“A Sudanese asylum seeker accused of blinding a Belfast man in one eye during a stabbing attack appeared in court Wednesday as anti-immigrant unrest spread across Northern Ireland. Hadi Alodid, 30, was ordered to be held in jail after appearing by video in Belfast Magistrates’ Court, where prosecutors accused him of blinding Stephen Ogilvie in his left eye during Monday’s attack. Alodid was charged with attempted murder, threatening to kill a radiographer and possessing a knife. He declined legal representation through an Arabic interpreter and did not enter a plea. The attack, which occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. Monday in north Belfast and was captured in graphic video footage that quickly spread online, sparked outrage and fueled demonstrations that turned violent overnight. Police said Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, suffered serious injuries to his face, neck, back and eyes, and officers recovered what they believe was a kitchen knife from the scene.” (06/10/26)
“A federal judge on Tuesday permanently blocked Alabama from executing an inmate with nitrogen gas after declaring it violates the ban on cruel and unusual punishment. U.S. District Judge Emily Marks issued the ruling hours after an appeals court reversed her initial finding that the method was constitutional. Marks permanently enjoined the state from executing Jeffrey Lee, 49, by nitrogen gas. He was scheduled to be executed Thursday. The decision, for now, blocks the use of the controversial new execution method that the state has championed since 2024, but the issue will likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.” (06/09/26)
“Police in South Africa have launched a manhunt after 12 people were killed in a mass shooting at an informal settlement in Johannesburg. At least 10 suspects, heavily armed with rifles, entered the Jumpers Informal Settlement in the suburb of Cleveland late on Tuesday night and opened fire before fleeing in a white vehicle, police said. The motive for what police called a ‘heartless’ and ‘barbaric’ attack, in which another nine people were injured, is still being investigated. Members of the Jumper’s community believe the shooting may be linked to a turf war between groups of illegal miners living in the area. Illegal mining has been on the increase in South Africa, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world.” (06/10/26)
“The race for California governor this fall will be a battle between a Democrat promising to cement the state’s status as a stronghold of liberal policies and a Republican pledging to dramatically reverse course in the nation’s most populous state. Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator backed by President Donald Trump, has won enough votes to advance to the general election, The Associated Press determined Tuesday. He’ll face Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and health secretary under President Joe Biden.” (06/09/26)
“The United States launched new attacks against Iran after President Donald Trump said Tehran shot down an American military helicopter patrolling the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official said the Apache was hit by an Iranian drone. Tehran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard said it hit back with strikes on U.S. targets across the Middle East, including bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. Iran’s top diplomat said foreign forces near its territory ‘are at constant risk’ but did not mention any role in downing the helicopter.” (06/10/26)
“Results are rolling in for closely watched primary contests in Maine and South Carolina on Tuesday, June 9. In the day’s most high-profile race, Maine Democrat Graham Platner − for whom embarrassing revelations about his personal life are threaten to upend his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins − has won the Democratic Senate primary. Platner bested Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her Senate campaign on April 30, and will face Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins who ran for the Republican nomination unopposed. … South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace’s bid for governor failed after she lost President Donald Trump’s favor by joining House Democrats to compel the release of Justice Department files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The president endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Evette will head to a runoff with Alan Wilson, and Mace conceded the race.” (06/09/26)
“A car bomb in the Moscow region killed a general in charge of heavy ammunition supplies for the Russian army, reports said. The car exploded in Balashikha, killing its driver. He was named in reports as Damir Davydov, head of the Russian defence ministry’s missile and artillery wing. A second car bomb was discovered and blown up by authorities in south-west Moscow, reports said. Throughout the war several audacious assassinations have taken place of senior figures involved in Moscow’s war effort, with Ukrainian security services either claiming responsibility or being blamed by Russian authorities.” (06/10/26)
“The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire is taking first steps to appeal its disaffiliation by the Libertarian National Committee, authorizing its state chair to petition the national party’s Judicial Committee on its behalf. In a resolution adopted June 4 and later shared to the LNC’s public Business List, the New Hampshire party’s Executive Committee repudiated a prior endorsement of Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, reaffirmed its compliance with the Libertarian Party’s bylaws and Statement of Principles, and authorized Chair Jeremy Kauffman to formally petition the Judicial Committee on behalf of the disaffiliated state party. … Under Libertarian Party bylaws, the Judicial Committee will have 20 to 40 days after receiving the appeal from Kauffman to hold a hearing.” (06/08/26)
“Protesters in Bolivia demanding the resignation of conservative President Rodrigo Paz hurled firecrackers, stones and sticks at police who responded with tear gas on Monday, leading to dozens of arrests as road blockades continue to paralyze the Andean nation. The renewed clashes in the central city of Cochabamba erupted after President Paz signed a measure that could pave the way for a hard-line government crackdown on the demonstrations that have roiled Bolivia over the past five weeks, disrupting transportation and causing shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies. Bolivia’s national workers’ union, peasant farmers and Indigenous groups from the highlands — outraged over Paz’s scrapping of fuel subsidies and frustrated with his failure in the last seven months to resolve Bolivia’s persistent economic problems — have set up 90 blockades on key routes nationwide, effectively isolating major cities, especially La Paz, the seat of government and neighboring El Alto.” (06/09/26)
“A lawyer who represented Ken Paxton, Texas’s attorney general, for nearly a decade over accusations of corruption and securities fraud is supporting Democrat James Talarico – and not his former client – in one of the biggest US Senate races. Talarico on Monday drew attention to his campaign winning the endorsement of Houston attorney Dan Cogdell, who was part of Paxton’s defense team during the Republican’s historic impeachment trial in 2023 that ended in acquittal. The legal troubles that shadowed Paxton in public office in Texas are a central attack line of Talarico’s campaign, though in his endorsement, Cogdell didn’t cite concerns about his client’s past. Cogdell said he didn’t dislike Paxton as a person and felt that Texas lawmakers were right to eventually acquit the attorney general. But as a politician, Cogdell said, Paxton is too focused on appeasing Donald Trump.” (06/09/26)
