Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including US President Donald Trump signaling the US-Israeli war on Iran will "be over with soon"; Pakistan's army chief arriving in Tehran for a second mediation visit amid a flurry of diplomatic activity to end the war with the US; and Tulsi Gabbard resigning as US Director of National Intelligence after her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.

TOP STORIES

• Trump says US-Israeli war on Iran will 'be over with soon'

President Donald Trump signaled that the US-Israeli war against Iran is nearing its end, telling supporters in New York that Tehran would never obtain a nuclear weapon and that the conflict would conclude soon.

The remarks came amid a flurry of diplomatic activity, with a Qatari delegation negotiating with Iran's foreign minister in Tehran, and Pakistan's army chief making his second visit to the Iranian capital.

• Pakistan's army chief arrives in Tehran for second mediation visit

Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has arrived in Tehran for a second visit as part of efforts to end the Iran war, which began Feb. 28 when Israel and the US launched military strikes on Iran.

Munir is expected to discuss Iran-US talks, regional peace and stability, and other key issues, as Islamabad intensifies efforts to secure a second round of direct talks between the two sides.

A Qatari delegation, meanwhile, arrived in Tehran to negotiate with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to help end the war in Iran.

• Gabbard resigns as US director of national intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard has announced her resignation as US Director of National Intelligence, effective June 30, citing her husband's recent diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.

President Donald Trump corroborated the move in a simultaneous post on his Truth Social platform.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• A US arms sale to Taiwan worth $14 billion has been paused due to the war with Iran, with Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao citing the need to preserve munitions for Operation Epic Fury.
• US House Republican leaders cancelled a vote on a resolution to limit President Donald Trump's war powers concerning Iran after the measure appeared likely to fail due to absent members.
• At least 16 people, including six police officers and 10 plantation workers, were killed in two separate shootings by gunmen on Honduras' northern coast.
• A tanker's armed security team fired warning shots at a small craft carrying five people that was approaching the vessel north of Yemen's Socotra island, forcing it to change course.
• New York City's top financial official has warned that artificial intelligence could displace thousands of workers in the city as early as this year, while noting that its long-term effects remain uncertain.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been "some slight progress" on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, while warning that Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
• Ireland's Foreign Minister Helen McEntee has called for an EU-wide ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements, saying the bloc must send a strong signal that such behavior is unacceptable and must stop.
• Germany has condemned Israel's treatment of Gaza aid flotilla activists, including German citizens, calling the allegations extremely serious and demanding a thorough and transparent investigation.
• British police are investigating former Prince Andrew for potential sex crimes, with detectives seeking to speak to a woman allegedly taken to his Windsor home "for sexual purposes," and appealing for other survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to come forward.
• Civilian casualties in Ukraine rose 21% in the first four months of 2026, with at least 815 people killed and 4,174 injured, as Russian attacks intensified, said the UN refugee agency.
• The WHO chief described the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as "deeply worrisome," warning the epidemic is likely far larger than confirmed figures suggest, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths reported.
• The Dutch government has approved a ban on trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights.
• The Pentagon has released a second batch of declassified UFO files featuring witness accounts of mysterious green orbs, discs and fireballs, continuing a government disclosure effort ordered by President Donald Trump.
• A total of 41 of 53 injured activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla have been discharged from Istanbul hospitals, while 12 remain hospitalized following Israel's interception of the aid ship in international waters.
• NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised Türkiye as a "great example" of a defense-industrial organization, saying that the alliance's need to boost defense production will be a key focus at a July summit in Ankara.
• Canada has condemned the "grave mistreatment" of Gaza-bound flotilla members by Israel, calling for those responsible to be held accountable after Canadian nationals were among those detained and later transferred to Türkiye.
• The UN has allocated up to $60 million in emergency funding to combat a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the wider Central African region, relief chief Tom Fletcher announced.
• Kevin Warsh has been sworn in as the new Federal Reserve chair, capping a months-long saga about President Donald Trump's desire for the central bank to lower interest rates, with the president insisting he wants Warsh to maintain the Fed's independence.
• Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will take his deportation case to the US Supreme Court after the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 6-5 not to revisit a ruling that opened the door to his removal.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Global crude steel output falls 1.9% in April on China weakness

Global crude steel production declined 1.9% year-on-year in April to 153.4 million tons, weighed down by lower output in China, the Middle East and Russia, according to the World Steel Association.

China, the world's largest steel producer, saw output drop 2.8% to 83.6 million tons, while the Middle East posted the sharpest regional decline at 27.6%. Russia and other CIS countries fell 13.4%. Among the bright spots, US production rose 9.4% to 7.2 million tons, India climbed 3.9% to 13.8 million tons and Türkiye's output grew 9.4% to 3.3 million tons, keeping it seventh among the world's top steel producers.

• EU expands Iran sanctions to cover Strait of Hormuz threats

The European Union has expanded its sanctions framework against Iran to target individuals and entities involved in threatening freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing the bloc to impose travel bans and asset freezes.

Those sanctioned will be barred from entering EU territories, while EU nationals and companies will be prohibited from making funds or economic resources available to them. The move builds on a sanctions framework originally established in 2023 because of Iran's military support for Russia, which was later broadened to address Tehran's support for armed groups in the Middle East and its drone and missile attacks against Israel.