USA - Donald Trump told Arab leaders he will only broker a peace deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if they normalize relations with Israel, according to a leaked phone call. The most powerful leaders in the Middle East, including those from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt, joined the President on a conference call on Saturday to discuss progress toward ending the US-Iran war and reopening the vital oil passageway. In return, Trump pressed the leaders to normalize ties with Israel, a demand aimed at nations that have opposed the Jewish state since its founding in 1948. Arab leaders were so stunned by the demand that they refused to respond, remaining entirely silent on the call, according to Axios.

GERMANY - Germany’s self-imposed economic decline is no longer a warning — it is now visible in hard data, as foreign investment collapses to its lowest level since the aftermath of the global financial crisis. According to a new analysis by EY, reported on by various German media outlets, foreign direct investment projects fell for the eighth consecutive year in 2025, dropping to just 548. The figure marks a 17-year low and underscores a steady erosion of confidence in Europe’s largest economy. The numbers represent a 10 percent decline from the previous year. But more importantly, they reflect a structural downward trend that has now persisted for nearly a decade. Henrik Ahlers, head of EY Germany, issued a stark warning. “Germany is falling behind, and other European locations are developing significantly better,” he said.

NATO - UK, France, Spain, Italy and Canada Reportedly Reject NATO Plans for Extra Funding for Ukraine. We’ve come to a point where even the most ardent supporters of the Kiev regime are starting to wonder just how much more money they will have to sink into their unwinnable war effort. Yesterday, a report arose that Britain, France and other countries have sunk the chances for a proposal that would have NATO allies spend 0.25 percent of GDP on military aid for Ukraine. The Pentagon is halting some weapons shipments to Ukraine after it was revealed that Joe Biden depleted the US stockpiles.

UK - The river Wye is where British tourism started. Winding its way from Wales’s Cambrian Mountains down to Chepstow and the Severn Estuary, its beauty has drawn visitors since the mid-1700s. Today, the picturesque Wye Valley still attracts millions of tourists a year. However, campaigners say its long-treasured waters are being poisoned – by our love of chicken dinners and the intensive poultry farming required to feed this hunger. The Wye is said to regularly turn green in the summer and to give off an unpleasant odour. The blame, according to the group’s legal claim, lies with the chicken manure that is spread on farmers’ fields, as well as sewage spills.

USA - In the rarefied world of theoretical physics, where equations describe the birth and behavior of the cosmos, a stubborn mystery refuses to yield. The fundamental constants of nature — the precise numerical values governing gravity, electromagnetism, the mass of particles, and the expansion rate of the universe — sit at the foundation of reality. Physicists can measure them with breathtaking accuracy, yet they cannot explain why these numbers are what they are. Even more striking, if any one of them deviated by the smallest fraction, atoms would never form, stars would not ignite, and life as we know it would be impossible. This is no mere academic curiosity. It is evidence that the universe was not thrown together by blind chance but intentionally crafted for order, complexity, and ultimately, beings capable of knowing their Creator. The fine-tuning of these constants presents one of the most compelling scientific cases for intelligent design in our generation.

USA - A bona fide financial crisis has not broken out since the US housing meltdown of 2007. Even the Covid pandemic and subsequent upsurge in inflation didn’t lead to financial upheaval. The jitters produced by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in 2023 were soon forgotten. Given this stability, it might take some effort to convince financial markets that another big one is around the corner. But it is. Financial markets and their regulating governments may believe they have acquired immunity, but the world is careening toward a moment of financial upheaval that could well dwarf the damage caused by the last one. What’s most scary about this approaching moment is not the specific nature of the crisis, but the incompetence with which it will be handled.

USA - Cities in the United States are imposing curfews and increasing police patrols for the summer as violent 'teen takeovers' sweep across the country. Police in cities stretching from Washington DC to Long Branch, New Jersey and Detroit, Michigan have responded in recent months to chaotic scenes after hundreds of teens descended on specific locations. There, cops would find reports of robberies, vandalism and sometimes even gunfire.

RUSSIA - In principle, Trump would prefer to freeze the Ukraine conflict and gain the opportunity to restore some of the relationship with Moscow. Like several of his predecessors, Trump understands that America’s main foreign policy rival is China, not Russia. However, Trump is the first to have attempted to do something about this, to have tried to at least somewhat slow down China’s expansion, which until last year seemed unstoppable.

GERMANY - The Alternative for Germany (AfD), the country’s sole right-wing, anti-globalist party, has surged to a record 42% in the eastern state of Saxony, putting the party within striking distance of an outright majority and raising the real possibility it could soon govern alone if it gains just a few more percentage points. With analysts estimating that around 46% would be enough to secure a single-party government, the latest polling data suggests that threshold is now within reach. The development marks a potential political shift that could reshape Germany’s power structure. The numbers place the AfD far ahead of its nearest competitor. The establishment, globalist Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led nationally by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, trails at a mere 21%. The gap is striking. In practical terms, the AfD now commands roughly double the support of the CDU in Saxony. Taken together, the data points to a collapse of the political center. Voters appear increasingly unwilling to support established parties.

UK - Reform council leader Linden Kemkaran told the meeting the prayer "unites us in this country in a common identity, which is very important". "I see it as a pause to remember that we are all accountable for our words and deeds," she said. Reform councillor Christopher Hespe said: "It's about standards, it's about patriotism, it's about heritage and it's about our roots." But some opposition councillors spoke against the proposals. Green councillor Rob Yates described the changes as "a ridiculous farce" and said he was "not paid by taxpayers to sing songs and pray". "We are a multi-faith country and we certainly have been for all of my life," he told the meeting.