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On July 1, 2025, the streets of East York will come alive with joy and unity during the 59th Canada Day Parade and Festival—one of the Greater Toronto Area’s most anticipated cultural celebrations. Among the vibrant mix of floats, marching bands, and performers, Tai Ji Men will make its exciting debut, adding a mesmerizing blend of ancient Eastern wisdom and modern vitality to the festivities.

In response to growing calls to better protect British citizens arbitrarily detained abroad, the UK is considering following the U.S. model by appointing a special envoy to handle complex consular detention cases. The Foreign Office emphasized that it will continue to pressure foreign governments and strengthen support for British nationals.

High-profile international cases, such as Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah and Hong Kong media figure Jimmy Lai, have highlighted the difficulties faced by Britons imprisoned overseas. Human rights groups and families of detainees have criticized the UK government for a lack of efficiency and transparency, urging immediate action.

While the UK has yet to announce the specific responsibilities of the proposed envoy, the role is expected to resemble the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs established in 2015. However, unlike the U.S., the UK does not engage in prisoner exchanges. Professor Carla Ferstman, an expert on arbitrary detention at the Human Rights Centre, University of Essex, said the appointment of a special envoy is "the most obvious thing the UK could do but hasn’t done yet."

The Lithuanian Parliament held a preliminary vote on the 26th, with 78 votes in favor, 3 against, and 8 abstentions, initiating the constitutional amendment process to lower the eligible voting age for local mayoral and municipal council elections from 18 to 16.

Currently, both the Constitution and civil law of Lithuania set the voting and legal adulthood age at 18. The proposed amendment was introduced by Social Democratic Party MP Tomas Martinaitis, who argued that 16-year-olds should be granted voting rights to strengthen democracy and encourage youth participation in local governance. He stated, “Many young people leave their hometowns after turning 18. At 16, they are still closely connected to their communities, making it an ideal time for civic engagement.” He also pointed out that international experience shows that the earlier individuals participate in elections, the more likely they are to remain politically active in the future.

However, the proposal has faced opposition from conservative lawmakers. MP Audronius Azubalis argued that 16-year-olds are not mature enough to take on political decision-making responsibilities and criticized the move as “depriving young people of the process of becoming mature citizens.” The Parliament’s legal department also expressed concerns, noting that the Constitution should not be amended lightly and questioned whether there is currently a “compelling necessity” for such a change.

The proposed constitutional amendment must undergo committee review and be passed in two separate parliamentary votes, each requiring a two-thirds majority (at least 94 votes). Additionally, the two votes must be held at least three months apart. If successfully adopted, Lithuania would follow Estonia in becoming the second country in Europe to allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections.

The 2025 Global Peace Index has been released, ranking 163 countries worldwide. Iceland claimed the top spot for the 17th consecutive year. Taiwan ranked 40th, China came in at 98th, and the United States was placed 128th—behind countries like Zimbabwe and India—while Russia ranked last.

The Global Peace Index is compiled by the international think tank Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). It evaluates peace based on three major domains: “Societal Safety and Security,” “Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict,” and “Degree of Militarization,” using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators. Each indicator is scored from 1 to 5, with lower scores indicating a higher level of peace. The index ranks 163 countries in total.

According to the report, the ten most peaceful countries in 2025 are, in order: Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, and Finland.

The report also notes that global peace has been deteriorating annually since 2014. Currently, there are 59 conflicts between states, the highest number since the end of World War II. In 2025, global peace declined by 0.36%, reaching its lowest level since the index was first established. Rising conflict-related deaths, increased geopolitical tensions, and the growing assertiveness of middle powers are driving what the report calls “The Great Fragmentation”—a fundamental reshaping of the global order that signals the dawn of a new geopolitical era.

Let me know if you'd like it phrased more formally or in a journalistic tone.On the 25th, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform "Truth Social," stating that the corruption charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are "politically motivated." He called on Israel to immediately cancel the trial against Netanyahu or have the president grant him a pardon. Netanyahu had publicly declared the previous day that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than Trump.

Prime Minister Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The trial proceedings began in May 2020, making Netanyahu the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial as a criminal defendant. However, due to the outbreak of the Gaza war and later the conflict with Lebanon, the court proceedings were repeatedly postponed at Netanyahu's request. He finally testified in court for the first time on December 10, 2024, and has denied all charges. Netanyahu is scheduled to appear in court again next Monday.

In response, Trump posted on "Truth Social" that he and Netanyahu had just gone through an ordeal together, fighting against Israel’s enemies. He praised Netanyahu as a "warrior" and condemned the legal proceedings against him as a "political witch hunt." Trump declared that the United States saved Israel, and now it must save Netanyahu as well. He urged Israel’s judicial system to drop the trial or issue a pardon.

According to Israel’s constitution, the president holds the power of pardon. However, the current president, Isaac Herzog, stated that granting a pardon to Netanyahu is not on the current agenda, indirectly rejecting Trump’s call.

On June 24–25, a NATO summit was held in The Hague, Netherlands. Following the summit, NATO leaders issued a five-point statement reaffirming unity and pledging that member nations would commit 5% of their annual GDP to defense and security spending by 2035. This increase is intended to address the long-term threat posed by Russia and to enhance transatlantic defense industry cooperation. The next NATO summit in 2026 will be held in Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump made a special trip to the Netherlands to attend the summit. Before boarding his flight, he expressed frustration—using explicit language—over Israel and Iran exchanging missile fire despite agreeing to a ceasefire. During a media session alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump likened the Israel-Iran conflict to "two unruly children fighting," to which Rutte responded by comparing Trump to a father trying to mediate a quarrel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke with Trump at the summit in what was reported to be a positive and constructive interaction. Trump stated he might provide additional Patriot missiles to Ukraine to defend against ongoing Russian airstrikes. He also acknowledged that negotiating a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire has proven "much more difficult than expected," noting that "Putin is not easy to deal with" and admitting there had been issues with Zelenskyy in the past as well.

Trump used the context of the Russia-Ukraine war to underscore the urgency and importance of a strong defense industrial base. He stressed that NATO members must not rely on foreign adversaries for critical minerals. In May, the U.S. and Ukraine signed a mineral agreement to secure natural resources and ensure continued American support for Ukraine.

As a response to these concerns—and aligning with Trump’s long-standing demands—the joint statement from the summit declared that NATO allies would raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP. Of this, 3.5% will go toward core defense needs, and 1.5% will be allocated to protecting infrastructure and strengthening the defense industrial base.

The U.S. military launched "Operation Midnight Hammer," targeting three of Iran’s major nuclear facilities: Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow.

The operation involved 157 aircraft and B-2 bombers, which deployed rare GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs. While the strike caused significant damage, the Fordow facility was not completely destroyed. Iran claimed it had already relocated over 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, raising doubts about whether the operation achieved its intended strategic objectives.

U.S. Vice President and senior officials admitted they do not know the current whereabouts of the enriched uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated it is unable to verify the uranium’s location due to the ongoing conflict. According to the IAEA, the missing 409 kilograms of enriched uranium is enough to produce ten nuclear warheads, fueling concerns that Iran could be using the chaos of war to shield its nuclear program.

Nuclear nonproliferation experts noted that while the U.S. airstrikes were tactically successful, key Iranian facilities and centrifuges were not fully destroyed, and new installations are reportedly nearing operational status. Analysts estimate Iran could acquire weapons-grade uranium within five months. Some argue that reviving the Iran nuclear deal may be a more effective deterrent than military action.

At the urging of the United States, the Belarusian government on the 22nd released several political prisoners, including high-profile opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky. The move is being interpreted as a concrete sign of warming relations between the U.S. and Russia, Belarus's close ally.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he has pursued direct dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking a departure from previous U.S. policies of distancing from Moscow. Instead, the Trump administration has pushed for normalization of bilateral ties, with both countries stressing deeper cooperation on diplomatic and security issues.

Tikhanovsky’s release came just hours after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg in Minsk—an eye-catching development in both timing and symbolism. Tikhanovsky's wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, herself a prominent opposition figure, expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for its mediation. “Words cannot express the joy in my heart,” she wrote on social platform X. Tikhanovskaya had taken her husband’s place in the 2020 presidential election after his arrest, ultimately losing but continuing her advocacy from exile as a leading voice of Belarus’s opposition movement.

European leaders also welcomed the news. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was "a powerful symbol of hope" for all political prisoners suffering under Lukashenko's regime. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed “sincere joy,” while Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics called the release “long-awaited and overdue.” German Deputy Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also posted on X, calling it “excellent news.”

Tikhanovsky, 46, was arrested in the run-up to Belarus’s 2020 presidential election and has spent over five years in prison. He had planned to challenge Lukashenko’s decades-long rule, but was detained weeks before the vote. His wife stepped in to run in his place but lost, later fleeing the country.

In addition to Tikhanovsky, the release included 13 others, among them Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Igor Karnei, who had been imprisoned in 2023 on charges of involvement with an “extremist organization.” His release, along with others, suggests Belarus may be attempting to ease its long-standing political repression under growing international pressure.

Tensions in the Middle East have flared once again. In the early hours of the 20th local time, the Israel Defense Forces launched a new wave of airstrikes on the central Iranian city of Isfahan, specifically targeting critical nuclear facilities. According to reports, the attack was aimed at uranium enrichment plants and missile development centers, marking part of Israel’s ongoing campaign against Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure.

Iranian state media reported several explosions in the early morning hours, with Isfahan’s air defense systems activated and successfully intercepting some drones and missiles. However, sources close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps revealed that the strikes still caused some damage to the nuclear facilities. The extent of the damage and any potential casualties have not yet been disclosed.

Isfahan is a major hub for Iran’s nuclear program, hosting multiple facilities related to uranium conversion and enrichment, including support sites for the Natanz nuclear complex. These have long been viewed by Israel as significant threats. While Israel’s Defense Ministry has not officially acknowledged the operation, a senior official speaking anonymously to foreign media stated the strike was intended to “delay Iran’s progress toward acquiring nuclear weapons” and emphasized that “all options remain on the table.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack as “a blatant act of aggression,” warning that any continued Israeli overreach would be met with a “swift and decisive response.” Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has also filed a formal complaint to the Security Council, calling on the international community to condemn Israel’s military actions.

The international community is watching the situation closely. The United States stated it is monitoring developments and urged both sides to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation. The European Union once again called for the resumption of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear deal to avoid pushing the region into broader military conflict.

This strike comes amid already heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, raising concerns that the Middle East could spiral into a larger-scale war.

U.S. President Donald John Trump stated through a White House spokesperson on the 19th that he will decide within two weeks whether to take action against Iran. In response, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh warned in a media interview that if the United States joins Israel's airstrikes, the entire region will descend into a hellish situation.

Khatibzadeh emphasized that the conflict between Israel and Iran is not America's war. If the U.S. intervenes, it will only deepen the crisis and delay the end of brutal acts. He added that Trump would be remembered as a president who got involved in a war that did not belong to him.

Referring to Trump’s repeated claims that Iran could have avoided the conflict by accepting the nuclear deal, Khatibzadeh revealed that negotiations between Iran and the U.S. were ongoing before the Israeli attacks. He said the talks had nearly reached an agreement before the conflict erupted and derailed the process.

Khatibzadeh stressed that diplomacy remains the preferred solution and that under the current continuous bombardment, no meaningful negotiations can take place. He reiterated that Iran’s retaliation against Israel is a legitimate act of self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently stated that Iran has now accumulated enough enriched uranium with a purity of 60%, just one step away from weapons-grade level at 90%. Khatibzadeh dismissed this as baseless, insisting that Iran has never had any plans to develop nuclear weapons.