Middle East and the war on Iran
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign joint defence pact. The three countries signed an agreement — described by Middle East Eye as the “Mecca Joint Defence Agreement” — treating an attack on any one of them as an attack on all. Saudi Arabia has recently faced drone and missile strikes it has blamed on Iran’s allies in Yemen and Iraq. NYT · BBC · Al Jazeera · France 24 · Middle East Eye
Houthi attacks kill dozens of Yemeni government troops. Missile and drone strikes killed dozens of Yemeni government soldiers. Al Jazeera reports the Houthis’ expansion of cross-border attacks points to an even bloodier phase of the war. Middle East Eye · Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia braces for attacks. Middle East Eye reports Saudi warnings of imminent attacks by Iraqi groups and Yemen’s Houthis. Al Jazeera adds that tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have risen since the US-Israel war on Iran began. Middle East Eye · Al Jazeera
Iran weighs Strait of Hormuz ban. Reports suggest Tehran is discussing a bill barring US and Israeli vessels from passing the Strait of Hormuz, as Trump says the war “can’t go much longer.” Al Jazeera · NPR
Trump’s “escalation trap.” University of Chicago professor Robert Pape explains why he believes President Trump is caught in an “escalation trap” with Iran. Al Jazeera
United States
Trump targets birthright citizenship. President Trump says he has signed two new orders targeting birthright citizenship. NPR
Blanche AG nomination narrows. Another Republican has come out against Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination, narrowing his path to confirmation. Guardian
ICE and retail crime. A bill intended to halt the supposed threat of “organized retail crime” would put ICE in charge of the federal response, The Intercept reports. The Intercept
Haitians face deportation. Haitians face arrest and deportation after the US removed Temporary Protected Status protections. Guardian
Progressive Democrats’ prospects. France 24 examines whether the Democrats’ progressive wing can win a general election after winning primaries. France 24
CBS News overhaul. The Guardian reports Bari Weiss’ overhaul of CBS News has been rocky, with her 60 Minutes revamp seen as the ultimate test. Guardian
Florida lobster dispute. A US man is accused of trying to kill a diver by cutting his air supply in a lobster dispute. Guardian
Europe
Drone thwarted at German airport. A bus driver knocked an explosive-laden drone out of the air, potentially preventing an attack at Leipzig/Halle airport — a major NATO and cargo logistics hub. Prosecutors said the drone carried professional explosives and a detonator. SCMP
UK immigration enforcement. The Labour government says more people working illegally are being arrested and deported. Guardian
Barbican tower fight. Residents of London’s Barbican are battling plans for a 20-story building next door to the once-divisive housing complex now considered an architectural masterpiece. NYT
Barrister alleges racism. A Black barrister was told “it’s not for defendants” at a London court car park. Guardian
Asia and Africa
Thailand school shooting. Eight people were killed, including the suspected attacker, in a school shooting. France 24 reports the gunman killed his grandparents before the attack. Guardian · France 24
ICC splits Taliban case. ICC judges ordered the Taliban case split from the broader Afghanistan probe that covers US nationals, according to Middle East Eye. Middle East Eye
China opens robot school. China has launched its first school for robots, with a stated goal of “empowering robots’ brains.” Al Jazeera
Northern Ethiopia alliances shift. Al Jazeera explains how the TPLF, Fano militias and Eritrea are redrawing battle lines in northern Ethiopia. Al Jazeera
Malaysia money-laundering outrage. Anger in Malaysia after alleged scam kingpin Nicky Liow was cleared of all 26 money-laundering charges following a 10 million ringgit (US$2.4 million) fine. SCMP
Bangladesh cricket trial. Sheikh Hasina ally Shakib Al Hasan will face trial in Bangladesh if his safety is assured, with a Cricket World Cup return in view. Al Jazeera
Vietnam tourism justice. Vietnam is grappling with a surge in visitors, testing its Soviet-style criminal justice system as it tries to supercharge its economy through tourism. NYT
Business and finance
Copper eyes new highs. A two-way pull between the US and China is depleting LME inventories, raising the risk of another spike in copper futures. Bloomberg
China-Israel ties strain. Israel’s consulate general in Chengdu has closed with its consul general leaving his post, a sign of fraying ties amid the Middle East conflict, though an analyst downplayed the impact. SCMP
Premarket movers. Atlassian, Wendy’s, Vista Corp, First Solar and Airbnb were among the stocks posting the largest premarket moves. CNBC
Crypto miners and AI. Bernstein rates CleanSpark Outperform at $24 on AI lease progress, while keeping MARA at $17 as it awaits its first commercial AI contract. The Block
Crypto policy. CoinDesk analyzes how the crypto world would keep turning “after a Clarity Act funeral.” CoinDesk
AI accountability. Fortune argues we should stop describing faulty AI frontier models as if they were people, raising the question of who is accountable when models go wrong. Fortune
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