Asia

Breaking: Ferry Sinks Off Bali, US Claims 1-2 Year Setback to Iran Nuclear Program, Trump Demands Fed Chair Quit Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇮🇩** Breaking: Ferry Sinks Off Bali** Dozens missing after ferry carrying 65 people sinks off Indonesia’s Bali. Live Tracker - Al Jazeera 🇮🇷** US Claims 1-2 Year Setback to Iran Nuclear Program** Pentagon officials said US airstrikes set back Iran’s nuclear program by one to two years, backing Trump’s claims the facilities were “completely obliterated” despite earlier Defense Intelligence Agency assessments suggesting only months of delay. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the strikes at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz degraded Iran’s physical capability to construct a bomb, though the location of Iran’s 409-kilogram near-bomb-grade uranium inventory remains unknown. Iran has cut communication with IAEA officials and formally ended inspections after the June strikes. More - Bloomberg ...

Trump Announces Iran Talks, Kenya Protests Kill 16, Injure Hundreds Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇺🇸** 🇮🇷 Trump Announces Iran Talks** President Trump said the US will meet with Iran next week but questioned the need for a nuclear agreement, claiming American bombing “obliterated” key atomic sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. Trump declared the Middle East conflict “over” as the Israel-Iran ceasefire held for a second day, though he disputed Pentagon intelligence that the strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by months. Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed nuclear installations were “badly damaged” while parliament approved suspending IAEA cooperation until sites are secured. More - Bloomberg ...

Latest Update on the Israel-Iran Conflict Andrew Sheves Good morning. Apologies for the late SITREP Latest Update Israel-Iran Conflict (June 18–19, 2025) Escalation and Military Developments On June 18 and 19, the conflict between Israel and Iran intensified notably. Iran launched a new wave of missiles targeting central and southern Israel, inflicting significant damage on key infrastructure, including a direct hit on Soroka Hospital. This attack was part of an escalating cycle of retaliatory strikes between the two nations[1]. ...

Air India Jet Crashes Shortly After Take Off, IAEA Censures Iran and US Draws Down Regional Presence, Anti-Immigrant Riots in Northern Ireland Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🚨** Breaking - Air India Jet Crashes Shortly After Take Off** An Air India jet headed from Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after takeoff. Via the BBC “Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number. Families in India seeking more information can call 1800 5691 444” Live Tracker - BBC ...

US-China Rare Earth Exports Explainer, US Vetoes Gaza Ceasefire, Putin Threatens Ukraine Retaliation Andrew Sheves Good morning. ⛏️ US-China Rare Earth Exports Explainer The US-China trade deal celebrated in Geneva is fraying over rare earth exports, with Washington accusing Beijing of violating promises to restore mineral flows while China maintains licensing requirements imposed in April. China agreed to suspend sanctions on 45 US companies for 90 days but never explicitly promised to reverse export licensing for seven critical rare earths used in electric motors and hard drives. US officials expected immediate resumption of exports after Geneva talks, but Chinese licensing approvals are coming through slowly as Beijing works through bureaucratic processes, with some companies now obtaining permits but exports remaining below pre-restriction levels. Full Explainer on Bloomberg ...

Trump Tariffs Blocked, Iran Strike ‘On Hold’ Andrew Sheves Good morning. ✋** Trump Tariffs Blocked** A US trade court ruled President Trump’s global tariffs illegal and blocked their implementation, delivering a major blow to a cornerstone of his economic agenda. The three-judge panel sided with Democratic states and small businesses who argued Trump wrongfully invoked emergency powers to justify the levies, marking one of his biggest legal setbacks amid widespread challenges to his executive orders. Global markets have fluctuated wildly since the tariffs were announced April 2, with trillions in market value lost and regained amid delays and potential trade deal announcements. More - Bloomberg ...

Israeli Embassy Staff Killed in DC, Bond Market Revolt, IDF Fires on Diplomats in West Bank, Former Ukrainian Official Murdered in Spain Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇮🇱** Israeli Embassy Staff Killed in DC** Two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead outside Washington’s Jewish museum on Wednesday night by a gunman who chanted “free Palestine” while in custody. The victims, Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were leaving a diplomatic reception when 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago opened fire at close range. The FBI is investigating as terrorism and hate crime, with Israel stepping up embassy security worldwide. More - Financial Times ...

Zelensky Criticizes ‘Sham’ Talks, Trump Suggests Iran Nuclear Deal Close Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇺🇦** Zelensky Criticizes ‘Sham’ Talks** Russia sent only low-level representatives to potential peace talks in Istanbul, dashing hopes for a high-profile diplomatic breakthrough. Ukrainian President Zelensky criticized Moscow’s delegation as “more like a sham level” while Western allies urged Ukraine to participate despite the setback. Russia’s negotiating team mirrors its 2022 delegation and appears to be maintaining its hard-line demands. More - Washington Post ...

India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇮🇳** 🇵🇰 India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate** India and Pakistan traded missile strikes and drone attacks following India’s retaliation on Wednesday for the Kashmir militant. Pakistan reports 31 deaths from Indian strikes while India claims 16 civilian casualties from Pakistani shelling, with both sides claiming that they are neutralizing enemy weapons, but the situation is fluid and claims are hard to verify. This BBC Live Tracker is Monitoring the Situation ...

US-Ukraine Minerals Deal, China’s Domestic Economic Pressures. Plus we’re relaunching deep dives (with an upgrade) Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇺🇦** US-Ukraine Minerals Deal Signed** Ukraine and the US signed an agreement to establish the “United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund” for joint investment in Ukraine’s natural resources, marking a diplomatic victory for Kyiv which rewrote the deal after initially refusing to sign. The revised agreement removes language requiring Ukraine to reimburse Washington for past military aid and includes provisions protecting Ukraine from violating EU laws, though Trump’s frustration grows over the three-week delay in signing. The largely symbolic deal offers no concrete security guarantees but signals “long-term strategic alignment” between the countries. More - Washington Post ...