A group of U.S. lawmakers, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and celebrity Paris Hilton, support a bill called the DEFIANCE Act. This law aims to help victims of fake sexual images or videos made with AI, by allowing them to sue those who create or share these images without permission.
Key Facts
The DEFIANCE Act was introduced in May 2025 by Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
It targets AI-made fake sexual images or videos that show someone without their consent.
Victims can sue creators or distributors of these images and seek up to $250,000 in damages for cases related to sexual assault, stalking, or harassment.
The bill has bipartisan support with 57 cosponsors from both parties.
The Senate passed a similar version of this law unanimously in January 2025, but the House has made little progress since.
Paris Hilton supports the law, sharing her experience as a victim of nonconsensual explicit content.
The law aims to protect victims who suffer emotional and reputational harm, even if people know images are fake.
President Donald Trump signed a related law last year, called the Take It Down Act, which penalizes sharing nonconsensual intimate images, including fake ones.
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The UK government said it is always ready to protect itself after Iran called British military bases hosting US forces "legitimate targets." The UK allows the US to use some bases for defensive actions but is not involved in offensive strikes against Iran.
Key Facts
Iran’s military group, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), warned countries supporting the US against Iran would face consequences.
The US has conducted a series of strikes against targets in Iran, using British bases like RAF Fairford.
The UK has not changed its policy under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and continues to allow US defensive operations from its bases.
The UK government stated its armed forces are ready to defend the country at all times, using advanced air and missile defenses.
Iran fired missiles at the UK’s Diego Garcia base in March; one missile failed, and another was intercepted.
Iran claims some of its missiles can reach the UK and parts of Europe, but experts question their accuracy and reliability.
The UK says it is committed to protecting its people and working with allies without entering the wider conflict.
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Canada is preparing its response after the United States announced new tariffs of 50% on about 20 billion Canadian dollars worth of Canadian goods. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said all options are open depending on how talks with the US progress before the tariffs start on August 19.
Key Facts
The US will impose 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports starting August 19.
These tariffs target Canadian products like wine, hockey sticks, dairy, alcohol, and some industrial goods such as cement.
Some Canadian exports, like energy, potash, critical minerals, and fish, are exempt from these tariffs.
Canada is discussing a range of possible responses but has not specified any specific actions.
Prime Minister Mark Carney met with provincial leaders to coordinate Canada's reply and support affected workers and businesses.
The tariffs come amid ongoing, slow negotiations to update the North American trade deal (USMCA) between the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The US says the tariffs aim to protect American workers and address the trade deficit with Canada.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer hopes to have interim agreements with Canada and Mexico by the end of the year, but tougher issues may take longer.
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Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over leaked exam papers. The strike stopped after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to create a stronger law to prevent exam paper leaks.
Key Facts
Sonam Wangchuk fasted for 26 days to protest exam paper leaks in India.
He wanted Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign because of the leaks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the leaks a serious problem for many students.
Modi said he will introduce tougher laws to stop exam paper leaks.
Wangchuk ended his hunger strike late Thursday after negotiations and concerns about possible violence.
He supported a youth political group called the Cockroach Janta Party, which also demands Pradhan’s resignation.
Wangchuk promised to explain the negotiated conditions in another video.
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The U.S. Justice Department has decided to cancel subpoenas it had issued to some New York Times reporters. These subpoenas were related to the reporters’ articles about security problems with the new Air Force One plane donated by Qatar.
Key Facts
The subpoenas targeted several journalists from the New York Times.
The reporting involved security concerns about the new Air Force One aircraft.
The new Air Force One was gifted to the U.S. by Qatar.
The decision to withdraw the subpoenas happened during a court hearing in Manhattan.
Judge Arun Subramanian was involved in the hearing when the DOJ announced the withdrawal.
The Justice Department originally sought information from reporters because of their Air Force One coverage.
Withdrawing the subpoenas means the journalists no longer have to provide the requested information.
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President Donald Trump announced that nearly 200 companies and organizations have signed a voluntary pledge to prevent American consumers from paying higher electricity bills caused by building AI datacenters. The pledge covers companies providing 80% of power to U.S. homes and businesses and includes Republican governors and major utilities.
Key Facts
About 200 entities have signed the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” to keep electricity costs down for Americans.
The pledge aims to prevent passing datacenter development costs onto consumers.
The initiative was announced at the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters.
It includes big tech firms like Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI, and Amazon.
Major utilities like NextEra and Duke Energy, plus 23 Republican governors, support the pledge.
Electricity prices have risen by about 4% over the past year, causing concern ahead of the midterm elections.
Some states, including New York and Texas, have introduced or considered bans or moratoriums on datacenters due to environmental and social concerns.
Environmental groups criticize the pledge as weak and say it lacks real measures to lower energy bills.
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A lawsuit in Wisconsin asks the court to allow voters who have already returned absentee ballots to cancel those and vote again. This is important because some candidates dropped out after voters cast ballots. The state elections commission currently says voters cannot request new ballots once submitted.
Key Facts
The lawsuit was filed by three voters supported by Wisconsin’s Democratic Party.
It targets the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s guidance that voters cannot get new absentee ballots after submitting one.
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez recently dropped out of the governor’s Democratic primary, and David Crowley reentered the race.
Rodriguez’s and Missy Hughes’s names remain on the ballot despite having dropped out.
Nearly 91,000 absentee ballots had been returned as of the lawsuit filing.
The lawsuit claims the commission’s rules violate Wisconsin law and the state constitution’s voting rights.
Absentee ballot “spoiling” allows voters to cancel a submitted ballot and send a new one; this practice has been legally disputed before.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 4-2 to ban the spoiling of absentee ballots this year.
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A man named Vance Boelter was sentenced to life in prison for killing Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for injuring others in a shooting. Survivors and family members spoke about the lasting trauma caused by the attack and the difficult changes in their lives.
Key Facts
Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to the murder of Melissa Hortman and her husband, and to injuring state senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Boelter received two life sentences plus 40 years in prison.
Prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty in exchange for Boelter’s guilty plea.
The shootings led to the largest police search in Minnesota history.
Boelter disguised himself as a police officer and stalked his victims for months before the attack.
Survivors described ongoing trauma, such as changes in daily routines and lasting physical injuries.
Family members expressed anger about the sentence and the murderer's lifetime care being funded by taxpayers.
Melissa Hortman’s children remembered their parents as loving and spoke about the family dog who was also injured.
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A Minnesota man named Vance Boelter was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years in prison for killing a top Democratic lawmaker, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband. He also injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife during attacks in June 2023.
Key Facts
Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to assassinating House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.
Boelter also seriously wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
The attacks happened in June 2023 in the Minneapolis area.
Boelter disguised himself as a police officer during the attacks and targeted several Democratic officials.
A large police search followed, the biggest in Minnesota’s history.
The judge said the sentence was the longest he has ever given but felt it was deserved.
Boelter showed remorse by pleading guilty, avoiding the death penalty, which prosecutors chose not to seek.
Family members of the victims expressed disappointment that the death sentence was not given.
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The Justice Department has decided to cancel subpoenas that demanded testimony and phone records from New York Times reporters. These subpoenas were connected to a story about President Trump's use of an old Air Force One plane and investigations into security on a new Air Force One plane.
Key Facts
The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas for grand jury testimony and phone records from New York Times reporters.
The subpoenas were related to reporting on President Trump's use of an older presidential aircraft after the NATO summit in Turkey.
The subpoenas were signed by Jay Clayton, a former U.S. attorney who was later chosen by President Trump to be director of national intelligence.
The New York Times challenged the subpoenas in court, calling them abusive and improper.
Prosecutors sought phone records from reporters and their families to find sources about security on the new Air Force One plane.
The new Air Force One was donated by the Qatari government.
A federal judge questioned the Justice Department’s procedures and considered sanctions for alleged false statements in their subpoena request.
The story is ongoing and may have new developments.
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Two men were stabbed in the Upper West Side of Manhattan during the daytime. One man is in critical condition, and a possible suspect is in custody, though police do not yet know if the attacks were random.
Key Facts
The stabbings happened near West 86th Street and Broadway, and then near West 86th Street and Central Park West.
The first victim is a 40-year-old man stabbed once in the back.
The second victim is a 50-year-old man stabbed once in the chest.
Both victims were taken to the hospital; one is in critical condition.
Police have a possible suspect in custody.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the attacks were random.
The incident took place in a residential area during broad daylight.
Police responded to the scene and are continuing the investigation.
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Republican warnings about a communist threat are not serious. She laughed when asked if democratic socialism might turn into communism and called the idea very silly.
Key Facts
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a Democratic Congresswoman from New York.
She responded to Republican concerns about a communist threat in politics.
Ocasio-Cortez described these warnings as “very silly.”
She laughed when asked about democratic socialism becoming communism.
The comments were made during a brief interaction with reporters on Capitol Hill.
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U.S. health officials are looking into a new outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that causes diarrhea. So far, 72 people have been affected, but the FDA has not found the source or said where the cases are.
Key Facts
Cyclospora is a parasite that causes diarrhea.
There is a new outbreak under investigation in the U.S.
As of Wednesday, 72 people are reported to be sick.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not identified the contaminated product.
The locations of the infected people have not been disclosed.
The Associated Press has requested more information from the FDA.
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President Donald Trump hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House in the Rose Garden. The team won the 2025 World Series by beating the Toronto Blue Jays four games to three.
Key Facts
President Trump welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House.
The event took place in the Rose Garden.
The Dodgers won the 2025 World Series.
They defeated the Toronto Blue Jays.
The series ended with four wins for the Dodgers and three for the Blue Jays.
This was the Dodgers’ 9th World Series title.
President Trump congratulated the team after their victory in November 2025.
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Mexican journalist Alejandro Leyva Aguilar was killed by gunfire while eating at a street food stall in Oaxaca. He had spent many years reporting on corruption and crime. This is the fourth journalist murder in Mexico since June.
Key Facts
Alejandro Leyva Aguilar was a Mexican journalist.
He was shot dead in Oaxaca while eating street food.
He reported on corruption and violent crime.
His death is the fourth killing of a journalist in Mexico since June.
The incident highlights ongoing dangers for journalists in Mexico.
Oaxaca is a city in southern Mexico known for cultural and political activity.
Journalists in Mexico often face threats due to their investigative work.
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Several children in Ladera Ranch, a neighborhood in southern California, have been diagnosed with a rare cancer called Ewing sarcoma. Local officials and families are worried and have asked health agencies to investigate if environmental factors, such as pesticide use, could be causing these cases.
Key Facts
Six children in Ladera Ranch have been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer affecting bones and soft tissue.
Ewing sarcoma mainly occurs in children and young adults and is very uncommon.
Residents have noticed people spraying herbicides and pesticides in the area and are concerned about possible health risks.
Some community members reported additional cancer cases in adults and pets.
Officials, including Vice-Chair Katrina Foley, have called for a fast and transparent investigation into the cancer cases.
The American Cancer Society says there are no known lifestyle or environmental causes for this cancer, but the cluster has raised concerns.
Bill Essayli, an assistant US attorney, asked the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate possible environmental causes.
Health agencies like the CDC and National Cancer Institute support scientific reviews of unusual cancer patterns linked to environmental exposures.
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President Donald Trump’s Justice Department will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists about reports on security concerns involving a Qatari-donated Air Force One plane. The subpoenas were paused by a judge while both sides argued over their validity in a Manhattan federal court.
Key Facts
The subpoenas were issued on July 10 by Jay Clayton, Manhattan’s U.S. attorney and Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence.
They targeted New York Times journalists who reported that the Qatari-donated Air Force One lacked antimissile and other security features.
The Times’ report used anonymous sources and noted that Trump flew on the old Air Force One after leaving Turkey.
The subpoenas are part of efforts to make journalists reveal their sources, which critics say pressures the media.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian paused the subpoenas’ enforcement pending a court hearing.
Prosecutors asked for a two-week hold on the subpoenas to consider next steps in the investigation.
The New York Times asked the judge to dismiss the subpoenas, saying they violate press freedom protected by the First Amendment.
The issue arose amid tensions related to the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran.
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Yemen’s government has announced it will restart oil exports on July 20 after stopping them in late 2022. The government hopes the money from oil sales will help pay salaries and improve services, but security challenges and damaged infrastructure make resuming exports difficult.
Key Facts
Yemen stopped oil exports in late 2022 and plans to restart them on July 20, 2024.
Oil revenues are important for Yemen’s economy, especially for paying salaries and improving services.
Yemen has about 3 billion barrels of proven oil reserves mainly in Masila, Marib, and Shabwa areas.
Oil production has dropped from 439,000 barrels per day (bpd) around 2000 to about 19,000 bpd in 2024.
Most oil produced recently is used domestically, with only 7,000 to 10,000 bpd kept for local use in 2023-24.
The Yemeni government expects to produce about 60,000 bpd initially after exports resume.
Local consumption of oil is around 20,000 bpd, so exports might reach roughly 40,000 bpd.
Security, repair of pipelines, and restoring confidence of shipping and insurance companies are needed for stable exports.
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Paramount Skydance wants to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, which some states and a court are stopping because they worry it will reduce competition in movie theaters. However, the bigger issue may be that streaming platforms like Netflix now control most viewers, data, and advertising, changing how entertainment companies compete.
Key Facts
The European Commission approved the Paramount-Warner deal with conditions on July 22, 2025.
A judge in California temporarily stopped the deal while 12 states challenge it as an antitrust issue.
States worry fewer big studios mean fewer places for creators to sell their work and less competition.
The Writers Guild of America sued to block the merger, fearing harm to writers and the creative market.
Antitrust law focuses on specific markets, like movie theaters, and does not allow losses in one market to be balanced by gains in another.
Streaming services like Netflix have grown hugely, with over 325 million paid members and $45.2 billion revenue in 2025.
Streaming now controls much of TV viewing, advertising, and data to decide what content to produce and promote.
Traditional studios lack the direct customer relationships and technology that streaming platforms use to compete.
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About 24 states led by Democrats sued President Donald Trump's administration over new rules tied to receiving FEMA grant money. The states say these rules are unlawful because they require changes on election policies and immigration enforcement.
Key Facts
Two dozen Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit against the federal government.
The lawsuit challenges new conditions set by the Trump administration for FEMA grants.
FEMA stands for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which gives money to states for disaster relief.
The new grant conditions involve states changing how they handle elections and immigration rules.
The states argue that these conditions go beyond what the federal government is allowed to do.
This lawsuit is part of ongoing disagreements between Democratic states and President Trump’s administration.
The government uses FEMA grants to support states during emergencies like hurricanes and floods.
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