Trump says US in 'very strong position' for Iran talks

Diplomatic tensions escalate as the ceasefire between the United States and Iran nears its expiration, with negotiations in Islamabad remaining uncertain despite President Trump’s optimistic claims of a strong negotiating position. In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces intense scrutiny following allegations from a former senior civil servant that the government ignored vetting failures regarding Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to Washington. Meanwhile, Japan marks a historic shift from its post-WWII pacifist identity by scrapping long-standing weapons export rules to allow the sale of lethal arms to allies, a move driven by regional security concerns involving China and North Korea. Scientific research from Sweden reveals that cocaine runoff in waterways significantly alters salmon behavior, doubling their movement rates and potentially disrupting their ecological energy budgets. Other reports include a deadly attack on tourists at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids and a tiger escape at a Russian circus, alongside a Spanish initiative using archery to treat lymphedema in breast cancer survivors.