Dominating the news, Donald Trump's administration faces scrutiny over economic policy decisions like tariffs and the controversial firing of a labor statistics chief, alongside ongoing legal investigations into his past actions, diplomatic stances on Russia and tariffs on other nations, and even cultural policy shifts like reviving school fitness tests.

• Watch: How many pull-ups can you do? Trump revives fitness test for school kids — BBC World -
• How South Korea's K-beauty industry is being hit by Trump tariffs — BBC World -
• Federal agency opens inquiry into ex-special counsel Jack Smith over Trump investigations — The Guardian -

• Trump fires lead official on economic data as tariffs cause market drop — BBC World -
• Trump fires lead official on economic data as tariffs cause market drop — BBC World -
• Republicans slam Trump’s firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics chief — The Guardian -
• India Will Buy Russian Oil Despite Trump’s Threats, Officials Say — New York Times World -
• Trump says Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s past comments make pardoning him ‘more difficult’ — The Guardian -
• Durham disclosures further undermine Gabbard’s claims of plot against Trump — The Guardian -
• India to still buy oil from Russia despite Trump threats, say officials — The Guardian -
• How the courts became the biggest roadblock to Trump’s plans — The Guardian -
• Steve Rosenberg: Russia is staying quiet on Trump's nuclear move — BBC World -
• What Do Trump’s Tariff Hikes Mean for Canada’s Trade-Dependent Economy? — New York Times World -
• Good, mad and ugly: the US economy’s performance under Trump – in charts — The Guardian -
• The inside story of the Murdoch editor taking on Donald Trump — The Guardian -
• Economy Updates: After a Weak Jobs Report, Trump Fires That Agency’s Commissioner — New York Times World -
• Trump Taps Climate Skeptics to Attack Science on Global Warming — New York Times World -
• Trump defends firing labor statistics chief by lying about her role in 2024 campaign – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Trump steps up attacks on Fed’s independence amid interest rates row — The Guardian -
• Trump moves nuclear submarines after ex-Russia president’s menacing tweet — The Guardian -

The severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to draw international concern, with hostage videos sowing fear in Israel, Hamas refusing to disarm until a Palestinian state is established, and growing calls from Jewish American groups and international officials for increased aid and a review of Israel's conduct amidst allegations of war crimes.

• New Hostage Videos Sow Fear and Horror in Israel — New York Times World -
• Family condemns Hamas video showing emaciated Israeli hostage — BBC World -
• Hamas refuses to disarm until Palestinian state established — BBC World -

• Photos From a Gaza Airdrop — New York Times World -
• Gaza hospitals say 18 killed by Israeli fire as aid site shootings continue to rise — The Guardian -
• Mike Huckabee, Israel’s Passionate Defender as Gaza War Drives Allies Away — New York Times World -
• Israel closes 88% of cases of alleged war crimes or abuse without charges – report — The Guardian -
• Palestine Action ban coupled with Online Safety Act ‘a threat to public debate’ — The Guardian -
• Growing number of Jewish American groups speak out over Gaza famine — The Guardian -
• Palestinian statehood vote at Victorian Labor conference heaps more pressure on PM — The Guardian -
• ‘We are dying slowly, save us’: starvation takes hold in Gaza after a week of appalling milestones — The Guardian -
• Wong criticises Israel’s conduct in Gaza in closed-door meeting with Israeli ambassador — The Guardian -
• ‘Immense’ pro-Palestine march to cross Sydney Harbour Bridge as police prepare for five-hour shutdown — The Guardian -

A range of significant criminal events includes a deadly Montana bar shooting with an ongoing manhunt, an unusual incident of airport property destruction in Buffalo, a murder inquiry into a stabbing in Bury, allegations of forged signatures on a NYC mayor's re-election petition, and major drug seizures in the UK involving "mother ships".

• Man allegedly hijacks transport cart at Buffalo airport and destroys moving walkways — The Guardian -
• Police continue to search for Montana gunman who killed four people in a bar — The Guardian -
• Police find getaway car of army veteran suspected of deadly Montana bar shooting — BBC World -

• Police find getaway car of army veteran suspected of deadly Montana bar shooting — BBC World -
• Murder inquiry begins after teenager stabbed in ‘targeted attack’ in Bury — The Guardian -
• Forged signatures listed on New York City mayor’s re-election campaign petition – report — The Guardian -
• An American Team Went to Combat Haiti’s Gangs, Then Lost Two of Its Own — New York Times World -
• Prominent Indian ex-MP gets life sentence for rape — BBC World -
• Prominent Indian ex-MP gets life sentence for rape — BBC World -
• Man in court accused of lacing sweets with sedatives before summer camp children fell ill — The Guardian -
• Man who attempted to kidnap Princess Anne in 1974 claims innocence — The Guardian -
• How a high-speed ocean chase led to an £18m cocaine seizure in Cornwall — The Guardian -
• Public urged to help catch gangs bringing drugs on ‘mother ships’ to UK coast — The Guardian -
• Four killed in Montana bar shooting that is US’s ninth mass murder of 2025 — The Guardian -

Key UK developments include government plans to ban social media ads promoting illegal Channel crossings, discussions around women's unpaid labour and its impact on the economy, protests regarding asylum seeker accommodation in London, a chancellor's intervention in a car finance scandal, and concerns over counter-terrorism barriers in Notting Hill.

• Social media ads promoting small boat crossings to UK to be banned — The Guardian -
• Social media ads promoting small boat crossings to UK to be banned — The Guardian -
• UK has got ‘fat’ on decades of free labour by women, says MP Jess Phillips — The Guardian -

• Pro- and anti-migrant prroters face off at London hotel housing asylum seekers — The Guardian -
• Labour does not deserve to win next election without change, Reeves says — The Guardian -
• Chancellor’s attempt to intervene in car finance scandal branded ‘disgraceful’ — The Guardian -
• VIP contract introduced by Tory peer left government owed £24m — The Guardian -
• ‘A sign of how we live now’: friction in Notting Hill over counter-terrorism barriers — The Guardian -
• Wes Streeting said to be eyeing up No 10 – but how will doctors’ strikes affect his chances? — The Guardian -
• UK food inflation: why your barbecue meat is becoming more expensive — The Guardian -
• Language on immigration in UK news and politics found to have ‘shaped backlash against antiracism’ — The Guardian -
• Openreach engineers trial panic alarms as incidents of abuse and assault soar — The Guardian -
• Unusually high number of jellyfish arrive in UK seas — The Guardian -

The impact of climate change is evident in melting glaciers threatening European villages and unprecedented heatwaves in Nordic countries, alongside immediate natural events like a deadly mine collapse in Chile, a fish-related brush fire in British Columbia, and heavy snowfalls in Australia.

• Melting glaciers threaten to wipe out European villages - is the steep cost to protect them worth it? — BBC World -
• Rescuers race to save Chile miners after collapse kills at least one — BBC World -
• A Fish Falls From the Sky and Sparks a Brush Fire in British Columbia — New York Times World -

• At Least 1 Dead and 5 Missing After Mine Collapse in Chile — New York Times World -
• Nordic countries hit by ‘truly unprecedented’ heatwave — The Guardian -
• Snow falls in Queensland as NSW SES report 100 vehicles stuck in heavily blanketed northern tablelands — The Guardian -

Beyond the Gaza conflict, international news covers protests against Thailand's prime minister, Mali's former PM being charged for undermining the state, Iran holding US citizens, and Ukrainians dealing with the psychological toll of drone warfare and peaceful anti-corruption demonstrations.

• Protesters in Thailand Denounce Prime Minister After Clashes With Cambodia — New York Times World -
• Mali charges ex-PM with undermining the state over post on X — BBC World -
• Mali charges ex-PM with undermining the state over post on X — BBC World -

• Iran Is Holding at Least 4 US Citizens, Rights Groups and Families Say — New York Times World -
• In wartime, demonstrations in Ukraine can never be more than a peaceful protest — The Guardian -
• They escaped Ukraine's front lines. The sound of drones followed them — BBC World -

Cultural headlines feature Pope Leo XIV's rock star welcome at a Catholic youth event, Dua Lipa receiving Kosovan citizenship, the discovery of Winston Churchill's platypus mystery, the bankruptcy of Germany's oldest gay nightclub, and concerns over AI chatbots as therapy alternatives.

• Pope greeted by vast crowd at Catholic youth event — BBC World -
• Pope Leo XIV gets rock star welcome from young Catholics at huge vigil — The Guardian -
• The mystery of Winston Churchill's dead platypus was unsolved - until now — BBC World -

• Online shoppers warned of ‘dangerous’ weight-loss scam as ‘ghost stores’ impersonate real people to sell Ozempic-like treatments — The Guardian -
• Sportsbet advertises multi-bets on AFL website after pulling TV ads due to ‘community sentiment’ — The Guardian -
• AI chatbots are becoming popular alternatives to therapy. But they may worsen mental health crises, experts warn — The Guardian -
• Dua Lipa ‘feeling grateful’ after Kosovan president grants her citizenship — The Guardian -
• Derk Sauer, Champion of Free Press in a New Russia, Dies at 72 — New York Times World -
• Manchester United’s ‘Wembley of the North’ stadium plan hits the buffers — The Guardian -
• Crowds cheer 100th annual wild pony swim — BBC World -
• Crowds cheer 100th annual wild pony swim — BBC World -
• A Letter to the Future — New York Times World -
• Germany’s ‘oldest and biggest’ gay nightclub declares bankruptcy — The Guardian -
• Airbnb guest says images were altered in false £12,000 damage claim — The Guardian -
• Cécile Dionne, Who Found Fame and Despair as a Quintuplet, Dies at 91 — New York Times World -
• Watch: Hot dog spill clogs US highway — BBC World -
• A Bid to Undo a Colonial-Era Wrong Touches a People’s Old Wounds — New York Times World -
• And Just Like That... Sex and the City reboot's third season to be its last — BBC World -
• Chess grandmaster Carlsen wins at Esports World Cup — BBC World -
• Chess grandmaster Carlsen wins at Esports World Cup — BBC World -
• Dizzy with glizzys: hotdog spill on Pennsylvania highway leaves motorists steamed — The Guardian -
• ‘He was so excited’: painter discovers 122-year-old message in a bottle inside lighthouse walls — The Guardian -