5 Big News Stories Overnight - Sunday, June 21, 2026

Tehran shuts down Strait of Hormuz

Al Jazeera reports:

Iran’s IRGC says the Strait of Hormuz is closed over Israel’s attacks on southern Lebanon that have killed at least 32 people since dawn.

Pakistan says technical talks to implement the interim Iran-US deal will be held in Switzerland on Sunday.

US Vice President JD Vance is on his way to Switzerland to hold talks with Iran.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister has told Al Jazeera Tehran is “ready to move forward” on diplomacy with Washington, but the US must ensure Israel abides by the terms of the deal to end the war.

Israel has killed Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed Wishah in central Gaza, months after his brother was killed in a similar strike.

Starmer is ready to resign, say allies

The Telegraph reports:

Allies of Sir Keir Starmer believe he is preparing to step down after facing an evaporation of support over the weekend.

A senior government figure told The Telegraph the embattled Prime Minister was realising that the “game is up” and his thoughts were turning to how he could “shore up his legacy”.

They said there had been “quite a bit of movement” among Cabinet ministers since Andy Burnham’s Makerfield by-election victory, leading Sir Keir to reconsider his previous commitment to soldiering on.

One Labour MP, who is usually considered to be a loyalist to the Prime Minister, said he believed Sir Keir would announce his departure date as soon as Monday given that his support among MPs was now down to only a handful of “friends and family”.

PHOTO: OGL Simon Dawson

Swedish contract killer who died in Limerick car crash worked as barber in Stockholm

Irish Times reports:

Gardaí searching for the surviving member of a two-man assassin crew brought from Sweden to Ireland to carry out a contract killing have searched woodlands close to where his accomplice was killed on the N21 in Co Limerick.

The Irish Times has also established the man who died in the late-night car crash – Axel Erick Wolfgang Liebsch Morales (33) – had told people in Sweden he was going to Ireland to murder a man for payment.

When Swedish police began making inquiries with people who knew him, they were able to confirm very quickly from those witnesses that he was in Ireland and the reason for his visit.

Morales was known to the police in Sweden and was from a family of South American origin, believed to be Chilean. Just weeks before his death, he was advertising himself as a travelling barber in the Stockholm area.

Five injured in suspected anti-Muslim incidents across Edinburgh

The Guardian reports:

Counter-terrorism officers are investigating a number of “violent attacks” in Edinburgh on Friday night that injured five men in suspected anti-Muslim incidents.

A 36-year-old white Scottish man has been arrested and police have said there is no further threat to the public.

Officers were called to the Sighthill area of the city, where two men were injured, at about 8.50pm on Friday. They were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by ambulance.

The Scottish Association of Mosques said two worshippers were attacked in a park after leaving the Broomhouse mosque.

Reports then came in to police about incidents around shops in the west and north of the city. The force said that during this period three other men were allegedly attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area.

Trump Claims Vandalism at Reflecting Pool

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll. Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail! Work will begin immediately on its repair. President DJT