NATO confirms Russian missile crossed into Poland as domestic political fallout splits Warsaw

NATO has confirmed the object that crashed near Tarnawa-Kolonia, Poland, was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, ending days of ambiguity after Polish officials said only it 'appeared' to have come down there. The confirmation is now entangled in domestic politics, with PM Tusk accusing the president of a 'medal blunder' — exposing a rift in the ruling party ahead of 2027 elections. NATO's Gen. Grynkewich vowed to defend alliance territory, and von der Leyen called the incursion an 'unacceptable violation' of EU airspace, as the EU disbursed $4 billion to Ukraine hours later.

• HuffPostPoland investigates missile crash aftermath of Russian attack on Ukraine
• Notes from PolandAccording to Ukraine, the object that entered Polish airspace was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.
• CBS NewsPossible Russian missile crashes in Polish territory during attack on Ukrainian targets
• Politico EuropePolish PM Tusk: evidence points to Russian cruise missile striking Polish territory

Also covered by TVP World · Fox News · Straight Arrow News · Washington Examiner · Kyiv Independent · The Irish Times

US strikes on Iran draw regional fallout as toll rises, Hormuz shipping disrupted

Regional fallout is intensifying after the US strikes on Iran, with Jordan intercepting Iranian missiles fired at its own territory and Iran's IRGC claiming its retaliatory strike on a US base there destroyed several F-35 fighter jets. Iran says the two-hour strike wave, which hit dozens of targets including the Qeshm and Abadan oil islands, killed several civilians, including at least one toddler — prompting Saudi Arabia's defense minister to privately urge Trump toward de-escalation. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted, with tankers turning back and fires breaking out on gas vessels in an Egyptian port.

• NBC NewsThe United States launched major strikes against Iran Thursday morning after President Donald Trump vowed to hit the regime “very hard” as retaliation for a surprise attack on American forces in the region earlier in the week.
• HuffPostThe U.S. military says it has completed what it describes as “a heavy wave of strikes against Iran” conducted in response to an earlier Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan.
• Daily MailUS launches fresh round of powerful strikes on Iran in revenge for thwarted attack as Trump considers new '
• MS NOWThe strikes come a day after CENTCOM said Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. forces, all of which were intercepted without casualties.

Also covered by BBC · NPR · Axios · The National (UAE) · The Globe and Mail · The Hill

Fed holds rates steady in 9-3 split as traders price rising odds of a September hike

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady in a 9-3 vote, one of its most divided decisions under chair Kevin Warsh, who insisted there is 'no soft implicit target' above 2 percent inflation even as three governors pushed for an immediate hike, unsettling AI-linked chip stocks in the process. Markets responded by pricing in a 57% chance of a September rate increase, up sharply from 30% before the meeting. The steady rate marks the fifth consecutive meeting without a change, a run that contrasts with Warsh's own hawkish public rhetoric.

• CNBCFederal Reserve holds interest rates steady amid elevated inflation concerns
• New York PostStocks slumped Wednesday morning and oil prices jumped over 6% after President Trump vowed to “beat the f--king s--t out of” Iran – fueling fears of a lasting conflict that could reheat inflation and push the Fed to hike interest rates.
• The AustralianWarsh Answers Questions After Fed Decides to Hold Rates Steady  The Australian

Also covered by NPR · Guardian · Premium Times · Semafor · Yonhap News · PBS

Europe faces unprecedented wildfire crisis as climate change intensifies heatwaves

A new study by researchers from the World Weather Attribution has found that human-induced climate change played a significant role in the wildfires that have gripped France and Spain in the past week. The hot and dry conditions brought about by climate change made the fires twice as likely in France and 20 times as likely in Spain the scientists found.

• France 24A new study by researchers from the World Weather Attribution has found that human-induced climate change played a significant role in the wildfires that have gripped France and Spain in the past week.
• swissinfo.chClimate change ‘shifting Europe’s wine-growing regions’

Also covered by eKathimerini.com

US growth slows to 1.5% in Q2, down from 2.1%, as AI spending offsets cooling elsewhere

Growth decelerated to an annualized 1.5% in the second quarter, down from 2.1% in the prior quarter, but the slowdown was cushioned by continued strong consumer spending and business investment. The AI infrastructure buildout has emerged as a significant driver propping up growth even as other sectors cool. Separately, a CNN poll found 63% of respondents think the GOP is focusing too little on cost-of-living issues, suggesting the deceleration is already shaping political perception ahead of the midterms.

• BBCGrowth down from 2.1% in prior quarter, BBC notes
• MS NOWUS economic growth slows to 1.5% in second quarter amid trade tensions
• PBSBreaking down the GDP report as U.S. economy slows in 2nd quarter  PBS

Also covered by DNyuz · The Daily Beast · New York Times · The Globe and Mail · South China Morning Post · Nikkei Asia

FIFA opens disciplinary case against Argentina over Falklands banner shown against England

The banner was displayed around Argentina's World Cup match against England, injecting a decades-old territorial dispute over the Falkland Islands into the tournament in a way FIFA appears unwilling to let pass without review. The case could still result in sanctions against the Argentine federation, though the exact charges and possible penalties haven't been finalized publicly. The episode revives a rivalry with political weight far beyond the pitch, given the two countries fought a war over the islands in 1982. FIFA has not said when a disciplinary ruling is expected.

Also covered by lareviewofbooks.org · Slow Boring · Sky News · HuffPost · MercoPress · Boston Review

Russian barrage on Ukraine kills at least 8 as missile breaches Polish airspace

A Russian missile briefly crossed into Polish airspace during the latest barrage on Ukraine, prompting Warsaw to scramble fighter jets to protect NATO territory as the death toll from the strikes climbed toward 13. The attack, involving dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones, came just two days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump in Washington to press for more Patriot air-defense systems — a request Trump has since agreed to license for export. Russia says it targeted air bases, arms factories and logistics hubs, though strikes also hit residential areas, killing at least 8 people including children.

• The Moscow TimesUkraine reports Russian drone and missile strikes hitting military infrastructure
• NPRRussian strikes across Ukraine kill at least 8 civilians and wound dozens
• New York PostRussian cruise missiles kill eight in Ukraine as Poland scrambles fighter jets
• Daily Sabah (Turkey)3 children among 8 dead in fresh Russian barrage

Also covered by Kyiv Independent · SBS News · The Straits Times · NDTV · France 24 · The Globe and Mail

Afternoon Update: Fauci takes aim at News Corp journalist; Bikram Lama’s body returns home

Want to get this in your inbox every weekday? Sign up for the Afternoon Update here, and start your day with our Morning Mail newsletter Good afternoon. Dr Anthony Fauci, the pandemic-era US chief medical adviser, has described a book by News Corp investigative journalist Sharri Markson backing the “lab leak” theory of Covid-19’s origins as a “bunch of nonsense” in his newly released diaries.

Also covered by Guardian Australia · National Review · Guardian · AP News

FIFA fast-tracks new World Cup spin-off tournament format

The plan would introduce an additional competition running alongside the traditional World Cup cycle rather than replacing it, giving FIFA another global commercial vehicle between men's tournaments. Details on format, host selection, and qualification remain undisclosed as the federation moves up its original timeline. The push follows FIFA's recent expansion of the Club World Cup, part of a broader strategy to multiply revenue-generating events under its calendar. The acceleration suggests FIFA sees the new format as a priority alongside its already crowded international calendar of expanded club and national team competitions.

• Sky NewsFIFA already has plans to receive the first financing in less than 100 days from private investors in an accelerated launch of a new World Cup spinoff venture, Sky News can reveal.
• BBCUefa says "the World Cup is not for sale" after its 55 member associations vote to boycott future tournaments if Fifa and its president, Gianni Infantino, do not back down on their investment proposals.
• France 24At an emergency meeting, UEFA's 55 member associations unanimously voted to withdraw from the World Cup should the reform be adopted.
• Hindustan TimesUEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions over Gianni Infantino's $20 billion investor plan, saying the World Cup should never be privately owned.

Also covered by New York Post · Defector · Al Jazeera · Daily Sabah (Turkey)

Cornyn, Tillis stall Blanche's DOJ nomination over unresolved $1.8B 'anti-weaponization fund'

Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are blocking a committee vote on Todd Blanche's Justice Department nomination until they get written proof that a disputed $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" — which CNBC reports would shield Trump from IRS tax audits — has actually been killed. Cornyn has escalated by accusing the DOJ of 'stonewalling' his demands, while Tillis says the fund language is 'pretty much agreed to,' suggesting the two holdouts aren't fully aligned on how close a deal is.

• GuardianSenate panel delays vote on Todd Blanche's AG nomination as Republicans voice concerns
• NOTUSBlanche Committee Vote in Limbo After Cornyn Meeting Canceled
• BreitbartJohn Cornyn Threatens to Sink Todd Blanche as DOJ Will Not Recind Trump IRS Fund
• HuffPostTodd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general stalled as lawmakers scrapped a planned committee vote.

Also covered by NBC News · NPR · CBS News · The Hill · The Straits Times · Politico

Fetterman says Fauci 'fixated on own fame' as GOP disputes his Fifth Amendment claim

Sen. John Fetterman said Anthony Fauci appeared "fixated on his own fame" during the pandemic response, adding a Democratic voice of criticism to a hearing otherwise dominated by Republicans. The sharper new wrinkle is legal: some senators now argue Fauci's pardon from President Biden voids his ability to invoke the Fifth Amendment, since a pardoned person can't face prosecution for the underlying conduct — undercutting the basis for his 111 refusals to answer. Sen. Rand Paul, who released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci's private diary ahead of the hearing, is now moving toward a contempt-of-Congress vote as soon as next week.

• The Globe and MailNow-retired infectious-disease expert invokes Fifth Amendment in response
• Fox NewsSen. Bernie Moreno says Anthony Fauci is Democrats' "hero" who "treated us like lab rats" after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment during a Senate hearing on COVID-19 policies.

Also covered by The Hill · HuffPost · CBS News · Wonkette · BBC · DNyuz

Jenrick ducks question on why George Cottrell gave $2m to his mother days before her big d

‘There is a resource there. When people are struggling, we can’t ignore that,’ the prime minister says when asked about his conversation with Donald Trump Q: [From ITV’s Romilly Weeks] You say that Reform UK followed all the rules in relation to donations. But why did George Cottrell give $2m to his mother shortly before she made substantial donations to the party? Jenrick said Reform was certain all the rules were followed. Any questions for Cottrell would have to be directed to him, he said. It does seem curious that in this case the police have chosen not to take action.

Also covered by Guardian · BBC · The Independent (UK)

Netanyahu confronts Vance over criticism of Israeli government policies

Vice President Vance and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a "direct" conversation about their differences in a one-on-one meeting in Washington on Tuesday evening, Israeli and U.S. officials said. Why it matters: Vance has been the most Netanyahu-skeptical voice in Trump's inner circle since the beginning of the war. As the war dragged on, he became increasingly critical of the Israeli prime minister. Vance took on a larger role in war policy and Iran negotiations as the conflict progressed. That culminated in the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, which Vance took a lead role in defending.

Also covered by Axios · The Indian Express · The Independent (UK)

Fauci invokes the Fifth over 100 times as Senate GOP moves toward contempt vote

Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, prompting Republicans to move toward a contempt-of-Congress vote over his refusal to discuss COVID-19's origins. The fight now turns on a novel legal theory: the committee chairman wants a court to rule whether Fauci's pre-emptive pardon from Biden voids his ability to claim the Fifth at all. Sen. Rand Paul led the questioning that triggered the standoff. Separately, Sen.

• The HillLive updates: US retaliates against Iran; CDC, Labor nominees face Senate panel vote
• TangleWhat can we take away from former Covid Czar Anthony Fauci’s testimony in front of the Senate yesterday? We talk about it on the latest episode
• AxiosAnthony Fauci, who led the nation's infectious disease efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, invoked the Fifth Amendment on Wednesday and declined to answer questions from a Senate committee investigating the origins of the coronavirus.
• CBS NewsFauci invokes Fifth Amendment at Senate hearing, citing Rand Paul's "unhinged obsession"

Also covered by The Atlantic · The New Republic · RealClearPolitics · ABC News · NBC News · NPR

Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Stockholm City Council votes no to keeping extended World Cup opening hours for bars, Southern Europeans flock to Sweden for cooler weather, and as of today humanity has used up all the planet's resources for the year. Here's today's news.

• The Local ItalyItaly to allow house arrest for 10,000 prisoners, builder dies in Puglia construction site collapse, and more news on Thursday.
• The Local SwedenStockholm City Council votes no to keeping extended World Cup opening hours for bars, Southern Europeans flock to Sweden for cooler weather, and as of today humanity has used up all the planet's resources for the year. Here's today's news.
• Boston ReviewThe Fake News about Fake News  Boston Review

Also covered by theprint.in · The Local Germany · The Local Spain · BBC

Ceuta asks Madrid for national emergency as migrant crossings from Morocco surge

Local officials in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta have asked Madrid to declare a national emergency after migrant crossings from Morocco surged, with hundreds reported swimming across the strait and, per EFE, thousands more crossing on foot in a separate wave. Ceuta's local government also requested an army deployment to seal the Moroccan border, but Spain's defense ministry says it has no immediate plans to send troops — a rift between local and national authorities over urgency. The gap between the swimming reports and the on-foot crossing figures suggests migrants are using multiple routes into the enclave at once.

• The Local SpainHundreds of migrants swim from Morocco to Spain's Ceuta territory
• CBS NewsThousands of migrants streamed into the Spanish city of Ceuta on foot and by sea from Morocco on Thursday, as federal troops helped overwhelmed police. Several migrants were reported dead. Matt Gutman reports.
• EuronewsThousands crossed into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, prompting local authorities to request a national emergency and military support.

Also covered by El País English · NBC News · Guardian · The Straits Times · Washington Times · ABC News

Portugal Weather Today (30 July): What Can You Expect from Today’s Forecast?

Sweltering temperatures hit the capital this week before cooler conditions are expected to move in

• Radio Prague InternationalWeather forecast  Radio Prague International

Also covered by The Portugal News · The Independent (UK)

Fifteen Kenya elephants killed by suspected cyanide poisoning, wildlife service says

Kenya Wildlife Service has confirmed cyanide in carcass samples from fifteen elephants found dead over the past month, marking the region's first mass elephant die-off in decades. Investigators believe the animals were poisoned after ingesting cyanide-tainted produce left in or near their habitat. The scale and cause mark a significant departure from the more common threats facing Kenya's elephant population, such as poaching and habitat loss. Wildlife officials are working to determine whether the poisoning was deliberate or an unintended contamination.

• GuardianAnalysis of samples collected from carcasses found traces of toxic chemical compound, says Kenya Wildlife Service

Also covered by BBC · CBS News · The Daily Beast

Bullets that killed 2 bystanders at Seattle food festival not from arrested teen shooter's

Bullets recovered from two bystanders killed during a shootout at a Seattle festival last weekend do not appear to have come from the gun that a 15-year-old arrested at the scene was firing, police said in court documents filed Wednesday.

Also covered by AP News · Washington Times · PBS · Hindustan Times

Motoring

Iran claims it destroyed 3 US F-35 jets in Jordan, unconfirmed by Washington … Hockey India defends switching to saffron jerseys for turf visibility

Also covered by Times of India · Scroll.in · Defector · CBS News · News.com.au · The Indian Express

Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 3,535 as international teams withdraw

Rescue efforts are continuing as time runs down on the critical three-day window for rescues following the quake. Officials have not detailed how many people were reported missing but local media say dozens remain unaccounted for.

• Daily MaverickKUMAMOTO, Japan, July 31 (Reuters) - The death toll from a powerful earthquake that hit southwestern Japan earlier this week rose to 34 on Friday from 25 previously, the Kumamoto prefecture government said in a statement.

Also covered by Deutsche Welle · Euronews · theprint.in · MercoPress

Major incident declared as 90 firefighters tackle Suffolk heath wildfire

Major incident declared, with Sizewell B power station monitoring blaze and RSPB nature reserve badly hit Hundreds of people have been evacuated and a major incident declared after a wildfire spread over more than 80 hectares (200 acres) on the coast of Suffolk, just a few miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power station. The fire – which had been described by one witness as “apocalyptic” – was said to be stabilising on Thursday night. The statement was posted by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, which said at least 12 fire crews were remaining overnight in the area.

• Daily MailScientists have revealed what would happen if the out-of-control Suffolk wildfires reached the Sizewell B nuclear power station, as firefighters continue battling the blaze.
• GuardianMajor incident declared, with Sizewell B power station monitoring blaze and RSPB nature reserve badly hit
• The Independent (UK)Residents have been told to shut their doors and windows as firefighters tackle the wildfire

Also covered by Breitbart

Watching Soccer

Arriving at the hotel in Kansas City, I realized I had never been in a hotel full of Ecuadorians because in Ecuador, the hotels are full of tourists. It was a sea of bright yellow soccer jerseys. Vamos, carajo! Everyone was singing, walking around wrapped in the flag, greeting strangers warmly. It was more Ecuadorian than Ecuador. In the hotel elevator, at random bars in town, at the vintage clothing shop, there were clumps and clusters of people in yellow. Everything was inside out.

How to rediscover the joy of drawing

As a child, you knew the thrill of conjuring with a pencil. Reclaim that pleasure with these activities (no talent needed) - by Andrea Kantrowitz Read on Psyche

Why the Washington Monument Looks the Way It Does

For nearly a century, Americans argued over how to honor George Washington. The monument they built reflected those debates.

A City Bigger Than a Bomb: Dispatch from Beirut

“For almost a year after October 7, Israel’s war with Lebanon remained an oddly prim, choreographed conflict on the border.”

When India Reinvented Prints

Two forceful exhibitions have shown how Indian artists and presses met the cultural upheaval of the nineteenth century with lithographic prints that rendered Hindu gods more approachable and helped to galvanize national identity.

A New Way That a Cow’s Inner World Shapes Earth’s Atmosphere

An organelle discovered inside a microbe inside a cow’s gut helps explain how livestock burps contribute to warming our planet.

The Cockroach Revolution: India’s Students Are Rewriting the Rules of Protest

How a slur inspired an unprecedented revolt against the Modi government The Cockroach Revolution: India’s Students Are Rewriting the Rules of Protest first appeared on The Walrus.

Patricia Evangelista on journalism

The ‘worst’ and ‘best possible’ job at once: what it’s like to dedicate your life to documenting crimes against humanity - by Aeon Video Watch on Aeon

<em>Spider-Man</em> Forgets Itself

Despite seeming like a fresh start, Brand New Day is trapped in the Marvel vortex.

Even Better Than Saving a Life Is a Life That Does Not Need to Be Saved

“ACHILLEA | the Addict,” an excerpt from I Have This Thing for Flowers by Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn In its most generic form, yarrow (Achillea millefolium, mille meaning thousand and folium referring to its numerous petals) appears as clusters of tiny blossoms atop thin, sturdy stalks. The word for the plant’s flowering structure is “umbel.”

The Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers: Fiction

Here are this week’s Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers for fiction, based on sales in hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide, generously provided by the American Booksellers Association. Compiled, designed, and distributed by The Independent Publishers Caucus. * 1. The Odyssey

A Journal of the Plague Months

From 1665 to 1666, the Great Plague spread through London. Caused by a bacteria transmitted by the bite of a rat flea, it killed nearly a quarter of London’s population in the span of 18 months. Such a deadly conflagration must have seemed strange and terrifying to its victims; there was no germ theory to explain its spread, and the bacteria wasn’t even discovered until the late 19th century. Lack of understanding must have greatly amplified the terror caused by the symptoms: fevers, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes, gangrenous limbs, and a tortuous journey to the other side. Attempts to ward off the disease included bonfires to cleanse...

The Epstein Class

The real scandal of the Epstein saga is not that a billionaire cabal runs the world. It’s that there is a billionaire class.

Madeleine Watts Doesn’t Want Closure

Elegy, Southwest, Madeleine Watts’s sophomore novel, follows a young married couple from New York City on a two-week road trip across the American Southwest in November 2018. As wildfires rage and the Colorado River faces ecological collapse, the couple grapples with personal turmoil—Lewis mourns the recent loss of his mother, while Eloise slowly begins to …

Getting Off with the Luddites

They see Big Tech as having eroded commonality: the common good, the social fabric, the institutions of collective interest. Luddism, as they conceive of it, is a communal, spiritual, and political project centered on three things: reclaiming collective agency away from Big Tech and its attention-fracking, data-capturing, social erosion project; re-enchanting public life through public events that help people experience connection; and fostering a world rooted in localism, public goods, care, fun, democracy, and what one Luddite I spoke to referred to as “collective effervescence.”

L A Paul on transformative experience

At a crossroads in life? No matter how much you deliberate, one unknowable remains: who you will be on the other side - Video by The Well Watch on Psyche

Born Without a Country

In Southeast Asia, colonial legacies and citizenship policies continue to leave hundreds of thousands without legal nationality.

The Hydration-Break World Cup

“How much can fans conveniently forget in order to enjoy the games? The answer, evidently, is a lot.”

Space Oddity

Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff’s Muskism examines how Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire, by selling a vision of the future that very few people would want to inhabit.

A Master of the Traveling Salesperson Problem Finds His Own Path

Shayan Oveis Gharan has won the Abacus Medal for using tools from across mathematics to boost the power of algorithms.

Appeasing Trump Is Not a Winning Strategy

Between wildfires and the US president, Carney should prioritize the crisis he can manage Appeasing Trump Is Not a Winning Strategy first appeared on The Walrus.

What remains

In an ingenious restoration project, the humble oyster shell is transformed into a powerful tool to halt coastal erosion - by Aeon Video Watch on Aeon