• Analyst James Dorsey reported on June 12, 2026, that while negotiations between Iran and the U.S. may be possible, deep strategic disputes persist.
• Regional actors, including Israel, Gulf states, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, continue to influence the conflict's trajectory based on their own priorities.
• Experts warn that any viable diplomatic agreement must move beyond nuclear concerns to address missile development, maritime security, and proxy warfare.
One man died in Iowa after a tree fell on him as nearly 700 severe weather events were recorded over three daysSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailAn Illinois man whose home was destroyed by a tornado on Thursday was pulled from the rubble by a police officer and a photojournalist, who captured the terrifying storm and subsequent rescue in dramatic video footage.Scott Lasker, who describes himself as a storm chaser, recorded the tornado ripping through the town of Streator and was filming the damage it inflicted when he came across the man trapped in the debris of his house. Continue reading...
US president says ‘great settlement’ reached but Iranian spokesman says there has been no final conclusionFull report: Trump claims US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreementHello and welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.Iran’s foreign ministry has contradicted claims from Donald Trump that a peace deal between Washington and Tehran could be signed as soon as this weekend.Trump said he was cancelling a third day of US airstrikes and bombings that he had earlier said would happen because “discussions” with Iran “have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved”. He also said on social media: “Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.”Israel, however, said it was “not a party to” what prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described as an emerging memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran. But the office said Netanyahu had spoken with Trump and that the final agreement at the conclusion of negotiations would include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and the cessation of Iran’s support for its terrorist proxies in the region – measures that have been red lines for Iran in the past.The strait of Hormuz would open “as soon as we sign” the documents of the “great settlement” reached with Iran, Trump said. “The whole Middle East is happy.”Iranian media said the country’s forces had stopped a “violating tanker” from entering the strait of Hormuz. The report from the Fars news agency – closely linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards – came shortly after the sound of explosions were reportedly heard near the port city of Bandar Abbas.Trump had earlier posted on social media that the US would seize Iran’s Kharg Island “in the not too distant future”, but later said the seizure would be off the table “if we sign this agreement”.The price of oil rose after Trump threatened a “very hard” attack on Iran, but plunged hours later after he said he was cancelling the strikes. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 1.9% to $86.08 a barrel, on top of a 2.6% drop overnight, and Brent dropped 1.5% to $89.08 a barrel, having fallen nearly 3% overnight. Asian stocks joined a global rally, with South Korea’s Kospi surging 7.4% and Japan’s Nikkei up 2.7%.A strike wounded 10 staff members of a hospital in the Lebanese city of Tyre on Thursday, the facility’s director told the AFP news agency, as Israeli raids continued in the country’s south. All three of the historic city’s hospitals have been hit since the start of the latest war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel in early March.India’s government voiced a “strong protest” after three Indian seafarers were killed in US military strikes against oil tankers travelling through the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...
Green surge in local elections and recent polling of Labour members may cause government to toughen stance on IsraelUK politics live – latest updatesMiddle East crisis – live updatesPro-Palestine activists believe there could be a “sea change” in the Labour party’s approach to the crisis in the Middle East which could result in the government taking a tougher stance on Israel.Campaigners have pointed to the threat posed to Labour by the Green surge in the local elections, the likely departure of Keir Starmer from No 10, and new polling which shows an appetite among Labour members for a ban on all arms shipments to Israel. Continue reading...
• The UN Peacebuilding Fund has approved $4.8 million for a new program targeting central Mali.
• The initiative aims to strengthen local institutions and communities in regions severely impacted by violent extremism.
• Implementation will be carried out through a partnership between the UN Development Programme, UN-Women, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and terrorism.
• President Donald Trump has implemented a new "action-based" strategy in the Middle East aimed at achieving tangible results through direct engagement and accountability.
• The U.S. is supporting the Syrian government's efforts to counter terrorism, eliminate chemical weapons, stop drug trafficking, and secure humanitarian aid for its citizens.
• Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack is leading diplomatic efforts to promote engagement between various regional parties, specifically focusing on Syria and Israel.
• Lacey Turner, best known for playing Stacey Slater in the BBC soap 'EastEnders', has been announced as the first celebrity contestant for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
• Turner is a highly decorated actress who has won multiple awards for her soap role and has appeared in various TV dramas and stage productions, including the series 'Our Girl'.
• This announcement marks the beginning of the casting reveal for the 2026 competition, with Turner expressing that she is "so excited" to join the dance contest.
• Press Gazette released its monthly ranking of the top 50 news websites in the UK based on data from Ipsos iris.
• The report reveals a significant decline in digital reach, with most of the top 50 sites seeing their audiences drop by at least 10%.
• Newsquest CEO Henry Faure Walker defended his company's strategy in September 2025, emphasizing a focus on local, engaged audiences over celebrity news.
• Tensions in the Middle East are escalating as warring parties resume hostilities and diplomatic relations deteriorate.
• Iran remains defiant, demanding that the United States take accountability for ceasefire violations involving military strikes.
• President Trump's inconsistent strategy is criticized for shifting rapidly between praising Iranian diplomacy and threatening all-out military solutions.
US launches second round of airstrikes on Iran, and Tehran responds by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and JordanUS strikes Iran for second day, as ceasefire appears close to collapseWelcome to our live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.The US has launched a second round of airstrikes, after Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations, and Iran responded with strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.US Central Command said it had “completed” its latest round of airstrikes just before sunrise in Iran. It said the strikes targeted “Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defense sites,” and were carried out by the US air force, Marines and Navy.The sounds of explosions echoed around Tehran, the port city of Bandar Abbas and other southern areas along the strait of Hormuz.Iran responded by launching strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.Kuwait closed its airspace as its air defences fought off the attack. Kuwait’s directorate general of civil aviation said flights were being diverted to other airports, without elaborating.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired ballistic missiles at a US command centre in Jordan, according to state media.Iran’s UN envoy said the US should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.Israel early on Thursday warned residents in the north to seek shelter after the detection of suspected incoming fire from Lebanon.The international benchmark for crude oil traded above $93 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war. Continue reading...
Image: Radio Islam