Bomb blast at Damascus cafe kills six, Syrian state media say
There was no immediate claim for the bombing at a cafe close to the Palace of Justice, a major government building.
Lisa Nandy quits X over fears Musk-owned site pushes ‘abuse and misinformation’
Culture secretary says her department will stop using platform, citing concerns over far-right content fuelling violence and division
The UK’s culture and media department will stop using X because the site “now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate”, Lisa Nandy has announced.
The culture secretary’s department is the UK’s second to quit the Elon Musk-owned platform over increasing concerns about the way it highlights and prioritises often inaccurate far-right and racist content and is used to incite violence and division.
Continue reading...Vatican excommunicates followers of global Catholic sect
Around 600,000 followers of the Society of Saint Pius X, a Catholic sect, are affected.
Vatican excommunicates followers of global Catholic sect
Around 600,000 followers of the Society of Saint Pius X, a Catholic sect, are affected.
Man accused of ordering Daphne Caruana Galizia murder paid hitmen’s legal fees, court hears
Yorgen Fenech said to have spent €400,000 on fees for men convicted of car bombing that killed investigative journalist
A businessman accused of commissioning the murder of the Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia spent more than €400,000 (£343,000) on legal fees for the hitmen convicted of her killing, prosecutors claim.
Yorgen Fenech, the 44-year-old heir to one of Malta’s largest fortunes, arrived in court for the second day of his trial on Thursday in an unmarked armoured police vehicle. He is on house arrest having pledged a record bail estimated at €50m.
Continue reading...‘Truly international’ network of drug-facilitated rape uncovered by UK crime agency
NCA says offenders arrange to sexually assault and film victims via online networks with crimes often taking place in trusting relationships
Criminal investigators in the UK say they have uncovered a “truly international network” of organised drug-facilitated sexual assault in which victims are sedated before being raped and sexually assaulted.
The National Crime Agency [NCA] has said online networks, “many as yet unidentified by law enforcement”, were allowing offenders to arrange to rape and abuse victims or arrange for sexual assaults to be filmed.
Continue reading...After France Swelters, Now It Burns – Newser
- After France Swelters, Now It Burns Newser
- Firefighters battle blazes in southern France after European heatwave Reuters
- After heat wave: Wildfires ravage southern France dw.com
- Thousands evacuated in southern France as wildfires rage Le Monde.fr
- Wildfires scorch southern France as heat and drought fuel blazes AP News
Outrage over ‘cruel’ Florida move to ban undocumented students from college
Critics condemn decision by education board aligned with hard-right Ron DeSantis to block access to college system
Immigration advocates in Florida have decried a “cruel and harmful” new rule by education officials aligned with hard-right Republican governor Ron DeSantis to ban undocumented students from state colleges and universities.
The Florida board of education voted on Tuesday to bar access to its 28 state-funded institutions to anybody not a US citizen or “lawfully present” in the country. It follows Florida’s move last year to strip discounted in-state tuition rates for certain immigrant students.
Continue reading...Merz unveils sweeping reform push for Germany: Tax cuts, pension overhaul and new sick leave rules – AP News
- Merz unveils sweeping reform push for Germany: Tax cuts, pension overhaul and new sick leave rules AP News
- What Germany’s Economic Overhaul Means for Its Economy WSJ
- Is Germany’s government finally getting its act together? The Economist
- Germany's Merz announces sweeping reforms in key breakthrough Euronews
- Germany news: Coalition agrees package to boost growth dw.com
Modi, Japan PM condemn Pakistan-backed terror, call for action against LeT, JeM | India News – Hindustan Times
- Modi, Japan PM condemn Pakistan-backed terror, call for action against LeT, JeM | India News Hindustan Times
- India and Japan Expand Defense and Economic Ties The New York Times
- Why Japan’s Takaichi is eyeing an ‘easy win’ in India as domestic support drops South China Morning Post
- The limits of Japan’s and India’s friendship The Economist
- India, Japan sign pacts on AI, metals and energy after Modi-Takaichi talks Reuters
Canadian boy dies of rabies after waking to find bat on his face
Eleven-year-old developed symptoms 19 days after encounter in Ontario in ‘exceedingly rare’ case
Doctors in Canada say a child who awoke to find a bat resting on his nose and mouth while visiting an Ontario cottage later died of rabies, in an “exceedingly rare case” that highlights the need for better public awareness.
In a report published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, infectious disease physicians confirmed that the 11-year-old boy died from rabies, a fatality they said probably could have been prevented with greater awareness of how the virus is transmitted.
Continue reading...Venezuela quake survivor pulled out alive after eight days
Hernán Gil was trapped under a collapsed multi-storey car park, and encouraged them as they inched closer to him.
Man who sold land for Kushner-backed Albania development probed over alleged money laundering, drug trafficking – CBS News
- Man who sold land for Kushner-backed Albania development probed over alleged money laundering, drug trafficking CBS News
- Albanian police fire tear gas at 'Flamingo Revolution' rally dw.com
- Protests Over Kushner-Linked Project Turn Violent in Albania Bloomberg.com
- Albania warned EU accession at risk over Jared Kushner-backed resort plans The Guardian
- Albanian police use tear gas and pepper spray as Tirana protest turns violent AP News
Russian attacks kill at least 25, injures scores in Kyiv after Zelenskyy warned of ‘massive strike’ – NBC News
- Russian attacks kill at least 25, injures scores in Kyiv after Zelenskyy warned of ‘massive strike’ NBC News
- Russia’s latest attack on Kyiv was exceptionally deadly – here is why CNN
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 2, 2026 Institute for the Study of War
- Russia unleashes biggest attack yet on Kyiv, killing at least 21 people, officials say CBS News
- Russia Bombards Ukrainian Capital With Deadly Wave of Attacks The New York Times
Survivors rail at government on 1,000th day since Oct. 7: ‘They’ve never taken responsibility’ – The Times of Israel
- Survivors rail at government on 1,000th day since Oct. 7: ‘They’ve never taken responsibility’ The Times of Israel
- Gaza faces uncertain future as Palestinians and Israelis mark 1,000 days of war AP News
- ‘We won’t give up’: Crowd marking 1,000 days since Oct. 7 vows to keep demanding state inquiry The Times of Israel
- 'Mom and dad are not alive': Slain Oct. 7 victims' family shares haunting never-before-seen footage The Jerusalem Post
- Gaza war’s 1,000 days: 90% of strip ‘destroyed’, 80% ‘seized’ by Israel Al Jazeera
Russian State Duma deputy accuses government of concealing scale of fuel crisis, warns it could cost certain officials their seats in September elections – Meduza
- Russian State Duma deputy accuses government of concealing scale of fuel crisis, warns it could cost certain officials their seats in September elections Meduza
- ‘The crisis is deep’: The view from Russia as fuel shortages worsen Al Jazeera
- Russia is burning, but don’t expect Putin to blink CNN
- Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries plunge Russia into a summer fuel crisis AP News
- EXCLUSIVE: Russia buys gasoline from India to tackle shortages, sources say Reuters
Residents of Ethiopian town forced to kill hundreds of their own dogs after rabies deaths
Some residents reluctantly hung their dogs to avoid being arrested or fined, locals tell the BBC.
Unprecedented European Heatwave Has Killed More Than 20,000, New Study Claims – Gizmodo
- Unprecedented European Heatwave Has Killed More Than 20,000, New Study Claims Gizmodo
- Net-zero champion Europe snared by climate change on its doorstep Reuters
- Europe’s record heat has overwhelmed Paris mortuaries and left families in distress AP News
- June heatwave may have killed around 20,000 people in Europe New Scientist
- Scenes from the Paris Heat Wave The New Yorker
Europe is fighting over air conditioning. What’s going on? – USA Today
- Europe is fighting over air conditioning. What's going on? USA Today
- Europe Is Hot as Hell. Why Doesn’t It Want Air Conditioning? WSJ
- Opinion | The Heat Wave Proves That We Need to Adapt to Climate Change The New York Times
- The Overlooked Reason Europe Doesn’t Have AC The Atlantic
- Yes, Europe’s heat waves are deadlier than American gun violence Fortune
Australians have more negative view of Israel than of China, Guardian Essential poll finds
Poll also finds perception of Donald Trump has soured since his re-election, with fewer than a third of respondents viewing him positively
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Australians have a more negative view of Israel than of China, the latest Guardian Essential poll has found, with women and middle-aged people exhibiting the least positive perception of Israel.
The poll also finds Australians’ perceptions of Donald Trump have tumbled since his re-election, with fewer than a third of voters having a positive response to the US president.
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