Ah, the War with Iran: For the ninth night in a row, the USA bombed Iran. Iran continues to essentially close the Strait of Hormuz, plus, Houthi allies again have indicated that they might block Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the other main oil route .  Combine, 27% of world petroleum passes through these straits. I asked Google AI:  Will the U.S. invade Kharg Island? As of July 2026, there is no official date or definitive plan announced for a U.S. invasion of Kharg Island . President Donald Trump has publicly floated the idea of seizing the island—which handles about 90 percent of Iran's crude oil exports—but military planners and officials are still weighing the logistical risks and strategic fallout of such an operation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] Current Status: Trump has hosted Situation Room meetings to discuss potential ground troop deployments and the possible seizure of energy infrastructure. While no timeline has been set, Trump stated in mid-June that the U.S. will be taking the isl...

    Sounds like one of my next world journeys, but those cities are the sites of the just completed Summer Olympics and to come Winter and Summer Olympics.  In any case, Paris and Milan are two of my most detested places to visits.  Why?  The gendarme and carabinieri seem unable to control pickpockets and thieves.  Mind you, Spain, other cities in Italy and even  Costa Rica  and  Hanoi,  Vietnam are not exactly safe either. I previously reported that American marathoner  Molly Seidl  and the  high jumping duo  of Gianmarco Tamberi ( Italy ) and Mutaz Essa ( Qatar ) were my most memorable.  Other great performances: 22-year old Luka Doncic ( Slovenia ) in basketball was exceptional, something I already saw from him in the NBA.  Plays for the Dallas Mavericks. 13-year old Sky Brown ( UK ) and 12-year old Kokona Hiraki ( Japan ) in skateboarding.  Sky was born in Japan but chose to represent the UK.  ...