WAO ART #236

European countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, have condemned the recent attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The attack involved gunmen crossing into Israeli towns.

The race to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the US House of Representatives is between Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan, two Republicans with different styles. Scalise is seen as more establishment and focused on unity, while Jordan is more anti-establishment and aligned with Trump.

The Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office has finalized a $3 billion loan guarantee to Sunnova Energy, a residential solar company operating in Puerto Rico. The loan guarantee is part of the federal government's effort to bring clean, resilient energy to the U.S. territory.

Australia emerged as the champions of the FIBA Under 17 Oceania Championship, maintaining their unbeaten record. New Zealand put up a strong fight but couldn't match Australia's depth and ultimately settled for silver. Lara Somfai led Australia with 18 points.

Senegal's President Macky Sall has dissolved the government and set up a new one under the current Prime Minister Amadou Ba. The decision was made by decree and the composition of the new government will be announced soon.

Hamas has launched a massive military operation against Israel, firing thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltrating enemy territory. Israel has responded with massive air raids and has called up tens of thousands of reservists, declaring a state of emergency in the south of the country.

China, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, all members of the BRICS nations, have been selling off their US Treasury holdings. China's ownership dropped by $13.6 billion in July, while Brazil and Saudi Arabia reduced their holdings by $2.7 billion and $1.1 billion respectively.