U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent says deal may be reached by Wednesday to reopen Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that a deal with Iran could be reached on Tuesday or Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict," Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.
When asked whether Iran would be allowed to charge a toll on ships that pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. treasury secretary said, "It would be freedom of movement."
Iran says ongoing talks with Oman "positive," focused on designating safe routes in Hormuz Strait -- Iranian media
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Tuesday described the ongoing talks between Iran and Oman as "positive" at both technical and political levels, with a focus on designating safe routes for vessels' passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The negotiations are continuing, Baghaei told state-run IRIB TV, saying that Iran seeks to develop mechanisms with Oman to manage future shipping traffic through the strategic strait.
He said any new routes must safeguard the sovereign rights and national security of both Iran and Oman, adding that the final results will be announced after the talks' conclusion.
25 U.S. states sue Trump administration over Section 301 tariffs
A coalition of 25 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, arguing that U.S. President Donald Trump exceeded his legal authority by imposing sweeping new tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners, according to a court document.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, challenges the recently enacted levies of 10 percent or 12.5 percent on the vast majority of goods imported from the affected economies. According to the states, these economies collectively account for 99.4 percent of U.S. imports.
The coalition is asking the court to block the tariffs, declare them unlawful, and order refunds for the duties already paid.
Landslide kills 14 people in northern Ethiopia
Fourteen people were killed in a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in northern Ethiopia's Amhara region, local authorities have confirmed.
The landslide occurred in the North Shewa Zone of Amhara, burying worshippers gathered at a monastery. The accident killed 14 people, while seven others sustained serious or minor injuries, the North Shewa Zone Communication Office said in a statement issued late Monday.
The incident occurred during Ethiopia's rainy season, which began in June and is expected to continue until late September. Extreme weather events, including floods and landslides, have become increasingly frequent in Ethiopia, particularly during the country's rainy season.
SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage to crash into Moon, posing no danger to Earth: NASA
Part of a used SpaceX rocket is expected to crash into the Moon on Wednesday, but the impact poses no danger to Earth, NASA said Tuesday.
In a news release posted on its website, NASA said it is using ground-based telescopes and space-based assets to track the used Falcon 9 upper stage from a commercial mission. The roughly 3,900-kilogram part is expected to impact the Moon near the Einstein and Bell craters.
NASA scientists are planning to collect lunar data from the event and refine techniques for tracking objects in space.■
