Top World News

Jun 17, 2026 - World

US entered war with maximalist goals and exits it with pragmatic decision to end conflict despite political costMiddle East crisis – live updatesAs the adage goes: no plan of battle survives first contact with the enemy.Donald Trump entered the war with Iran with maximalist goals: eliminating the country’s nuclear programme, destroying its ballistic missile programme and ending its support for regional military groups including Hezbollah and Hamas. Continue reading...

Jun 17, 2026 - World

FBI Director Kash Patel's country singer girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, has a new "government gig" planned in Belgium this summer, according to reports on Wednesday.Wilkins will perform the national anthem in Brussels for a "Freedom 250" party featuring a military flyover, thousands of VIP guests, troops and fireworks, reported The Swamp, one of The Daily Beast's Substacks. "The event will be held at Cinquantenaire Park, a sprawling 30-hectare urban park known for its Triumphal Arch, sweeping gardens, and grand museums," according to The Swamp. Not everyone was thrilled about the party. "The Swamp has learned that some locals are already annoyed that a large part of their city is set to be sealed off ahead of the MAGA-fest."Bill White, the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium and Wilkins's friend, has planned the event.Patel and Wilkins started dating in 2023. It's unclear if Patel, who has been criticized for using his FBI jet to attend the Olympics in Italy and taking secret snorkeling trips in Hawaii, will be there."Which raises two obvious questions: Is Wilkins getting paid— and will Keystone Kash be making the trip?" The Swamp wrote.

Jun 17, 2026 - World

New York judge imposes life without parole after emotional statements at Rex Heuermann’s sentencingSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe families of eight women killed by Rex Heuermann spoke at the Gilgo Beach killer’s sentencing in Riverhead, New York, on Wednesday, more than three decades after the 62-year-old Manhattan architect began his killing spree.Heuermann pleaded guilty to murdering seven women and admitted to the killing of an eighth victim in April. Just before being sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday for his admitted crimes, Heuermann offered a weak, generalized apology for his actions. Continue reading...

Jun 17, 2026 - World

The internet was shocked on Wednesday after President Donald Trump appeared to reverse his stance on Iran having nuclear weapons — a key point he argued for launching the war.The president was boarding Air Force One and heading to Paris when he spoke about Iran's nuclear program. Trump had spent the last several days at the G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, with world leaders and discussed the agreement."I'm saying that if other countries have them, it's a little unfair for them not to have some," Trump said.Media and political experts were stunned by the comment and reacted to the remark."Remember, one of their stated aims for the war was to destroy Iran’s ballistic missiles," Mehdi Hasan, founder and CEO of news outlet Zeteo, wrote on X."That's what Iran has been saying for years," journalist Ray Locker wrote on X."Not the first time he’s said this still," Laurence Norman, reporter for The Wall Street Journal, wrote on X. "Quite a day," Adil Haque, Rutgers Law professor and executive editor of Just Security, wrote on X."And if Israel has nukes?....." Political analyst and writer Yousef Munayyer wrote on X."Quite natural for Trump. He loves seere [SIC] dictatorships & the more autocratic the better in Trump's eyes," economist and author Anders Åslund wrote on X."Just complete surrender on every front," Clara Jeffery, editor-in-chief of Mother Jones, Center for Investigative Reporting and Reveal, wrote on Bluesky."Again, need to say it - if Biden, Obama or any other Democratic President publicly endorsed Iran having ballistic missiles after launching an ill advised war to essentially eliminate Iran's missile launching capabilities - Congress (even a Dem led one) would launch impeachment proceedings next day," Murshed Zaheed, founder and CEO of Pacifica Strategies, wrote on Bluesky.Just complete surrender on every front.[image or embed]— Clara Jeffery (@clarajeffery.bsky.social) June 17, 2026 at 12:40 PM

Jun 17, 2026 - World

Exclusive: Allies of Labour’s Makerfield candidate concerned rapid collapse of Starmer government would increase instabilityHow quickly could Andy Burnham become the UK’s prime minister?Andy Burnham’s campaign has been forced to talk ministers out of resigning as early as this weekend to avoid Keir Starmer’s government descending into chaos amid fallout from the Makerfield byelection, the Guardian can reveal.As they prepare for a potential change of leader in the event he beats Reform on Thursday, Burnham’s team is increasingly concerned a rapid collapse of Starmer’s administration would mean further instability for the country. Continue reading...