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In U.S. politics and courts The Supreme Court has struck down limits on how much political parties can spend on behalf of their candidates, a ruling that will reshape campaign finance heading into the midterms. Meanwhile, 13 House Republicans blocked a procedural vote that would have tied Donald Trump’s voter ID bill to the annual defense package, exposing fresh fractures inside Speaker Mike Johnson’s narrow majority. In U.S. news A 79-year-old woman was killed and five others injured when a Tesla failed a turn, drove onto the pavement, and crashed into a cafe in Simi Valley. Police said she was found trapped beneath the vehicle. Separately, a report on student debt says millions of Americans in their 60s are still carrying loans into retirement, with some, like one 71-year-old borrower, still owing tens of thousands of dollars decades later. In Europe Airlines and airports are urging the European Union to pause new biometric border checks during the summer travel rush, warning of queues stretching to five hours and flights leaving half full. In another European development, the EU is facing pressure to keep climate policy business-friendly, while a new spider record in Portugal adds a small footnote to Iberian biodiversity. In the Middle East and South Asia Pakistan says it intercepted four drones launched from Afghanistan, while Afghanistan’s defence ministry says it carried out air strikes in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The two sides are trading claims, and the border is doing what border disputes tend to do.

In U.S. politics Colorado’s primary elections delivered a sharp jolt to the Democratic establishment, with Sen. John Hickenlooper projected to win his party’s Senate nomination and Rep. Diana DeGette projected to lose her House seat to Melat Kiros, a democratic socialist candidate. Hickenlooper’s race had looked closer than expected, while DeGette’s defeat is another reminder that primaries are where parties sometimes discover they’ve been left behind. Separately, President Trump reported billions of dollars in income and proceeds during his first year back in the White House, driven in part by crypto and other business activity. In public safety In Wilmington, dozens marched from Rodney Square to police headquarters demanding body camera footage and more transparency after police shot 19-year-old Kadir Skinner. Police say an officer saw him come out of a home with a gun pointed toward a crowd, then shot him after he ran. Skinner’s family says he was shot in the back. The officer is on administrative leave, and both local and state-level investigations are underway. A separate vigil at First Unitarian Church drew a few dozen people to mourn the victims of the Wilmington hospital shooting and to reckon with the trauma left behind. In Pennsylvania, authorities are searching for two 16-year-olds, Kaiseem Smith and Azzubair Outen-Fleming, in connection with the killing of Penn State student Billy Schmidt. The FBI also says the three ransom notes sent to media outlets after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance were fake. In world affairs UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that millions of Palestinians could be at risk as UNRWA faces a funding shortfall, and he criticized what he called disinformation and smear campaigns against the agency. Iran says the U.S. blockade of its ports stopped all oil exports during that period, with the chief negotiator claiming not a single barrel left the country. In Europe Berlin officials want to clear a surviving bunker from Hitler’s former chancellery complex to make room for housing and office space, while opponents want it preserved as a memorial and exhibition site. The housing senator backing the plan says preserving the site should not block new homes, and warned it could draw neo-Nazi pilgrims. History, it turns out, is still competing with zoning. In Britain, Keir Starmer’s defence plan boosts military spending while cutting or trimming several major programmes, including Storm Shadow missiles, Skynet 6, Type 83 destroyers, Type 32 frigates, and some Chinook and Wildcat helicopters. The government says the shift is meant to favor drones and autonomous systems and save money. In sports France beat Sweden 3-0 to reach the World Cup round of 16, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Bradley Barcola adding the third. The United States, meanwhile, faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in a knockout match with momentum, and a little pride, on the line.

In U.S. news UC Santa Barbara has issued another campus-wide warning after a woman said she was stalked and groped in broad daylight on June 24. Police say the suspect was seen circling the victim on a bicycle before approaching from behind and fleeing toward Tierra De Fortuna Park, while investigators are still searching for the person accused in an earlier unsolved rape and strangulation case from May. In Pennsylvania, hazmat crews are responding to a freight train derailment in Bensalem after five to 10 cars came off the tracks near Street Road and the Neshaminy Falls station. Officials say they are still determining what the cars were carrying, and nearby residents have been told to shelter in place. Amy Coney Barrett is drawing sharp criticism from right-wing commentators after joining rulings that undercut key parts of Donald Trump’s agenda, including the fight over birthright citizenship. In science and tech New analysis from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument suggests the universe may be less uniform than cosmologists expected. Researchers found directional patterns in galaxy distribution that appear to persist across billions of light years, and if the result holds up, parts of the standard model may need a rethink. WhatsApp says it will soon let users reserve usernames and use them instead of phone numbers, with the goal of improving privacy. The company says exact handles will be needed for first contact, there will be no public directory, and high-profile accounts will be protected from impersonation. In the UK A young sapling grown from Sycamore Gap seeds has been stolen from Wray Castle in Cumbria, prompting a police investigation. The tree was one of 15 grown as symbols of renewal after the original Sycamore Gap tree was illegally cut down in 2023. Labour says it plans 45,000 more deportations over the next decade, following nearly 70,000 removals since taking office. The Home Office says the aim is to restore control of the immigration system and speed up the removal of foreign criminals. In Africa Ebola continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo, though local healthcare workers say conditions on the ground have improved. The outbreak remains a serious public health concern, with response teams still trying to contain transmission. In South Africa, campaign groups set a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave, and protests followed. The pressure campaign has sharpened tensions around migration and enforcement. In Europe Germany is facing political backlash after a recent heat wave, with critics arguing the government is not moving fast enough on climate adaptation. The immediate weather event has faded, but the policy problem has not. Russia’s fuel shortage is worsening as Ukrainian drone strikes continue to hit infrastructure and strain supply. The repeated attacks are adding pressure to an already tight fuel market.

In U.S. politics House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Supreme Court’s ruling against the Trump administration’s birthright citizenship restrictions creates, in his words, “serious challenges.” On Capitol Hill, House Republicans are also trying to tie the annual defense bill to the Trump-backed SAVE Act, while hard-line members continue to threaten floor business unless GOP leaders move on the stalled elections measure. Trump is still pitching the bill as essential to Republican victories, which is a lot of pressure to place on one voting measure, even by Washington standards. In Europe Italian police arrested four suspects over an attack involving an explosive device in a public place targeting a journalist. The group also faces charges including criminal damage and threats. In Hungary, a lawyer for seven Ukrainians detained after a cash convoy raid says former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and three other officials should have been detained as well, and suggested prosecutors may be shielding him from scrutiny. President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, acknowledged that Ukrainian long-range strikes are contributing to fuel shortages inside Russia, while insisting the situation is still “not critical.” That is a notably less breezy line than the Kremlin usually prefers on the subject. In Britain Former defence secretary John Healey says Labour still needs a bigger defence budget, even after recent increases. He told MPs the extra money is welcome but not enough, and argued the government needs a clearer plan to reach 3 percent of GDP and meet NATO’s 3.5 percent target by 2035.

In Washington and Tehran President Donald Trump says Iran asked for a ceasefire meeting in Qatar, while Tehran says no talks are scheduled. The White House says envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are headed to Doha for high-level meetings, after U.S. strikes on targets inside Iran and renewed Iranian attacks on U.S. military targets in the region. Those strikes have also split Trump’s own MAGA base, with former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene warning that he may have reopened a foreign war he once promised to avoid. At the Supreme Court The Supreme Court blocked Trump, for now, from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook while she fights unproven mortgage-fraud allegations. In a separate ruling, the court made it easier for presidents to fire officials at other independent agencies by overturning a long-standing precedent on removal protections. The justices also declined to take up Alan Dershowitz’s appeal in his defamation case against CNN, and they left in place the $5 million verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case. In international news Police in Germany say a sixth person has died after a shooting at a youth welfare center, where four women and one man were killed at the scene. Authorities have not released more details yet. In Lebanon, thousands of displaced people are trying to return home, but many are finding only destruction and no real place to go back to. In Venezuela, a 4.6-magnitude aftershock struck near the capital as rescuers freed 21-year-old Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas after 106 hours trapped under a building in Caraballeda. At least 1,450 people are known to have died in the initial earthquakes, and the toll is expected to rise. In business Comcast is splitting into two companies, one focused on connectivity and the other on content. Brian Roberts says big mergers are not on the immediate menu. In politics and sports El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has formally registered to seek a third consecutive term. And in golf, Viktor Hovland beat Scottie Scheffler in a playoff to win the Travelers Championship.

In Britain Penelope Keith, the British actor best known for The Good Life and other sitcom roles, has died at 86. The BBC said her family announced she died peacefully at home after living with cancer. Andy Burnham says he wants to set up a “No 10 North” office in Manchester as part of a wider push to shift power away from Westminster. Meanwhile, the police watchdog is broadening its review into Hampshire Police after Henry Nowak was wrongly handcuffed in Southampton, including whether nearby anti-migration protests affected officers’ decisions. In the war in Ukraine Ukraine’s damaged energy grid is heading into another punishing stretch, with extreme heat moving eastward and the power system still badly battered by repeated Russian drone and missile strikes since 2022. The attacks have caused tens of billions of euros in damage and left large parts of the country living with frequent outages. In Crimea, the war is being felt more directly too. Repeated drone strikes on power and fuel sites have brought regular air-raid alerts, blackouts and a gasoline black market, with some prices reportedly reaching $25 a gallon. The peninsula’s fuel supply is now doing a convincing impression of a system held together by hope. In business Comcast says it plans to split into two publicly traded companies, separating NBCUniversal and Sky from its broadband and mobile business through a tax-free spin-off. If completed, shareholders would end up owning stakes in both companies, while each gets its own strategy, which is corporate-speak for “we’ve decided one giant structure is not enough of a headache.” The European Commission is also planning to end the customs exemption on parcels worth under €150 and add a €3 fee to small shipments. The move is aimed at cheap imports from platforms such as Temu and Shein, and at protecting high streets that have already had enough trouble without being undercut by endless tiny boxes. In South Africa Police are investigating an apparent attempt to kill a senior South African officer just three days before he was due to testify at a corruption hearing involving allegations at the highest levels. Authorities have not publicly identified suspects or given a motive. In Venezuela Rescue crews are still working after twin earthquakes hit Venezuela four days ago, with officials saying 1,500 people have died and 189 buildings have collapsed. Among the few signs of relief, a father and son were pulled out alive from the rubble at Los Cocos beach.

In the UK The Metropolitan Police says it has identified more than 4,000 historic child sexual exploitation cases that may need to be reviewed after looking back at investigations dating to 2010. Cases once marked closed could now be reopened. In Surrey, police say Kevin Kerjean, who is charged with murdering a two-year-old girl and also faces child rape and sexual assault charges, entered the UK legally and had leave to remain until 2031. Officers also pushed back against speculation about the case location, saying it happened within a family setting. A major police presence remains in Chertsey while the investigation continues. In Europe and the war in Ukraine A skydiving plane crashed in northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board. Vladimir Putin has admitted Russia is facing problems in its war in Ukraine, citing fuel shortages, queues at petrol stations, and damage from Ukrainian strikes, which is an awkward summary for a campaign that was supposed to be going better by now. Ukraine also hit oil refineries in Krasnodar and Yaroslavl, while Russia said it intercepted 213 drones. Officials in Krasnodar said one person was killed and another injured, and power and gas infrastructure was damaged. Putin also said Ukraine has proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes. In South Asia and the wider region Pakistan says it carried out overnight airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, targeting militants after the Karachi attack. Afghanistan’s government says the strikes killed and wounded dozens of civilians. In business and technology A new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation says China has overtaken the U.S. in several key space and military satellite sectors, including positioning, navigation, remote sensing and counterspace capabilities. U.S. firms still lead in low Earth orbit broadband, but the report says China’s state-backed space industry is moving fast enough to threaten broader U.S. leadership in space. Separately, Yash Raj Films has invested in Rusk Media to expand into vertical entertainment, part of a wider push into short-form digital content. In the U.S. Sen. John Fetterman and Sen. Dave McCormick stepped in to organize Pennsylvania’s booth at the “Great American State Fair” in Washington after Gov. Josh Shapiro said state officials could not find a business sponsor. A rare bipartisan assignment, in a town where that usually needs a miracle and a donor list. Philadelphia has issued an Extreme Heat Watch through the Fourth of July, with temperatures expected to reach near 100 degrees.

In the Middle East and Asia Iran says it skipped technical talks with the United States after the two sides traded military strikes, while a U.S. official says negotiations to end the war are still going on. That is the diplomatic equivalent of two people insisting they are in the same conversation while standing in different rooms. In the region, South Korea and Japan agreed to deepen defense cooperation, including AI work and joint rescue drills, while reaffirming support for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. North Korea, meanwhile, is said to be tightening border controls and nearly cutting off outside news entirely. South Korea also adopted its first national testing standard for counter-drone systems, setting benchmarks for protecting sites like airports and power plants. In business and industry South Korea is preparing to unveil a reported $649 billion investment plan for chips, AI data centers, and physical AI, with Samsung and SK Group expected to lead the push. Separately, HD Hyundai Electric says AI planning and robots have helped its factory push deliveries close to perfect while it expands output of circuit breakers. The U.S. Navy is also seeking more repair work at South Korean shipyards, lengthening overhauls there and signaling continued confidence in the yards, along with hopes for more contracts. And South Korea’s government says its next defense investment plan will favor drone-equipped warships over direct replacements for aging destroyers, which is a very modern way to say the old fleet is staying old a little longer. In Britain The National Audit Office says ministers should hold off on HS2’s revised reset until the project can be delivered credibly, warning against another round of expensive optimism. The British Heart Foundation says obesity-linked heart deaths in England could reach 170,000 by 2035 if current trends continue, while more than 1 million children were referred to mental health services in 2024-25, nearly double the level of 2018-19. One is a slow public health disaster, the other a clear sign the system is under severe strain. Separately, state-owned Ferguson Marine has spent £600,000 on LNG training for the delayed Glen Rosa ferry, while its sister ship is already running on diesel because of fuel-system problems. Not a great look for a project that has become a recurring lesson in what happens when “temporary delays” become a way of life.

In France A skydiving plane crashed near Nancy in northeastern France around 11 a.m., killing all 11 people on board, according to the regional prefect. The dead included five students, five instructors, and the pilot. In U.S. agriculture The USDA has opened a $21 million facility to produce sterile flies, part of an effort to slow the spread of screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that threatens livestock. Officials are moving to ramp up the supply as cases rise. In the Middle East Iran launched attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait after U.S. strikes, as the wider fighting raised fresh concern over the Strait of Hormuz and pushed ceasefire talks closer to collapse. Separately, one analysis says the conflict has already cost the average U.S. household between $775 and $1,300 in fuel and taxpayer costs. In Iraq Iraqi security forces arrested several politicians, lawmakers, and senior officials in dawn raids across Baghdad in what authorities described as an anti-corruption operation. In Europe Germany set a new heat record over the weekend, with the highest temperature measured in Brandenburg, the latest extreme since modern records began in the 19th century.

In the Middle East Children in Gaza are still bearing the brunt of Israeli attacks, despite the October 2025 ceasefire. The fighting has not stopped the civilian toll, which remains grim. Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Gulf leaders raised concrete concerns about Iran’s proxy network, including support for Hamas, Hezbollah, militias in Iraq, and the Houthis. He said any final deal with Tehran would have to deal with more than the nuclear file. In France France has recorded about 1,000 excess deaths during a severe heatwave, with temperatures in parts of the country topping 40 degrees Celsius. Hospitals and emergency crews are under pressure as callouts rise. On the defense side, France has taken delivery of the SSN De Grasse, the fourth Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine. Naval Group says the boat has completed dockside trials and marks another step in a program meant to replace the older Rubis-class fleet. In the Pacific Polls have opened in New Caledonia for the first provincial elections since 2019, with about 2,500 police officers deployed to secure polling stations. The vote is being closely watched after years of political tension over the territory’s future. In Britain Labour is preparing a Canada-style refugee sponsorship system that would let community groups and employers help bring asylum seekers and refugees to Britain through new legal routes. The idea is to widen safe pathways while keeping tighter control over arrivals. Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner has collected nearly £100 million since the company floated in 2010, while the share price remains below its original listing level. Reports say the company has already approached at least one possible replacement. In tech and security Scammers are targeting people trying to recover lost crypto wallet access codes, using fake websites and dodgy software to steal seed phrases and other data. In Venezuela Rescuers are racing to find earthquake survivors before the 72-hour window for saving people alive runs out. Emergency crews are working against the clock as experts warn the chances narrow quickly after a major quake.

In the U.S. At least four people are dead in Kentucky after heavy rains triggered flooding, Governor Andy Beshear said. In Washington, President Trump has nominated Oklahoma lawman Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, putting a low-profile career officer in charge of an agency that rarely stays out of the spotlight for long. Separately, the U.S. military says it carried out fresh strikes on targets in Iran after a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command says the targets included surveillance infrastructure, communications systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities. In the UK The Ministry of Defence is facing criticism for still not updating its transgender policy more than a year after the Supreme Court said sex under the Equality Act means biological sex. Until revised guidance is published, commanders are handling access to single-sex accommodation and facilities case by case, and the department says it cannot give a timetable. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police has identified more than 4,000 potential child sexual exploitation cases for possible reinvestigation after reviewing about 12,000 reports dating back to 2010. The cases have been referred to the National Crime Agency, which is expected to decide within weeks how many should be formally reopened. The government is also set to abolish the Vagrancy Act, ending a 200-year-old law that made rough sleeping a criminal offence. Ministers say the change shifts policy away from punishing homelessness and toward support, while keeping powers to deal with organised begging and exploitation. In business and tech ASML is denying a Bloomberg report that a U.S.-restricted EUV chipmaking tool, or related equipment, may have reached China. The company says it has never shipped an EUV machine or China-bound component designed for one, and says it knows the location of every EUV tool it has built. The machines are apparently the less mysterious part. In the Pacific Polls have opened in New Caledonia for the territory’s first provincial elections since 2019, after delays linked to stalled talks over its political future. The result will help shape the balance of power ahead of renewed negotiations with France, with independence still the central issue.

In the Middle East The U.S. carried out a second round of strikes on Iran after Tehran attacked a commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, sharply raising the risk that the fragile ceasefire will unravel. U.S. officials said the targets included surveillance, communications, air defence, drone storage and minelaying facilities, and warned that further violations would bring more force. Shipping through the strait is now expected to slow again, which is the sort of small detail that tends to become a large economic problem. In U.S. news Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency after flash flooding and heavy rain killed multiple people and triggered rescues across the state. Officials said one motorist was swept away and killed, with more deaths later reported in Madison and Jackson counties. Search-and-rescue teams were deployed and drivers were urged to stay off the roads as more rain was expected. In Massachusetts, a duck boat overturned near a Cambridge boat ramp by the Charles River entrance, injuring at least six people. Police said everyone on board was accounted for and no passengers ended up in the water. State police will lead the investigation. An Alaska Superior Court judge ordered candidate Daniel J. Sullivan onto the state’s Senate primary ballot, rejecting the state’s attempt to disqualify him over possible voter confusion with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The court said officials could not invent a new qualification for candidates and should handle confusion through ballot design instead. In Scotland Scotland are out of the 2026 World Cup after results made it impossible for them to finish among the eight best third-placed teams. Steve Clarke stepped down as head coach shortly after the exit was confirmed, closing out a qualification campaign that never really found its footing.

In U.S. politics and courts A Superior Court judge in Alaska has put retired teacher Dan Sullivan back on the ballot after ruling that election officials wrongly disqualified him as a challenger to Sen. Dan Sullivan. In Massachusetts, two Republican candidates for statewide office, including the party’s likely attorney general nominee, have been removed from the September primary ballot after the state said hundreds of nomination signatures were problematic. Separately, the Trump administration’s Religious Liberty Commission issued a draft report arguing that the separation of church and state is a legal error. It says Americans should see religion as an essential support and remember the Creator who grants rights. The White House got the report in the Oval Office, which is a setting with almost no irony at all. In Ukraine and Russia Ukraine says it struck Russia’s Titan-Barrikady weapons plant overnight with FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles, part of a wider pattern of attacks reaching deeper into Russian territory. The Kremlin is struggling to answer an expanding Ukrainian drone campaign that has hit key arms factories, damaged more oil refining capacity, and added to fuel shortages inside Russia. In the Middle East Bahrain says Iranian drones hit the country as fighting around the Strait of Hormuz entered a third day, and a tanker was also struck while crossing the waterway. Iran has not directly claimed the attacks, but state media said the Revolutionary Guard had hit American targets in the region and repeated Tehran’s claim of control over traffic in the strait. At the same time, a reported preliminary U.S.-Iran deal could hand Tehran a major economic lift, including sanctions waivers that would let it sell oil in U.S. dollars and steps to unfreeze Iranian assets. Vice President JD Vance is also facing pushback from pro-Israel conservatives over his role in the negotiations, while evangelical supporters of Trump remain strongly behind the war decision against Iran.

In business RENK America says it has won a $691 million, five-year Army production contract for its HMPT 800 transmission, the fourth straight multi-year deal in the same program. Separately, African governments are pushing for a bigger share of gold revenue, while much of the value still flows out of the continent. Mining the resource, then letting someone else collect the money, has proved a stubborn business model. In Europe and security Ukraine says it struck a key Russian defense manufacturing site in Volgograd, with open-source analysts pointing to the Titan-Barrikady plant, which makes components tied to the Iskander missile system. In a separate warning sign for the continent, NATO allies in Eastern Europe are increasingly unsure the U.S. would come to their aid if Russia attacked, after Trump-era rhetoric and a muddled answer from a U.S. official in Tallinn. In the Middle East Iran and the United States are again trading blame after fresh attacks, with both sides warning that any further escalation would be met in kind. Tehran also condemned recent U.S. strikes as a violation of the memorandum of understanding, while Washington said it targeted Iranian missile and drone storage sites. The ceasefire is looking less like a ceasefire and more like a pause someone forgot to agree on. In the UK and domestic security Home Secretary Mahmood has announced a new capped, legal refugee sponsorship route into the UK, saying it is meant to restore confidence in the asylum system. In the U.S., prosecutors say Somali intelligence helped lead to the arrest of a key suspect in a Minnesota fraud case, adding an overseas assist to a domestic investigation.

In the Middle East Tankers are still moving through the Strait of Hormuz after a new vessel attack rattled energy markets, but the route remains under strain. Traffic through the waterway has more than tripled since the U.S.-Iran interim peace deal, though it is still well below prewar levels. Four empty supertankers are due to enter the strait today, a useful test of whether ship operators think they can load and leave safely. The possibility of more stable oil flows is already shifting markets, and Iraq’s president says the country would leave OPEC if production quotas are not raised. In Europe A punishing heat wave is pushing power systems hard across the continent. Britain’s grid briefly called for extra power before backing off as supply tightened, electricity prices jumped in the evening, and several French nuclear reactors went offline because they could not cool efficiently. Germany and Britain are heading for their highest June average electricity prices since the 2022 energy crisis. Europe’s climate director, Carlo Buontempo, said record heat should not be treated like a surprise package, and noted that the consequences arrive whether the planning does or not. In Germany In Magdeburg, Taleb al Abdulmohsen has been sentenced to life imprisonment after driving into the Christmas market there, killing six people and injuring more than 300. It is a brutal reminder that the legal process may end, but the damage does not neatly follow suit. In U.S. politics Billionaire Leon Black is scheduled to appear before members of Congress investigating Jeffrey Epstein. Black paid Epstein large sums, and his representatives have said the money was for tax advice and estate planning. Separately, House Republicans are defending the use of artificial intelligence after a committee summary for a defense bill amendment included the phrase “Claude responded,” which suggests the drafting may have gotten a little help from the chatbot. Representative Anna Paulina Luna said most staff use AI. That is one way to keep Congress looking modern.

In Europe The EU is pressing Britain to align food standards as part of the Brexit reset talks, including the possibility of banning some pesticides and fungicides that are legal in the UK. British officials want a transition period for farmers, and the National Farmers’ Union says a rushed change could hurt productivity, investment, and confidence across the sector. A study by the Andersons Centre puts possible losses for arable, horticulture, and sugar producers at up to £810 million. The summit expected to settle the issue has been postponed, but technical talks continue. In France, prosecutors say 17-year-old Louis was lured into a planned ambush and beaten to death after reporting a previous assault to police. Investigators say the attackers taunted him during the assault, allegedly telling him, “You won’t talk to the police anymore.” In the United States The Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump to end Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians. That removes deportation protections for people who have legally lived and worked in the U.S. for more than a decade. In business and tech Apple is raising prices on several MacBook and iPad models, with increases of up to $300 in the U.S. and up to £300 in the UK. The company says higher memory and storage costs tied to the AI boom have become too expensive to absorb, which is a neat way of saying the bill has arrived. Polestar’s plans to sell upcoming models in the U.S. have been blocked by the Trump administration, which cited national security concerns over China-linked technology. The decision has rattled investors and raised fresh questions about foreign-owned automakers in the American market. In entertainment The Directors Guild of America has ratified a four-year contract aimed at protecting jobs during a historic slump in film and TV production. Guild leaders said members approved the deal overwhelmingly. In Venezuela Two earthquakes struck minutes apart, killing at least 235 people and injuring more than 4,300. Officials say search and rescue work is still underway, with more people feared trapped under rubble after one of the country’s worst disasters in more than a century. In Britain Eight families have been left homeless after a disposable barbecue fire tore through a terrace in Basildon, Essex. Fire crews from seven stations fought the blaze as flames spread rapidly across connected roofs, and the council has put some residents in a hotel while fundraising gets started.

In U.S. politics President Trump has canceled plans to sign a bipartisan housing affordability bill, saying he wants Congress to move first on the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and sharply restrict mail-in voting. House Speaker Mike Johnson says he wants to advance the measure through a third reconciliation bill, so the housing bill is now sitting in the political waiting room. In tech and workplace privacy Meta has paused an internal AI training program after backlash from employees and fresh privacy concerns. The system was collecting data from workers’ computers, including keystrokes, mouse clicks, and on-screen activity. In South America Colombia’s left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda has conceded defeat to Abelardo de la Espriella in a very narrow presidential runoff. The far-right lawyer and Trump admirer was ahead by less than one percentage point in the preliminary count. In science Researchers have virtually unwrapped a papyrus scroll buried in the Mount Vesuvius eruption and read more than a metre of text without opening it. The writing, spanning 20 columns, discusses Stoic philosophy, including ethics, art, and human behaviour.

In international affairs Iran is still at the center of the latest round of talks, with a former U.S. diplomat saying Tehran now appears to be in a stronger position after the conflict. The U.S. has also granted Iran a 60-day waiver on oil export sanctions, a significant concession as Washington pushes for a durable peace deal. Separately, the IAEA chief says inspections at Iran’s enrichment sites will still go ahead, despite Tehran’s claim that bombed facilities are off-limits. In tech and security Anthropic says its Mythos AI was able to uncover flaws in classified U.S. systems within hours, underscoring how quickly advanced AI tools can probe sensitive networks. At Meta, a security glitch reportedly exposed private employee messages, renewing concern about how the company handles internal surveillance and staff data. In business JPMorgan Chase has fired DEI executive Angie Báez after a video showed her emptying a public trash bin onto a Manhattan street and walking away with the Knicks-themed container during the team’s championship parade. The clip went viral fast, and the job disappeared even faster. In climate and weather Europe is baking again, with Italy issuing red heat alerts for 16 cities, including Milan and Rome, while schools have closed in parts of the UK. In Greenland, multiple wildfires have broken out weeks ahead of the usual fire season, adding to scientists’ concerns about climate-driven changes across the Arctic. At Kew Gardens, a dead oak that was killed in the 2022 heatwave has been painted red and placed beside a living “Tree of Hope” to highlight the damage extreme heat can do. In public safety and transport Northern Ireland has approved new graduated driving rules for young and newly licensed drivers, set to begin on October 1. The changes include overnight passenger limits for new drivers under 24, six months of supervised driving before a test, structured training, and automatic licence loss for anyone who reaches six penalty points during the probationary period. Officials say the goal is to cut serious crashes.

In U.S. news A federal judge has blocked Trump administration and state bans that would have kept SNAP recipients from buying soda, candy, and other foods labeled unhealthy. The ruling stops a push that had been championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who were trying to steer benefit rules toward their idea of better eating. The law, inconveniently, still has to do the deciding. Also in Washington, Justice Clarence Thomas used a concurrence in United States v. Hemani to argue that the Commerce Clause does not justify federal bans on gun possession simply because a firearm once crossed state lines. He said the Court’s earlier decisions in Lopez and Morrison support real limits on Congress’s power, and that the same logic should apply to broader federal gun bans. In politics and the courts A New York man accused of threatening to kill President Trump is seeking dismissal of the charges. Prosecutors say Joshua Alexander repeatedly posted threats against Trump and his family on X and in messages to the White House, and that he later admitted he wanted to murder the president. His public defender argues the case does not meet the legal standard for a terroristic threat. ABC, meanwhile, has started running ads urging viewers to contact the FCC as the agency moves against the network on two fronts, including an equal-time dispute involving The View and an early renewal review of several affiliate licenses. The broadcaster is telling the public the regulator is not exactly being subtle. In science and technology Researchers at Caltech say they have developed 3D-printed cobalt-free electrodes that could make lithium-ion batteries safer, more powerful, and less environmentally damaging. The goal is to improve performance without relying on cobalt, which has long been a problem for cost, supply, and ethics. A separate report says Anthropic’s flagship Mythos AI model reportedly breached nearly all of the NSA’s classified systems during an authorized red-team test, though the details are still based on a cybersecurity publication’s account. If that sounds alarming, that is because it is. In the world Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako received a ceremonial welcome at the Royal Palace in Brussels as they began a state visit to Belgium. In sports Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal beat Uzbekistan, and with those goals he became the first player to score in six World Cups. At this point he is not so much breaking records as filing paperwork for new ones.

In U.S. courts and civil rights A federal judge has blocked restrictions that would have kept SNAP benefits from being used to buy candy, soda, and other sugary drinks in 23 states. Judge Amy Berman Jackson said policymakers cannot push healthier choices by ignoring the law and their own regulations. Separately, the Supreme Court ruled that a Rastafarian prisoner cannot sue guards who cut off his dreadlocks, narrowing his path to relief after he said prison officials violated his religious rights. And federal judges, including 11 appointed by Trump, have been openly rebuking the White House over what they describe as repeated failures to follow the law. That is not usually the tone judges use when they are feeling serene. In immigration policy New figures show the Trump administration has driven U.S. humanitarian admissions to a 50-year low, while admitting mostly white South Africans. The cut has drawn sharp criticism in Washington over who gets access to a system that has been reduced to a trickle. In Brussels, EU officials held quiet technical talks with Taliban representatives about returning Afghan nationals who no longer have the right to stay in Europe. The focus was on speeding up repatriations, which is a polite phrase for a very difficult issue. In public safety and local news In California, deputies used a drone and a magnet during a standoff with a known felon and parolee-at-large who was armed with a gun. They eventually helped disarm the suspect after surrounding the home. In Scotland, former River City actor Iain Robertson has been found guilty of rape and of assaulting two other women. In Washington President Trump is standing by his claims of vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, even as reports say the new base covering is peeling and the water has turned green from an algae bloom. The renovation has not exactly aged like a national monument should. In tech and entertainment Netflix says its anime audience has surged from 1 billion views in 2023 to 1.5 billion in 2025, and says anime is now watched in 150 million households across more than 190 countries. The company also unveiled Fool Night and new details on The One Piece. In China, robotics firm Agibot is livestreaming humanoid robots working on an active factory line, where the machines are inspecting and sorting tablets in a real production test. The humans, for now, still get to share the floor.

In Europe A dangerous heat wave is sweeping across the continent, with temperatures expected to top 100 degrees in parts of Europe and red threat-to-life alerts already in place in France, Spain, and the U.K. June temperature records are falling, which is not the kind of milestone anyone was hoping for. Separate from the heat, fishermen and marine experts say poisonous pufferfish are spreading across Mediterranean beaches, raising risks for swimmers, coastal ecosystems, and fishing gear. In U.S. law enforcement A DEA whistleblower says federal agents allowed large numbers of fentanyl pills to move through New Mexico during the height of the crisis in an effort to build a bigger case against higher-level traffickers. If true, it leaves a lot of questions. In a separate case, Nancy Guthrie’s family is facing fresh uncertainty after contradictory ransom notes emerged in the aftermath of her February disappearance, with one note saying she was dead and another saying she was alive. Meanwhile, public workers fired over posts about Charlie Kirk’s assassination are winning six-figure settlements, with one award reaching £657,000, as First Amendment claims continue to hold up in court. In science and technology Researchers in Germany have built Floaty, a shape-shifting drone that can ride updrafts instead of relying on propellers to hover. In tests, it stayed stable in strong airflow and used about a tenth of the power of comparable thruster-based systems, with possible uses in smokestack inspections and weather research. Western intelligence agencies in the Five Eyes alliance warn that an AI-driven cyber threat could emerge within months, not years, after the U.S. moved to tighten controls around Anthropic’s models. In business and infrastructure Johannesburg has secured a R3.8 billion concessional loan from Germany’s KfW to help repair its troubled power utility, City Power. The money is meant to shore up failing infrastructure and billing systems, but officials say the fixes will take time.

In tech and business Meta has paused its Model Capability Initiative after discovering that sensitive employee data collected for AI training was accessible across the company. The program had recorded keystrokes, mouse activity, and sometimes screen content from U.S.-based workers. In the UK, StubHub has been fined nearly £900,000 and ordered to refund more than 50,000 fans after regulators said it failed to show the full ticket price at booking. Rival reseller Viagogo is still under investigation. In Europe Spain is bracing for a heatwave, with five provinces under red alert as temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius. Dozens of councils have cancelled San Juan bonfires over wildfire fears. A separate climate analysis warns the UK could face longer and more frequent extreme summer heatwaves by 2052 if current warming trends continue. The European Union is also preparing to meet Taliban officials in Brussels to discuss migration, with deportations of Afghans who do not have the right to stay in Europe expected to be on the table. In public safety Montreal police say officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, was killed in a shooting along with a civilian. In court Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and his husband Scott appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court facing expanded charges that now include rape, child sex offences, sexual assault, and modern slavery trafficking for sexual exploitation. Essex Police have brought 18 charges in total. Both men remain in custody, and the Football Association has suspended them from football-related activity while the case continues.

In AI and cybersecurity Samsung Electronics is rolling out ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex across its South Korean workforce and its global Device eXperience division. OpenAI is also launching its new Daybreak Cyber Partner Program, letting 29 cybersecurity vendors build GPT-5.5 into customer-facing products for faster detection, response, and remediation. Elsewhere in the sector, Sakana AI is pitching an orchestration system that combines multiple agents and models instead of leaning on one giant proprietary platform. On the security side, experts say the push to post-quantum cryptography is still moving too slowly, even as governments start setting firmer deadlines and governance expectations. In Romania, a cyberattack forced dozens of hospitals offline for four days and pushed staff back to pen and paper while systems were restored. In crime and courts A police officer, the suspect, and another person were killed in a shootout Monday in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges borough. Police say the investigation is ongoing. In Utah, a judge rejected a defense request to make Tyler Robinson’s former roommate testify in person at the preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk killing case. The judge said credibility challenges can be addressed later if the case reaches trial. In Washington, David Hearn was arrested and charged with misdemeanor destruction of government property after police said he interfered with work at the Reflecting Pool. Hearn denies damaging the pool, and the Trump administration says more arrests have been made and repairs will start immediately. Weather and local disruptions In Bristol, a lightning strike set a detached family home on fire in Emersons Green during Monday evening storms. Everyone inside got out safely, and firefighters brought the blaze under control by 10 p.m. The same storm also forced Bristol Airport to suspend flights after lightning damaged radar and air traffic control systems. In rural Texas, a semitrailer carrying about 400 hives overturned and spilled millions of honeybees into a neighborhood. Officials say the bees escaped after the crash. In politics Sen. Rick Scott is circulating a plan among Senate Republicans to avoid another government shutdown later this year, and he wants to discuss it when President Trump meets with GOP senators on Wednesday. Scott says Democrats are unlikely to help.

In U.S. news Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to give House Republicans a classified briefing on Pentagon funding goals as President Trump presses Congress to approve a $350 billion reconciliation package for the military. In a separate case, a federal judge blocked the administration’s plan to build a centralized database combining Social Security numbers, citizenship status, and other sensitive data, saying officials had haphazardly repurposed private information from millions of people. The FAA is also investigating a near miss at Boston Logan, where a Delta jet aborted its landing after an American Airlines plane took off from an intersecting runway. In tech and security Europe is moving early to set cybersecurity and privacy rules for 6G, even though the technology is still years from commercial use. Separately, researchers and Fortinet say the FortiBleed campaign that exposed tens of thousands of firewall and VPN credentials does not appear to have relied on a zero-day exploit, more the old-fashioned mix of leaked passwords and weak defenses. In Europe Belgium has issued visas to a Taliban delegation ahead of EU migration talks, the first time the bloc would host Taliban representatives since they returned to power in Afghanistan. In the UK, the Met Office has issued a rare red extreme heat warning, with temperatures in parts of southern Britain and the Midlands forecast to approach 40C, a potential June record. Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of rape and other sex offences against two women, in cases stretching back decades. In Canada A gunman in Montreal killed a police officer and a civilian before police shot him dead on a residential street. Quebec police say three people were killed in total, including the officer, and have released few other details. In the Middle East An explosion at Qatar’s largest natural gas plant killed at least 13 people and injured about 66 others, according to the interior ministry. Authorities have not said what caused the blast. On the Greenland front A senior American official has defended the idea of annexing Greenland by linking it to a struggling U.S. seafood chain’s shrimp promotion, which is one way to make a diplomatic crisis sound like a failed lunch special. The remarks have deepened tensions with NATO allies and rattled European capitals.

In Washington The Senate is set to vote Monday on a bipartisan bill that would limit private equity ownership of single-family homes, a small but notable attempt to make housing a little less of a financial instrument. On the legal front, the Supreme Court is weighing four remaining cases tied to President Trump’s push to expand executive power, including birthright citizenship, the firing of a Federal Reserve governor, independent agencies, and protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants. Separately, top Democrats are warning about expected cuts at the intelligence office, after reports that the acting director of national intelligence could announce significant firings as soon as Monday. And Trump says Washington’s reflecting pool was vandalized after it turned algae green, which is a bold way to describe pond maintenance. In Europe The UK says it has fast-tracked three British-designed long-range strike systems for Ukraine after flight testing them under Project Brakestop. The systems are meant to reach more than 500 kilometers, and follow-on contracts have been awarded to keep the designs moving toward further trials in the UK and later in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the EU may be preparing to separate Moldova’s accession talks from Ukraine’s, which would end the informal pairing that has shaped both bids so far. In business and tech Google is pushing further into AI-driven database work, telling developers in London that future queries will lean more on natural-language prompts, AI-generated SQL, and context from tools like Knowledge Catalog. Exact SQL is not going away, but the company clearly wants the machines to do more of the typing, and more of the billing. Obituaries Clive Davis, the Grammy-winning music executive who helped steer Columbia, Arista, and J Records and shaped pop music for decades, has died at 94. Reports say he had recently been hospitalized, and he died at his Manhattan home.

In U.S. news In Delaware, police say a 23-year-old New Jersey man was arrested after a hit-and-run crash in Townsend killed two 17-year-olds walking with an electric bike. Troopers say the driver briefly stopped, then left the scene before being stopped later in Smyrna and charged in the fatal case. In Passaic County, New Jersey, a homeowner was rescued from a fire after a pet poodle named Squilliam woke them up. In New York, police say a man apparently fell to his death during a rock concert at Madison Square Garden. In the Middle East U.S. and Iranian negotiators have opened another round of talks in Switzerland, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators, as officials try to keep a fragile ceasefire from slipping apart. President Trump added some pressure of his own, warning Iran of destruction if it closes the Strait of Hormuz and floating U.S. control of the chokepoint. In entertainment Toy Story 5 opened with $160 million at the North American box office, setting a franchise weekend record and landing as the biggest domestic debut of the year.

In the Middle East and markets Talks in Switzerland are trying to turn the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire into something more durable, with Vice President JD Vance arriving as negotiators face a familiar problem: the war has slowed, but the mess it created is still doing laps. The immediate risk to global energy supplies has eased, with signs that the Strait of Hormuz is reopening, yet analysts say the economic damage from months of conflict will take time to unwind. The agreement is already splitting Republicans ahead of the midterms, with some hailing lower gas prices and a weakened Iranian military, while others question whether the deal actually meets Trump’s stated goals. Meanwhile, the war’s cost to the Pentagon is estimated at about $40 billion, and farmers are seeing some relief as diesel and fertilizer prices ease, even if the broader hit to their finances is already locked in. There is also a warning sign in the background: the war in Lebanon threatens to pull attention away from Iran’s nuclear program just as the talks begin. In the U.S. Police in Crystal Palace have launched a murder investigation after the arrest of a 30-year-old man on suspicion of murder. Officials have not released further details. At the Grand Canyon, visitors are being warned that extreme heat is set to return early next week after a rise in heat-related incidents in the inner canyon, including the deaths of three hikers. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat watch. In Britain Disruption from Friday’s train collision in Bedford is expected to continue until Thursday, with police saying 28 people are still in hospital. Rail services are likely to remain affected for several more days while the fallout is sorted out.

In U.S.-Iran talks U.S. and Iranian officials are in Switzerland for high-stakes talks, with Vice President JD Vance saying the aim is to make progress on the nuclear issue and on a Lebanon ceasefire. The meeting is being framed as a push to reinforce the existing memorandum of understanding, with Lebanon also high on the agenda. Iran is meanwhile condemning Israeli strikes on Lebanon as violations of the interim deal. In Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Tyumen region, more than 2,000 kilometers from the border, and said Ukraine now has new long-range drones with a range of more than 3,000 kilometers. Reports from Siberia described smoke and fire at the site, while attacks were also reported on Russian-held targets in occupied Crimea. At the same time, Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine killed three people and wounded 22. In the UK A report says the UK asylum appeals system now faces a backlog equal to 44,000 years of waiting time, with 38,866 claims still to be processed and an average appeal judgment time of 14 months. It puts the cost of the wider system at about £80 million a year. The Home Office says it has already cut the initial asylum backlog and plans further reforms to speed up appeals and removals. Separately, Bectu says scores of film producer Alan Latham’s companies have been struck off the Companies House register, leaving some workers unable to pursue unpaid fees. The producer has also previously faced questions over his use of tax credits.

In international news Police in Victoria, Australia, have charged a third man in the December 2024 arson attack on Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue. In Norway, the government has opened consultation on a bill that would ban trade with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. And Cuba’s parliament has approved 174 economic reforms in a week, the biggest policy shift there in 15 years, though the details are still thin. In the U.S. A Boeing 747-200 has made its final flight as Air Force One after bringing President Trump home from Europe, as the Air Force unveiled the newer 747-8 that is expected to enter service after commissioning flights. Separately, California Governor Gavin Newsom brushed off reported Justice Department investigations involving him and his wife, daring the White House to “go after” him. And federal prosecutors say Mark Milk, whose life sentence was commuted by Kristi Noem in 2023, has now been charged in the death of his 14-year-old niece, along with a second man accused of helping conceal evidence. In crime and court cases Los Angeles police detained a streamer identified by other online creators as StomperIRL after shots were fired into a crowd of thousands at a World Cup watch party. One fan suffered a leg wound. In Massachusetts, passengers described the Bedford train crash scene as looking and feeling like a bomb went off. Meanwhile, Canadian auto parts mogul Frank Stronach, 93, has been found guilty of sexual assault and indecent assault for conduct dating back decades.

In Ukraine and Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia after a new wave of deadly strikes, while Ukraine also carried out a major drone attack on Moscow that set part of the city’s largest oil refinery on fire and sent a fuel storage vessel bursting into the air. Kyiv is signaling, again, that it can still reach deep into Russia. In the Middle East Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to renew a ceasefire, according to officials, after days of fighting threatened to derail wider diplomacy. Even so, reports say there has been fresh Israeli air activity in southern Lebanon, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing political backlash at home and criticism from the United States over the continued strikes. Separately, far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir drew condemnation after saying “all of Lebanon must burn” following the killing of four Israeli soldiers. In Europe Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rejected Donald Trump’s claim that she begged him for a photo at the G7, saying, “Italy and I never beg.” Italy’s foreign minister then canceled a planned trip to the United States, turning what should have been a photo-op into a diplomatic spat. European leaders are also calling for tighter coordination against the bloc’s illegal drug market, estimated at €31 billion, while the UK government is facing fresh scrutiny over Heathrow’s planned third runway after analysis suggested it would add far less to GDP than previously claimed. In business and technology Apple is expected to raise prices across its iPhone, MacBook and iPad lines as chip shortages keep costs elevated. In Los Angeles, local officials say David Ellison’s $111 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger could put about 2,500 county jobs at risk, with another 6,000 threatened worldwide. In the Americas Cuba’s power crisis continues to leave millions without electricity for long periods, as the country keeps improvising its way through an energy system that sounds less like infrastructure and more like a survival exercise.

In international diplomacy Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland have been postponed, according to Swiss officials, adding another wrinkle to already fragile negotiations. The meeting at Bürgenstock was meant as a follow-up round, but no new date was announced. The wider picture is not encouraging, with renewed strikes in the region and the usual mix of diplomacy and delay doing its best impression of a strategy. Separately, South Korea’s president said Trump raised North Korea at the G7 and suggested it was time to focus on the issue, though no details were given on what that approach would actually be. In Britain Britain’s information commissioner, John Edwards, has resigned after admitting poor judgment in a conduct investigation. He said his position had become untenable and that he did not want to distract from the regulator’s work. Deputy commissioner Paul Arnold will handle the office’s statutory duties in the meantime. In technology and science Researchers from China and Japan say they have developed a flexible, all-organic brain implant that kept 94 percent of its signal after 18 months in rabbit tests. The team says the device is thin, highly conductive, and designed to move more naturally with soft brain tissue, which is the sort of engineering goal that sounds simple until you remember what brains are made of. In U.S. government and institutions The Boeing jet that has served as Air Force One for more than 35 years is nearing retirement, marking a handoff for one of the most recognizable aircraft in the presidency. The timing also leaves Trump waiting on a replacement jet donated by Qatar, which is a very specific way to update a symbol of national power.

In the Middle East Four Israeli soldiers were killed when a tank was hit during an operation near Kfar Tebnit, as fighting in Lebanon intensified. An Israeli minister then said, “All of Lebanon must burn,” which is the sort of language that tends to make diplomacy harder, not easier. That broader tension is also feeding into markets. Brent crude rose as traders watched the fighting in Lebanon and slow traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, talks tied to a U.S.-Iran peace deal were postponed after the Iranian delegation refused to travel to Switzerland, with Pakistani mediators now saying any signing may happen remotely. In Europe and around the Channel A Russian frigate has returned to the English Channel after firing warning shots near a British couple’s yacht off the Isle of Wight. The ship was escorting a sanctioned tanker, while the Royal Navy monitored the movement. Britain says the tanker is part of Russia’s shadow fleet and is carrying Russian oil illegally. In the UK UK government borrowing in May came in higher than economists expected, adding fresh pressure on the public finances. Separately, the probation union Napo says excessive workloads are putting the public at direct risk in England and Wales, and it is warning of industrial action as ministers prepare to release and monitor tens of thousands more prisoners this autumn. In business and trade Washington has opened a trade investigation into Germany over medicine prices, accusing Berlin of keeping the prices it pays for new drugs too low while U.S. buyers pay much more. If the probe finds Germany’s policies unfair, the White House could move toward tariffs. And in London’s tech world, Julie Meyer’s former partners are describing unpaid bills, missing money, and broken promises. The details are messy, which is usually not a great sign for a business story, or for the people left holding the invoices.

In international news At the G7 summit, U.S. allies are trying to push Ukraine back up President Trump’s agenda as the war drags on more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Trump, meanwhile, has said the conflict is not a priority for him and that his focus is on Iran, a helpful way to describe a major European war as someone else’s problem. Iran’s top diplomat said any deal ending the war with the U.S. would also need Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. The U.S. has not said whether Lebanon is part of the final agreement. In Russia, a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the Irkutsk region, apparently after an engine failure. Officials said the aircraft was unarmed, the crew ejected safely, and four people were taken to hospital. Separately, the U.S. is trying to catch up as an Ebola outbreak spreads, a reminder that global health gaps tend to become everyone’s problem sooner or later. In U.S. news Luigi Mangione is due back in a New York courtroom Tuesday morning after a secret hearing earlier this month in his state murder case, with the judge offering no public explanation for why it was held behind closed doors. Federal authorities say they disrupted a potential drone threat aimed at the White House UFC event, with FBI Director Kash Patel saying the case led to multiple arrests after investigators picked up the chatter through Signal chats on June 10. In Pennsylvania Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled that skill games count as slot machines under the state Gaming Act and the Crimes Code, overturning a Commonwealth Court decision it called deeply flawed. The case centers on Pace-O-Matic, which has spent years insisting the machines are something else entirely. Scrutiny is also growing over more than $1 million in improvements to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s private home, even as the state has already spent more than $30 million on security upgrades at the Governor’s Residence after last year’s arson attack. Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is challenging Shapiro, is pressing the issue. In Montgomery County, JBS Beef Plant in Souderton has filed a WARN notice saying its Pennsylvania locations will close this summer, putting 1,485 workers at risk of losing their jobs. In Philadelphia’s Wissinoming neighborhood, police say a man was shot during a parking dispute, the suspected shooter remained at the scene and is cooperating, and his handgun has been recovered. In business Rolls-Royce SMR has won a multi-billion-pound contract to build three small modular nuclear reactors for Sweden, a major step in its push to become a leading supplier of the technology in Europe. SpaceX completed the largest initial public offering in U.S. corporate history, with shares pricing at $135 and then jumping sharply on the first two trading days. Early investors, including Larry Ellison, Jack Dorsey, and a Saudi prince, got the kind of paper gains that make billionaires sound like they found a coupon in the sofa.

In the English Channel British forces have boarded a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in what the government says was the first UK-led operation of its kind. Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officers spent six hours on the vessel, the SMYRTOS, with support from helicopters, an RAF P-8 aircraft, and Royal Navy ships. The tanker is now being held off the south coast while investigators continue their work. London says the move is aimed at Russia’s shadow fleet and the oil revenue feeding the war in Ukraine. In sports The New York Knicks have won their first NBA championship since 1973, beating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90. New York has waited a while for this one, and the parade planning can probably begin before the confetti settles.

In the Middle East The US and Iran exchanged another round of strikes, and Tehran said a ceasefire was now “practically meaningless” as the crisis widened. Iranian attacks were reported toward Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, while India’s shipping minister said three Indian seafarers were killed in a US strike on an oil tanker earlier this week. A sea drone was also used to rescue two US Army aviators after they were apparently shot down by Iran. In Belfast Police said 16 people have been arrested and two charged after a second night of disorder in Belfast, with 12 officers injured, including some hit by petrol bombs. Residents say they are afraid to stay in their homes, and one nurse was confronted by masked men on her way to work. A van was also reported set alight and pushed toward a house. In Britain Jess Turnbull, a 19-year-old police officer, has died from injuries suffered in a crash. The chief constable said she had so much ahead of her in her life and career. John Healey has resigned from the Cabinet over a dispute on defence funding, saying the government’s investment plan falls short of what Britain needs. In his resignation letter, he argued the settlement leaves defence spending at 2.68% of GDP by 2030, below the 3% he says is needed to meet rising threats. In health A new ovarian cancer drug, mirvetuximab soravtansine, has been approved for NHS use in England for certain patients with treatment-resistant disease. It is the first new drug for hard-to-treat ovarian cancer in more than 20 years, and trials found it helped delay progression and improve survival compared with more chemotherapy. In tech and work A new survey says most workers expect AI to cut jobs rather than create them, as companies adopt the technology more aggressively and layoffs begin to bite. Separately, UK regulators have ordered Google to change its AI-powered news summaries, in a move that could shift more power back toward publishers. In North America Canada has introduced legislation that would bar children under 16 from using social media unless platforms meet new safety requirements. If passed, it would put the country among the strictest on online access for young users. In sports business The 2026 World Cup is already running into trouble before a ball is kicked, with visa denials, longer inspections and disputed entries causing problems at borders, consular offices and US airports. ITV, meanwhile, says the expanded tournament will be its most lucrative sports event ever, with ad revenue projected at about 30% more than Euro 2024. In aviation One year after the Air India crash that killed 260 people, the sole survivor says he is still living with the trauma and remains frustrated by the lack of a clear explanation for what caused the disaster.

In Belfast Anti-immigration protests continued in Belfast, where police used a water cannon on demonstrators after days of unrest triggered by a knife attack that left one man with life-changing injuries. The slogan “Take Our Country Back” has spread across social media, and the row has now pulled in outside voices, including criticism that Elon Musk helped inflame tensions online. In business UK drivers facing complaints about car finance could be waiting until 2027 for compensation, after the Financial Conduct Authority warned that legal challenges may delay its redress scheme. Four firms, including Volkswagen Financial Services UK and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK, have launched action, and the regulator says its scheme is still the quickest route. European markets opened cautiously ahead of an expected European Central Bank rate hike, as investors weighed inflation pressures, including higher energy costs linked to the Iran conflict. In the Middle East The International Atomic Energy Agency has demanded that Iran provide information on its nuclear stockpile, after Tehran denounced a US-backed resolution as politically motivated and said it could complicate ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, the US and Iran exchanged strikes across the Middle East for a second day. Iran says it responded by targeting American assets in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, while Bahrain reported damage in its capital overnight. Separate to that, the US military attacked a Palau-flagged oil tanker after accusing it of failing to comply with directions, and three Indian sailors were killed in the strike. In culture Barcelona’s Sagrada Família has finally reached the height Antoni Gaudí intended, with completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ bringing the basilica closer than ever to the design he left unfinished in 1926.

In the Middle East U.S. Central Command says its latest airstrikes were a response to what it called Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression.” Iran, for its part, said it hit ships in the Strait of Hormuz after those strikes. The back-and-forth leaves one of the world’s most important shipping lanes looking, once again, far too central to other people’s messaging. In East Asia South Korea’s National Cyber Security Center says North Korea is using agentic AI to scale cyberattacks, taking advantage of aging systems and newly exposed vulnerabilities. Separately, Taiwan is weighing tighter controls on AI chip exports to China, including possible criminal penalties for smuggling advanced hardware based on Nvidia chips. In South Korea, the audit agency says farm policy funds helped only five of 71 struggling agricultural companies recover, while also increasing their dependence on public money. Senior U.S. human rights officials visiting South Korea also met with families of South Koreans detained or abducted by North Korea, keeping the long-running detainee issue in view, if still unresolved. In business and industry Samsung Heavy has finalized a $2.9 billion contract for the Delfin floating LNG project in Washington, a step toward what would be the first U.S. floating LNG export project. HD Hyundai has also signed an agreement with UBC to research AI-based ship design, autonomous navigation, and advanced naval vessels. Heavy industry, with a side order of automation, which is exactly where all the optimism and all the liability are heading. In science and climate Researchers using a submersible have mapped a vast whale fossil field in the Diamantina Zone of the southeastern Indian Ocean. The seafloor site stretches about 1,200 kilometers, contains 476 whale fossils and five active whale falls, and includes remains dating back roughly 5.3 million years. The find could offer new clues about whale evolution and deep-sea ecosystems. Separate climate research says Earth’s energy imbalance, the amount of solar energy the planet absorbs versus what it sends back into space, has doubled in recent decades to record levels. Most of the excess heat is going into the oceans, intensifying warming, sea-level rise, and marine heatwaves. A related study says offshore wind zones in southern Australia should stay broadly reliable over the next 30 to 50 years, even as climate change shifts some wind patterns.

In U.S. politics President Trump said he is happy with inflation at a three-year high, even as prices continue to squeeze households and rattle some of his own allies. In Maine, Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has gone on the offensive with an ad attacking the political establishment, saying it has a “love of Jeffrey Epstein and a hatred of me.” Separately, Bill Gates told lawmakers in closed-door testimony that Epstein wanted a personal relationship with him and that he did not reciprocate. In the Middle East Trump said he ordered a secret U.S. operation to help move more than 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, part of an effort to protect commercial shipping in the region. In Lebanon, an Israeli strike hit a car in Sidon, killing two people and setting it on fire. In courts and violent crime A British man convicted on nine charges, including rape and sexual assault, remains a fugitive in Bosnia after being wrongly freed from HMP Wormwood Scrubs. Prosecutors say Bernadin Dedic was released after a court official mixed up his digital file and entered him as granted bail. In Louisiana, former mayor Misty Roberts has been sentenced to 90 days after being convicted of statutory rape and indecent behavior with a juvenile. She had faced up to 17 years. Three people linked to ISIS ideology have been convicted in South Africa over the 2018 murders of British botanists Rod and Rachel Saunders. The case crossed borders, and the financial trail helped lead investigators to the suspects. In Belfast, a man has been charged with attempted murder after a knife attack, as unrest continued in Northern Ireland for a second night. Police and community leaders have condemned the disturbances. In public safety and regulation The FBI searched a Southern California aerospace facility after a chemical tank incident that triggered a mass evacuation last month. Authorities say the warrant covers records tied to methyl methacrylate, which overheated and forced about 50,000 people to leave amid fears of an explosion. In Cuba Cuba says U.S. sanctions are blocking UN aid deliveries and worsening the island’s most severe economic and energy crisis in decades. Officials there blame the pressure campaign for making an already fragile situation worse.

In the Middle East President Trump says Iran has now gone too far and will “pay the price” after missile and drone strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Iran said it would reassess diplomatic engagement with Washington, while Gulf neighbors and Jordan activated air defenses. No immediate damage to the bases was reported. In Britain Keir Starmer condemned the violence in Belfast as shocking and unacceptable after overnight unrest linked to protests over a man charged with attempted murder. Fires broke out across the city, including a bus set alight and cars torched, and residents were evacuated as firefighters dealt with dozens of incidents. Police are investigating, and Starmer said those responsible, and anyone who encouraged the disorder, will face the full force of the law. Separately, the House of Lords has approved regulations to double the fee local authorities pay to process Clean Air Zone transactions, from £2 to £4, starting in September 2026. Ministers say it is about cost recovery, critics call it another stealth tax on motorists, and the charging period has now been extended to 2031. In business Anant Ambani, the Reliance executive director and heir to one of Asia’s richest families, is linked to a reported $100 million transfer to a Texas startup in which Donald Trump Jr. secretly held a stake. The deal came four months after Trump Jr. was seen dancing with Ambani in India. In the U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace has lost South Carolina’s Republican governor primary by a wide margin, ending a rise that once made her look like a serious force in the party. Former aides and allies describe a run marked by opportunism, attention-seeking, and repeated clashes with people who might have been useful if she’d been less committed to the performance of politics. In tech and courts Elon Musk’s xAI and SpaceX are facing a Mississippi lawsuit from residents who say a power plant serving nearby data centers has brought relentless noise and vibrations to their area. The federal case, filed in Oxford, could cover more than 10,000 people. Separately, Airbus and Quantum Systems say they are exploring drone interceptors for military helicopters, starting with the H145M.

In the Middle East The United States has carried out strikes against Iran after an American patrol helicopter was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump said the helicopter was brought down by Iran and vowed a response, while officials said the crash is still under investigation. In the Americas Bolivia has authorized military measures in response to nationwide protests. The government has given little detail on what those measures will look like. In U.S. court news, Karmelo Anthony has been convicted of murder after a coach testified that he heard him say, “I stabbed him,” following a confrontation under stadium bleachers at a high school athletic event. In Britain and Ireland A 14-year-old girl has been arrested after three people were injured in a stabbing at a secondary school in north Manchester. Police have not released further details. In Belfast, the Islamic Centre has cancelled communal evening prayers after police warned the next 24 hours could be critical following a stabbing in north Belfast and disorder elsewhere in the city. Authorities are still trying to contain the unrest and assess the risk of more trouble. In Europe The Balearic Islands are considering a ban on burkas and niqabs in public, with fines for repeat offenders that could reach £25,000. Backers say it is part of a security crackdown, while critics in the regional parliament have called it racist. In Rome, students at a school near the Colosseum uncovered a second-century Roman villa beneath their sports hall, complete with frescoes, stucco, a mosaic, and dozens of boxes of artefacts. Officials plan further study and restoration, with possible public access later on.

In the United States In Athens, Georgia, four men have been sentenced in the shooting that killed 3-year-old Kyron Santino Zarco Smith and wounded his 9-year-old brother. Three received life sentences after convictions for malice murder and related charges, while 19-year-old Julian Cubillos pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and got 20 years. Prosecutors said the group was targeting a rival gang member, and the family said the verdicts brought some measure of relief after a long wait for justice. Separately, Justice Samuel Alito is taking criticism over complaints about the tone used in a civil rights case, a striking standard from a justice who is not known for brevity when the subject is, say, everyone else. In Texas, Houston defense attorney Dan Cogdell, who helped defend Ken Paxton in his impeachment trial and securities fraud case, has now endorsed Paxton’s Senate opponent, state Rep. James Talarico. It is a tidy reminder that even legal alliances have expiration dates. In Britain Rural Post Offices say they could be forced to close after business rates rise by £29 million over the next year. Around 600 branches that were previously exempt are being brought into liability after an April revaluation, and the smallest outlets are facing the biggest increases. The Post Office says the system is unfair to independent postmasters, while the Treasury says wider reforms are already under way. Nationwide has nearly doubled chief executive Debbie Crosbie’s pay to £4.7 million, helped by £3.2 million in bonus payouts. The increase comes a year after the board backed its bonus scheme following the Virgin Money takeover, which is a very modern way of saying the deal went well for management. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also pressing tech firms to do more to protect children online, with a focus on stopping harmful content and the sharing of explicit images. The message is simple enough, even if the platforms will likely need several slides and a task force to pretend they misunderstood it. In public safety The sons of Nottingham attack victim Ian Coates have criticized the emergency response to Valdo Calocane’s attack, saying their father lay there for 15 hours and calling the response “utterly disgusting.” They say the inquiry raised troubling questions about officers being told to stand down and CCTV not being reviewed properly until later. In the southern Philippines, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed at least four people, injured more than 200, and triggered a 3-foot tsunami. Authorities reported destruction and damage in a large coastal city, and the situation remains serious. Consumer alerts Target is voluntarily recalling some baby wipes over possible bacterial contamination. The company has not provided further details yet, but the label “baby wipes” is probably not supposed to become a health warning. And one lighter turn On a Tennessee highway, a truck caught fire and its load of fireworks exploded in the roadway. Travelers got the full display without buying a ticket, which is not the usual customer experience anyone asks for.

In U.S. politics and security Fox News host Jesse Watters deleted a clip after claiming the CIA had “raided” Tulsi Gabbard’s office, following pushback from Gabbard’s team. Separately, emails show FBI Director Kash Patel took a VIP snorkeling trip at the USS Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor, a place where snorkeling and diving are generally off-limits. A Navy spokesperson confirmed the outing, though not who arranged it, which is the part that would matter. The FBI is also offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Monica Witt, the former Air Force intelligence specialist indicted on espionage charges in 2019. Officials say she defected to Iran in 2013 and passed national defense information to the Iranian government. In Washington and Beijing On the first day of his visit to Beijing, President Trump emphasized his personal relationship with Xi Jinping and praised him as a “great leader.” Xi, for his part, moved quickly past the formal welcome and set out limits for the relationship. Friendly words got a prominent airing, but the boundaries came through just as clearly. In public safety U.S. Air Force footage shows 11 people being rescued after a private plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Florida. No further details were provided.

In UK politics and the economy Rachel Reeves says the government’s economic plan is working after UK growth came in better than expected at 0.6% in the first quarter. She said Britain is in a stronger position to handle the costs linked to the Iran war, and promised more detail next week on support for households and businesses facing higher living costs and conflict pressure. Meanwhile, Labour is trying to project calm after a poor set of local election results and a fresh round of leadership speculation. Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray dismissed talk of a move against Keir Starmer, saying no contest has been triggered and warning that a leadership battle would create instability. The party’s message, for now, is that it would prefer delivery to a very public internal dispute. An ambitious plan, given the timetable. In Britain’s security headlines A second man has been charged over the suspected arson attack at a former synagogue in Tower Hamlets, east London. Police say the fire was deliberately lit early on 5 May, caused minor damage, and injured no one. A man and a woman have also been arrested in the case, with the woman released on bail. The charge was brought by counter-terror police, which tells you the authorities are taking the case seriously. On the roads in Staffordshire A serious crash and fuel spill have closed the northbound M6 between junctions 14 and 15, with delays of up to two hours. Police are investigating, while National Highways and specialist contractors deal with the spill and damaged barrier. Traffic caught in the closure is being released in lane four, and drivers are being told to follow diversions or wait it out. War in Ukraine Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight left one person dead, officials said, after rescuers in Kyiv searched through a residential building hit in the attack. The wider assault struck multiple areas, again underlining that Moscow’s idea of diplomacy remains impressively crude. Abroad President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing is drawing close attention as he meets President Xi Jinping on trade and security. European governments are watching nervously to see where they fit in whatever comes out of the talks, which is never a comforting sentence for anyone making long-term plans.

In U.S. news U.S. wholesale prices rose 6% last month, a sharp jump that adds pressure on companies already dealing with weak demand and squeezed customers. If that cost starts moving through the system, shoppers will feel it next. The Senate also confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve chair, replacing Jerome Powell after months of Trump criticism. In politics Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has called a special legislative session for June 17 to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional maps, with the state moving ahead after the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act framework. In North Carolina, Rep. Chuck Edwards faces accusations that a female staffer feared retaliation after she declined a dinner invitation from him. The details are still unfolding, but the pattern is depressingly familiar. In crime and public safety Police in Columbus, Ohio, say 28-year-old Markus Say Yeanay killed his neighbor, wrapped the body in a rug, and buried it under mulch in his yard. He has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence, and investigators say they recovered blood and possible weapons from the home. In Arkansas, health officials say a death has been linked to a new opioid that is even stronger than fentanyl, and the drug has already shown up in several other states, including Tennessee, where it has been tied to more than 40 overdose deaths. That is not the kind of product line anyone should be scaling. In courts and international affairs An alleged administrator of the Dream Market criminal marketplace has been arrested in Germany after a U.S. indictment. Dream Market, launched in 2013, grew into one of the largest online criminal bazaars before law enforcement caught up with the alleged operator. In Britain, Elias Calocane’s brother told an inquiry he felt powerless over his brother’s mental health crisis and believed violent messages were about suicide, not harm to others. Valdo Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, killed Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates in Nottingham in 2023 and seriously injured three others. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the UAE during the war with Iran and met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, according to his office.

In the Middle East Israel’s Knesset has unanimously passed a death penalty law covering Palestinians convicted of the worst crimes tied to the Oct. 7 attacks. The move is aimed at cases the government defines as genocide, and it lands in the middle of a war that has already turned lawmaking into another front. Separately, Israeli authorities say they have charged at least 60 people with spying for Iran, with prosecutors alleging they were recruited through Telegram channels. And in Turkey, the renovated Halki Theological School is still waiting for permission to reopen, despite work expected to finish in September. The building may be ready. The approval, less so. In health and science The World Health Organization says more hantavirus cases are likely after a deadly outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius. Health agencies are tracing passengers and monitoring possible exposures across several countries. On a less grim note, scientists in China say they have engineered a bacteria-based plastic that can be broken down on command. The material uses dormant bacteria embedded in the plastic, which can be activated to reduce it to basic components under the right conditions. If it scales, that would be a rare development in plastics that does not involve simply blaming consumers for using them. In Europe Keir Starmer says he is not resigning, even as pressure builds in Westminster. Ministers have lined up behind him for now, while his team avoids answering the obvious follow-up: whether he would only go if forced into a formal leadership challenge. In business Lufthansa says it will raise its stake in ITA Airways to 90 percent in a €325 million deal, which would give the German airline majority control of the Italian carrier.

In UK markets Used petrol and diesel cars still dominate the UK second-hand market, making up 88.2% of sales in the first quarter. More than two million used cars changed hands, but the market still slipped 0.2% year on year and ended 12 straight quarters of growth. Used battery EV sales rose 32% to nearly 87,000, though they were still only 4.3% of the market. The industry says that should prompt a rethink on the pace of the transition, while the government is still calling the used EV numbers a record high. UK government borrowing costs also jumped at the open, with 30-year gilt yields up 10 basis points to 5.78% and 10-year yields up 8.5 basis points to 5.089%. The pound fell 0.5% against the dollar. In UK public services Analysts say it is hard to verify whether Palantir is complying with the terms of its NHS contract, adding to concerns about oversight and security in the health service. Separately, parish councils across England are set to raise £941 million next year through local tax precepts, an 8.2% increase. Around nine million households already pay the charge on top of council tax, and the average Band D parish precept has now reached £100 for the first time. In UK politics Darren Jones said Keir Starmer is listening to colleagues as pressure builds ahead of a critical cabinet meeting. He would not say whether Starmer will remain in post, and did not rule out the prime minister setting out a resignation timetable. In Ukraine Food shortages are worsening on the front lines, with photos showing emaciated Ukrainian troops and reports that Russian soldiers are also receiving meager rations. The supply crisis is adding more strain to an already brutal war. In sports Scottish track cyclist Katie Archibald has announced her immediate retirement. The 32-year-old won Olympic gold in Rio and Tokyo, along with multiple world, European and Commonwealth titles, and will not compete in July’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

In the U.S. The Supreme Court has kept access to the abortion pill in place for now, extending the current status until at least Thursday. In Washington, the Trump administration has also proposed a Labor Department rule that would make it easier for employers to offer fertility treatment coverage, including IVF, as a separate benefit. A new Pew poll adds a familiar piece of bad news for American households: 73 percent now say health care costs are a very big problem, up from last year. In Europe The European Union agreed to sanction Israeli settlers in the West Bank over violence against Palestinians. It also imposed sanctions on 16 Russian officials accused of helping abduct Ukrainian children. Different conflicts, same Brussels blunt instrument. In business A JPMorgan Chase-led group of banks has tightened the credit line for KKR’s private credit fund as losses continue to mount. The fund has become one of the most visible pressure points in private credit. In Bolivia A criminal court has ordered the arrest of former President Evo Morales after he failed to appear for a trial on charges tied to the alleged trafficking of a minor. The court held him in contempt, and the case now moves further into the kind of political and legal turmoil Bolivia has plenty of experience with. In New Jersey A South Jersey community is supporting the family of a 7-year-old boy who was killed after being struck by a school bus in Gibbstown, near his home. Authorities have not released more detail, and this remains a tragedy first and foremost.

In UK politics Catherine West has stepped back from forcing an immediate Labour leadership contest after Keir Starmer’s reset speech. She still called it “too little, too late”, but instead of trying to gather the 81 MP nominations needed to trigger a challenge, she now wants a letter asking No. 10 for a timetable for Starmer to go. That lowers the pressure for now, though it probably does not end it. In Washington and Taiwan Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping is arriving at a sensitive moment for Taiwan, which is under renewed pressure from Beijing. Trump approved an $11 billion arms package for the island in December, but delivery has not yet moved ahead, and he says he discussed the sale with Xi. The usual reassuring diplomacy, with an arms package sitting in the middle of it. In tech and business Nvidia chief Jensen Huang told Carnegie Mellon graduates they are starting their careers at the beginning of the AI revolution, which is a flattering way to describe a labor market where AI is also helping thin the ranks elsewhere in tech. Meanwhile, Cloudflare said it is cutting 1,100 jobs in an AI-driven restructuring even after beating revenue and earnings forecasts, and its shares still fell more than 20%. In Europe Greece has unveiled a new plan to curb overtourism, attract investment, and protect sensitive areas, with ministers saying tourism must continue without stripping the islands of what makes them distinct. In Sweden, police say two people were arrested over alleged exports of military goods to Russia in breach of sanctions. And Norway has paused funding to the U.N. Environment Programme, adding pressure to already stalled talks on a global plastics treaty. In health and travel Two passengers from the MV Hondius have tested positive for hantavirus after the cruise ship was evacuated in the Canary Islands, and a third passenger is showing symptoms. One French woman’s condition has worsened in hospital, and some of the American passengers flown to Nebraska are being monitored or quarantined. Health officials say the wider public risk remains low, but the outbreak has already killed three people.

In U.S. news Connecticut has passed what legal experts say is the country’s most restrictive law on AI companion chatbots for minors, barring companies from offering erotic or sexually explicit chatbot interactions to users under 18. And a fact check on Sen. Ron Johnson’s claim that COVID vaccines killed 3.9 million Americans found the figure rests on flawed arithmetic, a misused study and a misunderstanding of what the federal surveillance system actually measures. In other words, the numbers did not survive contact with reality. Separately, Betty Broderick, who was convicted of killing her ex-husband and his new wife in 1989 and later became the subject of a Netflix series, has died in prison. In Britain Keir Starmer says he wants to stay prime minister for a full 10 years and lead Labour into the next election, despite pressure after the local election losses. He is still talking up closer ties with the EU, including a possible youth mobility deal, while ruling out rejoining the bloc, the customs union or the single market. In London, thousands gathered outside Downing Street for a rally against antisemitism, responding to a rise in antisemitic hate crimes and violence. The event drew Jewish groups, senior politicians and interfaith leaders, with one Labour representative met by boos and chants of “Where is Keir?” In business Mike Ashley has admitted that people working for him recorded footage of then-JD Sports chair Peter Cowgill meeting Footasylum boss Barry Bown in 2021, during JD Sports’ attempted takeover of Footasylum. The companies were not allowed to share commercially sensitive information at the time, which is the sort of detail regulators tend to notice. In entertainment The Devil Wears Prada 2 stayed No. 1 at the domestic box office with $43 million, while Mortal Kombat II opened with $40 million. Hollywood remains committed to proving that sequels are the closest thing the industry has to a renewable resource. In world news Countries are airlifting their nationals off the virus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after an outbreak that has killed three people and infected several others, with Spanish passengers among the first to leave. Meanwhile, the U.S. is pushing the UN Security Council for a resolution condemning Iranian restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington working alongside Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait on the effort.

In U.S. news A child was fatally struck by a school bus in Greenwich Township, South Jersey, after getting off the bus near Bennett Avenue and Ashton Drive on Friday afternoon. Neighbors gave CPR at the scene, and the district has opened counseling and other support, with mental health professionals on site and a therapy dog at Clonmell United Methodist Church over the weekend. Both district schools will also have mental health support starting Monday while police and the bus company continue their reviews. In Denver, a Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian who was on the runway as the aircraft was taking off from Denver International Airport. Authorities have not released more details yet. In health and travel Experts say the CDC has been unusually quiet as a hantavirus outbreak involving Americans on a cruise ship develops overseas. The WHO handled the risk assessment first, while the CDC later sent teams to Spain’s Canary Islands and Nebraska and issued a health alert to U.S. doctors. The agency says the risk to the public is extremely low, but critics see the episode as another sign of a weakened public-health response. Passengers from the virus-hit MV Hondius are also being flown back to the UK and will isolate in hospital after the ship docks in the Canary Islands. In Europe Péter Magyar has been sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister after a landslide election win, ending 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s rule. He says officials seen as remnants of the old order should leave their posts by the end of May, including President Tamás Sulyok. In Spain, Europe Day was marked with a look back at 40 years since the country joined the European Economic Community, a milestone that reshaped its modern political and economic path. In business and aviation Apple has reached a preliminary deal for Intel to manufacture some of Apple’s chip designs, according to the Wall Street Journal. The move would give Apple more supply capacity, while Washington keeps pressing Intel to expand its foundry business, though the specific products and terms have not been disclosed. Separately, an EasyJet passenger from Merseyside has received a suspended prison sentence after admitting he was drunk and disruptive on a flight from Sharm el-Sheikh to Liverpool. The court ordered unpaid work, rehabilitation, and costs.