Social Media Liability: A U.S. appeals court let thousands of lawsuits against Meta, TikTok and others move forward, rejecting the idea that Section 230 blocks suits over addictive design and child-safety failures. State Court Penalty: A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567M into a children’s mental health fund, calling the platforms a “public nuisance” and ordering tighter controls for users under 13. Age-Verification Push: A Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 61% of Americans back stronger social media regulation and 66% support keeping kids under 16 off platforms, though many doubt workable methods. DOJ Leadership: Todd Blanche was sworn in as U.S. attorney general, after a contentious confirmation. MarCom/Media Business: Trump Media reported a $238M Q2 loss and plans to drop some expansion bets, refocusing on Truth Social; Netflix says 2026 upfront ad commitments nearly doubled. Elections & Messaging: Kansas Senate race tightens as Roger Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton; Montana’s Senate field stays put after the withdrawal deadline. Tech/AI Workforce: Mark Zuckerberg argues AI will create new jobs, not erase them. Sports Community: Youth 4 Youth FC expands free soccer clinics and showcases to reduce pay-to-play barriers. Energy/Trade: The U.S. sold for scrap two sanctioned oil tankers seized after the Venezuela raid. Public Safety/Local: A Missouri DOT left-turn lane closure on I-229 off ramp affects Aug. 12-13 traffic.