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Overnight News Digest: June 4, 2025 [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-06-04
Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, doomandgloom and FarWestGirl. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man (RIP), wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, JeremyBloom, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw. OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos since 2007, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time. Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments.
Arrggh! Hit the wrong button & lost the whole darned shootin’ match. I’ll redo, it’ll just take a minute or three...
Space.com: What time will Japan's ispace Resilience probe land on the moon on June 5? How to watch it live.
The Japanese company ispace is hoping to make some space history on Thursday (June 5), when it attempts to land a private spacecraft on the moon. But if you're hoping to watch it live, you'll need to know when and where to tune in. The Resilience lander, the second-ever private ispace lunar probe, is on track for a midday landing in the northern reaches of the moon. Resilience is flying a mission of redemption for ispace, which failed a similar moon landing attempt with its first effort, called Hakuto-R Mission 1, in April 2023. Here's a look at what time ispace's Resilience moon will attempt to land on June 5, how to watch it and what may happen during the mission. Currently, ispace's Resilience moon lander is scheduled to land on Thursday, June 5, at 3:17 p.m. EDT (1917 GMT), though it will be 4:17 a.m. Japan Standard Time on Friday, June 6, at touchdown time. That landing time, announced in a June 4 update, is about 7 minutes earlier than ispace's earlier target of 3:24 p.m EDT (1924 GMT),.
Space.com: $800 million, 13 years, and still no release date — the state of Star Citizen in 2025
After 13 years and a stunning $800 million in backers' funds, Star Citizen, the most ambitious space sim of all time, continues to languish in early access. The brainchild of Chris Roberts — best known as the creator of the seminal Wing Commander series — Star Citizen was created to expand on ideas that didn't find their way into Freelancer, another project Roberts was working on before the developer was acquired by Microsoft, and he departed. Released in 2003, Freelancer focused on an open space sandbox that allowed players to carve out a living trading, mining, or hunting bounties across 48 star systems. While it was released as a single-player game, Roberts originally planned to follow it up with a more ambitious online version. "My original vision for Freelancer was to first release a single player game and then follow it up with a massively multiplayer version with a dynamic economy and a world that reacted and adapted to the player's actions," Roberts said in a blog post . "I didn't get a chance to deliver this vision and ultimately while Freelancer was a good game, it fell short of what I was aiming for."
Times of India: 'We don’t want them': What prompted Donald Trump’s travel ban on 12 nations; Is a rollback on the table?
Six months into his presidency, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a far-reaching travel ban, saying, "we don't want them." This travel ban, impacting a total of 19 countries, can majorly reshape immigration policy of the United States. It was put forth through a presidential proclamation, the proposed restrictions introduce a three-tiered system of escalating barriers targeting nationals from more than a dozen countries.The measure is among the most aggressive in modern US history regarding global mobility. It has the potential to impact millions of people seeking entry to the United States for purposes including work, study, tourism, and relocation. What prompted Trump's travel ban? Trump's latest decision on travel ban came days after Egyptian national was arrested for attacking a Jewish protest in Colorado's Boulder.
Times of India: 'We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas': US vetoes UN resolution for Gaza ceasefire, leaving council 14–1
The United States on Wednesday exercised its veto power against a UN Security Council resolution calling for an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, alongside unrestricted humanitarian aid access. The remaining 14 council members supported the draft as Gaza's population faces severe humanitarian challenges."The United States has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza," acting US ambassador Dorothy Shea said, suggesting it would compromise American-led ceasefire negotiations.As Israel's primary ally and weapons provider, Washington's position remains significant. The vote occurred amidst continued Israeli operations in Gaza following a March truce termination. Gaza health officials reported 45 casualties from Israeli strikes, whilst Israel confirmed one military casualty.
The Guardian: Bill Gates vows to give most of $200bn fortune to African health and education
US tech mogul Bill Gates has pledged the majority of his $200bn fortune towards health and education services in Africa. Speaking at an event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Monday, the 69-year-old said that his pledge would focus on “unleashing the human potential through health, through education” across the continent, adding: “Every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity.” Gates, referring to his philanthropic organization, explained: “I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. And so you can see, you know, I’m extremely lucky. My wealth has gotten to a very high level here. And now, by accelerating my giving, I will have the Gates Foundation take all of those resources.” He went on to add: “The goals here are pretty basic. They really speak to our values. Mothers should survive delivery. Babies should survive past their fifth birthday – kids should be well nourished. Many of these infectious diseases should go away, and the rest within 20 years should be at a very low level.”
The Guardian: Canadian wildfires prompt air-quality alerts across five US states
Smoke from wildfires in Canada is spreading across multiple states in the US including the eastern seaboard, prompting multiple states to issue air-quality alerts. The poor air quality stretching across the US came as a result of dozens of wildfires burning across Canada as the country’s annual wildfire season roars into destructive action. The fires, which have been sparked by both humans and natural causes, have prompted at least 25,000 residents in three Canadian provinces to evacuate in recent days.
The Guardian: Jimmy Kimmel: ‘We are living in the golden age of stupid’
On Jimmy Kimmel Live! the host spoke about how “stupid” is the through-line of both that night’s show and the moment. He said that we are “living in the golden age of stupid right now” while talking about those who refuse to believe scientific fact and the rise in measles down to fewer vaccinations. “The only thing we learned from Covid is how to make sourdough bread,” he joked and said that “people who do their own research always do it wrong”. This week has also seen Donald Trump continuing to war with Harvard and with the writer Michael Wolff after he claimed that the reason behind all of this was that the president didn’t get accepted when he applied years ago.
The Guardian: MyPillow’s Mike Lindell faces trial and plans to testify about 2020 election lies
A trial underway in Colorado could add to the financial problems facing the pillow salesman and prominent election denier Mike Lindell and will serve as another test of whether defamation law can be effective to fight false claims about elections. Opening statements began Tuesday in a case brought by Eric Coomer, who formerly worked in security and voting technology strategy for the voting machine company Dominion. Coomer sued Lindell and a host of others who spread unproven claims that he interfered with the 2020 election. Companies and individuals who were targeted by the right with false stolen election claims after the 2020 election have attempted to use defamation law to hold parties including Fox News and other rightwing media outlets accountable for false claims. Several lawsuits have been settled, including a claim Coomer brought against conservative outlet Newsmax, while juries have awarded damages in others, including a major judgment against Rudy Giuliani. The conspiracy theories about Coomer started with a rightwing podcaster in Colorado, Joe Oltmann, who claimed that someone who identified himself as “Eric the Dominion guy” had been on an “antifa” call where he said: “Don’t worry about the election, Trump is not gonna win. I made fucking sure of that.”
The Guardian: Japan records lowest number of births in more than a century, as population fears grow
Japan’s struggle to encourage couples to have more children has been given greater urgency after data showed the annual number of births dropped to below 700,000 for the first time since records began more than a century ago. According to government data released this week, the number of births reached 686,061 in 2024, a decline of 5.7% from the previous year and the lowest since statistics were first kept in 1899. The data excludes babies born to foreign residents. The fertility rate – the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime – also fell to a record-low of 1.15, down from 1.20 in 2023, the health ministry said. That is well below the rate of 2.1 needed to keep the population stable. The ministry said 1.6m deaths had been recorded in 2024, up 1.9% from a year earlier.
Deutche Welle: Germany updates: Merz set for inaugural trip to US
Chancellor Friedrich Merz due to meet US President Donald Trump Thursday
Merz and Trump are expected to talk about Ukraine war peace negotiations and tariffs, among other issues
WWII bombs found in Cologne triggers evacuation of around 20,000 people
Germany sees large rise in antisemitic incidents in 2024, according to new report
DW: EU gives green light for Bulgaria to join the euro
The European Commission on Wednesday approved Bulgaria's readiness to adopt the euro, saying the country was sufficiently ready to switch to the common currency. A commission report found that, after successfully reducing inflation, Bulgaria was in a position to become the 21st European Union country to use the euro. When will Bulgaria adopt the euro? Bulgaria, an EU member since 2007, had initially aimed to adopt the euro in 2024 but delayed the move due to an inflation rate of 9.5% at the time. The European Commission now expects Bulgarian inflation to ease to 3.6% this year and drop to 1.8% by 2026. The latest decision confirms that Bulgaria meets the necessary economic criteria to adopt the common currency on January 1, 2026.
DW: South Korea divided, troubled as Lee Jae-myung takes over
South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung sought to project a message of unity as he took office on Wednesday in a country wracked by political division since a short-lived martial law declaration in December. "No matter whom you supported in this election, I will serve as a president for all, to embrace and serve every citizen," Lee said during his swearing-in ceremony at the National Assembly. He also pledged to reinvigorate the nation's economy and pursue policies that help ordinary people, both at home and abroad. His declaration comes as multiple national and international organizations, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), are downgrading growth forecasts for the South Korean economy. The OECD this week predicted only a 1% GDP growth in 2025 . "It is time to restore security and peace, which have been reduced to tools of political strife, to rebuild livelihoods and the economy damaged by indifference, incompetence and irresponsibility, and to revive democracy that has been undermined by armored vehicles and automatic rifles," Lee said.
DW: Mount Etna: 5 facts about Europe's most active volcano
taly's Mount Etna lays claim to several titles. It is: The world's most active "stratovolcano"
Europe's largest and most active volcano
One of the best-monitored volcanoes in the world
One of the world's longest documented volcanoes
A UNESCO World Heritage Site Where is Mount Etna? Mount Etna rises 3,357 meters (11,014 feet) above Catania, a city on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. It covers an area of 1,250 square kilometers (482 square miles).
Al Jazeera: White House makes misleading claims about Democratic opposition to tax bill
Here’s a fact-check of what the White House claims Democrats oppose: “They’re opposing the largest tax cut in history, which will put an extra $5,000 in their pockets with a double-digit percent decrease to their tax bills. In fact, Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay around 15% less in taxes.” The specifics of the tax bill have not been finalised. In its current form, it would cut taxes by an average of 2.4 percent, for middle-income households, according to analysis by the Tax Policy Center. While it is a significant tax cut, it is not the biggest in history. That was under Ronald Reagan in 1981 at 2.9 percent. It is accurate that there will be a double-digit percentage decrease in tax bills, at least in the immediate term, at a little more than 11 percent across all tax brackets. It is also true that people earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay 15 percent less, according to the Non-Partisan Joint Committee on Taxation.
Al Jazeera: Why ‘Kill the Boer’ still echoes: It’s not hate, it’s hunger for justice
On May 25, Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), closed his campaign rally at the Mminara Sports Ground in Kwakwatsi, Free State, as he often does: by singing his favourite anti-apartheid struggle anthem, “Dubul’ ibhunu”. Sung in Xhosa, the song translates to “Kill the Boer” or “Kill the farmer” and has long sparked controversy in South Africa and abroad. In recent weeks, the controversy has flared up once again. Just four days earlier, on May 21, during a tense meeting at the White House with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, United States President Donald Trump played a video of Malema and his supporters chanting the song. He claimed it was proof of a “white genocide” in South Africa and demanded Ramaphosa explain “that man’s” conduct. …. The disproportionate attention granted to Malema by Trump and his ally Elon Musk obscures a deeper, more urgent reality: millions of Black South Africans, like many across the continent, are crying out for meaningful socioeconomic change and long-overdue justice for the enduring legacies of colonialism and apartheid.
Al Jazeera: Trump must facilitate legal challenges of deported Venezuelans: Judge
A federal judge in the United States has ruled that Venezuelan immigrants deported to El Salvador under an obscure 1798 law must be given the chance to challenge their removals and detention. The ruling on Wednesday by Judge James Boasberg is the latest setback to President Donald Trump’s efforts to use the Alien Enemies Act to quickly expel alleged gang members from the US without due process. Trump initially invoked the wartime law in March, arguing that the presence of the Tren de Aragua gang in the US represented an invasion. Trump’s use of the law to fast-track deportations was quickly blocked by Boasberg, but not before two planes carrying 238 deportees had already departed the US for El Salvador. The Trump administration refused the judge’s order to turn the plane around.
Al Jazeera: Turnout low as Mexico votes in controversial judicial election
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