John Bolton will reportedly plead guilty over mishandling classified documents

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

The law banned people from carrying guns in most public spaces and private property without owner’s permissionSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US supreme court struck down a restrictive gun law in the state of Hawaii that bans people from carrying guns in certain public spaces and on private property without the permission of the property’s owner.At issue was a 2023 state law that barred carrying a firearm on private property without the owner’s approval and created a list of more than a dozen “sensitive places” where guns cannot be carried, such as beaches and restaurants that serve alcohol. Continue reading...

Justices rule that federal law blocks state cases over label warnings on Roundup by people alleging it caused illnessThe US supreme court has ruled in favor of the former Monsanto company in a closely watched case that limits the way for people to sue pesticide companies for alleged illnesses or injuries.The decision was made in a 7-2 vote, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh offering the majority opinion and Justice Jackson writing the dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Neil Gorsuch. Continue reading...

Jury clears the 16-year-old of murder and manslaughter over the death of Aria, who died from a single stab woundA teenage boy has been found not guilty of the murder and manslaughter of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe, who died after being stabbed in Weston-super-Mare in December last year.A jury at Bristol crown court cleared the 16-year-old of both charges on Thursday. Continue reading...

Government draft bill to ban abusive practices in England and Wales hailed as ‘historic’ by campaigners Perpetrators of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ against LGBTQ+ people could face up to five years in prison under proposals hailed as a “historic and long overdue” milestone by campaigners.The government has published its draft conversion practices bill, which would ban abusive conversion practices that aim to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity in England and Wales. Continue reading...

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...