Sareen Habeshian

Philadelphia police are searching for a man wearing a doll-like mask who allegedly chased and threatened at least six people near City Hall, including asking one woman whether she was ready to die. Surveillance footage shows the suspect pursuing a runner, who stumbled and was injured, before he fled into an underground rail station. Police say he may have been filming the encounters and is wanted on charges including terroristic threats and simple assault.

The murder trial of former South Side Compton Crips leader Duane Davis has reopened nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas. Prosecutors allege that Davis planned the attack in retaliation for a fight involving his nephew, Orlando Anderson, and supplied the gun used to shoot Shakur, despite not being the shooter himself. They are relying in part on Davis’s memoir and past statements, while the defense argues that the memoir was fictionalized and that the case rests on unreliable witnesses, missing police reports and flawed investigative work. Opening statements have begun, with testimony from police officers and eyewitnesses expected to continue for several weeks.

Donald Trump has signed an executive order recommending that the US reduce the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 and split combined MMR vaccinations into separate shots. The order is guidance rather than a federal mandate because school vaccination requirements are set by individual states. Trump repeated the discredited claim that vaccines are linked to autism and suggested that a combined MMR dose could be dangerous, but medical authorities and multiple studies reject those claims. The CDC says MMR vaccination is generally safe and finds no scientific benefit to separating the shots, while experts warn that delays and additional appointments could increase disease exposure, costs and missed vaccinations. The order also seeks alternatives to aluminium vaccine ingredients, despite the AAP saying the small amounts used have no significant health risks.

A June fire at a Lineage cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, left about 85 million pounds of meat and seafood rotting on site. The resulting stench, flies and rats have disrupted residents and businesses, including a nearby coffee stand, and raised concerns about disease risks. Lineage says roughly 80% of the waste has been removed and expects to spend $80m-$100m on the cleanup, while Los Angeles officials say the response has fallen short, have issued violations and fines, and set a deadline for completion. Mayor Karen Bass has mobilised public-health resources, criticised Lineage’s lack of transparency and halted warehouse rebuilding plans until community health and safety are protected.

A 17 June fire at a Lineage cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights left about 85 million pounds of meat and seafood rotting, creating an intense odour and attracting flies and rats. Residents and businesses report health concerns, lost customers and frustration with the slow, opaque cleanup. Los Angeles officials have issued health and safety notices, fined Lineage $500 per day, delivered air purifiers and mobile clinics, and set a 13 August deadline. Lineage says roughly 80% of the waste has been removed and expects to spend $80m-$100m on the operation, while Mayor Karen Bass has criticised the company and halted plans to rebuild until community health and safety are protected.

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell has returned home nearly two months after being hospitalized following a fall that briefly left him unconscious and resulted in a mild case of pneumonia. He will continue an intensive physical-therapy regimen while working remotely during the Senate's state work period. The prolonged lack of information about his condition prompted speculation, but McConnell and his office have since disclosed details about his hospitalization and rehabilitation. The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican, a former longtime Senate power broker, plans to retire at the end of his Senate term in January.

Police released two ransom notes six months after Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Arizona home, hoping distinctive linguistic features could help identify the perpetrator. Forensic linguist William Eggington said the notes may reveal aspects of the writer’s education, habits and attempts to disguise their voice, while cautioning that the samples are short and difficult to assess scientifically. He believes both notes were written by the same person. Authorities can compare the language with suspects’ known writing, but crime historian Jeffrey Adler said identifying the kidnapper from the notes alone may be unlikely. Savannah Guthrie has urged anyone who recognises the writing or knows something about the case to contact police.

Donald Trump has threatened to revive a proposed $1.8bn fund to compensate allies who claim they were subjected to politically motivated prosecutions if Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis block Todd Blanche's nomination as attorney general. The fund, negotiated by Blanche to settle Trump's lawsuit over leaked tax returns, was abandoned after criticism that it could benefit people convicted in connection with the 6 January Capitol riot, and a judge blocked it on ethical grounds. Cornyn and Tillis want a written guarantee that it will not return, while Trump says he still wants compensation for people he believes were mistreated by the Justice Department. The dispute could jeopardize Blanche's confirmation by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Texts presented at a Los Angeles preliminary hearing indicate that Celeste Rivas Hernandez became pregnant and underwent multiple abortions while involved with singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd. Prosecutors allege Burke sexually abused Hernandez, killed her after she threatened to expose him, and mutilated her remains; he has pleaded not guilty. Evidence included messages dating back to when Hernandez was 11, alleged abuse photographs, DNA matching her blood found at Burke's home, and discussions about living together. A medical examiner said decomposition made the time of death difficult to determine, while the defence questioned whether Hernandez could have harmed herself. Her remains were found in the front boot of Burke's Tesla in September 2025, and prosecutors have filed seven charges. Testimony is expected to continue.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to approve an additional 87 billion dollars for Pentagon operations, arguing that without the funds the military would face critical shortfalls affecting troop pay, training and essential operations. Lawmakers from both parties challenged the request, with Democrats questioning the rationale and cost of the ongoing war against Iran and some Republicans expressing budget concerns. The session was repeatedly disrupted by anti-war protesters and ended with a heated exchange between Hegseth and Senator Gary Peters. Updated war cost estimates indicate at least 37.5 billion dollars in spending, though some congressional sources believe the real total is higher. The conflict has recently intensified following the collapse of an earlier ceasefire, with several US soldiers killed in Iraq and Jordan.

The US military will begin mandatory annual testosterone screening for service members aged 30 and older, with optional testing for younger troops. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the program aims to optimize troop performance and offer voluntary hormone therapy for those with low levels. Pentagon officials said the initiative will help establish a comprehensive health baseline, while medical experts highlighted both the potential benefits and risks of testosterone treatment. The move follows broader administration efforts to ease access to testosterone therapies, including recent FDA actions to relax labeling and prescribing rules.

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger disclosed an early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis, describing initial symptoms and expressing his intention to speak openly about the disease. Known for safely landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, he reflected on courage and community in facing ongoing challenges. He retired from flying in 2010 and continued advocating for aviation safety, with his 2009 emergency landing later dramatized in a film starring Tom Hanks.

Donald Trump plans to request that the US Supreme Court rehear a recent decision affirming birthright citizenship, following a ruling that rejected his executive order seeking to limit the right. The court’s 6–3 decision, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, found that children born in the US to parents without legal status are citizens under the 14th Amendment. Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurred separately, citing violations of federal law. A rehearing is considered unlikely, as such reviews are rarely granted. Trump aims to continue pursuing restrictions through legislation, while civil rights groups welcomed the ruling.

An 11-year-old boy in Ontario died from rabies after waking to a bat on his face during a cottage visit. His parents did not seek immediate medical care due to the absence of visible injuries, and symptoms appeared 19 days later. Multiple initial misdiagnoses delayed identification of rabies until a test confirmed infection, and his condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to his death 17 days after hospital admission. Health authorities note rabies is rare in Canada due to vaccination programs and emphasize that any direct human contact with a bat requires immediate post-exposure prophylaxis because symptoms are almost always fatal once they appear.

Official findings determined that Daveigh Chase died from Aids, with chronic polysubstance use listed as a contributing condition. The former child actor, known for major roles in The Ring, Lilo & Stitch and numerous other projects, died in a Los Angeles hospital at age 35. Conflicting earlier claims of death from sepsis were clarified by the medical examiner’s report. Chase's career highlights, early start in Hollywood and later legal troubles are recounted alongside statements from her father and manager.

Official findings identified AIDS as the cause of Daveigh Chase’s death, with chronic polysubstance use listed as another contributing condition. The former child actress, known for roles in The Ring, Lilo & Stitch, and Donnie Darko, died in Los Angeles at age 35. Conflicting earlier reports from her manager attributed her death to sepsis following meningitis. Chase had retired from acting in 2015 and faced several legal issues later in life.