Front Page
Senate passes bill to avert shutdown through midterms
The Senate approved a continuing resolution by a 90–6 vote that would keep the federal government operating at current funding levels through Dec. 11. The bill still requires approval from the House of Representatives.
Iran sets conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets a series of demands, including changing its behavior and providing other concessions. Talks involving Oman have shown signs of progress, but the waterway’s reopening remains uncertain.
The New York Times - The Washington Post
Wildfires force more than 20,000 people to flee British Columbia
Fast-moving wildfires in British Columbia’s Okanagan region have prompted evacuations affecting more than 20,000 people. Authorities declared a provincial state of emergency as fires spread and destroyed homes.
National News
Two helicopter pilots die while battling Utah wildfire
Two pilots died when a Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter crashed while fighting a wildfire in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest. The crash sparked a new fire that spread to the existing blaze, which has burned nearly 174 square miles. Officials said the pilots worked for Helicopter Transport Services, a contractor for the U.S. Forest Service.
ICE to complete body-camera rollout this month, agency head says
The U.S. immigration agency is expected to complete its body-camera rollout this month, according to ICE’s leader.
New York officials warn of gold-bar scam targeting older adults
New York Attorney General Letitia James said scammers using fake computer-security warnings and demands for gold bars have taken more than $100 million from victims over the past two years, primarily older adults. The scheme can involve remote access to victims’ computers and financial accounts.
Politics
Todd Blanche narrowly confirmed as attorney general
The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, President Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer, as attorney general. The vote made him the nation’s top law enforcement official despite opposition from some Republicans.
Moderate Democrat Ed Case defeats progressive challenger in Hawaii
Representative Ed Case defeated Jarrett Keohokalole in Hawaii’s Democratic primary. The race focused on generational change and the state’s rising cost of living.
Senate abandons Trump-backed voting restrictions
Republicans lacked enough votes to pass the voting restrictions President Trump made a top priority, according to The New York Times. The bill was left unresolved as the Senate entered its summer recess.
Business & Finance
Berkshire Hathaway begins deploying its cash under new CEO
Berkshire Hathaway struck a $6.8 billion deal, repurchased its own shares and became a net buyer of other stocks. The conglomerate also more than doubled its quarterly profit.
Reuters - The Wall Street Journal
Moody’s warns banks are becoming dependent on technology firms for AI
Moody’s said banks’ race to adopt artificial intelligence could expose them to outages and price increases from a small group of Silicon Valley companies. The rating agency also said AI could eventually reduce costs and increase revenue across the financial sector, but would require substantial investment.
U.S. stocks’ record run gets support from strong corporate earnings
Earnings from the largest U.S. companies have helped ease concerns about artificial-intelligence spending and inflationary pressures, supporting the stock market’s record run.
World News
Typhoon Dolphin approaches China’s eastern coast
More than 1,600 flights were canceled as Typhoon Dolphin moved toward China’s eastern coast. The storm’s winds reached 162 kilometers per hour overnight, and evacuations were under way.
Russia reports strikes on Ukrainian port facilities
Russia said it struck fuel-storage facilities and other military-related targets in Ukrainian ports overnight. Reuters reported that Russia also said it hit vessels and facilities in Odesa and Mykolaiv.
Taiwan bets on drones to deter a potential Chinese invasion
Taiwan is drawing on Ukraine’s battlefield experience as it develops drone capabilities intended to deter a possible Chinese invasion.
Thailand school shooting death toll rises to nine
The death toll from a school shooting in Thailand rose to nine after a 12-year-old girl died from her injuries. Police said a 14-year-old boy had allegedly shot his grandparents and others at his school before killing himself.
Arts & Culture
MySpace fans call for a more personal, less algorithm-driven revival
Fans and creators say a revived MySpace should preserve a personal, unfiltered feel rather than become dominated by algorithms. The report follows hints of a possible relaunch.
Madonna pays tribute to producer William Orbit
Madonna described producer William Orbit as “genius” and “otherworldly.” Orbit worked with her several times, most notably on the Grammy Award-winning album Ray of Light.
Baker Boy wins three National Indigenous Music Awards
Yolŋu hip-hop artist Baker Boy won album, song and film clip of the year at Australia’s 2026 National Indigenous Music Awards. The honors included awards for his album Djandjay and its single “Thick Skin.”
Tech & Society
OpenAI pauses work on AI model over security concerns
OpenAI said it would pause some work on its Astra artificial-intelligence model after finding that the system could identify and exploit vulnerabilities without human intervention and execute cyberattacks from a high-level goal.
Amazon data center raises pollution concerns in Texas
Amazon is investing in a natural-gas-burning power plant as part of a large data center in Texas. The project has raised concerns that it could become one of the country’s most polluting power plants, even as the company pledges to meet climate commitments.
Weight-loss medications are changing some people’s relationship with alcohol
Some people taking weight-loss drugs say their cravings for alcohol disappeared or that drinking made them feel nauseated.
Sports
Fred Richard wins first U.S. men’s gymnastics all-around title
Fred Richard won his first U.S. men’s gymnastics all-around championship with a two-day total of 170.015 points. He finished two points ahead of Shane Wiskus and three ahead of Danila Leykin.
Sabalenka upset at Canadian Open
Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set match at the Canadian Open in Toronto. Sabalenka is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion.
Dodgers snap seven-game losing streak in extra innings
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 2–1 in 10 innings. The win ended a seven-game losing streak after Edwin Díaz gave up consecutive ninth-inning triples that forced extra innings.
| SUN | 💧 | MON | TUE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | ☁️ 73/94 | 8% | ☁️ 71/94 | 🌦️ 74/92 |
| Los Angeles | ☀️ 65/94 | 1% | ☁️ 66/90 | ☁️ 70/89 |
| San Francisco | 🌫️ 56/76 | 2% | ☁️ 56/74 | ☁️ 59/75 |
| Chicago | 🌧️ 62/85 | 38% | 🌦️ 71/79 | 🌦️ 68/83 |
| Houston | 🌦️ 79/93 | 37% | 🌦️ 76/91 | ☁️ 78/100 |
| Dallas | ☁️ 77/102 | 4% | 🌤️ 79/100 | 🌤️ 83/104 |
| Phoenix | ☁️ 86/112 | 5% | 🌦️ 81/112 | ☁️ 87/107 |
| Philadelphia | ☁️ 74/94 | 2% | ☁️ 72/95 | 🌦️ 74/91 |
| San Antonio | 🌤️ 78/98 | 4% | 🌦️ 76/97 | ☁️ 77/102 |
| San Diego | ⛅ 68/83 | 1% | 🌫️ 67/81 | ☁️ 70/80 |
| San Jose | 🌫️ 58/90 | 0% | ☁️ 61/92 | ☁️ 65/101 |
| Austin | ⛅ 79/98 | 3% | ☁️ 77/99 | ☁️ 78/104 |
| Jacksonville | 🌫️ 76/93 | 44% | ☁️ 76/95 | ☁️ 81/103 |
| Fort Worth | 🌤️ 78/103 | 5% | 🌦️ 77/100 | 🌤️ 81/105 |
| Columbus | ☁️ 68/92 | 25% | ☁️ 70/94 | 🌦️ 70/91 |
| Charlotte | ☁️ 71/92 | 21% | ☁️ 72/93 | ☁️ 75/94 |
| Indianapolis | ☁️ 72/92 | 6% | ☁️ 73/95 | 🌦️ 73/96 |
| Seattle | ☁️ 56/79 | 0% | ☁️ 55/76 | ☁️ 55/84 |
| Denver | ☁️ 67/100 | 9% | ☁️ 67/97 | 🌦️ 77/100 |
| Boston | ☁️ 70/91 | 24% | ☁️ 67/91 | ☁️ 71/89 |
| Nashville | 🌦️ 69/92 | 57% | ☁️ 74/97 | ☁️ 76/97 |
| Detroit | ☁️ 62/88 | 0% | 🌦️ 73/85 | 🌧️ 67/87 |
| Portland | ☁️ 58/87 | 0% | ☁️ 55/83 | ☀️ 59/85 |
| Las Vegas | ☁️ 90/114 | 15% | 🌦️ 82/111 | 🌦️ 90/111 |
| Miami | ☁️ 80/88 | 16% | 🌦️ 79/89 | ☁️ 80/89 |
| Atlanta | 🌦️ 71/91 | 38% | ☁️ 73/90 | 🌦️ 78/95 |
| Minneapolis | ☁️ 66/82 | 45% | ☁️ 65/88 | 🌦️ 68/95 |
| Kansas City | 🌦️ 76/104 | 20% | ☁️ 76/103 | ☁️ 82/104 |
| New Orleans | 🌦️ 77/92 | 37% | ☁️ 76/90 | ⛈️ 80/96 |
| Honolulu | 🌦️ 75/88 | 33% | 🌦️ 74/86 | 🌦️ 75/85 |
| Anchorage | ☁️ 56/72 | 0% | ☁️ 55/69 | 🌦️ 58/71 |