The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran just weeks after the two sides announced a framework peace deal,U.S. President Donald Trump declared Washington the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz,as it attacked an oil tanker in the waterway after it allegedly ignored warnings while heading toward Kharg Island,and Trump dropped a proposal for a 20% fee on all cargo passing through the strait.This comes as JD Vance accused Israel of attempting to derail U.S.-Iran negotiations, deepening tensions between the allies, the U.S. continued strikes on Iran, targeting airports, bridges and railway stations,and the U.K. formally designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, expanding sanctions against Tehran.Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi forces fired missiles at Saudi Arabia's Abha airport in the first such attack since an informal truce took effect in March 2022, Yemen's government launched strikes on Sanaa Airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing,and Democrats blocked a $1.15 trillion U.S. defense bill over concerns related to Iran.In related news, Washington approved a potential $1.96 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, strengthening defense ties in the Gulf, the U.S. House rejected an amendment to end U.S. military aid to Israel, preserving existing assistance,and a report claimed that the Pentagon has weighed potential military action against Cuba, though it speculated that such action is unlikely due to the war with Iran.Elsewhere, protests erupted across Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov,U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered testosterone screening for troops over 30 as part of new military health policies,and France launched an investigation into alleged anti-Catholic bias in military academy admissions following discrimination complaints.

Trump hosted Iraq's prime minister at the White House for bilateral discussions,French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu visited Morocco, as the two countries sought to improve diplomatic relations,and the U.K. and EU signed a treaty on Gibraltar's post-Brexit status, making the territory part of the Schengen zone.Meanwhile, Israel's Knesset voted to limit the powers of the attorney general in a significant judicial reform, Hungary approved a constitutional amendment ending the president's mandate,and Andy Burnham became leader of the U.K.'s Labour party and is set to become prime minister, succeeding Keir Starmer.This comes as Trump announced the declassification of intelligence documents allegedly revealing vulnerabilities in U.S. election infrastructureand alleging election-rigging efforts in Venezuela,and Venezuela's interim government and opposition announced formal negotiations aimed at resolving the country's political crisis.In other news, Marco Rubio launched a campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC), escalating U.S. opposition to the tribunal,as the U.K.'s legal watchdog upheld the suspension of ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan pending further proceedings into allegations of misconduct, a Brazilian court barred Flávio Bolsonaro from visiting his jailed father — former President Jair Bolsonaro — for 90 days,and Sierra Leone dropped all criminal charges against former president Ernest Bai Koroma, who was arrested in connection with an alleged coup attempt.Elsewhere, the EU and U.K. imposed sanctions on several Russian entities over alleged cyberattacks, Nicaragua severed diplomatic relations with Italy over a 1978 murder case,and a survey found China more favorably viewed than the U.S., indicating shifting global perceptions.

Two Supreme Court justices testified before Congress on the court's $228 million budget request, several civil rights leaders announced a voting rights march in Washington, D.C., to advocate for election reforms,and House Republicans unveiled a $95 billion budget package for national security, farm aid and election grants.Meanwhile, Todd Blanche faced Senate questioning over his nomination to lead the Justice Department, Democrats pressed intelligence nominee Jay Clayton during his confirmation hearing over his qualifications and independence, Lindsey Graham's sister was appointed to complete his Senate term following his death,and Trump fired a Seattle prosecutor just minutes after his appointment.This comes as the White House tightened visa rules for foreign students and journalists, increasing restrictions on overseas applicants, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was accused of misusing crowd-control tactics, drawing criticism from civil liberties advocates,and Trump ended a pause on immigration traffic stops ordered by the Department of Homeland Security following the fatal shootings of two men.In other news, a judge voided Trump's $1.8 billion IRS settlement, ruling that the lawsuit was brought "for an improper purpose,"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Trump would be featured on newly designed one-dollar coins to mark the nation's 250th anniversary,and the Trump administration installed new interpretive panels at Philadelphia's slavery memorial, updating the site's presentation.

The Los Angeles Police Department ended its contract for Flock license-plate recognition cameras over civil liberty and data privacy concerns,and France's parliament approved an assisted dying law allowing adults the right to end their lives under specific conditions.

U.K. counterterrorism police took over the investigation into the murder of MP Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead at her home earlier this month,and child sexual offense arrests in the U.K. reached their highest level in a decade, with 3,809 detainments in 2024-25.Meanwhile, an Italian court convicted 32 people over the deadly collapse of Genoa’s Morandi Bridge, E. Jean Carroll received a $5.6 million payment from Trump, three years after a federal jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation,and a Kenyan court rejected a Rastafarian's request to use cannabis legally, upholding existing drug laws.

Twelve U.S. states sued to block the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, citing competition concerns, Apple briefly overtook Nvidia to become the world's most valuable company, around 500,000 U.K. households canceled their BBC television licenses amid changing viewing habits,and YouTube was accused of recommending harmful content to teenagers despite previous safety commitments.Meanwhile, Truth Social announced plans to charge businesses for high-speed access to posts on the social media platform, Warren Buffett donated $6 billion to four family-linked foundations, but excluded the Gates Foundation for the first time in nearly 20 years,and Amazon announced plans to launch its satellite internet service in South Africa in 2027, expanding its global broadband network.

Data showed that the U.S. has refunded $81 billion in tariffs so far this fiscal year, the U.S. imposed a new 25% tariff on Brazilian goods, escalating trade tensions between the two countries,and U.S. inflation fell to 3.5% in June, down from 4.2% in May.Meanwhile, China recorded its slowest economic growth in four years, slowing from 5% in the first quarter to 4.3% in the second,and Australia fined Deutsche Bank $1.3 million over alleged reporting failures in its derivatives market.

The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak the third-largest on record, highlighting the scale of the crisis, the first human Ebola vaccine trial began in the U.K., marking a milestone in efforts to combat the disease,and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a cholesterol pill, making it the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor on the market.Meanwhile, a study found microplastics in 84% of heart attack patients, adding to evidence of potential health risks, a report linked the ketogenic diet to small-intestinal tumors in mice, raising questions about possible long-term risks,and researchers concluded that vaping had fitness effects similar to smoking, raising concerns about its long-term health impact.This comes as England banned the sale of highly caffeinated energy drinks to people under 16, introducing new public-health restrictions, a Taco Bell lettuce supplier was linked to an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak, prompting food-safety concerns,and "Miracle on the Hudson" pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger revealed his Alzheimer's diagnosis, sharing his condition publicly.

A study linked thousands of deaths to the U.K.'s May and June heatwaves, highlighting the toll of extreme temperatures,and wildfires in Ontario spread smoke across Toronto and parts of the United States, worsening air quality across the regionand prompting Washington to call for Canada to take stronger action.Meanwhile, deadly floods hit Texas, killing at least two people,and a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Mexico, triggering temporary tsunami warnings.

Trump launched the Gold Eagle AI Cybersecurity Hub to strengthen federal cyber defenses,Chinese President Xi Jinping said no single country should dominate AI, calling for broader international cooperation on the technology, Moonshot AI released Kimi K3, in what it described as the world’s largest open-source AI system,and DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng became the world's richest AI founder after his net worth more than doubled to $36 billion.Meanwhile, xAI sued a user accused of using Grok to generate child sexual abuse material, New York became the first U.S. state to ban hyperscale data centers, citing environmental and infrastructure concerns,and more than 200 economists and technology leaders warned about the potential risks of AI, calling for stronger safeguards.This comes as Taiwan's TSMC committed an additional $100 billion to expand semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, several publishers sued Google over allegations it used their works to train its AI systems,and Meta faced a lawsuit over alleged AI bias in disability-related layoffs.

Scientists identified a new monkey species in the Democratic Republic of Congo, expanding knowledge of African biodiversity,and researchers identified the first named Mayan astronomer in an inscription at Xultun, shedding light on ancient scientific history.

U.S. and Russian astronauts launched together on a mission to the International Space Station, continuing space cooperation despite broader tensions, astronomers discovered a sugar molecule in space for the first time, offering new clues about the chemistry of the universe,and scientists detected an atmosphere around an Earth-like planet for the first time, marking an advance in the search for potentially habitable worlds.

FIFA considered expanding the World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament, opening debate over the competition's future.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended search efforts after a boat sank near Alcatraz,and six people were killed in a fire at Brussels' Oxy Tower.

U.S. House passed legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, advancing the proposal to the Senate.