Iniaes

In health and consumer alerts

Several food recalls and warnings were issued this month over salmonella concerns, with multiple products tied back to the same potentially contaminated ingredient.

On the border and in immigration

A Honduran mother was deported after pleading to stay with her two-year-old son, and weeks later the child was beaten to death in Florida. ICE then publicly blamed the mother for the boy’s killing, a sequence that is as cruel as it is indefensible.

Separately, Indigenous leaders say construction tied to Trump’s border wall is damaging sacred sites near Tecate, Mexico, including Kuuchamaa Mountain, which Kumeyaay leaders describe as central to their creation story and a healing place.

In transportation

A Long Island Rail Road strike entered its second full day, shutting down service on the nation’s busiest commuter railroad and disrupting travel for more than 300,000 daily riders. State officials and union leaders blamed each other as emergency plans rolled out for commuters.

On a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Dallas, a passenger allegedly bit a crew member and put another traveler in a chokehold, forcing the plane to divert to Tahiti. The trip was delayed by hours, and everyone involved had a worse day than planned.

In international news

A drone strike hit a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates and sparked a fire at the facility, according to defense officials.

In Mexico, officials said 10 people were killed in an early-morning shooting in Tehuitzingo and gave no details yet about who carried it out or why.

In business and Washington

Canal+ chief Maxime Saada said he no longer wants to work with talent, including Juliette Binoche and Adèle Haenel, who signed an open letter against billionaire owner Vincent Bolloré. The statement adds another chapter to a long feud over Bolloré’s influence at the company.

Meanwhile, regulators and prosecutors are looking harder at suspicious betting in Washington, where prediction markets are opening up new ways for people with government access to profit from policy and political moves. The rules for insider trading were not exactly written for wagers on legislation and military operations, which has become the problem.

In world news

The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. Health teams are focusing on surveillance, contact tracing, lab testing, and clinical readiness, while the U.S. has issued travel warnings for the hardest-hit areas.

Taiwan’s president says the island will not provoke conflict with China, but will not give up its democracy or dignity under pressure. In Sri Lanka, authorities say arrests of suspected foreign scammers may point to a new hub for online fraud after crackdowns in Cambodia and Myanmar pushed those networks elsewhere.

In business and work

Northern Ontario is being pitched as a lower-cost filming alternative as Hollywood slows down. Producers can stack tax credits up to 45 percent, and the region is selling the usual mix of big scenery and tight budgets.

Starbucks says it will cut about 300 corporate jobs in the U.S. and close several regional offices as part of a turnaround plan under its new chief executive. Recent college graduates are also facing a tougher job market, with funding cuts, tariffs, war, and AI all adding more pressure to a crowded field.

In U.S. news

Sen. Bill Cassidy lost Louisiana’s Republican primary over the weekend, ending a run that has lasted 15 years in Congress.

In Delaware, more than 100 firefighters responded after a fire broke out at a historic Wilmington church before dawn Sunday. The building was destroyed.

In Texas, Juan Manuel Yanez was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Victoria Valadez in her San Marcos apartment, then driving to Houston. Prosecutors said he called 911 after the killing and later stopped for beer on the way. A brief manhunt followed, because some criminals still think that is a workable exit strategy.

In health

A Missouri woman with stage 4 melanoma says an experimental immunotherapy trial has kept her alive for more than four years after doctors initially gave her only months to live. Her case is a reminder that early detection still matters, especially when skin changes are easy to miss.

In U.S. politics

Donald Trump has turned on Rep. Lauren Boebert, calling her “weak minded” on Truth Social and saying he wants a primary challenger to unseat her in Colorado after she backed the push related to the Epstein files. The White House also posted an AI-generated image of Trump as James Bond, extending a visual style that is starting to look less like messaging and more like a hobby.

Public health experts say the U.S. is still not ready for the next pandemic, pointing to weaker outbreak response, slashed funding, limited testing capacity, and the spread of misinformation. A hantavirus outbreak is underscoring those gaps, even if it is not likely to be the spark for the next global crisis.

In world news

Ukraine launched nearly 600 drones at Russia overnight in one of the largest attacks of the war, with areas around Moscow among the targets. The scale alone is a reminder that this conflict is still very much active.

In Britain, Wes Streeting said he would stand in any leadership race to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and he also called Brexit a catastrophic mistake. That is not exactly a subtle pitch.

In culture and heritage

The Wellcome Collection in London will return more than 2,000 Jain manuscripts to the Jain community after reaching an agreement with the Institute of Jainology and the University of Birmingham. The collection, believed to be the largest held outside South Asia, includes texts dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries, and the museum acknowledged that many were acquired during the colonial era at low prices and against the interests of their original owners.

In Japan, a regional airport is getting a Pokémon-themed makeover as part of post-earthquake recovery efforts, part infrastructure project, part economic booster, part extremely on-brand recovery strategy.

In the UK

Britain has announced a new £662 million deal with France to try to curb Channel crossings, with more beach security and riot-trained officers on the French side. Local French officials say it will make little difference, and the sea has not signed up to the agreement. The Home Office says more than 42,000 crossing attempts have been stopped since the election.

Separately, the government has introduced legislation to bring British Steel into public ownership after talks with the current owner failed to produce terms ministers considered acceptable. The bill would give ministers powers to nationalise steel companies when a public interest test is met, while British Steel has already received about £484 million in working capital to keep the Scunthorpe plant running safely.

The UK also says its total support for Ukraine has reached £21.8 billion since Russia’s full-scale invasion, including military, humanitarian, economic, and reconstruction aid. Ministers say military support will continue at £3 billion a year until at least 2030-31, with more money this year for air defence and a plan to deliver at least 120,000 drones in 2025.

In business and science

During Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands, India’s Tata and Dutch chip equipment maker ASML announced a semiconductor deal. Modi said his talks with the Dutch prime minister also covered broader cooperation in defence and security.

In Ladakh, experts are warning about a new wolf-dog hybrid called the khipshang, which has emerged after feral dogs bred with Himalayan wolves over the past decade. The animals are reportedly entering villages, killing livestock, and may now number around 80, raising concerns for both people and conservation.

In the Middle East

Iran says it will soon announce a plan for the Strait of Hormuz after President Trump warned Tehran it would have a “very bad time” if a deal is not reached soon. Separately, Israel bombed Lebanon.

In health

The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. It also said the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, which is the kind of distinction that sounds bureaucratic until it absolutely is not.

In Britain

Britain is fitting its jets with new anti-drone missile systems, aiming for a cheaper way to knock down threats like Iran’s Shahed drones. The idea is straightforward, if not exactly subtle: save money on the missiles before the drones save it for you.

Separately, up to 30 armed officers in the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection squad are under investigation over allegations that they slept on duty or signed in for shifts they did not actually work. The Met has informed the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the King and Buckingham Palace have also been told.

In U.S. politics

Sen. Bill Cassidy is projected to lose his Louisiana Republican primary, with Rep. Julia Letlow leading but falling short of a majority and heading to a runoff against former Rep. John Fleming. Another report says Cassidy is projected to finish third, after years of fallout over his vote to convict Donald Trump following Jan. 6.

A new analysis of presidential voting from 1980 to 2020 finds that the biggest long-term shift among White voters came from higher-income, better-educated, white-collar voters moving toward Democrats. The researchers say there is little evidence of a steady, decades-long collapse in Democratic support among lower-income White voters, though some have moved right in recent elections.

In health

The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. Officials say the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has infected hundreds and killed at least 80 people in Congo, while Uganda says the virus spread from travelers arriving from the DRC.

In tech and operations

Andon Labs put four commercial AI models in charge of 24-hour radio stations, complete with budgets, tools, and listener feedback, and the results were predictably weird. Different systems developed different failure modes, from strange repeated phrases to protest-heavy programming to obsessive tool use, a reminder that once AI can spend money and make public decisions, the quirks stop being cute and start looking like operational risk.

Sports

Conor McGregor is set to return to the UFC in July for a welterweight bout against veteran Max Holloway in Las Vegas. It is the sort of announcement that instantly becomes either a comeback story or a very expensive reminder that timelines are not a strength of combat sports.

In U.S. politics and security

The White House says Donald Trump’s planned $1 billion ballroom project will include an underground hospital, a detail tucked into a late-night filing that is doing the usual job of making a routine plan sound like a secret bunker with better lighting.

In the UK

The government is moving to shut down the market in resold driving test slots, targeting third parties that use bots to snap up appointments and sell them on at inflated prices. The new rules are meant to stop people buying their way around the queue, which is a refreshingly unromantic use of technology.

In the Middle East

The Royal Air Force has begun using the APKWS anti-drone system on Typhoon jets in operations in the Middle East, turning unguided missiles into precision weapons for use against drones and other threats. The Ministry of Defence says the capability moved from trials to frontline use in under two months.

Separately, BBC Verify says video evidence shows Hezbollah using evolving fibre-optic drone tactics against Israel, suggesting the group’s methods are changing, even if the reporting stops short of saying exactly how far.

In Latin America

Bolivia has deployed about 3,500 soldiers and police to clear roadblocks near La Paz in an early-morning operation, as protesters demand the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz.

In sport

Alex Smalley will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink after a round of 68 left him six under par. The 29-year-old from North Carolina, still chasing his first professional win, leads a packed chase group that includes Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, and Justin Rose.

In Asia

Taiwan said it is sovereign and independent, and will keep the status quo while deepening ties with the United States after Donald Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping. In Bangkok, at least eight people were killed and about 35 injured when a public bus collided with a freight train and burst into flames, prompting a safety investigation.

In Europe

Tens of thousands marched through central London at a far-right rally led by Tommy Robinson. In Latvia, the president has asked opposition leader Kulbergs to try to form a new government, though any cabinet would still need parliamentary approval.

In Modena, Italy, at least eight people were injured when a car struck pedestrians in the city center and crashed into a department store window. Police say the driver was detained after fleeing and then stabbing a bystander who tried to stop him.

In the U.S.

Authorities in Maryland say a man set a fire at a Walmart Supercenter in Elkton to distract from a jewelry theft, then fled on a motorcycle. Police say he was arrested in New Jersey and is being held pending extradition.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford returned to Naval Station Norfolk after 326 days at sea, ending nearly 11 months of deployment across several regions. Navy leaders welcomed the strike group home and announced a Presidential Unit Citation.

In Africa and the Caribbean

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s health minister says the Ebola outbreak has a very high fatality rate, with the death toll now at 80. Africa CDC says the Bundibugyo strain could spread quickly because of heavy population movement.

Cuban officials say the country has run out of oil and diesel as its crisis deepens. The shortage comes amid increased pressure from the Trump administration for Cuba to change course or face possible military action.

In U.S. transit

The Long Island Rail Road shut down after unionized workers walked off the job, stopping service across the eastern New York metro area. Five unions, representing about half the workforce, were behind the strike. For a commuter rail system that moves a lot of people, this is not a minor scheduling inconvenience; it is the schedule.

In Nigeria and U.S. counterterrorism

U.S. and Nigerian forces killed a senior ISIS leader, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, in a joint operation in northeastern Nigeria, according to U.S. Africa Command. Officials said several other militants were killed and no American service members were hurt. U.S. officials called it a significant blow to ISIS networks in the region.

In tech and courts

A jury is now weighing Elon Musk’s claims against Sam Altman and OpenAI in a bitter trial over Musk’s allegation that the company was built by stealing a charity. The case has dragged in internal messages, emails, diary entries, and testimony from some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names. Both men took the stand, where each had his credibility tested in public, the modern version of a startup trust fall.

In health

A tick linked to alpha-gal syndrome, which can trigger allergies to meat and dairy, may also be spreading into new areas, along with a rare virus that has no known cure. The warning is aimed at helping people spot symptoms early after tick exposure.

Also drawing attention, a Trump administration spokesman on hantavirus risk turned out to be a penile implant specialist with a podcast history steeped in conspiracy claims.

In U.S. politics and the White House

President Trump said arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a “very good negotiating chip” in talks with China, a remark that is likely to unsettle officials in Taipei already watching Washington’s approach closely.

In London

London had a heavy police presence as tens of thousands joined rival demonstrations, with the Unite the Kingdom march led by Tommy Robinson taking place alongside a pro-Palestinian protest. The Met said it deployed 4,000 officers, armoured vehicles, drones, horses, and live facial recognition, in a £4.5 million operation designed to keep the two crowds apart. Kemi Badenoch backed the government’s decision to block 11 suspected far-right agitators from entering the UK before the rally.

In Ukraine

Russia launched nearly 300 drones at Ukraine overnight, with Ukrainian officials reporting direct hits in 15 locations. Separately, Ukraine said the bodies of 528 of its soldiers were returned, a day after the two sides exchanged prisoners of war. The war keeps finding new ways to be grimly administrative.

In crime and justice

In the U.S., Ryan Nichols, a pardoned January 6 rioter, has been charged after allegedly threatening a man with a handgun during an argument in a church parking lot. In Europe, Spanish police working with Italian authorities and Europol arrested 12 suspected members of a gang accused of robbing tourists of luxury watches in Marbella, Barcelona, and Ibiza.

In counterterrorism

The U.S. and Nigeria say a senior Islamic State leader, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, was killed in a joint operation. President Trump called him “the most active terrorist in the world,” which is the sort of line presidents use when they want the headline to do the heavy lifting.

In the UK

London Mayor Sadiq Khan says foreign-linked AI-generated posts are helping push a false story that London is dangerous and in decline. City Hall-commissioned research found a sharp rise in that material over the past two years, and Khan is calling on social media platforms to label AI content more clearly and stop rewarding it in their algorithms, a modest request from the mayor of one of the world’s favorite objects of online grumbling.

The Covid Inquiry has also drawn fire after finding the government’s counter-disinformation unit acted lawfully, necessarily and proportionately during the pandemic. Critics say that amounts to an endorsement of state-backed monitoring of lockdown sceptics, while the inquiry says the unit only flagged public posts under approved policies and never accessed private data. The Information Commissioner’s Office says it found no evidence of misuse.

Separately, a student says she may lose hundreds of pounds after UK travel advice on Lebanon changed and her insurance was left void. It is one more reminder that official guidance can shift after the booking is already paid for.

In the Middle East

Residents of Jerusalem’s al-Bustan district say they have been told to clear their homes to make way for the planned Kings Garden theme park. Some say demolition by their own hands is the cheaper option as jackhammers and bulldozers move through the area below the old city walls.

The United Arab Emirates is accelerating an oil pipeline expansion designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and move exports out through the Gulf of Oman instead. The goal is to reduce exposure to regional tensions around one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.

In international security

Donald Trump says a joint U.S.-Nigerian operation killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as Islamic State’s second-in-command globally and “the most active terrorist in the world.”

In Australia

Police in Western Australia say a 38-year-old man has died after being bitten by a great white shark near Rottnest Island, off Perth. It is the second shark death in the state this year.