Diplomatic efforts and ongoing conflict in the Middle East persist, with US officials traveling to Pakistan for talks amidst Iran's internet restrictions and renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while Hezbollah considers a cease-fire and the conflict's economic impact worries the UK.

• Iran War Live Updates: Trump Says U.S. Officials Will Travel to Pakistan for Talks — New York Times World -
• Middle East crisis live: US officials to travel to Pakistan for talks as Trump warns US will ‘knock out’ every power plant if Iran doesn’t accept deal — The Guardian -
• Iran Eases Some Internet Restrictions, as Wider Blackout Passes 50th Day — New York Times World -

• Here’s the latest. — New York Times World -
• Hezbollah Is Willing to Cooperate With a Cease-Fire With Israel. For Now. — New York Times World -
• Bank bosses called to meeting with Reeves over impact of Iran war on UK economy — The Guardian -
• French peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon — BBC World -
• Zelensky condemns US extension of Russian sanctions waiver — BBC World -
• In Qatar, Trapped Between the U.S. and Iran, War Forced a Reckoning — New York Times World -
• More Displaced Lebanese Head Home as Cease-Fire Is Tested — New York Times World -
• More Britons opt to holiday in UK this summer amid uncertainty over flights — The Guardian -
• Tensions Rise in Strait of Hormuz Over Ship Attacks and Iranian Threats — New York Times World -
• Ben Roberts-Smith denies war crimes allegations – As it happened — The Guardian -
• Iran closes strait of Hormuz again ‘until US lifts blockade’ — The Guardian -
• More than 3,400 Iranians killed in war - as it happened — The Guardian -

Former President Trump's ongoing influence in US politics is highlighted by Syrian billionaires invoking his name for favors, his feud with the Pope and the religious right, and discussions about potential retribution missions at the Justice Department, even as Obama meets with New York City Mayor Mamdani and Virginia faces a critical redistricting vote.

• Obama and Mamdani read and sing with New York preschoolers in first meeting — The Guardian -
• Syrian Billionaires Needed a Favor in Washington. They Invoked the Trump Name. — New York Times World -
• ‘It was constant chaos’: ex-Infowars producer on life under Alex Jones — The Guardian -

• Trump tests his luck with the religious right amid feud with pope and AI Jesus posts — The Guardian -
• Watch: Obama and Mamdani sing with children in New York — BBC World -
• Harmeet Dhillon: DoJ lawyer a top contender for Trump’s retribution mission — The Guardian -
• Virginia’s redistricting vote ‘a critical step’ for the swing state — The Guardian -
• Syrian Billionaires Needed a Favor in Washington. They Invoked the Trump Name. — New York Times World -
• Pope Says News Outlets Misread Some of His Remarks as Criticism of Trump — New York Times World -
• Pope says 'tyrants' speech was not aimed at Trump — BBC World -

A fire destroyed a Malaysian coastal village, Paris saw a WW2 bomb safely detonated, and the US Midwest was hit by tornadoes, while London experienced a car-pedestrian collision and an attempted synagogue arson, alongside reports of rat poison in Austrian baby food and a heroic Michigan gas station clerk saving a teenager, and the grim discovery of infant bodies in a Trinidad graveyard.

• Fire Destroys Most of Coastal Village in Malaysia — New York Times World -
• Drone footage shows huge Malaysian coastal village fire — BBC World -
• Thousands of Parisians evacuated as WW2 bomb detonated — BBC World -

• Chief rabbi decries ‘sustained campaign of violence’ after attempted arson at London synagogue — The Guardian -
• Tornadoes and heavy winds destroy homes and roads across US midwest — The Guardian -
• Woman arrested after car driven into pedestrians in central London — The Guardian -
• Rat poison found in HiPP baby food jar in Austria, police say — BBC World -
• Rat poison found in baby food jar in Austria after product recall — The Guardian -
• Michigan gas station clerk saves teen from alleged kidnapper after she whispers ‘help’ — The Guardian -
• Bodies of 50 infants dumped at Trinidad graveyard — BBC World -

UK economic and political concerns include Reform UK's Richard Tice facing tax evasion allegations, efforts to secure EU deals on steel and EVs, and criticism over Peter Mandelson's vetting process, alongside Vodafone's controversial franchisee fines, carmakers grappling with loan scandal payouts, and the MoD losing track of veterans on a recall list.

• Reform UK’s Richard Tice allegedly failed to pay £100,000 in corporation tax — The Guardian -
• UK seeks EU deals on steel and EVs in push for closer economic ties — The Guardian -
• Starmer would have blocked Mandelson appointment if he had known about failed vetting, ministers say – as it happened — The Guardian -

• Vodafone incentivised security staff to fine its own franchisees — The Guardian -
• Carmakers scramble to plug £3bn shortfall for UK loan scandal payouts — The Guardian -
• MoD has lost track of veterans on recall list, says defence adviser — The Guardian -

Global policy and social issues include Australia's Labor government facing accusations of ignoring anti-racism plans, Italy proposing 'bounty' incentives for immigrant repatriation, Nepal serving as a test case for Gen Z's hopes for change, and Bulgaria holding its eighth election in five years with a pro-Russian former president leading, plus discussions on the efficacy of Gen Z protests and a Canadian astronaut's use of French in space.

• Labor accused of ignoring anti-racism plan as documents reveal repeated pleas to take action — The Guardian -
• Italian lawyers could win ‘wild west-style bounties’ if immigration clients go home — The Guardian -
• Gen Z Looks to Nepal as a Test Case of Its Hopes — New York Times World -

• Canadian astronaut’s bon mots help heal wounds from French language row — The Guardian -
• Bulgaria votes as pro-Russian former president leads in the polls — The Guardian -
• How Gen Z Protests Have Fared Around the World — New York Times World -
• What to Know About the Bulgarian Election — New York Times World -

Emerging societal and technological trends reveal a quiet comeback for independent bookstores, humanoid robots racing past humans in a Beijing marathon, and scientists investigating dying gray whales in San Francisco, while a Hamnet-era mourning jewel was rediscovered, French star Nathalie Baye passed away, and concerns grow over a potential US population crisis linked to falling fertility and AI.

• Independent bookstores make quiet comeback as big chains dominate retail — The Guardian -
• Humanoid robots show rapid advances as they race past humans in Beijing half marathon — The Guardian -
• Why are gray whales dying in San Francisco's waters? US scientists search for clues — BBC World -

• Hamnet-era mourning jewel from celebrated painting rediscovered after 400 years — The Guardian -
• Nathalie Baye, prolific star of French and Hollywood cinema, dies aged 77 — The Guardian -
• Falling fertility, debt and AI: is the US headed toward a population crisis? — The Guardian -
• Watch: Runners v robots at China half marathon — BBC World -
• Mark Mobius, Pioneering Investor in Emerging Markets, Dies at 89 — New York Times World -

In uplifting community news, an Oklahoma principal who bravely disarmed a gun-wielding intruder was honored by being crowned prom king by his grateful students.

• Oklahoma principal who disarmed gun-wielding intruder crowned prom king — The Guardian -