Middle East crisis live: Trump pausing strikes on Iran energy sites; Houthis say ‘no reason’ to halt Red Sea shipping

• Gulf Arab nations are fundamentally reshaping their defense strategies, economies, and trade routes following three months of intense regional conflict. • The shift is driven by concerns that an emerging diplomatic deal between the U.S. and Iran may leave these countries vulnerable to Iranian influence.

• The humanitarian crisis in Haiti is worsening, with the International Organization for Migration reporting over 2,600 people displaced in Artibonite following clashes between armed groups last week. • UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the urgent need to strengthen regional diplomacy and accelerate sustainable development to ensure global peace and dignity.

• Qatari mediators worked through intense diplomatic channels to broker an interim deal between the U.S. and Iran following a period of escalating military strikes. • The diplomacy reached a critical point on June 11, when a plane carrying the mediators was stranded on a Tehran tarmac amidst the exchange of attacks.

• India is focusing on securing the financial viability of the Chabahar Port by implementing local currency payment frameworks and humanitarian trade exemptions to bypass shifting global sanctions. • To manage regional tensions, India aims to re-engage shared cultural diplomacy by leveraging Indo-Persian historical and linguistic ties to maintain communication channels.

• Bahrain has accused Iran of launching a drone attack targeting the island kingdom, escalating tensions in the region. • The United States and Iran have exchanged military strikes following U.S. accusations that Tehran attacked a cargo ship, threatening a fragile ceasefire.

• Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting stability in Sudan, focusing on securing a ceasefire and preserving the nation's territorial integrity and state institutions. • According to a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday, the Kingdom emphasized that the crisis must be resolved through a Sudanese-led political solution.

• Professor Michel Chossudovsky published an analysis on June 26, 2026, arguing that the United States has been engaged in a continuous conflict with Russia and the Soviet Union for over a century. • The article details a historical timeline of US-led wars and strategic initiatives aimed at destabilizing and eventually eliminating the Soviet Union from the global map.

• Venezuelan citizens are conducting their own search and rescue operations as the death toll continues to rise following a devastating earthquake. • The U.S. State Department announced the creation of a "Military Coordination Group for Lebanon" to implement a new strategic framework for the region.

Democrats called plans for commemorative passports and gold coin with Trump portrait ‘more befitting a monarchy’Donald Trump’s efforts to brand the US government with his name and image advanced on Friday when the White House unveiled new images of a passport watermarked with his portrait to mark America’s 250th.The White House called it simply the “patriot passport”, while on Truth Social Trump introduced it as “The U.S.A.’s New Passport, which says, “Welcome, but be good!”. Continue reading...

No immediate reports of damage after Bahrain hit by ‘number of drones’ as ship in strait of Hormuz also targetedBahrain said it was attacked by Iran with a wave of drones on Saturday, apparently in response to overnight US strikes on Iran. A ship in the strait of Hormuz was also attacked.Bahrain’s foreign ministry said a “number of drones” were launched at the country, though there were no immediate reports of damage. It condemned the attack and described it as a “flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents”. Continue reading...

Police say they also found more than 600 dog collars in area where they suspect animals were killedInvestigators uncovered 117 dead dogs at a northern California animal rescue sanctuary, with many of the canine remains having evidence of gunshots.Miranda’s Rescue, a sanctuary outside Fortuna, California, described itself as a “no-kill” facility. Investigators said the organization accepted hundreds of dogs each year from shelters across the San Francisco Bay Area in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. Continue reading...

Vice-president appeared on Bill Maher’s show hours before more military strikes were exchanged in strait of HormuzJD Vance said on Friday that the US wins “either way” regarding negotiations with Iran, pointing to what he called the destruction of its nuclear program and diminishment as a country.“If we make the final deal, then great,” the US vice-president told HBO’s Bill Maher. “If we don’t make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They’re still much weaker as a country, so my attitude is America wins either way.” Continue reading...