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A former Syrian general, Khaled al-Halabi, denied torturing opponents of President Bashar al-Assad during a trial in Vienna, Austria. He and a former police chief face charges of torture and other abuses linked to the Syrian civil war.
Key Facts
Khaled al-Halabi, a former Syrian brigadier general, pleaded not guilty to torture charges in an Austrian court.
The charges include torture, aggravated coercion, sexual coercion, and severe bodily harm.
Al-Halabi and former police chief Musab Abu Rukba are accused of crimes in Raqqa, Syria, from 2011 to 2013.
Both men could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The accused have lived in Austria since seeking asylum in 2015, so the Austrian court has legal authority to try them.
Prosecutors say torture was ordered systematically with standard methods like beatings and hosing down detainees.
Al-Halabi claims no government orders were given to use violence and denies any torture happened under his command.
The trial is expected to last until June 30, with victims from Syria and Europe set to testify.
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An early portrait by British artist Lucian Freud, called Man in a Black Scarf and painted in 1939, has been confirmed as his work after years of denial. The painting will be shown to the public for the first time in an exhibition at the Garden Museum in London.
Key Facts
Man in a Black Scarf was painted by Lucian Freud when he was a student in 1939.
Freud denied painting the portrait while he was alive, causing confusion about its authenticity.
The sitter in the portrait is believed to be John Jameson, a friend of Freud’s from the whiskey family.
Art historian Philip Mould suggested in 2016 that the painting was likely by Freud on the BBC show Fake or Fortune.
New evidence from school records at Tate Britain proved Freud painted Jameson in 1939.
The portrait will be displayed in the Benton End: A Paradise of Pollen and Paint exhibition at the Garden Museum from June to September 2026.
The painting style shows influence from Cedric Morris, a teacher at Freud’s art school.
Freud’s other works are highly valuable, with one selling for $56 million in 2015.
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Iran announced it is stopping indirect talks with the United States. Iran also said it will open "other fronts" in the conflict because it believes the U.S. and Israel broke ceasefire agreements.
Key Facts
Iran has paused indirect negotiations with the United States.
The talks were meant to manage tensions between the two countries.
Iran accused the U.S. and Israel of violating ceasefire agreements.
In response, Iran plans to open new areas of conflict, calling them "other fronts."
The announcements were made through Iranian state media.
The situation involves ongoing conflicts tied to broader regional tensions.
The U.S. and Israel have not confirmed details about the alleged ceasefire violations.
The news was reported by CBS News correspondents Olivia Rinaldi and Charlie D’Agata.
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An 11-year-old boy named Mackenzie Swift has been missing in the River Don in South Yorkshire since Saturday evening. Police and rescue teams are continuing their search with special underwater divers and volunteers, while advising the public not to get involved for safety reasons.
Key Facts
Mackenzie Swift went into the River Don near Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough around 8:00 pm on Saturday.
He has not been seen since entering the water.
South Yorkshire Police said the family is deeply affected and receiving support from officers.
Search efforts include underwater teams and Mountain Rescue volunteers.
Police said it is unlikely Mackenzie survived in the water for this long.
The public has been asked to stay away from the search area to avoid danger and interference.
Officers will stay at the scene overnight and continue searching at first light on Tuesday.
Police emphasized the importance of leaving the search to trained professionals.
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Forecasters are monitoring two weather disturbances in the eastern Pacific Ocean that may become tropical storms this week. This activity coincides with the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and reflects a likely busy Pacific hurricane season influenced by a possible strong El Niño climate pattern.
Key Facts
Two areas of disturbed weather in the eastern Pacific could develop into tropical storms soon.
The first system near Baja California has a 40% chance of forming into a tropical depression in 48 hours and 90% in seven days.
A second system south of Mexico has a low chance (near 0%) of forming in the next 48 hours but a 30% chance within a week.
The eastern Pacific hurricane season began on May 15; the Atlantic season started June 1.
NOAA predicts a 70% chance of above-normal hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific this year.
A strong or super El Niño, meaning warmer ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, may boost storm formation in the Pacific but suppress it in the Atlantic.
El Niño causes more wind shear in the Atlantic, which disrupts storms, but creates favorable conditions for storms in the Pacific.
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A new drug called GRWD5769 helps the immune system find and attack cancer cells that try to hide from treatment. In an early trial with 83 patients, the drug, combined with immunotherapy, shrank tumors by at least 30% in several common cancer types.
Key Facts
GRWD5769 is a smart drug that removes an “invisibility cloak” from cancer cells, making them easier for the immune system to detect.
The drug was tested with immunotherapy drug cemiplimab in 83 patients with cervical, bladder, liver, bowel, lung, or head and neck cancers.
Tumors shrank in 26 patients, with 15 experiencing a reduction of at least 30%.
Most patients had cancers that had stopped responding to previous treatments.
GRWD5769 works by blocking an enzyme called ERAP1, which cancer cells use to hide from immune cells called T-cells.
The trial was conducted across the UK, France, Spain and Australia and presented at a major cancer conference.
The drug is taken as a tablet that patients can use at home and was well tolerated with few side effects.
Further larger studies are planned to confirm these early promising results.
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Two American left-wing commentators, Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker, were banned from entering Britain for a public event, with their travel permissions revoked due to concerns their presence might disturb public order. British officials applied a border control rule aimed at screening foreign visitors whose actions or speech could threaten civic peace, a policy used on various political figures from different sides.
Key Facts
Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were denied entry to Britain before attending events in London.
Their Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) were revoked by the British Home Office.
The official reason was that their presence "may not be conducive to the public good."
The decision reportedly related partly to concerns about Uygur's rhetoric potentially increasing antisemitism.
Britain applies a public-order test at the border, allowing officials to block visitors who may disrupt civic order.
This screening approach is not limited to left-wing individuals; the government has also barred right-wing figures.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain is defending itself against those spreading hatred and division.
The Oxford Union, which invited Uygur and Piker, expressed concern about the ban impacting free speech.
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Iran warned that Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon could break the ceasefire agreement it has with the US. The conflict has led to strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs and increased tensions between Iran, Israel, and the US.
Key Facts
Iran says the ceasefire with the US covers all areas, including Lebanon, and must be respected everywhere.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced attacks on "terror targets" in southern Beirut after Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks.
There have been two Israeli strikes on Beirut since the ceasefire started on April 16.
Iran’s news agency said Tehran might stop indirect talks with the US and open new conflict zones, like the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The US has tried to separate the Lebanon fighting from nuclear and peace talks with Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposed a plan to calm tensions in Lebanon to Israeli and Lebanese leaders.
Tensions also rose this weekend in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US and Iran attacked military sites.
Oil prices rose sharply due to the conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for global oil supplies.
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An international court ruled that the United Kingdom does not have to pay Rwanda more than 100 million pounds in compensation after the UK canceled a migration deal. The court found that both countries agreed not to make further payments after diplomatic talks, and it rejected all financial claims made by Rwanda.
Key Facts
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague made the ruling on May 15, announced on Monday.
Rwanda wanted the UK to pay over 100 million pounds for a canceled migrant deportation deal.
The deal would have sent migrants arriving illegally in the UK to Rwanda for asylum processing.
The UK Supreme Court declared the deal unlawful before it began fully.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer canceled the deal in July 2024, calling it "dead and buried."
Only four people moved to Rwanda under the plan, all volunteers.
The UK had already paid about 290 million pounds to Rwanda before ending the deal.
The court found Rwanda agreed in diplomatic notes to give up claims for further payments in 2025 and 2026.
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Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, wants to remove President Tamás Sulyok, who was appointed by the previous prime minister Viktor Orbán’s party. Magyar plans to change the constitution to force Sulyok out after he refused to resign despite losing power in April’s election.
Key Facts
Péter Magyar became Hungary’s prime minister after winning a large majority in April 2024.
Tamás Sulyok was appointed president in February 2024 by Orbán’s party without an election.
Magyar accuses Sulyok of loyalty to Orbán’s government and wants him removed.
Sulyok refuses to resign and says he will finish his five-year term.
Magyar’s party holds enough votes to change the constitution, which they plan to use to remove Sulyok.
Sulyok can delay or block laws by sending them back to parliament or the constitutional court.
The president’s role in Hungary is mostly symbolic but includes confirming public appointments.
The EU may release €16.4 billion in funds to Hungary after reforms by Magyar’s new government.
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Rescue teams in Laos are searching for a new way into a flooded cave where two people have been trapped for almost two weeks after heavy rain flooded the main entrance. So far, five of seven people trapped have been rescued, but high water and narrow passages make the search difficult.
Key Facts
Two people remain trapped in a flooded cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, after heavy rains blocked the main entrance.
Rescue operations began last month; five of the seven trapped individuals have been rescued.
Rescuers are pumping water out and looking for a dry or alternative entrance, including air shafts from above.
Teams from Laos, Thailand, and divers from Finland, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, France, and Australia are working together.
Some rescuers previously helped with a 2018 cave rescue in Thailand involving trapped schoolboys.
Heavy rains recently caused water levels to rise again, forcing rescue teams to pause work overnight.
The trapped people went into the cave looking for minerals like gold before a flash flood trapped them.
Access to the area where the two missing people are believed to be is narrow and heavily flooded, making rescue efforts challenging.
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Actress Sharon Stone spoke on a podcast about her difficult relationship with her father. She shared personal experiences, including issues related to domestic violence.
Key Facts
Sharon Stone appeared on the podcast "The Person Who Believed in Me."
The host of the podcast is David Begnaud.
Stone talked openly about her complicated relationship with her father.
The discussion included sensitive topics, such as domestic violence.
The full interview is available through CBS News platforms.
The conversation aims to raise awareness of family struggles.
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Hundreds of people protested in central Kenya against plans to build an Ebola quarantine center near Nanyuki for people exposed to the virus, including US citizens. Kenya’s High Court has temporarily stopped the center from opening while a legal case is considered, and some local leaders are concerned about health risks.
Key Facts
The proposed Ebola quarantine center would be at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki, Kenya.
The facility is meant for anyone exposed to Ebola, not only US citizens, according to Kenya’s Health Minister.
The US plans to send Americans exposed to Ebola abroad to this center instead of bringing them back to the US.
The US is providing $13.5 million to help Kenya prepare for Ebola.
Kenya’s High Court suspended the center’s setup after legal challenges by the Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog.
Local leaders, including the governor of Laikipia, oppose the center, fearing it could expose local people to Ebola.
Kenya has had no Ebola cases, but nearby Uganda has reported nine and closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported at least 263 confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has no approved vaccine or treatment.
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England and Wales had their warmest spring since records began in 1884, with March to May 2026 being hotter than any other spring. The UK also saw more sunshine than usual, though some areas in southern and eastern England had much less rain, raising concerns about drought.
Key Facts
Spring 2026 was the warmest on record for England and Wales.
March, April, and May 2026 ranked within the UK's top 10 warmest springs since 1884.
Some parts of the UK had six days in a row with temperatures over 30°C (86°F).
The UK had its fourth sunniest spring overall since records began in 1910.
Southern and eastern England experienced much less rain, with some places getting only about a quarter of their normal spring rainfall.
No areas in England are officially in drought yet, but risk grows if dry, hot weather continues.
The UK’s climate has warmed by about 1.2°C (2.2°F) compared to before the Industrial Revolution.
Days with temperatures over 28°C have more than doubled, and days over 30°C have more than tripled in recent years.
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London Underground workers represented by the RMT union will strike on Tuesday and Thursday over a dispute about a proposed four-day workweek. Despite last-minute talks, no agreement was reached, and the strikes will cause major disruptions on several tube lines.
Key Facts
Half of London’s tube drivers, members of the RMT union, will strike on Tuesday and Thursday.
The strike is over disagreements about introducing a voluntary four-day working week.
Talks between the RMT and Transport for London (TfL) at ACAS failed to end the strike plans.
Some tube lines, including Circle and Piccadilly, will have no service during the strikes.
Other transport services like the Elizabeth line, London Overground, and buses will run as usual but may be busier.
Drivers in the Aslef union support the four-day week and will not strike, which reduces the strike’s impact.
TfL says the four-day week is voluntary and meant to improve work-life balance.
Businesses in London warn that strike threats have already caused canceled bookings and economic uncertainty.
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The social grocery store ‘Man wa Salwa’ in Lebanon helps hundreds of families by providing affordable food, medicine, and supplies. It supports people facing displacement and economic difficulties during the current Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Key Facts
‘Man wa Salwa’ is a community-run, not-for-profit social grocery store in Lebanon.
The store offers affordable essentials like food and medicine.
It helps hundreds of families affected by displacement.
The store operates amid rising costs in Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis.
The assistance is needed due to attacks by Israel on Lebanon.
The store supports those struggling to afford basic supplies during the conflict.
The initiative is part of community efforts to respond to social and economic challenges.
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A 15-year-old girl named Chanelle was reported missing on Thursday. Police believe she may be with a wanted man named Kyle Braine, who is being sought for return to prison.
Key Facts
Chanelle is 15 years old and was reported missing on Thursday.
Police think she might be in Bridgnorth, Oswestry, somewhere else in Shropshire, or possibly in Wales.
The wanted man is Kyle Braine, age 24, who must return to prison.
Police first asked about Kyle Braine’s location on May 21.
Kyle has connections to Baschurch, Shrewsbury, Telford, and Birmingham.
Chanelle was last seen wearing black leggings and a black Airmax puffer coat.
People who see Chanelle or Kyle should call 999 immediately.
For other information, people can call West Mercia Police at 101.
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Aberaldo de la Espriella is a conservative political newcomer in Colombia who strongly supports President Donald Trump. He gained 43.74% of the votes in the first round of Colombia’s presidential election, making him a leading candidate.
Key Facts
Aberaldo de la Espriella is running for president in Colombia.
He is a conservative and political outsider.
He identifies himself as an ally of President Donald Trump.
In the first round of voting, he received 43.74% of the votes.
This vote share places him ahead in the election race.
The election is currently moving to the next round.
De la Espriella’s campaign appeals to voters seeking change.
His win could influence Colombia’s relationship with the United States.
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Israeli forces captured Beaufort Castle, a medieval fortress in southern Lebanon, as part of a larger military operation against the group Hezbollah. This takeover happened despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been violated many times.
Key Facts
Israel seized Beaufort Castle, located in southern Lebanon.
The castle is a medieval fortress that overlooks southern Lebanon.
This action is part of a bigger attack against Hezbollah.
The event was announced on Sunday, June 1, 2026.
The capture marks an increase in conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
There is currently a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, but it has been broken repeatedly.
The area has seen multiple Israeli strikes and evacuations in recent months.
Hezbollah is an armed political group based in Lebanon.
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Iranian officials warn that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and Gaza could disrupt ongoing ceasefire talks with the United States. Iran demands an end to Israeli military actions in these areas and has paused communication with U.S. negotiators until its conditions are met.
Key Facts
Iran says Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and Gaza violate the ceasefire agreement with the U.S.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said breaking the ceasefire in one area breaks it everywhere.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called Israeli actions “war crimes” and blamed the U.S. for not following the ceasefire.
Israel has pushed deeper into Lebanon and ordered residents of southern Beirut suburbs to leave.
Iran’s news agency reported that talks with the U.S. are paused because of ongoing hostilities.
Iran demands Israel stop attacks and withdraw from occupied areas before talks continue.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned it may open new conflict zones and block the Strait of Hormuz if attacks continue.
President Trump said Iran wants a deal and told critics to trust his negotiation efforts.
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