Saturday, August 1, 2026

World

Israel attacks Gaza after Hamas agrees to disarm

Israel launched strikes across Gaza killing at least two Palestinians, just hours after Hamas agreed to a draft peace deal that would see it disarm in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal. An Israeli official has made clear troops will not pull back without what it calls 'genuine' disarmament, casting doubt on the deal's immediate prospects. Donald Trump, meanwhile, insisted Israel is 'very happy' with the proposal.

MarketWill Israel strike 4 countries in 2026?44%

Economy

Bessent's notepad accidentally reveals US yen purchase plan

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent left a handwritten to-do list visible to journalists during a Camp David cabinet meeting, inadvertently revealing plans for the US to buy between $5 billion and $10 billion in Japanese yen. The accidental disclosure has sparked immediate questions about Washington's currency strategy and whether the US is moving to actively weaken the dollar against the yen.

Tech

Amazon completes $50 billion investment in OpenAI

Amazon has finalised a $50 billion investment in OpenAI, giving the e-commerce giant roughly a 5% stake in the AI lab. The deal cements one of the largest single corporate bets on artificial intelligence and deepens the rivalry between Amazon and Microsoft, which has its own multibillion-dollar OpenAI partnership.

World

Trump administration admits contractors wrecked Reflecting Pool

The Justice Department has dropped vandalism charges against former Olympian David Hearn over damage to the National Mall's Reflecting Pool, with US Attorney Jeanine Pirro acknowledging the peeling sealant was caused by a 'botched installation' by contractors — not protesters. Trump had previously blamed 'sick' vandals and used the incident as a political rallying point, making the reversal a notable embarrassment for the administration.

Climate

US proposes Colorado River cuts for three states

The federal government has proposed mandatory reductions in water use from the Colorado River for Arizona, California, and Nevada as the river faces its worst shortage in decades. Reservoir levels have dropped to their lowest point since 1957, forcing a reckoning over how the American West allocates a resource that 40 million people depend on.