WORLDCanada wildfires prompt US air quality alerts as smoke blankets major citiesSmoke from more than 800 blazes has filled major cities from Toronto and New York, to parts of the US Midwest and Great Lakes.BBC News·July 17, 2026
WORLD‘Trump Accounts’ are symbolic, not effective at closing wealth gapThe wealth gap is wider than it’s been in three decades.Al Jazeera·July 17, 2026
WORLDNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with top Chinese officialThe meeting comes after Xi visited Kim, promising closer diplomatic, law enforcement and military cooperation.Al Jazeera·July 17, 2026
WORLDPauline Hanson laments end of White Australia policy and talks up daughter’s leadership potential<p>Appearing on a podcast with the far-right UK activist who goes by the name Tommy Robinson, Hanson makes evidence-free claims about migrants</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jul/17/australia-news-live-telstra-mobile-outage-parliament-inquiry-royal-commissThe Guardian·July 17, 2026
WORLDWhat to Know About Canada Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality in U.S. CitiesA thick plume of smoke swept across the Midwest and New England, and those conditions could linger on Friday.NY Times·July 17, 2026
WORLDFalling debris from intercepted Iranian strikes sparks fires in KuwaitMoment a projectile struck a border area between Kuwait and Iraq, sparking a fire and sending thick smoke into the sky.Al Jazeera·July 17, 2026
WORLDWildfire Smokes Makes Air Hazardous for Millions in Midwest and East CoastThe haze is likely to ease in the East this weekend but linger in the Upper Midwest, where some cities recorded extremely high pollution indexes on Thursday.NY Times·July 17, 2026
WORLDIran war live: US carries out strikes on civilian infrastructure in southOfficials report power outages, attack on train station in Bandar, as Iran says Hormuz won't return to pre-war status.Al Jazeera·July 16, 2026
WORLDVenezuela earthquake: Number of known dead rises to nearly 5,000 victimsThe UN estimates 50,000 are missing, with many more feared dead under the rubble as the focus shifts to rebuilding.Al Jazeera·July 16, 2026
WORLDMicrosoft's Nadella criticizes Anthropic's Fable for being 'editorially controlled'Microsoft enjoys close ties to Anthropic, but it's also working to help companies refine models that keep their data private.CNBC·July 16, 2026
WORLDVietnamese activist Bao Ngoc places rare national spotlight on GazaActivist Bao Ngoc draws attention to plight of Palestinians in country where protest is tightly controlled.Al Jazeera·July 16, 2026
WORLDHouston ICE Shooting: Lawyer Says Bags Held Salt, Not DrugsFederal investigators said a “crystal-like” substance in the bags looked like methamphetamine. A lawyer for the victim’s brother said it was salt.NY Times·July 16, 2026
