Kate completes Three Peaks challenge to raise money for cancer charity

• Military tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have peaked following a drone attack on a commercial vessel and subsequent U.S. retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian coastal facilities. • The escalation has triggered an unprecedented internal conflict in Tehran between officials advocating for absolute military control and those supporting multilateral diplomacy.

• Nitin Pai argues that India must urgently refocus its diplomatic efforts on strengthening ties with Iran due to the shifting geopolitical landscape in West Asia following the Gulf war. • The proposed strategy suggests that New Delhi should prioritize providing aid followed by increasing trade to foster a mutually beneficial relationship.

• Dr. Noa Gafni has identified geopolitics as the second of her "New Five Forces" currently shaping the global business landscape. • The shift marks a transition from a globalization era focused on operational efficiency to one defined by rising nationalism and great-power competition.

• From June 15 to 26, 2026, global attention focused on the implications of the Chişinău Declaration and ongoing geopolitical tensions. • Israel intensified its policies in occupied Palestine by establishing ad hoc military courts and implementing a blockade against the Sumud Flotilla.

• Israeli aid teams from NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief are deploying to Venezuela to provide emergency assistance following a series of powerful earthquakes. • CEO Alice Miller emphasized that the organization prioritizes immediate medical aid and respect over political flags to ensure rapid response in disaster zones.

• IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi spoke with reporters in Japan on Friday, June 26, regarding nuclear non-proliferation efforts. • Grossi stated that the primary objective of the recent agreement between the United States and Iran is to prevent the development of nuclear weapons within Iran.

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims to have destroyed eight U.S. military infrastructures located in Kuwait and Bahrain. • The operation was carried out using a combination of missiles and drones in a coordinated joint strike.

• An Iranian state newspaper has inadvertently highlighted the strategic weaknesses and internal pressures—political, military, and economic—forcing Tehran to return to diplomatic negotiations. • These vulnerabilities coincide with a reported trilateral agreement between the United States, Israel, and Lebanon aimed at stabilizing the region.

Russian president says Ukraine’s attacks on infrastructure are causing ‘obvious’ but not critical problemsThe Russian president, Vladimir Putin, acknowledged that the country was suffering from “a certain shortage” of fuel in an interview published by the Kremlin on Sunday, after repeated Ukrainian strikes in their four-year war.Kyiv calls the attacks fair retribution for Russia’s near-daily barrages on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure since its February 2022 offensive. Continue reading...

Makerfield MP on course to be PM will argue for more decision-making in regions and communities as he sets out platform for governmentAndy Burnham will pledge to deliver “good growth in every postcode” by overseeing a significant transfer of power out of Whitehall to local communities as he sets out his case to become the UK’s next prime minister.In his first major speech since winning the Makerfield byelection, Burnham will argue for decision-making to be devolved to regions and communities to drive economic growth locally, replacing the current top-down national model. Continue reading...

Jotham Napat’s visit renews expectations that the two countries can sign the Nakamal pact after long negotiations. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHanson’s press club speech a ‘reality check’ for Australians, says WattEnvironment minister Murray Watt, says One Nation’s popularity dipping from 31% to 29% is due to Pauline Hanson’s controversial press club address, but concedes the “polls will bounce around a bit.”We have seen a bit of a change in the public mood towards One Nation since Pauline Hanson’s Press Club speech.I think that speech was a bit of a reality check for a lot of Australians who were thinking about voting for One Nation, because they got to see that as much as people are under pressure at the moment, things could get worse under One Nation with all the cuts they were talking about imposing.Yes, of course, any improvement is welcome. But we know that we to provide real answers and real change to the pressure that people are feeling.I’m a half glass full sort of guy, Nat [Barr] and the the electorate’s very restless. People are understandably restless because they’ve seen their incomes decline back to 2011 levels under government … So it’s very volatile.The first thing you’ve got to do is get the herd moving and the herd is moving. It’s just not going through the the right gate for us at the moment. Continue reading...

Forecasters expect days of high temperatures in central and eastern US before Fourth of July and World Cup festivitiesA long and dangerous heatwave will blast a large swath of the central and eastern United States for the upcoming week, the National Weather Service (NWS) said on Sunday – with temperatures rising ahead of the Fourth of July holiday and feeling even hotter because of high humidity also arriving.Already parts of the US, especially Phoenix and central Texas, and much of the south-west were experiencing temperatures of about 100F (38C) on Sunday, while the NWS warned of severe wildfire conditions developing across much of the west as new fires popped up across the region. Continue reading...