Here are the top stories for today.
Headlines
Israel Opens Criminal Investigation Into the Killing a Five-Year-Old and 15 Paramedics
Israel’s military announced its first criminal investigations into troop conduct in Gaza, focusing on the deaths of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family, along with 15 Palestinian paramedics. The military said it will not investigate three other attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders, after completing reviews of 150 incidents overall. Source
A Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a small plane collided midair near Carlisle Airport Wednesday night, killing the plane’s pilot and injuring two state troopers. Officials say the Cessna 150 veered into the Bell 407 helicopter from behind as the aircraft was conducting routine training; the NTSB is investigating. Source
President Trump confirmed he plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, a highly unusual move for a sitting American president. Trump has previously met Kim three times, in 2018 and 2019; the U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with North Korea. Source
Politics
Democrats flipped a Trump-backed Pennsylvania state House seat in a special election, with the winning candidate outperforming Trump’s 2024 numbers in the district by 19 points. The narrow 8,434-to-8,346 vote victory covered Cranberry, Mars, Zelienople, Evans City and Jackson Township in Butler County. See Details
A new poll shows progressive Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed leading Rep. Haley Stevens by 7 points in the Democratic primary race. The survey adds to signs of a broader progressive surge in several Democratic primaries this cycle. Read More
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine to confirm the Pentagon will not send federal troops to polling places during November’s midterm elections. Slotkin said the request comes amid Democratic concerns that the administration could use the military to interfere with the vote. See Details
U.S. News
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are moving back to the United Kingdom more than six years after relocating to the United States. King Charles III was informed of the decision, and there are no plans for the couple to resume royal duties. Read More
Miami reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit Tuesday, tying an all-time record set in 1942 as a powerful heat dome settled over Florida. A National Weather Service heat advisory remained in place across South Florida, with heat indices reaching between 105 and 112 degrees. Find out More
Harvard University agreed to pay $53 million to settle lawsuits from families whose donated body parts were stolen and sold by a former medical school morgue manager. Cedric Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking stolen remains taken from the anatomical gift program between 2018 and 2022. Source
President Trump announced a temporary pause on 50% tariffs on Canadian imports as the two countries race to finalize a broader trade deal. The delay comes after more than a year of escalating tensions between Washington and Ottawa over tariffs and cross-border issues. Find out More
Business
U.S. stock futures were little changed early Thursday after Wall Street snapped a three-session losing streak, fueled by falling Treasury yields following a government plan to ease bond market pressure. The Treasury Department said it will more than double repurchases of longer-dated debt in coming months. Source
Oil prices climbed to three-week highs Thursday on concerns that the ongoing Iran war impasse will continue disrupting supply from the Middle East. Brent crude rose past $92 a barrel while U.S. crude approached $86, both hitting their highest levels since late July. Source
The federal debt hit a record $40 trillion Tuesday, according to the Treasury Department, an inauspicious milestone with consequences for Americans and the government for years to come. The debt load continues climbing even as concerns mount over long-term fiscal sustainability. Read More
Market Report
| Symbol | Last Close | % Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones | DJIA | $44,296.51 | 0.97% |
| S&P 500 | SPX | $4,500.00 | 0.82% |
| Nasdaq Composite | IXIC | $19,003.65 | 0.16% |
| Alphabet Inc. | GOOG | $341.70 | 0.12% |
| Tesla, Inc. | TSLA | $351.12 | 4.23% |
| Apple Inc. | AAPL | $316.83 | 2.19% |
| Microsoft Corporation | MSFT | $484.31 | 0.56% |
World News
A Ukrainian-born businessman targeted in June’s Monaco bombing gave his first interview since the attack, telling reporters that Ukrainian intelligence agents may have been paid to organize the assassination attempt. The businessman survived the powerful blast that injured him and family members at his luxury apartment. Find out More
The United Arab Emirates announced it is suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran after accusing Iranian forces of firing two ballistic missiles at the country. Iran denies firing the missiles; the UAE’s Foreign Ministry cited regional escalation undermining peace and security. Find out More
Entertainment
The Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the multi-agency investigation into actress Hayden Panettiere’s death, assisting with parallel probes already underway by local police and the coroner’s office. Panettiere’s remains were released to her family this week after she died from a possible drug overdose. Source
The vocal group Soulidified, formed on Netflix’s “Building the Band,” has signed with Atlantic Records just a year after the show introduced the quartet to the world. The group consists of Shade Jenifer, Malik Heard, Bradley Rittmann, and Landon Boyce. Read More
The Beatles’ Apple Corps and Universal Music Group have struck a new exclusive, long-term global partnership covering merchandise, licensing and e-commerce for the band. The deal builds on UMG’s existing stewardship of the Beatles catalogue and comes ahead of a planned four-film cinematic event in 2028. Find out More
Sports
The 2026 Little League World Series opened this week in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with 20 teams from the U.S. and abroad competing in double-elimination brackets. The tournament runs through August 30 with games broadcast on ESPN and ABC. Read More
NASCAR cleared Chase Elliott’s No. 9 car after inspecting it at the R&D Center following a strong run at Richmond Raceway. The Hendrick Motorsports entry showed no issues, avoiding the penalties that have cost other teams significant points in past inspections. Source
The Chicago White Sox snapped an eight-game losing streak at Wrigley Field, beating the Cubs behind a two-run double from Braden Montgomery and a two-hit shutout relief effort. The teams split their season series 3-3, with the Cubs still leading the all-time interleague matchup 80-78. See Details
Off the Wall
A North Carolina man won a $250,000 lottery prize after letting his lucky pinkie ring choose his scratch-off ticket for him at a convenience store. He hovered his hand over the display and bought whichever ticket the ring landed on, walking away with a $250,000 winner. Read More
