海角大神

New outbreaks of violence occurred at two distinct flashpoints, straining a fragile ceasefire and calling into question the ability of the transitional government to exert its authority across the country. In the north, government-affiliated fighters confronted Kurdish-led forces who control much of the region, while in the southern province of Sweida, they clashed with Druze armed groups. Syria鈥檚 interim authorities are trying to maintain a tense ceasefire in Sweida province after clashes with Druze factions last month, and to implement an agreement with the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that would reintegrate large swaths of northeastern Syria.

An independent watchdog agency responsible for enforcing a law against partisan political activity by federal employees has opened an investigation into Jack Smith, the Justice Department special counsel who brought two criminal cases against then-candidate Donald Trump before his election to the White House last year. The Office of Special Counsel confirmed Saturday that it was investigating Mr. Smith on allegations he engaged in political activity through his inquiries into President Trump. Mr. Smith was named special counsel by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 and his special counsel title is entirely distinct from the agency now investigating him. The office has no criminal enforcement power but does have the authority to impose fines and other sanctions.

Russian officials say a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot near Russia鈥檚 Black Sea resort of Sochi has sparked a major fire. More than 120 firefighters have been working to extinguish the blaze. Russia鈥檚 civil aviation authority temporarily stopped flights at Sochi鈥檚 airport. Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, a Russian missile strike hit a residential area in Mykolaiv, wounding seven people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners following negotiations in Istanbul. There was no immediate comment from Russia.

It did so in just 15 hours. The team, consisting of astronauts from the U.S., Russia, and Japan, launched from NASA鈥檚 Kennedy Space Center and arrived on Saturday. They will spend at least six months aboard, replacing colleagues who have been there since March. SpaceX plans to bring the previous crew back as early as Wednesday. NASA鈥檚 Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan鈥檚 Kimiya Yui, and Russia鈥檚 Oleg Platonov are now on board. Their arrival temporarily increases the space station鈥檚 population to 11.

It ruled Friday night to uphold a lower court鈥檚 temporary order blocking the Trump administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in Southern California. A three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing Monday at which the federal government asked the court to overturn a temporary restraining order issued July 12. The government argued the order was impeding its ability to enforce immigration law. Immigrant advocacy groups filed a lawsuit last month accusing the administration of targeting people in Southern California based on apparent race or ethnicity during its immigration crackdown.

It was one operated by the Israeli-backed American contractor whose efforts to deliver food to the territory have been marred by violence and controversy. International experts warned this week that a 鈥渨orst-case scenario of famine鈥� is playing out in Gaza. Israel鈥檚 nearly 22-month military offensive against Hamas has shattered security and made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving people. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Friday toured a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site in the city of Rafah, which has been almost completely destroyed and is now a largely depopulated Israeli military zone.

Friday鈥檚 decision came after what the president called 鈥渉ighly provocative statements鈥� by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Trump has feuded online in recent days. The impact on U.S. nuclear subs 鈥� which normally and routinely patrol global hotspots 鈥� remains unclear. But the move potentially escalates tensions between Washington and Moscow at a delicate time, as Mr. Trump threatens new sanctions in an attempt to push Russia toward a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is shutting down its operations, the nonprofit said on Friday, in a blow to local TV and radio stations. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $9 billion funding cut to public media and foreign aid, including the elimination of $1.1 billion earmarked for the CPB. Created by Congress in 1967, the CPB distributed more than $500 million annually to National Public Radio, Public Broadcasting Service, and more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to bring back the Presidential Fitness Test, once a staple in schools across the nation. The test, which began in 1966 to gauge health and athleticism among children, was phased out by the Obama administration. The move will also reinvigorate a national sports council that is comprised of former and current athletes to address issues in college athletics. So far, the decision has received mixed reactions, with some experts emphasizing the need for comprehensive fitness programs.

U.S. employers added just 73,000 jobs in July and Labor Department revisions showed that hiring was much weaker than previously reported in May and June. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%. The deterioration in the job market occurs as companies face uncertainty over President Donald Trump鈥檚 trade policies. The Labor Department reported Friday that revisions shaved a stunning 258,000 jobs off May and June payrolls. Mr. Trump said Friday that he has directed his team to fire the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures. In a post on his social media platform, he alleged that the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, should be fired. (Updated at 3:08 p.m. US ET.) 

The cascade of new tariffs, or taxes, on imported goods will likely raise prices for U.S. consumers and businesses alike. Economists expect the new and higher tariffs to accelerate the economy鈥檚 current gradual slowdown.

An order Thursday by U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson in San Francisco affects 7,000 Nepalese whose Temporary Protected Status designations were scheduled to expire Tuesday. About 51,000 people from Honduras and nearly 3,000 from Nicaragua were scheduled to have their status terminated in September. Homeland Security had ended the program, maintaining that conditions in their home countries no longer warranted protections.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Thursday night that would introduce new tariffs on many of them in seven days, presenting a fresh test for the global economy and alliances. Mr. Trump said Thursday he would extend trade negotiations with Mexico for 90 days. Dozens of others faced duties of up to 41% on U.S. imports. While a handful of trade deals have trickled in, many details remain hazy.

After an era pushing the world toward open trade, the U.S. under President Trump is imposing higher tariffs from Canada to South Korea.

The move opened the door for President Nayib Bukele to serve another term. He won a second term last year despite a constitution prohibition. El Salvador鈥檚 top court, filled with Bukele-backed judges, ruled in 2021 that it was the leader鈥檚 right to run again. The constitutional amendment passed on Thursday by Mr. Bukele鈥檚 New Ideas party will allow indefinite presidential reelection, extend terms from five years to six, and scrap run-offs.

It said Thursday that workers would break ground in September for one to be built adjacent to the mansion鈥檚 East Wing. Mr. Trump has long said that the White House lacked a large-scale facility for entertaining. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that work on the 90,000-square-foot facility will be completed 鈥渓ong before鈥� Trump鈥檚 term ends in January 2029. The $200 million cost will be donated by Trump and other donors, she said.

The White House said envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee will inspect food distribution in Gaza on Friday. The Gaza Health Ministry said that at least 91 Palestinians have been killed and more than 600 wounded while trying to get aid in another 24-hour period. The Israeli military says it targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas. Mr. Witkoff plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S. Treasury Department is freezing any assets or property Justice Alexandre de Moraes may have in the United States because of his role overseeing the trial against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. This follows the U.S. State Department鈥檚 visa restrictions on Brazilian judicial officials, including Mr. de Moraes. Mr. Bolsonaro is accused of attempting to overturn the 2022 presidential election results. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods in response to the 鈥渨itch hunt鈥� trial of the former Brazilian leader, a longtime ally of Mr. Trump. 

The U.S. president posted online Thursday that his phone conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was 鈥渧ery successful鈥� and that the two leaders are 鈥済etting to know and understand each other.鈥� Mr. Trump said goods from Mexico imported into the U.S. would continue to face a 25% tariff that he has linked to fentanyl trafficking. He said copper, aluminum, and steel would be taxed at 50%.

This initiative aims to make accessing health records and monitoring wellness easier. More than 60 companies, including major tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple, as well as health care giants like UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health, have agreed to share patient data in the system. Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who will be in charge of maintaining the system, maintain that patient data will be secure. But experts warn of ethical and legal concerns and potential misuse of sensitive information.

An area of more than 3.5 million acres had been deemed suitable for wind energy development. Now, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is rescinding all designated wind energy areas in federal waters, citing what it calls 鈥渟peculative wind development.鈥� Offshore wind lease sales were anticipated off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Maine, New York, California, and Oregon. 鈥� AP

Gintautas Paluckas stepped down Thursday following investigations into his business dealings that prompted protests in the Baltic country鈥檚 capital and calls for his resignation. Mr. Paluckas, a Social Democrat, took the role last year after a three-party coalition formed following parliamentary elections in October.

Pressure to recognize Palestinian statehood had grown since French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will become the first major Western power to do so. As with France and the United Kingdom, which made a similar announcement Tuesday, Canadian recognition will be largely symbolic. Still, it could increase diplomatic pressure for an end to the conflict. More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state.

That鈥檚 despite new tariffs slated to begin in a few days. India鈥檚 government says it鈥檚 studying the implications of Mr. Trump鈥檚 announcement he鈥檒l impose a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax, starting Friday, because of its purchasing of Russian oil. India鈥檚 Trade Ministry says it remains committed to negotiating a 鈥渇air, balanced and mutually beneficial鈥� bilateral trade agreement.

It did so for the fifth time this year, brushing off repeated calls from President Donald Trump for a cut. The Fed鈥檚 decision Wednesday leaves its short-term rate at about 4.3%, where it has stood after the central bank reduced it three times last year. Chair Jerome Powell has said the Fed would likely have cut rates already if not for Trump鈥檚 sweeping tariffs. Mr. Powell and other Fed officials say they want to see how Mr. Trump鈥檚 duties on imports will impact inflation and the broader economy. Two Fed governors dissented in favor of a cut.

The plan, announced Wednesday by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, comes as the White House seeks to bolster regional cooperation in the fight against transnational criminal groups, such as Tren de Aragua. The gang, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration, has been active in Chile in recent years. A bilateral agreement allows Chilean officials to identify potentially dangerous individuals entering or exiting the country and share their biometric data, such as fingerprints, with the Department of Homeland Security to prevent their travel to the U.S.

The plaintiffs alleged the university allowed pro-Palestinian protesters in 2024 to block their access to classes and other areas on campus. In March, the Trump administration joined the lawsuit. The settlement comes nearly a year after a preliminary injunction was issued, marking the first time a U.S. judge had ruled against a university over last year鈥檚 demonstrations against Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza on college campuses. The University of California said it was committed to combating antisemitism. UCLA initially had argued that it had no legal responsibility over the issue because protesters, not the university, blocked Jewish students鈥� access to areas.

The $1.3 billion mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides, and other disasters, scientists said. The satellite, known as NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, will survey the same locations twice every 12 days, teasing out changes as small as a fraction of an inch. Among the satellite鈥檚 most pressing measurements: melting glaciers and polar ice sheets; shifting groundwater supplies; motion and stress of land surfaces prompting landslides and earthquakes; and forest and wetland disruptions boosting carbon dioxide and methane emissions. The satellite blasted off for its three-year mission from India on Wednesday.

Union Pacific, a rail network in the West, is seeking to buy Norfolk Southern鈥檚 tracks that snake across Eastern U.S. states. If the $85 billion deal is approved, the merger would create the first transcontinental railroad in the United States and potentially trigger a final wave of rail mergers across the country. Regulators are scrutinizing the deal as no single entity has controlled that coast-to-coast passage, which stretches more than 50,000 miles of track through 43 states. 

Representing congregations around the country, they were singing and praying for food for Gaza. The more than two dozen rabbis also represented Jewish denominations including Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox, according to the Huffington Post. All are members of a campaign called Jews for Food Aid for People in Gaza. They were arrested within minutes of sitting on the floor of the office of Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Some 1,000 rabbis also signed an open letter this week, according to the Times of Israel, demanding that Israel 鈥渟top using starvation as a weapon of war.鈥� 鈥� Staff

It announced Wednesday that YouTube will be required to ensure account-holders are at least 16 beginning in December, citing concerns about harm. The decision reverses an earlier exemption for the video-sharing service. Platforms like Facebook and TikTok are also affected. Children can still access YouTube but can鈥檛 have accounts. YouTube maintained that it is not social media. 

It passed a motion Tuesday to prohibit on-duty law enforcement officers in unincorporated areas from masking or refusing to identify themselves. The motion calls for an ordinance to be drafted and passed within 60 days. Federal officials have said the practice of immigration enforcement officers concealing their identities is necessary for protection. The question of local authority in this matter 鈥渕ight have to be decided by a court,鈥� said one of the motion鈥檚 co-authors. 鈥� Staff

A tsunami reached coastal areas of Russia鈥檚 sparsely populated Kuril Islands and Japan鈥檚 large northern island of Hokkaido after the 8.8-magnitude earthquake, among the strongest this century, struck early Wednesday. Warnings were in place for Alaska, Hawaii, and other coasts south toward New Zealand. Officials urged caution, saying bigger waves could come later.

The assembly convened high-level officials on Monday to promote a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The gathering, which was postponed from late June, was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, who see the arrangement as the only viable path to peace in the Middle East. The chairs propose the creation of two independent nations with citizens of both states living side-by-side and a road map with specific steps to end the war in Gaza. Israel and the United States are both boycotting the meeting. 

A man with a rifle killed an off-duty New York City police officer and three other people before taking his own life at a Manhattan office tower on Monday, according to officials. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that investigators believe the gunman was trying to target the headquarters of the National Football League but accidentally entered the wrong set of elevator banks. The Las Vegas resident, who played high school football in California nearly two decades ago but never in the NFL, had a history of mental illness, police said.

A government minister in India says three suspected militants killed in a gunfight in Kashmir were responsible for a massacre earlier this year. Home Minister Amit Shah says that the Pakistani nationals were killed Monday in a joint operation near Srinagar. Mr. Shah said that forensic reports show that the rifle cartridges found match those used in the April 22 attack on Hindu tourists. The massacre led to military clashes between India and Pakistan. There has been no immediate response from Islamabad. 

This spring, world leaders urged calm as India-Pakistan relations deteriorated to their worst state in six years following a militant assault in India-controlled Kashmir.

That鈥檚 the longstanding finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, and helped build the case for tailpipe emissions standards for vehicles. The move could set off what the administration describes as the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history. Lee Zeldin, Republican President Donald Trump鈥檚 pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, announced the plan on a podcast Tuesday, saying it will save Americans money and unravel two decades of regulation.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state before the U.N. General Assembly in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza. He also called for other 鈥渟ubstantive steps,鈥� including no annexation in the West Bank and commitment to a peace process that delivers a two state solution. Mr. Starmer repeated U.K. demands that Hamas release the hostages it holds, disarm, and 鈥渁ccept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.鈥�

Talks in Stockholm entered a second day Tuesday, with a trade truce set to expire August 12. President Donald Trump has said that his administration was close to reaching a deal. But China appeared to be set to make new demands, owing to some recent global export wins and other momentum: China has seen the U.S. allow the sale of Nvidia chips to China and stop seeking to pull the visas of Chinese students on U.S. campuses. This includes material from Reuters. 

The Dutch foreign minister announced the ban in response to the deteriorating situation in Gaza. It targets National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 coalition. The pair are champions of Israeli settlement and support continuing the war. Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway imposed financial sanctions on the two men last month.

Mr. Trump met in Scotland Monday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. At one of Mr. Trump's golf courses, the two leaders discussed the deepening food crisis in Gaza, Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine, and tariff rates. The U.S. president said Israel 鈥渉as a lot of responsibility鈥� for what鈥檚 happening but is hampered by what its actions might mean for the prospects of Israeli hostages Hamas has been holding.

A federal judge ruled Monday that the organization鈥檚 clinics nationwide must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding. The order replaces a previous edict that had granted a preliminary injunction specifically blocking the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood members that didn鈥檛 provide abortion care, or didn鈥檛 meet a threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year.

And statehouses across the United States are addressing long-standing facility disparities for them. In Kentucky, a $300 million renovation, expected to be finished by at least 2028, will add more bathrooms for the 41 women lawmakers who risk missing debates or votes if they have to stand in line. Similar efforts are underway in Georgia, reflecting a shift toward inclusivity. Advocates say these changes symbolize a shift toward respect and equality, ensuring public spaces meet the needs of all lawmakers and the public.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will set a new 10 or 12 day deadline for Russia. During meetings with European leaders in Scotland, Mr. Trump expressed frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 lack of progress in reaching a deal over the three-year war in Ukraine. Mr. Trump stated, 鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed in President Putin,鈥� threatening additional sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless an agreement is reached by early September. Mr. Trump has repeatedly voiced exasperation with both Mr. Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for not reaching an agreement to end the war.

Earlier this month, a number of European officials admitted to being moved by an exchange between Myroslava Petsa, a Ukrainian journalist, and Mr. Trump in which they detected an emotion they hadn鈥檛 previously associated with America鈥檚 president: compassion.

The move, announced on Saturday, is expected to worsen the crisis in Sudan, which has been in chaos since April 2023. Tensions between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, has led to fighting in Khartoum and other areas. The RSF, accused of atrocities, has named Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as head of a new 15-member council. The internationally recognized government in Khartoum condemned the move, calling it a 鈥渇ake government.鈥� The situation could further divide Sudan.

Sudan is in the throes of the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crisis. But a college student who fled to South Sudan holds on to her dream of being a journalist.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as head of the ASEAN regional bloc, announced the agreement Monday after talks. The ceasefire takes effect at midnight local time Tuesday. Military and officials from both countries will meet to defuse tensions. The clashes began last Thursday after a land mine explosion wounded Thai soldiers. The violence has killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000.

Israel announced 10-hour daily pauses in fighting in three heavily populated areas and is allowing for air drops of 鈥渕inimal鈥� aid, coordinated by international agencies and local governments including Jordan鈥檚. It also intercepted another humanitarian aid vessel and detained the more than 20 international activists on board. The New York Times reported on emerging differences between the Israeli government and its military over whether Hamas had been routinely seizing aid over time, a central argument in Israel鈥檚 curtailment of aid since March. Meanwhile, at least 34 Palestinians were killed overnight, Gaza health officials said, in Israeli operations outside of the pause windows.

The first flight, operated by Russian carrier Nordwind, left Moscow Sunday with more than 400 passengers. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a visit to North Korea鈥檚 new beach resort earlier this month, promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex, which was built to boost tourism and help improve North Korea鈥檚 troubled economy.

The Slovenian racer claimed his fourth title Sunday, cementing a reign that recalls those of Belgian Eddy Merckx and American Lance Armstrong 鈥� yet feels entirely his own, a showcase of exuberance and focus. 鈥淭he way Pogacar is able to control a race feels organic,鈥� wrote Julien Pretot of Reuters, 鈥渄riven by raw talent, versatility, and a calm confidence that suggests inevitability rather than fear.鈥� 

He became the first Black driver to win a major race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway鈥檚 2.5-mile oval, surviving a late rain delay, two overtimes, concerns over running out of fuel and a hard-charging Kyle Larson on Sunday in the Brickyard 400. The third NASCAR Cup victory of Wallace鈥檚 career was also his most significant 鈥� his first win at one of the series鈥� four crown jewel races.

Authorities said Sunday they are seeking to file the charge, along with a charge of assault with intent to murder, against the suspect in the Saturday knife attack in Traverse City, in which 11 people were stabbed. Authorities say a suspect is in custody and that investigators believe those hurt Saturday were not specifically targeted. 

The head of the election organizing body told state media Sunday that the elections will occur between September 15 and 20. These will be the first elections since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in December. Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa will appoint one-third of the 210 seats, with the rest elected. An electoral college will be set up in each province. The announcement comes amid sectarian violence in the southern province of Sweida.

The agreement includes a 15% tariff on E.U. goods entering the United States and significant E.U. purchases of U.S. energy and military equipment. The deal also calls for $600 billion in investments in the U.S. by the European Union, President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the deal would help rebalance trade between the two large trading partners.

Talks in Malaysia will aim to end hostilities, a spokesperson of the Thai prime minister鈥檚 office said. The fighting, now in its fourth day, has killed at least 34 people and displaced more than 168,000. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will attend Monday鈥檚 talks in response to an invitation from the Malaysian prime minister. His Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet will also attend the talks, though that was not immediately confirmed by the Cambodian side.

It was carried out in the early hours of Sunday by members of the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) inside the premises of a Catholic church in Komanda. A spokesperson for the Congolese army in Ituri province, where Komanda is located, confirmed 10 dead. A civil society leader said at least 21 had been killed. The ADF, formed in Uganda in the late 1990s and with ties with the Islamic State, operates in the borderland between Uganda and Congo, has routinely conducted attacks against civilian populations.

They said the drops will be made in coordination with international aid organizations, and that humanitarian corridors will be established for United Nations convoys. The statement came after increasing accounts of starvation-related deaths in Gaza. International criticism has grown as several hundred Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks while trying to reach aid. The military鈥檚 statement did not say when the corridors would open, or where. It also said the military is prepared to implement humanitarian pauses in some areas, but stressed that combat operations continue.

They turned back a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers from the opposition Nationalist Party in a recall election. Supporters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party hoped to flip the balance of power in the legislature, but preliminary results on Saturday showed the recall efforts failed to remove any of the KMT lawmakers. The recall elections are unprecedented in scale, with more votes set for Aug. 23. If those results are unfavorable to the DPP, President Lai Ching-te鈥檚 government could face strong resistance in the legislature before elections expected in 2028.

The U.S. administration is releasing to schools funds for adult literacy, English language instruction, and other programs, the Education Department said Friday. President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration had withheld more than $6 billion in funding July 1 as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House鈥檚 priorities. Officials later said the department would release $1.3 billion of the money for after-school programs, days after 10 Republican senators asked the administration to allow frozen education money to be sent to states. Friday鈥檚 announcement releases the rest of the money.

The Federal Communications Commission鈥檚 stamp of approval Thursday on the $8 billion merger comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump鈥檚 legal battle with 鈥�60 Minutes,鈥� the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the threat of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount earlier this month agreed to a $16 million settlement with the president.

Clashes over disputed border areas entered a second day, killing at least 15 people and displacing more than 60,000. The Thai army accused Cambodian forces of using heavy artillery, prompting what Thai officials described as 鈥渁ppropriate supporting fire鈥� in return. The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis today in New York, while Malaysia offered to mediate.

President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement in a post on X Thursday. Currently, 142 nations recognize Palestine or plan to. Spain, Norway, and Ireland made the move in May 2024. Mr. Macron said the continuing devastation of Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza, combined with promises of reform from the Palestinian Authority鈥檚 Mahmoud Abbas, led to the declaration. Reports suggest the United Kingdom could soon follow, pointing to growing outrage at the humanitarian cost of the war. 

The Ukrainian president submitted it to parliament Thursday in a bid to restore the independence of the country鈥檚 anti-corruption agencies 鈥� and to defuse tensions caused by his earlier approval of a controversial law placing them under his authority. That move had sparked the first major demonstrations since the war began, as well as criticism from the European Union.

As it waits to gauge the impact of United States President Donald Trump鈥檚 tariffs, its board has decided to leave its benchmark deposit rate at 2 percent. So far, the bank said the economy was 鈥渞esilient,鈥� partly due to a series of rate cuts, but that the economic environment remains 鈥渆xceptionally uncertain.鈥� Bank President Christine Lagarde said the bank was not committed to any future rate changes and is in a 鈥渨ait and watch situation.鈥� 

They鈥檙e employing puppeteers to save newborn birds rejected by their parents. When a yellow-headed vulture hatched three weeks ago, its parents were not ready to care of the chick. That鈥檚 when the bird keepers placed the first-born in a box and fed it using a puppet designed to mimic a parent bird. One of the zookeepers said the puppet is needed to make sure the bird will be capable of breeding, which it won鈥檛 if it gets too used to human interaction.

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported that Department of Justice officials had launched a civil fraud investigation into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage, or MA, plans. Those are privately run versions of the government鈥檚 Medicare coverage program, mostly for people ages 65 and over. The company says it has started complying with both criminal and civil requests from investigators, and is working cooperatively with them. The company鈥檚 business covers more than 8 million people as the nation鈥檚 largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. 

The deal, first announced in May, comes after more than three years of negotiations. It will cut India鈥檚 average tariff on British goods, including cars, from 15% to 3%. India says 99% of Indian exports, including textiles and jewelry, will face no import duty under the deal. Britain expects it to boost bilateral trade by billions of British pounds and create thousands of jobs. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was "the biggest and most economically significant trade deal" Britain has made since leaving the European Union in 2020. 

The agreement was made Wednesday in order to restore federal research money that was canceled in the name of combating what the Trump administration viewed as antisemitism on campus. It will pay the settlement over three years. The school had been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support. 

The militant group confirmed sending the proposal to mediators. An Israeli official called it 鈥渨orkable.鈥� More than 100 charity and human rights groups warned this week that Israel鈥檚 actions are pushing Palestinians in Gaza toward starvation. U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to head to Italy Thursday to meet top Israeli negotiator Ron Dermer and discuss the ceasefire deal. 

The Thai government said at least nine civilians were killed amid clashes Thursday in contested border areas with Cambodia after the nations downgraded diplomatic relations in a rapidly escalating dispute. The Thai army said it has launched airstrikes on ground targets in Cambodia. Five Thai soldiers were wounded by land mines Wednesday during a border patrol. That incident came days after three other Thai soldiers were wounded along the border.

A U.S. judge on Wednesday denied a bid from the Justice Department to unseal the transcripts related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in South Florida, the first ruling in a series of attempts by President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration to release more information on the case. The Justice Department has pending requests to unseal transcripts in Manhattan federal court related to a later indictment brought against Mr. Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell. U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg found that the Justice Department鈥檚 request in Florida did not fall into any of the exceptions to rules requiring grand jury material to be kept secret.

They say they aren't seeking to assign blame as they review actions around the July 4 floods. Republican Sen. Charles Perry said the special session will focus on prevention and preparedness. State and county emergency response officials are scheduled to testify, but no officials from Kerr County, which was the most affected. Also on the agenda for this summer's special legislative session: a partisan redrawing of U.S. House maps to give Republicans more winnable seats. Democrats have not ruled out a walkout to derail the redistricting vote, saying they want to address flood relief and new warning systems first.

Thailand said it is closing some border crossings, withdrawing its ambassador, and expelling Cambodia鈥檚 after five Thai soldiers were wounded during a border patrol. Thailand鈥檚 acting prime minister said the Foreign Ministry would make an official protest to Cambodia and consider further measures. Wednesday鈥檚 incident comes days after three other Thai soldiers were wounded in a different area along the border. Thai authorities say that the mines were laid along paths by mutual agreement.

Turkey reached deals with Britain and Germany on Wednesday to acquire dozens of Eurofighter Typhoon jets, which Ankara has sought to bolster defenses in an increasingly volatile region. Britain signed a preliminary deal allowing Ankara to operate the jets while Germany approved delivery of 40 of them to Turkey. Defence Minister Yasar Guler said the deal brought Turkey 鈥渙ne step closer to a fully comprehensive agreement鈥� on the jets, adding it would also strengthen NATO and Turkey鈥檚 aerial capabilities.

In a landmark ruling, the non-binding opinion by the International Court of Justice is likely to determine the course of future climate action worldwide. The deliberation of the 15 judges of the ICJ in The Hague will carry legal and political weight, and future climate cases will be unable to ignore it, legal experts say. The two questions the U.N. General Assembly asked the judges to consider were: what are countries鈥� obligations under international law to protect the climate from greenhouse gas emissions; and what are the legal consequences for countries that harm the climate system?

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is citing an executive order from President Donald Trump as the basis of the ban. The order, signed in February, threatens to cut funding for organizations that allow transgender athletes to compete in women鈥檚 sports. The committee oversees around 50 national governing bodies, most of which play a role in everything from the grassroots to elite levels of their sports. National governing bodies for various sports, such as swimming and track and field, are expected to comply with the directive. Los Angeles will host the Summer Games in 2028.

Actions by the Trump administration have been pushing back on transgender inclusion, amid sharp public divides and emotional debates over things like women鈥檚 sports and care for children.

President Donald Trump announced deals with Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and a handful of other countries that will relieve some pressure on companies and consumers. Steep tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum remain, and many other countries, including South Korea and Thailand, have yet to clinch agreements. A deal with China is pending.

A statement signed by 111 organizations called for governments to take action, demanding an immediate ceasefire and that restrictions be lifted on the flow of humanitarian aid. They noted that food, clean water, medical supplies, and other items sit untouched just outside Gaza. Israel, which controls all supplies entering the enclave, denies it is responsible for shortages of food. 

Anti-Hamas gangs are disrupting food distribution, and Palestinians in Gaza fear being forgotten.

Thousands gathered in Kyiv and other cities on Tuesday to urge President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to veto a bill that tightens oversight of two key anti-corruption agencies, which critics say could significantly weaken their independence. The rally was the first major protest against the government in more than three years of war. Mr. Zelenskyy signed the bill into law late Tuesday. 

See our story on the Ukrainian newspapers fighting to remain independent.

Officials define extremist activity broadly; it includes opposition groups like the one created by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the 鈥渋nternational LGBT movement.鈥� Authorities have ramped up their crackdown on dissent since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Online censorship and prosecutions for social media posts and comments have soared, and independent news outlets and rights groups have been shut down. 

The seven-time Grand Slam champion beat Peyton Stearns in a first-round match at the Washington Open on Tuesday. At age 45, she became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since 2004, following a 16-month hiatus from competing. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter how many times you fall down,鈥� said Ms. Williams, reported by WTA Tennis. 鈥淭here are no limits for excellence.鈥� 鈥� Staff

Hundreds of students have protested near the site of the deadly crash of a Bangladeshi air force training jet into a school in the capital, demanding accountability and the halt of training flights. The death toll from Monday鈥檚 crash rose to 31. The military is investigating the crash on the trainee pilot鈥檚 first solo flight. The ongoing unrest shut down traffic in parts of Dhaka, which is still recovering from last year鈥檚 student uprising that forced the prime minister from power. Some students entered the country鈥檚 administrative headquarters and were dispersed with tear gas and stun grenades.

Cover story: People-power movements can break the grip of authoritarianism. But as is clear in Bangladesh, not everyone in society wins amid the sweeping change.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.鈥檚 White House visit on Tuesday highlights efforts to strengthen security and economic ties between the two countries as tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific. Their talks are expected to focus on mutual defense as China has become increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have clashed over hotly contested territory. The leaders are also negotiating a potential tariff deal. Mr. Marcos is set to become the first Southeast Asian leader to hold talks with Mr. Trump in his second term.

The wide-ranging rollbacks would range from minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities to standards governing exposure to harmful substances to working conditions at constructions sites and in mines. The Labor Department says the goal is to deliver on President Donald Trump鈥檚 commitment to restore American prosperity through deregulation. Critics say the proposals would put workers at greater risk of harm, with women and members of minority groups bearing a disproportionate impact.

The escalation came hours before Britain and Germany led a NATO meeting on military support for Ukraine, including advanced air defense systems like Patriots. Norway and the Netherlands also pledged more support. Moscow has intensified its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate as Russian drone production expands. 

More than 240,000 pages of records had been under a court-imposed seal since 1977. Dr. King鈥檚 children opposed the release, noting that their father was the victim of sometimes illegal surveillance and urging the public to view the documents 鈥渨ithin their full historical context.鈥� Some observers say President Trump is using the files to distract from his own troubles related to Jeffrey Epstein. 

Brett Hankison was sentenced to prison for using excessive force during the 2020 raid that led to the death of Ms. Taylor, a Black medical worker. He is the only officer to be given time in the case that rocked the city of Louisville and spawned weeks of street protests against racial injustice and policing.

We look today at what the sentencing means for police reform.

Seven hundred Marines were deployed on June 9 during protests against the administration鈥檚 immigration policies. Their presence was limited to federal buildings, including an ICE office and detention facility. Some 2,000 National Guard troops remain in the city.

Since 2019, when the day begins at San Mateo High School, students have locked their phones into magnetically sealed pouches that open only when the day is over. Siddharth Gogi, who graduated this past spring, recently told Capital News Service that 鈥渃onversations move past surface level when you have that time to talk to one another.鈥�

We have looked at where cellphone bans are gaining ground and why communities are fighting for them.

Norway stands ready to help fund Patriot missile systems for Ukraine's air defenses, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told reporters in Berlin Monday at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Netherlands also said it will make a 鈥渟ubstantial contribution鈥� to the delivery of the U.S. defense systems, Dutch Newspaper De Telegraaf reported Monday, quoting the Dutch defense minister. 鈥� Reuters

For the first time they entered areas of Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza city where several aid groups are based. An Israeli military official on Monday confirmed the incursion. Some observers have speculated that Hamas may hold Israeli hostages there. The main group representing hostages鈥� families said it was 鈥渟hocked and alarmed鈥� by the incursion, and demanded answers from Israeli leaders.

It went to federal court Monday over $2.6 billion in cuts by the Trump administration. They came after Harvard's rejection of demands from a federal antisemitism task force that sought sweeping changes to the school鈥檚 policies on protests, admissions, hiring, and more. Harvard, with a $53 billion endowment, has self-funded some research but says it can't cover all losses. The Trump administration says the cuts align with its policies. 

Sunday was the deadliest day yet for Palestinians seeking aid, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which said at least 85 were killed. Israel鈥檚 military accused Hamas militants of creating chaos and said the numbers reported by Gaza officials were far higher than its initial investigation found. The toll comes as Israel鈥檚 military issued evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, where many international organizations trying to distribute aid are located. 

In Gaza, anti-Hamas gangs seen as imperiling food aid and public order.

 As we previewed Friday, President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law later that day, promising a U.S.-led 鈥済lobal digital currency revolution.鈥� AI and crypto czar David Sacks said that by creating rules of the road for stablecoins, which are backed by currencies, the law would create digital dollars that could extend U.S. dollar dominance. The act is Congress鈥� first major crypto legislation after years of work, passing with bipartisan support in both chambers. 鈥� Staff

Over a week of fighting between Druze militias and Bedouin fighters has killed hundreds and displaced over 128,000 people, according to the U.N. On Sunday, Bedouin fighters withdrew, and both the Red Crescent and Israel delivered aid. Efforts for a ceasefire and reconciliation are ongoing. 

As Japan鈥檚 ruling coalition lost control of the upper house in elections on Sunday, the far-right Sanseito party emerged as one of the biggest winners, adding 14 seats to one elected previously. It gained support with warnings about immigration and pledges for tax cuts and welfare spending. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba says he will remain in office despite the major election defeat. 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released  on Friday detailing the intelligence community鈥檚 assessments on Russian election interference in 2016. She alleged a 鈥渢reasonous conspiracy鈥� against Donald Trump, accusing the Obama administration of manufacturing and politicizing intelligence following a Dec. 9, 2016, meeting between the president and top intelligence officials. Critics say she conflated Russian cyber manipulation of votes, which the intelligence community indeed assessed as unlikely, with emerging evidence of Moscow鈥檚 influence operations, later documented in the Mueller report. 鈥� Staff

African giant pouched rats have become indispensable in helping specialists detect land mines that have killed and maimed thousands in Cambodia. When they get a whiff of TNT, they stop and scratch the ground. Cambodia, which has 760 square miles of known landmine fields, hopes to be landmine free by 2030.

As his country faces a severe economic crisis, shoemaker Emmanuel Achuil says demand for the rubber sandals has surged. Once serving a few customers every month, he now sells up to 20 pairs, priced around $4. 鈥淓ven when things get bad 鈥� no food, no jobs 鈥� this work doesn鈥檛 fail me,鈥� said Mr. Achuil, who hopes to expand his business and train others. 

Officials in a Texas hill country community pummeled by deadly flooding on July 4 said Saturday night that the number was down from nearly 100, after people who had previously been reported missing were accounted for. The reduction in the number of people on the missing list comes as the search for victims entered its third week. Officials praised rescuers for the sharp reduction in the number of people on the missing list. In the days after the flooding, more than 160 people were said to have been unaccounted for in Kerr County alone.

The agreement, announced Saturday in Qatar, includes a commitment to a permanent ceasefire and plans for a comprehensive peace deal. A final agreement is expected by Aug. 18, aligning with a U.S.-facilitated accord between Congo and Rwanda in June. This marks the first direct commitment from both sides since rebels seized key cities in eastern Congo. The M23 rebel group, supported by Rwanda, is one of more than 100 armed factions in the region. The U.N. calls this conflict one of the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crises.

Venezuela has released the jailed Americans in exchange for getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador months ago under the Trump administration鈥檚 immigration crackdown. The resolution represents a diplomatic achievement for Venezuelan President Nicol谩s Maduro and helps President Donald Trump in his goal of bringing home Americans jailed abroad. El Salvador will send back some 300 Venezuelan migrants whom the Trump administration agreed to pay $6 million to house in a notorious Salvadoran prison. 

President Donald Trump has signed the GENIUS Act into law, setting new regulations for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency tied to assets like the U.S. dollar. The law, passed with bipartisan support, introduces consumer protections and aims to boost confidence in the crypto industry. On Friday, Mr. Trump called the move a step toward cementing U.S. dominance in global finance and crypto technology. 

In a bipartisan effort, Congress is moving to regulate cryptocurrencies for the first time. This could enhance the credibility of digital money and extend the dollar鈥檚 dominance with a new generation of currency.