UK needs ‘national consensus’ over rejoining EU, David Miliband says

• Analyst James Dorsey reported on June 12, 2026, that while negotiations between Iran and the U.S. may be possible, deep strategic disputes persist. • Regional actors, including Israel, Gulf states, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, continue to influence the conflict's trajectory based on their own priorities.

• Multinational banks are reassessing their cross-border strategies as geopolitical considerations increasingly influence how they organize international operations and evaluate risk. • Financial institutions are now balancing the pursuit of robust financial performance with the need to manage complex geopolitical exposure.

• Envoys from the UK, France, and Germany issued a joint statement following diplomatic discussions in Moscow. • The representatives formally conveyed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request for direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Four found guilty will face tougher conditions as judge says actions were ‘designed to intimidate the UK government and a section of the public’Four Palestine Action activists who smashed up drones and other equipment at an Israeli arms manufacturer’s UK factory will be sentenced as terrorists, a judge has ruled.Mr Justice Johnson made the ruling at a sentencing hearing on Friday for Samuel Corner, 23, Charlotte Head, 30, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21, who were all found guilty of criminal damage last month in relation to a 2024 break-in at the Elbit Systems UK site in Gloucestershire. Corner was also convicted of grievous bodily harm without intent for striking Sgt Kate Evans with a sledgehammer. Continue reading...

New batch of government documents takes no position on origin of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs)A possible UFO sighting over a busy southern African airport, and yet more mysterious glowing orbs in the sky above the US feature in the latest batch of previously classified documents released by the Pentagon on Friday in its stated quest for “transparency” amid the irrepressible debate about the chances of extraterrestrial life.In keeping with the first two document drops of government papers last month, Friday’s tranche of more than 50 files contains no proof that the tantalizing videos and written accounts of possible alien encounters are anything other than perception, vivid imagination or conspiracy theories. Continue reading...

‘Lookback law’ allowed Pamela Lockridge to seek damages against late stepfather who abused her starting at age fourA north-west Louisiana jury recently awarded a staggering $1.1bn in damages to a woman who sued over childhood sexual molestation at the hands of her late stepfather in the 1960s and 1970s – a verdict that the plaintiff says “sends a message that children are precious” and “deserve protection”.The outcome in Pamela Elaine Lockridge’s lawsuit caused waves among Louisiana’s legal community, illustrating how much civil juries are willing to award to plaintiffs for cases tried under the state’s so-called “lookback law”. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer to set out plans on Monday but there are fears a decision to ban some platforms but not others will lead to legal challengesTeenagers under the age of 16 are to be banned from accessing “high-risk” social media apps while safer platforms will be subjected to restrictions, under a sweeping government crackdown.Under-18s will also be banned from using romantic or sexual AI chatbots after a consultation on keeping children safe online. Continue reading...

Possible suspect in Midland attack was in a standoff with officers on Friday afternoon, police saySign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA shooting on Friday in Midland, Texas, has left one person dead and nine others in the hospital, according to the city’s authorities.The possible suspect was in a standoff with officers on Friday afternoon, police said. Continue reading...

Amid rhetoric, market uncertainty and tit-for-tit exchanges, the two sides are still trying to find a way out of the impasseGreat news! Donald Trump has said the US and Iran are on the verge of a peace agreement. Oil prices are down, and the stock market is up. This comes only hours after Trump warned Iran was about to be struck “VERY HARD”, a threat which had sent oil prices up and stocks down.It has been another ride on the Trump rollercoaster, keeping traders on edge, most of the world poorer, and people of the Middle East constantly whiplashing between fear and hope. But whether the ride veers up or down, the management always makes money. Continue reading...

Consumer sentiment still remains at historically low levels amid Iran war and rising inflation, new survey showsEasing gas prices are making Americans feel better about their personal finances and the economy in June, but consumer sentiment remains at historically low levels amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to new survey data from the University of Michigan.The latest numbers come as SpaceX marks its historic stock market debut, which will likely make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. Yet many Americans still feel like they’re struggling even as the stock market reaches record-highs. Continue reading...

President is first in US history to be impeached twice, over abuse of power and inciting an insurrectionDonald Trump is pressing Congress to erase one of the darkest chapters of his political career, urging Republicans to pass a resolution that would symbolically nullify the two impeachments he suffered during his first term in office.The effort, first reported by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by a White House official, would allow Trump to claim a symbolic victory on a key grievance from his first term. But experts say it would have little legal significance, since the constitution provides no procedure for undoing an impeachment. Continue reading...

Paris meeting draws up proposals and calls for ‘urgent diplomacy’ towards two-state solution at summit next weekPalestinian and Israeli civil society groups meeting in Paris on Friday have urged G7 leaders to act at their summit in the French spa town of Évian-les-Bains next week to save the narrowing chances of a two-state solution.The groups called for specific action on enforcing a ceasefire, disarming Hamas and starting reconstruction in Gaza, and said the various peace processes including the Board of Peace initiative should be integrated into one programme. Continue reading...