The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on June 3-4, 2026 approved a Democrat-led war powers resolution directing President Donald Trump to end U.S. military hostilities with Iran. The measure passed 215-208 after four Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett and Warren Davidson — joined Democrats; Democratic Rep. Jared Golden also shifted to support the effort. The resolution invokes the 1973 War Powers Act and would direct removal of U.S. forces from hostilities unless Congress explicitly authorises further action. The measure must still clear the Republican-controlled Senate and would face an almost certain presidential veto, making it largely symbolic for now. Backers say the vote is the strongest congressional rebuke to date of Trump’s three-month-old campaign against Iran, which began with strikes on Feb. 28 and has contributed to higher fuel prices and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Lawmakers and administration officials remain sharply divided over the legality and impact of the resolution amid fragile ceasefire talks and continuing exchanges of strikes in the Gulf.

U.S. President Donald Trump on June 3 confirmed he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he was "effing crazy" during an expletive-filled phone call about Israeli operations in Lebanon, saying he was "a little bit perturbed" and urging a halt to strikes on Beirut. The confirmation followed an Axios report of a terse exchange in which Trump rebuked Netanyahu for actions he said jeopardised U.S.-brokered talks with Iran. Trump has said he helped secure an agreement—announced on June 1—under which Israel would refrain from striking Beirut's Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs while Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israel. Despite that declaration, Israeli forces continued strikes across southern Lebanon on June 2-3, killing civilians and damaging hospitals, as Hezbollah kept firing at Israeli troops. Lebanese officials say more than 3,400 people have been killed and over a million displaced. Iranian state media reported Tehran paused indirect talks with Washington, a claim Trump denied, saying U.S.-Iran negotiations were ongoing. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, continue to press for a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran's nuclear activities. Netanyahu faces mounting domestic criticism for perceived U.S. influence over Israeli military decisions ahead of elections.

Three Royal Navy personnel were killed when a Merlin Mk4 helicopter crashed during a training exercise near Sourton Down, close to Okehampton in Devon, in the early hours of 3 June 2026. Emergency services were alerted at about 03:45 BST and a multi-agency response including Devon and Cornwall Police, the Civil Aviation Authority, fire and search-and-rescue teams and Ministry of Defence personnel attended the scene. The wreckage was visible in a field; nearby roads including the A386 and slip roads at the A30 were closed while investigators worked. The MoD confirmed the deaths, said the families had been informed and requested a period of grace, and that an investigation is under way. Senior figures paid tribute: Royal Navy head Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins described the loss as “deeply saddened”, Defence Secretary John Healey said he was “devastated”, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the crash “utterly tragic”. Merlin Mk4s are normally based at RNAS Yeovilton and are used by the Commando Helicopter Force for maritime and troop-support roles. Further details will be released as inquiries progress.

Senate Republicans on June 3 began formal consideration of a roughly $70–72 billion budget reconciliation package to fund U.S. immigration enforcement through fiscal 2029, after weeks of delay over White House proposals that alarmed GOP senators. The Senate voted 53-46 to proceed and opened debate and a marathon vote-a-rama of amendments. The package — pared back in revised text — drops language that would have provided up to $1 billion for security upgrades tied to President Trump’s planned White House ballroom and proceeds after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the administration would not move forward with a controversial $1.7–1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” or settlement fund. Republican leaders say the changes cleared the way to get the base bill across the finish line, but holdouts including Sen. Thom Tillis have signaled they may press amendments to permanently bar the fund. The measure allocates funds across agencies (committee texts cited about $13 billion for Customs and Border Protection, roughly $31 billion for ICE and additional DHS funding) and faces further hurdles in floor votes and in the Republican-controlled House.

Voters in six states, led by California, held primary elections on June 2 that will shape November’s midterms and could influence control of the U.S. Congress. California’s crowded “jungle” primary — 61 candidates on a single ballot with the top two advancing regardless of party — produced early, inconclusive returns. With roughly half the expected ballots still to be tallied, early tabulations put Republican Steve Hilton near 27%, Democrat and former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra near 26% and Democrat Tom Steyer around 20%, leaving the final top-two outcome too close to call. The contest is occurring alongside a newly redrawn congressional map approved by California voters in 2025 that shifts five districts toward Democrats, creating several high-stakes House primaries that could affect the narrow balance in Washington. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced a multi-candidate primary including reality TV figure Spencer Pratt and councilmember Nithya Raman. Outside California, primaries in Iowa, New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota delivered mixed results, with Democrats eyeing pickup opportunities in Iowa’s governor and Senate contests. The campaign has been marked by heavy spending (Steyer alone has spent over $200m), celebrity candidacies, a recent high-profile withdrawal and resignation by Eric Swalwell, and endorsements from former President Donald Trump for some GOP contenders.

At least 21 people were killed and more than 40 injured when a fire ripped through a multi-storey building housing a restaurant and a bed-and-breakfast in New Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on June 3. The blaze, reported shortly before 9 a.m., is believed to have started on the ground floor where the restaurant operated and spread rapidly to upper floors. Television footage and witness accounts showed people jumping from windows; local residents laid mattresses on the road to break falls. Emergency services rescued over 40 people and extinguished the fire by midday. Many of the dead were foreign nationals — media and officials cited victims from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Liberia and Turkmenistan, with some reports saying 18 foreigners were among the dead. Hospitals treated dozens, several in critical condition. Delhi police have registered an investigation and arrested the building owner amid allegations the guesthouse lacked valid fire safety clearance, operated beyond permitted capacity and had sealed exits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia payments to victims’ families and those injured as authorities probe the causes.

The World Health Organization warned on June 3-4 that an outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had “a big head‑start” and that response teams remain behind the virus. WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, returning from Ituri province, said the outbreak may have begun as early as January. Congolese authorities have confirmed 344 cases and 60 deaths, with neighbouring Uganda reporting 15 cases and one death. Improved laboratory capacity has cleared testing backlogs — more than 1,400 tests reported — and decentralised labs are being scaled up, but only about 45% of contacts are being followed and suspected cases fell from around 906 to roughly 116 as results were processed. Response efforts are hampered by armed group attacks and displacement in North and South Kivu and Ituri, and by blanket travel restrictions that WHO says disrupt supply chains. There is currently no approved vaccine or proven treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. WHO has asked for increased funding and faster contact tracing and has recommended exit screening at ports and border crossings.

On June 3, 2026, Comcast NBCUniversal and the UK government unveiled the name and financing for Universal’s first European destination: Universal United Kingdom Resort. The Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire project is slated to open in 2031. Comcast has committed more than £5 billion for construction and a further £1 billion of capital investment in the resort’s first decade; the government will provide a £1.3 billion package for regional and community infrastructure. Officials project about 8.5 million visitors in the first year, rising in later years, and an economic contribution of roughly £50 billion by mid-century. The development — on land south of Bedford where enabling works have begun — is expected to create some 20,000 construction jobs and around 8,000 ongoing roles (commonly reported as c.28,000 jobs in total). Public funds will partly fund upgrades to rail and road links, including a four‑platform Wixams station and A421 improvements (estimated at c.£474m); several grants (including a DCMS allocation) are tied to delivery and opening milestones.

A Metro Vancouver ski resort on June 3 unveiled what it says is the largest Canadian flag ever displayed on a mountain as a show of support ahead of FIFA World Cup matches in Vancouver. The fabric banner, produced by Blast Media Print, measures about 160 metres by 80 metres and weighs roughly 1,500 kilograms (about 3,300 lb). It was stretched across The Cut ski run on Grouse Mountain and is visible from across Burrard Inlet. Grouse Mountain said the installation involved dozens of staff and volunteers and was supported by Destination Vancouver and Destination BC; resort officials said they would seek Guinness World Records certification for the mountain display. The installation has prompted questions about federal flag etiquette, which advises that a national flag should not touch the ground; resort officials said they believed the display was respectful. Organisers said no trees were removed to install the flag. The display is timed to welcome international visitors for World Cup fixtures at BC Place, including Canada’s group matches on June 18 and June 24.

A Northern Ireland man who used a staged YouTube gaming stream as an alibi for the murder of his pregnant partner has been ordered to serve a minimum of 31 years. Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Lisburn, was convicted earlier in 2026 of killing 32-year-old Natalie McNally at her home in Lurgan on December 18, 2022. McNally was 15 weeks pregnant. Prosecutors said McCullagh prerecorded a six-hour broadcast titled “The Violent Night” and presented it as live while travelling to Lurgan in disguise, carrying out a violent attack that included stabbing, blows to the head and strangulation; her face was later found in a dog bowl. PSNI cyber investigators dismantled his alibi by analysing broadcast metadata and computer activity and CCTV traced his movements by bus and taxi. McCullagh initially blamed an ex-partner, attended the wake and maintained a public role before being re-arrested in January 2023. A jury convicted him in March 2026 and Mr Justice Kinney imposed the tariff at a sentencing hearing on June 3, 2026.

The World Health Organization said on June 2-3 that the scale of the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is smaller than earlier feared after hundreds of suspected cases were ruled out following testing. WHO reported 321 confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC and 116 suspected cases, down from previous tallies that exceeded 900–1,100. Confirmed deaths in the DRC stand at 48 and the agency said six people have recovered. Neighbouring Uganda has reported cases: WHO cited nine confirmed infections and one death, while Uganda’s health ministry later reported six additional confirmed cases, bringing its total to 15. Health officials said many suspected cases were removed from the list after tests showed other illnesses (malaria, meningitis or routine fever). Response is complicated by limited diagnostic capacity and the fact that commonly used Ebola tests initially did not detect the Bundibugyo strain; no approved vaccine or targeted treatment currently exists for this strain. International actors, including CEPI, have pledged urgent vaccine development and funding to accelerate investigational candidates.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 3 that he expects to make acting Attorney General Todd Blanche permanent, praising Blanche as "a very talented guy" in an interview on the "Pod Force One" podcast. Blanche, appointed acting attorney general in April after Trump fired Pam Bondi, has overseen a series of controversial moves at the Department of Justice, including criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey, an expanded inquiry into former CIA Director John Brennan, and the removal of press releases on some Jan. 6 prosecutions. Blanche also directed a proposed roughly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund to compensate alleged victims of government misconduct tied to a $10 billion IRS lawsuit by Trump; the plan drew fierce bipartisan criticism and was subsequently halted. Blanche’s acting appointment runs through about late October unless Trump formally nominates him or extends his tenure; Senate confirmation would be required and could face objections despite Republican control of the chamber by a narrow 53-47 margin.

President Donald Trump’s selection of Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence has prompted immediate bipartisan skepticism on Capitol Hill. Pulte, the heir to the Pulte Homes fortune who currently holds a senior post at the federal housing regulator, has no known background in intelligence or national security, several senators said on June 2. Republican voices including John Cornyn, Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski said they were unaware of credentials that would justify the role and raised questions about whether Pulte even holds a security clearance. Critics cited his recent use of housing and mortgage records to pursue allegations against political opponents, including Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook and other Democratic figures, as evidence he could politicize intelligence work. Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned of a “lengthy road” to confirmation if a permanent nomination follows, and Democrats on the intelligence committee also blasted the choice. The debate arrives as US intelligence is engaged on multiple global issues, raising concerns about oversight and the independence of the intelligence community.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s planned World Cup warm-up against Chile in La Línea de la Concepción, Spain, has been cancelled after the town’s mayor, Juan Franco, revoked authorisation citing health concerns linked to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo. The match had been scheduled for June 9; the decision followed advice from Andalusian regional health authorities and the municipality’s health service. DR Congo, who have been preparing in Belgium and whose squad is largely Europe-based, played a friendly against Denmark in Liège on June 3. The Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA) says the team complies with medical protocols and is in talks with Spanish authorities, the Spanish football federation and FIFA to find alternatives. The outbreak, involving a rare Ebola strain, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization and has prompted travel and entry measures by some countries. DR Congo are due to open their Group K World Cup campaign — their first appearance since 1974 — against Portugal in Houston and will also face Colombia and Uzbekistan in the group stage in North America.

From June 1-3, U.S. forces escalated operations linked to a naval blockade of Iran while ceasefire talks between Washington and Tehran showed signs of stalling. U.S. Central Command released footage showing a Hellfire missile strike that disabled the Botswana-flagged tanker M/T Lexie’s engine room after, it said, the crew ignored repeated warnings; the Lexie is the sixth commercial vessel disabled since the blockade began on April 13 and Centcom says 122 vessels have been redirected. The U.S. also carried out strikes on Qeshm Island, targeting an Iranian military ground control station, and shot down ballistic missiles and drones fired toward Gulf countries. Iranian state media and Tasnim reported Tehran had paused message exchanges with U.S. mediators and threatened to widen blockades of the Strait of Hormuz and possibly the Bab el-Mandeb. President Donald Trump said talks were continuing; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress negotiators had not offered sanctions relief tied to reopening the strait. Concurrent Israeli operations in southern Lebanon and orders to strike Beirut’s southern suburbs have further strained the fragile ceasefire. The tensions have kept oil markets volatile, with Brent and WTI rising and falling as traders weigh the risk to global supplies.

Conservative MP Billy Morin, a former chief of Enoch Cree Nation, said on June 3 he will spend the summer urging Indigenous leaders to encourage voting in Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum on whether to begin a binding process toward secession. The vote, added by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to an existing referendum on immigration and constitutional questions, asks whether the province should start a legal path to a future binding referendum on separation. Morin said the question is different and that chiefs fighting for treaty rights are crucial to the outcome. First Nations groups successfully challenged an earlier citizen-led petition in court after arguing the province failed its duty to consult; a judge quashed that petition. The campaign has drawn national attention, with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre mobilizing his caucus to campaign in Alberta for unity. Indigenous voter turnout has historically lagged, and many First Nations remain wary of participating because of past disenfranchisement and unresolved treaty concerns. Morin said he expects the referendum to fail but warned separatist activity could continue, underscoring the need for dialogue over treaty obligations and federal-provincial relations.

The Irish Cabinet on June 3 approved the country’s first Special Needs Assistant (SNA) Workforce Development Plan and accompanying circulars setting out the role and a redeployment scheme for SNAs. The plan, developed over two years and based on a survey of about 13,000 of an estimated 25,000 SNAs, aims to professionalise the role through clearer contracts, minimum entry standards, enhanced training and dedicated professional development time (replacing a prior requirement for 72 additional unpaid hours). Ministers Hildegarde Naughton and Michael Moynihan said the measures include protections so no school will lose more than one SNA post in any single year from September 2027, and that there will be no reductions to SNA allocations for the 2026/2027 academic year. The redeployment scheme will offer affected staff opportunities to move to vacancies in other schools. Trade union Fórsa, which represents many SNAs, welcomed the plan but will run a consultation with members ahead of a ballot to accept or reject the proposals. The move follows a public backlash and government U‑turn earlier this year after plans to reallocate SNA resources in around 200 schools were scrapped.

A hostage standoff at a Chase Bank building in downtown Bakersfield, California, that began Tuesday afternoon with a reported bomb threat ended early Wednesday when FBI personnel shot and killed the suspect, police said. Officers first responded at about 1 p.m. local time after reports that a man had barricaded himself inside the multistory office building, which also houses a school district office. Crisis negotiators secured the release of two hostages on Tuesday; remaining hostages were freed unharmed after the overnight siege and received medical checks at the scene. The Bakersfield Police Department said the suspect was killed in an “officer‑involved shooting involving Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel.” Nearby municipal buildings, including City Hall and police headquarters, were evacuated and streets were closed during the standoff. Authorities said a substantial law‑enforcement presence, including FBI hostage‑rescue resources and bomb‑squad units, responded. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials expected to process the scene and provide further details at a planned briefing; the identity of the suspect and motive have not been released.

Spanish hotel group Meliá said on June 3 it will immediately stop managing, marketing and providing brand services for 15 of its hotels in Cuba, after notifying owners on May 26. The move, carried out by its Portuguese unit Ilha Bela, affects properties across Havana, Varadero, Cayo Santa María, Cayo Coco and Holguín and follows a sharp fall in tourism demand, persistent energy shortages and deteriorating legal and security conditions on the island. Most of the affected hotels were already closed or inactive. The withdrawal comes amid stepped-up U.S. sanctions and an oil-related embargo that target GAESA, a Cuban military-run conglomerate and partner to foreign operators, and have constrained access to the U.S. financial system. Officials say Meliá still lists about 20 other Cuban properties. The decision follows cancellations by airlines, suspension of Visa and MasterCard operations on the island, and similar retrenchments by other foreign hotel chains. Cuba has seen international arrivals slump nearly 48% year-on-year in the first quarter, amplifying the threat to thousands of jobs dependent on tourism.

WASHINGTON, June 2-3, 2026 — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz faced pointed questions and declined to answer on several high-profile topics during a White House briefing where he was scheduled to discuss health policy. Oz, a former TV physician and ex-Senate candidate, was in the briefing room to announce that 160 medications were being added to the administration’s discounted-drug website, TrumpRx, raising the total to more than 750. Reporters pressed him on President Trump’s surprise naming of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence; Oz said he had no additional information, called the question “out of my lane,” and added, “I think Bill’s a great guy. I know him socially.” He also defended the president’s publicly disclosed health screenings. The appearance continues a recent pattern of senior officials — including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — standing in for White House press operations while press secretary Karoline Leavitt is on maternity leave.