Morning news brief
Ongoing U.S. blockade of Strait of Hormuz strands thousands of seafarers, Trump administration eases rules on medical marijuana, Wildfires fueled by drought continue to spread in parts of Georgia.

Ongoing U.S. blockade of Strait of Hormuz strands thousands of seafarers, Trump administration eases rules on medical marijuana, Wildfires fueled by drought continue to spread in parts of Georgia.

Crude oil prices dropped sharply Monday morning, with Brent crude around $83 and WTI at $80, after President Trump indicated a deal to end the war with Iran will be signed Friday, potentially reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Bengaluru-based Sarvam has secured $234 million in funding at a $1.5 billion valuation, becoming India's newest AI unicorn. The investment, led by HCLTech, aims to bolster sovereign AI capabilities and develop AI models for Indian languages and use cases.

Fox announced a $22 billion deal to acquire Roku, merging its news and sports content with Roku's streaming platform. The combined entity aims to leverage live sports, news, and streaming growth to become the third-largest TV company in the US.

Cybersecurity startup NewCore has secured $66 million in funding to address the challenge of managing AI agents as they become integrated into the workforce. The company aims to provide a unified platform for authenticating, governing, and controlling both human and AI identities at scale.

Democratic senators and two House committees are demanding the National Science Foundation reverse its plan to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative, a $386 million ocean monitoring network. Lawmakers accuse the agency of illegal action and wasting taxpayer money, citing a lack of consultation and potential threats to coastal safety and climate research.

A 900-pound time capsule, mandated by a 2016 law, has been sealed for the America250 commission. Designed to withstand water and buried 10 feet deep in Philadelphia, it contains contributions from all US states, territories, and federal branches, reflecting diverse historical and future-looking items.