The Trump administration faces scrutiny over Epstein-related controversies, proposed budget cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid, and ongoing political disputes regarding tariffs, federal workforce changes, and immigration enforcement.

• Trump again tries to brush off Epstein crisis as ‘nothing’, blaming Democrats for controversy – US politics live — The Guardian -
• Trump Has Promised More Tariffs on Mexico. What Happens Next? — New York Times World -
• Newsom ready to pursue lawsuit against Fox News host despite on-air apology — The Guardian -

• Trump administration to destroy nearly $10m in contraceptives — The Guardian -
• ‘Profound alarm’: US veterans agency roiled by fight over anti-discrimination provisions — The Guardian -
• Murdoch-Trump rift opens over Epstein – but don’t expect a decisive break — The Guardian -
• Trump signs order creating new federal worker classification for at-will, political appointees — The Guardian -
• House Republicans pass Trump’s proposed aid and public broadcasting cuts — The Guardian -
• Trump calls Fed chair ‘a numbskull’ who ‘makes it difficult for people to buy a house’ — The Guardian -
• Friday Briefing: Trump’s Order on Epstein Records — New York Times World -
• Trump requests release of Epstein grand jury transcripts amid report of ‘bawdy’ birthday note | First Thing — The Guardian -
• What is Trump's vein condition and how serious is it? — BBC World -
• Tim Walz says Trump ‘brings out the worst in people – and the worst in me’ — The Guardian -
• ‘Devastating’: US public broadcasters condemn Trump cuts to key programs — The Guardian -
• House passes aid and broadcasting cuts – as it happened — The Guardian -
• US House passes Trump plan to cut $9bn from foreign aid, public broadcasting — The Guardian -
• Trump orders officials to release Epstein court documents after mounting pressure — BBC World -
• Tens of thousands in US join ‘Good Trouble’ anti-Trump protests honoring John Lewis — The Guardian -
• Trump requests release of Epstein grand jury transcripts amid report of ‘bawdy’ birthday note — The Guardian -
• Relentless immigration raids are changing California's way of life — BBC World -

This topic covers tragic explosions at a Los Angeles training facility, Trinidad and Tobago's state of emergency due to gang threats, and various criminal investigations including murders in care homes and celebrity cases, romance scams, and arrests at asylum protests.

• Three killed in explosion at Los Angeles police training facility — BBC World -
• Trinidad and Tobago declares second state of emergency, citing gang threat — The Guardian -
• Explosion at LA law enforcement training facility kills three people — The Guardian -

• Catalogue of failures led to woman’s murder in Bristol care home, coroner finds — The Guardian -
• Romance scam victim travels 700km 'to marry French beauty queen' — BBC World -
• Women who conceived in abusive relationships lose legal challenge over benefits ‘rape clause’ — The Guardian -
• Child killed in Minehead school coach crash was 10-year-old boy, police say — The Guardian -
• Man arrested in Glasgow for holding sign allegedly supportive of Palestine Action — The Guardian -
• Essex police arrest two after asylum hotel protests turn violent — The Guardian -
• Suspect charged in killing of American Idol supervisor and her husband — The Guardian -
• Libyan war crimes suspect arrested in Germany under ICC warrant — BBC World -
• ‘It’s ourselves and society on trial’: playwright adapts Gisèle Pelicot case for stage — The Guardian -
• 5 Charged in U.C. Berkeley Professor’s Killing in Greece, Including His Ex-Wife — New York Times World -
• Hannah McGuire murder: ex-partner Lachlan Young pleads guilty to murder eight days into trial — The Guardian -

Across the globe, headlines report on the Middle East crisis including Israeli strikes on Gaza churches and Syrian cities, Russia's cyber-attacks leading to spy exposures, and European nations planning for a post-US future, alongside concerns about escalating violence in Syria's Druze areas and Ukraine's novel drone scheme.

• UK, France and Germany Plan for a Post-U.S. Future — New York Times World -
• Lammy announces exposure of 18 Russian spies after UK cyber-attacks — The Guardian -
• Middle East crisis: Netanyahu speaks to Pope after three killed in Israeli strike on Gaza church – as it happened — The Guardian -

• Christian leaders make rare visit to shelled church in Gaza — The Guardian -
• Friday Briefing: Bloodshed in a Syrian City — New York Times World -
• 'There were bodies everywhere': Druze residents describe 'bloodbath' in Syrian city Suweida — BBC World -
• Who Are the Druse? The Religious Minority at the Center of Israel and Syria’s Tensions — New York Times World -
• Kill Russian soldiers, win points: Is Ukraine's new drone scheme gamifying war? — BBC World -
• ‘Shot in the head, as if executed’: four days of violence end with hundreds dead in southern Syria — The Guardian -
• Germany's Merz tells BBC Europe was free-riding on US — BBC World -
• Syria’s President Condemns Israeli Strikes on Damascus — New York Times World -

Global political news includes former Brazilian President Bolsonaro facing legal restrictions with an ankle monitor, Labour Party dynamics in the UK, corruption allegations against Spain's People's Party, proposals to abolish the UK water regulator, and ongoing debates about data leaks and voting age changes.

• Bolsonaro, Brazil’s Former President, Ordered to Wear Ankle Monitor Before Trial — New York Times World -
• Angela Rayner tells Labour to ‘step up’ and make case for being in power — The Guardian -
• Court orders Bolsonaro to wear ankle tag and puts him under curfew — BBC World -

• Spain’s People’s party hit by alleged multimillion cash-for-favours scandal — The Guardian -
• Bolsonaro ordered to wear ankle tag over fears he may abscond as coup trial nears end — The Guardian -
• Diane Abbott’s Labour suspension must be resolved ‘as swiftly as possible’, says minister – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Ofwat to be abolished as ministers look to create new water regulator — The Guardian -
• Labour MPs challenge Richard Tice over Reform UK’s plan to scrap green projects — The Guardian -
• Monique Ryan to bring private member’s bill to lower voting age – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Grant Shapps defends use of superinjunction to suppress Afghan data leak — The Guardian -
• Friday briefing: A ‘cruel and unlawful betrayal’ – why is the EU not doing more to sanction Israel? — The Guardian -
• Why thousands of Afghans were secretly relocated to the UK – podcast — The Guardian -

Cultural news features the upcoming end of Stephen Colbert's Late Show, peculiar social interactions caught on Coldplay's kiss cam, an AI integration in a Netflix series, Burberry's improved sales driven by festival-goers, and legal outcomes for a rap group and a former footballer.

• ‘Bonjour’ Sets Off a Linguistic Dispute on a Belgian Train — New York Times World -
• ‘I am extremely sad’: celebrities react to the end of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show — The Guardian -
• Kneecap to face no further action over Glastonbury performance — The Guardian -

• Are they ‘having an affair’ or just shy? The couple caught on Coldplay’s kiss cam — The Guardian -
• Former England footballer Paul Ince given 12-month drink-driving ban — The Guardian -
• Festivalgoers help drive Burberry to best sales performance in 18 months — The Guardian -
• Extra! Extra! Read All About Last Newspaper Hawker in Paris — New York Times World -
• Netflix uses generative AI in one of its shows for first time — The Guardian -
• Colbert says The Late Show will end after 33 years — BBC World -
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to end in 2026 as CBS cancels show — The Guardian -

Reports detail the devastating impact of heavy monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan and South Korea, wildfires raging in Spain, concerns over US wetlands polluted by 'forever chemicals', and calls for public participation in butterfly counts amidst hopes for environmental recovery.

• Floods and Heavy Rain Kill Dozens in Pakistan — New York Times World -
• US wetlands ‘restored’ using treated sewage tainted with forever chemicals — The Guardian -
• Green groups fear business sector will dominate debate at Chalmers’ roundtable at environment’s expense — The Guardian -

• Britons urged to count butterfly numbers amid hopes of ‘outstanding’ summer — The Guardian -
• Serious pollution incidents by English water companies rose 60% last year — The Guardian -
• Weather tracker: Heavy monsoon rain leaves many dead in Pakistan — The Guardian -
• Watch: Police evacuate residents as wildfires rage in Spain — BBC World -
• Four dead, 1,300 evacuated as heavy rains hit South Korea — BBC World -

Significant developments include a historic native title win for Millewa-Mallee First Nations peoples in Australia, concerns over an Indigenous man's prolonged solitary confinement, the release of a Palestinian woman from immigration detention, and a debate over 'transgender ideology' in a cults inquiry.

• Native title win for Millewa-Mallee First Nations peoples in Victoria after decades-long fight — The Guardian -
• Palestinian woman released from immigration detention in Sydney a week after assistant minister cancelled her visa — The Guardian -
• Victorian government opposes Moira Deeming-backed push to include ‘transgender ideology’ in cults inquiry — The Guardian -

• Grave concerns for Indigenous man’s wellbeing after ‘close to 800 days’ in solitary confinement at SA prison — The Guardian -
• Court throws out pro-Israel group’s bid to refer journalists and editors for contempt over Antoinette Lattouf case — The Guardian -

This section reports on the deaths of extreme sports pioneer Felix Baumgartner and Australian base jumper James Nowland in paragliding accidents, and the recovery of pilot David Stephens' body from a Snowy Mountains plane crash wreckage.

• Felix Baumgartner, who jumped from edge of space, dies in paragliding crash — The Guardian -
• Felix Baumgartner, Skydiver Who Jumped From the Edge of Space, Dies Paragliding at 56 — New York Times World -
• Body found in Snowy Mountains plane crash wreckage is pilot David Stephens, police believe — The Guardian -

• Australian Base jumper James Nowland dies in competition accident in northern Italy — The Guardian -

Business news highlights BP's sale of its US onshore wind business, Jaguar Land Rover's delay in launching electric models, North Korea's unexpected ban on foreigners at a resort, and Elon Musk's advancements for Tesla and Starlink in India.

• BP agrees to sell US onshore wind business as it shifts back to oil — The Guardian -
• North Korea bans foreigners from seaside resort weeks after opening — BBC World -
• Jaguar Land Rover delays launch of new Range Rover Electric — The Guardian -

• Musk Clears Final Hurdles for Tesla and Starlink in India — New York Times World -