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WORLD NEWS

Mixed Signals

As the U.S.-Israel-Iran war marches on, oil prices keep shuffling.

Crude oil prices spiked to almost $120/barrel Monday—its highest since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The spike came in response to Iran choking out oil tanker traffic in the petrol-packed Strait of Hormuz (see map), and President Trump commenting that high oil prices would be a “small price to pay” for battlefield gains.

By Monday afternoon, prices retreated below $90/barrel following reports that G7 nations may soon release oil reserves into the marketplace and Trump’s announcement that the U.S.-Israel-Iran hostilities—which he called a short-term “excursion”—could be over “very soon.”

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Hegseth said yesterday would be the “most intense” day of strikes yet and that the Pentagon was giving Trump the “maximum options” for conducting the conflict. 

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
War brings destruction to everything it touches—lands, people, governments, and economies—but our God is the Great Restorer. As we look forward to the future restoration of all things, pray that the Middle East would experience a taste of that restoration today and glorify the Messiah Jesus.

“On this mountain… [the LORD of Armies will swallow] up death once and for all. The LORD GOD will wipe away the tears… On that day it will be said, ‘Look, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he has saved us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him. Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’” 
Isaiah 25:7–9 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

NYC Bomb Attempt

Two men have been charged after Saturday’s “ISIS-inspired terrorism” attempt outside NYC Mayor Mamdani’s (D) residence.

The 18- and 19-year-olds traveled from Pennsylvania and allegedly hurled two homemade explosives at protestors—a group of anti-Islam demonstrators and counter-protestors gathered outside Gracie Mansion. Mamdani and his wife were not home at the time. Neither device detonated; both were jar-like objects packed with bolts, screws, and TATP, a volatile homemade explosive. 

One of the men reportedly told someone in the crowd he did it because of “ISIS.” The other told investigators he wanted to pull off something bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing, which he noted resulted in “only three deaths.”

Both men now face five federal charges, including use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to aid a designated foreign terrorist organization.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
The injustice in our world stirs up longing in us for a better world, where justice always wins, and righteousness is never corrupted. As you wait, celebrate the patience of your merciful Father and live holy lives in anticipation of His coming.

“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” 
2 Peter 3:9 (CSB) (read full passage)

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SPORTS

(Not So) Free Agency

NFL teams spent $2.3B on Monday to kick off next season’s roster-building.

The Miami Dolphins made the first splash, cutting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa despite a $99M hit to their salary cap. Tagovailoa—snagged later in the day by Atlanta—was benched toward the end of 2025’s interception-heavy season. 

In other gridiron spreadsheets, Green Bay backup Malik Willis filled Tagovailoa’s vacated tank in Miami; veteran receiver Mike Evans swapped Buccaneer red for 49er… red; and Travis Kelce just said yes to another year with the Chiefs. Dotted lines can be signed today as free agency officially opens.

In the wider world of sports, Uncle Sam has ten Paralympic medals (see standings), winning two cross-country sprint golds Tuesday (see men’s vision impaired and women’s sitting) and beating China to advance to the sled hockey semis.

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Verse to consider whether you’re celebrating a big pay day, counting pennies, or just wishing you had a little bit more… “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
Matthew 6:24-25 (CSB) (read full passage)

The legal dust hasn’t quite settled for Live Nation. The DOJ and the concert conglomerate reached a settlement in their antitrust suit Monday, with Live Nation agreeing to disband exclusive artist-venue ticketing agreements and pay ~$280M in state-level damages. But 27 states involved in the suit have refused to sign off, saying the settlement “fails to address” Live Nation’s live-event “monopoly.”
 

Rihanna’s Los Angeles mansion had an unwelcome guest Sunday. A Florida woman allegedly drove up to the property and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle while the singer-turned-beauty-mogul, rapper A$AP Rocky, and their three children were inside. Several shots hit the outside gate but not the house itself. The 35-year-old woman is being held with $10.2M bail for attempted murder.
 

Passengers in Phoenix and Dallas will be doing the robot soon. Zoox, Amazon’s toaster-on-wheels robotaxi unit (see it here), announced Monday that it’s expanding its autonomous vehicle territory as it chases Waymo in the no-arms race. The southwestern cities (#9 and #10 for Zoox) were chosen to test Zoox’s sensors and batteries against extreme weather and sprawling road networks.
 

Some weight-loss drug companies are shedding litigation for stock gains. Telehealth company Hims & Hers’ stock jumped 38% Monday after Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk dropped its lawsuit against them for selling cheaper versions of Novo’s patented GLP-1 drugs—announcing a partnership instead. Under the deal, Hims will sell branded Ozempic and Wegovy at standard telehealth prices and stop advertising cheaper alternatives.
 

Turns out, it might actually be necessary to get to the airport four hours early. Recent TSA staffing shortages—caused by the partial shutdown of Homeland Security—have resulted in hours-long security lines at some major airports (Houston, NOLA, Atlanta). Airline officials are calling on Congress—stalemated over Democrat-desired DHS reforms—to “act with urgency” and fully reopen DHS to get lines moving again.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

When you’re so hungry… you could eat a blimp.

How We’re Learning to Think About AI
With the help of resources from Gloo*

AI is everywhere—from suggesting shows to watch to writing grocery lists. So how should Christians be thinking about it?

Technology’s a valuable tool, but as AI increasingly shapes decisions and even moves toward moral guidance—whether we want it to or not—value alignment matters. AI should help us flourish in our faith, relationships, and purpose… not defer to secular worldviews.

That’s why Gloo is shaping AI as a force for good, embedding biblically grounded principles to support the holistic well-being of individuals and communities. 

Read Gloo’s latest guest blog on flourishing in the age of AI from Dr. Ed Stetzer, Dean of Talbot School of Theology.