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The Trump administration is considering expanding its new travel ban to up to 36 additional countries—mostly in Africa—unless they meet U.S. security benchmarks within 60 days, per a State Department cable. The move follows a June proclamation imposing full bans on 12 countries and partial bans on seven others. Concerns cited include weak identity documentation, poor passport security, visa overstays, lack of cooperation on deportations, and links to terrorism or anti-American activity. Countries on the watch list include Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and others. The policy revives Trump’s earlier ban approach, which was rescinded by President Biden and reintroduced after Trump’s return to office.

A quirky, fang-toothed plush elf called Labubu, made by Chinese company Pop Mart, has become a global craze—spotted with celebrities, sparking lines and resales, and even influencing travel to China. Chinese state media touts its success as a soft-power win alongside other cultural exports like video games, EVs, and AI, amid polling that shows China’s image improving partly as U.S. favorability drops. While many fans don’t focus on Labubu’s Chinese origins—its hype owes much to scarcity and blind-box marketing—the brand’s global reach and hiring are themselves soft power. Scholars say China’s cultural gains stem more from entrepreneurial freedom than official campaigns; heavy-handed government efforts risk feeling propagandistic and undermining authenticity.

J.J. Spaun won a rain-soaked, chaotic U.S. Open at Oakmont with a dramatic 64-foot birdie putt on the 18th green, finishing at 1 under, two shots clear. After a front-nine 40, Spaun surged with a back-nine 32, including a pivotal near-driveable tee shot and birdie at 17. A 96-minute weather delay turned the course “borderline unplayable,” triggering widespread leaderboard collapses. Sam Burns, who led into the delay, faltered with doubles on 11 and 15 amid a rules dispute over standing water; Adam Scott and Tyrrell Hatton also stumbled late. Viktor Hovland finished third at 2 over, with Robert MacIntyre briefly tying the lead before Spaun’s clinching putt. This marks Spaun’s first major title and continues Oakmont’s trend of first-time major winners.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s cuts to certain National Institutes of Health grants were illegal and ordered the government to restore the funding. The decision rebukes the administration’s attempt to revoke previously awarded research support, affirming that agencies must follow proper procedures and cannot arbitrarily terminate grants. The ruling is expected to reinstate affected projects and could constrain future efforts to curtail scientific funding without due process.

A new UK-EU trade agreement is set to ease post-Brexit health checks and paperwork on food exports, offering a major boost to British shellfish and other food and drink producers whose EU sales fell sharply after 2020. The deal could reopen the EU market to items like mussels and oysters that were effectively blocked due to conflicting sanitation rules, with industry groups largely welcoming the changes but awaiting details and timing, which could take up to 18 months. Oyster farmer Tom Haward, whose family business in Essex shifted to domestic sales after Brexit, plans to revive EU exports if the new rules “reset” shellfish movements. While the pact, alongside recent UK deals with India and the U.S., won’t transform overall UK growth, economists say it will meaningfully help affected sectors.

Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, and Lee Saunders, president of AFSCME, resigned their at-large posts with the Democratic National Committee, signaling a major rebuke of new D.N.C. chair Ken Martin. Both had backed Martin’s rival and criticized the D.N.C. under Martin for failing to expand its coalition and becoming inward-looking; Weingarten was also removed from the Rules and Bylaws Committee. Their departures deepen internal party tensions already stoked by Vice Chair David Hogg’s short-lived challenge to incumbents. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expressed continued support for Martin while lamenting the public infighting. Martin has not commented.

The article marks 10 years since Donald Trump’s 2015 campaign launch, arguing he has defined American politics more than any leader since FDR or Reagan despite persistently low overall approval. It says Trump’s influence has dominated national discourse both in and out of office, surviving electoral defeat and criminal conviction, and that his second term has aggressively expanded executive power, targeted opponents, and reshaped policy across government, culture, and business. Supporters hail a revolt against a liberal establishment and shifts on immigration, trade, wages, and cultural conservatism; critics see authoritarian tendencies, intimidation, and the mainstreaming of exclusionary politics. The piece contends Trump has normalized behavior once thought disqualifying, monetized the presidency, and replaced optimistic presidential rhetoric with grievance-driven politics, cementing what it calls the “Age of Trump.”

The Trump Organization announced “Trump Mobile,” a branded phone and cellular service venture licensing the family name to Florida-based T1 Mobile. It promises a $499 U.S.-made Android phone (“T1”) and a $47.45/month “47 plan” with service via AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, plus 24/7 telemedicine at no extra cost—claims that experts say are unclear or implausible given U.S. manufacturing limits and typical telehealth costs. The launch, timed to the 10th anniversary of Trump’s 2015 campaign kickoff, underscores ongoing concerns about conflicts of interest as the president’s family expands into a regulated industry. Customer service is slated for St. Louis; manufacturing details remain vague. Critics warn oversight could be compromised and question whether the phone can truly be made in the U.S. and how the plan’s benefits would be funded.

U.S. battery factory expansion, spurred by Biden-era incentives, is slowing as the Trump administration and House Republicans push tougher restrictions on Chinese involvement and raise tariffs. These moves disrupt supply chains dominated by China, threaten eligibility for federal tax credits, and dampen EV demand—compounded by already weaker EV sales. Projects affected include Ford’s $3 billion Michigan plant using CATL technology, AESC’s $1.6 billion South Carolina facility (paused), and Group14’s Washington State materials plant (delayed, shifting focus to South Korea). The House bill would bar subsidies for batteries with Chinese ties and scrap the $7,500 EV credit—changes analysts say could render planned U.S. capacity unnecessary and shut much existing capacity. Supporters argue the measures bolster national security and domestic mining; critics warn they will kill jobs, cede ground to China, and stall a nascent industry that still depends on foreign components and expertise.

Hong Kong’s Consumer Council found excessive levels of allergenic preservatives CMIT and MIT in three modelling dough/clay toys—Creation Nation wheat dough, Sanrio clay (mainland China), and Padico clay (Japan). Creation Nation’s CMIT measured 8.5 mg/kg, over 10 times the EU limit (0.75 mg/kg) for toys for children under 36 months or likely to be mouthed. All three also exceeded the EU MIT limit (0.25 mg/kg), with levels between 0.3–0.5 mg/kg. The council tested 15 products in total, spanning wheat dough, rice dough, and clay, priced HK$12–HK$128.

SIPRI’s latest yearbook says China’s nuclear arsenal is expanding faster than any other country, adding about 100 warheads annually since 2023 to reach at least 600, with growth expected to continue through the next decade. While most warheads are stored off-launcher, SIPRI estimates around 132 are assigned to missiles and being loaded, suggesting a shift toward higher readiness. The report warns China’s ICBM force could potentially match the size of the U.S. or Russia’s by around 2030. Analysts cite Xi Jinping’s goal of a “world-class military” and concerns over U.S. missile defenses as drivers of the buildup.

Chinese scientists transformed 40 hectares of saline-alkaline desert in Shihezi, Xinjiang into productive farmland after seven years of remediation, using salt-tolerant rapeseed (“Huayouza 62”) as green manure to improve soil and enable crops like wheat, cotton, and tomatoes. The project supports China’s broader push for food security by reclaiming vast saline-alkaline areas amid climate, market, and geopolitical risks. Xinjiang, with significant arable land and a third of China’s salt deserts, is central to this strategy; nationally, saline-alkaline soils cover about 100 million hectares.

SCMP’s weekend roundup highlights: (1) Chinese state media framed the US as a “setting sun” while covering the June 14 military parade for the Army’s 250th anniversary, casting America as in decline; (2) a quirky trend of mainland Chinese tourists posing with Hong Kong MTR station signs—especially Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui—has surged; and (3) Chinese scientists reported a hypersonic breakthrough, developing a carbide ceramic heat shield that withstands over 3,600°C, potentially advancing high-speed flight.

Los Angeles’ Asian communities, including its large Filipino population, are mobilizing against intensified ICE raids under President Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown. Activists describe “military-style” operations with masked, armed agents detaining people at homes and workplaces, fueling fear and unrest. Since protests began June 6, nearly 500 people have been arrested. While Latino residents are the primary targets, LA County’s 1.5 million Asian American and Pacific Islander residents—321,000 of them Filipino—are on the front lines, organizing support and protesting heightened enforcement tied to Trump’s second-term border security agenda.

Brookings Institution scholar Ryan Hass argues that while Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will project toughness, both are unlikely to let US-China relations spiral into “free fall.” He says Trump lacks a fixed grand strategy and instead improvises to claim wins, making outcomes of the trade truce unpredictable. Broader economic conditions in both countries will heavily shape the trajectory. Hass also suggests Trump’s perceived “bromance” with Xi is likely one-sided, with Beijing viewing ties pragmatically rather than personally.

China’s PLA conducted joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea in response to Philippines-Japan maritime drills, which Beijing criticized as inviting external powers and increasing security risks. The PLA’s Southern Theatre Command vowed to stay on high alert to protect China’s territorial and maritime claims, asserting that destabilizing military activities in the area are under its control. The Philippines-Japan exercise was their second joint drill since August.

The UK has appointed Blaise Metreweli as the first woman to lead MI6, becoming the agency’s 18th chief. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the appointment historic and emphasized its significance amid unprecedented threats, including foreign espionage and sophisticated cyberattacks. MI6, formally the Secret Intelligence Service, is globally known through the James Bond franchise.

A BBC investigation reports that Bassam al Hassan, a former Syrian Republican Guard commander tied to the National Defence Forces unit that held American journalist Austin Tice after his 2012 abduction, told U.S. officials that then-President Bashar al-Assad ordered Tice’s execution. Al Hassan allegedly met FBI and CIA personnel in Lebanon, claimed he relayed the order and provided potential burial sites; U.S. efforts to verify these claims are ongoing. Western intelligence sources are skeptical Assad would issue such an order directly. Tice’s mother, Debra, doubts Al Hassan’s account and maintains her belief that her son is alive. Successive U.S. administrations have said they believe Tice survived, though without direct evidence. The BBC previously uncovered Syrian regime involvement in Tice’s detention.

Amid intensified immigration raids in California, undocumented farm workers in Oxnard are hiding in fields and staying home, fearing arrest by ICE and CBP. Recent operations at nine farms led to 35 arrests and have disrupted agricultural labor in a region heavily reliant on undocumented workers—over 75% in California—raising concerns about food supply and local economies. Businesses tied to farming, like restaurants and packing facilities, report steep drops in customers and activity. While President Trump has pushed for mass deportations, he acknowledged farmers’ dependence on undocumented labor and floated limited work authorizations requiring employer recommendations and departures from the U.S. Communities describe the raids as indiscriminate and politically driven, leaving workers afraid to travel, shop, or process legal paperwork due to enforcement near courthouses.

The UK offers one of Europe’s least generous paternity packages: eligible fathers/second parents can take up to two weeks with pay of £187.18 per week or 90% of earnings (whichever is lower), excluding the self-employed and very low earners. Fathers interviewed say this leaves families struggling and pushes reliance on relatives or savings. In contrast, several European countries have expanded, better-paid, and more flexible leave: - Spain: 16 weeks at full pay for all parents, including self-employed, with equal entitlements for mothers and fathers. - France: Four weeks total; one mandatory week after birth, then 21 optional days within six months; pay capped and largely state-funded. - Denmark: Up to 24 weeks for fathers at full state pay, with flexibility to transfer some weeks and postpone leave. - Poland: Two weeks at 100% pay for paternity, plus nine weeks non-transferable parental leave at 70% pay. - Sweden: Among the most generous—parents share 480 days, with 90 days reserved for each; most days paid at ~80% up to a cap. Fathers across Europe report longer, paid leave strengthens bonding, supports mothers’ return to work, and normalizes active fatherhood—highlighting how far the UK lags behind.

Two separate school attacks in France and Austria within two hours shocked both countries and sparked debates on youth violence, mental health, and security. In Nogent, France, a 14-year-old boy fatally stabbed a school assistant during a bag check, reportedly motivated by a grudge after a reprimand; he had no prior criminal or mental health record but showed detachment and fascination with death. In Graz, Austria, a 21-year-old former student legally armed with a Glock and a sawn-off shotgun killed nine students and a teacher before killing himself; he had passed gun-licensing psychological tests but was previously deemed unfit for military service, which authorities could not disclose due to legal constraints. Austria is questioning its relatively permissive gun laws and the support system for isolated youth, with calls to tighten licensing and improve early intervention. In France, the focus is split between mental health and security measures: proposals include knife-sale restrictions to minors and testing metal detectors, while President Macron renewed a push to ban social media for under-15s—though the Nogent suspect was reportedly more drawn to violent video games than social media. Both cases highlight limits of school security and the difficulty of identifying and addressing hidden risks among seemingly “ordinary” youths.

Ukraine has begun its first war-crimes trial for an alleged battlefield execution, prosecuting Russian soldier Dmitriy Kurashov (“Stalker”) for shooting Ukrainian POW Vitalii “Penguin” Hodniuk during a January 2024 assault in Zaporizhzhia. Kurashov, a former prisoner fighting in Russia’s Storm-V unit, switched his plea to guilty in court—while informally claiming innocence and blaming another soldier—after three of his own comrades agreed to testify against him. The SBU built a 2,000-page case using POW interrogations, digital verification, radio intercepts, and filmed reconstructions, despite being unable to access the frontline scene. The UN reports a sharp rise in Russian battlefield executions since August 2024, alongside a few unlawful killings by Ukraine. Kurashov faces up to life in prison, and the case underscores both the rarity of bringing suspects to trial amid tens of thousands of war-crime cases and Ukraine’s effort to conduct impartial prosecutions during wartime.

Economists increasingly expect the UK to raise taxes in the Autumn Budget. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ limited fiscal “headroom” has likely evaporated due to weaker growth, lower-than-expected tax receipts, and higher debt interest, making it hard to meet fiscal rules without new revenue. With spending boosts for public services pledged and borrowing for day-to-day costs ruled out, tax hikes appear more likely than spending cuts. Potential measures include extending the freeze on income tax thresholds, restricting pension tax relief for high earners, a levy on gambling, and council tax reform—while avoiding manifesto-breaking rises to income tax, National Insurance, or VAT if possible. The OBR’s growth downgrade could force Reeves’ hand, despite prior assurances against further tax “raids.”

Santos shares jumped over 15% after receiving a non-binding $18.7 billion takeover offer from a consortium led by ADNOC’s investment arm XRG, alongside Abu Dhabi Development Holding and Carlyle. The bid of AU$8.89 per share represents a 27.7% premium to Santos’ last close. Santos’ board plans to unanimously recommend the deal absent a superior offer. The acquisition would give the consortium control of Santos’ LNG assets, including Gladstone LNG and Darwin LNG, plus stakes in PNG LNG and Papua LNG. Previous takeover and merger attempts involving Santos had failed over valuation concerns.

Organizers of the Paris Air Show blocked and walled off stands of several Israeli defense firms, including Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), after reportedly ordering the removal of “offensive” weapons displays at the direction of the French government. Israel’s Defense Ministry condemned the move as unprecedented and politically motivated, alleging it favors French industry. IAI said it was told to remove systems after its booth was set up and that staff were later barred from the stand. The closures come amid heightened Israel-Iran tensions and increased French criticism of Israel’s Gaza campaign. Other global defense companies remain present at the show, which is emphasizing military spending amid geopolitical strains.

Taiwan has added China’s Huawei and SMIC, plus many subsidiaries, to its Strategic High-Tech Commodities Entity List, requiring licenses for Taiwanese firms to export to them. The move aligns Taiwan more closely with U.S. trade restrictions on Chinese chipmakers and aims to close loopholes and stiffen penalties after controversies like a TSMC-made chip found in a Huawei AI card. Analysts say the blacklist reinforces existing U.S.-driven controls that have constrained Huawei’s AI chip ambitions despite earlier workarounds. The decision comes amid heightened cross-strait tensions and continued U.S. backing of the status quo around Taiwan.

The Trump administration is considering expanding its travel restrictions to potentially include citizens from 36 additional countries, according to a State Department cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and seen by Reuters. The countries have 60 days to address concerns such as unreliable identity documents, poor cooperation on deportations, visa overstays, passport security, and links to terrorism or anti-American/antisemitic activity. If unmet, they could face full or partial entry bans. This would significantly widen a ban enacted earlier in June that targeted 12 countries, with partial restrictions on seven more. The possible new list includes nations across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, such as Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Syria, and Uganda. The move is part of Trump’s broader second-term immigration crackdown.

Protests against mass tourism erupted across Spain, Italy and Portugal, with demonstrations in Barcelona, Granada, Palma, Ibiza, Lisbon, Venice, Genoa, Palermo, Milan and Naples. Campaigners argue overtourism is driving up living costs, displacing residents through short-term rentals, and overcrowding city centers. In Barcelona, organizers encouraged using water pistols to target tourists, symbolizing frustration over housing precarity and loss of local culture. Critics singled out platforms like Airbnb, though the company’s Spain-Portugal chief said politicians are scapegoating it and noted hotels still host more visitors. Tourism in Europe is surging, with Spain expecting up to 100 million visitors in 2025 after a record 94 million in 2024, prompting calls for measures like limiting visitors and closing holiday apartments.

At least two people were killed and over 30 injured when a bridge over the Indrayani river collapsed in Pune, India. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said several people were swept away; six have been rescued, 32 injured (six critically), and search operations are ongoing with the National Disaster Response Force deployed. The incident follows a week of other deadly transport accidents in India, including an Air India plane crash and a helicopter crash carrying pilgrims.

A helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation crashed shortly after takeoff in Uttarakhand, India, killing all seven aboard, including the pilot and pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The flight was a 10-minute journey from Kedarnath to Guptkashi and is believed to have gone down due to poor weather, igniting a post-crash fire. The incident follows a major Air India crash days earlier and adds to a series of recent helicopter mishaps in the Himalayan region, where sudden weather shifts and high-altitude conditions increase risk. Authorities have launched rescue efforts and plan to review flight protocols.

A long-delayed forensic excavation has begun at the former mother and baby home in Tuam, County Galway, where the remains of up to 796 infants and children are believed to be buried, many in a disused sewage tank dubbed “the pit.” The dig, expected to last up to two years, aims to recover and identify remains via DNA and provide dignified reburials. The investigation follows historian Catherine Corless’s 2014 research documenting 798 child deaths at the home (1925–1961), which exposed systemic abuse of unmarried mothers and their children in mid-20th-century Ireland. Families like Annette McKay’s hope to reunite remains with relatives. The Irish government apologized in 2021 after an inquiry found about 9,000 child deaths across 18 institutions; the Sisters of Bon Secours, who ran Tuam, have apologized and offered compensation. The excavation underscores ongoing reckoning with the Church’s and state’s treatment of vulnerable women and children.

Greek authorities detained an unidentified American man on the island of Skiathos on a European arrest warrant from Italy in connection with the deaths of an infant and her presumed mother, both found naked and without ID in Rome’s Villa Pamphili park. The baby’s body was discovered in undergrowth; the mother’s body, covered by a black bag, appeared to have died days earlier. Prosecutors cite strong evidence linking the suspect to the infant’s death and suspect a double murder; the woman’s exact cause of death remains undetermined. Surveillance, witness accounts (in English), fingerprints on the bag, a tent scrap, and cellphone data tied the suspect—seen with the victims and previously identified after a street altercation—to the case. The trio had reportedly stayed at a shelter near the Vatican. An extradition hearing in Greece is expected next week. Forensic teams collected about 40 items from the scene, including a child’s pink dress, a bra, and a sleeping bag.

An iron bridge collapsed over a river in the Kundamala area of Pune district, Maharashtra, killing at least two people and injuring 32, with six in critical condition. Scores of tourists were on the bridge when it gave way, and some were swept into the swollen river amid recent heavy rains. Six people have been rescued, and search operations by the National Disaster Response Force and others are ongoing. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences, with Modi pledging federal support. The incident highlights ongoing infrastructure safety concerns in India.

Icelandic media report that a French tourist in her 60s was arrested in Reykjavik on suspicion of murdering her husband and daughter while they were vacationing. The two were found dead with injuries, reportedly including stab wounds, at the Edition Hotel on Saturday morning; the woman was discovered alive with stab injuries and has been remanded in custody until June 20. Police have not confirmed the relationships or identities and say the investigation is in its early stages. Murders are rare in Iceland, which has one of Europe’s lowest homicide rates.

The episode recounts the search for journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon, as described by The Guardian’s Tom Phillips. The team locates a hidden, flooded forest area containing the men’s belongings, a crucial discovery that leads to confirmation of their fate. The episode includes graphic details and reflects on the dangers faced by those investigating environmental crime in the region.

UN special rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, urged the UN General Assembly to authorize armed peacekeepers to escort humanitarian convoys in conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan, citing a surge in targeted attacks and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. He argues Security Council gridlock makes General Assembly action necessary and feasible. The UN human rights office warned that obstructing aid is a war crime, as attacks rise in places including Sudan, Gaza, CAR, and Haiti; more than 360 aid workers were killed last year, most in Gaza. Fakhri warned that without protection, mainstream humanitarian agencies may cease operations, creating a “dystopia,” and criticized militarized, non-UN aid distribution models like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, where Israeli forces recently killed at least 60 people seeking food. Human Rights Watch highlighted impunity as a driver of attacks and urged accountability.

North Korea has repaired and relaunched a 5,000-ton warship, the Kang Kon, after a failed May launch left it damaged and on its side, according to state media. Kim Jong Un attended the relaunch, calling the initial accident a “serious criminal act” that harmed national dignity; authorities reportedly arrested the Chongjin Shipyard’s chief engineer and others. Despite the setback, Kim vowed to launch more next-generation warships to bolster maritime defense. The extent of damage remains unclear as the ship never left dry dock; it was moved to the Rajin shipyard for the relaunch. The Kang Kon is the second 5,000-ton destroyer launched within a month, following a successful launch from Nampo.

NPR is inviting people to share what Juneteenth means to them now, four years after it became a federal holiday amid the Black Lives Matter movement and widespread DEI efforts. The piece notes that, under the current Trump administration, many DEI initiatives have been rolled back or banned, and asks readers to reflect on celebrating Juneteenth in this changing political context. Submissions are subject to NPR’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

A German court sentenced Syrian doctor Alaa Mousa to life in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the early 2010s while he worked in Syrian military hospitals and prisons under Bashar al-Assad. Prosecutors said Mousa abused and killed detainees, including during his time at Mezzeh Military Hospital No. 601, later infamous for evidence of torture documented by a defector. The case was prosecuted under universal jurisdiction, allowing Germany to try grave crimes committed abroad.