Geopolitical Shifts and Technological Disruptionactive

Pope ⁠Leo XIV is ​likely to visit France at the ​end of September, the country's bishops announced in a statement on Wednesday. It ​would ‌be the pontiff's second ⁠visit to a European Union country outside ‌Italy.

AI start-up is racing to add computing power to keep up with its growth

Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the US is wise to significantly increase its purchases of Russian fertilizer to the highest level in history

Though Trump’s popularity has dwindled, staying loyal to him seems to still be a winning strategy among the GOP By just about every measure, Donald Trump’s sway with US voters has slipped since he won re-election two years ago, but there’s one place where his power remains unmatched: within the Republican party. The latest evidence of his ability to control who’s in and who’s out in the GOP came on Tuesday, when primary voters in Indiana ousted five of seven state senators who had last year defied the president’s demand to redraw the state’s congressional maps and gerrymander the state’s last two Democratic representatives out of their seats. Continue reading...

LONDON — Voting for members of local councils usually involves debates about filling potholes and regularizing bin collections. This year, however, geopolitics thousands of miles away will shape how Brits cast their ballots. The incumbent, unpopular center-left Labour government faces a challenge from the left in Thursday’s local elections in numerous urban centers, including many of London’s 32 boroughs, by the newly energized Greens. Reform is targeting the Tories in outer London. Led by self-described ‘eco-populist’ Zack Polanski, the party’s poll ratings have been boosted by his condemnation of American and Israeli actions in the Middle East, most recently over the Iran war, but most vocally over Gaza. But Polanski is now facing criticism from Labour over his comments focused on police brutality after two Jewish men were stabbed in London last week, and revelations about antisemitic comments made by Green candidates standing across England and Wales. The campaign back-and-forth on the left comes as the Reform Party, led by Nigel Farage — himself dogged by allegations of past Holocaust-baiting as a schoolboy, though he has presented himself lately as a friend of Israel — looks to capture momentum on the right. Farage’s comments were from the 1970s, and he has said he “never directly racially abused anybody.” Rival Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also been vocal about condemning antisemitism and visiting Jewish neighborhoods. Vetting failures Less than 48 hours before voters go to the polls, Labour circulated a dossier claiming 25 Green candidates have a history of antisemitism and extremism after making comments justifying or downplaying attacks against the Jewish community. Five candidates referred to “false flag” attacks committed by Israel. Labour also published a video Monday saying antisemitic comments made by Green candidates out loud. “This needs to be called out,” the party’s X caption said. The content is striking given Labour’s own uncomfortable history of antisemitism. The party was referred to the Equality and Human Rights Commission watchdog in 2019, which found it responsible for “unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination” under former leader Jeremy Corbyn. Two Green candidates in London were arrested last week over alleged antisemitic social media posts, and the party is investigating more than 30 candidates for prejudice against Jews. Former party leader Caroline Lucas, the first Green MP to be elected, condemned comments by a handful of Green Party candidates as “totally unacceptable,” and said they require “immediate action,” in an X post Tuesday afternoon. “There’s no place for antisemitism or any hate speech in the party,” she added. Though some candidates have been suspended, Polanski, who is himself Jewish, admitted more work needs to be done. “What I’ve already committed to doing is making sure that we have a standardized vetting process in future,” he told the BBC Wednesday, adding the party must “also make sure that we have compulsory training of all our candidates to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome in the Green Party as it is in society.” Polanski, however, also called for antisemitism to not be conflated with criticizing the Israeli government: “That’s something Benjamin Netanyahu does regularly, and as a Jewish person that makes me feel less safe.” Adequately screening candidates is a problem that has also afflicted the Greens’ right-wing rivals Reform UK as both insurgent movements welcome members keen to build their presence in new areas — without fully checking their social media history. Threats at home Antisemitic comments from Green candidates come against a deeply alarming domestic context. Jewish properties, including synagogues, and ambulances belonging to the Hatzola community service in London have been repeatedly vandalized and set on fire since March. Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested Iran may bear responsibility, and warned Tuesday it “will not be tolerated.” The government has committed millions in additional funding to protect Jewish communities after the two Jewish men were stabbed last week in Golders Green. A 45-year-old man, Essa Suleiman, has been charged with attempted murder. Polanski criticized the Metropolitan Police for its use of force to detain Suleiman, who was shocked with a Taser and kicked in the head as officers tried retrieving a knife from him. Labour Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told Times Radio Wednesday the Green leader’s comments are “revealing” and “speaks volumes,” claiming Polanski had failed the “test of leadership” to protect the public. But Polanski defended himself, despite earlier apologizing for sharing a social media post attacking Scotland Yard. “Two things can be true at the same time: officers are incredibly brave and they run towards scenes of crimes that most people, including myself, would want to run away from,” he told the BBC. “At the same time … I was also traumatized by seeing someone handcuffed and repeatedly kicked in the head,” he said, adding: “The sign of a compassionate society is how we treat people, even people who have done horrific things.” A party spokesperson later clarified that the man had not been handcuffed. “Zack misspoke and meant that the man was on the floor.” Building community cohesion The Green leader said he agreed that the Jewish community “is not safe right now,” and said relations could be improved by promoting “community cohesion and community building.” Nonetheless, he said events in the Middle East would influence local contests. “Lots of people feel very strongly, both about their local services as they should do and feel equally strongly about the fact that there’s a reprehensible genocide happening,” he said. The extra scrutiny facing the Greens in recent days does appear to be having an impact — and not in the direction Polanski wants. A YouGov poll published Wednesday of 2,377 British adults conducted on May 4 and 5 found 47 percent had an unfavorable view of Polanski — his worst rating since becoming leader, and up eight points from 39 percent in a previous poll on April 28 and 29. Just 22 percent had a favorable view. The pollster noted negativity towards the Green leader rose the most among voters who backed rival parties at the 2024 election, including the Lib Dems and the Tories. Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank, said: “Green candidates who campaign on Gaza seek expressive support for issues that local councillors have limited influence over.” Muslim voters concerned about Gaza are not one monolithic group but instead fragmented by generation and geography, he also noted. “National leaders and local candidates share the responsibility to make clear the boundaries between politics, protest and prejudice — and accept the responsibility of local government to serve residents of all ethnicities and faiths even in politically polarized times,” he added.

Prior to the recent Miami Grand Prix of Formula 1, held last Sunday, Caterham Cars unveiled one of its most exclusive creations: the Seven Miami Special Edition, a limited series that pays homage to the unique atmosphere of the event and the city's automotive culture. Based on the Caterham Seven R, this model stands out for its customized aesthetics. The body features an exclusive Aqua finish, complemented by vibrant pink and white graphics that evoke the characteristic style of Miami. Details such as the silhouette of the circuit on the rear and the city's name further reinforce its unique identity. The special character extends to the interior, where embroidered headrests and a numbered plaque emphasize its exclusivity. Each unit, hand-assembled in the United Kingdom, also includes a plaque in the engine compartment with the signatures of the technicians responsible, a nod to the artisanal process that defines the brand. In terms of mechanics, the Seven Miami Special Edition maintains Caterham's purist essence. It is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter Ford Duratec engine that delivers 210 horsepower at 7,600 rpm, paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Thanks to its low weight, it achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 375 horsepower per ton, resulting in an acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 136 mph. Designed exclusively for track use, it is…

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, hopes the Strait of Hormuz can reopen even before the U. S.-Iran war formally ends. His plan has many pitfalls.

Wall Street bank becomes one of a handful of big lenders to offer service

Latam Airlines shares saw a significant increase this Wednesday, following the company's report of record profits in the first quarter. This occurred on a day when expectations of a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East were boosting markets, particularly the valuations of airline stocks. Latam shares rose 9.52% to $23, leading the gains on the Santiago Stock Exchange. Yesterday, after the markets closed, the company announced a year-over-year increase of 62.1% in its first-quarter profits, reaching a historical high of $576 million. This was primarily due to the improved performance of its passenger business, which was 18.9% higher than the last quarter of 2025. "Latam started 2026 maintaining the trend of 2025 and consolidating its financial performance, with sustained growth in revenue, margins, and cash generation," said Ricardo Bottas, the company's CFO. "This strength, enhanced by a diversified network, the growth of the premium segment, and an efficient cost structure, provides the necessary flexibility to manage fuel volatility and uncertainty for the rest of the year," he added. Falling Oil Prices And precisely, the scenario of uncertainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East began to ease today, providing additional support to airline stocks, whose main cost is fuel. The price of oil was registering declines...

Oil prices plunged around midday on Wednesday as reports emerged that the U. S. and Iran are nearing an agreement on a one-page memorandum that could result in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.  The international benchmark, Brent crude oil, reached $101.75 at 11:00 a.m. EDT while West Texas Intermediate hit $95.60, according to Reuters. …

Dean DelleChiaie, an FAA contractor in New Hampshire, has been indicted by federal prosecutors for threatening to kill President Trump.

The books displayed included "The Dinosaurs Who Met Santa Claus" and "Baby's Very First Big Play Book."

The Paris appeals court ruled that the investigation into Agathe Habyarimana must resume. She is accused of acts that constitute 'complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity' during the Rwandan genocide.

The U.S. President joked about the height of a young girl who was visiting the White House.

The ban applies to all individuals within the restricted zones, with the exception of diplomats and members of diplomatic delegations, as well as veterans of the Great Patriotic War

Europe highlights the dangers of slow economic growth combined with big welfare spending.

The transfer of Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house arrest has been welcomed cautiously abroad, but experts say Myanmar's military may be using it to boost legitimacy as the nation remains engulfed in civil war.

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. This is a breaking news story and may be updated as events unfold and further information becomes available. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued an order requiring that Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal (TK) accept four judges whom opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki has refused to swear in. The decision was welcomed by the Polish government, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying that it must be enforced. However, a spokeswoman for the TK, whose chief justice is also aligned with the opposition, says that the ECHR “does not have the authority” to rule on this issue. Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka rozstrzygnął jednoznacznie sprawę wybranych przez sejm sędziów Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Państwo ma obowiązek usunięcia wszelkich przeszkód uniemożliwiających im orzekanie. Dotarło? — Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) May 6, 2026 In March, the government’s majority in the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, elected six new judges to fill vacancies on the 15-person tribunal. However, under the law, judges only take up their positions after taking an oath before the president. Nawrocki, who regularly clashes with the government, invited only two of the six to be sworn in, arguing that there were doubts over the legality of the Sejm’s election of the judges. That prompted the remaining four judges to organise their own alternative swearing-in ceremony in parliament before a notary, later submitting their oaths to the president in writing. But, when they turned up at the TK to begin their terms, they were rejected by chief justice Bogdan Święczkowski. The unprecedented situation has added to a broader crisis surrounding the rule of law in Poland, where officials and courts aligned with the formerly ruling national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party have sought to block reforms and appointments made by the more liberal ruling coalition led by Tusk. Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads On Wednesday, the four judges announced that the ECHR had, at their request, issued an interim measure requiring that they be allowed to take up their positions on the tribunal. The European court itself has, at the time of writing, not published any confirmation or details of the ruling. “The European Court of Human Rights has unequivocally resolved the matter of the Constitutional Tribunal judges selected by the Sejm,” announced Tusk on social media. “The state is obliged to remove all obstacles preventing them from adjudicating.” “This is not a request. This is not a suggestion. This is a decision that the relevant public authorities in Poland are obliged to carry out,” added justice minister Waldemar Żurek. “It is immediately effective and enforceable.” Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka w Strasburgu powiedział jasno: państwo nie może blokować wybranych zgodnie z prawem sędziów Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zabezpieczenie wydał jednomyślnie siedmioosobowy skład ETPCz. Jest natychmiast skuteczne i wykonalne. To nie jest prośba. To… — Waldemar Żurek (@w_zurek) May 6, 2026 That position was rejected by Nawrocki’s chief of staff, Zbigniew Bogucki, at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. “In Poland, the supreme law is the constitution,” said Bogucki, and “the TK is the only competent body to assess the compliance of given actions by the authorities, including in the area of ​​jurisdictional disputes”. He noted that Nawrocki last month filed a motion to the TK requesting that it rule on whether the four judges should be accepted onto the court. While that ruling is pending, “all issues concerning the dispute are suspended”, said Bogucki. Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka po raz kolejny interpretuje swoje kompetencje w sposób skrajnie rozszerzający, wkraczając w materię, która nie została mu powierzona ani przez Europejską Konwencję Praw Człowieka, ani przez państwa-strony Konwencji. Zgodnie z art. 1 EKPC,… pic.twitter.com/SpvfAJugdv — Kamila Borszowska-Moszowska (@Kamilabormosz) May 6, 2026 His position was echoed by a spokeswoman for the TK, Weronika Ścibor, in a statement to news website wPolityce after the ECHR’s decision had been announced. “The ECHR does not have the authority to adjudicate on the constitutional structure of Poland,” she said. “It also cannot oblige any Polish body, including the government, to interfere with the powers of the highest judicial authority, the Constitutional Tribunal.” Ścibor also noted that the ECHR is a court of last resort, once all domestic legal avenues have been exhausted, and “we are not aware of any ongoing or even initiated domestic legal proceedings in this matter”. The spokeswoman added that the TK has not received any formal notification yet from the ECHR of its reported decision. Przypominamy, że do kompetencji Europejskiego Trybunału Praw Człowieka nie należy orzekanie w zakresie ustroju konstytucyjnych organów Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ani wykonywanie zadań sądu pracy. Nie może także zobowiązywać jakiegokolwiek polskiego organu, w tym rządu, do… — Trybunał Konstytucyjny (@TK_GOV_PL) May 6, 2026 Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: Mickaël Schauli/Wikimedia Commons (under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Esmail Baghaei said that Iran will convey its position to the Pakistani side after completing its assessments

Andrey Kolesnik drew attention to the active formation of military units in NATO countries bordering the Kaliningrad Region, in particular, the tank battalion being created in Lithuania

A passenger bus collided head-on with a fuel tanker truck on a highway on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and injuring four others, officials said. The crash occurred around midday on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas regency of South Sumatra province, when an intercity bus carrying at least 20 people struck a tanker truck travelling in the opposite direction, said Mugono, a local disaster management agency official. Mugono, who uses a single name...

BRUSSELS — Germany is on track to have the EU’s artificial intelligence rules rewritten to ease the pressure on its struggling industrial heavyweights such as Siemens and Bosch. EU ambassadors agreed to support Germany’s push to exempt machinery from the EU’s artificial intelligence law as part of talks that could conclude Wednesday night, five EU diplomats told POLITICO. It’s a big win for Berlin, which has launched a last-ditch effort over the past few weeks to secure less stringent AI rules for its industries. Chancellor Friedrich Merz personally promised German CEOs to fight for a more supportive AI regime at the EU level. If confirmed, the change marks a dramatic departure from the law’s initial form, which was designed to cover all sectors and uses of artificial intelligence. But Germany has faced resistance from a group of ten countries that warned that settling AI under sectoral law amounted to “deregulation, not simplification.” The decision comes as part of a broad review of the AI law that will also delay restrictions on high-risk uses of AI in the EU by more than a year and give companies a grace period to meet new requirements to watermark AI-generated content. A deal on Wednesday would be the first significant rollback of rules in the digital space, as the EU faces pressure from the U. S. over its tech legislation and amid warnings from its own industry and governments that strict restrictions will put the bloc at a disadvantage in a global AI race. Out of time EU countries swung behind Germany’s demands on Wednesday morning when EU ambassadors backed a pitch by the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU, which leads negotiations on behalf of countries, to change the law’s annex to exempt machinery. More than a dozen ambassadors backed the change, according to five EU diplomats, giving the Cypriots the mandate to push for the exemption at final negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Commission on Wednesday night. Under the proposal, industrial AI applications would have to meet the AI requirements set out in the machinery rules instead of the AI Act. POLITICO reported earlier Wednesday that Germany had secured France’s backing ahead of the meeting of ambassadors, according to a top French official speaking at POLITICO’s AI & Tech Week in Brussels. “We share in principle the views of Germany on machines,” Thomas Courbe, director general for enterprises at the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance, said right before the ambassadors’ meeting kicked off. The push is unlikely to face resistance at the negotiations on Wednesday evening. The European Parliament had previously asked that a series of products covered by sectoral legislation be subject only to those laws, not to the bloc’s AI Act as well. But work on the reforms faces a deadline: with the rules on high-risk uses set to kick in this August, legislators set an end-of-April deadline to ensure companies face no legal uncertainty. Reluctant countries obtained “additional safeguards” in the deal among ambassadors on Wednesday morning, according to two diplomats — designed to ensure that industrial AI applications will still have to meet requirements such as keeping a human in the loop. Some of Europe’s largest tech firms had actively weighed ahead of the deal. Top executives of companies, including Dutch chip-tool supplier ASML and German engineering company Siemens, issued a new plea on Monday, asking to “enable industrial AI applications without overlapping constraints.” Despite the agreement among countries, Germany has been criticized for raising its concerns only at a late stage in the talks, rather than when countries first agreed on their positions. “If you, as a member state, have any concerns, please tell us earlier,” Dariusz Standerski, Polish secretary of state for digital affairs, told POLITICO’s AI & Tech Week event on Tuesday.

France is reopening a probe into the alleged role Rwanda’s former first lady, 83-year-old Agathe Habyarimana, played in the 1994 genocide in which around 800,000 people, mainly ethnic Tutsis, were killed. Last year, the case against the late ex-president’s wife was dismissed due to "insufficient evidence", but on Wednesday a French appeals court overturned the ruling.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement, some issues in Russian-Israeli relations were also addressed

According to Le Figaro, the deployment of the aircraft carrier takes place against the background of plans for an international mission to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz

Profits jump to £122m at ticketing retailer but it expects flat or declining revenues over the coming year Business live – latest updates Trainline has said the US standoff with Iran is hitting its revenues, with rail ticket sales to foreign visitors to Europe affected. The UK-based ticketing retailer said it expected revenues to stay flat or decline over the coming year, citing “the effects of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on inbound air traffic into Europe”. Continue reading...

As British voters head to the polls for local elections on May 7th, Elena Pompei, a journalist with ENTR’s English-language team, takes us to Scotland, where she has been reporting on how young people are feeling ahead of the vote.

President Trump has the constitutional authority to respond to Iranian aggression without the need for congressional authorization, as the 60-day deadline imposed by the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is merely a legislative aspiration and does not bind the president.

Lufthansa is preparing to introduce refueling stopovers if destination airports run short of jet fuel due to the war in the Middle East, the airline group’s CEO said on Wednesday. The measure would allow the German carrier to maintain its most profitable long-haul routes despite potential fuel shortages. The sector is facing a growing crisis because of the halt in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for about half of the EU’s jet fuel imports. “If you will not reach your target airport with the fuel that you’ve got, then you have to do refueling stops. We’re not there yet, but of course we are preparing for this,” Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said during the presentation of the company’s first-quarter results. The idea of adding refueling stops is not new. Spohr said Lufthansa was forced to make refueling stopovers in Namibia last week because “there was no fuel in Cape Town.” Similar issues also occurred in November. Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss also did such a stop in 2024 on a Dubai-bound flight that refueled in Antalya, Turkey. Similar measures were taken on flights from Delhi and Singapore to Zurich, which had to stop in Vienna after Iran attacked Israel, forcing aircraft to burn more fuel to avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Israel. Lufthansa could make such exceptions the new norm in the coming months if the jet fuel crisis worsens and shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is not restored. “Until and including June, we assume that fuel supply, especially at our hubs, is completely ensured,” CFO Till Streichert told reporters. “If this should change, possible actions could be refueling stops on selected routes to Asia or Africa and elsewhere.” Goldman Sachs research shared with POLITICO estimates that commercial jet fuel stocks in Europe, excluding government reserves, could fall to below 23 days of supply by the end of May or early June. That is a critical threshold flagged earlier by the International Energy Agency, beyond which airports may begin to face shortages. This would occur under the base scenario, which anticipates that the situation in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz will normalize by June. “Under an adverse scenario (normalization delayed to July), stocks could be depleted entirely by year-end,” the research said. Lufthansa reported overall positive results despite higher fuel costs, with its first quarter revenues up 8 percent to €8.7 billion compared with the same period a year ago. However, the group said that jet fuel prices, which have doubled since the start of the war in the Middle East, are expected to lead to additional costs of €1.7 billion in 2026. In April, Lufthansa cut 20,000 flights to eliminate routes that had become unprofitable due to higher fuel costs. The company also retired the entire 27-aircraft fleet of its CityLine subsidiary ahead of schedule. Lufthansa has hedged over three-quarters of its fuel, limiting its exposure to higher prices for this year.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, issued a new warning to the Iranian regime this Wednesday, stating that if Tehran does not accept the terms proposed by Washington, his country will resume attacks with a "much greater" intensity than previously seen. In a message posted on the Truth Social platform, the president asserted that there is a possibility of ending the military operation called "Epic Fury" if Iran complies with the agreed-upon terms. "If Iran agrees to what has been agreed, which may be a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will come to an end, and the highly effective blockade will allow the Strait of Hormuz to be open to everyone, including Iran," Trump wrote. In the same message, the president made it clear that the situation could escalate rapidly in the event of a negative response from Iran. "If they do not agree, the bombings will begin, and they will, unfortunately, be at a much higher level and intensity than before," he warned. For its part, the Iranian regime warned this Wednesday that it will only agree to a peace agreement if it is "fair," following President Donald Trump's renewed call for surrender and the suspension of a naval operation aimed at reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The American initiative, dubbed "Project Freedom," began this week and aimed to restore traffic...

President Trump said his administration had had “very good talks” with Tehran in the last 24 hours. An Iranian official said an American plan to end the war was under review. Israel struck targets near Beirut.

The May 7 elections could see nationalist gains in Scotland and Wales, while Sinn Fein already leads in Northern Ireland. Is the UK's unity at risk?

President Trump on Wednesday defended the high cost of his new ballroom on the East Wing of the White House, stating that the space will be double the size and of "far higher quality" than initially planned. Trump has long maintained that the White House needs the 90,000-square-foot ballroom so that future administrations can host large…

A visit by Vietnam’s leader to India is set to enhance New Delhi’s growing influence with Hanoi while allowing the Southeast Asian country to hedge against China in the event of any escalation in maritime disputes. Vietnamese President To Lam’s trip underscores concerns from both countries of being “overly dependent” on any superpower, according to political analysts. Lam arrived in Delhi on Tuesday for a three-day visit, marking his first trip to India since assuming office. The visit coincides...

On the New York oil market on the 6th, expectations for a easing of tensions in the Middle East caused the futures price of WTI, a benchmark for international trading, to temporarily fall below $90 per barrel, reaching the $88 range.

Beneath the surface of the world’s oceans lies an infrastructure so essential, modern life would stall without it – yet so invisible it rarely enters public debate. Submarine cables, slender fibre-optic systems laid across the seabed, carry over 95 per cent of global internet traffic, transmitting the data that underpins financial markets, diplomatic exchanges and everyday communication. What appears to be neutral infrastructure is, in fact, a deeply political system – one that exposes a...

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Wednesday that he will bring an end to the "Epic Fury" operation against Iran and lift the "highly effective blockade" in the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran "agrees to comply with what has been agreed," without providing further details, amidst the stalemate in the dialogue mediated by Pakistan to achieve an end to the conflict in the Middle East. "Assuming that Iran agrees to comply with what has been agreed, which is perhaps a significant assumption, the already legendary 'Epic Fury' will come to an end, and the highly effective blockade will allow the Strait of Hormuz to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," the White House occupant stated in a social media message. Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don't agree, the bombing starts,… pic.twitter.com/BvPpOIfNCx — Commentary: Donald J Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) May 6, 2026 However, he reiterated his threats against the country and emphasized that if Iran "does not agree," "the bombing will begin." "Unfortunately, it will be at a much higher level and with an intensity like never before," Trump concluded, without any response from Iranian authorities to this message. The United States and Iran are embroiled in a process of…

The leaders of Hong Kong and Uzbekistan met on Wednesday to strengthen trade ties, as China and the Central Asian country signed 15 bilateral agreements covering areas such as infrastructure, healthcare and metal production. At a meeting at Government House with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdullah Nigmatovich Aripov, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu pledged to expand Hong Kong’s presence in Belt and Road Initiative markets and strengthen cooperation. Speaking later at a forum and exhibition with the...

At the edge of the Indian Ocean, a remote island is being turned into a strategic hub that New Delhi hopes will shape trade routes and boost its military reach.

The summit between President Trump and President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week could be the most significant meeting between American and Chinese leaders since Richard Nixon met with Mao Zedong in Beijing in 1972. That summit eased decades of Sino-American animosity and forged a tacit alliance between the United States and China against the Soviet Union. This summit takes place at a time of similar transformation in global affairs, when a new common threat exists for China and the United States. This threat is a rapidly spreading disruption that could destabilize the world and harm both countries unless they find a way to compete and collaborate simultaneously to address a growing list of challenges. These challenges can only be successfully addressed through collective action, starting with the United States and China jointly establishing safeguards against the malicious uses of AI, now that the latest models have demonstrated surprisingly powerful cyberattack capabilities. Two paradigm shifts have transformed the world since the Nixon-Mao summit. The first – still not widely recognized, although the alarm bells are already ringing – is the emergence of these new asymmetric artificial intelligence tools that could grant immense power to small, malicious actors, whether they are terrorists, anarchists, criminals, or political groups...

According to it, the 31-year-old attacker had "multiple social and political grievances" against the US president

Firms raising prices at fastest rate in three years, driven by soaring energy and wage bills but also extra cost of metals and plastics Business live – latest updates Oil prices fall as Trump hails ‘progress’ on Iran deal Airlines and other companies are increasingly using fuel surcharges to cover soaring costs, a survey has found, in a further sign of Iran war-linked inflation hitting the economy. A poll of companies in the services sector, which includes airlines, found rising fuel prices had contributed to businesses raising prices at the fastest pace in more than three years in April. Continue reading...

Industry sources told Reuters that three of the refinery's four crude distillation units and several secondary units were damaged in the attack.

A deal revamping Swiss relations with the European Union requires a constitutional amendment, according to a panel of lawmakers whose views hint at the hurdles the agreement will face.

President Trump will host Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for a working visit at the White House on Thursday, according to a White House official.  The official told The Hill that Trump and Lula will discuss economic and security matters.  Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin told the Brazilian outlet Globo News on Tuesday that Lula…

Health care costs are the top concern among voters who identify with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, according to a new poll — far more than vaccines, pesticides or additives in food. The survey, released Wednesday by KFF, shows how affordability concerns dominate the minds of Americans across the political spectrum. According to the poll,…

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. President Karol Nawrocki’s chief of staff and most senior foreign policy aide have both called on the Polish government to “take advantage” of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany by seeking to have them redeployed to Poland. Their comments come shortly after Prime Minister Donald Tusk, an opponent of Nawrocki, said that he would not want to “undermine European solidarity” by “poaching” US troops from Germany. However, since then, other government figures have indicated Poland may be open to such a transfer. Szef Biura Polityki Międzynarodowej @prezydentpl @marcin_przydacz in Porannej #RozmowaRMF about increasing the number of US soldiers in Poland: "There is some openness from President @realDonaldTrump to discuss this (…) It would be good if not only @prezydentpl pursued this, but also… pic.twitter.com/eKKl3SEpCr — RozmowaRMF (@Rozmowa_RMF) May 6, 2026 “We have to take advantage of the situation,” Nawrocki’s chief of staff, Zbigniew Bogucki, told broadcaster wPolsce on Tuesday. “This isn’t about poaching, it’s not about acting at someone’s expense; it is firstly in the interests of Poland, and secondly in the interests of…

The Supreme Court’s emergency docket is roaring back.  After a lull in activity, requests for quick action on redistricting, abortion and Big Tech have landed on the justices’ desks.  It’s dominating the agenda as decision season fast approaches for the Supreme Court’s normal docket, a time the justices typically spend working on drafting those opinions.  Louisiana’s congressional map  Last week’s blockbuster Supreme Court decision abating a central Voting Rights Act provision struck down Louisiana’s congressional map. But it left questions…

"The Bandera regime continues its terror against the Russian people," said Leonid Slutsky.

The secretary of State travels to Italy seeking to ease tensions with Europe and the pope

The Conservative-Labour duopoly that governed British politics for the past century appears locked in terminal decline. As a result, voters are no longer presented with a binary choice between opposing economic manifestos.

The small South American nation has experienced a significant increase in its revenue as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

MT Ninemia delivered about 100,000 metric tons of crude oil from Saudi Arabia

Romania's Social Democrats have joined forces with the far right to oust the pro-reform government of Ilie Bolojan. The economic impact will be serious; the political cost high. Is the far-right on the brink of power?

Diplomatic relations between the U. S. and Belgium are under renewed pressure after Donald Trump’s envoy lashed out over plans to prosecute two Jewish men who perform ritual circumcisions. “This is a shameful stain on Belgium,” U. S. Ambassador Bill White wrote Wednesday on X, adding that the country would now be considered antisemitic by the world. “The Trump Administration condemns this judicial action,” White added, slamming what he described as “political inaction” by the Belgian government to find a solution. The U. S. ambassador’s comments echo remarks on X earlier Wednesday from Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who described the situation as “a scarlet letter on Belgian society.” The U. S.-Israeli fury comes after the Antwerp prosecutor confirmed it recommended two mohalim be prosecuted following investigations into alleged illegal circumcisions, which must be carried out by a medical professional according to Belgian law. Belgium’s foreign affairs minister immediately hit back at the criticism. “I urge you to exercise greater restraint and to view your role in its proper context,” Maxime Prévot wrote on X, responding to White. “It is inappropriate to publicly criticize a country and tarnish its image simply because you disagree with judicial proceedings. I have already told you this.” The minister added it was “defamatory” to represent the legal proceedings as a push to undermine religious freedom, noting that they had been initiated by “representatives of the Jewish community themselves.” He also invited Sa’ar to a meeting “to put an end to any misinterpretations” on the matter, “since you yourself recently urged against conducting diplomacy via Twitter.” The back-and-forth further strains diplomatic relations between Belgium and the U. S., which were already frayed earlier this year when the ambassador’s criticism of the same investigation led to an outcry over U. S. interference in Belgium’s legal system. The Antwerp prosecutor confirmed to POLITICO that it “considers there to be sufficient evidence to request” that two men be referred to the criminal court. They would be charged with intentional assault or battery against minors and the unlawful practice of medicine. A panel will decide in June whether the case should in fact be sent to trial.

Lawmakers to convene for special session to redraw state supreme court districts at building with racist history When Mississippi lawmakers met in 1861 and voted to secede from the union in an effort to continue enslaving people, they did so in what is now known as the Old Capitol Museum. From 1839 to 1903, lawmakers met at a building that witnessed some of the state’s most racist history. And now, on 20 May, when members of Mississippi’s house convene for a special session to redraw state supreme court districts, they will do so at the Old Capitol, ostensibly because of renovations in the house chamber. Continue reading...

Lutnick has acknowledged he visited Epstein’s island with his family in 2012 after earlier claiming he severed ties in 2005 Sign up for the Breaking News US email A majority of Indiana Republican legislators whose opponents were backed by Donald Trump lost their primaries on Tuesday, giving the president wins in a deep-red state just months after lawmakers there rejected his redistricting plan. Of the seven Trump-endorsed challengers to state senate candidates, at least five won. Continue reading...

Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency is seeking to charge two unnamed individuals over a 1.1 billion ringgit (US$278 million) semiconductor deal with British chip designer Arm Holdings, as former economy minister Rafizi Ramli returned for a third day of questioning in the same probe. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said the investigation was nearing completion after officers recorded statements from 22 witnesses, including Rafizi and his former aide, political analyst James...

Reform UK has surged in polls largely due to its campaign against immigration and has vowed a wave of mass deportations if it wins the next general election in 2029.

The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders on Wednesday for more than a dozen towns in Lebanon, citing potential attacks against the country. This comes despite the ceasefire in effect since mid-April, which has been marked by continued Israeli attacks and drone launches by the Lebanese group. The Arabic-speaking spokesperson for the Israeli military, Avichai Adrai, stated in a brief statement published on social media that the order affects the towns of Kauzariya al Siuad, Gasaniya, Mazraat al Daudiya, Budias, Raihan, Zlaya, Bazuriya, Haruf, Habush, Ansariya, Qalué, and Deir al Zehrani. "Due to violations of the ceasefire agreement by the terrorist group Hezbollah, the military is compelled to take action against it with force," he stated, before urging the residents of these towns to "immediately evacuate their homes" and move away from their houses "to a distance of no less than one kilometer." "Anyone who is near Hezbollah elements, their facilities, and their combat equipment is putting their life in danger," Adrai warned, after the Israeli military stated that it had launched attacks against 25 alleged targets linked to the Lebanese group in the past 24 hours. The last major outbreak of hostilities occurred on March 2, when Hezbollah launched projectiles against Israel in response to the assassination of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during an offensive launched on the 2nd...

More than 400 cancer patients are set to benefit from Hong Kong health authorities’ decision to subsidise a leukaemia drug, and will go from paying up to HK$500,000 (US$63,800) a year for treatment to forking out just HK$240. The Hospital Authority said on Wednesday that it began subsidising the medication, Dasatinib, in April, with the government expected to set aside an additional HK$49 million in annual spending to help cover the cost. As part of the move, Dasatinib was reclassified from a...

An Indian citizen working as a technology professional in the US is considering resigning and moving to India because of stress and depression caused by a negative work environment.

Five years ago, a Nevada state senator helped kill a crypto tycoon’s vision of a blockchain city in the Reno desert. Now, that lawmaker is running for higher office, and the crypto mogul is bankrolling her primary opponent to the tune of millions. The battle playing out in the state attorney general’s race is one example of many of the crypto sector trying to elect industry-friendly officials. In Nevada, it’s also a story of an eccentric multimillionaire whose money threatens the political ascent of a woman who helped deny his dream. The spending by crypto entrepreneur Jeffrey Berns is “meaningful money, especially at this early stage in the primary,” said Kenneth Miller, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “And we don’t know if this only represents an initial investment and will be followed up by more.” Spending Big Berns has donated at least $2.5 million since 2023 to a political action committee controlled by Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine, who is running for attorney general against state Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro. That is more than twice the $1.2 million that Conine received from individual donors to his personal campaign account over the same period. After receiving money from Berns, Conine’s PAC in turn donated more than $1.8 million to a newly created campaign outfit called Safe and Strong Nevada PAC, which rolled out a website and video advertisement attacking Cannizzaro. Both Cannizzaro and Conine are Democrats on the June 9 primary ballot. They have settled on similar campaign themes as fighters who will take on President Donald Trump — a reliable message in an election year with an energized Democratic base. “It is not typical for a campaign to be almost entirely propped up by one wealthy megadonor.” Neither candidate has made cryptocurrencies a focus of their campaigns. Yet Berns’s donations make him by far the largest donor to Conine’s campaign organizations. Miller, the political science professor, said the scale of Berns’s donations reflected a larger trend. “All semblance of constraints on political donations have eroded away in the past couple decades, and the amount of money it takes to be impactful in a Nevada primary election is well within reach for a lot of wealthy individuals,” he said. “Campaigns around the country often have one or two super PACs involved that are funded by one or just a handful of people. It is not typical for a campaign to be almost entirely propped up by one wealthy megadonor, but it does happen sometimes.” A Dream Denied While Berns did not respond to a request for comment on why he is intervening in the race, he has a tangled history with Cannizzaro. Five years ago, she helped kill his vision of building what his company called a “smart city” near Reno. Berns was formerly a California plaintiff’s lawyer who won huge settlements taking on the banking industry. He was also an early investor in the Ether token, a leading competitor to bitcoin. His multiplying fortune allowed him buy waterfront properties in ritzy destinations including Lake Tahoe, where he bought and sold a $47.5 million mansion, and Turks and Caicos, where he recently listed for sale at $35 million a beachfront property that was once featured on the Netflix reality dating show “Too Hot to Handle.” He also founded a company called Blockchains, which in 2018 purchased 67,000 acres of land in Storey County in northern Nevada near the Tesla “Gigafactory” for the sum of $170 million. Storey County has flexible development rules, but not flexible enough for Berns. Instead, he and his company wanted to build an entire city running on blockchain that operated independently from the county. “I want to create a place where we can rethink things. Where we can democratize democracy,” Berns told the BBC. Berns won the support of a critical backer: then-Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat who endorsed the idea in his 2021 State of the State address. Opponents noted that Berns had donated tens of thousands of dollars to Sisolak and smelled an end-run around regular democratic governance. They also raised concerns about more mundane issues such as lost tax revenue and water rights. The idea would have needed approval from the Nevada Legislature. Berns’s push for legislative approval was damaged by the revelation that he was being sued by his children’s nanny for allegedly trying to force her into a sexual tryst with him and his wife. Berns said the plaintiff was a disgruntled former employee, and he settled the case the next year without admitting wrongdoing, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. Despite Sisolak’s support, the smart city idea was ultimately doomed to die the bureaucratic death of a study committee. One of the key players who helped kill the proposal was Cannizzaro, the state’s first female Senate majority leader. A lobbyist involved in the discussions confirmed that Cannizzaro was instrumental in shelving the idea. In a statement, her campaign also said that she opposed the idea. “Like nearly all of her legislative colleagues in both parties, Majority Leader Cannizzaro was extremely skeptical of the idea of letting private corporations run their own governments and siphon off millions of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Peter Koltak, a campaign spokesperson. “Ultimately, she informed the Governor’s staff and the bill’s supporters that there wouldn’t be legislative support for the concept.” Berns was so disappointed by the process that his company pulled out of the study process, prompting its staff to declare that there was no point in exploring the idea further. Berns Shifts Gears While Berns vastly expanded his wealth by investing in cryptocurrency, he is not a household name in the industry. Many of the wealthiest crypto companies and venture capital firms have backed a national super PAC called Fairshake that has hundreds of millions to spend on federal elections. Berns has not donated to that effort, federal campaign finance records show. Instead, he has focused his giving on Nevada, supporting politicians on both sides of the aisle. Berns gave $5,000 to Republican Gov. Joseph Lombardo in 2024 and $250,000 to the Democratic Party of Washoe County in 2022, campaign finance records show. He also gave $5,000 to Cannizzaro in 2020 before the smart city proposal died in the legislature. Despite the pushback the smart city proposal drew, it has not made him a particularly controversial donor. “In Las Vegas, not a month goes by without an artist’s rendering of a proposed resort, arena, or other project popping up,” said Miller. “Some of them happen, and many of them don’t. I don’t expect that the smart city proposal left much of an impression on many Nevada voters.” While neither Conine nor Berns responded to questions about the latter’s donations, Conine has signaled that he is friendly to crypto. During the smart city debate, Conine promoted the idea of allowing government entities to accept payments in stablecoin. In 2024, he attended an event sponsored by a crypto industry trade group. Cannizzaro, for her part, does not appear to have staked out any major public positions on the crypto industry. Since the start of 2024, she has raised $2.2 million between her personal campaign account and a PAC she controls. Her campaign said she will not be deterred by Berns’s spending. “Leader Cannizzaro has always defended Nevada from big corporations and wealthy special interests, and an unaccountable tech billionaire dumping his millions into this race is certainly not going to stop her,” said Koltak, the spokesperson. The post She Opposed His Plan for a Blockchain City. Now He’s Bankrolling Her Primary Opponent. appeared first on The Intercept.

TOKYO — The Philippines’ shock inflation spike in April is a serious warning sign — an economic canary in the coal mine that shouldn’t be ignored. The 7.2% year-on-year jump is roughly double the first-quarter 3.4% growth rate. Clearly, the Philippines falling into the stagflation zone wasn’t on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s 2026 Bingo card. The predicament […] The post Philippines first to lose a grip on Iran war-stoked inflation appeared first on Asia Times.

According to the news outlet, the US leadership’s decision to suspend Operation Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz is linked to progress in the negotiations

At the opening of the Russian pavilion: "There is something truly morbid and irrational about the EU's obsession with persecuting Russian culture and art."

A French container ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring several crew members, amid U. S. President Donald Trump’s on-and-off guarantee of escorting commercial vessels through the critical waterway. French shipping giant CMA CGM confirmed to POLITICO that its vessel, the San Antonio, was targeted, as a ceasefire between the United States and Iran has frayed in recent days. “The CMA CGM Group confirms that one of its vessels … was the target of an attack yesterday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel,” the company said in a statement, adding that injured seafarers have been evacuated and are receiving medical care. The vessel switched off its tracking signal before entering the strait, leaving the exact location of the strike unclear. The incident follows Trump’s announcement that the U. S. would guide ships safely through Hormuz under “Project Freedom,” a plan to escort vessels out of the critical waterway. On Tuesday night, however, he said the U. S. would pause support for ships transiting the strait “for a short time,” citing “great progress” in negotiations with Iran. French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said: “The strikes that targeted a CMA CGM vessel clearly show that the situation remains dangerous. The ship was not flying the French flag. As things stand, France was therefore in no way targeted. Both the Iranians and the Americans must understand that it is in the common interest for traffic to resume freely.” The attack comes amid a string of incidents flagged by the U. K. Maritime Trade Operations over the past week. On Tuesday, a cargo vessel was hit by an unknown projectile in the strait. A day earlier, a vessel was reported on fire near the United Arab Emirates coast. On Sunday, a tanker was struck by projectiles off Fujairah, UAE, while a separate bulk carrier reported an attack by multiple small vessels near Iranian waters. Lars Jensen, CEO of maritime consultancy Vespucci Maritime, said the volatile situation means that even if corridors reopen, many operators are likely to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach before resuming normal routes. Victor Goury-Laffont contributed to this report.

The President of Iran, Masud Pezeshkian, has reiterated that Tehran "will not yield to unilateral demands" and has called on the United States to "withdraw its military threats" against the country in order to make progress in the Pakistan-mediated talks aimed at reaching an agreement that would end the conflict in the Middle East, which was triggered by the offensive launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran. Pezeshkian told the designated Prime Minister of Iraq, Ali al-Zaidi, that "yielding to unilateral demands is impossible." "Tehran will never surrender to harassment or military threats, especially those originating from U.S. bases in the region," he stated. In this regard, he pointed to the "enormous contradiction in U.S. policies" and criticized Washington for maintaining "a campaign of maximum pressure while demanding negotiations," before reiterating that Iran "will never seek a nuclear program for military purposes." Furthermore, he emphasized that Tehran "is fully prepared to resolve all regional disputes with Islamic nations through constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and understanding," while promising its "unwavering support" for Iraq and advocating for "Islamic unity," according to a statement released by his office. "Muslims have already surrendered to the Almighty; no one else will force us to..."

US liquefied petroleum gas exports increased to a record 3.3 million barrels per day in April

The company began operations in Helsinki on Wednesday and is headed to Espoo and Tampere later this month.

Green party leader also accuses rightwing media of politically motivated attacks as popularity grows Zack Polanski has said he was wrong to describe himself as a British Red Cross spokesperson, and that intensified media scrutiny of the Green party reflected fears of its rising popularity and support for wealth taxes. Polanski described himself as a British Red Cross spokesperson while campaigning for the party leadership, the Times revealed. The claim was also mentioned on his personal website in 2020 when he said he was “really proud of the work we do”. Continue reading...

Liechtenstein is joining the expanded partial agreement on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

Dmitry Kuzyakin added that the Ukrainian armed forces have "opened a new international business" training anyone interested in using combat drones

Jordan Linden sentenced to 18 months for string of crimes committed over 10 years between 2011 and 2021 A former SNP council leader has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of a string of sexual offences against young men and teenagers as young as 14. Jordan Linden, once considered a rising star in the SNP, was convicted of five sexual assaults on young men after a trial at Falkirk sheriff court in March, which heard that the SNP had “downplayed or ignored” complaints about his behaviour. Continue reading...

Sébastien Lecornu plans to unveil new measures to support economic activity. He said the sustained rise in oil prices means France must 'change scale,' even if it makes the country's already tough budget situation more complicated.

According to the report, EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic called on the American side to return to the agreements reached in August 2025

Leonid Ivlev pointed out that Vladimir Zelensky's words are worthless

Iranian Red Crescent Society Secretary General Meysam Afshar added that during the conflict with the US and Israel, Iran received humanitarian aid from at least 18 countries

A German naval vessel named Fulda is in the Mediterranean, ready to perform the one task necessary for the Strait of Hormuz to physically reopen: to locate and clear the mines that Iran planted and has since lost track of, the mines that the US Pentagon told Congress could take six months to remove. France and Britain […] The post Rubio is right about Iran’s economic nuke — that’s the problem appeared first on Asia Times.

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds strong support for Democrats this midterm season. It also shows increasing concern about the war in Iran and the economy, particularly the price of gas. (Image credit: Spencer Platt)

SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry said Wednesday it held a working-l...

Republicans in Indiana’s Senate tested voters’ tolerance for defying the president. Most lost in primaries amid a wave of threats, campaign cash and popular backlash.

SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Iran on Wednesday denied any military involvement in a ...

SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyong admits he had some r...

President Trump successfully ousted several Indiana Republicans who blocked a redistricting push in that state, but growing dissatisfaction with Trump's agenda gave Democrats an opening in Ohio.

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds strong support for Democrats this midterm season. It also shows increasing con

Kremlin-installed officials said the Tuesday night attack targeted Dzhankoi, a town in the north of the peninsula that is home to a military airbase.

Plans to be included in king’s speech will allow tougher action against proxies for foreign powers such as Iran UK politics live – latest updates Offenders who commit antisemitic attacks backed by foreign powers such as Iran will face 14 years in prison under legislation to be included in the king’s speech next week. Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, will be given the power under the National Security Act to designate proxy groups, such as those thought to be behind the recent attacks on the Jewish community, as a foreign intelligence service. Continue reading...

An image circulating online and on social media shows the prime minister in her underwear, a composite created with AI. Meloni reposted it, urging Italians to be vigilant. Opposition parties respond with both solidarity and criticism.

It was the perfect split-screen for the race to succeed Donald Trump – so long as your name is Marco Rubio and not J. D. Vance. In a packed White House briefing room, journalists shouted over each other in a bid to get a question from the US secretary of state. At the same time Vice-President Vance – Rubio’s most likely rival for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination – was hundreds of kilometres away from the action at a political fundraiser in Oklahoma. “Guys, this is chaos,” said Rubio as...

Fewer than 5 percent of flights in Hong Kong were cancelled in May and June combined, and approximately 1 percent during the peak travel period in July, according to the Airport Authority. This occurred despite a global fuel crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East. The authority added that it would review charges to alleviate the burden on the industry. Responding to questions from a lawmaker, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan stated on Wednesday that these figures were compiled by the authority, which operates Hong Kong International Airport.

The groups are considered to be prone to violence and are accused by prosecutors of forming a criminal organization. Meanwhile, Friedrich Merz has completed his first year as chancellor. More on DW.

Asia’s next food crisis is under way. After the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed, sending shock waves across energy, fertiliser and food systems. Fuel, freight and fertiliser costs are rising sharply, amplified by skyrocketing insurance premiums – feeding directly into the price of every tonne of fertiliser that still reaches the market. The scale of disruption reflects the strait’s outsize role in global trade. It carries around one-third of globally...