US Senate passes broad sanctions bill against Russia and Iran
TASS reported that the US Senate on August 7 (local time) passed a bill to strengthen sanctions against Russia and Iran with 86 votes in favor and 11 votes against. The House of Representatives is expected to consider the bill in September.
According to the content of the bill, President Donald Trump is given the power to decide whether to apply a tax rate of up to 100% to the 5 countries that buy the most crude oil and gas from Russia, including China and India. A previous version of the bill proposed a tax rate of 500% on goods imported from countries that buy energy from Russia.
Senators also proposed tightening restrictions on the Russian oil tanker fleet, while strengthening sanctions against Iran.
President Trump once expressed support for the bill on July 29. However, he said that the House of Representatives does not need to shorten the August holiday to quickly pass the bill.
Houthi intensifies missile and UAV attacks, causing casualties in Yemen
According to Xinhua News Agency, Houthi forces on August 7 (local time) said they launched a large-scale attack with missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeting an important military base of Yemeni government forces in Marib province, northeastern Yemen.
According to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea, this force used many missiles and UAVs to attack soldiers, weapons depots, vehicles and military equipment at Sahn al Jinn base, near the city of Marib. Houthi accused Saudi Arabia of increasing aid to Yemeni forces and preparing military operations in the region.
A Yemeni military official said that 4 government soldiers were killed and 4 others were injured when a Houthi UAV attacked in Harib district, southern Marib. Missile and UAV attacks were also recorded in other areas.
US Court of Appeals prevents Trump from building $400 million dance hall
Xinhua News Agency reported that on August 7 (local time), the Federal Court of Appeal in Washington D.C. ruled that US President Donald Trump was illegally carrying out a $400 million dance hall project at the White House. The court also suspended the ruling for 14 days so that the government could request the US Supreme Court to consider it.
The ruling with a ratio of 2-1 stated that the President has no constitutional authority over the White House, and emphasized that this is an asset serving previous presidents and the American people.
Last year, Mr. Trump demolished the entire Wing of the White House in 3 days to build a ballroom of more than 8,300m2, using private capital without Congressional supervision or approval.
The ruling was made in a direction favorable to the National Historical Preservation Fund. The project also received support from the White House and many Republican senators, but also faced opposition in Congress.
Cargo ship catches fire after attack near the Strait of Hormuz
Xinhua News Agency reported that a cargo ship caught fire after being attacked near the eastern entrance of the Strait of Hormuz on August 7 (local time).
Accordingly, the ship was near the coast of Oman when it was attacked, causing the engine room to catch fire. The crew activated a CO2 firefighting system and tried to control the fire, but encountered difficulties due to the ship's hydraulic system being damaged.
Some ships operating near the area said they are moving to the scene for support. The Strait of Hormuz has continuously experienced attacks on ships in recent days, mainly on maritime routes near the Oman coast.
Cambridge University reviews recruitment process after plagiarism allegations
According to AFP, Cambridge University on August 7 (local time) said it would review the process of appointing senior academic positions, amid investigation into allegations that Professor Jason Arday plagiarized part of his doctoral thesis.
Mr. Arday was appointed professor at Cambridge in 2023 and resigned on August 5 after the school opened an investigation based on new information. Cambridge emphasized that it will continue to consider issues related to Mr. Arday's appointment process and working time even though he has resigned. Mr. Arday admitted errors in academic work, but denied allegations of academic fraud.
