US Secretary of State Marco Rubio anticipates a swift end to the Iran conflict within weeks, even as Iran asserts control over the Strait of Hormuz, engages in trading strikes with Israel on industrial targets, and impacts global energy and food supplies, while Saudi Arabia urges intensified US attacks and European intelligence suggests Russia is supplying drones to Iran.

• Iran War Live Updates: Rubio Says U.S. Can Achieve Its Goals Without Ground Troops — New York Times World -
• Middle East crisis live: US ‘hopeful’ of Iran meetings this week after Rubio claims operation expected to conclude in weeks — The Guardian -
• Here’s the latest. — New York Times World -

• Strikes on Iranian Industry Expand Blows to Civilian Economy — New York Times World -
• Iran Moves to Assert Control Over Strait While Trading Strikes With Israel — New York Times World -
• 'My daughter is under the rubble': Inside Tehran as civilian toll of strikes rises — BBC World -
• Rubio says US expects to finish Iran war 'in next couple of weeks' — BBC World -
• Government Trolls Sling Memes in the Online Trenches of Mideast War — New York Times World -
• Global Food Supply Faces a Dangerous Bottleneck as Iran War Persists — New York Times World -
• US expects Iran operation to end in ‘weeks, not months’, says Marco Rubio — The Guardian -
• Europe Is Drafting Postwar Plan to Escort Tankers, Officials Say — New York Times World -
• Iran Moves to Formalize Toll Plan in Strait of Hormuz — New York Times World -
• Iran Tried to Use a Famed Director’s Home to Push Its War Narrative. His Son Fired Back. — New York Times World -
• UK government borrowing costs hit 5% as Iran war fuels bond market sell-off — The Guardian -
• Pakistan, Playing Mediator Between U.S. and Iran, Is Calling Several Countries — New York Times World -
• European intelligence agencies believe Russia is supplying drones to Iran, says official — The Guardian -
• Biker gangs and hired hands: how Iran is increasingly outsourcing its terrorism campaigns — The Guardian -
• Man who allegedly planted bomb at US airbase at large after fleeing to China — The Guardian -
• Resurgent Inflation Tests Faith in Fed’s Willingness to Tame It — New York Times World -
• Why is it so hard to pass through the Strait of Hormuz? — BBC World -
• Energy Crisis Forces India’s Eateries to Adapt — New York Times World -
• Blink and miss: Trump’s tactic of threats first and U-turn later is proving stale in Iran war — The Guardian -
• UN human rights chief calls on US to conclude probe into Iran school strike — BBC World -
• Is Trump's pause on attacking Iranian energy for diplomacy or an escalation? — BBC World -
• Marco Rubio joins G7 talks with focus on Iran war — BBC World -
• Palestinian man killed as death toll from West Bank settler violence climbs — BBC World -
• First Thing: Saudi Arabia urging US to keep up Iran attacks, intelligence source confirms — The Guardian -
• Rubio Is Expected to Press G7 Allies Over Strait of Hormuz During Meeting — New York Times World -
• Soaring Diesel Prices Set Off Transport Strike in Philippines — New York Times World -
• Ukraine signed a defense cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, Zelensky says. — New York Times World -
• Rationing power and diluting petrol - how African countries are coping with effects of Iran war — BBC World -
• UAE and Qatar Arrest Hundreds Over Online Videos of Iranian Attacks — New York Times World -
• Saudi Arabia urging US to ramp up Iran attacks, intelligence source confirms — The Guardian -
• Trump Again Extends Deadline for Iran to Open Strait or Face Strikes on Power Grid — New York Times World -
• Trump Extends Iran Deadline on Strait of Hormuz as Stocks Tumble — New York Times World -
• Trump extends deadline for Iran to open strait of Hormuz by 10 days — The Guardian -
• Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Thursday — New York Times World -
• In Sleepy Town on Strait of Hormuz, War Rages Just Over Horizon — New York Times World -
• Rubio Says Allies Should Help Secure Strait by Iran for Oil and Gas Ships — New York Times World -
• Albanese government says fuel supply ‘same, if not higher’ in coming weeks as Coalition calls for halving of excise — The Guardian -
• Blasts heard in southern Beirut – as it happened — The Guardian -
• ‘Emergency situation’: Trump says he will order payments to TSA agents amid turmoil at US airports – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Albanese says he hasn’t received direct request for help after Trump takes swipe at ‘not great’ Australia — The Guardian -
• As Markets Revolt in the Face of War, Trump Extends Iran Deadline — New York Times World -
• Europeans Worry Russia Is Preparing to Deliver Drones to Iran — New York Times World -
• Three charts that are warning signs flashing for Trump on Iran war — BBC World -

House Republicans continue to obstruct efforts to resolve the DHS government shutdown, prompting President Trump to unilaterally order TSA agents' payment, amidst ongoing concerns about election integrity and a controversy regarding military promotion lists.

• House Republicans are ‘the only thing standing’ in the way of ending DHS shutdown, Hakeem Jeffries says – live — The Guardian -
• House Republicans reject DHS funding package earlier passed by Senate — The Guardian -
• Trump signs executive order instructing DHS to immediately pay TSA agents — The Guardian -

• California sheriff seizes more ballot materials in defiance of state officials — The Guardian -
• Trump orders paycheques for TSA workers as Congress stalls and airport chaos grinds on — BBC World -
• Fulton county accuses FBI of ‘callous disregard’ over ballot seizures — The Guardian -
• Hegseth reportedly cuts two Black men and two women from military promotion list — The Guardian -
• Florida axes sociology as required class at state universities in latest attack on ‘woke’ — The Guardian -
• Atlanta travelers face uncertain airport wait times as DHS funding deal nears — The Guardian -
• BBC journalist caught in travel chaos at Houston Airport — BBC World -
• Trump EPA relied on industry science to weaken formaldehyde cancer rules, documents show — The Guardian -
• US Senate fails for seventh time to advance bill to partly fund DHS — The Guardian -
• Newsom signs California bill to rename Cesar Chavez Day as Farmworkers Day — The Guardian -

Charges against former officers in the Breonna Taylor shooting were dismissed, while a Connecticut officer was fired for a fatal shooting during a mental health crisis, and law enforcement foiled a plot to assassinate a Palestinian American activist, amidst deepfake online abuse allegations and a leak of the FBI director's personal emails.

• Actress Says She’s Found Her Secret Online Abuser: Her Husband — New York Times World -
• Breonna Taylor shooting: charges dismissed against ex-police officers for falsifying warrant — The Guardian -
• Connecticut officer fired after shooting man in mental health crisis as others tried to de-escalate — The Guardian -

• Man arrested over plot to firebomb pro-Palestinian activist's NY home — BBC World -
• US law enforcement foils plot to assassinate Palestinian American activist — The Guardian -
• FBI director’s personal email, photos and documents leaked by Iran-linked hackers — The Guardian -
• Tiger Woods charged with driving under influence after crash — BBC World -
• Social media influencer Clavicular arrested in Florida on battery charges — The Guardian -
• Man questioned over trafficking allegations in Mohamed Al Fayed investigation — The Guardian -
• Member of Jill Biden’s security detail shoots self in leg at Philadelphia airport — The Guardian -
• Man accused of 2003 rape tells court he ‘wouldn’t be able to live with himself’ if he had done it — The Guardian -
• Afghan asylum seeker jailed for raping and abducting 12-year-old girl — The Guardian -
• Man jailed for assaulting woman in London attack witnessed by Barron Trump — The Guardian -
• Alleged Long Island serial killer intends to change plea to guilty, sources say — The Guardian -
• U.K. Police to Reinvestigate Sex Crime Allegations Against Andrew Tate — New York Times World -
• Faith Kates: the woman who introduced models to ‘dear friend’ Jeffrey Epstein — The Guardian -
• Lawyers criticise ‘extreme’ arrest of Isaac Herzog protester after NSW police release video — The Guardian -
• Swastika found scratched into window of Jewish bagel shop in Sydney — The Guardian -
• Sarah Ferguson's 'close Epstein ties' scrutinised in US lawmaker's letter — BBC World -

Austria proposes a social media ban for children under 14, while Wikipedia has prohibited AI-generated content in its articles, amidst growing concerns about AI models ignoring human instructions and Italy investigating beauty brands over youth mental health.

• Austria becomes latest to propose social media ban for children — BBC World -
• Italy investigates beauty brands over concerns about young girls’ mental health — The Guardian -
• Social media has led to a ‘complete rewiring of childhood’, says minister – UK politics live — The Guardian -

• Wikipedia bans AI-generated content in its online encyclopedia — The Guardian -
• Number of AI chatbots ignoring human instructions increasing, study says — The Guardian -
• Starmer vows to ‘fight’ social media firms to protect children from addiction — The Guardian -
• Keep under-fives’ screen time to no more than an hour a day, UK advice says — The Guardian -
• Women secretly filmed, then ridiculed and abused online — BBC World -
• The German Military Tightens Its Social Media Rules — New York Times World -
• Olympic Committee Bars Transgender Athletes From Women’s Events — New York Times World -
• ‘Accountability has arrived’: dual US court losses show shifting tide against Meta and co — The Guardian -

A UN report documents sectarian violence in Syria that killed over 1,700, missing aid boats to Cuba safely reached their destination, and a landmark UN slavery ruling energizes the African Union's fight for reparations, as Belarus and North Korea strengthen ties.

• I escaped North Korea with my mum. Now I'm terrified she might be sent back — BBC World -
• U.N. Report Documents Sectarian Violence in Syria That Killed Over 1,700 — New York Times World -
• Lee Geun-an, Infamous ‘Torture Master’ Under South Korean Dictator, Dies at 88 — New York Times World -

• Two Cuba-bound aid ships missing after leaving Mexico — BBC World -
• Missing aid boats have safely reached Cuba, US confirms — The Guardian -
• UN’s landmark slavery ruling energises African Union’s fight for reparations — The Guardian -
• Europeans Are Angry at Trump, but Often Forgiving of Americans — New York Times World -
• South Africa's exclusion from G7 summit no surprise, says Ramaphosa — BBC World -
• Singapore denies Malaysian scholar entry, calling her 'undesirable visitor' — BBC World -
• How Russia's threat has seen Germany become Europe's most important army — BBC World -
• Australia will be left with no submarines if it abandons Aukus, senior defence official warns — The Guardian -
• Belarus leader gifts rifle to North Korea's Kim as they sign friendship treaty — BBC World -
• Two humanitarian aid boats heading to Cuba have gone missing, Mexico says — The Guardian -

**UK government borrowing costs hit 5% due to the Iran war, India slashes taxes on diesel and petrol to protect consumers from rising prices, and Asda's executive chair calls for government action to support farmers and cut fuel costs, while Lloyds Bank faces a £66m court battle** with car loan customers.

• Lloyds bank faces £66m court battle with car loan customers — The Guardian -
• Five Guys CEO says he gave a $1.5m bonus to his workers so he wouldn’t get shot in the back — The Guardian -
• Ministers should ‘start doing stuff’ to help farmers and cut fuel costs, says Asda boss — The Guardian -

• ‘It’s fired people up’: support grows, including within Labor, for new gas tax to curb wartime profits — The Guardian -
• Older Australians in ‘immediate danger’ as fuel crisis affects travel for aged care workers — The Guardian -
• UK car production falls 17% as industry warns of ‘worrying’ decline — The Guardian -
• Five firms including Autotrader and Just Eat investigated over fake review failings — The Guardian -
• Panic buying prompts PM to reassure Australians over fuel supply — BBC World -
• WA premier issues transparency warning to fuel suppliers – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Albanese government says fuel supply ‘same, if not higher’ in coming weeks as Coalition calls for halving of excise — The Guardian -

A humpback whale stranded off Germany's Baltic coast successfully swam to freedom after rescue efforts, scientists filmed sperm whales cooperating during a birth, and the polio virus was detected in London sewage as ministers cut global eradication funding.

• Video: Stranded Humpback Whale Beats the Odds and Swims Out to Sea — New York Times World -
• Whale stranded off Germany swims to freedom after days of efforts to save it — The Guardian -
• Polio virus detected in London days before ministers cut global eradication funding — The Guardian -

• Scientists film whale giving birth while other whales work together to help her — The Guardian -
• Whale swims for freedom after big German rescue effort on Baltic coast — BBC World -
• Wily coyote? urban canines take more risks compared with rural ones – study — The Guardian -
• Scientists Filmed a Whale Birth. The Surprise: Mom Had Many Helpers. — New York Times World -
• Rescuers Work to Save a 40-Foot Humpback Whale Trapped in the Baltic Sea — New York Times World -
• Beavers ‘breathe new life’ into Dorset as dams built and biodiversity returns — The Guardian -
• More than 6m vapes and pods discarded weekly in UK despite single-use ban, study finds — The Guardian -

An inquiry into the 1984 Orgreave clashes promises former miners a chance to speak truth after four decades, police found no criminality in the Gorton and Denton byelection despite claims of cheating, and MPs urge an urgent government apology for forced adoption.

• Schools in England must be compelled to offer pupils healthy food, not junk — The Guardian -
• Missing private investigator evidence in Daily Mail’s case ‘stark’, high court told — The Guardian -
• Reform candidate in Wales steps down after apparent Nazi salute — The Guardian -

• Swindon man accused over wife’s suicide tells court it was ‘worst day of his life’ — The Guardian -
• School dinners in England dominated by grab-and-go foods such as pizza and sausage rolls — The Guardian -
• Former miners can finally speak the truth about Orgreave, says inquiry chair — The Guardian -
• Police find no evidence of criminality in Gorton and Denton byelection — The Guardian -
• Cheshire constabulary rejects criticism by David Davis over Letby investigation — The Guardian -
• Reports Sadiq Khan could join Starmer’s cabinet dismissed by allies — The Guardian -
• Striking it licky: rare tongue-shaped fungus found for first time in UK — The Guardian -
• Cabinet Office to ask Mandelson to provide messages from personal phone — The Guardian -
• UK music industry figures call for more black talent in executive roles — The Guardian -
• Labour under pressure to appoint Tory ex-minister as next Ofcom chair — The Guardian -
• Billy Bragg calls for big turnout at London march against far right — The Guardian -
• UK government must urgently apologise for forced adoption, MPs say — The Guardian -

Savannah Guthrie is set to return to the Today show after a two-month absence following her mother's apparent abduction, Spain sees a 25-year-old woman die via assisted death after a protracted legal battle, and **Italy recovered $23 million stolen from Ursula Andress**, the first ‘Bond Girl’.

• Elon Musk Joins in Phone Call Between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi — New York Times World -
• Noelia Castillo Ramos Dies in Spain After Winning Right to End Her Life — New York Times World -
• Italy Says It Recovered $23 Million Stolen From Ursula Andress, First ‘Bond Girl’ — New York Times World -

• Savannah Guthrie will return to Today show next month: ‘Joy will be my protest’ — The Guardian -
• Did Scientists Just Detect an Exploding Black Hole? — New York Times World -
• Savannah Guthrie to return to Today show as search for mother continues — BBC World -
• Judge rebukes woman who denied driving while video-calling from car: ‘Do you think I’m that stupid?’ — The Guardian -
• ‘The violence of racist tyranny’: African Guernica goes on display alongside Picasso masterpiece — The Guardian -
• Nepal swears in ex-rapper as new prime minister — BBC World -
• Betting on Everything — New York Times World -
• Nepal’s New Prime Minister, Former Rapper Balendra Shah, Sworn In — New York Times World -
• Kyle Sandilands’ termination case should not be a ‘royal commission’ into his career, shock jock’s lawyer tells court — The Guardian -
• The 15-year-old Indian that cricket can no longer ignore — BBC World -