Morning Edition · Sunday, July 26, 2026
Markets
Brent Crude Holds Near $100 as US-Iran War Opens a Saudi Oil Front
Yemen's Houthis struck Aramco facilities at Jizan and Yanbu while Washington paused nightly strikes on Iran, leaving crude up roughly 14 percent on the week.
Macro
Gold Holds Near $4,066 as Warsh's Fed Firms the Dollar and Tilts Toward a September Hike
Markets now price better-than-even odds of a rate increase in September after the new Federal Reserve chair deprioritized employment and called prices too high.
World
India's Education Minister Resigns, the First Cabinet Exit Forced by Protest Under Modi
Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down after weeks of youth-led demonstrations over leaked entrance exams that forced a retake affecting two million students.
Geopolitics
Iran Accuses Ukraine of Bombing One of Its Ships in the Caspian, Widening the War's Map
Tehran summoned Kyiv's envoy and reserved the right to respond, while Israel said Kyiv is helping Iran select strike targets.
Macro
Trade Blocs Harden as China Splits the EU and US Tariffs Hit Seven Southeast Asian States
Brussels analysts warn Beijing is exploiting member-state divisions while Washington's new levies deepen doubts about it as a reliable partner in Asia.
Crypto
Chinese Investors Use Crypto Exchanges to Bypass Beijing's Controls on AI Stocks
Perpetual futures on offshore platforms let traders gain exposure to mainland artificial-intelligence shares that foreign capital cannot legally reach.
Tech
Defense Giants Are Funding Military Start-Ups as Drones Rewrite the Battlefield
Established arms makers are taking on the role of venture investors, while Israel's Elbit markets a way to convert existing ships into drone carriers.
Macro
Gulf War Squeezes Pakistan's Informal Dollar Pipeline and Freezes Its Rate Decision
Unofficial inflows through hundi and hawala networks have fallen sharply, and the central bank is expected to hold its policy rate on Monday.
World
Typhoon Noul Halts Transport Across China's Southern Tech and Manufacturing Hubs
Rail and flights were cancelled across Guangdong after a powerful storm made landfall near Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
World
Wildfires Force 200,000 to Evacuate Around Bordeaux as Europe's Heat Reshapes Summer
Fires spread through southwestern France while recurrent heatwaves pushed Mediterranean tourists toward cooler northern destinations.
Geopolitics
International Criminal Court Dismisses Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan Over Misconduct Allegations
The removal leaves the court without its top prosecutor at a moment when its authority is contested by major powers.
World
Flavio Bolsonaro Launches Brazil Presidential Bid With Backing From Argentina's Milei
The son of former President Jair Bolsonaro enters the race against Lula, drawing regional support from South America's libertarian right.