Khamenei was assassinated on February 28, when US-Israeli strikes hit his residential and official compound in central Tehran during the first wave of the US-Israeli attack on Iran. The 86-year-old cleric was killed alongside several members of his family, including his daughter, son-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who formally succeeded him as supreme leader weeks later, was also reportedly injured in the attack and has not appeared publicly since.

Khamenei’s funeral was postponed because of the war and the security situation, Iranian officials said. The ceremonies are taking place after a ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. 

The delay was unusual, as Islamic tradition generally calls for burial as soon as possible after death. The authorities said Khamenei’s body was preserved in accordance with religious requirements. It remains unclear whether Mojtaba Khamenei will attend his father’s funeral.

Iranian officials have presented the funeral as both a period of national mourning and a demonstration of national unity. Pezeshkian called on Iranians “of every ethnicity, religion, preference, and political tendency” to attend, saying a large turnout would send “a clear message to the world.”  

Images and videos from Tehran have shown thousands of people gathering for the ceremonies, while officials have estimated attendance could reach between four million and 15 million mourners. The funeral could end up as one of the largest in modern history, according to media reports.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei served as Iran’s supreme leader from 1989 until his assassination in February 2026. Succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, he led the country for nearly 37 years, making him one of the region’s longest-serving leaders.  

Although Iran has an elected president, the supreme leader is the country’s highest political and religious figure, with the final say on major state affairs, including the armed forces, foreign policy, and the judiciary.  

Khamenei was also a senior Shia cleric whose role went beyond politics. During his rule, Iran expanded its regional reach while facing decades of Western sanctions and confrontation with the US and Israel.

The president demanded that gas retailers must drop their prices to match declines in crude oil futures.

In a post on Monday evening, the president demanded that gasoline retailers lower their prices “IMMEDIATELY!”, less than a week after threatening a federal price-gouging probe against them.

The president argued that prices at the pump are still “too high” despite a drop in crude oil futures to pre-Iran War levels.

Without citing any particular evidence, Trump appeared to suggest the elevated gas prices amounted to price gouging, which he said is “totally illegal,” and warned retailers of “big problems.”

In his post, the president said retailers should target an average gas price of around $2.50 per gallon, which would be lower than the roughly $2.93 per gallon price before the war began.

According to AAA’s tracker, the national average gas price in the US on Tuesday was $3.85 per gallon, slightly above Tuesday’s average but down from $4.02 last week. Two weeks ago, the average fell below $4 per gallon for the first time since the end of March. The war had caused pump prices to peak above $4.50 per gallon last month, driving up inflation. The prices have continued to decline since both sides signed an interim peace deal that agreed to reopen the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, which is used to transport around 20% of the world’s oil. However, the peace deal remains tenous with both sides exchanging fire in the last few days—disrupting shipping.

Trump’s post also called out the government of California, saying it should “stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline.” The president claimed: “Soon the Tax will be higher than the Product itself, and the United States will not stand for it, nor will the People of California.” According to California’s Energy Commission, the state’s various taxes and environmental levies account for roughly 20% of the total price for a gallon of gas. According to AAA’s tracker, California’s average gas price on Tuesday stood at $5.43 per gallon—the third highest among all states, putting it behind only Alaska and Hawaii.

In a post on X, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office shared a screenshot of Trump’s post and wrote: “REMINDER of what Trump said on March 12: ‘When oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.'” In a follow-up post, Newsom’s press office wrote: “The GOP-enabled Iran war has now forced a growing $63 billion in extra fuel costs on Americans nationwide — that $243.14 per California household so far this year.”

The global crude oil benchmark Brent Crude Futures remained just below $73 per barrel early on Tuesday, slightly lower than Monday’s price. The U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate stood at $70.64 per barrel, which is higher than the $68 price touted by the president in his post.

Oil market researcher, Rory Johnston wrote on X: “Unfortunately for Trump, while obviously connected, crude oi and gasoline are actually different commodities. Crude market currently loose (yep, temporarily, surprising but true), but gasoline near its tightest ever relative to crude.”

Last week, Chevron Chief Financial Officer Eimear Bonner told CNBC: “We’re all concerned about prices. So, there is a lot of empathy, whether it’s in the U.S. or here in the U.K. or in Europe for consumers…It’s going to take time though. There is a lag between, you know, oil prices and reductions in oil prices and when that shows up at the pump, but we expect that prices will come down as things continue to normalize.”

International students have become less likely to pursue education in the U.S. since President Donald Trump’s return to office. The administration has introduced more restrictive anti-immigration policies, including measures that explicitly target foreign-born students, and tightened rules about post-schooling employment for international graduates. 

Last fall, schools reported international student enrollment had dipped 17%, according to NAFSA, an education nonprofit. Declining tuition spending translated to $1.1 billion in lost revenue for universities, and almost 23,000 fewer jobs.

Those figures might just be a drop in the bucket if international students end up permanently absconding from U.S. schools. International enrollees disproportionately pursue technical degrees, including in scientific, technology, engineering, and mathematics domains, otherwise known as STEM. The skills and the professions these lead to are cornerstones to U.S. innovation and technological breakthroughs, which in turn bolster all sorts of businesses and jobs. By cutting off those foreign-born grad students and PhDs at the source, the U.S. risks gutting its own economy years down the line.

That’s the finding of a paper published Tuesday by researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. If the number of transplant STEM graduates trained in the U.S. were to fall by a third over the next decade, the blow to entrepreneurship, productivity, and business dynamism would claw anywhere between $240 billion and $481 billion from the country’s GDP, the paper found.

“A major and enduring economic advantage of the United States has been its ability to recruit and educate top talent from around the world,” the authors wrote. “In practice, recruitment of high-skill STEM talent into the United States happens primarily at U.S. universities.”

The international STEM pipeline
When Trump returned to office, the administration was riding high on voter approval for its planned immigration policies. In January 2025, the president polled particularly well with his promise to clamp down on undocumented immigration. A Gallup poll at the time found Americans had more faith in Trump to deliver on his immigration platform than on any other issue he had campaigned on.

But in the 18 months since, Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown has included a constriction of legal immigration pathways, too. The administration has enacted travel bans affecting dozens of countries, tightened refugee admission requirements, and rehauled the process by which many highly skilled foreign students can come to the U.S. for school, and eventually work.

Last year, the administration ordered changes to the H-1B visa program, which allows companies to hire highly skilled and specialized workers. The overhaul required employers to shell out $100,000 for each application, up from around $5,000 previously. A federal judge struck down the order earlier this month, a decision the administration said it would appeal.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.

Changes to H-1B requirements are keenly felt in America’s most innovative industries. Companies have relied on the program to hire armies of foreign-born engineers, AI researchers, and healthcare practitioners, many of whom were studying in the U.S. prior to finding work. Of the 1.2 million international students who attended U.S. schools last year, 57% were enrolled in a STEM program, according to a survey by the Institute of International Education.

Vanishing opportunities for skilled workers
The concentration of international students in STEM fields rises in tandem with their expertise. The Peterson Institute study found international arrivals make up 42.1% of STEM workers whose highest degree is a master’s, a share that rises to 49.2% for those with PhD qualifications. Between 2000 and 2023, foreign-born professionals accounted for more than 60% of all new STEM workers with a PhD.

Impoverished, semi-colonial society to the world’s second-largest economy and a leading technological, industrial, and geopolitical power, China’s rise under the leadership of the CPC stands as one of the defining stories of the twenty-first century.

The scale, speed, and sustainability of China’s transformation are without historical precedent. No country in recorded history has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, built world-class infrastructure across a continental-sized nation, emerged as a manufacturing powerhouse, and become a major force in global governance within such a relatively short period. The CPC’s 105-year journey is therefore not merely China’s story; it is a chapter in world history whose implications continue to shape the international order.

Humble Beginnings and a Grand Vision
When thirteen delegates gathered in Shanghai in July 1921 to establish the Communist Party of China, few could have predicted the magnitude of what would follow. China at the time was a fragmented nation suffering from foreign domination, internal strife, economic backwardness, and political instability. The newly founded Party had fewer than sixty members and faced formidable challenges.

The decades that followed were marked by struggle, sacrifice, and revolution. The Party survived political persecution, civil war, and foreign invasion, most notably during China’s resistance against Japanese aggression. In 1949, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CPC led the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, bringing an end to a century of humiliation and national fragmentation. The creation of the People’s Republic laid the foundation for national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and state-building. Yet China remained economically poor and technologically underdeveloped. The greatest chapter of China’s transformation was still to come.

Reform and Opening-Up: The Turning Point
The watershed moment arrived in 1978 when China embarked on the policy of Reform and Opening-Up under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping. Recognizing that economic modernization was essential to national rejuvenation, the CPC introduced market-oriented reforms while maintaining political stability and strategic state guidance. The results were extraordinary. Over the following four decades, China achieved economic growth on a scale never before witnessed.

Entire cities emerged from farmland. Special Economic Zones attracted foreign investment. Manufacturing capacity expanded exponentially. China integrated into global trade networks and eventually became the world’s factory. Perhaps the most remarkable achievement was poverty alleviation.

According to international development institutions, China succeeded in lifting more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty—a contribution accounting for the majority of global poverty reduction during the period. This accomplishment alone would place China’s development experience among the greatest achievements in human history.

The transformation was visible everywhere: modern highways stretching thousands of kilometers, high-speed rail networks connecting distant provinces, ports handling massive volumes of global trade, and urban centers becoming hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Rise of a Technological Powerhouse
China’s rise has not been confined to manufacturing and infrastructure. Under the CPC’s long-term development strategy, the country has steadily moved up the value chain, becoming a leader in science, technology, and innovation.

Today, China is at the forefront of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, telecommunications, renewable energy, electric vehicles, e-commerce, and digital finance. Chinese companies compete globally in sectors once dominated exclusively by Western firms. The country’s space program offers another striking example. From launching its first satellite in 1970 to operating its own space station and conducting ambitious lunar exploration missions,

China has demonstrated capabilities that place it among the world’s leading space powers. These achievements reflect a governance model that combines strategic planning, substantial investment in research and development, and the mobilization of national resources toward long-term objectives.

A New Model of Development
One of the most debated aspects of China’s rise is the development model that underpins it. For decades, conventional wisdom suggested that modernization required adopting Western political and economic institutions wholesale. China’s experience challenged this assumption. Instead, the CPC pursued what it describes as “socialism with Chinese characteristics”—a model that combines market mechanisms with strong state coordination, long-term planning, and political continuity.

While opinions differ regarding the transferability of this model, few dispute its effectiveness in delivering economic growth and developmental outcomes within the Chinese context. The Party’s ability to formulate and pursue long-range national strategies stands out as one of its distinguishing characteristics. Initiatives such as the Five-Year Plans, the Made in China strategy, rural revitalization programs, ecological modernization efforts, and technological self-reliance initiatives demonstrate a governance approach focused on continuity and strategic execution.

China’s Global Footprint
As China’s economic strength expanded, so too did its international influence. Today, China is a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions. It plays a central role in global supply chains and contributes significantly to international economic growth.

The Belt and Road Initiative has become one of the most ambitious infrastructure and connectivity projects in modern history, linking Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America through investments in transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure.

For developing nations, particularly in Africa, China’s rise offers both opportunities and lessons. Chinese investments have contributed to roads, railways, ports, industrial parks, and energy projects across the continent. Beyond infrastructure, China’s development trajectory has encouraged many countries to reconsider assumptions about modernization, industrialization, and state capacity.

The relationship between China and Africa has become increasingly strategic. African leaders often point to China’s experience as evidence that rapid development is achievable through focused leadership, infrastructure investment, human capital development, and long-term planning.

The Uncommon Nature of China’s Transformation
What makes China’s rise truly exceptional is not simply the magnitude of its achievements but their timing and scale. Historically, great powers emerged over centuries. Britain’s rise unfolded across the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of its empire. The United States became a global superpower through a process spanning more than a century. China’s ascent, by contrast, has occurred largely within a single generation. Within less than fifty years, China transformed from a predominantly agrarian society into an advanced industrial and technological power.

The speed of this transition is unparalleled. Besides, China’s rise occurred despite significant obstacles: vast population pressures, regional disparities, external geopolitical challenges, global financial crises, and periodic economic disruptions. Yet the country maintained developmental momentum while continuously adapting its policies to changing domestic and international realities.

This capacity for adaptation may be one of the CPC’s most important strengths. Over 105 years, the Party has demonstrated a remarkable ability to evolve—from revolutionary movement to governing party, from central planner to market reformer, and from national liberation force to steward of a modern global power.

Lessons for the Developing World
The CPC’s 105-year journey offers valuable lessons for developing countries seeking economic transformation. First, national development requires strategic vision that extends beyond electoral cycles and short-term political considerations. Second, infrastructure matters. Roads, railways, power generation, ports, and digital connectivity are not luxuries; they are prerequisites for industrialization and competitiveness. Third, investment in education, technology, and human capital is indispensable for long-term growth. Fourth, state capacity remains crucial. Effective institutions capable of implementing policies consistently are often the difference between aspiration and achievement. Finally, development is not accidental. It requires disciplined leadership, coherent planning, and sustained commitment over decades.

Looking Ahead
As the Communist Party of China enters its second century, it faces new challenges. Economic restructuring, demographic shifts, technological competition, environmental sustainability, and complex geopolitical dynamics will test the Party’s governance capabilities. Yet regardless of future uncertainties, one fact remains undeniable: the CPC has overseen one of the most extraordinary national transformations in human history.

From the small gathering of revolutionaries in Shanghai in 1921 to leading a nation that now stands at the center of global affairs, the Party’s 105-year journey represents a story of resilience, adaptation, and ambition. Whether viewed through the lens of economics, politics, development, or international relations,

China’s rise under the CPC remains one of the defining phenomena of the modern era. The significance of this achievement extends far beyond China’s borders. It challenges established assumptions, reshapes global power dynamics, and offers a powerful reminder that nations can dramatically alter their destinies through vision, discipline, and sustained effort.

As the world reflects on the CPC’s 105 years of existence, it is not merely commemorating the longevity of a political party. It is acknowledging the architect of one of the greatest transformations ever witnessed in the history of nations.

*Prof Imam is with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja

As the global order undergoes one of the most profound transformations since the end of the Cold War, institutions that once appeared permanent are increasingly being challenged by new centres of power. 

Among the most consequential of these emerging platforms is BRICS – the coalition originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, now expanded to include additional members from across the Global South. 

The bloc represents not merely an economic alliance but a political statement: that the future of global governance cannot remain the exclusive preserve of the traditional Western powers. BRICS embodies the aspirations of developing nations seeking greater influence over global finance, trade, technology, and diplomacy. 

Yet, as the organisation continues to evolve, one question becomes increasingly difficult to ignore: Why not BRI’N’CS? Why should Nigeria not only be a member of BRICS but be recognised so prominently that its initial “N” becomes part of the very identity of the organisation? The proposition may sound ambitious, but Nigeria’s credentials make it far from unreasonable. 

Nigeria: Africa’s Indispensable Giant 

Nigeria occupies a unique position on the African continent. With a population exceeding 230 million people, it is Africa’s most populous nation and one of the world’s fastest-growing demographic powers. By 2050, Nigeria is projected to become the third most populous country globally, behind only India and China. Demography alone does not confer strategic importance. However, when combined with Nigeria’s vast natural resources, entrepreneurial dynamism, geographical location, military capabilities, and diplomatic influence, the case becomes compelling. Nigeria possesses some of the largest proven oil and gas reserves in the world. 

It remains one of Africa’s leading energy producers and holds immense potential in renewable energy, critical minerals, agriculture, and digital innovation. Its economy, despite periodic challenges, remains among the largest in Africa. Lagos alone has emerged as one of the continent’s most vibrant commercial and technological hubs, attracting billions of dollars in investment and nurturing a generation of innovators whose impact is increasingly global. No discussion about Africa’s future can be complete without Nigeria. 

A Strategic Anchor for Africa 

South Africa’s inclusion in BRICS was a recognition of Africa’s importance in global affairs. However, Africa is not a monolith, and its growing economic and demographic significance demands broader representation. Nigeria offers what few countries can: a combination of scale, influence, resources, and continental reach. The country has historically played a leading role in peacekeeping operations across West Africa, contributed substantially to regional stability through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and consistently advocated for African interests in international forums. 

Nigeria’s diplomatic footprint extends far beyond the continent. From climate negotiations to trade discussions and United Nations reforms, Abuja has increasingly emerged as a voice that cannot be ignored. In practical terms, a stronger Nigerian presence within BRICS would significantly deepen the bloc’s engagement with Africa’s largest market and fastest-growing consumer base. 

The India Connection 

The timing for Nigeria’s elevation within BRICS could hardly be more favourable. India, one of Nigeria’s closest strategic partners, currently occupies a position of significant influence within the organisation. The relationship between New Delhi and Abuja has been built over decades on mutual respect, economic cooperation, and shared developmental aspirations. India has consistently distinguished itself as a responsible global actor and a bridge between developed and developing nations. 

It has championed the concerns of the Global South while maintaining constructive engagement with major powers across geopolitical divides. Its leadership during its presidency of the G20 demonstrated an ability to build consensus in an increasingly polarised world. The inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 under India’s stewardship was widely recognised as a landmark achievement for Africa and the Global South. India’s foreign policy has often been characterised by strategic autonomy, pragmatism, and a commitment to development-oriented cooperation. 

Unlike many traditional powers, India approaches its partnerships with developing countries through capacity-building, technology transfer, healthcare cooperation, educational exchanges, and mutual growth. Nigeria has been one of the beneficiaries of this approach. Indian companies have become among the largest investors in Nigeria, operating across sectors ranging from manufacturing and pharmaceuticals to telecommunications and agriculture. 

Bilateral trade between the two countries has expanded steadily, while thousands of Nigerians have benefited from educational opportunities and professional exchanges in India. Perhaps most importantly, both countries share similar aspirations: reforming global institutions to better reflect contemporary realities and ensuring that the voices of developing nations receive the attention they deserve. If there is any country within BRICS that fully understands Nigeria’s strategic significance, it is India. 

Beyond Symbolism 

The suggestion of incorporating Nigeria’s initial into the BRICS identity is, of course, largely symbolic. However, symbols matter. The evolution from BRICS to BRI’N’CS would represent more than a linguistic adjustment. It would acknowledge the reality that Nigeria has become indispensable to any serious conversation about Africa’s future. It would also signal that BRICS is prepared to adapt its structures and identity to reflect the changing balance of power in the Global South. 

More importantly, Nigeria’s fuller integration into BRICS initiatives could generate tangible benefits for all parties involved. The country offers a massive consumer market, abundant natural resources, significant human capital, and a strategic gateway to West and Central Africa. For BRICS, Nigeria strengthens Africa’s representation. For Africa, Nigeria amplifies continental influence. For the Global South, Nigeria provides another powerful voice advocating for a more equitable international order. 

A Moment That Should Not Be Missed 

The world is witnessing the gradual emergence of a multipolar international system. In such a world, influence will increasingly belong to countries capable of combining demographic strength, economic potential, strategic resources, and diplomatic credibility. Nigeria possesses all four. The question, therefore, is no longer whether Nigeria deserves a seat at the BRICS table. That debate has largely been settled by the country’s growing relevance to global affairs. 

The real question is whether BRICS can afford to overlook a nation whose future trajectory will significantly shape Africa’s economic and political landscape throughout the twenty-first century. As BRICS charts its next phase of expansion and consolidation, the bloc should look carefully toward Africa’s largest nation. Perhaps the time has come to move beyond BRICS. Perhaps the future is BRI’N’CS. And perhaps that future should begin now. 

* Prof Imam is with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) Abuja.  

He made the remarks after right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella won the presidential election on Sunday by a narrow margin, preliminary results show, defeating leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda and signaling a shift away from Petro’s progressive policies.

With nearly all ballots counted, De La Espriella secured 49.66% of the vote against 48.70% for Cepeda, according to the National Registry. The 47-year-old lawyer and businessman, who was endorsed by US President Donald Trump, campaigned on promises to crack down on crime, end peace talks with armed groups, and restore ties with Israel after Petro severed diplomatic relations.

Petro, a longtime critic of Western powers, has accused the US of perpetuating global inequality and described Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as “genocide.”

In a post on Sunday on X, Petro said he had warned that election software developed by the Bautista brothers was vulnerable, citing a 2018 ruling by Colombia’s Council of State, and had called for it to be replaced with publicly owned software and subjected to an independent audit.

Petro said there was evidence that the IP addresses of several servers belonging to Colombia’s National Registry were changed, which he claimed indicates that the software was breached and “others entered data for polling stations and voting centers.”

“The only entity in the world with the capacity to do that is the state of Israel,” he added.

He said he would provide judges with details of the allegedly altered servers and called for a full recount and an investigation into vulnerabilities in the election software.

De La Espriella, who pushed for closer ties with Washington, has already received congratulations from Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He pledged to restore diplomatic relations with Israel and open a Colombian Embassy in Jerusalem, reversing Petro’s severing of ties.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar congratulated De La Espriella on his “impressive victory” and said Israel looks forward to strengthening bilateral ties.

The close ties between De La Espriella and Israel were on display throughout his campaign. During a meeting with Sa’ar in November, De La Espriella said that “a strategic alliance with the State of Israel and the US government will not only make us stronger, but will place us on the right side of history.”

*RT

In an address outside 10 Downing Street on Monday, Starmer said he already informed King Charles III of his decision and asked the Labour Party to lay out a timetable to elect a new leader by September, adding that he will remain in his post until then.

Starmer became prime minister in 2024 following the Labour Party’s victory in that year’s general election. He has repeatedly vowed to stay in the post, but has faced pressure to resign amid growing discontent and the declining popularity of his party.

His resignation makes him the sixth UK prime minister to leave office in the past ten years.

Starmer said he would ask the Labour Party’s organising committee to set out a timeline for a leadership contest to find his replacement. Nominations would open on July 9, ‌close by mid-July, and if there is a contest, a new leader ⁠will be in place by September. A coronation could mean a new leader would enter office by mid-July.

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer from my parliamentary party to that question and I ⁠accept that answer with good grace,” he said.

After describing the achievements his government had secured in his two years of power, a man who was often criticised for being robotic, became visibly emotional, his voice cracking when he thanked his family for their support.

“When I leave the biggest job in the country I will spend more time on the most important job, being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife Vic ​who ​has been a rock by my side through good times and bad, and being the best dad I can ​to my beautiful children who are my pride and my joy.”

Speaking at the G7 summit in France on Wednesday, Trump warned that without the deal with Iran, the world would have faced “bedlam” as oil reserves were set to run out in approximately four weeks.

“We run out of reserves at about four weeks,” he told reporters. “You know, there are reserves all over the world, and we would really run out, and there’ll be a time when you wouldn’t be able to get it.”

The US president acknowledged that continued military strikes would have kept the strait closed.

“If we keep bombing, those ships won’t be going,” he said, referring to the impact of the agreement with Tehran.

Trump’s admission underscores the effectiveness of Iran’s strategy in placing restrictions on the strategic waterway, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption normally passes.

Since February 28, when the US and Israel launched their war of aggression against Iran, Tehran’s control over the strait has sent oil prices soaring and drained global reserves.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) had warned in recent weeks that only a few weeks of commercial inventories remained.

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has hit its lowest level since 1983, standing at about 340 million barrels – down from 415 million at the start of the war.

Trump’s remarks came as the US and Iran finalized a memorandum of understanding that brings an immediate end to the war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.

The agreement also provides for the lifting of the US naval blockade and the reopening of the strait.

Iranian officials have consistently maintained that the strait’s closure was a legitimate defensive measure in response to unprovoked aggression.

The framework agreement, signed virtually by Trump and the president of Iran today, represents a diplomatic victory for Tehran, which has secured an end to hostilities and the removal of the blockade without compromising its sovereign rights.

The statement about Grok was submitted as part of an effort by US President Donald Trump’s administration to intervene in a lawsuit seeking to restrict the operation of xAI’s Colossus data centers in Memphis, Tennessee, over environmental concerns.

Cameron Stanley, the chief digital and artificial intelligence officer at the US Department of War, compared xAI’s computing capacity to weapons manufacturing, saying the company’s ability to operate data facilities “at massive scale” is “as foundational to our modern defense posture as traditional munitions production.”

Stanley revealed that Grok is a crucial part of Palantir-developed Maven Smart Systems (MSS), a platform that supports “targeting, intelligence, readiness, and recruitment,” as well as military planning and logistics.

“MSS frontier workflows enabled US forces to deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets within 96 hours during Operation Epic Fury,” he said, adding that xAI is one of just three enterprise providers able to sustain “mission-critical operations” across Secret and Top-Secret classified networks. He warned that if xAI’s Colossus 2 facility is shut down or deprived of power, the Pentagon’s capabilities would be impaired.

The reference to the Pentagon’s Project Maven places Grok inside a broader and increasingly controversial AI targeting ecosystem. It began as an algorithmic warfare initiative to help process battlefield data, while Palantir – one of Washington’s most entrenched surveillance and defense contractors – has marketed its software as an “AI-powered kill chain” promising “decision dominance from space to mud.”

The company’s role has drawn renewed scrutiny after reports that AI-assisted targeting contributed to a US strike in Minab that claimed the lives of nearly 160 schoolgirls. The school was reportedly selected based on outdated data processed through Palantir-linked systems incorporating Anthropic’s Claude AI. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said last week that the reported use of AI in the Minab strike did not necessarily violate the company’s “red lines,” stressing that a human made the final decision.

Palantir executives have openly embraced the company’s military mission. CEO Alex Karp said last year that Palantir’s purpose was “to scare enemies, and on occasion, kill them,” while the company’s recent manifesto declared that “hard power in this century will be built on software” and that a new era of deterrence “built on AI” is beginning.

xAI, which developed Grok as a rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, was merged with SpaceX earlier this year. The company’s data centers have also become a major source of compute power for other AI firms, with Google and Anthropic signing multibillion-dollar agreements to rent capacity from Musk’s company.

The NAACP lawsuit alleges that xAI is violating the Clean Air Act by operating dozens of gas-burning turbines without proper permits or pollution controls. Environmental groups have accused the Trump administration of trying to override citizen lawsuits used to enforce pollution laws.

*RT

California will have to wait for weeks before knowing the final outcome of the June 2 gubernatorial primary election as the country’s most populous state continues counting ballots.

State election officials notoriously begin processing ballots postmarked by Election Day after in-person voting ends. It might take weeks to know the final results, they warn.

“California elections officials prioritize the right to vote and election security over rushing the vote count,” said Secretary of State Shirley Weber in a June 2 news release. “We have a process that by law ensures both voting rights and the integrity of elections, so I would call on all Californians to be patient.”

At the moment, about 56% of the total votes have been counted, and the tally has Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, leading Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former Biden administration Cabinet secretary, according to the Associated Press.

Hilton holds 27.5% of the vote while Becerra, who surged in the campaign’s final stretch, sits at 25.6%. But nipping at their heels is Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire climate activist, who currently sits in third place with 19.8%.

“There’s about 3.5 million to 4 million votes still out there yet to be counted,” Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc., a Sacramento-based bipartisan voter data firm, told USA TODAY. Mitchell estimates around 9 million voters, roughly fewer than 40% of California’s 23 million registered voters, participated in the primary.

“We should definitely know more at least by Friday,” Mitchell said, adding that the 9 million voter participation is two million higher than the 2022 primary in which current Gov. Gavin Newsom easily sought reelection.