The UK government has reversed its decision to cut winter fuel payments, restoring them for 9 million pensioners earning £35,000 or less. The move, announced on June 9, follows intense political pressure and will cost £1.25 billion, while means-testing will save £450 million. Chancellor Rachel Reeves defended last year’s cuts but stated that improved public finances now allow expanded eligibility. The payments, ranging from £200 to £300, will be automatically distributed this winter. Critics argue the reversal complicates tax policies and raises concerns about future funding. The government insists the change will not lead to permanent additional borrowing, with funding details to be outlined in the upcoming budget. (PC: ELLE)

At least eight people were killed in a shooting at a school in Graz, Austria, on Tuesday. Local media reported that the suspected gunman, believed to be a student, may have taken his own life; his body was found in the school’s washroom. The shooting began around 10 am, prompting a major police operation. Several students and teachers were seriously injured. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, while families gathered outside for updates. Authorities searched the building and sealed the area. The attack occurred just days before the 10th anniversary of a previous Graz shooting in 2015. (PC: AFP)

Israel deported Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg after intercepting a Gaza-bound aid boat on June 9. Thunberg and 11 other pro-Palestinian activists were detained when their yacht, the Madleen, attempted to breach Israel’s naval blockade to deliver symbolic humanitarian aid. The Israeli foreign ministry called the move a “media stunt,” while Thunberg agreed to deportation and flew to France. Five French activists refused deportation and now face judicial proceedings. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the voyage, condemned the detentions as unlawful and demanded the release of all volunteers and the seized aid intended for Gaza’s starving civilians. (PC: BBC)

Los Angeles erupted after aggressive ICE raids sparked protests. President Trump deployed about 4,000 National Guard and 700 Marines to protect federal buildings, a rare domestic military mobilization. Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom condemned the move as an unconstitutional “test case” and “authoritarian,” filing a lawsuit to block it. Clashes persisted as police used tear gas, rubber bullets; vehicles were torched; union leader David Huerta was arrested and released on bond; journalists, including Lauren Tomasi, were injured. Civil‑rights advocates call for mass mobilizations demanding troop withdrawal and accountability. Los Angles mayor said that the city had been peaceful before Ice raids that began last week, adding “this is chaos that was started in Washington DC” and that “nothing warranted the raids, nothing was happening”. (PC: Reuters & AP)

The Israeli military has uncovered a sophisticated Hamas command complex beneath the emergency wing of the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, confirming it via a tunnel tour for foreign media. DNA evidence identified the body of Hamas military chief Mohammad Sinwar, along with senior commander Mohammad Shabana and other militants. Israeli forces recovered weapons, ammunition, cash and documents, underscoring claims that Hamas embeds its operations within civilian infrastructure. Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin denounced this a “cynical use” of hospitals as shields. The discovery follows a strike in mid-May that killed Sinwar, confirmed in late May, and marks a significant blow to Hamas's leadership and underground network.

About 700 U.S. Marines have landed in Los Angeles to support National Guard forces amid protests erupting over aggressive federal immigration raids. President Trump has also authorised up to 2,000 additional Guard troops, invoking federal powers while California maintains no rebellion or invasion justifies such action. In response, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit on June 10, branding the deployment “an unlawful abuse of power” that threatens state sovereignty. The lawsuit claims Trump bypassed Governor Newsom and misused Title 10. Tensions rise as military presence in a domestic protest becomes a legal and constitutional flashpoint.

Chinese Ph.D. student Chengxuan Han, of Huazhong University, was arrested at Detroit Airport on June 8 after allegedly smuggling biological materials tied to roundworms to a University of Michigan lab. Prosecutors say Han sent four undeclared packages one concealed inside a book and lied to federal agents, only confessing after investigators discovered she wiped her electronic device before entry. The FBI cites this as part of a broader crackdown on illicit transfers of biological materials by China-affiliated researchers following a recent case involving two scientists smuggling a potentially agroterrorism fungus. Han is charged with smuggling goods and making false statements and is in federal custody awaiting a bond hearing. (PC: News 18 & India Today)

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without state consent. The move followed protests triggered by ICE raids across the city. Bonta labeled the deployment an "inflammatory escalation" and a violation of the 10th Amendment, which limits federal power over state governance. Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass argue local law enforcement was capable of managing the situation. Former President Trump defended the deployment, citing the need for order amid civil unrest. The legal battle highlights renewed federal-state tensions. (PC: BBC)

Fresh details in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case reveal that victim Raja Raghuvanshi’s gold chain, engagement ring, wedding ring, bracelet, and wallet were missing, according to an FIR filed by his brother. Raja and his wife Sonam, married on May 10, went missing on May 22 in Sohra. His body was found on June 2 in a gorge near Cherrapunji. Sonam surrendered in Ghazipur and was remanded to police custody. Investigators suspect a premeditated murder involving her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha. Sonam’s father denies the allegations and has called for a CBI probe, alleging Meghalaya Police is framing her. (PC: India Today)

New World Bank data highlights a sharp contrast between India and Pakistan in tackling poverty. Between 2012 and 2022, India reduced extreme poverty from 27.1% to 5.3%, lifting 269 million people out of hardship—more than Pakistan’s entire population. In contrast, Pakistan’s extreme poverty rose from 4.9% to 16.5% between 2017 and 2021. Experts blame Pakistan’s military-dominated governance and misallocation of global aid toward defense and terror infrastructure. Meanwhile, India’s rise as the world’s fourth-largest economy showcases a focus on growth and welfare. Diplomats warn that without structural reform, Pakistan’s economic crisis will worsen despite repeated international bailouts. (PC: NDTV)