Protesters clashed with US federal agents during an immigration raid on a sprawling cannabis farm in California on Thursday.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrived at Glass House Farms south of Camarillo in Ventura County in a convoy of military vehicles.
Protesters, some carrying Mexican flags, tried to block the road, prompting agents to fire tear gas.
Britain and France have unveiled a new agreement to coordinate their nuclear arsenals more closely, citing what they see as heightened “threats” to security in Europe. Moscow has called the move part of NATO’s overtly anti-Russian policy, warning it would factor the agreement into its military planning.
In a joint statement on Thursday, the two governments said that British and French nuclear weapons are aimed at protecting the two nations’ vital interests, adding that “our nuclear forces are independent, but can be coordinated and contribute significantly to the overall security of the alliance.”
Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the so-called Northward declaration, warning NATO adversaries that they “will know that any extreme threat to this continent would prompt a response from our two nations.”
US President Donald Trump has said he is planning to make a “major statement” regarding Russia and the settlement of the Ukraine conflict in the coming days.
The announcement comes after Trump criticized his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin earlier this week, accusing him of not wanting to stop the fighting with Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow treats Trump’s comments “calmly” and remains committed to finding a diplomatic solution with Kiev and rebuilding ties with Washington.
In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump again stressed that he is “disappointed in Russia, but we will see what happens over the next couple of weeks.”
The EU is placing Ukraine’s military needs above the priorities of the bloc’s member states, Hungarian government adviser Balazs Orban has said. He accused EU leaders of always finding money for “war” but not other causes.
Leaders of EU nations are considering the creation of a new €100 billion ($117 billion) fund under the bloc’s upcoming seven-year budget to cover expenses for the Ukrainian government, Bloomberg reported this week, citing people familiar with the discussions. Budapest, however, has been a vocal critic of the bloc’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict since its onset.
“Europe has run out of money – except when it comes to war. There is always 100 billion euros for that,” Orban wrote on Wednesday on social media. He warned that such an allocation of funds would likely lead to further proposals to spend EU taxpayers’ money on Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged US President Donald Trump to join the EU in its drive to supply weapons to Ukraine, including more missile defense systems.
Trump has been critical of providing aid without reciprocal benefits, and his administration has not approved any new Ukraine assistance since he took office. Earlier this month, the Pentagon suspended shipments of certain air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine. However, deliveries were resumed earlier this week.
Speaking at a conference in Rome on Thursday, Merz urged the US president to transfer additional Patriot systems – something Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has repeatedly requested.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has lamented that he is overwhelmed by international crises, calling himself “the unluckiest minister in history.”
Tajani made the comments on Tuesday after arriving late to a conference in the Italian parliament devoted to democracy and parliamentarism in the Mediterranean region.
Apologizing to participants, he said it had been a difficult day. “The foreign minister is the unluckiest in history – there’s always something happening: two wars plus the trade one,” Tajani said, in an apparent reference to the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East escalation, and trade tensions with the US.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has rejected veteran right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen’s request to suspend a five-year ban on her standing in elections, including the 2027 presidential race, which stems from an embezzlement conviction.
“In any event, the existence of an imminent risk of irreparable harm to a right protected by the Convention or its protocols has not been established,” the court wrote in its press release on Wednesday.
In March 2025, a French judge found the former leader of the biggest opposition party, National Rally (RN), guilty of misusing public funds intended for assistants to the RN members of the European Parliament; they were instead used to pay staff in France. Le Pen has denied any wrongdoing and appealed the verdict, which she calls politically motivated.
US President Donald Trump is ready to sign a bill aimed at eliminating Russia’s trade under certain conditions, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing a senior administration official.
If adopted, the “bone-crushing” legislation spearheaded by hawkish Senator Lindsey Graham would impose a 500% tariff on countries buying oil, gas, uranium, and other goods from Russia. Although the bill grants the president the power to exempt nations from the tariff for up to 180 days, Trump reportedly wants Congress to give him sole authority to decide on the sanctions.
“The administration is not going to be micromanaged by the Congress on the president’s foreign policy. The bill needs a waiver authority that is complete,” an official told Politico. The source added that otherwise, “conceptually there’s an openness” to signing the legislation.
The US has announced sanctions against the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, who has condemned Israel’s war in Gaza.
In a post on X on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measure is a response to Albanese’s “illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt the International Criminal Court action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.”
“Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated. We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense,” Rubio added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN forum in Malaysia on Thursday, the US State Department has announced.
Lavrov and Rubio have talked several times by phone since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, but have met in person just once – in Saudi Arabia in February – as part of contacts aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.
The public schedule on the State Department’s website listed a meeting between Rubio and Lavrov scheduled for Kuala Lumpur, where both are attending the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum.
Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveFrench police raid on National Rally HQ prompts outrage from party leaders1 day agoShareSavePaul KirbyEurope digital editorShareSaveGetty ImagesJordan Bardella, 29, was not in Paris at the time of the raids and there was no immediate comment from Marine Le PenFrance's far-right National Rally party has accused authorities of a "new harassment campaign", after police raided its headquarters in an inquiry into its campaign finances.
Party president Jordan Bardella said the "spectacular and unprecedented operation" was a "serious attack on pluralism and democratic change".
Prosecutors said they were investigating potential acts of "fraud committed against a public figure" and alleged violations involving loans and donations during election campaigns in 2022 and 2024.
Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveGreece suspends asylum applications for migrants from North Africa1 day agoShareSaveLaura GozziBBC NewsShareSaveGetty ImagesCrete has seen an increase of 350% in migrant arrivals since the start of the yearGreece has suspended the processing of asylum applications from North Africa for three months after a surge in migrant numbers.
Arrivals by boat from the region will be arrested and detained, conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
He added that Greece was "sending a message of determination... to all traffickers and all their potential customers that the money they spend may be completely wasted, because it will be difficult to reach Greece by sea."
Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveSlovak rap festival featuring Kanye West called off6 hours agoShareSaveRob CameronBBC NewsIan YoungsCulture reporterShareSaveGetty ImagesKanye West has made himself an outcast in the mainstream music industryA rap festival offering what organisers claimed would be the only performance in Europe this year by controversial American rapper Kanye West has been called off.
Organisers of the Rubicon festival in Slovakia announced that the event – planned for next weekend – had been cancelled "due to external pressure and logistical challenges".
Protest groups had organised a petition against West's appearance because of antisemitic and pro-Nazi statements he has made in recent years.
Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveOriginal Birkin bag shatters record with £7m sale54 minutes agoShareSaveIan YoungsCulture reporterShareSaveGetty ImagesJane Birkin owned the original bag and lent her name to all that followedThe original Birkin bag, which set the template for arguably the most coveted accessory in fashion history, has been bought for €8.6m (£7.4m; $10.1m), becoming the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction.
The black leather bag was made for singer Jane Birkin in 1985 after she spilled her belongings while sitting next to the boss of luxury fashion house Hermès on a flight.
She asked why they didn't make bigger bags, so he sketched out the design for a new, more practical but still highly desirable item on the aeroplane's sick bag.
Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveArmed police in Romania carry out raids linked to UK tax scam6 hours agoShareSaveAnna LamcheBBC NewsShareSaveRomanian Police/HMRCRomanian police have targeted a gang suspected of being behind a complex scam in which stolen data was used to fraudulently claim millions in tax repayments from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), police have said.
Thirteen people were detained during armed raids around Bucharest, and luxury cars and piles of cash were seized. A fourteenth man was arrested in Preston.
According to HMRC, scammers gained access to the personal data of British taxpayers through a sophisticated phishing operation, which was used to make bogus claims for tax refunds.
US President Donald Trump has announced the imposition of a 50% tariff on copper imports starting August 1, aiming to revive domestic production.
The move is the latest in a series of targeted tariffs levied on key sectors, including steel and aluminum. It forms part of Trump’s broader global tariff campaign, which seeks to curb trade deficits, enhance national security, and promote American manufacturing through reciprocal trade measures.
”Copper is necessary for semiconductors, aircraft, ships, ammunition, data centers, lithium-ion batteries, radar systems, missile defense systems, and even hypersonic weapons, of which we are building many. Copper is the second most used material by the Department of Defense!” the president wrote on social media on Wednesday.
By Matthieu Buge, who has worked on Russia for the magazine l’Histoire, the Russian film magazine Séance, and as a columnist for Le Courrier de Russie. He is the author of the book Le Cauchemar russe (‘The Russian Nightmare’)
This may seem trivial but in June 2025 a ridiculous bill has been conceived by the right/center-right Les Republicains party. A bill that sums up just about everything that’s wrong with France’s system, not just its political system, but even its core cerebral system: prohibiting and punishing content and speech of an “anti-republican” nature.
Many critics of French political circles have – rightly – pointed out this incredible ability of politicians to use the argument of the “values of the Republic” whenever it suits them without ever explaining what these values are. However, the MPs who came up with this bill made a (minimal) effort in attempting to outline what it entails. Thus, it reads: “The French Republic is based on fundamental principles: liberty, equality, fraternity, secularism, sovereignty of the people, and the indivisibility of the nation. These values, guaranteed by the Constitution and consolidated by law, constitute the foundation of ‘vivre-ensemble’ [something purely French that can be understood as ‘social harmony’].” What would happen to someone who violates these principles? Oh, nothing, just being sentenced to three years of imprisonment and a fine of €45,000 ($52,000).
A power struggle is underway at the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), The Wall Street Journal has claimed. Allies of Elon Musk are reportedly trying to retain influence as the White House moves to scale back the agency’s power.
Current and former officials told the outlet that DOGE staffers are being questioned in closed-door meetings about whether they support President Donald Trump or Musk, the tech billionaire who led the department until last month.
Musk quit as the head of DOGE amid disagreements with Trump over a sweeping tax and spending package called the Big Beautiful Bill, which included a $5 trillion debt ceiling hike. He criticized the legislation as undercutting DOGE’s mission to reduce federal spending.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has denounced the United Nations as “transparently anti-Semitic” over a report accusing tech firms, including Alphabet, of profiting from Israel’s war in Gaza, The Washington Post has reported.
Brin made the remarks at an internal Google DeepMind forum last week, according to screenshots reviewed by the newspaper, which reported the exchange on Wednesday. His response came after a recent publication by Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, which claimed that Google and its parent company Alphabet had provided cloud and AI tools to the IDF during its operation in Gaza – actions the report described as “the genocide carried out by Israel.”
“With all due respect, throwing around the term genocide in relation to Gaza is deeply offensive to many Jewish people who have suffered actual genocides,” Brin, who is Jewish himself, wrote. “I would also be careful citing transparently anti-Semitic organizations like the UN in relation to these issues.”
Brussels is struggling to formulate a cohesive strategy on supporting Ukraine, due to US President Donald Trump’s frequent and unpredictable policy U-turns, Politico has reported.
Allies were “blindsided” when the Pentagon announced a freeze in military aid to Kiev last week, citing concern over shrinking US arsenals, Politico wrote on Wednesday, citing anonymous officials. The president has since “made an abrupt U-turn,” pledging continued weapons supplies to Ukraine and toughening his rhetoric on Russia, the outlet wrote.
The European NATO states have reportedly been left preparing for several possible scenarios and experiencing “whiplash” from Trump’s shifting policies.
