Friday briefing: How Gaza, Lebanon and Iran have found themselves caught in an escalation without end

• Geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar claims that Israeli intelligence (Mossad) attempted to assassinate Pakistan's Army Chief during high-stakes US-Iran peace negotiations in Switzerland. • Pakistani military intelligence reportedly intercepted the plot in time, issuing a severe warning to Israel to prevent the attack from occurring.

• President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French navy intercepted a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker off the coast of Sicily. • This operation is part of a broader effort by France and Britain to intensify sanctions and disrupt the clandestine shipping networks used by Russia to export oil.

• Syria is experiencing significant spillover effects from the ongoing conflict involving Iran, despite the Syrian government maintaining a position of neutrality. • Analysis by journalist Cian Ward suggests that while the regional instability creates a crisis, Damascus may be seeking strategic opportunities to leverage the situation.

• Author Laala Bechetoula argues that Donald Trump's presidency is characterized by a unique political style of constant, public self-contradiction and reversal. • Global warnings have emerged regarding the rapid evolution of AI, suggesting that current safeguards are insufficient to prevent sophisticated hacking.

• China is expanding its mediatory diplomacy to address intensifying international conflicts and a weakening global order. • The strategy consists of three reinforcing components: multi-level peace-brokering roles, the Global Security Initiative (GSI) conceptual framework, and the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed).

• A new book titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump" reveals that a former cabinet member referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "special needs child for the Europeans." • The derogatory comment reportedly occurred during a meeting focused on discussing a proposed minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine.

Case of Andrei Pivovarov raises questions about how much control Cellebrite has over its own softwareRussian authorities used tools from the Israeli company Cellebrite to break into the phone of a political prisoner, months after the company said it cancelled its contracts with Russia, an investigation by the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab research unit has found.The case raises questions about how much control Cellebrite has over its own software, which allows users to easily break into phones and examine their contents. The tools are sold worldwide and widely used by police forces in the UK and the US. Continue reading...

Late-night vote came hours after US president berated GOP senators over opposition to the conflictSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution in a late-night vote, hours after they were berated by Donald Trump over opposition to his controversial war on Iran.The US president was said to have harangued GOP senators during a lunch on Capitol Hill earlier on Wednesday. The previous day, they had angered the White House by allowing a vote to block Trump’s war in Iran. Continue reading...

Move comes after Hegseth made shot optional for military in April and Texas outbreak has sickened nearly 300 peopleThe Pentagon has said that boot camps for all the military services are once again requiring the flu vaccination for all recruits after the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, made the shot optional for the military at the end of April.The development on Wednesday was confirmed by a Pentagon official to the Associated Press and came amid a growing, weeks-long, flu outbreak at the US air force’s boot camp at Lackland air force base in San Antonio, Texas. Continue reading...

Pair of sick snakes discovered at club in County Durham presumed to have been dumped there by ownerFor most golfers, the biggest hindrance they are likely to come across during a round is a strong gust of wind or getting their ball caught in a bunker. For golfers in County Durham, however, the obstacles that players have encountered are 3 metres long and covered in scales.Two boa constrictors have been found on Blackwell Grange Golf Club in Darlington one week apart, with the first being found on 13 June during a children’s golf lesson when a 12-year-old girl’s shot landed directly on the snake. Continue reading...

Debate in Labour and union movement over climate commitments as many call for Burnham not to allow drilling in North SeaAnalysis: ‘Act on the evidence outside the window’: Andy Burnham urged to stick to net zero targets if he becomes PMBacksliding on climate action would drive the Labour party into political obscurity, Zack Polanski has warned, as trade union leaders said more drilling in the North Sea would not help UK workers.The Green party leader, speaking to the Guardian as searing heat swept the country for the second time this year, urged Andy Burnham – widely expected to be the UK’s next prime minister – to be bold on climate justice. He said any move to water down the party’s commitments would have dire consequences at the ballot box. Continue reading...

Trump suddenly scrapped the signing of a pivotal bipartisan housing bill yesterday, demanding the Senate pass his voter ID bill Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.A dramatic day is in store in Washington DC as Donald Trump heads for a crucial meeting with Mike Johnson, the House speaker, in an attempt to break a legislative gridlock as huge political fireworks have detonated on Capitol Hill far ahead of anything resembling a Fourth of July celebration.Maryland’s Democratic US Senator Chris Van Hollen is endorsing the progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate primary, a split with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, the Associated Press reports as an exclusive.The US supreme court is expected to issue opinions at 10am ET and most of the big cases have not yet been ruled upon. We await immigration and finance-related opinions in particular.Huge focus on the Hill where the House speaker, Mike Johnson, meets with Trump at 2pm, with both hoping the House will be persuaded to take a vote and end a rebellion from within the right wing of the Republican caucus over the Save Act to tighten up on who can vote in US elections.Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana got into a shouting match with Trump at the Senate lunch on Wednesday after Trump admonished four senators, including him, for backing a resolution to rein in the war in the Middle East. Kennedy reportedly responded: “You have not told the American people what’s going on” with the war, adding afterwards to reporters: “It was supposed to last four weeks. It’s lasted four months,” according to Politico. Continue reading...