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Former US President Joe Biden has withdrawn a lawsuit seeking to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts of interviews he gave to his memoir ghostwriter before becoming president, clearing the way for the material to be handed over to a Republican-led congressional committee. Biden's lawyers filed a notice on Friday to voluntarily dismiss the case, less than a week after a divided federal appeals court rejected his request to stop the release of the recordings. The decision means Biden will no longer pursue legal efforts to prevent the material from being disclosed. He had the option to ask the US Supreme Court or the full appeals court to review the ruling but chose not to do so. In a 2-1 decision issued on Monday, a panel of judges on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said there was a "substantial" public interest in releasing the recordings. One judge, Florence Pan, disagreed, saying Biden had a significant privacy interest in keeping the interviews confidential. The recordings were made in 2016 and 2017 during interviews between Biden and writer Mark Zwonitzer, who helped write Biden's memoirs Promises to Keep and Promise Me, Dad. Biden's legal team argued that the conversations were personal, candid and intended to remain private. The recordings were later obtained by Special Counsel Robert Hur during his investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents from his time as a US senator and vice president. Although Hur decided not to bring criminal charges against Biden, Republican lawmakers later sought access to the recordings. Biden filed the lawsuit to stop the Justice Department under the Trump administration from releasing the material to Congress and the conservative Heritage Foundation. In June, US District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled that the public interest in the recordings outweighed Biden's privacy concerns, prompting the former president to appeal before ultimately dropping the case.  

The Trump administration has acknowledged in court filings that it canceled $7.6 billion in funding for hundreds of clean energy projects based on the political affiliation of the states receiving the grants. According to the court documents, the grants were canceled because the projects were located in 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The admission differs from previous statements by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other administration officials, who had said the projects were dropped because they did not meet the country's energy priorities or represented poor use of taxpayer money. Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups criticized the disclosure, accusing the administration of using federal funding for political purposes. Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and Senator Patty Murray of Washington said the court filing confirmed what they had long suspected—that nearly 300 energy projects were canceled simply because they were located in states that did not support President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. They called the move an abuse of power and urged congressional Republicans to hold the administration accountable. Last October, the Department of Energy announced that it had canceled 321 funding awards covering 223 projects, saying they failed to meet national energy needs or were not economically viable. The canceled projects included efforts to build battery manufacturing plants, develop hydrogen technology, modernize the electric grid and expand carbon capture systems. White House budget director Russell Vought defended the cuts at the time, saying funding intended to support what he described as the political left's climate agenda was being eliminated. The affected projects were located in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington—all states that supported Harris in the 2024 election. The funding cuts were challenged in court, while more than two dozen Democratic members of Congress requested a formal investigation by the Department of Energy's inspector general. The department's internal watchdog launched an inquiry in December. Earlier court filings had already indicated that grant selections were influenced by whether recipients were based in Democratic-leaning, or "blue," states. In the latest case, federal government lawyers also acknowledged using keywords related to diversity, gender, COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy when reviewing projects to determine whether they conflicted with the administration's policy priorities. Environmental groups said the court filing showed the administration had prioritized politics over energy infrastructure. Holly Bender, chief program officer at the Sierra Club, said canceling the projects could lead to job losses, higher energy costs and increased pollution, while shifting billions of dollars toward fossil fuel projects instead of clean energy initiatives.

US President Donald Trump returned to the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, delivering an hour-long speech filled with jokes, criticism of political opponents and media figures, and references to his presidency. The event, originally scheduled for April, was postponed after a shooting near the venue raised security concerns. Opening his remarks, Trump said he had removed the harshest parts of the speech he had originally planned for the April dinner. "As I said three months ago, the show must go on," he told the audience, recalling the attempted attack that forced the postponement before shifting to lighter remarks. Trump's appearance marked a notable moment in his relationship with the media. Since returning to office for a second term, he has frequently criticised news organisations, filed lawsuits against media outlets and taken actions affecting press access. Several journalists attending the dinner had previously been publicly criticised or barred from White House events. During the speech, Trump mixed praise for some journalists with criticism of others. He joked about several public figures, including entertainers, politicians and television hosts, and also poked fun at his own speechwriters. He also referred to journalism awards presented earlier in the evening, many of which recognised reporting critical of his administration, jokingly asking whether he had any influence over the winners. Trump briefly mentioned the conflict involving Iran and highlighted construction of a new ballroom at the White House. He also joked about seeking a third presidential term, despite the US Constitution limiting presidents to two terms. "The second time is always better," he said before adding, "I'm only kidding." At the end of his speech, Trump put on a red "Trump 2028" cap and jokingly suggested he was running again. Earlier in the evening, outgoing WHCA President Weijia Jiang of CBS News welcomed attendees and thanked Trump for attending. She said rescheduling the dinner reflected the determination of the White House press corps not to be intimidated by violence. "Tonight our message is this: We are back," Jiang said. The ceremony also honoured Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales, who was injured while responding to the April shooting, and staff at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the original dinner had been planned. Security at the rescheduled event was significantly tighter than usual, with multiple identification checks, armed officers and security dogs. Attendance was also smaller, with about 700 guests. One journalism award recipient, New York Times reporter Tyler Pager, had recently faced a subpoena from the Justice Department over reporting related to a luxury aircraft gifted to Trump by Qatar. The subpoena was withdrawn a day before the dinner. The event took place amid continued tensions between the White House and the news media. Critics have long argued that the annual correspondents' dinner creates an appearance of overly close relationships between journalists and the public officials they cover. Despite his frequent criticism of the press, Trump ended his speech on a conciliatory note, telling journalists he respected their profession before joking that they would struggle without him as a newsmaker. "I have a lot of respect for your profession," Trump said. "When I'm not around, you're all gonna be broke."

More than four years after Russian forces launched their attack on Kyiv through Belarus, Ukraine is continuing to reinforce its border with its northern neighbor, keeping the area heavily fortified against any potential threat. What was once a busy border crossing has become a restricted zone filled with landmines and closed to civilians. Along the 1,084-kilometre border, roads are covered with anti-drone netting, while razor wire and rows of concrete anti-tank barriers, known as "dragon's teeth," line large sections of the frontier. An Associated Press team visited parts of the northern border earlier this month after tensions rose between the two countries. Ukraine had asked Belarus to remove Russian communications relay stations installed to extend the range of drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. According to Ukrainian officials, Belarus complied with the request, helping ease tensions between the two countries. Although Ukraine says it has seen no signs of a Russian troop buildup inside Belarus, officials insist that strengthening the border remains a key security priority. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly said his country's forces will not join the war unless Belarus itself is attacked. However, residents living near the border say they remain concerned that Belarus could become more directly involved in Russia's war against Ukraine. For many local people, the extensive fortifications serve as a reminder of the early days of the war while also providing reassurance that Ukraine is preparing for any future threat. Ukrainian border guards continue to patrol the area around the clock using armored vehicles, drones and advanced surveillance systems. Officials say work to reinforce the border will continue, describing Belarus—Russia's closest military ally—as a long-term security concern.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk has said he ended his 26-day hunger strike without securing the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan because his immediate priority was to protect student protesters from legal action. Wangchuk, 59, had been on an indefinite fast since June 28 in support of members of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), who launched a "Sansad Chalo" march demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Pradhan. He ended the fast shortly after midnight on Thursday after the Indian government provided a written assurance that no cases would be filed against peaceful protesters. The government also agreed to hold a detailed discussion in Parliament on examination reforms and paper leaks and said it was considering compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak. His decision drew criticism from some supporters who questioned why he ended the protest without obtaining the minister's resignation. In a YouTube video released late Friday, Wangchuk said Pradhan's resignation remained an important issue but was not his main focus during negotiations with the government. "I don't consider it essential for me personally to bring about this resignation," he said in the video recorded from his hospital bed. He argued that the government was already facing growing public criticism over the issue and expressed confidence that the minister would eventually step down. "My focus was that students should not suffer. My main concern was legal action and FIRs. I did not think it was necessary for me personally to secure the minister's resignation," he said, adding that the movement would continue demanding Pradhan's resignation. Wangchuk also denied allegations that he had struck a deal with the government to end the fast. He said he feared a possible crackdown on protesters and wanted to prevent violence or legal action against students. "I felt that if I ended my fast and appealed for peace, perhaps the situation could be defused," he said, recalling a security crackdown in Ladakh in September 2025. Responding to criticism over ending the fast in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk said the circumstances surrounding the negotiations had been misunderstood. "If I had to make a deal, would I have remained hungry for 26 days? Could I not have struck a deal sitting in an air-conditioned room instead of fasting in Delhi's heat?" he asked. According to Wangchuk, the ministers met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and agreed to consider compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak and to hold a parliamentary discussion on reforms and accountability in the examination system. He said he refused to end the fast until the government gave a written assurance that peaceful protesters would not face legal action. "They initially agreed to compensation and discussion in Parliament but were not ready to assure that no cases would be filed against protesting students. They offered only a verbal assurance. I insisted on a written assurance and did not relent until they agreed," Wangchuk said. He also claimed he had hoped to end the fast in the presence of MPs, CJP members and representatives from Ladakh, but many of them were not allowed to meet him before the ministers arrived late at night. Source: NDTV

President Donald Trump attended the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, declaring, “The show must go on,” three months after the original event was disrupted by a shooting. Held at the Waldorf Astoria under heightened security, the scaled-down event brought together about 700 journalists, government officials and guests. Attendees passed through multiple security checks, including ID verification, armed officers and detection dogs, with no red carpet or pre-dinner receptions. WHCA President Weijia Jiang opened the evening by acknowledging the trauma of the April incident and reaffirming the association’s commitment to press freedom. “We are back,” she said. “We will not be intimidated. We refuse to let an act of violence have the final word.” Trump, who had previously hinted he might deliver a combative speech, instead mixed humor with criticism of the media. He joked that the ballroom contained “the largest group of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ people put together at one time” before sitting through more than an hour of journalism awards, including honors for reporters recognized for investigative coverage of his administration. The dinner also introduced two special awards. One honored Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales, who was injured while protecting attendees during the April shooting, while another recognized the staff of the Washington Hilton, the original venue where the incident occurred. The WHCA said the decision to reschedule the event reflected its commitment to celebrating a free press and ensuring that violence would not overshadow the role of journalism. Despite the event’s return, criticism persisted. Media ethics experts and some journalists argued that the annual dinner creates the appearance of journalists becoming too friendly with the public officials they cover. Others questioned holding the event amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the news media. The renewed scrutiny comes as the administration continues to face criticism over actions affecting the press, including legal disputes involving journalists and growing concerns about press freedom. A coalition of media organizations and former journalists urged the WHCA to use the dinner to publicly challenge what they described as efforts to undermine the First Amendment and independent journalism.

The U.S. military said Friday that it fired on another merchant vessel accused of attempting to violate its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran launched attacks targeting U.S. positions around the Persian Gulf. The conflict showed no signs of easing after 13 consecutive nights of strikes. Both countries appeared prepared for further escalation, with U.S. embassies in the Middle East warning Americans that evacuation options could become more limited, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard urged residents of neighboring countries to avoid areas near U.S. military bases. The Saudi-led coalition also reported carrying out strikes on Yemen’s port city of Hodeida in response to attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis vowed to intensify their operations after weeks of rising tensions. U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said American forces disabled the merchant ship M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly tried four times to breach the blockade despite repeated warnings. According to Hawkins, U.S. forces fired into the vessel’s engine room after the crew ignored commands. The incident marked the second commercial vessel disabled since the blockade was reimposed. Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump met with senior national security officials to review the situation and discuss whether to maintain or escalate military operations, according to an anonymous U.S. official. No decisions from the meeting were immediately announced. Speaking later from the Oval Office, Trump described negotiations with Iran as the most serious so far but said he was “not in a hurry” to end the conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected what he described as U.S. pressure, stating that Iran would not surrender to threats. He also highlighted ongoing consultations with China and Russia. The Strait of Hormuz remained central to the conflict. The article claims Iranian attacks have effectively disrupted traffic through the strategic waterway, causing sharp increases in global energy prices and economic uncertainty. In Iraq, security officials reported that U.S.-led forces intercepted five explosive drones over Irbil, where American military advisers are stationed. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for attacks on the U.S. Udairi base in Kuwait and a watchtower associated with the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, although U.S. Central Command did not confirm those claims. Bahrain and Jordan also reported intercepting Iranian aerial attacks. At the same time, Iranian media said U.S. strikes targeted a Revolutionary Guard naval base in northern Iran, as well as military-related sites on Qeshm Island, in Isfahan province, Khuzestan province, and Fars province. U.S. Central Command stated that the strikes were intended to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and help restore safe passage through regional waterways. Diplomatic efforts continued as an Omani delegation visited Tehran to discuss shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz. The article noted that Iran’s ability to disrupt the strait, along with Houthi attacks on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, has strengthened Tehran’s negotiating position. Saudi officials also reported another attack on one of their vessels in the Red Sea, causing minor damage. Houthi media said Saudi airstrikes later targeted telecommunications facilities and Kamaran Island in Yemen, injuring civilians. Saudi Arabia warned it would continue responding to attacks, while Trump threatened severe military action if Houthi assaults on shipping persisted. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another key global shipping route, has also become increasingly vulnerable. Roughly 12% of global trade and about one-quarter of the world’s container traffic normally passes through the waterway. Energy markets remained volatile, with Brent crude trading around $96 per barrel—well above prewar levels—and the U.S. national average gasoline price reaching $4.11 per gallon, according to AAA. The article also highlighted the growing humanitarian impact of the conflict. Iran’s Health Ministry reported 3,434 deaths since the war began. The International Maritime Organization said around 6,000 mariners were stranded aboard approximately 400 vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.N. human rights office warned that some crews had been abandoned without adequate food, water, fuel, medical care, electricity, or communication. Despite ongoing diplomatic contacts, including a meeting between Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Iran’s Abbas Araghchi, there were no public signs of a breakthrough. Araghchi suggested that additional mediation was unnecessary and argued that the United States must change its position first. The article concludes by stating that the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 with evolving objectives, including dismantling Iran’s nuclear program and potentially removing its government. It also says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit the United States next week for talks with President Trump.

An Israeli human rights organisation has condemned the military's raid on Nablus Specialised Hospital in the occupied West Bank, warning that the operation is disrupting access to emergency medical care. In a post on X, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) said the raid, along with widespread road closures imposed after recent deadly violence in the area, has blocked ambulances and prevented emergency medical teams from reaching patients. The organisation described the growing military restrictions and increasing settler violence as a form of "collective punishment" and called for urgent international action to ensure emergency medical workers can move freely and continue providing care. PHRI said a woman in labour was unable to reach the hospital on Friday morning because of the restrictions and was forced to give birth in her village without proper medical assistance. The group also said the incident reflects a broader pattern of escalating settler violence, which it alleged has taken place with the backing and protection of the Israeli military and the state. It further criticised the international community for what it described as years of inaction, saying repeated warnings over the situation in the West Bank have largely been ignored.

Ousted Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel on  Friday launched a new political party to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, months after a court removed him as head of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in a decision his supporters described as politically motivated. Ozel and 90 other lawmakers formally resigned from the CHP and registered the New political Party - named the “New Party” with the Interior Ministry. “May it be auspicious for our homeland, our nation, and our party,” Ozel said in a video posted on X after signing his resignation from Turkey’s oldest political party. In May, an appeals court annulled the 2023 CHP congress that elected Ozel as party leader, citing alleged irregularities, and reinstated former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The ruling drew strong criticism from Ozel’s supporters, who view it as part of a broader crackdown on the opposition. Over the past two years, hundreds of CHP mayors and officials have been detained in corruption investigations, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, widely seen as Erdogan’s strongest rival. Imprisoned since March last year, Imamoglu faces cases that could result in decades-long prison terms. It remains unclear whether he will join the New Party. With 91 seats in the 600-member parliament, the New Party is expected to become Turkey’s main opposition, replacing the CHP, which now holds 44 seats after the defections. Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) controls 277 seats. The government maintains that Turkey’s judiciary operates independently of political influence.

Israeli forces shot dead four Palestinians in the village of Tell in the northern occupied West Bank on Friday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, after an Israeli settler was killed during a confrontation with local residents. The incident also left two Israelis and four Palestinians injured, according to health officials. The Israeli military said it was preparing an “extensive” counterterrorism operation in the West Bank and had surrounded the city of Nablus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz called for deploying more troops, demolishing the homes of the suspects in Tell, confiscating weapons and revoking work permits for villagers. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged tougher military action and said the villages of Tell, Iraq Burin and Beit Furik should face measures similar to those imposed on refugee camps in Nablus and Tulkarm, including evacuating residents and dismantling what he described as terrorist infrastructure. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli settlers attacked five Palestinian villages around Nablus on Friday. The area has witnessed frequent settler attacks, army raids and violent confrontations in recent years. According to the Israeli military, a Palestinian resident seized a settler's weapon and fatally shot 32-year-old settlement security guard Benayahu Mellet. Videos verified by the military showed armed civilians and soldiers confronting Palestinians before gunfire erupted. Another verified video showed Israeli troops firing repeatedly at Palestinians already lying on the ground. The military said the suspected gunman was among those killed but did not explain why the other three, all relatives, were also shot. Army chief Eyal Zamir later announced additional troop deployments to the West Bank.