U.S. Central Command strikes five Iranian oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz after missile attacks on Navy vessels
U.S. Central Command conducted retaliatory strikes against five Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz following IRGC missile attacks on U.S. Navy warships. The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Theodore Roosevelt successfully evaded the ballistic missile attacks over two days, prompting the disabling of tankers linked to the IRGC as a retaliatory measure.
Supreme Court Limits IEEPA Tariff Authority in Trump v. California
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in a 6–3 decision that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the president authority to impose tariffs on a global scale, blocking the wide-ranging tariff impositions from the Trump administration and redefining the limits of emergency economic powers.
UN climate report warns 1.5°C warming threshold will be exceeded within years
A new United Nations climate report confirms that global temperatures will likely exceed the 1.5°C warming limit within the next few years under current policies, projecting a peak of approximately 1.8°C by mid-century before declining. The report stresses that ambitious emissions reductions and carbon removal are needed to return temperatures below 1.5°C by 2100, warning that every fraction of a degree carries significant costs in lives, livelihoods, and inequality.
Ninth Circuit Rejects Trump Administration's Mandatory Detention Authority
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on July 30, 2026, that the Trump administration cannot deny detained immigrants a chance for release on bond, holding the administration lacks authority to mandate detention without bond hearings. This marks the fifth federal appellate court to reject the policy, with the decision affecting immigrants detained over 90 days without a bond hearing and the case expected to proceed to the Supreme Court.
Global M&A activity surges 48% to $2.8 trillion in first half of 2026
Global mergers and acquisitions reached a record $2.8 trillion in announced deal value during the first half of 2026, marking a 48% year-over-year increase. The surge was driven by mega-deals exceeding $10 billion, supportive financing conditions, and heightened interest in artificial intelligence and technology sectors.
River AI raises $1.1 billion to expand personalized AI model tools
River AI, founded by xAI co-founder Igor Babuschkin, secured $1.1 billion in seed/Series A funding led by General Catalyst and AMP PBC to expand tools enabling enterprises to build personalized AI models on proprietary data. The round was nearly six times the size of earlier talks for $200 million at a $2 billion valuation.
SpaceX launches classified USSF-153 mission for U.S. Space Force
SpaceX successfully launched the classified USSF-153 mission for the U.S. Space Force on September 10 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The Falcon 9 rocket deployed an undisclosed payload of satellites to low Earth orbit, marking the 27th flight of the supporting booster. The launch continues a series of classified national security missions for the Space Force earlier this year.
Jazz legend Cassandra Wilson dies at 70 in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi
Cassandra Wilson, a two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, songwriter, and producer known for her distinctive contralto voice rooted in the Mississippi blues tradition, died at age 70 in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Tributes highlighted her status as one of the most distinctive voices of her generation and her enduring connection to Southern musical heritage.