US cuts short Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking 'good faith'
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar, saying the latest response from Hamas 鈥渟hows a lack of desire" to reach a truce. President Donald Trump鈥檚 special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Thursday that mediators have made a great effort but Hamas does not appear to be acting in good faith. Witkoff says the U.S. will 鈥渃onsider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.鈥 The State Department offered no details at a press briefing on those 鈥渁lternative options.鈥 A breakthrough in talks on a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has eluded Trump's Republican administration for months.
Dozens of kids and adults in Gaza have starved to death in July as hunger surges
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) 鈥 Health workers and aid groups fear hunger that has been building in Gaza for months under Israel's blockade is now reaching a tipping point into accelerating death. The Gaza Health Ministry says that in the past three weeks, at least 48 people died of causes related to malnutrition, including 20 children. That鈥檚 up from 10 children who died in the five previous months of 2025. At the main emergency center for malnourished kids in northern Gaza, five children died in rapid succession over four days last week, with staff unable to treat them because key medicines had run out.
Tens of thousands flee their homes as Thailand and Cambodia clash
SURIN, Thailand (AP) 鈥 Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia over disputed border areas has entered a second day, leaving at least 15 dead and displacing more than 58,000 people. Clashes flared up again Friday in multiple areas, including Chong Bok and Phu Makhuea in Thailand鈥檚 Ubon Ratchathani province. The Thai army accused Cambodian forces of using heavy artillery, prompting what Thai officials described as 鈥渁ppropriate supporting fire鈥 in return. Malaysia has expressed concern and offered to mediate. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for restraint and urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue.
Zelenskyy moves to restore independence of Ukraine anti-graft agencies after protests, EU criticism
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a new bill restoring the independence of the country鈥檚 anti-corruption agencies. The development seeks to defuse tensions caused by his earlier approval of a controversial law placing them under his authority. That sparked a public outcry and protests, the first major demonstrations since the war began, as well as sharp criticism from the European Union. Zelenskyy said on Thursday the new bill that was sent to parliament for review 鈥済uarantees real strengthening of Ukraine鈥檚 law enforcement system, the independence of anti-corruption bodies, and reliable protection of the legal system from any Russian interference.鈥 The two main agencies quickly welcomed the new bill.
Trump and Powell bicker over Fed building renovations as president ratchets up pressure campaign
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 After months of criticizing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, President Donald Trump took the fight to the Fed鈥檚 front door on Thursday, publicly scorning the central bank chief over the ballooning costs of a long-planned building project. Powell pushed back, challenging the president鈥檚 latest price tag as incorrect. The visit represented a significant ratcheting up of the president鈥檚 pressure on Powell to lower borrowing costs, which Trump says would accelerate economic growth and reduce the government鈥檚 borrowing costs. Presidents rarely visit the Fed鈥檚 offices, though they are just a few blocks from the White House, an example of the central bank鈥檚 long-standing independence from day-to-day politics.
Justice Dept. official meets with Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The Justice Department鈥檚 No. 2 official has met with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The meeting between Maxwell and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is part of a Justice Department effort to cast itself as transparent following backlash from parts of President Donald Trump鈥檚 base over an earlier refusal to release additional Epstein records. A lawyer for Maxwell says she 鈥渁nswered all the questions truthfully, honestly and to the best of her ability.鈥 Maxwell was convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 awaiting trial.
Trump's onetime friendship with Jeffrey Epstein is well-known 鈥 and also documented in records
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The revelation that Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump that his name was in the Jeffrey Epstein files has focused fresh attention on the president鈥檚 relationship with the wealthy financier and the Justice Department鈥檚 announcement this month that it would not be releasing any additional documents from the case. But at least some of the information in the briefing to Trump, which The Wall Street Journal said took place in May, should not have been a surprise. His association with Epstein is well-established and his name was included in records that his own Justice Department released back in February. Trump has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Asian shares retreat after Alphabet and AI stocks nudge Wall Street to more records
MANILA, Philippines (AP) 鈥 Asian shares are lower after Wall Street inched to more records as gains for Alphabet and artificial-intelligence stocks offset a steep tumble for EV-maker Tesla. Japan鈥檚 Nikkei 225, fell 0.7% after two days of gains following President Donald Trump鈥檚 announcement of a trade deal that would place a 15% tax on imports coming from Japan. That鈥檚 lower than the 25% rate that Trump had earlier said would kick in on Aug. 1. Chinese markets also declined ahead of trade talks next week with the U.S. On Thursday, the S&P 500 edged up 0.1% to another all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2% to its own record.
Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) 鈥 Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at age 71. Police in Clearwater, Florida, say authorities responded to a call about a cardiac arrest. No foul play is suspected. Hogan's real name was Terry Bollea, and he was perhaps the biggest star in WWE鈥檚 long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre the Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon. Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in movies and TV shows, including a reality show on VH1, 鈥淗ogan Knows Best.鈥
Federal regulators approve Paramount's $8 billion deal with Skydance, capping months of turmoil
NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount鈥檚 $8 billion merger with Skydance, clearing the way to close a deal that combined Hollywood glitz with political intrigue. The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump鈥檚 legal battle with 鈥60 Minutes,鈥 the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. 聽With the specter of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount earlier this month agreed to a $16 million settlement with the president.
