The Costs of the Iran War: Thousands of Lives and Billions of Dollars – The New York Times

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  1. The Costs of the Iran War: Thousands of Lives and Billions of Dollars  The New York Times
  2. Was It Worth It? The True Cost of Trump’s Iran War  Council on Foreign Relations
  3. Tallying the global cost of the US-Israel war against Iran  The Guardian
  4. Here's how much the Iran war cost — and how its effects will linger  NPR
  5. Trump war on Iran wipes out wage growth since he retook office  People's World
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Barack Obama says US is ‘worse off’ than before war with Iran

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Former president nevertheless said in an interview that he was happy to see a ceasefire with Iran and hopes it holds

Barack Obama has said that after 15 weeks of war with Iran, the US is now “worse off” than before the conflict started in February.

“We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse off,” the former US president told NBC News in an interview that aired on Friday.

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Italy PM Meloni ‘stunned’ by Trump’s claims she begged him for a photo

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US president provokes outrage as PM says he ‘totally invented’ story in interview with Italian media

Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has said Donald Trump “totally invented” a story about her after the US president claimed she begged him to take a photo with her during the G7 summit.

The two former allies had appeared to be getting their relationship back on track by having several one-to-ones on the sidelines at the gathering in Évian after falling out in April over the US-Israeli war in Iran.

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Israel slams EU’s Kallas for ‘apartheid’ comment: Are ties unravelling? – Al Jazeera

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  1. Israel slams EU’s Kallas for ‘apartheid’ comment: Are ties unravelling?  Al Jazeera
  2. Israel says it's cutting ties to EU's Kaja Kallas  DW.com
  3. Israeli foreign minister to ‘sever all contact’ with top EU diplomat  politico.eu
  4. The Joke's on Sa'ar: Nobody's Buying Stale, Recycled Slogans From Israel's Top Diplomat - Opinion  Haaretz
  5. Merz rebukes Kallas over Israel 'apartheid' comments  Euractiv
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Thousand-year-old ancient oak tree linked to ‘Robin Hood’ legend has died, experts say – ABC7 Los Angeles

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  1. Thousand-year-old ancient oak tree linked to 'Robin Hood' legend has died, experts say  ABC7 Los Angeles
  2. The Major Oak, Ancient Tree of Robin Hood Legend, Has Died  The New York Times
  3. Ancient Sherwood Forest oak tree reputed to have sheltered Robin Hood has died  Yahoo
  4. Robin Hood's Oak Tree Hideout Dies After 1,200 Years in Sherwood Forest  People.com
  5. We would like to hear your memories of the Major oak in Sherwood Forest  The Guardian
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3-year-old critically injured by crocodile after ending up in its enclosure in British zoo – NBC News

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  1. 3-year-old critically injured by crocodile after ending up in its enclosure in British zoo  NBC News
  2. Man Forced Boy, 3, Into Crocodile Pen at English Zoo, Police Say  The New York Times
  3. Police release man arrested after boy, 3, ends up in UK zoo's crocodile enclosure  KSL News
  4. Man arrested after 3-year-old boy critically injured in crocodile enclosure: Police  ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
  5. Woman who saved boy at Cambridgeshire crocodile zoo is praised  BBC
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ICC chief prosecutor Khan suspended by British lawyers’ regulator – Reuters

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  1. ICC chief prosecutor Khan suspended by British lawyers' regulator  Reuters
  2. ICC prosecutor temporarily suspended from British bar  AP News
  3. British lawyers’ body suspends ICC Prosecutor Khan over misconduct claim  Al Jazeera
  4. ICC member states to vote July 24 on whether to remove chief prosecutor — WSJ  The Times of Israel
  5. ICC prosecutor suspended by UK barristers’ watchdog amid sexual misconduct inquiry  The Guardian
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Russian internet exploded after Moscow airstrikes, war channels demand nuclear revenge on Kyiv (Ukraine Battlefield update, Day 1,576) – EUobserver

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  1. Russian internet exploded after Moscow airstrikes, war channels demand nuclear revenge on Kyiv (Ukraine Battlefield update, Day 1,576)  EUobserver
  2. Thursday, June 18. Russia’s War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine  Forbes
  3. Key Developments in Russian-occupied Ukraine June 8 to June 17, 2026  Institute for the Study of War
  4. Ukraine says Russian attacks kill 6, injure 20 across several regions  Anadolu Ajansı
  5. Ukraine War, Day 1,577: A “Historic Week” for Kyiv v. Russia’s Invasion  EA WorldView
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British lawyers’ body suspends ICC Prosecutor Khan over misconduct claim – Al Jazeera

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  1. British lawyers’ body suspends ICC Prosecutor Khan over misconduct claim  Al Jazeera
  2. ICC prosecutor temporarily suspended from British bar  AP News
  3. ICC chief prosecutor Khan suspended by British lawyers' regulator  Reuters
  4. ICC prosecutor suspended by UK barristers’ watchdog amid sexual misconduct inquiry  The Guardian
  5. Exclusive: ICC member states to vote on Karim Khan probe in New York on 24 July  Middle East Eye
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A Missing Ingredient in Ukraine’s Barrages on Russia: Ballistic Missiles – The New York Times

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  1. A Missing Ingredient in Ukraine’s Barrages on Russia: Ballistic Missiles  The New York Times
  2. Ukraine's deep strikes leaving Russia short on air defense missiles, possibly at an "unsustainable rate"  CBS News
  3. Pentagon’s Ability To Supply Ukraine With More Patriot Interceptors Questioned By Congress (Updated)  Yahoo
  4. Ukrainian strikes exposed weaknesses in Moscow's air defenses – ISW  The New Voice of Ukraine
  5. Zelenskyy announced new air defense packages for Ukraine at the Ramstein meeting  Українські Національні Новини (УНН)
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Hormuz disruption will continue until 80 mines blocking route are cleared

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Tanker owner trade body says centre of strait will stay shut for ‘some time’, and vessels forced to hug Omani coast risk running aground

The centre of the strait of Hormuz is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.

Several vessels began to exit the Gulf through the key maritime chokepoint on Thursday after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran.

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35 Dead in Attack on African Country’s Main Airport – Newser

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  1. 35 Dead in Attack on African Country's Main Airport  Newser
  2. Attack on Niger airport kills 11 members of security forces, government says  Reuters
  3. Brazen attack on Niger’s airport shows jihadis are expanding to cities in Africa’s Sahel  AP News
  4. Niger airport attack: Thirty-five die in attack on Niamey airport  BBC
  5. Gunmen Attack a Major Airport in Niger  The New York Times
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US-Iran peace talks abruptly cancelled amid renewed Israeli strikes in Lebanon | First Thing

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JD Vance lambasts Israeli critics of proposed deal but does not travel to Europe as planned. Plus, at 82 years old, Keith Richards still gives some of the best interview quotes in town

Good morning. Talks due to take place today between the US ⁠⁠and ​Iran to implement a peace deal were abruptly cancelled. The White House said the US still looked forward to “beginning technical talks as soon as possible”. Hezbollah-linked media reported Tehran was delaying sending its delegation due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.

The talks had been set to begin in the Swiss village of Obbürgen two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that opened a 60-day window to negotiate a permanent agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme, while reopening the strait of Hormuz. The centre of the strait is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.

What is happening in Lebanon? Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces near Nabatieh with several salvoes of rocket fire after Israeli shelling. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes, killing at least 18 people and injuring 33. Iran has said Israel’s attacks on Lebanon must end as part of any peace deal.

What did JD Vance say to Israeli critics of the deal? In sharp words, the vice-president said: “Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left ‌in the entire world.”

Why does Trump’s Iran entanglement echo the Jimmy Carter years? In this excellent analysis piece, Robert Tait reminds us that one of Trump’s earliest political forays was lambasting the Democratic president during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis. Tait says Trump now finds himself in a position that uncannily resembles that of his predecessor – unable to bend Iran to his will despite superior US military power.

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