Hamas, Syria to restore ties after 10-year dispute
Hamas – the Palestinian Islamist ruling group of the Gaza Strip – will restore ties with Syria after a decade-long dispute over President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on a revolt against his rule.
World News
IAEA report says Iran stepping up uranium enrichment at underground Fordo site
Iran is stepping up uranium enrichment at its underground Fordo nuclear site, according to a confidential International Atomic Energy Agency report seen by the Reuters news agency on Monday.
Dozens Of Chinese Jets Enter Taiwan Air Defense Zone
Dozens of Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense zone Tuesday, prompting the island to scramble jets to halt China’s third-largest incursion this year, Taipei said.
Iran: “The train has not derailed” on nuclear deal talks “despite” US actions
The Iranian regime said Monday that, although the US imposed new sanctions on it last week, the “train has still not derailed” in its stalled talks with world powers about restoring the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.
Lithuania Halting Russian Goods As War Escalates
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appeared close to escalating into a broader military conflict Tuesday after nearby Lithuania blocked shipments of Russian goods subject to European Union sanctions.
Journalist Sells Nobel Medal For $103 Million To Help Ukraine
The Russian editor-in-chief of independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5 million to help Ukraine’s child refugees.
French President Loses Majority In Political Earthquake
Less than two months after re-election, Emmanuel Macron lost control of the French National Assembly in a political earthquake that showed a strong performance by a left alliance and the far right. The outcome underscored concerns within churches about growing social divisions in the country.
China launches its first supercarrier
China launched its first supercarrier in a short and festive June 17 ceremony at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, marking a significant milestone in the growth of its naval power. The carrier was supposed to be launched on April 23 but delays in deliveries of critical components and workforce COVID-19 quarantines hindered progress.
Japan court rules same-sex marriage ban is not unconstitutional
A Japanese court ruled on Monday that a ban on same-sex marriage was not unconstitutional, dealing a setback to LGBTQ rights activists in the only Group of Seven nation that does not allow people of the same gender to marry.
Colombia elects leftist ex-guerrilla to presidency
Former guerrilla militant Gustavo Petro won Colombia’s runoff election on Sunday, becoming the country’s first leftist president with 50.47% of the vote.
Hungary’s President Calls For ‘Union Of Man And Woman’ As She Defends Constitution
Hungary’s recently elected President Katalin Novák has vowed to protect an amendment of the constitution that defines the family “as the union of a man and woman” with children.
Hungary Blocks Biden’s Global Tax Plan In European Union
Hungary has blocked the introduction of U.S. President Joe Biden’s proposed global minimum corporate of 15 percent in the European Union. The EU member state says the Biden tax would undermine its competitive edge in the region as Hungary has the bloc’s lowest corporate tax rate of just 9 percent.
Britain To Train Thousands Of Ukraine Troops
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a second surprise visit to Kyiv, where he offered to launch a significant training operation for thousands of Ukrainian troops.
Dutch PM Apologizes To Troops Over Srebrenica Massacre
The prime minister of the Netherlands has apologized to soldiers who were sent as United Nations peacekeepers to defend the Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica with what he believes was insufficient firepower and manpower to keep the peace. Mark Rutte made the remarks 27 years after thousands of Muslim men and boys were killed in Europe’s worst single atrocity since World War Two, a tragedy condemned by the Vatican.
Ukraine President Visits Injured As Russia Captures More Territory
Ukraine’s war-time President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited his nation’s southern city of Mykolaiv as concerns rise that his forces may suffer from fatigue while they lose territories due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
China accessed data of US TikTok users repeatedly, report says
The Chinese parent company of TikTok had access to American users’ data for months even while U.S. employees did not have access themselves, according to leaked audio.
Millions are facing acute hunger in the worst drought in over a generation
The worst drought in 40 years is combining with the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war there may be thousands of miles away but it’s pushing up the prices of grain and fuel to unprecedented levels.
Marine Le Pen’s far-right party gains newfound power in French election
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party managed to shore up enough seats to form an official parliamentary group for the first time since 1986 in Sunday’s runoff parliamentary elections.
Britain To Extradite Journalist Assange To US
Britain’s government ordered WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States to face espionage and hacking charges, but his site said it would appeal.
Iran digging vast tunnel network south of Natanz nuclear facility
Israeli and American intelligence officials have been watching each day as Iran digs a vast tunnel network just south of the Natanz nuclear production site, The New York Times reported on Thursday.