HARK
!
NEWS
All briefings
Start free
Today is Saturday, July 25, 2026
Story 1 of 14: Weather
0:00
4:09
Previous story
▶
Play
Next story
slower
1x
1.25x
1.5x
1.75x
2x
3x
weather
Weather
0:00 / 0:15
Share
Email
1
Weather
weather
0:15
Good morning, and welcome to Hark News. Here's what the world got up to while you slept — in about five minutes. First, the weather. A high near 83 with sun keeps everything cooperative. Outdoor plans land easily, indoor work loses its excuse, and the day rewards using the calm stretch instead of saving it for a weather that will not arrive.
Share
Sources
2
New tariff regime takes effect
news
0:21
The Trump administration imposed new tariffs today on nearly all imports from sixty trading partners, hitting most goods with ten to twelve-and-a-half percent rates. Framed as a forced-labor crackdown, the move drew immediate pushback from allied nations who called the levies unjustified. It replaces a temporary global tax that expired overnight, though economists warn it will add to inflation just as markets brace for higher bond yields and consumers feel the pinch at the pump.
Share
Sources
3
Saudi nuclear deal upended
news
0:15
President Trump announced a sudden condition on the just-signed U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement: Riyadh must normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. The clause came without prior consultation and was immediately rejected by the kingdom. The move upends the deal and raises fresh questions about the administration's Middle East strategy.
Share
Sources
4
Oil surges past $100
news
0:19
Brent crude oil has surged past one hundred dollars a barrel, driven by a widening conflict in the Middle East. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening vital shipping routes. With nightly U.S. strikes on Iran and Trump weighing a massive attack, gasoline prices are climbing and the Department of Energy’s emergency reserve is hitting its lowest level since nineteen eighty-three.
Share
Sources
5
Fields Medals awarded in Philadelphia
news
0:16
The Fields Medals were awarded yesterday in Philadelphia to four scholars under forty. The winners include a Chinese mathematician who becomes only the third woman in the award's ninety-year history to receive the honor. The others solved a decades-old knot theory puzzle, bridged Newtonian physics with statistical equations, and announced a pivot into artificial intelligence.
Share
Sources
6
Rescheduled Correspondents' Dinner
news
0:16
The White House Correspondents' Dinner is back on, rescheduled for tonight following last spring's chaotic cancellation. Tensions remain high after the Justice Department dropped its subpoenas seeking grand jury testimony from New York Times reporters, acknowledging inadvertent errors. President Trump is expected to deliver a speech the White House describes as both unifying and vicious.
Share
Sources
7
AI experts warn of bioweapon risk
news
0:17
A new study from MIT and the University of Queensland surveyed two hundred and seventy-two AI experts, finding their top private fear is the creation of a deadly bioweapon. Researchers assessed a twelve percent chance that advanced models could engineer a catastrophic pathogen by twenty-thirty. The warning has prompted an open letter from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind.
Share
Sources
8
LeBron James heads to Philadelphia
news
0:18
LeBron James has agreed to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers for the final chapter of his career. The decision to join a franchise that has struggled with stability for a decade is considered a massive plot twist. James will play alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, though analysts note the roster's spacing and chemistry will need to align quickly for any real championship hopes in a crowded Eastern Conference.
Share
Sources
9
Private equity and defense markets
news
0:23
Private equity markets show a stark divide. Blackstone reported blowout quarterly earnings, driven by selling off AI data center assets, while the broader industry grapples with trillions of dollars in zombie funds. Nearly four trillion dollars of portfolio companies remain unsold as high interest rates lock capital away in aging funds. Meanwhile, defense contractors Lockheed Martin and RTX are reporting record order backlogs as Pentagon spending ramps up to meet the demands of the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Share
Sources
10
Health watch: parasites and peptides
news
0:19
Federal health officials are investigating a new outbreak of cyclospora, a diarrhea-causing parasite, adding to what is already the largest such outbreak in recorded U.S. history. Separately, an FDA advisory panel voted to recommend that compounding pharmacies be allowed to manufacture four popular peptides widely used in wellness circles, despite career scientists' concerns over a lack of standard chemical formulas and rigorous testing.
Share
Sources
11
Midterm roadshow and Vance backlash
news
0:21
House Republicans have packed their bags for a five-week August campaign roadshow, hoping to sell their legislative record directly to voters. But the mood in the chamber is tense, with lawmakers acknowledging that soaring gas prices and an unpopular war in Iran are headwinds they cannot easily outrun. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance faces growing backlash from within his own party, with some calling him unfit for office over his recent diplomatic efforts regarding Iran.
Share
Sources
12
Comic-Con kicks off and internet finds a raccoon
news
0:19
Comic-Con International has kicked off in San Diego, bringing back major studio panels after skipping the convention last year. Marvel and DC are returning to Hall H for announcements on a new Spaceballs sequel. If you haven't seen the internet's current obsession, it is Jimothy, an extremely round raccoon from Seattle who has suddenly taken over every social media feed, illustrating how quickly a single video can dominate our feeds these days.
Share
Sources
13
Madison police shooting investigated
news
0:20
A homicide investigation is underway in Madison, Wisconsin, after a police officer fatally shot a man during an attempted arrest on Wednesday. The incident, captured on multiple bystander videos, has sparked protests in a neighborhood that has experienced other deadly police shootings in recent years, leaving the community raw and demanding accountability. The officer involved is not being named, and the city's police chief declined to release his identity, citing ongoing legal procedures.
Share
Sources
14
That's all for today
outro
0:10
And that's your world for today. The full stories and the links are waiting in the app — tap through, bookmark what matters, and share what's worth sharing. I'll see you again tomorrow morning. Until then — go well.
Share
Sources