World
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 8, 2026
Air raid sirens sounded in Israel on June 7 as its military worked to intercept barrages of incoming Iranian missiles for the first time since an April ceasefire took hold in the Middle East war.
Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards called the attack a “warning” after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs earlier in the day, threatening wider strikes in the event of repeated aggression.
An April 8 ceasefire had halted major hostilities between Iran, Israel and the United States, but efforts to turn the truce into a settlement have repeatedly stalled, and June 7’s launches were sure to further dampen hopes for a lasting peace, as the Middle East war reached its 100th day.
Tehran has insisted any deal to permanently end the war must also halt the parallel conflict in Lebanon, where Israel is pursuing a campaign against the Iran-backed movement Hezbollah, and had warned that any new attacks on Beirut would trigger a “full-scale resumption” of hostilities.
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PHOTO: AFP
The White House is considering a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, the Telegraph reported on June 7.
US officials have drawn up a proposal to bypass the UK and make their own deal to take control of Diego Garcia, the report said.
The plan is among several options being drafted by the White House, in a paper aimed at providing alternatives to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ceding sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius, the report said.
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PHOTO: REUTERS
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Britain on June 7 for defence talks with leaders of the UK, France and Germany after new Russian strikes killed five people and hit a nuclear site in Ukraine.
Zelensky was greeted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, where he was set to also meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who arrived earlier for the talks.
“The main focus is our defence in the war, greater cooperation for the security of all of Europe in the area of air defense, and our shared view of diplomatic prospects – Europe must be part of the negotiations and must be strong,” Zelensky said on X ahead of the talks.
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PHOTO: AFP
The grieving parents of an 11-year-old girl whose suspected killing has sparked outrage in France over failures to protect children on June 7 joined thousands of people for a silent march in her memory.
The body of the girl, named as Lyhanna, was found last week after she went missing on May 29 near the south-western town of Fleurance.
She was last seen getting into a man’s car, and outrage grew after it emerged that the main suspect, who is now under arrest, had previously been accused of sexually abusing children.
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PHOTO: AFP
Alexander Zverev finally shattered the barrier between himself and Grand Slam glory by grinding down a stubborn Flavio Cobolli 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-7(5) 6-1 in the French Open final on June 7 to lift his maiden major trophy at Roland Garros.
“We’ve been through so much through injuries, through heartbreak, through losses,” an emotional Zverev told his team during the trophy ceremony after defeating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final.
“We’ve been losers at some moments, but we’re Grand Slam champions now. That’s what counts.”
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