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Metro
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Armenia's prime minister offers to show his penis to the head of the church
The prime minister of Armenia has vowed to prove his faith by dropping his trousers to the head of the church. Nikol Pashinyan was challenged to 'prove' his member is uncircumcised in a bitter feud played out over social media. An Armenian priest accused Pashinyan of being snipped on Monday, implying he was not Christian in the deeply religious west Asian country. The priest, Father Zareh Ashuryan, said: 'I believe that our Apostolic Holy Church must immediately cleanse itself of those false 'believers' who are traitors to the nation, have dishonoured the memory of their ancestors, broken the vow of baptism, and replaced the seal of the Holy Cross with the sign of circumcision'. This enraged the country's leader, who shot back with a fiery Facebook post on Tuesday, suggesting he'd be willing to show his penis to the Church's supreme leader Karekin II. He addressed Karekin II by his birth name Ktrij Nersisyan, saying he was 'ready to accept Ktrij Nersisyan and his spokesperson [father Ashuryan] and prove the opposite' about being circumcised. Pashinyan also shot back at the church's leader, asking: 'And let him finally answer the question of whether he has broken his vow of celibacy or not. Does he have a child or not?' The extraordinary war of words comes as tensions rocket between Armenia's PM and the powerful clergy. In late May, Pashinyan claimed that churches had become 'storerooms' and that priests were breaking their celibacy vows, according to OC Media. The Armenian Church responded, saying Pashinyan's language was 'unbecoming of a statesman'. They added: 'Political motives drive this anti-Church and represent an attempt to erode the standing of the Armenian Church and its clergy.' On Wednesday, Pashinyan posted saying law enforcement had prevented a large and sinister plan by the 'criminal oligarchic clergy' to 'destabilise the Republic'. Pashinyan has been Prime Minister of Armenia since 2018 as head of the Civil Contract party. The party gained over 50% of the vote in 2021 election but faced allegations of fraud from the opposition. Karekin II served as a bishop and Archbishop before being elected the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1999. check our news page.
Metro
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Armenian PM make bizarre vow to 'prove' something about his penis
The prime minister of Armenia has vowed to prove his faith by dropping his trousers to the head of the church. Nikol Pashinyan was challenged to 'prove' his member is uncircumcised in a bitter feud played out over social media. An Armenian priest accused Pashinyan of being snipped on Monday, implying he was not Christian in the deeply religious west Asian country. The priest, Father Zareh Ashuryan, said: 'I believe that our Apostolic Holy Church must immediately cleanse itself of those false 'believers' who are traitors to the nation, have dishonoured the memory of their ancestors, broken the vow of baptism, and replaced the seal of the Holy Cross with the sign of circumcision'. This enraged the country's leader, who shot back with a fiery Facebook post on Tuesday, suggesting he'd be willing to show his penis to the Church's supreme leader Karekin II. He addressed Karekin II by his birth name Ktrij Nersisyan, saying he was 'ready to accept Ktrij Nersisyan and his spokesperson [father Ashuryan] and prove the opposite' about being circumcised. Pashinyan also shot back at the church's leader, asking: 'And let him finally answer the question of whether he has broken his vow of celibacy or not. Does he have a child or not?' The extraordinary war of words comes as tensions rocket between Armenia's PM and the powerful clergy. In late May, Pashinyan claimed that churches had become 'storerooms' and that priests were breaking their celibacy vows, according to OC Media. The Armenian Church responded, saying Pashinyan's language was 'unbecoming of a statesman'. They added: 'Political motives drive this anti-Church and represent an attempt to erode the standing of the Armenian Church and its clergy.' More Trending On Wednesday, Pashinyan posted saying law enforcement had prevented a large and sinister plan by the 'criminal oligarchic clergy' to 'destabilise the Republic'. Pashinyan has been Prime Minister of Armenia since 2018 as head of the Civil Contract party. The party gained over 50% of the vote in 2021 election but faced allegations of fraud from the opposition. Karekin II served as a bishop and Archbishop before being elected the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1999. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Burglar' gets stuck in chimney trying to rescue his trapped dog MORE: Inside New York's 'Pigeon Fest' where impersonators battle for title MORE: Man 'urinates on $10,000 worth of Spam and sausages forcing them to be tossed'
Mint
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
"Severe damage and extreme destruction" of three nuclear sites in Iran: US defence secy Hegseth
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff air force general Dan Caine on Sunday said the three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan had been severely damaged and facing extreme destruction citing initial battle damage assessment reports and that the final battle damage assessment was in progress. "We devastated the Iranian nuclear programme," said Hegseth. 'It is worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or Iranian people.' Hegseth maintained that the operation, named 'Midnight Hammer', was not for regime change in Iran and was focused on destroying the west Asian nation's nuclear capabilities. "This mission was not, has not been for regime change. The president authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear programme," Hegseth said. He also said public and private messages were being delivered to Iranians after the attack seeking negotiations for peace. Hegseth reiterated President Trump's statement that the objective of this operation was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear arms in order to promote peace. Hegseth said US President Donald Trump had repeatedly asked Iran to halt its nuclear programme for peace, but all such attempts were stonewalled. In response to a question about whether the US is prepared for a full-protracted war, Hegseth clarified that the scope of this operation was intentionally limited and that anything is possible in a conflict. Asked about whether Israeli forces had contributed to the operation, Hegseth said the mission was partly to defend Israel, but Tel Aviv was not a part of the operation and that it was a solely US-led operation. On a query about Iran garnering support from China and North Korea, Hegseth said the previous administration's policies had driven these nations together, which could be a challenge, but maintained that the operation was to promote peace by stopping Iran's nuclear programme. Asked about previous reports stating that Iran's nuclear facilities were not a threat, he said Trump used credible information to take the call that the Iranian nuclear programme was a threat. Operation Midnight Hammer involved eight B-2 stealth bomber aircraft taking off from Missouri in the US, according to Caine. One of these jets flew west for misdirection, while the others flew east for 18 hours towards Iranian airspace, Caine said. This was the biggest B-2 bomber attack carried out by the US and the longest B-2 bomber flight after operations in the wake of 9/11, Hegseth said. Caine said the operation used B-2 stealth bombers, several fourth- and fifth-generation fighter aircraft and one armed submarine to attack the three nuclear facilities. For the first time, the US used Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP), designated as GBU-57. As many as 14 of these 30,000-pound bombs were used to target nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz, Caine said. Over two dozen tomahawk missiles were also fired from a submarine at the facility as Isfahan, Caine said, adding that the attack took place at approximately 2-2:10 am Iranian time. Caine said Iranian jets did not scramble and that Iranian surface-to-air missiles did not retaliate. The US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities after Israel launched an offensive against Iran on 13 June, also targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran responded with military action, attacking an Israeli hospital shortly after head-of-state Benjamin Netanyahu visited it. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the US attack in a post on X, calling it "a grave and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the international law". Alleging that the US violated the UN Charter with its attack, Iran's foreign ministry stressed its right to defend Iran's territory and protect its people using "all force and means". Iran also urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to convene an emergency session to condemn the US for its attack. "We call on the IAEA Board of Governors to immediately convene and carry out its legal responsibility in response to this dangerous US attack on Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities, all of which have been under the Agency's full safeguards and monitoring," the Iranian foreign ministry's statement added. On the night of 21-22 June, the US attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran. US President Donald Trump late on 21 June (US time) addressed the nation and said, "Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Trump also thanked and congratulated Israeli prime minister Netanyahu in his address. "We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before and we've gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel," he said. Netanyahu, in a video address on Sunday, congratulated Trump on the operation. "Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history," said Netanyahu in his address after the operation. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi spoke with the president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the current situation. "Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations. Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability," said Modi in a post on X. India has undertaken Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian students from conflict-ridden places in West Asia. As many as 311 Indian nations arrived in New Delhi from Masshad in Iran on 22 June, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced in a post on X.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Top news of the day on June 22, 2025
U.S. joins Israeli air campaign, strikes three nuclear sites in Iran President Donald Trump said that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel 's effort to decapitate the country's nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran's threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict. The decision to directly involve the U.S. in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that aimed to systematically eradicate the country's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. PM Modi calls for 'immediate de-escalation' after the U.S. bombs Fordow, Natanz, Esfahan nuclear sites in Iran Hours after the United States struck three prominent nuclear sites in Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and called for 'immediate de-escalation'. The remark is the first from India which is a strategic partner of Iran and the two sides have been engaged closely to ensure safety of Indian citizens in Iran, as the west Asian conflict escalated on 13 June. At least three impacts in Israel during Iran missile attacks, 23 hurt Three areas of Israel including coastal hub Tel Aviv were hit Sunday morning during waves of Iranian missile attacks, with at least 23 people injured, according to rescue services and police. Several buildings were heavily damaged in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv, with holes torn in the facades of apartment blocks. Israel-Iran conflict affects India's diplomatic calendar, Egyptian Foreign Minister 'postpones' India visit The Israel-Iran conflict cast a shadow on the diplomatic calendar of India with the Foreign Minister of Egypt Badr Abdelatty, who was expected to reach on Monday 'postponing' his visit. The Ministry of External Affairs had announced the visit of Mr. Abdelatty on Saturday, but against the backdrop of regional tension, sources informed on Sunday that the visit will not take place this week. Pahalgam terror attack: NIA arrests two men for harbouring terrorists In a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the NIA has arrested two men for allegedly harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the attack killing 26 people and grievously injuring 16. The accused have been identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam. They purportedly disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Israel-Iran war: U.S. attacks 'will have everlasting consequences', says Abbas Araghchi Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned in a post on X that the U.S. attacks 'will have everlasting consequences' and that Tehran 'reserves all options' to retaliate. In his X post Mr. Araghchi said 'The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations' Iran-Israel War: India ramps up oil imports from Russia, U.S. in June India has ramped up purchases of Russian oil in June, importing more than the combined volumes from Middle Eastern suppliers such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq, amid market volatility triggered by Israel's dramatic attack on Iran. Indian refiners are likely to import 2-2.2 million barrels per day of Russian crude oil in June - the highest in the last two years and more than the total volumes bought from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, preliminary data by global trade analytics firm Kpler showed. Meghalaya honeymoon murder: Indore property dealer held for concealing evidence 'The Meghalaya police have arrested a property dealer from Indore for allegedly concealing crucial evidence in the case of murder of local businessman Raja Raghuvanshi,' an official said. 'The property dealer allegedly concealed a bag belonging to Raghuvanshi's wife Sonam, who hid it in a flat in Indore, after the incident,' according to police sources. Massive blaze at chemical factory in Bengal's Barasat; godowns gutted, 20 engines rushed to the spot A fire gutted a chemical factory in Bengal's Barasat area on Saturday (June 21, 2025). This is the second massive blaze in Kolkata and its surrounding area in the past one week. Over 20 engines were rushed to the spot in Barasat's Bamunmora Kadambagachi area, but the highly inflammable chemicals inside the factory made firefighting difficult. Multiple blasts were heard in the area as the fire engulfed the whole factory for hours, but no casualties were reported. The fire spread across the multiple godowns in the congested area. The thick black smoke from the fire was seen from kilometers away. IND vs ENG first Test: Rishabh Pant plays the numbers game beautifully, has his own computer: Shastri Rishabh Pant "plays the numbers game beautifully and has his own computer" whose working only he knows, feels former India head coach Ravi Shastri after the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter's audacious and entertaining show against England in the opening Test. Pant hit an audacious 134 off just 178 balls with the help of 12 fours and six sixes to entertain the Headingley crowd with his unorthodox batting on Day 2.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
PM Modi calls for ‘immediate de-escalation' after the U.S. bombs Fordow, Natanz, Esfahan nuclear sites in Iran
Hours after the United States struck three prominent nuclear sites in Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (June 22, 2025) spoke with the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and called for 'immediate de-escalation'. The remark is the first from India which is a strategic partner of Iran and the two sides have been engaged closely to ensure safety of Indian citizens in Iran, as the west Asian conflict escalated on 13 June. 'Spoke with President of Iran Dr Pezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations. Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,' said Prime Minister Modi in a message after speaking with President Pezeshkian. India and Iran maintain close communication on multiple bilateral and multilateral issues and New Delhi hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on 7 May 2025 for the 20th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Iran. Officials here hinted that they are closely watching the developments in Iran where the United States struck the nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Early Sunday morning, President Donald Trump announced on a Truth Social post, 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan.' President Trump further said that a 'full payload' of bombs was dropped on the secretive Fordow uranium enrichment facility. The choice of the Iranian targets and the remarks from the U.S. political leadership drew concern about the fallout of radioactivity from the nuclear energy centres that were hit. Spoke with President of Iran @drpezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations. Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2025 Following the U.S. attacks on the three nuclear sites, Foreign Minister Araghchi called on all UN member states to condemn the U.S. action and indicated Tehran's changing position about furthering nuclear negotiation with the western powers saying, 'Last week, we were in negotiations with the U.S., when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the U.S. decided to blow up that diplomacy. What conclusion would you draw? To Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran which must 'return' to the table. But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?' said Mr. Aragchi in a message posted on his social media handles. In the above context, speaking to The Hindu, officials here indicated they are also studying the developments at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that was working with the Iranian government to ensure that the nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Esfahan operated as per safety protocols. India will participate in an emergency IAEA Board of Governors meeting on Monday, officials here said. According to the UN, the IAEA also monitored 'radiation measures' and evaluated emergency preparedness at these sites in Iran that has been a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India is one of the 35-members of the Board of Governors of IAEA which supervises the nuclear domain worldwide. 'In view of the increasingly serious situation in terms of nuclear safety and security, the Board of Governors will meet in an extraordinary session tomorrow, which I will address,' IAEA's Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement calling for an emergency meeting of the Board of Governors on Monday (June 23, 2025). Continuing with the evacuation of Indian citizens from Iran, two more flights are on track to bring back nationals from Mashhad in Iran to New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3) on Sunday (June 22, 2025). India had been in contact with Iran, Israel and other countries including Armenia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt to evacuate citizens from the crisis spots under Operation Sindhu. Following escalation of the fight, both Iran and Israel had shut down their respective airspaces prompting Indians to leave through land borders with Armenia and the Turkmenistan. The Government of India began evacuating Sri Lankan and Nepali citizens starting Saturday onwards.
