Lee

Boris Nadezhdin, who gained prominence after standing against Putin in 2024, says he is now in FranceThe prominent Russian anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin has fled to Paris as Moscow tightens its grip on dissent before parliamentary elections later this year.Nadezhdin, a veteran liberal politician, gained international prominence during Russia’s 2024 presidential election when his long-shot campaign against Vladimir Putin unexpectedly gathered momentum before electoral authorities barred him from running. Continue reading...

Americans are facing a deepening affordability crisis but at least Trump and co have ... 250 new Cadillac EscaladesThis was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every WednesdayGas prices are up almost a dollar a gallon since the day Donald Trump took office; mortgage rates just hit their highest level in nearly a year, and over the weekend a prominent economist said the Iran war is costing the average US household more than $1,200.Americans are struggling through a deepening affordability crisis caused largely by Trump’s ill-fated war against Iran. They are in need of a boost, something to lift the spirits. Perhaps the president could give a speech, letting the people know that we are all in this together. Continue reading...

Share price rally driven by strong product demand as well as decision to sit out AI spending race, amid wider tech sell-offApple has become only the second company to pass the $5tn valuation mark, as it benefited from investors fleeing AI and semiconductor stocks amid a wider tech sell-off.The iPhone maker’s shares hit a session high ⁠of $342.89 on Tuesday, giving it a market ⁠capitalisation of $5.04tn (£3.78tn), then eased back to 0.9% up at $339.91 – just above the $5tn mark. Continue reading...

Suffolk police ceded investigation into James Loubeau to the US military, leading to court martial acquittalA US airman accused of a “spree” of rapes and sexual assaults in England, drugging some women and breaking into the homes of others, was able to avoid British justice after local police handed over part of the case to the American military.Two British women went to Suffolk police in August 2019 to allege that James Loubeau and another US airman had drugged and raped them after they met in a nightclub in Bury St Edmunds, a local market town. Continue reading...

• People Power Party chairman Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok criticized President Lee Jae Myung's proposal to introduce electronic voting for overseas Koreans. • Jang described the suggestion as being "like a fox guarding the henhouse," arguing that the move could compromise the integrity of South Korea's electoral process. • The dispute highlights a significant political divide over the security and fairness of digital voting mechanisms in national elections.

Fires displace people on massive scale and trigger one of the largest peacetime civilian evacuation operations ever carried out in FranceMore than 250,000 people flee wildfires in France and SpainHello and welcome back to our rolling coverage of the wildfires spreading through parts of Spain and France.Thousands crowded into emergency shelters in France and Spain on Sunday after wildfires drove more than 300,000 people to flee their homes and holiday accommodation. Continue reading...

• South Korean President Lee unveiled the "San Francisco AI Declaration," a strategic framework outlining the nation's AI ambitions and its vision for technological cooperation with the United States. • During his visit to San Francisco, President Lee held separate high-level meetings with key industry leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan. • This initiative signals South Korea's intent to strengthen global partnerships and secure a leading role in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape.

• President Lee Jae Myung held a dinner meeting on the 24th in San Francisco with global AI leaders, including NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and heads of Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and SK Group. • During the event, President Lee announced the ‘San Francisco AI Declaration’ at the San Francisco AI Summit to strengthen South Korea's role in the global AI supply chain. • The meeting brought together industry giants with a combined market capitalization of 1.7 gyeong (approximately 17 quadrillion won), highlighting the immense economic scale of the AI sector.

• South Korean and US technology giants have agreed to pursue $950 billion in semiconductor supply and manufacturing partnerships over the next five years. • The sweeping series of deals was unveiled at the San Francisco AI Summit during a visit by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. • These collaborations aim to advance the Lee administration's flagship megaprojects focusing on semiconductors, AI data centers, and physical AI.

Hundreds of firefighters battle blazes as strong winds drive fires towards Bordeaux and smoke prompts health warnings in MadridUnrestrained wildfires in Spain and France have forced more than 250,000 people to flee, authorities from both countries have said, as they struggle to contain the blazes.About 70,000 people were evacuated from central Spain, while 197,000 people fled in France, including tens of thousands from the wine region city of Bordeaux. Continue reading...

• Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung have joined a global AI advisory board alongside industry leaders Jensen Huang of NVIDIA and Satya Nadella of Microsoft. • This strategic alignment occurs as South Korea monitors the potential impact of U.S. forced-labor tariffs on its trade and industrial sectors. • In a separate corporate development, Samsung Electro-Mechanics secured a significant order valued at 300 billion won.

• Approximately 85% of S&P 500 companies have beaten profit estimates during the current US earnings season, marking the highest beat rate in five years. • Despite these strong corporate results, investment funds have seen outflows for the second consecutive week as investors flee the market. • Market instability is being driven by escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran, which have pushed international oil prices higher.

Inquiry’s focus is this week on security for the Jewish community, with the MP telling the commissioner his son is afraid to attend synagogues and eventsThe shadow education minister, Julian Leeser, has called for universities to undertake an audit of any classes that teach about the Jewish community, Israel or Palestine.Appearing before the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion on Friday, Leeser said he had been “very concerned” about antisemitism on university campuses and was not satisfied with how vice-chancellors had addressed the issue after the 7 October 2023 Hamas terrorist attack. Continue reading...

• South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is visiting San Francisco to meet with four leading US artificial intelligence industry executives and convene an AI summit. • The mission aims to secure strategic investments and partnerships to bolster South Korea's national AI ambitions. • This diplomatic push follows a previous meeting between President Lee and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on October 31, 2025, during the APEC summit in Gyeongju.

• Singapore begins its campaign in the 16th ASEAN Hyundai Cup (ASEAN Championship) with an opening match against Cambodia on July 24. • Following the opener, the Lions will face defending champions Vietnam in Hanoi on July 31 and conclude their group stage against Indonesia on August 7. • The tournament runs from July 24 to August 26, featuring a home-or-away single round-robin format for the group stages.

The deaf actor, who played a major role in Godzilla v Kong and its 2024 sequel, was killed in a car crash in MarylandKaylee Hottle, who played a major role in Godzilla v Kong and sequel Godzilla v Kong: The New Empire, has died at the age of 18.Her death was confirmed by her father, Joshua, in a video shared on Facebook. The stream was in American Sign Language (ASL) as the Hottle family is all deaf. “I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,” is the name of the video. Continue reading...

Additional £340m over three years allocated to get people off the streets ‘at the earliest opportunity’UK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham has promised to end rough sleeping in England in his first pledge as prime minister, allocating an additional £340m over three years as he seeks to replicate the homelessness schemes he rolled out in Greater Manchester.Speaking in front of Downing Street immediately after becoming prime minister, Burnham said he would try to get people off the streets “at the earliest opportunity”. Continue reading...

• Lee Jae-myung urged the Democratic Party of Korea to reconsider a decision to increase registration deposits for candidates in the upcoming leadership election. • The call for reconsideration follows concerns that higher financial barriers could undermine equal access to political participation. • This move is significant as it highlights a tension between party administrative rules and the principle of inclusive political competition.

Death of unidentified 28-year-old man marks third immigration enforcement-related death in one weekA person died during an encounter with federal immigration officials on Tuesday morning in Florida, a state highway patrol spokesperson confirmed, marking the third death in one week linked to immigration enforcement operations.Officials with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which is a component of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), had an “encounter” with four men in a vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store along a busy road in St Augustine, Florida, the highway patrol spokesperson said. As the four men fled from the agents, one of them ran into the busy road and was struck by a semi truck. The person died at the scene. Continue reading...

Defendant pleads guilty to crimes over the course of 12 years, some of which also involved ‘a person unknown’A man has been told he faces a possible life sentence after pleading guilty to 32 sexual offences against his girlfriend while she was allegedly drugged or asleep, including some attacks he recorded.The defendant, aged in his 40s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Northampton crown court on Tuesday where he admitted the offences which happened over more than a decade between January 2014 and September last year. Continue reading...

Major incidents declared in north Wales and Derbyshire as Natural England warns of ‘exceptional fire risk’Villagers were evacuated from their homes as a wildfire swept across a mountainside in north Wales, prompting firefighters to declare a major incident.People described hearing the crackling fire advancing down Conwy Mountain towards homes as ash fell from a sky turned dark by thick smoke. Continue reading...

• Singapore national team coach Gavin Lee expressed optimism regarding his squad's readiness for the upcoming Asean Championship. • The team will face significant challenges due to the absence of key players Safuwan Baharudin and Ikhsan Fandi. • Lee's positive outlook is crucial for maintaining team morale and confidence as the squad prepares to compete against regional rivals.

• Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has formally entered the race for the Democratic Party (DP) leadership, creating a competitive four-way contest. • The election is marked by significant tension between the pro-Lee Jae-myung and pro-Jung factions as they vie for control of the party. • This race serves as a critical test of Lee Jae-myung’s influence, as the DP seeks accountability following mixed results in the June elections.

• Netflix released a new 10-part spy thriller on June 26, 2026, which has quickly become a major streaming success. • The series has achieved the No. 1 spot on charts across 26 different countries, showing an unusually broad and immediate global appeal. • Key markets driving this growth include a wide array of nations across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America, such as South Korea, Nigeria, and Peru.

Exclusive: Record temperatures fuelled by climate crisis left 86% of homes ‘too hot’ and many people feeling unwellWith parts of England once again in the grip of a heatwave, an opinion poll shows the one at the end of June led to “mass sleep deprivation”, with two in three people struggling to sleep during the sweltering nights.Almost half of people said they had lost at least three hours of sleep each night. The results are consistent with scientific research showing that global heating is damaging sleep across the world. Continue reading...

• South Korean police launched an investigation on July 6 to track down an individual who posted an online death threat against President Lee. • Authorities are working to identify the suspect and determine the origin of the threat to ensure the president's security. • This action highlights the government's zero-tolerance policy toward online violence and threats targeting high-ranking state officials.

• England faced a chaotic buildup to their match in Mexico City, where local fans reportedly attempted to disturb the team's sleep. • FIFA overturned a red card issued to USA player Folarin Balogun, a decision publicly praised by Donald Trump. • Brazil, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, continues their tournament run following a comeback victory against Japan in the round of 32.

Tour de France spectator ban as country along with Spain, Portugal and Greece faces ‘powder keg’ after heatwaveEurope live – latest updatesWildfires raging across southern Europe have forced thousands to flee their homes and prompted officials to ban spectators from a stage of the Tour de France, amid warnings of “powder keg” conditions after a record-breaking early summer heatwave.Hundreds of firefighters are tackling blazes that have burned through almost 20,000 hectares (49,500 acres) in Portugal, Spain, France and Greece. Strong winds are forecast to fan the flames and temperatures are expected to rise again this week. Continue reading...