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Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Israel under missile attack, Iran says all options open after US strikes
Rescue personnel evacuate a resident from under a building at an impacted site after a missile attack from Iran, amid the Iran-Israel conflict in Tel Aviv, Israel June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Tomer Appelbaum ISRAEL OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN ISRAEL. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Emergency personnel look at the damage at an impact site following Iran's strike on Israel, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Haifa, Israel, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Florion Goga A rescuer evacuates a dog from an impacted site after a missile attack from Iran, amid the Iran-Israel conflict in Tel Aviv, Israel June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Tomer Appelbaum ISRAEL OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN ISRAEL. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Emergency personnel work at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura Israel under missile attack, Iran says all options open after US strikes JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON - Israel faced a missile attack on Sunday as Iran said it reserved all options to defend itself after unprecedented U.S. strikes that President Donald Trump said had "obliterated" its key nuclear facilities. Hours after Trump dramatically escalated Middle East tensions by sending B-2 bombers to Iran, the Israeli military warned people to seek cover from a barrage that appeared heavier than the Iranian salvoes fired in the past few days. "The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences," said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas, calling the U.S. strikes a "grave violation" of the U.N. charter, international law and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. "Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people," Araqchi posted on X. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said it would not allow development of its 'national industry' to be stopped, and an Iranian state television commentator said every U.S. citizen or military member in the region would be legitimate targets. Israel's ambulance service said at least 16 people were hurt in the morning barrage. Air raid sirens sounded across most of the country, sending millions of people to safe rooms and bomb shelters as explosions rang out and missile interceptions were seen above Jerusalem and in other parts of the country. It was not immediately clear how many missiles had pierced Israel's air defence systems, but police confirmed at least three impact sites in residential areas in central and northern Israel. Video from Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa further north showed rescue teams combing through debris, apartments reduced to rubble, mangled cars along a street filled with debris and medics evacuating injured people from a row of blown out houses. Most airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East after the U.S. strikes, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, with traffic already skirting airspace in the region due to recent missile exchanges. TRUMP SAYS IRAN FACES 'PEACE OR TRAGEDY' Trump, in a televised address to the U.S. people, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called the strikes a "spectacular military success" that had taken out Iran's three principal nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. He warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace. After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military campaign against its major rival Iran is the biggest foreign policy gamble of his two presidencies and one fraught with risks and unknowns. The major escalation of armed conflict in the Middle East risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East. Trump said Iran's future held "either peace or tragedy," and there were many other targets that could be hit by the U.S. military. "If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill." The U.S. contacted Iran diplomatically on Saturday to say the strikes are all the U.S. plans and it does not aim for regime change, CBS News reported. Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity show that six "bunker-buster" bombs were dropped on the deep-underground Fordow facility, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against other nuclear sites. U.S. B-2 bombers were involved in the strikes, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. Reuters had reported the movement of the B-2 bombers, which can be equipped to carry the massive bombs that experts say would be needed to strike Fordow, which is buried beneath a mountain south of Tehran. Given its fortification, it will likely be days, if not longer, before the impact of the strikes is known. An Iranian official, cited by Tasnim news agency, confirmed part of the Fordow site was attacked by "enemy airstrikes." However, Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker for Qom, near Fordow, told the semi-official Fars news agency the facility had not been seriously damaged. A reporter from Iranian state media IRNA reporter said he had arrived near the Fordow site at 3 a.m. (2330 GMT on Saturday) and saw smoke that "seems to be related to air defences". He quoted a nearby witness as reporting "six explosions were heard, but they said it wasn't very loud.' DIPLOMATIC FAILURE The U.N. nuclear watchdog said no increases in off-site radiation levels had been reported after the U.S. strikes. Hassan Abedini, deputy political head of Iran's state broadcaster, said Iran had evacuated the three sites some time ago. "The enriched uranium reserves had been transferred from the nuclear centres and there are no materials left there that, if targeted, would cause radiation and be harmful to our compatriots," he told the channel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his "bold decision", saying, "History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime, the world's most dangerous weapons." Israel and Iran have been engaged in more than a week of aerial combat that has resulted in deaths and injuries in both countries. Israel launched its attacks on June 13, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies. Diplomatic efforts by Western nations to stop the hostilities have so far failed. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the U.S. strikes a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security." In the U.S., Democratic lawmakers and some from Trump's Republican Party have argued that he must receive permission from Congress before committing the U.S. military to any combat against Iran. At least 430 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed and 1,272 people injured, according to local authorities. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Piastri leads McLaren one-two in first Imola practice
Formula One F1 - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - May 16, 2025 McLaren's Lando Norris during practice REUTERS/Florion Goga Formula One F1 - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - May 16, 2025 McLaren's Oscar Piastri during practice REUTERS/Florion Goga IMOLA, Italy - Formula One leader Oscar Piastri led Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two in first practice for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix that ended early on Friday after Gabriel Bortoleto crashed his Sauber. Australian Piastri, winner of four of the last five races, lapped the Imola circuit with a fastest time of one minute 16.545 seconds on the softest tyre compound with Norris 0.032 slower on a sunny afternoon. Piastri leads Norris by 16 points after six races, with the 24-round season now starting its European phase after an opening run in Asia, the Middle East and United States. The session was red-flagged and did not restart after Brazilian rookie Bortoleto crashed into the tyre wall with some three minutes remaining. He stepped out unhurt. Carlos Sainz was third on the timesheets for Williams, 0.052 off the pace, with Mercedes' George Russell a further 0.002 slower. Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, limbering up for his first race in Italy as a Ferrari driver, was fifth and 0.096 off the pace. Pierre Gasly was sixth for Alpine with Red Bull's four times world champion Max Verstappen seventh, Williams' Alex Albon eighth and Bortoleto ninth with teammate Nico Hulkenberg completing the top 10. "I can't rely on the rear. It feels like I'm drifting everywhere," complained Verstappen, last year's winner at Imola, over the radio. Mercedes' 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli, the only Italian on the starting grid and preparing for his home debut, was 13th fastest. Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto, making his debut for Alpine after replacing dropped Australian Jack Doohan, lapped 17th fastest. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who was unwell on Thursday and skipped his media duties, was 12th and ran wide into the gravel at one point. He also complained that his helmet was lifting. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Motor racing-Russell sees no reason to thank FIA for swearing backtrack
Formula One F1 - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - May 15, 2025 Mercedes' George Russell ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix REUTERS/Florion Goga IMOLA, Italy (Reuters) -George Russell saw no reason to thank Formula One's governing body after it halved the maximum penalties drivers face for swearing. The Mercedes driver, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said the high fines were "a little bit ludicrous in the first place. "Of course we're happy to see (the changes), but it (the fines) should never have been there," the Briton told reporters ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Italy's Imola circuit. "So it feels a bit wrong to be thanking (the FIA) for the changes when we shouldn't have been in that place to begin with." The governing FIA announced on Wednesday that it was reducing the maximum penalties for drivers swearing by 50% and giving stewards more discretion on deciding penalties. Competitors in Formula One and rallying have been at loggerheads with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem over a crackdown on bad language during events. The FIA amended the sporting code in January to set out stiff sanctions for drivers who break the rules concerning conduct. A first offence triggered a 40,000 euros ($44,764) fine for F1 drivers, rising to 80,000 for the second and 120,000 with a one-month suspension and deduction of championship points for a third breach. Those fines are now halved. Abuse of officials will now result in sporting penalties rather than fines. McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the Formula One championship leader, said that was a positive step. "The stewards have a lot more control now, which I think is a good thing because the circumstances definitely need to be taken into account," said the Australian. "I think one of the big things for the FIA was putting something in for abusing officials, which I think is very fair and reasonable. I think maybe some of the other areas got a bit caught up in that sentiment and felt a bit harsh. "But I think there are some genuine reasons behind what they're doing. I think they've listened to some of our feedback and the changes are in the right direction." ($1 = 0.8936 euros) (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)
Straits Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Albania's Rama seeks fourth term in election dominated by graft, EU membership
Democratic party Leader Sali Berisha gestures during an interview with Reuters in Belsh, Albania, May 1, 2025. REUTERS/Florion Goga A local looks on at a landfill from her house, in Elbasan, Albania, April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Florion Goga Leader of the Socialist party and Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama delivers a speech during a rally in Fier, Albania, May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Florion Goga Leader of the Socialist party and Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama delivers his speech during a rally in Fier, Albania, May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Florion Goga ELBASAN, Albania - Ilir Rranci moved to a hamlet outside the Albanian city of Elbasan for the view of snow-capped peaks and a garden big enough for fruit trees, chickens and turkeys. Today, however, the surrounding scenery is obstructed by a multicoloured mountain of rubbish from a next-door landfill. The trash was supposed to be fed into a new incinerator to produce electricity, but the project has been plagued by operating problems and the pile has grown, residents say. It is one of three such sites worth hundreds of millions of euros at the heart of a corruption scandal in which prosecutors allege contracts for incinerators were awarded illegally, ministers accepted payments, and contractors faked invoices for work that was never done. The sight from Rranci's house highlights the lingering impacts of endemic graft in the Balkan country of 2.4 million people, where Prime Minister Edi Rama is seeking re-election for an unprecedented fourth term in May 11 elections on the promise that Albania will clean up its act and join the European Union by 2030. It is unclear how this and other corruption scandals will impact Rama in the election, which will include around 250,000 registered voters from the diaspora for the first time. Polls show him with a commanding lead over an opposition that has weathered corruption allegations itself. But analysts say it could cost his Socialist Party seats in parliament and dent chances of joining the EU within five years. Indeed, many experts are sceptical about Rama's EU timeframe, given how long it has taken other countries in the region to meet conditions for membership. "The incinerator case showcased what is wrong with the Albanian system. All safeguards failed, due diligence failed," said Andi Hoxhaj, a Balkan expert at King's College London. Following investigations by Albania's anti-graft prosecutors, known as SPAK, former environment minister Lefter Koka was jailed on corruption charges relating to the incinerator deals. Former deputy prime minister Arben Ahmetaj was also charged but has left Albania. Koka's lawyer declined to comment. Reuters was unable to reach Ahmetaj. Locals outside Elbasan say the plant has not operated for months. Eco-Elb, a company which runs the project on behalf of local municipalities, did not respond to requests for comment. At the landfill, birds squawk above the rotting leftovers. When a southerly wind blows, residents close windows against the stench. Asked if they would vote for Rama, they laugh. 'I will never vote for him now,' said Rranci. "This is how things are in Albania," said another resident, Besim Stafa. "They spend a lot of money for nothing." EUROPE'S DOOR 'OPEN' Rama supporters say he helped Albania shed its difficult communist era past, in which long-standing ruler Enver Hoxha locked the country away from the world for decades. In the capital Tirana today, drab Soviet-era housing abuts smart new apartment buildings and bustling restaurants and cafes. A new runway at Tirana airport may soon provide direct flights to New York. Annual economic growth above 4% for 2022-2024, driven by trade with the EU, a tourism boom and strong hydropower production, outstripped other countries in the Balkans, the World Bank says. High-profile investors include U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose company plans to build a luxury resort on an uninhabited island off the Adriatic coast, worrying some locals. The country was taken off the global Financial Action Task Force's grey list in 2023 for its work in tackling money laundering. That is partly due to SPAK, which was founded in 2019 and has since confiscated 200 million euros from corruption and organised crime offences. Rama has won favour from the West by accepting migrants from Italy and housing Afghans awaiting visa processing to the United States. At rallies this week, Rama hoisted EU flags. "We are at the front door of Europe and that door now is open for us," he told supporters in the eastern city of Pogradec. CORRUPTION, UNREST Critics say Rama wields too much power, has failed to uproot corruption and has attempted to silence the opposition with trumped-up corruption charges, all accusations Rama denies. Poor living standards and high unemployment prompted wholesale emigration: the population shrank by 420,000 from 2011 to 2023, census data show. Unrest broke out repeatedly last year over charges against opposition leader Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party, who was put under house arrest. Berisha, who has hired a U.S. lobbying firm in part to improve his image in Washington where he is officially considered "persona non grata", says the charges are politically motivated. Experts say the country remains a hub for criminal gangs seeking to launder billions of euros made from trafficking drugs and weapons across the world. That accounts for the prevalence of Range Rovers and shiny but often empty new apartment blocks in Tirana, they say. Census data shows about one-third of residences in Albania are unoccupied, far higher than most EU countries. "Albania, it is a good student on paper, but it lacks in implementation," said Jorida Tabaku, an MP from the Democratic Party. "We want standards to be improved for people, standards in everyday life, be it the economy ... schooling, education and health." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
