The United States and Iran held their positions this week in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, as transit through the vital shipping route fell and a Houthi attack in the Red Sea killed six people.

A federal appeals court has ordered a halt to construction of a new ballroom at the White House while litigation over the project continues, setting the stage for a possible appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Senate narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche, a former lawyer for President Trump, as attorney general, closing a contentious confirmation fight in the chamber's final stretch of business before recess.

ICE recorded more arrests in July than in any other month of President Trump's second term, as the enforcement effort drew attention over body-camera transparency, airport detentions, the end of protections for Haitians, and disputes with local officials.

US employers cut 23,000 jobs in July even as the unemployment rate declined, a combination that reshaped market bets on the Federal Reserve and drew varied political framing across news coverage.