Antonio Guterres, the UN’s chief executive, warned against an Iran-Israeli conflict that might escalate in a statement read by Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson. He urged caution and diplomacy, as well as cautioned against “increased military interventions.”
Tehran’s streets are revolving around suitcases that are dragged across pavements, a single mother balancing her young son with one hand, and a woman entering a subway station to spend yet another night underground. Young Iranians are turning to the internet and WhatsApp for their only safe haven as a result of Israel’s attacks, leaving them without shelters, alerts, or public evacuation plans.
Momo, a 24-year-old IT engineering student in Tehran, says, “We don’t know where to go.”
“We never know whether the Ministry of Intelligence or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are located in the building next door. I’m not sure if my upstairs neighbor is a regular person or a government official. He made reference to Israel’s alleged attacks on residential buildings, which are allegedly targeted at people connected to Iran’s military or its nuclear program, and said the facility nearby might be a part of a secret military operation.
Momo has chosen to remain in Tehran out of principle, not just for his two-year-old rescue cat. What would I actually do? Here is where I live. I’ve lived here all my life. We will not resist Israeli aggression or repressive regimes. Many of us are still here. Although we’re not sure how long this will last, I’d rather my house be my grave than a place of displacement.
Generation Z from Iran, who was born between the mid-1990s and the mid-2010s, are establishing new safe havens in the digital world with conventional safe havens out of reach and communication networks under heavy surveillance or complete blockade. Forums have turned into lifelines, providing impromptu shelters, therapy rooms, and organizing hubs.
Momo has used Discord for seven years. Momo claims that it is Momo’s only place where I can breathe. When playing games with friends, I only voice chatted on Discord. It now feels like home. More frequently than not, we communicate with our families there. We watched movies and TV shows together in the middle of the bombings. We doze off online occasionally.
In the midst of sanctions, political unrest, and censorship, this generation of Iranians grew up. Many were also key players in the anti-government demonstrations against 2022 that began after Mahsa Amini was detained for wearing an “improper hijab,” a movement that is renowned worldwide for the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.” Online resources were a crucial part in those days, and they are still very useful today.
Nearly 14 million Iranians, or roughly 15% of the population, are Gen Z gamers and frequent Discord users, according to Iranian daily Shargh. They use VPNs and encrypted apps to stay connected digitally despite the official restrictions.
We were in the middle of a game when the attacks started, Samin, a 23-year-old from northern Iran, claims. “It was surreal, not knowing whether the explosions were occurring in the game or in real life.” This bitter irony was created by these video games, which included numerous gunshots and bombs, whether I was playing Call of Duty or not. Unfortunately, the sounds were actually bombings rather than the sounds of the video game.
In Iran in April 2024, there was no peaceful discussion, with some people believing the government had stopped it because of its use as a platform for protests, despite Iran’s judiciary’s official citing concerns over inappropriate content. Gen Z still can’t escape being re-connected to the app despite the ban.
“Sometimes, we go to great lengths to locate a reliable VPN, log into Discord, and sign up for our channels. We call someone if they don’t log in. Our hearts race because we worry that they might have been killed in a bombing, Samin says. More than ever, we’re constantly checking in on one another online. We’ve all experienced grieving, including losing loved ones, birthdays, and the sound of overhead missiles. In that space, we discuss our worries and daily struggles. Although it’s a painful environment, there is also hope, compassion, and love.
In Tehran, a WhatsApp group that was started as a prenatal yoga class has grown into an unanticipated hub of resilience. Pregnant women who were unable to flee the capital now exchange voicemails, emergency advice, and breathing techniques.
For months, Ameneh and her friend Zohreh, both PhD holders and recipients of US green cards, had been awaiting their parents’ visa approval from the US. Both women were expecting children, but they had different decisions: Zohreh went to Iran to have her family support her labor, and Ameneh chose to remain in San Francisco to give birth alone in the US.
Both women are devastated but still connected via a group chat on the encrypted messaging app “Yoga for Pregnancy” four days after Israel bombarded Iran.
We practice yoga together online and offer each other self-care and breathing tips to prevent panic attacks. When things turn quiet again, Zohreh, who is eight months pregnant in Tehran, lights candles and sends voice notes.
“I was awakened by the explosion’s sound. To stop my contractions, a friend advised me to concentrate on breathing and heart rate. They also advised me to practice yoga once more after my baby stopped moving for hours.
Tehran grew out of fear as a result of US President Donald Trump’s threat that Tehran be “evacuated.” Due to their physical condition and limited access to medical care, Zohreh and many other pregnant women found themselves unable to leave the city. She claims that although we had intended to leave Tehran, I made the decision to stay so I could access a hospital after seeing the traffic and the possibility of giving birth early.
Iranians’ defiance lives in quiet, steadfast, and deeply human spaces as the bombs fall and uncertainty grows. They continue to find each other and refuse to face the darkness alone despite the regime’s warnings and the sky’s regime.
Names have been changed to better represent the people involved because of the sensitive nature of this story.
What is the current situation for Monday, June 18:
Despite President Donald Trump’s mounting pressure to lower rates, the US Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark rate unchanged.
The Fed announced on Wednesday that it would maintain its short-term rate at 4.25 to 4.5%.
Interest rates haven’t been cut since December, but the central bank’s decision was generally in line with expectations.
The decision comes as economic policymakers weigh warning signs. In its yesterday report from the US Department of Commerce, US retail sales numbers decreased more than expected. The US Department of Labor reported a record number of jobless claims for the week, reaching 248, 000.
The unemployment rate, however, was stable at 4.2 percent, which suggests that the labor market is still relatively stable even though the last jobs report showed that.
The Committee wants to achieve the highest possible rate of inflation and employment over the long-term. The central bank stated in a statement that the outlook’s uncertainty has decreased but is still high.
According to Powell, the central bank was holding rates steady in response to uncertainty caused by Trump’s economic and immigration policies as well as consumer prices, a crucial inflation indicator for the Federal Reserve, and that the labor market was not a major source of inflationary pressures. A 2.1% increase for the month of April was revealed in the most recent report.
According to Powell, “we’ve seen goods inflation increase slightly.” More of that is anticipated over the course of the summer, according to the organization. Tariffs must pass through the distribution chain to the final consumer before they can be implemented. We are beginning to notice effects, he continued, and we anticipate seeing more in the upcoming months.
Economists concur.
The US economy is showing more resilience than expected, despite the Fed’s pressure to raise rates. Only 1.4 percent of the US’s overall growth forecast for 2025 is currently in place. The nominal growth rate would be the lowest since 2020 if inflation were to reach 2.4 percent as of the most recent reading. According to Global X’s SVP and head of investment strategy, Scott Helfstein, the US growth rate could increase, which is warranted waiting.
“The jobs number has consistently performed better than anticipated.” Full employment and price stability are the requirements of the Fed. While both risks have increased as a result of policy uncertainty, the data fails to account for labor weakness or an increase in inflation. That is the central point of this Fed calculus.
Jerome Powell, the former Fed Chair, doesn’t seem to feel too hot. However, if there had been any easing, it would have been “absolutely stimulative” and lowering the interest rate on US debt, according to Michael Ashley Schulman, the partner and chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors.
Policymakers are considering the escalating Middle East tensions and the looming and consistently shifting changes to Trump’s tariff policies. Prior to Israel’s attack last week on Iran and its retaliatory strikes, oil prices were in decline, but worries about the Strait of Hormuz closing as tensions rise have grown. Prices may also be going up in the coming weeks.
Powell is the subject of Trump’s criticism.
Trump criticized the central bank’s decision to hold rates steady before the rate announcement, which he had previously expressed disappointment with.
He remarked on his desire for rate cuts, saying “Powell’s too late.” Because he’s always too late, I refer to him as “too late Powell.” Trump said, “If you look at him, you know that I always knew that when I did this, I always knew that he was mistaken.”
It is unclear what Trump meant by “may have to force something,” he added.
He also suggested that he should serve as central bank’s leader. Trump reportedly said, “Maybe I should contact the Fed.” Can I choose my own appointment at the Fed? I’d perform much better than these people.”
Trump has recently rebuffed his call to fire the central bank head, and Powell’s term is set to expire in May.
He leaves in about nine months, he has to, and fortunately, he is terminated, according to Biden, former president. Trump said, “I don’t know why that is, but I suppose he was a Democrat, who has done a poor job.”
Israeli forces have attacked numerous Palestinians’ food-related targets repeatedly.  ,
Israel’s genocide in Gaza has not started to lessen as it continues to attack Iran.
This week, at least 70 Palestinians were killed at a controversial organization’s food distribution site in Khan Younis, which is supported by Israel and the United States.
All other medical supply channels are blocked, too.
What effect does this most recent Israeli strategy have?
Presenter: Nick Clark
Guests:
Amjad Shawa, the director of Gaza’s Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network,
Doctors Without Borders (Medicines Sans Frontieres or MSF) Secretary-General Christopher Lockyear
The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), which the Trump administration claims is responsible for a sizable portion of the entry of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the US, is targeted by the sanctions imposed on Wednesday.
According to the cartel, the cartel allegedly intimidates its rivals by using murder, including the targeted killing of women.
The heinous attack highlights Mexico’s brutal prevalence of femicide, or the killing of women due to their gender, in particular. According to a statement from the Treasury Department, murder frequently goes unpunished and affects a sizable portion of Mexico’s women.
The Trump administration labeled CJNG as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” and “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in February.
Nemesio Ruben “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, one of the five leaders announced on Wednesday, is in charge of the cartel. His capture warrants a $15 million reward, according to US authorities.
Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, a cartel leader closely related to him, was also fined.
According to the Treasury Department, Ruiz has been named as the primary suspect in the death of TikTok influencer Marquez, who is alleged to be his romantic partner.
Marquez, 23, was shot by a man as she livestreamed a video on TikTok in May at her job in the city of Zapopan, according to the Jalisco state prosecutor.