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Saturday, June 27, 2026

US Hits Iran's Military Sites In Fresh Strikes; IRGC Attacks Bases In Kuwait, Bahrain In Retaliation

The United States carried out another round of military strikes on Iran hours after a Panama-flagged tanker was hit by an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the most serious escalation since the two sides signed an interim peace agreement two weeks ago. US Central Command said its forces launched the operation following the attack on the tanker early Saturday. Saturday's assault on the tanker came just two days after a drone strike on a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, which had already triggered renewed hostilities between the two countries. In Iran, state broadcaster IRIB reported hearing explosions in the southern city of Sirik early Sunday, though it did not provide further details, Reuters reported. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fdw3McGHI_M?si=vRyXIoaYjkpm4CKu" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h3>Trump Issues Stark Warning</h3> US President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Tehran in a social media post following the latest military action. "There may come a point &zwnj;when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!" Trump wrote. US Central Command said its forces carried out the latest strikes in response to the attack on the tanker. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/pm-modi-trump-think-alike-us-envoy-sergio-gor-white-house-new-delhi-washington-1853078">'Modi And Trump Think Alike': US Envoy Sergio Gor On The Leaders' Bond</a> <h3>Iran Claims Retaliatory Strikes</h3> Iran said it retaliated on Saturday by targeting sites linked to US forces. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its navy and aerospace units launched coordinated missile and drone attacks against US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain in response to recent American strikes, Reuters reported. In a statement carried by Press TV, the IRGC accused Washington of violating the ceasefire. "Violating the ceasefire is contrary to Clause 1 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and will result in the complete halt of all diplomatic processes," the statement said. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/us-envoy-sergio-gor-donald-trump-india-trade-deal-will-be-completed-in-next-few-weeks-or-months-1853074">'Only Handful Of Issues Left': US Envoy Says India Trade Deal Will Be Completed In Next Few Weeks</a> <h3>Tensions Rise Despite Interim Peace Deal</h3> The latest exchange of attacks represents the most significant deterioration in relations since Washington and Tehran agreed to an interim peace arrangement aimed at easing months of hostilities and safeguarding maritime traffic through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The renewed violence has cast fresh uncertainty over efforts to stabilise one of the world's busiest maritime trade corridors.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-hits-iran-military-sites-fresh-strikes-irgc-missile-drone-attacks-kuwait-bahrain-retaliation-ceasefire-violation-trump-1853097

Private sector indispensable to India-US AI, critical minerals push: Official

Washington, Jun 28 (PTI): The private sector will play an indispensable role in transforming India-US cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technologies and critical minerals into real-world outcomes, a senior Indian official said, as the two countries deepen collaboration in strategic technologies. Speaking at a roundtable on "Securing the Foundations of AI Together: US–India Cooperation from Minerals to Microchips", Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs K Nagaraj Naidu said recent initiatives between India and the US were laying the foundation for long-term collaboration across strategic technology sectors. "India and the United States have built a comprehensive strategic partnership fit for the 21st century. Through initiatives spanning AI, quantum technologies, critical minerals, advanced energy, and trusted supply chains, we are now moving from principles to projects. The private sector will play an indispensable role in transforming these frameworks into real-world outcomes," Naidu said. The roundtable was organised earlier this week by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) in association with the Embassy of India and Silverado Policy Accelerator. S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), outlined India's rapid emergence as a global electronics and semiconductor hub. "India is positioning itself as a trusted and resilient partner in the global technology supply chain. Our electronics manufacturing ecosystem has expanded dramatically, semiconductor fabrication is now becoming a reality, and the next phase of our Semiconductor Mission will build on this momentum," Krishnan said. "Combined with India's talent, digital public infrastructure, and AI capabilities, we have an opportunity to develop solutions not just for India, but for the world," he added. India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra underscored the complementary strengths of the two democracies in advanced technologies. "The opportunity before the United States and India extends from chips to neural networks. India's mission-based approach across semiconductors, AI, and quantum technologies, combined with America's innovation ecosystem, creates enormous potential for collaboration. Together, we can build trusted, resilient technology ecosystems while ensuring secure access to the critical infrastructure that powers these emerging technologies," he said. USISPF President and CEO Mukesh Aghi said microchips and critical minerals had become the "elixir" of the modern economy and would shape global technological leadership in the 21st century. "The United States and India are uniquely positioned to build the trusted technology partnership of the 21st century. From semiconductors and AI to critical minerals and quantum technologies, the government can establish the enabling framework, but it is industry that will ultimately drive execution, innovation, and investment," Aghi said. Also present at the roundtable were Bill Guidera, Deputy Under Secretary for Innovation and Engagement at the US Department of Commerce, and Christopher Saldana, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Critical Minerals, Materials and Manufacturing, US Department of Energy. PTI SKU NB NB(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/private-sector-indispensable-to-india-us-ai-critical-minerals-push-official-1853093

Ukraine Hits Russian Weapons Factory, Fuel Hub As Cross-Border Attacks Escalate

Edited by: Wesley Dockery Ukraine continued attacks deep in Russian territory on Saturday, striking premises in the city of Volgograd that produce advanced weapons, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. In a second major strike, Kyiv said Ukrainian drones hit an oil pumping station that delivers fuel to Russia's capital, Moscow. The two attacks came a day after Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone assaults in the four-and-a-half-year-old war, targeting a dozen Russian regions, Crimea and shipping at sea. <h2>What Do We Know About The Ukrainian Strikes?</h2> Zelenskyy wrote on X that Ukrainian-made FP-5 Flamingo missiles hit the Titan-Barrikady facility in Volgograd in southwestern Russia, which he described as a “major industrial complex.” He said Russia produces "artillery systems and specialized military equipment, including components for missile launch systems" at the site. The strikes caused a fire at the &zwnj;⁠plant, Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram app. Ukraine's General Staff said the facility makes equipment for missile systems, including self-propelled launchers and transport-loading vehicles for the Iskander-M missile system. Russia confirmed the attack, with regional Governor Andrei Bocharov writing on Telegram that at least 10 people were wounded and taken to the hospital. Bocharvo said the production facilities of one plant were damaged, Around the same time Saturday, Ukrainian drones attacked a Russian oil pumping station crucial for Moscow's fuel supply, Ukraine's SBU Security Service said. The strikes hit a technical building at the facility owned by the state-owned oil pipeline giant, Transneft. The facility is based in Vtorovo, near the capital of the Vladimir region, east of Moscow. The Kremlin has yet to comment on the strike, the second successful attack on the pumping station in a month. <h2>Russian Strikes Leave Several Dead, Injured In Ukraine</h2> Russia, meanwhile, launched strikes on at least three regions of Ukraine overnight, killing two people and wounding more than 20, according to Ukrainian authorities. In the central eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, one person was killed and two were injured when drones and aerial bombs struck two districts more than 30 times, an official wrote on Telegram. A 66-year-old man was killed in a Russian drone attack on a house in the northern Sumy region, according to the regional military governor. The governor spoke of "a massive attack" elsewhere in the same region bordering Russia that injured 10 people. Strikes on the southeastern town of Zaporizhzhia injured nine, including two children, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said. Also on Saturday, the RIA news agency reported that Russian forces &zwnj;have seized the village of Novoskeliuvate &zwnj;in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region. Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/ukraine-hits-russian-weapons-factory-fuel-hub-as-cross-border-attacks-escalate-1853084

Friday, June 26, 2026

US, Iran Trade Fire After Tehran Attacks Cargo Ship In Strait Of Hormuz, Raising Fresh Concern Over Ceasefire

The United States carried out military strikes on Iran on Friday, a day after a drone attack targeted a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the most serious challenge yet to the understanding reached between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate their months-long conflict and restore security in the strategically vital waterway. The situation escalated further hours later after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that it had launched retaliatory strikes against US military positions in the region in response to the American operation, intensifying fears that the fragile ceasefire could unravel. US President Donald Trump said the drone strike amounted to a violation of the ceasefire. The military action came shortly after he hinted at a possible response while speaking to reporters, Associated Press reported. “You’ll find out,” Trump said when asked whether the United States would retaliate. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pZiPN-7ZC7I?si=zUmqpUJgcBOf6tUh" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h2>Missile, Drone And Radar Sites Targeted</h2> The US Central Command said American forces struck missile and drone storage positions, along with coastal radar installations inside Iran in response to a one-way drone attack on M/V Ever Lovely on June 25. "The Singapore-flagged cargo ship was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast at the time of Iran’s attack," CENTCOM said. Speaking at the White House before the operation, Trump criticised Tehran over the previous day's attack. “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said. When questioned about authorising military action despite repeatedly saying negotiations with Tehran were progressing well, Trump replied: “They’re a little bit different.” ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/foolish-ceasefire-violation-trump-alleges-iran-fired-four-attack-drones-at-ships-1852920">'Foolish Ceasefire Violation': Trump Alleges Iran Fired Four Attack Drones At Ships</a> <h2>Iran Defends Its Position</h2> Earlier on Friday, Ebrahim Azizi, who chairs the Iranian parliament's national security commission, responded to Trump's remarks through social media. He wrote that “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules” and urged Washington to “not mistake control for escalation.” “This is not a violation of the ceasefire; it is ceasefire management,” Azizi wrote. US Vice President JD Vance took to X to warn Iran against violation of ceasefire agreement. He urged Tehran to "pick up the phone" to talk if there are disagreements about the peace deal.  "Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone," he wrote on X. "But violence will be met with violence," Vance warned. <h3>Iran Announces Retaliatory Strikes</h3> Following the US operation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it had targeted US military positions in the region in retaliation for the American strikes on Iranian coastal facilities. Iran's state-run IRNA News Agency reported that the retaliatory operation was launched shortly after the US attack. Ebrahim Azizi accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and acting in bad faith during ongoing diplomatic efforts. "The U.S. attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations once again. The failed U.S. President has shown he has no commitment to the principles of negotiation or a ceasefire. This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part. The blame game does not work anymore," Azizi said in a post on X. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-peace-deal-live-updates-marco-rubio-announces-framework-agreement-between-israel-and-lebanon-1852928">US Announces Framework Agreement Between Israel And Lebanon</a> <h2>Operation Ends Within An Hour</h2> According to a US official familiar with the matter, the strikes concluded about an hour after the US Central Command announced the operation on social media. The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the military operation was still ongoing, confirmed the action had ended shortly after it began.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-strikes-iran-after-drone-attack-on-cargo-ship-in-strait-of-hormuz-ceasefire-deal-violation-trump-1852935

100% Tariff Threat: Trump Draws Red Line On Digital Services Tax

US President Donald Trump on Friday warned that any country imposing a Digital Services Tax (DST) on American companies would face a 100 per cent tariff on all goods exported to the United States, adding that such a move would override any existing or future trade agreement with Washington. In a post on Truth Social, Trump singled out European countries that he said were considering the imminent implementation of digital taxes targeting American technology firms. <h2>Trump Warns Of Immediate Tariff</h2> Issuing a strong warning, Trump said countries proceeding with a Digital Services Tax would face immediate trade consequences. “Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this. Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America. This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed if they proceed,” he wrote. <h2>India Unlikely To Be Affected</h2> Trump's latest warning is unlikely to affect India. New Delhi had already withdrawn some of its Digital Services Tax levies in 2024 and 2025. According to the White House, India will completely remove the DST under the trade agreement currently being negotiated with the United States. <h2>Long-Running Opposition To Digital Taxes</h2> Trump has consistently opposed foreign governments imposing digital taxes or regulatory measures on American technology companies. Supporters of Digital Services Taxes argue that they ensure large technology firms pay taxes in the countries where they generate revenue and help address tax optimisation practices. Last August, Trump warned of retaliatory tariffs against countries introducing such taxes, saying digital taxes and related regulations “are all designed to harm, or discriminate against, American Technology.” <h2>France, Canada Previously In Trump's Crosshairs</h2> Earlier this month, Trump threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on French wine and champagne unless France withdrew its digital services tax on technology companies. France introduced a three per cent levy in 2019 on revenues earned within the country by major technology firms, including Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google parent Alphabet. Canada also scrapped its Digital Services Tax last year in an effort to preserve trade negotiations with the United States following pressure from Trump.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/100-tariff-threat-trump-draws-red-line-on-digital-services-tax-1852927

'Darling, Please Don't Dance': Melania Warned Trump But He Did It Anyway

Donald Trump brought up transgender athletes once again during a rally-style speech in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, June 23, even after admitting that First Lady Melania Trump had asked him multiple times to stop making such remarks in public. Speaking to a crowd at the Mack Trucks Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, the US President revealed that his wife had specifically asked him not to dance on stage or act out his usual bits about transgender athletes in women's sports. Minutes later, he did both anyway. <h2>What Did Trump Say Melania Told Him?</h2> Trump told the audience that Melania had pleaded with him over his stage habits, recalling her words: "Darling, please, please don't dance. It's not presidential."  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> WATCH: President Trump once again imitates a transgender in weightlifting during his speech in Pennsylvania. <a href="https://t.co/MrAgBI06k0">pic.twitter.com/MrAgBI06k0</a> — Tabz (@TabzLIVE) <a href="https://ift.tt/N6OfRy8 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script src="https://ift.tt/vyGbCU7" async="" charset="utf-8"></script> He said she had gone a step further, asking him to drop his go-to examples involving women's weightlifting and swimming events when discussing transgender participation in sports. According to Trump, she said, "Please, please, the men and women's sports, please don't do the weightlifting thing. And don't do the swimming thing." ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/india/didis-distinct-path-why-losing-tmc-symbol-won-t-replicate-shiv-sena-ncp-fate-for-mamata-1852798">Didi’s Distinct Path: Why Losing TMC Symbol Won’t Replicate Shiv Sena-NCP Fate For Mamata</a> Despite sharing this, Trump went on to act out a detailed story about a female weightlifter chasing a long-standing record. He physically mimicked her effort on stage, then introduced a fictional transgender competitor who, in his version of events, broke the record with ease. Parts of the crowd responded with laughter as he performed the bit. <h2>Why Does Trump's Rhetoric On Transgender Athletes Keep Sparking Debate?</h2> This isn't new territory for Trump, who has repeatedly used transgender participation in women's sports as a talking point at rallies and public events. His supporters say the issue boils down to fairness in athletic competition, arguing that physical differences create an uneven playing field.  LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and transgender rights organisations, however, have consistently pushed back, calling his comments misleading and harmful. They argue that such rhetoric oversimplifies the realities of transgender participation in sport and singles out a community that is already vulnerable to discrimination. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/india/mahesh-dixit-appointed-intelligence-bureau-chief-senior-ips-officer-andhra-pradesh-cadre-1852713">Senior IPS Officer Mahesh Dixit Appointed Intelligence Bureau Chief</a> The Pennsylvania speech adds to a long list of similar comments from Trump on the subject, keeping the issue firmly in the political spotlight as the debate over transgender athletes in sports continues nationally.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-melania-please-dont-dance-not-presidential-transgender-athletes-rally-1852806

Thursday, June 25, 2026

UN Pauses Hormuz Maritime Escorts After Fresh Strike; UK Says Vessel Was Hit

A fresh security scare in the Strait of Hormuz has cast doubt over the durability of the tentative peace process between the United States and Iran after a cargo vessel was struck near Oman, prompting the United Nations' International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to suspend its newly launched escort initiative. <h3>Cargo Ship Damaged As Maritime Security Concerns Resurface</h3> According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a cargo ship sustained damage after being struck near the coast of Oman on Thursday. Authorities confirmed there were no injuries among the crew and no environmental pollution resulting from the incident. Four sources identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely. One security official indicated that the ship was likely targeted by a drone. Meanwhile, two U.S. officials told Reuters that Iran was responsible for firing on the vessel. Tehran, however, did not directly acknowledge the allegation. Instead, Iran's newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority maintained that ships operating outside its designated navigation corridors would not receive security assurances. The authority warned that “consequences arising from passage through unauthorized routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander.” ALSO READ: <a title="Death Toll Could Surpass 10,000 After Twin Quakes Rock Venezuela's Caracas, USGS Warn" href="https://ift.tt/pqQvSyP" target="_self">Death Toll Could Surpass 10,000 After Twin Quakes Rock Venezuela's Caracas, USGS Warn</a> <h3>IMO Suspends Escort Programme Pending Safety Review</h3> In response to the attack, the IMO announced that it would temporarily halt its escort programme, which had only been launched earlier this week as a voluntary measure to facilitate safer passage through the Strait of Hormuz. IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez explained the decision, saying the organisation had chosen “to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region.” The IMO also clarified that the Ever Lovely was not participating in its escort programme. The initiative had offered two optional transit routes—one through Iranian-controlled waters and another via Omani waters under U.S. oversight. <h3>Fragile US-Iran Peace Process Faces Fresh Test</h3> The maritime incident comes at a sensitive moment, with Washington and Tehran working under a memorandum of understanding signed last week that provides a 60-day window to negotiate the terms of an interim peace agreement. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Iran failed to comply with the deal, the United States would “probably go back to bombing the country again.” During a visit to the Gulf region, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also underscored the importance of maintaining uninterrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, stating: “If that stops, then we’re going to have a problem.” ALSO READ: <a title="Ram Temple Donation Theft Case: 7 Detained For Questioning After FIR; Action Against Big Names Likely Today" href="https://ift.tt/iPSN0G2" target="_self">Ram Temple Donation Theft Case: 7 Detained For Questioning After FIR; Action Against Big Names Likely Today</a> <h3>Oil Markets React To Renewed Uncertainty</h3> The latest attack quickly reverberated through global energy markets. Benchmark crude oil prices climbed about 2% as traders weighed the possibility of renewed disruptions to shipping through the Gulf. Although vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has gradually recovered in recent days, shipping volumes remain below levels seen before the conflict. Oil prices had briefly slipped below the prewar benchmark of $73 per barrel, reflecting cautious optimism that normal trade could resume. However, Thursday's incident has once again raised concerns that instability in the region may continue to threaten one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-war-hormuz-un-pauses-maritime-escorts-after-fresh-strike-uk-says-vessel-was-hit-oman-1852719