‘Total class act’: Marie-France van Heel is poised to be a very different PM’s wife

• Washington and Beijing are exploring a new framework to manage their rivalry as Donald Trump considers his second-term diplomacy. • The U.S. is weighing the costs of prolonged confrontation, including trade uncertainty and China's control over critical minerals.

• The DID Press Agency reported that the security and political order of the Middle East is undergoing a significant transformation due to recent regional conflicts. • The agency cited the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation, direct confrontations between Iran and Israel, and Ansarullah's influence over Red Sea security as primary drivers of this change.

• The 81st United Nations General Assembly met in New York to address the breakdown of multilateralism and the paralysis of the Security Council. • The assembly focused on the structural stagnation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the lack of binding laws for disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence.

• Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik criticized the UN General Assembly for its inability to address escalating conflicts in Ukraine, Iran, Palestine, and Sudan. • UN development programme administrator Alexander De Croo described the current global state as a series of crises piling up on one another.

• A Group of Friends of the Process has proposed the Muscat Process to address international diplomacy during a period of geopolitical fragmentation. • The initiative focuses on the economic dimensions of diplomatic crises, specifically targeting impacts on energy prices, shipping, insurance, and supply chains.

• Acting UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov reported that Palestinians in Gaza are seeking a return to normal life. • The UN is currently working to overcome major challenges regarding humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, and reconstruction efforts.

Singer and bassist helped turn Newcastle band into hugely influential force on thrash and black metal subgenresConrad Lant, the British heavy metal musician who fronted Venom and ensured the Newcastle band became a huge influence on the genre, has died aged 63.“For more than four decades, Conrad’s voice, bass and vision were at the heart of Venom,” reads a statement from the band. “He created something that changed heavy music for ever. Venom never followed the rules. They forged their own path. And Conrad was there at the centre of it all – uncompromising, fearless and unmistakable.” No cause of death was given. Continue reading...

Team behind documentary push back against IDF attempt to discredit its exposure of military systemsThe team behind the award-winning film NAZA, which details the Israeli military’s targeting policies in Gaza and its alleged acceptance of high numbers of civilian deaths, have revealed they spoke to more than 100 sources with knowledge of the military systems used in the war.The disclosure came in response to an Israel Defense Forces statement seeking to discredit the documentary. Continue reading...

About 900 demonstrations, blockades and related incidents under way outside high schools around the countryA fast-growing protest by high-school students over long hours, teacher shortages and decaying facilities has escalated into “urban violence”, the French government has warned, as it said many schools would switch to online classes to protect teachers and pupils.The prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, called a crisis cabinet meeting on Thursday and told ministers to cancel travel plans to deal with the demonstrations, which erupted in the Paris region last week but have snowballed across the country. Continue reading...

Installing tech billionaires Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey to Pentagon defense board raises conflict of interest concernsBy installing tech billionaires Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey to advisory roles in a Pentagon project about the future of warfare, defense secretary Pete Hegseth bestowed extraordinary influence on two of Magas most significant campaign donors – and both men own companies that benefit from federal defense contracting.The new project, which Hegseth dubbed “Project Meridian” in an event in Quantico, Virginia, on Wednesday, will be led by Pentagon official Emil Michael, a former Uber executive. As the Guardian has reported, Michael made millions in profits off non-public Musk company AI stock while in federal office – and while guiding the department of defenses’s artificial intelligence efforts. Continue reading...

Counter-terrorism police arrest 27-year-old in Westminster, while second man questioned under caution Detectives have arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of terrorism offences as part of an investigation into a suspected plot near RAF Fairford.Counter-terrorism police said the 27-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in Westminster on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Continue reading...