While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 21, 2025
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British foreign minister David Lammy (left) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot briefing the media in Geneva on June 20, after their talks with Iran's Foreign Minister on Tehran's nuclear programme.
PHOTO: AFP
Europe-Iran talks yield little at ‘perilous’ moment
There were few signs of progress after European foreign ministers met their Iranian counterpart on June 20 in a bid to prevent conflict in the Middle East from escalating, although all signalled readiness to keep talking, despite major sticking points.
The foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, France - known as the E3 - plus the EU, urged Iran to engage with the United States over its contentious nuclear programme even as Tehran has repeatedly insisted it will not open discussions with the Trump administration until Israeli strikes on Iran end.
The talks aimed to test Tehran’s willingness to negotiate a new nuclear deal despite there being no obvious prospect of Israel ceasing its attacks soon, diplomats said.
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran was ready to consider diplomacy once Israel had ceased its attacks and been held accountable for its actions.
Trump says he may support Israel-Iran ceasefire
REUTERS
President Donald Trump said on June 20 he might support a ceasefire in the week-old aerial conflict between US ally Israel and its regional rival Iran “depending on the circumstances”.
Asked by reporters if he would support a ceasefire while negotiations are ongoing, Mr Trump said: “I might, depending on the circumstances.”
Europe would not be able to help much in the war between Iran and Israel, Mr Trump added. “Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one,” Mr Trump said.
US judge orders release of pro-Palestinian activist
REUTERS
A US judge ordered on June 20 that Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil be released from immigration custody, a major victory for rights groups that challenged what they called the Trump administration’s unlawful targeting of a pro-Palestinian activist.
Mr Khalil, a prominent figure in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war on Gaza, was arrested by immigration agents in the lobby of his university residence in Manhattan on March 8.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, has called the protests anti-Semitic and vowed to deport foreign students who took part, and Mr Khalil became the first target of this policy.
Russia must not let economy slip into recession, says Putin
EPA-EFE
Russia’s economy must under no circumstances slide into recession, President Vladimir Putin told an economic forum on June 20, in a clear instruction to assembled government ministers and central bankers.
The Bank of Russia hiked its key interest rate to the highest level since the early 2000s in October, seeking to curb stubbornly high inflation, before cutting it by one percentage point to 20 per cent earlier this month.
Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, in a downbeat message to Russia’s showcase economic event, said on June 20 that the economy was on the verge of sliding into recession and monetary policy decisions would determine whether it falls into one or not. Pressure on the central bank is mounting.
Liverpool shatter club record to sign Germany’s Wirtz
REUTERS
Liverpool have signed Germany’s Florian Wirtz from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, the Premier League champions said on June 20, as they smashed their transfer record to seal a deal for the attacking midfielder.
Leverkusen will receive a guaranteed amount of £100 million (S$170 million) and a further maximum of £16 million in potential bonuses.
That makes the 22-year-old Liverpool’s most-expensive signing ever, ahead of Netherlands centre back and captain Virgil van Dijk who joined for £75 million in 2017.
