Latest news for 6 June 2025

LEBANON

Israel targets Lebanese capital.

Israel carried out air strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut late yesterday (Thursday) night, saying they were targeting Hezbollah's drone production on the eve of Eid Al Adha, a major Islamic holiday. (Al Jazeera)

Comment: Lebanon’s newly elected President Joseph Aoun “strongly condemned” the attacks, but Aoun’s ability to navigate between the West’s desire to disarm Hezbollah (countries who backed his run) and keep Israel at bay comes to a head with such strikes.

UNITED STATES

Tesla loses millions.

After Trump and Musk began to spat online, Tesla stocks sank 14%, wiping off $150B in market value yesterday (Thursday) and SpaceX’s $22B in government contracts are now at risk. (Reuters)

Comment: MAGA advisor Steve Bannon, and arch-foe to Musk, has called for all of the billionaire’s companies’ contracts with the US to be cancelled, and even told Trump to consider deporting the South African native (who is a naturalised US citizen).

CHINA

Business clash.

In the once Japan-occupied port city of Dalian, in China, two Japanese business men were killed last month after a dispute with a professional counterpart, marking a violent escalation in the city with strong Japan ties. (Kyodo News)

Comment: Japanese media invests heavily in covering Dalian, with most outlets having a correspondent there and relaying information on the community back to Tokyo and beyond. Such violence can cause people-to-people relations to sour.

EUROPEAN UNION

Lagarde to stay.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said that she would be serving out her term in its entirety, ending in 2027, after rumours spread that she would potentially replace Klaus Schwab as head of the World Economic Forum. Meanwhile, the ECB announced it was cutting its benchmark rate to 2%. (Politico)

VIETNAM

More children welcome.

Hanoi is lifting a two-child policy in the Southeast Asia country as declining birth rates force a demographic crunch in the country, despite the policy rarely being implemented. (The Straits Times)

HAITI

Cash needed to solve dire hunger.

The World Food Program, the UN’s top food agency, is appealing for $46M in urgent funding to supply food to around 2 million Haitians on the brink of starvation. (AP)

UGANDA

World Bank pulls U-turn.

Nearly two years ago, the World Bank put a ban on loans to Uganda, citing draconian anti-LGBTQ laws passed in the country, but recently decided to lift its curb, saying it “cannot deliver on its mission” if some countries are excluded. (BBC)