Latest News
- Israel strikes Hamas positions amid ongoing conflict in Gaza region.
- Keir Starmer resigns as Prime Minister
- Far-right lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella wins Colombia’s presidential run-off election
- AI bill seen as positive initial step, but safety advocates call for more action
- Youngest survivors of Mauthausen camp and missing great white sharks in South Africa
- GoPro worn by model during fatal bungee jump believed to have been concealed
- Ukrainian officials renounce awards after Poland strips honour from president
- New Zealand vs Egypt — Tuesday’s 22nd June fixtures
LIVE German 2025 Election Results as they come in and analysi on who will be the next German Chancellor.
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Global Reaction to DE Elections
Israel strikes Hamas positions amid ongoing conflict in Gaza region.
8:55 am
Israel strikes Hamas positions amid ongoing conflict in Gaza region.
The escalating heatwave in Europe presents a significant public health crisis, with over half of France currently under red alerts. The French government has implemented a series of drastic measures, including the cancellation of public events and restrictions on alcohol consumption, as temperatures are expected to exceed 35°C. Authorities stress the urgency of addressing this issue as citizens face potential heat-related health risks. The extreme weather has prompted similar warnings across neighbouring countries, further highlighting the systemic challenges posed by climate change.global conflict updates suggest that such environmental crises exacerbate geopolitical tensions, potentially affecting resource distributions and civil stability.
As Europe grapples with these unprecedented temperatures, economic implications loom large. The heatwave threatens agricultural outputs and energy supply chains, intensifying scrutiny on regional resilience strategies. Next week’s EU summit will focus on long-term solutions to climate adaptation and food security, marking a critical juncture in the bloc’s climate response.
Key developments across the world
US treasury chief urged Trump not to host ‘Mr Bean on crack’ Zelenskyy, book says
DIPLOMACY — A new book reveals a significant diplomatic observation made by former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
In a discussion surrounding US-Ukraine relations, Mnuchin reportedly advised Trump against hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, characterising him disparagingly. This highlights the tensions within the Trump administration regarding foreign policy in Eastern Europe.
Regime Change authors claim Bessent insulted Zelensky during Washington visit
WORLD POLITICS — Allegations have emerged regarding a former ally of Trump insulting Ukrainian President Zelensky during a recent Washington visit.
This incident underscores ongoing internal conflicts and perceptions within US political circles about Ukraine, raising concerns about diplomatic relations amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Brit dies after being mugged in violent attack on Spanish holiday island
GLOBAL MIGRATION — A British national has tragically died following a violent mugging on a Spanish island popular with tourists.
This incident has heightened concerns regarding crime targeting tourists in popular destinations, impacting perceptions of safety among international travellers.
France cancels events and restricts alcohol consumption amid brutal heatwave
GLOBAL TRADE — France has implemented restrictions on public events and alcohol as a severe heatwave grips the country.
This decision aims to safeguard public health amidst soaring temperatures, reflecting the broader challenges that climate change poses to societal norms and safety protocols across Europe.
Trump says repairs to algae-plagued Reflecting Pool will begin immediately
GLOBAL BUSINESS — Former President Donald Trump announced that repairs on the algae-infested Reflecting Pool will commence without delay.
This development points to ongoing concerns regarding the maintenance and state of national memorials, reflecting broader issues of infrastructural upkeep in the US government.
What to watch — Monitor diplomatic efforts between the US and Ukraine as tensions rise amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Further reading from global news sources
BBC News
More than half of France under red alerts as heatwave intensifies
The Guardian
France cancels events and restricts alcohol consumption amid brutal heatwave
Financial Times
Extreme heat warnings issued as temperatures set to exceed 35C during heatwave
The Washington Post
Cyclist arrested at Reflecting Pool is former Olympian who denies vandalism claims
Reuters
Brit dies after being mugged in violent attack on Spanish holiday island
Keir Starmer resigns as Prime Minister
8:42 am
Keir Starmer resigns as prime minister in a statement outside 10 Downing Street – watch live on BBC.
Starmer says after leaving the “biggest job in the country” he will spend more time on “the most important job”.
Keir Starmer resigns as Prime Minister
He says every decision he has made in office has been about “putting the country I love first” and now will focus on ‘the most important job of all being a father and husband to his children and his loving wife’.
Ending his speech full of emotion and in tears after being ousted from a job he loves.
Starmer pledges his support to whoever is next PM
Keir Starmer says he will do everything he can to ensure an orderly handover of power to the UK‘s most powerful job, and will give his successor his full support.
They know, he continues, that they are inheriting a Britain that is stronger and fairer than two years ago.
Starmer then thanks his friends and colleagues who have been by his side for six years, as well as the No 10 staff and the “extraordinary civil service”.
Far-right lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella wins Colombia’s presidential run-off election
8:00 am
Get you up to speed: Far-right lawyer De La Espriella wins Colombia’s tight presidential race
Abelardo De La Espriella secured a narrow victory in Colombia’s presidential run-off election, receiving 49.7 percent of the vote against Ivan Cepeda’s 48.7 percent, with results 99.9 percent confirmed. The election took place in Colombia, and De La Espriella has been backed by Donald Trump.
The initial ballot count indicates that 99.9 percent of the vote has been accounted for, with final results pending a ballot-by-ballot check requested by the Cepeda campaign, which challenges the outcomes from about 33,000 ballot boxes. De La Espriella’s presidency marks a significant shift back to right-wing governance in Colombia, following nearly four years of leftist leadership under President Gustavo Petro.
Abelardo De La Espriella’s victory has been met with congratulations from major business guilds, reflecting positive market sentiment among upper- and middle-class neighbourhoods in Bogota and Medellin. Ivan Cepeda has announced plans to challenge the results from approximately 33,000 ballot boxes, indicating a likely protracted verification process before official confirmation.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how De La Espriella’s proposed policies will be affected by the divided Congress and the challenges posed by high public debt.
Far-right lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella wins Colombia’s presidential run-off election
News|ElectionsFar-right lawyer De La Espriella wins Colombia’s tight presidential race
Far right lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella, who won backing of Donald Trump, seals narrow victory in run-off election.
Published On 22 Jun 202622 Jun 2026
Far-right lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella has clinched a narrow victory in Colombia’s presidential run-off election, according to an initial ballot count.
Abelardo de la Espriella won 49.7 percent of the vote versus left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda’s 48.70 percent, with 99.9 percent of results released by electoral authorities early Monday.
Cepeda, 63, had pledged to maintain the policies of President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel and the country’s first leftist president, including popular social measures and continued peace talks with armed groups.
De La Espriella, meanwhile, has blamed Petro for the country’s economic and security troubles, pledging to end talks with rebel groups while boosting the oil and gas sector and lowering taxes.
“I will govern for all Colombians,” De La Espriella told a crowd of supporters gathered in the coastal city of Barranquilla.
He earlier celebrated a congratulatory call from United States President Donald Trump. De La Espriella is also a citizen of the US and Italy and has homes in multiple countries.
“It is a victory for Colombia – a change after four lost years with no clear direction,” Viviana Olivos, a 46-year-old mechanical engineer who attended the celebration, told the Reuters news agency.
Supporters of Colombia’s right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella gather as they celebrate after the preliminary run-off results against leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda, in Bogota, Colombia [Juan David Duque/Reuters]
Rightward turn
De la Espriella’s victory marks a return to power for Colombia’s right wing, which has ruled for all but four of the last 200 years.
But the closeness of the race will likely force De La Espriella to water down some of his proposals so as to get support from a divided Congress.
The lawyer, with no prior political experience, will also have to grapple with high public debt. He has presented himself as a businessman, but an investigation by local outlet La Silla Vacia found that many of his businesses have been dissolved, are in debt and have lost money overall.
Major business guilds congratulated De La Espriella on his victory, while upper- and middle-class neighbourhoods in Bogota and Medellin celebrated.
More than 26.3 million Colombians cast ballots, of the 41.4 million eligible to vote.
Cepeda told his supporters at an event in Bogota that he would await a final, ballot-by-ballot check of the initial count, saying his campaign is challenging results from some 33,000 ballot boxes, out of 122,000 in total.
“We are open to dialogue; we are willing to reach agreements as long as they are respectful, genuine, and reflected in political actions that benefit the nation and preserve the historical progress we have already achieved,” Cepeda said.
Security plagues top concerns
Security was a key concern for many De La Espriella voters, especially in regions where extortion and drug trafficking have risen recently.
Leftist armed groups and crime gangs founded by former right-wing paramilitaries have fought each other and the state for more than 60 years.
During the campaign, De La Espriella said he would scrap peace talks with dissident groups and launch a 90-day campaign of US-backed air attacks against them.
In the 10 years since a landmark peace accord was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) group, much of Colombia has prospered. But cartels and dissident groups still control pockets of the country.
“Rancour has won again. Unfortunately, we are in a country where differences continue,” Cepeda supporter Margarita Restrepo told Reuters.
Around her neck, she had a photo of her daughter, Carol Vanessa Restrepo, who disappeared in 2002 during a security operation ordered by former President Alvaro Uribe, Cepeda’s longtime nemesis and a De La Espriella supporter.
Colombia’s vote follows a regional rightward shift, with voters in Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Bolivia and Ecuador all electing right-wing presidents in their most recent elections.
AI bill seen as positive initial step, but safety advocates call for more action
6:00 am
Get you up to speed: Feds’ AI bill good ‘first step’ but safety advocates say more work needed
A new bill has been introduced to mitigate the risk of chatbots disseminating harmful content and to implement crisis intervention protocols for incidents of self-harm, suicide, or violence. The legislation aims to address these issues comprehensively.
The bill aims to enhance safety by implementing protocols for chatbots, specifically targeting harmful communication and crisis interventions. Investigations into the effectiveness of such measures will continue as the bill moves through legislative processes.
Officials announced the introduction of a bill aimed at minimising the risk of chatbots disseminating harmful content while implementing crisis intervention protocols for self-harm and violence cases. The next steps include parliamentary discussions and potential amendments to enhance the bill’s effectiveness.
What remains unclear — The specific effectiveness of the proposed crisis intervention protocols remains untested.
AI bill seen as positive initial step, but safety advocates call for more action
The bill includes measures to lower the risk of chatbots communicating harmful content and crisis intervention protocols for cases involving self-harm, suicide or violence.
Youngest survivors of Mauthausen camp and missing great white sharks in South Africa
4:00 am
Get you up to speed: 6/21/2026: Youngest Survivors; What Happened to the Great White Sharks?
A report details the survival of infants born in the Mauthausen concentration camp during World War II. The narrative highlights the resilience of these “miracle babies” amidst the dire conditions of the camp.
Investigations into the conditions at the Mauthausen camp are ongoing, with experts examining records to uncover the circumstances surrounding the births of the children. Meanwhile, researchers are puzzled by the absence of great white sharks along South Africa’s coast, with environmental factors being considered in the analysis.
Authorities have announced plans to conduct further investigations into the fate of South Africa’s missing great white sharks, emphasising the need for enhanced monitoring and conservation measures. Meanwhile, marine biologists are warning of potential ecological implications if the situation persists, urging immediate public awareness campaigns about the importance of these apex predators.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how many babies were born in the Mauthausen camp during the war.
Youngest survivors of Mauthausen camp and missing great white sharks in South Africa
First, a report on the miracle babies of the Mauthausen camp. And, South Africa’s missing great white sharks.
GoPro worn by model during fatal bungee jump believed to have been concealed
3:00 am
Get you up to speed: GoPro worn by model during fatal bungee jump was ‘hidden’ after death | South America
Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, died after jumping from Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, Brazil, in a bungee jumping accident where her harness was allegedly not attached. Police have arrested several bungee workers, including Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, Maicon Fernandes Cintra, and Vitor de Freitas Goncalves, who face homicide charges.
The investigation is focusing on the potential suppression of evidence related to the missing GoPro camera that was attached to Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas during the incident. Authorities have arrested six individuals connected to the bungee jumping operation, with the possibility of further charges as the inquiry continues.
São Paulo State authorities are conducting an investigation into the possible suppression of evidence related to the disappearance of the GoPro camera used by Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas during her fatal jump. Six individuals have been arrested, including bungee workers charged with homicide for allegedly neglecting to secure her harness before the jump.
What remains unclear — The whereabouts of Maria’s GoPro camera, suspected to contain crucial evidence, remain unknown.
GoPro worn by model during fatal bungee jump believed to have been concealed
21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas died jumping off Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, Brazil
Police believe the model who was killed in a bungee jumping accident was wearing a GoPro camera – which they say may have been hidden after her death.
Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, was killed last week jumping off Skeleton Bridge and falling 130ft in Limeira, Brazil, without a rope.
Police are now searching for a missing GoPro, which they believe was attached to the model’s neck strap as she fell.
Bungee workers Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, and Vitor de Freitas Goncalves, 27, have been arrested after they allegedly ‘forgot’ to clip on Maria’s harness and face homicide charges.
Three more suspects have also been arrested, with police saying one is suspected of removing the camera and deleting crucial evidence from it.
Staff allegedly forgot to attach Maria’s rope before she jumped
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They include a 29-year-old woman from Rio de Janeiro and two men aged 25 and 27 from Limeira and Indaiatuba, respectively.
Witness Rafael Goulart claimed he saw an employee removing the camera as Maria lay dying.
He told news outlet EPTV: ‘The first scene I remember when I saw the girl on the ground was seeing one of the employees removing the GoPro camera from the neck strap of the body that was already on the ground, either worried about the equipment or wanting to hide evidence.’
São Paulo State authorities are now investigating possible ‘suppression of evidence… especially related to the disappearance of the image capture equipment used by the victim during the jump.’
While Maria’s camera has yet to be found, footage of the fall that killed her has still circulated on social media.
One clip shows her being helped onto a ledge with two men carrying her in a Superman pose before she is thrown off the bridge head-first.
In other footage shared on social media in 2022, Egoroff and another man could be seen throwing a body bag off the very bridge that Maria fell from.
The clip, shared to Egoroff’s Instagram account, was captioned ‘hiding the body’.
A lawyer representing Egoroff, Cintra and de Freitas Goncalves has disputed any notion that Maria’s death was intentional.
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