Control

SpaceX conducted the fourteenth test flight of its Starship system, launching the vehicle and returning the Super Heavy booster for a splashdown. Coverage of the launch and booster descent drew large live audiences, with spaceflight commentators tracking the vehicle's performance during ascent and the booster's controlled descent over the ocean.

Fighting has resumed between the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, according to The New York Times, which examines the reasons the conflict has flared up again. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have fought a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a war that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Australia's central bank has lifted its key interest rate to the highest level in 15 years as it tries to bring inflation under control. The move makes borrowing more expensive for households and businesses, and signals policymakers remain willing to tighten further despite concerns about slowing economic growth and mounting pressure on mortgage holders.

Sudan's governance remains split as the civil war continues. The army-backed administration controls much of the formal state apparatus, while the Rapid Support Forces exercises authority over territory it holds. Washington, however, says neither side represents legitimate constitutional governance, leaving the country with authorities but no internationally recognised government.

Legal analysts say President Trump's legal position in the dispute over his administration's ban on certain media outlets from the White House has shifted dramatically. The comments come as courts and press organisations challenge the administration's efforts to control access to presidential events, raising questions about press freedom and the limits of executive authority.

A US judge has overturned President Trump's White House media ban, ruling against the administration's restrictions on press access. The decision is drawing wide attention as a significant check on presidential power over media coverage, with broadcasters and press freedom groups closely watching its implications for White House access going forward.

Ukraine's Third Army Corps says it used grenade-launcher ground robots to strike Russian shelters, with infantry remaining out of direct contact. Operators reportedly controlled the machines from tens of kilometers away. According to United24, no side has used similar tactics before in this war, and the assault is drawing wide attention as an example of remote ground warfare.

President Donald Trump is preparing for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and attention is focused on what it could mean for trade and business. Analysts flag three key issues for companies: tariffs and market access, technology and export controls, and whether the meeting produces any concrete agreements or just rhetoric between the world's two largest economies.

Nvidia and AMD are pressing the Trump administration to maintain export channels for their semiconductor products to China, according to Politico. The two US chipmakers rely heavily on Chinese sales and face uncertainty over restrictions. The issue sits at the center of the wider US-China tech rivalry, with export controls threatening billions in revenue for American semiconductor companies.

Technology industry leaders have appealed to the United Nations, calling for international oversight of the artificial intelligence tools they themselves helped build. The message to the UN frames AI as a technology that, without global controls, could pose risks to humanity. The appeal has drawn attention because it comes from the creators of the technology asking for it to be restrained.

Dutch chip-equipment maker ASML has said it is not selling its chipmaking machines in Europe, warning that the region risks falling behind the United States, China and India in the semiconductor industry. The remarks have drawn attention in India and China, where ASML's role in global chip supply chains is a sensitive topic amid ongoing export-control tensions and competition to build domestic chip manufacturing capacity.

Australia's central bank has lifted its key interest rate to the highest level in 15 years in an effort to bring inflation under control. The move means higher borrowing costs for households and businesses, and it signals that policymakers remain determined to curb price growth despite the pressure on mortgage holders and the wider economy.

The New York Times reports that Israel has continued to take over more territory in Gaza even as a cease-fire remains formally in place. The report highlights the gap between the truce agreement and the reality on the ground, where Israeli forces have expanded control over additional areas. It is fueling debate over whether the cease-fire is holding and what it means for prospects of a lasting settlement.

A federal judge has temporarily paused the Trump administration's ban barring certain media outlets from the White House, allowing CNN journalists back into the building to cover the president. The ruling marks a significant check on the administration's efforts to control press access, and CNN is airing the network's return to briefings as a major development in the ongoing legal fight over press freedom.

The Pentagon is reportedly weighing a new nuclear strategy aimed at deterring regional conflicts rather than solely major-power war. The reported shift would adjust how US nuclear weapons fit into plans for limited, regional contingencies. The Globe Post reported the story, but no further details on the proposals, their scope, or official confirmation have emerged so far, and reaction from lawmakers, allies, or arms-control groups has not been recorded.

Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen has introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump, announcing the move in a press release from his office. The filing lays out a comprehensive set of charges, though with Republicans controlling Congress the measure has little chance of advancing. The move adds to ongoing political tension around the president and is drawing attention from commentators across the political spectrum.

SpaceX has launched its enormous Starship into orbit for the first time, successfully delivering the newest and most advanced Starlink satellites yet. However, flight controllers brought the spacecraft back to Earth early on Monday rather than completing six full laps around the planet as planned. The milestone flight is being closely watched as a major step for the rocket programme.

The United States' efforts to limit Ukraine's attacks inside Russia point to a widening strategic disconnect between Washington and Kyiv, according to analysis in The Conversation. The piece argues that American attempts to control how Ukraine uses Western-supplied weapons against Russian territory clash with Ukraine's view that such strikes are essential to its defence.

Forces aligned with Ethiopia's federal government say they have seized a strategically important town in the Tigray region. The claim comes amid the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia, where control of towns has shifted repeatedly. Details remain limited and the report has not been independently confirmed, while observers watch for responses from Tigrayan authorities and any impact on fighting in the region.

Russia says its forces have taken control of three more settlements in Ukraine, according to a report carried by US broadcaster WPLG. The claim, made as the war grinds through its fourth year, has not been independently verified, and Ukrainian officials have not confirmed losing the locations. Moscow routinely announces village-level gains along the front line, while Kyiv often disputes them or describes fighting as ongoing.

Russia has placed the Russian assets of German retail group Metro under temporary administration, according to a Reuters report, amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Berlin over the war in Ukraine. The move is the latest step by Russian authorities to seize or manage assets of Western companies, raising concerns among foreign firms still operating in the country.

US officials say that if Iran acquired nuclear weapons, no country could prevent it from controlling the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which a large share of the world's oil passes. The warning underscores Washington's argument for preventing Iran from developing nuclear arms amid ongoing tensions over its nuclear programme.

Reporting by The Atlantic examines how Russia is quietly constructing administrative, political and institutional structures in territories of Ukraine it occupies, effectively building a parallel state within the country. The piece highlights how these systems of control operate beneath the surface of the ongoing war, and readers are discussing what this means for Ukraine's sovereignty and any future peace settlement.

Democrats say they will open investigations into lucrative business deals involving Donald Trump and his family if they win control of Congress in the November midterm elections. The pledge, reported by Reuters, signals that oversight of the former president's finances would become a priority should the party take committee power, setting up potential confrontations over conflicts of interest and foreign payments.