10 Things to Know for Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Wednesday:

1. ISRAEL LAUNCHES LARGEST OFFENSIVE IN GAZA IN TWO YEARS

The Israeli military carries out an aerial assault on Palestinian targets, killing 25 people while Gaza militants fire rockets at Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

2. OBAMA ASKS FOR BILLIONS FOR BORDER CRISIS

The funding would deal with the immigration quandary as unaccompanied children have been showing up by the thousands.

3. 'A WONDERFUL PLACE TO PURCHASE MARIJUANA'

That's what Seattle's top prosecutor says as Washington becomes the second state after Colorado to legalize the sale of recreational pot.

4. WHERE GOP CONVENTION WILL BE HELD

Cleveland beats out a bid from Dallas to host the Republican National Convention in the key swing state of Ohio.

5. UKRAINE TAKES AGGRESSIVE STANCE TOWARD SEPARATISTS

Kiev vows to expunge pro-Russia rebels from their reduced area of control in the country's east and imposes new conditions before peace talks can restart.

6. WHAT DISCOVERY STARTLED GOVERNMENT SCIENTIST

Decades-old vials of smallpox packed away and forgotten in a cardboard box are found in a lab near Washington. It's not yet known if the virus is dead or alive.

7. HARRY POTTER BACK IN NEW J.K. ROWLING STORY

The grown-up boy wizard is mysterious, married and going gray on the author's Pottermore website.

8. LUXURY ROLLS-ROYCE CARS FIND MORE BUYERS

The British-made, rolling symbols of wealth and excess — starting at $263,000 — have seen a 33 percent rise in sales.

9. WHO'S TESTIFYING AT CLIPPERS TRIAL

Donald Sterling takes the witness stand as he challenges his wife's $2 billion sale of the NBA team to Steve Ballmer.

10. HOST NATION EMBARRASSED AT WORLD CUP

Brazil can't overcome the loss of star player Neymar as Germany advances to the final with an historic 7-1 rout.