World news on politics, society, conflicts, economy and human rights from an international perspective.
Israel launched airstrikes on central and western Iran on Monday, openly defying US Donald Trump, who had urged restraint. According to the Guardian, the escalation threatens to plunge the Middle East back into a regional war.
The Foreign Office and several Western states plan to impose a sanctions package against Israel this week to deter companies from participating in a planned settlement project in the West Bank. According to the Guardian, the so-called E1 development would split the West Bank and make a two-state solution practically impossible.
Israel struck the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday for the third time since a ceasefire with Lebanon took effect, risking US peace talks with Iran.
California's slow vote counting after the primary has prompted Donald Trump to allege fraud. But experts stress the system is designed to work this way – it protects against manipulation and ensures every vote counts.
Israel's defence minister has stated that the army will not withdraw from southern Lebanon and will not allow the return of the population. This comes after Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the ceasefire, as reported by the Guardian.
The outcome of California's gubernatorial election is still unclear, with vote counting potentially taking days or weeks, according to Guardian.
Six US states hold primary elections on Tuesday for the November congressional elections. The focus is on controversial Graham Platner from Maine, as the Guardian reports.
The British government is releasing over 1,000 pages of private messages from former US ambassador Peter Mandelson. Insiders expect 'toe-curling' revelations about internal government debates.
Far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has won the first round of Colombia's presidential election, securing 43.7 percent of the vote, according to Guardian.
After US airstrikes on Iranian military targets, Iran's Revolutionary Guard has attacked a US military base in Kuwait. Fighting between the two countries continues despite ongoing negotiations, the Guardian reports.
Kuwait reported a missile and drone attack on its territory on Monday, with air raid sirens sounding across the country simultaneously, according to the Guardian.
California recorded one of the largest drops in homelessness last year, according to a new report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The number of homeless people fell by nearly 3 percent to 181,934.
After days of protests and a hunger strike by detainees, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has partially resumed family visits at the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill and DHS confirmed on Sunday morning, as reported by the Guardian.
Israeli troops have captured the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, marking the deepest incursion into Lebanese territory in over 26 years.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, a day after President Vladimir Putin warned Yerevan against seeking EU membership and alluded to the 'Ukrainian scenario,' Deutsche Welle reports.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is 'more than capable' of resuming the war against Iran. His remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore came hours after a meeting in Washington failed to produce a peace deal.
A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has been arrested in Texas for allegedly shooting a Venezuelan man in Minnesota in January. Christian Castro was taken into custody on Friday, 11 days after being charged by Minneapolis prosecutors, the Guardian reports.
The United Nations has added Israel and Russia to its blacklist for sexual violence in armed conflicts. According to the Guardian, the UN accuses both countries of abuse by security forces, including the rape of male detainees.
Bret Michaels is the seventh of nine musicians to drop out of a concert series organized by Donald Trump for the 250th anniversary of the United States within 48 hours of its announcement, as reported by Guardian.
After a Russian drone struck a residential building in NATO member Romania, the government in Bucharest expelled the Russian consul. NATO, the EU and Ukraine pledged support to Romania, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
Torsten Bell has clarified that the Labour government's election manifesto did not set a date for introducing the full minimum wage for all over-18s, pushing back against widespread interpretations of the pledge.
A Russian drone struck an apartment building in the Romanian city of Galați overnight, injuring two people. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte assured Romania of the alliance's full solidarity.
A Russian drone struck a multi-story residential building in the Romanian border city of Galati, injuring two people, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
An Associated Press investigation has found a record number of suicides among detainees of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Critics blame the failures of authorities under Donald Trump's tightened immigration policies.
Energy experts have sharply criticized former UK Tony Blair's recent calls to abandon net zero targets and expand oil and gas drilling. According to the Guardian, specialists describe the proposals as a massive setback for the United Kingdom.
A government-commissioned report by former Labour MP Alan Milburn reveals that six in ten young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) have never worked. The report warns of a 'generational fault line'.
The US private prison company MTC, which operates Australia's immigration detention centres, has been penalised after a dozen escapes. The amount of the fines remains secret, Australian Border Force chief Gavan Reynolds told a Senate committee on Thursday.
US Donald Trump has threatened to escalate the conflict with Iran if no agreement is reached. According to the Guardian, the US and Iran remain far apart in negotiations over a ceasefire.
Australian energy company Santos will not pursue its controversial Narrabri gas project in New South Wales for now, Kevin Gallagher told investors, as the company shifts focus to exploration in the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory.
Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah fighters have engaged in close-quarters combat north of the Litani River, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an expansion of ground operations, the Guardian reports.
Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has warned the UN Security Council that US sanctions are pushing the island toward a humanitarian catastrophe.
During the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on December 14, police officers armed with 9mm Glock pistols were at a disadvantage against attackers wielding long-barreled weapons, according to testimony from New South Wales Deputy Police David Hudson before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.
An administrative court in Iran has halted the lifting of an 88-day internet blackout, accepting a last-minute lawsuit challenging the legality of the body that ordered the restoration.
Iranian Masoud Pezeshkian has announced plans to lift the nationwide internet blackout that has been in place for nearly three months, according to Spiegel.
A group of 19 Australian women and children who had been held in a Syrian camp since the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) arrived in Australia on Tuesday. According to the Guardian, a plane carrying part of the group landed in Melbourne, with the rest expected in Sydney later in the evening.
US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats laying mines on Monday, the US Central Command said, as Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for talks to end the war.
The United States has attacked missile positions and minelaying boats in Iran. Iranian media report several deaths near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Zdfheute.
The United States has attacked targets in southern Iran, including missile launch ramps and mine-layers. The strike occurred during a seven-week ceasefire, as Iranian negotiators traveled to Qatar for talks.
Tehran has rejected speculation about an imminent deal with the United States, citing contradictory signals from Washington and Israeli interference as obstacles.
Elon Musk has shared a tweet from Rupert Lowe's new Restore Britain party. According to the Guardian, the split on the right could hand Andy Burnham victory in the Makerfield by-election on 18 June.