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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
The U.S. Defense Department’s official watchdog yesterday released a special report about the Iran war. The report covers the start of the war on Feb. 28 through Jun. 30, and acknowledged the depletion of key U.S. munition stockpiles and damage done to hundreds of structures at U.S. bases in the Middle East. Davis Winkie and Jennifer Hansler report for CNN.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei yesterday said that Saudi Arabia had “demanded” a scheduled meeting between Iran and Gulf nations be postponed “for the time being.” Baghaei added that an agreement between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz has been finalized and it will be announced later. AP News reports.
IRAN WAR – YEMEN
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis yesterday said they fired dozens of missiles and drones at a military base in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said 13 civilians were injured in the attack. Timour Azhari reports for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Two regional officials yesterday said the East-West Saudi oil pipeline will be mostly out of service for weeks as damage is repaired. The officials told AP News repairs would take three to five weeks, but that the pipeline may work partially during that time, though it remains unknown how much oil might get through. Samy Magdy reports.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel yesterday said that Israeli settlement expansion and economic pressure in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem were undermining prospects of a viable Palestinian state, after meeting Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin in Lisbon. Sergio Goncalves reports for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukraine’s Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko today said Russian strikes hit a petrol station and a warehouse facilities in Kyiv early in the morning. The attack on the petrol station injured one person. Gleb Garanich and Jekaterīna Golubkova report for Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday said Ukraine was ready to support a U.S. proposal for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire on energy sites only if the United States could ensure Russia was genuinely ready to end its war in Ukraine. Olena Harmash reports for Reuters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin moved his flagship foreign policy conference from Sochi to Moscow due to security concerns over Ukraine’s drone strike campaign, according to sources. The conference guests last month learned of the change of location, which was made on the advice of Putin’s presidential security service. Max Seddon reports for the Financial Times.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Danish Defense Command yesterday said a Russian frigate fired two flares towards a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark, narrowly missing the aircraft. The DDC said the helicopter had been on a routine mission to photograph the Russian frigate. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the incident was serious but not surprising, and called it a part of a pattern of escalation in which Russia has intensified its hybrid warfare against Europe and NATO. Stine Jacobsen and Soren Jeppesen report for Reuters.
Russia’s ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin today accused Danish helicopters of making dangerous manoeuvres near its warships in the Baltic Sea and handed an official note to Denmark complaining about such incidents. Russia’s RIA state news agency cited Barbin as blaming Denmark for yesterday’s incident with a Danish military helicopter and a Russian frigate. Reuters reports.
The Lithuanian national crisis management center today said an Italian NATO fighter jet shot down a drone over Lithuania shortly after midnight this morning. Officials did not say whether the drone, which had been shot down near Pratkunai village in southern Lithuania, was believed to be Russian or Ukrainian. Andrius Sytas reports for Reuters.
A convoy of Russian naval and cargo ships last week delivered supplies to coastal facilities in Syria long used by Russia’s military, according to two sources. The operation is the first such mission since Syria and Russia agreed last month on the future of Russia’s military presence in Syria. Feras Dalatey reports for Reuters
A major outage early today hit parts of the Dutch railway system, hours before the ceremonial state opening of parliament. Prorail, the company that maintains the national rail infrastructure, said it was treating the cause as possible sabotage. A spokesperson for the company told AP News the outage caused disruptions at 24 locations, and that material was found at several locations which appeared “deliberately placed on the tracks.” Mike Corder reports.
The first ministers of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding which said no United Kingdom government had the right to “block democracy.” For the first time since devolution began in 1997 Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have first ministers who want to leave the United Kingdom. The group met in their capacity as party leaders of Scottish SNP, Welsh Plaid Cymru, and Northern Irish Sinn Féin, rather than as officials in their respective governments. David Deans and Cemlyn Davies report for BBC News
Argentine President Javier Milei is preparing legislation this week to toughen sanctions against at least 60 companies and individuals linked to offshore oil exploration around the Falkland Islands. Argentina’s Congress is set to receive Milei’s 2027 budget proposal today, which is also expected to boost defense spending to address a sharper focus on sovereignty issues. Leila Miller reports for Reuters.
Norway’s National Crime Investigation Service and the PST security service today said they are investigating the telecoms operator Telenor on suspicion that they aided and abetted crimes against humanity in Myanmar following the military coup in the country in 2021. The statement said that “Telenor Myanmar repeatedly handed over historical traffic data about customers to the military regime” at the time that the regime was responsible for “extensive abuses” against civilians. Terje Solsvik, Stine Jacobsen, and Elviira Luoma report for Reuters.
The Foreign Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia today met for the first meeting of a U.N. arbitration process to resolve a maritime dispute between the two neighbors. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Cambodia was seeking a treaty with Thailand delimiting a single all-purpose maritime boundary, having launched the compulsory conciliation process under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the scope of the meeting concerned only maritime boundary delimitation between the countries in the Gulf of Thailand. Devjyot Ghoshal reports for Reuters.
TECH DEVELOPMENTS
China today tightened travel curbs, barring citizens deemed a potential threat to national technology security from leaving the country. The rules, which had been unveiled in July, target violations of export controls or technology import and export rules in a way that may endanger industrial or technological security. Reuters reports.
U.S. AI DEVELOPMENTS
Former Google DeepMind employee Bilal Chughtai yesterday became the latest AI researcher to warn that the technology could “kill all humans.” Chughtai added that navigating AI safely was possible but would require coordination. Rhea Rose Abraham and Shubham Kalia report for Reuters.
President Trump on Thursday privately met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman backstage at the Republican midterm convention, MS NOW reported yesterday. Altman requested the meeting with Trump, which centered on AI and its growing power, according to sources. Jake Traylor, Jacqueline Alemany, and Lindsey Pipia report.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang yesterday took a call from Trump while onstage at the All-In Summit, where the two dismissed fears of an AI takeover. Trump told Huang and the crowd that the “robots will not be taking over” and that the “whole thing is a hoax.” Herb Scribner reports for Axios.
Trump yesterday on social media said the United States already has the only guardrail it needs: “a STRONG AND SMART (HIGH IQ!) PRESIDENT.” Trump claimed the administration has already stopped AI “people” from doing bad things. Jonathan Swan and Michael Gold report for the New York Times.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Trump yesterday nominated Representative Wesley Hunt (R-Tx) to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a role Trump has left vacant since the beginning of his second term. Patricia Zengerle reports for Reuters.
Alex Saab, a former high-ranking government official in Venezuela, is today expected to plead guilty against accusations of enriching himself through lucrative contracts. As part of a plea agreement, Saab could potentially cooperate against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is awaiting trial on federal charges of conspiring to commit narco-terrorism and import cocaine. David Ovalle reports for the New York Times.
Presidential Envoy John Coale today met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for their first talks in six months, as the United States pushes for the release of more political prisoners in return for easing sanctions on Belarus. Mark Trevelyan reports for Reuters.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum yesterday said a ban on U.S. oil or fuel exports would be unlikely to help lower energy prices for consumers amidst the Iran war. Georgina Mccartney and Sheila Dang reports for Reuters.
U.S. CLIMATE DEVELOPMENTS
Burgum yesterday said permits for deep sea mining could come within months as the administration pursues a strategy of “energy addition.” Burgum’s Interior Department oversees the Marine Minerals Administration, which must approve any permit to mine U.S. territorial waters. The potential of seabed mining being allowed to commence has alarmed many environmentalists, due to concern it could cause irreversible biodiversity loss. Ernest Scheyder reports for Reuters.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zedlin yesterday announced the removal of greenhouse gas pollution limits for power plants while burning coal and gas. If the move by the EPA survives expected legal challenges, it could also prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Zedlin accused former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama of waging a “war on coal.” Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman report for the New York Times.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
A coalition of states and local governments yesterday challenged the Department of Homeland Security over what they call a “catastrophic” policy that would make it harder for immigrants to obtain a green card if they rely on public benefits. The challenge is brought by two separate lawsuits which aim to block the policy that is due to take effect this Friday. The suits argue the rule would harm immigrant families by forcing them to turn away from public assistance programs to meet their basic needs, and would also harm states and localities by straining emergency rooms and reducing participation in food stamps, which would drain money from local businesses that depend on federal benefits. Trump officials have said the “public charge” rule is necessary to protect public resources. Madeleine Ngo reports for the New York Times.
Immigrants seeking documents from the government to prove their legal status are being rebuffed or provided heavily redacted paperwork, according to over 30 immigration lawyers interviewed by the New York Times. The lawyers said the refusals put their clients at risk of deportation, and one lawyer said that these tactics represent one of “the many other intentional ways immigrants are being deprived of due process in immigration court.” Minho Kim reports.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A federal whistle-blower account released yesterday reveals investigators may have broken state laws under DHS instruction as part of an effort to find noncitizens on the nation’s voter rolls. The whistleblower also reported that DHS leaders required agents to examine at least 40 voters each day, suggesting a rushed pace and the collection of unreliable data, which has likely improperly flagged U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote. The account was provided to Democrat Senators Chuck Schumer (NY) and Alex Padilla (CA). Nick Corasaniti and Hamed Aleaziz report for the New York Times.
Mahmoud Khalil and other pro-Palestinian student activists yesterday sued Columbia University, accusing the school of being deliberately indifferent to years of pervasive harassment they faced because of their advocacy. Khalil became the face of the Trump administration crackdown on student protests after ICE agents arrested him in March 2025 despite him not being accused of a crime, and being a green card holder. The suit says Columbia violated federal civil rights law through its failure to protect students from threats, doxxing, and other harassment based on their perceived Arab or Muslim ancestry, or their advocacy for Palestinian rights. Jonathan Stempel reports for Reuters.
FBI Director Kash Patel is set to face the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Democrats are expected to question him over his leadership, use of taxpayer funds for personal travel, and claims that arrests were imminent related to the 2020 election, while Republicans will likely ask about probes into the federal investigation of attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff reports for Reuters.
The military yesterday acknowledged for the first time that it has weapons in space. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the United States “has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.” China today warned against an “arms race” in space. Steff Chávez reports for the Financial Times; Bernd Debusmann Jr. and Chris Graham report for BBC News.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) yesterday returned to the Capitol after a fall three months ago. He arrived in a wheelchair, and told reporters that it was time to “finish the job for this Congress.” Siobhan Hughes and Lindsay Wise report for the Wall Street Journal.
The John F. Kennedy Center’s board is moving toward closing the center as early as today. The board will vote on a resolution to close the center’s main building for extensive renovation expected to take at least two years, and is due to decide how it will reinstall Trump’s name on the building. Officials say the center faces bankruptcy if Trump isn’t properly recognized for his fundraising efforts by having his name on the building. Lydia Wheeler and Kelly Crow report for the Wall Street Journal.
Donald Trump Jr.’s Bahamas wedding was secretly funded by Russian oligarch and owner of the International Boxing Association Umar Kremlev, according to records reviewed by ProPublica and interviews with sources. Days before the wedding, Kremlev was in China as part of the delegation accompanying Putin, according to Chinese state media, and months before, he had been awarded the Order of Friendship by Putin. Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski report.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTION
IT consulting firm Accenture will pay $25 million to settle Department of Justice allegations related to diversity practices, records made public yesterday revealed. Accenture said it complied with applicable laws and that the resolution was not an admission of guilt. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
The Supreme Court yesterday blocked the Postal Service from implementing Trump’s executive order limiting mail-in ballots. The emergency ruling explanation said that the government was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” at the conclusion of additional litigation on the issue. Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote a one paragraph concurrence in which he said there was “at least a fair prospect” that the new rules fell within the Postal Service’s purviews under federal statutes, but that allowing them to apply so close to the midterms “would be arbitrary and capricious.” Justice’s Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas dissented. Abbie VanSickle reports for the New York Times.
A federal judge yesterday blocked the DHS from implementing a new rule that would limit how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the United States without applying for extensions. The judge said that the DHS adopted the policy on “exceptionally weak” rationales: the department cited national security and the need to prevent fraud in the visa program. Nate Raymond reports for Reuters.
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