Morning Edition · Thursday, July 30, 2026
Markets
US Resumes Heavy Strikes on Iran and Oil Jumps Nearly 8 Percent
Brent settled near $90.74 a barrel as the war resumed, adding to an inflation warning that had already led the Federal Reserve to hold rates and prompted dissenting officials to seek a hike.
Macro
German Bankruptcies Hit a 21-Year High as Europe Confronts a Second China Shock
Nearly 5,000 German firms filed for insolvency in the second quarter, and Berlin and Paris are pushing the European Union toward tariffs on Chinese goods.
Geopolitics
Russia Launches Mass Overnight Strikes on Ukraine as Both Sides Escalate
Moscow says it hit airfields and defense plants across seven regions and struck cargo ships at the port of Pivdennyi, while Kyiv says it developed a new interceptor against Russian drones in three months.
World
Japan's Kumamoto Earthquake Toll Rises as Survivors Face Heat Without Power or Water
Official counts of the dead ranged from at least 18 to 28 after the magnitude 7.1 quake, with tens of thousands of homes still cut off from electricity and running water.
Tech
China Presses Ahead on Homegrown AI Even as Western Investors Question the Spending
ByteDance is investing heavily in artificial intelligence and China is releasing open models shaped by chip limits, while a $1.5 billion hedge fund is positioned against semiconductor stocks after this month's selloff.
Geopolitics
Trump Warns Xi Against Arming Iran Weeks Before a Planned Visit
The US president said he would be "quite disappointed" if China broke a promise not to supply Iran, as analysts argue Washington's Gulf partners remain dependent on American security.
Macro
Japan Moves to Cut the Food Sales Tax to 1 Percent for Two Years
Prime Minister Takaichi's plan to ease living costs would widen a budget gap in a country whose population has now fallen below 120 million.
World
Russia Puts Telegram Founder on Wanted List as Australia Prepares Legal Action
Moscow charged Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity after Telegram declined to remove channels it linked to Ukrainian intelligence, and Canberra says the platform failed to take down violent content.
Markets
Adani Ports Slips After Earnings Even as Brokerages See Upside
The Indian port operator's quarterly profit rose 9 percent, and a smaller technology listing debuted at a premium, as India's primary market stayed active through the regional turmoil.
Crypto
An AI System Weakened a Cryptographic Scheme in 60 Hours, Testing Bitcoin's Quantum Plans
The affected system is not used by Bitcoin, but the speed of the attack raises questions about the timeline developers have to move to quantum-resistant cryptography.
World
Fauci Invokes the Fifth Amendment at a Senate Hearing on COVID-19
The former top US health official declined to answer Republican questions about the pandemic's origins, in a session that revived debate over accountability and China.
Geopolitics
Okinawa Delegation Visits a Beijing Cemetery as China Highlights Historic Ties With Japan
The tribute at a Ryukyu Kingdom burial site underlines how Beijing is using cultural history as leverage in its frictions with Tokyo.