Venezuela opposition has 73% of vote tallies, says its victory is irreversible

On Monday, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado claimed that the opposition has 73.2% of the voting tallies from Sunday’s election, suggesting a significant victory. Meanwhile, Pedro Urruchurtu, an adviser to Machado, reported that security forces were attempting to enter the Argentine embassy in Caracas where six asylum seekers from Machado’s campaign are staying. Protests erupted across Venezuela after President Nicolás Maduro declared victory, despite … Continue reading Venezuela opposition has 73% of vote tallies, says its victory is irreversible

Car plunges hundreds of feet off Devil’s Slide along California’s Highway 1, killing 3

A car fell hundreds of feet off California’s Highway 1 on Friday, killing all three people inside. The grey sedan plunged down an embankment near Devil’s Slide, about 15 miles south of San Francisco, and came to rest 300 to 400 feet down. Rescuers recovered two bodies on Friday and the third on Saturday after high tide made conditions dangerous. The victims were identified as … Continue reading Car plunges hundreds of feet off Devil’s Slide along California’s Highway 1, killing 3

A man dubbed ‘pirate of the unknown’ is extradited to US in alleged cocaine trafficking conspiracy

Milos Radonjic, a Montenegrin nicknamed the “pirate of the unknown,” was extradited from Italy to New York City to face charges related to an international drug ring. Radonjic, 34, arrived in Brooklyn on Friday and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. He was ordered detained as a flight risk, with his next court appearance scheduled for August 26. Indicted last year, Radonjic is accused of … Continue reading A man dubbed ‘pirate of the unknown’ is extradited to US in alleged cocaine trafficking conspiracy

Islamists raise £3m to buy Scottish island for new ‘homeland’

A radical religious group led by London-based preacher Sheikh Yasser al-Habib has raised over £3 million to buy the Scottish island of Torsa and create a closed community practicing sharia law. The 271-acre island, located 20 miles south of Oban, is listed for offers over £1.5 million by Savills. Al-Habib, founder of the Mahdi Servants Union (MSU), which runs military-style training camps and a Shia … Continue reading Islamists raise £3m to buy Scottish island for new ‘homeland’

As California wildfires rage on, firefighters struggle to contain massive Park Fire

California’s wildfires continue to burn, with firefighters working to contain them. The Park Fire in Butte and Tehama counties, the largest active fire, has become the state’s seventh-largest wildfire on record. As of Monday morning, it had burned over 360,000 acres with only 12% containment, according to Cal Fire. The fire began in Chico on Wednesday and quickly expanded into wildlands. By Saturday, it had … Continue reading As California wildfires rage on, firefighters struggle to contain massive Park Fire

Three arrested for murder of Florida rapper Julio Foolio

Three people have been arrested, and two others are being sought for the ambush killing of Florida rapper Julio Foolio, legally known as Charles Jones. The 26-year-old was killed on June 23 when his vehicle was fired upon in a hotel car park in Tampa. Surveillance footage shows the masked attackers using two semi-automatic rifles and one pistol. The attack occurred during Foolio’s birthday weekend, … Continue reading Three arrested for murder of Florida rapper Julio Foolio

7 people shot, 2 fatally, at a park in upstate Rochester, NY

Two women were killed and five others injured during a Sunday afternoon barbecue at Maplewood Park in Rochester, New York. The incident occurred around 6:20 p.m. during a celebratory event with hundreds in attendance when multiple shots were fired. Police Chief David Smith identified the deceased as Tyasia Manning, 25, a city employee, and Phylicia Council, 34. Various police agencies, including the Monroe County Sheriff’s … Continue reading 7 people shot, 2 fatally, at a park in upstate Rochester, NY

Iowa’s 6-week abortion restriction takes effect after state court strikes down challenge

A six-week abortion restriction took effect in Iowa on Monday after pro-abortion groups failed to block the law in court. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, has been pushing to enforce the law since its passage last year. The ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States, and the Emma Goldman Clinic attempted to block it, but the state Supreme Court allowed it to proceed. … Continue reading Iowa’s 6-week abortion restriction takes effect after state court strikes down challenge

Russia claims capture of two villages in Donetsk

Russian forces have captured two front-line villages, Vovche and Prohres, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region following relentless assaults. This advance is part of a Kremlin summer push to breach Ukrainian defenses. Ukrainian military officials confirmed the losses, attributing them to poor troop training and inadequate weaponry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the situation as “extremely challenging.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian attacks in Russia’s Kursk region targeted substations, … Continue reading Russia claims capture of two villages in Donetsk

Russian commander killed in sandstorm ambush in Mali

A commander in the Russian mercenary group Africa Corps was killed in Mali during an attack by rebel fighters amidst a sandstorm. Mali’s military regime enlisted the Wagner group, now known as Africa Corps, in 2021 to combat jihadist and separatist forces. The group reported joining Mali’s military in fierce battles last week. A significant attack by separatists resulted in 20 to 50 mercenary deaths, … Continue reading Russian commander killed in sandstorm ambush in Mali

Erdogan Says Turkey’s military Could Enter Israel to Help Palestinians

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested that Turkey might enter Israel in support of the Palestinians, escalating his rhetoric over the Gaza war. Speaking in Rize, he compared potential action in Israel to Turkey’s military interventions in Karabakh and Libya. Erdogan has vocally supported Hamas and condemned Israeli actions, likening Prime Minister Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. Despite Turkey’s halted trade with Israel and strained diplomatic … Continue reading Erdogan Says Turkey’s military Could Enter Israel to Help Palestinians

Mass Stabbing In UK Leaves 2 Kids Dead, 9 Hurt

Two children have died and numerous others have been injured in a stabbing attack during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. Nine children were injured, with six in critical condition. Two adults protecting the children are also critically injured. Paramedics treated 11 casualties. A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The attacker entered the Hart Space during the … Continue reading Mass Stabbing In UK Leaves 2 Kids Dead, 9 Hurt

Protests erupt in Venezuela as questions grow over strongman Maduro’s victory

Protests erupted in multiple Venezuelan cities on Monday after Nicolás Maduro was formally declared the winner of a presidential election by the country’s electoral authority, amid allegations of electoral fraud. In Caracas, security forces used tear gas to disperse a large crowd of protesters, while demonstrators banged pots and pans in frustration over Maduro’s Sunday victory. PROVEA, a Venezuelan human rights group, reported that pro-Maduro … Continue reading Protests erupt in Venezuela as questions grow over strongman Maduro’s victory

Sun blasts out most powerful flare of current solar cycle

On July 23, Europe’s Solar Orbiter detected a powerful X14 class solar flare from the far side of the sun. Although not the most intense ever recorded, it was significant enough to potentially cause long-lasting radiation storms and global blackouts if aimed at Earth. X-class flares, the most severe on the classification scale, release energy ten times more than M-class flares. This X14 flare, along … Continue reading Sun blasts out most powerful flare of current solar cycle

China’s secretive spaceplane likely testing ‘dual use’ technology

China’s uncrewed reusable spacecraft, which launches atop a rocket and lands at a secretive military airfield, is primarily testing technology but could also be used for satellite manipulation or retrieval, experts suggest. On its third mission in June, the spacecraft was observed releasing and then maneuvering back to an object several kilometers away. While the spacecraft’s military applications, such as inspecting or disabling enemy satellites, … Continue reading China’s secretive spaceplane likely testing ‘dual use’ technology

SpaceX launches back-to-back Starlink satellite missions

SpaceX has bounced back from an earlier failure by successfully launching two missions on July 28. The company deployed batches of Starlink internet satellites from both coasts using Falcon 9 rockets, with liftoffs less than five hours apart. This followed a Falcon 9 launch on July 27, marking the rocket’s return-to-flight after a failure on July 11. The first launch on July 28, at 1:09 … Continue reading SpaceX launches back-to-back Starlink satellite missions

Police use of ‘deeply intrusive’ facial recognition cameras sparks warning over privacy

Plans by Police Scotland to introduce live surveillance cameras for scanning faces have been criticized as “deeply intrusive” and dangerous by a coalition of international privacy groups. The cameras are intended to help catch shoplifters and people violating bail conditions, with images monitored from police vans and checked against a database. Privacy advocates, including Big Brother Watch, Liberty, Privacy International, and others, have urged Justice … Continue reading Police use of ‘deeply intrusive’ facial recognition cameras sparks warning over privacy

Hackers race to win millions in contest to thwart cyberattacks with AI

This month, a hackathon in Orange County highlighted the battle to protect U.S. critical infrastructure. Over a dozen students from Arizona State University, UC Santa Barbara, and Purdue University worked intensively to develop a program capable of scanning and fixing security flaws in millions of lines of open-source code without human help. Sponsored by DARPA, the contest underscores the government’s view that flaws in open-source … Continue reading Hackers race to win millions in contest to thwart cyberattacks with AI

New EMP weapon: ‘Even cockroaches won’t survive’

According to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida, Iran has provided Hezbollah and other proxies with electromagnetic ordnance capable of disabling communication systems and shutting down radars. Rotem Mey-Tal, CEO of Asgard Systems, likened this technology to an extreme power outage that affects all electrical and electronic systems, including critical medical equipment. Mey-Tal speculated that the technology might be used in low-flying UAVs, similar to recent attacks by … Continue reading New EMP weapon: ‘Even cockroaches won’t survive’

Short seller Andrew Left of Citron charged with fraud by prosecutors, SEC

Federal prosecutors have charged activist short seller and analyst Andrew Left with securities fraud, accusing him of illegally profiting at least $16 million by manipulating stock market activity from 2018 to 2023. Left, a 54-year-old Florida resident known for his appearances on CNBC and other financial news channels, and his hedge fund, Citron Capital, face additional civil fraud charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission. … Continue reading Short seller Andrew Left of Citron charged with fraud by prosecutors, SEC

A $1 million starter home is now the norm in more than 200 US cities

The number of U.S. cities where first-time homebuyers face a $1 million price tag for an average entry-level home has nearly tripled over the past five years. According to a new Zillow report, 237 cities now have starter homes valued at $1 million or more, up from 84 in 2019. This increase highlights the ongoing affordability crisis in the housing market. Zillow’s senior economist, Orphe … Continue reading A $1 million starter home is now the norm in more than 200 US cities

Japan stocks rebound to lead gains in Asia as traders assess U.S. inflation data

Asia-Pacific markets rose on Monday, led by Japan’s Nikkei 225, which gained 2.26% after a U.S. inflation report on Friday raised expectations for a potential interest rate cut. The Topix index increased by 2.02%, and the Japanese yen strengthened by 0.18% to 153.44 against the dollar. The U.S. June personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.1% month-on-month and 2.5% year-on-year, matching economists’ estimates. This week, … Continue reading Japan stocks rebound to lead gains in Asia as traders assess U.S. inflation data

Trump leads Harris in new WSJ poll

A new Wall Street Journal poll reveals a tightly contested presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, with Trump leading Harris 49% to 47% in a two-person matchup, within the margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points. Earlier this month, Trump had a six-point lead over President Biden before exiting the race and endorsing Harris. In a multicandidate scenario including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., … Continue reading Trump leads Harris in new WSJ poll

Fetterman diagnosed with COVID-19, experiencing mild symptoms

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms. He plans to work from home and follow CDC guidelines, though it’s unclear if his diagnosis will impact his participation in the Senate’s final votes before the August recess. The Senate is set to vote on the bipartisan Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act and the Kids Online Safety Act. … Continue reading Fetterman diagnosed with COVID-19, experiencing mild symptoms

McCaul says report on Trump assassination attempt could be out by end of year

Rep. Michael McCaul indicated that a report on the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump could be completed by the end of the year. Speaking on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” McCaul criticized security failures that allowed the assailant to get dangerously close to Trump and revealed the attacker had a detonation device and two bombs. The House recently voted to establish a task … Continue reading McCaul says report on Trump assassination attempt could be out by end of year