Latest News
- US government lifts restrictions on Anthropic’s AI models Fable and Mythos
- Charter boat sinks off Richmond coast; six presumed drowned, RCMP reports
- Justice Department launches investigation into Senator Ruben Gallego’s campaign funds
- Lab-grown cells restore retinal function in mice, offering hope for blindness treatment
- Macron condemns global rise in executions at World Congress against death penalty
- Five humanitarian workers killed in South Sudan convoy ambush
- RCMP investigate suspicious deaths of two men found in Fall River home
- Supreme Court affirms birthright citizenship, overturning Trump’s order
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US government lifts restrictions on Anthropic’s AI models Fable and Mythos
3:00 am
Get you up to speed: US lifts restrictions on powerful AI models Fable, Mythos, Anthropic says
The United States government has lifted restrictions on foreign access to Anthropic’s AI models, Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5. Anthropic announced it would begin restoring access starting from the following day after receiving notification from the US Department of Commerce regarding the removal of export controls.
The US Department of Commerce notified Anthropic of the removal of export controls, enabling the company to restore access to its AI models. Officials have not specified when full public access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 will be reinstated following the approval.
The US government has lifted restrictions on Anthropic’s AI models, enabling the company to begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 following cooperation with the Department of Commerce. According to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, measures were implemented to “strengthen America’s leadership in AI,” with further public access planned in conjunction with ongoing government efforts.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain when general public access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 will be fully restored.
US government lifts restrictions on Anthropic’s AI models Fable and Mythos
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Economy|TechnologyUS lifts restrictions on powerful AI models Fable, Mythos, Anthropic says
AI firm says it will begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 after removal of export controls.
Published On 1 Jul 20261 Jul 2026
The United States government has lifted its restrictions on foreign access to Anthropic’s most powerful AI models, the company has announced.
Anthropic said late on Tuesday that it would begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 from tomorrow after the US Department of Commerce notified the company that it had removed its export controls.
“We’re grateful to our users for their patience, and to everyone who worked with us on redeploying the models,” Anthropic said in a statement posted on X.
Anthropic’s announcement came shortly after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that his department had been coordinating with the company on the approval of its frontier models.
“Over the past two weeks, we have worked closely with Anthropic to analyze and approve Fable 5 to ensure alignment across the US Government and strengthen America’s leadership in AI,” Lutnick said in a post on X.
Anthropic abruptly shut off Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 last month after US President Donald Trump’s administration ordered the company to restrict all foreign nationals, including company employees, from accessing the models.
On Friday, the San Francisco-based company said that it had been granted approval to provide the models to US organisations that “operate and defend critical infrastructure”, and that it was working with the government to restore general access for the public.
More to follow…
Charter boat sinks off Richmond coast; six presumed drowned, RCMP reports
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: Charter boat sank in ‘really deep’ waters, Richmond RCMP says as recovery ongoing
A charter boat sank off the coast of Richmond, in the Roberts Bank area, on Sunday. Richmond RCMP reported that four men and two women remain unaccounted for and are presumed drowned.
Richmond RCMP are coordinating with marine recovery teams to locate the missing individuals. The incident occurred in the Roberts Bank area, but the timeline for search operations remains unclear.
Richmond RCMP confirmed that four men and two women are presumed drowned following the sinking of a charter boat off the coast. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, with authorities coordinating to locate the missing individuals.
What remains unclear — The identities of the four men and two women presumed drowned have not been released.
Charter boat sinks off Richmond coast; six presumed drowned, RCMP reports
Richmond RCMP said four men and two women remain unaccounted for and are presumed drowned after a charter boat sank off the coast of Richmond, in the Roberts Bank area, on Sunday.
Justice Department launches investigation into Senator Ruben Gallego’s campaign funds
11:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Justice Department investigating Sen. Ruben Gallego’s use of campaign funds, sources say
The Justice Department is investigating Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona for potential campaign finance violations related to his use of campaign funds for family trips since 2019. The investigation was prompted by a whistleblower complaint in Southern California.
The Justice Department’s investigation into Senator Ruben Gallego centres on his use of campaign funds for personal trips since 2019. The bipartisan Ethics Committee recently dismissed an unrelated complaint against Gallego, concluding that there was no evidence of misconduct, though it retains the authority to revisit the matter should new information emerge.
The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into Senator Ruben Gallego for potential campaign finance violations linked to the use of campaign funds for personal travel. In response, a spokesman for Gallego condemned the investigation as politically motivated, noting that the bipartisan Ethics Committee recently cleared Gallego of unrelated allegations.
What remains unclear — It is not known how the Justice Department’s investigation will impact Senator Gallego’s campaign or political future.
Justice Department launches investigation into Senator Ruben Gallego’s campaign funds
Washington — The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona for possible campaign finance violations, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The case was prompted by a whistleblower complaint in Southern California, one of the sources added.
The investigation focuses on Gallego’s usage of campaign funds since 2019 for family trips, according to a source familiar with the probe. Federal Election Commission records show that Gallego has billed his campaign accounts for trips to Puerto Rico, Nantucket, Miami and other places.
Federal records also show that in 2023, a political action committee set up by Gallego and former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California spent over $37,000 on tickets and meals for the Super Bowl. According to records, the committee has since been terminated.
Swalwell and Gallego’s PAC held a fundraiser in connection with the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, to raise money for Gallego’s election, he has previously told Fox News.
Swalwell resigned from Congress in April and ended his bid for California governor after several women accused him of sexual misconduct. Swalwell has denied the allegations.
Gallego has denied campaign finance wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime. He has not been contacted by the Justice Department about any potential or ongoing probe, according to a person familiar with the matter granted anonymity to speak frankly about the situation. Subjects of Justice Department investigations are not typically notified in the early stages and often find out about probes when an indictment is sought, records are subpoenaed or seized through a court-authorized search, or a search warrant is executed.
In a statement, a spokesman for Gallego dismissed the investigation as politically motivated. A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment.
“Trump is targeting Senator Gallego while the most weaponized Department of Justice in history is turning a blind eye to Trump’s unprecedented corruption,” the spokesman said. “It’s the least surprising news of the week that this comes immediately after the Senate Ethics Committee cleared Senator Gallego of rightwing smears pushed by the administration weeks ago.”
Caleb Burns, a partner at the law firm of Wiley Rein and co-chair of its Election Law & Government Ethics practice, said an investigation into impermissible personal use of campaign funds is highly fact-specific and will depend on the extent to which there is a link to a campaign purpose.
“Members of Congress will routinely spend campaign funds to travel or go to an event because there is a clear campaign purpose associated with it, for example, a campaign fundraising event they are attending,” Burns told WTX US News. “The more attenuated the campaign connection, the more viable a claim that campaign funds were spent for personal use.”
The investigation was first reported by Axios.
The bipartisan Ethics Committee dismissed an unrelated complaint against Gallego last Friday, his office said earlier Monday. GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida referred alleged misconduct to the bipartisan panel in April, saying the allegations were “sexual in nature” and involved campaign finance violations. Gallego denied those allegations at the time.
A letter to Gallego from the committee said it “did not find evidence that your actions violated federal law, Senate rules or related standards of conduct.” Gallego’s office made the letter public.
The committee also said Gallego provided “full cooperation” throughout its investigation. The panel said it considered statements offered by individuals identified in the complaint, Federal Election Commission reports, House and Senate expenditure reports and other information.
“As always, the Committee retains the authority to revisit this matter should additional facts become known to the Committee,” the ethics panel said.
Lab-grown cells restore retinal function in mice, offering hope for blindness treatment
10:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Blind people given fresh hope after scientific breakthrough | News Tech
Biomedical engineers at Duke University, North Carolina, successfully restored retinal function in mouse models of retinal disease using lab-grown retinal endothelial cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. The cells integrated into damaged tissue, regenerating blood vessels and demonstrating potential for new eye therapies.
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have successfully developed a method to grow specialised retinal endothelial cells from induced pluripotent stem cells, which could aid in treating retinal diseases. The research team plans to explore applications for these cells through laboratory studies and industry partnerships, with a patent pending for the related therapeutics and modelling techniques.
Professor Sharon Gerecht stated that the breakthrough could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches, emphasising the potential of lab-grown retinal cells to model and research various eye diseases. The research team plans to explore applications for their retinal endothelial cells in both laboratory settings and through emerging industry partnerships, with a patent pending for their techniques.
What remains unclear — The specific future applications of the lab-grown retinal endothelial cells in clinical settings remain to be determined.
Lab-grown cells restore retinal function in mice, offering hope for blindness treatment
A mouse’s retina with conditions similar to diabetic retinopathy, before (right) and after (left) receiving the new treatment (Picture: Duke University / SWNS)
A scientific breakthrough has offered new hope in treating blindness and vision loss.
Lab-grown cells have restored function in the retina – a layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eyeball crucial to sight – in mice.
Biomedical engineers at Duke University, North Carolina, used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to grow specialised blood vessel cells for the first time.
When these were injected into mouse models of retinal disease, the ‘retinal endothelial cells’ integrated into the damaged tissue and regenerated blood vessels, restoring retinal function.
The research team also demonstrated the cells’ ability to form functional retinal vascular tissue in a lab-grown environment, which could provide a pathway by which they can model and research various eye diseases.
The procedure was tested in mice (Picture: Shutterstock / ibreakstock)
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The findings, published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, point toward the potential of using the retinal cells and models to develop new methods to treat vision loss and eye disorders, the team says.
Study leader Professor Sharon Gerecht said: ‘Retinal vascular diseases affect millions of people, but our understanding remains limited, hindering our ability to discover and develop new therapeutics.
‘Using human stem cells, we generated the cells found in retinal blood vessels, paving the way for new therapeutic approaches.’
Neurons from the retina extend directly to the brain and create the images we see.
Similar to the brain, the retina has a blood barrier that controls what goes in and out, including oxygen, nutrients, water, and pharmaceuticals.
The barrier is crucial to keep the retina healthy and to provide some protection from diseases. However, Prof Gerecht says it also makes treating the retina difficult.
Healthy (right) and deteriorated (left) human retinal endothelial cells (Picture: Duke University / SWNS)
She said: ‘This barrier is formed by blood vessel tissue comprising a tight network of retinal endothelial cells, which form the inner layer of blood vessels, in concert with other specialised cells called pericytes and astrocytes.
‘The specificity of these cells and the fact that they do not form in other areas of the body make the complex tissue difficult to heal or to grow from scratch.’
Study first co-author Parker Esswein, a PhD student working in the Gerecht lab, said: ‘When this specialised blood vessel tissue begins to break down, it can cause a lot of different diseases that lead to vision loss.
‘While there are sources of retinal endothelial cells, being able to grow a continuous supply from scratch could offer many advantages for those working in the field.’
At present, retinal endothelial cells are collected and grown from real patients – meaning they are expensive with a limited supply.
To reduce cost and increase accessibility, the Gerecht lab wanted to see if they could grow them from iPSCs.
These are mature adult cells that are reprogrammed to become primal versions of themselves, which can then grow into a variety of other cell types.
The research team took commercial iPSCs and used a well-established procedure to get them to grow into common endothelial cells that form the inner layer of most of the body’s blood vessels.
The researchers then used a cocktail of growth factors to get the cells to grow into the specific type of endothelial cells found in the retina.
The team was then able to get the cells to form the same networks and structures that they do within the body.
The researchers then subjected the lab-grown tissues to low oxygen and high glucose levels, which are detrimental conditions often seen in real people.
These conditions are ‘fundamental’ triggers of diabetic retinopathy – the leading cause of vision loss in working-age people in the United States – and caused the tissue barrier to break down just like it does in patients.
When injected into the mice before any actual vision loss occurred, the cells successfully integrated into the existing tissue and helped develop strong blood vessels with strong barriers.
Mr Esswein said: ‘The tests showed that these lab-grown cells have promise for preventative treatments, especially since they should be easier and cheaper to obtain using our technique.’
He added: ‘While our benchtop experiments did not attempt to model a wide variety of specific eye diseases in these studies, we’re confident we can create excellent human tissue models in the lab to help better understand these diseases and uncover therapies.’
Now the team is planning to explore potential uses for their retinal endothelial cells both in their laboratory and through emerging industry partnerships.
The group also has a patent pending that covers both the stem cell-based therapeutics and in vitro modelling for drug discovery and testing.
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Macron condemns global rise in executions at World Congress against death penalty
9:00 pm
Macron condemns global rise in executions at World Congress against death penalty
Execution Numbers
In 2024, authorities executed 2,707 people in 17 countries, the highest annual total since 1981.
In 2024, authorities executed 2,707 people in 17 countries, the highest annual total since 1981.
Global Executions Rising
Last year witnessed 2,707 executions—the highest since 1981—underscoring an alarming trend in capital punishment across 17 countries.
Last year witnessed 2,707 executions—the highest since 1981—underscoring an alarming trend in capital punishment across 17 countries.
Macron’s Warning
“The death penalty has never made a society safer; it does not act as a deterrent,” said President Emmanuel Macron during his speech at the World Congress against the death penalty.
“The death penalty has never made a society safer; it does not act as a deterrent,” said President Emmanuel Macron during his speech at the World Congress against the death penalty.
France’s Emmanuel Macron speaks out against global rise in executions
Published on •Updated
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke out against a global rise in the number of executions on Tuesday during a speech at the ninth World Congress against the death penalty.
“The death penalty still remains, in many regions of the world, a reality”, Macron told an audience at the Maison de la Radio in Paris. “The number of executions carried out last year reached its highest level since 1981, with 2,707 people executed by authorities in just 17 countries”.
Among the countries that still apply the death penalty, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq carried out the most executions in 2024, according to figures from the NGO Together Against the Death Penalty, which is organising the congress.
Last year, at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran, per the Iran Human Rights NGO – the highest number of executions in the country since 1989.
Macron also used his speech to stress his “concern” over “moves being made in the Sahel and in Israel by certain parties” to push through legislation aimed at authorising the death penalty.
In March, the Israeli parliament adopted a bill approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted on terror charges, while the ruling military junta in Burkina Faso announced the reintroduction of capital punishment last December.
‘The death penalty has never made a society safer’
Macron welcomed the recent abolition of the death penalty in Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as reforms aimed at reducing the use of capital punishment in other countries since the last World Congress against the Death Penalty in Berlin in 2022.
“These decisions remind us that no people are permanently bound by fate to the death penalty and that abolition is not a distant ideal”, the French president said, adding that that abolition was “never a given”.
He also pushed back at the idea that the death penalty could act to deter crime.
“The death penalty has never made a society safer,” he said. “Never, because it does not act as a deterrent. It’s crazy. It has been demonstrated, observed and measured. The death penalty has never had the deterrent effect that certain, often authoritarian, authorities who defend it would like to attribute to it”.
Global Alliance for Human Rights
On Monday, on the eve of the congress, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.
According to the ministry of foreign affairs, the minister recalled “France’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights everywhere in the world” during the meeting.
“He reaffirmed his full support for the work of the High Commissioner’s office, in Geneva and in the field, to document human rights violations, fight impunity and ensure the effective implementation of international human rights law”, the ministry said.
Barrot also welcomed Türk’s launch of the Global Alliance for Human Rights.
“In the face of attacks on multilateralism, the international order and human rights in their universal dimension, France will commit itself to this initiative to promote concrete action in favour of fundamental rights, human dignity and the rule of law”, the foreign ministry said.
Five humanitarian workers killed in South Sudan convoy ambush
8:22 pm
Get you up to speed: Five humanitarian workers killed in convoy ambush in South Sudan
Five humanitarian workers were killed when their convoy was ambushed in Duk County, Jonglei State, South Sudan. Four others sustained injuries, and several civilians were also reportedly affected in the attack.
The United Nations has called for a prompt investigation into the ambush, emphasising that attacks on humanitarian workers contravene international humanitarian law. Since January, 29 humanitarian workers and contractors have been killed in South Sudan, highlighting the increasing dangers faced by aid personnel in the region.
The United Nations expressed deep sadness over the ambush that killed five humanitarian workers in Jonglei State, calling for a prompt investigation into the incident. The John Dau Foundation stated that this attack marks “the most grievous and sombre chapter in our organization’s history,” urging solidarity and support for the affected families.
What remains unclear — The exact number of civilians killed or injured in the attack has not been specified.
Five humanitarian workers killed in South Sudan convoy ambush
News|ConflictFive humanitarian workers killed in convoy ambush in South Sudan
UN ‘deeply saddened’ by Monday attack on convoy in Jonglei State, calls for investigation.
Published On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026
The United Nations has said that it was “deeply saddened” by the killing of five humanitarian workers after their convoy was ambushed in South Sudan.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference on Tuesday that the five humanitarian workers were riding in a convoy that a local partner operated before it was ambushed on Monday in Duk County, Jonglei State.
“Four others were injured, and several civilians were also reportedly killed or injured,” Dujarric told a news conference.
“We join our resident and humanitarian coordinator, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, in strongly condemning the attack,” Dujarric said, adding that UN colleagues said, “their convoy was clearly marked as humanitarian”.
The spokesperson called for a “prompt investigation” into the attack, stating that “attacks on humanitarian workers are unacceptable and violate international humanitarian law”. He added that since January, 29 humanitarian workers and contractors had been killed.
Moreover, the John Dau Foundation (JDF), whose convoy was ambushed, said in a Facebook statement that the convoy was travelling between Payuel Payam and Pajut in Panyang Payam in Duk County and was transporting staff who had returned from a World Food Programme-supported training session when it was attacked.
“While JDF has endured significant losses over the years, this incident represents the most grievous and sombre chapter in our organization’s history,” the statement read.
“We call upon all stakeholders, partners, and the wider community to offer their prayers, solidarity, and support to the bereaved families and the entire JDF family during this profoundly difficult time,” it added.
In separate comments, Dujarric said that the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) had released a new report that had documented that more than 760 people had been killed between January and March, in an 89 percent increase compared with the previous quarter.
He added that UNMISS had also recorded a sharp rise in conflict-related sexual violence.
“The special representative of the secretary-general and head of the mission, Anita Kiki Gbeho, called on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law,” Dujarric said.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced various deadly conflicts, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
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