President Trump and Vice President Vance headlined a first-of-its-kind Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where Trump promised $5,000 to every adult citizen if Republicans keep Congress and touted expected GOP victories while downplaying the party's electoral challenges. The event drew protests and Democratic criticism.
NYTimes – US NYTimes – US President Trump and Vice President Vance headlined a first-of-its-kind Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where Trump promised $5,000 to every adult citizen if Republicans keep Congress and touted expected GOP victories while downplaying the party's electoral challenges. The event drew protests and Democratic criticism.
BBC Sport Manchester United marked their Champions League return with a comfortable win over Sabah FK of Azerbaijan at Old Trafford, with four different scorers and their biggest victory in the competition since 2020. Sabah were making their Champions League debut after a surprise title win in Azerbaijan.
NYTimes – World August 2026 was the joint-hottest month globally on record, tying with July 2023, according to the European climate agency and other scientists. Global temperatures reached 1.65°C above pre-industrial levels. Climate change and a strengthening El Niño were cited as drivers, with further records possible in coming months.
NYTimes – World Three Hong Kong pro-democracy activists—Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho—were sentenced to between five and seven years in prison for organizing annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The convictions were handed down under a national security law imposed on the city by Beijing and have drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and foreign governments.
NYTimes – US San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a rent emergency on Thursday, proposing reforms to curb evictions and prevent rent spikes as median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city reached $4,495, compared with a national median of $1,900. The declaration follows reports that San Francisco has seen the nation's highest rent increases.
NYTimes – World The rebel group took over Yemen's port of Mokha, an area vital to controlling shipping through the Red Sea, Houthi and Yemeni officials said. Mokha is about 50 miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Sky News – World Several people were killed and others injured when a Dutch tour bus carrying 48 passengers overturned in the Swiss Alps in eastern Switzerland on Thursday, police said.
NYTimes – US Anthropic said it blocked scientists who used its Claude AI models in ways that could support biological weapons development. In a new report, the company said it could not determine whether the research was legitimate or nefarious, leading it to shut down the work.
BBC News – World One pilot told the other about the aircraft's "excessive speed" but received an uneven response even as alarms sounded.
BBC News – Health 
NYTimes – Business Manchester United marked their Champions League return with a comfortable win over Sabah FK of Azerbaijan at Old Trafford, with four different scorers and their biggest victory in the competition since 2020. Sabah were making their Champions League debut after a surprise title win in Azerbaijan.
