France: Nintendo will pay a $40 million bribe over faulty Joy-Cons

Source: Engadget

“The Joy-Con stick drift saga never ends. France’s equivalent of the Federal Trade Commission, Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes or DGCCRF for short, hit Nintendo of Europe with a 35 million euro fine, or more than $40 million. The French authority said the fine was for misleading consumers about the stick drift issues found in the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons. … Nintendo has been doing free repairs for Joy-Cons for affected customers since 2019.” [editor’s note: So the “fine” is just a bribe to be allowed to continue doing business, not restitution/compensaation to the buyers of defective products – TLK] (06/08/26)

https://www.engadget.com/2189455/nintendo-will-pay-a-dollar40-million-fine-for-faulty-joy-cons/

Ship ferrying aid from Mexico and Belize docks in Cuba as crises deepen

Source: ABC News

“A ship laden with 1,700 tons of food and other aid collected in Mexico and Belize has docked in Cuba to help ease the island’s crises. Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel said that the aid was sent by government officials in both countries, as well as supporters and Cubans living abroad. ‘We appreciate the supportive embrace in such difficult times,’ Díaz-Canel wrote in a post on X on Sunday. A U.S. energy blockade that began in late January has halted oil shipments to Cuba, which is experiencing severe blackouts and food shortages.” (06/08/26)

https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/ship-ferrying-aid-mexico-belize-docks-cuba-crises-133683510

TX: Defense tries to buttress self-defense claim in trial over teen athlete’s killing

Source: SFGate

“Lawyers for a young man who fatally stabbed a competitor at a Texas high school track meet called more witnesses Monday to try to support a claim of self-defense as a trial entered a second week. Karmelo Anthony, now 19, is charged with murder in the death of Austin Metcalf, 17, at a school stadium in Frisco, a Dallas suburb, in April 2025. Prosecutors say the stabbing was an unprovoked attack related to a dispute over whether Anthony could be under the tent of Metcalf’s team during a rainy track meet. Defense attorneys insist Anthony felt threatened and believed he needed to defend himself when physical contact was made. Metcalf’s death drew wide attention, in part because of social media posts that amplified the case in racial terms. Anthony, who attended Frisco Centennial High School, is [b]lack, while Metcalf, who attended Frisco Memorial High School, was white. Prosecutors rested their case Saturday in Collin County court.” (06/08/26)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/defense-tries-to-buttress-self-defense-claim-in-22295877.php

First-ever bear sighting in Japanese city triggers suspensions at 94 schools

Source: New York Post

“The Japanese city of Utsunomiya has suspended all 94 of the primary and middle schools ​that it operates on Monday after its ‌first-ever bear sighting, a municipal official said. The city of half a million residents, about 100 km (60 miles) north of Tokyo, said ​the bear was first seen in a residential ​area near a park on Saturday evening. It ⁠remains at large after the last sighting early ​Monday morning about half a kilometer from a ​middle school. Bear attacks, including in urban areas, have been on the rise in Japan, prompting the government to set up a ​task force this year to reduce casualties.” (06/08/26)

https://nypost.com/2026/06/08/world-news/first-ever-bear-sighting-in-japanese-city-triggers-suspensions-at-94-schools/

Kenya: Police Attack Protesters With Chemical Weapons, Arrest Ex Chief Justice at National Park Protest

Source: US News & World Report

“Riot ⁠police fired tear gas to disperse ​scores of protesters rallying on Monday against ‌plans to build on ‌part of a national park in ⁠Kenya’s ⁠capital. Officers moved in and arrested at least nine ​people, including former Chief Justice David Maraga, outside the main entrance of Nairobi National Park, Reuters ​reporters said. The Kenya Wildlife Service has defended ⁠the project, ⁠saying it will ⁠expand ​an animal orphanage on the site, Africa’s only ​wildlife reserve ⁠within a capital city. Protesters — who waved placards marked with ‘Nature is not vacant land’ and other slogans — say the plans, including ⁠a parking area for more than 1,000 vehicles, will ⁠encroach on one of Kenya’s most famous protected areas.” (06/08/26)

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-06-08/kenya-police-fire-tear-gas-arrest-ex-chief-justice-at-national-park-protest

At least 32 dead after major earthquake strikes southern Philippines

Source: BBC News [UK state media]

“At least 32 people have died after a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao island in the southern Philippines, officials say. The quake hit at 07:37 local time on Monday (Sunday 23:37 GMT), triggering tsunami alerts in the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and Australia. Some of those were cancelled hours later. Videos and images showed buildings collapsing, including a clip of a Jollibee fast food restaurant reduced to rubble, and landslides have been recorded in some areas. More than 100 people have been injured across several provinces, almost two dozen are missing, and 10,000 residents have been pre-emptively evacuated, authorities have said.” (06/08/26)

https://archive.is/VkUuE

Armenia: Ruling party wins landslide election victory

Source: France 24 [French state media]

“Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s ruling party has won parliamentary elections, preliminary results showed on Monday, a victory seen as endorsement of the nation’s pro-Western shift after threats from Moscow and claims of Russian interference. Pashinyan’s push to forge closer ties with the West and move Armenia out of the orbit of its former imperial ruler has angered the Kremlin and drawn rebukes from President Vladimir Putin. The election comes after years of turmoil since Pashinyan was swept to power in a 2018 street revolution.” (06/07/26)

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260607-armenia-pm-heads-for-win-to-cement-westward-shift

Ancient palace discovery challenges the myth behind Sparta’s rise to power

Source: Fox News

“New historical research suggests that one of the most legendary cities in history did not start out as a conquering warrior state — poking a hole in its founding myth. The study, which centered around Sparta, was recently published by historian Hans Beck in The Annual of the British School at Athens, Cover Media reported. Sparta emerged in the 9th century B.C. and dominated much of the Peloponnese between roughly 700 and 371 B.C. … Though Sparta is often remembered as a warrior society forged through conquest, the historical picture appears to be far more complex. Using archaeological discoveries at a site called Aghios Vasileios, Beck argues that Sparta emerged from an older Lakedaimonian cultural landscape, rather than being created from scratch by conquering warriors.” (06/08/26)

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/ancient-palace-discovery-challenges-myth-behind-spartas-rise-power

Secret Service announces plans to harass NBA fans

Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]

“Road closures, no watch parties, bag bans and a gauntlet of security measures will greet fans when they arrive at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, as United States President Donald Trump descends on the heart of Manhattan to ⁠watch the New York Knicks play the San Antonio Spurs at home. The Knicks have defied the odds to build a 2-0 head start in the best-of-seven series before their first home game of the finals on Monday. … ‘Attendees should anticipate hard street closures in the immediate area surrounding Madison Square Garden,’ Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said. ‘A strict no-bag policy will be enforced, and we want to communicate that early and broadly so fans can plan accordingly. Attendees should also expect Secret Service-level security screening, similar to airport screening procedures.'” (06/08/26)

https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/8/secret-service-level-security-for-nba-finals-with-trump-attending-game-3

UK: Unofficial sperm donor sells BBC “baby batter” delivered with tomato passata

Source: BBC News [UK State Media]

“Women desperate to become parents are being harassed for sex and offered cheap, illegal sperm samples online. Some of those unable to access fertility treatment are seeking out options on social media sites, which is driving a growing unregulated market – with some even turning to ‘Tinder for sperm’ websites. A BBC Wales investigation paid £100 for a next-day delivery sample from a man who advertised his ‘baby batter’ online and sent it in a box with a frozen carton of tomato passata. The UK’s regulator for fertility warned women were at risk of ‘exploitation by predatory donors’. Wales Investigates used an alias to order sperm from Joe Donor, here’s what was delivered. … One online advert [says] [I] can ‘rely’ on a man called Joe Donor for a delivery in the post. He’s a prolific donor who claims to have 180 children around the world conceived through sex and artificial insemination.” (06/08/26)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1j2349j8zjo