BEIRUT – Three people were killed and another one was injured on Thursday in an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
NNA said an Israeli drone bombed a vehicle traveling on a road linking the towns of Zawtar and Mayfadoun in the Nabatieh district, killing three people and wounding another.
Despite the Israeli government’s announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, its forces continue to attack civilians and destroy homes in the south.
The strategic calculus surrounding Iran’s ongoing negotiations with the United States within the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) has reached a critical juncture.
Two concurrent developments demand a comprehensive and resolute response: Oman’s unilateral announcement of a separate shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump’s continued military threats against the Islamic Republic.
Taken together, these developments represent a concerted attempt to undermine Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and weaken the fundamental security guarantees that give diplomatic engagement its meaning and value.
For Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is far more than a source of economic leverage; it constitutes a cornerstone of national security, a critical component of its deterrence posture, and a vital mechanism for preventing future acts of aggression. … continue
A new Quinnipiac University poll reflects a growing political and social disconnect between US voters and Washington’s regional posture, particularly regarding its alignment with “Israel” and military engagement in West Asia.
The survey indicates that 48% of registered voters now believe the United States is “too supportive” of “Israel”, the highest level recorded since the question was first introduced in 2017. The figure points to a steady erosion of public alignment with official US policy on the issue.
Only 38% of respondents describe US support as “about right,” while just 7% consider it insufficient, underscoring a clear shift in sentiment across the electorate.
Occupation of Palestine emerges as electoral pressure point
The poll highlights how the Israeli occupation of Palestine has moved beyond foreign policy debate into electoral decision-making priorities.
Around 41% of respondents said the issue directly influences their vote for the US House of Representatives, placing it above several domestic and technological concerns, including artificial intelligence infrastructure and political figures such as US President Donald Trump.
While domestic issues such as cost of living (70%) and healthcare (59%) remain dominant, the data suggest that US regional policy is becoming increasingly politically consequential within electoral dynamics.
A rare House vote on US military assistance to “Israel” is expected to force lawmakers to publicly defend or reject continued funding for the Israeli military, amid growing domestic debate over Washington’s role in the region.
A report by Responsible Statecraft stated on Wednesday that the proposal, introduced by Representative Thomas Massie, would remove $3.3 billion allocated to the Israeli military from federal spending legislation. Although the amendment faces long odds in the Republican-controlled House, the vote is expected to serve as a measure of congressional willingness to reassess one of Washington’s longest-standing foreign aid commitments. … continue
US President Donald Trump again refused to acknowledge US responsibility for the deadly strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh Girls’ Primary School in Iran’s Minab, claiming he had “seen nothing” proving it was a US missile.
“It’s horrible what happened, but there were missiles flying all over the place,” Trump said, adding: “Somebody said it was our missile. Well, maybe it wasn’t our missile.” … Full article
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Thursday that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s recent remarks amount to a clear admission that NATO member states were involved in the US-Israeli war on Iran, calling the alliance’s role “active complicity” in the assault.
Baghaei’s comments followed an interview Rutte gave to Fox News, in which he described how US forces used European bases throughout the war.
Rutte said hundreds of US aircraft took off from bases in Italy, while Bucharest’s airport reduced commercial flights to accommodate US refueling planes. He put the total number of US aircraft that launched from European bases during the operation at between 4,000 and 5,000.
Iran demands answers from Europe
In a post on X, Baghaei said Rutte’s statement was “damning proof of NATO’s active complicity in an unlawful war of aggression against a sovereign UN member state.”
He stressed that Rutte had explicitly named Italy and Romania as participants in the aggression against Iran, and called on both countries, along with any other European states that backed the US-Israeli assault, to explain their support to their own populations and to the international community. … Full article
The Italian Defense Ministry has rejected NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks praising its alleged contribution to the US war against Iran.
In an interview with Fox News, the NATO chief hailed what he described as “massive” European support for the American-Israeli attempt to topple the government in Tehran.
Rutte claimed that Italy alone accounted for 500 of the 4,000 to 5,000 US military sorties launched from European bases in support of Operation Epic Fury.
The Italian military said on Wednesday that its role was limited to “technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities,” and was therefore fully in line with the Italian Constitution and the parliament-approved conditions governing US use of military bases in the country.
“It is surprising that the NATO Secretary General, who had nothing to do with Operation Epic Fury, offers a reconstruction that conveys a completely misleading message by confusing the types of authorized flights,” the statement said.
Rutte’s interview appeared to preempt criticism of European members of the US-led military bloc, which President Donald Trump repeated during a White House meeting with the NATO chief on Wednesday. Trump listed Italy among the countries he said he was “disappointed” with what he described as a lack of loyalty.
The secretary-general argued that European reluctance to follow Washington’s lead amounted only to a few “isolated cases.” … Full article
The recent war imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran by the United States and its Zionist ally was built around many sweeping and ambitious objectives, including “regime change,” dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, destruction of its missile capabilities, and the containment of its regional influence.
Instead, Iran not only survived the most intense and no-holds-barred military onslaught in its modern history but emerged stronger, more cohesive, and more influential than ever before.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed digitally between the presidents of Iran and the United States last week is a testament to Iran’s strategic victory. Every clause reflects Tehran’s battlefield success and Washington’s battlefield failure. … continue
On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, President Donald Trump claimed that a record volume of oil was flowing through the Strait of Hormuz following the recent US-Iran ceasefire deal. He announced that 19 million barrels of oil had moved through the strait the previous day (Tuesday). He highlighted that pre-war flows averaged over 20 million barrels daily but had dropped sharply (to 1–4 million barrels) during the conflict, and he presented the recent increase as a major success. Here is a shocker… Trump is not telling the full truth.
According to MarineTraffic and related maritime intelligence data for Tuesday, June 23, 2026:
Approximately 7–12 oil tankers (crude and product carriers) transited the Strait of Hormuz, with some sources noting 7 fully tracked tankers (including supertankers) broadcasting AIS signals.
Prior to February 28, 2026 (before the escalation of the 2026 Iran-related conflict), the average number of oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz was approximately 40–50 per day. At best, assuming that 12 oil tankers transited the Strait, this represents only 24% of normal traffic. But this amount barely dents the shortage of heavy crude that now confronts the world. In addition, none of the oil tankers that sailed thru on Tuesday were headed to the US or Europe… All of the oil was headed to Asia, with the majority of the cargo destined for China. … Full article
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has warned that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is only possible via routes announced by Iran, rejecting newly declared navigation lanes and insisting that vessels coordinate directly with Iranian naval authorities.
In a statement issued in the name of the IRGC Navy, Tehran said that “some authorities” had recently announced new shipping routes in the strategic waterway “without informing or coordinating with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” saying the move is “unacceptable and completely dangerous.”
The statement stressed that the only authorized passage routes through the Strait of Hormuz are those designated by Iran, warning that navigation outside these channels is “very dangerous and prohibited.” … continue
The failed U.S./Israeli war on Iran was not only a major loss for the United States and Israel and an Iranian victory, but it has also helped Iran’s status as a serious regional power.
This is best underscored by the fact that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states,-after facing Iranian retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases and assets during the war, is no longer relying on the United States for protection and is looking to form a security alliance with Iran.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar, told the Financial Times that “Part of what we are doing now, as regional countries, is to create this regional security framework between us and Iran, that will hopefully have economic co-operation in the future between all of us — to bring the region back to stability”. … continue
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan have held a phone call to discuss regional developments, as Persian Gulf Arab states recalibrate their approach toward Tehran in the wake of the US-Israeli war that exposed the limits of American power.
Araghchi on Wednesday briefed the Saudi minister on the latest progress in implementing bilateral agreements and the ongoing negotiations following the US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on June 18.
The two top diplomats underscored the importance of maintaining diplomatic channels, strengthening joint cooperation to support regional stability, and achieving positive and sustainable outcomes.
The call came as French news agency AFP said Saudi Arabia is expected to host talks aimed at repairing relations between Iran and Persian Gulf countries following the US-Israeli war on Iran.
It cited a diplomat familiar with the arrangements as saying Wednesday that a regional summit was being planned in Riyadh and could also include other neighboring countries, but no date had yet been set. … continue
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, denied that any meeting took place between Iranian officials and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Switzerland, despite a request from Grossi.
By Chris Menahan | InformationLiberation | June 20, 2026
Mark Levin told his audience on Friday that he’s taking a week-long trip to Israel to spend time with family and speak at an unnamed “event.”
As a “joke,” he said he’s “going to be meeting with the Mossad,” “the IDF” and “all the top government officials” to “share information.”
“Should I joke, Mr. Producer, or will everybody go nuts?” Levin said. “So, I’m going to be meeting with the Mossad and the IDF. I’m going to meet with all the top government officials, the security committee. We’re going to share information. They’re going to tell me what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.”
“Of course, none of that’s going to happen,” he added.
Levin failed to mention he’s going to the Israeli government-sponsored Jewish News Syndicate’s International Policy Summit, which is being headlined by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar, Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli, Netanyahu advisor Caroline Glick, Israeli Amb. Danny Danon and more. … continue
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Wednesday army forces will not leave territory occupied in southern Lebanon “even if the United States demands withdrawal.”
“Israel will not leave its security zone in Lebanon, even if the United States demands withdrawal,” Katz said during an event in Tel Aviv, as cited by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
There was no immediate response from Washington.
The comments come as senior Israeli officials continue to insist on maintaining control over occupied areas in southern Lebanon despite a recent US-Iran understanding, which includes commitments related to respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz and Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir pledged to maintain control of what Israel describes as a “security zone” in southern Lebanon.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 conflict. During its current military campaign, Israeli forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.
Since March 2, Israel’s attacks in Lebanon have killed 4,192 people, wounded 12,171 others and displaced more than one million residents, according to Lebanese official figures.
Katz also vowed that Israel will not allow the return of around 200,000 Lebanese to their areas in southern Lebanon. […]
In addition to occupying territory in southern Lebanon, Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territories and areas inside Syria, while rejecting international calls for withdrawal and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with relevant UN resolutions. … Full article
BEIRUT – At least two people were killed on Wednesday in an Israeli drone strike in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
The attack targeted a vehicle traveling on the Tallat al-Dabsha road near Kfar Reman, NNA added.
Despite the Israeli government’s announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, its forces continue to conduct military operations in the south and refuse to withdraw from the occupied areas.
NATO chief Mark Rutte has sparked a political firestorm in Italy by revealing that the Italian government secretly allowed the US to use its military bases during the joint US-Israeli terrorist war against Iran, contradicting public statements made by Italian officials.
Speaking to Fox News ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, Rutte said Rome allowed 500 US military aircraft to take off from American bases in Italy during the 40-day war that began in late February.
“Country after country, ally after ally, have made their bases available,” Rutte said. “That means between 4,000 and 5,000 planes taking off from European bases to support Epic Fury.”
“If you look at Italy, 500 US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support Epic Fury,” he added. “This is massive.”
The United States maintains a network of military facilities across Europe, including naval ports, air bases and troop garrisons.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government had previously claimed that only logistical and technical flights permitted under bilateral agreements governing US military bases in Italy would be allowed to operate in support of activities related to West Asia.
The disclosure has triggered widespread outrage across Italy’s political spectrum, with opposition parties demanding immediate clarification from the government.
Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Five Star Movement and former Prime Minister, accused the government of deception. … continue
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has every right to condition European relations with any other country or bloc on respect for human rights. That, of course, would hold true if she genuinely cared about such values herself.
In response to the June 19 signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran—intended to bring an end to a destructive war—von der Leyen declared that the European Union does not intend to lift its sanctions on Tehran.
Speaking on June 15, ahead of the G7 summit, she firmly conditioned any diplomatic thawing on domestic changes within the Islamic Republic.
“The principle of sanctions is that we need real change on the ground before we can think about lifting them,” she stated, adding: “As long as there is no behavioral change, you cannot lift the sanctions because of human rights violations.”
Viewed in isolation, the European position might appear principled, even commendable. In its broader geopolitical context, however, it exposes a staggering level of hypocrisy. … continue
Israel has destroyed a cemetery in the Gaza Strip containing the remains of 22 Canadian soldiers killed in the first UN peacekeeping initiative in 1956, according to media reports Wednesday.
“It’s like there’s no headstones anymore,” Lia Bons, whose brother Adriann is buried in the cemetery, told CBC News. “It just looks like dirt, gravel, sand.”
An officer with the Israel military admitted that soldiers in the Brigade Combat Team dug down to a depth of 20 – 30 meters (66 to 98 feet) under the cemetery to destroy a Hamas tunnel in February and no measures were taken to safeguard the remains of the soldiers because the operation was conducted under combat conditions.
The Gaza War Cemetery in the Tuffah district of Gaza City has been repeatedly damaged by Israel. The Canadians buried there died during the first UN peacekeeping operation following the Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956, the CBC reported. … Full article
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir bragged Wednesday about demolishing 5,700 Palestinian homes over the past year, vowing to demolish more buildings amid ongoing Israeli military escalation against Palestinians.
“I demolished 5,700 homes in the past year alone,” Ben-Gvir said during a conference in Tel Aviv, cited by Israel’s Channel 12.
“I will continue demolishing more and more homes in Bedouin communities,” he vowed.
Palestinian Bedouin villages and communities are spread across northern and southern Israel, including the Negev, as well as in the occupied West Bank. … Full article
Israeli occupation forces arrested Palestinian physician Dr. Mazen Al-Rantisi during a pre-dawn raid on his home in the Al-Tira neighborhood of Ramallah on Sunday, triggering widespread condemnation and solidarity campaigns across the occupied West Bank.
Israeli authorities have not announced the reasons for Al-Rantisi’s arrest or disclosed where he is being held. […]
The arrest comes amid continuing Israeli detention campaigns across the occupied West Bank targeting academics, doctors, activists and prominent community figures.
According to Palestinian human rights sources, Israel has arrested approximately 360 doctors and healthcare workers since 2023, the majority from Gaza. Roughly 82 remain in Israeli prisons. … Full article
Progressive candidates in New York secured significant victories on 23 June, defeating pro-Israel incumbents in congressional primaries that marked a “huge hit” for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Brad Lander, a former city comptroller, unseated Rep. Dan Goldman in a contest defined by disagreements over Israel’s military actions. Lander, describing himself as a so-called “liberal Zionist,” rebukes Goldman for his refusal to label the Israeli assault on Gaza as a genocide or support measures blocking arms sales to Israel. … continue
Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused Israel of meddling in the country’s presidential elections by “hacking” the vote-counting system and “manipulating data” to favor pro-Israel candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.
Petro made the comments on 21 June after a preliminary vote count showed de la Espriella had won Sunday’s election by a narrow margin.
The outgoing president stated that he had previously warned about compromised election software, citing a 2018 ruling by the Colombian Council of State that required the use of a publicly owned system.
Petro had called for its replacement and for an independent audit of the election software, which was provided by Thomas Greg and Sons – a multinational logistics firm managed by Colombian businessmen Felipe, Camilo, and Fernando Bautista Palacio.
“I warned that the Bautista brothers’ software was vulnerable, according to the 2018 ruling of the Council of State, and that it should be replaced with public software. I requested, in a timely manner, an expert audit of the Bautista brothers’ software, but the registrar did not allow it,” he said via social media.
Petro added that there is evidence of “changes to the IP addresses of several servers” of Colombia’s National Registry Office.
“This means that the software was compromised and that others entered data for voting tables and polling stations. The only entity in the world with the capability to do that is the State of Israel,” he went on to say.
In a separate post, Petro said that the software that is meant to “protect the vote-counting system from foreign attacks is itself foreign – coming from the US and partly from Israel.”
Petro’s government has been highly critical of Israeli war crimes since the start of the genocide in Gaza in October 2023. … Full arrticle
Over the past few weeks, META’s censorship of my account has reduced my Reel Views by 68%, regular views by 27%, followers by 52%, and engagement by 21%.
I am by no means the greatest victim of META censorship, but I am in a position to document how and why they are censoring/limiting my reach on META platforms, all because of my objections to Israeli policies. … continue
Zsolt Bede, a journalist with the pro-Fidesz outlet Vadhajtások, says police raided his home and seized electronic devices belonging to both him and his child. Bede is now describing the case as “political intimidation.”
On a post on X, he documented how eight investigators first showed up to his 75-year-old father’s house and intimidated him. A week passed by, and then the police targeted Bede in a raid.
“They did not present any documents and did not explain what they were looking for. I was not informed of the allegations against me. To this day, I have not been provided with any of the official case documents.”
A church in Odessa dedicated to the Russian Orthodox saint Aleksandr Nevsky has been seized by anti-Russian activists. The incident follows a pattern of government-backed crackdowns on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the country’s largest denomination.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Ukrainian authorities have carried out raids on monasteries and churches, imposed sanctions on clergy members, and backed efforts to transfer UOC properties to the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), whose clerics reportedly participated in the church takeover on Tuesday.
The OCU was launched as part of then-President Pyotr Poroshenko’s reelection campaign in 2019 and is considered schismatic by the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the UOC.
The canonical Ukrainian church has denied accusations that it serves Moscow’s interests and formally severed all administrative ties with the ROC in 2022. Despite that, it faces a possible legal ban under a law that current Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky signed in 2024.
According to the UOC’s Odessa diocese, priests and parishioners arrived at the Aleksandr Nevsky church in the morning to find the gates locked. During a confrontation outside, one of the men involved in the takeover, who appeared to be a private security employee hired by the OCU, allegedly grabbed a priest by the throat. … continue
By Patrick Pillow | The Libertarian | June 24, 2026
Envision the following scenario: it is the 2008 U.S. presidential election between Senator John McCain (R-AR) and Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). As the results begin pouring in, a senator from another country writes to The New York Times and warns that if the elections don’t go a certain way, there could be “profound implications.”
We don’t have to imagine this scenario for long, because something very similar actually happened during Ukraine’s 2004 election. After the first round of voting, McCain released a statement to The Ukrainian Weekly, describing the election as “marred by widespread balloting irregularities.” He argued Ukraine’s November 21 run-off represented “a final opportunity to choose democracy,” that the world was watching closely, and that the outcome could carry “profound implications.”
This publication alone highlighted a running theme during regime changes during the 2000s. American politicians, NGOs, and media organizations consistently played an active role in the domestic politics of countries thousands of miles from the Mainland.
Ukraine provided an early example. Through the International Renaissance Foundation, approximately $300,000 was secured to fund Ukraine’s first independent radio station focused on social and political issues. The foundation also supported journalists connected to former Soviet-Georgia’s opposition press. This included reporters from 24 Hours and Rezonance, who produced articles ahead of Ukraine’s elections. … continue
An Essay on Armenia, the 2019 RAND Paper, and the Documents That Stopped Pretending
Lies are Unbekoming | June 24, 2026
The Congratulation
After the 2026 Armenian parliamentary election, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, issued a public statement congratulating Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The statement included a single sentence that deserves to be read slowly.
*”The spirit of the Velvet Revolution you led in 2018 is alive and well.”*¹
A head of EU government, on the public record, congratulating a sitting head of state for leading the regime change operation that installed him.
There are normally rules about saying this kind of thing. Western foreign policy preserves a careful firewall between the operations its institutions run and the popular uprisings its diplomats describe. The activists are local. The funding is laundered. The slogans are organic. The footage is candid. The country fell on its own. That firewall has held, more or less, for the entire post-Cold War period.
Von der Leyen’s sentence walks straight through it.
The 2018 Velvet Revolution in Armenia was the operation that brought Pashinyan to power. The European Commission’s President says, in 2026, that he led it. That formulation, you led it, is what the funders and trainers have always denied. The uprising was popular, they have always said. The momentum was its own.
She is congratulating him for leading it.
This essay is about three documents that fit together. The first is the 2018 annual report of the United States National Endowment for Democracy, which celebrates the operation that installed Pashinyan and names the media outlets the NED paid for. The second is a 2019 report published by the RAND Corporation, the Pentagon’s principal research arm, which lays out in catalog form the policy measures the United States should pursue against Russia. One of those measures is titled “exploit tensions in the South Caucasus.” It names Armenia specifically. The third document is von der Leyen’s 2026 statement. The first is the receipt. The second is the plan. The third is what the system now allows itself to say out loud.
The three documents describe a continuous operation running from the 1990s to the present. The methodology has been documented in publicly available academic literature since 1973, deployed in over a dozen countries between 2000 and 2014, and codified as state strategy by a Pentagon-funded research corporation in 2019. The operation has a name. It used to be a secret. It is no longer being kept. … continue
UK authorities have suppressed key intelligence and failed to act on warnings about atrocities in Sudan to preserve diplomatic and economic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to testimony presented to lawmakers.
During a hearing of the UK Parliament’s International Development Committee on Tuesday, Nathaniel Raymond, director of Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, said the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) ignored repeated warnings before the so-called Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured El-Fasher in October 2025.
Raymond told lawmakers that the assault was followed by a massacre that claimed at least 60,000 civilian lives.
He said British policymakers placed strategic ties with the UAE above efforts to prevent starvation, displacement, and mass killings in Sudan. … continue
Former Scottish National Party chief executive Peter Murrell was jailed for five years and three months on Tuesday after admitting to embezzling more than £400,000 ($540,000) from the party. The offenses took place over a 12-year period.
The case rocked the SNP and drew former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Murrell’s ex-wife, into a lengthy police investigation, although she was later cleared of wrongdoing.
The 61-year-old spent the stolen funds on hundreds of luxury purchases, including a £124,550 ($168,000) motorhome, a Jaguar SUV, jewelry, Montblanc pens, luxury watches, homeware, and designer stationery. He concealed the thefts by falsifying accounting records, entering false accounting codes in the SNP’s accounts, and submitting fake invoices, allowing him to embezzle a total of £400,310.65 ($540,400) over 12 years. … Full article
By Ian Proud | Responsible Statecraft | June 24, 2026
Sir Keir Starmer bowed to the inevitable Monday and resigned from leadership of the Labour Party and, therefore, from his role as prime minister.
The resignation had been brewing for some time. While Starmer led the Labour Party to an astounding landslide election victory in July 2024, by September 2025, he was already being labeled the most unpopular prime minister since polling began; this followed a series of U-turns and poorly handled crises. After heavy losses of council seats in local elections in May, the Labour Party moved quickly to remove him.
Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to become prime minister after an internal Labour Party leadership contest. (Labour maintains a majority in parliament, so it maintains the right to form a government.) Burnham will quickly find that he doesn’t have the money to fix public services, double defense spending, and continue to fund an unwinnable war in Ukraine. He also faces an almighty struggle to convince his party that aligning with the Trump administration on peace in Europe is the right approach, both politically and fiscally. … continue
It has been a while since I have written about Russia and the war in Ukraine, but Vladimir Putin’s speech on Tuesday (23 June) to graduates of Russia’s higher military academies and security institutions (military cadets/officers) at the Kremlin merits attention because it carries an indirect but profound warning to the West. … continue
The US Senate has approved a war powers resolution aimed at preventing President Donald Trump from waging military aggression against Iran without congressional authorization, marking a significant political rebuke of the administration’s military adventurism.
The measure passed on Tuesday in a 50-48 vote, with four Republican senators joining Democrats in support of the resolution.
Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, and Rand Paul of Kentucky broke ranks with their party to back the measure, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it.
The resolution would require the president to seek authorization from Congress before using military force against Iran.
The Senate vote follows the House of Representatives’ approval of the same measure earlier this month.
Although the resolution does not carry the force of law and does not require the president’s signature, its passage represents a formal expression of congressional opposition to such aggression. … Full article
By Lucas Leiroz | Strategic Culture Foundation | June 23, 2026
The Arctic has been one of the main critical points of Donald Trump’s strategy since his rise to power. The increase in American presence (military and civilian) in the region is part of Trump’s broader strategy to “control the Western Hemisphere.” The main challenge for the U.S. is to try to overcome Russia’s long-standing presence in the region – as well as China’s growing presence. Many analysts doubt the American capacity to neutralize the advance of its geopolitical rivals in Arctic technology. … continue
“Fauci can be indicted if he fails to be honest about his former lies, for which he needed a pardon”
By Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. | The Defender | June 23, 2026
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday subpoenaed Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify publicly next month before the U.S. Senate, after Fauci backed out of a voluntary appearance.
“Today, I have issued a subpoena requiring him to testify before the Committee, in public, next month,” Paul wrote in a post on X on Monday.
An inside source with knowledge of Paul’s plans told The Defender on condition of anonymity that Fauci is expected to testify under oath about “everything” — from his involvement in funding gain-of-function research that may have created COVID-19 to the subsequent cover-up of a possible lab leak.
The pardon shields Fauci from federal prosecution for his official acts dating back to 2014.
“He’s been slow-walking information to us for six months or more,” Paul told Semafor. “We’ve been negotiating over the date for several months. He agreed, then he said he wouldn’t. So, I think it’s time that we bring him in. I think there’s a lot to discuss.” … Full article
The documents, released late last week, include emails, press releases, whistleblower materials, grant reports, scientific papers and more. They contain allegations that Fauci directed funding for gain-of-function coronavirus research, influenced U.S. Intelligence Community assessments of COVID-19 and its origins, and worked with the intelligence officials to shape the community’s public-facing findings.
The papers don’t prove the lab-leak hypothesis. However, they demonstrate that the voices of those who questioned the “natural origins” theory were systematically suppressed, according to Dr. Byram W. Bridle.
“Those who tied SARS-CoV-2 to the Wuhan laboratory ecosystem from the beginning are vindicated in pointing to a cover-up of the hypothesis, the conflicts, and the inquiry itself,” James Lyons-Weiler, Ph.D., wrote on Substack.
Richard Ebright, Ph.D., told The Defender that it is “absolutely clear there has been a concerted effort to cover up the lab origin of COVID and U.S. government involvement in the lab origin of COVID.”
He also said it is “absolutely clear that this coverup involved malfeasance by officials at NIAID, NIH, HHS, USAID, CIA, and ODNI up to and including former NIAID Director Fauci, former NIH Director Francis Collins, former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, former USAID Director Samantha Power, and former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.”
Ebright said criminal prosecutions and other penalties should be considered.
“For Fauci — protected from arrest and prosecution by his autopen pardon — subpoenas, debarment and a clawback of federal pension and benefits should be priorities. For Fauci’s criminal associates — none of whom are protected by pardons — subpoenas, arrests, prosecutions, debarments and clawbacks of federal pensions and benefits should be priorities,” Ebright said. … Full article
Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has turned the UK into an “authoritarian hellhole,” with more people being jailed and arrested for social media posts than in any other country in the world, former MP George Galloway has told RT.
Starmer announced on Monday that he would step down as prime minister and Labour Party leader by September, citing a widespread internal revolt against his leadership.
Speaking to RT’s Rick Sanchez, Galloway, who was expelled from the Labour Party in 2003 for his vocal opposition to the Iraq War, welcomed the move.
Galloway argued that Starmer, who assumed office in July 2024, had made the UK subservient to the interests of Israel, Ukraine and the EU.
The British people were “rejoicing” at his departure, Galloway said, suggesting that Starmer’s plunging approval ratings had made him a liability for Labour. Only 18% of Britons viewed him favorably in mid-June, according to YouGov. … Full article
By Francis Menton | Manhattan Contrarian | June 14, 2026
I often make fun of the federal government as operating with what it thinks is an “infinite credit card,” outside and beyond any budget restraints. And thus all problems, real or imaginary, can be solved by dispensing some of the infinite federal loot. In its partial defense, the federal government does have the ability to print money, although that ability too eventually runs into limits.
And then we have New York City. The City has no ability to print money, but nevertheless operates as if there are no constraints on spending. The sky is the limit! Recently I wrote about how the City spends about triple the national average per student on preK-12 education, and more than double the national average per capita on Medicaid. Those are crazy excessive amounts, but at least education and healthcare are bona fide purposes for the spending of resources.
But how about spending huge amounts of money on pure fantasies that accomplish absolutely nothing? Yes, we have that too. For today’s example, how about “climate resiliency”? … continue
If these precedents on emissions charges and compulsory offsets stand, the appetite of unelected institutions for fiscal power will grow
By Brenda Shaffer | The Telegraph | June 22, 2026
International energy and climate policies stand at the center of one of the most defining political issues of our time: the expanding power of unelected institutions such as the United Nations in the lives of people in democratic societies.
Two UN agencies – the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – plan to tax global shipping and aviation for their greenhouse gas emissions. This would mark the first time an unelected institution has levied taxes on major sectors of global economic activity. The planned levies would expand the power and budgets of these agencies with no democratic accountability.
Regardless of one’s views on climate change, proponents of democracy should recognize the threat posed by taxation without representation and oppose this power grab by the UN. … continue
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a $55.9 billion budget in the last week, with a tax on publishers of the kind the Supreme Court has been striking down for close to ninety years.
The state will now bill companies according to the size of the audience they reach. Planted in 1,600 pages of spending law sits a “social media platform fee,” a monthly charge pegged to “the number of Illinois users from whom the social media platform collects data within a month.” Illinois will charge platforms for hosting speech and, the bigger the audience, the bigger the bill.
Pritzker expects the levy to bring in roughly $200 million. He told reporters he feels “much more confident about the social media platform fee” surviving court than the budget’s other contested levies on digital ads, crypto, and prediction markets. Lawmakers aren’t even counting on revenue from those. That confidence is misplaced and the governor supplied the reason himself.
Defending the tax, Pritzker said it “requires companies to pay for the mental health and educational degradation they’ve caused.” By the governor’s own account, the state is charging platforms for the effects of the speech they carry.
When a government picks out one class of speakers and bills them for what their speech does to the public, it has created a lever over expression.
Taxing publishers because they are publishers is one of the oldest tools a state has used against the press, going back to the 1765 Stamp Act on pamphlets and newspapers that helped light the fuse for the Revolution.
By Chris Menahan | If Americans Knew | June 22, 2026
Zionist lawfare activist Hillel Neuer blasts UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for saying “America is controlled by the Jewish Lobby”—then brags about successfully lobbying the US government to sanction her and close her bank accounts for her criticism of Israel. … continue
A prominent US lawmaker has voiced strong concern over the Israeli regime’s unlawful detention of 20-year-old Palestinian-American student Sama Safi, who was violently abducted from her family home in the occupied West Bank during a pre-dawn raid on June 2.
Congressman Derek Tran said in a post on X on Monday that he is “deeply alarmed” by Safi’s ongoing imprisonment without charges.
“Safi was taken from her home in the middle of the night and continues to be held without charges,” he said, describing the arrest as “part of a disturbing pattern of the Israeli regime denying Palestinians their basic due process rights, often at risk to their health and safety.”
“The United States has a responsibility to protect its citizens abroad, and we must hold our allies to basic standards of equal justice under the law,” Tran added.
He urged the Trump administration “to use every diplomatic tool available to bring Sama home safely.”
Safi, a psychology honors student at Birzeit University, which is a longstanding symbol of Palestinian academic excellence and resistance to occupation, was one of four female students seized in coordinated Israeli raids across the occupied West Bank. The others include fellow Birzeit students, one of whom is a member of the Palestinian women’s national soccer team.
The Zionist regime has claimed the arrests were linked to “promoting hostile terrorist activity,” a standard pretext used to justify the suppression of Palestinian student activism and the broader resistance movement.
Palestinian sources and rights advocates describe the detentions as part of a systematic campaign targeting youth and intellectuals who refuse to submit to occupation and apartheid policies. … Full article
A growing body of evidence points to the normalization of sexual violence as a tool of control inside Israeli detention sites
By Robert Inlakesh | The Cradle | June 22, 2026
He begged his lawyer not to come.
Each visit set off a chain of events he could not stop. The guards waited for the lawyer’s arrival, then used it as their moment. By the time the meeting ended, the punishment had already been carried out.
The account, relayed by Israeli human rights lawyer Ben Marmarelli, is not an isolated one. Similar testimonies have surfaced from Palestinian detainees across Israel’s prison system. What emerges from them is a recurring practice in which access to the outside world carries its own punishment, with sexual violence used to intimidate prisoners and deter them from speaking out.
“Every time I come, they rape him!” Marmarelli said, describing what he encountered while documenting prisoner testimonies. One of his clients eventually asked him to stop visiting, fully aware of what each meeting would bring.
Nearly three years after the Hamas-led Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a dense record of claims, counterclaims, and investigations has accumulated. Early narratives focused heavily on allegations directed at Palestinian fighters, many of which circulated widely despite the absence of verifiable evidence.
Since then, reports from international organizations, medical personnel, lawyers, and survivors have accumulated, describing repeated cases of sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees. The accounts, drawn from different sources and locations, describe practices that recur and operate largely out of public view. … continue
Palestinians abducted, imprisoned, starved, electrocuted, tortured, raped, and even subjected to simulated burial.
By Eva Karene Bartlett | In Gaza | June 23, 2026
In late 2023, Israeli soldiers abducted and imprisoned a Palestinian man (among many abducted at the same time) from a school in Jabaliya, Gaza, which he and other displaced Palestinians had been sheltering in. He was held hostage in Israeli prisons for nearly two years, during which time he was severely tortured by repeated and prolonged electrocution (including multiple times a day). His Israeli torturers at some point locked him in coffin-like box for two weeks in their attempt to psychologically break him.
According to Imad Nabhan, he refused to act as an informant for Israel. The Israeli soldiers first attempted to bribe him into collaboration, then defaulted to Israel’s (now well-documented) norm of brutal physical and psychological torture of Palestinian captives.
Nabhan’s release in October 2025 saw Imad so physically debilitated by the electric shock torture that he fell unconscious into violent seizures numerous times daily.
At the end of May, he spoke about the torture he endured in Israeli prisons, including his “coffin torture”. He reported that he had been held in “an iron container with a wooden box inside it,” where his hands and feet were tied, fed through a tube in a small hole, just enough to keep him alive. … continue
GAZA – Two Palestinian civilians were martyred and others were injured in separate Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening.
According to media sources, one martyr and several wounded citizens were evacuated to the hospital after an Israeli drone targeted a tent in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis.
Another citizen was killed and others were wounded when an Israeli drone bombed a motorcycle near Street 5 in the west of Khan Yunis.
A child was also injured when Israeli forces opened fire towards the Iqlimi area of Khan Yunis.
Earlier in the morning, Israeli tanks fired bullets and projectiles east of Khan Yunis, while gunboats launched a similar attack on Rafah.
Israeli forces also detonated several buildings east of Khan Yunis.
A report issued by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory on 23 June found that Israeli troops are deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza and the occupied West Bank as a central element of their ethnic cleansing campaign.
“The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces,” said Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of the commission.
He added, “Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law.”
The independent commission noted that the systematic targeting of Palestinian children by Israeli forces has inflicted profound, irreversible devastation.
These deliberate atrocities are characterized by mass trauma, physical disability, starvation, and the deliberate destruction of healthcare, education, and maternity services, including the dismantling of orphanages.
Beyond the immediate violence, children face arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence, all of which are utilized to erode the foundational structure of Palestinian society.
This intergenerational assault aims to dismantle the demographic vitality of the Palestinian people, creating an “occupied psyche” that strips children of their safety, development, and hope for a future.
Doctors of various international backgrounds have provided detailed accounts of treating Palestinian children who were deliberately targeted by Israeli snipers, describing a “steady stream” of non-combatants with single, high-caliber gunshot wounds specifically to the head or chest.
The inquiry found that children accounted for roughly 30 percent of all those killed during the genocide in Gaza.
The figure, however, likely underestimates the actual toll, as thousands remain buried under an estimated 61 million tons of debris.
While the Gaza Health Ministry has officially recorded approximately 72,000 deaths, experts believe between 10,000 and 14,000 additional bodies are trapped beneath the ruins of homes, schools, and hospitals.
Independent research teams suggest the total death toll, when accounting for the indirect effects of infrastructure collapse, malnutrition, and disease, may exceed 600,000. … continue
On Monday, several Chilean organizations delivered more than 80,000 signatures to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, demanding Israel’s expulsion from the organization for war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip.
The collection was led by the Lawyers for Palestine association and the Sign for Palestine campaign, with collection points in various countries. The signatures were presented at the United Nations headquarters in Santiago, Chile.
“Israel is the country that most intentionally tramples on international law, resolutions, and the international order. Now they are taking that policy to Lebanon, where there are already more than 5,500 victims,” said Nelson Hadad, a member of Lawyers for Palestine. … continue
Israel is not part of the negotiations between the US and Iran and will continue its offensive on Lebanon until Hezbollah is “fully dismantled,” not just disarmed, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said.
Smotrich, a far-right extremist member of Israel’s security cabinet, made the remarks Tuesday morning in an interview with Israeli Army Radio.
“Israel is not part of the negotiating talks with Iran by choice,” he said, adding: “We will not hold talks with the devil.”
“We are not a party to the negotiations between the United States and Iran, and they do not concern us at all,” Smotrich said.
“We will continue operating in Lebanon fully,” he added. … continue
Two people were killed and a third was injured on Tuesday by gunfire from Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).
In detail, the NNA reported that two young men were martyred and a third was wounded when Israeli army soldiers opened machine-gun fire toward them near a bulldozer working to open a road in the Deir neighborhood of the town of al-Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
This marks the first Israeli violation of the ceasefire that results in casualties since it was announced on Sunday, amid the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US, with Article 1 explicitly stipulating an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Separately, Israeli occupation forces carried out a drone strike on the town of Kfar Tibnit in the Nabatieh district, while also dropping sound bombs over the town, according to local sources.
In the Bint Jbeil district, an Israeli drone dropped two sound bombs in the towns of Baraachit and Ayta al-Jabal, while in the town of Hadatha, Israeli forces set fires at its outskirts before withdrawing toward the town square. … continue
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says the United States has an obligation to remove all economic sanctions illegally imposed on Iran under a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington.
“The obligations of the US are clear: Lifting primary, secondary, UN Security Council, and IAEA-related sanctions,” the official said, addressing a weekly press conference on Tuesday.
The comments concerned Clause Seven of the Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding that was recently signed between the two sides.
As part of the provision, all sanctions against Iran must be lifted, with the United States being obliged to remove the Security Council’s coercive measures and to resolve the relevant issues with its own allies.
Baghaei noted an earlier license issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury providing sanctions relief for Iran’s oil, petrochemical, and derivative sectors for a period of 60 days.
“Other sanctions will be discussed over the 60-day period,” he stated. … Full article
While the US certainly suffered some reputational damage and significant economic costs from its unprovoked attack on Iran, the United Arab Emirates may really be the big loser. Let’s focus on Dubai. … continue
The former Israeli intelligence official turned whistleblower, Ari Ben-Menashe made some explosive claims to journalist Afshin Rattansi in the latest episode of his Going Underground TV Show, alleging that then president Bill Clinton made a deal with then Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, but then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, a known close associate of Jeffery Epstein, used blackmail about Clinton’s known connection with Jeffery Epstein and his trafficking operation of underage girls, to end the deal. … continue
After Being Defeated In Iran, Israel Targets Türkiye.
By Justin K.P. – The Dissident – June 22, 2026
The idea of Israel going to war with Türkiye- a NATO member- potentially triggering World War III seems insane.
And yet Israel is using their war rhetoric towards Türkiye.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry put out a post seemingly laying the groundwork for an Israeli war, claiming that “Hamas terrorists based in Turkey are directing attacks against Israelis, funding terrorism, and recruiting operatives. The network is exposed. The facts are clear.” … continue
A wave of strange property attacks targeting Jewish sites in Canada is attributed to apolitical youth paid in crypto. The violence follows the same playbook seen in Australia and the UK. While Iran and Palestine solidarity campaigners are blamed, Israel exploits the tension.
Canada is the latest in a string of nations to attribute a wave of high-profile but mostly low-consequence attacks to a mysterious online “gun-for-hire” plot. If Canada follows the pattern set in Australia, Europe and the UK, the “foreign entity” its government is already blaming for orchestrating the petty violence will be identified as Iran.
According to the Toronto Star, “Police believe that several young people have been hired to carry out shootings throughout the city and the wider GTA, including the U.S. consulate shooting, shootings at synagogues and Jewish schools, as well as shootings targeting the waste management company GFL Environmental.”
It is Israel, which happens to be the only nation to have extracted any political benefit for the growing wave of pay-for-play attacks on Jewish targets in the West. … continue
The Ukrainian military will bomb Belarusian communication towers along the 1,000-kilometer border unless President Alexander Lukashenko takes them offline and “proves” to Kiev that he is not aiding Moscow, Vladimir Zelensky said on Sunday.
Belarus, a close Russian ally, has largely stayed out of the Ukraine conflict since 2022, while calling on Moscow and Kiev to engage in dialogue. However, over the past few weeks, Zelensky has been ramping up his rhetoric about an allegedly growing threat posed by Belarus – and has threatened it with a preemptive strike.
“At the intelligence and military levels, Belarus received a message: stop helping the Russians. The issue with the relay stations has been ongoing for a long time,” Zelensky said in a post on X on Sunday, reiterating his claim that the communication towers are being used by Russia to coordinate drone strikes.
Lukashenko has repeatedly said that Belarus has no intention of waging war against any nation and “is not threatening anyone,” but Zelensky said his words have “meant nothing since the first day of the war.”
“If he does not remove them, we will remove everything ourselves. Similarly, we’re sending a message: please stop supplying fuel to the Russian army,” he added, insisting that it was not a “threat,” but a statement of fact. … Full article
Since June 9, residents of Deir Abu Mishal maintained a continuous presence on the village’s lands in order to prevent settlers from taking them over, despite ongoing attacks by soldiers and settlers, who are trying to establish a new outpost in Area B, on the villages land.
On June 8, settlers erected a tent on Palestinian-owned land near Deir Abu Mishal, marking the beginning of an effort to establish a permanent presence in the area. Residents subsequently organized daily activities to protect the land and oppose the expansion of the outpost.
On Thursday, June 11, Israeli forces fired live ammunition and tear gas during confrontations in the area. Local youths attempting to maintain a presence near the site of the outpost were beaten and pepper-sprayed after being surrounded by a group of settlers.
On Friday, June 12, a group of young residents succeeded in removing an Israeli flag that had been placed on top of the hill the settlers were seeking to take over. Israeli military and police forces present at the scene responded with extensive use of live ammunition and tear gas. Ten people were detained during the incident and later released. One resident of the village was injured after being struck in the head by a tear gas canister and required medical treatment. … Full article
Palestinian detainee Saber Al-Amital from the Negev region has reportedly died in Israeli custody, Palestinian rights groups announced on Sunday, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to family members, Al-Amital had no known pre-existing medical conditions before his arrest earlier this month.
Al-Amital was detained by Israeli authorities on 4June and was interrogated by Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, according to Palestinian sources.
The sources said he was denied access to legal counsel during his detention.
According to information provided by his family, Al-Amital appeared before a court the day after his arrest and told the judge that he was in good health.
The court subsequently approved extending his detention until June 11 on the basis of what it described as reasonable suspicions.
No official Israeli statement regarding the cause of death was immediately available. … Full article
Israeli forces raided church-owned land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the town of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday, in the latest move targeting Palestinian religious properties in occupied East Jerusalem, Anadolu reports.
In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said personnel from Israel’s so-called “Nature Authority” raided the church-owned land and forced the official in charge of overseeing the property to leave the site.
The governorate said the land, owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, covers around 11 dunams (2.72 acres) and is located near the Al-Bustan neighborhood in Silwan.
According to the statement, Israeli authorities seized the land on June 15 and surrounded it with fences and gates, prompting the Patriarchate to file a lawsuit demanding the restoration of the land and the removal of Israeli control over the property.
An Israeli court has postponed a ruling in the case until Thursday after the Patriarchate submitted documents proving its ownership and continued use and maintenance of the land before its seizure.
According to Jerusalem-based institutions, the move is part of escalating Israeli measures targeting Palestinian land and religious properties in occupied East Jerusalem, particularly in neighborhoods surrounding Al-Aqsa Mosque. … Full article
At least three Israeli strikes hit a busy street in Gaza City in broad daylight on Monday, killing a Palestinian schoolgirl on her wayfrom final exams, in the latest Israeli violation of the US-backed ceasefire.
Raghad Ashour, a high-school student who was her family’s only child and whose father had previously been killed by Israeli forces, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City after returning from taking her final secondary school examination.
Israeli occupation aircraft targeted a civilian vehicle in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, resulting in the killing of paramedic Maisara Al Khawaja and the injury of three others. … Full article
Despite months of attempts by Israel to support local armed groups in the Gaza Strip as an alternative to Hamas, growing Israeli media reports indicate that the experiment has failed to achieve its objectives, amid widespread public rejection of these groups and accusations that their members have committed abuses against civilians.
In this context, the Hebrew news website Zman Yisrael published a lengthy report concluding that more than 99 per cent of Gaza’s residents still live under Hamas rule, while the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to rely on armed militias that cooperate with the Israeli military despite their limited influence on the ground.
The report said these groups had failed to pose a genuine challenge to Hamas’s continued rule in the enclave. It added that their operational objectives remain vague and unclear even to observers closely following developments in Gaza.
According to the report, the practical impact of these militias is almost non-existent, apart from what it described as counterproductive outcomes that have harmed Israeli interests and weakened prospects of building trust between Gaza’s residents and those supporting the groups.
The website quoted residents from different parts of Gaza as saying they do not support the armed groups, arguing that they do not represent them or their national interests. Instead, they are widely viewed as tools linked to the Israeli project in the territory.
The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry says Tehran will continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under existing procedures and in accordance with parliamentary legislation and decisions by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
Esmaeil Baghaei, who serves as spokesperson for the Iranian negotiating team, said on Monday that “Iran’s engagement with the Agency, in fulfillment of its obligations under safeguard agreements, will continue within the existing framework and in line with the resolutions of the Majlis (parliament) and the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council.”
The remarks came after US Vice President JD Vance said during a press conference at the Bürgenstock hotel that Iran had agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into the country.
Sources familiar with Saturday’s talks in Switzerland said Tehran did not negotiate over its nuclear program during the 18-hour discussions and did not agree to any new commitments, IRNA reported.
Meanwhile, Fars News Agency quoted an informed source as saying that Vance’s claim was “false”.
Under the “Law Requiring the Government to Suspend Cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency,” enacted on June 25, 2025, Tehran has invited IAEA inspectors to visit its active nuclear facilities on a case-by-case basis, subject to approval by the SNSC. … continue
Iran could recover up to 1.6 million barrels per day within four to eight weeks, independent political analyst Faisal Alshammeri told Sputnik commenting on Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi’s recent announcement that oil and petrochemical export restrictions against the Islamic Republic have been lifted.
Iran returning “sustainably to the pre-war range of about 1.9 million barrels per day may require a full quarter,” Alshammeri pointed out.
The analyst pointed to “the uncertainty surrounding the political and legal framework” as Iran’s “primary challenge” in terms of durable oil exports.
“Sustainable normalization will depend on banking, insurance, shipping security and, above all, the durability of the political agreement” between Iran and the US, Alshammeri underscored.
He was echoed by energy economist Kazi Sohag of Saint Petersburg University who didn’t rule out a substantial increase in Iran’s oil output already in July.
“Iran can recover a good chunk of exports relatively quickly if the US waivers are implemented and the Strait of Hormuz is kept open,” Sohag noted.
As for potential first-wave buyers, China is expected to be the initial and largest importer of revived Iranian crude, the analysts predicted. They added that India could form the second wave, while Türkiye may also return relatively early. South Korea, Japan, and eventually EU member states could follow suit in the future.
In Switzerland, amid the alpine calm where empires go to perfume panic as diplomacy, Iran delivered another masterclass in the ancient art of refusing to kneel.
The Americans arrived with the usual imperial luggage: threats, ultimatums, sanctions theology, and that peculiar Washington habit of mistaking obedience for “peace.” Iran arrived with something far less fashionable and far more effective: leverage. Not the decorative leverage of think-tank seminars and cable-news generals, but the real kind — the kind that closes straits, terrifies markets, freezes war rooms, and forces the self-appointed masters of the universe to rediscover geography.
The spectacle would be hilarious if it were not so historically obscene. … continue
The supply chain constraints affecting US missile production are structural in nature; they cannot be solved merely by throwing money at them, The National Interest website introduced its article written by by Harrison Kass and titled “Why Can’t America Make More Interceptor Missiles?”.
The article maintained that one of the sharpest conflicts stemming from America’s wars in the Middle East is the rapid depletion of its anti-air interceptor missile inventory, adding that months of operations in the Middle East during the Trump administration—first Operation Rough Rider against the Houthis in Yemen, then the far more expansive Operation Epic Fury against Iran, alongside consistent support for Israeli air defenses in the post-October 7 period—have consumed advanced interceptor missiles at a pace far faster than America’s existing defense industrial base can replace them. … continue
Against the odds, the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the US and Iran appears to be holding, after threats and counter-threats. It may collapse, but it has survived a first round of talks between the two sides in Switzerland over the weekend.
President Trump started a war on Iran against all sober guidance and in violation of the US Constitution’s requirement that only Congress can declare war. There must be a reckoning for our elected leaders who violate their oath of office, the Constitution, and simple common sense.
However, what is more telling is the reaction when President Trump finally took the correct move and attempted to end the war. The neocons who had hailed him as a great leader – Levin, Bolton, Pompeo, etc. – suddenly turned against him when he turned against further escalation of the war.
Even Trump’s top funder, Miriam Adelson, attacked Trump in her newspaper Israel Hayom. “You could have been the greatest president of all, but you failed,” the newspaper wrote in an editorial.
Not much gratitude from the Israel-first crowd, even if the war was started to benefit Israel.
And more telling even than this was the reaction of the “opposition” party in Congress, the Democrats. … continue
Following the conclusion of the first round of the Iran-US talks in Switzerland on Monday, the media committee of the Iranian negotiating delegation issued a statement outlining the main points and understandings reached during the talks.
The Bürgenstock talks outline a phased framework linking security arrangements, financial measures, and sanctions relief to conditional implementation steps.
Key developments include a Lebanon ceasefire monitoring mechanism, structured communication over the Strait of Hormuz, coordinated asset release arrangements, and temporary sanctions relief measures tied to energy exports. … continue
In the 1820s, when John Bostock first documented the condition in London, every case he could find was in the middle or upper classes. He inquired at the dispensaries and across the country and found, in his own words, no unequivocal case occurring among the poor.¹ Twenty years earlier, a new medical procedure had been introduced in England. The disease appeared in the class that received the procedure. Those who had not received it remained free of it. The procedure was Edward Jenner’s vaccination, the insertion of material from cowpox lesions into incisions in the human arm. The material’s origin was the cow.²
Hay fever did not exist in the medical literature before this. The first cases appeared in the population that had received the procedure. The mechanism by which injection of foreign protein produces sensitization to bystander substances was discovered before the end of the century, demonstrated in animal models repeatedly since, and conceded by establishment investigators in at least one specific case. The condition that tens of millions experience as a feature of biology is an artifact of the syringe. … continue
This year, Palestinians and their supporters mark the 100th anniversary of The Balfour Declaration, a written statement from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, to Walter Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community, in favour of the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine.
For Palestinians, The Balfour Declaration was the beginning of their plight: a century of ethnic cleansing at the hands of European newcomers who claim Palestine as their historic home. Yet, for some reason, supporters of the Palestinians are desperate to suppress discussion of the motivation for the Balfour Declaration – how and why did it come about? … continue
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has every right to condition European relations with any other country or bloc on respect for human rights. That, of course, would hold true if she genuinely cared about such values herself.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused Israel of meddling in the country’s presidential elections by “hacking” the vote-counting system and “manipulating data” to favor pro-Israel candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.
A church in Odessa dedicated to the Russian Orthodox saint Aleksandr Nevsky has been seized by anti-Russian activists. The incident follows a pattern of government-backed crackdowns on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the country’s largest denomination.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has turned the UK into an “authoritarian hellhole,” with more people being jailed and arrested for social media posts than in any other country in the world, former MP George Galloway has told RT.
“The United States has a responsibility to protect its citizens abroad, and we must hold our allies to basic standards of equal justice under the law,” Tran added.
A report 
Palestinian detainee Saber Al-Amital from the Negev region has reportedly died in Israeli custody, Palestinian rights groups announced on Sunday, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
IMEMC – June 22, 2026
Aletho News 