U.S. and Iran Hold Military Pause as Trump Meets Netanyahu on Nuclear Intelligence; Diplomatic Talks Stall Over Messaging
The United States and Iran maintained a fragile military ceasefire into its second day as President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to review Iran nuclear intelligence. While both sides halted strikes and mediators from Qatar and Pakistan pushed for resumed negotiations, Iran publicly denied active talks with the U.S., creating diplomatic ambiguity that could affect oil markets and geopolitical stability.
FDA approves Merck's Lipfendra, first oral PCSK9 inhibitor for cholesterol reduction
The FDA has approved Lipfendra (enlicitide), the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor, marking a shift from injectable-only therapies in this drug class. In clinical trials, the once-daily pill reduced LDL cholesterol by up to 60% in adults with high cholesterol, offering a more convenient treatment option that may improve adherence compared to existing injectable alternatives.
Fed Opens July FOMC Meeting With Markets Pricing Rate Hold or Hike, Not Cuts, Amid Persistent Inflation
The Federal Reserve began its July 28-29 FOMC meeting with markets overwhelmingly expecting rates to remain unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, with some traders even pricing a 27% probability of a rate increase rather than a cut. Persistent inflation pressures—driven by a 4.2% year-over-year CPI rise and 23.5% energy cost surge amid Middle East tensions—have shifted focus from labor market concerns to inflation containment, with Fed leadership signaling price stability is the priority.
Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Subpoenas Against Minnesota Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey, Ruling They Were Coercive and Retaliatory
A federal judge has quashed six Department of Justice grand jury subpoenas targeting Minnesota state and local officials, ruling that the DOJ was misusing the grand jury process to coerce them into assisting federal immigration enforcement rather than pursuing legitimate criminal investigation. Judge Patrick Schiltz found the subpoenas violated the 10th Amendment and were motivated by political retaliation, citing Trump's public statements about a "day of reckoning" for Minnesota followed by leaked investigations into the officials.
House narrowly passes $1.15 trillion FY2027 defense bill 216-212 as Senate stalls over Iran war provisions
The House passed its $1.15 trillion fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act in a near party-line 216-212 vote on July 22, authorizing record military spending and Trump administration defense priorities. The Senate has blocked its own version and remains deadlocked over Iran war powers and spending levels, breaking a 66-year streak of NDAA passage and threatening military pay raises and Pentagon programs if no deal is reached by October 1.
Anthropic's unreleased Claude Mythos model uncovers 10,000+ critical software vulnerabilities in Project Glasswing
Anthropic's Project Glasswing has used an unreleased Claude Mythos AI model to discover over 10,000 high- or critical-severity vulnerabilities in major software systems across approximately 50 partner organizations and 1,000+ open-source projects. The program is expanding to 150 new organizations across 15+ countries, though fewer than 1% of discovered vulnerabilities have been patched, creating a new bottleneck in the remediation process.
UK government formally announces social media ban for children under 16, targeting Spring 2027 implementation
The UK government announced on June 15, 2026 that children under 16 will be banned from major social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and YouTube starting Spring 2027. The ban, backed by 9 in 10 parents, will be implemented through secondary legislation under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, with platforms facing fines up to 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue for non-compliance.
China's Tianwen-1 orbiter captures rare images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS near Mars
China's Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter photographed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from 28.96 million kilometers away, marking only the second time a spacecraft orbiting another planet has imaged an interstellar object. New peer-reviewed analysis reveals detailed changes in the comet's coma and tail morphology across multiple observations in late September and early October 2025, while the comet remains on an escape trajectory out of the solar system.