China Launches New Coast Guard Patrol Off Taiwan

China launched a new Coast Guard patrol east of Taiwan. Taiwan is tracking two Chinese ships near Hualien and says it will expel any vessels harassing its waters.

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Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Athens does not foresee a military conflict with Türkiye:

Under no circumstances do we foresee war. We have a duty to prepare and strengthen our deterrent capability so that it never crosses anyone's mind to challenge Greek sovereignty.

That does not mean we expect war or believe it is likely. At the same time, communication channels must remain open. Crises should be managed and defused at their inception, and wherever we can make our relationship with Türkiye more functional, we should seize those opportunities.

We are condemned by our geography to live together peacefully, even with our differences. I will always negotiate with Türkiye from the strongest possible position.

Source: Liberal

TCG Oruçreis Sails In for US 250th Celebrations

Turkish frigate TCG Oruçreis arrived in New York as part of a six-ship NATO task group for International Naval Review 250 and Fleet Week, part of the US Navy's 250th anniversary celebrations.

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Red, White and Sweltering: Heat Wave Disrupts Fourth of July Celebrations

A dangerous heat wave forced officials to cancel Fourth of July parades, fireworks, and concerts across the eastern US.

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Trump Suggests Ex-Presidents Football Reunion During Story Time

President Trump entertained the idea of watching football with Obama, Biden, and the Bushes in the White House, in the Second Lady's Story Time podcast.

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Vladimir Putin’s $133M luxury yacht is fleeing to the Arctic port of Murmansk under heavily armed escort.

▪️Vessel is shadowed by destroyer Severomorsk
▪️Shift follows Ukrainian drone strikes on naval bases
▪️Relocation bypasses Western air defense gaps

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Russia's Medvedev:

Iran, instead of nuclear weapons, discovered another weapon that is no weaker than nuclear — the Strait of Hormuz.

This is what the discussions revolve around — reaching agreements on how this strait will function going forward.

Iranian authorities also possess a "thermonuclear weapon" — the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

If it is blocked, all oil shipments and other transport will be locked down.

WATCH: Iran appears to have paired each foreign delegation at Khamenei's funeral with a politically targeted Quranic verse.

Saudi Arabia received a verse about two armies meeting in battle, one believing, one not.

Türkiye got a verse elevating those who fight over those who "sit."

The Lebanese government heard a verse about people refusing to sacrifice if asked.

Hezbollah was told "do not weaken or grieve — you are superior."

Hamas received the verse honoring men who fulfilled their covenant with God, "some have died, others are waiting."

Yemen's Houthis got a verse praising believers who fought without weakening.

Qatar received a verse about forgiveness and divine favor, read as a nod to its mediating role.

Pope Leo XIV:

First right enshrined by the nation's founders was the right to life, for no one who is deprived of life can enjoy liberty or pursue happiness.

The country's vitality is deeply tied to the value it affords to human life in every form and condition, acknowledging the dignity endowed upon every human person by virtue of their very existence.

The inherent worth of every human life has led the noble hearts of generations to praise the marvelous works of the Creator and stand in reverence before so precious a gift.

It is precisely this reverence that we must continue to cultivate, one that sways the hearts of individuals and inspires laws that recognize and safeguard the gift from the moment of conception to natural death.

Reverence will aid us in discovering that we are guardians and stewards of those entrusted to our care.

In this regard, the moral greatness of a nation is manifested above all in its capacity to support, protect and cherish the lives of all, especially the most vulnerable and those whose worth is questioned.

Pope Leo XIV:

As the country opened its doors to successive waves of immigrants, enabling them and their children to play their part in shaping the future of the nation, it was the same love of freedom that inspired the United States, in the darkest hours of the last century, during two world wars, to look beyond itself and champion the cause of freedom beyond its own borders.

Zohran Mamdani on the contradictions in America today:

We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world. One where children go to sleep hungry while the world's first trillionaire hungers for more.

We see monopolies that dominate every industry and oligarchs who buy elections.

We see masked agents terrorizing our streets, eating food cooked by our undocumented neighbors before spiriting them away in unmarked vans.

A nation whose immense wealth has been built by those with callous dirt-streaked hands...

And we see a nation that has allowed so much of that wealth to be held instead in the soft hands of a precious few.

President Trump is scheduled to visit Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's Mausoleum (Anıtkabir) in Ankara during his visit to Türkiye.

Source: NTV

Iranians chant "Death to America" in Shahid Beheshti metro station.

A cross-party group of 71 UK MPs and peers is urging the UK government to sanction Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, accusing them of overseeing the systematic abuse and torture of Palestinian detainees.

The lawmakers say existing sanctions on other Israeli ministers have failed to curb human rights violations and are calling for greater accountability.

Source: Sky News

Trump:

Ukrainian intelligence destroys Russian MiG-29 jet at Belbek airbase in Crimea with drone strike.

The same strike also destroyed an airfield launch vehicle that was servicing the aircraft at the moment of impact.

The GUR released exclusive strike footage and estimated Russian losses at tens of millions of dollars.

War Injury Keeps Mojtaba Khamenei From Father's Massive Funeral

Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will not attend his father, Ali Khamenei's, funeral in Tehran after being severely injured in the February 28 U.S.-Israel strike that killed the former leader.

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Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has canceled a planned trip to New York City for the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit 2026 after protests were planned and human rights groups called for his investigation and arrest.

The cancellation follows another scrapped U.S. trip last month, when Ben-Gvir reportedly faced visa issues for a private visit.

Source: Haaretz

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a newly created state honour during his visit to Seychelles, but the award quickly drew scrutiny after observers spotted spelling mistakes on the certificate and claimed it appeared AI-generated.

The Guardian of the Blue Horizon award was created just three days before Modi's arrival, making him its first recipient. Critics also noted the certificate misspelled both "Republic" and "Seychelles."

India's opposition mocked the episode. "Give him any award, and he'll come running," said Supriya Shrinate, adding officials "were in such a tearing hurry that they even got the official name of the Republic of Seychelles wrong."

Seychelles' foreign ministry later said an incorrect "working draft" had been circulated by mistake and insisted that "The Guardian of the Blue Horizon distinction is genuine," with an authenticated version of the certificate now issued.

Source: The Guardian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly played a decisive role in persuading Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to approve a ceasefire and negotiations with Washington.

Pezeshkian warned that Iran's economy was nearing collapse under a U.S. naval blockade and threatened to resign if the deal was rejected.

The Central Bank governor also reportedly warned that the country could run short of food and medical supplies within weeks.

Khamenei ultimately authorized the talks, saying he opposed the agreement "in principle" but would support it if backed by the Supreme National Security Council, which overwhelmingly approved the plan.

Source: NYT