Minimalist News

Exxon Wins Big As Supreme Court Revives Cuba Seizure Case The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Exxon Mobil can move forward with its lawsuit against Cuban state-owned oil companies over assets seized after Fidel Castro came to power, reopening a dispute tied to Cuba’s 1960 nationalizations, according to CNN . The 6-3 decision comes as President Donald Trump has taken a more aggressive stance toward Havana. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority, with the Court’s liberal justices dissenting. CNN writes that the ruling is part of a broader wave of legal and political pressure on Cuba. In May, the

Is Trump 2.0's 'Escalation' Strategy Against Russia Starting To Take Shape? Authored by Andrew Korybko, The US is preparing to radically intensify the Ukrainian Conflict over the coming year... Trump’s decision to sign the “ G7 leaders’ joint statement on geopolitical issues ” calling for more arms to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia signaled that he’ll now “ escalate to de-escalate ” (E2DE) through a “ war of attrition ” waged by Ukraine. The EU will back this campaign to the hilt and Trump 2.0 will seek to obtain control over Russia’s natural resources companies as its top goal via

China’s Crackdown Threatens Hong Kong’s IPO Boom And Offshore Wealth China’s latest push to choke off capital flight is starting to hit Hong Kong right where it hurts, according to a new feature from Bloomberg . For years, the city has served as the main offshore escape valve for mainland wealth — the place where Chinese founders, executives and wealthy families parked money, opened private bank accounts, bought property and set up family offices. Now Beijing is tightening that channel, raising questions about whether Hong Kong can remain Asia’s go-to offshore wealth hub. Bloomberg writes that the latest measures include

Supreme Court Strikes Down Hawaii's Gun Restrictions In Major Second Amendment Case Authored by Stacy Robinson & Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times , The U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 on June 25 to strike down a Hawaii gun law that banned residents from carrying concealed weapons in privately owned public places, such as gas stations and shopping malls, without permission from the owners. The Supreme Court in Washington on June 23, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times The majority opinion in Wolford v. Lopez was authored by Justice Samuel Alito. Justices Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented

Mark Carney Seeks "New World Order" That Excludes The US It's rare to hear the phrase "new world order" spoken publicly in the post-pandemic world where globalists ultimately failed to implement their spectacular covid coup. In 2020, they were everywhere in the media bragging about the takeover; reveling in the vast geopolitical and economic changes that would come with their "4th Industrial Revolution". Today, there's barely a whisper of these concepts beyond closed doors. High-level globalist and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, however, didn't get the memo. His policy initiatives in the great white north are perhaps even more authoritarian

YouTube Settles With Florida Teen Alleging Social Media Addiction Harms Ahead Of California Trial Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times , Google's YouTube has settled a lawsuit brought by a 16-year-old Florida boy who says the platform's features played a role in his social media addiction and harmed his mental health. A 12-year-old boy watches YouTube on his smartphone on March 27, 2026. Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images The settlement was reached ahead of a second California state court trial set to start on July 27. That trial will review similar allegations against Meta Platforms' Instagram, Snap Inc.'s Snapchat, and

China Eyes Iran's Postwar Reconstruction In Bid To Lock Up Future Oil Supplies Beijing is positioning itself to lead the post-war reconstruction effort in Tehran - a move analysts suggest could secure China long-term access to critical Iranian oil reserves. The diplomatic groundwork was laid during a recent meeting in New Delhi between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, according to Nikkei Asia . The talks underscore China's broader strategy to expand its economic and diplomatic footprint in the Middle East amid the vacuum left in the wake of one failed

Chicago Teachers Seek Billions In Special Session For "What We Are Owed" Authored by Jonathan Turley , The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has long been one of the most radical labor organizations in the country from its insistence on teachers being subsidized in political protests to members praising the former Communist regime in Venezuela . Now, with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the CTU is demanding yet another massive public infusion of money despite the dismal performance of its members in actually improving scores for Chicago children. They are calling for a special session and billions in more funding. We

How Hakeem Jeffries Is In Big Trouble Politically After The Primaries Tuesday night in New York City was no routine Democratic primary . Instead, it turned into a referendum on the Democratic Party itself, and the party lost. Three socialist-backed candidates, backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, won their races . The Democratic establishment got slaughtered, and the man left holding the wreckage is House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Every candidate Jeffries backed went down. That alone would be a bad night. What made it worse was the scene at the victory party for socialist-backed winner

OpenAI Plans Delaying IPO Until 2027, Blames SpaceX One month ago, during the height of the tokenmaxxing craze - when companies were spending ridiculous amounts of money, in many cases without knowing they were even doing so , just to test out the latest agentic craze - first OpenAI and then Anthropic rushed to announce they will follow in the footsteps of the SpaceX IPO, and were planning (or rather hoping) to go public in the next quarter or two. To validate its euphoric IPO dreams, Anthropic even trotted out a lafughable ARR of $47 billion, a number which besides

Qualcomm To Design China-Specific Data Center Chip In Compliance With US Export Curbs Qualcomm unveiled its data center chip lineup on Wednesday, becoming the latest chipmaker to enter the AI processor race in an attempt to challenge market leader Nvidia. CEO Cristiano Amon told Nikkei Asia the company is eyeing the China market for its data center products, including designing chips specifically for Chinese customers that are in compliance with U.S. export controls. The mobile chip giant is revamping the design of data center processors, which is traditionally powered by graphic processing units (GPUs) and high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips.

Adani Targets 10 GW Nuclear Power Capacity In India By 2035 By Tsvetana Paraskova of OilPrice.com Adani Group, the conglomerate of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, could become India’s biggest private nuclear power capacity developer within a decade, targeting 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2035, as India opened its civil nuclear power sector to private investment. “Our entry into nuclear energy through Adani Atomic Energy is another confident step towards securing India's long-term energy future,” Gautam Adani said at the annual general meeting of Adani Group on Wednesday. “With land identified and a 10 GW targeted capacity by 2035, we are positioning

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin's Mail-In Voting Restrictions, National Voter Database For Midterms A federal judge in Boston has blocked key parts of President Donald Trump’s March executive order that sought to impose new limits on mail-in voting and create a nationwide list of eligible voters using federal citizenship data. The ruling, issued June 25 by Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, prevents the administration from enforcing the directives for the November midterms in the two dozen Democratic-led states and jurisdictions that challenged the order. Judge Indira Talwani Talwani found that no federal law authorizes the government to build the

Hegseth Hails First Test Of America's 'Golden Dome' Missile Defense Shield Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times, The Pentagon has carried out the first milestone test of the Golden Dome for America missile defense program, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on June 23 that an autonomous targeting system and directed-energy technology successfully intercepted a series of simulated incoming threats. Declaring the test a “full mission success,” Hegseth said in a statement on social media that the system detected, tracked, targeted, and destroyed multiple drone and cruise missile threats, marking a watershed moment for President Donald Trump’s

Mayor Blames "Slavery" As Chicago Wrestles With Deadly Crime Spree The city of Chicago, long run by Democrats, has an infamous black crime problem. Over the course of Father's Day weekend around 47 people were shot and 8 people killed, with a 105% increase in violent crime compared to 2025. On "Juneteenth", a drive-by mass shooting in Princeton Park injured at least 12–14 people with over 100 shell casings recovered. The situation is so bad that many black commentators are starting to speak out, demanding to know why black Americans can't seem to stop killing each other. Stephen A. Smith:

Generational Crisis! Nearly A Third Of US Adults Under 35 Are Still Living With Their Parents Authored by Michael Snyder via The Economic Collapse blog, Americans that are over the age of 55 control approximately 73 percent of all wealth in the United States. Americans that are age 55 or younger control just 27 percent of all wealth in the United States. Never before in history has there been a generational divide of this magnitude. One of the reasons why there is such a generational divide is because housing has become so insanely unaffordable. If you purchased a home 20

Cargo Vessel Comes Under Apparent Iranian Attack Near Oman, Crude Jumps, After IRGC Warned It Controls Hormuz Strait Summary: Iran tightens control over Hormuz: The IRGC says ships must obtain authorization to transit the strait or face enforcement action. Shipping disruptions emerge after increased flows: A tanker near Oman was reportedly attacked, and several vessels turned back after Iranian warnings, sending oil prices higher. Tehran seeks billions in transit fees: Iran wants to impose Hormuz passage charges that it says could generate up to $40 billion annually. Rubio rejects the plan: The U.S. says Gulf states offer "zero support" for

"Unlike Anything I've Seen In 40 Years": Explosion In Data-Centers And Memory Costs Fueling Third Inflation Wave We're finally starting to see hints of relief when it comes to inflation. Prices at the pump are starting to come down, monthly core CPI momentum has slowed, used cars were down around 2% YoY, and food inflation is starting to moderate. On the other hand, there's America's massive explosion in artificial-intelligence infrastructure - which is beginning to push prices up on everything from electricity to smartphones. On Thursday Apple announced a 15-25% price hike on Mac computers and iPads, after CEO Tim

Venezuelan Quake Disaster: 45,000 People Reported Missing On Independent Monitoring Platform Summary 45,000 Reported Missing On Independent Monitoring Platform US Phase One Of Humanitarian Response Begins Buildings collapsed in several districts of Caracas Venezuela declared a state of emergency after the earthquakes Secretary of State Marco Rubio Deploys First Responders Trump Says "U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help" USGS Says Quakes May Prompt " International Response " USGS Fears Death Toll Ranging Between 10k - 100k Spanish-language news outlet UHN Plus reports: Independent monitoring platforms and missing persons search pages unofficially estimate between 39,000 and 40,000 reports of

How Wall Street Launders Dogsh*t Into Retirement Funds Submitted by QTR's Fringe Finance One of the more embarrassing habits of modern finance is its insistence on pretending the stock market has some integrity left. Capital, we used to think, flowed to the most productive businesses. Prices reflected fundamentals. Risk was priced. The market, in the long run, separated signal from noise and rewarded cash generation over fantasy. That is the civics-class version of markets, and at this point it bears no resemblance to the one we actually trade in. The market’s core failure right now is not simply overvaluation. Markets

US among countries sending help to search for survivors on north coast, where dozens of buildings flattened, as official death toll reaches 235 Rescue teams are racing to Venezuela’s shattered northern coast after almost simultaneous earthquakes reduced dozens of buildings to rubble, killing at least 235 people but with thousands more fatalities feared. Officials said at least 4,300 people were injured as rescue missions continue. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the defence department would help search and rescue teams deploy to the affected region after Venezuela’s main gateway, the Simón Bolívar international airport, near the capital, Caracas,

5.6-magnitude California tremor, 7.2-magnitude temblor in Japan and two quakes in Venezuela all struck within hours A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck a rural part of northern California on Wednesday. Hours later, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the northern coast of Japan and two powerful earthquakes rocked Venezuela in a devastating mass casualty event. The tremors happened in the span of eight hours, prompting online speculation over whether they were related. Continue reading...

Delcy Rodríguez said authorities were shifting rescue teams from other parts of the country to the hardest-hit La Guaira area Venezuela declares state of emergency after deadly twin earthquakes Have you been affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela? Volunteers, medics and relatives of victims have raced to the Altamira area in Caracas hoping to help save survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings there. “I live far away [but] ... I came here riding my motorbike as fast as I could,” said José Morillo, as he arrived outside a block of flats called Residencias Obelisco . Continue reading...

People in Caracas and coastal towns describe powerful quakes that collapsed buildings and killed at least 164 As a double whammy of powerful earthquakes rattled Venezuela’s northern coast on Wednesday, residents of the capital, Caracas, scrambled out on to the streets from shuddering, fractured buildings. “It was horrible. I felt like the house was moving to a different rhythm to the earth. I had to carry my mum out. She was paralysed by fear,” said 18-year-old Sebastian Rodríguez, whose family runs a shop in Centro Plaza, a brutalist commercial centre in the affluent neighbourhood of Los Palos Grandes. Continue reading...

Latin American and European countries also offer solidarity and help to nation already enduring a humanitarian crisis Countries around the world, including Iran, the US and Cuba, have committed to help with rescue efforts in Venezuela after deadly twin earthquakes hit the country. On the evening of 24 June, Venezuela was rocked by two back-to-back earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.2 and 7.5, which killed at least 164 people, injured close to 1,000 more, and caused significant damage to the capital, Caracas, as well as areas across the north of the country. Continue reading...

All branches of the military will be taught how to use technology that has become a ‘game changer on the battlefield’, says defence minister All of South Korea’s military forces will be trained as drone operators in a sweeping overhaul of its warfare strategy, the defence minister has said. “All soldiers should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm,” Ahn Gyu-back, who heads the defence ministry in Seoul, said on Friday. Continue reading...

China’s leader wants to promote his alternative to the current world order, and his efforts are being assisted by a capricious US Xi Jinping meets Bangladesh’s new prime minister on Friday, the latest in a wave of world leaders to visit Beijing this year as the Chinese leader builds his influence and economic ties, and seeks to “shift the balance of power” away from the west. Xi’s meeting with Tarique Rahman comes less than two weeks after the Chinese leader welcomed Myanmar’s military chief-turned-president, Min Aung Hlaing, in Beijing. Continue reading...

Kennedy repeatedly said 2019 Samoa trip had ‘nothing to do with vaccines’. An email from his then colleague says they were on a vaccine-related ‘mission’ New evidence has emerged that Robert F Kennedy Jr was on a vaccine-related “mission” when he visited Samoa ahead of a deadly measles outbreak in 2019, raising further questions about whether the US health secretary lied to the US Senate when he said the trip had “nothing to do with vaccines”. Records obtained by the Guardian show Kennedy’s colleague told Samoan officials in an email that he and Kennedy were coming as part of a

Oxfam predicts PNG will be worst-hit country in Pacific from the weather pattern, with up to 3 million people affected nationwide Families across Papua New Guinea’s Highlands are facing depleted harvests and the threat of hunger after the El Niño weather pattern brought frost and prolonged dry conditions that have destroyed food gardens providing sustenance and income for thousands of households. The effects of El Niño emerged in recent weeks, bringing drought conditions, falling water levels and frost that are threatening food security in some of the country’s most agriculturally productive regions. Continue reading...

Investigators says one of two teenagers who allegedly opened fire on students at high school was regular player Philippine authorities have temporarily blocked the online gaming app GoreBox days after a rare school shooting in the south-east Asian country killed three students and injured 20 others. Investigators said that one of the two teenagers accused of opening fire on students at San Jose National high school in Tacloban city had regularly played the game, which allows players to use various weapons and depicts graphic violence. Continue reading...

Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Albanese says Stefanovic saga ‘unfortunate’, but ‘words do matter’ The prime minister was asked by the ABC about Karl Stefanovic’s departure from Nine. He had this to say: It’s a matter, of course, for Channel 9, but words do matter, and what people who are very prominent in our public discourse do, and how they conduct themselves, matters as well. And it’s unfortunate, the way that what has been a very big career has ended in this way. It will be an important day.

New structure to be built above 194-year-old Mitchells Causeway as residents face months of delays to reopening of Victoria Pass section of highway Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A vital road connecting Sydney with New South Wales’ central west will remain shut for at least another year, leaving Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands residents facing extended travel times and detours for longer than expected. Transport for NSW closed the Victoria Pass section of the Great Western Highway in March after critical structural cracks were

Apple Macbook 13-inch prices jumps from $1,799 to $2,099 while the cost of iPads surges by 25% Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australians woke up on Friday to more expensive Macbooks and iPads after Apple hiked prices worldwide, blaming an AI-driven cost-crunch for computer parts. The iPhone range was unaffected but experts predict Apple will raise prices for its flagship product later this year. Microsoft also lifted its Xbox prices overnight amid a wave of increases for phones and devices. Continue reading...

‘There was no ambiguity. I did not do what was alleged,’ Guy says of fellow state Liberal MP’s accusation Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Victorian Liberal MP Matthew Guy is demanding an apology from his colleague Moira Deeming after police closed their investigation into an allegation he assaulted her, finding there was “no offence detected”. A visibly emotional Guy addressed reporters outside state parliament on Friday morning, calling on Deeming, as well as the premier, Jacinta Allan, and the attorney general, Sonya Kilkenny, to

Police allege the Rooty Hill care home resident was administered an unknown substance by her daughter Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast An 84-year-old woman who was found dead in an aged care home was allegedly administered an unknown substance by her daughter. Emergency services were called to Our Lady of Consolation aged care home in Rooty Hill in Sydney’s outer west around 11.35pm on Thursday. Continue reading...

First time red warnings issued in UK for three consecutive days; Paris to ban drinking alcohol in public as hospitals reach ‘saturation point’ European heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists say Paris to ban drinking alcohol in public as hospitals hit heatwave breaking point As the heatwave begins its march eastwards, we are expecting to see more extreme temperatures in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and parts of central Europe today. Frankfurt is expected to see 39C today, Amsterdam and Bologna 37C, Brussels and Geneva 36C, Prague and Zurich 35C, and London and Zagreb 34C. Continue reading...

Plans by Wolfgang Porsche to bore private 500-metre road link through Austrian hill caused anger among locals Wolfgang Porsche, the Austrian-German automotive magnate, appears to have abandoned plans to build a private 500-metre tunnel for his cars through the Salzburg hills after a public uproar over the “tunnel for one”. In 2020, Porsche bought a storied 17th-century villa on the outskirts of Salzburg for €8.4m (£7.2m), and last autumn he secured permission from the city authorities for an estimated €10m private access road through the rugged limestone hill. Continue reading...

High temperatures make some workplaces dangerous, with economists warning disruption will dent growth Monique Mosley is used to sweltering conditions at the food factory in Yorkshire where she works, but June’s record-breaking heatwave has made conditions unbearable. “We make hot filled food products and it’s common that we see temperatures in the high 30s,” she said. “Thanks to our union, our employer is offering extra breaks, but not every workplace is the same.” The latest heatwave to grip the UK and much of western Europe has presented significant challenges to employers and their employees , from sweltering offices, disrupted commutes

This week marked 10 years since the UK chose to leave the EU. In a series of interviews with key players from both sides, Kiran Stacey looks back on the Brexit vote that changed the country forever Read the Guardian’s full article on Brexit here Continue reading...

Kremlin may attempt to test Nato cohesion as Russia comes under growing pressure from Ukraine, according to sources from two countries Two countries on Nato’s eastern flank have warned that Russia is preparing a possible “provocation” in the Baltic states or Poland in an effort to test the cohesion of the western military alliance. Western sources also fear there could be danger on the horizon because the Kremlin is coming under pressure from Ukraine’s campaign of long-range attacks on targets near Moscow and St Petersburg. Continue reading...

International Maritime Organization says safety guarantees must be confirmed before ships can move again A United Nations agency has paused the evacuation of ships through the strait of Hormuz after the British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman following the passage of several tankers that used a route backed by the UN. The head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization said on Thursday that the plan to move stranded ships out of the Persian Gulf through the strait would be on hold until the agency could confirm safety guarantees for the ships

Blocking of proposal backed by Oman signals new threat to free passage through strait vital to world economy Iran has rejected UN-backed plans for the mass evacuation of ships through the strait of Hormuz, creating a new threat to the free passage of commercial ships through the strait. The proposal, backed by Oman, was potentially the first phase of a broader Omani proposal to consult on setting up a new management of the strait based on voluntary fees and modelled on the Malacca and Singapore strait mechanism. Continue reading...

Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi, a 71-year-old physician well known for providing care to low-income Palestinians, was arrested in the occupied West Bank Israeli forces on Sunday arrested a prominent 71-year-old Palestinian physician known as the “doctor of the poor” in a pre-dawn raid on his home in the occupied West Bank, prompting widespread condemnation. Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi, a physician widely known for providing care to low-income Palestinians, was arrested in the al-Tira neighbourhood of Ramallah. Continue reading...

Stock markets on both sides of Atlantic up as concerns ease over prospect of another inflationary shock Business live – latest updates Oil prices have fallen to pre-Iran war levels as more oil tankers exited the strait of Hormuz. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell to a low of $72.24 a barrel on Thursday, slightly lower than the day before the US and Israel launched missile attacks on Tehran on 28 February. Prices have fallen more than 20% this month. Continue reading...

Sarah Mullally ends visit to region with call for two-state solution that allows Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace The archbishop of Canterbury has called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine after a pilgrimage in which she met Palestinians attacked by settlers and others detained without trial. Sarah Mullally, the head of the Church of England, and Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop of Jerusalem, issued a joint letter on Thursday urging Anglicans around the world to press politicians “to take all necessary measures to establish a credible path towards ending the occupation”. Continue reading...

Fears hard-won gains in reducing child mortality over 20 years are at risk after end of USAID funding for nutrition programmes Child malnutrition in Nepal has reached “alarming” levels, according to the largest ever survey of under-fives in the country. The new figures came just over a year after USAID, the former US flagship agency closed by the Trump administration in 2025, stopped funding work on child nutrition in Nepal. Continue reading...

Husband arrested after Sylvie Yasmina, 54, and five children found at home in north-western province Pakistan police say they have rescued a French woman and her five children after she told authorities she had been held captive by her husband for more than a decade and subjected to years of domestic abuse in the country’s north-west. The woman, identified as 54-year-old Sylvie Yasmina, was rescued earlier this week from a mud-brick home in Bara, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, the district police chief, Waqar Ahmad, said. Continue reading...

Rights campaigners and MEPs say meeting would normalise regime that erases women from public life Rights campaigners and MEPs have warned that a meeting between EU officials and a Taliban delegation in Brussels risks normalising a regime that has banned girls from school beyond the sixth grade and sought to erase women from public life, while its ranks include two leaders accused of crimes against humanity. A spokesperson for the Afghan foreign ministry confirmed that a delegation representing the ⁠Taliban had travelled to Brussels after the Belgian foreign ministry issued five single-day visas. Continue reading...

Directive aimed at government workers, but reports of wider implementation spark warnings of future Afghanistan-wide prohibition The Taliban have ordered a sweeping ban on the use of smartphones by government officials – in what some analysts say could foreshadow broader, population-level restrictions. In a directive issued by the Taliban’s military courts and reviewed by the Guardian, the ban was to take effect this week and prohibits “high rank, low rank, general mujahideen, or service staff” from using mobile phones. Continue reading...

Campaigners welcome announcement cutting levies on menstrual health items, but say their work to end period poverty is ‘far from over’ Pakistan plans to abolish “period tax”, in a victory for young campaigners who had taken the government to court over the charges. Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced that sanitary towels and related items were “daily necessities that are indispensable for women’s health, dignity and full participation in social activities”, and said he intended to remove the sales tax. Continue reading...

Emerging research suggests datacentres create a heat island effect, pushing up temperatures in the immediate vicinity by as much as 9C The community living next to the largest datacentre park in Europe say the scorching summer heat has grown unbearable. On days like Wednesday, said Nabeel Nawaz, the store manager of a Chaiiwala franchise in the centre of Slough, the heat is like something “pinching your body and burning your skin”. Continue reading...

Conservationists emphasise importance of protecting nesting sites used by ‘strongly faithful’ red-listed species Migratory swifts loyally return every year to their nests in buildings, according to a study, underlining the importance of providing the endangered birds with hollow nesting bricks if traditional nest sites are lost to renovations. The swift, which is on the red list of conservation concern, is one of Britain’s most threatened species, having declined in number by 70% since 1995 because of the loss of nesting sites, often when old buildings are re-roofed or given better insulation. While Scotland this year made the installation of swift

Gwent police say accused will face court in Newport following arrest over discovery of teenage girl’s body in Duffryn Park area of Blaina A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder after the discovery of a missing 14-year-old girl’s body, Gwent police said. The boy, from the Blaenau Gwent area, was arrested after the discovery of the body in the Duffryn Park area of Blaina in Wales on 22 June. Continue reading...

When the academic Sarah Steele was assaulted in England, she had no idea her case would end up in front of a US military court. Harry Davies explains why military judges and juries are ruling on crimes committed in the UK A little-known system in which US military personnel are tried through a court martial for alleged crimes committed in the UK is under growing scrutiny. One person who has been through that system is the academic Sarah Steele. Steele told the Guardian investigations correspondent Harry Davies that after she was strangled one night by Jacob Wulfson, a US fighter

Blaze on Tintwistle Moor, Glossop, has burned more than 500 square metres, forcing road closures and smoke warning A major wildfire close to Greater Manchester has torn through large areas of moorland for more than 24 hours, forcing road closures and smoke warnings as fire crews battle to bring it under control. The blaze, on Tintwistle Moor, near Glossop, has burned an area of more than 500 square metres of moorland and woodland, with thick plumes of smoke directly affecting the villages of Tintwistle, Hollingworth and Woolley Bridge. Continue reading...

The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington DC will have to be drained again. Donald Trump has blamed vandalism for the failure to keep the water “American flag blue”. But what if this small body of water is proof that the president can’t outrun the truth? Jonathan Freedland speaks to Arwa Mahdawi about why this project, which has cost the taxpayer millions, is proving to be such an embarrassing failure for a man obsessed with image Archive: AP, Reuters Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. Supreme court lets Trump administration end TPS for Haitians and Syrians Trump officials can turn back asylum seekers at US-Mexico border Sign up for the Breaking News US email Here’s my colleague Maanvi Singh ’s report on the supreme court’s decision to give the Trump administration a green light to turn back asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border, in a ruling that fundamentally reshapes the US asylum system and concludes a battle that has spanned three administrations. In a major ruling, the supreme court has allowed the Trump administration to end legal protections for

David Vander Meer was recently arrested for the death of his wife in national park 20 years ago after new information revealed A Las Vegas man and former youth pastor died days after he was arrested and charged with murdering his wife, who plummeted thousands of feet to her death while hiking in Utah ’s Zion national park in 2006. At a scheduled extradition hearing on Thursday, a Las Vegas judge announced that David Vander Meer was deceased, according to KSNV . Continue reading...

Plan to levy 5% tax on California billionaires championed by progressives – but state’s super rich are forcefully opposed Full story: California billionaire tax heads to ballot The proposed billionaire tax in California is officially heading to voters’ ballots in November. After getting more than double the necessary signatures to qualify, the secretary of state certified the ballot measure late on Thursday. The confirmation came after backroom dealing didn’t pan out between California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, who opposes the proposal, and the labor union backing it. Continue reading...

Proposal to introduce one-time tax of 5% will go to voters in November after backers decline to withdraw measure California’s billionaire tax, explained: what you need to know California voters will get to decide in November whether billionaires should pay a one-time 5% tax, after a deadline passed on Thursday for its backers to withdraw the measure. “Enthusiasm for the billionaire tax is unlike anything we have seen before,” Debru Carthan, vice-president of the union sponsoring the measure, said during a Thursday-evening press conference. “The billionaire tax will be on the November ballot and we intend to win.” Continue reading...

The US Supreme Court on Thursday backed a Trump administration move to strip deportation protections from some 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians living in the United States. The 6-3 ruling by the conservative-dominated court could have implications for more than one million beneficiaries of so-called Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from more than a dozen countries. Justice Samuel Alito, whose majority opinion was joined by the five other conservative justices, said the Department of Homeland...

Venezuela has received offers of rescue teams and humanitarian aid from across the Americas, including from right-wing governments that had broken off diplomatic relations with Caracas less than two years ago, after deadly twin earthquakes. The quakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 and 39 seconds apart, struck the north of the country on Wednesday evening and were the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez declared a nationwide state of emergency and...

King Charles will not live at Buckingham ⁠Palace after its 10-year refurbishment finishes next year, royal officials said on Thursday, ending nearly two centuries of the central London landmark serving as the British monarch’s primary residence. Officials at the same time disclosed the king paid £12.9 million (US$17.04 million) in tax in 2024/25 – the first time the figure has been made public – placing him among Britain’s ‌top 100 taxpayers. Members of the royal family have promised greater...

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, it confronts a new world order dominated by its relationship with China. In this wide-ranging series, we examine the pressure points and possibilities in those ties, from hard tech to soft power. Here, Khushboo Razdan separates the signals from the noise in the US debate over drones. Whether responding to a wildfire or searching for a missing person, Battalion Chief William Marsiglio of Chesterfield, Virginia, relies on one tool...

The European Union is offering Brazil a “more beneficial” partnership on critical minerals than the United States or China, the bloc’s international partnerships commissioner said on Thursday, promising investment in domestic refining and technology as Brussels works to cut its dependence on Chinese supply chains. European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela made the case during a week-long visit to Brazil that included a stop on Saturday at a rare earth research and...

Venezuelans searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings on Thursday and rescue teams raced to northern areas rocked by a pair of powerful earthquakes that officials say killed at least 235 people and left some 4,300 injured. The number of dead and injured is expected to rise with thousands reported missing from the 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck Wednesday evening – among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century and felt throughout the region. The previous reported...

The controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention centre – a costly Florida facility that became a symbol of US President Donald Trump’s deportation drive – has shut down after less than a year in operation, officials said Thursday. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, appearing at the remote Everglades site with White House border tsar Tom Homan, said the facility no longer held any detainees and had fulfilled the emergency role it was built to serve. The facility drew fierce criticism...

A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a US$16 million rehabilitation project, a top official at the National Park Service said. The US Park Police responded June 9 to a complaint by the park service, said Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service. Lands made the statement in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a...

The UN International Maritime Organization paused its operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after a vessel reported an attack, reigniting concerns about whether a preliminary deal to end the Iran war will hold. Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine said on Friday its ship was hit close to Oman by an “unknown object” while on a route recommended by the British navy agency UKMTO. The agency said earlier a vessel had been struck by a projectile hours after Tehran warned vessels...

Harvey Weinstein avoided a fourth trial on a New York rape charge after his accuser said she could not endure testifying again, leading prosecutors to drop the #MeToo-era case on Thursday. The film mogul still stands convicted of another sexual felony in New York and others in California, and he remains behind bars. But the New York rape charge had remained unresolved after an overturned conviction followed by two hung juries. The judge formally dismissed the charge on Thursday. Weinstein had a...

The United States is mounting a large-scale humanitarian operation in Venezuela after twin earthquakes devastated the South American country, putting to the test Washington’s role as the most influential international partner in the country’s post-Maduro transition. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was deploying search-and-rescue teams, military logistics and humanitarian help after Wednesday’s magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, which have killed at least 235 people and injured...

US consumer spending accelerated in May even as prices rose at the fastest pace in more than three years, suggesting Americans are powering through the fallout from the Iran war. The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 4.1 per cent last month from a year earlier, the most since April 2023, Bureau of Economic Analysis data out on Thursday showed. Excluding food and energy, prices were up 3.4 per cent from a year earlier. Inflation-adjusted consumer spending rose 0.3 per cent from a...

EU governments’ ministers gathered for a long day’s discussion of climate change policies on Thursday were surprised by a fresh-faced participant at their negotiating table: a three-month-old baby. Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her son, Adam, to the EU council meeting in Luxembourg, to ‌highlight the benefits of parental leave policies which do not force women to choose between work and family responsibilities. “I wanted to showcase being an example of not having to make...

A German doctor admitted to having killed 12 patients nearly a year since the start of his high-profile trial at the Berlin Regional Court on Thursday. The 40-year-old palliative care doctor is charged with killing 15 patients in total – 12 women and three men – between September 2021 and July 2024. He is alleged to have administered a “lethal mixture of various drugs” to the victims, who were between 25 and 87 years old. Prosecutors also believe he set fires in some cases to try to obscure his...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Gulf allies on Thursday that any deal with Iran would take their interests into account, as he wrapped up a Middle East trip aimed at winning over regional partners with deep reservations about the preliminary accord. Speaking at a meeting of Gulf Arab foreign ministers in Bahrain – home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet – Rubio said Washington was seeking an ‌enduring peace with long-time foe Iran that would not come at the expense of the security of allies in...

The European Union has disbursed the first €3 billion (US$3.4 billion) tranche of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, the country’s prime minister announced on Thursday at the opening of a conference on Ukraine’s post-war recovery in Poland. The conference, attended by key European leaders including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, is both a fundraising forum and a message to Russia that Ukraine’s Western supporters are in it for a long...

A three-year-old has died after finding himself trapped in a car in the Paris region in extreme heat, a prosecutor said on Thursday, the third such fatality this week. The boy had slipped into the family car while his father thought he was napping, then found himself unable to get out with the child lock in the town of Saint-Gratien, the prosecutor said, after a police source and civil defence also reported the death. France on Wednesday recorded the hottest day since measurements began in 1947,...

There is a one in five chance that a packet of coffee beans sold in Europe contains residues of pesticides thought to have been erased during roasting, and in some cases include banned sprays that cause cancer, according to new research. There is a “systemic pattern” of pesticides showing up again and again in beans from most major production regions, says Coffee Watch, a US-based non-profit organisation seeking to reform the global coffee industry. Coffee Watch partnered with Pesticide Action...

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday it may never be known who was at fault for a deadly strike on a girls’ school in Iran on February 28, the first day of the Iran war, that killed scores of children. Reuters first reported in March that an initial internal US military investigation showed US forces were likely responsible for the fatal strike in Minab in southern Iran. The Pentagon has since elevated the probe but it has not acknowledged any preliminary findings. “I don’t know that they...

US President Donald Trump was dismissive of Andy Burnham, who is set to become the next UK prime minister, saying he was unfamiliar with him and has only heard that he is “extremely liberal”. The US president was asked by a reporter on Wednesday about what he knew about Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester who is poised to succeed Keir Starmer in Britain’s latest leadership shake-up. “I don’t know anything. I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town. I hear he’s extremely...

US President Donald Trump opened 16 days of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary Wednesday with a rally-style speech – turning a national commemoration into a highly politicised showcase for his second-term agenda. The address, on Washington’s National Mall, underscored how Trump has reshaped the anniversary around his own brand of politics and showmanship, blurring the line between official celebration and campaign-style spectacle. The Republican leader eventually invoked the grand...

The market realignment over the past week starkly captures the self-defeating logic of America’s technology containment strategy. The momentum began on June 15, when the shares of Chinese artificial intelligence pioneer Zhipu AI, which trade in Hong Kong under Knowledge Atlas Technology, surged by 48 per cent intraday after it announced the open-source release of its GLM-5.2 foundation model. The rally continued this week, with Zhipu’s shares trading at an intraday high of HK$2,980 (US$380) in...

⁠Thousands of Venezuelans were feared dead on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and ⁠around the capital Caracas, trapping people beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings and setting off powerful aftershocks. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160km (100 miles) west of Caracas on Wednesday afternoon, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey. Emergency workers scrambled over the debris of collapsed buildings in...

The US Army’s commander of its forces in Europe and Africa – who was famously the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021 – is unexpectedly stepping down from his post after just 18 months in the job, the Army confirmed late on Tuesday. General Christopher Donahue, commanding general of US Army Europe and Africa and commander of Nato’s Allied Land Command, will relinquish his command on July 2, according to an Army statement. He is the latest in a line of nearly two dozen top military...

Right-wing ⁠candidate Keiko Fujimori said on ⁠Wednesday she would seek to ⁠unite a Peru “split in two” if she takes office, after razor-thin election results gave her enough votes to secure what appears to be an insurmountable lead in the presidential run-off. Fujimori, a four-time presidential hopeful and the daughter of late former president Alberto Fujimori, said ‌she would make an “open call” to experienced technocrats to form her first cabinet, as she seeks to fulfil campaign promises to...

The war in Iran is effectively over. Although the dust has yet to settle, some lessons are already visible. First, US President Donald Trump has waged a personal war at the world’s expense. Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu warned that arms are ill-omened tools, employed only as a last resort. Trump, who has admitted he doesn’t like to read, may not realise this. Few people know why he ordered a strike on Iran. Maybe kidnapping president Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela was too easy or Israeli Prime...

What is the secret ⁠to a long life? Three ⁠Brazilian sisters with a combined age ⁠of 316, who were named by Guinness this month as the oldest living trio of siblings in the world, may help researchers find out. The DNA Longevo Project, a study led by scientist Mayana Zatz from the University of Sao Paulo, aims to investigate the biological factors ‌behind ageing. Findings from the three sisters’ case could help scientists better understand why some people remain physically and cognitively...

On a sunny day in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood, punters piled into the fifth floor of Time Out Market to Portugal House – part food court, part bar, full-blown World Cup party. The room was awash with Portuguese team jerseys, filled with fans sipping cold beer and soft drinks, proudly singing Portugal’s national anthem before their match against DR Congo. “Hopefully, one day I can sing the Chinese national song in a World Cup stadium,” said Zhai Yibo, a 20-year-old Chinese student studying in...

Brazil’s federal police detained a Spanish citizen in Sao Paulo’s international Guarulhos airport for racism on Wednesday, the latest in a series of high-profile arrests of foreign tourists on similar grounds. Brazil has some of the strictest anti-racism laws in Latin America. Insulting a person on the basis of race carries a penalty of imprisonment from two to five years and a fine. The crew of a Latam airlines flight arriving from the northeastern city of Sao Luis called police, who arrested...

A US federal judge asked on Wednesday for an explanation for why a tarpaulin continues to cover the facade of the Kennedy Centre where President Donald Trump’s name was recently removed. District Judge Christopher Cooper gave the board of trustees of the performing arts venue until the end of July to explain “the purpose for and status of the tarp and scaffolding that defendants have erected on the front portico of the centre”. Trump’s name was removed from the Kennedy Centre on the orders of...

President Donald Trump cancelled his plan to sign a bipartisan affordable housing bill on Wednesday in an effort to pressure his fellow Republicans to pass a long-stalled package of US national voting restrictions that has aggravated party fissures and shown the limits of his power. “Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump wrote in a social media...

A positive case of Ebola virus has been identified in France in a doctor travelling back from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the French Ministry of Health said Wednesday. The individual, who has not been identified, returned from a humanitarian mission in one of the virus transmission zones in the DR Congo and was taken into care at a specialised facility in France. The person is in stable condition, the ministry said. The Congolese health ministry said on Wednesday there are 1,094 confirmed...

A key road named after US President Donald Trump in India’s opposition-ruled tech hub of Hyderabad has drawn criticism from ‌Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party, which dismissed the move as “hypocrisy”. US-India ties have deteriorated during Trump’s second term, with Washington imposing high tariffs on Indian goods, punishing New Delhi for purchasing Russian oil, and engaging closely with India’s arch-rival Pakistan. The road in the capital of the southern state of Telangana, ruled by...

The resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has once again plunged British politics into uncertainty. Britain is now poised to welcome its seventh prime minister in a decade: after David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and now Starmer, yet another successor is waiting in the wings. For a country that often presents itself as a model of political stability and democratic governance, such an extraordinary turnover of leadership raises questions about the...

The international nuclear watchdog responsible for verifying Iran’s stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium dismissed the conflicting signals from Tehran and Washington overnight and said it expects to resume full monitoring at some stage. “There’s a war of words here,” said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, referring to White House statements about monitoring that were disputed by Iran. In Washington on Tuesday, President Donald Trump threatened to halt...

Ukrainian drones knocked out power in Sevastopol, the biggest city in Russian-held Crimea, on Wednesday and targeted facilities in central and southern Russia, local officials said, underscoring the reach of Kyiv’s attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian oil refineries, depots and supply routes this year, pushing up petrol prices in Russia, where ‌authorities have limited sales in some regions. Fuel shortages have been particularly acute on the Crimean...

As European leaders convened at the European Council meeting in Brussels this month, the spectre of a full-blown trade war with China cast a long shadow over the proceedings. Amid ongoing anti-subsidy probes into Chinese green technology and the looming threat of retaliatory tariffs, the economic bedrock of the China-EU relationship appears increasingly fragile. Yet, beneath the hawkish political rhetoric, recent high-level meetings between European officials and their Chinese counterparts...

Keiko Fujimori is poised to become Peru’s next president after running her fourth consecutive campaign, according to figures published late Tuesday by the elections regulator after weeks of adjudicating disputed ballots. With 43,386 votes between Fujimori and leftist rival Roberto Sanchez, and no more than 39,300 votes in dispute, the conservative had enough of a margin to secure her lead. Fujimori had 50.1 per cent of the vote while Sanchez had 49.9 per cent with 99.8 per cent of ballots...

A Pentagon decision to strip “Indo” from the name of its largest unified military command eight years after it was initially added has raised questions about the United States’ continuing commitment to India. In a statement announcing the Indo-Pacific Command’s name change on June 16, US officials portrayed the move as a matter of “honour”, “pride” and respecting “historical roots”. But analysts told This Week in Asia that New Delhi would likely read the reversion to Pacific Command (PACOM) as...

Three candidates endorsed by Zohran Mamdani swept to victory in Democratic congressional primaries on Tuesday, showing that the coalition which powered the New York City mayor to a surprising victory last year is gaining strength. Some of the city’s most established political figures were toppled in races that highlighted divisions within the party over ideology, Israel and immigration. Former New York City comptroller Brad Lander defeated two-term Congressman Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th...

Large parts of western Europe were baking on Wednesday as a so-called heat dome brought extreme conditions that many forecasters warned could present a risk to life. A day after France recorded its hottest-ever day, Britain was on Wednesday set to see its highest ever June temperature, prompting the national weather forecaster to issue a “red heat health” alert for much of central and southern England, as well as Wales. It was only the second such warning ever issued by UK authorities following...

The US Senate backed legislation on Tuesday directing US President Donald Trump to halt US military action against Iran, the latest rebuke of the Republican president from an increasingly restive Congress. The Senate voted 50–48 in favour of the war powers resolution, which passed the House of Representatives early this month, reflecting growing concern even among some of Trump’s Republicans about the unpopular conflict that began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched an attack on...

Airbus on Tuesday said it would inspect 16 A380 planes, five of them immediately, after cracks were found in a key wing component on aircraft used by the Emirates and Qantas airlines. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered urgent inspections requiring airlines to examine the wing-spar structure on the affected jets after inspectors found cracks during routine maintenance checks. The cracks appeared in a structural beam that runs along the wing and carries much of the...

A problem with a communications system forced Germany’s railway network to halt all trains late Tuesday, leaving passengers stranded across the country. Trains were held at stations and would-be travellers stood in long queues at information desks as they tried to figure out how to get to their destinations. The main national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, said shortly before 1am – nearly 2½ hours after it first reported the outage – that the problem had been resolved and service was resuming...

Bankers working for JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong must have been miffed when they were shut off from using artificial intelligence (AI) models from Anthropic, a pioneering American firm in the field. Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase pulled the plug in April and last week respectively, based on a strict interpretation of Anthropic’s terms of use, which reflect Washington’s stringent restrictions on China’s access to frontier American AI models. The banks’ decisions are seen as a...

Stock markets across Asia tumbled, as investors continue to wrestle with whether the boom in artificial intelligence spending is overdone or just beginning.

Silicon Valley engineers recently flocked to new technology from a Chinese company, Z.ai, that is almost as good as its American competitors but much cheaper.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to freeze rents for rent-stabilized apartments became a centerpiece of his campaign. Six months into his first year, a city panel delivered.

A scientific analysis concluded that such high temperatures, across so much of the continent, would “not have been possible” without global warming.

The split mirrored one that has long divided Americans: how seriously to take the president’s loose, provocative and sometimes ugly remarks.

The ruling on Temporary Protection Status will have swift repercussions for migrants and employers alike.

Divisions between the president and his party on Capitol Hill have muddled Republicans’ midterm pitch to voters, and have crippled the G.O.P. at what should be the peak of its power.

President Trump is demanding that Congress pass the SAVE America Act to change American elections. Our national politics reporter Nick Corasaniti looks at what’s in it.

Former President Barack Obama says President Trump has an obsession with him and that Mr. Trump “knows better” than to say “crazy stuff” to his face.

A loose collective of cybercriminals initially took credit for crippling Jaguar Land Rover last year. Investigators now see Russian hands behind the ransomware attack.

The wealthy are fighting back with two ballot issues that could nullify the measure in November. The battle reflects a broader tension as American politics contends with deep inequality.

Istanbul’s many tango schools, clubs and skilled dancers have won the city recognition, even among Argentine maestros, as a global tango destination.

Pope Leo’s first encyclical takes on a major flaw of Catholic just war theory: its use as a fig leaf for attacking an enemy.

One that actually brings men and women together.

The fair has everything, Jimmy Fallon said, including “a Trump approval rating roller coaster, which has the biggest drop in history.”

Delays and rising prices have made the promise of space travel for ordinary people more elusive than ever. Will that ever change?