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Italian authorities have raised the 56m superyacht Bayesian nearly a year after it sank off Sicily, killing seven of the 22 aboard, including owner Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter. The vessel, badly damaged and mud-covered, will be inspected at prosecutors’ request before being fully removed and taken to Termini Imerese. Investigations by UK and Italian authorities say raising the wreck is crucial; a preliminary MAIB report found the crew was unaware the yacht could capsize in winds over 73 mph, and that gusts exceeding 80 mph likely caused rapid flooding. A previous salvage attempt was delayed after a diver died. Fifteen people survived the August 19 sinking during extreme weather.

Zambia’s former president Edgar Lungu will be buried in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a private ceremony after a dispute with the Zambian government over funeral arrangements. President Hakainde Hichilema had planned a state funeral in Lusaka and extended national mourning, but ended it early after Lungu’s family blocked the repatriation of his body, accusing the government of reneging on agreements. Lungu’s will reportedly barred Hichilema from attending his funeral. The opposition Patriotic Front backed the family, while civil society urged a dignified resolution. Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021 and died in South Africa after treatment for an undisclosed illness, had remained a prominent political figure despite being barred from running again. This will be the first time a foreign former head of state is buried in South Africa.

Giorgio Armani, 90, will miss his Milan Fashion Week shows for the first time after a brief hospital stay, though he’s recovering at home and will follow the menswear presentations remotely. Longtime collaborator Leo Dell’Orco will take the final bows. Armani is expected at Paris shows later in June. The Spring-Summer 2026 collections will be shown as the brand approaches its 50th anniversary next month, coinciding with Armani’s 91st birthday.

Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist from Columbia University, was released from immigration detention after over three months, following a judge’s ruling that he isn’t a flight risk or community threat while his case proceeds. He said his release shows the Trump administration’s efforts to suppress pro-Palestinian voices have failed and vowed to continue advocating for Palestinian and immigrant rights. The White House plans to appeal, arguing the judge lacked jurisdiction. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, present at his release, said the administration is losing legal battles against pro-Palestinian migrant advocates.

The FBI says Vance Luther Boelter, charged with killing Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband and wounding State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, was a doomsday “prepper.” His wife told investigators the family prepared for catastrophic events and that he’d warned her to flee; police later found cash, passports, and guns in her car, though she hasn’t been charged. Boelter allegedly posed as a police officer during the attacks and carried a list of about 70 potential targets, including Gov. Tim Walz and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Authorities say he wrote an incoherent letter alleging a nonexistent plot involving the governor. Yvette Hoffman was released from the hospital; John Hoffman remains in care. Police captured Boelter after a two-day manhunt.

Pakistan’s government says it will nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, crediting his alleged role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after recent cross-border fighting. Islamabad praised Trump’s “decisive” diplomacy, while India denies any U.S. mediation and rejects third-party involvement. The move drew mixed reactions in Pakistan, with some praising the bid and others condemning it given Trump’s stance on conflicts like Gaza. Trump has long claimed credit for international deals and criticized past Nobel selections. The Nobel winner will be announced in October.

Panama declared a five-day state of emergency in Bocas del Toro—its main banana-producing region—amid escalating protests over proposed pension cuts. The order suspends some constitutional rights, restricts movement, and allows warrantless arrests. Unrest intensified after the local banana workers’ union joined nationwide demonstrations and Chiquita Brands fired thousands of striking employees. Protesters have set up roadblocks and clashed with police, with recent damage reported at a Chiquita facility and a local airport. The government says the measure aims to restore order and curb violence.

At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, President Vladimir Putin downplayed concerns about Russia’s economy while emphasizing wartime priorities, declaring “where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that’s ours.” Despite recent growth driven by heavy defense spending, top officials, including the economy minister and central bank governor, warned that momentum is fading and resources are exhausted, with the economy near recession amid high inflation and interest rates. Sanctions and the war have dimmed the forum’s appeal, and while some suggest U.S. companies are interested in returning, business leaders say that’s unlikely without progress toward ending the conflict. The government’s nervousness reflects mounting economic strain and uncertainty over when challenges will ease.

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky says Ukrainian forces still hold about 90 sq km inside Russia’s Kursk region, nearly a year after a surprise August 2024 incursion that initially seized over 1,000 sq km. He claims around 10,000 Russian troops are trying to force them out, and vowed to intensify strikes on military targets in Russia. Kyiv argues the operation created a buffer limiting Russian deployments in eastern Ukraine, but Ukrainian gains have since receded amid heavy Russian reinforcements, including thousands of North Korean troops. Western officials estimate at least 1,000 North Korean soldiers were killed in the first three months of their deployment, and Pyongyang has pledged additional personnel for mine-clearing and reconstruction in Kursk.

The article describes how cheap, widely available technologies—especially drones—are transforming African conflicts by extending their reach, lethality, and psychological impact. It highlights Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces using long-range drone strikes against Port Sudan to damage key infrastructure and shatter assumptions of safety far from front lines. This exemplifies a broader shift: militias and states now field off-the-shelf drones, precision munitions, and electronic tools that can prolong wars, escalate civilian harm, and complicate peace efforts across the continent.

The article describes Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis amid near-daily deadly incidents at aid distribution sites, highlighting a June 17 shooting at a World Food Programme hub near Khan Younis that killed 51 and injured over 200, according to Hamas-run authorities. Witnesses blame Israeli troops; the IDF says it is investigating. The piece situates Gaza’s “bloody limbo” within a broader regional context, as escalating confrontation over Iran diverts attention and complicates efforts to stabilize or resolve the situation in Gaza.

The article argues that Latin America’s surge in organised crime—fueled by booming cocaine production, illegal gold mining, and corruption—demands tougher, smarter state responses that don’t erode civil liberties. Using Ecuador as a test case, it advocates a balanced strategy: strengthen judicial integrity and anti-corruption measures; target criminal finances and logistics (ports, supply chains, and laundering networks); deploy focused, accountable policing with judicial oversight; and invest in prevention—youth opportunities, community policing, and prison reform to break gang control. International cooperation on intelligence, maritime interdiction, and financial tracking is essential. The core message: security can be improved without authoritarian overreach if states prioritize rule of law, institutional resilience, and precise, rights-respecting enforcement.

The Economist argues Japan is shifting from a model of painless high debt to a cautionary tale as low-rate conditions fade. With interest rates rising and the Bank of Japan retreating from ultra-loose policy, debt-servicing costs are set to surge on a debt stock exceeding 150% of GDP. Yet politicians are still offering handouts rather than consolidation, risking a squeeze on public services, pressure on the yen, and instability in the government-bond market. The piece warns that without credible fiscal reform—broader taxes, spending restraint, and a clear medium-term plan—Japan could face a damaging spiral of higher yields, a weaker currency, and reduced policy room, with lessons for other rich, indebted countries.

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The Sudan war, despite the SAF’s retaking of Khartoum in March, is far from over and is now spilling across borders, with fighting reported in the desert between Libya and Egypt. While some of the 14 million displaced Sudanese have started returning, the humanitarian crisis remains vast and overlooked. The cross-border escalation complicates prospects for a settlement, risks wider regional destabilization, and underscores how external actors and porous frontiers are intensifying and prolonging the conflict.

NATO’s core goal—deterring Russia—now hinges on keeping the United States committed, which in turn requires Europe to shoulder more of the defense burden. The Economist argues European members need a firm deadline to boost spending beyond the current 2% of GDP benchmark, funding real capabilities like munitions, air defenses, and industrial capacity. Without a credible, time-bound plan for higher, sustained investment, American support could waver, weakening deterrence and alliance cohesion.

The Economist argues that advertising has repeatedly survived disruptive technologies by adapting—radio, TV, and digital—and is now doing the same with AI. At Cannes, industry leaders signal that AI won’t replace agencies but will reshape them: automating routine tasks, accelerating production, and enabling hyper-targeting, while elevating the value of human judgment, brand stewardship, and creativity. The piece frames ad agencies as resilient “cockroaches” that endure by integrating new tools, not resisting them, and suggests broader industries can learn to pair AI’s scale and speed with human insight to thrive through disruption.

The Economist argues MAGA-aligned pro-natalist policies—like Trump’s proposed $5,000 newborn handout, cheaper IVF, and broader incentives—are misguided. Historical evidence shows such measures either fail to raise birth rates meaningfully or become prohibitively expensive relative to their modest effects. The piece suggests that structural factors (housing, childcare, work-life balance, economic security) drive fertility decisions more than cash bonuses or tax breaks, and warns that pursuing headline-grabbing incentives without addressing these fundamentals will waste resources and disappoint.

A British backpacker, Bethany Clarke, recounted how a night of free vodka and whisky shots at a Vang Vieng hostel in Laos led to methanol poisoning that killed her best friend, Simone White, and left Clarke hospitalized. The pair fell severely ill the next day during a planned kayaking trip, with symptoms that didn’t feel like a typical hangover. After a difficult journey to Vientiane for medical care, White’s condition rapidly worsened and she died. The case highlights ongoing dangers of contaminated alcohol and recurring methanol poisoning outbreaks in Southeast Asia, which experts say cause hundreds of deaths globally each year.

China is expanding “property supermarkets”—government-vetted online and offline platforms that centralize home listings and related services—to boost a weak housing market. Cities like Chengdu and Suzhou are partnering with developers and, in some cases, banks to feature new and second-hand properties, streamline processes (mortgages, taxes, registration), and increase buyer trust by reducing false promotions. Some platforms target specific groups, such as residents with housing vouchers. While not new, the initiative is accelerating nationwide to better match supply and demand, though sales data via these platforms remains unclear.

Amid a weak UK job market, some Chinese graduates are turning to gig work serving the Chinese community—running errands like airport pickups, document collection, furniture assembly, and campus check-ins. One graduate, unable to secure arts roles after 2020, built a thriving service by advertising on Chinese-language platforms, later formalizing it into a company, switching to a skilled worker visa, and hiring others. At peak months, the business earns up to £8,000, illustrating how gig work offers financial survival and opportunity when traditional jobs are scarce.

Chinese researchers led by Chen Jinbao at the National University of Defence Technology developed a 2 kW fibre laser that operates reliably without heating or cooling across extreme temperatures from −50°C to 50°C, enabling rapid, ultra-portable deployment for defense and industrial use. Unlike comparable systems that need large cooling units, this design maintains stable performance through 940 nm pump lasers with low thermal drift, external pump combiners to isolate heat, and tightly coiled ytterbium-doped fiber to suppress parasitic modes. The dual-clad resonator with high-reflectivity gratings produces a 1,080 nm beam. The work, addressing a decades-old challenge of wide-temperature stability, is detailed in a forthcoming paper in Higher Power Laser and Particle Beams.

Hong Kong’s housing minister Winnie Ho urged landlords of subdivided “shoebox” flats to comply with a new regulatory regime under the Basic Housing Units Bill, which aims to phase out substandard living spaces after years of profitable returns for owners. Citing societal demand for basic sanitary and space standards for low-income residents, Ho framed past flat partitioning as a market decision but said the city must now ensure dignified housing. The move follows calls from Beijing’s Xia Baolong to eliminate subdivided flats and “cage homes.”

China has intensified control around Scarborough Shoal through constant coastguard patrols and enforcement of a new anti-trespassing law, pushing Filipino fishers up to 40 nautical miles away and using tactics like water cannons even against Philippine government vessels. A report by CSIS’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative warns this “grey-zone coercion” is cementing China’s de facto control within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, heightening risks of miscalculation and signaling a broader strategy for the South China Sea. Filipino communities report mounting economic hardship as traditional fishing grounds become inaccessible.

Several Chinese ambassadors have recently departed West African posts, prompting debate over whether the moves are routine rotations or a signal amid growing tensions. New envoy Li Zhigang replaced Xiao Han in Senegal; Huang Wei is ending a seven-year term in Guinea, where China is heavily invested in the Simandou iron ore project; Lu Shan’s tenure in Burkina Faso concluded after the country deepened ties with China post-2022 coup; and farewell ceremonies were held for Chen Zhihong in Mali and Jiang Feng in Niger, both appointed in 2021. Analysts say the timing could be a subtle message to Sahelian regimes amid concerns over resource nationalism and security, though standard diplomatic cycling remains a plausible explanation.

Chinese researchers report the spleen could be a superior site for islet cell transplantation to treat type 1 diabetes. Studies led by Nanjing University suggest “shielding” transplanted islet cells and using nanoparticles to engineer the spleen’s environment improve cell survival and function compared with the conventional liver site. If validated in clinical trials, the spleen could become an “ideal” transplant hub, potentially advancing long-term treatment for type 1 diabetes amid rising global prevalence.

A senior Taiwanese air force officer, Major General Wu Chia-hsing, observed the U.S. Red Flag Alaska 25-2 exercise, signaling potential deepening U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation. Though Taiwan did not participate directly, Wu’s presence—publicized by a U.S. defense media outlet—suggests Washington may expand training and support for Taipei despite President Trump’s transactional stance. The large-scale drill, involving the U.S., Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and others, focuses on allied air combat coordination. Analysts view the move as reaffirmation of U.S. security commitments and a possible prelude to more structured military engagement with Taiwan.

An elderly man in his 80s was filmed driving a Mercedes-Benz A-Class down Rome’s Spanish Steps early Tuesday, getting stuck partway. He tested negative for alcohol, was cited on the spot, and told police he thought he was heading to work. Firefighters removed the car with a crane. Authorities are reviewing whether to revoke his license and whether to issue fines. Culture Ministry experts are assessing potential damage to the 18th-century monument, which has seen similar incidents before, including a 2022 Maserati case.

French scientists identified a previously unknown blood group, named “Gwada negative,” in a woman from Guadeloupe, marking the 48th recognized blood group system. First flagged in 2011 by an unusual antibody during pre-surgery tests, the finding was confirmed in 2019 using high-throughput DNA sequencing, which revealed a specific genetic mutation inherited from both parents. Officially recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion in June, the woman is currently the only known compatible donor for herself. Researchers hope to find others with the same type, noting that discovering new blood groups improves care for patients with rare blood types.

Mexican authorities, with FBI cooperation, arrested three suspects—an American woman and a Mexican-American dual national with a U.S. drug-dealing warrant—after a chase in Ciudad Juárez, seizing 110,000 fentanyl pills packaged in 10 clear bags. The operation, based on U.S.-Mexico intelligence, aimed to disrupt drug trafficking; the suspects and evidence were turned over to the Public Prosecutor. The action aligns with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s priority to combat illegal drug distribution amid recent major fentanyl seizures.

Salvage crews have raised the British-flagged superyacht Bayesian, which sank off Porticello near Palermo, Sicily, on August 19, 2024, during a violent storm that killed U.K. tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter, and five others. Fifteen people survived. The complex recovery involved lifting the 184-foot vessel from 165 feet deep using steel straps and a crane barge, pumping out seawater, and preparing it for transport to the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese for forensic investigation. One diver died in earlier recovery efforts. The yacht’s 236-foot mast was cut and left on the seabed to facilitate the lift. An interim British report found the yacht was knocked over by extreme winds exceeding 70 knots and could not recover. Italian authorities have opened a criminal manslaughter investigation.

The U.S. State Department has begun assisted departures from Israel, with two flights from Tel Aviv to Athens carrying about 70 U.S. citizens, immediate family members, and lawful permanent residents. Americans seeking help are urged to register via the State Department’s crisis intake form and STEP. The move follows earlier confusion over evacuation plans amid the Israel-Iran war, airport closures, and suspended commercial flights. Meanwhile, nongovernmental groups and state-led efforts have organized alternative evacuations by sea and charter flights. The State Department has issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Israel. Several U.S. citizens were lightly wounded in an Iranian missile strike, officials said.

The New York Times asked 20 prominent New Yorkers—from entertainers to chefs, publishers, and real estate leaders—to share their ranked-choice picks in the June 24 Democratic mayoral primary. The informal, non-scientific responses highlight divides over competence, experience, and affordability. Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani drew strong support from many in arts and culture seeking progressive policy and affordability, with figures like Ilana Glazer, Lynn Nottage, Sonia Manzano, and Sarah Sherman praising Mamdani’s vision but several (Glazer, Nottage, Manzano, McNally) ultimately favoring Lander for experience and steadier governance. Andrew Cuomo, the polling front-runner, split opinion: backed by establishment-leaning figures like Floyd Abrams, Graydon Carter, and developer Jeff Gural for perceived toughness and executive ability, but criticized by others for pandemic-era decisions and MTA clashes. Across the ballots, affordability, housing, transit competence, and resistance to a potential Trump administration dominated concerns, with some voters expressly preferring low-drama managerialism over charisma. Many notable New Yorkers declined to share picks to avoid political fallout.

Europe is committing to higher defense spending amid slowing economies and heightened threats from Russia, but the main challenge is organizing how to spend effectively. With NATO poised to raise targets—amid U.S. pressure for 5% of GDP and signals of reduced American support—Europe faces political and structural barriers: fragmented procurement, national rules, export controls, and uneven threat perceptions across countries. The EU and the U.K. are pivoting from heavy armor toward technologies seen in Ukraine—drones, remote systems, missiles, and cyber—backed by new EU plans for joint investment and combat readiness by 2030. However, industry warns that slow approvals, regulatory red tape, supply constraints, and lack of unified standards impede scaling production. While funding momentum is strong—European NATO members have doubled spending since 2016 and could reach €800 billion–€1 trillion by decade’s end—the core issue is converting money into interoperable capabilities through consolidation, standardization, and faster joint procurement to reduce dependence on U.S. equipment.

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), long strongest in the former East, is making inroads in Western industrial cities like Duisburg by softening overt xenophobia and emphasizing law-and-order, economic decline, and skepticism of green policies. Local figures such as Alan Imamura present a business-friendly, anti-immigration message framed around strains on budgets, crime, and protecting industry (e.g., opposing EU carbon-neutral steel mandates). This targeted appeal to working-class frustrations in postindustrial areas—once Social Democratic strongholds—has yielded strong results, with some neighborhoods nearing 40% support. Analysts say the AfD’s West strategy tailors rhetoric to economic grievances as the Social Democrats’ focus on climate and liberal social issues has alienated parts of their base. The AfD aims to parlay these gains into national dominance by 2029.

Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian-born U.S. permanent resident and Columbia graduate, gave his first interview after being released on bail following 105 days in immigration detention. Arrested by plainclothes agents in March, he was targeted under a rarely used law cited by the Trump administration, which seeks to deport him for allegedly undermining U.S. foreign policy and spreading antisemitism through campus protests—claims not substantiated in court. Khalil denies antisemitism, saying he advocated for Palestinian rights and against university investments in weapons. He says his detention galvanized support for the Palestinian cause, contrary to the administration’s intent to curb such speech. A White House spokeswoman framed the case as campus safety, urging accountability and even “self-deportation.” Khalil, who missed the birth of his son while detained, described the arrest as feeling like a kidnapping and criticized the lack of rights in practice. His case continues in immigration court, as he and his wife, Noor Abdalla, navigate heightened scrutiny following pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia.

Within two weeks of Trump’s 2025 inauguration, U.S.A.I.D. was effectively dismantled after a confusing executive order pausing foreign aid triggered worldwide project shutdowns and internal chaos. Jason Gray, abruptly installed as acting head, resisted directives he deemed dangerous—most notably an order, pushed by Elon Musk’s new Department of Government Efficiency, to cut agency email and phone access globally, including in conflict zones. Gray’s refusal led to his removal, staff defiance was labeled “insubordination,” and the administration moved to fold U.S.A.I.D. into the State Department, where Secretary Marco Rubio largely stood aside as Musk’s team drove decisions focused on exposing “viral waste.” A federal judge later said the rapid shuttering likely violated the Constitution, but by then the agency’s programs and operations had been halted, marking a swift, consequential reordering of U.S. foreign aid and institutions.

Washington, D.C.’s historic Congressional Cemetery includes a “Gay Corner,” a growing cluster of graves near activist and Air Force veteran Leonard Matlovich, the first U.S. service member to publicly come out. Pride Month tours led by docent Jeff Rollins highlight LGBTQ+ pioneers buried or memorialized there, including Barbara Gittings, Alain Locke, and Frank Kameny. Symbols like rainbow flags and reclaimed pink triangles mark many stones, illustrating the evolving history of LGBTQ+ identity and rights. Visitors find both history and contemporary resonance amid renewed political attacks on LGBTQ+ people, reflecting on how far the community has come and the ongoing struggle. Friends say Matlovich would still be fighting today; his chosen resting place near J. Edgar Hoover and the community that’s formed around it serve as a lasting, prideful testament across time.

The article examines how COVID-19 and the overturning of Roe v. Wade accelerated a shift in U.S. abortion care from clinics to medication abortions, especially self-managed use of mifepristone and misoprostol. It follows Dr. Maya Bass, who moved from in-clinic procedures to supporting patients remotely as access shrank and regulations tightened. Evidence accumulated showing abortion pills are safe and effective outside traditional clinical settings, prompting many doctors to reconsider strict protocols originally shaped by FDA REMS rules and state laws. Meanwhile, advocates documented the availability and quality of pills purchased online, helping fill gaps as clinics closed and legal barriers increased. Overall, medication abortion now accounts for the majority of U.S. abortions, with telemedicine and self-managed pathways expanding despite regulatory and legal constraints.

NPR’s Embedded series “The Network,” produced with Futuro Media, traces the rise of a loosely connected global movement enabling safe, self-managed abortions outside clinics, rooted in practices pioneered by Brazilian women in the 1980s. Through three episodes—Saint-o-tec, Breaking Bread, and Déjà Vu—the series shows how activists built an underground support system, refined pill-based methods, and spread guidance across countries lacking legal access. After Roe v. Wade’s overturning, these approaches increasingly inform how Americans obtain abortions. Accompanying reporting highlights growing medical acceptance of self-managed medication abortion as safe and effective and documents how Latin American networks helped transform care and influence legalization efforts.

The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008, defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the Finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the regular-season MVP, earned Finals MVP with 29 points and 12 assists, capping a 68-14 season for the league’s best team. The series, the first Finals to reach seven games since 2016, turned when Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton exited early with an Achilles injury after a standout postseason. Oklahoma City pulled away in the second half behind stifling defense and balanced scoring, securing the franchise’s first championship since its 1979 title as the Seattle SuperSonics.

Families of Israelis still held by Hamas published an open letter to President Trump on Truth Social, pleading for his help to free the remaining 53 hostages after more than 620 days in captivity. They urged him to act while Iran and Hamas are “at their weakest,” citing his role in securing the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander in May. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s campaign against Iran is aiding efforts to recover hostages and vowed to bring them all home. The article also notes the burial of murdered hostage Yair Yaakov, recovered in a recent Israeli operation, and ongoing obstacles posed by Hamas to a ceasefire and broader hostage deal.

Israel’s military said it killed Saeed Izadi, commander of the Quds Force’s Palestine Corps, in a strike in Qom, Iran. Izadi allegedly helped arm and fund Hamas and was described as a key orchestrator of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Documents found in a Gaza hospital’s underground command center reportedly showed recent coordination between Izadi and Hamas leaders, including plans to supply over $46 million in weapons that were thwarted. The IDF also said it killed another Iranian commander, Benham Shariyari, in Tehran, who was responsible for regional weapons transfers to Iranian proxies. Israel called the killings a major blow to Iran’s arming and financing network for groups targeting Israel.

Former President Donald Trump announced he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio brokered a peace treaty between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with representatives set to sign in Washington. Trump touted the deal while claiming he won’t receive a Nobel Peace Prize despite past diplomatic efforts, including the Abraham Accords. Shortly before his post, Pakistan’s government publicly nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, crediting his role in de-escalating a recent India-Pakistan crisis—claims India disputed, insisting any ceasefire talks occurred directly between the two countries without third-party mediation. The Nobel nomination process is confidential and closed for 2026 entries.

The article examines how AI is reshaping India’s call center industry, spotlighting tools like real-time accent neutralization and automated assistance that ease agents’ interactions with foreign customers. For workers, AI reduces stress from accent bias, shortens training time, and boosts productivity through call scripting, translation, and summarization. For companies, it promises higher customer satisfaction and cost savings. However, it raises concerns about job quality and security: tighter surveillance, pressure to meet AI-driven metrics, potential deskilling, and the risk of job displacement as chatbots and voice bots handle more routine queries. The piece portrays a mixed future—AI as both a support for agents and a force accelerating automation—leaving workers to balance immediate benefits with longer-term uncertainties.

Israel’s Shin Bet and the military recovered the bodies of three hostages—Ofra Keidar, 70; Yonatan Samerano, 21; and Shay Levinson, 19—taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, following a Saturday operation in Gaza enabled by “precise intelligence.” Authorities did not disclose the location of the remains. About 50 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza.

Researchers warn that as AI use surges, harmful outputs like hate speech, copyright violations, and sexual content are increasing due to weak regulation and inadequate testing. They call for stronger, standardized evaluation methods, including broader, third‑party red teaming that involves domain experts, standardized flaw reports, and better disclosure and incentives. Initiatives like Singapore’s open-source Project Moonshot, which combines benchmarking and red teaming, are steps forward but need wider adoption, customization, and continuous evaluation pre- and post-deployment. Experts argue for higher approval standards akin to pharma or aviation and recommend shifting from broad, general-purpose models to task-specific systems to reduce misuse and improve safety claims transparency.

A scandal involving Taiwanese celebrities allegedly paying to fake hypertension and evade conscription has spotlighted long-standing flaws in Taiwan’s conscript and reservist systems, seen as crucial to deterring a potential Chinese invasion. Prosecutors indicted 28 people, including actor Darren Wang, amid rising cases of draft obstruction. Critics and U.S. officials say service has often been monotonous and poorly aligned with modern warfare, leaving reserves underprepared. Taiwan has extended mandatory service from four months to one year and increased live-fire, tactical training, but experts warn reforms must improve training quality, equipment, and reserve organization—particularly for asymmetric capabilities like drones and air defenses—to change public apathy and strengthen deterrence. The controversy contrasts with South Korea, where compulsory service enhances celebrities’ reputations and is culturally normalized.

Spain approved NATO’s new spending pledge ahead of the Hague summit but claims it secured flexibility to avoid reaching a 5% of GDP target pushed by the US. The compromise foresees allies aiming for 3.5% on core military needs over the next decade plus 1.5% on broader “defence-related” outlays (infrastructure, cybersecurity). NATO diplomats say no formal exemption was granted and the deal applies to all 32 members, though language in the declaration was softened from “we commit” to “allies commit.” Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez insists Spain can meet NATO commitments at roughly 2.1% of GDP, balancing alliance demands with domestic political resistance to higher defence spending. Spain is set to reach NATO’s current 2% goal this year after a €10 billion boost.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that Russia will not surrender any occupied Ukrainian territories in peace talks, citing disputed 2022 referendums and declaring “all of Ukraine is ours.” He warned of a “catastrophic” nuclear response if Ukraine used a dirty bomb, calling it what he termed a potential “last mistake.” Putin accused Ukraine’s Western backers of prolonging the war for their own aims. Meanwhile, Russia claimed to capture a small village in Donetsk, Ukraine reported over 200 Russian UAVs targeting Zaporizhzhia, and President Zelenskyy said Kyiv is pursuing joint weapons production with several Western countries, urging partners to contribute 0.25% of GDP to Ukraine’s arms manufacturing.