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Iran’s Oil Spigot Could Open Soon But Hurdles Remain

Sputnik – 22.06.2026

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.

Report highlights US munitions crisis: Missiles cannot be replenished quickly even with al the money in the world

Al-Manar | June 22, 2026

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

Trump’s Attempt to End the Iran War Infuriates the Uniparty

By Ron Paul | June 22, 2026

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

First round of Swiss-hosted Iran-US talks ends with 5 key agreements

Al Mayadeen | June 22, 2026

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

What Is Hay Fever?

An Essay on the Disease That Began in 1819

Lies are Unbekoming | June 22, 2026

The poor did not get hay fever.

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

Moderna’s mRNA Flu Vaccine Gets Unanimous Thumbs-Up Despite Risks, Low Efficacy

By Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. | The Defender | June 18, 2026

federal advisory committee today unanimously voted to endorse Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine — just months after rejecting the company’s application on the basis that Moderna had not performed an “adequate and well-controlled” clinical trial.

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which reviews scientific data on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and other therapeutics on behalf of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), voted 9-0 in dual votes to recommend approval of the vaccine for the 50-64 and 65-plus age groups.

Today’s votes took place after several hours of presentations based on the findings of Moderna’s Phase 4 clinical trial data for its mRNA-1010 vaccine. The trial compared the efficacy of mRNA-1010 to that of a conventional, non-mRNA flu vaccine.

Daniel O’Connor, founder and CEO of TrialSite News, told The Defender today’s favorable votes “may reflect the committee’s view that the benefit-risk profile is acceptable.” However, the vote “does not erase the fundamental concerns surrounding this application.” … continue

Merck Deliberately Hid Gardasil Link to Autoimmune Disorders, Says Former FDA Consultant

By Brenda Baletti, Ph.D. | The Defender | June 18, 2026

A pharmaceutical regulatory expert says Merck failed to adequately warn the public that its Gardasil HPV vaccine could be linked to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and other autoimmune-related conditions, according to a public court filing.

The expert report, released after Merck settled hundreds of Gardasil lawsuits, alleges the company had sufficient evidence to strengthen the vaccine‘s safety warnings years earlier but chose not to do so.

Since Merck’s highly profitable Gardasil vaccine first came on the market in 2006, the list of side effects on the label has grown.

Over time, Merck added reports of dizziness, fatigue, fainting and other conditions. And eventually, the label noted that there had been postmarketing reports of autoimmune diseases, motor neuron disease, transverse myelitis and other conditions.

The collection of symptoms — along with evidence from animal studies, Merck’s own clinical trials, case reports submitted to the company and published scientific literature — all indicated that Gardasil could cause autoimmune disorders and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in some individuals.

Yet the company never warned the public about these risks, according to regulatory affairs specialist Stephen Amato, Ph.D., a professor and department chair of Graduate Regulatory Affairs and Life Science at Northeastern University and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration consultant with decades of experience in pharmaceutical regulation.

Amato concluded that Merck should have added stronger warnings about possible autoimmune-related adverse events, including POTS, to the Gardasil label. […]

Amato also criticized aspects of Merck’s clinical trial design, postmarketing surveillance practices and its marketing of the vaccine.

Amato contends that Merck’s marketing materials overstated the vaccine’s benefits and that the company’s pharmacovigilance efforts prioritized protecting the product’s reputation rather than fully investigating potential safety concerns. – Full article

UK Speech Regulator’s Telegram Questions Point Toward Private Chats

By Cindy Harper | Reclaim The Net | June 21, 2026

Britain’s communications regulator is pressing Telegram to find ways of seeing what its users say to one another in private. Ofcom has begun questioning the messaging app about how it detects and prevents illegal incitement, following the conviction of a Ukrainian man for arson attacks on a car and properties connected to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Roman Lavrynovych, 22, was reportedly drawn in through a public Telegram channel that advertised money to post and print leaflets, and that channel broke no laws. It offered legal work and told anyone interested to “contact in private messages.” The real offers, first for the poster work and later for the arson, reportedly moved into one-to-one chats away from public view.

A spokesperson for Ofcom said it had contacted the app “to seek further clarification” because the arsonist had been directed on Telegram by a handler linked to Russia.

The regulator frames this as a preliminary stage ahead of any formal investigation, though the questions point in one direction. If nothing illegal appeared in the open channel, the only place left to look is inside the private conversations between individual users.

That request carries a cost the regulator has not spelled out. Telegram cannot scan private messages for signs of incitement without reading private messages, all of them, belonging to everyone, not the handful that turn out to involve a crime.

The arson plot stayed hidden in personal chats precisely because that is where people expect to speak without an audience. Asking Telegram to surface that content means asking it to treat ordinary private conversation as something to be inspected by default. … continue

Cuban FM blasts Rubio for ‘chronically lying’ about US fuel blockade

Press TV – June 21, 2026

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla has condemned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s claim that there is no oil blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba.

In a post published on X on Sunday, Rodríguez wrote: “When [Rubio] talks about incompetence in Cuba, he should be asked why he lies chronically and contradicts the US president and his spokeswoman by denying the existence of the total fuel blockade that the White House acknowledges.”

“There is no oil blockade on Cuba, per se,” Rubio claimed on Saturday while guest-hosting the daily White House press briefing.

Rodríguez stated that Rubio’s references to the situation in Cuba are consistently framed in a way that avoids responsibility and self-accountability, describing it as “an attempt to present himself as a savior.”

The Cuban foreign minister also denounced the “economic suffocation plan” against his country, saying it prevents foreign companies from selling parts and technology needed for the island’s thermoelectric plants.

The plan “prevents any company in the world from selling oil to our country” and also targets CUPET, the Cuban company responsible for fuel logistics and energy infrastructure, he explained. … continue

FIFA Engages Israeli Company for World Cup Security

IMEMC – June 20, 2026

As people around the world celebrate the global football competition known as the World Cup, pro-Palestine activists have called out FIFA for its complicity in Israeli apartheid, and called on the global football operation to drop its ties with Sentrycs, and Israeli anti-drone technology company.

According to the Israeli news site Globes, “As part of its acquisition spree in Israel, US company Ondas (Nasdaq: ONDS) last November bought Sentrycs, which develops and produces anti-drone technologies. Sentrycs technology has been chosen to provide security against drones during the World Cup this summer in the US, Canada and Mexico.”

Quds News reports that Sentrycs, the company securing World Cup matches, is an Israeli company founded in Tel Aviv under the supervision of individuals who worked and trained in Unit 8200, the intelligence unit of the Israeli army. The company’s products are also used by the Israeli army and by weapons manufacturers affiliated with the Israeli government, such as Rafael.

According to Quds News, this role makes Sentrycs complicit in the genocide in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, and its technologies have contributed to the commission of war crimes. Sentrycs’ participation in securing World Cup matches is a reward for the company despite its crimes against humanity, instead of subjecting it to boycott and accountability.

Six Palestinians Injured in Settler Attacks Near Hebron and Salfit

IMEMC – June 20, 2026

On Saturday, illegal colonizers, with the support of Israeli soldiers, injured at least six Palestinians in the Hebron and Salfit governorates. Settlers demolished a barn in the town of Arraba, southwest of Jenin, while soldiers and settlers harassed farmers and prevented them from accessing their land.

Media sources reported that a group of Israeli settlers from the nearby illegal “Beit Ein” colony stormed Palestinian lands in the “Al-Quraynat” area in the town of Surif, northwest of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank.

Occupation soldiers, providing protection for the illegal settlers, opened fire with live rounds towards Palestinians who resisted the incursion.

Two Palestinians, a father (57) and his son (27), sustained live gunshot injuries, while another young man (31) suffered a fractured jaw and bruising, after settlers assaulted him with batons.

Another group of colonizers assaulted Palestinians while they were picking sage in the village of Iskaka, northeast of Salfit in the central West Bank.

The settlers injured the citizens Bashar Lami, Aisha Lami, and Fawzia Lami after assaulting them; they were transported to the hospital for treatment. … Full article

Al-Jazeera demands punishment for Israeli officials following latest assassination of cameraman

The Cradle | June 21, 2026

Al-Jazeera Media Network condemned on 20 June Israel’s “deliberate killing” of one of its journalists in Gaza, Ahmad Washah, while calling on the international community to punish Israeli officials for this and other crimes against its media workers.

Ahmad Washah, a cameraman for Al-Jazeera Mubasher, was killed by an Israeli drone strike on a house in Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza on Saturday.

He is the 12th Al-Jazeera media worker to be killed in Gaza since Israel began its genocide of Palestinians in October 2023.

The network called on “the international community and legal institutions to take urgent, practical measures to hold the Israeli officials involved in these appalling crimes accountable,” the statement added.

Washah’s brother, Mohammad, was killed in an Israeli strike just two months earlier, in April, also while working as a correspondent for Al-Jazeera Mubasher. Before Mohammed’s death, the brothers worked together as a team, with Ahmad filming for Mohammad. … continue

Child among 2 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes in latest Gaza ceasefire violations

MEMO | June 21, 2026

Two Palestinians, including a child, were killed and several others injured in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, in the latest violations of a ceasefire in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, a medical source said, Anadolu reports.

An Israeli strike targeted a group of civilians near Dream Hall west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, killing the two and injuring others, the source said.

Another Palestinian was critically wounded after an Israeli airstrike hit a tent at Ibn Sina School in the Al-Nasr neighborhood northwest of Gaza City, the source added.

Both locations targeted by the Israeli military lie outside areas where Israeli forces are deployed under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, witnesses told Anadolu Agency. … Full article

IOF advances into Syria’s Daraa countryside

Palestinian Information Center – June 21, 2026

DAMASCUS – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carried out an incursion into Syrian territory early Sunday morning, reaching the village of Abdin in the Yarmouk Basin area of the western Daraa countryside.

The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that more than 10 military vehicles carrying troops advanced into the area between Ma’ariya and Abdin, eventually reaching the outskirts of Abdin.

The IOF reportedly searched several homes in the village of Abdin, sparking panic among local residents.

Southern Syrian areas, in particular, witness near-daily Israeli violations taking multiple forms, including airstrikes, incursions, the establishment of military checkpoints, as well as home raids and the detention of civilians, among them children and shepherds.

Israeli battalion commander linked to Hind Rajab case killed in Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | June 21, 2026

The Israeli military said on Friday that the commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade was killed in southern Lebanon, an announcement that has renewed attention on the same unit previously linked to the harrowing killing of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.

The army stated that Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, from Beit HaShita and commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Brigade, was killed alongside three soldiers after their tank was struck by Hezbollah during confrontations in South Lebanon.

Ben Simhon is the fourth commander of the 52nd Battalion to be killed or wounded since the beginning of the Israeli war in Gaza and Lebanon, as per Israeli media.

The 52nd Battalion has come under international scrutiny over its involvement in the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab. … Full article

Iran opens hundreds of legal cases over US, Israeli aggression: Prosecutor general

Press TV – June 21, 2026

Iran’s Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi Azad says the judiciary has launched hundreds of criminal and civil cases related to acts of aggression by the United States and Israel against the Iranian nation.

Speaking during a televised interview on Saturday, Movahedi Azad said the judiciary began legal proceedings immediately after the 12-day war in June 2025.

Legal authorities, he said, have since filed criminal complaints against those responsible and opened multiple cases at the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office.

According to him, more than 200 criminal cases have been referred to special investigative branches and are currently under review.

Several rulings, including compensation judgments against Washington and countries allied with it, had already been issued, with some entering the enforcement stage, he added.

In parallel, special civil courts staffed by judges with relevant expertise have been established to handle compensation claims arising from the aggression against the Islamic Republic. … continue

Iran links Hormuz reopening to Lebanon ceasefire implementation

Al Mayadeen | June 21, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until a ceasefire in Lebanon is properly put into practice and oil wavers are issued, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

Citing a source close to the negotiating team, the news outlet reported that the waterway would remain closed until these conditions were met.

Iran reimposed its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz following continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory, with the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stating that the Israeli aggressions violate the memorandum of understanding signed with the US. … Full article

Iran delegation protests Trump’s threat at Switzerland talks, weighs ‘proper’ response: Source

Press TV – June 21, 2026

The Iranian delegation to talks with the United States has raised objections directly with the American side over President Donald Trump’s latest threat of further military strikes, and is now weighing its next steps, a source told Press TV.

“The Iranian delegation has raised its objections to the American side and is currently assessing the conditions to give a proper response to Trump’s verbal threats,” the source said on Sunday.

Trump on Sunday threatened to restart war with Iran, warning Tehran to rein in its allies in Lebanon or face renewed and more powerful US military strikes.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform, referring to US war against the Islamic Republic, which started late February.

The threat was made as Iranian and American delegations were engaged in critical negotiations, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, at the Bürgenstock resort in central Switzerland, where they are working to implement a 14-point memorandum of understanding.

The talks were the first to be held under the terms of the Islamabad MoU agreed a week ago.

Trump’s threat of further military action against Iran is a direct contravention of US commitments under the interim deal, whose clause 1 commits both parties “not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.”

A source close to Iran’s negotiating team later told Tasnim news agency that the Iranian delegation left the venue of talks with the United States in protest over Trump’s latest threat.

Seven people, including two Palestinians, killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Palestinian Information Center – June 21, 2026

BEIRUT – Seven people, including two Palestinians, were martyred following Israeli airstrikes on areas in southern Lebanon, the National News Agency (NNA) reported on Sunday morning.

According to the Lebanese health ministry, five citizens, including a woman and a child, were martyred in Israeli airstrikes targeting the town of Sohmor in the Western Beqaa district.

Two Palestinians were also martyred in an airstrike that targeted the Rashidiyah refugee camp in the Tyre district.

These Israeli attacks come despite reports by Hebrew media outlets saying that the Israeli leadership issued strict directives for a complete ceasefire in southern Lebanon, the second such order in less than 24 hours.

The new Israeli instructions reportedly followed American pressure after Iran reclosed the Strait of Hormuz in response to violations of the ceasefire agreement, which mandates a permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Lebanon tops agenda in Iran-US talks in Switzerland

Al Mayadeen | June 21, 2026

Al Mayadeen’s Geneva Bureau chief reported on Sunday that various bilateral and trilateral meetings have begun at the Bürgenstock resort as preparations continue ahead of the first official session of Iran-US talks.

He added that the opening session is scheduled to take place at 2:30 PM al-Quds time.

The first file to be discussed after the inaugural session was the implementation of the first clause, which relates to ending the war, particularly on Lebanon, he further added.

Al Mayadeen’s Geneva bureau chief later reported that the Iranian delegation held talks with the Qatari delegation in Geneva to discuss the ceasefire in Lebanon, adding that the negotiations are scheduled to conclude later today, in line with the agreed agenda.

He also reported that, following a meeting with the Iranian delegation, Pakistani Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff are holding talks with the US delegation, headed by Vice President JD Vance.

Sources had similarly told CNN earlier today that the talks will begin with an emergency session on Lebanon.

On a related note, an Iranian official had told CNN on Saturday that ending the Israeli war on Lebanon is “the most important item on the Iranian delegation’s agenda.”

Before departing for Switzerland, US Vice President JD Vance said that one of the top concerns included in the talks would be to make progress towards a ceasefire in Lebanon. … Full article

IOF ‘Hezbollah targets’ narrative debunked; Lebanon buries civilians

By Janna Kadri | Al Mayadeen | June 21, 2026

After every wave of strikes on Lebanon, the Israeli army claims striking Hezbollah, in response to what it insolently calls “the group’s repeated violations of the ceasefire,” listing fighters, command centers, rocket launch sites, and military infrastructure among the “targets”.

Yet the aftermath on the ground looks nothing like a battlefield of command centers and launch sites. It resembles more destroyed homes, grieving families, and children pulled from beneath the rubble.

By the end of June 19, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said Israeli attacks had killed 83 people and wounded 141 others across more than 30 towns and villages, many of them women and children. Images from the targeted areas showed destroyed homes, devastated residential neighborhoods, grieving families, and civilians being pulled from beneath the rubble, directly challenging “Israel’s” attempt to frame the assault as precise operations against “Hezbollah infrastructure”. […]

Despite “Israel’s” assertion that it was striking “Hezbollah infrastructure”, publicly available images from the targeted areas largely show damage to civilian neighborhoods and homes, with no sign whatsoever of military installations in any of the images.

While “Israel” claims its military operations are a “response to Hezbollah attacks and violations” of the ceasefire, Hezbollah announces that its operations are carried out in response to continued Israeli military advances and incursions into Lebanese territory, arguing that resistance against occupation forces constitutes self-defense enshrined in international law rather than a breach of the truce. … Read full article

Israel’s Smotrich defies US, says occupation forces will stay in Lebanon for years

Press TV – June 21, 2026

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says the occupation’s forces will stay in Lebanon even if the United States demands their withdrawal.

In an interview with an Israeli newspaper published over the weekend, Smotrich was asked if the regime’s army would remain in Lebanon for years.

He replied, “Yes, and I say this as someone who is currently holding negotiations over the management of the army budget for the next decade.”

Asked if Israel should be forming military posts and bases in Lebanon, he said, “Everything, definitely.”

“But of course, until [the Lebanese resistance group] Hezbollah disarms, we aren’t moving a millimeter. This is the stance of the prime minister and the minister of military affairs, and mine too, and we are determined to stick to it,” the extremist minister added.

Smotrich also claimed the regime’s military won’t withdraw from Lebanon even in the face of an explicit US demand to do so.

He said he estimates that no such American demand will come, because “they understand our red lines.” … Full article

Terms of US capitulation to Iran presage new era for the region

By Samuel Geddes | Al Mayadeen | June 21, 2026

After a week where it seemed the US-“Israel” and Iran were inevitably sliding back into open war, President Trump finally decided to cut his losses and snatch defeat from the jaws of catastrophe. The terms of his submission to Iran, aptly signed in the Palace of Versailles, enter the historical record as among the most humiliating articles of surrender ever accepted, not least by a supposed global hegemon.

On the sidelines of the G7 summit in Switzerland, no less than Trump himself admitted that his decision to accede to almost all of Iran’s demands was meant to forestall an imminent economic depression triggered by the Hormuz blockade. Still more jarringly, all of the many systemic concessions given by Washington; the ending of the US naval blockade, the immediate suspension of US sanctions against Tehran, the handing over of Iran’s sovereign assets frozen around the world, the muzzling of “Israel” from continuing its pyromaniacal rampage of the last three years- all of this was given by Washington in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz (open before the war) and Iran’s willingness to negotiate the status of its nuclear program later on.

Of the agreed conditions, the most jaw-dropping article, which many found exceedingly difficult to take seriously, was the establishment of a fund for the reconstruction and economic development of Iran, amounting to $300 billion. The most up-to-date estimates of the damages caused to the Iranian economy by the US-Israeli aggression totaled $270 billion, a figure likely to be preliminary rather than final. Alongside this eye-watering sum, Tehran has already begun exporting its energy and petrochemical products free from the constraints of US primary and secondary sanctions, something almost certain to become permanent, while its $100 to $150 billions of international assets will bring in an added infusion of economic activity. … continue

Strategic Oil Reserve Nears Collapse… US Must Choose: Guns or Butter

By Larry C. Johnson | SONAR21 | June 21, 2026

… The US Military has blown through its jet fuel reserves. The problem is compounded becuase Diesel reserves are at 25 year low. Diesel and Jet Fuel are critical Distillates. So the Trump administration must make a choice: support the military jets with jet fuel, or support the trucking Fleet with enough diesel fuel, to provide food and products to US consumers. Trump can’t wage war and keep the economy going at the current rate because diesel and jet fuel compete with each other when comes to production. So the question is, do you want to wage war or do you wanna save the economy and keep the trucks moving on the road? This is the main reason Trump signed the MoU with Iran. … Read full article

EU and US spy agencies buying personal data for surveillance – report

RT | June 17, 2026

Spy agencies in the EU and the US are spending millions of taxpayers’ money to access commercially available personal data, according to findings published on Tuesday by Interface, a European think tank that gathered evidence from 11 intelligence watchdogs.

The practice, known as advertising-based intelligence, or AdInt, involves using personal data collected by the advertising industry for intelligence and surveillance purposes. The report said commercially available personal data has become a primary surveillance tool for the agencies as they increasingly obtain information from technology companies and data brokers.

“Via commercial vendors, national security agencies typically purchase access to a constantly updated stream of bulk data. That data contains information on mobile devices’ unique IDs, their precise location over time, as well as granular profile data of individual app users linked to these devices,” said Thorsten Wetzling, one of the study’s authors.

The data can reveal a person’s location, age, gender, political preferences, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and communication patterns. It is often collected through online advertising auctions, software embedded in mobile apps, social media platforms and internet-connected devices, then aggregated and sold by data brokers. … Full article

Fasting: The Foundation of Cancer Recovery

Lies are Unbekoming – June 16, 2026

Herbert Shelton supervised more than thirty thousand fasts at his Natural Hygiene centers across four decades of clinical practice. What he documented across those decades has no place in conventional oncology and is therefore not discussed in oncology offices. When a person stops eating, the body selectively dismantles its own tissue, and it begins with the tissue it does not need. Fat reserves are consumed first. The body then begins to clear what it has been carrying without anatomical purpose: cysts, fibroids, tumors, arterial deposits, scar accumulations. Vital organs are protected until the very end. The body, given no food, performs surgery on itself, and the surgery is more precise than any external scalpel because the body knows what to keep.¹

Shelton called the process autolysis, meaning enzymatic self-digestion under conditions of voluntary food abstention. He observed fibroid tumors dissolve while the uterus housing them remained intact. He watched arthritic deposits clear while bone and muscle stayed strong. He documented hearts that grew stronger, not weaker, across fasts of two and three weeks. The dismantling was not indiscriminate. It followed a sequence that made anatomical sense, sparing what was useful and clearing what was not.

This is the most paradigm-coherent fact in the entire cancer literature, and almost no patient diagnosed with cancer is ever told about it.

The implications run in one direction. If the body, given no food, dissolves diseased tissue and protects healthy tissue, then the body is not the cause of its own disease but the agent of its own repair. What is needed is an intervention that creates the conditions under which that intelligence can operate, not one that overrides it. Fasting creates those conditions more completely than any other modality available. … continue

The Story the Media — and the Government — Don’t Want You to Hear

By Senator Ron Johnson | June 17, 2026

On April 29, 2026, as Chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, I held a hearing and released a report titled “Unmasked: How Biden Health Officials Purposely Turned a Blind Eye Toward COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Signals.” There has not been a bigger government scandal during my lifetime, and yet even now that we have documented proof of corruption, most of the legacy media refuses to report on it.

My report details how in March 2021, Peter Marks — director of the FDA center that approves vaccines and is responsible for safety surveillance (CBER) — was briefed that the algorithm they were using to analyze the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) would mask or hide COVID-19 vaccine adverse event safety signals. Twenty-six days later, using an updated algorithm, senior FDA officials were shown 25 safety signals, including sudden cardiac death, pulmonary infarction, cerebral artery occlusion, basal ganglia stroke, agonal rhythm, and Bell’s palsy.

For the next three months, they received updates showing more serious safety signals. Instead of warning or informing the public, they ordered the data analyst to “cease and desist” and then lied to the American public that “they weren’t seeing safety signals” and that any adverse events were “rare and mild.” The whole point of using sophisticated algorithms to analyze VAERS is to find needles in the haystack — nonobvious potential harms that doctors and patients should be alerted to. … continue

BMJ Probe Into Excess Mortality Study Drags On for Two Years With No Resolution

By Brenda Baletti, Ph.D. | The Defender | June 17, 2026

Controversy over a BMJ paper examining excess mortality trends during the COVID-19 pandemic remains unresolved more than two years after publication, Steve Kirsch reported on Substack.

Dutch researcher Saskia Mostert, M.D., Ph.D., led the study, which was published in BMJ Public Health in May 2024.

Mostert’s team analyzed excess mortality data from 47 Western countries and reported that elevated death rates persisted through 2022 and 2023 despite the end of pandemic restrictions and the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines.

The authors argued that the findings warranted further investigation into potential contributing factors, including pandemic-era policies, healthcare disruptions and mass vaccination programs.

The paper was attacked on PubPeer and Retraction Watch, two platforms that have become the driving force behind many recent retractions of peer-reviewed scientific papers whose findings challenge the mainstream narrative on vaccines, COVID-19 treatments and aluminum, among others.

Critics did not dispute the paper’s core findings that excess mortality was high and remained elevated in many Western countries during the study period. Instead, they criticized the paper’s discussion of the COVID-19 vaccines, saying it implied there was a causal link between the shots and excess death and encouraged readers to infer causation.

Several critics called for the paper to be retracted. … continue

The Targeted Assassination of Studies Showing Vaccines Cause Injury

Since they can’t win on the merits, they’ve resorted to other tactics

By Aaron Siri | Injecting Freedom | June 18, 2026

A journalist from The Guardian recently contacted me for a comment on vaccine-related studies I have previously cited in my work. The publishers of these studies have decided—years after publication—that these studies were so flawed and “dangerous to public health” that they needed to be retracted or investigated. The journalist wanted to know if I would amend my book and my recent ACIP presentation now that these studies were under attack.

My response:

“I welcome the media noting the targeted assassination of articles that do not fit the religious belief of vaccine proponents; this is also exemplified by the media’s lack of interest in the hundreds of other articles, reviews, and trial documents from my book and ACIP presentation which make plain that the claim vaccines are ‘safe and effective’ is not supported by the available evidence.”

So which studies are under fire? You won’t be surprised that they are on some of the biggest hot-button topics when it comes to vaccine injury… continue

Iran slams Australia for targeting doctors criticizing Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, Lebanon

Press TV – June 20, 2026

Iran’s deputy foreign minister has warned Australia against imposing costs on doctors and medical professionals over criticizing Israel’s war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon.

In a post on X, Kazem Gharibabadi said that there is a clear distinction between hate speech and defending Palestinian and Lebanese children who have been killed by the Israeli regime.

He said imposing “professional costs such as bans and restrictions against doctors critical of the Zionist regime’s crimes constitute an attack on professional freedom of expression and medical conscience.”

“Hate speech is one thing; defending murdered children and bombed hospitals is another,” he added.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) on Wednesday announced it had adopted the so-called International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of what it describes as antisemitism for its regulatory work.

Ahpra chief executive Justin Untersteiner said the agency is committed to working with the Special Envoy for Antisemitism and partners to eliminate anti-Israel remarks from the health system. … Full article

X greenlights Israeli national security minister’s ‘burn Lebanon’ post

RT | June 20, 2026

Social media platform X has declined to remove a post by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for the destruction of Lebanon, despite its rules prohibiting threats and incitement targeting people on the basis of ethnicity, national origin or religion.

Published on Friday, the call came amid fragile efforts to halt fighting in the region. Despite a US-Iran-brokered ceasefire intended to cover all fronts, including Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to withdraw forces from its northern neighbor, prompting Tehran to delay follow-up peace talks in Switzerland.

Reuters reported later in the day that Hezbollah and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire after mediation by the US and Qatar, although neither side officially confirmed the deal and open-source intelligence monitors said Israeli strikes in Lebanon continued after the truce was announced.

“All of Lebanon should burn!” Ben-Gvir wrote in the controversial post on X. … Full article

German Chancellor blocks efforts to sanction Israel

Press TV – June 20, 2026

The EU leaders have welcomed the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and the US, but critics say they did nothing to try to prevent the illegal war against the Islamic Republic and may have even encouraged it.

In January, for example, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz claimed that Iran’s government was in its “final days and weeks”. That prediction didn’t age well.

International law experts widely agree that the war was illegal, yet the EU remains unwilling to acknowledge this.

Analysts argue that is because Israel enjoys extraordinary influence over EU decision-making.

Countries such as Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, and Luxembourg want to punish Israel by curtailing economic ties, but the bloc’s powerhouse, Germany, won’t have it. … Full article

‘Albania is not for sale’: Inside the protests over a Trump family-linked resort

RT | June 20, 2026

Albania is preparing for the biggest anti-government protest in weeks on Saturday night, with tens of thousands from all over country, as well as diaspora representatives from abroad, arriving in the capital Tirana, according to local media reports. The Balkan country has seen three weeks of demonstrations against a controversial luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

What began as a local campaign has evolved into a nationwide movement dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution” by local and international media, after the wading birds that inhabit the area targeted for development.

The slogan “Albania is not for sale” has become the movement’s rallying cry, reflecting concerns about foreign investment and transparency. […]

The government granted the project “Strategic Investor” status in December 2024, giving it access to accelerated administrative procedures. The decision followed a February 2024 amendment to Albania’s protected areas legislation that critics said made the development possible.

The Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) has opened investigations into legislative changes, land-status decisions and administrative procedures connected to the development following complaints from opposition lawmakers and environmental groups.

Albania’s leading conservation group PPNEA told The Guardian there had been “no public consultation” and a “total lack of transparency.” – Full article

Gaza water crisis deepens as desalination facilities shut down over fuel shortages

Palestinian Information Center – June 20, 2026

GAZA – The association of water desalination stations in the Gaza Strip has warned of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe as several desalination plants have shut down due to severe fuel shortages.

In a statement addressed to official authorities and international organizations on Saturday, the association affirmed that some desalination stations had already shut down over the past two days after running completely out of fuel, threatening the supply of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of citizens.

The association said that a UNICEF representative informed owners of the desalination stations last Thursday that the agency was unable to secure the diesel fuel needed to operate their water facilities. … Full article

Israeli strike kills entire family in Gaza; 3,338 violations committed

Al Mayadeen | June 20, 2026

An Israeli airstrike killed four people, members of the same family, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, in the latest violence to shatter a fragile ceasefire that has done little to stem bloodshed across the Palestinian enclave.

An overnight Israeli strike on an apartment building in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City killed four members of the al-Safadi family, a husband, wife, and their two daughters, according to the Civil Defense agency. The strike also injured 12 others, the agency said.

Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital confirmed it received the bodies of four al-Safadi family members, including two children.

In separate incidents reported Saturday, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent said Israeli aircraft struck the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northern Gaza City, killing at least one person and wounding several others near Ahmed Pharmacy on the neighborhood’s Third Street.

In southern Gaza, an Israeli drone strike west of Khan Younis killed one person, while a separate air raid on a vehicle in the same city left at least 10 others wounded, according to the correspondent.

The Israeli military also carried out a demolition operation northeast of Gaza City, the latest in a series of systematic destructions of residential and civilian infrastructure in the area, Palestinian sources said. … Full article

Hezbollah debunks ceasefire breach claims, cites 300 IOF violations

Al Mayadeen | June 20, 2026

Israeli allegations that Hezbollah violated a ceasefire agreement are “completely baseless”, Hezbollah’s Media Relations Office stated, describing them as part of ongoing attempts to mislead public opinion and a strained effort to sabotage the agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America.

It added that the total number of Israeli violations and breaches since dawn on Friday has exceeded 300 documented violations and attacks, including airstrikes carried out by warplanes and drones, artillery shelling of various calibers, and the firing of phosphorus shells, targeting more than 25 towns and villages, including the city of Nabatieh. These assaults resulted in more than 111 citizens martyred and 176 others wounded, with initial information also indicating the enemy’s use of internationally prohibited cluster bombs.

Furthermore, “the total number of violations and attacks since this morning until now has reached no fewer than 180 attacks, resulting in more than 28 martyrs, including three members of the Lebanese Army, and 35 wounded,” the statement added.

The Media Office stressed that “Israel” has never adhered to the terms of any ceasefire agreements, not on 27-11-2024, nor on 08-04-2026, nor after the announcement of the Iran–US memorandum of understanding on 14-06-2026, nor even on Friday 19-06-2026. Instead, it has, according to the Office, continued its violations of Lebanese sovereignty through aerial assaults, shelling, destruction of homes, intimidation of civilians, and killing of civilians. … Full article

Old Iraq war architects rise up to wag finger at Trump’s Iran deal

Who asked for Doug Feith’s opinion anyway?

By Jim Lobe | Responsible Statecraft | June 18, 2026

Assume, for the sake of argument, that you think the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) just signed by President Donald Trump in Versailles is a disaster for both the United States and especially for Israel. Who would you want to be in the forefront of the campaign to persuade American public opinion that it should be abandoned or killed off altogether?

There are any number of candidates, but I, for one, would NOT choose anyone who bore major responsibility for the debacles in Afghanistan and Iraq.

So, it was with great surprise that I found today that Douglas Feith, a key architect of both disasters ab initio, emerged from near-total obscurity at the hardline neoconservative Hudson Institute to publish an op-ed in the Washington Post assailing Vice President J.D. Vance (and indirectly Trump) for dangerous naivete in dealing with Iran. … continue

Securing Peace with Iran Compels Trump to Divorce Israel

Israel’s goals of territorial expansion conflict with the goals of the US president

By Harrison Berger | The American Conservative | June 19, 2026

After President Donald Trump signed a preliminary Iran peace deal on Wednesday, Israel’s occupation and bombing of Lebanon presents the central obstacle to a final agreement and lasting peace. Securing and upholding the final peace deal will require the kind of confrontation with Israel that Trump has avoided for most of his presidency, given Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz and global energy flows. … continue

Iran’s delegation heads to Switzerland to press US over Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Press TV – June 20, 2026

Iran says its negotiating delegation has departed for Switzerland to press the United States to fulfill its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), particularly its obligation to ensure Israel stops attacking Lebanon, stressing that talks on a final agreement cannot begin until key commitments are implemented.

In a televised address on Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the visit should not be viewed as a second phase of negotiations, explaining that it was originally scheduled for Friday and was intended primarily for the signing of the memorandum.

However, the memorandum was ultimately signed digitally by the presidents of the two countries, eliminating the need for an immediate meeting, he said.

“This trip is essentially aimed at demanding the fulfillment of the other party’s commitments,” Baghaei said in a televised interview. “Any understanding or agreement is ultimately tested during the implementation phase.”

Baghaei said Iran’s objective in Switzerland is to assess how the other side intends to carry out its obligations and to seek assurances regarding implementation.

According to the spokesman, negotiations on a final agreement can begin only after the implementation of commitments outlined in Clauses 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the memorandum has started and is sustained.

“Unfortunately, we are not witnessing that situation at present,” he said.

Baghaei further warned that violations of the Lebanon ceasefire by Israel have placed the entire memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington at risk, noting that the US has failed to uphold its commitment to restrain Israel. … Full article

Strait of Hormuz closed over Israeli aggression on Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | June 20, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz is shut down in response to ongoing Israeli aggression on southern Lebanon, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced, deeming Israeli actions a violation of Iran’s agreement with the US.

In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the Khatam HQ accused the United States of breaching its obligations under a memorandum of understanding related to ending the war, and also cited continued Israeli military actions in southern Lebanon, including ceasefire violations, killings, forced displacement of civilians, and failure to withdraw from Lebanese territory. It added that the measure reflects a response to the deterioration of compliance by the opposing parties and the persistence of hostilities on the ground.

“In light of the United States’ blatant violation of its commitments and breach of the provisions of Article One of the memorandum of understanding to end the war and in response to the ongoing and continuous violation of the ceasefire by the Israeli entity in southern Lebanon, the continued brutal killing and forcible displacement of the Lebanese people, and its failure to withdraw from southern Lebanon, it is hereby announced that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to maritime navigation,” the statement read. … continue

Keir Starmer arson mysteries multiply

By Kit Klarenberg | Al Mayadeen | June 20, 2026

On June 15th, two young Ukrainian men were found guilty in London of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on two homes and a car intimately connected to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Little-reported, curious details of the trial, and a post-conviction propaganda blitz led by the BBC blaming Russian intelligence actors for inspiring and directing the pair’s incendiary crimes, raise a number of ominous questions about precisely what happened, why, and for whom the alleged perpetrators were truly working. … continue

US-Funded Labs in Ukraine Focused on Lethal Bioagents ‘Tailored to Kill Russians’ — Larry Johnson

Sputnik – 20.06.2026

US-funded research into disease-causing properties of anthrax, plague, tularemia Marburg, and Ebola was about developing biological agents “tailored to specific genetic profiles,” ex-CIA intelligence officer Larry Johnson tells Sputnik.

The US has been running a covert military-biological program right on Russia’s doorstep to study pathogens “that could be used as weapons,” says Johnson, commenting fresh evidence obtained by the Russian MoD exposing the dangerous biolab research in Ukraine.

The Russian intel and US declassified documents confirm that labs built by contractors like Metabiota, Black & Veatch, and CH2M Hill and financed from the US state budget had a specific agenda, says the pundit:

“This was a deliberate effort to target Russia with a possible biological weapon.”

Johnson reminds that Russia’s warnings about this threat to its national security have been dismissed as “disinformation” by the West and the WHO, which is “simply just another tool of the US.”

Its high time Russia started enforcing consequences on the US for being “an active aggressor in this war against Russia,” he emphasizes, adding:

“They need to be put on notice that this stops, and it stops now.”

Three killed in Ukrainian attacks on Russian regions

RT | June 20, 2026

Three people have been killed in attacks by Kiev’s drones in Russian regions bordering Ukraine, the authorities have said.

The Ukrainian military used UAVs to drop mines on a busy highway in Russia’s Lugansk People Republic (LPR) overnight, Governor Leonid Pasechnik wrote on Telegram on Saturday morning.

“One of the residents found a suspicious device and attempted to remove it on his own. This resulted in an explosion. Unfortunately, two people were killed,” he said.

The governor stressed that people should not approach mines or drone debris, but instead immediately inform the authorities of their discovery.

“The Kiev regime is continuing its terror campaign against civilians,” Padeschik said.

Earlier in the day, the acting governor of Bryansk Region, Egor Kovalchuk, said that Kiev’s FPV-drones, which are remotely controlled by operators in real-time, targeted the village of Suzemka near Russia’s border with Ukraine.

A man was killed in the attack, while a woman suffered injuries and required hospitalization, Kovalchuk wrote on Telegram.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that at least 187 Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed by air defenses overnight. … Full article

Chile Sentences Pinochet’s Agents for Ronnie Moffitt Assassination

teleSUR | June 19, 2026

Chilean Magistrate Paola Plaza González sentenced three former secret police officers of the Augusto Pinochet’s civic-military dictatorship to 15 years in prison for the 1976 Washington murder of U.S. citizen Ronnie Karpen Moffitt.

This landmark judicial ruling targets the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA), the brutal secret police apparatus of the Chilean military regime.

The sentenced officers, retired colonels Pedro Octavio Espinoza Bravo, José Octavio Zara Holger and Raúl Eduardo Iturriaga Neumann, were found guilty as direct co-authors of aggravated homicide. This long-awaited historical sentence officially closes a persistent loophole of transnational impunity that protected key perpetrators of state terrorism operating outside of Chile.

The targeted terrorist assault occurred on September 21, 1976, in Washington DC. The primary target of the bombing was Orlando Letelier del Solar, the former Chilean Foreign Minister under Salvador Allende’s Presidency, who was then working at the Washington-based Institute for Policy Studies.

The massive remote-controlled explosion completely destroyed Letelier’s vehicle, killing him instantly and mortally wounding his young secretary, Ronnie Karpen Moffitt, who was only 25 years old. … Full article

Zelensky threatens to attack Belarus

RT | June 19, 2026

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has issued an ultimatum to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, threatening him with military action if Minsk fails to meet Kiev’s demand, just days after a deadly drone strike on a bus carrying a children’s soccer team from Belarus.

Earlier this week, Lukashenko said that those seeking to drag his nation into the conflict “will have to pay dearly for that,” demanding answers from Kiev over the strike on the bus and other “provocations.” The attack in Russia’s Bryansk Region injured six minors and killed the wife of a Belarusian school soccer team coach who was accompanying the young athletes to a Russian seaside resort.

Kiev denied responsibility, while Zelensky claimed that it was Lukashenko who must “be honest” and prove Minsk’s peaceful intentions by removing air defenses and relay transmitters along the border with Ukraine.

“I think one week would be enough for him to accomplish this,” the Ukrainian leader stated at a press conference in Kiev on Friday. “If he does not do it, we will.” … continue

Zaporozhye Plant’s Transport Workshop Endures Huge Overnight Drone Attack

Sputnik – 19.06.2026

The transport workshop of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant in the Zaporozhye Region was subjected to a massive Ukrainian drone attack overnight, with no casualties reported, the energy facility said on Friday.

“On the evening of June 18 and on the night of June 19, the transport workshop belonging to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, which is part of [Russian nuclear corporation] Rosatom’s nuclear power plants, was subjected to a series of attacks by Ukrainian armed forces drones,” the station said in a statement.

At least 14 strikes were recorded, the facility noted.

“As a result of one of them, a fire broke out in one of the shielded enclosures of the transport workshop. The most important thing is that there are no casualties,” the statement added. … Full article

UK to send Ukraine 150,000 drones

RT | June 19, 2026

The UK will provide Ukraine with 150,000 UAVs by the end of the year, London announced on Thursday following one of Kiev’s largest drone attacks on Moscow since the start of the conflict.

The package, worth £752 million ($996 million), was announced by British Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels. According to the British government, which has been among Kiev’s most active military supporters, the package will be funded through London’s £2.26 billion loan to Kiev, backed by proceeds from frozen Russian sovereign assets.

British officials presented the package, which includes drones, missiles and radars, as necessary military support for Kiev. Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged that London would continue backing Ukraine and putting pressure on Moscow. Russia has long argued that continued Western arms deliveries only prolong the conflict and undermine peace efforts.

The announcement came after Moscow and the surrounding region were hit by one of the largest Ukrainian drone raids in recent years. Russian air defenses intercepted 194 drones approaching the capital overnight, according to officials, but the attack still caused damage.

Local authorities reported that one drone struck the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, triggering a fire, while debris damaged residential buildings, vehicles, and commercial sites, including several shopping centers.

Residents in several districts also reported black rain and soot falling from the sky after the refinery blaze, with local authorities advising people to keep windows closed and limit time outdoors.

At least 17 civilians, including two children, were reported injured in the Moscow Region. … continue

Germany to Send Ukraine Hundreds of Air‑to‑Air Missiles from Own Stocks – Pistorius

Sputnik – 19.06.2026

Germany will supply a “three‑digit number” of air‑to‑air missiles to Ukraine from its own military stockpiles, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced, as Berlin continues to ramp up military support for Ukraine.

The announcement came during a briefing following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Pistorius also confirmed that Germany had delivered additional IRIS‑T SLS and SLM guided missile systems to Ukraine, with more on the way.

Pistorius said Germany would allocate $200 million for the purchase of PAC‑3 guided missiles under the Jump Start program, further bolstering Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

Berlin is also expanding cooperation with Ukrainian defense firms, particularly in the development and production of drones. A key agreement involves the joint production of Termite drones in Germany, which will subsequently be delivered to the Ukrainian military. Pistorius noted that the two countries are also exploring the potential production of medium‑ and long‑range weapons. … Full article

French sexual assault victim convicted for saying Black and Arab immigrant men are main threat to women

Remix News | June 19, 2026

French activist Thaïs d’Escufon has vowed to appeal her latest conviction after a court fined her €1,000 over comments linking immigration to violence against women, while dropping the possibility of a prison sentence.

D’Escufon, who says she was sexually assaulted by a Tunisian migrant in 2022, revealed the outcome in a video message to supporters, describing the ruling as a significant reduction from the punishment she had been facing.

“I went from facing four months in prison to receiving a €1,000 fine,” she said.

The activist had been prosecuted over statements in which she argued that “the main threat to women in France comes from black and Arab immigrant men.” According to d’Escufon, prosecutors sought a four-month custodial sentence over those remarks. … Full article

‘Israel’ pressed Meta to censor Iran war content, files reveal

Al Mayadeen | June 19, 2026

Internal documents reviewed by The Intercept indicate that “Israel” requested that Meta remove a wide range of content related to the recent war against Iran, including posts expressing opposition to “Israel”, content showing Iranian retaliatory strikes, and material documenting battlefield impacts.

According to the records, Israeli authorities petitioned the platform to take down Facebook and Instagram posts that included expressions of solidarity with Iran, as well as accounts and content that takes a stance which could be deemed sympathetic to Tehran’s side regarding the war.

The requests also reportedly extended to posts mourning the martyrdom of Sayyid Ali Khamenei following his assassination by the United States and “Israel” on the opening day of the war, alongside materials documenting Iranian missile strikes and their consequences inside occupied territories.

The Intercept’s report also revealed that in some cases, Meta complied with the removal requests, though the documents do not clarify the legal basis used for enforcement decisions.

The internal records suggest that Israeli censorship requests did not only focus on alleged security threats but also extended to political expression and war documentation. […]

… the documents highlight the depth of coordination between the occupation authorities and Silicon Valley platforms.

“Israel’s” State Attorney’s Office regularly submits takedown requests to social media companies on behalf of security agencies. While these requests are often framed in terms of counterterrorism or policy compliance, critics argue they function as a mechanism to suppress political expression and narratives unfavorable to the occupation.

The reporting indicates that compliance rates with Israeli requests have been historically high, raising concerns about the extent of platform deference to state pressure during periods of war.

Meta has previously maintained that it only removes content when required by law or when it violates platform policies, stating that user reports are evaluated “regardless of who or how a piece of content is flagged.”

However, internal audits and oversight reports in recent years have pointed to uneven enforcement patterns, particularly affecting Arabic-language content and perspectives emerging from the Middle East. … Full article

‘Biased censorship’: Iran deputy FM slams X for stripping him of blue tick

Press TV – June 19, 2026

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has decried a recent “biased” move by the social media platform X to remove the blue checkmark from his account.

In an X post on Friday, Gharibabadi said that the online social network has removed the blue tick from his account after doing the same with the accounts of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Abbas Araghchi, and spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

“This biased and politically-motivated measure is the continuation of the pattern of censorship aimed at silencing the truth and the official voice of governments, as well as instrumentalizing digital credibility,” he added.

Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022, the platform has faced criticism for arbitrarily removing verification badges and deleting accounts perceived as politically inconvenient.

Since February, X has stripped many Iranian officials of their blue checkmarks and deleted without explanation hundreds of accounts supportive of Iran’s brave resistance against the US-Israeli war of aggression.

U.S. Whole-of-Government Takeover by Israel

Section 622 of the FY2027 Intelligence Authorization Act locks America into permanent unbreakable intelligence entanglement with Israel

By GenXGirl1994 | June 5, 2026

… The bill states the President shall expand and enhance intelligence sharing with Israel on an ever-widening array of topics: cybersecurity threats, terrorism, sanctions evasion, adversarial technology proliferation, missile and drone threats, air and space domain awareness, and more.

This sharing must extend to analytic partnerships and cover threats relevant not just to the U.S. but explicitly to Israel and its regional partners. Nowhere does the bill require Israel to align with U.S. positions, cease settlement activity that complicates U.S. diplomacy, or address documented intelligence risks (for example past espionage cases). It is effectively unconditional. … Read full article

Irish state fund retains stakes in firms linked to illegal settlements

The Cradle | June 19, 2026

Ireland’s sovereign wealth fund continued to hold investments in five multinational companies identified by the United Nations as being involved in activities related to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Irish Times reported on Friday, citing information submitted to lawmakers this month.

A letter from the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), which manages the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), informed members of the Public Accounts Committee that, as of the end of 2025, the fund held approximately €6.74 million in shares across five companies listed in the latest UN Human Rights Office database.

The investments include US-based accommodation platforms Airbnb and Booking Holdings, technology company Motorola, Germany’s Heidelberg Materials, and Luxembourg-based telecommunications group Altice. … continue

Israeli settlers launch coordinated 24-hour rampage across occupied West Bank

The Cradle | June 19, 2026

Illegal Israeli settlers launched a coordinated assault against Palestinians and their property in multiple areas of the occupied West Bank over the past 24 hours.

The assault began on 18 June and continued into the early hours of 19 June, with settler attacks persisting on Friday.

Settlers attacked homes in Khirbet al-Himsa, south of occupied Hebron, while also storming the town of Awarta, southeast of Nablus.

The illegal settlers also assaulted shepherds in the Anata plains east of occupied Jerusalem and targeted farmers near Jamala, east of Ramallah.

During the widespread attack, two new illegal settler outposts were established – one on the outskirts of the village of Burqa and one on the outskirts of Deir Abu Mashaal, near Ramallah.

Palestinian media reports said severe damage was inflicted on civilian infrastructure and economic assets in an effort to force Palestinians off their land.

In Al-Taybeh, a Palestinian family was assaulted inside their home before settlers severed their water and electricity lines.

Multiple vehicles were set ablaze or stolen. Later on Friday, settlers destroyed an electricity pole in Beita, south of Nablus.

Several cars and a house were also smashed by settlers in Kifl Haris, north of Salfit. … Full article

Two people killed, several injured as Israeli ceasefire violations continue in Gaza

Palestinian Information Center – June 19, 2026

GAZA – Israeli forces carried out nine new violations of the Gaza ceasefire agreement overnight and into Friday morning, leaving two Palestinians killed and several others injured, while targeting multiple areas across the Strip.

Local sources reported that Abdullah Yassin was killed after being shot by Israeli forces near the Wadi Gaza area in central Gaza.

Meanwhile, Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis received the body of one citizen and four others wounded, including children, following an Israeli strike on a tent sheltering displaced families in the industrial zone south of the city.

The victim was later identified as Zaki Youssef Abu Mustafa, 41, who succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack.

Earlier, two additional injured civilians arrived at Nasser Medical Complex after Israeli artillery shelled Al-Bi’a Street north of Khan Yunis. … Full article

Hezbollah lawmaker says Israel has 60 days to withdraw from Lebanon

MEMO | June 19, 2026

Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said Israel has 60 days to complete its withdrawal from Lebanese territory, urging Lebanese authorities to study the understanding signed between the United States and Iran “carefully and objectively”.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Raad made the remarks as Israel continues its military actions and maintains its presence in areas it occupies in southern Lebanon.

He noted that the first clause of the agreement signed between Tehran and Washington calls, in part, for the “immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon”.

The agreement also includes a commitment to “guarantee Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty” and confirms a “permanent end to the war on all fronts” in its final form. … continue

Israeli regime’s only interest is ‘permanent war,’ Iran’s FM Araghchi says

Press TV – June 19, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned provocative statements by senior Israeli ministers advocating intensified attacks on Lebanon, warning that the only interest of the genocidal Israeli regime is permanent war.

In a post on X on Friday, Araghchi denounced comments made by Israel’s far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir following the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.

Ben-Gvir wrote on X that “all of Lebanon must burn,” and that “for every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep.”

“This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic,” Araghchi wrote. “It’s a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime.”

“The genocidal death cult headquartered in Tel Aviv is a threat to all of humanity. It threatens all humans,” he added.

Araghchi said that Tel Aviv’s “only interest is permanent war.”

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich also called for a harsher military aggression against Lebanon, writing on the social media platform that it was “time to speak with fire” and “open the gates of hell.” … continue

Israeli rampage in South Lebanon right after ‘ceasefire’ takes effect

Al Mayadeen | June 19, 2026

Israeli occupation warplanes carried out a brutal aggression on several areas in southern Lebanon, launching more than 16 airstrikes right after a so-called “ceasefire” went into effect, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported.

In detail, our correspondent reported that the Israeli strikes targeted the areas of Shoukine, Mayfadoun, Jabal al-Rafi‘, and al-Rayhan.

He also pointed to an Israeli strike on the city of Nabatieh, which coincided directly with the timing of the entry into force of the so-called “ceasefire”.

These attacks come despite a statement by a senior US official to Reuters announcing that “Israel” and the Lebanese Resistance – Hezbollah have reached an agreement on a ceasefire, set to go into effect at 4:00 pm local time on Friday.

For its part, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the intense aggression carried out by the Israeli occupation from midnight until Friday afternoon resulted, in an updated toll, in 47 killed and 97 injured.

The Ministry of Health also indicated that the total cumulative toll of the Israeli aggression from March 2 to June 19 reached 3,980 killed and 12,001 injured. … Full article

Syria, Lebanon, and the limits of power

By Bassam Abu Abdallah | The Cradle | June 19, 2026

Remarks by US President Donald Trump in an interview with NBC News earlier this month, in which he said he would like to see “a more precise surgical attack on Hezbollah” and suggested that Syria’s Ahmad al-Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani) could play a role in reaching an agreement over the conflict in Lebanon, have revived a familiar question across the region.

Trump later escalated his rhetoric, saying that if Israel “can’t do the job without killing everyone else, Syria should do the job.” Describing the war on Lebanon as a secondary front, he suggested that Syria, in coordination with the US, could take on Hezbollah if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not be reined in.

Whenever the region enters a period of major change, the same issue resurfaces. Can Syria once again play a direct security or military role in Lebanon, as it did in 1976?

The comparison is tempting on the surface. It invites parallels between the current leadership in Damascus and the late president Hafez al-Assad, who sent Syrian forces into Lebanon during the civil war. Yet even a brief look at the surrounding conditions suggests that the resemblance is largely superficial.

Trump himself did not clarify what form of assistance he had in mind. The possibilities range from border control and curbing smuggling routes to a broader attempt to pressure Hezbollah. … continue

Iran rules out IAEA inspections of war-damaged nuclear sites

Press TV – June 19, 2026

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has dismissed reports claiming that the Islamic Republic will invite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect its nuclear sites damaged in two rounds of US-Israeli aggression.

Referring to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Iran and the US with the aim of ending the war on Thursday, Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters on Friday that the document’s clause 8 stipulates that negotiations on the nuclear issue will be held within a period of 60 days.

“Of course, this will require the fulfillment of the prerequisites for starting negotiations in accordance with clause 13,” he emphasized.

Baghaei stressed that, according to clause 9 of the MoU, the current status of Iran’s nuclear program will be maintained during the 60-day period, and accordingly, inspections of facilities such as Bushehr, which have been conducted so far, will continue.

He added that inspections of facilities to which the IAEA’s access was suspended due to the US-Israeli aggression hinge on the process of negotiations and their outcome.

His remarks come as US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, claimed that Iran will invite the IAEA to inspect its nuclear facilities and begin work on identifying and disclosing the locations of enriched materials possessed by Tehran. … continue

Pentagon Requests $80Bln From Congress to Cover Costs After Operation in Iran – Reports

Sputnik – 19.06.2026

The US Department of War has asked the US Congress to allocate additional $80 billion to cover expenses related to operation in Iran, as well as other costs, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg voiced the military’s financial needs during phone conversations with US congressmen this week, the report said late on Thursday.

In addition, the Pentagon leadership has warned that they may start running out of funds for operations this summer if Congress fails to pass a new military spending bill, the newspaper added.

The Pentagon’s budget for the current 2026 fiscal year is about $1 trillion.

Iran issues new passage guidelines for ships transiting Strait of Hormuz

Press TV – June 19, 2026

Iran has issued a compulsory online clearance system requiring all vessels intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz to register their passage requests through a new centralized online system, effective immediately, as per a newly-inked Islamabad memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States.

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) issued the binding directive on Friday, introducing a 60-day window during which transit fees will be waived by the Iranian government.

Under the new protocols, shipping operators must submit their processing passing requests exclusively via the official PGSA website (PGSA.ir) or through a designated email address (info@PGSA.ir), the PGSA said in a post on its X account.

It added that no other communication channels will be recognized, and that the vessels must provide “valid, accessible” contact details in the submitted request.

The agency mandated an “essential” 48-hour pre-arrival notice for all vessels approaching the strategic waterway aims to “avoid delays at the entrance or exit of the Strait”.

“During the 60-day period, tariffs for security, safety, and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurances, will not be collected from shipowners and will be borne by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it said.

The PGSA issued a stern warning given the presence of mine-affected areas and the necessity of ensuring safe passage and preventing collisions.

“Coordination of the designated route and scheduled passage time for each vessel prior to moving toward the strait is mandatory; failure to comply shall be the responsibility of the vessel owner,” it emphasized. … Full article

Hezbollah, ‘Israel’ agreed ceasefire goes into effect: Reuters

Al Mayadeen | June 19, 2026

“Israel” and the Lebanese Resistance – Hezbollah have reached an agreement on a ceasefire, set to go into effect at 4:00 pm local time on Friday, a senior US official confirmed to Reuters.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that both sides have formally consented to halt hostilities following intense diplomatic negotiations.

Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire,” the official stated, adding that the deal was brokered jointly by US and Qatari mediators, with significant backing from Iran.

“We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire,” the official asserted.

However, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in southern Lebanon reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted Nabatieh as the purported ceasefire went into effect. … Full article

How Multipolarity Forced Trump to Capitulate… For Now

By Eric Striker • Unz Review • June 19, 2026

When describing Donald Trump’s new Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, Foreign Policy magazine summarized the seeming end to the war as a “bigger defeat than Vietnam.”

This negation of American militarism has been felt strongest in Israel, where the Jewish state’s executors in Jerusalem and Washington/New York are throwing a fit. JD Vance, thrown in front of the cameras to own the administration’s retreat before their masters, is now openly telling the furious Jewish-American press “Trump is your [Israel] only ally left in the world.”

Has the White House had enough of Jewish domination of its policies? Is the pause in fighting Iran, which through Persian and Shia tenacity has significantly risen the bar for any continuation of hostilities, permanent?

Not so fast. … continue

Israel massacres sleeping families after heavy losses in south Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | June 19, 2026

The Israeli occupation expanded its aggression against Lebanon overnight into Friday morning, launching a wide bombing campaign across the South, the Bekaa, and Baalbek that left dozens martyred and wounded, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondents.

The expanded campaign came directly on the heels of a battlefield failure for the occupation, after the Lebanese Resistance repelled an Israeli incursion toward Ali al-Taher and Kfar Tibnit in Nabatieh, striking three Merkava tanks.

Israeli media described the night as among the most difficult in “Israel’s” history, reporting four soldiers killed, including a battalion commander, and roughly 17 wounded.

Israeli warplanes carried out a sustained series of bombardments beginning shortly after midnight and continuing past midmorning. … Full article

Iran warns of predetermined ‘reciprocal measure’ in case of US deal breach

Press TV – June 19, 2026

Iran’s top security body has warned of a predetermined countermeasure in the event of a US violation of the newly signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries.

The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued a message on Friday, two days after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his American counterpart Donald Trump remotely signed the MoU that brings about a permanent end to the illegal US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei hailed Iranian officials’ efforts to reach the agreement, while noting that Trump used various leverage points out of desperation.

The SNSC’s Secretariat assured the Leader and the Iranian nation that it will show no leniency in carrying out Ayatollah Khamenei’s orders in safeguarding the rights of the Iranian people and the Resistance Front, honoring the blood of martyrs, and advancing future talks on the basis of the Islamic Republic’s interests and welfare.

The secretariat also noted that it “will not rest until the full rights of the Iranian people are secured and the pure and sacred blood of our martyrs is avenged.”

“In this regard, with complete distrust of the treacherous and covenant-breaking enemy, and with precise monitoring of the process of negotiations and the implementation of the agreements, should any violation or breach occur on the American side, a reciprocal measure will be taken according to the predetermined plan.” … Full article

Switzerland confirms US-Iran talks planned for Friday are cancelled

Al Mayadeen | June 19, 2026

Talks that had been planned for Friday between the United States and Iran at the Burgenstock mountaintop resort in Switzerland will not take place, according to a Swiss foreign ministry statement.

The announcement came after a White House spokesperson said overnight that US Vice President JD Vance had pulled out of a planned trip to meet Iranian negotiators in Switzerland on Friday to begin talks to implement an agreement struck between Tehran and Washington to end the war.

Vance had been expected to travel to Geneva on Friday to begin technical negotiations on implementing the 14-point agreement reached between Tehran and Washington. However, a White House spokesperson said the visit was called off because arrangements for the talks had not been finalized.

A White House statement detailed that Vance and the US delegation were prepared to depart once arrangements had been finalized. “But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable,” the statement added. … continue