Microsoft will disable Office 2019 for Mac next month

Source: The Verge

“Microsoft’s Office 2019 apps for Mac will stop working next month, because the company isn’t renewing a certificate that validates Office licenses. Owners of Office 2019 for Mac are being warned they’ll have to purchase Office 2024 or a Microsoft 365 subscription if they want to continue editing documents. Microsoft previously promised that ‘all your Office 2019 apps will continue to function,’ when it announced end of support in 2023. The company then quietly updated that support note last month to remove the mention of apps continuing to function, replacing it with ‘Rest assured that all your Office 2019 apps won’t lose any data.’ Starting on July 13th, Office 2019 for Mac and Office 2021 for Mac will both run in ‘reduced functionality mode,’ allowing people to open files but not edit, save, or create new documents.” [editor’s note: If you purchased Office 2019, you made a mistake in buying from an untrustworthy company. Instead of taking the bait again, switch to e.g. LibreOffice, which is free – TLK] (06/10/26)

https://www.theverge.com/news/947518/microsoft-office-2019-for-mac-end-of-support-no-edit

Myanmar: Rebels losing ground as military forces men into army

Source: BBC News [UK State Media]

“The four young men in the rebel camp hidden deep in jungle-covered mountains never wanted a part in Myanmar’s civil war. They didn’t choose to be soldiers for the military either. One had been a chef on his way home from work when he was grabbed off the street. His lack of ID was enough for the military to detain him and force him to sign up. Another was taken on his way back from a late-night karaoke session; a third had been working for the forestry department when he was arrested. The fourth man says on being arrested, drugs were slipped into his shoe, and he was framed and made to enlist. ‘Before we even understood what was happening, we were sent straight to the front lines,’ one of the men – all between the ages of 19 and 25 – tells the BBC. ‘They made us do all kinds of things we didn’t want to do,’ another adds.” (06/10/26)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20y6966xqzo

US inflation tops 4% for first time in three years as oil prices jump

Source: CNN

“Annual inflation rose to a three-year-high of 4.2% in May, underscoring how elevated energy prices are rippling through the US economy, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices rose 0.5% on a monthly basis, driven higher by the US-Israeli war with Iran, the latest Consumer Price Index shows. The higher cost of energy accounted for 60% of the monthly increase. Overall food prices and grocery prices didn’t rise as fast as they did in April, increasing 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively, versus 0.5% and 0.7%. Economists were expecting prices to rise 0.5% from the month before and for the annual rate to accelerate to 4.2% from the 3.8% reported in April, according to FactSet estimates.” (06/10/26)

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/10/economy/us-cpi-consumer-inflation-may

Mali: Two journalists arrested in latest crackdown on freedom of expression

Source: ABC News

“Malian authorities arrested two prominent journalists in the past two days, the latest crackdown on freedom of expression by the West African country’s military leadership during a security crisis. … In Mali, public statements suggesting that the military is losing ground to jihadist groups often leads to charges. … In January 2025, Malian authorities banned the sale of the Pan-African magazine Jeune Afrique. Several French media outlets, including France24, TV5 Monde, and Radio France International, are also banned from broadcasting in Mali. Several opposition leaders have been imprisoned for criticizing the military regime.” (06/10/26)

https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/malian-authorities-arrest-2-prominent-journalists-latest-crackdown-133741860

Belgium rejects US World Cup demand for Congo travel ban amid Ebola outbreak

Source: Politico

“Belgium on Wednesday rejected Washington’s demand to impose an entry ban on travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, setting up a transatlantic clash over measures to prevent Ebola from spreading during the World Cup. Speaking on Radio 1, Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said Belgium would continue following scientific advice rather than bowing to political pressure from Washington. … The remarks come after reports surfaced that U.S. Ambassador Bill White urged Belgium to adopt strict American-style travel restrictions on Congolese travelers ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off Thursday in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Daily flights connect Brussels to Kinshasa. According to U.S. media,Washington has warned European countries that if they do not adopt America’s tougher travel restrictions, they could be subject to U.S. entry bans.” (06/10/26)

https://archive.is/aNprv

In new lawsuit, Sean “Diddy” Combs accused of sexually assaulting child actor

Source: New York Post

“Imprisoned rap mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been accused of sexually assaulting a child actor in an explosive lawsuit filed in California that accuses him of acting ‘beyond the bound of decency.’ Combs, 56, is serving a 50-month prison sentence for prostitution-related offenses after a bombshell eight-week trial in New York City that laid bare his infamous ‘freak-offs’: twisted, multi-day parties rife with drugs, degrading sex acts and children’s swimming pools full of baby oil. In the new lawsuit, a child actor going by the pseudonym John Doe accuses the disgraced Bad Boy Entertainment founder of sexually assaulting him during a networking event in the Hollywood Hills in May 2007, according to ABC News. ‘Defendant Combs’[s] conduct … was outrageous, intended to terrorize and cause him emotional distress, and did in fact cause him emotional distress,’ the lawsuit viewed by the outlet reads in part.” (06/10/26)

https://nypost.com/2026/06/10/us-news/sean-diddy-combs-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-child-actor-in-new-lawsuit/

Pakistan renews air strikes on Afghanistan, killing dozens

Source: France 24 [French state media]

“Pakistan has renewed deadly air strikes on neighbouring Afghanistan, officials in both countries said Wednesday, in the worst violence in weeks following a period of relative calm. Pakistan’s government said on Wednesday that 26 ‘militants’ linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group were killed in the attacks. … Islamabad accuses the Taliban government of sheltering militants behind a surge in attacks, particularly the TTP, which has waged a violent campaign against Pakistan for years.” (06/10/26)

https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20260610-pakistan-renews-air-strikes-on-afghanistan-killing-several

Japan: Growing backlash over Trump’s use of anime characters

Source: BBC News [UK State Media]

“A backlash is growing in Japan over US President Donald Trump’s use of popular anime and manga characters in his posts on social media. Upset has been brewing since March, when fans started noticing the president using images of – and in some cases depicting himself as – iconic Japanese animation characters like Pikachu, Naruto and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Almost 20,000 people have now signed an online petition, arguing he does not share the values of the characters, and that using them for political reasons could infringe the creators’ rights. Pokémon Company International has condemned Trump’s use of its imagery. The BBC has contacted other rights holders and the White House for comment. The petition calling for Trump and the White House to respect Japanese manga was first launched in March, when a couple of posts caught the attention of some fans.” (06/10/26)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx7vynyl4eo

US FDA expands sunscreen options, adds bemotrizinol

Source: United Press International

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday added bemotrizinol to the list of permitted active ingredients in over-the-counter sunscreens, the first addition to that list since the 1990s. … The FDA said the ingredient has low levels of absorption through the skin and into the body and is generally recognized as safe and effective for adults and children 6 months old and older. The American Chemical Society said that BEMT blocks ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B light rays and was first used in sunscreens in the European Union in 2000, with Canada, Australia and some countries in Asia following suit soon after.” (06/09/26)

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/06/09/fda-adds-bemotrizinol-to-sunscreen-list/5271781042817/

Feds Charge 8 Pro-Palestinian Activists With Conspiring to Intimidate U of Michigan Officials

Source: US News & World Report

“Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment Wednesday against eight pro-Palestinian activists who are accused of conspiring to run a criminal intimidation campaign against University of Michigan officials while trying to force the school to cut financial ties to Israel. The indictment also describes vandalism against some companies that operate in Michigan and against the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. … The document highlights several incidents that made headlines in the past few years, including fake bloody corpses that were placed on an elected university board member’s lawn and the spray-painting of anti-Israel messages at the home of the school’s president at the time, Santa Ono.” (06/10/26)

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-06-10/feds-charge-8-pro-palestinian-activists-with-conspiring-to-intimidate-u-of-michigan-officials