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LIVE news updates: IDF says Hezbollah commander killed in Lebanon drone strike
A Hezbollah commander was killed in an Israeli drone strike last night in southern Lebanon, according to a report by The Times of Israel. The target of the strike in the town of Barish was Yassin Izz a-Din, commander of Hezbollah's rocket artillery unit in the Litani River sector, according to the military.
Iran's supreme leader rejected US demands for surrender following additional Israeli strikes on Wednesday, warning that any American military action would inflict 'irreparable damage' on the US. Meanwhile, European diplomats planned to meet with Iran on Friday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his second public appearance since the Israeli strikes began six days earlier, as Israel eased certain daily restrictions, indicating a possible decline in the missile threat from Iran.
Khamenei's remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump posted on social media, calling for Iran's unconditional surrender and warning Khamenei that the US knows his location but has no current plans to kill him, 'at least not for now".
While Trump initially distanced himself from Israel's unexpected strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, he has recently suggested increased US.involvement, expressing interest in a resolution 'much bigger' than a ceasefire.
"Our armed forces are ready to defend the homeland, supported by officials and all segments of the nation," Iran's supreme leader said in an address on June 18. The Iran-Israel conflict entered its seventh day as both sides exchanged missile strikes on Thursday.
9:51 AM
Putin says that a meeting with Trump should be well-prepared, bring positive results
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that his potential meeting with US President Donald Trump should be well-prepared and bring positive results and that he hoped Washington would take steps to restore relations with Moscow.
9:39 AM
Trump administration removing 988 hotline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth in July
The 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to LGBTQ+ youth and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on a federal agency's website.
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Israel-Iran conflict: Day after Israeli attack, nuclear watchdog confirms damages to key under-construction reactor near Tehran
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IEAE) has confirmed that Israel's strikes on Friday resulted in damages to key buildings at the partially constructed Khondab (formerly known as Arak) Heavy Water Production Plant including its distillation unit. The nuclear watchdog's statement comes a day after the global body said no damages were 'initially visible'. 'While damage to the nearby Heavy Water Production Plant was initially not visible, it is now assessed that key buildings at the facility were damaged, including the distillation unit,' the IEAE's latest statement on 'Updates on developments in Iran' said. No damage has been observed at Iran's other nuclear sites so far, it added. No radiological consequence was expected, IEAE's Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. This has been attributed to the reactor not being operational and not containing any nuclear material. 'There is a lot of nuclear material in Iran in different places, which means that the potential for a radiological accident with the dispersion in the atmosphere of radioactive materials and particles does exist,' he added, stressing on the possible nuclear safety risks. IAEA, in its statement, also sought to receive timely and regular technical information about the nuclear facilities and their respective sites in the country. 'This information is needed to promptly inform the international community and ensure an effective response and assistance to any emergency situation in Iran,' Director General Grossi said. He added that the agency was also in constant contact with other countries in the region amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The Khondab reactor was hit on Thursday (June 19) as the both Israel and Iran continued to trade strikes on the seventh day of the conflict. The Israeli strikea also damaged the nearby plant that makes heavy water. Heavy-water reactors can be used to produce plutonium which, like enriched uranium, can be used to make an atom bomb. So far, Israel has announced that its attacks have hit prominent Iranian nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan, Arak and Tehran itself. With AP inputs
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Donald Trump Reposts Kayla Harrison Video; Internet Goes Wild
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First Post
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Should India worry about Trump's lunch with Pakistan's Asim Munir?
US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir had lunch at the White House on Wednesday (June 18). This is the first time that a US president has made such an invitation to the chief of the Pakistan Army. What's brewing? Should New Delhi be vigilant? read more US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir had lunch at the White House on Wednesday (June 18). This is the first time that a US President has made such an invite to the head of the Pakistan Army who is not head of state. New Delhi will be undoubtedly watching the events with interest. While many in India had celebrated the return of Trump to the White House, others questioned whether it would be to New Delhi's benefit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But how worried should India be about the lunch? Let's take a closer look: What happened? Munir, who is on a five-day trip to the United States , has thus far received the red-carpet treatment. Trump at the luncheon was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Munir was accompanied by National Security Advisor Lt Gen Asim Malik, who is also the head of the intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Trump, speaking at the White House, said he wanted to thank Munir for not going to war with India. 'The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war (with India). And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi,' he said. Asim Munir was recently promoted to Field Marshal. AFP Trump said that 'two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war'. 'That could have been a nuclear war. Those are two nuclear powers, big ones, big, big nuclear powers, and they decided (to end the conflict),' he added. When asked if the talks included the Iran-Israel conflict, Trump said: 'They (Pakistan) know Iran very well, better than most, and they're not happy about anything. It's not that they're bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they know Iran better." 'The engagement marks a significant moment in the ongoing efforts to reinforce the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and the United States, built upon shared objectives of peace, stability, and prosperity,' the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement after the lunch. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Apart from lunch at the White House with Trump, Munir also met a number of top US security officials at the Pentagon, the state department, and Central Command headquarters in Florida. How worried should India be? Some argue that New Delhi should be worried. After all, this is the first time a US President has invited a Pakistani military chief who isn't head of state to the White House. Ayub Khan, Zia ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf were all heads up state at the time they were hosted at the White House. This despite Pakistan continuing to back terror groups and Indian intelligence agencies even investigating if Munir's remarks instigated the Pahalgam atta ck in April. Trump's tone on Pakistan has also undergone a jarring shift. Trump just a few years ago accused Pakistan of offering the United States 'nothing but lies and deceitful'. However, this must be seen in light of what Trump can personally get from Pakistan. Trump, since returning to office, has made cryptocurrency and rare earth minerals a top priority. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan, which recently established a Crypto Council, has tied up with a firm with links to the Trump family. US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while flying aboard Air Force One en route from Calgary, Canada to Joint Base Andrews. AP Incidentally, Zachary Witkoff, the son of Steve Witkoff, represented the firm at the meetings with senior Pakistani officials including Munir. Pakistan has also invited US companies to invest in its mineral reserves – which are estimated to be worth trillions of dollars. Pakistan is also eager to reach a trade deal with the US – another Trump priority. 'President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests,' the ISPR statement added. Analysts says this is Trump's modus operandi – dealing with a country strictly on a quid pro quo basis. 'The Trump-Munir meeting shouldn't be seen only through the lens of the Israel-Iran war,' Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based south Asia analyst, told The Guardian. 'There's been US-Pakistan engagement on crypto, minerals and counter-terrorism, and Trump takes a deep personal interest in all of these.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'This is classic Trump: 'What can you do for me? What can I get out of this?'' Trump's claims about also being responsible for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan are also causing a backlash for the Modi government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a phone call with Trump Tuesday denied that the United States played any role in the ceasefire. Modi said that India has never sought third party mediation and would never do so. Modi said that the ceasefire came at the behest of Pakistan. Some argue that India should not be surprised given the United States' history of prioritising Pakistan – given its strategic location and its pliability to Washington many demands – since the Cold War. They say that India has positioned itself as a far more reliable and trustworthy partner. They add that the US is likely courting Pakistan at the moment in case it needs a base from which to launch operations against Iran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Marvin Weinbaum, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI), and former state department official, speaking to Al Jazeera, warned Pakistan that 'nothing is permanent in this administration'. 'If Pakistan does play some role in the Iran crisis, they have could have more substantial meaning to these ties. But it needs to be prepared that there is nothing settled with this administration. It can change on a dime, at any hour,' he added. With input from agencies
