“Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country is prepared for any war Israel might wage against it, adding he was not optimistic about the ceasefire between the countries, while confirming Tehran is committed to continuing its nuclear programme for peaceful purposes. Pezeshkian made the comments in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera aired on Wednesday, one of his first since the end of the 12-day conflict with Israel last month, in which the United States intervened on Israel’s behalf, launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. … Pezeshkian’s comments echoed earlier remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said in an interview with US broadcaster Fox News aired Monday that Tehran would never abandon its uranium enrichment programme, but was open to a negotiated solution to its nuclear ambitions, in which it would guarantee that the programme was for peaceful purposes in response for the lifting of sanctions.” (07/23/25)
“The United Nations’[s] top court in a landmark advisory opinion Wednesday said countries could be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, and nations harmed by its effects could be entitled to reparations. Advocates immediately cheered the International Court of Justice opinion on nations’ obligations to tackle climate change and the consequences they may face if they don’t. ‘Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system … may constitute an internationally wrongful act,’ court President Yuji Iwasawa said during the hearing.” [editor’s note: And so the scam continues – SAT] (07/23/25)
“Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal legend who rose to fame in the pioneering group Black Sabbath, has died, his family said in a statement to CBS News. He was 76. … Either clad in black or bare-chested, the singer was often the target of parents’ groups for his imagery and once caused an uproar for biting the head off a bat. Later, he would reveal himself to be a doddering and sweet father on the reality TV show ‘The Osbournes.’ Black Sabbath’s 1969 self-titled debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal.” (07/22/25)
“Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday announced he was cutting short the week’s legislative business and sending the House home early for the summer on Wednesday to avoid having to hold votes on releasing files related to the accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. … deep divisions among Republicans on the matter have now paralyzed the House, as Republicans seek to avoid a politically perilous vote on a matter that is confounding President Trump and roiling their MAGA base. … On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee also voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime partner of Mr. Epstein who is serving a 20-year sentence on a sex-trafficking conviction, for a deposition. Representative Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican who has pushed for more transparency in the Epstein case, introduced the motion to subpoena Ms. Maxwell, and several Republican members supported it.” (07/22/25)
“Ukraine’s parliament has backed a push by Kyiv’s presidential office for greater control over the country’s independent anti-corruption bodies, in a move that critics warn would hand President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s circle more influence over investigations. Lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favour of legislation that would, in effect, eliminate the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and its partner organisation the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo), according to four lawmakers and officials familiar who spoke with the Financial Times during the vote. The parliament also voted in favour of rushing the law to the president for his signature.” (07/22/25)
“Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday fired a federal prosecutor whom New Jersey’s federal judges had named to replace the state’s interim U.S. attorney, Alina Habba, a close ally of President Donald Trump. … Desiree Leigh Grace was named U.S. attorney for New Jersey, according to an order the chief judge for the District of New Jersey, Renee Marie Bumb, signed Tuesday. The order means judges declined to extend Habba’s interim role, which expires after 120 days. … But Bondi said that Grace ‘has just been removed’ and that the ‘Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.’ … The plan is to reinstall Habba in the position in some capacity, as the administration did with the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, but no specific method has been established yet, the person said.” (07/22/25)
“A cruise liner carrying Israeli tourists has been forced to reroute to Cyprus after being turned away from the Greek island of Syros after a quayside protest over the Gaza war. Around 1,600 Israeli passengers on board the Crown Iris were prevented from disembarking amid safety concerns when more than 300 demonstrators on the Cycladic isle made clear they were unwelcome over Israel’s conduct of the war and treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. … Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, contacted his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, over the incident, the Greek foreign ministry confirmed. It did not release any details of their discussion.” (07/22/25)
“The former chair of the Island County Republican Party refused to wear a mask while observing ballot counting during the 2024 presidential election. Now, an Island County jury has found him guilty of a felony. This month, jurors convicted Timothy Hazelo of unauthorized access to an election office or ballot-counting area and first-degree criminal trespassing. Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider had instituted a mask policy for vote counters and observers, because of a COVID-19 outbreak in August 2024, according to court documents. … Hazelo, an outspoken opponent of mask mandates who ran for U.S. House in 2020, showed up mask-free. Two local law enforcement officers responded. Hazelo told officers he would not leave unless he received a citation, according to a civil complaint filed by one of Hazelo’s lawyers, Austin Hatcher. The officers escorted him from the building and cited him.” (07/22/25)
“Hospitals, local councils and operators of critical U.K. infrastructure are among the organizations who will be banned from paying ransoms to hackers under new plans unveiled by the British government. The move — which will cover all public sector bodies as well as the owners and operators of critical national infrastructure — comes after years of escalating cyber attacks on parts of the British state. … The new measures, which also include the mandatory reporting of all ransomware incidents, come following a consultation in which three-quarters of respondents supported a targeted ban.” (07/22/25)
“Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that punishes online searches for information that is deemed ‘extremist,’ the latest move by government authorities in their relentless crackdown on dissent. The bill passed by the lower house, the State Duma, moves to its all-but-certain endorsement in the upper house and then goes to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law. The legislation punishes what it describes as ‘deliberately searching for and accessing extremist materials’ online. First-time offenders face a fine of up to the equivalent of $64. The official definition of extremist activity is extremely broad and includes opposition groups like the Anti-Corruption Foundation, created by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the ‘international LGBT movement.'” (07/22/25)
