Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Indonesia signed the ‘Badr’ Memorandum of Understanding to work together on defense. This agreement aims to increase joint weapons production, research, and technology sharing to rely less on foreign suppliers.
Key Facts
The ‘Badr’ defence pact was signed by Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
The agreement promotes joint production of weapons among the four countries.
It encourages shared research and development in defense technology.
The pact aims to reduce dependence on other countries for military supplies.
This is a cooperative effort in defense between the four nations.
The agreement was reported by Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid.
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Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of the Starshield satellite internet system used by Ukraine’s military, which reduced the speed of drones and affected their operations. Musk and President Donald Trump both denied ordering the restrictions, but reports say Musk made the final decision after talking with Trump and White House officials.
Key Facts
Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, decided to limit the speed of Ukraine’s Starshield satellite internet service.
The speed limit applied to drones flying faster than 160 kph (100 mph), which slowed down their operations.
This slowdown made some Ukrainian drones less effective against Russian forces.
Musk claimed that decisions about Starshield are controlled by the US military and President Trump, denying he made the call.
President Trump also denied ordering the slowdown and said he found out from the news.
Reports say Musk spoke with Trump and senior White House officials before imposing the limits.
Ukraine objected to the restrictions, saying they hurt their military efforts.
SpaceX and the White House later coordinated their messaging to lessen negative reactions.
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Many well-known writers, actors, and activists have criticized a UK law that led to the removal of Irish author Sally Rooney’s books from sale. Rooney’s books were pulled because of her support for Palestine Action, which the UK government calls a terrorist group.
Key Facts
Sally Rooney’s books are no longer sold in the UK due to her public support for Palestine Action.
Palestine Action is designated as a terrorist organization by the UK government.
Over 30 famous people, including actors and writers, signed a letter condemning the law that caused the book removal.
The letter says Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist, and banning her books threatens free speech.
The letter was published in the New Statesman ahead of a UK Supreme Court case about the ban.
Rooney’s publisher stopped sales because they cannot legally pay her royalties under UK law.
Rooney said continuing publication could be a serious crime and is prepared to face the consequences.
E-books by Rooney have also been removed in the UK, though some printed copies are still available.
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A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found that the company misled users about how their data was shared. The case involves the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, which obtained personal data from millions of Facebook users without their permission.
Key Facts
The $25 billion fine is related to Meta’s role in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal linked to the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
A jury found Meta made 26 misleading statements about data access, hate speech, and misinformation policies.
State law allows fines up to $5,000 per violation, with more than 43 million violations counted in this case.
The judge initially suggested a penalty over $219 billion but reduced it to $25 billion.
The money will go to New Mexico’s school system as required by state law.
Meta denied selling user data and argued that the penalties were too high and that no proof showed consumers were misled.
This is the second large financial penalty for Meta in New Mexico this year; earlier, it was ordered to pay $375 million related to teen users’ safety.
Meta has not yet commented on the latest ruling.
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Ohio candidate Vivek Ramaswamy released an attack ad featuring the estranged mother of his opponent, Amy Acton, accusing Acton of lying about her past. The ad has drawn criticism from Republicans and Democrats, including those who previously supported Ramaswamy, and sparked a debate about the use of personal and sensitive family issues in political campaigns.
Key Facts
The ad shows Amy Acton’s mother calling her a liar and denying claims about her difficult childhood.
Amy Acton has publicly shared that she faced sexual abuse and homelessness as a child.
Acton’s brother confirmed some elements of their difficult past, including time living in a tent and their mother losing custody after abuse allegations.
Ramaswamy’s campaign said they would spend $4 million airing this ad in the final days before the election.
Many Republicans criticized the ad, including Meghan McCain and Nikki Haley.
The Acton campaign called the ad a low political attack and said it exploited Amy’s history of abuse.
The Columbus Dispatch editorial board endorsed Acton and condemned the ad as inappropriate.
The controversy has become a significant issue ahead of the November 3 Ohio governor’s race.
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A missile strike by the Houthi group hit a security training camp in southern Yemen. The attack killed 75 recruits, and a large funeral was held for them.
Key Facts
The missile strike targeted a security training camp in southern Yemen.
75 recruits were killed in the strike.
The attack was carried out by the Houthi group.
A mass funeral was held for the dead recruits.
The incident reflects ongoing conflict in Yemen.
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A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 billion to the state after a jury found the company lied to users about its data privacy. The case involved a data breach where personal information from about 87 million Facebook profiles was improperly collected and sold to a political consulting firm.
Key Facts
Meta was ordered to pay $25 billion to New Mexico for misleading consumers about data privacy.
The ruling came from Judge Francis Mathew.
The case involved a data breach linked to a third-party quiz that collected Facebook user data.
About 87 million Facebook profiles were affected by this breach.
The data was sold to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting company.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez called the verdict one of the largest against a company in U.S. history.
The judge said the company had a plan to mislead the public about data privacy issues.
Meta has not yet publicly responded to the ruling.
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Israeli forces are entering Palestinian homes in the West Bank and using them as places to question people. An Israeli government minister has also called for building settlements throughout the entire West Bank area.
Key Facts
Israeli forces are raiding homes in the West Bank region.
These homes are being used as interrogation centers.
The West Bank is an area occupied by Israel but claimed by Palestinians.
An Israeli minister supports settling the entire West Bank with Israeli residents.
The situation is part of ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
Reporting on this is provided by journalist Mohammad Saleh for Al Jazeera.
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A new United Nations report says global temperatures are likely to rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to before the industrial era. However, the report explains that quick and large cuts in greenhouse gas emissions can help keep this temperature rise short and limit its impact.
Key Facts
The report is called the Emissions Gap Report 2026 and was released by the U.N. Environment Programme.
It predicts the world will exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming limit set in the Paris Agreement.
The 1.5-degree limit aims to reduce dangerous climate change effects.
The report focuses on the smallest possible amount the temperature could go over this limit, called the "lowest possible overshoot."
Rapid and significant emission cuts could make this overshoot brief.
The report emphasizes the importance of urgent action to reduce pollution from human activities.
Keeping the temperature rise short helps reduce risks to people and nature.
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Two leaders of India’s Cockroach Janta Party, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were released from jail after being held for a week. They were arrested for entering a banned protest area in Delhi, where they have been demanding the chief election commissioner resign amid accusations of unfair voter roll revisions.
Key Facts
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are leaders of the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth collective.
They were arrested for trespassing at the Jantar Mantar protest site after it was removed from the list of designated protest areas.
The CJP calls for the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner, alleging manipulation of voter lists.
The Election Commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deny these accusations.
About 130 million names have been removed from voter lists in a process called Special Intensive Revision (SIR) since last year.
Critics say this voter list revision might wrongly exclude eligible voters.
The CJP began as an internet movement and has organized large protests criticizing the government, including one leading to the education minister’s resignation.
The special executive magistrate court in Delhi ordered their release after a week in Tihar jail.
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A federal judge ruled against President Trump’s claim that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can dismiss lawsuits about pollution from data centers. The case involves a lawsuit by the NAACP against Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI for operating gas turbines without permits, which could harm nearby mostly Black communities.
Key Facts
The NAACP sued SpaceXAI over unpermitted gas turbines at a data center in Memphis, Tennessee.
The lawsuit seeks to force SpaceXAI to use the best pollution control technology and impose fines of up to $124,426 per day for violations.
President Trump argued that the EPA has the power to dismiss any Clean Air Act lawsuit whenever it wants.
A federal judge rejected this claim, saying the Clean Air Act does not allow the EPA to unilaterally dismiss citizen lawsuits.
The NAACP said the Clean Air Act protects citizens’ rights to sue to stop pollution when the government doesn’t act.
Environmental groups, including Earthjustice, support the lawsuit and oppose President Trump’s attempt to block it.
The ruling is seen as important because use of unpermitted gas turbines is common in the AI data center industry.
The judge said President Trump’s legal argument has no basis in federal law and would give excessive power to block pollution lawsuits.
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Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have been visiting homes in some U.S. states to check for possible noncitizen voters before the midterm elections. This information comes from an investigation by CBS News.
Key Facts
DHS agents have been knocking on doors searching for people who might be noncitizen voters.
The searches are happening ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The information was revealed through a CBS News investigation.
The goal is to find any noncitizens who may have voted or plan to vote in the elections.
This activity is taking place in several states across the country.
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A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury decided the company misled users about its privacy and content rules. The decision comes from a case involving Meta’s handling of user data related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Key Facts
The judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in damages.
The case was filed in New Mexico.
A jury found Meta responsible for misleading users on privacy and content policies.
The case is connected to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced the order.
The lawsuit claims Meta violated user trust by not protecting their data properly.
This is one of the largest state-level penalties against a tech company for privacy issues.
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Brazil’s presidential race between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro is closely contested, with social media playing a major role in campaigning. Questions have arisen about whether social media platforms, especially those owned by Meta, treat the candidates fairly, as political ad spending on these sites has increased sharply.
Key Facts
The final round of Brazil’s presidential election is between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.
Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, is accused of favoring Bolsonaro by suppressing Lula’s content.
Political campaign spending on Meta’s platforms reached about 288 million Brazilian reais ($57 million) in 2026, twice the amount from 2022.
Over 76% of Brazilian voters now get their news online, making social media key for political campaigns.
Online influencers from both right and left politics have gained power and won seats in Brazil’s parliament.
The shift to online campaigning began with President Jair Bolsonaro’s 2018 election, who is Flavio Bolsonaro’s father.
Jair Bolsonaro’s social media use included spreading false claims about election fraud after he lost in 2022.
Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro stormed Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace on January 8, 2023.
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A former Conservative election candidate, Jack Ross, has been suspended from the party after he was filmed discussing hiring contract killers and brokering violent acts. Scottish police are reviewing the case for possible criminal activity following an Al Jazeera documentary exposing these claims.
Key Facts
Jack Ross was filmed offering to arrange violent acts such as kicking, stabbing, shooting, or killing for money.
Ross introduced an undercover reporter to a violent criminal linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force, a paramilitary group.
Scottish police are reviewing the documentary for potential criminal charges.
Ross is the CEO of Turning Point UK, which has ties to a group founded by US Republican commentator Charlie Kirk.
Ross has advised Conservative MPs and appeared with high-profile politicians, including Boris Johnson.
Ross reportedly acted on behalf of the Zimbabwe government to pay for a fake political rally and requested violent actions.
The Conservative Party suspended Ross immediately after the story was published, pending investigation.
Turning Point UK has been involved in anti-migrant protests, and its chief operating officer is associated with the far-right UK Independence Party.
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Vice President JD Vance expressed strong feelings against Republicans who complained about a campaign ad targeting Amy Acton. He said he is more focused on helping Republican candidates in upcoming elections than on the ad’s content.
Key Facts
Vice President JD Vance spoke on Wednesday about a campaign ad against Amy Acton.
The ad included Amy Acton's estranged mother.
Some Republicans criticized the ad as inappropriate.
Vance said he is "disgusted" by those Republicans who are complaining.
He stated he is focused on supporting Republican candidates for the midterm elections.
Vance made these remarks during his first public comments on the ad.
He also mentioned that Democrats' plans for the country are a bigger concern than the ad.
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A public report on the Covid-19 pandemic found that government policies during lockdown caused harm to care home residents by isolating them and allowing the virus to spread through untested hospital discharges. Families of affected residents say the measures led to loneliness and preventable deaths.
Key Facts
Care home residents were isolated during the early pandemic to stop Covid-19 but this caused emotional harm.
The government discharged patients from hospitals into care homes without testing, spreading the virus widely.
The inquiry said the care sector was treated as an “afterthought” in planning.
Family members described loneliness and difficulty visiting relatives in care homes.
Some residents, like Amy’s grandfather Eric and Roger Dennison’s father Lucius, caught Covid and died after prolonged isolation.
Care workers also found the early situation frightening and distressing, fearing the serious effects of Covid.
The report criticized claims that a protective ring was placed around care home residents.
Many families are still upset about the impact of these policies years after the pandemic began.
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Helen Haines, an independent Member of Parliament from Wangaratta, Australia, was seriously injured when she was hit by a car in a deliberate attack. She had to have both legs amputated but remains mentally strong, and police have charged a man with causing harm and are considering further charges.
Key Facts
Helen Haines was struck by a car outside her office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday afternoon.
The attack was targeted and deliberate, according to police.
Haines was airlifted to Melbourne and had both legs amputated but is mentally and emotionally stable.
A local man, Brendan Nugent, was charged with intentionally causing harm and may face attempted murder charges.
Haines is known for her work on establishing a national anti-corruption commission and helping her regional community with infrastructure projects.
She is respected and liked by the local community, described as warm, kind, and committed.
Bystanders helped her immediately after the attack, and she thanked them despite her injuries.
The attack has shocked the town of nearly 30,000 people which usually welcomes tourists and festival visitors.
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Elon Musk restricted Ukrainians' access to the SpaceX satellite network during the conflict in Ukraine. This decision raised worries about how much control technology owners have over important communication tools.
Key Facts
Elon Musk limited Ukraine's use of SpaceX satellites.
SpaceX satellites help provide internet and communication capabilities.
The restriction affected Ukraine's ability to communicate during the conflict.
The situation sparked debate about the power held by private tech companies.
Concerns arose over the accountability of those who control critical technology.
The issue is tied to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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A 1-year-old boy named Kohen Wiley was fatally shot by a police officer in Senatobia, Mississippi, during an incident involving a shoplifting suspect trying to drive away from a Walmart. The Mississippi Attorney General said the officer’s use of force was justified and no charges will be filed, but the family and their lawyer are demanding the release of body camera footage.
Key Facts
The shooting happened on June 14, 2026, outside a Walmart in Senatobia, Mississippi.
Police were responding to a report of shoplifting and tried to stop a car leaving the scene.
Kohen Wiley was in the car, held by a woman who was a friend of his mother.
An officer fired at the car when it moved forward and nearly hit an officer.
Kohen was taken to a hospital but died from the injuries.
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office reviewed the case and said the shooting was justified.
Kohen’s family denies any shoplifting and has not been charged.
The family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, and the community are asking for the body camera footage to be released.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety plans to release the footage after the family views it.
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