The first session of the 10th National Assembly of Laos elected Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, as President of the country on the 23rd.

Market news: Lufthansa has extended its plan to cut some Middle East flights until October.

1. Trump mocks British Prime Minister's "fear of answering the phone" —Trump posted a short skit from the UK version of *Saturday Night Live* on social media, mocking British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for being "afraid to answer his phone." In the skit, Starmer's actor portrays him as "too terrified to answer the phone to discuss Iran with Trump." British media commented that Trump's release of this video is another blow to the so-called "special relationship" between the US and the UK. 2. Trump claims the Democrats are America's biggest enemy after Iran's defeat—Trump posted on social media that now that Iran has been defeated, America's biggest enemy is the radical left-wing, extremely incompetent Democratic Party. 3. Bessant defends Trump: "Sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate" —US Treasury Secretary Bessant defended the US-Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure, claiming that "sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate." Not long ago, Trump gave Iran 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to destroy its power plants if it didn't. Bessant defended Trump's remarks, saying it was "the only language Iranians understand." 4. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Massively Buy Up MBS —According to foreign media reports, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two major mortgage lenders controlled by the US government, have reportedly begun massive purchases of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) on the market to cope with widening bond spreads and increased market volatility. Not long ago, Trump instructed these two institutions to purchase $200 billion in MBS to enhance housing affordability. 5. Trump Team Reportedly Prepares Peace Talks —According to US media reports, a US official and informed sources revealed that three weeks after the outbreak of hostilities with Iran, the Trump administration has begun preliminary consultations on the next phase of arrangements and possible peace talks with Iran. However, despite messages from Egypt, Qatar, and other countries between the US and Iran, there has been no direct contact between the two countries. Iran is willing to negotiate but its conditions are extremely harsh, and Iran has repeatedly and explicitly rejected the six conditions proposed by the US.