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  • Diplomatic Talks Cannot Resume Unless US Rules Out Further Strikes: Iran

    UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Iran would probably be able to begin to produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months”.

    Diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran cannot resume unless the US rules out further strikes on Iran, its deputy foreign minister told the BBC late Sunday.

    Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the British broadcaster that the US had signalled it wants to return to the negotiating table, a week after it struck three Iranian nuclear facilities.

    “We have not agreed to any date, we have not agreed to the modality,” said Takht-Ravanchi. 

    “Right now we are seeking an answer to this question. Are we going to see a repetition of an act of aggression while we are engaging in dialogue?”

    The US needed to be “quite clear on this very important question”, he said. 

    The two countries were in talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme when Israel hit Iranian nuclear sites and military infrastructure earlier this month, with the US joining by bombing three nuclear sites — Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan — on June 21.

    The deputy minister revealed to the BBC that the US had signalled it did “not want to engage in regime change” by targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    Takht-Ravanchi also said Iran should still be allowed to enrich uranium.

    “The level of that can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that you should not have enrichment, you should have zero enrichment, and if you do not agree, we will bomb you, that is the law of the jungle,” he said.

    Israel claims that Iran’s nuclear programme is close to producing a bomb, whereas Tehran says it is for peaceful purposes.

    It is not clear yet how much damage the strikes inflicted on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which US President Donald Trump had said were “totally obliterated”.

    UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Iran would probably be able to begin to produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months”.

    Takht-Ravanchi said he did not know how long it would take.

    Under a 2015 deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium below 3.67 percent purity for fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

  • “Why Did They Call Me That?”: Starbucks Customer In US Slams “Illegal” Joke On Cup

    Ms Lopez said that the joke struck a nerve as she had friends and relatives deported because they were in the country illegally.

    A woman in Texas is demanding action after a Starbucks employee wrote an “offensive” joke on the lid of her drink. According to the New York Post, Blanca Lopez, who is Hispanic, went to a Starbucks inside a Target store in Irving on June 23 and ordered a horchata latte. When the drink came out, one of her daughters noticed something odd scribbled in black marker across the clear lid. The message on the lid read, “What do you call a sick eagle? Illegal.”

    Ms Lopez said she was confused and offended by the comment. “It’s basically saying that we are sick, illegal individuals that do not belong in this country,” she said, per the outlet. 

    She also recalled her confusion when she first saw the message, unsure if it was a light-hearted joke or an attack on her identity. “When I read it, I’m like, OK. Was I supposed to laugh, or what do I need to do?” she said. 

    “Why did they call me that? Why are they asking if I have papers or no papers? Why did she write this? For me, like, it’s offensive,” she added. 

    Ms Lopez said that the joke struck a nerve as she had friends and relatives deported because they were in the country illegally. After seeing the message, she reported the joke to the store’s manager. She said that the manager promised to hold a team meeting to prevent anything like this from happening again. But she didn’t think that was enough. Ahe called for the unidentified employee to be fired over the comment. 

    “I work as a manager. If someone on my team did something like that, I would fire her immediately,” she said.

  • Israel Strikes Pound Gaza, Killing 60, Ahead Of US Talks On Ceasefire

    The Israeli military issued evacuation orders on Monday to residents in large districts in the northern Gaza Strip, forcing a new wave of displacement.

    Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people across Gaza on Monday in some of the heaviest attacks in weeks as Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by U.S. President Donald Trump.

    A day after Trump called to “Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back”, Israel’s strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s, was travelling to Washington for talks on Iran and Gaza, according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the matter.

    Dermer was expected to begin meetings with Trump administration officials on Tuesday, the source in Washington said.

    But on the ground in the Palestinian enclave, there was no sign of fighting letting up. The Israeli military issued evacuation orders on Monday to residents in large districts in the northern Gaza Strip, forcing a new wave of displacement.

    “Explosions never stopped; they bombed schools and homes. It felt like earthquakes,” said Salah, 60, a father of five children, from Gaza City. “In the news we hear a ceasefire is near, on the ground we see death and we hear explosions.”

    “Look at us, we are not just numbers and not just pictures. Every day martyrs like this,” said displaced woman Amani Swalha, standing in the rubble of a Gaza city school hit in a strike. “It is our right to live, and to live with dignity, not like this in humiliation.”

    Israeli tanks pushed into the eastern areas of Zeitoun suburb in Gaza City and shelled several areas in the north, while aircraft bombed at least four schools after ordering hundreds of families sheltering inside to leave, residents said.

  • Aadhaar-PAN Link, ATM Withdrawal Fees, More. Financial Changes From Today

    Changes to regulations governing filing of income tax returns; the use of and charges associated with credit cards; and last-minute, or Tatkal, train ticket bookings; as well as making an Aadhaar card mandatory for new PAN applications, are among those that will come into effect from today.

    These will impact individual taxpayers and customers of banks like HDFC, SBI, and ICICI.

    Aadhaar Needed For New PAN

    From Tuesday the Central Board of Direct Taxes has made Aadhaar verification mandatory for PAN card applications. Existing PAN holders must link their Aadhaar numbers by December 31.

    At present any valid government-issued ID, such as a driving license, and a birth certificate is enough for new PAN card applications.

    Non-compliance with this rule may lead to the existing PAN being deactivated.

    Tatkal Train Ticket Bookings

    Aadhaar verification will also be mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets.

    Also, starting July 15, two-factor authentication, which will include a one-time password that will be sent to the registered mobile phone, will be required for all ticketing, online or in-person.

  • BJP Gets New State Chiefs, Moves Closer To Elect New National President

    The BJP has now new state presidents, including some who were reelected, in 16 states, a figure that will rise on Tuesday. Some big states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh may also follow in the next few days.

    The BJP on Monday moved towards rolling out the exercise to have a new national president as the party elected chiefs in some states and is set to announce more on Tuesday that will put the requisite number of state heads at the helm for it to pick the replacement of J P Nadda.

    The BJP’s constitution requires the election of its presidents in at least 19 out of its 37 organisational states before the process to elect its national president begins, and the ruling party is set to cross the threshold on Tuesday.

    V P Ramalingam and K Beichhua were elected BJP presidents of Puducherry and Mizoram respectively on Monday, while single nomination for the post was filed in states like Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, making their election a mere formality on Tuesday.

    The BJP has now new state presidents, including some who were reelected, in 16 states, a figure that will rise on Tuesday. Some big states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh may also follow in the next few days.The BJP has picked seasoned organisational men but with low public profile in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in Ramchander Rao and P V N Madhav respectively.

    Maharashtra BJP working president and four-term MLA Ravindra Chavan is set to be elected president in place of Chandrashekhar Bawankule, a Cabinet minister in the BJP-led government in the state, while incumbent Uttarakhand president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt is set to begin a new term.

    The development has brightened the prospect for the BJP to elect its new national president to replace Mr Nadda, a Cabinet minister in the Modi government, in July.

    Rao’s choice, however, triggered a furious reaction from fiery Hindutva leader and MLA T Raja Singh, who resigned from the BJP. The elevation of Rao, a relatively low profile in the Telangana organisation riven with factionalism, is being seen as a balancing act and also a reward to old organisation hands.

    The BJP’s decision to replace its Lok Sabha MP Daggubati Purandeswari as its Andhra president with a seasoned organisation man is driven by its leadership’s wish to build the organisation in a state where it is an ally of the ruling TDP but remains a minor electoral player.

  • India Remains A Very Strategic Ally In Asia Pacific: US

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also highlighted the strong personal relationship between Donald Trump and PM Narendra Modi.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised India’s role as a strategic ally in the Indo-Pacific region during a press briefing on Monday (US local time). She also highlighted the strong personal relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Responding to a question from ANI about how the US views China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Leavitt said, “India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific and the President has a very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and he will continue to have that.”

    The White House spokesperson’s remarks on India’s importance in the Indo-Pacific came shortly after she addressed another ANI question about a possible trade deal between India and the US.

    Addressing the media, Leavitt said, “Yes, the President said that last week (that the US and India are very close to a trade deal), and it remains true. I just spoke to our Secretary of Commerce about it. He was in the Oval Office with the President. They are finalising these agreements, and you’ll hear from the President and his trade team very soon when it comes to India.”

  • Odisha Officer Dragged Out Of His Office, Kicked In Face, 3 Arrested

    In a shocking video, the men were seen dragging the Additional Commissioner of the BMC, Ratnakar Sahoo, out of his office, repeatedly hitting him and kicking him in his face.

    High drama unfolded in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office on Monday after a senior official was assaulted by a group of men. In a shocking video, the men were seen dragging the additional commissioner of the BMC, Ratnakar Sahoo, out of his office, repeatedly hitting him and kicking him in the face.

    Mr Sahoo was allegedly attacked during a grievance hearing. He has alleged that while the public hearing was going on, some people barged into his chamber and grabbed him by his collar and assaulted him over claims that he allegedly misbehaved with “Jag bhai” (an alleged reference to BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan). He also claimed that the men tried to forcibly take him to their vehicle.

    “While I was conducting a grievance hearing around 11.30 am, five to six people, including BMC corporator Jeevan Raut, barged into my chamber. As soon as he entered the chamber, the corporator asked me if I had misbehaved with Jag bhai. But when I refused, the people accompanying him misbehaved and manhandled me. They dragged me out of my office, thrashed me and were trying to forcibly take me to their vehicle,” Mr Sahoo said.

    Visuals showed the men pushing him to the ground, kicking him and dragging him down a set of stairs to a vehicleHigh drama unfolded in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office on Monday after a senior official was assaulted by a group of men. In a shocking video, the men were seen dragging the additional commissioner of the BMC, Ratnakar Sahoo, out of his office, repeatedly hitting him and kicking him in the face.

    Mr Sahoo was allegedly attacked during a grievance hearing. He has alleged that while the public hearing was going on, some people barged into his chamber and grabbed him by his collar and assaulted him over claims that he allegedly misbehaved with “Jag bhai” (an alleged reference to BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan). He also claimed that the men tried to forcibly take him to their vehicle.

    “While I was conducting a grievance hearing around 11.30 am, five to six people, including BMC corporator Jeevan Raut, barged into my chamber. As soon as he entered the chamber, the corporator asked me if I had misbehaved with Jag bhai. But when I refused, the people accompanying him misbehaved and manhandled me. They dragged me out of my office, thrashed me and were trying to forcibly take me to their vehicle,” Mr Sahoo said.

    Visuals showed the men pushing him to the ground, kicking him and dragging him down a set of stairs to a vehicle

  • Global Leaders Convene for Emergency Summit on AI Regulation

    The court said the judiciary’s showing tolerance towards matters with anti-national overtones is leading to a rise in the number of such cases.

    Denying bail to Siddique (62), Justice Siddhartha said, “The commission of such offences is becoming a routine affair in this country because the courts are liberal and tolerant towards such acts of people with an anti-national bent of mind. It is not a fit case for enlarging the applicant on bail at this stage.” 

    “Clearly, the act of the applicant is disrespectful to the Constitution and its ideals and also, his act amounts to challenging the sovereignty of India and adversely affecting the unity and integrity of India by sharing an anti-social and anti-Indian post.

    “The applicant is a senior citizen and his age shows that he was born in independent India. His irresponsible and anti-national conduct does not entitle him to seek protection of his right to liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the judge said.

    However, while denying bail to the applicant, the court directed that the trial against him be concluded as expeditiously as possible.

  • Carlos Alcaraz Survives Fabio Fognini Scare To Launch Wimbledon Title Defence

    Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Monday before coming through in five sets to launch his bid for a third straight title at the All England Club. Alcaraz battled to a 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over the 38-year-old Italian in a first-round clash lasting four hours and 37 minutes in sweltering conditions on Centre Court. It was first time since Roger Federer narrowly beat Alejandro Falla in 2010 that a defending champion had been taken to a fifth set in the Wimbledon first round. Alcaraz shrugged off an inconsistent display including 62 unforced errors as he refused to wilt on the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history.

    “First of all, I don’t know why it is probably Fabio’s last Wimbledon because the level he has shown shows he can still play for three or four more years,” Alcaraz said.

    “Playing on Centre Court for the first match of any tournament is never easy. I’ve been practising pretty well and playing on grass really well, but Wimbledon is special and different. 

    “I could feel the difference between Wimbledon and the other tournaments. I just tried to play my best but I would say that I could play better.”

    The 22-year-old secured a crucial break in the second game of the deciding set, roaring “vamos” after saving two break points in the next game.

    Fognini had given Alcaraz a much sterner test than expected, but the world number 138 ran out of steam as the indefatigable Spaniard once again showcased his final set prowess.

    Alcaraz has never lost in a Grand Slam first round in 18 appearances.

  • Rare Titan Shadow Transits Will Sweep Across Saturn in Summer 2025

    Saturn’s largest moon Titan will cast its shadow across the planet’s surface in a rare spectacle this summer. Over the coming months, observers on Earth may see a dark “hole” move across Saturn’s disk as Titan passes in front of the planet. This event is tied to a special alignment: roughly every 15 years, Saturn’s rings become edge-on to our view (a ring-plane crossing or equinox). Indeed, in March 2025 the rings briefly vanished as they lined up edge-on, setting the stage for Titan’s shadow to loom large on Saturn’s globe. After this year’s transit season, the configuration won’t recur until about 2040, making these transits uniquely unmissable.

    Saturn’s Equinox and Titan’s Transits

    According to Space.com, right now Saturn is near its equinox, meaning its tilted rings are edge-on to Earth. This geometry allows Titan’s shadow – a dark spot on Saturn – to sweep across the planet’s face, much like a lunar eclipse but on Saturn. Titan orbits Saturn about every 16 days, so during this alignment we can see its shadow cross Saturn’s disk repeatedly. In fact, roughly ten Titan shadow-transit events are expected during 2025. Three have already occurred (most recently on June 16), and seven more are forecast from July through early October 2025. When visible, each transit looks like a moving dark spot (a “hole”) on Saturn’s bright disk.

    Viewing the Titan Shadow Transits

    These transits are faint and require planning. A good telescope (at least 200× magnification) is needed to see Titan and its shadow. For viewers in North America, Saturn will be low in the pre-dawn sky during the event dates. According to Sky & Telescope, the remaining 2025 transit dates are July 2, July 18, August 3, August 19, September 4, September 20 and October 6 (local viewing times vary by locationThese transits are faint and require planning. A good telescope (at least 200× magnification) is needed to see Titan and its shadow. For viewers in North America, Saturn will be low in the pre-dawn sky during the event dates. According to Sky & Telescope, the remaining 2025 transit dates are July 2, July 18, August 3, August 19, September 4, September 20 and October 6 (local viewing times vary by location).