South Korea pushes back on U.S. call to double defense spending
South Korea on Friday pushed back against U.S. demands to sharply increase its defense budget, saying its current spending is already among the highest relative to GDP for U.S. allies.
Iran has rejected direct talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program but expressed readiness for indirect negotiations via Oman, while warning regional neighbors against supporting any potential U.S. military action.
Iran has rejected U.S. demands for direct talks over its nuclear program but signaled willingness to engage in indirect negotiations through Oman, a longtime diplomatic channel. A senior Iranian official said such talks could assess Washington’s seriousness and may begin soon if U.S. messaging supports it.
Amid growing regional tensions, Iran has warned neighbors hosting U.S. military bases—including Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, and Bahrain—that any involvement in a U.S. attack would be seen as hostile and met with “severe consequences.” Iranian forces have been placed on high alert by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
President Trump has expressed a preference for a diplomatic solution, even sending a letter to Khamenei proposing talks. Iranian officials believe there’s a two-month window to reach a deal, citing fears of unilateral Israeli action or the reactivation of global sanctions.
Iran continues to accelerate uranium enrichment, nearing weapons-grade levels, which Western countries argue has no civilian justification. Tehran insists its missile program is not up for negotiation and that talks cannot proceed under threats.
Russia has condemned U.S. military threats and called for restraint, though Iran remains cautious about Moscow’s long-term support.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
South Korea on Friday pushed back against U.S. demands to sharply increase its defense budget, saying its current spending is already among the highest relative to GDP for U.S. allies.
U.S. President Donald Trump publicly pushed back against his Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday, asserting that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting intelligence assessments she shared earlier this year.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is unlikely to push Israel to end its airstrikes on Iran, calling it “very hard” to make that request while Israel is gaining ground militarily.
Tajikistan and China have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, following high-level talks between President Emomali Rahmon and President Xi Jinping in Astana earlier this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used the platform of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to reinforce his vision of Ukraine as a neutral state aligned with Russia, warn of rising global conflict potential, and outline conditions for foreign firms to return to Russia.
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