Brave New World or Groundhog Day? Burnham revisits old ground in speech on social care

• Iran is utilizing proxies and partners to launch attacks on regional states, allowing the Iranian government to maintain plausible deniability. • In response to Iranian efforts to control oil traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the Iraqi federal government is actively developing alternative export routes.

• Dr. Binoy Kampmark reports on the potential removal of International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan in an article dated July 28, 2026. • The situation involves a complex intersection of political pressure and allegations of misconduct, specifically regarding the nexus between Khan's legal decisions and his personal fate.

• A new report identifies a "threat axis" consisting of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, documenting 616 specific instances of security cooperation between the four nations. • The report warns of a "simultaneity problem," where these strategically aligned powers could coordinate actions to force the United States to manage multiple global crises at once.

• The United States and Saudi Arabia have partnered to launch military strikes against Tehran-backed militias operating within Iraq. • The escalation follows reported Iranian attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint.

• The U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed proxy groups located in Iraq. • In retaliation, Iran launched attacks against various sites within Jordan, expanding the geographic scope of the conflict.

• India faces significant energy import vulnerabilities, highlighted by the 2026 oil price surge and critical chokepoints at the Strait of Hormuz. • The nation has the potential to meet up to 25% of its domestic energy demand growth through internal resources by 2047.

• Former President Trump's decision to pause attacks on Iran highlights the limitations of U.S. military power in asymmetric conflicts. • Despite aerial campaigns, Tehran has not been bombed into submission, as Iran leverages its mountainous geography and drone/missile capabilities to maintain strategic leverage.

Report on Interlochen Center for the Arts details sexual allegations against 47 faculty and staff members since 1950sTwo people who attended a prestigious Michigan fine arts school reported conduct of a sexual nature by Jeffrey Epstein, a major donor, according to an investigation that also uncovered dozens of allegations spanning decades against nearly 50 other people.Interlochen Center for the Arts operates a summer camp and performing arts school that draws students from around the world. It hired a law firm in 2024 to investigate reports of sexual abuse by faculty and staff. Subsequently, it expanded the work to include information about Epstein, the 66-year-old financier who killed himself in jail in 2019. Continue reading...

Details of parents and staff, including email addresses and phone numbers, are among data taken by cybercriminalsThe Department for Education and a police database have been targeted by a cyber-attack, exposing more than 740,000 pieces of data.Details of government officials, senior school leaders, university staff, police officers and members of the public have been taken by hackers. Continue reading...

Planned overhaul forms part of president’s broader pattern of directing changes in Washington after arch and ballroomDonald Trump is due to announce a $22bn plan to rebuild Washington’s Dulles international airport on Wednesday after the US president personally weighed in on the design of the capital’s main international gateway.A White House official confirmed an announcement would be made, after CBS News reported that Trump had scrutinized 3D models from contractors competing to carry out the overhaul at the White House, and offered proposed changes. Continue reading...

Rates remain unchanged for fifth time since December as tenuous Iran peace deal pushes energy prices up againThe US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday, leaving rates unchanged for the fifth time since December despite Donald Trump’s renewed calls to lower rates.Cooler inflation data published earlier this month eased expectations for an imminent rate hike. But the tenuous peace deal between the US and Iran have made energy prices creep up again, strengthening the case for an increase. The Fed’s federal open market committee voted 9-3 to maintain rates, with three dissenting members who preferred to raise the rate by a quarter-percentage point. Continue reading...