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A pair of tanker attacks is putting one of the world’s most important oil routes back in focus, just as Washington sends another aircraft carrier toward the Middle East.
Beyond the geopolitical stakes, today’s edition tracks Reddit’s milestone on Wall Street, a $900 million bet on humanoid robots, Bumble’s break with the idea that made it famous, and an unlikely oil gamble brewing in Greenland.
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The Big Read
UAE Blames Iran After Drones Hit Two of Its Tankers in the Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates is blaming Iran for firing drones at two tankers operated by a state-owned oil company as they sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. UAE officials described the strikes as acts of piracy.
Attack lands as the US Navy has begun moving the Pacific-based USS George Washington toward the Middle East amid reports of mental-health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln. Treasury Secretary Bessent publicly signaled a mix of economic isolation and a continued Hormuz blockade against Iran.
White House Report Says More Than 40 Countries Helped China Dodge US Tariffs
The White House said in a report Thursday that more than 40 countries — including Canada, India, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea — helped China sidestep US tariffs by routing exports through nations that face lower American import duties. Trade adviser Peter Navarro said the practice cost "American jobs and billions in revenue."
Government and private-sector estimates cited in the report put the value of transshipped goods somewhere between $30 billion and roughly $300 billion. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said "trade wars have no winners" and that Beijing opposes the US tariff measures. Report lands weeks before Trump is scheduled to meet Xi Jinping in Washington in September.
Court Filings Reveal 'Operation Puppet Master' in Minnesota
An undercover federal operation targeted progressive organizations, labor unions and protest organizers in Minneapolis, according to court documents filed Thursday. Officials named the program "Operation Puppet Master" and described a network of conspirators aiding what they called "violent opportunists and agitators."
Documents surfaced in the case of 15 people charged federally in June with impeding the immigration crackdown in the city. Alleged conduct ranges from throwing chunks of ice to building street blockades, and a defense motion forced the disclosure.
World View
Farage Wins Special Election, Returns to UK Parliament
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage won a special election to return to the House of Commons, weeks after he stepped down to trigger the vote amid scrutiny of his personal finances. The result strengthens his hand ahead of what polls suggest could be a competitive general election.
Second Taliban Official Killed in Badakhshan Before Anniversary
A blast killed the mayor of Badakhshan, Habib Ur Rahman Mansoor, inside his vehicle in the provincial capital Faizabad late Thursday. Gunmen killed the province's information and culture director two weeks ago, and the Taliban mark five years back in power on Saturday.
'Unprecedented' Rains Kill Six in Japan
Torrential rain across parts of Japan killed at least six people, knocked out power to more than 20,000 households, and stranded 7,000 travelers at Tokyo's Narita airport. Officials described the rainfall as unprecedented for the region and warned of continued flooding risk.
Need To Know
DOJ Finds Rights Violations at California Women's Prisons
A Justice Department report faulted California for routinely violating the rights of inmates at two state-run women's prisons, including through sexual abuse. State officials say reforms are already underway.
Trump Memo Empowers Private Firms to Run Cyberattacks
President Trump signed a memorandum authorizing private companies to help conduct offensive cyber operations against "transnational criminal organizations." Legal scholars warn the move outsources a traditionally government-only function with limited public oversight.
NYPD Officer Convicted Under Post-Floyd Chokehold Ban
Omar Habib is the first NYPD officer convicted under New York City's chokehold ban, passed in the months after George Floyd's killing. Jurors also convicted him of felony strangulation over a 2023 arrest at a Bronx catering hall, exposing him to seven years.
Money & Markets
Reddit Joins the S&P 500
Reddit is joining the S&P 500 after months of speculation, sending shares higher in after-hours trading Thursday. Analysts flagged concerns about the durability of its ad growth and reliance on a small group of power users.
Copper Prices Are Splitting Between Exchanges as a Tariff-Risk Gauge
The widening spread in copper prices between the two major metals exchanges is offering investors a gauge of US tariff risk. Traders are using the gap as a real-time read on where the trade fight goes next.
Uber Teams With Pony.ai on 2,000 Robotaxis in Europe
Uber will partner with China's Pony.ai to deploy up to 2,000 robotaxis across European markets. Fleet scale is becoming the key competitive lever as autonomous ride-hailing moves from pilots to real revenue.
Blu Dot surpasses 2,000% ROAS with self-serve CTV ads
Blu Dot used Roku Ads Manager to drive incredible results for its furniture sales event. Its strategy hinged on custom audiences and retargeting, where intent was strongest.
“Roku has been a top performer,” said Blu Dot’s Claire Folkestad. “We have seen…CPMs lower than any other CTV partner we've worked with.”
Future Frontiers
GLP-1 Drugs Linked to 30% Lower Breast Cancer Risk
New research suggests GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are associated with a 30% lower risk of developing breast cancer. It's the latest hint that the class of medications may deliver benefits well beyond diabetes and obesity.
Hidden Fungal Ecosystem Found 1,640 Feet Below Michigan
University of Michigan researchers found a dense community of fungi living in water trapped inside ancient rock more than a quarter-mile beneath the state's surface. The organisms may quietly influence how carbon is stored deep underground.
China's Humanoid Robot Maker Raises $900 Million in Record Listing
Unitree Robotics priced its listing in Shanghai at 150.8 yuan a share, raising $900 million at a valuation near $9 billion. Retail demand ran so hot that only 0.018% of applicants won a lot, a record low for the STAR market.
The Score
Beal Re-Signs With Clippers on $13.2M Deal
Bradley Beal will return to the Clippers on a two-year, $13.2 million contract with a player option in year two. A modest deal for a former max-contract star still working to rebuild his market value.
Ureña Cruises as Trout and Guzmán Lead the Angels Past the Rangers 7-0
Walbert Ureña went six innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts as the Angels shut out the Rangers 7-0 in Anaheim. Mike Trout and Denzer Guzmán each collected three singles and an RBI to help the cause.
Roberts Sticks With Diaz Despite Third Blown Save
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he'll stay with Edwin Diaz as closer after Diaz blew his third save in four chances Thursday night. Roberts admitted the team simply lacks better options in the ninth inning.
Swiatek Takes Toronto for Her First Title of 2026
Iga Swiatek dispatched Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 in 75 minutes, closing out the opening set in just 29 of them. Swiatek's 26th career title is her first of the season, and she said afterward that she was "really in the zone."
Life & Culture
'All That' Star Christy Knowings Dies at 46
Actress and comedian Christy Knowings, a cast member on Nickelodeon's "All That," has died at 46. Former co-star Kenan Thompson called her "a real one and one of the funniest people out here."
Bumble Divides Users by Ditching Its Signature "Women-First" Chat Rule
Bumble is dropping its trademark "women-first" chat rule, and the company's chief said the change came after a successful trial and shifts in what users want. Longtime users have divided sharply on the change.
John Cena Reflects as 'Coyote vs. Acme' Reaches Theaters
John Cena said he's made peace with the long saga of "Coyote vs. Acme," the Dave Green-directed film once shelved by its studio and now finally headed to theaters via Ketchup Entertainment. "I don't own my performance," Cena said of accepting the outcome.
Deep Dive
A Long-Shot Oil Bet Rattles Greenland
What it is: A US oil company says it may be on the verge of a major discovery in Greenland, reviving the prospect of Arctic drilling on an island that has spent years distancing itself from fossil fuels. Early geological surveys suggest the basin could hold commercially significant reserves, though no major find has yet been confirmed and exploratory work remains in its early stages.
The detail: The project has drawn an unlikely cast of American backers and has moved forward despite Greenland's own government imposing a moratorium on new oil exploration in 2021. Locals, environmental groups, and elected officials on the island are lining up against the proposal, arguing that even a successful strike would clash with Greenland's climate commitments and its tourism-focused economic strategy. Industry supporters counter that domestic energy revenues could strengthen Greenland's long-term economic independence and reduce reliance on annual financial support from Denmark.
Why it matters: Greenland sits at the geopolitical crossroads of a warming Arctic, where melting ice is opening new shipping lanes and exposing untapped resources. The drilling push lands as the Trump administration continues to signal broader American interest in the island, adding a diplomatic layer to what would otherwise be a purely commercial venture. A discovery would test whether Greenland's political consensus against new oil can hold under the weight of potential windfalls while drawing renewed attention from competing Arctic powers.
What to watch: Regulatory decisions from Greenland's home-rule government will determine whether the project advances past exploration. Watch, too, for any signal from Washington — US political interest in the venture could turn a niche drilling story into a full Arctic flashpoint. Investors will also be watching drilling results closely, since disappointing early data could cool enthusiasm just as quickly as a major discovery would intensify the debate.
Little Known RMD Strategy Allowed by the IRS
For investors with $1M+ in retirement accounts, the tax code allows specific strategies that can reduce your tax exposure once RMDs begin—but only if used before then.
The window is open for anyone within ten years of 73. A fiduciary advisor can review which may apply, at no cost.
Extra Bits
A preliminary report says engine fan blade shrapnel smashed the Ryanair window a passenger was partially sucked out of last month. Somehow both an explanation and a new nightmare.
A Massachusetts prosecutor says a 17-year-old accused of killing his mother and brother used ChatGPT to research fantasy scenarios about the killings, opening a grim new chapter in AI's expanding rap sheet.
Owners of a smart pet feeder discovered the hard way that cloud outages skip meals, turning several very confused cats into surprise reviewers of the internet-of-things economy.
Today's Trivia
In April 2020, meteorologists certified the longest lightning bolt ever recorded. How far did it stretch?
Five Minute Daily brings the day’s biggest developments into one concise briefing. Share this edition with someone who wants to stay informed, and subscribe to get the next one.
—The Five Minute Daily Team


