Ireland probe into Aughinish Alumina shipments to Russia to conclude within weeks
Ireland's government says its investigation into the Aughinish Alumina refinery will conclude within weeks, after allegations that alumina shipments from the plant may be ending up in Russian weapons systems used against Ukraine. Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said the review, ordered after media reports, is being carried out by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Foreign Affairs. She said the government wants to establish all the facts and ensure it is not playing any part in material that can be used as a weapon by Russia.McEntee made the comments on arrival at a meeting... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 15 Jun 2026 10:32 LONDON
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Trump celebrates 80th birthday with Iran deal and UFC cage fight on the White House South Lawn
A report published on 15 June says Donald Trump marked his 80th birthday with a deal on Iran and a UFC cage fight staged on the White House South Lawn. The account describes the event as taking place in Washington and presents it as a combined political and sporting spectacle. No further verified detail is available in the supplied material about the terms of the Iran deal or the fight itself.The report gives the date as 15 June 2026 and identifies the White House South Lawn as the venue for the cage fight. It also says the Iran deal was... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 15 Jun 2026 07:02 LONDON
UK arrests Indian national after boarding Russian oil tanker in the English Channel
National Crime Agency officers have arrested an Indian national on suspicion of sanctions offences after UK forces boarded a Russian oil tanker in the English Channel. The vessel, Smyrtos, was intercepted on Sunday and is now anchored off the Dorset coast, with 24 Georgian and Indian crew members still aboard. The operation involved Royal Marine Commandos and the National Crime Agency, and officials said commandos fast-roped from a helicopter on to the tanker during the boarding.The National Crime Agency said the arrested man was taken into custody for questioning after the operation. The Ministry of Defence said the boarding took... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 15 Jun 2026 04:29 LONDON
Asian stocks surge and oil falls after US-Iran deal confirmation
Asian equity markets rose sharply on Monday after Washington and Tehran confirmed a deal to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The move came as investors reacted to the prospect of lower geopolitical risk to energy supplies and a possible easing of pressure on global inflation. Brent crude fell in response, while US stock futures also moved higher.Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark index rose 5.5% in morning trading, while South Korea's Kospi climbed as much as 5.7%. Taiwan's Taiex gained as much as 2.7%, and Australia's ASX200 rose about 1.5%. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index was up... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 15 Jun 2026 04:00 LONDON
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US-Iran peace deal announced as Strait of Hormuz set to reopen
The United States and Iran have announced a peace framework that would end their war, lift the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement was made on Monday after days of conflicting signals from the two sides, with Pakistan's prime minister saying the agreement had been reached and that a signing ceremony would take place in Switzerland on Friday. The deal is being presented as an immediate halt to military operations, including in Lebanon, although the wider terms still appear to be under discussion.US President Donald Trump said the agreement with Iran was... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 15 Jun 2026 01:29 LONDON
US-Iran peace deal finalised as Trump says Strait of Hormuz will reopen
The reported US-Iran peace deal has moved from expectation to public confirmation, with Pakistan's prime minister and Donald Trump both saying the agreement is now complete. Shehbaz Sharif said the two sides had declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and said the formal signing ceremony would take place in Switzerland on 19 June. Trump separately said he had authorised the end of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports and called for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen.Iranian state media has also repeated the claims, while a senior Iranian foreign ministry... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 14 Jun 2026 22:59 LONDON
Trump says he is prepared to help end Ukraine war after call with Putin, as Iran talks continue
Donald Trump has said he is prepared to help end Russia's war in Ukraine after a phone call with Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state reporting cited by a Putin adviser. The call, which lasted about an hour, was described by Yuri Ushakov as "friendly and frank". It came as Trump also said the United States is nearing a peace deal with Iran.Ushakov said Trump told Putin that ending the war in Ukraine was critical and that he was ready to help. He also said Trump informed the Russian president that the US was close to a deal with Iran,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 14 Jun 2026 20:29 LONDON
Iran and US draft deal covers nuclear limits, sanctions relief and Hormuz reopening
Iran has agreed in draft form not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons under a memorandum of understanding with the United States, according to a report citing a senior Iranian official. The reported framework also covers sanctions relief and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint for global fuel trade. The two sides are said to be set to discuss a final agreement during the 60 days after approval of the framework.The report said Tehran and Washington have not officially reacted to the draft so far. It also said US President Donald Trump had earlier announced... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 14 Jun 2026 12:00 LONDON
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Trump says US-Iran deal could be signed as Tehran disputes Sunday timing
President Donald Trump said the emerging US-Iran agreement could be signed as early as Sunday, while Iranian officials continued to dispute that timetable and said the process may take several more days. The reported framework is tied to ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, making it one of the most consequential diplomatic developments in the region in recent weeks. Pakistan has also been cited as saying preparations are under way for an electronic signing, adding to the sense that talks are moving quickly even as the two sides describe the timing differently.Trump said the deal... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 14 Jun 2026 10:59 LONDON
Iran and US say deal is close as Lebanon fighting continues
Iranian and US officials have signalled that a deal to shift a rocky 60-day ceasefire towards a broader peace and cooperation agreement is close, with Pakistan saying the text could be finalised within 24 hours. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks had "never been closer", while urging caution about speculation before any formal announcement. The latest comments come as commemorations are being held in Tehran for senior commanders killed in last year's war with Israel.Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a "final, agreed-upon text" had been drawn up, although some next steps still need to be completed. The... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 13 Jun 2026 16:59 LONDON
US-Iran talks move to Hormuz leverage and nuclear limits as deal hopes build
Iran's foreign minister has given the clearest indication yet that Tehran wants to preserve leverage over the Strait of Hormuz as negotiations with Washington continue. Abbas Araghchi said Iran would keep a presence over the waterway and suggested a negotiated framework could allow the collection of a "service fee" for vessels using it. He also said Iranian forces would intervene when necessary, while acknowledging that international law does not permit a toll on ships passing through the strait.The remarks come as the two sides appear to be edging closer to an agreement, but remain divided over the scope of any... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 13 Jun 2026 05:59 LONDON
UAE to unlock frozen Iranian funds amid US ceasefire push
The United Arab Emirates has agreed to unlock billions of dollars linked to Iran, according to people familiar with the arrangement, in a move tied to efforts to reduce tensions and support wider ceasefire talks involving Tehran and Washington. The reported step comes after weeks of Iranian attacks on the Gulf state and as negotiations over the broader conflict enter what diplomats describe as a final stage. The funds are said to be connected to long-frozen Iranian oil revenues held in foreign banks under US sanctions.Two regional sources said the UAE had agreed to release a total of $10bn, with... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Jun 2026 22:30 LONDON
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UK sets end date for Russian diesel and jet fuel imports
The UK government has said it will ban imports of diesel and jet fuel made from Russian oil by 1 January 2027. The measure is part of sanctions on Moscow linked to the war in Ukraine. It follows an earlier move in May to phase out diesel and jet fuel refined in third countries from Russian crude oil, after ministers said they needed extra flexibility because of global oil supply issues.Trade Minister Chris Bryant said the end date was a clear signal that the government was continuing to increase pressure on Russia. He said the temporary general licence covering these... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Jun 2026 21:33 LONDON
Iran says deal with US closer than ever as Trump warns Tehran to get act together
Iran has said a deal with the United States is closer than ever, in comments that come as Donald Trump warned Tehran to "get act together". The remarks point to a renewed push in long-running efforts to narrow differences between the two countries. No formal agreement was announced in the material supplied, but the language used suggests talks or contacts remain active.The incident is centred on Iran and the United States, with the latest comments reported on 12 June 2026. The supplied material does not give a venue for the remarks or identify the Iranian official who made them. It... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Jun 2026 19:32 LONDON
Trump rejects reported Iran ceasefire terms amid attack on Indian-linked ships near Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has publicly rejected reported ceasefire terms linked to Iran, saying leaked details "bear no relation to the truth" and were not what had been agreed in writing. In the same remarks, he condemned what he described as a drone attack on Indian-linked commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. The comments add to a fast-moving dispute that now combines diplomacy, maritime security and the safety of Indian seafarers.Trump said on social media that the terms Iran had leaked to the media were false and "totally" different from the agreement he said had been reached. He also... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Jun 2026 16:00 LONDON
China bars Philippines defence chief Gilberto Teodoro over South China Sea remarks
China has barred Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and members of his family from entering the country, in a fresh escalation in the long-running dispute over the South China Sea. The ban also covers Hong Kong and Macau, according to a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beijing said Chinese organisations and individuals must not carry out transactions, cooperation or other activities with Teodoro, his wife or children.The move was announced on Thursday and was linked by Beijing to comments Teodoro has made about China's claims in the disputed waterway. The ministry said his rhetoric "undermines China's legitimate interests... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 11 Jun 2026 21:33 LONDON
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US sanctions Cuba's state oil company in latest pressure move
The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Cuba, targeting the state-owned Union Cuba-Petroleo in a fresh move against the island's energy sector. The action was announced on 11 June 2026 and was presented by Washington as part of its wider pressure campaign on Havana's communist government. It comes as Cuba continues to face fuel shortages and blackouts linked to long-running problems in its energy system.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the company serves Cuba's "repressive security apparatus" and accused Cuba's Communist leaders of diverting energy resources for their own benefit. He also said the company's assets were "unlawfully... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 11 Jun 2026 21:30 LONDON
Israeli cabinet weighs new funding for West Bank settlement expansion
Israel has set aside an initial 152 million shekels for planning work linked to settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank, according to an anti-settlement group. The group said the money is part of a wider funding push that could eventually reach 1 billion shekels, but that the larger allocation has been delayed for further cabinet consideration. The reported plan would support infrastructure and public buildings in settlements that are already regarded as illegal under international law.Peace Now said the first tranche covers planning for 69 settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank. It said the cabinet postponed... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 11 Jun 2026 20:05 LONDON
Iran says economy is still functioning after 100 days of US-Israel strikes and Hormuz closure
Iran is still operating after more than 100 days of US and Israeli bombing, according to the supplied material, even as the conflict has killed senior military and political figures and damaged military infrastructure across land, sea and air. The rows say Tehran has suffered a $347 billion loss and that the United Nations expects the economy to contract by 6.1% this year. They also say the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has added pressure on oil exports and global energy markets.The material says the strikes have choked off access to oil revenue, but that Iran has not been... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 11 Jun 2026 19:00 LONDON
UK, Australia and Canada launch £4m peace fund for Israel-Palestine conflict
Britain, Australia and Canada have announced a joint peace fund aimed at supporting a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The initiative was unveiled on Thursday and will provide £1m from each country, according to a statement from the UK foreign ministry. The fund is intended to back grassroots projects and humanitarian support linked to Palestinians, while also promoting dialogue between communities.The announcement said the money will go to new and existing local projects, with a particular focus on youth groups, civil society organisations and women. It also said the fund will support long-term peacebuilding efforts and help address what... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 11 Jun 2026 10:35 LONDON
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Cuba says US blockade is blocking UN aid deliveries amid fuel shortage
Cuba says 170 containers of United Nations humanitarian aid are not reaching beneficiaries because a fuel shortage is disrupting distribution across the island. The government says the problem is linked to what it describes as a US blockade and expanded sanctions. The claim comes as parts of Havana have faced prolonged blackouts and shortages of food, water and medicine.Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the aid, valued at $6.3 million, was being held up because there was not enough fuel to move it. He said the blockade was affecting not only the Cuban economy but also the work of international organisations.... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 10 Jun 2026 21:30 LONDON
US defence chief warns Cuba over weapons that could reach Guantánamo
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned Cuba against acquiring weapons that could reach the United States or the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay. He made the remarks during a visit to the base in south-eastern Cuba, speaking to US troops and framing the issue as a direct warning to Havana. The comments add to an already tense security relationship between Washington and Cuba.Hegseth said it would be unwise for the Cuban government to try to procure or gain access to weapons capable of reaching the base or the American homeland. He warned that such a move would invite... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 10 Jun 2026 17:59 LONDON
UK and allies expand sanctions over West Bank settler violence
The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and Norway have announced coordinated sanctions targeting networks linked to settler violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The measures were unveiled on 9 June 2026 and include entity designations, travel bans and other restrictions on people and groups accused of financing or carrying out attacks. France also imposed travel bans on Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, three settler leaders and 21 settlers.The UK said it had targeted six entities and one individual, while the wider package was presented as a joint response by the six governments. The action was aimed at what... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 10 Jun 2026 17:05 LONDON
Hundreds of former European officials urge EU to suspend Israel trade access
More than 460 former European political figures have called on the European Union to take tougher action against Israel over its military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. The appeal was set out in an editorial published ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg next week and an EU summit in Brussels. The signatories include former Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, former tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and former president of the European Parliament Pat Cox.The group said the EU should suspend Israel's preferential trade access under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. It argued that such a move would affect... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 10 Jun 2026 06:33 LONDON
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Investigation says coltan from M23-held mines in eastern DRC may have reached global brands
A new investigation has said coltan from mines in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo controlled by the M23 militia may have entered supply chains linked to major international brands. The report focuses on Rubaya in North Kivu province, a major coltan site that it says has been occupied by M23 for two years. It alleges the mineral was smuggled across the border into Rwanda before being moved on through exporters used by large firms.The investigation says Amazon, Ericsson and Sony are among companies that may have sourced the mineral, while Microsoft, Toyota, Nvidia and Vodafone are also named as... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 10 Jun 2026 06:30 LONDON
EU proposes new sanctions package targeting Russian soldiers, banks and oil revenues
The European Commission has proposed a fresh sanctions package against Russia that would, for the first time, bar anyone who has served in the Russian armed forces since the start of the war from entering the European Union. The measures also target banks, crypto firms, shadow-fleet vessels and Kremlin oil revenues. The proposal was announced in Brussels on Tuesday and now needs unanimous approval from the EU's 27 member states.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc was seeking to make Europe "off limit" for anyone who had taken part in the invasion of Ukraine. She said the... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Jun 2026 17:00 LONDON
Italy condemns Ben-Gvir remarks amid inquiry into flotilla activists
Italy's foreign minister has publicly condemned comments by Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, after Rome opened an inquiry into the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists. Antonio Tajani told Italy's Senate that the remarks were "unacceptable" and "unworthy of a minister", escalating a dispute that has already drawn in other European governments. The row centres on the detention of more than 430 activists from dozens of countries after Israeli authorities intercepted their vessels in international waters last month.Ben-Gvir had mocked Italy a day earlier, saying the "land of the boot has become the land of the flip-flop", a reference... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Jun 2026 13:32 LONDON
Xi Jinping meets Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang after seven years
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, in a visit described in the supplied material as Xi's first to North Korea in seven years. The talks took place on Tuesday and were accompanied by symbolic events including a tree planting, a performance of Chinese and North Korean songs and a banquet hosted by Kim. Both sides said they wanted to deepen cooperation, but the material provided says there was no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.According to the supplied rows, the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation across politics, economy and culture,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Jun 2026 13:29 LONDON
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EU set to adopt 21st sanctions package against Russia as alumina row continues
The European Commission is expected to adopt its 21st sanctions package against Russia on Tuesday, in the latest round of measures linked to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Member states will then have several weeks to review the package before it becomes law. The draft is also expected to leave out Aughinish Alumina, the refinery in County Limerick that has become the focus of controversy over increased exports of alumina to Russia.The package is being prepared more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the information available, the Commission has decided not to include... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Jun 2026 07:04 LONDON
US adds Alibaba, BYD and Baidu to Chinese military companies list
The United States has added Alibaba, BYD and Baidu to its list of companies it says have ties to the Chinese military. The Pentagon update was published on Monday and expands a blacklist that is used to flag firms considered to support China's military-civil fusion strategy. The move affects some of China's best-known commercial brands and comes at a sensitive moment in US-China relations.China's embassy in Washington condemned the designation as discriminatory and said the US was overstretching the concept of national security. It said Chinese companies doing business overseas had been strictly observing the laws and regulations of host... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Jun 2026 04:00 LONDON
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EU weighs 80 new sanctions designations against Russia
The European Union is considering a new sanctions package that would add 80 more Russian entities and individuals to its restrictions list. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the proposed designations would target Russia's military-industrial complex, human rights violators and propagandists. She made the comments in Cyprus after an informal meeting of EU defence ministers.Kallas said the bloc's sanctions have already cost Russia an estimated $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion, and argued that Moscow is still escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians. She said the EU is seeking to widen pressure on what she described as Russia's war economy. The... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 08 Jun 2026 23:00 LONDON
Xi Jinping visit to North Korea comes as Pyongyang calls nuclear programme a 'line of no retreat'
Chinese President Xi Jinping is in North Korea in a visit that comes as Pyongyang insists its nuclear programme is a "line of no retreat". The trip is being watched closely because Beijing remains North Korea's main political and economic backer, while Pyongyang is under UN sanctions and largely isolated internationally. It also comes amid a period of heightened regional diplomacy involving China, the United States and Russia.The immediate significance of the visit is that Xi is seeking to reinforce Beijing's leverage with Pyongyang, according to the material provided. North Korea has made clear that it wants to be recognised... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 08 Jun 2026 22:29 LONDON
US expands visa restrictions on Nicaraguan officials after Brooklyn Rivera dies in custody
The United States has expanded visa restrictions on more than 100 Nicaraguan officials and their family members after the death of Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera while in government custody. The move was announced on Monday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and comes amid renewed scrutiny of Nicaragua's treatment of political opponents. Rivera, who was 73, had been held since September 2023.Rubio described the circumstances of Rivera's death as "horrific" and said the Nicaraguan government had held him as a "political prisoner" as part of a wider campaign to suppress dissent. He said the latest measures mean the US... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 08 Jun 2026 20:11 LONDON
EU to discuss Aughinish Alumina and Russia-linked alumina exports with Irish leader
The European Commission says its foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, will discuss Aughinish Alumina and alumina exports to Russia when she meets Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, in Dublin on Tuesday. The issue was raised publicly at a Commission briefing as part of a wider conversation about support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia. Officials said the matter would be addressed as a concern in its own right.A Commission spokesperson said several topics would be discussed at the meeting, including Ukraine and further pressure on Russia. Asked whether alumina could feature in the next EU sanctions package, another spokesperson declined to... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 08 Jun 2026 12:05 LONDON
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Fear the Shia, Arm the Sunnis: The Uncomfortable Numbers Behind America’s War Narrative
“When fear is managed carefully enough, a nation can be taught to look away from the blood on the floor and stare instead at the shadow on the wall.” A friend of mine, whose name I will not reveal because he asked me not to, sat across from me over dinner and placed a question on the table that would not leave me alone. He was born into a Muslim Shia background, and for the angle of this article, that detail matters, not because I wish to reduce a man to a sect, but because sect has become one of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 23 May 2026 08:00 LONDON
Shadows of Fire: The Long Arc of Iran–United States Tensions
A Region on Edge: The Latest Escalation In recent months, tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified once again, fueled by disputes over regional security, nuclear development, maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf, and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Officials in Washington have expressed renewed concern over Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, while leaders in Tehran have accused the United States of economic warfare through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The fragile equilibrium that followed earlier rounds of indirect negotiations appears increasingly strained, with both sides engaging in sharp rhetoric at the United Nations, reinforcing military postures... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 19 Feb 2026 08:49 LONDON
There Is Good in Every Bad
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 18 Feb 2026 17:11 LONDON
