📊 Iran Talks, Chicago Shootings, and Brexit Legacy

Swiss negotiations, weekend violence, and divisive aftermath.

Jun 22, 2026

Greetings! Happy Father’s Day to those celebrating.

Let’s get into today’s top stories.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

🇮🇷 Iran talks survive Trump threats. American and Iranian negotiators ended their first day of talks in Switzerland on Sunday. Technical talks will continue after Sunday’s opening round. Vice President JD Vance led the American team at the Bürgenstock resort near Lucerne. Iran’s delegation was led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The talks are meant to turn last week’s interim Iran war deal into something more durable. They also address Tehran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistani and Qatari mediators joined the technical-level discussions. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Vance during the summit. Vance said the sides had a chance to turn over a new leaf. President Trump complicated the room before the ink had any chance to dry. Trump threatened renewed strikes if Iran supported Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. He also warned Tehran against closing Hormuz, the world’s most watched oil chokepoint. Israeli strikes left damage in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, while a ceasefire appeared to hold. The talks opened inside the usual Middle East paradox. Diplomacy entered by the front door while threats kept rattling every window.

🇬🇧 Starmer faces Labour’s cliff edge. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under growing pressure to resign. The pressure comes as Labour rival Andy Burnham prepares to enter the House of Commons. Burnham won a special election last week in Makerfield. He is expected to be sworn in Monday. Starmer has publicly vowed to remain prime minister. Yet some Labour lawmakers now believe his time has expired. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said Starmer is reflecting on political realities. Kyle also called resignation reports speculation. Starmer spent the weekend at Chequers with his family. He gave no public signal beyond a Father’s Day post on X. President Trump entered the story before any formal decision. Trump said Starmer would resign and blamed immigration and energy policy. Their once warm relationship has cooled over the Iran war, which Britain did not join. If Starmer quits, Britain would lose its sixth prime minister in 10 years. A party built to govern now looks stuck negotiating with gravity.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

🚨 Chicago weekend gunfire kills seven. Chicago police said at least seven people were killed in weekend shootings. Another 38 people were injured after gunfire spread across the city. Police said the violence began after 5 p.m. Friday. Preliminary information pointed to at least two dozen shooting incidents. The dead included a 21-year-old shot in the chest Sunday. Police also cited an 18-year-old shot Saturday evening. A 50-year-old was shot in the chest Friday. One Friday incident wounded at least 12 people in a crowd. Police said an SUV pulled up before two people inside began firing. President Trump used the weekend toll to renew calls for military intervention. Trump asked why Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had not called him for help. Pritzker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. National Guard troops have been deployed under Trump in several Democratic-led cities. Chicago police data shows shootings slightly above last year’s first-half pace. The city’s argument over crime again became a fight over force.

🗽 Concert fall kills man at the Garden. A 51-year-old Connecticut man died after falling at Madison Square Garden. The fall happened Saturday night during a rock concert in New York. Police identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut. Officers responded to a 911 call around 9:51 p.m. They found Kueker unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall. Police said he fell from an elevated position. They did not say how far he fell. They said he had been in Section 300. Kueker was attending the concert with his wife. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Police said they do not suspect foul play. The rock band Goose was performing at the arena. The band said it was reeling from the tragedy. Goose played Sunday in Central Park and directed proceeds toward a charitable fund for fans. A night built for communal noise ended in a hush no venue can absorb.

🗂️ MISC

🇪🇺 Brexit turns ten and still divides Britain. Britain is marking 10 years since voting to leave the European Union (EU). The June 23rd, 2016 referendum ended with 52% voting leave. More than 17M voters backed departure from the EU. The decision triggered Britain’s sharpest economic and social rupture since World War II. Brexit, short for British exit, took nearly five years to complete. Supporters promised control, revival, and domestic focus after the 2008 financial crisis. Opponents warned of disruption and diminished global standing. The economic ledger remains heavily contested. Merchants face customs paperwork, border certifications, and visa limits when trading with Europe. The 27-nation EU remains Britain’s largest trading partner. Experts say the economy is 4% to 8% smaller than it might have been. Net migration fell from more than 900K in 2023 to 171K last year. Small boat crossings peaked at 46K in 2022 and reached 41K last year. Ipsos polling found 52% would rejoin the EU, while 33% opposed it. Britain left Brussels, then discovered geography still collects rent.

🧸 Toy Story 5 owns the box office. “Toy Story 5” opened with $160M in domestic ticket sales. Studio estimates made it the biggest opening weekend of the year. It also set a new franchise record for the Pixar series. The previous series best was “Toy Story 4” at $120M in 2019. International sales added $152M. That produced a $312M worldwide opening. The film arrived 31 years after the original “Toy Story.” The Walt Disney ($DIS) franchise had already grossed more than $3B before this release. “Toy Story 4” topped $1B globally. The new sequel cost $250M to make before marketing. Tom Hanks returned as Woody. Tim Allen returned as Buzz Lightyear. Joan Cusack returned as Jessie. Director Andrew Stanton put Bonnie’s toys against a new tablet. Hollywood’s oldest lesson got another sequel because nostalgia still knows where the money sleeps.