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• In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court rejected a GOP challenge regarding post-Election Day ballot receipt deadlines. • Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's liberal wing to uphold the practice of counting mail-in ballots received after the deadline, provided they were postmarked on time. • This decision preserves existing voting rules in Mississippi and other jurisdictions, ensuring that legitimate mail-in votes are not discarded due to delivery delays.

• The US Supreme Court upheld a law allowing mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day to be counted, ruling against Republican challenges. • The decision ensures that voters who mailed their ballots on time are not disenfranchised by postal delays, maintaining the authority of states to determine ballot counting procedures. • This ruling is significant as it prevents potential confusion for voters and election officials during the current cycle of midterm primaries and general elections.

• The Supreme Court ruled against Republicans in Watson v. RNC, upholding the legality of grace periods for the receipt of mail-in ballots. • During hearings, Mississippi lawyers noted that the federal government failed to provide a single example of fraud resulting from post-Election Day ballot receipts in this century. • This decision arrives as a critical election-related ruling ahead of the November midterm elections, impacting how states manage ballot deadlines.

• The Supreme Court expanded presidential authority by upholding Donald Trump’s right to fire heads of independent federal agencies, overturning the long-standing precedent set by Humphrey's Executor. • In the case involving former Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter, the conservative majority ruled that the president can remove such officials even when federal law requires a specific cause. • This ruling significantly reduces the independence of federal agencies by allowing political influence over leadership, though the court made a critical exception for the Federal Reserve.

• The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Mississippi law that permits election officials to count mail-in ballots received up to five days after Election Day, provided they are postmarked by the deadline. • The ruling sides against GOP challenges that sought to invalidate such grace periods for ballot arrivals. • This decision is significant as it preserves the legality of extended receipt windows, ensuring that voters whose ballots are delayed by mail services are not disenfranchised.

US president posts that meeting will take place on Tuesday in Qatari capital after exchange of fire in strait of HormuzDonald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to hold talks in Doha after the US and Iran traded fire in the strait of Hormuz this weekend threatening the collapse of a ceasefire meant to keep open the strait of Hormuz and pave the way for peace talks.In a terse post on Truth Social, the US president claimed that the meetings would take place in the Qatari capital, as US media reported that the two sides had agreed to halt strikes following tit-for-tat attacks that once again cut off shipping through the crucial waterway. Continue reading...

Court sides against Republican challenge after deciding earlier this term to let Louisiana effectively dismantle Voting Rights ActSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe US supreme court sided against national Republicans and Donald 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.The Republican National Committee (RNC) had challenged a Mississippi state law allowing mailed ballots to be counted if they arrive within five business days of election day, so long as they were postmarked by election day. Continue reading...

• Tensions in West Asia have escalated following fresh US-Iran strikes and the collapse of a fragile truce, while a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan. • In Venezuela, the death toll from recent earthquakes has risen to 1,430 as search and rescue operations continue for survivors. • India is strengthening international ties through the Indian Embassy's Mango Festival in Washington and the deployment of INS Udaygiri, Kavaratti, and Shakti to Thailand.

• Growth investors are increasingly prioritizing artificial intelligence stocks to achieve market-beating returns over the next decade. • A key development in the sector is the unveiling of "Jalapeño," a custom AI chip specifically designed for OpenAI. • The Jalapeño chip is an LLM-optimized inference chip, aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of large language models.

Vice-president appeared on Bill Maher’s show hours before more military strikes were exchanged in strait of HormuzJD Vance said on Friday that the US wins “either way” regarding negotiations with Iran, pointing to what he called the destruction of its nuclear program and diminishment as a country.“If we make the final deal, then great,” the US vice-president told HBO’s Bill Maher. “If we don’t make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They’re still much weaker as a country, so my attitude is America wins either way.” Continue reading...

• The EUR/USD pair is trading slightly higher on Friday, though the Euro remains on track for its second consecutive weekly loss. • The US Dollar's decline is being limited by a combination of geopolitical instability in the Middle East and a hawkish outlook from the Federal Reserve. • This trend highlights the market's current sensitivity to safe-haven assets and expectations regarding US interest rate trajectories.

In California, Weinstein was convicted in December 2022 of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault and sentenced to 16 years in prisonHarvey Weinstein’s 2022 rape and sexual assault conviction was upheld Friday by a California appeals court, but the three-judge panel said the former movie executive must be resentenced.The unanimous decision came a day after prosecutors in New York decided Weinstein would not face a fourth trial there, dropping the #MeToo-era case on Thursday after the accuser said she could not bear to testify again. Continue reading...

• A CIDRAP op-ed argues that the United States has officially lost its status as a measles-eliminated country, asserting that current outbreaks represent continuous internal spread rather than isolated reintroductions. • The author criticizes the use of cautious phrasing by health officials, noting that the evidence from the virus itself confirms a failure to maintain elimination. • This shift is critical because it signals a breakdown in public health defenses, highlighted by a staggering 26% case-fatality rate in a recent outbreak.

• The EU has proposed a new air-conditioning labeling rule designed to help households, particularly in Spain, better compare long-term running costs before purchasing systems. • The initiative aims to prevent consumers from choosing units based solely on low upfront installation quotes, which may hide high electricity consumption or poor performance. • This measure is critical as it addresses issues such as noise levels, heating efficiency during winter, and improper room matching that can increase overall expenses.

• The Trump administration is pressuring Meta to submit its frontier AI models for federal review to ensure national security. • Meta is currently the only major US AI developer that has not yet agreed to this government oversight process. • This move signals a shift toward treating advanced AI as a critical security matter rather than just a commercial technology.

• South Africa secured a historic 1-0 victory over South Korea on Day 14 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, impacting the standings for several other nations. • Brazil, Morocco, and Bosnia have officially advanced to the knockout stages, joining a list of qualified teams that includes the USA, Germany, France, Argentina, and Colombia. • In other match action, Switzerland managed to hold on for a result against Canada, while a Qatar player received a five-game ban.

• Booking Holdings Inc (BKNG) saw its stock price increase by 8.12% on June 24, driven by a combination of market sentiment and strategic upgrades. • The surge was fueled by lower crude oil prices boosting the broader tourism sector and the integration of Anthropic’s AI models into Priceline to improve operational efficiency. • Institutional investors increased their positions in the company, citing that the stock had reached historically attractive valuation levels.

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup has commenced across North America, featuring early group stage matches in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. • Key results include a dominant 6-0 victory for Canada over Qatar and a 4-1 win for Switzerland against Bosnia & Herzegovina. • In Group A, Mexico secured a 1-0 win over South Korea, while Czechia and South Africa played to a 1-1 draw.

With Burnham and his team potentially having only weeks before he becomes PM, Starmer has agreed to give him access to civil serviceKeir Starmer has met Andy Burnham for the first time since the Makerfield byelection in what sources said was a “frosty” meeting to thrash out a transition of power.The prime minister has agreed for his likely successor to have talks with the civil service to smooth his path, but there is deep resentment within his inner circle towards Burnham for ousting Starmer. Continue reading...

• US stock markets traded near record highs on Monday, driven by positive investor sentiment and easing oil prices. • Market optimism was fueled by hopes for progress in diplomatic talks between the US and Iran. • Despite the gains, rising Treasury yields indicated ongoing investor concerns regarding inflation and future interest rate hikes.

Temperatures could hit 38-40C in parts of England and Wales, smashing June record set in 1976; red alerts in France after 19 heat deathsTwo children found dead in car in France as heatwave hits EuropeWith temperatures forecast to reach 38-40C in parts of England and Wales, Britain’s national weather forecaster issued a rare red weather warning covering an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham from 9am on Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday.These were reserved for the most severe events, the Met Office said, meaning this heatwave was expected to bring “severe and significant impacts” including widespread health risks for many – not just those who were normally more vulnerable to the heat – and even danger to life. Continue reading...

• A group of Nihangs stormed a gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, vandalizing the premises and taking the manager hostage on the roof. • The attackers demanded the immediate release of four Nihang devotees who were previously arrested following a clash in Karnaprayag. • This escalation highlights rising tensions and volatility surrounding the legal actions taken against the devotees in the region.

• A group of Nihangs stormed a gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, taking the manager hostage and climbing onto the roof to stage a protest. • The standoff is reportedly a reaction to recent arrests following a clash in Karnaprayag, with the group demanding the release of those detained. • The Nagrasu Gurudwara Management Committee expressed grave concern over the incident, stating that the action has created an atmosphere of fear and endangered a 60-year-old devotee on the premises.

• New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh held his first news conference on Wednesday after the central bank decided to keep its key interest rate unchanged. • Despite the hold, nearly half of the Fed's policymakers indicated they could support an interest rate hike later this year. • This decision reflects the central bank's ongoing struggle to balance inflation control with economic stability.

• Eurostat released 2025 data on household material welfare, showing that actual individual consumption (AIC) per capita across the 27 EU countries ranges from 73% to 145% of the EU average. • Luxembourg, Ireland, and the Netherlands reported the highest GDP per capita, while Greece, Bulgaria, and Latvia recorded the lowest levels. • The report emphasizes that AIC is a superior indicator of material welfare compared to GDP because it accounts for all goods and services used by households, including those provided by governments and nonprofits.

• The Federal Reserve unanimously decided to keep interest rates steady at a range of 3.5% to 3.75% during its first meeting under new chair Kevin Warsh. • Despite the hold, the Open Markets Committee signaled a potential rate hike before the end of the year, citing that economic activity is currently expanding at a "solid pace." • US stock markets reacted negatively to the signal of future tightening, experiencing a drop on Wednesday afternoon.

US central bank makes decision in first meeting under new chair and Trump appointee Kevin WarshThe US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged for the fourth time this year after its first meeting under new chair, Kevin Warsh, a Donald Trump appointee who has taken over the central bank during a tumultuous time for the US economy.“Economic activity is expanding at a solid pace despite elevated uncertainty that owes, in part, to the conflict in the Middle East,” the Fed’s open market committee said in a short statement. “Productivity growth and capital investment are strong. Job gains have kept pace with the workforce, and the unemployment rate has changed little.” Continue reading...

• US stocks traded within a narrow range on Wednesday as investors remained cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming policy decision. • Oil prices remained below $80 per barrel, driven by market optimism regarding a potential peace agreement between the US and Iran. • The stability in the market reflects a balancing act between anticipation of interest rate changes and geopolitical hopes for stability in the Middle East.