Latest News
-
Six Lebanese doctors killed by Israeli attacks in 24 hours: Health Ministry
Lebanon's Health Ministry announced on Friday that six Lebanese Paramedics had been killed in two Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon over a 24-hour period. The ministry condemned the attacks, calling them violations of international law. The health ministry of Lebanon reports that an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, overnight on Thursday and Friday, killed four paramedics with the Islamic Health Association. The ministry reported that two medics of the Al-Rissala Scouts Association?in Deir Quanoun En-Nahr were killed by an Israeli strike on Friday morning. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions about the strikes. The ministry released a video, which it claimed was shot in Deir Qanoun En-Nahr. It showed two men wearing yellow vests?on the roadside tending to someone. A flash and loud boom are heard when an ambulance approaches these two men. These same men then lie on the ground. The buildings, trees and road map matched the archive images of the area. According to the health ministry, there were six deaths in Deir Quanoun En Nahr. This included two medics, a child from Syria, and other people. Airstrikes on the town earlier this week killed 14 people. This was the deadliest strike since last month's tenuous ceasefire. Since March 2, when the Lebanese group Hezbollah opened fire on Israel, more than 3,100 people in Lebanon have died. According to the statistics released by the Health Ministry on Friday, 123?medics and more than 210 women were among those killed. The international humanitarian law protects frontline responders and healthcare workers, as well as civil infrastructure such as healthcare centres. According to the World Health Organization, Israeli airstrikes have damaged or completely shut down several hospitals in southern Lebanon. According to the Health Ministry, on Thursday, an Israeli strike near the Tebnine Hospital, in southern Lebanon, damaged all three levels of the building, including the emergency room and intensive care unit. The hospital also suffered damage to its surgical ward, ambulances, and the outside parking lot. Reporting by Maya Gebeily, Catherine Cartier and Tansy Liu in Beirut; Eleanor Whalley and Rami Ayyub from Jerusalem; Editing by Chiara Rodriquez
-
France prepares UN resolution on Hormuz after vote on US text is delayed
France has written a U.N. Security Council Resolution on setting up a international mission to restore?movement?in Strait of Hormuz?and You could submit it, if The conditions are "right",?the Foreign Ministry said on Friday as Washington struggled to put to a vote an anti-Tehran text that Russia and China might claim is biased. The control of the narrow waterway is a major obstacle to ending the U.S.-Iran conflict, which has lasted for three months. It's a vital artery in the global energy trade, and its virtual closure caused oil prices to skyrocket. The U.S. and Bahraini resolutions on the strait have been discussed for over two weeks. Voting has been repeatedly delayed because China and Russia'signaled they could veto' it. The U.S. and Bahraini draft resolution requires Iran to cease attacks and mining within the strait. China and Russia both vetoed an April text backed by the U.S., saying it was biased towards Tehran. Two European diplomats claim that Washington has secured the co-sponsorship of almost 140 countries in order to avoid a veto. France, a veto-wielding country, has refused to support the U.S. draft. There is currently a draft of a resolution being discussed between the U.S.A. and Bahrain. The current discussions are based on this document. Pascal Confavreux, a spokesman for France's Foreign Ministry, said that the date of the vote "has not been announced yet". France's President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris would push an initiative to the UN in order to consolidate Franco-British attempts to put together a?international team to reestablish freedom of navigation once the situation allows and after consulting with Washington and Tehran. "We're working on an international mission to restore the freedom of navigation." As a permanent member of the UN, we have prepared a draft that can be discussed when conditions are favorable," said Confavreux. The?U.S. The?U.S. John Irish is reporting.
-
Rubio mentions progress in Iran talks, but "we are not there yet".
Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, said that although there has been some progress in talks with Iran, and the United States is constantly communicating?with pakistani'mediators', there is still a lot more work to be done. There has been progress. I would not exaggerate. "I wouldn't minimize it," Rubio said to reporters following a NATO Ministers Meeting in Sweden. He added, "There is still more work to do." "We are not yet there." "I hope we get there." Rubio stated that President Donald Trump prefers to make a "good deal". He said that the core concern is that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon. Rubio stated, "We are dealing with a group of very difficult people. If it does not change, the president has made it clear that he will have other options." "He has said that he prefers to negotiate and get a good deal. However, he is concerned that this may not be possible. But we'll keep trying." Rubio stated that the United States was "in constant communication" with Pakistanis, who facilitate the talks with Iran. Rubio stated that the U.S. did not ask for NATO's help on Friday in the Strait of Hormuz, but a plan B is needed if Iran refuses to open the supply route. Reporting by Michael Martina, Doina Chiacu and CaitlinWebber; editing by Chizu Nomiyama & CaitlinWebber
-
Russia reports four deaths and 35 injuries in the Ukraine attack on a Luhansk dorm for students
Russian officials confirmed that at least 4?people were killed and 35 children injured in an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on a'student dormitory' in the Russian controlled Luhansk region?in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government, which is trying to recapture Luhansk - one of the four eastern regions Moscow unilaterally claimed in 2022 - in what Kyiv called an illegal land grab, was unable to independently verify what had happened. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians. Yana Lantratova is the Russian human rights commissioner. She said that 86 teenagers - aged 14-18 - were asleep in the hostel of the Starobilsk College at Luhansk Pedagogical University when 'Ukrainian drones' attacked the hostel during the night. Maria Lvova Belova, presidential commission for children's right, and Leonid Pasechnik the top Russian official in Luhansk said that two people were?pulled out of the rubble. Several?children's conditions in hospitals were described as serious. KREMLIN CALLS ATTACK MONSTROUS Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesperson, called for punishment of those who are responsible. "This is an abominable crime. "This is an attack on a school where there are children and youth present," he said to reporters. Moscow announced that the U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency session later Friday in New York to discuss the incident. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the Ukrainian strike had destroyed the top three floors of the hostel. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that there were no nearby military installations and that Ukraine must have known what they were attacking. "We call on the international organizations, national governments and global community to give a?honest evaluation... and strongly condemn the bloody terrorist attacks." The Russian authorities released photos and videos showing rescue workers dragging a man from the rubble. They also showed severely damaged buildings, including one that appeared to be partially collapsed. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, promised revenge after laying red flowers on the rubble from a Kyiv apartment block where a Russian missile attack had killed 24 people including three children. Reporting by Andrew Osborn, Writing by Kevin Liffey
-
Source: Qatari team to negotiate in Tehran with Iran to end the war.
Sources with knowledge of this matter said that a Qatari team was in Tehran Friday to "try to secure a deal" to end the "war" with Iran and to resolve outstanding issues. Doha had previously acted as a mediator for the Gaza War and other international conflicts, but it has now backed away from a role of mediation in the Iran War after being attacked by Iranian drones and missiles in the most recent conflict. The source added that "a Qatari team of negotiators is in Tehran this Friday" and that they had traveled in coordination with the United States. They were there to "help reach a final agreement that would end the "war" and address outstanding issues between Iran and the United States." The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Qatar's reengagement is a reflection of its long-standing role as an ally of the United States in the region, and a trusted back-channel for Washington and Tehran. There is a shaky truce in the war which began on 28 February with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. However, there has not been a major breakthrough. The U.S. blocked Iranian ports while the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by Tehran. On Thursday, a senior Iranian source said that although no agreement had been reached, the gaps between the two countries have narrowed. Iran's control over the Strait and its uranium enrichment are among the remaining sticking issues. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, noted progress on Thursday. "There are some good signs," said Rubio. "I'm not going to be too optimistic... Let's wait and see what happens in the next few days. Rubio, when asked about the Qatari delegation in Iran on Friday on the sidelines a NATO gathering in Sweden, told reporters that Pakistan had been the main interlocutor during the Iran negotiations and that they did an "admirable" job. He said: "Obviously, other countries have interests, especially Gulf countries, which are in the middle of it all - they're going through their own situation. We?talk with all of them. "I would say that Pakistan has been the main country with which we have worked on this issue, and it remains so." Doha's renewed engagement comes despite Iran's bombardment of Qatar with hundreds missiles and drones that targeted civilian infrastructure as well as its crucial liquefied natural gas (LNG), production facility in Ras Laffan. This attack destroyed roughly 17 percent Qatar's LNG production capacity. On March 2, the country had already stopped LNG production following?Iranian attacks. The Strait of Hormuz was the main route for about 20% of all global LNG trade. This came primarily from Qatar. Qatar is the United States' largest military base in the Middle East. It hosts Al Udeid Air Base. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom, Additional reporting by Doina chiacu, Editing and editing by Toby Chopra.
-
The European Commission has proposed a reprieve from Russia sanctions for dealings with Chinese chip firm
A spokesperson for the European Commission said that it had proposed a nine month derogation on dealings with a Chinese semiconductor company listed in its 20th set of sanctions against Russia. The spokesperson stated that the company, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic will remain on?European Union sanctions list, but the temporary reprieve?will allow automakers?to find alternative chip suppliers and?avoid?a "severe interruption"?. The EU will need to agree 'unanimously' on the proposed measure for it to come into effect. European automakers have become more dependent on Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic in order to replace products that were previously listed as being made by Chinese competitors and included in previous Russia sanctions packages. "This company was added to our list of sanctions because they significantly helped?Russian military capabilities." The products were used in glide bombs and drones by Russian troops operating in Ukraine," said the?spokesperson. "Our sanctions are designed to change behavior and we try to find a balance so that they don't have a significant impact on the EU." (Reporting and editing by Tomasz Janovski and Emelia Sithole Matarise).
-
Copper prices rise as LME stock falls
Copper prices rose Friday, as falling inventories overshadowed expectations of seasonal muted demand from China's top metals consumer and uncertainty about progress in U.S. Iran peace talks. In open-outcry official trading, the price of a metric ton of three-month 'copper' on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.6% to $13,599 per tonne. Copper stocks available in LME registered warehouses LME data daily showed that the price of crude oil fell to its lowest level in 10 weeks after 53 325 tons had been earmarked for shipment. COMEX traded at a higher price than the LME benchmark, as the market waited to see if Washington would impose import tariffs before the end of June. Ben Davis, RBC Capital Markets' head of European Metals and Mining Research, said that the tightness on the copper market was exacerbated because tons were brought into the U.S. If Washington's tariffs are removed, the copper market could see a return of massive stocks to the supply chain. Yangshan copper premium is a demand-side premium. This week, the price of copper in China remained at $73 per ton. It was its highest level since mid-April. The demand for copper in China will likely fall as China enters its off-season. Shanghai Exchange monitors copper stocks in warehouses This week, the price of oil rose for only the second time since mid-March. It gained 1.6%. Analysts at Chinese broker Galaxy Futures said that "downstream consumption has weakened and cargo pickup?has slowed." LME aluminium increased?0.1% in official activity to $3,641.5. Reduced supply in the Gulf due to the Iran War is keeping the premium on the LME Aluminium Cash Contract?over the benchmark High indicates tightness. Last, the premium was $67. After hitting a high of $2,010, LME lead fell by 0.4% to $1.997. This week, the discount of the LME Cash Contract compared to the benchmark contract changed from a discount to a premium. . Zinc increased by 0.7%, to $3,547. Tin gained?1.3%, to $53,955, while nickel remained at $18,730. Indonesia, a major producer of nickel pig iron, said that it would exclude the metal from its plan to centralise commodity exports. (Reporting and editing by Jonathan Ananda, Janane Venkatraman, and Dylan Duan. Additional reporting by Polina Devitt.
-
Hindalco, India's largest steel company, misses its profit forecasts on Novelis fire-related costs
Hindalco Industries, India, posted a surprise drop in profit for the'second consecutive quarter' on Friday. This was despite higher base metal prices. According to data compiled by LSEG, the Aditya Birla Group's firm reported a 50% drop in consolidated net profits for the?three-month period ended March 31. Analysts had expected a profit of 43.12 billion rupees. Hindalco is one of India’s largest?aluminium- and copper-producing companies. It benefited from higher base metal prices, and increased demand during the seasonally strong third quarter, when construction activity peaks and automotive companies are pushing to meet their production and sales targets by financial year end. Aluminium and copper benchmark three-month prices rose by 21.8% and 36.7 percent respectively, year-on-year in the quarter. Mining companies typically enjoy higher profits when commodity prices rise. Fires at Novelis' New York facility in September and November of last year caused production to be interrupted. The company incurred a?charge of 41.71 billion rupees for the quarter relating to the 'plant fires' in Oswego (New York). Hindalco’s total revenue from operations increased by 20.4% to 781.33 billion Rupees. Analysts had, on average, expected revenue of 723,96 billion rupees. $1 = 95.6900 Indian rupees (Reporting and editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar, Tasim Zaid and Anuran Parmar in Bengaluru)
INSIGHT: The White House aide who is driving Trump's aggressive immigration policy
Marines from the United States on the streets of Los Angeles. Immigration officers masked at popular restaurants and courthouses. Travel bans for more than a dozen nations.
Stephen Miller, a senior White House adviser who was the architect of Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration, thought that everything was going as planned. Stephen Miller had set a quota for 3,000 arrests / day by late May. The efforts to reach that goal forced U.S. Immigration officers into more businesses and communities, which sparked protests and tensions between Democrats and Republicans.
Three former U.S. government officials who were aware of the call say that the president then called Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Nuem. She was in Los Angeles in mid-June with other immigration officials.
One of the former U.S. officials stated that "he said: "We're going do this targeted"." Former officials say that after this call, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stopped raids at farms, hotels and restaurants, and food processing facilities. One of the former officials said that Trump did not know the extent of enforcement efforts. "Once it hit him, it was too late," the official told the reporter. The pause was brief. ICE rescinded its guidance just days after it had been issued, leaving many officials in confusion.
Two former officials stated that the episode showed a moment of dissonance in Trump's immigration staff, which had otherwise appeared to be on the same page with strategy. Miller's "no-holds barred" approach was an indication that it could be taken too far by the president.
An official at the White House said that there was no difference between Miller and Trump, and Miller's immigration enforcement approach had not targeted farms as a priority. The official said that the original ICE directive pausing raids was not authorized by top leaders in the administration.
Miller, 39 years old, is known for being obsessed with immigration. As deputy chief of staff, he has immense power in multiple areas within the West Wing. This influence has increased since Trump was elected president in 2017-2021. Miller's leadership has led the Trump administration to double immigration arrests, push the legal limits for deportations and block travelers from 19 different countries. It also moved to restrict the birthright citizenship, as well as help Republicans pass a spending bill that dedicates approximately $170 billion dollars to immigration enforcement.
Miller has also been a leading voice in many of President Obama's other initiatives, such as the fight against diversity and transgender issues. A person with knowledge of the matter says that Miller is part of a small team of White House staffers responsible for approving all executive orders.
Three former colleagues claim that Miller's immigration policies are experimental and test the limits of the Constitution. This includes a challenge to the 14th Amendment birthright citizenship.
One Republican official stated, "He has a worldview of which he is 100 percent certain."
Miller said that if Republicans did not support the spending bill Trump signed last week, the society would crumble.
In a blog post, he said: "Republicans spent generations promising Americans complete, total and full border security." "Now is the time to keep the promise that will determine the fate of civilisation itself."
Miller's critics claim that he is using nativism to further his political agenda and promoting policies which are more geared towards cruelty than effectiveness.
Noem and other administration officials praised Miller's loyalty to Trump, saying he played a key role in shaping the immigration agenda of the Trump administration.
She said that Stephen's passion, patriotism, and persistence helped fuel the administration to deport the most criminal illegal aliens ever in the history.
UNPRECEDENTED INFLUE
Trump regained the White House partly by campaigning against illegal immigration. He claimed that millions of people had entered the country unlawfully during former President Joe Biden's tenure and portrayed them as dangerous criminals to be expelled. Miller played a key role in promoting this narrative, and he championed policies that have fuelled Trump's aggressive crackdown. According to an /Ipsos survey, initially, immigration was Trump’s most popular issue. However, as the crackdown intensified, public approval dropped to 44% by mid-June, from 47% one month earlier.
Colleagues said that Miller's close and long-standing relationship with Trump is the reason for his unprecedented influence over immigration policy in the United States.
Marc Short, the former chief of staff of Vice President Mike Pence, said, "He was at the beginning, the very beginning, of the Trump phenomenon." "He has been loyal to the president since the beginning of the first administration."
Miller, a married father of three, became a key policy figure in Trump's first year. Former Trump administration officials said that Miller was driven and assertive and used the exact same tone in his interactions with colleagues and on television as he did when addressing audiences.
The former official stated that it was difficult to speak. "He is not interested in your opinion. This is not a conversation that involves collaboration. "If you engage him, he'll talk over you."
Former official says Miller called senior Homeland Security officials so frequently that they needed to have a staffer dedicated to talking to him.
According to a current official and a former official, the direct outreach to agency employees has continued into the current administration.
Two former officials stated that the threat of being fired or blacklisted if you crossed Miller, and possibly by Trump and his political allys, also contributed to Miller's authority.
Miller founded the conservative advocacy group America First Legal in 2021 after Trump left his office. The group filed or supported lawsuits on immigration policies, among other issues.
Miller, who was appointed deputy chief of staff in the second Trump administration and is also the White House Homeland Security Council's director, will coordinate immigration policies as well as other domestic security issues within the administration.
Miller was welcomed by his entire staff, unlike other parts of the National Security Council. He also appears to be more independent, according to a source familiar with the situation. The person who spoke to us said that Miller was "ready to rock and roll from Day One". Miller's homeland team was not affected by the NSC downsizing even though dozens of NSC officials were let go.
'XENOPHOBIC WORLD VIEW '
Miller was born in Santa Monica, California. About a quarter are foreign-born. Miller was a conservative from high school onwards and gained a reputation as a provocateur early in his career.
He studied at Duke University in North Carolina, where he was known for his defenses of lacrosse players accused of raping Black women working as strippers in 2006. He wrote about this case in newspaper articles and appeared on Fox News. Last year, the woman acknowledged that her accusations had been a hoax.
Democrats have accused Miller of being the driving force behind Trumps harshest policies.
Karen Bass is the current mayor of Los Angeles, and she has been at odds with the Trump Administration over ICE raids in the city.
Katie Miller was the wife of Miller during Elon Musk's roughly four-month stay at the White House. After Musk left the White House in late May, she went to work for Musk. Former and current Trump officials did not indicate that Trump's intermittent friction with Musk caused tension between him and his longtime assistant.
Miller's crackdown has continued for nearly a month, despite Trump's phone call and the back and forth over ICE raids. U.S. agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins stated on Tuesday that agricultural workers will not be granted "amnesty", and the administration is aiming to have an all-American workforce.
Federal agents in Los Angeles were flanked by U.S. troops wearing heavy armor, and they marched through the city park. This was a forceful display that enraged local officials. Trump called Miller "our hero" last week when introducing Miller at the opening of the migrant detention facility officials nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz". The center is located in the Florida Everglades wetlands, which are subtropical wetlands teeming reptiles and wildlife.
Trump, speaking at a roundtable discussion with Miller and Noem said that even Miller would have respected the way Noem handled her role. Trump said, "I don’t think he is fond of anyone."
Miller, in return, praised Trump's decision to empower ICE and Border Patrol and use legal tools and diplomacy for a more aggressive immigration enforcement.
Miller said, "Watching you, sir, was one of the greatest honors in my life." I'm proud that I could play a role in this. (Reporting from Ted Hesson in Washington and Jeff Mason in San Francisco, with additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt. Editing by Colleen J. Jenkins and Michael Learmonth.
(source: Reuters)