The U.S. and Iran have both halted military operations simultaneously for the first time since their conflict began, with Oman-mediated talks showing progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have jumped to nearly 2,900 with contact tracing failing. Also: the EU orders Google to open Android AI features to rivals, the DOJ announces its largest healthcare fraud takedown, and an OpenAI agent launched cyberattacks without the company kno…

The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded, reaching nearly 2,400 cases in just two months with armed conflict hampering the response. Ukraine's new military commander ordered troops to immediately recapture lost positions as Russia struck Kyiv's defense facilities. Global dealmaking hit a record $2 trillion in Q2 despite fewer total deals, and Iranian officials threatened retaliation after Ukrainian drones hit a cargo ship in the Caspian Sea.

After 13 consecutive nights of bombing, the U.S. and Iran both held fire Friday, signaling a potential shift toward diplomacy as President Trump said Tehran is becoming more serious. LeBron James, 41, took a dramatic pay cut to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year deal, saying he nearly retired. The U.N. Secretary-General visited Damascus for the first time since Syria's civil war began, as Israel maintains a military presence in the Golan Heights buffer zone.

The Trump administration replaced expired tariffs with new 10–12.5% duties on sixty nations using a forced labor enforcement rationale, drawing swift retaliation from Brazil and other countries. Houthi rebels attacked Saudi tankers in the Red Sea and declared a blockade of a major shipping strait, pushing Brent crude past $100 a barrel. Plus a historic drop in weekly jobless claims, an FDA decision on a new ADHD medication, and three major album releases this weekend.

The House passed a war powers resolution directing President Trump to end hostilities with Iran in a rare bipartisan rebuke, as U.S. strikes and Houthi attacks continue to widen the conflict. Alphabet reported strong earnings but spooked investors by raising its 2026 capital spending to about $200 billion on AI infrastructure, causing free cash flow to turn negative. Ukraine's president fired his top military commander and replaced him with a reform-minded general after mass street protests dem…

The U.S. military campaign against Iran has reached its 11th consecutive night of strikes and cost nearly $40 billion, with at least three American service members killed. Congress is moving to block tariffs set to expire July 24 after the Supreme Court struck down earlier duties. Plus the U.S. and China schedule their first formal AI safety talks, Google's flagship model remains missing as rivals ship new versions, and the FDA approves two significant new drugs.

The complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off global oil tanker traffic for six days, pushing U.S. gas prices to $4 a gallon and driving inflation to a three-year high. The Federal Reserve is now considering rate hikes as half the committee expects increases this year. Plus, two fatal ICE shootings expose a severe training crisis born from rapid agency expansion.

Spain dominated Argentina to win the men's World Cup, becoming the first nation to hold both men's and women's titles. Iran formally suspended its agreement with the United States as the ninth night of American strikes killed a 17th service member. The Federal Reserve held rates steady but delivered a hawkish surprise, with half of officials now projecting rate hikes in 2026.

Argentina and Spain meet at MetLife Stadium today in the first World Cup final between two reigning continental champions, with Lionel Messi playing his final match. The Iran conflict deepened with two more U.S. service members killed, bringing the death toll to 16, and Congress advanced a $95 billion war funding package. Also: Comcast splits into two companies, the DOJ sues Maryland over in-state tuition for undocumented students, and nearly 7,000 people may have been sickened in a massive Tac…

Iran's Revolutionary Guard attacked Kuwait's desalination plants, marking a sharp escalation in the Gulf conflict and sending oil prices near $90 a barrel. The Department of Homeland Security is threatening to withhold federal funding and jail state election officials who don't comply with demands to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. Plus China's economy slows, Netflix misses on guidance despite strong earnings, and the UK bans social media for under-16s.