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Category: India

  • Atletico exit Club World Cup despite Griezmann strike sealing win over Botafogo

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A late strike from Antoine Griezmann handed Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win over Botafogo on Monday but the victory could not save the LaLiga side from a group stage exit at the Club World Cup.

    Following Paris St Germain’s 2-0 over Seattle Sounders in Monday’s other Group B game, the French side finished level on six points with Botafogo and Atletico.

    However, PSG secured top spot thanks to a superior goal difference, with Brazilian side Botafogo also advancing to the last 16 after finishing second.

    Atletico, in third, and Seattle, bottom with no points after three games, were eliminated.

    PSG will face the Group A runners-up on Sunday, while Botafogo will take on the Group A winners on Saturday.

    Even though they were aware that a two-goal defeat would secure them a place in the next round, Botafogo’s Igor Jesus and Jefferson Savarino forced Atletico keeper Jan Oblak to make a couple of brilliant saves.

    Following their shock 1-0 win over Champions League winners PSG, Botafogo defended their ground fairly well throughout a cagey encounter, with Atletico dominating possession but rarely presenting a real threat to goalkeeper John.

    However, tempers spilled over when Atletico appealed for a penalty after Botafogo’s Gregory appeared to step on Julian Alvarez’s foot inside the box.

    Following a VAR review, referee Cesar Ramos ruled out the penalty due to an earlier foul by Atletico’s Alexander Sorloth in the build-up.

    The decision left Atletico manager Diego Simeone furious, with the Argentine storming onto the pitch at halftime to confront the Mexican official.

    As Atletico made a late run desperately looking for the three goals they needed, substitute Griezmann fired the winner in the 87th minute from inside the box, a bittersweet goal that denied Botafogo a top-placed finish in the group and handing PSG that accolade.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • PSG beat Seattle to reach knockout stage at Club World Cup

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    European champions Paris St Germain advanced into the knockout stage of the Club World Cup as Group B winners with a 2-0 victory over hosts Seattle Sounders on Monday.

    The Ligue 1 champions, who suffered a shock defeat by Botafogo on Friday and were guaranteed a spot in the last 16 with a win over Seattle, scored in each half through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi.

    With the result, coupled with Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Botafogo, PSG finished first in Group B with six points from three games. PSG face the Group A runners-up on Sunday in Atlanta while Botafogo will play the winner from that group on Saturday in Philadelphia.

    “It’s a happy day. It feels good,” said PSG midfielder Joao Neves. “We are going to Atlanta … we will try to put our idea into the game no matter what team we are playing against.”

    Seattle, who needed to beat PSG by a margin of three goals or more to even stand a chance of progressing, exit the Club World Cup winless after three games played in their home stadium.

    PSG broke through in the 35th minute moments after the ball was cleared following a corner but fell to a wide open Vitinha on the edge of the box. Vitinha’s strike was headed off target but bounced off Kvaratskhelia’s back and into the Seattle goal.

    They doubled their lead in the 66th minute after substitute Bradley Barcola drove into the area and, after an over-commitment by five Seattle players, spotted a wide open Hakimi who easily finished into the back of the net.

    Seattle made a fast start to the game and had PSG pinned in their own defensive third during the opening minutes but the MLS side were unable to connect on a pair of early corner kicks.

    On Seattle’s first corner, the ball dropped for Obed Vargas just outside the area but his volley sailed way right of the net while PSG’s Marquinhos headed the ball to safety at the second corner.

    “It was a good start,” Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said of his team’s effort. “We knew we were going to have to come out and be ready for the best league team in Europe so our guys came out into the game fired up.”

    PSG then took over and nearly went ahead in the 12th minute when Desire Doue’s shot from the right side of the box was on target but Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei managed to turn it over the crossbar.

    After the break, Seattle appeared to lack the drive they showcased earlier in the match while PSG kept pushing and displayed their counter-attacking prowess.

    PSG nearly doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Hakimi delivered a brilliant cross toward the far post where an outstretched Neves managed to make contact but could not find the net.

    “We managed to succeed in winning this match, I am happy,” said PSG manager Luis Enrique. “Of course, there’s a few things to fine tune but it is not easy to play on this type of pitch.

    “It’s very different to European pitches. The grass is different and therefore it is not so easy to have the same smoothness to play our style of play but we did adapt well.”

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • Supreme Court lifts limits on Trump deporting migrants to countries not their own

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Monday for President Donald Trump’s administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own without offering them a chance to show the harms they could face, handing him another victory in his aggressive pursuit of mass deportations.

    In an action that prompted a sharp dissent from its three liberal justices, the court granted the administration’s request to lift a judicial order requiring that migrants set for deportation to so-called “third countries” get a “meaningful opportunity” to tell U.S. officials they are at risk of torture at their new destination, while a legal challenge plays out.

    Boston-based U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy had issued the order on April 18.

    The Supreme Court’s brief order was unsigned and offered no reasoning, as is common when it decides emergency requests. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority.

    Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by the two other liberal justices, called the decision a “gross abuse” of the court’s power.

    “Apparently, the court finds the idea that thousands will suffer violence in far-flung locales more palatable than the remote possibility that a district court exceeded its remedial powers when it ordered the government to provide notice and process to which the plaintiffs are constitutionally and statutorily entitled,” Sotomayor wrote.

    Sotomayor called the court’s action “as incomprehensible as it is inexcusable.”

    Murphy had found that the administration’s policy of “executing third-country removals without providing notice and a meaningful opportunity to present fear-based claims” likely violates the U.S. Constitution’s due process protections. Due process generally requires the government to provide notice and an opportunity for a hearing before taking certain adverse actions.

    After the Department of Homeland Security moved in February to step up rapid deportations to third countries, immigrant rights groups filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of a group of migrants seeking to prevent their removal to such places without notice and to gain chance to assert the harms they could face.

    Murphy on May 21 found the Trump administration violated his order requiring additional steps before attempting to send a group of migrants to politically unstable South Sudan, which the U.S. State Department has urged Americans to avoid “due to crime, kidnapping and armed conflict.”

    The judge’s intervention prompted the U.S. government to keep the migrants at a military base in Djibouti.

    After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Murphy in a court order made clear that his decision preventing the rapid deportation of eight men to South Sudan “remains in full force and effect.”

    Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, which helps represent the plaintiffs, called the ramifications of the court’s action “horrifying,” stripping away “critical due process protections that have been protecting our class members from torture and death.”

    The administration told the Supreme Court that its third-country policy already complied with due process and is critical for removing migrants who commit crimes because their countries of origin are often unwilling to take them back. It said that all the South Sudan-destined migrants had committed “heinous crimes” in the United States including murder, arson and armed robbery.

    “The Supreme Court’s stay of a left-wing district judge’s injunction reaffirms the president’s authority to remove criminal illegal aliens from our country and Make America Safe Again,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said after Monday’s decision.

    “Fire up the deportation planes,” said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

    A FLOOD OF CASES

    The dispute is one of many legal challenges to Trump policies to have reached the nation’s highest judicial body since he returned to office in January.

    The Supreme Court in May let Trump end humanitarian programs for hundreds of thousands of migrants to live and work in the United States temporarily. The justices, however, faulted the administration’s treatment of some migrants whom Trump targeted for removal under the Alien Enemies Act – a 1798 law that historically has been employed only in wartime – as inadequate under constitutional due process protections.

    Sotomayor said that in sending migrants to South Sudan, and in another instance four others to the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and on to El Salvador, the administration “openly flouted two court orders” issued by Murphy. Sotomayor also pointed to the separate Alien Enemies Act litigation in which questions were raised about the administration’s compliance with an order issued by a judge in that case.

    “This is not the first time the court closes its eyes to noncompliance, nor, I fear, will it be the last,” Sotomayor wrote. “Yet each time this court rewards noncompliance with discretionary relief, it further erodes respect for courts and for the rule of law.”

    The administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene after the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 16 declined to put Murphy’s decision on hold.

    Media has also reported that U.S. officials had been considering sending migrants to Libya, another politically unstable country, despite previous U.S. condemnation of Libya’s harsh treatment of detainees.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Delivery For Britain: PM Hails £40 Billion Amazon Investment Set To Create Thousands Of Jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Prime Delivery For Britain: PM Hails £40 Billion Amazon Investment Set To Create Thousands Of Jobs

    Prime Minister welcomes a £40bn investment plan by Amazon over the next three years in show of confidence following Industrial Strategy launch.

    • Amazon confirms £40bn investment plan for the UK over the next three years in vote of confidence following the Industrial Strategy
    • Investment goes towards four new fulfilment centres in Hull, Northampton and East Midlands creating over 4,000 jobs across the sites
    • Business Secretary visits Amazon’s HQ to welcome news as further proof Britain is the best place to do business as Government’s Plan for Change delivers for working people

    Thousands of new jobs are set to be created across the UK, as Amazon today (Tuesday 24 June) announces a landmark £40 billion investment over the next three years.

    This investment – announced the same week as the Government’s transformational Industrial Strategy – includes building four new fulfilment centres and new delivery stations nationwide, as well as upgrades and expansions to its existing network of over 100 operations buildings across the country.

    The investment will create thousands of new permanent, full-time jobs in the UK, with the vast majority outside of London and the South East.

    These include 2,000 jobs at the previously announced state-of-the-art fulfilment centre in Hull and 2,000 jobs at another in Northampton, plus additional positions at new sites in the East Midlands and at delivery stations across the country.

    The investment also includes part of the £8 billion previously announced in September 2024 for building, operating, and maintaining data centres in the UK. This will support the UK’s ambition to increase AI compute capacity and meet the growing demand for cloud and AI technologies, while creating thousands of skilled jobs in the tech supply chain.

    Alongside the planned creation of the new operations facilities, the investment will also go towards the redevelopment of the historic Bray Film Studios in Berkshire, continued investment in multimillion-pound skills and training programmes, and landmark original TV and film productions.

    This announcement is the latest sign that the government’s Plan for Change is working – making Britain the best place to do business, creating jobs, and putting more money in working people’s pockets.

    It follows the publication of the modern Industrial Strategy, which marks a new era of collaboration between government and high growth industries slashing energy bills for industry, increasing skills, and boosting investment to unlock the UK’s economic potential.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met Amazon’s CEO last week ahead of the announcement, said:

    Amazon’s £40 billion investment adds another major win to Britain’s basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business.

    It means thousands of new jobs—real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families.

    Whether it’s cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working—bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people’s pockets.

    Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said:

    This investment is a powerful endorsement of Britain’s economic strengths.

    The world is changing, but this Government is working hand in hand with businesses to navigate that change to create jobs, wealth and opportunity in every corner of the country.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit Amazon’s HQ in London to mark the announcement. There he will meet apprentices to talk about the importance of backing British skills just days after the Government announced a £275 million skills package to boost training and build a skilled workforce of the future.

    Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds said:

    Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, and seeing massive international firms like Amazon bank on Britain shows we are on the right track.

    This investment will create highly-skilled jobs and boost living standards across the country, and the £100 billion of investment we’ve secured in the past year shows our Plan for Change is already delivering for working people.

    Amazon are offering 1,000 new full-time apprenticeship roles this year, and already employs more than 75,000 people in over 100 sites across the UK. This new investment will supercharge its impact on local economies. The data centre investment alone is expected to contribute £14 billion to the UK economy over 5 years (2024-2028) and support 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs each year – many of them in small and medium-sized businesses.

    Amazon CEO, Andy Jassy, said:

    Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the UK for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we’ve grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray. We now employ over 75,000 people and have become one of the UK’s largest private sector employers and taxpayers.

    When Amazon invests, it’s not only in London and the South East – we’re bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, strengthening the UK’s economy and delivering better experiences for customers wherever they live.

    The announcement comes as UK business confidence hits a nine-month high, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer, with optimism boosted by falling interest rates and new trade deals with the EU, US and India – cutting costs for businesses and protecting jobs.

    Since the government was elected, interest rates have fallen four times, and the UK started the year as the fastest-growing economy in the G7. The government has also secured three major trade deals with the EU, US and India, which will cut costs for businesses, protect jobs and attract further investment.

    Notes to editors

    A release from Amazon will be available separately. A full media pack including a photo of the Prime Minister with Amazon’s CEO can be found here.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 24, 2025

  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to attend SCO defence ministers’ meeting in Qingdao

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to lead a high-level Indian delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, which will be held in Qingdao, China, from June 25 to 26. The meeting will bring together defence leaders from SCO member states to deliberate on pressing regional and international security issues, with a focus on promoting peace, enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation, and strengthening collaboration among defence ministries.

    At the meeting, Defence Minister Singh is expected to reiterate India’s unwavering commitment to the SCO’s principles and goals. He will likely outline India’s strategic vision for bolstering international peace and stability, while emphasizing the urgent need for collective and consistent action to combat terrorism and extremism. Singh is also expected to advocate for deeper economic engagement, enhanced trade, and improved connectivity within the SCO region.

    The Defence Minister will also hold bilateral talks with counterparts from several participating nations, including China and Russia. These meetings aim to further deepen defence cooperation and explore avenues for strengthening strategic partnerships.

    India views the SCO as an important multilateral platform that fosters regional cooperation across political, security, economic, and cultural spheres. The organisation upholds core principles such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual respect among its members.

    Established in 2001, the SCO has grown into a significant regional bloc. India became a full member in 2017 and held the rotating chairmanship in 2023. The organisation currently includes India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. China holds the SCO chair for 2025 under the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.”

    June 24, 2025

  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to attend SCO defence ministers’ meeting in Qingdao

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to lead a high-level Indian delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, which will be held in Qingdao, China, from June 25 to 26. The meeting will bring together defence leaders from SCO member states to deliberate on pressing regional and international security issues, with a focus on promoting peace, enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation, and strengthening collaboration among defence ministries.

    At the meeting, Defence Minister Singh is expected to reiterate India’s unwavering commitment to the SCO’s principles and goals. He will likely outline India’s strategic vision for bolstering international peace and stability, while emphasizing the urgent need for collective and consistent action to combat terrorism and extremism. Singh is also expected to advocate for deeper economic engagement, enhanced trade, and improved connectivity within the SCO region.

    The Defence Minister will also hold bilateral talks with counterparts from several participating nations, including China and Russia. These meetings aim to further deepen defence cooperation and explore avenues for strengthening strategic partnerships.

    India views the SCO as an important multilateral platform that fosters regional cooperation across political, security, economic, and cultural spheres. The organisation upholds core principles such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual respect among its members.

    Established in 2001, the SCO has grown into a significant regional bloc. India became a full member in 2017 and held the rotating chairmanship in 2023. The organisation currently includes India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. China holds the SCO chair for 2025 under the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.”

    June 24, 2025

  • India projected to see 6.5% GDP growth in FY26: S&P Global Ratings

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s economy is projected to grow at 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal year (FY26), driven by strong domestic demand, a normal monsoon, and expected monetary easing, according to a report by S&P Global Ratings released on Tuesday.

    The report, which covers Asia-Pacific economies, noted that India’s domestic demand resilience is especially crucial in limiting economic slowdowns in economies less reliant on goods exports.

    “We see India’s GDP growth holding up at 6.5 per cent in fiscal 2026 (year ending March 31, 2026). That forecast assumes a normal monsoon, lower crude oil prices, income-tax concessions, and monetary easing,” the report stated.

    Falling food inflation has also contributed to easing overall inflation pressures in the country.

    India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation dropped to a 14-month low of 0.39 per cent in May, down from 0.85 per cent in April and 2.05 per cent in March. Meanwhile, Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation declined to 2.82 per cent in May—its lowest level since February 2019—compared to the same month a year ago.

    Food inflation specifically fell to 0.99 per cent in May, the lowest since October 2021. This marks the seventh consecutive month of declining food inflation, supported by rising agricultural output.

    In response to the continued disinflationary trend, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised its inflation outlook for 2025–26 downward, from 4 per cent to 3.7 per cent. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced a 50 basis points cut in the repo rate—from 6 per cent to 5.5 per cent—during the recent monetary policy review to support economic growth.

    The S&P report also observed that many Asia-Pacific economies began 2025 with strong domestic demand. Several economies temporarily benefited from front-loaded exports to the United States ahead of anticipated tariff changes. In India, economic activity picked up after a period of slower growth.

    For comparison, S&P projects GDP growth of 4.3 per cent for China in 2025 and 4.0 per cent in 2026. While these figures fall short of China’s official growth targets, the report described them as “solid results” given the current external challenges.

    Chinese imports are expected to remain subdued this year and next, though not as weak as exports.

    The report noted that Asia-Pacific economies continue to face external pressures, particularly from uncertain U.S. trade policy and sluggish Chinese imports.

    “We expect domestic demand to broadly remain healthy, in part because of policy easing. But what this means for the resilience of regional economies varies sharply, with export-dependent ones less well placed,” the report added.

    (IANS)

    June 24, 2025

  • India projected to see 6.5% GDP growth in FY26: S&P Global Ratings

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s economy is projected to grow at 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal year (FY26), driven by strong domestic demand, a normal monsoon, and expected monetary easing, according to a report by S&P Global Ratings released on Tuesday.

    The report, which covers Asia-Pacific economies, noted that India’s domestic demand resilience is especially crucial in limiting economic slowdowns in economies less reliant on goods exports.

    “We see India’s GDP growth holding up at 6.5 per cent in fiscal 2026 (year ending March 31, 2026). That forecast assumes a normal monsoon, lower crude oil prices, income-tax concessions, and monetary easing,” the report stated.

    Falling food inflation has also contributed to easing overall inflation pressures in the country.

    India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation dropped to a 14-month low of 0.39 per cent in May, down from 0.85 per cent in April and 2.05 per cent in March. Meanwhile, Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation declined to 2.82 per cent in May—its lowest level since February 2019—compared to the same month a year ago.

    Food inflation specifically fell to 0.99 per cent in May, the lowest since October 2021. This marks the seventh consecutive month of declining food inflation, supported by rising agricultural output.

    In response to the continued disinflationary trend, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised its inflation outlook for 2025–26 downward, from 4 per cent to 3.7 per cent. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced a 50 basis points cut in the repo rate—from 6 per cent to 5.5 per cent—during the recent monetary policy review to support economic growth.

    The S&P report also observed that many Asia-Pacific economies began 2025 with strong domestic demand. Several economies temporarily benefited from front-loaded exports to the United States ahead of anticipated tariff changes. In India, economic activity picked up after a period of slower growth.

    For comparison, S&P projects GDP growth of 4.3 per cent for China in 2025 and 4.0 per cent in 2026. While these figures fall short of China’s official growth targets, the report described them as “solid results” given the current external challenges.

    Chinese imports are expected to remain subdued this year and next, though not as weak as exports.

    The report noted that Asia-Pacific economies continue to face external pressures, particularly from uncertain U.S. trade policy and sluggish Chinese imports.

    “We expect domestic demand to broadly remain healthy, in part because of policy easing. But what this means for the resilience of regional economies varies sharply, with export-dependent ones less well placed,” the report added.

    (IANS)

    June 24, 2025

  • Operation Sindhu: 2,295 Indians evacuated from Iran, 604 from Israel as India steps up rescue efforts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India evacuated 292 of its nationals from Iran early Tuesday as part of Operation Sindhu, a mission launched to ensure the safety of Indian citizens amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

    The evacuees arrived in New Delhi at 3:30 AM IST on a special flight from Mashhad, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

    “292 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi from Mashhad at 0330 hrs on 24th June,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

    Operation Sindhu, which began on June 18, has so far facilitated the return of 2,295 Indians from Iran. A day earlier, another flight brought back 290 Indians and one Sri Lankan national from Mashhad.

    Simultaneously, evacuation efforts from Israel continue. The Indian Embassy in Israel said on Monday that 604 Indian nationals have been safely evacuated via Jordan and Egypt under Operation Sindhu.

    On Tuesday, Jaiswal confirmed that the first batch of 161 Indian nationals from Israel had reached India.

    “The Israel leg of #OperationSindhu began on June 23, 2025, bringing home the first group of 161 Indian nationals from Israel. They safely arrived in New Delhi today at 0820 hrs from Amman, Jordan,” Jaiswal wrote on X, adding that they were received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita

    In a separate update, Jaiswal said that another 165 Indian nationals were brought back from Israel on an IAF C-17 flight, which landed at 8:45 AM IST in Delhi. Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan welcomed the group on arrival.

    The Israel-Iran conflict began on June 13 when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded with Operation True Promise 3, striking Israeli fuel production and energy centers.

    The situation intensified further after U.S. forces conducted Operation Midnight Hammer, a set of precision airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday.

    Despite a ceasefire announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Israeli military on Tuesday reported fresh waves of missile attacks from Iran, with emergency services confirming three civilian deaths.

    (With inputs from agencies)

    June 24, 2025

  • Operation Sindhu: 2,295 Indians evacuated from Iran, 604 from Israel as India steps up rescue efforts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India evacuated 292 of its nationals from Iran early Tuesday as part of Operation Sindhu, a mission launched to ensure the safety of Indian citizens amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

    The evacuees arrived in New Delhi at 3:30 AM IST on a special flight from Mashhad, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

    “292 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi from Mashhad at 0330 hrs on 24th June,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

    Operation Sindhu, which began on June 18, has so far facilitated the return of 2,295 Indians from Iran. A day earlier, another flight brought back 290 Indians and one Sri Lankan national from Mashhad.

    Simultaneously, evacuation efforts from Israel continue. The Indian Embassy in Israel said on Monday that 604 Indian nationals have been safely evacuated via Jordan and Egypt under Operation Sindhu.

    On Tuesday, Jaiswal confirmed that the first batch of 161 Indian nationals from Israel had reached India.

    “The Israel leg of #OperationSindhu began on June 23, 2025, bringing home the first group of 161 Indian nationals from Israel. They safely arrived in New Delhi today at 0820 hrs from Amman, Jordan,” Jaiswal wrote on X, adding that they were received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita

    In a separate update, Jaiswal said that another 165 Indian nationals were brought back from Israel on an IAF C-17 flight, which landed at 8:45 AM IST in Delhi. Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan welcomed the group on arrival.

    The Israel-Iran conflict began on June 13 when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded with Operation True Promise 3, striking Israeli fuel production and energy centers.

    The situation intensified further after U.S. forces conducted Operation Midnight Hammer, a set of precision airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday.

    Despite a ceasefire announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Israeli military on Tuesday reported fresh waves of missile attacks from Iran, with emergency services confirming three civilian deaths.

    (With inputs from agencies)

    June 24, 2025

  • Trump says Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect, please don’t violate it

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was now in place and asked both countries not to violate it, only hours after Iran launched waves of missiles, which Israel’s ambulance service said killed four people.

    “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

    When Trump announced on Monday what he called a complete ceasefire to end a 12-day war, he appeared to suggest that Israel and Iran would have time to complete missions that were underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process.

    Witnesses said they heard explosions near Tel Aviv and Beersheba in southern Israel before Trump‘s statement.

    Israel’s military said six waves of missiles were launched by Iran and Israel’s national ambulance service said four people were killed in Beersheba, the first reported deaths in Israel since Trump announced the ceasefire.

    Iran’s semi-official SNN news agency reported on Tuesday that Tehran fired its last round of missiles before the ceasefire came into effect.

    A senior White House official said Trump had brokered a ceasefire deal in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel had agreed so long as Iran did not launch further attacks.

    “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

    An Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, but the country’s foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks.

    Abbas Araqchi said early on Tuesday that if Israel stopped its “illegal aggression” against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT) on Tuesday, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards.

    “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later,” Araqchi added in a post on X.

    Israel, joined by the United States on the weekend, has carried out attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, after alleging Tehran was getting close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

    Iran denies ever having a nuclear weapons program but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said that if it wanted to, world leaders “wouldn’t be able to stop us”.

    Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

    Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran’s agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday.

    U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians, a White House official said.

    Neither Iran’s U.N. mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters.

    Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signaled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran soon and had passed the message on to the United States.

    Netanyahu had told government ministers whose discussions ended early on Tuesday not to speak publicly, Israel’s Channel 12 television reported.

    Markets reacted favorably to the news.

    S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% late on Monday, suggesting traders expect the U.S. stock market to open with gains on Tuesday.

    U.S. crude futures fell in early Asian trading hours on Tuesday to their lowest level in more than a week after Trump said a ceasefire had been agreed, relieving worries of supply disruption in the region.

    EARLY NOTICE

    Earlier on Monday, Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran’s attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes.

    He said Iran fired 14 missiles at the U.S. air base, calling it “a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered.”

    Iran’s handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the United States and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can’t afford.

    Iran’s attack came after U.S. bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities at the weekend, joining Israel’s air war.

    Much of Tehran’s population of 10 million has fled after days of bombing.

    The Trump administration maintains that its aim was solely to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, not to open a wider war.

    “Iran was very close to having a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

    “Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it,” Vance said.

    Trump has cited intelligence reports that Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon, without elaborating. However, U.S. intelligence agencies said earlier this year they assessed that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and a source with access to U.S. intelligence reports told Reuters last week that that assessment hadn’t changed.

    In a social media post on Sunday, Trump spoke of toppling the hardline clerical rulers who have been Washington’s principal foes in the Middle East since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    Israel, however, had made clear that its strikes on Evin prison – a notorious jail for housing political prisoners – and other targets in Tehran were intended to hit the Iranian ruling apparatus broadly, and its ability to sustain power.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • Trump says Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect, please don’t violate it

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was now in place and asked both countries not to violate it, only hours after Iran launched waves of missiles, which Israel’s ambulance service said killed four people.

    “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

    When Trump announced on Monday what he called a complete ceasefire to end a 12-day war, he appeared to suggest that Israel and Iran would have time to complete missions that were underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process.

    Witnesses said they heard explosions near Tel Aviv and Beersheba in southern Israel before Trump‘s statement.

    Israel’s military said six waves of missiles were launched by Iran and Israel’s national ambulance service said four people were killed in Beersheba, the first reported deaths in Israel since Trump announced the ceasefire.

    Iran’s semi-official SNN news agency reported on Tuesday that Tehran fired its last round of missiles before the ceasefire came into effect.

    A senior White House official said Trump had brokered a ceasefire deal in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel had agreed so long as Iran did not launch further attacks.

    “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

    An Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, but the country’s foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks.

    Abbas Araqchi said early on Tuesday that if Israel stopped its “illegal aggression” against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT) on Tuesday, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards.

    “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later,” Araqchi added in a post on X.

    Israel, joined by the United States on the weekend, has carried out attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, after alleging Tehran was getting close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

    Iran denies ever having a nuclear weapons program but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said that if it wanted to, world leaders “wouldn’t be able to stop us”.

    Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

    Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran’s agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday.

    U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians, a White House official said.

    Neither Iran’s U.N. mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters.

    Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signaled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran soon and had passed the message on to the United States.

    Netanyahu had told government ministers whose discussions ended early on Tuesday not to speak publicly, Israel’s Channel 12 television reported.

    Markets reacted favorably to the news.

    S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% late on Monday, suggesting traders expect the U.S. stock market to open with gains on Tuesday.

    U.S. crude futures fell in early Asian trading hours on Tuesday to their lowest level in more than a week after Trump said a ceasefire had been agreed, relieving worries of supply disruption in the region.

    EARLY NOTICE

    Earlier on Monday, Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran’s attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes.

    He said Iran fired 14 missiles at the U.S. air base, calling it “a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered.”

    Iran’s handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the United States and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can’t afford.

    Iran’s attack came after U.S. bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities at the weekend, joining Israel’s air war.

    Much of Tehran’s population of 10 million has fled after days of bombing.

    The Trump administration maintains that its aim was solely to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, not to open a wider war.

    “Iran was very close to having a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

    “Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it,” Vance said.

    Trump has cited intelligence reports that Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon, without elaborating. However, U.S. intelligence agencies said earlier this year they assessed that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and a source with access to U.S. intelligence reports told Reuters last week that that assessment hadn’t changed.

    In a social media post on Sunday, Trump spoke of toppling the hardline clerical rulers who have been Washington’s principal foes in the Middle East since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    Israel, however, had made clear that its strikes on Evin prison – a notorious jail for housing political prisoners – and other targets in Tehran were intended to hit the Iranian ruling apparatus broadly, and its ability to sustain power.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • Seva, Sushasan, Garib Kalyan pillars of Viksit Bharat: EAM Jaishankar on Passport Seva Divas

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Marking the 13th Passport Seva Divas, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday said that Seva (service), Sushasan (good governance), and Garib Kalyan (welfare of the poor) form the three foundational pillars of governance that will guide India towards becoming a Viksit Bharat (developed nation).

    In a post on X, the Minister praised passport authorities in India and abroad for their efforts to enhance service delivery and citizen empowerment. “Your commendable efforts, guided by Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan, are instrumental to ensuring ease of travel, deepening access to the global workplace and empowering the citizen,” he wrote.

    Jaishankar outlined recent achievements in the passport ecosystem, noting that passport issuance has seen a sharp rise- from over 91 lakh in 2014 to 1.46 crore in 2024. He also announced the rollout of the Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0 (PSP V2.0), which will leverage advanced technology to improve efficiency, transparency and user experience. The pilot of the Global PSP 2.0 is under way and will be extended to Indian missions worldwide in a phased manner.

    Highlighting the government’s push towards digitalisation, the Minister said the introduction of e-Passports would allow contactless verification at immigration, easing international travel for Indian citizens. He also mentioned that the mPassport Police App has helped reduce police verification time to 5–7 days in 25 States and Union Territories.

    Expanding access to services, 10 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) were opened in the last year, including the 450th centre inaugurated in Kushinagar in April 2025.

    Congratulating all those involved in the passport delivery ecosystem, Jaishankar said, “I take this opportunity to congratulate everyone for their dedication in rendering passport and related services collectively to our citizens. Happy Passport Seva Divas!”

    – IANS

    June 24, 2025

  • Seva, Sushasan, Garib Kalyan pillars of Viksit Bharat: EAM Jaishankar on Passport Seva Divas

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Marking the 13th Passport Seva Divas, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday said that Seva (service), Sushasan (good governance), and Garib Kalyan (welfare of the poor) form the three foundational pillars of governance that will guide India towards becoming a Viksit Bharat (developed nation).

    In a post on X, the Minister praised passport authorities in India and abroad for their efforts to enhance service delivery and citizen empowerment. “Your commendable efforts, guided by Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan, are instrumental to ensuring ease of travel, deepening access to the global workplace and empowering the citizen,” he wrote.

    Jaishankar outlined recent achievements in the passport ecosystem, noting that passport issuance has seen a sharp rise- from over 91 lakh in 2014 to 1.46 crore in 2024. He also announced the rollout of the Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0 (PSP V2.0), which will leverage advanced technology to improve efficiency, transparency and user experience. The pilot of the Global PSP 2.0 is under way and will be extended to Indian missions worldwide in a phased manner.

    Highlighting the government’s push towards digitalisation, the Minister said the introduction of e-Passports would allow contactless verification at immigration, easing international travel for Indian citizens. He also mentioned that the mPassport Police App has helped reduce police verification time to 5–7 days in 25 States and Union Territories.

    Expanding access to services, 10 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) were opened in the last year, including the 450th centre inaugurated in Kushinagar in April 2025.

    Congratulating all those involved in the passport delivery ecosystem, Jaishankar said, “I take this opportunity to congratulate everyone for their dedication in rendering passport and related services collectively to our citizens. Happy Passport Seva Divas!”

    – IANS

    June 24, 2025

  • President Murmu receives second volume of ‘Wings to Our Hopes’ and ‘Aashaon Ki Udaan’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Droupadi Murmu was presented with the first copies of the second volume of the books ‘Wings to Our Hopes’ and ‘Aashaon Ki Udaan’ at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. The books were officially released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, in the presence of Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan.

    These volumes, published by the Directorate of Publications Division under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, comprise a collection of 51 selected speeches delivered by President Murmu during her second year in office. The speeches reflect the breadth of her public engagements and highlight her commitment to inclusive governance, national development, and cultural pride.

    The collection has been thoughtfully categorized into 11 thematic sections, encompassing topics such as national addresses, education and holistic development, inspiration for public servants, the pride of India’s armed forces, governance and citizen empowerment, recognition of achievements, international diplomacy, cultural preservation, agricultural innovation, environmental consciousness, and women’s empowerment.

    June 24, 2025

  • President Murmu receives second volume of ‘Wings to Our Hopes’ and ‘Aashaon Ki Udaan’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Droupadi Murmu was presented with the first copies of the second volume of the books ‘Wings to Our Hopes’ and ‘Aashaon Ki Udaan’ at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. The books were officially released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, in the presence of Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan.

    These volumes, published by the Directorate of Publications Division under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, comprise a collection of 51 selected speeches delivered by President Murmu during her second year in office. The speeches reflect the breadth of her public engagements and highlight her commitment to inclusive governance, national development, and cultural pride.

    The collection has been thoughtfully categorized into 11 thematic sections, encompassing topics such as national addresses, education and holistic development, inspiration for public servants, the pride of India’s armed forces, governance and citizen empowerment, recognition of achievements, international diplomacy, cultural preservation, agricultural innovation, environmental consciousness, and women’s empowerment.

    June 24, 2025

  • Palmeiras salvage draw with Inter Miami as both advance to Club World Cup last 16

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Palmeiras rallied from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami and qualify top of Group A for the Club World Cup last 16 on Monday, a result that sent both teams through to the knockout phase.

    Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez gave Miami a two-goal lead before Paulinho and Mauricio scored in the last 10 minutes to get Palmeiras back on level terms.

    Both teams finished on five points with Inter Miami second on goal difference, while Al-Ahly and Porto were both eliminated after drawing 4-4.

    Lionel Messi’s side will take on European champions Paris St Germain, where the Argentine spent two seasons from 2021-23, while Palmeiras face fierce rivals Botafogo in an all-Brazilian clash for a place in the quarter-finals.

    “It was a great game from us, it’s difficult to play against one of the best teams in South America,” said Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, who described it as a “historic night” for Major League Soccer.

    “Maybe at the end we had the game in our hands so the feeling is strange but before the start of the tournament if someone told me we were going to have this kind of performance against these kind of teams I would have signed it.”

    Inter Miami are the only team from MLS to reach the last 16 after both Los Angeles FC and the Seattle Sounders were eliminated.

    With the crowd heavily favouring Palmeiras and creating an atmosphere that made it seem like an away game for hosts Miami, the Brazilian side started with intensity, pressing high up the pitch but despite their energy the final ball lacked precision.

    Miami struck in the 16th minute when Allende surged past a static Palmeiras defence and coolly slotted home after a 40-metre run.

    Allende came close again early in the second half, flashing a shot narrowly wide after another quick counterattack, before Messi brought fans to their feet with a dipping volley from distance that sailed just over.

    Suarez, quiet for much of the game, made no mistake in the 65th minute as he cut onto his left foot and fired into the top corner from a tight angle to make it 2-0.

    Palmeiras pulled one back 10 minutes from time through substitute Paulinho, who guided a low finish into the corner.

    Seven minutes later Mauricio picked up a loose clearance and fired home from the penalty spot to make sure Palmeiras would keep top spot in the group.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • Palmeiras salvage draw with Inter Miami as both advance to Club World Cup last 16

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Palmeiras rallied from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami and qualify top of Group A for the Club World Cup last 16 on Monday, a result that sent both teams through to the knockout phase.

    Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez gave Miami a two-goal lead before Paulinho and Mauricio scored in the last 10 minutes to get Palmeiras back on level terms.

    Both teams finished on five points with Inter Miami second on goal difference, while Al-Ahly and Porto were both eliminated after drawing 4-4.

    Lionel Messi’s side will take on European champions Paris St Germain, where the Argentine spent two seasons from 2021-23, while Palmeiras face fierce rivals Botafogo in an all-Brazilian clash for a place in the quarter-finals.

    “It was a great game from us, it’s difficult to play against one of the best teams in South America,” said Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, who described it as a “historic night” for Major League Soccer.

    “Maybe at the end we had the game in our hands so the feeling is strange but before the start of the tournament if someone told me we were going to have this kind of performance against these kind of teams I would have signed it.”

    Inter Miami are the only team from MLS to reach the last 16 after both Los Angeles FC and the Seattle Sounders were eliminated.

    With the crowd heavily favouring Palmeiras and creating an atmosphere that made it seem like an away game for hosts Miami, the Brazilian side started with intensity, pressing high up the pitch but despite their energy the final ball lacked precision.

    Miami struck in the 16th minute when Allende surged past a static Palmeiras defence and coolly slotted home after a 40-metre run.

    Allende came close again early in the second half, flashing a shot narrowly wide after another quick counterattack, before Messi brought fans to their feet with a dipping volley from distance that sailed just over.

    Suarez, quiet for much of the game, made no mistake in the 65th minute as he cut onto his left foot and fired into the top corner from a tight angle to make it 2-0.

    Palmeiras pulled one back 10 minutes from time through substitute Paulinho, who guided a low finish into the corner.

    Seven minutes later Mauricio picked up a loose clearance and fired home from the penalty spot to make sure Palmeiras would keep top spot in the group.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese films score major wins at Golden Goblet Awards

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) wrapped up Saturday with the Golden Goblet Awards, where the Kyrgyzstani film “Black Red Yellow” won best feature and three Chinese films took top honors in the main competition.

    Director Aktan Arym Kubat (center) accepts the best feature film award for “Black Red Yellow” at the Golden Goblet Awards ceremony in Shanghai, June 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

    “Black Red Yellow,” directed by Aktan Arym Kubat, follows a master weaver’s forbidden romance with a horse herder, which ends in silent separation and an unfinished carpet — until its unveiling years later stirs old memories.

    “This is a glorious moment for Kyrgyz cinema,” Kubat said in his acceptance speech. He said carpets are an inseparable part of traditional culture and daily life in Kyrgyzstan and noted that the award also marks the birth of his grandson. “Black Red Yellow” was the festival’s closing film.

    Chinese filmmaker Cao Baoping won best director for the comedy crime drama “One Wacky Summer,” a decade after earning the same honor for “The Dead End” at SIFF. Cao said the new film, with its dark humor, is sharper, funnier and more down-to-earth than his previous works.

    Chinese filmmaker Cao Baoping holds his best director trophy for the comedy crime drama “One Wacky Summer” at the Golden Goblet Awards ceremony in Shanghai, June 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

    The film continues the lighter, comic direction Cao first explored with his 2006 debut, “Trouble Makers.” Set in Tianjin at the turn of the century, “One Wacky Summer” follows a small-time thug who, trapped in debt, impulsively kidnaps his nephew in a failed extortion plot, sparking family feuds and criminal chaos.

    Cao thanked SIFF for recognizing his work for the second time in 10 years, saying it “shows the festival’s encouragement for artistic persistence, as well as its diversity and inclusiveness.”

    Wan Qian won best actress for her role as a desperate killer posing as a caregiver in Wang Tong’s “Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts.” The film weaves together themes of elder care, love and crime, delivering a stark examination of human nature and morality.

    Wan Qian accepts the best actress award for “Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts” at the Golden Goblet Awards ceremony in Shanghai, June 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

    “Turns out there really is a dawn after the wild night,” Wan said on stage. “I’m deeply grateful to the team behind ‘Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts.’ Your professionalism made the film remarkable. As we emerge from the long night and the light shines on us, I hope it’s not just me who is seen, but everyone behind me — because they are the ones truly holding up this trophy.”

    “Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts” also won the jury grand prix, an award it shared with the Japanese film “On Summer Sand” by Shinya Tamada.

    Director Qiu Sheng (center) holds the outstanding artistic achievement award for “My Father’s Son” at the Golden Goblet Awards ceremony in Shanghai, June 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

    “My Father’s Son,” a co-production between China and France, received the outstanding artistic achievement award. Director Qiu Sheng said the film is a tribute to his late father, who died in 2005.

    Additional major awards went to Portuguese actor Jose Martins, who won best actor for “The Scent of Things Remembered.” Korek Bojanowski and Katia Priwieziencew received best screenplay for the Polish film “Loss of Balance,” and Markus Nestroy was awarded best cinematography for “You Believe in Angels, Mr. Drowak?”

    Director Bian Zhuo jumps as he and producer Zhang Jie receive the Asian New Talent best feature film award for “As the Water Flows” at the Golden Goblet Awards in Shanghai, June 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

    In the Asian New Talent section, “As the Water Flows” by Bian Zhuo won best feature film, while Liryc Dela Cruz of the Philippines took best director for “Where the Night Stands Still.” Best actor went to Chinese actor Shi Pengyuan for “Water Can Go Anywhere” while Indian actress Meenakshi Jayan won best actress for “Victoria.” Prabath Roshan earned best cinematography for Sri Lanka’s “Riverstone,” with Lalith Rathnayake and Nilantha Perera sharing best scriptwriter.

    In other sections, the Spanish film “Constanza” won best documentary, while “The Songbirds’ Secret,” a France-Switzerland-Belgium co-production, took best animation. The Chinese film “Crow” won best live-action short, and the Russian-Kazakh film “Son” was named best animated short.

    This year’s Golden Goblet Awards received a record 3,900 submissions from 119 countries and regions. The main jury was chaired by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore, best known for “Cinema Paradiso.”

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 24, 2025

  • US judge blocks Trump plan to close Harvard’s doors to international students

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A federal judge on Monday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from implementing his plan to bar foreign nationals from entering the United States to study at Harvard University.

    U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued an injunction barring Trump’s administration from carrying out its latest bid to curtail Harvard’s ability to host international students amid an escalating fight pitting the Republican president against the prestigious Ivy League school.

    The preliminary injunction extends a temporary order the judge issued on June 5 that prevented the administration from enforcing a proclamation Trump signed a day earlier that cited national security concerns to justify why Harvard could no longer be trusted to host international students.

    She ruled after Trump’s Friday announcement that his administration could announce a deal with Harvard “over the next week or so” to resolve the White House’s campaign against the university, which has waged a legal battle against the administration’s various actions against the school.

    Trump signed the proclamation after his administration had already frozen billions of dollars in funding to the oldest and wealthiest U.S. university, threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status and launched several investigations into the school.

    The proclamation prohibited foreign nationals from entering the U.S. to study at Harvard or participate in exchange visitor programs for an initial period of six months, and directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to revoke visas of international students already enrolled at Harvard.

    But Burroughs said Trump’s administration was likely violating Harvard’s free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment by retaliating against it for refusing to meet its demands to cede control over the school’s curriculum and admissions and by targeting it based on what officials viewed as the university’s left-leaning orientation.

    The judge said that “at its root, this case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism.”

    “Here, the government’s misplaced efforts to control a reputable academic institution and squelch diverse viewpoints seemingly because they are, in some instances, opposed to this Administration’s own views, threaten these rights,” she wrote.

    Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Harvard said the ruling will allow it to continue hosting international students and scholars while this case moves forward. It added it will continue to defend the rights of the school, its students and scholars.

    The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    The university has filed two separate lawsuits before Burroughs, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, seeking to unfreeze around $2.5 billion in funding and to prevent the administration from blocking the ability of international students to attend the university.

    The latter lawsuit was filed after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on May 22 announced that her department was immediately revoking Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which allows it to enroll foreign students.

    Almost 6,800 international students attended Harvard in its most recent school year, making up about 27% of its student population.

    Noem, without providing evidence, accused the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”

    Her action was temporarily blocked by Burroughs almost immediately. While the Department of Homeland Security has since shifted to challenging Harvard’s certification through a lengthier administrative process, Burroughs at a May 29 hearing said she planned to issue an injunction to maintain the status quo, which she did officially on Friday.

    A week after the hearing, Trump signed his proclamation, which cited concerns about Harvard’s acceptance of foreign money including from China and what it said was an inadequate response by the school to his administration’s demand for information on foreign students.

    His administration has accused Harvard of creating an unsafe environment for Jewish students and allowing antisemitism to fester on its campus. Protests over U.S. ally Israel’s treatment of Palestinians during its war in Gaza have roiled numerous universities’ campuses, including Harvard’s.

    Rights advocates have noted rising antisemitism and Islamophobia in the U.S. due to the war. The Trump administration has thus far announced no action over anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate. Harvard’s own antisemitism and Islamophobia task forces found widespread fear and bigotry at the university in reports released in late April.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • Ceasefire Brings Relief to Civilians After Deadly Iran-Israel Conflict Claims Nearly 900 Lives

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel on Tuesday has brought temporary relief to millions of civilians caught in the crossfire of what President Donald Trump called a “12-day war,” as humanitarian organizations scramble to assess the devastating toll on both populations.

    The ceasefire was declared after Iranian state media announced that a truce had been “imposed on the enemy” following what Tehran characterized as its military response to “US aggression.” The announcement came hours after Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks targeted a US base in Qatar, marking an escalation that drew American forces directly into the regional conflict.

    According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the conflict has claimed at least 865 lives in Iran alone, with 215 military personnel, 363 civilians, and 287 unidentified individuals killed as of June 22. An additional 3,396 people have been wounded in Iranian territory. These figures significantly exceed those provided by Iranian health authorities, who reported 224 deaths and over 2,500 injuries, though both sources emphasize that the majority of casualties were civilians.

    The humanitarian crisis in Iran has worsened significantly, with Israeli airstrikes initially focused on military targets now increasingly hitting residential areas and even prisons. The escalation has triggered mass internal displacement, forcing millions to flee their homes. Casualties include aid workers, children with disabilities, and nuclear scientists, underscoring the widespread impact across Iranian society. Iran’s judiciary reported that Israel has also targeted Tehran’s Evin prison, damaging sections of the facility known for holding political detainees.

    In Israel, the human cost has been equally tragic, with Iranian missile strikes killing at least 24 civilians and injuring nearly 600 others. The southern city of Beersheba bore the brunt of the most recent Iranian barrage, with emergency services reporting at least three deaths and eight injuries in the early morning hours before the ceasefire took effect. Israeli rescue services continue searching for survivors trapped under rubble from damaged residential buildings.

    President Trump revealed that both Israel and Iran had reached out to his administration ‘almost simultaneously’ seeking peace, as his diplomatic and security teams worked through the night to broker the truce. The ceasefire appears to have taken effect around 4 a.m. local time, with Israeli strikes on Iranian cities ceasing shortly before that time, though Israel had intensified its bombardment in the hours leading up to the agreement.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet publicly commented on the ceasefire announcement, though reports indicate he convened an emergency Security Cabinet meeting that extended into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Credible reports say that Netanyahu instructed his ministers to refrain from making public statements about the ceasefire agreement.

    The conflict’s rapid escalation over 12 days has overwhelmed emergency services in both countries, with hospitals struggling to treat the wounded and rescue teams working to clear debris from damaged buildings. The UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies have called for urgent de-escalation, protection of civilians, and unhindered access to deliver aid to affected populations.

    The ceasefire’s durability remains uncertain, as both sides have indicated their willingness to resume hostilities if the other violates the agreement. Iran has stated it will halt its retaliation only if Israel ceases its attacks, while Israeli officials have remained largely silent about the terms of the arrangement. The conflict has demonstrated how quickly regional tensions can escalate into full-scale warfare, with civilian populations bearing the heaviest burden of the violence.

    June 24, 2025

  • Thailand closes border crossings with Cambodia as dispute deepens

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Thailand’s military has closed border crossings into Cambodia to almost all travellers, including tourists and traders, citing security concerns as tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours remain escalated over a simmering border dispute.

    The deterioration in ties was sparked by brief armed clashes in a border area that left one Cambodian soldier dead late last month. Both governments have since announced measures designed to punish the other, including Cambodia’s recent suspension of all Thai fuel and gas imports.

    Thailand will now restrict all vehicles, tourists and traders from crossing at all land border checkpoints in seven provinces bordering Cambodia, the military said in a statement issued late on Monday, citing security concerns.

    There are exemptions for humanitarian reasons, such as for those needing medical attention, students and other urgent matters at the discretion of security units at checkpoints, the statement said.

    The restrictions “matched the current security situation, particularly in addressing the conflict in areas between Thailand and Cambodia that continue to intensify politically, diplomatically and militarily,” the statement said.

    The military said the measures would also assist in a crackdown on illegal scam centres in Cambodia flagged by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Monday.

    Paetongtarn said Thailand would stop cross-border supplies of essentials, including electricity, to areas where illicit operations were taking place.

    The prime minister has been under fire for her handling of the border row, particularly after the leaking of a phone call between her and Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former leader, that appeared to show her denigrating a senior Thai military commander.

    (Reuters)

    June 24, 2025

  • Indian stock market opens higher as geopolitical tensions ease

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Equity benchmarks opened on a strong note on Tuesday, buoyed by easing geopolitical tensions in West Asia and positive cues from global markets. The rally followed an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump declaring a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

    The BSE Sensex rose 756.5 points, or 0.92%, to 82,653.33 in early trade, while the NSE Nifty climbed 229 points, or 0.92%, to 25,200.90. Broad-based buying was seen across sectors, with auto, IT, PSU banks and financial services stocks leading the gains.

    Analysts noted that the de-escalation in West Asia is likely to reduce volatility in crude oil and equity markets. “The sharp reactions in the crude oil and stock markets suggest the geopolitical situation is limping back to normalcy,” said Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    The Nifty Bank index gained 557.25 points, or 0.99%, to trade at 56,616.60. The Nifty Midcap 100 rose 411 points, or 0.71%, to 58,617.80, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 was up 123.05 points, or 0.67%, at 18,443.95.

    Aakash Shah, Technical Research Analyst at Choice Broking, said the recovery in the Nifty and Bank Nifty indicates buying interest at lower levels, but added that a breakout above 25,200 and 56,300 respectively would be needed for a sustained rally. “Given the current environment of heightened volatility, investors should remain cautiously optimistic,” he said.

    In the Sensex pack, Adani Ports, M&M, UltraTech Cement, L&T, Titan, SBI, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv were among the top gainers. NTPC, BEL and Trent were trading in the red.

    On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers on June 23, offloading equities worth ₹1,874.38 crore. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth ₹5,591.77 crore.

    Asian markets mirrored the optimism, with indices in Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Hong Kong and Jakarta trading in positive territory.

    Overnight in the U.S., the Dow Jones closed at 42,581.78, up 374.96 points (0.89%). The S&P 500 gained 0.96% to end at 6,025.17, while the Nasdaq advanced 0.94% to 19,630.97.

    -IANS

    June 24, 2025

  • IAEA Oversight Threatened as Iran Moves to Limit Cooperation Amid Regional Escalation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iran’s national security committee has approved the framework of a bill that would suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), deepening international concerns about nuclear oversight in West Asia. The proposed legislation, still awaiting full parliamentary approval, would halt the installation of monitoring equipment, inspections, and reporting obligations until Iran deems its nuclear facilities secure. Iranian officials justified the move as a response to recent attacks on its nuclear sites, stating that safety assurances must precede any further engagement with the IAEA. The agency has not yet commented on the draft measure, but experts warn that the loss of oversight could severely undermine the global non-proliferation regime at a time of heightened instability.

    Speaking in The Hague ahead of the NATO summit on June 24th, Secretary General Mark Rutte said the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities did not violate international law. He emphasized that NATO’s primary concern lies in the strategic threat posed by Iran’s nuclear capabilities, rather than the legality of the military action. Rutte dismissed criticism that NATO had applied double standards by not condemning the strikes and acknowledged that while regime change in Iran is not on the summit’s formal agenda, some member states may raise the issue in side discussions.

    June 24, 2025

  • NSA Ajit Doval meets Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing ahead of SCO security council meet

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Monday held a meeting with Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee and China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The discussion took place on the sidelines of the 20th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Security Council Secretaries.

    In their discussions, both sides reviewed recent developments in India-China bilateral relations and reaffirmed the importance of advancing overall ties between the two countries. Emphasis was placed on fostering greater people-to-people exchanges to build mutual understanding and strengthen diplomatic engagement.

    NSA Doval highlighted the urgent need for concerted efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He underscored that addressing security threats is essential to ensuring long-term peace and stability in the region.

    The two leaders also exchanged views on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest, reflecting the broad scope of the India-China relationship.

    Looking ahead, NSA Doval expressed his intention to host Wang Yi in India for the 24th round of the Special Representative Talks on boundary issues at a mutually convenient date.

    June 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney

    The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments.

    Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only harden Iran’s resolve to acquire a bomb.

    And if Iran follows through on its threat to pull out of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), this will gravely damage the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.

    In a decade of international security crises, this could be the most serious. Is there still time to prevent this from happening?

    A successful but vulnerable treaty

    In May 2015, I attended the five-yearly review conference of the NPT. Delegates debated a draft outcome for weeks, and then, not for the first time, went home with nothing. Delegates from the US, United Kingdom and Canada blocked the final outcome to prevent words being added that would call for Israel to attend a disarmament conference.

    Russia did the same in 2022 in protest at language on its illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine.

    Now, in the latest challenge to the NPT, Israel and the US have bombed Iran’s nuclear complexes to ostensibly enforce a treaty neither one respects.

    When the treaty was adopted in 1968, it allowed the five nuclear-armed states at the time – the US, Soviet Union, France, UK and China – to join if they committed not to pass weapons or material to other states, and to disarm themselves.

    All other members had to pledge never to acquire nuclear weapons. Newer nuclear powers were not permitted to join unless they gave up their weapons.

    Israel declined to join, as it had developed its own undeclared nuclear arsenal by the late 1960s. India, Pakistan and South Sudan have also never signed; North Korea was a member but withdrew in 2003. Only South Sudan does not have nuclear weapons today.

    To make the obligations enforceable and strengthen safeguards against the diversion of nuclear material to non-nuclear weapons states, members were later required to sign the IAEA Additional Protocol. This gave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wide powers to inspect a state’s nuclear facilities and detect violations.

    It was the IAEA that first blew the whistle on Iran’s concerning uranium enrichment activity in 2003. Just before Israel’s attacks this month, the organisation also reported Iran was in breach of its obligations under the NPT for the first time in two decades.

    The NPT is arguably the world’s most universal, important and successful security treaty, but it is also paradoxically vulnerable.

    The treaty’s underlying consensus has been damaged by the failure of the five nuclear-weapon states to disarm as required, and by the failure to prevent North Korea from developing a now formidable nuclear arsenal.

    North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003, tested a weapon in 2006, and now may have up to 50 warheads.

    Iran could be next.

    How things can deteriorate from here

    Iran argues Israel’s attacks have undermined the credibility of the IAEA, given Israel used the IAEA’s new report on Iran as a pretext for its strikes, taking the matter out of the hands of the UN Security Council.

    For its part, the IAEA has maintained a principled position and criticised both the US and Israeli strikes.

    Iran has retaliated with its own missile strikes against both Israel and a US base in Qatar. In addition, it wasted no time announcing it would withdraw from the NPT.

    On June 23, an Iranian parliament committee also approved a bill that would fully suspend Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA, including allowing inspections and submitting reports to the organisation.

    Iran’s envoy to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, said the US strikes:

    […] delivered a fundamental and irreparable blow to the international non-proliferation regime conclusively demonstrating that the existing NPT framework has been rendered ineffective.

    Even if Israel and the US consider their bombing campaign successful, it has almost certainly renewed the Iranians’ resolve to build a weapon. The strikes may only delay an Iranian bomb by a few years.

    Iran will have two paths to do so. The slower path would be to reconstitute its enrichment activity and obtain nuclear implosion designs, which create extremely devastating weapons, from Russia or North Korea.

    Alternatively, Russia could send Iran some of its weapons. This should be a real concern given Moscow’s cascade of withdrawals from critical arms control agreements over the last decade.

    An Iranian bomb could then trigger NPT withdrawals by other regional states, especially Saudi Arabia, who suddenly face a new threat to their security.

    Why Iran might now pursue a bomb

    Iran’s support for Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s Assad regime certainly shows it is a dangerous international actor. Iranian leaders have also long used alarming rhetoric about Israel’s destruction.

    However repugnant the words, Israeli and US conservatives have misjudged Iran’s motives in seeking nuclear weapons.

    Israel fears an Iranian bomb would be an existential threat to its survival, given Iran’s promises to destroy it. But this neglects the fact that Israel already possesses a potent (if undeclared) nuclear deterrent capability.

    Israeli anxieties about an Iranian bomb should not be dismissed. But other analysts (myself included) see Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons capability more as a way to establish deterrence to prevent future military attacks from Israel and the US to protect their regime.

    Iranians were shaken by Iraq’s invasion in 1980 and then again by the US-led removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. This war with Israel and the US will shake them even more.

    Last week, I felt that if the Israeli bombing ceased, a new diplomatic effort to bring Iran into compliance with the IAEA and persuade it to abandon its program might have a chance.

    However, the US strikes may have buried that possibility for decades. And by then, the damage to the nonproliferation regime could be irreversible.

    Anthony Burke received funding from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for a project on global nuclear governance (2014–17).

    – ref. The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model – https://theconversation.com/the-war-wont-end-irans-nuclear-program-it-will-drive-it-underground-following-north-koreas-model-259281

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Iran’s internet blackout left people in the dark. How does a country shut down the internet?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohiuddin Ahmed, Senior Lecturer of Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University

    Dylan Carr/Unsplash

    In recent days, Iranians experienced a near-complete internet blackout, with local service providers – including mobile services – repeatedly going offline. Iran’s government has cited cyber security concerns for ordering the shutdown.

    Shutting off the internet within an entire country is a serious action. It severely limits people’s ability to freely communicate and to find reliable information during times of conflict.

    In countries that have privatised mobile and internet providers, control is often exercised through legislation or through government directives – such as age restrictions on adult content. By contrast, Iran has spent years developing the capacity to directly control its telecommunications infrastructure.

    So how can a country have broad control over internet access, and could this happen anywhere in the world?

    How does ‘blocking the internet’ work?

    The “internet” is a broad term. It covers many types of applications, services and, of course, the websites we’re familiar with.

    There’s a range of ways to control access to internet services, but broadly speaking, there are two “simple” methods a nation could use to block citizens’ internet access.

    Hardware

    A nation may opt to physically disconnect the incoming internet connectivity at the point of entry to the country (imagine pulling the plug on a telephone exchange).

    This allows for easy recovery of service when the government is ready, but the impact will be far-reaching. Nobody in the country, including the government itself, will be able to connect to the internet – unless the government has its own additional, covert connectivity to the rest of the world.



    Read more:
    Undersea cables are the unseen backbone of the global internet

    Software and configuration

    This is where it gets more technical. Every internet-connected endpoint – laptop, computer, mobile phone – has an IP (internet protocol) address. They’re strings of numbers; for example, 77.237.87.95 is an address assigned to one of the internet service providers in Iran.

    IP addresses identify the device on the public internet. However, since strings of numbers are not easy to remember, humans use domain names to connect to services – theconversation.com is an example of a domain name.

    That connection between the IP address and the domain is controlled by the domain name system or DNS. It’s possible for a government to control access to key internet services by modifying the DNS – this manipulates the connection between domain names and their underlying numeric addresses.

    An additional way to control the internet involves manipulating the traffic flow. IP addresses allow devices to send and receive data across networks controlled by internet service providers. In turn, they rely on the border gateway protocol (BGP) – think of it like a series of traffic signs which direct internet traffic flow, allowing data to move around the world.

    Governments could force local internet service providers to remove their BGP routes from the internet. As a result, the devices they service wouldn’t be able to connect to the internet. In the same manner, the rest of the world would no longer be able to “see” into the country.



    Read more:
    Internet shutdowns: here’s how governments do it

    How common is this?

    In dozens of countries around the world, the internet is either routinely controlled or has been shut down in response to major incidents.

    A recent example is a wide-scale internet blackout in Bangladesh in July 2024 during student-led protests against government job quotas.

    In 2023, Senegal limited internet access to handle violent protests that erupted over the sentencing of a political leader. In 2020, India imposed a lengthy internet blackout on the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. In 2011, the Egyptian government withdrew BGP routes to address civil unrest.

    These events clearly show that if a government anywhere in the world wants to turn off the internet, it really can. The democratic state of the country is the most significant influence on the willingness to undertake such action – not the technical capability.

    However, in today’s world, being disconnected from the internet will heavily impact people’s lives, jobs and the economy. It’s not an action to be taken lightly.

    How can people evade internet controls?

    Virtual private networks or VPNs have long been used to hide communications in countries with strict internet controls, and continue to be an effective internet access method for many people. (However, there are indications Iran has clamped down on VPN use in recent times.)

    However, VPNs won’t help when the internet is physically disconnected. Depending on configuration, if BGP routes are blocked, this may also prevent any VPN traffic from reaching the target.

    This is where independent satellite internet services open up the most reliable alternative. Satellite internet is great for remote and rural areas where traditional internet service providers have yet to establish their cabling infrastructure – or can’t do so.

    Even if traditional wired or wireless internet connections are unavailable, services such as Starlink, Viasat, Hughesnet and others can provide internet access through satellites orbiting Earth.

    To use satellite internet, users rely on antenna kits supplied by providers. In Iran, Elon Musk’s Starlink was activated during the blackout, and independent reports suggest there are thousands of Starlink receivers secretly operating in the country.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Iran’s internet blackout left people in the dark. How does a country shut down the internet? – https://theconversation.com/irans-internet-blackout-left-people-in-the-dark-how-does-a-country-shut-down-the-internet-259546

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 24, 2025

  • Iran Launches Missile Strike on US Base in Qatar as the West Asian Conflict Spreads

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iran launched ballistic missile attacks on Monday against the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts US and allied forces, in what Tehran described as retaliation for recent American bombing of its nuclear facilities. The primary target was Al Udeid, the largest US military installation in West Asia, located southwest of Doha, there are also reports indicating that Iran has targeted the Ain al-Assad base in Iraq. Qatari and US officials reported no casualties from the attacks, as Qatar stated the base had been evacuated earlier as a precautionary measure due to rising regional tensions and its air defense systems successfully intercepted the incoming missiles.

    A US defense official confirmed that Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran, stating that there were no reports of US casualties at the time. The attack occurred hours after Qatar closed its airspace and the US Embassy directed American nationals to shelter in place. Observers witnessed a battle between interceptors and incoming ballistic missiles in the sky over Qatar.

    The missile attack, however, has triggered strong condemnation across West Asia and beyond. Countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Yemen, and the Palestinian Authority have all denounced Iran’s strike on the Qatari-based facility.

    Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has assured residents that the security situation remains stable and under control.

    Amid the escalating tensions, the US State Department has issued an updated travel advisory for Kuwait, citing the volatile regional situation. The advisory comes in the wake of the broader Israel-Iran conflict, with the US Embassy in Kuwait urging increased vigilance and implementing temporary access restrictions to key American military installations, including Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Ali Al Salem Air Base, and Camp Patriot. These facilities are now accessible only to essential personnel, reflecting growing concerns about the potential expansion of the conflict in this strategically significant region.

    The crisis has also sent shockwaves through the aviation industry. Air India has announced the immediate suspension of all operations to West Asia. In a coordinated move, the UAE has joined Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait in closing its airspace as a precautionary measure.

    In response to the developments, the Indian Embassy in Qatar has issued an advisory urging members of the Indian diaspora to stay indoors, remain calm, and closely follow updates from Qatari authorities.

    June 24, 2025

  • Oil Prices Plunge 6% as Iran’s Targeted Retaliation Avoids Energy Infrastructure

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Oil prices tumbled over 6%, falling $5 a barrel on after Iran launched a missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar in retaliation for weekend US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while notably avoiding any disruption to oil and gas tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The oil market initially surged on weekend tensions but began selling off sharply after Iran’s measured response targeted the largest US military installation in West Asia rather than energy infrastructure.

    Global oil prices recorded their sharpest single-day decline in five years following the missile strike, which was widely viewed as symbolic and calibrated retaliation that reportedly caused no casualties or significant damage. Sources indicated that Tehran may have coordinated the timing and targets with Qatari officials in advance, a move analysts interpret as an effort to avoid sparking a broader conflict that could destabilize energy markets. There was no interruption to Qatar Energy shipments or production after the attack,and no other Iranian attack was detected at any US military base beyond Qatar..

    The price decline reflects market relief that Iran’s retaliation strategy focused on military rather than economic targets. Iran’s strike avoided oil facilities, pipelines, and the Strait of Hormuz. The absence of direct threats to energy infrastructure helped reassure markets that supply disruptions were unlikely, contributing to the steep price drop as traders unwound risk premiums built up over the weekend.

    June 24, 2025

  • Oil Prices Plunge 6% as Iran’s Targeted Retaliation Avoids Energy Infrastructure

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Oil prices tumbled over 6%, falling $5 a barrel on after Iran launched a missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar in retaliation for weekend US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while notably avoiding any disruption to oil and gas tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The oil market initially surged on weekend tensions but began selling off sharply after Iran’s measured response targeted the largest US military installation in West Asia rather than energy infrastructure.

    Global oil prices recorded their sharpest single-day decline in five years following the missile strike, which was widely viewed as symbolic and calibrated retaliation that reportedly caused no casualties or significant damage. Sources indicated that Tehran may have coordinated the timing and targets with Qatari officials in advance, a move analysts interpret as an effort to avoid sparking a broader conflict that could destabilize energy markets. There was no interruption to Qatar Energy shipments or production after the attack,and no other Iranian attack was detected at any US military base beyond Qatar..

    The price decline reflects market relief that Iran’s retaliation strategy focused on military rather than economic targets. Iran’s strike avoided oil facilities, pipelines, and the Strait of Hormuz. The absence of direct threats to energy infrastructure helped reassure markets that supply disruptions were unlikely, contributing to the steep price drop as traders unwound risk premiums built up over the weekend.

    June 24, 2025
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