KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday he was willing to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the United States, suggesting Putin would find such an offer &quot;harder to refuse&quot;. The Ukrainian leader said he made the proposal in a call with US President Donald Trump, and was waiting to see what came of it. Putin has repeatedly rejected offers for a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky to try to broker an end to more than four years of war. The Ukrainian leader said earlier that Putin ignored an invitation to meet him at the G7 summit in France, which began earlier Monday. &quot;Yesterday (Sunday), we discussed with President Trump that such a meeting could be organised in the US, in a format where Putin would find it much harder to refuse,&quot; Zelensky said in a video address posted on X. &quot;We will see what comes of it. If Russia refuses this chance as well, additional pressure will be needed,&quot; he added. Zelensky said earlier he had offered to meet Putin during the G7, but that Moscow had &quot;once again demonstrated that it is not ready to speak about this&quot;. A source in the Ukrainian presidency told a small group of journalists, including AFP, that the proposal had been &quot;conveyed some time ago through various channels, via intermediaries, diplomats, and intelligence agencies&quot;. &quot;No clear response was given,&quot; the source added. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, setting off Europe&#39;s deadliest conflict since World War II. Putin said earlier this month that he saw &quot;no point&quot; in meeting Zelensky until a peace deal was ready, after the Ukrainian leader released an open letter calling for face-to-face talks.

Americas

Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the United States, proposing the talks through Donald Trump and arguing Moscow would find it harder to reject direct negotiations.

Zelensky proposes meeting Putin in US

HONG KONG: Equities mostly rose Tuesday, and oil prices held losses following the previous day&#39;s euphoric rally sparked by the US-Iran peace deal that will reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Eyes are now on developments ahead of Friday&#39;s signing ceremony in Switzerland, which will bring an end to more than three months of a war that has sent shockwaves through energy markets and sent global inflation soaring. US President Donald said ships were again moving through the strait and it would be &quot;completely open&quot; by Friday, while Iranian media said three oil tankers and two cargo ships had passed through the area that had been subject to a US naval blockade. Tehran blockaded the waterway after the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28. The United States then blocked shipping to and from Iranian ports. A senior US administration official, however, said Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iran&#39;s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had already signed the text electronically. &quot;Investors are increasingly pricing in a lasting improvement in the geopolitical backdrop,&quot; wrote Fiona Cincotta at City Index. &quot;However, with several details yet to be finalised, any setbacks could trigger a sharp market reaction. For now, confidence is growing that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen and energy supplies will normalise.&quot; She added that &quot;the key question is not whether a deal is reached, but how quickly oil exports and production can recover&quot;. &quot;Investors will also be watching compliance with the agreement and the pace of supply normalisation,&quot; she added. Oil industry watchers caution that market conditions will likely be tight for a period of weeks or months. Fresh US Department of Energy data showed strategic oil stockpiles sank last week to their lowest level since 1983. Shipping groups warned Monday that it was too soon to safely resume sailing. The deal sparked a huge relief rally across global equities, with the Dow on Wall Street hitting a record high, while crude prices plunged almost five percent. The optimism remained largely intact Tuesday, with both main crude contracts barely moved and stocks mostly up. Seoul led gains once more, surging more than 1% -- a day after piling on more than 5% -- helped by fresh advances in the tech sector. That came on the back of another blockbuster day for Elon Musk&#39;s SpaceX, which jumped almost 20% for the second day in a row after listing Monday. Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Wellington, and Manila also rose, though Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Sydney were down. There was little reaction to news that Chinese retail sales shrank last month for the first time since 2022. Investors are keeping close tabs on the Bank of Japan&#39;s policy meeting, where it is expected to hike interest rates to a 31-year high later in the day.

Pedestrians walk past as an electronic quotation board displays the Nikkei 225 stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Middle East

US President Donald Trump said ships were again moving through the strait and it would be "completely open" by Friday, while Iranian media said three oil tankers and two cargo ships had passed through the area that had been subject to a US naval blockade.

Most stocks rise, oil flat following peace deal-fueled rally

LOS ANGELES: Tunisia have responded to their 5-1 World Cup thrashing by Sweden by sacking coach Sabri Lamouchi and replacing him with Frenchman Herve Renard, the federation announced on national TV on Monday. Renard coached Saudi Arabia to a shock win against eventual winners Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has since coached the France women&#39;s team.

Tunisia's French head coach Sabri Lamouchi (L) and defender #02 Ali Abdi give a press conference on the eve of Tunisia's 2026 World Cup football tournament Group F football match against Sweden at Monterrey Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 13, 2026. 

Football

Tunisia respond to their 5-1 World Cup thrashing by Sweden by sacking coach Sabri Lamouchi and replacing him with Frenchman Herve Renard.

Tunisia replace coach Lamouchi with Renard after World Cup thrashing: Federation

SAN FRANCISCO: Officials with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic met with the Trump administration Monday as it seeks to restore models blocked over national security concerns, a spokesperson for the company said. Anthropic said Friday that it had suspended access to two powerful AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, to comply with a US national security order. The parties are not yet discussing lifting the restrictions after Monday&#39;s meeting in Washington, according to a person close to the talks. Representatives of Anthropic and President Donald Trump&#39;s administration &quot;are working quickly to get this resolved,&quot; the Anthropic spokesperson said. &quot;This is part of our ongoing commitment to working alongside the administration toward our shared goal of protecting US critical infrastructure and the US lead in cyber defense.&quot; The statement marks a more conciliatory posture by the emerging AI heavyweight after Anthropic on Friday denounced the White House move. Fable 5, released last week, is a guard railed version of Mythos 5, a cutting-edge AI model that Anthropic has held back from the public amid concerns that it had unprecedented abilities to identify software vulnerabilities holes in code that hackers could exploit. On Friday, just three days after publicly launching Fable 5, the company received a government directive banning all foreign nationals, even ones who work at Anthropic, from accessing Fable 5 and Mythos 5 over national security concerns. The intervention is striking for a White House that has otherwise pushed to loosen AI oversight -- even moving to block states from writing their own rules. Under pressure over the impressive capabilities of Mythos, Trump this month signed an executive order setting up a voluntary federal review of national security risks in advanced AI models before their release. Sources said Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy was among the technology leaders who privately warned administration officials about security risks in Anthropic&#39;s most advanced artificial intelligence models. In an earlier clash with the White House, Anthropic angered Trump&#39;s team by refusing to allow its technology to potentially be used for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, leading the Pentagon to cut contracts with the company. White House AI adviser David Sacks said the latest action was not tied to the earlier Pentagon dispute with Anthropic. In response to the new dust-up, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, posting on X, celebrated the Pentagon&#39;s earlier moves to cut ties with Anthropic, saying &quot;every passing day proves why that was the right move.&quot;

US President Donald Trump arrives for the official greeting during the G7 summit, in Evian, eastern France, on June 15, 2026.

Artificial Intelligence

Anthropic met with the Trump administration to resolve national security restrictions that blocked access to its advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, amid concerns over their cybersecurity capabilities.

No breakthrough in Anthropic talks with Trump administration

LOS ANGELES: Iran came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their long-awaited opening game at the World Cup on Monday as European heavyweights Spain were frustrated in a shock stalemate by tiny tournament debutants Cape Verde. After months of uncertainty surrounding their participation in the tournament following the war in the Middle East, all eyes were on the Iranians as they took on the New Zealanders in Group G at Los Angeles&#39; SoFi Stadium. But despite scattered pre-match protests outside the venue, the game passed off largely without incident as Iran twice fought back from a goal down to earn a precious point in front of a 70,108-strong crowd. Elijah Just scored twice for New Zealand with a goal in each half, but the Kiwis&#39; hopes of securing a first ever World Cup win ended in disappointment after goals from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi secured Iran&#39;s point. The pre-match build-up had been dominated by the political intrigue surrounding Iran, who were initially due to be based in Tucson, Arizona before switching their training base to Tijuana in Mexico due to ongoing tensions with co-hosts the United States over visa issues. US authorities have refused to grant visas for several members of the Iranian delegation. A few hours before Monday&#39;s opener, hundreds of protesters against Iran&#39;s ruling regime gathered outside the SoFi Stadium to vent their anger at Tehran&#39;s rulers. Waving the flag used by Iran before the 1979 Islamic revolution, demonstrators beat drums and chanted slogans denouncing the national side, which they insist is a propaganda tool for the hardline Islamic republic. &quot;This team is not the Iranian people&#39;s team, it&#39;s the regime&#39;s team,&quot; said Ava Amin, a philosophy student who came to demonstrate with a banner calling for &quot;regime change.&quot; FIFA had warned that anyone carrying Iran&#39;s pre-revolutionary flag into the stadium would risk ejection under rules that forbid any kind of political messaging inside grounds. However, AFP reporters witnessed dozens of fans inside the stadium wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the banned flag, while other supporters openly displayed the flag, in violation of FIFA guidelines. But there was no sign of any other significant protest against the Iranian team during the game, who were greeted by a roar from the crowd when they first appeared to warm up and enjoyed raucous support throughout. Spain held by Cape VerdeElsewhere Monday, European champions Spain -- one of the pre-tournament favourites for the title -- were held to a stunning 0-0 draw by African qualifiers Cape Verde. Spain had been expected to cruise past Cape Verde, playing in the tournament for the first time. But despite enjoying 74% possession and laying siege to the Cape Verde goal, the 2010 world champions were unable to find a breakthrough against the underdogs from the volcanic archipelago of just 525,000 people, who are ranked as 2000-1 outsiders to win the World Cup by several betting websites. &quot;The dream came true,&quot; Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha told reporters. &quot;We competed against Spain, one of the best teams in the world. We are very happy and proud of all the players and people of Cape Verde.&quot; Cape Verde had never qualified for the World Cup but were boosted in their bid to qualify for the finals after FIFA&#39;s expansion of the tournament to 48 teams. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente insisted there was no reason to hit the panic button -- and still confidently backed his squad to reach the final. &quot;We are completely calm, convinced that there is a long way to go. As we see it, we have seven games left,&quot; he said. An upset had also looked on the cards in another early game on Monday, with Egypt taking the lead through Emam Ashour in the first half against Belgium in a Group G game in Seattle. But veteran Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku came off the bench in the second half to make an instant impact, harassing Egypt defender Mohamed Hany into an own goal to secure a share of the points. In Miami, two-time World Cup-winners Uruguay had to come from behind to grab a point against Saudi Arabia in Group H. Abdulelah al-Amri gave Saudi Arabia the lead on 41 minutes but Maxi Araujo&#39;s leveller on 80 minutes saved Uruguay&#39;s blushes in a 1-1 draw.

Iran's players hug each other after the 2026 World Cup Group G football match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 15, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Equalizers from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi spare Team Melli from humiliation in the World Cup opener.

Iran snatch draw in World Cup opener, Spain stunned by Cape Verde

MIAMI: Uruguay dominated but had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in the sweltering heat of Miami on Monday to leave an intriguing Group H wide open. The stalemate came hours after one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history when European champions Spain were held 0-0 by debutants Cape Verde in the same group. After the first round of games in the pool all four teams have one point. Defender Abdulelah al-Amri gave the Saudis a surprise lead near the end of the first half only for Uruguay&#39;s second-half pressure to pay off with 10 minutes left through Maxi Araujo. Marcelo Bielsa&#39;s Uruguay racked up 22 shots in the second period but the Saudi defence and goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais doggedly held firm. &quot;We should have won this match,&quot; said the colourful Argentine Bielsa, whose side play Cape Verde next. &quot;We weren&#39;t able to show the best version of ourselves,&quot; he added, admitting that his side only got going in the second half. Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, saw their arrival in the United States from Mexico delayed by a snag with the paperwork for their plane. In evening temperatures of more than 30C and energy-sapping humidity, both teams struggled to create much in front of goal early on. Just after the half-hour mark the Saudi stopper Owais was called into action for a second time to parry a diving header from close range by Federico Vinas. The Saudis, who stunned eventual champions Argentina 2-1 to start their campaign at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, looked to hit their opponents on the break. They had their first real opportunity shortly before half-time when Amri forced Fernando Muslera to palm away his fizzing shot. Four minutes before the break the defender did score, reacting fastest to poke home from close range after Muslera spilled a header from a corner. Uruguay finally come to lifeAfter a toothless first period, Bielsa had seen enough, dragging off defender Matias Vina and anonymous former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez. Winger Agustin Canobbio and left-sided Juan Manuel Sanabria were introduced. The double substitution sparked Uruguay -- who surprisingly did not play a single World Cup warm-up game -- into lift. Saudi coach Georgios Donis, brought in just two months before the tournament, saw his team retreat farther and farther back. On the hour Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte pinged the ball against the foot of the Saudi post from well outside the box. The pressure finally told late on when Owais made a mess of a routine stop and Araujo gobbled up the rebound. There looked to be only one winner after that, but Saudi Arabia just about held on for a vital point.

Uruguay fight back to draw 1-1 with Saudi Arabia after dominating the second half, leaving Group H wide open with all four teams level on one point following the opening round of matches.

Uruguay frustrated by dogged Saudi Arabia in World Cup draw

LONDON: British prosecutors on Monday charged with sanctions contravention offences the Indian captain of an interdicted alleged Russian shadow fleet vessel seized in the Channel, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. It follows British armed forces on Sunday intercepting the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos -- said to belong to Russia&#39;s shadow fleet -- in a dramatic operation hailed by Kyiv and London as a blow to Moscow&#39;s war machine. British commandos boarded the ship off the southern English coast by fast-roping from a helicopter in the dark, according to defence ministry footage released, in the first such UK-led operation. &quot;Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, has been charged,&quot; the NCA said in a Monday evening statement. It alleged he had contravened sanctions by &quot;directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil / oil products from Russia to a third country during the period of June 2026&quot;. The statement noted the Crown Prosecution Service -- responsible for criminal charging decisions in England and Wales -- authorised the move &quot;following a review of the file submitted by the NCA&quot;. Pant will appear at Southampton Magistrates&#39; Court in the southern English city on Tuesday, according to the agency. It said Smyrtos&#39;s 24 crew members, from Georgia and India, remain on board the vessel. &#39;Stateless&#39; shipEarlier, British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander ordered the ship be detained, formally preventing it from leaving UK waters. The tanker, which sailed under the flag of Cameroon but is described as &quot;stateless&quot; by the British government, remains anchored off Weymouth, in Dorset. Britain&#39;s defence ministry confirmed Sunday it was the first UK-led operation of its kind. The country has sanctioned hundreds of vessels suspected of being part of the shadow fleet used by Russia to bypass Western embargoes since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ships -- usually ageing tankers with obscure ownership and doubtful insurance -- are banned from accessing UK ports and services. According to the MarineTraffic website, Smyrtos had left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on June 5, with Port Said, Egypt, listed as its destination. In March, the British government announced that UK forces would be able to board and seize suspected shadow fleet vessels passing through its waters. The announcement followed the easing of restrictions by Washington on Russian oil to soften prices sent soaring by the US-Israel war against Iran. France, Belgium, Finland and other European countries have also recently seized sanction-busting vessels believed to belong to the so-called shadow fleet.

Asia

United Kingdom

Britain charges an Indian tanker captain with violating Russian oil sanctions after seizing the alleged shadow fleet vessel Smyrtos in a rare military-led operation, marking a significant escalation in efforts to enforce sanctions on Moscow.

UK charges Indian captain of suspected Russian shadow tanker seized in Channel

Web Desk

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.<hr style="line-height: 2;">Catch up: Yesterday&rsquo;s top developments<ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">World leaders welcome peace agreement, appreciate Pakistan&#39;s mediation</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Netanyahu says Israeli forces to stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza &#39;as long as necessary&#39;</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least five Iranian vessels pass after US lifts naval blockade</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trump says peace deal between US, Iran &lsquo;is all signed,&rsquo; Hormuz &lsquo;already partially open&rsquo;&nbsp;</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iran says talks with US to start right after signing of MoU in Switzerland</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;"> Trump may release US-Iran agreement before Friday, says VancePublished: June 16, 2026 | 04:56 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that President Donald Trump may release Washington&rsquo;s agreement with Tehran before Friday. During an interview with Fox News, Vance said the agreement, which was electronically signed on June 14, by leaders in the US and Iran, is expected to be signed in person on Friday. <hr> IRGC Quds chief says war on Iran &lsquo;discredited&rsquo; US, accelerated Israel&rsquo;s &lsquo;collapse&rsquo;Published: June 16, 2026 | 04:41 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC&rsquo;s Quds Force said on Tuesday that the US‑Israel campaign against Iran has fatally weakened America&rsquo;s standing and hastened the collapse of what he called the &ldquo;criminal Israeli regime,&rdquo; Al Jazeera reported, citing Iranian media. Qaani said Tehran&rsquo;s allies stood firm under intense pressure and &ldquo;unprecedented&rdquo; attack, insisting that not a single resistance group abandoned the battlefield. Their resilience, he said, has unnerved Iran&rsquo;s enemies. He added that regional groups moved on their own to confront the US and protect Iran &mdash; &ldquo;their own decision, without anyone even asking them a single word,&rdquo; Qaani said &mdash; highlighting what he described as a grassroots, self-driven defense. On Lebanon, Qaani vowed that Hezbollah cannot be dismantled. He said the group embodies the Shia community and many non‑Shia Lebanese, warning that &ldquo;everything you have seen from Hezbollah is only the tip of the iceberg.&rdquo; <hr> They are going to be welcomed into global economy: Vance on Iran dealPublished: June 16, 2026 | 02:20 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; US Vice President JD Vance said that Iran can be welcomed into the global economy if they never rebuild their nuclear program, in a video he posted on X while explaining the peace deal. &ldquo;If the Iranians make the long-term commitment never to rebuild [their nuclear program], then they are going to be welcomed into the global economy,&rdquo; he further added that if they violate those commitments, they are &ldquo;never going to have the resources to do so.&rdquo; He said the deal means the Strait of Hormuz opens &ldquo;immediately&rdquo; and &ldquo;ensures that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.&rdquo; <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Trump dismisses reports of US payouts to Iran as &lsquo;fake news&rsquo;Published: June 16, 2026 | 01:37 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; US President Donald Trump replied to media reports circulating, claiming that the American government planned to pay Iran $300 million. &ldquo;Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon! Also, the story that the US is paying Iran 300 million Dollars is Fake News, put out by the Dumocrats!!!,&rdquo; he posted on Truth Social. The news quickly circulated online after JD Vance&#39;s interview with CBS News, in which Vance said Iran &quot;could have access&quot; to a &quot;$300 billion reconstruction fund&quot; funded by the &quot;Gulf Coast Coalition.&quot; <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Israeli anger over MoU with US &lsquo;clear sign&rsquo; of Iran&rsquo;s victory: PezeshkianPublished: June 16, 2026 | 00:47 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Israel&rsquo;s anger over a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States clearly signals the success and victory of the Iranian nation. Pezeshkian remarked in an address to a nationwide conference on Monday, a day after the announcement of an MoU between Tehran and Washington aimed at ending the war. &quot;The concern and anger of the Zionist regime (Israel) over this process is a clear sign of the success and victory of the Iranian nation. With divine grace, this path will continue with strength,&rdquo; he said. <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> Iran says talks with US to start right after signing of MoU in SwitzerlandPublished: June 15, 2026 | 23:01 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed that the first round of negotiations with the United States to resolve outstanding disputes between the two countries will take place immediately after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Switzerland later this week, according to semi-offical Press TV. &ldquo;On Friday, a meeting between the heads of the delegations of the two sides is likely to take place in Switzerland, and a[n] MoU between Iran and the US will be signed, followed by the first round of subsequent negotiations,&rdquo; he said. <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> Trump says peace deal between US, Iran &lsquo;is all signed,&rsquo; Hormuz &lsquo;already partially open&rsquo;&nbsp;Published: June 15, 2026 | 16:30 GMT | by Web Desk US President Donald Trump has said that the peace deal between US and Iran &ldquo;is all signed,&rdquo; and that the Strait of Hormuz was &ldquo;already partially open.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Ships are starting to go out, now on Friday it will be completely open,&rdquo; the US president said while speaking to French President Emmanuel Macron before the G7 summit.&nbsp; &quot;We got along very well with Iran,&quot; Trump said in &Eacute;vian-les-Bains. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Read our June 15 live blog for earlier developments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-15-2026-1" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>

US Vice President JD Vance speaks with reporters after his arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on May 28, 2026 on his return from Colorado where he attended the 2026 graduation ceremony at the US Air Force Academy. (Photo: AFP/File)

JD Vance says  Iran can be welcomed into the global economy if it never rebuild their nuclear program; Trump says Hormuz will be completely open on Friday, adds he got along very well with the Iranian leadership; Pakistan's PM says the country will host a US-Iran deal signing in Geneva.

Trump may release US-Iran agreement before Friday, says Vance

NEW YORK: SpaceX shares shot 20 percent higher Monday as the company said it raised a record-breaking $85.7 billion. The second day of gains cemented SpaceX&#39;s stellar debut on Wall Street, eclipsing the previous largest IPOs and helping make Musk the world&#39;s first trillionaire. The stock climbed 19.7 percent in Monday trading to $192.8, extending Friday&#39;s 19 percent gain after the shares first started trading on the Nasdaq at $135. The two-day surge sent the company&#39;s market value to more than $2.5 trillion, putting it among the six largest companies in the world -- ahead of Broadcom, Saudi Aramco and Tesla and just behind Amazon. Demand for SpaceX&#39;s shares was so strong that the banks running the sale exercised a so-called greenshoe option -- in effect permission to sell extra shares when investors want more than planned. SpaceX ended up selling nearly 639 million shares, including more than 83 million extra ones, lifting the total raised to $85.7 billion beyond the originally planned $75 billion. Co-founded by Musk in 2002, the rocket startup has since expanded into a major satellite operator and folded in his artificial intelligence company, xAI, which includes the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The towering valuation rests heavily on the belief that Musk will deliver on promises worthy of science fiction, including putting humans on Mars and data centers in space using as-yet unproven technology.

SpaceX shares surge nearly 20% on their second trading day, pushing the company’s valuation above $2.5 trillion after a record-breaking $85.7 billion IPO and further boosting Elon Musk’s fortune.

SpaceX shares skyrocket as money raised hits $85.7 billion

LOS ANGELES: A US bomber crashed in California on Monday, the Edwards Air Force Base said on social media. &quot;A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 am,&quot; the base, located about 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, said on Facebook. &quot;Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing.&quot; There were no immediate details about casualties, and a spokesman from the base declined to give any further information. Aerial footage showed a huge charred area on the ground. There appeared to be very little left of the plane, with the journalist in the broadcast helicopter speaking of a &quot;large plume&quot; of black smoke that had been visible in the aftermath of the crash. A number of emergency vehicles could be seen by the burned patch. The B-52 is a long-range bomber that has been used by the US Air Force since the 1950s. With a combat range of up to 8,800 miles the plane is capable of carrying a nuclear payload. The United States has deployed the aircraft in conflicts in Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently in Iran.

A US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California, triggering an emergency response. Officials have not yet released information on casualties as investigations continue.