American swimmer Katie Ledecky claimed her 8th career gold medal at the Paris Summer Olympics, setting a new Olympic record in the women’s 1,500 meter freestyle race. She won by over ten seconds, showcasing her dominance in the grueling event. Ledecky’s victory continues her impressive streak in Olympic competition, having not lost this race in 14 years. (NPR)
The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that death by electrocution, firing squad, or lethal injection are all legal methods of execution in the state. The decision comes after the state passed a law allowing electrocution or firing squad due to the unavailability of lethal injection drugs. Inmates had argued that these methods are cruel and unusual punishments, but the court rejected their claims. (New York Times)
Delta Air Lines has stated that the recent CrowdStrike outage, which caused flight disruptions and stranded passengers, has cost the airline up to $500 million. The outage resulted from a failed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, affecting millions of Microsoft Windows users. Delta is now preparing for litigation to seek compensation. (NPR)
CarShield has agreed to a $10 million settlement with federal regulators over deceptive marketing tactics. The Federal Trade Commission accused the company of misleading customers with promises of “peace of mind” and protection from vehicle breakdown costs, employing celebrity endorsements. Many purchasers discovered that their repairs were not covered despite making monthly payments. (NBC News)
Yum Brands will use artificial intelligence to take orders at its Taco Bell drive-thru restaurants in the US. The company has begun rolling out the tech following a successful trial. Its approach is more ambitious than that of rivals Wendy’s and White Castle. Around 100 US Taco Bell outlets use the technology, with the number set to expand to hundreds by year-end. (CNBC)
