WORLD NEWS

Getting in the Middle

Fighting has reignited across the Middle East.

After a days-long pause in attacks, U.S. Central Command conducted a “heavy wave” of strikes on Iranian military facilities. The offensive, launched early yesterday, was in response to Tehran targeting American troops in Jordan and ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

For the first time, Middle Eastern neighbors are joining the conflict. Saudi Arabia and Uncle Sam struck Iranian proxies in Iraq after those proxies hit Saudi oil facilities, and unidentified drones started fires on two ships in port in northern Egypt (see a map of strikes).

A poll conducted during the fighting pause found that 64% of American adults think ongoing fighting with Iran is not worth the risks, and 70% think keeping gas prices down is a key foreign policy goal.

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PRAY WITH US
When our news feed fills with violence and chaos, we’re often swept into a spiral of anxieties. But believers have an anchor in Jesus, whose peace pierces the darkness now and will one day shatter it completely. Come to Him in faith.

Mighty God, You are never caught by surprise or overpowered. By Your overwhelming strength, work peace across the Middle East. Overcome evildoers; comfort those who are mourning; protect the vulnerable; strengthen those who will rebuild; and bring order from chaos so that Iran and its neighbors will taste and see the goodness of the One True King. Amen.

U.S. NEWS

Zipped Lips

Dr. Fauci declined to answer questions during his 200-and-somethingth congressional hearing Wednesday.

The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases followed his attorney’s advice and pleaded the Fifth more than 100 times as senators questioned him over the origins of COVID-19 and his pandemic-era diary entries.

In 2025, Fauci received a pre-emptive pardon from former President Biden, immunizing him from being prosecuted for offenses between 2014-2025 but leaving him vulnerable to charges after that. The retired scientist said he feared Homeland Security Committee chair Sen. Paul (R-KY), who has accused Fauci of deceiving the public about COVID-19, would try to catch him in a perjury trap.

Paul questioned whether Fauci’s pardon nullified his ability to legally invoke the Fifth and vowed to hold a contempt of Congress vote next week.

Wondering what it means to plead the Fifth and who’s allowed to do it? Join us for TPO Explains tomorrow, where our writer KA and our Managing Editor Kathleen get into it! And catch up on past explainers, like this one on Presidential Pardons, here.

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
When challenged by the legal authorities of His day, Jesus kept His focus on His Father, instructing us to do the same. Whether modern politicians are truthful or dishonest in hearings, our mission is to love God and love others.

“Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the law?’ he asked him. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You’ve answered correctly,’ he told him. ‘Do this and you will live.’”
Luke 10:25–28 (CSB) (read full passage)

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WORLD NEWS

Outbreaks

While cyclosporiasis cases in the U.S. keep climbing, Ebola’s been booted from Uganda.

CDC data released Wednesday showed 6,707 lab-confirmed cases of the explosive-diarrhea parasite plus 11,500 cases under investigation, with numbers expected to rise through August.

Beyond the largest outbreak linked to Taylor Farms’ lettuce at Taco Bell, the FDA is investigating five other outbreaks now affecting 45 states. Some are blaming last year’s CDC foodborne illness surveillance scale-back for the ~6x increase in cases; federal health authorities deny the connection.

Meanwhile, Uganda officially declared itself Ebola-free yesterday after a WHO-required 42-day monitoring period. Their swift response, including a presidential plea to “stop shaking hands,” helped contain the outbreak in 74 days with 20 cases and two deaths. Next door, Congo’s Ebola crisis continues to spiral with 3,262 cases and 1,437 deaths.

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Verse to consider whether you’re infected with sickness, nursing relational wounds, limping through joblessness, or persevering through profound pain… “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
John 16:33 (CSB) (read full passage)

Big Tech earnings went splitsville yesterday. Microsoft stock soared 15% after beating revenue expectations and spending less than predicted on AI, easing some of Wall Street’s concerns. Still, Meta could undo that work… Its earnings report rang hollow as stock sank 9% after posting a weaker-than-expected revenue forecast and a 91% drop in free cash flow due to data-center spending.


The GOP can’t AG-ree about Todd Blanche’s nomination. Senators Cornyn (R-TX) and Tillis (R-NC) are opposing the acting AG’s nomination over President Trump’s immunity from IRS audits and the scrapped “anti-weaponization fund.” A single Republican “nay” would kill the confirmation, so Trump threatened yesterday to refile the nomination in January with a new Congressional slate, gambling on GOP midterm success.


Your DoorDash might soon come to you stork-style. Wednesday, the company announced FAA clearance to launch its drone program, DoorDash Air, which aims to clip delivery times by eliminating the middle(hu)man. DoorDash’ll keep existing drone partnerships while building its own aircraft. Currently, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, and Charlotte, NC, are the only cities eligible for flying falafel (read more).


Dull-es no more. President Trump unveiled a $22.5B redesign of Dulles International Airport Wednesday, replacing the notorious “mobile lounge people movers” with an autonomous people mover (plane train) and walking tunnel. Airlines and the airport authority will fund the project, though some analysts expect costs to land on travelers. Ground breaks spring 2027, with fingers crossed for a 2034 completion.


European nations gave FIFA a red card, boycotting football’s federation over plans to sell ~20% of its proposed for-profit spinoff, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to investors. Though the deal would quadruple each country’s four-year-cycle earnings and wouldn’t grant investors any formal power, European teams fear their influence will inevitably affect the pitch. It needs majority approval by September 19 to pass.

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