Staff who work for Members of Parliament (MPs) in the UK are asking for better security after cases of physical attacks and many threats. A survey found that most of these staff have faced threatening messages, and many worry about their safety. The prime minister plans to review security following the recent murder of a former minister.
Key Facts
Over 500 MPs’ staff were surveyed about their safety and security.
78% of staff said they received threatening calls or messages.
Nearly 30% often fear for their own or their colleagues’ safety.
Some staff have been physically attacked or faced racist and sexist abuse.
One in two staff report serious psychological distress linked to their work.
Security is often only provided when the MP is present, leaving staff vulnerable.
Staff want security protections extended to them when representing MPs in public.
The prime minister plans to review MPs’ security after a recent murder of a public figure.
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A US study found that replacing gas stoves with electric ones greatly improved asthma symptoms in people living near Cleveland, Ohio. The change reduced hospital visits and missed work or school days, with air pollution inside homes dropping significantly.
Key Facts
The study began in December 2024 and aimed to help 1,200 people with poorly controlled asthma.
Funding was cut early by President Trump’s administration, so fewer than 100 homes completed the stove replacement.
Even with a smaller group of 72 homes, researchers saw clear health improvements.
Asthma scores dropped from 2.6 to 1.5 on a scale where 0.5 is a meaningful improvement.
Hospital admissions and days off due to asthma decreased after switching to electric stoves.
Indoor nitrogen dioxide pollution fell by about 70% in monitored homes.
Most participants (over 97%) were happy with their new stoves.
Experts say reducing indoor air pollution should be part of housing and environmental policies to help health.
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The U.S. military has been conducting night strikes against Iran for nearly two weeks amid rising tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain warned its people to take shelter after detecting incoming fire, while attacks on shipping routes and oil tankers in the region have increased.
Key Facts
The U.S. finished its 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran early Friday.
Bahrain sounded sirens warning residents to take cover from incoming fire.
The conflict centers on control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for global oil.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
Oil prices have passed $100 per barrel amid the fighting.
U.S. missile strikes hit areas in Iran, including naval sites on Qeshm Island and near Ahvaz.
Iranian state media reported 4 killed and 5 wounded in a U.S. missile strike near Ahvaz.
The U.S. says strikes aim to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten civilian and commercial ships.
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A mother and daughter drowned while trying to save a seven-year-old boy at a beach in West Mersea, Essex. A man swam out multiple times to rescue two children, and witnesses and emergency responders helped at the scene.
Key Facts
The incident happened on Wednesday evening at West Mersea, near Colchester.
Shally Rahman, 41, and his daughter Samiha Rahman, 15, died trying to rescue a seven-year-old boy.
The boy was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital and is in critical condition.
A man, described as a Good Samaritan, swam out three times to save two children from the water.
Several others were taken to hospital by ambulance after the event.
Bystanders, including teenagers working nearby and an off-duty paramedic, helped with rescue efforts.
Essex Police are investigating the incident and asking witnesses to provide information.
The boy may have been stranded on a sandbank, causing the rescue attempt.
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A newly studied short story written by World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing shows a more playful and humorous side of him, challenging the idea that he was only a lonely genius. The story, Pryce's Buoy, was written around 1952-1953 and reveals Turing’s personal experiences and feelings about his sexuality.
Key Facts
Alan Turing was a key figure in breaking Nazi Germany's codes during World War Two.
Pryce's Buoy is a six-page handwritten story by Turing, now fully transcribed and studied for the first time.
The story features characters related to gay life and reflects Turing’s own experiences in the 1950s.
Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 due to his homosexuality and was forced to take hormone treatment.
He died by suicide in 1954 at age 41.
Turing was pardoned in 2013, and “Turing’s Law” grants posthumous pardons to other gay and bisexual men convicted of similar offenses.
The story shows a side of Turing that is more playful, creative, and socially aware than previously thought.
The narrative style was influenced by a gay novel, connecting Turing to broader queer literature of his time.
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The Israeli army attacked areas in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreement and ongoing peace talks. The attacks included blasts in villages and a strike on an ambulance, raising concerns about violations of international laws and continuing violence near the Israel-Lebanon border.
Key Facts
Israel carried out attacks in the southern Lebanese town of al-Mansouri and the village of Majdal Zoun.
An explosion in Majdal Zoun was heard over 15 kilometers away in the city of Tyre.
On Thursday, an Israeli strike hit an ambulance in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, injuring two medics.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said the ambulance attack violated international and humanitarian laws.
Israel controls nearly one-fifth of Lebanese territory and has killed over 4,000 people since fighting began on March 2.
The United States brokered a ceasefire agreement, which includes Lebanese army control over some areas if Hezbollah disarms.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, rejects the ceasefire deal and encourages armed resistance against Israel.
Talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials continue, with the next meeting set for August 4 in Italy.
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Adelaide Airport removed ads from conservation groups during the ALP national conference, saying these ads broke political advertising rules. At the same time, ads supporting gas and mining continued to run, prompting questions about fairness.
Key Facts
Conservation groups' ads were removed by Adelaide Airport for allegedly breaking political ad rules.
Groups affected include the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance, Bob Brown Foundation, and Adelaide Park Lands Association.
The removed ads focused on environmental issues like saving rivers, stopping tree removal, and ending native forest logging.
Ads promoting gas and mining companies, such as Santos and the Minerals Council of Australia, remained on display at the airport.
The airport cited its guidelines on political advertising to justify removing certain ads.
Advertising agency JCDecaux said the airport made the final decision about which ads to allow.
At least one gas ad was later stopped, but it had political authorization from an energy industry leader.
Conservation groups criticized the decision, calling for their ads to be reinstated.
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Police in Albania used water cannons and pepper spray to control protesters outside the parliament. The demonstrations have lasted seven weeks and focus on opposition to a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, with protesters calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
Key Facts
Protesters gathered outside Albania’s parliament for seven weeks.
They are demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down.
The protests were sparked by a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner.
Police used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
The resort has caused ongoing public anger and political tension.
Demonstrations involved clashes between police and protesters.
The situation highlights political unrest related to business and government ties.
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Madison, Wisconsin police do not require officers to wear body cameras, so no footage exists from a recent fatal shooting involving four officers and a homeless man. The city is now planning to approve funding to start a body-camera program after years of debate and concerns about cost and community impact.
Key Facts
Madison police officers do not currently have a body-camera program.
A homeless man named Corey Ruiz was fatally shot after officers said he pulled a knife and injured one officer.
All four officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the state investigates.
Residents lack official footage of the incident because no body cameras were used.
The Madison Common Council rejected a body-camera funding proposal last November but will likely approve a $414,800 plan for a three-year rollout soon.
Police Chief John Patterson supports body cameras as important tools for modern policing.
Experts say almost all cities with about 500 officers have body-camera programs.
Opposition to body cameras in Madison came from budget concerns and community worries about surveillance of marginalized groups.
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The Democratic Party plans to finalize its 2028 primary election calendar, likely placing either South Carolina or Nevada at the start instead of traditional early states like Iowa. This change aims to highlight states with more racial diversity and better represent the party’s coalition. The decision will need approval from the full Democratic National Committee in August.
Key Facts
Democrats want to change the 2028 primary schedule from past traditions by moving Iowa off the top spot.
South Carolina and Nevada are competing to hold the first primary contest.
The change is meant to give more influence to racially diverse states, including Black and Latino voters.
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee will decide the calendar, with final approval expected in August.
South Carolina has been important because it tests candidates’ support among Black voters and was key in President Biden’s 2020 campaign momentum.
Nevada argues it better represents today’s Democrats due to its diversity, union presence, and status as a battleground state.
Republicans have not yet set their 2028 calendar and are expected to keep Iowa and New Hampshire first.
Without an incumbent president running, the early states will play a major role in deciding which Democratic candidates gain momentum and support.
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A photojournalist captured an image of Carolina Munoz praying while searching for her son’s body in the rubble of a collapsed building in Venezuela after a strong earthquake. The photo shows the grief and desperation of families looking for their loved ones weeks after the disaster.
Key Facts
The earthquake caused a building with 12 floors to collapse in Caraballeda, La Guaira, Venezuela.
Carolina Munoz was searching for the body of her son, Carlos Munoz, in the debris.
The photo was taken three weeks after the earthquake during ongoing search efforts.
Photojournalist Ariana Cubillos took the picture using a telephoto lens from the top of the collapsed tower.
Many families were trying to recover bodies so their relatives could be properly laid to rest.
The area was difficult to navigate due to deep holes, cables, ropes, and pieces of cloth.
The photo shows Munoz praying with her face raised toward the sky, expressing deep sadness and helplessness.
Ariana Cubillos has worked in Venezuela since 2009 covering humanitarian crises and social unrest.
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Rabbi Jeffrey Myers is retiring from the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, where he led the community after a deadly antisemitic attack in 2018 that killed 11 people. He plans to return to New Jersey to be near family and focus on personal healing and interests.
Key Facts
Rabbi Jeffrey Myers survived the 2018 attack that killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue.
He led the congregation through years of recovery, including a trial that resulted in the gunman’s death sentence.
The synagogue shared its building with two other congregations at the time of the attack.
Myers struggled with prayer after the attack but found comfort in the Book of Psalms.
After the attack, the congregation worshipped at a nearby synagogue while their building was a crime scene.
Myers is retiring at age 70 and will move back to New Jersey to be near his daughter and granddaughter.
He intends to spend more time reading, writing, and working on his own healing.
Myers began his spiritual journey in New Jersey, initially training as a cantor before becoming a rabbi.
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A doctor who performed the autopsy on 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez will testify at a hearing to decide if singer David Burke, also known as D4vd, should face trial for her killing. The autopsy found her death was a homicide caused by penetrating wounds, but the body was severely decomposed, making some details hard to confirm.
Key Facts
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, was found dead in a Tesla owned by singer D4vd in September, months after she was killed.
The autopsy reported that she died from penetrating wounds to her upper body, including injuries that damaged her liver and ribs.
Prosecutors accuse David Burke (D4vd) of sexually abusing Rivas Hernandez starting when she was 13 and killing her when she threatened to expose their relationship.
Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of a body.
Prosecutors claim Burke dismembered the body in his garage, where blood stains matching Rivas Hernandez’s DNA were found.
The autopsy was limited by the body's decomposition, leading to some uncertain conclusions in the report.
The Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner criticized the delay in releasing the autopsy report to the family.
Toxicology tests showed a low level of alcohol in the victim’s liver, possibly caused by bacteria after death, not contributing to her death.
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Canada is opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan. The new bridge will improve trade and travel between the two countries but comes amid trade tensions after President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Canadian goods to the U.S.
Key Facts
The Gordie Howe Bridge links Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, over the Detroit River.
The bridge officially opens to traffic on Monday after a ceremony in Windsor.
Canada canceled a joint U.S.-Canada celebration due to recent U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports.
Over 70% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S., its largest trading partner.
The bridge offers an alternative to the Ambassador Bridge, which has been the main commercial crossing for almost 100 years.
Construction began in 2018 and finished after delays caused partly by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bridge has six lanes, is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, and allows free crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists with ID soon.
Canada paid about $6.4 billion to build the bridge and will share toll revenue with the U.S. and Michigan after recovering costs.
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Scientists predict a strong El Nino weather pattern may develop starting mid-2025, potentially the strongest on record. This natural warming of Pacific Ocean waters will affect global weather, causing extreme heat, droughts, and heavy rains in different areas.
Key Facts
El Nino is a natural cycle that warms parts of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, changing global weather patterns.
It usually happens every 2 to 7 years and lasts about 9 to 12 months.
Current ocean temperatures and warm water below the surface suggest an El Nino event is forming and may get very strong.
A very strong El Nino is called a "super El Nino."
El Nino causes heat waves, droughts in some places, and heavy rainfall leading to floods in others.
It typically reduces hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean by dominating the heat there.
Scientists warn the weather effects could be more severe than in recent history.
The impact is global, including hotter summers and drought signs in areas like the Amazon and the Caribbean.
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Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, spiritual leader of Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Congregation, is retiring at age 70, eight years after surviving the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. He led his community through the tragedy, the shooter's trial, and the pandemic while also helping start a new synagogue building.
Key Facts
The attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh was the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.
Rabbi Jeffrey Myers survived the shooting and led his congregation through multiple funerals of those killed.
After the attack, Myers found comfort and inspiration by reading the biblical Book of Psalms.
Myers struggled with prayer following the tragedy but eventually found renewed faith.
He guided his community through the shooter’s trial and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under his leadership, the congregation began construction of a new synagogue building.
Rabbi Myers is retiring at age 70 in July 2026.
A retirement dinner was held to honor Rabbi Myers with friends, family, and community members.
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Colt Gray, a 16-year-old accused of killing four people in a 2024 school shooting in Georgia, is scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing. The hearing will be non-negotiated, meaning the judge will decide the sentence without a plea deal between the defense and prosecution.
Key Facts
The shooting happened on September 4, 2024, at Apalachee High School in Georgia.
Four people were killed: two students and two teachers.
Colt Gray was 14 when the shooting occurred and faces 55 charges including murder and aggravated assault.
Gray’s father, Colin Gray, was convicted of giving Colt the rifle used in the shooting and faces sentencing soon.
The plea and sentencing hearing is set for Friday in Barrow County Superior Court.
Prosecutors plan to present witnesses, videos, crime scene photos, 911 calls, and Colt’s school, medical, and social media records.
The defense plans to call a psychologist, a juvenile detention center worker, and Colt’s grandmother as witnesses.
Colt Gray allegedly planned the attack in detail, including notes with instructions and diagrams, estimating potential casualties.
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The Christian Brothers and Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) have agreed to fully compensate survivors of historical abuse after public pressure. EREA will now help pay claims by selling off properties previously gifted by the Christian Brothers and will take responsibility for both current and future legal claims.
Key Facts
The Christian Brothers is a Catholic order with a history of clergy abuse.
They said they could not afford to pay abuse survivors and planned to sell 36 properties worth about $217 million.
Survivors were originally owed about $774 million.
The Christian Brothers transferred valuable properties to EREA for $1 over several years.
EREA had previously refused to replace the Christian Brothers in legal claims.
Both groups now say EREA will help pay all survivors in full and take on responsibility for future claims.
This change follows strong public and legal pressure.
The new plan needs court approval and a vote by creditors before it can proceed.
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President Donald Trump switched his support in the Georgia governor race to Rick Jackson after Jackson won the Republican primary over Trump's first choice, Burt Jones. Trump urged Republicans to unite behind Jackson, who will face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in the general election. Polls show the race is very close between Jackson and Bottoms.
Key Facts
President Trump initially endorsed Burt Jones in the Georgia governor Republican primary.
Rick Jackson won the primary, defeating Jones in an upset.
Trump praised Jackson as a successful businessman and urged GOP voters to support him.
Jackson will compete against Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in the 2026 Georgia governor race.
Recent polls show a very tight race, with some showing Bottoms slightly ahead and others showing Jackson slightly ahead.
The Cook Political Report calls the race a toss-up, meaning it is too close to predict.
Georgia is a key battleground state, where Trump narrowly won in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump’s shift highlights his goal of uniting Republicans and backing winners ahead of the general election.
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A newly studied short story written by Alan Turing shows a different side of him, depicting him as playful and open about his sexuality. The story challenges common views of Turing as a lonely and humorless figure, revealing his enjoyment of life and interest in literature.
Key Facts
Alan Turing wrote a short story called "Pryce’s Buoy" after his 1952 arrest for homosexuality.
The story features characters including a scientist named Alec Pryce, who represents Turing himself, and a working-class sex worker named Ron Miller.
The story is racy and shows Turing’s playful, funny, and cheeky side, different from the usual serious image.
Turing was a leading WWII codebreaker and helped develop early computers and artificial intelligence.
He was chemically castrated after his arrest and died in 1954, with his death officially ruled a suicide.
The UK government apologized in 2009 for how Turing was treated due to his sexuality.
The story was difficult to read and had been overlooked but was recently transcribed by a Cambridge literature professor.
The popular film "The Imitation Game" presents a less accurate and more solitary version of Turing than this new evidence suggests.
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