Hezbollah calls the deal a surrender as Israeli forces stay put and continue striking the south.
Israel has resumed air strikes on southern Lebanon, only days after signing a US-brokered agreement meant to end its war with the country.
The strikes came on Sunday, two days after the framework was signed in Washington following five rounds of talks.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Each side is presenting the same document as a victory on its own terms, and the deal has been rejected by Hezbollah and by far-right Israelis, raising immediate doubts over whether it can hold.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported a series of attacks in the south on Sunday, a day after the Lebanese Ministry of Health said one person was killed in an Israeli attack there, the first death since the deal was signed.
Israeli aircraft were also active, with NNA reporting drones flying over the northeastern city of Baalbek and warplanes staging what residents described as a mock raid over nearby highlands.
Israel said its forces were targeting members of Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group, near the buffer zone its troops occupy inside the country.
The Israeli military also announced that one of its soldiers had been killed in combat in the south. It named him as Captain David Hazutt, 21, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade, an elite infantry unit, and said a second soldier was lightly wounded.
Israel’s military chief approved continued operations in the zone, saying they were in line with the ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called the agreement “historic” and “a massive blow to Iran and Hezbollah”.
An agreement was struck between Lebanon and Israel on Friday in Washington, which was described cautiously by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “the beginning of the beginning”.
At the time, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that the agreement “aims to achieve Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territories”.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday that Israeli forces were preparing for an extended stay in the buffer zone, and would remain as long as the group held on to its weapons.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the deal in a statement on Saturday, calling it “humiliating” and “a surrender of sovereignty” and saying his fighters would not leave the battlefield.
Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah member of parliament, said on Sunday that any move by the Lebanese army to enforce the agreement would push the country towards internal conflict, as supporters of the group protested across the capital against the deal.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, said the deal handed Hezbollah a “lifeline” and dismissed the idea that Lebanon’s army could disarm the group. He said he had opposed the agreement in cabinet for weeks and would continue to do so.
The war began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
Israel answered with heavy air raids and a ground invasion. More than 4,200 people have been killed in Lebanon since then, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Washington should force Israel to stop its strikes and pull out of the areas it occupies in Lebanon, citing a separate understanding he said was binding on both Israel and the United States.
Sam Thompson finally found a reason to smile again with new girlfriend Talitha Balinska after his devastating split from ex Zara McDermott.
But while the pair are certainly loved up, some members of his inner circle have told The Sun they are questioning whether Talitha may turn out to be Zara 2.0.
Sam Thompson and Talitha Balinska have been dating since October 2025Credit: InstagramSam and Zara McDermott split just before Christmas in 2024, reportedly because he wasn’t prioritising their relationshipCredit: Instagram
According to a source close to Sam, they believe his new model and DJ squeeze appears to be following too closely in his ex’s footsteps – and could secretly harbour desires to have a career as big as the former Love Island and Strictly Come Dancing beauty.
A member of Sam’s posse tells us: “Talitha seems like a nice girl but a few eyebrows have been raised by some of Sam’s pals about how easily she has slotted into his showbiz world and how comfortable she seems in the spotlight.
“They have questioned whether she is enjoying the profile boost that comes with dating a guy like Sam, because she wasn’t as well known before dating him.
They added: “These days she always seems to be invited brand trips or flogging online ads in a way she wasn’t before, so it feels like being with Sam has opened some major doors for her. You can’t necessarily blame her for taking advantage of that, but it has raised some eyebrows.”
Zara (right) and Sam’s sister Louise Thompson (middle right) were very close when she was dating the TV starCredit: GettyTalitha now appears to be close with Louise – exactly like Zara wasCredit: Instagram
After the ties with ex Zara severed, Sam had quite the “glow-up” and he soon captured the attention of model and DJ Talitha.
Former Made In Chelsea star Sam told how Talitha was “the one” earlier this year, but not everyone in his life is convinced.
“It feels like he has rushed head over heels into the next full-on relationship, but that’s Sam, he’s like a puppydog in love.
“Talitha could turn out to be the love of his life, but we’re his friends and we’re protective. We don’t want to see him get hurt.”
Sam first met gorgeous Talitha in 2024 on a photoshoot for Sam’s sunglasses brand Dinelli Eyewear but they didn’t begin to date until a few months after his split from Zara.
Once the couple were spotted together in October last year and Sam began mentioning her online, Talitha’s influencer career really took off.
The 24-year-old’s following grew by 900 per cent on Instagram and she started cashing in on more advertisement deals.
Not only that, Talitha has been making the most of her newfound fame, jetting off on brand trips, scooping freebies and enjoying lavish dinners.
She was spotted a few weeks ago partying on a yacht in Marbella, Spain, after being whisked away by The Couture Club.
The model has taken the place of the Love Island legend in a string of Sam’s social media ads – something he once enjoyed doing with Zara.
Stunning Talitha has been spotted on a string of brand trips over the last few monthsCredit: InstagramSam and Talitha cosy up on a night outCredit: InstagramSam and his best pal Pete WicksCredit: Getty
Our source adds: “Sam and Zara would often beg their family and friends to get involved with the funny twists they would put on their content – it looks as though history is repeating itself.
” A few of us have pointed out that Talitha often appears on social media “playing the eye-rolling” girlfriend, something Zara had perfected, or the one who laughs at all his jokes.
The source said: “A few who knew Zara really well have commented that Talitha seems to basically be copying her – the way she acts on social media is very similar, playing the foil to him is the same schtick Zara used to do in his Instagram and TikTok videos.”
Sam’s posse have noticed that Talitha has also become tight with Sam’s sister Louise, who absolutely adores her.
Zara was incredibly close to Louise and the pair were often spotted together.
“Talitha seems like she’s really close with his sister Louise, just like Zara was, but they have hardly known each other for a fraction of the time,” says our insider.
“It all feels a bit too much too fast, like she is already a member of the family.
“Some of us have joked that she’ll be landing her own BBC Three documentary series next, or trying to get cast on a reality show.”
Talitha’s influence has already begun to make its mark on Sam’s home, too.
This Morning‘s Sam revealed on his podcast, Staying Relevant, that he was getting his garden redone with a huge water feature, top-notch barbecue and bougie seating area.
But when he was quizzed on the new expense by his best pal Pete Wicks, Sam admitted he was forking out because Talitha wanted him too.
The 33-year-old claimed he’d rather have spent the cash on a lavish break away but his girlfriend felt a remodelled garden would be the perfect place for them to spend time.
Documentary maker Zara, 29, previously staked her claim on the home as the exes carved their names into the kitchen wood. Sam later admitted this wasn’t his choice either.
The podcast host got the room redecorated for the second time in just a few years to wipe any trace of Zara, who has since moved on with former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson.
Talitha, who now appears to have properly moved in to Sam’s home, took to Instagram recently to admit that she was forcing him to move his clothes so she could have more wardrobe space.
Despite what some of Sam’s posse think, others say Talitha “picked Sam up at a time when he was really heartbroken,” and “put a smile back on his face again.”
According to a source close to Talitha , the couple are really happy and they don’t understand why some people are trying to “tear her down.”
Her pal continues: “Talitha is actually quite introverted and not in this for the fame.
“She already had an influencer profile before getting together with Sam, so anything she gets offered now comes from her already being in this world.
“Maybe some brands have reached out to her since she has been with Sam, but it’s not Talitha actively seeking these things out.
“She is with Sam for the right reasons, she’s a genuine girl and it’s disappointed for anyone to suggest she wants to copy Zara.
“She’s aware of Sam’s exes, but everyone has an ex and she is an ex for a reason. Talitha certainly doesn’t want to be the next Zara, because why would he even want to be with a clone of his former flame?
“It’s just silly – a case of someone trying to pit women against women. Sam and Talitha are happy, so anyone who thinks otherwise is not a real friend of either of them.”
The Sun has reached out to reps for Sam and Talitha for comment.
On the back of eight straight losses things could hardly have got off to a worse start for the Giants when Johnstone got in at the corner and prop McMeeken then dotted down, after Rourke flicked Jake Trueman’s kick back.
However, they did not go under and two solo efforts in four minutes from Gagai and Geyer saw them turn the match on its head for the first time.
Sinfield’s first Super League try since joining from Leeds in the off-season gave Wakefield a 16-12 lead at the break, but Russell kicked a 40/20 in the first play of the second half and O’Donnell crashed over.
Huddersfield, who were looking for a first wince since 4 April, could not hold on to their narrow lead as Jowitt kicked a penalty after a high shot on McMeeken to level and Rourke held off the attentions of three players to get in at the corner.
The visitors fought back once more when Swift cut in off the left edge and grounded the ball to make it 22-22.
Sinfield’s drop-goal nudged Wakefield back into the lead before Russell’s long ranger levelled the scores yet again.
But the former Trinity man was left desolate when his pass was grabbed by Rourke who managed to get away from the chasers and win it.
Huddersfield will raise the curtain on Magic Weekend when they play York Knights at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium next Saturday, with Daryl Powell’s men playing his former side Castleford in Sunday’s first match.
George Russell’s victory over Max Verstappen further reduces teammate Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ title race.
Published On 28 Jun 202628 Jun 2026
A thirsty George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to trim Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli’s Formula One championship lead to 40 points.
Max Verstappen finished 1.6 seconds adrift, after crashing in qualifying and starting fifth, at his Red Bull team’s home circuit with Antonelli third and 0.3 behind after a thrilling chase to the line at scenic Spielberg.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The win was Russell’s second of the season, after he took the opener in Australia, his career seventh and Mercedes’ seventh in eight rounds so far.
Antonelli has 171 points to Russell’s 131 with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, fifth on Sunday after running second and battling Verstappen wheel-to-wheel, dropping to third on 125.
In the constructors’ standings, Mercedes have 302 points to Ferrari’s 204.
“Incredible to be back on the top step. It’s been a little while, so I am definitely going to enjoy this one this evening,” said Russell, who can now head to his home British GP at Silverstone next weekend on a high.
He revealed over the radio after taking the chequered flag that his drinks system had failed during the race, the first of the season to be declared a “heat hazard”. “Nice race for it to do so, I’m a little bit thirsty,” he said.
Oscar Piastri was fourth for McLaren, ahead of Hamilton, with Isack Hadjar sixth for Red Bull.
Reigning champion Lando Norris, last year’s winner in Austria, was seventh with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc eighth and Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad completing the top 10.
“I was having to push every single lap and when you push those boundaries there’s bound to be a small mistake or two,” said Russell.
“I knew how quick the guys were behind. Kimi has been extraordinarily quick this whole season, so every lap I was looking at the timing board.”
Russell wins the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, June 28 [Darko Bandic/Pool via AFP]
England test captain Ben Stokes will retire from international cricket after the ongoing test match against New Zealand.
Published On 28 Jun 202628 Jun 2026
England captain Ben Stokes has made the dramatic decision to announce his imminent retirement from international cricket midway through the deciding third test against New Zealand.
“This is my last two days as your captain and my last two days representing England,” Stokes told his England teammates inside the dressing room on Sunday at the start of play at Trent Bridge on Day 4, in a video released on social media by England Cricket.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The match is headed to a fifth and final day on Monday, with the series on the line at 1-1.
The shocking announcement came 15 minutes before the tea break. Stokes picked up a wicket moments later and was given a standing ovation as he led England off at the end of the session.
“The reasons can wait [about] why,” Stokes said in his dressing-room speech. “But I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, and I’ve got one more trip to do.”
Stokes, 35, one of the world’s best known cricketers, has represented England for 15 years, the peak surely coming in 2019 when he starred for England in its wild win over New Zealand in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s.
He was also a key player in England’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2022, the same year he became test captain.
Stokes has decided to quit international cricket during a series when he made front-page news after being dropped by England for the second test amid an investigation following a night out with teammate Gus Atkinson after the first test at Lord’s.
The two players were in a London nightclub when an England team security official was reportedly struck by a rugby player from English club Saracens.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) dropped Stokes and Atkinson, and later said they had “breached specific contractual obligations” and were given a written warning. The sport’s independent oversight panel – the Cricket Regulator body – said after its investigation that there was “insufficient evidence to establish that any regulatory breach occurred”.
Stokes was recalled for the third test.
Stokes reacts alongside New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra [File: Andrew Boyers/Reuters]
ECB chairman Richard Thompson said Stokes is “one of England’s greatest ever cricketers and one of the defining figures of his generation.”
“His performances under pressure, his relentless competitiveness and his ability to produce the extraordinary when it matters most have given me and millions of other fans memories that will endure forever,” Thompson said.
“Beyond his remarkable achievements on the field, his performances have inspired many youngsters to embrace cricket with positivity and belief. We are losing a batsman, a bowler, a captain and a talisman.”
Abigail Velez, who works for ABC7 Los Angeles, was reporting from a USA viewing party in Long Beach, California, when she made the remarks while discussing America’s next opponent in the tournament.
Following the US team’s 3-2 defeat to Turkey, Velez told viewers: “The next round, Team USA will play Bosnia next Wednesday and one thing about Bosnia, I could not point out where it is on a map.”
She then added: “I don’t know the first thing about Bosnia and I don’t want to know because Team USA, we’re back, we’re better than ever.”
The comments quickly spread on social media, where Bosnian football fans and other viewers criticised the report as disrespectful.
One account, Bosnian Football, shared the clip on X and wrote: “My goodness, the stereotypes write themselves…”
Another viewer said: “Some competitive talk is always fun, but that’s not the way to do it.”
A third added: “The weirdest thing about Americans is that they feel it’s like a flex to say ‘I don’t even know where they are on a map.'”
Velez later issued an apology on X, formerly Twitter, admitting she had gone too far while trying to inject humour into her World Cup coverage.
She wrote: “In a poor effort to have a little fun with World Cup competition, I took it too far and made a thoughtless comment on air that was insensitive and inappropriate. I apologise to the people of Bosnia and the Bosnian Football team.”
She added: “The World Cup is supposed to be about uniting communities around the world, and my comment didn’t reflect that spirit. Wishing all the teams the very best as they continue their World Cup journey.”
Despite her apology, not everyone was convinced. One person replied: “This is not a pure apology. This is just a pr stunt to protect one’s reputation from being scrutinized.” Another pointed out that the current president of ABC News, Almin Karamehmedovic, is actually from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Not everyone was offended though. One user shared, “There is absolutely no reason to say sorry for that. The Bosnians don’t even know where Pigeon Forge and Rochester are on the map. Do you see them saying sorry?”
The apology came ahead of the USA’s knockout match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is due to take place at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Wednesday.
The United States finished top of Group D after winning two of their three matches, while Bosnia-Herzegovina progressed from Group B as one of the best third-placed sides.
Watch the moment former England captain Michael Vaughan finds out on Test Match Special that current England captain Ben Stokes is retiring at the end of the third and final Test match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Iraqi security forces arrested several politicians, lawmakers and senior officials in dawn raids across Baghdad as part of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign ordered by Iraq’s new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi. Elite Counter Terrorism Service units carried out operations in the Green Zone.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) the United States and Iran have signed is not a peace treaty. It is not even a credible framework for one. A vocal chorus of critics has rushed to portray it as a humiliation – evidence that President Donald Trump was manoeuvred into negotiations and extracted a poor deal from a regime that outplayed him.
That reading mistakes a mirage for reality. The Trump administration entered these talks with a precise understanding of what the Iranian regime is, what it wants and what any agreement with it is actually worth. No one in that negotiating team harbours the illusion that Tehran intends to honour commitments that constrain its core ambitions. The MоU is not a peace settlement. It is a mutually understood pause – a tactical intermission chosen by both sides for reasons that have nothing to do with trust and everything to do with time.
To grasp why, one needs only consult Iran’s unbroken record. That record is not a matter of interpretation or political dispute. It is a documented history of agreements made, commitments given and obligations systematically abandoned whenever honouring them conflicted with the regime’s objectives.
The pattern is consistent enough to constitute a doctrine: Iran negotiates under pressure, signs what is necessary to relieve that pressure and resumes its course once the immediate threat has passed.
The deeply flawed 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was the most prominent recent demonstration of this cycle. Presented as a landmark of multilateral diplomacy, it was in practice a subsidised intermission – a breathing space Iran used to consolidate resources, sustain its proxy networks and continue advancing its strategic programme. The JCPOA did not change Iranian behaviour. It funded and protected it.
The Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign was a direct response to that lesson: A regime of this kind cannot be managed through diplomatic lifelines. It can only be constrained by pressure severe enough to leave it no viable alternative to compliance.
The new MoU does not signal that Iran has changed. Its calculus remains what it has always been – survival and expansion, pursued through whatever tactical posture the moment requires. When pressure mounts, Iran negotiates. When pressure eases, Iran advances. Its negotiators are, by all available evidence, prepared to offer assurances they have no intention of keeping. This is not a failure of diplomatic craftsmanship. This is simply the nature of any negotiation with a regime like Iran’s.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Iranian nuclear programme. As a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has repeatedly committed to transparent cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. It has repeatedly broken those commitments, blocking inspections, constructing clandestine enrichment facilities, destroying evidence and systematically deceiving the international community. The pattern is not one of occasional noncompliance. It is deliberate, sustained deception in pursuit of a single unwavering objective: the acquisition of a nuclear weapon.
A state genuinely committed to civilian nuclear energy has no need for a vast and enormously expensive domestic enrichment programme. Nuclear fuel can be purchased – from Russia, among others – at a fraction of the cost and without the international confrontation such a programme inevitably provokes.
Iran has chosen the far more costly and dangerous path for one reason: Enrichment is not a means to an end, but the end itself. Its rulers are committed to a nuclear weapon, and that commitment has survived changes in personnel, shifts in rhetoric and decades of pressure.
It will not be bargained away – and here lies the critical point that no amount of diplomatic optimism can paper over. Iran’s rulers are not pragmatic actors engaged in a conventional cost-benefit calculation. Their goals are theological and strategic in a way that places them beyond the reach of ordinary negotiation.
They do not govern in the interests of the Iranian people. The sanctions they have endured have devastated ordinary Iranians – driven up poverty, hollowed out the middle class, denied the population access to medicines and opportunity. None of that has moved the regime one degree from its course.
This is a regime that could, if it chose, transform its position entirely. It could make peace with its neighbours, normalise relations with the international community, shed the sanctions that have devastated its economy and dramatically improve the lives of Iranians. The price is not beyond reach: abandon the nuclear weapons programme, cease development of offensive ballistic missiles and end the sponsorship of terrorist proxies. Iran’s rulers have refused that bargain consistently and completely.
That is the essential context for understanding what the Trump administration is actually doing. It would be a serious misjudgement to read this MoU as evidence of American weakness or strategic confusion. The team that designed and executed the most effective pressure campaign against Iran in recent memory is not naive about this adversary.
Trump enters this pause knowing that Iran will not honour commitments that genuinely constrain it. He is not expecting otherwise. Neither side, in all likelihood, operates under any such illusion – which is precisely what makes the critics’ alarm about a “bad deal” somewhat beside the point.
You cannot be cheated by an agreement you never expected the other party to keep.
What this MoU represents is a mutually understood strategic pause, a breathing space both parties have chosen, for entirely different reasons, over immediate confrontation. Iran needs economic relief. A regime facing internal decay and a depleted treasury has strong incentives to buy time, replenish its resources and wait out what it calculates to be a finite window.
Tehran is acutely aware that Trump has roughly two and a half years remaining in office. From its perspective, survival through that period is itself a form of victory.
Washington’s calculus is different in kind. Keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is an immediate, non-negotiable goal – a choked strait means an energy price shock with global consequences. Beyond that, the US has its own repositioning to accomplish. Military inventories drawn down through recent operations are being restocked. Strategic options are being preserved and expanded.
A pause that enables that rebuilding, while avoiding a premature confrontation on unfavourable terms, is not a concession. It is preparation.
Trump has never wavered in his commitment to eliminating Iran as a strategic threat – not through wishful diplomacy, but through the kind of pressure that forecloses options. That commitment did not expire with the signing of this MoU. The question for Tehran is not whether American resolve exists but whether it can be outlasted. That is a wager the Iranian regime has made before and lost.
The international community will, as usual, observe from a careful distance. Many nations will urge Iran to be stopped while taking few steps to stop it, criticising US action and inaction with equal facility.
Trump understands this dynamic. It is the foundation of his approach to alliances – the insistence that partners bear proportionate burdens rather than simply drawing on American resolve while contributing little of their own.
The MoU will not resolve the Iranian problem. It was not designed to. When its terms expire or when Iran decides it has served its purpose, the nuclear programme will resume its advance, the proxies will be better resourced, and the Strait of Hormuz will once again become a flashpoint.
That outcome is not a possibility. Given Iran’s record, it is a near-certainty. The only consequential variable is whether the US and those willing to stand alongside it will be better positioned to act decisively when that moment arrives. Far from a mirage, the evidence suggests that is precisely what this administration is working to ensure.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.
The Directors Guild of America on Thursday night said it approved a four-year contract with the major studios.
The new contract will boost studio contributions to DGA’s healthcare plan, increase minimum salaries and offer AI protections. The DGA declined to say how many voted in favor of the contract, but in a memo to members, union President Christopher Nolan and National Executive Director Russell Hollander said members “voted overwhelmingly” to ratify it.
“Throughout this process, our focus was clear: protect our members, strengthen the Guild, and address the challenges facing our industry during a period of profound change,” Nolan and Hollander wrote in a memo to members sent on Thursday. “… We have achieved critical wins that put the Guild in a position to further protect our members economic and creative rights now and into the future.”
The newly ratified contract provides some stability in Hollywood, about three years after a summer of strikes led by the Writers Guild of America and performers guild SAG-AFTRA. WGA approved a contract with major studios under the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in April and SAG-AFTRA members ratified their contract in June. All the contracts extend the terms to four years instead of three years, which studios had sought out.
The AMPTP in a statement thanked DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA “for their thoughtful and collaborative approach to negotiations.”
“Together, we reached agreements that deliver substantial gains for guild members while supporting greater stability across the entertainment business,” the AMPTP said. “We are encouraged by the trust built throughout this cycle and look forward to building on that momentum to advance opportunity and shared success across our industry.”
The new DGA contract starts on July 1 and runs through June 30, 2030. Key aspects of the agreement include requiring the studios to increase their contribution to DGA’s health plan by 24.4% over four years. In return, the DGA would support “modest” increases to the eligibility threshold and annual premiums.
The contract also increases minimum salaries on many jobs by 2.5% in the first year and up 3% for each of the following years in the agreement.
It also adds more rules around the use of AI technology, including requiring that directors oversee any footage created by artificial intelligence.
England captain Ben Stokes has made a stunning announcement to end his international career at the conclusion of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand.
All-rounder Stokes, one of the finest cricketers to ever play for England, was in the middle of a bowling spell at Trent Bridge when a statement was released confirming his intention to end a 15-year international career.
The 35-year-old missed England’s second Test after being involved in an incident in a London nightclub.
Before his return to the leading the team in Nottingham, he referred only to leading the team “this week”.
Tehran, Iran– The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last week between Iran and the United States appears to be in jeopardy after a second day of military strikes, as well as the a framework agreement that entrenches Israeli forces on Lebanese soil.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday released video showing the launch of ballistic missiles overnight, with a message written on them in English and Persian saying US President Donald Trump was insisting on a “defeated war”.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
The IRGC said it had fired missiles and drones towards the US Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the US Fifth Naval Fleet in Bahrain in retaliation for a second day of US strikes. It threatened more attacks if the deal is violated again by the “deceitful” US, which, along with Israel launched air attacks across Iran on February 28.
The exchanges of fire come after the US coordinated the transit of vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz in cooperation with Oman and the International Maritime Organization.
Many ships were being directed through Oman’s waters, which prompted the IRGC to hit a container ship and a tanker with explosive-laden drones in an attempt to force traffic to pass through Iranian waters instead.
Speaking to reporters in neighbouring Iraq on Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran will exercise sole management and oversight of the critical waterway for the next 30 days before allowing full traffic to resume.
He also emphasised the first clause of the June 17 MoU, which says military operations must immediately and permanently end on all fronts, including Lebanon, and urged Washington to exert pressure on Israel to stop attacking southern Lebanon.
The governments of Israel and Lebanon reached a US-brokered framework deal on Friday that allows Israeli forces to remain in southern Lebanon, until Tehran-backed Hezbollah is fully disarmed. That appears to contradict the MoU signed with Iran.
Hezbollah swiftly rejected the agreement, calling it “humiliating, shameful and a surrender” of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said she expected the Lebanon issue to negatively impact the MoU because Hezbollah was not on board and the Lebanese government’s previous ceasefire deals with Israel have been repeatedly violated.
She also told Al Jazeera that Iran has found tremendous leverage with the Strait of Hormuz, treating it as a “golden card”, as the disruption to oil exports has heavily impacted markets and made the war unpopular among many, including in the US.
“They are using that leverage to the max and not going back to the status before the war, pretending like no war happened,” she said, adding that Iranian authorities and the IRGC have sought to centre themselves in the process of coordinating transit through the strait.
“They’re saying they want traffic to go through in coordination with them, and I think they will be able to exert that kind of power,” she said.
On Saturday, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei released an image of their first publicised trilateral meeting since the start of the war more than four months ago.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen or heard from since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli attack on the first day of the war. But a new written text message attributed to him on Sunday said: “What is certain is that the criminals must be seized by the collar and made to face the punishment for their criminal acts”.
Supporters of the Islamic Republic cheered on the latest IRGC attacks against US interests as they continued demonstrating on the streets overnight into Sunday as hardline politicians and analysts called for further attacks until Iran gets better concessions.
On the state-linked talk show, Tamam Rokh, political analysts said Tehran should significantly strengthen its ties with Moscow and Beijing.
“We could do many things with help from Russia and China to damage US strategic equipment in the region like vessels, refuelling aircraft and electronic warfare,” pro-state analyst Ali Samadzadeh said on the programme on Saturday.
“There was no movement in Tehran to tie Beijing and Moscow to the war, and this major flaw exists in the form of the negotiations and the text of the MoU as well,” he said.
More than 60 hardline legislators on Sunday postponed plans to protest against the closure of parliament since the start of the war after its presiding board said it would meet to reconvene the assembly, following Ali Khamenei’s burial next month.
Many others say demands for extracting major concessions from the US and Israel do not correspond with the reality of the situation after months of war.
“In terms of military power, we couldn’t do anything about the US blockade and we didn’t think the crisis would get so serious,” pro-state commentator Vahid Ashtari told crowds at a street event in Tehran.
“I think a type of blind idealism has emerged that believes we are on top and at the peak, so we shouldn’t make a deal. But there are facts on the ground. We have some missiles and drones to carry out an asymmetric defence, but we have no fighter jets to fly to the US and hit Trump. Not only could we not avenge [Khamenei], we could not avenge Haj Qassem either,” he added, in reference to General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated by the US in 2020.
After two nights of attacks, Iran’s financial markets also reacted poorly, with the national currency losing gains since the signing of the MoU to trade at about 1.7 million rials against the dollar in Tehran’s open market on Sunday.
The main index of the Tehran Stock Exchange also lost more than 100,000 points to stand at just over five million points at the end of trading on Sunday, the second day of the working week in Iran.
Vahid, a 37-year-old mechanic who also deals in car parts in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, told Al Jazeera that while the market has marginally improved since the signing of the deal with the US, it is still treading on thin ice.
He said parts for foreign cars are becoming harder to find, while prices have been rising rapidly for both domestic and foreign vehicle parts.
“I think the war will start again over the coming months and some in the bazaar think the same,” he said.
WITH its pretty timber-framed walls and stained-glass windows, even from the outside you can instantly tell The Old Inn is something special.
It’s been welcoming guests since 1614, but that doesn’t mean the hotel in the village of Crawfords-burn, Co Down, is stuck in a time warp.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The Old Inn was a pick of Narnia author CS LewisCredit: UnknownThe rooms are as comfy as the pub is historicCredit: Unknown
Inside, it has been transformed into an oasis of modern luxury, and it has proved such a hit since it was bought by the Galgorm hotel group in 2021 that it was recently crowned the AA’s Hotel of the Year for Northern Ireland.
Now, with its stunning Treetop spa, it promises the ultimate romantic retreat – apt, because Narnia author CS Lewis chose it for his honeymoon in July 1958.
We stayed in one of the spacious junior suites, with a super-king bed and a stand-alone copper bath by the ornate bay window.
Antique furnishings maintain the 17th-century character, while the bathrooms are new and luxurious, with a marble sink and a vast rainfall shower.
The attention to detail really makes it stand out from other 4* hotels, with lavish toiletries, fluffy robes and slippers, a GHD hairdryer, and free soft drinks in the fridge as well as a Nespresso coffee machine and minibar.
We spent most of our stay unwinding in the Treetop spa, which is without doubt the star of the show.
Hotel guests get access from noon on the day of check-in until check-out.
Overlooking the Crawfordsburn Country Park and surrounded by greenery, this outdoor haven features a heated hydrotherapy pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.
Or you can also relax by a wood-fire stove in the cosy conservatory, taking in the forest views below, or indulge in a treatment such as a facial or massage.
But the best part is that you can order cocktails straight to the pool or your lounger.
On a Sunday morning, I was able to sweat out my multiple cocktails in the hotel’s new gym, which also offers various classes, including yoga.
As for food, the hotel’s charming 1614 Bar offers pub grub such as fish and chips and burgers.
For dinner, we headed into The Restaurant to try the a-la-carte menu.
It’s not cheap, but is excellent if you fancy splashing out.
To start, I had the white asparagus with shaved mushrooms, Irish coppa and truffled honey (£15), and for my main I had the monkfish with spring brassicas, mussels and buttermilk (£33) with a great bottle of white wine.
After dinner, we returned to the 1614 Bar for a nightcap or two with live music.
Breakfast is a continental buffet spread and guests can also order a la carte.
The hotel prides itself on its fresh food, so everything from fish to yoghurt at breakfast was local.
We then strolled through the park to Crawfordsburn beach.
A winding path takes you through woods, then the trees clear and you are on to the sweeping, sandy beach looking out over Belfast Lough.
You can see why CS Lewis chose this spot for his honeymoon – with stunning scenery on your doorstep and a warm welcome, it’s couples heaven.
GO: NORTHERN IRELAND
STAYING THERE: Rooms at The Old Inn start from £175 per night.
Rescuers in Venezuela are racing against time to find survivors after twin earthquakes left thousands missing. International teams have pulled several people from the rubble alive, including 11-year-old boy Moises rescued after a six-hour operation and a newborn reunited with their family.
A dull yellow light peeks through a brooding sky looming over rolling Southern California hills. The oil painting “Approaching Storm” captures the kind of picturesque scene that would get fine artist Paul Grimm work in early Hollywood. Known for his plein air landscapes and masterful depictions of clouds, he turned to studio work to make money during the Great Depression.
He is one of many artists on display at a new UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art exhibition about set painters whose work would go uncredited or overlooked.
Share via
“They weren’t making their living selling their paintings, but they were making their living working for the studios,” said museum director Kathryn Kanjo. “The artist would lose their individual credit and recognition, to be at the service of what was needed by the studio.”
Elsewhere in the “Staging California in Early Hollywood” exhibition, hangs an 18-by-25-foot painted backing for “The Sound of Music” (1965), a project led by the then-art director of 20th Century Pictures’ special effects department, Emil J. Kosa Jr. He’d be the only one to get credit at the time, not the five other contributing artists, including celebrated plein air artist Arthur Grover Rider, who are also noted in the museum description.
“In general, at the studios, they systematized the production design, so that it was fast,” Kanjo said, describing the rigid process as militaristic. “Five artists at a time work day after day to get these things done.”
It’s the museum’s first exhibition since UC Irvine acquired the Orange County Museum of Art last September, building a 9,000-piece collection dating back to the 19th century.
The exhibition, with about 50 pieces, is the first since Kanjo’s appointment in December. It’s a love letter to the film industry’s anonymous and little-known artists, whose works were vital to movies.
The exhibition opens with Paul Grimm’s Untitled, 1974, left, and “Approaching Storm,” 1974, right, which capture the essence of the Southern California landscape.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Take two of the most prolific set artists of the mid-20th century: Warren Newcombe and George Gibson. Newcombe was a Massachusetts-born, well-educated artist who started working on sets as early as 1920. He’d eventually join the MGM art department, where he perfected a visual effect technique called “matte painting.” For a time, it was simply referred to as the “Newcombe shot.”
Gibson was also at MGM around the same time. When the studio first hired the Scottish artist, he’d routinely miss shifts to paint plein air in Southern California. He and Newcombe would help craft “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), but when the credits rolled, both their names were missing.
Newcombe and Gibson would go on to be recognized and celebrated for their work. About a decade after “The Wizard of Oz,” Newcombe won two Oscars for special effects, for “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” (1944) and “Green Dolphin Street” (1947).
“He was really instrumental in the professionalization of artists at MGM,” assistant curator Michaëla Mohrmann said of Gibson. “His insistence on color saturation is something that really informs his work for ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and it’s really that movie that cements his reputation as one of the masters of scenic art.”
Meanwhile, artists like Arthur Beaumont hardly got their due. Raised by a military family in England, the California transplant was particularly captivated by naval vessels. By 1933, he had painted maritime art for most of the U.S. Naval fleet. As a result of his work, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and recognized as its fleet’s official artist.
He also began producing promotional materials and storyboards for Paramount Studios’ naval films as early as 1935, first for a movie titled “Mutiny on the Bounty.” In 1942, he would do the same for “Wake Island” in the midst of World War II. His work was later etched into metal plates and used to mass-produce publicity prints.
Museum director Kathryn Kanjo stands between Arthur Grover Rider’s “Ortega Highway” (1974), left, and Emil J. Kosa Jr.’s “How Marvelous Thy Works” (1928).
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“They were participating [in the military and war] in different functions and not always credited for that kind of work,” Mohrmann said. “I think there was an act of generosity [during wartime] in general — everyone was really patriotic.”
The exhibition also features a silent film titled “The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra,” a 1928 short highlighting the plight of a background actor known as “9413.”
“It’s all like him being shoveled around and underappreciated and not even given a name, right?” Kanjo said. “Everybody thought it was funny because it was kind of meta, but it was pointing out real issues.”
Beyond giving credit where credit’s due, the exhibition aims to uplift background art.
“Back then as well as now, people question the artistic merits of these works because they were made for films that were for profit,” Mohrmann said. “When in reality there was a ton of talent and artistry and critical thinking.”
South Africa stuttered but ultimately applied the pressure to India in the race for the T20 World Cup semi-finals by beating Bangladesh by four wickets in their final group match at Lord’s.
After coming through an edgy chase of 118, the Proteas will progress to play England, who they beat in last year’s 50-over World Cup semi-final, on Thursday unless India beat unbeaten Australia later on Sunday (14:30 BST).
South Africa still fail to convince at this tournament, however.
Having beaten India and piled up 208-1 against Netherlands in their previous two games, they put in an indifferent batting performance reminiscent of their opening two games.
Captain Laura Wolvaardt fell to the first ball of the chase, her off stump knocked back by a Marufa Aktar inswinger, and when Dane van Niekerk was trapped lbw for three the Proteas were 59-3 at the halfway stage.
Annerie Dercksen threatened to take them home but she edged behind for 45 in the 15th over after which the boundaries dried up and the tension rose.
Marizanne Kapp was run out for 16 and Nadine de Klerk was caught at deep mid-wicket with five runs still needed before Chloe Tryon edged a four and cleared the off side to secure victory with four balls to spare.
South Africa were at least better with the ball.
Kapp bowled Juairiya Ferdous with the first ball of the match and, despite some middle-order resistance through a careful 42 by Sobhana Mostary and the late flurry of captain Nigar Sultana’s 32 not out, Bangladesh still only made 117-5.
But, after an affair far more tense than it should have been, they face a nervy wait to see if Australia can beat India to send them through.
Iran’s foreign minister has urged ‘all parties not to interfere’ in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, after the US bombed Iran for a second day following a drone attack on a vessel. Abbas Araghchi says the MoU gives Tehran control of the waterway, during a press conference with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad.
SPONTANEITY is limited to people who have the financial means to go on exciting adventures at the last minute, it has emerged.
Research has confirmed that visiting a trendy restaurant on a whim or booking an impromptu skiing holiday to La Bresse is the preserve of high-earners and those with a sickening amount of inherited wealth.
Professor Frost, not her real name, of the Institute for Studies said: “The last time a poor person was spontaneous was in 2006. And they died shortly afterwards from the stress of having no money left.
“Unlike the wealthy, everyone else has to carefully ration their pennies for big expenses like a train journey in six months’ time, or for that matter a big bar of Dairy Milk. Even an unscheduled half could leave them struggling to afford shoes.
“If you can afford to impulsively swing by the cinema or have a weekend break in Madrid you’re in the top one per cent. Why not spontaneously donate some money to charity, or isn’t that fun enough for you?
“Going to Japan should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not something you randomly do next week because you’re bored. For normal people, being spontaneous is buying apple-scented washing-up liquid instead of their usual lemon. Provided it’s just as cheap.”
Well-off person Francesca Johnson said: “Have poor people considered owning a large property portfolio or being the privately-educated child of a celebrity? Then they could do whatever they want whenever they like.”
Khartoum, Sudan – As drone attacks rain down on el-Obeid and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tighten their months-long siege, the capital of North Kordofan has emerged as the latest flashpoint in Sudan’s grinding war of attrition.
Despite mounting international alarm and renewed US diplomatic pressure aimed at securing a nationwide truce, Sudan’s warring generals remain deeply entrenched. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF appear locked in a pursuit of outright military victory, largely sustained by a continuous flow of foreign weapons.
Through the lens of the escalating crisis in el-Obeid, a grim reality is unfolding: Civilian suffering is increasingly weaponised amid polarised domestic narratives, while geopolitical manoeuvring repeatedly stalls any viable path to peace.
A strategic prize and international alarm
El-Obeid holds immense strategic value. Located 550km (340 miles) southwest of Khartoum, it acts as the primary gateway linking Khartoum to the vast Darfur region. The city is also a major military stronghold, hosting the SAF’s 5th Infantry Division, known as “Al-Hagana”, and has become a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians fleeing violence elsewhere.
The looming threat of a full-scale ground invasion has triggered urgent global warnings. Recently, 38 international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), alongside the UN and countries including Qatar, sounded the alarm over the escalating use of drones and the potential for mass atrocities, warning that el-Obeid could face the same devastation recently seen in el-Fasher.
Yet these warnings have failed to alter the calculus on the ground.
Polarised narratives of a stalled peace
Recent United States diplomatic efforts, led by Massad Boulos, an adviser to US President Donald Trump, have pushed for a comprehensive ceasefire. However, the push for peace has collided with absolute domestic polarisation.
SAF commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has firmly rejected unconditional truces, stating that the army will operate with the precision of “digging with a needle” until the RSF is entirely dismantled.
This deadlock reflects a deeply fractured political landscape. Fathi Abu Ammar, a Sudanese academic, told Al Jazeera that the SAF is primarily responsible for the prolonged suffering by obstructing peace initiatives and refusing to establish safe corridors for civilians to leave el-Obeid.
He accused the army of using the city’s residents as “human shields” to garner international sympathy, while arguing that the RSF is fighting to address legitimate historical grievances.
Conversely, Sudanese journalist and political analyst Yousef Abdel Mannan vehemently rejected these claims.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Sudan, Abdel Mannan accused the RSF of widespread atrocities, including a recent drone attack on a girls’ school in el-Obeid and the systematic killing of thousands of civilians in el-Fasher, including patients inside the Saudi Hospital.
Abdel Mannan dismissed the US-backed truce proposals as inadequate measures that merely “treat the wounds of the conflict while leaving the root cause intact”, arguing that only a comprehensive political settlement, not a temporary ceasefire, can resolve the crisis.
He maintained that civilians in el-Obeid are not being held hostage by the army, but rather prefer to remain in their homes rather than face displacement at the hands of paramilitaries.
Foreign arms and the geopolitical deadlock
Beneath the domestic blame game lies a critical factor sustaining the conflict: Foreign interference.
David Shinn, a former US diplomat and assistant secretary of state for African affairs, noted that despite years of US engagement and sanctions targeting both SAF and RSF leaders, neither side has shown a genuine interest in halting the violence.
“There is a desire from both sides to continue fighting until one side wins,” Shinn told Al Jazeera.
The escalating use of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) over el-Obeid underscores this external lifeline. “Neither the RSF nor the Sudanese army manufactures drones,” Shinn pointed out, meaning these advanced weapons must be imported.
He highlighted that the warring parties are actively backed by regional powers, pointing to the United Arab Emirates as a backer of the RSF, and Egypt and Saudi Arabia as supporters of the SAF, arguing that the conflict has transformed into a proxy war.
For the siege of el-Obeid to end and a genuine peace process to begin, the geopolitical spigot must be turned off.
Until the international community forces external actors to halt their military support, analysts warn that Sudan will remain hostage to a war its generals believe they can still win.
The 48-year-old has won over audiences with his approachable demeanour as he fronts the daily magazine programme alongside Helen Skelton and Michelle Ackerley.
However, the former Blue Peter host has now been reminded of the BBC’s editorial guidelines after he reportedly contravened broadcasting rules while on air.
Gethin is a longstanding ambassador for the Welsh heritage jewellery brand Clogau and has appeared in numerous promotional campaigns for the company. He even has a Clogau ‘wife’ – model Nikki Chislett, with whom he promoted last Christmas’s festive jewellery range while sporting a wedding band.
But The Mail on Sunday has now reported that Gethin has also been seen wearing various timepieces from Clogau while hosting Morning Live – which places him in breach of stringent BBC guidelines, reports Wales Online.
The corporation’s regulations stipulate that presenters ‘must not appear on-air wearing clothing or using products or services which they have been contracted to promote’.
BBC Studios told The Mirror: “We have clear guidelines around presenters’ commercial activities while working with the BBC, and Gethin has been reminded of these guidelines.”
According to The Mail on Sunday, throughout the past eight months Gethin has sported numerous Clogau watches on Morning Live, including a £550 model featuring a stainless-steel case and black bezel. Another timepiece, priced at £420, features a polished stainless-steel case with gold plating and is accompanied by a black leather strap.
He has additionally been spotted sporting a stainless-steel watch displaying a textured black dial alongside contrasting silver-tone hands and numerals.
Gethin becomes the most recent personality to seemingly flout BBC regulations. Monty Don, 70, received a reprimand last month following his appearance in a £300 Barbour jacket while filming Gardeners’ World – having previously featured in an advertising campaign for the brand.
The Mirror revealed that the jacket features in promotional material for Barbour’s Way of Life campaign, which prompts fans to “shop the look” showcased by the television presenter.
At the time, the BBC stated: “We have clear guidelines around presenters’ commercial activities while working with the BBC, and Monty has been reminded of these guidelines.”
Morning Live is on BBC One weekdays at 9.30am and BBC iPlayer
