This week in the news | 2 Jun 24

You can find the latest weekly news summary from Curated Compositions here.

Some highlights include:

World

The United Nations has logged an increasing number of crew members abandoned by shipowners, leaving sailors aboard months and sometimes years without pay.

North America

A Manhattan jury has found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts in a historic verdict linked to a New York hush-money case. According to new research highlighted by The Wall Street Journal, regions with higher numbers of Republican voters experienced significantly greater inflation in 2022 compared to Democratic areas. In a closely contested Republican primary runoff for Texas’s 23rd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales emerged victorious over Brandon Herrera by a few hundred votes.

Latin America

Nearly 100 million voters are expected to participate in Mexico's 2024 elections, which will be the largest in the country's history. Meanwhile, Argentina's economic activity index reportedly shrank by 6.9% year-on-year in March, marking its deepest fall since 2020.

Europe

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a snap election for July 4, as his party lags behind Labour in the polls. Congress has appropriated over $175 billion in assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022. Accusations have surfaced that Russia is using a banned toxic gas against Ukrainian troops, which has been condemned internationally. The Biden administration has authorized Ukraine to use certain U.S. weapons to strike inside of Russia near Kharkiv for defensive purposes. In a move to bolster Moldova's resilience against Russian influence, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged significant support during his visit to Chisinau.

Middle East

The White House has clarified that Israel's military operations in Rafah have not crossed U.S. red lines, despite escalating tensions. A pier constructed by the US to aid Gaza has suffered damages, complicating efforts to deliver humanitarian aid. Saudi Arabia is planning to raise between $10 billion to $20 billion through a new stock sale of Aramco, as part of its economic diversification efforts.

Africa

China is intensifying its investment in African minerals essential for the global energy transition, showing a marked increase in economic activity in the region. Meanwhile, Iran continues to expand its uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels, raising concerns amidst heightened regional tensions.

Central Asia

Russia has signed an agreement to build Central Asia's first nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, marking a significant step in strengthening its influence in the region.

East Asia - Pacific

The United States has clarified that UN Resolution 2758 does not affirm China's sovereignty over Taiwan, amidst Taiwan's exclusion from the World Health Assembly. The Chinese military has initiated large-scale drills around Taiwan, testing the island's new president. In a show of preparedness, U.S. and Philippine marines conducted military exercises close to Taiwan, simulating conflict scenarios.

Oceania

A devastating landslide in Papua New Guinea has tragically buried over 2,000 people, with official death tolls continuing to rise as rescue efforts proceed.

Space

The Euclid telescope, launched by the European Space Agency, has begun transmitting astonishing cosmic images, shedding light on dark matter and dark energy.

...and much more covering defense, business, energy, auto, technology, cyber, artificial intelligence, health, food & drink, nature, travel, entertainment, and sports, and books.