World News Roundup — June 26, 2026 (PM)

Twin earthquakes struck western Venezuela, a record heatwave forced the UK to issue its first red warning and Paris to suspend outdoor events, and Ukraine hit Russian supply lines across Crimea. Elsewhere, the German Christmas market attacker received a life sentence, New York’s primaries reshuffled the Democratic map, and US markets digested chip-cost-driven price hikes at Apple and Microsoft. Here’s the day’s non-Iran world news.

Americas

• Venezuela twin earthquakes: death toll rises to 589. A 7.1-magnitude quake near Morón was followed hours later by a stronger 7.5 event in the same area. Tens of thousands were displaced, hundreds remained trapped under collapsed buildings a day later, and rescuers continued to pull survivors from the rubble — including a baby and a woman who gave birth during the disaster. Caracas sits on a fault line, and the city’s vulnerability was starkly exposed. [NYT] [Al Jazeera live blog] [Al Jazeera explainer] [Al Jazeera video]

• New York’s primaries signal a new force in US politics. Progressive, Muslim and Arab American candidates are reshaping Democratic primaries in New York, challenging long-standing limits on debate over Israel and Palestine. The results point to organised coalitions that can move contests on foreign-policy issues once considered off-limits. [Al Jazeera]

Europe

• Europe’s heatwave triggers a UK red warning and Paris suspends outdoor events. The Met Office issued its first red extreme-heat warning as Britain recorded its hottest June weather on record. Paris suspended public sports events and outdoor drinking as temperatures pushed past 40°C. A report attributed the heatwave — the continent’s most severe on record — to climate change, with thermal cameras showing the toll on outdoor workers. Cities across the continent are debating how to adapt historic urban fabric to a warming climate. [Al Jazeera video] [NYT] [Al Jazeera] [NYT explainer]

• German Christmas market attacker jailed for life. A Saudi doctor who drove into a crowd at a Magdeburg Christmas market in December 2024, killing six and wounding hundreds, was sentenced to life in prison. The verdict closes a case that shocked Germany and intensified debate over immigration screening. [NYT] [Emirates247]

• Volkswagen to cut 15% of workforce and close four German plants. The German auto giant is reportedly planning to eliminate around 100,000 jobs and end production at four domestic sites over the coming years, the latest sign of Europe’s industrial restructuring under pressure from Chinese EVs and slowing demand. [CNBC]

• Ryanair drops its “parent-seating” fee. The airline reversed its policy of charging parents extra to sit with their children after a British regulator opened an investigation into whether the fees were illegal. [NYT]

Russia / Ukraine

• Ukraine hits Russian logistics across Crimea, Zelensky threatens Belarus. Ukrainian strikes on oil depots, power stations, convoys and bridges in Crimea are starving the Russian front line, per Al Jazeera. Kyiv has begun circumventing air defences to hit supply nodes deep behind Russian lines. Meanwhile President Zelensky ratcheted up threats against Belarus, accusing Minsk of aiding drone attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure. Russia claimed to have downed 660 Ukrainian drones overnight and denied seeking Belarusian war aid. [Al Jazeera] [NYT] [NYT] [Al Jazeera]

• Top European leaders vow “strong” support for Ukraine ahead of NATO summit. The E5 — Britain, France, Italy, Poland and Germany — met in Berlin ahead of July’s NATO summit and reaffirmed a unified posture on Ukraine. [Al Jazeera]

Asia-Pacific

• Small plane crashes into Beijing’s tallest building. Crowds in the capital’s central business district fled as a light aircraft struck the China Zun tower, sending debris falling into surrounding streets. Casualty details were still emerging at time of writing. [NYT]

• North Korea conducts major weapons tests; South training “drone warriors”. Kim Jong Un demanded a “deadly and destructive offensive posture” as Pyongyang upgraded its arsenal to reach all of South Korea. Seoul has begun training infantry formations in low-cost drone warfare in response. [Al Jazeera]

• India: flash floods hit Arunachal Pradesh. Torrential rain triggered flash floods and landslides in India’s northeastern state, displacing thousands and cutting off remote villages. [Al Jazeera]

• NYT correspondent expelled from China. Vivian Wang, a Times correspondent in Beijing, was expelled as part of a broader crackdown on foreign journalists, capping a months-long pressure campaign that made reporting inside China nearly impossible. [NYT video]

Middle East / Africa

• Iraq’s new PM launches an anticorruption drive — is it enough? PM Al-Zaidi’s campaign has seized $86 million in cash, properties, vehicles and gold. Analysts argue that without judicial reform and political will the haul will amount to a one-off news cycle rather than systemic change. [Al Jazeera]

• Aid groups warn of impending “atrocities” in Sudan’s el-Obeid. Thirty-eight NGOs urged swift international action as the city faces what they called an “imminent ground offensive” by the RSF paramilitary and its allies. [Al Jazeera]

• Lebanon: deconfliction vs disarmament — can both be pursued? A new deconfliction mechanism aims to prevent a return to all-out war in Lebanon, even as the underlying political questions around Hezbollah’s arms remain unresolved. [Al Jazeera]

Economy & Markets

• Apple and Microsoft hike prices as memory chip costs surge. The two tech giants rolled out steep price increases citing a shortage of DRAM and NAND chips used to power AI workloads — passing through costs that Polymarket, retailer supply chains and consumer-electronics makers are all now absorbing. [Al Jazeera] [CNBC]

• Oil eases after Strait of Hormuz scare. Brent crude subsided after an attack in the strait had spiked prices; markets are watching whether the US-Iran deal holds as the post-ceasefire window narrows. [Al Jazeera]

• Binance pulls Greek licence bid; European clients may be affected. All crypto firms must obtain a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) licence by July 1; Binance is the highest-profile casualty so far. [CNBC]

• Affordability crisis: how the Western housing spiral happened. Rents and prices have outpaced wages across most Western economies, reigniting the debate over whether housing is a basic right or an investment asset. [Al Jazeera]

• Jaguar Land Rover hack tied to Russia. Investigators now see Russian hands behind the $2.5 billion ransomware attack on Jaguar Land Rover that crippled UK production last year, ending the “loose collective” theory. [NYT]

• Swatch seeks $170M from Samsung over trademark infringement. The Swiss watchmaker claims Samsung allowed digital clones of Swatch brands (Omega, Tissot) on Samsung smartwatches. A UK High Court damages ruling is imminent and would unblock a parallel US case. [Emirates247 / FT]

World Cup 2026

• Friday schedule: groups G, H and I wrap up. Knockout places are on the line as the final group matches close. Turkiye beat the US 1-0 on a stoppage-time goal (Kaan Ayhan), handing the US their first defeat of the tournament; Brazil eased past Scotland 2-0 with two goals from Vinicius Jr and a return appearance from Neymar. [Al Jazeera preview] [Al Jazeera] [Al Jazeera] [CNBC]

In Brief

• Canada: PM Mark Carney to renovate 24 Sussex Drive. The official residence, vacant for more than a decade and in severe disrepair, will get a much-delayed overhaul. [NYT]

• Driver plows through Mexico World Cup crowd. A vehicle drove into fans gathered near a match venue; injuries were reported. [Al Jazeera]

• UN: synthetic drugs, cocaine and meth are booming worldwide. A new UN report warns that a surge in synthetic-drug potency is tied to manufacturers adjusting to geopolitical changes and seeking higher margins. [Al Jazeera]

• Pakistan artisans still hand-stitching the world’s footballs. A long-form on Sialkot’s stitching workshops — the hands that have made match balls for generations — and their uncertain future under automation and shifting sourcing. [Al Jazeera longform]

• Ronaldinho comes out of retirement at 46. The former Brazil star has signed with Italian lower-league side Ravenna FC. [Al Jazeera]

• Serena Williams set for a Wimbledon comeback at 44. The first-round draw awaits. [Emirates247]

• IOC launches $100M athlete fund. Olympians from both summer and winter games can apply for $10,000 grants after competing. [Al Jazeera]

• UAE — Dubai schools launch a “Hundred Hives” pollinator initiative. Deira International School became the first participant in a school-focused bee/pollinator programme run by Terra at Expo City Dubai. [Emirates247]

• UAE — Ahmed bin Mohammed approves new “Dubai Business” media platform. [Emirates247]

• UAE — Air Suvidha health declaration now required for travellers from India. [Emirates247]

Roundup compiled from the TTRSS NEWS feed. 68 articles from 8 sources summarised into 22 stories.