Quote:President Donald Trump asked on Sunday why there "wouldn't" be "regime change" in Iran if the country's government isn't able to "MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN."
Trump's comments came after multiple top administration officials said that regime change was not the U.S.'s goal in targeting Iran's three main nuclear facilities this weekend.
Why It Matters
Trump on Saturday evening announced what he described as a "very successful attack" against three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
U.S. officials said the attacks caused severe damage, but questions remain about the full extent of the damage and how much of a setback it is for Iran's nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Trump administration for taking an offensive position in the conflict, which Israeli officials have strongly advocated for since Israel first ignited the war on June 13. The Israelis said the U.S. should strike Iran's nuclear facilities because Tehran was getting close to developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies the charge, saying its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.
Trump's decision to launch the strike drew condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans and fueled concerns about a wider war in the Middle East. Several lawmakers also accused the president of breaking the law because he greenlit the strikes without congressional authorization.
Iran, meanwhile, vowed to retaliate, accusing the U.S. of crossing "a very big red line" with its decision to pummel the three nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.
What To Know
Trump mused about the possibility of regime change in Iran on his social media website, Truth Social, on Sunday evening.
"It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???" the president wrote. "MIGA!!!"
Hours earlier, Trump's vice president and defense secretary emphasized in public remarks that the administration was not looking for regime change in Iran.
"This mission was not and has not been about regime change," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Sunday morning.
Vice President JD Vance told NBC News' Kristen Welker in a Meet the Press interview on Sunday that the U.S. was not at war with Iran but rather with its nuclear program.
Tehran, meanwhile, responded to the U.S.'s strikes with a flurry of missiles launched at Israel that injured scores of people and destroyed buildings in Tel Aviv.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also told French President Emmanuel Macron that the country would retaliate, saying, "The U.S. has attacked us; what would you do in such a situation? Naturally, they must receive a response to their aggression."
Quote:Leon Panetta, former Democratic President Barack Obama's defense secretary, defended President Donald Trump's administration's Iran strikes on Sunday, telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the U.S. "didn't have any alternative."
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump on Saturday evening announced what he described as a "very successful attack" against three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The president's decision came after Israel and Iran have exchanged consistent strikes since June 13. Israel had urged the U.S. to target Iran's nuclear facilities, saying that Tehran was moving close to creating a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes—not for weapons.
Panetta's current stance notably contrasts with his 2020 criticism of Trump's targeted killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, when he warned that such actions brought the U.S. "closer to war with Iran than we've been in the last 40 years."
The former director of the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) defense provides crucial bipartisan political cover for Trump's decision, demonstrating rare cross-party agreement on Iran policy despite ongoing criticism from some Democrats and some Republicans about the lack of congressional approval.
What To Know
The Pentagon revealed details of "Operation Midnight Hammer," which involved seven B-2 stealth bombers that targeted the three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday night.
The strikes mark America's direct entry into the escalating Israel-Iran conflict and represent the most significant U.S. military action against Iran's nuclear program in decades. "Operation Midnight Hammer" deployed the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) for the first time operationally, specifically designed to destroy heavily fortified underground facilities like Iran's Fordow enrichment site.
Quote:Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said Sunday that President Donald Trump "has pushed the US into another war" and that countries are "ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads."
Medvedev made the remarks on Telegram, outlining his views on what the Trump administration's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities would lead to moving forward.
"The enrichment of nuclear material—and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons—will continue," Medvedev, a top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, wrote in his Telegram post. "A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads."
Newsweek reached out to the State Department for comment on Sunday morning.
Why It Matters
The Russian official's comment came after the U.S. carried out attacks targeting three nuclear sites across the Persian Gulf nation—at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump described the operation as a "very successful attack" and has now called for "peace," while Iran has said it will retaliate.
Trump's decision came after Israel and Iran have exchanged consistent strikes since June 13. Israel had urged the U.S. to target Iran's nuclear facilities, saying that Tehran was moving close to creating a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian, not military, purposes.
What To Know
Medvedev accused the U.S. of significantly escalating the conflict with its strikes. Since the outbreak of the current conflict, Russian officials have repeatedly raised concerns about escalation—issuing warnings about potential nuclear fallout.
The Russian official laid out the current situation after the U.S. strikes, writing on Telegram: "Israel is under attack, explosions are rocking the country, and people are panicking."
Quote:Arab countries, staunch U.S. allies among them, expressed strong concern over the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as the United States joined Israel in attacking them.
Newsweek contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.
Why It Matters
The reaction of Arab states matters for relations with the United States and for the wider question of diplomacy in the Middle East at the time of its greatest upheaval in decades.
While Arab countries may seek to distance themselves from the attacks, however, this does not mean they would want to rupture the important security relationships that many of them have with the United States and President Donald Trump.
What To Know
Saudi Arabia, which was the first foreign destination for Trump in his second presidency, was among the first to criticize the U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites.
Saudi Arabia said it was following the developments with deep concern and reiterated the denunciation it had made over what it had called Israel's violation of Iran's sovereignty.
Quote:During a Sunday morning press conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that "many presidents have dreamed of delivering the final blow to Iran's nuclear program, and none could until President Trump."
The defense secretary then said to the world's cameras: "We devastated the Iranian nuclear program."
In Israel, though, there's less certainty about whether Iran's nuclear development has been smashed to pieces by U.S. strikes on three of Iran's major nuclear facilities overnight, and whether the country's nuclear program is permanently out of the game.
"Is it fully, fully annihilated? We don't know yet," a senior Israeli official told Newsweek. "Nobody knows yet," added the source, who was granted anonymity to speak freely. "It requires a lot of intelligence work."
Israel and the U.S. both say they are still conducting assessments of the impact of American aircraft, massive "bunker-buster" bombs and submarine-launched cruise missiles on the central Iranian facilities of Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow.
Initial takes suggest "all three sites sustained extremely severe damage," General Dan Caine, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Sunday. Trump late on Saturday described Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities as "completely and totally obliterated."
Yet analysts say it is very hard to judge whether the Iranian nuclear program, shrouded in mystery, has centrifuges squirreled away, or where exactly it is keeping many kilograms of unaccounted-for, highly enriched uranium. There may even still be entire sites no one knows about, experts add, on top of the difficulties working out the extent of destruction to areas so deep underground.
Satellite imagery published on Sunday indicated several large craters at an ash-covered Fordow, damage to buildings at Isfahan and a 5.5-meter diameter crater directly over part of the underground facility at Natanz, according to imagery provider Maxar.
Quote:Iran's envoy to the United Nations has said that the treaty serving as the linchpin for curbing the spread of nuclear weapons has been used to spark conflict rather than promote peace following strikes from the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic.
In a statement delivered Sunday to the U.N. Security Council and shared with Newsweek, Iranian Permanent Representative to the U.N. Amir Saeid Iravani said the "pattern is evident" in observing what he viewed to be the exploitation and misuse of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
"The NPT, a cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime, has been manipulated into a political weapon," Iravani said. "Instead of guaranteeing parties' legitimate rights to peaceful nuclear energy, it has been exploited as a pretext for aggression and unlawful action that jeopardize the supreme interests of my country."
Iran, which Iravani described as "a responsible party to the UN Charter and the NPT and a non-nuclear weapon state," has always denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Israel and the U.S. have challenged this premise, citing Iran's decision to significantly ramp up uranium enrichment beyond levels required for peaceful purposes.
Iravani took aim at the U.S. as "a permanent member of this Council, the depository of the NPT, and the only state that has ever used nuclear weapons," as well as Israel, as "an outlaw nuclear-armed regime that refuses to join the NPT despite Security Council Resolution 487."
He warned that, in the wake of these attacks and past Israeli strikes against nuclear sites elsewhere in the Middle East, "there is no assurance that other NPT members will not face similar aggression."
Quote:Asenior Iranian lawmaker has stated that fellow members of the Islamic Republic's parliament were considering a withdrawal from a multilateral treaty aimed at curbing the proliferation of nuclear weapons after a series of unprecedented U.S. strikes.
To date, North Korea is the only nation to have acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and subsequently withdraw. One other country, South Sudan, opted not to accede to the treaty after gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, joining India, Israel and Pakistan as the world's only non-NPT states.
Pyongyang officially left the NPT in January 2003, just two months before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, citing concerns that the United States was planning a preemptive attack against North Korea, and went on to conduct the nation's first nuclear weapons test in 2006.
Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and has yet to signal any shift in its official doctrine. However, officials and lawmakers have increasingly questioned the nation's commitment to the NPT and other international obligations in the wake of a campaign of strikes launched by Israel last week and joined by the U.S. on Saturday.
In what may be the most serious indication that such a move was being weighed, the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency cited Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, as saying Sunday that "a review of the NPT treaty and Iran's non-membership in it were among the common demands" of lawmakers, which "are scheduled to be on the parliament's agenda."
He also said that "most members of the committee strongly criticized the performance of the International Atomic Energy Agency and called for the cessation of cooperation or suspension of relations with this institution."
Reached for comment, the Iranian Mission to the United Nations shared with Newsweek remarks delivered Sunday to the U.N. Security Council by Iranian Permanent Representative Amir Saeid Iravani in which he made multiple references to the NPT and the international community's apparent failure to uphold the non-proliferation regime.
Referencing Iran as "a responsible party to the UN Charter and the NPT and a non-nuclear weapon state," he condemned the strikes conducted by the United States, "a permanent member of this Council, the depository of the NPT, and the only state that has ever used nuclear weapons, murdering millions in two cities" as well as Israel, "an outlaw nuclear-armed regime that refuses to join the NPT despite Security Council Resolution 487."
Quote:Following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, the Iranian Parliament has voted in support of closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints, according to media reports.
Any final decision on retaliation, however, will rest with the country's Supreme National Security Council and leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The parliament vote merely advises him of the option to pursue.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House by email on Sunday morning for comment.
Why It Matters
The U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites—dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer"—in Isfahan, Fordow and Natanz marks the first direct involvement of America in the escalating crises between Iran and Israel.
The action has received backlash, with many citing the lack of congressional approval for the military move.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, the strait is about 21 miles wide, with two shipping lanes that are 2 miles wide in each direction.
Around 20 percent of global oil trade passes through the Strait. Some experts have said that if Iran were to cut off access to the Strait, it could spike oil prices by 30 to 50 percent immediately, with gas prices likewise rising by as much as $5 per gallon.
During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, Iran targeted oil tankers and oil loading facilities. These actions did not fully block the Strait but caused sharp increases in shipping insurance premiums and delayed maritime traffic.
Quote:Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a new warning that the United States must face consequences for its attacks on nuclear facilities within the country.
...
The U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites—dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer"—in Isfahan, Fordow and Natanz marks the first direct involvement of America in the escalating crises between Iran and Israel.
Israel initially struck Tehran and several other cities in "Operation Rising Lion," a campaign it said was meant to preempt a planned Iranian attack and disrupt Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Iran, which has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, has since retaliated, though Israeli defense systems—bolstered by U.S. military technology—have intercepted about 99 percent of incoming missile fire, according to Israeli officials on Saturday morning in an X, formerly Twitter, post. Iran hit a hospital in southern Israel on Thursday, and local reports noted that buildings in Tel Aviv were on fire from Iranian missiles on Friday.
The U.S. is Israel's closest ally, providing billions of dollars in military aid annually.
Meanwhile, many politicians on both sides have criticized Trump's decision to strike Iran without congressional approval.
What To Know
During a Sunday phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pezeshkian said that the U.S. must "receive a response to their aggression," according to Iran's official news agency, IRNA, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Pezeshkian directly confronted Washington's approach to negotiations, telling the French leader that in previous U.S.-Iran talks mediated by Oman, America "used to say something different at the negotiating table than in practice."
The Iranian president framed the conflict in broader terms, referencing "ongoing US-backed Israeli aggression on Iran" and asserting that Iran has "firmly defended ourselves" against military attacks. He emphasized Iran's continued willingness to engage diplomatically "within the framework of international laws," while accusing the other side of demanding "Iran's surrender."
Saturday's U.S. operation involved seven B-2 stealth bombers dropping 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs on the heavily fortified Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities, while Tomahawk cruise missiles struck the Isfahan site. The 25-minute operation utilized 125 aircraft total and marked the first combat deployment of the massive "bunker buster" bombs.
Adding to the dramatic escalation, Pezeshkian personally participated in protests in Tehran denouncing the U.S. strikes, with state television broadcasting images of the president moving through crowds in a central Tehran square.
Quote:Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, ripped President Donald Trump for his military attack against Iran on Saturday, saying the move is "absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment."
Democrats are splintered on Trump's move to strike the Middle Eastern country amid days of back-and-forth strikes between Israel and Iran as tensions catapulted amid nuclear concerns.
Newsweek previously reached out to the White House via email for comment on the strikes.
Why It Matters
Over the past few days, the conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated dramatically, with Trump calling for the evacuation of Tehran, Iran's capital city home to over 9.5 million people.
Israel initially struck Tehran and several other cities in "Operation Rising Lion," a campaign it said was meant to preempt a planned Iranian attack and disrupt Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Iran, which has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, has since retaliated, though Israeli defense systems—bolstered by U.S. military technology—have intercepted about 99 percent of incoming missile fire, according to Israeli officials in Saturday morning in an X, formerly Twitter, post. Iran hit a hospital in southern Israel on Thursday, and local reports noted that buildings in Tel Aviv were on fire from Iranian missiles on Friday.
The United States is Israel's closest ally, providing billions of dollars in military aid annually. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that Trump was expected to make a decision about whether to directly support Israel in its attacks against Iran within the next two weeks.
What To Know
Trump announced the military action on Truth Social on Saturday evening saying the U.S. attacked sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan in Iran. The president said all planes are now out of Iranian air space and "safely on their way home." The president addressed the nation at 10 p.m. ET regarding the strikes.
Quote:A federal judge in Massachusetts dealt a new legal blow to the Trump administration in its fight with Harvard University involving international students, as the president said a "historic" deal could be in the works.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump and his administration have cracked down on Ivy League institutions like Harvard and Columbia University since he took office in January, accusing the universities of perpetrating antisemitism by allowing pro-Palestinian student activism on campus.
The Department of Homeland Security also terminated nearly $3 million in grants to Harvard after the university defied a list of demands that included discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, reforming student discipline policies and implementing a mask ban.
The Trump administration recently said it would revoke the certification for Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which enables the university to enroll international students. A judge issued a temporary restraining order to halt the policy.
What To Know
In the new ruling on Friday, Judge Allison Burroughs, an Obama nominee, ruled with Harvard, saying that the Trump administration is "Enjoined from implementing, instituting, maintaining, or giving any force or effect" to revoking Harvard's SEVP and Exchange Visitor Program.
In a post to Truth Social following the ruling, Trump then floated a possible "deal" with the school.
"Many people have been asking what is going on with Harvard University and their largescale improprieties that we have been addressing, looking for a solution. We have been working closely with Harvard, and it is very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so," the president wrote.
"They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right. If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Quote:California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday challenged Vice President JD Vance to a debate after the vice president visited Los Angeles and accused him of "egging on" violent disorder in the city.
In a post on his X, formerly Twitter, account, the governor wrote to Vance: "...Since you're so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face?"
Newsweek contacted Vance for comment on Saturday via email to the White House press office outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have expanded their operations in Los Angeles and across the country as President Donald Trump seeks to deliver on his campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in United States history.
ICE conducted raids in Los Angeles and faced large protests in the city that largely remained peaceful with some instances of violence that prompted Trump to order the deployment of 4,000 members of California's National Guard and 700 U.S. Marines to assist in stopping violence, even as Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass insisted local law enforcement had the matter under control and a legal battle has pursued.
The raids are following legal directive from federal authorities, but critics have raised concerns about the treatment of migrants by federal authorities as well as the tactics used by immigration agents during the raids.
What To Know
During his visit to Los Angeles on Friday to meet with troops, including Marines who were been deployed to protect federal buildings in the city, Vance said rioters had been "egged on" by Newsom and Bass, telling reporters: "The president has a very simple proposal to everybody in every city, every community, every town whether big or small. If you enforce your own laws and if you protect federal law enforcement, we're not going to send in the national guard because it's unnecessary.
He added: "But if you let violent rioters burn great American cities to the ground, then of course we're going to send in federal law enforcement to protect the people the president was elected to protect."
Quote:Justice Samuel Alito said a U.S. Supreme Court's ruling requires judges to engage in "mind-bending exercises" in a dissent on Friday.
Alito said under the court's decision, the judge must review "the nature and circumstances" of a defendant's offense but is not allowed to consider "the seriousness of the offense."
"The Court interprets the Sentencing Reform Act to mean that a federal district-court judge, when considering whether to impose or alter a term of supervised release, must engage in mind-bending exercises," Alito wrote in a dissent, joined by Justice Neil Gorsuch.
Why It Matters
The court's ruling could influence what judges take into account when considering changes to the terms of a supervised release.
What To Know
The case centers around Edgardo Esteras, who was arrested and charged with domestic violence and other crimes while on supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin. A district court revoked his supervised release and ordered 24 months of reimprisonment, arguing that his sentence must "promote respect for the law."
The Supreme Court said the district court was not permitted to consider a statute requiring the sentence to "reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense."
Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered the court's majority opinion. She wrote that "text, structure, and precedent all point in the same direction" in finding that district courts cannot consider the seriousness of the offense in revoking supervised release.
Barrett said district courts "generally enjoy discretion over sentencing," but Congress chose to limit their discretion in this instance.
Alito said the court failed to consider the practical application of its ruling.
"Veteran trial judges often complain that their appellate colleagues live in a world of airy abstractions and do not give enough thought to the practical effects of their holdings. Today's decision is likely to earn the rank of Exhibit A in the trial bench's catalog of appellate otherworldliness," Alito said.
Alito argued that the court's ruling lacks textual support and "it does not solve the problem faced by a judge who is compelled to consider the nature and circumstances of an offense but forbidden to consider its seriousness."
Quote:Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized the majority's ruling in a case over fuel providers challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) approval of California's vehicle emissions regulations, writing in a Friday dissent that the decision comes at a "reputational cost" for the court, according to documents reviewed by Newsweek.
She added that the decision gives "fodder" to the perception that "moneyed interests, enjoy an easier road to relief in this Court than ordinary citizens."
Why It Matters
In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court reversed the D.C. Circuit and sided with fuel producers, ruling they have Article III standing to challenge the EPA's approval of California's vehicle emissions regulations.
California's regulations "require automakers to limit average greenhouse-gas emissions across their vehicle fleets and manufacture a certain percentage of electric vehicles," the lawsuit reads. Several fuel producers sued the EPA over its approval of California's regulations, arguing the agency exceeded its authority under the Clean Air Act by approving regulations that target "global climate change rather than local California air quality problems."
Jackson's dissent raised concerns about public perception of favoritism and the court being swayed by powerful interests. Confidence in the Supreme Court has steadily declined for decades, with 47 percent of Americans viewing the court favorably and 51 percent unfavorably, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. In 1987, 76 percent held a favorable view, while just 17 percent viewed the court unfavorably.
What To Know
In Diamond Alternative Energy v. Environmental Protection Agency, Justice Brett Kavanaugh issued the majority opinion, joined by Justice Elena Kagan, one of the court's liberals, holding that fuel producers have standing to challenge the EPA's approval of the California regulations.
In her dissent, Jackson called out the majority's application of "standing doctrine," writing that "When courts adjust standing requirements to let certain litigants challenge the actions of the political branches but preclude suits by others with similar injuries, standing doctrine cannot perform its constraining function."
...
What People Are Saying
Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, told NBC on Friday: "I don't think this case is an example of the court being inconsistent or somehow more favorable to moneyed interests than other sorts of interests. It's not like the court has closed the door on environmental groups."
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the majority opinion: "Justice Jackson separately argues that the Court does not apply standing doctrine 'evenhandedly'...A review of standing cases over the last few years disproves that suggestion."
California lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces and require visible identification during operations.
The bill was prompted by rising concerns over agents wearing masks during recent ICE raids.
The bill includes exemptions for health and safety situations and would make violations a misdemeanor.
LOS ANGELES - Local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who cover their faces while conducting official business could face a misdemeanor charge in California under a new proposal announced Monday.
What we know: If approved, the bill would require all law enforcement officials to show their faces and be identifiable by their uniform, which should carry their name or other identifier. It would not apply to the National Guard or other troops and it would exempt SWAT teams and officers responding to natural disasters.
What they're saying: State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat representing San Francisco, and State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, a Democrat representing Berkeley and Oakland, said the proposal seeks to boost transparency and public trust in law enforcement. It also looks to protect against people trying to impersonate law enforcement, they said.
"We are seeing more and more law enforcement officers, particularly at the federal level, covering their faces entirely, not identifying themselves at all and, at times, even wearing army fatigues where we can’t tell if these are law enforcement officers or a vigilante militia," Wiener said.
"They are grabbing people off our streets and disappearing people, and it’s terrifying," he added.
"Law enforcement officers are public servants and people should be able to see their faces, see who they are, know who they are. Otherwise, there is no transparency and no accountability," Wiener said.
Reason for bill's proposal
Dig deeper: Videos of ICE raids showing masked officers using unmarked vehicles and detaining people have sparked concern across California.
Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor in California and an expert on national and state police practices, said the proposed legislation would be tough to enforce because federal officers can’t be prosecuted by state courts for activities performed during their official duties.
"If they are following federal directives, they are following federal law," Obayashi said.
... The other side:
Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, has defended his officers using facemasks, saying they wear them to protect themselves from death threats and online harassment.
"I’m sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I’m not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line, their family on the line because people don’t like what immigration enforcement is," he said at a news conference earlier this month in Boston to announce nearly 1,500 arrests in the region as part of a monthlong "surge operation."
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
[It also mentions the failed attack against the US air base near Doha, Qatar.]
Quote:President Trump announced in a Monday evening post on Truth Social that Israel and Iran have agreed in principle to a cease-fire that would halt what he branded “the 12 Day War.”
“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!” Trump wrote.
“Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL.”
Trump added: “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’ This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will!”
There was no immediate confirmation from Israel or Iran that a halt to the fighting was in prospect.
The name “12-Day War” would reflect a military triumph for Israel in its campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities — and is a callback to the Six-Day War of 1967, in which the Jewish state swiftly defeated a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
Vice President JD Vance hailed the development in a Fox News interview minutes after the announcement.
“The president without — knock on wood — having a single American casualty, obliterated the Iranian nuclear program,” he said.
“We have to talk to Iran and, of course, Israel about what the future holds … to build a long-term settlement.”
Trump announced the apparent breakthrough hours after Iran lobbed rockets at an American military facility in Qatar in symbolic retribution for Saturday’s US bomb-and-missile attack on three Iranian nuclear sites.
The president said Tehran provided a heads-up in advance of its response and most of the rockets were shot down before reaching their target, the Al Udeid Air Base southwest of Qatar’s capital, Doha.
Quote:Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei broke his silence on his country’s retaliation against the US, vowing that Tehran will not tolerate “harassment.”
“We didn’t harm anyone. And we will not accept any harassment from anyone under any circumstances. And we will not submit to anyone’s harassment,” Khamenei said in a Farsi-language post on X, according to a translation.
“This is the logic of the Iranian nation.”
Khamenei, 86, is rumored to be in hiding amid ongoing strikes by Israeli forces.
Monday night’s missile attacks against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar are not believed to have caused any deaths, injuries or damage.
Quote:Iran fired missiles at a US military base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation for US air strikes on the regime’s nuclear facilities over the weekend — a response President Trump mocked as “very weak” on social media.
“CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!” Trump said, capping off a barrage of Truth Social posts in the wake of Iran’s thwarted counterattack.
Iranian officials had reportedly telegraphed the attack to Qatar, and 13 of the 14 projectiles were shot down before they reached their targets, Trump said, dramatic video showed the missiles exploding mid-flight as they were intercepted by Qatari air defenses over the Persian Gulf.
Later, Qatari officials said a total of 19 missiles were launched from Iran targeting Al Udeid Air Base — and that one impacted the facility without any casualties.
The tepid attack could indicate that the Islamic Republic is both running low on missiles and that it’s looking for an off-ramp in hostilities with the US.
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done,” Trump wrote. “Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” he added before piling on more taunts.
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost and nobody to be injured.”
A military official told The Post the US has no plan on responding to the “failed retaliation.”
Explosions were heard over the Qatari capital Doha, while video showed air defense missiles being deployed following what Iran called operation “Blessings of Victory.”
A “devastating and powerful missile” was fired at Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement shared by Iran state media.
Bystanders, including NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin, posited videos of projectiles streaking across the sky of the Gulf nation.
Some 10,000 US troops are based at Al Udeid, which serves as the forward HQ for US Central Command.
Quote:President Trump warned Monday that the US is willing and able to use “the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built” after Russia’s former president suggested “a number of countries” could help Iran rebuild its nuclear program.
On Sunday, Dmitry Medvedev, who served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012, rebuked the previous day’s US strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities, warning on X: “The enrichment of nuclear material — and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons — will continue.”
“A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,” added Medvedev, who has a history of aggressive and outlandish statements on social media. “Trump can forget about the Nobel Peace Prize.”
“Did I hear Former President Medvedev, from Russia, casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran? Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination?” Trump responded on Truth Social Monday.
“If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY. The ‘N word’ should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS.’
“By the way,” the 79-year-old continued, ” if anyone thinks our ‘hardware’ was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines.
“They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly. So, in addition to our Great Fighter Pilots, thank you to the Captain and Crew!”
Medvedev, 59, appeared to back off in a subsequent message on X.
“Regarding President Trump’s concerns: I condemn the US strike on Iran — it failed to achieve its objectives. However, Russia has no intention of supplying nuclear weapons to Iran because, unlike Israel, we are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” he said.
“I know quite well what this would entail, having overseen our nuclear forces as president. But other countries might — and that’s what was said,” he continued. “And we definitely shouldn’t be arguing over who has more nukes.”
The Kremlin has long aligned itself with the theocratic regime in Tehran, and received support from Iran in its war against Ukraine, particularly through the supply of drone technology.
Over the weekend, Vice President JD Vance hit back at Medvedev’s stunning remarks about giving Iran a nuke.
So Medvedev suddenly stopped barking at Trump after being reminded of all the nuclear arsenal the US has available for future wars.
Quote:While President Trump has announced that Iran’s “key” nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan have been “completely and totally obliterated,” experts said there could be more locations of concern.
David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, told The Post that at least one other location in Iran has been dug out and could be turned into a uranium enrichment facility.
In 2022, Albright published a report placing a new “underground complex … south of the main uranium enrichment site” at Natanz.
Satellite photos taken of the Fordow nuclear facility days before the bombing, show cargo trucks lined up in front.
“We don’t know was taken away but, obviously, it was something important,” Albright acknowledged. “They had stocks [of enriched uranium] and they had centrifuges. So, those are things they could have removed.”
As for whether the materials could have been taken to the additional facility he wrote about, Albright said, “Could be. But I think Israel would know that — they certainly are capable of following those trucks.
“I think it would be very risky,” he added. “I think Iran is too worried and too scared to really start a [new] enrichment plant, let alone make a move to produce nuclear grade uranium and a nuclear weapon right now.”
While he believes there is a low probability that Iran could be ready to get another facility up and running quickly, Albright said, “You want to make sure that they’re not having a couple thousand centrifuges somewhere, enriching 60% enriched uranium. But I don’t think they would do that. I think they’re just too disorganized and in shock to do that now — but wait six months.”
Quote:White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded CNN retract a story on Sunday that claimed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries were not briefed on President Donald Trump’s strike on Iran.
Trump launched "Operation: Midnight Hammer" on Saturday and struck three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities in a surprise attack. The White House announced the success of the attack later that night.
CNN reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, both Republicans, were briefed on the strikes ahead of time, with Schumer and Jeffries, both Democrats, receiving notifications only before the public announcement and well after the attack.
Leavitt called the report "fake news" on X.
"This is Fake News. The White House made bipartisan courtesy calls to Congressional Leadership and spoke to @SenSchumer before the strike. @RepJeffries could not be reached until after, but he was briefed. @CNN please retract," Leavitt wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer and Jeffries’ offices for comment.
The CNN report added that Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Rep. Jim Himes, D-Ct., who are members of the intelligence committees in the Senate and House respectively, were not told until after the strikes.
CNN didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Both Schumer and Jeffries released statements over the weekend condemning Trump for the strikes on Iran.
Although both criticized Trump for not seeking congressional authorization for the attack, neither claimed that they were not briefed or notified before the actual strike.
In his statement, Schumer called on Thune to enforce the War Powers Act.
"No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy," Schumer said.
Quote:Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday declared a state of emergency for the Big Apple and much of the rest of New York thanks to a suffocating heat wave set to shatter 125-year-old records.
Deadly thunderstorms and flash flooding were already rocking upstate over the weekend, and a days-long heat wave stretching across the Northeast could push temperatures past 100 at least one day this week — with the humidity only warming things up further, forecasters warned.
Monday’s temperatures in the city will soar close to 100 degrees, and Tuesday, they are set to hit a sweltering 102, forecasters said. Both days stand to shatter previous heat records, which were 96 degrees in Central Park in 1888.
Storms in central New York on Saturday night brought in high winds and heavy rains that toppled trees and crushed homes, killing at least three people in Oneida County — including young twin girls, according to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department.
Hochul declared the state of emergency there, the baking Apple, Long Island and counties including Westchester — freeing up extra resources for areas in need.
“Our hearts break for the tragic loss of life during last night’s storms, and my administration has been in touch with local elected officials offering support,” Hochul said in a press release.
“State emergency response personnel are already on the ground providing resources and support as we work to recover from this severe weather and restore power quickly,” she said.
Quote:The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Trump administration can resume deporting migrants to countries other than their home nation with limited notice.
In a 6–3 decision that broke down along ideological lines, the justices stayed an April ruling by a Boston federal judge that stymied the rapid deportation effort.
The conservative majority did not provide a rationale for their ruling but liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor penned a scathing 19-page dissent that was joined by fellow liberals Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
“In matters of life and death, it is best to proceed with caution,” Sotomayor wrote. “In this case, the Government took the opposite approach.”
“This Court now intervenes to grant the Government emergency relief from an order it has repeatedly defied. I cannot join so gross an abuse of the Court’s equitable discretion.”
On April 18, Boston-based US District Judge Brian Murphy issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from rapidly moving migrants to so-called “third countries” unless several prerequisites were met.
The Supreme Court’s order is in effect while the Boston-based First Circuit Court of Appeals considers the White House’s appeal of Murphy’s injunction.
Last month, the Trump administration moved to deport eight migrants to war-torn South Sudan, six of whom had been convicted of violent offenses including murder, arson, robbery, and sexual assault. Those individuals are now being held at a US naval base in the east African country of Djibouti while litigation plays out.
Of the eight migrants, two each are from Cuba and Myanmar, while the others are from Laos, Mexico, South Sudan and Vietnam. A Trump administration official previously claimed the deportees’ crimes were so “monstrous and barbaric” that no other country would take them.
Murphy ruled last month that the Trump administration “unquestionably” violated his ruling and suggested officials could be found in criminal contempt. Trump’s team petitioned the Supreme Court to halt the April preliminary injunction in response.
In her dissent, Sotomayor argued the high court’s ruling had exposed “thousands to the risk of torture or death.”
“The government has made clear in word and deed that it feels itself unconstrained by law, free to deport anyone anywhere without notice or an opportunity to be heard,” she added.
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin wrote in a X post that the ruling meant it was time to “[f]ire up the deportation planes.”
“The SCOTUS ruling is a victory for the safety and security of the American people,” she added. “The Biden Administration allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood our country, and, now, the Trump Administration can exercise its undisputed authority to remove these criminal illegal aliens and clean up this national security nightmare … DHS can now execute its lawful authority and remove illegal aliens to a country willing to accept them.”
Quote:Customs and Border Protection is warning agents about possible terrorist “sleeper cells” in the US after more than 700 Iranian nationals were let into the US after crossing illegally under the Biden administration, according to a leaked memo obtained by The Post.
Iranian migrants are considered to be “special interest aliens” and are supposed to undergo additional vetting by the feds for possible terrorism ties.
Under the Biden administration, over 1,500 Iranian migrants were caught crossing the border illegally and nearly 50% of them were released into the US, according to Fox News.
Border agents are now being put on high alert of the possibility of Iranians using the border to carry out attacks on the US following the Trump administration’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott cited “Iran’s hatred for the United States and their desire to harm America and Americans,” in Saturday’s memo to border agents.
“Over the past four years, thousands of Iranian national have been documented entering the United States illegally and countless more were likely in the known and unknown got-a-ways,” Scott wrote.
“Though we have not received any specific credible threats to share with you all currently, the threat of sleeper cells or sympathizers acting on their own, or at the behest of Iran has never been higher,” he added.
Scott asked border agents “to remain hyper vigilant and continue to take appropriate precautions, while maintaining a heightened level of situational awareness both on and off-duty.”
The Trump administration carried out surprise strikes Saturday night on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” in an effort to cripple the Islamic Republic’s nuclear weapons development.
Quote:A hardcore Democratic Socialists of America operative whose partner is a member of a designated terrorist organization is a New York City employee — and his Campaign Finance Board position gives him access to sensitive information about anyone running for office and the ability to selectively enforce or influence compliance.
Most New Yorkers don’t give the city’s Campaign Finance Board much thought. Perhaps they should.
DSA member Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old assemblyman, surged ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a stunning Emerson College poll released Monday, a day before the Democratic primary — after the board denied the erstwhile frontrunner $1.3 million in matching funds.
Mamdani has received millions in matching funds from the board, more than any other candidate.
The city Campaign Finance Board was created as a neutral watchdog ensuring candidates follow rules, disclose donors and qualify fairly for public matching funds.
Yet David Duhalde, senior candidate services liaison for the board, is a lead DSA member going all in on electing Mamdani, as his social media show.
Duhalde’s role lets him access sensitive details about any candidate for mayor, including compliance records and strategic data. He can, in theory, selectively influence how strictly rules are enforced.
And he’s worked with his chosen candidate before: Mamdani tweeted in 2022 to someone looking for event space, “Duhalde’s sending you a dm.”
Duhalde is a longtime DSA organizer and in April stepped down as DSA Fund chair after five years.
“It was a heavy decision, but I would like to dedicate more time to my own public sector union activism,” he said.
Quote:NATO members agreed on Sunday to a big increase in their defence spending target to 5% of gross domestic product, as demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump, but Spain said it did not need to comply just days before a summit in The Hague meant to be a show of unity.
NATO officials had been anxious to find consensus on a summit statement on a new spending commitment ahead of Wednesday’s gathering. But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared on Thursday he would not commit to the 5% target.
NATO boss Mark Rutte has proposed to reach the target by boosting NATO’s core defence spending goal from 2% to 3.5% of GDP and spending an extra 1.5% on related items like cyber security and adapting roads and bridges for military vehicles.
After diplomats agreed on a compromise text on Sunday, Sanchez swiftly proclaimed Spain would not have to meet the 5% target as it would only have to spend 2.1% of GDP to meet NATO’s core military requirements.
“We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, but we are not going to do so,” Sanchez said in an address on Spanish television.
Spain spent 1.24% of GDP on defence in 2024, or about 17.2 billion euros ($19.8 billion), according to NATO estimates, making it the lowest spender in the alliance as a share of its economic output.
NATO officials argue big defence spending increases are needed to counter a growing threat from Russia and to allow Europe to take on more responsibility for its own security as the United States shifts its military focus to China.
TRUMP CRITICISM
Sanchez’s stance risked setting up a summit clash with Trump, who has frequently accused European countries of not spending enough on defence and threatened not to defend them if they do not meet their targets.
On Friday, Trump said Spain “has to pay what everybody else has to pay” and Madrid was “notorious” for low defence spending.
However, he also suggested the U.S. should not have to meet the new target, as the U.S. had spent large amounts to protect the continent over a long period. Washington spent an estimated 3.19% of GDP on defence in 2024, NATO says.
Quote:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was the target of an assassination plot to be carried out by a Polish pensioner who had first been recruited by the Soviet Union decades ago, the head of the country's internal security agency said.
Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, head of Ukraine's SBU, the main internal security agency of the Ukrainian government, detailed the alleged plot in a closed briefing with Ukrainian media.
Malyuk said the Polish man was activated by Russia with a plan to take out Zelensky at Poland's Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport using either a first-person view drone or a sniper rifle, TSN reported.
The would-be assassin was a firm believer in Soviet ideology, RBC reported, and maintained his beliefs for years. But the plot was foiled by a joint effort between the SBU and the Polish internal security service (ABW).
...
Zelensky has been the target of many foiled assassination plots since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In 2023, Zelensky said he had lost track of how many times there had been attempts on his life.
In May 2024, Ukraine said it had detained two Ukrainian colonels from its state security department who had leaked information to Russia and were plotting to kill Zelensky and other senior officials.
Ukraine War Latest
Russian drones and missiles killed at least 14 civilians and injured several dozen others in Ukraine in overnight attacks, local officials said Monday, with nine deaths reported in the capital, Kyiv, where an apartment building partially collapsed.
The attacks came as Zelensky began a visit to the United Kingdom, where he met privately with King Charles III.
Russia-Ukraine peace talks are set to resume soon in Istanbul, as the war wages on in the background with no end in sight.
Russia fired 352 drones and decoys overnight, as well as 11 ballistic missiles and five cruise missiles, Ukraine's air force said. Air defenses intercepted or jammed 339 drones and 15 missiles before they could reach their targets, a statement said.
A Russian ballistic missile strike destroyed a high school later in the day in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, killing two staff, authorities said. No children were on the premises because of the summer vacation, said Zelensky, who described the strike as "absolutely insane."
The strikes came nearly a week after a Russian attack killed 28 people in Kyiv, 23 of them in a residential building that collapsed after a direct hit from a missile.
Russia's Summer Push
Russian forces have been trying to drive deeper into Ukraine as part of a summer push along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, though the Institute for the Study of War said they have failed to make significant inroads.
"Russian forces are largely relying on poorly trained infantry to make gains in the face of Ukraine's drone-based defense," the Washington-based think tank said late Sunday.
Quote:The Philippines has released footage showing the Chinese coast guard deploying water cannons to drive away a fisheries bureau vessel operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment.
Why It Matters
China claims the South China Sea as its territory, citing vague historic rights. Beijing has dismissed as invalid a 2016 decision by a Hague-based arbitral court that rejected these claims. Since 2023, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has pushed back against the growing presence of Chinese maritime forces within the country's exclusive economic zone.
This challenge has been met with Chinese blockades at disputed features and increasingly forceful measures, raising concerns that a miscalculation could trigger Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington and draw the United States into a conflict with China.
What To Know
On Friday morning, four vessels from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources arrived at Scarborough Shoal—a rich fishing ground—to distribute fuel subsidies to more than 20 local fishing boats, Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
At around 10 a.m., Chinese coast guard ships moved in and began conducting "aggressive maneuvers," Tarriela said.
One Chinese vessel came within 16 yards of the Philippine ship BRP Datu Taradapit, about 18 miles southwest of Scarborough Shoal, carrying out blocking maneuvers and firing its water cannon, at one point striking the port quarter of the Philippine vessel, according to Tarriela.
Another Chinese coast guard cutter fired its water cannon at the BRP Datu Tamblot, another fisheries bureau vessel, about 20 miles southeast of the shoal, but did not strike the boat directly.
Tarriela said the Chinese ships monitored in the area included six coast guard vessels, two navy warships, and a number of ships belonging to the so-called Maritime Militia—paramilitary vessels that China describes as patriotic fishermen.
"Despite the unprofessional and illegal actions of the Chinese Coast Guard, which endangered Filipino crew members and fishermen, BFAR vessels remained resolute in their mission to protect local fishing boats," Tarriela said.
Quote:With only a few days to go before Jeff Bezos' lavish wedding to former television journalist Lauren Sanchez, protests continue in the Italian city that the billionaire has chosen for the ceremony.
Activists from the international environmental group Greenpeace and campaign group Everyone Hates Elon unfurled a giant banner on Monday in Venice's St. Mark's Square, calling for Bezos to pay higher taxes.
"If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax," the 65x65 inches banner featuring a giant smiling Bezos reads.
Why Are Venetians Mad at Jeff Bezos?
As soon as Venice's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, confirmed in March that Bezos wanted to celebrate his nuptials in the city, anger has been boiling among many residents over the Amazon founder taking over their home.
The three-day celebration, scheduled for later this week, is expected to have famous guests, including Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger and Ivanka Trump. While not many details of the event have been shared with the public for security reasons, the wedding will take over the entire island of San Giorgio, located opposite St. Mark's Square, blocking parts of the city to both locals and tourists.
Not only will residents have to plan their routes around the restrictions caused by the wedding, but they will also likely find that most of the city's water taxis have already been booked by Bezos and his guests. Part of the port of Venice, on the other hand, will be occupied by Bezos' super yacht, which will be docked there during the dayslong event.
While city and regional authorities who greenlit the wedding said that the event will bring prestige and wealth to the city, residents already struggling with overtourism and the rising costs of housing are skeptical.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Quote:China hit back at what it said was misinformation that stoked confrontation after NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte sounded the alarm about Beijing's "massive military buildup" and its support for Russia in the Ukraine war.
Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, accused Rutte of worsening global tensions with his remarks and vilifying China's "normal military development" at a press briefing on Thursday.
He called it "just another excuse of NATO in order to drastically increase the military spending and the reach beyond its border so as to have a presence in the Asia-Pacific."
NATO, a U.S.-led collective defensive alliance centered on Europe, has increasingly turned its attention to China in recent years, viewing the Asian giant as a systemic challenge due to its growing global influence, cyber activities, espionage and deepening strategic alignment with Russia.
Rutte Raises China Threat at NATO
Ahead of the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Rutte spoke of the importance of the alliance's relationship with Asia-Pacific powers, naming Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, specifically in the context of China's military buildup.
Two NATO allies, the U.S. and U.K., have embarked on a partnership with Australia, called AUKUS, to provide it with long-range nuclear submarines and enhance patrols in the Indo-Pacific region.
Rutte also said NATO is concerned about China and North Korea "ramping up" Russia in Moscow's "unprovoked attack on Ukraine". China primarily supports Russia with large oil purchases to help it sidestep Western sanctions. It denies sending any weapons.
China Says NATO 'Fanning the Flames'
China said NATO has ambitions beyond its key European region.
"NATO claims itself as a regional organization but keeps reaching beyond the geopolitical scope defined in its treaty and uses Eurasian security connectivity as an excuse to have a presence in the Asia-Pacific," Guo Jiakun said.
"The international community sees this clearly and countries in the Asia-Pacific are on high alert."
On Ukraine, Guo Jiakun said China is "committed to peace talks and actively promotes the political settlement of the crisis. We never provide weapons to any party to the conflict and strictly controls the export of dual-use articles."
Quote:A senior Chinese defense official on Thursday accused the U.S. of betraying Beijing's trust by continuing to sell arms to self-ruled Taiwan.
The remarks at the Chinese Defense Ministry's month-end press conference were a direct response to recent testimony given by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had described China as America's "pacing threat."
Why It Matters
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own, although the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled there. Taipei is a key U.S. security partner in the center of the so-called first island chain in the Western Pacific.
The U.S. is Taiwan's biggest arms supplier, allowing the island push back against Beijing's sovereignty claims for decades. However, Taipei may soon find itself overwhelmed by China's growing hard power across the Taiwan Strait.
At a Pentagon budget hearing earlier in June, Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee that recent Chinese military exercises around Taiwan point to Beijing's preparations to attack before the end of the decade.
What To Know
"The U.S. side has repeatedly broken its promises and insisted on arming Taiwan. This will only lead to its own fire and suffering," Chinese defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang told reporters in Beijing.
Washington sells defensive weapons to Taiwan under the auspices of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. China doesn't recognize the legitimacy of the U.S. domestic law and sought in February to warn President Donald Trump against further weapons transfers.
Zhang did not elaborate on what he meant by "broken its promises" but appeared to be referring to a 1982 U.S.-China joint communique, in which Beijing said Washington had committed to gradually reducing arms sales to Taipei. U.S. officials later clarified that the pledge was based on the condition that China also dial down its threats to take Taiwan by force.
Quote:China's military has condemned the Philippines over reports that a second U.S. intermediate-range missile system may soon be deployed to the Southeast Asian country.
"Inviting wolves into the house will ultimately harm oneself and destroy one's own home," Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang warned Thursday, in a clear rebuke of United States involvement.
Newsweek reached out to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Department of Defense for comment.
Why It Matters
The U.S. Army first deployed the Mid-Range Capability, or "Typhon," missile system to Luzon, the Philippines' main island, in the spring of 2024, ahead of joint drills with Philippine forces. The platform is capable of firing both Standard Missile-6 interceptors and Tomahawk missiles, which can reach parts of southern China.
Philippine officials maintain that the missile launcher is purely for defensive purposes and not directed at any particular country.
China has repeatedly called the presence of both systems destabilizing and demanded their removal. The issue has further strained ties with the U.S. defense treaty ally, already tense due to the long-running South China Sea dispute.
What To Know
During the Chinese Defense Ministry's regular press conference on Thursday, Zhang was asked about reports that another Typhon missile system could be stationed in the Philippines.
Zhang said the Asia-Pacific region "is not a gladiatorial arena for major powers" and warned Manila not to "repeat the mistakes of the past."
"The Philippines has intensified its efforts to introduce strategic and tactical weapons, tied itself to the U.S. chariot, and undermined regional security and stability by acting for the tiger, which seriously runs counter to the common interests of the people of the countries in the region," the official said.
Newsweek was unable to verify whether a second Typhon unit is currently scheduled for deployment in the Philippines. But a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command official, speaking on background last month, told reporters the deployment would move forward "if they [the Philippines] say yes."
Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Roy Galido previously expressed interest in acquiring more Typhon units, citing their feasibility and role in archipelagic defense.
Quote:A military university in China's Hunan province has unveiled a mosquito-sized drone designed to carry out surveillance while evading detection.
"This type of micro-robot is especially suitable for special missions, such as information reconnaissance, on the battlefield," said Liang Hexiang, a student at the National University of Defence Technology, told China Central Television in a June 14 report.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment.
Why It Matters
Technological advances have enabled sensors, batteries, and other components to be packed into ever smaller frames, enabling development of smaller, lighter, and increasingly sophisticated drones.
Miniaturization opens up a host of possibilities, from a low-cost alternative to missiles to search and rescue operations. At the same time, it also raises concerns over personal privacy and criminal exploitation.
What To Know
The new device, developed at China's National University of Defence Technology, is just 2 centimeters long (under an inch), 3 cm wide (just over an inch), and weighs less than 0.2 grams. It appeared almost weightless between the researcher's fingers in the CCTV broadcast.
While the design pushes the limits of miniaturization, similar micro-robotics research has been ongoing elsewhere.
Another insectoid robot, Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory's RoboBee, achieves flight by beating its wings 120 times a second with artificial muscles. The goal is for swarms of these tiny robots to one day assist with tasks like rescue missions or artificial pollination.
Quote:Tensions flared this week between China and Japan after Tokyo detected a new Chinese structure in an energy-rich area of the East China Sea.
"China's oil and gas exploration activities in the East China Sea are conducted in undisputed waters under China's jurisdiction," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters Wednesday, after Tokyo lodged a formal protest.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministries with written requests for comment.
Why It Matters
The latest structure, along the line equidistant between the two countries, is the 20th in a sequence that has included suspected oil rigs and hydrocarbon platforms.
China and its U.S. ally Japan agreed in 2008 to codevelop gas fields in the region, but negotiations stalled before the two sides could reach an agreement on their official maritime boundaries.
While China has limited construction of these platforms to its own side of the median line, Japan believes the operations are draining oil and gas reserves from basins that straddle both countries' claims.
What To Know
Japan's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it had confirmed the installation of a new structure in the disputed zone and called China's unilateral resource development in the waterway "extremely regrettable."
Kanai Masaaki, head of the ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, "lodged a strong protest" with a senior Chinese diplomat at the Chinese embassy and urged the immediate resumption of talks.
Guo pushed back at Wednesday's press briefing, saying China does not accept Tokyo's complaint, which he called unwarranted.
China and Japan are also at odds over a collection of Tokyo-controlled islands, known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands and in China as the Diaoyu Islands.
China has increased both the frequency and size of its coast guard patrols in the area in recent years, contributing to a steady escalation in maritime tensions.
Quote:Japan will begin building bomb shelters next year on its remote islands closest to Taiwan amid fears that its far western territory could become a legitimate target for Chinese missiles if China and the United States go to war.
The plans point to a possible scenario in which Beijing orders preemptive strikes against major U.S. and allied bases in the Pacific before launching an amphibious invasion by sea and air across the Taiwan Strait to achieve what strategists call a fait accompli.
They also acknowledge the complex reality that Japan—the U.S. treaty ally hosting the most American troops anywhere in the world outside of U.S. territory—will in all probability not avoid the spillover of a superpower conflict so near its shores.
The Core of Core Issues
The Communist Party claims democratically governed Taiwan as part of Chinese territory, despite Taipei's objections. China refuses to rule out the use of force to unify the island with the mainland, and a widening hard power imbalance across the Taiwan Strait is fueling concerns that Beijing could soon compel Taipei with the threat of a hot war.
U.S. officials say Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his armies to be ready to take Taiwan by force by 2027. Whether the military capability will be matched by political intent cannot be known. Taiwan is a core issue in the U.S.-China relationship, Beijing's officials say.
At Asia's top security forum in Singapore last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said China's military was "rehearsing for the real deal," and that an attack "could be imminent." Beijing accused him of trying to stoke confrontation.
Washington has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei but is bound by U.S. law to arm Taiwan and assist in its self-defense. Former President Joe Biden suggested he was prepared to defend Taiwan with American forces. President Donald Trump has kept his cards closer to the vest.
What is certain is that the United States likely cannot win a Pacific war against China without the help of Japan, whose vast territory of more than 14,000 islands spans 1,000 miles across the first and second island chains in the West Pacific.
Japan's Self-Defense Force is among the world's most well-armed militaries thanks in part to historically strong heavy industry and U.S. export licenses for the production of platforms like the F-35 stealth jet and the future operation of weapons like the Tomahawk cruise missile.
And although Japan's constitution explicitly renounces the use of force, Tokyo's reinterpretation of the document in recent years may allow its military to perform collective self-defense alongside U.S. and allied forces, even if Japan itself is not attacked.
The Plan
The Japanese government will subsidize the construction of long-stay evacuation facilities in municipalities in the Sakishima archipelago at the end of its Nansei or southwest island chain, starting next year with the westernmost inhabited territory of Yonaguni, less than 70 miles east of Taiwan.
Quote:Russia plans to train hundreds of Chinese military personnel this year on lessons learned from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the Kyiv Post reported.
Instructors will cover methods for countering weapons systems used by Ukrainian forces that were produced by the United States and its NATO allies, a source in Ukraine's top intelligence agency told the outlet.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries via email for comment outside of office hours.
Why It Matters
This training would further strengthen security ties between Russia and its "no limits" ally China, which in recent years has stepped up joint military exercises. Battlefield insights into U.S. weaponry could offer an advantage as China seeks to surpass the U.S. as the leading military power in the Indo-Pacific.
Security analysts say China has closely studied the war—and the world's response—and could apply these lessons in an invasion of Taiwan, the island democracy Beijing has vowed to unify with, through force if necessary.
What To Know
"The Kremlin has decided to allow Chinese military personnel to study and adopt the combat experience Russia has gained in its war against Ukraine," a source from Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate told the Kyiv Post.
Of the 600 People's Liberation Army personnel set to train at Russian military centers and bases, special focus will be given to air defense specialists, engineers, and artillery and tank operators, the report said.
Though Beijing presents itself as neutral, NATO leaders have called China a "decisive enabler" of Moscow, citing the flow of Chinese exports and economic support that have sustained the 40-month war.
Quote:An initiative supported by California Governor Gavin Newsom is part of a broader attempt by the Chinese Communist Party to build networks of influence in the biggest U.S. state, according to a new report from an advocacy group that is critical of Beijing's human rights record in Hong Kong.
Newsom's office did not respond to Newsweek requests for comment. A California business association that has supported the initiative said it was purely economic and not political. China's consulate in San Francisco defended it as an example of mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Washington, D.C.-based Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK) said it had investigated a "Bay to Bay" initiative aiming to link San Franscisco's Bay Area to the burgeoning Greater Bay Area in southern China - a project presented by Chinese officials as an opportunity for business and to address climate change.
"In these subnational engagements, the U.S. state and local officials are dealing with an apparatus orchestrated and led by China's central government and designed to benefit the CCP," according to the report, Hong Kong's Greater Bay Area and the CCP's Strategy to Influence U.S. State and Local Officials, published on Wednesday by the Washington, D.C.-based Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK), an advocacy group for freedom and for political prisoners in Hong Kong.
Such efforts could be "incompatible with US interests and values," said the author, Shannon Van Sant, CFHK's Strategy and Public Affairs Advisor, who cited the positions of those who had taken part in meetings from the Chinese side as well as Chinese state media accounts of meetings, Chinese government and U.S. business websites and other documents, including photographs.
The initiative was similar to China's Belt and Road Initiative, or to its global network of "sister city" relationships that seeks to develop closer relationships with local officials - but that carried political risks as the ties also transmitted central government policy and influence and interference, said Van Sant. On the Chinese side there were plans to extend it to New York and Vancouver, she said.
The Bay to Bay initiative was supported by San Francisco's Bay Area Council, a business association focused on developing the local economy.
Reached by telephone, John Grubb, Chief Operating Officer of the Bay Area Council, told Newsweek that the council was a business group and not a political organization. Nevertheless it was aware of political risks: "So our work, everything, is always 'eyes wide open'."
"We're Team players here. We're part of the U.S. team," Grubb said.
"Our engagement was that this is an economic strategy, okay, in between these regions with China, to try to better integrate. And that's been our conversation. It hasn't been about other political or ideological aspects of that," Grubb said.
A spokesperson for the Chinese consulate general in San Francisco told Newsweek: "The people of China and California share a long-standing tradition of friendship. Based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, the two sides have had cooperation that delivers tangible benefits to both peoples and injects vitality into China-US relations."
Quote:China has responded to President Donald Trump's cryptic post about its purchases of Iranian oil, saying it would prioritize its national interests.
Trump, having brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, posted to Truth Social that China could continue purchasing Iranian oil and may also buy it from the U.S.
It cut across a long-running American policy of deterring Iranian oil exports through sanctions to weaken the Tehran regime's most important source of revenue. The U.S. has recently sanctioned Chinese "teapot" refineries for processing Iranian oil.
"China will take legitimate measures to safeguard its energy security based on its own national interests," Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing on Wednesday, June 25, in response to a question about the post.
Trump had posted on Tuesday that "China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S., also. It was my Great Honor to make this happen!"
But the president was not signaling a reversal of any sanctions, a senior White House official later told the Financial Times.
They clarified that Trump was referring to the ceasefire, meaning the Strait of Hormuz would remain open, so China would not suffer financial pain.
Iran Threatened Strait of Hormuz
Before the ceasefire, Iran had touted the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital strategic shipping route through which around 20 percent of the global oil and gas trade passes, as a potential retaliation for U.S. strikes in its nuclear facilities.
Iran would have suffered great economic harm, but so too would its trading partners, particularly China, the largest purchaser of Iranian oil.
"The Persian Gulf and nearby waters are an important route for international trade in goods and energy," China's Washington Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Newsweek prior to the ceasefire.
"Keeping the region safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community.
"China calls on the international community to step up effort to promote de-escalation of the conflict, and prevent the regional turmoil from having a greater impact on global economic growth."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had urged China to tell Iran not to close the strait, calling it an act of "economic suicide" in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.
Oil prices rebounded slightly after falling about 6 percent on Tuesday, on hopes that the brief war would not hinder the global flow of crude.
Yes, even the Iranian admit they're forced to rethink their nuclear sites' security measures after the B-2 bombings, contrary to what outlets like CNN love to claim publicly.
Quote:The Israel Atomic Energy Commission backed President Donald Trump's assessment of the damage done to the Iranian nuclear site at Fordow, saying the U.S. strike "destroyed the site's critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable."
Separately, Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, told Al Jazeera that "our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure" by the U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Trump had said the strike resulted in "total obliteration" of the Fordow facility, which is deep underground inside a mountain. That characterization was called into question by a leaked U.S. intelligence report, but the White House called the early assessment false.
"We assess that the American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran's military nuclear program, has set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years," said the statement from the Israeli commission.
"The achievement can continue indefinitely if Iran does not get access to nuclear material."
Trump referred to the Israeli statement and the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman's comments during his press conference at the NATO summit in the Netherlands, underscoring his original assessment of the damage to Fordow.
The president lashed out at media reporting of the leaked intelligence assessment, saying the B-2 pilots who conducted the strikes had been "demeaned" in an effort to attack him politically.
Trump Says Iran Nuclear Talks Soon
Iran has vowed to continue with its nuclear program, which it says is for civilian energy purposes. But Iran has enriched uranium to a level far beyond what is needed for energy, and closer to what is required for a nuclear bomb.
Trump has said Iran should not rebuild its nuclear facilities or seek to enrich uranium, and that he would not allow it to build a bomb, striking militarily again if he saw it necessary. However, he also said that he believes the 12-day conflict is now at its conclusion.
"We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran," Trump said at the NATO summit, referring to the nuclear issue. "We may sign an agreement. I don't know."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the attacks will have "serious and profound effects on the course of the nuclear program," adding: "We need to rethink how we protect our nuclear facilities."
Quote:Iran's leadership should reconsider its nuclear ambitions and settle for the symbolic win after its retaliatory strikes against the United States, a prominent Chinese commentator said on Tuesday as oil prices dropped for the first time in a week amid a shaky ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump.
"Iranian activities associated with the manufacture of nuclear weapons, even if they are for civilian use, will be difficult to continue in the future. From a realist perspective, Iran should rethink its nuclear path," said former Global Times editor Hu Xijin, who led the nationalistic state-run newspaper from 2005-2021.
Why It Matters
Hu's comments, aimed at nearly 25 million followers on China's X-like microblogging website Weibo, are not directly representative of the Chinese government's views. However, the prolific public commentator is one of China's best-know propagandists and his posts credibly capture part of the mood in the country.
China is a major extra-regional stakeholder in stability in the Middle East, where over half of its oil imports originate—some covertly from Iran. It has been Tehran's largest trading partner for over a decade, including for sanctioned goods like military hardware and material to make missile propellant.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek: "The Persian Gulf and nearby waters are an important route for international trade in goods and energy. Keeping the region safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community."
What To Know
Iran was the "biggest loser" in the conflict with Israel and the United States, Hu said, citing the heavy blow dealt to its civil-military infrastructure and the killing of several leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, followed by the U.S. bombing of three nuclear facilities over the weekend.
The final days of the Israel-Iran conflict were "performative," with both nations and the U.S. emerging with something to call a "victory," according to Hu, who posted his thoughts after Trump declared what is currently a vulnerable and uncertain ceasefire.
Quote:A top commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stunned observers by appearing publicly in Tehran, quashing media reports that he had been killed in a 12-day conflict with Israel.
Videos rapidly circulated on social media showing General Esmail Qaani celebrating with jubilant crowds at a rally in Tehran to celebrate what Iranian authorities are calling a victory. He was not among the many senior figures that Israel's armed forces said they had killed.
Newsweek has reached out to the Israel and Iran's foreign ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
Qaani's public reappearance is a pivotal moment for Iran's military leadership as a symbol that it has not been entirely eliminated in the Israeli strikes.
As commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, responsible for Iran's foreign operations and alliances, he is central to Tehran's regional strategy. Qaani's visibility projects enduring strength by the IRGC and signals Iran's determination to withstand international pressure.
What to Know
Qaani's reappearance follows a conflict between Israel and Iran, with U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and concluded with a ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump. Israel has claimed responsibility for killing at least 10 senior Iranian commanders during the campaign, including top figures from the IRGC and its intelligence and aerospace divisions.
Reports of Qaani's death first surfaced on June 13, when Israel launched a series of airstrikes across Iran. A New York Times report quoted sources as saying Qaani had been among several senior Iranian military officials killed in the initial wave of attacks.
On Tuesday, a video posted on the social media account of Iran's Fars News Agency showed Qaani celebrating alongside crowds in Tehran, appearing relaxed as he waved to supporters during the government-backed victory rally.
Who Is Esmail Qaani?
Esmail Qaani was appointed to lead the Quds Force in January 2020, following the U.S. assassination of his predecessor, Qassem Soleimani, in Baghdad. While Soleimani was well-known for his public image and charismatic leadership, Qaani has kept a lower profile, both domestically and abroad. He is known for his prior work in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including anti-narcotics operations and support for the Northern Alliance, an alliance of anti-Taliban groups.
Nuclear Negotiator Also Alive
Another Iranian official previously reported dead has reemerged. Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a key nuclear negotiator, was initially reported by outlets including CNN, to have been killed in an Israeli strike on his Tehran residence. However, Iranian state media later confirmed that he is "alive and ready to sacrifice."
Later, Shamkhani took to social media, posting: "It was my fate to survive wounded—so I remain, still the reason for the enemy's hatred."
Quote:New imagery released by a Chinese commercial satellite company has revealed the destruction of an alleged Iranian drone factory during Israel's two-week air campaign against Iran.
Newsweek has contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.
Why It Matters
Iran's civilian-military infrastructure was targeted by a wave of Israeli airstrikes that began in the early hours of June 13 local time, with the attacks also targeting nuclear facilities in Tehran and in other cities.
Iran's expanding drone program is central to its shift toward asymmetric warfare and regional deterrence. Tehran said it has accelerated the development and deployment of diverse drone facilities and systems. This growing capability has alarmed U.S. lawmakers.
What To Know
The undated satellite photograph published by China's MizarVision on Wednesday showed a warehouse near Mehrabad Airport in western Tehran that had been completely leveled, although the exact date of the hit was unclear.
Open-source analyst Mehdi H., commenting on similar satellite imagery captured by Maxar on Tuesday, said the warehouse struck by the IDF had been used by the Iranian state-owned company Quds Aviation Industries to design and build unmanned aerial vehicles including its Mohajer drones. Newsweek could not independently verify the claim.
According to the BBC, images authenticated in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes showed that Mehrabad Airport had been struck several times, with satellite imagery revealing several damaged buildings around the area, including warehouses linked to Iran's defense industry.
During its military offensive, the IDF said it had destroyed F-14 jets in central Iran and targeted military sites.
Quote:Iran executed three men on Wednesday accused of spying for Israel, raising the total number of executions linked to espionage during the recent conflict to six, according to state-run media. The men were charged with smuggling "assassination equipment" and aiding sabotage operations targeting critical Iranian infrastructure.
These executions come amid a sweeping crackdown that has seen over 700 arrests in just 12 days. The arrests and executions follow a ceasefire that ended nearly two weeks of intense drone and missile strikes between the two countries. Despite the temporary pause in direct hostilities, Tehran's purge of alleged Israeli collaborators continues aggressively, underscoring the regime's determination to dismantle a sprawling network of spies within its borders.
Why It Matters
Iran's sweeping crackdown has exposed the depth of Israel's alleged infiltration into Iranian territory. Tehran claims that Israeli operatives, aided by domestic collaborators, enabled precision strikes and assassinations inside the country during the recent conflict. This suggests Israel's intelligence services are now capable of influencing the battlefield with help from deeply embedded human assets.
What to Know
Iranian authorities have disclosed that many of the arrested and executed spies come from ethnic minority groups, primarily Kurds and Azeris near Iran's western and northwestern borders. State media reports that Israeli intelligence leverages these communities' socioeconomic vulnerabilities and deep local knowledge to recruit operatives who use encrypted messaging apps and cryptocurrency to transmit sensitive military and nuclear-related information, complicating Tehran's detection efforts.
Training and Collaboration
Among the accused spies are individuals believed to have provided critical intelligence enabling Israeli drone and missile strikes on Iranian targets. According to FarsNews, some operatives received training abroad in countries including Georgia and Nepal, arranged by Israeli intelligence. Tehran also accuses Iranian expatriates and dissident groups sympathetic to Israel of supporting logistics, communication, and funding.
According to a recent Economist report, Israeli intelligence's multi-year, high-tech espionage campaign—including Mossad agents posing as foreign nationals—has played a pivotal role in gathering intelligence on Iran's accelerating nuclear program and missile capabilities, with alleged cooperation from U.S. agencies.
Human Rights Groups Warning
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned Iran's intensifying crackdown following the ceasefire that ended nearly two weeks of conflict. They warn the government is using the conflict as a pretext to escalate repression, citing concerns over forced confessions, lack of due process, and the rising use of capital punishment. Rights advocates are calling for transparent investigations and judicial oversight, warning that the wave of arrests and executions could further destabilize an already fragile and volatile situation.
Quote:An Iranian official said Washington must compensate Iran for damaging its facilities. The U.S. and Israel said recent strikes had severely damaged Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Department of State for comment.
Why It Matters
The U.S. strikes on Iran marked a major escalation in Washington's longstanding tensions with Tehran. President Donald Trump claimed the strike caused the "total obliteration" of the Fordow nuclear facility, located deep underground inside a mountain and the latest hostilities disrupted U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.
What To Know
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said Tehran will file a complaint with the United Nations over the damage to its nuclear facilities and asserted that the U.S. must provide compensation, in statements to Lebanese outlet Al-Mayadeen.
His comments came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged on Wednesday significant damage to its nuclear facilities following a 12-day conflict that began with Israeli strikes on key nuclear, missile, and military sites across Iran.
After the White House rejected a report downplaying the U.S. strikes' impact, new intelligence claims Iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed, according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
"If the Iranians chose to rebuild, they would have to rebuild all three facilities (Natanz, Fordow, Esfahan) entirely, which would likely take years to do," Gabbard wrote on her X account. Gabbard had previously assessed Iran was not pursuing a nuclear weapons' program.
Israel's Atomic Energy Commission backed Trump's assessment of the damage done to the Iranian nuclear site at Fordow.
A spokesperson for Iran's Health Ministry, Hossein Kermanpour, said 627 people were killed and 4,870 were injured in the conflict, with the highest casualty figures recorded in Tehran.
"I make no judgments, I do not describe the painful scenes of the arrival of injured children, mothers, and civilians, and I leave it to the judgment of humanity's conscience today!," Kermanpour posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Dozens of Iranian generals are believed to have been killed by Israel. No conclusive numbers have been issued but Iran has confirmed the killing of several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Quote:Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory over Israel and the U.S. in his first comments since the recent war ended with a ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump.
Khamenei also said Iran had delivered a "heavy slap to the U.S.'s face" by firing missiles at its Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and warned it against future attacks or "the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price." He accused the U.S. of seeking Iranian surrender above all else.
The Iranian leader played down the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, accusing Trump of "exaggerating" the results of his strikes. No important damage had happened, Khamenei said, after Trump described it as "total obliteration".
Israel and the U.S. struck the Iranian nuclear program hard, saying they destroyed key facilities to prevent Tehran from developing a bomb. Israel also hit Iranian military sites and killed dozens of key senior personnel, including nuclear scientists.
Operation Rising Lion, as the Israelis called it, with the addition of U.S. strikes against nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, delivered a powerful blow to the Iranian regime and exposed the weakness of the country's defenses.
Iran retaliated against Israel with missiles and drones, which were mostly intercepted, though some struck cities and caused deaths and destruction. But Tehran's response did not match what the Israeli strikes had achieved in Iran.
During the 12-day war, Khamenei took shelter as Israel bombed sites across Iran, including the capital Tehran. Trump warned Khamenei that the U.S. knew where he was hiding and the Iranian leader was an "easy target."
Khamenei Claims Victory, Warns US
"I offer my congratulations on the victory over the fallacious Zionist regime," Khamenei posted to his English-language X account on Thursday ahead of the release of a video statement.
"With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic."
Khamenei said the U.S. joined in striking Iran "because it felt that if it didn't, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed," saying that Washington had "achieved nothing" with its intervention.
"The Islamic Republic delivered a heavy slap to the U.S.'s face. It attacked and inflicted damage on the Al-Udeid Air Base, which is one of the key U.S. bases in the region," Khamenei said.
"The fact that the Islamic Republic has access to key U.S. centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary is a significant matter. Such an action can be repeated in the future too.
"Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price."
I guess the ayatollah's glasses don't make him see things clearly.
Quote:Trump administration officials on Tuesday slammed a leaked preliminary intelligence assessment of the damage done to Iran’s nuclear facilities by weekend US airstrikes that the president has touted as a massive success.
The classified Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) bomb damage assessment — deemed a “low confidence” estimation of the effectiveness of Saturday’s strikes on the Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz sites — reportedly determined that Iran could bring its nuclear program back online as quickly as one to two months, according to Fox News.
On the high end, estimates indicate that Iran could restart uranium enrichment within a year, according to those who viewed the DIA report.
CNN, which first reported on the leaked classified document, noted that assessments are ongoing and could change, but the DIA believes Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed by the “bunker buster” bombs dropped on the nuclear facilities.
The White House strongly disagrees with the DIA’s preliminary assessment.
“This alleged ‘assessment’ is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.
“The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program,” she added.
“Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration,” Leavitt argued.
The assessment was reportedly based on satellite images and electronic communications that have been intercepted since the strikes.
The report focuses on the damage done to Fordow, a facility buried under mountains south of Tehran, which was hit by 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrators.
The DIA reportedly assessed that the entrances to the facility caved in as a result of the strike, and that some infrastructure was destroyed, but that the Iranians could still dig out, repair or rebuild the site.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff charged that any suggestion the US did not achieve its military objectives in Iran is “completely preposterous.”
“I’ve read all the damage assessment reports from not just our government, but from other governments, and I’m not going to get into anything that’s top secret, but let me tell you for sure what happened here,” Witkoff said during an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Quote:President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were adamant Thursday that Iran wasn’t able to move any highly enriched uranium prior to Saturday’s US strikes on three nuclear facilities — with Trump insisting “nothing was taken out” before the bombings.
Trump, 79, dismissed suggestions Iran may have been able to spirit away its cache in the days prior to the attacks after satellite imagery emerged of cargo-style trucks lined up outside Fordow — one of the three targeted sites — late last week.
“The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of facility,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!” he added, echoing his earlier claims that the US acted too quickly for Iran to prepare in advance.
Hegseth, too, doubled down on the extent of the US-caused destruction, telling a Pentagon press briefing that he saw no sign Tehran had managed to relocate any uranium ahead of the blasts.
“I’m not aware of any intelligence that I’ve reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise,” Hegseth said during the combative briefing.
He noted that the Pentagon was “looking at all aspects of intelligence and making sure we have a sense of what was where.”
Hegseth, who was joined by chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, also accused lefty media outlets of downplaying the success of the strikes, which Trump has repeatedly insisted “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.
The defense chief ripped the leak of a preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency that suggested the 14 30,000-pound heavy-duty bunker-buster bombs the US dropped may have only set back Iran by months.
“You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated — choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,” Hegseth declared.
Quote:President Trump claimed Thursday that congressional Democrats leaked a preliminary Pentagon intelligence assessment that questioned the impact of Saturday’s airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear program.
“The Democrats are the ones who leaked the information on the PERFECT FLIGHT to the Nuclear Sites in Iran. They should be prosecuted!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
It’s unclear if Trump has evidence pointing to a culprit as the FBI investigates the Tuesday leak of the Defense Intelligence Agency assessment drafted shortly after the strike that said Iran’s nuclear development may only have been set back months.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said shortly before Trump’s claim that Democrats in Congress may have been responsible — though she described no specific evidence and said no conclusions had been made.
“It could have been someone in the intelligence community, or it could have been someone on Capitol Hill who had access to this document. The FBI is searching for that person,” Leavitt told reporters.
“We have seen this playbook run before, where you have people in the intelligence community — or perhaps on Capitol Hill, we don’t know — but I believe the FBI is investigating to find out who that leaker was, because it’s illegal and they should be held accountable.”
Democrats have complained that too little information has been shared about Trump’s unprecedented strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz.
CNN’s Natasha Bertrand first reported on the preliminary DIA assessment Tuesday — and the New York Times, ABC, CNN, the Washington Post and the Associated Press quickly followed suit.
The rapid confirmation suggests that someone who regularly engages with the media served at minimum as a corroborating source for news outlets.
Leavitt said Thursday that very few people had access to the DIA report before Tuesday’s leak, which the White House alleges was done to undermine the significance of the strikes that resulted in a cease-fire between Iran and Israel and what US agencies and international assessors say was massive damage.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, brushed aside Trump’s threat to prosecute Democrats.
“I have been extraordinarily consistent that leaks of any kind should be prosecuted. I simply wish that the administration would adhere to that same level of secrecy about classified information that shouldn’t be shared on non-classified channels like Signal,” Warner told reporters after senators got a classified briefing on the strikes.
Both Warner and committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) declined to answer questions from The Post about whether they knew of the DIA’s preliminary assessment before it was leaked to CNN.
Quote:Saturday’s US strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear fuel enrichment plant was 15 years in the making, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Caine said Thursday — revealing that the heavy-duty bunker bombs used were designed specifically for the deeply buried site.
The US first learned in 2009 of the presence of the Fordow plant, which is cut about half a mile into the side of a mountain.
Officials and a Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) officer briefed on the subject quickly determined that the US did not have a “weapon that could adequately strike and kill this target,” Caine said.
So they began construction of the 30,000-pound GBU-57 series MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) bunker-busters, all while everyday Americans had no clue of the threats Tehran posed.
“Weaponeering is the science of evaluating a target,” Caine said. “… Ultimately, weaponeering is determining the right weapon and fuse combination to achieve the desired effects and maximum destruction against a target.”
“In the case of Fordow, the DTRA team understood with a high degree of confidence the elements of the target required to kill its functions and the weapons were designed, planned and delivered to ensure that they achieve the effects in the mission space.”
At one point, Caine added, “we had so many PhDs working on the MOP program doing modeling and simulation that we were — quietly and in a secret way — the biggest users of supercomputer hours within the United States of America.”
Together, the Pentagon worked with industry and other tacticians to develop the GBU-57 — which can only be dropped by B-2 bombers — testing it “over and over again.”
“(They) tried different options, tried more after that, they accomplished hundreds of test shots and dropped many full scale weapons against extremely realistic targets for a single purpose: kill this target,” the chairman said.
The largest bomb in the Pentagon’s arsenal, the GBU-57 is “comprised of steel, explosive and a fuse programmed specifically for each weapon to achieve a particular effect inside the target,” Caine went on.
“Each weapon had a unique desired impact, angle, arrival, final heading and a fuse setting,” he said. “The fuse is effectively what tells the bomb when to function. A longer delay in a fuse, the deeper the weapon will penetrate and drive into the target.”
With the benefit of 15 years of intelligence analysis, the Pentagon designed Saturday’s strike to Fordow’s specifications — targeting two ventilation shafts that would funnel the bunker busters deep inside plant.
“The Iranians attempted to cover the shafts with concrete to try to prevent an attack,” Caine said. “The planners had to account for this — they accounted for everything. The [concrete] cap was forcibly removed by the first weapon and the main shaft was uncovered.”
Additionally, four bombs had to enter the main exhaust shaft, “move down into the complex at greater than 1000 feet per second and explode in the mission space.”
Quote:Military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites will prompt Tehran to pursue its atomic ambitions in secret, much like the way North Korea operates its program, Representative Jim Himes has said.
The Connecticut Democrat and ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC how he was worried the attack on Iranian nuclear sites would force Tehran to give up diplomacy and end any chances of transparency over its nuclear program.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has boasted that U.S. strikes had destroyed Iran's ability to develop a nuclear bomb, but early intelligence reports cited by CNN and The New York Times have raised doubts about the operation's effectiveness.
The comments from Himes echo concerns that if Iran's nuclear program is not fully incapacitated, Tehran will pursue its program in secret, away from the eyes of the West, which could pose a bigger long-term security risk.
What To Know
Himes is a Democrat among the so-called "Gang of Eight" leaders within Congress who are briefed on classified intelligence matters.
In his interview on MSNBC, he told host Jen Psaki that from Iran's perspective, the diplomatic route over its nuclear program did not work, given that in 2018, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which had slowed Tehran's progress toward a nuclear weapon.
Then, when negotiations took place earlier this month, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, which Tehran would take as proof that diplomacy did not work, Himes said.
The congressman added that Iran might view its only alternative as taking a leaf out of North Korea's book and developing a bomb in secret, wary of what has happened to the countries that gave up their nuclear weapons, like Ukraine and Libya.
Quote:President Trump said Wednesday that US officials will meet with their Iranian counterparts next week — following Saturday’s US airstrikes that he said buried the nation’s enriched uranium under “30 stories” of rubble.
“We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don’t know,” Trump said at a press conference following the annual NATO summit at The Hague.
Trump did not say where the meeting would occur or who would rep the US after he helped broker a cease-fire Monday between Iran and Israel, ending what he has dubbed the “12-Day War.”
“I could get a statement that they’re not going to go nuclear. We’re probably going to ask for that, but they’re not going to be doing it anyway.”
Trump then reiterated: “We may sign an agreement, [but] I don’t care if I have an agreement or not.”
The president also said he believes nearly 900 pounds of enriched uranium remain underneath 300 feet of debris at the Fordow enrichment site, which was hit with a dozen 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs.
“We think everything nuclear is down there, they didn’t take it out,” he said.
“We think we hit them so hard and so fast, they didn’t get to move. And if you knew about that material, it’s very hard and very dangerous to move,” the president said.
“They call it dust, but it’s very heavy, it’s very, very hard to move. And they were way down. You know, they were 30 stories down. They’re literally 30-35 stories down underground. We think it’s covered with granite, concrete and steel.”
International Atomic Energy Agency director Rafael Grossi said Tuesday that the United Nations agency didn’t know where the uranium was located.
“We do not have information of the whereabouts of this material,” Grossi told Fox News, though he noted it is enriched to 60% purity, less than the 90-93% needed for nuclear weapons.
Trump, 79, used the press conference before departing Europe to rip the “real scum” in the press who he accused of downplaying the impact of his air raids on Iran, which he likened to the US dropping atomic weapons on Japan to end World War II in 1945.
Quote:President Donald Trump was hailed at the 2025 NATO Summit after the U.S. struck Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised Trump as a "man of strength" and a "man of peace."
"I just want to recognize your decisive action on Iran," Rutte said at the start of his joint remarks with the president. "You are a man of strength, but you are also a man of peace. And the fact that you are now also successful in getting this ceasefire done between Israel and Iran— I really want to commend you for that. I think this is important for the whole world."
While en route to the Netherlands for the summit, Trump shared several texts from Rutte in which the NATO leader expressed his support for the president’s move against Iran.
"Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do. It makes us all safer," Rutte wrote in the texts that Trump shared on Truth Social.
Rutte also praised Trump’s effort to get NATO members to pay more and said the president was "flying into another big success" after all countries—except Spain—agreed to spend 5% of their GDP on defense. He added that Trump achieved something "NO American president in decades could get done."
Leaders of NATO member states had mixed reactions to the strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, with several calling for de-escalation while acknowledging the threat a nuclear Iran would pose to global security.
"Iran’s nuclear program is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X. "The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis."
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a similar statement, adding: "As G7 leaders agreed in Kananaskis, the resolution of the Iranian crisis should lead to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza."
Quote:A Russian newspaper branded Donald Trump the "President of War" following a U.S. military operation against Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.
U.S. bombers deployed 30,000-pound "bunker busters" on Iran's underground nuclear facilities, ending days of speculation over whether Trump would authorize direct military intervention for his objective to put "a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror."
The developments were published by several state-owned and independent Russian newspapers, including Rossiskaya Gazeta, Komsomolskaya Gazeta, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Moskovsky Komsomolets and Kommersant, according to BBC's Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg.
Why It Matters
The U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure has far-reaching impact for American security interests, global energy markets and the volatile Middle East region. Israel and Iran are waging direct hostilities, with hundreds killed as both sides launch missiles.
The intervention by Washington could define regional stability for years, test U.S. alliances in Europe and the Gulf, and set dangerous precedents over nuclear nonproliferation enforcement. Congressional leaders and protesters nationwide have warned of the risk of a third U.S. war in the Middle East this century.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the strikes as "unprovoked aggression," and coverage in major Russian outlets questioned the long-term fallout for global stability and Russia's regional interests.
What To Know
Over the weekend, the U.S. launched strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan—using "bunker-buster" bombs weighing up to 30,000 pounds. The attack, dubbed Iran Operation Midnight Hammer, involved more than 125 U.S. military aircraft.
Putin on Monday condemned the U.S. strikes as "an absolutely unprovoked act of aggression against Iran."
"It has no basis or justification," Putin said, according to Kremlin newswire Tass.
Putin made the comments during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, adding that Russia was "making efforts to provide assistance to the Iranian people."
Well, Trump's new nickname sounds like even Russia should fear him after the B-2 bombings in Iranian soil.
Quote:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter, that he and President Donald Trump discussed potential defense cooperation during a meeting at the NATO Summit, including the joint production of drones with American companies and the purchase of U.S. air defense systems.
"We can strengthen each other," Zelensky wrote, emphasizing the strategic value of closer military ties. He also noted that he briefed Trump on the current realities of the war in Ukraine.
"I presented him with what is really happening on the ground," Zelensky said, adding: "Putin is definitely not winning."
Why It Matters
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky marked their first in-person conversation since April, when they met briefly at St. Peter's Basilica during Pope Francis' funeral. The two also had a high-profile confrontation earlier this year at the White House.
What To Know
NATO members have agreed to significantly increase their defense spending, setting a new target of 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) annually by 2035. The funds will be directed toward core defense needs as well as broader defense- and security-related expenditures—more than doubling the previous benchmark of 2 percent of GDP.
At a press conference concluding the summit, President Trump praised the decision, linking it to broader geopolitical stability.
Trump also reiterated his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking a way out of the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia's invasion in February 2022.
"He'd like to get out of this thing. It's a mess for him," Trump said. "He called the other day, and he said, 'Can I help you with Iran?' I said, 'No, you can help me with Russia.'"
In a social media post, Zelenskyy described their discussions in The Hague as productive and meaningful, and he expressed gratitude for continued U.S. support.
What People Are Saying
Trump said, following his meeting with Zelensky, "Europe stepping up to take more responsibility for security will help prevent future disasters like the horrible situation with Russia and Ukraine. And hopefully we're going to get that solved."
Asked by a Ukrainian reporter, who said that her husband was a Ukrainian soldier, Trump acknowledged that sending more Patriots would help the Ukrainian cause, "They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots. And we're going to see if we can make some available. We need them, too. We're supplying them to Israel, and they're very effective, 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing."
Quote:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's appointment of Robert "Madyar" Brovdi as Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces has formalized the frontline role of one of the country's most prolific drone warfighters.
Brovdi, who led the elite aerial reconnaissance unit "Birds of the Madyar," was tapped for the top drone command in late May, replacing Vadym Sukharevskyi. Known for his aggressive style, Brovdi's unit had already gained national attention for pioneering Ukraine's FPV (First-Person-View) drone assaults against entrenched Russian positions.
But Brovdi's fight isn't limited to countering Russian forces—he's also targeting the morale of their recruits, using viral battlefield footage to wage a psychological war.
Why It Matters
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have evolved from supplemental tools into essential weapons in the Ukraine-Russia war, redefining modern combat on both strategic and tactical levels. Initially used for reconnaissance, drones now execute precision strikes, destroy armored vehicles, and provide real-time battlefield intelligence.
Ukraine's defense ministry says drone strikes are now responsible for up to 80 percent of Russian battlefield casualties. In May alone, Ukrainian drones destroyed over 89,000 Russian targets, according to Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
What To Know
The promotion of 49-year-old Robert Brovdi, known by his call sign "Madyar," formalized what many in Kyiv and beyond had already recognized: drone warfare is now the backbone of Ukraine's military strategy. His appointment as commander of Ukraine's newly formed Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) underscores the central role drones now play in the country's defense.
General Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told reporters that Brovdi's leadership is already yielding results. "He is an experienced man with vast experience, who went through the war as a volunteer, platoon, company, battalion, regiment, brigade commander, and now he is the commander of this new kind of troops," Syrskyi said, according to Censor.NET.
Quote:Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian vessel, part of its Black Sea Fleet, Kyiv said.
A video published by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense shows the moment the vessel was struck while moving along the western coast of the Kherson region.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian government for comment by email.
Why It Matters
The loss claimed by Kyiv marks the latest blow served to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which has been targeted throughout President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Successful Ukrainian drone and cruise missile strikes on the vessels have resulted in Russia relocating some of its prized Black Sea Fleet from its port in annexed Crimea to avoid further losses.
What To Know
The vessel was transporting landing troops when it was struck by Ukrainian forces.
"Another russian Black Sea Fleet boat with enemy troops onboard — destroyed while moving along the western coast of Kherson region," Ukraine's defense ministry announced on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
The Defense Ministry shared a video of the attack, which was filmed by the Ukrainian Navy.
The 25-second aerial clip, shot at night, purportedly shows the moment the Black Sea Fleet vessel was struck, causing a huge blaze to erupt on board. Smoke can be seen billowing from the boat immediately after the strike.
The Ukrainian Navy also said on X: "Naval forces destroyed 20 'Shaheds' and 1 Russian Black Sea Fleet boat Last night, using the forces and means of the Ukrainian Navy, 20 enemy kamikaze drones 'SHAHED-136' were shot down and 1 Russian Black Sea Fleet boat was destroyed."
According to Euromaidan Press, an independent English-language news website launched in 2014 by volunteers from Ukraine, the latest destroyed vessel marks the 28th Russian ship or boat taken out by Ukraine since the start of Putin's full-scale invasion, including Russia's flagship cruiser Moskva.
The Moskva missile cruiser, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, was destroyed by Ukraine in the early days of the war, dealing an embarrassing blow to Putin.
Russia is now racing to build a vessel that dwarfs the Moskva, according to Ukrainian military publication Defense Express, which published satellite images in April showing the progress Russia is making on one of its two Project 23900 Ivan Rogov-class amphibious assault ships. These vessels are reportedly capable of carrying up to 90 pieces of military equipment, including 15 helicopters.
The Ivan Rogov-class vessel currently under construction is reportedly much larger, suggesting that Moscow aims to restore its naval credibility amid a string of losses suffered by the Black Sea Fleet during the war.
Quote:NATO members committed Wednesday to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, heeding President Donald Trump’s calls for the transatlantic military alliance to take more steps to bolster its security.
Ukraine’s former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Fox News Digital the move is a big, immediate win for Trump and would be a significant win for Europe’s future if it takes the increase in defense spending seriously and begins to deliver on the commitment.
"This is a serious lesson that Europe will have to learn. Not only investing, but also spending. Spending in a way that will allow them to show to the public that they're making a good investment in their security and their economies and to send a message to their enemy: do not dare to attack us because we are ready, we are prepared to strike back," he said.
In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News Digital, Kuleba bluntly assessed the state of Russia-Ukraine peace talks, arguing the current diplomatic process is "dead."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has escalated attacks on Ukraine in recent months, targeting Kyiv with large-scale missile and drone attacks.
The Russian strongman has refused to agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by the United States and its European allies earlier this year.
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in mid-June, Putin said he considers the Russian and Ukrainian peoples to be one. "In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours," he told attendees to applause.
Trump has held off on imposing additional sanctions on Moscow, preferring to wait and see if his diplomatic efforts will bear fruit.
"Putin does not feel any pressure. And therefore, he does not really get why he should change his behavior," said Kuleba. "I'm afraid diplomacy has zero chance to succeed at this stage under these circumstances, which means that there will be more killings and more destruction."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Putin’s goals remain clear: "He wants all of Ukraine."
Zelenskyy attended the G7 summit in Canada last week, meeting with world leaders and securing nearly $2 billion in aid from Prime Minister Mark Carney. His meeting with Trump was canceled after the U.S. president left Kananaskis early, citing escalating tensions in the Middle East due to the Israel-Iran conflict.
Quote:President Donald Trump has demanded that Israel drop its legal case against its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu faces charges of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in three separate cases. The Israeli leader, who has denied all allegations, is due to return to court on Monday.
On Wednesday, Trump said he was "shocked" to hear that Israel was continuing its trial of Netanyahu, which he branded "politically motivated" and a "Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister."
What To Know
The legal proceedings against Netanyahu began back in 2020 and since then, more than 100 witnesses, including some of his closest former allies, have testified.
Prosecutors say he traded regulatory favors with media executives for positive coverage and accepted expensive gifts from a billionaire.
He is the first sitting Israeli leader to testify as a criminal defendant. He is also, separately, facing an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes.
In his Truth Social post Wednesday, Trump called for Netanyahu's trial to "be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State."
Earlier Wednesday, Trump announced that U.S. officials plan to meet with Iran next week as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran continues to hold.
Iran has denied talks are scheduled and has reaffirmed its commitment to its nuclear program.
Quote:Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he was "deeply moved" by U.S. President Donald Trump's support after Trump demanded that Israel drop its ongoing legal case against its prime minister.
Why It Matters
Israel and the United States share a close relationship, with the U.S. providing the country with billions in military aid and significant diplomatic support. Last weekend, the relationship went further with Trump ordering the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran, nearly two weeks after Israel had begun strikes on the country.
A fickle ceasefire between Iran and Israel is in place currently, though there are mounting concerns over its longevity.
Netanyahu faces charges of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in three separate cases. The longtime Israeli leader, who has denied all allegations, is due to return to court on Monday. Separately, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza amid Israel's war with Hamas.
...
Netanyahu thanked Trump on X, writing, "I was deeply moved by your heartfelt support for me and your incredible support for Israel and the Jewish people."
He continued, "I look forward to continue working with you to defeat our common enemies, liberate our hostages and quickly expand the circle of peace."
The legal proceedings against Netanyahu began in 2020, and since then, more than 100 witnesses, including some of his closest former allies, have testified. Prosecutors say he traded regulatory favors with media executives for positive coverage and accepted expensive gifts from a billionaire.
Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli leader to testify as a defendant in a criminal case. He is also the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, having served a total of 17 years across three terms.
His policies and politics have been divisive in recent years, with many Israelis protesting some of the war tactics used in Gaza, including choking aid points, limiting resources, and killing civilians. Others have supported his ground and air campaigns in securing Israel from Hamas, which is recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S.
Quote:The U.S. and China have signed an agreement on trade, President Donald Trump said, adding he expects to soon have a deal with India.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Bloomberg TV that the deal was signed earlier this week. Neither Lutnick nor Trump provided any details about the agreement.
"We just signed with China the other day," Trump said late Thursday.
Lutnick said the deal was "signed and sealed" two days earlier.
It follows initial talks in Geneva in early May that led both sides to postpone massive tariff hikes that were threatening to freeze much trade between the two countries. Later talks in London set a framework for negotiations and the deal mentioned by Trump appeared to formalize that agreement.
"The president likes to close these deals himself. He's the dealmaker. We're going to have deal after deal," Lutnick said.
China has not announced any new agreements, but it announced earlier this week that it was speeding up approvals of exports of rare earths, materials used in high-tech products such as electric vehicles. Beijing's limits on exports of rare earths have been a key point of contention.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry said Thursday that Beijing was accelerating review of export license applications for rare earths and had approved "a certain number of compliant applications."
Export controls of the minerals apparently eclipsed tariffs in the latest round of trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington after China imposed permitting requirements on seven rare earth elements in April, threatening to disrupt production of cars, robots, wind turbines and other high-tech products in the U.S. and around the world.
The agreement struck in May in Geneva called for both sides to scale back punitive tariff hikes imposed as Trump escalated his trade war and sharply raised import duties. Some higher tariffs, such as those imposed by Washington related to the trade in fentanyl and duties on aluminum and steel, remain in place.
The rapidly shifting policies are taking a toll on both of the world's two largest economies.
The U.S. economy contracted at a 0.5% annual pace from January through March, partly because imports surged as companies and households rushed to buy foreign goods before Trump could impose tariffs on them.
Quote:Suspected MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia will be deported after he’s released from jail in Tennessee, but not to his native El Salvador, according to a federal prosecutor.
The Trump administration plans to initiate removal proceedings against Abrego Garcia that would expel him to a “third country,” Justice Department lawyer Jonathan Guynn told a Maryland federal judge on Thursday.
Guynn noted that the Trump administration will comply with all court orders and that there are “no imminent plans” to deport the Salvadoran national, who entered the US illegally in 2011.
“We do plan to comply with the orders we’ve received from this court and other courts,” he said. “But there’s no timeline for these specific proceedings.”
It’s unclear which country the Trump administration would seek to deport the so-called “Maryland Man” to.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that the government could resume deporting migrants to countries other than their home nation with limited notice.
The ruling came after the Trump administration had planned to deport several foreign nationals to war-torn Libya and South Sudan but was blocked by a lower court.
Guynn essentially confirmed Trump administration officials’ vows that Abrego Garcia “will never go free on American soil.”
A DOJ spokesman, however, indicated the department intends to try Abrego Garcia before he’s deported.
“This defendant has been charged with horrific crimes, including trafficking children, and will not walk free in our country again,” DOJ spokesman Chad Gilmartin said in a statement after Guynn explained the Trump administration’s plans for Abrego Garcia.
The DOJ had argued in court filings seeking to block Abrego Garcia’s release from a Nashville jail that part of the reason he should remain behind bars is because it would ensure he is not deported before he stands trial.
White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson described a report on Guynn’s comments to the judge as “fake news.”
“Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States to face trial for the egregious charges against him,” Jackson wrote on X. “He will face the full force of the American justice system – including serving time in American prison for the crimes he’s committed.”
A Tennessee judge on Sunday ruled that Abrego Garcia must be freed from jail as he awaits trial on human smuggling charges – and a Trump administration effort to overturn the order was denied on Wednesday.
I hope the judge clearly specified WHEN exactly illegal aliens should not be deported to their home nations because picking their countries of origin as their next destination is the standard procedure in MANY COUNTRIES around the world. Leaving any clear limitations to his own ruling out of it would be totally irresponsible. Besides, it's not clear why Abrego could not return to El Salvador. He's not connected to any guerrilla or terrorist group or ethnic minority, the guy's just a dangerous Salvadoran gangster.
Quote:A heroic officer dashed into a burning hotel room just after an explosive device detonated in Kentucky and averted a potential catastrophe, police said.
The officer, Yeng Xiong, may have prevented more explosions by running into the room with a fire extinguisher and putting out a blaze caused by an unknown device that detonated last Friday, police said.
Louisville Metro Bomb Squad investigators found two other explosive devices during a sweep of the room, according to police.
The chaotic scene, which was captured on body cam footage from Lyndon Police Chief Robert Schroder, shows officers trying to talk to the suspect, Leonard Pitchford, 37, behind his hotel door.
Pitchford refused to come out and nobody could gain access to the room since he had lashed shut with electrical wire wrapped around the hinge lock, police said.
Schroeder said officers were called to the Springhill Suites hotel about 10 miles east of downtown Louisville to help hotel staff convince Pitchford to leave his room just before 12:20 p.m., according to WHAS 11.
The body cam footage shows a hotel employee finally able to get the door open, but as he does an explosion goes off followed by Pitchford’s hysterical screams and the disorienting sound of the hotel’s fire alarm.
Schroder notices the fire and goes sprinting down the hallway screaming: “Fire extinguisher! Fire extinguisher!”
All the while hotel staff are frantically trying to evacuate the floor.
A staff member runs towards Schroder and hands him the extinguisher.
Meanwhile, Pitchford screams in agony and shouts that he can’t breathe.
Xiong takes the extinguisher from his chief and doesn’t hesitate as he runs into the room to put the fire out.
“I peeked around the side, saw a fire burning inside the room, ran down the hallway, and got a fire extinguisher from a staff member,” Chief Schroeder said. “Officer Yeng Xiong took the fire extinguisher, entered the room heroically, and put the fire out.”
“I can’t speak enough about the bravery of Officer Xiong going in there because, as the investigation turned out, there were additional devices in there,” the chief added.
An ATF bomb dog led investigators to Pitchford’s car in the hotel parking lot, authorities told WHAS 11.
Pitchford is charged with 43 counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of use of a weapon of mass destruction, according to reports.
“I do know that the subject has had extensive contact with the Middletown Police Department, so, in my mind as chief of police, there is a significant danger to the community if he’s released,” Schroeder told WHAS 11.
Quote:Squatters have been wreaking havoc in parts of Los Angeles, setting fires and even carrying out a random attack in a troubling rash of violence that has left residents frightened.
The chaos first cropped up in Beverly Grove after an abandoned apartment complex was recently taken over by a group of vagrants.
“It’s been absolutely terrifying. We are on hold with our lives right now until this is resolved,” Anita Cavallo, a woman who lives in the Beverly Grove area, told ABC7.
On Thursday, a transient jumped a gardener working outside at a gated home in nearby Brentwood, one of the wealthiest parts of Los Angeles.
The shirtless suspect randomly approached the gardener and knocked him in the head with some kind of pole, according to Ring camera footage obtained by ABC7.
The gardener fell to the ground and held his hands up to try and defend himself as the madman continued to wail on him, the video shows.
The gardener sustained a nasty gash to the side of his head, bleeding profusely and staining his shirt red.
Back in Beverly Grove, one of the squatters who took over the apartment complex has repeatedly set their homeless haven on fire, forcing locals to extinguish the flames themselves.
The property owner of the abandoned complex claims to be in the process of demolishing and rebuilding the building, but fed-up residents feel their calls to local officials to clear out the transients fall on deaf ears.
“It feels like no one has proper answers for us. Everyone just blames someone else and tells us nothing they can do, so we don’t know where to go anymore for help,” Cavallo told the outlet.
Neighbors have estimated that around 20 vagrants claimed the vacant building.
Quote:Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asked Republicans in Congress on Thursday to remove the so-called “revenge tax” from President Trump’s “big, beautiful” bill.
The provision would grant Trump the authority to tax foreign holdings of US investments as a way to retaliate against countries imposing new taxes on US companies operating overseas.
Bessent argued that the provision, known as Section 899, was no longer necessary after the Trump administration reached a deal with G7 nations at last week’s summit to exempt US companies from a 15% global corporate minimum tax championed by the Biden administration.
“After months of productive dialogue with other countries on the OECD Global Tax Deal, we will announce a joint understanding among G7 countries that defends American interests,” the Treasury secretary wrote on X. “President Trump paved the way for this historic achievement.”
“OECD Pillar 2 taxes will not apply to U.S. companies, and we will work cooperatively to implement this agreement across the OECD-G20 Inclusive Framework in coming weeks and months,” Bessent added. “I want to thank my G7 counterparts for their partnership and collaboration towards achieving this historic outcome.”
“Based on this progress and understanding, I have asked the Senate and House to remove the Section 899 protective measure from consideration in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.”
The massive piece of legislation is currently working its way through the Senate.
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said the revenge tax provision would be stricken from the bill.
“At the request of @SecScottBessent and in light of this joint understanding to preserve US tax sovereignty and allow US tax laws to co-exist with the Pillar 2 regime, we will remove proposed tax code Section 899 from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and we look forward to active engagement with Treasury on these important issues,” Crapo wrote on X.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) called the deal a “major victory for American workers.”
Some on Wall Street feared that the provision would discourage global investment in the US.
The Senate’s version of the revenge tax had been projected to raise more than $50 billion in revenues over 10 years, which would’ve helped defray the cost of other spending in the bill.
Trump has urged Congress to pass the bill by July 4.
Quote:A crazed Texas gunman was sentenced to 60 years in prison for randomly shooting a Texas Christian University student three times, including once in the back of the head, as the victim’s father slammed the killer’s “dark and ugly soul.”
Matthew Purdy pleaded guilty on Thursday to fatally shooting 21-year-old Wes Smith outside “Your Mom’s House” bar in the West 7th District of Fort Worth, Texas, just after 1 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2023.
Smith, a walk-on at the private D1 FBS school during the 2021 season, was getting his friend into a car to go home when Purdy approached him, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office said.
Purdy, who was 21 at the time of the shooting, approached Smith to ask if he knew who his father was before pulling out a gun and shooting the TCU student, WFAA reported, citing a police affidavit.
The junior finance major was struck twice by the crazed gunman’s bullets, once in the stomach and another in the shoulder, before collapsing to the ground.
Purdy shot Smith a third time in the back of the head as the student lay on the sidewalk to make sure he was dead, the gunman told police, according to the outlet.
During the chaos, Purdy pistol-whipped an 18-year-old woman attempting to flee the area.
Purdy was arrested by police two blocks from the shooting scene.
Purdy, now 23, told investigators he physically attacked the unidentified teen woman and would’ve shot more people, but he had run out of ammo, according to KXAS-TV.
He was expected to stand trial in July. His defense team had filed for an insanity defense, claiming Purdy suffered from schizophrenia and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the local station reported.
His attorneys also claimed Purdy’s mother had a history of mental health illnesses and abused drugs and alcohol during the pregnancy.
An Egyptian man trying to smuggle over 100 pounds of food through Dulles Airport punted a CBP beagle into the air when the pup sniffed out the scam, resulting in the creep’s deportation, the agency announced.
Customs and Border Protection Brigader Beagle Freddie, 5, caught the whiff of something suspicious coming from the luggage of Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, 70, who arrived at the Washington, DC, airport from Cairo on Tuesday, CBP said in a release.
As the detector dog alerted his handlers to Marie’s bags, the 70-year-old violently kicked Freddie with enough power to lift the 25-pound beagle into the air, the release stated.
CBP officers then took Marie down, placed him in custody, and turned him over to Homeland Security officials.
While inspecting the dog-kicker’s luggage, CBP officers found enough undeclared sundries to start a restaurant including 55 pounds of beef, 44 pounds of rice, 15 pounds of eggplant, two pounds of corn seeds, cucumbers, bell peppers, and one pound of herbs.
“Being caught deliberately smuggling well over one hundred pounds of undeclared prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violently assault a defenseless Customs and Border Protection beagle,” Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., said in the release.
Marie pleaded guilty to harming animals used in law enforcement, a federal crime, during an appearance in US District Court and was sent packing on a flight back to Egypt at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, CBP stated.
The K-9 hater was also ordered to pay for the beagle’s veterinarian fees.
Freddie suffered a contusion to his forward right rib area and is expected to make a full recovery.
At the end the dog is an active cop, right? The guy had to be punished for attacking an officer at the airport.
Quote:A “serial criminal” and “coward” was arrested in Los Angeles Tuesday for allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail at a hotel where more than two dozen Department of Homeland Security agents were staying as violent anti-ICE riots held the city hostage.
Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 39, who hails from California, allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport, where 15 agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and 12 Customs and Border Protection agents were staying, early Saturday, officials told The Post.
The Los Angeles Police Department received a call about an “incendiary device investigation” early Saturday after witnesses said that a male suspect had lit and launched a Molotov cocktail toward the hotel.
The device landed harmlessly in some bushes, and a hotel employee was able to put out the fire, according to Officer David Cuellar, an LAPD spokesman.
No one was injured in the attack.
“This coward threw a Molotov cocktail at a hotel in Los Angeles where 27 DHS law enforcement officers were staying,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a press release.
A joint investigation between the LAPD’s Major Crimes unit and the Los Angeles Fire Department’s arson investigators zeroed in on Rodriguez, Cuellar said.
He was nabbed Tuesday morning without incident near the scene of the initial attack, Cuellar said.
“Anyone who threatens the lives of federal officers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law — and that is exactly what will happen to Rodriguez,” McLaughlin said.
“If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney charged Rodriguez with one count of possession of a destructive device and one count of arson, Cuellar said.
“Anthony Rodriguez is a serial criminal who will face justice for threatening the lives of federal law enforcement,” McLaughlin said.
Quote:Andrew Cuomo is not dropping out of the race for New York City mayor.
Cuomo, the former three-term New York State governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, has decided, for now, to move ahead and run in the general election as an independent candidate, two sources confirmed to Fox News on Thursday night.
The announcement by Cuomo came two days after progressive upstart Zohran Mamdani shocked the political world, as he topped Cuomo and the rest of the 11-candidate field in heavily blue New York City's Democratic Party mayoral primary and took a big step toward becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation's most populous city.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist state assemblyman from Queens who originally hailed from Uganda, captured 43.5% of the first round unofficial primary results, with Cuomo at 36.4%.
While he acknowledged Mamdani's victory in the primary, Cuomo left the door open to a November run as an independent candidate, which election rules in New York State permit.
"I want to look at all the numbers as they come in and analyze the rank choice voting. I will then consult with my colleagues on what is the best path for me to help the City of New York, as I have already qualified to run for mayor on an independent line in November," Cuomo said in a statement earlier this week.
Cuomo was facing an end-of-the-day Friday deadline for candidates who had already qualified to run as independents to decline that independent ballot line.
The former governor will keep his place that he already secured earlier this year on the "Fight & Deliver" ballot line. But the sources said that Cuomo had not committed yet to running an active general election campaign through the summer and into the autumn.
If Cuomo drops out of the race at a later date, his name will stay on the general election ballot.
Quote:Incredible footage captured a massive explosion and fireball at a Montana industrial plant — with the blast rattling homes and cars for miles around, according to reports.
The explosion happened at a saltwater disposal site just outside of Sidney — a small city in northeast Montana — around 8 p.m. Wednesday, lighting up the evening sky with a huge ball of orange flame that billowed into a towering mushroom cloud.
It all apparently started after the facility caught fire sometime Wednesday, with the flames eventually igniting several propane tanks on the property, according to the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department.
Storm chaser Arron Rigsby was driving by when he saw the facility on fire before the explosion, so he pulled over to call for help and dispatched a drone to take a closer look — but got way more than he bargained for.
“All of a sudden, a massive explosion from a propane or oil tank ignited a chain reaction of explosions, sending a shock wave towards town and my vehicle and sent the tank hundreds of feet into the air before crashing back down to earth,” he said in his video.
And the boom was felt as far as 10 miles away, according to officials.
“The fire burned well into the night and with emergency crews on scene, there was nothing to do but to let it burn itself out and keep the spot fires under control,” he explained in his video.
Sidney Volunteer Fire Department soon arrived at the scene and cordoned the area off, establishing a quarantine that was maintained throughout the night.
The department determined the facility was housing multiple propane tanks, and burst when they became heated in the flames.
It remains unclear how the initial fire started.
Remarkably, nobody was hurt in the incident, and the damage was contained to the area around the facility.
Quote:A previously deported Iranian man living in the United States illegally was arrested this week in Texas, federal prosecutors said.
Jamil Bahlouli was found at an Austin home where deportation officers attempted to arrest him as part of a 2020 removal order after he skipped out on an appointment at an immigration office, the Justice Department said.
When authorities found Bahlouli in the doorway of his home, he "refused to be arrested and took an action designed to prevent or hamper his deportation and departure pursuant to the outstanding final order of removal by slamming the door on the deportation officers," court documents state.
He is charged with failure to deport. Bahlouli self-deported to Canada on Oct. 14, 2021 following the removal order.
However, he re-entered the U.S. illegally at some point and was found around Dec. 15, 2023, authorities said.
The 2020 removal order used to deport him the first time was then reinstated, the Justice Department said.
He was charged with illegal re-entry and information with illegal entry, for which he was convicted in Montana on Jan. 5, 2024, according to court documents.
He was sentenced to time served and released into the U.S. Bahlouli was scheduled to report to an ICE office in San Antonio on Jan. 23, 2024 but never showed up, authorities said.
He faces up to four years in prison. ICE is investigating the case.
Quote:The Harvard University scientist accused of smuggling frog embryos into the United States was slapped with additional federal charges Wednesday as she faces the possibility of decades in prison for allegedly failing to disclose the biological materials.
Russian-born scientist Kseniia Petrova, 30, was indicted by a Boston federal grand jury on one count of concealment of a material fact, one count of smuggling goods into the U.S. and one count of false statement.
Petrova, a scientist studying cancer research at Harvard, was initially charged with smuggling last month and will remain on pretrial release despite the new charges.
The researcher was arrested after she was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Boston Logan International Airport while returning from a vacation to France in February. Petrova told officers she had picked up a package of superfine sections of frog embryos while on her trip with the intention of using the samples for research.
Petrova was subsequently informed her visa was being canceled, and she was taken into custody by immigration officials in Vermont following her arrest.
Harvard University and an attorney representing Petrova did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
In an April interview with The Associated Press, Petrova insisted she was unaware of her responsibility to declare the items, claiming she did not intend to sneak anything into the country.
However, federal prosecutors allege text messages from Petrova’s phone reveal a colleague informed the scientist she was required to declare the biological materials prior to traveling through TSA, according to the Department of Justice.
Quote:ICE agents arrested a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member with suspected ties to Hezbollah, an ex Iranian army sniper and a terror watchlist suspect during a sweep of Iranian illegal migrants in the US over the weekend — as authorities raised warnings about possible “sleeper cells.”
In all, 11 Iranian illegal migrants, many of them with criminal records, were taken into custody, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement nabbed former IRGC Mehran Makari Sahel, who has “admitted connections” to the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, according to CBS News.
The 56-year-old Iranian citizen is a convicted felon, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison in Minneapolis for possessing a firearm, according to DHS.
The resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, was ordered deported on June 28, 2022, but never left the US.
Yousef Mehridehno, whose name appears on the terrorist watchlist, was arrested by ICE outside Jackson, Mississippi, according to the outlet.
Feds discovered that Mehridehno lied on a visa application after he had already been living in the country illegally for eight years. They also found that he potentially committed marriage fraud, according to DHS.
ICE agents also arrested Ribvar Karmi in northern Alabama on Sunday and found he was carrying an Iranian army ID card that revealed he was a sniper between 2018 and 2021, CBS reported.
Karmi entered the US in October 2024 on a K-1 visa for immigrants who are engaged to American citizens. But he never adjusted his status as required by the visa program, making him an illegal immigrant, according to DHS.
Five of the 11 Iranians swept up by ICE had previous criminal convictions that included grand larceny and drug and firearm possession, according to CBS News.
“Under Secretary Noem, DHS has identified and arrested known or suspected terrorists and violent extremists that illegally entered this country, came in through [President Joe] Biden’s fraudulent parole programs or otherwise,” DHS said in an X post Tuesday.
“We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out — and we are. We don’t wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland,” DHS said.
Quote:The United States has signed new agreements with Honduras and Guatemala that could allow migrants from other nations to seek refuge there instead of applying for asylum in the U.S., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced at the end of her trip to Central America.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump made it a centerpiece of his new administration to enact the largest deportation in U.S. history. The administration has conducted numerous ICE raids, some of which have swept up people with proper documentation.
Immigration advocacy and human rights groups have launched legal challenges against elements of the administration's policies, including deportations to third countries and the cancellation of some immigrants' legal status.
However, the Supreme Court this week ruled in favor of the administration 6-3 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—for the moment—is allowed to send deported migrants to a third country in which they have no connection, as some nations do not cooperate with the U.S. regarding repatriation.
What To Know
The deal brokered Thursday broadens the Trump administration's strategy of deporting migrants not just to their home countries but to third countries willing to offer them protection.
Noem said the arrangements had been in development for months, with the U.S. pressuring both governments to finalize the terms.
"Honduras and now Guatemala after today will be countries that will take those individuals and give them refugee status as well," Noem said.
"We've never believed that the United States should be the only option... The guarantee for a refugee is that they go somewhere to be safe and protected—it doesn't necessarily have to be the United States," she added.
Quote:The Trump administration on Wednesday restricted US banks from making transactions with three Mexican financial firms over concerns that they are laundering money for drug cartels.
The sanctions – the first implemented under the Fentanyl Sanctions Act and the FEND Off Fentanyl Act – targeted Mexican banks CIBanco and Intercam Banco and the brokerage firm Vector Casa de Bolsa, which have a combined $22 billion in assets, according to the Treasury Department.
“Cartels have exploited Mexico-based financial institutions to move money, enabling the vicious fentanyl supply chain that has poisoned countless Americans,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X.
“Through the first use of a new powerful authority granted by Congress, Treasury will effectively require US financial institutions to sever ties with 3 Mexico-based financial institutions for laundering money on behalf of cartels,” Bessent added. ”Both the United States and Mexico are committed to financial systems with strong anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism controls and these actions affirm Treasury’s commitment to using all tools at our disposal to counter the threat posed by terrorist organizations.”
The sanctions were implemented after the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) determined that CIBanco, Intercam and Vector were “moving money on behalf of cartels” and had become “vital cogs in the fentanyl supply chain,” according to Bessent.
FinCen’s investigation found a “long-standing pattern of associations, transactions, and provision of financial services” between CIBanco and Intercam and several Mexican drug trafficking groups, including Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and Gulf Cartel.
Between 2021 and 2024, CIBanco and Intercam processed over $3.6 million in purchases of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China, shipped to Mexico, for “illicit purposes,” according to FinCen.
The financial crimes watchdog further alleged that Intercam executives “met directly with suspected CJNG members” in 2022 “to discuss money laundering schemes, including transferring funds from China,” and that a CIBanco employee “knowingly facilitated the creation of an account to purportedly launder $10 million on behalf of a Gulf Cartel member” in 2023.
Vector’s alleged dealings with drug cartels date back to 2013, according to FinCen, which found a Sinaola Cartel “money mule” laundered at least $2 million from the US to Mexico through the brokerage firm.
In 2021 alone, Vector “remitted over USD 17 million in suspicious wire transfers to multiple China-based companies … on behalf of a company that was reportedly tied to an international drug trafficking organization,” according to FinCen.
Since at least 2019, Vector processed fund transfers to “over 20 China-based companies” that shipped fentanyl precursor chemicals to Mexico.
“Based on non-public information, as well as the volume and dollar amount of funds transfers that Vector processed over several years with these companies, FinCEN assesses that such transactions likely facilitated illicit opioid trafficking by Mexico-based [drug trafficking organizations],” the Treasury Department bureau noted.
FinCen also discovered that Vector processed “bribes” paid by the Sinaloa Cartel to a former top Mexican law enforcement official who was convicted of corruption charges in 2023.
The Treasury Department said it aims to deny anyone associated with Mexican drug cartels deemed Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and/or Specially Designated Global Terrorists by the Trump administration “access to the US financial system.”
MEXICO
Of course, Sheinbaum would obviously start complaining about the Trump administration's measures to make it hard to smuggle fentanyl into US via Mexico.
At the end, Mexico has "never" been partially influenced nor controlled by the cartels, right?
Quote:Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said, "we're no one's piñata," Thursday, blasting the Trump administration's decision to sanction three Mexican financial institutions over money laundering allegations.
"We aren't going to cover for anyone...but they have to demonstrate that there was actually money laundering—not with words, but with strong evidence," she said during her morning briefing.
"We're no one's piñata," she added. "Mexico must be respected."
Why It Matters
The dispute comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over the role of international financial networks in fueling the U.S. fentanyl crisis. Chinese companies are widely acknowledged as the main source of precursor chemicals for fentanyl production. Mexico, long grappling with powerful drug cartels operating with significant impunity, has become a key transit and production hub.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Quote:New satellite imagery captured on Friday shows intensified construction and excavation activity at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, days after U.S. B-2 stealth bombers dropped Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on the underground site.
The latest images, captured by Maxar Technologies, reveal heavy machinery still in place, additional earthwork and signs that tunnel entrances may have been deliberately sealed off before the strikes.
The Fordow site, buried inside a mountain 60 miles south of Tehran, was among three Iranian nuclear sites targeted during Operation Midnight Hammer, launched overnight on June 21–22. Based on the pictures, the facility now shows signs of "fresh earth movement," including new access roads and clusters of crater zones, particularly near key tunnel entrances.
Why It Matters
While initial U.S. assessments described the bombing damage as "extremely severe," the updated satellite photos suggest Iran may have acted preemptively to secure sensitive components. Iranian state media reported that nuclear sites had been evacuated and that enriched uranium was moved "to a safe location" ahead of the strikes.
International observers have expressed concern about Iran's production of highly enriched uranium at Fordow, though it remains unclear how much remained at the site during the bombing. Analysts say sealing the tunnels with dirt could have shielded underground assets or served to limit post-strike assessments.
What To Know
In the new imagery, earth-moving equipment can be seen operating near the northern tunnel complex. Bulldozers are repositioning dirt around one of the ridgeline craters, and newly formed access paths are visible.
Earlier imagery from June 19 and 20 shows multiple bulldozers and trucks positioned near the tunnel entrance. Observers now believe this was part of a coordinated effort to block or reinforce access points. The entrances appear filled with dirt, and ejecta from MOP impacts is visible in multiple locations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on NBC's Meet the Press that intelligence suggests "a lot of 60 percent enriched uranium" had been buried deep at Fordow but acknowledged uncertainty. "We have to assume" it was still there, he said.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues to evaluate the mission's effectiveness. "Our initial assessment is that all of our precision munitions struck where we wanted them to strike and had the desired effect," said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. "Especially in Fordow, which was the primary target here, we believe we achieved destruction of capabilities there."
As for the long-term status of Fordow's centrifuges, the IAEA said this week it believes they are "no longer operational," though experts say only on-site inspections or additional intelligence will reveal the true extent of the damage. For now, new imagery shows Iran actively working to either conceal or rehabilitate the site.
Quote:Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has publicly stated that recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes inflicted serious damage on Iran's nuclear sites, a sharp contrast to the downplaying by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and one early U.S. intelligence assessment that was leaked to media.
Araghchi said key nuclear facilities suffered significant harm and that Tehran is assessing the extent of the destruction. This admission comes amid escalating tensions and a fragile ceasefire following deadly clashes between Iran and Israel.
Newsweek has reached out to the State Department and Iran's foreign ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
The report of severe damage to Iran's nuclear infrastructure indicates rare discord within Tehran's leadership, revealing competing narratives on the impact of Western military actions.
It also bolsters statements by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration of severe damage to the nuclear facilities in the face of the leaked intelligence assessment.
What to Know
Last week, U.S. forces targeted Iran's nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. While U.S. President Donald Trump said the strikes had "completely obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, one early leaked intelligence assessment said the setbacks might delay Iran's program by months rather than years. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed notable damage, particularly at the Fordow site, but warned that full reconstruction could take years.
Diverging Views Within Iran
Supreme Leader Khamenei publicly dismissed the strikes' effectiveness, asserting they "did not achieve anything" and accused Trump of exaggerating their impact. This position contrasts sharply with Araghchi's admission, signaling a potential rift between the supreme leader and the foreign ministry on how to manage public perception and diplomatic strategy.
In an interview on Iranian state TV, Araghchi said that the U.S. strikes inflicted "serious harm" on its nuclear facilities. "This damage has not been minor—serious harm has been done to our facilities," he said, noting that Iran's Atomic Energy Agency is conducting a thorough assessment of the destruction.
Quote:Iran's defense minister has made his first overseas visit since a deadly 12-day conflict with Israel, traveling to China for a gathering of top military officials from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional security bloc led by Beijing and Moscow.
The visit, amid ongoing volatility in the Middle East, signals Tehran's determination to deepen ties with powers outside the Western alliance system.
Newsweek has reached out to the State Department for comment.
Why It Matters
Iran's attendance at the security summit underscores its continued alignment with China and Russia amid ongoing tensions with the U.S., as President Donald Trump seeks to revive potential nuclear talks.
Arriving just days after American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Israel's unprecedented attacks, Tehran's presence reaffirms its reliance on alternative global alliances in defiance of Western pressure. By hosting the meeting, China positions the SCO as a growing counterweight to NATO, offering Iran and other members a platform to challenge U.S.-led military and diplomatic dominance amid mounting global instability.
What to Know
Iran's Aziz Nasirzadeh joined defense ministers from nine SCO member states—including China, Russia, India, and Pakistan—in Qingdao, a strategic Chinese naval base city. The two-day summit began soon after a fragile ceasefire paused deadly attacks between Iran and Israel that also involved the U.S.
The meeting highlighted Tehran's push to deepen ties within the SCO as Western pressure intensifies, reinforcing its strategy of aligning with key regional powers. While Chinese officials have avoided direct involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict, they offered rhetorical backing for Iran's stance. Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, without naming the crisis, denounced "hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts"—a common Beijing critique of U.S. influence. In remarks reported by Chinese state media, Nasirzadeh thanked China for its "understanding and support" and urged it to help stabilize the region and uphold the ceasefire.
Oil Flows to China
Meanwhile, China significantly ramped up its imports of Iranian crude oil in June, driven by discounted prices and increased loadings from Iran. Independent Chinese refiners took advantage of lower global oil prices, contributing to the surge. According to data cited by Reuters, China imported a record 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude between June 1 and 20.
Following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, President Trump wrote on social media that "China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran," adding, "Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the US, also." Although Trump's statement suggested a possible easing of sanctions enforcement, the White House clarified that no formal lifting of sanctions has occurred, reflecting a nuanced U.S. stance balancing pressure on Iran with geopolitical realities.
Quote:The U.S. drew down a significant portion of its advanced anti-missile system to bolster Israel's defense against Iranian aerial attacks during a 12-day conflict in which Israel and the U.S. struck nuclear facilities and Iran retaliated with missile launches, according to defense news outlets and independent analysts.
The Pentagon press office told Newsweek "we have nothing to provide".
Why It Matters
Israel has long relied on the Lockheed Martin developed Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, known as the THAAD battery, for shielding against ballistic missiles from Iran or its proxy groups such as the Yemeni Houthis.
The U.S. military operates seven THAAD batteries. An eighth, getting integrated into the Missile Defense Agency, is capable of tracking hypersonic missiles. The THAAD deployment to Israel is part of a broader challenge where supporting allies in conflict zones means using resources that could affect military readiness and future deployment.
What To Know
During the recent Israel-Iran conflict, the United States used an estimated 15 to 20 percent of its global THAAD missile interceptor stockpile, incurring unprecedented costs exceeding $800 million, according to the Bulgarian Military News and Military Watch Magazine outlets.
Iran launched a major missile barrage on cities across Israel in response to attacks on its nuclear and military targets, prompting residents to seek shelter amid nationwide. They included older models such as the Ghadr and Emad, the medium-range Kheibar Shekan and the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile—which travels at up to Mach 15 and is hard to intercept.
The U.S. restocked interceptor missiles for the THAAD system it deployed in Israel in 2024, amid concerns of shortage, The Wall Street Journal reported. A single THAAD interceptor costs about $12-15 million, according to estimates by multiple defense and news outlets.
While the battery costs approximately $1.3 billion, the interceptor cost estimation for 2025 is $18 million for production only, increasing to $27 million with RDT&E (research, development, test, and evaluation) included, Sidharth Kaushal, Senior Research Fellow specializing in Sea Power within the Military Sciences division at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) told Newsweek.
Quote:President Donald Trump is seeking to sway Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward agreeing to a ceasefire deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the truce that put an end to Iran and Israel's 12-day war, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
"An agreement is very possible," the person told Newsweek. "The president is working very hard on convincing the Israelis that the time is right, now that they have finished with the issue of Iran."
The person, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, added that Trump was also looking for a lasting end to the conflict, beyond the 60-day truce period outlined in the latest U.S. proposal.
"The president is clearly interested not just in a mere 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas," the source said. "He's hoping that those 60 days would lead to a resolution, the release of all the hostages and permanent cease fire that could lead to negotiations over the future of an Israel-Palestine peace agreement."
Reached for comment, a White House spokesperson referred Newsweek to Trump's remarks during a press conference later Friday.
"I think it's close. I just spoke with some of the people involved. And it's a terrible situation that is going on in Gaza," Trump said in response to a reporter's question regarding progress toward a ceasefire deal there. "And we think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire."
...
Peace After Peace
Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched what came to be the deadliest attack in Israel's history.
Around 1,200 people, most of them civilians, were killed and an additional 251 taken hostage, around 50 of whom are still believed to be in captivity, according to Israeli officials. The Hamas-led Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza counts more than 56,300 killed throughout the subsequent war in the territory, without distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants, though more than half are said to be women and children.
The conflict has also drawn in Iran and its Axis of Resistance coalition, which intervened in support of Hamas. Israel signed a ceasefire with the Lebanese Hezbollah movement last November and the U.S. signed a truce with Yemen's Ansar Allah, or Houthi, movement last month, though the group continued to strike at Israel.
Israel and Iran also exchanged two sets of strikes throughout last year but entered into their most serious confrontation to date on June 12, after Israel launched a widespread series of strikes targeting sites and personnel associated with the Islamic Republic's nuclear program and armed forces.
Quote:President Donald Trump at a press conference on Friday said he expects Iran to work with international inspectors to verify it doesn't restart its nuclear program, warning in a separate response that if Iran can still enrich weapons-grade material he would "without question" bomb the country again.
...
The U.S. launched strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz last week in what the Trump administration dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer." The strikes marked the first direct involvement of America in the crisis between Iran and Israel, and the White House celebrated the operation for achieving the "total obliteration" of the Fordow nuclear facility.
The action has received backlash, with many citing the lack of congressional approval for the military move.
Washington has said it expects Iran to resume nuclear talks, but Tehran pushed back on that assertion, instead rejecting pressure and hardening its stance, which limits the ability to fully assess the efficacy of the strikes.
One key point remains the possibility that Iran moved its nuclear material away from those sites ahead of the strikes, protecting the stockpiles. Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA, said that his team does not have any information about the whereabouts of the material and told CNN that "Iran has made no secret that they have protected this material."
Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the uncertainty, telling ABC News: "We're going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel."
...
When asked if he would demand Iran allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or some other organization to be authorized to conduct inspections of its facilities, Trump said the Islamic Republic would have to cooperate with the group "or somebody that we respect, including ourselves."
He also said he would "without question" bomb Iran if it turned out that the country could still enrich weapons-grade nuclear material, but he added that it would be "unbelievable" if that turned out to still be the case following the U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities last week.
The president also separately addressed a statement from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—the first issued since the U.S. strikes on his country's nuclear facilities—in which he said that he had delivered a "slap to America's face" with retaliatory strikes on a U.S. air base in Qatar, warning the U.S. against any further strikes.
Khamenei also said the U.S. had exaggerated the impact of its strikes, saying, "They could not achieve anything significant."
The White House, in its immediate response, said that the Ayatollah was trying to "save face" and that "any commonsense, open-minded person knows the truth about the precision strikes on Saturday night," which were "wildly successful."
Trump on Truth Social hit out at Khamenei, accusing him of saying "blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel when he knows his statement is a lie."
"Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them," the president warned.
Quote:President Donald Trump has rejected as a "hoax" media reports of a $30 billion deal to assist Iran in developing civilian nuclear facilities.
The reports by CNN and NBC News that the Trump administration was looking at economic incentives for the Islamic Republic to halt its uranium enrichment follow the U.S. military bombing of Iranian nuclear sites.
One official told CNN that the money would not come directly from the United States, which prefers its Arab partners to foot the bill, but Washington "would lead these talks" with Iran.
...
Trump announced a ceasefire this week between Iran and Israel following U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites that followed Israel's Operation Rising Lion aimed at curbing Tehran's ability to make an atomic weapon.
Although Trump said the U.S. had obliterated Iran's ability to make a bomb, preliminary intelligence suggests otherwise. Trump's dismissal of the CNN and NBC reports comes amid concern about just how incapacitated Iran's nuclear capacity is.
What To Know
CNN and NBC reported that the Trump administration had investigated financial incentives for Iran in return for it halting its uranium enrichment.
This included releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and helping it build a civilian nuclear program in a potential "$30 billion" deal.
The preliminary proposal is one of several the Trump administration is considering although there is no guarantee any would proceed, the outlets reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions.
The money would not come directly from the U.S., which wants Arab partners to pay for it but the U.S "is willing to lead these talks" with Iran, the Trump administration official told CNN, "but we will not make that commitment."
But Trump hit back on Truth Social, in a post that said the reports were "fake news" which pushed a "ridiculous idea."
"It's just another HOAX put out by the Fake News in order to demean," added the post. "These people are SICK!!!"
Any such deal as reported by CNN and NBC would be a major policy reversal for Trump who during his first term, pulled the U.S. out a 2015 nuclear deal struck with Iran under the Obama administration.
Trump also threatened to drop any sanctions relief for Iran after its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared victory in the war against Israel and downplayed the significance of U.S. attacks.
Trump said on Friday he had been working on sanctions relief for Iran but railed at the supreme leader's "lie" and statement "of anger, hatred and disgust."
Quote:President Donald Trump has pressed for Israel and Hamas to clinch a ceasefire and secure the release of the remaining captives held in Gaza.
Trump fired off an all-caps demand fire in a Truth Social post at 1:19 a.m. ET Sunday: "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT."
Newsweek has reached out to Hamas and Israeli authorities for comment.
Why It Matters
A U.S.-brokered first-stage ceasefire deal agreed in January fell apart in March, as negotiators failed to nail down a second stage of the agreement and Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza.
Trump has styled himself a peacemaker, pushing for an end to Israel's war in Gaza and its conflict with Iran, as well as between India and Pakistan and Russia and Ukraine.
What To Know
A total of 50 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip of the 251 people abducted by militants from the Palestinian group Hamas during its unprecedented October 7 attacks in 2023— surprise assaults on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people.
Israel then launched large-scale operations that have devastated the territory and its roughly 2 million inhabitants. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 56,400 people have been killed in the strip, according to reporting by the Associated Press. This figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Trump had told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday he believed a ceasefire could materialize "within the next week."
"I think it's close," Trump said. "I just spoke with some of the people involved. It's a terrible situation."
Israeli media reported on Saturday that officials involved in Israel's negotiations on a hostage deal and a ceasefire for Gaza did not share Trump's optimism on how quickly agreements could be signed. An unnamed senior Hamas official told the BBC on Thursday that mediators had doubled down on efforts to secure deals but progress was elusive.
A person with knowledge of the discussions, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, told Newsweek on Friday an "agreement is very possible," adding Trump was trying to convince Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu that "the time is right" to ink a deal, "now that they have finished with the issue of Iran."
Quote:Russia said it would pose an "immediate danger" to Moscow if Estonia, a neighboring country that is a member of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO), hosts nuclear-capable jets.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave the reaction to Russian state media after Estonia's defense minister Hanno Pevkur said his Baltic country was ready to host nuclear-capable F-35s again, as it had done before.
"The F-35s have already been in Estonia and will soon return again in rotation. We are ready to continue to host allies on our territory, including those who use such platforms," Pevkur told Estonian radio on Friday.
According to Tass, Peskov noted that Baltic state leaders have expressed many absurd ideas. "One can only express regret in this regard," he said.
Why It Matters
NATO-Russia tensions are at their highest in years over the Ukraine crisis. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the Eastern European country in February 2022, and NATO allies fear Moscow has more ambitions in the former Soviet sphere, especially the Baltic states.
The alliance maintains a policy of nuclear deterrence, relying on a combination of U.S., British, and French nuclear capabilities. Its strategy includes forward-deployed, U.S.-owned nuclear weapons stored in Europe and delivery by allied aircraft such as the F-35A.
This posture is intended as a deterrent against potential aggression from Russia and as reassurance to NATO members closest to Russia.
U.K. Will Buy F-35A Jets
Pevkur's comments come as the United Kingdom, another NATO ally, said it would purchase at least 12 nuclear-capable F-35A fighter jets made by the U.S.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said his country "will make these aircraft able to bear nuclear weapons if necessary" and that the purchase was in "response to a growing nuclear threat".
The F-35A Lightning II, developed by Lockheed Martin, is a fifth-generation stealth jet that the U.S. Air Force describes as the "world's most advanced multi-role fighter."
It is compatible with carrying the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb, making it a key component in NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements.
Quote:Russian Major General Apti Alaudinov said he did not think U.S. President Donald Trump would save Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and called into question the American leader's reliability in promises he makes.
Trump is attempting to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine and an end to Moscow's full-scale invasion, which it launched in February 2022 to international outcry, a process he has said is not easy, and which he has found frustrating.
Ukraine is under intense pressure from Russian advances. Zelensky has urged Trump to increase American military aid to Kyiv and tighten the screw on Russian President Vladimir Putin to force him to make peace.
"I don't think Trump will save Zelensky, because Zelensky has made too many mistakes for Trump not to stand up for him," Alaudinov told state news agency TASS.
Alaudinov is deputy head of the main military and political department of the Russian army, and the commander of the Akhmat special forces of the defense ministry.
Trump 'Can Change Strategy'
The Russian general said that Trump does not feel compelled to stick to previous statements, and that the American president can take his promise back, "then give a new one, then change his strategy," TASS reported.
Zelensky and Trump have had a fractious relationship at times. In February, tensions burst open in public when Zelensky, Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance clashed during a meeting at the White House in front of the media.
Many of Trump's supporters dislike Zelensky, viewing him as corrupt and an obstacle to peace. They do not want American money and time spent on Ukraine, seeing it as non-essential to U.S. interests.
The relationship has since been repaired, and the two leaders often speak, but there are still sharp points of contention, particularly over Trump's handling of Russia and Putin.
Quote:Four Russian fighter-bombers were targeted in a Ukrainian drone strike hundreds of miles away from the frontline, according to Ukraine's military.
The drones destroyed two Su-34 fighter jets and damaged two others following the strike in Russia's Volgograd Oblast overnight Friday, according to Ukraine's General Staff.
...
Over the course of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian drone technology has fast developed into a cost effective way of taking out expensive Russian military assets and Kyiv's report shows the latest stage of this campaign of hitting targets far from the frontline.
What To Know
The operation was carried out by the Special Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in cooperation with other military units, according to the General Staff.
The statement said that two Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers have been destroyed and two others damaged at the Marinovka airfield over 560 miles southeast of Moscow in an operation carried out by long-range drones.
The attack also sparked a fire in the airport's technical maintenance area used to prepare aircraft ready for missions.
Russian Su-34s are the main aircraft Russia uses to launch missile and bomb strikes on Ukrainian positions and settlements. As of Saturday, 37 Russian Su-34s and 158 aircraft in total had been destroyed or damaged since February 2022 according to Oryx, a website tracking war losses by using imagery as proof.
The latest strikes come as Russia steps up aerial attacks on Ukraine which said Moscow's attacks had killed 10 people and injured at least 50 others on Friday.
Ukraine's Air Force reported it had downed 21 out of the 23 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones and decoys.
But a Russian drone attack on the city of Odesa hit a high-rise building, killing a married couple and injuring at least 14 other people, according to local authorities.
Quote:Germany scrambled its fighter jets to intercept a Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, it has been reported, in the latest incident involving Moscow's forces over the body of water dubbed a "NATO Lake."
The German newspaper Bild reported that a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance plane flew over the area with its transponder switched off and without a flight plan filed before the German Air Force scrambled its aircraft.
Why It Matters
NATO members have reported in the region a spike in incidents of Russian belligerence of which Friday's is the latest. Since the accession of Sweden and Finland to the alliance, the Baltic Sea is called a "NATO Lake" and given the location within it, of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, an area of strategic military significance as tensions with Moscow continue to increase.
What To Know
Bild reported that the Russian Il-20M took off from Kaliningrad with its transponder switched off and without a flight plan filed around 9 a.m. Friday.
It was heading towards international airspace near Poland and Germany but was detected by NATO radar which alerted Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, which scrambled two Eurofighter jets from Laage Air Base near Rostock.
The Eurofighter jets established visual contact with the Russian plane about 60 miles from the German coast before changing course north 25 miles from the island of Usedom, thus remaining in international airspace.
The German Eurofighters returned to base just after 11 a.m. in an incident that comes only weeks after British fighter jets based in Poland intercepted two Russian reconnaissance aircraft.
Quote:A Ukrainian F-16 pilot was killed intercepting Russian aerial attacks overnight, Kyiv's air force said, in what a Ukrainian official described as the largest-scale air attacks on his country since the start of the war.
Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko intercepted seven air targets from his F-16 fighter jet before his aircraft was damaged and started to lose altitude, Ukraine's air force said in a statement on Sunday.
Ukrainian authorities said Russia had launched 477 drones and decoys overnight, as well as four Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, seven short-range ballistic missiles, 41 Kh-101 cruise missiles, five Kalibr cruise missiles and three anti-aircraft guided missiles.
The attacks into Sunday were the largest airstrikes on Ukraine of more than three years of full-scale war in the country in terms of number of incoming threats, Colonel Yuriy Ignat, an official with Ukraine's air force, confirmed to Newsweek.
The Polish military said early on Sunday it had scrambled NATO jets and put its air defenses on high alert after Russia launched its strikes on Ukraine.
Regional authorities in Lviv, which borders Poland, reported attacks on critical infrastructure but no casualties. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said overnight "a massive attack on the western regions of Ukraine is underway."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said one child had been injured in the central Ukrainian city of Smila. Ukraine's state emergency service said five other people were injured in Smila, with a college and three other buildings damaged.
Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement it had launched a "massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons," including Kinzhal missiles, targeting Ukraine's military industry and the country's oil refineries. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said Moscow had "struck energy facilities, infrastructure, and residential areas."
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. President Donald Trump pledged to end Europe's largest land conflict since World War II in just 24 hours when he was reelected, but has so far failed to make a deal.
Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal in March, but Russia has not inked its consent. Moscow has in recent weeks hammered Ukraine with often deadly aerial strikes, drawing condemnation from Trump, who has typically skirted overtly criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout ceasefire talks.
Trump said this week negotiating a ceasefire deal had been "more difficult than people would have any idea—Vladimir Putin has been more difficult."
"Frankly, I had some problems with Zelensky," he added during a press conference in The Hague.
Ukraine leans heavily on the U.S. and the rest of Kyiv's allies for vital supplies of air defense missiles in the face of intensified waves of Russian strikes. Trump indicated earlier this week he would be willing to transfer Patriot air defense missiles, capable of shooting down Russia's most advanced weapons, to Ukraine. Kyiv has long pleaded for more air defense supplies.
Ukraine's air force said on Sunday it shot down 211 drones with another 225 straying before hitting their targets. Air defenses intercepted one of the short-range ballistic missiles, four of the Kalibr cruise missiles and 33 Kh-101 missiles, the military said.
Ukraine has also used its small pool of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to intercept Russian attacks on the country. Kyiv revealed it had received and started using the first of its F-16s in August 2024.
Quote:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday signed a decree to withdraw the country from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty that bans the use and stockpiling of antipersonnel landmines, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed on Sunday.
The decree comes after more than three years since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
When asked for additional comment on Sunday morning, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred Newsweek to its website post.
Why It Matters
Antipersonnel mines are designed to use against humans rather than tanks or military vehicles and cannot distinguish between civilians and combatants. As they are hidden and often scattered, the mines often maim or kill civilians long after fighting has ended.
The announcement comes the same day as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries scrambled fighter jets, according to the Polish military, after a Ukrainian official said Moscow had launched its largest-scale air attack on the country in more than three years.
In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its Eastern European neighbor, with the conflict resulting in significant loss of life, international sanctions on Moscow, and a protracted humanitarian crisis. Russia previously annexed Crimea in 2014.
What To Know
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a statement on its official website that said "Ukraine has made the difficult but necessary political decision to stop the implementation of irrelevant obligations under the Ottawa Convention."
The ministry's post continued stating that Russia's "armed aggression" has made Ukraine, and other nearby countries "reassess their positions and adopt a joint political decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention."
In March, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland announced their intention to withdraw from the treaty, while Finland's parliament voted to do so in June. On Friday, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kęstutis Budrys, confirmed in an X, formerly Twitter, post that the country has "formally notified the UN Secretary-General of its withdrawal from the Mine Ban Treaty."
Quote:President Donald Trump during a press conference midday Friday said he will "act very quickly" to advance policies blocked by federal judges, including birthright citizenship restrictions, after the Supreme Court ruled in his favor against lower courts.
Why It Matters
The Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision on Friday ruled that individual federal judges do not have the authority to issue nationwide injunctions, delivering a key victory to Trump while leaving the underlying issue of his birthright citizenship restriction unresolved - for now.
The Court said lower courts should not issue nationwide injunctions which go beyond relief for individual plaintiffs on cases. Trump has frequently criticized lower court judges for blocking his policies on a broad scale.
What To Know
At Friday's press conference, Trump addressed if this ruling clears the way for him to pursue his legislative agenda, first noting that it was a question for "the lawyers," but then added: "This is really a decision based on common sense. It didn't work the other way. It was a disaster.
"We've overturned many of the decisions, but it would take years to do it, and we have to act quickly when it comes to illegal immigration," Trump said. "We have murderers, killers, we have drug dealers, we have - what they've allowed to come into our country should never be forgotten.
"It should never be forgotten what they've done to our country, and we have to be able to act very quickly, and we're going to do that," he added.
When asked about fears that this decision will concentrate too much power in the White House, Trump told reporters: "The Constitution has been brought back."
When asked about criticism leveled against Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who wrote Friday's landmark opinion but previously has sided with the Democrat-appointed justices against Trump, the president said he has "great respect" for her.
"Her decision was brilliantly written today, from all accounts," Trump said.
Quote:On Friday, Robert E. McGuire, acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, ruled that Kilmar Abrego Garcia should remain in jail at the request of his own legal team who said they feared he could be deported if released from custody.
Why It Matters
Garcia attracted widespread attention in March when he was deported to his native El Salvador in what federal officials later admitted was an "administrative error." The Trump administration insists Garcia is a member of the MS-13 criminal gang, which he and his family have denied.
Whilst being held in a Salvadorian mega prison, Garcia was visited by Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, and his case became a cause against the backdrop of Trump's vow to crackdown on foreign criminal gangs and illegal immigration.
What To Know
In June, Garcia was returned to the U.S. where he was charged with human trafficking, with Attorney General Pam Bondi saying he played a "significant role" in a people smuggling ring.
Garcia pled not guilty to the charges and his legal team said the federal government's actions against him amount to an "abuse of power." Originally, Garcia entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager, but he was granted protection from deportation by an immigration judge who said he could face violence from gangs in his native country.
On June 22, Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes of Nashville ordered Garcia to be released on bail, saying she did not believe he was a flight risk or a threat to the wider community. This decision was appealed by the federal government, but U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw of Tennessee backed Holmes's ruling and said Garcia could be released.
However, Garcia's legal team itself requested he remain in custody, saying they feared he would be deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if released from prison. In a motion filed on Friday, his attorneys wrote: "The irony of this request is not lost on anyone."
The attorneys said there had been "contradictory statements" from the Department of Justice (DOJ) which in a court hearing in Maryland on Thursday indicated Garcia would be deported to a third country. However, the same day, a DOJ spokesperson informed the Associated Press that Garcia would face trial before being deported.
So how exactly is this a win for Kilmar? At first glance, the DOJ seems to clearly win thanks to the defense's request.
Quote:Two environmental charities on Friday filed a lawsuit at a Miami federal court attempting to block the opening of a new migrant processing facility at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Florida Everglades, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" by some Republicans.
The suit was launched by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, who said that the proposal violates the National Environmental Policy and Endangered Species acts.
Friends of the Everglades told Newsweek that the processing facility was "another existential threat" to the Everglades ecosystem.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied this claim.
"It's a lazy lawsuit, and it ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek.
Newsweek also contacted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Center for Biological Diversity for comment via email on Saturday outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Since assuming office in January, the second Trump administration has overseen a major crackdown aimed at removing illegal migrants from the United States, with intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the country.
Trump has vowed to deport upwards of 11 million people from the country and doing so would require a dramatic expansion in detention and deportation facilities.
What To Know
Friday's lawsuit was filed in the federal Southern District of Florida with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE director Todd Lyons listed among the defendants.
The new detention center is under construction at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a training 39-square-mile site near Big Cypress National Preserve which has a 10,000 foot asphalt runway.
During an interview with Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy, that aired on Friday, DeSantis said the center should be ready to take its first detainees by Tuesday. Footage from the site showed portable restrooms and air conditioning systems underneath tent-like canopies.
Florida authorities say the facility will take $450 million to build, with the cost to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Friday's lawsuit argues the facility violates the Environmental Policy and Endangered Species acts and is calling for an expedited hearing to stop construction until an environmental hearing is complete.
The Everglades is home to a number of threatened or endangered species including the Florida panther, American flamingos, manatees and American crocodiles. It also contains an estimated 200,000 alligators, hence the new facility's nickname.
Quote:California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $321 billion budget on Friday that closes a $12 billion deficit by scaling back several progressive priorities, including a landmark health care expansion for undocumented immigrants.
Newsweek reached out to the governor's office via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
The budget agreement between Newsom and Democratic leaders marks the third consecutive year the nation's most populous state has been forced to reduce funding for programs championed by Democratic leadership.
The governor and legislative leaders framed the budget as a response to what they describe as economic challenges stemming from President Donald Trump's tariff policies, immigration crackdowns and rising costs tied to increased enrollment in Medi-Cal, California's state-funded healthcare program for low-income residents that was expanded last year to include undocumented adults as part of the state's universal healthcare goals.
The cuts to immigrant health services represent a significant retreat from California's universal healthcare ambitions, affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. With projected annual deficits of $17-24 billion in coming years and potential federal revenue losses of $16 billion, the state faces sustained financial pressure that could force deeper cuts to essential services.
What To Know
The budget addresses the deficit primarily through state savings withdrawals, borrowing from special funds, and payment delays rather than implementing new taxes on families or businesses. The most significant immigrant health program changes target Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program.
Starting next year, the Golden State will halt new enrollments for undocumented adults in Medi-Cal, effectively capping the program's growth. Additionally, beginning July 2027, the state will implement a $30 monthly premium for immigrants currently enrolled in the program, including some with legal status, affecting adults under 60 years old. These changes represent a scaled-back version of Newsom's original proposal from May, which would have imposed deeper cuts to the landmark program that began just last year.
The Medi-Cal modifications mark a retreat from California's ambitious universal healthcare expansion, which had made the state a national leader in providing comprehensive health coverage regardless of immigration status. The program cuts come despite California's role as home to the nation's largest immigrant population, with undocumented residents comprising a significant portion of essential workers in agriculture, construction, and hospitality sectors.
Quote:A Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalist was arrested and charged after authorities allegedly discovered child porn on his work computer, DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Friday.
Thomas Pham LeGro, a 48-year-old video editor at the news outlet, was taken into custody on Thursday after FBI agents raided his Washington, DC, home and discovered a folder on his work laptop which contained 11 videos depicting child sexual abuse material, according to Pirro’s office.
FBI agents also discovered “fractured pieces of a hard drive in the hallway outside the room where LeGro’s work laptop was found,” during the execution of the search warrant.
Legro made his first appearance in District Court of Washington, DC, on Friday and has a detention hearing scheduled for next Wednesday.
The journalist, who has worked at the Washington Post for 18 years, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
A heavily redacted FBI affidavit against LeGro claims the reporter was linked to multiple E-Gold accounts in 2005 and 2006.
E-Gold was a digital payment service that ceased operations after the feds accused the company in 2007 of laundering money for child pornographers.
The affidavit notes that the FBI received court approval to monitor LeGro’s internet account in May.
LeGro’s worked in the Washington Post’s sports department from 2000-2006 and then left to become a reporter and producer for “PBS NewsHour” before returning to WaPo in 2013, according to his biography.
As a member of WaPo’s video department, he was part of a team of reporters that won a prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 2017 for coverage of former Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore.
Moore threatened to sue the Washington Post that year after the outlet published allegations that he romantically pursued a 14-year-old girl when he was in his 30s, which he vehemently denied.
A spokesperson for the Washington Post said Legro has been placed on leave.
“The Washington Post understands the severity of these allegations, and the employee has been placed on leave,” the outlet said in a statement.
Quote:The Senate voted Saturday to launch into debate on President Trump’s “big beautiful” spending bill, after Republican leaders spent hours working to gain enough support to approve the 940-page document.
The multi-trillion dollar bill narrowly advanced in a 51-49 procedural vote, despite opposition from two Republican lawmakers who joined their Democratic colleagues in an attempt to block the measure from reaching the Senate floor.
Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Rand Paul (R-KY) were the holdouts after they publicly declared that they wouldn’t be backing the bill in its current form.
Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson initially voted against the procedural motion but flipped at the eleventh hour.
Vice President JD Vance had arrived at Capitol Hill earlier in the night and remained on standby ready to cast his tie-breaking vote as Republicans remained divided throughout the nearly four hour proceeding.
Debate will now begin on the spending bill – and that could take hours as New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer has promised to have the nearly 1,000-page measure read before a final vote on passing it can happen.
“Tonight we saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate with the “GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,” but, it wouldn’t have happened without the Fantastic Work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis,” Trump said on Truth Social early Sunday.
“They, along with all of the other Republican Patriots who voted for the Bill, are people who truly love our Country!”
Trump has lobbied for House and Senate Republicans to fast-track the legislation so it lands on his desk by his self-imposed July 4 deadline.
The measure would make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, end taxation on tips and overtime, boost border security funding and scrap green-energy tax credits passed during the Biden administration.
Quote:Elon Musk waded back into politics Saturday with a series of sharp social media criticisms of the Trump-backed “Big Beautiful Bill,” calling it “utterly insane” and “political suicide.”
The SpaceX CEO, who turned 54 on Saturday, expressed his frustration and rage at the massive spending bill on social media ahead of the critical vote on which the Trump agenda hinges.
“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” the former DOGE chief wrote on X ahead of a Senate debate on the legislation.
“Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future,” Musk concluded.
In successive posts, Musk had even more strongly worded warnings for the GOP.
“Polls show that this bill is political suicide for the Republican Party,” the birthday boy later wrote on X.
Musk further claimed that the bill raised the debt ceiling by $5 trillion and would put “America in the fast lane to debt slavery!”
The billionaire’s fallout earlier this month with former ally President Trump was apparently set-off by disagreements about the massive spending bill that was undergoing a procedural vote late Saturday.
That spat culminated with Musk endorsing the impeachment and removal of his former chosen candidate.
Musk later apologized to the president, who suggested that a reconciliation between the former allies is still in the cards.
Trump raged on Truth Social Saturday night as a procedural vote on the “Big Beautiful Bill” languished on the Senate floor, calling out Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), saying the Tarheel was making a “BIG MISTAKE for America,” by not voting for the bill.
Quote:Conservative Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett stunned veteran bench watchers Friday with a blunt takedown of liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s “extreme” dissent in the landmark birthright citizenship case in which the Supreme Court curtailed lower court use of universal injunctions.
“We will not dwell on Justice Jackson’s argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself,” wrote Barrett, the court’s second-newest justice, in a jaw-dropping rebuke of her colleague, the newest justice.
“We observe only this: Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”
Barrett had authored the majority opinion in the case, the most consequential on the docket this term, which gave President Trump a major win by limiting the power of district judges to block his actions.
Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor penned the main dissent for the left flank of the high court, which Jackson joined.
But Jackson also wrote a concurring dissent that featured a heavy fixation on the potential practical ramifications of the 6-3 decision rather than grounding her argument in legal theory.
“It is not difficult to predict how this all ends. Eventually, executive power will become completely uncontainable, and our beloved constitutional Republic will be no more,” Jackson dramatically fretted at one point.
“Quite unlike a rule-of-kings governing system, in a rule of law regime, nearly ‘[e]very act of government may be challenged by an appeal to law,'” Jackson wrote elsewhere. “At the very least, I lament that the majority is so caught up in minutiae of the Government’s self-serving, finger-pointing arguments that it misses the plot.”
Jackson even went so far as to dismiss the question of whether universal injunctions were provided for by the Judiciary Act of 1789 as “legalese” that “obscures a far more basic question of enormous legal and practical significance: May a federal court in the United States of America order the Executive to follow the law?”
Barrett’s response in her opinion was almost mocking: “Because analyzing the governing statute involves boring ‘legalese,’ [Jackson] seeks to answer ‘a far more basic question of enormous practical significance: May a federal court in the United States of America order the Executive to follow the law?’
“In other words, it is unnecessary to consider whether Congress has constrained the Judiciary; what matters is how the Judiciary may constrain the Executive. Justice Jackson would do well to heed her own admonition: ‘[E]veryone, from the President on down, is bound by law,'” Barrett continued.
“That goes for judges too.”
While Barrett, 53, gave lukewarm praise to Sotomayor, 71, for focusing her dissent on “conventional legal terrain, like the Judiciary Act of 1789 and our cases on equity,” she rounded on Jackson, 54, for adopting “a startling line of attack that is tethered neither to these sources nor, frankly, to any doctrine whatsoever.
“Waving away attention to the limits on judicial power as a ‘mind-numbingly technical query’ … she offers a vision of the judicial role that would make even the most ardent defender of judicial supremacy blush,” Barrett wrote.
Meanwhile, Jackson opted not to conclude her opinion with the common phrases “I dissent” or “respectfully, I dissent” in an apparent sign of her fury at her colleagues’ ruling.
Quote:Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani doubled down on his plan to jack up property taxes on “richer and whiter neighborhoods” on Sunday — and also asserted that billionaires shouldn’t exist.
Mamdani claimed that his soak-the-rich proposal was “not driven by race” — despite his campaign platform explicitly targeting white homeowners.
“That is just a description of what we see right now. It’s not driven by race. It’s more of an assessment of what neighborhoods are being under-taxed versus over-taxed,” Mamdani told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
“We’ve seen time and again that this is a property tax system that is inequitable. It’s one that actually Eric Adams ran on, saying that he would change in the first 100 days,” he added.
The presumptive Democratic nominee for New York City mayor also shrugged off concerns that invoking race could alienate voters, arguing that he’s “just naming things as they are.”
The socialist also bemoaned the shrinking tax base in the Big Apple but pinned the blame on the soaring cost of living pushing people out of the city while touting his plans to raise taxes on the 1%.
“We are talking about our tax base growing smaller and smaller each day, with New Yorkers leaving to New Jersey, to Pennsylvania, to Connecticut,” Mamdani bemoaned.” If we do not meet this moment, we will lose the city.”
While acknowledging that he doesn’t have the power to raise taxes at the level he wants without the state government’s approval, Mamdani pointed to his ability to take what “is considered a nonstarter and make it seem inevitable.”
He also suggested that billionaires shouldn’t exist.
“I don’t think that we should have billionaires, frankly,” he said.
New York City is home to more billionaires than any town in the world — with 123.
Quote:President Trump slammed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as a “pure communist,” warning that federal funding for the Big Apple could be at risk if the democratic socialist wins the general election.
“He’s a communist, I think it’s very bad for New York,” Trump told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“I can’t imagine it, but let’s say this, if he does get in I’m going to be president and he is going to have to do the right thing, or they’re not getting any money,” he added.
Quote:Severe thunderstorms triggered travel headaches across the Southeast on Friday evening, bringing flash flooding and hail to Atlanta and causing numerous delays at the nation’s busiest airport.
Delta, based in Atlanta, said in a statement on Saturday morning that 90 flights were diverted to other airports in the Southeast on Friday evening as the storm swept through just before 8 p.m., dropping quarter-inch hail and microburst winds.
In addition, the airline had to temporarily pull 100 planes from service at its Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport hub to inspect for any hail damage.
“Delta people are working as safely and quickly as possible to recover flights impacted by thunderstorms, lightning, hail and winds at our Atlanta hub Friday night,” the airline said in a statement provided to FOX Weather. “We thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding.”
The airline said Delta technicians worked through the night to complete required hail inspections on exposed aircraft.
“Nearly all are returning to service Saturday,” the airline said in the statement.
The cascading weather effects had lingering impacts on Saturday’s flight schedule as well.
“The weather impacts have resulted in more than 380 system cancelations for Saturday,” a Delta spokesperson said. “Delta expects additional delays and cancelations as teams work to safely reset aircraft and flight crews complete required rest.”
Hartsfield-Jackson was under a ground stop, keeping aircraft from taking off or landing at the airport from 7:11 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday night, according to Federal Aviation Administration data.
Adding to the weather woes, the FAA was forced to evacuate most of its personnel from the Atlanta airport control tower Friday evening during strong winds.
“Air traffic controllers have returned to the Atlanta control tower after the FAA evacuated most personnel due to strong winds. A few controllers remained in the facility to handle inbound aircraft,” the FAA statement said.
A spokesperson for Hartsfield-Jackson, Tim Turner, confirmed to FOX 5 Atlanta that only two controllers remained in the tower during the ground stop to maintain communication.
Quote:EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 130 Iranian nationals throughout the United States in the last week, and 670 Iranian nationals are in ICE detention, as the Trump administration continues to increase arrests of Iranian nationals in the country illegally amid security concerns.
Multiple federal sources confirmed the numbers, as administration officials and national security experts have warned about the possible risk of sleeper cells being activated, as well as those who may be inspired to retaliate domestically after the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear program sites.
"The presence in this country of undocumented migrants or Iranian nationals who have links to Hezbollah, IRGC, is, in my judgment, a domestic law enforcement concern of the highest magnitude," former Obama-era Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on "Fox & Friends."
The border crisis under the Biden administration, which resulted in millions of people entering the country illegally, also underscored the concerns.
"We don't know who they are, where they came from, why they're here," border czar Tom Homan said last week. "This is the biggest national security vulnerability we’ve ever seen."
Meanwhile, former acting ICE Director Jonathan Fahey said it "definitely" made things worse.
"I think one thing that's really concerning about that: One, they weren't doing any really meaningful vetting in the last administration," Fahey said.
"The second part of it is, you know, we have probably 2 million known gotaways come through the last administration, and the people that went through the non-ports of entry, we knew they went through but nobody caught them, so we have no idea who went through," he continued.
ICE sources confirm that some of those arrested have criminal histories, including charges related to drugs, weapons and domestic violence.
Quote:A 28-year-old man was stabbed in the chest and multiple times in the neck on board a 2 train Saturday night and survived the violent ordeal, according to police.
The unidentified male was gored while aboard a southbound 2 train as it approached the 225th Street station in the Bronx just before 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, according to the NYPD.
A group of roughly 15 teenagers fled the scene, police sources said.
The victim was taken to Jacobi Hospital, where he remained in stable condition late Saturday night.
It is not clear what led to the nearly deadly dispute.
There have been no arrests made and an investigation is ongoing.
Quote:A Missouri prison nurse who fatally poisoned her husband after falling in love with a convicted killer learned this week she’ll be spending the next 12 years behind bars.
Amy Murray, 47, accepted a deal from Alford prosecutors, entering a plea to murder, arson and tampering with evidence charges on June 25, according to court records.
In Alford, when a defendant pleads, they accept a conviction, but maintain their innocence.
A judge sentenced Murray to 12 years on the murder charge along with 7 years for the arson, and 4 years for tampering with evidence.
All of the sentences will run concurrently.
Murray killed her husband, 37-year-old Joshua, in late 2018.
He was found dead in the smoldering remnants of a house fire his wife had set.
Authorities learned Joshua’s blood contained elevated amounts of antifreeze, and three months after his death, arrested his wife, according to an affidavit.
Murray, the couple’s child and their two dogs had left their home in Iberia just 30 minutes prior to the start of the fire.
Investigators soon learned Murray had frequent contact with a prisoner named Eugene Claypool.
Murray worked as a nurse at the Jefferson City Correctional Center, where Claypool’s serving 25 years to life for murder, the affidavit said.
Quote:PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO AND THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA
PREAMBLE
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (“Rwanda”) (hereinafter the “Parties”):
REAFFIRMING the mutual commitment to respect the Declaration of Principles signed by the Parties on April 25, 2025, based on mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity, and the peaceful settlement of disputes;
ACKNOWLEDGING the need for a negotiated, political resolution—rather than a military solution—to the Parties’ disputes;
RECOGNIZING the terms of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, including respect of borders existing on achievement of independence, and its other instruments relating to the promotion of peace and security in Africa and cordial relations among African countries, the UN Charter, and UNSC Resolution 2773 (February 21, 2025) and other relevant UNSC resolutions;
TAKING NOTE OF the Concept of Operations of the Harmonized Plan for the Neutralization of the FDLR and Disengagement of Forces/Lifting of Defensive Measures by Rwanda (CONOPS) of October 31, 2024, arising from the Luanda Process, and of the communiqué from the Second Joint EAC-SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government of March 24, 2025, which was adopted at the 6th Ministerial Meeting between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda on November 25, 2024;
MINDFUL of the negotiations underway between DRC and AFC/M23 under the mediation of the State of Qatar in Doha, and the obligation of the Parties to lend full support to bring them to a successful conclusion;
DETERMINED to prevent a renewal of hostilities that may harm the peace process, to actively promote lasting peace, stability, and integrated economic development throughout the region, and to resume normal bilateral relations between the Parties;
COMMITTED to promoting full respect for human rights and for international humanitarian law;
Hereby agree to be bound by the following provisions:
1. TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND PROHIBITION OF HOSTILITIES
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2. DISENGAGEMENT, DISARMAMENT, AND INTEGRATION OF NON-STATE ARMED GROUPS
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3. JOINT SECURITY COORDINATION MECHANISM
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4. REFUGEES, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, AND HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS
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5. MONUSCO AND OTHER MULTILATERAL SUPPORT
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6. REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION FRAMEWORK
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7. IMPLEMENTATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
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8. FINAL PROVISIONS
This Agreement shall remain in force indefinitely, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time by either Party upon six (6) months’ written notice to the other Party.
This Agreement may be amended by written agreement of the Parties.
The Annex shall be considered part of this Agreement.
Quote:An American tourist on Tuesday caused significant damage to a 761-year-old temple in Japan.
The unnamed suspect, described as intoxicated, forced his way inside Shoden Eigen‑in Temple through a rear kitchen door on the southern side of the building, according to the Tokyo Weekender.
After walking through the garden, he attempted to scale the wooden railing that encircles the main hall. In doing so, he caused visible damage, scraping and compromising the surface of the historic structure. The wooden railing sustained cracks and abrasions and a nearby wooden door was destroyed.
Newsweek contacted the Japan National Tourism Organization for comment via email on Friday.
Why It Matters
Founded in 1264, Shoden Eigen‑in Temple, a subtemple of Kennin-ji Monastery, in Kyoto, where the incident took place, was officially designated as a Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Heritage Site in 2015. According to the Tokyo Weekender, the structures there are architecturally fragile, historically significant and irreplaceable.
What To Know
The head priest of the temple, Keinin Magami, noticed the intrusion when the man knocked on the door of his adjacent residence, The Mainichi Shimbun reported. Police were called but a damage report was not filed. There was no permanent damage to the residence.
Kennin-ji, established in 1202, is considered the oldest Zen training monastery in Kyoto, with deep historical ties to Oda Urakusai, brother of famed warlord Oda Nobunaga.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
2 arrested at LA home linked to Iranian 'human smuggling hub': CBP
CBP operation targets LA residence 'repeatedly used to harbor illegal entrants linked to terrorism'
By Ronn Blitzer , Bonny Chu Wrote:Federal officials arrested two people on Friday at a Los Angeles house tied to a suspected Iranian human smuggling network said to have been "repeatedly used to harbor illegal entrants linked to terrorism."
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the arrests in an X post on Friday, saying that the operation was part of a broader national security effort involving multiple federal agencies.
"CBP executed a federal search warrant today at a human smuggling hub in Los Angeles tied to national security threats," the agency said. "Two individuals were arrested during the operation, which was led by CBP’s Special Response Team with support from Border Patrol tactical units and Air and Marine Operations."
The detentions follow the arrests of seven Iranian nationals at the same location earlier last week, CBP said, adding that the suspects were on the FBI Terror Watchlist and connected to an Iranian human trafficking hub.
"The location has been repeatedly used to harbor illegal entrants linked to terrorism," CBP said.
"Intelligence indicates the smuggling network has trafficked individuals from adversarial regimes, including Iran—posing direct risks to U.S. national security," CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Sunday.
Officials did not identify the two suspects taken into custody at the home on Friday.
Up is down, left is right and sideways is straight ahead. - Cord "Circle of Iron", 1978 (written by Bruce Lee and James Coburn... really...)
News of the World
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I guess the ayatollah's glasses don't make him see things clearly. 
Leaving any clear limitations to his own ruling out of it would be totally irresponsible. Besides, it's not clear why Abrego could not return to El Salvador. He's not connected to any guerrilla or terrorist group or ethnic minority, the guy's just a dangerous Salvadoran gangster. 
dog is an active 
cop, right? The guy had to be punished 
for attacking an officer at the airport.
At first glance, the DOJ seems to clearly win thanks to the defense's request.
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