EconomyFederal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh says the effort to reduce inflation is only getting started. Speaking at a press conference in Washington, he reiterated that the committee has neither a soft inflation target nor a soft implicit target during its watch. Warsh said the Fed recognizes only one target: inflation at 2%. His remarks presented the objective as firm rather than flexible.
Bloomberg Television
PoliticsPrime Minister Andy Burnham has proposed a major overhaul of England’s existing social care system. His three-point plan is being accompanied by a review led by Baroness Casey, while the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have been asked to cooperate on the reforms. The proposal raises questions about what a “National Care Service” would involve. It also confronts the failure of 22 earlier reviews of adult social care to produce change, as well as the challenge of paying for the plan.
BBC News
PoliticsAn election intended to reinforce democracy in Pakistan-administered Kashmir has been overshadowed by rapidly escalating disorder. Dozens of people died in clashes involving protesters and security forces as voting began. The violence came after weeks of demonstrations led by a group that has since been banned and is demanding electoral reform. Islamabad says it will consider changes only through a constitutional amendment. The turmoil during the vote’s opening phase has become one of the biggest challenges surrounding the process.
PoliticsSenator Rand Paul had security remove Anthony Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, from the Senate hearing on the Covid-19 pandemic held on 29 July. Schertler was taken out after repeatedly attempting to interject while questions were being put to Fauci during the session.
PoliticsSen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, and constitutional law attorney Jonathan Turley discuss Dr. Anthony Fauci’s repeated invocation of his Fifth Amendment rights. Fauci did so during a hearing held by the Senate Homeland Security Committee. The discussion centers on his decision to invoke those rights during the congressional proceedings. The headline says he took the Fifth 111 times.
Fox News
SocietySelf-help groups say the new Curiosity Credits scheme could give youths access to a wider range of programmes by combining demand for less common interests. Possible offerings include culinary arts, speech and drama. The full programme list has not yet been announced. Eligible youths from four self-help groups may be able to use a S$500 credit to pursue their interests.
TechArtificial intelligence relies on far more than software, including a vast network of physical data centers. As the industry expands across the United States, rural communities are objecting to facilities they say place pressure on local resources. Residents are taking their concerns to courtrooms, town halls and grassroots protests. These efforts are increasingly delaying, reducing or blocking projects worth billions of dollars.
EconomyInvestors are waiting for blockbuster earnings from Microsoft and Meta, putting technology at the center of the US trading day. Oil prices have surged after President Trump threatened new strikes on Iran, leaving markets on edge. Attention is also focused on whether the Federal Reserve will stand pat or deliver a surprise. The program will examine the market outlook, AI’s potential winners and chip-related risks with its guests.
Bloomberg Television
WorldResidents of Mansouri in southern Lebanon are still unable to return home despite a US-backed ceasefire agreement. Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of the village and demolish houses. Local officials report gunfire, stun grenades and airstrikes near the frontline, while farmers are prevented from reaching their land. Israel occupies about six percent of Lebanese territory along the so-called yellow line. Many residents say they have little faith that the occupation will end through the deal.
EconomySingapore is introducing a S$900 million package to help households and businesses manage higher costs associated with the Middle East crisis and rising energy prices. Every Singaporean household will receive an additional S$300 in CDC vouchers. The measures also expand U-Save rebates and ComCare assistance, while eligible small and medium-sized enterprises will receive cash grants. Hawkers and market stallholders will get rental relief. The Government says it will keep monitoring developments and respond if conditions deteriorate.
SocietyMarine biologist Emily Morrison, known online as “The Shark Lady,” spoke with “CBS Mornings” about her enduring fascination with sharks. She described how an initial fear grew into enthusiasm and discussed her record number of shark tattoos. The program’s weekday hosts, Gayle King and Nate Burleson, present breaking news, conversation and feature reporting. “CBS Mornings” airs weekdays on CBS and streams on the CBS News app.
CultureZoe Saldaña spoke with “CBS Mornings” about why the latest season of “Lioness” has been demanding. She explained how the series puts challenges before its actors and described what it is like to work with Taylor Sheridan. The conversation appeared as part of the program’s weekday news and feature coverage.
WorldTwo strikes hit Gaza City and Deir al-Balah on Tuesday evening after the Israeli military issued a warning, residents in the area said. Video footage showed the attacks on the two locations. Residents reported the strikes but said no casualties had been immediately reported. The incidents occurred in the Gaza Strip after the military warning.
The Associated Press
HealthDr Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions during a Senate hearing on Covid. He invoked his Fifth Amendment rights before a Senate committee examining the origins of the virus. Fauci was a key adviser to Donald Trump and Joe Biden during the pandemic. His refusal came as lawmakers investigated how Covid began.
WorldStuart Norval speaks with Jean-Luc Gleyze, president of the Gironde Departmental Council, and Stéphane Delpeyrat-Vincent, a former firefighter who founded wildfire-prevention research firm WARUCENE. The fires in Gironde highlight the mounting difficulty of managing land as the world warms. From the emergency-response front line, Gleyze describes the blazes as a test of social solidarity and institutional coordination. Delpeyrat-Vincent offers a complementary perspective, prompting debate over whether ancestral approaches to land management should be reconsidered.
EconomyBank Indonesia says it is intensifying efforts to steady the rupiah and reassure markets. The move follows the surprise resignation of Governor Perry Warjiyo, which has renewed attention on the central bank’s monetary policy. Officials say they will strengthen the policy mix beyond interest rates. Foreign-exchange intervention and other monetary instruments will be used to attract overseas investment and manage liquidity.
PoliticsInfluential Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and allied armed groups to stop launching attacks from Iraqi territory. The attacks have targeted Saudi Arabia. Sami Al-Arian, director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Zaim University, weighs in on the issue. His intervention adds analysis to Sadr’s appeal for an end to such operations.
PoliticsPresident Keiko Fujimori is attending her first military parade since becoming Peru’s president. The Peruvian Armed Forces and National Police are marching in a ceremony commemorating Independence Day, observed on July 28. Officials and members of the public are watching the parade as part of the national observance.
The Associated Press
EconomySK Hynix shares fell by roughly 19% in Seoul on Wednesday, marking their largest one-day decline. The memory-chip maker reported second-quarter operating profit below expectations, prompting the stock to give up its early gains. After quarterly profit surged sixfold, the company set aside at least $31 billion for capital spending this year. The announcement heightened investor concern despite the strong profit growth.
Bloomberg Television
PoliticsAnthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights during a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday. He declined to testify about his role in the US response to Covid-19. Fauci criticized the proceeding, saying it had been designed to pressure him into making incriminating statements. The hearing focused on his conduct in the pandemic response.
Bloomberg Television
SocietyThe murder trial of Lindsay Clancy is continuing in Massachusetts. On July 28, jurors heard sharply different accounts of why the mother killed her three young children in 2023. Her defense lawyer attributed the tragedy to postpartum mental illness that she was suffering from. A prosecutor, however, characterized the killings as planned murder. The competing explanations remain central to the proceedings.
Reuters
WorldAuthorities in France’s Gironde prefecture say a massive blaze in the southwest remained stable after a second calm night. The situation is expected to become more difficult as the country prepares for its fourth heatwave of the year. Temperatures in the affected area could rise above 40 degrees Celsius. FRANCE 24 joined firefighters in the field to identify the areas they regard as sensitive while battling the fire.
SocietyThe murder trial of Lindsay Clancy is continuing in Massachusetts. On July 28, jurors heard sharply different accounts of why the mother killed her three young children in 2023. Her defense lawyer attributed the tragedy to postpartum mental illness. A prosecutor, by contrast, described the killings as planned murder. The competing explanations remain central to the proceedings.
Reuters
WorldMadagascar’s capital remains unsettled by a series of disappearances and kidnappings. Since the end of June, children and teenagers have made up most of those affected. The country held a national day of mourning last Friday for the victims. Authorities have announced an anti-kidnapping task force, while new reports continue to emerge. Police officers and victims’ relatives have spoken about the crisis in Antananarivo.