National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides

The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS

Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent

India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?

How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?

Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition

‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal

Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch

Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine

Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states

Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions

Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy

Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS

'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia

Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift

New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot

RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress

Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'

IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act

Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott

Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances

Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation

New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know

India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims

Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed

US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance

Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built

Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH

Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school

Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report

Canada and India are experiencing an unprecedented thaw in relations, with the Canadian High Commissioner declaring it “probably never been as good a moment” for bilateral ties, citing major advances in energy and security cooperation.&nbsp;In an exclusive interview with WION's Sidhant Sibal, Christopher Cooter highlighted a dramatic “180º turn” since last year, describing the two economies as “complimentary gears” set to propel each other forward.&nbsp;On energy, Cooter pointed to a landmark 10-year uranium deal with Cameco as “only the beginning,” with broader nuclear cooperation, including small modular reactors and technology, now accelerating. Canada is also positioning itself as a reliable supplier of oil, LNG and green energy to meet India's soaring demand amid West Asia instability.&nbsp;“We are already an energy superpower... moving from being a provider to the United States to a provider to Asia and particularly India,” he said.&nbsp;Defence ties, previously minimal, are set for rapid cooperation. With Canada planning to spend an additional $500 billion on defence by 2035, Cooter revealed upcoming high-level talks, military-to-military engagement and potential industry collaboration in aerospace and auto sectors.&nbsp;On security, Cooter emphasised restored trust through regular intelligence exchanges and joint efforts against extremism. Addressing Indian concerns over Khalistani elements, he acknowledged a “fresh recognition” of the issue, citing Canada’s action on extortion and money laundering. “We’re both democracies... but when it crosses into criminal activity, we are taking steps with renewed vigour,” he said.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: How do you characterise the relationship?&nbsp;Christopher Cooter: It's a great moment in our relationship. I was in Canada for 2 weeks, I crossed the country, from Victoria, in the west to Toronto, in the east, and everywhere I met groups of business people, universities, political leaders, there's a lot of excitement about this relationship. We've made at least a 180 turn from where we were just over a year ago, when Prime Minister Carney invited Prime Minister Modi to the G7 summit. I think since then, the relationship has just gone from one success to another. But you could feel that spirit across Canada. A lot of interest on how we keep up this momentum, from different sectors, education sector mining energy. The Prime Minister himself, we met a couple of times when I was in Ottawa, he's very clear and what he wants to do. He wants to move forward on a pragmatic, but principal basis with India, which he sees as a breakout country. I mean, your economic growth is unparalleled in the World for large, a large country, and we are also making changes in Canada that fit exactly into where India is going. In fact, the 2 economies are complimentary, a lot of people have said that to me as I travelled across Canada. So overall, I would say it's probably never been as good a moment for doing business, and just for the overall relationship as we have now.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: How do you see the trading relationship? Any deadline for CEPA trade agreement?Christopher Cooter: Trade Minister Goyal's visit was not just a big visit, it had a big trade delegation. It was the largest visit by any Indian trade delegation anywhere in the world, so we were delighted to host him, all of the business delegates. We have some targets ahead. Both Prime Ministers agreed that this year we would conclude the free trade agreement, which we're calling the comprehensive economic partnership agreement or CEPA. We also have a deadline of doubling trade by 2030, which the CEPA will of course, help to push forward. So we're pretty ambitious, but there's a lot of interest, and I think you'll also see later this year here, reciprocal visit by our trade minister. We haven't announced that yet, but that's what we're discussing. So lots of action happening there to build that economic relation.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: So this year possibly we will see the signing of the CEPA trade agreement?Christopher Cooter: I am confident we will see that sighting occur. You've signed a number of agreements with other major trading partners, like the EU like the UK. We have a smaller trading relationship. I think both sides, particularly at the Prime Minister's double and at the level of the trade ministers and the chief negotiators, who've now met a number of types. I think there's a commitment across-the-board, so I think they're going to find a way pretty confident this will happen in 2026.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: Complimentary economy is between India and Canada. Any specific areas that you think so, where cooperation can be firmed up in pharma, AI, agriculture, any specific areas that you can tell our viewers?Christopher Cooter: Yeah, well, as I said, this is a very special moment. It's partly because we have each come to a realisation that we have these economies that are almost like gears, if you think of it that way, they're coming together like this, and I think once they fit, they're going to propel each other forward. You have enormous demand at scale, the largest population in the world, your energy growth, for example, you'll take 35% of all the energy growth in the world. Over the next 2 years, you are buying 2000 aircraft. AI is booming, you need critical minerals for the transition to a green economy, for defence, etc. Meanwhile, in Canada, we are building up our capacity across-the-board on energy and critical minerals on AI advanced manufacturing. It just so happens at those 2 economies and they're both big economies. Our economy has a much smaller population. We are the second largest country by land area, and many areas are superpower, to say an energy In the fourth largest oil reserves, the fifth natural gas, we are top 2 or 3 in AI research. We're building an infrastructure that will allow us to reach Asia and particularly India much, much more easily, and that's coming up fast. So we will have about a million barrels a day of oil that will be able to pipe out to our new pipeline with the West Coast, the same thing, with LNG, the same thing with LPG.&nbsp; We should be reliable partners for each other. We should integrate our Supply chains and we can rely on that partnership in future. So we have resilience, where there's crises like West Asia.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: Any details on how you provide India energy amid this west Asia crisis?Christopher Cooter: We are already an energy superpower in our own right. The difference today is that we're moving from being a provider of energy to the United States, to a provider of energy to Asia to Europe and particularly India. The Uranium deal was announced through the Prime Minister's visit, but we've also looked at oil, and I think we've begun to sell some oil. We are very close to other areas like LNG and LPG. But we also have a focus on green energy sources as well. We're very advanced in carbon capture, for example, we're building batteries for EVs in Canada. Because of the Gulf war, the urgency to help India's get to secure sources of supply, there has grown, but we are looking at our wider area of energy sources because you're moving very quickly to the green transition, so are we, and so we want to have that partnership across-the-board in all fields.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: Uranium deal is something that is seen as the biggest outcome from Canada Prime Minister's India visit. Any details?Christopher Cooter: I was in Saskatchewan during my visit to Canada, and I was meeting with the head of Cameco, which is the company responsible for that as well as the premier or Chief Minister of the province of Saskatchewan. Lots of excitement around this, but it's seen as only the beginning, it's a 10 year deal. I don't know exactly in what portion they will come per year, but we also have the technology around nuclear power. We, in fact, provided reactors over the years to India. We've now got the first operational, small modular reactor in Canada coming online, we've also got scale down reactors that might also be very useful as your energy needs grow. So what we hope to have over the next few years, and this is referred to in the joint statement that the 2 Prime Ministers agreed to, is nuclear cooperation. So the technology as well as the fuel, and we could be looking at all aspects of that from engineering to heavy water, etc. So there's a lot happening in that space. I know you're going from 8 GB to 100 GW of nuclear power, and we want to be a very reliable source of both the materials, the raw materials and the technology as we go forward and we've adopted more nuclear technology ourselves.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: In fact, India has a new law. The Shanti law that basically focused on more private participation as well with safeguards. Do you see this bill essentially enticing more Canadian companies to come when it comes to civil nuclear cooperation?Christopher Cooter: I do. There's a lot of interest in this, it's a whole new field now and we realised that we need to have nuclear power in order to reach those clean energy goals. So I think over the coming months, we'll start to see our active discussion around that. But again, this is a partnership for us that stretches back to the 1950s. It's actually the one area of energy where we have worked together over the years, but it's fallen over the last decade or so, into a slower track. So we're going to accelerate that, but I hope to be hearing more about that from our industry and speaking with both government industry and the other side to see how we can make that go forward.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: Where does this education pillar stand?Christopher Cooter: Well at the risk of repeating myself, this is another area where we are kind of a superpower in education, not just in regard to India but I think globally we're seen as a leader both in university education and in skills education. We did have a very large delegation of our Canadian education leadership, colleges and universities. We have 25 or 26th of our university presidents here, including all the famous universities, the big research.&nbsp; So in the last couple of years, the story has got a little bit sour, because we put caps, because there were people taking advantage of that system, and there were also people who were making it turn from a good experience to a bad experience with housing etc. We're turning that around and what we're looking at with colleges and universities. The students are welcome in Canada and right now, we host 400000 Indian students that's more than the EU, the UK and Australia combined. That's more than the United States. Prime Minister Carney was very proud to see that several times during his visit, so we want the students to come to Canada. But at the same time, our universities and colleges want to do something quite near, and this, in part, is an answer to our question. Prime Minister Modi said he would like to see institutions in India. So that's what they're working on right now. Some universities may open a campus, and McGill is going to do so. Others may open programmes where there could be joint degrees. There could be faculty exchanges, undergraduate and graduate students going back-and-forth, but all of that will add up to presence in India. Now that's going to be more cost-effective for students here, and researchers, as well as for parents. Of course, it's also going to lead to a tighter partnership. We don't want the relationship simply to be in one direction anymore. We want this to be a 2 way relationship, reflecting the changes in both countries. So down the road, we would see a much more equal kind of relationship, where we have Canadians coming here, but research partnerships who are all supporting industry in different ways.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: Following past tensions, how is Canada-India law enforcement and intelligence cooperation progressing?Christopher Cooter: The most important thing that's happened is the reestablishment of trust. A security delegation at senior level came to India, that was in September. Subsequent to that there was your NSA going to Canada. The agencies involved have now been in regular touch. They have a dialogue, and they have established an official dialogue, but beyond that, they are a regular touch between the agencies. And we're starting real progress there. But all of that adds up to the establishment of trust. Now, both countries are, of course, concerned with the security and safety of their own citizens and reminded of that, because we have at the anniversary of the tragedy of the Air India bombing back in 1985, coming up in just a week's time, and we'll actually be commemorating that here at the official residence. But I think what we're doing is that we are building a mature and effective relationship between the 2 countries, between the security agencies so that we are cooperating to avoid problems in future. We've also taken a number of steps in Canada with respect to extortion, money laundering, we've set up a financial crimes commission. We've declared the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation, arrests occurring, there are things going on that you don't see publicly talk about as well. But all that's adding them to greater security for both Canadians and Indians, and is really building that level of trust.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: You also said that they are having a lot of success. If you can define successes in terms of security cooperation??Christopher Cooter: Some of these things are simply bureaucratic. We did in a certain way, you did it a certain other way. So when we talk about border procedures, making sure that the borders are secure is that kind of thing. So that's something that is mundane, perhaps very important when it comes down to the particular cases, they were reviewing their procedures regularly between each other, exchanging that kind of information. So this is leading to better outcomes for both countries. I can't go into the details about that. But in all areas we try to avoid surprises. If we see something coming up the other side is, hey, look, this is coming up. Can we address this problem? Let's not take it to the public and make it a political issue. Let's deal with it in a mature way, and I think that's very much the attitude of the Carney government.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: India has concerns over Khalistani extremist, So how is this issue being dealt with especially it being a big concern for New Delhi?Christopher Cooter: Well, we're both democracies, we know that, people will say things that some of us don't agree with. Sometimes, you know, they're awful, but they're also lawful. I think I would agree with where there's criminal activity, we are taking steps. I think it's with renewed vigour to look at things like extortion, to look at money laundering. There was a report tabled by CSIS, a few weeks ago. They noted that, within a democracy, there will be voices, people saying things that an average person doesn't agree with, but as long as it doesn't cross that line. I think there is a fresh recognition there that some of those, we are taking a more serious look at. So I think we're coming closer to a convergence, and how we see that problem.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal:&nbsp; I think it was the first time that a Canadian authority has acknowledged khalistani extremists as a cause of concern.Christopher Cooter: Well, it's the first time it has been acknowledged in that parliamentary setting. I couldn't recall whether we've had a politician state in the past or not, but there was a pretty explicit recognition there. So again this reflects, I think, a convergence of our views.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: How are both countries cooperating in the multilateral aspect?Christopher Cooter: We're doing an agreement with Australia and India around AI. So AI is something that we are hopeful will lead to a better future. But very conscious of the fact that there are some serious risks, our Finance Minister, among them, had just met recently in multilateral settings, where they talked just about that. So that's something that we can work on together and it's an urgent issue, because AI is developing quickly. We've also I think we'll be able to see more of you in the Indian Ocean as dialogue members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, so we're hoping for India's support for that. We want to be more present in the Indo-Pacific area in all aspects, and we've got a number of trade agreements in the region as well. India is also a leader of the Global South, we have to make sure the Global South has a greater voice.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: Are you looking at defence cooperation with India..Christopher Cooter:&nbsp; Absolutely. In the joint statement Between the 2 Prime Ministers, you'll see mention of cooperation in that area. We just had a very successful visit to your national defence college in Canada. They met with military counterparts, but they also met with the defence industry in Canada. Now we plan to scale up very rapidly on defence, in part to meet our NATO commitments, but also because in defence, as in many other fields, Canada wants to stand clearly on its own 2 feet and protect its sovereignty. So we'll be spending $500 billion more in defence by 2035 and bear in mind, when we're going to a 5% of our GDP target and keep in mind that we are still the ninth largest economy in the world. So when you're talking about 5% of the ninth largest economy in the world. That's a lot to spend, so we'll be heading into discussions with you, I hope very soon on defence. We will be looking at the commercial side of that procurement and so forth. Currently, more discussions at the military to military level, it's an area where we've done very, very little. So we've got lots of headroom to grow and there's a big future, lots of interest about industry in India and in Canada. This is something that we're quite excited about and I think there's a great future in that field.&nbsp;Sidhant Sibal: How do you see future outlook of ties?Christopher Cooter: There's so many fields where we are surprisingly modest in what we've done so far. Think of the auto sector so you've got a very rapidly growing auto sector on the other hand in Canada, has just started to produce batteries. We'll be producing about $1.8 million by 2028. So can we find some kind of marriage in the auto sector. Aerospace, you're buying 2000 aircraft, will we produce many kinds of aircraft in Canada? We've always had a very large aircraft sector again. We've done very, very little in that area of agriculture, right now, we sell you a few things pulses, not much more than that. Agriculture is our fastest growing sector. It's the fastest growing sector because we're applying technique and technology to protect the soil and have more fertility, so we produce more from the same area of land while using less fuel. We've got science that applies to it, that really is changing the nature of agriculture.

Defence ties, previously minimal, are set for rapid cooperation. With Canada planning to spend an additional $500 billion on defence by 2035, Cooter revealed upcoming high-level talks, military-to-military engagement and potential industry collaboration in aerospace and auto sectors.

Canada and India are experiencing an unprecedented thaw in relations, with the Canadian High Commissioner declaring it “probably never been as good a moment” for bilateral ties, citing major advances in energy and security cooperation. In an exclusive interview with WION's Sidhant Sibal, Christopher Cooter highlighted a dramatic “180º turn” since last year, describing the two economies as “complimentary gears” set to propel each other forward. On energy, Cooter pointed to a landmark 10-year uranium deal with Cameco as “only the beginning,” with broader nuclear cooperation, including small modular reactors and technology, now accelerating. Canada is also positioning itself as a reliable supplier of oil, LNG and green energy to meet India's soaring demand amid West Asia instability. “We are already an energy superpower... moving from being a provider to the United States to a provider to Asia and particularly India,” he said. Defence ties, previously minimal, are set for rapid cooperation. With Canada planning to spend an additional $500 billion on defence by 2035, Cooter revealed upcoming high-level talks, military-to-military engagement and potential industry collaboration in aerospace and auto sectors. On security, Cooter emphasised restored trust through regular intelligence exchanges and joint efforts against extremism. Addressing Indian concerns over Khalistani elements, he acknowledged a “fresh recognition” of the issue, citing Canada’s action on extortion and money laundering. “We’re both democracies... but when it crosses into criminal activity, we are taking steps with renewed vigour,” he said. Sidhant Sibal: How do you characterise the relationship? Christopher Cooter: It's a great moment in our relationship. I was in Canada for 2 weeks, I crossed the country, from Victoria, in the west to Toronto, in the east, and everywhere I met groups of business people, universities, political leaders, there's a lot of excitement about this relationship. We've made at least a 180 turn from where we were just over a year ago, when Prime Minister Carney invited Prime Minister Modi to the G7 summit. I think since then, the relationship has just gone from one success to another. But you could feel that spirit across Canada. A lot of interest on how we keep up this momentum, from different sectors, education sector mining energy. The Prime Minister himself, we met a couple of times when I was in Ottawa, he's very clear and what he wants to do. He wants to move forward on a pragmatic, but principal basis with India, which he sees as a breakout country. I mean, your economic growth is unparalleled in the World for large, a large country, and we are also making changes in Canada that fit exactly into where India is going. In fact, the 2 economies are complimentary, a lot of people have said that to me as I travelled across Canada. So overall, I would say it's probably never been as good a moment for doing business, and just for the overall relationship as we have now. Sidhant Sibal: How do you see the trading relationship? Any deadline for CEPA trade agreement? Christopher Cooter: Trade Minister Goyal's visit was not just a big visit, it had a big trade delegation. It was the largest visit by any Indian trade delegation anywhere in the world, so we were delighted to host him, all of the business delegates. We have some targets ahead. Both Prime Ministers agreed that this year we would conclude the free trade agreement, which we're calling the comprehensive economic partnership agreement or CEPA. We also have a deadline of doubling trade by 2030, which the CEPA will of course, help to push forward. So we're pretty ambitious, but there's a lot of interest, and I think you'll also see later this year here, reciprocal visit by our trade minister. We haven't announced that yet, but that's what we're discussing. So lots of action happening there to build that economic relation. Sidhant Sibal: So this year possibly we will see the signing of the CEPA trade agreement? Christopher Cooter: I am confident we will see that sighting occur. You've signed a number of agreements with other major trading partners, like the EU like the UK. We have a smaller trading relationship. I think both sides, particularly at the Prime Minister's double and at the level of the trade ministers and the chief negotiators, who've now met a number of types. I think there's a commitment across-the-board, so I think they're going to find a way pretty confident this will happen in 2026. Sidhant Sibal: Complimentary economy is between India and Canada. Any specific areas that you think so, where cooperation can be firmed up in pharma, AI, agriculture, any specific areas that you can tell our viewers? Christopher Cooter: Yeah, well, as I said, this is a very special moment. It's partly because we have each come to a realisation that we have these economies that are almost like gears, if you think of it that way, they're coming together like this, and I think once they fit, they're going to propel each other forward. You have enormous demand at scale, the largest population in the world, your energy growth, for example, you'll take 35% of all the energy growth in the world. Over the next 2 years, you are buying 2000 aircraft. AI is booming, you need critical minerals for the transition to a green economy, for defence, etc. Meanwhile, in Canada, we are building up our capacity across-the-board on energy and critical minerals on AI advanced manufacturing. It just so happens at those 2 economies and they're both big economies. Our economy has a much smaller population. We are the second largest country by land area, and many areas are superpower, to say an energy In the fourth largest oil reserves, the fifth natural gas, we are top 2 or 3 in AI research. We're building an infrastructure that will allow us to reach Asia and particularly India much, much more easily, and that's coming up fast. So we will have about a million barrels a day of oil that will be able to pipe out to our new pipeline with the West Coast, the same thing, with LNG, the same thing with LPG. We should be reliable partners for each other. We should integrate our Supply chains and we can rely on that partnership in future. So we have resilience, where there's crises like West Asia. Sidhant Sibal: Any details on how you provide India energy amid this west Asia crisis? Christopher Cooter: We are already an energy superpower in our own right. The difference today is that we're moving from being a provider of energy to the United States, to a provider of energy to Asia to Europe and particularly India. The Uranium deal was announced through the Prime Minister's visit, but we've also looked at oil, and I think we've begun to sell some oil. We are very close to other areas like LNG and LPG. But we also have a focus on green energy sources as well. We're very advanced in carbon capture, for example, we're building batteries for EVs in Canada. Because of the Gulf war, the urgency to help India's get to secure sources of supply, there has grown, but we are looking at our wider area of energy sources because you're moving very quickly to the green transition, so are we, and so we want to have that partnership across-the-board in all fields. Sidhant Sibal: Uranium deal is something that is seen as the biggest outcome from Canada Prime Minister's India visit. Any details? Christopher Cooter: I was in Saskatchewan during my visit to Canada, and I was meeting with the head of Cameco, which is the company responsible for that as well as the premier or Chief Minister of the province of Saskatchewan. Lots of excitement around this, but it's seen as only the beginning, it's a 10 year deal. I don't know exactly in what portion they will come per year, but we also have the technology around nuclear power. We, in fact, provided reactors over the years to India. We've now got the first operational, small modular reactor in Canada coming online, we've also got scale down reactors that might also be very useful as your energy needs grow. So what we hope to have over the next few years, and this is referred to in the joint statement that the 2 Prime Ministers agreed to, is nuclear cooperation. So the technology as well as the fuel, and we could be looking at all aspects of that from engineering to heavy water, etc. So there's a lot happening in that space. I know you're going from 8 GB to 100 GW of nuclear power, and we want to be a very reliable source of both the materials, the raw materials and the technology as we go forward and we've adopted more nuclear technology ourselves. Sidhant Sibal: In fact, India has a new law. The Shanti law that basically focused on more private participation as well with safeguards. Do you see this bill essentially enticing more Canadian companies to come when it comes to civil nuclear cooperation? Christopher Cooter: I do. There's a lot of interest in this, it's a whole new field now and we realised that we need to have nuclear power in order to reach those clean energy goals. So I think over the coming months, we'll start to see our active discussion around that. But again, this is a partnership for us that stretches back to the 1950s. It's actually the one area of energy where we have worked together over the years, but it's fallen over the last decade or so, into a slower track. So we're going to accelerate that, but I hope to be hearing more about that from our industry and speaking with both government industry and the other side to see how we can make that go forward. Sidhant Sibal: Where does this education pillar stand? Christopher Cooter: Well at the risk of repeating myself, this is another area where we are kind of a superpower in education, not just in regard to India but I think globally we're seen as a leader both in university education and in skills education. We did have a very large delegation of our Canadian education leadership, colleges and universities. We have 25 or 26th of our university presidents here, including all the famous universities, the big research. So in the last couple of years, the story has got a little bit sour, because we put caps, because there were people taking advantage of that system, and there were also people who were making it turn from a good experience to a bad experience with housing etc. We're turning that around and what we're looking at with colleges and universities. The students are welcome in Canada and right now, we host 400000 Indian students that's more than the EU, the UK and Australia combined. That's more than the United States. Prime Minister Carney was very proud to see that several times during his visit, so we want the students to come to Canada. But at the same time, our universities and colleges want to do something quite near, and this, in part, is an answer to our question. Prime Minister Modi said he would like to see institutions in India. So that's what they're working on right now. Some universities may open a campus, and McGill is going to do so. Others may open programmes where there could be joint degrees. There could be faculty exchanges, undergraduate and graduate students going back-and-forth, but all of that will add up to presence in India. Now that's going to be more cost-effective for students here, and researchers, as well as for parents. Of course, it's also going to lead to a tighter partnership. We don't want the relationship simply to be in one direction anymore. We want this to be a 2 way relationship, reflecting the changes in both countries. So down the road, we would see a much more equal kind of relationship, where we have Canadians coming here, but research partnerships who are all supporting industry in different ways. Sidhant Sibal: Following past tensions, how is Canada-India law enforcement and intelligence cooperation progressing? Christopher Cooter: The most important thing that's happened is the reestablishment of trust. A security delegation at senior level came to India, that was in September. Subsequent to that there was your NSA going to Canada. The agencies involved have now been in regular touch. They have a dialogue, and they have established an official dialogue, but beyond that, they are a regular touch between the agencies. And we're starting real progress there. But all of that adds up to the establishment of trust. Now, both countries are, of course, concerned with the security and safety of their own citizens and reminded of that, because we have at the anniversary of the tragedy of the Air India bombing back in 1985, coming up in just a week's time, and we'll actually be commemorating that here at the official residence. But I think what we're doing is that we are building a mature and effective relationship between the 2 countries, between the security agencies so that we are cooperating to avoid problems in future. We've also taken a number of steps in Canada with respect to extortion, money laundering, we've set up a financial crimes commission. We've declared the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation, arrests occurring, there are things going on that you don't see publicly talk about as well. But all that's adding them to greater security for both Canadians and Indians, and is really building that level of trust. Sidhant Sibal: You also said that they are having a lot of success. If you can define successes in terms of security cooperation?? Christopher Cooter: Some of these things are simply bureaucratic. We did in a certain way, you did it a certain other way. So when we talk about border procedures, making sure that the borders are secure is that kind of thing. So that's something that is mundane, perhaps very important when it comes down to the particular cases, they were reviewing their procedures regularly between each other, exchanging that kind of information. So this is leading to better outcomes for both countries. I can't go into the details about that. But in all areas we try to avoid surprises. If we see something coming up the other side is, hey, look, this is coming up. Can we address this problem? Let's not take it to the public and make it a political issue. Let's deal with it in a mature way, and I think that's very much the attitude of the Carney government. Sidhant Sibal: India has concerns over Khalistani extremist, So how is this issue being dealt with especially it being a big concern for New Delhi? Christopher Cooter: Well, we're both democracies, we know that, people will say things that some of us don't agree with. Sometimes, you know, they're awful, but they're also lawful. I think I would agree with where there's criminal activity, we are taking steps. I think it's with renewed vigour to look at things like extortion, to look at money laundering. There was a report tabled by CSIS, a few weeks ago. They noted that, within a democracy, there will be voices, people saying things that an average person doesn't agree with, but as long as it doesn't cross that line. I think there is a fresh recognition there that some of those, we are taking a more serious look at. So I think we're coming closer to a convergence, and how we see that problem. Sidhant Sibal: I think it was the first time that a Canadian authority has acknowledged khalistani extremists as a cause of concern. Christopher Cooter: Well, it's the first time it has been acknowledged in that parliamentary setting. I couldn't recall whether we've had a politician state in the past or not, but there was a pretty explicit recognition there. So again this reflects, I think, a convergence of our views. Sidhant Sibal: How are both countries cooperating in the multilateral aspect? Christopher Cooter: We're doing an agreement with Australia and India around AI. So AI is something that we are hopeful will lead to a better future. But very conscious of the fact that there are some serious risks, our Finance Minister, among them, had just met recently in multilateral settings, where they talked just about that. So that's something that we can work on together and it's an urgent issue, because AI is developing quickly. We've also I think we'll be able to see more of you in the Indian Ocean as dialogue members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, so we're hoping for India's support for that. We want to be more present in the Indo-Pacific area in all aspects, and we've got a number of trade agreements in the region as well. India is also a leader of the Global South, we have to make sure the Global South has a greater voice. Sidhant Sibal: Are you looking at defence cooperation with India.. Christopher Cooter: Absolutely. In the joint statement Between the 2 Prime Ministers, you'll see mention of cooperation in that area. We just had a very successful visit to your national defence college in Canada. They met with military counterparts, but they also met with the defence industry in Canada. Now we plan to scale up very rapidly on defence, in part to meet our NATO commitments, but also because in defence, as in many other fields, Canada wants to stand clearly on its own 2 feet and protect its sovereignty. So we'll be spending $500 billion more in defence by 2035 and bear in mind, when we're going to a 5% of our GDP target and keep in mind that we are still the ninth largest economy in the world. So when you're talking about 5% of the ninth largest economy in the world. That's a lot to spend, so we'll be heading into discussions with you, I hope very soon on defence. We will be looking at the commercial side of that procurement and so forth. Currently, more discussions at the military to military level, it's an area where we've done very, very little. So we've got lots of headroom to grow and there's a big future, lots of interest about industry in India and in Canada. This is something that we're quite excited about and I think there's a great future in that field. Sidhant Sibal: How do you see future outlook of ties? Christopher Cooter: There's so many fields where we are surprisingly modest in what we've done so far. Think of the auto sector so you've got a very rapidly growing auto sector on the other hand in Canada, has just started to produce batteries. We'll be producing about $1.8 million by 2028. So can we find some kind of marriage in the auto sector. Aerospace, you're buying 2000 aircraft, will we produce many kinds of aircraft in Canada? We've always had a very large aircraft sector again. We've done very, very little in that area of agriculture, right now, we sell you a few things pulses, not much more than that. Agriculture is our fastest growing sector. It's the fastest growing sector because we're applying technique and technology to protect the soil and have more fertility, so we produce more from the same area of land while using less fuel. We've got science that applies to it, that really is changing the nature of agriculture.

Defence ties, previously minimal, are set for rapid cooperation. With Canada planning to spend an additional $500 billion on defence by 2035, Cooter revealed upcoming high-level talks, military-to-military engagement and potential industry collaboration in aerospace and auto sectors.

Canada envoy Cooter says ties with India at ‘best moment ever’; energy, defence cooperation to accelerate

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday joined global leaders in congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving elected prime minister. Trump, who often refers to PM Modi as his friend, called him “a great one” and wished him many more years of success.“Congratulations to my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on becoming India’s longest-serving Prime Minister – And a Great One he is! He is a strong, healthy, and wise man, and will have many years of Greatness and Success ahead of him! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the US President posted on Truth Social.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;PM Modi responded to Trump’s greetings and said in a post on X, “Thank you, President Trump, for your warm wishes. I look forward to working with you to further advance the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, for the benefit of both our nations and the world.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PM Modi, who was elected to the office in 2014, reached the milestone on Wednesday, with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 consecutive days in office since first taking oath as prime minister on May 26, 2014 – surpassing India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.Nehru served 4,398 days as an elected PM between May 13, 1952, and May 27, 1964.&nbsp;Besides Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak were among the prominent figures who extended their greetings to PM Modi on social media.Russia described Narendra Modi as “doyen of all Indian Prime Ministers”.&nbsp;Netanyahu released a video message congratulating PM Modi and describing him as a close friend.“Prime Minister Modi, my dear friend Narendra. Congratulations on becoming India’s longest-serving elected prime minister!” Netanyahu said.“You’ve transformed India – you strengthened the bond between India and Israel and earned admiration from millions around the world.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations, Mazel Tov, <a href="https://x.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>, on becoming India&#39;s longest-serving elected Prime Minister! 🇮🇳🇮🇱 <a href="https://t.co/rIjWfZbLOI">pic.twitter.com/rIjWfZbLOI</a>&mdash; Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) <a href="https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2064750095849898265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Others who praised Modi for achieving the “milestone” included former top leader of Ireland PM Leo Varadkar, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung, Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim, Sri Lankan President Aruna Kumara Dissanayake, Bhutanese PM Tshering Tobgay and former Australian PM Scott Morrison.Several political leaders from Africa and other parts of the world also shared posts congratulating the Indian prime minister. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake wrote a letter saying the achievement reflected the trust repeatedly placed in PM Modi by Indian voters. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said India had achieved major milestones under Modi’s leadership and thanked him for strengthening India-European Union cooperation. Several leaders pointed to India’s economic growth, infrastructure expansion and increasing global influence during Modi’s tenure.Former Australian PM Scott Morrison described PM Modi as a statesman who had transformed India’s economy and standing in the world.Most congratulatory messages referred to India’s growing role on the world stage under PM Modi.

PM Narendra Modi, who was elected to the office in 2014, reached the milestone on Wednesday, with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 consecutive days in office since first taking oath as prime minister on May 26, 2014 – surpassing India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday joined global leaders in congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving elected prime minister. Trump, who often refers to PM Modi as his friend, called him “a great one” and wished him many more years of success. “Congratulations to my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on becoming India’s longest-serving Prime Minister – And a Great One he is! He is a strong, healthy, and wise man, and will have many years of Greatness and Success ahead of him! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the US President posted on Truth Social.

PM Narendra Modi, who was elected to the office in 2014, reached the milestone on Wednesday, with an unbroken tenure of 4,399 consecutive days in office since first taking oath as prime minister on May 26, 2014 – surpassing India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Trump, other world leaders congratulate PM Modi on completing 12 years in office

India has effectively frozen final regulatory approvals for Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, following serious security concerns regarding the unauthorised use of its satellite terminals during the recent military conflict involving Iran. Security agencies operating under India's Ministry of Home Affairs have reportedly withheld the crucial final clearances required for the SpaceX-owned division to launch commercial operations. The sudden regulatory pause stems from intelligence reports indicating that Starlink terminals were actively deployed during the West Asia crisis, despite the satellite service having no operational license in Iran.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-trump-s-offer-if-we-rebuild-iran-we-will-take-half-of-their-oil-1781084510749/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-trump-s-offer-if-we-rebuild-iran-we-will-take-half-of-their-oil-1781084510749/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;This development has raised alarm bells within New Delhi’s defence and intelligence establishments. Government officials are deeply concerned about India's ability to maintain absolute oversight and sovereign control over a US-based internet operator during times of high-stakes geopolitical tension. The central issue centers on whether Starlink can guarantee compliance with Indian security directives if a foreign government issues conflicting demands during a national security emergency.&nbsp;While Starlink secured a preliminary Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license in India roughly a year ago, that milestone only permitted the company to establish ground infrastructure including a primary hub in Mumbai and ten gateways and draft partnership agreements. It did not authorise a commercial launch.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-says-india-s-birth-rate-has-fallen-below-replacement-level-what-the-term-means-and-what-official-data-reveals-wion-decodes-1780792721597">Musk says India's birth rate has fallen below 'replacement level': What the term means and what official data reveals? | WION Decodes</a>&nbsp;The security impasse has also created a systemic bottleneck for the country's entire satellite broadband sector. The Department of Telecommunications has already finalised a comprehensive satellite-spectrum pricing framework, but the Ministry of Home Affairs' hesitation has reportedly stalled the proposal, preventing it from being sent to the Union Cabinet for final approval. This delay impacts not only Starlink but also its primary domestic competitors. Furthermore, Indian authorities have reportedly extended heightened scrutiny to these domestic players and their partnerships with European satellite providers.&nbsp;This regulatory roadblock hits SpaceX at a sensitive time, as the company gears up for a highly anticipated Nasdaq listing targeting a historic $1.75 trillion valuation. With Starlink serving as SpaceX’s primary revenue driver, being locked out of India the world’s most populous nation and one of the largest untapped broadband markets poses a substantial hurdle to its global expansion strategy.&nbsp;

Citing unauthorised terminal use in Iran, Indian security agencies reportedly freeze final approvals for Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service.

India has effectively frozen final regulatory approvals for Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, following serious security concerns regarding the unauthorised use of its satellite terminals during the recent military conflict involving Iran. Security agencies operating under India's Ministry of Home Affairs have reportedly withheld the crucial final clearances required for the SpaceX-owned division to launch commercial operations. The sudden regulatory pause stems from intelligence reports indicating that Starlink terminals were actively deployed during the West Asia crisis, despite the satellite service having no operational license in Iran. https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-trump-s-offer-if-we-rebuild-iran-we-will-take-half-of-their-oil-1781084510749/embed This development has raised alarm bells within New Delhi’s defence and intelligence establishments. Government officials are deeply concerned about India's ability to maintain absolute oversight and sovereign control over a US-based internet operator during times of high-stakes geopolitical tension. The central issue centers on whether Starlink can guarantee compliance with Indian security directives if a foreign government issues conflicting demands during a national security emergency. While Starlink secured a preliminary Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license in India roughly a year ago, that milestone only permitted the company to establish ground infrastructure including a primary hub in Mumbai and ten gateways and draft partnership agreements. It did not authorise a commercial launch. Also read: Musk says India's birth rate has fallen below 'replacement level': What the term means and what official data reveals? | WION Decodes The security impasse has also created a systemic bottleneck for the country's entire satellite broadband sector. The Department of Telecommunications has already finalised a comprehensive satellite-spectrum pricing framework, but the Ministry of Home Affairs' hesitation has reportedly stalled the proposal, preventing it from being sent to the Union Cabinet for final approval. This delay impacts not only Starlink but also its primary domestic competitors. Furthermore, Indian authorities have reportedly extended heightened scrutiny to these domestic players and their partnerships with European satellite providers. This regulatory roadblock hits SpaceX at a sensitive time, as the company gears up for a highly anticipated Nasdaq listing targeting a historic $1.75 trillion valuation. With Starlink serving as SpaceX’s primary revenue driver, being locked out of India the world’s most populous nation and one of the largest untapped broadband markets poses a substantial hurdle to its global expansion strategy.

Citing unauthorised terminal use in Iran, Indian security agencies reportedly freeze final approvals for Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service.

India withholds final clearances for Elon Musk’s Starlink over West Asia war use: Report

China has officially broken ground on an ambitious 77.2 billion yuan (US$11.4 billion) infrastructure expansion at the Three Gorges Dam to eliminate a critical shipping bottleneck on the Yangtze River. Spanning nearly a decade, the project represents the largest infrastructure undertaking on Asia’s longest waterway since the river was dammed in 1997.&nbsp;The centrepiece of this massive buildout is a series of mega ship locks, colossal "water staircases" designed to handle much larger vessels and streamline logistics. Included in Beijing’s 15th five-year plan (2026–2030), the expansion aims to transform the Yangtze into a high-capacity shipping conduit, shoring up internal connectivity to sustain national economic growth.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-summons-us-diplomat-over-suspected-strike-on-tanker-off-oman-three-indian-crew-missing-1781105535820">India summons US diplomat over strike on tanker off Oman; three Indians missing</a> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The urgency of the project stems from a massive surge in cargo and passenger traffic that has completely overwhelmed the dam's existing transit facilities, which were built in 2003. According to Ministry of Transport officials, the older ship locks and lifts have become severe chokepoints, as original planners decades ago failed to anticipate the scale of today's booming shipping demand.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-india-partner-not-rival-putin-border-dispute-comments-1780927087897">China tells India to see it as a partner, not a rival; backs dialogue on border disputes</a>&nbsp;Since its construction, the Three Gorges Dam has drastically improved navigation conditions, driving the growth of major industrial clusters along the 6,300-kilometre waterway. Shipping volumes continue to climb rapidly between key economic megalopolises, linking Chongqing in the southwest through Wuhan in central China, all the way to the affluent eastern coastal hubs of Nanjing and Shanghai, where the Yangtze flows into the East China Sea. This new multi-billion-dollar upgrade will ensure the river can efficiently support the heavy industrial and logistical demands of these interconnected economic powerhouses for decades to come.&nbsp;

 Spanning nearly a decade, the 77.2 billion yuan expansion is the largest infrastructure undertaking on the Yangtze River since 1997.  

China has officially broken ground on an ambitious 77.2 billion yuan (US$11.4 billion) infrastructure expansion at the Three Gorges Dam to eliminate a critical shipping bottleneck on the Yangtze River. Spanning nearly a decade, the project represents the largest infrastructure undertaking on Asia’s longest waterway since the river was dammed in 1997. The centrepiece of this massive buildout is a series of mega ship locks, colossal "water staircases" designed to handle much larger vessels and streamline logistics. Included in Beijing’s 15th five-year plan (2026–2030), the expansion aims to transform the Yangtze into a high-capacity shipping conduit, shoring up internal connectivity to sustain national economic growth. Also read: India summons US diplomat over strike on tanker off Oman; three Indians missing The urgency of the project stems from a massive surge in cargo and passenger traffic that has completely overwhelmed the dam's existing transit facilities, which were built in 2003. According to Ministry of Transport officials, the older ship locks and lifts have become severe chokepoints, as original planners decades ago failed to anticipate the scale of today's booming shipping demand. Also read: China tells India to see it as a partner, not a rival; backs dialogue on border disputes Since its construction, the Three Gorges Dam has drastically improved navigation conditions, driving the growth of major industrial clusters along the 6,300-kilometre waterway. Shipping volumes continue to climb rapidly between key economic megalopolises, linking Chongqing in the southwest through Wuhan in central China, all the way to the affluent eastern coastal hubs of Nanjing and Shanghai, where the Yangtze flows into the East China Sea. This new multi-billion-dollar upgrade will ensure the river can efficiently support the heavy industrial and logistical demands of these interconnected economic powerhouses for decades to come.

Spanning nearly a decade, the 77.2 billion yuan expansion is the largest infrastructure undertaking on the Yangtze River since 1997.&nbsp;

China begins building $11.4 billion ‘world’s largest’ inland ship locks at Three Gorges Dam

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US will hit Iran “very hard” again today in the wake of the downing of an American Apache helicopter ⁠in the ⁠Strait of Hormuz. “Well, we’re going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard,” Trump said while talking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday.&nbsp;“We hit them hard yesterday and we’re going to hit them again hard today... And we’ll see what happens with the deal. We were really close to a deal — but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers because you know what? They dealt with some very stupid Presidents,” Trump said when asked what he meant when he wrote in a Truth Social post that Iran has to pay the price.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-may-keep-going-with-strikes-against-iran-target-power-plants-and-bridges-1781100224324">Trump says he may ‘keep going’ with strikes against Iran, target power plants and bridges</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://x.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Iran: &quot;We hit them hard yesterday and we&#39;re going to hit them again hard today... And we&#39;ll see what happens with the deal. We were really close to a deal — but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers because you know what? They dealt with some… <a href="https://t.co/ScvGn14QFQ">pic.twitter.com/ScvGn14QFQ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2064739535385223352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;Trump’s remarks came as an extension of an earlier warning, wherein he said that Iran was taking too long to negotiate the end of the war in the Middle East and that it would have to “pay the price” for the delay.&nbsp;“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, they’ve agreed to that. They have agreed to not having a nuclear weapon, all they have to do is sign the paper. I want peace for the world,” the president added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-a-steel-wall-trump-says-us-blockade-most-successful-in-the-history-of-naval-warfare-1781095627604">‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US blockade most successful in the history of naval warfare</a><h2>Trump reiterates he wants a deal with Iran</h2>&nbsp;Trump reiterated that he wants to reach a diplomatic deal with Iran despite the military action that has resumed.“We want to deal that is meaningful. We want a deal that works. We don’t want to just have a Barack Hussein Obama deal, JCPOA, the worst deal that was a path to a nuclear,” Trump said about the Iranian nuclear deal negotiated under the Obama administration that Trump withdrew from in his first term.&nbsp;<h2>‘Iran would be unwise to challenge US further: Hegseth</h2>&nbsp;Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesay that Iran “would be unwise to challenge us further.”“President Trump is seeking a deal, but not just a deal, a great deal on behalf of the American people, so that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” he told troops at the US military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-pay-the-price-warns-trump-says-tehran-missed-chance-for-deal-1781091348456">‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’</a><h2>Oil prices spike to highest levels of the day</h2>&nbsp;The price of oil spiked to the highest levels of the day after Trump said he planned to hit Iran again “very hard” today.The price of US crude oil rose 3.5% to more than $91 per barrel. International Brent crude rose almost 3% to more than $94.Meanwhile, stocks fell to their lowest levels of the day. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1% and the Nasdaq fell 1.4%.

US President Donald Trump reiterated that he wants to reach a diplomatic deal with Iran despite the military action that has resumed. Trump earlier warned that Iran was taking too long to negotiate and that it would have to pay the price for it.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US will hit Iran “very hard” again today in the wake of the downing of an American Apache helicopter ⁠in the ⁠Strait of Hormuz. “Well, we’re going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard,” Trump said while talking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday. “We hit them hard yesterday and we’re going to hit them again hard today... And we’ll see what happens with the deal. We were really close to a deal — but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers because you know what? They dealt with some very stupid Presidents,” Trump said when asked what he meant when he wrote in a Truth Social post that Iran has to pay the price. Also Read: Trump says he may ‘keep going’ with strikes against Iran, target power plants and bridges

US President Donald Trump reiterated that he wants to reach a diplomatic deal with Iran despite the military action that has resumed. Trump earlier warned that Iran was taking too long to negotiate and that it would have to pay the price for it.

Trump says US going to hit Iran ‘very hard again today,’ reiterates he wants a deal

&nbsp;New Delhi: India has strongly condemned a US strike on a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman and summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks to register its protest, amid growing concern over escalating attacks on shipping in the volatile region.&nbsp;The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) handed over a demarche to Jason Meeks during a 30-minute meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi. The move follows an attack earlier on Wednesday on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello, which had 24 Indian crew members on board.&nbsp;“Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and 3 Indians are reportedly missing,” the MEA said in a statement. “Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation.”&nbsp;The incident comes a day after a similar US strike on another tanker, the Marivex, also carrying an all-Indian crew, which was safely evacuated. Maritime sources link both vessels to Iran-related oil trade, with the US enforcing a blockade imposed in April amid heightened tensions in the Gulf.&nbsp;In its strongest reaction yet, India voiced deep alarm over the pattern of incidents. “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region,” the MEA stated.&nbsp;“We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest.”&nbsp;India, which relies heavily on energy imports through these routes, has repeatedly urged restraint as the broader West Asian conflict risks wider disruption to global trade. Omani authorities are leading rescue efforts, with the Indian embassy in Muscat actively involved.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) handed over a demarche to US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks during a 30-minute meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi. The move follows an attack earlier on Wednesday on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello, which had 24 Indian crew members on board.

New Delhi: India has strongly condemned a US strike on a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman and summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks to register its protest, amid growing concern over escalating attacks on shipping in the volatile region. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) handed over a demarche to Jason Meeks during a 30-minute meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi. The move follows an attack earlier on Wednesday on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello, which had 24 Indian crew members on board. “Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and 3 Indians are reportedly missing,” the MEA said in a statement. “Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation.” The incident comes a day after a similar US strike on another tanker, the Marivex, also carrying an all-Indian crew, which was safely evacuated. Maritime sources link both vessels to Iran-related oil trade, with the US enforcing a blockade imposed in April amid heightened tensions in the Gulf. In its strongest reaction yet, India voiced deep alarm over the pattern of incidents. “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region,” the MEA stated. “We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest.” India, which relies heavily on energy imports through these routes, has repeatedly urged restraint as the broader West Asian conflict risks wider disruption to global trade. Omani authorities are leading rescue efforts, with the Indian embassy in Muscat actively involved.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) handed over a demarche to US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks during a 30-minute meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi. The move follows an attack earlier on Wednesday on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello, which had 24 Indian crew members on board.

India summons US diplomat over strike on tanker off Oman; three Indian crew missing

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday that the commercial tanker, Settebello, which was attacked off the coast of Oman earlier in the day, had 24 Indian crew on it, and three of them are still missing while 21 have been rescued. The ministry of external affairs also condemned the attack on a commercial vessel.&nbsp;The MEA said in a statement, “We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and 03 Indians are reportedly missing.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-may-keep-going-with-strikes-against-iran-target-power-plants-and-bridges-1781100224324">Trump says he may ‘keep going’ with strikes against Iran, target power plants and bridges</a>&nbsp;“Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation,” the statement added.&nbsp;The MEA raised concerns over the continued attacks on shipping in the region.It said, “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region.“The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest,” the MEA added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-a-steel-wall-trump-says-us-blockade-most-successful-in-the-history-of-naval-warfare-1781095627604">‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US blockade most successful in the history of naval warfare</a>&nbsp;United States and Iran traded strikes on Wednesday, testing the fragile ceasefire and threatening to derail the ceasefire talks which have been ongoing.&nbsp;The US military carried out strikes on 20 Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Iran downing a US Apache helicopter.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-pay-the-price-warns-trump-says-tehran-missed-chance-for-deal-1781091348456">‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’</a>&nbsp;Iran subsequently carried out missile and drone attacks on US military bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.&nbsp;US President Donald Trump later warned that Iran would have to “pay the price” as the Iranian leadership had taken “too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them”.&nbsp;&nbsp;Axios reported that US forces had attacked several Iranian air defence systems and radar systems around the strait.

The MEA raised concerns over the continued attacks on shipping in the region and said they are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. The ministry reiterated the call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and conclusion of ongoing talks for a solution.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday that the commercial tanker, Settebello, which was attacked off the coast of Oman earlier in the day, had 24 Indian crew on it, and three of them are still missing while 21 have been rescued. The ministry of external affairs also condemned the attack on a commercial vessel. The MEA said in a statement, “We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and 03 Indians are reportedly missing.” Also Read: Trump says he may ‘keep going’ with strikes against Iran, target power plants and bridges “Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation,” the statement added. The MEA raised concerns over the continued attacks on shipping in the region. It said, “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region. “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest,” the MEA added. Also Read: ‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US blockade most successful in the history of naval warfare United States and Iran traded strikes on Wednesday, testing the fragile ceasefire and threatening to derail the ceasefire talks which have been ongoing. The US military carried out strikes on 20 Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Iran downing a US Apache helicopter. Also Read: ‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’ Iran subsequently carried out missile and drone attacks on US military bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. US President Donald Trump later warned that Iran would have to “pay the price” as the Iranian leadership had taken “too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them”. Axios reported that US forces had attacked several Iranian air defence systems and radar systems around the strait.

The MEA raised concerns over the continued attacks on shipping in the region and said they are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. The ministry reiterated the call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and conclusion of ongoing talks for a solution.

3 Indians missing, 21 rescued after tanker attacked off Oman coast; MEA condemns incident

New Delhi: Sweden’s Saab has confirmed it is engaged in “continuous” discussions with India over a proposal to supply its advanced Gripen E-series multi-role fighter jets, as New Delhi seeks to modernise its air force while advancing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Company officials, speaking to WION, described the proposal as one of the most ambitious on the table, built around deep technology transfer, artificial intelligence integration, and a comprehensive “Produce, Maintain, Design and Upgrade in India” framework. Terming the Gripen E “the most advanced fighter” in its class, Saab says the first aircraft could be delivered within three years of the contract signing.&nbsp;The Gripen, a lightweight, agile single-engine jet, is already proven in service with several nations. It equips the air forces of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Brazil, Thailand and South Africa. Colombia has also placed orders for the aircraft. Saab’s emphasis on local design, production and upgrade capability aligns with the government’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) initiative. While no contract has been signed, any eventual deal could likely involve local manufacturing which could potentially establish India as a regional hub for Gripen-related activities in the region.&nbsp;Saab officials remain confident, pointing to the jet’s advanced sensor suite, electronic warfare systems and AI-driven capabilities as key advantages in a highly competitive global market. The renewed push comes against the backdrop of strengthening defence ties between the two countries.&nbsp;During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sweden last month, Swedish Gripen fighters escorted his aircraft as it entered the Swedish airspace, a striking visual display of capability. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, speaking to WION’s Sidhant Sibal had described the gesture as a natural expression of national pride. “We produce our own fighter jets, we are eager to show them, and since they are extremely good at meeting incoming aircraft. I think that was a good sign,” he said. When asked whether the demonstration had impressed the Indian side, Kristersson replied cautiously: “We always show our capabilities in a friendly manner.” The flypast was widely interpreted as a subtle signal of Sweden’s defence export ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.&nbsp;Defence-industrial cooperation between India and Sweden has already moved beyond talks into concrete projects. In March 2024, Saab broke ground on its first Carl-Gustaf production facility outside Sweden in Jhajjar, Haryana. The plant will manufacture the latest M4 version of the iconic recoilless rifle for the Indian Armed Forces and supply components to users worldwide. India has operated the Carl-Gustaf system since 1976, making it one of the weapon’s longest-standing users. What began nearly five decades ago as a simple service agreement has evolved into a full manufacturing partnership.&nbsp;Saab became the first global defence major to secure 100% foreign direct investment approval in India for the project, underlining New Delhi’s push to build domestic capabilities with trusted partners. The facility positions India as an important node in the global supply chain for one of the world’s most versatile shoulder-launched weapons.

Defence-industrial cooperation between India and Sweden has already moved beyond talks into concrete projects. In March 2024, Saab broke ground on its first Carl-Gustaf production facility outside Sweden in Jhajjar, Haryana.

New Delhi: Sweden’s Saab has confirmed it is engaged in “continuous” discussions with India over a proposal to supply its advanced Gripen E-series multi-role fighter jets, as New Delhi seeks to modernise its air force while advancing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Company officials, speaking to WION, described the proposal as one of the most ambitious on the table, built around deep technology transfer, artificial intelligence integration, and a comprehensive “Produce, Maintain, Design and Upgrade in India” framework. Terming the Gripen E “the most advanced fighter” in its class, Saab says the first aircraft could be delivered within three years of the contract signing. The Gripen, a lightweight, agile single-engine jet, is already proven in service with several nations. It equips the air forces of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Brazil, Thailand and South Africa. Colombia has also placed orders for the aircraft. Saab’s emphasis on local design, production and upgrade capability aligns with the government’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) initiative. While no contract has been signed, any eventual deal could likely involve local manufacturing which could potentially establish India as a regional hub for Gripen-related activities in the region. Saab officials remain confident, pointing to the jet’s advanced sensor suite, electronic warfare systems and AI-driven capabilities as key advantages in a highly competitive global market. The renewed push comes against the backdrop of strengthening defence ties between the two countries. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sweden last month, Swedish Gripen fighters escorted his aircraft as it entered the Swedish airspace, a striking visual display of capability. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, speaking to WION’s Sidhant Sibal had described the gesture as a natural expression of national pride. “We produce our own fighter jets, we are eager to show them, and since they are extremely good at meeting incoming aircraft. I think that was a good sign,” he said. When asked whether the demonstration had impressed the Indian side, Kristersson replied cautiously: “We always show our capabilities in a friendly manner.” The flypast was widely interpreted as a subtle signal of Sweden’s defence export ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. Defence-industrial cooperation between India and Sweden has already moved beyond talks into concrete projects. In March 2024, Saab broke ground on its first Carl-Gustaf production facility outside Sweden in Jhajjar, Haryana. The plant will manufacture the latest M4 version of the iconic recoilless rifle for the Indian Armed Forces and supply components to users worldwide. India has operated the Carl-Gustaf system since 1976, making it one of the weapon’s longest-standing users. What began nearly five decades ago as a simple service agreement has evolved into a full manufacturing partnership. Saab became the first global defence major to secure 100% foreign direct investment approval in India for the project, underlining New Delhi’s push to build domestic capabilities with trusted partners. The facility positions India as an important node in the global supply chain for one of the world’s most versatile shoulder-launched weapons.

Defence-industrial cooperation between India and Sweden has already moved beyond talks into concrete projects. In March 2024, Saab broke ground on its first Carl-Gustaf production facility outside Sweden in Jhajjar, Haryana.

Sweden’s Saab in ‘continuous’ talks with India for Gripen E fighter jets

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is close to ordering more strikes on Iran and would target power plants and bridges after the Islamic republic’s attacks targeted American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, reported Fox News.Trump spoke to Trey Yingst of Fox News and said he “may keep going” with strikes, which he said would target power plants and bridges, because Iranian negotiators are “tapping the United States along”. The president indicated that the US could intensify its military campaign if diplomatic efforts continue to stall.&nbsp;“I may keep going,” Trump said. “They had a chance to sign a deal and survive.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-a-steel-wall-trump-says-us-blockade-most-successful-in-the-history-of-naval-warfare-1781095627604">‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US blockade most successful in the history of naval warfare</a>&nbsp;Trump’s remark fuels the fear of the conflict escalating further and spilling over to a wider region.&nbsp;Hostilities reignited between Washington and Tehran after Iranian forces brought down an American Apache military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening with an attack drone.President Trump on Tuesday ordered retaliatory strikes, following which Iran responded early Wednesday by firing missiles at US military installations across the Gulf, though there were no reports of any weapons impacting the sites.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-pay-the-price-warns-trump-says-tehran-missed-chance-for-deal-1781091348456">‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’</a><h2>‘Iranian drone got lodged inside Apache helicopter’</h2>&nbsp;During the interaction, President Trump also told Fox News that the US Apache helicopter crash near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday was caused by an Iranian drone that got lodged in between the Army aircraft’s two crew members.&nbsp;The Apache was flying low when the drone got lodged in the gunship without exploding, reported Fox News, quoting Trump in a phone call with reporter Trey Yingst on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hope-pak-is-held-accountable-for-misdeeds-india-condemns-massacre-of-kashmiris-in-pok-1781008180684">‘Hope Pak is held accountable for misdeeds’: India condemns massacre of Kashmiris in PoK</a>&nbsp;The Iranian drone got lodged between the two pilots and was on fire but didn’t explode.&nbsp;The pilots then brought the helicopter down, and the drone along with it, according to the account.On Tuesday, US Central Command said it had launched “self-defence strikes” on Iranian targets at 20 locations, hitting air defence and radars. The strikes triggered retaliatory fire by Iran targeting US military installations across the Persian Gulf.&nbsp;&nbsp;

President Donald Trump also shared that the US Apache helicopter crash near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday was caused by an Iranian drone that got lodged in between the Army aircraft’s two crew members. The drone was on fire but didn’t explode.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is close to ordering more strikes on Iran and would target power plants and bridges after the Islamic republic’s attacks targeted American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, reported Fox News. Trump spoke to Trey Yingst of Fox News and said he “may keep going” with strikes, which he said would target power plants and bridges, because Iranian negotiators are “tapping the United States along”. The president indicated that the US could intensify its military campaign if diplomatic efforts continue to stall. “I may keep going,” Trump said. “They had a chance to sign a deal and survive.” Also Read: ‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US blockade most successful in the history of naval warfare Trump’s remark fuels the fear of the conflict escalating further and spilling over to a wider region. Hostilities reignited between Washington and Tehran after Iranian forces brought down an American Apache military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening with an attack drone. President Trump on Tuesday ordered retaliatory strikes, following which Iran responded early Wednesday by firing missiles at US military installations across the Gulf, though there were no reports of any weapons impacting the sites. Also Read: ‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’ ‘Iranian drone got lodged inside Apache helicopter’ During the interaction, President Trump also told Fox News that the US Apache helicopter crash near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday was caused by an Iranian drone that got lodged in between the Army aircraft’s two crew members. The Apache was flying low when the drone got lodged in the gunship without exploding, reported Fox News, quoting Trump in a phone call with reporter Trey Yingst on Wednesday. Also Read: ‘Hope Pak is held accountable for misdeeds’: India condemns massacre of Kashmiris in PoK The Iranian drone got lodged between the two pilots and was on fire but didn’t explode. The pilots then brought the helicopter down, and the drone along with it, according to the account. On Tuesday, US Central Command said it had launched “self-defence strikes” on Iranian targets at 20 locations, hitting air defence and radars. The strikes triggered retaliatory fire by Iran targeting US military installations across the Persian Gulf.

President Donald Trump also shared that the US Apache helicopter crash near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday was caused by an Iranian drone that got lodged in between the Army aircraft’s two crew members. The drone was on fire but didn’t explode.

Trump says he may ‘keep going’ with strikes against Iran, target power plants and bridges

US inflation in May reached its highest level with the fastest rate in three years, surging to 4.2 per cent. The rise in prices in the US from 3.8 per cent a month earlier was largely due to an upsurge in energy costs, the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) said. The inflation marked the third month in a row that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose, with households continuously feeling the strain of the US-Israeli war in Iran. Rising inflation has increased expectations that the US Federal Reserve could raise interest rates to curtail consumer spending and ease price pressures. The last time inflation reached a higher level was in April 2023, when the US economy was grappling with the effects of the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/big-boost-for-rupee-rbi-s-forex-push-could-bring-55-65-billion-inflows-in-fy27-says-sbi-1781096044339">Big boost for Rupee? RBI's forex push could bring $55–65 billion inflows in FY27, says SBI</a><h3>What is the real cause of US inflation?</h3>Energy costs have been a major contributor to the latest increase, with household gas and electricity bills in May standing nearly 25 per cent higher than a year ago. Petrol prices have accounted for a significant share of the rise. Data from the motoring group AAA showed that the average price of regular gasoline in the US currently stands at $4.15 per gallon, up sharply from $2.98 on February 28, when President Donald Trump launched strikes against Iran. Following those attacks, Iran effectively shut down the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that normally carries about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies, pushing global energy prices higher. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) also highlighted rising costs in sectors such as air travel, healthcare, recreation and communications. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices compared with the same month a year earlier. The Federal Reserve's long-term inflation target remains 2 per cent.

US inflation climbed to 4.2% in May, its highest level in three years, driven largely by soaring energy costs. Rising fuel and utility prices, linked to tensions involving Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, have heightened expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike.

US inflation in May reached its highest level with the fastest rate in three years, surging to 4.2 per cent. The rise in prices in the US from 3.8 per cent a month earlier was largely due to an upsurge in energy costs, the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) said. The inflation marked the third month in a row that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose, with households continuously feeling the strain of the US-Israeli war in Iran. Rising inflation has increased expectations that the US Federal Reserve could raise interest rates to curtail consumer spending and ease price pressures. The last time inflation reached a higher level was in April 2023, when the US economy was grappling with the effects of the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Also read: Big boost for Rupee? RBI's forex push could bring $55–65 billion inflows in FY27, says SBI What is the real cause of US inflation? Energy costs have been a major contributor to the latest increase, with household gas and electricity bills in May standing nearly 25 per cent higher than a year ago. Petrol prices have accounted for a significant share of the rise. Data from the motoring group AAA showed that the average price of regular gasoline in the US currently stands at $4.15 per gallon, up sharply from $2.98 on February 28, when President Donald Trump launched strikes against Iran. Following those attacks, Iran effectively shut down the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that normally carries about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies, pushing global energy prices higher. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) also highlighted rising costs in sectors such as air travel, healthcare, recreation and communications. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices compared with the same month a year earlier. The Federal Reserve's long-term inflation target remains 2 per cent.

US inflation climbed to 4.2% in May, its highest level in three years, driven largely by soaring energy costs. Rising fuel and utility prices, linked to tensions involving Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, have heightened expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike.

US inflation climbs to 4.2%, highest in three years: Here's why

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to seek re-election, Likud confirmed on Wednesday. It came in response to a poll which showed 60 per cent of Israelis do not want Israel's longest serving Prime Minister to seek another term. US President Donald Trump, who is supposedly having a “lovers' spat” with Netanyahu and Israel, has also cast doubt on his re-election. Netanyahu has held power almost uninterrupted since 2009, and has not indicated that he won't seek re-election."Prime Minister Netanyahu will run in the next elections and, God Willing, he will win," the Likud party announced on Telegram.“I don’t know, he’s had an amazing career,” Trump said in an interview with ABC News, “Does he want to continue? Because, you know, he’s a wartime prime minister. We will very shortly win the war one way or the other, and you know he’s a wartime prime minister.”Israel is going on poll within this October, and almost all the polls in Israel show Netanyahu's Likud and the bloc of right-wing and religious parties that support him failing to win a majority. However, the polls in Israel are not reliable. While some surveys have projected a slim majority for the diverse bloc of Zionist parties opposed to him.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bill-gates-testify-congress-jeffrey-epstein-investigation-1781094817201">Bill Gates faces Congress: What he may reveal about Jeffrey Epstein under oath</a>Netanyahu's term has been embroiled by controversy, his corruption scandal, takeover of the judiciary and even his handling of the situation in Gaza, while a clear majority of the Israeli public holds Benjamin Netanyahu primarily responsible for the security failures of October 7. Further, his insistence on not allowing an enquiry commission until the conflict is over complicates the matter. Declassified documents and testimonies show that the political echelon received generic warnings about Hamas's long-term invasion plans (such as the "Jericho Walls" blueprint) as early as 2018.&nbsp;Trump's remarks followed a moment of tense exchanges between the two leaders where he berated Netanyahu, calling him that everybody “hates Israel” and Netanyahu would be “in prison” if it wasn't for Trump. Israel engages in war on all fronts with Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Israel's Likud party confirmed Benjamin Netanyahu will seek re-election despite polls showing most Israelis oppose another term. Donald Trump has also cast doubt on Netanyahu's political future.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to seek re-election, Likud confirmed on Wednesday. It came in response to a poll which showed 60 per cent of Israelis do not want Israel's longest serving Prime Minister to seek another term. US President Donald Trump, who is supposedly having a “lovers' spat” with Netanyahu and Israel, has also cast doubt on his re-election. Netanyahu has held power almost uninterrupted since 2009, and has not indicated that he won't seek re-election. "Prime Minister Netanyahu will run in the next elections and, God Willing, he will win," the Likud party announced on Telegram. “I don’t know, he’s had an amazing career,” Trump said in an interview with ABC News, “Does he want to continue? Because, you know, he’s a wartime prime minister. We will very shortly win the war one way or the other, and you know he’s a wartime prime minister.” Israel is going on poll within this October, and almost all the polls in Israel show Netanyahu's Likud and the bloc of right-wing and religious parties that support him failing to win a majority. However, the polls in Israel are not reliable. While some surveys have projected a slim majority for the diverse bloc of Zionist parties opposed to him. Also Read: Bill Gates faces Congress: What he may reveal about Jeffrey Epstein under oath Netanyahu's term has been embroiled by controversy, his corruption scandal, takeover of the judiciary and even his handling of the situation in Gaza, while a clear majority of the Israeli public holds Benjamin Netanyahu primarily responsible for the security failures of October 7. Further, his insistence on not allowing an enquiry commission until the conflict is over complicates the matter. Declassified documents and testimonies show that the political echelon received generic warnings about Hamas's long-term invasion plans (such as the "Jericho Walls" blueprint) as early as 2018. Trump's remarks followed a moment of tense exchanges between the two leaders where he berated Netanyahu, calling him that everybody “hates Israel” and Netanyahu would be “in prison” if it wasn't for Trump. Israel engages in war on all fronts with Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Israel's Likud party confirmed Benjamin Netanyahu will seek re-election despite polls showing most Israelis oppose another term. Donald Trump has also cast doubt on Netanyahu's political future.

Likud confirms Netanyahu re-election bid after Trump casts doubt on future

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will appear before the US congressional panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein and his associates on Wednesday in local time. For the first time, Gates is appearing before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions about his relationship with the disgraced sex trafficker and financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The billionaire is appearing voluntarily and seems to welcome the opportunity to divulge details under oath. He previously, in February, apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation for his ties to Epstein, which he said lasted from 2011 through 2014. "I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regretted ever knowing him," said Gates.<h2>Gates and his affair with a Russian woman</h2>A 2013 email from Epstein to himself containing unverified allegations that Gates had extramarital "sex with Russian girls", and contacted sexually transmitted disease. He attempted to secretly medicate his then-wife, doubting he might have transmitted it to her, according to unverified draft emails. Gates Foundation spokesperson categorically denied those claims, saying that those were“absolutely absurd and completely false”. The Wall Street Journal in February reported that he “did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist” who he met through business activities.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/keir-starmer-condemns-belfast-violence-anti-immigration-protests-1781089866777">Keir Starmer condemns Belfast violence as 'shocking and completely unacceptable'</a><h2>Gates denied knowledge of any of Epstein's illegal activities</h2>Gates has previously denied having information about any of the illegal activities. In an interview, he suggested that he exercised poor judgment in meeting Epstein. Gates had been pictured on several occasions with Epstein, according to the DOJ release, even in his private jet. Further, the scale of Epstein's crime and network makes it almost impossible to get those activities unnoticed. Gates claimed that he had ties with Epstein from 2011; by that time, Epstein was already a convicted sex offender. Gates also claimed that his contact lasted till 2014, but the DOJ released documents show that Epstein was communicating with an apparent adviser to Gates, seeking to pitch the billionaire on a donor-advised fund, a tax-deductible charitable vehicle that Epstein wanted to operate.&nbsp;His advisor told Epstein that Gates “loves him,” but his wife won't allow him.Bill Gates becomes the latest to be called upon by the House Oversight Committee after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, billionaire Les Wexner and Leon Black.&nbsp;

Bill Gates is set to appear before a US congressional panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, answering questions about his relationship with the convicted sex offender.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will appear before the US congressional panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein and his associates on Wednesday in local time. For the first time, Gates is appearing before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions about his relationship with the disgraced sex trafficker and financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The billionaire is appearing voluntarily and seems to welcome the opportunity to divulge details under oath. He previously, in February, apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation for his ties to Epstein, which he said lasted from 2011 through 2014. "I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regretted ever knowing him," said Gates. Gates and his affair with a Russian woman A 2013 email from Epstein to himself containing unverified allegations that Gates had extramarital "sex with Russian girls", and contacted sexually transmitted disease. He attempted to secretly medicate his then-wife, doubting he might have transmitted it to her, according to unverified draft emails. Gates Foundation spokesperson categorically denied those claims, saying that those were“absolutely absurd and completely false”. The Wall Street Journal in February reported that he “did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist” who he met through business activities. Also Read: Keir Starmer condemns Belfast violence as 'shocking and completely unacceptable' Gates denied knowledge of any of Epstein's illegal activities Gates has previously denied having information about any of the illegal activities. In an interview, he suggested that he exercised poor judgment in meeting Epstein. Gates had been pictured on several occasions with Epstein, according to the DOJ release, even in his private jet. Further, the scale of Epstein's crime and network makes it almost impossible to get those activities unnoticed. Gates claimed that he had ties with Epstein from 2011; by that time, Epstein was already a convicted sex offender. Gates also claimed that his contact lasted till 2014, but the DOJ released documents show that Epstein was communicating with an apparent adviser to Gates, seeking to pitch the billionaire on a donor-advised fund, a tax-deductible charitable vehicle that Epstein wanted to operate. His advisor told Epstein that Gates “loves him,” but his wife won't allow him. Bill Gates becomes the latest to be called upon by the House Oversight Committee after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, billionaire Les Wexner and Leon Black.

Bill Gates is set to appear before a US congressional panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, answering questions about his relationship with the convicted sex offender.

Bill Gates faces Congress: What he may reveal about Jeffrey Epstein under oath

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US naval blockade of Iran’s ports and associated vessels was highly successful and that Iran is unable to do any business because of it and is turning into a failed nation.Taking ahead the war of words after US military strikes on 20 locations in Iran, Trump said that the US naval blockade was serving its intended purpose and putting immense pressure on the Iranian regime.Trump also launched a tirade against the US media, saying it refuses to report how effective the US naval blockade has been and is rather “the most successful blockade in the history of naval warfare”.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-pay-the-price-warns-trump-says-tehran-missed-chance-for-deal-1781091348456">‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’</a>&nbsp;“The Fake News Media refuses to report how EFFECTIVE the U.S. Naval BLOCKADE is, the most successful Blockade in the history of Naval Warfare. NOTHING GETS THROUGH unless we want it to,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.&nbsp;“Iran is doing ZERO business, not paying their military, or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION! Lots of oil is getting out. Praise be to Allah!” the US president added.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hope-pak-is-held-accountable-for-misdeeds-india-condemns-massacre-of-kashmiris-in-pok-1781008180684">‘Hope Pak is held accountable for misdeeds’: India condemns massacre of Kashmiris in PoK</a> Iran’s economy has been pummelled by sanctions for years, and the US naval blockade is increasing the pain. As a result, the Iranian people are facing significant financial hardships. The US blockade has undoubtedly curbed most of Iran’s energy exports. Iranians are suffering due to astronomical inflation that has been exacerbated by the war. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-names-four-astronauts-as-crew-members-of-artemis-iii-mission-ahead-of-moon-landing-1781030841736">NASA names four astronauts as crew members of Artemis III mission ahead of moon landing</a> Iranians hit the streets six months ago due to high inflation and economic hardships, but the protests were crushed, with hundreds of Iranians reported to be massacred. Since Iran does not have a democratic system, the regime in Tehran is known to crush protests with the use of brute force.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US naval blockade of Iran was serving its intended purpose and putting immense pressure on the Iranian regime. Trump also launched a tirade against the US media, saying it refuses to report how effective the US naval blockade has been.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US naval blockade of Iran’s ports and associated vessels was highly successful and that Iran is unable to do any business because of it and is turning into a failed nation. Taking ahead the war of words after US military strikes on 20 locations in Iran, Trump said that the US naval blockade was serving its intended purpose and putting immense pressure on the Iranian regime. Trump also launched a tirade against the US media, saying it refuses to report how effective the US naval blockade has been and is rather “the most successful blockade in the history of naval warfare”. Also Read: ‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran missed chance for ‘deal’ “The Fake News Media refuses to report how EFFECTIVE the U.S. Naval BLOCKADE is, the most successful Blockade in the history of Naval Warfare. NOTHING GETS THROUGH unless we want it to,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Iran is doing ZERO business, not paying their military, or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION! Lots of oil is getting out. Praise be to Allah!” the US president added.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US naval blockade of Iran was serving its intended purpose and putting immense pressure on the Iranian regime. Trump also launched a tirade against the US media, saying it refuses to report how effective the US naval blockade has been.

‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US blockade most successful in the history of naval warfare

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence in Belfast, he called them “shocking and completely unacceptable” as anti immigration protests turned violent on Tuesday. Men wearing masks set fire to houses and forced families out of their homes as a wave of violence spread across the city. Starmer said that there is “no justification” for “violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities.”&nbsp;"It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background, and I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will feel the full force of the law," said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a post on the social media platform X. “Appealing for calm must be the priority, and that is what I urge now. We must let the police get on with their work”Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, supported Starmer's statement and said that "no one has a right to burn people out of their homes". Police on Tuesday asked citizens to exercise restraint in response to the call for protest from far-right figures. Billionaire SpaceX CEO Elon Musk retweeted a post calling for nationwide anti-migration demonstrations by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson. He wrote, "Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!"Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/operation-nasr-iran-shift-from-proxy-warfare-to-direct-confrontation-1781085350423">Operation Nasr: A new and bolder doctrine of Iran's new leaders</a><h2>What sparked violence in Belfast, Northern Ireland?&nbsp;</h2>A Sudanese man, Hadi Alodid, in his 30s, was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, in his 40s. He repeatedly stabbed him with a knife, in the middle of the street, while sitting over him. The video of the violence went viral on social media. The victim suffered severe injuries to his face, neck, and back, resulting in the loss of his left eye and damage to his right eye. Violence erupted in Belfast on Tuesday as masked protestors vandalised homes of the minority community, public property, torched vehicles, and buses. The man Hadi Alodid is in remand now. He arrived in the UK in 2023 and has a residence permit valid until 2028. The stabbing was triggered in response to the violent protests in South Hampton over the police handling of protests in Southern England, when a British sikh man fatally stabbed a young white man, falsely accusing him of racism.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence in Belfast after anti-immigration protests escalated into attacks on homes and public property. Authorities have urged restraint as tensions rise.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence in Belfast, he called them “shocking and completely unacceptable” as anti immigration protests turned violent on Tuesday. Men wearing masks set fire to houses and forced families out of their homes as a wave of violence spread across the city. Starmer said that there is “no justification” for “violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities.” "It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background, and I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will feel the full force of the law," said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a post on the social media platform X. “Appealing for calm must be the priority, and that is what I urge now. We must let the police get on with their work” Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, supported Starmer's statement and said that "no one has a right to burn people out of their homes". Police on Tuesday asked citizens to exercise restraint in response to the call for protest from far-right figures. Billionaire SpaceX CEO Elon Musk retweeted a post calling for nationwide anti-migration demonstrations by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson. He wrote, "Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!" Also Read: Operation Nasr: A new and bolder doctrine of Iran's new leaders What sparked violence in Belfast, Northern Ireland? A Sudanese man, Hadi Alodid, in his 30s, was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, in his 40s. He repeatedly stabbed him with a knife, in the middle of the street, while sitting over him. The video of the violence went viral on social media. The victim suffered severe injuries to his face, neck, and back, resulting in the loss of his left eye and damage to his right eye. Violence erupted in Belfast on Tuesday as masked protestors vandalised homes of the minority community, public property, torched vehicles, and buses. The man Hadi Alodid is in remand now. He arrived in the UK in 2023 and has a residence permit valid until 2028. The stabbing was triggered in response to the violent protests in South Hampton over the police handling of protests in Southern England, when a British sikh man fatally stabbed a young white man, falsely accusing him of racism.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence in Belfast after anti-immigration protests escalated into attacks on homes and public property. Authorities have urged restraint as tensions rise.

Keir Starmer condemns Belfast violence as 'shocking and completely unacceptable'

A Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) shortly after take-off "due to a technical fault". During the incident, all personnel on board lost their lives, according to a report by Dawn, citing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). "All personnel on board embraced martyrdom. There were no survivors," the ISPR said in a statement. In a statement, the ISPR said rescue and recovery teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site. "A board of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact technical cause of the accident," the military's media affairs wing stated, as per Dawn. Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff, Asim Munir, along with all ranks of the armed forces, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of lives and conveyed condolences to the families of those who died in the incident, the statement added. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. According to Geo News, an investigation has been launched to identify the technical fault that may have triggered the accident.&nbsp;&nbsp;(This is a developing story. Further details are awaited.)

Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff, Asim Munir, along with all ranks of the armed forces, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of lives and conveyed condolences to the families of those who died in the incident.

A Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) shortly after take-off "due to a technical fault". During the incident, all personnel on board lost their lives, according to a report by Dawn, citing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). "All personnel on board embraced martyrdom. There were no survivors," the ISPR said in a statement. In a statement, the ISPR said rescue and recovery teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site. "A board of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact technical cause of the accident," the military's media affairs wing stated, as per Dawn. Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff, Asim Munir, along with all ranks of the armed forces, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of lives and conveyed condolences to the families of those who died in the incident, the statement added. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. According to Geo News, an investigation has been launched to identify the technical fault that may have triggered the accident. (This is a developing story. Further details are awaited.)

Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff, Asim Munir, along with all ranks of the armed forces, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of lives and conveyed condolences to the families of those who died in the incident.

Pakistan Army Mi-17 Helicopter crashes near Muzaffarabad, all personnel on board dead

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Iran will now face the consequences for failing to reach an agreement with Washington and will ‘pay a price’ for it. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Iran’s military had been “completely defeated” and that much of its naval and air power “doesn’t even exist anymore”. “Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!,” he said.He warned Tehran that it would “have to pay the price” for failing to reach a deal with Washington.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trump said Iran’s military is “a complete and total mess” and the country has been weakened significantly.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – they have been completely defeated,” Trump wrote.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hope-pak-is-held-accountable-for-misdeeds-india-condemns-massacre-of-kashmiris-in-pok-1781008180684">‘Hope Pak is held accountable for misdeeds’: India condemns massacre of Kashmiris in PoK</a>&nbsp;The US president also accused Tehran of dragging on negotiations and said Tehran had missed the opportunity to secure a good agreement. “They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!” he said.&nbsp;Trump also referred to Iran as “all talk and no action” and, referring to Tehran’s military losses, said, “The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!”&nbsp;Earlier, Iran had said that it was reviewing the future of negotiations with Washington after the US strikes on Iranian targets. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused the US of undermining diplomacy through “contradictory positions” and repeated violations of ceasefire understandings.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-names-four-astronauts-as-crew-members-of-artemis-iii-mission-ahead-of-moon-landing-1781030841736">NASA names four astronauts as crew members of Artemis III mission ahead of moon landing</a>&nbsp;The latest strikes by the US military on Iranian air defence and surveillance facilities came after Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;&nbsp;Subsequently, Iran launched retaliatory attacks targeting American facilities in Jordan and Bahrain.&nbsp;&nbsp;President Trump had been repeatedly maintaining that a comprehensive agreement with Iran is close. He claimed several times that talks were heading for a breakthrough.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump accused the Iranian leadership of dragging on negotiations for too long and said Tehran had missed the opportunity to secure a good agreement. He added that they took too long to negotiate a deal and would now have to pay the price. 

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Iran will now face the consequences for failing to reach an agreement with Washington and will ‘pay a price’ for it. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Iran’s military had been “completely defeated” and that much of its naval and air power “doesn’t even exist anymore”. “Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!,” he said. He warned Tehran that it would “have to pay the price” for failing to reach a deal with Washington. Trump said Iran’s military is “a complete and total mess” and the country has been weakened significantly. “Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – they have been completely defeated,” Trump wrote. Also Read: ‘Hope Pak is held accountable for misdeeds’: India condemns massacre of Kashmiris in PoK The US president also accused Tehran of dragging on negotiations and said Tehran had missed the opportunity to secure a good agreement. “They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!” he said. Trump also referred to Iran as “all talk and no action” and, referring to Tehran’s military losses, said, “The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!” Earlier, Iran had said that it was reviewing the future of negotiations with Washington after the US strikes on Iranian targets. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused the US of undermining diplomacy through “contradictory positions” and repeated violations of ceasefire understandings. Also Read: NASA names four astronauts as crew members of Artemis III mission ahead of moon landing The latest strikes by the US military on Iranian air defence and surveillance facilities came after Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequently, Iran launched retaliatory attacks targeting American facilities in Jordan and Bahrain. President Trump had been repeatedly maintaining that a comprehensive agreement with Iran is close. He claimed several times that talks were heading for a breakthrough.

US President Donald Trump accused the Iranian leadership of dragging on negotiations for too long and said Tehran had missed the opportunity to secure a good agreement. He added that they took too long to negotiate a deal and would now have to pay the price.&nbsp;

‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran ‘missed the chance’ for deal

Iran's new leadership are stepping out from the old restrictive proxy warfare to direct state-to-state confrontation. Iran's new leaders are treating an attack on their proxy as an attack on themselves; rather than hiding behind their Axis of Resistance, they are engaging in an offensive, suggesting a change in its posture. Iran is no longer defending its territory, but its strategic interests in the region. Since the signing of the ceasefire, Iran has repeatedly accused the US and Israel of violating the ceasefire. The US has repeatedly carried out attacks inside Iran, while, by conservative estimation, Israel has repeatedly launched 3500 strikes in Lebanon.&nbsp;<h2>Operation Nasr- a change of Iran's doctrine</h2>Iran's armed forces on Sunday launched an attack, “Nasr”, which means victory, in retaliation for the Israeli attack on the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh in Lebanon. It targeted the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel and the Tel Nof Airbase near Tel Aviv using advanced ballistic missiles, Emad, Qadr-F, and Kheibar Shekan. There was retalliation from Israel on petrochemical sites within Iran. Following the brief exchange, both sides halted strikes. Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref claimed that Israel was forced to beg for a ceasefire again. Tzvika Haimovich, the former commander of Israel's air defence command, said that the strikes prove that Iran “has not been defeated”. The strike was meant to deter Israel from attacking Lebanon again.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-origin-canadian-police-officer-tarun-bali-killed-line-of-duty-1781081166650">Indian-origin Canadian police officer Tarun Bali killed in line of duty, teen charged with murder</a>The strike underscored a few key messages: First, Hezbollah is not expendable; it is important to Iran's vision of the future of the West Asia region. Two, Israel can not continue its unilateral operation within Lebanon, while Iran discusses peace with the US. Iran has made several verbal assertions about Lebanon being a sticking point in the negotiations. Israel's Channel 12 has acknowledged that Iran's threats were not merely rhetorical or political messaging. Third, it proved wrong the assumptions that Iran has been weakened by the war with Israel and the US or that its missile and drone stockpiles are depleted. &nbsp;Further, it shows a change in Iran's doctrine; it is not just reactive, it is also being assertive against two nuclear-armed and technologically advanced militaries. It could exert pressure to achieve an edge in the diplomatic deadlock. “Until there is a genuine willingness to build trust, Iran’s response will remain the same,” said Iran's lead negotiator Ghalibaf. Operation Nasr was a hint that its red line is not meant to be violated; it was described by officials as ‘taking initiative and offensive power’. Iran's new leadership is willing to take risks instead of just relying on strategic patience to shape the power dynamics of the region. Along with Russia and China, Iran might emerge as another pole in the multipolar world.&nbsp;

Operation Nasr highlights what Iranian officials describe as a new strategic doctrine, with Tehran directly retaliating for attacks in Lebanon and signalling a more assertive regional posture.

Iran's new leadership are stepping out from the old restrictive proxy warfare to direct state-to-state confrontation. Iran's new leaders are treating an attack on their proxy as an attack on themselves; rather than hiding behind their Axis of Resistance, they are engaging in an offensive, suggesting a change in its posture. Iran is no longer defending its territory, but its strategic interests in the region. Since the signing of the ceasefire, Iran has repeatedly accused the US and Israel of violating the ceasefire. The US has repeatedly carried out attacks inside Iran, while, by conservative estimation, Israel has repeatedly launched 3500 strikes in Lebanon. Operation Nasr- a change of Iran's doctrine Iran's armed forces on Sunday launched an attack, “Nasr”, which means victory, in retaliation for the Israeli attack on the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh in Lebanon. It targeted the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel and the Tel Nof Airbase near Tel Aviv using advanced ballistic missiles, Emad, Qadr-F, and Kheibar Shekan. There was retalliation from Israel on petrochemical sites within Iran. Following the brief exchange, both sides halted strikes. Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref claimed that Israel was forced to beg for a ceasefire again. Tzvika Haimovich, the former commander of Israel's air defence command, said that the strikes prove that Iran “has not been defeated”. The strike was meant to deter Israel from attacking Lebanon again. Also Read: Indian-origin Canadian police officer Tarun Bali killed in line of duty, teen charged with murder The strike underscored a few key messages: First, Hezbollah is not expendable; it is important to Iran's vision of the future of the West Asia region. Two, Israel can not continue its unilateral operation within Lebanon, while Iran discusses peace with the US. Iran has made several verbal assertions about Lebanon being a sticking point in the negotiations. Israel's Channel 12 has acknowledged that Iran's threats were not merely rhetorical or political messaging. Third, it proved wrong the assumptions that Iran has been weakened by the war with Israel and the US or that its missile and drone stockpiles are depleted. Further, it shows a change in Iran's doctrine; it is not just reactive, it is also being assertive against two nuclear-armed and technologically advanced militaries. It could exert pressure to achieve an edge in the diplomatic deadlock. “Until there is a genuine willingness to build trust, Iran’s response will remain the same,” said Iran's lead negotiator Ghalibaf. Operation Nasr was a hint that its red line is not meant to be violated; it was described by officials as ‘taking initiative and offensive power’. Iran's new leadership is willing to take risks instead of just relying on strategic patience to shape the power dynamics of the region. Along with Russia and China, Iran might emerge as another pole in the multipolar world.

Operation Nasr highlights what Iranian officials describe as a new strategic doctrine, with Tehran directly retaliating for attacks in Lebanon and signalling a more assertive regional posture.

Operation Nasr: A new and bolder doctrine of Iran's new leaders

One died, and two crew members have been missing after a fire erupted in the engine room of a tanker 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman’s Sohar, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. Meanwhile, the agency UKMTO found no further details on the cause of the fire.&nbsp;On Monday, a total of 24 Indian crew members were rescued by the Omani military after the ship, Marivex, was hit by a US missile off Oman. The attack resulted in the ship sinking as it was engulfed by fire. In response to the attack, US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the ship, Marivex, had violated its blockade of Iranian ports and a "precision munition" was fired into the ship after the crew was unable to comply with US instructions.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nepal-royal-massacre-case-to-be-reopened-12-unanswered-questions-that-still-haunt-2001-palace-killings-wion-decodes-1781068217084">Nepal royal massacre case to be reopened: 12 unanswered questions about 2001 royal killings | WION Decodes</a> According to US Central Command (Centcom), the Marivex is the seventh vessel rendered inoperable by the United States for allegedly breaching the blockade. The US has enforced restrictions around Iranian ports after Tehran effectively shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and gas shipments. Opesh Kumar Sharma, from India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said a fire broke out aboard the tanker, which was not carrying any oil cargo, at around 1:30 pm IST (08:00 GMT). However, he did not provide details regarding the cause of the blaze. Centcom later stated that an F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln struck the vessel's engineering and steering compartments with a precision-guided munition.&nbsp;(This is a developing story. More details are awaited)

A fire in the engine room of a tanker near Oman's Sohar coast left one crew member dead and two others missing, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. The blaze occurred 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, with the cause of the incident still unknown.

One died, and two crew members have been missing after a fire erupted in the engine room of a tanker 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman’s Sohar, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. Meanwhile, the agency UKMTO found no further details on the cause of the fire. On Monday, a total of 24 Indian crew members were rescued by the Omani military after the ship, Marivex, was hit by a US missile off Oman. The attack resulted in the ship sinking as it was engulfed by fire. In response to the attack, US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the ship, Marivex, had violated its blockade of Iranian ports and a "precision munition" was fired into the ship after the crew was unable to comply with US instructions. Also read: Nepal royal massacre case to be reopened: 12 unanswered questions about 2001 royal killings | WION Decodes According to US Central Command (Centcom), the Marivex is the seventh vessel rendered inoperable by the United States for allegedly breaching the blockade. The US has enforced restrictions around Iranian ports after Tehran effectively shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and gas shipments. Opesh Kumar Sharma, from India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said a fire broke out aboard the tanker, which was not carrying any oil cargo, at around 1:30 pm IST (08:00 GMT). However, he did not provide details regarding the cause of the blaze. Centcom later stated that an F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln struck the vessel's engineering and steering compartments with a precision-guided munition. (This is a developing story. More details are awaited)

A fire in the engine room of a tanker near Oman's Sohar coast left one crew member dead and two others missing, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. The blaze occurred 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, with the cause of the incident still unknown.

Two crew missing after fire erupts in tanker engine room along Oman coast

Nepal government on Tuesday (June 9) announced that the reopening of files related to the royal massacre of 2001, in which the entire family of then-king Birendra Shah was killed. The announcement was made by Home Minister Sudan Gurung soon after he assumed office for the second time. Gurung rose to national prominence as a central organiser of Nepal's massive 2025 Gen-Z youth protests against government corruption and old-guard political failure. He first became Home Minister in March 2026 but was forced to resign just 48 days later in April amid allegations regarding undeclared financial investments. But he has now been reappointed after been given clean chit in the case.&nbsp;<h2>What is the 2001 royal massacre case?</h2>The 2001 royal massacre case , known in Nepal as ‘Durbar Hatyakanda’ is the case about the mysterious death of all family members of then-king Birendra Shah. On June 1, 2001, all family members of king Shah, including queen Aishwarya, were allegedly killed by then crown prince Dipendra at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace during a Friday dinner party. Official probe report claimed that Crown Prince Dipendra Shah, the heir to the throne, arrived heavily intoxicated and was sent to his room. But, he returned after sometime in combat gear and armed with automatic weapons that included an M16 assault rifle, an MP5 submachine gun, and a Glock pistol. Under the influence of alcohol, he reportedly killed his father, mother, brother, sister and other family members. He then shot himself and went into coma. However, he was declared the King of Nepal despite being in coma state. He died three days later, and the crown passed to his uncle, Gyanendra Shah.&nbsp;<h2>How many people died in the massacre?</h2>A total of ten people died in the massacre. The dead included King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the reigning monarch; Queen Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah; Prince Nirajan, the younger son; Princess Shruti, the king’s daughter and her husband Kumar Gorakh; Prince Dhirendra, King Birendra’s brother; Princess Shova, one of the king’s sisters; Princess Jayanti, another royal relative; and Sharada Shah, the wife of Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah.&nbsp;<h2>What did the report say about marriage?</h2>The official investigation also cited a royal dispute over marriage. Dipendra was reportedly miffed with his family as they objected to to their marriage to a woman named Devyani Rana, a woman from an aristocratic Nepalese family. Dipendra was reportedly threatened with being disinherited, which allegedly drove him to a alcohol-and-drug-fueled rage.<h2>Why the mystery?</h2>The only person who was away from the palace on the fatal night was Prince Gyanendra - King Balendra's brother, who later inherited the throne. This raised questions among the public as to why he was the only one away during the incident. Moreover, his wife and son were present at the dinner but they miraculously survived while King Balendra's entire family died.&nbsp;Another unanswered question raised by many was the inconsistencies in the report. The report said that Dipendra shot himself on his left temple, but in reality he was right handed. People suspected this to be a murder as a right handed man would not inflict himself a gunshot from his left hand. Moreover, the entire palace wing where the shooting occurred was completely demolished shortly after the event, making future forensic verification impossible.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some people also say that for ordinary Nepalis, King Birendra had been far more than a political figure. So, his mysterious death led to disbelief. The fact that the news was initially suppressed and then released in confused, contradictory fragments by state media, only deepened public suspicion. Additionally, the team probing the death was chaired by then-Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya of the Supreme Court, with then-Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat as the second member and then opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) as third member. However, Madhav Kumar resigned almost immediately, stating that the committee had been constituted by the palace rather than by Parliament. Moreover, the probe was completed within six days. This shattered the public confidence in the report's credibility. People claim that the report lacked forensic evidence. Bodies were cremated according to Hindu rites rapidly, before any independent.&nbsp;<h2>What are the conspiracy theories?</h2>The conspiracy theories regarding the massacre are wild ranging from RAW and CIA's involvement to "grand design” by foreign powers. It suggests suggests that India’s Research and Analysis Wing and the American CIA allegedly worked together — on the grounds that King Birendra had reportedly been resistant to certain geopolitical pressures and external strategic interests in the region. Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal reportedly alleged in 2010 that external forces conspired to remove King Birendra. Former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and few others also said that the massacre was a “grand design” by foreign powers specifically aimed at destabilising Nepal’s powerful monarchy.&nbsp;<h2>Why is the case reopening now?</h2>Multiple leaders have batted for reopening the case as Nepalis demand clarity over the biggest crime in their contemporary political history taht also shattered the revered aura around their monarchy. In 2009, Madhav Kumar Nepal — the same man who had resigned from the original investigation committee — visited the Narayanhiti Palace, now a museum, and stated publicly that a new inquiry should be conducted to uncover the real causes of the incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;The first prime minister of the federal democratic republic, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, pledged during his tenure to reopen the investigation. In early 2024, former King Gyanendra himself broke his long silence on the matter at a public function, saying that suspicion had been manufactured through “political manipulation” and that witnesses were still alive who could speak to the truth. Soon after, then Prime Minister Prachanda announced yet another promise of reinvestigation.&nbsp;<h2>What are the unanswered questions that the new probe will try to uncover?</h2><ol><li>Was Crown Prince Dipendra really the sole gunman?</li><li>Why was Prince Gyanendra absent from the palace that night?</li><li>How did Gyanendra's wife and son survive?</li><li>Did Dipendra really shoot himself in the manner described?</li><li>Why was the investigation completed in just six days?</li><li>Why was there no independent forensic investigation?</li><li>Why were the bodies cremated so quickly?</li><li>Why was the palace wing demolished soon after the massacre?</li><li>Did the dispute over Dipendra's marriage fully explain the massacre?</li><li>Were there political or foreign actors involved?</li><li>Why was information released so slowly and inconsistently?</li><li>Are there any forensic details that were hidden and can witnesses be really trusted?</li></ol>

Nepal has reopened the investigation into the 2001 royal massacre that killed King Birendra and nine relatives. The case, officially blamed on Crown Prince Dipendra, remains shrouded in controversy, with unresolved questions and conspiracy theories continuing to fuel public debate

Nepal government on Tuesday (June 9) announced that the reopening of files related to the royal massacre of 2001, in which the entire family of then-king Birendra Shah was killed. The announcement was made by Home Minister Sudan Gurung soon after he assumed office for the second time. Gurung rose to national prominence as a central organiser of Nepal's massive 2025 Gen-Z youth protests against government corruption and old-guard political failure. He first became Home Minister in March 2026 but was forced to resign just 48 days later in April amid allegations regarding undeclared financial investments. But he has now been reappointed after been given clean chit in the case. What is the 2001 royal massacre case? The 2001 royal massacre case , known in Nepal as ‘Durbar Hatyakanda’ is the case about the mysterious death of all family members of then-king Birendra Shah. On June 1, 2001, all family members of king Shah, including queen Aishwarya, were allegedly killed by then crown prince Dipendra at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace during a Friday dinner party. Official probe report claimed that Crown Prince Dipendra Shah, the heir to the throne, arrived heavily intoxicated and was sent to his room. But, he returned after sometime in combat gear and armed with automatic weapons that included an M16 assault rifle, an MP5 submachine gun, and a Glock pistol. Under the influence of alcohol, he reportedly killed his father, mother, brother, sister and other family members. He then shot himself and went into coma. However, he was declared the King of Nepal despite being in coma state. He died three days later, and the crown passed to his uncle, Gyanendra Shah. How many people died in the massacre? A total of ten people died in the massacre. The dead included King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the reigning monarch; Queen Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah; Prince Nirajan, the younger son; Princess Shruti, the king’s daughter and her husband Kumar Gorakh; Prince Dhirendra, King Birendra’s brother; Princess Shova, one of the king’s sisters; Princess Jayanti, another royal relative; and Sharada Shah, the wife of Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah. What did the report say about marriage? The official investigation also cited a royal dispute over marriage. Dipendra was reportedly miffed with his family as they objected to to their marriage to a woman named Devyani Rana, a woman from an aristocratic Nepalese family. Dipendra was reportedly threatened with being disinherited, which allegedly drove him to a alcohol-and-drug-fueled rage. Why the mystery? The only person who was away from the palace on the fatal night was Prince Gyanendra - King Balendra's brother, who later inherited the throne. This raised questions among the public as to why he was the only one away during the incident. Moreover, his wife and son were present at the dinner but they miraculously survived while King Balendra's entire family died. Another unanswered question raised by many was the inconsistencies in the report. The report said that Dipendra shot himself on his left temple, but in reality he was right handed. People suspected this to be a murder as a right handed man would not inflict himself a gunshot from his left hand. Moreover, the entire palace wing where the shooting occurred was completely demolished shortly after the event, making future forensic verification impossible. Some people also say that for ordinary Nepalis, King Birendra had been far more than a political figure. So, his mysterious death led to disbelief. The fact that the news was initially suppressed and then released in confused, contradictory fragments by state media, only deepened public suspicion. Additionally, the team probing the death was chaired by then-Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya of the Supreme Court, with then-Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat as the second member and then opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) as third member. However, Madhav Kumar resigned almost immediately, stating that the committee had been constituted by the palace rather than by Parliament. Moreover, the probe was completed within six days. This shattered the public confidence in the report's credibility. People claim that the report lacked forensic evidence. Bodies were cremated according to Hindu rites rapidly, before any independent. What are the conspiracy theories? The conspiracy theories regarding the massacre are wild ranging from RAW and CIA's involvement to "grand design” by foreign powers. It suggests suggests that India’s Research and Analysis Wing and the American CIA allegedly worked together — on the grounds that King Birendra had reportedly been resistant to certain geopolitical pressures and external strategic interests in the region. Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal reportedly alleged in 2010 that external forces conspired to remove King Birendra. Former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and few others also said that the massacre was a “grand design” by foreign powers specifically aimed at destabilising Nepal’s powerful monarchy. Why is the case reopening now? Multiple leaders have batted for reopening the case as Nepalis demand clarity over the biggest crime in their contemporary political history taht also shattered the revered aura around their monarchy. In 2009, Madhav Kumar Nepal — the same man who had resigned from the original investigation committee — visited the Narayanhiti Palace, now a museum, and stated publicly that a new inquiry should be conducted to uncover the real causes of the incident. The first prime minister of the federal democratic republic, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, pledged during his tenure to reopen the investigation. In early 2024, former King Gyanendra himself broke his long silence on the matter at a public function, saying that suspicion had been manufactured through “political manipulation” and that witnesses were still alive who could speak to the truth. Soon after, then Prime Minister Prachanda announced yet another promise of reinvestigation. What are the unanswered questions that the new probe will try to uncover? Was Crown Prince Dipendra really the sole gunman? Why was Prince Gyanendra absent from the palace that night? How did Gyanendra's wife and son survive? Did Dipendra really shoot himself in the manner described? Why was the investigation completed in just six days? Why was there no independent forensic investigation? Why were the bodies cremated so quickly? Why was the palace wing demolished soon after the massacre? Did the dispute over Dipendra's marriage fully explain the massacre? Were there political or foreign actors involved? Why was information released so slowly and inconsistently? Are there any forensic details that were hidden and can witnesses be really trusted?

Nepal has reopened the investigation into the 2001 royal massacre that killed King Birendra and nine relatives. The case, officially blamed on Crown Prince Dipendra, remains shrouded in controversy, with unresolved questions and conspiracy theories continuing to fuel public debate

Nepal royal massacre case to be reopened: 12 unanswered questions about 2001 royal killings  | WION Decodes

A rare public protest by Afghan men in support of women's rights was met with a forceful response from security personnel in the western city of Herat on Tuesday (Jun 9), according to witnesses. The gathering was in protest of a recent crackdown on women over dress code violations. Dozens of men had gathered in the city after reports emerged that Taliban morality police had detained women for failing to wear the chador or burqa, garments that cover the body and, in the case of the burqa, the face. The demonstration was unusual in a country where public protests have become increasingly rare since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ex-taliban-commander-haji-najibullah-who-kidnapped-nyt-journalist-killed-us-troops-sentenced-to-42-years-in-prison-1781058434173">Ex-Taliban commander who kidnapped journalist, killed US troops sentenced to 42 years in prison</a><h2>What happened in Herat?</h2>Witnesses told AFP that Taliban security forces moved quickly to disperse the crowd. A 33-year-old protester alleged that officers "used sticks, whips and firearms to disperse the crowd. They even fired shots into the air." Another witness, a photographer who attended the rally, said he saw security personnel "striking protesters and firing weapons in the direction of the crowd". Both men requested anonymity due to fears of reprisals.The photographer said several people appeared to have been injured during the confrontation. WION was unable to independently verify the claims.Another protester said the atmosphere in the city had become tense following the incident, with many residents fearful of speaking publicly. Watch videos here:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Last weekend, the Taliban arrested between 20-60 fully covered women on the pretext of ‘hijab.’ Today people in Herat marched in protest. The response - open fire on the crowd. The Taliban are a terrorist regime. And must be stopped. <a href="https://t.co/opcnbHG60U">pic.twitter.com/opcnbHG60U</a>&mdash; Shabnam Nasimi (@NasimiShabnam) <a href="https://x.com/NasimiShabnam/status/2064286479451402465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">The moment Taliban militants opened fire on protesters in Herat, who had gathered over the arbitrary arrests of women and girls by the Taliban. According to reports, several people, including 3 women, were killed and injured in the shooting.<a href="https://x.com/hrw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hrw</a> <a href="https://x.com/UN_Women?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN_Women</a> <a href="https://t.co/fcaxWrQbuk">pic.twitter.com/fcaxWrQbuk</a>&mdash; Ahmad Sharifzad (@AhmadSharifzad) <a href="https://x.com/AhmadSharifzad/status/2064269864521626089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Taliban rejects allegations of weapon use</h2>Herat police have rejected the allegations. Police spokesman Saeed Masoud Hussaini denied that weapons had been used and accused demonstrators of attempting to "gather and create tensions under the pretext of protesting issues related to the observance of the hijab" dress code.According to Hussaini, security forces intervened promptly and brought the situation under control before tensions could escalate further.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-trump-s-america-more-babies-behind-bars-than-ever-before-report-reveals-horrifying-10-fold-rise-in-ice-detentions-of-infants-1781070307893">More babies behind bars than ever before? Report reveals 10-fold surge in ICE detentions under Trump</a><h2>Defend the rights of our sisters</h2>The rally had been organised following a social media call urging residents to "defend the rights of our sisters." Witnesses said participants gathered in support of women affected by the recent morality police campaign.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Alarmed by excessive use of force against seemingly peaceful protesters in <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Herat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Herat</a> today; it’s time to defuse the tension, respect citizens’ freedom of expression, especially women and girls, and avoid further harm. Those responsible for violence must be held accountable.&mdash; UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett (@SR_Afghanistan) <a href="https://x.com/SR_Afghanistan/status/2064254959617511641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The incident also drew international attention. Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said he was alarmed by reports of excessive force against what appeared to be peaceful protesters.Women in Afghanistan continue to face some of the world's strictest restrictions under Taliban rule. Current regulations require women to be almost fully covered when outside their homes, with morality police tasked with enforcing compliance across the country.

Dozens of Afghan men gathered in Herat to protest the Taliban's crackdown on women over dress-code violations. Witnesses alleged security forces used force to disperse the crowd.

A rare public protest by Afghan men in support of women's rights was met with a forceful response from security personnel in the western city of Herat on Tuesday (Jun 9), according to witnesses. The gathering was in protest of a recent crackdown on women over dress code violations. Dozens of men had gathered in the city after reports emerged that Taliban morality police had detained women for failing to wear the chador or burqa, garments that cover the body and, in the case of the burqa, the face. The demonstration was unusual in a country where public protests have become increasingly rare since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Also read | Ex-Taliban commander who kidnapped journalist, killed US troops sentenced to 42 years in prison What happened in Herat? Witnesses told AFP that Taliban security forces moved quickly to disperse the crowd. A 33-year-old protester alleged that officers "used sticks, whips and firearms to disperse the crowd. They even fired shots into the air." Another witness, a photographer who attended the rally, said he saw security personnel "striking protesters and firing weapons in the direction of the crowd". Both men requested anonymity due to fears of reprisals. The photographer said several people appeared to have been injured during the confrontation. WION was unable to independently verify the claims. Another protester said the atmosphere in the city had become tense following the incident, with many residents fearful of speaking publicly. Watch videos here:

In a rare act of public dissent under Taliban rule, dozens of Afghan men gathered in Herat to protest the detention of women over dress-code violations. Witnesses alleged security forces used sticks, whips and warning shots to disperse the crowd, claims authorities deny.

'Defend the rights of our sisters': Taliban violently disperses rare protest for women's right. What happened in Herat? WATCH

Scientists have come up with an ingenious plan to protect our planet Earth from dangerous solar storms. They want to spray chemicals around the rock we call home. This, they suggest, could help deflect the brunt of the Sun's dangerous charged particles. The ambitious plan was developed by a team of researchers from Boston University and the University of Michigan, and the research was published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2025SW004846">Space Weather</a>.<h2>Solar storms and Earth</h2>For decades, humanity's strategy for dealing with dangerous solar storms has been simple: predict them and prepare for the fallout. But the new scientific proposal suggests that future generations may be able to do something far more ambitious: actively strengthen Earth's natural defences before space weather strikes. But how would it happen? All we know.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-trump-s-america-more-babies-behind-bars-than-ever-before-report-reveals-horrifying-10-fold-rise-in-ice-detentions-of-infants-1781070307893">More babies behind bars than ever before? Report reveals 10-fold surge in ICE detentions under Trump</a><h2>Enter StormWall</h2>A team led by Brian Walsh of Boston University and consisting of D. T. Welling and Z. Huang of the University of Michigan has unveiled a concept called StormWall, a planetary-scale defence system designed to reinforce Earth's magnetosphere, the invisible magnetic shield that protects the planet from charged particles emitted by the Sun.The idea, detailed through computer simulations, aims to reduce the impact of severe geomagnetic storms that can disrupt satellites, GPS navigation, communications networks and power grids. According to the researchers, the system could cut the intensity of a major solar storm by more than half.The threat stems from a process known as magnetic reconnection. During powerful solar eruptions, magnetic fields carried by the solar wind can temporarily link with Earth's magnetic field, creating a pathway through which vast amounts of solar energy enter near-Earth space. The resulting geomagnetic storms have the potential to cause widespread technological disruptions. StormWall seeks to interfere with that process.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-the-tower-of-babel-and-why-did-pope-leo-warn-about-it-while-talking-about-ai-wion-decodes-1779790151646">Pope Leo warns humanity risks repeating ancient mistake: What is the Tower of Babel and what does it have to do with AI?</a><h2>But how will StormWall do that?</h2>According to research published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2025SW004846">Space Weather</a>, scientists have proposed sending a fleet of six spacecraft to geosynchronous orbit. This fleet would make up the StormWall.When a dangerous solar storm is detected, the satellites would release specially selected materials such as barium, lithium, sodium or calcium. Once exposed to sunlight, the material would become ionised, creating a cloud of plasma.That artificial plasma would drift toward the sun-facing edge of the magnetosphere, effectively thickening the boundary that separates Earth from the incoming solar wind. By adding mass to this region, researchers believe the efficiency of magnetic reconnection could be significantly reduced.<h2>Have they tested it?</h2>To test the concept, the team simulated the powerful Mother's Day geomagnetic storm of May 2024. Their results suggested that while StormWall would not eliminate a storm entirely, it could reduce its strength by more than 50 per cent.The proposal remains theoretical and would require substantial investment. The spacecraft would collectively have to carry material equivalent to roughly a dozen oil trucks, and each deployment would be a one-time use. "If you built it, if it was deployed, it would help all people on the planet," said lead researcher Walsh in a statement. "You couldn't make it in a way that helped only one country, one group of satellites."

Researchers from Boston University have proposed StormWall, a spacecraft-based system that would release ionised materials into space to strengthen Earth's magnetosphere and reduce the impact of solar storms.

Scientists have come up with an ingenious plan to protect our planet Earth from dangerous solar storms. They want to spray chemicals around the rock we call home. This, they suggest, could help deflect the brunt of the Sun's dangerous charged particles. The ambitious plan was developed by a team of researchers from Boston University and the University of Michigan, and the research was published in Space Weather. Solar storms and Earth For decades, humanity's strategy for dealing with dangerous solar storms has been simple: predict them and prepare for the fallout. But the new scientific proposal suggests that future generations may be able to do something far more ambitious: actively strengthen Earth's natural defences before space weather strikes. But how would it happen? All we know. Also read | More babies behind bars than ever before? Report reveals 10-fold surge in ICE detentions under Trump Enter StormWall A team led by Brian Walsh of Boston University and consisting of D. T. Welling and Z. Huang of the University of Michigan has unveiled a concept called StormWall, a planetary-scale defence system designed to reinforce Earth's magnetosphere, the invisible magnetic shield that protects the planet from charged particles emitted by the Sun. The idea, detailed through computer simulations, aims to reduce the impact of severe geomagnetic storms that can disrupt satellites, GPS navigation, communications networks and power grids. According to the researchers, the system could cut the intensity of a major solar storm by more than half. The threat stems from a process known as magnetic reconnection. During powerful solar eruptions, magnetic fields carried by the solar wind can temporarily link with Earth's magnetic field, creating a pathway through which vast amounts of solar energy enter near-Earth space. The resulting geomagnetic storms have the potential to cause widespread technological disruptions. StormWall seeks to interfere with that process. Also read | Pope Leo warns humanity risks repeating ancient mistake: What is the Tower of Babel and what does it have to do with AI? But how will StormWall do that? According to research published in Space Weather, scientists have proposed sending a fleet of six spacecraft to geosynchronous orbit. This fleet would make up the StormWall. When a dangerous solar storm is detected, the satellites would release specially selected materials such as barium, lithium, sodium or calcium. Once exposed to sunlight, the material would become ionised, creating a cloud of plasma. That artificial plasma would drift toward the sun-facing edge of the magnetosphere, effectively thickening the boundary that separates Earth from the incoming solar wind. By adding mass to this region, researchers believe the efficiency of magnetic reconnection could be significantly reduced. Have they tested it? To test the concept, the team simulated the powerful Mother's Day geomagnetic storm of May 2024. Their results suggested that while StormWall would not eliminate a storm entirely, it could reduce its strength by more than 50 per cent. The proposal remains theoretical and would require substantial investment. The spacecraft would collectively have to carry material equivalent to roughly a dozen oil trucks, and each deployment would be a one-time use. "If you built it, if it was deployed, it would help all people on the planet," said lead researcher Walsh in a statement. "You couldn't make it in a way that helped only one country, one group of satellites."

What if humanity could weaken a solar storm before it strikes Earth? Scientists have unveiled StormWall, a radical proposal involving six spacecraft that would ‘spray’ chemicals around Earth to reduce the impact of dangerous space weather. Here's how it would work.

Could chemicals sprayed around Earth stop dangerous solar storms? New study suggests it might

After Japan, the neighbouring country, Nepal, has also reportedly banned mangoes and several other fruits coming from India. The development unfolded after the Balen Shah government in Nepal imposed a quick ban after border quarantine inspectors found large levels of chemical pesticides in imported shipments, according to a report by The Rising Nepal.&nbsp;However, India's Union Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare clarified that no such ban has been imposed on the import of Indian mangoes. Exports of Indian mangoes to Nepal continue uninterrupted. Since January 2026, a total of 149 consignments comprising 2005 MT of mangoes have been exported to Nepal. During June 2026 alone, 18 consignments totalling 266 MT have been exported so far.&nbsp;The Government of Nepal, through its Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center (National Plant Protection Organization of Nepal), clarified on 10th June 2026 that no ban has been imposed on the import of Indian mangoes. Imports continue to be permitted subject to prescribed phytosanitary requirements. Import permits and release orders are being issued upon compliance with these requirements and submission of valid phytosanitary certificates issued by the Government of India.&nbsp;Nepal recently revised certain import conditions, including the requirement for Hot Water Treatment (HWT), and India continues to facilitate exports in compliance with the prescribed requirements. Japan had suspended imports of Indian mangoes last month after its quarantine authorities found lapses in pest-control procedures at Indian treatment facilities during inspections earlier this year. The move highlights the first such steps in nearly two decades against India. Earlier, Japan had banned Indian mangoes over fruit fly issues and lifted those curbs only in 2006 after India strengthened its treatment protocols. In March, a team of quarantine officers from Japan paid a visit to the Rehmanpur area of Uttar Pradesh and found a lack of fumigation and related disinfection measures at treatment facilities. The ban marks a big blow to Indian exporters, who have already been experiencing losses due to the West Asia conflicts. On the other hand, the restrictions introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal have reportedly been in force since April-May. The decision is likely to impact exports during the peak summer mango season and affect popular Indian varieties, including Alphonso, Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar, Langra and Banganapalli. Local traders told The Rising Nepal that the curbs were implemented without sufficient planning or a long-term roadmap, creating challenges for businesses. Bhuvaneshwar Purbe, general secretary of the Fruit and Vegetable Traders' Association in Janakpurdham, said domestic production may not be enough to satisfy the country's total demand for mangoes. He appealed to the government, led by Prime Minister Balen Shah, to improve quarantine mechanisms and permit the entry of Indian fruits after proper quality inspections, rather than enforcing a blanket ban on imports. Meanwhile, Nepali authorities have portrayed the restrictions as a measure to boost local fruit growers. Manish Kumar Pal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Madhes Province, told The Rising Nepal that the move has opened up greater market opportunities for domestically grown fruits, which he described as healthier alternatives.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-trump-s-america-more-babies-behind-bars-than-ever-before-report-reveals-horrifying-10-fold-rise-in-ice-detentions-of-infants-1781070307893">More babies behind bars than ever before? Report reveals 10-fold surge in ICE detentions under Trump</a><h3>What impact could ban have on India?</h3>India produces nearly 24 million metric tonnes of mango each year, with only around 32,000 metric tonnes being exported, while the vast majority is consumed domestically. The country's leading export destination for the top 5 mango varieties are the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. Although Nepal is not a major market for Indian mango exports, the restrictions could affect shipments of premium varieties such as Alphonso, Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar, Langra and Banganapalli. The issue has also sparked concerns over the use of chemical pesticides, drawing attention to quality and safety standards within India's fruit production sector.&nbsp;

Following Japan, Nepal has banned Indian mangoes and other fruits after border inspectors found high pesticide levels. While Nepal isn't a major export market, the ban hits premium varieties and intensifies safety concerns.

After Japan, the neighbouring country, Nepal, has also reportedly banned mangoes and several other fruits coming from India. The development unfolded after the Balen Shah government in Nepal imposed a quick ban after border quarantine inspectors found large levels of chemical pesticides in imported shipments, according to a report by The Rising Nepal. However, India's Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare clarified that no such ban has been imposed on the import of Indian mangoes. Exports of Indian mangoes to Nepal continue uninterrupted. Since January 2026, a total of 149 consignments comprising 2005 MT of mangoes have been exported to Nepal. During June 2026 alone, 18 consignments totalling 266 MT have been exported so far. The Government of Nepal, through its Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center (National Plant Protection Organization of Nepal), clarified on 10th June 2026 that no ban has been imposed on the import of Indian mangoes. Imports continue to be permitted subject to prescribed phytosanitary requirements. Import permits and release orders are being issued upon compliance with these requirements and submission of valid phytosanitary certificates issued by the Government of India. Nepal recently revised certain import conditions, including the requirement for Hot Water Treatment (HWT), and India continues to facilitate exports in compliance with the prescribed requirements. Japan had suspended imports of Indian mangoes last month after its quarantine authorities found lapses in pest-control procedures at Indian treatment facilities during inspections earlier this year. The move highlights the first such steps in nearly two decades against India. Earlier, Japan had banned Indian mangoes over fruit fly issues and lifted those curbs only in 2006 after India strengthened its treatment protocols. In March, a team of quarantine officers from Japan paid a visit to the Rehmanpur area of Uttar Pradesh and found a lack of fumigation and related disinfection measures at treatment facilities. The ban marks a big blow to Indian exporters, who have already been experiencing losses due to the West Asia conflicts. On the other hand, the restrictions introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal have reportedly been in force since April-May. The decision is likely to impact exports during the peak summer mango season and affect popular Indian varieties, including Alphonso, Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar, Langra and Banganapalli. Local traders told The Rising Nepal that the curbs were implemented without sufficient planning or a long-term roadmap, creating challenges for businesses. Bhuvaneshwar Purbe, general secretary of the Fruit and Vegetable Traders' Association in Janakpurdham, said domestic production may not be enough to satisfy the country's total demand for mangoes. He appealed to the government, led by Prime Minister Balen Shah, to improve quarantine mechanisms and permit the entry of Indian fruits after proper quality inspections, rather than enforcing a blanket ban on imports. Meanwhile, Nepali authorities have portrayed the restrictions as a measure to boost local fruit growers. Manish Kumar Pal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Madhes Province, told The Rising Nepal that the move has opened up greater market opportunities for domestically grown fruits, which he described as healthier alternatives. Also read: More babies behind bars than ever before? Report reveals 10-fold surge in ICE detentions under Trump What impact could ban have on India? India produces nearly 24 million metric tonnes of mango each year, with only around 32,000 metric tonnes being exported, while the vast majority is consumed domestically. The country's leading export destination for the top 5 mango varieties are the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. Although Nepal is not a major market for Indian mango exports, the restrictions could affect shipments of premium varieties such as Alphonso, Dasheri, Chausa, Kesar, Langra and Banganapalli. The issue has also sparked concerns over the use of chemical pesticides, drawing attention to quality and safety standards within India's fruit production sector.

Following Japan, Nepal has banned Indian mangoes and other fruits after border inspectors found high pesticide levels. While Nepal isn't a major export market, the ban hits premium varieties and intensifies safety concerns.

Why Nepal joins Japan in banning Indian Mango imports & how it could impact exporters

Taiwan and India have inked an academia-industry partnership that is meant to foster collaboration on semiconductor-related research, announced the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center(TECC), Chennai. The MoU in this regard was inked between Chennai Institute of Technology (CIT), Tamil Nadu, National Formosa University (NFU), Taiwan, and Air Gas Electronic Materials Enterprise Co., Ltd.&nbsp;(AGEM), Taiwan. As per estimates, Taiwan accounts for almost 60% of global semiconductor production and more than 90% of the world's most advanced chips. The island's tech ecosystem dominates the foundry sector, with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) serving as the primary supplier for global tech giants like Apple, Nvidia, and AMD. India has been making efforts to foray into the semiconductor value chain.&nbsp;Under the tripartite agreement, doctoral candidates will receive joint academic supervision from CIT and NFU, along with industrial mentorship and research support from AGEM. The program will promote advanced research, international mobility, and industry–academia engagement, preparing students as globally competitive researchers.&nbsp;The initiative is expected to enhance research capacity, facilitate knowledge exchange, and foster sustained cooperation among&nbsp;academic, industrial, and research institutions in India and Taiwan.&nbsp;&nbsp;The signing ceremony in Chennai was attended and witnessed by Mr. Stephen Hsu, Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chennai; Dr. Lung-Jieh Yang, Director, Science and Technology Division, TECC in New Delhi ; Dr. Shou-Yin Yang, Vice President for International Affairs, NFU; Mr. Desu&nbsp;Naveen Kumar Reddy of AGEM; and senior officials from CIT. Speaking at the event, DG Stephen Hsu emphasized that this MoU is the first academia- Industry collaboration on semiconductor research between Taiwan and Southern India. He referred to students as “Ambassadors of Innovation,” stressing their role in strengthening India–Taiwan ties.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-to-establish-space-tech-testing-facilities-in-gujarat-tamil-nadu-1779466409684">Indian govt to establish space tech testing facilities in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu</a>&nbsp;Taiwanese firm AGEM, which is a crucial pillar of this collaborative effort, possesses strong expertise in advanced gas purification technology, which plays a critical role in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Semiconductor fabrication processes, particularly etching(subtraction) and deposition(addition), require ultra-high purity (UHP) gases with impurity levels controlled down to parts-per-billion (ppb) or even parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;Even the smallest quantities of contamination from moisture, oxygen, hydrocarbons, or metallic impurities can significantly affect wafer yield, device performance, and process stability. AGEM’s strength lies in developing and operating sophisticated purification systems capable of producing semiconductor-grade specialty gases that meet the stringent quality standards demanded by leading semiconductor fabs.

Taiwan and India bridge academia and industry in a new partnership aimed at advancing semiconductor research and tech talent pipelines.

Taiwan and India have inked an academia-industry partnership that is meant to foster collaboration on semiconductor-related research, announced the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center(TECC), Chennai. The MoU in this regard was inked between Chennai Institute of Technology (CIT), Tamil Nadu, National Formosa University (NFU), Taiwan, and Air Gas Electronic Materials Enterprise Co., Ltd. (AGEM), Taiwan. As per estimates, Taiwan accounts for almost 60% of global semiconductor production and more than 90% of the world's most advanced chips. The island's tech ecosystem dominates the foundry sector, with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) serving as the primary supplier for global tech giants like Apple, Nvidia, and AMD. India has been making efforts to foray into the semiconductor value chain. Under the tripartite agreement, doctoral candidates will receive joint academic supervision from CIT and NFU, along with industrial mentorship and research support from AGEM. The program will promote advanced research, international mobility, and industry–academia engagement, preparing students as globally competitive researchers. The initiative is expected to enhance research capacity, facilitate knowledge exchange, and foster sustained cooperation among academic, industrial, and research institutions in India and Taiwan. The signing ceremony in Chennai was attended and witnessed by Mr. Stephen Hsu, Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chennai; Dr. Lung-Jieh Yang, Director, Science and Technology Division, TECC in New Delhi ; Dr. Shou-Yin Yang, Vice President for International Affairs, NFU; Mr. Desu Naveen Kumar Reddy of AGEM; and senior officials from CIT. Speaking at the event, DG Stephen Hsu emphasized that this MoU is the first academia- Industry collaboration on semiconductor research between Taiwan and Southern India. He referred to students as “Ambassadors of Innovation,” stressing their role in strengthening India–Taiwan ties. Also read: Indian govt to establish space tech testing facilities in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu Taiwanese firm AGEM, which is a crucial pillar of this collaborative effort, possesses strong expertise in advanced gas purification technology, which plays a critical role in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Semiconductor fabrication processes, particularly etching(subtraction) and deposition(addition), require ultra-high purity (UHP) gases with impurity levels controlled down to parts-per-billion (ppb) or even parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels. Even the smallest quantities of contamination from moisture, oxygen, hydrocarbons, or metallic impurities can significantly affect wafer yield, device performance, and process stability. AGEM’s strength lies in developing and operating sophisticated purification systems capable of producing semiconductor-grade specialty gases that meet the stringent quality standards demanded by leading semiconductor fabs.

Taiwan and India bridge academia and industry in a new partnership aimed at advancing semiconductor research and tech talent pipelines.

Taiwan-India ink academia-industry partnership on semiconductor-linked research

Israeli broadcaster KAN News has reported that $3 billion worth of Iranian assets were transferred from Abu Dhabi to Tehran in an effort to de-escalate tension between Iran and Israel. According to the unverified report from Israeli media, the assets were transferred through a private Boeing 737. Kan News further claims that the package, including a message to halt the strike on Israel, was delivered by the US. However, these reports stem from specific Israeli media and one Western Media Intel Watch, without any independent verification or confirmation from any government authorities.KAN News attributed the information to an Iranian-linked outlet without providing documentary evidence of the funds. The aircraft, registered A6-RJF, completed a short trip to and fro from Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport according to OSNIT analysis of the independent flight data. They are terming it as “buying peace”.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-ticket-crisis-resale-market-dynamic-pricing-1781068946669">FIFA World Cup ticket controversy: Why 180000 tickets are in resale market</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">KAN Israel News, citing an Iranian-linked news network, reports that $3 billion was transferred from Abu Dhabi to Tehran aboard a private Boeing 737. According to the report, Iran agreed to halt direct attacks on Israel after receiving a U.S. message, delivered through Qatar,… <a href="https://t.co/Z5Upvk91pW">pic.twitter.com/Z5Upvk91pW</a>&mdash; Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://x.com/Osint613/status/2064372996739895752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

According to the report, the exchange of messages was facilitated by Qatari mediators, and the package has already landed in Tehran. The message also accompanied the assurance that Israel would also suspend operations in Lebanon. The report of transfer comes amid a fragile ceasefire that survived after both Iran and Israel agreed to cease hostilities. Iran started to target Israel following repeated aggression from Israel in Lebanon. Multiple ceasefire attempts have been made from both sides but have failed. Both the US and Iran continued with hostilities even as the negotiate a deal.Following the report of the fund transfer between Iran and the US, there have been skirmishes in which Iran has taken down a US Apache Helicopter and an MQ Reaper Drone. While multiple explosions were heard across various parts of Southern Iran in Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abbas, Jask, Qeshm, and Sirik. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned the US to leave the region. While reports are circulating in Washington that the US is considering compensating Persian Gulf allies using Iranian frozen funds.&nbsp;

Israeli broadcaster KAN News claims $3 billion in Iranian assets were transferred to Tehran via Abu Dhabi to help de-escalate tensions with Israel. The report remains unverified by independent sources.

Israeli broadcaster KAN News has reported that $3 billion worth of Iranian assets were transferred from Abu Dhabi to Tehran in an effort to de-escalate tension between Iran and Israel. According to the unverified report from Israeli media, the assets were transferred through a private Boeing 737. Kan News further claims that the package, including a message to halt the strike on Israel, was delivered by the US. However, these reports stem from specific Israeli media and one Western Media Intel Watch, without any independent verification or confirmation from any government authorities. KAN News attributed the information to an Iranian-linked outlet without providing documentary evidence of the funds. The aircraft, registered A6-RJF, completed a short trip to and fro from Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport according to OSNIT analysis of the independent flight data. They are terming it as “buying peace”. Also Read: FIFA World Cup ticket controversy: Why 180000 tickets are in resale market

Israeli broadcaster KAN News claims $3 billion in Iranian assets were transferred to Tehran via Abu Dhabi to help de-escalate tensions with Israel. The report remains unverified by independent sources.

Israeli media claims $3 bn in Iranian assets transferred to Tehran amid ceasefire efforts

New Delhi: Negotiations between India and Russia for the acquisition and local production of the Su-57E fighter jet have reached an "advanced stage", according to Russian sources.The Russian side has offered New Delhi a package that includes an initial batch of ready-to-fly aircraft followed by licensed manufacturing at Indian facilities, in a move that could significantly boost the Indian Air Force's capabilities."Negotiations on the Su-57E project are at an advanced stage. The Russian side has thoroughly informed India on all technical advantages of Su-57E and has demonstrated maximum responsiveness to India's requirements, including those related to the localisation," a source said, detailing the proposals.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/12-years-of-modi-government-how-india-s-infrastructure-changed-under-his-watch-1781069848917">Modi govt 12 years: How India's infrastructure changed under his watch</a>Russia is proposing the supply of completed Su-57E jets before transitioning to full licensed production in India. It has also offered joint development of a two-seater version tailored to Indian Air Force specifications, along with the localisation of Russian aerial weapons and integration of Indian-made systems.Russian specialists have already audited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facilities, where the long-running Su-30MKI programme is currently produced.The Su-57E is presented as a fully-fledged fifth-generation platform. It features low radar signature through its airframe design, internal weapon bays and radar-absorbing coatings. The aircraft is equipped with an AESA radar, multi-channel weapons systems, an all-aspect electronic warfare suite, and network-centric capabilities." The Su-57 has real combat experience in A2/AD conditions with dense modern air defence and electronic warfare systems," the Russian source highlights.Proponents say its low observability would give it a decisive edge over fourth-generation fighters in both air-to-air and ground-attack roles. Additional features include onboard artificial intelligence elements and large internal bays for mission flexibility.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/j-k-steps-up-security-infrastructure-ahead-of-july-3-amarnath-yatra-1781077383001">J&amp;K steps up security, infrastructure ahead of July 3 Amarnath Yatra</a>For India, the project builds on six decades of successful joint aircraft production with Russia, noted for reliable technology transfer. Production could begin at existing HAL plants once a contract is signed, the Russian side explained.The potential deal comes as India seeks to modernise its air force amid regional security challenges. The Su-57E is positioned by the Russian side as a cost-effective route to fifth-generation capability, with significant industrial offsets for the Indian aerospace sector.The moves come against deepening China-Pakistan defence ties. Islamabad is awaiting delivery of up to 40 Shenyang J-35 stealth fighters from Beijing, its first fifth-generation acquisition, alongside joint weapons development projects. &nbsp;

Russia is proposing the supply of completed Su-57E jets before transitioning to full licensed production in India. It has also offered joint development of a two-seater version tailored to Indian Air Force specifications.

New Delhi: Negotiations between India and Russia for the acquisition and local production of the Su-57E fighter jet have reached an "advanced stage", according to Russian sources. The Russian side has offered New Delhi a package that includes an initial batch of ready-to-fly aircraft followed by licensed manufacturing at Indian facilities, in a move that could significantly boost the Indian Air Force's capabilities. "Negotiations on the Su-57E project are at an advanced stage. The Russian side has thoroughly informed India on all technical advantages of Su-57E and has demonstrated maximum responsiveness to India's requirements, including those related to the localisation," a source said, detailing the proposals. Also read | Modi govt 12 years: How India's infrastructure changed under his watch Russia is proposing the supply of completed Su-57E jets before transitioning to full licensed production in India. It has also offered joint development of a two-seater version tailored to Indian Air Force specifications, along with the localisation of Russian aerial weapons and integration of Indian-made systems. Russian specialists have already audited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facilities, where the long-running Su-30MKI programme is currently produced. The Su-57E is presented as a fully-fledged fifth-generation platform. It features low radar signature through its airframe design, internal weapon bays and radar-absorbing coatings. The aircraft is equipped with an AESA radar, multi-channel weapons systems, an all-aspect electronic warfare suite, and network-centric capabilities. " The Su-57 has real combat experience in A2/AD conditions with dense modern air defence and electronic warfare systems," the Russian source highlights. Proponents say its low observability would give it a decisive edge over fourth-generation fighters in both air-to-air and ground-attack roles. Additional features include onboard artificial intelligence elements and large internal bays for mission flexibility. Also read | J&K steps up security, infrastructure ahead of July 3 Amarnath Yatra For India, the project builds on six decades of successful joint aircraft production with Russia, noted for reliable technology transfer. Production could begin at existing HAL plants once a contract is signed, the Russian side explained. The potential deal comes as India seeks to modernise its air force amid regional security challenges. The Su-57E is positioned by the Russian side as a cost-effective route to fifth-generation capability, with significant industrial offsets for the Indian aerospace sector. The moves come against deepening China-Pakistan defence ties. Islamabad is awaiting delivery of up to 40 Shenyang J-35 stealth fighters from Beijing, its first fifth-generation acquisition, alongside joint weapons development projects.

Russia is proposing the supply of completed Su-57E jets before transitioning to full licensed production in India. It has also offered joint development of a two-seater version tailored to Indian Air Force specifications.

Russia proposes two-seater Su-57E variant and weapons integration to India

Sparking a major controversy, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during a June 9 security cabinet discussion in Israel allegedly suggested arresting and kidnapping Lebanese women and children to pressurise Hezbollah. He also called for bombing Beirut, dand occupying territory in retaliation for Hezbollah drone strikes. Terming his ideas as “out of the box” the Israeli minister said that Israel should do things that “hurts them the most.” “We must think outside the box regarding Hezbollah, and we should also consider occupying territory and killing many terrorists,” Ben-Gvir said, as cited by Maariv newspaper. Ben-Gvir also called for “arresting their women and children,” saying, “This is what hurts them most.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Hezbollah of seeking to drag Israel into “a war of attrition.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-says-it-intercepted-aerial-target-from-yemen-as-fresh-strikes-in-lebanon-kill-14-1780959754433">Israel says intercepted aerial target from Yemen as fresh strikes in Lebanon kill 14</a><h2>Trump Netanyahu disagreements</h2>According to reports, Netanyahu was rebuked by Trump after IDF retaliated to Iran strikes without Washington's nod. Trump told Netanyahu that he would be isolated if he moves ahead with his Iran plans without paying heed to American negotiations. Trump had also asserted his authority on Sunday and said in an interview that it is he who “calls the shots and not the Israeli PM.” Last Monday, Axios reported that Trump's call with Netanyahu was expletive laden. He reportedly told the Israeli PM that he is “fucking crazy” and that everyone “hates Israel.” The Axios report this morning quotes the US president saying: “I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-using-lebanon-as-bargaining-chip-in-negotiations-with-us-says-lebanese-president-joseph-aoun-1780672889045">‘Iran using Lebanon as bargaining chip in negotiations with US,’ says Lebanese President Joseph Aoun</a>&nbsp;Netanyahu's move to cease the attacks and his decision to listen to the US president led to disagreements among security cabinet ministers. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly argued that Israel should resist US pressure, saying, “We need to stand our ground against Trump. We need to fight tooth and nail and make it clear that we have red lines.” Netanyahu reportedly responded by suggesting Ben Gvir’s position was influenced by the approaching election campaign, a charge the far-right minister rejected. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reportedly argued that Israel should continue to focus its military response on Hezbollah targets in Beirut.&nbsp;Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Israeli ministers have intensified rhetoric against Lebanon following Hezbollah drone strikes, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for harsher military action and territorial occupation. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Hezbollah of pursuing a war of attrition.

Sparking a major controversy, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during a June 9 security cabinet discussion in Israel allegedly suggested arresting and kidnapping Lebanese women and children to pressurise Hezbollah. He also called for bombing Beirut, dand occupying territory in retaliation for Hezbollah drone strikes. Terming his ideas as “out of the box” the Israeli minister said that Israel should do things that “hurts them the most.” “We must think outside the box regarding Hezbollah, and we should also consider occupying territory and killing many terrorists,” Ben-Gvir said, as cited by Maariv newspaper. Ben-Gvir also called for “arresting their women and children,” saying, “This is what hurts them most.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Hezbollah of seeking to drag Israel into “a war of attrition.” Also Read: Israel says intercepted aerial target from Yemen as fresh strikes in Lebanon kill 14 Trump Netanyahu disagreements According to reports, Netanyahu was rebuked by Trump after IDF retaliated to Iran strikes without Washington's nod. Trump told Netanyahu that he would be isolated if he moves ahead with his Iran plans without paying heed to American negotiations. Trump had also asserted his authority on Sunday and said in an interview that it is he who “calls the shots and not the Israeli PM.” Last Monday, Axios reported that Trump's call with Netanyahu was expletive laden. He reportedly told the Israeli PM that he is “fucking crazy” and that everyone “hates Israel.” The Axios report this morning quotes the US president saying: “I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.” Also Read: ‘Iran using Lebanon as bargaining chip in negotiations with US,’ says Lebanese President Joseph Aoun Netanyahu's move to cease the attacks and his decision to listen to the US president led to disagreements among security cabinet ministers. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly argued that Israel should resist US pressure, saying, “We need to stand our ground against Trump. We need to fight tooth and nail and make it clear that we have red lines.” Netanyahu reportedly responded by suggesting Ben Gvir’s position was influenced by the approaching election campaign, a charge the far-right minister rejected. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reportedly argued that Israel should continue to focus its military response on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Israeli ministers have intensified rhetoric against Lebanon following Hezbollah drone strikes, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for harsher military action and territorial occupation. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Hezbollah of pursuing a war of attrition.

'Abduct Lebanese women, arrest children': Israeli minister's 'out-of-the-box' proposal to defeat Hezbollah sparks outrage

world

World, News on World, stories on World, articles on World, World stories at Wion, World news, World latest news

world news

Canada envoy Cooter says ties with India at ‘best moment ever’; energy, defence cooperation to accelerate

Trump, other world leaders congratulate PM Modi on completing 12 years in office

India withholds final clearances for Starlink over West Asia war use: Report

China begins building ‘world’s largest’ inland ship locks at Three Gorges Dam

Trump says US going to hit Iran very hard again today, reiterates he wants deal

India summons US diplomat over strike on tanker off Oman; three Indians missing

3 Indians missing, 21 rescued after tanker attacked off Oman; MEA slams incident

Sweden’s Saab in ‘continuous’ talks with India for Gripen E fighter jets

Trump says he may ‘keep going’ with strikes on Iran, hit power plants, bridges

US inflation climbs to 4.2%, highest in three years: Here's why

Likud confirms Netanyahu re-election bid after Trump casts doubt on future

Bill Gates faces Congress: What he may reveal about Jeffrey Epstein under oath

‘It is a steel wall’: Trump says US naval blockade most successful in history

Keir Starmer condemns Belfast violence as 'shocking and completely unacceptable'

Pakistan Army Mi-17 Helicopter crashes near Muzaffarabad, all on board dead

‘Iran will pay the price,’ warns Trump, says Tehran ‘missed the chance’ for deal

Operation Nasr: A new and bolder doctrine of Iran's new leaders

Two crew missing after fire erupts in tanker engine room along Oman coast

Nepal reopens 2001 royal massacre case: Why palace killings remain a mystery

'Defend the rights of our sisters': Taliban opens fire on women's rights protest

What is StormWall? Scientists' plan to protect Earth from dangerous solar storms

Why Nepal bans Indian Mangoes after Japan and what it means?

Taiwan-India ink academia-industry partnership on semiconductor-linked research

$3 bn in Iranian assets transferred to Tehran amid ceasefire efforts- Report

Russia proposes two-seater Su-57E variant and weapons integration to India

'Abduct Lebanese women': Israeli minister's idea defeat Hezbollah