🧠 Breaking News

From Airstrikes to Impeachment?

What in the world happened?

• June 21, 2025: The US officially jumped into the Iran-Israel conflict with Operation Midnight Hammer (cool name, right?).

• Over 125 aircraft and submarine missiles targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites:

  • Fordow (super secret underground centrifuges)

  • Natanz (Iran’s uranium enrichment HQ)

  • Isfahan (where raw uranium gets processed)

• The US claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear capabilities (Trump’s words).

• But, an early US intelligence report says:

  • The strikes did NOT destroy core nuclear parts and just set the program back a few months.

  • Uranium stockpiles and centrifuges are still mostly intact.

• The White House disagrees with the intelligence report, sticking to its “complete obliteration” claim.

• We sent out a newsflash Sunday, June 22, with the initial event details.

Iran’s Response - Spoiler: Not Happy

• Iran launched missile attacks on Tel Aviv, hitting civilian areas and causing injuries.

• Iran’s government said they’re “reserving all options” (aka, expect more retaliation).

• Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis also joined the fight, threatening US and Israeli interests - things could get messier.

The Ceasefire - For Now

• Despite the flare-up, Iran and Israel agreed on a ceasefire, promising to hold fire unless provoked.

• Israeli Defense Minister said Israel will respect the ceasefire “as long as Iran does.”

• Iranian President echoed the same: no violation unless Israel breaks it first.

Casualties & Damage

• Israeli strikes in northern Iran (Gilan province) hit residential buildings, resulting in 16 civilians dead, 33 wounded.

• This happened just hours before Trump announced the ceasefire.

Politics & Diplomacy

• Israeli PM Netanyahu praised Trump, calling the US a “historic friend” and hailed the strikes as the biggest blow to Tehran in 50 years.

• Iran’s President Pezeshkian declared a “historic victory” and expressed willingness to talk with the US and Saudi Arabia.

• Israeli UN Ambassador said diplomatic talks with Iran will happen soon, but it’s “too early” now.

• Netanyahu wants to strengthen ties with Arab neighbors — think Abraham Accords 2.0.

U.S. Moves & Evacuations

• The US scrambled diplomatically to help Americans leave Iran safely through Turkmenistan and other countries.

• Over 400 Americans evacuated from Israel via US-assisted flights since the conflict escalated.

• Others left via land routes through Jordan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Egypt, or even boats to Cyprus.

Congress & Impeachment Drama

• White House postponed classified briefings for House (now Friday) and Senate (Thursday), citing “evolved circumstances.”

• Democrats criticized delays, demanding transparency; Republicans mostly shrugged it off.

• The House voted 344-79 to kill a Democrat-led impeachment effort against Trump over the strikes- impeachment talks fizzled for now.

• Some Democrats want it, but many including Pelosi aren’t pushing hard. Republicans mostly back Trump.

Gaza Situation

• Even with the Iran-Israel ceasefire, Israel’s military operations in Gaza continue - over 860 Palestinians killed since June 13.

• Hostage groups want the ceasefire extended to Gaza - about 50 hostages remain there, with 20 possibly still alive.

• Israeli reservists have extended their service through July 10, but some protest the ongoing war, calling for a ceasefire to save hostages.

What’s Next?

• Intelligence assessments and damage evaluations continue.

• Political divides deepen over the US role in the Middle East.

• Stay tuned - this story is still unfolding fast. We’ll send out another newsflash if anything bigger unfolds.

📡 Month in Tech

Notable in Tech

A short roundup of notable updates in tech.

• Senators Warn DOGE’s Social Security Administration Work Could Break Benefits

  • Two top US senators say DOGE’s rush to revamp the Social Security Administration’s tech could do way more harm than good.

  • In a strongly worded letter, Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden warned that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is moving way too fast, risking benefit disruptions and even potential data breaches.

  • They’re especially worried about DOGE staff- led by Elon Musk associate Steve Davis- trying to rebuild the SSA’s aging codebase in just months. Experts say that’s asking for a total system meltdown.

  • The SSA site has already been crashing since DOGE came in. And it’s not just bugs: there are reports of layoffs, AI overhauls, and serious accessibility issues for people who rely on those monthly checks.

  • Warren didn’t hold back: “This rush job risks private data, creates security gaps, and could result in catastrophic cuts to benefits.”

  • One former SSA tech summed it up best: “It’s like Jenga. You pull the wrong piece, it all falls apart.”

• UK may compel Google to change search rankings & offer alternatives

  • Britain’s competition watchdog says it might make Google play fairer when ranking businesses in its search results.

    Google wasn’t thrilled. It warned that tough new rules could stop it from bringing cool new features to the UK, and said the regulator’s plan was “broad and unfocused” — basically, all over the place.

  • CMA boss Sarah Cardell admitted Google’s been helpful (it handles over 90% of searches in Britain), but said there's still room to shake things up and make things fairer.

  • “These sensible steps would give people and businesses in the UK more choice when using Google and open the door to more innovation across the tech world,” she said.

  • The CMA pointed out just how big Google is: millions of Brits use it to browse the web, and more than 200,000 businesses rely on Google ads to reach their customers.

• Apple Intelligence… soon to be powered by Perplexity?

  • Word on the street is Apple might be ready to swipe right on Perplexity… the AI startup that’s got everyone talking.

  • Why? Well, if Uncle Sam makes Apple break up with Google, they’ll need a backup plan faster than you can say “Siri, what’s the weather?”

    • And of course, Siri telling you that it’s 78 degrees when it’s actually 98.

  • Acquiring Perplexity could turbocharge Apple’s AI search engine on iPhones, finally giving Google and Meta a run for their money. Because let’s face it, Siri’s been hanging around like that friend who promises to get smarter… eventually.

  • Bloomberg spilled the tea that Meta tried to scoop up Perplexity earlier this year but ghosted for Scale AI instead. Meanwhile, Apple stayed mysterious at WWDC 2025 about when those Siri upgrades will actually land.

  • It looks like Apple might need some outside help, and Perplexity could be the AI fairy godparent they’ve been wishing for.

  • Oh, and if the deal goes through, it’d be Apple’s biggest splurge ever: $14 billion. That’s like buying Beats four times over. Cha-ching! (for Perplexity, of course)

🌐 Around the Web

The Worst Things For Sale, Wikipedia, & a fun quote

• The Worst Things For Sale

  • This is a website which will show you the very worst things ever for sale.

  • You will find yourself scrolling for maybe a good few hours if you're bored.

• Wikipedia Articles to kill time on:

  • List of unusual articles

  • List of unusual deaths

  • List of common misconceptions

  • List of people who died mysteriously

  • These articles are perfect for killing time and getting a laugh out of it as well!

• A quote we found fun & thought-provoking:

🌍 World Culture

Canada & Trump Relations

• Canada believes US President Donald Trump is no longer interested in turning it into the 51st state, according to Prime Minister Mark Carney.

• CNN’s Christiane Amanpour asked Carney if Pres. Trump was still interested in annexing Canada, to which he replied, “No, he is not.” (CNN)

• This isn’t the first time an official has declared the annexation talk to be over.

  • On May 22, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Peter Hoekstra told CBC, CNN’s broadcast partner, that “Donald Trump is not talking about” making Canada the 51st state anymore.

  • However, just days later, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social, suggesting that Canada should become the 51st state in order to benefit from his proposed missile defense system.

Shocking

3 life hacks to get you through this week…

Ready to shake things up? These weird-but-true hacks might just make your life easier… or at least more interesting.

• Tip #1:
  Turn off all notifications for a day. Your phone (& friends) will probably freak out, but you’ll get so much done, you might actually start wondering what this “focus” thing is.

• Tip #2:
  Drink a glass of water before every meal. Your body will thank you, your snack cravings might get confused, and your plants will be jealous of your water.

• Tip #3:
  The “two-minute rule”: if something takes less than two minutes, just do it now. Or you could procrastinate longer and have a party later when everything explodes. Your call.

In case you missed it

Nintendo Switch 2 set a new record!

• Nintendo Switch 2 sets records!

  • Nintendo Switch 2 set a new U.S. gaming industry record

    • Over 1.1 million units sold at launch (week ending June 7, 2025)

    • Excludes sales from the My Nintendo Store

    • Surpassed the previous U.S. launch record held by PlayStation 4

  • Projected first-week U.S. sales: 1.3–1.35 million units (not fully confirmed)

  • Top-selling physical Nintendo Switch 2 launch games:

    • 🥇 Mario Kart World (purchased by 79% of U.S. Switch 2 buyers)

    • 🥈 Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

    • 🥉 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Switch 2 Edition

  • Nintendo confirmed:

    • Switch 2 is the company’s fastest-selling hardware ever in the U.S.

    • Achieved highest global four-day sales for any Nintendo platform

Information sourced from Pingker Newsletter, Week of June 9-15

New & Notable

Breaking News worth reading

Pingkerly speaking

Where’d all the time go?

Life’s weird: we spend half our time chasing new things and the other half wondering where the time went. Between endless notifications and the urge to always be “doing,” sometimes the best move is to just pause, breathe, and remember that it’s okay to do nothing for a minute.

Trust us, it’s underrated.

🤣 Joke of the Week

Thanks, Ford!

⏩ Looking Forward

Prime Day & Target Circle Weeks Announced!

• Prime Day is an annual event where Prime members can access exclusive deals on products and services on a wide variety of products.

  • This year’s Prime Day will run from July 8-11, with double the days and double the deals.

  • A Prime membership is required to access deals.

• Target Circle Week is also coming July 6 and ends on July 12!

  • Target’s sale *coincidentally* coincides with Amazon Prime Day.

  • A free Target Circle membership is required to access deals.

    • Target Circle 360 members get early access starting July 5.

• These deal events are perfect for back-to-school supply shopping!

😤 Breathe.

You got this.

Our tip to survive the upcoming week:

Pick one thing each day that’s just for you- your “tiny joy.” It could be a fancy coffee, five minutes of guilt-free scrolling (relatable), or blasting your favorite song like it’s a concert for one (or invite your friends/family over!!). The week might still be chaotic, but those little joy breaks are total game-changers.

Deep breaths. Small wins. You’re doing better than you think.

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Slide into our inbox at [email protected] and let our Sponsorship Squad™ (jk it’s not trademarked) help you make some marketing magic. Let’s make beautiful brand moments together 💌

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Share it with your friends, family, coworkers, barista, dentist. Basically anyone who enjoys great news and maybe owes you a favor. Every signup through your link gets you closer to exclusive rewards, eternal glory, and possibly snacks. (Okay, maybe not snacks. But definitely rewards.)

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That’s it for this week!

Thanks for reading this week’s Pingker Newsletter. [Insert some more stuff]

-The Pingker Team

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Pingker is committed to delivering accurate, timely, and engaging content that informs and inspires. We value your trust and strive to serve our community with integrity and care. Please read the disclaimers below to better understand the nature of the content in each section.

🧠 Breaking News + New & Natable

This section covers rapidly developing events and geopolitical updates that may change quickly. Information is gathered from multiple sources and official statements but may contain unconfirmed reports or speculation. Pingker does not endorse any political stance or action described herein. Always consult official government or international channels for authoritative guidance.

📡 Month in Tech

Tech updates presented here reflect current industry developments and opinions from various experts. Pingker does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of product forecasts, company plans, or regulatory actions. Readers should exercise caution before investing or acting on tech-related news.

🌐 Around the Web

Links, websites, and third-party content mentioned are provided for informational purposes only. Pingker is not responsible for the accuracy, appropriateness, or legality of external sites. Use your discretion and protect your privacy and security when visiting third-party resources.

🌍 World Culture

Cultural and political observations aim to inform readers about global perspectives and events. Content is based on publicly available reports and may not capture the full complexity of ongoing international relations. Pingker encourages respectful dialogue and understanding among readers.

🤣 Joke of the Week

Humor is subjective and meant to lighten the mood. Jokes and memes reflect popular culture and should not be taken as offensive or representative of Pingker’s views.

⏩ Looking Forward / Event Announcements

Upcoming events and promotions are shared based on publicly available schedules and announcements. Pingker is not responsible for changes, cancellations, or inaccuracies related to third-party events or sales.

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