As Israel-Iran war escalates, Ukraine fears ‘more losses’ to Russia
Kyiv, Ukraine – There is a Persian word millions of Ukrainians fear. Shahed – also spelled as Shaheed or Shahid, originally a Quranic term for “martyr” or “witness” – is the name given to the triangular, explosives-laden, Iranian-designed drones that became a harrowing part of daily life and death in wartime Ukraine. These days, they are assembled in the Volga-region Russian city of Yelabuga and undergo constant modifications to make them faster, smarter and deadlier during each air raid that involves hundreds of drones. Their latest Russian versions shot down in Ukraine earlier this month have artificial intelligence modules to better recognise targets, video cameras and two-way radio communication with human operators. “The word ‘Shahed’ will forever be cursed in Ukrainian next to ‘Moscow’ and ‘Putin’,” said Denys Kovalenko, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kovalenko’s face and arms were cut by glass shards after a Shahed exploded above his northern Kyiv neighbourhood in 2023. Shaheds are the most visible and audible part of the military alliance between Moscow and Tehran that is being tested this month amid attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran. Other aspects of the alliance that affect the Russia-Ukraine war include Iranian-made ammunition, helmets, and flak jackets, according to Nikita Smagin, an author and expert on Russia-Iran relations. However, the year 2022, when Putin started the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, was the “peak of Iran’s significance for Russia as a military partner”, Smagin told Al Jazeera. Advertisement The Kremlin has invested tens of billions of dollars into its military-industrial complex and shadow systems to supply chips, machine tools and dual-purpose goods for its weapons that bypass Western sanctions. The flow of military technologies usually went the other way as Moscow supplied advanced air defence systems, missiles and warplanes to Tehran, keeping Israel worried. In 2009, then-Israeli President Shimon Peres told this reporter in Moscow that his visit was aimed at convincing the Kremlin to “reconsider” the sale of S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Tehran. Russia’s advanced Su-35 jets were supposed to be delivered to Tehran earlier this year, but were not seen in the Iranian sky. Washington’s arms supplies to Israel have already affected Kyiv’s ability to withstand Russia’s air raids and slow advance on the ground. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 9 that the White House decided to divert 20,000 anti-drone missiles earmarked for Kyiv. “Without the help of the United States, we’ll have more losses,” Zelenskyy said in televised remarks. More Ukraine-bound military aid may now be diverted to Israel, and the Kremlin “counts on this scenario”, analyst Smagin said. This possible diversion already alarms Ukraine’s top brass. Arms that were “made for Ukraine will go to the Middle, so there are no illusions about it”, Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of Ukraine’s general staff of armed forces, told Al Jazeera. There should be no illusions about Russia’s ability to protect Iran, he said. Even though Moscow and Tehran hail their strategic partnership, it does not envisage a mutual defence clause. Therefore, the Kremlin will hardly be able to commit to military action similar to the Russian air raids against Syria’s then-opposition to support then-President Bashar al-Assad’s faltering regime, he said. “They won’t change anything significantly,” Romanenko said. “But they will have enough for arms supplies.” Any arms supplies may, however, enrage US President Donald Trump, who has so far showed unusual leniency towards Moscow’s actions in Ukraine as his administration botched peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Moscow’s condemnation of Israeli and US strikes on Iran evoked a sense of hypocrisy, some observers said, as Russia’s description of the attacks sounded familiar. “No matter what arguments are used to justify an irresponsible decision to subject a sovereign state’s territory to missile and bomb strikes, [the decision] rudely violates international law, the United Nations charter and the resolutions of the UN Security Council,” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday. Advertisement ‘Moscow and Iran compete for China’s market’ There is an area where Russia and Iran compete for multibillion-dollar oil trade profits that keep their sanctions-hobbled economies afloat. “Moscow and Iran compete for China’s market, and China will respectively have to buy more Russian oil at a higher price,” Smagin said. A third of global oil exports go through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel between Iran and Oman that is fully controlled by Tehran’s “mosquito fleet” of tiny warships. Crude prices will skyrocket worldwide if Tehran opts to close the strait to tankers. It would also strike a financial bonanza for Russia that could further finance the war in Ukraine. And as Moscow’s war in Ukraine consumes most of Russia’s resources, its reputation in the Middle East will suffer. “Reputation-wise, Russia suffers huge losses as it risks not to be seen as a great power in the Middle East,” Smagin said. If Tehran rejects Trump’s “ultimate ultimatum” to work out a peace deal, Washington’s attention to Iran and Israel may spell disaster for Kyiv. “Undoubtedly, the US’s refocusing on the Middle East and Iran is a geopolitical catastrophe for us; there’s nothing to argue about,” Kyiv-based analyst Aleksey Kuschch told Al Jazeera. Adblock test (Why?)
Can Iran really shut down the Strait of Hormuz?
Amid Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza and Iran, US President Donald Trump’s unprecedented decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites has deepened fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East. Over the weekend, the United States military carried out its first known strikes against Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled pro-Western Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Tehran has vowed to respond, prompting fears of escalation. During an address to a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkiye on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US crossed “a very big red line” by attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. One way Iran could retaliate is to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route where one-fifth of the world’s oil supply – roughly 20 million barrels – and much of its liquified gas, is shipped each day. That would lead to a surge in energy prices. So, what do we know about the strategic passage, and can Iran afford to block it in response to the US and Israeli aggression? (Al Jazeera) What is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and the United Arab Emirates on one side and Iran on the other. It links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea beyond. It is 33km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point, with the shipping lane just 3km (2 miles) wide in either direction, making it vulnerable to attack. Energy traders have been on high alert since Israel launched a wave of surprise attacks across Iran on June 13, fearing disruptions to oil and gas flows through the strait. While the US and Israel have targeted key parts of Iran’s energy infrastructure, there has been no direct disruption to maritime activity in the region so far. Still, even before the US strikes on Saturday, the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran had sparked ocean freight rates to surge in recent weeks. Advertisement Freight intelligence firm Xeneta said average spot rates have increased 55 percent month-over-month, through to last Friday. Who would need to approve the closure? Iran has in the past threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, but has never followed through on the threat. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision to close the strait, Iran’s Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure. However, the decision to close the strait is not yet final, as parliament has not ratified a bill to that effect. Instead, a member of parliament’s National Security Commission, Esmail Kosari, was quoted in Iranian media as saying: “For now, [parliament has] come to the conclusion we should close the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision in this regard is the responsibility of the Supreme National Security Council.” Asked about whether Tehran would close the waterway, FM Araghchi dodged the question on Sunday and replied: “A variety of options are available to Iran.” In his first comments since the US strikes, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Israel has made a “grave mistake” and “must be punished”, but did not make any specific reference to either Washington or the Strait of Hormuz. How would the closure work in practice? Iran could attempt to lay mines across the Strait of Hormuz. The country’s army or the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) may also try to strike or seize vessels in the Gulf, a method they have used on several occasions in the past. During the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, the two sides engaged in the so-called “Tanker Wars” in the Persian Gulf. Iraq targeted Iranian ships, and Iran attacked commercial ships, including Saudi and Kuwaiti oil tankers and even US Navy ships. Tensions in the strait flared up again at the end of 2007 in a series of skirmishes between the Iranian and US navies. This included one incident where Iranian speedboats approached US warships, though no shots were fired. In April 2023, Iranian troops seized the Advantage Sweet crude tanker, which was chartered by Chevron, in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel was released more than a year later. What would it mean for the global economy? US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not shut down the Strait of Hormuz after Washington carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Speaking to Fox News, Rubio said: “It’s economic suicide for them if they do it [close the strait]. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours.” Advertisement For starters, shutting Hormuz risks bringing Gulf Arab states – which have been highly critical of the Israeli attack – into the war to safeguard their own commercial interests. Closing the strait would also hit China. The world’s second-largest economy buys almost 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports (roughly 1.6 million barrels per day), which are subject to international sanctions. According to Goldman Sachs, a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could push oil prices above $100 per barrel. That would push the cost of production up, eventually affecting consumer prices – especially for energy-intensive goods like food, clothing and chemicals. Oil-importing countries around the world could experience higher inflation and slower economic growth if the conflict persists, which could prompt central banks to push back the timing of future rate cuts. But history has shown that severe disruptions to global oil supplies have tended to be short-lived. Before the start of the second Gulf War, between March and May 2003, crude oil surged by a whopping 46 percent at the end of 2002. But prices quickly unwound in the days preceding the start of the US-led military campaign. Similarly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked a sharp rally in oil prices to $130 a barrel, but prices returned to their pre-invasion levels of $95 by mid-August. These relatively quick
Americans in Qatar told to shelter in place as Iranian military threatens action against US interests
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar told Americans to shelter in place until further notice Monday morning following the weekend’s attacks on Iran. The embassy said it made the recommendation “out of an abundance of caution” but provided no other details. Qatar is home to Al Udeid Air Base, where approximately 10,000 U.S. soldiers are deployed. The advisory came after the State Department issued a warning to American citizens on Sunday. “There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.” STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUES WORLDWIDE CAUTION FOR US TRAVELERS FOLLOWING TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES Iran vowed to retaliate against the U.S. after American B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites. “The criminal US must know that in addition to punishing its illegitimate and aggressive offspring, the hands of Islam’s fighters within the armed forces have been freed to take any action against its interests and military, and we will never back down in this regard,” Abdolrahim Mousavi, the new chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, warned in a statement. Qatar’s foreign affairs spokesperson said the “advisory from a number of embassies to their citizens do not reflect the existence of specific threats.” “The security situation in the country is stable,” the statement said, adding, “the relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors.” US TROOPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST COULD FACE INCREASED THREATS AMID IRAN CONFLICT: ‘IRREPARABLE DAMAGE’ Qatar has struck a delicate balance between friendly relations with its neighbor Iran and the West. Some 40,000 U.S. troops are stationed across the Middle East. While Iran is largely expected to launch a counterattack to the weekend’s bombings, Israeli strikes have taken out Iran’s missile launchers and depleted its stock of medium-range missiles. The U.S. homeland, meanwhile, is under a “heightened threat environment” following the weekend’s strikes, including “low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks.”
‘Mofo…in the White House’: Jasmine Crockett attacks Trump, praises Massie in anti-Iran strike rant
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, launched another tirade against President Donald Trump over the weekend, while offering rare praise for one of her House GOP colleagues who is currently at odds with the commander in chief. The Democratic firebrand took to Instagram Live late Saturday to criticize Trump’s strikes on Iran, while giving a “shout out” to Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., over his bipartisan resolution to rein in the president’s ability to conduct such operations. “So long story short, for those of you that are unaware, the mofo that resides in the White House has unilaterally, in my estimation, declared war,” Crockett said in the video. “Mofo” is often used as a shorthand term for the curse phrase “motherf—er.” RUBIO DECLARES IRAN’S DAYS OF ‘PLAYING THE WORLD’ OVER AFTER TRUMP’S DECISIVE STRIKE Crockett, an outspoken progressive, is part of the chorus of voices on the left accusing Trump of wrongly bypassing Congress in his military operation against Tehran’s nuclear sites. Trump officials have maintained that they are in compliance with the War Powers Act. “We are living in this time in which there is someone who is occupying the White House who does not care about any rules, any norms, any laws, nor the Constitution. And we cannot be a civilized country if there is no law and order,” Crockett said. She then launched an attack on Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, accusing him of doing more harm with his strikes on Iran. US MILITARY TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST COULD FACE INCREASED THREATS AMID IRAN CONFLICT “I know that they may claim, ‘We law and order, blah blah blah. So go get the undocumented people and let’s try to ship them out.’ Let me tell you something – they are not the people that are putting us in harm’s way,” Crockett said. “It is him and his administration that is putting us in harm’s way.” Crockett called on her supporters to confront Trump supporters, adding, “I literally need you to wake them the f— up, because everything since he has stepped into office has done nothing other than put us in harm’s way.” Later in the roughly 20-minute video, Crockett asked her supporters living in Republican-held districts to reach out to their representatives in Congress. “We need action now, and that is going to take a few Republicans, like, getting on the right page,” she said. “And right now there’s only one Republican that I know I can count on for sure doing the right thing. And that’s going to be Thomas Massie. The rest of them, it’s a little bit questionable.” Foreign entanglements, particularly when the U.S. military is involved, are an issue that’s made for strange political bedfellows in the past. When the House passed emergency foreign aid last year in separate packages by region, each passed with bipartisan support – while also seeing “no” votes from dovish progressives and conservatives wary of U.S. involvement overseas. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS CRITICIZE ISRAEL’S DEFENSIVE STRIKES AGAINST IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES Trump’s weekend strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities are no different. While the move gained wide support from Republican leaders and some pro-Israel Democrats, a small group of conservatives has expressed varying levels of concern. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., posted on X that she could “support President Trump and his great administration on many of the great things they are doing while disagreeing on bombing Iran and getting involved in a hot war that Israel started.” Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, commended the “strength and precision” of the strikes to Fox News Digital on Sunday but argued Congress needed to regain its “war powers.” “While President Trump has legal precedent on his side, the legal reality underscores how far we’ve drifted from the constitutional order,” Davidson said. Massie, who has been one of the most consistent lawmakers in Congress regarding his skepticism of foreign entanglements, is leading a resolution alongside Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., to limit Trump’s war powers on Iran. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He told Fox News Digital on Sunday that he hoped to force a vote on the bipartisan measure and signaled cautious optimism that it could succeed. “I think it could [pass the House], because we have such a tight majority. And the Democrats aren’t very consistent about war, but when there’s a Republican in the White House, they find their religion, their anti-war religion again,” Massie said. When reached about Crockett’s video the White House pointed Fox News Digital to comments by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “The last time I checked, Jasmine Crockett couldn’t dream of winning such a majority of the public as President Trump did. And the America First movement, which President Trump has built, is filled of hardworking patriots, the forgotten men and women, business owners, law enforcement officers, nurses, and teachers. And middle America – as we all know, you know, from where you all grew up, outside of this beltway – that’s who makes up this president’s movement,” Leavitt said. “Jasmine Crockett should go to a Trump rally sometime, and she can see it for herself.” Meanwhile, a White House official told Fox News Digital, “The fact Jasmine Crockett is siding with Massie tells you everything you need to know about both of them!” Fox News Digital also reached out to Massie’s office for comment on Crockett’s video.
‘For Sale’: DOGE moves to sell off almost half a billion in federal real estate, relocate cabinet agency HQs
EXCLUSIVE: The Senate’s DOGE leader is hoping to give the U.S. Treasury another boost in cutting the $36 trillion national debt, this time by selling off some major real estate in Washington, D.C., currently home to several prominent cabinet agencies. The headquarters of the Departments of Energy, Housing & Urban Development, along with ancillary buildings home to other top agencies, would be sold off but without attrition or layoffs, as the employees therein would be relocated elsewhere, according to Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. The “For Sale Act” would put the James Forrestal Federal Building on the market, one of six properties identified by the Senate DOGE Caucus as ripe for removal from the federal government’s portfolio. The imposing modernist structure, which hovers across L’Enfant Plaza as a cross between an office building and a pedestrian bridge, was once known as the “Little Pentagon” and home to overflow Department of Defense personnel during the Vietnam War. REPUBLICAN SENATORS ROLL OUT DOGE BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The Department of Energy moved in after then-President Jimmy Carter created the agency in 1977. Several other buildings along Independence Avenue in the Federal Center section of Washington – so named for its panoply of federal offices – would hit the market as well. Directly west of the Forrestal, one of the Agriculture Department’s outbuildings on Independence is on DOGE’s list for mandatory sale. NATIONAL DEBT TRACKER: AMERICAN TAXPAYERS (YOU) ARE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR $36,215,685,667.36 AS OF 6/9/25 That building is at about one-quarter capacity and is in need of nearly $2 billion in upgrades or maintenance, Republicans said. Ernst quipped the Agriculture building is the perfect “fixer-upper” to be on the market. The Hubert H. Humphrey Jr. building – named for former President Lyndon Johnson’s vice president – can be seen by traffic glancing right as they exit Interstate 395’s Third Street Tunnel near the U.S. Capitol. ‘AMERICA HAS DOGE FEVER’: STATES FROM NJ TO TX DRAFT SIMILAR INITIATIVES AS FEDERAL LEADERS CELEBRATE It houses the Department of Health and Human Services and would also be required to be put on the market within 18 months of the For Sale Act’s passage. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s headquarters is also on the list, as the curved X-shaped granite building, officially called the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, is “underutilized,” according to DOGE’s rubric. The Theodore Roosevelt Building, at the foot of Interstate 66 just west of the White House, along with the Frances Perkins Federal Building on the other side of the city, rounds out the list. The legislation would also have safeguards against foreign entities buying up the buildings – as China and other rivals have purchased land by proxy very close to sensitive installations like a major Air Force base in North Dakota. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Additionally, any entity in which a foreign national is a “beneficial owner” would be prohibited from participating in any federal real estate sales. Taxpayers shell out about $81 million to maintain underutilized or unutilized federal offices, according to a Biden-era report to Congress from the Office of Management and Budget. About 7,700 federal office spaces are vacant and 2,200 are majority-empty, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Annual maintenance on 277,000 federal buildings tops $10 billion per year, according to an April Government Accountability Office report. Ernst and DOGE previously successfully mandated the sale of the aging Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building in Federal Center. Within its 1.2 million square feet, only 72 people were working there as of 2024. It formerly housed offices for Voice of America and the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Who is Gopal Italia? AAP candidate and former police constable wins Visavadar Assembly bypoll in Gujarat, defeats BJP’s Kirit Patel by…
AAP leader Gopal Italia has emerged victorious in the Visavadar Assembly seat bypoll in Gujarat, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kirit Patel by a huge margin. Italia received nearly 76,000 votes, while Patel trailed with 58,388. Read on to know more about him.
Clinton backs Cuomo in NYC mayoral race, boosting scandal-scarred frontrunner
Ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic Party primary for mayor in heavily blue New York City, frontrunner Andrew Cuomo landed another high-profile endorsement. Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 during his third term as New York State governor amid multiple scandals, was endorsed by former President Bill Clinton. Cuomo served as Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary during the Clinton administration. “As President, I chose Andrew to be my Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and he never let me down—but more importantly, he didn’t let the nation down. He built public housing all across the country,” Clinton said in a statement on Sunday. IS CUOMO’S LEAD IN THE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL PRIMARY SHRINKING? Cuomo, who is aiming for a campaign comeback and political redemption, has seen his once-large lead over the rest of the Democrats in the 11-candidate field shrink. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist state assemblyman from Queens, has narrowed the gap with Cuomo the past couple of months in the Democratic mayoral primary, which is conducted using a ranked-choice voting system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. AOC BACKS RISING PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE IN NYC DEM PRIMARY IN PUSH TO DEFEAT FRONTRUNNER CUOMO Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York City’s most prominent leader on the left, endorsed Mamdani earlier this month. Last week, longtime progressive champion and two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up Sen. Bernie Sanders backed Mamdani, who is originally from Uganda. With multiple candidates on the left running in the primary, the endorsements by Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders aimed to consolidate the support of progressive voters behind Mamdani. In a distant third place in the most recent polls is New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. Lander made headlines last week after his arrest by Department of Homeland Security agents in Manhattan after allegedly assaulting a federal officer as Lander tried to escort a defendant out of an immigration court. Cuomo, his campaign and allied groups in recent weeks have been questioning Mamdani’s experience in leading a city of more than 8 million people. “Zohran Mamdani’s a 33-year-old dangerously inexperienced legislator who’s passed just three bills with a staff you can fit inside a New York elevator,” the narrator in a Cuomo campaign ad blitz said. “We need someone ready to roll. Andrew Cuomo managed a state and managed crises, from COVID to Trump.” CUOMO TARGETS TRUMP AS HE QUESTIONS MAMDANI’S EXPERIENCE IN NYC PRIMARY BATTLE Additionally, Clinton spotlighted Cuomo’s experience in his endorsement statement. “New York City is facing major challenges. There is a desperate need for affordable housing, homelessness is at a crisis level, and public safety must be restored. It is imperative that New York chooses a mayor who has the ability, talent, and experience to do the job,” the former president said. Clinton told New York City voters to “not underestimate the complexity of meaningful challenges and the necessity that the next mayor has the qualifications to do the job. New Yorkers should choose competence for a change. I am confident Andrew can turn New York around.” Cuomo was also recently endorsed by former three-term New York City mayor, billionaire entrepreneur and media magnate Michael Bloomberg. The 67-year-old Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations – which he has repeatedly denied – forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. Last month, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic. THIS BILLIONAIRE FORMER NYC MAYOR ENDORSES CUOMO AHEAD OF PRIMARY While the primary is not until Tuesday, more than 384,000 Democrats cast ballots in early voting, which ended on Sunday. The winner of the Democratic Party primary is traditionally seen as the overwhelming frontrunner in the November general election in the Democrat-dominated city. However, this year, the general election campaign may be a bit more unpredictable. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a moderate Democrat elected in 2021, is running for re-election as an Independent. Adams earlier this year dropped his Democratic primary bid as his approval ratings sank to historic lows. Adams’ poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged “long-running” scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials. The mayor made repeated overtures to President Donald Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, so Adams could seemingly work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown.
Senate GOP aims to approve major legislation next week as Trump touts party unity
If things go well, Senate Republicans hope to approve the “Big, Beautiful Bill” by this time next week. Senators, staff and budget referees worked through the weekend, deciding what should be in the bill and what complies with special budget rules. In? A decadelong freeze on local and state AI rules. But they axed plans to reduce food assistance and foist the cost onto the states. Ironically, that decision could help pass the bill – especially if it courts the votes of GOP moderates like Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. TRUMP RECEIVES MIXED SUPPORT FROM CONGRESS FOR IRAN STRIKES AS WAR POWERS DEBATE However, there is still consternation about SALT, the deduction for state and local taxes, how the bill addresses rural hospitals, Medicaid and overall spending cuts. Conservatives still demand more deficit reduction. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said on Fox that the airstrikes against Iran only steeled his resolve to vote no unless senators included additional cuts. AFTER MINNESOTA KILLING, CAPITOL HILL REPRESENTATIVES FACE STARK REALITY ABOUT FAMILY SAFETY The overseas military activity did not distract President Donald Trump from focusing on the bill over the weekend. He posted on Truth Social Sunday that there was great “unity” in the Republican Party and that it was time to pass the “Great Big Beautiful Bill.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Senate Republicans hope to begin debate mid-week and perhaps wrap up over the weekend. But it’s unclear how the House and Senate can align both versions of the legislation before July 4.
Indus Waters Treaty: OIC interferes, Pakistan threatens India of capturing all six rivers of Punjab, Bhutto says…
In a development that may have far-reaching consequences, the OIC urged all sides to exercise restraint and stressed the need to respect existing treaties, including the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
White House office tells agencies to apply ‘Gold Standard Science’ to depoliticize research, restore trust
EXCLUSIVE: The White House Office of Science and Technology on Monday directed federal agencies to implement “gold standard science” principles to depoliticize science and restore public trust, Fox News Digital has learned. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios sent guidance to federal research agencies Monday morning, incorporating President Donald Trump‘s executive order on “Restoring Gold Standard Science.” FOX NEWS POLITICS NEWSLETTER: TRUMP SETS THE ‘GOLD STANDARD’ FOR SCIENCE Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the guidance sent to federal agencies. President Trump, in May, signed an executive order to restore “Gold Standard Science” as the cornerstone of federal scientific research. “Gold Standard Science” is “reproducible, transparent and falsifiable,” according to the order. It is also “subject to unbiased peer review; clear about errors and uncertainties; skeptical of assumptions; collaborative and interdisciplinary; accepting of negative results as positive outcomes; and free from conflicts of interest.” The executive order reinstated “the scientific integrity policies” of the first Trump administration and “ensures that science is no longer manipulated or misused to justify political ends.” “President Trump’s Gold Standard Science EO will transform the conduct and management of federal science, from research design to public communication, in order to strengthen scientific inquiry, rebuild public trust, and ensure the U.S. continues to be the global leader in rigorous, evidence-based science,” Kratsios told Fox News Digital. “But federal agencies are only one part of our nation’s research ecosystem.” Kratsios added, “American universities, scientific journals, industry and philanthropic leaders all have a crucial role in improving the overall quality of research, and we encourage this executive action to serve as a model for the entire scientific enterprise.” Kratsios sent the memo to federal agencies Monday morning to provide guidance to federal departments and agencies on implementing gold standard science “in the conduct and management of all aspects of their scientific activities, from research design to public communication.” “By adopting these standards, agencies will strengthen scientific inquiry, rebuild public trust, and ensure the United States continues as the global leader in rigorous, evidence-based science,” the memo states. Kratsios said that “Gold Standard Science” represents a “commitment to the highest standards of scientific integrity, defined by nine core tenets: reproducible; transparent; communicative of error and uncertainty; collaborative and interdisciplinary; skeptical of its findings and assumptions; structured for falsifiability of hypotheses; subject to unbiased peer review; accepting of negative results as positive outcomes; and without conflicts of interest.” “These tenets ensure that federally-supported research and research used in federal decision-making is transparent, rigorous, and impactful, enabling federal decisions to be informed by the most credible, reliable, and impartial scientific evidence available,” Kratsios wrote in the guidance. But “Gold Standard Science” is not limited to science, Kratsios said, saying that it is critical for tackling complex challenges in energy innovation and national security as well. “In an age of rapid technological progress and heightened public scrutiny, federally-funded and federally-performed science, and its use in Federal decision-making, must be beyond reproach,” he wrote. As for conducting science “without conflicts of interest,” Kratsios said it is imperative to ensure that “research is designed, executed, reviewed, and reported free from financial, personal, or institutional influences that could bias outcomes or undermine objectivity.” “This approach is important for generating trustworthy and credible new knowledge, as it upholds scientific integrity, fosters public confidence, and ensures that results reflect evidence rather than external agendas,” the memo states. “Maintaining freedom from conflicts of interest requires researchers, reviewers, and managers to disclose all relevant affiliations, funding sources, and relationships relevant to the science conducted, adhering to stringent ethical standards supported by strong institutional oversight, transparent reporting systems, and independent expert review mechanisms.” CHINA’S AI INNOVATION IS ‘ACCELERATING’ BUT US REMAINS DOMINANT, WHITE HOUSE SAYS Kratsios said agencies must “prioritize conducting and managing scientific research free from conflicts of interest to advance unbiased science,” and must “require disclosure of all relevant conflicts of interest by researchers, reviewers, and agency officials involved in the funding or performance of Federal research.” “These efforts include requiring comprehensive, standardized disclosure of all financial, personal, or institutional interests in research proposals, publications, peer and merit reviews, and data repositories, with clear and standardized protocols to identify, mitigate, and manage potential biases,” the memo states. “Agencies should mandate the use of independent oversight approaches and enforce strict conflict-of-interest policies.” Agencies have 60 days to outline “Gold Standard Science” implementation plans, including plans for training and resources to ensure agency personnel understand the new policy, and the use of artificial intelligence-driven tools when practical. After Trump signed the May executive order to restore gold standard science, a senior White House official said there had been a decline in “disruptive research” and investments in biomedical research, along with “serious cases” of fraud and misconduct and the inability to reproduce scientific methods for the purpose of restoring public trust. The official also blamed policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and “woke DEI initiatives” for endangering the public’s trust in government scientists. Now-retired National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci was repeatedly denounced for flip-flopping and obfuscating during his time engineering the federal response to COVID-19, leading many, particularly on the right, to disregard and dismiss the legitimacy of federal health authorities outright. That order cites the fact the Biden administration included political edits from teachers’ unions in school-reopening guidance, instead of leading with any scientific evidence. Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital in April, Kratsios echoed Trump, saying the U.S. is in the “golden age” and that this special moment in time is “underpinned by unbelievable science and technology.”