Heads of government gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS summit on 6–7 July 2025, yet Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will not attend in person, opting to join virtually amid escalating regional tensions. This marks a notable shift in IRGC diplomatic strategy and signals Tehran’s cautious engagement with

A record net outflow of 16,500 high-net-worth individuals is set to leave the UK in 2025, marking the largest wealth exodus recorded globally. This trend, stemming from major shifts in tax policy and visa regulations, signals a turning point in the UK's appeal to the global rich. High earners are relocating

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has formally stated he is prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person to negotiate a ceasefire and work towards ending the conflict. He emphasised that a direct encounter between the two leaders is the only path to a meaningful halt in hostilities. Zelensky’s announcement follows previous calls

President Trump has confirmed that the United States and Vietnam have reached a trade agreement, with a detailed framework now in place while formal terms await finalisation. The accord suspends the 46 per cent reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese imports, originally imposed in April, and paves the way for expanded market access and

Iran’s parliament has passed legislation criminalising the use, operation or possession of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet system, citing concerns over national security and unauthorised communications. The bill now awaits approval from the Guardian Council before becoming enforceable law. Authorities warn that penalties may include hefty fines, imprisonment and even

Eight‑year‑old Gavin Batarse, CEO of Glove Wrap, secured a $50,000 investment from Mark Cuban and Michael Rubin on the US ‘Shark Tank’ stage for his ingenious sports glove accessory. The lightweight elastic band, costing just $3 to produce and retailing at $19.99, simplifies the process of breaking in baseball, softball

Australia’s earnings from mining and energy exports are set to decline over the coming years, with rising gold revenues unable to fully offset weak demand and price falls in iron ore, liquefied natural gas and coal. Government projections show a fall from A$415 billion in 2023–24 to A$385 billion in 2024–25,

Demand for physical gold is diverging sharply across regions, with US investors cashing in on their bullion holdings while Asian buyers ramp up their purchases. Data shows US retail demand for gold bars and coins dropped to roughly 19.3 tonnes in the first quarter of 2025 — a five‑year low,

Tens of thousands gathered in Belgrade on Saturday to demand early parliamentary elections and an end to President Aleksandar Vučić’s 12‑year hold on power, prompting a heavy police deployment and tense confrontations. reuters.com apnews.com apnews.com Authorities stationed riot police in full gear around government buildings and Parliament, while supporters of the president camped in

UNESCO has mobilised global policymakers, academics and civil society leaders in Bangkok to cement the adoption of its 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the world’s only universal AI ethics framework endorsed by all 194 member states. With over 1,200 delegates from 88 nations and more than 35

Dutch courts are set to rule on a class‑action lawsuit brought by Stichting Massaschade & Consument, which claims Sony has leveraged its dominance in the PlayStation ecosystem to impose inflated digital pricing, burdening an estimated 1.7 million gamers and costing consumers at least €435 million since 2013. At the heart of the

A wave of San Francisco‑based ad tech companies is spearheading a shift in digital marketing, harnessing AI, automation and privacy‑first solutions to transform advertising. Demandbase, Marin Software, Metric Theory, Segment, Smartly.io, AdRoll, AdEspresso, Liftoff+Vungle and Quantcast are emerging as key players influencing how brands reach audiences at scale. Demandbase, founded in 2007,

Iran has launched a new wave of missile and drone strikes against Israel, following U.S. airstrikes that obliterated key Iranian nuclear facilities under Operation Midnight Hammer. The ripple effects are already being felt in global oil markets, while diplomatic channels strain under mounting pressure. The bombardment hit Israeli cities including Tel

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the New Britain region of Papua New Guinea on Monday, registering at a depth of just 10 km, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre. The tremor occurred at approximately 01:17 pm local time, near New Britain Island, and while shallow, it did not prompt any tsunami alerts. Seismologists note

China is confronting significant disruption to its Iranian crude oil supply, risking both its energy security and geopolitical ambitions in the Middle East. With over 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports directed to China via Kpler, the contraction of that flow places Beijing’s $400 billion 2021 cooperation deal in jeopardy. Major Chinese independent

A dramatic explosion ripped through SpaceX’s Starbase test site near Brownsville, Texas, at approximately 11 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, June 18, when the Starship prototype designated Ship 36 detonated during a routine static‑fire test ahead of its anticipated tenth flight. The stainless‑steel vehicle was engulfed in flames following a “major anomaly”

A powerful heat wave will bring intense swelter to New York City and other major Eastern Seaboard cities, with heat indices rising into the triple digits along the I‑95 corridor. Temperatures are expected to climb well above seasonal norms from Sunday through mid‑week, driven by a strengthening high‑pressure dome and

Conscious Aerospace, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia have entered a strategic Memorandum of Understanding at the Paris Air Show to co-develop a liquid‑hydrogen fuel‑cell retrofit for the De Havilland Canada Dash 8‑300 regional turboprop. The agreement, inked in front of Dutch aviation authorities, aims to outfit the aircraft with hydrogen‑electric

Boston University neuroscientist Steve Ramirez is advancing the frontier of memory science, demonstrating how targeted activation of one memory can suppress another. Employing optogenetics and laser stimulation, Ramirez’s team has successfully rewritten a negative memory in mice by triggering positive engrams—clusters of brain cells that store emotional experiences—offering fresh insight with

A minor yet persistent air leak inside the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station has led NASA to indefinitely postpone Axiom Mission 4, highlighting widening concerns over the station’s ageing infrastructure and safety. Though currently stable, pressure readings in the affected segment continue to require close monitoring

Thousands of visitors were left outside the Louvre under its iconic glass pyramid on 16 June 2025 after staff launched a spontaneous strike over overcrowding, chronic understaffing and deteriorating infrastructure at the world’s most‑visited museum. The closure, initiated during a routine internal meeting, involved gallery attendants, ticket office personnel and

President Donald Trump has called for the immediate evacuation of Tehran, warning that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon” after a series of escalating military exchanges with Israel. He issued the statement via Truth Social while attending the G7 summit in Canada, then departed early to convene his national security

The Trump Organisation has unveiled Trump Mobile, featuring a $499 gold-hued T1 smartphone and a monthly “47 Plan” priced at $47.45. Designed to target conservative consumers disenchanted with mainstream providers, the offering promises an American‑branded telecommunications package with US‑based customer support and domestically produced handsets. Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump