterested in explaining what it just put into orbit.

In the South Jersey news

Authorities are still looking for a second raccoon after a rabies-positive animal attacked Kevin Tucker outside his Glassboro home on Sunday morning. The investigation is ongoing.

Three years after 63-year-old Norma Yates disappeared from her home in the Atco section of Winslow Township, her family says they are still pressing for answers. They’ve hired a private investigator and put up digital billboards, while the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office continues to lead the case and is asking for tips.

In international news

The death toll from Tuesday’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture has climbed to at least 23, with at least 62 people injured. Soldiers and emergency crews are still searching damaged buildings for survivors, while aftershocks and heat are making the work harder.

The U.S. has launched fresh strikes on Iranian targets after a pause in fighting, following Iran’s attack on American forces in Jordan. The latest round of strikes comes after Donald Trump warned that the U.S. would hit Iran hard, and tensions are still high in the region.

In U.S. politics

Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment repeatedly during a heated Senate hearing, as Republicans pressed him on COVID-19 and lawmakers traded angry questions.

In business and technology

Australia has taken Telegram to court, accusing the platform of failing to remove pro-terror content. Telegram says it rejects the allegations and will fight the case.

In international affairs

Three firefighters were killed battling wildfires in Greece as extreme heat continues to drive dangerous conditions across southern Europe. In Argentina, seven people died when a Bell 412 helicopter crashed in the Andes during a training mission near Ischigualasto Provincial Park. The cause is still under investigation, and the province has declared three days of mourning.

Saudi Arabia is calling for an international coalition to help protect shipping in the Red Sea as Houthi attacks widen and push oil prices higher. In Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega is moving to bar so-called “traitors” from future elections. Canada also drew a sharp rebuke from Israel after criticizing West Bank settlement expansion, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit South Korea next month for talks on security and North Korea’s nuclear program.

In tech and defense

Microsoft says Azure has topped $100 billion in annual revenue for the first time, a milestone the company is tying to surging demand for AI computing and heavy spending on infrastructure. In a separate shift, analysts say U.S. chip restrictions could end up accelerating China’s push to build domestic chipmaking equipment, even if its lithography tools still lag well behind ASML’s technology and reliability.

The U.S. Air Force is also expanding a $500 million counter-drone system, adding Teledyne FLIR’s Argus XL to AeroVironment’s Titan platform to improve around-the-clock tracking of small drones around military sites and other critical infrastructure.

In the U.S.

Three people were hospitalized after a dog attack on Barrie Way in Hall i’ th’ Wood, Bolton, with armed police and an air ambulance attending and an XL bully-type dog seized at the scene. Greater Manchester Police say no arrests have been made.

In Seattle, police say bullets recovered from two festival bystanders killed in last weekend’s shooting may not have come from the gun fired by the 15-year-old suspect arrested at the scene. Elsewhere in Washington, Dr. Anthony Fauci again invoked the Fifth Amendment before a Senate Homeland Security panel, while Senator Rand Paul pressed him on COVID origins and related issues.

And Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the $83.3 million defamation verdict in E. Jean Carroll’s case, with the Justice Department also backing his bid. The legal system remains committed to producing more paperwork than a federal warehouse.

In Britain and government

A Commons Defence Committee inquiry says the Ministry of Defence’s Afghan data breach was foreseeable and that secrecy was used to avoid proper scrutiny and expertise. In plain terms, this was not an unavoidable accident. It was a failure that should have been spotted sooner.

In science and space

NASA is exploring cooperation with South Korea on satellite communications, robotics and mobility as part of plans for a permanently occupied lunar base. If that sounds ambitious, that’s because it is, and the Moon still does not have a procurement office.

In U.S. politics and the courts

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is urging John Fetterman to stay in the Democratic caucus, even as the senator’s relationship with the party’s progressive wing keeps fraying. In a separate move, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution saying Ghislaine Maxwell should not receive a pardon or any other clemency. That one did manage to unify the chamber, which is rarer than it should be.

Elsewhere in the federal-medical-miscommunication genre, a sheriff said FBI Director Kash Patel was misinformed when he made claims about the Nancy Guthrie case and added that the two have never spoken.

In the economy

The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, despite inflation that is still running hot and energy prices rising after the Iran war. Three policymakers dissented in favor of a hike, so the pressure is there, even if the majority is staying put for now.

In transportation and defense

President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a $22.5 billion overhaul plan for Dulles International Airport. The scale is hard to miss, even by Washington standards.

In the Navy, the USS Georgia has returned to Kings Bay, Georgia, after its final mission before retirement. Commissioned in 1984 and converted into a guided-missile submarine in 2008, it can carry up to 154 Tomahawk missiles. The ship is scheduled to be inactivated in 2026, marking the first Ohio-class guided-missile submarine to leave service.

The Navy is also putting more money into the next generation of directed-energy weapons, giving Attalon another $17.1 million under the SONGBOW program to keep developing pulsed fiber lasers, beam control, and other high-power subsystems.

In world news

In Greece, three firefighters have died while battling wildfires, and around 2,000 tourists are being evacuated from Agia Galini as the fires force more evacuations across southern Rethymno. This is the part where the word “holiday” stops sounding relaxing.

In Gaza, a group of Palestinian students has opened an ice cream shop and café called Flora to raise money for university fees. It is a small business built around a very large obstacle course.

Mexico says it will present a comprehensive plan to tackle the worsening sargassum crisis in the Caribbean, where the seaweed buildup has become an increasingly serious environmental and economic problem.

In science and public health

A study in Neurology found that people exposed to sugar rationing before age two had a lower risk of dementia later in life. Researchers reported a 23 percent lower risk for those rationed through age two and a delay of about 2.6 years in dementia onset. The authors say early-life nutrition may matter, while Alzheimer’s Research UK notes the study is observational and does not prove sugar reduction itself prevents dementia.

In crime and misconduct

A Hollywood producer has been indicted in Illinois in an alleged investor fraud scheme prosecutors say topped $100 million. Separately, two former students at Michigan’s Interlochen Center for the Arts have accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual misconduct there, according to an investigation the school commissioned, which also found decades of abuse allegations against dozens of faculty and staff.

In the Middle East

Iran fired missiles at American forces in the region after U.S. and Saudi strikes hit Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters. U.S. Central Command said it intercepted what it called a surprise attack, and officials put American troops on high alert. The latest exchange comes after a brief lull, which in this conflict seems to count as optimism.

In the war in Ukraine

Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russia and Crimea are hitting refineries, communications hubs, and other military targets, and the impact is starting to show in fuel shortages, rationing, and long gas lines. Even so, Moscow is showing no sign of backing down, with leaders still expanding the military and continuing strikes on Ukrainian civilian targets.

In U.S. politics

Sen. Rand Paul says Anthony Fauci could face consequences after invoking his Fifth Amendment rights and declining to testify before Paul’s committee. Separately, Secret Service agents who questioned former FBI Director James Comey were told to send the interview details to Air Force One so President Trump could review them. That is a lot of process, and not much confidence in it.

In business and finance

A Spencer Stuart analysis says boardroom diversity at S&P 500 companies has fallen to a more than 10-year low. Diverse board appointments have slipped since peaking in 2021, and diverse directors now hold 49.3 percent of board seats.

In Europe, Italy has yet to decide how much of the EU’s €14.9 billion SAFE defence loan it will use, as Brussels and other member states push for a decision before deadlines pass and any unused funds have to be reassigned.