Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 15, 2026 – Institute for the Study of War

  1. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 15, 2026  Institute for the Study of War
  2. Russia’s Wartime Economy Shrinks for First Time Since 2023  Bloomberg.com
  3. Putin Hails ‘Positive’ Economic Growth in March Despite Sharp Downgrade in Annual Forecast  The Moscow Times
  4. Russia downgrades 2026 economic growth forecast to 0.4% from 1.3%, deputy PM says  Reuters
  5. Meeting on economic issues  Президент России
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POV: you’re Jim Chalmers using social media to sell the most ambitious budget of your life

Politicians still care about traditional media, but winning over people spending more of their lives online is the challenge for modern MPs

He’s up before sunrise, pounding the pavement in a cap and running shorts. He’s still up late into the night, having slipped into a comfortable sweater while he checks figures in a darkened office by lamplight, fuelled by sugar-free Red Bull.

It’s “decision week”, Jim Chalmers declares of the annual federal budget in a video that pinged around political group chats this week. The treasurer was keen to take people behind the scenes on social media.

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Burnham cleared to run for selection in pivotal by-election – BBC

  1. Burnham cleared to run for selection in pivotal by-election  BBC
  2. It’s Been a Wild Week in British Politics. What Happens Next?  The New York Times
  3. Some see ‘King of the North’ as UK government’s savior. First he needs a seat in Parliament  The Hill
  4. Labour tries to unite — so Farage can’t wreck their leadership fight  politico.eu
  5. Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection, in blow to Burnham  The Guardian
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Supreme court rejects Virginia Democrats’ bid to restore congressional map

Order, issued without any noted dissent, is the latest twist in the nation’s mid-decade redistricting competition

The supreme court on Friday rejected Virginia’s bid to restore a congressional map that would have given Democrats a chance to pick up four seats in the closely divided House of Representatives.

The court’s order, issued without any noted dissent, is the latest twist in the nation’s mid-decade redistricting competition . It was kicked off last year by Donald Trump urging Republican-controlled states to redraw their lines and was supercharged by a recent supreme court ruling severely weakening the Voting Rights Act that opened up even more winnable seats for the Republican party.

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Nearly 60 children reportedly killed or injured in Lebanon in the past week – Vatican News

  1. Nearly 60 children reportedly killed or injured in Lebanon in the past week  Vatican News
  2. Israel kills, injures average of 4 children daily amid Lebanon ‘ceasefire’  Al Jazeera
  3. At least 59 children reportedly killed or injured in Lebanon in the past week despite ceasefire  Unicef
  4. Middle East: Deadly weekend in Lebanon, continued violence in Gaza  UN News
  5. Israeli attacks kill 200 children in Lebanon since March 2: UNICEF  Anadolu Ajansı
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Swarm of Angry Bees Sparks Chaos on White House Lawn – The Daily Beast

  1. Swarm of Angry Bees Sparks Chaos on White House Lawn  The Daily Beast
  2. White House gets an unexpected buzz as thousands of bees swarm the executive mansion's North Lawn  Fox News
  3. ‘Bee tornado’ spotted near White House: ‘Is this a biblical curse 2.0?’  Hindustan Times
  4. White House under attack by massive bee invasion as viewers fear 'plague has started'  The Mirror US
  5. White House Bees Swarm North Lawn Weeks After New Colonies Added  mogazmasr.com
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Trump’s lack of focus on human rights in China is big departure for US diplomacy

Change reflects both transformation of US in Trump era and China’s increasing confidence on world stage

Asked before he departed for Beijing if he would raise with the Chinese president the case of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy activist jailed in Hong Kong, Donald Trump said: “I’ll bring him up.”

But, the US president added: “It’s like saying to me, ‘If Comey ever went to jail, would you let him out?’ It might be a hard one for me.” Trump was referring to James B Comey, a former FBI director and a frequent target of Trump’s ire.

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Live Updates: Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Iran says it “cannot trust the Americans at all” – CBS News

  1. Live Updates: Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Iran says it "cannot trust the Americans at all"  CBS News
  2. Iran has 'no trust' in US, will negotiate only if it is serious, Araqchi says  Reuters
  3. Israel and Lebanon agree to 45-day extension of ceasefire, U.S. State Department says  PBS
  4. Iran says it "cannot trust" U.S. in negotiations as Trump says "we control" strait  Yahoo
  5. Araghchi: Iran doubts US ‘seriousness’ about talks amid nuclear deadlock  Al Jazeera
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UK joins European deal to send rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs

All 46 Council of Europe members sign agreement ‘deplored’ by human rights organisations

The UK and 45 other European countries have signed an agreement that explicitly endorses plans to send unwanted asylum seekers to third country hubs.

A political declaration from the 46 members of the Council of Europe, the body that oversees the European convention on human rights (ECHR), said states had an “undeniable sovereign right” to control their borders.

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