President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, citing Seoul's decision not to join the Iran war and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The announcement came shortly before the annual drills were due to begin, according to Al Jazeera, BBC World and France 24.
Stripe has reportedly finalized an agreement to acquire AI model marketplace OpenRouter for more than $7 billion, according to reports summarized by TechCrunch and Techmeme. OpenRouter, valued at $1.3 billion in May, helps companies switch among artificial-intelligence models and has described its role as comparable to Stripe's in payments.
JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon warned the UK against higher bank taxes as the financial-services industry lobbies ahead of the October Budget, the Financial Times and Fortune reported. Dimon argued that heavier taxation can push jobs elsewhere, pointing to a decline in New York finance employment that he attributed partly to the city's tax burden.
English golfer Jack Whaley defeated American Jay Leng Jr 4 and 3 in a 36-hole final at Merion to win the US Amateur Championship. The Florida State senior overcame rain and a wasp sting, becoming only the second English winner since 1911 and securing a place in next year's Open Championship.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 2,325 people, surpassing the country's 2018-20 outbreak and becoming its deadliest on record, according to government data cited by three outlets. The Bundibugyo strain has also produced the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak recorded there, prompting calls for faster international support.
US states are suing Meta in a case that could force significant changes to Instagram and Facebook for younger users, according to the BBC. The litigation focuses on how the social-media platforms serve young people and could require an overhaul if the states prevail, placing product design and youth protections before the courts.
Japan's benchmark 10-year government-bond yield climbed toward 3%, its highest level in three decades, according to the Financial Times. The move came as a weak yen intensified inflation concerns, putting attention on borrowing costs and the country's rate outlook after years in which Japanese yields remained exceptionally low.
Cameroon won the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for the first time with a 3-0 victory over tournament debutants Malawi in Morocco. Marie Ngah Manga scored twice as the Indomitable Lionesses succeeded in their fourth final after losing their previous three, according to BBC Sport and Yahoo Sports.
US envoy Jared Kushner arrived in Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after rare talks with Hamas's political leadership in Egypt. The meetings are part of an effort to revive a stalled US-backed Gaza ceasefire plan, with Egyptian intelligence also involved in attempts to break the deadlock, according to three outlets.
A Guardian investigation found an apparent gap between Microsoft's public statements about its artificial-intelligence capacity and the number of advanced chips it has operating. The processors are fundamental to developing AI systems, making their availability a practical constraint on deployment even as technology companies continue to announce ambitious infrastructure and product plans.