Yesterday, 11:59 PM
USA
Quote:President Donald Trump labeled those, including many of his "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) supporters urging the government to release more information in the Jeffrey Epstein case, as "troublemakers" in a social media post Saturday.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Justice (DOJ) via their online contact form for comment on Saturday.
Why It Matters
From lawmakers and attorneys to concerned voters, many say that full transparency is essential to restoring public trust and bringing clarity to one of the most high-profile criminal investigations in recent memory.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting further sex trafficking charges. The disgraced financier had well-documented connections to powerful figures, and his death has long prompted numerous conspiracy theories, particularly about a "client list" and the way in which he died.
Frustrated MAGA supporters have pointed to Trump's past promise to make the materials public, as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi's claim that the list was on her desk. The backlash has led Trump to call out members of his own base in social media posts.
What To Know
In a Saturday morning post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he has instructed the DOJ to release the grand jury testimony related to Epstein, writing, "I have asked the Justice Department to release all Grand Jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, subject only to Court Approval."
The president continued: "With that being said, and even if the Court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request," he concluded, adding, "It will always be more, more, more. MAGA!"
The statement comes a day after the DOJ requested the unsealing of grand jury transcripts related to Epstein. Bondi's top deputy, Todd Blanche, submitted the motion to unseal the Epstein transcripts, as well as those in the case against convicted British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, just one day after Trump publicly directed the department to take that step.
In 2022, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for recruiting and grooming teenage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. The 63-year-old, meanwhile, has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate her conviction.
Quote:Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat, delivered sharp criticism of her Republican colleagues during a Saturday afternoon MSNBC interview, accusing them of showing loyalty to what she called a "wannabe Hitler" in reference to President Donald Trump.
The remarks came amid growing controversy over the Trump administration's handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting further sex trafficking charges.
The disgraced financier had well-documented connections to powerful figures, and his death has long prompted numerous conspiracy theories, particularly about a "client list" and the way in which he died. From lawmakers and attorneys to concerned voters, many say that full transparency is essential to restoring public trust and bringing clarity to one of the most high-profile criminal investigations in recent memory.
The controversy has created fractures within Trump's own Make America Great Again (MAGA) base while highlighting broader questions about government transparency and executive accountability.
What To Know
During her Saturday MSNBC appearance on Alex Witt Reports, Crockett addressed Trump's reversal on releasing Epstein files after initially pledging transparency.
The lawmaker predicted her Republican colleagues would avoid taking decisive action on the matter, noting that several GOP lawmakers "just skipped a previous vote this week." Crockett suggested Republicans are deliberately protecting Trump from potentially damaging revelations because "they understand that it is most likely problematic for him as well as the MAGA brand."
The Texas Democrat characterized Republican loyalty to Trump in stark terms, saying lawmakers want to "pledge their loyalty" to someone she described as a "wannabe Hitler." She expressed skepticism that Republicans would support any measures "that may harm them or their fearless leader."


Quote:Chinese nationals once again dominated foreign purchases of U.S. homes over the past year, according to a new report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), with their expenses increasing by 83 percent compared to 2024.
In its latest report on international transactions in U.S. residential real estate, NAR found that Chinese buyers accounted for $13.7 billion of the total $56 billion spent by foreign buyers in the U.S. housing market between April 2024 and March 2025.
It was more than double the investment that Chinese buyers made a year earlier, $7.5 billion, and a little more than they spent in 2024, at $13.6 billion.
In terms of the number of existing homes purchased by foreign buyers, Chinese buyers snapped up 11,700 of the total 78,100. They represented 15 percent of all foreign buyers, followed by buyers from Canada (14 percent), Mexico (8 percent), India (6 percent), and the United Kingdom (4 percent).
Chinese buyers also paid the highest purchase price of the top five foreign buyers, according to NAR. Over the last year, their average purchase price was $1,168,800, while their median purchase price was $759,600.
Why Are Chinese Buyers So Interested In U.S. Homes?
Matt Christopherson, the director of Business and Consumer Research at NAR, believes that China's real estate crisis is partially to blame for the surge in interest in U.S. homes among Chinese buyers.
China's real estate sector, which at its peak contributed 25 percent of the country's total GDP and 38 percent of Beijing's government revenue, played a significant role in driving the country's spectacular economic growth over the past few decades.
But excessive borrowing and speculation brought the sector to a breaking point. In 2021, Evergrande defaulted on its debt, shaking confidence in the sector. Other developers, like Country Garden, followed in its footsteps, further destabilizing the market.
Since then, China's real estate sector has been navigating troubled waters, with declining prices and stalled construction. The crisis is having a negative impact on the entire Chinese economy, slowing growth despite authorities' efforts to prop up the housing market.
According to Christopherson, these challenges at home are prompting Chinese buyers to seek alternative investment opportunities for their hard-earned money.
"The Chinese housing market has been slow to recover following the pandemic, so Chinese buyers see a beneficial opportunity in diversifying their investment portfolios with exposure to stronger U.S. markets," Christopherson told Newsweek.
Quote:Representative Dina Titus, a Nevada Democrat, has introduced legislation that would restore the 100 percent deduction for gambling losses that Senate Republicans reduced to 90 percent late in the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB).
Titus spoke with Newsweek about her Fair Accounting for Income Realized from Betting Earnings Taxation (FAIR BET) Act, which she says so far has garnered "10 times the response" from constituents in her state and beyond compared to other aspects of the OBBB.
Republican Representatives including Troy Nehls of Texas and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, also support Titus' bill.
Why It Matters
The roughly 900-page bill passed by Congress included a provision inserted by Senate Republicans without consent of the House that imposed a tax increase on Americans who gamble, reducing from 100 percent to 90 percent the amount of losses they can deduct from gambling winnings for their income taxes.
The new provision, added by the Senate Finance Committee late in the legislative process ahead of the July 4 bill signing by President Donald Trump, means that gambling losses that have traditionally been fully deductible would no longer be so and gamblers could owe taxes even if they ended up with net losses in a year.
For example, someone winning $100,000 and then losing that same amount may still owe $10,000 in taxes on that income—even though they broke even.
What To Know
Titus, in an exclusive interview, said the issue has drawn more widespread attention on the OBBB compared to other scrutinized portions of the legislation, such as Medicaid and food stamp cuts.
"We've certainly heard from the industry, they've all kind of now gotten on board," Titus said. "But I can tell you that we put out a lot of messages about that big, bad BS bill and we talked about Medicaid, we talked about food stamps, we talked about renewable energy, but this issue has gotten 10 times the response than any of those have."
The congresswoman continued: "I think it's people who are on the internet, I think it's young people who found an issue that they can kind of identify with. And I don't think it's just limited to the people directly impacted by gaming in Nevada. It's a national issue because now everybody can gamble on their phone, and so they're writing in, they're texting in, they're calling in to say, 'We should fix this.'"
UKRAINE WAR
Quote:Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused "neocolonial" Western powers of modern "robbery and looting" in the pursuit of rare earth metals to gain an advantage in the artificial intelligence (AI) race.
These highly prized resources are vital for the manufacture of cutting-edge technology, and President Donald Trump has put a particular emphasis on procuring them from Ukraine, Greenland, China, Africa, and elsewhere.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also touted rare earths to Trump from the areas of Eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Moscow, which has tried to seize control of Kyiv in its full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.
"[Rare earth metals] are the prize in the trade wars underway between the key suppliers of AI solutions to the market," Zakharova wrote in an op-ed titled "Neo-coloniAIism" for the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, state news agency Tass reported.
"Political elites in Western countries, most of which don't have such reserves, seek to gain pre-empted and unrestricted access to the fields held by the countries of the global majority, and while doing so, they pursue an aggressive neocolonial policy bordering on robbery and looting."
Russia, China Rare Earths
The competition over rare earth elements—comprising 17 minerals essential for advanced electronics—has intensified in recent years due to their vital use in critical technologies, notably AI hardware.
Rare earths are foundational in manufacturing high-strength magnets found in electric vehicles, smartphones, wind turbines, and AI-centric semiconductor devices, such as Nvidia's H20 AI chips
Russia possesses significant rare earth reserves within its territory but has yet to develop these resources at scale for global supply.
The sector is underdeveloped compared to China, but Moscow views these minerals as strategically valuable—for domestic technological ambitions and as potential political leverage.
Ukraine Minerals Deal
The significance of Ukrainian mineral wealth is widely recognized, although full-scale exploitation has been hindered by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and lack of investment.
Trump sealed a critical minerals deal with Ukraine that will see Kyiv share its resources and the profits from them with the U.S. in exchange for investment and other support to develop its industries.
The White House saw the deal as a partial repayment for U.S. military aid as Ukraine fends off Russia's ongoing invasion.
Western officials have noted Russia's increased focus on critical minerals within occupied Ukrainian territories, further complicating the global supply landscape. The European Union (EU) has also raised concerns over the security implications of Russian access to rare earth assets amid its war in Ukraine.
China Exposure in Supply Chain
Supply chain vulnerability came into sharp focus after China introduced stricter controls on rare earth exports in April in retaliation for new U.S. tariffs.
The result was widespread disruption across the U.S. tech and auto sectors, with automakers temporarily suspending operations due to shortages.
Following weeks of stalled negotiations and further tit-for-tat export curbs, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke directly, paving the way for a renewed agreement in June.
As described by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the deal effectively unblocked rare earth shipments to the U.S., although China said it would approve export applications on a case-by-case basis to ensure compliance with dual-use and military end-user restrictions.
Quote:For the second time in a week, NATO member Poland has scrambled its aircraft in response to a widespread Russian attack on Ukraine.
The Polish Ministry of Defense announced the operation overnight on Friday, which coincided with drones and missile strikes Russia launched against Ukraine's cities.
On Saturday, the Polish Defense Ministry told Newsweek that no Polish airspace was violated and that Swedish aircraft were also involved in the operation.
Why It Matters
Poland has been among NATO's eastern flank members that have warned about the security risks posed by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The second deployment of Polish aircraft within a matter of days shows Warsaw's concerns about the risk of Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine spilling over into alliance territory.
What To Know
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched drones and missile on the regions of Donetsk, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, Sumy, Kherson, Volyn, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Odesa and Zhytomyr.
As Russia launched the attacks, Poland's Armed Forces said on X that it launched "all available forces and assets," which included aircraft being scrambled and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance being put on the "highest state of readiness."
The Polish Armed Forces told Newsweek in a statement that a pair of Polish and Swedish fighter jets on duty in Poland were scrambled.
Quote:Australia has sent Ukraine the first batch of dozens of U.S.-built M1A1 Abrams tanks that it had promised Kyiv for its fight against Russian aggression, according to the Defense Ministry in Canberra.
Ukraine's ally in the South Pacific announced that Kyiv had received the majority of the 49 decommissioned tanks it had pledged, with the rest scheduled to arrive later this year.
The delivery follows reported delays due to initial resistance from the U.S. about the American vehicles.
Why It Matters
Australia is one of Ukraine's largest non-NATO partners and has been supplying Kyiv with assistance, ammunition and defense equipment since the beginning of the war. The delivery of main battle tanks could be a battlefield boost for Ukraine as it awaits further pledges of military support from U.S. President Donald Trump.
What To Know
Australia is providing 49 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to help its fight against Russia as part of a pledge it made in October.
The delivery was delayed because of objections from the U.S., the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported, citing unnamed defense officials.
Washington had warned Canberra against sending the tanks, and Trump's decision to pause military aid earlier this year may also have added to complications, according to the Australian outlet.
Experts have voiced concerns about their battlefield effectiveness due to the vulnerabilities of the tank's roof to drones.
However, the Australian Defense Ministry said on Friday that most of the tanks had been shipped to Ukraine, adding to the mobility and firepower of Kyiv's forces. The rest are set to arrive in the coming months.
Ukraine also awaits additional military aid pledged by Trump on July 7, when he unveiled a plan to funnel weapons to Ukraine via a NATO- and EU-backed program.
Retired U.S. Vice Admiral Robert Murrett told Newsweek that Washington's decision to provide more arms to Ukraine mostly through European allies was a good step, although the Kremlin is still convinced that conditions on the ground are working in its favor.
Despite high Russian losses, Moscow is not interested in a ceasefire, in spite of Kyiv's willingness to accept such a move, added Murrett, the deputy director at Syracuse University's Institute for Security Policy and Law.
He continued, "Both sides are likely to sustain the fight, and keep a close eye on arms, prospective additional sanctions and military activity in the skies and front lines in Ukraine."
Quote:Russia's drone attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure have begun to target military recruitment centers, according to a data analyst group.
Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) said Russia began to hit enlistment centers in recent weeks in a concerted effort to disrupt Ukraine's mobilization.
Olha Polishchuk, ACLED's Eastern Europe research manager, told Newsweek this new tactic by Russia was part of a clear pattern to hamper efforts by Kyiv to bring in new troops at a critical time.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
Three and half years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine is looking to draft more troops. But Russian strikes against enlistment offices appear to be a tactic to disrupt this process as the government looks to extend martial law.
What To Know
In the first part of the year, Russian intelligence operatives were behind three terrorist attacks on enlistment centers in Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytskyi and Rivne oblasts using local residents, The Kyiv Independent reported.
However, ACLED's Ukraine conflict monitor said that since June 30, Russia has targeted military recruitment centers in the first recorded wave of such strikes.
Russian drones targeted centers in Poltava and Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region, causing casualties among both service members and civilians.
On July 6, an enlistment office in Kremenchuk in the Poltava region was struck. On the following day, recruitment centers in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia were also hit in drone attacks that struck other targets.
Citing Ukrainian sources, ACLED said the attacks aim to destroy data on those liable for military service not yet entered into the unified register of conscripts and to disrupt the draft by scaring people from visiting the centers.
Polishchuk told Newsweek that this strategy marks a real shift in how Russia is trying to weaken Ukraine's war effort and that the strikes are not isolated incidents but part of a clear pattern.
Russian propagandists have acknowledged that enlistment centers are being targeted, spreading social media reports saying military recruitment in Ukraine are forced and unpopular, she added.
Quote:Ukraine launched renewed attacks on the Russian capital overnight into Sunday, according to Russian and Ukrainian sources, after Moscow doubled down on missile and drone strikes across Ukraine.
Why It Matters
Kyiv has occasionally targeted Moscow with long-range drone strikes, and launched a string of attacks on the Russian capital in recent days.
Russia has intensified its own aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital and many other regions of Ukraine in the past few weeks, despite U.S. efforts to secure a ceasefire deal and increasing frustration from U.S. President Donald Trump with Russia's President, Vladimir Putin.
What To Know
Moscow mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said Russian air defenses had destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones over Moscow, then quickly said another seven had been intercepted.
Russia's Defense Ministry said in its own statement that Ukraine had launched 93 drones at Russia between 11:30 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday and 7 a.m. local time on Sunday. A total of 19 Ukrainian drones flew over the broader Moscow region, with 16 heading directly for the Russian capital city, the Russian government said. The Defense Ministry later reported Ukraine had launched seven more drones over the Moscow region from just after 8 a.m. Moscow time to midday.
A pro-Kremlin Telegram channel with purported links to Russian law enforcement reported a car "exploded after being hit by debris" from a Ukrainian drone in Zelenograd, on the northwestern edge of Moscow. The Baza Russian Telegram channel reported that debris from an intercepted drone had fallen on a multi-storey building in Zelenograd.
Russian state media reported temporary restrictions were put in place at Sheremetyevo airport, east of Zelenograd, citing the country's federal air transport agency. Restrictions were also imposed on the Moscow airports of Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky, as well as Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, according to several Russian reports.
A total of 134 flights were diverted over the weekend, a spokesperson for the Rosaviatsiya federal air transport agency said.
"Moscow was attacked by UAVs [uncrewed aerial vehicles]," Andriy Kovalenko, an official with Ukraine's national security and defense council, said in a post to social media on Sunday. Kovalenko shared footage the Ukrainian official said showed passengers at Sheremetyevo, which Newsweek could not independently verify.
Ukraine said on Sunday Russia had launched 57 drones at several regions of the war-torn country overnight, after reporting Moscow fired 344 drones at Ukraine into Saturday morning. Russia also used 12 short-range ballistic missiles and 15 cruise missiles from late on Friday into the early hours of Saturday, the Ukrainian air force said.
U.S.-brokered efforts to push Moscow into a ceasefire deal have so far failed, and Trump told the BBC earlier this month he was "disappointed" in the Russian leader, but "not done with him."
Quote:Ukraine has proposed a fresh round of negotiations with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Why It Matters
Ceasefire talks pushed by the U.S have failed to yield progress toward an agreement after Russia refused to ink an American proposal that Ukraine agreed to back in March. Ukrainian and Russian officials have met directly for talks twice in recent months.
U.S. President Donald Trump has grown increasingly irritated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, pivoting from chasing a thaw with the Kremlin to overtly criticize the Russian leader.
In a marked departure from the White House's tough stance on Ukraine, Trump upped military support for Kyiv via NATO nations and said earlier this month Russia had 50 days to clinch a ceasefire deal or face tariffs. Moscow said Ukraine saw this as a "signal to continue the war" and abandon peace talks. Western leaders and Ukraine have repeatedly said Russia is stalling ceasefire negotiations.
What To Know
The chief of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Rustem Umerov, has "proposed a new meeting with Russia next week," which would focus on ceasefire negotiations, prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children to the country, Zelensky said late on Saturday. Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Umerov, previously serving as Ukraine's defense minister, was appointed as the country's NSDC chief on Friday.
The Ukrainian president said he needed to meet with Putin "to truly ensure a lasting peace."
"Ukraine is ready," he added. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said last week Russia was waiting for Ukrainian proposals for a third round of talks.
ASIA
Quote:Japan's government has launched a task force to deal with concerns about an uptick in foreign nationals living there.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced the "Office for the Promotion of a Society of Harmonious Coexistence with Foreign Nationals" on July 15.
The move comes as the issue of a record number of foreign nationals living there has become an election topic.
Why it Matters
The task force's establishment marked the most visible government response to growing public concerns as the number of foreign residents reached about 3.8 million as of the end of 2024, according to the Japanese data site Nippon.
This is the third consecutive record high, increasing by 10.5 percent year-on-year. But foreign nationals still only make up just 3 percent of Japan's total population of 120 million.
What To Know
Hayashi explained the reason for the task force in a press meeting on July 15, saying there are "situations in which the people feel anxious and unfair due to crimes and nuisances committed by some foreigners and inappropriate use of various systems."
"Realizing an orderly coexistence society with foreigners is one of the important policy issues that the government must address," he said.
Tasks will include creating a shared data information system for central and local governments to use and reviewing existing immigration rules and practices that do not take into account how much more globalized Japan currently is.
Japan has long had strict immigration laws, but the country has slowly eased them as its population has aged and birth rates have declined.
Quote:India's Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor will become the launch site for Japan's next-generation E10 Shinkansen bullet trains.
The Indian Ministry of Railways announced on Monday that the E10 trains, the successor to Japan's current generation of E5 Shinkansen, would make their debut in both countries simultaneously.
Newsweek contacted the Ministry of Railways and the Japanese Ministry of Transport via email for more information on the announcement.
Why It Matters
The introduction of E10 trains in India shows that there are deepening economic and technological ties with Japan. Japan's bullet trains are a huge part of the country's culture and the envy of the infrastructure world, so the fact that they are willing to share the spotlight with India suggests a high level of trust between the two nations.
What To Know
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train initiative will use the E10 model following initial testing of E5s.
The E10 series is set for commercial debut in Japan in 2030, at the same anticipated time that the Indian rail project will provide full connectivity to Mumbai.
The Indian Ministry of Railways said in a statement on Monday: "The Japanese Shinkansen [system] is currently running E5 trains. Next generation trains are E10.
"In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project. It is noteworthy that E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan."
The rollout will be the first time Japan has introduced its most advanced rail technology abroad in sync with its own domestic launch.
According to the Ministry of Railways, trials for the high-speed trains are scheduled between 2026 and 2027, while full-scale commercial service is targeted for 2027.
Quote:China has welcomed a Russian proposal for the restoration of a three-member bloc with India, saying cooperation would be in their interests and would contribute to peace and security, raising the prospect of a revitalized alliance that could challenge U.S. influence.
The three largest countries on the Eurasian land mass first floated the idea of a trilateral cooperation bloc in the 1990s, and they later held several ministerial meetings. But the initiative has stalled in recent years because of tensions between China and India over sections of their border.
Why It Matters
A revival of the Russia, India, China, or RIC, bloc could pose a challenge to the U.S. if it resulted in more coordinated action by the three nuclear-armed countries on diplomatic, economic and security issues.
The proposal for greater three-way cooperation comes as the administration of President Donald Trump is promoting his "America First" agenda, including the imposition of sweeping tariffs, which has raised questions in some countries about their standing with the U.S.
China has criticized U.S. tariff policy as "bullying." U.S. officials have defended the tariffs saying unfair trade arrangements have to be adjusted. India and the U.S. are negotiating a trade deal while the United States has imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
What To Know
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, responding to a question about Russian negotiations to restore the RIC bloc, said more cooperation between the neighbors would be beneficial for all of them.
"Cooperation among China, Russia, and India not only aligns with the respective interests of the three countries, but also contributes to regional and global peace, security, stability, and progress," the spokesperson, Lin Jian, told a regular briefing in Beijing.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said earlier he was negotiating with both China and India on a revival of the bloc.
IRAN
Quote:With Iran's military battered from an intense 12-day war with Israel that also involved direct U.S. intervention, China is emerging as top candidate to provide advanced weaponry that could help Tehran reestablish deterrence as tensions continue to simmer across the Middle East.
The trend marks a departure from Iran's long-standing efforts to acquire arms from another strategic partner, Russia, whose ability to deliver on deals remains limited by its ongoing war in Ukraine and other geopolitical constraints.
Beijing, on the other hand, has remained relatively insulated from two of the world's deadliest ongoing wars ravaging Eastern Europe and the Middle East, even if it has continued to cultivate cooperation with Moscow and Tehran.
With Iran's airspace now more vulnerable than ever, Hongda Fan, a professor at Shanghai International Studies University's Middle East Studies Institute, told Newsweek that "strengthening air defense capabilities is clearly an urgent priority for Iran at the moment" and that "China has indeed made remarkable progress in areas such as fighter jet development, attracting global attention."
Such progress was put on rare display in May when one of China's leading partners, Pakistan, employed Chinese Chengdu J-10C multi-purpose combat jets during another brief but intense battle with India, reportedly downing several Indian aircraft, including French Dassault Rafale warplanes.
Given the growing level of unrest that has rocked the international order in recent months, Fan felt the conditions could be ripe for greater military cooperation between the People's Republic and the Islamic Republic, particularly as "both China and Iran are victims of certain policies pursued by Western powers."
But if Tehran was to upgrade its cooperation with Beijing to something that more closely resembled the "all-weather," "iron-clad" pact between China and Pakistan, he said Iran would likely need to reevaluate its foreign policy outlook.
"It is important to note that, unlike Islamabad, some decision-makers in Tehran often see themselves Iran as one of the centers of the world," Fan said. "A great-power mindset is not uncommon in contemporary Iran, which to some extent affects the development of its foreign relations."
"Personally, I believe that if Tehran shows sufficient willingness and trust toward China," he added, "Beijing would not reject cooperation with Iran in military fields such as weapons."
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Embassy to the United States and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations for comment.
Quote:Iran has "restored" its air defense network heavily targeted by Israel during last month's conflict, state media reported on Sunday, citing a senior Iranian military official.
Why It Matters
Israel homed in on Iran's air defense network ahead of launching its strikes on the country's nuclear sites and other military targets in June. Iran retaliated, the repeated exchange of strikes becoming what has been dubbed the 12-day war.
Israel quickly said it had established "full aerial superiority" over the Iranian capital and the area west of Tehran, meaning it could operate its advanced aircraft over Iran with little fear they could be shot down by air defenses.
Israel's knocking out of Iranian air defenses also cleared the path for U.S. aircraft to launch their own strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran then attacked the U.S.'s Al Udeid military base in Qatar before a ceasefire was reached.
What To Know
Israel's "first targets" during the June war between the two countries were Iran's radars and air defense systems, Rear Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, the deputy chief of operations for the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, said in comments carried by several state media and semiofficial outlets.
Mousavi said "some" air defenses were damaged. Israeli national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said in June the Israeli military had destroyed "dozens and dozens" of Iranian air defense systems.
"With the efforts of my comrades, however, the damaged systems were replaced and deployed at predetermined locations," Mousavi said. The Israeli military declined to comment when approached by Newsweek on Sunday.
There are many types of air defenses, including large ground-based systems designed to intercept advanced missiles or keep aircraft far away from key targets. Iran has operated a mixture of domestically-made and imported air defense systems, including the Russian-manufactured S-300 long-range system and the shorter-range Tor.
Quote:President Donald Trump has warned Iran not to attempt to rebuild their nuclear facilities, after he claimed recent U.S. military strikes in June "completely destroyed" Iran's sites.
The President wrote on Truth Social on Saturday: "All three nuclear sites in Iran were completely destroyed and/or OBLITERATED. It would take years to bring them back into service and, if Iran wanted to do so, they would be much better off starting anew, in three different locations, prior to those sites being obliterated, should they decide to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Why it Matters
The stakes surrounding Iran's nuclear program remain high for U.S. national security interests and for stability across the Middle East.
President Trump's warning comes against a backdrop of ongoing debates about the effectiveness of U.S. strikes and the future of diplomatic efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.
What To Know
On June 21, the U.S. military—under an operation code-named Midnight Hammer—conducted airstrikes against three of Iran's principal nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
President Trump and defense officials publicly claimed that all three sites were "completely destroyed," saying that Iran would require years to reconstitute its nuclear program if it tried to rebuild. Trump reiterated this with his message on Saturday.
But some U.S. intelligence assessments have challenged the administration's narrative.
Only one out of three of Iran's nuclear sites was destroyed with the other two surviving enough to be able to resume nuclear enrichment within several months if Tehran wants it, according to NBC News, which cited five current and former U.S. officials familiar with the assessment.
The Defense Department and the White House have pushed back, asserting that their own intelligence showed all three facilities were "completely and totally obliterated."
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Purnell said: "President Trump was clear and the American people understand: Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz were completely and totally obliterated. There is no doubt about that."
"The credibility of the Fake News Media is similar to that of the current state of the Iranian nuclear facilities: destroyed, in the dirt, and will take years to recover."
Iran maintains that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, despite long-standing Western suspicions.
Iranian diplomats are set to meet in Europe next week for discussions about a possible nuclear deal, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
"Iran has not softened its position on its right to enrich uranium on Iranian soil, which makes it unlikely that Iran will accept a nuclear deal that includes a zero uranium enrichment demand," the Institute said in its most recent report.
And just in case anything goes wrong, Iran now wants to discuss the nuclear issue with Europe...
Quote:Leaders from Iran, Germany, France, and Britain are finalizing plans to discuss Tehran's nuclear program, a major source of global tension, "in the coming week," a German diplomatic source told Newsweek on Sunday.
Newsweek has reached out to press representatives for France, Britain, and Iran via email for comment on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Iran's nuclear program has long been a source of international concern. In 2015, Iran and several world powers including France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement aimed at limiting Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The JCPOA is set to expire in October.
The United States withdrew from the accord in 2018 under the Trump administration, reimposing sanctions and reigniting diplomatic friction.
Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is intended for civilian purposes, while the U.S. and some of its allies like Israel have accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons capability. Tensions spiked again last month when the U.S. conducted airstrikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation with a strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar.
What To Know
The three European countries, known as the E3, "are in contact with Iran to arrange further talks in the coming week," a German diplomatic source told Newsweek in an email Sunday.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported a source informed on the matter, saying, "The principle of talks has been agreed upon, but consultations are continuing on the time and place of the talks. The country in which the talks could be held next week has not been finalized."
The organization of talks with E3 leaders and Iran comes just days after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held discussions with French, German and European Union (EU) officials. That was the first formal call since the Israel-Iran war.
A German diplomatic source told Newsweek that "Iran must never possess nuclear weapons."
SAUDI ARABIA
Quote:Saudi Arabia's flagship urban development, The Line, entered a critical phase of evaluation this week, as the kingdom's Public Investment Fund (PIF) engaged external consulting firms to assess the feasibility of the megaproject.
The review aims to determine whether project goals remain attainable amid rising costs, shifting timelines, and a downturn in oil revenues.
Newsweek contacted the Public Investment Fund and Neom by email for comment.
The Context
The Line was first announced as a "linear city" of the Neom development, stretching 105 miles, featuring twin 500-meter-tall skyscrapers and promising residents that all daily needs would be met within a five-minute walk. The project was originally designed for nine million inhabitants, served by a high-speed train network, and to operate on zero emissions.
However, the scale and timeline of The Line have drawn skepticism, with reports last year suggesting that the project has been scaled back to house fewer than 300,000 people, though Saudi Arabia has not acknowledged reports of the change.
What To Know
Now, it appears that officials are accepting the project's scope may have to be reigned in, with Saudi Arabia calling in consultants to assess whether or not the current approach is feasible.
The review will also include suggestions of alterations to the design, according to reports from Bloomberg. Newsweek could not verify these reports.
In a statement on the review process, a spokesperson for Neom said: "As is typical with large-scale, multiyear projects, strategic reviews are common practice and occur several times over the course of a major development project or infrastructure program.
"The Line remains a strategic priority and Neom is focused on maintaining operational continuity, improving efficiencies and accelerating progress to match the overall vision and objectives of the project."
Despite the ambitious targets, progress on The Line has been limited. Satellite images published by Newsweek in April showed large-scale excavation and support-zone development near the site, with around 2,800 workers and staff housed in custom-built accommodations.
However, independent evidence of progress on the skyscraper elements remains limited. There were also allegations of labor abuses—particularly involving foreign workers—raised in the British TV documentary Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia, which claimed that some workers at NEOM were treated as "trapped slaves" and "beggars."
In response, the Saudi Arabian National Council for Occupational Safety and Health told Newsweek: "In reference to the misinformation circulating across various media platforms—particularly claims suggesting an increase in worker fatalities linked to working conditions in Saudi Arabia, accompanied by unfounded statistics lacking credible sources—the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health in Saudi Arabia unequivocally refutes these assertions.
"The council affirms the work-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia is 1.12 per 100,000 workers. This figure positions Saudi Arabia among the lowest globally in terms of work-related fatalities.
"The International Labour Organization [ILO] acknowledges this progress, highlighting on its official website that Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in improving occupational safety and health and reducing workplace accidents at the national level.
"Similar commendations have been offered by other reputable international organizations, including the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management and the British Safety Council.
LATIN AMERICA
Quote:Americans held in Venezuela will be included in a prisoner exchange with El Salvador, home to the supermax prison known as CECOT where the U.S. has deported hundreds of illegal migrants.
Newsweek understands that at least some of the Venezuelan immigrants sent to CECOT in March were on board flights headed to their home country Friday afternoon.
"Well, there were already rumors that a flight from El Salvador was leaving in a few hours," Danielvi Henriquez, sister of one of the deported Venezuelans Wilvenson Guevara Munoz, told Newsweek Friday.
"But we realized the plane was headed there. It landed, and they confirmed that there would indeed be an exchange — political prisoners here for our innocent Venezuelans in El Salvador."
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment by email on Friday afternoon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed the release of 10 Americans from Venezuela.
Why It Matters
Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have been strained for some time, with El Salvador becoming somewhat a bridge between the two nations when it comes to deportations and prisoners. Venezuela has been reluctant to take back nationals deported by the U.S., with CECOT taking many Venezuelans instead.
What To Know
El Salvador will send 238 Venezuelans held in the prison to Caracas in exchange for five U.S. citizens and five permanent U.S. residents to U.S. custody, according to Reuters, which cited two U.S. government officials.
Exact figures remain in flux, but one of the officials told the outlet that the numbers appear to be close to expectation.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
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Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
![[Image: SP1-Scripter.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Scripter.png)
![[Image: SP1-Writer.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Writer.png)
![[Image: SP1-Poet.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-Poet.png)
![[Image: SP1-PixelArtist.png]](https://www.save-point.org/images/userbars/SP1-PixelArtist.png)
![[Image: SP1-Reporter.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/GmxWbHyL/SP1-Reporter.png)
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!

Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE