Trump says US ceasefire with Iran is 'over' following strikes

US President Donald Trump has said that the ceasefire with Iran is over after it came under increasing strain with new US strikes overnight.

The US forces launched a wave of strikes on Iranian targets in response to Iran’s targeting of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said it had retaliated with strikes against Bahrain and Kuwait.

The attacks came just hours after Washington also pulled Tehran’s license to sell oil, which was only issued last month following an interim ceasefire deal.

The strategic waterway remains a flashpoint in the fragile truce, having sparked a previous exchange of fire between the two sides after a cargo ship was struck, threatening the agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

China denounced on Wednesday a sharp escalation in hostilities in the Middle East after the United States struck dozens of targets in Iran, with Beijing's foreign Ministry warning both sides against "Reigniting" the war in the Middle East.

Reference Sources

1. standard - Trump declares Iran ceasefire ‘over’ after wave of strikes
2. brusselstimes - Trump says US ceasefire with Iran is 'over' following strikes
3. aawsat - New Attacks Complicate Talks to End Iran War, EU’s Kallas Says
4. israelnationalnews - Iran claims attacks on 85 US targets in Bahrain, Kuwait
5. aawsat - China Warns US, Iran Against ‘Reigniting’ War, Urges Dialogue

OpenAI is about to drop its next AI models — and the countdown is on

OpenAI is set to release its advanced GPT-5.6 model to the public on Thursday, weeks after postponing the launch in June due to concerns over potential security risks.

The White House has now cleared the launch following technical testing and discussions with OpenAI executives.

The company describes its GPT-5.6 model as its strongest yet, with increased capabilities in Cybersecurity, biology, and autonomous or agentic AI tasks.

The delay came amid growing concern in Washington over increasingly powerful ai systems and their potential misuse.

In June, the White House ordered OpenAI rival Anthropic to suspend the use of its cutting-edge Fable and Mythos AI models over national security concerns. Restrictions on those systems were only eased last week.

Openai initially rolled out a version of its Gpt-5.6 only to select partners, following pressure from the Trump administration to stagger the release.

The government has since lifted restrictions on the platform.

This week’s launch comes with a green light from the US government leadership, an OpenAI spokesperson said.

The GPT-5.6 series comprises three new models: Sol, the company's new flagship; Terra, a mid-range model for everyday work; and Luna, a fast, low-cost option.

Reference Sources

1. cnbc - OpenAI secures U.S. regulatory green light for GPT-5.6 rollout, Axios report says
2. dwen - ChatGPT creator to launch 'strongest model yet' after delay
3. aawsat - OpenAI Says Powerful New Model to Launch Publicly on Thursday
4. bloomberg - OpenAI to Roll Out Top AI Model Globally After Limited Preview
5. malaymail - OpenAI is about to drop its next AI models — and the countdown is on

Microsoft cuts 4,800 jobs, downsizes Xbox unit & plans to spin off 4 gaming studios

Microsoft has cut 4,800 jobs, representing 2.1% of its workforce, to cut costs.

According to CNBC, Microsoft's Xbox division will lay off around 20% of its staff, including 1,600 jobs, on Jul. 6, with additional cuts in the coming months. Four gaming studios previously acquired by Microsoft will also be spun out of the software giant; two will become independent again.

The commercial business that focuses on selling to customers will also see reductions.

The four gaming studios that will be spun out of Microsoft are Compulsion Games, double fine productions studios, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs.

Reference Sources

1. mothership - Microsoft cuts 4,800 jobs, downsizes Xbox unit & plans to spin off 4 gaming studios

The CommonWealth English daily news digest is a service curated by CommonWealth English team with the help of AI tools.  

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