As Swiss voters head to the polls tomorrow, the country is weighing a proposal that could redraw its economic future and strain its ties with the European Union — a high-stakes referendum some have compared to Britain's Brexit vote. What does the proposal envisage? Under the plan, Switzerland's population, now at 9.1 million, would be barred from rising above 10 million before 2050. Current projections do not expect that threshold to be reached until the early 2040s. If the population climbs to 9.5 million, the government…

As fault lines widen across world affairs, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney used a high-profile speech in Dublin to argue that Ireland and Canada can help steady an increasingly unsettled international order by acting in concert. Carney delivered the message at the inaugural De Chastelain Public Lecture at Trinity College Dublin during the first day of his two-day visit to Ireland. In remarks that ranged widely across economics and security, Mr Carney said the tools of economic integration were now being turned into…

A deadly US strike off the coast of Oman has left three Indian sailors dead, prompting grief in New Delhi and a formal diplomatic protest over the attack on a commercial vessel. "It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello," Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement, referring to the strike on the vessel a day earlier. "Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified". India's foreign ministry…

A routine day at a popular Sydney beach turned terrifying when a woman was seriously injured in a shark attack, authorities said, the latest in a troubling run of incidents off Australia's coastline. Police said emergency crews were sent to Coogee Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs after reports that a swimmer had been bitten. "The woman was pulled from the water by members of the public who commenced ‌first aid," police ⁠said, adding that the victim sustained serious injuries to her arm and leg. Police said the woman, who is…

JUBA, 9 June 2026 – In eastern Jonglei state, families and children are reduced to foraging leaves and water lilies as hunger edges toward famine in parts of South Sudan after three months of renewed violence, Save the Children warned. Since fighting escalated in March, aid operations in several areas have been suspended and government orders forced agencies to evacuate, leaving many communities across Jonglei without vital life-saving services and prompting widespread displacement.…

“I tell you, it will go well. It will be a super event. That’s what they’re good at, the Americans. They know how to organise stuff. “I hope it will be affordable for everybody at the end of the day. I hope that ticket prices still come down. I understand why so many people are sceptical, but go there first and make up your own mind.” That was former Germany striker Jürgen Klinsmann, speaking recently on the ‘Stick to Football’ podcast about how he expects the FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico to unfold. Klinsmann,…

For Mark Carney, the road to Dublin is also a road back to family. Ireland is welcoming the Canadian prime minister "home", Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, framing the visit as both a diplomatic engagement and a personal return. Mr Carney, whose grandparents were born in Ireland, is due to travel to Mayo tomorrow to visit their birthplace as part of the trip. At a joint press conference, Mr Martin said: "I know I speak for the people of Mayo, and indeed for the Irish people more broadly, when I say that we are deeply honoured…

A possible diplomatic breakthrough is taking shape in the Middle East, with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying the United States and Iran have agreed on a framework for peace and finalized the text of a deal meant to end months of conflict. Pakistan is now preparing for an electronic signing expected within the next 24 hours, followed by technical-level talks next week, Mr Sharif said. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the agreement could still change at the margins, but argued the emerging…

Thailand is mourning the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the king's eldest daughter, who has died at 47, the royal palace said, more than three years after she was first hospitalised following a sudden illness. The princess had been in hospital since December 2022, when she suddenly lost consciousness because of a heart condition while visiting Nakhon Ratchasima in the country's northeast. Bajrakitiyabha was airlifted by helicopter to Bangkok, where doctors began treating her. She died yesterday evening after her…

A US strike has killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores — better known as Niño Guerrero — the alleged head of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, President Donald Trump said, announcing the operation in stark terms. "At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Nino Guerrero, the infamous leader of Tren de Aragua, one of the most bloodthirsty terrorist organisations on the planet," Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social.. "This action was…