The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a resolution that would require Congress to approve any military action in Iran. This vote serves as a warning to President Donald Trump amid growing doubts about the war’s purpose and outcome.
Key Facts
The House vote was 214 in favor and 208 against the resolution.
The resolution demands that Congress approve future military action in Iran.
The Senate was expected to vote on a similar resolution soon after.
Democrats pushed the resolution to limit President Trump’s authority on the conflict.
Some House Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the resolution.
Lawmakers from both parties have questioned the clear goals of the war in Iran.
The resolution is largely symbolic but signals decreasing support for the administration’s approach.
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The Yemeni rebel group Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and attacked Saudi tankers in the Red Sea. This escalates the conflict in Yemen and increases tensions involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States, especially around the important Bab al-Mandeb Strait used for global shipping.
Key Facts
The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group supported by Iran, announced a maritime siege on all shipping to Saudi Arabia.
They attacked several Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a key waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and is crucial for energy supplies to Europe and imports to Saudi Arabia.
Houthis threaten to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait amid the ongoing conflict involving the U.S. and Iran.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government claimed an air strike on Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian plane, while Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia.
In response, the Houthis fired missiles into Saudi Arabia and declared the naval blockade.
Saudi Arabia faces a new threat from sea, complicating its security and oil export routes.
The Yemeni government's military forces include the National Army and regional brigades, with about 400,000 troops mainly in areas outside Houthi control.
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The White House said that President Trump and his administration will not get involved in the legal process to bring Andrew and Tristan Tate back to the U.S. for their case. The press secretary made this clear during a briefing with reporters.
Key Facts
President Trump’s administration will not intervene in the extradition of Andrew and Tristan Tate.
The Tate brothers are social media influencers.
The statement was made by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Leavitt answered the question during a press briefing on Thursday.
The extradition process is ongoing but the U.S. government is not taking action to influence it.
The White House has already responded to questions about this matter before.
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Chick-fil-A announced that a recent cyberattack might have exposed personal information of some members of its loyalty program. The company is investigating the possible impact on customers across several states.
Key Facts
Chick-fil-A experienced a cyberattack targeting its loyalty program members.
Personal information of some customers may have been exposed.
The company is currently investigating the breach.
The exposure could affect customers in multiple states.
No specific details about the type of data exposed were provided.
Chick-fil-A has alerted its customers about the potential risk.
The company is likely working on measures to protect affected customers.
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Treasury bond yields have been rising because investors want bigger rewards to lend money for a long time. This happens as governments and companies need more funds for spending and investments, raising borrowing costs and making it more expensive to pay national debt interest.
Key Facts
Investors demand higher returns to lend money for long periods, pushing Treasury yields up.
Inflation expectations remain steady, so the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates higher for a long time.
Higher borrowing costs increase the U.S. government's debt service expenses.
Mortgage rates are unlikely to drop soon due to rising Treasury yields.
Long-term Treasury yields, like 10-year and 30-year bonds, have reached highs not seen in years.
Governments are running large deficits while companies invest heavily, competing for limited money.
Alphabet plans to spend an additional $15 billion on computer infrastructure amid strong demand.
Sustained yield increases could add nearly $2 trillion in extra government interest costs over ten years.
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Tropical Storm Bertha hit Louisiana and is moving west toward Texas, where it is expected to arrive by Thursday evening. The storm brings strong winds, heavy rain, and rising water levels, which may cause flooding and dangerous surf conditions along the Gulf Coast.
Key Facts
Bertha made landfall in Louisiana and is moving toward the Texas coast.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph, with stronger gusts.
Tropical storm warnings are active from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas.
Coastal flooding of 2 to 3 feet is expected in parts of Louisiana, affecting homes and businesses.
Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated heavier amounts up to 6 inches, is forecast along the Texas Gulf Coast.
The storm may cause flash flooding, especially in cities and urban areas.
Dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along the northern and northwestern Gulf Coast.
Bertha is expected to weaken and dissipate after moving inland over Texas by Friday.
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A lobbying firm called CT Group is under pressure to reveal details about secretly paying journalists to write positive articles for its clients. Critics say this practice harms journalism ethics and democracy, and there are calls for stricter rules on lobbying and transparency.
Key Facts
CT Group, a political lobbying firm, secretly paid journalists for favourable stories about its clients.
This practice was revealed after a four-month investigation by The Guardian.
CT Group was co-founded by Lynton Crosby, a political strategist linked to former UK Prime Ministers.
The firm offered cash incentives to journalists in exchange for editorial control of articles.
Experts and politicians said paying journalists undermines press integrity and democracy.
There are calls for CT Group to disclose full details and for stronger lobbying regulations.
CT Group denies the specific allegations and says the undercover journalist pursued them.
The investigation raised concerns about freelance journalists’ vulnerability due to irregular pay and work.
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The US House of Representatives voted 214-208 to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to wage war against Iran after recent attacks killed three US soldiers. This resolution aims to reassert Congress’s authority over war decisions amid ongoing conflict between the US and Iran.
Key Facts
Four Republicans joined Democrats in voting to restrict Trump’s war powers on Iran.
The vote followed an Iranian attack on a US base in Jordan that killed three military personnel.
Senate Democrats plan to hold a similar War Powers vote.
A prior resolution in June also sought to require congressional approval before further attacks but was not sent to the president.
The US and Iran have exchanged attacks for 12 consecutive days since a ceasefire ended in early July.
Under the US Constitution, only Congress can declare war, though presidents can act in urgent self-defense.
The Trump administration says the conflict with Iran is justified as a defense against ongoing threats, but some experts disagree.
The House recently approved a $1.15 trillion defense spending bill that includes more funds for the conflict.
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Jes Staley, an American banker and former CEO of Barclays, was interviewed privately about his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Staley resigned in 2021 while UK regulators investigated his relationship with Epstein.
Key Facts
Jes Staley is an American banker.
He was the CEO of Barclays, a British bank.
Staley stepped down from his CEO position in 2021.
The UK's financial regulator examined his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein was a convicted sex offender.
Staley underwent a private interview about this issue in 2024.
Questions about Staley's relationship with Epstein had been raised over several years.
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Crime in many major U.S. cities has continued to go down in early 2026 compared to the same time last year, following a rise in violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most violent crimes, including homicides and assaults, fell, but some crimes like drug offenses, domestic violence, and sexual assault saw increases.
Key Facts
Nine out of 13 types of crimes tracked decreased in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025.
Carjackings dropped by 47%, while drug-related crimes rose by 12%.
Homicide rates fell by 18% on average across 30 cities and are 31% below 2019 levels.
Cities like Lincoln (Nebraska) and Rochester (New York) saw large drops in homicide rates.
Some cities, including Norfolk and San Francisco, experienced increases in homicides.
Violent crime lethality, or crime resulting in death, declined by 23% in 17 cities.
Aggravated assaults and gun assaults both decreased compared to last year.
Sexual assaults rose slightly by 3%, while domestic violence increased by 8%.
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The U.S. State Department announced new rules to deny visas to people involved in cybercrime and sextortion, including possible restrictions on their immediate family members. This effort targets those linked to scams and crimes often connected to foreign criminal groups to better protect American citizens.
Key Facts
The new visa restrictions focus on people involved in cybercrime and sextortion.
Visa access may also be denied to the immediate family members of these individuals.
These rules are part of a broader effort to prevent harmful individuals from entering the U.S.
The policy specifically mentions a link to Chinese transnational criminal groups in investment scams.
The Trump administration has been tightening visa rules and increasing applicant screening for the last 18 months.
Visa restrictions have also been used recently against people linked to political violence and criminal cartels.
The State Department treats every visa decision as a national security matter.
Thousands try to get U.S. visas illegally each year to commit crimes or avoid arrest, but detailed data on cybercrime is not publicly available.
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The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 17 to extend a ceasefire and restart negotiations, temporarily improving conditions in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the agreement quickly fell apart because it lacked clear rules for how to carry out its terms and those who helped negotiate it could not enforce it.
Key Facts
The MoU aimed to extend a ceasefire and reopen talks between the U.S. and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route that handles about 20% of the world’s oil trade.
After the agreement, oil shipping and Iranian exports increased for a short time.
Military actions resumed, and many commercial ships stopped passing through the Strait again within weeks.
The deal focused on political agreement but did not set clear procedures for enforcement and daily operations.
Important details, like which nuclear activities were allowed and how sanctions relief would work, were left vague.
The MoU called for Iran to ensure safe commercial shipping and work with Oman on administration but did not create clear rules or frameworks.
Disagreements quickly appeared over how frozen Iranian assets ($12 billion) would be managed and accessed.
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Scientists at McGill University studied lungs from people who never smoked, currently smoke, and quit smoking. They found that while some lung damage from smoking improves after quitting, other changes last for years and might explain why former smokers still face health risks.
Key Facts
Researchers analyzed over 100,000 lung cells from 21 people: never smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers.
Some lung cells recover after quitting smoking, but others show lasting changes in genes related to lung structure and immune function.
Former smokers have unique molecular lung patterns that differ from both active smokers and never smokers.
These lasting changes may explain why ex-smokers still have a higher risk of lung diseases like cancer and COPD.
Understanding which lung damage is permanent can help develop better treatments for smoking-related illnesses.
The research was published in the journal Translational Research.
Next steps include finding why some lung cells do not fully heal after quitting smoking.
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A former governor in Kenya, Okoth Obado, was found guilty of killing a pregnant university student, Sharon Otieno, with whom he had an affair. He and two others were convicted for planning and carrying out the murder, which sparked protests about violence against women in Kenya.
Key Facts
Sharon Otieno, a 26-year-old pregnant student, was found dead in 2018 in western Kenya.
Okoth Obado was governor of Migori county at the time of the murder.
The court ruled that Obado planned the killing, provided the motive and money.
Two other people helped with the murder and tried to hide the crime.
Sharon had contacted a journalist about her affair with the governor before she was kidnapped.
The journalist escaped, but Sharon was found stabbed and possibly raped two days later.
Police tracked the vehicle used in the crime and found its GPS was turned off and on to hide its movements.
The court used 42 witnesses and evidence to convict Obado and his co-accused.
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Google reported very high revenue of $119.8 billion in the second quarter of 2026 but spent even more money on AI technology, leading to its first negative free cash flow quarter. The company is investing heavily in AI infrastructure and expects to continue increasing that spending in the coming years.
Key Facts
Google earned $119.8 billion in total revenue in Q2 2026, exceeding expectations.
Search generated $63.3 billion, and Google Cloud revenue grew 23.8% to $24.8 billion.
YouTube ads brought in $11.1 billion, increasing by over 12% since the last quarter.
Operating cash flow was $39.1 billion after removing investment income.
Google spent $44.9 billion in Q2 2026 on AI infrastructure, more than its cash income.
Free cash flow was negative $5.8 billion for the first time since the company went public.
Google plans to spend up to $205 billion on capital expenditures in 2026, nearly six times its 2022 AI-related spending.
Despite heavy spending, Google remains highly profitable and has over $100 billion in cash reserves.
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Stop Insider Trading Act to stop lawmakers from trading stocks based on secret information they get from their jobs. However, the bill does not apply to President Donald Trump or the vice president. It stops members of Congress and their families from buying new stocks but lets them keep stocks they already own.
Key Facts
The Stop Insider Trading Act passed the House 232-198 with some Democrats supporting it.
The law targets members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children, but excludes the president and vice president.
President Trump and the vice president are subject to different ethics and disclosure rules than lawmakers.
Lawmakers would be banned from buying new individual stocks but can keep or sell stocks they already own after a public notice period.
President Trump reported thousands of stock transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars in early 2026.
Critics say the bill does not fully ban insider trading and exempts too many officials, including the president.
Richard Painter, a former White House ethics lawyer, supports the bill but says it should also apply to the president and vice president.
The Trump administration supports the bill as a step beyond current rules by stopping lawmakers from buying stocks while in office.
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The New York Times is challenging subpoenas from the Trump administration in court. These subpoenas seek reporters’ testimony and phone records after the Times reported on security issues with the new Air Force One plane.
Key Facts
The New York Times received subpoenas related to a story about the new Air Force One lacking advanced defensive features.
The subpoenas ask reporters to testify before a grand jury and provide phone records of reporters and some family members.
The Times’ lawyers say the subpoenas aim to intimidate and punish the newspaper for reporting that upset President Trump.
The Department of Justice says the subpoenas are to find if classified information was leaked that could affect national security.
The plane was donated by Qatar and costs about $400 million, with additional retrofit expenses planned.
The Times argues the subpoenas violate the First Amendment right to gather news without government interference.
The legal battle focuses on balancing national security concerns with press freedom.
The case highlights tensions between the Trump administration and the press.
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Hunter Biden said in an interview that President Donald Trump would have targeted his family if President Joe Biden had not given him a pardon. Hunter Biden believes the pardon protected his family from political attacks while Trump was in power.
Key Facts
Hunter Biden discussed the impact of a pardon he received from President Joe Biden.
He stated that without this pardon, President Trump would have focused on his family.
Hunter Biden implied the pardon prevented political pressure or investigation from Trump.
The interview highlights ongoing tensions between the Biden family and President Trump.
Hunter Biden's pardon was granted by his father, President Joe Biden.
The context involves U.S. political rivalries and family issues connected to public scrutiny.
Hunter Biden's comments suggest concerns about how political power can affect families.
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During the World Cup matches in the New York City area, police rescued 43 people, including seven children, from human traffickers. The NYPD Special Victims Unit arrested 89 suspects and continues to investigate as part of a wider effort coordinated across multiple states and agencies.
Key Facts
Forty-three victims, including seven minors, were rescued in New York City during the World Cup.
The NYPD Special Victims Unit made 89 arrests linked to human trafficking rings.
Rescue operations took place from June 11 to July 19, covering eight matches at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.
Victims received support such as food, housing, and counseling from the NYPD’s Gender-Based Violence Police and Planning Unit.
The NYPD prepared months in advance by monitoring known human traffickers on parole or probation.
Local, state, and federal agencies worked together nationwide, with more than 673 arrests and 74 rescues during the World Cup across the U.S.
Other states, including Georgia, New England, and Missouri, also made arrests and rescues linked to World Cup events.
The World Cup was held in multiple cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, requiring broad law enforcement coordination.
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The article explains a new leadership approach called "mission command" used at Singapore's National University Hospital. This method gives health care workers more authority to make decisions quickly and encourages leadership at every level to improve patient care and reduce staff burnout.
Key Facts
Traditional hospital management often relies on strict, top-down control, which can slow decision-making.
Mission command is a military leadership style that focuses on clear goals but trusts people to decide how to achieve them.
At National University Hospital, nurses, pharmacists, and support staff are empowered to lead in critical moments.
Leaders provide training and support rather than micromanage, allowing frontline workers to act confidently.
The hospital continuously removes outdated rules and processes to reduce barriers for staff.
This leadership style aims to reduce burnout by giving health care workers control over their work conditions.
Research shows health care workers quit mainly because they feel powerless, not just because their jobs are hard.
Mission command transforms patient care by promoting responsibility and autonomy across the organization.
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