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UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has taken a new, stronger approach to Israel’s illegal settlements by calling the expansion an act that could be seen as ethnic cleansing and war crimes. He has moved beyond decades of weak official UK statements, supporting the International Court of Justice’s view that Israel’s occupation of certain territories is unlawful and pushing for a renewed focus on a two-state solution.
Key Facts
For many years, UK Foreign Office statements on illegal Israeli settlements were routine and did not lead to significant action.
Some past UK ministers acknowledged the UK’s position on settlements was weak or ineffective.
The UK has had a trade agreement with Israel that prevents special tariffs on goods from territories occupied since 1967, but businesses often ignored advice not to trade with settlements.
Previous UK legal advice limited sanctions to cases linked to settler violence, not general settlement work.
Ed Miliband became Foreign Secretary and strongly opposed settlement expansion, backed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Miliband cited his Jewish heritage and personal background as reasons for his balanced stance, promoting Palestinian self-determination and a two-state solution.
He was the first UK Foreign Secretary to call actions in the West Bank ethnic cleansing and to accuse Israel of ignoring potential war crimes.
Miliband accepted a 2024 International Court of Justice ruling that the Israeli occupation is unlawful, breaking two years of UK governmental delay on this issue.
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A University of Iowa marching band member, Derek Phillips, collapsed from cardiac arrest during extreme heat at a football game and was later taken off life support due to severe brain damage. The university canceled the band’s halftime performance and provided support to students following the incident.
Key Facts
Derek Phillips, a third-year student and band member, collapsed before the halftime show at the season-opening Iowa football game.
He suffered sudden cardiac arrest and was treated in intensive care at University of Iowa Health Care.
His family decided to remove him from life support because of severe brain damage.
Temperatures at the game reached 94°F (34°C), one of the hottest in Iowa football history.
The marching band wore lighter uniforms and canceled their halftime performance due to heat concerns.
The university allowed fans to bring water bottles and adjusted other event times to cope with the heat.
University officials expressed their support to Derek, his family, and fellow students, offering counseling services.
Derek studied business analytics and information systems and was active in music, including summer tours with a drum and bugle corps.
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The UK government will pass new laws to force Apple and Google to block nude images on smartphones used by children under 18. This decision follows failed talks with the companies and aims to protect young people from sharing or viewing explicit content on their devices.
Key Facts
The UK government plans a law to stop under-18s from creating, sharing, or viewing nude images on smartphones.
Apple and Google’s operating systems, iOS and Android, dominate the smartphone market and will be affected by the new law.
The law will require devices to have built-in protections turned on by default and adults must verify their age to disable these features.
The government wants these rules to apply to apps children use, which may need more laws.
Talks with Apple and Google failed to reach an agreement by the government’s deadline.
The new rules may use “client-side scanning,” meaning the phone checks images before they are sent or encrypted.
Privacy experts warn this scanning raises concerns about message monitoring and privacy.
The government and groups like the Internet Watch Foundation want to reduce child sexual abuse material that is created and shared by children themselves.
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The TV show South Park will change its name to South America for its 29th season. This change responds to President Donald Trump’s recent moves to rename places in the U.S. with "America" in their names.
Key Facts
South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker announced the show’s new name, South America.
The name change is linked to Trump’s efforts to rename places like the Gulf of Mexico and New Mexico with "America."
President Trump shared a video suggesting New Mexico be renamed "New America," but the federal government cannot rename states.
The show’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, is merging with Warner Bros Discovery in a $111 billion deal approved by the Trump administration.
South Park has aired since 1997 and often satirizes political figures, including President Trump.
The new season of South America will start on September 16 and will be available on Paramount+ worldwide.
Trump’s renaming attempts have received criticism from Democrats who say it distracts from other issues.
South Park creators have previously mocked Trump through various controversial portrayals.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia has no aggressive plans toward Europe, despite recent accusations by European countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. envoys offered useful ideas for ending the war, and he hopes to meet with President Trump soon, while the conflict in Ukraine continues with heavy fighting and no clear end in sight.
Key Facts
Putin assured Trump in a phone call that Russia is not planning to attack Europe.
European officials blame Russia for sabotage attempts, including a drone attack in Germany.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomed U.S. proposals for peace talks and aims to meet Trump around September 20.
Despite talks, fighting resumed after a brief truce during U.S. envoys' visit to Moscow and Kyiv.
Russia is focused on achieving its military goals and thinks it is close to winning, but observers see little progress.
The U.S. warns the war could last for years, needing continued support for Ukraine.
Ukraine requested more Patriot missiles and other air defense systems to counter Russian attacks.
The European Commission approved a 3.7 billion dollar loan to help Ukraine buy missile system parts.
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President Donald Trump spoke about his experiences shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. He described bringing construction workers to Ground Zero and recounted firefighters helping him escape a potentially collapsing building.
Key Facts
President Trump attended a "Steel Across America" event to honor first responders and 9/11 victims ahead of the attack's 25th anniversary.
He said he took a group of construction workers to Ground Zero soon after the World Trade Center collapsed.
Trump described a moment when two firefighters lifted him away from a building at risk of collapsing.
The building he referred to is now called One Liberty Plaza, which was damaged but did not fall after the attacks.
On the morning of 9/11, Trump was in his Trump Tower apartment and gave live interviews about the attacks.
Trump noted that his building at 40 Wall Street became the tallest standing building in Lower Manhattan after the towers fell.
Two days after 9/11, he visited Ground Zero to observe the recovery efforts and spoke with media.
His accounts of 9/11 have changed over time and have been a part of his public and political life.
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A new documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, made by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, has been described as very surprising and intense. Rebecca Ford, a reporter from Vanity Fair, said it is one of the most unusual documentaries she has ever watched.
Key Facts
The documentary is about Elizabeth Holmes, a well-known figure.
It was created by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim.
The documentary had a secret premiere before public release.
Rebecca Ford, a senior reporter at Vanity Fair, attended the premiere.
Ford called the documentary "probably the wildest" she has ever seen.
The news was shared through a CBS News report.
The documentary is intended to reveal new or dramatic information about Holmes.
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Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asked President Donald Trump to pardon her after her murder trial of her three children ended in a mistrial. However, Trump cannot pardon her because her case involves state charges in Massachusetts and presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy is charged with killing her three young children in Massachusetts in January 2023.
Her trial ended in a mistrial because the jury could not agree on a verdict.
Clancy’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, asked President Trump to pardon her during a TV interview.
The president can only pardon people convicted of federal crimes, not state crimes like Clancy’s.
In Massachusetts, the governor has the power to grant pardons for state crimes.
Clancy’s defense argued she was suffering from postpartum psychosis, a mental health condition causing hallucinations, when the killings happened.
Prosecutors said Clancy planned the killings and knew what she was doing.
The Massachusetts governor and a state board review pardon requests in the state.
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United Utilities was fined nearly £1 million for illegally releasing raw sewage into coastal areas of Lancashire in June 2023. The sewage pollution affected several seaside towns, causing health risks, beach closures, and a sharp drop in visitor numbers.
Key Facts
United Utilities pleaded guilty to five environmental permit offenses linked to pollution on the Fylde coast.
The court ordered a fine of £964,225, including costs.
Sewage was discharged for over 35 hours from pumping stations in Blackpool-area towns.
The Environment Agency warned against bathing in eight affected coastal waters.
Tests found harmful bacteria, including E. coli, in the water and on beaches.
Three shellfish beds were temporarily closed due to health concerns.
The problem started after a pipe partially collapsed at a wastewater treatment plant, causing sewage backup.
United Utilities accepted responsibility and apologized for the damage and disruption caused.
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Google released version 3 of its AI weather forecast model called WeatherNext. This update includes using satellite data to create more frequent and accurate weather forecasts, improving predictions for temperature and precipitation.
Key Facts
WeatherNext 3 uses satellite weather data to reduce lag time in forecasts.
The model increases forecast updates from every six hours to every hour.
It improves spatial resolution, making weather predictions more detailed.
A separate machine-learning model is used to estimate precipitation from satellites.
The model adds some physical information like land/ocean status and elevation for better surface temperature forecasts.
Compared to the previous version, WeatherNext 3 shows about 5% better accuracy in upper atmosphere conditions.
Surface temperature forecasts improve accuracy by up to 30%.
WeatherNext 3 generally outperforms the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ AI model.
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The UK has imposed sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, calling them illegal and accusing settlers of forcing Palestinians out by violent means. Israel responded by closing the UK consulate in East Jerusalem and banning some British politicians from entering Israel.
Key Facts
The UK announced sanctions targeting goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and companies involved in their expansion.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the Israeli government ignores violence and actions pushing Palestinians out of their homes.
The UK, France, and Canada made the sanctions announcement together, supporting a two-state solution.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the UK action hostile and shut down the UK consulate in East Jerusalem.
Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden also vowed to take steps against settlement trade.
Eleven UK politicians, including Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott, were banned from entering Israel due to alleged anti-Israel activities.
The UK plans a broader sanctions program over the next six to nine months and will ban UK ads promoting settlements.
Settlements are considered illegal under international law, and violence in the West Bank settlements has increased recently.
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The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow a federal database called SAVE to be used to check citizenship status in state voter rolls before the midterm elections. A judge had ruled the database’s use was illegal because it violated privacy and led to wrongful removal of U.S. citizens from voting lists.
Key Facts
The SAVE system stands for Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements and contains private information about Americans.
A federal judge ruled the Trump administration acted unlawfully in creating and using SAVE for voter roll checks.
The judge said the system caused some U.S. citizens to be incorrectly removed from voter rolls.
The judge found that the administration broke three federal laws in trying to use the SAVE database.
The Trump administration says the ruling threatens election integrity and asked the Supreme Court to allow SAVE’s use.
SAVE does not remove voters but notifies states about citizenship status to help verify voters.
The SAVE system was expanded after an executive order from President Trump requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The Supreme Court has yet to decide on lifting the block that stops the database from being used in the upcoming elections.
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The U.S. military used a laser weapon to shoot down drones near the U.S.-Mexico border. This action caused drone activity in the area to drop by almost 75%, according to the Pentagon.
Key Facts
The Pentagon reported a sharp decline in drone use at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The reduction in drone activity was about 75 percent.
The drop happened after the military used a laser weapon to destroy some drones.
The laser weapon is designed to disable small flying devices like drones.
The use of the laser weapon is part of efforts to control airspace near the border.
CBS News covered the story and provided video updates.
Eleanor Watson reported the news for CBS News.
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A report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that many countries scored higher than the United States in reading and math among 15-year-old students. The U.S. scored below countries like China, Singapore, Japan, and others, but still performed above the average of OECD countries in some areas.
Key Facts
The OECD's PISA 2025 test measures reading, math, and science skills of 15-year-olds globally every three years.
U.S. students scored 490 in reading and 463 in math on the 2025 test.
Twenty-four countries and economies scored higher than the U.S. in math; ten of these also scored higher in reading.
China (four regions), Singapore, Japan, Korea, and Estonia were among the top performers in both reading and math.
The U.S. scores declined compared to previous years but still remain above the OECD average in reading and science.
Student performance worldwide in reading, math, and science has been dropping for over a decade, not just since the pandemic.
The number of low-performing students increased from 16% in 2022 to 20% in 2025 across OECD countries.
The decline affected students from wealthier families more, slightly narrowing the achievement gap between socioeconomic groups.
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The Trump administration announced new sanctions on all Iranian airlines and several foreign companies working with Iran’s Mahan Air. Mahan Air was previously sanctioned because of its links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Key Facts
The U.S. government imposed sanctions on all airlines from Iran.
Nearly a dozen foreign companies doing business with Iran's Mahan Air are also sanctioned.
Mahan Air was targeted earlier due to its relationship with the IRGC, a branch of Iran’s military.
These actions are part of a financial pressure campaign called Operation Economic Outcast.
The goal is to restrict Iran’s ability to use its airline industry for military or terrorist activities.
The sanctions aim to cut off funds and resources to groups tied to the Iranian government’s military forces.
The announcement was made by the Trump administration on a Tuesday.
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An Illinois woman appeared in court after being charged with killing her 2-year-old son. Prosecutors said she was paying close attention to the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy.
Key Facts
The woman is from Illinois.
She is charged with murdering her 2-year-old son.
Prosecutors said she followed the Lindsay Clancy murder trial closely.
The court hearing took place on a Tuesday.
The news report came from CBS News Chicago.
Viewers are warned that the video may contain violent or disturbing content.
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A cargo plane carrying Amazon goods crashed at a Miami airport on Sunday. The crash killed five people and injured five others, causing two runways to remain closed.
Key Facts
The crash happened on Sunday at Miami airport.
The plane was carrying Amazon cargo.
Five people died in the accident.
Five people were injured.
Two airport runways are still closed because of the crash.
Emergency services responded quickly to the incident.
The closure affects airport operations and flights.
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The Glastonbury Festival will return in 2027 after taking a break in 2026. Tickets will go on sale in October at £408 each, which is the highest price so far. The festival organizers have not announced headline performers yet but denied Madonna will be one of them.
Key Facts
Glastonbury Festival will be off in 2026 and return in 2027.
Tickets cost £408, including a £5 booking fee, up £29.50 from last year.
Tickets with coach travel go on sale at 6 PM BST on October 1, general admission tickets on October 4 at 9 AM BST.
Buyers must register beforehand and use a valid registration number to buy tickets, helping to reduce ticket reselling by scalpers.
The festival usually sells out in less than an hour due to high demand.
The last festival in 2025 featured Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975, and Neil Young as headliners.
Festival organizer Emily Eavis confirmed Madonna will not headline in 2027 and hinted there will be three other main acts.
Rumors suggest potential performers like Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Fontaines D.C., and Stevie Wonder, but nothing is confirmed.
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The UK government had to pay the highest interest rate on a 30-year bond since 1998, reflecting challenges in borrowing costs. Higher oil prices and global market worries have pushed up interest rates, which may reduce the government’s financial flexibility before the upcoming budget.
Key Facts
The UK Treasury paid 5.82% interest to borrow £4 billion through a 30-year bond.
This is the highest interest rate since the Debt Management Office began in 1998.
Rising oil prices due to conflict in the Middle East have increased inflation risks.
Higher interest rates on government borrowing could reduce the budget’s financial headroom by half.
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey linked rising inflation risks to energy prices.
Mortgage rates in the UK have increased by about 0.75%, the largest rise in the G7 countries.
Brent crude oil was trading around $97 per barrel, affected by blocked shipping routes and attacks on refineries.
The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee plans to meet next week to decide on interest rates.
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Credit card companies may close or restrict accounts when customers enter hardship programs designed to help people who struggle to pay their bills. These programs can lower payments or interest rates temporarily but might also limit card use or close the account to prevent more debt from building up.
Key Facts
Hardship programs are offered by credit card companies to help people with financial problems like job loss or lower income.
These programs can reduce interest rates, lower monthly payments, or waive fees for a limited time.
Some cards remain open but may stop new purchases or lower the credit limit during the program.
In some cases, the credit card account may be closed, but the remaining balance still needs to be paid.
Closing a credit card can affect credit scores by reducing total available credit and possibly increasing credit utilization.
It’s important to ask the credit card issuer about all rules and consequences before enrolling in a hardship program.
Hardship programs mainly help temporary financial troubles and might not fix ongoing money problems.
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