Trump pausing Iran attacks shows US military power is not enough on its own

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Iran's foreign ministry rejected claims that the U.S. can dictate the "timing of war and peace," countering assertions by Donald Trump that Tehran had requested negotiations. • The statement follows efforts by mediators to revive a collapsed interim deal and restore diplomatic relations between the two nations.

• Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Pakistan would go to war against India if its water security is threatened. • The threat is tied to the potential suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of river waters between the two nations.

Fighting was paused after nearly two weeks of nightly strikes by the US on Iran, as both sides battled for control of the strait of HormuzIran launched multiple ballistic missiles at US forces in the Middle East late on Tuesday, shattering a brief pause in fighting as mediators tried to get both sides back to negotiations and toward a ceasefire, the US military said.“At 5.45pm ET today, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East,” US central command (Centcom) wrote on X. Continue reading...

Official declines to say whether Gabriel Perez, who allegedly bet on prediction market Kalshi, resigned or was fired A White House teleprompter operator who reportedly used inside knowledge to make bets about Donald Trump’s speeches on the online prediction market Kalshi is no longer in his post, according to a White House official.The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the personnel matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Tuesday that Gabriel Perez, “no longer works in the federal government”. Continue reading...

Move comes as the Trump administration has increasingly sought to keep Chinese technology out of the USThe Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on humanoid robots from China on Tuesday, saying that the technology poses “unacceptable risks” to the country’s national security. The move comes as the Trump administration has increasingly sought to keep Chinese technology out of the US.The FCC defines the banned robots as “advanced robotic devices”, which include humanoids and animal-like quadrupeds. Continue reading...