Today's Newsletter

• Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to travel to New York next week for a summit looking at the possibility of recognising Palestinian statehood, The Times reports. That's despite a diplomatic cable sent by the US State Department discouraging allies from attending the gathering, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. However, it is understood the UK delegation will stop short of officially recognising Palestine as a state, on the grounds that this would not be "meaningful" while the Israel–Hamas war continues in Gaza.

• Brent Council has defended a decision to twin with Nablus, a city in the occupied West Bank, the London Evening Standard reports. It comes after some residents voiced concerns that Jewish, Christian and LGBT people would be "unlikely to be made welcome" in the city. Muhammed Butt, who leads the north-west London local authority, said the decision did not represent "support for any political group or administration in Nablus", adding: "I want to be unequivocal: Brent Council condemns terrorism and hatred in all its forms."

• A man who attacked police officers in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, is to be sentenced today, the Press Association reports. Twenty-eight-year-old Alexander Dighton launched a violent assault on three police officers on 31 January, after arriving outside the police station armed with a Molotov cocktail, a knife and a hatchet. Dighton said after being arrested that he was motivated by an anti-government ideology. He pleaded guilty to attempted murder, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, assault, attempted arson, damaging police property and possessing weapons.

• Israel last night launched dozens of airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and military targets, it is widely reported. The Israeli military described "Operation Rising Lion" as a "pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence". Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were intended to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival", and they would continue for "as many days as it takes to remove the threat". According to Iranian state media, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, is among those killed.

• BBC News looks at how Israel's success in eliminating Hamas' senior leaders has created a vacuum at the top of the group's military command structure. Israel recently confirmed that it had killed Mohammad Sinwar in a recent airstrike. This followed the deaths of three other members of Hamas' five-man War Council: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa. An unidentified fifth member of the Council is understood to be incapacitated due to severe injuries.

• Reuters reports on Daesh's efforts to exploit the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad to affect a comeback in Syria and Iraq. According to over 20 sources, the group is reactivating sleeper cells across the region, as well as distributing weapons and bolstering recruitment and propaganda activities.

UK to defy Trump and attend Gaza gathering on ‘Palestine’ state

(£) The Times, 13/06/2025

Britain will defy a warning from the Trump administration by attending a UN conference next week at which the recognition of Palestinian statehood will be discussed. The US has issued a strongly worded diplomatic cable, known as a “démarche”, to allies stating that the gathering in New York co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia is “counterproductive” to attempts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. President Macron has suggested his country could recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territories at the conference, which would mark a diplomatic blow for Israel as it continues its fight against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

I call on the UK to seize this moment—join the world majority and recognise the state of Palestine

The Guardian, 13/06/2025

Husam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the UK, writes: "The UN conference on the two-state solution offers an historic opportunity for Britain: to stand against the continued erasure of my people."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

London council defends decision to twin with occupied city in West Bank

London Evening Standard, 12/06/2025

A north-west London council has defended its decision to twin with an occupied city in the West Bank after a petition was launched opposing the move. Brent Council voted to twin with Nablus at a meeting in May to promote “cultural, social, economic and educational exchanges”. But the decision sparked a backlash from local residents who felt the council had failed to consider the “effects of this decision to those residents with protected characteristics”. Residents argued “tourism is not realistically possible”, particularly for members of the Jewish, Christian, and LGBTQ communities, who are “unlikely to be made welcome” in the city.

Man to be sentenced for attacking officers with hatchet outside police station

PA Media, 13/06/2025

A man with a grudge against authority, who attacked officers outside a South Wales police station armed with a Molotov cocktail, a knife and a hatchet, will be sentenced on Friday. Alexander Dighton, 28, attacked three police officers at Talbot Green police station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, on 31 January, stabbing one in the leg and knocking another unconscious. He previously pleaded guilty to ten charges relating to the incident at a hearing before the Old Bailey in March. Dighton, of Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, arrived at the police station shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van. When that failed to ignite, he attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole.

I'm a British Jew—David Lammy and Keir Starmer are making us less safe in UK

Daily Express, 12/06/2025

Soaring antisemitism following the appalling atrocities carried out in Israel on October 7 is forcing British Jews to reconsider whether it is safe to stay in the UK, writes Angela Epstein. It's hard not to when Palestinian activists daub red paint on the premises of a Jewish-owned business close to my own home in Manchester. The threat feels very real.

Book burning is a modern free speech test for Labour

(£) iNews, 12/06/2025

The government should be able to distinguish between the threat of violence and a speech act, writes Kate Maltby.

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Masonry thrown at police in Portadown in fourth night of NI disorder

BBC News, 12/06/2025

There was disorder in Northern Ireland for the fourth night in a row but at a lower level than seen earlier this week. In Portadown, County Armagh, on Thursday a crowd pulled bricks and masonry from a derelict building, which they threw at police. During the first three days of violence, which began in Ballymena, 41 officers were injured. Fifteen people have been arrested so far. The disorder started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town. In Portadown, police put out a warning on loudspeakers that they would fire baton rounds if the crowd did not disperse. There was a heavy police presence in the centre of Portadown, where around 400 protesters gathered on Thursday evening.

Islamic State reactivating fighters, eying comeback in Syria and Iraq

(£) Reuters, 12/06/2025

Middle East leaders and their Western allies have been warning that Daesh could exploit the fall of the Assad regime to stage a comeback in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, where the extremist group once imposed a reign of terror over millions. Daesh has been attempting just that, according to more than 20 sources, including security and political officials from Syria, Iraq, the US and Europe, as well as diplomats in the region. The group has started reactivating fighters in both countries, identifying targets, distributing weapons and stepping up recruitment and propaganda efforts, the sources said. So far, the results of these efforts appear limited. Security operatives in Syria and Iraq, who have been monitoring Daesh for years, told Reuters they foiled at least a dozen major plots this year.

Israeli military says it arrested Hamas members in Syria

(£) Reuters, 12/06/2025

Israeli troops entered southwestern Syria in the early hours of Thursday and arrested several people who the Israeli military said were members of Palestinian militant group Hamas but who Syria's interior ministry said were civilians. The arrests in the town of Beit Jinn, about 30 miles southwest of the capital, Damascus, are part of a resurgence in Israeli military operations in southern Syria after weeks of relative quiet. The Israeli military said its nighttime operation in Beit Jinn was "based on intelligence gathered in recent weeks" and led to the arrest of "several Hamas terrorists" planning "multiple terror plots" against Israeli civilians and Israeli troops in Syria.

Israel attacks Iran and declares emergency over expected 'missile and drone' retaliation

Sky News, 13/06/2025

Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran and has declared an emergency as it braces for retaliation. Its military said a "pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence" had been launched—called Operation Rising Lion. "Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran," said a statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival" and would last for "as many days as it takes to remove the threat". Iranian state media reported the head of the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, had been killed.

Also: AFP, Associated Press, CNN, (£) Reuters

How might Iran retaliate? Scenarios after Israel attacks Tehran

(£) The Times, 13/06/2025

The Israeli air force struck Iran on Thursday night. There have been reports of bombardment heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran. Israel Katz, Israel’s defence minister, declared a special state of emergency in the home front throughout the entire country. Despite being severely weakened over the past couple of years by sanctions and becoming increasingly isolated, Iran still has the capacity to destabilise both the region and the global economy. This article looks at how Iran might respond.

Israel–Iran conflict: The consequences for the region could be massive

Sky News, 13/06/2025

Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to strike Iran's nuclear facilities for years—it's now happening. A wave of initial strikes across Iran has targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile production and senior Iranian officials including military leaders. This is not a one-and-done. Israel's campaign could last days, as could the Iranian response. The consequences for the region could be massive. The world will watch in the coming hours as Israel and Iran now teeter on brink of an all-out war.

Israel chose to act now, whether Trump likes it or not

BBC News, 13/06/2025

It has been clear that there has been growing tension between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump over the possibility that Israel would launch an attack on Iran. Trump has been telling the Israeli leader that he doesn't want him to do this now and to wait, while the US administration continues nuclear negotiations with the Iranians. But the Israelis clearly thought that they had their opportunity to act. They believe that the Iranians are as debilitated as they are going to be in the region after last year's degradation of Hezbollah in Lebanon - that took away a huge deterrent factor from Israel. Netanyahu felt that now was the time, even if the Americans don't like it.

Prepare to back Israel in conflict with Iran

  (£) Daily Telegraph, 13/06/2025

Editorial comment: "The role of the wider West now is to work with our allies in Jerusalem in working out how to best contain the threat posed by Tehran."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

‘An attack bigger than 9/11 is imminent’: The Afghan ambassador fighting the Taliban from afar

(£) Daily Telegraph, 12/06/2025

Almost four years on from the capture of Kabul, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Italy and the UN agencies, Khaled Ahmad Zekriya, remains adrift. While the palatial Afghan embassy on Via Nomentana does carry out limited consular services, paperwork is not officially recognised by the Afghan Taliban, leaving Zekriya in limbo. Some people believed that the death of Osama bin Laden would signal the end of al-Qa’ida, yet it remains active in Afghanistan, and Islamic State Khorasan Province, also known as Isis-K, has experienced a resurgence. “Don’t forget intermarriages have occurred,” Zekriya says. “That has brought the Taliban and al-Qa’ida together. They are all regrouping.” What threat do they pose to the Western world order? “So-called Islamisation should be the least of our concerns,” Zekriya warns. “I think it’s more than that. An attack is imminent, either on Europe or the US: a 9/11-scale attack, probably larger.”

Hamas faces leadership vacuum at critical time with demise of Gaza 'War Council'

BBC News, 12/06/2025

With the confirmed killing of Hamas' top military commander Mohammad Sinwar in an Israeli strike, a chapter has closed on the elite leadership group in Gaza that orchestrated the events of 7 October 2023. Sinwar's demise follows the confirmed killings of other central figures who sat on what came to be known inside Hamas as the War Council. Sinwar, his brother Yahya, Marwan Issa and a fifth, unidentified figure formed the clandestine core that decided on and directed the unprecedented assault on Israel—one which shook the region and set off the conflict still unfolding in Gaza.

Hamas says it killed 12 Israeli-backed fighters. Israeli-supported group says they were aid workers

Associated Press, 12/06/2025

A unit of the Hamas-run police force said it killed 12 members of an Israeli-backed militia after detaining them early Thursday in the Gaza Strip. Hours earlier, an Israel-supported aid group said Hamas attacked a bus carrying its Palestinian workers, killing at least five of them. The militia, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, said its fighters had attacked Hamas and killed five militants but made no mention of its own casualties. It also accused Hamas of detaining and killing aid workers. It was not immediately possible to verify the competing claims or confirm the identities of those killed. The Israeli military circulated the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ‘s statement on its social media accounts but declined to provide its own account of what happened.

Also: AFP

More mass casualties near Gaza food points as GHF says five staff killed

The Guardian, 13/06/2025

The bloody chaos that has overtaken food distribution in Gaza has worsened, with more mass casualties among Palestinians trying to reach humanitarian assistance, while the US–Israeli organisation tasked with aid deliveries claimed that five of its local workers had been killed by Hamas. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) claimed on Thursday that a bus full of its Palestinian staff was attacked by Hamas at 10pm local time on Wednesday, with at least five deaths and other workers taken hostage. It was not immediately clear why the organisation was attempting a night-time delivery. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have warned Palestinians not to approach food distribution points before 6am. The GHF reportedly claimed on its Arabic Facebook page that it had carried out a 3am food distribution.

UN General Assembly calls for Gaza ceasefire, pressure on Israel

AFP, 13/06/2025

The UN General Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urging nations to take "all measures necessary" to place pressure on Israel. Following the US veto of a similar push in the Security Council last week, the General Assembly adopted the non-binding resolution by a vote of 149-12, with 19 abstentions. The text demands "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" in Gaza, as well as "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" seized during the unprecedented Hamas attack inside Israel on 7 October 2023 that sparked the war. However, it goes further than the US-vetoed text, taking direct aim at Israel over its impeding aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip.

Also: (£) Reuters

Israel is deporting 6 more activists detained on Gaza aid boat, rights group says

Associated Press, 12/06/2025

Israel is deporting six more activists who were detained when it seized an aid boat bound for the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, according to the rights group representing them. The six include Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament who Israel had previously barred from entering Israel and the Palestinian territories, citing her support for boycotts of the country. They were among 12 passengers, including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, aboard the Madleen, a boat that sought to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid. Israel seized the vessel early Monday and deported Thunberg and three others the following day. The last two activists are expected to be deported on Friday, according to Adalah, a local human rights group representing them. It said the activists were subjected to “mistreatment, punitive measures, and aggressive treatment, and two volunteers were held for some period of time in solitary confinement.”

Also: (£) Reuters

Family pleads for the release of a Nepali student abducted by Hamas

(£) Associated Press, 12/06/2025

The family of a Nepali man taken captive by the Palestinian militant group Hamas appealed Thursday to his captors for his release, stressing that he has no involvement in the conflict in Gaza. Bipin Joshi, now 25, was among 17 Nepali students studying agriculture in southern Israel during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack that ignited the war in Gaza. Joshi had worked hard in a government competition to earn a spot to study in Israel, his 17-year-old sister Pushpa Joshi said Thursday in Kathmandu. He arrived in southern Israel just three weeks before the attack. It was his first time out of Nepal.

The two-state solution is a delusion

  The Guardian, 12/06/2025

Rabea Eghbariah, doctoral candidate at Harvard Law School, writes: “Israel controls the lives of all Palestinians, without equal rights or equal representation: this is an entrenched one-state reality.”

This is comment and editorial reporting.

Trump vows to bring together India, Pakistan to 'solve anything'

AFP, 12/06/2025

US president Donald Trump insisted Thursday he would bring India and Pakistan to the table together after recent fighting, saying he can "solve anything". US diplomacy last month helped bring about a ceasefire that ended four days of fighting between the nuclear-armed adversaries triggered by an attack on civilians in the Indian part of divided Kashmir. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in announcing the ceasefire that the two nations had agreed to "start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site". The statement was welcomed by Pakistan, which has long sought an international role over Kashmir, but India—which has a warm relationship with the US—was more circumspect. Asked whether there remained plans for talks between India and Pakistan a month after the ceasefire, Trump said: "I told them, India and Pakistan—they have a longtime rivalry over Kashmir—I said, I can solve anything. I'll be your arbitrator."

New York mayoral candidate accuses Cuomo donors of altering photo in act of ‘blatant Islamophobia’

The Guardian, 12/06/2025

Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist state assemblyman waging a progressive bid to become mayor of New York City, has accused donors to the frontrunner Andrew Cuomo of “blatant Islamophobia” after a mailer from their super PAC altered Mamdani’s image, giving him a darker, bushier beard. Mamdani, 33, posted a closeup of his face as featured in the mailer from the Cuomo-backing group Fix the City alongside the original photograph from which it was drawn. In the transition, the image’s visual contrast appears to have been manipulated, slightly lightening Mamdani’s skin but also giving him the appearance of a longer and significantly fuller beard. The mailer, first revealed by a reporter from the Forward, was aimed at Jewish voters. It accuses Mamdani, who is openly critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, which he calls a genocide, of refusing to recognise Israel and supporting the boycott movement against the state.

Poland charges three men with planning school attack inspired by Norway's Breivik

(£) Reuters, 12/06/2025

Poland has charged three 19-year-old men suspected of gathering pyrotechnic materials and planning terrorist actions, including an attack on a school inspired by mass-killers such as Norwegian Anders Breivik, the interior ministry said on Thursday. "It appears that they were fascinated by the ideology that spreads terrorism, by these serial killers who, as in the case of Norway, killed several dozen people," ministry spokesman Jacek Dobrzynski told reporters. "They apparently sought to do something similar here in our country," he added.

Also: Associated Press

Israel striking Iran ‘risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile’, Australian foreign minister says

The Guardian, 13/06/2025

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, says the government is “alarmed” by Israel’s strikes on the Iranian capital, Tehran, warning the attacks risk further destabilising the region. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel had launched “pre-emptive strikes” on Iranian military facilities. Wong told reporters on Friday that the Australian government was “alarmed by the escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran”. “This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile,” she said. “We call on all parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that would further exacerbate tensions. We all understand … the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. It represents a threat to international peace and security, and we urge the parties to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy.”

Israeli minister sanctions dubbed too little, too late

Australian Associated Press, 12/06/2025

The sanctioning of two Israeli ministers by Australia has been labelled a "slap on the wrist" by a prominent pro-Palestine advocate. Australia’s federal government has imposed sanctions on Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, in a co-ordinated move with Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK. The sanctions were applied for "extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights", with the pair barred from travelling to Australia and any assets in the country being frozen. The measures prompted condemnation from the US, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying it would do little to achieve a ceasefire in the conflict. Australian Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni welcomed the move but said it was too little, too late. "These sanctions are crumbs, tossed by the Australian government 613 days too late," he said.

Hundreds of civilians were tortured by Wagner mercenaries in Mali: report

AFP, 12/06/2025

In its more than three years in Mali, the Russian paramilitary group Wagner kidnapped, detained and tortured hundreds of civilians, including at former UN bases and camps shared with the country's army, according to a report published Thursday by a journalist collective. The victims, who were interviewed by a consortium of reporters led by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories, spoke from a refugee camp in neighbouring Mauritania about waterboarding, beatings with electrical cables and being burned with cigarette butts. The investigation revealed that the use of illegal detentions and systematic torture, which sometimes led to death, was similar to that which occurred in Ukraine and Russia.

This summary is not a statement of Home Office policy or opinion. Note that these outlets have a local or regional UK focus and/or a daily reach of less than 100k, and a minority may be funded by foreign governments.

Humza Yousaf demands investigation over David Cameron's threat to ICC

Middle East Eye, 12/06/2025

Former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf will write to the chair of the UK parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee urging an investigation into former foreign secretary David Cameron, Middle East Eye can reveal.

UK 'currently' training Israel soldiers on UK soil, Labour admit

Middle East Eye, 12/06/2025

The UK is hosting and training soldiers from the Israel Defence Forces despite allegations that the military is engaged in genocide in Palestine, the Labour government has admitted.

Kendal Quakers call for Gaza peace

Westmorland Gazette, 13/06/2025

Jesus said ‘blessed are the peacemakers’, and radical peace-making was the theme of the 2025 Yearly Meeting of Quakers in Britain, which united behind a ‘minute’ that the Israeli state is conducting genocide and forced displacement, but also condemned antisemitism.

Genocide happens when Israelis believe they're above the law, Holocaust scholar says

Middle East Eye, 12/06/2025

Professor Raz Segal tells Middle East Eye that Israel's entire political structure must change before attitudes do.

‘Popular Forces’: Who are the Gaza gangsters being armed by Israel?

Middle East Eye, 12/06/2025

In a small area of land in Rafah, a new group has emerged from the shadows of Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave.

This summary is not a statement of Home Office policy or opinion. Note that some of these outlets have lower reach with UK audiences and/or may be state/government funded. Please also note that foreign media outlets may not have equivalent editorial standards to UK-based outlets.

Syria says Israeli raid captured civilians, not Hamas fighters

The National Newspaper, 12/06/2025

Syria on Thursday said the people detained by Israeli forces during an overnight raid in a southern Syrian town were civilians, rejecting Israel's claims that they were members of Hamas.

Israel strikes nuclear, military sites in Iran; senior IRGC commanders killed

Al Arabiya, 13/06/2025

Israel carried out strikes on Iran on Friday, targeting its nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

World reacts to Israeli strike on Iran over nuclear activity

(£) Reuters, 13/06/2025

Israel said early on Friday it had struck Iranian nuclear targets to block Tehran from developing atomic weapons, and Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions including at the country’s main uranium enrichment facility. Here are some reactions from top officials and governments around the world.

Pakistan seeks assistance in pursuit of peace: Bilawal

The News International, 13/06/2025

Pakistan’s former foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto–Zardari, has warned US lawmakers and diplomats that the risk of full-scale war with India is higher than ever, stressing that recent Indian actions have “dangerously lowered the threshold” for armed conflict in the region.

Activists gather for march to Gaza

Al Jazeera, 12/06/2025

Activists from across the world are set to meet in Egypt, where they plan to march on foot through the Sinai desert towards Gaza, aiming to challenge Israel's siege and call for an end to the war.

Iran and Turkey increasingly involved in Gaza negotiations as Egypt takes a step back

The National Newspaper, 12/06/2025

Iran and Turkey have become increasingly involved behind the scenes in negotiations to reach a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, sources familiar with the talks have told The National.

UN adopts resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire, aid access and release of hostages

The National Newspaper, 12/06/2025

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, days after the US vetoed a similar measure in the Security Council.

Who are the Abu Shabab armed militia that Israel is backing in Gaza?

The National Newspaper, 13/06/2025

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to experts about the origins of Abu Shabab, why the group is surfacing now and how Israel is backing it.

Rubio says US not involved in Israeli strikes against Iran

AFP, 13/06/2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran late Thursday not to respond to Israeli strikes by hitting American bases, saying Washington was not involved.

In a first, France opens terror probe for racist killing of Tunisian barber

Al Jazeera, 12/06/2025

French investigators have opened a terrorism investigation in the murder case of Hichem Miraoui, in which another victim was injured.

Sweden urges Europe to impose sanctions against two far-right Israeli ministers

The National Newspaper, 13/06/2025

The EU's 27 member countries are expected to study a proposal to impose sanctions against two hard-right Israeli ministers at a meeting later this month, after Sweden's foreign affairs minister wrote a letter to the bloc's foreign policy chief calling for action.

Saudi Arabia says Israel’s attacks on Iran ‘clear violation’ of international laws

Al Arabiya, 13/06/2025

Saudi Arabia on Friday condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran that targeted its nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders.

UN envoy condemns 'shameful' detention of aid workers in Yemen by Houthis

The National Newspaper, 12/06/2025

The UN special envoy for Yemen on Thursday condemned the “shameful” prolonged arbitrary detention of dozens of UN staff, NGO workers, civil society members and diplomatic personnel by the Houthi rebels, and urged the international community to act.

Diplomatic star

  The News International, 13/06/2025

If India shows seriousness for peace, a new bright era of development and prosperity can begin in South Asia, writes Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Waters of arbitration

  The News International, 13/06/2025

The moment to act proactively on Pakistan's water rights, water conservation and development of additional water storage has arrived, writes Shakil Durrani. Let us not rue any missed opportunity in the future.

This is comment or editorial reporting.

What Pakistan should do next

  The News International, 13/06/2025

The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, once celebrated as triumph of diplomacy, has become noose around Pakistan’s neck, writes Raza Hussain Qazi.

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Al Jazeera (Middle East, Arabic Language)

• Live: Israel launches ‘major strike’ on Iran’s military, nuclear sites; One survivor as 241 people killed in Air India plane crash, officials say; Israel carries out strikes targeting Iranian nuclear, military sites; Trump warns of ‘chance of massive conflict’ amid Israel-Iran tensions

Al Arabiya (Middle East, Arabic Language)

• Israel strikes nuclear, military sites in Iran; senior IRGC commanders killed; Saudi Arabia says Israel’s attacks on Iran ‘clear violation’ of international laws; After Israel strikes Iran, M.East airlines divert flights, airspace closed; World reacts to Israeli strike on Iran over nuclear activity; Rubio says US not involved in Israeli strikes against Iran

Geo TV (Pakistan, Urdu and English)

• Live updates: Middle East crisis; Trump reiterates offer to mediate Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India; Rescuers search for missing people, aircraft parts after Air India crash kills over 260; Pakistan, UAE reaffirm commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation