Fauci to face Republican questions over Covid pandemic origins – US politics live

• 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.

• The Trump administration is scaling back funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Africa. • This reduction in support for life-saving HIV programs weakens a primary instrument of U.S. soft power and health diplomacy.

• UN Security Council members met on Tuesday to receive updates on the escalating regional tensions involving the US, Iran, Israel, and Hamas. • Reports from the UN relief agency OCHA highlight a dangerous situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, citing Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence, and movement restrictions.

• Senior Ukrainian negotiator Sergiy Kyslytsya stated in an NPR interview that Russia is increasingly running out of options, shifting the strategic leverage in Kyiv's favor. • Kyslytsya argues that current battlefield dynamics and international support have positioned Ukraine to force Russia into more serious and meaningful negotiations.

• The Harvard Political Review argues that the Iranian regime should be ended, but cautions against another U.S. military invasion. • Since the election of the new Supreme Leader in March, no single opposition group has successfully challenged the regime due to a lack of financial resources.

• India is evolving its strategic outlook by moving beyond a traditional focus on geography to a "geometry of interests." • This shift is driven by India's commitment to strategic autonomy, democratic institutions, and humanitarian assistance, which have built global trust.

• President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for high-level diplomatic discussions. • President Zelenskyy used the meeting to urgently request additional U.S. assistance for Ukraine's air defense systems to counter ongoing threats.

• Military hostilities have renewed in the Gulf region, with escalating strikes overshadowing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. • Both opposing sides are continuing a cycle of retaliation, with neither party showing a willingness to reduce tensions or lower the temperature.

• On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the Iranian government reported significant human and economic losses resulting from its ongoing war with the United States. • International diplomatic efforts are currently focused on stabilizing security within the Strait of Hormuz to protect global shipping and oil markets.

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Districts are reducing routes and exploring new ways to get students to class as transportation costs climbEducation officials across the United States are increasingly facing a fundamental challenge: how do they ensure that school students can actually get to their classrooms?The bright yellow school bus might be a visual icon of US education famous around the world, but in reality it is becoming harder for districts to steer. Continue reading...