World Today: Ukraine Threatens Moscow Will Burn If Attacks Continue
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said a massive drone attack against Russia is retaliation for strikes that damaged a historic monastery in Kyiv this week. “If Ukraine burns, Moscow, you will burn,” Zelenskyy said, as attacks continued. Dozens of drones targeted Moscow in Ukraine’s largest assault on the Russian capital, hitting an oil refinery for the second time this week. “We do not want this war, we never wanted it, and everyone knows that, and our partners know that too,” Zelenskyy said in a voice message to journalists in a WhatsApp group. Earlier last week, at least 10 people were killed in Ukraine in drone and missile strikes that damaged the 1,000-year-old Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery.
Former President Joko Widodo has asked the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) to support President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka for a second term. The statement was conveyed by PSI DPP Chairman Bestari Barus to journalists on Thursday (18/06). Bestari denied the existence of “twin suns” regarding Jokowi’s plan to travel around Indonesia. “I was also entrusted with a message to maintain internal harmony. And also remind friends wherever they are to support this Prabowo-Gibran pair, what other sun is there,” he said.
Singapore has displaced Switzerland from the number one position in global economic competitiveness. Switzerland fell to third place in the ranking compiled by the IMD business school, which assesses economic performance, business and government efficiency, and infrastructure across 70 countries. Hong Kong overtook Switzerland in second place, while Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates placed fourth and fifth respectively. The United States was in 10th position, and Venezuela in last place. IMD Professor Arturo Bris said Switzerland’s decline in the ranking was largely due to weaker economic performance with high US tariffs and lower foreign direct investment last year.
A three-year-old boy is in critical condition after being injured in a crocodile enclosure at a popular zoo in England. Cambridgeshire Police said they arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident. Several media outlets reported the child was thrown, but ABC has not been able to verify those reports. Police were called to Johnsons of Old Hurst, also known as Johnsons Zoo, shortly after 1pm local time on Thursday (18/06), following reports the toddler was in the crocodile enclosure at the tourist attraction. He suffered serious injuries and is in a critical but stable condition.