Five Most Read International News Stories Today
The United States (US) is reported to be considering a new military strike against Iran. The information surfaced as peace efforts continue, with indirect negotiations mediated by Pakistan ongoing. The reports, as cited by major US outlets such as CBS and Axios, came just hours after President Donald Trump announced he would not attend his eldest son Donald Trump Jr’s wedding this weekend, citing a “matter relating to the administration” and his “love for the United States” as the reasons for his decision.
Iran asserted that it does not seek concessions from the United States, as indirect talks between the two countries, mediated by Pakistan, stall. Tehran stated that it only wants its rights restored and called for sanctions to be lifted. The latest clarifications, reported by Tasnim News Agency and Anadolu Agency on Saturday 23 May 2026, were made by Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
“We do not want any concession from the United States; we are only fighting for our rights,” Baghaei said in a statement on Friday 22 May local time.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation on Friday 22 May. Gabbard cited her husband’s cancer as the reason for her departure. Rumours had circulated that she was forced to resign by the White House. It was noted that during her tenure she had clashed with President Donald Trump over the war that the US and Israel are waging against Iran. Fox News reported that Gabbard told Trump of her intention to resign in a meeting in the White House Oval Office on Friday 22 May. Gabbard’s resignation, in office since 2025, was reported by Fox News to take effect from 30 June.
In another development, 90 people have died in an explosion at a coal mine in China. The casualty figure rose to at least 90 following the incident, which was triggered by a gas explosion and is regarded as the worst mining disaster in China in 17 years. Xinhua News Agency, cited by AFP, reported that the explosion rattled the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi Province on Friday 22 May at around 19:29 local time. A preliminary Xinhua report had said 201 workers were underground at the time of the explosion, with about 201 evacuated by Saturday morning.
Finally, Trump disclosed that Washington has extracted substantial oil from Venezuela to finance its war against Iran, claiming the Venezuelan oil has funded the Iran war up to “25 times over.” The remarks were made during a speech in New York state on Friday 22 May local time, as reported by Al Jazeera and TRT World, in which he discussed how the world views his decision to strike Iran and Venezuela.