Americas

Washington: US Central Command confirmed that commercial ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased today as US forces continue their operations in the region to support freedom of navigation. In a statement on X, the Command said that commercial ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose on June 20 as US forces continued their operations in the region to support freedom of navigation. The statement continued, "Safe passage through the international waterway remained intact today as 55 merchant ships transited, moving large amounts of cargo and more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets." The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding electronically last Wednesday to end the war that began on February 28, following months of confrontations and heightened tensions. The move is seen as paving the way for a new phase of de-escalation and containment of tensions in the region.

Middle East

Cairo:The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced today that its archaeological mission successfully discovered two tombs dating back to the Early Dynastic Period, along with several burials from the Predynastic and Late Periods, in the Gebel El-Teir area in Minya governorate, southern Egypt. In a statement, the Ministry said that the first tomb is considered a rare architectural discovery due to its unique geometric design. It features walls that gradually decrease in thickness from the base to the top, a design that may represent an early stage in the evolution of engineering concepts that eventually led to the construction of the Step Pyramid and later the true pyramid. The second tomb, located south of the first, features a nearly identical design but is better preserved because it was not subjected to later quarrying activities.

Europe

Bern: Switzerland has said that it continues to provide a confidential and trusted environment at Burgenstock Resort to facilitate discussions related to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran. In a statement issued Saturday, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said that it will not disclose any additional details regarding the talks' participants or content, citing confidentiality considerations. Meanwhile, Western media reports indicated that US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff has traveled to Switzerland earlier today to take part in the first round of negotiations. The US-Iran MoU has already entered into force, with further negotiations scheduled to continue over the next 60 days in an effort to reach a final agreement.