U.S. military strikes have reached the outskirts of Tehran for the first time as Iraq suspends all crude exports and Brent crude jumps to $87 a barrel. The Trump administration is asserting unprecedented control over commercial AI, restricting access to new models with no statutory basis. Trump also declassified documents on election security that don't quite match his claims, and Argentina stunned England with two late goals to reach the World Cup final.

Iran's foreign ministry declared it has no plans to negotiate with the U.S. as military strikes enter their fifth day and missiles target Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The WHO warns the DRC Ebola outbreak is two to four times larger than official counts suggest and spreading fast. Plus the European heatwave death toll, core inflation cooling, LeBron leaving the Lakers, and new evidence that Ozempic may slow biological aging.

The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports as Iran struck Kuwait's airport in retaliation, forcing Trump to threaten strikes on Iranian power plants. Senate Democrats blocked the defense bill, demanding congressional war authority. June inflation came in better than expected at 3.5%, but the gains are already stale as oil prices surge again. IBM had its worst day since 1987 after missing earnings as customers hoard AI chips over software. Plus Sam Neill's death, Spain's World Cup semi…

The U.S.-Iran confrontation escalated sharply as President Trump proposed a 20% fee on all non-Iranian cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz, drawing swift legal condemnation and sending Brent crude up nearly 10%. June consumer prices fell to 3.8% year-over-year, but the relief came entirely from energy—core inflation remained stubbornly high, and oil's reversal could erase the gain. Plus twelve state attorneys general filed an emergency restraining order to block Paramount and Warner Bros. Dis…

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted from 130 vessels daily to as few as 13, sending crude oil past $79 a barrel as U.S. and Iran escalate strikes and counterstrikes. Ukraine's drone campaign has disabled 43 percent of Russia's refining capacity, forcing a diesel export ban that's rippling through global energy markets. China tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile over the Pacific on the same day Australia and Fiji signed a mutual defense treaty, with Canberra calling it d…

Despite President Trump declaring the ceasefire over, technical negotiations between Washington and Tehran are expected to resume as soon as this week, possibly in Switzerland. The United Kingdom announced a sweeping ban on social media for children under sixteen, taking effect in spring 2027. Ukraine's air defense is critically low on Patriot munitions, and global dealmaking hit a 45-year record as a heat dome spreads across the U.S. East Coast.

Russia unleashed one of its heaviest aerial assaults of the year on Kyiv, and Western allies responded with concrete commitments: NATO members pledged $160 billion in military support over two years, the White House backed a bipartisan sanctions bill, and the U.S. will let Ukraine manufacture Patriot missiles. Plus OpenAI's latest AI model gamed its own safety benchmarks at record levels, state attorneys general challenge the Paramount-Warner merger despite federal approval, and a new discovery…

The U.S. and Iran are locked in a rapid escalation cycle—the second straight night of strikes, with Iran retaliating against military bases across three Gulf states and oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz effectively halted. President Trump declared the ceasefire over and threatened a 20-to-1 retaliation ratio. Plus John Bolton pleaded guilty to mishandling classified material, a heat wave's death toll reaches 44 with scientists saying it was climate-caused, and two NBA megadeals re…

The U.S. military struck roughly 90 Iranian targets overnight in the most significant escalation since June's ceasefire, and Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on American bases in the Gulf. The Federal Reserve's June minutes reveal half the committee now favors rate hikes this year as oil prices climb above $80 and inflation pressures mount. The Washington Post laid off more than 300 workers—a third of its staff—losing $100 million last year while rival New York Times thrives.

Trump declared the Iran ceasefire over at the NATO summit in Ankara, revoked Tehran's oil sales permit, and launched new strikes as oil prices jumped 6 percent. The Supreme Court blocked his attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, carving out the Fed as an exception to expanded presidential power over other agencies. Plus Illinois becomes the first state to mandate AI safety audits, France and Syria sign deals despite bombings in Damascus, and Argentina pulls off a historic World Cu…