Macron Faces Hunt for Fifth Prime Minister
Six Killed in Jerusalem Bus Stop Shooting
Aid Flotilla Boat Fire Disputed After Drone Claim
Murdoch Family Settles Fox Control Dispute
U.S. and EU Weigh New Sanctions on Russia
Thai Court Orders Thaksin to Serve Prison Term
South Korea Protests U.S. Raid on Hyundai Plant
Appeals Court Upholds Carroll’s $83.3M Award
Supreme Court Backs Trump Immigration Tactics in LA
Lawmakers Release Epstein Book With Alleged Trump Note
French President Emmanuel Macron must appoint a new prime minister after François Bayrou’s minority government was ousted in a decisive confidence vote. Lawmakers voted 364–194 against Bayrou’s budget plan, which called for deep cuts including €43.8 billion in spending reductions and even the removal of two paid public holidays. The defeat leaves Macron scrambling to restore stability, as this marks the collapse of France’s third government since snap elections last year and the fifth prime ministerial change since early 2024.
Photo by Pourya Gohari on Unsplash
Bayrou, appointed less than nine months ago, had argued that urgent action was needed to address France’s rising debt, now at €3.3 trillion or over 114 percent of GDP. But opponents from both the left and far right united to bring him down. Macron is expected to accept Bayrou’s resignation and announce a replacement within days, though any successor will face the same fractured parliament and mounting pressure from financial markets.
Sources: France 24, Politico Europe
Six Israelis were killed and at least a dozen others wounded when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a crowded bus stop in northern Jerusalem during Monday morning’s rush hour. The attackers arrived by vehicle at Ramot Junction and fired on commuters before being shot dead by an off-duty soldier and a civilian. Victims included five men aged 25 to 79 and a 60-year-old woman. Several wounded remain in serious condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site, vowing to continue what he called “an intense war against terrorism.” Security forces encircled nearby villages in the West Bank and arrested a man suspected of smuggling the attackers into Jerusalem. Hamas praised the shooting as a “natural response,” though it did not claim responsibility. The Palestinian presidency condemned all targeting of civilians. The attack comes as Israeli forces step up operations in Gaza City and pursue new ceasefire proposals.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian
An aid flotilla for Gaza said one of its main vessels, the Portuguese-flagged “Family Boat,” was struck by a suspected drone while anchored off Tunisia’s coast early Tuesday. The Global Sumud Flotilla released footage appearing to show an object dropping onto the boat, sparking a blaze. Activists on board, including members of the flotilla’s steering committee, said all passengers and crew were safe.
Tunisian authorities rejected the account, stating that the fire was caused by a life jacket igniting, with no injuries or structural damage. The Interior Ministry said reports of a drone strike had “no basis in truth.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, involving activists from 44 countries including Greta Thunberg, aims to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. The incident occurred as the flotilla prepared to depart Tunisia for Gaza. Organisers said investigations were ongoing and vowed their mission would continue despite the setback.
Sources: Anadolu Agency, Reuters
Rupert Murdoch’s family has reached a settlement over control of his media empire, resolving years of legal wrangling and ensuring no change in direction for Fox News after the 94-year-old mogul’s death. The deal creates a trust placing Fox Corp. under the control of Lachlan Murdoch, his father’s chosen successor, together with his younger sisters, Grace and Chloe.
Lachlan’s three older siblings — Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch and James Murdoch — relinquished any claims in exchange for stock valued at $3.3 billion. They must sell their personal holdings within six months and are barred from acquiring new shares or taking actions involving Fox and News Corp. until 2050.
The case had drawn comparisons to HBO’s “Succession” and drew in dozens of lawyers, including former U.S. Attorney General William Barr. It also carried political weight, given Fox’s central role in American conservative media and its close alignment with Donald Trump.
Sources: Associated Press, ABC News
U.S. and European officials met in Washington on Monday to discuss possible new sanctions and tariffs against Russia, including limits on oil purchases and management of frozen sovereign assets. The talks at the Treasury Department included officials from the White House, State Department and European Commission, with follow-up meetings planned Tuesday.
President Donald Trump has sought to push Russian President Vladimir Putin into direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to end the 3½-year war, but his deadlines for Moscow to withdraw have repeatedly passed without new sanctions. Trump said Sunday he was ready to move to a “second phase” of restrictions, while acknowledging the conflict was harder to resolve than anticipated.
European leaders emphasised the urgency of coordinated action after Russia launched its largest air assault of the war, which killed at least four people in Kyiv and caused fresh damage to Ukraine’s power grid.
Sources: NBC News, Reuters
Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve one year in prison, rejecting claims that his prior hospital stay counted toward his sentence. Judges said his illness was not urgent and time spent at Police General Hospital could not substitute for detention. Police were ordered to take him into custody immediately after Tuesday’s verdict.
Thaksin, 76, was originally sentenced to eight years in 2023 on corruption and abuse-of-power charges, later reduced to one year through a royal pardon. He was detained briefly before being transferred to hospital within hours, where he stayed for months before parole early in 2024. Critics argued this allowed him to avoid prison entirely.
The ruling comes weeks after Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn was dismissed as prime minister, marking another setback for a family long at odds with Thailand’s royalist-military establishment.
Sources: Bangkok Post, New York Times
South Korea is reeling after U.S. immigration agents detained 475 workers, mostly South Koreans, during a raid at Hyundai’s battery plant under construction in Georgia. Videos released by U.S. authorities showed detainees shackled with chains, sparking outrage in Seoul and raising questions about the future of major Korean investments in the U.S.
Korean companies admitted to using visitor and business visas unsuited for construction work, saying they face labor shortages and pressure to complete projects quickly. Executives argue U.S. authorities long tolerated the practice while pushing for large-scale foreign investment. Seoul has repeatedly sought expanded work visa options, but successive administrations have resisted.
President Donald Trump said the workers “were here illegally” and called for arrangements to bring in experts legally to train Americans. South Korea’s foreign minister called the operation “a very serious matter” and vowed to press Washington for solutions to avoid delays in multibillion-dollar projects.
Sources: FT, PBS
A federal appeals court upheld an $83.3 million jury award against President Trump for defaming E. Jean Carroll in 2019, rejecting his argument that presidential immunity shields him from liability. A three-judge panel of the Second Circuit found the damages reasonable given the severity and persistence of Trump’s attacks, which the court said caused harassment and threats against Carroll. The panel said he continued to denigrate her during and after trial, and that a substantial penalty was warranted to deter further defamation.
The ruling leaves intact the finding that Trump sexually abused Carroll and later defamed her, and follows an earlier decision upholding a separate $5 million verdict in 2023. Judges Denny Chin, Maria Araújo Kahn and Sarah A.L. Merriam issued Monday’s unanimous decision. With interest, the amount owed now exceeds $89 million, though Trump may seek further review.
Sources: New York Times, Politico
The Supreme Court lifted restrictions on federal immigration enforcement in Los Angeles, reversing lower-court rulings that had blocked tactics critics described as racial profiling. By a 6-3 vote, the justices cleared the way for agents to resume sweeping operations, overturning orders that barred stops based solely on factors such as race, language, or occupation.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurred, saying ethnicity cannot alone provide suspicion but may be a factor. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, warning the ruling exposes people to seizures “simply because of their looks” and called it a “grave misuse” of the Court’s emergency powers.
California officials denounced the decision. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said it “threatens the fabric of personal freedom,” while Governor Gavin Newsom argued it deliberately targets Latinos and harms families. The lawsuit, filed by advocacy groups and individuals including U.S. citizens, will continue in California courts.
Sources: PBS, ABC News
US lawmakers have released Jeffrey Epstein’s 2003 “birthday book,” which includes a note allegedly signed by President Donald Trump. The scrapbook, compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday by Ghislaine Maxwell, contains messages from politicians and business figures. The note attributed to Trump references a “wonderful secret” shared with Epstein.
Image: House Oversight Committee Democrats
The White House denied the note’s authenticity, saying Trump did not write or sign it. Trump has previously called the document “a fake thing” and is suing the Wall Street Journal over earlier reports, seeking $10 billion in damages. His allies also dismissed the released image, with activists claiming the signature was forged.
Democratic lawmakers said Trump had lied about the letter’s existence, while Republican committee leaders accused Democrats of politicizing the release. The materials were turned over by Epstein’s estate under subpoena, alongside Epstein’s address book and a 2007 non-prosecution agreement. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.