Minimalist News

IRGC Seizes Ship With Witkoff-Kushner Team En Route To Pakistan; US Sanctions Chinese Refinery, Iran Shadow Fleet SUMMARY * IRGC seizes a ship it says 'collaborated with US' in provocative move ahead of Pakistan talks; Iran FM preparing written proposal for US side. * President Trump is sending two envoys - Steve Witkoff and Jared Jushner - for talks with Iran in Pakistan, CNN reported, while Tehran sounded a more pessimistic tone on the prospects of further negotiations * US hits Iran 'shadow fleet' with new sanctions, also takes aim at Chinese 'teapot' oil refinery. * Third US aircraft carrier, the

Israeli Media Says IDF Soldiers Looting 'On A Crazy Scale' In Lebanon Authored by Brett Wilkins While media coverage of Israel’s war on Lebanon mainly focuses on the slaughter of hundreds of Lebanese civilians and destruction of entire villages, Israel Defense Forces commanders are tacitly condoning widespread looting by their troops in Lebanon, according to reporting Thursday. Haaretz, Israel’s oldest daily newspaper, interviewed a number of IDF personnel who described routine theft of items including motorcycles, televisions, paintings, sofas, and rugs from the homes and businesses of some of the more than 1 million Lebanese forcibly displaced by Israel’s assault on its northern neighbor. Vandalized house, with Hebrew graffiti,

Fusion Energy: Why America Needs To Own Its Technology Authored by Lawrence Kadish via The Gatestone Institute, For decades, fusion energy has been the great scientific pursuit - clean, limitless power drawn from the same physics that powers the sun. Enormous progress has been made in the technology required to harness nuclear fusion and significant investment is now being made by private companies and President Donald J. Trump's White House. As we advance on fusion success, however, there is a danger of progress being halted by an enormous challenge: the supply chain. Without an American-based industrial infrastructure to source, manufacture, and deliver the materials

Ilhan Omar Accused Of Trying To Steer $1.4M To Nonprofit With Somali Restaurant For Address U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is facing fresh accusations after Republicans flagged her reported push to direct more than $1 million in federal taxpayer funds to a small Somali-led nonprofit whose listed project address matches a Minneapolis restaurant. The nonprofit, Generation Hope MN, describes itself as providing addiction recovery services, peer support, job training, and mental health support for the East African community. The address tied to Omar’s earmark request - 326 Cedar Ave S / 411 Cedar Ave S - matches Sagal Restaurant and Coffee, a

FDA Approves First Gene Therapy To Treat Deafness Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Federal regulators on Thursday approved the first gene therapy to restore hearing, just two months after the therapy’s maker formally requested a license. Dr. Marty Makary, the Food and Drug Administration's commissioner, in an undated file photograph. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times The Food and Drug Administration approved the Regeneron therapy, Otarmeni, for children and adults with severe or profound hearing loss associated with OTOF gene variants. The approval came 61 days after Regeneron filed for a biologics license, under a new effort known as the Commissioner’s National

Race To Refill U.S. Weapons Stockpiles Will Supercharge War Economy The U.S. military's 55-day war with Iran has alarmingly drawn down several categories of high-end air-delivered munitions, forcing the Department of War to draw from critical stockpiles in Asia and Europe. The drawdown of these weapons only suggests a possible readiness problem and helps explain why President Trump's war economy is set to accelerate, with expected increases in munitions production.  The New York Times has released a report that says since the US-Iran conflict began in late February, the US military has burned through roughly 1,100 JASSM-ER long-range stealth cruise missiles, more

Watch: GOP Rep. Declares SPLC "Absolutely" Culpable In Charlie Kirk Assassination Authored by Steve Watson via modernity.news, Rep. Andy Ogles was adamant when asked if the Southern Poverty Law Center bears responsibility for the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The Tennessee Republican connected the dots between the SPLC’s long-running smear campaign against conservatives and the fresh Trump DOJ indictment exposing the group’s fraudulent operation funding the very extremists it claimed to oppose. In a bombshell interview on The Benny Show, Ogles laid out the case plainly, tying the SPLC’s “heat map” of supposed hate groups directly to the violence that claimed Kirk’s life.  The timing couldn’t be

DOE's Nuclear Fuel Consortium Announces Seven-Year Plan After eight months of closed-door meetings, the Department of Energy’s Defense Production Act (DPA) Nuclear Fuel Cycle Consortium has rolled out its latest effort: a plan to strengthen America’s entire domestic nuclear fuel supply chain… over the next seven years. > BREAKING: @ENERGY is deploying the Defense Production Act to ensure that the U.S. will have the nuclear fuel it needs to power the reactors of today and tomorrow. > > Representatives from 90+ companies have signed up to help secure our nuclear fuel supply chain. > > Learn more:… pic.twitter.com/ts6wJ7MXho > > — Office of Nuclear Energy

Dr. Oz Demands States Take Action On Medicaid Fraud Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) demanded that states across the nation take action to crack down on fraud in Medicaid, one of the federal government’s health insurance programs. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, speaks during an interview with EpochTV’s “American Thought Leaders” in Washington on Jan. 16, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times In letters to state Medicaid directors, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said they should develop and file with his

U.S. Wheat Futs Hit Two-Year High As Wall Street Sounds Alarm Over Drought Shock Hard red winter wheat climbed to a two-year high by the end of the week, as our coverage of the drought shock now hitting America's Breadbasket raises serious alarm bells on commodity desks. The concern is not just reduced crop yields and quality. It is colliding with fertilizer shortages and elevated diesel prices, creating a broader inflationary transmission channel that could work its way through the food supply and translate into higher supermarket prices down the road. Hard red winter wheat rose another 1% on Friday, with gains for

Jane Street Made A Record $40 Billion In Trading Revenue Last Year, More Than All Wall Street Banks The 10am slam in bitcoin, which we documented virtually every days since 2024 may have ended once Jane Street got busted for insider trading in the Terraform collapse, but that doesn't mean that the Wall Street HFT trading giant slowed down. On the contrary: according to Bloomberg, Jane Street Group reeled in a Wall Street record $39.6 billion of trading revenue last year, more than any Wall Street bank. According to the report, the firm beat out all global investment banks after reaping $15.5

Cava's Lone Bear Analyst Flags Weak Foot Traffic After Stock's 123% Surge Northcoast Research analyst Jim Sanderson has emerged as Cava Group's lone bear on Wall Street, warning in an interview with Bloomberg that the stock's 123% rally has gone too far. "The risk profile, given what I see macroeconomically, is unnerving," Sanderson said in the interview. He noted that the recent surge in the stock has made it very expensive to own. He continued, "The red flag for me was seeing that traffic at some of the mature locations seemed to be very underwhelming, and in many instances, trending negative for several

Appeals Court Backs Ruling That Denver Must Pay $14 Million To George Floyd Protesters Authored by Jacki Thrapp via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upheld a jury’s verdict that ordered the City and County of Denver to pay 12 George Floyd protesters $14 million for “unconstitutional” use of force during 2020 rallies. Police officers walk through a cloud of tear gas as they try to disperse people protesting against the death of George Floyd in front of the Colorado State Capitol, in Denver, Colo., on May 30, 2020, amid nationwide protests and riots. Michael

China Curbs US Investment In Tech Companies After Meta Acquisition Of Manus Following earlier news that China has blacklisted 7 EU defense and aerospace firms over their dealings with Taiwan, Bloomberg reports that China plans to restrict top technology firms, including leading AI startups, from accepting US capital without government approval.  Chinese regulators, including the National Development and Reform Commission, have recently instructed several private technology firms to reject U.S. investment in funding rounds unless explicitly approved, the report said. The commission - a powerful state planning agency with broad policy-making powers - is now heading a multi-agency probe that includes the Ministry of Commerce into

White House Expects 'Swift' Warsh Confirmation After DOJ Drops Powell Criminal Probe Update (1050ET): The White House is now expecting 'swift' confirmation of Federal Reserve chair nominee Kevin Warsh after the DOJ dropped its criminal probe into current Chair Jerome Powell over the Fed's building construction project.  On Tuesday, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) made clear that he would block Warsh's nomination unless the Powell inquiry was dropped.  > Thom Tillis still refuses to blame Trump for anything: "The problem I have is that some US attorney or assistant US attorney with a dream thought it would be cute to bring Chair Powell under an investigation ...

Fewer Universities Require DEI Pledges From Faculty Candidates: Report Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Requests related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for faculty job candidates in higher education have decreased dramatically - at least on paper - since President Donald Trump began his second term, a new report from Heterodox Academy says. University of Michigan students pass signage on campus displaying the university's Core Values in Ann Arbor, Mich., on April 3, 2025. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images This includes the removal of required pledges in cover letters or standalone essays regarding a commitment to DEI. Eleven percent of college

Scramble For AI Compute: Meta Inks Multibillion-Dollar Deal With Amazon For CPU Chips Meta Platforms inked a multibillion-dollar agreement with Amazon to deploy tens of millions of AWS Graviton processor cores in support of its next-generation AI buildout. The deal makes Meta one of the largest Graviton customers globally and shows CEO Mark Zuckerberg's willingness to spend aggressively on compute infrastructure as the AI arms race intensifies with Alphabet, Microsoft, and other tech giants. The news that the social media giant would deploy hundreds of thousands of Amazon's general-purpose chips to "support the company's AI efforts" was first reported by Amazon News. "The

Getting More Anxious By Bas van Geffen, Senior Macro Strategist at Rabobank We have another potentially eventful weekend ahead of us. A three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon may ease tensions between the US and Iran somewhat, as Trump wants to avoid that this conflict undermines peace talks with Iran. However, there are still no indications that a new round of talks will be held, as both sides continue to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has continued to shoot at commercial ships that tried to navigate the strait, and US President Trump posted that he had “ordered the United

Kremlin Hails Putin Invite To G20 Summit In Miami, After Trump Said His Presence 'Very Helpful' The G20 Miami summit is set to take place at Trump National Doral Golf Course and will focus on "unleashing economic prosperity by eliminating burdensome regulations, unlocking affordable energy and pioneering new technologies," according to President Trump's words.  Amazingly and quite surprisingly, the Russian Foreign Ministry has announced Russia has been invited to take part "at the highest level" - meaning President Vladimir Putin has been invited, per the Kremlin. The actual date is still far away, slated for Dec. 14-15, 2026. G20 image, via Atlantic Council But the

JetBlue Sued For Allegedly Using Customers' Personal Data To Hike Air Fares Authored by Mary Prenon via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), JetBlue Airlines has been sued in a class action lawsuit seeking damages for allegedly using consumers’ personal data to increase airfares. A JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 takes off from Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Fla., on May 15, 2014. Chris O'Meara/AP Photo The case was filed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York. Brought by plaintiff Andrew Phillips of New York, the litigation states that Phillips booked his ticket on JetBlue’s website, which included a flight

Internal email proposes US should reassess support for UK claim to islands because of lack of support for Iran war * UK politics live – latest updates Downing Street has been forced to insist that Britain will not yield sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, after a leaked Pentagon email proposed the US should reassess its support for the UK’s claim on the islands because of a lack of British support over Iran. The memo reflected ways in which the Trump administration could punish Britain for failing to follow the US lead in bombing Iran, and comes before a potentially fraught three-day state

Languorous tree dwellers from Guyana and Peru died from ‘cold stun’ in warehouse with no power or running water * Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Wildlife officials in Florida said in a newly released report that dozens of sloths taken from South American rainforests for display at a controversial new tourist attraction in Orlando died in the care of their new owners. An incident report from the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) said that 31 of the mammals procured from Peru and Guyana by the owners of a forthcoming attraction called Sloth World perished in a

‘Coalition of the willing’ gathers in Colombia to try to bypass petrostate blockages of Cop summits and chart fresh path The world’s first Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels conference, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, takes place in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24 to 29 April. A “coalition of the willing” – including 54 countries and various subnational governments, civil society groups and academics – will try to chart a new path to powering the world with low-carbon energy. Continue reading...

Divers are installing waterproof speakers in the ocean to help pull a coral reef near Jamaica back from the brink The northern coast of Jamaica once served as the backdrop for scenes in the James Bond thriller No Time to Die. But today, beneath those same turquoise waves, a real-life mission is unfolding: the race to pull a dying coral reef back from the brink. However, the tools a team of divers are carrying to the seafloor are not what you would expect to find in a marine biologist’s kit. They are installing waterproof speakers at the bottom of the ocean, and

Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who allegedly made more than $400,000 on Polymarket, could face up to 60 years in prison A US soldier who played a role in the January capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is now in custody after allegedly cashing in over $400,000 on wagers about the politician’s removal from office, federal authorities announced on Thursday. Prosecutors say beginning in early December the soldier, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, was involved in planning for the military operation to capture and depose Maduro. Continue reading...

As domestic sales slow, manufacturers are investing in AI and seeking growth in technology and in overseas markets At the world’s biggest car fair, which opened in Beijing on Friday, there were hundreds of manufacturers, more than 1,000 vehicles, hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts – and hardly anyone behind a wheel. China’s car companies have cornered the domestic electric vehicle market, and are increasingly visible on the global stage. Now they are turning their attention to what they are betting is the future of mobility: autonomous driving. Continue reading...

Officials hope more casual attire for public servants will save electricity during Iran war as summer heat approaches Public servants working for the Tokyo metropolitan government are being encouraged to swap their suits for shorts this summer to combat sweltering heat and rising energy costs caused by the US-Israel war on Iran. Inspired by Japan’s Cool Biz energy-saving initiative, Tokyo officials hope the measure will cut dependence on air conditioning. Continue reading...

David Pocock says prime minister – who is trying to shore up fuel supplies – is parroting industry talking points * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Labor is poised to reject a growing push for a new 25% tax on gas exports in next month’s budget, prompting David Pocock to accuse the government of “caving in” to the gas industry. It’s understood the government has elected not to pursue a new tax on gas exports in the budget, prompted in part by the global oil crisis

ICC judges say there are substantial grounds to believe Duterte guided anti-drugs crackdown that killed thousands The former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, will face trial at the international criminal court (ICC) after judges unanimously confirmed charges of crimes against humanity over his “war on drugs”. Pre-trial judges concluded on Thursday that there were substantial grounds to believe Duterte was responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder in relation to anti-drugs crackdowns that led to the killing of thousands of people. Continue reading...

One pilot ordered to repay some of the $600,000 of damage caused by collision in 2021 South Korea’s air force has apologised for a 2021 mid-air collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident. “We sincerely apologise to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesperson said in a press briefing. The spokesperson said one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received severe disciplinary action and has since left the military. Continue

Roberts-Smith, who has denied five charges of war crime murder, says he was always going to attend: ‘I never thought about not coming’ Booing has marred Anzac Day commemorations in Melbourne and Sydney, while on the Gold Coast, the Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith attended the dawn service at Currumbin Beach. One man was arrested at the Sydney dawn service at Martin Place, where there was a small but noisy interjection of booing during the Indigenous acknowledgement of country. Continue reading...

Charlotte MacInnes, who is suing Wilson for defamation, says alleged cyber-attack was ‘completely terrifying and caused me a new kind of anxiety’ * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has been accused of orchestrating a cyber-attack on the social media account of a rising star which led to her nude photo being leaked. The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the Australian lead actor of her recently released directorial debut, musical comedy The Deb. Continue reading...

A poll shows most Australians think the country is either in a recession or will be soon. Economists have a different view * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australian households were already on edge before the bombs started falling in Iran. The cost of living was high and inflation was accelerating again, forcing the Reserve Bank to start ratcheting up interest rates. Continue reading...

Former soldier says he will ‘pay my respects’ at commemoration in Queensland where he has been living since being released on bail * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Ben Roberts-Smith will attend an Anzac Day service in Queensland on Saturday morning, describing the day as “sacred” to him, the first commemoration since he was criminally charged. Roberts-Smith, the recipient of the Victoria Cross and once one of Australia’s most lionised soldiers, faces five charges of the war crime of murder, allegedly committed during his service with the SAS in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Allegra Spender says 25% gas export tax would help fix ‘faulty’ system Independent MP Allegra Spender said a 25% tax on gas exports would help rectify what she sees as “faulty” taxation arrangements that have seen an Australian resource sent overseas with minimal benefit to the country. The gas industry is a very profitable industry and pays income tax. And every company in Australia, frankly, should pay income tax on its profits and should pay the proper rate. But the gas companies are different because they

Wendy Duffy died at Pegasos clinic in Basel as assisted dying bill in England and Wales fails to pass A grieving mother has ended her life at a clinic in Switzerland four years after the death of her only child. Wendy Duffy, 56, a physically healthy woman, died at the Pegasos clinic in Basel after struggling to cope with the death of her 23-year-old son, Marcus. Continue reading...

Auditor found Sarah Wedl-Wilson approved payments of public money to groups that had not been fully vetted Berlin’s top culture official, British-born Sarah Wedl-Wilson, has stood down over a funding scandal involving the the irregular distribution of €2.6m in public money for programmes to fight antisemitism. As culture senator for the Berlin regional government, Wedl-Wilson had already sacked a state secretary in her department, Oliver Friederici, over the affair this week, but the opposition called him a mere scapegoat. Continue reading...

Members to plan how to assist each other in event of attack as transatlantic alliance faces worst crisis in its history Brussels officials will draw up a plan on how to use the EU’s little-known mutual assistance pact in the event of a foreign attack, as Donald Trump’s criticism of Nato intensifies. EU leaders have agreed that the European Commission “will prepare a blueprint” on how the bloc will respond if the mutual assistance clause is triggered, according to Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, who is hosting the talks. Continue reading...

Philip Rycroft says promises on issues from economics to immigration have not lived up to expectations Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to a former senior civil servant who ran the Brexit department. Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the EU, said the “argument was there to be won” about going back into Europe, adding that a “clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country’s best interests” was needed. However, he said rejoining the bloc could be a “long and windy” road. Continue reading...

Top commander fired after wife of one malnourished soldier posted shocking images on social media Ukraine’s defence ministry has fired a top commander after photos emerged of a group of emaciated soldiers who have been left on the frontline for months without proper food and water. The scandal erupted after the wife of one of the soldiers, Anastasiia Silchuk, posted the images on social media. The four men appeared to be pale and visibly malnourished, with prominent ribcages and thin arms. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest, read our full report: * Trump sending Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan to resume talks on Iran war The EU’s foreign chief has said that talks with Iran should include nuclear experts otherwise “we will end up with a more dangerous Iran.” Speaking on Friday ahead of an informal summit of EU leaders in Cyprus, EU’s foreign chief Kaja Kallas said: “If the talks are only about the nuclear and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPOA was.” Continue

White House says its Middle East envoys will meet Tehran’s foreign minister in Islamabad * Middle East crisis – live updates Donald Trump is sending his Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan to resume negotiations to end the war with Iran, which has lasted nearly eight weeks. The White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed the travel on Friday, saying that Witkoff and Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, would meet Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, in Islamabad. Continue reading...

Amjad Youssef is one of most-wanted fugitives in relation to slaughter of estimated 288 civilians under Assad A Syrian former regime official suspected of leading a notorious civilian massacre revealed by the Guardian – and who became one of the country’s most-wanted fugitives after the fall of Bashar al-Assad – has been arrested by security forces, Syria’s interior ministry announced. Amjad Youssef was captured in the Ghab plain area about 30 miles (50km) outside the city of Hama and had “been taken into custody following a carefully executed security operation”, the interior minister, Anas Khattab, said in a social media post on

Israeli prime minister says early-stage malignant tumour was discovered during a routine check-up * Middle East crisis – live updates Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed that he received successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, without specifying when the treatment took place. In a statement on social media, as his annual medical report was released, the Israeli prime minister said an early-stage malignant tumour had been discovered during a routine checkup. The 76-year-old said targeted treatment had removed “the problem” and left no trace of it. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Scholars, writers and artists risk arrest with message of support for proscribed group before next week’s appeal hearing * UK politics live – latest updates Sally Rooney, Greta Thunberg and Brian Eno have written to the court of appeal in support of Palestine Action before next week’s hearing to determine the lawfulness of the ban on the direct action protest group. The letter, composed of only seven words – “We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action” – is signed by more than 130 people and is the first time that prominent scholars, writers and activists have come together to defy the

Officials assessing route after serac between base camp and camp one deemed unstable and too risky for climbers A large ice block on the route just above the Mount Everest base camp has forced hundreds of climbers and local guides to delay their attempt to scale the world’s highest peak. The serac between base camp and camp one was unstable and risky for climbers, said Himal Gautam of Nepal’s department of mountaineering on Friday. Continue reading...

Foreign ministry calls remarks of rightwing podcast host shared by Trump ‘uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste’ The Indian government has denounced a social media post shared by Donald Trump that described India as a “hellhole”, calling the comments inappropriate and “in poor taste”. On Wednesday, Trump posted a four-page transcription of remarks made by the conservative podcast host Michael Savage that denounced the US constitutional right to citizenship of everyone born in the country. Continue reading...

British foreign secretary told to impose new measures as ruble-pegged cryptocurrency A7A5 is supported in country More than 20 MPs and peers have called on the foreign secretary to take action against institutions and individuals in Kyrgyzstan allegedly facilitating large-scale Russian sanctions evasion. They urged the UK to levy personal sanctions against three top Kyrgyz officials for their alleged role in facilitating Russian sanctions evasion more broadly, and more specifically for allowing Kyrgyzstan to host infrastructure supporting the cryptocurrency A7A5. Continue reading...

Experts say Muslims and other minorities have been disproportionately deleted from the electoral roll ahead of the West Bengal elections this week Millions of people in the Indian state of West Bengal have been stripped of their vote ahead of a critical state election this week, after a controversial electoral revision described by critics as a “bloodless political genocide” and mass disenfranchisement of minorities. In West Bengal, a total of 9.1 million names have been deleted from the register, more than 10% of the electorate. While many were dead or duplicates, about 2.7 million people have challenged their expulsions, but still been

Islamabad has seized chance to act as mediator in Iran war and hopes to reap diplomatic and economic benefits As Pakistan works frantically to narrow differences between Iran and the US in its newfound role as global peacemaker, it is also seeking to recast its diplomatic standing and attract business. Pakistani officials, mediating between an unpredictable US president and hardliners in Tehran, were on Monday trying to coax both sides to put the conditions in place for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, including easing the standoff in the strait of Hormuz. Pakistan was optimistic that the meeting would

Four accused of rape and one of aiding and abetting rape in connection with incident in Gravesend Three boys and two men have been charged over the rape of a teenage girl in Kent, police said. Kent police received reports on Tuesday that a girl had been raped at a private property in Gravesend between 25 March and 19 April. Continue reading...

Home secretary indicates Whitehall talks about returns programme, a move that would shock humanitarian groups Shabana Mahmood has refused to rule out sending rejected Afghan asylum seekers back to the Taliban-controlled country. The home secretary said she is “monitoring very closely” talks between Kabul and EU countries about a returns programme for refused claimants. She also indicated that “additional conversations” about Afghan returns were happening inside Whitehall. Continue reading...

Police investigating allegations Mandelson and former prince Andrew passed sensitive info to Epstein will struggle to make charges stick without files British police investigating the former prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson are preparing to start interviewing witnesses in royal and government circles. It comes as police fear that prosecutors will be “reluctant” to bring charges unless the Trump administration agrees to hand over the original documents from the Epstein files. Continue reading...

Claudia–Liza Vanderpuije has fully withdrawn allegations relating to her former co-host, her lawyers say The TV presenter Claudia–Liza Vanderpuije has withdrawn claims against her former Channel 5 News co-host Dan Walker after reaching a “mutual agreement” with the broadcaster and ITN. Vanderpuije, who co-hosted a show with Walker for a year between 2022 and 2023, had filed claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination and harassment on grounds of race and sex, and breach of contract. Continue reading...

Green party leader attacks Keir Starmer’s ‘silly games’ after prime minister accused him of playing down recent incidents Zack Polanski has called on politicians to treat antisemitism with “consideration, care and nuance” as he accused Keir Starmer of trying to play political games with the issue. The Green leader’s comments come after the prime minister accused him of playing down recent antisemitic incidents. Polanski’s party is facing increasing scrutiny over recent comments by some candidates and members. Continue reading...

Move creates conflict between state and administration as Trump seeks federal framework over states handling issue * Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox The US justice department said on Friday it had intervened in a lawsuit by Elon Musk’s xAI challenging a Colorado law aimed at regulating artificial intelligence systems. In its intervention, the justice department said the law violates the 14th amendment’s equal protection guarantee by requiring companies to guard against unintended discriminatory effects while allowing some discrimination aimed at promoting diversity. Continue reading...

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin wrote to US attorney for DC demanding that she explain her threat that she could reopen a criminal investigation into Jerome Powell * Sign up for the Breaking News US email When Pete Hegseth was asked about Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation of the war in Iran, and comments from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops suggesting the conflict is not a “just war”, the defense secretary simply said that the pope was “going to do his thing”. “We know what our mission is,” Hegseth added. “We follow that the orders of the president. We’ve got lawyers

Carie Hallford, 48, whose ex-husband Jon was earlier sentenced, expressed remorse over corpse abuse scheme The co-owner of a Colorado funeral home was sentenced in state court on Friday to 30 years in prison for her part in a corpse abuse scheme that involved hiding nearly 200 decomposing bodies. Carie Hallford, 48, was also sentenced to 18 years in prison earlier this month after pleading guilty to a federal fraud charge related to the scandal. Continue reading...

Hisham Abugharbeih, 26, taken into custody after remains of Zamil Limon found, as search for Nahida Bristy continues The body of one of two Bangladeshi doctoral students missing from the University of South Florida (USF) was found on a bridge over Tampa Bay, and his roommate has been taken into custody, law enforcement authorities said Friday. Zamil Limon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland Bridge on Friday morning, but Nahida Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough county sheriff’s office chief deputy Joseph Maurer said. Continue reading...

Martha Odom, 16, died from a gunshot wound to the chest according to the local coroner’s statement A high school senior has been identified as the person killed in a mass shooting that also wounded five others when two groups exchanged gunfire inside the food court at a mall in Louisiana’s capital city on Thursday afternoon, according to officials. Martha Odom, 16, died from a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a statement issued Friday by the local coroner’s office. Continue reading...

The US and the European Union on Friday deepened their coordination on critical minerals as part of a broader push by Western allies to loosen China’s grip on materials crucial to advanced manufacturing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed a memorandum of understanding for a ‌partnership on producing and securing critical minerals. Rubio did not mention China in his remarks, but said the preliminary agreement with Brussels reflected growing awareness...

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday there was no prospect of Ukraine’s “immediate accession” to the EU, but suggested Kyiv could join meetings of the bloc’s members without voting rights. Ukraine is pushing to speed up its bid to join the 27-nation European Union as it fights Russia’s invasion on the battlefield. Kyiv’s progress has been blocked by Hungary’s nationalist premier Viktor Orban, but his defeat in elections earlier this month raised hopes it can move to the next step. EU...

A proposed bill to allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose to end their lives failed on Friday as parliamentary time ran out, nearly a year since elected members of parliaments gave their backing. Though the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed by the House of Commons last June, the UK’s revising chamber, the House of Lords, effectively talked it out since then. Proponents of what has been termed “assisted dying” – sometimes referred to as “assisted suicide” –...

The US Justice Department has ended its probe into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major roadblock to the confirmation of his successor, Kevin Warsh. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro said on X on Friday that her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinise them instead. The decision ends an investigation, one of several undertaken by the Justice Department into President...

The Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it will offer ultra-fast review to three psychedelic drugs being developed to treat mental health conditions, including depression, the latest indication of the Trump administration’s commitment to the experimental treatment approach. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last weekend directing the FDA and other federal agencies to speed access and loosen restrictions on psychedelics, a class of hallucinogenic drugs which remain illegal...

Fifa’s resale site has four tickets on sale for the World Cup final for just under US$2.3 million each. The $2,299,998.85 seats for the July 19 match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, are located behind a goal in the lower deck in block 124, row 45, seats 33-36. Fifa does not control the asking prices on its Resale/Exchange Marketplace but takes a 15 per cent purchase fee from the buyer of each ticket and a 15 per cent resale fee from the seller. An aisle seat 33 in block 146,...

Talks on forming a new Danish government are in stalemate one month on from the country’s parliamentary election, slowing decision-making amid efforts to resolve a crisis in ties with US President Donald Trump’s administration over Greenland. Caretaker Prime Minister Mette ‌Frederiksen, armed with a royal mandate, is leading coalition talks among the 12 parties in parliament but has so far only won support from left-wing groups, which is not enough to secure a parliamentary...

German prosecutors have charged a 46-year-old man on suspicion of serious sexual abuse of children via live streaming. The man, from the district of Heidenheim in southwestern Germany, is alleged to have paid female accomplices in the Philippines to carry out sexual abuse against girls aged between four and 13 in six instances, the Cybercrime Centre of the Karlsruhe Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday. Videos of the sexual abuse were reportedly streamed live to the man, while he directed...

The wind industry smells opportunity in Europe. At an expo in Madrid this week, the convention floor was abuzz as hundreds of European, American, Japanese and Korean exhibitors vied to pitch their products, knowing the continent urgently needs to shore up its energy security amid the US-Israel war on Iran. But there was one glaring absence: not a single company operating a booth was Chinese, with China’s participants only networking from the sidelines. At a time when many in Europe seek a rapid...

As my wife and I quaffed our way through a sumptuous five-course South African wine tasting dinner at the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) early this week, the world food crisis and global food insecurity seemed a very long way away. Yet as the US war on Iran approached its third month, with the Strait of Hormuz still blocked and a host of critical commodities hostage to the conflict, our FCC wine dinners must surely be in jeopardy. More seriously, millions worldwide may face much...

US President Donald Trump’s order for the US to attack Iranian gunboats is the latest sign that an asymmetrical war-fighting strategy is stymieing the world’s mightiest navy, with US aircraft and destroyers forced to track swarming speedboats in a vital energy waterway. “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be,” Trump said Thursday in a social media post, claiming that those vessels are laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The target –...

Hundreds of alleged Mara Salvatrucha gang members sat chained, shaved and mute as they were accused of murder and torture during a mass trial at El Salvador’s notorious CECOT jail on Thursday. Seated in neat columns of plastic chairs in the prison’s main hall, some 220 defendants were accused of collectively carrying out more than 29,000 murders. “We burned her genitals and buttocks” one witness said over the loudspeaker, testifying in a mass trial El Salvador’s president has compared to those...

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump extends Iran ceasefire, claims interception of ‘gift from China’ US President Donald Trump announced a last-minute extension of the ceasefire with Iran following a request from Pakistan’s top leadership, even as he appeared to...

US President Donald Trump’s “gold card” visa, where a foreigner can shell out at least US$1 million to legally live and work in the US, has been approved for one person, said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Thursday – appearing to fall a bit short of an earlier claim. After it launched in December, Lutnick said that the government had sold US$1.3 billion “worth” in just several days, as Trump stood by holding up the gilded ticket and said, “essentially it’s the green card on steroids.” Lutnick...

A US special forces soldier involved in the military operation to capture former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has been charged with using classified information about the mission to win more than US$400,000 in an online betting market, federal officials announced on Thursday. Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the operation to capture Maduro in January and used his access to classified information to make money on the prediction market site Polymarket, the federal prosecutor’s office in New...

US President Donald Trump reposted a video and comments from a conservative pundit calling India a “hellhole”, prompting the South Asian country on Thursday to criticise the remarks as “inappropriate”. The comments come ahead of a planned visit next month to India by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who would seek to turn the page on recent tensions between the normally friendly powers. Trump late on Wednesday reposted on social media a video and a screed apparently written by someone else...

Israel and Lebanon agreed on Thursday to extend their ceasefire by three weeks after a second round of negotiations between their envoys in Washington, despite reports of violations of the truce from both sides. US President Donald Trump announced the extension on social media, saying Washington “is going to work with Lebanon in order to protect itself from Hezbollah”. “The Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS,” he wrote, calling the meeting “very historic” and...

Britain’s King Charles heads to the United States on Monday with transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and the Epstein scandal’s long shadow threatening to intrude on the landmark visit. Both Buckingham Palace and the British government have said the four-day trip will honour the historic relationship between the two countries as the US marks 250 years of independence. Charles’ first US state visit as monarch comes at the request of the UK government and US President Donald Trump and would be...

The sad saga of a humpback whale stranded a month ago on the German coast has sparked a flood of compassion but also a media frenzy, angry disputes, conspiracy theories and death threats. As Germans have followed the travails of the sea mammal, dubbed “Timmy” by a newspaper, on their live news tickers, television screens and influencers’ social media channels, some worry about what its epic struggle says about a nation’s collective psyche. Sociologist Christian Stegbauer said the whale, a highly...

Warner Bros Discovery shareholders on ⁠Thursday backed the company’s proposed US$110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, but cast an advisory vote against executive compensation plans tied to the deal. Under the pay packages proposed to executives, CEO David Zaslav could receive ‌up to US$887 million if the sale is completed. Proxy advisor ISS had said Zaslav’s potential payout was “extremely large”. “Management now faces a twofold challenge: securing [regulatory] approval for the deal and...

In the latest cycle of threats and concessions that have marked US President Donald Trump’s approach to the war that he and his Israeli counterpart started against Iran, the mercurial leader said on Thursday he would destroy any boat attempting to lay mines in the blocked Strait of Hormuz. His focus on diminutive vessels followed his oft-repeated messaging that Iran’s larger naval vessels no longer exist as he renewed his effort to muscle Tehran’s frustratingly resilient regime to concede...

The suggestion that Iran should be replaced by Italy at this year’s World Cup drew a mix of embarrassment and apathy from Azzurri fans on Thursday, with Italian media pointing out that the idea had a very familiar feel. Donald Trump’s US special envoy Paolo Zampolli told the Financial Times that he made the suggestion to the US President and Fifa head Gianni Infantino. “I’m an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri ‌at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the...

Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship. For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian. “My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking at jobs outside the country, but citizenship pushed...

The US Department of Justice is reclassifying FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana as a less dangerous drug, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Thursday. The announcement does not legalise marijuana across the United States. In a post on X, Blanche said the Justice Department was “immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to ⁠Schedule III”. The department is also initiating an expedited hearing to consider the broader rescheduling...

The European Union on Thursday approved a massive loan package to help Ukraine meet its economic and military needs for the next two years, the bloc’s Cypriot presidency said, after Hungary lifted its veto. The EU also approved a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine. The measures were prepared early this year and set to be announced in February to mark the fourth anniversary of the conflict, but Hungary and Slovakia opposed the move. Hungary and Slovakia have been locked...

The Iran war has delivered a systemic shock to the Gulf’s security architecture and economic miracle. Two taboos were rapidly broken. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and close to a quarter of seaborne crude, was paralysed for sustained periods. Iranian strikes reached deep into Gulf territory, hitting ports, energy terminals and airports with a frequency that exceeded attacks on Israel. War-risk insurance premiums and tanker charter rates surged...

Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi was splattered with red liquid on Thursday as he left a building in Berlin. Pahlavi had just departed a news briefing, during which he criticised the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, when the incident occurred outside Germany’s federal press conference building. He appeared unhurt by the liquid coating the back of his blazer and neck, and waved to his supporters before he got into a car that drove away. Police said the liquid appeared to be...

Turkish lawmakers passed a bill late on Wednesday that includes restricting access to social media platforms for children under 15, state media reported. The legislation is the latest in a global trend to protect young people from dangerous online activity. Its passage comes a week after a 14-year-old boy killed nine students and a teacher at a middle school in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, in a gun attack. Police are investigating the online activity of the perpetrator, who also died, in a...

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran had ⁠agreed not to ⁠execute eight women protesters in a ⁠sign of respect for him, while officials in Tehran denied the executions had been planned and accused the US president of spreading falsehoods. “Very good news,” Trump said in a social media post a day after granting a ‌unilateral ceasefire in the war started by the US and Israel on February 28. Trump said four of the eight women would be released immediately and four would be sentenced...

Two local trains collided head-on in Denmark on Thursday, injuring 18 people, five of them critically injured, emergency services said. Two yellow and grey trains were seen at the site, both with visible damage to the front and facing each other in a wooded area, with rescue services describing “chaotic” scenes inside the carriages. “The two trains collided ⁠head-on, causing large damage to them and sending broken glass flying ‌everywhere,” fire and rescue service leader Christoffer Buhl...

In areas of southern Lebanon it has occupied since agreeing last week to a ceasefire with Hezbollah, the Israeli army has been destroying homes it says were used as outposts by the Iran-backed militant group. But the demolitions were happening on such a wide scale that residents, Lebanese officials and UN peacekeepers were increasingly worried that large numbers of people displaced by the latest war would have nowhere to return if the fragile truce holds. From a hill overlooking Beit Lif - about...

The race to become the next leader of the United Nations moved into a higher gear with the four declared candidates facing hours of questions over two days. Top among them: can the UN be made effective again? Rafael Grossi, an Argentine diplomat who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, struck a downbeat note about the global body’s future during his interview replace Secretary General Antonio Guterres. “This election, or selection, process is so consequential, and this is because we are...

Daniel Gros is the director of the Institute for European Policymaking at Bocconi University. Previously, he served as an adviser to the European Parliament, collaborated with the European Commission as economic adviser to the Delors Committee, which developed plans for the euro, and worked at the International Monetary Fund. In this interview, Gros examines the structural tensions shaping EU-China economic ties, draws lessons from the euro’s experience to analyse the yuan’s...

The death of US officials following an operation to dismantle a drug lab in northern Mexico is escalating tensions with Washington, as President Claudia Sheinbaum insists her government was unaware of their involvement. At a news conference, Sheinbaum said Mexican security officials involved in the operation were never told about the presence of foreigners, which she described as a clear breach of security protocols. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that the two US nationals worked...

Entrepreneur Justin Sun filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing a Trump family-backed cryptocurrency platform of fraud and alleging he was blocked from withdrawing his assets. In a San Francisco federal court filing reviewed by Agence France-Presse, the Chinese-born crypto billionaire and former Trump ally claims to have bought US$45 million worth of WLFI, an electronic currency launched by World Liberty Financial in October 2024. To thank him for the investment – at a time when WLFI was...

US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan is leaving his job, the Pentagon abruptly announced on Wednesday, the first head of a military service to depart during US President Donald Trump’s second term but just the latest top defence leader to step down or be ousted. No reason was given for the unexpected departure of the US Navy’s top civilian official, coming as the sea service has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports and was targeting ships linked to Tehran around the world during a tenuous...

A top envoy to ⁠US President Donald Trump has asked Fifa to replace Iran with Italy in the coming World Cup, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The plan is an effort to repair ‌ties between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against Pope Leo over the Iran war, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter. “I confirm I have suggested to Trump and (Fifa president ⁠Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran...

Few people have heard of Huangyan, a booming industrial district of Taizhou, a city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Yet without it, many cars would likely be heavier, more expensive and less energy efficient, while everyday household goods would probably cost more. The town specialises in plastic components and moulding equipment – unassuming products that rarely make the news, but sit at the heart of modern manufacturing. For years, Huangyan’s producers have dominated this supply chain,...

The US does not get to dictate the terms of coming trade talks, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday, following reports Washington wants an “entry fee” before agreeing to open negotiations. The United States and Canada are set to hold talks on revising a North American free trade agreement, a pact US President Donald Trump signed and praised during his first term but now dismisses as “irrelevant”. Quoting multiple Canadian sources, Canada’s public broadcaster CBC reported on...

Peru’s foreign and defence ministers resigned on Wednesday in protest over the interim president’s decision to stall a US$3.5 billion deal for the purchase of 24 US F-16 fighter jets. The ministers said the deal had already been signed and that to cast doubt on it now jeopardised Peru’s reputation as a trading partner. Despite the president’s declared wish to suspend the purchase, the Ministry of Economy announced late Wednesday that it had transferred US$462 million as part of an initial...

The United States is concerned that several African countries revoked overflight clearances for Taiwan’s leader at mainland China’s behest, the US State Department said on Wednesday, calling the incident an abuse of the international civil aviation system. Taiwan this week said the Seychelles, Mauritius ‌and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for leader William Lai Ching-te’s aircraft to cross airspace they manage on a planned trip to eSwatini, one of Taiwan’s allies. It is the first...

On the tourist-packed ⁠Rock of Gibraltar, one of the most common sights is monkeys ⁠begging for food – and sometimes stealing sweet and salty snacks from unsuspecting visitors. Scientists now have documented an unusual behaviour among these macaques that may help them ward off a bellyache from all this junk food. Researchers said the monkeys have been observed eating soil more frequently, a behaviour they said may help the macaques avoid stomach upset from consuming human snacks. They found that...

A second French soldier died on Wednesday from wounds suffered in a weekend ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon blamed on Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said. A first soldier, staff sergeant Florian Montorio, was shot dead in the Saturday ambush, for which Hezbollah has denied responsibility. “Corporal Anicet Girardin … brought home yesterday from Lebanon, where he was badly wounded by Hezbollah fighters, died this morning of the consequences of his wounds,” Macron posted on X. One...

Chinese battery cell manufacturers are poised to benefit from the US-Israeli war in Iran, according to Fitch Ratings, even as fierce competition, overcapacity and thin margins weigh on some downstream firms. Global demand for energy storage was set to rise, driven by high oil prices and rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, said Wang Ying, a managing director at the credit rating agency. “We believe that China’s leading energy storage cell manufacturers will be the bigger...

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”. Starmer’s remarks in parliament came as the beleaguered premier faced fresh calls to step down over his admitted error of judgment in appointing veteran former politician Peter Mandelson to the coveted post. The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the foreign ministry’s most senior...

Mr. Blanche’s actions are meant to demonstrate progress on the president’s priorities, chief among them payback.

The ruling could require the Trump administration to begin processing new applications from asylum seekers at the southern border.

Following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down several Trump administration tariffs, importers have begun applying for their share of $166 billion in refunds. As our economic policy reporter Tony Romm explains, consumers are unlikely to see much of that money returned to their own pockets.

The president spoke for nearly an hour at a Paramount-hosted event that raised questions about journalistic and regulatory conflicts of interest.

The Justice Department also reauthorized the use of a death penalty drug, and will seek to shorten the length of some legal appeals.

When Amazon gutted its podcast company, it built a new department that made creators kings, starting with the football stars Jason and Travis Kelce.

The Cascio siblings are suing Mr. Jackson’s estate after standing by him for years as he faced accusations of child molestation.

A biographical film produced by the estate of Michael Jackson flattens its subject to scrub his reputation.

In the mountains of northern New York, many local residents are weary of the military activities near an old missile silo and wary of the prospect of a howitzer range.

A review by state officials in Texas said the camp, hit by catastrophic flooding last year, was not in compliance with safety requirements.

In New Mexico, the former interior secretary seemed to have an easy path to becoming the first Native American woman elected governor — until Sam Bregman challenged her.

Republicans are likely to fall back on a tried-and-tested strategy for the midterms: Going negative.

Plus: some great Japanese designers and a final thought on the press tour for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

Blocking the narrow waterway between Russia and Alaska could help stabilize a vulnerable system of ocean currents, scientists found in a study.

From the Kremlin to Silicon Valley, some of the most powerful people in the world now want something more: eternal life.

People who are sex trafficked are often branded with names and symbols. Free removal programs are helping them move on.

A new study found that a pachyderm skeleton, dismissed for decades as unimportant, offers evidence of careful planning, teamwork and a calculated kill.

Rather than honestly reckoning with their role in America’s derangement, MAGA apostates are creating a scapegoat to explain it away.

The counterculture icon Stewart Brand is advocating values that are more countercultural than ever.

Pressure from Washington helped drive a disputed deal forward, triggering resignations and raising questions about sovereignty.

Another interest-rate cut highlights the narrowing path for the country’s central bank amid the strains of immense wartime spending.

A federal judge said the lawyer representing an unnamed plaintiff who accused the billionaire investor of abusing her had “lied repeatedly to the court.”

The government says the measure, which must be signed into law by the president, will protect minors. Critics worry it will threaten free speech and privacy online.