“Romania’s latest prime minister-designate failed to secure the backing of his own party on Tuesday, impeding the path to forming a new government. Adrian Veștea — a former mayor, county council president and development minister from the center-right National Liberal Party (PLN) — was announced on Sunday as Romanian President Nicușor Dan’s second prime minister-designate in two weeks, after previous candidate Eugen Tomac failed to win enough support to form a technocratic government. But on Monday evening, PNL chair and former Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan — who was forced from office when the government collapsed in May — announced that his party would not support Veștea as he seeks to form a governing coalition in Romania’s parliament. … Veștea is expected to rely on dissident PNL lawmakers to reach the parliamentary majority needed to form a government. But Bolojan has also threatened to expel PNL lawmakers who vote for Veștea.” (06/16/26)
“A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook part of central Indonesia ’s Sulawesi island Tuesday, injuring dozens of people, damaging homes and infrastructure and rattling residents of a city devastated by a quake and tsunami eight years ago, officials said. The initial quake was centered inland about 43 kilometers (27 miles) east-southeast of Palu, and the U.S. Geological Survey said it was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep. The strong shaking sent people fleeing into open areas in and around Palu, a city of about 400,000 people and the capital of Central Sulawesi province. Several hospitals evacuated patients, some with IV drips, outdoors as a safety measure. Four regencies close to the epicenter — with a combined population of 1.3 million — have yet to be fully assessed, but a preliminary report said at least 109 people have been displaced by the powerful earthquake.\” (06/16/26)
“China’s retail sales fell for the first time in more than three years in May while urban investment contracted more than expected, piling pressure on Beijing to roll out meaningful stimulus to spur consumption, even as de-escalation in Middle East tensions offers some near-term relief. Retail sales, a gauge of consumption, declined in May for the first time since December 2022, dropping 0.6% from a year earlier, according to the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. The Labor Day holiday at the start of May failed to offset sluggish consumer spending, with Beijing scaling back trade-in subsidies earlier this year. The sales contraction was a surprise as economists polled by Reuters had estimated flat growth.” (06/15/26)
“The number of foreign travellers visiting Cuba has plummeted since the beginning of the year amid tightened US sanctions, figures released by Cuba’s national statistics agency suggest. Fewer than 360,000 people visited the Communist-run island in the first five months of 2026, a decrease of 58.4% compared to the same period last year, according to Onei. The Trump administration has targeted the tourism sector, a key source of income for Cuba’s beleaguered government, as part of its pressure campaign against the island’s leadership. As a result, a number of foreign airlines and hotel operators have stopped operating in Cuba, further driving down visitor numbers. Earlier this month, Air Canada announced it was suspending its flights to Cuba indefinitely, citing the ‘ongoing political and economic uncertainty’ as its reason. The carrier had already stopped flying to the island in February because of a shortage of aviation fuel on the Caribbean island.” (06/16/26)
“India blocked access to Telegram messenger on Tuesday ahead of a retest of a nationwide medical college entrance examination, after a scandal last month over a question paper leak. The failure of the hugely competitive exam, along with a separate marking fiasco in high school tests, sparked outrage and fuelled youth protests demanding the education minister’s resignation. The Ministry of Electronics issued the order restricting access to Telegram until June 22, the day of the retest. Message-editing features, which allow users to alter existing posts, will remain restricted until June 30.” (06/16/26)
“Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday that Ohio should abolish the death penalty, saying it is no longer a deterrent to violent crime, confirming his change of heart on the policy he helped write as a state legislator 45 years ago. ‘I do not believe that argument today can be successfully made, nor do I believe that there’s any chance in the future the facts that I’ve cited to support that belief will change,’ the 79-year-old governor said during a news conference. ‘Therefore, I believe Ohio should abolish the death penalty.’ DeWine has repeatedly postponed scheduled executions in the state over his seven years as governor. During a news conference, he said data indicates the death penalty is not working as intended to deter crime, even as it brings years of pain to victims’ loved ones and takes a toll on the mental health of state employees who serve on execution teams.” (06/16/26)
“A Flagler County mother shot a man who deputies said forced his way into her home and threatened her and her two children. … Deputies said the homeowner called 911 around 1:50 p.m. and reported that she had shot a man who entered her home. When deputies arrived, they found blood at the scene, but the man and his vehicle were gone, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives later identified the man as Michael McDonald, 33, of Palm Coast. According to deputies, McDonald knew the homeowner but showed up at the house uninvited and unexpected. The sheriff’s office said McDonald lifted open the garage door, left the garage, banged on a back window and then entered the home through the front door. … The woman repeatedly ordered McDonald to leave and warned him she would shoot, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said McDonald kept advancing toward her. That’s when the woman fired one shot, hitting McDonald in the arm, investigators said.” (06/15/26)
“The United States and Iran have signed a framework agreement ending their monthslong war, but neither side had published the deal’s full text, and on Monday American and Iranian officials continued to make conflicting statements about its terms. The agreement’s immediate scope was focused primarily on ending military attacks and allowing traffic to resume through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s vital shipping lanes. American and Iranian officials acknowledged that they had put off discussions of their most serious disagreements until a later round of talks. The agreement did not appear to fulfill the objectives President Trump promised at the start of the conflict in February: destroying Iran’s military capabilities, abolishing its nuclear ambitions and toppling its theocratic leadership.” (06/15/26)
“Eight people have been killed after a United States Air Force bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an American base, officials have said. The B-52 Stratofortress came down shortly after taking off from the Edwards Air Force Base in California just after 11.20am local time on Monday (7.20pm UK time). The base said in a statement that the bomber had been carrying eight people during a ‘routine test mission’ when it crashed. … The B-52 Stratofortress, which entered service in 1955, is a long-range bomber designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.” (06/16/26)
“Bitcoin briefly traded above $67,000 late Monday before slipping back under $66,000 in a move that is indicative of how cautiously crypto is treating the Iran peace deal that has rallied other markets. The token changed hands at $65,845 on Tuesday, up 0.3% over 24 hours and 4.8% on the week, per CoinDesk data. It touched a 24-hour high of $67,217 before fading. Ether held up better, rising 2.8% on the day to $1,764 and 5.8% on the week. Solana gained 3.2% to $73, XRP added 3.2% to $1.22 and Hyperliquid’s HYPE led the majors again, up 6.3% to $69.” (06/16/26)
