**Summary:** French Minister of the Transition écologique Monique Barbut announced her resignation following the final parliamentary adoption of a controversial emergency agricultural bill.

**Key points:**
- The emergency agricultural bill passed the Senate with 214 votes in favor and 111 against.
- The legislation permits the Agence de sécurité sanitaire to conditionally reauthorize the pesticides acétamipride and flupyradifurone.
- Minister Monique Barbut stated she plans to present her resignation to Emmanuel Macron ahead of the Wednesday Council of Ministers.
- Environmental NGOs such as Greenpeace strongly criticized the vote, claiming it undermines health and scientific standards.

**Why it matters:** The high-profile resignation underscores deep executive divisions over environmental protections and pesticide reauthorization in France.

rtbf.be - France : après un vote controversé sur les pesticides, la ministre de la Transition écologique va présenter sa démission

nouvelobs.com - Monique Barbut va présenter sa démission : huit ans après le départ de Nicolas Hulot, l’histoire se répète

sudouest.fr - Loi d’urgence agricole : le texte adopté par le Parlement, la ministre la Transition écologique Monique Barbut sur le départ

France's Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut Resigns Over Pesticide Law

**Summary:** France's Parliament has approved a final bill banning social media access for children under 15, making it the first EU country to enact such a restriction ahead of the upcoming school year.

**Key points:**
- The legislation passed the National Assembly with 279 votes in favor and 81 against, following approval by the Senate.
- French President Emmanuel Macron championed the measure as a key commitment for the final phase of his second mandate.
- Platforms will be required to implement age verification mechanisms to enforce the ban.
- The new rules also extend the prohibition of mobile phones in secondary schools.

**Why it matters:** This landmark legislation establishes a rigorous precedent for digital child protection within the European Union, forcing social media platforms to implement strict age verification mechanisms.

newsfeed.zeit.de - Soziale Medien: Frankreich beschließt Social-Media-Verbot für unter 15-Jährige

jornaldenegocios.pt - França proíbe acesso às redes sociais a menores de 15 anos

eldiario.es - Francia se convierte en el primer país de Europa en prohibir las redes sociales para menores de 15 años

ilmattino.it - La Francia vieta i social ai minori di 15 anni, &egrave; il primo paese europeo. Macron: &laquo;Progresso maggiore&raquo;

ansa.it - Ok definitivo del Parlamento francese al divieto dei social per gli under-15

France Approves Ban on Social Media for Under-15s

**Summary:** The Trump administration has announced a 50% tariff on specific Canadian imports, citing what it describes as unfair trade practices by Ottawa regarding American alcohol, automobile, and dairy products.

**Key points:**
- The tariffs are scheduled to take effect in 30 days under Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act, a provision that has never been used before.
- Exemptions will be applied to energy, potash, fish, critical minerals, and goods already subject to separate sectoral duties.
- The administration stated that no exemptions will be granted for products under the existing North American trade pact.
- U.S. officials accused Canadian provinces of halting purchases of American alcohol and discriminating against U.S. dairy and automotive goods.

**Why it matters:** The move threatens to reignite trade tensions between the U.S. and its second-largest trading partner, potentially impacting a bilateral trade relationship valued at $716 billion annually.

globalnews.ca - U.S. to impose new 50% tariff on Canada over alcohol bans, dairy quotas

financialpost.com - Donald Trump threatens to hit Canada with 50% tariff

reforma.com - Impone Trump arancel de 50% a algunos productos canadienses

financialpost.com - US Sets 50% Tariff on Some Canadian Goods Over Retaliation Claim

Trump Administration Announces 50% Tariff on Select Canadian Goods

**Summary:** A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the $81 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery for at least two weeks to allow for further legal review.

**Key points:**
- District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted the order following a lawsuit from twelve states, led by California, alleging the deal would stifle competition.
- The court has scheduled a hearing on the states' motion for a preliminary injunction for August 3.
- Paramount, which was acquired by Skydance last year, has pledged to defend the acquisition against the legal challenge.
- The merger, valued at approximately $111 billion including debt, faces opposition from several states and the Writers Guild of America.

**Why it matters:** The merger involves two of Hollywood's last five legacy studios, and its potential blockage represents a significant test of antitrust enforcement in the media and entertainment industry.

advocate-news.com - Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least 2 weeks

vilaweb.cat - Un jutjat paralitza temporalment la fusió entre Paramount Skydance i Warner Bros

elpais.com - Una jueza bloquea temporalmente el acuerdo entre Paramount y Warner para crear el mayor grupo audiovisual de Estados Unidos

niagarafallsreview.ca - Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least two weeks , granting state request

Federal Judge Halts $81 Billion Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery Merger

**Summary:** French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has condemned an extremely serious act of intimidation against two French diplomats currently in Iran.

**Key points:**
- The French government characterized the incident as an extremely serious act of intimidation.
- The diplomats were reportedly subjected to detention or similar restrictive measures while in the country.

**Why it matters:** The incident marks a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions between France and Iran, potentially impacting ongoing bilateral relations.

france24.com - Two French diplomats subjected to ‘extremely serious act of intimidation’ in Iran, FM Barrot says

lemonde.fr - En Iran, deux diplomates français victimes d’un acte « d’intimidation extrêmement grave », selon Jean-Noël Barrot

French Foreign Minister Denounces Intimidation of Diplomats in Iran

**Summary:** A U.S. federal court has sentenced Mexican drug lord Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada to life in prison for his role in trafficking cocaine and fentanyl. The judge also ordered him to pay a $15 billion fine.

**Key points:**
- Judge Brian Cogan presided over the sentencing in New York, marking the conclusion of a major criminal case against the former Cártel de Sinaloa leader.
- Before his sentencing, Zambada issued a statement calling for an end to the violence currently affecting Mexico.
- U.S. authorities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), may seek to interview the capo regarding his knowledge of international criminal networks.
- Zambada, who operated for over five decades, will be held in a maximum-security federal prison.

**Why it matters:** The sentencing of a top-tier leader of the Cártel de Sinaloa represents a significant milestone in U.S.-Mexico efforts to dismantle international drug trafficking organizations.

elcomercio.pe - ‘El Mayo’ Zambada es condenado en EE.UU. a cadena perpetua por narcotráfico

vanguardia.com.mx - Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada morirá en prisión... es condenado a cadena perpetua y multa de 15 mil millones de dólares en EU

Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Sentenced to Life in Prison in U.S.

**Summary:** President José Antonio Kast has declared a state of catastrophe for the Coquimbo region and the Huasco province in Chile following a severe storm system that caused flooding, power outages, and infrastructure damage.

**Key points:**
- The emergency declaration aims to expedite the allocation of resources for recovery and response efforts.
- Minister of Public Works Louis de Grange has been instructed to remain in the Coquimbo region to coordinate operations.
- The storm has resulted in thousands of families losing access to potable water and numerous localities becoming isolated due to damaged roads.
- Over 143,000 customers across the country were reported without electricity as of Monday morning.

**Why it matters:** The state of catastrophe allows the government to mobilize resources more efficiently to address critical infrastructure failures and provide urgent support to affected populations in the northern regions.

latercera.com - Kast declara Estado de Catástrofe en región de Coquimbo y provincia de Huasco por sistema frontal

latercera.com - Gobernador de Coquimbo valora estado de catástrofe en la región: “Va a cambiar la conducción de lo que es la emergencia”

President Kast Declares State of Catastrophe in Coquimbo and Huasco Due to Severe Storms

**Summary:** The Kuwaiti military announced that its air defense systems successfully intercepted incoming Iranian missiles and drones. The incident occurred amid a broader regional military escalation and ongoing U.S. strikes against Iranian targets.

**Key points:**
- The Kuwaiti General Staff of the Army confirmed that explosions heard in Kuwait City were the result of defensive interception operations.
- Bahraini authorities also activated air raid sirens in response to renewed regional aerial threats.
- The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran, marking the ninth consecutive night of military action.
- Kuwaiti officials urged residents to adhere to security and safety instructions issued by competent authorities.

**Why it matters:** The engagement of Kuwaiti air defenses marks a significant escalation in regional security, highlighting the direct impact of the ongoing military conflict between the United States and Iran on neighboring Gulf states.

jordanzad.com - الجيش الكويتي: الدفاعات الجوية تتصدى لهجمات صاروخية ومسيّرات إيرانية

hespress.com - الكويت تعلن التصدي لهجمات إيرانية

Kuwaiti Air Defenses Intercept Iranian Missiles and Drones