But this story isn’t about woodwork. It’s about confidence. Teenagers build head-turning furniture from surprising materials: ‘A valuable resource’ first appeared on The Cool Down.
Day: July 11, 2025
The move, which is expected to eliminate 1,800 jobs, will come into force after the supreme court sided with the Trump administration. Plus, Florida records more than 700,000 human trafficking victims in 2024
Good morning.
The US state department has announced that it will proceed with mass layoffs that would slash domestic staffing levels by almost 15%.
Why is it happening now? The move was long expected, but will now be put into action after the supreme court this week ruled that the firings could go ahead.
Is any resistance to Israel’s actions gaining ground internationally? EU diplomats have presented 10 options to sanction Israel over Gaza after finding “indications” that it has breached its human rights obligations in the territory and the West Bank. It remains unclear if any will move ahead.
In a major step toward deepening regional engagement, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu arrived in Kabul this week, signaling a continuing shift towards pragmatic engagement in Astana’s policy towards Afghanistan. The visit resulted in significant diplomatic and economic developments, including the signing of a $500 million agreement on the Herat-Torghundi railway.
During his visit, Nurtleu met with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other senior officials in the Taliban-led government. In a joint statement, the two sides emphasized their commitment to expanding bilateral ties in transit, trade, education, and regional security. Nurtleu pledged Kazakhstan’s support for Afghanistan’s stabilization, food security, and comprehensive development, stating that Astana is seeking to expand its partnership with Kabul based on shared regional interests.
A highlight of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the Torghundi–Herat railway. The 115-kilometer line will link western Afghanistan to Turkmenistan, and is expected to extend connectivity into Iran and further south to the Arabian Sea. Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar welcomed the agreement, stating that the deal will lay the foundation for establishing a logistics hub in Herat. As reported by Baradar’s office, discussions also covered the possibility of relaxing visa regulations for Afghan traders, resuming direct flights between Kabul and Astana, and increasing bilateral trade volumes.
The two sides emphasized expanding economic collaboration through joint initiatives in key industries, including mining, transportation, communications, energy, and infrastructure. They also considered formalizing accords on agricultural product safety, cross-border logistics, and reduced transit costs — steps aimed at potentially raising trade between the countries to $3 billion.
In parallel to these diplomatic overtures, Kazakhstan’s mining giant Kazakhmys Barlau is exploring Afghanistan’s untapped mineral resources. CEO Galym Nurzhanov confirmed that his team has already begun reconnaissance operations in the mineral-rich Nuristan Province. Nurzhanov described the terrain as a geological time capsule, stating that “For our geologists and miners, it’s like stepping into the 19th century. We looked at lead-zinc deposits, grades of nearly 39%, with concentrates reaching 41%. That’s ready ore, you can crush it and send it straight to the plant.”
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, despite lingering tensions over issues such as Afghanistan’s controversial Qosh Tepa Canal project, Kazakhstan has emphasized an approach to relations with Kabul based on “practicality, not ideology,” highlighting the shared need for regional security, trade corridors, and energy development.
MP Materials has announced plans to expand rare earth mining and processing operations as Washington seeks to end its dependence.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House this week to discuss negotiations over the future of Gaza and Palestine.
The 20-year-old will get a taste of the big leagues this weekend by playing in the All-Star Futures Game on Saturday night at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Lauren Pisciotta worked as the rapper’s personal assistant from 2021 through 2022.
Cambodian lawmakers pass constitutional amendment allowing government to revoke citizenship
Singer Chris Brown pleads not guilty to 2 further charges over London nightclub assault case [deltaMinutes] mins ago Now
The 2015 migrant crisis still hangs over Europe. The more than 1.3 million migrants—particularly from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq—who claimed asylum that year has been a boon for grievance-driven European populism and its most talented practitioners. The upshot is a cultural and economic anxiety that has transformed the continent’s political landscape.
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And yet, the first 10 years of the far right’s rise have amounted to a “yes, but” decade. In Germany, the Alternative for Germany party has steadily expanded its regional and federal influence, but all other major parties still treat political collaboration with it as taboo. In France, the populist Marine Le Pen has shown she can reach the second round of presidential elections, but has been unable to claim victory. In Italy, Giorgia Meloni in 2022 became the first anti-immigrant populist to win a big European election, but her strong cooperation with Brussels and consistent support for Ukraine has helped her defy far-right stereotypes. In the U.K., Brexit champion Nigel Farage might now be polling in first place, but that’s still some distance from winning the next general elections in 2029.
Centrist governments have also emerged this year after elections in Germany and Romania, despite a rise in support for the far right. Meanwhile, the Dutch government, led by the far-right Party for Freedom, collapsed in June, and the Austrian Freedom Party has failed to form a ruling coalition despite winning elections in September.
For now, E.U. institutions are holding up fine. Pro-E.U. parties continue to dominate politics in Brussels and the risk that Euroskeptics can create gridlock remains low. In the European Parliament, the centrist coalition that backed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission President will hold together despite growing tensions. In the European Council, just four of 27 members (Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, and the Czech Republic) are led by nationalist governments. But Brussels has finally managed to limit the ability of far-right governments to shift E.U. policies, and Meloni and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala cooperate closely with von der Leyen.
All that said, the next few years will offer big opportunities from Europe’s anti-migrant, Euroskeptic far right. Questions about economic resilience and stubbornly high prices remain the main sources of economic anxiety for voters. Even as immigration policies have been tightened and the number of asylum seekers in Europe has fallen, the long-term presence of migrants amid stagnating economies will continue to feed voter anger. The economic pressures applied by Donald Trump’s trade war compound public frustration with their current governments. In short, there’s no reason to believe far-right parties and politicians will fall silent or fail to score future political gains at the expense of beleaguered centrist establishments.
Two years from now, far-right parties will have their best-ever shot at capitalizing on mounting voter anger with national elections in France, Italy, Spain, and Poland. In France, though Le Pen is currently barred from seeking the presidency following an embezzlement conviction in March, her National Rally party could finally sweep to power in the heart of Europe. In Italy, Meloni will face pressure to adopt more Euroskeptic positions on high-profile issues in the run-up to elections. In Spain, the center-right Popular Party will likely lead the next government but could be forced to welcome the far-right Vox into a coalition for the first time. In Poland, steadily eroding support for Prime Minister Donald Tusk could pave the way for a return of right-wing nationalist parties to power there. The far-right Karol Nawrocki has already prevailed in the June presidential elections, and he will take office in August.
Taken together, these developments would shift the balance of power in the populists’ favor, transforming how the E.U. defines its values and its interests. The potential fallout—whether on the rule of law, security and economic matters, internal borders, dealing with an expansionist Russia, or even the future of the E.U. itself—remains grave.