Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, June 15 (Xinhua) — Iran launched a new missile attack on Israel on Sunday, triggering air raid sirens across the Jewish state, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, sending millions of people running for cover.
There have been no reports of casualties or damage yet.
The IDF said “several” rockets were fired from Iranian territory toward Israel, most of which were intercepted.
“There were no reports of any projectiles falling,” the statement said.
The attack began at around 4pm local time /1300 GMT/, marking the first Iranian attack in daylight since Israel’s surprise strikes on the Islamic republic on June 13 triggered the current escalation.
The body of another victim was pulled from the rubble of a building hit by a rocket overnight on Sunday, police said, and the search continues for three other people still missing.
The death toll from Iranian attacks since June 13 has reached 14, according to Israeli state television Kan. –0–
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June 15, 2025
Albany, NY
Flags To Be Flown at Half-Staff Across New York State on Monday, June 16
Governor Hochul today directed that flags on all State government buildings be flown at half-staff in honor of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who passed away during the politically targeted shootings in Minnesota on June 14. Flags will be at half-staff Monday, June 16.
“I join the State of Minnesota, family and loved ones in mourning the horrific loss of Representative Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman, and I am directing flags to be flown at half-staff in New York to honor Mr. and Ms. Hortman,” Governor Hochul said. “We should be settling our political differences in civil means — like at the ballot box — because violence is never the answer.”
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Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images
In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.
The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.
Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy
Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.
Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.
Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.
Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.
In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.
Risks and opportunities
Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.
Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.
In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.
When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.
But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.
Misrepresenting and quashing dissent
Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.
Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.
And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.
This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.
The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.
At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.
Jeremy Pressman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images
In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.
The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.
Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy
Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.
Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.
Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.
Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.
In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.
Risks and opportunities
Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.
Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.
In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.
When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.
But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.
Misrepresenting and quashing dissent
Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.
Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.
And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.
This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.
The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.
At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.
Jeremy Pressman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
This morning, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weekend to discuss the violent attacks against Minnesota lawmakers and the need for leaders that bring America together rather than tear us apart.
EUGENE DANIELS: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joins us now. Leader Jeffries, thank you so much for coming on. The thing that I kind of can’t get around is how we unring this bell. It feels to me, and I think to a lot of Americans, that the normalization of violence in our politics, the normalization of assassination attempts in our politics, something we haven’t seen since maybe the Civil Rights Era of the 60s, when those were happening. How do we, how can we actually unring that bell realistically?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s going to be imperative that everyone, across the political spectrum, demonstrate the type of leadership that actually is designed to bring people together, to lift people up and to appeal to the greater values of the American people, the things that should bind us together, patriotic Americans. We can have spirited debates, but we should never allow those spirited debates to inspire others to engage in behavior that’s unlawful. That’s going to fall on the President. It’s going to fall on the House, the Senate, governors, mayors, people all across the country because the trajectory that we are on right now, the violent culture that exists, is not sustainable.
JONATHAN CAPEHART: And Leader Jeffries, then, is the President doing enough to lower the temperature? Are Republican leaders in the House and the Senate doing enough to lower the temperature or are they exacerbating the tensions in the country by some of the things they say and some of the things they do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that certainly remains to be seen in terms of how the President, how my colleagues in Congress handle this moment moving forward. This should be another wake up call amongst many that have happened over the last several years, including, of course, the violent attack on the Capitol that took place on January 6. But at this particular moment in time, the President is going to have to step forward, as is the case with any President when tragedy strikes the United States of America. Now, of course, it’s complicated at this moment by the fact that there’s an ongoing manhunt. All of us should support our law enforcement officials who are engaged in a dangerous endeavor to try to apprehend this suspect, who is clearly violent and likely very disturbed. And we’re thankful for the effort that is being done—city, state and federal officials—to try to apprehend this suspect who engaged in a political assassination of Speaker Hortman. And that’s shocking. That should shock the conscience of everyone. But we also have to come together, and we’re going to need some executive branch leadership partnering with us in the Congress and the Judiciary to keep people safe. It’s not sustainable that Members of Congress, perhaps members of the Judiciary, are being threatened and targeted simply for doing their jobs.
ELISE JORDAN: Leader Jeffries, are you going to be pushing for any additional security for your members? One of your members, Congresswoman Morrison, was on the list as a target. What has to be done in terms of concrete steps to make sure that Members of the House and also the Senate here in Washington are safe?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, this is going to require additional resources, in all likelihood, so that Members of Congress, Democrats, Republicans, people in the House, people in the Senate, you know, have the ability to actually vigilantly and vigorously represent their constituents, articulate views that are designed to advance the best interests of their constituents and not be targeted in the process. And so I expect to have a conversation with the four corners of leadership across the Congress sooner rather than later, because we’re going to need to speak in one voice on this issue. And of course, early next week, we’ll convene directly with the Sergeant at Arms and the head of the Capitol Police Department to have a conversation with House Democrats about the steps that can be immediately taken to put people in a position where they can be safe and do their jobs actively and aggressively at the same time.
EUGENE DANIELS: Leader Jeffries, also yesterday we saw these kind of, you know, split screen moment of what was happening in this country with people taking to the streets and protesting and these ‘No Kings’ protests just while President Trump was having his military parade here. There’s a lot of energy, right? We were seeing folks in big cities, small towns and townships. I was driving to a friend’s baby shower yesterday, and I saw one woman just standing out there with a sign by herself on her street corner. How do you, as a leader, how do Democratic leaders take what seems to be an energy that folks are feeling, both Democrats, Republicans and even some Independents, and channel that into something moving forward? What does that look like?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, yes. Well, you know, it was very inspirational to see that across 50 states, you had peaceful demonstrators coming out in community, after community, after community to make a few things clear—primarily that we need to defend our democracy, uplift and cherish the Constitution and create a better America moving forward that’s less divided and more unified. There’s this principle that is an important part of who we are as a country, that we don’t have kings, we don’t have monarchs, we don’t have dictators. We’re a democracy, and in that democracy, you have three separate and co-equal branches of government. And what we need at this moment is to make sure that the legislative branch actually functions in the way that was intended: a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch. And the way to do that in this current moment is that we just need a handful of Republicans to actually come to the conclusion that they don’t work for Donald Trump, they don’t work for Elon Musk, they don’t work for JD Vance, they work for the American people.Just a handful—four in the House, four in the Senate to do the right thing, to push back against the reckless Republican efforts to jam this GOP Tax Scam down the throats of the American people, the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, on top of the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, literally ripping food out of the mouths of children, seniors and veterans. And all of it is being done to give massive tax breaks to GOP billionaire donors. That’s unacceptable. It’s an attack on the American way of life, an attack on the rule of law, an attack on democracy itself. And we need people in the Congress to step up and we need to also support the efforts of the Judiciary branch, which by and large, have been tremendous in upholding the rule of law and pushing back against this administration.
JONATHAN CAPEHART: Leader Jeffries, as you noted a couple times in that response, you just need a handful of Republicans to step forward and do the right thing. Why won’t they step forward? Is it because they are in fear of going against this President, and what that would mean in terms of their constituents and also some of the folks who maybe might go a little too far? Or is the problem also that you actually have true believers within the Republican Party now, more true believers than the handful you need to step forward to do the right thing for the American people?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a great question, Jonathan, and I think you have 220 Republicans in the House of Representatives. The overwhelming majority of them are true believers in terms of the far-right extremism the Trump administration is trying to jam down the throats of the American people. There are a handful who are not, but we need them to show, with respect to defending our democracy and the rule of law, what I would call Liz Cheney-like courage. And when it comes to policy issues and the extreme efforts to, you know, end Medicaid as we know it, or wipe away the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans or snatch food out of the mouths of children, we need them to show John McCain-like courage when John McCain, of course, several years ago, was the decisive vote in defeating the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We’re going to continue to work on them every day, every week, every month until a handful of them finally decide to cross over. It’s why we’ve been having town hall meetings in our districts and in Republican districts and rallies and speeches and press conferences and hearings and being very aggressive as Democrats in trying to make sure that you have some Republicans partner with us to do the right thing on behalf of our great country.
JONATHAN CAPEHART: And that John McCain moment was iconic as he walked to the Senate Floor and did a thumbs down on the effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for coming to The Weekend.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anessa L. Kimball, Professor of Political Science; Director, Centre for International Security, ESEI, Université Laval
A survey of Canadian international relations professors has found they disagree on how to respond to potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan and which global regions will matter most to Canada in the future.
For the past 20 years, the Teaching, Research and International Policy (TRIP) survey has asked university professors about how they teach international relations and what they think about global affairs. Originally based in the United States, the survey expanded to Canada in 2006 and is now conducted regularly in many countries.
Participants were asked to agree or disagree with statements about global politics. Seventy-five experts agreed that states are the main players in global politics, but there was less agreement on the importance of domestic politics.
Most felt that international institutions help bring order to the chaotic global system. However, whether globalization has made people better off — even if there are some losers — divided experts, with 21 believing no one is better off due to globalization while two-thirds believed the opposite.
Major themes
When it came to more critical or less mainstream ideas — such as whether major international relations theories are rooted in racist assumptions — opinions were split.
More than 50 agreed, but more than a third disagreed, and many gave neutral responses. Disagreement over the role of racism in shaping world politics highlights the difficulty of decolonizing international relations and incorporating post-colonial perspectives — particularly when trying to understand complex “failed cases” like United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Haiti.
Professors were also asked where they get their international news. Most rely on major newspapers, international media and internet sources.
When asked which world region is strategically most important for Canada today, nearly half — or 43 of 97 experts opting to respond to the question — chose North America (excluding Mexico); in other words, the United States. Sixteen selected the Arctic and another 16 chose East Asia.
Very few picked regions like the Middle East, Europe or Russia. Looking ahead 20 years, 10 experts shifted their answer from North America to the Arctic.
Views on China and Taiwan, and Justin Trudeau
Experts were asked what Canada should do if China attacks Taiwan. Most supported non-military responses: 72 supported sanctions and 69 supported taking in refugees.
About half supported sending weapons or banning Chinese goods. Fewer supported cyberattacks (18), sending troops (15) or a no-fly zone (14).
Surprisingly, six said Canada should launch military action against China.
Justin Trudeau was prime minister when the survey was conducted. When asked about his performance, 50 per cent rated him poorly or very poorly, 30 per cent were neutral and only a small minority rated him positively.
Key takeaways
Canadian international relations professors don’t always agree, but a few trends stand out.
Despite recent government focus on the Arctic in terms of its Our North, Strong and Free policy, many professors still view the U.S. as Canada’s most important strategic region. East Asia drew some attention, but few see it growing in importance.
With a new government under Prime Minister Mark Carney, there may be opportunities to improve on areas where Trudeau was seen as weak by respondents to the survey.
For example, despite having developed a strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, vital Canadian trade and maritime security interests were minimized by the previous Liberal government. Carney could therefore contemplate expanding Canada’s maritime assets, improving its artificial intelligence and cybersecurity capacity and investing in digital infrastructure and quantum computing.
However, Canada will still lag behind. NATO is calling on allies to invest five per cent of GDP in defence, comprising 3.5 per cent on core defence spending as well as 1.5 per cent of GDP per year on defence and security-related investment, including in infrastructure and resilience.
Canada’s 2024 GDP was $2.515 trillion, which means a five per cent defence investment of nearly $125 billion annually would have accounted for more than a quarter of a federal budget (which was under $450 billion in 2024-2025).
Ukraine seems on an irreversible path towards NATO membership. Though 69 per cent of respondents supported NATO membership for Ukraine, only 44 per cent felt it was likely. Though the U.S. tariff crisis attracts attention, some experts are increasingly looking to the Arctic to understand Canada’s strategic interests — a trend sure to be reflected in future surveys of Canadian international relations experts.
Anessa L. Kimball does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, June 15 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has ordered immigration agents to stop making arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels, a policy change amid concerns that recent immigration measures could hurt those industries, CBS News reported Saturday.
These industries rely heavily on immigrants, many of whom are in the United States illegally, the channel reported, citing sources who asked to remain anonymous.
The move comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stepped up raids on workplaces across the country to arrest and deport undocumented migrants. Stories of ICE agents detaining migrants in fields and car washes have dominated the news over the past week.
The crackdown on migrants has sparked protests in cities across the United States, including Los Angeles and New York. Violence during the protests has prompted the Trump administration to send National Guard troops and Marines to the Los Angeles area, despite objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other local officials.
For now, Washington can continue to use troops to protect ICE agents and quell protests. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency stay of the case just hours after Circuit Judge Charles Breyer ruled Thursday night that Trump illegally deployed the California National Guard and violated the Constitution. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, June 15 (Xinhua) — At least six people were killed and 140 others were wounded in Iranian airstrikes on Israel early Sunday, Israeli authorities said.
Air raid sirens and explosions sent millions of people fleeing for shelters in dozens of cities across Israel, the military said in a statement.
A rocket hit a residential building in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, causing it to collapse. Another rocket hit a residential area in Rehovot, a city in central Israel, injuring dozens of people.
A police statement said at least two of the dead were children, adding that at least seven people were still missing.
Several buildings on the Weizmann Institute of Science campus in Rehovot were damaged by Iranian rocket fire, but there were no reports of casualties, the institute said in a statement.
At least 140 people were wounded in the two attacks, Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said, adding that the vast majority were lightly injured.
Also overnight, the death toll from a rocket attack on Tamra, an Arab town in Israel’s Northern District, on Saturday night rose to four, Magen David Adom reported. Among the dead were a mother, her two daughters and another relative. Dozens were injured.
On Sunday morning, the Israeli Air Force said it had intercepted seven drones launched toward northern and southern Israel in about an hour.
Israeli warplanes continued to strike targets in Iran overnight, including the capital Tehran, fuel tankers and suspected nuclear sites, the Israeli military said in a statement. A second wave of airstrikes targeted missile launchers and storage facilities in western Iran. –0–
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
SUVA, Fiji (June 12, 2025) U.S. Navy Capt. Mark B. Stefanik, center, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25), and Lt. j.g. Derek Chipmon, left, medical planner of PP-25, sit down with Breakfast at Fiji One broadcast show host Mr. Tevita Nawadra for an interview in Suva, Fiji, June 12, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
SUVA, Fiji (June 12, 2025) Lt. Corey Day, left, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Mercedes Loor, both assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command, collect mosquito larvae for use in insecticide resistance testing in support of Dengue control efforts for the Fiji Ministry of Health & Medical Services in Suva, Fiji, June 12, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Courtesy Asset)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
SUVA, Fiji (June 12, 2025) Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Mercedes Loor, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command, works with an environmental health officer from the Fiji Ministry of Health & Medical Services to collect mosquito larvae for use in insecticide resistance testing in support of Dengue control efforts in Suva, Fiji, June 12, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Courtesy Asset)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
NADI, Fiji (June 11, 2025) U.S. Navy Musicians with the Pacific Fleet “Big Wave” Brass Band perform at St. Thomas High School during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Nadi, Fiji, June 11, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
NADI, Fiji (June 11, 2025) U.S. Navy Musicians with the Pacific Fleet “Big Wave” Brass Band perform at St. Thomas High School during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Nadi, Fiji, June 11, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
SUVA, Fiji (June 10, 2025) Capt. Mark B. Stefanik, right, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2025, and Lt. j.g. Derek Chipmon, medical planner of PP-25, observe the live production process at Breakfast at Fiji One radio show in Suva, Fiji, June 10, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
SUVA, Fiji (June 10, 2025) Capt. Mark B. Stefanik, right, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2025, and Lt. j.g. Derek Chipmon, medical planner of PP-25, observe the live production process at Breakfast at Fiji One radio show in Suva, Fiji, June 10, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
SUVA, Fiji – Pacific Partnership has returned to Fiji to conduct the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster response preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific region, June 8, 2025.
Pacific Partnership fosters collaboration to enhance natural disaster response preparedness and builds lasting relationships between Fiji, the United States, and participating nations. Engagements for this year’s iteration will occur in the cities of Suva and Nadi.
At Fiji’s invitation, Pacific Partnership’s mission is to collaborate in several humanitarian and civic readiness workshops in areas such as engineering, natural disaster response, public health, and Fijian community outreach projects. This year’s mission, featuring about 58 personnel, is primarily a collective effort between Fiji, New Zealand and the United States.
“I am honored to oversee this year’s return of Pacific Partnership to the nation of Fiji,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Mark B. Stefanik, mission commander. “The continued opportunity to build upon our enduring relationship with the Fijian community further emphasizes a shared support of a free and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
While in Fiji, the Pacific Partnership 2025 team will focus on subject-matter exchanges and community education in permaculture, spearhead emergency preparedness and disaster response training, and conduct the foundational construction of a local schoolhouse. Additionally, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, accompanied by members of the Scots Guard, Royal Australian and Royal Canadian navies, will perform during a variety of community outreach engagements.
“We really appreciate Fiji welcoming us for Pacific Partnership 2025,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Gibson, Officer in Charge for the Fiji mission. “It’s awesome to be working alongside our Fijian counterparts, building a stronger, healthier, and more resilient Indo-Pacific together.”
Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
NADI, Fiji (June 11, 2025) U.S. Navy Musician 1st Class Jonathan Starr, trumpetist with the Pacific Fleet “Big Wave” Brass Band, performs at St. Thomas High School during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Nadi, Fiji, June 11, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo- Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged the Ugandan diaspora to invest back home and also use their global exposure, networks and influence to attract more tourists to visit Uganda.
The President made the remarks on Saturday, 14th June, 2025 while meeting a delegation of 25 members of the NRM Diaspora Cadres Initiative, led by Mr. Boaz Byayesu Kabururu and Mr. Richard Kyabihende Nkuru from the United States of America.
The in-depth engagement at State House Entebbe focused on key issues, namely, savings and investing back home, identifying markets across North America for Ugandan products, promoting and increasing tourism to Uganda, countering misinformation and promoting Uganda’s image, attracting investors to Uganda, facilitating skills and technology transfer, and advocating for strategic unity of all Ugandans abroad.
The team presented a strategic framework aimed at strengthening the bond between Uganda and its global diaspora while enhancing national development efforts.
The President pointed out possible areas of investment, such as establishing low-cost housing in the areas near the industrial parks to save Ugandans the burden of trekking long distances to and from work.
According to President Museveni, the industrial parks such as Namanve, Mukono, Kapeeka, Mbale, and others employ thousands of workers who are struggling with accommodation.
“These industrial parks are capturing big populations, and low-cost houses would help us so that these people just walk to their workplaces,” President Museveni said.
About saving and investing back home, the diaspora team emphasized the need to encourage structured savings and collective investment.
Proposals included launching Diaspora-led cooperative investment schemes, real estate ventures, and SMEs to tap into Uganda’s fast-growing sectors.
President Museveni welcomed this initiative, noting that channelling foreign remittances into productive enterprises is vital for national wealth creation.
Mr. David Matanda informed President Museveni that they are orienting fellow colleagues in smart ways of saving, such as opening up fixed deposit accounts, which would generate 10 to 15% annual interest, and also investing in stock markets and real estate.
“All those are wonderful ideas, because treasury bills are secure money, where the government borrows from the public and then gives you interest, for sure. So, this is a smart move,” said President Museveni as he welcomed the move.
On the issue of identifying markets across North America and connecting consumers for Ugandan products, the team pledged to actively scout for niche markets for Ugandan goods such as coffee, vanilla, tea, crafts, and agricultural produce. By establishing diaspora-led trade channels, they aim to bridge supply chains and connect Ugandan producers directly to consumers and retailers abroad.
President Museveni encouraged this approach, describing it as a step towards export-led industrialization. He also urged the diaspora to invest in commercial agriculture back home, especially crops and fruits that are on high demand in Europe, such as passion fruits.
Mr. Brian Kwesiga, a former President of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA) based in Washington, DC, informed President Museveni that he had already secured an importer’s license to import alcoholic beverages, such as wine and spirits, into the United States.
About promoting and increasing tourism to Uganda, the delegation committed to boosting Uganda’s visibility as a prime tourism destination through digital marketing, diaspora-led tours, and partnerships with travel influencers.
President Museveni noted that tourism is a key pillar in the economy and welcomed all efforts to increase visitor numbers.
Ms. Brenda Nangasha requested President Museveni for land to establish state-of-the-art lodges in the national parks so as to attract more tourists, who will, in turn, counter the negative publicity about Uganda abroad.
“We have worked with the ruler of Sharjah in the UAE to build an international Airport and hotels at his cost. So, you’re right, these are the ones who will tell their colleagues to ignore the bad publicity,” President Museveni noted.
“But it’s better if you lure those indigenous African people there to come and visit Uganda. Our climate and the food are very good. Everyone who comes here does not want to return,” he added.
President Museveni also officially recognized the group as the principal NRM Diaspora Cadres Initiative, tasked with coordinating all diaspora engagement efforts moving forward.
“The endorsement marks a significant milestone in formalizing diaspora contributions toward Uganda’s development agenda,” Team leader Byayesu said.
The meeting marks a renewed commitment by the government to actively involve the Ugandan diaspora in national development and global advocacy. The endorsed team is expected to begin immediate implementation of their action points, working closely with key ministries and agencies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.
The weekend attacks on Iran’s oil facilities – widely seen as part of escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran – represent a dangerous moment for global energy security.
While the physical damage to Iran’s production facilities is still being assessed, the broader strategic implications are already rippling through global oil markets. There is widespread concern about supply security and the inflationary consequences for both advanced and emerging economies.
The global impact
Iran, which holds about 9% of the world’s proven oil reserves, currently exports between 1.5 and 2 million barrels per day, primarily to China, despite long-standing United States sanctions.
While its oil output is not as globally integrated as that of Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, any disruption to Iranian production or export routes – especially the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows – poses a systemic risk.
Markets have already reacted. Brent crude prices rose more than US 6%, while West Texas Intermediate price increased by over US 5% immediately after the attacks.
These price movements reflect not only short-term supply concerns but also the addition of a geopolitical risk premium due to fears of broader regional conflict.
International oil prices may increase further as the conflict continues. Analysts expect that Australian petrol prices will increase in the next few weeks, as domestic fuel costs respond to international benchmarks with a lag.
Escalation and strategic intentions
There is growing concern this conflict could escalate further. In particular, Israel may intensify its targeting of Iranian oil facilities, as part of a broader strategy to weaken Iran’s economic capacity and deter further proxy activities.
Should this occur, it would put even more upward pressure on global oil prices. Unlike isolated sabotage events, a sustained campaign against Iranian energy infrastructure would likely lead to tighter global supply conditions. This would be a near certainty if Iranian retaliatory actions disrupt shipping routes or neighbouring producers.
Countries most affected
Countries reliant on oil imports – especially in Asia – are the most exposed to such shocks in the short term.
India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh rely heavily on Middle Eastern oil and are particularly vulnerable to both supply interruptions and price increases. These economies typically have limited strategic petroleum reserves and face external balance pressures when oil prices rise.
China, despite being Iran’s largest oil customer, has greater insulation due to its diversified suppliers and substantial reserves.
However, sustained instability in the Persian Gulf would raise freight and insurance costs even for Chinese refiners, especially if the Strait of Hormuz becomes a contested zone. The strait, between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, provides the only sea access from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.
Australia’s exposure
Australia does not import oil directly from Iran. Most of its crude and refined products are sourced from countries including South Korea, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
However, because Australian fuel prices are pegged to international benchmarks such as Brent and Singapore Mogas, domestic prices will rise in response to the global increase in oil prices, regardless of whether Australian refineries process Iranian oil.
These price increases will have flow-on effects, raising transport and freight costs across the economy. Industries such as agriculture, logistics, aviation and construction will feel the pinch, and higher operating costs are likely to be passed on to consumers.
Broader economic impacts
The conflict could also disrupt global shipping routes, particularly if Iran retaliates through its proxies by targeting vessels in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, or Hormuz Strait.
Any such disruption could drive up shipping insurance, delay delivery times, and compound existing global supply chain vulnerabilities. More broadly, this supply shock could rekindle inflationary pressures in many countries.
For Australia, it could delay monetary easing by the Reserve Bank of Australia and reduce consumer confidence if household fuel costs rise significantly. Globally, central banks may adopt a more cautious approach to rate cuts if oil-driven inflation proves persistent.
The attacks on Iran’s oil fields, and the likelihood of further escalation, present a renewed threat to global energy stability. Even though Australia does not import Iranian oil, it remains exposed through price transmission, supply chain effects and inflationary pressures.
A sustained campaign targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure by Israel could amplify these risks, leading to a broader energy shock that would affect oil-importing economies worldwide.
Strategic reserve management and diplomatic engagement will be essential to contain the fallout.
Joaquin Vespignani is affiliated with the Centre for Australian Macroeconomic Analysis, Australian National University.
President Donald Trump said early on Sunday that if Iran attacks the United States in any way, it would face the might of the U.S. military “at levels never seen before.”
Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. had nothing to do with an attack on Iran overnight and that “we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!”
The sixth round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, has been cancelled, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed on Saturday. Oman, which has been acting as a mediator, announced the cancellation following Israel’s sweeping air offensive against Iran on Friday that targeted nuclear facilities and killed several senior commanders and scientists.
The talks, aimed at resolving longstanding concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, were called off as regional tensions soared in the wake of the Israeli strikes and subsequent Iranian retaliation. In a statement posted on X, Albusaidi said, “The Iran-U.S. talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place,” while reaffirming that “diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace.”
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday that National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions India as a global study destination, offering premium education at an affordable cost.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global knowledge hub the country is encouraging top international universities to establish campuses here, while empowering Indian higher education institutions to expand globally.
He was speaking at an event titled ‘Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City’ held in Mumbai to issue Letters of Intent (LoIs) to five globally reputed universities from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States of America and Italy.
The Minister said the establishment of the branch campuses of University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Western Australia, Illinois Institute of Technology and Instituto Europeo Di Design (IED), Italy, reflects a deep and growing trust in India’s education ecosystem and is a major milestone as we mark five transformative years of the NEP 2020.
The handing of the LOIs took place in the presence of Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra, Chandrakant Patil, Principal Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, Aseem Gupta and Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Chairman, UGC, Dr Vineet Joshi.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the swift issuance of LoIs reflects the speed and commitment of the government.
He thanked the Prime Minister for NEP 2020 which has a provision for foreign universities to be a part of Indian education sector.
The five universities, he noted, have added immense value to the State and NEP 2020 has truly opened doors for top global institutions to establish campuses in India.
He stated that talented Indian students who faced accessibility and affordability issues in pursuing foreign education can now do so while remaining in the country at reduced costs.
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday that National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions India as a global study destination, offering premium education at an affordable cost.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global knowledge hub the country is encouraging top international universities to establish campuses here, while empowering Indian higher education institutions to expand globally.
He was speaking at an event titled ‘Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City’ held in Mumbai to issue Letters of Intent (LoIs) to five globally reputed universities from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States of America and Italy.
The Minister said the establishment of the branch campuses of University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Western Australia, Illinois Institute of Technology and Instituto Europeo Di Design (IED), Italy, reflects a deep and growing trust in India’s education ecosystem and is a major milestone as we mark five transformative years of the NEP 2020.
The handing of the LOIs took place in the presence of Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra, Chandrakant Patil, Principal Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, Aseem Gupta and Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Chairman, UGC, Dr Vineet Joshi.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the swift issuance of LoIs reflects the speed and commitment of the government.
He thanked the Prime Minister for NEP 2020 which has a provision for foreign universities to be a part of Indian education sector.
The five universities, he noted, have added immense value to the State and NEP 2020 has truly opened doors for top global institutions to establish campuses in India.
He stated that talented Indian students who faced accessibility and affordability issues in pursuing foreign education can now do so while remaining in the country at reduced costs.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, June 15 (Xinhua) — A woman was killed and 13 others were injured on Sunday night after a rocket fired from Iran hit a two-story building in the northern Israeli town of Tamra, Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that rockets were fired from Iran at large areas in northern Israel. Local media reported that more than 40 rockets were involved in the attack.
After the rockets were launched, people in Haifa, the Galilee salient and other northern parts of the country received warnings on their phones and sirens were activated, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to seek shelter.
The IDF said the Israeli Air Force also struck military targets in Tehran while intercepting incoming missiles. –0–
Iran and Israel are at war, with the US already intimately involved and likely to become more so. Which of course means we’ll be spending the foreseeable future getting bashed in the face with lies from the most powerful people in the world.
The most immediately obvious of these is the Netanyahu-promoted narrative that Israel initiated this conflict because Iran was on the brink of developing a nuclear weapon.
With absolutely no self-consciousness or sense of irony, the Israeli prime minister followed the attacks with a statement accusing Iran of “genocidal rhetoric” which it has backed up “with a programme to develop nuclear weapons.”
We are, of course, being lied to about Iran Video: Caitlin Johnstone
“And if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time,” Netanyahu claimed. “It could be a year. It could be within a few months — less than a year. This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival.”
The Western political/media class have been dutifully promoting this line and uncritically parroting Israel’s claim that its unprovoked attack on Iran was “pre-emptive”, but there is absolutely no evidence that any of this is true.
Benjamin Netanyahu has spent literally decades falsely claiming that Iran was a year or two away from developing a nuke, only to have the calendar prove him wrong with the passage of time over and over again.
Iran and Israel (and the US) at war. Video: Anti-war News
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard testified just weeks ago that “The IC [Intelligence Community] continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorised the nuclear weapons programme he suspended in 2003.”
As journalist Séamus Malekafzali recently noted on Twitter, one of the strongest arguments that Iran had not reversed its decision to refrain from obtaining nuclear weapons is that Iranian nuclear scientists have been publicly expressing frustration about the fact that their government won’t allow them to construct a nuke.
They want to do it, but Tehran won’t let them.
Hegseth: Iran is “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon”
2025 Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community: “We continue to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon” pic.twitter.com/fPPcF2IKQk
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth helped pave the way for Netanyahu’s claims this past Wednesday when he told the Senate that “there have been plenty of indications” Iran has been “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon.”
This claim by Hegseth was swiftly scooped up and promoted by warmongers like Tom Cotton who said that Hegseth had “confirmed that Iran’s terrorist regime is actively working towards a nuclear weapon”.
Cotton’s claim was then picked up by war pundit Mark Levin, who has been personally lobbying Trump to green light an attack on Iran, sarcastically quipping on Twitter, “So, SecDef Hegseth must by lying, too. Everyone’s lying except the isolationists, Koch-heads, Islamists, Chatsworth Qatarlson and their media propagandists.”
But let’s back up and look at what Hegseth actually said. He did not say “Iran is building a nuclear weapon.” He said “there have been plenty of indications” Iran has been “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon”.
If the US had intelligence that Iran was building a nuke, Hegseth would have just said so. But instead he performed this freakish verbal gymnastics stunt muttering about indications of something that might kinda sorta look like a nuclear weapon, which his fellow Iran hawks then falsely took and ran with as a positive assertion that Iran was building a nuke.
There are other lies being circulated to help market this war as well. As Moon of Alabama notes, the Washington Post’s odious war propagandist David Ignatius is pushing the narrative that Iran has been cultivating a relationship with de-facto al-Qaeda leader Saif al-Adel. The lie that Saddam Hussein was in league with al-Qaeda was used two decades ago to sell the invasion of Iraq.
At the same time, Trumpian pundits are currently circulating the narrative that the United States is full of Iranian “sleeper cells” who could activate at any moment and begin attacking Americans.
The most egregious of these is Laura Loomer’s repeatedclaims that there are “millions” of such cells awaiting Iran’s orders to strike — possibly the single most bat shit insane claim I have ever seen anyone with any major platform make, since it would mean a very sizable percentage of the US population is actually a secret Iranian proxy army.
The fountain of lies is just getting started. There will be more. Believe nothing unless it is substantiated by mountains of evidence. These freaks have been caught lying to sell wars to the public far too many times for any of their claims to be taken on faith.
Iran and Israel are at war, with the US already intimately involved and likely to become more so. Which of course means we’ll be spending the foreseeable future getting bashed in the face with lies from the most powerful people in the world.
The most immediately obvious of these is the Netanyahu-promoted narrative that Israel initiated this conflict because Iran was on the brink of developing a nuclear weapon.
With absolutely no self-consciousness or sense of irony, the Israeli prime minister followed the attacks with a statement accusing Iran of “genocidal rhetoric” which it has backed up “with a programme to develop nuclear weapons.”
We are, of course, being lied to about Iran Video: Caitlin Johnstone
“And if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time,” Netanyahu claimed. “It could be a year. It could be within a few months — less than a year. This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival.”
The Western political/media class have been dutifully promoting this line and uncritically parroting Israel’s claim that its unprovoked attack on Iran was “pre-emptive”, but there is absolutely no evidence that any of this is true.
Benjamin Netanyahu has spent literally decades falsely claiming that Iran was a year or two away from developing a nuke, only to have the calendar prove him wrong with the passage of time over and over again.
Iran and Israel (and the US) at war. Video: Anti-war News
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard testified just weeks ago that “The IC [Intelligence Community] continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorised the nuclear weapons programme he suspended in 2003.”
As journalist Séamus Malekafzali recently noted on Twitter, one of the strongest arguments that Iran had not reversed its decision to refrain from obtaining nuclear weapons is that Iranian nuclear scientists have been publicly expressing frustration about the fact that their government won’t allow them to construct a nuke.
They want to do it, but Tehran won’t let them.
Hegseth: Iran is “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon”
2025 Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community: “We continue to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon” pic.twitter.com/fPPcF2IKQk
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth helped pave the way for Netanyahu’s claims this past Wednesday when he told the Senate that “there have been plenty of indications” Iran has been “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon.”
This claim by Hegseth was swiftly scooped up and promoted by warmongers like Tom Cotton who said that Hegseth had “confirmed that Iran’s terrorist regime is actively working towards a nuclear weapon”.
Cotton’s claim was then picked up by war pundit Mark Levin, who has been personally lobbying Trump to green light an attack on Iran, sarcastically quipping on Twitter, “So, SecDef Hegseth must by lying, too. Everyone’s lying except the isolationists, Koch-heads, Islamists, Chatsworth Qatarlson and their media propagandists.”
But let’s back up and look at what Hegseth actually said. He did not say “Iran is building a nuclear weapon.” He said “there have been plenty of indications” Iran has been “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon”.
If the US had intelligence that Iran was building a nuke, Hegseth would have just said so. But instead he performed this freakish verbal gymnastics stunt muttering about indications of something that might kinda sorta look like a nuclear weapon, which his fellow Iran hawks then falsely took and ran with as a positive assertion that Iran was building a nuke.
There are other lies being circulated to help market this war as well. As Moon of Alabama notes, the Washington Post’s odious war propagandist David Ignatius is pushing the narrative that Iran has been cultivating a relationship with de-facto al-Qaeda leader Saif al-Adel. The lie that Saddam Hussein was in league with al-Qaeda was used two decades ago to sell the invasion of Iraq.
At the same time, Trumpian pundits are currently circulating the narrative that the United States is full of Iranian “sleeper cells” who could activate at any moment and begin attacking Americans.
The most egregious of these is Laura Loomer’s repeatedclaims that there are “millions” of such cells awaiting Iran’s orders to strike — possibly the single most bat shit insane claim I have ever seen anyone with any major platform make, since it would mean a very sizable percentage of the US population is actually a secret Iranian proxy army.
The fountain of lies is just getting started. There will be more. Believe nothing unless it is substantiated by mountains of evidence. These freaks have been caught lying to sell wars to the public far too many times for any of their claims to be taken on faith.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China has criticized the U.S. “reciprocal tariffs” policy for its “one-sided, misleading” narrative and erroneous logic, urging the United States to faithfully abide by rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and maintain stability of the global trading system.
At a meeting of the Council for Trade in Services on Friday at WTO headquarters here, the Chinese delegation pointed out that focusing only on goods trade while overlooking services trade, the U.S. narrative on “reciprocal tariffs” is one-sided and misleading.
The delegation said the United States has sustained long-term services trade surpluses with its major trading partners, which approached 300 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 alone.
By deeply participating in the highest value-added activities, such as research and development, design, branding, and sales, the United States gains much higher returns in international trade and globalization than surface trade data reflects, it added.
The delegation urged the United States not to employ a double standard regarding WTO rules. The United States cannot only allow itself to benefit while not letting others, especially developing members, benefit from the WTO, said the delegation.
Meanwhile, it said that China and the United States have reached consensus through equal consultation, which helps to ease tensions.
While bilateral negotiations may serve as a channel to ease and resolve trade frictions, such arrangements must be based on WTO rules, must not violate the basic principle of non-discrimination, and must not harm the interests of third parties, the delegation stressed.
China calls on all members to address their trade concerns within the WTO framework, and to handle trade disputes through multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral measures.
Moreover, China highlights the importance of accelerating WTO reform to strengthen an open, stable, and predictable multilateral trading system.
The Chinese delegation’s statement resonated widely among WTO members. Both developed members, including the EU, Australia and Canada, and developing members, such as Brazil and Pakistan, made positive responses.
The members emphasized that services represent the future of global trade. Services trade stands as a vital force in countering economic crises and in ensuring the resilience of global supply chains
They also called for joint efforts to uphold consultation and cooperation and promote healthy and stable growth of global trade.
Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union
AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the tragic assassination of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman:
“We at AFSCME are heartbroken and outraged that a day in which hundreds of thousands of Americans engaged in peaceful protest was tarnished by heinous acts of politically motivated violence. The tragic assassination of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as the attempted assassination of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, strike at the very heart of our democratic rights and ideals.
“We mourn this senseless loss of life and stand with our family in Minnesota in demanding that justice be served. Make no mistake: these murderous acts and other politically targeted threats of violence are intended to silence dissent and intimidate lawmakers and everyday citizens committed to fighting for dignity, opportunity and basic fairness for America’s working families. But we will not be silenced, nor will we be intimidated. No act of political violence will weaken our resolve. We will continue to stand up, speak out, and get organized — because our democracy depends on it.”
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Florida who sustained economic losses caused by the drought beginning May 6.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, St. Lucie and Sumter.
Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 2, 2026.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) in Charlevoix, Emmet, Otsego and Presque Isle counties to assist small businesses, private nonprofits and residents affected by the severe winter storms occurring March 28-30.
Beginning Monday, June 16, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.
The DLOCs hours of operation are listed below:
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Charlevoix County
Charlevoix County Sheriff’s office
1000 Grant Street
Charlevoix, MI 49720
Opening: Monday, June 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed: Sunday
Closed: Thursday, June 19 in Observance of the Juneteenth Holiday
Permanently Closing: Saturday, June 21 at 2 p.m.
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Emmet County
Little Traverse Township
8288 S. Pleasantview Road
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
Opening: Monday, June 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed: Sunday
Closed: Thursday, June 19 in Observance of the Juneteenth Holiday
Permanently Closing: Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m.
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Otsego County
United Way of Otsego County
116 E. 5th Street
Gaylord, MI 49735
Opening: Monday, June 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed: Sunday
Closed: Thursday, June 19 in Observance of the Juneteenth Holiday
Permanently Closing: Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m.
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Presque Isle County
Huron State Bank Annex Building
192 N. 2nd Street
Rogers City, MI 49779
Opening: Monday, June 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed: Sunday
Closed: Thursday, June 19 in Observance of the Juneteenth Holiday
Permanently Closing: Saturday, June 21 at 2 p.m.
“When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, SBA specialists assist business owners and residents with disaster loan applications and provide information on the full range of recovery programs available.”
Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 8, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Mar. 9, 2026.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.