Israeli army continues invasion of Lebanon

France24, 5/30–Lebanon’s prime minister accused Israel on Saturday of pursuing a “scorched-earth policy” in his country’s south, urging a halt to the fighting as Israel carried out fresh air strikes and issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen locations. A day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces had advanced deeper into Lebanon, his counterpart Nawaf Salam warned the country was facing a “dangerous” escalation, and called for “a swift and real ceasefire”. In a televised address, Salam accused Israel of “pursuing a scorched-earth policy and collective punishment” by “destroying towns and villages, and forcing their inhabitants into exile”...The Lebanese health ministry says that Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,371 people since March 2…

Inflation hitting U.S. workers hard as wars continue

Surveys of Consumers, University of Michigan, 5/22—The cost of living continues to be a first-order concern, with 57% of consumers spontaneously mentioning that high prices were eroding their personal finances, up from 50% last month. Lower-income consumers and those without college degrees posted particularly strong sentiment declines; these groups are more sensitive to increases in the cost of gas and other essentials…Year-ahead inflation expectations inched up from 4.7% last month to 4.8% this month. The current reading substantially exceeds the 3.4% reading seen in February 2026 prior to the start of the Iran conflict.

Young U.S. workers struggling through hard economic times

The Guardian, 5/30–Young people are already facing the worst entry-level job market since the start of the pandemic and significant economic instability. But overall economic conditions are making it more challenging for those just entering adulthood. More than eight in 10 young adults rate the economy as “bad” or “terrible”, according to a recent survey conducted with more than 1,000 18- to 34-year-olds around the US by Generation Lab, a research firm studying young people. While young adulthood is known as a time for establishing independence and responsibility, many are attempting to do so amid cuts to social safety net programs and the ever-increasing costs of basic needs like gas and groceries.

Protesters fight ICE rats and now NJ and Newark kkkops

NJ.com, 5/30–Protesters clashed with the New Jersey State Police outside a federal immigration detention center again Saturday night, pushing against barriers and shouting at troopers, who sprayed gas while responding in riot gear. Tensions had been high outside Delaney Hall in Newark all day as both anti-ICE and pro-ICE groups gathered in designated areas. The crowd swelled to more than 200 people by 9 p.m., hours after New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill urged protesters to “bring the temperature down”...The latest conflict comes as detainees are on a hunger strike inside the privately run detention center…Detainees decry what they describe as inhumane conditions inside the facility, including poor food quality and a lack of medical care.

Australian bosses can only afford hand-me-down subs

MSN, 5/30–Australia will only receive used nuclear-powered submarines from the US as part of an agreement to “streamline” the AUKUS deal, with the move branded on Sunday as a “cost-effective” measure by Defense Minister Richard Marles…Under the 2021 AUKUS deal, Australia is expected to receive at least three so-called “Virginia-class” nuclear-powered submarines from the US within 15 years…The US Navy has 24 Virginia-class vessels, but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year.In the US, critics have questioned why Washington would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first.

Japan bosses disavow pacifism with China in mind

Al Jazeera, 5/31–Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has dismissed claims that Tokyo is pursuing “new militarism” and accused China of rapidly expanding its military with limited transparency…“Think about it. There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers…” Ties between Japan and China sank to ⁠their worst level in years after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a Japanese military response…Last month, Takaichi’s cabinet scrapped a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change in its post-war pacifist policy.