US President Trump and Italian PM Meloni have publicly clashed over conflicting accounts of a photo opportunity, with Meloni saying Trump ‘completely made up’ claims she begged for a picture.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached on June 19, Israel and Hezbollah continue to exchange fire in southern Lebanon, threatening US-brokered peace talks with Iran.
A major oil refinery near Moscow was hit by a drone attack, marking the latest in a series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure deep inside the country.
U.S. intelligence agencies have submitted an assessment to the White House warning that Israel is likely to take military or diplomatic actions to undermine the recently reached U.S.-Iran peace agreement, revealing deep divisions between the two allies on Middle East policy.
President Trump unveiled a new VC-25B aircraft gifted by Qatar worth approximately $400 million at Joint Base Andrews. The plane will serve as a bridge aircraft until new Air Force One jets are delivered, but its nature as a foreign government gift has sparked widespread debate about U.S. ethics regulations and diplomatic influence.
Poland’s president has revoked the highest Polish honour previously awarded to Ukrainian President Zelensky, citing Ukraine’s use of a controversial WW2-era military unit name. Ukraine condemned the move as a ‘strategic mistake’ and ‘disrespectful,’ pushing bilateral relations into their worst diplomatic crisis in years.
The US government announced it will terminate funding for South Africa HIV prevention programs, citing disagreements over alleged Afrikaner persecution. The move could deprive millions of South Africans of critical treatment resources, triggering strong reactions from the global public health community.
The US State Department announced that Israel and Hezbollah have reached a ceasefire agreement, temporarily halting military operations in southern Lebanon. The deal follows 48 hours of intensified fighting that threatened the US-Iran peace process.
VP Vance cancels trip to Switzerland for next-phase US-Iran talks as Israel-Hezbollah clashes escalate sharply in southern Lebanon. Lebanon reports 18 killed in Israeli strikes; Israel confirms 4 soldiers killed by Hezbollah. The developments test the freshly signed US-Iran peace deal.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly criticised NATO allies for insufficient defence spending and announced a comprehensive review of US military deployments in Europe, signalling major pressure on transatlantic security relations.