Trump heralds Iran deal but questions – and risks – remain
The announcement of a deal to end hostilities between the US and Iran has provided Donald Trump with a very welcome birthday present – although it’s wrapped in a fair measure of uncertainty. In his social media post heralding the agreement, the American president said that the Strait of Hormuz would be open to commercial shipping and the US would …
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U.S.-Iran peace memorandum could be signed on Sunday in Geneva, source says
Reuters – A memorandum between the United States and Iran to halt the war in the Gulf could be signed as soon as Sunday, a Western source told Reuters on Friday, with Geneva emerging as the likeliest venue. The source said language in the memorandum was still being finalised and Iran was sticking to its position that the deal must also …
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The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA) should be repealed without delay – NMSJ
By continuing to enforce the PTA, Sri Lanka is sending a message to the international community that it is not prepared to act in line with the standards of the civilised world. The National Movement for Social Justice, which has consistently maintained this position, calls on the Government to abolish this repressive law without any further delay. The PTA was …
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China’s Xi hails deeper understanding at end of North Korea summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up on Tuesday his first visit to North Korea in seven years, saying it had established a deeper, more comprehensive understanding yielding a clearer path for development of ties, the official Xinhua news agency said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Xi agreed to expand cooperation in the areas of politics, economy and culture …
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Trump says US in ‘final throes’ of Iran deal, Hormuz strait to open in days
United States President Donald Trump has said that a deal between Israel and Iran is imminent, and that the two will leave each other alone for at least a week. He told reporters late on Monday that the US was “in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal”. Trump added that the Strait of Hormuz …
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Iran and Israel say they will pause strikes but warn of retaliation if ceasefire breached again
BBC – Iran and Israel say they have halted attacks on each other, after the two countries exchanged fire for the first time since April’s truce. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that his country was holding fire “at the moment”. But he stressed that the struggle against Iran and Hezbollah was “not finished”. It came hours after Iran’s …
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White House AI policy adviser Krishnan to leave position
Reuters – A top White House artificial intelligence policy adviser on Saturday said he will leave his position at the end of June, marking the exit of a leading figure helping craft policies for frontier technologies. “This journey has been the privilege of a lifetime,” the adviser, Sriram Krishnan, posted on social media platform X. Krishnan did not give a reason …
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India’s ’Cockroach’ youth movement founder arrives in New Delhi to protest Modi
(Reuters) – The founder of India’s viral Cockroach Janta Party arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to lead a protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, taking the country’s largest online youth movement to the streets for the first time. Abhijeet Dipke, 30, who has lived in the United States for the past two years, had said his family and …
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Universities face ban on international students over visa abuse
Raised standards for recruiting foreign students come amid continued visa abuse. Student asylum claims already down 30% as government action delivers results. Universities will be stripped of the right to recruit international students if too many drop out, as the government tightens the screws on visa abuse. New sponsorship rules will introduce a sliding scale of penalties for higher education …
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US announces new tariffs over forced labour concerns
The US has announced new tariffs of 10-12.5% on dozens of countries accounting for almost all its imports over concerns they are not doing enough to tackle forced labour. It is the second time President Donald Trump’s administration has announced new import taxes since the US Supreme Court struck down many of his previous duties in February. The US Trade …
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