Top World News
Where does Iran deal leave US-Israel relationship as they reach ‘a fork in the road’?
Jun 16, 2026 - World 
Prime minister faces prospect of going it alone against Iran as strategic interests of US and Israel are divergingIt took more than a day after news of Donald Trump’s deal with Iran went public for Benjamin Netanyahu to speak out.When he finally appeared at a press conference on Monday evening, the Israeli prime minister skirted a cornerstone of his past public appearances: his excellent relationship with the US president. Continue reading...
Iran’s top envoy says peace deal with US dependent on Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon
Jun 16, 2026 - World 
Abbas Araghchi says war ‘not fully come to an end’ without Israeli forces leaving territories occupied during present conflictMiddle East crisis – live updatesIran’s top diplomat has said a peace deal with the US would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, as concern grows that Israel could undermine diplomatic efforts to finally end the Middle East war, with Donald Trump even criticising his ally and war partner as irresponsible.“Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” said the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi. Continue reading...
From camel coats to guochao: Max Mara woos China’s luxury brand consumers
Jun 16, 2026 - World 
Fashion house pays tribute to Chinese style with its 75th anniversary catwalk show in Shanghai“New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Shanghai doesn’t even sit down.” For the British designer Ian Griffiths, who encountered this line in the New Yorker, it summed up why China’s biggest city was the right place to celebrate Max Mara’s 75th anniversary.“Max Mara is a product for metropolitan women, and it would be patronising to assume that a metropolitan wardrobe should be western-centric,” Griffiths said. Continue reading...
France to ditch Palantir’s AI data tools in favour of domestic provider
Jun 16, 2026 - World 
Move to ChapsVision is to avoid ‘strategic dependencies’, says PM amid concern about reliance on US-controlled toolsFrance’s domestic intelligence service is to ditch AI data tools from the US tech company Palantir in favour of a domestic provider in an effort to avoid “strategic dependency”, the prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has said.“We must use our own AI models; we cannot accept new strategic dependencies in the digital sphere,” Lecornu posted on social media. “We cannot rely on tools developed by foreign powers. France must have its own tools.” Continue reading...
UK defence spending plan ‘well short of what’s required’ and harder choices needed, says John Healey - as it happened
Jun 16, 2026 - World 
Ex-defence secretary John Healey and ex-defence minister Al Carns have given resignation statements to MPsSpeaking to reporters at the G7, Keir Starmer also defended the defence investment plan (DIP) draft that led to John Healey’s resignation as defence secretary last week. Starmer confirmed that Dan Jarvis, the new defence secretary, is getting some input before the publication of the DIP in its final version.Starmer said:The position on investment in defence is firstly that we increased last year defence spending from 2.3% to 2.6%, that’s the biggest increase since the 1980s, and that means £270bn will be spent this parliament on defence.On top of that [the] defence investment plan which obviously gives us capability for the future. We will put even more money in relation to that. I’ve been really clear that’s required difficult decisions, I have taken the decision to reallocate money from other departments. Continue reading...
