USA - As political tensions simmer across the US, whispers of a second Civil War grow louder. Could California's bold moves ignite a national crisis? America could be hurtling towards a second Civil War within the next decade as California edges closer to secession, a top political expert has warned. Professor Benjamin Cohen, of the University of California-Santa Barbara, said the chances of a violent national rupture are “substantially greater than zero,” as political polarisation deepens across the United States, reports MailOnline. In a chilling hypothetical scenario, the political economist envisages California declaring independence from the US in 2035 — sparking an explosive response from the federal government.

UK - Chanting “Death to the IDF” is not edgy or brave. It’s despicable. If Britain cannot say that clearly and without a proviso, then it has lost its moral compass. “Death, death to the IDF” – not criticism of Israeli policy, not solidarity with Palestinians, but a bloodthirsty chant calling for the extermination of soldiers, most of them 18- and 19-year-olds, many of whom are defending the very values of liberal democracy that Glastonbury claims to celebrate. The words were spat out not from a dark corner of the internet or a fringe protest, but from an act named Bob Vylan, performing on a stage sponsored by the British public, with the tacit blessing of the cultural elite. This wasn’t some underground venue or obscure gathering. It was broadcast live by the BBC. We’re not talking about subtle dog-whistles or controversial metaphors. This was incitement. Open. Shameless. And, judging by the cheers from the crowd, not unpopular.

UK - It was once the the wool capital of the world and the richest UK city outside London. Now, parts of Bradford have become Britain's latest no-go zone - where drug-fuelled chaos and violence have left locals scared to walk the streets and businesses are going to the wall. Fed-up traders and shoppers say areas of the once-thriving city centre are over-run by rough sleepers camped out in tents, using the streets as their personal drug dens and toilets. One of the worst-hit spots is Rawson Square, where heroin and crack cocaine are smoked openly and fights break out daily.

USA - A Texas rancher held back tears as he revealed the overwhelming destruction caused by a monstrous flash flood that swept through communities across the state on Friday. The resident of Hunt - whose family has called the area home for over a century - reflected on the many 'good times' he's experienced in the close-knit Southern town, now left in ruins by the extreme weather event that claimed at least 79 lives - including 28 children from a local summer camp. 'This very well may be the worst flood Hunt has ever seen,' he said. 'The devastation is unbelievable. How these kids survived, in any of these camps along the river, is nothing short of a miracle.' As of Sunday evening, the death toll has risen to 79, with 11 children from Camp Mystic - a summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River - still missing, CNN reported.

UK - Farmers are set to lose their land to tackle the problem - but experts warn if they don't Britain is on the brink of disaster. Britain is facing a water emergency. The UK is currently losing around three billion litres of water per day due to leaks, which is the equivalent of around 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. As well as issues with aging and deteriorating pipes - some as old as the Victorian era - there is an increased need for water due to a growing population. According to the Office for National Statistics, the British population will hit 72.5 million by 2032 - up from 67.6 million in 2022. A warming climate is also having an impact, with hotter and drier summers reducing the amount of water in reservoirs and rivers. The last time a reservoir was built in England was 1992. The government has warned that, without appropriate action, the UK could run out of drinking water by the mid-2030s. "When London runs out of water, and not if, it's going to cost the economy £50 billion a day."

KENYA - Demonstrations have raged over the governance of President Ruto, who faces anger over corruption, cost of living and his security forces’ brutality. At least 16 people were killed and hundreds injured during a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in Kenya’s major towns and cities. Witnesses reported police firing live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas during youth-led marches organised on social media against police brutality and corrupt rule. “Sixteen verified dead… most were killed by police,” Irungu Houghton, the head of Amnesty Kenya, said, confirming the death toll so far from the countrywide protests. At least five had been shot dead. With 80 of the wounded in a serious condition, the death toll is likely to rise.

USA - We must make no mistake: The enemies of Israel and America are not standing down from their extraterritorial terror campaigns targeting Jews and the West. For years, officials have tracked the growing threat of Iranian proxies and sleeper cells operating in North America at Tehran’s direction. The FBI has foiled assassination plots targeting John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and activist Masih Alinejad, but some threats have slipped through the cracks. Since October 7, SCN has tracked over 10,000 threat incidents impacting the Jewish community in North America. Just this year, we have flagged over 500 credible threats to life that required immediate law enforcement intervention. That number is expected to surpass 700 by year’s end, a 40 percent year-over-year increase.

EUROPE - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing a dramatic no-confidence vote in the European Parliament this week, as pressure mounts over her leadership and a series of damaging controversies. The vote, scheduled for next Thursday, comes after Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea filed a formal censure motion with the support of 72 lawmakers — the minimum number required to trigger such a move. It marks the first time in more than a decade that an EU Commission President has faced the threat of being ousted by Parliament and underlines growing anger in Brussels over Ms von der Leyen’s conduct during her turbulent second term in office.

UK - Branding victims of abuse “witches’ should be an aggravating factor in criminal prosecutions, a Bar chief argues amid fears that children are especially vulnerable. The plea from the KC who will lead the barristers’ professional body next year coincides with the publication this week of an academic report on the global situation around legislation used to combat “harmful practices related to witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks”. It also comes nearly four years after Scotland Yard launched a training regimen so that officers could spot the signs of child abuse linked to a belief in witchcraft. “Terrible suffering and killings are inflicted on vulnerable people, particularly children, by people who believe that they are witches or possessed by an evil spirit,” says Kirsty Brimelow KC, the vice-chair of the Bar Council.

USA - The dam is breaking. In a terrifying admission that signals a seismic change in corporate America, the CEO of one of the biggest carmakers in the US has broken cover to admit the devastating effects AI will have on the workforce. While some execs have attempted vague assurances for American workers, Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley has predicted the rise of AI will take a sledgehammer to jobs. 'Artificial intelligence is going to replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the US,' Farley told author Walter Isaacson at the Aspen Ideas Festival last week. 'AI will leave a lot of white-collar people behind.' Bosses have been cautious about publicly admitting the reality of how many jobs could be cut from their companies as a result of AI.

USA - Home sales across the US have plummeted to the lowest level in 16 years - and the threat of a complete collapse is imminent. May 2025 was recorded as the slowest May for existing sales since 2009, the National Association of Realtors said in a report. They fell 0.7 percent compared to the same month last year and are likely headed for a freefall across the country. Potential buyers are scared off by a rocky economy, rising HOA fees and high mortgage and insurance rates, forcing sellers to slash prices.

GERMANY - An artificial intelligence system can now predict your next move before you make it. We’re not just talking about whether you’ll click “buy now” on that Amazon cart, but rather how you’ll navigate complex decisions, learn new skills, or explore uncharted territory. Researchers have developed an AI called Centaur that accurately predicts human behavior across virtually any psychological experiment. It even outperforms the specialized computer models scientists have been using for decades. Trained on data from more than 60,000 people making over 10 million decisions, Centaur captures the underlying patterns of how we think, learn, and make choices.

GERMANY - Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, a lawyer described as far-left, is poised to become a new judge at the Federal Constitutional Court, Germany’s top court, and it is very bad news for Germany’s conservatives. This new development could significantly increase the chances that a ban on the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party actually passes through the court. Brosius-Gersdorf is on record that she wants a ban on the AfD, saying: “We are a resilient democracy. We have safeguards against anti-constitutional parties.” A year ago, on the ZDF talk show “Markus Lanz” on July 25, 2024, Brosius-Gersdorf controversially expressed regret that an AfD ban “would not eliminate its supporters.”

RUSSIA - Russia is facing a looming "food catastrophe" after grain harvests were reported to have fallen by 12.7 million tonnes in the period up to July. Data from Russia's Ministry of Agriculture showed grain and leguminous harvests amounted to just 3.8 million tonnes in the first six months of the year. Nekrasov admitted the Kremlin was concerned about the decline, and blamed bad weather for the crisis.

USA - Bank of New York Mellon said it now employs dozens of artificial intelligence-powered ‘digital employees’ that have company logins and work alongside its human staff. Similar to human employees, these digital workers have direct managers they report to and work autonomously in areas like coding and payment instruction validation, said Chief Information Officer Leigh-Ann Russell. Soon they’ll have access to their own email accounts and may even be able to communicate with colleagues in other ways like through Microsoft Teams, she said. “This is the next level,” Russell said. "While it’s still early for the technology," Russell said, “I’m sure in six months’ time it will become very, very prevalent.” What the bank, also known as BNY, calls “digital workers,” other banks may refer to as “AI agents.” And while the industry lacks a clear consensus on exact terminology, it’s clear that the technology has a growing presence in financial services.