Watch the moment a group of Israeli activists stormed a live television broadcast to protest Israel’s war on Gaza. Members of Standing Together, wearing ‘Leave Gaza’ T-shirts, jumped onto the stage during the airing of the Big Brother show on Channel 13.
Published On 10 Aug 202510 Aug 2025
The bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities using advanced bombers and massive ordnance marked a turning point in Donald Trump’s presidency, a man who came to power vowing to end “endless wars” and to withdraw the U.S. from its role as global policeman. With the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran, Israel, and the U.S. in June 2025, brokered by Oman under heavy international pressure, serious questions have emerged: Was the attack a tactical show of force meant to drag Iran back to the negotiating table, or a step toward broader conflict? Is Trump seeking lasting peace, or is he tempted by the drama of a military triumph? And can he leverage this fragile truce to return to diplomacy, or will he stay the course of escalation?
Trump entered the White House in 2016 by sharply criticizing the Iraq War and the massive costs of U.S. military involvement in the Middle East. He even justified the 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani as a measure to prevent war. At the time, he passionately declared, “We are no longer the world’s policeman.” But the June 2025 bombing campaign, nicknamed “Operation Midnight Hammer”, reflected a clear shift in his approach. The operation, which targeted Iran’s Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow sites, reportedly caused serious damage to the country’s nuclear program, according to U.S. sources. However, it was launched without congressional approval or broad international support.
Analysts believe several factors drove this decision: the perceived weakening of Iran following the depletion of its proxy forces in Syria and Lebanon; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for U.S. military involvement against Tehran; and Trump’s need for a symbolic military “win” to bolster his domestic position amid growing anti-immigration protests and waning support among younger Republicans.
Yet, the ceasefire announced on June 24, 2025, facilitated by Oman and quietly backed by European powers and China, signaled that Trump may still be looking to contain the conflict. Reactions to the attack and subsequent truce have revealed deep divisions among Trump’s base and the international community. Steve Bannon, a staunch Trump ally, criticized the move as a betrayal of his anti-war promises, saying it was exactly what Trump had pledged never to do. Conservative figure Charlie Kirk warned that such conflicts could quickly spiral out of control. On social media, Trump supporters voiced concern about military spending and the potential for a drawn-out entanglement. Far-right commentator Jack Posobiec stressed that young Republicans prioritize fixing America’s domestic problems, like the economic crisis and social instability, over military adventures in the Middle East.
Global reactions were even harsher. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the strike as a violation of international law. The International Atomic Energy Agency warned that attacks on nuclear sites could have catastrophic environmental and humanitarian consequences.
The greater danger still looms. Bombing a country, without a ground invasion, rarely leads to peace. Iran, with its large population, complex military structure, and advanced missile and cyber capabilities, is not Iraq or Libya. A single miscalculation could unravel the ceasefire and plunge the region into deeper instability. If Iran retaliates, whether through asymmetric warfare or pressure on U.S. allies, the risk of escalation is high.
Trump still has the chance to change course. He could frame the strike as a final warning and use the ceasefire as a springboard back into diplomacy. A narrative like “We’ve shown our strength, now it’s time for peace” might resonate both domestically and abroad. But if he continues down the path of pressure, broadening the mission from containing Iran’s nuclear program to altering its behavior—or even regime change, he risks falling into the very trap he once called “the stupid wars of the Middle East.”
The success of the ceasefire and a return to diplomacy could solidify Trump’s legacy as a peacemaker. Its failure, however, may seal the end of his political career.
VLADIMIR Putin is known for keeping his personal and family life very private, but some details about the tyrant’s children have surfaced over the years.
Maria Vorontsova (née Putin, born April 28, 1985): His eldest, 39, leads government-funded programs personally overseen by Putin, which have received billions from the Kremlin for genetic research.
She is the first of two daughters of Putin and his ex-wife, Lyudmila Putina.
Maria is said to be an expert in rare genetic diseases in children, and also dwarfism, according to reports.
She was married to Dutch businessman Jorrit Faassen.
In 2013, the couple were living in a penthouse in Voorschoten, the Netherlands, but the following year, Dutch residents called for her to be expelled following the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine.
The pair are believed to have moved the Moscow the following year.
In March 2022, it was reported that the couple had split after the war in Ukraine crushed Maria’s dreams of opening a money-spinning clinic for wealthy foreigners in Russia
Katerina Tikhonova (née Putin, born August 31, 1986): Also daughter of Putin and Lyudmila, 38-year-old Katerina is a tech boss whose work supports the Russian government and defence industry.
She started as a “rock’n’roll” dancer before moving into the world of artificial intelligence.
In 2013, his daughter Katerina married Kirill Shamalov, whose father, Nikolai, is a longtime friend of the president.
Nikolai Shamalov is a shareholder in Bank Rossiya, described by US officials as the Russian elite’s personal bank.
They were married in a secret ceremony at the Igor ski resort just north of St Petersburg.
It was reported at the time that the pair rode into the ceremony on a sleigh pulled by three white horses.
All the guests invited were sworn to secrecy, and the Kremlin has never confirmed that the wedding took place.
“I have a private life in which I do not permit interference,” Putin once said. “It must be respected.”
The couple had corporate holdings worth around $2 billion, according to Reuters, mainly from their large stake in Sibur Holding, a major gas and petrochemical company Kirill bought from another long-time friend of Putin, Gennady Timchenko.
Kirill also bought off Timchenko’s luxury villa in the seaside resort of Biarritz, southern France, estimated to be worth some $3.7m.
In March 2022, the house was taken over by pro-Ukraine activists, in response to Russia’s brutal invasion.
But Katerina and Kirill divorced in January 2018, with Putin’s former son in law rumoured to have been romantically involved with London-based Russian socialite Zhanna Volkova.
After the split, Kirill was said to be forced to give up his stocks in Sibur, and he lost almost half his wealth.
Their divorce settlement hasn’t been disclosed but likely runs into the millions.
Despite that, Kirill is still worth an estimated $800 million.
Putin was reported to be “quietly grooming” Katerina to be his successor.
Vlad is also rumoured to have “hidden” children, though he has never confirmed these reports.
Elizaveta Rozova (aka Luiza Rozova): Elizaveta, also known as Luiza Rozova, 21, is the rumoured love child from Putin’s alleged affair with a former cleaner.
The daughter of Svetlana Krivonogikh, who later became a millionaire, is now a fashion designer and DJ.
She often shared details from her lavish life on Instagram, until suddenly taking down the page in the wake of the Ukraine war.
Speculation also surrounds his supposed secret family with Alina Kabaeva, a former rhythmic gymnast once known as “the most flexible woman in Russia”.
Officials have denied that he has kids with Alina, but it is reported that she is in hiding in Switzerland, avoiding any possible sanctions in the wake of the Ukraine war.
A petition demanding she is thrown out by the Swiss authorities has garnered 75,000 signatures, demanding that “it’s time you reunite Eva Braun with her Führer”.
Alina retired from gymnastics and took a strange career turn to become a Russian MP.
The former athlete – dubbed “Russia’s First Mistress” – the Duma, the Russian parliament in 2007, representing her alleged lover’s United Russia party but left years later to pick up a lucrative job running a media company, despite having no previous experience.
In April, Alina’s name and picture was dramatically stripped from the website of the media empire she controlled.