FIFA drops plan to sell competition stakes after European backlash
FIFA abandoned a proposal to sell minority stakes in its major competitions to private investors on around July 31, 2026, days after the plan was first unveiled.
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Science
NSF launches AI infrastructure hub program to broaden research access
The National Science Foundation started a new program on August 4, 2026, to widen access to computing power, data, software, and expertise for AI-driven research and education across the United States.
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Weather
Wildfires force 60,000 to flee Spokane as arson arrest made
Three wildfires burning in and around Spokane, Washington have driven roughly 60,000 residents from their homes and destroyed hundreds of structures, with one person arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the largest blaze, BBC…
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Courts
More than 20 state attorneys general sue to block Trump tariffs
More than 20 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit on August 3, 2026, seeking to block tariffs the Trump administration imposed on roughly 60 US trading partners over alleged failures to address forced labour.
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Technology
Apple appeals UK demand for access to encrypted iCloud backups
Apple filed a legal appeal on August 3, 2026, challenging a UK government demand that would require the company to hand over encrypted iCloud backup data belonging to British users, according to the Financial Times and TechCrunch.
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World
UN warns drone strikes in Sudan are killing civilians and blocking aid
The UN's aid coordination office warned on August 3, 2026, that drone strikes in Sudan are killing civilians and preventing humanitarian workers from reaching people in conflict-affected areas.
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Health
UN-backed centres open in eastern DRC amid record Ebola outbreak
New UN-backed centres opened in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo around August 3, 2026, as confirmed Ebola cases climbed over the preceding weekend of August 1 and 2, United Nations News reported.