⚡ Today in History

On July 9, 1943, Allied forces launched Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily and one of the largest amphibious landings of World War II. In 1955, the Russell-Einstein Manifesto warned that nuclear weapons put the survival of humanity at risk. Today? US and Iranian forces traded strikes across the Middle East as the ceasefire meant to end their four-month war frayed.

Top News

US strikes more than 80 Iran targets; Tehran hits Gulf bases 80+ TARGETS

After Iranian forces struck three commercial tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that carries about a fifth of the world's oil, US Central Command hit more than 80 sites across southern Iran on July 7, targeting air defenses, radar and over 60 Revolutionary Guard boats. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps answered early July 8 with missiles and drones aimed at 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Trump says Iran ceasefire is ‘over’

Speaking beside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding meant to end the US-Iran war was over and called further negotiations a waste of time. Trump added that talks could continue if Tehran wanted, leaving the status of the agreement unclear.

Manhattan tower evacuated over collapse fears

New York City firefighters evacuated a 1960s-era office tower at 235 East 42nd Street in Midtown, the former headquarters of drugmaker Pfizer, on July 7 after inspectors found buckling support columns and sagging floors between the 21st and 26th stories. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said cracks were spreading through the building, and nearby structures were cleared as a precaution.

Kirk murder suspect faces family in court

Tyler Robinson, charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, appeared at a preliminary hearing in Utah on July 7, where prosecutors played surveillance video of the attack. Kirk's family attended the hearing, the first time they had been in the same room as the accused.

Michigan parasite outbreak tops 700 cases 700+ CASES

A cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to contaminated fresh produce has sickened more than 700 people across southeast Michigan since late June, about 13 times the state's usual yearly total, health officials said July 6. At least 36 people have been hospitalized, and cases have also climbed in Ohio and North Carolina as investigators hunt for the source.

World

Bombs rock Damascus hotel during Macron visit

Two explosions, one from a car bomb and one from a device hidden in a garbage can, struck near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on July 7 while French President Emmanuel Macron was staying there during a state visit to Syria. Syrian security forces sealed off the area around the hotel after the blasts.

Russian strikes kill 22 in Kyiv region 22 KILLED

Russia launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at the Kyiv region overnight into July 8, killing at least 22 people and wounding 56 as rescue crews pulled survivors from the rubble. Ukraine said its air defenses failed to down any of the ballistic missiles, and President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed allies at the NATO summit for more US-made Patriot interceptors.

Hamas dissolves its Gaza governing body

Hamas announced on July 6 that it was dissolving the committee that has administered the Gaza Strip since the group seized control of the territory in 2007. The step follows the ceasefire that halted fighting with Israel, under which a transitional administration is expected to take over governance of Gaza.

Ebola drug trial begins in Congo outbreak

The first patients have enrolled in a clinical trial testing two drugs against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola behind an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, health workers said July 7. The strain has no approved treatment or vaccine, and screening efforts are under way in the eastern city of Goma.

UN warns of mass-atrocity risk in Sudan 330 CHILDREN

The UN Human Rights Council ordered an inquiry into abuses around El-Obeid in Sudan's North Kordofan state, warning that civilians face the risk of mass atrocities as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces encircle the city in the country's civil war. UNICEF reported that more than 330 children have been killed in Sudan's war during the first six months of 2026.

Politics

NATO allies point to record defense spending $1.2 TRILLION

At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said European members and Canada had added $1.2 trillion in defense spending over the past decade, moving toward the alliance's target of 5% of economic output by 2035. President Donald Trump told reporters the United States still pays far too much for Europe's security.

Trump moves to sell F-35 jets to Turkey

Meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on July 7, President Donald Trump said he would lift US sanctions on Turkey's defense sector and advance the long-stalled sale of F-35 stealth fighters. Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program in 2019 after buying a Russian air-defense system, and a congressional ban on the sale remains in place.

Denmark rebuffs Trump on Greenland

After President Donald Trump repeated at the NATO summit that he wants US control of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory in the North Atlantic, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on July 8 that the island is not for sale and that Denmark is ready to defend it.

Four NATO nations to buy Patriots for Ukraine

Canada, Denmark, Germany and Norway agreed at the Ankara summit to purchase US-made Patriot air-defense missiles directly for Ukraine, which is running short of interceptors against intensifying Russian attacks. Norway pledged an additional $307 million to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses.

Maine Senate hopeful loses backers over assault claim

Democratic US Senate candidate Graham Platner faced calls to end his Maine campaign this week after a woman accused him of sexual assault, and several supporters withdrew their endorsements. Platner said he is weighing his political future.

Markets

Oil jumps 5% after US-Iran strikes BRENT $76

Crude prices spiked after the United States revoked Iran's license to sell oil and the two sides exchanged strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil normally flows. Brent crude rose 5.6% to $76.04 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate climbed 5.4% to $72.25 in after-hours trading on July 7.

Stocks slip as chip shares and oil weigh

US stocks fell on July 7 as investors sold semiconductor shares and oil prices climbed, a day after the Dow Jones Industrial Average set a record. The Dow slipped 0.25% to 52,925, the S&P 500 lost 0.45% to 7,504, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.16% to 25,819.

Bitcoin sits 41% below its record

Bitcoin traded near $63,000 on July 8, down about 41% so far in 2026 and well below its October 2025 record of roughly $126,000. Analysts tied the slump to uncertainty over Federal Reserve interest rates and $4.5 billion in investor withdrawals from Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in June.

Saudi Aramco cuts crude prices for Asia

Saudi Aramco lowered the price of its flagship Arab Light crude for Asian buyers by $11 a barrel for next month, its first discount since the oil price war of 2020, after the OPEC+ group agreed over the weekend to raise output quotas. The cut points to softer demand even as Strait of Hormuz tension keeps prices volatile.

Amazon seeks $25 billion in a bond sale

Amazon is looking to raise $25 billion through a corporate bond sale, sources told CNBC, as the retailer funds a costly buildout of data centers for artificial intelligence. Shares of the company rose slightly on the news.

Entertainment

Djokovic wins longest Wimbledon quarterfinal ever £5,600 FINE

Novak Djokovic advanced at Wimbledon in London by winning the longest quarterfinal in the tournament's history, days after the All England Club fined him £5,600 for an on-court outburst during his round-of-16 match. The result kept the Serbian in the hunt for another title at the grass-court Grand Slam.

Argentina rallies past Egypt at the World Cup

Defending champion Argentina erased a two-goal deficit to beat Egypt 3-2 and reach the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup on July 7. Egypt forward Mustafa Ziko accused referees of unfair calls after the round-of-16 loss.

Copyright suit against Taylor Swift dismissed

Days after Taylor Swift married NFL player Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 3, a court dismissed a copyright-infringement lawsuit brought against the singer. The wedding drew guests including Brad Pitt and Simone Biles.

Mariska Hargitay to host the 2026 Emmys

“Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay will host the 2026 Emmy Awards on NBC and Peacock on September 14, becoming the first woman to lead the ceremony in 15 years. The last woman to host was Jane Lynch in 2011.

UK judge rules against Prince Harry in privacy case

A British judge ruled on July 7 against Prince Harry and other claimants who accused Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, of unlawfully gathering private information. The decision is a setback in the prince's long-running fight with the British press.