Current events: 2025-06-18

[Wikipedia Current Events]

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • Iran–Israel War
    • Airstrikes during the Iran–Israel War
      • Twenty-five Iranian ballistic missiles are launched at central Israel, with most being intercepted, but no injuries are reported. (YNet)
  • Gaza war
    • Israeli gunfire and airstrikes kill at least 30 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip. (Reuters)

Business and economy

• Acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel
  • After 18 months of negotiations, Nippon Steel finalizes its $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel. The deal allows U.S. Steel to retain its name and headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and gives the U.S. government the ability to veto corporate decisions as needed. (DW) (Business Wire)

Health and environment

• LGBTQ rights in the United States, United States v. Skrmetti
  • The U.S. Supreme Court votes 6–3 to uphold a law proposed by Tennessee to ban gender-affirming care for minors, allowing other states to implement similar bans. (NPR) (BBC News)
• Management of HIV/AIDS
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves Gilead Sciences's new lenacapavir drug, marketed as Yeztugo, for the treatment of HIV after the drug successfully eliminated the infection in clinical trials. (NBC News) (AP)

Politics and elections

• The parliament of Ukraine approves a law to allow multiple citizenship for Ukrainians in an attempt to ease a demographic crisis caused by the Russian invasion. (Reuters)
• The Czech government survives a vote of no-confidence called by the opposition ANO party after the justice ministry accepted a bitcoin donation and sold them for nearly 1 billion Kč (US$47 million). (AP)
• The government of New Zealand halts its financial support to the Cook Islands over a partnership agreement signed with China earlier this year. The New Zealand government says it won't reconsider its position until the Cook Islands takes "concrete steps" to repair the relationship. (RNZ)

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