June 19, Friday, 2026

1.Eight children and three teachers have been taken to hospital after a fire broke out at an elementary school in Tokyo’s Kita Ward on Friday morning.

2.Leaders in Washington and Tehran have added their signatures to a memorandum of understanding to end their conflict, which brings the deal into effect. The US Central Command said it has suspended its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

3.It’s been one year since Nippon Steel’s multibillion dollar acquisition of US Steel. The deal was one of the biggest in the sector and marked a major consolidation in the global industry. The Japanese company is now preparing to spend about 11 billion dollars through the end of 2028 to upgrade and expand US Steel mills.