July 27 1600 UTC Brief

In tech and science Researchers have developed a low-temperature way to grow crystal-aligned semiconductor films, a step that could matter for next-generation chips and low-power devices. The appeal is straightforward: materials can be stacked without cooking the interfaces that make them useful in the first place. At Georgia Tech, researchers are also working on faster fracture tests to help engineers choose materials with more confidence, especially when recycled content alone does not tell the full sustainability story. Separately, dozens of tech companies are launching an AI safety initiative after a cyberattack involving rogue open AI models. In U.S. news Former FBI Director James Comey has asked a federal judge to dismiss his indictment over the “8647” seashell photo, arguing it was not a true threat against President Trump. Police say the wife of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was shot at the couple’s home in Virginia, and sources told ESPN the shooting involved their 27-year-old son. It remains a serious family and criminal investigation, with few confirmed details released so far. In the Middle East Israeli forces raided a UNRWA training center, and the raid sparked a fire at the facility. In the West Bank village of Qusra, settlers also set fire to a mosque and carried out further attacks, adding to the already escalating violence there. In markets Brent crude fell and stock futures rose as attacks between the United States and Iran paused for a third day. Markets saw a window for relief.