Smoking on beaches and in public parks across France has been officially banned from Sunday, under sweeping new rules designed to shield children from the dangers of passive smoking. The legislation, which also applies to bus shelters and areas within 10 metres of schools, libraries, and swimming pools, was published in the official government gazette on Saturday and came into immediate effect, one day ahead of schedule. The move is…

The US Senate, controlled by the Republican Party, has advanced President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending bill in a key procedural vote, increasing the likelihood of its passage in the coming days. The 940-page “megabill”, dubbed by Trump as his “big, beautiful bill”, aims to extend the 2017 tax cuts, lower other taxes, and significantly boost funding for border security, immigration enforcement, and the military. It cleared its first…

Iran could be capable of producing enriched uranium again within months, despite recent strikes on its nuclear facilities by the United States and Israel, according to the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog. Speaking in an interview with CBS News, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that although the damage inflicted was significant, Iran’s nuclear capabilities had not been entirely dismantled. “They can…

The World Bank has expressed serious concern over the growing rates of extreme poverty in Nigeria and 38 other countries struggling with conflict and deep instability, warning that these conditions are worsening hunger and derailing global development efforts. In a report released on Friday titled “Extreme Poverty is Rising Fast in Economies Hit by Conflict, Instability”, the Bank revealed that poverty is intensifying in fragile states long after much of…

A series of Israeli airstrikes hit Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon early Thursday, in what the Israeli military described as a response to renewed efforts by the militia to rebuild its operational facilities. According to a report by Sky News, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched precision strikes on an underground site used by Hezbollah to manage its “fire and defense array.” The IDF stated that the facility had been…

Environmental campaigners, immigrant rights advocates, and a Native American tribe have condemned the construction of a controversial outdoor migrant detention facility deep within the Florida Everglades, branded by state officials as “Alligator Alcatraz”. Crews began work this week to prepare the remote site, located at a largely abandoned training airfield, for what has been described by critics as a “cruel spectacle” designed to house undocumented migrants in harsh, inhumane conditions.…

The United Nations has warned that armed groups in Colombia are increasingly turning to social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook to recruit children into their ranks. According to a new report by the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia, 474 cases of recruitment or use of children under 18 were verified between 2022 and 2024, with a sharp increase reported in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Of…

Republican and Democratic senators have offered sharply conflicting views on President Donald Trump’s bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, following a delayed and contentious behind-closed-doors intelligence briefing on Capitol Hill. The briefing, held on Thursday, was originally scheduled for Tuesday but postponed by the White House amid accusations of leaks, fueling Democratic outrage and accusations of obstruction. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer labelled the delay “outrageous”, accusing the administration of withholding…

Japan has executed a man known as the “Twitter killer” for the brutal murders of nine people he met online, marking the country’s first use of the death penalty in two years. Takahiro Shiraishi, 33, was hanged on Friday after being convicted of murdering and dismembering nine individuals, mostly young women, whom he lured via Twitter, now known as X, in 2017. Shiraishi admitted to the killings, having approached vulnerable…

The United States and China have reached an agreement to expedite shipments of rare earth minerals into America, in what appears to be a significant step towards easing the long-running trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Speaking on Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that the deal had been signed the previous day, although he provided few details. He also hinted at a forthcoming agreement that would “open up”…

In a defiant televised broadcast, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared what he called a “victory” over Israel following a tense 12-day conflict, while issuing a stern warning to the United States: “If the U.S. attacks again, Iran will strike back—hard.” The 86-year-old leader broke his public silence for the first time since the outbreak of hostilities on June 13, appearing in a pre-recorded message aired nationwide by Iranian…

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a stark warning to the United States, threatening further attacks on American military bases in the region if the country is targeted again. In a televised address aired on state media Thursday, Khamenei claimed the West Asian country had emerged victorious from its recent 12-day conflict with Israel, the deadliest between the two nations to date. He also accused Washington of inflating…