Cover Story
Issue 01A report says US intelligence agencies recently assessed that Iran can effectively stop access through the Strait of Hormuz. Separate disclosed accounts said a tentative US-Iran arrangement under discussion would reopen the waterway, though details had not been made public at the time of the reports.
A report says US intelligence agencies recently assessed that Iran can effectively stop access through the Strait of Hormuz. Separate disclosed accounts said a tentative US-Iran arrangement under discussion would reopen the waterway, though details had not been made public at the time of the reports.
France is pressing G7 partners to support a statement on critical minerals aimed at limiting dependence on China for rare earth supplies. The proposal focuses on diversifying supply chains and strengthening value chains through financing, trade, traceability, transparency, storage and recycling measures.
G7 leaders said on June 16 they will step up efforts to address rising debt pressures in developing economies and support stronger implementation of the G20 Common Framework. Reuters reported the pledge includes attention to middle-income countries that are not currently eligible for the debt-relief mechanism.
UK consumer price inflation was unchanged at 2.8% year on year in May, while CPIH held at 3.0%, according to official data. Both CPI and CPIH rose 0.2% on the month. Transport added the most upward pressure, while food and non-alcoholic beverages provided the largest offset.
India has limited access to Telegram across the country until June 22 and directed the platform to disable message editing for users in India until June 30, according to media reports, as authorities move ahead of the June 21 NEET-UG 2026 re-examination amid claims involving altered posts and exam-related fraud.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told Myanmar's military leader to advance key bilateral infrastructure projects with safety measures in place, according to Chinese state media. The two sides also signed 18 cooperation memorandums covering cross-border transport, trade, disaster assistance, health and media, with the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor identified as a central project.
Fujitsu said Chairman Hidenori Furuta resigned as director effective June 16 after the board confirmed inappropriate conduct and received his request to step down. The company also withdrew his nomination for election at its June 29 annual shareholders meeting, reducing the number of director candidates to nine from 10.
Global stock indexes and bond prices rose while oil declined after President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran had signed a preliminary agreement that would extend a ceasefire by 60 days and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though terms were not released and both sides said a permanent truce remains under negotiation.
President Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated Etimesgut Airport as Ankara Airport with the ANK code for domestic and international operations. The facility is set to receive aircraft carrying leaders attending the NATO summit, including US President Donald Trump, according to Turkish media and officials.
The International Labour Organization adopted its first international convention for gig and platform workers, establishing binding labor standards including protections regardless of employment classification and disclosure of how automated systems affect workers. The convention takes effect in member states 12 months after ratification.
Starbucks Korea said it will close all stores nationwide at 3 p.m. on June 22 to conduct mandatory training on historical awareness and social sensitivity. The move follows its May 18 promotion for stainless-steel tumblers branded as “SS Tank,” launched on the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising.
Elliott Investment Management has disclosed a stake of almost 5% in Bunzl and is pressing the distributor to consider buying back up to 10% of its shares. The investor is also seeking a review centered on Bunzl’s North American operations after the company issued a profit warning last year.
Anthropic said it disabled its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models for all users after a U.S. government directive required the company to suspend access for foreign nationals. A U.S. official said the Commerce Department issued the export control order, while Anthropic said access to its other models remains unchanged.
Singapore Exchange plans to launch an over-the-counter clearing system for Loco Singapore gold by the end of 2026, with DBS, Deutsche Bank, ICBC Standard Bank, JPMorgan, OCBC and UOB as clearing members. MAS said it will start central bank gold-vaulting services by October and remove a 5% cap on physical precious metals under eligible tax-incentive schemes.
Kenya is considering a $1.13 billion foreign bond issuance as it manages a budget deficit estimated at KSh1.146 trillion, or 5.5% of GDP. The central bank raised KSh8.45 billion in a June 15 tap sale of two long-term Treasury bonds, while the government has also used part of a $1.2 billion World Bank loan to repay 2014 Eurobond debt.
U.S. and Iranian officials said they reached an initial agreement to stop the conflict and resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with a formal signing expected later this week and nuclear issues left for further talks. Oil prices fell and global equities advanced after the announcement.
