India will not accept third-party mediation of relations with Pakistan, Modi tells Trump
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
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Malay Mail
15 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Khamenei vows Iran will ‘never surrender', warns US of ‘irreparable damage' as conflict with Israel deepens
TEHRAN, June 18 — Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today the nation would never surrender as demanded by President Donald Trump and warned the United States it would face 'irreparable damage' if it intervenes in support of its ally. The speech came six days into the conflict, with Trump demanding Iran's 'unconditional surrender' while boasting the United States could kill Khamenei and fuelling speculation about a possible intervention. The long-range blitz began Friday, when Israel launched a massive bombing campaign that prompted Iran to respond with missiles and drones. 'This nation will never surrender,' Khamenei said in a speech read on state television, in which he called Trump's ultimatum 'unacceptable'. 'America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage,' he said. Khamenei, in power since 1989 and the final arbiter of all matters of state in Iran, had earlier vowed the country would show 'no mercy' towards Israel's leaders. The speech followed a night of strikes, with Israeli attacks destroying two buildings making centrifuge components for Iran's nuclear programme near Tehran, according to the UN nuclear watchdog. 'More than 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets... carried out a series of air strikes in the Tehran area over the past few hours,' the Israeli military said, adding that several weapons manufacturing facilities were hit. 'As part of the broad effort to disrupt Iran's nuclear weapons development programme, a centrifuge production facility in Tehran was targeted.' Centrifuges are vital for uranium enrichment, the sensitive process that can produce fuel for reactors or, in highly extended form, the core of a nuclear warhead. The strikes destroyed two buildings making centrifuge components for Iran's nuclear programme in Karaj, a satellite city of Tehran, the International Atomic Energy Agency said. In another strike on a site in Tehran, 'one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested', the agency added in a post on X. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had launched hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles at Tel Aviv. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to track and intercept. No missile struck Tel Aviv overnight, though AFP photos showed Israel's air defence systems activated to intercept missiles over the commercial hub. Iran also sent a 'swarm of drones' towards Israel, while the Israeli military said it had intercepted a total of 10 drones launched from Iran. It said one of its own drones had been shot down over Iran. 'Unconditional surrender' Trump fuelled speculation about US intervention when he made a hasty exit from the G7 summit in Canada, where the leaders of the club of wealthy democracies called for de-escalation but backed Israel's 'right to defend itself'. He boasted that the United States could easily assassinate Khamenei. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump met with his National Security Council to discuss the conflict. There was no immediate public statement after the hour and 20-minute meeting. US officials stressed Trump has not yet made a decision about any intervention. Evacuations Israel's attacks have hit nuclear and military facilities around Iran, as well as residential areas. Residential areas in Israel have also been hit, and foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens from both countries. Many Israelis spent another night disrupted by air raid warnings, with residents of coastal hub Tel Aviv repeatedly heading for shelters when sirens rang out warning of incoming Iranian missiles. In the West Bank city of Ramallah, perched at 800 metres (2,600 feet) above sea level and with a view over Tel Aviv, some residents gathered on rooftops and balconies to watch. An AFP journalist reported cheers and whistles as dozens of missiles flew overhead, with Israeli air defences activating to intercept them, causing mid-air explosions which lit up the sky. Since Friday, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to Netanyahu's office. Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then. Yesterday in Tehran, long queues stretched outside bakeries and petrol stations as people rushed to stock up on fuel and basic supplies. Iran's ISNA and Tasnim news agencies today reported that five suspected agents of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency had been detained, on charges of tarnishing the country's image online. Nuclear facilities After a prolonged shadow war, Israel said its surprise air campaign was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — an ambition Tehran denies. The UN nuclear watchdog said there appeared to have been 'direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls' at Iran's Natanz facility. Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding its own atomic activities, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says it has 90 nuclear warheads. The conflict derailed a running series of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, with Iran saying after the start of Israel's campaign that it would not negotiate with the United States while under attack. — AFP
The Star
29 minutes ago
- The Star
Olympics-Russians remain barred from luge at 2026 Games even as neutrals
FILE PHOTO: Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Men's Downhill Training - Bormio, Italy - December 27, 2024 A logo of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026 is seen in finish area REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo (Reuters) -Russian luge athletes will not be allowed to qualify for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics even as neutrals, the International Luge Federation (FIL) said after a vote on Wednesday. The 24-7 decision to continue an existing exclusion from FIL competitions was taken at the governing body's congress in Tampere, Finland. The congress also decided 24-8 in a second vote not to authorise a programme for neutral Russian athletes. "As a result, Russian athletes and their entourage will not be permitted to participate in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games," FIL said in a statement. FIL president Einars Fogelis, a Latvian, said the congress had made its position clear. "This outcome reflects our collective responsibility to uphold fair and safe competition. We fully respect the diversity of views within our community, especially from our athletes," he added. The International Olympic Committee said last month that Russian teams, including the powerful national ice hockey side, remained banned from next year's Games as part of sanctions following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. A small number of individual Russian and Belarusian athletes took part in the Paris 2024 summer Olympics after rigorous vetting by the IOC and as neutrals without national flags or anthems. Four Russian figure skaters in men's and women's singles have been approved by the International Skating Union to try to qualify for the 2026 Olympics as neutral athletes. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge)
The Star
29 minutes ago
- The Star
Analysis-US defence firms chase European military spending wave
PARIS (Reuters) -U.S. defence giants, backed by a strong Congressional delegation from Washington, used the Paris Airshow to showcase cutting-edge technologies and court European partners as they seek to tap into rising regional military spending. Many European nationshave pledged to significantly increase defence budgets in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to scale back military support for the region. That tension has been notably absent at this week's Paris Airshow, where U.S. lawmakers and arms manufacturers pledged greater transatlantic partnership as Europe ramps up spending on everything from artillery shells and fighter jets to missile defence systems. "We understand that our allies and partners are a force multiplier, so we are stronger when we are working together," U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, a member of Trump's Republican party, told reporters at the show, the world's largest aerospace and defence gathering. Moran, whose delegation was supporting U.S. weapons makers, said it was in Paris to send a message that the U.S. "is a dependable and reliable partner". The conciliatory tone stands in stark contrast to the Trump administration's recent string of disparaging remarks about Europe and its defence industry. "I think antagonising our allies does not make us stronger," Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen told reporters in Paris, expressing her desire to cement defence relations with Europe. RELIANCE ON U.S. Despite pledges by many European nations to boost military self-sufficiency, the continent remains heavily reliant on U.S. defence manufacturers. For instance, Europe buys American-made fighter jets and missiles from Lockheed Martin, Patriot missile defence systems from Raytheon Technologies and military jets and helicopters built by Boeing. In emerging military areas, like artificial intelligence, drones and satellite constellations, U.S. tech firms like Anduril, Palantir and Elon Musk's SpaceX are far ahead. U.S. firms are hoping to press home their advantage as European military spending surges, including through partnerships which are a way to soften any potential diplomatic tensions, delegates said. U.S. drone-maker Anduril and German defence giant Rheinmetall said on Wednesday they will link up to build military drones for European markets, in a sign of Europe leveraging American technology to boost military capabilities. Thomas Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, said there were no easy replacements for its weapons in Europe and he expected the firm to maintain a long-term footprint on the continent, including through new partnerships. Laliberty said Raytheon was close to announcing a plan to manufacture Stingers - a lightweight air defence missile used by Ukrainian forces against Russia - in Europe. "For immediate needs, Raytheon is well positioned to support the European demand," Laliberty told reporters in Paris. "We have a very bright future here." Boeing, which won a contract from Trump's administration to develop the next-generation F-47 fighter jet this year, said Europe and the U.S. would remain long-term partners despite political wobbles, partly to hold off the Chinese threat. "Nobody can do it themselves - maybe the Chinese can try, but certainly the rest of us, we are going to have to work together," said Turbo Sjogren, Boeing's general manager for government services. "To do otherwise takes too long and will be unaffordable." The chairman of Italian aerospace and defence group Leonardo, Stefano Pontecorvo, added that U.S. participation in some European programmes would be "unavoidable" in coming years due to the defence technologies available to them. EUROPE TOO SLOW European rivals were bullish about their future growth prospects but said budget constraints and a lack of regional alliances were holding back progress, conceding that they would continue to need significant U.S. support. "National sovereignty matters but fragmentation is detrimental. We need to find a way to hit a balance," Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani told reporters on Tuesday. Jean-Brice Dumont, head of air power, defence and space at Airbus, said Europe's dependence on the U.S. was "very high". "Zero dependency on the U.S. I believe is a dream. We have a need for interoperability that drives some U.S. needs," said Dumont, whose firm makes the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet with Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo, as well as Earth observation satellites and drones. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Europe had "too much bureaucracy" compared to the U.S. and needed to adapt to a new military era of faster, cheaper and more nimble technology. "Either Europe adapts its industry to these new parameters - different from those with which it has lived until four years ago - or it will have huge competitors, and not only the American ones," he said. (Reporting by Joe Brock, Giulia Segreti, Paul Sandle and Tim Hepher. Editing by Mark Potter)
