Israel's expanded ground offensive in Lebanon, including the seizure of a strategic castle, has heightened regional tensions and drawn European criticism, leading to a deeper incursion than seen in decades and impacting US-Iran ceasefire efforts.

• Israel seizes castle in Lebanon as it expands ground offensive — BBC World -
• Israel Captures Crusader Castle That Symbolized Its Long Lebanon Occupation — New York Times World -
• Israel seizes strategic castle in deepest incursion into Lebanon in 26 years — The Guardian -

• Middle East crisis: Netanyahu hails capture of castle in Lebanon as nominal ceasefire left in tatters – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Could Trump’s Iran ‘excursion’ be a bigger global turning point than Vietnam? — The Guardian -

Devastating wildfires in 2025 created record losses, while Ebola outbreaks in DRC and potential cases in Brazil raised global alarms, alongside a significant breakthrough in pancreatic cancer treatment and a dead whale autopsy in Denmark.

• 2025 Wildfires Were the Costliest Ever, Researchers Say — New York Times World -
• Brazil monitors two patients for possible Ebola infection — BBC World -
• Dead whale towed ashore in Denmark ahead of autopsy — BBC World -

• WHO calls for community cooperation to contain Ebola outbreak in DRC — The Guardian -
• Daily pill can double survival time for world’s deadliest cancer, trial shows — The Guardian -
• Ebola spread in DR Congo 'deeply alarming', MSF warns — BBC World -
• Ebola spread in DR Congo 'deeply alarming', MSF warns — BBC World -

China's export of surveillance technology sparked global concern, while Japan's defense minister firmly rebuffed accusations of "new militarism" amid growing regional tensions, as Australia made a significant AUKUS submarine deal and US anti-drug strikes in the Pacific caused a rising death toll.

• China Exports Surveillance — New York Times World -
• Timeline: Where and When Trump Has Involved the U.S. Military in International Conflicts — New York Times World -
• US strike on alleged drug boat kills three in eastern Pacific — The Guardian -

• As Deaths From U.S. Boat Strikes Pass 200, Locals Tally an Even Greater Cost — New York Times World -
• In Taiwan, ‘Mainland Spouses’ From China Become a Focus of Infiltration Fears — New York Times World -
• To Improve Ukraine’s Military, She Calls Out the Ugly Parts — New York Times World -
• Sky ends controversial news joint venture in United Arab Emirates — The Guardian -
• Japan defence minister denies militarism and criticises China's 'huge arsenal' — BBC World -
• Japan defence minister rebuffs claims of ‘new militarism’ levelled by China — The Guardian -
• Australia to buy only secondhand nuclear subs from US in major Aukus switch – as it happened — The Guardian -

Significant drops in homelessness were reported in California, as protests at a New Jersey ICE facility saw family visitation partly restored, while political controversies surfaced over a Senate bid and Trump administration cuts to crime intervention programs.

• United flight to Spain turns back midair after possible security threat — The Guardian -
• California reports one of largest drops in homelessness in past year, Hud reports — The Guardian -
• Family visitation partly restored at New Jersey ICE facility after week of protests — The Guardian -

• Cory Booker has ‘concerns’ with Graham Platner’s Senate bid after leaked texts — The Guardian -
• 'Cancel it', Trump says after artists drop out of US Freedom 250 festival — BBC World -
• Trump’s interior secretary dismisses calls to identify donors for ‘nonpartisan’ concert series — The Guardian -
• Bus driver charged in Virginia crash that killed five people — The Guardian -
• Death toll rises to 11 in Washington tank explosion as all nine missing recovered — The Guardian -
• US chemical tank disasters remain rare despite recent incidents, experts say — The Guardian -
• Triumph of the underdogs: New Yorkers are reveling in the Knicks and Mamdani — The Guardian -
• ‘It’s never enough’: young Americans struggle to build financial independence as cost of living spikes — The Guardian -
• Trump’s cuts to intervention programs could increase violent crime, experts say — The Guardian -
• Priest accuser hopes Texas conviction will keep him from victimizing others — The Guardian -
• Joby Demonstrated its Air Taxi in Manhattan, but You Can’t Fly in It Yet — New York Times World -

A proposed NHS modernization bill aims to cut A&E visits through shared patient records, as a new bill targets domestic abusers and changes right-to-buy rules, while Nicola Sturgeon faced scrutiny over political finances and a study revealed striking differences in benefit entitlements across the UK.

• Shared NHS patient records could cut 20,000 A&E visits a year, ministers claim — The Guardian -
• New bill targets domestic abusers and overhauls right to buy in England — The Guardian -
• Mandelson files show no mitigation of security concerns over US appointment — The Guardian -

• Meta legal action forces Facebook whistleblower to sit in silence at Hay festival — The Guardian -
• Man, 27, arrested after PSNI officer hit by stolen police vehicle — The Guardian -
• Nicola Sturgeon: I feel as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit — The Guardian -
• Indian man awarded almost £30,000 after UK employer failed to provide work — The Guardian -
• Death of Congolese man renews scrutiny of race relations in Ireland — The Guardian -
• Four in 10 struggle to access mobile signal on the move in the UK — The Guardian -
• Striking differences in benefit entitlements across UK countries, study finds — The Guardian -
• Deaths within two weeks of prison release hit record high in England and Wales — The Guardian -
• Supplier of housing for homeless linked to faith group tax avoidance scheme — The Guardian -
• Wes Streeting calls for national insurance cut and North Sea drilling — The Guardian -
• ‘Labour have lost their way’: voters in Makerfield say it’s time for a change — The Guardian -
• ‘It’ll be like Barbenheimer’: UK gripped by new wave of Beatlemania in lead-up to four biopics — The Guardian -
• Recruiter who was allowed to buy back his insolvent firm falls behind on payments after offering staff Vegas trip — The Guardian -
• Germany’s embattled nightlife scene welcomes plan to reclassify clubs — The Guardian -

A new poll placed One Nation ahead of Labor, sparking political debate, as capital city home prices began to fall and calls were made to change the HECS indexation date, while severe storms hit Perth and the government decided against protecting an Indigenous sacred site for the Brisbane Olympics.

• Australia news live: poll puts One Nation ahead of Labor as Joyce says party would ditch ‘most of Labor’s budget’ — The Guardian -
• Child killed in house fire in south-west Melbourne home — The Guardian -
• Massive Attack to tour Australia for first time in 16 years — The Guardian -

• Students would save $3bn over a decade if Labor changed Hecs indexation date by five months — The Guardian -
• Capital city home prices fall as experts predict Australia’s property slump could last a year and cut values by 10% — The Guardian -
• Thousands without power in Perth as destructive storms hit WA — The Guardian -
• English Green party leader Zack Polanski tells Australian colleagues to ‘connect with anger’ to counter rightwing populism — The Guardian -
• Government declines to protect Indigenous sacred site to be bulldozed for Brisbane Olympic stadium — The Guardian -
• The household battery revolution that could change energy bills … and the world — The Guardian -

Colombia's presidential election saw polls close with candidates offering divergent visions, as a Nicaraguan indigenous leader died in prison, and Cuba faced economic hardship due to a fuel blockade causing blackouts and massive trash piles.

• Nicaraguan indigenous leader dies after three years in prison — BBC World -
• Colombia Presidential Election: What to Know About the Candidates and Main Issues — New York Times World -
• Polls close in Colombia presidential election that may reshape relations with US — BBC World -

• Colombia goes to polls in election pitting outgoing leader’s ally against pro-Trump candidates — The Guardian -
• Even Havana’s Street Sweepers Can’t Escape the Impact of the Fuel Blockade — New York Times World -
• Cuba’s blackouts leave high-rise residents with constant uncertainty — BBC World -
• Cuba’s blackouts leave high-rise residents with constant uncertainty — BBC World -

Post-victory celebrations for Arsenal and PSG led to hundreds of arrests and confrontations with police in London and France, as rescuers continued efforts to find missing men in a Laos cave, and India saw a rise in nationalist hero Shivaji with a sculptor capitalizing on the craze.

• Sixteen people arrested and 75 rescued from height during Arsenal bus parade — The Guardian -
• Between celebration and confrontation: Paris after PSG victory — BBC World -
• Hundreds arrested and dozens of police injured after Champions League riots in France — BBC World -

• South Africa made to look like fools over World Cup visa issues, says minister — BBC World -
• Laos cave survivors help with plan to find last two missing men — BBC World -
• Laos cave survivors help with plan to find last two missing men — BBC World -
• Arm boss in line for billion-dollar payday if chipmaker hits targets — The Guardian -
• Where Is Toronto’s Best Party? Try the Basement. — New York Times World -
• India’s Hindu Right Has a New Hero: A 17th-Century Warrior King — New York Times World -
• The Sculptor Riding India’s Shivaji Craze — New York Times World -
• Hundreds arrested in France after wild Champions League celebrations — BBC World -