WORLDMeet Jimothy, the Seattle Raccoon Who Is Taking Over the InternetThe stout raccoon, which has a spinal condition, is “an example to all of us that you don’t have to be perfect to be loved,” a Seattle City Council member said.NY Times·July 21, 2026
WORLDSmithsonian too focused on 'oppressors and the oppressed,' say House RepublicansIn a House DOGE subcommittee hearing, GOP representatives excoriated the director of the National Museum of American History, following a White House report earlier this month that also criticized her.NPR·July 21, 2026
WORLDZelensky Dismisses Ukraine’s Top General After ProtestsThe move followed the firing of a popular defense minister, who had clashed with the general over how to fight the war.NY Times·July 21, 2026
WORLDHegseth Estimates Iran War Has Cost $37.5 BillionDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth is requesting as much as $70 billion in emergency military spending after nearly five months of war.NY Times·July 21, 2026
WORLDOpenAI appoints two new members to board of directorsOpenAI appointed longtime financial executives David Vélez and Robin Vince to its nonprofit and for-profit boards.CNBC·July 21, 2026
WORLDThese are the countries moving to ban social media for childrenAustralia was the first country to issue a ban in late 2025, aiming to reduce the pressures and risks that young users may face on social media, including cyberbullying, social media addiction, and exposure to predators.TechCrunch·July 21, 2026
WORLDOpenAI says Hugging Face was breached by its pre-release modelsOpenAI has come forward to claim responsibility for the Hugging Face breach, saying it was the result of internal testing gone awry.TechCrunch·July 21, 2026
WORLDGoldman Sachs creates private markets platform as rich investors seek the next SpaceX and StripeGoldman Sachs is launching a new alternative investments platform aimed at giving wealthy clients and family offices direct stakes in private companies.CNBC·July 21, 2026
WORLDShop Best Buy’s Black Friday in July Sale 2026 Before Fall ChaosThe discounts may not beat Prime Day, but I found worthwhile prices on WIRED-approved TVs, laptops, tablets, speakers, and other home gear.Wired·July 21, 2026
WORLDTrump defends 50% tariffs on Canada, saying ‘they need us to survive’<p>Mark Carney says Canada is ‘united’ in face of threats as leaders agree to talk before tariffs take effect next month</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STThe Guardian·July 21, 2026
WORLDBucking EV slowdown, Sila raises $300M to expand battery materials factorySila's fresh $300 million round will help it make enough of its silicon-carbon anode material to power more than 100,000 EVs.TechCrunch·July 21, 2026
WORLDTaylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea OutbreakThe company donated more than $3.6 million to conservative groups between 2020 and 2025, including $1 million to the MAGA Inc. super PAC.Wired·July 21, 2026