Wants

• NASA has announced new lunar landing contracts for the Artemis Moon Base program and proposed a potential new mission called PROMISE. • The PROMISE mission aims to send a spare nuclear-powered Mars rover to the lunar surface to test its capabilities in a different environment. • This initiative demonstrates NASA's willingness to pursue high-risk, "near impossible" goals to maximize the utility of existing advanced hardware.

After a recent study found New Orleans is at a ‘point of no return’ amid the climate crisis, some locals say they will ‘only leave if forced to’. But what would it take to stay?When a study in May concluded that New Orleans has hit a “point of no return” due to the climate crisis that will require people to eventually retreat from their storied yet ultimately doomed city, the local reaction was swift and fiery.The onward march of rising seas around a sinking city was unsettling, but the study is “more focused on generating publicity and clickbait headlines” than coming up with solutions, said Helena Moreno, New Orleans’ mayor. There is flooding in Miami, and wildfires and earthquakes near San Fransisco, Moreno pointed out, “yet no serious movement exists to declare those cities lost causes”. Continue reading...

Cristina Guarda says delegation was denied access to cells in offshore detention facility, at which six people have attempted suicideAn Italian MEP has questioned whether the Italian government is trying to “hide the truth” about conditions at an offshore migrant detention centre in Albania after a delegation she was part of said they were prevented from conducting a full inspection.Cristina Guarda, from Italy’s Greens and Left Alliance (AVS), said staff at the Italian-run facility in Gjadër had refused to give MEPs from the Greens/EFA group key information, such as how many people were being held at the centre, and that they had not been allowed to access their cells. Continue reading...

• 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. • These comments come ahead of a critical NATO summit scheduled to take place in Ankara next week.

• Europe is seeking to develop its own sovereign AI models to reduce dependence on American technology and avoid vulnerability to U.S. government policy. • The push is driven by concerns that the U.S. could deny access to models like Claude, potentially banning foreign nationals working at companies like Anthropic from accessing their own developments. • This shift is framed as a strategic necessity, with the potential for a Donald Trump administration to further restrict technology exports or access.

• Kevin Warsh, the new US Federal Reserve chair, is proposing a significant shift in communication strategy by reducing the frequency and nature of the Fed's public statements. • The plan involves eliminating "forward guidance," a practice used to signal future interest rate moves to the public and financial markets. • Critics argue that obscuring the central bank’s monetary policy reaction function could unsettle global markets and hinder the effective transmission of policy.

• NATO's deputy commander is calling for an upcoming summit in Turkey to urge member nations to increase defense spending and strengthen support for Ukraine. • The push for unity comes amid instability caused by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened to leave the alliance and sent conflicting signals regarding U.S. force posture in Europe. • European leaders remain concerned over Trump's flattery of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his unconventional proposal to annex Greenland.

• Bill Gates stated that while AI is expected to replace many jobs, athletes are among the few professionals safe from this revolution. • Gates identified athletes, biologists, energy workers, and coders as four specific careers unlikely to be fully replaced by artificial intelligence. • The reasoning for athletes' security is based on human psychology, as Gates argues that audiences have no interest in watching computers compete in sports.

• The Trump administration announced a multi-pronged initiative on Monday aimed at strengthening the early clinical trial ecosystem within the United States. • As part of this effort, the FDA will reconsider Regenxbio’s gene therapy designed to treat Hunter syndrome, a rare pediatric disease. • This move represents a reversal of previous regulatory rejections, signaling a shift in how the agency evaluates certain high-stakes therapies.

• NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in the coming years, intending to let the massive structure crash into the ocean. • A leading ocean conservation organization has raised serious concerns, arguing that the impact could negatively affect ocean health and marine ecosystems. • The controversy highlights a critical gap in international law regarding the environmental impact and regulation of space debris entering Earth's atmosphere.

Jimmy Chilimigras graduated high school at 12 and is now pursuing a master of laws degree – and he wants to find ‘an area to do some good’A Mississippi teenager who in May became one of the youngest ever law school graduates says he wants to help reform US tax law as well as litigate against social media companies over claims that they design their products to be addictive – and therefore harmful – to youths.“What they’re creating is extremely predatory and harmful, and yet they’re sending it out knowing that it’s … harmful and not really taking any action to reduce the harm or address it,” 18-year-old Jimmy Chilimigras said with respect to his interest in participating in such social media litigation. Continue reading...

Former health secretary Wes Streeting also threatened to launch a leadership contest if the prime minister did not set out a timetable to step downGood morning. Keir Starmer is still in France for the G7 summit but – as Margaret Thatcher discovered on a trip to Paris in November 1990 – acting as a statesman on the world stage does not protect a PM from a leadership challenge at home and, on that front, there has been a small development overnight; Starmer is now being told explicitly he will face a leadership challenge next week if he does not agree a timetable to stand down after the Makerfield byelection tomorrow.This has always been implicit, but last night Wes Streeting, the former health secretary who wants to launch a leadership bid, said it out loud.We can’t go on with this uncertainty. I think we will inevitably end up in a contest.I’ve given you my answer.Well, I’m sure I’ll talk to Andy after the weekend, of course I will. I’ve spoken to him many times in recent weeks. And when I came into politics in 2015, it was Andy Burnham’s team that I joined, and we worked very well together.He’s a huge asset, he’s been a fantastic mayor in Manchester and if he comes back into parliament – I hope he wins in the byelection – he’ll be a fantastic asset for our party and for the country. Continue reading...

• Europe has published a new strategic plan aimed at achieving "tech sovereignty" to reduce its heavy reliance on foreign technology providers. • The initiative faces significant practical hurdles, including high costs for switching systems, a lack of competitive local alternatives, and critical shortages in cybersecurity and technical skills. • National discrepancies are hindering a unified approach, as seen in Sweden's cautious cloud computing strategy which balances dependency reduction with practical limitations.

• Former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh is advocating for a shift in monetary policy communication, arguing that the Fed relies too heavily on "forward guidance" and public signaling. • Warsh suggests that the current approach of telegraphing moves—a strategy famously championed by Ben Bernanke—makes the central bank too predictable and potentially limits its effectiveness. • This shift matters because reducing "Fed talk" could lead to increased market volatility and surprise reactions if the central bank takes action without prior warning.

• France, Germany, Italy, and 14 other European nations have signed a joint declaration to coordinate the testing of autonomous vehicles across international borders. • The agreement includes a total of 17 countries, including Belgium, Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, aiming to standardize the deployment of robotaxis. • This collaboration matters as it removes fragmented national barriers, potentially accelerating the adoption and scaling of self-driving technology throughout the EU.

• Marc Lasry and his Avenue Sports Fund, which already invests in the NC Courage, are seeking to bring a Major League Baseball team to Raleigh. • Lasry expressed openness to partnering with Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, who also possesses ambitions to bring MLB to the region. • To fund necessary sports infrastructure, officials are considering raising the hotel occupancy tax in Wake County, similar to the model used for the Lenovo Center.

Marnie Lovejoy hopes to inspire other women to fish, protect England’s rivers and lift up the ‘beautiful’ graylingWith its iridescent pink scales and elegant dorsal fin, the grayling is known to anglers as the “lady of the stream”, yet the society fighting for its protection has never been led by a woman, until now.Angling, and fly-fishing in particular, has always been a very male-dominated sport. The fly-fisher’s club in Mayfair, London, where anglers meet to lunch on dover sole and drink fine wine, did not allow women to cross the threshold even as guests until 2024. Continue reading...

• The European Union is introducing a "tech sovereignty" package designed to prioritize European firms in the AI and cloud computing sectors. • This initiative is part of a broader set of EU rules aimed at increasing domestic manufacturing to better compete with dominant tech companies from the U.S. and China. • The move matters as it signals a strategic shift toward reducing reliance on foreign technology and strengthening the bloc's internal digital infrastructure.

• The European Union is launching a strategic plan to reduce its technological dependence on the United States by strengthening its own domestic tech sector. • The initiative focuses on expanding data center capacity, boosting semiconductor chip production, and incentivizing the use of local suppliers. • To accelerate growth, a draft bill proposes speeding up construction permits for data centers, ensuring reliable electricity, and allocating government funding.

• Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi revealed on June 4, 2026, that a biopic based on his life is currently in development. • Modi stated that actor Ranveer Singh has expressed a strong interest in portraying him in the upcoming film. • The project highlights the intersection of sports administration and cinema, focusing on the life of one of cricket's most controversial figures.

• Europe is seeking increased regulatory control over global AI services, sparking a debate on technology protectionism between the EU and the United States. • The U.S. has cautioned Europe against these restrictive measures, citing historical failures like Brazil’s "market reserve policy" from the 1970s. • Brazil's previous "Brazil-first" approach attempted to shield domestic industry from foreign competition but ultimately hindered technological growth and innovation.

• Germany has introduced a proposal titled “Paper on the Further Development of Public Value” aimed at curbing misinformation on social media. • The plan would require social media news feeds to prioritize "reliable" news sources, which would be identified by a government-designated “public value” label. • This initiative is significant because it allows politicians in power to indirectly determine which media outlets are deemed credible and visible to the public.

• France is currently discussing joining a joint British and German initiative to develop long-range missiles designed to strike deep into Russian territory. • Separately, Norway is seeking to participate in a European Union plan to facilitate the rapid transfer of military personnel and equipment during crises. • These developments signal an increase in European defense integration and a strategic shift toward enhanced long-range deterrence against Russia.

A decade after the referendum, EU leaders would welcome closer ties – once the UK has understood the ‘European deal’• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereBrexit’s back. Well, sort of. If it ever really went away. At any rate, an awful lot of ink has been spilled – in Britain, at least – over last weekend’s remarks by a would-be PM that Brexit was “a catastrophic mistake” and the UK’s future lay “back in the EU”.That reflects, first, just how deep the wounds of Brexit still run. A decade after the referendum unleashed an identity politics so powerful it still dominates UK debate, Britain’s voters remain divided into the two warring tribes of remain versus leave. Continue reading...

Trump says he could strike Iran again as Tehran threatens ‘new fronts’ in war if an attack takes placeTrump threatens ‘a big hit’ if Tehran does not make deal soonWelcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump warned the US may strike Iran again – a day after he said he had held off a major assault in hopes of a peace deal – but Tehran’s army threatened to open “new fronts” if he went ahead.The US Senate has advanced a war-powers resolution that would end the Iran war unless Trump obtains Congress’ authorisation. The vote on a procedural measure to advance the resolution was 50 to 47, as four of Trump’s fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat but one in favour. Three Republicans missed the vote.The Israeli military launched a series of strikes across Lebanon, killing 19 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry. One strike, in the town of Deir Qanun al-Nahr in the Tyre district, killed 10 people including three children and three women, the ministry said.The Israeli army in turn said that it intercepted a drone fired from Lebanon. Israel and Lebanon’s central government have twice extended a US-brokered ceasefire, but Israel says it does not apply to its attacks on Hezbollah.Israeli authorities said 430 activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were taken to Israel after their vessels were intercepted in international waters near Cyprus. Sailing from Turkey last week, the Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest in a string of attempts by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, with the last convoy intercepted by Israeli forces last month.Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Moscow was ready to help with talks between the US and Iran to end the war, according to the Russian Tass news agency. His remarks came as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, held talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.The United Arab Emirates was rattled by a drone attack on its Barakah nuclear power plant last week. On Tuesday the UAE said it originated from Iraqi territory, where Iran backs groups accused of launching attacks on Gulf nations in the war. The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned the attack. Russia, which often defends Iran, joined the other members.Two Chinese tankers laden with oil exited the strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to shipping data. Continue reading...

Britain likely to face ‘warm, welcoming stance’ if it seeks re-entry but also a ‘hard-headed one’ – with no special dealsBritain would not be able to rejoin the EU on the special terms it enjoyed in the past, veterans of the Brexit negotiations have said.According to former officials from around Europe, the UK should not expect to achieve as beneficial a deal as it once had if it decided to begin negotiations on re-entry. Continue reading...

With a reshuffled cabinet, the premier is hoping to quell leadership rumblings as her party seeks an unprecedented fourth termGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAs the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, stood alongside the fresh faces in her reshuffled cabinet on Wednesday, she attempted to send her increasingly jaded electorate a blunt message: despite its 12 years in power, her government is – apparently – new.In her opening four-minute preamble to reporters, Allan - whose Labor government will in November seek an unprecedented fourth term - repeated the word 17 times. In one sentence alone, she referred to her “new cabinet”, “new portfolios”, “new solutions” and “new areas that are going to drive this government forward”.Benita Kolovos is Guardian Australia’s Victorian state correspondent Continue reading...

John Hancock welcomes findings on ownership of mines and companies although judge says dispute should be determined in private arbitrationGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGina Rinehart’s son has said he wants to reunite his family after a landmark court case left a long-running feud over ownership of mines and companies unresolved.The Western Australian supreme court on Wednesday found Rinehart’s children were at one point set to inherit 49% of her company and said their ownership claims should be determined in separate proceedings. Continue reading...