Saturday, June 21

As the conflict between Iran and Israel continues to escalate, political tensions are also flaring, with the possibility of the United States joining the war now coming into play.

Israel was the first to strike Iran over a week ago, and the conflict quickly escalated into an all-out war, with both sides hitting each other with continuous attacks. Israel has primarily targeted military structures and nuclear development sites, aiming to take down Iran's nuclear program, while Iran has struck various populated areas within Israel.

Before the war began, the United States had been in the middle of negotiations with Iran on stopping their nuclear program, as the US has expressed concern over the possibility of Iran having nuclear weapons in the past as well.

However, Israel quickly took matters into their own hands, trying to take down Iran's nuclear program using force. After several days of staying out of the conflict, US President Donald Trump demanded for Iran's "unconditional surrender," which the Middle Eastern country has not adhered to.

Now, Trump has given Iran a two-week deadline until he formally decides whether to strike their nuclear sites or not. If the US were to join the war, it could seriously complicate global politics, but it is also possible that Trump does not make a decision and continues talks with Israel and Iran.

European politicians gathered in the Swiss city of Geneva yesterday to discuss the issue with Iran, but those negotiations also proved unsuccessful. Europe agrees with the US on the front that they do not want Iran to have nuclear weapons, but they are still attempting to peacefully figure out how to prevent Iranian nuclear development without the use of force-- the opposite of Israel, who are bombarding Iran with drone attacks and missile strikes to hinder their nuclear program.

Fact of the Day: You can see stars as they were 4,000 years ago with the naked eye. Without a telescope, all the stars we can see lie within about 4,000 light-years of us. That means at most you’re seeing stars as they were 4,000 years ago, around when the pyramids were being built in Egypt. 

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): There’s always a lot of talk about motivation to race, but nobody really knows what I do or what I think apart from myself, so I don’t really care what people think.

(Kimi Räikkönen)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Convivial (adj, kun-VIV-ee-ul) - Convivial means "relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company."

In a Sentence: A convivial atmosphere filled the gallery, with good food in abundance, and wine and conversation both flowing freely.