Israel says it has launched strikes on Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports, including the western port of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Saif.
The attacks come shortly after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for civilians in the areas, warning of imminent air strikes.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz confirmed on social media the strikes on the Houthi-controlled sites including a power station and a ship that was hijacked by the group two years ago.
Houthi-run media in Yemen said the strikes hit the port of Hodeidah, but no further details were provided on damage or casualties.
Katz said the strikes were part of “Operation Black Flag” and warned that the Houthis “will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions”.
“The fate of Yemen is the same as the fate of Tehran. Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed, and anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off,” he said in a post on X.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have regularly launched missiles at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The Israeli Air Force said the latest strikes on Yemen’s ports were in response to “repeated attacks” by the Houthis on Israel and its citizens.
It added that the targeted ports were being used to “transfer weapons from the Iranian regime to carry out terror plans” against Israel and its allies.
Shortly after the attack, Houthis confirmed its air defences had confronted Israel’s strikes with missiles, according to Reuters news agency.
Among the targets was a commercial ship the Galaxy Leader seized by the group in November 2023, which Israel said was being used to monitor maritime vessels in international waters.
The Ras Kanatib power station which supplies electricity to the nearby cities of Ibb and Taizz, was also hit, Israel said.
This latest attack on Hodeidah comes after Israeli navy ships struck targets in the port city last month.
Hodeidah port, which is the main entry point for food and other humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis, has been the target of several Israeli strikes in the past year.
Three Israeli attacks hit Bint Jbeil, Shebaa and Chaqra.
Israel has carried out three drone attacks on towns in southern Lebanon, resulting in a death and several injured, in the latest wave of near-daily Israeli violations of the November ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
An “Israeli enemy drone attack on a vehicle” in the Saf al-Hawa area in the city of Bint Jbeil “killed one person and wounded two others”, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said in a statement on Saturday carried by the official National News Agency (NNA), noting the toll was expected to rise.
Earlier Saturday, the ministry also reported that a separate Israeli drone attack wounded one person in Shebaa, with the NNA saying that raid hit a house. Shebaa is located across two steep, rocky mountainsides that straddle Lebanon’s borders with Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Israel also launched a drone attack on the town of Chaqra, in the Bint Jbeil District. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said two people were wounded in the attack.
Translation: Video: Two injured due to the air raid on a car in the town of Chaqra.
Israel has kept up its bombardment of Lebanon on a near daily basis, despite a November 27 US-brokered ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including an intensive period of the war that left the Iran-aligned group severely weakened.
Israel says its air raids are targeting officials and facilities of Hezbollah and other groups. Hezbollah has claimed only one strike fired across the border since the ceasefire.
Most of the Israeli strikes have been in southern Lebanon, but Israel has also struck Beirut’s southern suburbs several times since the ceasefire, destroying residential buildings and prompting panic and chaos among residents fleeing the area.
On Thursday, an Israeli strike on a vehicle at the southern entrance of Beirut, close to the country’s only commercial airport, killed one man and wounded three other people, Lebanon said, as the Israeli army claimed it hit a “terrorist” working for Iran.
Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters back north of the Litani River, about 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border, leaving the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeepers as the only armed parties in the region.
Israel was required to fully withdraw its troops from the country but has kept them in five locations in southern Lebanon that it deems strategic.
Israel has warned that it will keep attacking Lebanon until Hezbollah has been disarmed.
Nearly 250 people have been killed and 609 wounded in Israeli attacks in Lebanon between November 28 – the day after the ceasefire took effect – and the end of June, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
A United States envoy is expected in Beirut early next week to discuss with Lebanon’s leadership efforts to pressure Hezbollah to relinquish its arms to the state. Hezbollah has rejected a US proposal to disarm by November, calling it “suicidal” amid daily Israeli attacks.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly called on the US and France to rein in Israel’s attacks, noting that disarming Hezbollah is a “sensitive, delicate issue”.
July 4 (UPI) — A major power outage on Friday struck the Czech Republic, including the capital Prague, which disrupted public transportation and hospitals.
Also affected were regions of Ústi, Liberec and Hradec Králove, Euro News reported, citing CEPS power grid operator and domestic media.
Czech Republic has a population of 10 million and borders Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland, which didn’t report outages. Weather was nice Friday with highs in the mid-70s, contrasting with highs in the mid-80s earlier in the week.
In late April, a power grid failure led to the blackout of the entire Iberian Peninsula in Spain and Portugal.
The Czech blackout, shortly after noon, was triggered by the failure phase conductor on line V411, cutting power to eight major substations. Five were restored by the afternoon.
“It was an issue in the upper-level transmission grid,” Karel Hanzelka, spokesperson for Prague’s power provider PRE, told Czech Radio. “To put it simply, electricity stopped flowing into Prague from the outside.”
The cause of the outage remains under investigation.
There was no evidence of a cyberattack, National Cyber and Information Security Agency and counterterrorism unit confirmed.
In Prague, trams and metro lines stopped, traffic lights were inoperable and people were trapped in elevators.
In a reflection of how service outages varied, most trams on the right bank of the Vltava River in Prague were halted but those on the left bank weren’t affected.
Firefighters evacuated three trains on the Prague Kolin section.
“This is a serious and disruptive situation. Everyone is working intensively to restore power,” Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in a video post on X.
He later activated the Central Crisis Staff.
“This isn’t something that can be fixed in minutes,” Industry Minister Luka Vlceksaid. “It will take hours. The outage has affected a significant portion of the country.”
Fire brigades were swamped with calls.
“The power outage is generating a high number of incidents — rescues from elevators, reported fires caused by diesel backup generators starting up,” Miroslav Rezac, a spokesman for Prague’s firefighters, said.
By 2 p.m., firefighters had responded to 215 elevator rescues nationwide.
In Kutna Hora, the entire hospital ran on a backup generator with an eight-hour fuel reserve. “We’re looking for a gas station to refill,” a hospital receptionist told Prague Radio.
EasyJet and Ryanair are among the airlines having to cancel flights due to disruption caused amidst strikes by French Air Traffic Controllers with 1,500 flights estimated to be affected
11:27, 04 Jul 2025Updated 13:06, 04 Jul 2025
Thousands of passengers have been affected(Image: AP)
EasyJet and Ryanair are amongst the airlines that were forced to cancel hundreds of flights due to strike action by French Air Traffic Controllers this week.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said that the airline had been forced to cancel over 400 flights due to the disruption, affecting over 70,000 passengers. Meanwhile easyJet had to cancel 274 flights across the two days.
It’s estimated that around 1,500 flights in total were cancelled or disrupted by the industrial action, with a quarter of flights at Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle reported to have been cancelled.
The industrial action on Thursday 3 July and Friday 4 July is believed to have impacted around 300,000 passengers, with routes to airports including Paris, Lyon and Marseille all affected.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled over the last two days(Image: AP)
The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) asked for a reduction in airport capacity across the country, meaning airlines were left with no choice but to cancel flights.
The UNSA-ICNA union – the second largest union for air traffic controllers in France – is calling for increased staffing levels and a pay rise. The third-largest ATC union, USAC-CGT, also issued a strike notice for Thursday 3 July. The move came on the eve of the school summer holidays in France.
Unfortunately, passengers affected by air traffic control strikes may not be able to get all of their money back, as airlines may be able to claim ‘extraordinary circumstances’ ie that were out of their control, and therefore you may not be entitled to a full refund.
According to the experts at MoneySuperMarket, you would only be eligible for extra compensation if you are made aware of strikes less than 14 days before the flight. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be left fully out of pocket, as travel insurance may be able to cover you depending on when you booked your ticket.
Kara Gammell, who works for the comparison site, explains: “As long as the airline strikes were announced after you booked your trip and your travel insurance, you may be able to claim through your insurer. Always check the terms and conditions of a policy before you buy it as not all travel insurance providers offer cover for airline strikes.
“If your policy includes travel disruption cover though, then it might be possible to claim for disruption or losses incurred as a result of your trip being delayed or cancelled. This may include alternative accommodation, or expenses incurred such as travel, food and drink, and can even stretch to covering the full cost of your holiday should you end up not being able to go.
“However, it is worth noting that not all policies cover this as standard and cover levels, conditions and exclusions can vary between providers, making it important to check with your insurer as your first port of call.”
Have you been affected by the travel disruption? Email us at [email protected].
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s liberal majority struck down the state’s 176-year-old abortion ban on Wednesday, ruling 4-3 that it was superseded by newer state laws regulating the procedure, including statutes that criminalize abortions only after a fetus can survive outside the womb.
The ruling came as no surprise given that liberal justices control the court. One of them went so far as promising to uphold abortion rights during her campaign two years ago, and they blasted the ban during oral arguments in November.
The statute Wisconsin legislators adopted in 1849, widely interpreted as a near-total ban on abortions, made it a felony for anyone other than the mother or a doctor in a medical emergency to destroy “an unborn child.”
The ban was in effect until 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide nullified it. Legislators never officially repealed it, however, and conservatives argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe reactivated it.
Wisconsin Atty. Gen. Josh Kaul, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit that year arguing that abortion restrictions Republican legislators enacted during the nearly half-century that Roe was in effect trumped the ban. Kaul specifically cited a 1985 law that essentially permits abortions until viability. Some babies can survive with medical help after 21 weeks of gestation.
Lawmakers also enacted abortion restrictions under Roe requiring women undergo ultrasounds, wait 24 hours before having the procedure and provide written consent, and receive abortion-inducing drugs only from doctors during an in-person visit.
“That comprehensive legislation so thoroughly covers the entire subject of abortion that it was clearly meant as a substitute for the 19th century near-total ban on abortion,” Justice Rebeca Dallet wrote for the majority.
Sheboygan County Dist. Atty. Joel Urmanski, a Republican, defended the ban in court, arguing that it can coexist with the newer abortion restrictions.
Dane County Circuit Judge Diane Schlipper ruled in 2023 that the 1849 ban outlaws feticide — which she defined as the killing of a fetus without the mother’s consent — but not consensual abortions. Abortions have been available in the state since that ruling, but the state Supreme Court decision gives providers and patients more certainty that abortions will remain legal in Wisconsin.
Urmanski had asked the state Supreme Court to overturn Schlipper’s ruling without waiting for a decision from a lower appellate court.
The liberal justices all but telegraphed how they would rule. Justice Janet Protasiewicz stated on the campaign trail that she supports abortion rights. During oral arguments, Dallet declared that the ban was authored by white men who held all the power in the 19th century. Justice Jill Karofsky likened the ban to a “death warrant” for women and children who need medical care.
A solid majority of Wisconsin voters in the 2024 election, 62%, said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to AP VoteCast. About one-third said abortion should be illegal in most cases, and only 5% said it should be illegal in all cases.
In a dissent, Justice Annette Ziegler called the ruling “a jaw-dropping exercise of judicial will.” She said the liberal justices caved in to their Democratic constituencies.
“Put bluntly, our court has no business usurping the role of the legislature, inventing legal theories on the fly in order to make four justices’ personal preference the law,” Ziegler said.
Urmanski’s attorney, Andrew Phillips, didn’t respond to an email. Kaul told reporters during a news conference that the ruling is a “major victory” for reproductive rights.
Heather Weininger, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, called the ruling “deeply disappointing.” She said that the liberals failed to point to any statute that explicitly repealed the 1849 ban.
“To assert that a repeal is implied is to legislate from the bench,” she said.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin asked the Supreme Court in February 2024 to decide whether the ban was constitutional. The court dismissed that case with no explanation Wednesday.
Michelle Velasquez, chief strategy officer for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said Wednesday’s ruling creates stability for abortion providers and patients, but she was disappointed that the justices dismissed the constitutional challenge. She hinted that the organization might look next to challenge the state’s remaining abortion restrictions.
Kaul said he has no plans to challenge the remaining restrictions, saying the Legislature should instead revisit abortion policy.
Democratic-backed Susan Crawford defeated conservative Brad Schimel for an open seat on the court in April, ensuring liberals will maintain their 4-3 edge until at least 2028. Crawford has not been sworn in yet and was not part of Wednesday’s ruling.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine in March. File Photo by EPA-EFE/STRINGER
July 1 (UPI) — Russian authorities said at least three people were killed as Ukraine claimed an attack on a military plant in the city of Izhevsk.
Head of Russia’s Udmurt Republic Aleksandr Brechalov posted to Telegram Tuesday that “at the moment 35 people have been hospitalized, 10 of them are in serious condition.”
“Unfortunately, we have [three] dead,” he also explained.
Brechalov also confirmed that “One of the enterprises in Izhevsk was attacked by drones” from Ukraine.
The Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, announced Tuesday that two Ukrainian drones struck the Kupol Electromechanical Plant in Izhevsk, more than 800 miles from the warfront in Ukraine. The plant is purportedly a producer of drones, as well as radar stations and surface-to-air missile systems.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also purported Tuesday that 60 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across several Russian regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky further announced Sunday that Russia sent 477 drones and 60 missiles in a wide-ranging blitz that he alleged were “targeting everything that sustains life.” A residential building in the city Smila in Ukraine’s Cherkasy province was reportedly among the structures attacked, which left a child injured.
Zelensky, who alleged that most of the Russian drones and missiles were shot down, also noted that a Ukrainian F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, was killed in action after reportedly have destroyed seven “aerial targets.” Ustymenko was granted the Hero of Ukraine award posthumously Monday.
Zelensky also announced Monday that the Ukrainian domestic production of drones will be “ramped up,” and as for weaponry to be used in battle, “The priority is drones, interceptor drones and long-range strike drones.”
“Russia is investing in its unmanned capabilities,” he added. “Russia is planning to increase the number of drones used in strikes against our state. We are preparing our countermeasures.”
June 27 (UPI) — Iran officially acknowledged its nuclear sites had sustained “serious and significant damage” from U.S. air and missile strikes last weekend.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that while the extent of the damage was still being assessed by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, it was undeniable that the losses were substantial and that the country’s nuclear facilities “have been seriously damaged.”
The admission by Araghchi in an interview with Iranian state television on Thursday came amid conflicting reports on the efficacy of the unprecedented military action launched by the United States against three nuclear sites on June 21.
Earlier Thursday, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khanamei claimed the opposite of his foreign minister, saying damage to the sites had been minimal and instead hailing the “damage inflicted” by Tehran’s “victorious” retaliatory strike on the United States’ Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has said the strikes using 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs and long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles “completely and fully obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program — although public briefings have focused on the “primary site,” a key underground uranium enrichment plant at Fordow, with few details forthcoming on the facilities at Natanz and Esfahan.
U.S. officials have pushed back on a leaked preliminary report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency that assessed the strikes had only set back Iran’s nuclear development by a few months at most, with the White House calling its findings “flat-out wrong.”
Araghchi said inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, might never be allowed back into Iran.
Iranian lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday, effectively banning any future cooperation with the IAEA, which Tehran has accused of carrying out reconnaissance on behalf of Israel and the United States.
The legislation has been waived through by the Guardian Council and will go forward to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s desk for him to sign into law, or veto.
“Without a doubt, we are obliged to enforce this law. Iran’s relationship with the agency will take a different shape,” Araghchi warned.
The independent London-based Iran International said Tehran was considering quitting the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Thursday, reasserted Iran’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear development afforded to it by the treaty, according to state-run Press TV.
Citing Article IV of the 1968 agreement, he said Iran was determined to keep its nuclear program going “under any circumstances.”
The statement came a day after Trump, announcing fresh Iran-U.S. talks, said he wasn’t interested in existing or new agreements because the only thing the U.S. would be asking for was “no nuclear.”
Araghchi took to social media to claim Iran had conducted itself honorably and abided by international diplomatic norms, contrasting its record against that of European countries and the United States in particular, accusing Washington of treachery for attacking when Iran-U.S. talks were still in play.
“Our diplomatic legitimacy was undeniable. In every conversation I had with foreign ministers, they either approved Iran’s rightful position or were forced into silence. We stood firm, and even adversaries acknowledged our position,” he said in a post on X.
“We have had a very difficult experience with the Americans. In the middle of negotiations, they betrayed the negotiation itself. This experience will certainly influence our future decisions.”
Araghchi confirmed no resumption of talks was planned despite Trump saying Wednesday that the two countries would meet “next week.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at her regular briefing Thursday that nothing was “scheduled as of now,” but that communication channels between the United States and Iran remained active.
WASHINGTON — Democratic efforts in the Senate to prevent President Trump from escalating his military confrontation with Iran fell short Friday, with Republicans blocking a resolution that marked Congress’ first attempt to reassert its war powers after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The resolution, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran. Asked Friday whether he would bomb Iranian nuclear sites again if he deemed necessary, Trump said, “Sure, without question.”
The measure was defeated in a 53-47 vote in the Republican-held Senate. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, joined Republicans in opposition, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote in favor.
Most Republicans have said Iran posed an imminent threat that required decisive action from Trump, and they backed his decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend without seeking congressional approval.
“Of course, we can debate the scope and strategy of our military engagements,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). “But we must not shackle our president in the middle of a crisis when lives are on the line.”
Democrats cast doubt on that justification, arguing that the president should have come to Congress first. They also said the president did not update them adequately, with Congress’ first briefings taking place Thursday.
“The idea is this: We shouldn’t send our sons and daughters into war unless there’s a political consensus that this is a good idea, this is a national interest,” Kaine said in a Thursday interview with the Associated Press. The resolution, Kaine said, wasn’t aimed at restricting the president’s ability to defend against a threat, but that “if it’s offense, let’s really make sure we’re making the right decision.”
In a statement after Friday’s vote, Kaine said he was “disappointed that many of my colleagues are not willing to stand up and say Congress” should be a part of a decision to go to war.
Democrats’ argument for backing the resolution centered on the War Powers Resolution, passed in the early 1970s, which requires the president “in every possible instance” to “consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces.”
Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of Friday’s vote, Paul said he would back the resolution, saying that “despite the tactical success of our strikes, they may end up proving to be a strategic failure.”
“It is unclear if this intervention will fully curtail Iran’s nuclear aspirations,” said Paul.
Trump is just the latest in a line of presidents to test the limits of the resolution — though he’s done so at a time when he’s often bristling at the nation’s checks and balances.
Trump on Monday sent a letter to Congress — as required by the War Powers Resolution — that said strikes on Iran over the weekend were “limited in scope and purpose” and “designed to minimize casualties, deter future attacks and limit the risk of escalation.”
But after classified briefings with top White House officials this week, some lawmakers remain skeptical about how imminent the threat was.
“There was no imminent threat to the United States,” said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, after Friday’s classified briefing.
“There’s always an Iranian threat to the world. But, I have not seen anything to suggest that the threat from the Iranians was radically different last Saturday than it was two Saturdays ago,” Himes said.
Meanwhile, nearly all Republicans applauded Trump’s decision to strike Iran. And for GOP senators, supporting the resolution would have meant rebuking the president at the same time they’re working to pass his major legislative package.
Kaine proposed a similar resolution in 2020 aimed at limiting Trump’s authority to launch military operations against Iran. Among the eight Republicans who joined Democrats in approving that resolution was Indiana Sen. Todd Young.
After Thursday’s classified briefing for the Senate, Young said he was “confident that Iran was prepared to pose a significant threat” and that, given Trump’s stated goal of no further escalation, “I do not believe this resolution is necessary at this time.”
“Should the Administration’s posture change or events dictate the consideration of additional American military action, Congress should be consulted so we can best support those efforts and weigh in on behalf of our constituents,” Young said in a statement.
Trump has said that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now in place. But he and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have verbally sparred in recent days, with the Iranian leader warning the U.S. not to launch future strikes on Iran.
White House officials have said they expect to restart talks soon with Iran, though nothing has been scheduled.
Cappelletti writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.
Lebanese state media reports civilian casualties after Israeli attack on residential apartment building in Nabatieh.
At least one person has been killed and more than a dozen others were wounded in Israeli air attacks on southern Lebanon, the health ministry has said, as the Israeli military said it struck sites linked to the armed group Hezbollah.
In a report on Friday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency cited the country’s health ministry saying that a woman and 13 other people were targeted in an air raid that hit a residential apartment building in Nabatieh. Seven others were wounded in air raids on the outskirts of the city, it added.
The Israeli army said its fighters attacked an underground site used by Hezbollah for its fire and defence system in Belfort, a site in the Nabatieh governorate. The military said it identified attempts by the Lebanese group to resume activities there after Israel had taken it out of use in the past.
The resumption of activities there would have been in breach of the November truce agreed by the two sides, which halted more than a year of fire exchanges and nearly two months of an all-out war.
Later on Friday, the Israeli army spokesman said that Lebanese reports that an Israeli drone hit a residential building, causing civilian injuries, “were inaccurate”.
In a post on X, Avichay Adraee said that “the explosion that damaged the civilian building was caused by a rocket located at the Hezbollah site, which detonated as a result of the Israeli strike”.
He accused Hezbollah of “continuing to store its aggressive rockets near residential buildings and Lebanese civilians, thereby putting them at risk”.
Footage shared on social media, and verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking agency, shows large plumes rising from the hill where Israeli aircraft struck their target, as the roar of jets is heard overhead.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun on Friday accused Israel of continually violating the US-brokered ceasefire deal by keeping up strikes on Lebanon.
The ceasefire deal stipulates that southern Lebanon must be free of any non-state arms or fighters, Israeli soldiers must leave southern Lebanon as Lebanese troops deploy there and all fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border must stop.
Israeli troops remain in at least five posts within Lebanese territory and its air force regularly launches air raids, which it claims target rank and file Hezbollah members or people affiliated with the group.
Yusei Kikuchi struck out a season-high 12 in seven innings, Jo Adell and Travis d’Arnaud hit solo homers and RBI singles, and the Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
Kikuchi (3-6) gave up two hits, walked one and threw 31 pitches in a shaky first inning when the Red Sox took advantage of shortstop Scott Kingery’s fielding error and scored two unearned runs on Trevor Story’s two-out single with the bases loaded.
The 34-year-old Japanese left-hander recovered and limited Boston to one hit with no walks over the next six innings. Kikuchi struck out the side in the second and fifth innings and retired the Red Sox in order in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
Kikuchi induced 20 swinging strikes and threw 74 pitches over the final six innings. Ryan Zeferjahn worked a scoreless eighth and ninth for his second save as the Angels (40-40) reached .500 for the first time since May 23.
Adell and d’Arnaud homered off Red Sox starter Richard Fitts on consecutive pitches in the fourth for a 2-all tie. Adell’s 433-foot shot was his 17th homer of the season and 10th in June.
Boston reliever Luis Guerrero (0-1) issued a leadoff walk to Nolan Schanuel and a one-out walk to Mike Trout in the fifth. The right-hander struck out Taylor Ward with a 97-mph fastball before allowing consecutive two-out RBI singles to Adell and d’Arnaud, giving the Angels a 4-2 lead.
The Angels pushed the lead to 5-2 in the sixth on singles by Luis Rengifo and Kingery. Trout followed with an RBI single with two out off reliever Zack Kelly.
Key moment
Boston had a chance to extend its lead in the first, but Kikuchi got Ceddanne Rafaela to ground out to second with runners on second and third, ending the inning. Kikuchi then retired 18 of the next 19 batters he faced.
Key stat
The Angels have used five starting pitchers — Kikuchi, Jose Soriano, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Hendricks and Jack Kochaanowicz — through 80 games, matching a franchise record set in 1999 for most games to begin a season using no more than five starters.
Up next
Jose Soriano (5-5, 3.39 ERA) of the Angels will oppose Washington’s Jake Irvin (6-3, 4.18) in Anaheim on Friday.
GRADUATES are facing the toughest jobs market in eight years but some industries are bucking the trend and paying big.
New data from the Indeed Hiring Lab reveals graduate job ads are down 12% compared to last year and even worse than during the pandemic.
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Research shows there are sectors hiring which offer some seriously high wages
In fact, grad roles are now at their lowest point since at least 2018, as employers hold onto staff and cut back on new hires.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Indeed’s mid-year labour market update shows there are sectors hiring and they’re paying some seriously high wages, with top jobs offering up to £200,000 a year.
Expert Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said: “The UK labour market started 2025 with serious headwinds but rather than crash, it’s seen a gradual softening.
“While hiring appetite is weak, job losses have remained modest. The big challenge now is for new entrants like graduates, who are finding it tough to get a foot in the door.
“But sectors like education and real estate are still hiring in big numbers and roles offering flexibility, like hybrid or remote jobs, are holding up too.”
Here, we reveal the fastest-growing job sectors in the UK right now and the top salaries workers could earn.
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Education & instruction – up 49%
The education sector has seen the biggest increase in job postings, with demand up by 49% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Top earners in this field can make up to £77,250.
This surge is largely due to a national shortage of teachers, particularly in subjects like science, maths and special education.
With government initiatives encouraging more people to enter teaching, there are more opportunities than ever, not just for qualified teachers but also for teaching assistants and support staff.
Entry-level roles such as teaching assistants, cover supervisors, and graduate trainee teachers are also in high demand,
Sam Thompson’s huge new job revealed – and there’s an Ant and Dec link
Social science – up 48%
Closely following education, social science roles have grown by 48%. The top 1% of salaries reach £82,500, with many positions available in areas like policy research, community development, psychology, and criminology.
Graduates with degrees in sociology, psychology, and public policy are finding more roles in local government, charities and think tanks.
Real estate – up 45%
The real estate sector has posted a 45% rise in job listings. It’s a lucrative industry too, with top earners bringing in £109,513.
The UK property market remains resilient, with growth in both commercial and residential lettings.
Many graduates can break into the industry through roles like lettings negotiators, property administrators, and junior estate agents, where commissions can quickly boost take-home pay.
Legal – up 27%
Legal roles have seen a 27% increase in demand, with the best-paid positions offering up to £96,348.
This growth is being driven by a backlog of court cases and rising demand for legal advice in areas such as employment, family law, and corporate compliance.
Law graduates, paralegals and legal support staff are in demand across both private firms and public sector bodies.
The legal sector has also seen growth in remote roles, making it more accessible for early-career professionals.
Mechanical engineering – up 18%
Mechanical engineering continues to be a growth area, with a hiring increase of 18%. Top salaries in this field can reach £84,775.
As the UK focuses more on infrastructure, robotics, and renewable energy projects, mechanical engineers are needed in sectors ranging from automotive to aerospace and manufacturing.
Those at the start of their careers might look at field service technician roles, control panel engineering, or graduate engineer positions, especially as the UK invests in EV infrastructure and smart grids.
Insurance – up 16%
Insurance roles have grown by 16%, with elite earners making around £106,125. The industry is modernising rapidly, with tech and data transforming how insurers assess risk and handle claims.
There’s strong demand for underwriters, analysts, and customer service professionals.
In particular, graduates with business, finance or maths degrees are in high demand in this sector, which offers clear career progression and high long-term earning potential.
And while that figure might be reserved for senior underwriters and actuaries, graduates can start out as claims handlers, underwriting assistants, or admin support staff, with many firms offering structured progression and paid qualifications.
Electrical engineering – up 16%
Also seeing a 16% growth in hiring, electrical engineering is a thriving sector thanks to the UK’s transition to smart technologies and renewable energy.
The best-paid roles can command salaries of £79,832. This field is vital to the roll-out of electric vehicle infrastructure, energy storage systems and smart homes.
Engineers with experience in circuit design, automation or grid systems are particularly sought after, making it a smart career move for STEM graduates.
Dental – up 14%
The dental profession has surged by 14%, and it tops the salary chart with the highest pay of any occupation listed: £200,726 for the top 1%.
Both NHS and private practices are struggling to recruit and retain dentists, dental nurses and hygienists due to a backlog of patients and a shortage of qualified staff.
This shortage has turned dentistry into one of the most lucrative and in-demand fields in the country right now.
There are also entry-level routes such as dental nurse apprenticeships, receptionist roles, and dental technician traineeships, especially in larger NHS or private clinics.
Physicians & surgeons – up 13%
Medical professionals are also in high demand, with physician and surgeon roles up 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
These roles offer some of the highest salaries, with top professionals earning up to £175,181.
This field remains highly competitive and requires years of training, but the financial and societal rewards are significant.
Installation & maintenance – up 13%
Installation and maintenance roles are booming, with postings up 13% and top salaries reaching £191,100.
This includes jobs in facilities management, HVAC systems, smart home installation, and more. As buildings become more complex and technology-driven, skilled tradespeople are crucial.
Production & manufacturing – up 12%
The production and manufacturing sector has grown by 12%, although it offers lower top salaries, maxing out at £56,965.
Still, it remains an essential part of the UK economy, especially with the rise of local manufacturing and automation.
There are growing opportunities in logistics, factory management and machine operation.
Cleaning & sanitation – up 10%
Although it may not be the highest paying sector, with top salaries around £31,607, cleaning and sanitation have seen a 10% rise in job postings.
Hygiene has become a permanent priority in the post-Covid world, driving consistent demand across hospitals, offices, schools and transportation.
These roles are often stable and provide entry-level access to the workforce.
Loading & stocking – up 7%
Loading and stocking jobs have increased by 7%, with top salaries reaching £35,604.
Warehouses and logistics centres are scaling up operations, especially with the continued growth in online shopping.
These roles are essential for ensuring supply chains run smoothly and are often available with minimal qualifications.
Construction – up 5%
Construction hiring is up 5%, and top earners can make around £54,508.
While this is a smaller increase than in other sectors, the construction industry remains key to the UK’s infrastructure goals, including new housing and public transport projects.
Tradespeople, site managers and qualified builders remain in steady demand.
Industrial engineering – Up 1%
Industrial engineering has only seen a 1% increase in job postings but still boasts high potential salaries, with the top 1% earning £152,152.
This field involves optimising systems and processes in industries like manufacturing, logistics and energy. It’s a niche but highly specialised career path that tends to reward experience and technical expertise significantly.
Where the jobs are drying up
Not every sector is faring as well. Graduate jobs in media, marketing, and nursing are way down, with job ads in those fields dropping as much as 66% since before Covid hit.
The fall in nursing roles is particularly stark, which is likely a result of tough working conditions and recruitment struggles within the NHS.
Likewise, industries with strong remote-working potential like media and marketing have seen some of the sharpest declines.
Across the UK, there were 818,000 job vacancies between September and November 2024, but fewer of those are entry-level.
The ratio of unemployed people to vacancies has more than doubled in the last two years, from 1 in 2022 to 2.2 per vacancy as of April 2025.
London and the South East have seen the biggest drops, with job ads down 29% and 32% from pre-pandemic levels.
Going to uni now costs an eye-watering £68,000, and the average grad in England leaves with £43,700 of debt.
Many students will be paying their loans back for up to 40 years under the new Plan 5 and Plan 2 schemes.
And while some degrees can lead to six-figure careers, others lead to average pay of just £19,000 – meaning graduates may struggle to get on the property ladder or start a family.
Recent research by Adzuna found that some of the highest-paying roles in 2025, including air traffic controllers, train drivers and project managers can pay over £77,000 a year without a degree.
Employment specialist Indeed gives the following advice for negotiating a better salary
Calculate your value: Determine how much your qualifications and experience are worth
Research the market: Look at similar roles to give an idea of salary expectations
Prepare your reasons: Be ready to justify every argument you give for having a better salary.
Rehearse your negotiation pitch: The more prepared you are the better.
Explain your work-related expenses: Part of your pitch could be that you are asking for more money to make up for expenses.
Be flexible: An employer might offer you a different salary package with more holiday or better working hours if they can’t directly raise the amount you’re paid
Don’t be afraid to walk away: You might have to think about walking away or pausing negotiations to consider your position.
Thank the employer for their time: This professional courtesy shows respect and maintains a positive working relationship
US President Donald Trump has compared the US strikes in Iran to the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, telling reporters at the NATO summit in The Hague the attacks “ended the war” and prevented further conflict.
The US bombed Iran’s nuclear sites Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan on June 22.
United States President Donald Trump has insisted that the strikes on several of Iran’s nuclear sites last week “completely destroyed” the facilities, rejecting US media reports citing a Pentagon assessment that the attacks only set Tehran’s nuclear programme back by a few months.
An initial intelligence evaluation suggested that the US bombardment failed to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN reported on Tuesday, citing officials familiar with the military intelligence report from the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Two people familiar with the assessment had told CNN that Iran’s “enriched uranium was not destroyed” and the centrifuges were “largely intact”.
Another source told the US broadcaster that, according to the assessment, enriched uranium had been moved before the US strikes on Sunday.
Trump has maintained that the US strikes destroyed nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
“Fake news CNN, together with the failing New York Times, have teamed up in an attempt to demean one of the most successful military strikes in history,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“The nuclear sites in Iran are completely destroyed!” he wrote.
When reporters asked him about Iran rebuilding its nuclear programme on Tuesday, Trump said: “That place is under rock. That place is demolished.”
The White House said the intelligence assessment was “flat-out wrong”.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN in a statement: “Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”
Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, also dismissed the intelligence report.
“All three of those had most, if not all, the centrifuges damaged or destroyed in a way that it will be almost impossible for them to resurrect that programme,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday night.
“In my view, and in many other experts’ views who have seen the raw data, it will take a period of years.”
Witkoff also called the leaking of the report “treasonous”.
“It ought to be investigated. And whoever did it, whoever is responsible for it, should be held accountable,” he added.
Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi said an information war is under way.
“There are clearly figures in Washington who are very keen to leak a very preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency bombing assessment,” he said.
He noted that White House reporters received a press statement, saying the “leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear programme”.
“This is the first moment we are seeing, post-bombing, of the information landscape and how this information will be used and what effect it might have on Donald Trump going forward,” Rattansi said.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to set aside an effort to impeach President Trump on a sole charge of abuse of power after he launched military strikes on Iran without first seeking authorization from Congress.
The sudden action forced by a lone Democrat, Rep. Al Green of Texas, brought little debate and split his party. Most Democrats joined the Republican majority to table the measure for now. But dozens of Democrats backed Green’s effort. The tally was 344 to 79.
“I take no delight in what I’m doing,” Green said before the vote.
“I do this because no one person should have the power to take over 300 million people to war without consulting with the Congress of the United States of America,” he said. “I do this because I understand that the Constitution is going to be meaningful or it’s going to be meaningless.”
The effort, while not the first rumblings of actions to impeach Trump since he started his second term in January, shows the unease many Democrats have with his administration, particularly after the sudden attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, a risky incursion into Middle East affairs.
Trump earlier Tuesday lashed out in vulgar terms against another Democrat, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, for having suggested his military action against Iran was an impeachable offense.
House Democratic leadership was careful to not directly criticize Green, but also made clear that their focus was on other issues. Impeachment matters are typically considered a vote of conscience, without pressure from leadership to vote a certain way.
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), chair of the House Democratic caucus, said lawmakers will “represent their constituents and their communities.”
“At this time, at this moment, we are focusing on what this big, ugly bill is going to do,” he said about the big Trump tax breaks package making its way through Congress. “I think anything outside of that is a distraction because this is the most important thing that we can focus on.”
Trump was twice impeached by House Democrats during his first term, in 2019 over withholding funds to Ukraine as it faced military aggression from Russia, and in 2021 on the charge of inciting an insurrection after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters trying to stop Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
In both of those impeachment cases, the Senate acquitted Trump of charges, allowing his return to the presidency this year.
Green, who had filed earlier articles of impeachment against the president this year, has been a consistent voice speaking out against Trump’s actions, which he warns is America’s slide toward authoritarianism.
The congressman told the AP earlier in the day that he wanted to force the vote to show that at least one member of Congress was watching the president’s action and working to keep the White House in check.
Mascaro and Freking write for the Associated Press. AP writer Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
