World News Roundup — June 25, 2026 (PM)
Venezuela reels from twin earthquakes, Europe swelters under record-breaking heat, and Ukraine spots a window to push for victory as Russia’s home front cracks. On Wall Street, Micron’s blockbuster earnings ignite a chip rally; in Doha and the Gulf, the post-US-Iran-deal mood dominates elsewhere. (Iran-conflict stories are tracked separately in the running Iran sitrep.) The World Cup continues to deliver drama — on and off the pitch.
Americas
Venezuela reels from twin earthquakes as death toll rises
Twin earthquakes struck Venezuela within 24 hours, killing at least 164 people and devastating the port town of La Guaira. Rescue crews pulled survivors from the rubble across the central region as hospitals overflowed and infrastructure crumbled. Financial sanctions limit aid flows, and political influence over relief efforts is a growing concern amid the devastation. The U.S. dispatched rapid-response teams; international pledges remain modest given the country’s diplomatic isolation.
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Colombia’s right-wing victory, with a Trump assist
The right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia’s presidential election after a Trump endorsement and active U.S. support that went well beyond the formal backing. De la Espriella has pledged to restore Colombia’s relations with Israel and pivot the country toward Washington. Critics say the outcome tilts a key Latin American democracy further from multilateral consensus.
Europe
Deadly heat scorches Europe as records fall
Europe faces another day of extreme heat after more temperature records were set across the continent. France is under an extreme heat alert affecting 63 million people, with temperatures above 30°C widespread and power outages reported in Brittany. Spain warned of a potentially high death toll as emergency services brace for the worst.
Ukraine sees ‘first chance to win’ as war horrors return to Russia
President Putin has hinted at peace talks as Russia’s economy falters, citizens flee cities, and toxic “oil rains” fall on border regions. Ukraine is seizing what it describes as its first realistic opportunity to win the war. European defense stocks slid as investors weighed a possible end to the conflict against the broader rearmament cycle.
UK: Brexit regrets, exhausted prime ministers, a first for the monarchy
A decade after the Brexit vote, voters who backed leaving say they “regain control” and have no regrets — yet Britain’s political churn continues, with one prime minister after another burning through 10 Downing Street. Separately, King Charles III announced he will release royal tax details, the first time any British monarch has done so. In Australia, the country’s highest-paid TV presenter is set to lose his job after hosting British far-right activist Tommy Robinson on his podcast.
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera NYT Sky News
Turkey or Türkiye? The U.S. spelling flap
The push to rebrand the country as Türkiye, which started in the last decade, was inspired by politicians and coincided with an international public relations campaign. The U.S. is now wrestling with which spelling to use on official documents and broadcast graphics — a small question with outsized diplomatic signaling.
Asia & Pacific
North Korea: soldier defects, destroyer deployed
A North Korean soldier was detained by South Korea’s military after crossing the heavily fortified border in a suspected defection. Separately, North Korea deployed its first destroyer, vowing to project nuclear power at sea — a notable escalation in regional tensions.
Japan hit by M6.9 earthquake
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Japan, with no immediate reports of major damage but prompting tsunami advisories along the coast.
Middle East & Africa (non-Iran)
Libya unity push tests Tripoli factions
A U.S.-backed initiative to unify Libya’s divided institutions is testing political loyalties in the country’s west. The Tripoli factions hold the key to any consolidated government.
Iraq’s new leader faces resistance taming militias
Iraq’s new prime minister is struggling to bring Iran-backed militias under state control, a test of his authority and of Washington’s appetite for confrontation with Tehran-aligned groups.
Business & Markets
Micron tops earnings; chip rally lifts Nasdaq
Micron topped lofty earnings expectations, sending its stock up 19% in pre-market trading and igniting a broader chip rally that pulled Nasdaq futures higher. Bank of America says correction risks are rising and recommends adding protection into Q3; Wendy’s shares soared for a second day as retail investors piled into their new meme darling, and GameStop’s CEO sacrificed a $35 billion pay package in a move that could reshape his equity stake.
Apple raises MacBook and iPad prices on memory crunch
Tim Cook said last week that Apple would hike prices due to surging memory and storage costs. The latest increase on MacBook and iPad is the first concrete move and signals more to come as AI-driven demand tightens supply.
US core inflation hits 3.4% — Fed’s preferred gauge
The personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, came in at 3.4% annual — the highest since October 2023 — versus expectations of 4.1%. Markets read the print as slightly dovish but still well above target.
JPMorgan names Petno and Rohrbaugh co-presidents
JPMorgan named Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh co-presidents as longtime executive Marianne Lake exits. The moves make them the most obvious possible successors to CEO Jamie Dimon.
Merck KGaA’s $11B Bio-Techne buy; gold rally cools
Germany’s Merck KGaA will acquire U.S. biotech Bio-Techne for $11.3 billion — its largest deal in over a decade. Gold hovers around $4,000 and silver below $60; gold is down almost 8% year-to-date and silver has shed more than 20%.
Amazon’s $13B India AI/cloud push; IBM’s 0.7nm chip
Amazon will invest an additional $13 billion in India cloud and AI infrastructure, lifting total commitment to $48 billion. IBM unveiled what it called the world’s first 0.7-nanometer chip technology for AI computing, with a transistor architecture of 0.7nm (7 angstroms), pushing back against TSMC and Intel. Shares rose over 6% pre-market.
World Cup & Sports
Joy, fear, and tragedy across the World Cup
For Haitians in the U.S., the pride and joy of the World Cup comes tangled with fear of deportation. A driver plowed into a crowd of World Cup fans in Mexico, authorities said. South Africa fans hailed a historic World Cup knockout entry after beating Korea. Mexico celebrated three consecutive group-stage wins. In New York’s Astoria neighbourhood, Arab nations united in World Cup joy.
Al Jazeera NYT Al Jazeera Al Jazeera
UAE & Gulf
Dubai Media wins two Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards
Dubai Media was recognized with two awards at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2026 — Multi-Platform Campaign (UAE) and Digital Content Platform (UAE) — for a “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” campaign that reached over 17 million people.
ADNOC Drilling’s first AI-enabled walking rig; Burjeel Sukuk
ADNOC Drilling delivered its first AI-enabled walking island rig ahead of schedule. Burjeel Holdings priced a $500 million debut Sukuk with strong investor demand. Emirates unveiled its latest Bulgari amenity kits for First and Business Class passengers.
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In Brief
- Yemen’s ‘Spider-Man’ dies climbing volcanic crater. A Yemeni man known for scaling the country’s volcanic craters died during a recent climb.
- U.S. giving topped $600B last year. A stock-market rally turbocharged charitable giving in 2025 — but mainly from megadonors and bequests.
- Bitcoin’s tough year likely to get worse. Traders are positioning for further downside.
- TikTok and YouTube reinvent sports viewership. Broadcasters are taking note and racing to keep pace.
- Chevron: no quick fix for gas prices. Big Oil’s chief tells Trump it’ll “take time” before relief shows up at the pump.
- ICJ judges sue Trump administration. Three International Criminal Court judges are suing over sanctions imposed on them last year in retaliation for the ICC’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu and a war-crimes case against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
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Roundup compiled from the TTRSS NEWS feed. 77 articles from 7 sources summarized.