VATICAN - The Vatican has excommunicated a breakaway group of ultra-traditionalist Catholics who illicitly ordained bishops, despite appeals from the Pope not to do so, creating a schism within the church. The Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published a decree on Thursday indicating that six bishops associated with the conservative Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) had been excommunicated after an unauthorised ordination ceremony in the Swiss valley of Écône on Wednesday that drew an estimated 16,500 worshippers. The excommunication took immediate effect and applied to the Spanish-born Argentinian bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, who acted as principal consecrator during the ceremony, and the Swiss bishop Bernard Fellay, the co-consecrator. The four newly ordained bishops were also excommunicated.

CHINA - Members of China’s 55 government-recognized ethnic minorities, which include the Uyghur and Tibetan peoples, make up just under 9% of the population. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Wednesday implemented a multi-chapter law aimed at regulating the cultural, religious, and linguistic traditions of ethnic minorities under the guise of enforcing Chinese “national unity.” The “Law of the People's Republic of China on Promoting National Unity and Progress,” which was passed in March, outlines a legal framework under which all Chinese citizens and institutions are required to “safeguard national unity and the solidarity of all ethnic groups in the country.” Members of China’s 55 government-recognized ethnic minorities, which include the Uyghur and Tibetan peoples, make up just under 9% of the population. The rest of the population, approximately 91%, is ethnically Han Chinese according to Chinese census data collected in 2020.

TURKEY - NATO leaders gather next week in Ankara, where Europeans aim to set aside strife with US President Donald Trump over Iran and Greenland and show they are stepping up to defend the continent as Washington cuts back on its commitments to the alliance. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the gathering next Tuesday and Wednesday will show Europeans are honoring pledges to hike defense spending to deter Russia from any attack, with arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars to be signed. Leaders are also expected to vow to keep funding weapons for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend a dinner hosted by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who will also hold bilateral talks with Trump. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump complained the United States was spending money to protect NATO members "without getting any benefit from so doing."

IRAN - In a statement, the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya, Ali Abdollahi, threatened Israel and the US against making “any miscalculation” during former Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei's week-long funeral, warning of “harsh and regrettable responses” in the case of an attack. Khatam al-Anbiya is the Joint Command of Iran's military. Khamenei's funeral is slated to begin on Saturday and is expected to be the largest event in the history of the Islamic Republic. It will span several major cities in Iran and Iraq, with ceremonies in Tehran, Qom, Mashhad, Najaf, and Karbala. The ceremony was scheduled months earlier but was postponed due to the ongoing conflict with the US. Khamenei was killed in Tehran in joint US-Israeli strikes at the start of operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury in February...

POLAND - Russia is planning an armed “provocation” on Polish soil to test NATO’s resolve, the United States has warned. Polish critical infrastructure could be targeted by missiles and drones or Russian soldiers could cross the border into NATO territory. Washington has issued several warnings to Warsaw about the plot, sources close to Karol Nawrocki, the Polish president, told Onet, the Polish news outlet, which, along with The Telegraph, is owned by Axel Springer and is part of its Global Reporters Network. The goal of the Russian provocation would be to escalate tensions and force Western allies to suspend aid to Ukraine. It could be launched in a matter of months. The Telegraph understands that NATO could respond to any Russian provocation with direct attacks on Kaliningrad, which has been cited as a potential target by Holger Neumann, the German air force chief. Last month, the head of the Luftwaffe told The Telegraph that Germany would defend “every inch” of NATO territory including Poland if it were forced to act defensively.

UK - As outgoing Kier Starmer prepares to depart amid cratering approval ratings and deep public disillusionment, his 'Pride' reception remarks this week reveal a leader more focused on cultural signalling than addressing Britain's pressing crises. Starmer took to the stage at a Downing Street Pride reception to defend his government's LGBTQ+ record, even as scepticism grows within parts of that broad community and his wider popularity sits at dismal lows. Starmer struck a defiant tone, insisting his administration would continue championing these issues. "I want to be clear that all lesbians, all gay, all bi and trans people - that this government will defend your rights," he declared. "We have to stand against the politics of division." He praised what he called global leadership in representation, stating Westminster is "the gayest parliament... anywhere in the world" and telling attendees to "celebrate that."

UK - Starmer's administration continued policies seen as weaponising migration while cracking down on those noticing demographic impacts and security failures. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss recently directly linked surges in random violence to mass migration policies, arguing left-wing approaches deliberately erode the nation state and family. Relentless stabbings and assaults have fueled fury, with responses often focusing on suppressing discussion rather than root causes. The government has barred anyone it disagrees with from entering the country, including Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek shortly after she criticised Starmer, citing public good grounds despite her focus on cultural preservation. In contrast, Starmer expressed delight at welcoming Alaa Abd el-Fattah, an activist with a track record of extreme posts including hatred toward white people, calls for violence against police and Zionists, and praise for figures like Osama bin Laden. Starmer posted: "I'm delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones...

USA - A “quadruple threat” scenario risks upending Donald Trump’s triumphant July 4 celebrations to mark America’s 250th birthday. Extreme heat, humidity and thunderstorms forecast to hit Washington on Saturday and Sunday could derail the celebrations, which the US president has billed “the most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen”. Large crowds are expected to flood into the capital for the Independence Day festivities, which are set to feature flyovers, military bands, a Trump rally and a record-breaking fireworks display.

MIDDLE EAST - ...As if that was not enough, Israel was obliged to cease operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, tying its own hands while the jihadist group rained rockets and drones upon its northern towns. This remarkable Iranian military and diplomatic coup, aided greatly by the Islamist regimes in Doha and Ankara, drove a wedge between Washington and Jerusalem, making Trump look like a weakling and a fool. The beauty of the deal – from the Iranian point of view – was that the more the president criticised his ally Benjamin Netanyahu, berating him as “f---ing crazy” and having “no f---ing judgment”, the weaker and more foolish he looked.

USA - A record-setting worldwide ocean heat wave is causing insane weather chaos all over the globe. The oceans on our planet have never been this hot, and this is causing explosive weather throughout the world. Record high temperatures are being set all over the northern hemisphere, we are witnessing absolutely crazy storms, and gigantic wildfires are erupting at a blistering pace. We have never experienced anything quite like this before, and it is going to be very difficult for farmers to grow crops in these unpredictable conditions. It feels like we are living through a Hollywood disaster movie, but of course what we have been through so far is only just the beginning. A lot of people are blaming the crazy weather on the “Super El Niño” that began a few weeks ago. But it isn’t just a “Super El Niño” that we are facing. According to Google, an El Niño occurs as a result of warmer surface temperatures in the equatorial waters of the Pacific Ocean… Right now we are actually experiencing a worldwide ocean heat wave. In fact, last month ocean surface temperatures reached the highest level ever recorded…