News Briefs

A federal judge is hearing Washington's request for a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump's federal takeover of the city's police department. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes indicated the law likely doesn’t allow the Trump administration power to fully take over city police, but it probably does give the president more power than the city might like. The District of Columbia's attorney general filed the lawsuit Friday after Attorney General Pam Bondi named an emergency police commissioner with all the powers of the police chief.

This moment has opened a new chapter in Washington’s relationship with the federal government .

The Marines and sailors being sent to the waters around Latin America and the Caribbean are part of a growing effort to combat drug cartels, reports CNN. The military build-up is primarily a show of force for now, officials said, but would give President Trump options if he decides to target the cartels. Last weekend, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the president’s reported plan to use the U.S. military against drug cartels in Mexico.

Flash floods triggered by torrential rains have killed over 200 people and left scores of others missing in India and Pakistan over the past 24 hours. Rescuers brought to safety some 1,600 people. Sudden, intense downpours over small areas known as cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas. Experts say cloudbursts have increased in recent years partly because of climate change, while damage from the storms also has increased because of unplanned development in mountain regions.

A federal judge on Thursday struck down two Trump administration actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at the nation’s schools and universities. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher in Maryland found that the Education Department violated the law when it threatened to cut federal funding from educational institutions that continued with DEI initiatives. The guidance has been on hold since April when three federal judges blocked various portions of the anti-DEI measures.

Nations were meeting for an 11th day at the United Nations office in Geneva to try to complete a landmark treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis. They remain deadlocked over whether the treaty should reduce exponential growth of plastic production and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. The negotiations at the U.N. hub were supposed to be the last round and produce the first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the oceans. The session was adjourned Friday and will be resumed at a later date.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of a Mississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern. The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group, NetChoice, that is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages. The court had been asked to keep the law on hold while a lawsuit plays out.

Experts credit policies such as tripling the minimum wage and a new lineup of anti-poverty programs aimed at seniors, students, farmers, and others. Some 8.3 million people were pulled out of poverty. Making sure these strides in poverty alleviation stick may come down to the Mexican government’s budget, and whether they can continue to fund such unprecedented social spending.

It is being prepared at a state prison in north Florida, as a federal judge decides the fate of the state’s holding center for immigrants at an isolated airstrip in the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” Gov. DeSantis announced Thursday that the new facility is to be built at the Baker Correctional Institution, a state prison about 43 miles west of Jacksonville, and is expected to house 1,300 immigration detention beds. That capacity could be expanded to 2,000, state officials said.

We looked at the trend behind centers like “ Alligator Alcatraz .”

Officials say new sandbag-style barriers installed along a river in Juneau, Alaska’s capital, have held back record levels of flooding and prevented widespread damage after an ice dam at the nearby Mendenhall Glacier released a massive amount of rainwater and snowmelt downstream. Water pooled on several streets and in some yards and homes as the Mendenhall River crested Wednesday. But there were no damage reports similar to the last two years. Last year, nearly 300 residences were damaged.

Israel’s far-right finance minister has announced approval of contentious new settlement construction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which Palestinians and rights groups worry will scuttle plans for a future Palestinian state by effectively cutting the West Bank into two separate parts. The announcement comes as many countries said they would recognize a Palestinian state in September. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says the “reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognize and no one to recognize.”

Wholesale inflation surged unexpectedly last month as President Donald Trump’s sweeping taxes on imports are pushing costs higher. The Labor Department reported Thursday that its producer price index – which measures inflation before it hits consumers – was up 0.9% last month from June and 3.3% from a year earlier. Some aspects of Thursday's producer price report were puzzling, including a big jump in profit margins at retailers and wholesalers. Mr. Trump's tariffs have generated uncertainty about the U.S. economy.

The Trump administration can cut billions of dollars approved by Congress for overseas assistance, an appeals court ruled on Wednesday. The funding was suspended as part of the government’s efforts to dissolve the U.S. Agency for International Development.

A matchmaking service is helping humanitarian projects find find new funding.

Jailed migrants blasted cells as dirty, smelly, and overcrowded. The temporary restraining order requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to limit capacity, ensure cleanliness, and provide sleeping mats in holding rooms at a key federal office building in Manhattan. A cell phone video recorded by a detainee showed about two dozen men crowded in a holding room, many lying on the floor without mattresses or padding.

On Tuesday, a letter was sent to Smithsonian Institution outlining steps for the review. The examination will assess public-facing content for tone and historical framing ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations. The initiative aims to celebrate American exceptionalism and remove divisive narratives. The Smithsonian says it remains committed to factual history and is reviewing the letter. The review will initially focus on eight museums, with more to follow.

He said there would be “very severe consequences” if there is no agreement after their Friday summit in Alaska, though he did not say what those consequences might be. Mr. Trump’s comment Wednesday came after attending a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who told the group that Putin “is bluffing” about seeking peace.

For the first time, most adults in the U.S. view even moderate drinking as harmful, a survey by analytics firm Gallup showed on Wednesday. About 54% Americans reported drinking alcohol, compared with 58% in 2024 and 62% in 2023.

The president has announced country music stars George Strait and “Rocky” actor Sylvester Stallone among the first batch of Kennedy Center Honors nominees in his new role as chairman of the center. The remaining three recipients are singer Gloria Gaynor, the rock band KISS, and actor-singer Michael Crawford. The glamorous event is usually taped in December and broadcast later in the month by CBS. Mr. Trump avoided the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term due to protests from artists.

The warning came as an end-of-the-month deadline nears for the country to resume negotiations with the West over its nuclear program and cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog. The three countries wrote in a letter to the U.N. dated Friday that they were willing to trigger a process known as the “snapback” mechanism. That allows one of the Western parties to reimpose U.N. sanctions if Tehran doesn’t comply with its requirements.

The tech billionaire posted the comments on X, saying that “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.” In an emailed statement, Apple defended the fairness of its App Store. The company has faced various allegations of antitrust violations in recent years.

The stock market is rallying toward records after data suggested inflation across the country was a touch better last month than economists expected. The S&P 500 rose 1% Tuesday and was on track to top its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 467 points, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.2% and was also heading toward a record. Stocks got a lift from hopes that the inflation report will give the Federal Reserve leeway to cut interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can give the economy and investment prices a boost.

Forces made a sudden thrust into eastern Ukraine in a move that may be meant to pressure Kyiv as the United States and Russia prepare to meet in Alaska on Friday. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said Russia wants a ceasefire deal to include Ukraine’s retreat from the parts of Donetsk it still controls.

Senator Miguel Uribe was shot three times while giving a campaign speech in Bogota in June and had been in intensive care since the attack. A teenage suspect was arrested at the scene, but it's unclear who ordered the hit. Mr. Uribe was a prominent figure in the conservative Democratic Center party. He was among the strongest critics of Colombia's current government.

The previous deadline was set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Had that happened the U.S. would have ratcheted up taxes on Chinese imports from an already high 30%, and Beijing would have responded by raising retaliatory levies on U.S. exports to China. The pause buys time for the two countries to work out some of their differences, perhaps clearing the way for a summit later this year between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At 12:12 a.m. ET on Aug. 12, Ms. Swift’s website unveiled her 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Her previous release, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was the best-selling album of 2024. Ms. Swift also teased a Wednesday guest appearance on The New Heights podcast by NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce, in which she will reveal the album’s cover art. – Staff

We looked at the Taylor Swift “ moment ,” and whether she can write poetry .

That’s leading the city’s mayor to voice concerns about the potential use of the National Guard to patrol the streets in the nation’s capital. Mr. Trump said last week that he was considering ways for the federal government to seize control of Washington, asserting that crime was “ridiculous” and the city was “unsafe.” On Thursday, the Republican president directed an increased federal law enforcement presence in the Democratic-run city for seven days, “with the option to extend as needed.” Federal agencies including the FBI assigned more than 120 officers and agents to assist in Washington. - AP

This move aligns with recent signals from leaders in France, Britain, and Canada. Prime Minister Albanese said the decision follows internal pressure and criticism over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which he described as a “catastrophe.” The recognition will be formalized at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Conditions include no role for Hamas in a Palestinian government and the demilitarization of Gaza. - AP

The explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh has left dozens injured or trapped under the rubble. An Allegheny County spokesperson says there are no confirmed fatalities from Monday morning’s explosion at the Clairton Coke Works. The county’s emergency services said it transported five people from the scene. The plant is a massive industrial facility along the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, and is considered the largest coking operation in North America. – AP

European leaders stood behind Ukraine in a joint statement ahead of a Trump-Putin meeting set for this Friday in Alaska. They are pushing for Ukraine to be included in any negotiations. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted that his country would not give up any territory to Russia after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that a peace deal could involve swapping some land.

We reported on how Russia’s presence on a narrow sandbar controlling a major Black Sea access point has badly disrupted Ukraine’s economy.

The Israeli Prime Minister doubled down on plans for a new offensive against Hamas in Gaza City and central Gaza, calling it the “best way to end the war” in the face of growing condemnation at home and abroad. The assault would mean the mass displacement of Palestinians, many of whom are facing starvation. Multiple Al Jazeera correspondents were killed in an Israeli strike on Sunday.

The Israeli security Cabinet voted Friday to widen the war, as Palestinians go hungry .

He announced that the meeting will take place Aug. 15 in Alaska in a post on social meeting and said more details would follow. It is to be the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva. It could mean a breakthrough in Mr. Trump’s effort to end the war, although there’s no guarantee it would stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace.

They are seeking to increase the pressure on more than 50 Democratic lawmakers who left the state to prevent a vote on a new congressional map, announcing that absent state House members can only collect paychecks by appearing in person. Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dustin Burrows said electronic deposits had been canceled and members must now pick up payments at the capitol in Austin, effectively cutting off pay for Democrats who have left. The Texas standoff has prompted Democratic governors to threaten to carry out their own redistricting, while Republican leaders in other states have said they may follow Texas’ lead.

President Trump is hosting a summit meant to help end nearly four decades of conflict and reopen key transportation routes, while allowing the United States to seize on Russia’s declining influence in the region. The White House said the two nations will sign an agreement to create a major transit corridor that will be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. That route will connect Azerbaijan and its autonomous Nakhchivan exclave, which are separated by a 20-mile-wide patch of Armenian territory.

Danil Palianski, who worked for several independent news agencies, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a closed trial for treason and revealing state secrets. The sentence was returned July 25, but the trial’s outcome was only revealed Friday by the Belarusian Association of Journalists. His jailing is part of a sustained crackdown on government critics after unprecedented mass protests swept Belarus following the disputed reelection of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Mr. Palianski, who was detained last September, is one of 37 journalists behind bars in Belarus.

OpenAI on Thursday released the fifth generation of the artificial intelligence technology that powers ChatGPT, a product update that’s being closely watched as a measure of whether generative AI is advancing rapidly or hitting a plateau. GPT-5 arrives more than two years after the March 2023 release of GPT-4, bookending a period of intense commercial investment, hype, and worry over AI’s capabilities.

It said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. This decision means transgender service members must choose between a lump-sum separation payment or leaving the service without benefits. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed that no exceptions to this policy were approved, despite previous notifications to some members. All transgender members are being separated under the Trump administration’s policies.

The decision came after the Israeli Cabinet announced plans to take over Gaza City. Mr. Merz said Friday that Israel “has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ terror.” He stated that the release of Israeli hostages and negotiations toward a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war are “our top priority," adding that the recent military actions by Israel make it difficult for Germany to see how these goals will be achieved.

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily halted new construction at an immigration detention facility in Florida dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” while a lawsuit over its environmental impact plays out. At a hearing in Miami, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams blocked new construction at the site in the Florida Everglades through August 12 but did not suspend operations or otherwise interfere with the work of immigration officials there.

They say the 25 books propagate “false narratives” and “secessionism” in the disputed region, where strict controls on the media have escalated in recent years. Police said Thursday that officers raided bookstores and searched roadside book vendors to confiscate the banned literature. Kashmir has been a disputed region with ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. Many Kashmiris support independence or joining Pakistan.

U.S. trade partners such as Switzerland, Brazil, and India were still scrambling to get a better deal on Thursday as the president’s higher tariff rates on imports from dozens of countries kicked in, raising the average U.S. import duty to its highest in a century. The Customs and Border Protection agency began collecting the higher tariffs of 10% to 50% at 12:01 a.m. EDT after weeks of suspense over Mr. Trump’s final tariff rates.

Steve Witkoff met with the Russian president for talks ahead of the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. Otherwise, Mr. Trump says Russia could potentially face severe economic penalties that could also hit countries buying its oil. Earlier talks between Russia and Ukraine, and Russian and U.S. officials, made no progress on ending the three-year war following Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.

Rising temperatures pose new challenges for firefighters who have made incremental progress against a massive wildfire in central California that has injured four people as it has become the biggest blaze in the state so far this year. More than 870 remote homes and other structures at the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest are threatened by the Gifford Fire, which grew only slightly overnight after burning out of control for days. The fire has scorched at least 131 square miles of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with just 9% containment on Wednesday.

The Army’s Fort Stewart locked down before the shooter was arrested. The conditions of the soldiers and the circumstances of the shooting weren’t immediately clear, nor was the identity of the shooter. Fort Stewart is the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River. It’s home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and family members. The Army said there is no remaining threat to the community.

Tuition fees will be waived for children in their final year at public kindergartens, and reduced for eligible private schools from the next term, the government said on Tuesday, in a phased roll-out of free pre-school education. The measures came after China unveiled last week a childcare subsidy until the age of three, in an effort to spur a flagging birth rate, as fewer young people choose to have children.

He signed an executive order to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil. That brings the combined tariffs imposed by the United States on its ally to 50%. The tariffs would go into effect 21 days after the signing of the order Wednesday, meaning that both India and Russia might have time to negotiate with the administration on the import taxes. Mr. Trump’s moves could scramble the economic trajectory of India, which until recently was seen as an alternative to China by American companies looking to relocate their manufacturing. China also buys oil from Russia but wasn’t included in the order.

In some interactions, the chatbot gives detailed plans for drug use, eating disorders, and even suicide notes. The Center for Countering Digital Hate found that testing ChatGPT with harmful prompts led the chatbot to respond in dangerous ways more than half the time. The study highlights the risks as more people, particularly teens, turn to AI for companionship and advice. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, said after viewing the findings that its “work is ongoing” in refining “how models identify and respond appropriately in sensitive situations.

It is set to become the third African country after South Sudan and Eswatini to agree to accept deportees sent from the United States but who come from other nations. A controversial migrant deal between Rwanda and the United Kingdom from 2022 has since collapsed amid legal disputes.

We report on the new role of the military in immigration enforcement within the U.S.

The list of 35 locations includes cities from New York to Chicago and states from California to Colorado. The move is part of a push from President Donald Trump to penalize jurisdictions that limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement .

Several European countries have committed to buying over $1 billion of American weapons for Ukraine through a new NATO channel. The Netherlands led the way on Monday with the promise of 500 million euros ($578 million), followed by contributions from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

According to data released Tuesday, imports fell by $12.8 billion in the latest mark of President Trump’s sweeping tariffs. The average effective tariff rate is estimated at over 18%, the highest since 1934. The trade gap with China narrowed to its lowest level in over two decades.

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. The meeting comes days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face severe economic penalties that could also hit countries buying its oil.

An Israeli military agency that coordinates aid says it will allow gradual and controlled entry of goods to Gaza through local merchants, as global monitors say famine is unfolding in the enclave. A mechanism has been approved by the cabinet to expand the scope of humanitarian aid.

The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed the Justice Department for files in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation and is seeking depositions with former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and eight former top law enforcement officials. It’s part of a probe lawmakers believe may show links to President Donald Trump and former top officials.

Tuesday’s meeting is the sixth and possibly final negotiation round for a treaty that would tackle global plastic pollution. A major debate is whether to cut plastic production, with oil-producing countries opposing it; most plastic is made from fossil fuels. The United States opposes global production caps, focusing on waste management and recycling. Others, including some major companies, disagree. The meeting involves thousands of participants and aims to create a binding agreement.

A newly formed parliamentary committee has begun meeting to oversee a peace process with a Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the PKK. The committee held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, marking a significant step toward ending a decades-long insurgency. The PKK announced in May that it would renounce armed conflict, ending four decades of hostilities. Previous peace efforts between Turkey and the PKK have ended in failure.

The move comes after the Netherlands said it would provide air defense equipment, ammunition, and other military aid worth 500 million euros ($578 million). Sweden also announced Tuesday it would contribute $275 million to a joint effort along with its Nordic neighbors Denmark and Norway to provide $500 million worth of weaponry and parts. Two deliveries of equipment, most of it bought in the United States, are expected this month. The equipment is based on Ukraine’s priority needs on the battlefield.

The Chinese fast fashion company Shein was hit with a €1 million ($1.16 million) fine for misleading shoppers with its environmental claims on Monday. Last fall, a United Kingdom watchdog warned 17 fashion brands to clarify their claims of sustainability, reflecting growing concern among consumers about deceptive branding. – Staff

U.S. stocks are rebounding to recover more than two-thirds of their sharp loss from last week. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 558 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.8%. Gains for Tyson Foods and other companies following profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations helped offset a drop for Berkshire Hathaway. This upcoming week may have fewer fireworks on Wall Street than last week, which was punctuated by a disappointingly weak report on the U.S. job market. That raised worries that President Donald Trump’s tariffs may be punishing the economy.

After an era pushing the world toward open trade, the U.S. under President Trump is imposing higher tariffs from Canada to South Korea. His bilateral brinkmanship has won promises of new investment in America , but prices are poised to rise.

The move escalates a long-running standoff between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the judiciary that critics see as a threat to the country’s democratic institutions. Mr. Netanyahu and his supporters accuse Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of exceeding her powers by blocking decisions by the elected government. Critics accuse Mr. Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, of undermining judicial independence and seeking to concentrate power in the hands of his coalition government.

The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South’s new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang, which has largely cut off cooperation with the South in recent years.

Several thousand workers at three Midwest manufacturing plants where Boeing develops military aircraft and weapons went on strike early Monday, potentially complicating the aerospace company's progress in regaining its financial footing. The strike began after about 3,200 local members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted Sunday to reject a modified four-year labor agreement.

Sunday’s last-resort bid was meant to block new congressional maps sought by President Donald Trump that would give Republicans a better chance of preserving their narrow U.S. House majority in the 2026 midterm elections. Gov. Greg Abbott says he will begin trying to remove Democratic lawmakers from office Monday if they don’t return.

In a statement late Saturday, anti-corruption agencies said officials took kickbacks worth up to 30% on overpriced contracts for drones and electronic warfare gear. Four people have been arrested, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised investigators. The exposure follows parliament’s reversal of a controversial move by Mr. Zelenskyy to curb the agencies’ powers.

A report by state TV Monday says the council will handle defensive plans and improve capabilities of armed forces. The decision follows a 12-day air war by Israel and the United States that led to the deaths of nearly 1,100 people, including military chiefs and commanders. A ceasefire has been in force since shortly after the airstrikes targeted Iran’s major nuclear facilities.

A new political party formed by students who led an anti-government movement that ousted the former prime minister rallied in Dhaka on Sunday. Party leaders vowed to work to establish democracy, as Bangladesh is at a crossroads with shifting power dynamics and unresolved tensions.

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’s 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’s Black Sea resort of Sochi has sparked a major fire. More than 120 firefighters have been working to extinguish the blaze. Russia’s civil aviation authority temporarily stopped flights at Sochi’s 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’s 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’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov are now on board. Their arrival temporarily increases the space station’s population to 11.

It ruled Friday night to uphold a lower court’s 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 “worst-case scenario of famine” is playing out in Gaza. Israel’s 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’s decision came after what the president called “highly provocative statements” by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Trump has feuded online in recent days. The impact on U.S. nuclear subs — which normally and routinely patrol global hotspots — 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’s 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’s 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’s top court, filled with Bukele-backed judges, ruled in 2021 that it was the leader’s right to run again. The constitutional amendment passed on Thursday by Mr. Bukele’s 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’s 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 “long before” Trump’s 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’s 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 “witch hunt” 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 “very successful” and that the two leaders are “getting to know and understand each other.” 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 “speculative wind development.” Offshore wind lease sales were anticipated off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Maine, New York, California, and Oregon. – AP

Gintautas Paluckas stepped down Thursday following investigations into his business dealings that prompted protests in the Baltic country’s 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’s despite new tariffs slated to begin in a few days. India’s government says it’s studying the implications of Mr. Trump’s announcement he’ll impose a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax, starting Friday, because of its purchasing of Russian oil. India’s Trade Ministry says it remains committed to negotiating a “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial” 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’s 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’s sweeping tariffs. Mr. Powell and other Fed officials say they want to see how Mr. Trump’s 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’s demonstrations against Israel’s 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’ 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’s 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’s 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 “stop using starvation as a weapon of war.” – 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’t 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 “might have to be decided by a court,” said one of the motion’s co-authors. – Staff

A tsunami reached coastal areas of Russia’s sparsely populated Kuril Islands and Japan’s 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’s 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’s 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 “substantive steps,” 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 “accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.”