In a phone interview with the BBC, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin but said he has not severed ties. He warned that if no ceasefire agreement is reached within 50 days, the U.S. would impose heavy tariffs on Russia. Trump affirmed his commitment to NATO’s collective defense and said he doesn’t want his near-death experience to change his life’s direction. Despite the tensions, he still hopes for a “fruitful dialogue” with Putin.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a 50-day ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine. If the deadline is not met, Trump warned that the U.S. will impose 100% secondary tariffs on Russia’s trade partners.

Analysts view this as a strategic escalation by the Trump administration to increase pressure on Moscow. As of now, neither Russia nor China has issued an official response to the threat.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, “He speaks nicely but bombs another country every evening.” Trump confirmed that the U.S. will send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, with the cost being covered by the European Union. He added that peace talks failed because of Putin’s actions and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to supplying Ukraine with advanced military technology—on the condition that it will be paid for. Trump also revealed plans to meet with NATO’s Secretary General.

Three U.S. senators—Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, and Chris Van Hollen—have strongly condemned Israel's move to expel Arab MP Ayman Odeh from the Knesset, calling it a direct attack on democratic values. In a joint statement, they defended Odeh’s long-standing advocacy for peace and Jewish-Arab coexistence. The Knesset committee approved a proposal on June 30, requiring 90 out of 120 votes to pass. Even if approved, Odeh can appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court. The senators affirmed support for free expression for all lawmakers.

A gunman opened fire at the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, killing two women and injuring two men. The assailant initially shot at police officers before fleeing to the church, where he continued firing. He was later shot dead by police in a confrontation.

One of the injured victims is reported to be in critical condition. Although the incident occurred near the airport, authorities confirmed that it was not related to airport operations. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear praised law enforcement for their swift response.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed hope that Israel and Hamas will reach a ceasefire agreement within the coming week. Speaking in Maryland on Sunday, Trump said negotiations are ongoing and a resolution is expected soon. Israel has reportedly agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal, which was relayed to Hamas by Qatar and Egypt. While Hamas has responded positively, Israel has rejected certain amendments. Talks in Doha are also addressing hostage exchanges and prospects for a long-term truce, though Israel plans to maintain a military presence and set up “collection camps” in Gaza even during any ceasefire.

A 20-year-old American citizen, Saifullah Musallet, was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank while visiting family. His relatives claim he was attacked for hours, and medics attempting to help were assaulted. The U.S. government has not committed to an investigation, citing privacy concerns. Human rights groups criticized Washington’s silence and called for accountability. Activists say American lives, including those of Palestinian-Americans, must be protected equally, regardless of diplomatic ties with Israel.

President Donald Trump has threatened to run New York City directly from the White House if progressive candidate Jorhan Mamdani wins the mayoral race. Labeling Mamdani a “communist,” Trump warned he might invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 if necessary. Analysts say such a move would violate the U.S. federal system and presidential powers. Mamdani, a left-leaning activist, is known for advocating social justice, environmental protection, and addressing the housing crisis.

Donald Trump has announced that a 30% tariff will be imposed on imports from the European Union and Mexico starting August 1.
Although he gave limited praise to Mexico, he accused the country of not doing enough to stop drug trafficking. He labeled the EU's trade practices as a national security threat and declared that one-sided trade relationships would no longer be tolerated.
This move will bring 24 countries, including all 27 EU member states, under the new tariff regime. Trump had earlier announced a similar 35% tariff on imports from countries including Bangladesh.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a constructive meeting in Malaysia amid escalating U.S.-China tariff tensions. Both sides described the talks as positive, laying the groundwork for future dialogue. Rubio emphasized cooperation despite differences and hinted at a possible Trump-Xi summit. The visit is part of Rubio’s Indo-Pacific tour, which has been partly overshadowed by new U.S. tariffs on Asian goods. ASEAN leaders also voiced concern over rising trade tensions and called for fair global trade practices.

The Trump administration has dismissed 1,353 key officials from the U.S. State Department, including 1,107 Civil Service and 246 Foreign Service officers. The layoffs began on July 11, with an additional 1,600 employees expected to resign voluntarily. The State Department clarified that U.S. missions abroad are not affected for now. As part of a broader reform plan approved in April by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, numerous bureaus are being merged or restructured. Dismissed officials are receiving termination notices via email and mandatory leave.

Microsoft has saved $500 million over the past year through AI-powered efficiencies in its call center operations, according to a top executive. The announcement follows the company’s third wave of layoffs, totaling around 15,000 employees. AI integration has boosted productivity across sales, customer service, and engineering. While it’s unclear if AI directly replaced laid-off staff, the move comes amid record profits and a planned $80 billion investment in AI. The timing of the layoffs has sparked criticism despite Microsoft’s strong financial performance.

Text-based social network X saw a nearly 10% drop in daily active users in Q2 2025 compared to last year, as competition from Meta’s Threads intensifies. While X still leads with significantly more users than Threads and Bluesky, Threads’ rapid growth—up 127.8% year-over-year—raises doubts about X’s long-term dominance. Despite this, X users spend four times longer daily on the platform than Threads users. Bluesky gained users last year amid U.S. election protests but has slowed since early 2025.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held their first direct meeting in Malaysia, describing it as “constructive and positive.” The talks came amid escalating US-China tensions due to Trump’s new tariff policies. Rubio said the meeting laid the groundwork for future dialogue and raised hopes for a Trump-Xi Jinping summit. Although China criticized the tariffs as “bullying,” it kept channels open for discussion. Rubio aims to position the US as a better strategic partner for Asia than China, despite Southeast Asian concerns that Trump’s unilateral tariffs are deepening global economic divisions.

At least 120 people have died in flash floods that devastated Texas Hill Country, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to visit the affected areas on Friday. While praising local and federal relief efforts, Trump faced criticism over a lack of early warnings and inadequate emergency preparedness.

Concerns have been raised over federal budget cuts and emergency response gaps before the floods. As of now, 160 people remain missing, including 36 children. The state government plans to convene a special session to address both relief efforts and a full investigation.