US technology company Oracle has laid off about 21,000 employees over the past year as part of a business restructuring centered on artificial intelligence (AI). According to its latest annual report, Oracle’s full-time workforce stood at around 141,000 as of May 31, 2026, down from approximately 162,000 a year earlier. The company said increased use of AI across its operations has reduced the need for human staff, and this trend may continue.

The layoffs account for roughly 13 percent of Oracle’s global workforce. The company spent about 1.8 billion dollars on severance and restructuring during the year, compared with 374 million dollars in the previous fiscal year. Oracle also warned that shortages of skilled workers in certain roles could affect productivity and future earnings.

The report noted that the move aligns with a broader industry trend, as major technology firms such as Amazon and Meta have also cut thousands of jobs amid heavy investment in AI infrastructure and data center expansion.

The Washington Post reported on June 23, 2026, that former U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard may have received political guidance from individuals linked to the Hindu religious organization Science of Identity Foundation, which she has known since childhood. The report was based on more than 25,000 pages of documents provided by former member Rebecca Saltzberg. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who later joined the Republican Party, served as national intelligence director under President Donald Trump and resigned on May 22 citing her husband’s health issues.

According to the report, Gabbard had long-standing ties with the foundation and previously referred to its leader, Chris Butler, as her “guru.” The Washington Post said Butler influenced followers’ major life decisions and sought political influence, though the organization denied being a cult. Documents linked to Butler’s office reportedly contained memos advising Gabbard on congressional work, policy positions, and media appearances.

Some memos included advice on opposing U.S. efforts to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2016. The report claimed similarities between those recommendations and Gabbard’s later political actions. Gabbard has denied that Butler directed her politically, and her representatives accused the newspaper of targeting her Hindu identity.

Leaders of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee have reached a bipartisan agreement to require social media platforms to provide protective tools and safeguards for parents and children. The deal, announced on Monday by Committee Chair Brett Guthrie and top Democrat Frank Pallone, follows years of debate over how to protect minors online. While specific details were not disclosed, the lawmakers said the initiative would increase accountability for major technology companies.

The agreement excludes a proposed “duty of care” clause that would have required platforms to be designed with child safety in mind, a provision long supported by several lawmakers including Senator Marsha Blackburn. Its omission could complicate the bill’s passage. However, states will still be allowed to enact stricter social media laws, a concession seen as a win for Democrats. The bill must still pass the Senate and receive President Donald Trump’s approval before becoming law.

Major tech firms such as Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok declined to comment on the deal. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of social media’s impact on youth and ongoing lawsuits accusing major platforms of harming children’s mental health.

US President Donald Trump has accused NATO member states of failing to provide adequate support during the United States’ military operation in Iran. Speaking at a press conference in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said that despite Washington’s heavy spending, NATO allies were reluctant to assist when the US needed cooperation on smaller matters. He warned that the US might also withhold assistance from NATO countries in the future if such attitudes continued.

According to Trump, NATO partners often show unwillingness to help, which he described as unfair given the US’s financial contributions to the alliance. He suggested that the US could respond in kind, implying a potential shift in Washington’s approach to alliance commitments.

Despite the ongoing strain in relations with NATO, Trump is scheduled to attend the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month, signaling continued engagement amid tensions.

The United States has announced a conditional plan to release Iran’s frozen assets, requiring that a major portion of the funds be used to buy American soybeans, corn, and wheat. The plan was revealed by US Vice President JD Vance after a high-level meeting between US and Iranian officials at Switzerland’s Bürgenstock Resort. According to Vance, the initiative aims to ensure that the released funds support humanitarian and public welfare purposes rather than terrorism financing.

Vance said the US and Qatar are jointly developing a special monitoring mechanism to oversee how Iran uses the released funds, with both Washington and Doha sharing control over approvals. He added that Jared Kushner is working with Qatar on a joint proposal to implement the plan, which would strengthen Iran’s food security while boosting US agricultural exports. Vance described the initiative as a “classic Trump deal” that could benefit both nations.

The US vice president also stated that Washington has been consulting with regional allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Lebanon. While Gulf countries view the move as a step toward regional stability, Israeli officials remain concerned about any concessions to Iran.

Democratic members of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee have sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran, accusing him of lifting sanctions before achieving progress on key negotiation issues, including Tehran’s nuclear program. In a post on social media platform X, the lawmakers said the administration’s actions contradict its previous statements about the conditions for any deal with Iran.

The Democrats noted that Trump administration officials had repeatedly stated that sanctions relief would only follow resolutions on Iran’s nuclear activities and its support for armed proxy groups. However, they argued that none of these issues have been resolved, yet Iran has received broad sanctions relief it had long sought. The criticism came after the US Treasury Department suspended sanctions on Iran’s oil and energy exports until August 21, allowing Tehran to sell oil in US dollars for the first time in decades.

The development marks a significant shift in US policy toward Iran, raising questions about the administration’s consistency and strategy in dealing with Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The United States has announced a temporary relaxation of sanctions on Iran’s oil sales following progress in recent diplomatic discussions. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision came after positive outcomes from talks held in Switzerland, where both sides reached an understanding on several issues. Under the new arrangement, the US Treasury issued a 60-day general license allowing Iran to produce, supply, and sell oil without sanctions until 12:01 a.m. on August 21.

According to Washington, Iran agreed to ensure free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to its facilities. Analysts believe the move could provide significant relief to Iran’s economy, which has been strained by years of strict sanctions. The decision also aims to stabilize operations in the Strait of Hormuz and reduce potential disruptions in global energy supply.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy transport routes, and any disturbance there could have major effects on international oil markets and energy distribution.

Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager has drawn attention ahead of Austria’s second World Cup Group J match against Argentina in Dallas on Monday. The 30-year-old admitted in a press conference that he is a devoted fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, not Lionel Messi, yet he openly praised Messi’s extraordinary consistency and influence on the field. The match is crucial for Argentina to secure a knockout stage berth and for Messi to break the all-time World Cup goal record, which he currently shares with Miroslav Klose after a hat-trick against Algeria.

Austria, returning to the World Cup after 28 years, began their campaign strongly with a 3–1 win over Jordan, where Schlager performed impressively. However, he acknowledged that facing Argentina and Messi presents a completely different challenge. Schlager described Messi’s presence as creating a unique psychological pressure on opponents and an inspiring energy within his own team.

Schlager expressed determination to give his best to stop Messi’s magic, as fans await whether the Argentine captain can claim the record outright in this high-stakes encounter.

A research team at MIT has introduced DAAAM (Describe Anything, Anywhere, at Any Moment), an artificial intelligence system that enables robots to form and access long-term memory in real time. The system tracks what a robot sees, where it saw it, and when, allowing it to answer natural language questions about its environment. Using a depth-sensing camera, DAAAM builds a continuously updated “4D scene graph” that records objects, their 3D positions, and timestamps. Tested on large-scale benchmarks, the system outperformed existing methods in accuracy, timing, and navigation tasks.

DAAAM’s key innovation lies in batching visual data for efficient processing, achieving roughly tenfold speed improvements over standard approaches. The system’s Describe Anything Model generates textual descriptions of objects, though it sometimes misidentifies unusual items due to limited training data. Researchers note that while DAAAM operates effectively for ground robots, it may be too slow for drones or virtual reality applications. The team plans to release the code and data as open-source resources.

The project, presented at the Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, was supported by the ARL DCIST and ONR RAPID programs. Its developers see potential for use in hospitals, warehouses, and other dynamic environments requiring spatial memory.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that American forces are maintaining their presence across the Middle East by air, land, and sea. A recently released CENTCOM photograph shows two fighter jets conducting what the command described as a routine patrol in the region. The update underscores continued US military activity in the area.

Earlier, CENTCOM had released additional images showing US personnel operating aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln stationed in the Arabian Sea. These visuals highlight the sustained deployment of American forces across key strategic locations in the Middle East.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, indicates that the US military remains on alert throughout the region, though no further operational details or specific reasons for the heightened vigilance were disclosed.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned an Iranian delegation participating in talks in Switzerland that if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, the country would face severe consequences. In a 20-minute phone interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump said the United States could take control of the strategic waterway and impose tolls if no agreement is reached. He also cautioned that Iran might not be able to return to its own country if it proceeds with the closure.

The warning followed reports from Iranian state media on Saturday that Tehran was considering shutting down the Strait of Hormuz. The move was reportedly in response to Israel’s alleged violations of a Lebanon ceasefire agreement and what Iran described as U.S. failure to implement the first phase of a preliminary peace understanding. Trump further indicated that the situation could escalate into renewed U.S. military action against Iran.

Trump added that the United States could act as the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting potential control or preferential access to the oil transported through the vital maritime route.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could take control of the Strait of Hormuz if Iran fails to reach an agreement with Washington. In a 20-minute phone interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump said the U.S. might impose tolls on the vital waterway and hinted at possible military action if the situation worsens. He also issued stern warnings to Iranian delegates participating in talks in Switzerland and to Iran’s regional allies.

The remarks followed reports from Iranian state media that Tehran might close the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s alleged violations of a Lebanon ceasefire and U.S. failure to implement the first phase of a peace agreement. Trump reiterated that the U.S. could act as the “guardian” of the strait, through which about 20 percent of global oil passes, and called on Iran to stop funding proxy groups in Lebanon.

Trump’s comments have sparked renewed concern over Middle East stability, as the Strait of Hormuz remains critical to global energy supply and regional security.

US Vice President JD Vance has indicated that relations between the United States and Iran may be entering a new phase after years of tension and hostility. Following a peace-focused meeting, Vance said both nations now see opportunities to work together for peace and prosperity. He described the discussions as having made 'significant progress' but also blamed Iran for contributing to regional instability over the years.

Vance added that President Donald Trump has urged his administration to begin a 'new chapter' in relations with the Iranian people, emphasizing Washington’s desire to move beyond past conflicts and reshape bilateral ties. The statement reflects a cautious optimism about the potential for cooperation despite lingering mistrust.

Analysts cited in the report noted that this positive message could help ease long-standing tensions between the two countries. However, they warned that lasting improvement would depend on resolving complex issues such as regional security, Iran’s nuclear program, and mutual distrust.

US Vice President JD Vance declined to respond when journalists asked if he had a message for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting with Pakistani mediators in Switzerland. The bilateral meeting took place at the Burgenstock Resort near Lucerne, where Vance thanked the Pakistani delegation for attending but made no formal remarks. He is also scheduled to hold important discussions with Iranian officials later in the day.

The report notes that the Trump administration has recently expressed growing dissatisfaction with Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon. Washington believes the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is undermining fragile ceasefire and diplomatic efforts with Tehran. In a Fox News interview, Vance acknowledged differences between the United States and Israel over how to achieve the goal of ending the Iran war.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that Vance’s recent comments highlight emerging policy divergences between Washington and Tel Aviv over strategies to manage the Middle East crisis.

David Sacks, technology adviser to US President Donald Trump, described the recent memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran as an extraordinary success. Speaking on the 'All-In Podcast' on Saturday, he argued that diplomacy offers a more effective path than escalating military conflict. Sacks dismissed calls for a ground invasion of Iran as unrealistic, citing the country's vast geography and estimating that such an operation could require around one million troops.

He warned that any military campaign of this scale would amount to a suicidal mission and urged that the agreement be given a chance to succeed. Referring to exiled Iranian opposition leader Reza Pahlavi, Sacks questioned whether those advocating regime change in Iran were personally ready to take up arms. He added that if Pahlavi wished to form a force with his supporters in Beverly Hills, he could attempt it.

Sacks emphasized the importance of pursuing diplomatic solutions and cautioned against the United States becoming entangled in another prolonged and costly war like those in Iraq and Afghanistan.