UK disposable incomes squeezed by price rises and tax changes

• Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler stated that NATO is adapting to a changing security environment rather than facing a crisis. • Guler dismissed concerns regarding a U.S. exit from the alliance, asserting that Washington is seeking better burden-sharing from European allies rather than withdrawal.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a renewed global commitment to combat terrorism by addressing its root causes rather than relying solely on security measures. • Guterres warned that terrorist threats are evolving, emphasizing that a rights-based approach is essential to prevent radicalization and ensure long-term stability.

• Internal power struggles within the Iranian regime have intensified as rival factions clash over the direction of the country's nuclear talks. • The conflict has escalated beyond foreign policy disagreements, evolving into a bitter battle for political influence at the highest levels of government.

• The European Union is implementing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), shifting the focus of global energy competition from physical resources to regulatory frameworks. • While traditional energy diplomacy centered on securing oil fields, gas reserves, and pipelines, CBAM introduces environmental regulations as a tool for geopolitical influence.

• The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) convened for a two-day session on June 30, 2026, to discuss critical governance and human rights issues. • The session focused on the obligation of governments to guarantee children's rights to survival, development, and protection from violence, exploitation, and discrimination.

• Iran and the United States are scheduled to hold diplomatic talks in Doha, Qatar, on June 29, 2026. • The primary objective of the meeting is to discuss the specific implementation details of a previously established US-Iran memorandum of understanding.

• The government of Bashar al-Assad collapsed in late 2024 following a successful offensive by Turkish-backed opposition forces. • This power shift has intensified the long-standing regional rivalry between Turkey and Iran, as Turkey expands its influence over the Syrian landscape.

• The United States and Iran have agreed to a temporary stand-down to halt an escalating cycle of conflict, though the U.S. claims a ceasefire is now in effect. • Despite the agreement, Donald Trump has reiterated threats to "wipe out" Iran, signaling continued volatility in diplomatic relations.

• The US and Iran have agreed to "stand down" following a series of mutual strikes over the weekend that threatened to escalate regional tensions. • Both nations had accused each other of violating an existing ceasefire agreement, leading to the exchange of military attacks.

Decision in case concerning Rebecca Slaughter overturns decades of precedent curbing executive power. Plus how one man survived eight days lost in the Pacific OceanGood morning. Yesterday the US supreme court handed Donald Trump – and all future presidents – the power to fire leaders of independent agencies or commissions, overturning 90 years of court precedent curbing executive power.While Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social as a “big win”, labor advocates, unions, and consumer advocacy groups criticized the decision on the case, Trump v Slaughter, and warned of the long-term impacts for democracy in the US. Rebecca Slaughter, the federal trade commissioner fired last March, said she was “profoundly disappointed about today’s decision” during a press call. Our columnist, Moira Donegan, says the court’s verdict has again undermined the power of Congress.What have lawyers said about the verdict? Stephen Vladeck, a Georgetown law professor, wrote: “There’s no sugar-coating [it]. It’s an enormously important ruling. It’s a huge win for Trump/the executive. And it’s going to have massive ramifications for the functioning of the government long after Trump is gone.”What other decisions did the court make? The supreme court sided against national Republicans and Trump’s administration to allow mail-in ballots that arrive after election day to be counted, upholding the law in more than a dozen states. It also ruled that law enforcement’s use of sprawling warrants that sweep up smartphone location data requires privacy protections under the fourth amendment, in a boost to critics who view their use as an unconstitutional dragnet.How did Trump and Carroll react? The US president wrote on Truth Social: “Surprisingly, the supreme court declined to ‘review’ a Fake Case brought against me”. Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, also issued a statement in response to the decision, saying: “Today’s supreme court decision affirms once and for all the jury’s unanimous verdict that President Donald J Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E Jean Carroll.” Continue reading...

Beijing, whose stockpiles and renewables industry allowed it to withstand energy shock, is now gaining from global solar and EV pushChina has emerged as the sole winner in Asia from the strait of Hormuz crisis, according to a report published on Tuesday.The report by the Asia Group thinktank concluded that China had weathered the storm of the global commodities crisis resulting from the closure of the Middle Eastern waterway, and also stood to gain from the economic and geopolitical trends sparked by the wider conflict. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Pentagon files suggest some new facilities will store nuclear arsenal, with $163m also earmarked for secretive spy baseMore than $4bn (£3bn) is to be spent upgrading the US government’s military and spy bases in the UK, according to official documents that shed light on the UK’s apparent role as a secretive site for American nuclear weapons.The construction plans include building new bunkers in Suffolk, which will seemingly be used to store nuclear weapons, and modernising facilities to help covert units run secret operations. Continue reading...