Indian Diaspora Hails PM Modi's Canada Visit, Calls for Stronger India‑Canada Economic Ties
A shocking drone attack occurred near the U.S. Consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, just hours after a threat from the pro-Iran militia Kataib Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia's Al Hadath network reported that the drone was aimed directly at the American mission. Although the drone was intercepted, dramatic video footage captured a massive explosion moments after the attempted strike. The full extent of the damage has yet to be assessed, and regional tensions continue to rise amid growing threats to U.S. assets in the Middle East.
13.9K views | 5 hours ago
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
Epstein Files Fallout: Kash Patel considers resignation; Pam Bondi vs Dan Bongino - the story so far
The Trump administration is facing its most volatile internal crisis yet, as FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino edges closer to resignation over Attorney General Pam Bondi's mishandling of the long-anticipated Epstein files. The fallout, driven by Bondi's broken promises and growing public outrage, has FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly prepared to follow Bongino out the door—setting the stage for a possible leadership implosion at the heart of American law enforcement. This internal war—once quietly brewing—is now on full display, with recriminations flying, alliances shifting, and MAGA loyalists turning on their own. The Flashpoint: DOJ Memo Torches 'Client List' Hopes On July 7, the Department of Justice issued a memo that decisively undercut the narrative Bondi had been peddling for months. The two-page document concluded there was no evidence of a 'client list,' no credible signs of blackmail, and reaffirmed the long-standing official position that Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a federal jail cell in 2019. The memo, signed off by both DOJ and FBI leadership, included surveillance footage and investigative summaries that contradicted Bondi's earlier statements. For months, she had claimed the FBI was in possession of tens of thousands of hours of disturbing video footage, and had repeatedly promised bombshell disclosures. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Upto 15% Discount for Salaried Individuals ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo Those promises now appear to have been hollow. Conservative influencers, who had banked on explosive revelations implicating elites, were incensed. Bondi's office had built expectations with Phase 1 of the 'Epstein Files' back in February—a series of binders handed out to right-wing media figures that mostly repackaged previously leaked information. With the July memo's flat conclusions, fury erupted. Bongino vs Bondi: The Internal Explosion The conflict between Bongino and Bondi came to a head on July 9 during a closed-door White House meeting. Bondi accused Bongino of leaking frustrations to the press, an allegation he denied. Witnesses described the exchange as heated and personal, with Bongino storming out of the room. Two days later, Bongino took a personal day and has not returned. Multiple administration sources now say his resignation is imminent. One source described him as 'done,' and unwilling to work another day under Bondi's leadership. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and a fixture in conservative media, had reluctantly endorsed the DOJ memo's suicide conclusion, only to be caught in the backlash from MAGA influencers who accused him of selling out. Kash Patel: Torn Between Loyalty and Fallout FBI Director Kash Patel is also said to be considering resignation. Once a key proponent of theories questioning Epstein's death, Patel has since aligned with the suicide explanation in his official capacity. However, insiders say he is privately furious at Bondi for damaging the Bureau's credibility and igniting a crisis within the administration. Patel's calculus is reportedly tied to Bongino's fate. If his deputy resigns, Patel may follow, seeing little institutional value in continuing under Bondi's divisive leadership. One aide close to the director said, 'He doesn't want to be left holding the bag. If Bongino goes, Kash walks too.' MAGA Mutiny: The Base Turns on Bondi Bondi, once lionised by MAGA world as a crusading truth-teller, now finds herself isolated. Online, influencers and activists who once supported her are accusing her of deceit. Hashtags attacking her flooded conservative corners of social media in the days following the memo's release. Even voices that typically defend the Trump administration have begun to call for her resignation. What makes the backlash particularly potent is that Bondi had personally staked her reputation on the idea that the Epstein files contained smoking guns. Now that official documentation has concluded otherwise, she has lost the confidence of both the public and senior officials inside the administration. Trump's Calculated Distance Donald Trump has so far refused to intervene. During a cabinet meeting on July 8, he reportedly urged his team to 'move on' from the Epstein issue, calling it a distraction from his legislative agenda. While the president continues to publicly back Bondi, insiders say he's well aware of her declining utility. Trump's political instincts have always been sharper than his personal loyalties—and Bondi may soon find herself on the wrong side of that calculation. Timeline of the Fallout February 2025: Bondi distributes 'Epstein Files: Phase 1' to influencers—mostly rehashed content May 2025: Bongino and Patel publicly align with suicide ruling July 7, 2025: DOJ memo affirms suicide, no client list, no charges pending July 9, 2025: Bondi and Bongino clash during White House meeting July 11, 2025: Bongino takes leave; resignation imminent July 12, 2025: Patel signals he may leave if Bongino quits The Big Picture This isn't just about Epstein. It's about trust, credibility, and the fault lines within the Trump-era security state. Bondi's promise of transparency has backfired, alienating the very audience it was meant to appease. Bongino's looming exit and Patel's wavering loyalty signal a broader collapse of cohesion at the top. With two of the administration's most prominent law enforcement figures ready to walk and the base in open revolt, Pam Bondi's position may no longer be tenable. And while the Epstein case may be officially closed, the political aftershocks are far from over.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Weapons going from US to Ukraine via NATO; ‘they are paying, 100%', says Trump
The United States is selling weapons to its NATO allies in Europe so they can provide them to Ukraine as it struggles to fend off a recent escalation in Russia's drone and missile attacks, President Donald Trump and his chief diplomat said. 'We're sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%,' Trump said in an interview with NBC News late Thursday. 'So what we're doing is, the weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons (to Ukraine), and NATO is paying for those weapons.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that some of the US-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the US, he said. 'It's a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a (US) factory and get it there,' Rubio told reporters during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ukraine badly needs more US-made Patriot air defense systems to stop Russian ballistic and cruise missiles. The Trump administration has gone back and forth about providing more vital military aid to Ukraine more than three years into Russia's invasion. After a brief pause in some weapons shipments, Trump said he would keep sending defensive weapons to Ukraine. US officials said this week that some were on their way. NATO itself doesn't send weapons to Ukraine or otherwise own or handle arms — that is done by its 32 member nations — but it does coordinate the deliveries of weapons to a logistics hub in Poland, bordering Ukraine. The alliance itself ships items like medical supplies and fuel. 'Allies continue to work to ensure that Ukraine has the support they need to defend themselves against Russia's aggression,' NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said. 'This includes urgent efforts to procure key supplies from the United States, including air defense and ammunition.' Germany, Spain and other European countries possess Patriot missile systems, and some have placed orders for more, Rubio said. The US is encouraging its NATO allies to provide 'the defensive systems that Ukraine seeks … since they have them in their stocks, and then we can enter into financial agreements with them, with us, where they can purchase the replacements,' Rubio said. A senior NATO military official said Trump spoke to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about the plan but noted that the details were 'still being worked out.' US weapons already in Europe could be transferred to Ukraine under Trump's proposal, as could American-made weapons previously purchased by allies. 'NATO has effective mechanisms in place to make something like this possible,' the official said.A senior European defense official said it was their understanding that European nations would purchase U.S. weapons for Ukraine under the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Russia has recently sought to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses by launching major aerial attacks. This week, Russia fired more than 700 attack and decoy drones at Ukraine, topping previous barrages for the third time in two weeks. Ukraine has asked other countries to supply it with an additional 10 Patriot systems and missiles, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday. Germany is ready to provide two systems, and Norway has agreed to supply one, he Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that officials 'stand ready to acquire additional Patriot systems from the US and make them available to Ukraine.' Asked how many Patriot systems Germany is interested in buying, Merz didn't give a number. But he said he spoke to Trump a week ago 'and asked him to deliver these systems.' In addition to the Patriots, the weaponry that could be sold to NATO members includes advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, shorter-range missiles and Howitzer rounds, according to a person familiar with the internal White House debate. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking more details. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has been in touch with Trump in recent days, said it's in US national security interests to sell weapons to Ukraine, and 'Europe can pay for them.' 'We have the best weapons. They sure as hell know how to use them,' Graham said in an AP interview in Rome while attending a meeting on the sidelines of a Ukraine recovery conference. Allies purchasing US weapons for Ukraine would get around a possible stalemate in funding for Kyiv once an aid package approved last year runs out. Even with broad support in Congress for backing Ukraine, it's unclear if more funding would be approved. Trump's efforts to facilitate Ukraine's weapon supply come as he has signaled his displeasure with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At a Cabinet meeting this week, he said he was 'not happy' with Putin over a conflict that was 'killing a lot of people' on both bigger army is pressing hard on parts of the 620-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line, where thousands of soldiers on both sides have died since the Kremlin ordered the invasion in February 2022. Graham says Trump has given him the go-ahead to push forward with a bill he's co-sponsoring that calls, in part, for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil. Trump said Tuesday that he's 'looking at it very strongly.'In the NBC News interview, Trump teased that he will make a major announcement on Russia next week. The US president also has had a tumultuous relationship with Zelenskyy, which reached a low point during an Oval Office blowup in February when Trump berated him for being 'disrespectful.' The relationship has since shown signs of two leaders spoke by phone last week about Ukraine's air defenses. Zelenskyy said Thursday that talks with Trump have been 'very constructive.' In the latest attacks, a Russian drone barrage targeted the center of Kharkiv just before dawn Friday, injuring nine people and damaging a maternity hospital in Ukraine's second-largest city, officials said.'There is no silence in Ukraine,' Zelenskyy said. A daytime drone attack on the southern city of Odesa also injured nine. Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, has endured repeated and intensifying drone attacks in recent weeks, as have many other regions of the country, mostly at urged Ukraine's Western partners to quickly follow through on pledges they made at the international meeting in Rome on Thursday. Ukraine needs more interceptor drones to bring down Russian-made Shahed drones, he said. Authorities said Friday that they're establishing a comprehensive drone interception system under a project called Clear Sky. It includes a $6.2 million investment in interceptor drones, operator training and new mobile response units, the Kyiv Military Administration said.'We found a solution. … That's the key,' Zelenskyy said. 'We need financing. And then, we will intercept.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
US state department layoffs: Trump administration orders workforce reduction; over 1300 employees affected
The headquarters of the Department of State (AP image) The US State Department on Friday (local time) laid off more than 1,300 employees as part of the Trump administration's latest move to cut its American workforce by about 15%. This is part of a broader effort to reorganize the department. According to a notice sent to State department employees, the layoffs include 1107 civil service employees and 246 foreign service officers. Overall, nearly 3000 people are expected to leave. The department is also rearranging the organizational structure of staff. These layoffs, officially called a 'reduction-in-force' or RIF, have been planned for months. Officials sent the reorganization plan to Congress in March, saying the cuts were necessary to remove duplicate offices and focus on the department's core responsibilities. However, critics argue the cuts will hurt the State Department's ability to work. All Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday opposing the layoffs. "During a time of increasingly complex and wide-spread challenges to U.S. national security, this administration should be strengthening our diplomatic corps—an irreplaceable instrument of U.S. power and leadership—not weakening it," the senators wrote. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2 BHK homes starting at ₹ 72.6 Lakh at Mahindra Happinest Tathawade . Mahindra Happinest Tathawade Get Quote Undo "However, RIFs would severely undermine the Department's ability to achieve U.S. foreign policy interests, putting our nation's security, strength, and prosperity at risk," the letter added, as reported by news agency CBS. Foreign service officers who received layoff notices will leave their jobs in 120 days, while civil service employees will depart in 60 days. The long planned layoffs began just days after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration's broader plan to slash the size of government workforce, overruling a lower court's order that halted layoff plans at dozens of federal agencies. Department staff were notified about the upcoming layoffs on Thursday afternoon in a message from Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas, who thanked departing staff "for their dedication and service to the United States." Some employees were instructed that because of the planned layoffs, they would not be allowed to work remotely on Friday. They were told to report to the office with all department-issued items, including laptops, phones, diplomatic passports, travel cards and other government property. An email explained that badges would be collected during the checkout process and reminded staff to gather any personal belongings beforehand. Diplomats and other staff applauded departing colleagues in emotional scenes at the State Department's Washington headquarters that runs US foreign policy and embassies around the world. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the union representing State Department employees, criticized the move as a 'catastrophic blow to our national interests.' "At a moment of great global instability -- with war raging in Ukraine, conflict between Israel and Iran, and authoritarian regimes testing the boundaries of international order -- the United States has chosen to gut its frontline diplomatic workforce," AFSA said in a statement. "We oppose this decision in the strongest terms," the statement added.
