WorldTwo days after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture, rescuers are urgently searching for survivors. People are believed to be trapped inside a paper mill and a shopping mall. The disaster has killed at least 30 people, while rescue teams continue efforts to reach those still inside. Latest developments are being followed as the search proceeds.
PoliticsRepublican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his Senate hearing. Hawley also challenged how Fauci handled the COVID-19 pandemic. He made the remarks on “Hannity,” framing the testimony as a question of accountability in the Senate’s examination.
Fox News
SocietyLindsay Clancy sobbed in court Wednesday as jurors heard the anguished 911 call made by her then-husband. He had returned from an errand and found that Clancy had strangled their three children at their Massachusetts home. The call captured his distress after discovering what had happened. The proceedings are examining the fatal incident involving the family.
The Associated Press
PoliticsA Senate vote to move Todd Blanche’s nomination as President Donald Trump’s attorney general appeared close to being postponed late Wednesday. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas intensified demands that the Justice Department assure lawmakers a controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund will not proceed. The Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to advance Blanche’s nomination on Thursday. Without Cornyn’s backing, the vote would fail, placing the nomination in jeopardy.
CNN
WorldFox News’ “The Five” co-hosts examine what may lie ahead in the war between the United States and Iran. The program says President Trump has pledged a response following what it describes as a surprise Iranian attack. Discussion centers on the conflict’s future and the prospect of further military action. The segment frames the issue through national security, defense and foreign-policy concerns.
Fox News
PoliticsFormer senior US health official Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions at a tense Senate hearing on Covid-19. He said he feared Republicans would use his testimony to pursue a perjury prosecution against him. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution more than 100 times. Republicans have repeatedly accused him of hiding pandemic information from the public and misrepresenting its danger.
BBC News
PoliticsDr. Anthony Fauci, who previously led the US response to Covid, appeared under subpoena at a Senate hearing on July 29. He said Rand Paul had made what he called defamatory remarks, sought to send him to prison and recently disclosed his private diary. Fauci therefore invoked the constitutional Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. He declined to answer roughly 100 questions about his institution’s cooperation with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the virus’s origins and his emphasis on a natural origin over the possibility of a laboratory leak.
VOA Chinese
WorldThe program examines the overlap between politics and global business. Senator John Kennedy says keeping sanctions and a blockade on Iran would be painful for Americans before the midterm elections. He nevertheless argues that maintaining pressure for several more months could be the most effective way to influence Tehran. Former Republican Senator Jeff Flake says the deadlock over Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination demonstrates the limits of President Trump’s influence.
Bloomberg Television
WorldThe broadcast leads with four major developments. US and Saudi forces carried out airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in eastern Iraq on July 29. The US Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence, giving the country’s 18 intelligence agencies a permanent leader. Severe earthquake damage remained visible in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture, while the death toll from the magnitude 7.1 quake rose to 14. A Pentagon official said current US-China military ties are the most stable in recent years.
VOA Chinese
PoliticsCo-hosts of “The Five” discuss Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony on Capitol Hill. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times, declining to answer questions about his COVID-19 diary and related matters. The discussion presents his repeated refusals as a central feature of the hearing, alongside questions about government oversight, accountability and public health.
Fox News
WorldThailand is moving forward with a permanent fence along sections of its border with Cambodia. Relations between the two Southeast Asian neighbors remain highly strained, almost a year after their worst border clashes in decades. Their long-running territorial dispute involves colonial-era maps and ancient religious sites, above all the Preah Vihear temple. The frontier remains heavily militarized and crossings are still closed, fueling fears that fighting could resume.
WorldThe Iraqi army says attacks by the United States and Saudi Arabia have obstructed its inquiry into overnight strikes on the Popular Mobilisation Forces, or PMF. Iraq’s presidency denounces the action as a blatant breach of the country’s sovereignty. The PMF reports that at least 20 of its members were killed. Al Jazeera’s Jack Hewson reports from Baghdad.
WorldPresident Trump said the United States would strike Iran “very hard” following an attack targeting the US military in Jordan. He also said he had received a briefing about a drone attack on a gas-storage tanker owned by the United States in Egypt. The remarks link the threatened response to the Jordan incident while separately citing the reported strike in Egypt.
Reuters
WorldRussian authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov. He is accused of aiding terrorism and could face a life sentence. Russia’s security service says Telegram failed to remove channels and bots that Moscow suspects were used to coordinate acts of sabotage. Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova reports from Moscow.
WorldA 19-year-old Norwegian who travelled to the UK to carry out an assassination for a Swedish organised crime group has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder. Johannes Natland was arrested in a Huddersfield hotel room in March 2025 with two working guns and 19 rounds of live ammunition. He admitted possessing the firearms and ammunition but denied the conspiracy allegation. After a retrial, an Old Bailey jury convicted him, and he showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered.
BBC News
TechMicrosoft’s cloud business recorded its strongest growth in four years, indicating that its computing infrastructure and artificial-intelligence services are continuing to gain ground with companies. Azure cloud revenue rose 43% in the fiscal fourth quarter, according to a company statement issued Wednesday. That was the fastest quarterly increase since early 2022 and exceeded analysts’ average forecast of about 40%. Azure sales surpassed $100 billion for the first time.
Bloomberg Television
WorldA British maritime security firm says a drone struck a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at the Mediterranean port of Damietta in Egypt. Ambrey described its assessment as initial. The incident came as U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to retaliate against Iran over an overnight attack. The developments suggested that the Middle East conflict was spreading beyond its principal fronts, according to the report.
WorldSaudi Arabia’s decision to take part in US strikes on targets in Iraq signals a new stage in the regional war. Riyadh had previously resisted retaliation despite repeated attacks on Saudi territory and US military assets stationed there. After a Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan was struck, Saudi forces joined Washington in hitting more than 20 targets across seven Iraqi provinces. The targets included Iran-backed groups and Iranian advisers, while the operation warned Iraqi militias and Yemen’s Houthis.
EconomyThe Federal Reserve released materials for the Federal Open Market Committee press conference held on July 29, 2026. The materials include a PDF transcript and a webpage containing meeting information. As the United States’ central bank, the Federal Reserve carries out functions intended to support the effective operation of the economy and the broader public interest. Its responsibilities include conducting monetary policy to promote maximum employment, stable prices and moderate long-term interest rates.
EconomyThe Federal Reserve has released the introductory statement for the Federal Open Market Committee meeting held on July 29, 2026. The accompanying materials include a transcript of the press conference and meeting documents. The statement describes the Federal Reserve System’s role as the central bank of the United States and highlights its monetary-policy responsibilities in pursuing maximum employment, stable prices and the effective operation of the U.S. economy in the public interest.
TechOpenAI CEO Sam Altman is heading to Washington to discuss artificial-intelligence policy with government officials as a fierce debate unfolds over how the United States should regulate the technology. The discussion also centers on how Washington should respond to competition from China. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argued in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that the US government should not block Chinese AI. Elon Musk separately told The Economist’s editor-in-chief that humans will not be in charge within ten years, with control ceded to artificial intelligence. CNN examines the regulatory landscape.
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PoliticsPresident Trump made an announcement alongside the Secretary of Transportation. The White House issued the notice, while no details about the announcement or any related policy were provided.
WorldTwo Israeli air strikes struck a residential block in the al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City. The Israeli military issued a forced evacuation order before launching the strikes. The attack comes as Israel continues its assault across Gaza. Civilians are being repeatedly displaced while bombardment continues. Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary is reporting live from Gaza City.
EconomyThe Federal Reserve held a press conference for the Federal Open Market Committee. The U.S. central bank says its broad functions are intended to support the effective operation of the economy and the public interest. Its monetary policy responsibilities include promoting maximum employment, stable prices and moderate long-term interest rates. The event includes a captioned record of the briefing.